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THIS STORY HAS BEEN CORRECTED, WITH REFERENCE TO THE TIME OF THE SUIT'S FILING.
LAKEPORT – At the end of his 10:30 a.m. Sunday mass – the biggest mass of the week – Father Ted Oswald stood before his parishioners at Saint Mary Immaculate Church and delivered a shocking piece of news.
The 63-year-old priest told his flock that he was taking a leave of absence because of a civil lawsuit that alleges he sexually abused a teenage boy between 1988 and 1995.
He said he couldn't do his work as priest until the lawsuit was resolved, adding that he wanted his day in court.
Oswald, who has been the parish's priest for 20 years, then asked his church members to pray for him and all involved in the case.
Lakeport resident Phillip Myers, a pastoral advisory council member who was attending mass that morning, said the reaction to the well-beloved priest's announcement was “absolute astonishment.”
Late last month, a copy of a civil complaint making the allegations against Oswald was delivered to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Santa Rosa, according to Lt. Brad Rasmussen of the Lakeport Police Department.
Dierdre Frontczak, spokesperson for the Diocese of Santa Rosa – which oversees Lakeport – said the lawsuit specifically names the diocese and Oswald as defendants, but she had no other details.
The civil case was filed in Sonoma County Superior Court, with an amended complaint filed on May 5.
On Monday Rasmussen issued a brief statement to Lake County News on behalf of the department, where Oswald has been a volunteer chaplain, responsible for such duties as delivering death notices and offering counsel to officers and citizens. He and his dog therapy Rosie are known for visiting the hospital and jail, as well as their regular walks in Library Park.
Rasmussen said Oswald has been placed on administrative leave from his police chaplain position. Meanwhile, Lakeport Police asked the Lake County District Attorney's Office's Criminal Investigation Division to conduct an independent investigation of the civil case's allegations, which currently is in progress.
Oswald, who also has served for many years as one of the Lake County Sheriff's Office chaplains, asked Sheriff Rod Mitchell last week for a leave of absence while the matter is being reviewed, a request Mitchell confirmed Monday that he granted.
Frontczak confirmed Oswald was on a leave of absence from the parish. She said it's the diocese's policy to put anyone faced with such an allegation on leave until the legal process is sorted out.
“Our policy, to be on the safe side, is to safeguard our young people,” said Frontczak.
She said it's not the diocese's policy to comment specifically on litigation.
The civil complaint has made no crossover to criminal allegations, according to officials.
The alleged victim has not contacted the Lakeport Police Department about his complaint, said Rasmussen – despite the fact that the case alleges the abuse took place in Lakeport.
Nor did the Lake County District Attorney's Office receive any criminal complaint relating to the matter, according to District Attorney Jon Hopkins.
“To my knowledge we have not been given a report asking us to file charges against Father Ted for anything,” Hopkins said Monday.
Frontczak had no information on what, if any, monetary amount was specified in the civil lawsuit.
Since 1990, the diocese has paid or promised to pay $20 million in settlements relating to cases in which priests were accused of having sex with minors, according to a September 2007 Associated Press report that attributed those numbers to Frontczak.
Of the 17 priests who had been accused by the time of that report, allegations could only be verified in roughly half of the cases, according to the Associated Press.
Overwhelmed by community support
Oswald is a colorful figure, a motorcycle-riding priest who did a tour of duty in Vietnam in 1968, and spent three years in the military police and 11 years as a civilian police officer before leaving to pursue the priesthood.
“A good cop and a good priest are the same thing,” he told Lake County News.
In 1984, the year he earned a master of divinity degree from a seminary in Rome, he met Pope John Paul II.
He said he came to Lakeport in 1988 to fill in for a short time and ended up staying and falling in love with the county. Since then, he has become a well-known local figure.
In April 2005, it was Oswald who officiated at the funeral mass for slain human rights advocate Marla Ruzicka, his authority and calm anchoring a grieving community, and angering actor Sean Penn because Oswald asked speakers to keep politics out of the event.
In an interview on Monday evening, Oswald said, “You know, I'm doing good, believe it or not.”
He said he has been overwhelmed by support from his parishioners and fellow clergy members from different denominations, one of whom had called to pray with him a few minute before the interview.
