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MIDDLETOWN – On Aug. 13, Middletown Middle School arrived back in America from an adventure they will never forget.
Twelve lucky students who were chosen after a long selection process along, with three chaperones, traveled to Naka-cho, Middletown's sister city in Japan.
I am one of the students who was lucky enough to go on this trip. This was definitely a big deal for both towns involved in the exchange.
When we arrived in Osaka we took a bus to Naka-cho community center. We were taken to a welcome party which had all of the town council waiting there for us. Every member made a speech including some members from their school board. It was a strange but exciting feeling being in a foreign country surrounded by people who you can't understand.
After the party we met up with our homestay families who we'd stay with during the week. Some of the students got to stay with the same students who visited Middletown last summer, but some students stayed with families they had never met and had no problem getting friendly and comfortable with them. The whole town showed nothing but hospitality and tried to make our stay as comfortable as possible.
It was odd getting used to all the differences in Japan, especially the little things, like instead of lifting the faucet up to turn it on you lift it up to turn it off, using a toilet you had to squat over and driving on the opposite side of the road.
The houses there were very simple as well, but constructed beautifully. There was not much furniture in each room but my favorite room was the living room with the sunken table. There were many shrines everywhere and religion seemed very important to them. Every time we went to a shrine they would pray.
Everyone on the delegation had to be open about trying new things because there was definitely some strange and unfamiliar food. They took us to a creek were we caught fish with our bare hands, cooked them then ate the fish, ungutted. I even ate the fish head, eyeballs and all!
At one point toward the beginning when we all meet the students we had to catch our lunch, noodles with soy sauce, with chopsticks which were being shot down a bamboo shoot. The following day we got to watch a Kabuku (type of dance) play done by the elementary school students. With such grace and beauty they performed!
We got to go on a tour of their schools and see what the normal school day was like for them. Their main sport was Kendo, which we got to try out as well. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's like fencing but with bamboo sticks. Also we got to enjoy visiting some temples like Jogoji Temple, where we did Za-Zen meditation and took part in a traditional tea ceremony followed by a trip to Kyoto's Golden Temple.
The trip was way more then any of us had expected. Many of the delegation stated that we were "rock stars" during our stay. Some funny experiences happened that proved that point like constantly getting stared at, teens wanting our autographs and many people wanting pictures with us as well.
Our chaperones have stated many times that the group of students that went were so wonderful and they wouldn't have wished to replace any one of us.
When asked his favorite part of the trip, the first thing Middletown Middle School's principal, Dan Morgan, said was, "I really enjoyed getting to know the students who made the trip on a completely different level. Traveling with our students, experiencing another country and culture with them, and observing them mature and grow through the experience was really rewarding. I also really enjoyed getting to know these students on a more personal level ... we had a lot of fun together."
Troy Brierly, the school's wrestling coach, our other chaperone, said, "Not even the 1,000-degree heat could have taken anything away from that trip. I will never forget one second of it or the other delegates who shared the experience with me."
I think we all agree that there wasn't one part of the trip any of us would have wished to change. It was perfect and hopefully someday you too can get the chance to go visit this wonderful country.
Jennifer Harte, 14, is a freshman at Middletown High School. She lives with her mom and dad and two cats, and enjoys playing piano and guitar, drawing, writing short stories, reading and spending time with friends. She is an aspiring journalist.
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- Written by: Jennifer Harte
KELSEYVILLE – A Clear Lake Riviera home is a loss after a Sunday fire, a Kelseyville Fire Protection District official reported Monday.
The home, located on Harbor Drive, burned Sunday evening, as Lake County News has reported.
Captain Joe Huggins said the fire district received the call on the fire at 6:44 p.m. Sunday.
Three Kelseyville Fire engines, one engine from Lakeport Fire Protection District, a water tender from Lake County Fire Protection District and three Cal Fire engines responded to the blaze, Huggins said.
Three to four people were in the home at the time the fire broke out, Huggins said. No injuries were reported.
The fire destroyed the home, said Huggins. “It didn't burn to the ground but it was a loss,” he said.
He said the fire's cause is still under investigation.
The loss estimate is also being prepared as part of a final report, Huggins said.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
On Saturday, Sept. 6, the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico will sponsor a potluck gathering at 3 p.m. at Hooker Oak Park in Bidwell Park to commemorate the 145th anniversary of the Nome Cult Trail, which was the forced relocation of American Indians from Chico across what is now the Mendocino National Forest to Round Valley in 1863.
The next week, on Saturday, Sept. 13 in the afternoon, the Round Valley Indian Tribes will sponsor a gathering at the Round Valley Reservation in Covelo to mark the completion of the 13th annual retracing of the original 100-mile trek.
Descendants of those who were part of the original relocation and other supporters will walk from Chico to Covelo starting Sunday, Sept. 7, descending down into Round Valley Sept. 13.
The theme for the walk and gatherings is “Honor Their Memory … A Path Not Forgotten.” Both the Chico and Covelo events are free and open to the public.
At the Covelo event there will be presentations by the walkers and a meal starting at about 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Tribal Building, 77826 Covelo Road. From Sept. 7 through Sept. 13, walkers will retrace the original trail, camping out each night along the way.
The tribes welcome the public to join them for all or part of the walk and for the gathering in Covelo on Saturday afternoon.
The removal of American Indians from Chico to the Nome Cult Reservation in 1863 is one of the many forced relocations following the establishment of reservations in northern California in the 1850s.
Several different tribes were moved to the Nome Cult Reservation after it was established in Round Valley in 1856.
In September 1863, 461 American Indians were marched under guard from Chico to the Nome Cult Reservation, nearly 100 miles across the Sacramento Valley and rugged North Coast Ranges. Only 277 tribal members completed the journey. Some were killed, a few escaped, and others were left behind, too sick to go on.
Although the path itself has disappeared, this route is now called the Nome Cult Trail. The most grueling part of the trail passed through what is now the Mendocino National Forest.
The Forest Service has placed interpretive signs along the route to mark places where the tribal members and their military escorts camped. A free brochure and trail map produced by the Forest Service is available from Mendocino National Forest offices for those interested in the route.
The Mendocino National Forest requests that people traveling on forest roads along the trail route be aware and careful of the walkers to ensure their safety.
This year the walkers, many of whom are descendants of those who made the trek in 1863, will begin west of Chico at Irvine Finch Park, located at River Road and State Highway 32, at 7 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 7. They will walk west on State Highway 32 and camp at the Buckhorn Campground at Black Butte Lake the first night. For the remainder of the week they will walk across the Mendocino National Forest, following the Nome Cult Trail.
Their planned schedule is:
Monday, Sept. 8, camp at Buckhorn Campground;
Tuesday, Sept. 9, camp at Black Bear Campground;
Wednesday, Sept. 10, camp at Log Springs;
Thursday, Sept. 11, camp at Wells Cabin Campground;
Friday, Sept. 12, camp at Eel River Campground;
Saturday, Sept. 13, walk into Round Valley.
For more information on the Sept. 6 Chico event, please contact Arlene Ward, Chico Mechoopda Tribe, at 530-899-8922, Extension 220. For more information on the walk and the Sept. 13 Covelo event,
please contact Alberta Azbill, Round Valley Indian Tribes at 707-983-6126.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The California Highway Patrol reported that a Jeep flipped over and caught fire on Highway 29 near Kelseyville Auto Salvage and Tow just after 3:30 p.m.
The Jeep fire sparked a grass fire which burned less than a quarter of an acre, according to Cal Fire, which responded to the scene along with local fire officials.
Lake County Animal Control also was called to respond to the scene because of a dog that was found loose following the collision.
Shortly after the Jeep crash was reported another collision involving a motorcycle took place to the south, according to the CHP.
A total of three people were reported injured, with two being transported to the hospital via REACH and CalStar air ambulance, which used Kit's Corner for a landing zone. A third victim was taken by ambulance to Redbud Community Hospital, officials at the scene reported. At least one person was reported with major injuries.
The Jeep crash blocked the highway and backed traffic up for nearly two miles, the CHP reported.
Traffic was diverted from Highway 29 onto Highway 175 and Highway 281/Red Hills for a few hours while the scene was cleared and firefighters mopped up the fire area.
Shortly before 5 p.m. Cal Fire said that the two fires were contained and that firefighters were mopping up the area.
The roadway was reopened shortly before 6:30 p.m., the CHP reported.
No further information about the injured parties was available late Monday.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson