LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — On Sunday, Oct. 9, at 4 p.m. the Citizens for Healing will meet again on tribal land to discuss changing the name of Kelseyville to Konocti.

The East Lake Tribe of the Elem Modun in Clearlake Oaks is graciously allowing the group to meet in their community center.

The all-volunteer group is holding its monthly meeting in different locations around the county offering an open discussion format to encourage community input.

They have been working on the legal process to make the change and they believe giving the town a new name could be an act of healing.

Kelseyville was named after Andrew Kelsey, a cattle rustler and horse thief, a brutal slave owner, a murderer and rapist, and ultimately wanted by the U.S Marshall for all his capital offenses.

Much research went into discovering the long list of heinous activities that Andrew Kelsey, his brothers, and Charles Stone were involved in and there is a written history of his actions.

While the group realizes that history can’t be changed, they think small actions can be taken to undo a misdeed, and embrace a fuller and richer history.

The federal government is setting the trend on changing offensive names of places. The Board on Geographic Names under U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland has already voted on replacement names for many geographic features.

The board has implemented changes in neighboring counties and right here in Lake County:

• Big Sq** Valley will now be Habematolel Valley;
• Little Sq** Valley is now Log Valley;
• Sq**Valley Creek is now Habematolel Creek.

Many historical documents and stories as well as other informative videos are posted on the group’s website, http://citizensforhealing.org/.

For more information people may call Dallas at 707-245-4118 or Lorna at 707-367-8014.