LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Their young son's diagnosis of having a rare blood disease has launched a local couple on a campaign to raise awareness of the condition and to find a bone marrow donor to help save the child's life.

Last month, Rodd and Kellie Joseph received the kind of devastating news parents fear.

Their baby son, Ryland, has a life-threatening condition called Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome, and requires a bone marrow transplant.

“Without the bone marrow transplant, Ryland won't live,” said Rodd Joseph.

The couple, both in law enforcement – Rodd is a sergeant with the Clearlake Police Department, Kellie is a detective with the Lake County Sheriff's Office – were already the parents of a young daughter when Ryland arrived last October.

The baby boy, with big expressive eyes, at first appeared healthy and normal, his father said. However, within six weeks of his birth, Ryland began to show signs that something was amiss.

His parents found he had blood in his stool. His pediatrician concluded it was allergic colitis, but after changing his formula, the condition only became worse, Rodd Joseph explained.

Ryland also began to suffer from a severe diaper rash and started showing signs of a breath-holding disorder, which his father said is fairly common.

The Josephs took Ryland to the University of California San Francisco Medical Center, where a neurologist examined the little boy. In the course of the checkup, blood work was done, and the family was referred to a hematologist.

That led to the diagnosis on Feb. 19 of Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome, Joseph said.

The couple had never heard of the condition before Ryland was diagnosed, and there were no known instances of it in their families.

Despite being urged by the doctor not to look the disease up on the Internet, the worried parents did just that.

The disease causes a mutation in the X chromosome and affects white blood cells' function. That, in turn, leads to those who have it suffering from serious infections and being especially susceptible to bleeding – including spontaneous bleeding occurrences – as well as eczema which, in some cases, can be severe and difficult to treat, according to information provided by the Wiskott-Aldrich Foundation.

Without a transplant – either of matching bone marrow or cord blood, the only known cures – most children with the severe form of the syndrome have a life expectancy of only about 5 to 8 years, with other autoimmune diseases such as leukemia or lymphoma taking the children's lives, the foundation reported.

“We were just devastated,” Joseph said.

The family’s friends have organized a bone marrow donor drive and fundraising event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at Lake County Fire Protection District’s Station 70, located at 14815 Olympic Drive.

They will be accepting donations and plan to hold a raffle. Community members are invited to attend and show support for the family.

A rare condition

The condition was first described in 1937 by German pediatrician Dr. Alfred Wiskott. According to a history of the disease provided by the Wiskott-Aldrich Foundation, Dr. Wiskott had “noticed a bleeding disorder due to low platelets that ran only in boys in a family.”

That work would be followed up on by American pediatrician Dr. Robert Aldrich, who in 1954 conducted a study of seven generations of an affected family. Aldrich's work showed that mothers passed the disease to their sons.

The disease, which affects males almost exclusively, affects one boy in every 250,000, according to the Wiskott-Aldrich Foundation, www.wiskott.org .

Sumathi Iyengar, one of the co-founders of the Smyrna, Georgia-based foundation, said that there is no firm number on United States Wiskott-Aldrich cases. However, based on the statistical ratio of occurrences, she estimated there are 500 boys with the disease nationwide.

Bone marrow and cord blood transplants currently are the only confirmed cures, Iyengar said.

It's important to do transplants as early as possible for young patients, Iyengar explained, before infections begin to develop. “The success rate is much better when it's done earlier.”

Following transplants, young patients can be very susceptible to illness for several months while their new immune systems take over, she said.

Gene therapy now is emerging as a possible cure, Iyengar said. Gene therapy trials are under way or already have taken place in France, England, Italy, the United States and Germany.

Iyengar's 14-year-old son has a milder form of the condition and has not gone through a transplant. She said Wiskott-Aldrich is a spectrum disorder, much like autism, in that it varies in severity amongst those who have it.

However, her son is susceptible to bleeding if injured, and could be prone to autoimmune disorders later in life.

The Wiskott-Aldrich Foundation reported that the condition was considered one of the most serious of all immune deficiency disorders.

However, there have been an increase in the survival rate thanks to bone marrow transplants. Patients with successful transplants can be cured and go on to lead normal lives.

As frightening a situation as it is for the Josephs, they're optimistic that their son has an excellent chance at a cure thanks to UCSF's accomplishments in the field of bone marrow transplants and pediatrics.

