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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The 72nd quilt block on the Lake County Quilt Trail is “Beer Mug.”
Owners Ron and Cheryn Chips are adding to the Kelseyville tradition of many quilt blocks on the Lake County Quilt Trail with this 4-foot by 4-foot block.
The location is 3945 Main St., at Kelsey Creek Brewing, nestled near “Bird’s Nest” next door at Bird Brain Designs and across the street from “Polestar” at Polestar Computers.
Kelsey Creek Brewing is the very first brewery in Kelseyville.
“Beer Mug” is a traditional quilt block which aptly represents Ron Chips' fine variety of microbrews, also called nano-brews.
You can bring in “take-out” and your well-behaved mutt, or enjoy the peanuts and popcorn, if you so
desire.
This building in the middle of downtown Kelseyville has housed many food establishments and
businesses.
The brewery and friendly staff headed by Marlena welcome locals and tourists to join in tasting the fine handcrafted “brews” made right on site by Ron Chips.
Visit www.kelseycreekbrewing.com for more information or better yet, drop on in and see for yourself
the variety of tasty beer he has to offer.
The Lake County Quilt Trail is an agricultural and tourism project designed to promote community pride.
The quilt block was drawn and painted by the Lake County Quilt Trail team, a group of dedicated quilters, graphic artists, painters, writers, carpenters and a videographer.
For more information visit www.lakecountyquilttrail.com or visit the Lake County Quilt Trail's Facebook page.
Have you ever woken to the sound of a scampering animal in the ceiling above your bed or been startled by a strange scratching noise in your walls?
If so, you understand the frustration of having wildlife take up residence in your home.
Skunks, squirrels and raccoons are among the common culprits that end up inside people’s homes and businesses.
These unwanted visitors can cause extensive property damage and transmit diseases to people and pets.
“The key to keeping wild animals out of your home and off your property is to make your home an unwelcome place for wildlife,” said Carol Singleton, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Keep Me Wild coordinator. “Start by walking around your home looking for any holes where wildlife may enter or spaces where they may nest. Even the tiniest holes should be fixed, as bats, mice and other small animals can squeeze through cracks as small as one-quarter inch.”
Before you begin boarding up areas around your home, make sure that there are no animals or active nests inside. Other wildlife-proofing steps include:
– Block any access points around your home and outbuildings where wildlife may enter.
– Block access under stairways and decks and fill any holes around your foundation.
– Fix tears in window screens and vents and cover any openings under your eaves.
– Install a chimney cap.
– Trim trees a minimum of four feet from your roof to avoid jumping animals.
– Remove woodpiles, debris and low-growing, dense plants such as ivy that provide potential habitat for wildlife.
– Never leave pet food or water outside.
– Clean up fallen fruit and bird seed and tightly cover compost piles.
– Keep barbecue grills clean and never leave food or trash out in the yard.
– Make sure that garbage cans and recycling bins are secured.
It is unlawful to disturb the nests of songbirds as well as threatened and endangered species, so proceed with caution when you find a nest or burrow.
CDFW also discourages the use of poison baits (rodenticide) to control rats, mice and other rodents as this can result in secondary poisoning to pets and other non-target wildlife such as owls, hawks and bobcats. Animals that eat dead or dying rodents that have consumed these baits will also be poisoned.
If you choose to trap nuisance wildlife, it is important to know the rules. You must release the animal immediately or kill it in a humane manner. You may wish to hire a pest control specialist to do this for you. According to the Fish and Game Code, it is illegal to relocate wildlife without a permit to do so.
“People often think the most humane thing to do is to release the animal in a nearby park or woods, but this simply moves the problem to someone else’s backyard,” explained Singleton. “Also, relocating wildlife can lead to the spread of disease, cause conflicts with other wildlife and may result in injury to the person transporting the animal.”
For more information on solving problems with backyard wildlife, please visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/Living-with-Wildlife .
An international team of researchers has discovered traces of methane in Martian meteorites, a possible clue in the search for life on the Red Planet.
The researchers examined samples from six meteorites of volcanic rock that originated on Mars.
The meteorites contain gases in the same proportion and with the same isotopic composition as the Martian atmosphere.
All six samples also contained methane, which was measured by crushing the rocks and running the emerging gas through a mass spectrometer.
The team also examined two non-Martian meteorites, which contained lesser amounts of methane.
The discovery hints at the possibility that methane could be used as a food source by rudimentary forms of life beneath the Martian surface. On Earth, microbes do this in a range of environments.
“Other researchers will be keen to replicate these findings using alternative measurement tools and techniques,” said co-author Sean McMahon, a Yale University postdoctoral associate in the Department of Geology and Geophysics. “Our findings will likely be used by astrobiologists in models and experiments aimed at understanding whether life could survive below the surface of Mars today.”
The discovery was part of a joint research project led by the University of Aberdeen, in collaboration with the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, the University of Glasgow, Brock University in Ontario, and the University of Western Ontario.
“One of the most exciting developments in the exploration of Mars has been the suggestion of methane in the Martian atmosphere,” said University of Aberdeen professor John Parnell, who directed the research. “Recent and forthcoming missions by NASA and the European Space Agency, respectively, are looking at this, however, it is so far unclear where the methane comes from, and even whether it is really there. However, our research provides a strong indication that rocks on Mars contain a large reservoir of methane.”
Co-author Nigel Blamey, of Brock University, said the team plans to expand its research by analyzing additional meteorites.
