LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A seasonal blue-green algae bloom has reemerged in several areas on Clear Lake and has prompted Lake County Health Department officials to post precautionary advisory signs at two impacted public beaches in the City of Clearlake: Austin Park and Highlands Park.

The seasonal blooms have been observed in areas of the Northshore, near Lakeport, in Soda Bay, and in southern sections of the lake where prevailing winds tend to cause localized accumulation of algae, which form a filmy layer or mats on the water’s surface.

State guidelines call for the posting of areas where there is visible build-up of film or mats. The majority of the lake remains open for recreation.

Lake County Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait recommended that people and pets stay out of areas where visible algal mats are present and avoid swimming or wading in the immediate vicinity.

Tait also emphasized that untreated lake water should never be used for drinking.

While several species of blue-green algae – also known as cyanobacteria, which is not a true algae – are present in Clear Lake, the mix of algae types fluctuates.

Based on periodic testing being done on the lake water, only minimal and mostly no measurable toxins have been detected.

“It is best to err on the side of caution by avoiding contact in areas where blue-green algae mats are visible,” Tait said.

Preparations for mitigating this seasonal bloom began several weeks prior to the first sighting of algae.

Staff in the Lake County Department of Water Resources entered into contracts with specialized contractors who now are working to help minimize the impacts in the most affected areas, especially at public access points.

Clear Lake’s large drainage basin, shallow depth, and warm summertime water temperatures contribute to its rich nutrient content that supports the growth of algae and aquatic plants, which in turn, supports large populations of fish and wildlife, county officials reported.

With more than 68 square miles of surface area and 100 miles of shoreline, Clear Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake within the boundaries of California, and at an estimated two million years old, it also is one of the oldest lakes in North America.

For more information about the algae bloom and efforts to mitigate its impacts, contact the Lake County Department of Water Resources at 707-263-2344.

For health-related questions or for assistance regarding posting of advisory signs on private property, contact the Lake County Health Services office at 707-263-1164.

For more information regarding blue-green algae, visit the following sites:

http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Environmental_Health/Blue-Green_Algae.htm
http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/environhealth/water/Pages/Bluegreenalgae.aspx
http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/standards/criteria/nutrients/cyanohabs.cfm .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Just about anything you can make or grow at home is eligible for entry into competition at the annual Lake County Fair, but the deadline for returning entries to exhibit items at the Lake County Fair is approaching rapidly.

Entry for all divisions of exhibits must be in the fair office by 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8.

The fair office will close promptly at 6 p.m., and late entries are not accepted.

Signed forms must be physically at the fair before the deadline; postmarks and late entries will not be accepted.

All entries into the Lake County Fair are made online at http://www.lakecountyfair.com/competitions.html . All entries have been made online since 2005.

The Fair provides computers and high speed internet service for the purpose of entering exhibits. The computers can be found during regular business hours in the fair office at the fairgrounds through Wednesday, Aug. 8. Internet access also can be found in a number of other public places, including libraries and at Umpqua Bank branches.

Exhibitor Contest Handbooks are available in a variety of locations around Lake County, including the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, the 4-H Office, Kelseyville Drug, Lower Lake Feed, Bobbie's Family Feed, Middletown Feed, Lakeshore Feed, the Clearlake Chamber of Commerce, Pet Acres and the Redwood Empire Fair.

The Lake County Fair Board has chosen “Summer's Biggest Blast!” for the theme of the 2012 Fair.

The Lake County Fair traditionally occurs Labor Day weekend each year at the fairgrounds in Lakeport.

The 2012 fair dates are Aug. 30 through Sept. 2. The fair is one of Lake County's favorite summertime events enjoyed by nearly 40,000 people each year.

For more information visit the fair on the Internet at www.lakecountyfair.com .

An image from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera aboard NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance orbiter captured the Curiosity rover still connected to its 51-foot-wide (almost 16 meter) parachute as it descended towards its landing site at Gale Crater on Sunday.

