LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Local officials reported that there have been some road closures due to the  heavy rain.

The Lake County Public Works Department issued the following update on Friday afternoon on road conditions in the unincorporated county.

Additionally, earlier in the day, the Clearlake Police Department said a mudslide had occurred on San Joaquin Drive just west of Lakeshore Drive. The road remained open while crews were at work clearing the slide.

The following is the list of closed or impacted roads.

CLEARLAKE OAKS

Twin Valley Road: Closed due to mudslide.

COBB

Socrates Mine Road: Road slip out at MPM 3.8. Down to one lane in this area.

KELSEYVILLE

Clark Drive: Closed from Gaddy Lane to Soda Bay Road due to flooding.

LAKEPORT

Hill Road: Hill Road, between Sutter Lakeside Hospital entrance and Lakeshore Boulevard, is closed due to mudslides across the roadway.

Scotts Valley Road: Closed from Eickhoff Road to Hendricks Road due to flooding.

UPPER LAKE

Bartlett Springs Road: Four-wheel drive recommended.

Elk Mountain Road: Roadway closed at MPM 29.6 due to road washout. No estimate of when road will be reopened.

Elk Mountain Road: Four-wheel drive recommended from Upper Lake to Lake Pillsbury.

Scotts Valley Road: Closed from Hendricks Road to Highway 20 due to flooding.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – At the Jan. 12 Yuba Community College Board of Trustees meeting, the board certified that all of the eight counties in the YCCD District approved the issuance of Measure Q, GO Bonds in the amount of $33,565 million.

The eight counties covered by the district are Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Placer, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba.

The total number of votes cast on Nov. 8 for Measure Q needed to exceed 55 percent in order for the district to move forward.

After all of the certified results were reported, Measure Q’s approval rating was 60.08 percent districtwide, passing in all of the large counties that the district serves including, Colusa, Lake, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba.

“The passage of Measure Q will allow the district to continue major repairs, renovations and construction projects throughout the district,” said Chancellor Douglas Houston. “I am proud that voters supported Measure Q in all counties where our district has a campus or center. It confirms that our community supports the work that has been accomplished and is supportive of the future projects that our district intends to tackle.”

Over the past 10 years, the district has completed many construction and modernization projects with Measure J Program funds.

Those projects include:

• Yuba College Health and Public Safety building for the nursing, fire and police/corrections programs;
• Yuba College's renovated Learning and Resource Center.
• The new Sutter County Educational Center in Yuba City.
• Three new buildings at the Lake County Campus that replaced modular buildings.
• The new Colusa County Campus in Williams
• Major renovations to Woodland Community College’s 100, 200, 300 and 400 buildings.
• Technology improvements at Woodland Community College.
• Grounds and maintenance improvements across all YCCD campuses.

YCCD officials said the district is committed to fiscally responsible management of all taxpayer funding and has actively pursued opportunities to save money.

In the last 15 months, the district has conducted two bond refundings, cumulatively saving local taxpayers more than $86 million.

As with Measure J, Measure Q funds will be protected by an independent citizens’ oversight committee that must review and audit all bond expenditures.

Measure Q results

• Butte County: Yes, 86; No, 117; total, 203, 42.36 percent.
• Colusa County: Yes, 3,648; No, 2,587; total, 6,235, 58.51 percent.
• Glenn County: Yes, 85; No, 108; total, 193, 44.04 percent.
• Lake County: Yes, 3,500; No, 2,342; total, 5,842, 59.91 percent.
• Placer County: Yes, 17; No, 27; total, 44; percent, 38.64 percent.
• Sutter County: Yes, 18,276; No, 12,794; total, 31,070, 58.82 percent.
• Yolo County: Yes, 16,057; No, 8,869; total, 24,926, 64.42 percent.
• Yuba County: Yes, 12,306; No, 9,285; total, 21,591, 57 percent.
• Total districtwide: Yes, 53,975; No, 36,129; total, 90,104, 60.08 percent.

For more information about YCCD, visit www.yccd.edu .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Another in a series of storms hit Lake County overnight, with heavy rain and wind hitting the area throughout the early morning hours Friday.

The steady rain that arrived on Friday came after much more mild conditions on Thursday, which provided a break of sorts after Wednesday's storm.

For the 24-hour period ending at 1:30 a.m. Friday, the National Weather Service's observation stations reported the following rainfall totals, in inches.

– Bear Canyon (Middletown): 1.17.
– Boggs Mountain: 0.97.
– Cache Creek (near Lower Lake): 0.37.
– Hidden Valley Lake: 0.50.
– High Glade Lookout (above Upper Lake): 0.20.
– Indian Valley Reservoir: 0.24.
– Jerusalem Grade (Middletown): 0.55.
– Kelseyville: 0.49.
– Putah Creek (Middletown): 0.53.
– Soda Creek at Lake Pillsbury): 1.18.
– Upper Lake: 0.90.
– Whispering Pines: 0.84.

Over the past two days, the rain has caused Clear Lake's depth to surge again.

At 4:15 a.m., the lake's depth was at 7.43 feet Rumsey. When it hits 7.56 feet Rumsey – expected to occur on Friday morning – it will officially be full.

The updated Lake County specific forecast included a winter weather advisory in effect through 4 p.m. Friday for parts of Lake County north of Upper Lake, where heavy rain along with snow is forecast Friday night, Sunday night and on Monday.

In the Cobb area, snow also is forecast for Sunday night and during the day Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

Throughout the rest of the county, rain is in the forecast through Tuesday, with no breaks expected so far.

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.

LUCERNE, Calif. – A woman whose car went off Highway 20 and into Clear Lake last week has died of her injuries.

The California Highway Patrol's Clear Lake Area office identified the crash victim as Jessica S. Smith, 31, of Lucerne.

The solo-vehicle crash that mortally injured Smith occurred at 10:20 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, on Highway 20 west of Foothill Drive in Lucerne, the CHP said.

Smith was driving a 2007 Chrysler sedan eastbound on Highway 20 when, for reasons still to be determined, she allowed her car to drift off the highway's south roadway edge, the CHP said.

The CHP said Smith's car hit multiple rocks just south of the highway, causing it to roll over and land upside down in Clear Lake.

Smith's passenger compartment was fully submerged in the water, the CHP said.

At the scene, the CHP told Lake County News that Northshore Fire personnel pulled Smith from her car and began CPR, getting a pulse before she was transported by ambulance to Sutter Lakeside Hospital.

Smith died of her injuries at the hospital the following day, Jan. 13, the CHP said.

The CHP said it's so far unknown if Smith was wearing her seat belt, or whether or not alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash.

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 first of a series of storms drenched Lake County on Wednesday and into early Thursday, with forecasters predicting several more days of rain ahead.

The National Weather Service said this week's set of storms – a series of Pacific frontal systems – is expected to result in about half the rain that Northern California received last week, and issued a special weather statement due to the storm situation.

The National Weather Service's updated forecast expects as much as 6 inches for Lake County from all of the storms, which are expected to continue from Thursday into Tuesday.

Lake County received a steady amount of rain Wednesday that was accompanied by gusting winds.

For the 24-hour period ending at midnight Thursday, the National Weather Service's observation stations reported the following rainfall totals, in inches.

– Bear Canyon (Middletown): 3.55.
– Boggs Mountain: 2.60.
– Cache Creek (near Lower Lake): 2.46.
– Cobb: 2.92.
– Hidden Valley Lake: 2.08.
– High Glade Lookout (above Upper Lake): 1.73.
– Indian Valley Reservoir: 0.96.
– Jerusalem Grade (Middletown): 2.48.
– Kelseyville: 1.82.
– Putah Creek (Middletown): 1.58.
– Soda Creek at Lake Pillsbury): 2.54.
– Upper Lake: 2.10.
– Whispering Pines: 2.80.

The first of the storm systems that moved over Lake County on Wednesday will be followed by another on Friday that is forecast to be weaker in rainfall amounts and wind, but will bring snow levels down to between 3,000 and 4,000 feet.

The National Weather Service said the third storm system will move over the region on Sunday. It's anticipated to bring more rain and wind, with snow levels dropping even lower, down to between 2,000 and 3,000 feet.

The rain has caused another rise in Clear Lake, which at 1:30 a.m. Thursday was at 7.13 feet Rumsey. The lake will reach the full mark at 7.56 feet Rumsey.

Caltrans said it anticipates highway closures with the new storm systems, and urged motorists to check road conditions frequently.

For the latest road condition information, the radio may be tuned to the Caltrans Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) at 530 AM, 1610 AM or 1670 AM or call the Caltrans Road Condition Hotline at 1-800-427-ROAD (7623). Real time conditions are also available online and for mobile phones at http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov .
 
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. – An Upper Lake man was injured and flown to a trauma center last week following a motorcycle crash near Lakeport.

California Highway Patrol Officer Kory Reynolds said Joseph Rogers, 35, suffered major injuries in the wreck, which occurred on Friday, Jan. 13.

At around 1:15 p.m. Rogers was driving a 2015 Harley Davidson southbound on Highway 29 north of Lakeport Boulevard when he took the off-ramp for Lakeport Boulevard/Todd Road, Reynolds said.

Reynolds said Rogers lost control of his motorcycle and was ejected onto the asphalt.

Rogers suffered a fractured right leg, numerous abrasions and pain to his left ankle, Reynolds said.

Alcohol was found to have been a factor in the collision, according to Reynolds' report.

Reynolds said Rogers was flown by a REACH air ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

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.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – In response to what they said is President-elect Donald Trump’s “unprecedented” refusal to share basic information with the American public, two California state senators have introduced a bill that will require that all future presidential or vice presidential candidates release tax returns in order to appear on California's ballot.

On Wednesday California state Senators Scott Wiener and Mike McGuire officially introduced their legislation, which they said they are offering in response to Trump’s historic refusal to release his tax returns to the American public, despite the fact that presidential candidates have been doing so voluntarily for decades.

The bill, SB 149 is modeled on similar legislation that has been proposed New York State Sen. Brad Hoylman.

“California voters have rightfully come to expect that their future president will be transparent and without hesitation, disclose their tax returns,” McGuire said. “These returns are one of the best tools California voters have to weigh any potential conflicts of interests their future leader has encumbered. California didn’t pick this fight, but we will respond to this unprecedented action and secrecy and ensure voters have the information they need to make the most important choice they have – voting for president.”

“Donald Trump claims that no one besides the media cares about the transparency and accountability that comes with the release of tax returns,” said Wiener. “That’s not true. I care, and my constituents care. The people of California deserve to have confidence that when they step into the voting booth, they are electing a leader who will act in their best interests, not the best interests of some investment portfolio. Transparency and accountability shouldn’t be dismissed as a distraction – they are bedrocks and basic requirements of our democracy.”

SB 149 is simple in structure: The proposed law will require a candidate for president, in order to have his or her name placed upon the general election ballot, to file his or her income tax returns for the five most recent taxable years with the Secretary of State's Office at least 70 days before that election. The returns would also be made available to the public on the Secretary of State’s Web site.

Prior to Trump’s refusal to release any tax returns, every president since Jimmy Carter (over 40 years) have released at least one year of tax returns.

During the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (Democratic) and Jill Stein (Green) both released their tax returns.

Contrary to what President-elect Trump has stated in public, that Americans don’t care about his tax returns, according to a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, 74 percent of respondents believe Trump should release his tax returns. This poll shows consistent results from an earlier poll conducted by Quinnipiac University back in August of 2016.