CLEARLAKE – The City of Clearlake is looking for volunteers to help chart the course for the city’s future.

The Clearlake Vision Task Force will be part of a community-driven effort that will produce plans for how the city should grow and develop.

Task force members will attended between 15 and 20 meetings, where officials expect there will be lively discussions, heated arguments, tough compromises and ultimately, consensus.

City Administrator Dale Neiman said the process will produce a plan for Clearlake created by city's residents and business owners, the stakeholders who will decide what sort of community will be left to their kids and grandkids.

The results of their efforts will be the policies that will be the backbone of plans, programs and priorities affecting all aspects of community life, Neiman said.

The Task Force will set the agenda, addressing a variety of community concerns including infrastructure, such as streets and utilities; economic development; residential development; services to residents, such as public safety, youth and senior activities; and much more.

Neiman said the objective is to present a report to the City Council that represents the community’s view of what needs to be done in order for Clearlake to become the best it can be, and to generate the interest and enthusiasm to keep the process moving forward in the years to come.

The qualifications for participating in the Vision Task Force process are simple, said Neiman. Members must want to plan for the city’s future while protecting those qualities that make the city special; care deeply about the kind of community they want to leave to future generations; and think in terms of tomorrow, not yesterday. Those who only want to complain need not apply, he said.

Irwin Kaplan, the city's interim Community Development director, said a community-driven process is needed because change doesn't come easily.

“We need to find solutions to difficult problems that have only gotten worse over the years,” Kaplan said. “But the motivation to change comes from knowing that change is already happening and that our choice is either to take control of our destiny, or be the victims of change. Just look at what has been happening with land speculation and new development, large and small.”

An overview of recent activity presented to a joint meeting of the City Council and the Planning Commission on Jan. 27th indicated the following:

– Residential permits issued last year: 195 new residential units.

– Permits in process: Commercial, 22,000 square feet; residential, 1,156 units.

– Pending redevelopment projects (commercial and residential): Airport Business Park, Austin Harbor.

– Exploratory interest: Borax Lake, 1,000 acres; 500+ acre project for vineyards, condos ranchettes and commercial.

Originally developed as a community for summer cabins, Clearlake has been transitioning to a community of year-round homes that it was never designed to accommodate, officials say.

Without the street improvements, water and sewer systems in place, the community finds itself in the position of trying to accommodate development with outdated infrastructure, often being called upon to make instant decisions to do what is best under the circumstances while under the pressure to approve projects.

“This is like building the airplane while flying it,” Kaplan said. “People investing in the community are the wind in the community’s sails. The city can choose to ignore it and go wherever the wind blows it, or the city can take control of its destiny and decide where it wants the ship to go.

“But make no mistake,” Kaplan added, “the wind is beginning to blow. Just look at what is happening to land values.”

And Clearlake shouldn’t be sold short, Kaplan added, “because very, very few communities are blessed with the natural gifts of Clearlake.”

The committee will represent a wide range of interests -- youth and the elderly, men and women, businesses and residents, owners and renters, etc. -- so that the plan for Clearlake can be for all its residents.

If you are interested in serving on the Task Force, you can find an application on the City’s Web site at www.clearlake.ca.us, or call City Clerk Melissa Swanson, 994-8201, Extension 106, to have one sent to you. You also may stop by City Hall Monday through Thursday to pick up an application.

Applications should be returned by April 2, so that the selection process can be completed by April 12.

A recent decision by the City Council makes Vision Task Force membership open to anyone who owns property within the city limits, and to any business owners who have a business in the city but who do not necessarily live in Clearlake.

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LAKE COUNTY – Lake County's February home sales were down 19 percent compared with the same period a year ago, and the median price of a home decreased 3.5 percent according to information gathered from the Lake County Multiple Listing Service (MLS).

Statewide home sale activity decreased 12.6 percent, according to the California Association of Realtors (CAR).

Closed escrow sales of homes in Lake County totaled 51 in February, according to the MLS.

