How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation into the circumstances behind the shooting incident, first reported on Tuesday night, that killed Laura Marie Lovelady, 56, of Nice, and also resulted in the death of her husband, Kenneth Dwaine Lovelady, 60, later that night.
Lt. Corey Paulich said deputies had responded to the couple’s home in the 3400 block of Boggs Avenue at 7 p.m. Tuesday after Kenneth Lovelady called Lake County Sheriff’s Central Dispatch to say he had killed his wife and was going to also take his own life.
When deputies arrived, they found the couple suffering from gunshot wounds, and determined that Laura Lovelady had died, Paulich said.
Paulich said Kenneth Lovelady was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital. From there he was airlifted to an out-of-area hospital for treatment.
Kenneth Lovelady died of his injury shortly after arriving at the out-of-county hospital on Tuesday, Paulich said.
Based on the ongoing investigation by sheriff’s Major Crime Unit detectives, Paulich said they believe that Kenneth Lovelady shot and killed his wife before shooting himself.
Both appear to have died as a result of single gunshot wounds, Paulich said.
The official causes of death for the couple are pending autopsies that are scheduled to take place on Thursday, Paulich said.
“It is believed that the motive for this incident is related to a domestic dispute,” said Paulich.
Paulich said the sheriff’s office had minimal contact with either Laura or Kenneth Lovelady and the couple had no previous history of domestic disputes.
Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact Det. Dean Preader at 707-262-4231.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – At the end of a special closed session meeting on Tuesday evening, the Lakeport Unified School District Board of Trustees announced that it has selected a new superintendent.
Minnesotan Matt Bullard, an educator with more than two decades of experience in public schooling, will assume the superintendent’s post on July 1.
He will succeed Superintendent Jill Falconer, who is retiring at the end of the school year.
The board met Tuesday evening to finalize Bullard’s contract.
After a brief open session to take public comment, board members went into closed session shortly after 6 p.m., emerging nearly 45 minutes later to announce that they had voted unanimously to approve the contract with Bullard.
Bullard’s final contract will be on the agenda for the board’s next regular meeting on May 13. Falconer told Lake County News that the final contract approval must be held at a regular board meeting.
The board also voted unanimously in closed session to approve several summer program positions including counselor, day care, paraeducator and teacher positions, as well as instructional coach, interventional paraeducator, history teacher, payroll specialist, school bus monitor and licensed vocational nurse jobs.
That second vote included making Rachel Paarsch director of supplemental support services.
After the announcement of the votes, Falconer was the first to offer Bullard congratulations.
Bullard, who joined the meeting remotely, said he’s excited to be a part of this new chapter in Lakeport Unified.
“I’m absolutely thrilled and excited about the opportunity,” he said.
He said he will be in California this spring to start acquainting himself with the school district and the greater community.
Board Chair Dan Buffalo said they are excited to have Bullard, adding he knows Bullard will do great things for the district.
Lakeport Unified said Bullard has 24 years of experience in a variety of public education settings, including as a special education teacher, a secondary and alternative school principal, and 13 years as a school district superintendent.
Bullard is the superintendent for Paynesville Area Schools in Paynesville, located in central Minnesota. He’s held that job for nearly three years.
He previously served for 10 years as superintendent for the nearby Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa Schools in Belgrade, Minnesota, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Lakeport Unified said Bullard has been passionate about creating student-centered schools. “Specifically, with the assistance of many stakeholders, he has developed extensive personalized learning programs that are scalable throughout school districts.”
The district said Bullard has extensive experience enhancing educational technology to leverage academic performance for all learners.
He holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in special education from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and a Master’s of Arts in education and administrative license from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.
Bullard is an avid fisher and hunter, and the proud father of two teenage children, Lakeport Unified reported.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Former police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Chauvin knelt on the neck of a handcuffed and prone Floyd for nine minutes on 29 seconds on May 25.
Floyd’s death sparked protests and demonstrations not just nationwide but around the world. A series of peaceful gatherings were held in Lake County last summer.
It also has led to calls for policing reforms that are resulting in new legislation impacting law enforcement at all levels. More than 300 bills related to policing are reported to be making their way through the California Legislature this year.
