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Steven Russell Mitten, 18, was arrested late Saturday following a crash that occurred shortly before 10 p.m., according to California Highway Patrol Officer Adam Garcia.
Garcia said Mitten was driving a 1990 Jeep Wrangler eastbound on Soda Bay Road east of Montezuma Way in the Clearlake Riviera when he crossed the double yellow lines. As a result he collided head-on with a 1993 Mercury taxi cab heading westbound and driven by 43-year-old Peter Green of Clearlake.
Green sustained major injuries and was taken by REACH air ambulance to Sutter Lakeside Hospital. From there he was later transferred to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, Garcia said.
Mitten also was transported by REACH to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, said Garcia, where he was treated then released into CHP custody.
Garcia said Mitten was suspected of driving while under the influence of alcohol and was arrested on a felony charge of DUI causing bodily injury. He has since posted the $7,000 bail and been released, according to jail records.
Officer Randy Forslund is investigating the incident, Garcia said.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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Dave Geck, who heads Lake County's Office of of Education, returned from vacation last week. The grand jury report was released on July 9, the day before he left for a scheduled trip to Alaska.
During his first week back on the job the report was the “main thing on my desk,” Geck said.
“I was really upset and mostly concerned about the issues surrounding fairness and accuracy,” Geck said of the report, which he called “inflammatory.”
The report offered two pages of findings but no final recommendations, noting that the investigation is ongoing and will continue with the newly seated grand jury.
Some of the report's findings raised issues with hiring practices, qualifications of an administrator awarded a new position that gave that person an additional $25,000 a year in salary, a pattern of “exorbitant spending” by one administrator in charge of grant programs, hostile work conditions and fear of retaliation from the office's administration.
Because of the highly confidential nature of the grand jury's work, grand jury Foreman Brondell Locke can't comment on the investigation or elaborate on the findings in the report.
Geck said he was concerned that, by listing facts and findings without the investigation being completed, “the impression is, that this is all true.”
He said he and his staff were asked to testify before the grand jury but given little information ahead of time in order to prepare. Had they known more about the grand jury's questions, Geck said they could have provided the necessary information about department policies and procedures.
Geck said he's planning to make a formal response to the report in order to “clear the air.” The response is due 60 days from the July 9 report release date.
To what does he attribute the report?
“What I believe is there are probably employees who felt they weren't treated fairly,” he said. “Whether they were treated fairly or not is a different question.”
Geck who has been in education for 34 years, said he's not sure why those employees would have taken their complaints to the grand jury, when such matters usually are handled through a process that includes representation for the employee. “So I'm not sure exactly what the intent was.”
He said he can't comment publicly about the personnel issues the report raises. But he said he's willing to share personnel files with the grand jury, and would have done so already if they had provided him with a list of files they wanted to see.
“We have information to share with the grand jury, and we will,” he said. “We're taking it very seriously what they're saying.”
Looking closer at report's findings
Geck said he and his staff are looking at the need for an internal investigation to look at the grand jury's findings. So far, there has been no meeting scheduled between him and the grand jury to discuss the matter, but he said he anticipates contacting Locke to set up a time to talk.
One of the grand jury's findings said one administrator spent more than $9,000 in one year on meal and lodging reimbursement, including expenses for people not employed by the Lake County Office of Education.
Geck said to determine if that amount was appropriate, they have to look at the program involved and what expenditures – such as travel and conferences – that are tied to the program's goals. While it may look like an excessive amount to members of the public, it may not necessarily be out of line.
“We're going to look at all of that,” he said.
Expenditures extending to people outside of the Office of Education may be either for people from other districts or members of the business community who sometimes are invited to participate in certain trips, he said.
Geck added that the state requires annual audits of the Office of Education's finances by an outside auditor.
Regarding allegations of a hostile work environment, Geck said his staff also is looking into that. He said he has never had a written complaint listing a hostile work environment or issues of mental abuse the grand jury report cited.
There are many different departments and programs in the Office of Education, he said. “It could be in a part of the organization, we don't know that.”
Geck said he also can explain to the grand jury about the administrator who received a position that gave them a $25,000 a year salary increase.
