California State Controller Betty T. Yee announced that payments from the Lottery Education Fund to school districts, higher educational institutions and state agencies for the 2014-15 fiscal year totaled $1.39 billion.

The controller transmits the money each quarter to county treasurers, who apportion it to school districts.

The controller makes direct quarterly payments to the University of California and Hastings College of the Law, and deposits funds for state departments.

Payments are based on lottery income and unclaimed online prizes. In the 2013-14 fiscal year, payments from the Lottery Educational Fund totaled $1.35 billion.

The report showed that Lake County received just over $1.5 million in lottery funds in the 2014-15 fiscal year.

A breakdown of funds to educational entities and counties follows.

Entity                                                                              Amount paid
K-12 Schools                                                                  $1,113,267,781
Community Colleges                                                      $196,204,535
California State University                                              $49,308,817
University of California                                                   $31,768,586
CA Dept. of Developmental Services                            $265,104
Hastings College of the Law                                          $120,951
CA Dept. of Education State Special Schools               $116,977
CA Dept. of Youth Authority                                           $49,076

Total fiscal year payments by county
County                       Amount paid
Alameda                    $49,147,856
Alpine                         $20,070
Amador                      $714,481
Butte                            $7,252,211
Calaveras                  $991,029
Colusa                        $760,925
Contra Costa            $36,808,994
Del Norte                   $731,286
El Dorado                 $4,912,174
Fresno                       $40,270,508
Glenn                         $1,017,774
Humboldt                  $4,017,818
Imperial                     $7,566,049
Inyo                            $889,418
Kern                          $34,812,835
Kings                        $5,010,371
Lake                          $1,516,979
Lassen                     $1,100,861
Los Angeles           $343,598,259
Madera                    $5,404,846
Marin                        $6,584,326
Mariposa                 $305,853
Mendocino             $2,723,989
Merced                    $11,276,943
Modoc                     $242,667
Mono                       $337,923
Monterey                $16,062,446
Napa                       $4,735,817
Nevada                  $2,089,737
Orange                  $110,011,819
Placer                    $14,257,395
Plumas                  $730,199
Riverside              $80,627,501
Sacramento         $51,248,692
San Benito           $1,828,303
San Bernardino  $78,446,356
San Diego            $106,966,050
San Francisco     $13,312,265
San Joaquin        $27,273,537
San Luis Obispo  $7,561,474
San Mateo             $19,983,797
Santa Barbara     $16,076,694
Santa Clara          $60,440,102
Santa Cruz            $8,888,170
Shasta                   $5,546,752
Sierra                     $63,119
Siskiyou                $1,335,208
Solano                  $12,652,118
Sonoma               $15,511,505
Stanislaus           $21,260,905
Sutter                    $3,947,216
Tehama                $1,814,804
Trinity                    $262,793
Tulare                   $19,618,988
Tuolumne            $1,019,300
Ventura                $29,475,315
Yolo                       $5,052,508
Yuba                     $3,354,986

As the chief fiscal officer of California, Controller Yee is responsible for accountability and disbursement of the state’s financial resources. The controller also safeguards many types of property until claimed by the rightful owners, and has independent auditing authority over government agencies that spend state funds.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Do stars really “shoot” across the night sky?

They don’t, but meteors do! And December has a great meteor show in store for you.

The evening and early morning of Dec. 13 and 14 features the Geminids meteor shower. With no interference from the moon, this promises to be one of the year’s best!

Grab a comfortable lawn chair, dress in warm clothing, find a dark location, lean back and enjoy the show.

You can view the shower most any time it gets dark, but the most meteors can be seen in the wee hours of the morning (around 2 a.m.).

You don’t need to look at any specific part of the sky. In fact, you can spend time exploring December’s constellations while waiting for a streaking meteor to appear.

The Geminids occur when the earth passes through debris left in the orbit of an asteroid named 3200 Phaeton.

As small chunks of debris enter the earth’s atmosphere, they burn up as they streak across the sky. It’s no wonder they are sometimes called shooting stars.

John Zimmerman is a resident of Lake County and has been an amateur astronomer for over 50 years. For more information about Astronomy and local resources, visit his Web site at www.lakecountyskies.com .

