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The California Association of Clerks and Election Officials (CACEO) is responding to concerns from voters across the state who may be receiving solicitation mailings erroneously indicating that residents of households are not registered to vote.
The letters are from the Voter Participation Center, a nonprofit organization whose published mission is to “register and mobilize the rising American electorate.”
Some of the mailings are addressed to current registered voters at the address and others are addressed to nonexistent residents or to variations of names associated with the residence.
“Whether by accident or otherwise, it is clear that the organization that sent out these mailings used bad data at least in part and failed to compare that data with the existing voter file,” said Dean Logan, CACEO president. “As a result, the mailing has caused unnecessary concern and confusion for voters.”
The Voter Participation Center indicated to the secretary of state that more than 4.6 million of the letters were mailed statewide.
While some of the letters may have been sent to eligible, but not-registered citizens, the surge in calls to Registrars has indicated clear discrepancies in the data causing confusion and concern for Californians just months before the presidential election.
County registrars urge voters to verify their registration status prior to election day with their
local registrar of voters office or Web site.
A listing of county resources for verification is available on the California Secretary of State’s Web site at http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/registration-status/ .
Registrars begin mailing sample ballots for the election early next month. Any voter receiving a
sample ballot can be assured that they are listed as active on the voter file.
Only voters who have a change in address or name need re-register prior to the Oct. 24, 2016, voter
registration deadline.
Harley-Davidson enthusiasts and motorcycle aficionados, even those longing for the Indian brand or captivated by foreign imports, may have good reason to tune into three-night mini-series “Harley and the Davidsons.”
If ever a cable television series was so clearly targeted to a specific audience, this ambitious effort from the Discovery Channel knows how to appeal to those with the free-spirited love of the open road.
The meticulous reenactment of early motorcycle history at the turn of the 20th Century, which must have been a costly production investment, is practically a love letter to the Harley-Davidson Motor Company.
And there’s nothing wrong with that. The Harley-Davidson name is a brand so instantly recognizable that even people who have never ridden a two-wheel vehicle with more power than a self-peddled bicycle can understand the appeal of a motorbike’s speed and power.
In the very early 20th century, young men from immigrant families in Milwaukee, Wisconsin grasped the possibilities of expanding upon the popular notion of motorizing the bicycle for greater and easier mobility.
A young Bill Harley (Robert Aramayo), whose parents pushed him to the academic pursuit of mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsin, was a terrific designer who drafted the plans for motorcycle prototypes.
His best friend, Arthur Davidson (Bug Hall), believed in the dream and found that teaming up with his older brother Walter and Harley would help him escape the family scorn of being a shiftless schemer.
Walter Davidson (Michiel Huisman) looked for a venture that was a chance to escape the confines of society by building a motorbike that would allow one to ignore the rules and to go anywhere and ride hard.
During the early stage of the first episode, Walter, who was willing to sacrifice everything for his acres of farmland, had it all taken from him by a railroad baron seizing his property through a shady execution of eminent domain.
“Harley and the Davidsons” charts the birth of the iconic motorcycle during a time of great social and technological change. But more than that, it chronicles the challenges for Harley and the Davidson brothers.
For Walter, Arthur and Bill risked their entire meager fortune and livelihood to launch the budding enterprise in the face of stiff and ruthless competition on a road to success filled with innumerable obstacles and extraordinary risks both financial and physical.
The mini-series may be faulted for not fully developing its central and minor characters to any meaningful extent. There is never a sense that the personal histories of Walter, Arthur and Bill go too far beyond the superficial.
The villains of the piece don’t fare much better, considering that the two primary rivals were depicted, almost literally, as the mustache-twirling types.
The co-founder of the Indian motorcycle, George Hendee (Philip Brodie), apparently willing to cheat, gleefully revels in every opportunity to upstage Harley and the Davidson brothers at any public event.
The other chief business rival to Harley-Davidson is Dougray Scott’s Randall James, but his character is truly one-dimensional and not much else is revealed about his motivations beyond his hatred for Walter, Arthur and Bill.
Other characters are even greater ciphers in the business climate or bike racing world. Bankers and lawyers are predictably involved in various affairs attempting to trip up the heroic entrepreneurs, but they are eminently forgettable.
The essence of “Harley and the Davidsons” is the focus on the motorcycle itself, whether during the detailed planning and production phases to the more exciting motorbike races occurring with enough frequency to fascinate those who love a good chase.
The passion for motorcycle racing is not only what draws Walter to the family enterprise, but it is the motivating factor that propels the industry to take risks with fortunes and lives.
Daredevil exploits put Harley-Davidson on the map, as Walter had a ferocious ambition to become a top motorcycle racer while competing in even deadly competitions, most notably the hazardous “motordrome” races on the wooden planks of an oval course.
“Harley and the Davidsons” also explores how an Army contract during World War I to provide bikes and training to soldiers and surviving the industry decimation of the Great Depression allowed Harley-Davidson to defy the odds.
