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LAKEPORT, Calif. – At Brianna Riley's Alaskan home, the end of summer is coming and it will soon be getting cooler, just in time to return to school in the fall.
But colder weather and her senior year of high school seemed far from her mind on Saturday, as she continued her visit to Big Valley Rancheria and participated in the 15th annual Tule Boat Festival.
Riley, 17, is a member of Alaska's Arctic Youth Ambassadors Program, established by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the United States Department of State in partnership with the nonprofit Alaska Geographic.
She's one of 22 young people who went through an application process and were selected from communities around Alaska represented in the Arctic Council.
Her term as a youth ambassador began in January, and will continue until March 2017.
During that time, she and her fellow ambassadors will seek to raise awareness of climate change and work on projects that not only improve their communities but Alaska overall.
As part of her community work, she's participated in a project to help restart clubs for youth.
She said she was invited down for the festival, so she and her mother, Martina, made the trip from Kiana, an Iñupiat Eskimo village in northwestern Alaska, to California this past week as part of her ambassadorial duties.
Martina Riley said the 13-hour trip involved four airplanes, from small eight seaters to jets.
Her activities have taken Brianna Riley farther from home than most of the young people from her community travel. A more common destination is Anchorage – some 2,000 miles away from their village.
Kiana is located just above the Arctic Circle, so there no polar bears, Riley explained.
She said her community's name translates to “the place where the three rivers meet.”
Fishing – particularly, for salmon – is important to the residents. Plus, there is the natural bounty. Just before their trip, she and her mother picked two gallons of wild blueberries. Cranberries will be ready to pick when they get home.
There also are plenty of outdoor activities, like hiking and kayaking. Martina Riley shared pictures on a tablet of her daughter out on the water at home on a kayak, with mountains – topped with just the barest hints of snow – in the background.
In addition to the Arctic Youth Ambassador Program, Brianna Riley is involved in the Youth Leaders Program.
She's a team captain in that program, which raises awareness of suicide and bullying in school and hold activities for students. Last month she traveled to New Mexico as part of that Youth Leaders program.
At this week's Tule Boat Festival, Riley spoke about climate change, one of the topics of her ambassadorship.
In Kiana, Riley said they're seeing changes in the environment as a result of climate change that include summers starting earlier and the melting of the permafrost.
Riley will start her senior year of high school this fall. Beyond high school, she wants to attend the University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau to study political science. She said she isn't interested in political office but wants to work behind the scenes.
The Arctic Youth Ambassador Program is a good introduction to the kind of career that interests Riley. During her visit to Lake County, she made friends, shared ideas and created connections to another community.
She also got into the tule boat racing action herself, winning a second-place medal in her age group.
To follow the Arctic Youth Ambassadors, use the hashtags #ThisArcticLife and #USArcticYouth or visit https://www.facebook.com/arcticyouthambassadors/ .
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Are pomegranates really the superfood we've been led to believe will counteract the aging process?
Up to now, scientific proof has been fairly weak. And some controversial marketing tactics have led to skepticism as well.
A team of scientists from Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne, or EPFL, and the company Amazentis wanted to explore the issue by taking a closer look at the secrets of this plump pink fruit.
They discovered that a molecule in pomegranates, transformed by microbes in the gut, enables muscle cells to protect themselves against one of the major causes of aging. In nematodes and rodents, the effect is nothing short of amazing.
Human clinical trials are currently under way, but these initial findings have already been published in the journal Nature Medicine.
As we age, our cells increasingly struggle to recycle their powerhouses.
Called mitochondria, these inner compartments are no longer able to carry out their vital function, thus accumulate in the cell. This degradation affects the health of many tissues, including muscles, which gradually weaken over the years.
A buildup of dysfunctional mitochondria is also suspected of playing a role in other diseases of aging, such as Parkinson's disease.
One molecule plays David against the Goliath of aging
The scientists identified a molecule that, all by itself, managed to re-establish the cell's ability to recycle the components of the defective mitochondria: urolithin A.
“It's the only known molecule that can relaunch the mitochondrial clean-up process, otherwise known as mitophagy,” said Patrick Aebischer, co-author on the study. “It's a completely natural substance, and its effect is powerful and measurable.”
The team started out by testing their hypothesis on the usual suspect: the nematode C. elegans. It's a favorite test subject among aging experts, because after just 8-10 days it's already considered elderly. The lifespan of worms exposed to urolithin A increased by more than 45% compared with the control group.
These initial encouraging results led the team to test the molecule on animals that have more in common with humans. In the rodent studies, like with C. elegans, a significant reduction in the number of mitochondria was observed, indicating that a robust cellular recycling process was taking place. Older mice, around two years of age, showed 42% better endurance while running than equally old mice in the control group.
