CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On Saturday Clearlake hosted an annual Independence Day celebration full of fun, color, classic cars, racing worms and topped off with a nighttime fireworks show that was hailed as spectacular.
The day's highlights included the annual Redbud Parade with a Star Wars theme, the International Worm Races, the 17th annual Show & Shine Car Show, a street fair and was capped off with the fireworks show that night.
Below are photos of some of the day's festivities by photographer Kurt Jensen.
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.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – This is the time of the year when rattlesnakes in the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument region are very active.
So, if you’re walking or hiking in the region keep an ear and an eye out for them.
There are several different species of rattlesnakes in California but the most common one in our region is the Northern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus oreganus).
Rattlesnakes are a kind of venomous pit viper. The two small pits on the face detect thermal radiation and act something like a pinhole camera, working in conjunction with the snake’s eyes to provide it with a kind of “thermal map” of its surroundings.
Although snakes can see easily in daylight, their pits also help them to see in darkness, detecting temperature variations of 32 degrees Fahrenheit or less and allowing them to see the heat signature of any nearby prey.
Rattlesnakes also have an excellent sense of smell. Their noses and their Jacobsen organs (located in the roof of the mouth and accessed when the snake flicks its tongue) work together to detect and identify scents.
Hearing is another issue, though. As they don’t have any external “ears,” rattlesnakes are effectively deaf and depend on vibrations in the ground to let them know if there is anything – like a human – coming at them that they cannot yet see or smell.
When alerted to intruders, the rattlesnakes will often shake their rattles as a warning that they are nearby.
The rattles are made up of a series of interlocking, hollow “buttons” at the end of the tail. Special muscles in the tail can shake the rattle up to 50 time per second.
And by the way, no, you can’t tell the snake’s age by the number of buttons on the rattle. New segments are added to the rattle each time the snake sheds its skin (which can be several times a year if it’s able to eat a lot). Other segments can be lost or damaged as the rattlesnake ages, travels over rough terrain or encounters other animal combatants.
Rattlesnakes won’t always shake their rattles either, so don’t be fooled into thinking there aren’t any around you simply because you can’t hear them.
Be vigilant when on the trail. Don’t step or put your hands into areas where you cannot see (such as long grass, rock tumbles, or dense thickets), and step up on top of logs and rocks and pause for a moment to look over them before you step over them… there might be a rattlesnake tucked in on the other side that you’ll miss if you’re not careful.
Check around stumps and logs before sitting down to rest and never grab at what looks like a “stick” in the water. Rattlesnakes are excellent swimmers, and you don’t want that “stick” to bite you.
All rattlesnakes are born with fully functioning fangs, and in fact they have three pairs of back-up fangs in their heads at any one time.
The old fangs are shed and replaced about every six weeks. When the rattlesnake bites, special muscles on the sides of its venom glands squeeze the venom out into the fangs.
Some people believe that younger snakes are unable to control their venom, and are therefore more dangerous than adults, but that’s not the case.
All rattlers, regardless of age, can regulate their venom discharge, and adults have larger venom glands than juveniles, so papa can pump out a lot more venom than junior can.
The venom is a cocktail of enzymes, lipids, amino acids and other compounds, and is designed to bring their prey down, immobilize it, and start digesting it before it ever gets to the snake’s stomach.
One tiny fun fact about the venom: adult California ground squirrels have a natural immunity to it, and scientists have recently discovered that the snake’s venom is evolving to try to overcome that immunity.
As you go hiking and walking through the region just keep in mind that these guys are out there. And remember, too, that rattlesnakes very seldom bite unless they are provoked, so if you see or hear one, just give it a wide berth – 5 to 6 feet is a good distance – so it has somewhere to retreat to and it will mostly likely leave you alone.
And if you come across a recently deceased rattlesnake remember that the “bite reflex” may still be operational, so don’t pick up or handle dead rattlers.
Tuleyome is a501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization based in Woodland, CA. For more information, visit www.tuleyome.org . Mary K. Hanson is a Certified California Naturalist and author of the “Cool Stuff Along the American River” series of nature guides available at www.lulu.com .
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
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – A vehicle crash into a power pole on Sunday afternoon resulted in an extended closure of a portion of Soda Bay Road.
The crash occurred shortly before 4:30 p.m. on Soda Bay Road at Riviera Heights, according to the California Highway Patrol.
According to reports from the scene, there were three people with minor injuries, although the CHP later reported the crash was noninjury.
A brief power outage was reported in the area as a result of the crash, which caused power lines to fall across the roadway, according to the CHP.
The CHP reported that county roads personnel were called out early in the evening to help with the road closure.
Both AT&T and Pacific Gas and Electric responded to the scene to make repairs, the CHP said.
With multiple lines still down on Sunday evening, the CHP said Soda Bay Road may be closed through the night due to the ongoing repairs.
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. – 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.
Despite the well-known dangers of distracted driving, the number of California drivers who use mobile devices while they drive is on the rise.
In a study conducted by the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) in April 2016, at least 12.8 percent of California drivers were observed using a mobile device during the day, up from 9.2 percent in 2015 and eclipsing the previous high of 10.8 percent in 2013.
Due to the difficulty of observing mobile device use in a vehicle, these figures are considered minimums, with actual usage likely several points higher.
“These latest numbers are discouraging, but not totally unexpected,” said OTS Director Rhonda Craft. “The number of smartphones in the United States has gone from zero, 10 years ago, to over 200 million today. They have become so much a part of our lives that we can’t put them down, even when we know the danger.”
California and many other states observed National Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) and hundreds of other law enforcement agencies conducted educational and enforcement efforts.
The CHP alone organized more than 300 educational presentations and issued 13,496 citations for distracted driving violations. The OTS conducted a social media campaign urging drivers to Silence the Distraction.
“Distraction occurs any time drivers take their eyes off the road, their hands off the wheel, and their minds off their primary task of driving safely,” CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow said. “Any non-driving activity is a potential distraction and increases the risk of a collision.”
Data from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System shows that in 2013, 22,306 people were involved in collisions in which distracted driving was a factor. The number of distracted driving victims in California increased slightly in 2014, to 22,652.
From 2013 to 2015, the number of drivers killed or injured in collisions in which distracted driving was a factor increased every year, from 10,162 in 2013, to 10,548 in 2014, and to 11,090 in 2015.
Despite these number, drivers seem less concerned about the dangers of distracted driving. The OTS study found that the observed usage rates appear to confirm previous studies, which show more drivers admit to using mobile devices “sometimes” or “regularly.”
Fewer drivers believe that talking or texting on a cell phone is a major safety problem. Meanwhile, the percentage of those who say they have been hit or nearly hit by a driver using a cell phone remains steady at nearly 60 percent.
Other significant findings in the observational survey:
· Though nearly all types of usage were up, typing and posting increased by more than one third.
· The highest observed electronic device use and the fastest increase in usage is in urban areas, at 9.4 percent.
· Electronic device use during rush hours increased by 71 percent in 2016.
· The percentage of 16-24 year-olds talking on hand-held cell phones increased from less than 1 percent every year since 2012 to more than 2 percent in 2016.
· Southern California drivers hold the phone to their ear at a rate double (3.8 percent) or more that of Central California drivers (1.9 percent) and Northern California drivers (1.4 percent).
“The study results are disturbing,” Commissioner Farrow said. “Every time someone drives distracted, they are putting themselves, their passengers and everyone on or near the roadway at risk.”
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.”