Citizen scientists scanning images from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope, an orbiting infra-red observatory, recently stumbled upon a new class of curiosities that had gone largely unrecognized before: yellow balls.

“The volunteers started chatting about the yellow balls they kept seeing in the images of our galaxy, and this brought the features to our attention,” said Grace Wolf-Chase of the Adler Planetarium in Chicago.

The Milky Way Project is one of many “citizen scientist” projects making up the Zooniverse Web site, which relies on crowdsourcing to help process scientific data.

For years, volunteers have been scanning Spitzer's images of star-forming regions – places where clouds of gas and dust are collapsing to form clusters of young stars.

Professional astronomers don't fully understand the process of star formation; much of the underlying physics remains a mystery. Citizen scientists have been helping by looking for clues.

Before the yellow balls popped up, volunteers had already noticed green bubbles with red centers, populating a landscape of swirling gas and dust.

These bubbles are the result of massive newborn stars blowing out cavities in their surroundings. When the volunteers started reporting that they were finding objects in the shape of yellow balls, the Spitzer researchers took note.

The rounded features captured by the telescope, of course, are not actually yellow, red, or green – they just appear that way in the infrared, color-assigned images that the telescope sends to Earth.

The false colors provide a way to humans to talk about infrared wavelengths of light their eyes cannot actually see.

“With prompting by the volunteers, we analyzed the yellow balls and figured out that they are a new way to detect the early stages of massive star formation,” said Charles Kerton of Iowa State University, Ames. “The simple question of 'Hmm, what's that?' led us to this discovery.”

A thorough analysis by the team led to the conclusion that the yellow balls precede the green bubbles, representing a phase of star formation that takes place before the bubbles form.

“Basically, if you wind the clock backwards from the bubbles, you get the yellow balls,” said Kerton.

Researchers think the green bubble rims are made largely of organic molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

PAHs are abundant in the dense molecular clouds where stars coalesce. Blasts of radiation and winds from newborn stars push these PAHs into a spherical shells that look like green bubbles in Spitzer's images.

The red cores of the green bubbles are made of warm dust that has not yet been pushed away from the windy stars.

How do the yellow balls fit in?

“The yellow balls are a missing link,” said Wolf-Chase. They represent a transition “between very young embryonic stars buried in dense, dusty clouds and slightly older, newborn stars blowing the bubbles.”

Essentially, the yellow balls mark places where the PAHs (green) and the dust (red) have not yet separated. The superposition of green and red makes yellow.

So far, the volunteers have identified more than 900 of these compact, yellow features. The multitude gives researchers plenty of chances to test their hypotheses and learn more about the way stars form.

Meanwhile, citizen scientists continue to scan Spitzer's images for new finds. Green bubbles. Red cores. Yellow balls.

What's next? You could be the one who makes the next big discovery. To get involved, go to https://www.zooniverse.org/ and click on “The Milky Way Project.”

Rachel Molina works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Spring brings with it all sorts of brand new flowers and baby creatures.

Olivia Hansen of Lakeport took the pictures, shown above and below, that captured owlets and their mother separately peering out of their tree home.

Hansen wrote, “Spring is in the air and so are babies! So exciting and how fortunate we are to experience this in our backyard. Lake County is full of such beautiful creatures!”

Pictures can be shared by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Glenn County Sheriff's Office and allied agencies are searching for a Chico man who went camping in the Mendocino National Forest over the weekend.

Glenn County Undersheriff Todd James said Alex Canto, 44, was reported missing by his girlfriend Monica Smith on Tuesday.

James said Smith called the sheriff’s office and advised that Canto left on Saturday, traveling to the Mendocino National Forest in Glenn County west of Elk Creek for a camping trip.

Smith advised that she received a text message from Canto at 7:15 p.m. Saturday saying that he was going up 5,000 feet on Forest Highway 7. Smith said that she has not heard from Canto since that time and is concerned for his welfare, James said.

Smith said that Canto is an outdoorsman, hikes and camps frequently and took a cold weather jacket, rain jacket and blankets with him when he left, according to James.

Canto also took his dog “Brava” with him; James said Smith described the dog as being a medium-sized brown short-haired male.

Canto is driving a 1992 charcoal-colored Isuzu Rodeo with prominent rust damage around the body of the vehicle with California License 3DFL701, James said.

