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The committee for the 37th annual Catfish Derby in Clearlake Oaks, Calif. Courtesy photo.

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – The group of volunteers that every year organizes the largest catfish derby west of the Mississippi is back at work, getting ready for next year’s event.

The committee reported that the 37th annual Catfish Derby is set for May 16 to 19, 2019.

Once again, the Northshore Fire Protection District in Clearlake Oaks will serve as derby headquarters.

“Last May, we had just under 1,000 entries, we anticipate at least that many in 2019,” said Committee Chair Dennis Locke.

Sponsored by the Clearlake Oaks-Glenhaven Business Association the Catfish Derby is the biggest catfish derby west of the Mississippi – and the primary fundraiser for the Association.

“The derby raises funds to support our local communities including school scholarships, community giving to worthy causes and more,” said Association President Margaret Medeiros.

According to Locke, people come from throughout California and other states to participate in the catfishing contests with categories for adults and kids.

“About 60 percent come from outside of Lake County,” he said.

For some the derby is a tradition. “Each year, to commemorate the annual derby, we design and sell t-shirts. But some groups and families return sporting their own creative derby shirts – it’s always fun to see the latest designs,” said Locke.

Last year, the planning team worried that the sidewalk construction project in the Oaks would dampen the mood. “We didn’t get one complaint,” said Gail Jonas, committee member and former Derby Chair. “Folks come here to fish and have a good time, that’s what’s most important to them and why I love volunteering for this event,” she said.

Locke said in 2019 derby visitors will find the town all spruced up with new sidewalks, street lights and a new eating place or two. “It’s going to be another great derby,” he said.

Each year, the planning committee compiles and distributes a booklet full of ads that serve as a guide for exploring Lake County. Visitors converge on Clearlake Oaks, filling up local hotels, nearby campgrounds and other lodging places.

“It’s an economic boost for our little town that spreads countywide as visitors make their way around our beautiful lake, stopping to shop, eat and enjoy all that our County has to offer,” said Locke.

The program for 2019 is unchanged from prior years. Participants will compete for cash awards totaling $10,000. The family friendly affair concludes with a BBQ and awards.

To purchase an ad, volunteer during the derby or for more information about the annual event, call 707-596-0248.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council will meet this week to discuss updates to the Clearlake Municipal Code and gym equipment for the Clearlake Police Department.

The council will meet for a closed session at 5:30 p.m. to discuss one potential case of litigation before the public portion of the meeting begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

At the start of Thursday’s meeting, the council will meet a new police officer.

Under business, the council will discuss and consider a request for consent for withdrawal of Casitas De Mendota LLC of its interest in the partnership of “O” Village Investors, related to the development of Olympic Village Apartments, as well as a request for the city to sign a subordination agreement in reference to the same project.

Staff reported that in 2009 the Clearlake Redevelopment Agency gave “O” Village Investors a $700,000 loan for the development of affordable housing.

The council also will consider approving the commitment of Community Development Block Grant program income funds for Code Enforcement as well as the first reading of an amendment to the Clearlake Municipal Code adopting building code sections.

Also on Thursday, the council will consider approval of the purchase of gym equipment for the Clearlake Police Department.

Staff reports said the police department received a bid from a Sacramento company for equipment totaling $37,543.13. The Redbud Health Care District has approved a grant to cover the entire purchase.

On the consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are warrant registers; consideration of continuing the declaration of local emergency issued on Oct. 9, 2017, and ratified by council action on Oct. 12, 2017; second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 214-2018 adding Section 3-4.16 to the Clearlake Municipal Code to provide informal bidding procedures under the Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act; minutes of the Sept. 6, 19, 27 and Oct. 11 meetings; disposal of surplus police vehicles, Resolution No. 2018-50; approval of street closure for the annual Trunk or Treat on Oct. 31, Resolution No. 2018-48.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – A hearing is scheduled during this week’s Board of Supervisors meeting to consider formation of a countywide tourism improvement district.

The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, 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.

At 10 a.m., the board will discuss establishing the Lake County Tourism Improvement District for a period of five years through a resolution of formation.

The district will assist with promoting the county’s tourism industry through the collection of a 3-percent assessment, estimated to raise $340,000 annually.

The district will be a freestanding nonprofit destination management organization that is not controlled by the county of the cities of Clearlake or Lakeport.

If approved by the board, the resolution will take effect immediately.

Also on the agenda is a public hearing, timed for 9:30 a.m., to consider a proposed property assessment for County Service Area No. 16 to complete the water system consolidation with Clearlake Oaks County Water District.

Other agenda items for Tuesday’s meeting include continuing proclamations of local emergencies for the Pawnee fire and Mendocino Complex, amendment of the master fee schedule for departmental services rendered by the county.

The full agenda follows.

CONTRACT CHANGE ORDERS

5.1: ADDENDUM – Consideration of Change Order No. 13 for Eastlake Elementary SRTS and CDBG Project, in Clearlake Oaks, Bid No. 16-16, Federal Aid No. SRTSL-5914(097) for an increase of $15,798.14, for a revised contract amount of $5,399,820.83; and authorize the chair to sign.

5.2: ADDENDUM – Consideration of Change Order No. 14 for Eastlake Elementary SRTS and CDBG Project, in Clearlake Oaks, Bid No. 16-16, Federal Aid No. SRTSL-5914(097) for an increase of $30,982.79, for a revised contract amount of $5,430,803.62, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.3: ADDENDUM – Consideration of Change Order No. 15 for Eastlake Elementary SRTS & CDBG Project, in Clearlake Oaks, Bid No. 16-16, Federal Aid No. SRTSL-5914(097) for an increase of $43,390.86, for a revised contract amount of $5,474,194.48, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.4: ADDENDUM – Consideration of Change Order No. 16 for Eastlake Elementary SRTS and CDBG Project, in Clearlake Oaks, Bid No. 16-16, Federal Aid No. SRTSL-5914(097) for an increase of $35,650.45, for a revised contract amount of $5,509,844.93, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.5: ADDENDUM – Consideration of Change Order No. 17 for Eastlake Elementary SRTS and CDBG Project, in Clearlake Oaks, Bid No. 16-16 Federal Aid No. SRTSL-5914(097) for a decrease of $16,347.72, for a revised contract amount of $5,493,497.21, and authorize the chair to sign.

CONSENT AGENDA

6.1: Approve Minutes of the Board of Supervisors meetings held July 10, Sept. 18 and Sept. 25.

6.2: Approve leave of absence request for Deputy Probation Officer III Kristine Weigel from Oct. 16, 2018, through Dec. 3, 2018, and authorize the chair to sign.

6.3: a) Authorize the purchase of one 2019 Chevrolet Express passenger van pursuant to the attached quotes; and b) authorize the Behavioral Health Services administrator to issue a purchase order to Elk Grove/Winner Chevrolet in the amount not to exceed $28,106.87.

6.4: Authorize long distance travel to New Orleans, Louisiana from Nov. 26 to 30 to attend emergency preparedness for Iyesha Miller, Health Services manager; Dean Eichelmann, emergency preparedness program coordinator; and Christine Hannigan, emergency preparedness support specialist, Public Health Division.

6.5: Sitting as the Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors, approve purchase of grant-funded oil spill response equipment and authorize the Water Resources department director/assistant purchasing agent to issue and sign purchase order not to exceed $35,000.

6.6: Sitting as the Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors, adopt resolution authorizing the Water Resources director to execute a funding agreement for a state of California Parks and Recreation, Department of Boating and Waterways, SAVE-18 Grant in the amount of $50,000, with a project budget of $60,000.

6.7: Sitting as the Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors, approve amendment one to Agreement Number 4600011952 AM-01 between the county of Lake and California Department of Water Resources to increase the grant amount from $41,075.00 to $65,084.94 and authorize the chair to sign.

6.8: (a) Waive the competitive bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 2-38.2, based on the determination that competitive bidding would produce no economic benefit to the county; and (b) authorize the Public Services director / assistant purchasing agent to issue a purchase order not to exceed $246,139 to Peterson CAT for a Caterpillar 330F hydraulic excavator.

6.9: Approve amendment eight to the agreement for engineering services for four bridge replacement projects and two bridge rehabilitation projects in Lake County, with Quincy Engineering Inc. in the amount not to exceed $1,370,973.05 (an increase of $6,965.59) and authorize the chair to sign.

6.10: Approve amendment two to the agreement for construction management services for the Eastlake Elementary Safe Routes to School and Community Development Block Grant Project with 4 Leaf Inc. for an increase of $153,908.70, and an amount not to exceed $351,325.61; and authorize the chair to sign.

