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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As people increasingly read and listen to books on their mobile phones or while traveling, many retail digital book subscription services can cost hundreds of dollars per year.
However, Lake County residents can access a wide selection of popular digital ebooks and audiobooks free from Lake County Library.
With a library card, members of the community can borrow from the digital collection by visiting the library website or downloading Libby, the award-winning one-tap reading app from Rakuten OverDrive.
If you don't yet have a library card, you can get an online library card instantly at the library website.
Named one of TIME's Best iPhone and Android Apps of 2018, Libby seamlessly connects first-time users and experienced readers with the popular digital library collections.
These tailored collections offer ebooks and audiobooks including bestsellers and new releases in a variety of topics.
Readers of all ages can select from virtually every subject ranging from mystery, romance, and children’s books to business and more.
Users can also listen to audiobooks, the fastest-growing segment of the publishing industry with the convenience of listening on the go. Libby provides an easy way to access ebooks and audiobooks all together on one app.
Readers may browse Lake County Library’s digital collection, instantly borrow titles and start reading or listening for free with a valid library card and a PIN. Your library PIN is usually the last four digits of the phone number on your library card registration. This service is compatible with all major computers and devices, iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets and Chromebook.
Through Libby, readers can also “send to Kindle”. All titles will automatically expire at the end of the lending period and there are no late fees. Readers can also download titles onto Libby for offline use.
To get started enjoying ebooks, audiobooks and more, visit library.lakecountyca.gov or download Libby today. For more information call the library at 707-263-8817.
Jan Cook is a library technician for the Lake County Library.
However, Lake County residents can access a wide selection of popular digital ebooks and audiobooks free from Lake County Library.
With a library card, members of the community can borrow from the digital collection by visiting the library website or downloading Libby, the award-winning one-tap reading app from Rakuten OverDrive.
If you don't yet have a library card, you can get an online library card instantly at the library website.
Named one of TIME's Best iPhone and Android Apps of 2018, Libby seamlessly connects first-time users and experienced readers with the popular digital library collections.
These tailored collections offer ebooks and audiobooks including bestsellers and new releases in a variety of topics.
Readers of all ages can select from virtually every subject ranging from mystery, romance, and children’s books to business and more.
Users can also listen to audiobooks, the fastest-growing segment of the publishing industry with the convenience of listening on the go. Libby provides an easy way to access ebooks and audiobooks all together on one app.
Readers may browse Lake County Library’s digital collection, instantly borrow titles and start reading or listening for free with a valid library card and a PIN. Your library PIN is usually the last four digits of the phone number on your library card registration. This service is compatible with all major computers and devices, iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets and Chromebook.
Through Libby, readers can also “send to Kindle”. All titles will automatically expire at the end of the lending period and there are no late fees. Readers can also download titles onto Libby for offline use.
To get started enjoying ebooks, audiobooks and more, visit library.lakecountyca.gov or download Libby today. For more information call the library at 707-263-8817.
Jan Cook is a library technician for the Lake County Library.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Wednesday Lake County’s Public Health officer said a third positive case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in the county.
Dr. Gary Pace said the case was identified on Tuesday.
“Apparently, the initial contact with an infected person occurred out of the county, but there may have been some interactions in our community over the past few weeks,” Pace said in a Wednesday evening press release.
“This third case illustrates the importance of everyone maintaining ‘shelter in place,’ and wearing a mask when in the public because virus transmission can occur from people with no obvious symptoms,” Pace said.
So far, 211 negative tests have been received by Lake County Public Health, which said the total number of tests administered is not available.
The first two positive COVID-19 cases in Lake County were confirmed on Sunday and Monday. Pace said those two cases are close family members, with the initial case coming from a contact with a known COVID-19 case at an out-of-county workplace.
Lake County News asked Pace if the third case was related to the first two and how it was tracked. He would not answer the questions.
The news about Lake County’s third confirmed case comes as California’s overall case count closes in on 19,000, with about 500 deaths.
Earlier this week, Pace extended the county’s shelter in place order through May 3.
