How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Thompson Harbor boat launching facilities at Redbud Park in Clearlake are partially closed.
Three of six launching sites are in accessible because of low water levels.
Additionally, the filling station that serves area water collection trucks also has been closed.
“We are sorry for the inconvenience this may cause,” Clearlake Public Works Director Doug Herren said. “All we can hope for is a good, wet winter to bring our lake level up.”
Herren said the two left boarding floats – or docks – which are affixed to adjustable pilings, cannot be lowered any farther and remain too high out of the water for safe use.
Three of the launching facilities will remain open as long as lake levels allow.
Herren said boaters should use those facilities at their own risk.
Email Denise Rockenstein at
The California Transportation Commission last week approved transportation allocations totaling approximately $5,528,000 for projects in Clearlake and Lakeport.
In total, the commission adopted 148 biking and walking projects, collectively valued at more than $430 million, in the state’s 2014 Active Transportation Program (ATP), making it the nation’s largest.
The CTC will allocate nearly $221 million to the projects at its future meetings.
The allocations under the ATP include $564,000 for Class II bicycle lanes and roadway rehabilitation on Phillips Avenue in Clearlake.
Other significant projects around the region that were adopted under the new active transportation program include $3.1 million in funding for the Humboldt Bay Trail, Arcata Rail with Trail Project; the Eureka Waterfront Trail received about $2.5 million in funding; and $259,000 went to the Chestnut St. Multi-Use Facility and Safe Routes to School in Fort Bragg.
“We started the Active Transportation Program to establish California as a national leader in developing bike and pedestrian facilities,” said California State Transportation Agency Secretary Brian Kelly. “This program adopted today is the nation’s largest state commitment to bicycling, walking and other forms of active transportation. This program will increase transportation options for all Californians while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving public health and safety.”
“Today’s transportation system is more than just highways,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “Our Active Transportation Program supports a healthy, active lifestyle that also helps achieve California’s safety, mobility and greenhouse gas reduction goals.”
Last year, Gov. Brown signed legislation (Senate Bill 99, Chapter 359 and Assembly Bill 101, Chapter 354) creating the ATP. The new program replaced a patchwork of small grant programs with a comprehensive program.
The adopted projects comprise two components: the Statewide Program, $183.8 million for 126 projects, and the Small Urban/Rural Program, $37.3 million for 22 projects.
Nearly 87 percent, or $191.5 million, of the funds for these components are directed at 130 projects that benefit disadvantaged communities.
“Making it easier and more convenient to walk and bike is a direct investment in our health,” said Mary D. Nichols, chairman of the California Air Resources Board. “This funding will help cities and counties throughout California take steps to fight air pollution and reduce greenhouse gases.”
Caltrans received approximately 770 applications from cities and counties across California, totaling nearly $1 billion in project requests, an excess in demand of three-to-one.
Separate round of allocations targets infrastructure
Continuing the drive to rebuild California’s transportation infrastructure, the commission also allocated nearly $706 million in funding to 125 transportation projects that will improve and maintain the state’s vital transportation system.
More than $552 million of the funding will pay for “fix it first” projects that will repair bumpy pavement, preserve roads in good condition to prevent them from deteriorating, upgrade aging bridges and make roads safer for all.
“To get the most bang for the buck for taxpayers, Caltrans targets dollars where they are most effective – pavement preservation,” said Dougherty. “Every $1 spent on preventive pavement maintenance saves Californians $8 that would have been spent on expensive pavement repairs.”
Lake County received $4.9 million to rehabilitate 19.8 lane miles of roadway on Highway 29 near Lakeport.
The Lake County City Area Planning Council also received $64,000 for planning, programming and monitoring.
Other notable projects around the region receiving funding are the rehabilitation of 83 lane miles of roadway at three locations near Ukiah and Laytonville in Mendocino County, $22 million; $3.8 million to rehabilitate 10 lane miles of roadway on US Highway 101 near Klamath in Del Norte County; and $5.5 million to rehabilitate 14 lane miles of roadway on Route 299 near Blue Lake in Humboldt County.
The allocations also include nearly $21 million from Proposition 1B, a transportation bond approved by voters in 2006.
To date, more than $17 billion in Proposition 1B funds have been put to work statewide for transportation purposes.