James described Canto as a white male adult, 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. It is unknown what Canto was wearing when he went missing. Smith advised authorities that Canto is in good health.

On Wednesday members of the Glenn County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team were called and conducted a search of Forest Highway 7 from C/R 306 to the Mendocino County line, including all campgrounds in the area, James said.

James said Canto has not been located and the area being searched is very large with numerous off road trails.

Mendocino County has been advised and will be searching their side of the Mendocino Forest, and on Thursday the California Highway Patrol will be flying the forest in an attempt to locate Canto, his vehicle or both, James said.

A “ping” on Canto’s cell phone showed that the phone was off and had not been used since Saturday, the day he went into the forest, according to James.

Anyone with information on Canto’s current location is urged to contact the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office at 530-934-6431.

NICE, Calif. A single vehicle crash briefly blocked a portion of Hwy 20 Westbound Friday evening.

At approximately six p.m. Friday a single vehicle non-injury crash was reported near the intersection of Hwy 20 Westbound and Stokes Avenue in Nice. 

The vehicle collided with a light pole, shearing it off completely, before stopping. 

Additional details were not immediately available.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson (CA-5) and John Garamendi (CA-3) announced a $939,062 Department of Health and Human Services grant has been awarded to Lake Family Resource Center.

The funding will be used for the center’s Early Head Start program, which provides expectant mothers and low-income families with children up to 3 years old with services and resources such as child development, prenatal education, family services and parent involvement activities.

“Through Early Head Start, the Lake Family Resource Center provides a wide array of benefits to young children and parents, all of which help to make sure families have a foundation for success that’s rooted in education and strong, healthy development,” said Thompson. “This grant will allow our resource center to continue its important work and I am proud to support its funding efforts.”

“Head Start programs are already transforming lives in Lake County and across the country, and this grant for the Lake Family Resource Center is going to much good for parents and children in our community,” Garamendi said. “This grant will give our children a greater chance to excel at an early age and help make families stronger.”

“Lake Family Resource Center is thrilled to receive funding to continue provision of services that help children and families to thrive,” said the center's executive director, Gloria Flaherty. “The agency is committed to strengthening families and Early Head Start builds a wonderful foundation in establishing that parents are the first and best teachers of their children.”

The reauthorization of the Head Start Act in 1994 made it possible to establish Early Head Start as a program to serve infants and toddlers under the age of 3 and pregnant women.

Early Head Start provides early, continuous, intensive and comprehensive child development and family support services to low-income infants, toddlers, pregnant women and their families.

The goals of Early Head Start are:

· To provide safe and developmentally enriching caregiving which promotes the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of infants and toddlers, and prepares them for future growth and development;

· To support parents, both mothers and fathers, in their role as primary caregivers and teachers of their children, and families in meeting personal goals and achieving self-sufficiency across a wide variety of domains;

· To mobilize communities to provide the resources and environment necessary to ensure a comprehensive, integrated array of services and support for families;

· To ensure the provision of high quality responsive services to family through the development of trained and caring staff.

Visit Lake Family Resource Center online at http://www.lakefrc.org/ .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – An 11-year-old Clearlake girl who had been missing for several hours was found late Wednesday thanks to a Clearlake Police K9 who led officers to her location.

The girl, CeNedra Vance, was reported missing to police by her mother, Felicia Vance, according to a report from Clearlake Police Sgt. Martin Snyder.

At about 8:44 p.m. Wednesday Felicia Vance went to the lobby of the Clearlake Police Department and reported that her daughter had walked away from a friend’s residence in the 15000 block of 32nd Avenue in Clearlake. The girl was last seen at about 4:15 p.m., Snyder said.

Snyder said Vance reported family and friends had been looking for the juvenile for several hours and were unable to locate her.

Vance reported her daughter was possibly seen in the area of Oleander Street. However, the last sighting of the juvenile was more than an hour and a half old at that point, Snyder said.

At that time there had been no confirmed sightings and the distance between 32nd Avenue and Oleander Street was several miles on opposite sides of the city, he said.

Snyder said Officer Trevor Franklin contacted several friends of the juvenile's in the area in an attempt to get a possible destination or location of the juvenile.

Additionally, Lake County Search and Rescue, Lake County Fire Protection District and the Lake County Sheriff's Office were contacted and asked to assist with searching for the girl, Snyder said.