“If HiRISE took the image one second before or one second after, we prob

ably would be looking at an empty Martian landscape,” said Sarah Milkovich, HiRISE investigation scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. “When you consider that we have been working on this sequence since March and had to upload commands to the spacecraft about 72 hours prior to the image being taken, you begin to realize how challenging this picture was to obtain.”

The image was taken while MRO was 211 miles (340 kilometers) away from the parachuting rover. Curiosity and its rocket-propelled backpack, contained within the conical-shaped back shell, had yet to be deployed. At the time, Curiosity was about two miles (three kilometers) above the Martian surface.

“Guess you could consider us the closest thing to paparazzi on Mars,” said Milkovich. “We definitely caught NASA’s newest celebrity in the act.”

NASA also released a video of the descent on Monday.

Curiosity, NASA’s latest contribution to the Martian landscape, landed at 10:32 p.m. Aug. 5, PDT, (1:32 on Aug. 6, EDT) near the foot of a mountain three miles tall inside Gale Crater, 96 miles in diameter.

In other Curiosity news, one part of the rover team at the JPL continues to analyze the data from last night’s landing while another continues to prepare the one-ton mobile laboratory for its future explorations of Gale Crater.

One key assignment given to Curiosity for its first full day on Mars is to raise its high-gain antenna.

Using this antenna will increase the data rate at which the rover can communicate directly with Earth. The mission will use relays to orbiters as the primary method for sending data home, because that method is much more energy-efficient for the rover.

More images are coming. To find out what to expect, visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/news/msl20120803.html .

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

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Anderson Marsh State Historic Park turns 30 years old this year and the Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association is hosting a celebration to honor this milestone.

Everyone is invited to attend the event which will be held on Saturday, Aug. 11, from 8:30 a.m. until noon at the park, which is located off of Highway 53 between Lower Lake and the city of Clearlake.

AMIA has planned a number of activities to commemorate the anniversary of the park, which was officially dedicated in October of 1982.

Starting at 8:30 a.m. a guided nature walk will be held for those wishing to enjoy a moderate summer walk through the park.

Participants are asked to meet in the parking lot at 8:15 p.m.

Then, at 10 a.m. enjoy “Music on the Porch,” and a Ranch House open house.

Don Coffin, an AMIA board member and local musician will be “pickin’ and singin,” and AMIA volunteers will be in the Ranch House to share their knowledge about the history of the historical ranch house and those who lived there.

At 10:45 a.m. Sector Superintendent Bill Salata will open the ceremonies, followed by Roberta Lyons, president of AMIA, who will present certificates of appreciation to outstanding donors, and acknowledge volunteers and members.

Dr. John Parker, who was instrumental in the founding of the park, will give a history of the park and why it is so important that we preserve and maintain this Lake County treasure for future generations.

Then, from 11:15 a.m. until noon there will be more music, refreshments, and an anniversary cake. This will be a chance to get together, talk with park supporters and enjoy a morning at the park.

THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE HEARING.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday afternoon a Clearlake Oaks man was sentenced to 311 years in prison for the June 2011 shooting that killed a 4-year-old Clearlake boy and wounded five others.

Yolo County Judge Doris Shockley sentenced 24-year-old Orlando Lopez Jr. to the time for the June 18, 2011, shooting that killed four-year-old Skyler Rapp; wounded his mother, Desiree Kirby; her boyfriend, Ross Sparks; his brother, Andrew Sparks; Ian Griffith; and Joey Armijo.

After reading out the sentences for the various charges, Shockley spoke directly to Lopez.

“I’ve been doing this work for a very long time,” she said, telling Lopez that the shooting was one of “the most callous and vicious and nonsensical” crime she’d dealt with in her career.

After four hours of deliberation a jury convicted Lopez on June 15 of first-degree murder, five charges of attempted murder, two counts of mayhem, six counts of assault with a firearm, a count of discharge of a firearm at an inhabited dwelling, and the findings that numerous special allegations about use of a firearm and other charges were true.

Lopez’s co-defendant in the case, Paul William Braden, 22, was convicted of the same charges the following week. He will be sentenced by Shockley at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9.

Before the hearing was over, defense attorney Stephen Carter submitted filings to appeal the conviction and sentence.

District Attorney Don Anderson, who prosecuted the case, had alleged that the men had shot into a crowd of people at Kirby’s and Sparks’ home late that night as the result of tensions that had arisen between the groups over a fight earlier in the month at an adult school graduation.

Both Lopez and Braden had been tried together for the shooting, considered the worst incident of its kind in the city of Clearlake's history.

Their trial – involving two juries – had begun in January and lasted until June.

Shelita Kirby, Desiree Kirby's grandmother, attempted to give a victim impact statement but became emotional and couldn't speak.

The Victim-Witness advocate with her read the statement, in which she described the agony she and her family had experienced following the shooting of her granddaughter and death of Skyler, her first great-grandchild.

“He was a very much loved little boy,” she said of Skyler.

She called Lopez and Braden “evil nothings, not worth a thing,” asking, “How can you just kill a baby?”

Lopez, she said, was “about to find out what hell is,” adding, “You are done. You are nothing, nothing, nothing.”

Allegations of an unjust system

Lopez has maintained his innocence, and continued to do so on Tuesday.

At his request, during the 40-minute sentencing hearing defense attorney Stephen Carter read to the court a letter Lopez had written to the Probation Department in which he protested his conviction, which he said resulted from an unfair trial and biased, prejudiced jurors.

Lopez wrote that the prosecution made false statements about him, and the jury did not weigh all the evidence.

In his letter he said he felt entitled to have a trial separate from Braden's, alleging that the trials were joined to save the county money.

“I now have lost my family, including three children, due to an unjust court system,” said Lopez.

His letter stated that he should have received a change of venue, and that he had never been prone to violence.

As a father of three young children – ages 4, 6 and 8 – Lopez sent his condolences to the victims. “No one deserves to suffer the way they did.”

At the end of his comments, supporters of his in the gallery began to clap. Shockley issued a swift warning that she would have people removed from the courtroom if she heard any more such racket.

“It's disrespectful of the system, it's disrespectful of the family,” she said.

A woman in the back of the courtroom began to mutter in response, and a bailiff warned her to be quiet. Shockley said the woman would not get another warning.

Then it was Desiree Kirby's turn to speak.

The young mother, who herself suffered debilitating injuries in the shooting, took a seat at the witness stand, with a Victim-Witness advocate standing beside her.

Kirby could barely speak as she sat and wept before the courtroom.

“I still cannot believe my baby is dead,” because of a few cowards, Kirby said.

She said there had been tensions leading up to the shooting, but that they should have been handled in a more civil manner.

“What were you thinking?” she asked Lopez.

Skyler had just graduated from preschool and was headed to kindergarten, his mother recalled.

“My 2-year-old daughter wonders where her brother is. What do I tell her?” she asked.

Kirby said she worked hard to give her children a happy life. Her family has been hurt in so many ways because of the shooting, and she would nothing would ever help the hurt or bring back her son.

Considering aggravating factors

Shockley said before passing sentence that she had to make certain findings. Among them, she commented on the aggravating factors in the case, which influenced her final decision on the sentencing.

The shooting, she said, involved great violence against particularly vulnerable victims.

She said Lopez had numerous criminal cases – which had become increasingly violent – leading up to the shooting. He had been on probation for two previous cases, with his prior performance on probation found to be unsatisfactory.

Because of the severity of the crimes, Shockley said the law required that Lopez would have to serve his terms consecutively, and would not be allowed concurrent services. Shockley also noted that Lopez had a history of substance abuse.

Shockley stayed imposing sentences for the six assault with a firearm counts and several special allegations as the Probation Department had proposed.

After giving him the 311-year sentence, Shockley ordered Lopez to pay more than $66,000 in restitution. She said he would get 407 days of credit for time served.

It was at that point that she addressed Lopez directly, saying she hoped that at some point he would ask himself how he could do something that caused so much suffering.

