Letters
- Details
- Written by: Ellen Karnowski
Through a succession of parents who ran the track with donated equipment, outbuildings, gates, and lots of time and labor, the track was renovated several times. Over the years Races For Life were held to support the fight against Muscular Dystrophy, with huge rider turnout from locals as well as out of town riders and families.
The enjoyment that you get when watching these BMX riders from age 4 and up in the Big Wheel races racing their heart out, or if you were to purchase a raffle ticket, have a cold drink or snack, and continue to watch age group motos run while an announcer keeps track of developments over the public address system, is contagious. The competition always heated up when there were full gates of riders and dust often flew as legs pumped. Real Exciting!
Our local adults got into the competition as well on their Cruiser Bikes, or on unicycles. Also enjoyable to see was the trophy, medal or ribbons that were awarded. The faces of the children when they won was priceless.
Three years ago the Lake County Fairgrounds determined that the up and coming Westside Park could be the new home of the race track. We are working towards that goal, with Phase Two of the park to be completed in three or four years from now.
Lake County BMX is looking for a temporary home for the next three to four years. We need to lease at least two acres with water and electricity. We need help from our community to get this temporary project done so the kids can continue to race.
Lake County BMX is holding a raffle to raise depleted funds to lease a spot in which to race. We are offering terrific prizes, a BMX bike from the Bicycle Rack, an 83-piece tool set from Sears, a $100 carpet cleaning from Valley Carpet Care and a European facial from Butterfly Skin Essentials. You can buy tickets at the Bicycle Rack or from individuals who are selling the tickets. Any support from the community would be greatly appreciated.
Remember to watch BMX racing at the next Olympic games.
Ellen Karnowski has served as a track announcer, is a former board member and a supportive parent. She lives in Kelseyville.
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- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
“Pick On Someone Your Own Size!” says Herb Gura (Observer-American opinion letter not too long ago). The Konocti Unified School District board member assails Darrell Watkins for writing about “bottom of the barrel” test scores of his KUSD kids. Watkins said test scores will go up when more students do their home work and pay attention in class. Gura disagrees. Watkins also said, spanking delinquent kids and sending them back to class is better than suspensions and expulsions. Punishing kids by keeping them out of school is the nastiest kind of child abuse. Again, Gura disagrees. He wants to expel and suspend kids but never spank. He’d like to see Watkins arrested and put in jail.
Watkins would like to see Gura get out of the teaching business. He can’t teach kids to read, write and do arithmetic. He won’t answer questions about the test scores of his students. His letters are filled with typical Gurarian propaganda. He also has a bad case of spankophobia. Spanking is “violence,” Gura writes, with the connotation that violence is evil (apparently, it’s not violence when they send out swat teams to shoot down delinquent kids grown up). He also says spanking is “children smacked around” and describes spanking as “daily beatings.”
Gura’s rhetoric is good. Unfortunately, he watches too many Hollywood movies. A Hollywood spanking is a 6-foot, 6-inch six lumberjack (without shirt or shoes) holding a beer can in one hand, clutching a huge belt in the other and going after a trembling child praying by his bed. Hollywood never shows a terrified mother swatting kids who made a campfire under the house when she taught them not to play with fire.
Spanking is the “Gospel according to Watkins,” Gura writes. Spanking, however, is not Watkins’ gospel at all. Spanking is a 400-year-old American tradition taught by wise men and still, thank God, widely practiced. Wise men say, “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.“ Gura’s Hollywood ideas don’t educate children and provide discipline for Konocti classrooms.
Darrell Watkins lives in Kelseyville.
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- Details
- Written by: Barbara Christwitz, JoAnn Saccato, Greg Peters and John Snell
What does it say about America when even 9/11 rescue worker heroes aren't able to afford adequate health care, while some were able to receive excellent health care in Cuba – the same as any Cuban citizen – for free?
For a surprisingly entertaining, cool, affordable afternoon delight check out the movie “Sicko” at the Lakeport Cinema 5. We would like to take this opportunity to thank theater manager Justin Hamaker for going through the extra effort to bring Michael Moore's “Sicko” to Lake County.
Be sure and go right away because it will only be shown daily through Thursday, Aug. 9 at 12:15 p.m.
Barbara Christwitz, Clearlake; JoAnn Saccato, Clearlake Oaks; Greg Peters, Lower Lake; John Snell, Nicasio (Marin County).
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- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
On Thursday, July 26, I had the good fortune to be able to attend a presentation at the Calpine Visitor Center concerning the future of the Calpine operation at The Geysers. It really is encouraging to see through a slide show presentation as well as hear from local residents in the audience how Calpine responds to needs within the community – be it a tremor or an unpleasant odor permeating the air.
Without a doubt, the biggest problem at The Geysers is one which has nothing to do with steam, but everything to do with safety. The problem? In a word, Securitas. Unfortunately, Securitas is still handling clearance and traffic security. That means the security operation at The Geysers is more cosmetic than it is real. In a post-9/11 world, this kind of bogus operation should not be tolerated.
One can only hope the security mess at The Geysers is NOT typical of other power plant operations across our county. If it is, we have a national problem – not just a local one. But, I believe the good people of Lake County will NOT continue to tolerate the cosmetic brand of security promoted by Securitas. No, I believe they will demand security be responsive to their needs.
It is understandable that Calpine may be too preoccupied with getting out of bankruptcy to notice ALL the Securitas deficiencies. Calpine is not a security company, but an award-winning supplier of geothermal power. Therefore, it is up to the good citizens of Lake County and all those who care about the area to take proactive action.
What kind of action? Demand that all three guard locations be linked through a network and have traffic records accessible via a database at the click of a mouse button. No more of this ridiculous reconciling and filing of handwritten traffic records eight to 24 hours after-the-fact. And, there should be a clearance backup procedure to make sure no contractor scheduled to work within The Geysers is denied access.
Here are some folks who need to hear your concerns:
Ed Robey, Lake County District 1 Supervisor, P.O. Box 796, Lower Lake, CA 95457.
Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528. There is also a comment line: (202) 282-8495.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, State Capital Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814.
Fox News Channel. Call 1-888-369-4762. (Be sure to thank Fox for coming to Middletown for "Middletown Days" in 2006.) Encourage them to send a camera crew to The Geysers to report back to the American people what they see.
The world's largest geothermal operation deserves the best security money can buy for its employees, guests and property owners. But, they don’t have it. They have Securitas, instead. The Geysers deserves better. Let’s help them get it.
Lamar Morgan lives in Hidden Valley Lake.
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