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Black phoebes (Sayornis nigricans) can always be found around water sources, where they have ready access to mud, all along the western side of California (and into Oregon and South America). Because of their adaptability, they can be found in wild areas, around farmsteads and in urban areas. Photo by Mary K. Hanson.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – There’s a common joke that goes around among local birders: “If you don’t see any other birds when you’re out and about, you’ll still see a black phoebe.”

And that’s often true. These little dusky and white, in-their-tuxedo birds seem to be everywhere and that’s because they are so adaptable.

Black phoebes (Sayornis nigricans) can always be found around water sources, where they have ready access to mud, all along the western side of California (and into Oregon and South America).

Because of their adaptability, they can be found in wild areas, around farmsteads and in urban areas. They just need a supply of water, mud for their nests, and insects for their diets.

Usually, they’re exclusively insectivorous, but they have been known to occasionally eat berries when insect supplies are low or minnows when they need the extra protein.

Because they’re not seed-eaters, they won’t come to your bird feeders, but you can still attract them if you plant pollinator gardens on your property.

They like bees and wasps, hoverflies, spiders, grasshoppers, damselflies and dragonflies, and basically any kind of caterpillar, bug or beetle.

In wild landscapes or in town, black phoebes are easy to spot partly because of their penchant to pump their tails up and down when they’re sitting on branches watching for insects, and also by listening for their distinct call which is usually a repeated dee-he, dee-ho; dee-he, dee-ho. Both sexes sing, but it’s usually the male who does most of it.

The black phoebe is a kind of flycatcher and one that doesn’t migrate much from its home territory. They’re generally considered solitary birds outside of their breeding periods, but they can have up to three breeding seasons in a single year, so that’s a lot of together-time. The bonded pairs are monogamous and will usually nest in or around the same place each time every year.

It’s during this time of year, March through April, when the nest selection and building processes begin. The males fly around in front of potential nesting sites, and then the female will choose which one she likes best. She’s also the one who does the actual nest construction.

Usually, black phoebes are exclusively insectivorous, but they have been known to occasionally eat berries when insect supplies are low or minnows when they need the extra protein. Here you see one with a beak full of hoverflies. Photo by Mary K. Hanson.

The nests are mud cups filled with fine grasses, and are usually built on walls, posts or cliff-faces under some kind of overhang or eave. The space between the top of the nest and the overhang is usually quite narrow, allowing only the small birds to get inside of it. This helps to protect defenseless offspring from predators like foxes, snakes and cats.

The black phoebe’s eggs are glossy white (sometimes with spots at the larger end) and there are usually up to six in a clutch. The chicks are fuzzy gray when they hatch, but they’ll fledge out in about eighteen days. Adult males and females have identical coloring so it’s hard to tell them apart, but the juveniles are recognizable by the buff-colored bars on the feathers of their wing-caps.

Although they’re small, the black phoebes are notorious for their aggressive territorialism. They seldom allow other birds of any kind to come within 100 feet of their chosen nesting sites.

But there was an odd short-lived exception to this rule noted by Cornell University’s “All About Birds” Web site which recounted the story of a pair of house finches who laid eggs in the nest of a pair of black phoebes, even though the phoebes had already laid six of their own eggs in the nest. The female birds took turns incubating the eggs for about a week before they all lost tolerance of one another and abandoned the site.

There are six subspecies of black phoebe, and the one we see most often in our region is Sayornis nigricans semiatra. It’s distinguished from some of the other subspecies by the peak of feathers on the top of its head. (The white-winged black phoebe found further south has a smooth head with no peak.) They can live for up to 10 years in the wild.

Mary K. Hanson is a Certified California Naturalist, author and nature photographer, who developed and helps to teach the naturalist program at Tuleyome, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization based in Woodland. For more information, visit http://tuleyome.org/projects/calnat/.
This is a typical urban-style black phoebe nest built under an overhang on a the porch of a building. If you look closely, you see the fledglings inside of it. Photo by Mary K. Hanson.
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This artist's concept shows planet KELT-9b, an example of a "hot Jupiter," or a gas giant planet orbiting very close to its parent star. KELT-9b is an extreme example of a hot Jupiter, with dayside temperatures reaching 7,800 degrees Fahrenheit (4,300 Celsius). Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

Researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, are cooking up an alien atmosphere right here on Earth.

In a new study, JPL scientists used a high-temperature "oven" to heat a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide to more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,100 Celsius), about the temperature of molten lava.

The aim was to simulate conditions that might be found in the atmospheres of a special class of exoplanets (planets outside our solar system) called "hot Jupiters."

Hot Jupiters are gas giants that orbit very close to their parent star, unlike any of the planets in our solar system. While Earth takes 365 days to orbit the Sun, hot Jupiters orbit their stars in less than 10 days.

Their close proximity to a star means their temperatures can range from 1,000 to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (530 to 2,800 degrees Celsius) or even hotter.

By comparison, a hot day on the surface of Mercury (which takes 88 days to orbit the Sun) reaches about 800 degrees Fahrenheit (430 degrees Celsius).

"Though it is impossible to exactly simulate in the laboratory these harsh exoplanet environments, we can come very close," said JPL principal scientist Murthy Gudipati, who leads the group that conducted the new study, published last month in the Astrophysical Journal.