The median price of a home in Lake County during February 2007 was $275,000, a 3.5 percent decrease from the $285,000 median for February 2006, the MLS reported.

The February 2007 median price increased 10 percent compared with January's $250,000 median price.

“The unsold inventory of existing homes jumped to 21 months in January,” said Phil Smoley, owner, broker of CPS Country Air Properties. “There was a slight increase in statewide listings last month, which is characteristic of the start of the year. However, listings remained near the long-run average. As such, the increase in the unsold inventory index – the ratio of listings to sales – was driven primarily by the sales decline.

“Homes that are priced competitively are the ones that are selling,” continued Smoley. “In this current market sellers do have to realize that prices are no longer climbing. If anything, they have flattened or are lower than they have been in the past year.”

CAR provided the following state real estate market statistics:

– State's median home price in January: $559,640.

– State's highest median home price by C.A.R. region in January: Santa Barbara South Coast $1,150,000.

– State's lowest median home price by C.A.R. region in January: High Desert, $317,380.

– California First-time Buyer Affordability Index, Fourth Quarter 2006: 25 percent.

Freddie Mac reports the following mortgate rates information:

– Mortgage rates for the week ending March 15: 30-year fixed, 6.14 percent; Fees/points, 0.4 percent; 15-year fixed, 5.88 percent; Fees/points, 0.4 percent.

– 1-year adjustable: 5.42 percent; Fees/points, 0.7 percent.

Realtor Ray Perry is a member of the CPS/Country Air Kelseyville office. Visit his Web site at www.rayperry.com for more information about local real estate.

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LAKEPORT – A Clearlake man who is alleged last year to have murdered a woman and shot several others will stand trial on murder and attempted murder charges, and could face life in prison if convicted.

Wilbur Home Cope, 36, of Clearlake was arrested Sept. 10 after he allegedly shot and killed Kristin Raviotta; shot his ex-wife Michelle Cain and her current husband, Terry Cain; and also shot Sharon England.

Cope, who has pleaded not guilty to the crimes, was in Superior Court Judge Arthur Mann's court for a preliminary hearing on Friday, according to the District Attorney's Office. The hearing included testimony from Clearlake Police Detective Richard Towle, who was involved in the investigation for the September incident.

Mann ruled that Cope will stand trial for several criminal charges and allegations.

The charges include:

– First degree murder for the death of Raviotta, with the special allegation of personal and intentional discharge of a firearm causing death;

– Attempted murder of Terry Cain with premediation and deliberation, with the special allegations of personal and intentional discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury, and personally inflicting great bodily injury resulting in paralysis;

– Aggravated mayhem upon the person of Terry Cain, with the same two special allegations listed in count two;

– Attempted murder of Michelle Cain with premeditation and deliberation, with the special allegation of personal and intentional discharge of a firearm; and

– Attempted murder of England with premeditation and deliberation, with the special allegation of personal and intentional discharge of a firearm.

The District Attorney's Office reported that if Cope were found guilty of the charges, he faces life in prison with the possibility of parole.

However, if found guilty Cope's chances for parole could be slim. The DA's Office reported the charges could result in his having to serve 141 years in prison before being eligible for parole.

A Friday afternoon call to Cope's defense attorney, Bruce Laning, was not returned.

Cope will return to court for further proceedings at 8:15 a.m. April 9 in Superior Court's Department 3.

Deputy District Attorney John Langan is prosecuting the case.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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UPPER CACHE CREEK WATERSHED – March was a productive month for three of the county’s local watershed groups, along with the citizens who live in the Kelsey Creek, Middle Creek, and Scotts Creek watersheds. April may be even better!

The residents of these watersheds proved that they have much more in common than they have differences. Common concerns voiced by citizens in all three watersheds were water quality, fire safety, flood damage, erosion, wildlife habitat, invasive weeds, the preservation of the Clear Lake hitch, development concerns and sustained agriculture land use.

More information is needed on these issues, and who better to provide the answers than the residents of these communities?

Thanks to a grant awarded to the West Lake Resource Conservation District, studies are being conducted in these three watersheds which allow the groups to gather information about both the historical and current conditions of the natural resources in these areas.

These watershed assessments will be used in making management decisions and obtaining funding for restoration, fuel load management, habitat improvement, water quality and various other projects in the future.

The assessments also will contribute current information to the Clear Lake Basin Management Plan; another much-needed document that will be updated and completed, under this grant.

These studies are all essential documents for planning and resource management in our communities. Along with other important uses, they’re a necessary tool for obtaining funding for projects in these watersheds.

They also provide information that will help volunteers plan and complete the tasks they want to accomplish. The grant provides support for the watershed groups in the Upper Cache Creek Watershed.

This grant opportunity is specifically designed for the citizens in each of these watersheds to participate in the process, and help in developing the information that goes into these assessments.

In order to put together the most comprehensive documents possible, it is vital that the local communities participate in these studies. At the March meetings, citizens of these watersheds did just that, and there’s more to be done.

The three watershed groups in the participating areas will be holding meetings in April, and citizens in these areas are once again urged to attend. Now is your chance to share your opinions, your concerns, and your knowledge of the area you live in.

If you reside in the vicinity of Kelsey Creek from Forest Lake on Cobb Mountain to Clear Lake itself, you live in the Kelsey Creek Watershed, and are encouraged to attend the Big Valley CRMP meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 3, at the American Legion Hall, corner of 2nd Street and Gaddy Lane, Kelseyville.

If you live in the vicinity of Clover Creek, Sam Alley Creek, the town of Upper Lake, or the areas near the East Fork and West Fork of Middle Creek to Rodman Slough, you reside in the Middle Creek Watershed. Please make it a point to attend the next meeting of the Middle Creek CRMP at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 11, at the Upper Lake Fire House, 9420 Main St.

If you live in the areas of Saratoga Springs, Witter Springs, Bachelor Valley, Blue Lakes, Scotts Valley, Cow Mountain and Tule Lake to the confluence at Rodman Slough, you live in the Scotts Creek Watershed. The date to mark on your calendar is 6 p.m. Thursday, April 19. The Scotts Creek Watershed Council will host the meeting at the Scotts Valley Women’s Clubhouse, 2298 Hendricks Road, Lakeport.

Greg Dills, watershed coordinator for East Lake and West Lake Resource Conservation Districts, will also be on hand to answer questions and guide the watershed groups through the assessment process.

For clarification’s sake, the term “assessment” has nothing to do with taxes – it is simply an inventory of the current conditions of the watershed.

What do you want your watershed to look like in five, 10 or 50 years? Now is your chance to have a say in the future of your own community, so don’t miss this opportunity to get involved.

Are you interested in helping, but hate going to meetings? There are other ways you can contribute information and support for this project, so don’t hesitate to call.

For questions or additional information on how you can help, call Dills at 263-4180, Extension 12, or Linda Juntunen at 263-4180, Extension 16.

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Mike Thompson works on preparing the food for the event. Photo by Maile Field.

LAKEPORT – About 250 people turned out for Mike Thompson’s 16th annual ravioli feed Saturday night.

Brad Onorato, Thompson’s aide, said the annual event is an important fundraiser for the First District congressman.

Mike Thompson, D-Napa, thanked the crowd, which honored him with a standing ovation after he updated it for about 20 minutes on changes in Washington D.C.

“I’m much more excited this year at pasta time,” Thompson said, calling Congress “no longer a place where great ideas go to die.”

He briefed the audience on the latest round of Iraq bills, summarizing that “the Iraq supplemental debate isn’t over.”

Thompson said he was “cautiously optimistic” about immigration reform and said he hopes Congress will tackle the other “big issues” of health care and education before the “political nonsense of 2008” takes over.

He expressed concern that the Bush administration wants to privatize Social Security.

Thompson also spoke briefly about his recent appointment to the House Intelligence Committee, after which he was named chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism and Human Intelligence.

He described the meetings he attends six times a week as cloaked in secrecy in a lead room from which nothing can be removed – no notes, nothing.

“We need to be doing the right things in the right places,” he said of the intelligence work.

In recent months Thompson has worked closely with presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama on legislation to end the Iraq war. Thompson introduced the House companion bill to Obama's legislation in the Senate.

So, with Obama in the race for president, is Thompson in the running for a vice presidential nod?

In a private interview during the event Thompson denied he was on Obama’s short list for a vice presidential candidate.

E-mail Maile Field at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Thompson serves up pasta for pear packing house owners Toni and Phil Scully. Photo by Maile Field.

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KELSEYVILLE – The board chair of the Kelseyville Unified School District has offered some insight into why the board decided not to rehire a popular high school math teacher Thursday.

Board chairman Peter Quartarolo, who spoke with lakeconews.com Friday morning, said it was KUSD Superintendent Boyce McClain’s recommendation that led to the board of trustees' unanimous decision in executive session not to rehire David Blair.

The decision not to vote again on the matter last night was “entirely based on the rationale he (McClain) lays out,” Quartarolo said.

Quartarolo commented that he was impressed with the passion and courage of those who got up to speak in front of a large group of people at Thursday night’s meeting in support of Blair.

“I felt sorry that they see it as losing a fine educator,” Quartarolo said.

McClain is “in charge of evaluations” and “I have to pay attention to Boyce’s concerns,” Quartarolo said.

“We went over everything,” Quartarolo said, including “the documentation that Boyce had given us.”

“I’ve come to respect Boyce because he’s really thorough,” he commented.

But the school board chairman said he couldn’t offer a clue as to what the documentation was except that “Boyce collects data ...then advises us,” and added, “it has nothing to do with the complaint policy.

“I’d love to tell you,” he added, “but my hands are tied.”

Citing the nature of the situation and the need to protect both the district and Blair, Quartarolo wouldn’t comment further, except to say, “We all lost a lot of sleep over this.”

Quartarolo confirmed that Blair will not be returning to the district next year and that a search for a new math teacher has begun.

E-mail Maile Field at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Community members remembered Karlie Breeden at a Saturday event. Photo by John Lindblom.

COBB – More than 200 people gathered in Cobb on Saturday at a place not far from the home of Karlie Breeden, who died on March 1 of an inoperable brain tumor.

The memorial for Karlie included prayers, verbal remembrances of the much-loved daughter of David and Renada Breeden, a seemingly inexhaustible stream of videos and slides of the lively little blonde, and even the singing of Karlie's favorite Christmas song, "Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer," by all in attendance.

The amazingly large crowd included neighbors, friends, relatives and many others who had kept the vigil for Karlie through her illness, diagnosed in April 2006. There were numerous children.

Karlie's shoes in front of her photo lent a somber note and there were tears. Among them were those of grief-stricken Kyle Gibson, a 9-year-old neighbor and playmate of Karlie's, being comforted by his mother, Jen.

"They were growing up together," Jan Gibson explained.

Other parents, with their own tots of Karlie's age, such as Jill Pressley of Sonoma with her 3-year-old daughter Emma, showed their empathy for David and Renada in their loss.

The Breedens, though, had not intended the memorial for their daughter to be a wholly sad affair.

And, indeed, as they remembered the wiles and antics of this 4-year-old girl, more than a few people laughed.

E-mail John Lindblom at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Above left, David and Renada Breeden, Karlie's parents. Above right, Jan Gibson comforts her son, Kyle, 9, who was one of Karlie's friends. Photos by John Lindblom.

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UPPER LAKE – A single-vehicle rollover early Saturday morning left two people injured.

The California Highway Patrol's incident logs reported a traffic collision occurred at about 1:50 a.m. on Elk Mountain Road, with the driver and passenger both injured.

