LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The East Region Town Hall, or ERTH, will meet on Wednesday, Jan. 4
The meeting will begin at 4 p.m. at the Moose Lodge, located at 15900 Moose Lodge Lane in Clearlake Oaks.
The group on Wednesday will discuss a proposed revision to its bylaws.
Discussion topics also will include the Clearlake Oaks consolidated lighting district, the Lake County Geothermal Project Watchlist, a commercial cannabis cultivation update, a request for review by the Community Development Department and Sulphur Bank Mine Superfund Site public outreach.
There also will be updates on Spring Valley, the Northshore Fire Protection District, the Oaks Arm and Keys Restoration projects, and a report from Supervisor EJ Crandell.
The group’s next meeting will take place on Feb. 1.
ERTH’s members are Denise Loustalot, Jim Burton, Tony Morris and Pamela Kicenski.
For more information visit the group’s Facebook page.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has new dogs available to join families in the new year.
Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Belgian Malinois, border collie, border terrier, Chihuahua, German shepherd, hound, husky, Labrador retriever, mastiff pit bull, Schipperke, shepherd and terrier.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption.
Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online for information on visiting or adopting.
“Tyson” is a male husky in kennel No. 20, ID No. LCAC-A-4344. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.‘Tyson’
“Tyson” is a handsome male husky with a red and white coat.
He is in kennel No. 20, ID No. LCAC-A-4344.
This female Labrador retriever-pit bull mix puppy is in kennel No. 2, ID No. LCAC-A-4451. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Lab-pit bull mix puppy
This female Labrador retriever-pit bull mix puppy has a short black coat with white markings.
She is in kennel No. 2, ID No. LCAC-A-4451.
This 3 and a half year old male Schipperke is in kennel No. 3, ID No. LCAC-A-4453. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male Schipperke
This 3 and a half year old male Schipperke has a long black coat.
He is in kennel No. 3, ID No. LCAC-A-4453.
This 3-year-old male pit bull is in kennel No. 4, ID No. LCAC-A-4428. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male pit bull
This 3-year-old male pit bull has a short brown coat.
He is in kennel No. 4, ID No. LCAC-A-4428.
This 9-month-old female Chihuahua is in kennel No. 6, ID No. LCAC-A-4459. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female Chihuahua
This 9-month-old female Chihuahua has a short tricolor coat.
She is in kennel No. 6, ID No. LCAC-A-4459.
This 3-year-old male pit bull is in kennel No. 7, ID No. LCAC-A-4425. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.Male pit bull
This 3-year-old male pit bull has a short white coat with gray markings.
He is in kennel No. 7, ID No. LCAC-A-4425.
This 10-month-old female German shepherd is in kennel No. 8, ID No. LCAC-A-4448. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female German shepherd
This 10-month-old female German shepherd has a black and tan coat.
She is in kennel No. 8, ID No. LCAC-A-4448.
This 6-month-old female Belgian Malinois is in kennel No. 10, ID No. LCAC-A-4447. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female Belgian Malinois
This 6-month-old female Belgian Malinois has a short black and tan coat.
She is in kennel No. 10, ID No. LCAC-A-4447.
This 2-year-old female terrier is in kennel No. 16, ID No. LCAC-A-4452. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.Female terrier
This 2-year-old female terrier has a short tan and white coat.
She is in kennel No. 16, ID No. LCAC-A-4452.
This 8-month-old female hound is in kennel No. 17, ID No. LCAC-A-4386. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female hound
This 8-month-old female hound has a fawn coat.
She is in kennel No. 17, ID No. LCAC-A-4386.
This 1-year-old female pit bull terrier is in kennel No. 19, ID No. LCAC-A-4461. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female pit bull terrier
This 1-year-old female pit bull terrier has a short black coat with white markings.
She is in kennel No. 19, ID No. LCAC-A-4461.
This one and a half year old female border terrier is in kennel No. 22, ID No. LCAC-A-4450. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female border terrier
This one and a half year old female border terrier has a tricolor coat.
She is in kennel No. 22, ID No. LCAC-A-4450.
This 7-month-old female terrier is in kennel No. 23, ID No. LCAC-A-4436. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female terrier
This 7-month-old female terrier has a short brown coat.
She is in kennel No. 23, ID No. LCAC-A-4436.
This 3-year-old male pit bull is in kennel No. 26, ID No. LCAC-A-4445. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male pit bull
This 3-year-old male pit bull has a short black and white coat.
He is in kennel No. 26, ID No. LCAC-A-4445.
This 10-month-old female German shepherd is in kennel No. 28, ID No. LCAC-A-4297. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.Female German shepherd
This 10-month-old female German shepherd has a short light-colored coat.
She is in kennel No. 28, ID No. LCAC-A-4297.
This 3-year-old male shepherd is in kennel No. 31, ID No. LCAC-A-4312. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male shepherd
This 3-year-old male shepherd has a short black and tan coat.
He is in kennel No. 31, ID No. LCAC-A-4312.
This 2-year-old male border collie-shepherd is in kennel No. 32, ID No. LCAC-A-4437. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.Male border collie-shepherd
This 2-year-old male border collie-shepherd has a short black coat with white markings.
He is in kennel No. 32, ID No. LCAC-A-4437.
This 3-year-old male American pit bull terrier is in kennel No. 34, ID No. LCAC-A-4402. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male American pit bull terrier
This 3-year-old male American pit bull terrier has a short brindle coat.
He is in kennel No. 34, ID No. LCAC-A-4402.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Dennis Fordham. Courtesy photo. Tis the season to be giving. Many older adults enjoy giving money during their lifetime to family members or donations to a religious or charitable organizations.
For example, a grandparent may make a generous holiday gift of money to a needy grandchild in college or to an adult child who is struggling in-between jobs. The magnitude of such giving is usually governed by a person’s financial resources, life circumstances, and generosity.
This natural tendency to bestow gifts, at holidays and birthdays, can grind to an abrupt halt when someone becomes incapacitated, such as when a person becomes demented.
That said, anyone who wishes to continue a pattern of gifting, or otherwise provide for possible gifts, in the event of their own future incapacity, should plan ahead by including appropriate gifting provisions in their estate planning documents.
An express gifting authority can be included in a person’s trust to allow the person’s trustee to make gifts using assets inside the trust and also included in a person’s power of attorney to allow the person’s agent to gift using assets outside of the trust. Such gifting authority must be expressly stated written authorization and cannot be implied based on a person’s past behavior.
For example, a commonly used express gifting provision in a power of attorney is, “the Agent is authorized to make gifts on the Principal's behalf to the Principal's children, any of their issue, or both, to the full extent of the federal annual gift tax exclusion … and, for such purposes, to remove the Principal's assets from any revocable trust of which the Principal is a grantor.”
The foregoing authority allows the Agent the discretion to make gifts to the principal’s descendants (e.g., children and grandchildren) up to the current annual federal gift tax exclusion amount, presently $16,000, each year, per donee. The Agent may request assets from the Principal’s trust to fulfill the gifts.
Thus, in 2022, if the principal had one child and two grandchildren, the agent may gift up to $16,000 to each and $48,000 altogether. In 2023, the annual gift tax exclusion amount is $17,000.
Gifting is not to be confused with a person’s legal duties of support to a spouse or to dependent minor child(ren). A power of attorney and a trust may, and should, also provide for meeting a person’s legal duty of support during their incapacity.
However, some people provide financial support to family members which is not legally required.
For example, a parent may pay a disabled child’s living expenses. In such cases, whether such support continues if the provider becomes incapacitated depends on whether the provider’s estate planning documents provide for continued support that is not legally required.
An agent under a power of attorney and a trustee under a trust instrument are each a fiduciary (i.e., a legal representative with duties and obligations).
Any actions, including discretionary gifts, taken by an agent or trustee must agree with their legal duty and obligations as a fiduciary.
Thus, any exercise of fiduciary discretion must be reasonable, in good faith, and consistent with any instructions provided in the instrument. Thus, an Agent, or a Trustee, ordinarily should not make imprudent or unjustified gifts that might jeopardize the financial welfare of the principal or settlor.
