UPPER LAKE, Calif. – A state agency involved with reviewing Westamerica Bank's proposed closure of its Upper Lake branch has reopened its consideration of the matter based on concerns about the impact on the community.

The commissioner of the California Department of Business Oversight notified Westamerica Bank of the reopening of the case in a letter dated March 6.

“That's wonderful news,” said Debbie Hablutzel, president of the Upper Lake Community Council, which has been rallying the town and the Northshore in the effort to keep a bank on Upper Lake's Main Street – which has been the location of a bank under one name or another since 1921.

Westamerica – a state-chartered bank – had notified the Department of Business Oversight in a Dec. 31 letter that it intended to closure the branch, located at 9470 Main St.

In that letter, as well as supplemental information provided to the state on Jan. 15, the bank cited low transactional volume “which does not support having a branch in the current location.”

The bank also has suggested that there will be no impact on the community, which could transition business to Westamerica’s Lakeport branch.

Business Oversight Commissioner Jan Lynn Owen responded in a Feb. 13 letter that she was not raising an objection to the closure.

However, since then, Upper Lake residents including Nancy Brier, Hablutzel and the community council, and local officials including County Administrative Officer Matt Perry, Supervisor Jim Steele and Lake County Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Melissa Fulton have worked hard to focus attention on the planned closure’s potential impacts.

Their efforts have brought to the Department of Business Oversight's attention the potentially far-reaching effects of the closure of the only bank on the Northshore – and, in fact, the only bank on the 85-mile stretch of the Highway 20 corridor between Williams and Ukiah.

While Westamerica Bank provided the state with information about the Upper Lake community and its banking needs, it hadn't included the fact that residents of Lucerne, Clearlake Oaks, Nice, Glenhaven and – in some cases – Lakeport also bank there, according to Tom Dresslar, a special assistant to Owen.

An online petition as well as paper petitions signed by Northshore residents and forwarded by Perry and Fulton to the Department of Business Oversight illustrated the concerns about the broader impact of the branch closure.

As part of the state’s further inquiry into the matter, Dresslar came to Lake County to attend a special March 4 Upper Lake town hall hosted by Supervisor Jim Steele to discuss matters including the bank closure.

The March 6 letter from Owen to Arlene Riedinger, Westamerica Bank vice president/Community Reinvestment Act and compliance manager – which came two days after the town hall – explained, “Subsequent to issuing the letter of no objection, the Department of Business Oversight received additional information impacting whether the discontinuance of the branch office will have a seriously adverse effect on the public convenience or advantage.”

Noting that California Financial Code requires her to consider the new information, Owen's letter stated, “Given the new information and need to evaluate its effect on the decision regarding whether to object to the proposed discontinuance, the Commissioner hereby withdraws the February 13, 2015 letter of no objection.”

In addition, Owen is requesting that Westamerica consent to a 30-day extension of the time permitted under California Financial Code to consider the bank's branch closure notice.

“With this consent, any decision concerning the branch closure would be made on or before April 15, 2015,” Owen’s letter stated.

In response to Lake County News' questions about the letter, Dresslar emphasized that the letter does not mean that the commissioner now objects to the closure, “just that the issues raised by community residents and leaders warrant a re-opening of the matter and a further review before a final decision is made.”

California Financial Code Section 1078 gives the commissioner 60 days from the time the Department of Business Oversight deems the bank's notice is complete to issue a written statement of objection or non-objection.

The rules say the notice is deemed to be filed when the notice is complete, “including any amendments or supplements, containing all the information required by the commissioner.”

In this case, Dresslar said the agency deemed the notice complete on Jan. 15, which gave them until March 15. He said the 30-day extension would take them to April 15.

The statute explains, “the commissioner shall consider whether the closing or discontinuance of the branch office will have a seriously adverse effect on the public convenience or advantage.”

So far, the Department of Business Oversight has not gotten any indication from Westamerica Bank regarding whether or not it will consent to the 30-day time extension, Dresslar said.

“It’s premature to speculate about what may happen if the bank refuses the commissioner’s request for more time,” he added.

Hablutzel, who continues to gather petitions, said she's been told by a lot of people that there is no chance of stopping the branch closure, but she remains hopeful.

“We have a lot of people pulling for us here,” she said. “Let’s just see what happens.”

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 seventh event of the Poet Laureate Reading Series takes place Friday featuring the work of Lake County Poet Laureate Emeritus Elaine Watt.

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

It also will feature guest poet Sama Morningstar and a guest musician, Clare Hedin.

The eight-month series is held on the second Friday of each month through April and showcases local poetry by presenting each of Lake County’s eight poets laureate 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 2012, Elaine Watt was selected as the seventh poet laureate of Lake County.

Originally from Chicago, Watt has been writing since she was 15, and has an entire bookcase of journals to show for it.

In college, she was so obsessed with poetry that she used to stop while biking to class to jot down poems in her notebook, frequently making her late.

During her two years in the Peace Corps in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), where she taught villagers how to raise fish in hand-dug ponds, she sent home 9 pounds of letters.

In 1991, after the Peace Corps, she wrote her first novel, “When Lions Revolt,” about the Simba Rebellion in the 1960s in the Congo.

Watt began her second book after going to Burning Man in 2000, a yearly event described as an experiment in community, art, radical self-expression and radical self-reliance.

“A Falcon in the Desert” is Watt’s memoir about her experiences at the week-long festival in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada.

Watt was seven years into a Ph.D. program in economics at the University of California, Berkeley, but, after Burning Man, she realized that she wanted to be a writer.

“I was on track to become a professor,” said Watt, “but, after meeting and being inspired by the artists who created the raw and gritty art of Burning Man, I realized that the scholarly life wasn’t for me.”

Within two years, she had finished “A Falcon in the Desert,” quit her Ph.D. program, left her marriage and moved to Harbin Hot Springs, where she became the accounting manager.

Watt has lived at Harbin for 13 years. She has finished two other memoirs: “A Three-Stick Fire” about her experiences in Zaire and “I Thought You Liked Me” about her dysfunctional childhood.

She is in the progress of completing “Another Betrayal” about her difficulties in high school.

“I enjoy writing memoir,” said Watt, “because it helps me explore the mysterious and, at times, nearly inexplicable forces which ripple through my life.”

Watt also has written two screenplays: “The Pelt,” about a sea lion/human shape-shifter and the screenplay adaptation of “I Thought You Liked Me.” She is nearly done with the screenplay adaptation of “Another Betrayal.”

In addition, she is finishing writing the third book of a science fiction trilogy, “The Purple Disk Series.”

Watt has self-published four chapbooks of poetry and prepared for publication “My Tumbled Life,” a manuscript of seventy-five related poems about a woman whose child has drowned.

Her writing goal for this year is to publish her memoir about her childhood and her poetry manuscript.

Watt has studied writing poetry with Ishmael Reed, Diane di Prima and Clive Matson. She is a co-editor of Harbin’s monthly literary newsletter, Cynefin, and has twice been guest editor of Clive Matson’s quarterly literary newsletter, The Scribbler.

She competes in the Berkeley and Oakland Poetry Slams and has qualified for the finals of the Oakland Poetry Slam in May.

“Writing slam poetry,” said Watt, “in a three-minute, spoken-word format, to be performed in front of a raucous, enthusiastic audience, makes me hone in on the precise word and exact image to convey an emotion within the time limit. It’s great training and it’s also a whole lot of fun.”

Along with poet laureate Casey Carney, she has received a Lake County Behavioral Health Prevention and Early Intervention Mini Grant to teach teenage girls in Lower Lake how to write and perform spoken word poetry, starting this April.

Information about the workshop, which is called Speak Up/Speak Out, is available by contacting the Harbor on Main Youth Resource Center in Lower Lake, 707-994-5486.

Casey Carney is the current poet laureate of Lake County.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – This month the Lakeport Senior Activity Center is launching a fundraiser to help purchase new, much-needed equipment.

Lakeport Senior Activity Center staff and volunteers have worked hard to keep the doors open amidst the recent economic depression and budget cuts, according to Executive Director Jonathan Crooks.

Crooks said the success of the center through the hard times is a testament to the community that supports it.

While the doors are open, they need help, as Crooks said most of the equipment and the center’s building at 527 Konocti Ave. are 30 years old and in need of repair, upgrades and replacement.

This endeavor will require more than $60,000, according to Crooks.

Recently, through generous donations, the center has acquired a top-of-the-line commercial steam cooker and an ice machine, he said.

Crooks said the center's upcoming crab feed on March 21, hosted by the Lakeport Lions Club with the Elks Lodge, will raise funds needed to purchase a new commercial stove range.

Tickets are $45 per person and going fast. They can be purchased at the senior center, Meals on Wheels Thrift Store, Lakeport Upholstery or at the Lakeport Elks Lodge.

This fundraising effort’s progress can be followed on the center's Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/lakeportseniors , and at www.gofundme.com/lakeportseniors .

As enough money is raised, the purchases and upgrades will take place and be announced, Crooks said.

Some of the items that are on the list of needs, Crooks said, include HVAC for the thrift store and half of the senior center, convection oven, ware washer, building paint as well as many other repairs and upgrades.

The current project estimates include the following.

Center/kitchen

Range/oven: $7,000
Convection oven: $8,000
Ware washer: $6,000
Wash station: $1,000
Steam table: $1,000
Freezer door: $1,500
HVAC upgrade: $14,000
Floors: $10,000
Paint in/out: $5,000

Subtotal: $53,500

Thrift store

HVAC: $8,000
Paint: $1,500
Sign: $2,000
Rollup door: $1,500

Subtotal:  $13,000

The center currently is accepting bids for the many repair and equipment projects and is committed to keeping it local as much as possible, Crooks said.

To get involved with the senior center and their efforts call 707-263-4218 or stop by 527 Konocti Ave. in Lakeport.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement for parts of Northern California – including Lake County – ahead of a rainstorm expected to arrive late Tuesday night and continue through Wednesday.

Forecasters said the weather system – which was responsible for the cooler temperatures and overcast skies the county experienced on Tuesday – is a weak one, and isn't expected to bring a lot of rain.

The specific forecast for Lake County shows that chances of rain are 30 percent after 11 p.m. Tuesday, with chances of rain increasing to 70 percent on Wednesday during the day and tapering to 20 percent on Wednesday night.

Expectations are for “light” precipitation, according to forecasters. That equates to less than a tenth of an inch throughout the county.

Light winds also are forecast for Tuesday night, with Wednesday's conditions expected to include wind gusts of up to 21 miles per hour.

Daytime highs on Wednesday will be in the high 50s, with nighttime temperatures ranging into the high 30s in the Lakeport area, but warmer nighttime temperatures elsewhere in the county.

The drier, warmer late-winter weather is expected to return on Thursday and Friday, with temperatures back into the high 70s during the daytime and the mid-40s at night, according to the forecast.

The extended National Weather Service forecast for Lake County also includes the possibility of light rain on Saturday and Sunday.

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. – Rotary Club of Clearlake held its 12th annual Seafood Boil and Auction on Feb. 28 at Highlands Senior/Community Center in Clearlake.

This year's event was dedicated in memory of Dr. William “Bill” Cornelison, who was a longtime Rotarian and past president of the Middletown Rotary Club.

Cornelison spent a lifetime dedicated to education, serving as superintendent of schools in the Konocti school district as well as of the county district.

“We honor Bill's qualities as a Rotarian, a humanitarian, a good and true friend, and a selfless server to his community,” it stated in the evening's program.

The club intends to create a perpetual scholarship in Cornelison's name.

The event featured a plethora of live and silent auction items, as well as lobster and tri-tip, and mounds of steaming crab legs, shrimp, crawfish, mussels and clams.

Wines poured by Gregory Graham also highlighted the event.

Dessert was prepared by Lower Lake High School culinary class and students from Interact clubs of Carlé and Lower Lake High schools served the 200-plus guests in attendance.

The Rotary Club of Clearlake was founded in 1973 under the motto, “Service Above Self.”

During its 42 years of service, its has donated more than $255,000 in annual scholarships to local, college-bound seniors.

More than 3,100 dictionaries have been provided area third-grade students throughout the years as well.

The Rotary Club also hosts an annual community Christmas dinner, serving more than 900 meals each year while providing more than 600 gifts to children.

It is also a major sponsor of the Safe House for Homeless Teens.

Additional contributions to the community are vast and encompass health care, public transportation, youth athletics and more including the dedication of Highway 53 as Veterans' Memorial Highway.

This year's international project, according to Ginger Kite, event coordinator, will send school books destined to be destroyed by the California school system to students in the Philippines.

The club also will assist with a sustainable small business project there.

The Seafood Boil and Auction is the club's largest fundraising endeavor. In addition to the thousands of dollars made in sold-out ticket sales and proceeds from the silent auction, live auction action saw the club raise more than $10,000, including the sales of extra lobster tails.

In a repeat of last year's highest-selling auction items was a jungle adventure in Costa Rica with host and tour guide Bill MacDougall, retired superintendent of Konocti Unified schools.

Bidding reached $2,300, with Supervisor Jeff Smith and business owner Karen Slooten – who held the winning bid last year – pitted in competition.

Ultimately, MacDougall donated a second trip and both Smith and Slooten took the item each with $2,300 bids.

The second-highest bid was awarded to Bruce McCracken, owner of Clearlake Waste Solutions, who snagged four premium Giants baseball tickets for $900. The item was donated by QKA and Dana Moore of Konocti Unified School District.

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

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Habitat for Humanity Lake County has received two state grants totaling $840,000 to continue to expand its services – both for first-time homebuyers and for those who need critical home repairs.

The grants are through the California Department of Housing and Community Development's CalHome program.

Habitat for Humanity Lake County President Richard Birk said he believes it's the largest grant award that the local Habitat chapter has received at one time.

The first grant, for $540,000, will allow Habitat for Humanity to continue to provide mortgage assistance for first-time homebuyers within the city of Clearlake. The funds are to be used in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity’s Homeownership Program, according to Birk.

Birk said the second grant of $300,000 offers mortgage and rehabilitation assistance to owners of manufactured homes throughout Lake County.

That goes along with a larger effort that began about five years ago, when Habitat for Humanity decided to start a home repair program for seniors who can't afford to make the home upgrades, said Birk.

So far, they've repaired 150 homes, spending more than $1 million on that effort – which has included everything from roofs, to wheelchair ramps and lifts, Birk said.

“That's a huge need. The housing stock up here is so bad,” he said.

“We focus on health and safety issues in the house,” Birk added.

Birk said Habitat for Humanity also received another housing preservation grant for $125,000 from the US Department of Agriculture. Those funds can be used for home repairs anywhere in the county.

Applicants for Habitat's rehabilitation and homeowner programs must meet income and program qualifications and are subject to loan repayments, Birk said.

Since it was founded a decade and a half ago, Habitat for Humanity Lake County has raised several million dollars in its effort to improve local housing stock, Birk said.

The group finished its first house in 2002, Birk said, and has provided 18 homes to new homeowners so far.

That includes purchasing two bank-owned homes and rehabilitating them. “If the opportunity is there, if we see them, we'll go after them,” said Birk.

He said Habitat is getting ready to build a new home in a few weeks, and hopes to build at least two more this year, plans which will be helped by the latest round of grant funding.

While Habitat for Humanity has qualified applicants for the three homes it aims to build this year, it's always looking for families who qualify for the program in order to plan for future projects.

If you would like more information about Habitat for Humanity programs, contact the Lower Lake office at 707-994-1100, visit the organization online at www.lakehabitat.org or https://www.facebook.com/habitatforhumanity.lakecoca , or follow them on Twitter at https://twitter.com/hfh_lake_co .

Email Elizabeth Larson at [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Library invites the public to get to know about Lake County’s geology at Lakeport Library, 1425 N. High St. at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 21, when Dr. Harry Lyons asks and answers the question “How Did Here Get Here?”

Lyons' presentation is part of the library’s free lecture series, “Know Lake County.”

Lyons says, “We live in a clutter of marine rocks, delivered from the Pacific by forces beautifully described by a theory called Plate Tectonics. The position and composition of the rocks, for millions of years, have formed and subsidized the ecosystem of the Clear Lake Basin. Our dynamic landscape, powered by the San Andreas Fault System, has led to the development of our famous eutrophic lake, a favorite of biologists worldwide.”

What better way to enjoy the broad explanatory power of this theory than by listening to an oceanographer who gathered magnetic data to support it, decades ago?

Lyons emphasizes three local rocks in recounting the history of the North Coast: sandstone of the Franciscan Complex; serpentine of the Coast Range Ophiolite; and basalt of the Clear Lake Volcanic Field. He relates where they can be viewed and what stories they can tell.

Lyons is professor of biology at the Clear Lake Campus of Yuba College, where he teaches biology, ecology, physiology, microbiology and, on occasion, statistics. He served as the scientific advisor and secretary to the Upper Putah Creek Stewardship.

He holds earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and environmental science from Rutgers College and a PhD in oceanography from the Scripps Institution.

Dr. Lyons’ enthusiasm for Clear Lake is expressed in original lyrics for spirited songs that add zest to a presentation designed for those weary of PowerPoint.

The Know Lake County programs will take place on the third Saturday of each month from February through December at 2 p.m. at Lakeport Library.

Know Lake County delves into many facets of Lake County with family-friendly programs designed to inform and entertain local residents about Lake County.

For more information about Know Lake County and other library programs call 707-263-8817.

Lectures scheduled in coming months will feature the Berryessa Snow Mountain Region; Lake County insects and other critters; the Lake County Master Gardeners; the Taylor Observatory; and Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association. The year will conclude with programs on Lake County’s prehistory; Konocti Regional Trails, the Soper Reese Theatre and the Children’s Museum of Art and Science.

Know Lake County’s full schedule is posted on the Know Lake County Web site www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Lake_County_CA__Library/KLC.htm . The schedule is subject to change without notice.

The Lake County Library is on the Internet at http://library.co.lake.ca.us and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary .

Library events are also posted at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Lake_County_CA__Library/Calendar.htm .

Jan Cook works for the Lake County Library.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee plans this week to discuss a number of upcoming projects and a retreat.

LEDAC will meet from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, March 11, at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

City Manager Margaret Silveira will present information on a strategic planning retreat and next steps.

The committee also will get an update on the vacant commercial properties inventory by Lakeport Community Development Director Kevin Ingram, and discuss public art murals in the city, changing art displays in Lakeport City Hall and will identify other priorities.

There also will be committee member reports and updates on business outreach efforts – including events and projects.

Chair Wilda Shock will give an update on the Carnegie Library – which was the topic of a special feasibility study – and there also will be the opportunity for public input.

LEDAC advocates for a strong and positive Lakeport business community and acts as a conduit between the city and the community for communicating the goals, activities and progress of Lakeport’s economic and business programs.

Members do not have to be Lakeport residents.

Wilda Shock chairs LEDAC, the membership of which also includes Vice Chair Christine Hutt, Secretary Rebecca Southwick, and members Bill Eaton, Melissa Fulton, Rick Hamilton, Pam Harpster, Chris King, George Linn, Paula Pepper-Duggan and Taira St. John.

City Community Development Director Kevin Ingram and City Manager Margaret Silveira serve as ex-officio committee members.

LEDAC's next regularly scheduled meeting is Wednesday, April 8, at Lakeport City Hall.

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. – The Lakeport Planning Commission will meet this week with one main business item relating to a fence variance.

The commission will meet beginning at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

The main item of business for the Wednesday meeting is Robert Culbertson's application for approval of fencing in excess of the 3-foot height limitation within the front yard setback area of a rental property located at 270 15th St.

The staff report said the application indicates that the property's tenants have “expressed concerns about the traffic noise and the lack of privacy from adjoining North High Street.”

The tenant also owns a large dog which needs a boundary fence to prevent it from escaping. That led to the fence's construction.

Staff is proposing approving the proposed fencing subject to conditions including removing 7 lineal feet of the fence to improve visibility, keeping shrubs at a maximum height of 36 inches and maintaining the fencing in good condition.

The commission also will approve its Jan. 14 meeting minutes and schedule its next meeting for Wednesday, April 8.

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.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – For their first work of art, founders of a new art center in Middletown are seeking to bring 300 artists, artisans, art lovers and the aesthetically minded in Lake County together in their center’s first year of operation.

The drive for members already is taking place, with an artists’ premiere and reception planned for 5:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 28, at the new center, a renovated building at the corner of highways 29 and 175.

The reception will feature the work of the center’s “Founding Five.”

As you read this, work is under way toward converting a 2,400-square-foot space that for a short time was a secondhand book store (and earlier a gymnasium) into a building dedicated to art with multiple exhibition spaces and classrooms.

The conversion is headed by Lisa Kaplan, who earlier was lead designer for the Lake County International Charter School in Middletown.

As one of the art center founders, she is filling the role of director of education and outreach.

The other four artist-founders are John Hanses, director of the treasury; Renata Jaworska, technical director; and Francesco Calisco and Sariah Reeser.

In addition, Kristina Della Valle is the gallery specialist and director of operations and marketing.

The group is in the process of renovating the exhibition salon and office space, and is asking for artists, art lovers, collectors, students of the arts, friends and family to come together to help them get the project off the ground.

“It’s not just artists; it’s also community members who will be participating in classes,” said Kaplan.

“We estimate our membership will be about 300 for the first year. The artists will be invited with the possibility of participating in art shows. We won’t refuse any members. If you want to be a member you can be a member. We are expecting to reach out to a broad variety of community members of all ages,” said Kaplan.

“It’s important to note that we would like to provide a place for youth and young adults,” she said. “At the same time, we are trying to appeal to the global market so we are interested in artists who have a name globally. We want to become a county destination. “

There are more immediate objectives, such as completing a segment of the center in time for the grand opening.

A section containing two classrooms will not be finished, but the classrooms are expected to open sometime in April.

Then there is the matter of raising the money needed to run the center.

“There’s a lot of parts to this,” said Hanses. “We’ll probably start with as little as $7,500.”

The initial funding, expected to be in the $27,000 to $30,000 range, will cover the center’s initial six-month budget.

“It will give us a finished gallery, classroom space advertising, all our supplies and finish the walls and air conditioning and heating,” said Hanses.

While the March 28 opening will display the artwork of founding members throughout the center, more importantly, said Della Valle, it will be a showcase to encourage artists from the community and other artists to participate in shows at the center.

“I think people would be surprised by how many artists we have in Lake County,” she said. “For example, we just started our fundraising campaign and had 41 people contributing. At least half of them are artists.”

To maintain a high standard of art, exhibitions will be juried. But the center is accepting two- and three-dimensional mixed media, functional art and small works.

Anyone interested can call 707-809-5398 or visit www.middletownartcenter.org for guidelines for membership and submissions.

The center will offer professional feedback and guidance on composition.

“Basically, what we’re doing is saying, to come and teach. The community wants to learn. Come and teach with us,” said Kaplan, who is one of the teachers.

Della Valle said that there will be six shows, each of six weeks' duration, at the center this year.

Already, she added, works have been submitted for a show that opens in May themed “Innovative Approaches To Landscape.”

“There will be some dedicated solo or duet shows a little later in the year,” Della Valle said.

In its early existence the center’s lifeblood will be sales, new memberships, the aforementioned crowd funding and other forms of community support. A proposed $15,000 grant is in the works.

“The $7,000 we’ve already raised does not include the cost of the paint,” Kaplan added.

Incidentally, the paint – 30 gallons for the walls and six gallons of varnish for the floors – was donated by Mario Richner, while Stephen Hebert donated paint and labor.

“Our fundraising campaign is for $10,000,” Kaplan said. “We encourage all community members to donate $10 or $20 or all that they can. If everybody donates a little bit it becomes $10,000.”

For those wishing to donate to the center, there are several options.

Visit http://www.middletownartcenter.org and click on the donation button at the right-hand side of the page in order to access PayPal.

Checks can be written to EcoArts of Lake County with “MAC” in the memo line and mailed to EcoArts, P.O. Box 1616, Middletown, CA 95461.

An online fundraiser also is available https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-fund-middletown-art-center .

To keep updated on the Middletown Art Center's progress, visit its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/middletownartcenter .

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

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – We live in a unique place, called the Putah-Cache bioregion.

The dictionary states that a bioregion is “an area constituting a natural ecological community with characteristic flora, fauna, and environmental conditions and bounded by natural rather than artificial borders.”

The Putah-Cache bioregion contains a variety of habitats: Riparian, grasslands, oak woodlands and fast-disappearing wetlands.

Set like a jewel near the north section is Clear Lake, one of the oldest freshwater lakes in the world.

On the edge of the lake shores is Anderson Marsh State Historic Park.

If you visit the county of Lake's Web site, http://parks.lakecountyca.gov/ , you will see that we here in Lake County are blessed with about 30 parks. Those are the places to discover the diversity mentioned above.

The landscape in Lake County tells many stories for those who care to listen. Archaeological evidence suggests many rich cultures once lived in this Eden.

Early California impressionist artists have depicted parts of California in mythologically and spiritually robust paintings.

There are many scientific accounts outlining the need for us to pay attention to earth’s biota. Human demands on our possession of the earth have resulted in a great loss of animal and plant species.

You may hear others ask why is there a need to worry about certain plants or creatures which inhabit our backyard.

The truth is, there are more than 100 California animal species threatened with extinction due to their habitat destruction.

These diminutive creatures can often be indicators of an area's general environmental health.

We depend on earth’s bounty to feed us, just as our ancestors did, but many of us have lost the essential connection of earth’s hypnotic poetry; the earth’s enduring regeneration that is as sustaining to the soul as food is to our bodies.

Although Euro-Americans changed the Native people’s lifeways and landscape forever, there still remains dramatic landscape ripe with its mantle of rolling hills and life-giving waterways.

It is imperative that artists, folklorists, anthropologists, writers and philosophers – in other words, all of us – to remain keepers of this corner of the world, our delicate bioregion, which nurtures all of us.

It is more important than ever, now, in the 21st century to pay heed to this incomparable area known as the Putah-Cache Watershed.

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.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Looking for a big dog to take on hikes and trips around the county and beyond? Or a little canine pal to hang out on the couch?

Lake County Animal Care and Control has a large selection of dogs this week to fit all kinds of lifestyles.

Dogs available for adoption include mixes of Chihuahua, dachshund, Doberman Pinscher, Labrador Retriever, pit bull, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Shar Pei, shepherd and terrier.

Low adoption fees are offered for some of the dogs.

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”).

Female pit bull terrier

This female pit bull terrier mix has a short tan and white coat.

She's in kennel No. 34, ID No. 1862.

'Mel'

“Mel” is a 1-year-old male Doberman Pinscher-Shar Pei mix, with a short brown and white coat, and stunning green eyes, who is looking for an active family or individual to give him a new home.

If you want a dog that loves to be by your side 24/7, Mel would be perfect for you.

Shelter staff doesn't recommend him for a home with cats. Those with dogs wanting to adopt Mel should submit an application and bring their dogs in for an introduction.

He's in kennel No. 33a, ID No. 1718.

Rhodesian Ridgeback mix

This male Rhodesian Ridgeback mix came in with his sister, and is also 4 years old.

Shelter staff says he gets along well with cats; his tail wagged as he watched them play.

Anyone who is interested in adopting him and who has dogs already is asked to submit an application and introduce bring their dogs in for an introduction.

He is slightly shy but with some training he could be a wonderful addition to your family or for an individual.

He's in kennel No. 32b, ID No. 1762.

Rhodesian Ridgeback mix

This female Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, along with her brother, came in as a stray from the Hendricks Road area in Lakeport.

She is 4 years old, weighs 54.5 pounds, and has a short brown coat and black markings.

Shelter staff said she is mellow, very sweet and a little shy, but warms up once she's had a chance to get to know a person.

She is heartworm positive so she will need treatment. Call for a quote for medications.

She's in kennel No. 32a, ID No. 1757.

Male shepherd mix

This male shepherd mix has a medium-length black coat.

He's in kennel No. 30, ID No. 1861.

Female cattle dog mix

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

She's in kennel No. 28, ID No. 1888.

'Roxie'

“Roxie” is a female Labrador Retriever mix who came into the shelter along with Max.

She is 4 years old, weighs 69 pounds and already is spayed, so she is available for a low adoption fee.

Roxie also is leash trained and knows basic commands, and has beautiful big brown eyes.

Roxie is in kennel No. 16, ID No. 1771.

'Max'

“Max” is a male Labrador Retriever-German Shepherd mix.

He is 3 years old, weighs nearly 60 pounds and has a medium sable and black coat.

Shelter staff said he is well trained: Max knows his commands and is leash trained.

He is looking for a family to be a part of or an individual who will love him.

He's in kennel No. 15, ID No. 1770.

Female terrier mix

This female terrier mix is 4 years old, and has a short tricolor coat.

Shelter staff said she weighs 24 pounds, is very sweet and calm.

She walks great on a leash, does not bark much and is looking for a loving home.

Find her in kennel No. 14, ID No. 1855.

Chihuahua mix

This female Chihuahua mix has a short white coat with brown markings.

She is in kennel No. 13, ID No. 1851.

'Casper'

“Casper” is a male cattle dog mix with a short, tricolor coat.

He's in kennel No. 10, ID No. 1843.

'Copper'

“Copper” is a young male pit bull terrier mix.

He has a short red and white coat, and already has been neutered, so he has a low adoption fee.

Copper is in kennel No. 8, ID No. 1738.

Pit bull terrier mix

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

She's in kennel No. 6, ID No. 1901.

'Buck'

“Buck” is a male terrier and dachshund mix.

He has a short black and tan coat, with some white markings.

He's in kennel No. 4, ID No. 835.

Dachshund-Chihuahua mix

This male dachshund-Chihuahua mix has a short tan coat and brown eyes.

He's in kennel No. 3, ID No. 1844.

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, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.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.