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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Whether hoping to find a fresh start, a better job, or a new career direction, potential students will find a wealth of exciting opportunities at the Mendocino College Lake Center Registration Fiesta on Thursday, May 12.

For those seeking a new career direction, representatives from Mendocino College career education programs will also be on site to answer questions about what classes are needed to enter vocational fields such as business, culinary arts, health sciences, sustainable construction, automotive mechanics and more.

The event will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Thursday, May 12, at the Mendocino College Lake Center located at 2565 Parallel Drive in Lakeport.

There will be free food, raffles and carnival games for children — bring the whole family.

Bilingual staff will be on site to provide support and information on educational programs, financial aid, support services, and registration for the summer and fall semesters.

For more information, please contact the Mendocino College Lake Center at 707-263-4944.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lakeport City Council this week will discuss a proposal to seek a bond to make improvements in the city’s water infrastructure and will consider a new school resource officer agreement.

The council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

The agenda can be found here.

The council chambers will be open to the public for the meeting. Masks are highly encouraged where 6-foot distancing cannot be maintained.

If you cannot attend in person, and would like to speak on an agenda item, you can access the Zoom meeting remotely at this link or join by phone by calling toll-free 669-900-9128 or 346-248-7799.

The webinar ID is 973 6820 1787, access code is 477973; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.

Comments can be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To give the city clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments before 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3.

On Tuesday, the council will meet new Community Development Department employees Victor Fernandez and Bethany Moss, and present proclamations designating May as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month, May 1 to 7 as National Small Business Week and May 9 to 13 as Economic Development Week.

Under council business, Assistant City Manager and Finance Director Nick Walker will ask the council to consider options for financing $5.845 million in proposed water system capital improvement projects.

“The Water Fund has a great need for capital improvement projects,” Walker explained in his written report. “The most recent rate study, approved in August 2021, included the identification of priority projects totaling $5.8 million to be completed over the next 10 years. While the City’s 5 -year water rate study included new debt service expenditure for $2 million in capital projects, the need for funding additional projects is imminent. Staff has been investigating various options to best leverage existing resources and risks for the benefit of the customer.”

Walker said the research has shown “that additional projects can be accelerated and included in a financing plan. Staff believes that the window is increasingly short for attractive interest rates and completing projects sooner could also be beneficial to hedge against rising inflation.”

He said city staffers have been working with the firm NHA Advisors on analyses of various financing plan options.

NHA Advisors is the same company that has assisted the city of Clearlake with the creation of a roadwork financing plan, which the Clearlake City Council approved late in April, as Lake County News has reported.

Walker said additional detail and a presentation will be reviewed at Tuesday’s meeting.

If the council is interested in moving forward, Walker said staff will ask direction to bring back the final financing plan for approval at the June 7 council meeting.

In other business, Police Chief Brad Rasmussen will ask for the council’s approval of a memorandum of understanding between the Lakeport Police Department and the Lakeport Unified School District for a school resource officer for fiscal years 2022-23 and 2023-24.

Rasmussen’s written report to the council explained that the city and Lakeport Unified have been operating under similar agreements since the start of the 2016-17 fiscal year, and that both the department and the district have found the school resource officer position “to be very beneficial to all parties.”

He said this year he and Superintendent Matt Bullard are recommending a two-year agreement. The district’s board of trustees gave its approval to the agreement at its April 13 meeting and Bullard has signed it.

The agreement costs the city $25,000 a year, Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen also will present to the council a determination that public convenience or necessity would be served by the issuance a Type-42 Off Sales Beer and Wine Liquor sales license to Andre’s Jazz & Blues Lounge, located at 150 N. Main St., along with adoption of a proposed
resolution.

On the consent agenda — items usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances; minutes of the regular council meeting on April 19; adoption of a resolution authorizing continued remote teleconference meetings of the Lakeport City Council and its legislative bodies pursuant to Government Code section 54953(e); approval of event application 2022-016, with staff recommendations, for the 2022 Old Time Machines Show; receipt and filing of the draft minutes of the regular Measure Z Advisory Committee meeting of April 20, 2022; conducting a second reading and adoption of an ordinance amending Title 17 of the Lakeport Municipal Code for language referring to Objective Design Standards for Multifamily Housing and Accessory Dwelling Units; receipt and filing of a quarterly community development activity report.

The counsel also will hold a closed session discussion with legal counsel regarding existing litigation, City of Lakeport et al. v. AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation et al.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — As Lake County’s Konocti Christian Academy gears up to host its 15th Annual Lake County Renaissance Faire Fundraiser, organizers are pleased to announce the addition of a petting zoo and horse-drawn carriage rides to this year’s activities.

The Lake County Renaissance Faire Fundraiser will be at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St. in Lakeport, on Saturday, May 7, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In collaboration with Crazy Quilt farms, guests of this year’s Renaissance Faire Fundraiser will be able to meet and pet ducks, chickens, goats, sheep, pigs and a pony or mini horse.

“Crazy Quilt Farms is excited to participate in the Renaissance Faire and bring the joy of animals to children,” said Liam and Lyle of Crazy Quilt Farms.

Narley Dude Ranch also joined in the fun to offer all guests free draft horse drawn-carriage rides by their two Percheron draft horses named Easter Lilly and Miracle May.

“We look forward to supporting this great school and cannot wait to enjoy this fun event,” said Joann Van Eck.

The event takes a walk back in time to the Renaissance era with costume, theater, games, activities, food, and song. Guests will enjoy Shakespeare plays presented by nearly 100 KCA students.

The Renaissance Faire Fundraiser now includes a petting zoo, carriage rides, live music, live and silent auction, booths, feasting fit for a king, activities for the entire family, live performances and so much more.

Ticket prices range from $10 to $45 and sponsorships are available. To purchase tickets or to become a sponsor visit Eventbrite, KCA’s Facebook page, or at KCA by calling 707-262-1522.

Konocti Christian Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and donations are tax-deductible.

For more information about Konocti Christian Academy go to www.kcaeagles.com.
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The Yurok Tribe and Redwood National and State Parks are preparing to release two California condors on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Courtesy photo.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — At 8 a.m. on Tuesday, May 3, the Yurok Tribe and Redwood National and State Parks will facilitate the release of the first two California condors to take flight in the center of the bird’s former range since 1892.

Before their release, the condors must voluntarily enter a designated staging area with access to the outside world. If the birds do not enter the transition zone by 4 p.m., a second attempt to release the birds will occur at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, May 4.

The carefully designed release procedure is one component of a comprehensive management plan for the reintroduction.

“For countless generations, the Yurok people have upheld a sacred responsibility to maintain balance in the natural world. Condor reintroduction is a real-life manifestation of our cultural commitment to restore and protect the planet for future generations,” said Joseph L. James, the chairman of the Yurok Tribe. “On behalf of the Yurok Tribe, I would like to thank all of the individuals, agencies and organizations that helped us prepare to welcome prey-go-neesh (condor) back to our homeland.”

“The return of the condors to the skies over the redwoods represents a significant milestone in the restoration of this magnificent forest to its former glory,” remarked Redwood National and State Park Superintendent Steve Mietz. “This project is a model for listening to and following the lead of the park’s original stewards, healing both our relationship with the land and its original people.”

“The reintroduction of condors into Northern California is truly a monumental moment,” said Paul Souza, Regional Director for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Southwest Region. “This effort builds upon the program’s collective knowledge and history of releasing condors and showcases the benefit of partnering with Tribes and others to implement recovery of listed species. We are proud to support this collaborative and innovative partnership with the Yurok Tribe and Redwood National Park. Together we can recover listed species for future generations.”

The livestream will begin at 7:30 a.m. on the Yurok Tribe’s Facebook page, which can be found here: www.facebook.com/TheYurokTribe/ . The livestream can also be viewed here: https://www.yuroktribe.org/yurok-condor-live-feed .

Comprised of biologists and technicians from the Yurok Tribe and Redwood National Park, the Northern California Condor Restoration Program, or NCCRP, will collaboratively manage the flock from a newly constructed condor release and management facility in Northern California, near the Klamath River.

The NCCRP team will work collaboratively with the other condor field teams as part of the larger California Condor Recovery Program guided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Two more condors will be released at a later date. Staggering condor releases is a management strategy that allows close observation and management of individual birds.

Following releases, biologists must monitor condors to see that they display appropriate behavior. The four condors, including one female and three males, are between two and four years old, which is within the ideal age range for the successfully releasing condors to thrive in the wild. Two of the males were hatched at the Peregrine Fund’s World Center for Birds of Prey in Idaho. The other two condors were hatched at the Oregon Zoo and raised at the Idaho center.

In September, the four birds were transferred to the Ventana Wildlife Society’s flight pen in San Simeon while finishing touches were put on the NCCRP facility. They were transported to the NCCRP site in late March.

Over the last 30 years, the Service’s California Condor Recovery Program has developed an exceptionally effective blueprint to guide the reintroduction process, which begins long before the birds are released. For example, reintroduced condors are reared in large flight pens with exposure to the natural environment and when possible, other condors of various ages for mentorship.

The extremely social avian scavengers acquire life skills from their elders and their own experiences. Elder or mentor birds assist the juvenile condors in obtaining the worldly knowledge they need to survive outside of captivity. The World Center for Birds of Prey provided the NCCRP with a seven-year-old condor to fulfill this important function for the four birds as they transition into the wild. Condor 746 will remain in the flight pen and is expected to mentor future release birds at this location.

Similar to the reintroduced condors in Arizona, the Northern California flock will be considered a nonessential, experimental population under the Endangered Species Act. This pragmatic approach was selected because it has proven to be an effective method of recovering federally listed species.

Additionally, the stakeholder-driven strategy better facilitates proactive conservation and reduces the regulatory impact of reintroducing a federally listed species.

At regular intervals, the NCCRP will be releasing new condor cohorts into Redwood National Park. Over time, the birds are expected to disperse across Northern California and Southern Oregon. Through careful management, the NCCRP’s primary goal is to develop a self-sustaining condor population in the rural region, which will fill a currently vacant ecological niche in the redwood forest ecosystem as well as aid in the overall recovery of the species.

“Every year, the Yurok Tribe completes multiple, largescale river and forest habitat improvement projects in our ancestral territory. We also manage a 15,000-acre Old Growth Redwood-Forest and Salmon Sanctuary. Condor reintroduction is a major part of our long-term plan to restore the diverse ecosystems within our homeland,” said Frankie Myers, the Yurok Tribe’s Vice Chairman. “As a people, we will not recover from the traumas of the last century until we fix our environment because our culture, our ceremonies, our wellbeing and our identity are inextricably linked to the landscape.”

Yurok connection to the condor

For the Yurok Tribe, the recovery of this sacred species signifies significant progress toward the restoration of an intricately interconnected ecosystem and the people who are responsible for taking care of it. Prey-go-neesh plays a principal role in the Yurok creation story and is prominently featured in the Tribe’s White Deerskin Dance and Jump Dance.

During the 10-day world renewal ceremonies, the condor is represented via the fallen feathers incorporated into tribal regalia and prayers for the earth and all of its inhabitants.

“The loss of the condor has limited our capacity to be Yurok because prey-go-neesh is such an important part of our culture and traditions. In a very real way, restoring condor habitat and returning condor to Yurok skies is a clear restoration of the Yurok people, homeland, ecological systems, culture, and lifeway,” added Yurok Wildlife Department Director Tiana Williams-Claussen, a Yurok citizen and traditional culture bearer, who has dedicated her entire professional career to condor reintroduction.

“I have a 3-year-old-daughter. She is going to grow up with condors in her sky for her entire life. She is not going to know what it is to miss condors. She will always live in relationship with condors, which is really what this project is all about — bringing condor home, back into our communities, back into our conversations, back into our households, and into the minds and hearts of our children on behalf of the hearts of our elders,” Williams-Claussen said.

The Yurok Tribe started working in earnest on condor reintroduction in 2008.The Yurok received a tribal wildlife grant from the Service to conduct a study to determine if Yurok ancestral territory could still support North America’s largest terrestrial bird.

With support from Redwood National Park, the Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs as well as the Administration for Native Americans, Pacific Gas and Electric and many other contributors, such as the Global Conservation Fund and the Redwood National Park Foundation, the Yurok Wildlife Department completed the tremendous amount of work required to reintroduce a critically endangered species.

The following tasks represent a small fraction of what they had to accomplish in order to make condor reintroduction a reality: extensive environmental assessments, contaminant analyses, constant fundraising, planning, designing and constructing facilities, performing intensive community outreach and coordinating with numerous stakeholders and collaborators.

“The National Park Foundation is excited to be part of this collective effort to welcome the iconic California condors back to their historic range,” said Will Shafroth, president and CEO of the National Park Foundation, or NPF. “This celebratory moment affirms the importance of long-term collaborations between the NPF, the National Park Service, tribes, and other essential partners and should serve as a model for future partnerships.”

The plight of the condor

The decline of the condor started shortly after arrival of European settlers in the American West. During the Gold Rush era, numerous condors were shot for sport and collected for museum displays, while others succumbed to poisons used to eradicate large predators, such as grizzly bears and wolves.

One of the first species placed on the federal endangered species list, condor numbers continuously plummeted from 1800 to the 1980s, when a fortuitous decision was made to collect the last 22 birds from the wild and establish the first captive breeding program to save the species.

In 1983, the Service teamed up with the LA Zoo and San Diego Wild Animal Park to launch the first-ever captive breeding facilities. Today, thanks to the California Condor Recovery Program’s continued success, approximately 300 wild condors are flying free in California, the Southwest and Baja California.

There are now four captive breeding centers, which supply birds for the release sites in the U.S. and Mexico, including the Northern California Condor Restoration Program facility.

On-the-ground efforts have been led by Senior Biologist and Yurok Condor Restoration Program Manager Chris West, who has nearly 25 years of condor research and management experience.

Working in collaboration with the Ventana Wildlife Society, the Tribe designed and built the NCCRP release and management facility on National Parks land. The cutting-edge facility boasts a blend of the best elements from all of the rearing and release sites in the US.

The flight pen has a simulated, shock-wired power pole (to teach the birds to avoid this threat after release), two four-foot diameter pools, and a perch overlooking the redwood forest. Two high-definition cameras stream a live feed from the site, which is available here. Yurok Condor Program staff can observe the birds on-site from custom-modified shipping containers which form a fire-resistant structure, complete with isolation pens, where birds will receive regular health assessments and treatment if needed.

“We are fortunate to be able to develop our program based on an immense quantity of Traditional Ecological Knowledge and thirty years of real-world condor recovery experience from our partners within the California Condor Recovery Program. We are truly standing on the shoulders of giants. For these reasons, I have no doubt that our reintroduction will serve as a gateway to bring the condor back to the Pacific Northwest,” concluded West.
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California’s Wildfire Preparedness Week is May 1 to 7, and Cal Fire and its partner agencies are spending the week raising awareness on what individuals and communities can do to help protect themselves against the threat of wildfires.

Being proactive and prepared for wildfire is crucial for all Californians in making its communities more resilient to the impacts of wildfire.

Almost half of the state’s largest and most damaging wildfires occurred in 2020 and 2021, and more than 6.8 million acres burned during this time.

Lack of rainfall, with above normal temperatures through the spring, will leave fuel moisture levels lower than normal, increasing the potential for wildland fire activity.

In 2022, Cal Fire has already responded to more than 1,400 wildfires, burning more than 6,500 acres on state and federal lands combined.

“California continues to experience longer wildfire seasons as a direct result of climate change,” said Joe Tyler, Cal Fire director/chief. “Minimal rainfall is expected throughout the spring, leaving most of the state in moderate to extreme drought conditions prior to summer.”

This year, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget for Cal Fire allocates more than $3 billion for fire management, fire prevention, mitigation efforts including prescribed fire and fuel breaks, forest health and home hardening.

Californians also have an important role in preparing for and preventing wildfires. Thousands of communities depend on smart planning and prevention tools like protective fuel breaks, defensible space, and home hardening for their safety and survival. These tools work together to build more fire-resilient communities.

By preparing well in advance of a wildfire and taking steps now to reduce wildfire risks, you can dramatically increase your safety, the safety of your community, and the survivability of your home.

To learn more about wildfire safety and preparedness, visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org.

Additionally, Cal Fire continues to encourage Californians to access the “Ready for Wildfire” web-based app that includes local alerts, checklists for preparedness, evacuation plans, and other kits.

To download the free app, visit https://plan.readyforwildfire.org/.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has more new dogs, including several younger ones, waiting for their new families this week.

Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Australian cattle dog, Belgian malinois, Carolina dog, Catahoula leopard dog, Chihuahua, French bulldog, German shepherd, husky, Labrador retriever, pit bull and Shih Tzu.

Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption.

Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online for information on visiting or adopting.

This 1-year-old male pit bull is in kennel No. 2, ID No. LCAC-A-3321. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male pit bull

This 1-year-old male pit bull has a short brown coat with white markings.

He is in kennel No. 2, ID No. LCAC-A-3321.

“Bella” is a 2-year-old Catahoula leopard dog mix in kennel No. 4, ID No. LCAC-A-3245. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Bella’

“Bella” is a 2-year-old Catahoula leopard dog mix with a short black and white coat.

She is in kennel No. 4, ID No. LCAC-A-3245.

“Dexter” is a 1-year-old male pit bull in kennel No. 6, ID No. LCAC-A-3290. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Dexter’

“Dexter’ is a 1-year-old male pit bull with a short black coat with white markings.

He is in kennel No. 6, ID No. LCAC-A-3290.

“Dozer” is a 2-year-old male pit bull in kennel No. 9, ID No. LCAC-A-3278. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Dozer’

“Dozer” is a 2-year-old male pit bull with a short black coat.

He is in kennel No. 9, ID No. LCAC-A-3278.

This young female pit bull mix is in kennel No. 10, ID No. LCAC-A-3353. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female pit bull mix

This young female pit bull mix has a short black and white coat.

She is in kennel No. 10, ID No. LCAC-A-3353.

“Bruno” is a young male pit bull in kennel No. 11, ID No. LCAC-A-3344. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Bruno’

“Bruno” is a young male pit bull with a short black and white coat.

He is in kennel No. 11, ID No. LCAC-A-3344.

This 3-year-old female pit bull is in kennel No. 12, ID No. LCAC-A-3323. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female pit bull

This 3-year-old female pit bull had a short gray coat with withe markings.

She is in kennel No. 12, ID No. LCAC-A-3323.

This 3-year-old male cattle dog is in kennel No. 15, ID No. LCAC-A-3228. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male cattle dog

This 3-year-old male cattle dog has a short black and white coat.

He is in kennel No. 15, ID No. LCAC-A-3228.

This 1-year-old male Belgian malinois is in kennel No. 17, ID No. LCAC-A-3270. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male Belgian malinois

This 1-year-old male Belgian malinois has a short brown and black coat.

He is in kennel No. 17, ID No. LCAC-A-3270.

This 3-year-old male pit bull is in kennel No. 18, ID No. LCAC-A-3288. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male pit bull

This 3-year-old male pit bull has a short black and white coat.

He is in kennel No. 18, ID No. LCAC-A-3288.

This 1-year-old female shepherd mix is in kennel No. 19, ID No. LCAC-A-3342. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female shepherd mix

This 1-year-old female shepherd mix has a short gray brindle coat.

She is in kennel No. 19, ID No. LCAC-A-3342.

“Willie” is a 1-year-old male pit bull terrier in kennel No. 20, ID No. LCAC-A-3301. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Willie’

“Willie” is a 1-year-old male pit bull terrier with a short brown and white coat.

He is in kennel No. 20, ID No. LCAC-A-3301.

This female German shepherd mix puppy is in kennel No. 22a, ID No. LCAC-A-3312. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female German shepherd puppy

This female German shepherd mix puppy has a short black and tan coat.

She is in kennel No. 22a, ID No. LCAC-A-3312.

This female German shepherd mix puppy is in kennel No. 22b, ID No. LCAC-A-3313. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female German shepherd puppy

This female German shepherd mix puppy has a short tan and white coat.

She is in kennel No. 22b, ID No. LCAC-A-3313.

This female German shepherd mix puppy is in kennel No. 22c, ID No. LCAC-A-3314. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female German shepherd puppy

This female German shepherd mix puppy has a short black and tan coat.

She is in kennel No. 22c, ID No. LCAC-A-3314.

This young female Shih Tzu is in kennel No. 24, ID No. LCAC-A-3349. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female Shih Tzu

This young female Shih Tzu has a long white coat.

She is in kennel No. 24, ID No. LCAC-A-3349.

“Blue” is a 4-year-old female husky in kennel No. 25, ID No. LCAC-A-2816. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Blue’

“Blue” is a 4-year-old female husky with a gray and white coat, and blue eyes.

She is in kennel No. 25, ID No. LCAC-A-2816.

This 3-year-old male Australian cattle dog is in kennel No. 27, ID No. LCAC-A-3130. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male Australian cattle dog

This 3-year-old male Australian cattle dog has a short black, tan and white coat.

He is in kennel No. 27, ID No. LCAC-A-3130.

This 3-year-old female German shepherd is in kennel No. 31, ID No. LCAC-A-3331. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female German shepherd

This 3-year-old female German shepherd has a short black and tan coat.

She is in kennel No. 31, ID No. LCAC-A-3331.

This female Chihuahua mix puppy is in cat room kennel No. 31, ID No. LCAC-A-3354. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female Chihuahua mix puppy

This female Chihuahua mix puppy has a short brown coat.

She is in cat room kennel No. 31, ID No. LCAC-A-3354.

“Cody” is a 7-year-old male French bulldog-pit bull terrier mix in kennel No. 33, ID No. LCAC-A-3284. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Cody’

“Cody” is a 7-year-old male French bulldog-pit bull terrier mix with a short brindle and white coat.

He is in kennel No. 33, ID No. LCAC-A-3284.

This 2-year-old female Carolina dog is in kennel No. 34, ID No. LCAC-A-3281. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Carolina dog

This 2-year-old female Carolina dog has a short white coat.

She is in kennel No. 34, ID No. LCAC-A-3281.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A Santa Rosa man died early Sunday after he crashed his motorcycle while traveling along Highway 29 in Middletown.

Neville Nish Nichol, 33, was identified as the motorcycle rider in the fatal wreck, said Lauren Berlinn, spokesperson for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office said in a Monday report that Nichol was riding a 2006 Honda CBR1000 motorcycle southbound on Highway 29 south of Callayomi Street at 2:46 a.m. Sunday what the crash occurred.

The CHP said that, for reasons still under investigation, Nichol crossed the double-yellow line and the opposing lane and went off the road, where he was thrown from the motorcycle.

Both Nichol and the motorcycle hit boulders down an embankment, coming to rest in an area with heavy foliage, the CHP report said.

A passerby found the crash site along the creek, the CHP said.

The CHP said medical personnel pronounced Nichol dead at the scene.

The crash that killed Nichol, who was using his safety equipment, remains under investigation, the report said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has two adult cats ready for adoption 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 1-year-old male domestic shorthair cat is in cat room kennel No. 66, ID No. LCAC-A-3309. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male domestic shorthair

This 1-year-old male domestic shorthair cat has an all-black coat.

He is in cat room kennel No. 66, ID No. LCAC-A-3309.

“Delilah” is a 2-year-old female domestic longhair cat in cat room kennel No. 103, ID No. LCAC-A-3070. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Delilah’

“Delilah” is a 2-year-old female domestic longhair cat with a gray coat with white markings.

She is in cat room kennel No. 103, ID No. LCAC-A-3070.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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A fawn climbs over a rocky landscape to keep up with its mother and siblings. Photo courtesy of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.


Late spring and early summer is the peak time for California’s deer herds to give birth to fawns, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, or CDFW, is issuing a reminder to well-intentioned people to not interact with the baby deer — even if they find one that appears to be abandoned.

Adult female deer often stash their fawns in tall grass or brush for many hours while they are out foraging for food.

“Each year dozens of fawns across the state have their lives shortened by well-meaning residents,” said Axel Hunnicutt, Siskiyou unit biologist with CDFW’s Northern Region. “For the first several weeks of their lives, young deer are left for extended periods by their mother as a survival strategy. People who interfere with this process always mean well but end up disrupting nature and the life of both mother and fawn.”

Each year, CDFW and wildlife rehabilitation facilities are called to assist with fawns that have been removed from the wild by concerned members of the public recreating outdoors.

With limited long-term placement options in zoos or other wildlife sanctuaries, the animals often have to be euthanized since they lack the survival skills to be released back into the wild and can become dangerous and difficult to keep as they become bigger.

To report an injured, sick or suspected orphaned fawn, contact your local CDFW regional office directly.

Anyone who removes a young animal from the wild is required to notify CDFW or take the animal to a permitted wildlife rehabilitator within 48 hours. Only a limited number of wildlife rehabilitation facilities are licensed to accept fawns.

It is both illegal to feed deer and keep deer in your personal possession. Both crimes are misdemeanors, each subject to penalties of up to $1,000 and/or six months in jail.

Learn more about the dangers and consequences of feeding deer in the CDFW video below.

Deer PSA from barbara daLY on Vimeo.

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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors is set to discuss the process of filling the District 4 supervisorial seat and the next steps in the recruitment process for a new county administrative officer.

The‌ ‌board will meet beginning ‌at‌ ‌9‌ ‌a.m. ‌Tuesday, May 3, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.

The‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌can‌ ‌be‌ ‌watched‌ ‌live‌ ‌on‌ ‌Channel‌ ‌8, ‌online‌ ‌at‌ ‌https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx‌‌ and‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌county’s‌ ‌Facebook‌ ‌page. ‌ ‌
Accompanying‌ ‌board‌ ‌documents, ‌the‌ ‌agenda‌ ‌and‌ ‌archived‌ ‌board‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌videos‌ ‌also‌ ‌are‌ ‌available‌ ‌at‌ ‌that‌ ‌link. ‌ ‌

To‌ ‌participate‌ ‌in‌ ‌real-time, ‌join‌ ‌the‌ ‌Zoom‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌by‌ ‌clicking‌ ‌this‌ ‌link‌. ‌ ‌

The‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌ID‌ ‌is‌ 984 1278 3324, ‌pass code 816941.‌ ‌The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,98412783324#,,,,*816941#.

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.

To‌ ‌submit‌ ‌a‌ ‌written‌ ‌comment‌ ‌on‌ ‌any‌ ‌agenda‌ ‌item‌ ‌visit‌ ‌https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and‌ ‌click‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌eComment‌ ‌feature‌ ‌linked‌ ‌to‌ ‌
the‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌date. ‌If‌ ‌a‌ ‌comment‌ ‌is‌ ‌submitted‌ ‌after‌ ‌the‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌begins, ‌‌it‌ ‌may‌ ‌not‌ ‌be‌ ‌read‌ ‌during‌ ‌the‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌but‌ ‌will‌ ‌become‌ ‌a‌ ‌part‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌record.

On Tuesday, in an untimed item, the board will discuss the next steps to take in filling Supervisor Tina Scott’s seat.

Scott, who represents District 4, has announced her plans to resign effective July 31. She is taking a teaching job with the Lakeport Unified School District.

Staff is recommending the board consider approving a resolution that would put the seat on the Nov. 8 statewide general election ballot.

However, that resolution’s wording doesn’t appear to match that of state law. The resolution says that, “pursuant to Government Code Section 25060, the vacancy may be filled by an appointment of the Governor, and that individual will hold office until the election and qualification of their successor.”

That Government Code section, however, doesn’t say “may” but “shall”: “Whenever a vacancy occurs in a board of supervisors, the Governor shall fill the vacancy. The appointee shall hold office until the election and qualification of his or her successor.”

County staff has reportedly been in contact “with appropriate State and Local officials,” and will provide an update and invite the board’s discussion on Tuesday.

In another untimed item, Human Resources Director Pam Samac will present to the board guidelines for the recruitment of the new county administrative officer.

Carol Huchingson, who held the job for the last six years, retired on Friday.

Last Tuesday, the board had asked staff to come back with guidelines to address transparency and potential conflict of interest concerns since Huchingson’s assistant administrative officer, Susan Parker, has been appointed to the job on an interim basis.

Since Human Resources is under the direction of the County Administrative Office, that has raised concerns that Parker — who is seeking the job on a permanent basis — would have a conflict with overseeing Human Resources while the recruitment is taking place.

Samac’s report said the recruitment will be coordinated by the Human Resources director, who will confer directly with the board chair for this recruitment.

The recruitment was opened on March 28 with an initial cutoff date of April 18. Samac said they received 636 hits and 14 applications, and they determined that there are five qualified applications.

At the same time, Samac said Human Resources sent a request for qualifications to 10 executive search firms, which had an April 21 deadline to respond. The county will begin the selection process for the executive search firm, if needed, once the first round of recruitment is completed.

She said she reviewed the first-round results with Board Chair EJ Crandell on April 26, and the following day he advised her that he wanted the board to interview all five qualified candidates, and not have a panel convened by Samac narrow the field to three.

The board on Tuesday also will discuss its vision and expectations for the new county administrative officer and schedule an interview date for the candidates.

In an item timed for 1:45 p.m., the board will consider a resolution proclaiming the existence of a local emergency due to pervasive tree mortality.

Also on Tuesday, at 9:35 a.m., the board will present a proclamation honoring Dr. Gaylord "Doc" Starin in celebration of his outstanding life and his 100th birthday.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

5.1: Adopt proclamation in support of Clear Lake Environmental Research Center.

5.2: Adopt proclamation in support of Wildfire Community Preparedness Day on May 1, 2022.

5.3: Adopt proclamation designating the week of May 9 to 13, 2022, as Economic Development Week.

5.4: Adopt proclamation designating May 1 to 7, 2022, as National Small Business Week.

5.5: Adopt proclamation honoring Dr. Gaylord "Doc" Starin in celebration of his outstanding life and his 100th birthday.

5.6: a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.1, as an extension of an annual agreement; and (b) consideration of agreement for provision of satellite imagery services by Planet Labs to the county of Lake.

5.7: a) Rescind the wireless-communications devices policies; and b) approve the smartphone stipend policy.

5.8: Adopt proclamation recognizing May 2022 as Mental Health Matters Month in Lake County.

5.9: Adopt proclamation designating May 2022 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month in Lake County.

5.10: Approve request to waive 900 hour limit for extra-help Water Resources Administrative Assistant Alma Perez.

5.11: Adopt resolution authorizing the county of Lake Water Resources director to apply for, accept and execute two State General Fund grants, administered by the California Natural Resources Agency: 1) to conduct lake-wide limnological water quality sampling in Clear Lake and 2) to conduct an assessment to understand public perception attitudes and knowledge gaps towards water quality to improve education, outreach and scientific communication within the communities around Clear Lake.

TIMED ITEMS

9:05 a.m.: Pet of the Week.

6.3, 9:07a.m.: Presentation of the Wildlife Prosecutor of the Year Award, presented by California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

6.4, 9:15 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating May 2022 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month in Lake County.

6.5, 9:20 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating May 2022 as Mental Health Matters Month in Lake County.

6.6, 9:25 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating May 1 to 7, 2022, as National Small Business Week.

6.7, 9:30 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the week of May 9 to 13, 2022, as Economic Development Week.

6.8, 9:35 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation honoring Dr. Gaylord "Doc" Starin in celebration of his outstanding life and his 100th birthday.

6.9, 10 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of a resolution amending the master fee schedule for departmental services rendered by the county.

6.10, 10:30 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of a resolution regarding vacating an alley easement for public use in the area of Middletown.

6.11, 11 a.m.: Continued from April 12, public hearing, discussion and consideration of appeal (AB 21-05) of Planning Commission approval of Major Use Permit 19-36 and IS/MND 19-56 “Lake Vista Farms, LLC,” Clearlake. APN’s 010-053-01 and 010-053-02.

6.12, 1:30 p.m.: Consideration of presentations and updates of community efforts to include; a) Risk Reduction Authority and California Wildfire Mitigation Program; and b) Clear Lake Environmental Research Center; and c) Tree Mortality Task Force; and d) Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

6.13, 1:35 p.m.: Presentation of proclamation in Support of Clear Lake Environmental Research Center.

6.14, 1:40 p.m.: Presentation of proclamation in support of Wildfire Community Preparedness Day on May 1, 2022.

6.15, 1:45 p.m.: Consideration of resolution proclaiming the existence of a local emergency due to pervasive tree mortality.

UNTIMED ITEMS

7.2: (a) Discussion of next steps to fill the role of District 4 Supervisor, to be Vacated by Tina Scott July 31, 2022; (b) consideration of a resolution setting an election for District 4 supervisor as part of the Nov. 8, 2022, Statewide General Election.

7.3: Consideration of the following advisory board appointments: Child Care Planning Council.

7.4: Consideration of confidential recruitment of county administrative officer protocol and summary.

7.5: Consideration of an ordinance establishing Chapter 31 of the Lake County Code for an edible food recovery program.

7.6: Consideration of the award of Bid No. 22-10 for the Courthouse Roof Replacement Project in the amount of $791,000 to Best Contracting Services Inc.; and authorize the chair to sign the agreement and notice of award.

7.7: Notice of public hearing for June 7, 2022, regarding AB481, California Government Code 7070-7075, Military Equipment use presentation and adoption of sheriff's office military equipment use policy.

7.8: Consideration of presentation and discussion by Watershed Protection District for the request to allocate $500,000 internal matching funds, over a period of six years, to support $1.9 million in approved, and partially awarded, Blue Ribbon Committee Storm Water Project Grant Funds.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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There were few visitors in the small gallery that housed the “Jules Tavernier and the Elem Pomo” exhibit at the DeYoung Museum when an unexpected, haunting melody pierced the quiet of the room.

The clear notes of a Pomo call to dance filled the space where oil paintings by French-born landscape master Tavernier overlooked display cases filled with baskets and ceremonial artifacts created by Pomo artists from past and present Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma counties.

The exhibit, which originated in August 2021 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, was on display in San Francisco from Dec. 18 through Easter, April 17.

Central to the exhibit is Tavernier’s 1878 painting, “Dance in a Subterranean Roundhouse at Clear Lake, California,” which provides the connection to the Elem Pomo. It depicts a ceremonial dance known as Mfom xe, or people dance, in an underground roundhouse on Elem Pomo land near what is now Clearlake Oaks.

The roundhouse in Tavernier’s painting is similar to one on the same site today, which is still in use by the community.

Jules Tavernier's career masterwork, "Dance in a Subterranean Roundhouse at Clear Lake, California," was called "by far the most remarkable picture ever painted on the Pacific Coast" by a San Francisco newspaper upon its completion in 1878. It returned to California for the first time in 140 years as the centerpiece of the DeYoung Museum's "Jules Tavernier and the Elem Pomo" exhibit at the DeYoung Museum. Photo by Esther Oertel April 16, 2022.

The painting was privately owned in Europe until its purchase by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2016. Its display at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco represents the return of the painting to California for the first time in 140 years.

The composition is considered Tavernier’s masterwork and was quite possibly his most important commission. The request came from Mexican-born Tiburcio Parrott y Ochoa, a patron of Tavernier and a leading banker in 1870s San Francisco, where Tavernier lived at the time.

Parrott was the owner of the Sulphur Bank Quicksilver Mining Co., which operated on Elem ancestral lands. The work of art was to be a gift to his Parisian business partner, Baron Edmond de Rothschild.

It took the artist a full two years to complete the painting, and he made numerous trips to the Elem Pomo Indian village at Clear Lake during this time for research and inspiration.

There are more than 100 figures featured in the painting, mainly the multi-generation Pomo community members taking part in the ceremony. The painting also includes three non-Indigenous visitors: Parrott, Rothschild and a French military officer who was traveling with Rothschild.

This ceremonial man's headdress features crow feathers and was made in 2020 by Elem Pomo artist Robert Joseph Geary. It was displayed at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco from December 2021 through April 2022 as part of the "Jules Tavernier and the Elem Pomo" exhibit. Photo by Esther Oertel.

The dance so beautifully and intimately depicted in the work was performed to protect the people from the destruction and diseases brought by new settlers, a cruel irony, as the mine owned by Parrott spawned widespread mercury contamination in the lake, causing great damage to the Elem Pomo community.

An area comprising 160 acres on Clear Lake is still affected by the historic contamination. It was designated an Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Site in 1990 and eight short-term cleanup projects have been performed to date. Even so, continued work to clean up and restore the area is necessary.

To put the Tavernier painting in context, the exhibition also included more than 40 pieces of Pomo baskets and regalia.

It was the old-style Pomo feathered dance cape and headband on display that inspired Daisyetta Smith, a college student from Eureka, to sing in the exhibit room in the Kashaya Pomo language.

A Pomo dance cape and dance headband were featured in the "Jules Tavernier and the Elem Pomo" exhibit at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco from December 2021 through April 2022. Old-style feather dance capes like this one made by a Northern California Pomo artist were typically tied under the arms of a male dancer and hung down the back. The two central male dancers in Jules Tavernier's "Dance in a Subterranean Roundhouse at Clear Lake, California" are wearing shorter, wispier versions of regalia such as this. The dance headband by a Mendocino County Pomo artist is circa 1900 and features feathers from a red-shafted flicker and California quail. The two central male dancers in Tavernier's painting wear headbands such as this while blowing into bird bone whistles. Photo by Esther Oertel.

Smith, who has Kashaya Pomo and Yurok lineage, explained that the sadness she experienced when seeing the pieces dormant, rather than being used for their intended purpose, engendered the soul-stirring, extemporaneous chant.

Smith traveled more than 250 miles to view the exhibit.

A short documentary film created for the exhibit played on a loop at the entrance to introduce visitors to the Indigenous context of Tavernier’s painting, its roundhouse and the importance of the environment to Pomo basketry.

Elem cultural leader and regalia maker Robert Geary, Dry Creek Pomo scholar Sherrie Smith-Ferri, PhD, and Eastern Pomo artist and curator Meyo Marrufo are co-presenters of the exhibit and are featured in the documentary. The informative film featuring these local leaders can be viewed on YouTube below.

These miniature and micro-miniature baskets were made by Northern California Pomo artists, including Joseppa Pinto Dick (Yokayo Pomo, 1862-1905) and Mary Knight Benson (Yokayo Pomo, 1878-1930). Such small baskets were often hung from the basket hoop of a baby's cradle, along with other objects, to engage the baby's attention.

The exquisitely crafted historic Pomo baskets on display, as well as the equally magnificent baskets made by current weavers Clint McKay, Corine Pearce and Susan Billy reflect the evolution of Pomo basketry through each generation.

Pomo baskets were used in all aspects of daily life and are world-renowned for their high level of artistry, technical virtuosity, the diversity of materials employed, and their sheer beauty.

In addition to his “Dance in a Subterranean Roundhouse at Clear Lake, California,” other paintings done by Tavernier in the western United States were on display, including depictions of Yosemite, Hawaiian volcanoes, and outdoor scenes in Nebraska and Wyoming.

Esther Oertel is a freelance writer in Middletown who's contributed to Lake County News since 2010. She especially enjoys writing about the people and places that make Lake County unique. For comments, questions and story suggestions, she may be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
This close lattice-twined basket is circa 1890 and is attributed to Jennie (Polly) Miller (Potter Valley, Mendocino County, California, 1842-1932). It was made using a complicated and technically challenging technique that produces a strong yet lightweight vessel capable of holding a large quantity of foodstuffs, such as acorns. The deliberate break in the pattern is characteristic of Pomo basketry, providing the basket's spirit with an opening to enter or exit. Lack of one was thought to bring misfortune or ill health to the weaver. DeYoung Museum, San Francisco, "Jules Tavernier and the Elem Pomo," April 16, 2022. Photo by Esther Oertel.


These miniature one-rod coiled beaded baskets were made in 2020 by Corine Pearce (Little River Band of Pomo Indians, Redwood Valley, Mendocino County, Calif). They feature willow shoots, sedge root, and glass beads. DeYoung Museum, San Francisco, "Jules Tavernier and the Elem Pomo," April 16, 2022. Photo by Esther Oertel.

This doll's cradle basket of willow shoots and a dogwood hoop was made in 2020 by Corine Pearce of the Little River Band of Pomo Indians in Redwood Valley, Calif. Note the miniature basket hanging from the hoop, circa 1900, which serves as a cradle basket toy. The doll was made in 2020 by Meyo Marrufo of the Robinson Rancheria, Lake County, Calif. DeYoung Museum, Jules Tavernier and the Elem Pomo exhibit, April 16, 2022. Photo by Esther Oertel.
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What are some skywatching highlights in May 2022?

May provides some great planet spotting, including a close conjunction of Jupiter and Mars. At mid-month, a total eclipse of the Moon should delight skywatchers across the Americas, Europe, and Africa.

And all month long, the Coma star cluster (aka, the Coma Berenices star cluster, or Melotte 111) is a great target for binoculars in the evening.

May begins and ends with a couple of great planet-spotting opportunities. On May 2, look to the west about 45 minutes after sunset to find Mercury about 10 degrees off the horizon, accompanied by a slim crescent moon.

Just to the south of the Moon is brilliant red giant star Aldebaran, which should be roughly the same brightness as Mercury. (And by the way, this is the only chance to spot a naked-eye planet in the early evening until August.)

Then in the last week of May, you can watch each morning as Jupiter and Mars get increasingly close in the predawn sky. Their morning meetup culminates in a close conjunction that you can watch on May 28 through 30, where they'll be separated by barely the width of the full moon. Should look incredible with binoculars, where you can also see Jupiter's largest moons.

Skywatchers in the Western Hemisphere can look forward to a total lunar eclipse in mid-May. The event will be visible across the Americas, Europe, and Africa — basically anywhere the Moon is above the horizon at the time.

The visible part of the eclipse begins about 10:30pm U.S. Eastern time on May 15, with totality starting an hour later and lasting for about an hour and a half.

Those in the Eastern U.S. will see the eclipse start with the Moon well above the horizon. For the Central U.S., the eclipse starts about an hour and a half after dark, with the Moon relatively low in the sky. On the West coast of the U.S., the Moon rises with totality beginning or already underway, so you'll want to find a clear view toward the southeast if viewing from there.

Now, lunar eclipses are the ones that are safe to look at directly with your eyes, binoculars, or a telescope (unlike solar eclipses).

The Moon takes on a dim, reddish hue during the period of totality. Even though the Moon is fully immersed in Earth's shadow at that time, red wavelengths of sunlight filter through Earth's atmosphere and fall onto the Moon's surface. One way to think of this is that a total lunar eclipse shows us a projection of all the sunrises and sunsets happening on the planet at that moment.

So check your local details for this eclipse, and find lots more eclipse info from NASA at the address on your screen.

Finally in May, a really nice target for binoculars: the Coma star cluster. This loose, open star cluster displays 40 or 50 stars spread over a region of sky about three finger-widths wide. The brightest stars in the cluster form a distinctive Y shape, as seen here.

The Coma star cluster is located about 300 light years away, making it the second closest open cluster to Earth after the Hyades cluster in Taurus.

To find the Coma star cluster, look southward for the constellation Leo. It can be easiest to start from the Big Dipper, toward the north, and use the two "pointer stars" on the end which always point you toward Leo.

Once you've identified Leo, the Coma star cluster is about 15 degrees to the east of the triangle of stars representing the lion's hindquarters. It's relatively easy to find with binoculars, even under light-polluted urban skies — as long as it's clear out.

So here's wishing you clear skies for finding the Coma star cluster and any other wonders you discover in the night sky in May.

Stay up to date with all of NASA's missions to explore the solar system and beyond at nasa.gov.

Preston Dyches works for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

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