Male pit bull puppy. Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Clearlake Animal Control has more new dogs waiting for families this week.
The Clearlake Animal Control website lists 33 adoptable dogs.
This week’s dogs include a 2-month-old male pit bull terrier puppy with a tan and white coat.
“Blanch.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. There also is “Blanch,” a female pit bull terrier with a tricolor coat.
Another available dog is “Petunia,” a 1-year-old female pit bull terrier mix with a black coat.
"Petunia." Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. The shelter is located at 6820 Old Highway 53. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
For more information, call the shelter at 707-762-6227, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or on the city’s website.
This week’s adoptable dogs are featured below.
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.
What's up for April? Some easy-to-spot planets, there's still time to observe comet 12P, and how to enjoy this month's solar eclipse if you're not in the path of totality.
For several days in the first half of April, early risers can watch Mars and Saturn rising together in the morning. Taking a look about half an hour before sunrise, you can find them low in the east, about 10 degrees above the horizon. They're at their closest on April 10 and 11, but still really close in the sky the whole second week of April.
Now, on the evening of April 10th you can find the Moon with Jupiter in the west. Jupiter's easy to identify as a bright, unflickering light, low in the west following sunset, all month. Being just a couple of days after its "new moon" phase, the Moon shows only 7% of its illuminated surface on this evening, making for a beautiful crescent shining there with the giant planet Jupiter.
This is also a good night to have a look for comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, which has been getting brighter, and is easily observable with binoculars or a small telescope, especially if you can get away from bright city lights. The comet will be just beneath the Moon, and just right of Jupiter, but you'll have to be quick, as it drops below 10 degrees elevation an hour after sunset and then sets an hour later. So you'll want a clear view toward the horizon, and be looking for it as twilight ends.
If you want to catch this comet, do it soon, because it will be too close to the Sun in the sky to observable after mid-April, and later when it makes its closest approach to Earth, it will be on its way outward from the Sun and growing fainter.
2024 total solar eclipse
There's a total solar eclipse on the way, and it's kind of a big deal. We've been really fortunate to have two total eclipses visible across a wide swath of the U.S. recently, first in 2017, and now on April 8. The next time such an eclipse will cross the States is 21 years from now. If you live in or near the path of totality, or you're traveling there to experience the eclipse, you're in for an incredible experience.
But what if you're not going to be able to experience totality for this eclipse in person? What can you expect, and how can you still enjoy it? Well for starters, NASA has you covered with a live webcast, from multiple locations, as the Moon's shadow moves across the country. So join us for the total eclipse online, whatever your plans.
If you're anywhere in the continental U.S. outside of totality, you'll still experience a partial solar eclipse. The amount of the Sun to be covered by the Moon at maximum eclipse depends on how far you are from the path of totality.
In observing a partial eclipse, you'll still need to use specialized eye protection, such as eclipse glasses, a pinhole projector, or a telescope with a solar filter. One of the easiest methods is something most of us have in our kitchen – a regular colander. These make excellent pinhole cameras that project the eclipse onto the ground.
And barring that, the sun dapples that filter through the tree leaves do something very similar. It's also fun to note the eerie way the sunlight dims during the eclipse, especially in places where the Moon covers 80% or more of the Sun's disk.
NASA has a bunch of eclipse resources to help you get ready for this awe-inspiring celestial event. There's info on safe-viewing, citizen science opportunities, and you'll even find our "eclipse explorer," where you can find eclipse details for your specific zip code.
From wherever you're observing, solar eclipses are remarkable events. So observe safely, and join our live webcast, because it's an event you surely don't want to miss.
Preston Dyches works for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Unseasonably cold conditions and the potential for more snow have led the National Weather Service to extend a winter weather advisory into early Friday morning.
The advisory, originally set to end on Thursday night, was extended overnight to 5 a.m. Friday.
That followed a day of mild snowfall in areas including Boggs Mountain, Cobb and Whispering Pines, and rain across the rest of the county, with rainfall amounts totaling about half an inch.
The forecast calls for snow above 2,000 feet, with additional snow accumulations of between 1 and 2 inches.
There are chances of snow after 11 a.m. on Friday, mixing with rain after 2 p.m. Conditions also are expected to be partly sunny, with wind gusts of more than 20 miles per hour.
Conditions are forecast to clear beginning on Saturday and continuing through Thursday, with daytime temperatures in the high 40s Saturday and Sunday, rising into the high 50s on Monday, and the 60s on Tuesday and Wednesday. By Thursday, daytime conditions are expected to reach the low 70s.
