LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — California State Parks is honoring the service of veterans, and active and reserve military members, by offering free admission to 130 participating state park units on Memorial Day — Monday, May 29.
The list of participating park units can be found here.
Included among the participating parks are Anderson Marsh State Historic Park in Lower Lake and Clear Lake State Park in Kelseyville.
“State Parks invites these brave people and their families to enjoy the beauty, peace, and rich history of their public lands,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “Thank you for sacrificing so much for your nation, for your families, and for our freedom.”
Veterans, active duty, and reserve military personnel must show a valid military ID, or proof of discharge other than dishonorable or bad conduct, to receive free admission.
AB 150 (Olsen), signed by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. in 2013, authorized California State Parks to offer veterans, active duty, and reserve military personnel from the United States Armed Forces and the National Guard of any state a reduced or free day use at participating state parks.
State Parks is reminding the public that there are other free passes available including the California State Park Adventure Pass for California fourth graders and their families.
Since the three-year pilot program began in 2021, almost 37,000 fourth graders have signed up for their free Adventure Pass that allows them and their families free access to 19 select state parks.
There is still time to sign up. This year’s fourth graders have until Aug. 31 to enjoy their Adventure Pass.
Learn more about the Adventure Pass here and other free passes here.
MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. — Several roads into Mendocino National Forest have experienced severe damage after this winter’s series of storms, and visitors should prepare for limited access to recreation areas this Memorial Day weekend.
“Visitors should recognize the inherent risks of recreating outdoors, especially after natural disasters,” said Mendocino National Forest Supervisor Wade McMaster.
“Road conditions, which are always dynamic, are especially changed given the post-fire hazards and storm damage. New reports are coming in every day from our crews and field staff of downed trees, plugged culverts and washouts,” McMaster said.
In areas where wildfire has occurred, significant rainfall and wind create hazards.
Roads within the August Complex and Ranch Fire footprints are subject to falling trees, landslides, rockfall, erosion, debris flows and flooding.
The M10 Road is impassable west of Fouts Campground. The road experienced multiple slides, rockfall and hillslope failure after prolonged winter storms.
There is access to the Letts Lake Campground from the east via the M5 Road and 17N02 Road, a detour that adds about 2 hours additional driving time.
The 17N02 Road has a lingering snowpack, and forest officials recommend driving high-clearance, four-wheel drive vehicles only. Trailers and RVs are not advised.
The road issues will also impact maintenance this summer. There will be no trash service or water supply at Letts Lake Campground until the M10 Road is repaired. The front portion of the campground will be open for primitive camping.
The M5 Road at the 17N02 Junction to Cedar Camp is also closed for the season due to several slides, blowdown and unstable roadbed.
Elk Mountain Road above Middle Creek Campground also has a slide and hillslope failure, though the county has put in a temporary repair for access by emergency responders only.
To reach the Upper Lake Ranger District OHV trail system and campgrounds on Elk Mountain Road, visitors will need to drive via Potter Valley (Mendocino County Rd 240 / Lake County Rd 301) or via Sam Alley (Forest Roads 16N01 and 16N30).
The Sam Alley alternate route is narrow in many places and only drivable with high-clearance, four-wheel drive vehicles. Officials advise the public not to haul trailers up these roads.
The M6 Road has a slide making it impassable approximately two miles north of the Bloody Rock Trailhead.
Before this winter’s storms, the M1 Road had been closed due to a slide at Bar Creek about three miles north of the Eel River Station. The detour to get to recreation areas above the slide is to take the M4 Road North to the M2 Road, then west on 23N29 (Espee Ridge Road).
Forest officials ask visitors to be prepared before traveling to the forest.
“Our staff is working extremely hard to get roads repaired, access restored and services ready for the public,” said McMaster. “We want everyone to enjoy these public lands, but visitors need to plan and be aware of their surroundings at all times. Never park or camp under dead trees or hanging limbs; stay alert if the wind picks up; know where you are going and any alternate routes; and carry emergency supplies.”
“Cell service is not reliable in the forest, so make sure you share your itinerary with a friend or relative and what time you can be expected to return.”
Forest staff continue to conduct storm damage assessments to identify hazards and road issues. As damage assessments continue, it is likely there could be more road closures and hazards.
Visitors can report storm damage and road conditions by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with as much detail as possible, including type of damage, route, GPS latitude and longitude, nearby landmarks and a photo with some object for scale (e.g., a truck or ruler).
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors is continuing to move to create a public defender program and will consider a draft proposal on the process from a consultant this week.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 23, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting ID is 915 2351 6056, pass code 678636. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,91523516056#,,,,*678636#.
All interested members of the public that do not have internet access or a Mediacom cable subscription are encouraged to call 669-900-6833, and enter the Zoom meeting ID and pass code information above.
