Gary Joseph Williams, 34, of Clearlake, Calif., has reached a plea agreement with the California Attorney General’s Office for the 2014 killing of Guillermo Figueroa. Lake County Jail photo. LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Monday a judge sentenced a Clearlake man to state prison for the 2014 killing of a man that investigators concluded was motivated by illegal marijuana growing.
Judge J. David Markham sentenced Gary Joseph Williams, 34, of Clearlake to 16 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter with a gun in the death of Guillermo Figueroa.
The sentence was the result of a plea agreement reached between Williams and his attorney, Patrick Pekin of Fort Bragg, and the California Attorney General’s Office in March, days before Williams’ trial was set to begin, as Lake County News has reported.
The Attorney General’s Office took over prosecution of the case early on due to then-District Attorney Don Anderson’s daughter, Robyn Anderson, her husband Michael Campbell and her daughter, Courtney Crusse, all being named as potential witnesses in court documents.
Crusse, in particular, was a key witness who was granted immunity in the case. Court documents indicated Crusse witnessed Williams fatally shooting Figueroa.
The 36-year-old Figueroa, who lived in Hidden Valley Lake, was reported missing in late October 2014 by his wife after he failed to return from visiting a friend in Clearlake.
In late November 2014, a month after Figueroa’s disappearance, a man living on Oleander Street in Clearlake reported finding a human skull in his yard, which he believed his dog may have found and brought there.
The following day, a search of the area yielded the discovery of partial human remains about 100 yards north of the residence where the skull had been located. An autopsy and DNA analysis confirmed the remains were those of Figueroa.
Figueroa had been involved in illegally growing marijuana, a conclusion investigators based on interviews with numerous witnesses and other subjects.
Court records show that Pearls was charged with being an accessory in July 2015 and reached a nolo plea that yielded a three-year sentence in November 2015.
Pekin told Lake County News that the case originally was being considered for the death penalty because it involved a murder during the course of a robbery, one of the special circumstances that qualifies as a capital offense. However, early on the prosecution decided not to pursue the death penalty.
The case was ready to go to trial in March, with a lengthy list of witnesses and many pieces of evidence, when Pekin and the Attorney General’s Office reached the plea agreement.
The Lake County Probation Department did its usual report for the sentencing, which followed the plea agreement terms, and Judge Markham accepted it, giving Williams the 16-year sentence.
As part of the sentencing, Markham was asked to reserve restitution for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, which had incurred thousands of dollars in expenses with a mortuary for long term storage of Figueroa’s remains.
Markham also approved a request to reserve $3,000 in restitution for Alma Figueroa, Guillermo Figueroa’s wife, who had been turned down by the California Victim Compensation Board because her husband had been involved in illegal marijuana.
During the sentencing, Markham noted that Williams will receive credit for the time he’s already served and, once released, will have to serve up to three years on parole.
Email Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors this week will consider a new memorandum of understanding with the union representing the county’s sheriff’s deputies and also discuss resolutions to accept lump sum payments in lieu of property tax for land transfers.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 7, 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 and online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.
On the agenda is the board’s consideration of a new memorandum of understanding between the Lake County Deputy Sheriff’s Association and the county of Lake for May 7 to Dec. 31, 2019.
County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson’s report to the board explained that the county’s bargaining team recently completed labor negotiations with the association, reaching a tentative agreement for the MOU.
Key aspects of the new agreement include a new vacation cash out benefit for a one-time payment of 40 hours of unused vacation time to association member employees who have 200 or more hours of vacation time accrued, plus a new winter holiday benefit of five days off around Christmas.
A major complaint for deputies has been the high cost of health insurance. Huchingson’s report said the county health insurance contribution for association members has been changed, effective with the June 2019 payday, so that the county will pay 80 percent of the county-sponsored medical, dental, vision and life group insurance plan, through the term of the MOU ending Dec. 31, 2019. Employees will bear the remaining 20 percent.
