LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A jury has convicted a Northshore man of several counts of sexual assault.
On April 8, the jury handed down the verdict in the trial of Antonio Thomas Magalhaes, 36, of Nice, after approximately one hour of deliberation, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff.
Magalhaes was convicted of seven separate crimes, including assault with intent to commit sodomy while committing a first degree burglary; sodomy by force; forcible rape; first degree burglary; rape of an intoxicated person; rape of an unconscious person; and domestic violence involving corporal injury.
Magalhaes remains in custody of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office pending sentencing, which is scheduled for June 6.
Magalhaes could face up to a maximum period of 38 years to life in prison, Hinchcliff said.
Hinchcliff said the trial began on March 30 in Judge Andrew Blum’s Department 3 courtroom. Deputy District Attorney Richard Watson prosecuted the case, with Magalhaes represented by Matthew Fregi of Contra Costa County.
Watson said the testimony at trial established that Magalhaes beat and sexually assaulted one victim on multiple occasions from Sept. 1, 2018, through March 19, 2019.
Magalhaes would break into the victim’s home, hold her down, force himself on her and rape her. On one occasion Magalhaes broke into the home while the victim was sleeping, attacked her in her bed and forcefully sodomized her, the District Attorney’s Office reported.
Testimony further established that on Dec. 8 and 9, 2019, Magalhaes raped a second victim while she was too intoxicated to resist or consent and that he raped her while she was unconscious.
The Lake County District Attorney’s Office commended the victims for their courage in coming forward and testifying as to the various abuses committed against them by Magalhaes.
The case was investigated by Ryan Murdaugh of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Department, Jose Zepeda, Marcos DeLatorre and Cody White of the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, and Denise Hinchcliff and Scott Poma of the Lake County District Attorney’s Office.
The matter was referred to the Lake County Probation Office for a presentence report and recommendation.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — For the first time in more than 40 years, a county supervisor is stepping down before finishing their term.
On Thursday morning, the Lake County Administrative Office reported that District 4 Supervisor Tina Scott is resigning.
Her resignation becomes effective on July 31.
“While I am confident this is the best available decision at this time, there are innumerable aspects of my supervisor role I will deeply miss. I am grateful to have had this opportunity, and looking forward to continuing to invest in Lake County communities,” Scott said in the county statement.
The statement released by the county did not offer much in the way of detail about her decision to leave. “Unfortunately, personal circumstances have made it impossible for Scott to complete her term. Scott appreciates the announcement will come as a surprise to many.”
However, the real reason appears to be that Scott — known for her baking — has been hired as the new career technical education, or CTE, food service and hospitality teacher at Clear Lake High School. She will begin in the fall.
The Lakeport Unified School Board approved Scott’s hire at its Wednesday night meeting. She was one of several hires the board approved following a closed session discussion.
“She will be developing the CTE program and teaching the classes associated with the career pathway,” Lakeport Unified Superintendent Matt Bullard told Lake County News in a Thursday afternoon email. “We are excited to see where this opportunity goes!”
Scott, who was first elected in 2016, is halfway through her second term on the Board of Supervisors. Her only elected experience before joining the Board of Supervisors was on the Lakeport Unified School Board.
“When I sought reelection in 2020, I never imagined I would be stepping away just two years later,” Scott said in the statement released by the county.
Scott’s resignation is the first for a supervisor since the late 1970s. Then-Supervisor Gene Lovi — who also represented District 4 — stepped down in 1979 and Gov. Jerry Brown selected Mary Waterman to fill his unexpired term in March of 1979, said Registrar of Voters Maria Valadez.
In February 1981, the governor appointed Carl M. Larson to fill the vacancy created by the death of District 2 Supervisor William E. Whalen, Valadez said.
Scott’s resignation announcement comes less than a month after County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson announced she would be stepping down, effective April 29.
Earlier this week, Scott voted in support of naming Huchingson’s assistant county administrative officer, Susan Parker, to succeed Huchingson on an interim basis. Parker has stated she intends to seek the job on a permanent basis.
The timing of Scott’s departure — waiting for the school year to begin rather than leaving sooner — also appears calculated to allow her to help select the permanent successor for Huchingson, for whom she has been a staunch supporter.
The supervisors will discuss filling Scott’s seat at the board’s April 26 meeting, which also will be Huchingson’s last as county administrative officer.
The filling of vacancies on boards of supervisors can be done in two ways.
California Government Code Section 25060 places the responsibility first with the governor: “Whenever a vacancy occurs in a board of supervisors, the Governor shall fill the vacancy. The appointee shall hold office until the election and qualification of his or her successor.”
However, California Government Code Section 25061 gives the option of an election: “The election of a supervisor to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term shall be held at the next general election, unless the term expires on the first Monday after January 1st succeeding the election.”
Whether or not the governor makes an appointment, the board also will consider putting the seat up for general election, the county reported.
“Research toward the Board’s April 26 discussion is still in progress. However, it is probable it will be on the November ballot,” Deputy County Administrative Officer Matthew Rothstein told Lake County News.
While Lake County’s supervisorial districts were redrawn in December 2021, since Scott was elected when previous boundaries were in use, eligibility to vote for District 4 Supervisor in November will be based on those old boundaries, the county reported.
County officials pointed to examples of filling vacant supervisorial seats both by appointment and election in other counties.
In Mendocino County in 2017, the governor made the appointment to fill a vacancy. In San Benito County, a vacancy in 2020 was filled by an election and the governor made an appointment following another resignation in 2021.
County officials said the process to fill a vacancy can take up to several months.
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.
Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Income and Program Participation, or SIPP, shows that in 2019, prior to the pandemic, roughly 33.2 million children received school meals, including about 21.3 million who received free school lunches.
However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States a year later, it disrupted many facets of life, including closing schools for many and jeopardizing access to school meals.
According to the Census Bureau’s experimental Household Pulse Survey (HPS), roughly 20% of at-risk households with children reported being food insecure — defined as sometimes or often not having enough to eat — in the early weeks of the pandemic, when many schools were closed.
But as new policies were enacted in response to COVID-19, such as expanded eligibility for school lunch programs, food insecurity in households with children declined.
New school meal policies during COVID
There were many policy changes designed to compensate for the loss of school meals due to pandemic-related school closures. Among them:
• Many school districts offered meals that could be picked up or delivered via school bus transportation during this period. • The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer program (P-EBT) provided emergency funds for nutritional benefits that were directly loaded on EBT cards for households with children that would normally receive free or reduced cost lunch if their schools were not partially or fully closed. • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) waived the eligibility requirements for free lunch to allow school meal programs to provide safe, free healthy meals to all children and these flexibilities were extended through June of this year.
As these policies were implemented throughout the pandemic, food insecurity in households with children declined.
The decline is likely due in part to improving economic circumstances over the course of the pandemic (as well as the Child Tax Credit and stimulus payments). But our research shows that the change in food security still holds true when we control for economic variables.
Among households with children facing economic insecurity — defined here as those in which an adult indicated concern about their ability to pay the next month’s rent or mortgage — food insecurity fell by about 7 percentage points between the start of the pandemic (21.3% in April/May of 2020) and summer 2021 (14.2% in July/August 2021) when the most recent USDA policy changes were implemented.
Between summer 2021 and the back-to-school period in the fall, food insecurity levels among these at-risk households were not significantly different.
Free meals for all changed who receives meals
When most kids returned to school last fall, school meal receipt looked more like it did pre-pandemic. HPS data collected December 1-13, 2021, show that 18.3 million school-enrolled children were reported to be receiving free meals at school.
However, expanded eligibility and availability changed who received school meals in the fall of 2021, which included some higher income households.
For example, roughly 58% of HPS households that received free school meals owned their homes in December, 2021, compared to 47% of SIPP householders in homes receiving free or reduced-price meals in 2019.
School meals still part of safety net
These same HPS data show that although more households had access to free school meals during the pandemic, receipt was still higher in households that demonstrated financial need.
For example, roughly 39% of all households with children in school reported their child was receiving free school meals in December. However, 54% of households with kids that received funds from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, a means-tested food assistance program, reported receiving school meals.
Roughly half of adults in households with kids that reported difficulty meeting expenses reported receiving free school meals. The same was true of households with kids in which adults reported borrowing from friends and family to make ends meet.
Note that the estimates for SNAP households and households that borrowed to make ends meet was not significantly different.
Families benefit from program expansions
HPS data also show the extent to which families continued to rely on pandemic-related expanded national school meals programs. In December 2021:
• Roughly 15 million children ate meals on-site, at school or other locations. • Over 5 million children picked up meals at school or other locations. • Roughly 12 million school-enrolled children ages 5-18 received assistance through the expanded SNAP/P-EBT program.
About the data
The HPS is designed to provide near real-time data on how the pandemic is affecting people’s lives.
Information on the methodology and reliability of these estimates can be found in the source and accuracy statements for each data release.
Part of the Census Bureau’s Experimental Data Product series, the HPS was designed to have low respondent burden, provide quick turnaround on product releases and produce estimates that meet urgent public needs.
Most HPS data used in this analysis come from HPS Week 40, which was collected between December 1-13, 2021. However, HPS data used to make comparisons over time come from pooled collection periods that are reweighted to account for the pooling.
Data used here to describe the "early weeks of the pandemic" come from HPS Weeks 1-4. Data used to describe the summer of 2021 come from HPS Weeks 33-36, and data covering fall of 2021 come from HPS Weeks 37-40. (Note that collection periods after Week 12 are generally two weeks in length, but the HPS continues to refer to collection periods as "week" for continuity with earlier collections.)
The dates, sample sizes and response rates for all these collections are as follows:
The SIPP is a nationally representative survey of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population. More information about the SIPP, including data on receipt of food assistance programs, is available on the SIPP website. Source and accuracy statements are available on the technical documentation page.
SIPP data about school meal receipt in 2019 were collected for the calendar year and therefore include more than one school year. In contrast, the HPS asks about school meal receipt in the prior seven days.
Lestina Dongo and Lindsay Monte are researchers in the Census Bureau’s Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division.
This story has been updated with additional information on the requirements of new sentencing laws.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A Novato woman has been sentenced for a double-fatal crash near Middletown last spring.
On March 7, Judge Andrew Blum sentenced Keilah Marie Coyle, 23, to probation and 364 days in jail for the March 2021 crash that killed Clearlake residents Cassandra Elaine Rolicheck, 53, and Miguel Maciel Dominguez, 47.
