News

Details: Written by: Lake County News reports; Published: 20 February 2012

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A community forum on Thursday will discuss preserving the region including Berryessa and Snow Mountain.

The meeting will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, at the Highlands Senior Center, 3245 Bowers Ave. in Clearlake.

The environmental action group Tuleyome will host the forum on the proposed Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area.

Congressman Mike Thompson will attend as a special guest, and will be part of a diverse local panel discussing the area.

Thompson and the panel members want to hear from the community about why the region is special, why designation as a National Conservation Area is appropriate, and why it will bring economic as well as ecological benefits to Lake County and the rest of the region.

There will be a short panel presentation and discussion, along with a question and answer period.

The proposed Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area encompasses over 321,000 acres of federal public land, Tuleyome reported.

The federal land within the proposed National Conservation Area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the National Forest Service, and the Bureau of Reclamation.

The Berryessa Snow Mountain Region stretches more than 100 miles, and encompasses four counties – Yolo, Napa, Lake, and Mendocino counties.

The region begins at Lake Berryessa in the south and extends through the Snow Mountain Wilderness in the north.

There are three existing wilderness areas within the proposed National Conservation Area: Snow Mountain, Cache Creek, and Cedar Roughs.

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Details: Written by: Lake County News reports; Published: 20 February 2012

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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lakeport's Inspirations Fine Arts Gallery is closing its doors.

Owner and artist Gail Salituri said she will shutter the gallery and frame shop, located at 165 N. Main St., at month's end.

Salituri said the charming Victorian-style building – filled with art and memories – is very difficult to leave.

The business has provided a “14-year span of creativity, fun, sorrow, friends and clients,” Salituri said.

“I could have stayed, but I'm moving on into different directions,” she said, adding the decision has been difficult.

During that 14 years Salituri also endured the death of her good friend, Barbara LaForge, who was murdered in the frame shop in October 2002. The murder remains Lakeport's only unsolved homicide.

“The challenges of dealing with the tragic events regarding my friend Barbara LaForge’s murder have always been an emotional difficulty for me while remaining in this location, Salituri said. “I continually hope life, fate and the Lakeport Police Department one day reveal the answers to the constant and lingering questions of who took her life.”

She said the unsolved mystery is a great disappointment and frustration for her, but added that from it she's developed a mystery novel that she intends to finish and publish in the future.

Several years ago Salituri created the Barbara LaForge memorial to raise funds for the Freedom House, the county's domestic violence shelter.

She said she received the assistance and support of many people in that effort, and she found herself appointed to the Lake Family Resource Center Board of Directors, where she said she hopes to positively impact the center and those who pass through the shelter.

Inspirations Gallery and frame shop will now move online, with Salituri seeing opportunities to reach clients worldwide along with reopening her home studio in Kelseyville.

“Painting for national juried art competitions has been something I have missed while running a Lakeport business and opportunities to paint with a master artist, are before me,” she said.

Main Line Art and Design recently contacted Salituri for her vineyard and wine country art creations, along with commission pieces for several wineries in the works.

Salituri’s work is currently exhibited in the Lee Youngman Gallery in Calistoga.

Salituri is looking forward to what she calls “semi retirement,” which along with writing and painting will include time with her 16-month-old granddaughter.

She said Inspirations Gallery has been a wonderful and successful venture, and one that she'll miss very much.

“All my wonderful clients who have keep our gallery in business my heartfelt 'thank you' for your patronage,” she said.

The gallery is scheduled to close at the end of February and currently is selling various artworks until then.

If for some reason anyone has left behind a custom framed print or image, please contact Salituri’s home studio at 707-367-2934.

Details: Written by: Lake County News reports; Published: 20 February 2012

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Three cats are available for adoption this week at the county’s animal shelter.

Two males – one white, one gray – and a female calico are hoping to trade their cages for a more comfortable environment, like your couch.

Cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed and microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake .

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.

The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).

calico17

Long-haired calico

This female calico is a year and a half old.

She has a long coat and is not yet spayed.

