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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Rancho de la Fuente and Rancho Californio present the third annual Californio Days at Rancho de la Fuente on Sunday, June 12.
Festivities begin with the popular Fiesta of the Horse at 10:30 a.m.
There are three times more participants this year, including new drill teams and exotic horse breeds, as well as returning favorites like the Hooves and Wheels Quadrille, the Claiche Family Jousters and Cowboy Mounted Shooting, two hours of fast-paced, fun entertainment.
The fiesta show will be followed at 12:30 p.m. by live music, family-friendly beverage and food sales (with a low-priced kids menu in addition to tasty adult dishes), and opportunity to browse educational displays devoted to California history, agriculture, artwork and ranch crafts. There is a special emphasis on artwork, crafts and literature by local residents.
In a new feature this year, at 1:30 p.m. the action will move to the big Barn venue, with American Indian drumming and singing ("Red Voices Intertribal Drum"), and ceremonial dancing.
That will be followed by a special screening of the locally-produced documentary "A Walk Through Time, The Story of Anderson Marsh." The film will be introduced by historian/archeologist Dr. John Parker and Koi Nation tribal administrator Dino Beltran. There will be opportunity afterwards for audience Q&A with the filmmakers.
Last year’s Californio Days event drew more than 500 spectators and participants. The event has doubled in size every year.
Admission to Californio Days is free.
Parking begins at 9:45 a.m. and the two-hour-long Fiesta of the Horse starts at 10:30 a.m.
Rancho de la Fuente is located at 2290 Soda Bay Road, south of Lakeport.
This years sponsors and supporters include, to date, Highland Springs Equestrian Center, Lake County Wine Studio, Balius Farm Miniature Sport Horses, and the Lake County Chapter of the California Dressage Society.
Anyone interested in sponsoring, supporting, volunteering, participating, or contributing displays or expertise, please contact Deb Baumann at 707-275-9234 or email
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office will hold testing of its voting machines next week.
Pursuant to regulations of the California State Commission on Voting Machines and Vote Tabulating Devices, a logic and accuracy test will be conducted for the ballot tabulation computer and software to be used for the June 7 Presidential Primary Election.
This test will run on Tuesday, May 31, at 9 a.m. in the Registrar of Voters office, second floor, Room 209, Courthouse, Lakeport.
All interested persons are invited to observe this test.
NORTH COAST, Calif. – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around Lake County and the North Coast during the coming week.
Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.
Caltrans will suspend work on Northern California highways from Friday, May 27, through Monday, May 30, in observance of the Memorial Day weekend.
However, in the case of unforeseen circumstances, it may be necessary for Caltrans Maintenance forces to respond to emergency situations.
LAKE COUNTY
Highway 20
– Pavement repairs from Sayre Ave. to the junction of Routes 20/53 will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.
Highway 29
– Valley fire recovery work from the Lake/Napa County line to Hidden Valley will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.
– PG&E has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to perform utility work near Konocti Forestry Camp on Thursday, June 2. Intermittent full highway closures will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
Highway 53
– Caltrans has granted an encroachment permit for the Lower Lake Parade and BBQ, which will extend from Morgan Valley Road to the junction of Route 29 and Route 53 on Sunday, May 29. A full closure of Morgan Valley Road will be in effect from noon to 2 p.m. Motorists are advised to seek an alternate route.
Highway 175
– Valley fire recovery work from the junction of Routes 29/175 in Middletown to Loch Lomond will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 30-minute delays.
MENDOCINO COUNTY
Highway 1
– Paving operations between Old Coast Highway and Glennen Drive will begin Tuesday, May 31. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.
– Highway repairs a quarter-mile north of Ocean Meadows Circle will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
– Paving operations between Abalobadiah Creek and Blue Side Gulch will begin Monday, May 30. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.
Highway 101
– Caltrans will perform slide repairs near the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge (near Frog Woman Rock). Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.
– Highway construction from 0.6 mile south of Upp Creek to the north Willits railroad crossing will continue. Intermittent one-way traffic control will be in effect from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
– Pavement repairs from Sherwood Road to Rattlesnake Creek will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.
– Pavement repairs from the junction of Routes 1/101 to the Bear Pen Undercrossing will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.
– Emergency slide repairs just south of Standish-Hickey State Park will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
Highway 128
– PG&E has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to perform tree work near the east limits of Philo on Wednesday, June 1. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
Highway 162
– Drainage inspections between Poonkiny-Fairbanks and the Town Creek Bridge will begin Tuesday, May 31. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
Highway 253
– Highway repairs from Cattle Pass to Butler Ranch will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.
The Caltrans Traffic Operations Office has reviewed each project and determined that individual project delays are expected to be less than the statewide policy maximum of 30 minutes, unless noted otherwise above.
For information pertaining to emergency roadwork or for updates to scheduled roadwork, please contact the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623).
The Board of Directors of the California Association of Realtors, or CAR, voted to support a $1.3 billion proposal by California Assembly members to create affordable housing programs.
“With a historically low homeownership rate of 54 percent and record high rental costs, the dream of owning a home in California is evaporating. Our teachers, nurses, firefighters, police officers, and other middle class workers should be able to afford to live in the communities they serve,” said C.A.R. President Pat “Ziggy” Zicarelli. “C.A.R. recognizes the urgency of California’s housing crisis and is fully supporting the proposal by the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee to invest a portion of our state’s budget surplus to address this housing crisis.”
C.A.R. formed an Affordable Workforce Housing Task Force in August 2015 to examine existing policies in California designed to expand the availability of “affordable housing” and to make recommendations to increase the availability of affordable work force housing in California.
This budget proposal includes:
· $400 million for homeownership and rental housing opportunities – $200 million for a new workforce housing grant program to provide funding for down payment assistance, homeownership assistance and rental housing for individuals making 120 percent of the area median income; $200 million for the CalHome Program which provides grants and loans to local governments and non-profit organizations for rehabilitation of existing homes, mortgage assistance, acquisition, site development, and pre-development/construction of homes.
· $60 million for seismic retrofits of soft-story homes. Personal income tax credits for 30 percent of qualified cost incurred for a seismic retrofit.
· $75 million for farmworker housing: 50 million to finance the construction, rehabilitation, and acquisition of owner-occupied and rental units for ag workers; 25 million for the construction, rehabilitation, and acquisition of rental housing for farmworkers and their families who make up to 60 percent of the area median income.
· $500 million for the rental housing for lower income working families – $300 million in low income housing tax credits to enable private developers to create more than 3,000 homes and leverage $300 million in federal tax credits and $600 million of federal tax exempt bonds, which would otherwise go unclaimed; $200 million to fund the construction, rehabilitation, and acquisition of 5,700 multifamily rental homes, serving 62,500 families and individuals at 60% of the area median income or below.
· $300 million for shelter programs – $200 for multifamily supportive housing; $60 million for the Medi-Cal Housing Program to provide rental assistance for people who are homeless and enrolled in Medi-Cal; and, $40 million to assist persons at risk of becoming homeless with homeless prevention assistance and rapid rehousing.
HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – What started as supply run for victims of the Valley fire last September came full circle recently as a Lake County elementary school hosted its first ever game of cricket.
Inspired by the good deeds of his club mates Caen Healy, a senior at Napa High School, arranged to put on a cricket match at Coyote Valley Elementary School as part of his senior project.
The story starts on Sunday morning, Sept. 13, 2015, when many in the Napa Valley woke to the news of the Valley fire.
Members of the Napa Valley Cricket Club learned that many residents from Lake County had been evacuated to the Calistoga Fairgrounds, where the club plays its games.
Through local members on the ground in Calistoga and social media it became obvious to the club that supplies were needed in Calistoga. While many people were making offers of items in various online social media conversations there was no way to get the supplies to where they were needed.
The cricket club hastily arranged a drop-off point in north Napa and got the word out about this via email, text and social media. By 2 p.m. that afternoon they had sent seven vehicles north to Calistoga with food and water supplies, blankets, sleeping bags, canopies, clothing, animal crates and much more.
Included in the supply run were care packages individually hand made by club member Emma Brown and these somehow made their way to the doorsteps of homes in Middletown after the fire had been quelled.
Some online sleuthing by one of these recipients, Middletown resident and Napa Valley Cricket Club Principal Shane Lee, led him to the club's Web site and a subsequent phone call to express his gratitude for their generous thoughts and actions.
Fast-forward a few months as Healy is working through his senior project at Napa High. “I was writing a paper for my senior project on 'Developing cricket in non-traditional markets' and I was looking for a way to do this locally.”
He added, “The Napa Valley Cricket Club is now well established here in the Napa Valley and has been very supportive in my efforts to found the Napa High Cricket Club, but I wanted to reach beyond that. They suggested I contact the folks up at Coyote Valley Elementary School and arrange to come visit and show them the game of cricket. And that’s what I did.”
Sixth grade teacher Jeff Herman jumped at the opportunity to expose his class to the game of cricket. Herman had himself been exposed to the game years ago while living in Stellenbosch, South Africa and knew about the etiquette of the game, and its traditions. In addition he wanted to expose the students to something new, to help broaden their minds and allow them to see, and play, the second most popular sport in the world.
Healy started in the classroom where he showed the students a video about cricket, especially for Americans, as it compares and contrasts cricket and baseball. A handout for each student allowed him or her a visual understanding of the game and prompted many interesting questions.
Healy passed around cricket balls and cricket equipment including his helmet, a bat, gloves, and pads so that the interested students could touch and feel real cricket equipment.
After the question and answer session it was time to head outside. The class was broken into three groups for practice drills: fielding (throwing and catching); bowling (think pitching in baseball); and batting. Once the basic skills had been mastered it was time for a game.
The class was then broken in two teams – the A’s and the Giants – and they batted in pairs for 2 overs (2 x 6 balls) while every student got a chance to bowl one over (6 balls). The game finished right as the buses pulled up to take the sixth graders home and all of them had been part of history having just played in the first ever cricket match in Lake County!
Healy took the structure for the day from a program run by Napa Valley Cricket Club President Phil Bourke at Vichy Elementary School, Napa, in 2015, which proved highly successful, and hopes to use it in the future as he is keen to continue to be an ambassador for the game he loves and has played for the last 11 years.
The equipment used on the day came to Healy from the United States Youth Cricket Association, based on the East Coast, which had generously sent two full cricket sets that Healy presented to the school so that the students could continue to play the game.
“It’s been a great experience coming to Coyote Valley Elementary School and watching the kids learn about the game of cricket, a game that I love. Cricket is growing in America and soon there will be a large program of outreach into schools all over the country so it was great to be part of that push to de-
mystify the game and show the kids how much fun it is as a game. Shane and Jeff at Coyote Valley Elementary School were great in accommodating me for this part of my senior project and I’m grateful to them for their time in getting everything arranged.”
Healy plans to continue his own cricket playing this year with the NVCC as they play 11 games over the course of 2016.
After graduation this June he plans to attend Napa Valley College before taking up a place at Boston University in their Economics program in the fall of 2017.
Worldwide Healing Hands thanks the many participants, sponsors and other supporters who helped make this year’s Hike 4 Healing fundraiser a fun and successful event.
We are especially grateful to our Diamond sponsors ($1,000 donated): St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake, Dr. Marlene Quilala and John Clarke; our Gold sponsors ($500): Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Derrick and Alisa Barnes, Don and Anthy O’Brien, Top Speed Data Communication, Drs. Elyse and Keith Donald, and Dr. Ming-teh Chen; and our Silver sponsors ($250): Dr. Diane Pege, Dr. Corey and Amber Warner, Nicole Hill (X2nSat) and Dina Hutton. We thank the numerous additional donors and supporters who contributed financial and in-kind assistance to this year’s event.
Our hike could not have happened without the assistance of the county of Lake, Kelseyville Fire Department (especially crew members Tyler Nolan, EMT, and Matt Copenhaver, Paramedic), Foods Etc. (owners Dennis and Ruth Darling) who donated snacks and water for our participants, docents Tom and Val Nixon and their crew of docents, People Services and van drivers Ilene Dumont and Margaurite Alves, Mountain Vista Middle School, Nathan DeHart for his willingness to hike and photograph the journey and our many volunteers. We are extremely grateful to all.
Thank you, enthusiastic Hike 4 Healing participants, for joining us on a windy yet beautiful trek up Mount Konocti for our third year raising money to benefit the work of Worldwide Healing Hands in its efforts to improve health care of women and children in Haiti and Uganda during 2016. Your support also benefits homeless and impoverished individuals in Lake County, where Worldwide Healing Hands volunteer teams conduct free health screenings in various locations intermittently through the year.
Thank you for your support. We look forward to you joining us next year!
Susan Stout is administrative assistant for Worldwide Healing Hands, based in Kelseyville, Calif.