Dear Middletown Sewer District residents:

My name is Linda Diehl-Darms and I would like to bring your attention a recent survey sent out to all Middletown Sewer District residents. (Please note that this upgrade and expansion has nothing to do with the Anderson Springs sewer system.)

Before the survey came out, we received a letter stating that we would be receiving a survey to help establish the Middletown Sewer District area base income so that Lake County Special Districts could explore the funding options to fund an expansion and upgrade to our sewer system.

Like many of you, I am leery of any government-involved questions concerning personal income to seek funding for any project. (I remember before the fire being told at a Middletown Area Town Hall meeting that the sewer system had reached capacity and that funding options needed to be addressed. At that time, the plan was to send the letters of explanation and the surveys out in the fall. Then we had the fire and it was decided to put this on the back burner until we could get our feet back on the ground.) 

When I received the survey, I called Special Districts to receive more information. It was explained that funding is based on the average income of the area. If our base income is low, then we would be more likely to qualify for grants (which would not need to be paid back) or low interest loans and/or a combination of the two.

Currently, the income base for Middletown sewer residents is considered above average, according to the last Census. The only way to dispute this is to have a survey done by those who currently have hookups to the sewer system.

If we all do not send in the survey, then an average of those who did send them in can be used to determine the income base. The higher the base income the more out-of-pocket for each user.

The bottom line is the sewer system will be expanded and upgraded to meet governmental guidelines. There is no choice in that. We do have the opportunity to prove that our area has on average a low base income and thus save all of us high out-of-pocket increases to our sewer bills.

If you have thrown your survey away or you have additional questions, then contact Jean Thompson-Ibbeson, Rural Development Specialist – Environmental, RCAC at 916-207-8814. She is conducting the survey as a part of the county’s funding application process and it is required to have a third party conduct this survey.

Linda Diehl-Darms lives in Middletown, Calif.

Properly catching and releasing fish while taking photos?

Question: My friends and I are all fly fishermen who promote catch and release fishing rather than taking fish for consumption.

Many other fishermen, fishing guides and lodges, as well as most fly fishing magazines also claim to share this philosophy but then publish untold numbers of photos of people holding the fish they’ve caught.

Typically these photos reveal the fish being held for quite a few seconds out of water, and clearly their slime barrier is being broken by the clutching hands.

I wonder how many fish handled in this way ultimately die from the stress of being caught, held out of water and having their protective coating compromised.

While growing up, I was taught if you break the slime barrier, the fish will likely die. Is this true?

Moreover, most anglers I know count successful days of fishing as catching (and releasing) as many fish as possible.

If you consider the increased probability of a fish dying from being caught and held, multiplied by the number of fish caught, there could be a lot of mortality which goes directly against the point of catch and release. Can you please provide some information on this issue? (David W.)

Answer: While many photo layouts suggest prolonged time out of water, it can obviously vary greatly. According to Senior Environmental Scientist Jeff Weaver, a good rule of thumb is to hold your breath when you lift the fish and get it back into the water before you run out of breath.

Wetting hands before handling fish is probably the most effective method to minimize damage to the slime coating.

Handling fish with dry hands generally removes at least some areas of this protective barrier, subjecting the fish to increased risk of fungal or other infection (though not necessarily mortality).

If extra time is needed to set up the photo or make adjustments to correct for lighting problems, etc. the fish should be retained under water in a net for as much time as possible.

There are four important practices that will help reduce mortality:

1) Keep most of the body of the fish in the water while photographing it, particularly the opercula and gills so they remain oxygenated;

2) Always hold the fish with wet hands underneath the pectoral fins (near the head) and at the caudal peduncle (narrow part just forward of the caudal or tail fin) to avoid injury to the vital organs in the belly;

3) Assuming you have a fishing partner that will serve as photographer, have them get the camera settings ready and set up the frame of the picture while the fish is retained underwater in a net. Quickly remove the fish from the water for a picture and return it to the net to rest and respirate for some time, then lift it again for another shot (only if necessary to get a good photo).

4) Always recover the fish before releasing it to the point that it can swim of its own accord and remain upright. If necessary, hold the fish with the mouth facing upstream in an area with adequate flow to ensure thorough oxygenation of the gills.

When transporting turkeys home, which parts are required for ID?

Question: What portions of a turkey is a hunter required to retain for identification purposes? I’m not sure that “plucking a turkey in the field but leaving the beard attached” is sufficient to stay legal when transporting.

While keeping the beard would certainly help identify, I believe a fully feathered head or wing is the actual requirement. In fact, if a hunter chooses to pluck both wings and leave the “fully feathered head” attached, would that be enough proof for identification purposes?

Please advise. (Blake D.)

Answer: Hunters are not required to retain the turkey’s beard. However, “all birds, including migratory game birds, possessed or transported within California must have a fully feathered wing or head attached until placed into a personal abode or commercial preservation facility or when being prepared for immediate consumption” (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 251.7).

Since the law only authorizes the take of bearded turkeys during the spring season, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) recommends leaving the beard attached during the spring season (CCR Title 14, section 300).

How to properly preserve and transport Pacific halibut?

Question: I’m planning some trips this year to fish for Pacific Halibut. If we should happen to catch one of any size, what is the legal way to transport a fish if it won’t fit in a cooler?

Could it be filleted, and if so, when could that be done? I’m very particular about preserving fresh fish properly as soon as it’s caught. (Ross B.)

Answer: You may not fillet your Pacific Halibut when on your boat or before you land the fish (Fish and Game Code sections 5508-5509). Once ashore, there are no restrictions on filleting your fish into the size and conformity you want.

Video recording crab traps?

Question: Are there any regulations or restrictions regarding using video cameras (GoPros) on crab traps or lobster hoop nets? (Josh F.)

Answer: No, there are no fishing regulations that prohibit use of a video camera while fishing.

Carrie Wilson is a marine environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s questions, she will select a few to answer each week in this column. Please contact her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Carlos “Carli” Elizabeth Tippett
Arrived: 04/11/1945
Departed: 05/04/2017

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Carli departed on May 4, 2017, at the age of 72.

Carli was a major supporter of small businesses and the idea of locally owned small town markets offering specific things which in turn would provide a working community which relies on each other.

Born in Washington D.C., she was known for her caring and loving person, who would give you the shirt off her back, a meal or a hug, if that is what you needed.

She was also very active in community groups, particularly the Grange of Lake County. She was well known in the Lake County area. She also was the owner of People Pleazin' Pantry and People Pleazin’ Preserves in Upperlake.

She is survived by two sons, Daniel Mohlé and Trevor Tippett; brother, Michael Dugan; sisters, Leigh Price of Port Orchard, Wash., and Alicia Anderson of Chico, Calif.

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SACRAMENTO – For a sixth year in a row the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) presented Cal Fire and DynCorp International with the FAA’s Diamond Award of Excellence for Aviation Maintenance.

The award recognizes Cal Fire’s aviation maintenance technicians after passing the difficult aircraft safety training program.

More than 75 technicians were recognized and each awarded with the William (Bill) O’Brian Award for Excellence.

“Cal Fire’s aerial firefighting fleet is an essential element in combatting California’s devastating wildfires,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, Cal Fire director. “We are proud of the hard work and commitment that our aviation management staff and DynCorp International mechanics do every day in maintaining the largest wildland aerial firefighting fleet in the world with an award-winning safety and maintenance program.”

Cal Fire maintains 22 airtankers, 15 air tactical aircraft, 12 helicopters, and other fixed-wing training and administrative aircraft.

All the aircraft are maintained at the department’s maintenance base at McClellan Air Park in Sacramento County.

Since the beginning of Cal Fire’s air program in the 1970s, safety and superior maintenance has been a top priority.

Along with Cal Fire’s seasonal aviation experts, DynCorp International mechanics ensure that the state’s firefighting air fleet is kept in pristine condition.

“This award is a testimony to the exceptional maintenance performed on all Cal Fire aircraft by DynCorp International team members,” said Jeffrey Cavarra, DynCorp International. “The strength of commitment by both DynCorp International and Cal Fire working together in a public/private partnership is a clear reflection of this prestigious award.”

With record breaking rainfall totals throughout California this year, the threat of wildfires during the warmer months will continue to increase as the abundant annual grass crop dries out. More rain has produced more grass and underbrush, increasing the fuel for wildfires to burn.

Over the next couple of months, Cal Fire will finish the winter maintenance and safety inspections on the firefighting aircraft and staff them at the department’s airbases and helibases across the state to help assist with this year’s wildfires.

For more information about Cal Fire’s firefighting air program, visit www.fire.ca.gov .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The hilarious screwball comedy, “Bringing Up Baby,” starring Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant, screens at the Soper Reese Theatre on Tuesday, May 9, at 1 and 6 p.m.

Entry to the film is by donation. 

Made in 1938 and directed by Howard Hawks, the film is fast, furious and very funny. Hepburn plays a scatterbrained heiress who keeps a leopard for a pet (the famous “Baby”) and develops a keen romantic interest in Grant who plays a hapless paleontologist whose only thought is how to piece together a dinosaur skeleton.

The script was written specifically for Hepburn, tailored to her personality by writers Dudley Nichols and Hagar Wilde.

The movie was over schedule and over budget due to filming delays caused by uncontrollable laughing fits between Hepburn and Grant.

Today “Bringing Up Baby” is considered one of the finest films ever made and ranks 88th on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 greatest American films of all time.

The movie is sponsored by Peggy Campbell, CPA. It’s not rated, in black and white, with run time of one hour 42 minutes.

The Soper Reese Theatre is located at 275 S. Main St., Lakeport, 707-263-0577, www.soperreesetheatre.com .

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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Division 35 of the California Retired Teachers Association, or CalRTA, will hold its quarterly meeting on Tuesday, May 23, at the Riviera Hills Restaurant, 10200 Fairway Drive, Kelseyville.

The luncheon meeting begins with registration at 9:30 a.m. A business meeting will be called to order at 10 a.m. which will be followed by this month’s program.

The program speaker will be Lloyd Gillespie, Area I Government Relations representative.

Gillespie will report on the recent CalRTA Lobby Day in Washington D.C. He also will provide an update on legislation effecting retired teachers.

This month’s business meeting will feature the installation of newly elected officers.

All CalRTA members are invited to attend as well as recently retired teachers, family members or other interested individuals.

This is an opportunity to learn how the California Retired Teachers Association is working to protect the retirement and pensions of California teachers.

In addition, the Lake County Chapter provides scholarships to students, grants to local teachers and supports education in Lake County in numerous other ways.

At the conclusion of the program lunch will be served.

This month’s menu features Kevin’s Special Spring Chicken, vegetable, salad and dessert.

The cost of lunch is $15 including tax.  

Reservations may be made by calling Julie at 707-279-2625.

Transportation can also be arranged for those in need by contacting Julie at the above number by May 12.

More information on Division 35 can be obtained by visiting http://div35.calrta.org/ .

Leland Fletcher
Sept. 18, 1946 - April 17, 2017

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Leland passed away suddenly in Lakeport on April 17, 2017.

He was born in Cumberland, Maryland, and grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He graduated from the University of Minnesota.

Leland relocated to San Francisco in 1972 to further his art career. He was a world-renowned artist whose work spanned many genres including performance art, monumental sculpture, drawing, pastels and watercolor.

He had many interests in addition to art including skydiving, karate, long-distance running and bicycle and motorcycle racing. His most recent interest was virtual railroading.

Leland is survived by his wife of 38 years, Janice Traub. He leaves behind sons Nathan Fletcher and Joshua Traub; grandchildren Isabelle, Anna and Mason; a brother, Rodney Fletcher, and an aunt, Verna Malony.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Lake County Fire Protection District Chief Willie Sapeta will be the speaker at the Gibson Museum and Cultural Center’s Fireside Chat on Saturday, May 13.

The chat will begin at 3 p.m. at the museum, 21267 Calistoga St.

Sapeta grew up in Lake County and describes himself as “a Middletown kid.”

For this Saturday afternoon chat, Sapeta will share his adventures in Lake County and how he grew into becoming one of Lake County’s foremost authorities on firefighting and fire prevention.

Gibson's Fireside chats are quite casual and are free of charge.

Seating is limited, so reservations are advised.

Send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or call 707-809-8009 Thursday, Friday or Saturday afternoon.