The rest, as they say, is history, since we already know that Harley-Davidson remains to this very day an iconic brand of Americana, respected in various quarters all over the world.
The Discovery Channel is not really known for scripted programming, but “Harley and the Davidsons” is, at least, an interesting effort to break new ground.
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.
SOUTH LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – With the one-year anniversary of the Valley fire arriving on Monday, several events are planned over the next several days to commemorate the event and to celebrate the community's recovery efforts.
The Valley fire began on the afternoon of Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015, and burned until Oct. 6.
It is the third most damaging fire in California's history.
During the three weeks that it burned, the Valley fire led to four confirmed fatalities, burned a total of 76,067 acres burned and destroyed 1,955 structures, among them 1,349 homes, according to state and local officials.
The community events in conjunction with the anniversary will take place from Saturday through Monday at locations throughout the fire area.
One of the weekend's key events will be an open house hosted by Cal Fire and South Lake County Fire Protection District.
Cal Fire Division Chief Greg Bertelli said the open house will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at four of the South Lake County Fire stations.
At 1:30 p.m. there will be a moment of silence for those whose lives were lost, changed or otherwise impacted, he said.
“The theme is to remember the past but looking ahead,” he said, noting the district and Cal Fire intend to continue being leaders in helping the community recovery.
Bertelli, who was among the first responders on the Valley fire and was its initial incident commander, will visit all of the stations where the open houses will take place on Sunday.
The district's board of directors also will be on hand, Bertelli said.
A roundup of events follows.
SATURDAY
Valley fire tribute concert
Lake County Fire Recovery Blues Benefit No. 3: Valley Fire Tribute Concert will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. on the field of Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum, 9921 Soda Bay Road, off Highway 29 in Kelseyville.
The concert is a benefit for Hope City to rebuild homes lost to the Valley fire. Hope City is a project of Hope Crisis Response Network, a disaster relief, faith-based nonprofit that brings volunteers to build homes across the U.S.
The Valley fire tribute concert will open with Dave Broida & Blues Farm from Lake County. Mighty Mike Schermer from Austin, Texas, will be backed by friends from Sonoma County and Vocalist Miz Dee from the Bay Area.
Several special guests have been invited to speak in commemoration of the Valley fire.
There also will be food, beverages and a silent auction.
Tickets are $15 cash at the gate, 12 and under may attend for free. Carpooling is recommended. There will be golf cart & ATV transport to the field from the parking areas. ADA accommodations will be available.
For more information email
Middletown Art Center 'Ashes to Art' show opening
The Middletown Art Center invites the public to the debut of its new show, “Ashes to Art,” which opens from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10.
The reception will feature performances by The Hobos, The Peculiars, Lia and John Jennings, Hearts & Bones and a host of other local talent.
The pieces exhibited express personal and universal messages of grief, pain, endurance, recovery, healing and growth.
The exhibit will be on view through Oct. 20.
The Middletown Art Center is located at 21456 Highway 175 at the junction of Highway 29. Visit www.middletownartcenter.org or call 707-809-8118 for more information.
SUNDAY
Valley Fire Community Day
Twin Pine Casino & Hotel will host the Valley Fire Community Day from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
The event is free for all Lake County residents, especially homeowners who were affected by the recent Clayton fire and last year’s Valley fire.
The Salvation Army will partner with the Twin Pines Casino & Hotel to prepare and serve more than 500 meals that afternoon.
The event also will feature entertainment, bounce houses for the kids, banner signing for first responders and emergency personnel, and information tables for emergency services.
Twin Pine Casino & Hotel Event Center is located at 22223 Highway 29, Middletown.
Cal Fire and South Lake County Fire Protection District Valley fire anniversary
Cal Fire's Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit and South Lake County Fire Protection District will host open houses at all of the South Lake Fire Protection District Stations on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.
The public is invited to bring their family and friends (no pets) to their local fire stations where the firefighters will offer tours of the stations, fire engines and firefighting equipment as well as provide fire prevention educational materials to homeowners and families.
There will a moment of silence at each station, at 1:30 p.m., to reflect and honor those who lost their lives last September in the Valley fire.
Open fire stations will include:
• South Lake County Fire Station No. 60, 21095 Highway 175, Middletown;
• South Lake County Fire Station No. 62, 16547 Highway 175, Cobb;
• South Lake County Fire Station No. 63, 19287 Hartmann Road, Hidden Valley Lake;
• South Lake County Fire Station No. 64, 10331 Loch Lomond Road, Loch Lomond.
MONDAY
Remembrance event
A group of community members plans to gather informally at the gazebo in Middletown Square Park, 21256 Washington St., during the evening beginning at around 6 p.m.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The SPCA of Lake County has signed a memorandum of understanding with Lake County Animal Care and Control to assist Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection with temporary animal boarding.
Through this agreement, SPCA will be housing lost or displaced animals during times of disaster on a temporary basis at our facility in Kelseyville.