The three patients identified so far in Lake County have been very observant of the stay at home orders and have been cooperative with Public Health’s contact tracing and isolation plans, Pace said.
“Even with all of these steps that are being taken to slow the spread of the virus, we continue to monitor for signs of community transmission,” said Pace.
Pace said there has been a great deal of interest in learning where these patients live, and people have been trying to obtain some information about them.
“Public Health is legally responsible for protecting personal health information, including demographics that may lead to identification. In order to protect the identity of those community members who test positive for COVID-19, Public Health will not provide city/town of residence at this time. That being said, should a Lake County resident test positive for COVID-19, it is their personal choice as to whether to release information publicly regarding their location and/or identity,” Pace said.
He added, “In a small, tight-knit community like ours, even location may lead to patient identification. Sharing location information does not provide any benefit to the public in helping to prevent illness.”
In order to prevent the spread of illness, Pace recommended that everyone wear a mask when leaving their homes.
N95 and surgical masks are in short supply, and should be reserved for use by healthcare professionals at this time, he said.
Now that there are confirmed cases in Lake County, Pace said the public should consider every public place as a place that one could be exposed.
He asked that community members continue to follow all other recommended precautions, including following shelter-in-place and other public health orders, stopping all nonessential activities, and practicing good hygiene and routine cleaning.
Guidance and options for making your own cloth masks are provided here.
For Lake County-specific Coronavirus information, visit the Lake County Health Services Department’s website.
If you still have questions, send an email request toThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Public Health during business hours at 707-263-8174.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Dr. Gary Pace said the case was identified on Tuesday.
“Apparently, the initial contact with an infected person occurred out of the county, but there may have been some interactions in our community over the past few weeks,” Pace said in a Wednesday evening press release.
“This third case illustrates the importance of everyone maintaining ‘shelter in place,’ and wearing a mask when in the public because virus transmission can occur from people with no obvious symptoms,” Pace said.
So far, 211 negative tests have been received by Lake County Public Health, which said the total number of tests administered is not available.
The first two positive COVID-19 cases in Lake County were confirmed on Sunday and Monday. Pace said those two cases are close family members, with the initial case coming from a contact with a known COVID-19 case at an out-of-county workplace.
Lake County News asked Pace if the third case was related to the first two and how it was tracked. He would not answer the questions.
The news about Lake County’s third confirmed case comes as California’s overall case count closes in on 19,000, with about 500 deaths.
Earlier this week, Pace extended the county’s shelter in place order through May 3.
The three patients identified so far in Lake County have been very observant of the stay at home orders and have been cooperative with Public Health’s contact tracing and isolation plans, Pace said.
“Even with all of these steps that are being taken to slow the spread of the virus, we continue to monitor for signs of community transmission,” said Pace.
Pace said there has been a great deal of interest in learning where these patients live, and people have been trying to obtain some information about them.
“Public Health is legally responsible for protecting personal health information, including demographics that may lead to identification. In order to protect the identity of those community members who test positive for COVID-19, Public Health will not provide city/town of residence at this time. That being said, should a Lake County resident test positive for COVID-19, it is their personal choice as to whether to release information publicly regarding their location and/or identity,” Pace said.
He added, “In a small, tight-knit community like ours, even location may lead to patient identification. Sharing location information does not provide any benefit to the public in helping to prevent illness.”
In order to prevent the spread of illness, Pace recommended that everyone wear a mask when leaving their homes.
N95 and surgical masks are in short supply, and should be reserved for use by healthcare professionals at this time, he said.
Now that there are confirmed cases in Lake County, Pace said the public should consider every public place as a place that one could be exposed.
He asked that community members continue to follow all other recommended precautions, including following shelter-in-place and other public health orders, stopping all nonessential activities, and practicing good hygiene and routine cleaning.
Guidance and options for making your own cloth masks are provided here.
For Lake County-specific Coronavirus information, visit the Lake County Health Services Department’s website.