The team started with a simple chemical mixture of mostly hydrogen gas and 0.3 percent carbon monoxide gas. These molecules are extremely common in the universe and in early solar systems, and they could reasonably compose the atmosphere of a hot Jupiter. Then the team heated the mixture to between 620 and 2,240 degrees Fahrenheit (330 and 1,230 Celsius).

The team also exposed the laboratory brew to a high dose of ultraviolet radiation — similar to what a hot Jupiter would experience orbiting so close to its parent star.

The UV light proved to be a potent ingredient. It was largely responsible for some of the study's more surprising results about the chemistry that might be taking place in these toasty atmospheres.

Hot Jupiters are large by planet standards, and they radiate more light than cooler planets. Such factors have allowed astronomers to gather more information about their atmospheres than most other types of exoplanets.

Those observations reveal that many hot Jupiter atmospheres are opaque at high altitudes. Although clouds might explain the opacity, they become less and less sustainable as the pressure decreases, and the opacity has been observed where the atmospheric pressure is very low.

JPL scientists used the "oven" (center) to heat a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide and subject it to UV radiation, generated by a hydrogen gas discharge lamp. The lamp radiates both visible light (the pink glow) and UV light, which enters the gas container inside the oven via a window on the right side. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

Scientists have been looking for potential explanations other than clouds, and aerosols – solid particles suspended in the atmosphere – could be one.

However, according to the JPL researchers, scientists were previously unaware of how aerosols might develop in hot Jupiter atmospheres. In the new experiment, adding UV light to the hot chemical mix did the trick.

"This result changes the way we interpret those hazy hot Jupiter atmospheres," said Benjamin Fleury, a JPL research scientist and lead author of the study. "Going forward, we want to study the properties of these aerosols. We want to better understand how they form, how they absorb light and how they respond to changes in the environment. All that information can help astronomers understand what they're seeing when they observe these planets."

The study yielded another surprise: The chemical reactions produced significant amounts of carbon dioxide and water. While water vapor has been found in hot Jupiter atmospheres, scientists for the most part expect this precious molecule to form only when there is more oxygen than carbon.

The new study shows that water can form when carbon and oxygen are present in equal amounts. (Carbon monoxide contains one carbon atom and one oxygen atom.) And while some carbon dioxide (one carbon and two oxygen atoms) formed without the addition of UV radiation, the reactions accelerated with the addition of simulated starlight.

"These new results are immediately useful for interpreting what we see in hot Jupiter atmospheres," said JPL exoplanet scientist Mark Swain, a study coauthor. "We've assumed that temperature dominates the chemistry in these atmospheres, but this shows we need to look at how radiation plays a role."

With next-generation tools like NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, set to launch in 2021, scientists might produce the first detailed chemical profiles of exoplanet atmospheres, and it’s possible that some of those first subjects will be hot Jupiters. These studies will help scientists learn how other solar systems form and how similar or different they are to our own.

For the JPL researchers, the work has just begun. Unlike a typical oven, theirs seals the gas in tightly to prevent leaks or contamination, and it allows the researchers to control the pressure of the gas as the temperature rises. With this hardware, they can now simulate exoplanet atmospheres at even higher temperatures: close to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,600 degrees Celsius).

"It's been an ongoing challenge figuring out how to design and operate this system successfully, since most standard components such as glass or aluminum melt at these temperatures," said JPL research scientist Bryana Henderson, a coauthor of the study. "We're still learning how to push these boundaries while safely handling these chemical processes in the lab. But at the end of the day, the exciting results that come out of these experiments is worth all the extra effort.”

Calla Cofield works for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. The editor is Tony Greicius.
The small sapphire disk on the right shows organic aerosols formed inside a high-temperature oven. The disk to the left has not been used. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech.
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MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – Mendocino National Forest officials have issued a new Forest Order for the Ranch fire area and locking gates to enforce the area closure.

Forest Order No. 08-19-01 is effective from March 13, 2019 until July 1, 2020.

The amount of work that needs to be done before the fire area is reasonably safe to open is immense, forest officials said.

“This wet winter is delaying our efforts to begin the hazard tree management work needed to provide a safe transportation system in the fire area. We appreciate your patience while we continue the recovery and restoration process,” said Forest Supervisor Ann Carlson.

Post-fire threats for the public, residents of private lands and agency personnel include flooding, debris flows, hazard trees and loss of ingress and egress along roads, trails, recreation areas, and facilities.

While the large Ranch fire area remains closed, there are over 600,000 acres of the Forest for people to explore when summer arrives.

Campgrounds in the northern portion of the forest generally open around Memorial Day weekend.

The maximum possible penalty for a violation is up to a $5,000 fine, six months incarceration or both.

Forest Order No. 08-19-01 supersedes Order No. 08-18-17 dated Nov. 22, 2018.

The order and maps are published below.

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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Library is celebrating several milestones with the Zip Books program, which delivers library books from Amazon to library patrons’ home.

Since Lake County joined the Zip Books program in 2015 the library has received 1,500 requests from the public and added 1,000 books to the library collection.

The Zip Books program has supplemented the library’s book budget by about $5,000 per year.

Library patrons like the innovative service. In a recent anonymous survey, one patron said, “I love the Zip Books! I use it when I find an interesting review of a book that I can't get at the library.” Another said, "I wish Zip Books were available 50 years ago!"

In the Zip Books program, library patrons request regular print books, large print books and audiobooks that the Lake County Library doesn’t own.

