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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Lake County Office of Education College-Going Initiative will host the Lake County Academic Decathlon Super Quiz and awards ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 4.
This year's Academic Decathlon theme is “The Age of Empire.”
The Super Quiz and awards ceremony are the portion of the two-day competition that are open to the public.
The quiz starts at 3:45 p.m. at Kelseyville High School, 5480 Main St., with the awards presentations to follow.
The afternoon will feature a performance from the Kelseyville High School Band, poster and poetry contest display, and Blue Lakes Scholarship Award presentations.
The event is sponsored by the The Lodge at Blue Lakes, the Lake County Arts Council and Sutter Lakeside Hospital.
For more information call the Lake County Office of Education at 707-262-4162 or visit www.lakecoe.org.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – A vehicle stop conducted by members of the Lake County Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force has resulted in one arrest and the seizure of narcotics, drug paraphernalia, cash and stolen property.
Arrested was 36-year-old Nino Salee Davis of American Canyon, according to Sgt. Steve Brooks.
Brooks said Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force conducted a vehicle stop on Davis' vehicle on S. Forbes Street in Lakeport on Tuesday.
During the vehicle stop, detectives learned that Davis was on searchable probation out of Napa County for possession of a controlled substance, Brooks said.
Detectives discovered that Davis allegedly attempted to hide approximately one ounce of methamphetamine, two grams of cocaine and digital scales inside his underwear. Brooks said Davis also allegedly was in possession of approximately $500.
The task force then conducted a probation search of Davis’ motel room in Lakeport, where he admitted to be staying, Brooks said.
Detectives located a police scanner, a glass “meth” pipe, two hypodermic needles and several Oxycontin pills, which Davis did not have a prescription for. Brooks said detectives also located a laptop computer which was discovered to have been stolen and taken during a burglary within the county.
Davis was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance for sale, transportation of a controlled substance and possession of stolen property, Brooks said.
He was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked on the four felony charges. His booking sheet indicated bail was set at $35,000. He remained in custody on Wednesday.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.
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SACRAMENTO – Snow surveyors on Wednesday confirmed that water content in California’s mountain snowpack is far below normal for this time of year.
Manual and electronic readings record the snowpack’s statewide water content at only 37 percent of normal for the date. That is just 23 percent of the average April 1 reading, when the snowpack normally is at its peak before the spring melt.
“So far, we just haven’t received a decent number of winter storms,” said Department of Water Resources Director Mark Cowin. “We have good reservoir storage thanks to wet conditions last year, but we also need more rain and snow this winter.”
The manual readings by the Department of Water Resources off Highway 50 near Echo Summit showed that Lyons Creek and Alpha snow levels were the second lowest on record, going back to 1958 for Lyons Creek, and to 1966 for Alpha.
Water content in the snowpack at Lyons Creek Wednesday was 5.8 inches, compared with the record low of 0 inches in 1963. Water content in the snowpack at Alpha was 3.6 inches, compared with the record low of 2.9 inches in 1976.
The snowpack at Tamarack Flat contained 4.8 inches of water, the fourth lowest on record going back to 1946. The record low at Tamarack Flat was 0 inches in 1963. Water content at the Phillips course was 3.8 inches, second lowest in records dating back to 1946. The record low at Phillips was 0 inches in 1963.
For a broader comparison of current conditions to previous years, dry and wet, see DWR’s new “Water Conditions” at www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/.
Electronic readings Wednesday indicate that water content in the northern mountains is 41 percent of normal for the date and 26 percent of the April 1 seasonal average. Electronic readings for the central Sierra snowpack are 32 percent of normal for the date and 20 percent of the April 1 average. The numbers for the southern Sierra are 42 percent of average for the date and 25 percent of the April 1 average.
Statewide, the snowpack water content was 37 percent of normal for Feb. 1 and 23 percent of the normal April 1 seasonal total.
DWR and cooperating agencies conduct manual snow surveys around the first of the month from January to May. The manual surveys supplement and check the accuracy of the real-time electronic readings from sensors up and down the state.
DWR’s initial estimate is that the State Water Project (SWP) will be able to deliver 60 percent of the slightly more than 4 million acre-feet of water requested this calendar year by the 29 public agencies that supply more than 25 million Californians and nearly a million acres of irrigated farmland.
The 60 percent delivery estimate is largely based on the known quantity of carryover reservoir storage. Unknown is how much rain and snow the state will get the rest of this winter. DWR may adjust the SWP delivery estimate to reflect changing hydrologic conditions.
Calendar year 2011 illustrates how weather-driven supply conditions can dramatically change. The initial 2011 estimate was that the SWP would be able to deliver only 25 percent of the slightly more 4 million acre-feet requested.
As winter took hold, a near-record snowpack and heavy rains resulted in deliveries of 80 percent of requests in 2011.
The final allocation was 50 percent in 2010, 40 percent in 2009, 35 percent in 2008, and 60 percent in 2007.
The last 100 percent allocation – difficult to achieve even in wet years because of Delta pumping restrictions to protect fish species – was in 2006.
Lake Oroville in Butte County, the State Water Project’s principal storage reservoir, is at 107 percent of average for the date (72 percent of its 3.5 million acre-foot capacity). Lake Shasta north of Redding, the federal Central Valley Project’s largest reservoir with a capacity of 4.5 million acre-feet, is at 99 percent of its normal storage level for the date (68 percent of capacity).
San Luis Reservoir in Merced County, an important storage reservoir south of the Delta, is at 119 percent of average for the date (95 percent of its capacity of 2,027,840 acre-feet). San Luis is a critically important source of water for both the State Water Project and Central Valley Project when pumping from the Delta is restricted or interrupted.
For context, an acre-foot is 325,851 gallons, enough to cover one acre to a depth of one foot.
Mountain snow that melts into reservoirs, streams and aquifers in the spring and summer provides approximately one-third of the water for California’s households, farms and industries.
Electronic snowpack readings are available on the Internet at http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/snow/DLYSWEQ .
Historic water content readings from snowpack sensors are posted at: http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/rpts1/DLYSWEQ .
Archived snowpack water content records: http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/rpts_archived1/DLYSWEQ .
Electronic reservoir level readings may be found at http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/getResGraphsMain.action .
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The premiere performance of a new local variety show received a warm welcome last weekend, with the show’s creator promising more to come.
The “Lake County Live!” debut took place last Sunday, Jan. 29, in the Soper-Reese Community Theatre in Lakeport, which is the show’s home.
The show was broadcast before a live audience on KPFZ 88.1 FM, as well as streamed over the Internet; the link can be found at the station’s Web site, www.kpfz.org.
The debut show will be rebroadcast on KPFZ from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, and on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
The one-hour radio variety show is the brainchild of Doug Rhoades of Kelseyville, who also serves as the show’s host.
“The talent we assembled for our first show was above professional,” said Rhoades. “Their timing and conviviality made the show a pleasure to hear, watch and in which to participate. I extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved, and there were many. They took my vision and made it even better than I could have wished.”
Rhoades, Suna Flores and Richard Smith wrote the show, which was in development for several months. The process to launch the show also involved the development of the show’s Web site, www.lakecountylive.com.
The show’s cast for its premiere performance included announcer Mitchell Hauptman, Smith, Flores, Chris Andre, Pamela Bradley, Vicky Parish Smith, Sarah Keezer Arnt, Judy Conard and Wally Holbrook.
Nick Reid acted as stage manager, with Nick Biondo working the sound board and Mike Chavez in charge of lighting. Mike Stempe did videography and photography at the show.
Rhoades estimated that 180 people were in the theater’s audience to watch the show, with KPFZ reporting that the number of listeners to its online stream tripled for the performance.
The show has a “Prairie Home Companion” meets wine country feel.
Liked its venerable Midwest counterpart, “Lake County Live!” features comedy skits, fake commercials – such as one for the American Society of Sociopaths, which assures potential members that “your behaviors are OK and those of others are not” – and even poetry, with Lake County Poet Laureate Emeritus Sandra Wade making an appearance on the first show to read her work.
A considerable portion of the show is dedicated to showcasing local musical performers.
Featured on the first show was the folk and bluegrass group “Three Deep,” which includes Jill Shaul, Sarah Tichava and Anna McAtee, who sang three original songs.
Shaul said the group got its name while waiting to perform at a recent Winter Musicfest. When they asked how much longer they had to wait to perform, they were told that acts were stacked up “three deep.”
Three Deep, which last fall appeared at the Old Time Bluegrass Festival in Lower Lake, will be going into the studio soon to complete a demo, and plans to make more music festival appearances in Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma counties, the group said during the Saturday show.
A cappella group EarReverence, featuring Nick and Valerie Reid, Bill Bordisso and Carol Cole Lewis, also performed, sharing its blend of powerful vocals on favorites such as “Your Love is Lifting Me Higher,” with a bit of comedy thrown in, in the form of comedian Steve Martin’s “Atheists Don’t Have No Songs.”
The evening’s third musical group was “Polecat Rodeo,” whose members are April Knoll, Randy Johnsen, Janet Berrian, Jim Evan and Jon Hopkins.
Performing a mix of bluegrass, folk and country, Polecat Rodeo started out with a rendition of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” also performing an old-time tune, “Angeline the Baker” and a cowboy song, “Riding Down the Canyon.”
At the show’s end, the audience was invited to join in for a sing-along of the well-loved tune, “You Are My Sunshine.”
The next Lake County Live! performance will take place at the Soper-Reese on Sunday, Feb. 26, Rhoades said.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The generosity of an anonymous local resident will benefit children who come in contact with law enforcement.
Sgt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff’s Offices said the anonymous donor gave approximately 40 new children’s blankets, each individually packaged with a new stuffed animal.
In December 2011, a Lake County resident who wishes to not disclose their identity donated the blankets and stuffed animals, Brooks said.
The donations were made and obtained through a group of volunteers and are intended to be handed out by law enforcement during their contacts with children in need, he explained.
The packages have been dispersed to patrol deputies and investigators and many were handed out during the holiday season, according to Brooks.
Brooks said the Lake County Sheriff’s Office is very grateful for the donations and the support for children who are in need.
Though the resident wishes to remain anonymous, persons wishing to donate funds to this group to help purchase the blankets and stuffed animals can contact Detective Kellie Joseph at 707-262-4200.
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On Tuesday California Controller John Chiang sent a letter to budget leaders in the state Legislature urging them to take action before the state runs out of cash in March.
In the letter to Sen. Mark Leno Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield, the controller said the liquidity shortfall is projected to last between Feb. 29 and about April 13.
Cash flows based on the governor’s proposed budget show that $3.3 billion worth of cash solutions are needed to address liquidity needs during this period.
If left unaddressed, the State's General Fund balance at this time will fall below the $2.5 billion minimum safety cushion on Feb. 29, Chiang’s office reported.
On March 1, cash will be exhausted and will continue to decline until hitting a low of negative $730 million on March 8, according to Chiang.
Working with the state treasurer and the Department of Finance, the controller has crafted a cash management plan that would avoid delays in paying tax refunds or issuing IOUs, as was required in 2009.
Additional measures may be needed should the state’s fiscal condition worsen, Chiang said.
“Although this cash management plan relies on still more borrowing, payment delays and deferrals, we believe this is the most prudent and responsible course of action considering we have about four weeks before the advent of the cash shortfall,” Chiang wrote. “It is not an ideal solution, but it is the best way to manage the challenge without relying on IOUs or delaying tax refunds – actions that can disrupt the delivery of essential public services and slow California’s economic recovery.”
Chiang also reported that as of Dec. 31, total state receipts are coming in $2.6 billion less than forecasted, with expenditure $2.6 billion more than assumed, totaling a $5.2 billion shortfall in cash resources.
See the full letter below.
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