If you still have questions, send an email request to
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The final vote tally for the March 3 presidential primary shows that an incumbent judge has been returned to office and the District 5 supervisorial race will go to a fall runoff.
The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office completed the official canvass for the primary this week in line with the normal schedule determined by state law, and well ahead of the April 24 extended deadline the governor granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Interim Registrar Diane Fridley – whose last official day on the job was March 31 – reportedly had to deal with reduced staff, as extra help employees were not available to help with finishing up the official canvass as they were determined to be “nonessential” and sent home to shelter in place, based on a Board of Supervisors decision made last month.
Fridley’s completed count showed that Judge J. David Markham won election to continue as Superior Court judge over challenger Lisa Proffitt-O’Brien, a deputy district attorney.
The vote count was 2,435 votes, or 92.62 percent for Markham, to 194 votes or 7.38 percent for Proffitt-O’Brien.
Markham has served as a judge since February 2018. He was appointed in late 2017 by then-Gov. Jerry Brown to the bench to succeed Judge Richard Martin, who retired.
Both Markham – who missed the earlier filing deadline – and Proffitt-O’Brien were write-in candidates.
Another key race on the March 3 ballot was for the District 5 supervisorial seat, currently held by Rob Brown, who did not seek reelection.
In a four-person race, Jessica Pyska of Cobb, a businesswoman and educator, led the field with 1,923 votes, or 47.65 percent of the vote.
She will be in a runoff with Kelseyville resident Bill Kearney, a retired pharmacist, who received 1,120 votes or 27.75 percent of the vote.
Rounding out the field are educator Lily Woll of Kelseyville, with 898 votes or 22.25 percent, and Cobb resident and activist Kevin Ahajanian, with 95 votes, or 2.35 percent of the ballots cast.
Also on the ballot were the District 1 and 4 supervisorial seats.
For District 1, the final results confirmed that incumbent Moke Simon won a second term in a race with challenger Julia Mary Bono. Simon received 2,795 votes, or 78.82 percent of the vote, to Bono’s 751 votes, or 21.18 percent.
In the District 4 race, voters returned incumbent Tina Scott to office for a second term, giving her 2,506 votes or 62.71 percent of the vote. Challenger Chris Almind received 1,490 votes or 37.29 percent.
Based on the official canvass, turnout for the March primary was 52.86 percent, with approximately 17,902 of Lake County’s 33,866 registered voters participating, the majority of them by vote-by-mail, or absentee, ballot.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office completed the official canvass for the primary this week in line with the normal schedule determined by state law, and well ahead of the April 24 extended deadline the governor granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Interim Registrar Diane Fridley – whose last official day on the job was March 31 – reportedly had to deal with reduced staff, as extra help employees were not available to help with finishing up the official canvass as they were determined to be “nonessential” and sent home to shelter in place, based on a Board of Supervisors decision made last month.
Fridley’s completed count showed that Judge J. David Markham won election to continue as Superior Court judge over challenger Lisa Proffitt-O’Brien, a deputy district attorney.
The vote count was 2,435 votes, or 92.62 percent for Markham, to 194 votes or 7.38 percent for Proffitt-O’Brien.
Markham has served as a judge since February 2018. He was appointed in late 2017 by then-Gov. Jerry Brown to the bench to succeed Judge Richard Martin, who retired.
Both Markham – who missed the earlier filing deadline – and Proffitt-O’Brien were write-in candidates.
Another key race on the March 3 ballot was for the District 5 supervisorial seat, currently held by Rob Brown, who did not seek reelection.
In a four-person race, Jessica Pyska of Cobb, a businesswoman and educator, led the field with 1,923 votes, or 47.65 percent of the vote.
She will be in a runoff with Kelseyville resident Bill Kearney, a retired pharmacist, who received 1,120 votes or 27.75 percent of the vote.
Rounding out the field are educator Lily Woll of Kelseyville, with 898 votes or 22.25 percent, and Cobb resident and activist Kevin Ahajanian, with 95 votes, or 2.35 percent of the ballots cast.
Also on the ballot were the District 1 and 4 supervisorial seats.
