How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As it does every year, the California Highway Patrol stepped up its presence on the roadways to keep things safer amidst the holiday bustle.
The CHP conducted two maximum enforcement periods, or MEPs, over the last three weeks – one for Christmas, one for New Year’s.
MEP events focus on impaired drivers, as well as distracted driving, speeding and seat belt violations, with officers also available to help motorists in need of assistance.
The annual Christmas Day Maximum Enforcement Period took place from 6:01 p.m. Dec. 24 to 11:59 p.m. Dec. 25.
CHP Headquarters reported that during the 30-hour Christmas Day Maximum Enforcement Period, 10 people were killed in collisions in California, with more than half of the victims killed not wearing a seat belt.
During that time, there also were 271 arrests statewide for driving under the influence during the MEP, the CHP reported.
In Lake County, Officer Joel Skeen of the CHP’s Clear Lake Area office said there was one arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol during the Christmas MEP.
“We also had a total of five collisions, two of which were non-injury and the other three were minor injury,” Skeen said.
The Clear Lake Area office also held a DUI and driver’s license safety checkpoint on the evening of Friday, Dec. 27, on Highway 53 at Jessie Street in Lower Lake.
Skeen said there were no arrests during the checkpoint.
The New Year’s Day MEP took place from 6:01 p.m. Dec. 31 through 11:59 p.m. Jan. 1.
For the New Year’s MEP, Skeen said the Clear Lake Area office had three DUI arrests and no fatalities.
Statewide, three people were killed in New Year’s MEP collision, according to Jaime Coffee of the CHP’s Headquarters office.
Coffee said 491 DUI arrests were made by CHP officers throughout the state during the MEP.
She said the New Year’s MEP “was not comparable to last year as it was four and a quarter days in length,” Coffee said.
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 CHP conducted two maximum enforcement periods, or MEPs, over the last three weeks – one for Christmas, one for New Year’s.
MEP events focus on impaired drivers, as well as distracted driving, speeding and seat belt violations, with officers also available to help motorists in need of assistance.
The annual Christmas Day Maximum Enforcement Period took place from 6:01 p.m. Dec. 24 to 11:59 p.m. Dec. 25.
CHP Headquarters reported that during the 30-hour Christmas Day Maximum Enforcement Period, 10 people were killed in collisions in California, with more than half of the victims killed not wearing a seat belt.
During that time, there also were 271 arrests statewide for driving under the influence during the MEP, the CHP reported.
In Lake County, Officer Joel Skeen of the CHP’s Clear Lake Area office said there was one arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol during the Christmas MEP.
“We also had a total of five collisions, two of which were non-injury and the other three were minor injury,” Skeen said.
The Clear Lake Area office also held a DUI and driver’s license safety checkpoint on the evening of Friday, Dec. 27, on Highway 53 at Jessie Street in Lower Lake.
Skeen said there were no arrests during the checkpoint.
The New Year’s Day MEP took place from 6:01 p.m. Dec. 31 through 11:59 p.m. Jan. 1.
For the New Year’s MEP, Skeen said the Clear Lake Area office had three DUI arrests and no fatalities.
Statewide, three people were killed in New Year’s MEP collision, according to Jaime Coffee of the CHP’s Headquarters office.
Coffee said 491 DUI arrests were made by CHP officers throughout the state during the MEP.
She said the New Year’s MEP “was not comparable to last year as it was four and a quarter days in length,” Coffee said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Westside Community Park Committee is seeking applicants to fill one vacancy on its board of directors.
The Westside Community Park Committee, or WCPC, is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation established to develop the Westside Community Park in conjunction with the city of Lakeport.
In addition, the WCPC also maintains and operates the Jane Barnes Field portion of the park. The board of directors and committee members are all volunteers.
The WCPC meets on the first Wednesday of each month – except in December – at 6 p.m. at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
Currently the WCPC is working to develop a horse park off of Highway 175 and to improve the parking lot at the Jane Barnes Field.
In conjunction with Sutter Lakeside Hospital and the city of Lakeport, the WCPC is planning the extension of the walking trail and the addition of additional exercise equipment.
