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The office won the California Law Enforcement Challenge's award for occupant protection, said CHP Officer Adam Garcia.
The Clear Lake office – which has 25 sworn officers – won the statewide honor competing in a division of departments officers numbering between 11 and 25, said Garcia.
The competition's purpose, said Garcia, is to reward agencies that reduce fatalities on the state's roadways, with particular focus placed on occupant protection, driving under the influence and speeding laws.
Six out-of-state law enforcement judges came to the CHP Academy this year for five days to score competition submissions, which were divided by category and size, said Garcia.
The judges themselves were divided into three groups of two and worked in teams to score the submissions, using an objective scoring method for the enforcement section and subjective scoring on other categories, he explained.
The judges scored the departments by comparing three-month periods in 2006 and 2007 and looking at improvement, said Garcia.
The Clear Lake CHP office won for occupant restraint usage, which improved from 96.3 percent in 2006 to 96.7 percent in 2007, Garcia said.
The local CHP office showed a major increase in enforcement, said Garcia. During the three-month period judges examined, in 2006 there were 252 citations for seatbelt-related violations, and 394 citations in the same three-month period a year later.
Department officials attribute the increase in restraint usage to enforcement and community education and outreach, including child safety checkpoints, education and training classes. Garcia said CHP also has conducted talks at schools and carried out an overall effort to get the word out to people that they need to buckle up.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The event features the running of the "Flame of Hope" throughout communities to raise awareness for
Special Olympics programs, the Northern California event highlights the running of the torch throughout cities and towns, culminating at the Opening Ceremonies of the Special Olympics Northern California Summer Games.
Law enforcement officers here in Lake County have come together to carry the flame throughout the county to show their support for the many athletes in our community that participate year-round in our own Lake County Special Olympics program, along with those that will be participating in the Northern California Summer Games.
Support for the event can include officers volunteering to run, as well as community members supporting participating officers, volunteering or simply coming out to cheer them on.
For more information about this year's event, call Officer Adam Garcia at the Clear Lake California Highway Patrol office, 279-0103 or Kristina Navarro, 349-7728.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The National Weather Service in Sacramento is forecasting a strong ridge of high pressure to build over the entire West Coast, including Lake County, by the middle of the week, bringing high temperatures up to the 90s and near 100 degrees.
As the high pressure system strengthens, the National Weather Service predicts that Lake County and areas of Northern California may break the century mark by Thursday.
The ridge of high pressure will begin to head east by Saturday, according to the National Weather Service, which will cool down local temperatures – but they will remain higher than normal through the weekend.
If you've planted a garden in the past week or so, make sure to water adequately.
Even though air temperatures will be hot later this week, the water temperature of Clear Lake and area streams, rivers and lakes are still cold. The National Weather Service reminds everyone that wading, swimming, rafting or fishing can still be hazardous due to cold water temperatures and hypothermia (sudden loss of body temperature) can set in – and be fatal.
If you work outdoors, be sure to take frequent breaks from the sun, wear light-colored clothing and drink plenty of nonalcoholic fluids, warns the National Weather Service. Also remember to not leave children or pets alone or in unattended vehicles.
E-mail Terre Logsdon at
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There are many reasons for involvement in this event.
This is event chair Beth Berinti's fifth year doing relay. Berinti is a cancer survivor from Lucerne. She was on a team her first year, has been a team captain for four years, a committee chair for four years, last year and this year as event chair.
"Once you've participated in a Relay event, you just want to continue,” Berinti said. “I lost my mom to cancer and most recently, my cousin, Dave Fesmire, which makes this Relay more poignant."
Charwin Ward, with Broken Ground, a band that is playing at the relay on Saturday, May 17, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., lives in Spring Valley. One band member lives in Sacramento. Ward heard about Relay from Sally Lusinger and wanted to volunteer.
"I lost my mother to cancer when I was 13 years old,” Ward said. “When I heard about Relay, I wanted to be a part of it. The whole band is willing to support Relay."
Sally Owens from Lakeport has been participating in Relay since her husband, Don, passed away from cancer six years ago. Don Owens was the principal of Clear Lake High School and the stadium is named after him. Her mother-in-law is a 20-year cancer survivor.
"The reason I support Relay is to help with research so our children will never have to experience this disease,” she said. She'll be walking for two teams this year.
Entertainment chair Naomi Wheelan from Kelseyville has participated in Relay for seven years. She heard about it from her sister who is involved in Napa's Relay. Wheelan became a team captain with Americorp her first year and has had her own team of family and friends since. She has been entertainment chair for six years.
"I have lost family members and close friends to cancer but every year that I hear of someone who has lost the battle to cancer, I hear of someone who has beat cancer,” she said. “Once you get involved you do whatever you can and there's plenty to do. We do make a difference."
Cobb resident David Neft, who has a business in Middletown, is volunteering his musical talent and time for the third year. Neft accompanies the National Anthem singer, Shelly Mascari from Middletown, and plays for the heartwarming Survivor's Lap at the 10 a.m. Opening Celebration Ceremony. Neft also will entertain us with his jazzy piano selections from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Neft has close friends and relatives who have been touched by cancer. "I feel that there is no other place we should be that day,” he said. “We need to donate what ever energy and talents we have to this event. If people only knew that you gain much more than you could ever give by joining the Relay family."
Relay For Life supports programs right here in Lake County. One is Road To Recovery where volunteer drivers take people to and from treatments and appointments.
Deanne Dale of Lakeport is a driver. She got involved when, as a new resident, she needed someone to drive her to and from an important appointment. She said, "I didn't know anyone that well and figured there were other people that might need someone to drive them, also. I heard about Road To Recovery and volunteered."
Most every person has been touched by cancer in some way, and participating in Relay For Life is a way of "fighting back" against this disease.
There have been all types of fundraisers prior to Relay and there will be raffles, auctions, items for sale and other fundraising events at Relay.
Free entertainment starts at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 17, with the Celebration Ceremony including the Survivor's Lap. Pastor Shannon Kimball-Auth will do the invocation and the flag ceremony will be performed by the Boy Scouts of Kelseyville Troop 45.
Performers for all day Saturday and for Sunday morning are Shelly Mascari, David Neft, DJ Ken Steely and Groove Crew, Kelseyville High School Jazz Combo, Twice As Good, Antoinette School Of Dance, Open Mic at Cafe Victoria's emceed by Phil Mathewson, Sweet Adelines, Irma and Luis, Broken Ground, Hamed Hokamzedeh and Lefty. There will be karaoke contests with DJ Lori Steely with finals and awards on Sunday morning.
There will also be theme laps where relayers dress in styles from the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
Come join us in supporting Relay For Life Lake County on May 17 and May 18 at Don Owens Stadium, Clear Lake High School, 350 Lange St., Lakeport.
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- Written by: Patricia England