LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Lupoyoma Parlor No. 329 of the Native Daughters of the Golden West will meet on Thursday, April 13, for a membership social and organizational meeting.

The group meets at 5:30 p.m. for social time and 6 p.m. for the business meeting at Round Table Pizza, 821 11th St. in Lakeport.

If you were born in California and are over 16 you are a Native Californian eligible for membership in the Native Daughters of the Golden West organization.

The Native Daughters is a fraternal and patriotic organization founded in 1886 on the principles of:

– Love of home;
– Devotion to the flag;
– Veneration of the pioneers;
– Faith in the existence of God.

All Native Daughters are welcome to attend.

For more information contact Parlor Worthy President Carla Dore, 831-524-5588, or V.P. Dee Cuney, 707-235-2902, or visit the Native Daughters of the Golden West, Lupoyoma Parlor No. 329 Facebook page.

For information about Lake County Konocti No. 159 Chapter of the Native Sons of the Golden West contact Tony Braito at 707-245-7663.

WASHINGTON, DC – On Friday, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) – co-chair of the Land Conservation Caucus – led an effort to support funding for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, or NAWCA.

In a letter to Chairman Ken Calvert and Ranking Member Betty McCollum of the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Thompson called attention to the importance of our wetlands in preventing flooding, reducing damage from storm surges, and mitigating the effects of soil erosion.

Rep. Thompson speaks with the Congressional Sportsman’s Caucus about the importance of NAWCA.

“Our wetlands are a critical habitat for a number of species, and they play a key role in minimizing the damage from storms and severe weather,” said Thompson. “As a duck hunter myself, I know firsthand how important it is to protect these key habitats.”

Thompson continued, “While our country has lost much of its original wetlands, NAWCA has helped conserve and restore more than 33.4 million acres. It is one of our most cost-effective conservation programs. Every dollar the federal government invests is matched by an average three dollars from non-federal partners. And that money goes right back into our economy, as many of the lands NAWCA protects are used for hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation – a $646 billion industry. Studies have also shown NAWCA creates about 7,500 jobs each year. Clearly this program is working, and Congress should make sure it gets the funding it needs.”

“NAWCA continues to be a critical tool to help conserve America’s most vulnerable wetlands. We are blown away by the bipartisan support shown in the Dear Colleague letter and the leadership of Representatives Thompson, Young, LaMalfa and Lowenthal. Ducks Unlimited looks forward to continuing to work with members on both sides of the aisle to secure the funding this program needs and deserves,” said Whitney Tawney, senior water policy advisor, Ducks Unlimited.

The U.S. has lost roughly 52 percent of its original wetlands. Every year, an addition 80,000 acres of wetlands disappear.

NAWCA helps reduce that trend by leveraging federal dollars to raise contributions from private landowners, corporations, nonprofits, state and local governments, and other organizations in support of conservation grants.

In the last 20 years, $1.48 billion in federal funding has been matched by $4.34 billion in non-federal partner contributions.

NAWCA has strong support from farmers, ranchers, all 50 state wildlife agencies, and countless other groups. Demand for the program continues to outstrip available funding on a yearly basis. This year, more than 100 bipartisan Members cosigned the letter – the highest level of support it has seen since 2008. The full text of the letter can be found here.

Thompson is also a member of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, and he is leading legislation to reauthorize NAWCA for the next five years.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Easter See’s Candies sales by Delta Iota Tau Sorority will be made at Bruno’s Shop Smart from Monday, April 10, through Saturday, April 15, from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. each day.

Delta Iota Tau, a Lake County Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, sells See’s Candies all year through North Lake Medical Pharmacy located in the Bruno’s Shop Smart Center on Lakeport Boulevard.

Due to the huge volume of customers for Easter, the Sorority sets up this special table in Bruno’s to relieve the pharmacy staff during this time.

The money raised through these sales enables Delta Iota Tau to make a variety of community donations all year long. All monies raised are donated to Lake County residents and organizations only.

Groups receiving annual donations have included Clear Lake High School scholarships, Operation Tango Mike, Wreaths Across America, Sponsoring Survivorship, Miss Lake County Pageant, Lakeport Senior Center Meals on Wheels and Clear Lake High School Sober Grad Night to name a few.

When the public purchases See’s Candies from Delta Iota Tau please remember that the purchases provide far more joy than to the person who receives the candy.

“Many deserving people benefit from your purchase of See’s Candies, far more than you may imagine,” said Chapter President Dana Kearney. “Thank you for supporting our community giving.”

COVELO, Calif. – At 1 p.m. Monday, April 3, and Tuesday, April 4, Cal Fire’s Mendocino Unit will be conducting a vegetation management control burn on privately-owned land in the area of the Eel River drainage, south of the town of Covelo.

The prescribed burning conducted under this vegetation management program project will be done to meet a specific objective and conducted under specific climatic conditions to ensure control and minimize air quality and biological impacts.

These conditions will mimic conditions under which natural wildfires occur to maximize the positive effects of fire on vegetation.

The primary goal of this prescribed burn is to reintroduce fire as a natural element of the ecosystem.

A second goal is to improve wildlife habitat by inducing new shoots, from sprouting species to increase forage production, with islands of unburned fuel left within burn units to provide shelter for small mammals.

A third goal is to reduce overall fuel loading to decrease the chance of catastrophic wildfires in the future.

Historically, chaparral fuel beds experience fire every 15 to 20 years.

Portions of the project site have not seen fire for over 25 years, allowing fuels to reach maximum volume. This has greatly reduced the ability of wildlife to move through the area and has reduced the flow of waters from creeks and springs.

This project burn will be conducted under strictly controlled weather and fuel conditions.

