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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Although the threat of a coronavirus outbreak is low, Rob Young of the Lake County Office of Education is working closely with Lake County Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace to help prepare in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak within the Lake County schools.
On Feb. 10, Dr. Pace sent a letter to school administrators recommending the following preventative measures to help reduce the chance of an influenza or COVID-19 outbreak within the classroom:
– Encourage students and staff to stay home when they have a fever plus any other symptoms. Those who have a fever at school should go home and stay home until fever-free for at least 24 hours.
– Separate sick students and staff from others until they can be taken home.
– Promote good hand hygiene among students and staff through education, scheduled time for handwashing, and availability of soap and water and/or hand sanitizer.
– Avoid touching your face, particularly your eyes, nose, and mouth.
– Teach and encourage proper cough etiquette – cough or sneeze into a tissue, sleeve or arm (do not use hands).
Custodial and other staff within Lake County schools are taking extra precautions to keep surfaces disinfected and clean.
“At the height of H1N1, staff at some Lake County schools were disinfecting every desk on a nightly basis,” Young said.
If the local school sites notice unusual changes in sickness patterns, they will call the students’ guardians to find out the nature of the illness.
In the event that there is a spike in influenza-related symptoms, the schools will notify Young at the Lake County Office of Education, who will then notify Dr. Pace.
Dr. Pace will work with the Lake County Office of Education and the affected school-site to determine next steps.
If there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 within a Lake County school, the infected student will be required to stay home for 14 days.
Schools have the option to issue makeup work or independent study during that time, so the student will not fall behind.
This is a rapidly evolving situation, so recommendations may change.
“The Lake County Office of Education will work diligently with the Lake County Health officer, and monitor the situation closely. In turn, we will keep our school districts apprised of any recommendation changes for the health and safety of our students,” said Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
NORTH COAST, Calif. – Fire crews have increased containment to 40 percent on the Baseball fire on the Covelo Ranger District of the Mendocino National Forest.
The wildfire is estimated at 68 acres and is located approximately 15 miles southeast of Covelo near Atchison campground, forest officials said.
It has been determined that the fire started from previous pile burning on the Baseball prescribed fire project, as Lake County News has reported.
Forest officials said the fire is burning in grass, brush and timber. There are no immediate threats to property or structures.
About 75 personnel are working on the incident and resources include crews, engines, a water tender and a helicopter.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The California Department of Parks and Recreation has awarded the city of Lakeport a multimillion-dollar grant to build a new lakeside park at the former Natural High School site.
The state announced that it has awarded Lakeport $5,947,621 for the Lakefront Park project.
The funds will cover the city’s purchase of the 6.9-acre property located at 800 N. Main St. in Lakeport from the Lakeport Unified School District, as well as the construction of a new skate park, splash pad, basketball court, amphitheater, exercise circuit, five picnic areas with shade, concessions/restroom building, parking lot, public art with landscaping and lighting throughout the park, and the renovation of an existing boat ramp.
“We’re thrilled,” said Lakeport Assistant City Manager Kevin Ingram.
“It was quite a process and it will be quite a bit of work going forward, for sure,” Ingram added.
He noted that it’s a huge award for the city, adding that the grant is about the same amount as the city’s general fund for one year.
Lakeport’s new park is among 62 projects selected to receive $254,942,000 in Proposition 68 funding in the Statewide Park Program’s third round of awards.
The state reported that it received 478 applications requesting $2.3 billion for the available $254.9 million in this round. The average grant request statewide was $4.8 million, and the average grant amount was $4.1 million.
City followed extensive public input process
California voters approved Proposition 68, the Parks and Water Bond Act of 2018, which authorizes $4 billion in general obligation bonds meant for projects that extend from local and state parks to flood protection, water infrastructure, environmental protection and habitat restoration.
Last year, the city of Lakeport and the county of Lake applied for Proposition 68 funds for park projects. Lakeport’s grant award is the only one in Lake County in the newly announced round of awards.
The city of Lakeport held a series of five public meetings over the course of four months last year, which Ingram said was a key component of the grant.
At those meetings, city staff and the consultants gathered information to create the plan that ultimately was submitted to the state by the August deadline. Part of the public input process also included an online survey offered in both English and Spanish.
He said the grant proposal also built on the lakefront revitalization plan that the city created in 2017 and the council approved in September of that year.
One of the chief complaints from community members about the lakefront revitalization plan, said Ingram, was that at first there was no clear way to fund it.
However, by having the lakefront revitalization plan ready, Ingram said the city was able to pursue the funding when it became available. “You gotta have your homework done.”
Public Health Advocates Inc., a Davis-based nonprofit that helped write the Proposition 68 bond funding language, approached the city to help it with pursuing the grant. Ingram credited the firm with its work for making the grant award a possibility.
The city and the Lakeport Unified School District have discussed the city’s purchase of the property several times over the years, and even if it hadn’t won the grant, Ingram said, “The council’s been committed to continuing with the school district on the acquisitions, regardless.”
At the same time as the grant was being prepared and submitted last year, the Lakeport Unified School District began the process required under state education code to sell the property.
That included convening a 7-11 Committee, also known as a District Advisory Committee, according to the California Department of Education.
The state said a 7-11 Committee – so named due to the state legislative requirements to have at least seven members but no more than 11 – gathers facts when the district considers closing a school or, in this case, selling a property.
Lakeport Unified School District Superintendent Jill Falconer said the district’s 7-11 Committee submitted a report and recommendations last year and the school board declared the property surplus at its Sept. 11 meeting.
Falconer said the school board also directed the administration to begin the Education Code priority offer process for surplus school district real property.
She said the district and city are currently in discussions regarding the site and they have a meeting planned on Wednesday during which they will continue the discussions.
Ingram separately confirmed that Falconer and City Manager Margaret Silveira are set to discuss the property on Wednesday.
“Further board action may be necessary to complete any sale of the surplus property,” Falconer said.
A quick turnaround
As for the next steps for the city, in addition to completing the property acquisition from the school district, Ingram said the city already has started on the required environmental study, which it needs to have completed by the summer.
He said he expects it will take some time for the state Department of Parks and Recreation to get its contract in place to disburse the money, and then there will need to be council action to accept the funds and agree to the contract terms.
Then the city will need to get engineering plans and put the project out to bid in order to have it constructed in time, Ingram said.
The park will need to be open to the public in 2022, which Ingram said is a “really tight deadline” and a very quick turnaround for a government project.
Ingram called the Natural High property a “really, really awesome location.” It’s been important to the community for a long time and is “a big piece to a lot of our other efforts,” including a lakeside promenade.
It’s also located just down the street from the former Bank of America building, which was donated to the city of Lakeport last year. The city is turning the former bank into a community center.
Ingram said receiving the grant is a great win in itself, but is positive for both residents and visitors alike.
He envisioned what the park will offer the community in the years to come. Just one example – future productions of Shakespeare in the Park in the new amphitheater slated to be built there.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Fair Board of Directors announced that it has selected Sheli Wright as the new chief executive officer of the fair, also known as the 49th District Agricultural Association.
She succeeds Courtny Conkle, who left in September to take over as Wyoming State Fair manager, as Lake County News has reported.
Wright will officially begin her duties as the Lake County Fair CEO on March 16.
The fair board said Wright, who is excited about leading the fair into the 2020s, believes the fair is the heart of the rural community.
Wright is a long-term community member who grew up showing animals, participating in events and cheering in the grandstands of the Lake County Fair.
She previously worked as manager for the State Council on Developmental Disabilities’ North Coast Region Office, serving individuals in Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties.
“I am confident Ms. Wright will be an excellent addition to the Lake County Fair,” said Fair Board President Tom Turner. “She is sharp, community-minded, and organized with a desire to preserve the fairgrounds and the District Agriculture Association not only for the state of California but, more importantly, for the community of Lake County.”
The fair board lauded Mendocino Fair CEO Jim Brown for doing a great job of serving as the interim CEO since Conkle’s departure in the fall.
The fair board thanked Brown for stepping in to support the fair while juggling his own duties in Mendocino County.
In addition to being enthusiastic about Wright’s education and profession experience, the committee and Fair Board of Directors found her to be a business-minded individual with an ability to plan, organize, market, promote transparency and create goal-oriented objectives in order to successfully lead the fair into a sustainable business model for the enjoyment of the public for years to come.
The fairgrounds hosts year-round events and activities including NCRA auto racing, Paradise Skate, the Lake County Rodeo and the upcoming third annual Lake County Ag & Natural Resource Day occurring on March 28.
The Lake County Fair, which is traditionally held on Labor Day Weekend, will begin on Sept. 3. The 2020 theme is “Racing to Lake County Fair.”
For more information about how you can support the Lake County Fairgrounds and get involved in the fair, please contact the fair at 707-263-6181.