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CLEAR LAKE – The Konocti Bay Sailing Club hosted its 24th annual Konocti Cup last Saturday, attracting a sizable field of boats and sailors who took part in the sunny day of sailing on Clear Lake.
Pat Brown, a sailing club director, said 40 boats completed in the daylong event, which features 26 miles of great sailing.
The full cup's winner was skipper Ben Landon and his Thompson 23 sailboat “Flight Risk” of the Richmond Yacht Club. Brown said this was the second year in a row that “Flight Risk” won the Konocti Cup title.
The Bilafer family, also from the Richmond Yacht Club, finished second to Landon in the Henderson 30 sailboat “Family Hour.”
Brown, himself a sailor since his childhood, finished third in his Melges 24 sailboat called “Flashpoint.”
First to finish and corrected winner in the Konocti Cup “Multi Hulls” was Bill Erkelens' “E2” Tornado 20 Cat, Brown said, followed by Paul and Laura Hastings in “Habit 1,” a Corsair 28.
Most of the competitors came from the San Francisco Bay Area, said Brown, with one competitor – skipper Ray Proffitt – traveling from Oregon to win first place in the half cup in his Balboa 26 “Lusty.”
Jim Westman, another Konocti Bay Sailing Club director, finished second to Proffitt in a Capri 26 called “Sante,” followed by Bob Hipkiss in a Capri 26 called “Way Cool.”
Conditions on the water Saturday were beautiful but hot, said Brown, with little wind – only about 10 knots.
Brown said any of the top three boats had a chance at beating the cup record – three hours, 10 minutes and eight seconds – set in 1987, but the lack of wind thwarted their chances. “The original record still holds.”
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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The theme of the event this year is “Birds and the Bees, the Pollinators,” and will feature bee expert, Serge LaBasque who will lecture and present a live bee display.
Local nature artists will display and sell their art on the grounds of the preserve and many activities are being offered.
Guided nature hikes will be held on the hour and a special children’s walk is also planned. There will also be a children’s nature art exhibit, relaxing musical entertainment, and poetry reading by the contestants and winners of the “Youth Writes,” poetry contest.
Artists will gather from around Lake County to show and sell their paintings, much of which will be nature related. To gain entrance to the show, artists generously donate an art piece to the Lake County Land Trust. These donated pieces of art are sold at the annual Spring Benefit Dinner held at the Saw Shop Gallery Bistro on Tuesday, May 13.
The Lake County Master Gardeners will be on hand to show you how to turn your own garden into a sanctuary for birds, bees and other pollinators.
Providing entertainment this year will be Sara Tichava and Jill Shaul as well as Travis Austin. Lunch and treats will be provided by Lakeport’s Cafe Victoria.
The Rodman Slough Preserve is located at the corner of Westlake Road and the Nice-Lucerne Cut-off, off of Highway 29 between Lakeport and Upper Lake.
For more information about the event, go to www.lakecountylandtrust.org.
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Norman Ralph Henderson, 61, was arrested April 23 after law enforcement received reports from people who allegedly saw his pickup leaving the stand, located along Highway 20 west of Williams, said Colusa County Sheriff's Sgt. Kevin Erdelt.
Erdelt said the California Highway Patrol pulled over Henderson, who was heading toward Clearlake, on Highway 20 near the junction with Highway 16.
Henderson was arrested and held in the Colusa County Jail until Friday, when he was released, said Erdelt.
Henderson has faced arson charges before in Nevada, according to Erdelt. “He admitted to being a convicted arsonist.”
A Woodland Daily Democrat report on the case said that Henderson also had been convicted of arson in Butte County four decades ago.
The Colusa County District Attorney's Office confirmed Monday that two arson charges – arson of a structure and arson of property – are being filed against Henderson. No arraignment date has yet been set.
The Daily Democrat reported that the fruit stand, in operation since 1997, suffered minor damage and had not yet opened for the summer season.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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Anthony C. Lynnott, 19, was injured in the collision, which took place at approximately 2:14 a.m. on Soda Bay Road, according to a report from California Highway Patrol Officer Kevin Domby.