Officer Kevin Domby of the Clear Lake CHP office said that M. Seyms was driving a 1997 Ford F-250 pickup truck northbound on Elk Mountain Road and north of the airstrip early Saturday when he lost control of the vehicle and traveled off the road to the east.

Domby said the front of the pickup subsequently hit a dirt embankment.

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF), CHP, Lake County Sheriff's deputies and CalStar responded to the accident, the CHP logs reported.

Seyms was seriously injured at the scene, said Domby, suffering severe head trauma. His passenger, K. Nyholm, suffered a serious neck injury, Domby added.

Officials took a blood sample from Seyms before both he and Nyholm were transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment, according to the CHP incident logs.

Domby said Seyms was arrested under suspicion of driving under the influence.

No further information on Syems and Nyholm, including ages and cities of residence, were available from the CHP before publication.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – A bill meant to provide greater protection for U.S. soldiers and veterans passed the House of Representatives in a narrow vote Friday.

The U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health and Iraq Accountability Act, HR 1591, passed the House 110 to 60.

Introduced by Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin, it includes increased funding for military and veterans' health care – including Walter Reed and other hospitals – allocations to improve the readiness of stateside troops and military housing allowances.

The bill also re-focuses efforts to fight terrorism on al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan by providing more funds for operations Afghanistan.

North Coast Congressman Mike Thompson said Friday that he and many other House members who have been opposed to the war approved this emergency supplemental bill.

That's because, besides showing support for the military, it also sets deadlines fore redeployment based on “firm benchmarks” for both the Bush Administration and Iraqi government, Thompson said.

It's the first time, said Thompson, that the administration and Iraqi government have been held accountable during the four years of the war.

The bill also sets a timeline for redeployment of US troops, Thompson said, with final redeployment required to begin by March 1, 2008, and be completed by Aug. 31, 2008.

President Bush has promised to veto the bill, said Thompson. “Notwithstanding his veto threat, I think it was an important bill to pass,” he said.

“This was probably the most responsible bill we could have passed given the divisions in this very diverse Congress,” said Thompson.

In the past, Thompson said the president has gotten “absolutely everything he's wanted” in supplemental bills to fund the war effort. This bill and this vote, he said, “is a pretty strong statement” that times are changing, and that Congress plans to change course.

Thompson said he's voted against such supplementals previously, but HR 1591's benchmarks and timeline makes it “a huge departure from what we've seen in the past.”

He said he thinks it's the best way to get troops home as safely and quickly as possible. It's also necessary to improve health care for soldiers and veterans, issues brought to the front in recent weeks following a scandal at Walter Reed Hospital.

“Everybody knew how important it was to pass this,” Thompson said.

However, his stated support for the bill resulted in his office being visited by protesters.

He said he spoke with the protesters regarding their concerns, and came to some consensus. “I think we agree the tragedy of the Iraq War is just monumental.”

At the same time, he said, “We disagree on the best way to get our troops home.”

A companion bill for HR 1591 must pass the Senate next, said Thompson.

Thompson has a bill of his own, HR 787, that sets a March 31, 2008, timeline for bringing troops home. That bill, the Iraq War Accountability Act, is the companion bill to Senate Bill 433, introduced by Sen. Barack Obama.

HR 787, which now has 60 co-sponsors, went into committee hearings on Tuesday, said Thompson, where it received “a fair and impartial hearing.”

Thompson said he felt the bill was received well by the committee. “I'm hopeful that it will carry some weight in helping to define where we go from here.”

He added, “I think it's one of the most viable bills out there.”

Thompson will be in the county today to host his annual ravioli feed at the Lake County Fairgrounds.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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LAKE COUNTY – If you couldn't resist planting tomatoes or other tender annuals this weekend, be prepared for the possibility of frosty mornings the next few days and take precautions.

The National Weather Services (NWS) in Sacramento is warning of a cold storm moving towards Lake County Monday and Tuesday which will bring unsettled weather with the possibility of thunderstorms and hail – and even tornadoes in some Central Valley areas.

