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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Since 1999, Nov. 20 has been observed as Transgender Day of Remembrance.

The day honors Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was murdered in Allston, Massachusetts in 1998.

Each Nov. 20, people in nearly 25 countries honor transgender individuals who have lost their lives and stand in support of the LGBTQ+ community.

“As leaders in Behavioral Health, we ensure our doors are open to all people, regardless of gender identity. We celebrate and embrace differences and offer a haven where those we serve have a feeling of safety and security,” said Todd Metcalf, director of Lake County Behavioral Health Services.

“The majority of folks we serve have experienced some sort of trauma, and this population is often targeted with violence. We must create a safe place for healing,” Metcalf said.

Mental health challenges are common; in fact, about one in five Americans are currently living with a mental illness, such as anxiety or depression.

Unfortunately, in the transgender community, that number is much higher, at nearly one in two.

A January 2014 UCLA/Williams Institute review of National Transgender Discrimination Survey data found 41 percent of respondents had attempted suicide – approximately nine times the rate of the overall United States population.

Mental health issues are exacerbated by a transgender person’s response to stigma, discrimination, lack of acceptance and abuse; these are far too routine.

For many, having to deal with discrimination results in a heightened stress response, which can lead to depression and/or anxiety.

Beyond threats to psychological well-being, transgender people are also at risk of experiencing violence and death at much greater rates.

Murders of transgender individuals have been shockingly high in 2020, exceeding 2019’s total in seven months, per the National Center for Transgender Equality.

Homelessness is also a critical issue for transgender individuals; one in five has experienced homelessness at some point in their lives.

Please join Lake County Behavioral Health Services in spotlighting the Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20.

Lake County Behavioral Health Services provides recovery-oriented mental health and substance use disorder services to those in need.

For more information, please contact Lake County Behavioral Health Services at 707-274-9101 or 707-994-7090.

If you or someone you know may be at risk of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. If you’re a young LGBTQ person and need to talk to someone, call The Trevor Project’s 24-hour crisis hotline for youth at 1-866-488-7386. If you are a transgender person of any age, call the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors this week hired the new administrator for Lake County Special Districts.

Scott Harter, who has served as Special Districts deputy administrator, has been appointed as administrator.

“We are excited to see Scott step up to this new challenge,” said Board Chair Moke Simon. “His varied background with county and city agencies has been a great asset in recent years, and this will be an opportunity for him to expand his contributions even more while providing a sense of continuity for Special Districts’ staff.”

Harter will succeed Jan Coppinger, who is retiring after as Special Districts administrator. She has served in the position since 2016.

Deputy County Administrative Officer Matthew Rothstein told Lake County News that Harter’s hire was confirmed following a closed session discussion on Tuesday. A special meeting last week also had included a closed session on the Special Districts administrator appointment.

Harter was one of two candidates considered for the job, Rothstein said.

Harter holds a civil engineering degree from California State University, Chico, and has served in public agencies in Lake County since 1996.

Over the past 24 years, Harter has served as a civil engineer for both the county and city of Lakeport, taken on interim responsibilities in Community Development and Information Technology and, most recently, overseen projects of great county import as deputy Special Districts administrator, the county reported.

“The retirement of Jan Coppinger affects the county in a number of ways,” said Simon. “Scott has worked right alongside her, and understands the void that she leaves. Scott is well qualified to take up the reins, quickly identify gaps, and move the Special Districts Administration forward in a positive direction.”

Special Districts is the water and wastewater agency of the county of Lake.

It oversees the operation of five water systems and four wastewater systems serving more than 40,000 people in 21 communities within Lake County.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to begin phasing out Friday office closures to the public, with five-day-a-week availability of county offices to resume by April 1.

In August 2018, at County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson’s request, the board approved a pilot program to close county offices – particularly those in and around the Lake County Courthouse in Lakeport – to the public on Fridays.

At the time, Huchingson proposed pursuing the plan due to myriad issues – from the county’s inability to get new revenue streams and diminishing returns on others, to minimum wage issues, vacancy rate and loss of property tax due to wildland fires.

Since then, the program has been renewed on a six-month basis.