The report said the position that administrator received was a new one, created in 2007. “The position's existed in the county office for seven or eight years, so it wasn't a new position,” said Geck.
It was, however, posted internally only, which Geck said is done frequently.
Office of Education Human Resources Director Ed Skeen confirmed that the position existed previously.
Another report finding raised issues of proper certifications for some administrative staff.
Skeen said there is a “strange phenomenon” when it comes to credentialing for teachers and administrators. He estimated 75 to 80 percent of local credential applications go through his office, and his staff reviews all qualifications for those.
However, some credential applications take other routes through colleges or universities, which then send letters to the state recommending certification upon completion of a program.
It's possible in those cases, said Skeen, that the person receiving the credential may not be qualified, but his office wouldn't have access to the qualifying criteria. “We do not see every single credential application or supporting documentation.”
He was careful to add, “I'm not questioning anybody's credential status.”
Skeen said the grand jury's report identified issues to look at that the Office of Education also had identified as needing attention, although he did not specify what those were.
The grand jury's approach, he added, appears to be fair-minded.
“I think there's some validity to their interest” in some areas, he said, adding that they might be misled on other areas.
If mistakes were made, they'll be fixed, said Geck.
While the grand jury report indicated an investigation is still under way, Geck added, “The other side of the story is, we're in process, too.”
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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UPPER LAKE – The Tallman Hotel and Blue Wing Saloon and Café in Upper Lake, along with co-sponsor Ceago Vinegarden, are pleased to announce the lineup for this year’s four-day Blue Wing Blues Festival, planned for Aug. 6 through Aug. 9.
Starting at 5:45 p.m. each evening, two great bands will perform on the veranda of the restored Tallman Hotel with the audience gathered in the intimate garden between the hotel and saloon. It’s a great time of day and a great spot to enjoy world-class music with a tasty barbecue dinner included in the price of admission.
Advance tickets are $40; $45 for the Saturday night performance. Tickets are available for purchase by calling the Tallman Hotel at 707-275-2244. Any tickets still available at the gate will be subject to a $5 surcharge.
The following is the festival's performance lineup.
– Wednesday, Aug. 6: Kathi McDonald backed by Rich Kirch and David Hayes to open followed by Twice as Good (featuring Paul Steward) with special guest appearance by the legendary Charlie Musselwhite, winner of the 2006 award for blues album of the year (Delta Hardware). Sponsors: ReMax Realty, AlloraDa Car Productions, and radio station KNTI.
– Thursday, Aug. 7: Kathi McDonald and Rich Kirch followed by the great blues and soul singer Bettie Mae Fikes and the BMF Band with Levi Lloyd and Robert Watson. Sponsors: Lake Lock and Safe, Windrem Law Firm, and Zoom Wines.
– Friday, Aug. 8: Lake Blues All-Stars featuring Mike Wilhelm, Jim Williams and NEON, then the Ford Blues Band with Patrick Ford and Volker Strifler. Sponsors: Strong Financial Group and Moore Family Wines.
– Saturday, Aug. 9: “Mighty Mike” Schermer plus the incomparable Maria (“Midnight at the Oasis”) Muldaur and her Red Hot Bluesiana Band. Sponsors: Blues Express Records, Kelseyville Lumber, UCC Rentals and Ink Spot.
The Blue Wing Saloon has become “the spot” in Lake County for regular live music. In addition to music in the garden at Sunday brunch, great local bands appear in the Saloon every Monday night from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The August lineup for the “Blue Wing Monday Blues” includes:
Aug. 4 – Blues Farm with Dave Broida
Aug. 11 – The Dan Meyer Band
Aug. 18 – The Mark Weston Band
Aug. 25 – Memphis Exchange with Randy McGowen
Sept. 1 – Twice as Good with Paul Steward
For more information on the Blues Festival or other musical events at the Blue Wing Saloon and Café, call 707-275-2244 or visit www.tallmanhotel.com or www.bluewingsaloon.com.
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I went to the airport to support my daughter but, being the eternal epicurean, upon arriving at the airport I immediately noticed “There’s a restaurant here!”
For those of you that remember the Sicily’s in Lakeport and Kelseyville, this place is owned by the same people. They have been at the airport since last November and I’m thrilled to have found them. There is something for everyone on this menu. Pasta, salads, steaks, seafood – without a doubt, you will find something that you will like.
The décor is unique. I started off noticing the stereotypical Italian red and white table clothes, but that design element is mixed with pub-style beer promotional neon lights, aviator artwork and some photos of celebrities that have visited their establishment. It’s a little bit of everything that tells the patron just who they are, and it’s funky and fun.
Something I took note of (because as a critic I look for these kinds of touches) is the server presented all of the women I was with (yeah, it’s a tough life) their menus first, and took their orders before mine as well. He also served all of the women before me. To me, that is the sign of a really high-class place because that is a business that knows proper etiquette. That alone makes me respect an eatery because restaurant protocol is a dying art.
Complementary dinner rolls and butter were served while we were waiting for our meal. We also ordered some drinks from their well-stocked bar.
Since my wife makes an awesome Fettuccini Alfredo, I ordered the Prawns Alfredo; I thought it would be interesting to compare them. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and had an appropriate amount for the dish.
As a matter of fact, everything was perfectly cooked. The sauce was fantastic – the only difference that I could tell between Sicily’s Alfredo sauce and my wife’s is that my wife’s includes onions, Sicily’s Prawns Alfredo is THAT good! Remember, my wife edits these columns for me so I have to watch out that I don’t say it’s better than my wife’s but the insinuation is there, got it?
I ordered some deep fried calamari on the side, and it came with French fries; both were crisp and good tasting. I came back another day by myself because I liked my first lunch there so much, and this time I had the Buffalo wings. They come in either a half order (six wings) or whole order (12 wings) with a blue cheese dressing on the side. They come to the table a presented on a pure white plate, and the wings themselves are a beautiful color of red sprinkled with gorgonzola cheese. The presentation really made something as simple as Buffalo wings seem posh. The wings are perfectly seasoned with a spicy hot, but not insane, sauce.
And there’s a bonus to eating here. Not only do you get to enjoy a really good meal but you get to watch aircraft take off and land while you eat. It’s like dinner and a show, although it’s a little more hair-raising when you’re watching your 13-year-old daughter landing an aircraft on a windy day.
So now since discovering this new location, I’ve been there twice for lunch and will definitely someday come back later in the day, because the dinner menu looks even more impressive. They claim “Best Steaks Around the Lake,” and after looking at their dinner menu I’m champing at the bit to go there for an evening. Just listen to these offerings, quoted from their menu ...
Rib Eye Gorgonzola: Tender, juicy 14 ouunce grilled steak topped with Gorgonzola cheese and a special blend of herbs and spices.
Peppered Filet: Tender, juicy 10 ounce beef tenderloin rolled in fresh cracked pepper and glazed with a balsamic cabernet reduction.
I’m drooling like a mountain lion looking at a flock of three-legged sheep just thinking about having dinner there! Then there’s the seafood entrees, the veal, even eggplant parmesan ... Criminy! I’m going to have to get a small apartment nearby just to be close enough to eat everything on their menu that I want to try!
The prices are more than fair for the quality of food and service you are getting, and they do accept reservations which I think are always a good idea. They’re open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch, and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for dinner, Sundays 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., and they’re closed on Mondays.
If you are interested in the flight experience that my daughter’s school attended, you can call Solo Flight School at 707-U-CAN-FLY (822-6359)
And no, I’m not including my wife’s Fettuccini Alfredo recipe today. I can’t. She’s closely guarding that recipe.
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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This is the first time since 2003, when PPIC first posed the question, that more Californians favor offshore drilling than oppose it (45%), a shift caused in large part by a surge in support among Republicans. It is also one of many reactions to soaring gas prices that the PPIC survey reveals. The survey was conducted with funding from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and is the eighth in a series about Californians and the environment.
As the national debate intensifies over how to respond to rising energy costs in a lagging economy, Californians report that they are changing their behavior. The number of workers who drive to work alone has dropped 11 points in five years (73% 2003, 62% 2008). Nearly seven in 10 residents (69%) report cutting back significantly on their driving, and nearly three in four (74%) are seriously considering a more fuel-efficient car the next time they buy a vehicle.