Separately, the board will consider a side letter with the Lake County Sheriff Management Association calendar year 2019 memorandum of understanding. Changes include updated salary on promotion language, and the same vacation cash out and winter holiday benefits as offered to the deputies.
Huchingson said the cost will be borne by the Sheriff-Coroner Budget Unit out of salary savings from position vacancies.
In other news, also in an untimed item, the board will consider a resolution authorizing the county administrative officer to execute a funding agreement with Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council, approving the county’s receipt of $796,993 in lieu of property taxes related to the transfer of 891 acres, located near the Eel River, Lower Trout Creek area, from Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to the United States Forest Service.
The board also will consider a resolution authorizing Huchingson to execute a funding agreement with Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council, approving the county’s receipt of $56,428 in lieu of property taxes related to the transfer of 95 acres, located near the Eel River, Lower Trout Creek area, from Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to the Potter Valley Tribe.
Huchingson’s report said the Stewardship Council has recommended the property transfers. She said the lump sum payments will be distributed to affected taxing agencies within the county. To cover costs of administration, the Stewardship Council also agrees to pay the County $3,000 for each agreement.
In a closed session, the board is expected to make a final decision on its appointment of a new registrar of voters.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Approve the minutes of the Board of Supervisors meetings held March 12, 2019 and March 19, 2019.
5.2: Adopt a resolution amending Resolution No. 2018-132 establishing position allocations for Fiscal Year 2018-2019, Budget Unit 1012, Administrative Office.
5.3: Adopt a resolution amending the county of Lake’s classification plan for the classification of supervising payroll analyst I/II.
5.4: Approve first amendment to the Verity master agreement between the county of Lake and Hart InterCivic Inc. to revise the sales tax rate in the amount of $2,815.25 and authorize the chair to sign.
5.5: Approve amendment one to the agreement between the county of Lake and Redwood Community Services Inc. Tule House for substance use disorder perinatal residential services for Fiscal Year 2018-19 for a new contract maximum of $162,000 and authorize the chair to sign.
5.6: Approve amendment one to the agreement between the county of Lake and women’s recovery services for Fiscal Year 2018-19 for a total contract maximum of $13,000 and authorize the chair to sign.
5.7: Approve amendment one between the county of Lake and Ford Street Project for substance use disorder residential and detoxification services for FY 2018-19 for an increase of $15,000, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.8: a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and LocumTenens.com LLC for telepsychiatry services for Fiscal Year 2018-19 for a contract maximum of $66,560 and authorize the chair to sign.
5.9: Approve request for lateral step hiring of psychiatric technician I, Step 5 for Patricia Trujillo.
5.10: Adopt a resolution approving a grant agreement and a certification statement between county of Lake Health Services and the California Department of Public Health for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-ED) in an amount not to exceed $450,000 for federal fiscal years 2019 through 2022, and authorizing the board chair to sign said certification.
5.11: Adopt a resolution amending Resolution No. 2018-132 establishing position allocations for Fiscal Year 2018-2019, Budget Unit No. 1341, Human Resources.
5.12: Sitting as LACOSAN Board of Directors adopt resolution authorizing and designating Special District's administrator, or her designee, to sign and submit a funding agreement application and any amendments thereto for funding under the State Water Resources Control Board for improvements and upgrades at the middletown wastewater treatment plant.
5.13: Adopt proclamation designating the month of May 2019 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month in Lake County.
5.14: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, per Ordinance #2406, Purchasing Code No. 38.2, making a determination that competitive bidding would produce no economic benefit to the county, and (b) authorize the Public Works director/assistant purchasing agent to issue purchase orders for four (4) vehicles through the statewide bid contract in the amount of $58,559.41 and to Matt Mazzei in the amount of $54,469.90.
5.15: Adopt resolution expressing support for the Middletown Days Parade and events; and temporarily authorizing a road closure, prohibiting parking and authorizing removal of vehicles and ordering the department of public works to post signs.
5.16: Approve agreement for federal apportionment exchange program and state match program for the California Department of Transportation - Non MPO County, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.17: Approve amendment one of the lease between the state of California and the county of Lake for vault space at the Seigler Mountain communications site and authorize the chair to sign.
5.18: Adopt proclamation designating the week of May 5 to 11, 2019 as Correctional Officers Week in Lake County.
5.19: Adopt Proclamation designating the month of May 2019 as CalFresh Awareness Month in Lake County.
5.20: Approve third amendment to lease agreement with Ewing and Associates, extending through June 30, 2020, at annual lease rate of $3,600 and authorize the chair to sign.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:10 a.m.: (a) Presentation of proclamation designating the week of May 5 to 11, 2019, as Correctional Officers Week in Lake County; (b) presentation of proclamation designating the month of May 2019 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month in Lake County; and (c) presentation of proclamation designating the month of May 2019 as CalFresh Awareness Month in Lake County.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of (a) resolution authorizing the county administrative officer to execute a funding agreement with Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council, approving the county’s receipt of $796,993 in lieu of property taxes related to the transfer of 891 acres, located near the Eel River, Lower Trout Creek area, from the Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to the United States Forest Service; and (b) resolution authorizing the county administrative officer to execute a funding agreement with Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council, approving the county’s receipt of $56,428 in lieu of property taxes related to the transfer of 95 acres, located near the Eel River, Lower Trout Creek area, from the Pacific Gas & Electric Co. the Potter Valley Tribe .
7.3: Consideration of memorandum of understanding by and between the Lake County Deputy Sheriff’s Association and the county of Lake for May 7, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2019.
7.4: Consideration of a Side Letter to the Lake County Sheriff Management Association calendar year 2019 memorandum of understanding.
7.5: Consideration of (a) resolution amending Resolution 2018-125 establishing salaries and benefits for management employees for the period from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019; (b) resolution amending Resolution 2018-126 establishing salaries and benefits for employees assigned to the Confidential Unit, Section A, for July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019; and (c) resolution amending Resolution 2018-127 establishing salaries and benefits for employees assigned to the Confidential Unit, Section B, for July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019.
7.6: Consideration of an exception to LCEA Unit 4 memorandum of understanding requirement for a 75-percent health stipend for a recent retiree.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Conference with legal counsel: Existing Litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9(d)(1): County of Lake, et al. v. PG&E, et al.
8.2: Addendum: Public Employee Appointment Pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54957(b)(1): Appointment of registrar of voters.
Email Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – California’s wet winter has created a sizable crop of new grass growth, but don’t let the wet weather fool you as the abundant grass dries. Now is the time to act to prevent wildfires.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared May 5 to 11 “Wildfire Preparedness Week” to urge homeowners that California Wildfires Have Changed, Together We Must Adapt.
Already this year, Cal Fire has responded to more than 470 wildfires that have burned more than 1,180 acres.
Californian’s need to accept fire as part of our natural landscape, understand the fire risk and take action before a wildfire starts.
Fire officials encourage residents to help safeguard their homes by using fire-safe construction materials, and to look for points of entry where embers could intrude into the home during a fire.
Home and property safety preparation should include creating a defensible space by clearing vegetation 100 feet or more away from your home, and using fire resistant landscaping to help stop the spread of wildfire.
“Our firefighters have been preparing non-stop for the inevitable fires that will happen this year. However, preparation involves all levels of the community, from first responders to the general public,” said Chief Thom Porter, Cal Fire director.
“As was unfortunately witnessed with tremendous force this past year, wind-driven embers can destroy homes or neighborhoods far from the actual flame front of a wildfire,” Porter said. “Taking the initiative to prepare your home and your community will be key in preventing the unfathomable damage that these intense wildfires can cause. It is up to us, the agencies that respond to the wildfires, and you, the homeowner, to create the strong network needed to endure through these devastating events.”
Persistent drought like conditions, warmer temperatures and continued severe winds have created conditions that will lead to more frequent and catastrophic fires.
To meet this challenge, California must adopt an all-of-the-above approach in protecting the public and maintaining the health of our forests.
Gov. Newsom has directed Cal Fire to recommend immediate, medium and long-term actions to help prevent destructive wildfires.
Cal Fire identified 35 priority fuel reduction projects that collectively cover 90,000 acres, and when complete will help protect over 200 of the state’s most wildfire-vulnerable communities.
Cal Fire’s “Ready for Wildfire” app is the perfect tool to use in year-round preparation. Checklists found on the Cal Fire app help homeowners prepare and maintain defensible space, harden homes with ignition-resistant building materials, and create family evacuation plans and kits.
The app features customizable alerts to electronic devices when Cal Fire responds to a wildfire of 10 acres or more.
To download the free ready-for-wildfire app and to learn how to create defensible space around your home and more, visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee will meet this week and get updates on current projects and activities.
The committee, or LEDAC, will meet from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 8, at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The meeting is open to the public.
On the agenda is an update on city projects and activities from city staff.
There also will be reports on the progress of the group’s business walks, the economic development pages on the city’s Web site and ordinance revisions to strengthen the downtown and Lakeport as a whole.
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 are Chair Wilda Shock and Vice Chair Denise Combs, Secretary Terre Logsdon, Candy De Los Santos, Bill Eaton, Melissa Fulton, Pam Harpster, Judith Kanavle, Andy Lucas, Dan Peterson and Panette Talia. City staff who are members include City Manager Margaret Silveira and Community Development Director Kevin Ingram.
Email Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council is set to discuss awarding a contract for upgrades to City Hall and will honor police for their work to keep the community safe.
The council will meet in closed session beginning at 5:30 p.m. to discuss labor negotiations with unrepresented management before it opens the public portion of the meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
Tuesday’s meeting will feature a discussion on the proposed award of the construction contract for the City Hall Remodel Project to Bridges Construction of Lakeport.
City Manager Margaret Silveira’s report to the council explained that Bridges Construction was the low bidder for the project, at $187,860.
She said the project is to provide Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant access to the City Hall administration and finance payment counter, to remodel office space for the Planning Department and to provide additional storage for the council chambers.
She said the city engineer’s estimate for this project was $183,434. Bridges Construction was the low bidder and only bidder at $235,610, and after working with the engineer the firm amended its bid, dropping it by $47,750. Amendments included changing construction to daytime operations.
Silveira said construction is estimated to start June 1.
In other business, the council will appoint one member as the city representative to the Lake County Airport Land Use Commission Board of Directors, and one member to Clean Water Management Program Council as well as one alternate.
Also on Tuesday, the council will present proclamations designating May 12 to 18 as Police Week and May 18 to 24 as National Safe Boating Week, and offer a certificate of recognition to Lakeport Police Officer Casey DeBolt for his efforts to stem drunk driving in the community.
The council will also get a report from Pacific Gas and Electric representative Herman Hernandez regarding the utility’s Wildland Fire Mitigation Plan.
On the consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are ordinances; minutes of the regular council meeting on April 16; the April 30 warrant register; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the Mendocino Complex fire; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the February 2019 storms; approval of event application 2019-003, with staff recommendations, for the 2019 Rhythm and Brews event; approval of the Lakeport Criterium event application and agreement between the city of Lakeport and Main Street Elite Cycling and require event staff to continue to meet with city staff to ensure that all concerns and requirements are met prior to the event; approval of event application 2019-014, with staff recommendations, for the 2019 Cardboard and Duct Tape Regatta; approval of event application 2019-016, with staff recommendations, for the 2019 Memorial Day Parade; adoption of the proposed resolution adopting a records retention schedule, and authorizing destruction of certain city records and rescinding Resolution No. 2698 (2019); receipt and filing of the draft minutes of the regular meeting of the Measure Z Advisory Committee on April 17, 2019; and approval of Amendment No. 3 to agreement for services between the city of Lakeport and Margaret Silveira.
Email Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
A river otter on a pier along Cache Creek in Lake County, Calif. Photo by Kathleen Scavone. "We live on the leash of our senses."– Diane Ackerman
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Gliding down the silky waters of Cache Creek, its banks are alive with a rich, new-tide scent.
The creek banks sport spring's shrubby growth below, and evidence of a boisterous heron rookery above.
The landscape here is untamed enough to support crawdads, fish of all description, frogs, raccoons, mink and more.
It's a given that no two hikes, bike rides or kayak trips are alike here in our wild county. There is always something new to observe, whether it's a new bloom, a bird or a larger critter, like a river otter.
River otters can be spotted frolicking on the shores of Clear Lake, or on the banks of our county's many creeks, such as Cache Creek.
According to wildlife biologists, river otters are making a comeback in the Bay Area due to conservation and restoration projects, but here on Clear Lake and its environs, where fish are plentiful, otters are, too.
Prior to the 1960s otters were hunted in California for their fur, but thankfully, that sport has ceased to exist.
River otters eat more than other mammals of comparable size – around 12 percent of their 20-pound body weight. They consume crawdads, frogs, birds and shellfish, but they prefer fish.
Crafty and streamlined creatures, otters are adept at fishing and can chase or even ambush their prey. Once otters track a fish, they may remain submerged for around four minutes.
River otters seem to dine on small fish near the surface of the water, and eat larger catches on the shore.
River otters employ scent-marking as a means of communication. They are adept at marking their territory with urine, scat or musk scent, with the musk being secreted when agitated.
Another form of communication is the otter's hiss or growl, which they can emit if disturbed or distressed.
Springtime is when they find a den to give birth to their kits.
The den, or holt, as the home is called, is actually an unused home of another animal. The protective den will be enhanced with moss, hair or leaves for the nest-chamber.
The female otter can produce up to five, but most often between one and three young.
When the pups or kits are born they only weigh about 5 ounces and already sport fur, but are born blind.
After a month, the kits can see and they gain their sense of play not much later, at 5 or 6 weeks, when they tumble around with their siblings.
When they are nearly 2 months old, mama otter takes them to the water where they are natural swimmers.
One more reason to love Lake County – playful and cute otters!
Be sure to watch for them sliding down the wet banks of waterways with their agile and flexible brown-furred bodies, or as they dine on a fresh catch on someone's pier.
Kathleen Scavone is a writer and retired teacher. She lives in Middletown, Calif.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A series of community visioning forums on health in Lake County will continue this month.
The Lake County Health Services Department, the Board of Supervisors, Hope Rising and other community partners are partnering to present the forums, meant to engage the public and invite broader collaboration on the topic of community health and wellness.
This series of forums began April 22 in Middletown.
“Engaging with local residents, and hearing their voices, is one of the best ways to develop understanding surrounding community health and wellness,” notes Health Services Director Denise Pomeroy. “We need to hear what challenges people are facing. We need the community’s input to identify gaps in local services and systems, and plan the best way forward. Promoting Public Health is a community effort.”
Community members’ input and information presented at these meetings will contribute to the development of a Community Health Improvement Plan.
“We are committed to working with local residents toward a healthier Lake County,” said Pomeroy, “and there is a lot of work already in progress. The panelists coming together to present these Forums and many others in our community are working every day to improve our outcomes. We need your partnership to further this work, and we need you to contribute to this crucial community conversation.”
The remaining forums are scheduled as follows.
District 2: Supervisor Bruno Sabatier Date: Tuesday, May 14, 1 to 3 p.m. Location: Highlands Senior Center - 3245 Bowers Ave., Clearlake
District 3: Supervisor Eddie Crandell Date: Wednesday, May 15, 5 to 7 p.m. Location: Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake Community Center, 9470 Main St., Upper Lake
District 4: Supervisor Tina Scott Date: Thursday, May 16, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Location: Soper-Reese Theater, 275 S. Main St., Lakeport
District 5: Supervisor Rob Brown Date: Thursday, May 30, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Location: Presbyterian Church, 5340 Third St., Kelseyville
LUCERNE, Calif. – The Upper Lake Ranger District of the Mendocino National Forest will hold a public open house to discuss the North Shore Restoration Project on Thursday, May 9.
The open house will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center, 3985 Country Club Drive.
The planning team will have information about the North Shore Restoration Project for review and be available to answer questions and receive comments at the open house.
The team is asking the community to provide input from the very beginning about what they would like to see done on their National Forest.
Personnel from the Forest Service, Cal Fire and Natural Resources Conservation Service also will be available for private landowners to discuss post-fire restoration on private lands and opportunities to combine treatments across boundaries to increase chances in acquiring outside funding.
The project area is within the 2018 Ranch fire perimeter and is in the wildland urban interface of the communities on the north and east shores of Clear Lake.
The Mendocino National Forest is preparing an environmental assessment for the project in collaboration with FireScape Mendocino, the Forest Service Regional Ecology program and the Pacific Northwest Research Station.
For more information, contact Planning Team Leader Gary Urdahl at 707-275-1417 or by email at gurdahl@fs.fed.us.
Guests from Calpine Corp. listen to a presentation on pear farming by Diane Henderson, fifth generation Lake County, Calif., pear farmer. Greg and Allison Panella hosted the dinner which was held in a century old pear orchard. The Farm to Fork dinner was purchased by Calpine during the live auction at the 2018 Denim & Diamonds event. Courtesy photo. KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Get your favorite denim and bling ready and come out to support the community.
The annual Denim and Diamonds benefit dinner kicks off at Boatique Winery in scenic Red Hills on Saturday, June 22, at 5:30 p.m.
Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Kelseyville Sunrise, the evening will feature dinner, dancing and both a silent and live auction.
The Saw Shop Gallery Bistro will be serving a menu that is sure to delight your taste buds. A vegetarian option is available on request.
The Fargo Brothers will keep you on your feet dancing the night away with all of your favorite dance tunes to make the evening fun.
The club has gathered an array of items for the silent auction. Live auction items will include a cruise on Clear Lake in one of Boatique’s fabulous antique boats with lunch and wine for four, a Farm to Fork dinner a century-old Lake County pear orchard, and a few more surprises.
Money raised at Denim and Diamonds will enable the Club to continue to fund projects in the community and beyond. This includes dictionaries for third graders, elementary school reading books, sponsorship of the Interact Club at Kelseyville High School and scholarships to graduating seniors.
The Rotary Club of Kelseyville has also completed projects to help refurbish the Kelseyville Senior Center, roadside clean-up, the Adopt a Fifth Grader program, and other projects with funds raised by the Denim & Diamonds event.
A huge thank you to our generous sponsors that have committed for this year’s event including presenting sponsor Lake County Tribal Health, Diamond sponsor Calpine Corporation, and Denim sponsors Adventist Health Clearlake, Bella Vista Farming Co, LLC, Boatique Winery, California Exterminators, Lake County Waste Solutions, Lakeview Health Center, Saw Shop Gallery Bistro & UCC Rentals, Shields Construction, Sutter Lakeside Hospital and The Travel Centers.
Tickets for this fun evening are $75 per person or tables of eight are available for $600.
Tickets are available from members of the Rotary Club of Kelseyville Sunrise, from the Saw Shop Gallery Bistro in Kelseyville or on Eventbrite.
There are also additional sponsorship opportunities for $1,000 and $2,500.
For more information and tickets, call Terry Dereniuk at 707-337-2871 or Kim Baldwin at 707-349-7913.
The Rotary Club of Kelseyville Sunrise chapter is made up of local business, professional, and civic leaders. Members meet regularly, get to know each other, form friendships, and through that, get things done in the community.
Lakeport Rotarian Jennifer Strong was the successful bidder for the Barrel of Wine auction lot during the 2018 Denim & Diamonds live auction. Courtesy photo.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – May is National Bicycle Safety Month.
The California Highway Patrol and California Office of Traffic Safety want to remind motorists and bicyclists alike to be courteous and share the road safely.
Although bicycle safety is something that should be observed every day of the year, the month of May is dedicated to encouraging drivers and bicyclists to do their part to help reduce deaths and injuries on California’s roads.
“Safety should always be the priority, whether you are operating a motor vehicle, walking, or riding a bicycle,” said CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley. “Caution on the roadway will help ensure you reach your destination safely.”
A person riding a bicycle has the same rights and is required to follow the same rules of the road as motorists.
Bicyclists are required to stop at stop signs, obey traffic signs and signals, indicate turns, pull off the roadway if five or more vehicles are lined up behind them, and yield to pedestrians.
Just like motorists, bicyclists are also subject to laws of not being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Bicyclists should also eliminate distractions while riding. California also requires motorists to allow at least three feet of clearance when passing a bicycle.
According to the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, preliminary data indicates that during the past five years, 772 bicyclists were killed and more than 59,000 were injured in collisions.
The data also shows that riding on the wrong side of the roadway and right of way violations are the major causes of bicycle-involved collisions.
“Hopping on a bike is not only a hobby for many Californians, but also the main way they get around,” OTS Director Rhonda Craft said. “Bicycle Safety Month is a reminder for all of us to share the road responsibly.”
During the month of May, CHP officers throughout the state will be conducting bicycle safety rodeos and educational presentations to help promote safe behavior to protect both bicyclists and drivers.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Wednesday, May 8, at 5:30 p.m. the Lakeport Planning Commission with hold a community workshop concerning the recently adopted urgency ordinance establishing regulations for wireless communication facilities within the city of Lakeport.
The urgency ordinance does the following:
⦁ Establishes a procedure for submitting an application for a wireless communication facility permit. ⦁ Establishes required content for a wireless communication facility permit. ⦁ Establishes required findings for approval of a permit for a wireless communication facility. ⦁ Establishes general standards for wireless communication facilities. ⦁ Establishes conditions of approval for wireless communication facility permits ⦁ Establishes regulations that specifically apply to small wireless communication facilities. ⦁ Establishes a review and appeals process for wireless communication facility permits. ⦁ Establishes maintenance and removal requirements for wireless communication facility permits. ⦁ Establishes enforcement provisions for violations of the ordinance.
Following the conclusion of the community workshop the Planning Commission will provide direction to staff on the need to prepare any amendments or changes in order to adopt a permanent wireless communication facilities ordinance.
The public is encouraged to attend and participate.
If you have any questions feel free to contact the Community Development Department at 707-263-5615, Extension 201, or email Kevin Ingram at kingram@cityoflakeport.com.
This year marks the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death. Widely considered one of the greatest polymaths in human history, Leonardo was an inventor, artist, musician, architect, engineer, anatomist, botanist, geologist, historian and cartographer.
Though his artistic output was small, Leonardo’s impact was great, reflecting his deep knowledge of the body, his extensive studies of light and the human face, and his sfumato (Italian for “smoky”) technique, which allowed for incredibly lifelike images. Leonardo regarded artists as divine apprentices, writing “We, by our arts, may be called the grandsons of God.”
Twenty-first-century scholars at MIT ranked him the sixth most influential person who ever lived. Like Rembrandt and Michelangelo, he is so renowned that he is known by only his first name. Yet despite his fame, there are things about Leonardo that many people today find surprising.
Shady parentage
Leonardo was born out of wedlock on April 15, 1452. His father, Piero, was a wealthy notary, and his mother, Caterina, was a local peasant girl. Although the circumstances of his birth would place Leonardo at a disadvantage in terms of education and inheritance, biographer Walter Isaacson regards it as a terrific stroke of luck. Rather than being expected to become a notary like his father, Leonardo was instead free to develop the full range of his genius. People surmise that it also imbued him with a special sense of urgency to establish his own identity and prove himself.
Physical beauty
Leonardo created some of the world’s most beautiful works of art, including the “Last Supper” and the “Mona Lisa.” In his own day, he was known as an exceptionally attractive person. One of Leonardo’s biographers describes him as a person of “outstanding physical beauty who displayed infinite grace in everything he did.” A contemporary described him as a “well proportioned, graceful, and good-looking man” who “wore a rose-pink tunic” and had “beautiful curling hair, carefully styled, which came down to the middle of his chest.” Leonardo is thought to have entered into long-term and possibly sexual relationships with two of his pupils, both artists in their own right.
The paintings generally attributed to Leonardo number fewer than 20, while his notebooks contain over 7,000 pages. They’re the best source of knowledge about Leonardo, housed today in locations such as Windsor Castle, the Louvre and the Spanish National Library in Madrid. Their diverse content ranges across drawings – most famously, Vitruvian Man – notes of things he wanted to investigate, scientific and technical diagrams and shopping lists. They comprise perhaps the most remarkable monument to human curiosity and creativity ever produced by a single person. Yet when Leonardo penned them, they were just loose pieces of paper of different types and sizes. His friends bound them into “notebooks” only after his death.
Outsider’s education
As a result of his illegitimacy, Leonardo received a rather rudimentary formal education consisting primarily of business arithmetic. He never attended university and sometimes referred to himself as an “unlettered man.” Yet his lack of formal schooling also freed him from the constraints of tradition, helping to instill in him a determination to question authority and place greater reliance on his own experience than opinions expressed in books. As a result, he became a firsthand observer and experimenter, uninterested in serving as a mouthpiece for the classics.
Prolific procrastinator
Although Leonardo’s mind was extraordinarily fertile, he was also an inveterate procrastinator and even quitter. He frequently took months or years to begin work on commissions, sometimes keeping patrons at bay with lofty pronouncements regarding his creative process. A giant equestrian statue for the duke of Milan, requiring 70 tons of bronze to cast, might have been his grandest work – if it had ever been completed. Yet a decade after the 1482 commission, Leonardo had produced only a clay model which was subsequently destroyed when invading French soldiers used it for target practice.
Rivalrous motivations
Leonardo’s life overlapped those of two other Renaissance giants – Michelangelo and Raphael – but it was Michelangelo who stoked an intense rivalry. The contrast between the two men could hardly have been sharper. Leonardo was elegant and evinced little interest in matters religious, while Michelangelo was deeply pious yet neglectful of his appearance and hygiene. Michelangelo created some of the greatest paintings in history, including the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and many considered his “David” the greatest sculpture ever produced, a triumph he lorded over his older rival.
Soon after King Francis I of France captured Milan in 1516, Leonardo entered his service, spending the last years of his life in a house near the royal residence. When death came to Leonardo on May 2, 1519 at the age of 67, it is said that the king, who loved to listen to Leonardo talk so much that he was hardly ever apart from him, cradled his head as he breathed his last. Years later, reflecting on his friendship with the great man, King Francis said, “No man possessed such a knowledge of painting, sculpture, or architecture as Leonardo, but the same goes for philosophy. He was a great philosopher.”
In November 2017, one of the paintings attributed to Leonardo, “Salvator Mundi” (“Savior of the World”), set the record for the most expensive painting ever sold, fetching US$450 million. Painted in oil on walnut in about 1500, it depicts Jesus offering a benediction with his right hand while holding a crystalline orb that appears to represent the cosmos in his left. The painting had suffered from neglect and poor restorations and was long assumed to be the work of one of Leonardo’s students, selling as recently as 2005 as part of the estate of a Baton Rouge businessman for less than $10,000. Its current whereabouts are unknown.
One of a kind, admired then and now
Just a half-century after Leonardo’s death, the biographer Vasari beautifully summed up his enduring significance:
“In the normal course of events many men and women are born with remarkable talents; but occasionally, in a way that transcends nature, a single person is marvelously endowed by heaven with beauty, grace, and talent in such abundance that he leaves other men far behind, all his actions seem inspired, and indeed everything he does clearly comes from God rather than from human skill.”
Five hundred years after Leonardo’s death, these words still ring true.
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