How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College is honoring its long-time welding instructor who is retiring this week.
David Hubbard is retiring on Thursday, May 27, after teaching part-time at the college for 36 years.
He also worked full-time for Homestake Mining for 15 years and at Lower Lake High School as wood and metal shop teacher for 14 years.
Hubbard was born in Riverton, Wyoming, graduating from the University of Wyoming in education and industrial arts and began his teaching career in the 1970s.
He moved his family to Lake County in 1984 to work for Homestake Mining.
While working for Homestake, Dave asked the mining company if they would build a welding shop at the Clearlake College for the county.
Homestake gladly built the shop to hire students who took the welding class. Hubbard was hired to teach the class and has continued to this day.
For the past two years, Hubbard has helped with renovating the new welding classroom and shop for future students and teachers.
He also taught home maintenance and repair at Lake County Tribal Health and admired the student’s willingness to learn and find jobs in their community.
Hubbard has been the Lake County Toys for Tots distributor for 13 years working under the United States Marines and closely with community businesses to assure no child goes without having a new toy during the Holidays.
He and his wife, Pat, are relocating to Idaho Falls, Idaho to be closer to family members.
If you would like to contact Hubbard, please write to him at 1925 Eagle Drive, Ammon, Idaho 83406. He would enjoy hearing from past students and friends he has known throughout his career in Lake County.
The college offered its best wishes to Hubbard. “Congratulations Dave, ‘Catch the BIG one!’”
College officials thanked Hubbard for his dedication and service to students, staff, faculty and administration.
“You are a true role model and leader, your legacy will continue with the renovation completion of Building 500, the Welding Building at the Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College,” the college said.
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The discussion regarding the project proposed by Joseph Gustafson of Gustafson Farms LLC will be held during the commission’s regular meeting beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday, May 27, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
To participate in real-time, join the Zoom meeting by clicking this link.
The webinar ID is 920 6904 9979, the passcode is 101201.
The commission is scheduled to hear Gustafson’s request for a major use permit at 9:20 a.m.
Gustafson is seeking the permit for property at 4440, 4460, 4520 and 4550 George Road, not far from Lampson field and next to numerous homes.
His project is for 111,620 square feet of canopy area, including 89,620 square feet of outdoor growing area for which the agriculture commissioner and the Lake County Farm Bureau said he never should have received approval to do.
Gustafson also plans to have a total of 237,220 square feet of cultivation area and facilities including 50,000 square feet processing facility, 24,000 square feet of greenhouse for nursery, 50,000 square feet for drying facility, three storage sheds, and 23,000 square feet of greenhouse structures for mixed-light canopy.
At the commission’s April 22 hearing, neighbors raised numerous issues with Gustafson’s operations so far, among them, excessive traffic around the clock on George Road, which is a county-maintained dead-end road. That traffic also has led to dust and garbage issues.
Residents spoke about their concerns about the traffic impacts in their neighborhood, where people like to walk and children play and ride their bikes, and faulted him with not following the rules.
The Lake County Chamber of Commerce submitted a letter saying it opposes the project. Brenna Sullivan of the Lake County Farm Bureau said the project shouldn’t be allowed as proposed.
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Hajik said Gustafson should not have received early activation approval from the county last year for his project, noting it’s within the farmland protection zone and therefore was required to be an indoor, not an outdoor, grow.
Hajik said Gustafson holds no state CalCannabis licensing and reported the state water board also had problems with the operation. He also raised issues with Gustafson’s performance in the county’s hemp program in 2019, when low-grade cannabis — not hemp — was found during testing at a Lower Lake site run by Gustafson.
In response to Hajik’s comments last month, Gustafson told Lake County News, “All genetics of hemp can spike above the limit of THC and you never know what a genetic will do until grown.”
The issue for the commission came down to Gustafson having outstanding violations at that point on his property with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Rather than deny the project, the commission agreed to hold off on a decision until this month’s meeting in order to let Gustafson try to fully resolve the matters.
Gustafson told Lake County News that he had violations for undersized culverts on his property. He said those violations have now been addressed and he has a state permit for work.
He said the property is also a vineyard which has 30 acres of grapes and 40 acres of vines he plans to replant.
“Ultimately I plan to run a successful operation that boosts the local economy and try to mimic my neighbor Kendall Jackson with beautiful rows of grapes and an amazing processing center,” he said.
Other items on the commission’s agenda are as follows:
9:05 a.m.: Public hearing, major use permit (UP 20-85). Applicant/owner: Kushmen & Bakefield Enterprises Inc. Proposed project: Applicant is applying for one Type 6 “Non-Volatile Cannabis Manufacturing License” and one Type 11 “Cannabis Distributor License” to occur within an existing 11,000 square foot building. Location: 11270 Clayton Creek Road, Lower Lake; APN: 049-300-15. Environmental Evaluation: Categorical exemption (CE 21-12).
9:10 a.m.: Public hearing, major use permit (UP 19-32). Applicant/owner: Patrick Smythe. Proposed project: Applicant is applying for a total of 41,796 square feet canopy (32,076 square feet of outdoor cultivation and 9,720 square feet of mixed-light cultivation) area within a total of 44,121 square feet of cultivation area and facilities including three 30-foot by 108-foot greenhouses, one 1,800 square foot processing facility, one 525 square foot, one 1,225 square foot concrete pad to hold to hold nine 1,500-gallon water storage tanks and three 3,500-gallon water storage tanks. Location: 19697 and 19713 East Road, Lower Lake; APNs: 012-049-17 and 012-049-18.