Astronomers harnessing the combined power of NASA's Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes have found the faintest object ever seen in the early universe.

It existed about 400 million years after the big bang, 13.8 billion years ago.

The team has nicknamed the object Tayna, which means "first-born" in Aymara, a language spoken in the Andes and Altiplano regions of South America.

Though Hubble and Spitzer have detected other galaxies that are record-breakers for distance, this object represents a smaller, fainter class of newly-forming galaxies that until now have largely evaded detection.

These very dim objects may be more representative of the early universe, and offer new insight on the formation and evolution of the first galaxies.

"Thanks to this detection, the team has been able to study for the first time the properties of extremely faint objects formed not long after the big bang," said lead author Leopoldo Infante, an astronomer at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.

The remote object is part of a discovery of 22 young galaxies at ancient times located nearly at the observable horizon of the universe. This research is a substantial increase in the number of known very distant galaxies.

The results are published in the Dec. 3 issue of The Astrophysical Journal.

The new object is comparable in size to the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a diminutive satellite galaxy of our Milky Way. It is rapidly making stars at a rate ten times faster than the LMC. The object might be the growing core of what will likely evolve into a full-sized galaxy.

The small and faint galaxy was only seen thanks to a natural "magnifying glass" in space. As part of its Frontier Fields program, Hubble observed a massive cluster of galaxies, MACS0416.1-2403, located roughly 4 billion light-years away and weighing as much as a million billion suns.

This giant cluster acts as a powerful natural lens by bending and magnifying the light of far more distant objects behind it.

Like a zoom lens on a camera, the cluster's gravity boosts the light of the distant protogalaxy to make it look 20 times brighter than normal.

The phenomenon is called gravitational lensing and was proposed by Albert Einstein as part of his General Theory of Relativity.

Its distance was estimated by building a color profile from combined Hubble and Spitzer observations. The expansion of the universe causes the light from distant galaxies to be stretched or reddened with increasing distance.

Though many of the galaxy's new stars are intrinsically blue-white, their light has been shifted into infrared wavelengths that are measurable by Hubble and Spitzer. Absorption by intervening cool intergalactic hydrogen also makes the galaxies look redder.

This finding suggests that the very early universe will be rich in galaxy targets for the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope to uncover.

Astronomers expect that Webb will allow us to see the embryonic stages of galaxy birth shortly after the big bang.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake's annual Christmas parade and tree lighting ceremony on Saturday night was packed with entertainment.

Students from Konocti Unified School District brought to life the "Winter Wonderland" theme of the parade, which was held on Lakeshore Drive to Austin Park.

Konocti Education Center Performing Arts School took first place among a field of 12 parade entries. The students, big and small, entertained the crowd with a merry song and dance number.

Second place went to Lower Lake High School's troupe of performing cheerleaders and drumline team led by Mr. and Mrs. Claus and the school's Trojan mascot.

Clearlake RV and Resort rolled into third place with its festively-decorated motorcycle tricycles and trailers.

Following the procession, Clearlake Councilman Russ Perdock welcomed the crowd to Austin Park, where Parade Princess Zoey Lindstrom held the honor of lighting the city's Christmas tree.

The Konocti Education Center Performing Arts School Choir and Lower Lake High's "Blue Notes" Show Choir dazzled the crowd, respectively, before and after the tree lighting while Santa sat for pictures with the children and the Lakeshore Lions and Lioness served hot cocoa and cookies.

Clearlake Vice Mayor Gina Fortino Dickson and Councilman Bruno Sabatier announced other crowd-pleasing entries such as that of the Clearlake Car Club, Moose Lodge No. 2284 and the Lake County Diamonds All Star cheer and tumbling team.

Email reporter Denise Rockenstein at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Police arrested a Lakeport woman on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol early Saturday after she crashed her vehicle into a power pole and a fence.

Alicia Marie Smith, 29, was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, according to Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.

At 2:20 a.m. Saturday Lakeport Police officers were dispatched to the 2300 block of Lakeshore Boulevard to investigate the report of a vehicle crashed into a power pole, Rasmussen said.

The first officer arrived on scene within three minutes and found that a blue 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue GX had crashed head-on into a fence and power pole, according to Rasmussen.

Rasmussen said the power pole was sheared off at about 5 feet, with the lower section of it wedged under the vehicle and the upper section leaning against the vehicle. 

Officers located the driver, Alicia Smith, standing near the vehicle. She was the only person who had been in the car at the time of the wreck, Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen said officers requested that the Lakeport Fire Protection District respond to evaluate Smith for injuries and she was determined to be uninjured.

The officers noticed that Smith was displaying obvious signs and symptoms of intoxication and she admitted to consuming four to five drinks. Rasmussen said officers administered a series of field sobriety tests which she was unable to pass. 

He said the officers also determined that, based on the results of a preliminary alcohol screening device, Smith’s blood alcohol level at the time of the collision was approximately .21 percent, about two and a half times the legal limit.

Smith was arrested and transported to the Lakeport Police Department for questioning and blood alcohol testing by breath on the California Department of Justice blood alcohol breath machine.

Afterward, she was taken to the Lake County Jail and booked for drunk driving, Rasmussen said.

Jail records showed she was booked on a misdemeanor DUI charge, with bail set at $5,000. She later posted the required percentage of bail and was released.

PG&E responded to the scene to repair the damaged power pole, according to Rasmussen.

Rasmussen said Smith's crash was the second one involving drunk driving in the city of Lakeport over a three-day period.

“We ask that all drivers keep our streets safe and not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” Rasmussen said. “Call a friend, family member or a taxi, it is not worth risking other people’s lives.”

Community members are asked to call 911 to report all suspected drunk drivers on streets and highways.

Rasmussen said Lakeport Police patrol officers will continue to aggressively search for those choosing to drive impaired and endangering the city's streets. 

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The holiday season is here, and with it comes weeks filled with festive events, from visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus to concerts, plays, craft fairs and open houses.

While Lakeport and Kelseyville held their main Christmas events earlier this week, a variety of holiday celebrations open to the community and spanning the rest of the month are listed below in date order.

Victorian Christmas Faire and High Teas

LAKEPORT – Innkeeper Karan Mackey, her mother Ruth, and Karan’s sisters Jill and Marlene have transformed the rooms of the Lakeport English Inn to feature magical angels among the holiday decorations and English tea settings for this year’s “Victorian Christmas Faire and High Teas.” 

The faire is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 20. Admission to the faire is free.

High tea at the inn, 675 N. Main St., Lakeport, is served every Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the faire with seatings at noon and 3 p.m. Tea reservations are required. Call 707-263-4317 to reserve space and inquire about prices.

Lake County Theatre Co. presents 'A Tuna Christmas'

LOWER LAKE – The Lake County Theatre Co. is staging “A Tuna Christmas” through Dec. 20 at the Lower Lake Schoolhouse Museum's Weaver Auditorium.

The play follows the Christmas yard display contest in the fictional small town of Tuna, Texas, and the “Christmas Phantom” that is vandalizing the displays.

Performances are at 7 p.m. Dec. 5, 12, 18 and 19, and at 2 p.m. Dec. 6, 13 and 20.

Ticket prices range between $12 and $15 – add $3 if purchased at the door – and are available at www.lakecountytheatrecompany.org , at Pieces Boutique, 155 N. Main St. in Lakeport, or at the Game Hub, 9800 Highway 53 in Lower Lake.

For more information call 707-533-3406 or 707-995-3565. The Lower Lake Schoolhouse Museum is located at 16435 Morgan Valley Road.

Clearlake Christmas celebration

CLEARLAKE – The annual Clearlake Christmas Parade takes place beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, and will follow a route from Redbud Park to Austin Park on Lakeshore Drive.

This year's theme is "Winter Wonderland," and participants of all ages are being sought.

The parade will culminate with the annual tree lighting ceremony at Austin Park, where Santa and Mrs. Claus will be waiting to take pictures with all the children.

Parents are advised to bring their own cameras as a photographer will not be provided.

Hot chocolate and cookies will be provided by the Lakeshore Lions and Lioness. 

'Gift of Wine Holiday Open House'

LAKE COUNTY – Twenty-six Lake County wine producers will offer wines, gift ideas, and food pairings for you to enjoy as you sip, savor and shop at the third annual Give the Gift of Wine Holiday Open House from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, and Sunday, Dec. 6.

The Holiday Open House is free. To see a full list of this year’s participating locations, visit www.lakecountywineries.org/holiday .

Cache Creek Winery in Clearlake Oaks will host its second annual holiday charity faire on Saturday, Dec. 5. Local charities Tango Mike, Lake Family Resource Center, and People Services are decorating Christmas trees and will be vying for your votes.

Holiday Gift and Craft Bazaar

LAKEPORT – The Lake County Fairgrounds will play host to the Holiday Gift and Craft Bazaar on Saturday, Dec. 5, and Sunday, Dec. 6.

The craft and gift fair will take place in Lewis Hall from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free.

There will be food in Barty’s Café and demos from some of the makers. More than 50 vendors will be presenting gift giving ideas and wonderful crafts. 

Santa is taking time from his busy schedule to have photos taken with him and the children from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days in Lewis Hall. Packages are available for as low as $5.

The Lake County Fair is located at 401 Martin St., Lakeport. For more information, please call 707-263-6181.

Upper Lake Christmas tree lighting, parade

UPPER LAKE – The town of Upper Lake will host its annual Christmas celebration on Saturday, Dec. 5, with the theme of “A Country Christmas.”

The event begins at 6 p.m. downtown with the tree lighting ceremony. The parade will begin at approximately 6:30 p.m. with the line up starting at the Upper Lake High School and middle school parking lots.

Santa arrives after the parade to listen to each child's Christmas wish and presents an excellent photo opportunity for the parents, so don't forget to bring your cameras.

This year the Upper Lake 4-H will be selling pulled pork sandwiches, slaw and chips. The Upper Lake Senior Support Services will be offering bread pudding and hot chocolate.

The eighth grade class from Upper Lake Middle School will serve a lighter fare of hot dogs and popcorn, and the sixth grade class from Upper Lake Elementary are preparing "cocoa in a jar" and "reindeer food" to sell.

'Christmas in Connecticut' showings

LAKEPORT – The 1945 comedy, “Christmas in Connecticut,” starring Barbara Stanwyck and Sydney Greenstreet, screens at the Soper Reese Theatre in Lakeport on Tuesday, Dec. 8, with show times at 1 and 6 p.m.

The story is about a war hero (Dennis Morgan) who wins a Christmas dinner to be prepared by a popular magazine’s housekeeping expert (Stanwyck) in her lovely rural home in Connecticut. The publicity stunt, dreamed up by the magazine publisher (Greenstreet), fails to take into account that the expert doesn’t live in Connecticut and she can’t cook.

It’s the perfect screwball farce and a perennial holiday favorite.

Entry to the film is by donation. The Soper Reese Theatre is located at 275 S. Main St., Lakeport, 707-263-0577, www.soperreesetheatre.com .

South Lake Fire hosts an evening with Santa and Mrs. Claus

MIDDLETOWN – Santa Claus is coming to Middletown, and his first stop is at the Middletown Fire Station from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10.

In lieu of holding its annual Candy Cane Run this year, the South Lake County Fire Department is inviting the entire community to the fire station at 21095 Highway 175 for an evening with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

There will be toys and gifts for children of all ages, as well as music, hot cocoa, cookies, popcorn and photos.

Lower Lake Schoolhouse Museum holiday open house, tree

LOWER LAKE – Celebrate the holidays at the Lower Lake Schoolhouse Museum from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11.

The tree lighting starts at 5:30 p.m., with Santa arriving shortly thereafter on a fire truck.

Afterwards, everyone is invited into the museum where Santa Claus will give out candy canes, take pictures with children and sit around the player piano in the parlor for a sing-along. Cookies and hot cider will round out this great family-fun holiday event.

The Lower Lake Schoolhouse Museum is located at 16435 Main St.

Wreaths Across America

LAKE COUNTY – Local volunteers and community groups will lay wreaths on the graves of veterans at several cemeteries around Lake County from 9 to 10 a.m.

For more information, contact Toni Funderburg at 707-263-5422.

Rotary Club of Clear Lake Community Christmas Dinner and Celebration

CLEARLAKE – The Rotary Club of Clear Lake will hold its 23rd annual Community Christmas Dinner and Celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, in the Burns Valley School multipurpose room, 3620 Pine St.

Santa and his elves will be on hand to visit with children, who will receive a photo and a toy.

The free event includes a dinner of ham, scalloped potatoes, yams, vegetables and rolls, and pumpkin pie and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Take home meals are available for a family member who cannot attend. Meals On Wheels delivers the warm meal to the seniors on their list.

The Warm for the Winter program will give away new and gently used coats, warm clothing, sleeping bags and blankets to those in need.

Scandinavian Christmas Open House

KELSEYVILLE – The Sons of Norway Vikings of Lake Lodge No. 6-166 will host its Scandinavian Christmas Open House on Saturday, Dec. 12, from noon to 3 p.m. at the Galilee Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 8860 Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville. Admission is free.

There will be Scandinavian Christmas décor with assorted delicacies to enjoy, including Danish Æbleskiver, Krumkake, Rømmegrøt, Lefse, Vafler, open-faced sandwiches and much more.

There also will be the annual Santa Lucia Pageant at 1 p.m. and the singing of Christmas carols around the Christmas tree at 1:30 p.m.

A Viking raffle will feature beautiful baskets filled with goodies, handmade ceramic pieces and jellies. Norwegian, Danish and Swedish calendars will be offered for sale for $12 each, as well as Scandinavian cookies, Lefse and almond cakes available for purchase.

The event proceeds benefit the lodge's Adopt-A-School Community Service Project for Cobb Mountain Elementary School.

For more information call Jo Swenson at 707-279-4698.

Christmas in Middletown

MIDDLETOWN – Christmas in Middletown will take place from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12.

The day will kick off at noon at the South Lake County Fire Station with a celebration of community and a free pasta lunch with all of the fixings for South Lake County residents.

Santa will be on hand, giving out gift certificates to local merchants for the children, there will be music and carols by local students and the Lake County Fire Victims Relief Fund will present an $800,000 check that will be distributed to residents who lost their homes to the Valley fire over the next several weeks.

In addition, local heroes will be honored at the lunch for their unwavering commitment to the South Lake County community during the Valley fire and the continued recovery efforts.

From 4 to 8 p.m., the celebration moves to downtown, with lights decorating Middletown from one end to the other and Christmas trees lining Calistoga Street.

All Middletown area businesses will be open late for shopping, dining and a Christmas celebration.

Join in the ever-popular “Passport to Fun.” Children and adults alike love visiting the participating businesses to collect stamps in their passports and be eligible to win gift certificates from the local businesses.

Santa will arrive at the new Middletown Park in front of the Senior Center and Library building on a fire truck at 5:30 p.m., with photo opportunities for families while Mrs. Claus gives away stuffed animals to the children.

There will be a band and food booths in Middletown Plaza. Vendors will have booths in the park (no food).

The Middletown Art Center is having an art opening and the MAMA Booth and fire pit with music will be at the corner of 175 and 29.

Pony rides and more vendors (food OK) will be available in front of Organic Home Lifestyles.

Funky Dozen Christmas Concert

LAKEPORT – A “Funky Dozen” celebration of Christmas comes to the Soper Reese Theatre at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18.

Led by Larry Thompson, the band focuses primarily on favorites from the 1970’s, but also pulls the best from the 80’s and 90’s, to provide high energy music that keeps the dance floor crowded.

All seats for this special “Third Friday Live” holiday celebration are $15.

Tickets are available online at www.SoperReeseTheatre.com ; at the theater box office, 275 S. Main St., Lakeport on Fridays 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; by phone at 707-263-0577; or at The Travel Center, 1265 S. Main, Lakeport, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lake County Symphony Christmas Celebration

LAKEPORT – The Lake County Symphony will host its annual Christmas Celebration on Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Soper Reese Theatre, 275 S. Main St., Lakeport.

There will be an open rehearsal at 11 a.m., with tickets costing $5 for adults children age 18 and under offered free admittance.

The main concert will begin at 3 p.m., with $25 for general assigned seats and $30 for premium assigned seats. There is a $5 discount for Lake County Symphony Association members.

Holiday favorites including “Sleigh Ride” and “Let it Snow” will be performed, and there will be an audience sing-along of the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel's “Messiah.”

Tickets are available online at www.SoperReeseTheatre.com ; at the theater box office, 275 S. Main St., Lakeport on Fridays 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; by phone at 707-263-0577; or at The Travel Center, 1265 S. Main, Lakeport, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The National Weather Service is predicting more rain this week thanks to a very wet series of storms set to arrive on Wednesday.

Forecasters issued a special weather statement for Lake County and other parts of Northern California that are expected to be impacted by the storms.

Moist Pacific air is forecast to bring a wet pattern to Northern California from Wednesday through Friday, with periods of moderate to heavy rain and heavy mountain snow, the National Weather Service reported.

Forecasters are predicting from 1 to 2 inches of rain in low-lying areas and 3 to 6 inches in the mountains.

The amount of rain expected has caused forecasters to once again urge caution in areas with burn scars from recent wildland fires, where there is the potential for debris flows.

As for snow, the National Weather Service said more than a foot of new snow is possible over the 6,000 foot level across the region, with the potential for 2 to 3 feet of snow on Northern California's high peaks.

The region could see more rain from an additional system expected to arrive on Sunday, although forecasters said the certainty regarding that storm is not high at this time.

Ahead of the bigger late-week storms, Lake County has a chance of showers on Tuesday night, forecasters said.

Lake County is coming off a damp weekend, with the National Weather Service reporting that, as of 11:30 p.m. Sunday, 24-hour rainfall totals in inches included 0.80 near Upper Lake, 0.52 near Lakeport, 1.20 in Cobb and 0.39 near Middletown.

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.

“Happiness makes up in height for what it lacks in length.” – Robert Frost

Frosty, frozen Lake County mornings are made for a hot cup of cocoa. The miniature ice crystals form on grass, ground and windows, creating artistic tableaus in our own backyards.

Frost, the bane of vintners and gardeners, is otherwise lovely to look upon with its myriad of fanciful sculptures and swirls.

The fragile, fleeting star-shaped crystals vanish so quickly, one is apt to wonder if they ever even existed.

Frost forms in damp, wintry conditions. The moisture freezes into branches and fractals- those mathematical symmetries that repeat themselves.

There are actually many types of frost, including rime, hoar, window, black and white frost to name but a few.

Hoar frost is the kind that crystallizes from water vapor, while window frost forms, as its namesake implies – on windows and smooth surfaces.

Black frost can form with very little humidity, while white frost requires more humid conditions to show up.

Hoar frost forms lovely, white ice crystals on the ground or outdoor objects which “Jack Frost” has touched.

Jack Frost is said to be the embodiment of cold conditions such as sleet, snow and icy weather. He's made many literary appearances, such as in Chris Van Allsburg's “The Stranger,” the “Rainbow Magic” children's fiction series, and Jack Frost has made appearances in the 1940s Timely Comics, currently named Marvel Comics, as one of the Liberty Legion characters who could create ice.

Hannah F. Gould wrote a poem called, “Jack Frost”:

Jack Frost
by Hannah F. Gould

The Frost looked forth one still, clear night,
And whispered, "Now I shall be out of sight;
So, through the valley, and over the height,
In silence I'll take my way.
I will not go on like that blustering train,
The wind and the snow, the hail and the rain,
That make such a bustle and noise in vain,
But I'll be as busy as they!"
So he flew to the mountain, and powdered its crest;
He lit on the trees, and their boughs he drest
With diamonds and pearls; and over the breast
Of the quivering lake he spread
A coat of mail, that it need not fear
The downward point of many a spear
That he hung on its margin, far and near,
Where a rock could rear its head.
He went to the windows of those who slept,
And over each pane, like a fairy, crept;
Wherever he breathed, wherever he stepped,
By the light of the morn were seen
Most beautiful things; there were flowers and trees;
There were bevies of birds and swarms of bees;
There were cities with temples and towers; and these
All pictured in silvery sheen!
But he did one thing that was hardly fair -
He peeped in the cupboard, and finding there
That all had forgotten for him to prepare -
"Now, just to set them a-thinking,
I'll bite this basket of fruit," said he,
"This costly pitcher I'll burst in three;
And the glass of water they've left for me
Shall 'tchick' to tell them I'm drinking!"

Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is an educator, potter, writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.” She also writes for NASA and JPL as one of their “Solar System Ambassadors.” She was selected “Lake County Teacher of the Year, 1998-99” by the Lake County Office of Education, and chosen as one of 10 state finalists the same year by the California Department of Education.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Identifying opportunities to improve Lake County's economic prospects in the years to come is a key goal of an event set for next week in Middletown.

“Lake County Resilience: Guiding Lake County Toward 2020 and Beyond” will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, at the Twin Pine Event Center, 22223 Highway 29.

The Economic Outlook and Forecast event features keynote speaker, Robert Eyler, Ph.D and professor of economics at Sonoma State University.

Eyler is the director of the Center for Regional Economic Analysis at Sonoma State University and has worked on multiple regional studies for Sonoma, Napa, Marin and Mendocino counties.

He specializes in research on macroeconomic and monetary policies. His academic work has focused on the economics of the wine industry, monetary policy and theory, derivative markets and international finance.

“Understanding where Lake County’s economy stands after the fires is an important step toward identifying opportunities to strengthen the recovery of the community,” said Brett Martinez, president and CEO of Redwood Credit Union, where Dr. Eyler serves on the Board of Directors. “Dr. Eyler’s updates will provide clarity and are always insightful.”

Those interested in the economic resilience and success of Lake County are encouraged to attend the event.

The event includes a panel discussion moderated by Jeff Lucas of the Community Development Services and an economic planning session guided by Dr. Eyler culminating in “action steps” for Lake County.

Dignitaries from county, state and federal organizations will be present at the event. Confirmed attendees include Assemblyman Bill Dodd, Brad Onorato from Congressman Mike Thompson's office (Thompson will have a video presence at the event) and State Board of Equalization member Fiona Ma, CPA.

The cost to attend is $10 per person.

Registration is open. To register, mail a check for $10 with “Economic Outlook” noted in the memo section to the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 295, Lakeport, Calif. 95453, Attn: Economic Outlook.

To register online with a credit card, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/economic-outlook-forecast-tickets-19534545351?aff=ebrowse ; a fee of $1.54 per registration will be added to the $10 event fee.

Contributing sponsors to the event include North Coast Builders Exchange, Lake County Chamber of Commerce, Lake County Winegrape Commission, Lake County Association of Realtors, Six Sigma Ranch & Winery, Community Development Services, Valley Oaks, Century 21 Northbay Alliance, Coldwell Banker Lake County, Lake County Farm Bureau, Sutter Lakeside Hospital, St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake, Mendo Lake Credit Union, Hardester’s Markets and Twin Pine Casino & Hotel Event Center.

The event is held in partnership with the Middletown Area Merchants Association.

For more information contact Monica Rosenthal at 707-355-2762 or call the Lake County Chamber of Commerce at 707-263-5092.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A plan for a new AutoZone store will go to the Lakeport Planning Commission this week.

The commission will meet at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

City staff will take to the commission the proposal for the 7,842-square-foot retail building on a parcel that's just under an acre in size located at 301 and 401 Industrial Ave.

AutoZone Inc. of Memphis, Tenn., is proposing to build the project on land owned by Sam LaMonica of Napa.

The commission on Wednesday will consider an application for a tentative parcel map to create four new parcels, a zone change from industrial to major retail for proposed parcel one, a lot line adjustment with 292 Industrial Ave., and architectural and design review for the building on proposed parcel 1, and a variance to exceed the maximum amount of signage permitted by an additional 85 square feet on the parcels at 301 and 401 Industrial Ave.

Staff is recommending approval of the requests for the project, with the exception of a requested sign variance.

According to its Web site, AutoZone – a leading distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories – has more than 5,000 stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Brazil.

The company – which opened its first store in Forrest City, Ark. on July 4, 1979 – reported net sales of $3.3 billion for the fourth quarter ending Aug. 29, an increase of nearly 8 percent over the same period last year.

The commission also will continue its consideration of minor revisions to the Lakeport Zoning Ordinance to increase transparency and streamline permitting processes.

That discussion begun at its Nov. 18 meeting. The video of that meeting can be seen above.

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.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control is looking for homes for this week's selection of dogs.

Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of border collie, Labrador Retriever, Lancashire Heeler pit bull, Rottweiler, Sharpei, shepherd and 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.

In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .

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”).

'Digger'

“Digger” is a male terrier and Sharpei mix with a short tan coat.

He was found on Lakeview Drive in Nice.

Shelter staff said he always comes to the front of the kennel, wiggly and happy. He has no food aggression, allowed them to pull at his feet and tail with no problems and he gets along great with female dogs.

He's in kennel No. 4, ID No. 3693.

Labrador Retriever-Lancashire Heeler mix

This male Labrador Retriever-Lancashire Heeler has a short black coat with white markings.

He also has one blue eye and one brown eye.

He's in kennel No. 5, ID No. 4138.

Terrier mix

This female terrier mix has a short black and white coat.

She's in kennel No. 6, ID No. 4130.

'Kong'

“Kong” is a male pit bull terrier mix.

He has a short brown coat with white markings.

He's in kennel No. 9, ID No. 4037.

Labrador Retriever mix

This female Labrador Retriever mix has a short black coat.

She's in kennel No. 12, ID No. 4064.

Pit bull terrier mix

This male pit bull terrier mix has a short brown coat with white markings.

He's in kennel No. 13, ID No. 4117.

Pit bull terrier mix

This male pit bull terrier mix has a short black coat with white markings.

He's in kennel No. 15, ID No. 4102.

'Naughty'

“Naughty” is a female pit bull terrier mix.

She has a white coat with a gray eye patch.

She's in kennel No. 16, ID No. 4083.

Pit bull terrier mix

This male pit bull terrier mix has a short brown coat with white markings.

He's in kennel No. 26, ID No. 4101.

'Tux'

“Tux” is a male border collie mix with a short black and white coat.

Shelter staff said Tux is a sweet boy who is recovering from an injury to his leg.

He's in kennel No. 32, ID No. 4036.

Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix

This male Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix has a short tan and black coat.

He's in kennel No. 33, ID No. 3861.

Pit bull terrier mix

This female pit bull terrier mix has a short tricolor coat.

Shelter staff said she is treat-motivated.

She's in kennel No. 34, ID No. 4039.

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, 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.

 NORTH COAST, Calif. – Fostered by the United States Forest Service, Mendocino County Fish and Game Commission, volunteers and local supporters, the Hammerhorn Lake Project in the Mendocino National Forest is truly a community project.

Planning and funding for this project started early last year, but the bulk of the work was done during the week of Oct. 24 to 30.

Mendocino National Forest staff from the Covelo and the Upper Lake Ranger Districts partnered with volunteers and local business to complete several service projects.

Volunteers led the effort and completed the majority of the work during the service week. Volunteers involved included Nate O’Ferrall, Doyle Brown, Randy Vann, Tony and Sheena Kanownik, Mary Lou Mileck, Susan Rudich, and Tim and Leanne Hurt. 

One major project involved carving out a new 1,870-foot pathway and installing four foundations for two walking bridges.

The original accessible pathway was only 800 feet; adding an additional 1,870 feet created a new accessible pathway that will encompass the remote and peaceful lake.  

Local businesses also contributed including M&M Feed, Wylatti Resource Management, Grist Creek Aggregates, Northern Builders Supply, Chris Wilson, Willits Redwood Co. and Redwood Empire Sawmill.

Other work accomplished by this group included removal of old barriers and installation of 30 new barriers within the campground; repair and painting of the accessible bathroom; repairs of siding and installation of two new building vents on the water treatment shed; grading of the campground road system, twice; removal of numerous hazard trees within the campground and along the pathway; mowing and vegetation removal within the lake several times; installation of several turtle structures; prepping of drinking waterline for next year’s upgrade; replacement of damaged post for the main gate; cleaning out fire pits; and general up-keep of the campground.

Total volunteer time for this project exceed 300 hours – labor plus equipment time.

Future plans for this project include final construction of the two wooden walking bridges; upgrading and replacement of 1,200 feet of the waterline that provides potable water to the campground; installation of four educational information signs; and re-sloping a small part of the new pathway to meet accessibility standards.

Additionally, private donations and state and/or federal grants are being pursued in order to install 1,870 feet of chip seal with safety barriers. 

If you would like to assist with this project or have additional questions please contact the Mendocino National Forest, Covelo Ranger District Office at 78150 Covelo Road, or by phone at 707-983-6118.