At 3:30 p.m., the board will hear a presentation from staff and discuss a draft public defender services program and implementation plan.
The board previously discussed establishing the public defender services program in February and March.
The county has hired Jose Varela, the retired Marin County public defender.
He will present the draft public defender program work plan and phased implementation steps, County Administrative Officer Susan Parker said in her written report.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Approve the continuation of the proclamation declaring a shelter crisis urgency due to the current need for sheltering for those experiencing homelessness during the weather and temperature patterns that the county of Lake has been experiencing.
5.2: Approve continuation of proclamation declaring a Clear Lake hitch emergency.
5.3: Approve continuation of proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to pervasive tree mortality.
5.4: Adopt proclamation commending Gail Woodworth for her 32 years of service to the county of Lake.
5.5: Approve revision to policy for county letterhead and business cards to allow the county of Lake Color seal.
5.6: (a) Approve agreement between the county of Lake and the Highland Senior Service Center for the ARPA Senior Center Grant Award in an amount not to exceed $50,000, and authorize the chair to sign; (b) approve agreement between the county of Lake and the Lakeport Senior Center for the ARPA Senior Center Grant Award in an amount not to exceed $50,000, and authorize the chair to sign; (c) approve agreement between the county of Lake and the Live Oak Senior Center for the ARPA Senior Center Grant Award in an amount not to exceed $50,000, and authorize the chair to sign; (d) approve agreement between the county of Lake and the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center Inc. for the ARPA Senior Center Grant Award in an amount not to exceed $50,000, and authorize the chair to sign; (e) approve agreement between the county of Lake and the Middletown Senior Center for the ARPA Senior Center Grant Award in an amount not to exceed $50,000, and authorize the chair to sign; and (f) approve agreement between the county of Lake and Upper Lake Senior Support Services for the ARPA Senior Center Grant Award in an amount not to exceed $50,000, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.7: (a) Approve letter of endorsement for 211 Ventura County to remain provider of 211 Services for Lake County, and maintain continuous service and authorize the chair to sign; and (b) authorize the county administrative officer or her designee to submit CPUC Application documents for 211 Service.
5.8: Adopt resolution approving the application of the Lake County Arts Council for the California Arts Council Grant for FY 2023-2024 and authorizing the Lake County Arts Council to execute the grant contract.
5.9: Approve Board of Supervisors minutes for May 16, 2023.
5.10: Approve agreement amendment between the county of Lake Health Services Department and Sheila McCarthy, occupational therapist to increase total hours worked and total compensation for contracted occupational therapy services in support of the California Children's Services Program and the Medical Therapy Program, and authorize board chair to sign.
5.11: Approve purchase orders for the purchase of two vehicles for the Central Garage Fleet at revised prices, and authorize the Public Works director/assistant purchasing agent to sign the purchase orders.
5.12: Approve purchase order to Matt Mazzei for the purchase of a vehicle for the Central Garage Fleet, and authorize the Public Works director/assistant purchasing agent to sign the purchase order.
5.13: Adopt resolution to establish a list of projects proposed to be funded in FY 2023/2024 Pursuant to the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (SB1).
5.14: Approve plans and specifications for the Chalk Mountain Road over North Fork Cache Creek Bridge Replacement Project; Bid No. 23-01, Federal Project No: BRLO-5914(094),
5.15: Approve surplus of Taser X26 electronic control devices.
5.16: Approve continuation of proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to low elevation snow and extreme cold.
5.17: Approve continuation of an emergency declaration for drought conditions.
5.18: Approve continuation of a local emergency by the Lake County Sheriff/OES director for the January 2023 Atmospheric River Event.
5.19: Approve contract between county of Lake and Skiles and Associates Inc. for general contracting services, in the amount of $49,000 from April 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.20: (Sitting as the Lake County Sanitation District Board of Directors) (a) Waive the competitive bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 2-38.2, based on the unique nature of the goods; (b) authorize Special Districts administrator/assistant purchasing agent to issue a purchase order not to exceed $500,000.00 to Eddy Pump Corp. for the purchase of a 4-inch sewer pond dredge sled.
5.21: (a) (Sitting as the Lake County Sanitation Board of Directors) Accept utility easements from the city of Clearlake for the Burns Valley Development Project and authorize the clerk of the board to record a certificate of acceptance. (b) Approve sewer mainline extension agreement between the county of Lake and the city of Clearlake, for the installation of a sewer main line to serve the parcel 010-026-400, and authorize the chair to sign.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:07 a.m. Pet of the Week.
6.3, 9:08 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation commending Gail Woodworth for her 32 years of service to the county of Lake.
6.4, 9:15 a.m.: Consideration of presentation on the California Department of Insurance overview and Safer from Wildfires Framework.
6.5, 10:30 a.m.: Consideration of presentation of pavement management plan update and 10-year Pavement Rehabilitation Plan.
6.6, 3:30 p.m.: Consideration of presentation and discussion of a draft public defender services program and implementation plan.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of appointment to the North Coast Opportunities Governing Board.
7.3: Consideration of resolution approving agreements for the purchase of right-of-way for the bridge replacement project on First Street over Clover Creek and authorizing the director of Public Works to execute the purchase agreements on behalf of the county of Lake.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Public employee discipline/dismissal/release.
8.2: Conference with legal counsel: Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9(d)(2), (e)(1) – One potential case.
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.
Patrick Parenteau, Vermont Law & Graduate School and John Dernbach, Widener University
Honolulu has lost more than 5 miles of its famous beaches to sea level rise and storm surges. Sunny-day flooding during high tides makes many city roads impassable, and water mains for the public drinking water system are corroding from saltwater because of sea level rise.
The damage has left the city and county spending millions of dollars on repairs and infrastructure to try to adapt to the rising risks.
Future costs will almost certainly be higher. More than US$19 billion in property value, at today’s dollars, is at risk by 2100 from projected sea level rise, driven by greenhouse gas emissions largely from the burning of fossil fuels. Elsewhere in Honolulu County, which covers all of Oahu, many coastal communities will be cut off or uninhabitable.
Unwilling to have their taxpayers bear the full brunt of these costs, the city and county sued Sunoco LP, Exxon Mobil Corp. and other big oil companies in 2020.
At stake in all of these cases is who pays for the staggering cost of a changing climate.
Local and state governments that are suing want to hold the major oil companies responsible for the costs of responding to disasters that scientists are increasingly able to attribute to climate disruption and tie back to the fossil fuel industry. Several of the plaintiffs accuse the companies of lying to the public about their products’ risks in violation of state or local consumer protection laws that prohibit false advertising.
The governments in the Honolulu case allege that the oil companies “are directly responsible” for a substantial rise in carbon dioxide emissions that have been driving climate change. They say the companies should contribute their fair share to defray some of the costs.
The gist of Honolulu’s complaint is that the big oil companies have known for decades that their products cause climate change, yet their public statements continued to sow doubts about what was known, and they failed to warn their customers, investors and the public about the dangers posed by their products.
Were it not for this deception, the lawsuit says, the city and county would not be facing mounting costs of abating the damage from climate change.
Importantly, the complaint is based on state – not federal – law. It alleges that the defendants have violated established common law rules long recognized by the courts involving nuisance, failure to warn and trespass.
The city and county want the companies to help fund climate adaptation measures – everything from building seawalls and raising buildings to buying flood-prone properties and restoring beaches and dunes.
Supreme Court could have killed these cases
Not surprisingly, the oil companies have thrown their vast legal resources into fighting these cases.
On April 24, however, they lost one of their most powerful arguments.
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear challenges in the Hawaii case and four others involving the seemingly technical question of which court should hear these cases: state or federal.
The oil companies had “removed” the cases from state court to federal court, arguing that damage lawsuits for climate change go beyond the limits of state law and are governed by federal law.
That theory would have derailed all five cases – because there is no federal common law for greenhouse gases.
The court made that position clear in 2011 in American Electric Power Co. v. Connecticut. Several state and local governments had sued five major power companies for violating the federal common law of interstate nuisance and asked for a court order forcing these companies to reduce their emissions. The Supreme Court refused, holding that the federal Clean Air Act displaced federal common law for these gases.
To avoid this fate, Honolulu and the other plaintiffs focused on violations of state law, not federal law. Without exception, the federal courts of appeals sided with them and sent the cases back to state court.
What happens next?
The Honolulu case leads the pack at this point.
In 2022, the 1st Circuit Court in Hawaii denied the oil companies’ motion to dismiss the case based on the argument that the Clean Air Act also preempts state common law. This could open the door for discovery to begin sometime this year.
In discovery, senior corporate officers – perhaps including former Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson, who was secretary of state under Donald Trump – will be required to answer questions under oath about what the companies knew about climate change versus what they disclosed to the public.
Evidence from Exxon documents, described in a recent study by science historians Naomi Oreskes and Geoffrey Supran, shows that the company’s own scientists “knew as much as academic and government scientists knew” about climate change going back decades. But instead of communicating what they knew, “Exxon worked to deny it,” Supran and Oreskes write. The company overemphasized uncertainties and cast doubt on climate models.
This is the kind of evidence that could sway a jury. The standard of proof in a civil case like Honolulu’s is “preponderance of the evidence,” which roughly translates to 51%. Ten of the 12 jurors must agree on a verdict.
Any verdict likely would be appealed, perhaps all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and it could be years before the Honolulu case is resolved.
Lawsuits don’t begin to cover the damage
It is unlikely that even substantial verdicts in these cases will come close to covering the full costs of damage from climate change.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in 2022 alone the U.S. sustained 18 weather and climate disasters that each exceeded $1 billion in damage. Together, they cost over $165 billion.
But for many of the communities most at risk from these disasters, every penny counts. We believe establishing the oil companies’ responsibility may also discourage further investments in fossil fuel production by banks and brokerage houses already nervous about the financial risks of climate disruption.
One year in the next five will almost certainly be the hottest on record and there’s a two-in-three chance a single year will cross the crucial 1.5℃ global warming threshold, an alarming new report by the World Meteorological Organization predicts.
The report, known as the Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update, warns if humanity fails to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero, increasingly worse heat records will tumble beyond this decade.
So what is driving the bleak outlook for the next five years? An expected El Niño, on top of the overall global warming trend, will likely push the global temperature to record levels.
Has the Paris Agreement already failed if the global average temperature exceeds the 1.5℃ threshold in one of the next five years? No, but it will be a stark warning of what’s in store if we don’t quickly reduce emissions to net zero.
Warming makes record heat inevitable
The World Meteorological Organization update says there is a 98% chance at least one of the next five years will be the hottest on record. And there’s a 66% chance of at least one year over the 1.5℃ threshold.
There’s also a 32% chance the average temperature over the next five years will exceed the 1.5℃ threshold. The chance of temporarily exceeding 1.5℃ has risen steadily since 2015, when it was close to zero. For the years between 2017 and 2021, it was a 10% chance.
Human-caused greenhouse gas emissions have already driven up global average temperatures by more than 1℃ since the late 19th century. The update notes the 2022 average global temperature was about 1.15℃ above the 1850-1900 average, despite the cooling influence of La Niña conditions. Temperatures are now rising by about 0.2℃ per decade.
We now have more than a century of global mean temperature data. That means it should be getting harder, not easier, to achieve new records. If there was no trend, we would expect to see fewer records as time passes and the data we’ve collected better captures the full range of natural climate variability.
Instead, because we are warming the world so quickly, more heat records are being set globally and at the local level. The human influence on the climate is pushing temperatures to unprecedented highs with alarming frequency.
Add El Niño, then extreme highs are likely
The current record global average temperature dates back to 2016. A major El Niño event early that year pushed up the global average temperature.
El Niño events are associated with warmer-than-normal seas over much of the central and eastern Pacific. This helps warm the lower atmosphere and raise global temperatures by about 0.1℃. This might not sound like much, but with rapid background warming it’s often enough to break the previous record.
In the seven years since the current global temperature record, humanity has continued to intensify the greenhouse effect. This is making a new record ever more likely.
El Niño conditions are starting to form in the Pacific and are looking increasingly likely to take hold in June and July. This could be the first significant El Niño since 2016. An El Niño would greatly increase the chance of breaking that year’s record high global average temperature, particularly in 2024.
Does this mean the Paris Agreement has already failed?
Almost all nations around the world have signed the Paris Agreement. The aim is to limit global warming to well below 2℃ and preferably below 1.5℃ above pre-industrial levels.
The prediction that an individual year above 1.5℃ global warming is more likely than not is alarming. But it doesn’t mean we have failed to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goals. The agreement aims to limit long-term global warming to a level that avoids major climate impacts, including ecosystem loss. One or two years that pop over the 1.5℃ level don’t constitute failure.
However, the world is getting closer to the 1.5℃ global warming level due to our continuing high greenhouse gas emissions. The forecast of a probable year that exceeds that level should serve as a warning.
Yet another sign of humanity’s damage to the climate
Failure to act should not be considered an option. Otherwise we are locking in more record hot years and much worse climate change impacts for decades and centuries to come.
Kerissa and Charlie Payne are beginning farmers living their dream of raising two daughters on a farm in Central Ohio. By conventional measures, their livestock farm, Covey Rise, is a success. Yet, below the surface, the challenge of finding quality affordable child care has kept their business from growing and reaching its full potential.
“It feels like we’re always split between keeping the kids safe on the farm, being a good parent, and the needs of the farm,” Kerissa Payne said.
The United States has a child care crisis, yet the issue remains largely invisible in the farm sector. For too long, the nation has ignored the fact that farm parents are working parents who must juggle child care while working what can be one of the most dangerous and stressful jobs in America.
But as Bob Dylan might say, “The times they are a-changin’.”
For the first time in history, the two largest farm organizations, the American Farm Bureau and the National Farmers Union, have included child care in their policy priorities for the 2023 federal farm bill, a massive spending bill that passes every five years. As rural researchers, our conversations with policymakers suggest that there may be bipartisan support to help increase access to affordable quality rural child care as lawmakers hear from families.
