LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Born on Nov. 14, 1943, in Monterey, Calif., Sheryl Ann Whipple went to be with family, friends and the Lord on July 30, 2016.

Sheryl was the daughter of Hal and Ann Stuart, who preceded her in death. They were longtime residents of Finley and Lakeport. Sheryl went to Lakeport Elementary School, Clear Lake High School and graduated from Sacramento State with her teaching credential in 1965.

On June 19, 1965, Sheryl married Bill Whipple Jr. and began teaching first grade in Clovis, Calif. Later, Sheryl and Bill moved to Antioch where she taught several more years and gave birth to son Rob and daughter Melody. They moved back to Lakeport in 1971 where she spent the rest of her life.

She taught at Lakeport Elementary School, became the school nurse and then became the school's secretary for 20 more years. She retired in 2006.

Sheryl loved being around her grandchildren Ashley and Ryan Whipple as they grew into adults. The last 12 years she has loved spending time with her younger grandchildren Jenna and Josh Cecil. She has special memories with her son-in-law Justin Cecil and his mom Patty Cecil.

Sheryl loved the family trips to Nebraska to spend time with her mother-in-law Shirley Jurgens and father-in-law Chris Jurgens.

She was able to spend a lot of time with her brother Ken Stuart and his wife Barb. She loved them very much and was fortunate to be able to spend time with her nephew Brian Stuart and his wife Summer and their children.

Sheryl was able to enjoy many trips and fun times spent with father-in-law Bill Whipple Sr., Stevie and recently Alice. She has really missed brother-in-law Byron Whipple since losing him and appreciated brother-in-law Casey Whipple and his wife Lena for all their help over the years. She will miss seeing her nieces Holly and Taylor Whipple. They always made her smile.

Sheryl loved to spend time at Fort Bragg and spending time with close friends from Jackson and Sutter Creek, Calif.

A memorial service will be held at Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. Please dress casual.

Donations in her memory can be made to the Early Lake Lions Community Service Projects, P.O. Box 1306, Lakeport, CA 95453.

Sherry wanted to thank all of the following people for helping her in so many ways over the past months: John Whitehead, Bev Davidson, Judy Goodrich, Terra Wilson, Cindy Turner, Cynthia Houge, Bev Hamner, Bonnie EveningRed, Micki and Don Davidson, Pam and Martin Klier, Liz Calahan, Joan and Ray Cox, Elva Hohn, Cheryl Smart, Fred and Michelle Figg, Bob and Patty Kalis, Nancy and Mike Svehla, Erma Lankford, Hank and Barbara Porter, mother-in-law Shirley Jurgens, Hospice Services of Lake County, Dr. Stanley and Dr. Turrill, and the many more who held her in their prayers. If we forgot anyone, we are truly sorry, and appreciate everything everyone did to help us out.

Thank you all and love you all for everything you did. – The Whipple Family

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Department of Public Works is advising the public that traffic control will be in place on a portion of 11th Street on Wednesday, Aug. 3.

Between 8:30 a.m. and noon, traffic control will be in effect in the area of 963 11th St. while AT&T trims trees.

Public Works said there will be possible delays of up to 10 minutes.

The agency thanks the public for its patience.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake’s Live Well Program invites the community to the Wellness Rx Healthy Lifestyle Series, a free six-week series of classes focused on healthy lifestyle changes.

The classes are held on Wednesday afternoons from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. beginning Aug. 17 and running through Sept. 21.

“All of us can benefit from drinking more water, eating right and moving more, but sometimes we need some extra support or education,” said Jean McNally, care coordinator at the Live Well Program. “These classes inspire real changes and provide the information you need to feel healthier and build a life you love.”

The Wellness Rx Healthy Lifestyle series is open to all and includes healthy snacks and giveaways.

Each session features an engaging education session focusing on a different topic, including exercise, nutrition, stress management, weight management and achieving wellness goals.

Eula Ford of Clearlake attended the first two sets of Wellness Rx classes and is looking forward to coming back for a third time.

“They teach you how to choose healthy foods,” she said. “I’ve already seen a difference in my blood sugar.”