She is in cat room kennel No. 17, ID No. 31786.

graygrumblercat5

Gray gentleman

This dignified fellow is a domestic long hair.

Shelter staff has not given an estimated age for him, but he is neutered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 5, ID No. 31753.

whitecat82

Male domestic short hair

This male domestic short hair mix is 4 years old.

He has a lovely white coat and is not yet altered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 82, ID No. 31738.

Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com.

Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm.

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm.

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Details: Written by: Lake County News reports; Published: 20 February 2012

The U.S. Forest Service has distributed more than $307 million to 41 states and Puerto Rico for public schools and roads and specific county programs.

"The annual revenue sharing payments are part of the Department of Agriculture's long-standing commitment to rural communities, schools and American youth," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "Our century-long support of America's public schools and roads is one of many ways in which the Forest Service, as a good neighbor and partner, contributes to rural communities becoming self-sustaining and prosperous."

Oregon received the most money of any state, $64,259,824, with California, in second place, receiving approximately $39,325,918, with $594,214.26 of that going to Lake County, the Forest Service reported.

The Mendocino National Forest brought a total of $2.3 million to the seven counties that it stretches across, with Lake receiving the largest amount.

Other counties sharing in payments from the Mendocino National Forest include Tehama, $462,927.39; Glenn, $430,115.85; Mendocino, $414,257.60; Trinity, $248,569.52; Colusa, $151,060.80; and Tehama, $869.13.

Since 1908, 25 percent of Forest Service revenues from timber sales, mineral leases, recreation, grazing and other sources have been shared with states and counties in which national forest lands are located.

In the 1980s, Forest Service revenues began to decline, largely as a result of changes in social values and diminished timber sales volume.

The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 authorized enhanced and gradually declining payments to ease the transition to reduced federal revenues. Counties received more than $2.5 billion over seven years until the Act expired in September 2007.

In 2008, the Congress extended the program four more years, through 2011.

This new distribution marks final payments under the extended Act. The four years of payments will total $1.5 billion of support to rural schools and roads and $87 million paid to counties for wildfire preparedness and to reimburse counties for emergency services provided on national forests.

In addition to payments for schools and roads, the Secure Rural Schools Act supports Firewise Communities programs, reimburses counties for emergency services on national forests and funds development of community wildfire protection plans.

“These projects were reviewed and recommended by resource advisory committees made up of local residents working together to improve the environment and help provide jobs in rural communities,” Vilsack said.

Since 2008, across the country, 118 resource advisory committees recommended 4,100 projects valued at more than $172 million in more than 300 counties.

2011 Forest Service payments to states

Alabama $1,901,060
Alaska $15,551,811
Arizona $13,289,827
Arkansas $7,153,250
California $39,325,918
Colorado $13,955,904
Florida $2,424,878
Georgia $1,534,435
Idaho $27,404,336
Illinois $92,150
Indiana $282,223
Kentucky $1,862,267
Louisiana $1,716,772
Maine $76,634
Michigan $3,790,134
Minnesota $8,775,741
Mississippi $6,147,508
Missouri $3,438,634
Montana $20,486,737
Nebraska $248,916
Nevada $4,534,786
New Hampshire $563,763
New Mexico $11,823,591
New York $22,734
North Carolina $1,897,848
North Dakota $589
Ohio $277,619
Oklahoma $983,612
Oregon $64,259,824
Pennsylvania $3,451,714
Puerto Rico $159,100
South Carolina $1,868,282
South Dakota $1,834,152
Tennessee $1,267,614
Texas $2,261,484
Utah $11,141,393
Vermont $339,626
Virginia $1,731,853
Washington $21,298,322
West Virginia $1,863,052
Wisconsin $2,112,581
Wyoming $4,469,293
Total $307,621,969

News

Forum in Clearlake to discuss preserving Berryessa Snow Mountain conservation area

Well-known downtown frame shop and gallery to close

Purrfect Pals: Three eager cats

Forest Service distributes Secure Rural Schools payments; Lake County gets nearly $600,000