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LAKEPORT, Calif. — The annual Clear Lake Splash-In took off Friday under cloudy skies.
As seaplanes soared over mountains and skimmed onto the Lakeport shoreline, industry professionals, aviation enthusiasts and visitors of all ages gathered along the waterfront.
Spanning from Friday through Sunday, the annual event features seminars on seaplane operations, youth programs, innovative aircraft demonstrations, and discussions on developing Clear Lake’s seaplane infrastructure with professionals and local officials.
While seminars took place at the Lakeport Yacht Club, located at the 5th Street boat ramp, pilots who had flown in parked their aircraft on the lawn behind Skylark Shores Resort for spectators to view.
The seaplane viewing got off to a slow start, as thick clouds lingered overhead.
Around 2 p.m., three planes were parked at the lawn of Skylark and two docked in the water just behind the hotel, drifting quietly, looking out over the open lake. Ducks and geese swam into the shadows cast by the seaplane wings, seeking shelter from the glare, while visitors remained few and far between.
“It’s pretty quiet today,” said Redwood Valley resident Jeff Blank who walked up to examine the red-wing seaplane — the largest of the three on the lawn at that time.
Blank said that he has attended Splash-In as a visitor multiple times in the past. “There used to be a lot of people with like 20 to 30 planes,” Blank said. He figured the smaller seaplane turnout this year was due to the weather.
For John Elbert, a volunteer assisting with incoming landing, the lower viewer turnout near the planes was because “everyone is over there in the seminar!”
Still, more spectators gradually arrived as scattered beams of sunlight occasionally broke through the clouds.
Some wandered among the planes on the lawn, while others lined the shore to watch the ones floating in the lake. Parents strolled with their babies, and pet owners walked with their dogs on leashes.
Lakeport Councilmember Brandon Disney made a brief stop on the lawn, asking for directions to the seminar to discuss Clear Lake “dock options” for seaplanes. He was then directed to the other event site, the Yacht Club.
Seaplanes touch down for the weekend
The favorite “show” for the visitors at Skylark, of course, was to watch a seaplane glide in from the distant sky and land with a splash on the lake, just yards away.
Together with other visitors, seasoned pilot Phyllis Manning-Lee who is also a seaplane instructor was waiting for her friend to land.
She drove from her home in Napa to participate and said she couldn’t get a room at Skylark. “It’s fully booked!” she exclaimed. She planned to stay at a friend’s place in Lakeport over the weekend.
Manning-Lee told Lake County News that Clear Lake is a popular destination for seaplanes. It’s not only an open lake but also has beautiful views when looking from above, she explained.
As she sat at the bench by the shore, Manning-Lee constantly checked the aviation information app on her phone, tracking the location, height, speed and landing time of her friend, Alberto Rossi, who disembarked from Hayward, East Bay.
She pointed to the clouds and mountains afar, and said that’s where Rossi would be coming.
As a pilot, Manning-Lee said she always knows the direction even without navigation tools.
The app showed that Rossi would land at 4:03 p.m..
By 3:40 p.m., everyone nearby had gathered at the shore, including those who had been examining the planes on the lawn. They looked up, stretching their sight toward the distance, scanning the sky—each hoping to be the first to spot the approaching aircraft.
The plane appeared as small as a bird when it first pierced through the shadowing clouds. Spectators pointed and called out, helping each other locate the tiny speck—and correcting those who mistook actual birds for the plane.
The first time seeing the seaplanes
Among the enthusiastic viewers was 7-year-old Brandon Bartko of Lakeport — the only one who had walked out onto the dock, standing closest to the water, and of course, the landing.
He stood straight, still and quiet, eyes fixed on the approaching plane as it circled, searching for a place to touch down. Then it burst into a splash in the lake and taxied gracefully right in front of him.
This was Brandon’s first time to see a seaplane and he told Lake County News he liked it.
He was asked about what he was thinking on the dock.
Brandon looked over to the lake, contemplated, and said, “How cool it would be to be in a plane just soaring over the lake.”
Do you want to be a pilot? he was asked.
“No,” he responded, a little quicker this time — apparently he had thought about his future seriously. “I want to be a diesel mechanic.”
He was then asked if he would want to go for a ride in the seaplane?
A longer-than-usual pause ensued as Brandon clearly entered his typical deep thinking mode.
“Hmm, maybe,” he finally gave a well-considered response.
Asked about what he was thinking, he responded, “Sometimes I get scared on planes, and I don’t like being scared. And another reason, and the ‘yes’ reason, is that I know it’s not gonna crash at all.”
When asked if he was coming back on Saturday, the child finally looked up to his grandfather Bill Beedle and asked, “Are we?”
Beedle is a 40-year Lakeport resident who also attended Splash-In for the first time on Friday.
He gave a wide grin and said, “We'll come back tomorrow and look at some more planes. You bet.”
Email staff reporter Lingzi Chen at
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- Written by: LINGZI CHEN
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — With 18 wins and no losses in conference play, Yuba College’s softball team took the Golden Valley Conference title last weekend, solidifying the team’s place in institution and regional history.
Sophomores Danni Farris, Jerzie Brown and Cheyenne Lamar have emerged as team leaders, guiding the 49ers to a 21-game winning streak, the best of any junior college softball team in California this year.
Farris, a former Division I player who returned home to play for Yuba, is among the very best pitchers in the state.
Her pitching counterpart and first baseman, Lamar, is on track to be Yuba College’s all-time wins leader.
From their fast-pitch post, Farris and Lamar alternate as the center of Yuba softball’s defensive universe, aiming to limit the runs the opposing team can make.
Seemingly telepathically, they communicate to Brown, their anchor and catcher, on what pitch should follow.
The remaining Yuba players hold their places around the diamond and the outfield, standing defensive but alert. Countless hours of practice together and the whole team knows what they came to do.
The same is true when Yuba is up to bat. With a .509 batting average, Brown is widely considered to be one of the most powerful and consistent hitters in the state. She has lived and breathed softball since she was just four years old.
“When I am up to bat, I'm going to do damage,” Brown said. “I'm never thinking negatively.”
Her secret sauce isn’t the years at bat, or how she scrutinizes videos of her gameplay when she gets home from practice.
It’s because she has a blast.
“I think that is truly why I am good at hitting,” she said. “I have fun!”
Farris and Lamar agree: Yuba’s softball team takes the game very seriously, but prioritizes having fun, too. They recognize the importance of their bond on gameplay.
“There’s not any kind of arguments or any kind of drama on our team. I think that’s what makes us work well together on the field,” said Danni.
The 49ers are committed to clear and direct communication, contributing directly to their strong team chemistry and success on the field.
“If anybody has any sort of problem, we need to communicate within the next 24 hours or just let it go,” Farris said.
Lamar calls her teammates her “besties.”
“I think everyone’s pretty positive. If someone messes up, we don’t get mad at them. We just pick each other up and stay positive,” Lamar said.
All three women have played softball for many years before coming to Yuba College. But Lamar and Brown both, in their past, have stepped away from the game for extended periods.
In those breaks, both of them realized that they wanted to come back to the sport that has given them so much more than just a way to pass the time. Lamar played in high school but had no plans to play in college.
Until Head Coach Brian Seva called.
“When Coach Brian [Seva] reached out to me to play for Yuba [College] it gave me a second chance to gain the love back for my sport,” Lamar said. “And I found that I still absolutely love it and am even better than I was before. This experience of stepping away made me stronger and helped shape who I am today.”
Brown echoed Lamar’s sentiments.
“I took a break from softball for a season when I was battling with my love for the sport. A lot of other athletes go through the same exact struggle,” she said. “But during the time I took off, I was always thinking about being back on the field. I realized that the joy softball brings me is greater than all of the moments I've felt stressed, angry and upset.”
Her love for the game has grown back bigger and better than ever before.
“Ever since I came back, my passion for softball has grown exponentially, and I have never stopped appreciating the opportunities I have gotten from this game,” said Brown.
For Farris, softball is a fundamental part of her identity. Growing up as a Farris meant that softball was revered in her household. She would be one among many in her family to pick up the oversized neon ball, already seasoned at the wind up and rip while in grade school.
Her little sister, Richie Farris, a high school senior at East Nicolaus High School, plans on playing for Yuba College next year.
“My whole entire family is all about softball,” Farris said. “I was just born into it. Everybody in my family coaches, or they play or they have kids who play.”
Softball just feels like home for Farris.
When the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself for Farris to join a Division I team across the country, she knew she had a difficult choice to make. Would softball still feel the same, even if she couldn’t play it around everyone she loves?
After a brief stint at the university, the homesickness felt too heavy and Farris knew she needed to come home.
“I'm a huge family person,” Farris said. “So whenever we're not playing softball, I'm normally with them, my family.”
Although she wasn’t sure if it was the right decision at the time, Farris says now that she has no regrets coming back and playing for Yuba College.
What’s next for Farris, Lamar and Brown
As sophomores, this will be the last season on the team for the trio.
Farris has considered coaching in the future, particularly if she has her own children who are interested in the sport. All three plan to transfer to a university to finish their degrees.
Lamar said she might play on a club team, but is more interested in focusing on her photography business which she started in the last year and has grown like wildfire. She plans to attend Chico State.
Both Farris and Brown are undecided on where they will attend, but the institution’s softball program will be a big part of their decision.
Lamar hopes that her softball career reminds others the importance of supporting their team, an example she hoped to model during her time at Yuba, always acting as a reliable source of support and encouragement.
For Farris, passion has fueled her softball career, even when it meant stepping away from the university.
“I hope that people remember me as a dedicated passionate player who gave everything possible to the game and how I push my teammates through challenges,” she said. “Either on or off the mound I want my athletic legacy to reflect my great love for the game and a drive to always do my best.”
Brown agreed, and while she intends to continue her softball career, she said softball reminds her to never give up or take life too seriously.
“It’s easy to be stuck on the negativity but personally, I think living in the positive moments is way better,” she said. “When you play with passion and focus on the positive you will find yourself succeeding more often.”
As their final season wraps, Farris, Brown and Lamar leave behind more than wins and stats. They leave a culture of positivity, grit and joy — a standard of leadership that younger teammates can aspire to.
Whether they continue playing, coaching or building lives beyond the diamond, one thing is certain: their love for the game, and for their teammates has left an indelible mark on Yuba College softball.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Clearlake Animal Control has many dogs of various breeds and backgrounds ready to be adopted this week.
The shelter has 52 adoptable dogs listed on its website.
This week’s dogs include “Ceasar,” a Great Pyrenees/St. Bernard mix with a long white coat.
The shelter is located at 6820 Old Highway 53. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
For more information, call the shelter at 707-762-6227, email
This week’s adoptable dogs are featured below.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
During Earthquake Preparedness Month, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced a major milestone: the MyShake app — which alerts Californians before an earthquake begins — has surpassed 4 million downloads, the equivalent of more than 10% of the state.
This achievement is a significant step in expanding access to California’s life-saving earthquake technology and building resilience across the state.
California’s nation-leading Earthquake Early Warning system notifies residents in advance of shaking by using ground motion sensors across California.
More than 60% of the 1,046 sensors have been installed since the program launched in 2019, making the system more accurate and able to deliver alerts faster.
Last week, the MyShake app distributed 693,044 alerts for the 5.2 magnitude earthquake near Julian in San Diego County, a subset of the total 7.5 million alerts sent out for that event. Some MyShake users received as much as 35 seconds notice before shaking occurred.
“MyShake provides Californians with life-saving seconds before earthquakes strike. This milestone is a proud moment for California, and a reminder that preparedness is a continuous effort. We urge everyone to spread the word to friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers to download this critical tool,” said Gov. Newsom.
The California Earthquake Early Warning System combines the MyShake smartphone application with traditional alert and warning delivery methods such as Wireless Emergency Alerts, or WEA.
Now, with the integration of early warning technology within the most popular smartphone devices, the system can deliver alerts to most Californians.
Since its inception, MyShake has delivered more than 5 million alerts for nearly 170 earthquakes.
The MyShake app is free, easy to use, and available in six languages (English, Spanish, Chinese (Traditional), Tagalog, Korean, and Vietnamese). It can be downloaded on iOS, Android, and Chromebooks. The app contains earthquake and tsunami preparedness information not found in other alerting platforms and includes the secure Homebase feature which allows users to set a default location where they can receive earthquake early warning alerts even if location services are temporarily down or turned off.
Californians are also encouraged to pair earthquake early warning with the Cal OES Earthquake Readiness Guide. This recently released comprehensive guide offers clear, easy-to-follow earthquake safety tips, explains essential preparedness steps, and how Californians can take protective actions before, during, and after an earthquake. Download the guide here today to ensure you and your loved ones are prepared.
To learn more about earthquake preparedness and download the MyShake earthquake early warning application, visit: www.earthquake.ca.gov.
This achievement is a significant step in expanding access to California’s life-saving earthquake technology and building resilience across the state.
California’s nation-leading Earthquake Early Warning system notifies residents in advance of shaking by using ground motion sensors across California.
More than 60% of the 1,046 sensors have been installed since the program launched in 2019, making the system more accurate and able to deliver alerts faster.
Last week, the MyShake app distributed 693,044 alerts for the 5.2 magnitude earthquake near Julian in San Diego County, a subset of the total 7.5 million alerts sent out for that event. Some MyShake users received as much as 35 seconds notice before shaking occurred.
“MyShake provides Californians with life-saving seconds before earthquakes strike. This milestone is a proud moment for California, and a reminder that preparedness is a continuous effort. We urge everyone to spread the word to friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers to download this critical tool,” said Gov. Newsom.
The California Earthquake Early Warning System combines the MyShake smartphone application with traditional alert and warning delivery methods such as Wireless Emergency Alerts, or WEA.
Now, with the integration of early warning technology within the most popular smartphone devices, the system can deliver alerts to most Californians.
Since its inception, MyShake has delivered more than 5 million alerts for nearly 170 earthquakes.
The MyShake app is free, easy to use, and available in six languages (English, Spanish, Chinese (Traditional), Tagalog, Korean, and Vietnamese). It can be downloaded on iOS, Android, and Chromebooks. The app contains earthquake and tsunami preparedness information not found in other alerting platforms and includes the secure Homebase feature which allows users to set a default location where they can receive earthquake early warning alerts even if location services are temporarily down or turned off.
Californians are also encouraged to pair earthquake early warning with the Cal OES Earthquake Readiness Guide. This recently released comprehensive guide offers clear, easy-to-follow earthquake safety tips, explains essential preparedness steps, and how Californians can take protective actions before, during, and after an earthquake. Download the guide here today to ensure you and your loved ones are prepared.
To learn more about earthquake preparedness and download the MyShake earthquake early warning application, visit: www.earthquake.ca.gov.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS