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Jo Fay, a retired teacher and storyteller, is part of a team conducting 18 free “Talk, Read, Sing” storytimes around Lake County in April, May and June 2019. Courtesy photo.


LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Library’s Adult Literacy Program is hosting a series of special free storytimes at an array of venues around Lake County in April, May and June.

The library invites parents, grandparents, any family members and caregivers, storytime readers and not-yet readers of any age to join Families for Literacy with their children for a fun-filled hour of reading, singing, playing and more.

Jo Fay and Martha Miller, both multi-talented local retired teachers and storytellers will conduct the “Talk, Read, Sing” storytimes.

Parents and caregivers can take home tips on sharing these fun activities with their little ones every day. Each storytime will include free books for the children and free snacks.

The Talk, Read, Sing storytimes are sponsored by a Families for Literacy grant from the California State Library. The Lake County Library in partnership with Lake Bloom is promoting these Talk, Read, Sing sessions.

The storytimes take place on Wednesdays.

On April 10, storytimes will be at Lakeport Library, 1425 N. High St. at 10:30 a.m. and at Upper Lake Library, 310 2nd Street at 2:30 p.m.

On April 17, storytimes will be at Middletown Senior Center, 21256 Washington St. at 10:30 a.m. and at Redbud Library at 14785 Burns Valley Rd. in Clearlake at 2:30 p.m.

On April 24, storytimes are at Lucerne Alpine Senior Center 3985 Country Club Drive, at 10:30 a.m. and at the Moose Lodge in 15900 Highway 20 Clearlake Oaks at 2:30 p.m.

On May 8, storytimes will be at Lakeport Library at 10:30 a.m. and Upper Lake Library at 2:30 p.m.

On May 29 storytimes will happen at Middletown Senior Center at 10:30 a.m. and at Redbud Library in Clearlake at 2:30 p.m.

June 5 will see storytimes at Lucerne Alpine Senior Center at 10:30 a.m. and at the Moose Lodge in Clearlake Oaks at 2:30 p.m.

On June 12 talk, read and sing at Middletown Library, 21256 Washington St. at 10:30 a.m. and at Redbud Library at 2:30 p.m.

On June 19 storytimes will be at Lakeport Library at 10:30 a.m. and at Upper Lake Library at 2:30 p.m.

The program finishes with storytimes on June 26, at Lucerne Alpine Senior Center at 10:30 a.m. and at the Moose Lodge in Clearlake Oaks at 2:30 p.m.

For more information about Talk, Read, Sing contact Tina Woelbling at 707-263-7633 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Lake Bloom is a locally based program that is dedicated to providing tools and resources to Lake County parents of children under 6 years of age, to help them become more engaged in talking, playing and reading with their children, to help better prepare Lake County children for kindergarten.

The full schedule of Talk, Read, Sing storytimes can also be found on the library’s events page at http://library.lakecountyca.gov. The Lake County Library is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary.

Jan Cook is a library technician at the Lake County Library.
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Homeowner Chris White receiving the keys to his home in Clearlake, Calif., from Habitat for Humanity Lake County President Richard Birk as his guests look on on Saturday, March 30, 2019. Courtesy photo.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Habitat for Humanity Lake County has dedicated the 31st house it has completed for local residents in need, this time for a veteran.

On Saturday, March 30, Habitat for Humanity Lake County welcomed Chris White into his new home in Clearlake at a dedication attended by Habitat staff and White’s friends.

Food and fellowship were shared as White received the keys to his home. The Clearlake Grocery Outlet was on hand to stock the shelves of the new home and help get White off to a great start in this new phase of his life.

White is a disabled military veteran who was, prior to his connecting with Habitat, living in a travel trailer that was about to be condemned. Hearing his plight, Habitat was eager to work with him and find a way to help.

“I’m completely overwhelmed by everything Habitat has done for me,” White said, emotion in his voice. “I’d be homeless now if not for this chance. I never thought I’d have the opportunity to have a place, never thought I’d see this day. I can’t thank everyone enough for all the chances, all the help, all the work that’s been done.”

If you are a qualifying, low-income resident of Lake County and are interested in the possibility of owning your own home, please contact Habitat for Humanity Lake County.

Call the office at 707-994-1100, Extension 106, to speak directly to our Homeownership Program staff, or come by the office at 15312 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake, Tuesday through Thursday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for a pre-application and to discuss how you too might qualify for homeownership.
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Officers took part in an Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training in Lakeport, Calif., during the first week of April 2019. Photo courtesy of the Lakeport Police Department.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – This week, dozens of law enforcement officers from around Lake and Mendocino counties participated in an active shooter response training in Lakeport.

The Lakeport Police Department coordinated the training with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which taught two 16-hour Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training, or ALERRT, sessions at Clear Lake High School, which is closed for spring break.

Participants were trained to respond alone or with a group of officers to an active shooter call with a priority of stopping the threat.

This training is part of the ALERRT program, based at Texas State University, and was certified for credit in this state by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST.

Approximately 55 officers from 12 local and state agencies attended this training including Lakeport Police Department, Clearlake Police Department, Ukiah Police Department, Willits Police Department, Cal Fire law enforcement for the Lake and Mendocino County area, California Department of Fish and Wildlife for Lake and Mendocino counties, California State Parks – Clear Lake Sector, California Highway Patrol – Clear Lake Area, Lake County District Attorney’s Office Investigations, Lake County Probation Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.

The Lakeport Police Department said this week’s training is the fourth such training class held in Lakeport over the past 10 months in which approximately 115 local officers were trained.

The agency thanked the FBI, ALERRT, POST, all attending agencies as well as the Lakeport Unified Safety Committee, Lakeport Unified School District and Clear Lake High School “for making this valuable training happen to further our ongoing effort to keep our schools and communities safe.”
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has several new dogs along with many others that continue to wait for new homes.

Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of bluetick coonhound, Brussels Griffon, Chihuahua, German Shepherd, Great Pyrenees, heeler, husky, pit bull, redbone coonhound, Rhodesian Ridgeback, shepherd and Staffordshire bull terrier.

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”).

This young male Brussels Griffon is in kennel No. 2, ID No. 11971. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male Brussels Griffon

This young male Brussels Griffon has a short tan and brown coat.

He’s in kennel No. 2, ID No. 11971.

This female Chihuahua-terrier mix is in kennel No. 3b, ID No. 11936. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Chihuahua-terrier mix

This female Chihuahua-terrier mix has a short brown and white coat.

She already has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 3b, ID No. 11936.

This male pit bull terrier is in kennel No. 7, ID No. 11970. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male pit bull

This male pit bull terrier has a short blue and gray coat.

He’s in kennel No. 7, ID No. 11970.

“Rio” is a male bluetick coonhound-shepherd mix in kennel No. 11, ID No. 11947. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Rio’

“Rio” is a male bluetick coonhound-shepherd mix with a short tricolor coat.

He already has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 11, ID No. 11947.

“Baylee” is a female pit bull terrier in kennel No. 14, ID No. 11892. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Baylee’

“Baylee” is a female pit bull terrier has a short brindle and white coat.

Shelter staff said she is good with other dogs, has lived with cats and chickens, and was raised with children.

She already has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 14, ID No. 11892.

“Maebelle” is a female pit bull terrier in kennel No. 15, ID No. 11893. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Maebelle’

“Maebelle” is a female pit bull terrier with a short brindle and white coat.

Shelter staff said she is good with other dogs, has lived with cats and chickens, and was raised with a small child.

She’s in kennel No. 15, ID No. 11893.

“Darby” is a male husky in kennel No. 16, ID No. 11933. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Darby’

“Darby” is a male husky with a medium-length black and gray coat.

He’s in kennel No. 16, ID No. 11933.

This male Staffordshire Bull Terrier is in kennel No. 17, ID No. 11943. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male Staffordshire Bull Terrier

This male Staffordshire Bull Terrier has a short buff, white and brown coat.

He’s in kennel No. 17, ID No. 11943.

This male pit bull terrier is in kennel No. 20, ID No. 11958. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male pit bull terrier

This male pit bull terrier has a short black coat.

He’s in kennel No. 20, ID No. 11958.

“Bobby Socks” is a female Staffordshire bull terrier-Rhodesian Ridgeback in kennel No. 21, ID No. 11911. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Bobby Socks’

“Bobby Socks” is a female Staffordshire bull terrier-Rhodesian Ridgeback.

She has a short red coat and has already been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 21, ID No. 11911.

“Abby” is a female German Shepherd in kennel No. 22, ID No. 9707. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Abby’

“Abby” is a female German Shepherd with a medium-length black and tan coat.

She already has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 22, ID No. 9707.

This male redbone coonhound is in kennel No. 25, ID No. 11960. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male redbone coonhound

This male redbone coonhound has a short red coat.

He’s in kennel No. 25, ID No. 11960.

“Taya” is a female pit bull terrier in kennel No. 26, ID No. 12005. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Taya’

“Taya” is a female pit bull terrier who a short tricolor coat.

He’s in kennel No. 26, ID No. 12005.

“Little Foot” is a white male Great Pyrenees is in kennel No. 27, ID No. 11854. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Little Foot’

“Little Foot” is a white male Great Pyrenees with a long white coat and gold eyes.

Shelter staff said the right home for him will not have cats, small dogs or livestock.

He’s in kennel No. 27, ID No. 11854.

This female heeler is in kennel No. 31, ID No. 11962. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female heeler

This female heeler has a medium-length black and white coat.

She’s in kennel No. 31, ID No. 11962.

This female pit bull terrier is in kennel No. 33, ID No. 11950. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female pit bull terrier

This female pit bull terrier has a short brown and white coat.

She’s in kennel No. 33, ID No. 11950.

“Bear” is a male Labrador Retriever in kennel No. 34, ID No. 11986. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Bear’

“Bear” is a male Labrador Retriever with an all-black coat.

He already has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 34, ID No. 11986.

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, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.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.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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The newest quilt block on the Lake County Quilt Trail is “Anne’s Quilt,” in memory of Anne and Bill Barquist. Photo courtesy of the Lake County Quilt Trail.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – “Anne’s Quilt” is the newest quilt block to be added to the Lake County Quilt Trail.

It has been installed on the pump house near the headstone of Anne and Bill Barquist in the Kelseyville Cemetery at 3375 Bell Hill Road.

Anne Barquists’s son, Erik Barquist, and his wife Julie have sponsored “Anne’s Quilt,” which replicates a quilt Anne made for Julie.

Anne Barquist was a prominent figure in Lake County. She operated Quilted Treasures, a quilting and fabric store in Kelseyville, was known for her skills as a piano instructor, her leadership in the local 4-H club, her volunteer activity in St. John’s Episcopal Church in Lakeport and she raised guide dogs.

She and her husband, Bill, resided in Finley. Anne Barquist was a supporter of music and donated to the Allegro Scholarship Fund as well as the local symphony.

The Lake County Quilt Trail is an agricultural and tourism project designed to promote community pride.

The 4-foot by 4-foot quilt block was drawn and painted by the Lake County Quilt Trail team.

The Lake County Quilt Trail is a group of dedicated volunteer quilters, graphic artists, painters, writers and carpenters.

For more information about the Lake County Quilt Trail visit www.lakecountyquilttrail.com or visit the group’s Facebook page.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – A team of researchers with the University of California, Berkeley, are planning a focus group this month as part of an effort to understand how Spanish-speaking residents evacuated during last year’s Mendocino Complex.

The focus will take place from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 13, at the Lakeport Courthouse Museum, 255 N. Main St.

To be eligible, participants must have been evacuated or received an evacuation order for the 2018 Mendocino Complex – which included the Ranch and River fires that began in July and continued until September – and they must speak Spanish as the primary language at home.

The focus group will be conducted in Spanish. Participants must sign up through an online form at https://berkeley.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6Sj4eewMMgXcTaJ or by calling 925-895-7897.

Participants will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis; it’s limited to one participant per household. For those chosen to participate, each person will receive a $100 Amazon Gift Card; lunch also will be served.

Stephen Wong, a UC Berkeley PhD candidate and part of the team that is conducting the focus group, said their goal is to hear the evacuation stories of Spanish-speaking individuals and develop strategies that could uniquely assist them in future disasters across California.

“We’re conducting four focus groups across California,” Wong told Lake County News.

The groups are focused on how people make decisions in evacuations. He said participants are asked what they did – if they evacuated or not – and what notifications they may have received.

“We want to get a better picture of how Spanish speakers navigated the evacuation process in the Mendocino Complex,” Wong said.

The other focus groups included low-income residents of Southern California impacted by the 2017 fires and two focus groups in Napa and Sonoma counties for the October 2017 fires for those age 65 and older and those with disabilities. Those focus groups already have taken place, he said.

Wong said they also are conducting ongoing, in-depth surveys for the 2017 Southern California fires and the 2018 Carr fire in Redding.

He said Spanish speakers may have challenges in communications and so may not understand evacuation orders.

If there aren’t contingencies in place for multiple languages, “It creates a real challenge,” said Wong, adding that it also leads to difficulties for finding resources for recovery.

Public resources often aren’t enough to shelter or evacuate everyone, and Wong said the research is looking at how the “sharing economy” – peer to peer or business to peer transactions that occur over the Internet, including private companies like Uber and Lyft – can be leveraged in such situations.

He said it opens the possibility of partnerships between public and private entities to build stronger neighborhood networks, and how a sharing economy could produce a more equitable response to a disaster.

The team will build statistical models to determine what influences a person to evacuate or not. Wong said they also will look at why people choose a public shelter, the home of a friend or family member, or why they choose to go to certain locations, such as the Bay Area or out of state.

They’re also hoping to have a specific journal article that relates to the sharing economy and whether it’s equitable or not in such situations.

Wong said the group completed a report on Hurricane Irma that goes in depth into a similar kind of modeling, looking at evacuee behavior and offering key takeaways and agency recommendations. Among their findings so far is that evacuation orders actually work.

He said the different aspects of the research will come into a final report that will be presented to policy makers and agencies as well as be published. It will document the 2017 and 2018 wildfires and the evacuation process.

Wong said an idea behind the research is that agencies can implement these ideas directly into emergency response plans and evacuation plans.

The Spanish announcement for the focus group is below.

Cuéntenos Su Historia –
Grupo Focal sobre la Evacuación del Incendio del Complejo de Mendocino.

Investigadores de la Universidad de California, Berkeley están llevando a cabo un grupo focal en el área del condado de Lake y Mendocino sobre la evacuación del incendio del complejo de Mendocino (Ranch Fire y River Fire).

Grupo Focal: Hispanohablantes
Sábado, 13 de abril: 12:00 p.m. a 2:00 p.m.
Lakeport Courthouse Museum: 255 N Main St, Lakeport, CA 95453

Requisitos
1) Haber evacuado o recibido una orden de evacuación durante el incendio del Complejo de Mendocino en 2018. (Ranch Fire o River Fire en julio)
2) Hablar español como el idioma principal en casa.

Cada persona elegida para participar recibirá una tarjeta de regalo de Amazon por $100. Los participantes serán seleccionados por orden de llegada. Solo un miembro por hogar. También se servirá almuerzo.

Si está interesado, por favor complete el siguiente formulario: https://berkeley.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6Sj4eewMMgXcTaJ o llame al 925-895-7897.

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.
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When sea-faring nations began to explore new regions of the world, one of their biggest concerns in making the journey safely was how to cope with weather.

They could harness the wind for power. They could rely on the Sun and the stars for navigation. They could build sturdy ships. But if a storm rose suddenly, they were at nature’s mercy.

More than five centuries later, our nation is once again on the cusp of exploring new worlds. And once again, one of our concerns about traveling long distances is the weather. Space weather.

While space is a vacuum – it’s not 100 percent empty. Particles, energy and magnetic fields travel through the void. Much of these emanate from the Sun’s corona, as part of a constant outward flow known as the solar wind – which stretches well beyond the orbit of Neptune.

There are also high energy particles or cosmic rays in the mix, which travel vast distances from dying stars or supernovae. Earth’s magnetic field and relatively thick atmosphere act as a shield against the most harmful forms of this radiation, but in space there is no such deterrent.

If we want to travel though this space, we need ways to protect our astronauts. These particles can affect our technology, tripping onboard electronics.

Dr. Yari Collado-Vega, Space Weather Scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center noted, “We are working hard to forecast when these particles will be at their peak, such as during solar flares or coronal mass ejections.”

