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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Thursday’s Flex Alert follows Wednesday’s conservation call, also due to above-normal temperatures in the Western states.
Consumers are urged to conserve electricity from 4 to 9 p.m. on both days by setting their thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, and deferring use of major appliances and unnecessary lights during that time.
The ISO also issued a system-wide restricted maintenance operations, or RMO, order for Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 9 p.m., delaying routine maintenance of generation and transmission equipment so that all available resources are online for the critical evening time.
The Flex Alerts have been issued due to above-normal temperatures leading to high electricity demand in California and parts of the western US, narrow margins of supply, and cloud cover creating uncertainty for renewable generation forecasts.
Temperatures in the Northern California inland region are forecast to be 3 to 10 degrees warmer than normal.
In Southern California, temperatures are expected to be 5 to 10 degrees warmer than normal through the weekend, primarily for the interior, although coastal regions are forecast to see some warming as well.
Above-normal temperatures throughout much of the interior western US are also expected this week, with some cities seeing a potential for record-breaking heat.
Widespread heat waves affecting other western states limits the California ISO’s ability to import energy from neighboring power grids.
The ISO is predicting an increase in electricity demand, primarily from air conditioning use. The increase can stretch electricity supplies thin and cause strain on our power grid, especially in the late afternoon and evening, when solar production goes offline and wind generation is uncertain, however, temperatures and electricity demand remains high.
Consumers are urged to conserve electricity, especially during the late afternoon and early evening, when the grid is most stressed due to higher demand and solar energy production falling.
Reducing energy use during a Flex Alert can help stabilize the power grid during a time of tight supply conditions, and prevent further emergency measures, including rotating power outages.
For information on Flex Alerts, and to get more electricity conservation tips, visit www.FlexAlert.org .
Conservation tips before a Flex Alert:
— Pre-cool home by setting the thermostat to as low as 72 degrees.
— Use major appliances:
o Washer and dryer;
o Dishwasher;
o Oven and stove for pre-cooking and preparing meals.
— Adjust blinds and drapes to cover windows.
Tips during a Flex Alert from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.:
— Set the thermostat to 78 degrees or higher, if health permits.
— Avoid using major appliances.
— Turn off all unnecessary lights.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The Governor’s Office said the proclamation will help quicken removal of the resulting hazardous debris and ash, in addition to streamlining other public services for fire victims.
City officials were both surprised and delighted by the governor’s Tuesday evening action.
“I can’t believe it! Our indications since the night of the fire have been that there would be no state or federal declaration, because it didn’t meet the thresholds,” City Manager Alan Flora said in an email response to Lake County News’ request for comment on the news.
“This is great news for the city of Clearlake because we were really worried about the cost of cleanup,” Clearlake Mayor Dirk Slooten told Lake County News.
The fire began early on the afternoon of Aug. 18 in the area of Sixth Avenue at Cache Street, swiftly burning 83 acres, 56 homes and 81 outbuildings, and leaving hundreds of people evacuated for several days.
Despite how quickly the fire moved through the densely populated area, no fatalities have been reported.
The help from Newsom’s proclamation is critical for the city of Clearlake, which was facing the prospect of trying to cover millions of dollars in cleanup and recovery on its own.
Increasing the challenge is the fact that officials said many of the impacted homeowners, property owners and renters in the area are either uninsured or underinsured.
During last week’s Clearlake City Council meeting, Flora gave an initial estimate of $14.5 million in impacts to private property and cleanup efforts, of which $11 million is in cleanup and recovery costs.
On the night of the fire, Flora, in his capacity as the city’s emergency services director, declared a local emergency which the Clearlake City Council ratified at its meeting on Aug. 19.
On the morning of Aug. 19, the Lake County Fire Protection District Board held a special meeting during which it approved an emergency declaration in response to the fire — the first time it’s taken such an action in recent memory.
On Aug. 24, the Board of Supervisors ratified separate local emergencies declared by Sheriff Brian Martin and interim Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace in response to the Cache fire, steps needed to seek assistance from the state and federal governments.
Despite those actions, because of the smaller size of the incident, Flora said they hadn’t expected to be granted a state emergency proclamation.
“We had learned recently that we would receive state assistance in clean up efforts, but it was unlikely anything else,” he said. “We are so pleased that additional resources will now be available to those whose lives were devastated by the Cache fire. It took a vast array of lobbying efforts to plead our case.”
Flora said many individuals were involved, and he singled out for special recognition Sheriff Brian Martin, District 2 Supervisor Bruno Sabatier, Congressman John Garamendi and Congressman Mike Thompson for adding their voices to this request for assistance.
