LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol recognizes National Teen Driver Safety Week Oct. 16 to 22, which provides an excellent opportunity for families to have lifesaving conversations with their teen drivers.
Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for teenagers, ahead of all other types of injury, disease, or violence.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that nationwide in 2014, 2,670 drivers age 15 to 19 were involved in fatal crashes, resulting in 3,004 deaths.
In 2014 in California, 262 teens were behind the wheel at the time of fatal collisions. Sixty-five percent of those young drivers were at fault.
“Even as teens become more independent, their families still have a strong influence,” CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow said. “Young people whose parents or guardians set firm rules for driving typically engage in less risky driving behaviors and are involved in fewer collisions.”
Inexperience is the leading cause of teen collisions. The safest way for young drivers to gain experience is for a parent or guardian to ride with them frequently and monitor their progress.
By helping their teenager gain experience, parents and guardians should also highlight the five most deadly behaviors for new drivers:
– Alcohol consumption: Driving or riding with anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs can have deadly consequences. – Driving without seat belts: Wearing a seat belt is one of the simplest ways for anyone to stay safe and survive in a collision, but too many teens and their passengers do not buckle up. – Distracted driving: Eyes must be on the road and hands on the wheel all of the time. – Speeding: Almost one-third of drivers under age 20 involved in fatal collisions in 2014 were speeding. – Carrying extra passengers: Research shows the risk of a fatal collision goes up in direct relation to the number of passengers in the car.
As part of its commitment to educating the motoring public, the CHP has developed several programs for teen drivers and their families:
– Start Smart is a driver safety education class that targets new and future licensed drivers between the ages of 15-19 and their parents/guardians. The CHP has released a mobile application (app) for Start Smart, designed to assist young people through the process of obtaining their California driver license. The app includes a step-by-step guide covering everything from the Department of Motor Vehicles Driver Handbook and the final steps for obtaining a provisional license, to ultimately achieving an unrestricted California driver license. – Every 15 Minutes focuses on high school juniors and seniors, challenging them to think about drinking, driving, personal safety, the responsibility of making mature decisions, and the impact their decisions have on family, friends, and many others.
The CHP also works with Impact Teen Drivers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives through evidence-based educational programs that support good decision-making strategies behind the wheel.
“Although we focus on teens because they are uniquely vulnerable to car crashes because of their driving inexperience, the overarching mission is to change the culture of driving to one that is distraction-free. We partner with teen influencers – law enforcement, educators, and parents, to empower everyone in the community to commit to safe driving choices," said Dr. Kelly Browning, executive director of Impact Teen Drivers.
“National Teen Driver Safety Week is about bringing awareness to the well-being of newly licensed teen drivers who are hitting America’s roadways,” said Rhonda Craft, director of the Office of Traffic Safety. “By encouraging cautious and responsible driving habits among teens, we are helping to create safer roadways for everyone.”
The CHP is aware of the importance of role models in a youth’s development. Education of new drivers and their families is regarded as a critical function by the CHP to help keep everyone safe on California’s roadways.
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of safety, service and security to the people of California.
It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of our dad Drew Goetjen. He passed away at Kaiser Hospital in Oakland, Calif., after a lengthy illness.
Drew was born in Tracy, Calif., on Oct. 20, 1935, and was a son of the late Adolph and Leslie Goetjen.
He married the love of his life, Carollou Watson, on July 12, 1962, in San Francisco and then they moved to Santa Rosa where they lived the rest of their lives.
In the beginning Drew was a bellboy for the historical Flamingo Hotel and afterward he worked at the Sonoma State Hospital where he worked until retirement for 28 years. During that time he worked with his wife Carol side by side at the hospital for almost 25 of those years.
Drew was a very kind and gentle soul; he had an artistic flair and was well known for painting holiday windows for many of Sonoma counties local businesses and he always enjoyed how his talent brought a smile to people’s faces.
He loved all animals great and small which included raising an orphan raccoon where she became to be part of the Goetjen family. He supported many animal rescue organizations and never lived a day without at least one rescue pup in his back yard to follow him around his beautifully landscaped yard.
One of his favorite hobbies was his personal collection of anything and everything in Disney character collectibles that he could get his hands on.
He also took great pride in his love for the famous Marilyn Monroe even before she became the “well known starlet” on the movie screen and had quite a few collectible pieces that he cherished of her.
Drew had such a loving and generous heart and was always so kind and giving to others.