She also warned him that state prison “is a very difficult place.”

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

A mission to Mars that has inspired millions of people the world over took its next big step on Sunday night when the Curiosity rover touched down on Mars.

The rover – launched in a spacecraft last Nov. 26 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida – landed at approximately 10:32 p.m. Sunday, the Mars Science Laboratory team reported.

Viewers around the world watched the team track the rover through its landing, dubbed the “seven minutes of terror.”

Several Lake County residents reported on Facebook that they watched NASA’s online stream of the team as it got the good news, with the blue-shirted team members breaking into cheers, hugs and high fives.

The one-ton, car-sized Curiosity is the most advanced rover ever built, and was made in the United State, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

The mission has cost an estimated $2.5 billion, which NASA officials said breaks down to about $7 for every U.S. citizen.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said the rover “will seek to answer age-old questions about whether life ever existed on Mars – or if the planet can sustain life in the future.”

President Barack Obama called the landing “an unprecedented feat of technology that will stand as a point of national pride far into the future. It proves that even the longest of odds are no match for our unique blend of ingenuity and determination.”

Obama added, “And tonight’s success reminds us that our preeminence – not just in space, but here on Earth – depends on continuing to invest wisely in the innovation, technology, and basic research that has always made our economy the envy of the world.”

Hanging by ropes from a rocket backpack, Curiosity touched down in Gale Crater, at the foot of the the three-mile-high Mount Sharp, the geological layers for which are the mission’s prime destination.

NASA said observations from orbit have identified clay and sulfate minerals in Mount Sharp’s lower layers, indicating a wet history.

Minutes after the landing, the jubilant Mars Science Laboratory team members began receiving the rover’s first views for Mars, shots taken from a fisheye camera showing the planet’s surface.

Adam Steltzner of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, leader of the team that developed the system for Curiosity – which he said was named for the “defining human attribute” – later told reporters that the rover appeared to have had an “extremely clean” landing.

Steltzner said he was “terribly humbled” by the experience of the rover’s landing, crediting the team he led with accomplishing the feat.

John Grotzinger of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, project scientist for Curiosity, said more than 3,500 Jet Propulsion employees took part in the effort, which also included nine principal investigators and the work of seven additional countries – Germany, France, Spain, Russia, Denmark, Britain and Canada.

Grotzinger noted the mission’s importance in promoting the sciences for younger generations.

“There is no greater inspiration for middle school children that are going to math, science and engineering than a mission to Mars,” he said, adding that the number of hits on the mission’s Web site is “unparalleled.”

At a time when many may question the wisdom – and cost – of going into space, Grotzinger said the mission cost to every United States resident equals the cost to go to a movie. “That’s a movie I want to see.”

Curiosity is the third Mars rover, after Spirit and Curiosity. The latter continues to actively study the red planet eight years after its arrival, NASA reported.

During a nearly two-year prime mission, Curiosity will investigate whether the region ever offered conditions favorable for microbial life, NASA reported.

NASA officials said Curiosity carries 10 science instruments with a total mass 15 times as large as the science payloads on the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity. Some of the tools are the first of their kind on Mars, such as a laser-firing instrument for checking elemental composition of rocks from a distance.

Curiosity will use a drill and scoop at the end of its robotic arm to gather soil and powdered samples of rock interiors, then sieve and parcel out these samples into analytical laboratory instruments inside the rover, according to NASA.

But NASA officials said early Monday that they plan to take their time as they begin exploring Mars with the rover.

Grotzinger said they will spend a few weeks checking things out before taking a drive, and plan to spend several months using all the instruments. In a year or so they could be on the base of Mount Sharp.

“The mission’s about patience and checking things out carefully,” said Grotzinger.

Richard Cook, the mission’s deputy project manager, compared it to a family vacation and driving from California to Chicago, but instead of your family you have 400 scientists who want to stop and look at interesting things along the way.