6.11: Approve aeronautical activities permit at Lampson Field Airport between the county of Lake and Jones Flying Services Inc. for Fiscal Year 2018-19, and authorize the chair to sign.

6.12: Authorize long distance travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, for two detectives to attend the California Homicide Investigators Association conference.

6.13: Approve Memorandum of agreement with various entities for mutual aid provided during the River and Ranch (Mendocino Complex) fires.

6.14: Approve five year lease between Penna Realty Property Management and county of Lake for the annual amount of $48,000, and authorize the chair to sign.

6.15: Approve late mileage claim for Social Services director in the amount of $74.88; and authorize the auditor to process payment.

6.16: Authorize long distance travel for Water Resources Engineer II Yuliya Osetrova to attend the FEMA Community Rating System workshop in Carson City, Nev., on Oct. 30 and 31.

TIMED ITEMS

7.2, 9:06 a.m.:Consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local health emergency by the Lake County health officer due to the Pawnee Fire incident.

7.3, 9:07 a.m.: (a) Consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local health emergency by the Lake County health officer due to the Mendocino Complex fire; and (b) status report on Mendocino Complex fire also known as the River and Ranch fires.

7.4, 9:15 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of a resolution amending the master fee schedule for departmental services rendered by the county.

7.5, 9:30 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of proposed property assessment for County Service Area No. 16 to complete the water system consolidation with Clearlake Oaks County Water District.

7.6, 10 a.m.: Continued from Sept. 18, Aug. 21 and Aug. 7, public hearing, consideration of resolution declaring the results of the majority protest proceedings and establishing the Lake County Tourism Improvement District “resolution of formation.”

UNTIMED ITEMS

8.2: ADDENDUM – Consideration of (a) board appointment of delegate and alternate to the Rural County Representatives Board of Directors for 2019; (b) board appointment of delegate and alternate to Golden State Finance Authority Board of Directors for 2019; and (c) board appointment of delegate and alternate to the Rural Counties Representatives of California Environmental Services Joint Powers Authority Board of Directors for 2019.

8.3: Consideration of resolution amending Resolution No. 2018-132 Establishing Position Allocations for Fiscal Year 2018-2019, Budget Unit No. 1012, Administrative Office.

8.4: Consideration of amendment to Resolution 2018-137 approving additional Victim-Witness Assistance Program Grant funding.

8.5: Consideration of request for board validation of the Public Works Directors Emergency Action in the Robinson Creek Bridge rehabilitation project.

9.1: Public Employee: Child Support Services director.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The annual “Spirit of the Season” program, which provides holiday gift baskets and gifts for young children, is taking sign ups this week.

Registration will take place from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24, and Thursday, Oct. 25, at the Middletown United Methodist Church, 15833 Armstrong St.

Spirit of the Season expects to serve 130 families across south Lake County. This includes residents from Hidden Valley Lake and Cobb as well as Middletown.

The program provides Christmas presents and food to eligible residents.

To be eligible, applicants must live in the Cobb, Hidden Valley Lake or Middletown areas and need help to be able to give their family a Christmas meal. Qualified applicants’ children (who are not in high school) can receive a gift valued at $25 or less. High School students will receive a $25 gift card.

To apply, register on one of the available dates. Bring your child’s Christmas wish list, and choose three gift ideas per child with no gift over the $25 limit. It’s also important to know your child’s clothing and shoe sizes.

If you have never participated in Spirit of the Season, bring proof of residence and income.

Registrants must be present to pick up items on the distribution date, Saturday, Dec. 15, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the First Baptist Church on Highway 175 in Middletown.

Tax-deductible donations are needed and can be sent to: SoS, P.O. Box 1468, Middletown, CA 95461.

For more information, call Hedy Montoya at 707-322-5080 and leave a message.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Culinary Club of the Lake County Campus of the Woodland Community College will be holding its second annual Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 27.

The festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the campus, 15880 Dam Road Extension in Clearlake.

The festival celebrates the fall season with local food and craft vendors, family-friendly activities, including a bounce house, pumpkin painting, music and more. Please come and support your community college in a family fun event.

Take and bake dinners as well as many tasty treats will be available for purchase.

Proceeds from the Harvest Festival directly fund scholarships at Lake County Campus of the Woodland Community College.

For more information, or to participate in this event, can be found at http://LCC.yccd.edu , at www.facebook.com/AromasLakeCountyCampus/ or by calling 707-995-4175.

Community Colleges are said to be one of America's most important anti-poverty programs. The Lake County Campus offers certificate and degree programs that help students achieve their academic goals, transfer to a university, or obtain employment in a variety of fields.

With smaller class sizes that give students a more personal experience with qualified, dedicated professors, community colleges offer many advantages for the first two years of post-secondary education.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Saturday, Oct. 27, is a nationwide day of volunteering, known as Make A Difference Day.

For the 19th year in a row, here in Lake County there will be a collection of nonperishable food for our local communities.

The total amount of food collected in the first 18 years is 67,662 pounds.

Several years ago, Lake Transit Authority joined the effort and it was turned into the Stuff-A-Bus event.

Lake Transit will once again park two buses that will be stuffed with the food collected.

North Coast Opportunities, Community Action and the Lake County Hunger Task Force will be staffing the two collection sites, along with volunteers from the Kelseyville High School Interact club and the community from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on that Saturday.

One bus will be parked at the Clearlake Grocery Outlet store in Clearlake, and the other at Lakeport Grocery Outlet.

All of the food collected will stay in Lake County.

Local pantries and senior centers are greatly in need of donations to fill their shelves. These pantries operate year round, and are invaluable to their local communities. This collection will be split evenly between the Live Oak Senior Center, Highlands Senior Center, Lucerne Alpine Senior Center, Lakeport Senior Center, Catholic Charities Rural Food Project in Kelseyville, Helping Hand, Clear Lake Gleaners, CCHAP, The Snake lady Yvonne Cox, Lake Family Resource Center, Upper Lake Community Pantry, Kelseyville Presbyterian Church, United Christian Parish, United Methodist Church in Clearlake Oaks, Community Baptist Church in Nice and Healthy Start Burns Valley School.

There are barrels out now at several locations to collect food before the actual event. They are located at the Lakeport Library, Peoples Services office and Clearlake thrift store, Community First Credit Union in Clearlake and Lakeport, Lake County Office of Education, Konocti Christian Academy, Meadowbrook Head Start, Woodland Community College Clearlake campus, Grace Evangelical Church, Cobb Mt. Elementary School and Cummins Martial Arts.

If you would like to make a donation and are unable to bring it on Saturday, please take it to one of the above locations. Please, no expired or past dated food.
It should be noted that over the past four years, Konocti Christian Academy alone has collected 2596 pounds of food.

Additional volunteers will be welcome at either site. Please call Tammy Alakszay at 707-972-0519 or Lorrie Gray at 707-277-9227 to see where you might be best utilized.
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Collisions are the number one killer of teens in the United States and distracted driving is often the cause.

The California Highway Patrol is working with Impact Teen Drivers, or ITD, on a year-long program to help eliminate these preventable collisions.

With a one-year grant that started Oct. 1, 2018, the CHP and ITD are working at schools and community events throughout California to help teen drivers.

The Teen Distracted Drivers Education and Enforcement grant includes an education component as well as enforcement operations. The message of the program is simple: focus on the road ahead and get where you are going safely.

“Any distraction can be dangerous for a driver, but young drivers are at the highest risk,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “Electronic devices, other people in the car, adjusting vehicle controls – these are just a few ways any driver can be distracted. Our goal is to protect young drivers through education.”

A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2016 found that nine percent of drivers 15 to 19 years old involved in fatal collisions were reported as distracted. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of the fatal collisions.

The study also found that hand-held cell phone use while driving is highest among 15- to 29-year-old drivers.

“We are privileged to work with the California Highway Patrol to stop the number one killer of teens in California – preventable car crashes,” Dr. Kelly Browning, executive director of Impact Teen Drivers, said. “Through a strong combination of education and enforcement, we can change the driving culture to one that is distraction free.”

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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“Woodland Compass” is the newest block on the Lake County Quilt Trail in Clearlake, Calif. Photo courtesy of the Lake County Quilt Trail.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The “Woodland Compass” quilt block has been installed at the Woodland Community College’s Aromas Café and Restaurant.

The restaurant is located at 15880 Dam Road Extension in Clearlake.

This new quilt block joining the Lake County Quilt Trail has been donated by Peggy Alexander and Pamela Bordisso, newly retired from their careers at the Woodland Community College.

