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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Musically talented people of all ages are encouraged to attend an audition for the Lake County Arts Council's 23rd annual MusicFest.
The audition will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17, at the Soper Reese Theatre, 275 S. Main St., Lakeport.
Auditions are open to Lake County soloists and groups.
An application must be submitted prior to Dec. 17. Audition times will be scheduled once applications are received.
The MusicFest will be held at the Soper Reese Theatre on Saturday, Jan. 24.
All styles of music are eligible.
There is no age limit for performers. Performers of all ages are encouraged to participate.
At least one performer per group must be a Lake County resident.
Music must be live. No recorded tracks.
Bring performance-ready pieces of less than 10 minutes to the audition.
The casting panel will be looking for overall performance and appearance as well as music quality.
The panel’s goal is to achieve a well-rounded representation of the growing talent that is in Lake County.
Application forms and further information are available at the Main Street Gallery, 325 N. Main St., Lakeport, 707-263-6658.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Approvals were granted Tuesday allowing AT&T Mobility to proceed with a project to upgrade its telecommunication facility on Woods Avenue in Clearlake.
The Clearlake Planning Commission granted a setback and height variance as well as approved a mitigated negative declaration concerning the project.
AT&T Mobility plans to upgrade its existing wireless telecommunication facility, which is currently located on the water towers belonging to Konocti Water District.
The facility provides wireless communication services to residential and commercial customers throughout the entire city.
The approved variance allows for the reduction of the front yard setback from the required 20 feet to 10 feet as well as an increase in the height limitation from the maximum 35 feet to 80 feet for installation of a mono-pine.
A mono-pine is a steel utility pole that accommodates telecommunication antennas. It is camouflaged in such a way that it resembles a pine tree.
"It is a steel pole covered with textured concrete that is painted to resemble bark, with branches that look like pine," David Snypes, AT&T site acquisition representative, told the commission.
Snypes added that the mono-pine will be designed to fit the local terrain and placed near an existing stand of trees.
Additionally, there is to be no lighting on the pole, he said.
The facility is to be designed to allow for accommodation of equipment for use in public safety communication such as for police or fire dispatch services. Conditions concerning subleasing details and equipment placement are in place.
Commissioner Bill Perkins questioned possible hazards related to emissions generated by the antenna tower.
Preston Dickinson, AT&T external affairs representative, said the tower meets and exceeds all Federal Communication Commission requirements.
The use permit for the project includes installation of a 50 kilowatt emergency backup generator, which Snypes said has a 500 gallon-capacity and is self-contained in response to Commissioner Mike Vandiver's concern for on-site fuel storage and possible spillage.
Snypes said installation of the generator requires a permit from the Environmental Health Department, which he said has already been successfully processed and obtained.
The mitigated negative declaration addresses and mitigates concerns to less than a significant level in seven areas: aesthetics, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, geology and soils; hazards and hazardous materials; and noise.
Property owners within a 300-foot radius of the project site were noticed when the project application was originally process.
According to staff, no comments were received from among the 27 property owners who received the notices.
According to Dickinson, the upgrade project will take about two years to complete and will result in better wireless service throughout the community.
Email Denise Rockenstein at
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association will hold its annual Old-Fashioned Christmas Open House on Saturday, Dec. 13.
The Christmas open house will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the historic ranch house at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, which is located on Highway 53 between Lower Lake and the city of Clearlake.
There is no charge for this event.
There will be Christmas music; a fire in the dining room fireplace; cookies, hot coffee and cider in the dining room; and Santa will wait in the parlor for youngsters to tell him their Christmas wishes.
Christmas songs will be performed by local entertainers with the public invited to join in.
The Christmas tree, decorated earlier in the week by local elementary school students, will be on display in the parlor of the historic ranch house.
Christmas as we celebrate it today was just being invented in Victorian times, during the 1880s and early 1900s.
The annual Anderson Marsh Christmas Open House includes familiar things that were new at the time – Santa Claus, a decorated tree in the house and Christmas carolers, with most Christmas carols that we know today first coming into popularity during Victorian times.
Christmas at the Ranch was started more than 25 years ago by the original members of the Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association and has been a favorite holiday tradition for many years.
Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association Board members and volunteers will be available to answer questions about the ranch house and how Christmas was celebrated in Victorian days.
This is a great opportunity to visit the historic ranch house and enjoy the warm and festive atmosphere of a Victorian Christmas.
For more information about the Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association or this event, telephone 707-995-2658, email
You may also follow them on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/AMIA.org .
The California Highway Patrol has receiving a federal “Reducing Impaired Driving” grant, which will fund 150 sobriety checkpoints, 75 DUI task force operations, proactive DUI enforcement patrols through Sept. 30, 2015, and at least 100 safety presentations.
“Preventing alcohol-related tragedies remains a top priority for the CHP and all of our traffic safety partners,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “The deaths and injuries associated with driving under the influence are 100 percent preventable and we remain steadfast in our mission.”
More than 1,000 people are killed every year in California in alcohol-involved collisions.
Those deaths are in addition to the more than 23,000 others who suffered injuries in an alcohol-related collision.
Through this new federal grant, the CHP will continue working to save lives by encouraging motorists to make safe, responsible decisions.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Authorities have released the name of a woman who was found mortally injured on Highway 29 in Napa County early Sunday morning after being struck by a vehicle.
On Wednesday the Napa County Sheriff's Office identified the woman as 57-year-old Maria Cruz Pascual Bejar of Rohnert Park.
Lake County residents driving to work shortly before 5 a.m. Sunday found Bejar's body in the southbound lane of the 4100 block of Highway 29 near Old Lawley Toll Road, as Lake County News has reported.
Bejar died as she was being flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment, authorities said.
A Monday autopsy showed that Bejar suffered multiple blunt force trauma consistent with being struck by a vehicle, according to Capt. Doug Pike of the Napa County Sheriff’s Office.
Pike said Napa County Sheriff's investigators and the California Highway Patrol are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the hit-and-run crash.
He said investigators are asking for the public's assistance in their efforts to determine what Bejar was doing in the rural area where she was found, where pedestrians are not common.
They are looking for anyone who may have traveled through that stretch of highway between 4 and 5 a.m. Sunday. Additionally, they would like to speak with anyone who may have seen Bejar on Saturday night.
Anyone with information is asked to call Napa County Sheriff's Office Investigations Bureau at 707-253-4591.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – In recognition of their outstanding teachers, staff and programs within Lake County schools, the annual Educator of the Year and Excellence in Education awards ceremony was held on Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Soper Reese Theatre.
The annual event honored educators and community members who inspire and teach with passion, innovation and a commitment to excellence.
“The evening is a chance to recognize the great capacity that exists within Lake County schools to support the educational needs of our children,” said interim County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg.
The evening began by honoring outstanding achievement by classified employees from each school district.
Vivian Feola: Lakeport Unified School District Classified Employee of the Year. “She is a pillar of strength with a heart of gold … upbeat and always going beyond in her role as a paraeducator,” said Lakeport Elementary teacher Cathy Sylar.
Tami Stogner: Upper Lake Union High School District Classified Employee of the Year. “She goes the extra mile without hesitation or complaint and best of all, she has a contagious sense of humor that brightens our day,” said Principal Pat Iaccino.
Brenda Howe: Kelseyville Unified School District Classified Employee of the Year. “One of Brenda’s finest qualities is that she loves the children and makes them feel comfortable coming to her should they need anything,” said Director of Food Services Michelle Malm.
Jon Buege and Theresa Copas: Konocti Unified School District Classified Co-Employees of the Year. “John and Theresa displayed great teamwork in collaborating together to implement the online SBAC assessment system district-wide during the initial field test last year,” said Tom Hoskins.
Mary Sutton: Middletown Unified School District Classified Employee. “Mrs. Sutton is equal to all our teachers in her strength, management, expertise and professionalism,” said Principal Shelley Tan.
Special recognition was given to the following recipients for outstanding work in the following areas:
– Lake County Mock Trial Champions led by advisor Danielle Bruns;
– Lake County Academic Decathlon Champions led by advisor Jim Rogers;
– Angle Whitson: 2014 Early Childhood Educator of the Year Leading the Field award;
– Wally Holbrook: Lake County Administrator of the Year (ACSA).
Superintendents and/or principals from each district presented awards to their teacher of the year.
Angel Hayenga: Upper Lake High School District Teacher of the Year. “Angel is an exemplary teacher … no teacher is responsible for subject matter that impacts a school more than Angel. The enthusiasm she brings to this difficult task is contagious. It would be easy to just teach the subject, but she lives the subject!” said Principal Pat Iaccino.
Charlene Norwood: Upper Lake Union Elementary School District Teacher of the Year. “Char represents our district and school with a high level of professionalism. Her sense of humor is contagious and her hardworking work ethic is to be admired and honored,” said Superintendent Valerie Gardner.
Kristen Hiatt: Lakeport Unified School District Teacher of the Year. “One of Mrs. Hiatt’s exemplary traits is that she is kind. She reaches her students and their parents with her kindness. From the smartest students to the ones who need extra help, she treats each one with dignity,” said Principal Anita Swanson.
Karen Facey: Kelseyville Unified School District Teacher of the Year. “Karen works together to combine the successful lessons already taught, with some new lessons to create more hands-on work, to motivate the students to try new concepts and figure out new ways to complete a task,” said Principal Barbara Gleason.
Davina Pyzer: Middletown Unified District Teacher of the Year. “She is a team player that works diligently to support her students, parents and staff members. She collaborates with grace and ease,” said Principal Lura Vieira.
Katherine Perkins was honored as the Konocti Unified School District Teacher of the Year and Lake County Teacher of the Year.
“The passion for seeing all children succeed has led Mrs. Perkins to be a grade level team leader and push for equity for all students,” said Principal Chris Schoeneman.
The final award of the evening was the Champion of Education award presented to the Lake County Office of Education Communications Director Shelly Mascari.
The Champion for Education award is given each year to a person that continues to have a tremendous impact on education and the children and families in Lake County.
Although Mascari was not in attendance, she received a standing ovation due to her work as director of the Lake County Child Care Planning Council and the Hero Project.
The evening concluded with a short video presentation which highlighted photos of each award winner.
“The classroom is a really special place,” added Falkenberg. “It’s important that we take time each year to honor those passionate and committed to excellence in education. For every educator honored tonight, there are many more that go unrecognized for their hard work. Teaching takes effort. Thanks to all of those that continue to make the effort each and every day.”
Robyn Bera is a communications specialist with the Lake County Office of Education.
