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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Voter Initiative No. 21-0042A1, the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act, so alarmed local officials that the city councils of both Clearlake and Lakeport voted in February to formally oppose it at the request of the League of California Cities, which called the measure “deceptive” and “irresponsible.”
Cities up and down the state followed suit, passing similar resolutions earlier this year.
The main thrust of the measure, Cal Cities reported, was to give wealthy corporations a major loophole to pay less for the infrastructure, environmental, water and air quality, and natural resources impacts on communities while jeopardizing vital services and undermining voter rights and accountability.
However, on Tuesday evening, Lakeport City Attorney David Ruderman told the Lakeport City Council that the deadline for submitting signatures to qualify the initiative for the ballot had passed and it hadn’t been submitted.
He said proponents had spent $10 million on the effort so far.
The initiative measure was sponsored by the California Business Roundtable.
The initiative aimed to amend the State Constitution to change the rules for how the state and local governments can impose taxes, fees and other charges, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
The concern for local governments was due to its potential negative impact for cities and counties.
The Legislative Analyst’s Office analysis said it “would lower annual state and local revenues, potentially substantially lower, depending on future actions of the Legislature, local governing bodies, voters, and the courts.”
The California Special Districts Association reported on its website that the initiative would have retroactively voided all state and local taxes or fees adopted after Jan. 1, 2022, if they didn’t follow the initiative’s provisions.
“This may also affect indexed fees that adjust over time for inflation or other factors. Effectively, it would allow voters throughout California to invalidate the prior actions of local voters, undermining local control and voter-approved decisions about investments needed in their communities,” the association reported.
In his report to the Clearlake City Council in February, City Manager Alan Flora called it “particularly concerning.”
A staff report to the council said it was backed by major corporations and would have “far-reaching and yet undefined impacts to how local government, including the City of Clearlake functions.”
Those impacts were expected to include measures meant to fund infrastructure and the ability of the city to charge development fees.
For his part, Lakeport City Manager Kevin Ingram in February called the initiative “potentially devastating,” explaining that it would make it more difficult to enact fees, allow for more repeal of fees and provide disruption to the city's fiscal ability.
The title, he said, was meant to elicit anti-tax and small government spirit.
Councilman Kenny Parlet said during the February meeting that those naming initiatives in misleading ways in California — including this new initiative, along with propositions 47 and 57 — were guilty of fraud.
“Whoever writes these titles should be incarcerated. It’s absolutely ridiculous,” he said.
Ruderman told the council at that point that it’s the initiative proponents who provide the initiative titles.
“That explains a lot,” said Mayor Pro Tem Mireya Turner.
Ruderman said Tuesday night that there was talk that the initiative may be brought back in an effort to get it on the ballot in 2024.
For the time being, however, Ruderman said he was glad to have the initiative behind them.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — After just over a year on the job, Lakeport Fire’s chief has decided to retire.
Chief Jeffrey Thomas tendered his resignation to the Lakeport Fire Protection District Board following its meeting on May 10, said Board President John Whitehead.
Whitehead said Thomas’ retirement was effective at the close of business on Monday.
Thomas told Lake County News that he retired for “personal reasons.”
As for what’s ahead, Thomas said he has no plans at the moment, just plans to relax “for a few beats.”
Thomas, the first Black chief of the fire district in its 128-year history, arrived in March 2021 from Salt Lake City, where he had worked in the fire service for 36 years.
Since then he’s worked on preparedness and in December led the department in celebrating its newest fire engine.
Last year, he worked with the Lakeport Police Department to create a specialized team of a police officer and a firefighter to patrol for illegal fireworks during the city’s July 4 celebration.
Whitehead said the board held a special meeting on Monday morning, at which time they named retired Ukiah Valley Fire Chief Dan Grebil as Lakeport’s interim chief.
In Ukiah Valley Grebil was the predecessor of Chief Doug Huchison, who previously had served at Lakeport Fire.
“He was doing the job,” Whitehead said of Thomas. “We’re just happy that he’s going to be happy and we wish him the best.”
As for how Lakeport Fire will conduct the recruitment for Thomas’ successor, Whitehead said, they don’t know yet.
“We really haven’t made any solid decision. We discussed that a little bit today,” he said.
He added, “We will be talking at our June meeting about that for sure.”
As a retired annuitant in the CalPERS retirement system, Grebil is limited to working a total of 960 hours in a year. Whitehead said that if Grebil works full-time, that means he has just under six months of time.
Whitehead reported that one of the district’s board members, Gary Deas, also has resigned. He’s received a job promotion and is moving out of the area.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. — Another busy weekend of fishing, weigh-ins and competition is over, with a Kelseyville man hooking the top prize in the annual Catfish Derby.
The derby, which began on Friday, closed on Sunday afternoon to the applause of locals and out-of-towners who waited to go home until after the results were announced by Committee Chair Dennis Locke.
“Welcome to the 38th annual Catfish Derby” Locke announced. “One thing we know for certain — while this is arguably the biggest catfishing derby west of the Mississippi — we know it is the largest fishing event of any kind, ever, on Clear Lake! We appreciate your continued support – all 957 of you who entered the derby this year - and your families.”
The pandemic had resulted in the 2020 event being canceled. However, the largest catfish derby west of the Mississippi began making its way back in a scaled-back fashion in 2021.
That led to this weekend’s event, which was back to what organizers termed “normal” operations, with total entries up by 75 over 2021.