Pomo School Principal Heather Koehler also was contacted for assistance. Snyder said Koehler sent out an automated message to all the parents of the Konocti Unified School District. The message advised parents to be on the lookout for the missing juvenile, and included clothing descriptions and contact information.

As the search and rescue teams were being deployed, the mother received a tip from a resident on Second Street that the juvenile was last seen walking into a wooded area east of Second Street, Snyder said.

Officer Franklin, along with Officer Mike Ray and his K9 partner, Harley, began an article search from the last known location of the juvenile, Snyder said.

Snyder said Harley led officers to the girl's location. Just after 10:40 p.m. officers advised that they had located her in an abandoned boat hull which had been discarded in the brush approximately 150 yards from the roadway. 

Officers requested medical aid for the juvenile as she was unresponsive but breathing. Snyder said the officers believed the juvenile was possibly suffering from the early stages of hypothermia.

Franklin carried the girl about 150 yards out of the wooded area, where she was released to the paramedics who had just arrived on scene, Snyder said.

Paramedics with Lake County Fire Protection District rendered aid to the girl, who Snyder said was later transported to the St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake for further treatment.

Snyder said the girl was treated and later released from the hospital.

Felicia Vance posted on Lake County News' Facebook page, offering her thanks to the community for the assistance in bringing her daughter home.

“She ran away from home cause we are moving out of state after her dad was killed here,” Vance wrote, referring to her late husband, David Ferrell, who died as the result of a random shooting in Clearlake in September 2013.

The Clearlake Police Department thanked the Clearlake residents who assisted with passing information across social networks and sharing information, which helped in narrowing the search area for the the child.

Additionally, the agency recognized the fast response and assistance from the Lake County Fire Protection District, Lake County Sheriff's Office, Lake County Search and Rescue and staff with the Konocti Unified School District.

“With partnership with the community and allied agencies, we were fortunate to bring this to a positive ending with the juvenile reunited with family,” Snyder said.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A new state report shows that while California has, as a whole, improved in national health goals for several conditions, Lake County continues to be ranked near the bottom for numerous health issues.

The California Department of Public Health released the County Health Status Profiles 2015 as part of National Public Health Week, which takes place April 6 through 12.

The report – which covers the years 2011 to 2013 – provides statewide and county-level data to help guide the course of health promotion and preventive services.

Lake County Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait said that, unfortunately, there weren't many surprises in the report, as Lake County has for some time shown poor outcomes. She added that she didn't expect to see large changes on a year-to-year basis.

CDPH's analysis of the numbers reveals that, overall, California has shown improvement in reducing infant mortality, AIDS, cancers and coronary heart disease.

California achieved goals established in the Healthy People 2020 national objectives – which serve as a guide to improve the health of people across the nation – for many of the diseases and conditions.

“The stories told by these data are quite encouraging, but we must remember that not all communities have benefited equally from these improvements,” said CDPH Director and State Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith. “Too many people in California still face chronic diseases related to factors such as poor diet, lack of physical activity and the use of tobacco.”

Statewide, AIDS incidence among Californians aged 13 and older decreased, showing an improvement of nearly 28 percent.

All cancers age-adjusted death rates – including female breast cancer, colorectal and prostate cancer – improved, with the lung cancer death-rate improving nearly 10 percent, and coronary heart disease age-adjusted death rate improved 9 percent, the report showed.

Based on the report, infant mortality during the two-year period decreased for all races. Asian/Pacific Islander improved 21 percent; black, 17 percent; white, 13 percent; and Hispanic, 7 percent. Likewise, births to teen mothers – ages 15 to 19 – showed a 28-percent decrease.

The report also showed that California met Healthy People 2020 national objectives for reductions in motor vehicle crashes, homicide, firearm-related deaths, suicide, first trimester prenatal care and breastfeeding initiation.

However, the data revealed that some chronic conditions failed to show an improvement, including age-adjusted death rates for diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and chronic liver disease.

Lake County's specific rankings

On the county level, Lake fared poorly in the overall rankings. Compared to the 2014 report, Lake County's most recent outcomes showed a number of worsening rankings along with some notable improvements, which can be seen in the comparison chart below.

“We’ve typically ranked at the bottom or near the bottom on most measures,” said Tait. “It’s a reiteration of the same conversations we’ve had about why are we always so close to the bottom.”