New students can join the classes at any point in the program. Sessions are hosted at the Live Well Program at 15230 Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake.

For more information or to RSVP to the WellnessRx Healthy Lifestyle Series, contact the Live Well Program at 707-995-4545. 

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – It’s been almost a year since the Valley, Rocky and Jerusalem Fires re-defined the natural landscape and life in South Lake County.

This phase of our recovery coupled with the hot weather and fire season have been particularly stressful and sensitive for many of the fire survivors.

Between Aug. 6 and 22, the Middletown Art Center, or MAC, will offer all Lake County residents opportunities to process and reframe the tragic, life changing experiences of last summer through a creative healing arts program called “Community Works.”

MAC, in partnership with Tri Uplifting, invites all residents and neighbors, directly and indirectly affected by the fires, to participate in a journey of self-expression, release and healing through the arts, movement and mindfulness.

Each day of this two-week series offers enriching, creative and healing arts classes and workshops for all ages. The daily schedule will include yoga, meditation or breath work in the mornings followed by late morning or mid day art classes, an after-school series for children, and evening classes for adults or the whole family.

You will find a range of classes including “Putting Words and Art Together” (which kicks the program off this Saturday, Aug. 6, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.), print making, mask making, classes focused on combining sculpture with movement and writing, “Drawing the Inside Out,” watercolors, jewelry making, sculpture, stress relief techniques, community dance, sound healing, music and more.

All activities will be free of charge and everyone is welcome regardless of art experience.

Schedules will be available on the Middletown Art Center’s Facebook page, on the MAC Web site, www.MiddletownArtCenter.org and on the MAC outdoor bulletin board.  Please check the Web site for updates.

These inspiring creative happenings will culminate in an exhibition and festive opening reception of Community Works at MAC on Aug. 27 from 6 to 8 p.m., featuring work produced by participants.

The public is invited to submit art work that deals with the fire experience created outside of the program as well. Submissions of work created at home are due by Aug. 18. Email image files or questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or call 707-809-8118.

The exhibit will be on view through Labor Day weekend (Sept. 5).

“Members of our community have gone through tremendous loss and trauma … We encourage everyone to take the time to nurture themselves, and give form and voice to their experience through the arts.” said Lisa Kaplan, president of the Middletown Art Center. “'Community Works' provides all of us with an opportunity to process, reframe and release the devastation and chaos into self expression and beauty, while honoring the resilience of our own human spirit and the natural world around us. Come to as many or as few classes as you wish, they all free and available to everyone during these two weeks to support our continued recovery. The arts are healing. Experiment enjoy and enrich yourself!”

In advance of the Mindfulness Triathlon that will be put on by Tri Uplifting on Sept. 17 in Middletown’s Library Park, members of the Tri Uplifting organization will be offering a sampling of their practices including guided mediation, yoga, and mindfulness as part of Community Works.

For more information about Community Works and the schedule of classes offered, visit www.MiddletownArtCenter.org , or find them on Facebook. To reserve your spot, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 707-809-8118. Drop-ins are welcome.

MAC was made by community for community and is a growing arts and cultural hub in south Lake County powered by membership, donations and volunteer energy.

MAC offers classes, art exhibits, and cultural events including music, artist presentations and film screenings. To submit artwork for consideration, teach a class, join or support MAC visit www.middletownartcenter.org or contact by email or phone. All donations to MAC are tax-deductible.

Community Works is made possible through generous support of Roby and Associates, a public insurance adjuster, and by Lake County Rising Valley Fire Relief Fund.

MAC is located at 21456 Highway 175, at the junction of Highway 29 in Middletown.

The gallery is now open Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Friday, noon to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; or by appointment.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Community socials designed to refresh the spirits of those recovering from last year's fires in Lake County will be held the last two Mondays of each month from 6 to 8 p.m.

Middletown Community United Methodist Church, 15833 Armstrong St., will be the host on Aug. 22, with the multi-use room at Cobb Mountain Elementary School, 15895 Highway 175, the location of the event on Aug. 29.

A free nutritious dinner will be served by Lake Family Resource Center's “Be FRESH Team,” with the center also providing games and activities for the young and young at heart.

These socials, which began last April, have been sponsored by the Lake Area Rotary Club Association, or LARCA, and Lake County Rising.

Joining these socials now will be the Lake County Fire Oral History Project, administered by the Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum and funded by LARCA and the Lower Lake Historical School Preservation Committee.

The Oral History Project will provide an opportunity for people to have their individual stories of survival and recovery recorded for posterity.

Community members can mark Aug. 22 and 29, as days they can go out for dinner to rest, relax and have some fun with their neighbors as their community continues its long recovery process.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College in Clearlake is pleased to announce a new instructor and a new class being offered at the campus.

Dr. Christopher Hodges will be teaching astronomy during the fall semester.

Astronomy 1L will feature a survey of the solar system, stars, galaxies, history, and tools of astronomy, cosmology and exploration of space.

There also is a lab that goes along with the class. The lab will cover the study and interpretation of astronomical observations through the use of prepared astronomy exercises, the use of telescopes or computer simulations of telescopes, naked eye observation of celestial bodies, and laboratory activities using various quantitative measuring devices.

Dr. Hodges has taught for eight years at San Francisco State University and University of California, Riverside.

His interest in astronomy started when he took his first community college class when he was still in high school. He’s hopeful to bring a similar experience this fall to the Lake County Campus.

“This is a very exciting time in astronomy,” said Hodges. “That our observations and understanding of the universe has exploded over the last two decades.”

From Hubble telescope images, detection of more than 3,000 exoplanets, flybys of Pluto, to the plethora of information obtained by the Mars rovers, there are so many new discoveries in astronomy.

A discussion of the numerous modern results and what we should expect in the next decade will be part of Astronomy 1L offered on the campus.

Dr. Hodges believes that Lake County is a perfect place to discuss astronomy. The lack of big city lights allows the county to have beautiful night skies filled with celestial bodies. This should allow for spectacular visuals during the lab exercises.

Dr. Hodges is not just an astronomy instructor, he’s also a physicist. He has created antimatter, has hit the speed of light limit, turned mercury into gold and measured the age of the planets.

He will be a fabulous addition to the wonderful staff at Lake County Campus and his class will be very interesting and exciting for all students.

For anyone interested in registering for this new and exciting class, please make an appointment with a counselor at 707-995-7900, stop by the admissions office located at 15880 Dam Road Extension in Clearlake, or visit http://lcc.yccd.edu .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Democratic Party of Lake County has opened a campaign office in Lakeport at 390 Main St. and welcomes all voters to join the effort to elect Democratic candidates to local, state and national office.

The office will be open from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3, to allow visitors to explore the available volunteer opportunities from now through Nov. 8 and to purchase campaign materials. Speakers will be on hand to address what’s at stake in this election.

A special welcome is extended to those who supported Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton in the Democratic Primary and are now committed to working closely together to ensure Democratic wins in November, up and down the ticket.

In endorsing Secretary Clinton, Sen. Sanders said, “Trump would be a disaster as president of the United States. I cannot believe, and I say this with all sincerity, that Republicans would have a candidate for president in the year of 2016 who makes bigotry and discrimination a cornerstone of his campaign.”

In her nomination acceptance speech, Secretary Clinton thanked Sen. Sanders and welcomed his supporters to her campaign. “I’ve heard you. Your cause is our cause. Our country needs your ideas, energy and passion.”

“This election our bedrock values and rights as Americans are on the line,” Rebecca Curry, chair of the Lake County Democratic Party, said. “At stake is the balance of power of the Supreme Court, how we effectively address climate change, systemic racism, criminal justice reform and rampant gun violence, equal rights for women, income equality, attacks on social security, the threat of global terrorism and so many other major issues facing this country. This is the time to unite, not splinter, to hold on to the progress we've made and to push our country forward. We have a nominee who is strong, compassionate and experienced. Together, let's get her elected.”

To join the effort, learn about upcoming events, regular office hours and stay up-to-date on campaign activities, please visit http://lakecountydemocrats.org/ or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/LakeCountyDemocrats/ .

You also can visit the group at the Lake County Fair from Sept. 1 to 4.

For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 707-533-4885.