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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The popular Living History Day series continues at the Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum on Saturday, April 23.
On the fourth Saturday of each month local historians come to the main house to visit with guests and answer questions regarding different aspects of Lake County history.
As these visits are recorded, the stories of Lake County’s history are being preserved for future generations.
This month Charlotte Baker and her daughter Shari James, former residents of the Ely Stage Stop and S-Bar-S Ranch, return to share stories of ranch life in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Ernest and Polly Kettenhofen owned the S-Bar-S Ranch from 1960 to 2000. Baker and James will be available at Ely from noon till 2 p.m. to recount what it was like to manage the ranch doing their years in the house.
The Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum welcomes more docents to greet visitors and share information on history, current displays and planned events. Volunteers for maintenance and construction projects also are needed.
Come join the Lake County Historical Society and become a volunteer at Ely or its sister museum, the Gibson Museum & Cultural Center in Middletown. Applications will be available during the day.
The Lake County Historical Society’s Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum is located at 9921 State Highway 281 (Soda Bay Road) in Kelseyville, near Clear Lake Riviera, just north of Highway 29 - Kit’s Corner.
Current hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday. Private tours can be arranged by appointment.
Visit www.elystagestop.org or www.lakecountyhistory.org , on Facebook at www.facebook.com/eleystagestop or call the museum at 707-533-9990.
AMERICAN CANYON, Calif. – Saturday, April 16, was the 19th annual United States Girls Wrestling Association (USGWA) and United States Boys Wrestling Association (USBWA) National Championship Tournament.
This year’s event was also attended by international team members from the Philippines.
Both the USGWA / USBWA are each separated into three divisions – elementary, middle and high school – with medals awarded to the top six placers in each division’s weight classes.
Brother Jacob Pyorre (120 pounds, Boys High School Division) and sister Mavis Pyorre (103 pounds, Girls Middle School Division) from Lakeport began the day recognized by the tournament director in the opening ceremonies as siblings getting a chance to compete together in this national wrestling family community.
Then, after some tough battles Jacob won a third place USBWA medal and Mavis won a fourth place USGWA medal.
Jacob’s first match was against the eventual champion Anthony Arcilla Jr. of Safehouse Wrestling from Manila, Philippines and was beating him 2 to 1 at the end of the second period.
Jacob took down in the third period, almost had a switch, then tried again, but forced too much and got sucked back losing near fall points; he fought to the end, but ran out of time. Jacob gave the champ his toughest match of the day, but lost 2-4.
Next up Jacob pinned an opponent from Vallejo, with a nice double leg lift to a half. In another match Jacob was up 6-2 in the second period against an opponent from American Canyon, got a little tired and lost a quick escape and takedown.
Up 6-5 starting the third period, Jacob then fell behind 6-10, but fought back with a switch and turned his opponent to his back. Jacob was only able to get 2 near fall points, sending the match into over time, tied at 10 -10.
The battle for the winning takedown was on. Each wrestler was exhausted, but continued to shoot, block and spin. Jacob’s arm ended an awkward position losing the takedown, the match 10-12 in OT and unfortunately reinjuring his elbow, leaving him in quite a bit of pain. Jacob finished the tournament winning the 3rd Place USBWA Medal.
Mavis’s first match was against Colts wrestler Emma Lopez, this year’s Girls State 103 pound silver medalist from Fairfield.
Mavis was beating her 2-0 going into second period, driving her around the mat, but got a little too high, held on too long, got caught and pinned.
Next match Mavis pinned her Vallejo HMS Springtowne Lady Wildcat opponent with a nice duck under to a modified barbed wire. Then (with the round order messed up) Mavis wrestled the eventual champion and this year’s Girls State fourth place medalist at 107 pounds, Miranda DiBenedetto from Double Dragon Wrestling in Sacramento.
Mavis had to fight out of a vicious head and arm a couple times, then in the second period Mavis scored a reversal, gave an escape, got a takedown with 3 near fall points and almost pinned her opponent. Mavis held her scoreless in the third period and won the match 9-4. Mavis was the only one to beat the champion DiBenedetto at the tournament.
The next match (the original round opponent) was against a hometown American Canyon wrestler and Mavis was called up just as she finished wrestling her previous match. At the end of the first period Mavis was up 4-2. In the second period Mavis rode her all over the mat, but just missed near fall by a count.
In the third period the opponent got an escape, but Mavis was still up 4-3. Then, Mavis received a penalty point because her opponent was grabbing her head gear and was up 5-3. The opponent came in fast and aggressive to the head again. Mavis a little tired and worn, tried to fight off the takedown, but similar to her first match, held on too long and was caught, losing the match by fall.
Mavis finished the tournament winning the fourth place USGWA medal.
“Both Jacob and Mavis had some close exciting matches throughout the day, while some did not go their way; I am extremely proud how hard they fought. A couple mistakes is all that kept them from the championship; all very fixable,” said their dad and coach, Rick Pyorre.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Tickets are still available for Redbud Audubon’s annual Heron Days event.
Pontoon boat tours lasting for 90 minutes are offered on two consecutive Saturdays, April 30, and May 7, from 8 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Bird guides accompany each tour.
This is Redbud Audubon's 21st year of offering these popular tours.
You will have the opportunity to see a variety of bird life on Clear Lake including great blue herons nesting, cormorants and blackbirds.
Other probabilities are various raptors, grebes, ducks, woodpeckers and much more.
On April 30, boats depart from Lakeside County Park which is just west of Clear Lake State Park.
On May 7, boats depart from Redbud Park in the city of Clearlake. The fee for the pontoon boat tour is $25.
Go to www.redbudaudubon.org and click on the Heron Days tab to learn more and to register.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A new end-of-life option law will take effect in California on June 9, 2016.
Hospice Services of Lake County is holding community forums to update Lake County residents, health care professionals and local leaders on the requirements of the new law which authorizes medical aid in dying as an end-of-life care for terminally ill adults.
Forums are free and open to the public.
Experts from Compassion and Choices, an organization committed to expanding choice at the end-of-life, will be presenting information at the forums.
Hospice Services of Lake County representatives will be available to answer questions about their services and clarify differences in end-of-life options.
Community partners assisting with the effort to inform Lake County residents about the implementation of the new law are Lake County Tribal Health, Sutter Lakeside Hospital and St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake.
Forums will be held as follows:
– Monday, April 25, 6:30 p.m., Room 209, Woodland Community College, 15880 Dam Road Extension, Clearlake.
– Tuesday, April 26, 6:30 p.m., Lakeport Senior Center, 527 Konocti Ave., Lakeport.
For more information phone 707-263-6222 or email
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Konocti Senior Support Inc. is currently seeking volunteers and will have a recruitment day meeting on Wednesday, April 20.
The event will be held from noon to 1 p.m. at 845 Bevins St., Lakeport.
Come find out more about being a peer counselor. Alternately, contact the organization's office for an application or more details on the use of the free peer counseling services for seniors or the Friendly Visitors program for isolated and home bound seniors.
For more information call 707-995-1417 or visit www.konoctiseniorsupport.com .
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Authorities have released the name of the Middletown man who died of his injuries following a single-vehicle wreck last week near Lower Lake.
California Highway Patrol Officer Kory Reynolds identified the fatal crash victim as Jerry Verlin Cheesman, 68.
Cheesman was driving a 2005 Buick Le Sabre northbound on Highway 29 north of Diener Drive at an unknown speed shortly after 10 p.m. when he lost control of the car.
The Buick went off the road and hit a tree. The CHP said Cheesman was found outside of the car, but it wasn't clear if he had gotten out on his own or been ejected during the crash.
A REACH air ambulance transported Cheesman to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, where he died, the CHP said.
Reynolds said the CHP investigation into the fatal crash is continuing.
He said they don't yet know why Cheesman's vehicle went off the roadway, and are waiting for toxicology and autopsy results to rule out a medical condition.
Reynolds said drugs and alcohol are not suspected but have not yet been ruled out due to the pending test results.
Email Elizabeth Larson at