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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors this week will consider taking the next steps involved in putting a sales tax measure before voters this June, and get updates on the project to build a new courthouse and new funding for the Middle Creek Restoration Project.

The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.

The meeting can be watched live on Channel 8 and online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.

In an untimed item, the board will consider an ordinance and tax measure allowing for a 1.5 percent sales tax in the unincorporated county to be placed on the June 5 ballot.

Earlier this month the board gave the go ahead to pursue the sales tax measure in light of the county government’s growing financial challenges, as Lake County News has reported: http://bit.ly/2ERA7j7.

At 9:10 a.m., the board will consider a staff report on the status of the Lake County Courthouse Construction Project. In order to move the project forward, the board will discuss the sale of two county-owned parcels at 934 and 946 Bevins Court in Lakeport as part of a larger land swap deal that involves the city of Lakeport and Lake County Tribal Health.

In an item timed for 10:15 a.m., the board – sitting as the Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors 00 will consider a report on Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry’s recent securing of $15 million for the Middle Creek Restoration Project.

The full agenda follows.

CONTRACT CHANGE ORDERS

6.1: Consideration of Contract Change Order #2 Between the county of Lake and Bridgeway Civil Constructors Inc. for the Harbin Springs Road at Harbin Creek Bridge Replacement Project, Federal Project No. BRLO-5914(106); Bid No. 17-04 for a Decrease of $6,276.32 and a Revised Contract Amount of $1,272,480.84; and authorize the chair to sign.

CONSENT AGENDA

7.1: (a) Approve bylaws for the Western Regional Town Hall; (b) adopt resolution amending Resolution No. 2017-80 and 2017-109 establishing the Western Regional Town Hall Known as “WRTH” for the Upper Lake, Blue Lakes and Lake Pillsbury areas.

7.2: Authorize county administrative officer to approve step advancement for non-management, confidential unit deputy county administrative officer I/II/III – hourly employee, retroactive to Jan. 23, 2018.

7.3: Approve to waive the 90-day termination requirements in the Jan. 4, 2011, fire dispatch agreement allowing the fire districts to terminate effective March 1, 2018.

7.4: (a) Approve facility space license agreement by and between the county of Lake (licensor) and Kelseyville Fire Protection District (licensee) to lease tower and vault space on specified county communication sites for an annual fee of $18,600, and a one-time payment in the amount of $2,500 to reimburse the administrative office for expenses, and authorize the chair to sign; and (b) approve spectrum manager lease agreement between the county of Lake (lessor) and the Kelseyville Fire District (lessee) allowing the "Red Net" frequencies to be shared with the fire districts for a one-time payment of $5,000 to reimburse the administrative office for expenses, and authorize the chair to sign.

7.5: Approve amendment no. 1 to the agreement between the county of Lake and North Valley Behavioral Health LLC. for acute inpatient psychiatric hospital services for fiscal year 2017-18 for a decrease of $100,000 for a new contract maximum of $100,000 and authorize the board chair to sign the amendment.

7.6: Approve the commercial lease agreement between the county of Lake and Big Oak Center LLC for the lease of property located at 13340 E. Highway 20, Clearlake Oaks, CA 95423 in the amount of $1462.50 per month.

7.7: Approve amendment no. 1 to the agreement between the county of lake and Gary Ernst for professional fiscal consulting services FY 2017-18 for an increase of $15,000 and a new contract maximum of $30,000, and authorize the board chair to sign.

7.8: Adopt resolution authorizing the 2018-19 Grant Project - Lake County Child Advocacy Center Program and authorize the chair to sign the certification and assurance of compliance.

7.9: Sitting as Lake County Sanitation District Board of Directors, approve right of way contract and grant deed for Caltrans' acquisition of a portion of the Middletown Wastewater Treatment Plant along State Highway 175 and authorize the chair to sign the right of way contract and the grant deed as well as provide direction to the clerk to notarize and record the grant deed.

7.10: Approve amendment no. 1 to agreement between the county of Lake and Far Western Anthropological Research Group Inc. in the amount of $19,695.64 for the Eastlake Elementary Safe Routes to School & Community Development Block Grant Project in Clearlake Oaks; and authorize the chair to sign.

