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LAKE COUNTY – An intrepid group of local park supporters went to Sacramento Monday to let state leaders know that they're not willing to accept seeing state parks closed.
About half a dozen people made the trip to take part in Park Advocacy Day, which this year has special meaning in light of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to close 48 state parks – including Clear Lake State Park and Anderson March State Historic Park – in order to address the state's budget shortfall.
The California State Parks Foundation reported that more than 300 people participated in the event Monday in an effort to ward off threats to parks.
Clearlake Oaks residents Leona and D.A. Butts were among those making the trip, taking with them thousands of signatures opposing the park closure. Leona Butts is a member of the Clear Lake State Park Interpretive Association's board of directors.
Also there were Madelene Lyon of Kelseyville, Clear Lake State Park Interpretive Association president; Val Nixon of Kelseyville, a recently retired park ranger who worked at Clear Lake State Park; Lower Lake resident Joey Luiz; Kelseyville residents Neil and Bobbi Towne; and Supervisor Rob Brown and his son, Tyler.
The day gave park advocates a chance to meet with legislators and representatives of the Schwarzenegger administration.
Legislators received good reviews from the group for their receptiveness to the message of saving parks.
Schwarzenegger's representatives? Not so much.
In a meeting with Thomas Sheehy, deputy director of legislation for the state Department of Finance, and Bismarck Obando, Schwarzenegger's acting director of external affairs, Butts, Nixon and Luiz recounted a terrible experience.
Luiz said Supervisor Rob Brown “really laid it on them and told them how the people of the county felt.”
However, the group recounted that Sheehy cut off Brown during his presentation. He then gave them the equivalent of a fifth-grade lecture on state finance and went so far as to accuse the delegation of caring only about their parks and not the state's fiscal situation.
Sheehy told the group that the governor needed their support of his 10-percent, across-the-board budget cuts, said Buttes.
Nixon said the group tried to offer a set of alternatives to the cuts, but overall they received a cool, condescending reception.
Schwarzenegger's staffer, Obando, couldn't even be bothered to listen to the group, instead sitting through the meeting with his attention on his palm pilot, Nixon said.
“We were very surprised by how rudely the constituents of Lake County were dealt with,” said Nixon.
Luiz said he asked Sheehy and Obando if they had ever explored the impacts on rural communities that the park closures would have.
“There was no answer to that, so of course they didn't,” he said.
Nixon said the officials didn't seem to grasp the importance of the parks to Lake County and its economy. Nixon explained that the 150,000 visitors who annually visit the two state parks bring dollars to businesses around the county.
Outside of that meeting, the rest of the day was wonderful, said Nixon. “We went and we participated in a very meaningful day.”
The group met with Assembly member Patty Berg and a staff from Sen. Patricia Wiggins' office. The North Coast districts of both legislators are being hit especially hard with proposed park closures. Berg and Wiggins both communicated their support for parks, said Nixon.
Nixon said she also ran into former Sen. Wes Chesbro, who is now running for Berg's seat, and he also was supportive of saving state parks.
State Superintendent of Schools Jack O'Connell was another supportive voice, said Nixon. He pointed out to park advocates that education relies on parks, which Nixon verified, saying more than 1,000 school children visit Lake County's parks annually.
In all, the day illustrated that people love and want to maintain their parks, said Nixon.
Nixon also called Sheehy's office Tuesday to register her disappointment in the Monday meeting. “They should be accountable to us.”
She said Sheehy called back and was perfectly polite.
“We did learn that our petitions and our presentation were taken to the governor's office, so that's where they are now,” Butts added.
“It's hard to feel like you made any progress but I feel like we did,” said Luiz.
However, officials didn't reveal what's ahead for parks, and offered no hope that the cuts might be set aside.
The potential closures, said Nixon, won't garner future support for parks. In order to inform the public of the value of putting land aside, they need to see it.
