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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake has begun a remodel project around the front entrance of the hospital to improve accessibility.
The new entrance will feature a redesigned stairway and ramp and is anticipated to be completed by Jan. 1, 2017.
“The goal of this project is to ensure all patients and visitors have easy access to our services,” explains David Santos, St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake president and chief executive officer. “The temporary inconvenience of the construction will have a lasting benefit for our patients and community by improving accessibility for all.”
The main entrance of the hospital will continue to be available for patients throughout the remodel project.
The first phase of construction is currently in progress. It includes demolishing and rebuilding the front stairway. The ramp to the left of the stairs as patients and visitors approach the hospital remains open.
The ramp area will be remodeled after the new stairway opens. During this time, patients with mobility challenges will be welcomed into the hospital through the Emergency Department entrance, located on the side of the hospital facing 18th Avenue.
Lake County NAACP Chapter President Rick Mayo commended the hospital on its efforts around improving accessibility.
“The experience of elderly and disabled residents of our county is important, especially when it comes to accessing health care services,” Mayo said. “This project is just the latest phase in St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake’s accessibility efforts. I am very pleased to see the hospital moving forward with these improvements.”
Visit www.sthelenahospitalclearlake.org for more information.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The United States Postal Service doesn’t take a holiday, and neither should the mail.
And for businesses that will be open for business on a nontraditional holiday like Columbus Day the USPS will take their mail.
Business mailers can deposit their mail at any district collection box throughout the San Francisco postal district on Monday, Oct. 10. Collectors will be making collections outside the normal holiday schedule.
The San Francisco postal district includes post offices north of the Golden Gate to the Oregon border and the peninsula to Mt. View. The district serves ZIP Codes in the 940, 941, 949, 954 and 955 range.
While there will be no delivery or retail service at Post Offices on the Columbus Day Holiday, the Postal Service will still be processing and transporting mail to ultimate destinations.
Many businesses will be open on the Columbus Day Holiday, and the Postal Service suggests that businesses avoid mailroom clutter by depositing their mail in collection boxes on the Monday holiday instead of holding it for the following day when mail processing facilities experience heavy volumes the day after a holiday.
mail processing centers work around the clock, even on holidays, which means businesses can benefit by taking advantage of up-and-running postal operations and get a jump on daily business transactions, ensuring their mail gets advanced in the mail stream and on its way to their destination.
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – A young Clearlake man died and another was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence following a Friday night vehicle rollover near Lower Lake.
Nick Mittelstedter, 19, died as a result of the solo-vehicle crash, which occurred at approximately 10:10 p.m. Friday on Morgan Valley Road just west of Bonham Road, according to the California Highway Patrol's Clear Lake Area office.
Jeramy Michael Isom, 19, of Clearlake, the driver, was arrested for the crash, the CHP said.
The CHP said Isom was driving a 2006 Toyota Tacoma eastbound on Morgan Valley Road at an unknown rate of speed when, for reasons still to be determined by investigators, he allowed the Toyota to drift out of the lane.
Isom attempted to turn the vehicle back into the eastbound lane, and as a result of that turn the Toyota rolled over, the CHP said.
Mittelstedter, one of three passengers riding with Isom, died of his injuries at the scene, according to the CHP.
The CHP said the other two passengers in the vehicle were Clearlake residents James D. VanHoose, 32, and Gabriel A. Wetzel, 19.
The CHP said VanHoose had moderate injuries, including an abrasion to the head and a complaint of pain to the neck. Wetzel had minor injuries consisting of a complaint of pain only.
Isom had moderate injuries, including abrasions to the back of his head and to his ankle, the CHP said.
The CHP arrested Isom and transported him to the Lake County Jail, where he was booked on felony charges including two counts of driving under the influence causing bodily injury and vehicular manslaughter. His bail was set at $150,000, according to booking records.
Isom's booking sheet showed he is set to appear in court on Oct. 11. He remained in custody early Sunday.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
“Those little nimble musicians of the air, that warble forth their curious ditties, with which nature hath furnished them to the shame of art.” – Izaak Walton
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The McVicar Trail at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, off Highway 53 between the City of Clearlake and Lower Lake, is a bird-lover's paradise.
The McVicar Wildlife Preserve, given to the National Audubon Society in years past (and sustained by our local chapter, the Redbud Audubon Society), is now a part of Anderson Marsh State Historic Park.
The trail is open, according to Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association, or AMIA, " ... as a result of a Partnership Agreement between the Department of Parks and Recreation and AMIA."
The McVicar Trail is about three and a half miles long. After you enter the park by paying the fee (or parking along the road outside the park), take a stroll through the grasslands, then veer up the rise of oaks to the western border of the marsh.
The enchantment of the woods with its dramatic mahogany-hued manzanitas and old acorn caches that the woodpeckers “bank” in each season is an extravagance of nature.