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The community is invited to come and check out the annual EcoArts Lake County Sculpture Walk, entering the final weeks of this year's exhibit.
The sculpture walk, now in its 12th year, is located at Middletown Trailside Park. It combines art and nature into a unique experience.
The exhibit is free and open everyday from dawn to dusk through Oct. 13.
Professional sculptors and local artists and craftspeople have produced works that speak to the natural surroundings of the park either by the use of natural or repurposed materials, or through an environmental message.
While you’ll find a variety of concepts and themes expressed by the artists, the prevailing message is to consider how delicate nature is and how we can preserve and protect our environment.
From the moment visitors start on the trail, they are reminded of the regenerative aspect of nature in Renata Jaworska’s “Force,” a giant chrome heart; wounded it would seem, but caught in the midst of beating regardless.
They encounter nature sprites, such as Mary Mattlage’s “Trickster,” a feathered imp peeking from a tree, and deceptively whimsical, and delicate “GMOs” by Terry Church.
Lisa Kaplan’s powerfully expressive “Who Will Be Our Leaders,” made primarily from earth and straw, depicts a child leading an adult into the future.
Additional works from natural materials include Laura Kennedy's complex “Points of Connection,” created from fallen limbs and branches gleaned from the park; the simply elegant, perfectly serpentine lines created by Chuck Williams in his “Playful Pickets”; and “Gourd Flower Tree,” stretching towards the skies by Sherry Harris, among others.
Unlike a conventional art exhibit, viewers can physically interact with some of the works. Two pieces that literally resonate are Don Speed's, “Earth Echoes,” an unconventional gong awaiting your strike; and Diego Harris' astounding, “Giant Serpent Horn,” a gigantic musical instrument that you can sing or shout through.
There is much more great work to see. Take “the walk” and delight in this year’s EcoArts Lake County Sculpture Walk.
The Middletown County Trailside Park is located approximately a mile and half from downtown Middletown off Highway 175 and Dry Creek Cutoff.
The sculpture walk is along the center trail and is approximately a quarter-mile long. There is a free guide-book at the entrance to the trail.
Pack a lunch or dinner and take advantage of the many benches and picnic tables scattered throughout this beautiful 107-acre park.
Additional work by Eco Artists will be exhibited during the month of September at the Life Gallery in Middletown, 21037 Calistoga Road, open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
The exhibit opening will be Sept. 6 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and the public is invited.
EcoArts of Lake County is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the visual arts, visual art education and ecological stewardship for artists, residents, and visitors to Lake County.
For more information visit www.EcoArtsofLakeCounty.org , contact
UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The governing boards for the Upper Lake Union Elementary School District and Upper Lake Union High School District will hold a special meeting Tuesday evening to look at the issue of unification.
The informational meeting will begin at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26, in Room 6 at Upper Lake Middle School, 725 Old Lucerne Road.
The main item on the agenda's open session is the unification issue.
In January, both the high school and elementary school boards voted unanimously to begin studying the unification process, as Lake County News has reported.
If the two districts were to approve moving forward with unification, the process would require the involvement of the Lake County Office of Education and the California Department of Education, according to state guidelines.
A district reorganization can take place in a variety of ways, with one of the options being that the process is initiated by a majority of the governing boards of the schools involved. In that case, an election isn't required.
The procedures for unification also include reviews by the county superintendent of schools, notice to the Local Agency Formation Commission and public hearings.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
California’s Assembly today approved a first-in-the-nation online privacy measure, authored by Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg, which prohibits uses of student personal information for profit.
Senate Bill 1177, the Student Online Personal Information Protection Act (SOPIPA), passed unanimously on a 71-0 vote and heads back to the Senate for concurrence.
“My goal is to encourage technological innovation while protecting kids’ privacy and this bill doesn’t trade one goal for another, it achieves both,” said Steinberg (D-Sacramento). “The industry currently operates without restriction except for the ones that they unilaterally deem appropriate and that is unacceptable. Kids are in the classroom to learn.”
Companies providing online services to aide classroom teaching often require students to create accounts that capture contact data and personal academic information such as grades, disciplinary history, and chat-records.
