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UPPER LAKE, Calif. – This week, the Upper Lake Union High School District Board of Trustees will consider approving a resolution to unify with the Upper Lake Union Elementary District.
The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 10, in the library at the high school, 675 Clover Valley Road.
Last week, the elementary school district board unanimously approved its own resolution for the two districts to unify, as Lake County News has reported.
The two boards first met last summer to discuss the proposal, then held a series of joint meetings from January through May to go over state-required criteria.
At the last joint board meeting on May 27, the two boards voted unanimously to approve a feasibility study on the unification proposal.
The proposed resolution that the Upper Lake High School Board will consider Wednesday calls for the two districts to unify effective July 1, 2016.
A number of others items are on the June 10 agenda, including hearings on the district's proposed 2015-16 budget, its local control accountability plan, use of Education Protection Account funds for 2015-16 and certification of the district's ability to meet the costs of collective bargaining.
There also will be special reports from district Principal/Superintendent Patrick Iaccino on the local control accountability plan and the Proposition 39 energy efficiency project; and discussion and action on budget adjustments, energy efficiency measures, a career and technical education funding application, board policies and a master agreement with the Lake County Office of Education for provisions of programs and services for school year 2015-16.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A Clearlake woman sustained major injuries in a single-vehicle crash in Napa County early Sunday morning.
The California Highway Patrol's Napa Area office identified the crash victim as Tracy Odetta Prosser, 52.
The crash happened just minutes after 2 a.m. Sunday, the CHP said.
Prosser was driving a 1997 Chrysler Sebring northbound on Highway 29 approaching Old Lawley Toll Road when she failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway and went over the embankment, according to the CHP report.
The CHP said the Chrysler traveled 50 feet down the steep embankment. Prosser was able to get out of the car on her own, climb the embankment and flag down help.
She was taken to St. Helena Hospital for treatment of her injuries, the CHP said.
Prosser was wearing her seat belt, according to the report.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has still more late spring kittens up for adoption this week, along with some adult felines.
In addition to spaying or neutering, cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.
In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .
The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).
Siamese mix
This adult male Siamese mix has a short coat.
He is in cat room kennel No. 1, ID No. 2365.
Domestic short hair mix
This female domestic short hair mix has a coat with calico markings.
She's in cat room kennel No. 12, ID No. 2106.
'Mom'
“Mom” is a pretty domestic short hair mix with calico markings.
She's in cat room kennel No. 27, ID No. 2213.
Domestic medium hair mix kitten
This domestic medium hair mix kitten has a buff-colored coat.
He's in cat room kennel No. 29a, ID No. 2107.
Domestic short hair mix kitten
This domestic short hair mix kitten has a black coat.
He's in cat room kennel No. 29c, ID No. 2109.
Domestic short hair mix kitten
This domestic short hair mix kitten has a black coat.
He's in cat room kennel No. 29d, ID No. 2110.
Domestic short hair mix kitten
This female domestic short hair mix kitten has a light gray and white coat.
She's in cat room kennel No. 52b, ID No. 2318.
Domestic short hair mix kitten
This male domestic short hair mix kitten has a gray tabby coat.
He's in cat room kennel No. 91a, ID No. 2010.
Domestic short hair mix kitten
This male domestic short hair mix kitten has a gray tabby coat.
He's in cat room kennel No. 91b, ID No. 2011.
Domestic short hair mix kitten
This male domestic short hair mix kitten has a gray tabby coat.
She's in cat room kennel No. 91c, ID No. 2012.
Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com .
Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.
To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .
Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .
For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – At Coyote Valley Elementary School, the contrary Mary of nursery rhymes has been displaced by students who grow something far more nourishing than silver bells and cockle shells and a whole lot easier to digest.
Their crop includes spinach, lettuce, kale, garlic, carrots, onions, cauliflower, red beets, broccoli, radishes and peas.
The south county school has, in fact, been so successful at growing things that in May Lowe's awarded it a $4,550 “Toolbox for Education” grant, which will be used to renovate old garden beds and install new (redwood) ones.
It was not the first recognition for the hard work, community spirit and attention to agriculture the school has received this year.
Earlier the Whole Kids Foundation awarded Coyote Valley Elementary a $2,000 grant that was used to install new raised beds and fill them with top quality organic soil.
“It took that much money to try to rehabilitate our garden,” said Elsie Mackesy, the second-grade teacher at Coyote Valley Elementary who wrote the $4,550 grant. “With the generosity from Lowe’s we were able to use redwood and a 50-50 mix of top quality organic composted topsoil from Ellis Ranch in Lower Lake.
“We will be able to supply food to our school cafeteria harvested in the morning,” she said. “It’s just wonderful for kids to eat and love their fresh vegetables because they grow them.”
At least that’s the popular belief that is making its way into elementary schools around the country.
“If they grow it they will eat it,” proponents of healthier foods in the schools assert.
The emphasis at Coyote Valley Elementary is consistent with a national campaign aimed at raising the level of nutrition.
One report states that only 2 percent of school kids are getting enough vegetables on a daily basis.
“The kids love it. It’s a wonderful part of their day,” Lisa Rogers, Coyote Valley Elementary's Farm to School aide, said as she took a short break from teaching second graders the anatomy of plants. “I think a lot of schools have gardens now. People are trying to be healthier.
“A lot of families and a lot of school cafeterias are into nutrition. In Middletown we’re harvesting things almost every day,” she added. “The students love it when they can say ‘Oh, I grew it and I may eat it right now.’”
Three of the second graders from Mrs. O'Neil's class were asked to voice their thoughts on the program.
“I like the vegetables; they are healthy for you,” said Joshua Watson.
“I like the garden and how different types of vegetables grow there. And Mrs. Rogers is really nice and teaches us,” said Caelyn Ochs.
Baily Caldwell was impressed by the “very, very tiny carrots. But I haven’t tried one yet, so I’m not sure if I’ll like them,” she said.
Rogers, a specialist who is a temporary hire for the school, said what she enjoys is explaining to the students that all food “does not come from Safeway.”
“And we live in this beautiful county where there are farms and we’ve kind of disconnected from that. We show them a little seed and how it can grow into a beautiful plant and they have a new appreciation,” she added.
Rogers, the garden committee and the children planning the summer planting of tomatoes, squash, corn, pumpkins, beans, cucumbers, watermelons and flowers timed for the return of school in August. Beyond that, they're hoping to host a September harvest celebration.
Mackesy praised the school children, teachers and parent volunteers who have perpetuated the site where the Coyote Valley Elementary growing program began.
It was, she said “an arid, weedy” gopher hangout when a visionary teacher, Kathie Reeves, and her husband, launched a beautiful vegetable and flower garden that became “an outdoor learning laboratory for eager students.”
They originally brought redwood beds and drip irrigation to the site.
That was 19 years ago.
A year earlier it was a hand-planted garden created and maintained by the Hidden Valley Lake Garden Club.
In the last four years tools, weed barrier cloth and soil amendments were funded by the Coyote Valley PTO, Hidden Valley Lake Garden Club, California Women for Agriculture, attorney Angela Carter, Beringer Winery and Wells Fargo Bank, said Mackesy.
More recently, she added, Cindy Leonard of Cobb has aided in providing necessary funding.
All of which goes to prove that Coyote Valley’s garden is truly a community project.
Email John Lindblom at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The king and queen of planets, Jupiter and Venus, cozy up throughout the month of June.
Look to the west as the sky grows dark. You will see the two brightest objects in the night sky – after the moon – appear close to one another.
On June 30 they will be just 0.3 degrees apart. The sky is divided into 360 degrees.
Through a telescope, this will be a dramatic sight!
When two celestial bodies appear close to one another, it is termed a “conjunction,” hence the use of the term “conjoin” in the title of this month's column.
Objects that are in conjunction aren’t really close to one another – they just appear that way due to the way things visually line up in the night sky.
Speaking of conjunctions, Saturn and the Moon will appear very close on June 29, 2 degrees apart.
Rising in the east is the constellation Hercules, the strongman in Greek mythology.
Within Hercules lies one of the sky’s finest telescope objects – M13, the great globular cluster. Our star chart above shows the location of this object.
“M13” refers to its place in the Messier catalog of deep sky objects. Messier was a famous French astronomer who cataloged 110 similar objects.
A globular cluster consists of thousands of stars that appear relatively close to one another. M13 contains over 300,000 stars!
To view M13 through a telescope, you have to use a technique known as “averted vision.”
Averted vision is looking slightly away from the center of an object. This allows the eye to see faint objects, and in this way some of the individual stars can be seen.
John Zimmerman is a resident of Lake County and has been an amateur astronomer for more than 50 years. For more information about astronomy and local resources, visit his Web site at www.lakecountyskies.com .
“It is hard to make railroading pleasant in any country. It is too tedious. Stage-coaching is infinitely more delightful.” – Mark Twain
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – According to old newspaper accounts and the files of past Lake County historian Henry Mauldin, there have been dozens of railway companies that had elaborate plans to bring the railroad to Lake County.
Without exception, however, all of those plans failed, leaving our county devoid of railway transportation to this day.
Is that good news, or bad? It depends upon whom you ask.
In 1914 when the Yolo Water and Power Co. constructed Clear Lake Dam at Cache Creek to create an increase in storage capacity, the Clear Lake Railroad instigated a railroad line beginning in Hopland, and made plans to build a depot in Lakeport.
Those plans never came to fruition, and the Clear Lake Railroad was able to grade only a few miles of track land and deliver timbers for a tunnel, before the company folded due to financial problems.
Another amongst the 56 or so plans to bring a train to Lake County was in 1889 when the Southern Pacific Railway made a proposal for a route from Woodland to Cache Creek, into Lower Lake, then heading over to Mendocino County to meet up with the Fort Bragg Railroad at the Noyo River headwaters.
After much deliberation, it was decided that this plan would be unfeasible, financially.
Many, many detailed plans for a railroad in Lake County were drawn up between 1880 into the 1900s.
There were dreamers who had romantic visions of what a railroad could bring to our county.
There were visionaries who drummed up a degree of support, but just not enough investors.
There also were scammers who made the news of a railroad here public, just to deceive the legitimate railroad companies from doing the same thing.
Worse than that, just as there were fake maps sold to gold-seekers during the Gold Rush in California, there were bamboozlers who were out to make a buck selling fake stock in railway companies.
It is interesting to think about what Lake County would be like today, had a railroad been built yesterday.
Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is an 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.