KELSEYVILLE
This Saturday’s Lecture at Ely Stage Stop:
The Saga of Captain Floyd: How a Confederate Naval Hero Changed Lake County & Beyond. Presented by Historian Phil Smoley. Come to the second of our history lecture series March 8 to hear the saga of Captain Floyd and enjoy the true stories of our fascinating local history. Join us in the Barn at Ely Stage Stop.
Richard Samuel Floyd, Confederate Naval Captain, joined the cause of the South when he was 17. His decision, and the series of bizarre events that followed Floyd’s career, led to the saving of Lake County’s beautiful Clear Lake. How did this happen?
The Story – as It Unfolded for Historian Phil Smoley: Phil’s ‘discovery’ of Richard Floyd’s story began 20 years ago when a book, Images of America- Lake County, was released by Arcadia Publishing. The result was an epic journey through time as some amazing connections appeared with well known/famous/powerful people who interconnected with Lake County’s Floyd family.
Phil Smoley will be leading three of the “Popcorn” lectures, as a series on the Floyd Family, Kona Tayee, and their impact on the history of Lake County.
About Phil: Native of Glendora, CA, and Lake County resident for 43 years. Owner/broker of Country Air Properties (real estate brokerage) Founder of Lake County Civil War Roundtable (currently on hiatus.) Phil says this story “is still evolving and may always do so. These three sessions will provide a summary of the incredible sagas that I pieced together to form an exciting historical narrative.” Our new History Lectures are every other month. Talks begin at 2 PM in the Red Barn. Enjoy discovering fascinating information about Lake County History.
These fascinating and fact-filled presentations are free to Historical Society Members and are $10 per lecture for non-members. A year pass for all the lectures can be obtained for $40. Tickets and Memberships can also be purchased on the day-of, at the door, and at the Museum during regular weekend hours.
Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum is located at 9921 Soda Bay Rd (Hwy 281), Kelseyville, CA. It is open 11 am to 3 pm Saturdays and Sundays. For more information visit www.lakecountyhistory.org
—submitted
LAKE COUNTY
Retired Teachers Association presents scholarship to Laura Pimentel.
Each year the Lake County’s Division 35 of the California Retired Teachers Association presents a scholarship to an individual enrolled in a teacher credential program. This year’s recipient of the $1,000 scholarship was Laura Pimentel.
Pimentel is in her second year of teaching third grade at Minnie Cannon Elementary School in Middletown, California. In California an individual may teach as an intern while enrolled in a teacher training program. Pimentel is enrolled in her final semester at Western Governors University.
Minnie Cannon Elementary School principal Brandy Ficher says of Mrs. Pimentel that she “excels at building strong relationships with her students. She employes innovative teaching strategies to captivate their attention and stimulate their minds.”
Jamie Buckner-Bridges administers the Teach Lake County Program for the Lake County Office of Education. Buckner-Bridges is there to help local individual interested in a career in teaching. She said, “Teacher candidates who choose to earn their credentials while teaching full time and taking education coursework in the margins, are really the unsung heroes of the teacher shortage. Without people like Laura, who are willing to jump into the classroom and learn while they teach, the urgent need for teachers would go unmet and it’s our county’s children who would suffer. On the contrary, children instead get a dedicated educator who shares their home community, is invested in regional success, and understands local context. Anyone interested in learning more about how to become an Intern teacher can visit the Teach Lake County website at lakecoe.org/tlc or email tlc@lakecoe.org.
Dick Bode, treasurer of the Lake County Division 35 of the California Teachers Association stated, “Our group of retired teachers is proud to help dedicated teachers like Laura obtain a California Teaching Credential.”
—Submitted by Dennis Rollins
CLEARLAKE
Council heard options to improve street lighting
Street lighting is essential for public safety, visibility, and quality of life, yet Clearlake’s system remains underdeveloped due to historic infrastructure challenges, hindering Clearlake’s promise to build a brighter, safer, and more connected community. Most streetlights are owned and maintained by PG&E which limits the City’s ability to ensure timely repairs and upgrades. Additionally, Clearlake has far fewer streetlights than similar-sized cities, leaving many areas underlit and unsafe for drivers and pedestrians.
As part of our commitment to progress, we launched a street lighting feasibility study to explore options to expand coverage, modernize fixtures, and improve maintenance. Tanko Lighting, an expert in municipal streetlight systems, analyzed the current network in Clearlake and outlined potential solutions. They include transferring ownership of existing lights to the City, converting fixtures to energy-efficient LEDs, and adding hundreds of new streetlights to enhance safety. The City Council heard the findings and determined the next steps at their March 6 at 6pm at City Hall.
—Submitted
