Letters
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- Written by: Monica Rosenthal
A human, not a seasoned politician.
A person who will represent the voice of the people of south Lake County.
An experienced small business owner who understands today’s challenges and struggles to maintain a business operation right here in our local rural community.
A hard-working rancher who knows agriculture and the lay of the land in Lake County; someone who has worked and walked the land.
Someone who truly understands our rural lifestyle: food farms, equestrian ranches, vineyards, cannabis, pears, walnuts, etc., and who will work sun-up to sun-down to re-build and maintain that traditional economic engine of Lake County.
A sincere, honest leader who will serve with integrity, compassion, and listen and encourage open dialogue — “of the people, by the people, for the people. “
South Lake County had a true “public servant” for many years when Ed Robey was supervisor.
Since then, for the past 16 years, our representation at the county seat has fallen short and failed to adequately listen to and serve the people and communities of District 1.
If you disagree, if you like what has been accomplished and you are pleased with our fire recovery, public safety, schools, housing, property values, taxes, our roads, and you’d like more government bureaucracy, then vote for the one endorsed by team Comstock/Simon for your next supervisor.
But, if you want someone who will question the process, re-evaluate our future, and buck the system, vote for Helen Owen.
Vote for the candidate who is endorsed by the people, your neighbors: Middletown High School Football Coach Bill Foltmer, former Lower Lake Fire Chief Charlie Diener and his wife Patti, past Middletown School Board member Bill Wright and his wife Gail, Lisa Comstock, Angela Carter, Kim and Kevin Smith, Mike and Yvette Sloan, and the list goes on and on — VanPelt, Smiths, Donley, Evans, Pullman, Weber, Menzio, Darms, Johnson, Jones, etc.
If you want your voice heard at the county seat, vote Helen Owen for Lake County supervisor District 1.
Monica Rosenthal is a resident of Middletown, California, a farmer, small business owner and engaged citizen striving for “bipartisan” balance in a world of extremes, who believes the Board of Supervisors should represent all the people.
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- Written by: Marilyn Holdenried
Over the past several months, I have been disheartened to hear and read that there are people who have shamed the people of Kelseyville, telling us we are not a caring town because of our name. If these people, most of whom are not Kelseyville residents, were truly involved in the everyday activities of this town, they would know first-hand the incredible caring community support that is central to Kelseyville. I am sure that other communities have this support, but this is who we are today.
I cannot help but wonder how people in the other Lake County communities, who are loyal to their hometowns, would feel if they were told by an outlier group that they need to change the name of their town. We have been told that we not only need to change the name of our town, but that a new name has been chosen for us without any input from the citizens of our town. This is just plain wrong.
In Kelseyville, I see volunteers in organizations, churches, schools and the business community who continually pull together to make this a caring town. I have seen the local 4Hers plant daffodils on Main Street and at Ely Stage Stop; I have seen Scouts post the American flags on the bridges and all along Main Street on patriotic holidays. Those flags were donated by Kelseyville organizations.
I see volunteers at the churches packing bags of groceries and handing them up twice a month. I see parents giving incredible extra hours to support the school activities. I see parents and teachers who coach our children and serve as leaders of youth organizations. I see the Kelseyville Lions’ Club serve breakfasts to benefit local organizations. I see the Kelseyville Sunrise Rotary Club donate to local charities and mentor high school youth.
The five successful major events that are presented annually on Main Street are a tribute to the energy and dedication of the many Kelseyville community volunteers. These events celebrate the people of our town and open their arms to visitors. These annual events, plus the summer street dances, bring thousands of people to our town. Tourism is alive and well here. There are no dark clouds here.
The name Kelseyville is a name that was assigned to us in 1882 by the US Post Office. Two years ago, I spent several hours reading and researching the minutes of the Lake County Board of Supervisors from 1880 to 1882. I could not find one mention of a motion or a statement of who made the decision to change the name of this town from Uncle Sam to Kelseyville.
In 1882, this area of Kelseyville was not a legal district. We did not have a designated district and supervisor until 1884. Our first supervisor was Lewis Henderson, a farmer who arrived with his family as a 5 year old boy in 1859. He served this community until 1908, when he was succeeded by John Sidney Kelsey.
Upon further research and in his obituary, I learned that John S. Kelsey arrived in this valley as a small child with his parents, William Henry and Annie Laurie Kelsey in 1872. After his father died in 1873, he was raised by his grandparents, Jack and Emma Jones Kelsey, who had arrived in 1873.
In all of the years of this community, there has never been a time, event or a mention of honoring Andrew Kelsey. It is a name that was assigned to us. We have never allowed the actions of this man to define who we are.
I believe the name came as an evolution of naming names. This was an historic practice in communities across this nation. In this town there are many streets that carry the name of early settlers. In the Kelseyville Riviera there are many streets that carry Indigenous names.
This community acknowledges the early history and importance of the Native Americans to this land. We hear their stories. Their stories are important. The pioneer families who came into this valley in the late 1800s to live and work this land also have their stories that are important. Let’s get together and share our stories.
The name Kelsey is NOT a derogatory or offensive name. The history with Andrew Kelsey is offensive and should be placed in its historical context. He was only here for two years, from his arrival in 1847 to his death in 1849. He was not here for years and years.
The name Konocti is not a name that our community has chosen. Konocti is the name of the mountain that stands tall in the center of Lake County.
Please vote NO on Measure U.
Marilyn Holdenried lives in Kelseyville, California.
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- Written by: Ryan Kasmier
Helen Owen’s supporters point to her long tenure in the county and her local business ownership as qualifications. Yet, I can’t help but ask: Is that truly enough to serve as a county supervisor?
Supervising a county isn’t something you can learn on the job without serious consequences. Owen’s backers claim she will “listen to the people” — an admirable quality, but certainly not the sole requirement for a role that involves managing the county budget, improving public safety, making complex land use decisions and selecting department heads. This isn’t about having a chat over coffee; it's about having the expertise to act decisively on issues that affect all of us.
Owen’s lack of real experience in this realm or applicable experiences makes it hard to imagine her handling the fast-paced demands of the office. In fact, for her, this job would likely be more about learning than leading, and while she’s busy learning, Lake County would suffer the delays. What’s the plan while she’s catching up? Who will make the tough calls when she doesn’t even know what questions to ask?
One of her supporters recently wrote, “We need her especially in this day when our values are being attacked.” But whose values? “Values” has become a convenient dog whistle, a stand-in for nebulous ideals that mean one thing to one group and something entirely different to another. If Owen's supporters can't articulate a real plan for the county, is this the best they can offer? We need a leader with more than platitudes.
On the other hand, John Hess is a candidate who not only talks the talk but has walked the walk. With a political science degree, experience in Washington, D.C. working on military legislation, and nearly a decade of service on Lake County’s Planning Commission, Hess knows the ins and outs of this job. He’s been working on these issues — budgeting, fire safety, housing, and more — since 2016. This is not someone who needs time to catch up; he’s already running full steam ahead.
John Hess chose Lake County as his home, not because he grew up here, but because he saw the potential and immediately rolled up his sleeves to make a difference. He didn’t need to wait for an election to start serving his community; he’s been doing it for years. He understands that the role of a supervisor is about accomplishing big goals, not learning how to keep up. His qualifications make him not just the better choice, but the only choice if we’re serious about moving Lake County forward.
The decision for District 1 supervisor is clear. We don’t need someone who will be learning on the job while Lake County’s challenges pile up. This isn't a popularity contest or a partisan decision. We need someone with real experience, vision, and a proven track record of getting things done. That person is John Hess.
Ryan Kasmier lives in Hidden Valley Lake, California.
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- Written by: Charise Reynolds
I was discussing the candidates with a friend recently. They told me that they didn’t care about “experience.” They wanted “someone who cares about Middletown.” I don’t believe the two things have to be mutually exclusive. I have no doubt that both candidates care about our district. But, when you hire someone for a job (or vote someone into office), you look at everything that they bring to the table. John brings a lot of knowledge to the table. Knowledge about the issues and knowledge about how to get things done.
When the candidates first announced their candidacy, I didn’t know a whole lot about any of them. So, I made a point of attending the Middletown Area Town Hall candidate forum in January. At that time, there were five candidates. Early on John stood out from the pack. With every question asked it was clear who had the facts and who stated their opinion. Not only did he know about the issues and processes that were brought up, but he could speak at length about any question posed by the moderator, and his responses were very detailed. Some of the candidates even deferred to him on certain topics.
That evening was no fluke. At the supervisor candidate forum on Aug. 21, once again, John answered thoroughly and spoke knowledgeably. He’s put in the work, literally. He has been on the Planning Commission for the last eight years. He’s studied the issues and he knows the process. The main purpose of the commission is to review all aspects of a project and then make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. You can view the video of that August forum for yourself at hessforsupervisor.com on the “news” page.
John has never held a public office. However, his experience is remarkable for someone seeking a local office. John served as Barbara Boxer’s senior advisor at the state level and as her senior policy advisor in Washington, D.C. He later served as chief of staff for Jane Harmon for 12 years. Harmon was the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee before chairing the Homeland Security Committee's Intelligence Subcommittee.
Throughout his career, he has forged relationships with decision-makers (like Mike Thompson who he’s known for 20 years) and the staff of decision-makers. These relationships are so important for bringing federal dollars into our county. Lake County never has enough money to cover all of the things that need to be done. Things like fixing our roads in a timely fashion, having reliable broadband to support high-wage jobs, and creating much-needed housing require funding.
John spent years in Washington evaluating requests for assistance from local elected officials like our Board of Supervisors. He understands the different funding streams, he knows how to put together a winning request and the best channels to use to secure funding.
John will be an effective advocate for our district. He has the expertise and knowledge to help our county flourish. He is the best candidate for the job. I urge you to join me in voting for John Hess for District 1 supervisor.
Charise Reynolds lives in Middletown, California.
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