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Opinion
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- Written by: Jackie Hodges
I am so sad to hear that the Heron Festival will not be held this year.
I googled the Heron Festival and apparently an article in Lake County News from last October advised there will no longer be a festival. How sad for Lake County residents and the county to not have such a wonderful event.
It was a very important event here in Lake County and it brought awareness of not only the majestic blue heron but other birds as well and nature in the wild. The attendance grew to 2,000 people so it seems that it was a very popular event and would only grow to be bigger as is the Kelseyville Pear Festival.
I personally enjoyed it at the Clear Lake State Park as it was a wonderful spring weekend/day that we would pack a picnic lunch and just enjoy the natural surroundings of the state park and then go view the DVDs of migrating hummingbirds or the blue herons/green herons and take walks along their nature trails. It was a wonderful experience for the whole family and especially children.
The Audubon Society has done a stellar job in keeping this going for 18 years, for which they all should be commended.
I realize that the Audubon Society has the responsibility but it seems that the chamber of commerce should step in to help out if it interferes with the working of their bird projects.
It seems this is one more event that is cut out of Lake County and just makes people like us have to go out of Lake County to enjoy family/senior activities and spend out money elsewhere.
I am very disappointed and I will let my friends know. I would have loved to volunteer at this wonderful festival.
Jackie Hodges lives in Lucerne, Calif.
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- Written by: Christine Brazis
I am saddened by the news of “low marks for critical health factors” in Lake County. (“New state report gives Lake County low marks for critical health factors,” Thursday, April 4.)
Though it is easy to put the blame on the patient’s lifestyle there is much more that is lacking in Lake County.
Most folks I know need to travel to another county to receive proper health care. They are just not happy with the lack of professional services offered to our citizens. When one gets older or disabled it gets even harder.
I suggest that the citizens demand and the county government change our current status. Let’s focus on inviting those who have the experience in this matter to transition poorer counties into a reasonable system of health care.
For instance, the county could accept other health plans or medical groups like Brown and Toyland, Blue Shield or Kaiser for at least one hospital. Since Lake County is rural some negotiations would need to be discussed.
Most of us have left the big city because of economics. We bring our health insurance with us only to be told that we need to go to Santa Rosa to receive any medical care. That’s two counties away!
Surely everyone is affected to some extent of other. I can’t think of anything more needed in this county and I hope someone in a position of power can lead the drive in providing what we most need.
Christine Brazis lives both in San Francisco and Middletown, Calif.
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- Written by: Phil Myers
This April, in recognition of Parkinson’s Awareness Month, I urge our neighbors to volunteer for Parkinson's research studies.
This week President Obama announced a bold new research initiative, the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative.
The BRAIN Initiative ultimately aims to help researchers find new ways to treat, cure, and prevent many diseases of the brain, including Parkinson's.
The only way that new treatments and a cure for Parkinson’s can happen is by ordinary people taking the extraordinary step of joining studies.
Some studies involve testing a new medication, while other studies can be as simple as taking a quick survey.
As a Parkinson’s Disease Foundation research advocate, I have spoken with many people who are excited to find out that we also need volunteers who do not have Parkinson’s for these studies.
To learn more about how you can help bring about better treatments at a faster pace, please contact the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation or a research institution such UCSF and the Parkinson’s institute in Sunnyvale.
The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation is a leading national presence in Parkinson’s disease research, education and public advocacy.
Since its founding in 1957, PDF has dedicated over $96 million to fund the work of leading scientists throughout the world and over $40 million to support national education and advocacy initiatives for more information, go to www.pdf.org .
Phil Myers lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Mike Adams and Wilda Shock
Thank you to the professional pianists – Spencer Brewer, Elena Casanova and Elizabeth MacDougall from Mendocino County, and Tom Aiken, Tom Ganoung and David Neft from Lake County – who performed recently in the Professional Pianists Concert at the Soper Reese Theatre.
Thank you to young piano student Hana Consterdine who opened the show for the professionals.
The Soper Reese in association with the Lake County Friends of Mendocino College is proud to sponsor this annual program of talented musicians.
We are grateful to the generous sponsors who recognized the partnership opportunity this concert provided to support the arts and education in Lake County: Mendo Lake Credit Union; Lakeport Furniture; Peggy Campbell, CPA; Lincoln-Leavitt Insurance Agency; John Tomkins Tax Consultants; Rick and Judy McCann; Wright Contracting Inc.; David Browning, OD; Susie LaPointe; Jim and Wilda Shock; and Pat and Lori McGuire.
Thank you to the donors of baskets and fine wines: Cheating Daylight and the Gill Family, Gloria Flaherty and the Lake Family Resource Center, Mendocino College Foundation, Judy Conard, Wally Holbrook, Susie LaPointe, Trena Pauly and Polestar Computers, Wilda Shock, Margaret Silveira, Rebecca Southwick and the Tallman Hotel.
We appreciate the team of volunteers from the Soper Reese and the Lake County Friends that assisted with ticket sales, ushering, concession sales, raffle ticket sales, sound, lights and announcements. Thank you to Doug Rhoades for being a masterful master of ceremonies.
We appreciate the Lake County media – Lake County Publishing, Lake County News, Middletown Times Star, Bicoastal Media and KPFZ-FM – for their continuing support.
Proceeds from ticket sales, the sponsorships, raffle ticket sales for bountiful baskets of Lake County products, and wines and refreshments sales resulted in proceeds that exceeded fundraising goals of both organizations.
Thank you to our entire community for recognizing the value and importance of supporting our institutions and our partnership.
Michael Adams is executive director of the Soper-Reese Community Theatre in Lakeport, Calif., and Wilda Shock is chairperson of the Lake County Friends of Mendocino College.