NORTH COAST, Calif. — Authorities said they have arrested a Ukiah man for the murder of a Laytonville man last week.
Christopher Franklin Hill, 20, was arrested earlier this week for killing Aaron Joseph Vossler, 18, according to a report from Lt. Andrew Porter of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.
Porter said that on Thursday Mendocino County Sheriff's deputies assigned to the North Sector were dispatched to contact a resident of Laytonville regarding a missing person's report.
The reporting person reported Vossler had been traveling with a friend known only by a nickname. The pair left Laytonville on Sept. 26 in a black Toyota Prius and they were supposed to be traveling to a known address in the city of Ukiah.
Vossler did not return home and the reporting person contacted his friends in an attempt to locate him, Porter said.
Porter said the reporting person learned from one of Vossler's friends that he never arrived at the reported destination in Ukiah and Vossler had not made any recent social media posts, which was unusual.
A missing person's report was taken at that time with the deputies conducting a follow up investigation in an attempt to locate Vossler, according to Porter’s report.
Deputies started to hear rumors that Vossler had possibly been the victim of foul play; however they had a difficult time substantiating any of the information, Porter said.
Porter said sheriff's detectives began to assist the patrol deputies throughout the weekend and on Monday they were able to contact someone who possibly had seen Vossler just before his disappearance.
This person was identified as Hill and he was contacted at a family member's residence in the 8200 block of East Side Road in Potter Valley, Porter said.
While at the location, sheriff's detectives along with a patrol sergeant interviewed Hill and they were able to observe evidence of a possible violent crime in and about Hill's vehicle. Porter said a search warrant was obtained for the residence and Hill's vehicle.
During the search warrant service on Monday, human remains were located in a shallow grave on the property, Porter said.
Porter said Hill was subsequently booked into the Mendocino County Jail on the charge of murder as a result.
The scene was maintained by Sheriff's Office personnel throughout the night until Tuesday morning, Porter said.
Crime scene specialists from the California Department of Justice assisted the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office, Mendocino County Major Crimes Task Force and Investigators from the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office in processing the crime scene, which Porter said included exhuming the human remains from the grave.
Once exhumed, the remains were identified as being Vossler, Porter said.
This investigation is ongoing, and any persons who may have information about this incident are encouraged to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff's Investigative Services Unit by calling the Sheriff's Office Tip line at 707-234-2100 or the WeTip anonymous crime reporting hotline at 1-800-782-7463.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The East Region Town Hall, or ERTH, will meet on Wednesday, Oct. 5.
The meeting will begin at 4 p.m. at the Moose Lodge, located at 15900 Moose Lodge Lane in Clearlake Oaks.
The meeting can be attended in person or via Zoom; the meeting ID is 935 8339 6020, the pass code is 448228.
On Wednesday, the guest speaker will be Lake County Director of Community Development Director Mireya Turner.
Turner will give updates on the Clearlake Oaks Roadmap Task Force, discuss data tracking system and code enforcement complaint entry improvement and the Cannabis Ordinance Task force.
Holly Harris also will speak about the Environmental Protection Agency’s public outreach on the Sulphur Bank Mine Superfund site.
The agenda also includes the monthly updates on Spring Valley, commercial cannabis cultivation, the consolidated lighting district in Clearlake Oaks, the Lake County geothermal project watchlist, the Northshore Fire Protection District, the John T. Klaus 1994 Trust’s land donation for a new Clearlake Oaks park and they will get a report from Supervisor EJ Crandell.
ERTH’s members are Denise Loustalot, Jim Burton, Tony Morris and Pamela Kicenski.
For more information visit the group’s Facebook page.
Allison Panella and her husband, Greg, and her children. Courtesy photo. KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — Allison Panella announced that she is running for reelection to the Kelseyville Unified School Board of Trustees.
Panella, a Lake County Hispanic native, local business owner, wife and mother of three, has served on the Kelseyville Unified School District for the last four years, and currently serves as the vice president.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and has been working with or for the youth population of Lake County for the last 18 years.
Panella seeks to continue to bring transparency, accountability and increased communication to the Kelseyville Unified School District.