9:15 a.m.: Public hearing to consider rezone (RZ 20-02) and general plan amendment (GPAP 20-02). Applicant/owner: Greg Hanson. Proposed project: The applicant is requesting a split rezone of approximately +/- 7 acres from “A” Agriculture to “A-M2” Agriculture-Heavy Industrial, and general plan amendment from “A” Agriculture” to “A-I” Agriculture-Industrial of undeveloped land on two parcels under one legal lot. Location: 3555 and 3445 Big Valley Road, Kelseyville,; APNs: 008-038-17 and 008-038-44. Environmental evaluation: Negative declaration (IS 20-91).
9:25 a.m. Public hearing to consider a major use permit (UP 19-13) to consider approval of a commercial cannabis cultivation project on a 230-plus acre property, and consideration of adopting a mitigated negative declaration (IS 19-25). Applicant/owner: Tiffany Devitt. Proposed project: Twelve A-Type 3 medium outdoor cannabis cultivation licenses requesting 650,000 square feet of cannabis cultivation area and one A-Type 13 self-distribution license. Location: 2800 Manning Road, Lakeport; APN: 008-009-03. Environmental evaluation: Mitigated negative declaration.
9:30 a.m. Public Hearing to consider a major use permit (UP 19-15) to consider approval of a commercial cannabis cultivation project on a 41-plus acre property, and consideration of adopting a mitigated negative declaration (IS 19-27). Applicant/owner: Legendary Farms LLC. Proposed project: One A-Type 3 medium outdoor cannabis cultivation licenses requesting 43,560 square feet of cannabis canopy area and one A-Type 13 self-distribution license. Location: 2290 Soda Bay Road, Lakeport; APN: 008-010-29. Environmental evaluation: Mitigated negative declaration.
9:35 a.m. Public Hearing to consider a major use permit (UP 20-01) to consider approval of a commercial cannabis cultivation project on a 20-plus acre property, and consideration of adopting a mitigated negative declaration (IS 20-01). Applicant/owner: Stella Green Farms LLC. Proposed project: One A-Type 3 medium outdoor cannabis cultivation licenses requesting 43,560 square feet of cannabis canopy area and one A-Type 13 self-distribution license. Location: 5808 Highland Springs Road, Lakeport; APN: 008-044-24. Environmental evaluation: Mitigated negative declaration.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
NORTH COAST, Calif. — The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office said it has identified the man who earlier this month attempted to kill a deputy and is the suspect in a series of burglaries in remote areas of Mendocino County.
Authorities said William Allan Evers, 40, was identified as the suspect by the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office Investigations Bureau.
Evers is described as a white male adult, 6 feet 1 inch tall, weighing 180 pounds with brown eyes, brown hair and reddish facial hair.
He has at least one skull tattoo on his right upper arm, a “demon face” tattoo on his upper left arm and an unknown prominent tattoo on his chest. Officials said he may have changed his appearance and shaved his beard or head to prevent being located.
Evers is wanted for an active no bail arrest warrant by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for criminal threats and should be considered armed and dangerous.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office said Evers’ last confirmed sighting was in the area of Elk on May 12.
Shortly after 9:30 p.m. on May 12, the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office received a report of a burglary occurring at a residence located in the 3000 block of Cameron Road.
The homeowner was away from the residence and noticed the presence of an unknown adult male inside the residence based upon live-time footage from a security camera.
Sheriff's deputies were responding to the residence when the homeowner reported the adult male had exited the residence. The deputies encountered the man outside of the residence and a short foot pursuit ensued until the adult male discharged a firearm multiple times at one of the pursuing sheriff's deputies.
The sheriff's deputy returned fire and no one was injured as a result of the exchange of gunfire. At that time, a search for Evers was unsuccessful.
Authorities said two residential burglaries were reported in the Pacific Reef Road area of Albion which were suspected of occurring sometime around May 18. Evers is believed to have been involved in those burglaries.
Authorities again searched the Elk area for Evers unsuccessfully on May 19.
Evers is known to be comfortable in wooded areas and is suspected of using rural roads and logging roads to transit the county.
Anyone who observes someone matching Evers’ description is asked to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office by calling 911. Do not approach or attempt to contact evers if located.
If you have any information concerning the whereabouts, or had any recent contacts with Evers, contact the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center at 707-463-4086 and ask to speak to an available detective or patrol deputy.
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
At its April 22 meeting, the commission voted unanimously to approve a major use permit and initial study sought by Zarina Otchkova, owner of WeGrow LLC.
Otchkova is planning the commercial cannabis cultivation operation on a portion of a 309-acre property she purchased in 2020 at 16750 Herrington Road, 17610 Sandy Road and 19678 Stinson Road in Middletown.
The project calls for 35 greenhouses, four 50-foot by 100-foot drying buildings, a 200-square-foot shed, four 2,500-gallon water tanks and fencing. The total cultivation area will cover nine acres.
The commission received input from numerous community members concerned about the project’s potential impact on quality of life and water supply, among other issues.
The Lake County Zoning Ordinance provides for a seven calendar day appeal period.
The Lake County Community Development Department’s Planning Division received the appeal on April 28, with the required $1,136.30 appeal fee, according to county documents.
The appellant is the Shadow Ridge Subdivision.
The appeal document — which says it is also filed on behalf of the Dohnery Ridge, Shadow Hills and Rim Ranch subdivisions, as well as numerous residents of Hidden Valley Lake and the Ranchos — cites numerous issues, chief among them, unpermitted building, inadequate water analysis, road maintenance, lighting, a site plan map that doesn’t match the one in the agenda for the commission’s public hearing, energy usage, sewage disposal, air quality and conformity with the Middletown Area Plan.
Otchkova’s consultant, Lake County Planning Consultants, did not respond to an emailed request for comment.
Johanna DeLong, assistant clerk of the Board of Supervisors, said the appeal will go before the board at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 8.
Email Elizabeth Larson at