The WCPC is also working with the Lakeport Lions Club to install a playground adjunct to the Jane Barnes Field.
The Westside Community Park is the home of the Konocti Youth Soccer League, the Westshore Little League Softball Program, the Lakeport teams of the Ukiah Men’s Soccer League and the Lions’ Horseshoe League.
Facilities include soccer fields, a baseball diamond, a softball/Little League field, walking trail with exercise equipment, picnic area and a dog park.
Individuals interested in applying to fill this vacancy should contact WCPC Chairman Dennis Rollins at 707-349-0969 orThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
The Westside Community Park Committee, or WCPC, is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation established to develop the Westside Community Park in conjunction with the city of Lakeport.
In addition, the WCPC also maintains and operates the Jane Barnes Field portion of the park. The board of directors and committee members are all volunteers.
The WCPC meets on the first Wednesday of each month – except in December – at 6 p.m. at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
Currently the WCPC is working to develop a horse park off of Highway 175 and to improve the parking lot at the Jane Barnes Field.
In conjunction with Sutter Lakeside Hospital and the city of Lakeport, the WCPC is planning the extension of the walking trail and the addition of additional exercise equipment.
The WCPC is also working with the Lakeport Lions Club to install a playground adjunct to the Jane Barnes Field.
The Westside Community Park is the home of the Konocti Youth Soccer League, the Westshore Little League Softball Program, the Lakeport teams of the Ukiah Men’s Soccer League and the Lions’ Horseshoe League.
Facilities include soccer fields, a baseball diamond, a softball/Little League field, walking trail with exercise equipment, picnic area and a dog park.
Individuals interested in applying to fill this vacancy should contact WCPC Chairman Dennis Rollins at 707-349-0969 or
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Among its first actions of the year, the Board of Supervisors has agreed to participate in a proposed process that will facilitate continued discussions between the city of Lakeport and the county over the contentious matter of the proposed South Main Street corridor annexation.
In a unanimous vote following a seven-minute discussion at its Tuesday meeting, the Board of Supervisors agreed to take part in the formal negotiation process proposed by the Lake Local Area Formation Commission, or LAFCo.
According to its own website, “Lake LAFCo oversees orderly development and protects natural resources and agricultural lands”
Its board includes members of the Board of Supervisors and the city councils of Clearlake and Lakeport, as well as special districts and public members.
The Lakeport City Council approved participating in the process at its Dec. 17 meeting, as Lake County News has reported.
The city’s full annexation packet is available at the Lake LAFCo website.
The city and county have clashed repeatedly over the last several years as Lakeport officials have made it clear that they planned to pursue the annexation of what is reported to be the most lucrative commercial corridor in the unincorporated county.
Since the 1980s, the 136-acre area has been in the city’s sphere of influence, defined as an area of probable future expansion outside of its legal boundaries.
In a letter dated Dec. 4, Bruno Sabatier – the District 2 representative on the Board of Supervisors and the LAFCo chair – asked both the city and county to participate in good faith negotiations regarding the city’s annexation application filed last year.
Both the city and county have provided their own financial analysis of the impacts of the annexation. Now, LAFCo is proposing to have its own financial analysis completed; the city of Lakeport has agreed to pay for that work.
“Since there is substantial disagreement about the fiscal impact of the annexation, the Commission determined that a third fiscal analysis needs to be prepared by LAFCo to provide an objective more accurate determination of the revenue and service impacts of the annexation, for both the County and the City,” the LAFCo letter explains.
Once the new financial analysis is complete, LAFCo wants both the county and city to sit down with a facilitator, which LAFCo will hire at its own expense, to consider the annexation further.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Sabatier asked if he should recuse himself since he signed the LAFCo letter.
County Counsel Anita Grant said his recusal wasn’t required, as he was wearing his LAFCo hat when he wrote the letter.
“LAFCo is quite a unique animal,” Grant explained. “As you know, you can have two board members and an alternate at one meeting, which I promise you is a ‘oner’ in Brown Act law. So at this point I think that you’re fine to take action.”