In some instances, companies are mining data from schoolchildren beyond the needs of the classroom, including how many rooms a student had in their home and how many parents they lived with.
Some Apps marketed to teachers and kids could track a child’s physical location.
SOPIPA would end targeted advertising on K-12 websites, services and applications. It also prohibits operators from using any information gained from the use of their K-12 site to target advertising on any other site, service, or application.
The bill also prohibits creating a profile on a student, unless that profile is used for clear educational purposes. It also prevents companies from selling student data and limits disclosure of student personal information in common sense ways.
The only current restrictions on the use of student data by online educational technology products are contained in the privacy policies that they themselves deem appropriate.
Surveys of these privacy polices reveal provisions that remove a company’s liability for misuse of data, tell users that policies are subject to change at any time, and that companies are allowed to disclose data however they want.
This bill encourages continued innovation in education-technology and is supported by parents, administrators, school employees, scholastic publishers and teachers.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Midway of Fun, the provider of the carnival at the Lake County Fair, will return to the event this week.
The fair takes place Thursday, Aug. 28, through Sunday, Aug. 31. This year's theme is “Hot August Family Fun!”
Midway of Fun has been providing the rides, games, and attractions to Lake County Fair since 2009, and was signed to a five-year contract beginning in 2012.
According to Fair Chief Executive Officer Richard Persons, the most spectacular ride expected for the fair is a huge Ferris wheel called the Century Wheel.
“We've had Ferris wheels before, but the Century Wheel is twice as high as the normal wheels, and it's got gondola cars that allow a family group to all ride together. It's 70 feet tall, so people will be able to see everything on the fairgrounds, in Lakeport, and across the lake to Nice and Lucerne.”
Rides to be offered this year include Superslide, Raiders, Convoy, Carousel, Dizzy Dragons, Motor Cycles, 4x4 Jeeps, Flying Elephants, Dizzy Dragons, Bumper Cars, Ranger, Zipper, Tornado, WipeOut, Tilt-A-Whirl, House of Horror, Monkey Business, Clown Around, Tea Cups, Train, Jeeps, Lady Bug, Boats, Elephants and Vertigo.
Carnival goers who love to challenge the “vomit comets” will find several rides to test their intestinal fortitude, including the Wipeout, Tilt A Whirl, Tornado, Phoenix, Ranger and the Vertigo.
Less intense rides will include a carousel and the extremely popular giant slide.
A variety of kiddie rides, like the tea cups and the kiddie jeeps will also be found in the kiddie carnival area.
“Our lots usually have room for 25 to 30 rides,” said Persons. “How many depends on how they fit into the spaces.”
Events in the grandstand arena include the Lake County BMX Bicycle stunt show and UTV races on Thursday, the Mendo Lake Mudd Bog Nationals race on Friday, the WGAS Cal State Tuff Truck Finals on Saturday, and the Lakeport/Ukiah Bomber Series Finale on Sunday.
All grandstand shows start at 7:30 p.m.
Local participants are also encouraged on all nights. Sponsors include St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake, Twin Pine Casino and Hotel, Robinson Rancheria Resort and Casino and the Lake County Tribal Health Consortium.
Live local entertainment occurs continuously on two stages. The Lake County News Stage will showcase national touring act Twice As Good on Saturday at 8pm. Other local acts, including the LC Diamonds, The Funky Dozen, and the Fargo Brothers will also play the main stage. The Mediacom Stage will host a variety of acts including Travis Rinker, Michael Barrish, and the Cherry Road Gang. The annual Lake County Talent Competition will take place on Saturday evening, and is presented by Robinson Rancheria Resort and Casino.
A special appearance by the Air Force Band will occur on Sunday, Aug. 31, with sets at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Regular admission prices for the 2014 Lake County Fair are unchanged from 2011.
Prices are $10 for a regular ticket, $6 for a senior over age 60, and $6 for children ages 6 through 11. Children under 6 years old are admitted free every day. Children through age 11 are admitted for $3 on Thursday, Aug. 28, only, for “Kid's Day.”
A special admission program is in place for Sunday, Aug. 31. Anyone who brings four cans of food to the gate between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. will receive free admission, with the food benefiting local food pantries through Lake County CAN.
Visit the fair online at www.lakecountyfair.com or follow them on Facebook.