LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Habitat for Humanity Lake County is continuing to seek contributions from the community as it pursues a goal of making homes more accessible for seniors, veterans and those with physical challenges.

This year Habitat for Humanity began its “Wheelchair Ramps & Lifts Initiative.”

The initiative's goal included $75,000 to go toward the purchase of wheelchair ramps and wheelchair lifts to provide Lake County's disabled, low income seniors and veterans the means to get in and out of their homes freely. 

To date, the organization has raised $42,800, which has provided wheelchair ramps and wheelchair lifts to individuals and families that desperately needed them.

Among those residents was Korean War veteran Robert Veitch, who was confined to his home prior to Habitat for Humanity’s installation of the ramp.

Habitat for Humanity said the need in Lake County is great and more donations are needed.

If you would like to contribute to this initiative, or if you know someone with a ramp or lift system they no longer need and would be willing to donate, please contact Habitat for Humanity Office at 707-994-1100. 

To help Habitat for Humanity continue to give the gift of mobility and home access to those in our community that need it most, call for more information.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Two cats are waiting at Lake County Animal Care and Control for new homes as Christmas arrive this week.

The two domestic short hair mixes – one female, one male – have been waiting for homes at the shelter.

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”).

Domestic short hair mix

This male adult short hair mix cat has a coat with brown and white markings.

He's in cat room kennel No. 48, ID No. 1364.

Domestic short hair

This female domestic short hair mix has a coat with white and brown tabby markings.

She's in cat room kennel No. 73, ID No. 1316.

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.

NASA and an international team of planetary scientists have found evidence in meteorites on Earth that indicates Mars has a distinct and global reservoir of water or ice near its surface.

Though controversy still surrounds the origin, abundance and history of water on Mars, this discovery helps resolve the question of where the “missing Martian water” may have gone. Scientists continue to study the planet’s historical record, trying to understand the apparent shift from an early wet and warm climate to today’s dry and cool surface conditions.

The reservoir’s existence also may be a key to understanding climate history and the potential for life on Mars.

The team’s findings are reported in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters.

“There have been hints of a third planetary water reservoir in previous studies of Martian meteorites, but our new data require the existence of a water or ice reservoir that also appears to have exchanged with a diverse set of Martian samples,” said Tomohiro Usui of Tokyo Institute of Technology in Japan, lead author of the paper and a former NASA/Lunar and Planetary Institute postdoctoral fellow. “Until this study there was no direct evidence for this surface reservoir or interaction of it with rocks that have landed on Earth from the surface of Mars.”

Researchers from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington and NASA’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, located at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, studied three Martian meteorites.

The samples revealed water comprised of hydrogen atoms that have a ratio of isotopes distinct from that found in water in the Red Planet’s mantle and current atmosphere. Isotopes are atoms of the same element with differing numbers of neutrons.

While recent orbiter missions have confirmed the presence of subsurface ice, and melting ground-ice is believed to have formed some geomorphologic features on Mars, this study used meteorites of different ages to show that significant ground water-ice may have existed relatively intact over time.

Researchers emphasize that the distinct hydrogen isotopic signature of the water reservoir must be of sufficient size that it has not reached isotopic equilibrium with the atmosphere.

“The hydrogen isotopic composition of the current atmosphere could be fixed by a quasi-steady-state process that involves rapid loss of hydrogen to space and the sublimation from a widespread ice layer,” said coauthor John Jones, a JSC experimental petrologist and member of NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover team.

Curiosity’s observations in a lakebed, in an area called Mount Sharp, indicate Mars lost its water in a gradual process over a significant period of time.

“In the absence of returned samples from Mars, this study emphasizes the importance of finding more Martian meteorites and continuing to study the ones we have with the ever-improving analytical techniques at our disposal,” said co-author Conel Alexander, a cosmochemist at the Carnegie Institution for Science.

In this investigation, scientists compared water, other volatile element concentrations and hydrogen isotopic compositions of glasses within the meteorites, which may have formed as the rocks erupted to the surface of Mars in ancient volcanic activity or by impact events that hit the Martian surface, knocking them off the planet.

“We examined two possibilities, that the signature for the newly identified hydrogen reservoir either reflects near surface ice interbedded with sediment or that it reflects hydrated rock near the top of the Martian crust,” said coauthor and JSC cosmochemist Justin Simon. “Both are possible, but the fact that the measurements with higher water concentrations appear uncorrelated with the concentrations of some of the other measured volatile elements, in particular chlorine, suggests the hydrogen reservoir likely existed as ice.”

The information being gathered about Mars from studies on Earth, and data being returned from a fleet of robotic spacecraft and rovers on and around the Red Planet, are paving the way for future human missions on a journey to Mars in the 2030s.

These findings can be viewed online in their entirety at http://go.nasa.gov/1zwSjTa .

Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A Clearlake Oaks man is facing a murder charge for the Saturday night shooting death of his wife.

Marc Clark, 58, was arrested late Saturday night and is being held without bail in the Lake County Jail, according to booking records.

He is alleged to have fatally shot his wife, 58-year-old Linda Louise Clark, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Brooks said Clark called authorities to report that he had shot his wife after an argument at their home.

Sheriff's deputies and Northshore Fire Protection District personnel were dispatched to Clark's home – located in the 3100 block of Wolf Creek Road in the Spring Valley subdivision – shortly before 10 p.m. Saturday night, with medic units being canceled a short time later, as Lake County News has reported.

Brooks said an autopsy of Linda Clark is scheduled to take place Tuesday morning.

Lake County Superior Court records show no previous criminal cases filed locally against Marc Clark, and Brooks also reported that the sheriff's office has had no previous contacts with him.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff said that Clark is due to appear in Lake County Superior Court for arraignment on Tuesday afternoon.

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.

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A shooting that occurred late Saturday night was reported to have claimed a woman's life.

The incident was reported shortly before 10 p.m. in the Spring Valley subdivision east of Clearlake Oaks.

Sheriff's deputies, along with medics and firefighters from Northshore Fire Protection District and Cal Fire, responded to the 3100 block of Wolf Creek Road on the report of a gunshot victim, according to radio reports.

Reports from the scene indicated a woman was shot by her husband during an argument.

Medic units arrived at the address shortly before 10:15 p.m. and were directed to stage until sheriff's deputies secured the scene.

They were allowed to go in a few minutes later, and then incoming units were canceled, with the units already on scene released just over 10 minutes from arrival, radio reports indicated.

Sheriff's deputies on scene were reported to have one person in custody, with a mortuary called to the scene, according to the scanner.

Additional details will be posted as they become 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.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – After an early Friday morning of heavy rain, Lake County is expected to see more rainstorms this weekend with another weather system coming in from the Pacific.

Totals for early Friday from the National Weather Service included just over half an inch near Hidden Valley Lake, 0.67 of an inch near Lakeport, 0.68 of an inch on Mt. Konocti, 0.83 of an inch at both the High Glade Lookout above Upper Lake and at Cow Mountain, and 2.16 inches at Whispering Pines.

Forecasters are predicting more rain across Lake County on both Saturday and Sunday, giving way to patchy fog and slight chances of showers the rest of the week.

Saturday rainfall totals across the county are expected to range between just over a tenth of an inch near Lower Lake and Middletown to as much as half an inch near Cobb, Lakeport and on the Northshore, according to the National Weather Service.

As for Sunday, when chances of showers lessen, rainfall totals of between a tenth and a quarter of an inch are expected, according to the forecast.

Looking into the week ahead, a slight chance of showers is forecast both for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Friday morning's rain gave the level of Clear Lake another boost, reaching 2.25 feet on the Rumsey gauge – the particular measure for the lake – late Friday night, according to the US Geological Survey.

That level compares favorably to the 0.63 feet Rumsey recorded on Dec. 19, 2013, but is low compared to other previous years, such as the 3.50 feet Rumsey recorded Dec. 19, 2012.

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. – The Lake County unemployment rate increased in November, while the state's rate decreased and the federal rate stayed flat.

The Employment Development Department's latest report on joblessness put Lake County's November rate at 9.7 percent, up from a revised 8.8 percent in October and below the year-ago estimate of 11.2 percent.

The report said California’s unemployment rate decreased to 7.2 percent in November, compared to 7.3 percent in October and 8.4 percent in November 2013.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics said the nation's November unemployment rate was 5.8 percent, unchanged from October and down from November 2013's 7 percent.

The Employment Development Department uses two surveys for its report – a federal survey of 5,500 California households that forms the basis of the unemployment rate and a survey of 58,000 California businesses that measures jobs in the economy.

The report said nonfarm payroll jobs in California increased by 90,100 during the month for a total gain of 1,529,500 jobs since the recovery began in February 2010.

Nonfarm jobs in California totaled 15,650,500 in November, according to the survey of businesses. The report said the year-over-year change, November 2013 to November 2014, showed an increase of 344,100 jobs, up 2.2 percent.

The federal survey of households showed an increase in the number of employed people, estimating the
number of Californians holding jobs in November was 17,467,000, an increase of 71,000 from October 2014, and up 474,000 from the employment total in November of last year.

The Employment Development Department said the number of people unemployed in California was 1,355,000 – down by 6,000 over the month, and down by 209,000 compared with November of last year.

Lake County employment details

Marin County continues to have the lowest unemployment in the state, 3.9 percent, gaining it the No. 1 rank, with Imperial County ranking No. 58 based on a 22.6-percent jobless rate.

Lake County's 9.7 percent rate in November earned it a ranking of No. 46, while neighboring counties had the following rankings and rates: Colusa, No. 57, 16.9 percent; Glenn, No. 40, 8.8 percent; Mendocino, No. 16, 6.3 percent; Napa, No. 7, 5.3 percent; Sonoma, No. 5, 5.1 percent; and Yolo, No. 32, 8 percent.

Lake County's civilian workforce in November totaled 26,550 individuals with 2,590 unemployed, down from 26,760 and 2,370 unemployed in October, and 26,500 and 2,970 unemployed in November 2013, based on the report.

Industries showing job growth in Lake County in November included retail trade, 1.9; government, 1 percent; and service producing, 0.2 percent.

Areas where jobs decreased included total farm, -31.3 percent; financial activities, -2.5 percent; other services, -2.2 percent; leisure and hospitality, -2.0 percent; and goods producing, -1.6 percent.

State employment details

In November, across California 11 industry categories – mining and logging; construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; other services; and government – added jobs over the month, gaining 90,100 jobs, the report showed. Trade, transportation and utilities posted the largest increase over the month, adding 19,000 jobs.

No categories reported job declines over the month, the state said.

In a year-over-year comparison – November 2013 to November 2014 – nonfarm payroll employment in California increased by 344,100 jobs, up 2.2 percent, the Employment Development Department reported.

The state said nine categories posted job gains over the year, adding 348,100 jobs. They included mining and logging; construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; and leisure and hospitality.

Professional and business services posted the largest gains on a numerical basis, adding 119,400 jobs, up 5.1 percent, the report said. Construction posted the largest gains on a percentage basis, up 6.3 percent, adding 40,800 jobs.

Two categories – other services and government – posted job declines over the year, down 4,000 jobs. Government posted the largest decline on a numerical basis, down 3,400 jobs, a 0.1-percent decrease, the state said.

The Employment Development Department's report also reported that were 392,610 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the November 2014 survey week, compared with 392,093 last month and 465,581 last year.

New claims for Unemployment Insurance were 60,211 in November 2014, compared with 52,788 in October and 72,642 in November of last year, the agency 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.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Christmas is this week, and there are several dogs at Lake County Animal Care and Control that would like new homes for the holiday.

This week's dogs include mixes of Australian shepherd, border collie, cattle dog, Chihuahua, German Shepherd, pit bull and terrier.

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.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets 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 dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).

Terrier mix

This female terrier mix has a short black and tan coat.

She's in kennel No. 5, ID No. 1431.

Male German Shepherd

This male German Shepherd mix has a medium-length black and tan coat.

He's in kennel No. 7, ID No. 1407.

Pit bull mix

This female pit bull terrier mix has a short black coat.

She's in kennel No. 16, ID No. 1380.

'Buck'

“Buck” is a male border collie-Australian Shepherd mix with tricolor markings.

He's in kennel No. 17, ID No. 1377.

Female Chihuahua mix

This female Chihuahua mix has a short black and white coat.

She's in kennel No. 27, ID No. 1398.

Female cattle dog

This young female cattle dog mix has a short black and white coat.

She's in kennel No. 28, ID No. 1427.

Male terrier mix

This male terrier mix has a long black coat.

He's in kennel No. 32b, ID No. 1397.

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.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Fire officials are investigating the cause of a Thursday night fire that destroyed a trailer.

The incident was first reported just before midnight Thursday in the 2900 block of Fifth Street in Clearlake, as Lake County News has reported.

Lake County Fire Protection District Capt. Bill Inman said the structure in question was a singlewide mobile home with a living room addition and a separate work shed behind it.

He said there was no one in the residence at the time, with a neighbor reporting the fire.

Inman said the trailer was very old and it may have been used as a marijuana grow site, as marijuana plants were in the yard.

Lake County Fire sent an engine, water tender and a medic unit, with Cal Fire sending one engine, Inman said. Pacific Gas and Electric also responded due to a downed power line to the structure.

He said it took firefighters about 20 minutes to get the fire under control.

About 75 percent of the structure was damaged, with firefighters able to save the front of it. The work shed had damage but is still standing, Inman said.

“The rear half of the house was completely gone,” he said, adding that the structure isn't salvageable.

Nearby structures were not harmed, Inman added. “All exposures were in good shape.”

Inman said the cause remains under investigation.

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.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – An informal group of volunteers is organizing with the main purpose of educating the public with regard to laws governing pet ownership.

Coordinator Melinda Young said the intent of Volunteers – Promoting Animal Kindness, or V-PAK, is to help pet owners provide adequate care for their animals, not to report incidents of noncompliance.

V-PAK – which, according to Young, does not intend to seek nonprofit status – currently consists of about 10 volunteers.

“Our goal is to begin by educating children on the humane treatment of animals and help those who have limited finances provide shelter, bedding and better living conditions for animals,” she said.

School presentations that include information about what is lawfully required of pet owners and how to provide that care recently began with Pomo Elementary School Early Start.

Young said presentations are age-appropriate and in story format from the perspective of a dog describing what it is like to be chained, forgotten and often unfed.

Stories illustrate that dogs can be depressed, fearful, anxious, lonely, preyed upon, cold, hot, hurt and that they need people to provide for their needs as domestic pets.

“Beginning with our youngest population of our community, our goal is to change thinking that has been passed down from generation to generation on animal care and treatment,” Young said.

Current pet ownership laws that V-PAK is emphasizing include:

– Must provide and maintain adequate and nutritious food.
– Must provide fresh, clean water at all times.
– Yard must be free of feces daily and in good condition.
– Must not tether a dog to any object for more than three hours.
– Must not deprive an animal of shelter or protection from the weather.
– Must not keep an animal on a chain or rope that may get tangled, or cause injury or prevent the animal from getting to food, water or shelter.
– Must not keep animal in enclosed area without proper exercise.
– Must not keep an animal tethered to an object on less than 6 feet of rope unless present with the animal at all times.
– Must not intentionally hurt, torture, wound or inflict cruelty on any animal.
– Must spay/neuter and obtain dog license and rabies vaccination.

V-PAK also intends to focus on building dog houses and runners to eliminate chaining. The group aims to provide bedding, food and other supplies to dogs, as well as cats in need.

Additional volunteers are being sought.

Those who would like to contribute their time, skills or supplies to effort should contact Melinda Young at 707-995-2342.

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

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Twinkling lights, shiny ornaments and the fresh smell of pine are signs of the approaching festivities.

While decorations can be a beautiful addition to your home and celebrations, Cal Fire and firefighters across California are asking everyone to be fire smart as you deck the halls this holiday season.

One of every three home Christmas tree fires is caused by electrical failures, while one in every five is the result of having a heat source too close to the tree.

“Using only Underwriters Laboratory tested lights in excellent condition and keeping your tree away from heat sources are important steps to keeping your family and home safe this holiday,” said State Fire Marshal Tonya Hoover, Cal Fire-Office of the State Fire Marshal. “These are simple choices that will help keep your holiday a joyful time by preventing possible tragedy.”

Follow these simple safety tips to help ensure a safe and happy holiday:

Christmas trees

– Choose a fresh tree with green needles that do not fall off when touched.
– Before placing the tee in the stand, cut 2” from the base of the trunk.
– Add water to the tree stand.  Be sure to add more water daily.
– Make sure the tree, live or artificial, is at least three feet away from any heat source, like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights.
– Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit.
– Decorate Christmas trees with lights that have been tested and labeled by a recognized testing lab.
– Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of light strands to connect.
– Never use lit candles to decorate any tree.
– Always unplug Christmas tree lights when leaving home or going to bed.

Holiday decorations

– Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant.
– Use indoor lights indoors and outdoor lights outdoors.
– Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged.
– Keep your exits clear by keeping decorations away from windows and doors.

For more information on holiday safety, visit www.fire.ca.gov .

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Officials, business owners, ranchers, sportsmen and more than 350 residents from around northern California welcomed Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Bonnie to a public meeting in Napa on Friday to discuss a national monument designation for the Berryessa Snow Mountain region.

Located less than one hundred miles from the Sacramento and Bay Area metro areas, the Berryessa Snow Mountain region provides numerous outdoor recreation activities including white water rafter in Cache Creek, hunting, fishing and hiking.

“The Berryessa Snow Mountain region provides easily-accessible opportunities for those living in Sacramento and the Bay Area to come up for a weekend and enjoy the recreation that this area has to offer,” said Lake County Supervisor Denise Rushing, who spoke on the panel at the public meeting. “The benefits of such protection will extend far beyond the land itself to the surrounding areas, bringing new visitors to our communities as they take advantage of our recreational opportunities.”

A recent economic report stated a national monument would increase visitation to the region by 20 to 30 percent, generating up to $50 million for local economies over a five-year period following a designation.

The boards of supervisors for Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Yolo counties – all of the counties within the proposal – passed resolutions of support for the designation.

As a national monument, the public lands in the Berryessa Snow Mountain proposal would remain open to hunting, outdoor recreation and grazing.

The proposal has support from groups including Trout Unlimited, International Mountain Bicycling Association, the Blue Ribbon Coalition, Back Country Horsemen of America, and the National Latino Farmer and Rancher Trade Association.

“There is no fishing or hunting without good habitat – pure and simple,” said professional fly-fisherman and guide Jordon Romney. “The Berryessa Snow Mountain public lands include many streams and lakes that support outstanding fishing for trout and bass. Hunting and fishing are allowed in national monuments, and President Obama should guarantee that the excellent fishing and hunting opportunities in the Berryessa Snow Mountain public lands will be protected in perpetuity, by designating them as a national monument.”

“As adjacent property owners to the proposed National Monument designation, we worked with Congressman Thompson on his National Conservation Area legislation to ensure that private property rights were respected and protected,” commented ranchers John and Judy Ahmann. “As cattle ranchers it is also important to us that the National Monument encompasses the intent of the current legislation to allow continued grazing on these lands. We applaud Congressman Thompson for introducing the National Conservation Area legislation, but agree that if Congress will not take action to permanently protect the Berryessa Snow Mountain region, then the President should.” 

A national monument would also ensure that the public lands were managed in a way to safeguard the area's natural beauty, wildlife habitat and rare plants.

“These lands in our wild backyard are one of Northern California’s best kept secrets,” said Sara Husby, executive director of Tuleyome. “It’s encouraging to see the huge show of support for the designation. It’s not every day that hikers, horseback riders, hunters, anglers, OHV users, and mountain bikers rally together to get things done, but it’s really exciting to see this happening.”

"Protecting the Berryessa Snow Mountain region as a National Monument is a great option at this time,” said Napa County Supervisor Keith Caldwell, who also attended Friday’s meeting. “If Congress will not take action, then President Obama should use his authority to protect the area for the benefit of current and future generations.”