In 2012, for the second consecutive year, the hospital's Hematology and Blood and Marrow Transplant Program was found by the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research to be an “over performer” in bone marrow transplant survival rates.

The Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, led by Dr. Morton Cowan, was ranked No.1 one for survival performance by a federally mandated review of 156 programs nationwide, UCSF reported.

Since Cowan began the pediatric transplant program in 1982 – when the medical center performed the first partially matched bone marrow transplant on the West Coast – nearly 1,000 transplants have been performed at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, according to the medical center.

While Ryland so far hasn't had serious illnesses – just some minor colds – his family has to keep him shielded from visitors for fear of infection.

His father said his immune system isn't working, and the eczema on his face has started to spread. “The things that they told us are coming are developing.”

Developmentally, the little boy is on track, his father said. He is alert and gaining weight, he laughs but also cries often because his stomach hurts due to his gastrointestinal tract issues that have resulted from the disease.

With Ryland likely to start walking soon, that raises the possibility that he could be hurt in a fall. What for other children would be only a bump on the head could, for Ryland, be deadly. His father said hitting his head could lead to a subdural hematoma and death.

Finding a match

With time being of the essence in finding a bone marrow match, Joseph sent out a letter to the many law enforcement professionals that he and his wife know due to having served in a number of departments around the state.

“I decided that I needed to tell my story,” he said.

The letter, which details the family's situation, soon went viral, and was forwarded around the state via email and reposts on Facebook. “It just spread out everywhere,” said Joseph, who has received calls from law enforcement colleagues as far away as Southern California.

Because the likelihood that a family member will match Ryland's marrow is remote, the Josephs are searching for a donor through the assistance of “Be the Match,” the National Marrow Donor Program.

Trina Brajkovich, account executive for Be the Match's Northwest District, said there are about 70 diseases that can be cured or treated with bone marrow transplants, she said. Most are blood cancers like leukemia, as well as aplastic anemia, inherited genetic disorders and chromosome issues.

Over the past year, more than one million people have joined the bone marrow registry to potentially be donors, bringing the nationwide registry total to 10.5 million, Brajkovich said.

“It has grown tremendously,” she said.

In California alone, there are approximately 820 people needing bone marrow transplants, she said, adding that the number changes on a daily basis.

The organization reported that 12,000 patients across the United States are diagnosed each year with diseases for which a marrow or umbilical cord blood transplants may offer the only cure.

In 2012 alone, Be the Match facilitated more than 5,800 marrow, PBSC and umbilical cord blood transplants, averaging 490 transplants each month, the foundation reported.

The registration process is simple, she said.

People between the ages of 18 and 44 – the key donor age group, although donors remain in the registry typically until age 61 – can register online at www.bethematch.org . They will be mailed a kit that shows them how to do a swab of the inside of their cheek for genetic testing, Brajkovich said.

At in-person bone marrow registry drives, people fill out consent forms, answer questions about health history, are shown how to do the cheek swabs and then placed in the registry, she explained.

Some registrants are never contacted. Brajkovich said she has been in the registry for 19 years and has never had the call to donate. Others, she said, are contacted almost immediately because a match has been found.

As to how likely it is a registrant will become a donor, “It’s kind of hard to give odds,” she said.

Donors and patients with a similar racial heritage are matched, as Brajkovich said ethnicity is a major determining factor in matching bone marrow.

Just why relatives so rarely match when strangers do isn't fully understood, said Brajkovich.

She has worked with large families where there are as many as 11 siblings and no bone marrow match, and yet a donor match is found halfway across the world.

“I find it absolutely amazing,” she said. “It boggles my mind.”

If a registrant is contacted to donate, they will be sent for blood work, a complete physical, counseling about the process and will be shown a video. No costs are borne by the donor, Brajkovich said.

There are two ways to donate bone marrow, Brajkovich said, and the process used will be determined by the patient's doctor.

The traditional method to extract marrow – and the one now used less frequently – involves using a needle to extract marrow from the pelvic bone. Because it's a painful procedure, the donor is put under anesthesia. When they wake up, they will feel soreness, akin to having a bruised tailbone, Brajkovich said. That soreness could last a few days or, in some cases, several weeks before disappearing.

However, it's now much more common to use a less painful, nonsurgical procedure called peripheral blood stem cells, or PBSC. Brajkovich said that method is used about 75 percent of the time.

PBSC donations take place over several hours at a blood center or outpatient hospital unit. Brajkovich said that five days before the procedure, a home health nurse will visit the donor to give them injections of a drug called filgrastim, which brings stem cells out of the marrow and into the blood stream.

When it comes time to donate using PBSC – a method Brajkovich likened to blood platelet donation, only longer – the donor's blood is removed through a needle placed in one arm and passed through a machine that separates out the blood-forming cells. The remaining blood is returned to the donor through a needle in the other arm. Blood-forming cells are back to normal levels in six weeks or less.

Medical centers like UCSF, Stanford and Alta Bates in the Bay Area, City of Hope in Los Angeles, as well as centers in Seattle and Utah are main places for the bone marrow surgical procedures. Brajkovich said every attempt is made to accommodate donors' schedules; they donate wherever it's most expedient.

In cases where patients can't find a match, they can receive cord blood to help treat their conditions. Brajkovich said Be the Match has 185,000 cord blood units available.

Besides the work of facilitating a connection between donors and patients, Be the Match also offers important patient services and support. She said another major service they offer is fundraising, to make sure donors never have any financial responsibility.

Joseph said he's entered the blood marrow registry and is encouraging others to do the same. He said he knows of many people who, because of Ryland, are now registering.

If it doesn't help Ryland, there is likely to be another person in need who will benefit, Joseph said.

How you can help: Visit www.bethematch.org to sign up to be a donor. If you don't wish to be an actual marrow donor or can't be for other reasons, you can donate financially. Check out the organization's “Ways to Give” page at http://marrow.org/Giving/Ways_to_Give.aspx .

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – During its meeting last Wednesday, March 6, the Mendocino College Board of Trustees received two checks totaling nearly $800,000 for the school’s efforts to improve energy efficiency on its main campus.

At the meeting Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and the California Community College-Investor Owned Utility (CCC-IOU) partnership presented the board with a $293,223 rebate check for its recent energy efficient upgrades and energy efficient building design of the Library Learning Resource Center.

In addition, PG&E presented a second check in the amount of $500,000 for participation in the utility zero percent On-Bill Financing loan program to fund energy efficiency upgrades.

These financial rebates and incentives will help offset costs of the college’s significant energy upgrades, which included installation of energy efficient HVAC systems, as well as installing an energy management system to better control building operation throughout their campus.

The Mendocino-Lake Community College District also constructed a new library that exceeded standard design code by more than 20 percent, resulting in additional Savings By Design incentives, and the district upgraded exterior parking lot lighting to a more energy efficient lighting fixture.

These energy efficient upgrades are estimated to reduce Mendocino College’s annual energy bill by approximately $185,000 and saved more than 993,000 kilowatt hours of energy and 42,000 therms, the equivalent of powering 104 homes or removing 31 cars from the road for one year.

Additionally, in 2010, Mendocino College installed 927 kW of solar array which will result in significant energy savings over the next 25 years.

Far beyond the orbits of Neptune and Pluto, where the sun is a pinprick of light not much brighter than other stars, a vast swarm of icy bodies circles the solar system.

Astronomers call it the “Oort Cloud,” and it is the source of some of history’s finest comets.

One of them could be heading our way now.

Comet Pan-STARRS was discovered by the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System atop the Haleakala volcano in Hawaii.

Astronomers use the massive 1.8 meter telescope to scan the heavens for Earth-approaching objects, both asteroids and comets, that might pose a danger to our planet.

In June 2011 a comet appeared, and it was named “Pan-STARRS” after the acronym for the telescope.

In early March, the comet will pass about 100 million miles from Earth as it briefly dips inside the orbit of Mercury. Most experts expect it to become a naked-eye object about as bright as the stars of the Big Dipper.

“But,” said Karl Battams of the Naval Research Lab, “prepare to be surprised. A new comet from the Oort Cloud is always an unknown quantity equally capable of spectacular displays or dismal failures.”

The Oort cloud is named after the 20th-century Dutch astronomer Jan Oort, who argued that such a cloud must exist to account for all the “fresh” comets that fall through the inner solar system.

Unaltered by warmth and sunlight, the distant comets of the Oort cloud are like time capsules, harboring frozen gases and primitive, dusty material drawn from the original solar nebula 4.5 billion years ago. When these comets occasionally fall toward the sun, they bring their virgin ices with them.

Because this is Comet Pan-STARRS’ first visit, it has never been tested by the fierce heat and gravitational pull of the sun.

