LOWER LAKE, Calif. – On Wednesday, June 14, the Lake County Democratic Club will welcome summer with a potluck and meeting.

The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m., an hour earlier than the usual meeting time in the social hall of the Lower Lake United Methodist Church, 16255 Second Street.

June is Pride Month and the Club will host two speakers.

Keynote speaker Joey Luiz will address the issue of federal executive orders targeting LGBTQ.

Clearlake Vice Mayor Bruno Sabatier will speak about the city's annual pride proclamation.

The Lake County Democratic Club is an officially chartered club of the Democratic Party of Lake County.

All meetings are open to the public. Membership is open to registered Democrats.

For more information visit www.lakecountydemocraticclub.org or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Thursday Morning Breakfast Group that meets weekly in Clearlake has announced its lineup of invited guest speakers for June.

The group meets at 7 a.m. at Main Street Café, 14084 Lakeshore Drive.

The lineup is as follows:

• June 1: Dr. Mark Cooper, “The Essence of Japan.”

• June 8: Ginny Craven, update on Operation Tango Mike.

• June 15: Carol Brown, director, Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic.

• June 22: Joan Jacobs, author and Creator of KC and the Keep Well Kids Club.

• June 29: Frank Parker, leader of the Lake County Veterans Council on the Veterans Stand Down program.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around Lake County and the North Coast during the coming week.

Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 20
 
– Curb and sidewalk repairs from Foothill Drive to Ogden Road will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.

– Shoulder work from the Morrison Creek Bridge to Country Club Drive will occur on Friday, June 2. Lane restrictions will be in effect in both directions. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.

– Guardrail work from Linden Street to Mitchell Road will begin on Monday, June 5. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– PG&E has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility work near Harvey Boulevard on Thursday, June 8. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
Highway 29

– Emergency culvert repairs from Spruce Grove Road to Hofacker Lane will continue. Lane restrictions will be in effect in both directions. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.

– Pavement work near Bar X Ranch will occur from 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 7. Then from 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 8 to 2 p.m. on Friday, June 9. One-way traffic control will be in effect during those hours. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.

– Culvert work from Spruce Grove Road to South Hofacker Lane will resume. Lane restrictions will be in effect in both directions. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.

– Pavement work near the Highway 281 junction and North Soda Bay Road will occur from 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 7, through 2 p.m. on Friday, June 9. One-way traffic control will be in effect during those hours. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.
 
– Pavement work near Bottle Rock Road will begin on Sunday, June 4, at 7 p.m. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.

– The Lower Lake Parade & BBQ has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for a special event near Morgan Valley Road.

– Pavement repairs near Route 281 (Soda Bay Road) and near Bottle Rock Road will begin Tuesday, May 30. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.

Highway 175
 
– Emergency highway repairs from east of Forest Lake Road will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– PG&E has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit near Iverson Road beginning Friday, June 2. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
– Emergency work south of the Wages Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
Highway 20

– Guardrail work from Blosser Road to Road A will begin on Monday, June 5. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from Road A to East Side Potter Valley Road on Friday, June 2. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 101
 
– Routine maintenance near Frog Woman Rock will continue. Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.

– Guardrail work near the Gobbi Street Overcrossing Bridge will begin on Sunday, June 4. The southbound and northbound on and off ramps will be fully closed weeknights from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Motorists should find an alternate route.

– Guardrail work at the northbound off ramp to eastbound Route 20 will begin Monday, May 5. The ramp will be fully closed weeknights from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Motorists should find an alternate route.
 
– Routine maintenance south of Ridgewood Ranch Road will resume. A southbound lane closure will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
 
– Guardrail repairs from Uva Drive to the Willits Cal Fire station will continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in both directions from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.

– Emergency slide removal near Hermitage Vista Point will continue. Northbound traffic will be reduced to one lane. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.

– Traffic will diverted to Route 271 for emergency work. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.

– Emergency slide removal near the Dora Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 20-minute delays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, and 15-minute delays at other times.

– Emergency slide removal near Piercy will continue. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in both directions 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.

Highway 128

– Roadway repairs west of Yorkville will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary traffic signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
Highway 162

– Emergency work from the Rodeo Creek Bridge to Horse Creek Bridge will begin on Monday, June 5. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. 

– Emergency storm damage repairs near Sand Bank Creek will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary traffic signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Emergency work south of Pookiny Fairbanks will begin on Monday, June 5. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

Highway 175
 
– Guardrail work near the 101 junction will begin on Monday, June 5. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
– Emergency storm damage repairs at various locations from 1.7 miles east of Buckman Drive to the Lake/Mendocino County line will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary traffic signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 30-minute delays.

Highway 253
 
– Emergency roadway repairs from Booneville to Ukiah will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

– Wall work near Singley Cattlepass will begin on Friday, June 2. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.

Highway 271

– Emergency work from the 101 junction to the Grizzly Creek Culvert will occur on Friday, June 2. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

The Caltrans Traffic Operations Office has reviewed each project and determined that individual project delays are expected to be less than the statewide policy maximum of 30 minutes, unless noted otherwise above.

For information pertaining to emergency roadwork or for updates to scheduled roadwork, please contact the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623).

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – With graduation season in full swing, Pacific Gas and Electric Company is warning customers about the public safety risks associated with helium-filled metallic balloons.

If your graduation celebration involves balloons make sure they are secured with a weight. Otherwise they can float away and come into contact with overhead power lines, causing a public safety risk.

The company reported that there were several outages last year in Mendocino and Lake counties caused by mylar balloons coming into contact with power lines, which affects power to thousands of customers – usually around holidays.

In the first five months of 2017, metallic balloons striking electric lines have caused nearly 132 power outages in PG&E's service area alone, disrupting service to more than 76,000 customers.

These power outages can interrupt electric service to critical facilities such as hospitals, schools and traffic lights.

PG&E typically sees a spike in the number of outages caused by metallic balloons during the graduation season.

“It may look fun and festive to release balloons in the air during graduation ceremonies, but when helium-filled metallic balloons come into contact with overhead lines they can cause a widespread power outage. PG&E encourages grads to celebrate safely by keeping metallic balloons secured with weights,” said Pat Hogan, senior vice president, PG&E Electric Operations.

Metallic balloons have a silvery coating, which is a conductor for electricity. If the balloons float away and make contact with power lines, they can short transformers, cause power outages and melt electrical wires, causing public safety risks.

Last year, a homecoming parade in the North Coast turned dark after a group of metallic balloons slipped away from a float and hit a power line, which came down energized. More than 2,700 customers lost power for most of the day and the homecoming dance was cancelled.

To help ensure that graduation balloon celebrations are enjoyed responsibly, PG&E reminds customers to follow these important balloon safety tips:

• "Look Up and Live!" Use caution and avoid celebrating with metallic balloons near overhead electric lines.
• Make sure helium-filled metallic balloons are securely tied to a weight that is heavy enough to prevent them from floating away. Never remove the weight.
• Keep metallic balloons indoors, when possible. For everyone's safety, never permit metallic balloons to be released outside.
• Do not bundle metallic balloons together.
• Never attempt to retrieve any type of balloon, kite or toy that becomes caught in a power line. Leave it alone, and immediately call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000 to report the problem.
• Never go near a power line that has fallen to the ground or is dangling in the air. Always assume downed electric lines are energized and extremely dangerous. Stay far away, keep others away and immediately call 911 to alert the police and fire departments.

COBB, Calif. – A team representing Cobb Mountain Elementary recently earned Highest Honors in the 2016-17 WordMasters Challenge, a national vocabulary competition involving nearly 150,000 students annually.

The sixth grade team scored an impressive 177 points out of a possible 200 in the last of three meets this year, placing fifth in the nation.

Competing in the difficult Blue Division of the WordMasters Challenge, sixth grader Bea Rodgers earned a perfect score of 20 in the recent meet. Nationally, only 15 sixth graders achieved this result. 

Other students at Cobb Mountain Elementary who achieved outstanding results in the last meet of the year include fourth graders Ryan Taylor and Henry Thomas.

Sixth grader Bea Rodgers also earned Individual Highest Honors in the overall competition with a cumulative score of 57 of a possible 60 points. Highest Honors are reserved for students who place among the top 10-15 students in their division.

The students were coached in preparation for the WordMasters Challenge by Marc Morita, Mary Sutton, and Trina Vargas.

The WordMasters Challenge is an exercise in critical thinking that first encourages students to become familiar with a set of interesting new words (considerably harder than grade level), and then challenges them to use those words to complete analogies expressing various kinds of logical relationships. 

Working to solve the analogies helps students learn to think both analytically and metaphorically. 

Although most vocabulary enrichment and analogy-solving programs are designed for use by high school students, WordMasters Challenge materials have been specifically created for younger students in grades three through eight.

They are particularly well suited for children who are motivated by the challenge of learning new words and enjoy the logical puzzles posed by analogies.

SACRAMENTO – Legislation to introduce media literacy education into school curriculums passed the State Senate on Tuesday afternoon.

Senate Bill 135, authored by Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa), aims to combat fake news and ensure students have the tools to succeed in the digital age.

Media literacy is the ability to analyze and evaluate information consumed from various media sources such as Web sites, social networking sites, television, print and radio.

“While we already require critical thinking skills in our school, those skills haven’t kept up with the emerging technologies. Crafting a comprehensive curriculum for media literacy education is essential to combating fake news,” said Sen. Dodd. “While information is more accessible than ever, many people lack the tools to identify fake or misleading news and information. By giving students the tools to analyze the media they consume, we can empower them to make informed decisions.”

A rise in fake news was widely noted during the most recent presidential election, where it became increasingly difficult for the public to note the difference between a reputable news publication and Web sites that publish false or misleading claims.

The practice of advertisements masquerading as news has also seen an increase in recent years.

A recent Stanford study found that 82 percent of middle school students struggled to distinguish advertisements from news stories.

The same study also found a significant percentage of high school and college students scored poorly in media literacy evaluations.

"There has never been a more important time to address the issue of media literacy in schools,” said Michelle Ciulla Lipkin, executive director for the National Association for Media Literacy Education. “Our students are growing up in the midst of a complicated and diverse media landscape which they need to understand in order to fully engage and participate in today’s world. We must continue to fight for media literacy education for students of all ages. We applaud Sen. Dodd for taking on this important issue and moving it forward.”

Dodd’s bill would empower the California Board of Education’s Instructional Quality Commission to develop a model framework necessary for incorporating media literacy into school curriculums.

The legislation will also advance media literacy training opportunities for teachers in California.

The bill now moves on to the Assembly, where it will be heard in the Assembly Education Committee this summer.

 

CLEARLAKE, Calif.  – Delores Lavonne King died in Clearlake on May 25, 2017, at age 74.

She is survived by brothers, Herb Roofener (Brenda), Dave Roofener (Diana) and sister Gaya Erckenbrack (Bruce), all of Lower Lake; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

Dela was a lifelong devout Christian. The oldest of seven children, she was the most caring and supportive to all of the people she ever met.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 3, at 1 p.m. at the Assembly of God Church in Clearlake.

Arrangements under the care of Jones & Lewis Clear Lake Memorial Chapel.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The city of Lakeport would like to notify citizens of the upcoming Sprint Boat Grand Prix event, set to take place on Friday, June 2, through Sunday, June 4.

As the event is rapidly approaching, the Lakeport Police Department would like to provide citizens with important information for those who wish to attend the event.

Dates and hours for no parking:

Parking will be prohibited effective midnight on Friday, June 2, through Sunday, June 4. at 6 p.m. starting at Third Street, east of Park Street, extending to and including, the north parking lot of Fifth Street.

Advisement of the “no parking” zones was be placed in those designated areas beginning on Wednesday, May 31.

Vehicles parked or left standing in the designated no parking zones after midnight on Friday, June 2, through Sunday, June 4, at 6 p.m. will be subject to tow at the owner’s expense.

Dates and hours for street closures:

Street closures will be in effect on Fourth Street at Main Street and Fifth Street at Main Street beginning at midnight on Friday, June 2, through Sunday, June 4, at 6 p.m.

Motorists wishing to attend are encouraged to find alternate routes of travel and parking during the event. Designated parking will be available at Natural High School located at 800 N. Main St.

Dates and hours for boat ramp closures:

Third Street and Fifth Street boat ramps will be closed from midnight on Friday, June 2, through Sunday, June 4, at 6 p.m.

The boat ramp at Clearlake Avenue in the city of Lakeport will be open during the event. Parking for those who launch at Clearlake Avenue is permitted at the Dutch Harbor property located at 910 N. Main St.

The following County boat ramps will be open and available for launching and are within 20 minutes of Lakeport:

• Hamilton boat launch, located at 2815 Lakeshore Blvd. in Lakeport.
• Lakeside County Park, located at 1985 Park Drive in Kelseyville.
• Keeling Park, located at 3000 Lakeshore Drive in Nice.
• Lucerne Harbor, located at 6225 E. Highway 20 in Lucerne.

Alcohol restrictions:

The event has been issued a “special permit” for the sale and consumption for those purchasing alcohol within the designated fenced area.

Alcohol will not be permitted in any other portion of the park outside of the designated fenced area. Outside alcohol, glass containers, coolers, ice chests, weapons and drugs will not be permitted in the event. Backpacks and large bags will be subject to inspection prior to entry into the event.

These restrictions are in place as a precautionary measure to protect public safety, damage to city property or private property and to protect any and all persons in attendance.

The Lakeport Police Department has set up a Nixle notification system for the event. To receive updates and information text the word sprintboat to 888777.

The Lakeport Police Department will also have a command post set up at City Hall, 225 Park St., during the event for those who wish to stop by or have questions.