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LAKEPORT – In an effort to positively impact a history of low student performance, the California Department of Education has moved to step in and take control of the struggling Round Valley School District located in Mendocino County by appointing a state trustee.
Chris Thomas, deputy Superintendent for Lake County Office of Education, received a unanimous vote as the chosen candidate and will assume her position as State Appointed Trustee to the Round Valley School District beginning in March.
“Receiving this appointment has been bittersweet,” said Thomas, who has served at LCOE for the past 16 years. “I am excited to take on the challenge of working to improve outcomes for the students at Round Valley; however, it is difficult to say goodbye to the dedicated staff at LCOE.”
Thomas began her career at LCOE as the director of Educational Support Services, became the assistant superintendent of Educational Services in 1997 and in 2007 was appointed to her current position of Deputy Superintendent.
Over the span of her 36-year career, Thomas has received numerous commendations, such as being named Lake County Administrator of the Year in 2000 by the Association of California School Administrators.
Many services now offered through the County Office of Education were initiated or expanded under her leadership, including child development programs, Healthy Start programs, Safe Schools/Healthy Student programs, and curriculum and instruction support services.
“This is an incredible opportunity for Chris Thomas, and a testament to her leadership, experience and expertise,” said Superintendent of Schools Wally Holbrook. “She has had a significant impact on the County Office of Education, and her shoes are not easy to fill.”
Holbrook added, “However, this situation provides us with a unique opportunity to analyze our current structure and evaluate how to best utilize our resources to serve the students, families and educators of Lake County.”
Holbrook indicated that LCOE will be releasing a reorganization plan in the coming weeks, as well as a report to the community on the Program and Services Review, a process he initiated as a part of his 100 Day Plan for leading the County Office of Education after his election last year.
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UKIAH, Calif. – With cutting-edge policies in place to support small family farmers and tourism, Lake County was held up as the agritourism model for the neighboring counties of Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte at the recent “Growing Agritourism” workshop.
Sponsored by the University of California Small Farm Program and the University of California Cooperative Extension, the workshop was held in Ukiah on Wednesday, Feb. 16, and drew participants and presenters from across the North Coast region of Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma, Humboldt and Del Norte counties.
Agritourism is defined as the, “business conducted by farmers or ranchers on their working agricultural, horticultural, or agribusiness operations for the enjoyment and education of visitors,” that is intended to promote farm products and to generate additional farm income, according to Ellie Rilla, co-author of “Agritourism and Nature Tourism in California,” a book that is practically required reading for any ag operator considering welcoming the public to their farm and presenter at the workshop.
Rillia also was a speaker at the event, discussing agritourism across Europe.
“You don't need a carnival,” explained Karen Bates of the Philo Apple Farm, “just let people see what you do in your daily life on the farm – that's what they want,” and they are willing to pay to participate, she added.
Bates further explained that co-marketing with other area businesses – talking up a nearby hotel, bed and breakfast, or restaurant, and then having them refer guests to you – is a key to success in rural areas that welcome urban tourists who are passionate about knowing and meeting local farmers.
She also cautioned participants to find their balance in maintaining enthusiasm – both for farming and the educating the public.
“If you lose your enthusiasm,” Bates noted, “you have nothing to sell,” and nearby urban areas have thousands – if not millions – of residents who care about local foods from small and sustainable family farms who are willing to buy an experience that you have to offer.
Richard Strom, director of Tourism Development for Visit Mendocino County, said that more than 70 percent of visitors to Mendocino County want locally grown food and many want an on-farm experience.
While exact statistics for tourism to Lake County cannot be generated due in part to a lack of a tracking mechanism – Mendocino County has a partnership between the Mendocino County Promotional Alliance and the Mendocino County Lodging Association that formed Visit Mendocino County, with representative board members and staff, to promote and track tourism to Mendocino County – urban visitors to Lake County should have similar desires.
That's because of the nationwide growth in interest of locally grown food, including the United States Department of Agriculture's launch of the “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” initiative.
With a long tradition in agriculture and cutting-edge polices that support agritourism operations, combined with the cleanest air in California, world-renowned Lake County Mountain Pears and walnuts, a rising reputation for award-winning wines, numerous farmers' markets, and two online ordering systems for locally grown foods (www.lakecountygrown.com and www.lakeco-op.org), Lake County is poised to expand agritourism operations as the enthusiasm for local food grows.
Speaking to the challenges of beginning an agritourism operation, Dan Desmond of Perini Ranch and Joey Luiz of Vigilance Winery, both in Lower Lake, noted that startup capital and managing urban visitors expectations to a rural area can be a challenge that requires planning.
Lake County Community Development Director Richard Coel spoke about proposed changes to the Lake County zoning ordinance which would benefit agritourism operators.
The benefits would come in the form of allowing wine tasting on 10-acre or larger vineyard sites without developing an on-site winery with approval of a minor use permit, allowing wine-related special events as part of winery or tasting room entitlement with approval of a minor use permit, relaxing permit requirements for commercial stables on 10-acre and larger parcels with equestrian-oriented special events, and simplifying the farmers' market permit process by allowing a market with a zoning permit at developed commercial and ag sites that have a permitted winery or another agricultural service establishment in operation.
The importance of social media for engaging the public in agritourism venues was presented by Christian Ahlmann of Six Sigma Ranch and Vineyards in Lower Lake.
Ahlmann gave participants statistics on why Facebook is an important tool to use – more than 500 million users, 50 percent of users log in each day, how to use it effectively and more.
He also noted that by connecting and commenting – or co-marketing – on other nearby venues and businesses, it entices your followers to plan their next vacation near you.
The “Growing Agritourism” workshop had more than 30 farmers or ranchers considering agritourism registered, as well as many tourism professionals, current agritourism operators looking for new ideas, and educators in attendance.
The local food movement – also referred to as “regional food” or “food patriotism” – is a “collaborative effort to build more locally based, self-reliant food economies – one in which sustainable food production, processing, distribution, and consumption is integrated to enhance the economic, environmental, and social health of a particular place,” according to Dr. Gail Feenstra, food systems analyst at the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program and the Agricultural Sustainability Institute.
Feenstra offered that definition in “Creating space for sustainable food systems: lessons from the field.” She presented at the“Growing Our Local Food Economy,” in Lakeport, as reported by Lake County News, in October, 2010.
The combination of the passion for local food, tourism, and the stunning natural beauty in Lake County can be an economic benefit to all of Lake County – residents and visitors alike.
For residents, it can mean an increase in food available locally, and for tourists, visiting a Lake County farm can mean an educational experience that can last a lifetime.
In full disclosure, this reporter presented on agritourism Web sites and the importance of listing events and information.
A list of Web sites is included below, where you can learn more about Lake County and other agritourism venues, events, farms and gardens.
www.lakecounty.com/things/Farms.htm
www.lakecounty.com/things/Wines/Wineries.htm
www.lakecounty.com/Accommodations/Type/farm.htm
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NICE, Calif. – Two men were arrested late Monday morning for felony burglary within hours of committing the crime at a Kelseyville business.
Taken into custody were Craig Allen Snyder, 50, and Dennis James Blaine, 57, both of Nice, according to a report from Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
At about 7:21 a.m. Monday a hired security guard at the Ag Unlimited business on Finley East Road in Kelseyville called sheriff’s dispatch and reported two men had entered an adjacent warehouse and were stealing property, Bauman said.
Bauman said the suspects fled the area in a white Lincoln sedan before deputies arrived.
When the deputies got to the scene a short time later, Bauman said they learned that the two men had entered the closed business through a gap in the surrounding fence and had allegedly stolen numerous items from inside the business.
While deputies spent the next several hours looking for the suspect vehicle, the investigation revealed that one of the suspects was likely Snyder, Bauman said.
Deputies checked for Snyder’s vehicle at his residence in Nice periodically throughout the morning and, at about 11:30 a.m., they found it parked in front of his house, according to Bauman.
The deputies contacted Snyder and Blaine, and found Snyder’s car was loaded with property allegedly taken from the warehouse, Bauman said.
In addition, Bauman said items stolen from the Ag Unlimited business office were allegedly recovered from inside of Snyder's home.
Both Snyder and Blaine were arrested without incident, Bauman reported.
Both were booked at the Lake County Jail on felony charges of first degree burglary, receiving stolen property and criminal conspiracy.
As of late Monday afternoon, both men remained in custody on $25,000 bail each.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Now in its fifth year, the annual fundraiser that pairs ultra-premium Lake County Wines with delicious chocolates – the Lake Family Resource Center's Wine & Chocolate Festival – once again attracted hundreds of people who enjoyed an afternoon of decadence on Saturday.
With more than two dozen local wineries pouring one or more varietals that were perfectly paired with a specific chocolate, including locally handmade truffles, event goers also had the opportunities to taste savory bites from local restaurants and caterers, bid on lots at a silent auction and participate in several educational presentations.
The event was once again held at Mt. Konocti Growers, a vast pear shed with many buildings that also is a winery with its own label and is the wine-making facility for many professional and amateur winemakers alike – meaning the cavernous buildings are lined with wine barrels, the perfect setting for such an event.
Each event-goer received pairing and tasting notes for a selection of the varietals poured, as well as a wine tasting comparison chart and a ballot to vote on their favorite pairing, favorite wine, and favorite food.
This annual event is a major fundraiser for the Lake Family Resource Center. It's proved an important source of funding for this nonprofit organization, raising more than $20,000 during previous years.
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Early Thursday at about 3 a.m., sheriff’s deputies were conducting a business check of the Konocti Vista Casino in Lakeport when they contacted 30-year-old Jeremy Lee White of Santa Rosa, according to Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
White drew the attention of deputies by exhibiting symptoms of being under the influence, Bauman said.
Bauman said that, subsequent to his detention, White was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance.
Incident to his arrest, deputies seized a 200,000 volt Taser from White’s jacket pocket and suspected methamphetamine from his pants pocket. Bauman said that a subsequent search of White’s vehicle parked outside of the casino revealed several items of stolen property.
A GPS unit, a laptop computer, and a leather laptop bag allegedly found in White's car had all been reported as stolen to the Clearlake Police Department on Feb. 14, Bauman said.
White was booked at the Lake County Jail on felony charges of possession of a controlled substance, receiving stolen property, and misdemeanor charges of being a felon in possession of a stun-gun and being under the influence of a controlled substance, Bauman said.
White was out on bail at the time of his arrest and already had several open felony cases pending adjudication in both Lake and Sonoma counties, according to Bauman's report.
Due to White's alleged continued commission of felonies while out of custody on bond, a bail enhancement of $250,000 was granted for Thursday morning’s arrest and he remains in custody at the Lake County Jail.
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