An important exception is when the agent or trustee is expressly authorized to gift assets away in order to qualify the principal or settlor as eligible for needs-based government welfare benefits (e.g., SSI and Medi-Cal).
There are many good reasons to give during one’s lifetime. Sometimes it may be appropriate and desirable that such gifting continues even during one’s incapacity. If so, then plan ahead. Happy Holidays.
The foregoing discussion is not legal advice. Consult an attorney.
Dennis A. Fordham, attorney, is a State Bar-Certified Specialist in estate planning, probate and trust law. His office is at 870 S. Main St., Lakeport, Calif. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and 707-263-3235.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Organization, or NOAA, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology are starting the new year off on the “right” foot.
On New Year’s Eve, the two federal agency partners officially retired the use of one of two measuring feet, to reduce surveying errors that can cost money.
Discontinuing the use of the U.S. survey foot and embracing of its replacement — the international foot — are also part of NOAA’s modernization of the National Spatial Reference System.
“Officially retiring one of these measurements will reduce accidental confusion in engineering, surveying, mapping, agriculture and other industries that depend on accurate positioning,” said Juliana Blackwell, director of NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey.
The difference between the U.S. survey foot and the international foot is tiny and barely noticeable in everyday use and function.
But when it comes to measuring the distance between coordinates that span hundreds or thousands of miles, the difference can add up to several feet — and lead to costly errors and delays for various types of projects.
The U.S. began reconciling two slightly different versions of the foot in 1959, when it adopted a definition that differed just 1/100 of a foot per mile from the U.S. survey foot, established in 1893.
The 1959 definition became known as the international foot because several other nations also adopted it at about the same time.
From this point forward, surveyors will refer to the international foot as simply the foot.
Eleonora Troja, University of Rome Tor Vergata and Simone Dichiara, Penn State
The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.
The big idea
A bright flash of gamma rays from the constellation Boötes that lasted nearly one minute came from a kilonova, as we described in a new paper. This finding challenges what astronomers know about some of the most powerful events in the universe.
The unusual cosmic explosion was detected by the Neil Gehrels Swift observatory on Dec. 11, 2021, as the satellite orbited Earth. When astronomers pointed other telescopes at the part of the sky where this large blast of gamma rays – named GRB211211A – came from, they saw a glow of visible and infrared light known as a kilonova. The particular wavelengths of light coming from this explosion allowed our team to identify the source of the unusual gamma-ray burst as two neutron stars colliding and merging together.
Gamma rays are the most energetic form of electromagnetic radiation. In just a few seconds, a gamma-ray burst blasts out the same amount of energy that the Sun will radiate throughout its entire life. Gamma-ray bursts are the most powerful events in the universe, and astronomers think only two cosmic scenarios can produce gamma-ray bursts.
The most common sources are the deaths of stars 30 to 50 times more massive than the Sun. The catastrophic destruction of one these large stars is called a supernova. When they explode, the stars create black holes that consume the leftover debris. These black holes emit a jet of matter and electromagnetic radiation that moves at close to the speed of light. In moments after the black hole starts emitting this high-energy stream of matter and radiation, the jet produces a burst of gamma rays that can last for minutes.
The unusual gamma-ray burst originated from the small red dot within the circle in this image. The graph shows how bright and long-lasting the burst was.International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/M. Zamani/NASA/ESA/Eleonora Troja, CC BY-ND
Kilonovae are the second type of events associated with gamma-ray bursts. Kilonovae occur when a neutron star merges with another neutron star or is consumed by a black hole. Neutron stars are rather small stars – about 1.4 to 2 times the mass of the Sun, though only dozens of miles across.
When two of these tiny, dense stars merge to produce a black hole, they leave very little material behind. Compared with the long-lasting feast a black hole gets after a supernova, kilonovae leave a black hole with little more than a snack that results in a gamma-ray burst that lasts only a second or two at most.
For over 20 years, astronomers thought that kilonovae accompanied short gamma-ray bursts and supernovae accompanied long ones. So when our team started looking at the wealth of data and images collected on the minute-long burst in December 2021, we expected to see a supernova. Much to our surprise, we found a kilonova.