Because there is always a little bit of a backlog in the data – in this case, the latest report data is for two years ago – the kinds of wellness efforts under way in the county that are generating interest and excitement “won't show up at all,” Tait said.

Lake County ranked at the bottom – No. 58 out of 58 counties – for all causes of death, drug-induced deaths and all cancers, as well as lung cancer specifically and accidents.

It received a No. 57 ranking for chronic liver disease and cirrhosis and chronic lower respiratory disease, was No. 56 for motor vehicle traffic crashes, and No. 55 for homicide and coronary heart disease.

Among Lake County's other low rankings for major health status indicators are the following: cerebrovascular disease (stroke) and suicide, No. 54; influenza/pneumonia, No. 51; and firearm-related deaths, No. 50.

The report also found that Lake County ranked No. 58 for infant mortality for Asians/Pacific Islanders, was No. 54 for adequate prenatal care and No. 50 for first trimester prenatal care.

For persons under age 18 in poverty, Lake County ranked No. 48.

Among the areas showing improvement in this most recent report were colorectal cancer, female breast cancer – which showed a significant drop from a No. 45 ranking in 2014 to No. 28 this year – as well as prostate cancer, diabetes and influenza/pneumonia.

Tait said it's important to look at the asterisks that appear next to many of the crude case and death rates in the report. She explained, “Some of our numbers are so small that the data is just not reliable,” thus the notations.

“That’s not to deny that we have issues,” she said.

Lake County's health status indicators that the report notes have small numbers and rates that “are deemed unreliable” based on fewer than 20 data elements are colorectal cancer, female breast cancer, prostate cancer, diabetes, influenza/pneumonia, motor vehicle traffic crashes, suicide, homicide, firearm-related deaths and infant mortality rates for all groups.

Regarding factors she believes that influence the county's low rankings, Tait said, “I know people don't like to talk about it, but we have a high smoking rate.”

The vast majority of the deaths from the factors where the county is ranked the lowest have ties to smoking, Tait said. “As long as our smoking rate is as high as it is, we’re going to continue to see things like that.”

Lake County's rural nature also contributes to the high rate of accidents, and the poor condition of many of the county's roads impact the high rate of collisions, she said.

“I feel optimistic that there's a lot of momentum in the community to turn these around,” Tait said, noting there's momentum in other counties, too, to make improvements.

Tait said county officials and those involved with working to improve health conditions are aware of Lake County's problems and working to address them.

“I think we may make some inroads on some of these things, it’s just going to take a really long time,” she said.

Using the data to improve outcomes

Lake County's two hospitals look at the state-compiled data in their approaches to responding to Lake County's unique health concerns.

“Sutter Lakeside Hospital uses the Lake County health data to continually assess our community’s health needs and adjust our services accordingly,” said Chief Administrative Officer Siri Nelson.

“In January, we were certified by the Joint Commission on Hospital Accreditation for our Stroke program and were awarded Primary Stroke Certification. By improving our processes we have been able to reduce our stroke patient morality, saving lives,” Nelson said.

Breast cancer is another example of how Sutter Lakeside focuses its efforts to improve lives in Lake County, Nelson said. “This year we received a $250,000 Sutter Health match grant for new 3D mammography technology that will help us detect and treat breast cancer earlier.”

Nelson said Sutter Lakeside also sees opportunities to improve diabetes and influenza outcomes and is taking action.

On April 15, Diabetes Education Day, the hospital will host an event offering free diabetes screenings, nutrition education and counseling, diabetes self-management resources, and healthy snack samples and recipes.

In October, Sutter Lakeside – in partnership with Lake County Public Health – administered more than 400 free flu vaccinations at the Heroes of Health and Safety Fair. “We hope to double that number in 2015,” Nelson said.

At St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake, the hospital recently created a new position, director of community wellness.

Shelly Mascari, formerly with the Lake County Office of Education, took the position and has been on the job since mid-March.

Mascari said one of the goals of her job is to start “moving the dials” on those poor health statistics that haunt the county. “We're hoping that it shows the public that the hospital is wanting to invest in turning this around in a significant way.”

She said the fact that she's in her new job is “a pretty big statement” from the hospital that it's time to focus the energy and resources on improving the county's health picture.

Mascari said she's now in the process of creating a strategic plan, and will use some of the content and data from the state report in building that document as well as determining what new wellness programs the hospital can create.

