Valerie Cassity
Special to the Sun

Kern River Valley Revitalization (KRVR) held its monthly Community Meeting last Wednesday, Sept. 1, with a focus on the future.

PKRV Seeks to Protect Scenic Viewshed Jody Steel, from Preserve the Kern River Valley (PKRV) gave a PowerPoint presentation about the group’s efforts to maintain the rural character of the South Fork Valley by preventing a 300-acre solar project from being built along Hwy. 178. PKRV’s primary purpose, according to their mission statement, is protecting and enhancing the rural values, ranching, and natural environment of the Kern River Valley. Their goals include developing relationships with other local organizations and learning from other like-minded organizations nationwide.

PKRV’s main concerns include how the solar project, built in that particular spot, would affect the historical value of the Weldon United Methodist Church, the loss of agricultural land, the effects of the dust that the project would create on local residents and students at the South Fork schools, the possible destruction of cultural Native American sites, the visual impact to Fay Canyon residents, and the fact that the project sits in a flood zone. “There are other sites on Onyx Ranch more suitable for this type of project,” said Steel. “We’re not protesters, we’re not against making money, and we’re not against solar. We want the valley to stay beautiful and retain its rural character.”

PKRV intends to serve the community by maintaing the valley’s rural character, and will look into other projects as needed, once the solar issue is resolved. To learn more, visit their website at www.PKRV.org, or call (760) 608-9143.

Fire Safe Council Working to Protect Homes from Wildfire

Lloyd Smith, President of the KRV Fire Safe Council (FSC), gave an update on the group’s recently completed and upcoming projects. In 2009, the FSC completed three fuels reduction projects in areas where communities are most threatened by the possibility of wildfire. Specifically, Piute Meadows Ranches (25 acres), Bodfish Canyon Road Phase II (32 acres), and Pala Ranches (35 acres). The FSC currently has two projects underway in 2010; Bodfish Canyon Phase III (42 acres) and the Burma Interagency Extension Project (41 acres). The Burma project was a key factor in preventing a number of Kernville homes from being consumed by the Bull Fire last month, according to Burma Rd. residents and the firefighters who battled the blaze.

In addition, the FSC held four chipper days in 2010 in Squirrel Valley, Walker Pass, Mt Mesa, and Alta Sierra.

The public is welcome and encouraged to get involved with the FSC. The group meets quarterly on the third Thursday of February, May, August, and November at 9:30 a.m. in Supervisor Jon McQuiston’s conference room in Lake Isabella. To learn more about how you can get involved, or to view the KRV Community Wildfire Protection Plan, which defines 33 fuel reduction projects, visit their website at krvfiresafecouncil.org.

Senior Summer Health Faire Coming Soon

Jeanette Rogers announced the Kern Valley Healthcare District will be holding its annual Senior Summer Health Faire Monday, Sept. 13, from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the Senior Center in Lake Isabella. There will be many free services, including foot evaluations, skin cancer screenings, and more. The only service that has a fee is the lipid panel blood draw, which will cost $10. Participants in the blood draw must fast for 12 hours prior to the test except for water and medicines, and will receive results for cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, VLDL, LDL, and calculated coronary risk factors.

Kern River Preserve’s Autumn Nature and

Vulture Festival Coming Soon

Alison Sheehey, Outreach Director for Audubon California’s Kern River Preserve (KRP), announced they have several events coming up throughout the month. On Sept. 18, the KRP will have a team for Kern Valley Pride Day, and encourages anyone who would like to join a fun team to jump in. Sept. 25 will be the annual Autumn Nature and Vulture Festival, which will feature workshops, guided nature walks, live music, vendors, a California Condor program, and more. This FREE event will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Preserve Headquarters in Weldon. On Oct. 2, local artist Pat Seamount will be holding a plein air watercolor workshop, in which she will teach participants to paint in the field. This is a limited-capacity event for adults only, and participants must bring their own watercolor paper, paints, brushes, water, and field chair. Anyone interested can RSVP to (760) 378-2029. To learn more about these events and more, visit the KRP’s ever-expanding website at http://kern.audubon.org.

KRVR meets the first Wednesday of every month, and the public is welcome and encouraged to attend. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 6, at 9 a.m. at the Kernville Chamber Building. For more information, visit www.krvr.org.