At its Nov. 3 meeting, the board heard a request from the County Administrative Office to continue the Friday closures through the end of March due to the concerns of COVID-19 combined with the flu season. Department heads at the time also spoke in favor of continuing the plan.

On Tuesday, Deputy County Administrative Officer Matthew Rothstein reviewed that request.

Referring to comments made earlier in the meeting by Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace – who said that the situation in the Southern Hemisphere is indicating that the flu season may not be as severe as anticipated this year – Rothstein said there are still many unknowns.

He said the ultimate goal is to provide business continuity to the greatest possible extent, and allow departments protected time to make progress on workload backloads and provide training time.

Rothstein noted that the board’s consensus on Nov. 3 was to return to normal business officers as of April 1. Staff returned with an updated resolution that includes that direction, as well as a proposal by Supervisor Bruno Sabatier that each department begin the phase-out by having one staffer on Fridays dedicated to working with the public.

During public comment, the board heard from members of the county’s real estate industry who spoke about the negative impact of the Friday closures on their business.

Real estate agent Mary Benson asked if the phase-out plan would mean title companies can send staff to the Assessor-Recorder’s Office on Fridays to record transactions.

Huchingson said no one from Assessor-Recorder Richard Ford’s office was attending the meeting and she tried to reach out to him while the discussion continued.

Benson said that if weekly closures continued, she suggested that they should be switched to Tuesdays, as she’s read multiple productivity studies about Tuesday being the most productive workday.

Supervisor Rob Brown said Benson’s suggestion had merit to it, and it was the same day he would pick during the remaining months of the weekly closures.

If the county offices were to be closed, Brown suggested that with Tuesday’s being the busiest for the courts, that would be the best day to be closed in order to minimize risk of COVID-19 transmission to employees.

Heidi Johnson, 2020 president of the Lake County Association of Realtors, asked if the Assessor-Recorder’s Office could make accommodations for the holiday season, as she said the office’s availability in December “is quite stifling for our business.”

Johnson added, “Real estate has a big impact on this county,” and she said she’s tried to bring the matter to the board’s attention every time an extension of the closures was brought forward.

Referring to the work backlog that county staff had used as one of the initial reasons for the Friday closures, Johnson asked, after two years, how long it takes them to catch up. She said the county needed to find something that will work for constituents.

During the meeting, Huchingson said she was unable to reach anyone in Ford’s office to join the discussion.

Benson said when the matter had arisen last year, Ford had told real estate agents that he couldn’t open during Christmas week because the county offices would be closed and there would be no security, but she said the security for the courts was working that week.

Real estate broker Marsha Holder told the board that they shouldn’t lose sight of what the real estate business does for the county, noting the escalating sales prices and the taxes being generated.

Holder said November and December are two of real estate’s biggest months and to be closed for recording over the holidays “is just not right.”

Sabatier said the proposed resolution before them will take the county to where it should be, adding it’s a “step forward.”

Supervisor Tina Scott said she wanted to move forward with the resolution but also wanted to have further discussion at a future meeting about how departments can assign a staffer each on Fridays to start working again with the public.

Sabatier moved to offer the resolution, which the board approved 5-0.

Huchingson told the board that county offices are scheduled to be closed Dec. 21 to 25.

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.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The opioid crisis highlights stories of adults facing substance use, but lesser-known statistics show that the crisis affects our youth in alarming numbers.

To combat the trend in Lake County, Hope Rising received a $78,750 Youth Opioid Response Grant to prevent and reduce opioid overdose deaths and opioid use disorders among youth, ages 12 to 23.

Until recently, youth facing opioid use disorders in rural Lake County had minimal prevention and education resources targeted to their age group.

Hope Rising is working to change this gap in services with the YOR Grant. By building a framework that encourages innovative solutions to target discrepancies, Hope Rising empowers youth to have a voice in the program.

Partnering with medical systems, nonprofit community agencies, schools, youth outreach-serving organizations, families, and the public, they are creating sustainable change, positive youth development, and age-appropriate engagement.

“The grant extends the focus of Hope Rising’s SafeRx program by prioritizing and addressing high-risk youth in Lake County,” says Kate Gitchell, Hope Rising administrative manager. “Through targeted youth interviews, we were able to build the foundation for a functioning youth advisory board and prevention strategy to drive this work for Lake County.”

Partnership Health Plan of California awarded the Youth Opioid Response, or YOR, grant to 14 California counties.

Lake, Humboldt and Sonoma counties collaborated to engage key informants and focus groups of local youth on developing and driving the campaign materials and direction.

One result of the collaboration is the Find Your Way website, a site offering resources for youth to receive help, get connected to youth services, stay informed, and get involved.

More than one in five youth misused opioid pain relievers at least once by the 11th grade in California. Some youth are at higher risk of substance use disorders, or SUDs, such as experiencing homelessness, trauma, or stigma/discrimination/bias (e.g., a youth of color, LGBTQ), those exiting foster care, documented/undocumented immigrants, or justice-involved youth.

YOR California assists counties in engaging youth teams in community outreach and education using up-to-date technology and social media.

Tactical aims are to prevent opioid overdose-related deaths with youth-specific prevention, intervention, Medication-Assisted Treatment, and other treatment and recovery activities for youth at high risk of overdose.

These services include and target youth with poly-substance use, foster care, or juvenile justice involvement histories, and those in communities with high overdose rates.

Fundamental principles of YOR California incorporate evidence-based practices, supports, and services that are age-appropriate for youth.

Adaptation of successful adult-interventions is crucial to the continuum of prevention, intervention, treatments, and recovery of our youth.

“As an extension of our development, we are engaging our youth advisory board to help develop social media platforms that will speak to their peers about their unique experiences and prevention priorities,” said Gitchell.

For more information about the YOR program or to get resources call 707-998-8488 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Hope Rising serves as a neutral convener to bring together leaders in our county to identify issues, develop innovative solutions, and implement agreed-upon actions with accountability and measurable outcomes. Hope Rising acts to raise, manage and disburse funds.

Additionally, Hope Rising provides facilitation and project management support to drive the work forward and keep projects on track, ensuring active engagement of stakeholders and a focus on outcomes.

Learn more about Hope Rising at http://www.hoperisinglc.org/.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Wreaths Across America program, which honors veterans, will be hosted in Lake County again this year.

National Wreaths Across America Day will take place this year on Saturday, Dec. 19.

This year’s theme is, “Be An American Worth Fighting For.”

This will be the 14th year that Lake County has participated in the program to place wreaths on the graves of veterans in six local cemeteries. The mission is to “Remember, Honor, Teach.”

In the first year, seven ceremonial wreaths were placed in Lake County for the seven divisions of the military during a WAA Ceremony at the Hartley Cemetery.

Ceremonies are now held at Hartley, Kelseyville, Upper Lake, Lower Lake, St. Mary’s and Middletown cemeteries.

In 2019, 2.2 million veterans’ wreaths were placed across the country in all 50 states – 254,000 of them at Arlington National Cemetery.

More than two million volunteers participated last year at 2,158 locations nationwide, with 38,500 volunteers laying wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery. More than a third of the volunteers across the country were children.

Approximately 600 truckloads of wreaths were delivered across the country by hundreds of volunteer professional truck drivers using donated equipment and fuel from approximately 250 carriers.

Boy Scout Troop 42 in Lakeport, Girl Scouts and Big Valley 4-H in Kelseyville, the Lake County 4-H Group in Lower Lake and FFA in Upper Lake and Middletown will be accepting donations for wreaths until Dec. 2.

Individual sponsorships cost $15 for one wreath and the family option costs $60 for four wreaths, small businesses can fund 10 wreaths for $150 and corporations can sponsor 100 or more wreaths for $1,500 or any amount can be sponsored for $15 per wreath.

Toni Funderburg, coordinator of Wreaths Across America in Lake County, said sponsorship forms can be picked up at Lakeport Tire & Auto Service, 1901 S. Main St. in Lakeport, or you can call 707-263-5422 and they will fax or email you a sponsorship form.

To sponsor a wreath online, go to https://wreathsacrossamerica.org/CA0090P or to choose another cemetery or sponsor group in Lake County visit the Wreaths Across America website.
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-05) will hold a virtual town hall to discuss the latest in the COVID-19 pandemic on Thursday, Nov. 19.

The town hall will take place from 7 to 8 p.m.

This event will be held over Zoom and interested participants must email Thompson’s office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. in order to join, as the platform has a capacity of 500 people. They will be notified via email with instructions on how to join.

The event will also be streamed on Facebook Live via Thompson’s page, https://www.facebook.com/RepMikeThompson/.

Thompson will be joined by George Rutherford, MD, professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at UC San Francisco and Dr. Karen Relucio, Dr. Karen Relucio, deputy director of Napa County Health & Human Services-Public Health officer, for a discussion about the surging coronavirus case rate.

This is the 17th in a series of virtual town halls Thompson has held since the pandemic began earlier this year.

All constituents of California’s Fifth Congressional District and members of the press are invited to join.

Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The governor on Thursday took another action he says is necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19, a limited stay at home order during nighttime hours that will impact counties that already are under the most stringent restrictions but so far does not apply to Lake County.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order prohibits nonessential businesses and personal gatherings between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. beginning Saturday, Nov. 21, at 10 p.m.

“The virus is spreading at a pace we haven’t seen since the start of this pandemic and the next several days and weeks will be critical to stop the surge. We are sounding the alarm,” said Gov. Newsom. “It is crucial that we act to decrease transmission and slow hospitalizations before the death count surges. We’ve done it before and we must do it again.”

Newsom’s office said this is the same as the March stay at home order which impacted the entire state, but this new order will only apply in counties that are in the purple tier of the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy.

The counties in the purple tier, the blueprint’s most restrictive, are seeing the highest rates of positive cases and hospitalizations.

As of Thursday, 42 of the state’s 48 counties are in the purple tier.

Lake County remains in the red tier, the second most restrictive. It’s among 10 counties in that tier.

Another six counties are in the lowest tiers, orange and yellow.

Newsom said this new limited stay at home order is designed to reduce opportunities for disease transmission.

Activities conducted during 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. are often nonessential and more likely related to social activities and gatherings that have a higher likelihood of leading to reduced inhibition and reduced likelihood for adherence to safety measures like wearing a face covering and maintaining physical distance, the Governor’s Office said.

“We know from our stay at home order this spring, which flattened the curve in California, that reducing the movement and mixing of individuals dramatically decreases COVID-19 spread, hospitalizations, and deaths,” said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. “We may need to take more stringent actions if we are unable to flatten the curve quickly. Taking these hard, temporary actions now could help prevent future shutdowns.”

“We are asking Californians to change their personal behaviors to stop the surge. We must be strong together and make tough decisions to stay socially connected but physically distanced during this critical time. Letting our guard down could put thousands of lives in danger and cripple our health care system,” said Dr. Erica Pan, the state’s acting Public Health officer. “It is especially important that we band together to protect those most vulnerable around us as well as essential workers who are continuing their critical work amidst this next wave of widespread community transmission across the state. Together we prevented a public health crisis in the spring and together we can do it again.”

COVID-19 case rates increased by approximately 50 percent in California during the first week of November.

As a result, Gov. Newsom and California’s public health officials have announced a list of measures to protect Californians and the state’s health care system, which could experience an unprecedented surge if cases continue their steep climb.

On Monday, the state pulled an emergency brake in the Blueprint for a Safer Economy putting more than 94 percent of California’s population in the most restrictive tier.

The state will reassess data continuously and move more counties back into a more restrictive tier, if necessary.

California is also strengthening its face-covering guidance to require individuals to wear a mask whenever outside their home, with limited exceptions.

Late last week, the state issued a travel advisory, along with Oregon and Washington, urging people entering the state or returning home from travel outside the state to self-quarantine to slow the spread of the virus.

The travel advisory urges against non-essential out-of-state travel, asks people to self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving from another state or country, and encourages residents to stay local.

As for travel on the state’s highways at this time, newly sworn-in California Highway Patrol Commissioner Amanda Ray said Thursday that her agency’s mission remains unchanged.

“CHP officers will continue to patrol throughout California and use their sound professional judgment to conduct enforcement stops for violations of the law based upon probable cause,” Ray said.

“As always, CHP officers will have the discretion to take appropriate action when a violation is observed,” she added.
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Distracted driving can be a life-changing choice resulting in crashes and the deaths of thousands of people every year in the United States.

Driven to make a difference, the California Highway Patrol has implemented a yearlong Adult Distracted Drivers grant designed to keep California roads safe through education and enforcement.

CHP officers throughout the state will host in-person presentations and use Web-based or virtual platforms to conduct distracted driving traffic safety presentations.

In addition, the CHP will conduct several distracted driving enforcement operations through Sept. 30, 2021.

“Distracted driving continues to be a serious issue on our roadway, and it is entirely avoidable,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “With the support of this grant, we can implement lifesaving efforts throughout California that will raise awareness and hopefully change dangerous behavior behind the wheel.”

Multitasking behind the wheel places extra demands on the driver, which can have tragic consequences.

On average, there are more than 20,000 drivers in California involved in a crash every year where inattention is a factor. “These statistics are likely much higher and are often under-reported to law enforcement since motorists do not always admit to driving distracted,” Commissioner Stanley added.

While there are many forms of inattention, cell phones continue to be the main source of diversion. Using a handheld cell phone while driving is not only a violation of the vehicle code, it is also an unsafe activity behind the wheel. Drivers should only use a phone when necessary and in a hands-free mode.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of safety, service and security.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The city of Lakeport is offering opportunities for the public to become involved in local government by serving on commissions and committees.

Applications are being accepted on the city website, www.cityoflakeport.com, under the “Government” tab, “Committees & Commissions,” until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 24.

All positions are voluntary.

For more information, contact Deputy City Clerk Hilary Britton, 707-263-5615, Extension 102, or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The following positions are available.

Lakeport Planning Commission

There are two upcoming vacancies; appointments are effective Jan. 1, 2021.

One of the two open seats may be filled by an applicant who lives outside the city limits but within the Lakeport zip code area. The second open seat may only be filled by an applicant who resides within the city limits of Lakeport.

The planning commission consists of five members who serve four-year terms and may be re-appointed. The commission currently meets monthly on the second Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

Members of the planning commission review matters related to planning and development and serve as advisors to the city council on land use issues.

Topics can include elements of the city’s general plan, rezoning, use permits, subdivisions, architectural and design review, as well as planning policy and interpretation.

Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee

This committee, known as LEDAC, has four upcoming vacancies; appointments are effective Jan. 1, 2021.

Membership is open to anyone who lives, works, shops or does business in the city of Lakeport, including those who live in the unincorporated Lakeport trade area.

There are seven members with alternating two-year terms appointed by the Lakeport City Council. Additionally, there are four members who represent specific organizations or interests in the community: Lakeport Main Street Association, Lake County Chamber of Commerce, Mendocino College Lake Center, and CareerPoint Lake (workforce development).

The committee meets bimonthly on the second Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. and for special meetings as needed.

LEDAC’s responsibilities include ideas and strategies for business recruitment and retention, recommendations for the implementation of the City’s economic development strategic plan, coordinating and reporting on the annual Business Walk activity, and advocacy for a strong and positive Lakeport business community.

Measure Z Advisory Committee

There are three upcoming vacancies on this committee, known as MZAC; appointments are effective Jan. 1, 2021.

Membership is open to residents of Lakeport living within the city limits. Five members are appointed by the city council to serve four-year terms. The committee meets quarterly.

The role of the MZAC is to review all revenues and expenditures of the Measure Z transactions and use tax, and to make recommendations to the city council regarding those expenditures.

Lakeport residents voted in November 2016 to approve Measure Z, adopting an ordinance to enact a one percent increase to the local sales and use tax for public safety and essential City services.

The measure requires independent audits and citizens’ oversight.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A week after it decided in a split vote to move to a hybrid, in-person schooling model in January, the Lakeport Unified School District Board on Wednesday night faced a group of students and parents asking it to reconsider and move up that start date by a month.

As a result of the discussion, which took place at the school board’s regular Wednesday evening meeting, the board agreed to hold a special Friday night meeting to reconsider its previous decision, with input from Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace.

During the discussion, Superintendent Jill Falconer emailed Dr. Pace to ask when he could speak to the board, and she reported that he’s available on Friday evening.

To date, only Lucerne Elementary, Upper Lake Unified and some Lake County Office of Education schools are having in-person instruction in Lake County.

Lakeport Unified and the rest of the county’s districts have spent the year so far in distance learning, or phase one, of the Lake County Return to School Continuum Plan. While in phase one, no school sports practice or competition can take place.

The board decided at a special Nov. 9 meeting to move into phase two of the county’s return to school plan at the start of January, when the next semester begins. That stage two, “hybrid” model allows for students to be on school grounds for part of the week, while others can remain in distance learning mode if they wish.

That decision last week followed a lengthy discussion during which Falconer told the board that staff would be ready, at the earliest, to go to the hybrid model on Nov. 30. That was the date favored by board members Carly Alvord and Jeannie Markham, who wanted to get students back into school as soon as possible.

Falconer also reported at that meeting that 75 percent of parents wanted to go to the hybrid model, with just under half wanting to make the transition as quickly as the district could.

However, the teachers who spoke to that board overwhelmingly favored waiting until the start of the next semester in order to give them time to transition to the next phase. District nurse Diane Gunther also had urged caution at that time, noting climbing case numbers.

Sports discussion gives way to concerns about opening date

At the Nov. 9 meeting, Athletic Director Milo Meyer had raised the issue of school athletics and the need to make a decision about whether to allow them, which the board decided to hold over to Wednesday’s regular meeting.

It was in the context of discussing school sports for the 2020-21 school year on Wednesday night that the board encountered pushback from district parents and students about the later opening.

Falconer said the California Department of Public Health has been promising for more than three weeks that it would be releasing new guidelines any time for school athletics.

However, on Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom reported that half of the state’s counties were being placed in the purple tier – the most restrictive – in the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy due to rising COVID-19 caseloads.

During the same press conference, Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health and Human Services, said those new sports guidelines aren’t ready.

Later on Monday, in response to Ghaly’s announcement, the California Interscholastic Federation, or CIF, posted this statement on its Twitter account: “In today’s COVID-19 press briefing, Governor Newsom and Dr. Mark Ghaly from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) disclosed that the release of updated youth sports guidance has been postponed. Therefore, the current guidance remains in effect, and CIF competitions are not allowed until new guidance is provided.”

While that appeared to leave the board members with little to discuss, they soon heard from coaches, parents and students urging them to take a stand, move up the hybrid phase start date and let students have sporting activities.

They heard about the depression and emotional challenges students continue to experience due to not having the social and instructional interactions at school, which parents said is a necessary outlet for them.

One of those parents, Brian Martin – also Lake County’s sheriff, who emphasized he was only speaking in his capacity as a citizen – said he’d never seen a group of parents and kids wanting to return to school so badly.

Martin urged the board to author a letter to Gov. Newsom and the California Department of Public Health to advocate for sports. “This is not the time to sit back and just wait for the state to guide us.”

He suggested that maybe Newsom is too busy going to the French Laundry – a reference to recent revelations that earlier this month Newsom attended a lavish indoor birthday dinner for a friend at the expensive Napa County eatery.

Martin’s son, Matthew, a Clear Lake High School student, said the large turnout at the Wednesday night meeting, held in the Marge Alakszay Center, was mostly of students who wanted to go back to school.

He said it’s hard to stay at home all the time, not seeing friends or participating in school life. “Please advocate for us.”

Ed Pepper, Clear Lake High’s baseball coach, also asked the board to send letters to the state and get students back to playing sports. “I can’t stand not having another season.”

On Tuesday night, Kelseyville Unified, which announced it is going to the hybrid model on Nov. 30, discussed school reopenings and hosted Dr. Pace. Pepper asked why Pace wasn’t at Wednesday night’s meeting, and Falconer noted later in the meeting that because the board had already made its decision last week, she hadn’t asked him to attend on Wednesday.

High school football coach Mark Cory said he participated in a Zoom call Tuesday night with West Coast Coaching Alliance, which is studying how to return to sports safely.

Cory said he agrees with following the science, which so far shows only a small number of children test positive for COVID-19. He said community leaders need to follow that science.

“At some point we have to make a decision,” Cory said. “We should be playing games, that’s the bottom line.”

He said it’s not an “us against you,” situation, rather, “It’s us together figuring this out.”

One speaker asked if Lake County could have its own internal sporting league if it can keep its case numbers down. Meyer said he had asked that very question of the CIF’s North Coast Section commissioner.

“The answer I got was, no,” said Meyer. “The state would be the one that calls it.”

He also noted that state guidelines currently only allow for conditioning, not practice that involves balls or other shared equipment.

Student Miles Mattina told the board that he’s taking five college-level classes, and while he’s doing well, “School is stressing me out.”

He said it’s requiring long days and nights on the computer, while at the same time he’s prevented from participating in sporting activities.

“I just want to be back with my team,” Mattina said.

He added, “We need to be back in school so that we can play sports.”

Retired teacher and coach Dennis Wilson told the board that they need to throw “a lifeline” to students who are failing due to not having sports. “Get them back in school, get them back in sports.”

Board members ask for special meeting

A person in the audience asked the board members their opinions about going back to in-person instruction.

Board member Phil Kirby, himself a longtime educator and coach, responded, “I believe in kids being in school every single day.”

However, he said he was relying on facts being presented by “the powers that be” outside of the school district.

Kirby said he’s also on the board of managers for the CIF’s North Coast Section and earlier in the day had asked if they had any more information he could share with parents, and was told no.

Alvord said she attended Kelseyville Unified School District’s Tuesday night board meeting and said Dr. Pace was encouraging them to send children back to school.

That’s what Pace also told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday morning during his regular update to the board on COVID-19.

Pace reported that children are less likely to spread the virus to adults, and that there are few school-based outbreaks around the world, with the virus usually coming into schools with adults – primarily, teachers and staff.

He suggested the downside of not having children in school outweighs having them back in class.

Gunther did not address the school board directly during the meeting, as she had last week, but in a comment she made in the meeting’s Zoom chat line she noted, in apparent response to Alvord’s comments about Pace, “D. Pace also shared that teachers of older students had 2 times the rate of Covid than their non-teaching peers! He additionally deferred to the Board as the ones responsible for the decision and reported Lake County numbers are rising!”

Alvord said she wanted the school board to have a special meeting on Thursday to consider starting school earlier.

Markham said she was in complete agreement with Alvord. “As I voted last week, I believe you need to be back in school.”

Buffalo has three children, with one of his sons active in sports and wanting to get back to school and athletics. Buffalo noted he also was a high school athlete.

“This board had to balance what we were hearing and the consideration of the risks with the needs of our community, our team members, our faculty and our staff here at Lakeport Unified,” he said of last week’s decision.

Buffalo said he wanted to make crystal clear that going to the hybrid model “is not a return to normalcy,” adding, “It will be even more challenging.”

Parent Jason Soderquist criticized the board for waiting until January when Falconer had told them last week that the staff could be ready for the hybrid model by Nov. 30.

“This COVID thing is going to be around for awhile,” said Soderquist. “There is no way that I want my kid out of school for a couple of years.”

Board Member Jen Hanson, who teaches at Woodland Community College’s Lake County Campus in Clearlake, said that after last week’s vote she heard teachers thank the board because they are not in a position to adjust their curriculum in a reduced amount of time.

“As a teacher, I will still vote with them,” she said, while also noting that she hates teaching from home. She said that while she’s teaching, sitting across the table from her is her daughter, who is trying to learn online and crying because she wants to be in school.

Alvord continued to press for a special board meeting with Pace in attendance, noting he had given the Kelseyville Unified Board a thorough PowerPoint presentation.

“Let’s ask him what we should do,” Alvord said. “We don’t have to go back and forth and speculate.”

Kirby would later agree that he, too, would like to hear Pace’s presentation. Once a third board member made the request, Buffalo said he would work with Falconer to set up the special meeting.

A short time later in the meeting, Rob Alves, representative for the district’s teachers’ union, said that as far as they were concerned the hybrid model starts Jan. 4, and that a lot needs to happen between now and then to prepare.

He said he had no idea how the union membership would react at this point to a date change for the rollout of the hybrid phase.

“I don’t envy you,” Alves told the board, adding that he appreciated their willingness to dive into the matter.

By the meeting's end, Falconer reported that Pace said he was available to meet with the board on Friday.

She said she’ll proceed on Thursday with setting up an emergency Friday evening meeting, as the board requested.

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.

20JULY Return2School EngSpan FINALFinal by LakeCoNews on Scribd

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The California Highway Patrol’s 16th commissioner, Amanda Ray was sworn into office by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday, November 17, 2020, in Sacramento. Photo courtesy of the CHP.

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday administered the oath of office to California Highway Patrol Commissioner Amanda Ray, a historic move making her the first woman in its 91-year history to lead the largest state law enforcement agency in the nation.

Newsom appointed Ray as the 16th commissioner on Oct. 20, following the retirement announcement of Commissioner Warren Stanley after 38 years of service with the CHP.

“I am thankful to Gov. Newsom for trusting me to lead this exceptional organization and honored to follow in the footsteps of many innovative leaders who have come before me, including my friend, Warren Stanley,” Ray said.

“I would not be where I am today without the foresight of those in 1974 who decided to give women the opportunity to become CHP officers, paving the way for many women to assume leadership roles in the Department,” Ray said. “I look forward to further guiding the department and its 11,000 women and men in engaging with the communities we serve to ensure California remains a safe place to live, work and visit.”

Ray began her career with the CHP in 1990, rising through the ranks to her appointment as Deputy Commissioner in February 2020.

She has served as incident commander during several high-profile events, including the Department’s response to COVID-19, civil unrest and wildfires.

Ray has appointed two members to her executive management team. They are Jim Epperson as deputy commissioner, her second-in-command responsible for the day-to-day operations of the department, and Ryan Okashima as assistant commissioner, staff, who will oversee the administrative functions of the department, including a $2.8 billion budget, departmental training, information technology, and personnel administration.

Rich Stewart was previously promoted in August to the position of assistant commissioner, field, responsible for all patrol and air operations throughout the state as well as protective services.

California Highway Patrol Commissioner Amanda Ray’s executive management team includes, from left, Assistant Commissioner for Staff Ryan Okashima; Commissioner Ray; Deputy Commissioner Jim Epperson; and Assistant Commissioner- Field Rich Stewart.
Posted On

NORTH COAST, Calif. – On Tuesday a Mendocino County man was sentenced to state prison for the July 2018 fatal shootings of his father and brother.

Ubaldo Ramirez Davila, 25, was sentenced Tuesday in Mendocino County Superior Court to 24 years and four months in state prison, the Mendocino District Attorney’s Office reported.

Mendocino County Sheriff’s deputies, local firefighters and CHP officers on July 2, 2018, rushed to the shooting site at the turnoff to the “Gold Rule” community on the Ridgewood Grade near Willits, as Lake County News has reported.

First responders found a maroon Chevrolet pickup truck stopped in a traffic lane with two men inside, one dead and one critically injured. The critically injured victim succumbed two days later in a Santa Rosa hospital.

Ramirez, a sometimes Covelo resident, became a suspect early in the investigation. Deputies arrested him in the early morning hours of July 3, 2018, north of Covelo after receiving tips as to his whereabouts, officials said.

The District Attorney’s Office said Ramirez admitted that while sitting as a passenger in the backseat of the pickup he shot and killed his father, Calixto Ramirez Guererro, 51, of Covelo, as well as his brother, Miguel Angel Ramirez Davila, 32, of Eureka.

Ubaldo Ramirez eventually entered guilty pleas to two counts of voluntary manslaughter. He also admitted two special allegations alleging that he personally used a firearm to inflict death on both family members.

Voluntary manslaughter is generally defined as an intentional killing in which the offender had not formed a prior intent to kill, such as a killing that occurs because of a sudden quarrel.

Any credits Ramirez may attempt to earn towards early release are limited to no more than 15 percent of his overall sentence, meaning Ramirez must serve 20.5 years before being eligible for parole. Plans are for the defendant to be deported to Mexico upon the completion of his prison sentence, officials said.

The Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office said the law enforcement agency primarily responsible for investigating and gathering the evidence to sustain the defendant’s convictions was the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office. District Attorney David Eyster prosecuted the case.

Eyster cited the work for the prosecution of Rick Blumberg, Ph.D., Ubaldo F. Ramires, Ph.D., and the staff of the Redwood Coast Regional Center.

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12.01.2020 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
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