Additionally, Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and state Sen. Mike McGuire “have been fighting in our corner since the night of the fire,” Flora said.
“We are so fortunate to have such tireless advocates in the state Legislature representing us,” Flora said.
Flora said city department heads and staff have put in every effort to prepare a compelling case for state and federal declaration.
“We feel fortunate to be able to secure this win for those impacted by the Cache fire and offer our sincere appreciation to all those that have supported the city in this time of need,” Flora said.
Slooten said the governor's action will now open up an avenue to federal assistance for the recovery, “which is awesome.”
On Thursday, the city’s evacuation shelter at the senior and community center, run by the Red Cross, was closed, with displaced individuals and families moved into other short-term housing.
During the Clearlake City Council meeting, which also took place on Thursday, the council approved an agreement with North Coast Opportunities for short-term housing for Cache fire survivors, using $100,000 from the city’s low and moderate income housing fund to help house those individuals.
Thanks to the governor’s emergency proclamation, “Now we can move on to figuring out how to get permanent housing for these people and not worry about the cost of cleanup over there, and that is huge,” Slooten said Tuesday night.
Gov. Newsom previously proclaimed a state of emergency in counties impacted by the Caldor fire, McFarland and Monument fires, Antelope and River fires, Dixie, Fly and Tamarack fires and the Lava Fire and Beckwourth Complex fire. The governor has also signed executive orders to support impacted communities and bolster wildfire response and recovery efforts.
The Governor’s Office reported that Cal Fire and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Service are responding in concert with other federal, state and local agencies to address emergency management and mutual aid needs for the fires.
The text of Gov. Newsom’s Tuesday proclamation is published below in its entirety.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
PROCLAMATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY
WHEREAS on August 18, 2021 , the Cache Fire began burning in Lake County; and
WHEREAS the Cache Fire destroyed or caused major damage to more than 100 structures, including dozens of homes, as well as nearly 200 vehicles, resulting in hazardous debris and ash that must be expeditiously removed to mitigate impacts to public health and safety; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8558(b), I find that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist due to the Cache Fire in Lake County; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8558(b), I find that the conditions caused by the Cache Fire, by reason of its magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of any single local government and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions to appropriately respond; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8625( c), I find that local authority is inadequate to cope with the magnitude of the damage caused by the Cache Fire; and
WHEREAS under the provisions of Government Code section 8571, I find that strict compliance with various statutes and regulations specified in this Order would prevent, hinder, or delay the mitigation of the effects of the Cache Fire.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the State Constitution and statutes, including the California Emergency Services Act, and in particular, Government Code section 8625, HEREBY PROCLAIM A STATE OF EMERGENCY to exist in Lake County due to the Cache Fire.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
l. All agencies of the state government utilize and employ state personnel, equipment, and facilities for the performance of any and all activities consistent with the direction of the Office of Emergency Services and the State Emergency Plan. Also, all residents are to obey the direction of emergency officials with regard to this emergency in order to protect their safety.
2. The Office of Emergency Services shall provide assistance to local governments, if appropriate, under the authority of the California Disaster Assistance Act, Government Code section 8680 et seq., and California Code of Regulations, Title 19, section 2900 et seq.
3. As necessary to assist local governments and for the protection of public health and the environment, state agencies shall enter into contracts to arrange for the procurement of materials, goods, and services necessary to quickly assist with the response to and recovery from the impacts of the Cache Fire. Applicable provisions of the Government Code and the Public Contract Code, including but not limited to travel, advertising, and competitive bidding requirements, are suspended to the extent necessary to address the effects of the Cache Fire.
4. The provisions of Unemployment Insurance Code section 1253 imposing a one-week waiting period for unemployment insurance applicants are suspended as to all applicants who are unemployed as a direct result of the Cache Fire who applied for unemployment insurance benefits during the time period beginning August 18, 2021, and ending on the close of business on February 18, 2022, and who are otherwise eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
5. Vehicle Code sections 9265(a}, 9867, 14901, 14902, and 15255.2, requiring the imposition of fees, are suspended with regard to any request for replacement of o driver's identification card, vehicle registration certificate, or certificate of title, by any individual who lost such records as a result of the Cache Fire. Such records shall be replaced without charge.
6. The provisions of Vehicle Code sections 4602 and 5902, requiring the timely registration or transfer of title are suspended with regard to any registration or transfer of title by any resident of Lake County, who is unable to comply with those requirements as a result of the Cache Fire, respectively. The time covered by this suspension shall not be included in calculating any late penalty pursuant to Vehicle Code section 9554.
7. Health and Safety Code sections 103525.5 and 103625, and Penal Code section 14251, requiring the imposition of fees are hereby suspended with regard to any request for copies of certificates of birth, death, marriage, and dissolution of marriage records, by any individual who lost such records as a result of the Cache Fire. Such copies shall be provided without charge.
8. All provisions of Executive Orders N-13-21 and N-14-2 1 are hereby incorporated by reference into this proclamation and are applicable to Lake County due to the Cache Fire.
I FURTHER DIRECT that as soon as hereafter possible, this proclamation be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be given of this proclamation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 7th day of September 2021.
GAVIN NEWSOM
Governor of California
ATTEST:
SHIRLEY WEBER, PH.D.
Secretary of State
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The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 9, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting can be watched live on Channel 8, online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and on the county’s Facebook page. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.
To participate in real-time, join the Zoom meeting by clicking this link.
The meeting ID is 927 1518 0793, pass code 090501. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,92715180793#,,,,*090501#.
All interested members of the public that do not have internet access or a Mediacom cable subscription are encouraged to call 669-900-6833, and enter the Zoom meeting ID and pass code information above.
To submit a written comment on any agenda item visit https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and click on the eComment feature linked to the meeting date. If a comment is submitted after the meeting begins, it may not be read during the meeting but will become a part of the record.
At 9:06 a.m., Registrar of Voters Maria Valadez will give the board an update on her department’s preparations for the Sept. 14 special election for the gubernatorial recall.
“In addition, in light of the need to make special arrangements to enable constituents to vote in-person safely, with proper social distancing in place, I am requesting the use of the Board chambers on September 14, 2021,” Valadez wrote in a memo to the board. “The use of the Board chambers would enable the setup of voting stations in the larger space, rather than in the cramped hallway area on the second floor. Admittedly, this would necessitate that your Board meet in Zoom. At this time, many constituents are expressing their intention to vote in-person and this one-time accommodation would increase our capacity to support in-person voting during the pandemic.”
Also on Thursday, at 9:15 a.m., the supervisors will be asked to consider appointing Mary Darby as extra help Community Development director at a rate of $54.42 per hour for the period Sept. 10 through Oct. 3.
On Aug. 31, the board voted to appoint Darby as the new Community Development director, effective Oct. 4, as Lake County News has reported.
In a memo to the board, County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson said that ahead of her Oct. 4 start date, “Darby has expressed a desire to participate in meetings with staff remotely via zoom while she is in the process of relocating here. Doing so would support her transition by enabling her to begin to get to know staff and to become informed regarding department priorities and concerns.”
Huchingson is recommending the board hire Darby on an hourly basis, in an extra help capacity at an hourly rate of $54.42 per hour, which is equivalent to step three on the CDD Director salary scale — which is the step she was hired at for the full-time position — until her permanent employment begins on Oct. 4.
“As an extra help employee, she could work on a part-time basis, not to exceed 25 hours per week. During the time of Ms. Darby’s extra help employment, I and my designee Assistant CAO Susan Parker will continue to serve as Interim CDD Director until Ms. Darby takes over on a full-time basis on Oct. 4,” Huchingson wrote.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKEPORT, Calif. — As it prepares to submit an application for state grant funding for a new horse park, the Westside Community Park Committee is planning a series of upcoming meetings to gather public input.
The committee recently held the first of five public meetings to engage the community in the design of the Westside Community Horse Park.
The meeting was held at the site of the future park on Highway 175 west of Lakeport and attended by more than 30 people.
Following a barbecue hot dog dinner by Walt and Jaxan Christensen, those in attendance were able to view the site and offer their ideas for development.
These meetings are part of preparing an application to the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation for $3 million in funding available from voter approved Proposition 68.
Westside Community Park Committee Board Member, Carol Maxwell, is leading the planning for the grant application.
“I encourage everyone interested in seeing the development of a Horse Park serving our entire region to attend and offer input in the design,” Maxwell said. “This is a competitive grant application process and public participation is critical to a successful application.”
The first meeting built upon the results of an online survey completed by over 200 people offering opinions regarding the needs of those in the horse community in Lake County.
Six primary areas of concern were identified: community, competition, noncompetitive events, education, trails and training.
Followup meetings will begin by creating a list of potential facilities and programs needed, addressing any restraints to development and their solutions, creating two or three designs for the park and then selection of a final design.
The final four meetings are scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9; 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 18; 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23; and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6.
All meetings have been scheduled in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall.
Given the current surge in cases of COVID-19, the Sept. 9 meeting will be held outside, across the street in Library Park. Dinner will be provided.
Whether to meet in the City Hall or at Library Park for future meetings is still to be determined.