“Just wanted to check. Thank you,” said Sabatier.
“It’s a good question,” Grant replied.
Lakeport area Supervisor Tina Scott said she has gotten calls from constituents in the South Main Street area about the matter.
Scott said she wanted to make clear that if the board agreed to good faith participation – which she believes they already have been involved in – “It does not mean that we agree with the LAFCo application,” but that they will sit down and continue talks with Lakeport.
Brown asked about the facilitator and if LAFCo will bring in that person.
“The law actually makes provision for a graduated set of steps to continue these negotiations in good faith. So I’m assuming from the tenor of the letter that this is kind of jumping to the next step, which is a mediation-like discussion,” said Grant.
“I think that would be a good idea,” Brown said.
Sabatier, who said he was then wearing his county hat, noted, “This is not any statement on any of the contracts that were signed previously.”
That was an apparent reference to past preannexation agreements – from 1997, 2001 and 2002 – that the city and county have reached and which the city maintains remain valid. The 1997 agreement, in particular, provides for the city to pay the county $210,000 in tax revenue over seven years to offset the loss of the sales tax.
Sabatier said the board’s action is a statement that there will be a neutral party to review how the county would be whole and how it would balance out.
He said the county may not agree with the end results of the financial formula the city used on its LAFCo application to say the county would be whole if the annexation takes place.
“We’re not voting on things that have already been signed in the past. We’re looking at the application itself only,” Sabatier said.
“This is not a concession of any kind,” said Grant. “It’s a fulfillment of what is generally your obligation under the law, to engage in good faith discussions. And good faith means just that, that you walk in with an open mind, and present your case and listen to the other side. But that’s not a concessionary statement at all.”
“We’re tap dancing around a lot of stuff, trying to be diplomatic,” Brown said. He said he feels that the county has been involved in good faith discussions already on the matter, adding he wasn’t saying the city hasn’t been acting in good faith.
However, Brown said they all look at the annexation issue from different perspectives and from different constituent objectives.
“It’s not like all of a sudden now we’re going to be, you know, held to some other standard. It’s the same standard that we’ve held, but this makes it official,” he said.
Board Chair Moke Simon agreed with Brown, noting that it’s just the next step in the process involving the city and county.
There was no public input before Scott moved to approve the county’s good faith participation in the proposed proposed process.
Supervisor EJ Crandell seconded the motion, which the board approved 5-0.
LAFCo will meet at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
On the agenda is a discussion of the city of Lakeport’s proposed annexation, including a review of the responses from the city and county to the LAFCo letter; commission discussion regarding the process of completing an independent financial review and retention of an independent facilitator to resolve the disagreements; and possible direction and action regarding retention of an independent financial consultant and independent facilitator.
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.
In a unanimous vote following a seven-minute discussion at its Tuesday meeting, the Board of Supervisors agreed to take part in the formal negotiation process proposed by the Lake Local Area Formation Commission, or LAFCo.
According to its own website, “Lake LAFCo oversees orderly development and protects natural resources and agricultural lands”
Its board includes members of the Board of Supervisors and the city councils of Clearlake and Lakeport, as well as special districts and public members.
The Lakeport City Council approved participating in the process at its Dec. 17 meeting, as Lake County News has reported.
The city’s full annexation packet is available at the Lake LAFCo website.
The city and county have clashed repeatedly over the last several years as Lakeport officials have made it clear that they planned to pursue the annexation of what is reported to be the most lucrative commercial corridor in the unincorporated county.
Since the 1980s, the 136-acre area has been in the city’s sphere of influence, defined as an area of probable future expansion outside of its legal boundaries.
In a letter dated Dec. 4, Bruno Sabatier – the District 2 representative on the Board of Supervisors and the LAFCo chair – asked both the city and county to participate in good faith negotiations regarding the city’s annexation application filed last year.
Both the city and county have provided their own financial analysis of the impacts of the annexation. Now, LAFCo is proposing to have its own financial analysis completed; the city of Lakeport has agreed to pay for that work.
“Since there is substantial disagreement about the fiscal impact of the annexation, the Commission determined that a third fiscal analysis needs to be prepared by LAFCo to provide an objective more accurate determination of the revenue and service impacts of the annexation, for both the County and the City,” the LAFCo letter explains.
Once the new financial analysis is complete, LAFCo wants both the county and city to sit down with a facilitator, which LAFCo will hire at its own expense, to consider the annexation further.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Sabatier asked if he should recuse himself since he signed the LAFCo letter.
County Counsel Anita Grant said his recusal wasn’t required, as he was wearing his LAFCo hat when he wrote the letter.
“LAFCo is quite a unique animal,” Grant explained. “As you know, you can have two board members and an alternate at one meeting, which I promise you is a ‘oner’ in Brown Act law. So at this point I think that you’re fine to take action.”
“Just wanted to check. Thank you,” said Sabatier.
“It’s a good question,” Grant replied.
Lakeport area Supervisor Tina Scott said she has gotten calls from constituents in the South Main Street area about the matter.
Scott said she wanted to make clear that if the board agreed to good faith participation – which she believes they already have been involved in – “It does not mean that we agree with the LAFCo application,” but that they will sit down and continue talks with Lakeport.
Brown asked about the facilitator and if LAFCo will bring in that person.
“The law actually makes provision for a graduated set of steps to continue these negotiations in good faith. So I’m assuming from the tenor of the letter that this is kind of jumping to the next step, which is a mediation-like discussion,” said Grant.
“I think that would be a good idea,” Brown said.
Sabatier, who said he was then wearing his county hat, noted, “This is not any statement on any of the contracts that were signed previously.”
That was an apparent reference to past preannexation agreements – from 1997, 2001 and 2002 – that the city and county have reached and which the city maintains remain valid. The 1997 agreement, in particular, provides for the city to pay the county $210,000 in tax revenue over seven years to offset the loss of the sales tax.
Sabatier said the board’s action is a statement that there will be a neutral party to review how the county would be whole and how it would balance out.
He said the county may not agree with the end results of the financial formula the city used on its LAFCo application to say the county would be whole if the annexation takes place.
“We’re not voting on things that have already been signed in the past. We’re looking at the application itself only,” Sabatier said.
“This is not a concession of any kind,” said Grant. “It’s a fulfillment of what is generally your obligation under the law, to engage in good faith discussions. And good faith means just that, that you walk in with an open mind, and present your case and listen to the other side. But that’s not a concessionary statement at all.”
“We’re tap dancing around a lot of stuff, trying to be diplomatic,” Brown said. He said he feels that the county has been involved in good faith discussions already on the matter, adding he wasn’t saying the city hasn’t been acting in good faith.
However, Brown said they all look at the annexation issue from different perspectives and from different constituent objectives.
“It’s not like all of a sudden now we’re going to be, you know, held to some other standard. It’s the same standard that we’ve held, but this makes it official,” he said.
Board Chair Moke Simon agreed with Brown, noting that it’s just the next step in the process involving the city and county.
There was no public input before Scott moved to approve the county’s good faith participation in the proposed proposed process.
Supervisor EJ Crandell seconded the motion, which the board approved 5-0.
LAFCo will meet at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
On the agenda is a discussion of the city of Lakeport’s proposed annexation, including a review of the responses from the city and county to the LAFCo letter; commission discussion regarding the process of completing an independent financial review and retention of an independent facilitator to resolve the disagreements; and possible direction and action regarding retention of an independent financial consultant and independent facilitator.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LUCERNE, Calif. – Olive Mediterranean Cuisine will open this month in Lucerne to add more dining options to the first gateway town to the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument.
A soft open is planned for this weekend with a partial menu, the Grand Opening is scheduled for Jan. 19.
Owner Vitaly Karih is excited to open Olive in the little town nestled between a national monument, an active volcano and a world-class fishing lake.
“It’s good to be 11 minutes from the entrance to the National Monument,” Karih said.
While preparing to open, Karih keenly observes the traffic volume and enjoys the view of the park and lake as passersby inquire about the restaurant.
The brightly colored restaurant across the highway from the popular Lucerne Harbor fishing park will feature a mix of exotic food options from around the Mediterranean with Greek, Eastern European and Middle Eastern dishes, among others.
Karih, who has had a residence in Lake County for around 10 years, said the regional geography is reminiscent of his home of Kyrgyzstan in the Central Asian region where traders and travelers have shared experiences including food styles for centuries along the Silk Way -- from the Mediterranean to the South China Sea.
“We’ve taken the best of the best from generations of shared culture and cuisine,” Karih said.
The initial menu features favorites and more exotic items including appetizers including fresh handmade dolma, hummus and baba ganoush.
According to Tim Cooper, a regional marketing associate from Sysco Foods, the inventory is similar to top local restaurants with all fresh, high quality items.
Entrees include Greek dim sum, kebabs, gyros, shawarma, raman and plav, with organic beef, lamb and pork in addition to meat-free options.
Most entrees are listed below $10 on the initial menu which should leave room for handmade chack-chack with organic honey for dessert.
Karih said that in addition to sit down and take out he’s considering outdoor seating, catering, online ordering and delivery with the new cargo van he bought.
Diners are invited to use tables inside or take their food to go, perhaps to enjoy some kebabs in the park, he said.
Olive will be open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Olive Mediterranean Cuisine is located at 6232 E. Highway 20 in Lucerne, and can be reached by telephone 707-350-2332, email
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Cobb woman involved in a solo-vehicle wreck on Sunday has died of her injuries.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office confirmed that Angelina Guillen, 31, died on Monday.
The CHP said that on Sunday afternoon shortly after 3 p.m. Guillen was driving her 2009 Jeep Liberty eastbound on Highway 175 in Cobb, just west of Highway 29 when, when her Jeep went off the road, hitting a power pole and two trees.
Guillen was wearing her seat belt when the crash occurred. She was reported to have been trapped in the Jeep and had to be extricated by firefighters, based on incident radio traffic.
The CHP said neither drugs nor alcohol are suspected of being factors in this crash.
Following the crash, Guillen had been flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment, the CHP said.
According to her Facebook page, she owned and operated Diamond Dust Farm & Nursery.
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 California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office confirmed that Angelina Guillen, 31, died on Monday.
The CHP said that on Sunday afternoon shortly after 3 p.m. Guillen was driving her 2009 Jeep Liberty eastbound on Highway 175 in Cobb, just west of Highway 29 when, when her Jeep went off the road, hitting a power pole and two trees.
Guillen was wearing her seat belt when the crash occurred. She was reported to have been trapped in the Jeep and had to be extricated by firefighters, based on incident radio traffic.
The CHP said neither drugs nor alcohol are suspected of being factors in this crash.
Following the crash, Guillen had been flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment, the CHP said.
According to her Facebook page, she owned and operated Diamond Dust Farm & Nursery.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The city of Clearlake on Tuesday announced the death of Sharon Goode, the former city clerk.
Goode died on Jan. 1 at age 73.
“We are saddened by the passing of a founding pillar of our city government. Sharon was a valuable staff member whose guidance led the city for 24 years,” said Mayor Russell Cremer.
Goode was hired as an office assistant in 1982, shortly after the city’s incorporation.
She was elected to the city clerk position in 1986, having served in an appointed role for two
years after the retirement of the first city clerk.
Always diligent in her duties, Goode was awarded the City Clerk Association of California’s Award of Distinction for Lifetime Achievement in 2004.
In addition to serving in an elected capacity, Sharon advanced in her career from office assistant, ultimately serving as assistant city administrator.
After leaving Clearlake in 2006, Goode retired two years later to Redmond, Oregon, to be closer to her family and crafted children’s clothing as a home business.
“Sharon’s guidance and leadership was an inspiration to me when I took over city clerk duties from her fourteen years ago,” said Administrative Services Director/City Clerk Melissa Swanson stated.
Swanson added, “Her contributions to the city cannot be easily measured and her legacy will live on in the history of Clearlake. The city sends its condolences to her family in this difficult time.”