7.11: Approve advanced step hiring of Celia Hoberg, at third step retroactive to Oct. 17, 2017, for right-of-way agent/airport operations coordinator.

7.12: Approve letter of agreement between the Lake County Sheriff's Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in the amount of $210,000 for the period Oct. 1, 2017, to Sept. 30, 2018; and authorize sheriff to sign the agreement and chair to sign workplace certifications and grant assurances.

7.13: Approve acceptance of easement deeds on multiple parcels in Anderson Springs for the Anderson Springs Septic to Sewer Project and authorize clerk to sign.

TIMED ITEMS

8.2, 9:06 a.m.: (a) Consideration of waiving required standards of Chapter 12, Section 8, Part III (c) 3 of County Policies for "Commemorative Names Honoring Former County Officials and Employees"; and (b) consideration of resolution of intent to supersede Resolution No. 90-306 naming, renaming, and extending the length of existing roads within the area of the county jail facility in the county of Lake.

8.3, 9:10 a.m.: (a) Consideration of staff report on the status of the Lake County Courthouse Construction Project; and (b) consideration of appointment of the county administrative officer or her designee and the Public Works director to serve as the negotiating team for the possible sale of the two county-owned parcels at 934 and 946 Bevins Court in Lakeport.

8.4, 9:20 a.m.: Hearing, nuisance abatement assessment confirmation and proposed recordation of notice of lien in the amount of $17,327.72, for 12545 Lakeview Drive, Clearlake Oaks (APN 035-152-65 - John J. Danuck) .

8.5, 9:25 a.m.: Hearing, nuisance abatement assessment confirmation and proposed recordation of notice of lien in the amount of $13,069.00, for 7271 Sierra Street, Nice (APN 031-142-05 - Dominique L. McGowen).

8.6, 9:30 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of appeal (AB 17-06) of the Planning Commission's denial of Use Permit (UP 17-06) and Design Review (DR 17-07) for an off-site billboard sign, property located at 2325 East Highway 20, Nice (APN 004-055-37); appellant is Stott Outdoor Advertising, on behalf of property owners Larry and Francis Montgomery.

8.7, 10 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of appeal (AB 17-05) of Planning Commission's Denial of Major Use Permit (UP 17-10) and Design Review (DR 17-05) to allow a new off-site billboard sign; project located at 13550 East Highway 20, Clearlake Oaks (APN 006-510-31); appellant is Richard Kuehn .

8.8, 10:15 a.m.: Sitting as the Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors, consideration of report on the new funding for the Middle Creek Restoration Project.

UNTIMED ITEMS

9.2: Consideration of the following appointments: Kelseyville Cemetery District Western Region Town Hall.

9.3: (a) Consideration of resolution adopting memorandum of understanding by and between the Lake County Employees Association, Unit 3, and the County of Lake for Jan. 1, 2017, to Sept. 30, 2018; and (b) Consideration of resolution adopting memorandum of understanding by and between the Lake County Employees Association, Unit 5, and the County of Lake for Jan. 1, 2017, to Sept. 30, 2018.

9.4: Consideration of option and lease agreement with verizon wireless to develop a communications site.

9.5: (a) Consideration of an Ordinance Adding Article VII to Chapter 18 of the Lake County Code imposing a general transactions and use tax establishing a general tax of one and one-half percent in the unincorporated area of the county of Lake; (b) consideration of a tax measure, a transactions and use local revenue measure, for the June 5, 2018 General Election; and (c) consideration of a resolution placing the tax ordinance and the ballot measure statement on the June 5, 2018 Election.

9.6: Consideration of agreement for oak mitigation services for the Cole Creek at Soda Bay Road Bridge Replacement (14C-0127) and the Highland Creek at Highland Springs Road Bridge Replacement (14C-0125) projects with Hanford ARC in the amount not to exceed $342,446.97; and authorize the Chair to sign.

CLOSED SESSION

10.1: Conference with legal counsel: Decision whether to initiate litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9(d)(4): County of Lake v. Martin Scheel, et al.

10.2: Conference with legal counsel: Existing Litigation Pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9(d)(1): Shikman v. County of Lake, et al.

10.3: Public employee evaluations: Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley, Agricultural Commissioner Steve Hajik.

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. – Forecasters are predicting that storms approaching Northern California this week could bring more rain and low-elevation snow.