Snow levels on Monday night will drop to 3,000 feet with the west winds 10 to 20 miles per hour with temperatures in the low 40s, according to NWS.

On Tuesday, NWS says there's a slight chance of thunderstorms and unsettled weather - but lows should remain in the upper 30s.

But the Weather Channel is predicting that temps will drop near freezing on Monday night and below freezing on Tuesday night.

So, just in case, take precautions and cover any tender plants and get your ice scraper back out.

E-mail Terre Logsdon at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Ravenna grass growing in Middle Cache Creek County Park, Rumsey Canyon. Photo by Craig Thomsen.

By CRAIG THOMSEN AND TANYA MEYER

Tuleyome.org

Cache Creek natural communities are under assault by another wildland weed. A massive invasion of an escaped ornamental – Ravenna grass (Saccharum ravennae) – is under way along the Cache Creek corridor in Lake and Yolo counties.

It is one of the largest exotic grasses in the state, with tussocks reaching 5 feet wide and flowering stalks 12 feet tall.

Ravenna Grass occupies riparian sites similar to those inhabited by two other well-known invasive plants, tamarisk (Tamarix parviflora) and giant reed (Arundo donax), but has also moved into upland areas such as roadsides, cut-banks, and steep slopes in Rumsey Canyon. Individual plants produce thousands of seeds that disperse by both wind and water.

Sometimes referred to as Hardy Pampas grass, Ravenna grass does resemble Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana) with its large tufts and showy flowers. However, Ravenna grass is actually more closely related to sugarcane, and belongs to the same genus, Saccharum, which is Latin for sugar.

The name Ravenna comes from Ravenna, Italy, a city in northeast Italy near the Adriatic Sea.

Effects on Cache Creek ecosystem

One of the most serious problems affecting natural ecosystems globally is the invasion of non-native, exotic plants and animals.

Renowned ecologist Edward O. Wilson, stated that invasive species are the greatest threat to biodiversity on the planet, second only to habitat loss. (As native plants are displaced, animal populations that rely on the plants for food and shelter also decline.)

While no formal studies have been conducted on the effects of Ravenna grass on the Cache Creek ecosystem, field observations indicate that these enormous plants are having a pronounced influence on the creek’s native habitats.

Arrival to Cache Creek and distribution

Ravenna grass has been used as an ornamental in the United States for over 30 years and joins the ever-growing list of plants that were purposely introduced into landscape settings and later spread, becoming major weeds.

Web sites for this plant show that it is widely promoted by the nursery trade for its size, plume-like flowers, tolerance to harsh sites and resistance to disease. Of course, some of the same qualities are the very traits that make it an invasive weed.

The original source of Ravenna grass along Cache Creek was the Upper Watershed in Lake County. Gregg Mangan, Cache Creek Natural Area manager for the BLM in Ukiah recalls seeing this plant in the early 1990’s during field surveys along the north fork of Cache Creek.

The late Jan Lowrey, a life-long resident of Rumsey and former director of the Cache Creek Conservancy, noted that it appeared in abundance along lower Cache Creek after the intense 1995 flood.

Ravenna grass appears in all of the Yolo County Parks along Cache Creek and also grows at the remote Lake Davis reservoir on Davis Creek, a small tributary to Cache Creek.

John Watson, vegetation manager with the Conservancy, has observed it one mile west of Highway 5 near Woodland and suspects that this weed may occur within the Cache Creek basin, a short distance from the Sacramento River.

Thankfully, Ravenna grass still has a limited distribution in the state; the only other reported occurrence of this species in California is from Imperial Valley, where it is found in marshes and ditches.

Based on its behavior along Cache Creek and invasive history in Utah and Arizona, however, it appears to have potential to move well beyond Cache Creek and into other California watersheds.