The Pomo, Koi, Lake Miwok and other Indians made use of these and many, many more resources 14,000 years ago, as archaeologists have determined.
It is heartening to know that today their descendants continue many of the cultural traditions, thereby keeping the past alive.
The McVicar Trail is lush and green, with a wide variety of grasses and trees. If you look closely you may find fragrant wild mint, too.
After a walk under the tunnel-like foliage, you soon come to an opening where views of the iconic tules that line the marsh are in evidence, capped by a lovely mountain view in the background.
The trail is deliciously damp, and almost jungle-like in comparison to the open grasslands of Anderson Marsh.
The group of birdwatchers on our recent Audubon hike was friendly and knowledgeable. Leader Pat Harmon was ever-ready with both her binoculars and Leopold scope; she was well-prepared to locate the wide variety of avian species we viewed that day.
We saw mourning dove, Anna's hummingbird, Say's Phoebe, Canada geese, scrub jay, cedar waxwing, redtail hawk, and more.
To find out about future walks and more information on Anderson Marsh, see the Redbud Audubon Web site at www.redbudaudubon.org/ or the AMIA Web site at www.andersonmarsh.org .
Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is a retired educator, potter, writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.” She also writes for NASA and JPL as one of their “Solar System Ambassadors.” She was selected “Lake County Teacher of the Year, 1998-99” by the Lake County Office of Education, and chosen as one of 10 state finalists the same year by the California Department of Education.
MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN (Rated PG-13)
With many films to his credit, ranging from “Edward Scissorhands” to “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” director Tim Burton is undeniably imaginative and visionary.
“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” is definitely in his creative wheelhouse.
Based on the best-selling novel with the same title by author Ransom Riggs, “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” is a spooky, haunting and wonderful coming-of-age story that could only be fully realized by Tim Burton.
The titular heroine of the book and movie, Miss Peregrine (Eva Green), is the protector of the Peculiars and is similarly strange in that she resembles a dark Mary Poppins-like figure that is rather eccentric and fearless.
The story begins in South Florida where awkward teenager Jake (Asa Butterfield) is devoted to his dementia-suffering grandfather Abe Portman (Terence Stamp), who was always telling him wild stories about the orphanage in Wales run by the astonishing Miss Peregrine.
When his beloved grandfather dies mysteriously, Jake travels to the Welsh island with his father (Chris O’Dowd) to find out about Abe’s past and to discover if the home and its residents, which Abe talked about, really exist.
Thrust from a dull suburban existence in Florida to the surreal gateway of a world trapped in the World War II era, Jake goes from knowing the ordinary to having to leave all semblance of normal life behind.
At first, Jake is escorted around the island by surly hired guides, only to discover the decaying remains of Miss Peregrine’s Victorian castle. Left to his own devices, he soon discovers the Peculiars and a passageway to Miss Peregrine’s alternate universe.
Time travel takes Jack back to 1943, where Miss Peregrine and her charges live in a “time loop” of reliving the same day, similar to “Groundhog Day,” where the mission is to thwart a Nazi warplane from bombing the Home.
The residents at Miss Peregrine’s Home have their own peculiarities, mostly supernatural or incredible powers that set them apart from other kids, as if they candidates for Professor Xavier’s school in the “X-Men” franchise.
Jake finds a like-minded soul in Emma (Ella Purnell), a blonde beauty who has the ability to manipulate air and must wear a pair of heavy lead boots to keep from floating away. Their relationship blossoms into a sweet, naïve teenage love story.
Not so loving is Enoch (Finlay MacMillan), the oldest boy with a talent for giving life to inanimate objects, who distrusts the newcomer and begrudges the affection Emma shows for Jake.
Among the many children, Olive (Lauren McCrostie) is a free spirit who must wear long black gloves at all times because she ignites everything she touches. The cutest kid might be the Shirley Temple-look alike who has sharp teeth on the back of her neck.
The central villain is Samuel L. Jackson’s Barron, who commands an army of invisible skeletal monsters that only Jake can see. His mission is to destroy all the children for the odd purposes of consuming their eyeballs.
Consistent with Tim Burton’s darker material, “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,” though stunning in its surreal imagery, has plenty of nightmarish visuals that might be too much for the very young to handle.
For all others, including teenagers and adults, the twisted fairytale with creepy moments is equal parts entertaining and fascinating as only the creator of “Beetlejuice” could conjure.
TV CORNER: 'WESTWORLD' ON HBO
More than 40 years have passed since Yul Brynner starred as a robotic gunslinger in “Westworld,” and now a modernized but still Old West fantasy world based on the Michael Crichton novel runs on HBO for 10 episodes.
In HBO’s “Westworld,” under the autocratic rule of theme park founder Dr. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins), the very wealthy are willing to pay top dollar to share Wild West adventures with android “hosts.”
