LAKEPORT, Calif. – Two young gymnasts from Lake County brought home medals for top finishes in a four-state regional championship held last weekend.

Catch Devore, 14, and Tanner Broyles, 13, traveled to Reno on April 9 for the Men’s Region 1 Championships after qualifying at the state meet in Oroville in March.

Region 1 includes all of California, Arizona, Hawaii and Nevada.

The boys train together at Skycatch Gymnastics in Lakeport. The gym is owned by Catch’s parents, Roger and Jerae Devore.

Catch has been training since he was 3 years old, Tanner since he was 6, the boys said.

This was the second year that Catch competed at regionals and the first for Tanner.

Catch had the No. 2 all-around finish. He had first-place performances in the floor exercise, vault and high bar, placed second in the pommel horse, 11th in the rings and 16th in the parallel bars.

Tanner earned a No. 9 finish in the all-around. His placements in the individual events included a fourth place in the vault, a tie for sixth in the pommel horse, seventh place on the high bar, a tie for seventh place on the parallel bars, 11th place on the floor and 14th place on the rings.

Skycatch was among a total of three gyms that had more than one athlete in the top 16 finishers.

This ends this year’s competitive season for the young athletes, whose level six status means that they will not participate in a national competition.

Even so, there is plenty to do back at the gym.

On Wednesday evening, the boys already were back in training, and stopping to look at videos of their performances in Reno.

Tanner waited until the regionals championship to perform his first “giant” – the skill that involves rotating 360 degrees on the high bar – in competition. He had managed his first giant only a few days before the event.

Recalling his experience at the championships, Catch said, “It was just fun.”

He added, “There’s definitely some level of excitement, and really maintaining and mitigating that excitement and adrenaline and focusing it into something beautiful and artistic is a skill in itself.”

Catch said that he felt he had his best performance on the vault, one of his first-place finishes.

Tanner said it felt like just another meet.

Making his giants for the first time was his best moment of the competition, he said.

Now, he’s looking forward to getting bigger skills, such as giants and a double backflip off the high bar.

Roger Devore said the boys are known for their clean, strong skills, which are the result of patience, hard work and dedicated skill development.

As a result, Catch and Tanner are in the top 10th of the competitive gymnasts in Region 1, which Devore called the “most packed and stacked” region in the country.

Now, they’re going to begin training in new skills, including multiple flipping and twisting, Devore said.

“We’re going to train all summer,” said Devore.

Devore said the young athletes are having run reaching for the bigger skills, which they already were learning on Wednesday.

“We’re growing the body, mind and spirit,” Devore said.

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.

In a compelling analysis of the factors that affect how much the ocean will rise along California's coast in coming decades, a seven-member team of experts has provided the State with a report on the best-available sea-level rise science – including recent scientific advances on the role of polar ice loss.
 
The report includes new information on the expected sea level changes that will occur based on different greenhouse gas emission scenarios.

For example, with very successful mitigation efforts, the report states that there is a 67 percent probability that the Bay Area will experience sea level rise between 1.0 foot and 2.4 feet by 2100.

However, if no significant mitigation efforts are taken, that range increases to 1.6 to 3.4 feet.

The report also emphasizes the importance of preparing for extreme but uncertain scenarios involving the rapid loss of the Antarctic ice sheet, which would have an enormous impact on coastal regions.

In one such scenario, sea levels along California’s coastline could rise up to 10 feet by 2100 – about 30 to 40 times faster than sea-level rise experienced over the last century.

“Although our scientific understanding is rapidly increasing, waiting for scientific certainty about the rate or ultimate amount of sea-level rise is neither a safe nor prudent option” said Dr. Gary Griggs, chair of the science team and professor at University of California Santa Cruz. “The sea-level rise projections presented in this report provide the scientific foundation for taking action today, preparing our coastal communities and mitigating hazards, and preventing much greater losses than will occur without action now.”

An estimated 75 percent of California's population lives in coastal counties. Sea-level rise, already underway, threatens hundreds of miles of roads and railways, harbors, airports, power plants, wastewater treatment plants, coastal wetlands, beaches, dunes, bluffs, and thousands of businesses and homes.

The new science report was requested by the California Ocean Protection Council and the California Natural Resources Agency, in collaboration with the Governor's Office of Planning and Research, the California Energy Commission, and the California Ocean Science Trust.

Expertise on the scientific team includes risk assessment, climatic change, ice sheet behavior, and statistical modeling.

The science report will be presented on April 26 at a meeting in Sacramento of the Ocean Protection Council. The report provides the scientific basis for updating statewide policy, which guides state and local decisions along California shorelines.

"California leads the way in both addressing climate change and protecting our coastal and ocean communities and resources," said Jenn Eckerle, deputy director of the Ocean Protection Council. "Our statewide policy on sea-level rise is another example of that leadership. We provide guidance to state agencies and local governments for incorporating sea-level rise projections into planning, permitting, investment, and other decisions, so it is critical that it is grounded in the best and latest science."

The current State of California Sea-Level Rise Guidance Document, released in 2010 and updated in 2013, included a range of projections over various timescales, but did not estimate the likelihood that such levels would be met. 

The scientific team's new report includes information on the likelihood of specific scenarios and provides a framework for evaluating risk, adaptive capacity and consequences from rising seas.

This will allow local and state stakeholders to weigh the costs and benefits of taking action now against the potential harmful effects of inaction.

The science report will inform California’s sea-level rise guidance document, which will help cities and counties as they comply with state law that requires them to incorporate climate change into their planning efforts.

The updated guidance document will also assist state agencies prepare for, and adapt to sea level rise, as directed by Governor Brown’s April 2015 Executive Order on climate change.

Public input will be integrated into the final guidance document update, which is scheduled for adoption by the California Ocean Protection Council in January 2018.

The seven scientists who synthesized the latest science as a working group of the Ocean Protection Council’s Science Advisory Team, convened by the California Ocean Science Trust, are Gary Griggs, University of California, Santa Cruz; Dan Cayan, Scripps Institution of Oceanography; Claudia Tebaldi, National Center for Atmospheric Research; Helen Amanda Fricker, Scripps Institution of Oceanography; Joe Arvai, University of Michigan; Rob DeConto, University of Massachusetts; and Robert E. Kopp, Rutgers University.

Among their key findings:

– Scientific understanding of sea-level rise is advancing at a rapid pace. Projections of future sea-level rise, under high emissions scenarios, have increased substantially over the last few years, primarily due to new and improved understanding of mass loss from continental ice sheets.

– The rate of ice loss from the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets is increasing. These ice sheets will soon become the primary contributor to global sea-level rise, overtaking the contributions from ocean thermal expansion and melting mountain glaciers and ice caps.

– Mountain glaciers contain enough ice to raise sea levels by only about 1.5 feet. In contrast, the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets contain enough ice to raise global mean sea level by 24 feet and 187 feet, respectively. Although these ice sheets are not expected to melt completely, even on century or millennial timescales, the loss of even a small fraction of either of these huge ice sheets could have devastating consequences for global shorelines.

– For California, ice loss from Antarctica, and especially from West Antarctica, causes higher sea-level rise in than the global average. For every 1 foot of global sea-level rise caused by loss of ice on West Antarctic, sea-level will rise approximately 1.25 feet along the California coast.

– After 2050, sea-level rise projections increasingly depend on the trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions.

– While model results have revealed the potential for high rates of ice loss and extreme sea-level rise during this century if greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated, the precise magnitude and timing of when the Antarctic Ice Sheet may begin to contribute substantially to rising sea levels is uncertain.

– It is clear that sea-levels are rising. As cities, counties and state agencies make decisions about adaptation and hazard mitigation efforts, it is increasingly important to incorporate long-range planning for sea-level rise. Consideration of high and even extreme sea levels in decisions with implications past 2050 is needed to safeguard the people and resources of coastal California.

For a schedule of upcoming listening sessions, and more information on the process of updating the state’s sea-level rise guidance document, visit http://www.opc.ca.gov/climate-change/updating-californias-sea-level-rise-guidance/ or http://www.oceansciencetrust.org/projects/updating-californias-sea-level-rise-guidance/ .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Californians are encouraged to “Take It Outside, California!” the first weekend of May by visiting parks and nature areas and improving their health and well-being along the way.

This effort to get Californians outside and enjoying the great outdoors is part of the California Council of Land Trust’s statewide effort to show our residents all the natural lands and outdoor activities that are available to them.

The Lake County Land Trust is excited to be the only organization in Lake County participating in this effort in 2017.

The Lake County Land Trust will be hosting a free “Art & Nature Day” from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 6, as part of the “Take It Outside” effort.

It will feature nature hikes, an art exhibition featuring local artists with a "Clear Lake" theme, mini yoga classes for kids and adults, hand-drawn temporary tattoos for kids, live music, and informational/ activity booths hosted by various organizations.

While there is no charge for admission or any of the activities, art and food will be available for purchase. A portion of proceeds from the art sales will help support the Land Trust.

The Lake County Land Trust’s “Art & Nature Day” will be held at the Rodman Preserve and Nature Center, 6350 Westlake Drive, Upper Lake.

Rodman Preserve is the Land Trust’s keystone property, located on 131 acres of wetlands surrounded by oak woodlands. This preserve protects the natural habit of many nesting, breeding, and feeding areas for many species of native Lake County wildlife.

Getting outside has multiple powerful effects on mental and physical health. Despite these known benefits, people are losing connection with the outdoors and spending less time outside than ever before.

The Lake County Land Trust encourages our residents to start a new routine, beginning May 6 by “taking it outside” as a way to promote healthy mind, body, and spirit.

Visit www.lakecountylandtrust.org for more information about the Lake County Land Trust, or www.TakeItOutsideCA.com for the list of fun, free events throughout California that will be taking place May 6.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – More storms are on the horizon for the rest of the month, with rain expected in Lake County over the next few days.

The National Weather Service in Sacramento said the precipitation outlook for Northern California over the next few weeks shows periods of unsettled weather continuing into late April.

Initial forecasts are showing rain and wind through much of the week, with the possibility of a rainy Easter.

Over the next few days, the National Weather Service said the Nor Cal Water Year precipitation record also could be broken, thanks both to the rain expected around the region and the snow forecast for higher elevations, particularly the Sierras.

Lake County’s specific forecast calls for chances of rain and winds with gust of up to 20 miles per hour on Wednesday, and a total of about one-third of an inch of rain.

Rain also is expected on Thursday, with conditions expected to clear for Friday and Saturday, based on the forecast.

Forecasters said there is a possibility of rain again on Easter Sunday and continuing through Tuesday.

Daytime temperatures are expected to range from the low 50s during the rain to the high 50s when conditions clear. Nighttime temperatures could dip into the low 40s.

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.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College has rescheduled the Native American Empowerment Day to Friday, April 21.

American Indian students grades seventh through 12 and American Indian adults are invited to this event from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at 15880 Dam Road Extension in Clearlake.

At this free event, the college will provide morning snacks, lunch, book bags and educational materials. 

College staff will provide campus tours and information on careers, certificates and degrees. The day will open with a traditional blessing and prayer.

Nationwide only 1 percent of college students are American Indian. This workshop will provide motivation and support for students to enroll and succeed in school.

Local tribal members will present keynote presentations. Robert Geary will speak about local historical and contemporary issues. Dino Beltran will share about the recent gains in protecting ancestral items.

All participants will attend hands-on workshops regarding traditional practices and the value of higher education.

College staff will provide assistance for anyone wishing to enroll in high-school equivalency classes, certificates, associate degrees or transfer to a university. Financial aid staff will provide information on financial aid, grants, and scholarships.

Groups are invited to provide resource tables and resources at this event.

To register for the Native American Empowerment Day, please call the campus at 707-995-7900. The college requests that all participants preregister in order to prepare the right amount of food.

For more information about the Lake County Campus, please visit http://lcc.yccd.edu .

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CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, Davis, Yuba City) will host a senior center conversation in Clearlake Oaks on Thursday, April 20.

The event will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Live Oak Senior Center, 12502 Foothill Blvd.

It is free and open to the public, and no RSVP is required.                           

The senior center conversation is an opportunity to discuss the issues affecting our senior community and learn about new legislation Congressman Garamendi is introducing to expand Medicare coverage and the Fair COLA Act, which would create a better cost of living standard for Social Security recipients.

Several service providers will be on hand to give an update on senior services in Lake County.

Information on other upcoming senior center conversations is available at http://garamendi.house.gov/legislative-work/johns-calendar .