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Opinion
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
The Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association (AMIA) thanks all those who made its second annual musical fundraiser held at the Soper-Reese Community Theatre such a wonderful and successful event.
Those attending were treated to the delightful experience of seeing and hearing the connections that exists within musical families.
Grandparents performed with their grandkids (Johnsen Family Band), parents performed with their children (Anderson Family Bluegrass Band), brother performed with brother (Contreras brothers) – the family connections were wonderful.
Pat Ickes also shared stories of growing up in his own musical family, and spoke for everyone there when he commented, “This better than TV, huh?”
Thanks to the staff and volunteers of the Soper-Reese Community Theatre, including Wally Fuller and Mike Adams, who made everything easy.
The event couldn’t have happened without our wonderful AMIA Volunteers: Mike Bielenberg, Vivian and Tom McFarling, Dwain Goforth, Suzy Rudofker, Myra Sherman and Sheila O’Hara. John Thorn from Thorn Hill Vineyards was there pouring his fine wines. Thanks to John and thanks to Thorn Hill Vineyards for sharing the proceeds from the sale of wine with AMIA. Thanks also to local community radio station KPFZ for helping get out the word about the event.
Thanks to Andi Skelton for her donated work on the posters and program, and for her work helping some of the young performers prepare for the show.
Our fabulous master of ceremonies, Bill Fredriksson, kept the show moving along. His humor and enthusiasm shone brightly each time he took the microphone.
Special thanks to Don Coffin for all his work organizing the event and in backing up the talented Contreras brothers.
And of course, many thanks to all of the musicians who generously agreed to perform.
“AMIA is in the middle of its fundraising drive to raise the money necessary to meet its obligation under the partnership agreement that AMIA recently signed with the state to keep the Park open and accessible to the public for the next three years,” said Henry Bornstein, AMIA treasurer. “The financial boost from the Soper Reese event is much appreciated.”
Thanks again to all.
Roberta Lyons is president of the Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association, based in Lower Lake, Calif.
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- Written by: Dave Gebhard
I hear people grousing about the cost and abuses attributed to the so-called Obamacare.
The Affordable Care Act has not even really begun, and old grievances due to the cut backs due to the recession are blamed on it.
Let us see exactly how it comes out after it is in force for a year or so.
The employer part has been delayed for a year, and 28 states are going to annul part of its efficacy.
Meant for all to participate, healthy or not, everyone would have access to preventive medical care. Pricing would be on a sliding scale, and the hospitals would be the ones taking the primary shortfall.
Later, after the bugs are worked out of the system, everyone would benefit by universal coverage.
Regretfully, 28 states, the ones who need it the most, are opting out.
The leaders of those states should be ashamed, keeping affordable health care from their citizens, the ones who could least afford it is criminal.
Allow the bugs to be identified and rectified, give it a chance before excoriating it.
Dave Gebhard lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Nelson Strasser
Let us recall that President Obama campaigned for office with the promise of health care reform. And, we elected him to do just that.
And so, he began an effort to draft a bill after he was elected. Many are unhappy with the bill that resulted, but, keep in mind that 3,000 lobbyists from the health care industry descended on Washington, D.C. to influence the bill, and the end product was the best that the administration could do under the circumstances.
Some folks are saying Obamacare is bad because it forces people to have health insurance. All the folks on Social Security have Medicare.
They (like me) are forced to pay for Medicare – it is taken out of our check. Have you ever heard one person complain about Medicare because they are forced to pay for it? Not!
I found a site that calculated my payment for health insurance under Obamacare in California. I entered my circumstances, except used a younger age (at my age, I get Medicare). My health insurance under Obamacare would be $244. With Medicare and supplemental, my actual health insurance is about $255. Obamacare is very reasonably priced.
Then, why the obstruction?
First, there are enough Republican votes to pass the budget, according to my son. Speaker Boehner is refusing to accept the plan, and it can’t pass without his approval.
One man is jamming the machinery of government. How can he do this? He can do it because his stand on Obamacare does not threaten his reelection, which is also true of many other Republican congressman.
This means that their constituencies are saying, “I don’t want health care for myself and my family.” The irony is that many are middle class and working poor, and yet they have the same world view as millionaires, who have no issue paying their own health care.
So, the reason the government is closed is that some people vote against their own interests. They see the world through the same prism as do the rich.
This is doubly sad, because there are many more of us than there are of them. How do we turn on the lights in the hinterland?
Nelson Strasser lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Ed Robey
I would like to explain why the Sierra Club has endorsed Measure H, which would raise funds for road repair in the city of Clearlake, as well as for code enforcement.
It has long been evident that erosion from deteriorating streets in the city of Clearlake results in the introduction of soil and road surface pollutants into Clear Lake, and that excessive nutrients from hard surface runoff of this kind contribute to noxious algae blooms.
Very suggestively, the county's recent analysis of satellite images of Clear Lake has shown a “hot spot” in the lake adjacent to the city of Clearlake area consistent with a high level of pollution from this source.
By providing the funding needed to repair the city streets, Measure H will reduce erosion and discharge of polluted waters into the lake.
Effective code enforcement will also reduce pollution by removing sources of toxic materials in the city, including those originating from excessive marijuana grows in violation of the city's cultivation ordinance.
These are the primary reasons that the Sierra Club supports this ballot initiative. Therefore, we ask the voters in Clearlake to support and vote for Measure H.
Ed Robey is chair of the Sierra Club Lake Group. He lives in Lower Lake, Calif.