LAKEPORT, Calif. – It has been six months since Kellee Bussard received a loan through the city of Lakeport’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Business Loan Program to expand The Shoe Box, a shoe and accessory store located at 997 11th St.
The loan is helping the business create one new job and expand its inventory of shoes, boots, handbags and accessories.
The Shoe Box has established itself as the local go-to for quality footwear and accessories, exceeding the expectations and projections identified prior to the loan application.
A lifetime member of the community, Bussard plans to continue to grow The Shoe Box by cultivating a feel for her customers’ desire.
She excels in assisting her clientèle with the discovery of new, high-quality items.
“Footwear has been my passion for a very long time and after years of experience in the industry, I was poised to open my own business and provide a service in my home town. The city of Lakeport’s CDBG Business Loan Program helped me do that,” Bussard said.
For more information about the city of Lakeport’s Business Loan Program, please contact Jeff Lucas or Andy Lucas with Community Development Services at 707-279-1540 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Early each spring, Nebraska hosts, along a section of the Platte River, several hundred thousand sandhill cranes. It's something I wish everyone could see.
Don Welch, one of the state's finest poets, lives under the flyway, and here's his take on the migration.
His most recent book is “Gnomes” (Stephen F. Austin State Univ. Press, 2013).
With Spring In Our Flesh
With spring in our flesh the cranes come back, funneling into a north cold and black.
And we go out to them, go out into the town, welcoming them with shouts, asking them down.
The winter flies away when the cranes cross. It falls into the north, homeward and lost.
Let no one call it back when the cranes fly, silver birds, red-capped, down the long sky.
NORTH COAST, Calif. – Caltrans will activate a temporary signal on Route 253 about 7 miles east of Boonville on Monday, May 9, in order to begin roadway repairs.
Work will include constructing a retaining wall, followed by reconstructing and repaving the roadway.
One-way traffic control will be in effect with a temporary signal 24 hours per day, seven days per week, and motorists should anticipate up to 10-minute delays.
Permitted loads will be restricted to 12-foot in width due to concrete barriers.
The signal is anticipated to be removed in October, and final work is anticipated to be completed by November.
HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – Supervisorial Candidate Voris Brumfield will kick off a series of districtwide “Coffee N Chats” on Tuesday, May 3, at Mountain High Coffee & Books in Hidden Valley Lake on Hartmann Road from 7:30 to 9 a.m.
“Meeting throughout District 1 on a weekly basis to speak with constituents is an important communication tool,” Brumfield stated.
The schedule of events is as follows:
Hidden Valley Lake
– Tuesday, May 3, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Mountain High Coffee & Books, 18983 Hartman Road Hidden Valley.
– Monday, May 9, noon to 1:30 p.m., Mountain High Coffee & Books.
– Friday, May 13, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Mountain High Coffee & Books.
Middletown
– Friday, May 6, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Cowpoke Cafe, 21118 Calistoga Road.
– Tuesday, May 10, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Cowpoke Cafe.
– Wednesday, May 18, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Cowpoke Cafe.
Lower Lake
– Tuesday, May 10, 10 a.m. to noon, Lower Lake Coffee Co., 16187 Main St.
– Monday, May 16, 10 a.m. to noon, Lower Lake Coffee Co.
– Monday, May 23, 10 a.m. to noon, Lower Lake Coffee Co.
Everyone is encouraged to bring questions or issues and join Brumfield for coffee and conversation about the community.
For those who are available in the evenings, Brumfield will host a gathering at Hidden Valley Lake's Greenview Room at 19210 Hartmann Road from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, May 7.
If your schedule does not coincide with any of the districtwide “chats,” please email or text your questions and or comments to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-355-4401.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Hundreds of people attended a Saturday memorial service that honored the life of a Lake County Sheriff's deputy.
The hour-and-a-half-long service for Deputy Jacob Steely at Don Owens Stadium in Lakeport drew law enforcement and fire agencies from around Northern California.
Steely, a husband and father of five, was in law enforcement for nine years, beginning with the Lakeport Police Department and joining the Lake County Sheriff's Office in early 2010, according to local officials.
On April 18, just eight days after his 39th birthday, Steely was with his family at Mendocino Headlands State Park when, for reasons that are still not entirely clear, he and his 11-year-old son went into the ocean.
Accounts of the incident indicated he was trying to save his son when he was mortally injured – possibly by waves that caused him to hit the rocks. He would be taken to Enloe Hospital in Chico, where he died April 21.
At the noon service, a law enforcement procession of California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers and Lake County Sheriff's Office personnel escorted a limousine with Steely's wife, Lynda, and their children to the field.
After them came a horse-drawn hearse that bore the urn with Steely's cremains, which was placed on a table before the stage, with a bagpiper playing at the beginning of the ceremony.
On Saturday, the emphasis was on his service to the community and his love for people – not just the family, friends and colleagues that were key to his life, but also for the people he encountered in the course of his challenging daily work.
Steely's friend and colleague, Gary Frace, read a poem that he said Steely shared with him, and explained that Steely was his pal and part of his tribe.
Next, Sheriff Brian Martin came to the podium. He thanked Steely's family for allowing him to serve this community. “Having a law enforcement officer in the family is no easy task,” he said, voicing his gratitude for both Steely's service and his family's support.
Martin said the Lake County law enforcement community is a closely knit one, with police officers and deputies often working closely together on the streets.
It was while Martin was a new sergeant that he first met Steely, who physically was a powerful and towering figure. “My first thought when I saw him was, 'I'm really glad that guy is on our side,'” a sentiment that would evolve into, “I'm really proud that guy is on our side.”
Martin said Steely also was a compassionate and kind-hearted person, who treated everyone with respect, even when they weren't respectful of him. He often took time to counsel people who, Martin said, had never had a person in a position of authority take the time to address them as a human being.
Steely was a loving and involved father and a devoted husband who had a true partnership with his wife, Martin said.
“He was the guy who many of us tried to emulate,” and also was a person who would encourage others when they were down, said Martin.
Steely's longtime friend Tim Wynacht was the main speaker during the service, discussing both serious and comical recollections of his friend, as well as the toll his death has taken on his family and the local law enforcement community.
Wynacht recalled Steely's struggles to deal with hurt and lack of hope in the face of the problems he faced during his job. “Everything that's broken is your life,” Wynacht said, summing up the stresses of the profession.
However, he said Steely had attended a seminar that helped him restore his hope and enthusiasm, and at that time he wrote his own obituary, which Lake County published this past week.
In the obituary, Steely wrote that he “lived a life worth living,” found purpose with his wife and children, and “embraced life without grudges or resentment.”
Wynacht urged those who knew and loved Steely to not struggle with the question of why he only had 39 years, but to reframe it, and instead view him as a “39-year gift.”
As the ceremony concluded, there was a three-rifle volley and the playing of “Taps,” by the Lake County Military Funeral Honors Team.
There also was a flyover by a helicopter with a long line and harness underneath it that's used for dropping deputies into remote areas for operations, an activity that Steely enjoyed, it was reported.
A Lake County Sheriff's honor guard folded an American flag which was given to Martin, who along with Undersheriff Chris Macedo presented it to Steely's widow.
Helping to make the event possible was assistance from neighboring law enforcement agencies such as the sheriff's offices of Mendocino and Sonoma counties, who sent personnel to cover patrol and dispatch.
Among those helping to cover shifts on Saturday was Mendocino County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Wristen.
Wristen was the first on the scene on the morning of April 18 after the water rescue of Steely and his son was dispatched at Mendocino Headlands State Park. He told Lake County News that he heard the volunteer fire department was dispatched to the area and he responded, too.
When he arrived, a family member of Steely's told Wristen that Steely and his son were in the water. Wristen said he got an inflatable throw stick from his vehicle and ran down to the bluffs to help.
Since Wristen had recently had shoulder surgery, he had one of Steely's sons throw the flotation device, which they were able to get to the boy. Firefighters later pulled Steely himself from the water and lifeflighted him to Chico.
Wristen, whose brother Matthew was a Lake County Sheriff's deputy from 2000 to 2008, said he was glad that he had been there to assist Steely's family. “I wish I could have done more.”
He added of his service on Saturday, “I'm happy to be able to continue to assist.”
A full video of the service can be seen above, with a photo gallery of the event posted below.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith has lifted the health advisory regarding Dungeness crabs caught in state waters between the California / Oregon border and 41° 17.60' N Latitude (near the mouth of Redwood Creek in Humboldt County).
Tests of Dungeness crabs caught in the area show that traces of domoic acid have declined to low or undetectable levels.
This partial lifting of the advisory for Dungeness crabs comes after the April 22, 2016 announcement lifting the advisory for Dungeness crab caught in ocean waters south of 40°46.15′ N Latitude (a line extending due west from the west end of the north jetty at the entrance of Humboldt Bay), including all ocean waters of Humboldt Bay.
The advisory remains in effect for Dungeness crab caught in ocean waters north of 40°46.15′ N Latitude (a line extending due west from the west end of the north jetty at the entrance of Humboldt Bay) and south of 41° 17.60' N Latitude (a line extending due west from the mouth of Redwood Creek, Humboldt County).
CDPH and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment concur that meat from Dungeness crabs caught in areas where the advisory has been lifted is safe to consume.