Peter Theisinger, director of the Engineering and Science Directorate at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the mission’s project manager, said he didn’t think anyone would be shocked if it lasted twice the estimated two years.

“We’ve got a long mission ahead of us and because of that and the capabilities of this rover, we have the possibilities for just monumental science accomplishments,” he said.

He added, “We’re in no hurry.”

Curiosity is a “priceless national asset,” Theisinger said, “and we are not going to, pardon the French, screw it up.”

Theisinger said they will take their time in rolling out the mission. He guaranteed it will be done at a slow, deliberate, methodical pace, and asked people to be patient.

Stay tuned – NASA officials guaranteed new discoveries every day thanks to the mission. Later this week new, bigger color picture are expected from the rover once its mastcam is active.

Follow Curiosity’s journey at http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/ , on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MarsCuriosity or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MarsCuriosity .

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

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake man was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor female.

John Ray Cook, 36, was arrested Tuesday morning, according to a report from Sgt. Nick Bennett.

Bennett said officers responded to the Clearlake Park area at 7:55 a.m. on the report of the sexual assault.

The investigation revealed that Cook allegedly had fled the area when he heard police had been called, Bennett reported.

After an extensive citywide search by Clearlake Police officers, Cook was found hiding in the rear yard of a residence on Halika Drive, Bennett said.

Officers contained the area and, with the assistance of a Clearlake Police K9 unit, Cook was taken into custody without incident, according to Bennett’s report.

Bennett said Cook was booked into the Lake County Jail for lewd and lascivious acts on a minor and false imprisonment.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Clearlake Police Det. Tim Alvarado at 707-994-8251.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – In celebration of the Olympics, featured today is an athletic young cat needing a home.

This 4-month-old female domestic long hair mix kitten is waiting for a new at Lake County Animal Care and Control.

The green-eyed girl – who is not yet spayed – was enjoying some time playing with her ball when she was caught on video. Her ball handling skills are impressive – watch how she picks the ball up with one paw.

If you’re looking for an energetic and athletic new friend, visit her in cat room kennel No. 53, ID No. 33249.

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. .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – There are many kittens and cats needing new homes at Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Kitten season is continuing, and homes which will ensure the little felines are cared for and loved are eagerly sought.

In addition, there are some very friendly adult cats that need a new chance at a home of their own.

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”).

Adult gray tabby

This male gray tabby is 1 year old.

He weighs 7.4 pounds, has a long coat and has been neutered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 11, ID 33504.

Male tabby kitten

This male brown tabby kitten is 10 weeks old.

He has a short coat and has not yet been neutered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 23, ID No. 33506.

Female gray and white tabby

This female tabby is 2 years old.

She has a short gray and white coat, gold eyes and has not yet been spayed.

Find her in cat room kennel No. 46, ID No. 33740.

Male white and gray kitten

This male white and gray tabby kitten is 9 weeks old.

He has a short coat, blue eyes and has not yet been altered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 49a, ID No. 33439.

Male white and gray kitten

This male white and gray tabby kitten is 9 weeks old.

Like his littermates, he has a short coat, blue eyes and has not yet been altered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 49b, ID No. 33440.

Male white and gray kitten

This male white and gray tabby kitten is 9 weeks old and from the same litter as the above two kittens.

He also has a short coat, blue eyes and has not yet been altered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 49c, ID No. 33441.

Domestic long hair mix

This female kitten is 4 months old.

She has a long black coat and green eyes. She has not yet been spayed.

She’s in cat room kennel No. 53, ID No. 33249.

Male white and orange tabby kitten

This male white and orange tabby kitten is 13 weeks old.

He has a short coat and blue eyes, and has not been neutered.

He’s in cat room kennel 63c, ID No. 33112.

Female white and orange tabby kitten

This female white and orange tabby kitten is 16 weeks old.

She’s got a short coat and green eyes, and has not yet been spayed.

Find her in cat room kennel 63d, ID No. 33135.

‘Sweetie Pie’

“Sweetie Pie” is a 15-week-old male domestic short hair mix.

