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Sequoia prescribed fires on standby

   Earlier this week four Ash Mountain fire crews were in the Redwood Mountain area (Grant Grove), prepping some burn units for a prescribed fire that was scheduled to be ignited by the end of July or early August. But the recent wildfires that flared up this week in Kern County have now put the local burn plans on hold.
   That’s good news for locals and visitors to Three Rivers and Sequoia National Park who on the mornings of July 20 and 21 thought the Kaweah canyon was looking like it was on fire due to the smoke that had settled overnight.
   On those days, both Ash Mountain park headquarters and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control Board in Fresno fielded plenty of complaints from Three Rivers residents. That bad air was caused by residual smoke from two prescribed fires — Wuksachi (39 acres) and Silliman (98 acres).

  “Ignitions were completed on both burn units by July 21,” reported Deb Schweizer, the parks’ fire education specialist. “But there will still be some smoke in the upcoming days as these fires smolder down.”
   So as those two burns smoldered, park fire managers were planning to start a 634-acre burn on Redwood Mountain.
   But according to Deb, the two wildfires that started this week in Kern County — the Bull Fire in Sequoia National Forest and the West Fire near Tehachapi — have put the Redwood Mountain prescribed fire on the back burner. The park helicopter was detached to Kern County immediately to assist while an engine unit was preparing to leave by the end of this week.
   The Arrowhead Hotshots, who are stationed in Kings Canyon National Park, have already been assigned to work a fire near Reno.
Smoke from the massive Bull Fire north of Kernville reached Three Rivers on Tuesday, July 27, and by mid-afternoon, the entire sky was overcast. As of Thursday, that fire had scorched more than 16,000 acres and was only 12 percent contained.

  “It’s feeling a lot like wildfire season right now so we’re putting all our burn plans on hold for the time being,” said Deb. “We’ll be keeping an eye on those four lightning-caused fires that started two weeks ago.”
   Deb said of those blazes only the Sheep Fire burning south of Cedar Grove is showing any potential for much growth. Recent rains dampened this area and also two other locales nearby where small lightning-caused fires were smoldering.
   The season’s largest prescribed fire, Mosquito (1,485 acres), is still on the burn plan for fall. Those burn units are located south of Mineral King and Silver City and are expected to address heavy fuels build-up and decrease the risk of a disastrous wildfire in those areas.

Vehicle break-ins, thefts

plague river swimmers

   Just when you thought it was safe to enter the water at your favorite swimming hole, now there’s been a string of incidents that has locals and visitors feeling angry and violated. The rash of car break-ins and thefts started Sunday, July 18, when two separate car break-ins were reported by motorists who were parked at the Cobbleknoll area adjacent to the Western Holiday Lodge.
   In both incidents, a window was smashed and property was taken that was inside on the seat or floor. The thefts occurred sometime between 5 and 8 p.m. No damage estimates or descriptions of what was missing were contained in reports filed by Tulare County Sheriff’s Department deputies.
   On that same day, in a separate incident that occurred at the Slicky swimming hole behind the Three Rivers Chevron, a woman reported that her purse was stolen after she placed her belongings unattended on the river bank for only a few minutes to take a dip nearby.
   In that theft, keys to her companion’s car parked at a Sierra Drive business were stolen. That vehicle had to be towed to Visalia so a new key could made by the dealer.
   On Sunday night, during this same weekend, the foundation of the Airport Bridge on Kaweah River Drive was tagged with an array of gang graffiti. Sheriff’s deputies had descriptions of several cars that were in the area but none of the leads produced any suspects in the defacing of the bridge.
   Deputy Albert Brockman said he can’t say for sure that the graffiti was actually the work of gang members from the Valley because often these indiscriminate works are copycat kids trying to emulate gangs from their neighborhoods.
   As a result of the latest incidents, Brockman said local deputies are being aggressive in monitoring activities at all the area swimming holes. There are at least two deputies assigned to Three Rivers daily with an extra one added on weekends.

  “We have spoken to the property owners in the vicinity of the Airport Bridge swimming hole and because all who access that area are trespassing, we are telling everyone we see there to move on,” Deputy Brockman said.
   Deputy Brockman said it is his policy to be proactive and he tells the river users that he encounters where they can legally access the river. When he encounters swimmers at the closed BLM sites on the North Fork, for example, he tells those folks to continue on to the Yucca Flat area that is open and lets them know it is legal to park there.
   Those motorists who are parked at the BLM sites are being cited and have to pay a minimum of $20, Deputy Brockman said. If they have other violations or warrants, the penalties can really escalate.
   On Wednesday, July 28, a female visitor reported that her car was broken into at the Edison swimming hole along Kaweah River Drive while she was parked nearby. In that theft, the woman reported her purse was stolen.

  “These break-ins and thefts at the swimming holes are nothing new,” Deputy Brockman said. “There is usually something in plain sight in the vehicle or hidden under a towel that is giving the bad guys the idea that something is in there. If you have anything of value, lock it securely in the trunk.”
   It is important for residents and visitors to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity. Also, do not leave anything of value in plain sight in a vehicle or when at the river.
   To report a crime or to summon a deputy, call the Sheriff’s Department dispatch at 733-6221. In an emergency, dial 911.

Another break-in at Village Market

   Sometime in the early morning hours of Tuesday, July 27, there was an attempted burglary at Village Market. This time, the would-be thief entered through the rear of the building, but unlike a previous break-in that occurred on March 24, nothing was taken.

  “Apparently when the alarm went off, the burglar fled the scene,” reported Deputy Albert Brockman, who is assisting in the investigation of the break-ins. “This time, nothing was reported stolen.”
   Since the March break-in, owners Greg and Nataliya Dixon have made a number of security upgrades. The 60-year-old grocery store is currently in the process of completing a much-needed addition to the rear of the building.

Motorist unhurt in vehicle rollover

   Derek Chinn, 44, of Visalia was shaken but apparently not hurt after the car he was driving eastbound west of Lemon Hill on Highway 198 left the roadway, overturned, and struck a rock. The solo accident occurred on the morning of Friday, July 23.
   According to a CHP report, Chinn lost control of his 1986 Saab when attempting to pass another vehicle while approaching the Lake Kaweah marina turnoff. The vehicle was heavily damaged and had to be towed from the scene.
   Since the only damage was to Chinn’s vehicle, he was not cited.

3R teen competes

in national rodeo finals

By Kathryn Keeley

   In our world today, there are so many choices and unique ways to express one’s passions. Indeed, one of the most defining aspects to a person’s character is their interests, and for 2010 Woodlake High School graduate Shyan Souza of Three Rivers, one compelling passion is rodeo roping; breakaway roping, to be exact.
   At age four, Shyan ran the barrels at the Three Rivers Roping. Now, 13 years later, as she prepares to leave for college, she is still enthralled with the sport.

  “I have always loved to rope,” said Shyan. “And I like knowing that I have to be fast to win. It’s an adrenaline rush.”
   This year, she earned her way to the California High School Rodeo State Finals, and from there advanced to the prestigious National High School Finals Rodeo.
   The CHSRSF is a weeklong competition held annually in June in Bishop, Calif. About 300 cowboys and cowgirls compete in the state finals, and it hosts a variety of events, such as barrels, bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, and breakaway, the latter of which is Shyan’s sport.

  “Breakaway roping originated from the boy’s event of calf roping, in which you have to get off of the horse and tie the calves,” said Shyan. “In my event, your rope is tied to the saddle horn, and when the horse stops, the rope comes off, signaling the end of the run.”
   In the event of breakaway roping, she explained, the competitor gets “three go’s and a short go,” which translates to having three opportunities to be as fast as possible. The top 15 cowgirls make it to the final “short” go-around.

  “I got kicked by my mom’s horse the day after my graduation, less than two weeks before State, so I only got to practice once before the event.” said Shyan. “I was somewhat nervous knowing that I did not get to practice that much. But I just had to go with how I felt and stay confident.”
   Undaunted by her injury, and with her registered American Paint Horse Association (APHA) horse “Brother,” Shyan won first place in her first go-around.

  “Once I won my first go-around, I was really happy,” she said. “It was one of the goals that I set; to win a round. It was pretty cool that I accomplished that goal.”
   Her time, 2.94 seconds, was the fastest time in the State Finals Rodeo breakaway roping event. From there, her second and third go-arounds earned Shyan a place in the final go-around, and she entered the finals in 12th place.
   Nevertheless, by the end of her final event, Shyan won third place in the state in the breakaway roping event and, with that win, a $500 Senior Scholarship. In addition, she was one of four girls to secure a position representing California in Breakaway Roping at the National High School Finals Rodeo.
   The NHSFR is the world’s largest rodeo, held in July in Gillette, Wyo. This 62nd annual event has more than 1,500 contestants who come from throughout the United States, Canada, and Australia. It’s where all the high school champions compete.
   Shyan remarked how she enjoyed meeting people from around the world.

  “And we were all there for the same reason: we love to rodeo,” she added.
   This year marked the second year she has made it to finals; she also participated as a sophomore in 2008. This time, Shyan said, she felt much better going into the competition, attributing it to being a great deal more confident, knowing what to expect, and not being intimidated.
   In the end, Shyan earned 32nd place out of nearly 200 girls. It was not exactly where she wanted to be in the standings,she confessed. However, she is pleased with her results.

  “I am just really glad I got another opportunity to go to nationals in my senior year and got to experience it one more time,” she said. “I had a blast! All around, it was just a great experience.”
   This fall, Shyan will be attending Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo and plans to major in Communications. She describes the school as her dream school.
   She will definitely be involved in the rodeo at the university and hopes to continue roping for as long as possible.

  “It is something that I love,” Shyan said. “I will do it. I hope that my kids will too. Roping is everywhere in my life.”

Candidates needed

for local school boards

   There are two local races that may appear on the Tuesday, Nov. 2, general election ballot. But it’s still up in the air because, so far, no challenger has filed to run.
   The Three Rivers Union School board of trustees will have three vacant seats come the November election. The 60-day filing period for candidates is nearing a close and so far no one has filed to run, including the three incumbents — Bobbie Harris, Scott Sherwood, and Bob Burke.
   Bobbie Harris, a retired TRUS teacher, has made the decision not to seek re-election. The incumbents and any new candidates have until Friday, Aug. 6, to file their nomination papers.
   Three Rivers Union School is currently at a crossroads and dedicated board members will be imperative in the near future. A bond measure will be appearing on the November ballot, and whether it passes or not, difficult decisions will have to be made.
   The Woodlake Union High School governing board also has three seats up for election. Of the three incumbents — Richard Rochin and Charles Mills of Woodlake and Edmund Pena of Three Rivers — only Charley Mills has filed.
   Again, the last day to file a Declaration of Candidacy and Nomination Papers is Friday, Aug. 6. There will, however, be an extension of the nomination period to Wednesday, Aug. 11, if an incumbent did not file.
   If no challengers run for either of these boards, the incumbents will most likely be reappointed to the seats and the election will not appear on the ballot.
   If there is a vacant seat due to an incumbent that decides not to run for re-election and there are no challengers, then the superintendent of the school district — Sue Sherwood, TRUS; Tim Hire, WHS — will have the discretion to appoint someone to the seat, conditional on the approval of the board.
   Other key dates include October 18, which is the last day to register to vote in the November 2010 election, and October 4 through 26, which is the period to submit Vote By Mail ballot requests from registered voters.
   Information: www.tulareelections.org.

Going green is the Village

Apartments’ septic solution

By Greg Sweet

   Something was definitely rotten at the Village Apartments. A compromised septic system was leaching contaminants into the soil of surrounding properties and into the Kaweah River. Now, the failing equipment has not only been repaired, but upgraded to one of the greenest systems available.
   The treatment facility is called a trans-evaporative system and is powered by aerobic bacteria. Bryan Rippee at Septic Solutions West, the company that installed the system at the apartments, is a self-described septic “aerobics instructor” and filled us in on the details.

  “The best analogy as to how the system works is that of a well-balanced fish pond,” explained Bryan. “It reaches a natural stasis and requires very little maintenance.”
   How the system works specifically is that it introduces a tank (dubbed a “Geo Tube”) of aerobic bacteria to an otherwise ordinary septic system. The result is that 100 percent of the water is reclaimed as a byproduct of the bacteria and then evaporated from the tank without any contaminants.
   The clean water can then be put into a leach field, but in the case of the Village Apartments, the reclaimed water is used to irrigate the grounds and gardens.

  “It is essentially a miniature version of what municipal water districts use to reclaim water,” Bryan said, “and it is used by the U.S. military in setting up camps or rebuilding in places like Iraq. In fact, these systems have been in use since WWII and are used exclusively in Japan.”
   There have also been 1,500 systems installed around the previously contaminated Clear Lake in northern California, which has since seen a rapid recovery of flora, fish, and other wildlife.
   California, which has more water woes than any other state, could solve many problems by installing 100 percent reclamation systems throughout.

  “These systems are used heavily in other states,” said Bryan. “But California doesn’t have a universal building code, so in many cases they cannot be installed here.”
   They are, however, allowed in Three Rivers. In addition to the apartments, two homes on the South Fork have recently been fitted with a shared system.
   The cost for this new setup was around $11,000, as compared to the $24,000 cost at the Village Apartments. Existing septic systems can be retrofitted for about $5,000.
   There is a small air compressor that provides oxygen to the bacteria by way of an aquarium-type air stone. Estimated cost of operation is 18 cents per day. Also at 18 cents is the cost of filters, which need to be replaced twice a year. And since the bacteria consumes all waste, no pumping service is needed.
   Aside from cost-saving and the green aspects of these systems, the benefit for Three Rivers residents is that 100 percent of the water usually flushed down the drain can be reused, and, in fact, is reputed to be cleaner than river and well water, thus reducing late-season supply concerns.
   Restrictions on the system are that no bleach or antibacterial soap should be used, and it is not recommended for anyone on chemotherapy. However, such assaults on the bacteria are usually self-corrected in 72 hours.
   For more information, visit www.septicsolutionswest.com or call Bryan, (559) 783-3031.

Cancellation celebrates

Kaweah Post Office centennial

By Brian Rothhammer

   A special cancellation will be used for one day only, at the centennial celebration to be held at the venerable Kaweah Post Office on October 23. It was designed by Sarah Farkas of Three Rivers, a graphics designer who currently is working at THE KAWEAH COMMONWEALTH.
   Though the Kaweah Post Office lost its Contract Post Office (CPO) status on May 31, 2010,, mail is still received in the century-old postal boxes.

  “You can still get a box if you’d like to show your support,” said Kathleen McCleary, service contractor and owner of the 8-by-10-foot building and land where it has resided since 1926.
   The Kaweah Post Office is a state-registered historic landmark.

Smokey Bear’s makeover

   A lot has changed since the Smokey Bear public-service campaign first came on the scene in 1944. Philosophy regarding fires in the forest comes to mind; suppression is largely a thing of the past when it comes to naturally caused fired.
   But Smokey — one of the most famous advertising symbols ever — is still needed to remind forest visitors of the damage a human-caused fire can cause. So Smokey Bear has received a 21st century makeover to better relate to the masses.
   The return of one of America’s most well-known anthropomorphic bears comes as the U.S. Forest Service feels the urgent need to ramp up awareness that nine out of 10 forest fires are still caused by people (and National Park Service prescribed fires aren’t included in this statistic).
   Seriously, about 70,000 wildfires each year are human-caused. So, in steps Smokey with his flat hat, belt and blue jeans, and shovel to educate wildlands users how to properly extinguish a campfire.
   Remember, only YOU can prevent forest fires (2010 update: wildfires).

Kids explore things that slither and crawl

   On Friday, July 23, Eric Johnson of E&M’s Reptile Family was the featured guest at the Three Rivers Library’s annual summer reading program for kids. Eric showed up with a menagerie of reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods, all of which were hands-on for the audience of children to touch, feel, and become acquainted with.
   Today (Friday, July 30) is the last summer reading event of the year.

Favorite HOT summertime reads

   This is the second and final installment in our summer reading special. Sarah’s favorite riverside reads appeared in the July 16 issue.
Books can be revelations. Books can be life-changing. They are filled with people and situations that we may never meet or experience, but we receive access to freely travel there in our imaginations.
   Books do that. And it is in this spirit that we bring you this year’s “Hot” series.

By John Elliott

   It was most gratifying to field all the positive feedback on Sarah’s HOT summertime reads. For me as a writer, I have always been a voracious reader.
   In elementary school, I won a semester-long reading contest where each student was encouraged to read books of their own choosing on free time. Then after writing a brief book report, a personalized race car was moved ahead one car length on the class bulletin board turned race track.
   I read more than 50 books that fifth-grade year. I won that class car race and no other student was even close to my obsessive-compulsive pace.
   Interestingly, each of those books was a historical biography. Since those formative years, I have read nonfiction almost exclusively.  Although I have read some great novels over the years, these days it’s fiction only when I need a lightweight paperback for backpacking.
   Here are my most recent favorites, and each would make a HOT summertime read.

BORN TO RUN
   This national bestseller started out a bit too irreverent for me but I stuck with it and now predict that it will stand as one of the most influential fitness books of our time. It’s already among the most entertaining running books ever and is rollicking, funny, and a real page turner.
   The premise of the story is an attempt to stage a race between the world’s elite runners in an ultra-mileage race — “the greatest race the world has never seen.” The author, Christopher McDougall, an avid runner, actually stumbled onto this epic story on his own quest to figure out why injuries were plaguing his regular running.
   This is the age-old question for an ever-growing running community, especially when you consider that running is largest participant sport on the planet. Anyone can do it… all it takes is a pair of running shoes.
   Ironically, McDougall learns that it is the very design of the running shoes that is causing runners to become injured. So he begins his running research with human evolution and his findings are astounding.
   First, humans like you or me, with a little practice, can outrun any other animal on the planet. That’s because we are the only species with sweat glands. Try jogging with your dog on a warm day; man’s best friend will soon be panting with exhaustion while man can run for many more miles.
   Second, but just as critical for running, is that we are the only mammal with an Achilles tendon. The author claims we wouldn’t have this complex foot flexor if we weren’t born to run.
   McDougall, while revealing the lives of several super ultra runners, also introduces the Tarahumara tribe from the Copper Canyon region of Mexico who routinely run 100 miles in a day. Even the tribal elders run daily, and running is undeniably the chief factor for their legendary long life and vitality… and they run in sandals.
   The book builds a powerful case that running is instinctual and those who do it will remain more intelligent and live longer, happier, healthier lives. To run longer and remain injury free, McDougall asserts, run barefoot or get a cheap pair of running shoes with minimal support.
   Read this book for the exciting race finale that pits some of the best runners in the world against the rugged terrain of the Copper Canyon.  It will make you want to run and change your life, or at the very least, understand why so many others are committed to this fast-growing sport.

ABBEY’S ROAD
   Especially in summertime, I always enjoy reading about the great outdoors. One of my favorite authors to take me there is Edward   Abbey (1927-1989). It’s difficult to believe this sage of the American West has already been dead for more than two decades — his books are perhaps even more relevant today than when he wrote them in the 1970s and ‘80s.
   Abbey was a living example of genius misunderstood in his own time. I first became acquainted with his irreverent wit in Desert Solitaire but enjoyed Abbey’s Road even more.
   In this work, Abbey takes the reader to some of the most remote places on the planet, e.g. the Great Barrier Reef, the Aussie Outback, Death Valley, Escalante, Copper Canyon in Mexico, and so many more, all to drive home the same point.

  “The natural world as we call it, has already become remote, out of reach, mysterious, in the minds of urban and suburban Americans. They see the wilderness disappearing, slipping away, and receding into an inaccessible past. But they are mistaken. That world can still be rescued… that is my main excuse for this book.”
   Abbey wrote that snippet about Abbey’s Road but it could have been said about any of his eight works of fiction and 12 works of nonfiction. Becoming acquainted or reacquainted with this Thoreau of the West is like making a new best friend all over again.

THE LOG FROM THE SEA OF CORTEZ
   John Steinbeck, native son of Salinas, is an author that every student of literature is familiar with through his epic works of fiction like Grapes of Wrath or his other little masterpiece Of Mice and Men. But for readers who delve into Steinbeck’s lesser-known works of nonfiction like The Log from the Sea of Cortez, the rewards are equally as great.
   I decided to read Steinbeck again after a winter trip to the Sea of Cortez region and a recent visit to the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. The center and its companion agricultural museum are California treasures, a fitting tribute to perhaps the state’s most influential author.
   In all of Steinbeck’s works, there is a recurrent theme of empathy and solidarity with the poor, the downtrodden, and the disaffected of modern society. In Sea of Cortez, there are rants and ravings from deep within Steinbeck’s soul that are as timeless today as when they were written in 1941.
   His profile of the venerable Ed “Doc” Ricketts is classic Cannery Row lore that will have the reader searching for these historic places on a future visit to Monterey. The Sea of Cortez is brilliant travel writing with measured doses of philosophy, science, and high-spirited adventure all added into an entertaining mix.

IMMIGRANT AMERICA
   This is the classic textbook on the subject first published in 1989. The new 2006 version contains the original preface and two more prefaces; one published in the 1996 printing and also one that sets the stage for the latest edition.
   The landmark UC Press study was written by two acknowledged experts on the subject: Alejandro Portes, Professor of Sociology at Princeton University and director of the Center for Migration, and Ruben G. Rumbaut, Professor of Sociology at UC Irvine and co-director of the Center for Immigration, Population, and Public Policy.
   The 460-page heavyweight summarizes more than a generation of the best research in the field with numerous tables and statistics that help to shed light on the role of immigration in the making of America into a true melting pot. The authors trace the making and development primarily of three immigrant populations — Mexicans in Los Angeles and San Diego, Cubans in Miami and New York, and Southeast Asians in Orange County and Fresno.
   The history of all immigrant populations, especially since 1980, is placed within its context and compared to how these target communities have been assimilated during succeeding generations.    The results are revealing and have much to say on where we are headed as a nation in terms of federal immigration policy.
   In light of what’s going in Arizona right now, the reading of this book should be required for anyone even remotely interested in the subject.

UNDER THE BANNER
OF HEAVEN: A STORY OF VIOLENT FAITH
   I’ve saved my most recently-digested book for last and must confess that now I’m an even bigger fan of Jon Krakauer. This author, you might recall, burst on the literary scene with a chilling account of the ill-fated 1996 season on Mt. Everest.
   Although I thoroughly enjoyed the audio version of Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster, I couldn’t believe that someone who actually climbed Mt. Everest could also write one of the great adventure books of our time.
   Krakauer’s next project, Into the Wild, the tale of a young man who died in the Alaska wilds, was made into a compelling and Oscar-winning movie by Sean Penn and has now created a place for    Krakauer as one of the best-known storytellers of his generation. His meticulously researched works stand as the epitome of the old adage: truth is stranger than fiction.
   In Under the Banner of Heaven, published in 2003, Krakauer opens his gripping history of Mormonism by retelling the circumstances of two crimes involving LDS Church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) fundamentalists. The first is the commandment-inspired grisly murders of an innocent mother and baby in Utah in 1984, and the second involves the abduction of Elizabeth Smart by Brian David Mitchell in 2002.
   Through his exacting retelling of these sensational news stories and their historical context, Krakauer furnishes enlightenment on every crime ever committed in the name of religion. Reading this book will shock and awe and tell the readers things they never knew were true about their spiritual self.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

The rules (or not) of drawing and painting

By Jana Botkin

   There have been many art teachers in my life. Each one seems to have hard and fast rules that they insist apply to everyone. Since I teach drawing, I understand this, but I try to clarify the reasons for my rules so that the students can decide for themselves.
   One colored-pencil teacher said to ALWAYS put the darkest color as the bottom layer and work up to the lightest color. Another said ALWAYS start with the lightest color as your base and then add layers in order of increasing darkness. I have done both on the same drawing and gotten the same result.
   Several colored-pencil teachers have said NEVER USE BLACK. Another teacher of colored pencil said, “If you aren’t supposed to use black, why do they manufacture it?”
   Some of the painting teachers I have listened to say “NEVER use white alone.” (What color is one supposed to use if white is the needed color?)
   Most say, “NEVER use black.” I spoke to a professional painter whose paintings sell for more than my car is worth. He told me of his layering process and it included black paint!
   The best drawing teacher I ever had only let us use a 6B pencil, which is very soft and dark. We could not smear or blend with any tool, including our fingers.
   His premise was that if you could learn to control that one pencil, you could make any pencil do anything you wished it to do. He was right, but then it took me years to be able to use the entire range of pencils available because his idea was so deeply etched into my head.
   Many of my students ask how to hold their pencils. I show them how I hold mine and tell them to try it, but also to try anything that feels comfortable to them.
   As in handwriting, everyone has a different look to his drawings. The point is that there are many places in life where there are rules, but in art the only absolutes are determined by the results you desire.
   Jana Botkin of Three Rivers is a professional artist who owns Cabinart in Three Rivers. She creates oil paintings, pencil drawings, and murals of local landmarks and viewscapes.

OBITUARY

James Lynch
1940 ~ 2010
   James J. Lynch of Three Rivers died Saturday, July 24, in Visalia. He was 70.
   A graveside service will be held today (Friday, July 30), 9 a.m., at Three Rivers Cemetery.
   James was born April 18, 1940, to Hugh and Arlene Lynch in Long Beach.
   For 35 years, he was a firefighter for the California Division of Forestry and Fire Protection (currently known as Cal Fire). For the majority of his career, he was stationed in San Luis Obispo County.
   On November 11, 1970, he married the former Sally Craff in Paso Robles. James and Sally moved to Three Rivers in 2002.
   Condolences may be sent via www.smithfamilychapel.com.