Over the years, a great deal of information and medical data has been collected on the proliferation of cell towers and the associated risk they pose in health hazards, in particular, the overwhelming amount of evidence that living near a cell tower can cause and greatly increases the likelihood of cancer, including prostate, breast, lung, kidney and liver cancer caused by the exposure to the electromagnetic fields emitted by these towers.

Humans are exposed to more than 100 million times the amount of electromagnetic radiation than our grandparents were which is attributed to the rise of cancer related deaths. Additionally cell phone tower electromagnetic radiation is linked to the development and acceleration of cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders and numerous other health compromising consequences.

While the telecom industry denies the scientific evidence and says that claims of ill health effects from cell tower radiation are unfounded, there is a preponderance of mounting evidence to prove that a rising death and disease toll appears in areas where these cell towers have been installed. This is not the first industry to buy studies to support their own claims denying complicity while pushing forward with their profit making ventures and releasing reports to the public to debunk any information, no matter how credible that cell towers are harmful to your health. 

Most people by now are aware of the dangers of holding a cell phone close to one’s head for a period of time every day and the links that medical data shows us to the high incidence of brain tumors developing on the side of the head where the cell phone was used. We use cell phones as a part of our daily lives and have learned to depend on them for much of our communication and activities. This does not however mean that they are safe and those who are aware of the dangers take reasonable precautions.

In the case of cell towers though, we are essentially defenseless and powerless because of the amounts of deadly radiation we are exposed to that we have no control over. This makes cell towers a health menace to society when the companies that put them up do not take care that to erect these towers as far away from people as possible.

In fact, studies have also shown adverse effects to animals after exposure to cell tower radiation. A study into the effects of a cell tower on a herd of dairy cattle showed that following erection of the tower, adverse health effects were observed as well as a measurable drop in milk yield. When these animals were relocated, their milk yield returned to near previous levels.

A human study (measured blood levels of serotonin and melatonin (important hormones involved in brain messaging, mood, sleep regulation and immune system function) both before, and five months after, the activation of a new cell site. Substantial unfavorable changes occurred with respect to these essential hormones.

All living things are affected by cell tower radiation. Among groups at great risk are pregnant mothers as cell tower radiation is known to cause birth defects.

Human population centers are flooded with massive amounts of powerful wireless microwave radiation. Cell phone towers emit high-frequency radio waves, or microwaves, that can travel as far as 45 miles. The closer you are, the greater the danger. Cellphone tower microwaves have a significantly higher frequency than even radio waves. The higher the frequency, the more powerful the wave and the more significant the effect on biological organisms.

Scientific research has been conducted all over the world showing that cell phone towers do in fact cause harm. One such study in Brazil’s third largest city for example established a direct link between cell towers and cancer deaths. In all, 7,000 deaths were attributed to cell tower radiation. Over 80 percent of those who succumbed to cell tower caused radiation cancer death resided approximately a third of a mile away from a cell tower.

Dr. Adilza Condessa Dode, one of the engineering researchers as well as the coordinator of the Brazilian study, addressed concerns among citizens living there adding that Brazil does not stand alone in dealing with this issue. He elaborated, "These levels (EMFs) are high and dangerous to human health. The closer you live to an antenna, the greater the contact with the electromagnetic field."

Local residents of Lake County are vulnerable to the health risks posed by the installation of these towers and as the industry grows, greater care must be taken in consideration of where these towers are to be located so as not to endanger human and animal health. Whether you are a cell phone user or not and most are, even those who choose to not use this technology will suffer the consequences of cell phone tower radiation.

A growing number of organizations and many more studies support the conclusions of the Brazilian study cited here. The International Association for Research on Cancer (IARC), based upon findings from research conducted by an international think tank, came to the conclusion that radiation spewing from cell towers is a carcinogen.

The BioInitiative 2012 Report written by a group of leading independent international scientists put out an unequivocal health warning against exposure to EMFs. This includes exposures from cell phone towers. This report concluded that cell towers are particularly dangerous because of the constant nature of the activity of the towers in that they emit pulsed radio frequency radiation which has been shown in thousands of studies to cause biological damage to the body and to be a precursor to disease.

Besides the risk of cancer and other diseases linked to cell towers, the following other disorders are also linked:

• Genetic mutations;
• Memory disruptions;
• Hindered learning;
• ADD;
• Insomnia;
• Brain disorders;
• Hormonal imbalances;
• Infertility;
• Dementia;
• Heart complications.

These dangers make it imperative to take action. It’s clear that cell towers should be located as far away from residential areas as possible and city, county and state officials and agencies should take heed of public safety concerns when considering cell tower site locations. Decisions as to where these sites are to be located is a paramount matter of public safety.   

A study performed by doctors in Germany monitoring 1,000 residents who had lived in an area around two cell phone towers for 10 years showed that during the last five years of the study, those living in these areas had a newly-diagnosed cancer rate three times higher than those who lived further away. Breast cancer topped the list, but cancers of the prostate, pancreas, bowel, skin melanoma, lung and blood cancer were all increased. Cancer rates anywhere where cell towers have been installed have shown to exceed 10 times what would otherwise be the average in those areas.

It should also be considered that not all cell tower related cancers occur right away. The effects of exposure are cumulative within the body. The longer term studies clearly indicate that the effects of cell tower radiation exposure accumulates over time before the damage is detected and by then it may be irreversible because after several years of exposure, by then the body’s defenses and repair mechanisms have been exhausted and overwhelmed.

Over time, our bodies become stressed by exposure to this type of radiation every day. This affects our health in many ways. Other cell tower radiation exposure health effects include
tumors, diabetes, heart rhythm disturbances, inflammatory conditions, joint and limb pains, frequent infections, headaches, sleep disturbances, depression and memory problems.

Doctors are discovering all kinds of illnesses showing similar patterns where patients have had a higher incidence of this type of radiation exposure.

The current legal limit for cell site radiation in the US and the UK is 1000 microwatts per square centimeter. Other countries have set more conscientious limits as low as 1 microwatt per square centimeter.  Switzerland, Italy, China and others manage perfectly well with a limit of 10 microwatts per square centimeter. The disparity manifests most where government is less concerned with safety than with the economic and political motives that propel the cell tower movement forward at a dangerous pace.

Some have questioned how close one can be to a cell tower and still be safe. Most studies show that living within a quarter of a mile of a cell tower poses significant health risks including a three times increased risk of cancer. This should not be taken lightly when companies are proposing sites for new cell tower installations in Lake County.

I urge and encourage you to contact your city, county and state decision makers to make your opinions heard on this subject.

Howard Glasser lives in Kelseyville, Calif.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Regional author Kevin Griffin will facilitate a daylong retreat titled “Living Kindness: Buddhist Teachings for a Troubled World” on Saturday, Dec. 3.

The retreat will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at A Positive Light Meditation and Spiritual Center at 6470 Kelsey Creek Drive in Kelseyville.

Loving kindness, or metta, is sometimes depicted as a simple “open your heart and love everybody” practice, but a closer look at the Buddha’s teachings reveals a more complex and nuanced picture.

In a time of great conflict and contention in our society, it can be extremely valuable to see how the Buddha addressed these relevant topics, such as, the challenges of living with other people; the risk of hating anyone, even your enemies; and the dangers inherent in conventional loving relationships.

Griffin uses his teachings on loving kindness to emphasize the importance of sila, or ethical behavior; the potential for opening into deeper meditative states of peace and equanimity; and the importance of developing a non-discriminating, unconditional love on the path of awakening. The retreat will include meditation, lecture, small group discussion, and questions and answers.

Griffin is a dharma teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, Calif., and has authored several books on recovery and Buddhism, including “One Breath At A Time,” “A Burning Desire,” “Buddhism and the Twelve Steps” and his most recent book, “Recovering Joy.”

He is a leader in the mindfulness recovery movement and a founder of the Buddhist Recovery Network. A longtime Buddhist practitioner and 12-step participant, he teaches nationally on the synthesis of these two traditions.
 
