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Recreation
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- Written by: Editor
The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has secured a $500,000 federal grant to support the creation of additional public hunting and fishing opportunities.
The grant, through California’s Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Program, will allow public access for wildlife-dependent recreation on private lands.
“This significant grant funding is the shot in the arm that the SHARE Program needs to finally expand beyond a mere pilot or regional program,” said Mark Hennelly, Vice President of the California Outdoor Heritage Alliance (COHA). “Many new and exciting hunting opportunities will be made available to the public as a direct result of the department’s successful efforts to secure federal funds.”
DFG will use the federal funds, which were originally authorized through the “Open Fields” provision of the 2008 Farm Bill, to compensate participating landowners and nonprofit organizations helping to administer the SHARE hunts.
Hunters participating in SHARE will still remain a key funding source for the SHARE Program, along with hunting licenses, stamp and tag funds.
“DFG should be praised and congratulated for their efforts in securing these funds, which will increase public hunting opportunities on private lands in California,” said John Carlson Jr., president of California Waterfowl. “In most instances, the properties enrolled in the SHARE Program have never been available for public use. Now, private land in California will be made available for current and future generations.”
The SHARE Program was created by California Waterfowl-sponsored state legislation in 2003 to encourage private landowners to voluntarily open their properties to hunting, fishing and other wildlife-dependent recreation. The bill was authored by then Assembly Member Tom Harman.
Due to limited funding, for the last several years, the SHARE Program has relied heavily on the assistance of nonprofit conservation groups like California Waterfowl and COHA, and has focused mostly on waterfowl and upland game bird hunts in select areas of the state. However, DFG has recently been able to secure several wild pig and elk hunts.
Programs similar to SHARE have opened up millions of acres of land to public access across at least 18 other states. These programs have been well received by both hunters and landowners alike, and have fostered improved relations between sportsmen and the agricultural and ranching communities.
“We are excited for this opportunity to expand the SHARE program,” said DFG Director John McCamman. “This funding will allow us to create public access to additional lands for wildlife-dependent recreational activities.”
With the new funding, the SHARE Program is expected to expand over time into a statewide program with a wide variety of game bird and big game hunting opportunities.
In particular, the program should provide improved hunter access to wild pig and wild turkey populations, two species for which there are currently only limited public hunting opportunities available.
California Waterfowl is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to conserve California’s waterfowl, wetland, and our hunting heritage. For more information, visit www.calwaterfowl.org.
The California Outdoor Heritage Alliance(COHA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting hunting and promoting wildlife conservation. For more information, visit www.outdoorheritage.org.
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- Written by: Editor
LAKEPORT, Calif. – This Saturday, July 23, is going to be one of the most exciting nights of racing to come to the Lakeport Speedway this year, according to race organizers.
The BCRA Midgets are back in town with some very hot drivers thirsty for a win on the very tight quarter mile race track.
The gates are opening at 5 p.m., with racing action starting at 6:30 p.m. at the speedway, located at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St.
The night is going to be action packed with the young gun drivers going against the old veterans for bragging rights of being the fastest and taking the checkers and the money at Lakeport Speedway.
Also back will be the Legend Cars of the Pacific with their small compact old sedans with some new local faces taking the track in their first main events running under the LOP banner, and for some even their first race in a legend car at Lakeport Speedway.
Also on the ticket will be the Lake County Extreme Asphalt Outlaws, with all the drivers gunning for the sly rookie who took the win this last weekend, Kyle Tellstrom.
Lawn mower racers will be tearing up the infield at the speedway, doing their best to keep it on all four wheels, running in the small dirt track in the middle of the infield.
If that was not enough they have on hand another exciting round of the Taco Bell Bombers taking to the track for yet another points race, with Mike Swaney of Nice jumping out into the points lead last weekend. Because of that, everyone will be gunning to beat him during the night's events.
For the complete schedule and current track information visit www.lakeportspeedway.com or call the Lakeport Speedway office at 707-279-9577.
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- Written by: Jeanine Burnett
The Lake County Milers walking and running club will be conducting a six-week 5k running clinic starting Saturday, Aug. 13, at 8:30 a.m., and the public is warmly invited.
The clinic will be meeting at Hardester’s Plaza, Hartmann Road exit off Highway 29 outside Mountain High Coffee in Hidden Valley Lake.
The fee for the six-week clinic is $25 for adults and $15 for teens. Older preteens are invited to participate at no charge with accompanied parent.
Prerequisite for participating in the clinic is the ability to jog slowly for one mile, so start training now. All participants must be in good health and a waiver must be signed by participants or guardian if participant is under 18.
The running clinic will focus on enabling participants through a supportive walking/running program to increase the ability to jog to 3.1 miles (5k) by Sept. 17.
The clinic fee will include a 5k (3.1 mile) race entry into the popular Milers fourth annual Beer and Bratwurst 5k held at the Crazy Creek Glider port on Sunday, Sept. 25.
Lake County Miler Club members may participate in the clinic at no charge, but will not receive a complimentary race-entry.
All participants must wear appropriate running shoes and bring water.
To sign up for the clinic call 707-987-3229 or email
To find out more about the Lake County Milers or to join our non-profit club, please visit www.lakecountymilers.com.
Jeanine Burnett is president of the Lake County Milers.
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- Written by: Editor
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The fans that were on hand for the Kelseyville Lumber-Lake County Car Audio Fan Appreciation Night at Lakeport Speedway last weekend really got a show put on for them by the drivers.
They were treated to all the delights that come out when the moon is full and the drivers get their feathers all fluffed out like a bunch of old roosters.
The action got off to a fast pace in the evening with the Taco Bell Bombers taking the track, where Travis Thorn picked up his first trophy dash.
The main event for the bomber was slowed after the initial green with race contact between Evan Smith and Robert Taylor, breaking the rear axle on Smith's car sending him hard into the outside retaining wall.
After the car made contact with the wall the fuel pump went up in flames, sending the speedway safety crew into action to douse the flames and make sure both driver and passenger were OK. Everyone except Smith’s borrowed car came out of the wreck unscathed.
The race restarted again with Anthony Esberg sitting on the pole and veteran driver Andy Norton sitting on the outside of him. After the green fell Norton jumped out to the lead, followed the next lap by Thorn right on his rear bumper.
On lap 12 Thorn got trapped passing for the lead by a lapped car, to be pushed back to fifth place before he could recover and pass the lapped car.
That misfortune left the hole open for Mike Swaney of Nice to pass Norton for the lead never to look back taking the main event win as well as the points lead away from a very successful weekend.
The Clover Hydro Jammers always put on a very exciting show at Lakeport Speedway, as they did again this past weekend.
The weekend saw Hayley Bishop starting on the pole with Jason Hunter on the outside pole. At the green it was Hunter who faded, with Bishop pulling out to the lead.
It did not take long for the veterans to weave their way up through the field, but they had a challenge on their hands because the point’s leader for the Jr. Jammers, Jackson Long, had made a break away run and was putting distance on the veteran drivers.
Weaving in and out of slower traffic Ellis Thornton was making his way up through the field of race cars with Eddie Klein right on his tail.
They were weaving in and out of traffic, when Klein at one point almost had Thornton pinned behind a slower car, but Thornton made a move through the infield to make the pass maintaining his lead in the Pro Jammer main.
Long was passed for the lead on lap No. 14, and at the checkers it was Thornton taking another win for the Pro Jammers, and Long taking another win for the Jr. Jammers.
The Lake County Extreme Asphalt Outlaws fast time was set by Charlie Collins of Lakeport and after pulling for the inversion, which turned out to be a straight up start, it saw Collins starting on the outside pole since he won the race last weekend, putting Kyle Tellstrom on the pole of the race.
This was bound to be an interesting race from the start, and it left nothing to be desired for the fans on hand to watch it.
The pair battled sided by side for over 20 laps before the tires on the Collins' car finally gave up, forcing him to retire behind Tellstrom for second spot.
The two drivers put on a very class act race, where each took every bit of room there was and left enough not to crash each other. At the flag it was Tellstrom, Collins, Sweeny and Mike Smithhart.
Being the last race of the night the Coor’s Light Modifieds were getting set to take the field. They also have the fast car draw for an inversion, which this week was a nine, sitting fast time setter Richie Potts in the ninth starting spot on the grid.
Sitting on the pole of the race was the Tom Lyndall of Kelseyville and Alex Andrews of Lakeport. They ran to the green flag, but after the flag person did not like the start that the two had given it was called back to only go again the next time by.
It did not take long for the action to take place during this race, and any one that left early missed an exciting race.
The next start was good and it saw Lyndall jump out to the lead after the first round, but the action was halted by contact between Potts and Collins on the front straight, sending Collins spinning, along with Justin Dutcher.
The race restarted with all of those involved starting in the rear of the race, and on the pole again it was Lyndall, but on the outside it was Smithhart waiting his turn.
Smithhart jumped out to the lead after the second lap of the race setting a face pace, but Aaron Hicks was moving his way up through the field, as well as Potts who this time had to start all the way at the rear of the race.
The race continued at a very fast pace, seeing Potts pass again for the lead on lap 18 as the pair of Potts and Hicks was catching the slower traffic of Collins and Olvera.
Going into turn one contact was made between the car of Collins and Potts ending up with the wreck finishing with Collins hitting the wall hard coming out of turn three ending his night.
Potts retired to the pits to make some repairs to return and start at the rear of the field again. This left Hicks in the lead followed by Smithhart who battled for a few laps, until Sweeney made his way up through traffic and was putting the challenge on Hicks.
The two battled side by side for laps, their battle to be interrupted by contact between Keucker and Potts, sending Potts hard into the outside retaining wall collecting both Taylor and Lyndall ending the night for all three drivers.
The race restarted single file with less than 10 laps left in the race with Hicks in front of Sweeney. The two drivers battled back and forth leaving not very much room for each other, but enough not to crash, and the at the checkers it was Hicks, followed by Sweeney and Smithhart.
The next race at the speedway is on Saturday, July 23, with the BCRA Midgets, Coors Light Modifieds, Taco Bell Bombers, INEX Legend Cars, and Lawn Mower Racers.
For complete event details and current information visit the Web site at www.lakeportspeedway.com or call the speedway office at 707-279-9577.
Gates will open at 5 p.m. with racing starting at 6:30 p.m.
Lakeport Speedway is your community-based, not-for-profit speedway. It is located at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St., Lakeport.