They wanted to leave something to commemorate their service and guidance to students.

Alexander taught English, literature, speech and humanities for 25 years. Bordisso was a guidance counselor for the campus. The compass is a symbol for the direction they provided for students.

The Lake County Quilt Trail is an agricultural and tourism project designed to promote community pride.

The 4-foot by 4-foot quilt block was drawn and painted by the Lake County Quilt Trail team, a group of dedicated volunteer quilters, graphic artists, painters, writers and carpenters.

For more information about the Lake County Quilt Trail visit www.lakecountyquilttrail.com or visit its Facebook page.
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UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The Blue Ribbon Committee on Restoring Clear Lake held its inaugural meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 10, in Upper Lake.

The 12-member Blue Ribbon Committee for the Rehabilitation of Clear Lake was created by Assembly Bill 707 of 2017, written by Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry.

The committee includes representatives from tribes, Lake County, UC Davis and the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, and four members appointed by Lake County with expertise in agriculture, economics, environment and public water supplies.

Blue Ribbon Committee members include: Karola Kennedy, Elem Indian Colony; Sarah Ryan, Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians; Cecilia Guevara Zamora, Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians; Linda Rosas, Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake; Alix Tyler, Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians; Jennifer LaBay, Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board; Dr. Paul Dodd, UC Davis;
Supervisor Jim Steele, Lake County Board of Supervisors; Wilda Shock, Lake County, local economic development expert; Brenna Sullivan, agriculture expert, Lake County Farm Bureau executive director; Dr. Harry Lyons, Lake County, environment expert; Jan Coppinger, Lake County Special Districts administrator.

The meeting can be seen in the video above.
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Northshore Fire Chief Jay Beristianos, seen here in September 2018 at the district headquarters in Lucerne, Calif., has retired after seven years with the district and 41 years in the fire service. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – After seven years filled with major wildland fires, the Northshore Fire Protection District’s chief has retired.

Jay Beristianos, who grew up in Upper Lake, has been in the fire service for 42 years professionally, plus additional time as a volunteer. He served in the U.S. Forest Service in 1978 and 1979. Later, he spent 21 years with Ukiah Valley Fire.

He became Northshore Fire’s chief on Sept. 1, 2011, and officially retired as of Sept. 15, just days before the Mendocino Complex – the largest wildland fire in California history – was fully contained. He estimated it burned about 90 percent of the fire district.

He’s being succeeded in the chief’s role by Mike Ciancio, who has been the district’s deputy chief for several years.

The district now has 21 firefighters, with four to five active volunteers, Beristianos said.

When he took over as chief, he said his goal was to continue on with what Chief Jim Robbins had started – building a professional fire department. The challenges included establishing policies and training.

“I think we're well on the way. I've very proud of the personnel we have here,” Beristianos said, adding that they do good work and are great on emergency scenes.

Beristianos has also been working on weed abatement as part of his fire protection efforts, noting the fire districts are in the process of working out a joint powers authority with the county to address it. He said the districts have been working on the project for a year, after having started by asking the county to update weed ordinances.

The district sends out 1,000 letters a year asking property owners to cut their weeds, Beristianos said.

He said absentee owners are a big problem, with paper lot owners not responding to the district’s letters or many of them coming back unclaimed. However, the biggest concern is for lots in town where weeds aren’t mowed.

Earlier this year, the county’s fire districts also switched their dispatch service from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Central Dispatch to Cal Fire.

“It has its challenges but we feel like it's working well,” said Beristianos, explaining that it improved incident command on fires.

Earlier this year, the district failed to get a fire tax passed among Northshore voters, which Beristianos said was necessary to keep the district fiscally sound.

“The district is going to have to look seriously at doing it again. Nothing changed,” he said, adding that Upper Lake, Nice and Lucerne haven’t had increases in fire taxes since 1996, and for Clearlake Oaks it’s been since 2004.

Meanwhile, costs to provide services are growing. Beristianos said the district can’t just lay off people, and it has no new volunteers. They also buy used equipment to try to save money.

“Something’s got to give,” he said.








Beristianos’ service as chief intersected with one of the disastrous periods of wildland fires in the county’s history.

Beristianos acknowledged he doesn’t know all of the factors causing the past several years of devastating fires, but he does have some ideas.

