CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A Clearlake Oaks man was arrested late last week for allegedly stabbing another man he had accused of being involved with his ex-girlfriend.

Daryl Eugene Ney, 51, was arrested following the stabbing, which occurred on the night of Thursday, Sept. 20, according to Sgt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Brooks said Lake County Sheriff’s deputies responded to an address in the 12000 block of Oak Grove Avenue in Clearlake Oaks shortly before 10 p.m. Sept. 20 on a report of a male subject who had been stabbed.

When deputies arrived they contacted the victim, who said Ney had stabbed him, Brooks said.

Brooks said the victim told deputies that he had been at Ney’s residence that evening, socializing with Ney and two additional occupants of the residence.

Ney left the residence to go to the store and returned a short time later, Brooks reported. When Ney entered the residence he noticed his ex-girlfriend was standing in the bathroom with the victim, and he accused them of having a sexual relationship.

Brooks said Ney became upset and starting fighting with the victim inside the residence. As the victim was attempting to leave the residence, Ney allegedly picked up two kitchen knives and told the victim that he was going to kill him.

Ney allegedly chased the victim who was attempting to escape the yard area and stabbed him once in the abdomen, Brooks said. According to witnesses, they could hear the victim yelling that he was hurt.  Ney returned to the residence and allegedly was overheard saying that he had just stabbed the victim.

The victim was treated on scene by medical personnel from Northshore Fire Protection District’s Station 75. Brooks said the man later was transported out of county by air ambulance due to the seriousness of his injury.  

The victim, who underwent surgery for his injuries, was reported to be recovering and was expected to be released from the hospital in a few days, Brooks said.
 
Ney was arrested for attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, Brooks said.

He said Ney was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.

Jail records showed the Ney remained in custody on Monday, with bail set at $200,000. He was scheduled to be arraigned on Monday in Lake County Superior Court.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Lake Family Resource Center has named a new manager for its domestic violence shelter, Freedom House.

Sheri Young was promoted to the position in late July and took over over all responsibilities in August.

Center officials said Young is providing new energy and attention to Freedom House Domestic Violence Shelter and staff and clients are benefiting from having a shelter manager on site.

“Though Young is new to working in the field of domestic violence, her passion and interests run deep,” said Lake Family Resource Center Executive Director Gloria Flaherty.

Freedom House shelters up to 42 people escaping the disaster of domestic abuse. It accepts men and women with their children up to age 18 or older if still in school.

Last year, Freedom House sheltered 118 domestic violence victims and their children providing them with advocacy, accompaniment and support.

“Domestic violence became the major focus of my career path after losing a family friend to it 10 years ago,” said Young. “I realized that I have a deep passion for helping victims become survivors. After extensive training and learning in the law enforcement and advocacy world, I finally found my niche and became a domestic violence advocate; it is one of the best things that I’ve ever done.”

In her past, Young had the opportunity to develop her dedication and people relationship skills and now those are in use with the eight staff she supervises and supports.

She brings diverse experience including having received her POST Certificate for Law Enforcement. Young is well known in the community due to her involvement in activities and a local art gallery.

If you wish more information on Freedom House, its many domestic violence services, or other Lake FRC programs, 707-279-0563 and ask for Shelter Manager Sheri Young, or Extension 181.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Fire officials and police remained on scene throughout the day on Friday, continuing the investigation into an early morning fire that damaged a historic downtown building and destroyed one of the businesses housed within it.

The Lunas building, located at the corner of Third and Main streets, sustained major damage in the fire, which was reported shortly before 6 a.m., according to Lakeport Fire Chief Ken Wells.

The interior of the building’s bottom story, occupied by the Penny Lane Emporium, was a total loss, said Wells. He didn’t have a full cost estimate of the damages.

Firefighter Dan Copas of Lakeport Fire Protection District, the lead investigator on the fire, continued digging through the charred ruins on Friday afternoon, searching for clues as to the ultimate cause.

The building’s structural integrity did not appear to have been affected by the fire. Barricades and police crime scene tape surrounded the building, and a portion of Third Street was closed while work continued on the investigation.

Copas said that the point of origin was determined to be at the front of the store.

It will take at least a few days to narrow in on a final cause, Copas said.
 
“It’s going to be a process until we get to the bottom of it,” he said.

Lakeport Fire won’t bring in the arson task force unless something criminal is found, Copas explained.

Upstairs, where attorney judicial candidate Michael Lunas and the firm of Feeney & Feeney have their offices, the damage was limited to smoke and heat, Wells said.

Servpro was conducting cleanup upstairs, said Wells, and on the first floor workers began boarding up the blown out front windows on the building late Friday afternoon.

Lunas, whose mother and uncle own the historic building, was still surveying the damage on Friday afternoon after removing his personal items from the top floor earlier in the day.

He said there was some fire damage on the left front side of the building’s second floor. The fire had climbed up to the second floor and damaged a room behind the one facing Main Street.

“It could have been way worse than it was upstairs,” said Lunas, crediting firefighters for doing “an amazing job” of stopping the fire from advancing further.

Nobody was present in the building at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported. “That’s the good news,” said Lunas.

Wells said once the cause and origin is determined, then they will call in experts to assist with fine tuning that final conclusion.

Lakeport Police maintained a presence at the building throughout the day, with Det. Bob Jordan assisting with the investigation and Chief Brad Rasmussen also on scene.

“The chain of evidence is really important in these types types of cases,” Wells said.

Early in the day, officials had received reports of a vehicle throwing a Molotov cocktail through Penny Lane Emporium’s front window.

However, Wells and Rasmussen both said that they were able to discount that report.

“We have no indication at this time that it was even a malicious act,” said Wells.

Rasmussen said the vehicle reportedly involved was found and the driver identified. He said the driver was passing by the fire and it’s believed that at that point the front window broke as a result of the fire burning inside the building.

“The fire could have been smoldering in that building for hours,” said Wells.

When the fire reaches the point of “free burning,” it takes up as much fuel and oxygen as it can, and can result in explosions and breaking windows, Wells explained.

Lunas said he and the other upstairs tenants will be relocating temporarily while repairs take place on the building.

The grand old building dates to 1876, and survived the 1906 earthquake, which had reduced some of downtown Lakeport’s buildings to rubble.

“This is quite a building,” Lunas said. “It’s been through it all.”

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control is offering several young cats as well as some older cats for adoption this week.

The cats range in age from 4 months to 4 years old, with coats of varying color and length.

Cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed and microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.

The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).

Gray male tabby

This gray male tabby is 2 years old.

He has a medium-length coat, weighs nearly 9 pounds and is not yet neutered.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 11a, ID No. 34357.

Domestic medium hair mix

This female domestic medium hair mix is 2 years old.

She has a black coat, weighs 6 pounds and is not yet spayed.

She’s in cat room kennel No. 11b, ID, No. 34358.

Orange male tabby

This male orange tabby is 5 months old.

He weighs 4 pounds, has a short coat and has been neutered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 15a, ID No. 34145.

Male orange tabby

This male orange tabby is 5 months old.

He is not yet altered, weighs 3.5 pounds and has a short coat.

He’s in cat room kennel 15b, ID No. 34146.

Domestic short hair mix

This female domestic short hair mix is of undetermined age.

She has a short coat and is not yet spayed.

Find her in cat room kennel No. 15c, ID No. 34147.

Siamese tortie

This female Siamese tortie is 4 years old.

She has blue eyes and a short coat, weighs nearly 9 pounds and has been spayed.

She is in cat room kennel No. 31, ID No. 34313.

Domestic short hair mix

This female domestic short hair mix is of undetermined age.

She has blues eyes and a short white coat, and is not yet spayed.

Find her in cat room kennel No. 46, ID No. 34385.

Female gray tabby

This female gray tabby is 4 months old.

