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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Konocti Lioness Club has offered its help with providing Christmas gifts to community members in need this holiday season.
On Thursday, Dec. 15, following a club meeting, dozens of gaily wrapped gifts donated by the club members were delivered to the Lake Family Resource Center in Kelseyville.
The group presented the gifts to Lake Family Resource Center Executive Director Jennifer Dodd and Michael Stajura, center project director.
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) on Monday commissioned a new research vessel as a state-of-the-art replacement for the San Carlos, which since America’s bicentennial year has been monitoring water quality in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and upper San Francisco Estuary.
The Sentinel is a floating laboratory whose mission is to protect water quality.
The flagship of DWR’s Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) enables staff to conduct water quality, nutrient and lower trophic (phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthos) monitoring of the Delta.
The research vessel plays a critical role helping to meet water quality objectives and the mandated requirements of biological opinions issued by the courts to guide water quality issues in the Delta.
The Sentinel was named by DWR Director Mark W. Cowin, who is retiring at month’s end after a 36-year career at the Department.
Cowin named the vessel to honor the late Laura King Moon, DWR’s former chief deputy director who died in 2015.
“Laura King Moon worked tirelessly as a guardian of California’s water supply and its environment,” Cowin said. “This new research vessel is dedicated in her memory.”
Moon was an environmental champion who dedicated her 38-year career to resource and water policy.
The Sentinel’s commissioning took place aboard the historic Delta King on the Sacramento River in the Old Sacramento Historic District.
During the ceremony, Cowin drew a comparison between the era of the Delta King’s commissioning in the 1920s and the current era.
“We are experiencing a period of great change – climate change, political change and changes in water management,” he said. “I think we can agree that the Sentinel is a welcome change.”
The Sentinel replaces the San Carlos, which provided valuable service for the past 40 years gathering information that informed water quality analysis, biological opinions and State Water Project (SWP) decisions.
Cowin said it was time for a “new guardian of the Delta waters to greet new challenges.”
Design and construction of the Sentinel was accomplished with funding from the SWP’s 29 contractors.
The construction project began in February 2015, and the vessel was launched by builder Vigor Industrial of Seattle, WA, in October 2016. Sea trials have been occurring since the launch.
The Sentinel’s characteristics:
· Length: 60 feet.
· Beam : 24 feet.
· Draft – 3 feet, 6 inches.
· Weight: 36 tons.
· Engines – twin Cummins QSB 6.7 conventional propulsion – 419 HP.
· Speed – 20 knots.
· 14-foot work skiff with 30 HP motor.
· Overnight accommodations for five people.
· Meets U.S. Coast Guard’s safety regulations for passenger vessels.
· Lab area – 266 square feet.
· Aft deck work area – 337 square feet.
· Air-conditioned.
· Lab raw water manifold with remote value operations.
· 30 Local Area Network connections.
· 4G wireless.
· Three 3,300-pound-capacity cranes, one with direct connection to the lab.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Johannes (Hans) Christoffer Carmiggelt passed away peacefully in his Lakeport home on Dec. 12, 2016. He was 94 years old.
Hans was born in Utrecht, Holland, on May 18, 1922, to Jan and Jootje Carmiggelt.
He came of age during very troubling times in Europe and served in the Dutch resistance movement for the duration of World War II. In later years he enjoyed regaling friends and family with stories of his war time experiences.
He was a master sailor and put his talents to work sailing the canals of Holland, undertaking acts of sabotage against the Nazis, who maintained a brutal occupation of their country.
He and his fellow resistance comrades helped their friends and families survive the war and eventually reclaim their country after the German surrender. And Hans had the honor of being issued the first sailing instructor’s license by the post war Dutch government.
Sometime after the end of the war, Hans and his bride Hennie moved to Indonesia in search of opportunity.
Hans, who was a professional engineer, ended up designing and assisting with the construction of numerous airports and commercial building projects around the country.
He and Hennie started their family there as well, with Hennie giving birth to daughter Olga and son Coen.
In 1958 the family returned to Holland, where Hans continued his engineering career.
In March of 1960 Hans, sensing better opportunity, migrated to the United States, settling in Southern California, and in 1965 he discovered and moved his family to Lake County. He was quickly hired by the Lake County Public Works Department where he served as county engineer under director Gene Collins.
Hans’ construction accomplishments are still on display here. He oversaw the design and construction of most of the public boat launching ramps that remain in service today around the lake. He also headed up the county’s role in the construction of State Highway 29 from Kelseyville to Upper Lake.
In 1985 Hans retired and devoted full time to his lifelong passion of sailing. He served multiple terms as commodore of the Lakeport Yacht Club, which, coincidentally, was designed by his father, also an engineer, while on vacation in Lakeport.
Hans sailed competitively for many years, winning numerous trophies, including the Konocti Half Cup. His home was located at the very entrance to the Land’s End estuary where he enjoyed teaching his grandchildren the art of sailing and seamanship.
Hans was preceded in death by Hennie, his wife of 52 years; his son, Coen; and his brother, Walter.
He is survived by daughter, Olga Racine, and her husband Paul; grandson, Paul (P.J.) Racine and his wife Sausha; granddaughter, Tara Racine and her husband Raoul Belleau; stepdaughter, Elsien Beens; grandson, Jeroen Van Den Berg; and great-grandchildren, Addison, Riley, Jasmine, Kaia, Luna and Malia.
A celebration of life and party will be held on May 20, 2017, at Hans’ home at 2500 Reeves Lane, Lakeport.
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Edna Frances (Pat) Reeder passed away on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016, at her home in Lower Lake.
Born in Klamath Falls, Ore., on Jan. 24, 1928, and formerly of Cloverdale, Calif., Pat was a 35-year resident of Lake County, Calif.