Over the past 10 years, we have interviewed and surveyed thousands of farmers across the country to understand how child care affects farm business economic viability, farm safety, farm families’ quality of life and the future of the nation’s food supply. What we found debunks the three most common myths that have kept child care in the shadows of farm policy debates and points to solutions that can support farm parents.
Myth #1: Child care is a not a problem in the farm sector
Despite hearing from countless parents about their challenges with child care, the issue has been largely invisible among farm business advisers, farm organizations, and federal and state agricultural agencies. When we were interviewing advisers and decision-makers about this topic early in the COVID-19 pandemic, common first reactions we heard were: “child care is not an issue for farmers,” “we have never thought to ask about it” and “does it affect the farm business?”
Nationally, three-quarters (77%) of farm families with children under 18 report difficulties securing child care because of lack of affordability, availability or quality. Almost half (48%) report that having access to affordable child care is important for maintaining and growing their farm business.
Our research has consistently found child care is an issue that affects all of agriculture regardless of farm size, production system or location.
Access to child care is especially acute in rural areas, where even before COVID-19, 3 in 5 rural communities were categorized as child care deserts. The high cost of child care left the Paynes in a position familiar to many Americans – they make too much to qualify for child care support, but they don’t make enough to afford the type of quality child care they want.
The Paynes’ experience reflects what we consistently hear from farmers: Child care affects the trajectory of the farm business and the ability of a farm family to stay on the land.
Myth #2: Farmers don’t want or need help with child care because they have family help
Perhaps one of the biggest myths we have heard is that farm parents want to do it all on their own, and when they need help, they have family members who can watch the children.
This might work if relatives are nearby, but almost half of farmers we surveyed said their own parents were too busy to help with child care, had died or were in declining health.
Often, farm parents have had to move away from family and friends to find affordable land. These parents consistently said the lack of community made it harder to take care of their children.
Farmers have repeatedly said that it is a myth that they don’t want help taking care of children. The problem is that they cannot find or afford help.
Myth #3: Children can just come along when doing farm work
While wonderful places to grow up, farms can be dangerous, with large equipment, electric fencing, large animals, ponds and other potential hazards. Every day, 33 children are seriously injured in agricultural-related incidents, and every three days a child dies on a farm.
Farm parents we spoke with recounted stories of children who died after falling out of a tractor, drowned when they fell into a pond, or were maimed by a cow. Almost all farm parents – 97% – have worried that their children could get hurt on the farm.
In our research, parents talked about constantly weighing the risks and benefits of having children on the farm. One farmer had hoped his young son would “be my little sidekick and do everything I did.” However, the reality was different. He admitted he “didn’t think about a baby not being able to be out in the sun all day,” and he was struggling to balance care work and farm work. The government has spent millions of dollars on farm stress programs, yet child care’s role in creating and exacerbating farm stress is rarely talked about.
The Paynes asked a question we heard from many other parents: “Why is farming the only occupation where you are expected to take your kids to work?”
Farm safety programs have traditionally focused on education. However, our research shows that farm parents are highly aware of the risks. Instead of education, parents explain that they need resources to help with child care – 86% said they sometimes bring children to the farm worksite because they lack other options.
Finding solutions to support child care
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to America’s child care problems, particularly for farm parents, who are juggling raising their own families while working to feed and clothe the nation.
In our research, farmers spoke about a wide range of solutions: free or affordable quality child care, before- and after-school programs, better parental leave policies for wage and self-employed workers, financial support for safe play areas on the farm, college debt relief, free college tuition and more affordable health insurance.
Seeing his farm community struggling with child care, Adam Alson, a corn and soybean farmer in Jasper County, Indiana, co-founded Appleseed Childhood Education, a nonprofit dedicated to creating care and education opportunities for children from birth through high school. It opened its first early learning center in 2023 with a mix of public and private support.
Alson sees investing in child care as a path to attracting and retaining young farmers and families, and a strategy for growing and retaining the rural workforce.
“Throughout our country’s history, we have valued the importance of our rural communities and have invested in them and in sectors where the market does not go,” he said. “In 2023, quality child care is one of those sectors.”
As one Ohio farmer put it: “If America wants farmers, farm families need help with child care.”
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. — The 39th Annual Catfish Derby drew 958 anglers — children and adults — this past weekend for the three-day event in Clearlake Oaks.
Many brought along their immediate and extended families and friends and most came in from outside of Lake County.
Derby Committee Chair Dennis Locke credited the lake conditions for the crowds. “These are the best lake conditions in my memory and we had a near record high for the total number of anglers registered.”