Once again, the derby drew participants from across the United States.
Derby organizers said entrants came from as far East as Muskogee, Oklahoma; as far north as Enumclaw, Washington; and from all parts of California – 61% traveled to Clear Lake; 39% were from Lake County.
Dan Sansome of Kelseyville took home the top prize, $5,000 for his 24.32-pound catfish. “This is my 10th year entering the catfish derby,” he said.
Formerly from San Diego, Sansome was the captain of a long-range fishing boat, the “American Angler.” He has been entering the catfish derby since retiring to fish on Clear Lake.
“I’ve wanted to live here all my life,” he said. “I fish for bass too, but this is the only tournament I enter. I love the challenge of catfishing and the high volume of fish in the lake. As much fishing as I do, winning 1st prize this year is mighty special,” Sansome said.
With Sansome was his longtime friend, Ed Puente, who placed third in 2019 with a 26.73-pound catfish.
Puente was all smiles at his friend's good fortune this year. “I met Dan years ago when I took a multi-day fishing trip on his party boat out of San Diego. I hadn’t seen or heard from him for many years when, about 8 years ago, I saw his picture in one of the local tackle shops. I looked him up and we’ve been fishing together ever since. He’s an expert fisherman.”
Second place winner, Daniel Shelton, also from Kelseyville, took home $1,000 for his 24.10-pound catch.
The third place winner, Corey West, drove in from Yuba City and took home $800 for his 23.82-pounder.
The Pearsons, a family of eight from Clearlake, are regulars at the derby and stayed until the end.
“We didn’t place this year but we’ll definitely be back next year,” said Dan Pearson. “Fishing and camping, that’s what we love doing as a family.”
In the older kids division, ages 11 to 15, Kianii Hill Bourlet of Reno took home the first place prize of $100 for her 18.28-pound catfish; Josiah Lopez of Folsom took home second place prize of $50 for his 17.91-pound catfish; and Scarlett Ocheltree of Yuba City placed third with her 17.64-pound catch and took home $25 in prize money.
In the younger kids division, up to 10 years old, Tommy Higman of Fairfield took home the first place prize of $100 for his 17.64-pound catfish; Hazel Allen of Kelseyville took home the second place prize, $50, for her 17.16 pounder; and Arthur Weatherwax IV, also from Kelseyville, took home the third place prize, $25 for his 16.68-pounder.
If some names of the young derby winners sound familiar there’s good reason. “Many of the young people that participated this year have been fishing since they were strong enough to hold a fishing rod,” said Barbara Higman, a derby volunteer whose family has fished Clear Lake — and the derby — for years. “I’m so proud of my grandson, Tommy, for his first place win. He’s a third generation fisherman!”
Lee Her, from Antelope, has been fishing the derby for years and was back this year with his nephew, Darrel Her. Lee placed eight this year with his 22.06-pound catch.
“In 2018, I won first place with my 24.34-pound catch — almost the same weight as this year’s first place win by Dan Sansome of 24.32 pounds,” Her said. “I love to fish. I learned to fish when I was young from my uncle and now, I’m teaching my nephew. Of course, winning is part of the allure but it’s so much more than that. It’s coming together as a family, reconnecting with some of the derby people who I see year after year, and building on great memories, that’s what it’s all about.”
As for Darrel Her, “I’m hooked, I’ll definitely be back next year with my uncle,” he said.
For all scores visit clearlakeoaks.org/derbystandings and for interesting comments and photos about the derby go to Catfish Derby At The Oaks on Facebook.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — On Friday the Lake County Sheriff's Office arrested a man reported to have had enough fentanyl in his possession to kill the entire population of Lake County, along with other drugs and multiple firearms, including a “ghost” gun.
Brandon Charles Weilert, 38, of Nice, also known as Brandon Grendis, was arrested for multiple felony crimes, including distributing and selling narcotics and possessing a machine gun on Friday, said Lauren Berlinn, spokesperson for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
She said Weilert is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition as a result of a prior felony conviction.
Berlinn said information received from the community over the past several months regarding ongoing drug activity and suspicious behavior led to the sheriff’s office investigating a residence in the 2800 block of Merced Street in Nice.
As a result of the information obtained during the investigation, Berlinn said the Lake County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit authored a search warrant, which was approved and signed by a judge.
On Friday, detectives and personnel from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office served the search warrant for the property, Berlinn said.
During the search warrant service, approximately 1,538 grams or 3.4 pounds of methamphetamine, 139 grams or 4.8 ounces of fentanyl, and 24 grams of heroin were seized, Berlinn said.
For perspective, a lethal dose of fentanyl is generally estimated to be about two milligrams, meaning there was enough of that drug seized to create 69,500 lethal doses.
Berlin said the total street value of the methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin seized is estimated at approximately $170,000.
Also found were weight scales, a large amount of packaged marijuana and multiple firearms, Berlinn said.
She said one of the pistols seized was identified as what is commonly referred to as a “ghost gun.” The pistol was later determined to be modified to fire fully automatic, meaning it’s capable of continuous firing with a single action of the trigger.
Lake County Jail records show that Weilert is being held without bail on a PC 1275 hold due to concerns that he would use money to post bail that came from the commission of a felony.
To report suspicious activity, contact the Lake County Sheriff's Dispatch at 707-263-2690 or online at www.lakesheriff.com/Services/report.