The agreement already has been put to use.
On Aug. 13, not long after the agreement was signed, the Clayton fire broke out and Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection, or LEAP, was activated to assist the animals in harm's way.
Mandatory evacuations were ordered for segments of Lower Lake and the Avenues in the city of Clearlake and the animals began arriving Sunday afternoon at the SPCA.
At that time, SPCA was being utilized as a spay and neuter clinic for the Clearlake Pet Project. So as the dedicated veterinary staff finished up with the spay-neuter surgeries on the right side of the building and SPCA volunteers began transporting those animals home, LEAP personnel and their volunteers began setting up on the left side of the facility and began in taking animals evacuated from the Lower Lake and Clearlake areas.
Three of the animals that had been scheduled for surgery that day were actually under evacuation as well and stayed in the facility, the SPCA reported.
Between Sunday when the SPCA opened the facility to LEAP, and Thursday when the evacuation orders had been lifted and all of the animals went home, approximately 100 cats, 40 dogs, two goats, a dozen geese, six chickens, parrots and a rabbit had passed through the SPCA doors, according to the SPCA.
The SPCA reported that it also is working with the local rescue organization Orphan Dog to support the pets and their families displaced by the fire by providing free pet food and supplies at their temporary distribution center in Lower Lake. For more information, please call 707-367-0270.
The Board of Directors at the SPCA of Lake County reported that it is proud to serve in these new roles to the community and thanked the community for their generous donation and support during this time of need.
The SPCA continues to hold its monthly vaccination clinic on the third Sunday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. at its headquarters, 8025 Highway 29 in Kelseyville.
If you would like to contribute financially to the SPCA to assist with these great programs, please send your donations to P.O. Box 784, Clearlake CA 95422.
UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Rev. Bob Green and the congregation of the United Methodist Church in Upper Lake will welcome the Rev. K. R. Green of Bogota, Columbia, to deliver the message “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight” from the book of Hebrews chapter 11, on Sunday, Sept. 11, at 11 a.m.
Rev. K. R. Green, son to Upper Lake Methodist minister Bob Green, serves in a unique cross-cultural ministry to worldwide people of Bogota where he lives and works with his wife and son.
He has served in this capacity for 20 years and holds a post-graduate degree in biblical theology, global leadership and Islamic studies.
Services at the United Methodist Church, 604 Clover Valley Road in the town of Upper Lake are open to all who wish to attend.
The church's motto is “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors.”
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A new law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown will provide much-needed tax relief for business impacted by natural disasters.
The bill, authored by Assemblyman Bill Dodd (D-Napa) and Sen. Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg), will grant the Board of Equalization the authority to defer business tax payments without additional costs or fees.
The idea for this new law was brought forward by Board of Equalization Chairwoman Fiona Ma in the aftermath of the 2015 Valley fire in Lake County.
“The Board of Equalization can now grant tax relief to countless business across the state who have been impacted by natural disasters. I’d like to thank Gov. Jerry Brown for recognizing the urgency of this bill and acknowledging that California needs to do more to assist victims in the recovery process,” said Dodd. “This was a team effort and I’d like to acknowledge Sen. Mike McGuire and Chairwoman Fiona Ma who fought tirelessly to help provide victims with the relief they deserve.”
“Lake County has seen tremendous devastation in the wake of the Valley fire last year, and now the Clayton Fire and small businesses need assistance in the aftermath of these disasters. We’re grateful to partner with Assemblymember Dodd and BOE Member Ma to ensure local business owners have some peace of mind and needed tax relief during this recovery period,” McGuire said.
Over the past several years California has experienced some of the most destructive fires in its history.
In 2015 Assemblymember Dodd’s Fourth Assembly District contained nearly 58 percent of the total extinguished acreage by Cal Fire across the entire state.
In Lake County alone, the Valley fire destroyed nearly two thousand structures over a 23-day period, ultimately becoming the third most destructive fire in California history.
The 2016 wildfire season has already devastated communities across the state, with the Clayton fire in Lake County destroying hundreds of buildings.
“Victims are already traumatized from their disaster experience. Thank you Gov. Brown for providing tax relief to small business owners. I’ve been honored to work with Assemblymember Dodd and Sen. McGuire on AB 1559, which will help provide tax relief assistance for businesses affected by these kinds of disasters,” said Ma.
Under this legislation, the Board of Equalization could grant filing extensions on a quarterly basis to victims of natural disasters for sales tax, use tax, and other taxes.
The bill will take immediate effect statewide, empowering the BOE to provide relief to businesses impacted by recent fires from Lake County to Big Sur to San Bernardino County.
The bill also would allow the BOE to help victims recover from future major fires, floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters.
Dodd represents the Fourth Assembly District, which includes all or portions of Yolo, Napa, Sonoma, Lake, Solano and Colusa counties. Visit his Web site at www.asm.ca.gov/dodd .