However, consumers are advised to not eat the viscera (internal organs, also known as “butter” or “guts”) of crabs. The viscera usually contain much higher levels of domoic acid than crab body meat.
When whole crabs are cooked in liquid, domoic acid may leach from the viscera into the cooking liquid.
Water or broth used to cook whole crabs should be discarded and not used to prepare dishes such as sauces, broths, soups or stews (for example, cioppino or gumbo), stocks, roux, dressings or dips.
The best ways to reduce risk are:
1) Remove the crab viscera and rinse out the body cavity prior to cooking, or
2) Boil or steam whole crabs, instead of frying or broiling, and discard cooking liquids.
Symptoms of domoic acid poisoning can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood.
In mild cases, symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache and dizziness. These symptoms disappear within several days.
In severe cases, the victim may experience trouble breathing, confusion, disorientation, cardiovascular problems, seizures, excessive bronchial secretions, permanent loss of short-term memory (a condition known as Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning), coma or death. There have been no confirmed illnesses associated with this year’s domoic acid event.
Domoic acid accumulation in seafood is a natural occurrence that is related to a “bloom” of a particular single-celled plant.
The conditions that support the growth of this plant are impossible to predict. While the bloom that occurred last year has dissipated, it takes a period of time for the organisms feeding on the phytoplankton to eliminate the domoic acid from their bodies.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On April 8, the security officers at St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake were recognized as the AlliedBarton Northwest Region’s 2015 Security Officers of the Year for their service during the Rocky and Valley fires.
St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake partners with AlliedBarton for security services.
The officers were selected for the award from nearly 8,000 AlliedBarton employees across the region.
The AlliedBarton security officers who serve at St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake and the St. Helena Family Health Center-Clearlake are known for service.
From helping patients in and out of their cars to calming those in stress or crisis, the team handles an incredible range of situations with courtesy and compassion each day.
During the fires of 2015 – some of which came close to threatening the hospital – the team responded to extra challenges with the same dedication and service.
“AlliedBarton is incredibly proud of these officers, who demonstrated great leadership and courage during each event,” said Eric Casner, account manager for AlliedBarton. “During the Rocky fire, they worked tirelessly to make sure the patients, visitors, staff and facility were safe from danger.”
Casner and Kelly Murcray, AlliedBarton Northwest Region vice president of operations, presented the awards to site supervisor Tiffany Piehler and officers Arsen Barbeau, Matthew Holt, Cyril Romberg, Michael Russell and William Stiles.
Daniel Dudley, site supervisor at St. Helena Hospital Behavioral Health in Vallejo, and Mario Mojica, a security officer at Alta Bates Medical Center, also received the award.
Dudley and Mojica offered pivotal assistance during the Rocky fire by coming to relieve the Clearlake officers who were working 12-hour shifts with three officers on duty and sleeping at the hospital so all shifts could be covered.
The Rocky fire came within miles of St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake, which was inside the advisory evacuation zone.
Even so, the hospital stayed open and the AlliedBarton security team made sure the hospital operations went on safely while frequently braving the dark, smoky air to prevent spot fires and monitor smoking debris blown on to hospital grounds by the flames.
“We see these men and women as ‘first impression officers’ – the entire hospital campus is their office,” shared David Santos, president and chief executive officer of St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake. “We are incredibly thankful for this team, and are proud that they have received this much deserved recognition.”
Thelma Dangel, a longtime resident of Soda Bay in Lake County, Calif., passed away on April 13, 2016, due to natural causes.
She left us in comfort and peace just shy of her 91st birthday.
Thelma was born to Norwegian immigrants John and Clara Johnsen and raised in Oakland, Calif., graduating from Fremont High School in the class of 1942.
Soon after, she met Bob, the love of her life, through a Nordic folk dancing group and they were married in 1943.
After Bob returned from the War in the Pacific, they settled in the Oakland hills and raised their two children, Gene and Jackie.
Bob joined the Oakland Fire Department in 1947 and not long after Thelma became a charter member in the Oakland Fireman’s Wives Club, the purpose of which was to provide charitable support to the less fortunate in times of disaster. She would serve as the group’s secretary and president which likely started her on a lifelong path of community service. Thelma also volunteered in the Oakland Camp Fire Girl’s Council and was president in 1959.
Norwegian heritage would become a central part of Thelma’s being. Her mother Clara was an early member of the Daughters of Norway, joining in 1914 and Thelma in 1945.
Both mother and daughter were members of Gjoa Lodge 18 in Oakland, dedicating decades of service to the organization. Thelma was a trustee, secretary and past president from 1957 to 1958 of the lodge. She attended every DofN convention and served as secretary, vice president from 1964 to 65, and was elected to the honor of Grand Lodge President, serving from 1966 to 67.
After Gjoa 18 was disbanded in 1996 she joined Crown Princess Martha Lodge. Thelma initiated her granddaughter Cari into the Daughters of Norway, which continues the tradition as a member of Aase Lodge 33.
Summer vacations spent boating at Larsen’s Resort in Soda Bay in the early 1950s resulted in the acquisition of a nearby lot a few years later. This purchase would be the beginning of many years of water skiing, sailing and family fun.
When Bob retired from the Oakland Fire Department in 1973, the old summer shanty was torn down and a new home was built where they both enjoyed many happy years of retirement.
It did not take long for Thelma to immerse herself in the community, giving countless hours of service for charitable and social groups.
She volunteered for the Kelseyville, Lakeport and Clearlake senior centers. She was co-chair for several years of the wine and food events at the fairgrounds. Known for her culinary talents she placed scores of entries in the Lake County Fair, earning mostly blue ribbons. She was involved with the Chamber of Commerce, concentrating her efforts on what was best for the community's common good.
Bob and Thelma joined the Lakeport Yacht Club and were very active members, both being past commodores. The LYC led to participation in the US Coast Guard Auxiliary and supporting the Sea Scouts. She was very involved in the Lake County Historical Society and a volunteer docent at the State Park.
Her cake decorating skills produced wedding cakes second to none that eventually led to her teaching classes on the subject. Thelma took up painting and her artistic talents were expressed in beautiful works of traditional Norwegian Rosmaling.
Many locals refer to her as the “Mayor” of Soda Bay for her many years on the Soda Bay Homeowners Association Board as secretary, treasurer and president.
The Trowel and Trellis Garden Club, the Buckingham Ladies golf group, Red Hats Society, and helping out at the Gleaners were just a few more of the activities that occupied her days.
In 2007, for recognition of her dedication to community growth and development, Thelma was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Stars of Lake County Community Awards Celebration.
In 2005 Thelma became a charter member of the Sons of Norway Vikings of the Lake Lodge 6-166. The lodge met at the Galilee Lutheran Church and the congregation became a big part of her life after being predeceased by her husband Bob in 2001.
The family wishes to thank her caregivers, neighbors, and others for the loving support and rides so she could remain in contact with the many organizations and friends she so dearly loved.
For the past several years Thelma resided in Walnut Creek to be near her family. Being able to see her two little great-granddaughters, Hannah and Emma, made her very happy. She appreciated the cards, letters, and bits of news from her friends in Lake County and always looked forward to receiving mail.
Thelma is survived by her son, Gene [Sue]; daughter, Jackie [John]; grandson, Shawn; granddaughter, Cari [Andrew]; and great-granddaughters, Hannah and Emma.
A celebration of life will be held at the Galilee Lutheran Church, 8860 Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville, on June 12 at 1 p.m.
If you never had the pleasure of meeting her in person, perhaps you encountered her along the stretch of Soda Bay Road between Gaddy Lane and Soda Bay wearing an orange vest … she was Thelma, of “Thelma and Louise,” making it a better place.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Two cats are waiting for adoption at Lake County Animal Care and Control this week.
The cats are a female named “Misty” and the unnamed male orange tabby.
In addition to spaying or neutering, cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.
In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .
The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).
Domestic medium hair mix
This male domestic medium hair mix cat has an orange tabby coat with white markings.
He's in cat room kennel No. 20, ID No. 4773.
'Misty'
“Misty” is an adult female domestic short hair mix with a gray and white coat.
Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – The Hidden Valley Lake Men's Niners golf club held a stroke play tournament on the back nine at HVL Golf Course on April 28.
The results were as follows:
– First flight winners: first place, Dennis Bero, net 29; second place, Scott McAllister, 31; third place, Fred Figg, 32.
– Second flight: first place, Paul Peterson, 32; second place, Mike Higman, 33; third place, Bill Surber, 35.
– Third flight: first place, Carl Dennis, 31; second place, Ed Brooks, 34; third place, Doug Carter, 36.
Dennis Bero and Fred Figg were closest to the par three pins. Jim Dovark and Joe Vallee had chip-ins.
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association's annual membership meeting and open house will take place on Wednesday, May 11.
The event will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, located on Highway 53, between Lower Lake and Clearlake.
Join AMIA members in the historic ranch house for an evening of information, refreshments and entertainment.
The program will include music, introduction of AMIA’s 2016 officers and board members, a presentation explaining the special projects AMIA is planning for the next year and AMIA’s 2016 Volunteer of the Year Awards.
AMIA Board members will be available to answer questions about the ranch house and what is happening in the park.
This event is open to the public, so please bring your friends to join in the fun.
For information about the event, contact AMIA at 707-995-2658 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
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