Visitors to the Westworld playground indulge in every appetite, no matter how noble or depraved. No wonder these fantasies include gunfights, drinking and gambling, and visits to the brothel run by Maeve (Thandie Newton).
The virtual reality of Westworld, staged with Old West authenticity, includes fascinating characters which keep you guessing as to whether they are “guests” or “hosts.”
Rancher’s daughter Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) begins to discover that her idyllic existence is a carefully constructed lie.
James Marsden’s charming Teddy is handy with a revolver, but the Man in Black (Ed Harris) distills the essence of pure villainy.
More importantly, the Man in Black speaks on more than one occasion about the fact that “there’s a deeper level to this game,” and the audience, much like this character, will be seeking this greater truth over the run of this science-fiction Western.
Another point of fascination with Dr. Ford’s fantasyland is that incidents of aberrant behavior cropping up in some recently re-coded hosts lead to top programmer Bernard Lowe (Jeffrey Wright) bickering with staff members.
“Westworld” requires attention to details, such as the meaning of one host having an unscripted encounter with an artifact from the outside world. By the second episode, tension is noticeably rising inside and out of the park and you may wish to stick with this series to the end.
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control's shelter is filled with all kinds of dogs this week needing homes.
Dogs available at Lake County Animal Care and Control this include mixes of border collie, boxer, Chihuahua, collie, German Shepherd, Great Dane, hound, husky, Labrador Retriever, Rottweiler and pit bull.
The two remaining Clayton fire dogs are listed at the top, followed by dogs not taken in from the fire area.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.
The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).
CLAYTON FIRE DOGS
Labrador Retriever mix
This female Labrador Retriever mix has a short black coat.
She was found in the Clearlake area on Aug. 15.
She's in kennel No. 19, ID No. 5862.
Pit bull terrier mix
This female pit bull terrier mix has a short black and white coat.
She was found in the Lower Lake area on Aug. 20.
She's in kennel No. 33, ID No. 5878.
NON-FIRE DOGS AVAILABLE
'Audi'
“Audi” is a female Labrador Retriever mix.
She has a short black coat and floppy ears.
She's in kennel No. 2, ID No. 6188.
Pit bull terrier mix
This male pit bull terrier mix has a short blue and white coat.
He's in kennel No. 3, ID No. 6224.
Female Chihuahua mix
This female Chihuahua mix has a short brown and white coat.
She's in kennel No. 4, ID No. 6226.
Border collie mix
This young male border collie mix has a medium-length black and white coat.
He's in kennel No. 6a, ID No. 6198.
Border collie mix
This young female border collie mix has a medium-length black and white coat.
She's in kennel No. 6b, ID No. 6199.
Border collie mix
This young female border collie mix has a medium-length black and white coat. She already has been spayed.
Shelter staff said she has a great disposition and needs an active owner.
She's in kennel No. 7, ID No. 5943.
Hound mix
This young female hound mix has a short brindle and white coat.
She's in kennel No. 8, ID No. 6133.
Labrador Retriever mix
This female Labrador Retriever mix has a short black coat.
She's in kennel No. 12, ID No. 6235.
Boxer-pit bull mix
This female boxer-pit bull mix has a short brindle and white coat.
She's already been altered, shelter staff reported.
She's in kennel No. 14, ID No. 6194.
German Shepherd
This male German Shepherd has a medium-length black and tan coat.
He's in kennel No. 23, ID No. 6233.
Rottweiler mix
This male Rottweiler mix has a short black and tan coat.
He's in kennel No. 24a, ID No. 3557.
Rottweiler mix
This female Rottweiler mix has a black coat with some brindle markings.
Shelter staff said she need some training and is manageable on a leash. They said she is a very nice dog and knows not to jump when excited. After proper introductions, she has gotten along with other dogs she has met, including off-leash play. She would do best in a home with no cats.
She's in kennel No. 25, ID No. 5947.
'Koa'
“Koa” is a female husky mix with a medium-length black and white coat and blue eyes. She already has been spayed.
She's in kennel No. 26, ID No. 6166.
'Kenai'
“Kenai” is a female husky mix. She has a medium-length black and white coat and blue eyes, and already has been spayed.
She's in kennel No. 27, ID No. 6165.
'Lucky'
“Lucky” is a male hound and Great Dane mix with a short black and white coat.
He's in kennel No. 30, ID No. 6026.
'Flor'
“Flor” is a female Labrador Retriever mix with a short black and white coat.
She already has been spayed, which should lower her adoption cost.
She is in kennel No. 30b, ID No. 6041.
Female collie mix
This female collie mix has a medium-length black coat and white markings.
She's in kennel No. 32, ID No. 6223.
To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .
Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .
For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
Email Elizabeth Larson at