Locke said considering those that attended but didn’t fish the derby likely drew in well over 1,000 visitors. “That’s a real boost to our local economy,” he said.
There are other catfishing derbies but none that bear the distinction of being the largest of its kind west of the Mississippi and occurring in an ancient lake considered the largest fresh warm water lake in the nation, Locke said.
The annual three-day derby is definitely a family affair and, for some, a long-time tradition. Locke estimates 80% fish as families.
Most that registered to fish, 60%, came from outside of Lake County, some traveling great distances to get here, as far away as Tennessee.
Many brought along family members that didn’t register to fish but who came to cheer on their dads, moms, sisters, brothers, cousins, and friends — and to enjoy the natural beauty of the area, especially the lake.
“It’s beautiful here; my entire family fishes the derby,” said Jeremy Cain, this year’s first place winner with his 25.87-pound catch.
Cain said his 8-year-old son registered as an adult and brought in an 18 pounder. “Neither he, my daughter or wife placed this year but we’ll be back next year for another try.”
Cain has been fishing with his dad since he was a youngster. “My dad’s here with us,” he said. “We were surprised to win and have no idea what we’ll do with the $5,000 prize money. We love the environment here and as much as anything we come for fun and relaxation. The cash is icing on the cake.”
In the 11- to 15-year-old category, Cruz Gomez from Clearlake was the lucky winner with his 20.28-pound catch.
Cruz said he wanted to give a shout out to his brother-in-law, Orin, for the good bait. “It’s a secret family recipe,” he said.
Cruz is a first-time derby participant. “My sister placed last year and encouraged me to enter. I’m glad she did and I will definitely come back next year,” he said.
As to what Cruz will do with his $100 prize money, “I’ll probably put it towards a new phone,” he said.
Ten-year-old Alani Hickison from Sacramento won first prize in the “up to 10 years” category with her 19.69-pound catch.
She wasn’t present at the awards ceremony but her $100 prize money will be mailed to her, said Locke.
During the awards ceremony, Locke acknowledged two families — the Lanes and the Parishes.
“The Lane family hails from Oregon, they have been coming for 17 years. They represent four generations and we’re happy to see them here again,” he said.
As for the Parish family, this was a very special and somewhat emotional year. Kevin Parish Jr., the anointed leader of the group, said they were honoring the legacy of his father, Albert Parish Sr, who recently passed away and had led the pilgrimage to the derby for 18 years.
“There are 15 of us here this year,” Parish said.
Nine-year-old Nicholas Hughes Jr., the youngest of the group, placed second in the up to 10-year category with his 18.90-pound catch. “Nicholas is from Muskogee, Oklahoma,” Parish said.
“We’re from all over; Oklahoma, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas and Southern California — Riverside, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles counties,” he said.
“We’ll be back next year, count on it,” Parish said. “It’s a family tradition and what my father would want us to do.”
Sponsored by the Clearlake Oaks-Glenhaven Business Association, the proceeds from this year’s event — $25,000 — will again be returned to the community to support school academic and sports programs, elder needs and more.
Association President Alvaro Valencia reminded everyone to thank the many volunteers who helped put on the 3-day event, also noting Locke’s leadership.
“He undoubtedly pulled some very long nights to make sure every detail was attended to and the results are outstanding,” Valencia said. “It’s a lot of work, but also fun. We are especially proud to host an event that brings families together. I like to think that families who fish together stay together.”
Locke also thanked and acknowledged the over 60 volunteers who worked long hours to run this year’s derby.
“There are always questions after the derby so call us at 707-596-0248 and we’ll respond,” Locke said. “Just give us a couple of days to rest up.”
For photos, final results and other details about the derby, visit www.clearlakeoaks.org/derby and catch some of the day-to-day postings and stories on the derby Facebook page, Catfish Derby in the Oaks.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A Lakeport man died on Friday after his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck in the Kelseyville area.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office identified the crash victim as Phillip Richard Liberto, 57.
Liberto died of his injuries at the scene of the crash, which occurred at 8:50 p.m. Friday on Highway 281/Soda Bay Road west of Fairway Drive Friday night, the California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office reported.
The CHP said Liberto was driving a special construction motorcycle westbound on Soda Bay Road at an unknown speed with 51-year-old Jessica R. Rehder of Kelseyville riding as his passenger.
Michael C. Pitto, 60, of Lower Lake was driving a 2006 Dodge Ram pickup towing a boat trailer eastbound on Soda Bay Road and turning left into the Riviera Market at approximately 10 miles per hour, the CHP said.
For reasons that the CHP said are yet to be determined, Pitto turned the pickup left across the westbound lane, directly in the path of Liberto’s motorcycle.
As a result, Liberto’s motorcycle collided with Pitto’s pickup.
The CHP said Liberto died of his injuries, while Rehder sustained major injuries and was transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Both were wearing helmets at the time of the crash.
Pitto was wearing a seat-belt and was uninjured, the CHP said.
As of the time of the CHP’s Monday report, it was unknown if drugs or alcohol were contributing factors in the crash.
The cause of the collision remains under investigation, the CHP said.
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.
Many cities at the core of large U.S. metropolitan areas were no longer among the largest population losers in 2022, reversing a pattern seen during the first full year of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.
The latest release of Vintage 2022 population estimates for cities and towns shows that the magnitude of population loss for some large cities decreased between 2021 and 2022.
While almost half of the fastest-declining cities had populations of 100,000 or more in 2021, only three had populations of 100,000 or more a year later.
About half of the nation’s fastest-growing cities just over a year into the pandemic (July 1, 2021) remained among the top-15 gainers one year later (July 1, 2022), growing at an even faster rate.
Mix of cities experiencing decline changed
The 15 fastest-declining cities from 2021 to 2022 and 2020 to 2021 were different, with major cities like Boston, Washington, D.C. and, most notably, San Francisco falling off the list.
While almost half of the fastest-declining cities had populations of 100,000 or more in 2021, only three had populations of 100,000 or more a year later. Two cities (Jackson, Mississippi, and New Orleans, Louisiana) were negatively impacted by Hurricane Ida (Tables 1 and 2).
Plus, the rate of population losses from 2021 to 2022 (Table 1) were more in line with pre-pandemic patterns (Table 3).
For instance, Jackson, Mississippi, with the largest percentage (2.5%) drop during that period, would have made the list of fastest-declining cities in 2019 but not in 2021 (Tables 1, 2 and 3).
Which cities gained population?
Fort Worth, Texas, the third largest-gaining city since 2018, ranked first in 2022 with a numeric increase of 19,170 from 2021.
In addition, San Antonio and Georgetown, Texas; Phoenix, Arizona; and Port St. Lucie and Cape Coral, Florida, showed notably larger increases in 2022 than in 2021 – possible signs of population rebound.
From 2021 to 2022, the total population increase for the nation’s 15 largest-gaining cities was just over 197,800, compared to a collective gain of about 129,000 people from the 2020 to 2021 period which included the first full year of the pandemic (Tables 4 and 5).
The total number of people added to the top-gaining 15 cities from 2021 to 2022 also outpaced their total pre-pandemic population increase (187,100) from 2018 to 2019 (Table 6).
Population losses
New York City continued to exhibit the largest numeric decline, losing 123,104 people from 2021 to 2022. But this was nearly 60% less than its 2020-2021 population loss of 305,465.
Declines also slowed in other large cities that had experienced significant population losses, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Portland and San Jose, (Tables 7 and 8).
How We Calculate Estimates
The annual population and housing unit estimates for states, counties, cities and towns are developed using various administrative data sources such as birth and death certificates and tax return statistics on people who changed residences.
The decennial census serves as a starting point for each decade of subcounty population estimates.
Cities and towns are more likely than larger geographies to annex land or disincorporate. We apply these types of legal boundary changes to the decennial census to create an updated base for population and housing units.
Such geographic updates are made annually, so each new time series of estimates we produce begins from a newly updated geographic base. This “estimates base” created from the census is essential for accurately distributing the population.
More details on city and town populations are available in the subcounty methodology statement.
Amel Toukabri is chief of the Local Government Estimates and Migration Processing Branch in the Census Bureau’s Population Division. Crystal Delbé is a survey statistician in the Population Division.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A woman who authorities said fatally stabbed her boyfriend last week has been charged with murder.
Melinda Mildred Fred, 39, is being held on $1 million bail for the killing of 36-year-old Christopher Aaron Burrows.
Lake County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a stabbing on Red Feather Lane in Lakeport at 4:40 a.m. May 16.
Deputies found Burrows lying on the ground with a single stab wound. Despite the efforts of deputies and paramedics, Burrows died of his injuries at the scene. Fred was arrested hours later.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff told Lake County News that the investigation so far has confirmed that Burrows was Fred’s boyfriend.
Hinchcliff said Fred has been charged with murder, assault with a deadly weapon and domestic violence.
As for the motive in the killing, “Right now it’s still speculation,” said Hinchcliff. “There’s still investigation going on.”
At her May 18 arraignment, Fred’s bail was set at $1 million and defense attorney Tom Quinn was appointed to represent her, Hinchcliff said.
Hinchcliff said Fred will appear in Lake County Superior Court’s Department 3 at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday for the appearance of counsel and entry of her plea.
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.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lakeport Speedway is preparing to begin a new track season with the Memorial Weekend Opener on Saturday, May 27, and Sunday, May 28.