If the library already owns the title as a printed book, the library can still order a audiobook or a large print book through the Zip Books program.

The Zip Books request form is on the Lake County Library’s Web site under the “Books and More.”

Requested books that meet the Zip Books program criteria are ordered by the library and shipped to the patrons’ mailing addresses. Each book is checked out to the borrower and has a due date. The patrons are expected to return the books to the library.

Upon return, most Zip Books are accessioned into the library catalog and receive a special Zip Books bookplate.

Zip Books patrons have diverse tastes and interests, all of which contributes to the diverse mix of titles for adults and children that have been added to the library.

In nonfiction, subjects include history, religion, fishing, woman suffrage, cooking, knitting, science and current events. In fiction, the library has added mysteries, science fiction, graphic novels, romance novels and general fiction.

Carolyn Brooks, California State Library Project monitor said, “The goal of the Zip Books Project is to expand the use of an alternative model for interlibrary loan service that, over time, has proved cost effective, easy to use, and extremely popular with the public. The project started in 2013 with 15 libraries; currently over 68 library jurisdictions across the state are participating, with more being added all the time.”

Brooks continues, “Zip Books is a partnership between the California State Library and the NorthNet Library System. It is supported with California Library Services Act funds.”

The California Library Services Board recently approved an additional allocation of $1 million for libraries across California to support and expand the Zip Books program through June 2022.

The Lake County Library is on the Internet at http://library.lakecountyca.gov and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary. For more information about Zip Books or the library, call 707-263-8817.

Jan Cook is a library technician at the Lake County Library.
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Assistant City Manager Alan Flora presents a portrait to Clearlake City Manager Greg Folsom on Thursday, March 14, 2019, at the City Council meeting in Clearlake, Calif., as city staff and council members look on. Later in the meeting, Flora would be tapped to succeed Folsom, who is taking a job in Suisun City, Calif. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council and community members gathered on Thursday to bid farewell to City Manager Greg Folsom, with the council voting later in the evening to appoint Folsom’s assistant city manager as his successor.

Alan Flora received the council’s unanimous vote to become the next Clearlake city manager, effective March 28.

Flora, who has held both the city’s assistant manager and finance director job this past year, is a former county of Lake deputy administrative officer and also worked for the county of Mendocino as its assistant chief executive officer. He recently was appointed to the Lakeport Fire Protection District Board of Directors.

Folsom, who joined the city in June 2015, begins his new job as city manager of Suisun City on April 2.

“While I am going to miss being city manager of Clearlake, I can’t think of a better successor than Alan Flora,” Folsom said following the meeting. “Alan has been a leader in this county for many years and I believe he will continue the positive momentum that we have built in Clearlake over the last few years.”

Honors for popular city manager

Ahead of Thursday’s council meeting, an hour-long farewell reception for Folsom – complete with a big cake featuring the city of Clearlake logo – was held at City Hall.

Folsom – wearing one of his signature colorful ties, a bright green one for St. Patrick’s Day – received well wishers including business and nonprofit leaders, residents, other local officials and friends.

When the meeting got under way, the council presented a farewell proclamation to Folsom. The entire council came down off the dais to stand with Folsom in front of the audience for the reading.

Mayor Nick Bennett started off by reading a message from Ed Robey, a former city council member and county supervisor. In his congratulatory message, Robey said he’s observed every city manager since the city incorporated in 1980. “Greg Folsom is without a doubt the best city manager we've ever had.”

Bennett then read a proclamation that noted Folsom’s many achievements, poked playful fun at his “infamous red pen” and recognized his work to diligently spearhead projects – some of which he didn’t take credit for due to his humility.

A representative from Sen. Mike McGuire’s office also presented a proclamation honoring Folsom on behalf of both McGuire and Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry.

Bennett also offered appreciation to Folsom’s wife, Georgianna, for her support of her husband in his work for the city.

Folsom recounted he and his wife coming to their first council meeting nearly four years ago, when his contract was being considered, and listening as a community member asked what was wrong with Folsom and why would he want to come to Clearlake.

But Folsom came anyway, a decision he indicated was a good one. “The last four years were just the best of my life being city manager here,” he said, choking up.

He lauded his staff and said he’s had the best city councils; he said those councils are the reason the city is doing so much better. Folsom said he was the right guy, at the right place, at the right time with the right council.

It was a year ago that Folsom hired Flora, who initially served as finance director, later adding assistant city manager to his title.

“One of the best decisions I've made as city manager has been bringing Alan on,” said Folsom, adding that Police Chief Andrew White was another great hire.

Flora came forward with another presentation. He said the staff had given Folsom a big red pen they had all signed. “We just appreciate everything you've done for this city.”

He then gave Folsom a large framed portrait of himself. “I hope you get the recognition that you deserve because of what you’ve done here,” Flora said, adding, “Don’t forget about us.”

Folsom hugged his staff and then, after a pause, said, “All right, go away,” with everyone returning to their seats.

During public comment, former mayors Russ Perdock and Denise Loustalot both praised Folsom for his leadership, noting that he had gotten to the city just before the series of devastating fires that hit the county began.

Even so, Folsom rose to the challenge. Loustalot said he led the city, staff and community calmly and safely, and is leaving the city in a much better place.

Clearlake City Manager Greg Folsom holds his going away cake at a reception for him before the Clearlake City Council meeting on Thursday, March 14, 2019, in Clearlake, Calif., while Assistant City Manager Alan Flora takes a picture. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.

Council approves Flora’s proposed contract

Attorney Paul Coble of the firm Jones and Mayer, which provides city attorney services to Clearlake, filled in at Thursday night’s meeting for City Attorney Ryan Jones.

Coble went over the basics of Flora’s proposed employment contract, which gives Flora a beginning monthly salary of $11,808.33 per month – which totals $141,699.96 annually – plus $400 per month for vehicle and cell phone expenses.

The contract’s other provisions follow Folsom's city manager contract, Coble said.

Flora’s contract is for a three-year term, with two additional years possible. Coble said that with Flora starting at a lower salary that Folsom – whose salary is $151,000 annually – there would be an overall net savings annually to the city's general fund plus short-term savings since he’s continuing as city finance director.

Loustalot, speaking to the council as the Clear Lake Chamber president, former mayor and a business owner, said that when she was on the council they didn’t have the luxury of having someone in the assistant city manager position, ready to step in.

She said she’s worked with Flora. “Knowing the direction the city is going, he's already in place, he's an easy fit” – and a good fit, she added.

Councilman Dirk Slooten, who is a neighbor of Folsom’s, recounted a conversation with him some time ago about needing to have his replacement ready if he left. And he did just that.

“I'm sure Alan is going to be a heck of a city manager, too,” Slooten said.

Councilman Russell Cremer said Flora “has certainly proven himself over the past year,” and that he and Chief White have brought the city into the 21st century with their knowledge of technology.

Councilwoman Joyce Overton said Flora was also lucky to have been trained by now-retired Lake County Administrative Officer Kelly Cox, who was well known for his budgeting acumen.

Overton said she expects more out of Flora than Folsom. “He set the bar high and I expect you to jump over it,” she said, adding, “I think you're going to do a fabulous job.”

Bennett said the sum total of Flora’s experience is impressive, that he has brought new information and technology to the city, and creates the best financial reports he’s seen in decades of working in government.

Councilman Phil Harris told Flora that the entire council and staff will support him and be there to make him successful. He added that he’s excited to see where the city is going.

“You’ve got big, big shoes to fill,” Harris said.

“I’m definitely the young, improved version of Greg,” Flora joked.

Cremer moved to approve the contract, with multiple council members offering the second. The vote was 5-0.

“Thank you for your support,” Flora said after the vote.

Folsom commended the council on a fine choice in making Flora the next city manager.

“You've done just a fantastic job for us over the last four years,” Cremer told Folsom, adding that he’s been the face of Clearlake.

Cremer also credited Folsom for giving the city back its credibility.

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.

031419 Clearlake City Council - Proposed city manager contract by LakeCoNews on Scribd

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Damin Anthony Pashilk, 43, of Clearlake, Calif., left, speaks with his attorney Mitch Hauptman on the last day of his preliminary hearing on Wednesday, March 13 ,2019, in Lakeport, Calif. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A judge has ordered a Clearlake man to stand trial on charges that he set the Clayton fire – which destroyed hundreds of structures in Lower Lake – and a series of other fires in Lake County in the summers of 2015 and 2016.

Judge Andrew Blum handed down his decision at the end of the preliminary hearing for Damin Anthony Pashilk, 43, on Wednesday afternoon.

During the preliminary hearing – a proceeding which began on Feb. 14 and stretched over nine days – Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff presented evidence for 23 charges related to Pashilk’s alleged setting of the Clayton fire in August 2016 and 15 other fires between July of 2015 and August of 2016, plus an attempted start of a 17th fire that self-extinguished. The charge for one of the fires was dropped on Wednesday.

Hinchcliff called to the stand numerous law enforcement officers and investigators, the majority of them from Cal Fire, which had Pashilk under surveillance for more than a year.

The last witness in the case was Cal Fire Deputy Chief James Engel, who has been present with Hinchcliff throughout the proceedings. Engel oversaw Cal Fire’s investigation of Pashilk, and his testimony wrapped up on Wednesday morning.

Rather than lengthy closing arguments, Hinchcliff wrote a summary of evidence presented in the case and submitted it as an exhibit, which Blum accepted as the hearing reconvened on Wednesday afternoon.

During the afternoon session, Hinchcliff said in short closing statements that the prosecution believed there is sufficient evidence for Pashilk to face trial on all counts except for count 11, which related to a fire set at Crestview Drive and North Drive in Clearlake on July 17, 2016. Hinchcliff said he was not requesting a holding order on that count.

In his closing statements, defense attorney Mitch Hauptman, focused on count one, which relates to the Clayton fire, which destroyed 300 structures in and around Lower Lake, nearly 200 of them homes. The historic downtown also suffered significant losses.

For his alleged setting of the Clayton fire, Pashilk is charged with felony aggravated arson under California Penal Code Section 451.5.

That penal code section states that any person “who willfully, maliciously, deliberately, with premeditation, and with intent to cause injury to one or more persons or to cause damage to property under circumstances likely to produce injury to one or more persons or to cause damage to one or more structures or inhabited dwellings, sets fire to, burns, or causes to be burned, or aids, counsels, or procures the burning of any residence, structure, forest land, or property is guilty of aggravated arson” if one or more aggravating factors exists.

In Pashilk’s case, the factor that makes it aggravated arson is that the Clayton fire caused property damage and other losses in excess of $7 million.

On day five of the preliminary hearing, Marnie Patchett, an analyst in Cal Fire’s cost recovery unit, testified to conducting calculations for the costs to fight the Clayton fire, which she said totaled $22.7 million.

The sunset date of that aggravated arson statute, incidentally, was extended by a bill by North Coast Sen. Mike McGuire that was signed last year by then-Gov. Jerry Brown. McGuire, who had cited the Clayton fire case as a reason to pursue it, said the bill meant to ensure law enforcement agencies “maintain a valuable deterrent to prevent arson-caused wildfires.”

Hauptman called the statute “unusual.” He said that the aggravated arson count requires that several things be proved: that the setting of the fire was willful, malicious and premeditated.

“I don't think that's been proven. I don't think there's even a hint of that,” Hauptman said.

He added, “I think there is a significant difference between a willful and malicious act and premeditation.”

While Hauptman said he wasn’t conceding that Pashilk set any of the fires, he said that all but one fire prior to the Clayton fire had failed to cause any damage to structures, and that 16 prior efforts had resulted in no injuries, with the fires set in remote areas away from homes.

“It's not a casual argument that I'm throwing out here,” Hauptman said, explaining that, even at the low evidentiary standard of a preliminary hearing, he found there to be difficulty in establishing the elements that form the basis of an aggravated arson finding.

In his response, Hinchcliff said that Pashilk, in an interview with investigators, acknowledged that he knew fires can be deadly and that he had worked as a firefighter at a prison fire camp.

Hinchcliff said the prosecution didn’t have to prove that Pashilk acted with premeditation.

He pointed to a fire set on Seigler Canyon Road in Lower Lake on the evening of Aug. 9, 2016 – four days before the Clayton fire – that had burned a residence. He said Pashilk is alleged to have set numerous fires, over and over.

“He himself was well aware, as he said during his interview, that fire can be destructive and deadly,” Hinchcliff said, adding there is more than sufficient evidence to hold Pashilk to stand trial for the Clayton fire.

Damin Anthony Pashilk, 43, of Clearlake, Calif., approaches the defense table after having his shackles removed at the end of his preliminary hearing on Wednesday, March 13, 2019, in Lakeport, Calif. He has been ordered to stand trial for arson for setting the Clayton fire in Lower Lake in August 2016 and 15 other fires between 2015 and 2016. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.

Judge reviews evidence, makes determination

Once the prosecution and defense had offered their brief closing arguments, Judge Blum offered his conclusions.

“In the summer of 2015 and 2016 we had numerous fires. They had a lot in common,” he said, explaining they all started in the same way, at the edges of roadway or turnouts, with no other sources and no indications that vehicles had sparked them.

“I think it's reasonable to interpret that each of these fires is arson caused. In fact, there's no other plausible explanation for them,” Blum said, adding that all were located in places where they could easily be set.

“So I certainly infer that each of these was arson caused,” he said.

He said that in each of the fires, Pashilk had been determined to have been close by within minutes.

Testimony throughout the preliminary hearing had noted that a green Subaru station wagon that Pashilk was known to drive in 2015 had been caught on two surveillance cameras at several fire sites on different dates. A gray Chrysler Sebring he drove the following summer also was seen in the area of fires by surveillance cameras and law enforcement officers.

Cal Fire law enforcement officers followed him into the fire areas, visually observing him and also tracking him with a GPS device that they had received clearance to place on both vehicles through a search warrant.

Pashilk was known to drive into remote areas where the fires started, and Blum said there was “no apparent lawful reason” for Pashilk’s driving pattern.

On Aug. 13, 2016, the day the Clayton fire was set, investigators followed Pashilk. He was shown on the GPS tracker to have pulled off onto Clayton Creek Road, where his vehicle was seen to have been about 90 seconds before a fire was sparked there. Cal Fire officers who tracked him discovered the fire, which immediately took off and, the next day, would tear through downtown Lower Lake.

Blum said there were several examples of Pashilk being in the immediate area before a fire started.

When he was arrested on Aug. 15, 2016 – by a Lake County Sheriff’s deputy who took him into custody for driving on a suspended license – Cal Fire confiscated the Chrysler and searched it at the Clearlake Police Department.

Blum said that in the car the investigators found matches and lighters and a lot of pieces of paper and paper napkins, including a twisted napkin like one that had been determined to be an ignition source on the Canyon fire on Aug. 9, 2016.

Investigators recovered an Otter Pop wrapper at the Clayton fire scene that they determined was the ignition source. Blum said the search of the Chrysler found another empty Otter Pop wrapper.

“It's only reasonable for the court to conclude that Mr. Pashilk started each of these fires,” Blum said.

“He has fought fires. He knows fires,” and he knows what fires can do, Blum said.

Blum said he had a strong suspicion that each fire was arson and that Pashilk had started them. He also found that each of the special allegations – including causing multiple structures to burn in the Clayton fire, and setting the Clayton fire and another fire on Highway 29 near Lower Lake on Aug. 7, 2016, in an area where the governor had declared a state of emergency – had been proven.

Regarding the ignition location of the Clayton fire, on an upward slope leading toward the town of Lower Lake, “You're trying to burn down things. You're trying to burn down structures,” said Blum.

Blum ordered Pashilk to be held to answer and stand trial on all of the counts except count 11 regarding the fire on July 17, 2016, on Crestview Drive and North Drive in Clearlake, as the District Attorney’s Office had requested.

The judge also ordered Pashilk to return to court on March 26 for the next steps in the case, beginning with another arraignment.

Charges and incidents

The following is a list of the fires Pashilk is alleged to have set, in chronological order, with each incident's corresponding count in the criminal filing and the charges:

• July 2, 2015, 7:32 a.m.: Highway 20 at Judge Davis Trail (“Judge” fire No. 1), Clearlake Oaks (Count IV); arson.
• July 2, 2015, 7:50 a.m.: Highway 20 at Walker Ridge Road (“Judge” fire No. 2), Clearlake Oaks (Count V); arson.
• July 29, 2015, 8:30 p.m.: Highway 20 east of New Long Valley Road (the “Long” fire), Clearlake Oaks (Count VI); arson.
• Aug. 8, 2015, 2:27 p.m.: High Valley Road and Cerrito Road, Clearlake Oaks (Count VII); arson.
• Aug. 13, 2015, 11 a.m. : Woodland Drive, Clearlake (Count VIII); arson.
• Aug. 14, 2015, 8:18 p.m.: Sulphur Bank Road, south of North Drive, Clearlake (Count IX); arson.
• Aug. 25, 2015, 3:47 p.m.: East Lake Drive, Clearlake (Count X); arson.
• July 17, 2016, 5:08 p.m.: Crestview Drive and North Drive, Clearlake (Count XI); arson.
• July 21, 2016, 5:08 p.m.: 18000 block of Morgan Valley Road near Staehle Lane, Lower Lake (Count XII); arson.
• July 23, 2016, 7:03 p.m.: Western Mine Road, Middletown (Count XIII); arson.
• July 26, 2016, 6:48 p.m.: Sulphur Bank Road, north of North Drive, Clearlake (Count XIV); arson.
• July 27, 2016, 7:23 p.m.: Lakeshore Drive and San Joaquin Drive, Clearlake (Count XV); arson.
• July 29, 2016, 2:47 p.m.: Ogulin Canyon Road, east of Highway 53, Clearlake (Count XVI); arson.
• Aug. 7, 2016 (start time not listed): Highway 29 near mile post marker 16.29, Lower Lake (Count XVII); arson.
• Aug. 9, 2016, 5 p.m.: Seigler Canyon Road, Lower Lake (Count XVIII); arson.
• Aug. 9, 2016, 5:25 p.m.: Clayton Creek Road, Lower Lake (Count XIX); attempted arson.
• Aug. 13, 2016, 5:01 p.m.: Clayton fire, Clayton Creek Road, Lower Lake (Counts I, II and III); aggravated arson, arson.

Special allegations include causing multiple structures to burn in the Clayton fire, and setting the Clayton fire and another fire on Highway 29 near Lower Lake this past Aug. 7, because both of those fire were in an area Gov. Jerry Brown has declared to be in a state of emergency.

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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SACRAMENTO – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, introduced legislation that would place an independent third party such as Cal Fire in charge of overseeing electric utility corporations’ compliance with tree and vegetation-trimming requirements to reduce wildfires.

“It’s clear that the current standard is not working,” Sen. Dodd said. “We need to make sure appropriate tree trimming and line maintenance occurs. The well-being of California communities and our very lives depend on it.”

Under existing law, utilities decide what trees should be trimmed or removed to comply with standards set by the California Public Utilities Commission.

However, in numerous instances in recent years, wildfire investigations have determined that vegetation was not adequately cleared from lines and was the cause of destructive fires.

Senate Bill 247 would require Cal Fire to direct utilities on trees and vegetation to be removed and later inspect the work, ensuring it meets requirements. Utilities would have to correct any issues identified by Cal Fire in a timely manner.

Separate provisions in the bill would prohibit utilities from diverting maintenance revenue to other purposes and require the utilities to cover the cost of the work performed by Cal Fire.

The bill was amended Thursday and will be set for its first policy committee hearing in the coming weeks.

It is one of four wildfire or disaster-related bills Sen. Dodd has introduced so far this year.

"The public needs to know that there is real, independent oversight, not just someone in an office reviewing paperwork submitted by utilities," said Sen. Dodd. "This bill will help prevent future wildfires and ultimately reduce costs ratepayers."

Dodd, who formerly represented Lake County in the State Assembly, now represents the Third Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Yolo, Sonoma, Solano, Sacramento and Contra Costa counties. Visit his Web site at www.senate.ca.gov/dodd.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors has voted to extend for another six months a program of Friday closures for key county offices in Lakeport.

The board voted 4-0 on Tuesday morning to extend the closure, requested by County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson. Supervisor Rob Brown was absent for the discussion.

In August, at Huchingson’s request, the board approved an initial six-month pilot program to close offices in and around the Lake County Courthouse in Lakeport on Fridays in order to let county departments work on backlogs, as Lake County News has reported.

“Today I’m requesting an extension for another six months of that pilot,” Huchingson said on Tuesday.

During the coming six months, there will be one exception to those closures: Huchingson said that the Auditor-Controller’s Office said it will need to be open to the public on the last day of the fiscal year, which is Friday, June 28.

Huchingson said she convened a committee of department heads after the initial pilot began to review problems that came up.

“The complications with this have been very minimal. All have been worked out as they have come up,” she said.

“Many of our department heads speak of the benefit of having the Friday closure day,” said Huchingson, which she added has enabled staff in some departments to focus on backlogs of work resulting from position vacancies.

As of this week, the county’s vacancy rate was 22 percent, according to Huchingson, as compared to 20 percent reported when the board first approved the closure pilot program in August.

“We are about at the same spot we were six months ago when your board recognized the need to do this,” said Huchingson.

Huchingson said both the cities of Clearlake and Lakeport are “permanently closed” on Fridays.

“It would appear that our public is sort of adjusting to that,” Huchingson said.

Supervisor Moke Simon moved to approve the request to continue the Friday closures, with Supervisor Bruno Sabatier seconding and the board approving it 4-0.

Sabatier told Lake County News in a followup interview that he felt it necessary to continue the closures because of the high vacancy rate.

Once the county’s vacancies get back up to the range of 85 to 90 percent, Sabatier said the board can reconsider the closures.

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. – The Lakeport Fire Protection District Board is exploring different approaches to getting its budget on track, including tightening up on expenses, and considering property and equipment sales, while preparing for this spring’s parcel tax election.

The board held its regular meeting on Tuesday evening at the district’s downtown fire station.

In recent months, the board has welcomed two new members: Alan Flora, who is the assistant city manager and finance director for Clearlake, and Bill Gabe, a retired Lakeport Fire lieutenant and high school and college teacher. They join Chair John Whitehead and board members Randy Williams and Don Davidson, the latter who was absent from Tuesday’s meeting.

The district also has a new interim chief, Rick Bergem, who succeeded Chief Doug Hutchison.

Bergem brings to the table decades of experience with the district. He told Lake County News that he has committed to serving as chief for a year before retiring. Taking the job allowed him to rehire one of the three firefighters the district laid off last year.

He’s received high praise from the members of the district’s professional firefighters’ union.

At Tuesday’s meeting, firefighter/paramedic Spencer Johnson, speaking on behalf of the union, thanked Bergem for his work as incident commander on fires and for the open and transparent communication with district personnel.

“It’s been a tremendous breath of fresh air that we've desperately needed,” Johnson said.

In the midst of responding to fires, meeting with other agencies’ chiefs and looking at ways to improve ambulance services for Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Bergem is overseeing the completion of a Federal Emergency Management Agency SAFER grant due later this month that aims to restore firefighter positions. He’s also looking at what surplus equipment the district can sell.

On Tuesday, Bergem presented to the board a 2019-20 strategic plan, which he explained is an overview of what he believes are priorities for this year. It’s divided into a list of monthly goals.

Tasks he’s working on include selecting a new full-time administrative assistant to succeed longtime staffer Linda Buckner, who is preparing to retire; hiring a new part-time administrative assistant; finalizing the FEMA SAFER grant; and beginning Measure M fire tax campaign activities ahead of the May 7 election.

The plan includes the recruitment for a new fire chief. Advertising will begin in July, the job application deadline and interviews are in August, a final selection is anticipated in September and the new chief is expected to start in October or November, after fire season.

Flora thanked Bergem for creating the document, and Whitehead said it will be put on an upcoming agenda to discuss it further.

The board also discussed preparation for Measure M, with staff explaining that all of the necessary paperwork has been submitted to the Lake County Registrar of Voters Office.

With the county in the midst of an ongoing recruitment process for the registrar’s job, Flora expressed concern about the county being able to handle the election. Buckner said she’d had repeated conversations with various county employees to ensure that everything is in order.

Flora has developed a five-year expenditure plan based on projections for what Measure M will bring in, starting at just over $1.2 million in year one and graduating to $1.3 million in year five. It’s meant to offer accountability for spending to voters.

Stabilizing the budget in the near term

While the district board hopes to bring in new revenue through Measure M, if the measure passes it will be close to a year before any of that new money comes in.

In the meantime, the board has to meet the district’s immediate and ongoing fiscal challenges.

Flora said they have been looking at a budget plan for the upcoming 2019-20 fiscal year, but haven’t made a lot of progress yet and are instead focusing on the current fiscal year.

“That's what really concerns me the most right now,” said Flora.

“It's going to take a lot of work, I think, to balance our budget by the end of this fiscal year,” Flora said, adding, “It’s extremely tight right now.”

Flora suggested the board take several immediate actions to address the budget situation.

The first is to have a discussion of the 2018-19 budget on every agenda through the end of the fiscal year.

“So ordered,” Whitehead said.

Flora said the board also needed to provide direction to the chief to not make any expenditures that aren’t critical through the end of the fiscal year and look at existing reserve balances for when there are critical needs.

He said it will be extremely difficult for the district to balance its budget, even with a FEMA reimbursement of about $248,000 for the River fire. They put $114,000 into the equipment reserve but Flora suggested they may need to use that elsewhere.

Bergem is looking at selling unneeded surplus equipment and Flora said they will need all the money they can get. “We're all going to have to get creative, I think.”

As of Tuesday, Flora said the district had a deficit in excess of $300,000. While it likely won’t be that bad by the end of the year, “We shouldn't assume that everything's going to work out fine,” he said.

District considering sale of Finley fire station

One possible action the district may take – which was first brought forward at a previous meeting – is the potential sale of the Finley fire station, which some board members are hesitant to pursue.

It hasn’t been used for a fire station in about 20 years, and is now used by the Clearlake Gleaners for its food program.

By the time of Tuesday’s meeting, Bergem said he hadn’t had a chance to speak with the Gleaners to see if the group is interested in purchasing the building. He said he can get an estimate of the cost for an appraisal.

However, Bergem also said he’s considering the potential benefits of putting the station back in service. Keeping a piece of fire equipment there could reduce the Insurance Service Office rating which could, in turn, improve homeowners insurance rates for area residents. He said the district also has three volunteers who live in the area and they could help take care of the boundary drop with Kelseyville Fire.

While there are concerns that a large fire truck may not fit in the building, one of the smaller type 2 units could, Bergem said.

Whitehead said he had spoken to the Gleaners previously and they indicated their interest in purchasing the building. However, he added that he and Davidson are reluctant to sell it right away, at least not until they have a new station – which could be made possible through the district’s grant-writing efforts. Williams said they also could use it for storage.

Buckner said they receive rent of $360 a month for the building, with $3,684 budgeted for rent last year. She said the rent increases 10 percent per year.

“I think it's good that we look at all options,” said Flora, noting that it doesn’t make sense to make a kneejerk, short-term decision that prompts the need to make another decision later.

Whitehead suggested they keep the Finley station discussion on future district agendas.

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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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The celebrations and parties that may highlight St. Patrick’s Day often lead to tragedy, when impaired drivers take to the roads.

The California Highway Patrol and California Office of Traffic Safety urge people to make planning safe rides as much a part of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations as wearing green.

On March 17, 2018, one person was killed and 48 were injured in collisions caused by driving under the influence in California.

Statewide, 131 people were involved in DUI collisions on St. Patrick’s Day in 2018. The CHP also made 285 arrests for DUI that day.

“When you are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, remember the other people on the road and in your vehicle,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “Do not let alcohol or drugs cause you to become a risk to yourself and others.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration describes March 17 as one of the deadliest holidays on America’s roads. During the 2017 St. Patrick’s Day holiday period, 37 percent of all crash fatalities involved drunken drivers.

“Drinking and driving don’t mix,” OTS Director Rhonda Craft said. “We want people to enjoy the holiday, but be responsible about how they get home once the celebrations end.”

Plan a sober ride in advance if a celebration will include alcohol. The alternative could change your life, not to mention the lives of your passengers, pedestrians, or other drivers and passengers nearby.

The financial impact alone of a DUI can be sobering. Attorneys’ fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work, higher insurance rates, and car repairs can reach $15,000 or more in California. If you plan on drinking, plan on not driving.

The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of safety, service and security. The OTS administers traffic safety programs with the goal of reducing deaths, injuries, and economic losses.
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Clearlake Police Chief Andrew White administers the oath to Sgt. Ryan Peterson and Animal Control Officer Willow Goldtooth on Thursday, March 14, 2019. Photo courtesy of City Manager Greg Folsom.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Police Chief Andrew White swore in his agency’s newest sergeant and Animal Control officer at the Clearlake City Council meeting on Thursday evening.

Taking the oath were Sgt. Ryan Peterson and Animal Control Officer Willow Goldtooth.

Sgt. Peterson has been with the Clearlake Police Department since 2007 and has held a variety of positions, including patrol, field training officer, and detective.

Peterson has developed a reputation as one of the top detectives in Lake County.

Goldtooth has been employed by the Animal Control Division as a part-time kennel technician since March 2018.

She loves animals and hiking, and has been looking forward to becoming an Animal Control officer and making a positive impact on the community.

“Sgt. Peterson has been an outstanding detective for the Clearlake Police Department and I am confident that he will be an outstanding sergeant as well,” said City Manager Greg Folsom. “I am also pleased that we have been able to promote Willow Goldtooth into the important position of Animal Control officer.”
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department will be hosting a citizen academy next month.

The academy will begin on Wednesday, April 3, and will be held Wednesday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m. during the month of April.

There will be one longer day – approximately seven hours – at the end of the academy to accommodate for certain training scenarios and graduation.

The academy will be open to anyone over the age of 18 who can pass a brief background check, has no felony convictions and has an interest in learning more about law enforcement, specifically the Clearlake Police Department.

Attendees who complete the course will have the opportunity to join the Clearlake Police Volunteer Program, also known as the VIP Program.

Those who decide to accept the challenge of joining the VIP Program will receive additional training to meet the requirements for the program.

Academy attendees can expect to enjoy an inside look at the Clearlake Police Department. Attendees will learn of the various programs and divisions, receive interesting information about the law and how to apply that information to scenarios and have the opportunity to see some exciting demonstrations.

Attendees will participate in classroom training along with practical exercises, hands-on learning and demonstrations throughout the academy.

The city of Clearlake and the Clearlake Police Department have made many positive changes and is continuing to make many more.

This is an opportunity for community members to learn about some of the things that are going on within the city’s largest department and to be a part of those future changes.

Police department officials believe that in order to make Clearlake a cleaner, safer city, they must enhance public safety by providing professional, trustworthy service in partnership with our community.

Through the citizens Academy you will have the opportunity to be a partner.
If you are interested in attending the academy please complete an application and return it by March 25.

Approved applicants will be contacted via telephone and invited to attend the course as applications are processed.

Pick up an application at the police department located at 14050 Olympic Drive in Clearlake or print one from the city of Clearlake website at www.Clearlake.ca.us and follow the prompts to the police department and locate “Citizens Academy.”

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