He has gold eyes and brown tabby coloring.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 81, ID No. 33748.

Black and white domestic long hair

This domestic long hair mix kitten is 12 weeks old.

The kitten, whose gender has not been reported, has a black and white coat and gold eyes. It has not been altered.

Find the kitten in cat room kennel 95a, ID No. 33736.

Domestic long hair mix kitten

This female black and white domestic long hair mix kitten is 12 weeks old.

She has gold eyes and has not yet been altered.

She’s in cat room kennel 95b, ID No. 33737.

Male domestic long hair mix kitten

This male domestic long hair mix kitten is 12 weeks old.

He ha gold eyes and has not yet been altered.

He’s in cat room kennel 95c, ID No. 33738.

Calico kitten

This female calico kitten is 14 weeks old.

She has a short multicolored coat and gold eyes.

She’s in cat room kennel No. 97, ID No. 33871.

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. .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The service of a search warrant and continued investigation by the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force has resulted in two arrests, the seizure of over an ounce of methamphetamine and the recovery of several stolen firearms.

The investigation led to the arrest of 27-year-old Ryan Allen Messing and his girlfriend, Gina Costello, 30, both of Clearlake, according to Sgt. Steve Brooks.

Brooks said narcotics detectives first secured a search warrant for Messing's person, home and vehicle on May 4.

On May 11, detectives served the search warrant at Messing’s home on Lakeview Way in Clearlake. However, as detectives arrived they were met with numerous subjects who slowed their access into the residence, and Messing was able to escape before detectives could secure the home, Brooks said.

During a search of the home, detectives located over an ounce of methamphetamine, digital scales, and packaging materials, according to Brooks.

Brooks said they also located several firearms which were reported stolen from several burglaries which occurred in both Lake and Napa Counties. Narcotics detectives obtained a felony arrest warrant for Messing in the amount of $140,000 relating to the offenses.

Detectives later learned that Messing and Costello fled Lake County to the Central Valley. Brooks said Messing is suspected in several burglaries in Yolo County and a vehicle pursuit in Sacramento County where he evaded capture.

Charges are currently pending in those counties for both Messing and Costello relating to the burglaries and pursuit, Brooks said.

Brooks said Lake County Sheriff’s Narcotic Task Force detectives developed information that Messing and Costello had returned to Lake County.

On Friday, July 27, at approximately 7:30 a.m., narcotics detectives along with a Lake County Sheriff’s K9 deputy responded to an address on Spruce Grove Road in Lower Lake. Brooks said detectives located both Messing and Costello in a travel trailer on the property and they were detained without incident.

He said Messing was arrested on the outstanding felony warrant, while Costello was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance and being an accessory to a crime. Both Messing and Costello were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.

Messing remained in custody on Tuesday with bail set at $500,000. Costello has since posted bail and been released, according to jail records.

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

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Winery Association, a nonprofit organization that serves over 50 Lake County vintners and associate members, is hosting the second annual Lake County wine tasting event in San Francisco.

On Saturday, Sept. 8, 20 Lake County wineries will leave the mountains north of Napa Valley and drop by San Francisco to participate in the “Wines With Altitude” event at The Winery SF on Treasure Island.

“The Lake County wine region is thrilled to partner with the ultimate urban winery of San Francisco, The Winery SF,” said Monica Rosenthal, executive director of the Lake County Winery Association.  “The views at Treasure Island are breathtakingly amazing, and paired with the flavorful foods, olive oils and the compelling quality of 100-plus Lake County ‘high elevation' wines, the ‘Wines with Altitude’ event is one not to be missed, so come join us."

The Lake County Winegrape Commission is also partnering with the Lake County Winery Association to host the 'Wines with Altitude’ event at Treasure Island.

Winegrape growers produce high quality fruit that showcases Lake County’s intensity of place – climate, soils, sunlight. One hundred and seventy Lake County growers cultivate vines in an astounding array of soils, resulting in wines full of varietal fruit flavor and rich in terroir complexities.
 
Trade and media are invited to attend a private preview tasting from 11 a.m. to noon. The consumer portion of the tasting will last from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Participants will have the chance to taste over 100 high elevation wines from various wineries from the five American Viticultural Areas in Lake County, while enjoying Farm-to-Table fresh foods, music, food trucks, and local Lake County olive oils.

Participating wineries include Bullion Creek, Cougar's Leap, Glamazon Wines, Gregory Graham Wines, Langtry Estate, Laujor Estate Winery, Mt. Konocti Winery, Noggle Vineyards, Rosa d’Oro, Shannon Ridge Winery, Six Sigma Winery, Sol Rouge, Steele Wines, Thorn Hill Vineyards, Vigilance Winery and more.

To purchase tickets for this event, visit http://wineswithaltitude.eventbrite.com .

For more information, please contact Monica Rosenthal with the Lake County Winery Association at 707-355-2762.  

To learn more about the Lake County Winery Association, visit www.lakecountywineries.org , www.lakecowineawards.org or call 707-355-2762.

On an unseasonably overcast day, a pineapple brought the sun’s rays.
 
As I glanced in the direction of the large knobby fruit I had just purchased, a trade wind emitted from its spiky-leaved cap, gently brushing my cheek.
 
Grains of warm white sand were pleasantly rough against my hand as I reached for it.
 
And when I cut into it, oh my! Azure waves came rushing forward, overtaking me in their salty froth.
 
Suddenly I wasn’t in northern California, but in the tropics where golden pineapples bask in the glow of the sultry summer sun.
 
The fruit’s association with the tropics is no doubt one reason why it’s a symbol of hospitality.
 
Another is its popular status in American Colonial days when elaborate fruit displays welcomed visitors. Having a rare pineapple as the centerpiece was a grand coup.
 
Highly expensive because of the difficulty in transporting them fresh over sea, pineapples were sometimes rented from confectioners for the day to impress guests.
 
So blessed are we with the easy presence of this succulent sweet-tart fruit, its novelty is hard to imagine as we enjoy their every day availability in supermarket produce departments.
 
While we typically associate pineapples with our 50th state, the truth is that the fruit isn’t native to the Hawaiian Islands.
 
Neither are they indigenous to volcanic Caribbean isle Guadeloupe, where the first Europeans encountered them during Christopher Columbus’s landing there in 1493.
 
Historians believe pineapples originated in South American lowlands in areas now occupied by Brazil and Paraguay, making their way to the Caribbean through centuries of Indian maritime exploration and trade.
 
The Tupi Indians who lived where pineapples evolved called it “nana” or “anana,” meaning excellent fruit. Highly prized for its sweetness, this “excellent fruit” was a staple at Indian feasts and was used to make wine.
 
The English word pineapple comes from its resemblance to a pine cone in shape and texture and the general use of the term apple for any fruit.
 
And what of its relationship to Hawaii?
 
Pineapples were brought to those islands by Captain Cook in 1777, where native Hawaiians called them “halakahiki,” which means foreign fruit.
 
There was some cultivation of pineapples in Hawaii in ensuing years, but large scale production of the crop by U.S. companies didn’t begin until the early 1900s.
 
Pineapple is delicious in sweet applications, of course (cakes, toppings, muffins, fruit salad and the like), but its flavor also marries well with chicken, pork and fish.
 
Think of a baked ham with pineapple glaze, Asian chicken or pork stir-fries with chunks of the fruit, or fish or pork chops with pineapple salsa.
 
My grandmother loved to run thick slices of ham topped with rings of pineapple under the broiler, sometimes adding cheddar cheese to her old-fashioned fare.
 
Wedges of pineapple may be tossed on the grill, sweetness intensifying in the process.
 
These delicious, grill-marked discs are wonderful on their own, but also go well with chicken or burgers. They’re especially good when combined with grilled red pepper.
 
I like to dice the leftovers for use in salads the following day. My favorite is a tropical rice and bean salad, but you can also get creative with chicken, tuna or pasta.
 
