LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Special District has been approved for $2.6 million in state funds that will allow it to complete three important local water projects.

The California Department of Water Resources announced that it awarded a total of $200 million in drought relief grants to agencies statewide, and $14 million in its Sacramento area region, which includes Lake County.

Lake County received a total of $2,608,000 in grant awards, according to Jan Coppinger, compliance manager for Lake County Special Districts.

That amount, Coppinger said, includes $270,000 for the Mt. Hannah pipeline water loss minimization project, $960,000 for the Spring Valley pipeline water loss minimization project and $1,378,000 for the Paradise Valley water system intertie and consolidation project, which will link the system to the nearby Clearlake Oaks County Water District.

The funding process was set up in regions, with the Sacramento Westside Region – including Lake, Yolo, Solano, Colusa and Napa counties – recommended to receive $7 million, Coppinger said.

“We all have to get together and make a decision about what we’re going to ask for,” said Coppinger.

The grants were made through an expedited funding process directed by Gov. Jerry Brown, who earlier this year proclaimed a drought state of emergency and signed legislation to assist drought-affected communities and provide funding to better use local water supplies.

Brown and the Legislature subsequently directed the Department of Water Resources to expedite the solicitation and awards statewide to support projects and programs that provide immediate regional drought relief, increase local water supply reliability and delivery of safe drinking water, prepare for extended drought impacts, and assist water suppliers and regions to implement conservation programs and measures that are not locally cost-effective, but either reduce water quality conflicts or ecosystem conflicts created by the drought.

This spring, the Department of Water Resources opened up the application process for the Proposition 84 Emergency Drought Grant Funds, which Coppinger said had a very limited window of time for agencies to submit applications.

Coppinger said Special Districts was able to meet the expedited deadlines because it already had its three projects in the planning process.

In the case of the Mt. Hannah Water System, CSA No. 22, it had one well that was severely affected by the drought and was not able to meet the minimum demands of the community. The water system also is under an extreme urgency ordinance, Coppinger said.

Coppinger said Special Districts' original funding application was for a new well and replacement of a trunk line.

Due to the critical situation with the failing well capacity, an emergency grant of $37,500 was provided by State Water Resources Control Board's Division of Drinking Water and a new well was drilled in October, she said. The recent Proposition 84 funding request was modified to remove drilling a new well.

The $270,000 that Special Districts received also will replace the 900-foot transmission line to the new well, Coppinger said.

Paradise Valley Water, CSA No. 16 applied for $1,378,000 in grant funding and will provide a cash match of $300,000 for a total project cost of $1,678,000, Coppinger said.

The project will consist of installing a 1.8-mile pipeline from Paradise Valley to Clearlake Oaks County Water District and result in a consolidation of the two systems, she said.

Coppinger said the Paradise Valley water system has had water capacity issues for several years and has been under a connection moratorium as a result.

While the district has drilled additional wells, Coppinger said it was not successful in obtaining adequate supply.

The drought has placed the system in danger of not being able to meet the needs of the community; Coppinger said the system also is under an extreme urgency ordinance that only allows 125 gallons per day per household.

Coppinger said the State Water Resources Control Board-Division of Drinking Water looks favorably on consolidation projects and as a result of this consolidation, Clearlake Oaks County Water District will have one of their funding applications moved to a top priority for state funding from another source.

The consolidation will cover about 160 connections – 80 current ones in Paradise Cove and another 80 in a proposed subdivision across the highway, Coppinger said.

For the Spring Valley Water System, County Service Area No. 2, Special Districts applied for $960,000 to replace deteriorated distribution lines and loop sections of the distribution system that currently have “dead ends” that result in water quality deficiencies, Coppinger said.

Coppinger said CSA No. 2 will provide a $300,000 cash match from reserves for a project total of $1,260,000.

The Spring Valley project will reduce water waste from leaking distribution lines and by looping sections of the system will reduce the need to flush lines. Coppinger said it will replace 7,500 linear feet of existing distribution lines and install 9,000 linear feet of new lines to loop the system and remove the problematic dead-ends.

In addition to conserving water, looping the system will improve the water quality, Coppinger said.

The water source for Spring Valley water system is a combination of Wolf Creek and Indian Valley Reservoir, she said.

Due to current drought conditions, the use of water from the Spring Valley reservoir on Wolf Creek has been curtailed and CSA No. 2 is now purchasing the Indian Valley Reservoir water from Yolo County Flood & Water Conservation District to provide drinking water for the community, according to Coppinger.

Two Yolo County projects that also received state funding are designed to provide drought relief to the rural areas surrounding the cities of Woodland, Davis and Winters.

“These two grants will allow our region, in both the agricultural and urban sectors, to move forward in managing our precious water resources in a more efficient manner,” said Tim O’Halloran, Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District general manager.

Yolo Flood holds primary water rights to Clear Lake and the Indian Valley Reservoir.

O'Halloran told Lake County News that Yolo Flood was awarded $2 million for its canal modernization project.

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. – As the busy holiday season approaches, Operation Tango Mike – “Operation Thanks Much” – is working hard to support the troops.

The 12th annual drive to collect Christmas cards for troop care packages is under way. 

A note from home is a great comfort to those far from loved ones.

Cards may be deposited in any Operation Tango Mike drop zone barrel in Lake County, the lobbies of Umpqua Bank in Lakeport and Ukiah and Bank of America in Ukiah. 

Cards also are being accepted at the Lake County Veteran Services Office at 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.

Cards must be submitted no later than Nov. 17 to be included in Christmas care packages.

On Thursday, Nov. 20, the monthly packing party to assemble troop care packages will take place at Umpqua Bank, 805 11th St., Lakeport. 

Activities begin at 6 p.m. and everyone is welcome. 

The November packing party is the time when the troops’ Christmas care packages are assembled.

Monthly packing parties continue to be held the third Thursday of each month at 6 p.m.

If you would like more information please call 707-349-2838 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . 

You also may add a deployed service member to the care package recipient list through these contacts.

Operation Tango Mike maintains an active Facebook page and encourages supporters to “like” the page and stay connected. The page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/pages/OPERATION-TANGO-MIKE/118847931474466 .

Operation Tango Mike hosts fundraisers and accepts donations to purchase care package supplies and pay monthly shipping fees, which average more than $1,000.

Donations are always welcome and may be made at Umpqua Bank in Lakeport or Kelseyville, by mail at 5216 Piner Court, Kelseyville, CA 95451, by PayPal at www.operationtangomike.org or www.gofundme.com/operationtangomike .

LUCERNE, Calif. – A Lucerne man was fatally shot early Sunday after he charged two deputies with a  knife.

The shooting occurred shortly after 12 a.m. in the 6400 block of 16th Avenue.

District Attorney Don Anderson said deputies responded to the residence on the report of a domestic dispute involving a married couple.

When the deputies arrived at the home, the husband charged them with a knife, “and they shot and killed him,” Anderson said.

Anderson said the fatal confrontation occurred in the front yard of the residence.

Reports from the scene early Sunday indicated the man had been shot in the chest. Medics were called but canceled shortly afterward.

Anderson said his office is handling the criminal investigation as part of the county's critical incident protocol, which is used in cases where members of law enforcement are involved in fatal incidents or other situations resulting in injury.

The protocol requires the sheriff's office to conduct a separate internal affairs investigation, Anderson said.

Anderson on Sunday was not yet prepared to release the names of the two male deputies involved or the man who died.

Law enforcement officials were on the scene of the shooting until about 10:30 a.m. Sunday, processing evidence.

A neighbor, who had been asleep at the time of the shooting, told Lake County News that he was awakened by his wife and witnessed the scene as authorities arrived to conduct the investigation.

The man said the street “looked like a parking lot for police cars,” and sheriff's personnel and district attorney staff arrived at the scene.

As the scene was processed, the body of the man who died remained in the yard behind a wooden fence, while an equipment cart sat in the street covered by a tarp, according to the neighbor.

John Jensen contributed to this report.

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.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The third event of the Poet Laureate Reading Series takes place this Friday, Nov. 14, featuring the poetry of Carolyn Wing Greenlee.

The reading, which begins at 6:30 p.m., will take place at the Riviera Common Grounds Coffee House at 9736 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville.

Presented by current Lake County Poet Laureate Casey Carney and Common Grounds Proprietor Andrea Williams, the series is held on the second Friday of each month through April and is designed to showcase local poetry by presenting each of Lake County’s eight poet laureates in sequence, along with a guest poet and musician.

Admission is free, with a $5 suggested donation.

The poet laureate is an official appointment by a government or conferring institution for the purpose of promoting poetry in that jurisdiction. These appointments occur from local to national levels.

In Lake County, the two-year position began in 1998 with the appointment of Jim Lyle.

In 2004, Greenlee was selected as the third poet laureate of Lake County.

Greenlee is a third generation Chinese-American from a California Gold Rush/railroad family.

With the intimacy of membership in this often silent minority, Greenlee has spent the last 25 years collecting the stories of her family, which are being published as a six generation family memoir entitled “Eternal River.”

The diversity and tenacity of Greenlee’s artistic vision has enabled her to excel as an artist in spite of an intensely confining upbringing as the daughter of a Confucian scholar.

Although her father did not allow her to become an artist, saying it wasn’t respectable, Greenlee chose to study literature, became a teacher and would eventually prevail as a professional poet, writer, photographer, painter, recording artist, biographer and publisher. 

In 1985 Greenlee was pronounced legally blind with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a hereditary eye disease.

By 2006, Greenlee’s vision was down to 4 percent , and she made the decision to train for a guide dog.  Greenlee chronicles this life changing experience in her book “Stedy Hedy.”

A national speaker on writing as well as the Chinese-American experience, Greenlee desires to make minorities better understood by telling their stories. These stories now include the community of the visually impaired.

In 1973, Greenlee’s father, Dr. Thomas W. Wing, invented medical microcurrent, a healing modality that utilizes levels of amperage so low that the body is able to accept the electricity as its own energy or chi.

Along with her husband, Dr. Dennis Greenlee, she helped to pioneer the use of microcurrent, which launched her into the healing arts.  

Two years ago, Greenlee was diagnosed with scleroderma, an incurable autoimmune disease. As a result of her search for paths of healing, Greenlee has synthesized the capabilities of microcurrent with trauma and stress release techniques which she now uses to help others with so called impossible conditions.

Current projects include the completion of a third album of original songs.

Greenlee just finished a new book on the animal sculpture of Betty Davenport Ford, and is currently working on a filmed video documentary of the 90-year-old artist.

Greenlee will be reading from her book of poetry, “Wildflowers in the Snow,” described by Montserrat Review Editor Calder Lowe as “…a poignant testimony to a wisdom that is hard won and reverently tendered.”

The Nov. 14 reading also will feature guest poet Lourdes Thuesen from Lucerne and guest musician Travis Rinker from Lakeport.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) is encouraging local schools and veterans to participate in the Veterans History Project.

The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress American Folklife Center was created by the U.S. Congress in 2000 to collect, preserve and make accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.

“This project provides an excellent opportunity for young people to hear firsthand what serving our nation during times of war means,” said Thompson. “By recording the stories of our veterans for posterity, generations of family and community members will be able to hear directly from those who served our country so they could grow up free.”

The program comprises individual audio- and video-recorded interviews, original photographs, letters and other historical documents from veterans of every war and conflict since World War I.

In addition, U.S. citizen civilians who were actively involved in supporting war efforts – such as war industry workers, USO workers, flight instructors, medical volunteers, etc. – also are invited to share their valuable stories.

To date, the Veterans History Project has collected more than 95,000 oral histories from veterans in every state and congressional district.

Students can interview local veterans and their video recordings will be submitted to the Library of Congress, where they will be archived for posterity.

There are no deadlines for participation.

Veterans, veteran organizations or schools who are interested in participating in this project should contact Thompson’s office at 707-645-1888 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Please visit http://www.loc.gov/vets/ to learn how you can get involved in this important project.

Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Kelseyville High School is in the midst of making a quantum leap ahead in its agricultural program.

By February students in the school’s Future Farmers of America chapter will be learning about virtually all forms of livestock in an up-close-and-personal exposure provided by a new state-of-the-art barn on their campus.

“It’s a pretty fantastic structure,” said Kyle Reams, director of maintenance at Kelseyville High. “It will have its own feed storage, nice dry hay and a washroom for animals with stalls so that the kids are safe and the animals are safe while they’re washing them.”

Donelle McCallister, who has served 27 years as ag instructor at the school, called the new barn  “a gift from the community to the Kelseyville Union School District.”

McCallister specifically thanked district Superintendent David McQueen, high school Principal Matt Cockerton, the district office staff and the board of education for their respective roles in creating the building.

Funding for the barn, a 60-foot by 60-foot premanufactured metal structure, came from money set aside for the project and donations. No fundraising campaign was needed.

Working with a company in Middletown, McCallister and Reams custom designed the barn in a modular way so that three quarters of it can be reconfigured to accommodate any form of livestock – from chickens to bovines.

Its design calls for large doors at either end and a cupola and metal panels on the sides for ventilation and to keep air moving.

“Eventually the building is going to have water, electricity and lights,” said Reams.

The floors will be covered in some areas and unimproved in others, depending on the animals’ needs.

The most significant thanks came from the students who will be able to study the animals housed in the barn more closely. Up till now, McCallister kept them in her personal barn.

“Quite a few students live on properties where they can’t have animals,” said Jared Smith, a junior in the FFA. “So this will open doors for us. We’ll be able to raise and care for an actual animal and develop skills along those lines.”

Said McCallister: “Eventually we would like to have chickens, pigs and goats in the barn. We’re hoping the kids will be able to use the facility right away.

“A whole bunch of trucks started bringing in fill this (Friday) morning,” she added. “We’re hoping that the barn will be here by the end of this month and that we’ll have it up by February. Landscaping and all of that will happen over time.”

Middletown and Upper Lake high schools also have student barns.

Email John Lindblom at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Forecasters are predicting chances of showers beginning on Wednesday, with rain also in the forecast for this weekend and into next week.

The National Weather Service's forecast expects precipitation totals ranging from a quarter of an inch in some parts of the south county up to three-quarters of an inch in the county's northern regions.

The agency's meteorologists anticipate a 30-percent chance of rain around Lake County after 4 p.m. Wednesday, along with light winds and cooler temperatures.

On Thursday, the likelihood of rain increases to 50 percent, with decreasing chances into Thursday night.

Conditions are expected to be clear on Friday and during the day on Saturday, with a chance of rain on Saturday night, based on the forecast.

Chances of rain also are forecast for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, the National Weather Service 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.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Twenty local individuals, organizations and businesses received recognition for their contributions to Lake County at the Stars of Lake County Community Awards ceremony on Saturday.

The 17th annual Stars of Lake County Community Awards took place at the Soper Reese Theatre in Lakeport.

Students, advocates, artists, volunteers, businesses, nonprofits, local heroes, great ideas and humanitarians were honored at the event.

The full list of winners follows.

STARS OF LAKE COUNTY 2014 WINNERS

– Marla Ruzicka Humanitarian of the Year: Sharon Dawson, Middletown.

– Senior of the Year: Shirley Crawford, Kelseyville.

– Volunteer of the Year: Angie DeMaria, Lakeport.

– Student of the Year – Female: Linda Tuell, Clearlake Oaks.

– Student of the Year – Male: Everado Chavez, Lower Lake.

– Youth Advocate of the Year – Volunteer: Children’s Museum of Art & Science.

– Youth Advocate of the Year – Professional: Wendy Gattoni, Middletown.

– Agriculture Award: Diane Henderson, Kelseyville.

– Organization of the Year – Nonprofit (has paid staff): Redwood Children’s Services.

– Organization of the Year – Volunteer (all volunteer staff): Ely Stage Stop and Country Museum, Kelseyville.

– New Business of the Year: Cheese’s Game Shop, Lakeport.

– Small Business of the Year: The Lodge at Blue Lakes, Upper Lake.

– Large Business of the Year: Mendo Lake Credit Union, Lakeport and Clearlake.

– Best Idea of the Year: The Hero Project.

– Local Hero of the Year: Forrest Seagrave (posthumously).

– Joshua Blair Memorial Arts Award – Amateur: Suna Flores, Kelseyville.

– The Arts Award of the Year – Professional: Sherry Harris, Clearlake.

– Woman of the Year: Barbara McIntyre, Lakeport.

– Lifetime Achievement: Charlie Jolin, Lakeport.

LUCERNE, Calif. – Law enforcement responded to the report of a shooting in Lucerne early Sunday morning.

The incident, reported shortly after midnight, occurred in the 6400 block of 16th Avenue, according to radio reports.

At least five gunshots could be heard several blocks away.

A sheriff's deputy on scene called in to report a male had a gunshot wound to the chest.

Medics responded but were canceled shortly afterward, while more sheriff's units were dispatched to the scene.

Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.

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.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – With the unseasonably hot dry summer and fall and no relief from the drought in sight, it is critical to be adequately prepared for another potentially catastrophic fire season.

The challenge: How to proactively prepare homes and neighborhoods to prevent wildfires.

The Clear Lake Riviera Community Association will hold a community meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18, in the community room located at 9689 State Highway 281 (Soda Bay Road) to address fire safety and emergency preparedness.

Local experts will inform attendees about how individual households can increase fire safety and how the community can work together in taking steps to become certified as a “fire safe community.”

Certification provides communities the opportunity to apply for funding and other resources that will help promote ongoing fire safety measures such as weed abatement on unimproved properties and education campaigns.

Cal Fire Battalion Chief Greg Bertelli, Jeff Tunnell with the Bureau of Land Management and Lake County Fire Safe Council Projects Coordinator Linda Juntunen, will speak at the community meeting.

Additionally, Marisa Chilafoe, manager for the Lake County Office of Emergency Services, will provide an overview of how local communities can develop emergency evacuation plans considering geographic and demographic variables.

Chilafoe will describe the technical assistance available and present how the Clear Lake Riviera Community Association can access county resources to develop a local emergency response team including training, supplies and equipment.

“Given the likelihood of another severe fire season next year, it is imperative that our community plan accordingly. It is anticipated that the information provided at the meeting will get us ready to take action,” said association President Tom Harty.

All association residents are encouraged to attend this meeting to learn how they can become involved in preventing and mitigating fires and other types of disasters in the community and provide input into plans for the community.

For more information contact the association office manager at 707-277-7281 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has five cats ready to go to new homes this week.

The cats – four females and a male – range from tabbies of different colors to calicoes and tuxedo cats.

In addition to spaying or neutering, cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.

In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .

The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).

'Mommy'

“Mommy” in an adult female domestic short hair mix cat with a gray and white coat.

She is in cat room kennel No. 43a, ID No. 1164.

'Sugar Pie'

“Sugar Pie” is an adult female domestic short hair mix cat with tuxedo markings.

She is in cat room kennel No. 64b, ID No. 1163.

'Bella'

“Bella” is a female adult domestic medium hair cat with a gray tabby coat.

She is in cat room kennel No. 66b, ID No. 1168.

'Tinker Bell'

“Tinker Bell” is a female adult domestic short hair mix with calico markings.

Find her in cat room kennel No. 80, ID No. 1082.

'Goldie'

“Goldie” is a male domestic short hair cat with a yellow tabby coat.

He is in cat room kennel No. 90, ID No. 1106.

Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com .

Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

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. – Many of us here in Lake County have a California black bear story or two.

During one winter a sorrowful sight south of Middletown, along Highway 29 and Hilderbrand Road, was a deceased, frost-encrusted bear which undoubtedly met his end by being hit by a large vehicle.

Also in the Hilderbrand Road vicinity a black bear was “shopping” around a resident's porch, dining on a bin of pet food which had been left outside the home.

A more recent bear sighting in Lake County occurred near the Lower Lake end of Spruce Grove Road.

With a home range of eight to 60 square miles for male bears, and one to 15 square miles for females, no wonder bears thrive in our wide and wonderful county.

Black bears are the only bears that dwell in California. They are the subspecies Ursus americana altifontalis, or northwestern black bear, and ursus californiensis or California black bear which both inhabit California.

Grizzly bears ranged in California until they were hunted out in 1920.

According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, our state's black bear population has been increasing over the last 25 years, with more than 30,000 bears statewide.

Black bear and deer, or big game hunting season began farther north, in Humboldt County Oct. 11. As of Oct. 19, there were 737 bears “harvested.”

The season closes on Dec. 28 or when 1,700 black bears have been taken.

Black bears are not always black. They can sport a variety of additional fur colors including brown, red and sometimes even blonde.

Black bears can live up to 30 years in the wild. The weight of a female is in the 275 pound range, and the male's weight can rise to 500 pounds.

Bear tracks in the wild are distinct, with five toes and claws. Those unique claws aid them in gathering food and also help them climb. They are quite dexterous, using those same claws just like fingers while consuming their prey.

The bear's habitat includes forested areas, with large trees. However, their range includes brushy and grassy areas which gives them an array of food sources. Bears are omnivores. Depending on the season, bears will dine on berries, acorns, pine nuts, grubs, beetles and other insects, fish, small mammals and carrion.

Bears are both good runners and swimmers, and their cubs learn these habits quickly.

Black bears are usually timid and nonaggressive. In our area bears do not hibernate, but “den” instead, utilizing anything from a large brush pile, large trees, beneath large rocks or sometimes simply on the bare ground.

Another term for their seasonal slumbering is “seasonal lethargy.” During this time their unique adaptations allow them to live off their fat and high winter cholesterol levels. They do, however drop a considerable amount of weight then.

An additional feature bears possess is that they lose only a small amount of muscle at this time.

Additional information on bears for homeowners, and how to stay safe in bear country can be found at https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=57522&inline=1 .

For the Department of Fish and Wildlife's American black bear range map, visit http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/bear/range.html .

Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is an educator, potter, writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.” She also writes for NASA and JPL as one of their “Solar System Ambassadors.” She was selected “Lake County Teacher of the Year, 1998-99” by the Lake County Office of Education, and chosen as one of 10 state finalists the same year by the California Department of Education.