“Almost anything could happen,” said Battams.

On one hand, the comet could fall apart – a fizzling disappointment. On the other hand, fresh veins of frozen material could open up to spew garish jets of gas and dust into the night sky.

“Because of its small distance from the sun, Pan-STARRS should be very active, producing a lot of dust and therefore a nice dust tail,” predicted Matthew Knight of the Lowell Observatory.

“However,” he cautioned, “it could still be difficult to see. From our point of view on Earth, the comet will be very close to the sun. This means that it is only observable in twilight when the sky is not fully dark.”

The best dates to look may be Tuesday, March 12, and Wednesday, March 13, when Pan-STARRS emerges in the western sunset sky not far from the crescent Moon.

A comet and the Moon, together, framed by twilight-blue is a rare sight.

“My guess is that the primary feature visible to the naked eye will be the gaseous coma around the head of the comet,” said Knight. “The comet’s tail will probably require binoculars or a small telescope.”

Comet Pan-STARRS should not be confused with another, even better comet coming later this year.

In November 2013, Comet ISON could shine as brightly as a full Moon in broad daylight when it passes through the atmosphere of the sun: video.

“Two bright comets in one year is a rare treat,” said Battams. “This could be good.”

Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As the newest pope stepped out to meet the world on Wednesday, local Catholics responded with hope and enthusiasm that he’s the right man to lead the church forward.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 76, emerged from behind a red velvet curtain to greet his worldwide flock on Wednesday, less than an hour after the white smoke signaling his selection rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, according to a Vatican press statement.

The vote that made Bergoglio pope was the third in the conclave, which began on Tuesday, according to the Vatican.

The archbishop of Buenos Aires and son of Italian immigrants, Bergoglio was made a cardinal in February 2001 by Pope John Paul II, the Vatican reported. He’s known to be doctrinally conservative.

The new pope chose for himself the name Francis. The Vatican said he will be the first of the 266 popes to bear the name Francis, is the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit to rise to the office. He is the first pope since Syrian-born Gregory III – pope from 731 to 741 AD – not to be born in Europe.

“The name he chose was fantastic,” said Fr. Ron Serban, dean of the Catholic Churches in Lake and Mendocino counties, and pastor of St. Mary Immaculate Parish in Lakeport and St. Peter Mission in Kelseyville.

Serban believes the name choice refers to St. Francis of Assisi, who he said rebuilt the church literally and spiritually, was the patron saint of Italy and is known for his love of animals and nature.

Serban also finds meaning in the name for another reason: He said Lake County’s Catholics were, at one time, under the leadership of the Franciscans. “It’s restoring our spirituality.”

Bergoglio has reportedly lived his life in extreme simplicity, living in a small apartment, taking public transit and cooking his own meals. He is said to have a heart for the poor, an approach that Serban believes hearkens to the tradition that St. Francis of Assisi set.

Serban also pointed to the famous prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, which begins, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,” and outlines a desire to sow love, bring hope and pardon in a troubled world.

Indeed, the new pope exhibited a common, pastoral touch in his first moments on the world stage.

“Good evening. You know that the duty of the Conclave was to give Rome a bishop. It seems that my brother cardinals picked him from almost the ends of the earth. But here we are! I thank you for the warm welcome. The diocesan community of Rome has its bishop. Thank you!” he said, before asking Catholics to join him in praying for his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, now styled “bishop emeritus.”

During the brief appearance, Pope Francis bowed and asked for the blessings and prayers of the faithful before offering his own prayers.

For Catholics, Pope Francis’ ascension to the throne of St. Peter is an important moment in history.

“There is a sense of newness, there is a sense of hope, there is a sense of expectation and anticipation,” Diocese of Santa Rosa Bishop Robert Vasa told Lake County News in a Wednesday interview.

On Wednesday the group Catholics United, which has been sharply critical of some church leaders for the handling of the sexual abuse scandal – the group last month called on retired Los Angeles Archbishop Cardinal Roger Mahony not to take part in the conclave – said that just like St. Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis “has been called to rebuild the worldwide Church on Earth.”

“We are grateful to have a leader like Francis, with a long history of solidarity with the poor in the developing world, to continue to guide the Church into the 21st century,” Catholics United Executive Director James Salt.

Salt added, “We hope and pray that our Jesuit Holy Father has the wisdom and strength to direct the faithful around the world in a radical new direction: one that emphasizes the rich tradition of caring first for the least among us. May he be a prophetic voice of hope against oppression, and a leader of a social justice renewal of the world.”

While the papacy is steeped in 2,000 years of tradition, the church has very modern concerns, among them, child sexual abuse scandals and a belief by many that the church’s conservative doctrine leaves some groups – including women and the LGBT community – disenfranchised.

There also is the issue of fewer people affiliating with the church, particularly in the United States.

A survey released on Tuesday by the University of California, Berkeley and Duke University found that religious affiliation in the United States is at its lowest point since it began to be tracked in the 1930s. Among those surveyed, one-quarter identified themselves as Catholics.

“I rejoice in faith and trust that this will be a good shepherd for us as long as he lives or is able to serve,” said Bishop Vasa, whose diocese covers six counties – including Lake – and is home to 165,000 Catholics.

Bishop Vasa said he trusted in the Holy Spirit that the cardinals involved in the papal conclave elected a man whose gifts will serve the church.

He said that the new pope is a relative unknown to the body of American Catholics. “He is very much a blank slate for me,” said Vasa, who said the new pope’s first apostolic letters and encyclicals will reveal more about his approach.

Vasa said Bergoglio will bring to his office a heart and love for the poor and disenfranchised, which his typical of the South American bishops, who deal with so much extreme poverty.

“For him to bring that sentiment to the papal office is really wonderful,” said Vasa.

Kelseyville resident Monica Buehnerkemper greeted Pope Francis’ election with enthusiasm.

“I feel very blessed and excited,” she said. “Everything I've read and heard about Pope Francis I shows he's humble and compassionate. He truly lives his faith in word and deed. I agree with his conservative beliefs, although not popular in today's culture.”

Like Serban, she also loved the new pope’s choice of names, noting St. Francis of Assisi was known for his spreading of peace and unity. “I believe that speaks volumes in and of itself,” she said.

Bishop Vasa said he and his staff had debated if the new pope had chosen his name for St. Francis of Assisi or St. Francis Xavier, co-founder of the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits.

While Serban said he believes the name choice was for St. Francis of Assisi, he pointed out that there could be other influences – such as St. Francis De Sales, the faithful and gentle early 17th century bishop of Geneva, also known for his mystical writings, or St. Francis Solano, patron saint of Argentina.

“Pick one, they’re all great,” said Serban.

Even though Pope Francis and the Holy See are thousands of miles away, Serban said the new pope will have a definite impact on local Catholics, explaining that priests are guided by their bishops and church leaders and the tone they set.

The election of the new pope has people very excited, said Serban.

While visiting a Lakeport grocery store on Wednesday, he said five people stopped him to discuss the news. The cashier, who was not Catholic, told him the news was “great.”

Serban believes the cardinals’ choice is “the perfect man to help us” move forward, adding the best is yet to come.

“This man clearly is going to put us in a very positive direction,” Serban said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – Mendocino County officials are continuing to search for clues as to the identity of the individual whose remains were found near Piercy last October.

On Oct. 30 a person had found a shoe protruding from the earth near the shore of the Eel River in the 83000 block of Highway 271. Upon closer examination the caller believed the shoe was attached to a human body, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.

Mendocino County Sheriff’s officials responded and found that the shoe was associated with a shallow grave that contained the skeletal remains of a human body.

The agency reported that its detectives received a report on Monday from the California State University, Chico Human Identification Laboratory regarding analysis of the remains.

The results of the analysis showed that the human remains are believed to be that of a white male adult, approximately 25 to 45 years of age, with a height between 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet 5 inches tall, officials said.

Sheriff's detectives have enlisted the assistance of the California Department of Justice in recovering DNA from a bone to help establish a DNA profile for the remains, according to the agency.

Sheriff's officials hope to enter this DNA profile into the Combined DNA Index System and use the DNA profile to compare against Mendocino County Sheriff's Office active missing persons cases.

Anyone with information in regards to this case is urged to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office Tip-Line by calling 707-234-2100.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The future use of Middletown’s Gibson Library building will be the focus of the Middletown Luncheon Club meeting on Wednesday, March 20.

The meeting begins at noon at the Middletown Methodist Church Social Hall, 15155 Armstrong St.

Lunch will be offered at $5 per person by the Girl Scouts, who get the receipts plus a donation from the club.

Gibson Library, located at 21267 Calistoga Road, opened in 1930, the land having been donated by the Luncheon Club and the funds for construction of the small building donated by Chauncey W. Gibson, who had owned a resort on Cobb Mountain.

In the immediate future, the library will move into its new quarters adjacent to the new Middletown Senior Center, 21256 Washington St.

The venerable old library building, now owned by the county of Lake, will become available for other uses.

The Lake County Historical Society has been approached and its board came last Saturday to inspect the library and consider its use.

At their board meeting, it appeared that their immediate intention would be to substitute the Middletown building for quarters the society now leases in Nice, where it stores assorted research materials and artifacts.

It was suggested that the Gibson building would be opened for several hours three days a week as a museum and historical research center.

Two members of the currently inactive Middletown Historical Society attended the meeting, and protested that a museum in Middletown should feature local artifacts.

The board indicated its willingness to work with a Middletown group to create a museum with rotating exhibits representing south Lake County and the Lake communities.

Another suggestion was that Dr. John Parker, the archaeologist who played a strong role in the preservation of Anderson Marsh State Park, should become curator and work toward retrieving local archaeological artifacts that have been moved to other venues for display.

Apparently a plan for Karen Turcotte to create an art exhibit and study center there is not moving forward. Over the past 10 years Turcotte has masterminded the well-received Eco-Arts Sculpture Walk at Trailside Park, which has become a notable tourist attraction in the area, as well as the Coyote Valley Film Festival.

A number of local residents have indicated interest in a local arts and culture center, with exhibits of local arts and crafts as well as local historical items, and a variety of ongoing classes, speakers and other educational pursuits. Arguments in favor of this approach note that, in all current studies, art tops history in contributing to a local economy.

The challenge is in mustering support by Middletown area residents who, understandably, want the building to reflect local culture.

Whatever manifestation the future occupancy assumes, if local residents want a local entity, they will have to contribute time, effort, labor and funds to making it happen. The immediate need is finding how much Middletown area residents really care, and how well they are willing to follow through.

Moves are under way to revitalize the Middletown Historical Society as a group voice in making residents’ wishes known and a centralized communication point for input and collecting offers to volunteer in any way.

Come to the meeting and let them know what you would like to see happen at the old library building.

Comments also can be submitted online at www.middletownhistory.com ; sent to the Middletown Historical Society, P.O. Box 74, Middletown, CA 95461; or written comments, including your mailing address or phone number, can be left with Jacque Spiker at the Middletown Senior Center.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Motorists are reminded not to rely on luck when it comes to avoiding an arrest for driving under the influence this St. Patrick’s Day.

The California Highway Patrol is encouraging celebrants to plan a safe way home and designate a non-drinking driver before the festivities begin.

Last year on St. Patrick’s Day, the CHP made more than 300 arrests statewide for DUI according to the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS).

Additionally, provisional figures from SWITRS for that day indicate at least three people were killed in California in alcohol-involved collisions.

To prevent additional loss of life and ensure everyone enjoys a safe, festive holiday, the CHP joins with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration by recommending the following simple steps:

• Make arrangements for a safe trip home before the festivities begin.
• Before drinking, please designate a non-drinking driver and leave your car keys at home.
• If you are impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely.
• If available, use your community’s sober ride program.
• If you suspect an impaired driver is on the road, report that driver by calling 9-1-1. Callers should be prepared to give a description of the vehicle, license plate number, location, and the vehicle’s direction of travel.
• And remember, if you know people who are about to drive or ride with someone who is impaired, help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely. If a friend is drunk and wants to drive, encourage them not to, even if it means taking their keys away.

“Luck is not going to prevent drunk driving collisions from happening. Drivers making responsible decisions can prevent a needless tragedy.” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “At the end of the day, a little bit of prevention can be the difference in saving a life.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released a list of 25 U.S. metropolitan areas with the most Energy Star certified buildings in 2012, highlighting how owners and managers of commercial buildings across the country are taking action on climate change while delivering real financial savings to the bottom line.

California leads with six cities on this top 25 list, more than any other state.

For the fifth year in a row, Los Angeles continues to hold on to first place, with 528 buildings. San Francisco ranks No. 6 with 291 Energy Star buildings; San Diego, No. 15, with 123 buildings; San Jose, No. 16 with 114 buildings; Sacramento, No. 20 with 97; and Riverside, No. 24, with 69 buildings.

In Northern California alone, the more than 500 Energy Star certified buildings have helped save nearly $140 million in annual utility bills while preventing greenhouse gas emissions equal to emissions from the annual electricity use of more than 50,000 homes, the EPA reported.

“Through their partnership with EPA, the owners and managers of Energy Star certified buildings are helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions while saving on utility bills,” said EPA Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe. “With Energy Star, cities across America are helping achieve President Obama’s goal to cut in half the energy wasted by our businesses over the next 20 years.”

Nationally, more than 20,000 Energy Star certified buildings across America helped save more than $2.7 billion in annual utility bills while preventing greenhouse gas emissions equal to emissions from the annual electricity use of more than two million homes in 2012.

Energy use in commercial buildings accounts for 17 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion per year. EPA continues to see an increase in buildings applying for and earning Energy Star certification each year.

The cumulative number of Energy Star certified buildings has increased by more than 24 percent compared to last year, representing more than 3 billion square feet of floorspace nationwide. In 2012 alone, more than 8,200 buildings earned EPA’s Energy Star certification.

Also on this list is Washington, D.C., landing in second place with 462 buildings. In third place, with 353 buildings, Chicago has risen through the rankings each year, starting in sixth place in 2008 and increasing the number of buildings certified by an average of 32 percent each year. Phoenix broke into the top 10 for the first time, with 202 buildings.

Commercial buildings that earn EPA’s Energy Star must perform in the top 25 percent of similar buildings nationwide, as verified by a professional engineer or a registered architect.

Energy Star certified buildings use an average of 35 percent less energy and are responsible for 35 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than average buildings. Fifteen types of commercial buildings can earn the Energy Star, including office buildings, K-12 schools, and retail stores.

Launched in 1992 by EPA, Energy Star is a market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency.

Over the past 20 years, with help from Energy Star, American families and businesses have saved more than $230 billion on utility bills and prevented more than 1.8 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Today, the Energy Star label can be found on more than 65 different product categories and more than 1.4 million new homes, in addition to the more than 20,000 commercial buildings.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Child Care Planning Council is in the process of updating and expanding its Lake County Family Resource Guide, and is inviting organizations that offer services to get involved.

In 2008, the Lake County Child Care Planning Council published the first comprehensive Lake County Family Resource Guide, which was used by many agencies and organizations as a valuable resource for their clients and families.

With the update now under way, the Lake County Child Care Planning Council invites organizations that provide a resource, activity or service of any kind for Lake County residents to sign up for a free or paid listing in the Family Resource Guide 2013.

The goal is to include all types of activities and resources that families might benefit from and enjoy.

The guide will be available in print, as well as digitally, for organizations to post on their own Web sites. It also will be available in Spanish.

To view the 2008 version and to be included in the guide, please visit:  http://www.lakecountychildcareplanning.com/reports.asp .

The mission of the Lake County Child Care Planning Council is to promote quality child care through community assessment, advocacy, resource development, and collaboration with other organizations.

In the newly released master plan the council describes four desired results for the years 2013 through 2018.

One of these desired results is to provide support and resources for improving the quality and accessibility of child care and early education and resources available in Lake County; and the 2013 update to the Lake County Family Resource Guide is in support of this desired result.

If you have questions or ideas about how to make the 2013 Family Resource Guide an effective tool for all of Lake County, please contact Rosario Morris at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 707-995-9523.

For more information on the Lake County Child Care Planning Council, visit www.lakecountychildcareplanning.com .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Several days of warm weather across Northern California has led to the question, is it spring yet?

With Wednesday’s high temperatures forecast to set record highs for this day throughout Northern California including Lake County – where highs in the upper 70s to near 80 degrees are expected and fruit trees and other spring flowers are nearly in full bloom – residents are wondering what to expect next.

While technically spring does not arrive until the vernal equinox at 4:02 a.m. Wednesday, March 20, and temperatures over the last few days have officially ushered in "spring fever," the next question is, will it last?

The short answer is no, and cooler weather and chances for rain are on the horizon.

Beginning on Thursday, Western Weather Group Lake County predicts that cooler weather system will migrate into the area and continue through on Friday, bringing slightly cooler daytime temperatures, although highs are expected to remain in the 70s.

Clouds will increase throughout the weekend, with dry north winds developing on Sunday, bringing back chances for overnight frost, although daytime highs will remain temperate and in the mid-60s to low 70s.