When asked why she decided to run again, she stated, “After serving the last four years I feel as though I have just fully gotten familiar with all the roles and responsibilities of a board member. I have so much more of myself to give to the district and I look forward to working to improve what KVUSD has to offer for our students and families. Being a local, I am keenly aware of our community’s strengths and what makes our rural community so unique. I enjoy working to build on our strengths.”
Panella hopes to continue the success during her previous term in office where she worked with faculty, teachers, administration and other board members to improve the district’s financial reserve to a healthier place; provided oversight to the KVUSD multimillion dollar Measure U Facility Improvement Bond to ensure it was on-time and under-budget; worked to increase staff and employee wages across the board; wrote mini grants for teachers and improved learning opportunities for the students of Kelseyville Unified.
She serves on the Kelseyville Unified Wellness and Safety Committee to increase parent participation and community input via Parents Night Out events held monthly, which has been a success with Kelseyville residents.
Panella also is a member of the Kelseyville Elementary’s Parent Teacher Organization.
Before Panella’s role on the school board, she and her husband, Greg Panella, have served the Kelseyville Unified school district in many ways.
Through coaching youth sports, having school garden fences built, introducing funders to teachers and schools, heavily supporting the Stokes Basketball Tournament, paying for bus fares for out-of-town field trips, volunteering their time in classrooms or offering resources and time to career technical education.
Panella said her 18 years of hands-on local experience, her commitment to the district and her perspective as a working parent make her an ideal school board member.
To learn more about Panella’s reelection campaign please visit her Facebook page @ Re-Elect Allison Panella for Kelseyville Unified School Board or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
With new figures showing that California’s nation-leading utility assistance programs distributed $1.4 billion to support upwards of 2.2 million struggling households during the pandemic, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that another $1.4 billion is set to go out before the end of the year to cover overdue utility bills.
The additional $1.4 billion that Gov. Newsom and the Legislature allocated in this year’s budget will be distributed by year’s end to support Californians who are still struggling to pay the bills.
Of that amount, $1.2 billion will address residential electric utility arrearages through the Department of Community Services and Development to mitigate the outstanding debt leading to increased utility rates, and $200 million will address residential water and wastewater arrearages – complementing $116 million in federal funding for water and wastewater arrearages.
“No other state in America did as much for those struggling during the pandemic than California, with tens of billions of dollars for stimulus checks, small business relief, and past-due rent and utility bills to help Californians. We got $1.4 billion out the door to help 2.2 million families with overdue utility bills and we’re sending another $1.4 billion to support those who are still struggling amid rising costs,” said Gov. Newsom.
This is an important part of Gov. Newsom’s financial relief package to help support Californians who are dealing with higher costs right now.
This builds upon last year’s Golden State Stimulus, which distributed $9 billion to millions of California families, and the billions that went to help Californians pay their rent, cover overdue utility bills and support small businesses.
For the utility relief that went out already:
•The Department of Community Services and Development provided assistance for electric and gas utility bills for more than 1.4 million households and commercial customers, distributing $989 million throughout the pandemic.
•The State Water Resources Control Board covered unpaid water bills for more than 800,000 residential and commercial customers, distributing $435 million in just 10 months for debt accrued during the pandemic.
California Highway Patrol Officer Klayton Phillips fits a helmet for a young boy as other children wait to be fitted. Photo courtesy of the CHP. A federal grant is helping the California Highway Patrol increase pedestrian and bicyclist safety throughout the state.
The CHP was awarded $1.2 million in grant funding through the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety, Education, Enforcement, and Awareness Program, or BESEEN, program.
“The most vulnerable roadway users are pedestrians and bicyclists,” CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray said. “This grant will promote the importance of drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians looking out for one another so that everyone can safely share the road.”
In California, nearly 20 percent of all traffic-related deaths are pedestrian and bicycle fatalities. In 2020 and 2021 combined, 926 of the 4,651 people killed in crashes throughout CHP jurisdiction were pedestrians and bicyclists.
This grant launches a yearlong effort to educate and enforce traffic safety laws for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians through Sept. 30, 2023.
Enforcement patrols will focus on areas with higher bicyclist and pedestrian traffic and crashes. Officers will also conduct public awareness campaigns in communities throughout the state.
In addition, this grant funds bicycle safety training and educational presentations to promote safe and courteous traffic safety behaviors by drivers and bicyclists, as well as safety publications, bicycle helmets, reflective gear, and other vital safety equipment.
October is National Pedestrian Safety Month with National Walk to School Day on Oct. 12, 2022.
CHP officers in plainclothes will work with uniformed officers to monitor crosswalks and areas surrounding schools for motorists who fail to yield the right-of-way or who take unsafe and illegal actions.
Funding for this program was provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety through a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of safety, service and security.
Rosalyn R. LaPier, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano in Hawaii, with an observatory visible on its summit. Native Hawaiians consider the mountain sacred and object to construction on it. Chris Condon/PGA TOUR via Getty Images
Who should manage public land that is sacred to Native Americans?
That is the question that the United States government and some states hope recent policy changes will address by giving Indigenous people greater input into managing such land. Co-management, as the policy is called, might alleviate the friction that emerges when sacred landscapes are managed without Native American input.
Mauna Kea, a 13,802-foot dormant volcano on the island of Hawaii, is one example. The mountain is managed as public land by the state of Hawaii. Native Hawaiians have protested the state’s management of Mauna Kea for decades, saying Hawaii has allowed too many research buildings on their sacred mountain, which disrupts their ability to practice their religion.
This kind of conflict is not unique to Hawaii. Indigenous peoples have lived in what is now the United States for thousands of years and developed intimate relationships with the lands they call home. For years, Native people across the country have demanded more input into how the government manages areas they consider sacred.
Native Hawaiians believe that Mauna Kea is the first creation of the Earth Mother, Papahānaumoku, and the Sky Father, Wākea. The mountain is an important part of their origin narrative.
For astronomers, the mountain has another significance. They believe the summit of Mauna Kea has the clearest skies for conducting research. For the past 50 years, the state of Hawaii has leased the summit of the mountain to dozens of research institutions. Together, they have built 13 telescopes and numerous buildings on Mauna Kea.
For years Native Hawaiian leaders have argued that the state ignored their concerns over such construction. When Mauna Kea was selected in 2009 as the preferred site for the Thirty Meter Telescope, a new class of extremely large telescope, Native Hawaiians protested to stop the project.
Native Hawaiians, like those from other Indigenous religious traditions, believe that sacred areas should be left alone without roads or buildings because they are the homes of the divine.
“We worship there, the iwis of our kupuna [bones of our elders] are buried there,” Mililani Trask, the Hawaii island’s trustee for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, said at a public meeting regarding an environmental impact statement of Mauna Kea with the National Science Foundation on Aug. 9, 2022. “No,” she continued, “you will not build here.”
The state of Hawaii is hoping to address this ongoing conflict with the creation of a new eight-person commission that includes three Native Hawaiian leaders to manage Mauna Kea.
“I believe we can find a way for science and culture to coexist on Mauna Kea in a mutually beneficial way,” Hawaiian Gov. David Ige said on Sept. 12, 2022, when he announced the new commission.
What makes land sacred?
Native American religions, similar to other religions, view areas as sacred because they are the homes of gods or places that are sanctified by a god. Sacred places may be physically small or large areas, they may be built or natural areas, such as churches and shrines, or mountains and rivers.
Religious studies scholars such as Tisa Wenger have argued that religious freedom for Native Americans has been difficult because “the U.S. government has often acted as if Indian traditions were somehow not truly religious and therefore not eligible for the constitutional protections of the First Amendment.”
People call for the protection of sacred Indigenous spaces to commemorate the delivery of a totem pole carved by the Lummi Nation as a gift to President Joe Biden on July 29, 2021, in Washington, D.C.Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Native Organizers Alliance
In one dispute in the 1980s, the U.S. Forest Service wanted to construct a road across a sacred mountain in Northern California. A consortium of tribes fought back, and the case ended in the Supreme Court; the tribes lost.
Following that decision, in 1996, President Bill Clinton created a definition of Native American sacred land as a “specific, discrete, narrowly delineated location on Federal land.”
This language intentionally excludes large areas such as mountains or open landscapes in favor of smaller sites. That does not fully represent the variety of places that Native peoples consider sacred, say religious studies scholars, leading to inevitable clashes over the meaning and uses of such lands.
Co-management is one small step
On Sept. 13, 2022, Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland released new federal guidelines to help address these long-standing conflicts.
This new policy, which focuses on publicly managed areas that Native Americans view as sacred or culturally important, will allow some tribes to share management responsibilities with federal agencies.
“By acknowledging and empowering Tribes as partners in co-stewardship of our country’s lands and waters, every American will benefit from strengthened management of our federal land and resources,” Haaland said.
In a related effort, Congress on Sept. 14 held hearings on two new bills to address this same issue. If they pass, their backers hope they will facilitate the inclusion of “tribal management of public lands” and strengthen the “protection of sacred and cultural sites.”
Such changes are “a small step, but an important one, in giving Tribal nations the respect and authority they deserve,” said Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, a Democrat from Arizona.
But, he added of the federal government’s new desire to share land management with tribes, “There is no deed that can undo or fully compensate for this country’s historical neglect and desecration of Indigenous Peoples’ culture and places that are sacred to them.”
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — California could be facing dry conditions this winter thanks to predictions for another La Niña year.
Long-range forecasts from the National Weather Services and AccuWeather show that this is expected to be the third California winter in a row impacted by the La Niña climate phenomena — or, as AccuWeather called it, a “triple dip La Niña.”
A La Niña occurs when water near the equator is cooler than normal. That, in turn, impacts the jet stream — described by the National Weather Service as a narrow band of strong wind in the upper levels of the atmosphere — and so affects overall weather patterns.
That’s in contrast to El Niño, when conditions in the eastern Pacific are unusually warm.
That triple dip La Niña is similar to what California experienced last year, Carl Erikson, senior meteorologist for AccuWeather, told Lake County News in a Monday interview.
In its winter forecast, released last week, AccuWeather noted, “The triple-dip La Niña expected this winter is just the second of its kind in recent history, joining the winter of 2000-2001 as the only winters where the climate phenomenon persisted for so long.”
However, this year’s La Niña may not last the entire winter. “We do expect the La Niña to continue through at least the first half of the winter,” Erikson said, noting there are indications it may begin to weaken in winter’s second half.
What that means for California is that forecasters expect a mild start to the winter, with above-average temperatures and below-average precipitation, which could exacerbate the current drought conditions, he said.
It’s also expected to be a winter with a below-normal snowpack, Erickson said.
Erikson said forecasters are expecting a storm track north of California, in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.
There may be more storm activity after the start of the new year.
Erickson said that while the general trend will be for storms further north, during the early part of 2023, there may be more of a southerly storm track that will develop in California. That, in turn, could bring rain and melted snow.
That’s also the best chance for rain to get as far south as Southern California, Erikson said.
Likewise, the National Weather Service’s long-range forecast shows that parts of California, including Lake County, could have above average temperatures and below-average rainfall, but the agency warns that such forecasts are rarely accurate due to their length and so can change.
AccuWeather’s winter forecast reported that another factor could be impacting the coming winter weather — the January eruption of an underwater volcano, Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai, located 2,200 miles northeast of Sydney, Australia.
That eruption caused water vapor to increase in the stratosphere; that water vapor acts like a blanket that traps warmer air underneath it.
The AccuWeather forecast noted that the eruption “could indirectly help to fortify the polar vortex over the North Pole, preventing it from dipping down across North America,” adding that it’s not yet known if the eruption will have a “a significant impact on the winter forecast or other seasonal forecasts in the future.”
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — An Escondido man sustained major injuries in an early Sunday morning solo-vehicle crash on Highway 175 near Kelseyville.
Richard Riley, 52, was flown out of the county for treatment of his injuries following the wreck, which occurred at 12:20 a.m. Sunday, according to the California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office.
The CHP said Riley was driving eastbound on Highway 175 east of Diamond Dust Trail in a 2019 Land Rover Discovery.
For reasons the CHP said are still under investigation, Riley’s Land Rover went off the roadway and hit a parked vehicle.
The CHP said Riley’s vehicle continued out of control, hitting trees and brush in a creek bed.
The crash was first dispatched about 10 minutes after it occurred, with firefighters arriving at the scene several minutes later, according to CHP and radio reports.
The first units on the scene said the vehicle was 40 feet off the roadway and down a cliff, with the driver trapped and unconscious.
After firefighters extricated him, Riley was transported by ground ambulance to a landing zone at Riviera Elementary School, where a Cal Star air ambulance picked him up and transported him to a regional trauma center for treatment of major injuries, leaving just after 2 a.m., according to radio reports.
Riley was transported to Vacaville Kaiser Hospital, the CHP said.
The CHP said Riley was using his seat belt when the crash occurred.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has four cats waiting to meet you this week.
Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online for information on visiting or adopting.
The following cats at the shelter have been cleared for adoption.
This 2-year-old female domestic shorthair cat is in cat room kennel No. 10, ID No. LCAC-A-3661. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female domestic shorthair
This 2-year-old female domestic shorthair cat has a gray tabby coat.
“She is an adult cat with some playful kitten tendencies when toys are brought out. She has a sweet little meow and likes to have playful chats with you,” shelter staff said.
She is in cat room kennel No. 10, ID No. LCAC-A-3661.
“Mama” is a 2-year-old domestic shorthair cat in cat room kennel No. 7, ID No. LCAC-A-3884. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Mama’
“Mama” is a 2-year-old domestic shorthair cat with an all-black coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 7, ID No. LCAC-A-3884.
This 1-year-old female domestic shorthair is in cat room kennel No. 56, ID No. LCAC-A-3972. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female domestic shorthair
This 1-year-old female domestic shorthair has a buff coat.
“This lovely lady may take a little bit of time to warm up to you, but once she does you'll get to meet one of the sweetest kitties. She will make your hand tired from all the pets she wants,” shelter staff said.
She is in cat room kennel No. 56, ID No. LCAC-A-3972.
This 1-year-old male domestic shorthair cat is in cat room kennel No. 60, ID No. LCAC-A-3932. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male domestic shorthair cat
This 1-year-old male domestic shorthair cat has a black coat.
Shelter staff said he is a sweet, talkative kitty, who loves head scratches and will rub all over your legs as you walk through the room.
He is in cat room kennel No. 60, ID No. LCAC-A-3932.
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.
UPPER LAKE, Calif. — Upper Lake’s “Fall Festival” will take place on Saturday, Oct. 8.
The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Main Street.
The day starts with the homecoming parade at 10 a.m.
The downtown will be filled with music, food, a beer booth, arts and crafts vendors, and raffle items.
The festival will end with the Upper Lake High School Homecoming Football game at 6 p.m.
Come and support the school and show some community spirit.
For more information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Katie at Upper Lake Grocery, 707-275-4018.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors this week will consider an engineering services contract for gravel removal from an Upper Lake levee bypass and hold a public hearing on a proposed subdivision extension.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting ID is 995 9693 7647, pass code 474608. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,99596937647#,,,,*474608#.
All interested members of the public that do not have internet access or a Mediacom cable subscription are encouraged to call 669-900-6833, and enter the Zoom meeting ID and pass code information above.
In an untimed item, sitting as the Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors, the supervisors will consider approving an agreement with Peterson Brustad Inc. for engineering design services for the Clover Creek Bypass Gravel Removal Project for an amount of $44,820.
Peterson Brustad Inc. is currently in the process of completing an extensive feasibility study on the Upper Lake levees, as Lake County News has reported.
Water Resources Director Scott De Leon’s report to the board explains that through the work the company has done on the feasibility study, “the identification of a gravel removal project for Clover Creek Bypass was identified as a high-priority project.”
His report explains that in order to conduct such a gravel removal project, “preliminary engineering design services are necessary to prepare plans adequate to develop quantity take offs for the gravel removal efforts, cost estimates, and make determinations for the scope of environmental clearances and permits.”
Based on the unique nature of the services, and the fact that the formal bidding process “will also increase the timeline for a high-priority project,” De Leon is asking for the board to waive the competitive bidding process and award the project to Peterson Brustad.
In timed items, at 9:15 a.m. the board will consider a resolution authorizing application for grant funding under the Regional Climate Collaboratives Program, as administered by the Strategic Growth Council as well as a draft partnership agreement for the Climate Safe Lake Project.
At 10 a.m., the board will hold a public hearing to consider granting a one-year proposed subdivision extension for the Valley Oaks project at 18196 and 18426 South State Highway 29 in Middletown.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Adopt proclamation designating the month of October 2022 as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month in Lake County.
5.2: (a) Acknowledge Sept. 23, 2022 as Native American Day in Lake County; and (b) adopt a proclamation declaring the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day in Lake County.
5.3: a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 2-38.4, as the County is piggybacking on a cooperative purchasing consortium contract; b) approve agreement with Canon Solutions America providing terms and conditions for acquisition, operation and maintenance of digital copy machines and supporting products, services and supplies for a monthly lease amount of $8,998.41 and a per copy amount of $0.0055 (B&W) and $0.0450 (color); and authorize the chair to sign; and c) authorize the purchasing agent to execute the resulting purchase orders and/or lease agreements.
5.4: Adopt resolution approving Agreement No.22-1102-000-SA with California Department of Food and Agriculture for compliance with the Nursery Inspection Program for the period of July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, in the amount of $500.
5.5: Adopt resolution approving Agreement No. 22-1366-000-SG with California Department of Food and Agriculture for compliance with the High Risk Pest Exclusion Program for the period of July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, in the amount of $9,974.09.
5.6: (a) Approve participation agreement between the county of Lake and the California Mental Health Services Authority for the State Hospitals Program in the amount of $2,804.00 for fiscal year 2022-23 and authorize the chair to sign; and (b) approve memorandum of understanding between the California Mental Health Services Authority on behalf of participating California Counties with the Department of State Hospitals for state hospital beds effective July 1, 2022, through Dec. 31, 2022, and authorize the department head to sign both the participation agreement and MOU.
5.7: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the agreement between county of Lake and Kings View Professional Services for MIS Support Services for FY 2022-23 in the amount of $158,469 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.8: Approve agreement between the county of Lake and 4Leaf Inc. for structural plan reviews of large residential projects for an amount not to exceed $50,000.00, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.9: Adopt resolution setting rate of pay for election officers for the Nov. 8, 2022, General Election.
5.10: Adopt resolution approving right of way certification for Bartlett Springs Road over Bartlett Creek Bridge Replacement Project, Federal Project No. BRLO-5914(111).
5.11: Adopt resolution approving right of way certification for Chalk Mountain Road over Cache Creek Bridge Replacement Project, Federal Project No. BRLO-5914(094).
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:07 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the month of October 2022 as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month in Lake County.
6.3, 9:08 a.m.: Acknowledge Sept. 23, 2022 as Native American Day in Lake County; and (b) presentation of proclamation declaring the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day in Lake County.
6.4, 9:15 a.m.: (a) Consideration of a resolution authorizing application for grant funding under the Regional Climate Collaboratives Program, as administered by the Strategic Growth Council; (b) consideration of a draft partnership agreement for the Climate Safe Lake Project, and authorization of a designee to sign.
6.5, 10 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of proposed subdivision extension (SDX 22-01), for Valley Oaks; Location: 18196 and 18426 South State Highway 29, Middletown (lots 51 and 36) ( APNs 014-260-51, 014-260-36).
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of the following advisory board appointments: Lower Lake WaterWorks District One Board of Directors.
7.3: Sitting as the Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors, (a) waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of the goods or services, and (b) authorize the chair of the board of directors, of the Lake County Watershed Protection District to sign and enter into agreement with Peterson Brustad Inc., for engineering design services for the Clover Creek Bypass Gravel Removal Project for an amount of $44,820 and authorize the chair to sign.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Conference with legal counsel: Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9 (d)(2) (e)(1) — One potential case.
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 gather to celebrate Anderson Marsh State Historic Park’s 40th anniversary celebration on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.
LOWER LAKE, Calif. — The history of Anderson Marsh State Historic Park and its latest milestone were celebrated on Saturday with music, memories and gratitude.
Gathered in the shade of the same ancient oaks clustered around the ranch house that retired California State Parks Ranger Tom Nixon said the Pomo once gathered acorns under, community members marked the park’s 40th anniversary.
Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association, or AMIA, hosted the event, which included a hike, educational and historic displays, and a great big anniversary cake. The group formed two years after the park’s creation and today has an active hand in running and supporting it.
The 1,605-acre park officially opened on Aug. 15, 1982. Its grounds encapsulate a layering of history and cultures. The park includes an area of unspoiled natural habitat filled with Indigenous cultural sites, and a time capsule of Lake County’s ranching families in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The park’s main building is the historic ranch house that was built in 1856 by the Grigsby brothers, who came from Tennessee on an ox cart, with additional phases of building continuing through 1923, when the Anderson family owned it.
There also are numerous outbuildings and barns, a windmill, and many hiking trails that take visitors out through a rich and varied landscape complete with all manner of wildlife — fish, birds, otters, muskrats, deer, mountain lion and bears.
Rita Durgin, a representative from Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry’s office, presented a resolution from Aguiar-Curry and Senate Majority Leader Mike McGuire commending the park on its anniversary.
Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association Board Member Gae Henry shows native sling stones during a visit to the South Barn on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News. The resolution noted that the park was created to protect 27 Native American archaeological sites, including those of the Koi Nation, and other cultural artifacts that date back as far as 14,000 years.
The park also holds “one of the oldest and most complete records of Native American cultural history in the California State Parks system,” the resolution stated.
The resolution also noted that the 540 acre portion of the park known as the Anderson Marsh Natural Preserve “constitutes one of the sole remaining natural wetland tule marshes in the County, protecting multiple native habitats for many species of birds like the Great Blue Heron and other wildlife.”
The park’s creation and continued operation are testament to the power of community — when people have ideas, the willingness to follow through on them, attentive lawmakers and the support of their neighbors.
Since its inception in 1980, its creation in 1982 and up to the present day, Anderson Marsh has been the little park that could.
It has endured numerous challenges, from early opposition from the property owners, to a state bureaucracy that wasn’t initially interested in the park plan, a building project contractor who was caught digging up artifacts and arrested, and staffing and budget cuts in the 1990s.
William Beat, the former parks area manager for Lake County who was part of the effort to create Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, attended the park’s 40th anniversary celebration with wife Roberta on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.
In 2008, then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneggar proposed to shutter dozens of state parks to address budget shortfalls. That year, his list included Anderson Marsh and Clear Lake State Park. Another proposal in 2009 also listed Anderson Marsh. Schwarzeneggar eventually relented and withdrew the proposal.
In 2016 the Clayton fire came close to destroying the park’s buildings, reaching the park entrance and causing park staff to evacuate the contents of the ranch house.
Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and caused some of the park’s favorite events, such as its Christmas celebration, to be canceled.
However, the park, which continues to be championed by a devoted group of volunteers and supporters, has survived and thrived.
In 2021, AMIA received a grant from the Department of Parks and Recreation in restoring and rehabilitating the three-acre entrance meadow that burned in the 2016 Clayton fire.
Other projects are underway, with HistoriCorps volunteers to paint a portion of the ranch house and repair windows, and stabilize and paint the outbuildings later this month.
In the spring, AMIA will launch its new twice-monthly “senior days” events, which include free bus trips, educational programs and lunch at the park, funded by a $9,220 “Parks Improvement” grant from California State Parks Foundation.
“This is a beautiful, beautiful place,” said Chris Glenn, the supervising ranger for both Anderson Marsh and Clear Lake State Park.
Owls and other taxidermy animals that had once lived at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park are featured in the exhibits in the South Barn, which was opened as part of the 40th anniversary celebration on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News. A vibrant history
During the Saturday celebration, the South Barn was opened so visitors could see exhibits,
Gae Henry, one of the park’s stalwart volunteers, shared the history of the native peoples and showed displays of taxidermy — from bobcats to owls to herons — that have made their home on the property.
Henry showed stone replicas of petroglyphs found on the property as well as some artifacts, including stone points and round sling stones.
She has an encyclopedic knowledge of the property, explaining that the South Barn’s original roof collapsed in a 1948 snowstorm, with the roof later being rebuilt with the original wood.
Henry said the teenage Grisgby brothers came to the property in 1855, riding in an ox cart from Tennessee.
They began construction of the original portion of the ranch house, and lived on the property for 15 years, Henry said.
During those years, a huge flood put Sacramento under 16 feet of water. The dam on Cache Creek was blamed, and vigilantes burned the mill and took down the dam.
“It didn’t help,” as it wasn’t about the dam, Henry said.
The Grigsbys sold the land to the Clear Lake Water Works Co. In 1885 John and Sarah Anderson — who Henry said traveled from Edinburgh, Scotland — purchased 1,300 acres the Grigsbys had owned from the water company.
The family had six children. Mora Anderson, the youngest, lived on the property until her death in 1966.
Winifred “Winnie” Anderson Lea walks through the South Barn at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, where she recalled herding cattle and spending time with her family when she was a child during the park’s 40th anniversary celebration on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.
The fight to preserve the past
In 1980, when archaeologist John Parker began lobbying local and state leaders to create the park and protect its extensive Indigenous cultural sites, it wasn’t on any state list of properties planned for a park, according to former parks area manager, William Beat, who was on hand for Saturday’s celebration.
Beat said he didn’t think many people understood how much work went into getting the property in the first place.
The owners of the property that became the park were not initially willing to sell it to the state, Beat said. One of those owners, Ray Lyon, had planned an extensive development there that was to include condominiums, and he went to the Board of Supervisors to ask for the necessary zoning change.
The community rallied against the plan, and Beat said when Lyon’s attorney drove by and saw the parking lot for the meeting filled with cars, Lyons decided to go back and renegotiate with the state.
One of the people Parker enlisted to help with rallying the community to form the park was Roberta Lyons, who grew up with members of the Anderson family. At the time, Lyons was a reporter for the Clear Lake Observer American, which her family, the Hanchetts, owned at the time.
She wrote the first and most important stories about the effort to create the park. Today, Lyons is the AMIA president and one of the county’s greatest environmentalists, according to Nixon.
“The people make it happen,” Lyons said of the effort.
When the state finally agreed to create the park, Beat said he received a budget that he recalled as being up to $750,000 to cover park acquisition, renovation of the buildings and staffing.
Nixon and his wife, Valerie, both retired as rangers, worked in Lake County. He said propagating some of the younger oak trees at the park’s entrance are among his proudest accomplishments, and said they came from a time when rangers had more latitude for such projects.
“When it’s all said and done, it all comes down to the people in your life,” he said, crediting Parker for his efforts.
A big cake helped celebrate Anderson Marsh State Historic Park’s 40th anniversary on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News. Nixon said Beat also had tried to get Indian Island to add to the park, an effort that didn’t succeed. However, Beat’s efforts to save the state’s redwoods in parks in other parts of the state did.
“He is a legend,” Nixon said.
Nixon recognized local Pomo leaders, including the late Nelson Hopper, and the Brown and Beltran families for their work and for sharing their knowledge and culture.
Others critical to the park’s creation and preservation include AMIA Board members Henry Bornstein and Gae Henry; Nixon said he didn’t know where the park would be without them.
“This place just got under my skin,” but in a very good way, Nixon said.
Beat also told Lake County News that Anderson Marsh has always been a special place for him.
Members of the Anderson family remain involved in the park today.
Gordon Haggitt, one of the descendants who retired in 2021 as the county of Lake’s longtime surveyor, today is a member of the AMIA Board.
Both he and his cousin, Winifred “Winnie” Anderson Lea — who came with her daughter and son-in-law — remembered herding cattle on the ranch with their great aunts and uncles.
Speaking of those who worked to make the property a state park, Haggitt said, “We’ve got an extra sense of gratitude.”
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.
The grounds of Anderson Marsh State Historic Park as viewed from one of its barns during the park’s 40th anniversary celebration on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.