Acute exposure to these solar energetic particles is a serious concern for astronauts and instruments. Therefore, having a better understanding of when to expect solar activity is important for safely sending our astronauts and spacecraft through space.

Ironically, such space weather activity can actually protect against another threat to astronauts: The sun's activity can block dangerous cosmic rays coming from other stars, which are constantly present – illustrating the complexity of the system NASA tries to understand and mitigate for our space travelers.

Over time, sea captains learned when to sail their ships and when to stay in harbor, based on their accumulated knowledge of the weather. It’s more risky to be on the water in the Caribbean during hurricane season, and you’d want to consider avoiding the Northeast coast of America during the height of winter.

Dr. Collado-Vega said, “It’s very similar to what we’re doing today. We’re constantly developing and testing new models to predict space weather. And we’re constantly seeking new data to refine those models.”

A host of heliophysics missions observe space from a variety of vantage points, not unlike terrestrial weather sensors, which work in tandem to paint a bigger picture of our space environment.

In August 2018, NASA launched the Parker Solar Probe to help us better understand the Sun’s activity, especially what drives the solar wind, and how energetic particles get accelerated.

This data could be used to improve models of space weather forecasting – ultimately helping us find new and better ways to shield our spacecraft and protect our astronauts.

Whether it was the oceans ancient ships traveled through or the space we will one day travel through, we know this: keeping a watchful eye on the environment around us is key to ensuring safe passage.

For more information about what matter’s in space, visit http://science.nasa.gov.
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MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Silver Foundation will host its third annual Senior Summit on Saturday, April 27.

The summit, a special day dedicated to Lake County seniors and elders, will be held at Twin Pine Casino and Hotel Event Center in Middletown from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Entry is free to seniors age 60 and over.

The popular event has exceeded expectations in prior years, organizers said.

“We are planning for 250,” said event organizer Olga Martin Steele. “We can add a few more but we are asking folks to pre-register by April 19 to ensure we have enough food and seats.”

Online registration is the best way to sign up but those who prefer can register by calling 707-998-1302. Another way to register is by filling out paper applications, which will be available at most senior centers in the county.

The theme for the third annual summit is health and wellness. The Silver Foundation has again partnered with Hospice Services of Lake County, which is taking reservations for the vendor fair booths.

“We’ll have 25 booths with information to help us stay healthy in our silver years. Every booth will be loaded with useful information you must have,” said Foundation Board member Gene Paleno.

Those interested in reserving a booth should contact Kristy Weiss of Hospice Services at 707-263-6270, Extension 112, or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

“The event will feature a fabulous lunch, entertainment by the Clearlake Clikkers and the Mendo-Lake Singers, information booths, raffles every 30 minutes, Inspirational Senior Awards, a keynote speaker and more,” said Silver Foundation founder and president, Jim Steele. “And for those who enjoy a game of chance, the event hosts, the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians, are throwing in some free play to boot.”

“I attended the first and second summits. It’s just wonderful to see our silver generation treated with such honor and respect,” said Rae Eby-Carl, also a foundation board member said. “I will be at the registration desk along with other volunteers to greet everyone that comes through the door. I can’t wait to see all the familiar faces as well as newcomers.”

Inspired by seniors for seniors, the day is one of a kind.

“There’s nothing else like this in Lake County,” said Jim Steele. “One of the event highlights is when we give out the Inspirational Senior Awards. It gives you a sense of how much seniors have done for, and given back to, the community.”

For information on how you can support the Silver Foundation or to sponsor this year or next year’s Senior Summit, call 707-998-1302 or visit www.lakecountysilverfoundation.com.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Pacific storms are moving over Northern California, bringing more rain, mountain snow and high winds.

The National Weather Service said a series of storms are lined up over the Pacific, ready to move into Northern California over the next few days.

Forecasters said the heaviest rain and mountain snow is expected on Friday afternoon as the strongest of these systems passes through.

A forecast of heavy winds and rain has led the National Weather Service to issuing a wind advisory that will in effect through 8 p.m. Friday.

The advisory covers Lake County’s northern mountain area.

It calls of winds up to 45 miles per hour, which could lead to downed trees, power outages and difficult driving conditions, the agency said.

The Lake County forecast also anticipates winds elsewhere in the county, with gusts above 25 miles per hour.

At the same time, rain and possible thunderstorms are predicted for Friday, with rainy conditions forecast to continue through Tuesday evening.

Conditions are expected to be clear from Tuesday evening through Wednesday night, with chances of showers on Thursday.

Daytime temperatures through Thursday will range from the high 40s to low 50s over the weekend, and into the high 50s and low 50s next week. Nighttime temperatures will range from the low to mid 40s through next week.

Clear Lake’s level continues to remain in “monitor” stage, which is above 8 feet Rumsey, the special measure for Clear Lake.

Early Friday the lake was above 8.15 feet Rumsey. Its level has continued to decline in recent weeks, despite continued rain.

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.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – While full regulations are still being created for the introduction of industrial hemp in California, the Board of Supervisors this week decided against a temporary moratorium on the crop, deciding instead to explore how hemp growing can be allowed locally.

The board will continue the discussion in an untimed item at its meeting next week.

Hemp has been grown for centuries in the United States, with George Washington including it among his crops at his estate, Mount Vernon, using it for rope, boat sails and thread for clothing.

Today it’s used for food, fiber, lotions and oils, and even types of plastic, and it’s grown in many other countries, including Canada.

The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 made it illegal in the United States because of its relation to marijuana, even though it has a very low level of THC, the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis.

However, last year, industrial hemp was legalized nationwide as part of the farm bill.

Now, while rules are being formulated, there are concerns about how to handle the crop’s introduction.

For the cannabis industry, hemp is a major concern because if hemp and cannabis plants cross-pollinate, the result is that the quality and strength of cannabis plants can be degraded.

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Hajik told the board on Tuesday that he was not pushing for anything, but he raised significant concerns that appeared to favor a temporary moratorium, citing the unfinished regulations, challenges and workload.

He also provided urgency ordinances regarding the crop from neighboring Mendocino and Yolo counties and an industrial hemp white paper from the California Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer Association.

His written report explained that the industrial Hemp Program is a joint federal, state and county program. It’s considered to be an agricultural commodity by the federal and state government, but there are additional regulations associated with it, and the proposed US Department of Agriculture regulations will be out this fall and finalized in 2020.

He said the state regulations are being developed and have to be approved by the USDA, but the federal government will allow the state regulations since the USDA cannot approve them until their own regulations are finalized. “This arrangement will be in effect only until the end of 2019,” Hajik wrote.

With both state and federal regulations still being written, Hajik said some counties have adopted temporary moratoriums until they are finalized, a measure meant to allow the regulations to catch up with the registration process.

As of Tuesday, Hajik said that 20 counties have or are expected to have a moratorium, 23 counties don’t and 15 counties haven’t decided either way.

He noted that, on that very day, Sonoma County also was considering a moratorium.

On Tuesday, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors moved forward with putting a moratorium in place on hemp, as did the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors.

“What makes this so bad that the state feels the need to get involved at all? I just don’t get it,” said Supervisor Rob Brown.

Hajik said there is pressure to do something from hemp industry.

“Hemp is a commodity that we could benefit from here in Lake County,” said Brown, who has remained a firm opponent of cannabis.

“I agree,” said Hajik.

Hajik explained that, for him, the bottom line is that cannabis is easy for his department to handle. He said they have 17 inspections over a year and a half. With hemp, every site will need to be inspected for its THC content 30 days before harvest, the same time as the summer pear harvest is taking place. He said he'll choose pears over hemp.

Hemp with a THC level of more than 0.3 of 1 percent cannot be sold and must be destroyed. Concerns Hajik noted during the discussion included the fact that growers registering before the program regulations are fully developed could be taking a risk, and he questioned whether the county can legally require a crop to be destroyed.

Hajik said he will be required to run the hemp program and he doesn’t have enough staffing to do it. Without a moratorium, he will be obligated to register hemp growers, and he was concerned there will be a rush of growers. Hajik also questioned if hemp qualifies for right to farm protections; he didn’t think so.

During the meeting the board heard from those who wanted to grow it and had enough land to buffer it and from cannabis growers who didn’t want it because it would harm their crops.

Cobb grower Lance Williams, who has experience with both cannabis and hemp, said he was concerned that someone with hemp seeds and not much knowledge could cause disaster for the cannabis industry, so he suggested a pilot project.

