NORTH COAST, Calif. – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around Lake County and the North Coast during the coming week.

Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 20
 
– Culvert rehabilitation from Le Trion Resort to Scott Valley Road will begin Monday, Sept. 19. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
– Pavement marker replacement from 0.3 mile east of Mid-Lake Road to Sayre Avenue will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect overnight from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
– Pavement repairs at various locations from Manzanita Road to the southern junction of Route 53 will continue. One-way traffic control will also be in effect from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

Highway 29
 
– Pavement marker replacement from the Siegler Canyon Bridge to north Cruikshank Road will begin Monday, Sept. 19. One-way traffic control will be in effect overnight from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 175
 
– Culvert rehabilitation from 1.0 mile east of Wild Cat Road to Salmina Drive will begin Monday, Sept. 19. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. LC#C175DA
 
MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1
 
– AT&T has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility maintenance from Westward HO to Sunset Drive on Friday, Sept. 16. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
– PG&E has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility maintenance near Simpson Road through Friday, Sept. 16. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
– Highway repairs a quarter-mile north of Ocean Meadows Circle will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
– Mendocino Land Trust has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to construct pubic parking near Abalobadia Creek beginning Friday, Sept. 16. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
– Roadway reconstruction about one mile north of Blue Slide Gulch will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
Highway 20

– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from Summer Lane to Chamberlain Creek beginning Monday, Sept. 19. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.
 
– Pavement marker replacement from the North Calpella Overcrossing to the Lake/Mendocino County line will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect overnight from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
– Caltrans will perform paving at the East Side Potter Valley Road to westbound Route 20 beginning Monday, Sept. 19. A full ramp closure will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. A detour will be provided.
 
– Pavement sealing from the Cold Creek Bridge #5 to the Le Trianon Resort in Lake County will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
Highway 101

– Routine maintenance near Frog Woman Rock will continue. A northbound lane restriction will be in place. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
 
– Pavement marker replacement from just north of West Road to Grider Road will continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in both directions from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
 
– Rumble strip installation between Uva Drive and one half-mile south of the Haehl Overhead Bridge will continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in both directions from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
 
– Bridge rail upgrades at the South Willits Overhead will begin Monday, Sept. 19. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in both directions from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
 
– Highway construction near the Haehl Overhead Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
– Highway construction near the north Willits railroad crossing will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
– Rumble strip installation at various locations between Willits and the Humboldt/Mendocino County line will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect between 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.
 
– Pavement repairs from County Road 307 to Rattlesnake Creek will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.
 
– Emergency slide repairs just south of Standish-Hickey State Park will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
Highway 128

– The Mendocino County Fair and Apple Show has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to hold a parade on Sunday, Sept. 18, from noon to 1:30 p.m. A shoulder closure will be in effect. Motorists are advised to watch for pedestrians and drive with caution through the area.
 
– Drainage work from Haehl Street to just west of the Mendocino/Sonoma County line will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

Highway 162
 
– Caltrans will perform paving at spot locations from Dos Rios to 2.0 miles west of Poonkiny beginning Tuesday, Sept. 20. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

Highway 175
 
– Emergency pavement repairs from Mathews Road to about 1.1 miles west of the Lake/Mendocino County line will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 253
 
– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance at spot locations from the Anderson Creek Bridge to Slide Creek beginning Monday, Sept. 19. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.
 
– Highway repairs east of Cattle Pass will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

The Caltrans Traffic Operations Office has reviewed each project and determined that individual project delays are expected to be less than the statewide policy maximum of 30 minutes, unless noted otherwise above.

For information pertaining to emergency roadwork or for updates to scheduled roadwork, please contact the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623).

I am pleased to report that Lake County and I have reached an agreement to repay taxpayers for the entire $59,000 cost of removing my crane which accidentally sunk into Clear Lake during a major storm in 2010.

This agreement makes the taxpayers whole and requires me to fully compensate the county for all the expenses it incurred in removing and disposing of the crane. 

This was a difficult situation and I appreciate the diligence of our county leaders in working to negotiate a tough, but fair, repayment plan. 

The accidental sinking of the crane occurred over five years ago and created no safety concerns or negative environmental impacts to the lake.

I transferred ownership of the crane to the county after its removal. The county then received $ 4,000 in revenues for selling the crane as scrap metal. My agreement with the county provides a complete repayment for the remaining $55,000.

Most residents of Lakeport were fully aware of this situation when they elected me as their city councilmember in November of 2012.  Unfortunately, that did not stop Supervisor Farrington and his hand-picked replacement candidate from trying to play politics with the crane agreement. Hopefully, the repayment plan I’ve signed with the county will put an end to their sorry political attacks. 

The crane agreement is a financial win for the taxpayers and I thank the citizens of Lake County for your patience and understanding.

Martin Scheel is a member of the city council for Lakeport, Calif., and a candidate in the District 4 supervisorial race.

LUCERNE, Calif. – Friends of Locally Owned Water, or FLOW, will meet on Saturday, Sept. 17.

The group will meet for its regular board meeting at 11 a.m. at the Northshore Community Center – formerly the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center – located at 10th and Country Club.

Public comment is welcome.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will offer free swan tours near Marysville on Saturdays beginning in November and extending through January.

Co-hosted by local rice farmers, the naturalist-led tours will focus on tundra swans in one of the premier locations for viewing swans in California.

Ducks, geese, shorebirds, herons, egrets and raptors are commonly seen in this area, which contains 23,000 acres of rice fields.

Tours will be held on Saturdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and from 1 to 3 p.m. The driving tours will also involve walking a short distance.

Pre-registration is required at www.wildlife.ca.gov/regions/2/swan-tours . Up to 30 people can register for each tour.

The tours are part of CDFW’s wildlife viewing services program, which includes similar outdoors opportunities at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, Isenberg Crane Reserve and North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve.

For more information on the tours, please call 916-358-2869 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Please also mark your calendar for the California Swan Festival, which is scheduled Nov. 11-13 in Marysville. For more information, please visit www.caswanfestival.com .

Health leaders are challenging communities statewide to find creative, innovative ways to improve the health of all Californians.
 
The California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS) and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) have announced the second annual Innovation Challenge from Let’s Get Healthy California, a statewide collaborative effort to improve the health of every Californian.

Innovation Challenge 2.0 encourages community and health advocates across the state to share ideas and projects they are working on that will help achieve this goal.
 
“California is known for setting the pace, spurring innovation, and improving health,” said CHHS Secretary Diana S. Dooley. “Through this Innovation Challenge, Let’s Get Healthy California encourages all of us – state policymakers to local communities to individuals – to find groundbreaking ways that will help make California the healthiest state in the nation.”
 
Let’s Get Healthy California invites community, health, and human services advocates, health care and human services providers, community and faith-based organizations, nonprofits, civic data enthusiasts and visionary practitioners to participate and share their solutions and ideas for Innovation Challenge 2.0.
 
Submissions for Innovation Challenge 2.0 began Sept. 14, 2016. To submit an innovation, or for more information, visit the Let’s Get Healthy California Web site or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . The deadline for submissions is Oct. 12, 2016.
 
This year’s Challenge is focused on what are called the “social determinants of health,” defined as the conditions in which people are born and live.

Some of these social determinants include safe housing, hunger, poverty, quality of education, lack of jobs or job training, public safety, discrimination, racism, exposure to toxic substances, and exposure to crime and violence.
 
“Every year, we learn more about how profoundly the conditions in which we begin our lives and where and how we live those lives affect our health,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith. “Health begins in our homes, schools, workplaces, neighborhoods and communities. To have healthy people and healthy communities, we have to create the social and physical environments that give every Californian the opportunities we need to be healthy.”
 
Last year, Innovation Challenge 1.0 received nearly 100 innovations. One of last year’s Innovation finalists was “Ending Hunger in Orange County,” submitted by the Waste Not OC Coalition.
 
“Since last year’s Innovation Challenge, we’ve collected more than 280 tons of food,” says Dr. Eric Handler, Orange County public health officer. “Instead of restaurants and grocery stores simply throwing away their unused food, Waste Not OC collects that food and distributes it to feed the hungry. With this one simple idea, I believe we will end hunger in Orange County.”
 
Finalists will be selected and announced this fall and will be highlighted at the statewide Innovation Conference 2.0 in early 2017. Selected submissions will also be featured on the Let’s Get Healthy California Web site.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The first field trip of the Redbud Audubon season will be out to the McVicar wildlife preserve at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park on Saturday, Sept. 17.

The park is located off of Highway 53, between Lower Lake and the city of Clearlake.

The walk will start promptly at 9 a.m. Meet in the parking lot at the park, pay the parking fee and join the group.

The preserve was originally donated to the National Audubon Society many years ago and for years the Redbud Audubon Society managed it.

Now, the preserve is part of the State Park system and included in Anderson Marsh State Historic Park.

The park maintenance personnel do a wonderful job keeping the trails groomed and it is still a very special place to walk.

Expect a long, but relatively easy walk. They will walk to the border of the preserve and further depending on those attending and how far they want to go.

Expect to see songbirds, raptors, and water birds. They might even spot a pileated woodpecker or two. Bring water and a snack, binoculars, and wear sturdy walking shoes.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Redbud Audubon has lined up seven outstanding speakers for this coming year.

They will kick off their 42nd year in Lake County on Thursday, Sept. 15, with a program presented by Lake County’s Dr. Harry Lyons as he presents "Lessons from Green Waters.”

The program will be held at the Glebe Social Hall, St. Peter’s Catholic Church, 4085 Main St., Kelseyville.

Refreshments will be served at 7 p.m. followed by the program at 7:15 p.m. It is open to everyone.

Dr. Lyons, Yuba College Professor emeritus, weaves the stories of two nutrient-rich aquatic ecosystems, the Hudson River and Clear Lake, in addressing the problems and promises of such rich biological communities.

Although differing in their geological and hydrologic histories, the two systems face similar problems with over-enrichment and point-source pollution.

Most feel the biological condition of the Hudson has improved; some feel the biological condition of Clear Lake has not.

Can the political action taken on behalf of the Hudson River serve as a model for pushing improvement of water quality in Clear Lake? How is the chance of success through political action dependent on the type of pollution and its causes?

Dr. Lyons grew up swimming and fishing in the Hudson. His life-long interest in water led him to pursue his PhD in oceanography from the Scripps Institution of the University of California after academic work at Rutgers and Stanford. He has lived by, sampled from, and swum in Clear Lake for more than 35 years. His talks are always peppered with the spirit of relevant songs.

If you are interested in more information about Redbud Audubon, its speakers for the year, scheduled bird walks, membership and other activities, visit www.redbudaudubon.org .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On Monday, Sept. 12, St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake employees, providers and volunteers gathered for a special event marking the one-year anniversary of the Valley fire and honoring the service of local first responders during the fires of 2015 and 2016.

Organization staff were also recognized during the “Reflect, Recognize & Renew” program for their dedication to providing care to the community during each incident.

Special presentations were made to local first responders, including the Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, Clearlake Police Department, Lake County Fire Protection District and Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

The chiefs or representatives from these local agencies received standing ovations from the nearly 350 hospital employees, providers, and state, county and city leaders gathered in the large white tent in the hospital parking lot.

“This event was an incredible opportunity for each of us to demonstrate our solidarity with Lake County and with each other,” said David Santos, president and chief executive officer of St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake. “It was meaningful to commemorate this occasion together and to express our deep gratitude to our community’s heroes and our remarkable team.”

Chief Willie Sapeta of the Lake County Fire Protection District praised the hospital for its quick response after receiving evacuation orders during the Clayton fire and commented on the close teamwork between incident commander and Vice President of Patient Care Colleen Assavapisitkul, Emergency Management Coordinator Rick Sanchez and local leaders.

Cal Fire Division Chief Greg Bertelli and Battalion Chief Mike Wink presented David Santos and each county supervisor with challenge coins in recognition of their leadership during the wildfires.

The event also gave hospital and clinic employees the opportunity to reflect on the impact the wildfires had on each person and the organization.

Dozens of employees lost their homes in the Valley fire, three more lost homes in the Clayton fire and numerous employees were evacuated in the various blazes.

Still, the hospital continued to operate during the Rocky, Jerusalem and Valley fires, and outpatient centers provided crucial patient care during each of the incidents.

“You have inspired our entire system, from the Pacific North West to Southern California,” Jeff Eller, president of Adventist Health’s Northern California Region, told the crowd.

Eller announced a grant of $300,000 to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake from Adventist Health, funds that will be used to continue extending the hospital’s mission of health and hope.

The event concluded with a focus on hope and resilience, as well as a moment of silence in memory of all that was lost in the fires of 2015 and 2016 and the many who continue to rebuild their lives.

St. Helena Hospital’s director of Community Wellness, Shelly Mascari, invited people touched by the fires to stand, until the entire tent was on their feet holding electric candles.

“Hope starts with each of us,” Mascari said. “No matter what we do, we each have the opportunity to be the light for our patients, our coworkers and our community.”