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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace said the 31st case was identified on Thursday and on Friday an individual living in the same household also tested positive, bringing Lake County’s case total to 32.
Pace said both individuals were exposed to a person visiting from out of the county who subsequently tested positive for COVID-19.
“Early contact tracing has not revealed any concerns for additional Lake County cases, but investigations are ongoing,” Pace said.
As of Friday, there are four active confirmed cases in Lake County, and all are stable and on home isolation. The other 28 patients have recovered, Pace said.
So far, approximately 3,302 people have been tested for COVID-19, with the results of 214 tests still pending, according to the Lake County Public Health COVID-19 dashboard.
Information on local testing is available here.
Pace said there remains no evidence of widespread community transmission in Lake County.
“We are now outside of the 14-day period following the Memorial Day holiday, and it is very encouraging that we did not see a surge in cases as a result of increased activity that weekend,” said Pace.
He added, “That is very probably a testimony to people taking individual precautions, including practicing good hygiene and wearing face coverings.”
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Authorities have eradicated a large and unpermitted marijuana grow near Lakeport.
Lake County Sheriff’s Lt. Corey Paulich said that on June 5, Lake County Sheriff’s Narcotics detectives received information regarding an unpermitted marijuana growing operation located on Dessie Drive in Lakeport from the Lake County Community Development Department.
Detectives were told there were approximately 20,000 marijuana plants currently being cultivated as well as illegal grading that had been performed on the property, Paulich said.
Community Development explained that the property owner had obtained an early activation permit which allowed for planting of the plants while completing the permit process. Paulich said the early activation permit had expired in January 2020.
Paulich said Community Development further explained that no permits would be issued for the operation due to the environmental damage caused by the illegal grading.
Detectives conducted surveillance of the growing operation and observed several hoop-style greenhouses on the property. Paulich said they also observed a recently installed irrigation well with a large trench leading to the grow site. The trench spanned approximately 500 yards and crossed two drainages.
On Tuesday, detectives served a search warrant at the Dessie Drive location. Paulich said detectives contacted seven adults and one minor at the grow site.
Paulich said they observed seven hoop-style greenhouses and two conex storage containers that were being used for cultivation. There was a large graded area that was also being used to cultivate marijuana.
The graded area crossed two natural drainages. There was loose soil and trash in the drainages. These drainages met at the bottom of the grow site and ultimately drain into Scotts Creek, Paulich said.
Detectives interviewed Kieron Julian Riley, 32, of Lakeport who told detectives he was the lead grower for the operation. Paulich said Riley admitted that he did not have a permit from the county to work on the grow site. Riley believed there were 20,000 to 25,000 marijuana plants on the property.
Paulich said detectives searched Riley finding he was in possession of suspected Ketamine, LSD and Ecstasy pills. Riley also had text messages on his cell phone related to mailing marijuana out of state, which he confirmed he was doing.
All of the other subjects were interviewed including the minor. They all admitted to working on the property helping cultivate the marijuana. None of the subjects had permits from the county allowing them to work at the grow site, Paulich said.
Detectives eradicated approximately 48,000 marijuana plants. Paulich said they also located two 9-millimeter handguns on the property and 1,000 rounds for the handguns.
Paulich said all subjects were released from the property. Detectives will be forwarding the case to the District Attorney’s Office for review of charges for cultivation of marijuana with environmental crimes, possession of marijuana for sale, maintaining a location for the purpose of storing and distributing a controlled substance for sale, and possession of a controlled substance.
“The sheriff’s office recognizes that there are numerous growers who follow and abide by the state and local permitting regulations related to marijuana growing in Lake County,” Paulich said. “The sheriff’s office will continue to investigate and take action on growers who fail to comply with these regulations and operate illegal growing operations that damage our county and the environment.”
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
NORTH COAST, Calif. – The Mendocino-Lake Community College Board of Trustees has formally approved the appointment of the college’s new superintendent/president.
The hire of Dr. Tim Karas was approved on Wednesday evening at the board’s regularly scheduled June meeting.
Dr. Karas will join the college in his new role on July 13.
He will be leaving his post as the president of the College of Alameda, a position he has held since 2016.
“I could not be more honored, excited and exceptionally proud to be named the superintendent/president of Mendocino-Lake Community College District. I am immensely grateful for and sincerely humbled by the confidence and trust that the search committee and the Board of Trustees has demonstrated in me,” Karas said.
Dr. Karas has spent the last two decades working in the California Community College system.
Prior to serving as the president at the College of Alameda, he held the position of vice-president of instruction. Previous positions held include dean of liberal studies and language arts at Mission College and tenured faculty member at College of San Mateo.
Dr. Karas was the first person in his family to attend college. He received an Associate Degree from West Valley College, a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from Humboldt State University, and a Masters in Library and Information Science from San Jose State University. He completed his doctoral studies in the field of educational leadership at Fielding Graduate University in 2017.
Dr. Karas has served on several community boards, committees, and commissions, including Rotary, the City of San Jose Library Commission, Bond and Parcel Tax Citizen Oversight Committees, and the Santa Clara County Sister County Commission.
He also co-authored a chapter in the book “Campus Partnership in Small Academic Libraries: Challenges and Rewards.”
“I look forward to connecting with individuals and organizations from Round Valley, Lakeport, Fort Bragg, Ukiah, Leggett, Willits, and every amazing community in between to fulfill Mendocino College’s mission to embrace its role as an intellectual, economic, and cultural anchor for the region,” Karas said.
Mendocino College Vice President of Administrative Services, Eileen Cichocki has been serving as the college’s interim superintendent/president since August of 2019, after the previous president took a new position at a community college in southern California.
“On behalf of the entire governing board I am grateful to Dr. Karas for his interest in Mendocino College and his desire to take this amazing institution to the next level during some very challenging times. I want to thank Eileen Cichocki, our interim superintendent/president who navigated us through some rough seas with unwavering grace. We are lucky to have the best Vice President of Administrative Services in the entire community college system,” said Mendocino College Board President Robert Jason Pinoli.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department said it is rolling out the use of hi-lo sirens that will be used in times when emergency evacuations are necessary.
Over the past several years, California has been ravaged by wildfires, causing massive destruction and disruption to many families and their communities.
In July 2018, the Mendocino Complex fire created conditions so hazardous and dangerous that the city of Lakeport issued an evacuation order for the entire city, the first-ever citywide evacuation in Lakeport’s history.
Since then, officials said the city of Lakeport and the Lakeport Police Department have made improvements and procedural adjustments to better serve the community and streamline the approach to protecting the citizens of Lakeport.
With the approach of this year’s fire season, the Lakeport Police Department has joined many other law enforcement agencies in adopting and implementing the use of a hi-lo siren in its police vehicles to distinguish this siren from other commonly used sirens.
The department said the hi-lo siren will be used exclusively for times when the city has issued an evacuation order for citizens of Lakeport or in any other circumstance where there is a large and immediate threat to life safety.
Many people may have heard a hi-lo siren on television shows depicting a law enforcement vehicle in countries abroad, mainly in the United Kingdom or Europe.
This siren, is as its name applies, is a dual note siren with a high-frequency pitch followed by a low-frequency pitch as demonstrated in the video above.
“When you hear this siren, please follow the orders given by the emergency broadcast in a safe and efficient manner,” police said.
The Lakeport Police Department has also frequently responded to law enforcement mutual aid calls to surrounding counties and cities that are also using this hi-lo siren for the same evacuation orders.
An evacuation order means that there is an immediate threat to life. This is a lawful order to leave now and that the area is lawfully closed to the public.
The designation of this order will be accompanied by activation of the emergency broadcast system and those who have enrolled in the notification service will receive an emergency alert on their cellular phone and/or hard line telephone.
To get other community and emergency alerts on your cellular phone from the city of Lakeport, sign up for Nixle by texting your zip code to 888777.