Control programs along Cache Creek

Clearly a cooperative regional effort between federal, state and county entities as well as concerned landowners, is needed to address Ravenna grass infestations, as it will continue to expand in the watershed without concerted control efforts. To date, no control work has been done in the upper watershed.

Along lower Cache Creek, control efforts were first initiated by John Watson, recipient of California’s Invasive Plant Council’s “Land Manager of the Year,” who started work on this weed back in 2001.

Last fall, the Yolo County Resource Conservation District, in cooperation with Yolo County Parks, private landowners, Joe Muller and Sons, and the Wildlife Conservation Board, began control efforts on parklands and several private ownerships.

Unfortunately, decisions about controlling wildland weeds along waterways are not always straightforward.

Generally, it is advisable to begin work upstream at the source and move down. This raises questions about the long-term effectiveness of control programs and since efforts began in the lower sections of the creek, Ravenna grass will continue to re-colonize downstream sites. Yet, the precise source location has yet to be identified and much of the upper creek infestations occur in remote areas on BLM property.

At this juncture, practitioners think that downstream control efforts are warranted, provided that follow-up measures are included to eliminate seedlings that might re-establish in future years. Moreover, in many sites, infestations are at low levels where effective containment measures could be accomplished at a relatively low cost. The alternative is to stand back and witness a further degradation of Cache Creek’s biologically-rich natural communities.

In Arizona, Ravenna grass has been subject to control efforts in the Grand Canyon, where it was discovered in the early 1990’s. Since then, National Park Service staff and volunteers have removed over 25,000 plants and it is now rare throughout the canyon.

It's unfortunate that Ravenna grass is now a member of the Cache Creek plant kingdom. We hope that with more awareness of this plant and the problems that it presents eradication can begin as it did in the Grand Canyon.

With a concerted effort the Cache Creek region will one day see more native species and less exotic plants like Ravenna grass, Arundo and tamarisk.

Craig Thomsen is a rangeland ecologist with the Department of Plant Sciences, UC Davis and Upper Cache (Bear Creek) Watershed coordinator. Tanya Meyer is the Lower Cache Creek Watershed coordinator with the Yolo County Resource Conservation District.

Tuleyome Tales is brought to you by Tuleyome, a local nonprofit working to protect both our wild heritage and our agricultural heritage for future generations. Past Tuleyome Tales articles are available in the library section of their Website, www.tuleyome.org.

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Anna Blair, wife of embattled teacher David Blair, speaks in her husband's defense Thursday night. Photo by Maile Field.

KELSEYVILLE – Parents, students and teachers remain mystified following a lengthy school board meeting Thursday night, during which students pleaded passionately for a popular high school math teacher’s job, but lost.

More than 100 students, teachers and parents gathered and half of them sounded off about the future of David Blair, the only teacher qualified in the district to teach higher math.

Ninety percent spoke in defense of the teacher, but apparently to no avail. The board upheld its decision to deny permanent status to Blair, but cited personnel confidentiality rules in refusing to say why.

The regularly scheduled Kelseyville Unified School District board meeting heard two full hours of commentary on the issue.

Of 51 vocal teenagers, parents and educators, those speaking against the math teacher’s retention could be counted on one hand.

But even after hearing from top students wearing t-shirts emblazoned with words of support for the man, the board upheld its decision “not to re-elect” the highly-credentialed teacher.

The lineup of stellar students, some of whom mentioned their grade point averages were well above the perfect 4.0 mark, spoke glowingly of the teacher, characterizing him as “challenging.” Students and parents praised him for “pushing” the students to learn and for having “high expectations.”

Complaints ranged from basketball “incidents” to “belittling” students in the classroom.

The class president and the three valedictorian candidates all spoke eloquently on Blair’s behalf. For many, the battle took the form of sports versus academia, as concerns about basketball coaching behavior problems were all but spoken.

Many parents urged the board to look past the former coach’s basketball history as “water under the bridge” and recognize a “great teacher.”

“I don’t care about his coaching,” said Katie Murphy, a freshman student. “What I do care about is the future of education ... you’re directly endangering my education.”