For District 1, the final results confirmed that incumbent Moke Simon won a second term in a race with challenger Julia Mary Bono. Simon received 2,795 votes, or 78.82 percent of the vote, to Bono’s 751 votes, or 21.18 percent.
In the District 4 race, voters returned incumbent Tina Scott to office for a second term, giving her 2,506 votes or 62.71 percent of the vote. Challenger Chris Almind received 1,490 votes or 37.29 percent.
Based on the official canvass, turnout for the March primary was 52.86 percent, with approximately 17,902 of Lake County’s 33,866 registered voters participating, the majority of them by vote-by-mail, or absentee, ballot.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – An influx of garbage – including rags and wipes – is causing damage to sewer systems around Lake County and, most recently, in the city of Lakeport.
In the wake of the toilet paper shortage that has occurred in response to the COVID-19 pandemic – particularly due to the need to shelter in place – local officials last month began reporting damage to sewer equipment because people are putting wrong materials into the systems.
This week, the city of Lakeport reported that its sewer system is getting overwhelmed due to large amounts of garbage being put into it.
Lakeport’s sewer division operates and maintains nearly 40 miles of sewer main lines, eight sewer lift stations, and a secondary treatment and disposal facility.
The city said that its Public Works Department’s personnel are having to clean the system’s debris screen on a daily basis and maintenance at the sewer pump stations is also being increased daily.
“People are advised that the public sewer system is designed for toilet paper and human waste only,” city officials said in a Tuesday statement. “Not allowed are baby wipes, disinfectant wipes, ‘flushable’ wipes, paper towels, or latex and disposable gloves. Please deposit these items in the appropriate trash and recycle containers.”
More information is available from the Lakeport Public Works Department at 707-263-3578.
Lakeport isn’t the first to report these issues.
In mid-March, the Clearlake Oaks County Water District asked people to remember that rags, paper towels, baby wipes, napkins and similar items are not flushable and were causing problems with their sewer system.
Then, Lake County Special Districts reported similar issues, putting out the call on its social media accounts to the public to “stop using the public sewer system as a garbage can.”
The agency said that the staff at the Southeast Regional Sewer Treatment Plant are removing almost 4 feet of non-flushable items – including wipes, paper towels and rags – from the intake bar screen on a daily basis.
Special Districts said the garbage puts the system in danger of sanitary overflows which contaminate waterways and land, and can create backups inside homes. It’s also likely to increase sewer fees.
“We are aggressively working to identify any connection that is abusing the sewer system and putting everyone at risk. We have new equipment that may help us identify the households that are doing this so the extra costs to remove and address this can be passed on to the offending parties. Videos of non-flushable items in one’s lateral will result in penalties and extra charges for that customer,” Special Districts said on its Facebook page.
Special Districts Administrator Jan Coppinger told Lake County News on Tuesday that the problem doesn’t seem to be decreasing any.
“Since the shelter in place, we had one sewer spill that was caused by wipes and rags,” Coppinger said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – With property taxes due this week, on Tuesday the Board of Supervisors addressed concerns raised by the public about why the county hasn’t chosen to delay the payment date.
April 10 is the due date for the final installment payment for the county’s secured property tax roll for the period of July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020.
The county of Lake and the majority of the rest of the state’s 58 counties have not taken action to push back the due date, despite the impacts on the economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has shuttered many businesses and required residents across the state to shelter in place.
One exception is the county of San Francisco County, which said it has extended its property tax deadline to May 4, the first business day after its shelter-in-place order is to be lifted.
Another is San Mateo County, which also has extended to May 4 its deadline for the second installment of property tax payments.
Over the weekend, the California State Association of Counties and the California Association of County Treasurers and Tax Collectors said counties were pledging to use “all existing authority to cancel penalties and other charges for homeowners, small businesses and other property owners that are unable to pay their property taxes due to circumstances caused by COVID‐19 on a case‐by‐case basis,” as Lake County News has reported.
The two organizations said that due to the importance of property tax revenue to counties, cities and schools, any delay in payments “would take tens of billions of dollars away from local government, create cash flow problems, and cause some to default on their loans, which would have significant long‐term effects on all local agencies in California.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom thanked the groups for committing to providing economic relief for residents and small businesses facing hardships due to COVID-19.
Lake County to offer waiver process
During its Tuesday meeting, the Board of Supervisors voted to add as a special item to its agenda a discussion with Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen, who answered questions about property tax payments and potential penalty relief for those who cannot pay their property taxes by the deadline due to impacts of COVID-19.
Ringen said she doesn’t have the authority to change the April 10 property tax due date, but she does have the ability to allow for a penalty waiver.
Property owners will have to provide documentation about why they cannot pay their property taxes in relation to impacts from COVID-19, she said. Each waiver will be reviewed on an individual basis.
She said the penalty waiver form will have to be submitted by June 30 along with a check for the base tax. Taxes can be paid online, by phone or by mail.
“We do recommend that the taxpayers pay if we can,” otherwise the penalty waiver process will be in place to help them, Ringen said.
County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson relayed to the board information from county Tax Administrator Patrick Sullivan, who reported that only San Francisco and San Mateo were taking specific actions to postpone the payment due dates. In those cases, they are waiting until their offices reopen.
County Counsel Anita Grant explained that, based on California Revenue & Taxation Code section 2619, if the dates for the property tax installments – Dec. 10 and April 10 – fall on a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday, the tax due date moves to the next business day.
The section also states, “If the board of supervisors, by adoption of an ordinance or resolution, closes the county's offices for business prior to the time of delinquency on the ‘next business day’ or for that whole day, that day shall be considered a legal holiday for purposes of this section.”
Grant explained that the two counties in question were extending the due date by their closures.
She also pointed to California Revenue & Taxation Code section 4985.2, which allows for charges and penalties from tax delinquency to be canceled by the auditor or the tax collector upon findings that include that the failure to pay on time was “due to reasonable cause and circumstances beyond the taxpayer's control, and occurred notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care in the absence of willful neglect, provided the principal payment for the proper amount of the tax due is made no later than June 30 of the fourth fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the tax became delinquent.”
Grant noted during the discussion that most counties are doing what Ringen is proposing to do with the penalty waiver process.
Supervisor Bruno Sabatier said he believed Ringen is doing the right thing.
As of early Wednesday, the penalty waiver form did not yet appear to be available on the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office web page.
Frequently asked questions
The Lake County Tax Collector’s Office has offered the following frequently asked questions about property tax.
1. Can the tax collector extend the April 10, 2020, deadline?
No. The county does not have the authority under State law to extend or postpone the second installment property tax deadline of April 10, 2020.
2. County buildings are no longer open to the public, what are my payment options?
Although we are not accepting in-person payments currently at our office, taxpayers can pay online, via telephone, by mail, or drop box located on the first floor of the Courthouse.
Pay online at http://tax.lakecountyca.gov or by telephone 866-506-8035.
There is a convenience fee of 2.5 percent for credit/debit card payments or a $3 flat fee for an e-check.
3. What if I am unable to make a full property tax payment by April 10, 2020, due to the impact of COVID-19?
We encourage all property owners who can pay their taxes on time to do so. This revenue helps keep the government running and providing vital services that the public relies on, especially in times like these.
4. Can I request a penalty cancellation if I am unable to make a timely payment due to COVID-19?
Yes. For those taxpayers directly impacted by the COVID-19 virus and are unable to pay timely there is a penalty waiver process available after the April 10th deadline.
The penalty waiver process requires documentation as to how the taxpayer was impacted by the virus such as reduced hours, layoffs, business closure, hospitalization or other circumstances that prevented timely payment.
Penalty waiver form will be available on our website or by contacting our office at 707-263-2234.
5. I mailed in my property tax payment, however, your system is not showing my taxes as paid. What should I do?
Processing times for mailed payments may be delayed due to the current public health concerns. We will process all mailed payments as soon as possible.
6. If using the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) or courier services (FedEx, UPS, etc.) to deliver my property tax payment, and County Buildings are closed, how will my payment be received?
We are receiving mail from the USPS and courier services. If circumstances change, we have the ability to cancel penalties for payments that would have been mailed timely.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
April 10 is the due date for the final installment payment for the county’s secured property tax roll for the period of July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020.
The county of Lake and the majority of the rest of the state’s 58 counties have not taken action to push back the due date, despite the impacts on the economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has shuttered many businesses and required residents across the state to shelter in place.
One exception is the county of San Francisco County, which said it has extended its property tax deadline to May 4, the first business day after its shelter-in-place order is to be lifted.
Another is San Mateo County, which also has extended to May 4 its deadline for the second installment of property tax payments.
Over the weekend, the California State Association of Counties and the California Association of County Treasurers and Tax Collectors said counties were pledging to use “all existing authority to cancel penalties and other charges for homeowners, small businesses and other property owners that are unable to pay their property taxes due to circumstances caused by COVID‐19 on a case‐by‐case basis,” as Lake County News has reported.
The two organizations said that due to the importance of property tax revenue to counties, cities and schools, any delay in payments “would take tens of billions of dollars away from local government, create cash flow problems, and cause some to default on their loans, which would have significant long‐term effects on all local agencies in California.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom thanked the groups for committing to providing economic relief for residents and small businesses facing hardships due to COVID-19.
Lake County to offer waiver process
During its Tuesday meeting, the Board of Supervisors voted to add as a special item to its agenda a discussion with Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen, who answered questions about property tax payments and potential penalty relief for those who cannot pay their property taxes by the deadline due to impacts of COVID-19.
Ringen said she doesn’t have the authority to change the April 10 property tax due date, but she does have the ability to allow for a penalty waiver.
Property owners will have to provide documentation about why they cannot pay their property taxes in relation to impacts from COVID-19, she said. Each waiver will be reviewed on an individual basis.
She said the penalty waiver form will have to be submitted by June 30 along with a check for the base tax. Taxes can be paid online, by phone or by mail.
“We do recommend that the taxpayers pay if we can,” otherwise the penalty waiver process will be in place to help them, Ringen said.
County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson relayed to the board information from county Tax Administrator Patrick Sullivan, who reported that only San Francisco and San Mateo were taking specific actions to postpone the payment due dates. In those cases, they are waiting until their offices reopen.
County Counsel Anita Grant explained that, based on California Revenue & Taxation Code section 2619, if the dates for the property tax installments – Dec. 10 and April 10 – fall on a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday, the tax due date moves to the next business day.
The section also states, “If the board of supervisors, by adoption of an ordinance or resolution, closes the county's offices for business prior to the time of delinquency on the ‘next business day’ or for that whole day, that day shall be considered a legal holiday for purposes of this section.”
Grant explained that the two counties in question were extending the due date by their closures.
She also pointed to California Revenue & Taxation Code section 4985.2, which allows for charges and penalties from tax delinquency to be canceled by the auditor or the tax collector upon findings that include that the failure to pay on time was “due to reasonable cause and circumstances beyond the taxpayer's control, and occurred notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care in the absence of willful neglect, provided the principal payment for the proper amount of the tax due is made no later than June 30 of the fourth fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the tax became delinquent.”
Grant noted during the discussion that most counties are doing what Ringen is proposing to do with the penalty waiver process.
Supervisor Bruno Sabatier said he believed Ringen is doing the right thing.
As of early Wednesday, the penalty waiver form did not yet appear to be available on the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office web page.
Frequently asked questions
The Lake County Tax Collector’s Office has offered the following frequently asked questions about property tax.
1. Can the tax collector extend the April 10, 2020, deadline?
No. The county does not have the authority under State law to extend or postpone the second installment property tax deadline of April 10, 2020.
2. County buildings are no longer open to the public, what are my payment options?
Although we are not accepting in-person payments currently at our office, taxpayers can pay online, via telephone, by mail, or drop box located on the first floor of the Courthouse.
Pay online at http://tax.lakecountyca.gov or by telephone 866-506-8035.
There is a convenience fee of 2.5 percent for credit/debit card payments or a $3 flat fee for an e-check.
3. What if I am unable to make a full property tax payment by April 10, 2020, due to the impact of COVID-19?
We encourage all property owners who can pay their taxes on time to do so. This revenue helps keep the government running and providing vital services that the public relies on, especially in times like these.
4. Can I request a penalty cancellation if I am unable to make a timely payment due to COVID-19?
Yes. For those taxpayers directly impacted by the COVID-19 virus and are unable to pay timely there is a penalty waiver process available after the April 10th deadline.
The penalty waiver process requires documentation as to how the taxpayer was impacted by the virus such as reduced hours, layoffs, business closure, hospitalization or other circumstances that prevented timely payment.
Penalty waiver form will be available on our website or by contacting our office at 707-263-2234.
5. I mailed in my property tax payment, however, your system is not showing my taxes as paid. What should I do?
Processing times for mailed payments may be delayed due to the current public health concerns. We will process all mailed payments as soon as possible.
6. If using the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) or courier services (FedEx, UPS, etc.) to deliver my property tax payment, and County Buildings are closed, how will my payment be received?
We are receiving mail from the USPS and courier services. If circumstances change, we have the ability to cancel penalties for payments that would have been mailed timely.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council on Tuesday approved an executive order that gives the city more tools to enforce the county and state orders related to COVID-19.
On March 28, City Manager Margaret Silveira, acting as the city’s director of emergency services, issued Executive Order 2020-01, which renders violations of orders issued by the Lake County Public Health officer or the governor of the state of California related to the COVID-19 emergency as violations of the Lakeport Municipal Code.
The executive order and the accompanying report can be seen in the agenda packet published below, pages 62 to 65.
Silveira told the council in its virtual Tuesday night meeting that the order gives the Lakeport Police Department the ability to issue administrative citations to anyone who violates such orders.
The city currently is working to enforce the countywide shelter in place order that’s been in effect since March 19 and was extended to May 3, as well as the governor’s statewide stay at home order, which also became effective March 19.
So far, Silveira said the police department has done a lot of education and sought voluntary compliance.
The council voted unanimously to ratify Silveira’s order.
The Lakeport Police Department reported on Tuesday that over the weekend its officers contacted 38 additional individuals related to the shelter in place order but issued no citations.
Last week, it issued its only citation to a woman found drinking wine in a courthouse parking lot. She was cited after repeatedly refusing to go home, as Lake County News has reported.
Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen said that only warnings have been issued since then.
Police said they also checked the security of 68 businesses, and conducted more than four hours of foot patrol and 1,251 miles of vehicle patrol.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
On March 28, City Manager Margaret Silveira, acting as the city’s director of emergency services, issued Executive Order 2020-01, which renders violations of orders issued by the Lake County Public Health officer or the governor of the state of California related to the COVID-19 emergency as violations of the Lakeport Municipal Code.
The executive order and the accompanying report can be seen in the agenda packet published below, pages 62 to 65.
Silveira told the council in its virtual Tuesday night meeting that the order gives the Lakeport Police Department the ability to issue administrative citations to anyone who violates such orders.
The city currently is working to enforce the countywide shelter in place order that’s been in effect since March 19 and was extended to May 3, as well as the governor’s statewide stay at home order, which also became effective March 19.
So far, Silveira said the police department has done a lot of education and sought voluntary compliance.
The council voted unanimously to ratify Silveira’s order.
The Lakeport Police Department reported on Tuesday that over the weekend its officers contacted 38 additional individuals related to the shelter in place order but issued no citations.
Last week, it issued its only citation to a woman found drinking wine in a courthouse parking lot. She was cited after repeatedly refusing to go home, as Lake County News has reported.
Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen said that only warnings have been issued since then.
Police said they also checked the security of 68 businesses, and conducted more than four hours of foot patrol and 1,251 miles of vehicle patrol.
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040720 Lakeport City Council Agenda Packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd