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MIDDLETOWN – A local school has received state recognition for excellence in education.
For the fourth time, Middletown Middle School has been named a California Distinguished School. The annual award recognizes some of the state's most exemplary public schools.
On April 1 State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell called Middletown Middle School's principal, Daniel Morgan, to notify him of the award and to offer his congratulations.
The school, which has 270 students, previously won the award in 2001, 1994 and 1992, according to records of the award. It also has received a National Blue Ribbon nomination, according to the Middletown Unified School District Web site.
Middletown Middle School is among 261 middle and high schools named California Distinguished Schools this year, O'Connell said.
The selected middle and high schools represent about 10.9 percent of California's nearly 2,400 middle and high schools, according to O'Connell's office. Of those schools, only 341 schools met the eligibility criteria based on their student achievement and were chosen from 170 school districts in 46 counties.
An awards ceremony honoring the Distinguished Schools will be held Friday, May 29, at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.
“California Distinguished Schools must meet the challenge of providing all their students with a rigorous education and to fully prepare today's students for success in postsecondary education or the workforce,” O'Connell said in a statement. “In an increasingly competitive global economy, it is important that the academic success of all of today's students is directly linked to the effectiveness, competitiveness, and resiliency of our not-too-distant future workforce.”
O'Connell said the schools honored with the award “have shown they are able to increase the achievement of all their students and have provided evidence that they are closing the achievement gaps that, unfortunately, exist at many schools.”
He added, “The Distinguished Schools program always identified schools that are leaders in academic achievement. It now also recognizes schools that are leaders in helping all students succeed, and highlights the best practices that are effective in closing the gap.”
Other local schools that have received the honor since the awards were first given out in 1986 include Cobb Mountain Elementary (2006), Middletown High School (2003 and 1992), Riviera Elementary School (1997), Lucerne Elementary School (1997), Kelseyville High School (1996) and Gard Street Elementary School (1986).
This year, the selection process required schools to provide an in-depth description of two “signature” practices implemented at the schools that are replicable, and directly related to the success of their students, the Department of Education reported.
During an intensive site visitation by a trained team of external educators, additional evidence about the effectiveness of the signature practices was gathered and analyzed.
Information about these successful signature practices will be shared through the California Department of Education Web site, www.cde.ca.gov, and other venues including an upcoming Web tool for educators called the Brokers of Expertise to become operational later this year.
LAKE COUNTY – Local and state officials are looking for a man who has allegedly been running an illegal paving operation for years that has resulted in numerous people being ripped off.
The Contractors State Licensing Board has listed Richard John Williams, 64, of Lakeport among its most wanted.
The Lake County District Attorney's Office also has issued a $750,000 warrant for Williams' arrest, the licensing board reported.
Williams has a long history of unlicensed, illegal contracting and substandard work, officials reported.
He had been living in a motel and operating in the Lake County area for at least the first few months of this year under the business name of “Seal Coat Contractor,” according to the Contractors State Licensing Board.
He's also operated under the business names of “Asphalt Sealing Crack Filling and Patching” and “Richard Williams Seal Coat Contractor.”
Williams has been arrested numerous times, including a 2005 multi-victim case in Mendocino County. He has operated his paving scam in a number of Northern California communities and is known to have worked in Sonoma, Sacramento, Mendocino, Yolo, and Colusa counties.
Among the violations listed against him are grand theft, elder abuse, contracting without a license and illegal advertising, according to the licensing board.
Williams was arrested by the District Attorney's Office on March 19 on misdemeanor charges of advertising as a contractor without a license and contracting without a license, with bail set at $1,000 for each of the charges, according to jail records.
He appeared in Lake County Superior Court on March 23 for sentencing on a prior felony construction-related case and then was released on bail, the licensing board reported.
However, since additional charges were filed following the March 19 arrest, Williams was rescheduled to appear in Lake County Superior Court on April 27. It is believed that he has left the Lake County area.
Williams is described as 6 feet 1 inches tall and 250 pounds, with gray hair, a fair complexion and blue-green eyes. He wears glasses and has tattoos on his forearms.
He is associated with a white 2008 Chevrolet Silverado with an Arizona license plate, ABN8561, and may be pulling or parked near a trailer with a tank with the California license plate, 4KB5826.
The Contractors State License Board said that anyone who sees Williams shouldn't attempt to apprehend him themselves, but should immediately call local law enforcement and then the licensing board itself at 916-255-2924.
The 26th annual Catfish Derby will be held in Clearlake Oaks the weekend of May 15, 16 and 17, and included in this year’s festivities will be the inaugural Catfish Derby Cook-Off.
Get out your old family recipes or pull something new out of your head, because the prestige alone in winning the inaugural event is worth it. We hope to see some really inspired and creative dishes to start this tradition off right.
Cooking will be done at the Live Oak Senior Center, 12502 Foothill Blvd., and judging will take place at the Clearlake Oaks fire station.
The entry fee is $15 if entered before May 2, entries received after May 2 will be $20. Visit www.clearlakeoaks.org for entry forms and complete contest rules.
Wondering where to find catfish? Catfish filets will be available for purchase at the Nylander’s Red and White Grocery store nearby the cooking facilities the week of the competition.
Entries for this contest can consist of any category of food, e.g., breakfast, lunch, or dinner; main course, salad, side dish or dessert; hors d’oeuvres or beverage; but all entries must contain catfish.
Best catfish recipe awards are as follows:
First prize: $250 cash, wines from almost every winery in the county and a trophy;
Second prize: $150 cash, a wine basket from the Lake County Winegrape Commission and a trophy (estimated values, $350);
Third prize $100 cash and a trophy.
There also will be a trophy awarded for the most unique dish, and another for the person who travels the farthest distance to enter.
Anyone over 21 years old can enter (Lake County wines will be among the awards and you must be 21 years old to receive).
The competition will take place on Saturday, May 16.
For the contest's complete rules go to www.clearlakeoaks.org. Failure to follow the complete official rules may result in disqualification.
Here is a brief rundown of the rules.
1. Eligibility. Anyone is eligible to enter, whether amateur or professional cook/chef. Must be 21 years or older to enter (alcoholic prizes will be awarded). Entry fee is $15 per recipe entered. Entries arriving after May 2nd will still be accepted, but the entry fee will then be $20. Entrants may present more than one dish, but each entry will be considered separately. All recipes must contain catfish.
2. Procedures and policies. Anyone can enter by sending their name, address, phone number, and name of dish to be cooked with the appropriate entry fee to: Catfish Derby, P.O. Box 1211, Clearlake Oaks, CA 95423. Entry deadline is May 2, though late entries will be accepted (see above). On May 9, every entrant will receive notification of their time slot when the kitchen at the Live Oak Senior Center will be available for them to do their final cooking and plating. Competition will begin at 10 a.m. Entrants will have 20 minutes to cook and plate their dish. The final cooking and plating must be done at the senior center. Basic food preparations are to be done off site – no facilities for preparation will be provided. To promote uniformity of entries, covered containers will be provided for each entry for transportation and presentation to the judging area. No raw fish of any type may be presented. Entrants will need to prepare four servings of each entry, one for each of the three judges and one for the announcer outside so that he/she may give a description to the audience of what is being judged.
3. Judging. Judging will be based on taste, presentation, and on any particular factors at the judges’ discretion. Judges will rate each dish independently, giving each a score of up to 10 points for taste, up to five points for presentation, and up to five points to be awarded at each judge’s personal discretion. Criteria for “most unique” will be subject to the judges’ interpretation of items that were beyond expectation, represented a new concept, or surprised the judges in some way. The panel of judges will be introduced and present at the time the winners are announced. All decisions by the judges and the Catfish Derby Committee are final.
So get creative, have fun, and we’ll see you there!
Ross A. Christensen is an award-winning gardener and gourmet cook. He is the author of "Sushi A to Z, The Ultimate Guide" and is currently working on a new book. He has been a public speaker for many years and enjoys being involved in the community.
Seems like love should be easier to bear
But it’s such a heavy load
World wide traveler, you ain’t been nowhere
Till you’ve traveled down love’s road
Smokey Robinson (A Fork In The Road, circa 1965)
It was announced last week that Smokey Robinson will be appearing at Konocti Harbor Spa & Resort later this summer. Robinson is one of the ever-shrinking group of legendary Motown artists still performing on a grand scale.
As I’ve stated before Smokey Robinson was my favorite artist during my most sensitive years. You know, the teen ones.
My high school buddies and I used to debate for hours into days, the merits of the group Robinson fronted, The Miracles versus the Temptations.
My buddies were all Temptations freaks. They couldn’t help it. The Temptations were glossy and sharp. From their chemically processed hair to their precision choreographed stage routines, they could truly get down. Everyone in the group could sing lead as well. They really were probably the most rounded of all the Motown ensembles.
However if the Tempts were the consummate showmen, Smokey Robinson was the consummate artist. According to the Songwriters Hall of Fame he has written more than 1,000 songs. (Other sources suggest that the actual number is more than 4,000!)
That was the crowning point of my teenaged debates. The fact that Mr. Robinson was writing for virtually every act at Motown put him in a category that defies normal description.
And he has continued to grow. When I last interviewed the King of Motown in 2004 he’d recently appeared here in Lake County at Robinson Rancheria as well as at Cache Creek.
I’d seen him perform prior to that way back in 1967, 37 years before. He has actually become a better dancer over that time period, than he was when he was a young man. Well into his 60s when he was here last, I observed him do a 90-minute set, then a meet and greet with fans for over an hour after the gig. He’s in great shape.
That is not to say that there have not been some bumps in the road of life for Robinson as well. It’s all detailed in his biography titled “Inside My Life,” co-written with David Ritz.
If you want to be more intimate with Robinson, word is he has just joined Twitter. The global village is yet shrinking. Smokey Robinson is up on the new technology for staying in touch. The King of Motown still walks among us.
Keep prayin’, Keep thinkin’ those kind thoughts!
*****
Upcoming cool event:
Blue Wing Blue Monday Blues
Lake Blues All-Stars, Monday, March 30, 6:30 p.m. at the Blue Wing Saloon & Café. 9520 Main St., Upper Lake. 707- 275-2233
T. Watts is a writer, radio host and music critic. Visit his Web site at www.teewatts.biz.
The 3.0-magnitude quake was reported at 12:21 p.m., according to the US Geological Survey.
The quake, which occurred at a depth of 1.4 miles, was centered two miles north of The Geysers, five miles west of Cobb and seven miles west northwest of Anderson Springs, the US Geological Survey reported.
The last quake measuring 3.0 or above in the county was reported on March 5, as Lake County News has reported. It measured 3.3 on the Richter scale and was centered two miles north northeast of The Geysers.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
This year’s theme of “Building the Foundation for a Healthy America” calls attention the importance of Public Health in building healthy communities.
Although huge strides have been made over the last century to improve overall health, there is still much to be done, according to a statement from the office of Dr. Karen Tait, the county's public health officer.
Just a few examples of successful public health measures are vaccinations, sanitation and clean water programs, reduction of tobacco use, and improved dental health.
Despite these successes, many challenges remain.
Although the United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, it has one of the lowest life expectancy rates among developed nations.
Babies born in America are three times more likely to die than those born in some developing countries.
Obesity rates are up 36 percent in the past 20 years. Despite some successes in reducing tobacco use, one of two young people who start and continue to smoke will be killed by tobacco-related illness.
Statistics for the period of 2004-08 show that Lake County falls short of national objectives and behind the majority of other California counties in a number of areas.
Out of 58 counties in California, Lake County ranks between 53 and 57 in a variety of categories, including death from all causes, all cancers, chronic lower respiratory disease, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, unintentional injuries, motor vehicle crashes, suicide and drug-induced deaths.
On the positive side, Lake County statistics rank much better in comparison with many other California counties in the categories of diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, influenza/pneumonia and infant mortality.
Officials report that Public Health is everywhere you look, but often goes unrecognized. Its work is done quietly and often confidentially.
Communicable disease investigators work to prevent the spread of tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, meningitis, and other serious infections.
Public Health nurses and health educators work with health professionals and the community to assure that vaccinations are completed on schedule, to promote sound nutrition practices, and assist with prevention of dental decay.
Public Health promotes a lifetime of age-appropriate health screenings for anemia, cancer, heart disease, and other health conditions.
Environmental health inspectors work to keep retail food safe, maintain good sanitation systems, and prevent hazardous exposures.
Public health professionals plan together with hospitals, emergency responders, and community members to prepare for an influenza pandemic and other public health emergencies.
These activities and more are the core of Public Health. They are essential to keeping the community safe and healthy.
Moving ahead, the country faces continuing and changing health challenges. Public Health officials want to build communities in a way that promotes healthy lifestyles and is in balance with the environment. The goal is to help people avoid preventable disease, be emotionally well, and live full and productive lives.
National Public Health Week is an opportunity to appreciate the important foundation that Public Health services provide and to recognize the continuing and new health challenges that we face in the future.