While Costa Rica is the biggest exporter of pineapple, the bulk of pineapples are grown in Southeast Asia, where the fruit is popular in the cuisines of those lands.
 
Botanically speaking, the pineapple is an edible, domesticated bromeliad, meaning a tropical fruit with fleshy leaves that form water-catching receptacles.
 
When creating its fruit, the plant produces up to 200 flowers. Once this occurs, the individual fruits of the flowers join together, creating a pineapple.
 
Thus, a mature pineapple is composed of many berry-like fruitlets that fuse together around a central fibrous core.
 
Conventional growers of pineapples control flowering and fruit set with hormones so that harvest is staggered throughout the year, but organic growers (of which there are a growing number, thankfully) harvest their untreated plants in spring and summer.
 
Speaking of organic pineapple, buy it if you can find it, both for your own health and the health of others.
 
Farm workers in Costa Rica, for example, are at risk because of the chemicals used in conventionally farmed pineapple, as is their water supply.
 
In addition, because so many are used, the chemicals render the soil ecologically barren.
 
Pineapples contain a protein-digesting enzyme called bromelain, the reason pineapple juice may be employed as a marinade for meat.
 
It’s this enzyme that disrupts the setting of gelatin desserts; however, since cooking deactivates it, using canned pineapple doesn’t have the same effect.
 
The enzyme is so strong that pineapple workers have to wear gloves to prevent it from digesting the skin of their hands during constant contact.
 
One of my favorite ways to serve pineapple is to cut it in quarters lengthwise (including the leafy top so a portion is attached to each quarter) and serve wedges of the fruit in these pineapple boats.
 
To create the wedges, run a sharp knife under the flesh in each quarter close to the skin, and then cut the long triangle of fruit into slices. Add a toothpick to each slice and arrange the quarters (with their leaves attached) on a tray for presentation.
 
This healthy fruit provides a whooping 131 percent of our daily allowance of vitamin C in just one cup of it.
 
In addition, pineapple has plenty of manganese (good for bone strength), and provides fiber, vitamins B6 and B1, copper and folate.
 
The beta carotene in pineapple is great for eye health.
 
A sweet, sumptuous smell will alert us to a pineapple’s ripeness, as will a bright yellow color in the spaces between the scales on its skin.
 
Today’s recipes are refreshing pineapple popsicles (perfect for summer!) and a vibrant pineapple salsa that’s equally good with corn chips, fish, pork, and chicken. (Try it with fish tacos.)
 
If you’d like to know how to grow pineapples at home or receive a lesson in a great way to cut fresh pineapple slices, check out the links below.
 
Oh, and be sure to get your beach umbrella out before you bring that pineapple home.
 
Pineapple popsicles

3 cups chopped fresh pineapple, about 14 ounces
2/3 cup water
½ cup sugar (or sweeten as desired)
4 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Fine sea salt to taste (start with a small pinch)
 
Equipment needed:
4 to 8 popsicle molds (or plastic or paper cups)
Wooden sticks
 
In a blender, puree all ingredients. Adjust seasoning, if necessary, and pour into desired molds.
 
Freeze until slushy, about an hour, then insert sticks and freeze until firm, about 7 hours.
 
Popsicles may be made up to two days in advance. Flavor diminishes if made any earlier.
 
Recipe courtesy of www.lacucinaitalianamagazine.com .
 
Pineapple salsa

2 cups chopped pineapple (fresh preferred)
½ medium sweet onion, chopped
½ red bell pepper, chopped
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and chopped finely
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Fresh squeezed juice from one lime
Salt to taste
 
Mix all ingredients except salt in a medium bowl until evenly distributed. Season to taste with a pinch of salt.
 
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour until serving so flavors can blend.
 
Recipe courtesy of www.savorysweetlife.com .
 
How to cut a pineapple: http://www.howtocutapineapple.com/ .
 
How to grow a pineapple: http://www.rickswoodshopcreations.com/pineapple/pineapple.htm .

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. .