Coyle’s attorney, Tim Hodson of Sacramento, said he could not offer comment on the case outcome because Coyle would not clear him to do so.
Authorities said Coyle, driving a 2003 Ford F-250 pickup, had been involved in a noninjury hit-and-run crash on Highway 101 in Sonoma County on March 13.
That night, she was driving on Highway 29 north of Middletown when she crossed the highway’s solid double yellow lines and collided head-on with a 2000 GMC van driven by Rolicheck, with Dominguez riding as her passenger.
The Lake County District Attorney’s Office originally charged Coyle with several counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated plus special allegations for causing great bodily injury and the death of more than one person.
Early on in the case, Hodson declared a doubt about Coyle’s competency, which later was resolved.
Coyle remained in custody from the time of the crash until July 12, when she was released from custody by the judge so she could enroll in the Salvation Army drug/alcohol rehabilitation program in San Francisco, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff.
Hinchcliff said Coyle completed and graduated from that program, then started an outpatient drug/alcohol program.
The District Attorney’s Office made an offer to Coyle to plead to vehicular manslaughter, driving under the influence causing bodily injury and causing great bodily injury. Hinchcliff said the offer carried a maximum potential of seven to eight months in prison.
“We made the offer open, so at sentencing the judge could sentence her to anything from felony probation with some jail time, up to seven years eight months in prison, at the judge’s discretion,” Hinchcliff said.
He said the Probation Department did a sentencing investigation and report, and recommended a grant of probation.
Factors that Hinchcliff said the District Attorney’s Office weighed in making the offer was the fact Coyle was only 22 years old at the time of the crash and she had no criminal history. “Both of those factors are ones that significantly weigh in favor of felony probation.”
Another factor in Coyle’s favor was her completion of the drug and alcohol rehabilitation program, Hinchcliff said.
On Jan. 28, Coyle, in accordance with the agreement with the District Attorney’s Office, entered her pleas, Hinchcliff said.
That led to Judge Blum sentencing her on March 7.
New sentencing laws require that when a defendant is youthful, in this case under age 26, and has no criminal record, courts cannot impose upper or middle terms. Rather, judges in these cases can only impose probation or the low term.
In addition to the felony probation and jail time, Hinchcliff said Coyle must not be in possession of or use alcohol, she must participate in an alcohol treatment program and pay restitution.
If Coyle violates her probation, she could be ordered to serve additional time in state prison, up to an additional five and a half years, Hinchcliff said.
Hinchcliff said Coyle did 360 days in custody between time served in the Lake County Jail and the residential treatment program. With the half-time credits she also received, she had an overall credit total of 720 days.
Due to those excess credits, Coyle needed to serve no further time and has been released, Hinchcliff said.
This was not the result of new changes in the law. “It’s been that way for years,” Hinchcliff said of the credits.
He said she is now transferring her probation to Marin County, where she lives.
He said the offer, approved by District Attorney Susan Krones, was “definitely within the norm, and if anything was potentially more serious than what might be considered the norm under the circumstances.”
He said that’s because the District Attorney’s Office made an offer that could have resulted in significant prison time.
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.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Federal funding recently awarded to Lake County will help another infrastructure project.
On March 24, Congressman Mike Thompson came to Lakeport to present a ceremonial check for $320,000 to county officials to go toward the Full Circle Effluent Pipeline preliminary design report.
The goal of the Full Circle Project is to transport Lake County's wastewater to The Geysers for injection in its geothermal steamfield.
In July, Thompson said he’d included the request for the funds in the Fiscal Year 2022 funding package. Congress passed that package later in July.
One of the county officials on hand to meet with Thompson for the presentation was Special Districts Administrator Scott Harter.
Harter told Lake County News that the funding will update the Full Circle Effluent Pipeline’s preliminary design report, which was completed in November of 2004.
“There is a need to update the report due to updated technologies, potential new partners/uses for the treated effluent, and possible alignment changes from what was originally envisioned,” Harter said.
Harter said the county currently has a draft request for proposals into which he will incorporate the funding specific requirements prior to the advertisement.
“We’ll proceed through the consultant selection process and ultimately contract with a consulting engineering firm to perform the update to the 2004 document,” he said.
The updated preliminary design report will “serve as a road map of sorts for the larger project, identifying options and the preferred option as well as considerations for the ultimate design of the project,” he said.
Harter said the RFP is expected to be issued soon and he anticipates the county will be under contract with a firm for updating the preliminary design report this summer.
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.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday rejected a proposal from one of its members to enact an interim urgency ordinance that would have placed a 45-day moratorium on new agricultural and cannabis cultivation projects.
Supervisor Bruno Sabatier presented the item to his colleagues, asking for them to pass the 45-day temporary moratorium in order to come up with solutions about how to protect the county water supply amid deepening drought conditions.
“This is climate change. Whether you want to agree that this is manmade or not is not the discussion,” he said.
However, with the urgency ordinance requiring a four-fifths vote of the board, it became clear early in the discussion that it would not have enough votes to pass after three board members voiced their opposition.
Sabatier said he believed he had brought traditional agriculture and cannabis growers together with his request. During public comment, both groups would voice opposition.
He presented data showing that Clear Lake is on track to drop to levels not seen since the drought of 1976 and 1977.
Sabatier said his goal was not to prohibit growth but to make sure the county has the vetting tools needed to protect the environment while making sure things are done correctly.
He said no ag projects currently were in the queue. The only cannabis projects that would be able to go through during the moratorium period would be about 14 that have already submitted plans to the state clearinghouse.
Sabatier said he’d spoken to the agricultural commissioners and the Lake County Cannabis Alliance about the matter. He said he’d received mostly positive input from the general public.
With the current drought reported to be the harshest in more than 1,200 years, Sabatier said it felt like the county was waiting for something to happen before taking any action. He said he wanted to make sure Lake County continues to be a farming community.
“It’s a tough topic. It gets very personal for those who are in the industries,” he said.
Despite Sabatier’s belief that the county could have a plan within 90 days to move forward, the majority of the board refused to support it.
Supervisor Tina Scott said she didn’t agree with the moratorium proposal, and that they needed to let Community Development Director Mary Darby complete work on updating county rules.
She said it is going to punish the good actors, but the bad actors will continue to waste water. “It’s just not going to solve the issues.”
Scott said she wanted to see enhanced hydrology standards, but added that the county cannot have knee jerk reactions.
The harshest criticism came from Supervisor Jessica Pyska, who said county staff was weeks away from coming back with proposals for how to rework the planning process to address issues like water.
She said Sabatier’s temporary moratorium would derail that, and that staff only had so much time available to work on these matters.
Citing staff issues and turnover, Pyska said, “To say that nothing’s been happening is wholly untrue.” She added that if Sabatier hadn’t seen any action it was because he wasn’t on the committee working with Community Development.
Pyska said the end goal is to get to a place of sustainability in our county and staff is now researching the watershed.
“This drought didn’t come out of nowhere,” said Psyka, adding that they have to work collaboratively and can’t just pile things on staff all the time.
Supervisor Moke Simon said he completely agreed with Scott and Pyska. “We’re doing the work.”
Simon said people need to think about how they’re living on the earth, bringing up issues with lawn grass, water storage and the local tribes’ lack of say on Clear Lake’s water rights.
“That’s our water,” he said. “Our tribal communities were not at the table when it was taken.”
Board Chair EJ Crandell was the only board member to offer any support for Sabatier,
Noting that in his Northshore district and its town halls there has been a lot of discussion of water in general, Crandell agreed that the county is working on addressing the situation and that the tribes were not considered when water rights were being determined.
He said he thought a 45-day moratorium would allow county staff to catch up on its works.
“I would have no problem considering a moratorium for 45 days despite the fact that it would affect some of you here, many of you here,” he said to the community members in the room.
The comments offered by community members were almost entirely against even a temporary pause.
Farmer and cannabis consultant Richard Derum noted, “Legalization has brought us new challenges.”
He said changes are needed in the industry itself, explaining that mixed light greenhouses are more sustainable than traditional outdoor grows.
Derum said those waiting in the approval queue likely can’t grow a crop this year anyway, so he didn’t see the need for an urgency ordinance.
As a consultant, Serum said he saw a “flip” in the industry last year, with the push going to fresh cannabis that’s more easily obtained through greenhouses.
Sarah Bodnar, a policy adviser for the Lake County Cannabis Alliance, said everyone acknowledges that the drought is a problem and that they are ready to work on solutions. “A moratorium isn’t one of them.”
She said they are farmers. “Without water we cannot farm.”
Ultimately, the board took no action on the proposal.
Sabatier said he appreciated everyone’s feedback and wished the county could come back sooner rather than later with solutions.
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.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Clearlake Animal Control has 10 dogs waiting to be adopted this week.
The City of Clearlake Animal Association also is seeking fosters for the animals waiting to be adopted.
Call the Clearlake Animal Control shelter at 707-273-9440, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to inquire about adoptions and schedule a visit to the shelter.
Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or on the city’s website.
The following dogs are available for adoption.
‘Scrappy’
“Scrappy” is an 11-month-old male American pit bull mix with a short cream-colored coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 49603144.
‘Colt’
“Colt” is a male Rhodesian Ridgeback mix with a short rust and black coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 49812106.
‘Andy’
“Andy” is a male American pit bull mix with a short gray and white coat.
He is dog No. 48995415.
‘Bear’
“Bear” is a male Labrador retriever-American pit bull mix with a short charcoal and fawn coat.
He has been neutered.
‘Chai’
“Chai” is a female Alaskan husky mix with a gray and white coat.
She has been spayed.
She is dog No. 49279552.
‘Ebenezer’
“Ebenezer” is a male American pit bull terrier mix with a short tan and white coat.
He is dog No. 49191651.
‘Fritz’
“Fritz” is a male Australian shepherd mix with a black and white coat.
He is dog No. 49278179.
‘Pooh Bear’
“Pooh Bear” is a 1-year-old male American pit bull mix with a copper and white coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 49603144.
‘Snowball’
“Snowball” is a male American Staffordshire mix terrier with a white coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 49159168.
‘Terry’
“Terry” is a male shepherd mix with a short brindle coat.
He is dog No. 48443693.
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.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Book to Action has begun again in Lake County and will continue throughout the month of April with several free events.
This Saturday, April 16, the Lakeport Library branch will host a cooking class to help patrons apply the principles in “The Blue Zones of Happiness” by Dan Buettner.
Book to Action is a free book club that includes not only book discussions, but also “action” events to help Lake County residents apply the material of the book to their lives.
Libraries across the state are participating with book selections unique to their community.
This year, Book to Action is providing free copies of The Blue Zones of Happiness (first come, first serve), which residents can pick up at any of the four library branches: Lakeport, Middletown, Redbud or Upper Lake. Digital copies are also freely available.
In partnership with Blue Zones Project Lake County, the Lake County Library branches will be hosting the following book discussions and events:
• Book discussion: April 16, Upper Lake at noon (on Zoom and in person).
• Cooking class: Participants may take a cooking class with CalFresh and Blue Zones Project Lake County on April 16 at the Lakeport branch at 10 a.m.
• Book discussion: April 20, Lakeport Branch at noon (on Zoom).
• Book discussion: April 21, Clearlake Branch at 2 p.m. (on Zoom).
• Presentation: The presentation will be on “The Blue Zones of Happiness” by Dan Buettner. Participants can take a test to learn about their body’s health and sign up for a walking group. The presentation will take place on April 23 at the Middletown Branch at 10 a.m.
• Walking group: Participants may join walking groups and hike on April 23 at Robert Louis Stevenson Park at 1 p.m.
• Book discussion: April 27, Middletown Branch at 1 p.m. (in person).
• Book discussion: April 30, Clearlake Branch at 3 p.m. (on Zoom).
• Cooking class: Participants may take a cooking class with CalFresh and Blue Zones Project Lake County on April 30 at Middletown at 10 a.m.
The first two events, a Blue Zones Project Lake County presentation and a hike at Highland Springs, took place on Saturday April 9.
“Both went well,” says event coordinator Amy Patton. “Patrons used the library Chromebooks to take the ‘Real Age’ test. And during the hike that afternoon, the flowers and the weather were perfect! The Middletown library will form another walking group on April 23.”
The library clubs — Book Club, Cookbook Club, Yarn Club and Creative Club — are also participating.
The full calendar of events is available at all library branches and is posted on the library website. Interested residents can sign up in person at the library or on the library website. Informational flyers are available at the library.
This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library services.
The Lake County Department of Public Services Parks Division and Lake County Department of Public Health CalFresh Program also will be providing speakers, materials and more for the program.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — As Lake County’s administrative officer prepares to step down at the end of this month, one of her staffers has been chosen to succeed her in an interim capacity.
The Board of Supervisors emerged from a closed session just after 3:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon to announce that they had voted unanimously to appoint Assistant County Administrative Officer Susan Parker as interim county administrative officer.
The appointment is effective April 30, the day after County Administrator Carol Huchingson departs.
The board held closed-door interviews for the interim position on Tuesday.
Deputy County Administrative Officer Matthew Rothstein told Lake County News that there were three candidates for the interim position. “Two were determined qualified, and one withdrew.”
Lake County News asked Parker if there was a restriction preventing her from applying for the job on a permanent basis and if she was planning to seek the job long term.
She said she was unaware of any restrictions. “And yes, I do plan to apply for the permanent position,” she said in an email response.
At its March 22 meeting, the week following Huchingson’s sudden announcement that she was leaving, the supervisors approved a plan to recruit a new county administrative officer that included an in-house interim appointment, an open recruitment to fill the job overseen by the Human Resources Department and preparation of a request for proposals for a headhunting firm, if needed.
Human Resources Director Pam Samac said the goal was to have the interim county administrative officer in place to work with Huchingson for a “thorough download” and some basic training for several weeks.
For several years, Human Resources has been overseen by the County Administrator’s Office, which has in turn raised questions about how much influence Huchingson will bring to bear on choosing her successor.
And with Parker’s appointment as the interim, and her intention to seek the job permanently, the county has not addressed how it intends to address the potential conflict of interest for her to oversee the recruitment for a position she is pursuing.
Parker joined the county as assistant county administrative officer on March 28, 2019, Rothstein said.
She has a Master’s in Public Affairs and Public Administration from the Robert M. Lafollette Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin, according to a statement from the County Administrative Office.
That same statement said she’s held previous executive jobs in the states of Wisconsin, Nevada, Colorado and North Carolina before coming to Lake County following what the county of Lake described as “a rigorous nationwide search.”
In the county’s statement, Board Chair E.J. Crandell was quoted as saying that Parker comes to the position with 20 years of experience as a high level government executive and administrator, “and she understands the unique needs and challenges facing Lake County’s communities.”
The statement attributed to Crandell continued, “During her time here, Susan has repeatedly proven herself to be an insightful leader and effective collaborator. She knows what needs to be done to continue to move Lake County forward, and we truly look forward to seeing Susan positively influence conditions for every Lake County resident with this interim appointment.”
Parker, quoted in the county’s statement, said she came to Lake County because she believed its future was bright.
“In getting to know many community leaders and making this my home,” Parker was quoted as saying. “I have grown increasingly confident we can make tremendous progress. Lake County is a very special place.”
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.
Katelyn Jetelina, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
In late March 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a second booster shot of COVID-19 vaccines for vulnerable populations in the U.S., a move that was soon after endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People ages 50 years and older and certain immunocompromised individuals who are at higher risk for severe disease, hospitalization and death are eligible four months after receiving the initial booster shot.
In Israel, people in these same vulnerable categories began receiving fourth doses in January 2022. The U.K. recently started administering a fourth dose for people 75 years and older and coined it a “spring booster.” In Germany, those over 60 years old are now eligible for a fourth shot of the mRNA series.
The latest recommendations have left many wondering about the importance of boosters for protection against COVID-19. Does the third shot wane over time? Is a fourth dose necessary? What if you’ve had a previous infection?
After reviewing the mounting body of research on how the immune system shifts over time following each dose, it is clear that another booster for vulnerable populations has meaningful benefit with very little risk.
Vaccine effectiveness following the first booster dose
There is clear evidence that a third dose of the mRNA series – or the first booster dose – was and still is critical for ensuring a robust immune response against the omicron variant for all age groups. This is in part because the immune response wanes over time and also in part because omicron has proved to be partially effective at evading immunity from the existing COVID-19 vaccines and from prior infections.
But then the question becomes: How well is immunity from the first booster holding up over time?
The best real-time data to follow on vaccine effectiveness over time is in the U.K. The U.K. Health Security Agency currently has follow-up data for 15 weeks after the third dose, or first booster shot. In its latest report, the effectiveness of vaccines against infection wanes significantly after a third dose. In the U.K. report, vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization is holding up much better compared to effectiveness against infection. But even protection against hospitalization is slightly decreasing over time. While this data is insightful, 15 weeks of follow-up data isn’t very helpful in the U.S. because many Americans got their third dose up to 24 weeks ago.
A recent study assessed the durability of a Moderna third dose after six months. Researchers found waning levels of neutralizing antibodies six months after the booster. The CDC also found significant waning protection against emergency department and urgent care visits five months after the first booster. Vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization decreased a little but largely held up five months after the booster.
The studies mentioned above pooled all age groups. But researchers know that older adults don’t mount as durable an immune response as younger people. This explains why breakthrough infections have occurred at a much higher rate among people ages 65 and up. A recent study in the Lancet assessed the durability of a third dose among people ages 76 to 96 years old. Researchers found that the third dose improved neutralizing antibodies, but in the face of omicron, antibodies still dropped substantially following a booster.
Data on the second booster dose/fourth shot
Now that Israel has been delivering a fourth dose for several months, researchers have some data to rely on to assess its effectiveness. There are three studies that have been released so far, one which has not yet been peer-reviewed.
In one study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, scientists assessed the rates of infection and severe illness after a fourth dose – or second booster – among more than a million people ages 60 and older in Israel. The researchers found that after a fourth dose, the rate of COVID-19 infection was two times lower than after a third dose. However, this protection quickly waned after six weeks. They also found the rate of severe disease was four times lower compared to those who received only three doses. It’s important to note, though, that hospitalizations among both groups were very low.
Importantly, another study assessed the effectiveness of a fourth dose among younger health care workers in Israel. The results confirmed that antibody levels dropped significantly five months after the third dose. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of the fourth dose was no different from the effectiveness of a third dose in this population of younger health care workers. In other words, there may not be meaningful benefit of a second booster of the same formula for young, healthy populations.
Researchers carried out a third study, one that has not yet been peer-reviewed, at a large health care system in Israel among people aged 60 to 100 years. Among 563,465 patients in the health care system, 58% received a second booster. During the study period, 92 people who received the second booster died compared to 232 people who had only the first booster. In other words, the second booster equated to a 78% reduction in death compared to the first booster alone.
What if you had a COVID-19 infection with omicron?
The combination of being both vaccinated and having experienced a COVID-19 infection is called “hybrid immunity.” More than 35 studies have shown that hybrid immunity offers complimentary and broad protection. This is because immunity from the vaccines targets the spike protein – after which the COVID-19 vaccines were designed – and infection-induced immunity aims more broadly at the whole virus.
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So, it is not unreasonable to skip a second booster with a confirmed infection of omicron. This doesn’t mean that people should purposefully get SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. But it is clear that hybrid immunity is a viable path to protection.
In short, there is strong evidence that a fourth dose – or second booster – provides meaningful protection among vulnerable populations, including people over 60. So another booster is reasonable for some groups. And while a fourth dose may benefit a select group, it is far more important that people receive their first, second and third doses.
The California Employment Development Department and California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, or Cal OES, on Wednesday issued updates on the “monumental effort” to investigate and prosecute criminals who defrauded federal emergency unemployment benefit programs in 2020 — work that involves over 1,400 active investigations and at least 130 criminal convictions.
EDD and Fraud Special Counsel McGregor W. Scott also recently identified and referred to federal authorities 30 more major fraud cases involving $54 million in benefits — mainly associated with the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program.
These 30 investigations involved fraud schemes crossing state or international boundaries, as well as some schemes within California.
“Fraudsters attacked California and every state in the country with unprecedented criminal activity in 2020,” said Scott. “These criminals defrauded taxpayers and stole benefits from workers in need. California responded aggressively with new anti-fraud measures that blocked billions of dollars in fraud attempts. We are now engaged in a monumental effort to uncover these complex fraud schemes and deliver investigations to law enforcement and prosecutors across California.”
As fraud special counsel, Scott aids the state’s work with law enforcement to combat fraud — including supporting state, federal, and local investigations and prosecutions.
Working with EDD, Scott has leveraged his experience to deliver leads and evidence to aid prosecutions and strengthen ongoing investigations. Hundreds of investigations have opened and scores of suspects have been arrested, criminally charged and convicted.
From January 2021 to January 2022, the California Task Force on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Fraud has led to at least 370 arrests, 130 convictions, and 1,400 active investigations.
These cases include a great variety of fraud schemes ranging from international crime rings to domestic organized and individual criminal activity.
Efforts continue to recover any remaining funds seized during these investigations, including funds held on frozen debit cards pending the investigation or prosecution.
EDD and Scott have also helped boost data sharing agreements with law enforcement partners to expedite investigations. Similarly, EDD established an information sharing program that helps California agencies to access EDD data more quickly.
Officials said fraud investigations are labor intensive criminal investigations because of the complexity of the schemes and the extensive efforts criminals undertake to conceal their activity.
In response, EDD created law enforcement investigative guides and offers technical assistance to law enforcement partners who are working these cases. EDD set up designated regional contacts for each division of the state and works with any agency that needs assistance with an unemployment insurance fraud case.
Law enforcement has arrested, convicted and imprisoned scores of individuals who defrauded the State — and continues to do so.
Those efforts have led to the following:
• A 37-month prison sentence in April 2021 in the Central District of California for a fraudster who obtained more than $500,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits.
• Sentencing in April 2021 following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force conducted by US DOL, IRS, USPS, Murrieta PD, and EDD into a suspect who stole identities and obtained $500,000 in unemployment benefits.
• Guilty pleas in a federal prosecution of two inmates in Chowchilla in April 2021 following a joint investigation by the FBI, CDCR, the US Attorney, and EDD into $103,000 in fraud.
• A guilty plea in federal court in April 2021 following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor, FBI and EDD into attempts to file 100 phony claims using stolen identities and 10 payments worth nearly $200,000.
• Arrests in April 2021 by federal authorities following an investigation by Department of Labor, FBI, U.S. Postal Service and EDD into three people who filed $345,000 in fraudulent benefit applications on behalf of inmates.
• Arrests in Placer County in April 2021 in connection with a criminal organization that filed $4.5 million in fraudulent unemployment claims.
• Indictments by a grand jury in California in June 2021 following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and EDD into three people who stole $1.4 million in unemployment benefits.
• Two defendants were convicted in July 2021 and imprisoned for five years for obtaining more than $74,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits following an investigation by the FBI, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Investigative Services Unit and EDD.
• Guilty pleas in August 2021 in Los Angeles following an investigation into 200 fraudulent benefit claims totaling $1.6 million.
• Charges filed in August 2021 in Sacramento County against suspects linked to more than $500,000 in fraudulent claims.
• Criminal sentences against three Florida residents in November 2021 for fraudulently obtaining unemployment benefits in California.
• Criminal sentencing in San Diego in December 2021 of a fraudster sentenced to two years in prison for unemployment benefit fraud.
• Guilty pleas in San Diego County in February 2022 following an investigation by the San Diego District Attorney into a $1 million theft of unemployment insurance.
• A five-year prison sentence in February 2022 following an investigation by the U.S. Attorney, U.S. Department of Labor, Homeland Security, U.S. Postal Service, FBI, Social Security Administration and EDD into $4.3 million in stolen unemployment insurance benefits.
• Criminal charges filed in Sacramento in January 2022 following an investigation by EDD and the Sacramento County District Attorney into multiple suspects stealing $2.75 million in unemployment insurance benefits.
• Federal indictments in Sacramento in January 2022 following an investigation by EDD and federal authorities into a New Jersey resident who filed 78 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims in California.
• A guilty plea in federal court in January 2022 following an investigation by the U.S. Attorney and EDD into $132,000 in stolen unemployment insurance benefits.
• Guilty pleas in San Diego County in February 2022 following an investigation by the San Diego District Attorney into a $1 million theft of unemployment insurance.
• A five-year prison sentence in February 2022 following an investigation by the U.S. Attorney, U.S. Department of Labor, Homeland Security, U.S. Postal Service, FBI, Social Security Administration and EDD into $4.3 million in stolen unemployment insurance benefits.
• Eight defendants indicted in Fresno in February 2022 following an investigation by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, FBI, U.S. Department of Labor, CDCR, and EDD into identity theft and mail fraud and $5 million in unemployment insurance fraud.
• A defendant sentenced to 30 months in prison in February 2022 following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice into approximately $170,000 in stolen unemployment benefits.
• Seventeen people charged in Bakersfield in March 2022 following an investigation by EDD, the Kern County District Attorney and others into a $394,000 unemployment insurance fraud scheme.
• Indictment in March 2022 in Las Vegas following an investigation by the Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), U.S. Attorney, Department of Homeland Security-Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG), Federal Bureau of Investigation, and EDD into $1.1 million in fraudulent claims.
While arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment remains a major avenue for holding fraudsters accountable, EDD said will seek restitution through the judicial system whenever possible.
Court-ordered restitution to EDD as a crime victim occurs after a criminal conviction. This can also include funds seized during a criminal investigation and held as evidence.
Other actions California has taken to strengthen its fraud fighting include:
• Stopping $125 billion in attempted fraud by deploying a new identity verification system, ID.me, in 2020 and partnering with Thomson Reuters to help detect and prevent UI and PUA fraud.
• Setting up the 1099-G call center to help victims of identity theft deal with any tax related questions—work that answered 24,000 calls. Fraud can be reported by selecting Form 1099G in Ask EDD or calling 1-866-401-2849.
• No longer printing Social Security numbers on mailed documents to reduce the risk of identity theft.
• Working with Bank of America to issue chip-enabled debit cards that enhance security and to strengthen fraud-prevention strategies.
• Working with the California Office of Emergency Services Fraud Task Force on over a thousand active investigations, arrests, and prosecutions across California.
• Delivering multiple customer alerts about text message and other phishing schemes.
With identity theft remaining a pervasive threat nationwide and globally, EDD has continued to issue consumer scam alerts throughout the pandemic that warn about cell phone and email phishing schemes designed to steal personal information.
Californians who receive suspicious cell phone or email phishing communications can report those scam attempts to the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC.
Phishing emails can be forwarded to the FTC’s Anti-Phishing Working Group at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and phishing text messages can be forwarded to the FTC at 7726. EDD posts information to help prevent fraud on its Help Fight Fraud webpage.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Planning Commission will meet this week to consider a resort and two cannabis projects.
The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 14, 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 933 4337 3108, the pass code is 307141.
Access the meeting via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,93343373108#,,,,*307141# or dial in at 669-900-6833.
The meeting also can be viewed on the county’s website or Facebook page.
On the agenda at 9:05 a.m. is a public hearing to consider a resort project held over from the March 24 meeting.
Nikki Island is seeking a design review and a mitigated negative declaration for a small resort at 5835 and 5825 Highway 20 in Lucerne.
The project would include nine overnight lodging units; conversion of the existing dwelling to a social gathering room, lobby, kitchen and dining room; an outdoor kitchen; in-ground pool and hot tub; removal of asphalt and an existing driveway; and new landscaping, parking and pedestrian paths.
Also on Thursday, the commission will hold a public hearing for a major use permit and a mitigated negative declaration for Joyce Kirstein/Spring Valley Organics. The project, which would include a small amount of outdoor cultivation and a self-transport distributor license, is located at 2593 New Long Valley Road, Clearlake Oaks.
The commission also will consider a major use permit and a mitigated negative declaration sought by Igor Stolper/Jerusalem Grade Farms/RMI Ventures. The project would include outdoor cultivation and a self-transport distributor license.
Another project on the agenda for Auto Canna LLC is being rescheduled for May.
The full agenda follows.
AGENDA
Approval of the Minutes from the March 10, 2022, and the March 24, 2022, Planning Commission hearing.
9:05 a.m.: Continued from March 24, public hearing on consideration of a design review (DR 21-01) and a mitigated negative declaration (IS 22-06).The applicant, Nikki Island, is proposing, a small resort, containing nine overnight lodging units; conversion of the existing dwelling to a social gathering room, lobby, kitchen and dining room; outdoor kitchen; in-ground pool and hot tub; site improvements including removal of 1,100+ sq. ft. of asphalt and the western driveway leading to Highway 20; landscaping, parking and interior access aisles and pedestrian pathways. The project location is 5835 and 5825 Highway 20, Lucerne, and further described as APN’s 034-421-20 and 034-421-21.
9:10 a.m.: Public hearing on consideration of a major use permit (UP 19-21) and a mitigated negative declaration (IS 19-37). The applicant, Joyce Kirstein/Spring Valley Organics is proposing one A-Type 3: “Outdoor” license: Outdoor cultivation for adult use cannabis without the use of light deprivation and/or artificial lighting in the canopy area at any point in time from 10,001 square feet to one acre, inclusive, of total canopy size per license on one premise; and a Type 13 “Distributor Transport Only, Self-Transport Distribution” license: The transport of cannabis goods between entities licensed pursuant to California Code. The project is located at 2593 New Long Valley Rd., Clearlake Oaks; Assessor Parcel Numbers: 620-071-04.
9:15 a.m.: Continued to the May 12 Planning Commission meeting at 9:05 a.m., public hearing on consideration of a major use permit (UP 19-44) and a mitigated negative declaration (IS 19-63). The applicant, Auto Canna LLC (Auto Canna) is proposing Four (4) A-Type 3: “Outdoor” license: Outdoor cultivation for adult use cannabis without the use of light deprivation and/or artificial lighting in the canopy area at any point in time from 10,001 square feet to one acre, inclusive, of total canopy size per license on one premise; and a Type 13 “Distributor Transport Only, Self-Transport Distribution” license: The transport of cannabis goods between entities licensed pursuant to California Code. The project is located at 21258 Morgan Valley Road, Lower Lake; Assessor Parcel Numbers: 012-069-57.
9:20 a.m.: Continued from Dec. 16, 2021, public hearing on consideration of major use permit (UP 20-13) and a mitigated negative declaration (IS 20-15). The applicant, Igor Stolper/Jerusalem Grade Farms/RMI Ventures is proposing one A-Type 3: “Outdoor” license: Outdoor cultivation for adult use cannabis without the use of light deprivation and/or artificial lighting in the canopy area at any point in time from 10,001 square feet to one acre, inclusive, of total canopy size per license on one premise; and a Type 13 “Distributor Transport Only, Self-Transport Distribution” license: The transport of cannabis goods between entities licensed pursuant to California Code. The project is located at 22644 Jerusalem Grade Road, Middletown; Assessor Parcel Numbers: 136-051-04.
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.