Griffin is hosted by local meditation teacher, Reiki Master, and proprietor of A Positive Light in Kelseyville, Joanie Lane, and local author, mindfulness teacher and life coach, JoAnn Saccato, MA.
 
"Kevin is one of my favorite recovery authors. I feel so incredibly blessed and grateful for the opportunity to host him again this year," said Lane. "He is an internationally recognized author bringing his generous heart and message to us. It is a real gift."
 
"I appreciate his unique way of clearly bringing together mindfulness and recovery from a heart-centered space," said Saccato. "I'm looking forward to learning more about working with a loving kindness approach to difficult times and relationships."
 
Space is limited for the event. For more information registration, visit http://www.apositivelight.com or call Joanie Lane at 707-279-6031.

Beginning writers often tell me their real lives aren't interesting enough to write about, but the mere act of shaping a poem lifts its subject matter above the ordinary.

Here's Natasha Trethewey, who served two terms as U. S. Poet Laureate, illustrating just what I've described. It's from her book Domestic Work, from Graywolf Press. Trethewey lives in Georgia.

Housekeeping

We mourn the broken things, chair legs
wrenched from their seats, chipped plates,
the threadbare clothes. We work the magic
of glue, drive the nails, mend the holes.
We save what we can, melt small pieces
of soap, gather fallen pecans, keep neck bones
for soup. Beating rugs against the house,
we watch dust, lit like stars, spreading
across the yard. Late afternoon, we draw
the blinds to cool the rooms, drive the bugs
out. My mother irons, singing, lost in reverie.
I mark the pages of a mail-order catalog,
listen for passing cars. All day we watch
for the mail, some news from a distant place.

American Life in Poetry does not accept unsolicited submissions. American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation ( www.poetryfoundation.org ), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2000 by Natasha Trethewey, “Housekeeping,” from Domestic Work, (Graywolf Press, 2000). Poem reprinted by permission of Natasha Trethewey and the publisher. Introduction copyright © 2016 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction's author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006.

Congressman John Garamendi is a loyal advocate for Lake County in Congress. He brings a diverse array of public service experience to the table.

Garamendi spent his days as insurance commissioner fighting for consumers, saving policy owners over $22 billion in premium costs. I received a significant rebate from my vehicle insurance company thanks to John Garamendi. 

As majority leader of the State Senate, Garamendi championed legislation to improve health care access to rural communities.

Garamendi secured resources to clean up our lake and combat invasive species. Garamendi knows how important our lake is to our economy, and he’s helped secure the resources to protect it.

We’ve experienced four wildfires in 15 months, and have received Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance just once.

Garamendi held community forums and toured the fire sites with local representatives to learn our concerns and needs. He secured over $2 million in SBA loans to help homeowners and small business owners alike rebuild after the Clayton fire.

He also is introducing legislation that will require FEMA disaster relief assistance for communities that have experienced at least four disasters within 15 months.

Garamendi has spent his time in Congress fighting against corruption on Wall Street and working to establish a firewall between investment and consumer banking. He’s a strong opponent of the twin tunnels, and has authored a counter proposal that prioritizes new water storage, conservation and levee restoration over twin tunnel construction.

The community speaks and Garamendi listens. I have met and spoken with him at several local town hall meetings. He is knowledgeable, thoughtful and has good ideas on every issue I asked him about including water shortage, Clear Lake, our economy and jobs. I’m thankful to have him represent me.

On Nov. 8, I hope you’ll join me in voting Garamendi for Congress, so that Lake County can continue to have a strong voice for our working families and community in Congress.

James Evans lives in Clearlake Oaks, Calif.

We am submitting this letter because we think its important to support people who are willing to take  on the monumental task of working for our community.

Monica Rosenthal is one of these people and she is our choice for supervisor in our District 1.

We have attended most of the supervisor candidate forums and are very impressed with her responses to the questions asked.

She is informed and knowledgeable and has a very impressive resume.

Our next supervisor must be accessible and available to represent us on all matters, especially as our communities recover from the horrific events that happened last year. We need someone who can give their full attention to us.

This is why we thought it was important to write this “letter to the editor” in support of Monica Rosenthal for supervisor. She's active and works very hard for us in all the areas of District 1.