Why it matters
Kilonovae are cosmic factories that create heavy metals, including gold, platinum, iodine and uranium. Because they enrich the chemical composition of the universe, kilonovae are critical to providing the basic ingredients for the formation of planets and life.
GRB211211A’s long duration contradicts existing theories of how gamma-ray bursts relate to supernovae and kilonovae. This finding shows that there is still a lot astronomers like us don’t understand about these powerful and important processes and suggests that there may be other ways the universe can produce heavy metals.
Kilonovae are responsible for producing heavy metals – like gold, uranium and iodine – that are important for many processes in the universe.
What still isn’t known
The initial images and data gathered on this interesting event look like a kilonova produced from the collision of two neutron stars. But the long-lasting burst of gamma rays throws doubt on what exactly happened. It is possible that one of the players was a rare neutron star with an incredibly powerful magnetic field – called a magnetar. The burst could also have been the result of a neutron star being torn apart by its companion black hole. Or astronomers could have just witnessed a new, previously unknown type of stellar crash.
What’s next
The few exotic stellar encounters that produce gamma-ray bursts can look very similar to one another across the electromagnetic spectrum. However, the unique gravitational wave signatures they produce could be the key to solving the enigma. The gravitational wave detectors LIGO, Virgo and KAGRA did not see GRB211211A, as they were all offline for improvements. If they can catch a long-duration gamma-ray burst after they begin operating again in 2023, the combination of gravitational wave and electromagnetic data may solve the mystery of this newly discovered event.
This illustration shows the SWOT spacecraft with its antenna mast and solar arrays fully deployed. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech. Cameras on the Surface Water and Ocean Topography spacecraft captured the antennas for its main science instrument unfurling in orbit.
But before it can do that, the satellite would need to unfold its large mast and antenna panels (see above) after successfully deploying the solar panel arrays that power the spacecraft. The mission monitors and controls the satellite using telemetry data, but it also equipped spacecraft with four customized commercial cameras to record the action.
The solar arrays fully deployed shortly after launch, taking about 10 minutes.
The antennas successfully deployed over four days, a process that was completed on Dec. 22. The two cameras focused on the KaRIn antennas captured the mast extending out from the spacecraft and locking in place but stopped short of capturing the antennas being fully deployed (a milestone the team confirmed with telemetry data.)
Thirty-three feet apart, at either end of the mast, the two antennas belong to the groundbreaking Ka-band Radar Interferometer, or KaRIn, instrument.
Designed to capture precise measurements of the height of water in Earth’s freshwater bodies and the ocean, KaRIn will see eddies, currents, and other ocean features less than 13 miles across.
It will also collect data on lakes and reservoirs larger than 15 acres and rivers wider than 330 feet across.
KaRIn will do this by bouncing radar pulses off the surface of water on Earth and receiving the signals with both of those antennas, collecting data along a swath that’s 30 miles wide on either side of the satellite.
The data SWOT provides will help researchers and decision-makers address some of the most pressing climate questions of our time and help communities prepare for a warming world.
More about the mission
SWOT was jointly developed by NASA and the French space agency Centre National d’Études Spatiales, or CNES, with contributions from the Canadian Space Agency, or CSA, and the UK Space Agency.
JPL, which is managed for NASA by Caltech in Pasadena, California, leads the U.S. component of the project.
For the flight system payload, NASA is providing the KaRIn instrument, a GPS science receiver, a laser retroreflector, a two-beam microwave radiometer, and NASA instrument operations.
CNES is providing the Doppler Orbitography and Radioposition Integrated by Satellite system, the dual frequency Poseidon altimeter (developed by Thales Alenia Space), the KaRIn radio-frequency subsystem (together with Thales Alenia Space and with support from the UK Space Agency), the satellite platform, and ground operations.
CSA is providing the KaRIn high-power transmitter assembly. NASA is providing the launch vehicle and the agency’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy Space Center, is managing the associated launch services.