Clearlake resident Rick Mayo, longtime president of the Lake County chapter of the NAACP, said the family of George Floyd got the right jury verdict and some closure for their loss of a father, son, brother, uncle and cousin. Mayo called Chauvin a “rogue officer” who murdered Floyd.
“People of all races in communities across this nation and around the world witnessed this brutality with rage in voice and protest,” Mayo said. “Hopefully as a result of officer Chauvin’s court conviction, our communities can find some healing and open the doors to constructive dialogue with government and law enforcement agencies. People all over the world are witnessing what justice looks like for people of color in America.”
Sheriff Brian Martin said the case has been tragic not just for Floyd’s family but for people everywhere and that Tuesday wasn’t a proud day for law enforcement.
“It was a pretty predictable and correct verdict that was reached today,” Martin said in a Tuesday afternoon interview with Lake County News, in the hours after the verdict was handed down.
Martin said the case already has had an impact on law enforcement, explaining the changes to policies and practices, and increased awareness. He also pointed to use of force legislation passed in California and across the nation prohibiting choke holds.
“It’s sad that somebody lost their life. It’s sad for the profession that Derek Chauvin did what he did,” Martin said, adding, “That’s not who we are,” and not what the overwhelming majority of law enforcement represent.
Martin said one of the many challenges in law enforcement is that a seemingly innocuous situation can turn deadly in a second.
While he said a use of force presence is necessary to keep violence from happening, in the Floyd case, with so many officers on the scene, there was no need for Chauvin to kneel on Floyd for nine minutes.
Mayo said continued lobbying pressure is needed on legislators so they’ll pass the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act, introduced in June by Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA-37).
Bass’ office reported that it would ban chokeholds, end racial and religious profiling, eliminate qualified immunity for law enforcement, establish national standard for the operation of police departments, mandate data collection on police encounters, reprogram existing funds to invest in transformative community-based policing programs and streamline federal law to prosecute excessive force and establish independent prosecutors for police investigations.
It passed the House in June and was sent to the Senate, where no action has been taken. A newer version was introduced in February and passed by the House in March, and again is sitting in the Senate.
On Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris urged the Senate to pass the new version of the bill.
“As historical as this conviction is, we still have many other black and brown families that haven’t received any closure or accountability for the loss of their family members at the hands of oppressive rogue officers,” Mayo said.
He added, “Bless the law enforcement officers who told the truth regarding use of force policies, respect for the rule of law, respect the rights and dignity of all black and brown citizens.”
Mayo emphasized the importance of people being considered innocent until proven guilty, while the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution and equal protection under law are respected.
Martin said there has been some anticipation of civil unrest and disturbances regardless of the verdict, but in sharing information with other agencies around the region, he said his office doesn’t have any indication that Lake County will have any issues.
Other government leaders who represent Lake County also shared their thoughts on the case outcome on Tuesday.
State Sen. Mike McGuire called the jury’s decision “swift and just, based off of overwhelming evidence.”
He said the verdict “doesn’t take away the injustice and pain so many have experienced over the years. There’s so much work that still needs to be done.”
Lake County’s two members of Congress also weighed in on the Tuesday verdict.
Congressman John Garamendi said Floyd “deserved his breath, his life, his dignity and his voice. Instead, he was left calling for his mother while the life escaped his body.”
While there is much more work to be done, the charges against Chauvin “represent a step in our journey towards healing,” Garamendi said.
“Being Black should not be a death sentence in our nation and police officers who violate their oath must be held to account. Justice will not be served until we dismantle systemic racism and hold all perpetrators to account,” he said.
Congressman Mike Thompson called the Chauvin guilty verdict “an important moment of accountability.”
“Though nothing can bring back George Floyd, I hope that today’s guilty verdict can bring his family and friends some peace,” Thompson said Tuesday. “And I hope that this measure of accountability for his tragic death can help our nation heal. As we mark this verdict, may we also recommit to the work that must be done to fix the historic and systemic racism that led to George’s death and the unwarranted deaths of many Black Americans and people of color. No one is above the law and we must work to ensure full equality for all.
“Together as a community, let us pray for George Floyd’s family and loved ones as they continue to mourn his loss. We must continue our peaceful protests as we work toward justice and equality for all Black Americans and people of color facing racism and discrimination day in and day out. We can and must build a better nation together,” Thompson said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom also spoke about the verdict.
“The hard truth is that, if George Floyd looked like me, he'd still be alive today,” said Newsom on Tuesday. “No conviction can repair the harm done to George Floyd and his family, but today’s verdict provides some accountability as we work to root out the racial injustice that haunts our society. We must continue the work of fighting systemic racism and excessive use of force.”
This article has been updated relating to a new version of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 22, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The agenda is here.
To participate in real-time, join the Zoom meeting by clicking this link.
The webinar ID is 943 4957 9788, the passcode is 692165.
To participate by phone, dial +1 669 900 6833 or use one-tap mobile, +16699006833,,94349579788#,,,,*692165# US.
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.
At 9:20 a.m., the commission will hold a public hearing for a major use permit sought by Gustafson Farms LLC for property at 4440, 4460, 4520 and 4550 George Road in Lakeport owned by Walter Stryker. The property is located near Lampson Field.
Gustafson Farms is applying for 111,620 square feet of canopy area – 89,620 square feet outdoor and 22,000 square feet mixed-light – within 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.
The Community Development Department has received letters from neighbors along with a petition against the project citing issues with road access and traffic, air quality, aesthetics, odor management and groundskeeping requirements, to name a few.
Agricultural Commission Steve Hajik sent an email to county staff in February on the project.
“I oppose any outdoor grow of cannabis in this area of Lake County because of the proximity to active wine grapes and walnut production,” Hajik wrote, also raising issues of outdoor cannabis creating problems due to possible pesticide drift.
The Lake County Chamber of Commerce has submitted a letter to the commission, dated April 20, noting that it can’t support the use permit.
“Over the past few years, our ordinance has evolved to accommodate the cannabis industry while also being careful to address the concerns of neighboring traditional farmers,” wrote Chamber President Bobby Dutcher. “This resulted in areas of the County which required cannabis cultivation to be inside buildings or mixed light greenhouses with filtration systems. Outdoor cultivation is clearly not allowed at this location. This property is not isolated from traditional farming enough to warrant an exception to this rule. It is also directly upwind from the Lampson Airport. Our members operating businesses there have serious concerns with possible odor issues.”
Neighbor Diane Deuchar also submitted a letter noting the impact on local residents and reporting that the applicant is not making attempts to comply with regulations. She said they started the permitting process in March 2020 and subsequently planted cannabis plants and added hoop houses.
“There was no notification by the owners to any existing neighbors in person or by mail,” Deuchar wrote. “One might think a small grow on a few ag acres would have no impact, but that would be incorrect. The impact last year was huge, negative and inescapable. The smell was so bad it made outdoor activities untenable. Ironically we were instructed to congregate with family outside and maintain social distancing due to the pandemic, but our outdoors was unusable for months. The additional proposals which include 150,000 sq ft of buildings would be inconceivable in impact and irreversible once implemented.”
In a public hearing scheduled for 9:35 a.m., the commission will discuss a mitigated negative declaration for the proposal from Zarina Otchkova and WeGrow LLC for a 309-acre project located at 16750 Herrington Road, 17610 Sandy Road and 19678 Stinson Road in Middletown, next to the Hidden Valley Lake subdivision.
The applicant is seeking 15 A-Type 3B mixed-light commercial cannabis cultivation licenses, one A-Type 1C “specialty cottage” or greenhouse license and one A-Type 13 “self-distribution” license.
The proposal is for 30 greenhouses measuring 90 feet by 125 feet, one 90-foot by 112-foot greenhouse, four 90-foot by 125-foot nursery greenhouses, four 50-foot by 100-foot drying buildings, a 200-square-foot shed, four 2,500-gallon water tanks and fencing. Total cultivation area will cover nine acres, according to county documents.
The county has received numerous letters and messages raising concerns or stating opposition to the plan, citing impacts on nearby residences, water usage, allegations of unpermitted construction and cannabis growing, and a host of other concerns.
The staff report, from Community Development Director Scott De Leon and Deputy Director Toccarra Thomas, notes that the cultivation site is outside of the 1,000-foot required setback from the Hidden Valley Lake boundaries and that it’s consistent with land uses in the vicinity, along with being in compliance with the Lake County General Plan, Middletown Area Plan and the applicable Zoning Ordinance standards and criteria for a commercial cannabis cultivation operation.
Staff recommends approval based on numerous mitigations including for aesthetics, biological resources, air quality, noise, water and energy.
Other items on the Thursday agenda are as follows.
9:05 a.m.: Public hearing to consider a major use permit (UP 19-47). Owner/applicant: Work Right Building LLC. Proposed project: One Type 6 “Non-Volatile Cannabis Manufacturing License,” one Cannabis Processor License and one Type 11 Cannabis Distributor License consisting of 48,100 square feet of processing area, 690 square feet of manufacturing area and 1,810 square feet of distribution area located within an existing 60,000 square foot building. Location: 4615 Work Right Circle, Lakeport; APN: 008-032-51. Environmental evaluation: Categorical exemption (CE 21-06).
9:10 a.m.: Public hearing to consider major use permit (UP 19-46). Applicant/owner: Stuart Spivack. Proposed project: Applicant is applying for a total of 28,012 square feet canopy area within a total of 28,252 square feet of cultivation area and facilities including two 120 square feet accessory structures and water tanks. Location: 1027 Watertrough Road, Clearlake Oaks; APN(s): 628-100-10. Environmental evaluation: Mitigated negative declaration (IS 19-65).
9:15 a.m. Public hearing to consider major use permit (UP 20-03). Applicant: Freddie Alvarez. Owner: Alvarez Ignacio Trustee. Proposed project: Applicant is applying for 131,000 square feet of outdoor canopy area and 500 square feet indoor canopy within a 600 square feet metal building. It will take place over four site locations totaling up to 3.6 acres of cultivation area within the property. Location: 12990 Spruce Grove Road, Lower Lake; APN: 012-067-40. Environmental evaluation: Mitigated negative declaration (IS 20-33).
9:25 a.m. Public hearing to consider a rezone (RZ 19-02) and general plan amendment (GPAP 19-02) to change the zoning of a property from R-3 High Density Residential to R1 Low Density Residential; to change the general plan designation of a property from high density residential to low density residential, and consideration of a mitigated negative declaration (IS 19-41). Applicant/owner: Richard Siri. Proposed project: Rezone and general plan amendment on a property presently zoned R3. Location: 4436 Lakeshore Boulevard, Lakeport; APN: 029-141-22. Environmental evaluation: Mitigated negative declaration.
9:30 a.m.: Public hearing to consider major use permit (UP 19-08). Applicant/Owner: Golden State Herb. Proposed project: One A Type 3 (medium outdoor) commercial cannabis cultivation license; four A-Type 2 small outdoor commercial cannabis licenses and one A-Type 13 ‘self-distribution’ license. Location: 8550 Highway 175, Kelseyville; APN: 011-055-06. Environmental evaluation: Mitigated negative declaration (IS 19-14).
9:40 a.m. Continued from April 8. Public hearing to consider a major use permit (UP 19-40) to consider approval of a commercial cannabis cultivation project on a 77-plus acre property, and consideration of adopting a mitigated negative declaration (IS 19-59). Applicant/owner: CUA Enterprises. Proposed project: Three A-Type 3 medium outdoor cannabis cultivation licenses requesting 104,800 square feet of cannabis cultivation area and one one A-Type 13 self-distribution license. Location: 25252, 25322, 25372 and 25312 Jerusalem Grade Road, Middletown; APNs: 013-017-92, 013-017-74, 013-017-36 and 013-017-31. Environmental evaluation: Mitigated negative declaration.
9:45 a.m. Continued from PC Meeting April 8th, 2021. Public Hearing to consider a Major Use Permit (UP 19-31) to consider approval of a commercial cannabis cultivation project on a 333+ acre property, and consideration of adopting a Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS 19-39) on Thursday April 22, 2021, 9:45 a.m., in the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers, 255 N. Forbes Street, Lakeport, California. Applicant / Owner: Badlands LLC. Proposed Project: Twelve (12) A-Type 3 medium outdoor cannabis cultivation licenses requesting 529,560 sq. ft. of cannabis cultivation area and one (1) A-Type 13 self-distribution license. Location: 21518 Bartlett Springs Road, Lucerne, CA; APN: 016-032-01. Environmental evaluation: Mitigated negative declaration.
Email Elizabeth Larson at