Following the Sunday mass, Oswald said church members came to hug him after his message, many of them weeping, which caused him to break down.
“I want to fight this,” he said of the allegations against him, which he stated are absolutely false.
He's an unlikely person to be accused of sexual misconduct with a minor, considering his background and his own efforts to bring such a case to light more than 30 years ago.
As a young teaching brother in the church in 1976, Oswald had investigated a sexual abuse case involving a Catholic priest with whom he had worked in Yuma, Ariz., according to an Arizona Daily Star report.
Oswald took reports from several boys involved and reported it to the Diocese of Tucson. The following year, he quit the order after he asked about the boys' statements and was told the diocese didn't know anything about them, he said. That priest was later transferred to another part of the diocese, according to the newspaper report.
While he knew about such cases firsthand before these recent allegations surfaced, Oswald said he has publicly – and from the pulpit – criticized the idea of “repressed memory,” under which many priest abuse allegations have been made, and he believes those statements may have made him a target. He mentioned a Swiss priest who, after allegations of sexual abuse were made against him, committed suicide. Oswald added that he feels many innocent priests have been unfairly accused.
He said he received notification of the allegations about two weeks ago. Although the allegations are painful, he said he made it through Vietnam, and every day since then has been a gift. He believes he can make it through this situation as well.
His fellow veterans in the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 951 are standing behind him.
“We believe in Father Ted and we support Father Ted,” said chapter President Dean Gotham.
Oswald is the chapter's chaplain, and has arranged for them to hold their monthly meetings at Saint Mary Immaculate's parish hall, said Gotham.
He added that the chapter has no plans to ask Oswald to take a leave of absence from his chaplain's post.
Future uncertain for priest, parish
Oswald, who also is caring for his 91-year-old mother, said he wants to get back to his work.
“I want to return to my parish and retire there when it's time to retire,” he said.
The church is still waiting to hear who will act as priest in Oswald's absence. Myers said they're supposed to know something from the diocese the middle of this week.
However, Myers, said the church is supporting Oswald, who he called a “fantastic priest” who works hard for people.
“All of the parishioners I have talked to are totally behind Father Ted,” Myers said.
Added Gotham, “I think the Lord will look out for him on this one.”
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. around Lake County on Tuesday.
This will be the second of three votes county residents will make this year. Voters last took part in the presidential primary in February.
Three supervisorial seats – for Districts 1, 4 and 5 – are on Tuesday's ballot, when they could be decided or sent to a November runoff.
If you have questions about polling sites or other election-related questions, call the county Elections Office, 263-2372.
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The company is planning its annual helicopter patrols in parts of the county this week as a means of ensuring its power system's reliability.
Using helicopters, company representatives will check power distribution lines for maintenance from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, weather permitting.
The patrols will take place in Lake and Mendocino counties Wednesday through Friday, the company reported.
Company officials are looking for sagging lines, fallen tree limbs, vegetation overgrowth, potential fire hazards and other problems. Issues identified during these patrols will be corrected to ensure system safety and reliability going forward.
PG&E patrols and inspects all of its lines annually – more than 100,000 miles of them – to ensure safety and reliability, and to identify equipment in need of repair.
The company reported that the patrols allow officials to proactively schedule repairs of problems that might otherwise result in power outages.
In rough country, remote areas, or areas where there are fewer trees, the most efficient and sometimes only way to accomplish this is by helicopter.
Depending on the terrain and other seasonal obstacles, some power lines are inaccessible by truck and can only be seen from the air.
The helicopter patrols allow crews to get almost eyeball-to-equipment to identify potential problems, the company reported.
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LAKE COUNTY – Ten community organizations and agencies that work hard to make Lake County a better place have been chosen to receive the proceeds of this year's Wine Auction. {sidebar id=84}
Thirty-five groups applied for funding from the annual event, which over the last eight years has contributed more than $621,500 to local programs since the first event was held at Guenoc Winery in 2000, according to the Lake County Wine Alliance. The beneficiaries are selected by the Wine Alliance Board of Directors.
The beneficiaries from this year's event are Kids 4 Broadway, Lake County Special Olympics, Wiloth Equine Therapy and Riding Center, Hospice Services of Lake County, Adult Day Care/Respite of Clearlake, the Military Funeral Honors Team, Church Women United, Operation Tango Mike, the Lake Family Resource Center, the Lake County Literacy Coalition and the fine arts programs at five Lake County high schools.
The Buckingham Junior Golf Program will receive support through the auction of golf balls to fund activities of the Lake County Junior Golf Council, the Wine Alliance reported.
The ninth annual Wine Auction will be held on Saturday, Sept. 20, at Buckingham Golf and Country Club, Kelseyville. This year's gala charity benefit is chaired by Congressman Mike Thompson.
Military Funeral Honors Team chosen this year
This is the first year the United Veterans Council's Military Funeral Honors Team has received a grant, said Rich Rich Feiro, the team's firing party commander.
Feiro, who founded the group, said they've offered military honors at 490 funerals since May 2001, the year they started. A retired Air Force man, Feiro formed the group because he wanted to see veterans receive an honorable and proper military ceremony when they are laid to rest.
The team currently has 24 members, mostly retired vets, including four buglers, a chaplain, numerous riflemen and Feiro. The team is certified by the Department of Defense.
It costs the team about $5,000 a year to travel to do its solemn work, said Feiro. Demand is growing; this past month, they had 13 funerals, which is well above the average. Most are World War II vets, who reportedly are dying at a rate of 1,000 each day across the United States.
When a veteran dies, funeral homes ask the families if they want a military funeral. If they do, the funeral homes call Feiro, who then swings into action, scheduling the team and making contact with the branch of the military to which the vet belonged. That branch then sends an active duty member to the funeral.
The team performs a three-volley salute at the funerals, the symbolism of which is part of a long military tradition going back to Roman funeral rites, he said. In more recent wars, when truces were called for the purpose of burying the dead, volleys signified the work of burials was done. Since the Civil War, the playing of “Taps” has been a party of military funerals as well.
For each funeral, Feiro estimates he spends at least two hours doing paperwork and making arrangements, including sending off the veterans' information to the Veterans Administration and Department of Defense, who track veterans' death.
The riflemaster, he added, spends at least an hour per funeral cleaning and doing any needed repairs on the group's seven 1903-era Springfield rifles, which the government gave the team for free.
Feiro said the funds the group receives will be used for everything from repairs on the team's bus, to meeting rising gas prices, replacing uniforms and repairing the rifles which, because of their age, require expensive parts and repair.
The group accepts private donations and is seeking more grants like that from the Wine Auction to keep up their work, said Feiro. Donations may be made to the United Veterans Council Military Funeral Honors Team at P.O. Box 1365, Kelseyville, CA 95451.
“Every penny helps,” he said.
An important opportunity for children, horses
Susie Wiloth of Wiloth Equine Therapy and Riding Center said she was excited by the news of receiving a grant from the Wine Auction. She said she was guaranteed to receive at least $2,500 from the benefit. This is the first year she's applied.
The school, operating since May 1, 2006, is located in Lower Lake in the Noble Ranch Estates.
Wiloth's school provides about half of its riding sessions to the mainstream public, with the other half devoted to therapeutic sessions with special needs children around the county. Her school is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and can be found online at www.wilothenterprises.com.
Wiloth said she will take the funds from the Wine Auction and match them to provide more free therapeutic sessions for children.
She works with all seven school districts to provide – at no charge – the therapeutic sessions to children who need them, either at her main facility or at a rented arena space in Kelseyville. Her mainstream business helps support the therapeutic side, Wiloth explained, as do weekend fundraiser rides.
In addition to helping children, the school helps horses. Many of the horses taking part in the therapy work have been rescued and themselves rehabilitated, an effort Wiloth plans to increase in order to have more horses for her school.
Caring for Alzheimer's patients, families
Adult Day Care/Respite of Clearlake is a multi-year recipient of funds from the Wine Auction, having received awards in previous years, including last year, said Director Eva Johnson.
The program offers day care for Alzheimer's patients, including classes and activities, said Johnson. It also benefits families by giving them some time away from caregiving.
Johnson knows firsthand the struggle to care for an Alzheimer's patient. Her husband was diagnosed in 1984 with Alzheimer's, a disease which wracked his family, including most of his siblings. He fought a losing, 13-year battle with the disease, dying in 1997.
“The year he died was the year I started the program up in Clearlake,” she said.
The program offers two days of care in Clearlake, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, at St. John's Lutheran Church. It's affiliated program in Lucerne offers a day of care on Thursdays, also at the Lutheran Church.
They have activities for clients, including projects like flower arranging, said Johnson.
She said of the clients, “We have them for a short time, but it allows them to have a place where they can have a special time.”
Johnson is also concerned about the increase in Alzheimer's cases that may result from the large baby boomer generation.
The day care and respite program is under the umbrella of the Senior Support Services program based at the Upper Lake Senior Center, located in the old courthouse on Mendenhall and First, Johnson said.
Johnson said the program is mostly volunteer, and more volunteers are needed. She also has a few paid staffers.
She said gets calls all the time from people seeking help, although she said she's troubled that most families still don't know about the services available to help them.
“It is a wonderful program and I'm very proud of it and how it's developed,” she said.
Many other worthy groups included
Other projects named as beneficiaries of this year's event include:
The Arts: Kids 4 Broadway will provide tuition scholarships for children ages 6-14 to participate in productions and learn the discipline of working in the theater; fine arts and performing arts programs at Clear Lake High School, Kelseyville High School, Lower Lake High School, Middletown High School, and Upper Lake High School.
Health: Lake County Special Olympics will use its funding to purchase sports equipment, uniforms and training supplies, and provide transportation to out-of-county competitions. Hospice Services of Lake County will continue its high quality, end-of-life care for all who need its assistance.
Community: Church Women United continues to provide shoes for school-age children in need. Operation Tango Mike prepares and ships care packages to Lake County residents deployed in military combat zones. The Lake Family Resource Center will operate separate summer camps for young men and women ages 12 through 17. The Lake County Literacy Coalition will train more tutors to serve adults needing help with reading and writing English.
The Lake County Wine Alliance is a nonprofit organization of wineries, winegrape growers and community members founded in 2000, according to a group statement. The all-volunteer group raises funds to benefit “the arts, health and community” of Lake County while promoting Lake County’s fine wines and its premier grape growing region.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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Larry Jack, 64, who served as Lakeport's finance and parks director for many years, died at his home in Puerto Rico late last week, said City Attorney Steve Brookes.
Jack was to be brought back to Lake County over the weekend, said Brookes, with funeral services to take place sometime this coming week.
Brookes said Jack joined the city's finance department around 1980, working his way up to leading finance and parks before he retired in 2002. During that time, he oversaw a significant portion of the city's growth, and would become one of the longest-serving city department heads.
Jack, a graduate of Pepperdine University, moved to Lakeport in the late 1970s, after having worked at Hughes Aircraft in Southern California, said Brookes.
He was good with numbers and also brought a sense of humor to his work, Brookes added.
While keeping busy in city government, Jack also found time to be a volunteer fireman, said Brookes.
Jack helped hire former Police Chief Tom Engstrom, who remembered Jack as a wonderful person to work with, a professional and “a great guy.” Engstrom expressed shock and sadness at his death.
“He's basically responsible for bringing me here to Lakeport, which is probably one of the best things that has ever happened in our family's life,” said Engstrom.
Jack's responsibilities made him close to being a city manager, said Engstrom. The city hired its first official city manager, Randy Johnsen, in 2001.
Engstrom recalled Jack's professionalism as he guided police chief candidates – including Engstrom – through the interview process. Serving as police chief in Soledad at the time, Engstrom said Jack visited the community to do a background check, and kept him up-to-date on what was happening when.
“So we got to know each other pretty well,” said Engstrom, who was a guest at Jack's wedding to his wife, Nidia.
Nidia Jack is originally from Puerto Rico, but the couple met in Lake County. Engstrom said Larry Jack purchased land in Puerto Rico and dreamed of building a home there after retirement, which he did. Jack showed Engstrom plans for his home – a concrete, hurricane-proof building – with views of the ocean.
Brookes said Jack had been in Puerto Rico about three years, and they had kept in touch. Engstrom said Jack extended invitations to all of his friends to come and visit him at his new home.
Engstrom said Jack was a good guy and a good family man, with two grown children – a son and a daughter. “He was very proud of his kids.”
Engstrom said he'll miss his friend, who gave him the opportunity to come to Lakeport. “I'll always be grateful to him for that.”
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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LAKEPORT – The first drawing in a memorial fundraiser for the county's domestic violence shelter campaign was held Sunday.
Artist Gail Salituri held the LaForge Memorial Fund drawing at her Inspirations Gallery, located at 165 N. Main St.
Gloria Flaherty, executive director of Lake Family Resource Center – which is spearheading the Freedom House domestic violence shelter effort – and businesswoman Kathy Fowler, secretary of the Lake Family Resource Center Board of Directors, were on hand for the afternoon drawing.
Watercolor artist John Clarke of Kelseyville drew the winning raffle ticket for a lithograph of his painting, “Golden Gate.” The winner is Karen D'Bernardi of Kelseyville.
Having Clarke be a part of the fundraiser was meaningful to Salituri, who said Clarke has been featured in her gallery for eight years.
“He is one of the most creative artists of today,” she said. “His paintings are magical, whimsical and unique. He is a true asset to our gallery.”
Clarke is known for using an eye-catching watercolor on silk technique, applying a watercolor block to hold some colors in place and other times, using various forms of alcohol to create movement and texture, Salituri explained.
“I admire John's willingness to create works of arts for various venues such as the Lake County Wine Alliance, and now our cause, the LaForge Memorial, to benefit The Freedom House,” she added.
Roger Rynearson won the silent auction for Salituri's original oil, “Lake County Hills Spring Bloom,” painted specially for the fundraiser.
The fundraiser, which began in April, has so far raised about $1,300 for the shelter effort, in memory of Salituri's friend and artist, Barbara LaForge. Over the weekend alone, $125 in raffle tickets were raised through the help of Marie Beery at the Saw Shop Gallery Bistro in Kelseyville, Salituri said.
“We met our goal on the first auction and raffle,” she said. “The support of Kathy Fowler and Gloria Flaherty has been a gift to us. The general public who is supporting this cause is helping to build the shelter.”
She also thanked the Lake County Arts Council for sharing their First Friday Fling last month with Salituri and Fowler, who spoke about the fundraiser at the event. Salituri also thanked the Saw Shop for showing and selling raffle tickets and extended thanks to all who have participated so far.
“Every day I am surprised by a cash donation from family and friends,” she said. “Thank you to all who made this first raffle and auction happen.”
Salituri's goal is to raise a total of $5,000 by Christmas time. She's already warming up her brushes, planning to offer more of her original works in the months ahead.
The next drawing will be Aug. 1, said Salituri.
Two items will be offered in the August raffle; "America's Pride,” a Thomas Kinkade print, custom-framed, measuring 14 inches by 17 inches, with a value of $350; and a custom-framed beveled mirror, 24 inches by 30 inches, valued at $650.
For the silent auction, Salituri will offer another of her original oils, “Overlooking Carmel, Monterey Pine,” measuring 8 inches by 10 inches. The painting, valued at $475, has an opening bid of $100.
For the Oct. 1 drawing, offerings include a custom-framed lithograph of Clarke's “Cable Car,” valued at $400; a framed photograph by Lyle Madeson, valued at $250; and Salituri's “A View of Lake County,” a 12-inch by 16-inch original oil with a value of $800.
The final raffle of the year will take place on Dec. 1. For that event, The Kitchen Gallery has donated a silver tray, the Gilliam Estate has offered various prints and Salituri will offer an original oil depicting koi, measuring 8 inches by 10 inches, and valued at $475.
Salituri is working to raise the profile of the shelter campaign, and do her part to bring it closer to reality.
Efforts like Salituri's are important to the shelter campaign, said Flaherty. They show community support, which is critical as Lake Family Resource Center pursues more grants.
Tickets for the raffles will be available at Inspirations Gallery, 165 N. Main St., Lakeport; Lake Family Resource Center, 896 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport; and the Lakeport Chamber of Commerce, 875 Lakeport Blvd.
For more information call Salituri at Inspirations Gallery, 263-4366, or visit her Web page, www.gailsalituri.com/Memorial.html.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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