The National Weather Service’s Sacramento office said it is tracking two winter storms expected to impact Northern California in the coming days.

The agency said the first will bring low-elevation snow on Monday, similar to the storm system that brought snow to lower elevations last week.

A second storm system could bring multiple feet of snow to higher elevations including the Sierra Nevada – where most of the state’s snowpack is located – later in the week, based on the forecast.

While parts of Lake County saw some snow this past week, snow is only in the forecast for the higher elevations north of Upper Lake on Sunday night and Monday, and from Thursday night through Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.

In Lake County’s lower elevations, rain is predicted on Sunday night, with slight chances of showers on Monday and again from mid-week into the weekend, the forecast said.

Over the coming week, daytime highs are expected to top out in the low 50s, while nighttime temperatures are forecast to drop into the low 30s.

Winds with gusts into the 20s also are forecast for Sunday night, with more winds in the mid-teens are expected on Monday night, the agency reported.

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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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – With the resignation of Councilman Russell Perdock on Feb. 1, the Clearlake City Council is seeking applications from citizens of the city of Clearlake to fill his term, which expires in November.

"There are many exciting projects coming forward for the city, and a new councilmember has the opportunity to be a part of a great team," said City Manager Greg Folsom.

The city of Clearlake is a general law city of the state of California operating under the council/manager plan.

The council is the legislative body and its members are the community’s decision makers.

The city council approves the city’s budget and determines the public services and focuses on the community’s goals, major projects and such long term considerations as community growth, financing and strategic planning.

Applicants must be a registered voter of the city of Clearlake. Councilmembers receive a stipend of $300 per month.

Applications can be found on the city’s Web site at www.clearlake.ca.us or by contacting the City Clerk Melissa Swanson at 707-994-8201, Extension 106.

"While we will miss the leadership exhibited by Councilmember Perdock, we look forward to continuing our strategic plan with a new member on our team offering fresh ideas on how we can better serve our community," said Mayor Sabatier.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Animal Control has several big dogs that continue to wait for their forever homes.

The available dogs are Buttercup, Hutch, Jessie, Magnolia, Oliver, Robbie and Raider.

To meet the animals, call Clearlake Animal Control at 707-994-8201 and speak to Marcia at Extension 103 or call Extension 118, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or leave a message at any other time.

Below are this week's available pets.

“Buttercup.” Courtesy photo.


‘Buttercup’

“Buttercup” is a female Chihuahua-terrier mix who is estimated to be between 6 and 8 months old.

Shelter staff said she weighs about 20 pounds, is good with other dogs and with children.

She is shy but warms up quickly, and has young pup manners.

“Hutch.” Courtesy photo.


‘Hutch’

Hutch is a calm shepherd mix estimated to be between 1 and 2 years old, with a short brown coat and weighing 55 pounds.

Shelter staff said he appears to be good with other dogs, and is attentive.

He walks great on leash but also likes to just chill on his bed.

“Jessie.” Courtesy photo.


‘Jessie’

“Jessie” is a small female shepherd mix, weighing about 20 pounds and estimated to be 4 months old.

She has a short tan coat with black and white markings.

Shelter staff said she is good with other dogs and with children.

Jessie is very spunky and on the go, and loves to play chase and zoom around. Staff said she is quickly learning to walk nicely on leash.

“Magnolia.” Courtesy photo.


‘Magnolia’

“Magnolia” has a short brown and white coat.

Shelter staff said she loves walks and commands you rub her belly. She wiggles over then flops over for the rubs.

She came in as a stray and is already spayed. Staff estimated she is around 2 years old and weighs about 60 pounds.

Magnolia is very social and friendly. She is fine with other dogs, and walks well on leash.

“Oliver.” Courtesy photo.


‘Oliver’

Oliver is a very handsome 9-month-old male mixed breed who weighs about 90 pounds and has a short black and white coat.

Shelter staff said he is good with children, treat motivated and eager to please. He’s also a quick learner.


“Robbie.” Courtesy photo.


‘Robbie’

“Robbie” is a young and happy-go-lucky mix – possibly Labrador Retriever and Rottweiler.

Shelter staff said is he around a year and a half old and weighs 50 pounds.

He walks well on a leash, makes friends with other dogs, and is playful but not super active.