She has a short coat and is not yet spayed.

She’s in cat room kennel No. 49a, ID No. 34381.

Domestic short hair mix

This male domestic short hair mix is 4 months old.

He has a white coat and is not yet neutered.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 49b, ID No. 34382.

Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com .

Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lake County Live! Once again takes the stage at the Soper-Reese Community Theatre on Sunday, September 30, for its ninth show of the year.

Musical guests include the Hip Replacements, featuring Larry “Mojo” Platz, Jim Williams, Jon Hopkins and Tom Aiken.  

Also on the program a special “surprise” appearance by the Konocti Mountain Boys.  

The show is presently live in the theater and broadcast simultaneously on Lake County Community Radio KPFZ 88.1 FM and streamed live on the internet at www.kpfz.org .

This month’s show also features and “outdoor” theme, with sketches on hunting, fishing and the Kelseyville Pear Festival.  

“Each show stands on its own and good entertainment for all ages, and the comedy improves with each show,” said show creator and host Doug Rhoades.

Lake County Live! is also now being carried on Lake County PEG television, cable Channel 8. The show airs Fridays at 8 p.m. with repeats on Thursdays at 10 a.m.

“Tune in to Channel 8 and see why we’re on radio instead of TV,” Rhoades added.   

Join the performers in the theatre at 6 p.m. on Sept. 30.

Tickets are $5 per person, and are available at the theatre box office at 275 S. Main St. in Lakeport on Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at the Travel Center at 1265 S. Main St. in Lakeport and online at www.soperreesetheatre.com .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force seized 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine, $977 and arrested two subjects this past Monday.

The task force arrested Santa Rosans Carlos Moreno Guzman, 29, and 34-year-old Alma Nava, according to Sgt. Steve Brooks.

On Sunday, Sept. 16, the Lake County Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force developed information that a pound of methamphetamine was going to be delivered and sold the following day in Middletown, Brooks said.

On Monday, Sept. 17, the task force developed additional information that the delivery and sale of the methamphetamine had been changed to take place in Calistoga. Brooks said they also learned that the quantity of methamphetamine to be delivered had been increased to 1.5 pounds.

At 4 p.m. that day the Lake County Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force, with assistance from the Calistoga Police Department, located and detained Guzman and Nava. Brooks said Guzman was standing next to a 2005 Acura sedan and Nava was sitting inside the vehicle on the passenger side. The vehicle was in the parking lot of a restaurant in Calistoga.  

The Calistoga Police Department deployed their drug certified K9, which Brooks said alerted to the interior of the Acura. A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 1.5 pounds of crystal “Ice” methamphetamine and $977. The methamphetamine was concealed inside the packaging of a men’s underwear box.  

Brooks said narcotics detectives estimated the street value of the methamphetamine to be $68,000. The $977 was seized pending asset forfeiture.

Guzman was arrested for possession of a controlled substance for sale, transportation of a controlled substance and conspiracy to commit a crime. Nava was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and conspiracy to commit a crime. Brooks said they were both transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and Booked.

Both Guzman and Nava remained in custody Friday with immigration holds, Brooks said.

The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be contacted through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.

A new report from the National Snow and Ice Data Center shows that as of this month arctic sea ice has dropped to what appears to be its lowest level in decades.

The findings, as of Sept. 16, showed that the sea ice extent dropped to 1.32 million square miles, the lowest seasonal minimum extent in the satellite record since 1979.

Officials said the findings reinforce the long-term downward trend in Arctic ice extent.

In response to the setting sun and falling temperatures, ice extent will now climb through autumn and winter. However, a shift in wind patterns or a period of late season melt could still push the ice extent lower.

The minimum extent was reached three days later than the 1979 to 2000 average minimum date of Sept. 13.

This year’s minimum was 293,000 square miles below the previous record minimum extent in the satellite record, which occurred on Sept. 18, 2007. This is an area about the size of the state of Texas.

The September 2012 minimum was in turn 1.27 million square miles below the 1979 to 2000 average minimum, representing an area nearly twice the size of the state of Alaska. This year’s minimum is 18 percent below 2007 and 49 percent below the 1979 to 2000 average.

Overall there was a loss of 4.57 million square miles of ice since the maximum extent occurred on March 20, 2012, which is the largest summer ice extent loss in the satellite record, more than one million square kilometers greater than in any previous year.

The six lowest seasonal minimum ice extents in the satellite record have all occurred in the last six years (2007 to 2012), the National Snow and Ice Data Center reported.

In contrast to 2007, when climatic conditions – winds, clouds, air temperatures – favored summer ice loss, this year’s conditions were not as extreme.

Summer temperatures across the Arctic were warmer than average, but cooler than in 2007. The most notable event was a very strong storm centered over the central Arctic Ocean in early August.

It is likely that the primary reason for the large loss of ice this summer is that the ice cover has continued to thin and become more dominated by seasonal ice. This thinner ice was more prone to be broken up and melted by weather events, such as the strong low pressure system just mentioned. The storm sped up the loss of the thin ice that appears to have been already on the verge of melting completely.

The spatial pattern of ice extent at this year’s seasonal minimum is different than that observed for 2007. This year the ice is more extensive in some parts of the central Arctic Ocean.

However, the ice is less extensive this year compared to 2007 in the Beaufort Sea, the western Laptev Sea, the East Greenland Sea, and parts of the Canadian Archipelago.

The Northern Sea Route opened around mid August this year, compared to 2007 when a tongue of ice extended to the coast, blocking the route throughout the summer.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Several new puppies as well as adult dogs are being offered for adoption at the county’s shelter this week.

Animals offered include adult dogs that would fit well with a loving family, and already are altered and microchipped.

Thanks to Lake County Animal Care and Control’s new veterinary clinic, many of the animals offered for adoption already are spayed or neutered and ready to go home with their new families.

Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.

The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).

Labrador Retriever-beagle

This female Labrador Retriever-beagle mix is of undetermined age.

She weighs nearly 37 pounds, has a short black coat and is not yet spayed.

Find her in kennel No. 5a, ID No. 34314.

Labrador Retriever-beagle

Shelter staff has not given an age for this female Labrador Retriever-beagle mix.

She weighs 28 pounds, has a short black coat and has not yet been altered.

She’s in kennel No. 5b, ID No. 34315.

‘Mazie’

“Mazie” is a 5-year-old beagle-terrier mix.

She weighs 30 pounds, has a short brown coat, is spayed and has been microchipped.

She’s in kennel No. 6, ID No. 31277.

Labrador Retriever mix

This female Labrador Retriever mix is 4 years old.

She has a long gold coat, weighs 51 pounds and is spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 7, ID No. 34388.

Male beagle mix

This male beagle mix is 2 years old.

He has a short tan coat and is neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 9, ID No. 34341.

Female Pomeranian-dachshund mix

This female Pomeranian-dachshund puppy is 10 weeks old.

She has a short tan and white coat and is spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 18a, ID No. 34348.

Female Pomeranian-dachshund mix

This female Pomeranian-dachshund mix puppy is 10 weeks old.

She has green eyes, a short tan coat and is spayed.

Find her in kennel No. 18b, ID No. 34349.

Male Pomeranian-dachshund mix

This male Pomeranian-dachshund mix puppy is 10 weeks old.

He has a long tan and black coat, and is neutered.

He is in kennel No. 18c, ID No. 34350.

‘Jesabelle’

“Jesabelle” is a 9-month-old female pit bull terrier mix.

She has a short tan coat, weighs 38 pounds and is spayed.

Shelter staff said Jesabelle is very well trained, not aggressive, and great with children, cats and other dogs.

She’s in kennel No. 19, ID No. 34363.

Dachshund-Chihuahua mix

This male dachshund-Chihuahua mix is 2 years old.

He has a short black coat and floppy ears.

He’s in kennel No. 20, ID No. 34206.

Border collie-Labrador Retriever mix

This female border collie-Labrador Retriever mix is 3 years old.

She’s got a short black and white coat, weighs 50 pounds and has not yet been spayed.

Find her in kennel No. 28, ID No. 34365.

‘Shadow’

“Shadow” is a 5-month-old female Chihuahua mix.

She has a short black coat and floppy ears, and is not yet altered.

Shadow is in kennel No. 30, ID No. 34344.

Shepherd-basset hound mix

This female shepherd-basset hound mix is 3 years old.

She is nearly 38 pounds and has a short black and tan coat. She has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 31, ID No. 34156.

Adoptable dogs also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dogs_and_Puppies.htm or at www.petfinder.com .

Please note: Dogs listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

COBB, Calif. – A 3.3-magnitude earthquake was reported in the Cobb area early Saturday morning.

The US Geological Survey’s preliminary report said the quake occurred at 1:23 a.m.

It occurred at a depth of a half a mile two miles west southwest of Cobb, three miles northeast of The Geysers geothermal steamfield and five miles northwest of Anderson Springs, the survey reported.

Just before 2 a.m., the survey had received two shake reports – one from Kelseyville and one from Lower Lake.

A 3.3-magnitude quake was reported on Aug. 3 in the Cobb area, as Lake County News has reported.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

I have fallen in love with a new flavor, one whose name belies its wicked deliciousness. Roasted sunflower butter is the culprit that has stolen my affection.
 
Full of nutrition, it does live up to that healthy-sounding name, but watch out, as it’s also sinfully flavorful and extravagant.
 
As a fan of all kinds of nut and seed butters – peanut, almond, cashew, sesame, you name it – I was a bit surprised that (at least for me) roasted sunflower butter eclipses each of them, and by a wide margin.
 
It’s so good that I’m actually salivating as I write. Believe me, if its creamy goodness were in the house, I’d be penning this with an oozing spoonful in my hand.
 
Nut butter aside, I simply love sunflowers just as flowers. Those big optimistic heads, the mad fringe of bright yellow, the towering stalks, the awkward weighty presence – all of this just does something to me.
 
In my mind they’re the dolphins of the plant world – here to remind us to lighten up a bit, to cultivate joy, to walk on the sunny side of life.
 
They spend the day following the sun after all, their heads turning to the warmth and light of our marvelous day star, and if that’s not a metaphor for living, I don’t know what is.
 
Acres of them are cultivated a county or two over along the I-5 corridor, and I always enjoy seeing their bright, bobbing heads stretch out over the fields as I trek up or down that otherwise monotonous stretch of highway. (To be honest, I feel rather disappointed if they’re out of season and unable to brighten my journey.)
 
This charmingly sanguine flora grows in many temperate regions of the world, including in North America, where the American Indians enjoyed them as a significant part of their diet for at least 3,000 (and possibly as many as 5,000) years. Not only did they use the seeds as a food and oil source, the flowers, roots, and stems were employed for varied purposes, including as a dye.
 
Sunflowers are thought to have originated in Mexico and Peru, and were one of the first plants cultivated in the United States.
 
They’re now beloved throughout the world, popular in areas as varied as the Middle East, Asia, the Mediterranean region, and Eastern Europe.
 
The world’s largest consumer of sunflower seeds is – surprisingly – Russia, mainly because of their love of sunflower oil, which is the cooking medium of choice in that country.
 
Sunflower seeds are between 20 – 50 percent oil, with the higher range belonging to seeds with black husks, known as black oil sunflower seeds.  Sunflower varieties with these oil-rich seeds are also referred to as oilseed sunflower crops, as they’re typically grown for oil production.
 
Another 20 percent of the make-up of sunflower seeds is a high-quality protein, a benefit to us when we snack on them. When the seeds are pressed for oil, the by-product, a protein-rich meal, is used as livestock feed.
 
Sunflower seeds with striped husks are used primarily for food and therefore are called “confectionary” sunflower seeds.
 
They’re a great snack roasted or raw, and are also a wonderful addition to all kinds of baked goods, with my favorite sunflower-enhanced product being hearty whole grain bread.
 
My second favorite may be granola cereal or bars, as both benefit from the addition of these nutty seeds.

 
Sunflower seeds are great to have on hand to toss on salads and soups, as are gangly sunflower sprouts, which add heightened nutrition to food because of chemical changes that take place during the sprouting process. (Powerful enzymes are activated when plants sprout, and vitamin content is increased, in some cases fivefold or higher.)
 
There are a variety of other ways to add them creatively to foods. Toss them in pasta, over pizza, or into the filling for stuffed bell peppers. They’re great with strongly flavored cheeses and Greek-inspired flavorings.
 
Roll bite-sized soft cheese balls in them for a fun appetizer, or encrust meats such as lamb with the seeds.
 
In our house we toss them on all kinds of things – chili, baked potatoes, salads, soups.
 
A friend makes an immensely tasty salad dressing using sunflower butter, tossing it with apple cider vinegar and a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. It’s that simple, and it tastes fantastic on greens.
 
The fun thing about sunflowers seeds is that they may be harvested from flowers grown in your backyard. There are all types of sunflower plants, and though most develop a single large head atop a tall stalk, there are multi-headed and short stature varieties, too. Some have faces more than a foot across.
 
Seeds should be harvested when the flower heads have turned brown in back, the petals are dry, and the seeds are plump and mature. Allowing the sunflower heads to dry on the stalk is one option, but if you’re concerned that squirrels or birds will do a little harvesting themselves, you might consider cutting the heads off (with about 12 inches of stalk attached) and drying them in a garage or shed.
 
Another cure for unwelcome munching is to cover sunflower heads with a paper bag or cheesecloth. A paper bag may also be employed for catching seeds if drying upside down off the stalk.
 
After the harvest, seeds should be soaked in a salt water solution prior to roasting.
 
I found a great instructional video online about the logistics of harvesting and enjoying a backyard sunflower crop, and I’ve posted it below. If you’re considering growing your own sunflowers, the video should help a great deal with some harvesting and roasting basics.
 
It’s good to know there are very few insects that attack sunflowers, making them very easy to grow organically. They thrive almost anywhere that has sufficient sun and reasonable soil, making them an easy project for the home garden.
 
You’ll have access to other edible parts of sunflowers if growing them yourself. For example, their oversized flower buds may be steamed like artichokes and the petals can be used like calendula or chrysanthemum petals. (Try tossing them in salads.)
 
Sunflowers are so high in vitamin E that a one ounce handful provides a whopping 76 percent of our daily requirement. Vitamin E is an important antioxidant that assists in preventing the build-up of plaque in our arteries.
 
The same serving provides access to needed minerals (25 percent of our requirement for copper and 20 percent of pantothenic acid, for example), as well as good stores of folate, vitamin B6, iron, zinc, and selenium.
 
As with other nuts and seeds, storage in an airtight container in the fridge is best, as high fat content can promote rancidity. Sunflower seeds (raw or roasted) may be frozen for up to a year.
 
If you’ve got raw hulled seeds and wish to roast them, the oven method works well. Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for five to seven minutes in a 375 degree Fahrenheit oven until slightly browned with a nutty aroma.
 
Today I offer two recipes, both from a lovely-sounding organization called the National Sunflower Association. The first, a muffin recipe, features carrots, golden raisins, and the heady flavor of cardamom as companions to sunflower seeds. Sunflower oil is also used in the recipe.
 
The second, caramelized sunflower kernels, makes a tasty treat to eat out of hand, but can be sprinkled over other foods, such as sweet potatoes or delicate acorn squash. My recommendation is to double or triple this recipe!
 
I’ll leave you with a quote from Helen Keller: “Keep your face to the sunshine and you can never see the shadow. It’s what sunflowers do.”
 
Enjoy, and happy Sunday!
 
Carrot-cardamom muffins

Sunflower oil for oiling muffin tins
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup cugar
½ teaspoon cardamom
½ cup golden raisins
¾ cup orange juice
1 cup finely grated carrots
1 egg
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
½ cup dry roasted, lightly salted sunflower kernels
 
Lightly coat muffin pan with sunflower oil and preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
 
Combine dry ingredients and raisins. Mix together orange juice, carrots, egg, and oil; gently stir wet ingredients into dry. Add sunflower kernels gradually, being careful not to over mix.
 
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden. Let cool in pan about 10 minutes, then remove to cooling rack.
 
Makes 12 muffins when using a standard muffin pan.
 
Caramelized sunflower kernels

1/3 cup sunflower kernels
2 tablespoons brown sugar
 
Heat sunflower kernels in a non-stick skillet about 3 minutes over medium heat.
 
Stir in the brown sugar, stirring constantly until melted and kernels are coated.
 
Turn out onto waxed paper to cool.
 
Use as a snack or sprinkle on salads, fruit, sweet potatoes, or winter squash.
 
Makes four servings.

Esther Oertel, a freelance writer, cooking teacher, and speaker, is passionate about local produce and all foods in the vegetable kingdom. She welcomes your questions and comments and may be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

They were perhaps some of the most visible images of the end of each Apollo mission: Giant orange and white parachutes unfurled high above the spacecraft, gently descending toward the ocean.

As NASA continues to build the Orion spacecraft and head toward its first unmanned test flight in 2014, it will once again descend under parachutes to a water landing. But even though the orange and white chutes remain, their design and testing is quite different than in the past.

Orion will be the most advanced spacecraft ever flown, and its parachutes have been designed with a return from exploration missions in mind.

The spacecraft will weigh more than 21,000 pounds as it descends through the air. Each of the main chutes only weighs 300 pounds, so it is quite a feat of engineering that they are able to catch the heavy weight of the spacecraft underneath them.

“Because each of our main parachute chutes has a large diameter of 116 feet, it gives us a huge surface area to capture air and provide a smooth descent toward the ground,” said Chris Johnson, NASA’s project manager for the Orion parachute assembly system.

Johnson adds that safety of the crew is the key driver in parachute design and performance.

Because of that, NASA’s engineers have tested Orion’s parachutes high above the Arizona desert at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground.

Each test has taken a look at different conditions or failures that could happen as each chute is deployed.

The teams have basically pushed the parachute system to its limits to prove that – even if things don’t go according to plan – Orion’s parachutes will work as designed.

Orion’s parachutes are deployed in a series. The first ones that appear are the drogue chutes, two smaller chutes that help stabilize and slow down the spacecraft. These drogues are deployed at approximately 20,000 feet and each one is 23 feet in diameter. Those are cut away after approximately 30 seconds, and three pilot chutes are briefly deployed, which help pull out and deploy the main parachutes.

For even more stability and safety, the main chutes inflate in stages, with what are called “reefs” keeping the canopy of the chutes bound until the proper time.

Initially, the chutes are opened and held to 3.5 percent of their full capacity by the first set these reefs. They are cut, and the chutes are opened to 11 percent of their capacity and held there by another set of reefs. Once that second reef is cut on each chute, all three canopies open to full diameter.

At Yuma, the engineers have been testing what happens if a drogue fails to deploy, or if one of the reefing stages is skipped.

In all cases, Orion’s parachutes have performed well, and the spacecraft touched down as expected. This has demonstrated that not only is the design of the parachutes acceptable, but the models and analysis the engineers have completed are also working as expected and are reliable.

NASA’s team also has been testing the actual material that makes up the parachutes. Orion’s parachutes are made of Kevlar and nylon, and the goal has been to make them as rugged as possible, while still keeping them lightweight.

Engineers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston have been ensuring that the parachute material holds up to the extreme environment of a spacecraft descent and that normal wear and tear on the material – even in intense scenarios – doesn’t impact how they operate.

“The canopy itself is nylon, but the risers and other cords that attach to the chute are Kevlar, and the spacecraft is metal, so you have the potential for the material to rub and to degrade during the deployment process or even as Orion descends toward the ground,” said Koki Machin, NASA’s chief engineer for the Orion parachute assembly team.

“The chutes themselves are an extremely lightweight, delicate collection of pieces that absolutely must act together simultaneously or fail with disastrous results. They must assemble themselves in midair at a variety of possible velocities and orientations,” Machin said. “They are amazing pieces of technology.”

Another challenge: How do you pack these enormous parachutes into the top of the spacecraft? After all, Orion has to take its chutes with it on whatever journey it goes on. The answer to that question comes down to a technique anyone who has packed for vacation has learned: You just have to squeeze them in.

“The parachute manufacturer has this enormous tool that pushes and compresses the parachutes down to where we basically end up with a small square block of parachute with a density close to that of wood,” Machin said. “We are then able to place each of the chutes into the parachute compartment at the top of the spacecraft.”

NASA continues to practice recovery methods for Orion once it is in the water, but the teams are also looking at the best way to recover the parachutes after splashdown. The teams recently used NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston to examine how long the parachutes floated in the water, and the best ways to approach the chutes and get them out of the water.

“We verified that the drogues actually sink fairly quickly, with the main chutes staying afloat a bit longer,” Johnson said. “We believe the best way to secure the chutes after landing will be for a small team to approach the chutes and attach a buoy onto the top of the parachutes to keep them from totally sinking. That allows for a larger team to come back later and attempt to recover all of the chutes from the water.”

Eventually, the recovery teams will test the parachutes and the spacecraft in the open waters of the ocean to verify the best approach for recovering the crew and Orion and its chutes.

All of this testing – in the skies, in the water, and in the labs – is helping ensure that Orion is the safest spacecraft ever designed in all phases of the flight – launch, orbit and the return home.

MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) wardens have arrested two Menlo Park men on poaching charges for shooting a deer after temporarily blinding it with a light in the Mendocino National Forest.

Cecundino Angel, 50, his son, Rogelio Angel Quevedo, 21, and another juvenile son were arrested, according to a DFG report.

In the early morning hours of Sep. 16, pilot and Warden Gavin Woelfel was flying a DFG aircraft looking for poachers with a night vision device. He noticed two men driving slowly down a remote U.S. Forest Service road in the darkness while shining a light out the windows of their truck.

They appeared to be spotlighting, which is when poachers shine a light into deers eyes at night. The bright light causes the deer to freeze, making it an easy shot.

From his airplane, Woelfel watched two men exit the vehicle and one fire his rifle at an object off the side of the road. The man then walked off the road and fired his rifle a second time before returning to his vehicle and driving off.

Woelfel monitored the vehicle as it drove back to the Dry Oak Campground in the Mendocino National Forest.

Wardens Michael Pascoe, Patrick Freeling and Timothy Little, along with USFS Law Enforcement Officer Christopher Magallon, were called to the scene.

When they arrived at 3:25 a.m., they located the suspects pickup and made contact with its occupants, including the driver Cecundino Angel, and his sons. The cab of the pickup was found to contain two rifles, one pistol and a large flashlight.

Meanwhile, DFG Lt. Loren Freeman, who is based in Clearlake Oaks, responded to the site of the shooting, where he located a freshly killed doe.

Both of the older suspects ultimately admitted to spotlighting deer and Angel admitted to killing the doe. One of the rifles in Angel’s possession was found to be stolen out of Washington.

Angel was arrested and booked into Mendocino County Jail on charges of possession of a stolen firearm, spotlighting, shooting big game at night and waste of game.

USFS Officer Magallon also issued Angel a citation for littering, an unsafe campfire and other assorted federal violations.

The older son, Quevedo, was cited for spotlighting and shooting big game at night.