“We've always had fires,” he said, adding, that, now, “They're bigger fires.”

Beristianos said he thinks it’s a combination of factors – climate change, the results of drought and, this last year, a double crop of grass.

Lake County and other parts of California now have a year-round fire season. “I think it’s evolved,” said Beristianos, explaining that he can remember that, once November arrived, firefighters could put aside their wildland fire gear until May or June.

As for prevention, Beristianos said, “Prescribed burning is a must.”

He said prescribed burns need to take place to reduce catastrophic fires.

He said Lake County is facing a new normal that includes fires that start and burn with extreme rates of spread in dry fuels and rough topography. “With those conditions, you can’t get enough resources fast enough to control the fire before it gets too big.”

Many small departments – which are the first line of defense – are having a tough time making ends meet and have to call in Cal Fire as backup. Beristianos said the state has to look at supplementing local government by upstaffing.

In the case of the Mendocino Complex, he said there were two major fires – the Ranch and River branches of the complex – going at the same time and getting big fast, incident complexity and a lack of firefighters, as resources needed to be sent to the Carr fire in Redding.

The wheels of the system can’t move fast enough, said Beristianos, and there aren’t enough local, state or federal resources. He said the US Forest Service doesn’t have enough California resources, and Forest Service engines from Upper Lake often are sent out of area to incidents.

“Firefighting, I think, has to be a higher priority at the state level,” said Beristianos, adding that he was not blaming anything on the state. Rather, he said local government fire districts and Cal Fire need to be better funded.

As for what people can do to protect themselves, Beristianos said it goes back to defensible space and “house hardening.”

In the case of defensible space, it means clearing vegetation around homes, and cleaning gutters – an item that gets overlooked but which can be important, as pine needles or leaves that gather there can easily catch fire.

House hardening includes putting in vents that close off heat, using tempered glass, fire-resistant or noncombustible siding, and sprinklers.

Regarding what’s next, Beristianos was planning to take a month and a half off to decompress before starting a new job with an insurance company, which has hired him as a wildfire specialist.

“I’ve got the personality, I can't sit around,” he said.

In the capacity of wildfire specialist, Beristianos will cover an area from Monterey to the Oregon border, doing home inspections and evaluating fire risk in order to reduce premiums. He starts work Oct. 31.

“It's a natural fit,” he said.

He likes to fish, kayak and travel, and he’ll have time for that even with the new job.

Beristianos expects to stay in Lake County in the near future. He and wife, Lori, have two adult daughters and granddaughters, and they’ve thought of moving closer to family.

He said he’s proud of the department, whose members give it all to protect the community.

“It's been a pleasure to serve the community,” Beristianos said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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UPPER LAKE, Calif. – In a time when school bullying is leading to increased concerns for school and student safety, one local school is seeing good outcomes from a new program that seeks to put the emphasis on kindness and connection.

In September, Elwira Salata, director of student services for the Upper Lake Unified School District – who also is filling in as interim Upper Lake Middle School principal – received the administration’s blessing to roll out the “Start with Hello” program.

The video posted above, produced by Lake County News, follows the school’s efforts to implement the program.

The Start with Hello program is based on a simple but impactful premise: Students are encouraged to be inclusive and compassionate in their interactions with each other.

Salata said it comes from the Sandy Hook Promise, and is meant to create an inclusive environment that teaches children how to be tolerant and civil to each other.

During the week of Sept. 24 to 28, Upper Lake Middle School students and staff participated in the program, which is part of a larger effort, the National Violence Prevention Program.

Salata said Start with Hello is a prevention program that teaches children and teens how to be more socially inclusive and connected to each other. It asks students, educators, parents and other community leaders who interact with children to take steps in class, the lunchroom and at other times in their day to create relationships.

Salata said fostering inclusion and community is an important life skill and it requires practice. “There are no age limit to reaching out and helping others.”

Upper Lake Middle School has 190 students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades, with students ranging in age from 11 to 14, Salata said. It’s a challenging time for children who are learning to maneuver their social and academic lives.

During lunchtime on one of the days, a Lake County News reporter visited with students and asked them their thoughts about the program.

In explaining why kindness is important, one of the students acknowledged that it’s a vulnerable time in their lives. Another talked about bullying and said she was a victim of it.

Salata shows a chart created by a student showing her goals – making people smile, giving them a hug and doing other things to help others feel valued.

District Superintendent Dr. Giovanni Annous said building relationships with students is essential, as it’s necessary to their advancement.

The antidote to bullying is being kind, welcoming, respectful and safe, he said, adding that kindness is a key element to the school’s method of positive behavioral interventions and support, or PBIS.

“There’s nothing more important than building character into the kids,” who are facing an ever-changing world, he said.

When a community of students understands kindness, it can diminish challenges of the behaviors that aren’t welcome on campus, he said.

Salata said she found another surprising outgrowth of the program in, of all places, the girls’ bathroom. There, she said the students took kindness to a new level by writing and posting positive notes of affirmation on the mirror to encourage each other.

“It’s amazing, it took me by surprise,” she said.

The bathroom’s large mirror was covered with dozens of notes of different colors, with positive messages. Some of the notes were shaped into a heart.

It wasn’t an assignment, and students weren’t sure who was responsible for starting it.

Salata acknowledged that the program is a very simple idea, and everybody wanted to be a part of spreading the message of kindness. “That’s what we do in education. We educate the minds but we also educate the souls and the hearts.”

Upper Lake is a small community and Upper Lake Middle School is a small school. “Everybody participating a little bit makes a huge difference,” she said.

And the students played key roles overall in creating organizing running the events associated with the program, said Salata, who added that in addition to help from students she had enormous support from staff and the community.

The ripple of kindness

After the week of activities and the intervening weeks of observing the results, there appears to be a ripple effect, with the program’s positive impact continuing.

“We consider it a huge success,” said Salata. “This is still happening.”

She said they are seeing children approaching each other to compliment them and continuing to try to get to know each other.

“We are absolutely going to continue with this,” she said.

Salata said they would like to create more opportunities to focus on the Start with Hello message.

Along with encouraging children to interact more positively, the program has put additional focus on building stronger ties between staff and students.

“We do so many things, sometimes we forget it’s all about the relationship,” she said.

The program has given the school’s staff the opportunity to look at how they are building those relationships with children, she said.

She said for staff as well it has started with saying hello to the children each day, and giving them that important acknowledgment.

Even in a short time, Salata said there has definitely been a change of culture that’s having broad impacts.

There’s been something else significant administration has noticed, although Salata said she’s not yet sure she can link it to the Start with Hello activities week.

She said the school district has been participating in the countywide Attendance Challenge, the first week of which was Oct. 15 to 19. On Oct. 17, she said they had incredible turnout – 188 of 190 students were at school. “That is unheard of.”

Looking ahead, Salata said the school wants to plug in a kindness focus every month.

Upper Lake Middle School was the first school in the district to try the program, and Salata said other schools – particularly Upper Lake Elementary – appear prepared to join them. During the Start with Hello week, elementary school staff showed up to hang out with the Upper Lake Middle School students at lunch time.

Looking ahead, Salata said she hopes it also will become more of a community effort, with the involvement of parents, the community and businesses.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Riding the school bus is by far the safest way for students to get to and from school, but everyone must do their part.

To increase awareness about school bus safety to motorists, parents, teachers, and students, the California Highway Patrol will observe National School Bus Safety Week, Oct. 22 to 26.

“We ask all drivers, always be alert and avoid distractions, especially when children are at a bus stop,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “Children may not recognize traffic hazards, so it is up to all of us to help keep them safe.”

The CHP began the “Vehicles Illegally Passing a School Bus,” or VIPS, enforcement project in 2017.

During VIPS enforcement operations, CHP officers will ride on school buses and patrol bus routes, watching for vehicles that do not stop for flashing red school bus lights.

The VIPS project also encourages people to report drivers who illegally pass a school bus.

In declaring October as “School Bus Safety Awareness Month,” Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. emphasized the same message.

He stated, “With the increasing number of travelers on the roadways, sharing the road responsibly is imperative, especially when the red lights on a school bus are flashing and the stop arm is activated.”

Students are about 70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking a bus instead of traveling by car, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports.

School buses are the most regulated vehicles on the road, designed to be safer than passenger vehicles. The flashing red lights and stop-sign arms are crucial features.

More than 32,000 school bus drivers transport more than one million students each year in California, traveling approximately 253 million miles.

California has not had a pupil passenger fatality since 1995. The CHP inspects more than 24,000 school buses each year.

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