Another grower, Michael Wagner, pointed out that Oregon has been allowing both crops for years, with buffers and seed sourcing, so the county could look north for guidance.

He said the value of imported hemp fibers has been valued at $50, and that in 2018 the USDA estimated total hemp industry to be worth roughly $4 billion.

“Obviously there’s the right way to do it and the wrong way to do it,” he said, adding that it didn’t seem right to keep people from growing it but that it needed to be done correctly.

Supervisor Moke Simon, also tribal chair for Middletown Rancheria, said the county’s seven tribal nations are looking at hemp as an economic opportunity, and he said the county can’t put a moratorium on the tribes. He noted that it’s a clean biofuel.

County Counsel Anita Grant pointed out that there are a number of jurisdictions that regulate hemp through use permits, with zoning being critical.

She said the board might want to consider looking at examples of how zoning could occur and determine what would work best for Lake County. Grant said she could bring back examples at the April 9 board meeting, and the supervisors agreed.

Her report for the April 9 meeting notes, “Some counties have now developed or are in the process of developing land use ordinances that will allow both business concerns to coexist. Inyo County has passed an ordinance that limits industrial hemp activities to take place in certain zones and which requires a conditional use permit for all hemp activities. Another county has determined to allow limited commercial cannabis cultivation in industrially-zoned areas and to allow industrial hemp in those same areas.”

She added, “Whether your Board determines to impose a temporary moratorium on industrial hemp cultivation or to take a wait-and-see approach in anticipation of the impending State regulations, there is nothing to prevent you from exercising your land use authority to initiate the development of an ordinance establishing the parameters within which you wish this type of cultivation to occur so to ensure the viability of both industrial hemp cultivation and cannabis cultivation. This may include determining the zones in which industrial hemp cultivation will be allowed, implementing requirements for buffers, deciding whether and how best to utilize conditional use permits to ensure compatibility with other commercial businesses, and promulgating other requirements not in conflict with State law.”

She reported that both her office and the Community Development Department will provide the board will options to pursue at the April 9 meeting.

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.
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This graphic shows the ring moons inspected by NASA's Cassini spacecraft in super-close flybys. The rings and moons depicted are not to scale. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

New findings have emerged about five tiny moons nestled in and near Saturn's rings.

The closest-ever flybys by NASA's Cassini spacecraft reveal that the surfaces of these unusual moons are covered with material from the planet's rings — and from icy particles blasting out of Saturn's larger moon Enceladus.

The work paints a picture of the competing processes shaping these mini-moons.

"The daring, close flybys of these odd little moons let us peer into how they interact with Saturn's rings," said Bonnie Buratti of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Buratti led a team of 35 co-authors that published their work in the journal Science on March 28. "We're seeing more evidence of how extremely active and dynamic the Saturn ring and moon system is."

The new research, from data gathered by six of Cassini's instruments before its mission ended in 2017, is a clear confirmation that dust and ice from the rings accretes onto the moons embedded within and near the rings.

Scientists also found the moon surfaces to be highly porous, further confirming that they were formed in multiple stages as ring material settled onto denser cores that might be remnants of a larger object that broke apart. The porosity also helps explain their shape: Rather than being spherical, they are blobby and ravioli-like, with material stuck around their equators.

"We found these moons are scooping up particles of ice and dust from the rings to form the little skirts around their equators," Buratti said. "A denser body would be more ball-shaped because gravity would pull the material in."

"Perhaps this process is going on throughout the rings, and the largest ring particles are also accreting ring material around them. Detailed views of these tiny ring moons may tell us more about the behavior of the ring particles themselves," said Cassini Project Scientist Linda Spilker, also at JPL.

Of the satellites studied, the surfaces of those closest to Saturn – Daphnis and Pan – are the most altered by ring materials.

The surfaces of the moons Atlas, Prometheus and Pandora, farther out from Saturn, have ring material as well – but they’re also coated with the bright icy particles and water vapor from the plume spraying out of Enceladus. (A broad outer ring of Saturn, known as the E ring, is formed by the icy material that fans out from Enceladus' plume.)

The key puzzle piece was a data set from Cassini's Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer, or VIMS, which collected light visible to the human eye and also infrared light of longer wavelengths.

It was the first time Cassini was close enough to create a spectral map of the surface of the innermost moon Pan. By analyzing the spectra, VIMS was able to learn about the composition of materials on all five moons.

VIMS saw that the ring moons closest to Saturn appear the reddest, similar to the color of the main rings. Scientists don't yet know the exact composition of the material that appears red, but they believe it's likely a mix of organics and iron.

The moons just outside the main rings, on the other hand, appear more blue, similar to the light from Enceladus' icy plumes.

The six uber-close flybys of the ring moons, performed between December 2016 and April 2017, engaged all of Cassini's optical remote sensing instruments that study the electromagnetic spectrum. They worked alongside the instruments that examined the dust, plasma and magnetic fields and how those elements interact with the moons.

Questions remain, including what triggered the moons to form. Scientists will use the new data to model scenarios and could apply the insights to small moons around other planets and possibly even to asteroids.

"Do any of the moons of the ice giant planets Uranus and Neptune interact with their thinner rings to form features similar to those on Saturn's ring moons?" Buratti asked. "These are questions to be answered by future missions."

Cassini's mission ended in September 2017, when it was low on fuel. Mission controllers deliberately plunged Cassini into Saturn's atmosphere rather than risk crashing the spacecraft into the planet's moons. More science from the last orbits, known as the Grand Finale, will be published in the coming months.

The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. NASA's JPL, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed, developed and assembled the Cassini orbiter. The radar instrument was built by JPL and the Italian Space Agency, working with team members from the U.S. and several European countries.

More information about Cassini can be found at https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/cassini.


This montage of views from NASA's Cassini spacecraft shows three of the small, ring moons inspected during close flybys: Atlas, Daphnis and Pan. They're shown here at the same scale. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute.
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California drivers continue to shift their focus away from the road and onto their phones, despite the risks associated with multitasking behind the wheel.

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the California Office of Traffic Safety, or OTS, the California Highway Patrol and Impact Teen Drivers, or ITD, will be working together throughout the month to educate drivers on the importance of traveling free of distractions, as well as cracking down on drivers who violate the state’s hands-free cell phone law.

“Cell phones are working against us in the fight against distracted driving,” OTS Director Rhonda Craft said. “The hope is that a combination of education and enforcement will drive people to change bad behaviors for the better.”

According to preliminary data from the CHP, 66 people were killed and more than 6,500 injured in 2017 from distracted driving related crashes.

In 2018, the CHP issued more than 109,000 citations for violations of the hands-free cell phone laws.

On April 4 and April 18, the CHP will conduct a statewide enforcement effort to discourage distracted driving.

“Through a combination of high visibility enforcement efforts, a focused education campaign, and cooperation from the motoring public, preliminary data shows the number of inattentive drivers involved in crashes is on the decline,” said CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley. “Ultimately, the goal is to increase voluntary compliance with the law, while keeping people safe on the road.”

A 2018 observational study by the OTS on driver cell phone use found that approximately 4.5 percent of drivers were seen using a cell phone, a nearly 27 percent increase from 2017, but down from 2016, when 7.6 percent of drivers were observed using a cell phone.

“Clearly, there’s more work to be done to curb distracted driving,” Craft said. “The observational survey gives us an idea on where we stand and that we still have our work cut out for us.”

Impact Teen Drivers partners with traffic safety organizations across the state to educate California’s newest drivers on the dangers and consequences of reckless and distracted driving. Driver distraction is the primary cause of crashes involving teen drivers.

“Each year, we could fill eight large yellow school buses with the number of teens we lose to preventable car crashes in California alone,” Impact Teen Drivers Executive Director Dr. Kelly Browning said. “The first week of April is also California Teen Safe Driving Week, and it’s a good time to remind everyone that we need to always keep two hands on the wheel, two eyes on the road, and most importantly keep our mind focused on our driving. Remember to be an alert and engaged passenger at all times – after all, fifty percent of the teen driving fatalities last year were passengers being driven by another teen driver.”

Distracted driving laws have been on the books since 2008. The CHP and the OTS remind drivers that under the 2017 hands-free cell phone law, drivers are not allowed to hold a wireless telephone or electronic wireless communications device while driving a motor vehicle.

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