Butts said park supporters continue to gather signatures to send to the governor. For more information call her at 998-3027.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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South Lake County Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Jim Wright said his agency, along with Cal Fire and the Lake County Sheriff's Office, responded to the incident, evacuating students and staff and accounting for everyone who should have been on campus.
The bomb threat was called in at about 1 p.m. Tuesday, said Kevin Colburn, public information officer for Cal Fire.
The caller reported that a bomb was located in one of the lockers, said Colburn. The voice in the message was muffled and officials couldn't make out if it was male or female.
All students and personnel were evacuated to a nearby field, said Colburn.
Middletown High School Principal Chris Heller did not return a phone call seeking comment. Also unavailable for comment Tuesday afternoon were sheriff's officials.
Lake County Office of Education reported that Middletown High has approximately 574 students, 30 teachers, two administrative staff and one counselor.
“We went in and did a cursory search,” said Wright.
Fire officials said the search took about a half hour, and included all of the lockers.
Sheriff's investigators eventually concluded that the threat wasn't credible, said Wright.
In all about 20 personnel from the various agencies assisted in the evacuation, said Colburn.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Humble said the collision happened at 11:55 a.m. on Manzanita Avenue west of Hudson Avenue in Nice.
Humble said the child rode his bike out of a private driveway and into the street. A 71-year-old Nice man was driving eastbound on Manzanita in a Mercury sedan, and couldn't get his car stopped in time to avoid hitting the boy on his bike.
The 9-year-old, who was wearing a helmet, is believed to have suffered fractures to both legs, said Humble.
He was flown to UC Davis Medical Center for treatment due to the extent of his injuries, Humble said.
Humble said Officer Nick Powell is investigating the incident.
Another collision – a solo vehicle versus a tree – that resulted in major injuries was reported on Highway 20 in Lucerne late Tuesday but no further information was available because CHP offices had closed.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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Project PC, a division of the Earth and Spacial Technology (EAST) class at Middletown High School, is offering free computers to community members, according to teacher and EAST Advisor Dan Renninger.
The only requirement is that those who apply for the computers can't already own one, and must sign the Project PC Terms of Agreement. In return the group will provide a refurbished computer, a 20-minute lesson teaching new computer owners how to set up and use the machines, and an informational pamphlet.
The computers come complete with an installed copy of Windows 2000 Pro, OpenOffice 2.3, anti-spyware software and a variety of other programs that are useful during everyday computer use, Renninger explained.
Project PC formally got started during this school year. “This is the first year we were able to do it successfully and get it off the ground,” said Middletown High senior Bobby Oertel, who is leading the student project.
Currently six students – three seniors and three freshmen – spend about four hours a week – in addition to extra time on their own, refurbishing computers or helping with other tech issues around the school and, as a result, saving the school a lot of money, said Renninger.
“This was a student-initiated project,” he said. “They felt there was a need in the community to provide technology for people.”
He added, “They had skills with computer and they felt that they could give back.”
Oertel added that it's a chance for the seniors to share their knowledge with the younger students.
He said Project PC so far has given away 15 computers to individuals, and another eight have been put to work in the Minnie Cannon Elementary School library, where they replaced older computers.
Renninger said Redbud Community Hospital donated about 70 older computers to the effort. “That's the biggest batch we've received.”
In addition, Langtry Estate and Vineyard also has promised another set of computers, said Renninger.
The challenge now, said Oertel, is getting the word out. They have plenty of computers ready and can have many more – as many as 50 – prepared for new homes within a week.
Renninger said his students are working hard and doing a great job. “They're good kids, they've got good hearts.”
Added Oertel, “It's just a great way to help the community.”
It's not only a great community service, but an excellent way for the students to hone their skills in preparation for careers in information technology, said Renninger.
Oertel said he's planning to pursue a career in the technology field.
Project PC also is accepting more computer donations, either PC or Macintosh – anything community members or businesses want to donate, said Renninger.
He added that any materials they can't use will be recycled.
For more information about the free computers or to donate machines contact Dan Renninger at 987-4140, Extension 4010.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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More than 300 participants – including Lake County residents – decried Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's position to close 48 California state parks and reduce lifeguard staffing on 16 state beaches.
“Never before have California’s state parks been under such assault,” said Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation. “From plans to build a six lane toll road through San Onofre State Beach to a proposal to add transmission lines through protected desert wilderness, to this latest proposal to shut down 48 of California’s magnificent state parks, the attack on state parks has been unprecedented.”
Goldstein said the gathering demonstrated that state parks are essential to Californians’ quality of life and government can’t ignore the will of the people.
With picket signs and banners, legislators, mayors, environmentalists, teachers and park users unified to send the Legislature and the governor a message that closing even one state park is unacceptable.
These proposed cuts impact nearly every Californian. More than 77 million people visited California state parks last year and this year, 9,000 camping reservations for opening day in May have been logged, an increase of more than 20 percent over last year. Meanwhile, millions of teachers and students continue to utilize state parks for affordable educational activities.
“Throughout the state, hundreds of volunteers work to improve our state parks and raise greater awareness about all the benefits our state parks have to offer to Californians," said Randy Widera, president of the California League of Park Associations. “We will continue fighting to keep all of our state parks open as they are essential to our communities and should be preserved as a lasting legacy for future generations.”
These cuts along with a reduction in lifeguard staffing, results in a little more than $13 million in savings to the state, or one-thirteenth of 1 percent of the state budget. However, those savings are negated when factoring in the loss of tourism dollars to local economies.
“Our history is an immutable part of our state’s culture. These parks generate millions of dollars of revenues for our state and local economies and their closure will do very little to assuage the debt we are facing,” said Sen. Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria). “What we stand to lose if we close these parks and historical monuments is far greater than any monetary benefit we gain from their closure.”
“Access to our state parks is among the investments we hold most dear in California. Today’s budget crisis represents the greatest threat to our parks in a generation,” said Assembly Budget Committee Chair John Laird (D-Santa Cruz). “The solution is not to shut down state parks, eliminate lifeguards at our state beaches, or pave new roadways through our parks. Our state parks are a legacy for the future. We should spend the next several weeks talking with the people of California about what kind of California we want to have, how we’re going to save our parks and how we should fund them.”
The governor’s proposal calls for the closure of 18 state parks, 16 state historic parks and museums, three state beaches, nine state recreation areas and two state reserves.
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Starting in March Lake County Code Enforcement began tackling what has become an annual task of cleaning up dump sites in remote areas, said Code Enforcement Manager Voris Brumfield.
“In last year's budget we requested funds to start illegal dump cleanups,” she explained.
On March 8 Code Enforcement began with cleanups near Upper Lake, Nice and Clearlake Oaks, said Brumfield.
Moving to another spot along the Northshore, on March 29 Code Enforcement cleaned up the Morrison Creek area, said Brumfield, which also had been cleaned up about a year ago.
Later this month, cleanups will take place at sites in Kelseyville and Cobb, Brumfield added.
The cost to do the cleanups is more than $5,000 per day, said Brumfield. The county will apply to California Integrated Waste Management Board for reimbursement.
Brumfield said most cleanups take place during the spring, when the weather is more mild and there is less concern about running into rattlesnakes.
The California Integrated Waste Management Board reports that illegal dumping is a problem throughout the state. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent by jurisdictions around the state in cleaning up dumped materials, while private land owners also find themselves paying to remove garbage dumped on their land.
Code Enforcement's Web page on the county Web site – www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/DepartmentDirectory/Code_Enforcement.htm – has more information on illegal dumping and how to help prevent it.
To report dumping to Code Enforcement, call 263-2309 during working hours or contact their 24-hour hotline message phone at 263-2308. Illegal dumping also can be reported by calling 1-888-DFG-CALTIP.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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