Please remember to get out and vote on Nov 8th. It’s not just a privilege its our duty.

Rita Caroni, Dayle Marshall, Sandi Mino and Kitty Tucker live in Lower Lake, Calif.

Kite fishing

Question: Can you tell me the regulations regarding using a fishing kite from shore or a pier to catch fish?

We use these specially modified kites to help us get our lines out farther than the distance we could normally cast them. (Jenny C.)

Answer: There are no specific regulations prohibiting the use of a kite or other windborne device (a helium-filled balloon, for example) to help you to get your line out to where the fish are.

However, please be mindful of the environment and remember that any items or materials discarded or abandoned could be considered litter.

If, for instance, an angler used a balloon to catch a fish and then released the balloon when the fish was hooked – or when the line reached the desired distance from shore – the angler could be subject to citation.

Also, there may be local (city or county) ordinances that pertain to this, so please check with local authorities.

What to do about raccoons visiting my backyard

Question: I live in a residential area and raccoons have begun visiting my backyard at night. They are using my yard as a rest stop in their nightly urban foraging. Our backyard is landscaped including a grass lawn.

I am looking for anything short of cages to discourage them. Is there any non-toxic substance I can spread near their entrance/exit point to discourage their visits? They do not appear to be eating or digging up anywhere in the yard, but they’ve adopted my yard as their restroom.

I would appreciate any insight or suggestions you may have. (John W., Elk Grove)

Answer: We see an upsurge in raccoon sightings and reports this time of year because youngsters born in the spring are now independent of their moms and the adults are building up their fat reserves for the winter.
 
According to California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Wildlife Biologist Jeff Cann, you should first remove all attractants from your yard such as pet food, dropped fruit, old garden vegetables, and securely close all garbage cans and compost heap containers.

Even water can be an attractant this time of year, so if you have a fountain or fish pond, try to make it off limits (e.g. electric fence or dry it out). If the raccoons are coming in through holes in the fence, block those entry points with wire, wood or some other barrier.

Keep in mind that raccoons are excellent climbers and are capable of gaining access to yards by climbing fences or using overhanging limbs to bypass fences altogether. Cutting overhanging limbs may help to keep them from dropping in.

If the raccoons are climbing over your fence, one deterrent could be to line the top with spikes or sharp tack strips. An easy way to do this is via carpet tack strips which are essentially a lot of little nails anchored in wood that carpet installers use to stretch carpet over. If you completely line the top of the fence with these then the raccoons will not use the top board as a transit way either.

A “hot wire” from an electric fence charger at the top of the fence will greatly increase the effectiveness of a fence for excluding raccoons but you’ll need to find a way to properly ground it.

While these may all seem like extreme measures, the point here is to make your yard less hospitable than your neighbors so the pesky critters will move on.

If you’re looking for chemical detractors, one option you could try is Capsaicin (a chile pepper extract). It's registered as a repellent for raccoons and may be useful in deterring trash-raiding raccoons.

A great place for more information on this is the University of California Integrated Pest Management Program page on raccoons. Good luck!

Is licorice legal bait?

Question: My brother and I have two burning questions we have been wondering about. Is it legal to use licorice to fish with as bait?

Also, we observed a man with a syringe injecting air into his bait worms so they would float off the bottom. Is this legal? (Marcus O.)

Answer: Processed food, such as licorice, are legal under bait regulations for inland waters where the use of bait is legal (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 4.00).

It is also legal to inject air into a fishing worm and many such kits are found at sporting goods outlets. This method can be a very effective way to keep a worm off the bottom of lakes with heavy bottom vegetation.

Can you lure a lobster with a sardine?

Question: Are you allowed to lure lobsters out of a hole with a piece of sardine in your hand? (David C.)

Answer: Sure, you can give it a try, but I don’t know how successful you’ll be.

The law says that skin and SCUBA divers may take crustaceans by the use of the hands only and may not possess any hooked device while diving or attempting to dive for them (CCR Title 14, section 29.80). There is no prohibition against waving snacks in front of them.

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. .