Community volunteers gathered on the Sunday before Christmas to make the season a little brighter for homebound seniors in Lake County. Pictured left to right: Brandon Van Dine, Buz Dereniuk and Terry Dereniuk from Rotary Club of Kelseyville Sunrise; Maura Anderson, Karen Teuscher, Judy Stevenson, Taja Odom, Toni Funderburg and Sharon Witham from Delta Iota Tau Sorority; and Debra Frank, Day Makers Skin Care and Massage. Courtesy photo. LAKEPORT, Calif. — Christmas was a little brighter this year for 150 of Lake County’s homebound seniors with the arrival of a bag of goodies with their Meals on Wheels delivery the week before Christmas.
Cathleen Mondfrans, an emergency room nurse at Sutter Lakeside Hospital, a member of Rotary Club of Kelseyville Sunrise and tireless community volunteer, is the energy behind this project.
With support from the Lake County Silver Foundation, donors and volunteers, Mondfrans started shopping before Thanksgiving to gather blankets, food, household items and more to fill each bag.
On the Sunday before Christmas, a band of elves gathered in the Yoga Room at Sutter to pack the bags and get them ready for delivery.
Sorority sisters from the Delta Iota Tau joined members of the Rotary Club of Kelseyville Sunrise and Debra Frank, Day Makers Skin Care and Massage, and spent the morning putting candies into small Christmas stockings, bagging cookies and other treats, laying out the hygiene items and more in preparation for stuffing the individual gift bags.
Head Elf Cathleen Mondfrans smiling at the hustle and bustle at the Christmas Bag packing party. Courtesy photo. In addition to monetary support and the donation of large cloth bags, the Silver Foundation coordinated with the senior centers around the Lake for delivery by Meals on Wheels drivers.
The Silver Foundation also gave $100 holiday appreciation gifts to the Meals on Wheels drivers for their help with this project.
This is the fifth year of the Christmas Bags for Seniors project. The project was started in 2017 with 33 bags. With support from the Lake County Silver Foundation, it has grown to 150 bags this year.
“This project is an example of how an idea can blossom into a partnership that quickly becomes a tradition,” said Olga Steele, secretary for the Silver Foundation Board. “We have Cathleen Mondfrans to thank for the idea.”
Founded by Jim Steele, the foundation works to secure grants and other sources of funding for senior facility improvements and activities that will enrich the lives of seniors. Visit the Foundation website to learn more or donate. Follow the Lake County Silver Foundation on Facebook.
Terry Dereniuk is president of Rotary Club of Kelseyville Sunrise.
One hundred and 50 Christmas gift bags gathered on a table ready to be delivered to Lake County's senior centers. Pictured with the bags, left to right, are Della Hoffman, Cathleen Mondfrans and Jim Steele. Courtesy photo.
Martin’s 28-year law enforcement career began in 1992 when he became a military police officer in the U.S. Army, serving in that capacity for five years. After he was honorably discharged in 1997, he joined the Pismo Beach Police Department.
He returned in 2005 to work in Lake County, where he had grown up in a family filled with public servants, including his father, Richard Martin, now retired after having been a Lake County Superior Court judge, and mother Joyce Campbell, a retired deputy district attorney for Lake County.
Martin, 51, went on to serve more than 15 years in Lake County law enforcement, including the last eight years as sheriff.
Earlier this month Martin received a resolution that Congressman Mike Thompson read into the congressional record honoring him for his contributions to Lake County and his leadership during several disasters that hit the county, including fires, floods and COVID-19.
The Board of Supervisors on Dec. 13 presented a proclamation to Martin, published below, in praise of his career and services to Lake County.
On Friday at 2:14 p.m., Martin had his last “10-10” call — indicating that he was off duty — from Central Dispatch. The call is posted on this page.
From Saturday through Monday, Capt. Chris Chwialkowski will be acting sheriff.
Then, on Jan. 2, Rob Howe will be sworn in as sheriff of Lake County, a role he will fill for the next two years.
The full text of the Board of Supervisors’ proclamation honoring Martin is below.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF LAKE, STATE OF CALIFORNIA
PROCLAMATION COMMENDING SHERIFF-CORONER BRIAN MARTIN FOR HIS 15 YEARS OF SERVICE TO LAKE COUNTY
WHEREAS, being a dedicated Lake County public servant came naturally to Brian Martin, as he was surrounded by examples of public service: his father, the Honorable Judge Richard Martin, his mother, retired Deputy District Attorney for Lake County. His parents’ invaluable contributions to the County of Lake have set a high bar for both Brian and other community leaders. The values his parents instilled in him have been evident to everyone who has worked with Brian throughout his impressive career. Prior to starting his law enforcement career, Brian Martin joined the Army as a Military Police and served his country with honor for five years; and
WHEREAS, starting with his employment with Lake County on July 18, 2005, Brian Martin has always been respected and well-liked by his colleagues in local law enforcement, all the way back to his early days working for the Sheriff’s Department. He worked his way up to become a member of the Department’s Command Staff with the rank of Lieutenant and was eventually elected as the Sheriff-Coroner of Lake County and started in that position on January 6, 2015; and
WHEREAS, regardless of his rank or position, Brian Martin always demonstrated himself to be a dedicated public servant, reliable, hard-working and with the highest level of integrity and ethics. He is known as being fair and even-handed. He is also known for speaking up and speaking out with honesty and sincerity on behalf of the Lake County residents he serves; and
WHEREAS, Brian Martin’s election as Sheriff-Coroner brought ethical leadership, stability, and public trust to the Sheriff’s Department at a critical time when it was urgently needed. His skills as a leader were invaluable to the County during a series of catastrophic wildfires and other emergencies that occurred during his tenure as Sheriff-Coroner. Like his parents before him, Brian Martin has set a high bar of what to expect from our County Sheriff-Coroner. Brian and his spouse, Crystal, both are public servants serving their communities and instilling in their children and their communities the value of public service.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED that the Board of Supervisors of the County of Lake does hereby commend Brian Martin for his 15 years of service to the County of Lake and to the residents of Lake County, and extends our appreciation for his dedication and hard work, and wish him the best in the future.
SIGNED: Eddie Crandell, Chair, Board of Supervisors
ATTEST: Susan Parker, Clerk to the Board of Supervisors
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Building elevations for the retailers that are set to locate new stores in the former Kmart site at 2019 S. Main St., in Lakeport, California. Image courtesy of the city of Lakeport. LAKEPORT, Calif. — Three years after Lakeport’s Kmart closed, the building that once housed the retail giant is poised to get new life and new tenants.
At its last meeting of 2022 on Dec. 14, the Lakeport Planning Commission approved Upward Architects’ application for a use permit and an architectural and design review for a new commercial project at the building, located at 2019 S. Main St.
The commission’s approval will allow Upward Architects to renovate and subdivide the 90,852-square-foot building into three lease spaces, two of which will be occupied by Marshalls and Tractor Supply Co.
Upward Architects, a Tempe, Arizona-based commercial architecture firm, submitted the project’s land use application in September.
The owner of the 8.59-acre property is Ken Simons of Simons Real Estate Group Inc. in Moorpark, California, the land use application showed.
During the Dec. 14 meeting, City Manager Kevin Ingram noted that for the city, the project is “the biggest thing we’ve got going.”
Kmart closed the store at the end of 2019 after operating it there since the early 1990s and despite the fact that it was reported to be one of the struggling company’s top 25 performing stores in the country.
The store had been a major sales tax generator for the city of Lakeport. Since its closure the city has worked to fill the void.
The city has been helped by The Retail Coach, a company it had hired in July 2019 to help recruit retailers, before word of the Kmart closure became public.
At the Nov. 1 Lakeport City Council meeting, during which the council extended the contract with The Retail Coach, it received an update on the company’s efforts, which included a report on plans for the former Kmart building.
Austin Farmer of The Retail Coach told the council at that meeting that they had received two letters of intent from retailers for the redevelopment of the Kmart property.
Farmer didn’t identify the two retailers at that point, but at the Planning Commission meeting and in the application from Upward Architects, it was confirmed that Marshalls and Tractor Supply Co. are the retailers.
Marshalls is a department store which has offerings including clothing, shoes, cosmetics, accessories, gifts and home décor.
Tractor Supply Co. offers equipment, tools, food for pets and livestock, and housewares. This will be Lake County’s second Tractor Supply.
The other is located in Clearlake in the Walmart shopping center on Dam Road, in a building that formerly was the location for Ray’s Food Place, which closed in late 2016. That building was renovated and now, in addition to Tractor Supply, it houses Big 5 and a new Department of Motor Vehicles office.
The site plan for the former Kmart site at 2019 S. Main St., in Lakeport, California. Image courtesy of the city of Lakeport. Commission gets report on project, votes to support it
During the Planning Commission’s half-hour meeting on Dec. 14, Chairman Mark Mitchell recused himself from the discussion and the vote because he is involved in the project.
City Associate Planner Victor Fernandez explained that the project application calls for Tractor Supply Co. to occupy the southern portion of the building, which consists of 30,981 square feet.
In addition to the indoor section of the building, Tractor Supply also will have outdoor sales of large equipment and outdoor sidewalk sales.
The project includes expansion of the 21,977-square-foot outdoor fenced area — which had been Kmart’s outdoor garden section — for Tractor Supply’s use.
The plans also call for increasing the building’s height from 29 feet to 32 feet. Fernandez said the maximum height within the city’s C-2 commercial zoning is 35 feet.
Fernandez said it’s anticipated that Marshalls will occupy the northern portion of the building, which is about 24,000 square feet.
The 36,005 square foot middle section of the building will be for a future tenant which is unknown at this time, Fernandez said.
Lakeport planning staff analyzed the project and determined that it’s compliant with the city’s general plan and that it’s exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, under a section which allows improvements to existing facilities, Fernandez said.
The staff report noted that the existing site layout would remain “mostly unchanged” except for the expansion of Tractor Supply’s fenced outdoor area and some minor parking space modifications to allow for semi truck access.
Fernandez said the project’s site plan will eliminate a small amount of parking due to those modifications.
However, he reviewed the parking requirements under the city’s most restrictive guidelines that require one space for 250 square feet of building space.
That would equal 364 parking spaces for the entire project and the three leased spaces. Even with the loss of some parking spaces, Fernandez said the project would have more than enough parking, with 471 total parking stalls.
During public comment, Rick Sander, an architect with Upward Architects and senior project manager, said the only “asterisk” on the project as proposed is that there are unknowns about the middle section of the store that doesn’t yet have a tenant.
Sander said it’s possible that center space could be divided, but it’s only a discussion at this point and it’s unknown as to what stores might go in there. Once they know, they will return to talk to the city.
Fernandez said such a modification to divide the building’s center section would consist of interior remodeling and wouldn’t increase square footage so the city would be able to do that modification to the plan with a building permit application.
If the exterior facade changed, Fernandez said the plan might need to go through a modification, adding it would be a “fairly standard” process.
The commission unanimously passed three separate motions for a categorical exemption to CEQA, approval of architectural and design review and the use permit.
Sander asked about next steps, and Fernandez said he would contact him the following morning regarding the approval letter and the project conditions agreement.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Capt. Wayne Farnholtz administers the oath of office to Flotilla Commander Kevin Kealey and to Vice-Commander Arthur Martinez at the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 08-08 of Lake County “change of watch” ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022, in Kelseyville, California. Photo courtesy of Flotilla 08-08. KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — On Sunday, Dec. 11, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 08-08 of Lake County held its annual “change of watch” for the new year at Riviera Hills Restaurant.
Officiating at the ceremony was District Captain Wayne Farnholtz.
Kevin Kealey accepted the office as flotilla commander again for 2023.
Arthur Martinez took the oath of vice-commander for 2023 and was awarded new shoulder boards indicating his new command.
Flotilla Commander Kevin Kealey and past Vice Commander Gary Jolley attach new shoulder boards to Vice-Commander Arthur Martinez at Flotilla 08-08’s “change of watch” ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022, in Kelseyville, California. Photo courtesy of Flotilla 08-08. Receiving the Award for Auxiliarist of the Year was Dorothy “Bunny” De Lope, public affairs officer.
Among the invited guests were Elizabeth Larson, editor and publisher of Lake County News, and guest speaker William Fox, program coordinator of Lake County Water Resources.
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Auxiliary consists of over 30,000 volunteer members throughout our country who provide operational support to the USCG and are dedicated to promoting recreational boating safety.
For more information about the group, visit its website.
Dorothy De Lope is public affairs officer for Flotilla 08-08.
Dorothy “Bunny” De Lope received the Auxiliarist of the Year Award at Flotilla 08-08’s “change of watch” ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022, in Kelseyville, California. Photo courtesy of Flotilla 08-08.
In looking back on fire news in California over the past year, Cal Fire is sharing six important things about 2022.
Those topics are shared below.
No. 1: Reflecting on a year of progress and resilience, California experienced an 85% reduction in acres burned and a 78% reduction in structures destroyed in 2022
While Mother Nature played a critical role, strategic investments in firefighting equipment, aerial resources, fuels reduction and forest management projects, and the tireless hard work of firefighters and local communities also came together to help 2022 experience significantly fewer acres burned than in previous years.
Watch Cal Fire Director Joe Tyler in the video discuss the year’s highlights.
No. 2: A new demonstration forest and more than 2,500 acres were added statewide, furthering momentum for important forest research, restoration, and stewardship work
California's demonstration state forests help show the world how restoration, conservation and stewardship come together to provide critical research and healthy forests during the age of climate change.
Cal Fire furthered this important work this year and thank our many partners and adjacent communities that help make it happen.
No. 3: Cal Fire law enforcement officers helped stop fires before they started through a record number of arson arrests
Through the committed work of Cal Fire law enforcement officers and diligent community members, more than 160 arson arrests were made this year following extensive investigations.
With a majority of all wildfires being human-caused in California, this year's record-setting number makes a significant impact towards combatting the potential for human-caused megafires.
Since 2016, Cal Fire law enforcement officers have arrested more than 700 suspected arsonists.
No. 4: The first night flying missions hit the sky, providing California another important tool in the firefighting toolbox
Cal Fire continues to add new technology and innovative solutions to the range of firefighting tools available to us.
One of these tools, when conditions and operations allow, is the ability to attack fires at night from the air.
In the video above, see first-hand how this works and the added capacity it provides.
No. 5: Important updates were made to California’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone map, now open for public comment
After years of planning and collaboration with fire scientists, firefighters, stakeholders and local community partners, the new and updated map reflects changes in fire hazard now experienced throughout California in rural or unincorporated areas.
And there are many ways to stay informed and provide public comment. Learn more at the link below.
No. 6: Millions were distributed to California communities to strengthen partnerships, shade schoolyards and neighborhoods, and prepare for and prevent wildfire
And applications are now open for 2023. Learn more about the amazing work these grants make possible and what's available for your community.
A California Highway Patrol conducts a sobriety test. Photo courtesy of the CHP. The California Highway Patrol urges everyone to ring in 2023 responsibly by designating a sober driver.
The CHP will conduct a maximum enforcement period, or MEP, starting at 6:01 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022, continuing through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023.
During that time, all available CHP officers will be out on patrol with a focus on removing impaired drivers.
“Every year, people’s lives are impacted forever by making the decision to get behind the wheel while under the influence,” CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray said. “Driving impaired is never worth it and certainly not the way to ring in the new year — always designate a sober driver.”
During the previous New Year’s MEP, 29 people were killed and CHP officers arrested 495 impaired drivers.
Additionally, the CHP issued over 2,300 citations for speeding and 26 citations for seat belt violations during the same time period.
To help bolster this year’s holiday traffic safety effort across state lines, the CHP will again coordinate with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and law enforcement partners from all over the Western United States.
With this year’s “Eyes on the Interstates” initiative, officers from Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho and Montana will be teaming up with the CHP to increase awareness about driving under the influence and removing impaired drivers from the roadways.
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