GRANITE BAY, Calif. – If one word could describe the fourth race for local high school mountain bikers it would be “epic.”

Defined as “impressive or remarkable,” this race will go down in the books as definitely unforgettable.

The Clear Lake, Kelseyville and Middletown athletes who ventured to Granite Bay State Park on Saturday, April 8, experienced the full gamut of weather just short of snow.

Normally the 6-mile course with 450 feet of climbing per lap (riders race two to four laps) is smooth, flowy and fast course. This winter it had been served it a beating. The course was muddy and rough, riddled with water ruts and downed trees.

The girls’ races got off without a hitch under the ominous sky. As the girls came around for their second laps, you could see the evidence of the trail conditions. The mud was all over them and you could tell that many of them had crashed.

In fact Kelseyville High School junior varsity girls rider Hannah Warren actually locked bars with another girl right at the start and had crashed out.

“The mud was a good thing because it gave me a soft landing when I flipped over my handle bars,” said Clear Lake High sophomore Rainey Vanoven.

It wasn’t the best day for the girls.

Kia Kohler (KHS – JV girls) had her lowest placing of the season at 12th, Miranda Cramer (CLHS – frosh girls) 14th.

Vanoven managed to pull off another podium finish at fifth. “It was definitely tough test race to keep my spot on the podium,” she said. “The rain was OK but it was freezing at the beginning.”

By the time the freshman and sophomore boys began their race, the rain turned to a downpour. If the rain and cold wind weren’t enough, next came the hail.

Riders came around for their second lap wet and red from the hail pelting them, but with looks of determination and grit on their faces.

The JV and varsity boys race starts were delayed an hour and luckily conditions allowed them to begin. By this time, lap counts had been reduced, making finishing more possible.

Riders appeared to have accepted their wet fate and embraced it. Although one freshman rider had smashed his dérailleur on a rock and pulled out of the race, all the others finished.

Among the boys, the top finishers were Bron Falkenberg (CLHS – frosh) at 18th of 48 and Christian Lindsey (KHS – sophomore) 11th of 43 riders.

As stated in the league race report, finishers “came away from the race with a genuine sense of accomplishment and even heroism. The weekend served up an unbelievable amount of challenges, and our student-athletes and volunteers did what they always do: they stepped up to the plate and took the challenge head first.” Here, here, I concur.

Clear Lake, Kelseyville and Middletown high school mountain bikers will return to race this Saturday, April 29, on their newly built course at Six Sigma Ranch and Winery at 13372 Spruce Grove Road in Lower Lake.

Like all NorCal Cycling League races, they are free and open to spectators so come on out and cheer them on. Races begin at 9 a.m.

For more info, go to www.norcalmtb.org and look under “races.”

Tami Cramer is coach and team director for the Clear Lake and Kelseyville High School mountain bike teams.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT
A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION AND
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY
THE LAKE COUNTY ZONING ADMINISTRATOR AND
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Zoning Administrator and Development Review Committee of the County of Lake, State of California, will consider recommended environmental determinations and hold a public hearing on whether to approve, conditionally approve, or deny the Minor Use Permit 17-03 and Design Review 17-01 based on Initial Study, IS 17-02 described in this notice. The public hearing will be held on May 3, 2017, at 2:00 PM located in Conference Room C, 3rd Floor of the Courthouse located at 255 N. Forbes Street, Lakeport, California.

Minor Use Permit 17-03 and Design Review 17-01. Location: 2585 South Main Street, Lakeport, CA, CA, APN 005-053-19. Owner: Edward Brown. Project: To allow a commercial storage building over 6,000 square feet in size for the storage of boats, recreational vehicles, ATV’s, side-by-sides and accessory uses for Hillside Honda. Project Planner: Mark Roberts, (707) 263-2221 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Copies of the application, environmental documents, all reference documents, and staff reports associated with each project are available for review through the Community Development Department, Planning Division, Telephone (707) 263-2221. Please bring this notice to the attention of anyone who may be interested in this information.
   

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Robert Massarelli, Director

By: ____________________________________
Michalyn DelValle, Principal Planner

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Lupoyoma Parlor No. 329 of the Native Daughters of the Golden West meet Thursday, May 11, for a membership social and organizational meeting.

The group meets at 5:30 p.m. for social time and 6 p.m. for the business meeting at Round Table Pizza, 821 11th St. in Lakeport.

If you were born in California and are over 16 you are a Native Californian eligible for membership in the Native Daughters of the Golden West organization.

The Native Daughters is a fraternal and patriotic organization founded in 1886 on the principles of:

– Love of home;
– Devotion to the flag;
– Veneration of the pioneers;
– Faith in the existence of God.

All Native Daughters are welcome to attend.

For more information contact Parlor Worthy President Carla Dore, 831-524-5588, or V.P. Dee Cuney, 707-235-2902, or visit the Native Daughters of the Golden West, Lupoyoma Parlor No. 329 Facebook page.

For information about Lake County Konocti No. 159 Chapter of the Native Sons of the Golden West contact Tony Braito at 707-245-7663.

SACRAMENTO – State Sen. Mike McGuire has introduced legislation that significantly restricts pharmaceutical companies from giving incentives and gifts to medical professionals – a practice that has been widespread in California and throughout the United States.

This practice has proven to result in medical professionals prescribing expensive and over-priced prescription drugs to their patients.

In recent years, California has begun to fall behind on safeguards relating to limiting pharma gifts and incentives.

Eight other states and the District of Columbia, along with California’s largest hospitals such as Kaiser, the University of California Medical Centers, and Stanford have implemented policies restricting or outright banning pharma gifts to doctors.

But, data shows that California physicians, in 2014, received the highest number of gifts and payments from pharmaceutical companies of any state – at $1.44 billion.

While the vast majority of physicians put the needs of their patients first, growing evidence clearly suggests that there is a direct correlation between gifts and incentives provided by the pharmaceutical industry and prescribing patterns of brand name drugs.

“This bill is all about protecting patients from overpriced prescriptions. Extensive research and exhaustive studies have shown there is a direct correlation between medical professionals who receive gifts and the prescription of expensive brand-name drugs,” Sen. McGuire said. “Throughout the state, large hospitals and medical centers have realized the importance of limiting gifts from the pharma industry to doctors – it’s time the State of California bans these types of gifts and incentives, which will put patients above profits.”

Recent studies from UCSF and Harvard link industry payments to physicians and prescribing rates.

Each year in the U.S., $73 billion is spent on brand name drugs for which an equivalent generic is available at a significantly lower cost. This has a big impact on taxpayers since Medicare pays for 1 in every 4 prescriptions in the United States.

Studies have shown the pharmaceutical industry spends over $20 billion in marketing every year in the United States. A majority of those marketing dollars are spent on promotions targeting medical professionals.

That interaction with the pharmaceutical industry is associated with negative consequences that includes unnecessary drug prescriptions, drug cost increases borne by the patient and less availability of generic drugs.

SB 790 gives California an opportunity to put patient care and drug affordability before corporate profits. The bill would significantly restrict the manufacturer of a prescribed product from offering or giving gifts and incentives such as travel and lodging, consulting fees and expensive meals and alcohol to health care providers.

The use of gifts is of significant concern to vulnerable populations. For example, medical professionals prescribing in California’s foster care system in recent years have received, on average, more than twice the amount in payments and incentives from drug companies when compared with the typical California doctor.

Sen. McGuire was successful in passing legislation last year creating protections for foster youth against the over-prescription of mind-numbing drugs.

During several hearings over the past two years, McGuire became increasingly aware that doctors prescribing in the foster care system were receiving a troubling number of gifts and payments. But the problem is larger than the foster care system, and statewide regulation is needed.

“The vast majority of medical professionals in California do their job well and put the needs of their patients first. But, the facts are clear. Current voluntary efforts are not enough to curb this growing trend and protect patients from overpriced prescriptions. SB 790 will restrict pharmaceutical gifts and help control drug costs,” McGuire said.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Public Works Department will soon be starting its annual roadside weed abatement program through the application of herbicides on city-maintained streets.

Should residents or property owners with frontage along the streets desire that no weed abatement occur adjacent to their residence or property, they must contact the Public Works Department prior to May 5 at 707-263-3578.

As a reminder, property owners are responsible for maintaining their frontage in such a way that does not create nuisance conditions.

While property owners can request that their frontage not be sprayed, they must otherwise maintain their frontage to avoid creating a public nuisance that could be caused by overgrown weeds creating a  fire hazard, sight distances, aesthetics or other nuisance.

To assist those property owners who object to spraying, the Lakeport Public Works Department will review their proposed maintenance plans at no charge and issue a no-fee encroachment permit to perform the maintenance as necessary.

One or more of the herbicides “glyphosate” may be used on all streets within the city of Lakeport.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – All four branches of the Lake County Library will be closed on Saturday, April 29, for an all-staff training day.

Normal hours will resume on Tuesday, May 2.

Although the branches will be closed, the library’s Web site and online services will be operating.

Each library has an outside book drop where patrons can return books when the library is closed.

For more information about the library please call 707-263-8817.

The Lake County Library is on the Internet at http://library.lakecountyca.gov and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary .

Jan Cook works for the Lake County Library.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT A CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION
AND NOTICE OF PROPOSED MINOR USE PERMIT
BY THE LAKE COUNTY ZONING ADMINISTRATOR

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Lake County Zoning Administrator of the County of Lake, State of California, will consider approving Minor Use Permit MUP 17-01 with no public hearing if no written request for a public hearing is submitted by 5:00 P.M., May 3, 2017 to the Community Development Department, Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport, California. Should a timely request for hearing be filed, a public hearing will be held on May 10, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. in Conference Room C, 3rd Floor of the Courthouse.

Minor Use Permit MUP 17-01. Location: 8450 Scotts Valley Road, Lakeport, APN 003-037-04. Applicant: Lucas Kirkendall for Tammy Castro. Project: In accordance with Lake County Code to allow a 25% reduction of front setback for construction of a detached garage. Project planner: Mireya Turner, (707) 263-2221 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Copies of the application, environmental documents, all reference documents, and staff reports associated with each project are available for review through the Community Development Department, Planning Division; Telephone (707) 263-2221.


COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Robert Massarelli, Director

By: ____________________________________
Michalyn DelValle, Principal Planner

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lakeside County Park boat launch will be closed to the public from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, and Sunday, April 30, for the Heron Days festival and pontoon boat bird tour.

The park will be open to the public during these hours.

For more information contact the Lake County Parks and Recreation Department at 707-262-1618.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT A CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION
AND NOTICE OF PROPOSED MINOR USE PERMIT
BY THE LAKE COUNTY ZONING ADMINISTRATOR

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Lake County Zoning Administrator of the County of Lake, State of California, will consider approving Minor Use Permit MUP 17-08 with no public hearing if no written request for a public hearing is submitted by 5:00 P.M., May 3, 2017 to the Community Development Department, Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport, California. Should a timely request for hearing be filed, a public hearing will be held on May 10, 2017 at 2:30 p.m. in Conference Room C, 3rd Floor of the Courthouse.

Minor Use Permit MUP 17-08. Location: 12900 Monte Vista Lane, Middletown, APN 013-011-65. Applicant: Sonnie Young. Project: In accordance with Lake County Code to allow the construction of a 1,350 square foot metal storage building. Project planner: Mireya Turner, (707) 263-2221 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Copies of the application, environmental documents, all reference documents, and staff reports associated with each project are available for review through the Community Development Department, Planning Division; Telephone (707) 263-2221.


COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Robert Massarelli, Director

By: ____________________________________
Michalyn DelValle, Principal Planner

Expectations are everything. When we expect a certain outcome, we make it more likely to happen.

The best we can do as parents, as teachers, as role models and government leaders is to have high expectations for those we influence.

At the Economic Forecast presentation held at the Twin Pine Event Center on Dec. 9, 2015, one of the speakers made the point that Lake County is poised to rise from being one of the bottom counties in the state’s socioeconomic ladder.

Christian Ahlmann said that we have a beautiful lake, outdoor adventure, and great wines and produce. If we continually push to get that message across, businesses will come that will add value to our county and we all will rise.

He was right. It’s happening, but it will take time for the county to feel the effects. We all must be patient and keep delivering the message, over and over.

We have a great opportunity right now because of our recent fires and headlines.

People know us. People know our name. Let’s teach them that Lake County is a land of treasures: beautiful lake, outdoor adventure, great wines and produce.

The visitors will come. The businesses will come. The money will come. Just as it did in Napa a short few decades ago.

We compare ourselves to Napa because we have the same roots, the same beginnings. We can achieve their median income level if we have that expectation. And we can do it better since we can learn from their mistakes!

When we don’t hold out for our best version of Lake County, when we cave in to the demands of the present, we lose our opportunity to prosper.

The Dollar General brand is a rapacious corporate entity that brings with it the mark of economic distress. That’s because Dollar General specifically seeks out communities marked as low income.

The presence of a Dollar General store in a community creates an expectation of poverty for residents, visitors and, notably, future residents and business leaders.

We urge you to hold out for Lake County’s best. Have high expectations and we will rise to them. Quick fixes are just a finger in the dike.

Beth Rudiger is president and Monica Rosenthal the secretary of the Middletown Area Merchants Association Board of Directors in Middletown, Calif.