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There was a mixed point of view as far as what should be done concerning the lockout of union workers, which began last weekend, as Lake County News has reported.
HVLA workers at the meeting who are affiliated with Laborers International Union of North America Local 139 stated that the lockout occurred after a scheduled meeting between the two sides was canceled due to the union representative being sick.
Lawyers for the union workers contacted HVLA to inform them of the representative's illness but the association reportedly sent someone to the negotiation meeting any way. The lockout occurred shortly afterward, according to union workers.
In a press release given to community members late last week, HVLA General Manager Jim Johnson said the association locked out the union personnel “because of financial concerns regarding the ongoing union contract negotiations.”
Johnson stated in the press release, “These concerns are based on the $644,644 loss the golf course experienced in 2007 and the loss of $424,325 through September of this year.”
The statement said the lockout will end and employees will be allowed to report back to work as soon as HVLA management and the union can reach an agreement regarding salaries, cost of living increases and benefit payment allocation.
On Thursday evening, the HVLA board heard from many people on the subject, some siding with Hidden Valley Lake, but most came to speak on behalf of the union workers.
Hal Muskat, who has lived in Hidden Valley Lake for 12 years, described what is happening as “horrible.”
Muskat said that the work done by the union personnel is what justifies homeowners in Hidden Valley Lake paying their association dues.
He suggested that residents withhold their association dues from HVLA and instead put their money into an escrow account. This way, Muskat said, people are still paying, but the association can't get its hands on the money until the union workers are put back to work.
Another resident suggested that the golf course be boycotted until union workers were able to do their jobs again.
The board also heard from an emotional Lora Darling, wife of one of the golf course maintenance workers who is currently part of the lockout.
The Darling family will not be able to have Thanksgiving this year and with Christmas just around the corner they fear that the holiday will be ruined for their family as well, she said.
Darling pleaded with the board to put unionized employees back to work as this lockout is really hurting her friends, neighbors and family.
HVLA has offered union workers their vacation pay now to try to help with the financial hardship of the lockout, but many workers didn't agree with this offer, as they said they work hard for their vacations and didn't to use them that way.
After the open session time was ended by HVLA Board President Don Dornbush, most of the union workers left all at once. “You guys are a disgrace!” were their parting words to board officials.
On Nov. 19, HVLA released a list of comments relating to union negotiations.
Among other things, the association stated that, as of Oct. 31, union personnel were paid about $77,600 a year more than the union contract requires. Officials also maintain that they have not requested or suggested that the hourly rate of any union member be reduced.
The association stated that HVLA management suggested to the union that they be allowed to consider full-time employment as 32 hours per week – which is the same as all other HVLA employees – as opposed to the current guaranteed 40 hours per week. The reason, according to HVLA, was that reducing the hours was an alternative to laying off personnel. They said the union did not agree with the recommendation.
HVLA management said it has proposed a 4-percent pay increase effective Nov. 1 and a 3-percent increase effective for each of the other two years of the contract, which is consistent with what the rest of the staff will receive.
The union has reportedly requested that HVLA pay the entire benefit packet of over $6 per hour worked for each employee, which the association says will amount to about $163,000 for union employees. This is in addition to their hourly rate of pay, and could equate to $12,480 per employee per year.
Responding to comments Local 139 business manager Dave George made to Lake County News last week, HVLA said that both sides – not just the association – have introduced lawyers into the negotiations process this year.
HVLA officials also stated that the association has not refused to advise the union as to the salary of each union employee, as George had stated. The association said it provided more than 2,000 pages of documents that Local 139 had requested; when the union again requested salary information, it was provided on Nov. 3.
The lowest salary being paid for any union person is $11.60 per hour, according to HVLA, which it said exceeds the required union contract rate of $9.56 per hour.
“In fact, all union personnel are paid more than the required union contract rate,” the association stated. “The average pay for all union personnel is 20 percent above the required union contract hourly rate. The rate of pay for union personnel currently ranges from $11.60 to $21.20 per hour.”
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LAKEPORT – As the holiday season begins, an event this weekend will focus on remembrance and gratitude.
Hospice of Lake County's “Light Up A Life” benefit is currently gathering sponsorships and will culminate in a tree-lighting ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, following the Dickens Christmas Faire lighted parade.
The focal point of the lighting ceremony will be a cypress tree located in Museum Park on Main Street in downtown Lakeport. Jan Parkinson of Hospice Services said this is the first time the tree has been a part of the ceremony.
The Light Up A Life event offers the public an opportunity to honor a friend co-worker or loved one by sponsoring a single light on a chain that will decorate the tree, she said.
Parkinson stressed the fact that honorees are not limited to those who have passed on. She encourages individuals and businesses to honor employees as well as loved ones living or who have passed.
Sponsorships are available for $10, said Parkinson. Each individual honored will have their name entered in a printed record of the event. In addition, each person honored will receive a letter acknowledging the honor as well as the name of the person or organization making the donation.
The ceremony will include a tree lighting, lighting of candles, sing-a-long, and sharing of love and respect, according to Hospice Services.
This past week, Brad Shelden of Shelden Signs and Lighting, worked at the end of his 76-foot boom and ladder truck to install 1,400 feet of lighting cable on a 85-foot cypress.
The lights being used this year are actually LEDs (light emitting diodes) that consume up to 80-percent less electricity compared to standard filament lights. Approximately 5,600 LEDs make up the chain of lights.
Shelden worked two full days to decorate the tree. Parkinson was on hand to watch as part of the installation took place.
Hospice Services of Lake County is committed to supporting patients and their families through the end of life process through medical, emotional and spiritual support.
They help keep patients comfortable, provide visits and support to patients and families, and also provide bereavement counseling and camps for survivors.
Sponsorships may be arranged by calling 263-6222 or visiting the Hospice office at 1717 S. Main St. in Lakeport.
E-mail Harold LaBonte at
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“People across the country are missing tax refunds and stimulus checks. We want to get this money into the hands of taxpayers where it belongs,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. “We are committed to making the process as easy as possible for taxpayers to update their addresses with the IRS and get their checks.”
All a taxpayer has to do is update his or her address once. The IRS will then send out all checks due.
Stimulus checks
It is crucial that taxpayers who may be due a stimulus check update their addresses with the IRS by Nov. 28. By law, economic stimulus checks must be sent out by Dec. 31 of this year. The undeliverable economic stimulus checks average $583.
The “Where’s My Stimulus Payment?" tool on this Web site is the quickest and easiest way for a taxpayer to check the status of a stimulus check and receive instructions on how to update his or her address. Taxpayers without internet access should call 1-866-234-2942.
Regular refunds
The regular refund checks that were returned to the IRS average $988. These checks are resent as soon as taxpayers update their address.
Taxpayers can update their addresses with the “Where’s My Refund?” tool on this Web site. It enables taxpayers to check the status of their refunds. A taxpayer must submit his or her social security number, filing status and amount of refund shown on their 2007 return. The tool will provide the status of their refund and in some cases provide instructions on how to resolve delivery problems.
Taxpayers checking on a refund over the phone will be given instructions on how to update their addresses. Taxpayers can access a telephone version of “Where’s My Refund?” by calling 1-800-829-1954.
Unsure?
Taxpayers not sure of which type of check they may be due should check on a potential economic stimulus check first because of the looming deadline. See instructions above.
For most people
The vast majority of checks mailed out by the IRS reach their rightful owner every year. Only a very small percent are returned by the U.S. Postal Service as undeliverable.
Through September 2008, the government distributed 116 million economic stimulus payments with only about 279,000 checks being undeliverable. Meanwhile, the IRS has distributed more than 105 million regular refunds this year with only about 104,000 being undeliverable. In both cases, well under one percent of refunds or stimulus checks were undeliverable.
Avoiding future problems
The IRS encourages taxpayers to choose direct deposit when they file their return because it puts an end to lost, stolen or undeliverable checks. Taxpayers can receive refunds directly into personal checking or savings accounts. Direct deposit is available for filers of both paper and electronic returns.
The IRS also encourages taxpayers to file their tax returns electronically because e-file eliminates the risk of lost paper returns. E-file also reduces errors and speeds up refunds.
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With the Foodie Freak columns I want to help people discover places and foods they may not have experienced before and to save money when cooking at home. So when I made a recent change at home I thought it was something that I wanted pass on.
Theresa is a cashier at my local mega-mart and she has become accustomed to hearing me moralize about making everything myself. One day when I purchased pre-packaged macaroni and cheese in a box, she looked at me as if I was purchasing a dirty magazine and seemed a tad disappointed in me. I laughed uncomfortably and said, maybe a little too loudly, “My wife and daughter like this stuff!” Theresa smiled and went back to scanning my groceries.
It’s not that I’m an elitist snob that only eats truffles and caviar; I just prefer to make foods myself and from scratch. If you make food yourself at home you can make it healthier than the pre-made pre-packaged items you find on the store shelves – to me even salad dressing tastes better if it doesn’t come out of a jar or bottle.
It pains me to see families with shopping carts full of boxed dried “meals” and I just want to tell them, “You can make that same dinner at home, almost just as easily, with less fat, less salt, and for pennies on the dollar – think how much more money you could have in your pocket every month!”
And then one day I was making tacos at home and thought, “Why do I keep buying these packets of taco seasoning? There must be a better way!” Spices are expensive, and spice mixes are even worse. After all, not only are you paying for the individual spices, but then you’re paying someone to mix them together and put them in all new pretty packaging.
So I started researching taco seasonings and experimenting with what I liked best, and here’s the funny part: I also wanted to experiment with fajitas seasonings and started to look for a fajita spice recipe – and found that they were basically the exact same spices as the taco seasoning recipes! So why buy a packet that says “taco seasoning” and another packet that says “fajita seasoning” when you can mix up your own jar of spices to your own taste and use it for whatever type of meal you’re having?
Once I experimented a bit and felt I had a great taco seasoning put together I made tacos for lunch for my daughter’s school. I also threw together a fairly simple taco sauce just for fun. Later, the students and teachers were begging for the taco sauce recipe, and I didn’t remember how I made it! So I had to spend a while playing around with different ideas and think that I have finally recreated it, and have included it here for you to try.
The taco seasoning recipe I have included will season one pound of ground beef. As a time saver you can make it in quadruple batches and then just use 1/4 cup taco seasoning to 1 pound cooked drained ground beef and 1/4 cup of water. The seasoning mixture will hold its flavor well for three months.
One of the spices I included in the taco spice mixture is smoked paprika and I can’t recommend it highly enough to you. It adds a new dimension to dishes that I can’t live without now. Not only does it improve taco seasoning but goulash, ratatouille and osso bucco all become dishes fit for royalty when adding some smoked paprika. It’s available at many local mega-marts so look for it on the spice rack on your next shopping trip.
Readers may have noticed that I rarely list salt in my recipes and the reason for that is just that salt is such a subjective flavor, and with its health/diet issues I prefer you make salt decisions in your own home. For me, these recipes are fully flavorful enough.
In an effort to share these (in my opinion) fantastic seasonings and sauce with the world, I’ve tried to get commercial kitchen/bottling companies to take my recipes and start a line of specialty food products, but they either want thousands of dollars up front or they don’t return my calls or letters at all. So my failure to start a line of specialty foods is now your benefit. Here are my recipes for taco seasonings and sauce.
Taco/Fajita seasoning
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
1/4 cup water
For tacos
1 pound ground beef
Mix all of the dry ingredients and set aside. Brown ground beef in a skillet and drain any excess fat. Return to heat and add spice mixture and water, stir until well mixed and slightly thickened (about one minute). Remove from heat and serve.
For fajitas
1 pound sliced beef strips
Mix all of the dry ingredients and set aside. Brown your favorite fajita beef strips, then add grilled onions, bell peppers, seasoning mix, 1/4 cup water and the juice of one lime, cook until onions and peppers are slightly softened.
Taco sauce
1 can (7.5 oz) Chipotles in Adobo
1-15 ounce bottle (1 and 1/2 cups) raspberry vinegar
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
3 cloves of garlic
Add all ingredients (including the adobo sauce) together in a blender and blend until very smooth (i.e., give it at least a minute). Pour through a strainer or mesh to remove seeds. Pour into storage containers (once washed, the raspberry vinegar bottle acts as a perfect serving vessel) and refrigerate over night to let the flavors meld. Makes about three cups, and will keep in refrigerator well for several months. You can hold back the adobo sauce that the chipotles come in from the recipe for a milder sauce, and also to make it even milder you might wish to add some ketchup. As the recipe is written the sauce is spicy to the taste but without being overwhelming while inside a taco.
Ross A. Christensen is an award-winning gardener and gourmet cook. He is the author of "Sushi A to Z, The Ultimate Guide" and is currently working on a new book. He has been a public speaker for many years and enjoys being involved in the community.
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The idea behind this program is to introduce students to the idea of attending college while still in elementary school. At each monthly assembly a different college is highlighted.
The first of the year was UC Davis. Students were given lots of information about UC Davis in the form of fun facts. They learned that the college was opened in 1908, thus celebrating its 100-year anniversary this year.
In addition students learned about top programs of study at the university, including art, law, viticulture, medicine and firefighting. Students were most interested to hear about all the sports teams and facilities, including a hockey rink, indoor soccer arena, swimming pools and much more.
“At last year's strategic planning meeting we were discussing the needs of the district and how to address those needs,” said Minnie Cannon Principal Tom Hoskins. “One of the primary district directions was to adequately prepare Middletown Unified School District students for college. The idea of College Talk came from that need. We hope that it will enlighten students about the opportunities available to them after high school. We believe that this knowledge will be valuable in helping students make informed choices.”
Hoskins added that the College Talk assemblies will also include information about trade schools and other post high school options. Some members of his staff are including field trips to the featured colleges as part of their yearly plans. He also is exploring the idea of having former MUSD students who are attending or have attended featured colleges to join the assemblies.
* * * * *
The end of October means Halloween and several of the schools marked the day with celebrations.
At Coyote Valley principal Walt Campbell reports that 11 classrooms were open to trick or treaters and that between 100 and 200 children came through. He was especially pleased that many Middletown Middle and Middletown High School students volunteered to "man" the doors.
At Middletown Middle School Halloween marked the end of Spirit Week. Spirit Week is five days of dress-ups, lunch time activities and finally a Friday rally.
At the Friday rally three students Jacob Gill (guitar and vocals), Landon Bracisco (guitar and vocals) and Reid Carpenter (drums) entertained their classmates with three songs including an original piece and AC/DC's “TNT.” No name yet for this band.
* * * * *
At the November board meeting held at Coyote Valley, District Superintendent Dr. Korby Olson read and presented proclamations to retired classified and certified employees.
On hand to receive recognition were Shirley Strumph (7 years), Kathy Toy (+20), Nikke Deacon (+20), Joe Mathews (25) and Bob Norris (25).
Others retiring but not in attendance were Bob Pratt (10), Bonnie Albertson (9), Nancy Jones (23) and Dennis Jensen (27).
* * * * *
Congrats to Middletown High School junior Lisa Copeland. She is the first ever Lake County high school student (boy or girl) to advance to the Northern California CIF Golf Championships. To advance to the NorCals, Lisa had to work her way through three different qualifying tournaments.
Lisa is awesome on the golf course, but also sports a 4.9 GPA and does volunteer tutoring when not on the course.
* * * * *
There will be lots on new construction going on at all of the district schools over the next few years.
First affected will be on the main campus in early November. The drop-off area/circle in front of Minnie Cannon will be used as an equipment storage area for the construction crews. This will cause some traffic disruptions and changes in parking for the near future.
Similar upgrades can be expected at other locations around the district over the next couple years.
* * * * *
Minnie Cannon recently hosted a family science night. MC received a grant to bring the hands-on science night to our community in conjunction with the Explorit Science Museum in Davis.
Fifteen hands-on stations were available for students to interact with. Exhibits included optical illusions, engineering(building bridges and kites), electro static (a hair-raising good time), and an anatomy station where students could touch a real sheep's heart and lungs (with gloves of course).
MC student council provided science prizes from Funtopia that were raffled off every 15 minutes. MC teacher, Lisa Guerrero, was responsible for writing the grant and organizing the event.
* * * * *
Loconoma teacher, Cindy Weber, reports that two students have completed their graduation requirements. James Lemon and William Werder finished all requirements and will graduate this quarter. They will also return for formal commencement ceremonies on June 9, 2009.
Bob Norris is a 32-year Lake County retired teacher who lives on Cobb. He will be writing regular updates on the activities within the Middletown Unified School District.
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