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Letters
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- Written by: Tom Nixon
As a 30-year resident of Clear Lake Riviera and community volunteer, I’ve been working for the last six years to address real fire prevention within our Mt. Konocti communities, including all of the Rivieras.
It is my opinion that we need changes made at our fire protection district, including electing some new board members. As a result, I’m recommending that property owners consider electing John “JT” Traller and Justin Molloy, and re-electing Felicia Bridges. Here is why.
KFPD has become distant and uncommunicative with its communities. When I made a presentation in front of the board over a year ago regarding the district’s role in fire prevention as it pertains to their own Ordinance #12 (which identifies a 100-foot required defensible space around all homes in Clear Lake Riviera, Riviera West, Riviera Heights, Konocti Bay, Buckingham and Soda Bay) they have been non-responsive. Why is this kept on the books if it’s not enforced? No response.
The state Public Resource Code section 4291 (a) (1) allows a 100-foot clearance around homes, “but not beyond the property line.” If the state Public Resource Code section 4291 (a) (2) states that a “local ordinance” may create “greater distance” to enforce clearance over property lines to achieve an actual 100-foot clearance around homes, what is KFPD’s stand on this “local ordinance” as it pertains to 4921 (a) (1)? We don’t know; they haven’t responded to me.
Finally, what is KFPD’s role in fire prevention? Education only? No one has reached out to me at any level to explain to me what KFPD’s role is in fire prevention, until recently.
Candidate for re-election, Felicia Bridges, contacted me. She’s also endorsing new candidates, JT and Justin, as candidates for change at KFPD. Felicia and JT have recently spoken with Clear Lake Riviera members and all three have spoken at Riviera Heights regarding their ideas for change (Clear Lake Riviera Community Association invited all candidates and solicited candidate statements from all).
Felicia, JT and Justin all agree that it’s time to re-address Ordinance #12, improve communications with our communities, become more transparent with members, budget for proper equipment, re-address staffing levels at the Riviera station, and recruit and retain skilled staff. Their statements are included in the recently mailed County of Lake Sample Ballot and Voter Information Pamphlet.
Felicia is a former employee of the sheriff’s department and currently works with the DA’s Office. JT and Justin are impressive candidates in their own right. Please check them out.
As a retired state peace officer and a 30-year resident of Clear Lake Riviera, I have had the great pleasure of working with and being served by the very professional people associated with KFPD.
I’ve watched them in action, seen many retire, and witnessed many of my kids’ classmates and friends become firefighters at KFPD.
I’m proud our local department and I recognize the dedication and commitment of many of our current longtime board members.
It’s time, however, for a reconnection with our communities and a time for change. Please consider these candidates. Thank you!
Tom Nixon is a resident of the Clear Lake Riviera in Lake County, Calif.
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- Written by: Bob and Leslie Rumfelt
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the multitude of people and agencies who provided kindness and support during this difficult time starting with a very special thank you to Doug Hooper, who took the time to come to our home to inform us of the tragedy which took our son’s life.
We then were able to get to the hospital and spend precious time with Rob, although he had already passed. This was very comforting.
Thank you to Lakeport Fire Department, EMTs and personnel at Sutter Lakeside for doing their best.
We are also deeply grateful to Sheriff Brian Martin, Undersheriff Chris Macedo, and other department personnel over the past three weeks for the support and hard work they have undertaken to honor Rob in the appropriate way, from the first moments at the hospital to the last guests leaving the memorial reception. This had to be an emotionally difficult time for all of local peace officer and fire agencies while still carrying out their duties.
We thank the community, football players, friends, coworkers and family for the abundance of cards, food, flowers, hugs, tears, visits, phone calls, etc. to help ease your pain and ours. We acknowledge your loss, too.
A special thanks to the representation from so many law enforcement agencies, local fire agencies, Cal Fire and others who sent representatives and participants for the memorial service. We appreciate the kind words and presence of Attorney General Xavier Becerra.
Rob was the oldest of the children, born to Juanita (Dickson) and Bob Rumfelt. Then came his first sister Melanie and his only brother Ron. Bob and Juanita separated and divorced. Juanita went on to give Rob two more sisters, Gina and Gwen. Bob and Leslie married when Rob was 8 and he was raised in this loving household until he went into the Marines.
When Rob was 10, Amy was born. Though there was 10 years’ difference in age, these two certainly had a most special bond, including law enforcement careers.
We are grateful to the Jolin family for taking Rob in so readily when he married Kelly and the girls and recognize the grief they are feeling.
Again we thank everyone who has touched our hearts during this near-impossible time. We are not supposed to outlive our children.
The warmth of a small community in times of need is something to experience.
Bob and Leslie Rumfelt live in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Michael Tabacchi
MATH meetings are conducted at the Middletown Community Center, 21256 Washington St.
Thompson is a standard-bearer of sorts for the Democratic Party in California. He has never lost an election dating back to his tenure in the State Senate. He hasn’t faced a substantial opponent in years, and his seat is, let’s say, secure. The Democratic Party can count on Mike Thompson to deliver.
For those residing in California’s Fifth Congressional District, it appears as though we are in a long-term relationship with Thompson. Or at least until at such time as he sees fit to end it. A bit ironic.
I am not a native of California, but I do know what one-party rule in a state can look like. I was raised in a so-called red county from “downstate” Illinois. The member of Congress who currently represents that area is Rep. Mike Bost (R) Illinois, 12th District.
In 2012, then-state Rep. Bost drew brief national attention following a meltdown on the floor of the Illinois General Assembly.
Although not particularly eloquent during this outburst, his rant over the House’s rules revealed his party’s deep frustrations with Chicago-dominated Democratic politics in the state.
And now at the national level, the Democratic Party is having a meltdown, or at the least, a serious identity crisis.
Democrats are the minority in the House, Senate, governorships and state legislatures. They are angry, disappointed and lack a message. However, something they don’t lack is a target for their venting.
On the morning of President-elect Trump’s Inauguration, I was listening to a National Public Radio broadcast of the day’s events. One of the guests on this program was from www.MoveOn.org, which is a progressive public policy advocacy group and political action committee.
She was lamenting the results of the recent election and matter-of-factly described our new president as a monster. That doesn’t sound like a particularly progressive thing to say. It sounds hateful.
Hatred is not a blue emotion nor is it a red emotion. Hatred is a destructive emotion. I would hope that we can all agree upon this.
On Aug. 10, bring your questions for Congressman Mike Thompson, but leave your hatred at the door.
Michael Tabacchi lives in Middletown, Calif.
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- Written by: BROCK FALKENBERG
In 2012 the then-Marymount College invited many members of our community to participate in an advisory board in support of the new Lakeside campus in the historic Lucerne Hotel.
Subsequently, members of this group formed the Friends of MCU Lakeside as a support and advocacy group for the students enrolled at the Lakeside campus, with the specific objective of raising scholarship funds.
As a result of their efforts, more than $18,000 was raised for this purpose, to be disbursed to local students according to detailed criteria established in advance.
When MCU abruptly abandoned the Lakeside campus on June 13, 2017, stripping the building of furniture and IT equipment, the Friends of MCU Lakeside sought assurances that the money remaining in the fund would be spent on behalf of Lakeside students, rather than disappearing into a general scholarship fund or being redirected toward university operating costs. We are glad to learn that the money has been awarded to local students.
On the other hand, we cannot express too strongly our abhorrence at the university’s underhanded manner of departure – “like thieves in the night,” in the words of Lake County Supervisor Rob Brown.
No advance warning whatsoever was given to staff, faculty or to the university’s landlord, the county of Lake; above all, the university’s obligation to the students at the Lakeside campus was ignored in the most reprehensible manner.
The first option offered to them – to transfer to MCU’s main campus – is so infeasible the mere suggestion reeks of cynicism. Most Lakeside students have jobs, homes and families here in Lake County nearby Mendocino County and a move to southern California is out of the question.
Transfer to another four-year university may eventually be possible for some, but it’s too late for the 16 students registered for the Lakeside fall term to enter classes elsewhere.
For the several dozen ongoing students who entered MCU Lakeside in the fall of 2016 or spring of 2017 the unsatisfactory prospect of completing their degree work online may be the best alternative available.
It is important to remember that the only inducement for most Lakeside students to attend MCU at all was the opportunity to complete their education locally. With that promise snatched away many now have no viable alternative.
In the circumstances, respect for the standards of academic probity and simple human decency demanded the implementation of a coordinated, transparent departure plan which honored the university’s commitment to existing students. Apparently, nothing of the sort was even considered.
Instead, the university chose to release self-serving, disingenuous public statements claiming that it invested “significant resources in the Lake County initiative, including improvements to the site” even though the substantial costs of renovating the building were all borne by the county, and falsely implying that the Lakeside campus was a financial drain on the university.
Although the Friends of MCU Lakeside no longer exist under that rubric, our group will continue to advocate for Lakeside students, will continue to assist local students to pursue higher educational goals both in and out of Lake County, will continue to seek creative ways to repurpose the historic building in ways that benefit the community, and will continue to do what we can to encourage a four-year university to become established in our community.
We also intend to support the county should it become necessary to compel MCU to abide by the terms of its agreement.
We would also like to take this opportunity for a reminder that however poorly MCU’s conduct embodies its declared commitment to “the virtues of integrity, respect for human dignity and commitment to justice,” Lake County has reaped a very tangible benefit from the university’s abortive presence in our community in the form of 20 bachelor’s degrees and five master’s degrees for local students who would otherwise have had no opportunity to complete their education locally.
Brock Falkenberg is chair of Friends of Marymount California University Lakeside, based in Lake County, Calif.