Schuyler Bloom, who identified himself as the senior class president, noted that he had little reason to care as he has just one quarter of a term left in Blair’s class. The Pepperdine-bound Bloom said he would be “disappointed” if his fellow classmates didn’t have the opportunity to study under Blair.

“I would be sorry for them,” he said.

Bloom said he learned not only math from the teacher, but also how to be a good person. “There are two people who disagree,” he commented, before urging the board to consider “the majority of the people shaking at the microphone.”

“I am a mother of a 2005 graduate of Kelseyville High,” began Julie Berry. “My oldest daughter graduated with a 4.2 grade point average, and like many other Kelseyville graduates, had to take two semesters of remedial math when she got to Junior College because she wasn’t prepared for college math courses.

“When my 15-year-old son can sit at the kitchen table and explain algebra problems to his 20-year-old sister in easy to understand terms, I am very grateful for the two years he has had the privilege of being challenged by Mr. Blair,” Berry added.

One parent who was not impressed with Blair was Mike Lyndall, who criticized the teacher, a former basketball coach, for allegedly “insulting” coaches and referees regarding a basketball incident.

Lyndall, himself a coach, described Blair as “extremely volatile,” going on to comment sarcastically that “he may be the best math teacher in the state of California.”

After parent Phil Murphy took to the microphone to comment that opposition was “vague” and that no students were speaking against Blair, one courageous girl did just that.

Wearing a jersey marked “13,” Kari Vandraiss said she felt Mr. Blair “has very high expectations.” She went on to say that she had never “been made to feel stupid” until Mr. Blair’s class and that she was intimidated about asking questions.

Student Alicyn Yaffee echoed Vandreiss’ sentiment about feeling nervous about asking questions but that’s where the comparison ended.

Yaffee then topped the courage charts by admitting she had received a failing grade but still supported the teacher because he had helped her understand.

“I started asking questions because I wanted to get it,” she said pointedly.

Teacher Dan Springer, who opened the public comment period of the meeting by thanking the board for serving “in a thankless capacity,” expressed frustration that “some students don’t do their work.”

Several students reiterated Springer’s point throughout the evening, commenting that the amount of respect students get from the teacher is equal to the amount of respect they give him. “If you give him respect,” said one student, “he’ll hand it back to you.”

At least two parents described having children on the opposite ends of the math ability spectrum and both related that their children were being reached by Blair.

Teacher and parent Cheryl Mostin was not alone in describing having children going off to college unprepared.

One Kelseyville graduate, Cora Carrier, who now teaches science and algebra in the district, spoke about her experience going on to UC Davis, only to have to spend a year taking remedial math classes because of inadequate preparation offered here.

“I felt cheated,” she said.

Parent Jackie Farley related picking up the local newspaper last week to find a letter to the editor, written by Joe Conger, a self-described former policeman and neighbor of Blair. “Me and my family were some of his biggest supporters (sic)” the letter read. ”I have observed Mr. Blair's inability to control his temper and his choice of words. He shows no respect for anyone who has a different point of view than his own,” the letter continued.

“I was scared to death,” Farley related. So she asked her son if the writer was talking about his teacher. “No, that’s not Mr. Blair,” she said, relating her son’s response.

Farley described the letter, which is strewn with grammatical errors, as “defamatory and inflammatory.” She drew audience laughter when she suggested it would be good for English students to analyze.

The most disturbing commentary came from Anna Blair, who said her husband “chose not to be here tonight.”

The teacher’s wife related that her family has endured neighbors calling her landlord “to have us evicted” and she said an administrator at another school in the district “told my husband he was not Christian enough.”

Blair said she thought she had won the battle with her husband and had convinced him to give up. But then, she described students calling from 5, 10 and 15 years ago to thank him. She described the callers as doctors, dentists and Division 1 basketball players.

Whether Blair himself has given up remains to be seen.

It is clear his students haven’t.

E-mail Maile Field at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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