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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
One of the videos of the Lakefront Park project done by Dave Nolan shows an earlier phase of the work.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — Lakeport’s Lakefront Park is nearing completion and expected to be open this fall.
Public Works Director Ron Ladd gave the Lakeport City Council the latest on the Lakefront Park’s development at the council’s Aug. 1 meeting.
Recounting the effort to get the $5.9 million state grant that has made the park possible, Ladd said Mayor Stacey Mattina was at a convention when she made a connection with Public Health Advocates, a Davis-based nonprofit lobbying organization that works on grants for small communities.
Ladd said PHA’s help would prove invaluable, helping the city with public outreach, which was a large component of the grant.
“The public outreach is what put us over the top in being awarded the grant to begin with,” Ladd said.
He said that outreach included information in city utility bills, pop up booths at the summertime concerts in the park and special meetings at City Hall.
The city received the grant in February 2020. Last August, the council awarded the $4.4 million construction contract to Builder Solutions Inc., and the council also awarded a contract for labor compliance oversight, Ladd said.
Right now, Ladd said, the city is on budget with little or no reserve remaining.
When the city awarded the construction contract last year, Ladd said it afforded the contractor 150 working days to complete the work.
Ladd said they had no idea at the time what the weather was about to do, referring to the heavy winter rainstorms and snowstorms Lake County experienced.
While the rain was much needed, Ladd said it put a damper on the momentum to build the park.
The park’s original completion date was May 25. However, due to the inclement weather, along with some days off for holidays, Ladd said there have been 77 nonworking days. Now, the new anticipated completion date is Sept. 29.
Other challenges due to the weather included Clear Lake’s level being higher than anticipated, which created delays as they waited for the lake to recede, and unstable soils in the lake, Ladd said.
Completed work includes the concession stand, shade structures and the pavilion near the lake, while the north pedestrian walkway is 80% and the basketball court is almost complete, Ladd said. The fitness area needs rubber safety surfacing which is expected to be installed Aug. 14.
Ladd said the skate park has made great progress in recent weeks and the splash pad is coming along. The stamped walkways have begun along the lake.
The last things to be done are the turf placement and the parking lot configuration, which Ladd said are set for September.
City Manager Kevin Ingram said it’s been amazing to see the park come together. In the last couple of weeks he said it’s starting to look like a park. “It’s really coming together wonderfully.”
Ladd noted during the discussion the park is designed to keep visitors oriented toward Mount Konocti.
Council members were pleased with the park’s progress.
Councilman Brandon Disney said he drives by the parks daily on the way to work. “It seems like there’s something new everyday,” he said, adding it’s a really exciting time and he can’t wait for it to be done.
During public comment, the council heard from several members of a pickleball club who advocated for striping the basketball courts to allow for pickleball play.
One of the group members, Anita Swanson, said the growth of pickleball is one of the most exciting things she’s seen in her 40 years living in Lake County, which now has a large community of players.
She said the sport, which they play at the tennis courts in Kelseyville, is popular with tourists.
Laura Sammel, chief executive officer of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, urged the city to have planned activities at the park so it’s not overrun by homeless people.
Mattina noted during the discussion that the city has been brainstorming about a recreation department for events, and that they may do a Lakeport community council to help organize activities. She added that the park won’t just be a place for the homeless to hang out.
“I think we’re all really going to enjoy this park,” Mattina said.
In response to the pickleball requests, Ingram said the best course is to complete the park as designed and make upgrades later, adding that it’s not a big deal to come back and make additions.
He added that a park is never really a finished product, per se.
City Attorney David Ruderman brought the pickleball matter to a close by pointing out that since it wasn’t an agendized item, the council couldn’t take action.
Mattina thanked Ladd for his work, noting the progress of the project brought tears to her eyes.
Ingram said the city is planning a large community event to celebrate the park’s opening.
Mattina suggested the celebration could include a basketball game with staff versus the council.
“If the insurance allows it,” Ladd replied.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
UPDATE: Police said Tuesday that Payton has been located.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The Clearlake Police Department is asking for the community’s help in finding a missing 11-year-old boy.
Payton Parris is a white male juvenile, who is 4 feet 5 inches tall and 100 pounds.
He has short red hair and brown eyes.
Police did not have a description of the clothing he was last seen wearing.
If you have any information regarding his whereabouts please contact the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251, Extension 1 for dispatch.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
The Yolo County Superior Court entered a judgment ordering defendants Aasim Corp., Aasim Enterprises Inc., Ashraf Ali, Yasmin Ali, Samir Ali, Shafique Bhimani and Mohammed Bilal to pay $1.1 million in civil penalties and investigative costs.
This judgment settles allegations that the defendants failed to follow state laws governing the operation of retail gas stations at locations in Napa, Alameda, Lake, San Joaquin and Yolo counties.
Owners and operators of underground storage tanks, or USTs, at retail gas stations in California are subject to fair, yet stringent environmental rules and requirements designed to prevent underground petroleum releases to surface and ground waters, the Napa County District Attorney’s Office reported.
Prosecutors alleged that the Fast and Easy defendants failed to adequately install, monitor, operate and calibrate important equipment on-site designed to detect leaks at the earliest possible opportunity, and failed to comply with laws regulating hazardous wastes and hazardous materials at the gas stations.
As part of the judgment, the defendants are required to pay $900,000 in civil penalties and $200,000 in investigative and enforcement costs.
The settlement also includes a permanent statewide injunction, prohibiting the defendants from violating UST and hazardous waste laws, and further requires them to retain an experienced, independent environmental consultant to assist with future compliance at all stations.
“Underground fuel leaks pose a significant threat to Napa County’s groundwater supply and to the environment,” said Haley. “This case illustrates the importance of keeping our water supply safe from pollution by holding companies that fail to monitor and maintain their underground storage tanks accountable.”
The Napa County District Attorney’s Office thanked everyone within the Napa County Environmental Health Division, city of San Leandro Environmental Services, Hayward Fire Department, Lake County Division of Environmental Health, San Joaquin County Environmental Health Department and the Yolo County Environmental Health Division for their investigative efforts and assistance with this case.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Englander, Bridgewater State University
As a child, I had a great deal of anxiety. If you’ve ever seen me speak in public, that might surprise you. But anxiety among children is extremely common and affects almost all children, to varying degrees.
During pre-pandemic times, researchers noted that as many as 7% of children had a diagnosable anxiety disorder that disrupted their everyday functioning. In addition, 20% had a tendency to feel anxious that didn’t rise to the level of a clinical disorder. And all children feel anxious at some time or another.
Most researchers have found that anxiety in children increased during and after the pandemic. Lockdowns that isolated children from their peers and interruptions to their routines may have accounted for the findings in these studies.
As a researcher who’s studied children’s mental health for decades, I know that predictability helps prevent anxiety in children. Predictability means things going along as they’ve always gone: sleep at night, up in the morning, cornflakes for breakfast, off to school, activities in the afternoon, dinner with the family. In Louise Fitzhugh’s children’s novel “Harriet the Spy,” Harriet’s mother can’t believe that her daughter always takes a tomato sandwich to school. Always. Harriet has no interest in variety. She’s perfectly happy with the same sandwich, year after year.
Anxiety will crop up for many children again this fall, and it can be intertwined with other feelings, such as excitement and shyness. Here are steps parents can take to help reduce their kids’ back-to-school anxiety and encourage a better start to the fall term.
1. Look for general symptoms of anxiety
Ask your kids how they’re feeling about going back to school, and keep an eye out for headaches, stomachaches, sleeping troubles, persistent “what if” questions, crankiness, excessive concern about very distant events, problems focusing on schoolwork and concerns that aren’t alleviated by logical explanations. An example might be your children worrying that they won’t have friends in school, even though they do have friends from their class last year; or concerns that while they’re at school, something extremely unlikely will happen, such as the house being hit by lightning.
What’s tricky, of course, is that any of these behaviors can be an indication of many different problems, so probe further. Talking to your kids about their thoughts may help you unravel whether they’re feeling anxious.
2. Encourage activities that reduce anxiety
Playing outside, playing with friends or even just “hanging out” can be powerful ways to reduce negative feelings. Outdoors, people often feel more relaxed. Playing in an unstructured way – that is, without someone else telling them what or how to play – allows kids to work through their feelings and reduce anxiety.
3. Limit kids’ screen time
Researchers have found that, post-pandemic, more children are using different types of digital devices, along with more social media apps. The significant body of evidence finding a link between excessive digital device use and anxiety suggests that these increases in device use may contribute to increased anxiety rates in children.
4. Focus on family activities
The emotional connection that children have with their families is their psychological anchor during difficult times. At a time of increased stress and uncertainty, spending time with family can be an antidote. Take a walk or a hike together, eat dinner together, or play board games.
5. Embrace distraction
Distraction isn’t a cure for anxiety, but it can diminish its intensity and help sufferers think more clearly about the source of their worries. When children are feeling very anxious, it’s fine to talk to them about how watching TV or reading a funny book can help them feel calmer.
6. Get professional help when needed
If your child’s anxiety is interfering with sleep, eating, socializing or school attendance, and it persists beyond a few days, it’s a good idea to call your pediatrician or family doctor and report what’s going on. Medical professionals who work with children have seen anxiety skyrocket among kids, and they know how to get your child the necessary help.
As with any back-to-school season, you may find yourself shopping for binders and backpacks. However, children and their anxiety may also need your attention. Practicing simple prevention and intervening when necessary can get your kids off to a great school year.
[The Conversation’s newsletter explains what’s going on with the coronavirus pandemic. Subscribe now.]
This article was updated on July 31, 2023 to replace outdated information.
Elizabeth Englander, Professor of Psychology, Bridgewater State University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.