Yale's McMahon noted that the team's approach may prove helpful in future Mars rover experiments. “Even if Martian methane does not directly feed microbes, it may signal the presence of a warm, wet, chemically reactive environment where life could thrive,” McMahon said.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Habitat for Humanity Lake County has received another sizable grant from the Home Depot Foundation to support making home repairs for local veterans.
Richard Birk, president of Habitat for Humanity Lake County, said his organization will receive about $200,000 for its military veterans' home repair program.
Birk recently met with Home Depot Foundation Director Heather Pritchard in Atlanta to discuss the grant's particulars.
This is the third grant that Habitat for Humanity Lake County has received from the Home Depot Foundation Veterans Home Repair Initiative.
Birk estimated that, over the last three years, the Home Depot Foundation's grants to help local veterans have totaled about $450,000.
Last year, he said his group received $150,000, but the grant funds were extended to more than $200,000 as they successfully completed 15 projects.
“We're spending quite a bit on each home,” said Birk, estimating that the cost of the projects averaged about $15,000.
Birk said the repairs have included new roofs, wheelchair ramps, bathroom upgrades such as walk-in showers, replacing heating and cooling systems with more efficient models, electrical work and a variety of other needed repairs.
Unless it's a simple repair job or a roof replacement, Habitat for Humanity farms the work out to a contractor, Birk said.
Now, he said Habitat for Humanity is taking applications immediately in order to be able to use the funds up within the short, eight-month window that's part of the grant requirements.
“We just want to move as fast as we can to help as many as we can,” Birk said.
Veterans must be income-qualified and own their own home, or live with a family member who owns their home, Birk said.
For those veterans who aren't sure that they qualify, Birk urged them to apply and let the Habitat for Humanity staff determine whether or not they are eligible for assistance.
For more information about its programs, call the Habitat for Humanity Lake County office at 707 994-1100.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – It’s rodeo time in Lake County.
The California Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association, or CCPRA, rodeo professionals return to provide thrills and spills in the arena on Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11, at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Lakeport.
The 86th annual Lake County Rodeo is sponsored by the Lake County Rodeo Association and major sponsor Running Creek Casino.
Rodeo has been a tradition in Lake County since the 1800s and professionals from all around California and Lake County will pit themselves against the professional stock of the West Coast Rodeo stock company.
Professional competitors belonging to CCPRA will be competing in eight rough stock events both Friday and Saturday nights.
“Rodeo is for all ages,” said Adam Peters, president of the Lake County Rodeo Association.
Youngsters from 3 to 8 years can enter the cutest cowpoke contest held on Friday night, sponsored this year by the Clear Lake Junior Horsemen and the Scotts Valley 4-H Swine Group. There is no fee to enter the cutest cowpoke contest.
Another opportunity for the youngsters is the mutton bustin’ contest on both Friday and Saturday nights, sponsored by CJS Ranch Supply in Middletown.
The ages are from 4 to 8 years, youngsters must weigh no more than 50 pounds on the night they sign in. There is a $10 fee for contestants and there is a limit of 10 entries per night. Mutton bustin’ chair is Angel Purdy who can be reached at 707-349-1991.
Local, non-CCPRA competitors are welcome to sign up for the local team roping, held on Saturday night; they need to contact Johnny and Debbie Jones at 707-263-8916.
Local barrel racers can compete on both Friday and Saturday nights by contacting the Lake County Chamber of Commerce at 707-263-5092. Only 10 slots are open for barrel racers each night, no limit on the local team roping entries.
In addition to winning silver buckles, a share of the entry fees, there is a $500 added money prize for each competition.
Presale tickets are now available at the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, CJS Ranch in Middletown, Barreda’s Lower Lake Feed, Red & White Market in Clearlake Oaks, North Shore Sentry in Nice and Rainbow Ag in Lakeport.
Saturday night tickets are $2 off during presale. Saturday night admission includes the annual rodeo dance featuring the very popular Fargo Brothers.
For more information go to www.lakecountyrodeo.com or contact the Lake County Chamber at 707-263-5092.
MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – The employees of the Mendocino National Forest want to remind visitors to have a safe July 4 holiday, especially while recreating in the forest.
With hot and dry conditions continuing, visitors are asked to be careful with fire in the national forest, including campfires, gas stoves and lanterns, and to comply with current fire restrictions.
All fireworks, including sparklers, are prohibited on the Mendocino National Forest.
The forest is currently under fire restrictions, which means there are limitations on where campfires, gas stoves, lanterns and internal combustion engines – including chainsaws – can be used.
Recreation sites are posted with the information. More information on fire restrictions can also be found at www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino .
Nighttime temperatures are generally cooler in the mountains, and even during summer there is the possibility of storms.
Visitors should be prepared for changing conditions. Bring layered clothing and plenty of food and water on your outdoor adventure. Tell someone where you plan to go, which routes you plan to take and when you plan to be back.
“We want everyone to have a safe and memorable Fourth of July weekend, especially those joining us on the Forest,” said Forest Supervisor Ann Carlson. “With fire restrictions starting this week and the effects of the ongoing drought, it’s important that visitors are aware of the current conditions and use caution with anything that can spark a wildfire. We want everyone to have a safe and fun holiday weekend – including visitors and firefighters.”
All Mendocino National Forest offices will be closed Friday, July 3, in observance of the holiday. The Stonyford Work Center, located at 5171 Stonyford-Elk Creek Road, will be open Saturday, July 4. The information center can also be reached at 530-963-3128.
To learn more about fire prevention, including “One Less Spark – One Less Wildfire,” visit www.preventwildfireca.org . The site also offers California Campfire Permits online.
For more information, please contact the Mendocino National Forest at 530-934-3316 or visit www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino .