Letters
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- Written by: Roberta Actor
From reading their letters and hearing their comments before the BOS, it seems like those who want to “Save Kelseyville” believe that their town is in danger of being destroyed. Are they imagining that vicious interlopers will burn the buildings to the ground, and that the people of the village will be enslaved, raped and murdered?
In truth, members of local tribes, who suffered those very crimes, have not suggested that the town be destroyed and its people exterminated or displaced. They simply want to change a name that honors the two most notorious members of the Kelsey family, men who are well-known to have committed terrible crimes.
The name is actually a blight on a rather nice place. We have no towns named for Capone, Dahmer or Manson, even though they are very famous. Why name a town for the Kelsey brothers?
There are many historic figures who did both good and bad things, but their good acts are historically important, so they are justifiably honored despite their bad actions. Their names are not forgotten. Every society needs to weigh the merits against the errors or crimes of important figures. Hitler invented the Volkswagen, but towns in Austria are not named for him. Stalingrad was quickly returned to being called Volgograd when Stalin was dead.
It seems like the writer who doesn't want history to be “erased” is trying to say that keeping the name will prevent others from repeating bigoted and ignorant acts in the future. However the sentiments publicly expressed by the “Save Kelseyville” group effectively disprove that. In fact, honoring two hard-hearted men seems to encourage similar negative and unfeeling attitudes towards local tribe members among those so inclined.
Renaming the town Konocti will not cause it to vanish! A vote for Measure U is a vote for respect and reconciliation.
Roberta Actor lives in Lakeport, California.
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- Written by: Lea Passantino
I want to express my enthusiastic support for the brave and loyal candidates running for Lakeport City Council. One stands out above the rest: District 4 Planning Commissioner Christina Price.
As a lifelong resident of Lake County, Christina has steadily climbed the professional ladder — from positions at a local lumber company to becoming a real estate agent and earning her real estate broker’s license. Six years ago, she was appointed to the Lake County Planning Commission, where she now serves as chair.
I’ve had the privilege of watching Christina’s remarkable personal and professional growth. Her dedication, hard work, and compassion are evident in everything she does. She is deeply committed to making a positive impact on our community — the place she calls home, where her family lives, and where her young son is growing up.
She has already made a significant positive impact, and I am confident she will continue to do so as a city council member.
As members of this beautiful community, if you're ready for positive change and a fresh perspective, I urge you to vote for this dedicated and highly qualified candidate. Christina Price is the right choice for City Council.
It’s time for a change, and the Price is right for the job! Remember, your vote can make a difference. Vote for Christina Price for City Council.
Lea Passantino lives in Lakeport, California.
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- Written by: Lois Jordan
Rebelling against the brutal and harsh treatment received while working for them, Pomo natives killed both Andrew Kelsey and Charles Stone in 1849. Some months later, May 1850, the U.S. Military launched an attack against Pomo hostilities known as the Battle of Bloody Island.
Decisions and actions taken by the military months after Kelsey and Stone were killed should be considered the cause of the Bloody Island Massacre.
Charles Stone fades into history known only as Andrew Kelsey’s business partner. Andrew Kelsey has become a man of infamy. When the name of one man becomes the catalyst for name calling, hatred and divisiveness, it's time to learn more.
Andrew Kelsey came West as a young man of 20 and was 28 when he was killed by the Pomo in\ 1849. There is some history of his travel West and his participation in the Bear Flag War in 1846 but not too much is known about him that is pertinent here. To my knowledge there are no letters, journals, or diaries attributed to him, nor did Andrew Kelsey leave an account of his interactions with the Pomo.
Kelsey spent 1847 to 1849 (two years) in Big Valley and is accused of creating an atmosphere of suffering and trauma. Seventeen decades later this has become an issue dividing our community.
Lorna Sides, member of the activist group Citizens For Healing, believes changing the name of Kelseyville 174 years later will bring respect and healing for past wrongs. She and this group, in concert with local tribes, chose the name to replace Kelseyville. Lorna Sides then submitted the application to the Board on Geographic Names. The action of one person has made a decision for all of us and caused more division than this community has seen in decades, if ever.
Having waded through histories of Napa, Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties, reading studies and writings of Kroeber, Schoolcraft, Benson, Heizer, Gibbs, Susman and Parker, reading countless historical newspaper articles, combing through Mauldin’s collection of narratives, studying treaties, digging through encyclopedias and historical book collections, I am convinced we cannot tell with any certainty what really happened prior to the military incursion. We just don’t know what we don’t know.
The narratives we have been given regarding the “atrocities” of Andrew Kelsey and the tragic events on Bloody Island are for the most part based on oral history which is difficult to substantiate. Events recorded decades later often contain misinformation, sometimes embellished, exaggerated and conflated through the years.
This story has taken on a life of its own. Many conflicting accounts exist today. One example is the number of Pomo killed in the Bloody Island attack by the U.S. Troops which vary significantly. Pomo Chief Augustine in 1880 states 16 were killed; Captain Nathaniel Lyon, in 1850 tells us at least 60, no more than 100 perished. Numerous newspapers of the time reported casualties as anywhere from 200 to 400. The most egregious number is in the Sept. 26, 2024 DailyMail.com article which lists the death count at 900!
John Parker, PhD, well known Lake County historian, in text of his talk “The Kelsey Brothers: A California Disaster,” which includes the story of Bloody Island, says: “In my 40 years of research, I have never seen as many different versions of the same events as I discovered while researching this talk.”
When facts of an event that occurred 174 years ago cannot be verified as being truly accurate, what reasonable person thinks they should be used to force the community of Kelseyville to change its name?
Vote no on Measure U.
Lois Jordan lives in Kelseyville, California.
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- Written by: Lisa Wilson
As a Clearlake resident and voter in District 1, I was eager to observe each candidate in action and evaluate their responses to questions from the group, including my own about broadband access.
The differences between Mr. Hess and Ms. Owen quickly emerged. John Hess was extremely well-prepared, and the quality of his responses to every question was impressive. While Helen Owen was pleasant and emphasized her deep roots in the community, she sometimes struggled to provide in-depth answers or, at times, couldn’t respond at all.
I admire both candidates for their commitment to District 1 and for putting themselves out there, and for me, the choice is clear. John Hess is smart, experienced, and articulates a strong and optimistic vision for District 1 and Lake County as a whole.
I will be voting for John Hess on Nov. 5, and I will work hard to encourage all District 1 voters to do the same.
Lisa Wilson lives in Clearlake, California.
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