Robbie is vaccinated and will be neutered prior to adoption.

“Raider.” Courtesy photo.


‘Raider’

“Raider” is a male fun-sized terrier mix who loves to cuddle.

He is about a year old, weighs 12 pounds, has been neutered and has a short brindle coat.

Shelter staff said he’s good with other dogs, is timid at first but warms up quickly.

He was picked up from a red-tagged home and is ready for a new life with a family of his own.

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. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has five dogs that are prepared to meet their new families this week.

The dogs offered adoption this week include mixes of golden retriever and pit bull.

Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.

The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).

“Rocky” is a male pit bull in kennel No. 18, ID No. 9470. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Rocky’

“Rocky” is a male pit bull with a short gray and white coat.

He’s in kennel No. 18, ID No. 9470.

This male golden retriever is in quarantine kennel No. 19, ID No. 9302. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male golden retriever

This adult male golden retriever has a medium-length golden coat.

He already has been neutered.

He’s in quarantine kennel No. 19, ID No. 9302.

“Baby” is a female pit bull terrier in kennel No. 23, ID No. 9501. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Baby’

“Baby” is a female pit bull terrier with a short fawn coat.

She already has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 23, ID No. 9501.

This young female pit bull is in kennel No. 26, ID No. 9465. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female pit bull

This young female pit bull has a short blue and fawn coat.

She is in kennel No. 26, ID No. 9465.

This male pit bull is in kennel No. 27, ID No. 9480. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male pit bull

This male pit bull has a short blue and white coat.

Shelter staff said he is super sweet and bubbly.

He’s in kennel No. 27, ID No. 9480.

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm.

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

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

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From left, Dustin Lee Brey, 44, of Kelseyville, Calif.; Cody Alan Harrell, 30, of Springfield, Missouri; and Justin Michael Richardson, 21, of Summerfield, Florida, were arrested on Wednesday, February 21, 2018, after they were found at the site of a honey oil lab in Lakeport, Calif. Courtesy photos.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The discovery of a honey oil lab this week led to the arrests of three men.

Dustin Lee Brey, 44, of Kelseyville, was arrested for manufacturing a controlled substance while Cody Alan Harrell, 30, of Springfield, Missouri and Justin Michael Richardson, 21, of Summerfield, Florida, were taken into custody on warrants, according to Lt. Corey Paulich of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Paulich said that on Feb. 21 detectives from Lake County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit served a search warrant at an office/shop space located on Skypark Drive in Lakeport.

There, he said detectives located an active butane honey oil lab, also called a BHO. Detectives contacted and detained four male subjects inside of the office/shop area.

Detectives evacuated the structure and spoke with all four males, Paulich said.

He said Brey admitted to purchasing the BHOGART BHO lab and taking several classes to learn how to properly operate the closed loop butane honey oil extraction lab. Detectives had Brey shut the lab down.

Brey admitted to using the BHOGART BHO lab to produce butane honey oil, Paulich said. Brey said the other males at the location were not responsible for the lab.

Paulich said Brey admitted to renting the office space to run the BHO lab. Detectives with the assistance of the Lakeport Fire Protection District were able to dismantle the BHO lab.

Detectives located and seized approximately 10 pounds of marijuana shake, 92 grams of concentrated cannabis and additional concentrated cannabis was located inside of the BHO lab which could not be extracted until the cylinder containing it was rendered safe, according to Paulich.

Brey was arrested for manufacturing a controlled substance and booked into custody at the Lake County Jail where he remains with bail set at $100,000, Paulich said.

Harrell also was arrested. Paulich said Harrell, who had a fugitive from justice warrant out of Missouri, told detectives that he had fled Missouri after violating parole.

Richardson was arrested for an outstanding warrant out of Florida. Paulich said Richardson’s warrant included charges related to possession of marijuana.

Paulich said both Harrell and Richardson remain in custody on their warrants with no bail.

The fourth male contacted at the location was released with no charges, Paulich said.

The butane honey oil lab discovered by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit in Lakeport, Calif., on Wednesday, February 21, 2018. Courtesy photo.
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At right, Dirk Slooten of the Lake Area Rotary Club Association presents a check for $14,350 for a communications project to Lake County Fire Protection District Chief Willie Sapeta on Tuesday, February 20, 2018, in Clearlake, Calif. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – As part of its continuing mission of fire relief and community safety, the Lake Area Rotary Club Association has made another substantial donation to the Lake County Fire Chief’s Association for a communications project.

On Tuesday Dirk Slooten and Russ Cremer, representing the association – also known as LARCA – presented a check for $14,350 to Lake County Fire Protection District Chief Willie Sapeta.

Sapeta said the funds are to be used for an additional repeater rebuild for the communications site on Siegler Mountain.

The project, he said, is part of the local fire agencies’ dispatch transition from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Central Dispatch to Cal Fire, which is expected to take place March 1.

The donation for the Siegler site is the latest in a series of contributions LARCA has made to the chiefs association.

After the Valley fire, LARCA gave $17,600 for additional fire line EMT-paramedic supplies, which are 40-pound packs used to minister to firefighters injured on incidents. Sapeta said the packs include heart monitors, medications and fluids.

Then, after the Clayton fire, LARCA provided nearly $16,000 to purchase two Polar Breeze Firefighter/Responder Rehabilitation Units, Sapeta said.

One unit is in service in the Northshore Fire Support Unit and the other is in the Southlake County Fire Support Unit, Sapeta said.

The bright red little machines on wheels help quickly rehabilitate firefighters who may be suffering from heat-related injury.

They pump cool air through a hood or into the firefighters’ turnouts. When using the hood, the cool air is breathed in and quickly cools down the bloodstream and the rest of the body to prevent thermal stress illness, according to the company’s Web site.

Sapeta said the Polar Breeze units have been deployed several times since they were first placed in service.

LARCA’s latest donation for the Siegler Mountain project brings its total contributions to Lake County’s emergency responder agencies to approximately $62,359.73, according to Cremer and Slooten.

In addition to the fireline paramedic supplies and the Polar Breeze units, the contributions include $1,181 for a GIS mapping project; $5,500 for an additional repeater tone radio on Seigler Mountain; and $8,000 for a three-year subscription to the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System.

“They have been very good to us,” Sapeta said.

LARCA has so far raised nearly $1 million for fire relief in Lake County, and Cremer said they have gained the respect of donors for the fact that they have no overhead – all dollars donated go to important local causes.

Slooten added that they’ve received donations from Rotary Clubs across the United States and even some from other counties, including Japan.

Cremer said LARCA had planned to shut down its fire relief efforts in September, then the Sulphur fire hit the following month.

He said they’ve since decided to keep the effort active, and after the check presentation to Sapeta were on the way to pick up another donation.

LARCA is part of the Rotary 5130 Fire Relief Fund, which covers four counties – Lake, Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma, Cremer said.

Cremer said those four counties have together raised $1,650,000 and are now responding to the much larger needs emerging in the wake of the October wildland fires that devastated the North Bay.

Donations can be made through the LARCA Web site at https://www.larca5130.org/ or mailed to Rotary District 5130 Fire Relief Fund, P.O. Box 2921, Clearlake, CA 95422. For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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.
From left, Cal Fire firefighters Tyler Lange and Jonathan Hoag, Lake County Fire Protection District Chief Willie Sapeta, and Lake Area Rotary Club Association representatives Dirk Slooten and Russ Cremer at the Lake County Fire Protection District main station in Clearlake, Calif., on Tuesday, February 20, 2018, in Clearlake, Calif. With them is a Polar Breeze thermal rehabilitation unit (the red wheeled unit), as well as two fire line EMT-paramedic supply packs, purchased with donations from the association. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.
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Supernova 2016gkg (indicated by red bars) in the galaxy NGC 613, located about 40 million light years from Earth in the constellation Sculptor. (Image by UC Santa Cruz and Las Campanas Observatory, Chile).

BERKELEY, Calif. – Thanks to lucky snapshots taken by an amateur astronomer in Argentina, scientists have obtained their first view of the initial burst of light from the explosion of a massive star.

During tests of a new camera, Víctor Buso captured images of a distant galaxy before and after the supernova's "shock breakout" – when a supersonic pressure wave from the exploding core of the star hits and heats gas at the star’s surface to a very high temperature, causing it to emit light and rapidly brighten.

To date, no one has been able to capture the "first optical light" from a normal supernova – that is, one not associated with a gamma-ray or x-ray burst – since stars explode seemingly at random in the sky, and the light from shock breakout is fleeting. The new data provide important clues to the physical structure of the star just before its catastrophic demise and to the nature of the explosion itself.

"Professional astronomers have long been searching for such an event," said UC Berkeley astronomer Alex Filippenko, who followed up the discovery with observations at the Lick and Keck observatories that proved critical to a detailed analysis of the explosion, called SN 2016gkg. "Observations of stars in the first moments they begin exploding provide information that cannot be directly obtained in any other way."

"Buso’s data are exceptional," he added. "This is an outstanding example of a partnership between amateur and professional astronomers."

The discovery and results of follow-up observations from around the world will be published in the Feb. 22 issue of the journal Nature.

On Sept. 20, 2016, Buso, of Rosario, Argentina, was testing a new camera on his 16-inch telescope by taking a series of short-exposure photographs of the spiral galaxy NGC 613, which is about 80 million light years from Earth and located within the southern constellation Sculptor.

Luckily, he examined these images immediately and noticed a faint point of light quickly brightening near the end of a spiral arm that was not visible in his first set of images.

Astronomer Melina Bersten and her colleagues at the Instituto de Astrofísica de La Plata in Argentina soon learned of the serendipitous discovery and realized that Buso had caught a rare event, part of the first hour after light emerges from a massive exploding star. She estimated Buso's chances of such a discovery, his first supernova, at one in 10 million or perhaps even as low as one in 100 million.

“It’s like winning the cosmic lottery,” said Filippenko.

Star shed three-quarters of its mass before exploding

Bersten immediately contacted an international group of astronomers to help conduct additional frequent observations of SN 2016gkg over the next two months, revealing more about the type of star that exploded and the nature of the explosion.

Filippenko and his colleagues obtained a series of seven spectra, where the light is broken up into its component colors, as in a rainbow, with the Shane 3-meter telescope at the University of California’s Lick Observatory near San Jose, California, and with the twin 10-meter telescopes of the W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, Hawaii.

This allowed the international team to determine that the explosion was a Type IIb supernova: the explosion of a massive star that had previously lost most of its hydrogen envelope, a species of exploding star first observationally identified by Filippenko in 1987.

Combining the data with theoretical models, the team estimated that the initial mass of the star was about 20 times the mass of our sun, though it lost most of its mass, probably to a companion star, and slimmed down to about 5 solar masses prior to exploding.

Filippenko’s team continued to monitor the supernova’s changing brightness over two months with other Lick telescopes: the 0.76-meter Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope and the 1-meter Nickel telescope.

“The Lick spectra, obtained with just a 3-meter telescope, are of outstanding quality in part because of a recent major upgrade to the Kast spectrograph, made possible by the Heising-Simons Foundation as well as William and Marina Kast,” Filippenko said.

Filippenko’s group, which included numerous undergraduate students, is supported by the Christopher R. Redlich Fund, Gary and Cynthia Bengier, the TABASGO Foundation, the Sylvia and Jim Katzman Foundation, many individual donors, the Miller Institute for Basic Research in Science and NASA through the Space Telescope Science Institute. Research at Lick Observatory is partially supported by a generous gift from Google.

The W. M. Keck Observatory is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California and NASA; the observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.

Robert Sanders writes for the UC Berkeley News Center.
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Dennis Fordham. Courtesy photo.


What is the difference between a will and a living trust? This is a basic question people want answered.

Let us examine the primary differences between wills and trusts.

These differences relate to the following issues: (1) whether a probate is involved; (2) what assets and legal affairs are implicated; and (3) when does the instrument take effect?

The Will, it is a “legal instrument” that allows you to name an executor to act as the personal representative of your estate. A will only takes effect after you die.

Under court supervision, the personal representative will process and settle creditor claims, transact unfinished legal matters, and distribute what remains to your named beneficiaries according to the written terms of the will after you die.

A will controls so-called probate assets – such as interests in real property, personal property, assets and financial accounts – if interests in these are held in the deceased person’s name individually.

It does not control assets that pass automatically to designated beneficiaries (e.g., persons inheriting under insurance, joint tenancy, or retirement plans); nor does it control assets held in Trust.

That said, in California a will must be “probated” if the total probate estate exceeds $150,000 in gross value (i.e., debts are not subtracted).

Probate requires a petition for probate to admit the will and to authorize the personal representative to administer the estate.

Probate then proceeds with the inventory and appraisal of assets, the notification of creditors, the payment of all taxes, and the settling of creditor claims. It ends with a petition to distribute assets pursuant to the terms of the will.

The foregoing process often takes around five to six months at a minimum and can take much more if there are complications (such as creditor disputes, controversy over the terms of the will, and asset valuation issues, etc.).

A will is necessary, even if one has a trust, for a number of reasons. Perhaps the decedent had unfinished legal business (a lawsuit for example) pending at the time of death that requires a court-appointed personal representative to finish. Perhaps some assets were not transferred into the decedent’s trust prior to death, leaving more than $150,000 outside the trust.

A trust is a contract between the “settlor” (the person who establishes the trust) and the “trustee,” the person who agrees to hold certain property “in trust” for the benefit of “beneficiaries” according to the terms of the trust.

A trust controls those assets that are legally transferred to the trustee. Typically this includes one’s home, rentals, and nonretirement investment accounts.

Unlike the will, the trust commences once funded. When the settlor later becomes disabled, resigns, or dies, a new trustee (whom the settlor nominated) becomes trustee. He or she manages the trust assets and uses or distributes them according to the trust.

Assets inside a trust do not require conservatorships or probates if the settlor is incapacitated or dies, respectively.

So, when would you want a will instead of a trust?

Simply put, a will is preferable for anyone with under $150,000 in probate assets – this excludes pay on death accounts.

Under $150,000, the decedent’s tangible personal property, financial assets and mobile home can be transferred using the “affidavit procedure.” Incapacity planning involves the power of attorney.

Over $150,000 a trust is usually preferred because settling a trust estate is usually less expensive, time-consuming and aggravating than settling a court-supervised probate estate.

Also, assets held in trusts now avoid Medi-Cal Estate recovery which since Jan. 1, 2017, only apply a decedent’s probate estate.

Lastly, a trust may be needed because the beneficiary is a minor, receives SSI/Medical, is susceptible to undue influence, or is incapable of managing money.

The beneficiary’s inheritance would be held in further trust for their lifetime in irrevocable trusts designed to meet the beneficiary’s own needs and circumstances.

Dennis A. Fordham, attorney, is a State Bar-Certified Specialist in estate planning, probate and trust law. His office is at 870 S. Main St., Lakeport, Calif. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and 707-263-3235. His Web site is www.DennisFordhamLaw.com.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Associated Students of Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College are proud to present this year’s Black History Month event.

The event, which is free to the entire community, will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 27, starting at 11:30 a.m. in room 209.

The campus is located at 15880 Dam Road Extension in Clearlake.

This year’s event will feature four powerful speakers, an art contest, music and Southern-style food.

The speakers will present from noon to 1 p.m.

The first two speakers are student alumni of Lake County Campus Randall Cole and Jermaine Gregoire.

Cole is now working as a counselor for Lake County Behavioral Health and Gregoire is transferring to a four-year university to continue his education in accounting.

Two community members will also be speaking. Aqeela El-Amin was president of the NAACP Chapter of Lake County and is still active in the community and can be heard often times on KPFZ’s Women’s Voices.

Clovice Lewis is an experienced and distinguished speaker as well as a musician in the Lake County Symphony and a successful businessman.

If you bring an appetite, you’ll have the chance to purchase Aromas Café’s Southern Soul Food meal for $8 between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. This is their favorite event to cater and they are excited to be a part of it once again.

Between 11:30 a.m. and noon Clovice Lewis will be playing his favorite classical music pieces.

Uplifting speeches and authentic southern food mixed with beautiful music all at your local Lake County Campus. Enjoy the atmosphere while surrounded by the theme of My Black History.

For more information, call 707-995-7900.
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Angelica Guerrero, Alberto Torres and their son Brayan, at a home dedication on Saturday, February 24, 2018, in Lower Lake, Calif. Courtesy photo.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – On Feb. 17, Habitat for Humanity Lake County celebrated another housewarming dedication with the Torres-Guerrero family.