She was a devoted mother and was employed at the Sonoma County Tax Assessor’s Office.
She was a volunteer campground host for the U.S. Forest Service in Northern California with her late husband Al.
Pat was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Lake County Chapter No. 231. She loved to crochet, fish, and take care of her kids and family.
Pat was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Al.
She leaves behind her son, Greg Reeder, and wife Ginger of Spring Creek, Nev.; daughters, Marie Studebaker of Spokane, Wash., and Ginny Brown of Las Vegas, Nev.; along with seven grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
At Pat’s request, no services will be held. Donations in Pat’s memory may be made to Hospice Services of Lake County, 1862 Parallel Drive, Lakeport, CA 95453 or the United Methodist Church of Clearlake Oaks, 12487 The Plaza, Clearlake Oaks, CA 95423.
Arrangements under the care of Jones & Lewis Clear Lake Memorial Chapel. Please share your loving memories of Pat by signing her online guestbook at www.jonesandlewis.com .
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin and Cal Fire Battalion Chief Michael Wink were recognized as 2016 Public Safety Heroes of the Year for Lake County by U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson at a Saturday ceremony held in Vallejo.
This award is given to one law enforcement officer and one first responder from each of the five counties that make up the Fifth Congressional District.
“Sheriff Martin has a long and admirable track record of public service,” said Thompson. “After enlisting in the U.S. Army Military Police in 1992, Sheriff Martin served as a paratrooper, a team leader and sniper, and as deputy sheriff, sergeant and lieutenant in the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. His work during the devastating fire season of 2015 was especially heroic, as he oversaw the evacuation of nearly 20,000 people in response to the historic Valley fire.”
“Battalion Chief Wink expertly managed a large team and acted quickly and effectively to put out both the Clayton and Valley fires,” said Thompson.
Thompson said Wink is owed a great deal of gratitude, “as he put his life on the line to protect both the people of Lake County and as many homes and businesses as possible. His work undoubtedly limited the damage to Lake County during those devastating fires.”
“I’m proud to recognize both Sheriff Martin and Battalion Chief Wink today as Public Safety Heroes of the Year for Lake County,” Thompson said at the Saturday event.
The full list of the 2016 Public Safety Heroes of the Year for the Fifth Congressional District is below:
· Firefighter Marcus Faumui of the Rodeo-Hercules Fire Department.
· Officer Greg Sanchez of the Hercules Police Department.
· Sheriff Brian Martin of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
· Cal Fire Battalion Chief Michael Wink.
· Firefighter and paramedic Cesar Lopez of the City of Napa Fire Department.
· Officer Luis Paniagua of the Calistoga Police Department.
· Sgt. Brenton Garrick of the Vallejo Police Department.
· Fire Capt. Melissa Leitzke of the Vallejo Fire Department.
· Officer Cecile Focha of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.
· Christina Gossner, Paramedic with American Medical Response (AMR) Sonoma.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County's unemployment edged up again slightly in November while statewide and nationwide numbers improved.
The California Employment Development Department's latest report on joblessness put Lake County's November unemployment rate at 6.6 percent, up from the 6.4 percent reported in October but improved over the 7.7 percent reported in November 2015.
California's unemployment in November dropped to 5.3 percent after holding at 5.5 percent for three months straight. The state's November 2015 rate was 5.9 percent.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said nationwide unemployment also decreased in November, dropping from 4.9 percent to 4.6 percent, the lowest national jobless rate since August 2007. The November 2015 nationwide rate was 5 percent.
In November employers added 13,600 nonfarm payroll jobs in California and 178,000 nonfarm payroll jobs nationwide, according to the report.
With November’s new jobs, the state has gained a total of 2,417,100 jobs since the economic expansion began in February 2010, the Employment Development Department said.
Nonfarm jobs in California totaled 16,603,600 in November, according to a survey of 55,000 businesses, a year-over increase of 377,200 jobs, up 2.3 percent.
A federal survey of 5,500 households showed the number of Californians holding jobs in November was 18,417,000, an increase of 47,000 from October, and up 551,000 from the employment total in November of 2015.
The report also said that the number of unemployed Californians was 1,038,000 in November, down by 32,000 over the month, and down by 86,000 compared with the previous November.
In Lake County, the report showed that in November there were 1,950 unemployed people, compared to 1,890 in October and 2,210 in November 2015.
The number of jobs in Lake County in November totaled 16,240, down 0.9 percent from October, when there were 16,390 jobs, but up by 4.9 percent over November 2016, when there were 15,480 jobs, according to the report.
Lake County's “total farm” industry category had a 21.1 percent drop in jobs from October to November, while total nonfarm grew by 0.3 percent, the report showed.
In November, eight of California’s 11 industry sectors added a total of 29,300 jobs: trade, transportation and utilities; manufacturing; mining and logging; construction; financial activities; professional and business services; other services; and government.
Month-over job losses occurred in three sectors: information; educational and health services; and leisure and hospitality, according to the report.
In year-over comparisons, nine sectors added jobs: educational and health services; government; construction; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; leisure and hospitality; and other services, the state said.
The state report showed that two sectors, mining and logging, and manufacturing, showed year-over job losses.
Lake County's unemployment rate ranked it No. 39 statewide out of 58 counties. The lowest unemployment, 2.8 percent, was reported in San Mateo County, and the highest, 20.3 percent, was in Imperial County.
The November jobless report also showed there were 358,096 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the November survey week. That's compared with 323,124 in October and 355,913 in November of last year.
New claims for Unemployment Insurance were 54,252 in November, compared with 44,808 in October and 54,438 in November of last year, the state reported.
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