CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The University of California Master Gardener Program of Lake County is hosting a summer fruit tree pruning workshop in Clearlake on Tuesday, July 19, from 9 a.m. to noon.
There is a materials fee of $5.
For the location and to RSVP, call the Lake County Agricultural Center at 707-263-6838, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the office at 883 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport.
We hope that you will visit, from time to time, our archived columns at www.americanlifeinpoetry.org , where you may find other poems by the poets we feature.
Today's is the third we've published by Sharon Chmielarz. a Minnesota poet with several fine books in print, including “The Widow's House,” just released by Brighthorse books.
Fisher's Club
A roadside inn. Lakeside dive. Spiffed up. End of a summer day. And I suppose I should be smiling beneficently at the families playing near the shore, their plastic balls and splashes and chatter.
But my eye pivots left to a couple; he is carrying her into the water. He's strong enough, and she is light enough to be carried. I see how she holds her own, hugging his neck, his chest steady as his arms.
I have never seen such a careful dunk, half-dunk, as he gives her. That beautiful play he makes lifting her from the water.
And I suppose I should be admiring the sunset, all purple and orange and rose now. Nice porch here, too. Yeah, great view.
But I have never seen such a loving carrying as he gives her. Imagine
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Fair is putting out the call for entries in thousands of competitions for the September event.
Just about anything you can make or grow at home is eligible for entry into competition at the annual Lake County Fair.
There are contests for the digital age artist, writers and singers, too. Want to see your art in the fair? How about entering in the new Fair Theme Poster Contest? With more than 3,000 competitions, there is something for everyone.
If computers are a challenge, fair staff are happy to help you with your online entry at the Lake County Fair’s office at 401 Martin St.
They have designated computers that are open to the public for online entries during regular business hours until Friday, Aug. 5.
Internet access also can be found in a number of other public places, including libraries and at Umpqua Bank branches.
The 2016 Contest Handbook also is online at www.lakecountyfair.com and available in a variety of locations around Lake County, including the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, the 4-H Office, Kelseyville Pharmacy, Lakeshore Feed, Barreda’s Lower Lake Feed Store, all Hardester's Markets, Pet Acres, and the Redwood Empire Fair.
A complete list can be found on the fair’s Web site. Entry deadline is Friday, Aug. 5, by 6 p.m.
The Lake County Fair Board has chosen “Party with the Animals at the Lake County Fair” for the theme of the 2016 Fair.
The Lake County Fair traditionally occurs over Labor Day weekend each year at the fairgrounds in Lakeport.
The 2016 fair dates are Sept. 1 to 4.
The fair is one of Lake County’s favorite summertime events enjoyed by more than 37,000 people each year.
For more information, please call the fair office at 707-263-6181, or visit the fair’s Facebook page.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Johnna Schrader, 73, of Lakeport died, surrounded by her family, on Saturday, June 18, 2016, at Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa.
She was born Sept. 24, 1942, in Wheatland, Wyo., to John and Dorothe Chiamulon.
She is survived by her children, Jacki Monpas and Jeri Pauli, both of Casper, Wyo., Wendy Porter of Columbia, South Carolina, and Bob Schrader (Pam) of Avondale, Ariz.; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; two sisters, Cheryl Brown (Gary) of Cheyenne, Wyo., and Janis Chiamulon (Diane) of Kelseyville, Calif.
She was preceded in death by her son, Robert, and her parents.
A celebration of life will be held at the Lakeport Lagoon Clubhouse on Saturday, July 9, at 2 p.m.
Signed by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. last October, a new law banning the sale of nearly all ivory in the state of California is effective as of July 1, 2016.
The ban, which can be found in California Fish and Game Code, section 2022, encompasses teeth and tusks of elephant, hippopotamus, mammoth, mastodon, walrus, warthog, whale and narwhal, as well as rhinoceros horn, regardless of whether it is raw, worked or powdered, or from a store or a private collection.
Under the law, advertising the sale of any items containing ivory is also strictly prohibited.
"The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) continues its active role with our federal partners to end wildlife trafficking, which poses a critical threat to conservation throughout the world," said David Bess, Chief of CDFW's Law Enforcement Division. "This law provides another tool to aid in this effort."
Under the new law, raw ivory and most crafted items that include ivory may no longer be purchased, sold or possessed with the intent to sell, with limited exceptions, including the following:
– Ivory or rhino horn that is part of a bona fide antique (with historical documentation showing the antique is at least 100 years old) provided the item is less than 5 percent ivory or rhino horn by volume; – Ivory or rhino horn that is part of a musical instrument (with documentation of pre-1975 construction) provided the instrument contains less than 20 percent ivory or rhino horn by volume; and – Activities expressly authorized by federal law, or federal exemptions or permits.
California has a long history in the legal and illegal trafficking market of ivory within the United States.
Although the sale of ivory and elephant parts has been illegal in California since 1977 (and nationwide since 1990), the new law closed a loophole that allowed the continued sale of ivory that was imported into the state before 1977.
The sale of ivory, rhino horn or products that contain ivory will be a misdemeanor, punishable by fines up to $50,000 and one year of incarceration.
MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – Mendocino National Forest offices will be closed in observance of the Independence Day holiday on Monday, July 4.
Offices will resume regular business hours at 8 a.m. Tuesday, July 5.
For your safety, please plan ahead and be properly prepared for your trip to the Mendocino National Forest. Be aware that weather may change very quickly and plan accordingly. Tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return.
Remember that cell phones are unreliable in many parts of the forest. Carry emergency equipment in your vehicle. In the event of an emergency, please call 911.
“We invite you to get outdoors and enjoy all the Mendocino has to offer. While visiting the forest, we need your help to prevent wildfires; please be responsible and have a safe and enjoyable trip on the forest,” said Mendocino Forest Supervisor Ann Carlson.
With hot and dry conditions continuing, visitors are asked to be careful with fire on the Mendocino National Forest including campfires, gas stoves and lanterns. All fireworks, including sparklers, are prohibited on public lands. Remember, “One Less Spark – One Less Wildfire”.
While visiting the forest remember to always practice fire safety and follow these guidelines:
· Have a responsible person in attendance at all times.
· Clear all flammable material away from the fire for a minimum of five feet in all directions.
· Make a fire only if you have a shovel and sufficient water to put it out.
· Never leave your campfire unattended.
· To make sure your campfire is out, drown with water and stir with dirt, making sure all burned materials are extinguished. Feel with your hand to make sure it’s out cold.
· Every campfire will be put DEAD OUT before leaving it.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Tulane University awarded degrees to nearly 3,000 graduates on May 14 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
Priscilla Boyd of Lakeport, Calif., graduated from the Tulane Law School with a Juris Doctor degree.
The ceremony's keynote speaker was Hoda Kotb, co-host of NBC’s “Today” show who also received a Tulane President’s Medal.
Honorary degrees were given to renowned artist Lynda Benglis and Christopher Paola, a world leader in the study of earth surface processes, particularly in river and delta regions.
Boyd and fellow class members were honored at the ceremony, which included all the pomp and circumstance of a traditional commencement but with a New Orleans twist, including herald trumpets, and a second-line jazz procession.
Music was provided by Dr. Michael White’s Original Liberty Jazz Band, jazz singer Topsy Chapman and Tulane a capella group Green Envy.
Tulane University is one of the nation’s leading educational and research institutions. Founded in 1834 in New Orleans, Tulane has 10 schools and colleges offering degrees in architecture, business, law, liberal arts, medicine, public health and tropical medicine, the sciences and engineering, and social work.
Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a 2016-17 state budget that provides $10 million to help launch a statewide earthquake early-warning system.
Although California passed a mandate in 2013 to create a statewide earthquake warning system, this is the first money appropriated by the state to make it a reality.
The federal government has already provided $13.2 million to improve and test a prototype West Coast early-warning system, but this is much less than the $38 million in buildout costs and $16 million per year in operating costs needed to establish a fully functioning system serving California, Oregon and Washington.
"This is a key step toward the goal of a public earthquake early-warning system for the entire state," said Richard Allen, director of the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory at UC Berkeley and one of the lead researchers on the project. "This funding will enable us to add more sensors to the seismic networks, making the warnings faster and enabling the system to reach more users."
“This is an excellent beginning,” said state Sen. Jerry Hill, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, who introduced funding legislation for the warning system earlier this year with Assemblyman Adam Gray, Merced, and state Sen. Robert Hertzberg, Van Nuys. “While we still have work to do to secure public-private partnership money to complete the build-out, this $10 million is a big boost.”
The $10 million is seed money from the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. The funds will enable scientists and emergency preparedness experts from UC Berkeley, the U.S. Geological Survey and the California Institute of Technology to expand an early-warning prototype called ShakeAlert, which would provide advance warning of seconds to a minute before ground-shaking from a nearby earthquake.
The funds will also be used for education, research, sustainable financing and other important project components.
Several pilot projects have been established around the state to beta-test ShakeAlert and the viability of the warning system, but ShakeAlert’s reach is limited by system distribution, strength and capabilities.
Including station additions in the past year, ShakeAlert has just 538 sensors around the state and is available only to partners in the prototype project, such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit system.
In contrast, the statewide earthquake early-warning system would need several thousand sensors throughout California to reliably notify the public.
“While the ShakeAlert project partners have been able to add some additional stations, this funding will enhance the buildout of the seismic networks to provide the best possible warnings for Californians,” said Allen, a professor of earth and planetary science.
Hill, Hertzberg and Gray took on the bipartisan effort after being approached by Allen and his team through UC Berkeley’s Office of Government and Community Relations, whose staff also briefed the governor’s staff about the need for a system to protect lives and property throughout the state.
The original mandate, SB 135, was authored by then-state Sen. Alex Padilla and signed into law in 2013.
Padilla’s intent was that the system would be funded by public-private partnerships, but it became apparent that public funding would be needed to supplement any such partnerships. Cal OES has since worked with partner organizations from the California Integrated Seismic Network, the private sector, utilities, the Legislature and all levels of government to implement the system.
California is second only to Alaska when it comes to earthquake activity in the country, according to the USGS. About $3.5 billion, or 66 percent, of the monetary losses suffered from earthquakes in the U.S. each year occur in California, the Federal Emergency Management Agency says.
Seismologists agree that California is due for another “Big One.” The Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast in 2015 said there is a 99.7 percent likelihood that an earthquake with a magnitude 6.7 or greater will occur in California in the next 30 years – and a 93 percent chance that an earthquake with a 7.0 magnitude or greater will occur.
“Funding programs that keep our constituents safer should be a top priority for the Legislature and the administration,” said Gray. “The earthquake early-warning system will protect property, mitigate systemic damage and above all save lives in the event of an earthquake. The $10 million that we worked so hard to get approved in the budget will certainly provide a much-needed kick-start to the program, but there is still plenty of work to be done.”
“We know it is coming -- it’s just a matter of time – and the sooner we get the early-warning system up and running, the better,” said U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, who represents Pasadena and Caltech and has led funding efforts for the warning system and earthquake preparedness at the federal level. “I hope today’s investment by California will encourage Oregon and Washington state to join the effort so we can build out the system along the entire West Coast.”
U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) introduced the Earthquake Mitigation Tax Incentive Act (H.R. 5610) with Rep. Paul Cook (R-CA), bipartisan legislation to exclude earthquake mitigation incentives from being taxed at the federal level.
California has already made these incentives tax free at the state level.
The California Earthquake Authority (CEA) and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services established the California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP) to help Californians strengthen their homes against damage from earthquakes.
As the first program developed by CRMP, the Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) Program provides grants of up to $3,000 to help homeowners pay for code-compliant retrofits, which cost an average of about $5,000.
A residential seismic retrofit strengthens an existing house, making it more resistant to earthquake activity by bolting the house to its foundation and adding bracing around the perimeter of the crawl space. In order to maximize the value of the incentive, H.R. 5610 would make the incentive tax free at the federal level.
“After the South-Napa earthquake damaged more than 1,500 homes in 2014, we need to do everything possible to ensure that our homes are better prepared to withstand the next earthquake,” said Rep. Thompson. “By ensuring that homeowners can take advantage of seismic retrofits without being taxed, this bipartisan legislation will help encourage more homeowners to take preventive measures to strengthen their homes against earthquake damage.”
“This bill will bring federal tax law into sync with California law to encourage residents in earthquake-prone regions to take preventative measures to safeguard their homes,” said Rep. Paul Cook. “Current federal law penalizes Californians with taxes, which leaves families and structures less safe. We have to change this, and these tax incentives are a step in the right direction.”
“We’ve designed this incentive program to help Californians make their homes safer,” said Glenn Pomeroy, CEO of the California Earthquake Authority. “That’s why this legislation is so important, because people who do the right thing by taking advantage of this program shouldn’t be penalized with a tax. California fixed the problem at the state level, and now it’s time for the federal government to do the same.”
On Aug. 24, 2014, a magnitude-6.0 earthquake struck the Napa, Solano and Sonoma County area at approximately 3:20 a.m.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the epicenter was three miles from American Canyon, six miles from Napa, and eight miles from Sonoma.
The earthquake was the largest to hit the Bay Area in 25 years. It earthquake damaged more than 1,500 homes and caused an estimated $362 million in damage to private homes and commercial properties, according to Napa County and the city of Napa.
Following the earthquake, Rep. Thompson helped secure Presidential approval of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Individual Assistance (IA) disaster funds and Public Assistance (PA) disaster funds as well as Small Business Administration (SBA) loans.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and chairs the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Since 1997, Sutter Lakeside Hospital’s Family Birth Center has welcomed an average of 300 babies per year into the world.
For Laura Beckley-Boone, RN, the opportunity to deliver babies fulfills a lifelong dream.
“When a mama is in labor and it’s time for her to push, and the doctor is there with everything ready to go, waiting for the last few pushes feels like Christmas morning,” said Beckley-Boone.
An ideal delivery involves a laboring mother getting settled, comfortable and briefly hooked up to the monitors that track contractions and heart rate patterns, according to Beckley-Boone. The care team looks for normalcy to ensure the safety of both mother and baby.
“Women’s bodies are amazing. If a mother doesn’t feel comfortable or safe, she won’t deliver,” said Beckley-Boone. “I have a fairly midwife-y style. If everything is normal, minimal monitoring is OK. I serve as a voice for the women who want to labor standing up or in the bathtub, or who don’t want pain medication. We advocate to let our patients labor the way they want to.”
While an OB/GYN usually “catches” the baby, occasionally the deliver happens so quickly that Beckley-Boone has had the honor.
“I have a jar that I keep with all the names of the babies I’ve delivered myself,” she said. “Every time I add a name, I dump it out and go through all of the names before putting them back. Each one taught me a lesson; I love living in a small town because I’ll run into families at the grocery store whose child I helped deliver.”
Beckley-Boone also channels her passion into teaching birthing classes for child birth preparation classes at SLH. Mothers usually attend the weekly four-part series of classes during the last trimester.
“Most participants want more knowledge about what they’re getting into,” said Beckley-Boone. “I cover everything from the physiology of changes during pregnancy to who to invite during birth. Talking about birth and making a plan allays the fear that we will do something the patient hasn’t approved of beforehand. We also talk about ways to manage pain, breastfeeding, and what to expect immediately afterwards.”
While childbirth is painful, Beckley-Boone offers the same advice to every patient she counsels.
“I heard a wise little boy talking to his step-mother as she was getting ready to have her first baby. He said ‘You just gotta let it hurt,’” said Beckley-Boone. “That’s what I tell my patients. The mothers who struggle the most are the ones who are the most afraid, because stress hormones impact pain and can inhibit the hormones responsible for controlling labor. I’ve had patients tell me they feel less pain when I’m able to stay in the room with them versus when they’re alone. Fear links directly with pain and can definitely slow a labor’s progress.”
While the job can sometimes present challenges, Beckley-Boone wouldn’t want to do anything else.
“Every day that I work, I’m reminded why I do what I do. It feels like I am where I belong and I am so grateful.”
The Family Birth Center at Sutter Lakeside Hospital recognizes and honors the uniqueness of every birth and supports each family in creating an environment that best meets their personal, physical, emotional and technological needs.
Family-centered care is provided by a team of highly experienced and compassionate nurses. Each shift an individual nurse is assigned to each family unit, which reduces the institutional need to separate mothers’/families from their babies at this critical bonding time in life.
Accommodations include private and spacious labor and delivery rooms, in-room sleeping accommodations for family members, private bathrooms with shower or shower-tub accommodations, and “At Your Request” room dining service that provides patients the freedom to choose meal options from an in-room menu at his or her preferred meal times.
Call the Family Birth Center at 707-262-5085 for more information or to schedule a private tour.
Morgen Wells is Community Relations & Fund Development coordinator at Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Habitat for Humanity Lake County has once again been awarded grant funds from the Home Depot Veterans’ Repair program and is now accepting applications from local veterans.
This is the fourth year in a row that this opportunity is available to Lake County veterans thanks to the Home Depot grants.
In that time, Habitat for Humanity Lake County has received more than $500,000 from Home Depot for assisting veterans,.
Some of the kinds of repairs Habitat for Humanity carries out include new roofs, wheelchair ramps, bathroom upgrades, and replacement of heating and cooling systems.
The organization previously estimated that each project averages about $15,000.
If you are a low-income military veteran who has owned your home for at least five years, or if you are permanently reside in a home owned by other family members, you are encouraged to apply.
Funds are limited, so interested individuals are asked to submit applications and all accompanying paperwork as quickly as possible.
Applications can be found online at www.lakehabitat.org , at the organization's office at 16285 A Main St. in Lower Lake, or call the office at 707-994-1100 and provide your name and mailing address so that an application may be sent to you.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Lake County Zoning Administrator will consider approving Minor Use Permit (MUP 16-17) of DAVID SHOPE in accordance with Lake County Code to construct an approximately 2,016 square foot accessory structure on a developed parcel at 21435 Dry Creek Cutoff Rd, Middletown, CA and further described as APN 014-002-47.
Questions may be directed to Joshua Dorris, (707) 263-2221 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
The Zoning Administrator will approve this Minor Use Permit with no public hearing if no written request for a public hearing is submitted by 5:00 P.M., July 6, 2016 to the Community Development Department, Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport, California.
Should a timely request for hearing be filed, a public hearing will be held on July 13, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. in Conference Room C, 3rd Floor of the Courthouse.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT Director Robert Massarelli
By: ______________________________________ Danae Bowen, Office Assistant III
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