Temperatures dropped into the 30s on Thursday evening and overnight, and are expected to go lower still, into the high 20s, on Friday night.
On Saturday night, nighttime temperatures are again forecast to be in the 30s before rising into the 40s through mid week.
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. — Thousands of pounds of trash and recyclables were collected during the city of Lakeport’s Community Cleanup Day, held Saturday, March 30.
More than 14,000 pounds of unwanted materials were collected at Saturday’s event.
Lakeport Disposal reported a solid turnout of city residents and business owners who were appreciative of the opportunity to dispose of unwanted junk and trash at no cost.
The city of Lakeport and the Lakeport Public Works Department expressed appreciation and thanks to all who participated, and offered a special thanks to Lakeport Disposal Inc. and their staff for coordinating a safe and well-organized event and for collecting tons of trash, recyclables and other solid waste materials.
The Lakeport Community Cleanup Day began in 2017 and is a semi-annual event intended to help keep the community clean and beautiful and to promote recycling opportunities.
Participation is limited to city residents. Since the event began, nearly 20,000 pounds of recyclable materials have been diverted from disposal in Lake County’s landfill.
The event is sponsored by the city of Lakeport and Lakeport Disposal Inc., the city’s contracted waste hauler and service provider.
Look for the next city of Lakeport Community Cleanup Day in the fall.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire and Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas announced an agreement on $17.3 billion in early actions to significantly reduce the existing shortfall and best position California to responsibly address the budget in June.
The package includes solutions that would enable final budget negotiations to focus on closing the gap and protecting core programs, and agrees to aim for using approximately half of the reserves this year.
It contains a mix of $3.6 billion in reductions (primarily to one-time funding), $5.2 billion in revenue and borrowing, $5.2 billion in delays and deferrals, and $3.4 billion in shifts of costs from the general fund to other state funds.
The package will be included in a budget bill that will be going into print in the coming days, and the package will be vetted by the legislative budget committees early next week. A budget bill could be taken up for votes in the Assembly and Senate as soon as Thursday, April 11.
“I thank our legislative leaders for their partnership in taking this major step to address the shortfall with a balanced approach that meets the needs of Californians and maintains a strong fiscal foundation for the state’s future,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom. “We are able to meet this challenge thanks to our responsible fiscal stewardship over the past years, including record budget reserves of close to $38 billion. There is still work to do as we finalize the budget and I look forward to the work ahead together to continue building the California of the future.”
“We are all committed to delivering an on-time balanced budget and this early action agreement is a critical first step to shrink the state’s shortfall. The Senate will be taking budget votes next week to get this deal across the finish line, and I’m grateful to the governor, speaker, and the entire Senate Budget Committee for their partnership,” said Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-North Coast). “Next up: The Senate will be developing our final action budget plan, which we’ll release later this Spring. It will be our road map to tackle the remaining budget deficit and adopting an overall state budget.”
“I’m proud of our Assembly Democratic Caucus for their commitment to a transparent, deliberative budget process. It’s the right way to come at closing such a massive shortfall, along with freezing some undisbursed, one-time spending to preserve more options in June,” said Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas. “We expect the Governor to deliver challenging budget proposals next month to reduce the deficit in the long-term, and we’ll consider them carefully. Together, we can deliver real solutions for hardworking Californians.”
The Early Action agreement includes, by category, the following.
Formula Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program — $1 billion. Preschool, TK and Full-Day Kindergarten Facilities Grant Program — $550 million. Behavioral Health Bridge Housing — $235 million. CA Jobs First — $183.3 million. Vulnerable Community Toxic cleanup — $175 million. Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program — $140.4 million. Diablo Canyon Land Conservation and Economic Development — $110 million. Broadband Last Mile — $100 million. Ports and Freight Infrastructure — $100 million. Clean Energy Reliable Investment Plan — $100 million. Oroville Pump Storage — $90 million. Health and Human Services Innovator — $74 million.
Managed Care Organization Tax — $3.8 billion. AIDS Drug Assistance Program Rebate Fund Loan — $500 million (with commitment to enhance the program in the future). Balance is primarily other special fund loans.
Fund Shifts — $3.4 billion; Significant Issues Include:
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund — $1.8 billion. Retirement Contribution Reductions Using Prop 2 — $1.3 billion. Medi-Cal Drug Rebate Special Fund Reserve — $162.7 million. Employment Training Fund for UI Interest Payment — $100 million.
Finally, the agreement includes budget language authorizing the administration to freeze additional one-time funding that was included in the 2021, 2022 or 2023 Budget Acts.
Aerobic exercise like jogging, biking, swimming or hiking is a fundamental way to maintain cardiovascular and overall health. The intensity of aerobic exercise is important to determine how much time you should spend training in order to reap its benefits.
There is a linear relationship between heart rate and exercise intensity, meaning as the exercise intensity increases, so does heart rate. Heart rate zone training, which uses heart rate as a measure of exercise intensity, has increased in popularity in recent years, partially due to the ubiquity of wearable heart rate technology.
The way exercise intensity is usually described is problematic because one person’s “vigorous” may be another’s “moderate.” Heart rate zone training tries to provide an objective measure of intensity by breaking it down into various zones. But heart rate can also be influenced by temperature, medications and stress levels, which may affect readings during exercise.
Heart rate and exercise intensity
The gold standard for determining aerobic exercise intensity is to measure the amount of oxygen consumed and carbon dioxide exhaled. However, this method is cumbersome because it requires people to wear a breathing mask to capture respiratory gases.
An easier way is to predict the person’s maximum heart rate. This can be done with an equation that subtracts the person’s age from 220. Although there is controversy surrounding the best way to calculate maximum heart rate, researchers suggest this method is still valid.
What happens when you reach your maximum heart rate?
The American College of Sports Medicine outlines five heart rate zones based on a person’s predicted heart rate maximum. Zone 1, or very light intensity, equals less than 57% of maximum heart rate; zone 2, or light intensity, is 57% to 63%; zone 3, or moderate intensity, is 64% to 76%; zone 4, or vigorous intensity, is 77% to 95%; and zone 5, or near-maximal intensity, is 96% to 100%.
However, other organizations have their own measures of exercise intensity, with varying ranges and descriptions. For example, Orange Theory describes their zone 2 training as 61% to 70% of maximum heart rate. Complicating matters even further, companies that produce heart rate monitors also have higher thresholds for each zone. For example, Polar’s zone 2 is up to 70% of maximum heart rate, while the American College of Sports Medicine recommends a zone 2 of up to 63%.
Zone 2 has received a lot of attention from the fitness community because of its possible benefits. Performance coaches describe zone 2 as “light cardio,” where the intensity is low and the body relies mainly on fat to meet energy demands. Fats provide more energy compared to carbohydrates, but deliver it to cells more slowly.
Because fat is more abundant than carbohydrates in the body, the body responds to the cellular stress that exercise causes in muscle cells by increasing the number of mitochondria, or the energy-producing component of cells. By increasing the number of mitochondria, the body may become better at burning fat.
On the other end of the spectrum of exercise intensity is high-intensity interval training, or HIIT. These workouts involve exercising at a high intensity for short durations, like an all-out sprint or cycle for 30 seconds to a minute, followed by a period of low intensity activity. This is repeated six to 10 times.
During this sort of high-intensity activity, the body primarily uses carbohydrates as a fuel source. During high-intensity exercise, the body preferentially uses carbohydrates because the energy demand is high and carbohydrates provide energy twice as fast as fats.
Some people who turn to exercise to lose fat may eschew high-intensity training for zone 2, as it’s considered the “the fat burning zone.” This may be a misnomer.
Researchers have found that high-intensity interval training produces a similar increase in markers for mitochondria production when compared to longer, moderate aerobic training. Studies have also shown that high-intensity exercisers build muscle and improve insulin resistance and cardiovascular health similar to moderate-intensity exercisers, and they made these gains faster. The main trade-off was discomfort during bouts of high-intensity exercise.
Moderate- or high-intensity exercise?
With varying guidelines around heart rate zones and conflicting evidence on the potential benefits of training in each zone, exercisers may be left wondering what to do.
In order to yield the health benefits of exercise, the most important variable to consider is adhering to an exercise routine, regardless of intensity. Because the body adapts in similar ways to moderate- and high-intensity exercise, people can choose which intensity they like best or dislike the least.
Notice that the American College of Sports Medicine’s recommendation for exercise falls under moderate intensity. This is equivalent to zone 3, or 64% to 76% of maximum heart rate, a range you can only meet in the upper levels of most zone 2 workouts. If you’re not seeing desired results with your zone 2 workouts, try increasing your intensity to reach the moderate level.
A commonly reported reason for not exercising is a lack of time. For people short on time, high-intensity training is a good alternative to steady-state cardiovascular exercise. For people who find exercising at such a high intensity uncomfortable, they can get the same benefit by doing moderate-intensity exercise for a longer period.
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — With summer approaching, Lake County residents and visitors know that heat waves are a concern in the area, especially for community elders, children, outdoor workers, people with chronic health conditions, and people living in homes without insulation or air conditioning.
On May 1 and 2, county agencies, Lake County tribes, nonprofit organizations and community advocates are coming together to plan for a severe heat wave in the area.
“Heat is a real problem in Lake County. In 2022, the emergency department visit rate for heat-related illness in Lake County was double the state rate,” said Susan Paulukonis, principal investigator for the Climate Health Adaptation and Resilience Mobilization, or CHARM, Lake County project, a collaboration between the Public Health Institute’s Tracking California program and the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians. “We know that more severe heat waves are coming and want to create county-wide action plans to help keep residents and visitors healthy and cool when they do.”
In response, the CHARM Project and the California Tribal Emergency Response and Relief Agency are organizing a two-day activity that simulates coordination and response during a heat event.
“Tribes, county agencies, nonprofits, and other entities often have their own plans for responding to heat events. This simulation will help us to understand each other’s roles, identify gaps, and better coordinate during future heat waves,” said Sarah Ryan, environmental protection director at Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians.
The event will simulate different heat-related scenarios — such as power interruptions and wildfires — that could impact in-home temperature, demand on services, and human health.
The aim will be to determine how to better plan for these events and mitigate impacts on the community. Findings from this exercise will help inform an action plan for the county for severe heat events.
“The county of Lake has made climate resiliency and adaptation matters of strong priority,” said Terre Logsdon, Lake County’s chief climate resiliency officer and tribal liaison. “In collaboration with our Office of Emergency Services, we've revisited our planning documents for severe heat and cold events. We're also updating our general and area plans, and we're creating the county's first climate adaptation plan. Each of these efforts, including this simulation, will further support identification of specific local needs, and plans to address them.”
Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California will host the event at Twin Pine Casino and Hotel.
The event is invitation-only; agencies or other stakeholders who are interested in attending or learning more may contact Susan Paulukonis at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
LUCERNE, Calif. — The Northshore Fire Fund will host its third annual Northshore Ready Fest on Saturday, April 27.
It will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lucerne Elementary School, 3351 Country Club Drive.
The community preparedness event will include booths for organizations that help community members to be better prepared and informed about emergency situations, information on evacuation readiness and best practices, as well as preventative efforts such as chipping programs, firewise community involvement, defensible space and home hardening.
Community members will have the opportunity to meet Northshore Fire personnel and volunteers.
There also will be a jump house for kids and a free barbecue while supplies last.
The Northshore Fire Fund was formed to support the Northshore Fire District and works to raise the level of prevention and emergency preparedness in the Northshore communities.
Visit the Northshore Fire Fund’s website for more information.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta joined 17 attorneys general in submitting a comment letter supporting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s proposed overdraft fee rule, amending Truth in Lending Act, or TILA, regulations.
The proposed rule would require large banks to apply consumer protections, including interest rate disclosures, to overdraft fees. In doing so, the proposed rule would close a regulatory loophole that enables banks to extract billions of dollars from consumers by charging overdraft fees without adequately disclosing basic credit terms.
“Overdraft fees are a relic and should be left in the past. These fees harm low-income Californians the most, while lining the pockets of large financial institutions,” said Bonta. “The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's proposed rule would protect consumers' pocketbooks and create more transparency about how overdraft fees are handled in the places where they bank. By closing this archaic loophole, we work toward a California where consumers are treated more equitably and fairly by financial institutions.”
TILA was enacted in 1968 when many families used the mail to send and receive checks and had little certainty about when their deposits and withdrawals would clear. When a bank clears a check and the consumer doesn’t have funds in the account, the bank charges an overdraft fee and in doing so is issuing a loan to cover the difference.
The Federal Reserve Board created an exemption to TILA protections if the bank was honoring a check when their depositor inadvertently overdrew their account. At the time, this was used infrequently and resulted in a small cost for consumers. It was not a major profit driver.
This exception no longer serves its original purpose given the automation of overdraft pay, prevalence of debit card transactions as an alternative to checks, and drastically increased amount of overdraft fees.
Approximately 23 million households pay overdraft fees in any given year. Banks usually charge $35 for an overdraft, most of which are repaid within three days — representing an annual percentage rate, or APR, of approximately 17,000%.
An APR is the yearly rate charged for a loan or earned by an investment and includes interest and fees. Typically, personal loan APRs are from 6% to 36%. In 2022, consumers paid over $7.7 billion in overdraft and non sufficient fund fees.
In the letter, the attorneys general endorse the proposed rule and request that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau set the benchmark overdraft fee at $3, which would not trigger TILA disclosures and reduce overdraft fees for consumers.
The attorneys general also urge the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to consider expanding the proposed rule to small financial institutions given that many are among the most frequent chargers of costly overdraft fees.
In submitting the letter, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington and the District of Columbia.
Have you ever wondered how an email sent from New York arrives in Sydney in mere seconds, or how you can video chat with someone on the other side of the globe with barely a hint of delay? Behind these everyday miracles lies an unseen, sprawling web of undersea cables, quietly powering the instant global communications that people have come to rely on.
Undersea cables, also known as submarine communications cables, are fiber-optic cables laid on the ocean floor and used to transmit data between continents. These cables are the backbone of the global internet, carrying the bulk of international communications, including email, webpages and video calls. More than 95% of all the data that moves around the world goes through these undersea cables.
These cables are capable of transmitting multiple terabits of data per second, offering the fastest and most reliable method of data transfer available today. A terabit per second is fast enough to transmit about a dozen two-hour, 4K HD movies in an instant. Just one of these cables can handle millions of people watching videos or sending messages simultaneously without slowing down.
About 485 undersea cables totaling over 900,000 miles sit on the the ocean floor. These cables span the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as strategic passages such as the Suez Canal and isolated areas within oceans.
Each undersea cable contains multiple optical fibers, thin strands of glass or plastic that use light signals to carry vast amounts of data over long distances with minimal loss. The fibers are bundled and encased in protective layers designed to withstand the harsh undersea environment, including pressure, wear and potential damage from fishing activities or ship anchors. The cables are typically as wide as a garden hose.
The process of laying undersea cables starts with thorough seabed surveys to chart a map in order to avoid natural hazards and minimize environmental impact. Following this step, cable-laying ships equipped with giant spools of fiber-optic cable navigate the predetermined route.
As the ship moves, the cable is unspooled and carefully laid on the ocean floor. The cable is sometimes buried in seabed sediments in shallow waters for protection against fishing activities, anchors and natural events. In deeper areas, the cables are laid directly on the seabed.
Along the route, repeaters are installed at intervals to amplify the optical signal and ensure data can travel long distances without degradation. This entire process can take months or even years, depending on the length and complexity of the cable route.
How undersea cables are installed.
Threats to undersea cables
Each year, an estimated 100 to 150 undersea cables are cut, primarily accidentally by fishing equipment or anchors. However, the potential for sabotage, particularly by nation-states, is a growing concern. These cables, crucial for global connectivity and owned by consortia of internet and telecom companies, often lie in isolated but publicly known locations, making them easy targets for hostile actions.
The vulnerability was highlighted by unexplained failures in multiple cables off the coast of West Africa on March 14, 2024, which led to significant internet disruptions affecting at least 10 nations. Several cable failures in the Baltic Sea in 2023 raised suspicions of sabotage.
The strategic Red Sea corridor has emerged as a focal point for undersea cable threats. A notable incident involved the attack on the cargo ship Rubymar by Houthi rebels. The subsequent damage to undersea cables from the ship’s anchor not only disrupted a significant portion of internet traffic between Asia and Europe but also highlighted the complex interplay between geopolitical conflicts and the security of global internet infrastructure.
Protecting the cables
Undersea cables are protected in several ways, starting with strategic route planning to avoid known hazards and areas of geopolitical tension. The cables are constructed with sturdy materials, including steel armor, to withstand harsh ocean conditions and accidental impacts.
Beyond these measures, experts have proposed establishing “cable protection zones” to limit high-risk activities near cables. Some have suggested amending international laws around cables to deter foreign sabotage and developing treaties that would make such interference illegal.
The recent Red Sea incident shows that help for these connectivity challenges might lie above rather than below. After cables were compromised in the region, satellite operators used their networks to reroute internet traffic. Undersea cables are likely to continue carrying the vast majority of the world’s internet traffic for the foreseeable future, but a blended approach that uses both undersea cables and satellites could provide a measure of protection against cable cuts.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Registrar of Voters has finished the count for the March 5 Presidential Primary Election, and the results show the District 4 supervisorial race has been won outright by Lakeport’s police chief, there is a new leader in the race for District 1 supervisor and a school bond failed by only 10 votes.
The elections office reported on Tuesday that it had completed the work within the 28-day canvass to finalize and certify the election results.
The certified results will be presented to the Board of Supervisors for acceptance at its April 9 meeting.
The final results show that Brad Rasmussen held onto his lead over three other candidates to clinch the District 4 supervisorial seat.
Rasmussen, who is retiring later this year from his job as Lakeport’s police chief, received 2,007 votes, or 58.72%. He needed at least 50% plus one.
Next in the tally was Laura McAndrews Sammel, the CEO of the Lake County Chamber, with 709 votes, or 20.74%, followed by Scott Barnett with 545 votes, or 15.94%, and Chris Read with 157 votes, or 4.59%.
In the District 1 race, the results flipped from the initial count reported on election night and the two top vote-getters will race to November.
John Hess, the District 1 planning commissioner, held a two-vote lead over rancher Helen Owen in a five-candidate field in the primary tally.
However, with the final count in, Owen has taken the lead. She received 1,185 votes, or 39.06%, followed by Hess, with 1,006 votes or 33.16%.
The rest of the field included Sean Millerick, 508 votes or 16.74%; Bryan Pritchard, 275 votes or 9.06%; and Bren Boyd, 60 votes, or 1.98%.
In the race for the District 5 seat, incumbent Supervisor Jessica Pyska won her second term over challenger Daniel “Boone” Bridges, receiving 2,160 votes, or 56.96% of the vote, compared to Bridges’ 1,632 votes, or 43.04%.
Also on the ballot was the Lake County Superior Court Department 4 judicial seat. Incumbent Judge Shanda Harry won by an overwhelming margin, receiving 10,003 votes, or 75.92% of the votes. Her challenger, attorney Anna Gregorian, received 3,172 votes, or 24.08%.
Luke Bingham, running unopposed, won the seat for Lake County sheriff, receiving 11,431 votes.
In other election news, voters turned down the Kelseyville Unified School District’s Measure Q bond, which intended to issue $35.5 million in bonds.
The measure needed only a simple majority to win, and on election night the “no” votes led by six ballots.
In the final tally, the no votes totaled 1,758, or 50.14%, with the yes votes totaling 1,748, or 49.86%.
Overall voter turnout for the primary election was 42.74%, with 15,626 of 36,561 registered voters casting a ballot, the elections office reported.
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.
Community members also can participate via Zoom. The webinar ID is 865 9013 6162, the pass code is 146270. One tap mobile is available at +16694449171,,86590136162#, or join by phone at 669-444-9171 or 253-205-0468.
On Thursday, the council will present a proclamation declaring April 2024 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and a proclamation declaring April 14 to 20 as Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
The council also will offer certificates of appreciation for the Bunny Brunch and receive the Recreation and Events Department’s quarterly report.
Under business, the council will consider the second reading of Ordinance No. 269-2024 updating Clearlake Municipal Code Section 3-5 and possible further discussion of fire mitigation fees.
The council also will discuss the Lake County Sanitation District's Southeast Regional Wastewater System and operations within the city of Clearlake.
City Manager Alan Flora’s report to the council explains that, “when the City of Clearlake was incorporated in 1980, most of the existing infrastructure was already in place as the areas of Clearlake Highlands and Clearlake Park had developed as unincorporated areas of the county. The City is in a somewhat unusual situation as a municipality that controls no utilities. This makes coordination of the City’s land use authority and orderly development difficult. This has been a significant concern with the three separate water districts for some time and more recently with the sewer service in the City, provided through the Southeast Regional Treatment System, operated by Lake County Special Districts.”
He said there are ways the city can work more directly with Lake County Special Districts related to sewer service within its jurisdiction. “One direct way is being involved with the governance of Special Districts, and specifically the Lake County Sanitation District, which is the legal entity that provides sewer collection and treatment services to the Clearlake area and other areas throughout the county.”
He said the council delegated authority to the sanitation district’s board in 1983. Flora is asking for a discussion on possible actions, including requesting the city be involved in governance or considering another method of being involved.
On the meeting's consent agenda — items that are considered routine in nature and usually adopted on a single vote — are warrants; minutes; the continuation of the director of emergency services/city manager’s proclamation declaring a local emergency for winter storms; and authorization for the city manager to sign a consulting engagement letter for accounting support services with Eide Bailly.
The council also will hold a closed session for conference with legal counsel to discuss a case of anticipated litigation and to hold an evaluation of the city manager.
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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