Alberto, Angelica and their son Brayan lost their home during the Clayton fire and came to Habitat for Humanity for help soon after.

Now, thanks to their hard work and that of their family, friends, and Habitat staff and volunteers, they once again have a home on their Lower Lake lot and are so relieved and grateful to be home.

“At times we wanted to give up; it was all too much, the couple said. “But Habitat was so supportive through everything we’ve endured and we are grateful to have a safe home we can pass on to our son.”

If you or someone you know lost their residence in any of the Lake County wildfires, please contact Habitat for Humanity Lake County at 707-994-1100, Extension 106, or come by the office at 15312 Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake for a preapplication.
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The planet Mars has fascinated scientists for over a century. Today, it is a frigid desert world with a carbon dioxide atmosphere 100 times thinner than Earth’s.

But evidence suggests that in the early history of our solar system, Mars had an ocean’s worth of water. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will study Mars to learn more about the planet’s transition from wet to dry, and what that means about its past and present habitability.

Mars will be targeted as part of a Guaranteed Time Observation (GTO) project led by Heidi Hammel, a planetary astronomer and executive vice president of the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) in Washington, D.C.

The GTO program provides dedicated time to the scientists who have worked with NASA to craft the science capabilities of Webb throughout its development.

Hammel was selected by NASA as a JWST Interdisciplinary Scientist in 2003. Mars will be visible to Webb from May to September 2020 during its first year of operations, known as Cycle 1.

“Webb will return extremely interesting measurements of chemistry in the Martian atmosphere,” noted Hammel. “And most importantly, these Mars data will be immediately available to the planetary community to enable them to plan even more detailed Mars observations with Webb in future cycles.”

“We are all looking forward to Webb’s observations of Mars. I just know they will be fantastic, with the potential for immediate scientific discoveries,” said Jim Green, director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

Webb’s advantages and challenges

Mars has been visited by more missions than any other planet in our solar system. It is currently orbited by six active spacecraft, while two rovers trundle across its surface. Webb offers several capabilities that complement these up-close missions.

One key asset is Webb’s ability to take a snapshot of the entire disk of Mars at once. Orbiters, in contrast, take time to make a full map and therefore can be affected by day-to-day variability, while rovers can only measure one location.

Webb also benefits from excellent spectral resolution (the ability to measure small differences in wavelengths of light) and a lack of interfering atmosphere that plagues ground-based measurements from Earth.

That said, observing Mars with Webb will not be easy. “Webb is designed to be able to detect extremely faint and distant targets, but Mars is bright and close,” explained Geronimo Villanueva of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Mars lead on the GTO project. As a result, the observations will be carefully designed to avoid swamping Webb’s delicate instruments with light.

“Very importantly, observations of Mars will also test Webb’s capabilities in tracking moving objects across the sky, which is of key importance when investigating our solar system,” said Stefanie Milam at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. who is coordinating the solar system program with Webb.

Water and methane

Much of the water Mars once held was lost over time due to ultraviolet light from the Sun breaking apart water molecules.

Researchers can estimate how much water vanished by measuring the abundance of two slightly different forms of water in Mars’ atmosphere – normal water (H2O) and heavy water (HDO), in which one hydrogen atom is replaced by naturally occurring deuterium.

The preferential escape of lighter hydrogen over time would then lead to a skewed ratio of H2O to HDO on Mars, indicative of how much water has escaped into space. Webb will be able to measure this ratio at different times, seasons and locations.

“With Webb, we can obtain a real and accurate measurement of the ratio of H2O to HDO across Mars, permitting us to determine how much water was truly lost. We also can determine how water is exchanged between polar ice, the atmosphere, and the soil,” said Villanueva.

Although most of the water on Mars is locked up in ice, the possibility remains that some liquid water could exist in underground aquifers. These potential reservoirs could even host life. This intriguing idea received a boost in 2003, when astronomers detected methane in the Martian atmosphere. Methane could be generated by bacteria, although it could also come from geological processes. Data from Webb could provide new clues to the origin of these methane plumes.

The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s premier infrared space observatory of the next decade. Webb will solve mysteries of our solar system, look beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probe the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.

For more information about Webb, visit www.nasa.gov/webb or www.webbtelescope.org.

Christine Pulliam works for the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md.

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