He joined his beloved wife of 52 years, Carollou Watson; and his sons, Gary Michael, Wilson Goetjen and Roger Scott Goetjen.
He leaves behind his loving memories to be cherished by his brother James Goetjen from Grays River, Wash., and his sister, Tammy Novoa of San Luis Obispo, Calif.; son, Troy and his wife Tawn Goetjen of Nice, Calif.; and daughter, Gina Goetjen of Hayden, Idaho; grandchildren, Shay Willig of Chico, Calif., Chad Samuelson of Sacramento, Calif., and Chase Goetjen, Colton Goetjen and Camden Goetjen, all of Nice.
A private burial and funeral service were held at the Oak Mound Cemetery in Healdsburg California where he was laid to rest.
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Middletown Art Center will host a forum for Middletown Unified School District Board candidates on Monday, Oct. 17.
The forum will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the center, 21456 Highway 175.
Candidates are Misha Grothe, Sean Millerick, Sandy Tucker and Helena Welsh.
The forum will be moderated by Larry Allen, a Cobb resident and retired representative for California Teachers Association, and Herb Gura, a Konocti Unified School Board member.
Everyone is encouraged to attend this forum. Supervised art activities will be available for children ages 4 and up for $5 in the back studio while parents participate in this important forum.
Please RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for child care.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Nov. 8, Lakeport residents will have an opportunity to cast ballots for president, Congress, the State Legislature, and at least 17 separate statewide and countywide ballot measures.
Lakeport residents will also have an opportunity to vote for three city council members, along with Measure Z, the Lakeport public safety/essential city services measure. Measure Z is the only local measure on the Lakeport ballot this year.
The Nov. 8 ballot is one of the longest ballots in recent history. Lakeport’s local measures will be placed at the end of the ballot, so officials ask that voters be sure to read all the way through to vote on Lakeport’s local measure and candidates.
If you are not yet registered to vote in Lakeport and wish to do so, you may do so on or before Oct. 24. If you are not registered to vote in Lakeport after Oct. 24, you may not participate in the November election. You may register to vote online, quickly and securely, www.registertovote.ca.gov .
You may also request a voter registration form to be mailed to you by calling the Registrar of Voter’s office at 707-263-2372.
Finally, you may pick up a voter registration form at Lakeport City Hall at 225 Park St. during normal business hours, Monday to Thursday.
Starting the week of Oct. 10, Lakeport vote-by-mail and absentee voters will begin to receive their vote-by-mail ballots.
If you are a vote-by-mail voter and have not received your ballot by Oct. 20, please call the Lake County Registrar of Voters during normal business hours at 707-263-2372.
If you are not a vote-by-mail voter and wish to become one, you may request a vote-by-mail ballot on or before Nov. 1. Remember to sign the back of your ballot or your vote will not be counted.
Absentee ballots may be dropped off at any polling place in Lake County during Election Day. Polls will be open between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.
If you do not know where your polling place is, please call the Lake County Registrar of Voters during normal business hours at 707-263-2372.
Additional information about Measure Z and other local elections may be found on the city’s Web site at www.cityoflakeport.com . If you have additional questions, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 707-263-5615.
UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The Harriet Lee Hammond Library in Upper Lake officially turns 100 years old this week, and as promised by the Lake County Library, a special Sunday celebration went on despite an afternoon punctuated by pouring rain.
However, as it turned out, the Sunday afternoon storms couldn't keep well-wishers, community members and library lovers away.
The afternoon celebration included music by the Upper Lake High School Band; a poetry reading by Wanda Quitiquit, a Pomo whose family hails from the Northshore; talks by Martha Fargusson of the Upper Lake Women's Protective Club, who helped fund the building originally, as well as Lake County Librarian Christopher Veach. There was also the chance for visitors to try a chocolate cake made with Winnie Riffe's famed 100-year-old recipe.
Hammond's great niece, Kit Everts of Mill Valley and her sons John of Vancouver, British Columbia, and Hamilton of Corte Madera also were on hand for the celebration. Hamilton Everts gave remarks at the event.
On display were silver name card holders that Harriet Hammond received from her brother-in-law, President Theodore Roosevelt, which the current owner loaned to the library for the event, along with some of Hammond's letters and an alphabet embroidery sampler she did as a child.
The Everts family also brought a large picture book that Harriet Hammond had kept of her time in Lake County, which Kit Everts said meant a lot to her great-aunt.
Linda Bushta, who had worked as a school librarian before coming to work at the Hammond Library 10 and a half years ago, called the event turnout “just wonderful,” especially since people had braved the wet weather to come out and hear the music and presentations, and pay a visit to the library's warm, welcoming environs.
While small, the Hammond Library – with its lovely redwood-paneled walls and craftsman styling – is comfortable, with tall rows of books, a few window seats and a fascinating history.
“It's a special place,” Jan Cook, a technician with the Lake County Library system who now works at the Lakeport Library but had worked at the Hammond Library for six years in the 1990s, told Lake County News. On Sunday she was among the featured speakers, discussing the building's history.
Part of what makes the library's atmosphere so welcoming is Bushta herself, with her twinkling eyes, genuine smile and her infectious affection for the building itself.
She pointed out that the library itself has weathered many storms over the years – from real physical ones to financial ones.
Yet, through it all, the library has remained a community fixture and a point of pride. And even in today's technologically driven world, in which the library now has a vast online catalog, its physical presence remains an important informational – and historical – resource to its community.
Discovering and building connections
Harriet Lee Hammond came from a prominent East Coast family, and had grown up in the affluent village of Chestnut Hill, located six miles from downtown Boston.
Her older sister, Alice Hathaway Lee, was the first wife of Theodore Roosevelt. Alice Roosevelt died of kidney failure on Feb. 14, 1884, at age 22, days after giving birth to the couple's only child, Alice.
Theodore Roosevelt would still maintain ties with his first wife's family after her death, as evidenced in his gifts to Harriet Hammond that were featured on Sunday. Hamilton Everts said his grandmother also was invited to the White House during the term of “Uncle Teddy.”
Hamilton Everts said Harriet Hammond grew up in the lap of luxury, yet would give that up to move to the West Coast in the late 1800s with her husband.
Kit Everts said her great-aunt met her husband-to-be, Charles Mifflin Hammond, while he was still a student at Harvard.
He graduated from Harvard in 1883, came to California to pursue agriculture, and then returned to Massachusetts and wed Harriett in 1888 in Chestnut Hill. “And then they came right back out here,” Kit Everts said.
In Upper Lake, the Hammonds had a 600-acre farm. Kit Everts said the crops they grew included figs.
The Upper Lake community began to discuss having its own library in about 1914, with the effort spearheaded by the Upper Lake Women's Protective Club, according to a library history provided by Bushta.
The club not only paid the first librarian – $16 per month – but aided in acquiring the land at the corner of Second and Main streets, which was purchased and donated by members Amy Murdock and Lottie Mendenhall.
The Hammonds supported that dream, but Charles Hammond wouldn't live to see it come to reality. He died in 1915.
In his memory, Harriet Hammond donated $6,000 for the building, and hired Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow – a prominent Boston architect who also was the nephew of famed poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow – to design Upper Lake's library.
Construction on Upper Lake's library began in June 1916. By the time the construction was finished and the building's dedication took place in October 1916, Harriet Hammond already had returned to the East Coast, and to Chestnut Hill, which would be her primary place of residence for the rest of her life, Kit Everts said.
The library history recounts that Hammond had attorney H. E. Witherspoon read a letter – in which she presented the library to the town – on her behalf to the hundreds of community members who attended the dedication ceremony.
The townspeople, grateful for her generosity, began calling the new building the Harriet Lee Hammond Library.
Kit Everts remembers living across the street from her “Aunt Hattie” in Chestnut Hill, where other relatives also lived as well, in the 1920s and 1930s. Hammond died in 1936, when Everts was just 13 years old.
Harriet Hammond didn't talk much about her experiences in the West, said Everts, who guessed that silence was because the family didn't approve of her going out to California in the first place.
Everts said Harriet Hammond remained active in a variety of organizations, and while she made her home on the East Coast, Upper Lake remained close to her heart.
For the rest of her life she would offer the building her support. When she died in November 1936, Harriet Hammond had made yet another provision for the library in the form of a bequest that provided money to build an addition in 1937 that is today used as a meeting room.
Not long after she started work at the library a decade ago, Bushta said she met four women in Upper Lake who had remembered the building of the library. Realizing at that point that none of them were likely to live to see the building's centennial, she proposed and led the effort to hold a 90th birthday celebration for the library.
That event, she said, helped prepare her and the county library system for what to expect in putting on a centennial celebration.
As she'd hoped, it offered a chance to celebrate the people who had been alive to see the library built. One of the women remembered her father using a team of horses for the soil fill work to prepare the site.
And, as Bushta anticipated, all four of the women who she wanted to honor have died since then.
In the time since, Bushta forged new connections – this time, with the Everts, who until earlier this year didn't know a library had been named for their relative.
“We didn't have any idea this library existed,” said Hamilton Everts.
He stumbled across it while doing an Internet ancestry search. He called the library to ask about it, and ended up talking to Bushta, who has done extensive research on Hammond's family. “She knew more about our family than any of us do.”
That led Kit Everts and her two sons to make their first visit to Upper Lake on May 4 – which just so happened to be Harriet Hammonds' birthday. Hamilton Everts called the date of the visit “complete synchronicity.”
He said his mother, brother and he had tears in their eyes when they saw the building for the first time in May.
Since then, they've stayed in touch with Bushta, who kept them apprised of the plans for the celebration.
Kit Everts lauded Bushta for her work in recording and promoting the library's history.
The connection that has formed between the family and Bushta is genuine, with she and Hamilton Everts playfully calling each other “cousins.”
Hamilton Everts noted that his great-great-aunt was quite a book collector, and as gifts for Bushta he and his family brought two leatherbound books that had belonged to Hammond and contained her signature.
They also gifted Bushta with a silver brush that Charles Hammond has given his wife for their 25th wedding anniversary in 1913, just two years before he died. The brush is engraved with the occasion and the reason for the gift.
Bushta was amazed by the present. Kit Everts said it was nice to find somewhere for whom the brush would mean something.
“It does mean something,” said Bushta.
Standing in the library with visitors and new friends, sharing stories and looking at Harriet Hammonds' picture book, Hamilton Everts looked perfectly at home, wearing period attire topped by a bowler hat.
“I think you should dress like this more often,” Kit Everts told her son with a smile.
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.
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Soroptimist International off Clear Lake is hosting a mystery dinner theater titled "Sour Grapes Of Wrath” on Friday, Oct. 21.
A few tickets at $40 per person are still available for the event, which will take place beginning at 5 p.m. at the Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum, 16435 Main St.
The dinner, to be catered by Fresh & Bangin', will include mixed green salad, roasted root veggies with herb sauce, cauliflower puree, roasted pork loin with lemon cream sauce and wine. Vegetarians can opt for the chili relleno. Desserts will be provided by great cooks who are members of Soroptimist.
The scenario: One year ago, Robert Killingsworth bought the farm. Six months later, he was dead - leaving his widow Elizabeth to tend to the fledgling vineyard and winery on the outskirts of California's wine country.
With mounting debts and no idea how to run a business, Elizabeth is desperate to sell the farm and recoup her losses. The fierce drought and shaky economy, however, have left the Killingsworth farm on the market far too long.
One early autumn day, six people passed through the gates of Killingsworth farm to visit Elizabeth – one of them, a cold-blooded killer.
There are three women and three men in the production, including Soroptimist members Brenda Crandall, Wanda Harris and Reiko Hattori, with the rest of the cast including Randy Hare, Shawn Garrison and Bert Hutt.
There are prizes for those who correctly identify the killer of Elizabeth Killingsworth.
For more information or to make a reservation for the mystery dinner theater contact Ami Landrum at 707-350-7419; for information on joining Soroptimist contact Membership Chair Wanda Harris at 707-225-5800 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Lupoyoma Parlor No. 329 of the Native Daughters of the Golden West will meet on Thursday, Nov. 10, 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.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County's Long-Term Recovery Task Force, now focused on the Clayton Fire, will meet Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 6 p.m.
The location of the meeting is the Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum, second floor auditorium, located at 16435 Main St.
Lake County Fifth District Supervisor Rob Brown and County Administrative Office Carol Huchingson, co-coordinators for the county's Clayton fire recovery effort, encourage fire survivors to attend and hear recovery updates first-hand.
To answer questions raised at the Oct. 5 task force meeting: If you receive your election ballot by mail, please call the Registrar of Voters Office at 800-235-6730 to confirm your ballot has been mailed to your correct address. Office hours are 8a.m. to 5p.m., Monday through Friday. Please call before Oct. 24.
The Task Force is a partnership of local, state and community representatives working together to provide comprehensive services to aid in the recovery of Clayton fire survivors and the rebuilding of Lower Lake.
Meetings provide an opportunity for fire survivors to share their concerns and ask questions of members of the task force.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Doug is survived by his wife, Arlene; son, Eric; grandchildren, Kaden and Zoey; mother, Edna; and siblings, Mary, Mina and Larry.
Memorial service will be held at Upper Lake Seventh Day Adventist Church on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 2:30 p.m.
Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .
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
– Pavement marker replacement from 0.1 miles east of Clover Creek to Hudson Avenue will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect overnight from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from Lucerne Cutoff Road to Hammond Road beginning Wednesday, Oct. 19. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
– Pavement repairs at various locations from Sayre Avenue to the junction of Routes 20/53 will continue. One-way traffic control will also be in effect from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 1five-minute delays.
– Rocky Fire cleanup between the north fork of Cache Creek and the Colusa County line will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
Highway 29
– AT&T has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility repairs near Putah Lane on Monday, Oct. 17, and Tuesday, Oct. 18. Intermittent one-way traffic will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
– Pavement marker replacement from .3 miles north of the Siegler Canyon Bridge to just north of Cruikshank Road will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect overnight from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance near Konocti Forestry Camp beginning Tuesday, Oct. 18. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.
MENDOCINO COUNTY Highway 1
– Bridge deck repairs at the Brush Creek will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
– Geotech work at Russian Gulch will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
– PG&E has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility repairs from Simpson Road to Ten Mile River on Tuesday, Oct. 18. One-way traffic will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
Highway 20
– Pavement repairs from the North Calpella Overcrossing to Cold Creek Bridge #3 will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect overnight from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 20-minute delays.
– Pavement marker replacement from 0.5 mile west of Potter Valley Road to the Lake/Mendocino County line will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect overnight from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
Highway 101
– Bridge deck repairs at the Comminsky Station Viaduct and the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge will continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in both directions from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
– Routine maintenance near Frog Woman Rock will continue. A northbound lane restriction will be in place. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
– Bridge deck repairs at the Robinson Overcrossing continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in both directions from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
– Bridge deck repairs at the Doolan Creek Bridge, Gobbi Street Overcrossing, and the North State Street Overcrossing will continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in both directions overnight from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
– Emergency bridge repairs at the Perkins Street Overcrossing will continue. Southbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns. The Perkins Street onramp to southbound Route 101 will be closed 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists will directed to use the southbound Gobbi Street onramp.
– Rumble strip installation between Uva Drive and one half-mile south of the Haehl Overhead Bridge will continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in both directions from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
– Highway construction near the Haehl Overhead Bridge will continue. Intermittent one-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from Commercial Street to Sherwood Road beginning Tuesday, Oct. 18. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in both directions from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
– Highway construction near the north Willits railroad crossing will continue. Intermittent one-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
– Emergency slide repairs just south of Standish-Hickey State Park will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
Highway 128
– Drainage work from 2.5 to 7.0 miles east of the junction with Route 1 will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Motorists should anticipate 1five-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).
UPPER LAKE, Calif. – After completing a 40-acre prescribed fire last week, fire managers plan to burn approximately 20 to 30 acres of slash piles on the Upper Lake Ranger District.
Forest officials said the burns will take place from Monday, Oct. 17, through Wednesday, Oct. 19.
These prescribed fires will occur around the Lakeview Campground and High Valley area just northeast of Lucerne, the forest administration reported.
The recent moisture across the forest will help prevent fire from spreading into the surrounding vegetation, officials said. Smoke will be visible in various areas in Lake County.
The ignition of all prescribed fires is dependent on the availability of personnel and equipment, favorable weather, conditions that minimize smoke impacts as best as possible, and California Air Resources Board approval.
The local air quality district manages the number of acres available to burn during allotted burn days based on the amount of projects proposed.
The workings of memory are something that every writer thinks a lot about, and in this poem Peter Everwine, a California poet we've featured before, looks very closely into those workings.
His most recent book is “Listening Long and Late,” from the University of Pittsburgh Press. This poem is from Five Points, a distinguished quarterly journal.
A Small Story
When Mrs. McCausland comes to mind she slips through a small gap in oblivion and walks down her front steps, in her hand a small red velvet pillow she tucks under the head of Old Jim Schreiber, who is lying dead-drunk against the curb of busy Market Street. Then she turns, labors up the steps and is gone . . .
A small story. Or rather, the memory of a story I heard as a boy. The witnesses are not to be found, the steps lead nowhere, the pillow has collapsed into a thread of dust . . . Do the dead come back only to remind us they, too, were once among the living, and that the story we make of our lives is a mystery of luminous, but uncertain moments, a shuffle of images we carry toward sleep— Mrs. McCausland with her velvet pillow, Old Jim at peace—a story, like a small clearing in the woods at night, seen from the windows of a passing train.
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