WORRYING ABOUT WARMING
Despite the pain at the pump, residents are concerned that global warming is a threat to California, which has the nation's toughest goals for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Half of Californians (52%) say global warming is a very serious threat to the state's economy and quality of life, and more than six in 10 (64%) say its effects have already begun, a 7-point increase from 2005.
But here, too, a partisan divide exists, with nearly seven in 10 Democrats (67%) saying global warming is a very serious threat, compared to about half of independents (49%) and just one in four Republicans (25%).
Similarly, 74 percent of Democrats say the effects of warming have already begun, compared to 64 percent of independents and just 41 percent of Republicans. Majorities of Californians say governments are not doing enough to address global warming at any level – federal (66%), state (51%), or local (52%). However, opinion is again divided along party lines, with less than half of Republicans saying that federal (43%), state (29%), or local (33%) governments are not doing enough about global warming.
The barrage of bad news about the economy has not dampened residents' enthusiasm for taking immediate action against global warming.
Eight in 10 (80%) believe steps should be taken right away, a percentage that has increased 7 points since 2003. Majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and independents express this view.
Californians disagree with the notion that state leaders, who must fill a multibillion-dollar budget deficit, should wait to implement AB32, the 2006 law that set goals to slash greenhouse gas emissions. Nearly six in 10 (57%) say the state should take steps right away, while a little over a third (36%) say that government should wait until the economy and budget have improved.
"Tough economic times have not diminished the importance of environmental issues for Californians," says Mark Baldassare, president and CEO of PPIC. "The environment is seen as a matter of health and well-being, and residents don't want to cut corners there."
"At the same time, Californians are living with the financial hardship of higher gas prices, and they're changing their behavior. They're driving less, which is an environmental win because auto emissions increase global warming. The issue for the state's leaders is to transform Californians' values and their day-to-day economic challenges into a policy that moves the state forward."
TRANSIT ROUTINES SHIFT – MAINLY FOR YOUNGER, POORER COMMUTERS
Three in four Californians (76%) say that increases in gasoline prices have caused financial hardship in their households. A majority of workers (62%) report that they drive alone to work, but more workers are carpooling (17% today, 13% 2007). Since last year, about the same percentage of workers report walking, bicycling, or working at home (13% today, 12% 2007), or taking public transit (7% today and in 2007), perhaps reflecting that these commuting choices are not available to all Californians.
Those who are richer and older are more likely to drive to work alone: An overwhelming percentage (70%) of residents with household incomes above $80,000 are solo commuters, compared to less than half (44%) of those with incomes under $40,000. While more than 68 percent of Californians between ages 35 and 54 drive to work alone, 52 percent of Californians between ages 18 and 34 do. Among Californians who drive to work alone, 31 percent own or lease an SUV and 6 percent own or lease a hybrid.
WHERE SHOULD THE ENERGY COME FROM? POLITICAL VIEWS VARY
How should the nation meet its energy needs? The new support for offshore oil drilling (51% today, 41% 2007) has come from all adults – Republicans (77%, up from 60%), independents (44%, up from 33%), and Democrats (35%, up from 29%). Still, most Democrats (60%) and half of independents (50%) oppose more drilling.
Support for building more nuclear power plants has also increased. Four in 10 (44%) residents support it and half (50%) are opposed. The partisan divide is wide on this issue, with Republicans supporting it (66% in favor, 29% opposed), independents slightly in favor (51% in favor, 42% opposed), and Democrats opposed (60% opposed, 34% in favor).
But there is bipartisan support for alternative proposals to meet the nation's energy needs. More than eight in 10 Californians (83%) support federal funding for research on renewable technologies, such as wind, solar, and hydrogen. Across political parties, more than three in four voters agree with this view.
Seven in 10 Californians say automakers should be required to significantly improve fuel efficiency in cars, even if this increases the cost of buying a car. This view also has strong backing across party lines, with support from 81 percent of independents, 80 percent of Democrats, and 68 percent of Republicans.
Visit the PPIC's Web site at www.ppic.org.
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“This is the first West Nile activity we've had in Lake County this year,” District Manager and Research Director Jamesina J. Scott, Ph.D., told Lake County News.
Scott said this is the time of year when officials expect to see more mosquito activity and, along with it, more West Nile activity throughout the state.
The mosquitoes, Culex stigmatosoma – the banded foul water mosquito – were collected in Lakeport on Tuesday, Scott said.
She said the mosquitoes develop in backyard sources of standing water such as birdbaths, neglected pools and ornamental ponds, as well as larger sources like ditches and wastewater ponds.
West Nile Virus is a disease most often spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, according to the California West Nile Virus Web site. The mosquitoes' main source for the virus is wild birds.
Scott said most people who get West Nile Virus from infected mosquitoes won't become ill, but about 20 percent may experience mild to moderate flu-like symptoms which may be prolonged.
About one in 150 people will become very ill, she said. People over age 50 and people with suppressed or compromised immune systems are more likely to become seriously ill. West Nile Virus infection is rare, but people with symptoms, including high fever, severe headache and stiff neck, should contact their health care provider immediately.
Scott urged residents and visitors to take common-sense precautions to protect themselves from being bitten by mosquitoes that transmit the disease. Precautions include avoiding spending time outside at dawn and dusk when the mosquitoes are active; if you must be outside, use a mosquito repellent.
She also asked community members to spend a few minutes this weekend checking out their yards and eliminating standing water where mosquitoes develop in order to protect themselves, their families and fellow community members.
Other than the mosquitoes, this year so far there have been no West Nile cases in horses, humans or chickens, and no dead wild birds, said Scott. Last year there were three dead birds, eight mosquito samples and two sentinel chickens that were positive for West Nile virus in Lake County.
According to state West Nile Virus statistics, Lake is the first North Coast county to show any West Nile activity.
In Southern California the story is different, said Scott, with numerous cases of both birds and mosquitoes found to be infected. In addition, three of the four cases of horses infected this year are in Southern California counties, with the fourth case in Fresno County, the state West Nile Virus Web site reported.
Most of the state's 29 human cases also are located in Southern California, according to state statistics.
Officials reports fewer cases this year
There have been fewer cases of humans with West Nile Virus this year as opposed to last year at this time, when 65 human cases had already been reported.
In addition to the 29 human cases and four cases of horses infected this year, there are have been 808 dead birds, 604 mosquito samples, 30 sentinel chickens and five squirrels found to have the disease statewide, the state reported.
There is no human vaccine for West Nile, although several very good vaccines exist for protecting horses, with the California Department of Food and Agriculture encouraging vaccination. That's the only way to keep horses safe, as there's no cure for the disease in horses.
Horses cases have been down over the last few years, statistics show.
Since West Nile gained a foothold in California in 2003, it has infected hundreds of horses. In its two peak years of 2004 and 2005, it infected 540 and 456 horses, respectively, according to California Department of Food and Agriculture officials. The numbers of cases in horses have since appeared to taper off dramatically due to a variety of factors, including vaccination.
Getting rid of breeding grounds
Scott said an issue of particular concern is homes with neglected swimming pools, since such pools are an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes.
That problem has been compounded, she said, by the statewide foreclosure crisis, with pools, fountains, water features and spas being left unattended and, therefore, becoming a contributing factor to mosquito breeding.
Vector Control has a special ally in the fight against West Nile Virus, said Scott: mosquitofish.
The little gray guppies thrive on mosquitoes, she said. “They're a good employee.”
The district makes the fish available free of charge, Scott said, for use in pools or water features that don't have chlorine or chemicals.
“If someone can let us know they've got a neighbor with a bad pool we'll come out and put some fish in it,” she said.
County residents are encouraged to report dead birds and squirrels to the state’s toll-free Dead Bird Hotline 1-877-WNV-BIRD (1-877-968-2473) or online at the California Department of Public Health’s website www.westnile.ca.gov.
If you would like to report a mosquito problem, have questions about mosquitoes or mosquito control, or need mosquito fish, please call the Lake County Vector Control District at 263-4770.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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