Working to transform a community of 60,000 is a big task, Mascari acknowledged, and in approaching it she's looking at a combination of education and outreach, new programs, the focus on individuals and inspiring them to make positive changes, and supporting programs that already are successful.

“It’s going to take all of us really working together, maybe like we've never done before,” Mascari said.

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

2015 Lake County Health Status Profile Summary

2015 County Health Status Profiles Comparison by LakeCoNews

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol's Clear Lake Area office is planning its next free traffic safety training class for the community's young drivers on Wednesday, April 15.

The “Start Smart” traffic safety class for newly licensed and teenage drivers and their parents/guardians will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Lower Lake High School Library, 9430 Lake St.

The leading cause of death for Americans ages 15 to 20 is motor vehicle collisions, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the CHP's goal is to reduce the death rate among young drivers as the result of these collisions.

The CHP’s “Start Smart” program is aimed at helping newly licensed and future licensed teenage drivers understand the critical responsibilities of driving and to understand that accidents happen, but collisions are 100-percent preventable. 

The program is designed to provide an interactive safe driving awareness class that will illustrate how poor choices behind the wheel of a car can affect the lives of numerous people.

“Start Smart” also focuses on responsibilities of newly licensed drivers, responsibilities of parents/guardians and collision avoidance techniques.

The expansion of the classes on the local level has been an objective of Lt. Hector Paredes, who became commander of the Clear Lake Area office in late 2014.

“The CHP is committed to mitigating traffic collisions involving young, inexperienced drivers, because they are preventable,” Paredes said. “Start Smart is an excellent program that promotes safe driving for young new drivers.”

Space is limited for this class, and reservations are required.

For more information or reservations, call Officer Kory Reynolds at the Kelseyville CHP office, 707-279-0103. 

The year 2014 broke records for West Nile virus activity in California, according to state officials.

California Department of Public Health Director and State Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith said California had the second-highest number of human cases of West Nile virus in 2014 since the virus first invaded California in 2003.

In 2014, California recorded 801 cases of the potentially fatal disease. In 2005, CDPH detected 880 cases of WNV.

The highest number of cases was in Orange County (263 cases) and the highest incidence occurred in Glenn County (35.3 cases per 100,000 population).

In Lake County, West Nile virus activity included on human case, 18 dead birds, 71 mosquito samples and five sentinel chickens.

An analysis of Lake County's West Nile numbers illustrated in the chart above shows that, like the rest of California, incidences of the virus appeared to peak in 2014.

The level of WNV activity last year broke several records including:

– 561 cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease, the more serious neurological form of the disease often resulting in encephalitis or meningitis, were detected.

– The number of fatal WNV cases, 31, exceeded all previous years.

– The proportion of mosquitoes infected with WNV was the highest level ever detected in California (mosquito infection rate = 6.0; epidemic conditions equate with 5.0).

– The prevalence of WNV infection in tested dead birds, 60 percent, was the highest ever detected in California.

It is possible that the ongoing drought contributed to West Nile virus activity by creating more limited sources of water for birds and mosquitoes, according to Dr. Smith.

“As birds and mosquitoes sought water, they came into closer contact and amplified the virus, particularly in urban areas. The lack of water could have caused some sources of water to stagnate, making the water sources more attractive for mosquitoes to lay eggs,” said Dr. Smith.

It is not possible to predict the level of WNV activity in 2015 because activity is influenced by many factors including climate, the number and types of birds and mosquitoes in an area, and the level of immunity in birds to WNV.

As the weather warms up, mosquitoes become more abundant. Unseasonably warm weather this year could lead to increased mosquito abundance and promote an early start to the WNV disease season.

The WNV season typically begins in the summer and tapers off in the fall months, with the highest risk for disease occurring in mid-July through September.

West Nile virus is transmitted to humans and animals by the bite of an infected mosquito. For most people, the risk of serious illness is low.

However, some individuals – less than 1 percent – can develop a serious neurologic illness, such as encephalitis or meningitis.

People 50 years of age or older and people with diabetes and/or high blood pressure have the greatest risk of developing serious complications.

CDPH recommends that individuals prevent exposure to mosquito bites and West Nile virus by practicing the “Three Ds:”

– DEET: Apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaradin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535 according to label instructions. Repellents keep the mosquitoes from biting you. DEET can be used safely on infants and children 2 months of age and older.

– Dawn and dusk: Mosquitoes bite in the early morning and evening so it is important to wear protective clothing and repellent if you are outside during these times. Make sure that your doors and windows have tight-fitting screens to keep out mosquitoes. Repair or replace screens with tears or holes.

– Drain: Mosquitoes lay their eggs on standing water. Eliminate all sources of standing water on your property, including in flower pots, old car tires and buckets. If you know of a swimming pool that is not being properly maintained, please contact your local mosquito and vector control agency.

California's West Nile virus Web site, http://westnile.ca.gov/ , includes the latest information on West Nile virus activity in the state. Californians are encouraged to report all dead birds through the Web site.

Starting April 15, dead birds can be reported by calling toll-free 1-877-WNV-BIRD (968-2473).

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Arts Council's Main Street Gallery introduced new artists and publicized its new exhibition and contest during the gallery's monthly “First Friday Fling” meet and greet last week.

Leszek Forczek’s painting “Blue Pieta,” inspired by Michelangelo’s “Pietà” sculpture, was awarded as the door prize early on in the evening.

When asked about the mission of the gallery, local instructor and painter Richard Seisser said: “Simple. We’re local. We only do local because we need to support our locals.”

Lake County hosts 10 art galleries. The ongoing exhibition offers another opportunity for talented residents to show off their personal flair while bringing in more patrons to Main Street Gallery.

Several artists from around the lake are currently featured there.

New artist Linda Marshbanks uses acrylic paint on paper towels, applies them to recycled wood pallets, and then glosses them over with a finish.

Patty Theis uses the skills she learned in a cake decorating class to create textured impressionistic landscapes and stills with frosting.

Marilyn Crayton makes dream catchers out of hollowed out gourds.

New contributor C.B. Lippincott, who started painting later in life, painted his first portrait – one of his wife – when he was 50 years old.

“My whole goal in the beginning was like a caveman decorating his cave,” Lippincott said. “So I was just painting to decorate my house and when my house got full I just kept going. Now I have over 200 paintings.”

The Main Street Gallery began its April themed exhibition and contest featuring local artists’ paintings of “Lake County Spring Babies.”

Ray Farrow’s painting of Grace Church won March’s contest featuring historic Lake County architecture.

Artists submitted their work to the exhibition for an opportunity to win free wall space in the gallery’s prime slots looking out onto Main Street, where passersby also can get a good glimpse of the works inside.

Patrons can vote for who they would like to win this month’s exhibition contest in person at Main Street Gallery throughout the entire month of April.

Main Street Gallery’s First Friday Fling is a great opportunity for anyone interested to meet the county’s visual artists and get inspired – many of the artists who have work on display also are teachers.

The Main Street Gallery is located at 325 N. Main St., Lakeport, telephone 707-263-6658, http://www.lakecountyartscouncil.com . Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A Chico man reported missing after he went into the Glenn County side of the Mendocino National Forest over the weekend has been located.

Alex Canto, 44, was located Thursday afternoon with the assistance of the California Highway Patrol Air Ops, according to Glenn County Undersheriff Todd James.

Canto's girlfriend had reported him and his dog “Brava” missing on Tuesday. He went into the forest for a camping trip on Saturday afternoon and hadn't communicated with her since that day, James reported.

Beginning on Wednesday, search efforts had begun on the Glenn County side of the forest, with the search also continuing into the forest's Mendocino County side on Thursday, according to James.

James said the CHP joined the search on Thursday, flying the forest to look for Canto and ultimately locating him.

“They are currently trying to reach Canto and will fly him out when they do,” James said in an email update just before 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

“I have no information at this time on his condition other than he is alive and talking,” James said of Canto, adding that he will send out an update when he receives more information.

LUCERNE, Calif. – The District 3 town hall planned to take place on Friday evening in Lucerne has been canceled.

Supervisor Jim Steele, the event's host, said the town hall will be rescheduled.

“Due to a longer-than-anticipated recovery for a routine surgical procedure, I must cancel the Friday meeting,” Steele said. “I will be back to my normal routine in short order and will reschedule the town hall meeting as soon as possible.”

Steele said that for those who need his assistance, he can be reached at 707-295-6198 effective Thursday.

“Thanks for your understanding,” Steele said.