LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has two cats ready for adoption this week, both handsome fellows waiting for their forever families.
The following cats at the shelter have been cleared for adoption.
“Milo” is a male domestic short hair cat in cat room kennel No. 15, ID No. 13475. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Milo’
“Milo” is a male domestic short hair cat with a seal point and cream-colored coat and blue eyes.
Also, he looks awesome in a bow tie.
He’s in cat room kennel No. 15, ID No. 13475.
“Duster” is a young male domestic short hair-Russian Blue mix in cat room kennel No. 80, ID No. 13491. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Duster’
“Duster” is a young male domestic short hair-Russian Blue mix with gold eyes.
He’s quite handsome in a tie.
He’s in cat room kennel No. 80, ID No. 13491.
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.
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.
The groundhog has evolved into a winning combination of cute and ungainly. This burrowing squirrel may resemble a furry cube with a leg at each corner, but do not be deceived by its bumbling, hapless charms: this is a Nostradamus of the animal world. In North American folklore, the groundhog can apparently be used to foresee the future, as many a town in the US and Canada will vouch on February 2 as they celebrate Groundhog Day.
Groundhogs are great diggers and spend much of their time hunkered down in their burrows – understandably since they feature in far too many food webs. They’re among nature’s “true hibernators”, and become fully dormant for much of the winter.
This period, so the story goes, is broken on February 2 when they emerge from their burrows. For the human celebrants of Groundhog Day, everything depends on whether the animal is spooked by its own shadow. If it is cloudy, the hogs stay out and about and spring will come early. But if the sun shines brightly and the groundhogs catch sight of their own shadow, they flee back underground, and winter will apparently return for another six grim weeks of ice and rain.
Groundhogs are a type of marmot in the wider squirrel family.marumari, CC BY-SA
Some groundhogs really do wake up from hibernation in early February, while the weather is still very cold, before going back to bed until March. However, this has nothing to do with scary shadows.
Their early emergence is primarily down to males checking out the whereabouts of neighbouring females with an eye towards amorous opportunities later in the spring. Given this, jumping back into your burrow at the slightest hog-shaped silhouette might not be the best reproductive strategy.
When your town’s most famous resident is a rodent.Eddie~S, CC BY
In some European traditions, the weather on February 2 has a similar significance, but without the groundhogs. In the north of America, the hogs are essential, perhaps an evolution of Germanic folklore imported by immigrants who became the Pennsylvania Dutch (from the German: Deutsch). The custom spread, and today many towns have annual ceremonies.
There are even celebrity groundhogs, with their own entourage of handlers. After all that time underground, you might expect a dazzled groundhog would be spooked by anything, especially a fan club of oddly dressed town elders.
Meanwhile “Groundhog Day” has entered the popular lexicon in the wake of the 1993 film of the same name in which a pompous weather forecaster arrives in town to deride the locals’ affection for their fortune-telling rodents, only to find himself trapped in a time loop, the day repeating itself until he is redeemed by love.
Further south in the US, a menagerie of other species has acquired this remarkable gift of prescience, including coypu and crayfish.
However, among planet Earth’s fortune telling fauna the groundhogs’ weather forecasting is tame. The US National Centre for Environmental Information has investigated Punxsutawney Phil, the most famous groundhog of all, and found his forecasts show “no predictive skill”.
In recent years, the football futurology talents of Paul the octopus has attracted particular acclaim. Paul, who lived in a Sea Life Centre in Germany, correctly predicted four of six matches in Euro 2008, then seven of seven in 2010. Statisticians were consulted and, understandably, weren’t sure what to make of this, probably because all the octopuses that were not so on the ball were not being recorded.
After Paul’s death, an imitator, Otto, tackled not only football but eventually the UK’s Brexit referendum. Sadly, her football punditry proved poor and her career ended with a whole-hearted, or, more precisely for an octopus, whole-three-hearted, prediction of a victory for Remain.
Maybe we’re better off sticking with groundhog forecasts.
The agency said it was informed that one person in Santa Clara County has tested positive for the virus, information that was confirmed by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department and the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention laboratory.
CDPH did not provide additional information about the patient beyond what is being shared by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department.
The novel coronavirus 2019, or nCoV 2019, originated in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
Health officials said coronaviruses are a large group of viruses that are common among animals and humans. Animal coronaviruses have been known to be transmitted to humans in rare cases.
The nCoV 2019 strain has not been previously detected in animals or humans, and the source of it is still being investigated, according to health officials.
Currently, the California Department of Public Health confirms a total of three cases of novel coronavirus in California: one individual in Santa Clara County, one individual in Los Angeles County and one individual in Orange County have tested positive for novel coronavirus 2019.
“It is understandable that some Californians may be nervous about potential spread of novel coronavirus, but the risk to the general public in California remains low,” said Dr. Sonia Angell, California Public Health Department director and state health officer. “The Department of Public Health has been closely tracking this virus and we are actively engaged with our local health departments, the CDC and local governments to make sure Californians remain safe and healthy.”
At this time, no other persons infected with novel coronavirus have been identified in California. Currently, the immediate health risk from novel coronavirus 2019 to the general public is low.
In neighboring Napa County, Health Officer Dr. Karen Relucio said they are monitoring the situation closely and preparing to protect the health of Napa County residents by limiting the spread of this virus
“We are working closely with health care partners to review testing and infection control procedures and communicating with community partners and are prepared to take action should someone in our county become infected with this virus,” said Dr. Relucio.
The newest California case brings the total confirmed cases nationwide to seven in four states: Arizona, California, Illinois and Washington, according to state and federal officials.
Officials said that all but one case have traveled from Wuhan, China; one of the Chicago cases was a result of person-to-person spread from another confirmed case.
The latest numbers from the national Centers for Disease Control said that 121 cases in 36 states are under investigation, with test results pending. Another 114 cases tested negative.
The CDC has also recommended that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to China. The agency is conducting monitoring for potential illness among travelers arriving from China at 20 U.S airports, officials said.
On Thursday, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization declared that the outbreak of 2019-nCoV constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.
Locations across the globe with confirmed 2019-nCoV cases include China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Russia, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, The Republic of Korea, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam.
On Friday, United States Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency for the United States to aid the nation’s healthcare community in responding to nCoV 2019.
CDPH said it is very important for people who have recently traveled and who become ill to notify their health care provider of their travel history. Those who have recently traveled to China or who have had contact with a person with possible novel coronavirus infection should contact their local health department or health care provider.
The Department of Public Health has been prepared and is continuing with the following actions:
– Providing information about the outbreak and how to report suspect cases to local health departments and health care providers in California.
– Coordinating with CDC personnel who are doing screening of travelers from China at SFO and LAX.
– Assuring that health care providers know how to safely manage persons with possible novel coronavirus 2019 infection.
– Supporting hospitals and local public health laboratories for collection and shipment of specimens for testing at CDC for novel coronavirus 2019.
– Activating the Department of Public Health’s Emergency Operations Center to coordinate response efforts across the state.
The novel coronavirus 2019 outbreak in China continues to evolve and California is prepared for more cases that may arise.
“The California Department of Public Health considers this a very important public health event; we are closely monitoring the situation and providing updates to partners across the state to support their preparedness efforts,” the agency reported.
As with any virus, especially during the flu season, the Health Department reminds you there are a number of steps you can take to protect your health and those around you:
– Washing hands with soap and water. – Avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands. – Avoiding close contact with people who are sick are all ways to reduce the risk of infection with a number of different viruses. – Staying away from work, school or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough.
Employees disinfect ticket gates to prevent the spread of the coronavirus at a subway station in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 28, 2020. AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon
Scientists at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne, Australia, announced Jan. 29 that they were able to grow the Wuhan coronavirus from a patient sample in the laboratory. This was the first time the virus had been grown in a lab outside China.
This is good news, since it will allow researchers to quickly develop new diagnostic tests for the virus, which will be essential if scientists want to be able to track its spread across China and the rest of the globe. There is so much we scientists still do not understand about this fast-moving pathogen.
A lab in Melbourne, Australia, grows coronavirus in a lab, which could help expedite the development of a vaccine.
I am a veterinary researcher, and I study how respiratory viruses such as influenza cause lung disease in animals and humans. I see this development as an encouraging sign.
A market with a global reach
The virus appears to have originated at an animal and seafood market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in Hubei Province toward the end of 2019.
It is important to note that here have been no deaths yet outside of mainland China, and the majority of most cases seem to be confined to the area around Hubei. This may be thanks to the prompt, if perhaps slightly draconian, quarantine measures instituted by the Chinese government. At the same time, some critics are saying that Chinese officials did not act quickly enough, allowing 5 million people to leave the city before it announced the seriousness of the virus.
Still, all of us, scientists and non-scientists, should try to maintain some perspective here. The city of Wuhan alone has a population of more than 11 million. In that light, perhaps the roughly 7,000 confirmed cases is not really so many after all? The problem is that right now, the public, scientists and health officials don’t know if those 7,000 cases could be just the beginning of a major outbreak.
It is possible that some, or even many, of those who contract the virus only experience mild disease and are therefore not tested for infection. Moreover, this coronavirus appears to be less deadly than the SARS coronavirus of the early 2000s. That said, the 7,000-plus cases of the new coronavirus in China already exceeds the 5,327 cases of SARS.
At the moment, confirming infection requires time-consuming polymerase chain reaction-based tests for viral genes that can only be performed in a few laboratories. The technique behind this test allows researchers in the lab to make millions of copies of a particular section of DNA, but it’s not quick. The technology developed in Australia will help develop new and more rapid antibody-based diagnostic tests for infection that can be used in the clinic, not the lab. This will allow doctors to identify infected patients much faster and deploy appropriate infection control measures as needed.
This would allow scientists to get a far clearer picture of how readily this virus is transmitted from person to person, how many of those infected get very sick, and if there are any groups that are particularly prone to severe and potentially lethal disease. This information is essential if we wish to respond to the outbreak rationally.
The ability to grow the Wuhan coronavirus in the laboratory will also make it easier to develop a vaccine. Developing and manufacturing a vaccine requires large amounts of viral proteins that can serve as vaccine antigens that will induce an immune response in people. This can realistically only be done by growing large amounts of the virus in cells in a laboratory or vaccine manufacturing facility. Vaccines against several coronaviruses already exist, including SARS and MERS and such vaccines tend to elicit good immunity. Again, that is good news.
But vaccine development, manufacture and testing takes time. Theoretically, the first doses of a new vaccine might be available by late spring, although that would be a best-case scenario. But even then, making enough vaccine doses could take a year. Hence, it is unrealistic to think that vaccination will allow us to control disease in the short term.
So what can one do to stay safe? First, don’t panic. There is as yet no reason to believe that the Wuhan coronavirus will have a devastating impact upon humanity. Second, wash your hands frequently because doing so removes virus from your hands. Because people touch their hands with their faces, virus that remains on hands can then enter the body through the mouth or nose. Also, a person with virus on their hands can spread it to other people through touching someone and by spreading it onto surfaces such as door knobs. Third, if you get sick, stay home and avoid spreading whatever virus you have to others. And finally, get your flu shot – right now. Influenza is a far bigger threat to the health of the average American than this faraway virus.
A new spacecraft is journeying to the Sun to snap the first pictures of the Sun’s north and south poles.
Solar Orbiter, a collaboration between the European Space Agency, or ESA, and NASA, will have its first opportunity to launch from Cape Canaveral on Feb. 7, 2020, at 11:15 p.m. EST.
Launching on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, the spacecraft will use Venus’s and Earth’s gravity to swing itself out of the ecliptic plane – the swath of space, roughly aligned with the sun’s equator, where all planets orbit.
From there, Solar Orbiter's bird’s eye view will give it the first-ever look at the sun's poles.
“Up until Solar Orbiter, all solar imaging instruments have been within the ecliptic plane or very close to it,” said Russell Howard, space scientist at the Naval Research Lab in Washington, D.C. and principal investigator for one of Solar Orbiter’s 10 instruments. “Now, we’ll be able to look down on the sun from above.”
“It will be terra incognita,” said Daniel Müller, ESA project scientist for the mission at the European Space Research and Technology Centre in the Netherlands. “This is really exploratory science.”
The sun plays a central role in shaping space around us. Its massive magnetic field stretches far beyond Pluto, paving a superhighway for charged solar particles known as the solar wind.
When bursts of solar wind hit Earth, they can spark space weather storms that interfere with our GPS and communications satellites – at their worst, they can even threaten astronauts.
To prepare for arriving solar storms, scientists monitor the sun’s magnetic field. But their techniques work best with a straight-on view; the steeper the viewing angle, the noisier the data. The sidelong glimpse we get of the sun’s poles from within the ecliptic plane leaves major gaps in the data.
“The poles are particularly important for us to be able to model more accurately,” said Holly Gilbert, NASA project scientist for the mission at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “For forecasting space weather events, we need a pretty accurate model of the global magnetic field of the sun.”
The sun’s poles may also explain centuries-old observations. In 1843, German astronomer Samuel Heinrich Schwabe discovered that the number of sunspots – dark blotches on the sun’s surface marking strong magnetic fields – waxes and wanes in a repeating pattern.
Today, we know it as the approximately-11-year solar cycle in which the sun transitions between solar maximum, when sunspots proliferate and the sun is active and turbulent, and solar minimum, when they're fewer and it’s calmer.
“But we don’t understand why it’s 11 years, or why some solar maximums are stronger than others,” Gilbert said.
Observing the changing magnetic fields of the poles could offer an answer.
The only prior spacecraft to fly over the sun’s poles was also a joint ESA/NASA venture.
Launched in 1990, the Ulysses spacecraft made three passes around our star before it was decommissioned in 2009.
But Ulysses never got closer than Earth-distance to the sun, and only carried what’s known as in situ instruments — like the sense of touch, they measure the space environment immediately around the spacecraft.
Solar Orbiter, on the other hand, will pass inside the orbit of Mercury carrying four in situ instruments and six remote-sensing imagers, which see the sun from afar.
“We are going to be able to map what we ‘touch’ with the in situ instruments and what we ‘see’ with remote sensing,” said Teresa Nieves-Chinchilla, NASA deputy project scientist for the mission.
After years of technology development, it will be the closest any sun-facing cameras have ever gotten to the sun. “You can’t really get much closer than Solar Orbiter is going and still look at the sun,” Müller said.
Over the mission’s seven year lifetime, Solar Orbiter will reach an inclination of 24 degrees above the sun’s equator, increasing to 33 degrees with an additional three years of extended mission operations. At closest approach the spacecraft will pass within 26 million miles of the sun.
To beat the heat, Solar Orbiter has a custom-designed titanium heat shield with a calcium phosphate coating that withstands temperatures over 900 degrees Fahrenheit – 13 times the solar heating faced by spacecraft in Earth orbit.
Five of the remote-sensing instruments look at the sun through peepholes in that heat shield; one observes the solar wind out to the side.
Solar Orbiter will be NASA’s second major mission to the inner solar system in recent years, following on August 2018’s launch of Parker Solar Probe. Parker has completed four close solar passes and will fly within four million miles of the sun at closest approach.
The two spacecraft will work together: As Parker samples solar particles up close, Solar Orbiter will capture imagery from farther away, contextualizing the observations. The two spacecraft will also occasionally align to measure the same magnetic field lines or streams of solar wind at different times.
“We are learning a lot with Parker, and adding Solar Orbiter to the equation will only bring even more knowledge,” said Nieves-Chinchilla.
Solar Orbiter is an international cooperative mission between the European Space Agency and NASA. ESA's European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in The Netherlands manages the development effort. The European Space Operations Center (ESOC) in Germany will operate Solar Orbiter after launch. Solar Orbiter was built by Airbus Defense and Space, and contains 10 instruments: nine provided by ESA member states and ESA. NASA provided one instrument suite, SoloHI and provided detectors and hardware for three other instruments.
Miles Hatfield works for NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland.
In order to meet the requirements of a 2014 state bill, local agencies representing 19 of California’s most stressed groundwater basins were required to submit plans to the state by 12 a.m. Saturday on how they will manage their basins to achieve sustainability by 2040.
Several plans were submitted early and were posted online Friday, starting a public comment period which closes on April 15.
The remaining plans will be posted online in the coming weeks for a 75-day public comment period.
The plans had to be submitted under the auspices of California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
Overpumping of groundwater has led to a variety of negative effects including reduced groundwater levels, seawater intrusion, and degraded water quality. It has also led to subsidence, which causes damage to critical water infrastructure.
In some cases, years of overpumping have left entire California communities and farms without safe and reliable local water supplies.
“Groundwater is a critical component of the state’s water supply resources,” said Karla Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources. “California’s groundwater basins must be managed for long-term sustainability rather than for short-term need.”
California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA, signed into law in 2014, requires locally led groundwater sustainability agencies, or GSAs, to develop groundwater sustainability plans outlining actions and implementation measures to halt overdraft and bring groundwater basins into sustainable conditions.
Plans for critically overdrafted basins are were due on Friday.
High- and medium-priority basins have until 2022 to submit plans and are required to reach sustainability by 2042.
In Lake County, the Big Valley basin is listed as a medium priority, while the other 11 are listed as low priority.
SGMA allows for more than one groundwater sustainability plan to be prepared for a single basin as long as the GSAs demonstrate the plans work together through a coordination agreement.
“The premise of SGMA is that local agencies are best suited to craft plans to sustainably manage groundwater basins,” said Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board. “If the state finds a groundwater plan is unlikely to achieve sustainability, the Water Board will temporarily step in to work with the local agency and DWR to bring the basin back into compliance.”
GSAs are submitting plans to DWR, the lead state agency providing compliance and regulatory oversight. The State Water Resources Control Board can intervene in basins when local management of groundwater is not successful.
Once a plan is submitted, DWR has 20 days to post it on the website, at which point the plans are open to public comment for 75 days. GSAs will begin implementing their plans immediately after they adopt them.
SGMA directs DWR to evaluate and assess all plans to determine whether each plan is adequate, based on best available science and information, and whether implementation of the plan is likely to achieve the groundwater basin’s sustainability goal.
More information about the plan submittal and review process and the significance of managing groundwater for long-term sustainability can be found on DWR’s website.
Groundwater accounts for about 40 percent of the state’s water use in a normal year and up to 60 percent during dry years.
Groundwater is the only water supply for approximately a third of California residents, and many municipal, agricultural, and disadvantaged communities rely on groundwater for all of their water supply needs. Implementation of SGMA is an important component of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recently released draft Water Resilience Portfolio.
“Groundwater storage will become even more important as California’s changing climate produces less snow and more rain,” Nemeth said. “Groundwater acts as a drought buffer by providing water that is available to use when surface water supplies are diminished.”
This unique display of truffles is a creation of Lake County, California, truffle maker Linda Moran of Sweet Things. Orders or information may be obtained by calling 707-530-5203. Photo by Linda Moran. LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – It’s February, when our hearts turn to love. Or – just maybe – chocolate.
Since this is a culinary column, I’ll write about the latter, but really, sometimes the two are intertwined.
In less than two weeks, vast quantities of the confection will be distributed to loved ones in honor of Valentine’s Day, so let’s learn a bit more about this rich treat.
Though it wasn’t until 1847 that it was made into a solid form, chocolate has been used as a drink for thousands of years, perhaps dating as far back as 1400 B.C.
The Mayans and Aztecs used the beans to produce a fermented, frothy, bitter drink that was used in religious ceremonies, often flavored with chili peppers.
The consumption of chocolate may subtly improve cognitive performance. Experiments with chocolate-fed mice suggest that flavanol-rich cocoa stimulates neurovascular activity, enhancing memory and alertness.
Because chocolate stimulates endorphin production, giving a feeling of pleasure, its effects are often compared to being in love. To many, even the word chocolate evokes a sense of well-being.
As well, chocolate contains serotonin, an antidepressant, and theobromine, caffeine and other substances which are stimulants.
It would seem chocolate can both relax and energize those who consume it.
Chocolate comes from a pineapple-sized, melon-like fruit that grows in the tropics on the cacao tree. These fruits are referred to as pods, and each one holds about 40 cacao (also known as cocoa) beans. The simple brown seeds that reside within the pods, cocoon-like, in sweet, sticky white pulp contain all the ingredients needed to make one of our most beloved food products, chocolate.
After harvesting the pods and removing the beans, the beans are left in piles to ferment and then dry before going to the factory. It’s the fermentation process that produces the rich cocoa flavor in the beans.
At the factory, the beans are roasted (either quick and hot or low and slow, depending on the flavor desired) and then hulled to remove the nib inside. The nib is milled to make chocolate liquor, a rich (non-alcoholic) paste that is the base for any chocolate product.
Some of the chocolate liquor is pressed to extract cocoa butter, the ingredient that makes chocolate taste so rich. With a melting point of about 97 degrees, it’s what causes chocolate to melt on our tongue.
Finally, cocoa powder is ground from what’s left after extracting the cocoa butter.
Then the love happens.
Simple ingredients – chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, sugar and a minor ingredient or two, such as vanilla – go through a series of processes (such as conching, which is extensive kneading to develop flavor, and tempering, which is heating and cooling to make chocolate glossy, break with a snap, and melt in our mouths) and become the sweet treat that nearly all of us love.
Because of the health benefits associated with chocolate – particularly dark chocolate – many chocolate manufacturers list the percentage of chocolate liquor (typically noted as cacao) on their dark chocolate products. While more chocolate liquor means greater health benefits, it also means less sugar, so as the percentage increases, the sweetness of the chocolate decreases.
Bittersweet and semisweet chocolate (of which there is no official difference) must contain at least 35 percent chocolate liquor.
If you’re cooking with bitter- or semisweet chocolate, staying below 60 percent chocolate liquor is a good idea, unless your recipe calls for a chocolate with a higher percentage, as the dish may turn out more bitter than intended.
Couverture is a term used for chocolates that are extra rich in cocoa butter, such as the brands used by pastry chefs and sold in specialty stores.
White chocolate is so named because it contains cocoa butter but no chocolate liquor. Be cautious if you want the real stuff – there are products such as “white baking chips” that don’t contain a drop of cocoa butter and you can taste the difference!
Cocoa nibs are sold in natural food or specialty stores and they make for a crunchy little treat, full of intense chocolate flavor. (They’re unsweetened, so be prepared!) They can be tossed in salads, added to breads, or even mixed with asparagus and prosciutto for a delicious and interesting side dish.
As with coffee and wine, the area in which cacao beans are harvested, as well as the type of tree on which they’re grown, contribute greatly to their flavor profile. In other words, there’s a terroir associated with chocolate.
Cacao is harvested in Africa, Mexico, Central America, Asia, and in the Caribbean, and areas within each locale offer their own differences in flavor.
For example, beans grown in Madagascar are said to have citrus overtones, in Panama roasted nut flavors, in Trinidad cinnamon spiciness, and in Jamaica subtle notes of pineapple.
Chocolate can be paired with so many things – from fruits such as raspberries or oranges to chicken when used in a Mexican mole sauce – that it’s really quite a versatile food.
As far as pairings go, chocolate and wine are a comforting classic. I reached out to local wineries to find out which Lake County wines are recommended as sipping companions for chocolate. Many responded, and the result is a list of wines, along with comments from winery staff, which can be found below.
So where do I get my chocolate fix?
When I get a hankering for chocolate, I often head over to the Middletown Creamery if they’ve got their house-made chocolate sorbet on hand. With cinnamon and a hint of heat, it’s reminiscent of Mexican hot chocolate. (No wonder I love it so!)
For something richer and a bit more decadent, Hidden Valley Lake-based truffle maker Linda Moran never fails to disappoint. She recently created a dark chocolate truffle flavored with star anise, which just goes to show that chocolate pairing possibilities are copious!
As luck would have it, students in the Woodland Community College Advanced Pastry Class in Clearlake made chocolate babka on Monday, and Chef Instructor AnnMarie Pleskaczewski has generously agreed to share the recipe they used.
In her opinion, “this bread would be an amazing part of a Valentine’s Day breakfast as French toast with a dollop of crème fraiche, a drizzle of honey, and some sliced strawberries.”
The babka recipe is below, as well as two chocolate recipes of my own, Chocolate Lavender Truffles (a worthy Valentine’s Day gift) and Spiced Mayan Coffee, an interesting pick-me-up on a dreary winter morning.
Bon appétit! And happy Valentine’s Day, just a little bit early.
This chocolate babka was made by the Advanced Pastry Class at Woodland Community College in Clearlake, California. Chef Instructor AnnMarie Pleskaczweski has shared the recipe for this column. Photo by AnnMarie Pleskaczewski.
Chocolate Babka
Babka dough ingredients (Makes 2 9x5-inch loaves) 6⅓ cups (792 grams) all-purpose flour ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar 1 tablespoon (9 grams) active dry yeast 1 tablespoon orange zest 4 large eggs ¾ cup warm whole milk (105°F to 110°F) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened 1 tablespoon (9 grams) kosher salt
Egg Wash:
1 large egg 1 tablespoon water Simple Syrup: ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar ½ cup water
Instructions
1. For dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and zest. With mixer on low speed, add eggs, milk, and vanilla. Beat until mixture comes together, 2 to 3 minutes. (If the mixture remains too dry and crumbly, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.)
2. With mixer on medium speed, add butter, 1 tablespoon (14 grams) at a time, letting each piece incorporate before adding the next. Add salt, beating just until combined, about 3 minutes. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until a smooth and elastic dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. (If dough does not pull away from the bowl, add more flour, 1 tablespoon [8 grams] at a time.)
3. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F) until doubled in size, 1½ to 2½ hours. After dough has risen, refrigerate for 30 minutes. Alternatively, the dough can be made one day in advance and the entire rise may take place in the refrigerator overnight.
4. For egg wash: In a small bowl, lightly beat together egg and water.
5. Spray 2 (9x5-inch) loaf pans with cooking spray, and line with parchment paper.
6. Divide dough in half. On a heavily floured surface, roll half of dough into a 16x12-inch rectangle. Brush edges of dough with egg wash. Spread with half of chocolate filling (recipe below), leaving a 1-inch border on long sides of dough. Starting at one short side, roll up dough, jelly-roll style, and press edge to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut roll in half lengthwise. Carefully twist dough pieces around each other, and place in prepared pan, cut sides up. Repeat procedure with remaining half of dough. Place prepared pans on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F) until doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.
7. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 30 minutes. Cover with foil, and bake until a thermometer in center registers 190°F, about 35 minutes more.
8. For simple syrup: In a small saucepan, bring sugar and ½ cup water to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Pour simple syrup over warm loaves while still in pans. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Chocolate filling (Makes enough for 2 loaves)
Ingredients
1 cup (170 grams) semisweet chocolate morsels
¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter
¾ cup (90 grams) confectioners’ sugar
⅓ cup (25 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat, and whisk in confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, and salt. Let cool to room temperature before using.
Recipe courtesy of Chef Instructor AnnMarie Pleskaczewski and the Woodland College Advanced Pastry Class.
Chocolate Lavender Truffles
This recipe is from one of my holiday culinary classes where lavender was featured. Though lavender season is in early summer, culinary lavender may be purchased at spice stores, specialty food markets, and even online.
Note: The same procedure can be used to infuse other flavors into the chocolate, such as cinnamon, orange or vanilla. In those cases, cinnamon sticks, strips of orange zest, or a couple vanilla pods are substituted for the lavender.
Ingredients
1 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon dried lavender florets 12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
Procedure
Grate or roughly chop chocolate and put in heat proof bowl.
Bring cream and lavender to a simmer and simmer for one minute; strain.
Add hot lavender-infused cream to chocolate and stir to melt. Mix well.
Chill at least 3 hours. (You may spread on parchment paper on a baking sheet.)
Roll into 1-inch balls and then roll in cocoa.
This recipe makes about 25 truffles, which should be refrigerated until ready to be served.
Recipe by Esther Oertel
Spiced Mayan Coffee
This recipe is from a culinary class I taught on chocolate. It includes three of my favorite pairings with chocolate, coffee, cinnamon, and rich cream, and harkens back to the way it was enjoyed centuries ago. Enjoy!
Ingredients
For every two servings, you will need:
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa 4 tsp sugar (1 tbsp plus 1 tsp) ½ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (less cayenne for less heat) 1/8 tsp salt (1 pinch) 1 cup strong hot coffee 1 cup hot milk ½ tsp vanilla 4 tbsp (approximately) freshly whipped cream
Procedure
Place dry ingredients (through salt) in large Pyrex measuring cup and stir to combine.
Add hot coffee, then hot milk, stirring to combine. (Or, for froth, whir hot milk & dry ingredients in a blender before adding coffee.)
Pour into individual coffee cups and top with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and cayenne pepper.
Recipe by Esther Oertel
Wine and chocolate pairing
So you want to pair Lake County wines with chocolate? Here’s a list.
Boatique Winery – Their 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is recommended as a great pair for chocolate.
Cache Creek Vineyards & Winery – The 2017 Rosé, the 2015 Reserve Cabernet, and the 2015 Petite Sirah are all recommended as stellar pairings for chocolate.
Fults Family Vineyards – They recommend their Old Vine Zinfandel Dessert Wine called GBR (which stands for Go, Big Red!).
Gregory Graham Wines – Gregory Graham notes that their Zinfandel is well known for pairing well with chocolate. He says it’s very jammy (meaning there’s some residual sugar) and almost port-like.
Laujor Estate Winery – They recommend their 2017 Angelina’s Blend Cabernet. It has notes of raspberry and soft cocoa, which make it a great pairing for chocolate. Also recommended is their 2018 Syrah Noir, a dessert wine noted as “big, bold and jammy.”
Mt. Konocti Winery – The Tempranillo from this winery is recommended as a great pairing for chocolate.
Olof Cellars – Their Barbera or Malbera is recommended for chocolate pairing, as well as their signature Nebiollo-Barbera blend. Cindi Olof creates unique food and wine pairings of her own, including chocolate s’mores using marshmallows made with their wine.
R Vineyards – Vineyard owner Monica Rosenthal recommends their Old Wine Zinfandel from vines planted in 1937. Its jamminess and notes of blackberry, chocolate, and cinnamon make it a great pairing for chocolate.
Shannon Ridge Family of Wines - Molly Wingo, winemaker, says, “I really like our High Elevation Petite Sirah, which has a mocha note that goes well with both milk and dark chocolate. The other is our Vigilance Cabernet Sauvignon, which has a nice spiciness that pairs well with any chocolate. I especially like it with milk chocolate. As for white chocolate, I would pair it with our High Valley Sauvignon Blanc for contrast, or the High Valley Rose’ to bring out some of the strawberry notes.”
Six Sigma Ranch, Vineyard & Winery – Six Sigma’s 2015 Dessert Wine, a port-like wine made from Tempranillo grapes, is recommended as a pairing for chocolate. Though currently sold out, it will reappear in the future, so keep your eyes peeled! The brandy used in this fortified wine is distilled from their own wines.
Steele Wines – Their Catfish Zinfandel, made from grapes grown on vines that are 119 years old, is recommended as the best pairing for chocolate, though I was told that many of their wines may be paired with a chocolate that best matches the varietal.
Esther Oertel is a writer and passionate home cook from a family of chefs. She grew up in a restaurant, where she began creating recipes from a young age. She’s taught culinary classes in a variety of venues in Lake County and previously wrote “The Veggie Girl” column for Lake County News. Most recently she’s taught culinary classes at Sur La Table in Santa Rosa, Calif. She lives in Middletown, Calif.
Middletown Creamery co-owner Jan Putney holds the flavorful chocolate sorbet she has made. Photo by Esther Oertel.
State Sen. Mike McGuire, fifth from right, along with Mendocino College staff, students, board members and Lake County Supervisor Moke Simon, third from right, with a $1 million ceremonial check for the construction trade programs on Friday, January 31, 2020, at the college’s Ukiah, California, campus. Courtesy photo. NORTH COAST, Calif. – Sen. Mike McGuire on Friday announced that $1 million has been dedicated over the next three years to expanding construction trades programs at Mendocino College in order to assist in the fire rebuild.
McGuire, who represents both the counties of Lake and Mendocino, has been working to secure funding to meet the workforce needs to spur the rebuilding of these communities.
In an event at Mendocino College in Ukiah on Friday morning, McGuire announced that $1 million has been secured to expand the college’s construction career program – over the next three years.
The expansion dollars will be focused on recruiting additional students into the program in both Lake and Mendocino counties, which will expand the construction workforce, grow business partnerships, hire additional faculty and purchase needed equipment.
“The fires over the last five years have greatly exacerbated the labor shortages Mendocino and Lake counties have traditionally witnessed in the construction trades,” McGuire said. “Today’s investment will be a shot in the arm for the local economy, but more importantly, an opportunity to provide young people with the tools they need for a construction career and a family-sustaining wage. We’re grateful to partner with the College on this potentially life-changing program.”
Mendocino College is currently working to expand its Sustainable Construction and Energy Technology program and will be able to offer additional courses with specific training opportunities immediately.
The $1 million investment will allow the college’s construction core program to expand by approximately 40 percent and the college has set a benchmark that 75 percent of the students who participate in the additional offerings will either gain employment or increase wages in the construction field within six months of participating in the program.
“Mendocino College is thrilled to expand its critical role in supporting the region’s economic development. This significant investment for fire recovery construction training spearheaded by Sen. McGuire for Mendocino and Lake counties will provide tremendous support for our communities’ recovery by addressing the labor shortage and preparing our Sustainable Construction and Energy Technology students for improved earnings and living wage attainment. This funding will serve as a catapult to a more robust, self-sufficient and continuously evolving construction program,” said Eileen Cichocki, Mendocino College interim superintendent/president.
The fires throughout Northern California have been unprecedented in size and scope. Because construction workers could make more money rebuilding homes in Sonoma and Napa counties, many skilled workers traveled south and west, which left an even greater shortage in both Mendocino and Lake counties.
NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope has concluded after more than 16 years of exploring the universe in infrared light. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech. After more than 16 years studying the universe in infrared light, revealing new wonders in our solar system, our galaxy, and beyond, NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope's mission has come to an end.
Mission engineers confirmed at 2:30 p.m. PST (5:30 p.m. EST) Thursday the spacecraft was placed in safe mode, ceasing all science operations. After the decommissioning was confirmed, Spitzer Project Manager Joseph Hunt declared the mission had officially ended.
Launched in 2003, Spitzer was one of NASA's four Great Observatories, along with the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory.
The Great Observatories program demonstrated the power of using different wavelengths of light to create a fuller picture of the universe.
"Spitzer has taught us about entirely new aspects of the cosmos and taken us many steps further in understanding how the universe works, addressing questions about our origins, and whether or not are we alone," said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. "This Great Observatory has also identified some important and new questions and tantalizing objects for further study, mapping a path for future investigations to follow. Its immense impact on science certainly will last well beyond the end of its mission."
Among its many scientific contributions, Spitzer studied comets and asteroids in our own solar system and found a previously unidentified ring around Saturn.
It studied star and planet formation, the evolution of galaxies from the ancient universe to today, and the composition of interstellar dust.
It also proved to be a powerful tool for detecting exoplanets and characterizing their atmospheres.
Spitzer's best-known work may be detecting the seven Earth-size planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system – the largest number of terrestrial planets ever found orbiting a single star – and determining their masses and densities.
In 2016, following a review of operating astrophysics missions, NASA made a decision to close out the Spitzer mission in 2018 in anticipation of the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, which also will observe the universe in infrared light. When Webb's launch was postponed, Spitzer was granted an extension to continue operations until this year.
This gave Spitzer additional time to continue producing transformative science, including insights that will pave the way for Webb, which is scheduled to launch in 2021.
"Everyone who has worked on this mission should be extremely proud today," Hunt said. "There are literally hundreds of people who contributed directly to Spitzer's success, and thousands who used its scientific capabilities to explore the universe. We leave behind a powerful scientific and technological legacy."
Though it was not NASA's first space-based infrared telescope, Spitzer was the most sensitive infrared telescope in history when it launched, and it delivered a deeper and more far-reaching view of the infrared cosmos than its predecessors.
Above Earth's atmosphere, Spitzer could detect some wavelengths that cannot be observed from the ground. The spacecraft's Earth-trailing orbit placed it far away from our planet's infrared emissions, which also gave Spitzer better sensitivity than was possible for larger telescopes on Earth.
Spitzer's prime mission came to an end in 2009, when the telescope exhausted its supply of the liquid helium coolant necessary for operating two of its three instruments – the Infrared Spectrograph, or IRS, and Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer, or MIPS.
The mission was deemed a success, having achieved all of its primary science objectives and more.
But Spitzer's story wasn't over. Engineers and scientists were able to keep the mission going using only two out of four wavelength channels on the third instrument, the Infrared Array Camera, or IRAC.
Despite increasing engineering and operations challenges, Spitzer continued to produce transformational science for another 10 1/2 years – far longer than mission planners anticipated.
During its extended mission, Spitzer continued to make significant scientific discoveries. In 2014, it detected evidence of asteroid collisions in a newly formed planetary system, providing evidence that such smash-ups might be common in early solar systems and crucial to the formation of some planets.
In 2016, Spitzer worked with Hubble to image the most distant galaxy ever detected. From 2016 onward, Spitzer studied the TRAPPIST-1 system for more than 1,000 hours.
All of Spitzer's data are free and available to the public in the Spitzer data archive. Mission scientists say they expect researchers to continue making discoveries with Spitzer long after the spacecraft’s decommissioning.
"I think that Spitzer is an example of the very best that people can achieve," said Spitzer Project Scientist Michael Werner. "I feel very fortunate to have worked on this mission, and to have seen the ingenuity, doggedness and brilliance that people on the team showed. When you tap into those things and empower people to use them, then truly incredible things will happen."
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, conducts mission operations and manages the Spitzer Space Telescope mission for the agency's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Science operations are conducted at the Spitzer Science Center at Caltech in Pasadena.
Spacecraft operations are based at Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado. Data are archived at the Infrared Science Archive housed at IPAC at Caltech. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.
Lockheed Martin in Sunnyvale, California, built the Spitzer spacecraft, and during development served as lead for systems and engineering, and integration and testing. Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation in Boulder, Colorado provided the optics, cryogenics and thermal shells and shields for Spitzer.
Ball developed the IRS instrument, with science leadership based at Cornell University, and the MIPS instrument, with science leadership based at the University of Arizona in Tucson. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, developed the IRAC instrument, with science leadership based at the Harvard Smithsonian Astrophysics Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Spitzer Project Manager Joseph Hunt stands in Mission Control at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, on Jan. 30, 2020, declaring the spacecraft decommissioned and the Spitzer mission concluded. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has adult dogs and pups waiting to be adopted this week.
Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Chihuahua, Doberman Pinscher, Labrador Retriever, Norfolk Terrier, pit bull, Rhodesian Ridgeback, shepherd and terrier.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.
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”).
“Blossom” is a female pit bull terrier in kennel No. 3, ID No. 11864. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Blossom’
“Blossom” is a female pit bull terrier with a short blue coat and brown eyes.
She has been spayed.
She’s in kennel No. 3, ID No. 11864.
This male Norfolk Terrier is in kennel No. 4, ID No. 13486. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male Norfolk Terrier
This male Norfolk Terrier has a long tan and brown coat with brown eyes.
He is in kennel No. 4, ID No. 13486.
This female Labrador Retriever is in kennel No. 5, ID No. 13487. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female Labrador Retriever
This female Labrador Retriever has a short chocolate coat and brown eyes.
She is in kennel No. 5, ID No. 13487.
This male pit bull terrier puppy is in kennel No. 19a, ID No. 13489. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male pit bull terrier puppy
This male pit bull terrier puppy has a short black and tan coat and brown eyes.
He is in kennel No. 19a, ID No. 13489.
This female Chihuahua puppy is in kennel No. 21, ID No. 13381. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female Chihuahua puppy
This female Chihuahua puppy has a short tan coat and brown eyes.
She is in kennel No. 21, ID No. 13381.
This male Doberman Pinscher is in kennel No. 22, ID No. 13459. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male Doberman Pinscher
This male Doberman Pinscher has a short red and brown coat.
He is in kennel No. 22, ID No. 13459.
This male Labrador Retriever is in kennel No. 25, ID No. 13465. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male Labrador Retriever
This male Labrador Retriever has a short chocolate coat.
He is in kennel No. 25, ID No. 13465.
“Oso” is a male shepherd mix in kennel No. 27, ID No. 3173. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Oso’
“Oso” is a male shepherd mix with a long black and tan coat.
He has been neutered.
He’s in kennel No. 27, ID No. 3173.
“Goofy” is a male Rhodesian Ridgeback in kennel No. 33, ID No. 13210. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Goofy’
“Goofy” is a young male Rhodesian Ridgeback with a short tan and black coat.
Shelter staff said this boy is great with other dogs, although he is high energy and would benefit from obedience training. He would love to go jogging every day, he is very food motivated and willing to learn new things.
Goofy has been at the shelter since Nov. 5. He was originally taken from someone in Upper Lake and found on the highway in Clearlake. If anyone has any information on his owner please contact the shelter.
He’s in kennel No. 33, ID No. 13210.
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.
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.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement for parts of Northern California including Lake County due to chances of rain and wind in the coming days.
Forecasters said a cold Pacific storm will bring rapid changes to Northern California on Sunday and Monday.
Although rain and snow amounts will be light, forecasters predict the storm will bring much colder temperatures and gusty northerly winds Sunday and Monday.
The forecast calls for light precipitation Saturday night into early Sunday over the Coastal Range and Shasta County mountains, then mainly over the west slope of the Sierra Nevada and foothills Sunday and Sunday night.
In Lake County, light winds are expected on Saturday, with stronger winds with gusts of up to 32 miles per hour forecast on Sunday.
Temperatures during the daytime over the weekend will rise into the low 60s and drop into the low 30s at night, based on the forecast.
In the coming week, daytime temperatures will hover in the high 50s before rising once again into the 60s, and the high 30s to mid-40s at night, the forecast said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Kelseyville man arrested in September on suspicion of causing a wildland fire near his home has been sentenced to jail time.
On Wednesday, Jody Buck Hickey, 39, was sentenced to 90 days in jail and three years of probation for the Oak fire, according to Cal Fire.
The Oak fire burned 53 acres and an outbuilding, and forced the evacuation of 300 residents along with the closure of Highway 29 for several hours near Kelseyville on Sept. 7, as Lake County News has reported. It was fully contained the following day.
Authorities arrested Hickey on the day of the fire on suspicion of causing a wildland fire while using equipment. They said he was welding and grinding in dry grass.
Cal Fire reported that Hickey pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, California Health and Safety Code 13001.
That code section states: “Every person is guilty of a misdemeanor who, through careless or negligent action, throws or places any lighted cigarette, cigar, ashes, or other flaming or glowing substance, or any substance or thing which may cause a fire, in any place where it may directly or indirectly start a fire, or who uses or operates a welding torch, tar pot or any other device which may cause a fire, who does not clear the inflammable material surrounding the operation or take such other reasonable precautions necessary to insure against the starting and spreading of fire.”
Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit Chief Shana Jones reminded county residents to use caution when using equipment.
“Whether working to create defensible space around your home, mowing the lawn or pulling your dirt bike over to the side of the road, if you live in a wildland area you need to use all equipment responsibly,” Jones said. “Lawn mowers, weed-eaters, chain saws, grinders, welders, tractors and trimmers can all spark a wildland fire. Do your part the right way to keep your community fire safe.”