An abrupt change of weather is possible by midweek, according to forecasters.

That change could bring back chances for rain and much cooler weather, but forecast models for next week will become clearer as the weekend system moves through.

Email Terre Logsdon at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter, @LakeCoNews.

LUCERNE, Calif. – The Lucerne Alpine Senior Center has hired a new executive director who plans to appeal a decision handed down late last month that ended the center’s nutritional services contract.

Rae Eby-Carl accepted the executive director position from the center’s board of directors on Monday, March 4, succeeding Robert Clifton.

Eby-Carl has many years of experience managing programs, meeting guidelines and monitoring service quality.

She served for 13 years as the senior deputy director of Lake Family Resource Center, a position she left earlier this year, and also was with Lake County Juvenile Hall for 12 years.  

“Eby-Carl’s experience in administering programs was a prime factor in placing her at this critical time for the center,” said Lucerne Alpine Senior Center Board Chair Ted Shimizu.

The board for the Area Agency on Aging of Lake and Mendocino Counties terminated the Lucerne senior center’s $66,000 annual contract for nutritional and outreach services at its meeting on Thursday, Feb. 28, after a state auditor determined that the center was a “high risk” food provider, as Lake County News has reported.

After the decision, Clifton told Lake County News that the center didn’t plan to appeal the decision, which goes into effect at the end of March.

It was anticipated at that point that the center would no longer provide Meals on Wheels services, with the Lakeport and Clearlake Oaks senior centers pledging to step up and cover the more than 100 people for whom the program had provided nearly 16,000 meals since last July.

However, on Monday, Eby-Carl said that upon taking the executive director’s position she immediately began exploring an appeal of the Area Agency on Aging board’s decision.

“I worked with the board and listened to what mattered to them, and this is just much too important of an issue not to go through the appeal process,” Eby-Carl told Lake County News.

The appeal is expected to be heard this month, Eby-Carl said.

At last month’s Area Agency on Aging Board meeting, it was noted that the appeal process – which has been rarely used – would be handled by an independent hearing board.

Eby-Carl said the center is correcting all reported deficiencies in the nutritional program.

Going forward the center’s nutritional program will follow dietary guidelines and meet expectations of government agencies, including the Lake County Health Department, California Department of Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture, she said.

The center expects a fair hearing with the Area Agency on Aging and will present all corrections and plans for monitoring services closely, Eby-Carl said.

More than a third of seniors have incomes below the federal poverty level and count on quality nutrition through programs like Lucerne Alpine Senior Center, she said.

While Eby-Carl said meals to Northshore seniors could be provided from other areas, she emphasized the importance of the center itself, which she said is at the heart of the nutritional program. It’s also a place where seniors can socialize.

“People come in there to eat and the contacts are important, and knowing the contacts are nearby, I think, is very important,” she said.

According to Area Agency on Aging figures, since last July the center has served 2,658 congregate meals to 156 individuals.

As such, Eby-Carl said reducing hunger and food insecurity will continue to be goals of the center, which wants to continue to offer Meals on Wheels services to the Northshore.

She said the center’s dedicated staff and volunteers are committed to healthy and nutritious meals as well as outreach services.

Lunches are served on site Monday through Friday, as well as breakfasts on Saturday. A food pantry is available for emergency nutrition needs.

As part of National Nutrition Month, Eby-Carl said the center is taking part in local efforts to fund Meals on Wheels.  

She said donation cans in Northshore communities will be available for collecting funds, with all donations going to Meals on Wheels.  

For more information about the center, call Eby-Carl at 707-274-8779.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – An early Monday morning fire damaged a Clearlake residence.

The fire, reported, just after 12:30 a.m., occurred in a single family residence at 3051 10th St., according to reports from the scene.

Several callers reported the fire to Central Dispatch, who relayed to firefighters that witnesses saw smoke and flames coming from the back of the structure. The fire also was reported to be close to a propane tank.

Lake County Fire Protection District firefighters arrived on scene minutes later to find the home partially on fire. Radio reports indicated that the home was about 20 percent involved.

Firefighters also requested that Clearlake Police respond to the scene due to “unruly people” in the neighborhood.

Shaky containment was reported at about 1 a.m., with scanner traffic stating that Pacific Gas and Electric was called to pull the home's meter.

Firefighters finished mop up and cleared the scene by 2:20 a.m., according to scanner reports.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.