Human testing under way
Before heading out to stock up on pomegranates, however, it's worth noting that the fruit doesn't itself contain the miracle molecule, but rather its precursor. That molecule is converted into urolithin A by the microbes that inhabit the intestine.
Because of this, the amount of urolithin A produced can vary widely, depending on the species of animal and the flora present in the gut microbiome. Some individuals don't produce any at all. If you're one of the unlucky ones, it's possible that pomegranate juice won't do you any good.
For those without the right microbes in their guts, however, the scientists are already working on a solution.
The study's co-authors founded a start-up company, Amazentis, which has developed a method to deliver finely calibrated doses of urolithin A. The company is currently conducting first clinical trials testing the molecule in humans in European hospitals.
Darwin at your service: parallel evolution makes good dinner partners According to study co-author Johan Auwerx, it would be surprising if urolithin A weren't effective in humans. “Species that are evolutionarily quite distant, such as C elegans and the rat, react to the same substance in the same way. That's a good indication that we're touching here on an essential mechanism in living organisms.”
Urolithin A's function is the product of tens of millions of years of parallel evolution between plants, bacteria and animals.
According to Chris Rinsch, co-author and CEO of Amazentis, this evolutionary process explains the molecule's effectiveness: “Precursors to urolithin A are found not only in pomegranates, but also in smaller amounts in many nuts and berries. Yet for it to be produced in our intestines, the bacteria must be able to break down what we're eating. When, via digestion, a substance is produced that is of benefit to us, natural selection favors both the bacteria involved and their host. Our objective is to follow strict clinical validations, so that everyone can benefit from the result of these millions of years of evolution.”
The EPFL scientists' approach provides a whole new palette of opportunities to fight the muscular degeneration that takes place as we age, and possibly also to counteract other effects of aging.
By helping the body to renew itself, urolithin A could well succeed where so many pharmaceutical products, most of which have tried to increase muscle mass, have failed.
Auwerx, who has also published a recent discovery about the anti-aging effects of another molecule in the journal Science, emphasizes the game-changing importance of these studies. “The nutritional approach opens up territory that traditional pharma has never explored. It's a true shift in the scientific paradigm.”
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – What’s the draw with blind tasting wine?
Seems like many people are fascinated by it if past Lake County People’s Choice events are any indication. Attendees flock to the blind tasting tables for a pour and then sniff, swirl, and taste like the experts.
The 2016 People’s Choice Wine Tasting sponsored by the Lake County Winery Association (LCWA) is coming up on Saturday, July 30, and will feature a blind tasting and an opportunity to taste wines that were awarded gold medals in the 2016 Lake County Wine Competition before voting for the People’s Choice in both categories.
The event will be held at Moore Family Winery, 11990 Bottle Rock Road, in Kelseyville.
Offering 360 degree views of Cobb Mountain and almost 3,000 feet in elevation, this is the coolest (F°) place in Lake County on a hot July day!
The fun will begin with blind tasting from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Moore Family Winery Tasting Room.
This year, it will focus on Lake County Sauvignon Blanc with wines from 13 producers.
Sauvignon Blanc is the second most widely grown varietal in Lake County and one that is synonymous with the region in many consumers’ minds.
Julie Hoskins from Chic le Chef will educate tasters on the art of preparing food pairings that compliment this varietal, and offer delectable bites during the blind tasting.
Fourteen wineries will be pouring a selection of their gold medal winners on the back patio. Lake County olive oil producers Rosa d’Oro, Villa Barone, and Sunset Ranch will offer samples and sales of their olive oils.
Music, food, and a chance to mug for the camera will add to the fun. Take home your I Voted button plus recipes and more. Results from the voting for the People’s Choice Sauvignon Blanc and the People’s Choice Gold Medal wine will be announced during the event.
Tickets for the People’s Choice can be purchased online at www.lakecountywineries.org/choice .
Tasting tickets are $40 advance purchase and $45 at the door. Designated driver tickets are $10 and will include all of the fun except the wine. A special “Save 20 percent - Buy a Pair of Tasting Tickets” is available as a ticket option through July 24.
The Lake County Wine Awards Competition was started in 2009 as the exclusive competition for wines made with Lake County winegrapes and labeled with a Lake County appellation. During the first and second year, the competition was fashioned as a People’s Choice Wine Awards competition. The public was invited to blind taste the wines and select the winners.
In 2011, the Competition evolved into a professional wine-judging competition with a panel of wine judges. The 2016 Competition was held in June at Langtry Estates. Judges tasted over 125 wines, and awarded six wines with the coveted sweepstakes awards plus 16 best of class, and a total of 97 gold, silver, and bronze awards.
LCWA is planning a celebration of Lake County wines during September, California Wine Month. Look for Lake County wines in the new wine pavilion at the Kelseyville Pear Festival and ask for Lake County wines at your favorite restaurant during this month long celebration of the region.
December will feature the popular Give the Gift of Wine holiday events at Lake County wineries for holiday shopping including a chance to purchase tickets to the 2017 Lake County Wine Adventure. Visit www.lakecountywineries.org for the latest information on upcoming events.
LCWA works to promote the wines of Lake County’s high elevation region. Membership is open to wineries, winegrape growers, and individuals or businesses interested in promoting the Lake County wine industry.
For more information about upcoming events, sponsorship, or membership opportunities, call 707-357-5237 or visit www.lakecountywineries.org .
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Drivers are urged to be aware of roadwork to take place in Clearlake on Monday, July 25.
The Clearlake Police Department said curb, gutter and sidewalk will be installed in front of Foods Etc. and the northwest corner of the Live Well clinic in the 15000 block of Lakeshore Drive.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Westside Community Park Committee announced that it is beginning work on the second phase of the park's Memorial Grove development.
Committee Chair Dennis Rollins said the first phase of the Memorial Grove recently was completed.
The grove was planted with 12 oak trees in April, as Lake County News has reported: http://bit.ly/1UnkkbT .
Rollins said the final work included the installation of a bench donated by the Clear Lake Trowel and Trellis Club and the covering of the grove with 22 yards of woodchips donated by Lake County Waste Solutions.
This followed the construction of a concrete slab to support the bench. That work was performed as a donation by Gary Milhaupt, owner of Sundance Tile and Marble, and his son, Derek.
Rollins said the second phase of the Memorial Grove development will be composed of etched red bricks. Bricks are on sale for $100 each.
They can be etched with up to three lines of text in remembrance or recognition of an individual or group chosen by the purchaser, Rollins said.
Rollins said the sale of bricks initially was begun years ago. Those records had been lost but recently were found by a previous member of the park's board of directors.
“All of the previous purchasers will have their bricks etched and included in this new area,” said Rollins.
If anyone has a question about a previous purchase they may contact Rollins at 707-349-0969.
Bricks may be ordered on the committee’s Web site at www.westsidecommunitypark.org .
They also be available at the committee’s annual fundraiser, Grillin’ on the Green from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, at the Westside Community Park, 1401 Westside Park Road.
“Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.” – Ernest Hemingway
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Lake County's altitude and soil composition, along with the Mediterranean climate here, have enticed people to try their hand at winemaking since before the Gold Rush.
It was national Prohibition in 1920 that ended our county's winemaking. Then, vines were replaced by pears and walnuts.
Today, all three crops – grapes, pears and walnuts – are tops in Lake County's crop economy.
After Prohibition vineyards began a new proliferation, with wineries such as Lower Lake Winery, Guenoc Winery, Konocti Winery and Kendall-Jackson producing wines in Lake County in the following decades.
Lower Lake Winery was located south of Lower Lake on Highway 29. Since the first crush in 1977 the owners selected fine local grapes grown in Lake County to eventually produce their award-winning wines.
According to the Lake County Information and Recreation Guide, the Lake County Grape Growers Association pamphlet, Wine Country publication by Toni Scully in 1982 , and other sources, Lower Lake Winery became the first winery to operate in Lake County since Prohibition.
In renowned wine writer Leon D. Adams' book, entitled, "The Wines of America,” third edition, he writes about Lower Lake Winery and states: "When it opened in 1977, it was the county's first new winery to start since the Prohibition era. Alhambra orthopedic surgeon Dr. Harry Stuermer and his wife Marjorie financed the redwood building, its stainless-steel tanks and oak barrels, for their winemaker son Daniel, his wife Betty, Dan's sister Harriet, and her husband, Tom Scavone."
Official groundbreaking for Lower Lake Winery occurred in 1976, and the first crush of Cabernet Sauvignon took place a year later, in 1977.
They released a white Cabernet Sauvignon in 1979, then the 1977 Cabernet Sauvignon as well as a 1979 Sauvignon Blanc were released in 1980.
Soon after that, in 1982 the winery was expanded, adding an additional 4,000 square feet.
About this time the winery's label was changed from Lower Lake to Stuermer and Arcadia.
The winery's last crush took place in 1979 when it was sold to Ployez, who produced a Chenin Blanc, and sparkling wine, among others.
Lower Lake Winery went on to garner many, many awards during its operation.
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.