The promoter for the new track season will be Blair Aiken of B.A.D Racing.
The opener will be a double race weekend launching Saturday night and featuring Legends, Bombers, Pro4s and Bandoleros.
Come on down and support your local racers at the hometown track.
Watch Richard Knight, Michael Snider and Mike Sullivan vie for the gap racing Modifieds; Mike Collins defending the bombers; and Johnny Barker circling the pack with the Pro4s.
Sunday night will be the addition of the crazy boat races.
Gate opens at 5 p.m. with racing at 7 p.m.
The Lakeport Speedway is located at the Lake County Fairgrounds at 401 Martin St. in Lakeport.
For more information, call 707-349-6998 or visit the track’s new Facebook page.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Three years after work on the project began, Lake County Tribal Health Consortium’s newest clinic is open and ready to serve the community.
The new state-of-the-art Southshore Clinic is located at 14440 Olympic Drive.
On Friday morning, Tribal Health Board members and clinic leadership, joined by local elected and community leaders, celebrated the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the 25,000-square-foot outpatient health clinic.
While the clinic had a soft opening in July, as of Friday, May 19 — a year after the facility was blessed — it’s fully open, said Chief Executive Officer Ernesto Padilla.
“From the beginning, this project was done right,” said Clearlake City Manager Alan Flora.
Its final price tag was $25 million, which Flora said was three times the original budget.
It has close to 60 staffers who offer medical services from children through seniors, including a soon-to-open pharmacy for tribal members and pain management.
The clinic also is the only facility to offer full dental services in Lake County. Dr. Eunsub Jang, one of Tribal Health’s dentists, said that the clinic has a monthly capacity of 1,700 dental patients. In April, they had 1,000 patients, and so far in May have had 700 patients.
Padilla said they’ve used every square inch of the vast new building’s space.
Even so, Flora said it’s already almost too small for the needs of the community, which has a health deficit and some of the worst health outcomes in the state.
“This is the type of development that we haven’t really seen here” but that they now expect, said Flora.
“I’m proud of what you all have done here,” Flora added.
Padilla and Flora both referred to a strong working relationship that Tribal Health and the city have enjoyed through the process.
Tribal Health contributed to the city’s new band shell at Austin Park, and on Friday they once again offered support to the city with a $150,000 donation to the Burns Valley Sports Complex the city of Clearlake is building.
Flora said Tribal Health’s new clinic is encouraging other development, too. A town house project is coming just down the street and the roads in the area will be redone next year.
He thinks the clinic will help the community’s outcomes, as access is important.
A tour of the building
David Santos, formerly president and CEO of Adventist Health Clear Lake, now is chief operating officer for Tribal Health.
He said 15% of Tribal Health’s patient population is Indigenous. That percentage used to be larger until they opened services to the general population.
Santos and other Tribal Health leaders led visitors through the building, beginning on the first floor in the thoughtfully designed waiting rooms for children, adults and those waiting for labs, and then through the medical and dental suites on the first and second floors.
Throughout the buildings there are glass cases, some of them filled with Pomo baskets and artifacts, some with community sports plaques.
Moving up the large spiral staircase, there is a mural of Lake County wildlife and geography, along with a map of Clear Lake and the six tribes in the consortium: Big Valley Rancheria, Elem Colony, Habematolel Pomo, Middletown Rancheria, Robinson Rancheria and the Scotts Valley Pomo. A seventh Lake County tribe, the Koi Nation, is not a consortium member.
Kevin Thompson, the Southshore Clinic manager, said an artist who has created murals for Cabela’s was hired to paint the mural, which he initially sketched out in just a day.
Thompson said COVID-19 resulted in changes to the clinic design. Some areas that originally had been designed with open floor plans ended up being enclosed, and every room now has its own self-contained decontamination equipment.
He said that, thanks to Bret Woods, Tribal Health’s chief financial officer — who also was on hand to lead members of the public through the building — the Lakeport clinic now has new equipment to match that found at the Southshore Clinic so the staff can rotate through the two clinics more easily.
Among the community residents who visited the facility during the grand opening was a woman who identified herself as Mindy. She said she has been living in the community since 1980 and she’s happy to see the good things happening in Clearlake.
Padilla said there’s “more to come” for Tribal Health, which is now in the design phase with NorthStar Designing Solutions — the same firm that did the Southshore Clinic — for a new administration building at its Lakeport facility on Bevins Court.
Construction on that project is expected to start in early 2024 and to be completed by the fall of 2025, Padilla said.
Tribal Health also has plans for its site on Parallel Drive in Lakeport, he said.
Tribal Health is accepting new patients, not just tribal members but the underserved members of the community, including those who are on Medicare and Medi-Cal, as well as those who are uninsured.
For more information visit the Tribal Health website.
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.