Lynnott was driving his Chevy Yukon westbound along Soda Bay Road east of Clark Drive at an unknown speed when he lost control of the vehicle, Domby reported.
The Yukon crossed into the opposing lane, left the south road edge and collided with an uphill embankment, according to Domby.
When the vehicle rolled over, Lynnott – who Domby said wasn't wearing his seat belt – was ejected onto the roadway.
Domby said the Yukon landed on its wheels, continued toward the road's north edge and hit a guardrail before coming to rest.
Lynnott – who suffered a broken pelvis in the crash – was arrested for driving under the influence before emergency responders flew him to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.
CHP Officer Robert Hearn is investigating the collision, Domby reported.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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CLEAR LAKE STATE PARK – Wildlife photographer Philip Greene loves herons and egrets.
His photographs have become synonymous with Lake County's annual Heron Festival, where he has been the keynote speaker for 13 of the festival's 14 years.
Greene has traveled across the country to photograph the many varieties of the birds, which are a focus of the popular weekend event.
He does a hilarious impression of the slow walk the birds use while fishing, shares stories of watching males attracting females with gorgeous "nuptial" plumage that males don especially to attract a mate, and succinctly explains why he has spent three decades and thousands of rolls of film documenting the birds.
"They define the space in which you see them so well," he said, pointing out how they often look like the trees in which they nest.
At least 600 people visited the festival Saturday to enjoy trips on the lake to see heron nesting areas, a nature fair, a number of hikes and presentations like Greene's, said Marilyn Waits, president of the Redbud Audubon Society's board of directors.
Waits said last year's event attracted a larger number of out-of-county residents.
Saturday's attendance was likely helped by warm spring weather and clear blue skies.
If Sunday attracts as many people as expected, this year's festival will come close to matching last year's event, which 1,300 people attended, said Waits. The funds generated from the event benefit Redbud Audubon and its educational programs.
This year's festivals came together thanks to the efforts of approximately 99 adult volunteers and 10 high school volunteers, said Waits, who also credit volunteers with growing the event dramatically in recent years.
"It is amazing," said Waits.
It wasn't just wildlife that got special attention Saturday.
Joe Callizo, a botanist who recently moved to Lake County, gave a presentation on the "Wonder of Wildflowers" on Saturday afternoon.
Callizo focused on rare and endangered plants in Lake and Napa counties, as well as plants with limited distribution in just a few North Coast counties.
Many of the plants featured in Callizo's presentation grow in areas that are normally inhospitable to plants – rocky ledges and areas heavy in serpentine soil.
Some of them, however, can be propagated and grown to great effect in gardens – including gorgeous plants like Snow Mountain buckwheat, Adobe lilly and Cobb Mountain lupin, said Callizo.
An interesting fact: the Northern California black walnut also is a rare tree, although it was used as rootstock for domestic walnuts. Callizo said he has only found three populations of the trees, one of them in Morgan Valley near Lower Lake. The trees, he said, are important to protect.
Plants with limited distribution – only in a few counties like Lake and Napa – included the wonderfully named prostrate pussy paws, which can be found near the McLaughlin Mine; serpentine sunflower – which Callizo said was used to improve its cousin the domestic sunflower – green coyote mint and nude monkey flower, so named because its stems have few leaves.
Many visitors to the event started off the morning at the famed Wildflower Brunch, where the Clear Lake State Park Interpretive Association fed as many as 375 people, said association member Neil Towne.
Towne and association member Val Nixon, who retired in December from her job as a ranger with the park, cooked up omelets while offering some spirited singing of "I've Been Working on the Railroad."
Towne said the event benefits the association's Education Pavilion project. The pavilion is planned for the area where the brunch was held, across from the Visitor Center.
Another association member, Leona Butts, was in constant motion at the event, from working at the brunch to fighting the good fight against the state's proposed park closures, which include Clear Lake State Park and Anderson Marsh State Historic Park.
Since January, Butts and husband D.A. have been leading a signature gathering effort to keep the park open. On Saturday, she continued to gather signatures on petitions, with festival visitors – even those visiting the county – signing their name to offer their support to the park. Petitions also will be available Sunday.
Arts and crafts lovers also can find a number of treasures in a vendor fair on the park lawn lining the creek. Local artists including Christian Yeagan, wildlife photographer Lyle Madeson, and Linda Kelly and Sandy Coelho-Davis of The Gourd Gallery offer unique, handcrafted items. Fairfield residents Michael and Lisa Moulthrop traveled to the event to offer hand-crafted carvings of blue herons and other water birds.
More to come on Sunday
The festival continues Sunday with a host of programs for nature lovers.
Waits said a big turnout is expected for Sunday's "Raptor Speak" presentation, offered by Native Bird Connection Curator Jenny Papka.
The group will present a live bird show featuring owls and other birds of prey which were rescued and nursed back to health after having suffered injuries, said Waits. It will be an opportunity for nature lovers to see the raptors up close and personal.
The presentation will take place from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and again from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in a big tent assembled specially for the presentation next to the Visitor Center.
Pontoon tour boats will leave the boat ramp hourly between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., with park Visitor Center tours – featuring interpretive displays on the area's wildlife, and natural and cultural resources taking place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Dr. Harry Lyons will present "Myths and Music of Clear Lake," in which he'll talk about Clear Lake's two-million year existence, with some humor and music thrown in.
Park docent Brad Barnwell will lead an Audubon bird walk from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. From 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., Walt Lyon, another park docent, will lead a half-mile hike focusing on the plants used by local Pomo tribes. Retired park rangers Tom and Val Nixon will lead a family nature walk for kids and their parents along the creek trail from 11 a.m. to noon.
From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., a nature fair featuring exhibit booths will be open. Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. there will be a children's activities area and children's heron art show.
The day will end with a performance from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. by the Lower Lake High School Jazz Band in the nature fair area.
"We don't have fireworks, but we do have jazz," said Waits.
For more information visit the Heron Festival's Web site at www.heronfestival.org.
Clear Lake State Park is located at 5300 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST – The Mendocino National Forest is celebrating its 100th birthday on July 2 this year and will be holding several events for the public throughout the year to mark the occasion. {sidebar id=66}
On July 2, 1908, the California National Forest was established by an executive order signed by President Theodore Roosevelt. In 1932 the name was changed to the Mendocino National Forest.
According to a summary of the history of the Mendocino National Forest prepared by forest archaeologist Kevin McCormick, he first surveys to determine what area should be included as a "forest reserve" were made in 1902 by Professor Lachie, a forester who was associated with the University of California. He was working under the direction of Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the Forest Service in Washington, D.C.
Ultimately, the forest reserve was set aside by President Theodore Roosevelt on February 6, 1907. It was first named the Stony Creek Forest Reserve. One month later, on March 4, 1907, the forest reserve was brought into the national forest system and named the Stony Creek National Forest. Due to the logistics of managing such a large tract of land, a northern portion of the forest was shifted to the Trinity National Forest. The final forest boundaries were agreed upon and President Roosevelt signed an executive order on July 2, 1908, creating the California National Forest.
On July 12, 1932, President Herbert Hoover signed an executive order that changed the name to the Mendocino National Forest "in order to avoid the confusion growing out of the State and a national forest therein having the same name." Apparently having a forest called "California" was confusing to those in Washington, D.C., so a local name was given to the forest.
At one point in the development of the forest there were 81 offices, lookouts and guard stations throughout the forest. As the transportation and communication systems were developed and technology improved (vehicles, telephones, and radios) many of the stations were closed.
Today, the Mendocino National Forest is divided into three Ranger Districts: Covelo, Grindstone and Upper Lake. A few of the original stations, such as Paskenta, Alder Springs, Soda Creek and Eel River, are still being used as work centers and are staffed primarily by summer fire crews.
There are also two units managed by the Mendocino National Forest which are not located within the Forest proper. They are the Genetic Resource and Conservation Center in Chico and the Red Bluff Recreation Area.
The public is invited to visit the national forest during a series of open houses (see accompanying list of open house events) and learn about the history of the national forest, see historical Mendocino National Forest items on display and meet employees.
Other events, Internet web page presentations and historical displays are being planned and will be announced at a later date.
For more information, contact the Mendocino National Forest at 530-934-3316, TTY 530-934-7724.
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