For information on making your home fire safe visit. www.fire.ca.gov .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Thursday, March 30, the Terrace Vikings hosted the Lake County Junior High Athletic League, or LCJHAL, Wrestling Championship Tournament. 

The Vikings entered 12 wrestlers to compete – 10 boys and two girls – and out of those 11 would medal.

The Vikings finished with three gold medals, six silver medals and two bronze medals.

Liam Wayment (177 lbs.) and Blake Moak (Heavyweight) each went 2-0 with two pins to win their gold medals.

Ashley Pyorre (95 lbs.) was 2-0 with one pin and a major decision to win her gold medal in the girls division.

Samuel Vanoven (98 lbs.) and Axel Alvarez (135 lbs.) each went 2-1 with two pins to win their silver medals. Liam Davis (110 lbs.), Jonathan Werner (173 lbs.) and Raymond Gonzales-Shoaf (Heavyweight) were each 1-1 with one pin to win their silver medals.

Kiley Bartell secured her silver medal in the 139 lbs. girls division.    

Nathan Pyorre (82 lbs.) went 1-2 to win his bronze medal and Landon Bethel secured his bronze medal in the 124 lbs. boys division.

Also wrestling some tough matches for the Vikings was Carlos Villanueva.

“It’s a great group of kids, everyone made improvements in just one month of this short season!” said Head Coach Steve Fisher.

Bonnie Trumble
1921-2017

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – We invite you to “get together” to share memories of our beloved Bonnie Trumble.

We are having a social meeting in the conference room at Robinson Rancheria Casino on April 15, 2017, from 1 to 4 p.m. A photo gallery of her life and snacks will be served.

For information please contact Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary at 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

Christine Henderson Yecny
Jan. 6, 1948 – March 19, 2017
                     
Christine Henderson Yecny passed away March 19, 2017, in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Criss was born Jan. 6, 1948, the middle daughter of Robert L. and Carolyn M. Henderson.

She grew up on a pear ranch in Kelseyville, Calif., where she attended local schools and was a member of the Clearlake Junior Horsemen, the Kelseyville 4-H Club, and various school organizations where she inevitably took a leadership role.

She learned a wide range of skills: raising 4-H sheep and steers; competing on her favorite horse, Bart, in horse shows; hunting, fishing and swimming; driving farm equipment and irrigating orchards; baking award winning yeast breads and sewing stylish wool outfits for competition.

However, the activity that won her heart was flying airplanes. With her pilot father’s encouragement, she began ground school training even before leaving for college at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She earned her private pilot’s license at the San Luis Obispo County Airport in 1966 where she also enrolled in the Mustang Flying Club. It was the club president, Alan Yecny, who was destined to become the love of her life. 

They were married in 1973 while circling in a plane over Clear Lake. The rest of their life together was built around flying. Criss went on to earn her commercial pilot’s license and then became a certified flight instructor.

Her second student was her sister, Diane, and it was Al who gave Diane all of her preparatory phase checks. Criss also became a charter member of the San Luis Obispo chapter of the 99’s, an all-women pilot organization.

Together, Criss and Al developed Air San Luis, a combination charter service, flight school, Cessna sales and aircraft maintenance center. They had been co-CEOs for 41 years.

With Al, Criss belonged to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the San Luis Obispo Pilots Association (SLOPA), the San Luis Obispo Elks Club and the San Luis Obispo Moose Lodge.

As they built their business, they also built their family. They raised two sons, Lee and Keith, who grew up experiencing the worlds of flying, pear farming, school sports, and outdoor sports like hunting, fishing, and camping. Criss’ life revolved around her boys and their activities.   

Criss always loved watching sports, whether it was her sons’ soccer or tennis games, NASCAR races or her beloved 49ers.

However, when it came to air races, she loved to enter the competition. She flew as navigator in the big Powder Puff Derbies with pilot friends like Wanda Strassburg and Marci Barnet. She piloted the plane in the shorter Palms-to-Pines Air Races with her mom, her sister or a friend serving as navigators. One year Criss and Diane competed in matching maternity smocks when son, Lee, was on the way.

Criss’s favorite partner, however, was Al. The last races she flew were with him in San Luis Obispo. They won the SLO 99’s Race three years in a row (1998, 1999, and 2000) after which they were barred from the competition and asked to help run the event!      

Criss will be remembered for her kindness, her quick mind, her ready smile and fun loving spirit, and her unswerving loyalty to her family and friends. She will also be remembered for her cooking and entertaining skills, her wicked pinochle playing, her love of crosswords, and her love of animals, especially her dear little dog, Mayly.

She was predeceased by her son, Keith Henderson Yecny; her father, Robert L. Henderson; her sister, Melissa Henderson; her sister-in-law, Cindy Yecny; and her niece, Lynn A. Patten.

Criss leaves behind her husband of 43 years, Alan K. Yecny; her son, Lee Alan Yecny (fiancé Renee Bell); her mother, Carolyn Henderson-Rohner (E.A. “Skip” Rohner); her sister, Diane L. Henderson (Sydney C. Stokes); and her brothers-in-law, Kenneth Yecny (Jane), Gerald Yecny (Pat), and Earl Yecny.  She also leaves her niece, Megan Brewster, and nephews, Earl Yecny Jr., Bill Yecny and Andy Yecny.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on April 22 at the Olson Barn, 4848 Caballeros Ave., San Luis Obispo.

A graveside service will follow at 2 p.m. on May 13 in Kelseyville.

William Boyd Devine
Dec. 20, 1929 – Dec. 9, 2016

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – William Boyd Devine, “Bill,” passed away peacefully on Dec. 9, 2016.

A celebration of life ceremony is scheduled at the Upper Lake Seventh-day Adventist Church on Saturday, April 8, at 3 p.m., with a light dinner to follow.

For information please contact Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary at 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .