LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office is concerned about the introduction of new and exotic pests. 

The agency’s pest detection program is a comprehensive insect trapping program to detect pests before they become established.

Traps are placed, starting May 1, and monitored throughout the county, until the end of October, for the presence of exotic pests such as Mediterranean fruit fly, oriental fruit fly, melon fruit fly, gypsy moth and Japanese beetle.

These exotic insect pests are difficult and costly to manage once they have been established.

In 2017, the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office will also be placing traps in vineyards for the European grapevine moth and a limited number of traps for vine mealybug.

Grape growers are highly encouraged to place traps within their vineyards for vine mealybug and bring them to the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office to be inspected by staff members.

For more information on the trapping program or to inquire about vine mealybug traps please contact the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office at 707-263-0217.

Cecil A. Brown
April 8, 1947 - March 18, 2017

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Cecil is survived by his wife, Carol; children, David (Saxon) Brown, Alice Brown, Kiuya (Denise) Brown, Piyaco (Ka-Ya) Brown; brothers, Raymond Brown, Marvin Brown, Jim (Gail) Brown; sisters, Geraldine (Hason) Johnson and Sharon Brown; 12 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Cecil was very dedicated to his culture, serving as a respected Elder and the Metse’ for both round houses at El-Em. He enjoyed working with children and coached multiple sports at Lower Lake High School for many years. Cecil was also a Vietnam Veteran serving in the U.S. Army.

Traditional Pomo Services will be held as follows: Viewing will start on Tuesday, March 21, at 1 p.m. at Cecil and Carol's home with final viewing from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Friday, March 24.

A wake will be held on Thursday, March 23, at 7 p.m. with a graveside funeral service at El-Em Cemetery on Friday, March 24, at 1 p.m.

For further information please contact Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary at 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – The Clearlake Oaks boat launch has now been deemed safe for public use after receding water levels and clearing of debris by county parks crews.

The following County boat launch facilities and parks remain closed:

– Lakeside County Park;
– Rodman Slough.       

For more information contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 707-262-1618.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT A CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION
AND NOTICE OF PROPOSED MINOR USE PERMIT
BY THE LAKE COUNTY ZONING ADMINISTRATOR 

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Lake County Zoning Administrator of the County of Lake, State of California, will consider approving Minor Use Permit 17-02 with no public hearing if no written request for a public hearing is submitted by 5:00 P.M., March 29, 2017 to the Community Development Department, Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport, California.  Should a timely request for hearing be filed, a public hearing will be held on April 5, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. in Conference Room C, 3rd Floor of the Courthouse.

Minor Use Permit 17-02. Location: 2550 Soda Bay Road, Lakeport, APN 008-010-46. Owner: Bess Giannakakis. Project: In accordance with Lake County Code to remodel an existing structure operate a commercial kitchen for a catering business.  Project planner: Byron Turner, (707) 263-2221 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Copies of the application, environmental documents, all reference documents, and staff reports associated with each project are available for review through the Community Development Department, Planning Division; Telephone (707) 263-2221.


COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Robert Massarelli, Director


By: ____________________________________
Byron Turner, Principal Planner
               

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Judy Ann Flynn (Maxwell) was born May 1, 1956, in San Jose, Calif., and was raised in Daly City. She and her family moved to Lake County in May of 1989. Judy passed away peacefully on Saturday March 18, 2017, at the age of 60 years. 

Judy is survived by her husband of 40 years, John of Cobb; daughter, Christine Flynn of Redwood City; son, Jon Flynn of Denver, Colo.; sister, Teresa Moore of Lucerne; brother, Richard (Gayla) Maxwell of Hidden Valley Lake; and nieces, nephews, great-niece and great-nephews.

She was preceded in death by her father, Charles Maxwell; mother, Shirley Maxwell; and brother, Joseph Maxwell. 

Judy will be missed by many whose heart she touched. 

At Judy's request a private family memorial service will be held at a future date. 

Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary at 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The eclectic gift shop 2 Women Traders will celebrate its reopening in a new location on Friday, March 24.

The celebration will take place from 3 to 6:30 p.m. at the reopened shop, 21130 A Calistoga St.

The shop's owners, Rita Caroni and Dayle Marshall, invite community members to stop in and say hello.

There will be refreshments and a drawing for gifts.

For more information call 2 Women Traders at 707-987-3870 or visit https://ispiritual.com/2womentraders .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Chi Council for the Clear Lake Hitch will hold its first meeting of 2016 on Wednesday, March 22.

The group will meet at 3:30 p.m. at the Lake County Agriculture Center, 883 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport.

They will discuss the numerous hitch sightings reported over the last few weeks.

Minutes from the February 22 meeting are posted at http://lakelive.info/chicouncil/pdffiles/2.22.17minutes.pdf .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – “Ohooo, I hates gophers!”

It’s kind of fun to say if you say it like Elmer Fudd. However, in truth, I don’t really hate gophers, just the damage they do, and they can do a heap of damage.

Deep, loamy soil, like those here in Scotts Valley, where the densities are greater than 12 per acre at any given time, are prime gopher territory.

Even if your soils aren’t deep and loamy, gophers still move in and when they do, it’s a disaster for your garden.

Scientists say they are great for the environment. They aerate the soil. Did you know that one pocket gopher can churn up to one ton of soil a year? This brings new seeds to the surface which aids in plant diversity.  Their mounds cover vegetation which then breaks down, providing fertility. When they go about doing their underground business, nests and such, they provide deep soil fertilization.

OK, fair enough, gophers can be beneficial. But, they are also industrious little rototillers, voracious and destructive, gnawing off saplings, up-ending flower pots, leaving unsightly mounds in the lawn, undermining sidewalks, burrowing up ground covers, and consuming everything else!

A quick search on the internet shows a plethora of ways to rid your garden of them. There are many kinds of poisons, deterrents, mechanical traps, gas bombs, raised beds and underground baskets that bar them from roots. However, none of these work 100 percent.

The last four years during my daily trips to the garden have left me crying over what’s gone, and that has been about of 80 percent of what I’ve planted.

But recently, when the flooding sent gophers to the high ground I was forced to look at what was left. That gave me an idea for a different strategy. I’m going to plant things that gophers don’t prefer.

There are plants that gophers won’t eat because they are toxic, like Narcissus. Others have a disagreeable taste, but that doesn’t mean they won't eat them if they are hungry enough, like rosemary. Then there are those they eat but enough small surface roots survive to keep the plant going, like Mexican heather.

Below is a list of plants that gophers tend to leave alone. This list is a combination of plants that our friend Kate Frey noted to be gopher resistant and plants I have added from my own experience. I’ve organized them into gardening categories.

I’d also love to know what plants you are finding resistant. Let me know at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Gopher resistant plants

Low ground covers

Periwinkle, (Vinca major* and minor)
Wild strawberry (Frageria virginiana)
Wild strawberry (Frageria chiloensis)
Mock strawberry (Duchesnia indica)
Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea)
Creeping cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans)
Plumbago  (Ceratostigma plumbagoides)

*Vinca major is highly invasive and on our list of plants to avoid.

Vines

Creeping wire vine (Muehlenbergia axillaris); can also be a ground cover.

Bulbs

Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis)
Voodoo lily (Dranunculus vulgaris)

Shrubs

Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii and lindleyana)
Rock rose (Cistus spp.)
California lilac (Ceanothus spp.)
California fuchsia (Epilobium canum)
Heavenly bamboo, (Nandina domestica); gophers may tunnel up and gnaw off the small stalks
Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium)
Manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.)
Coyote bush (Baccharis spp.)
Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)
Mock orange (Philadelphus spp.)
Native currants (Ribes spp.)

Flowers

Flag iris. (Iris versicolor)
Native iris (Iris douglasiana)
Tall verbena (Verbena bonariensis)
Red hot poker (Kniphofia spp.)
Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris)
Mexican primrose (Oenothera speciosa); gophers may eat the center root, but the surface side roots remain to keep, at least some of the plant(s) alive.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolia); gophers may eat the center root, but the surface side roots remain to keep, at least some of the plant(s) alive.
California buckwheat (Erigonum spp.)
Swamp flower (Helianthus angustifolius)
Cora bells (Heuchera spp.)
Mexican feather bush (Gaura lindheimeri)
Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa)

Herbs

Rosemary (Rosmarinus vulgaris); gophers may eat the center root, but the surface side roots remain to keep, at least some of the plant(s) alive.
Thyme  (Thymus vulgaris); gophers may eat the center root, but the surface side roots remain to keep, at least some of the plant(s) alive.
Horehound  (Marrubium vulgare)
Spearmint (Mentha spicata); also makes a good ground cover
Peppermint (Mentha x piperita); also makes a good ground cover
Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium); also makes a good ground cover
Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
Catnip (Nepeta cataria); where gophers are dense, it may be consumed
Oregano (Origanum vulgaris)

Trees

Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo)

Grasses

Sedges (Carex Spp.)
Rushes (Juncus spp.)
Deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens)
Native grasses