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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake Ministerial Association reported that it has delayed the official opening date for its warming center as it does not yet have the necessary funds to open.

The center had been set to open on Monday, Dec. 4. The new target opening date is set for Monday, Dec. 18.

Opening the center is dependent on having 25 percent of the center’s annual budget – or about $12,000 – in the bank prior to that date.

The association said that it has just under $3,000 in hand and it’s appealing to all of the companies and individuals in Lake County to provide donations as quickly as possible.

This is the third year that the warming center plans to provide a safe place for up to 24 homeless guests, who will have a warm place to sleep and have a nourishing hot meal during the coldest days of the year.

Assistance with permanent housing, employment opportunities and other services are provided.

The center will open Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. and is located at the Seventh-day Adventist Church on Park Way in Lakeport.

Last year, the center served 101 homeless individuals. Most were long-term residents of Lake County, 13 percent were veterans. Nine of the guests were under the age of 18 and 19 were over the age of 59.

Two guests died on weekends when the center was closed, the association reported.

This year, warming center coordinators are already receiving urgent requests from social service agencies to shelter their most vulnerable clients and staff is having to respond that they cannot yet guarantee an opening date.

For every night the warming center is not funded, the association said 24 individuals – some of them fire survivors – will remain vulnerable on the streets.

Please send your donations to Kelseyville United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 446, Kelseyville, CA 95451 (write Warming Center on the memo line) or online at https://www.gofundme.com/lma-warming-shelterministry.

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any questions, to ask for a pickup of your donation or to volunteer to assist this local, life-saving project.
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This image shows a small part of the Sculptor Dwarf Galaxy, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, situated only about 300 000 light-years away from Earth. This is one of two different pointings of the telescope that were used in a study combining data from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and ESA’s Gaia satellite to measure the 3D motion of stars in this galaxy. Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA.


A team of astronomers used data from both the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and ESA’s Gaia satellite to directly measure the 3D motions of individual stars in a nearby galaxy.

The achieved accuracy is better than anything previously measured for a galaxy beyond the Milky Way.

The motions provide a field test of the currently-accepted cosmological model and also measure the trajectory of the galaxy through space. The results are published in Nature Astronomy.

Astronomers from the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute and Leiden Observatory, both in the Netherlands, used data from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and ESA’s Gaia space observatory to measure the motions of stars in the Sculptor Dwarf Galaxy. The Sculptor Dwarf is a satellite galaxy orbiting the Milky Way, 300 000 light-years away from Earth.

Only by combining the datasets from these two successful ESA missions – produced more than 12 years apart – could the scientists directly measure the exact 3D motions of stars within the Sculptor Dwarf Galaxy. The is the first time this has been achieved with such accuracy for a galaxy other than the Milky Way.

Davide Massari, lead author of the study, described the precision of the research: “With the precision achieved we can measure the yearly motion of a star on the sky which corresponds to less than the size of a pinhead on the Moon as seen from Earth.”

This kind of precision was only possible due to the extraordinary resolution and accuracy of both instruments. Also the study would not have been possible without the large interval of time between the two datasets which makes it easier to determine the movement of the stars.

The Sculptor Dwarf Galaxy is a dwarf spheroidal galaxy, which are among the most dark matter dominated objects in the Universe. This makes them ideal targets for investigating the properties of dark matter.

In particular, understanding how dark matter is distributed in these dwarf galaxies allows astronomers to test the validity of the currently-accepted cosmological model. However, dark matter cannot be studied directly.

“One of the best ways to infer the presence of dark matter is to examine how objects move within it,” explained Amina Helmi, co-author of the paper. “In the case of dwarf spheroidals, these objects are stars.”

The information gathered about the 3D motion of stars in the Sculptor Dwarf Galaxy can be translated directly into knowledge of how its total mass – including dark matter – is distributed.

The new results show that stars in the Sculptor Dwarf Galaxy move preferentially on elongated radial orbits. This indicates that the density of dark matter increases towards the centre instead of flattening out.

These findings are in agreement with the established cosmological model and our current understanding of dark matter, taking into account the complexity of Sculptor’s stellar populations.

As a side effect of the study, the team also presented a more accurate trajectory of the Sculptor Dwarf Galaxy as a whole as it orbits the Milky Way.

Their results show that it is moving around the Milky Way in a high-inclination elongated orbit that takes it much further away than previously thought.

Currently, it is nearly at its closest point to the Milky Way, but its orbit can take it as far as 725 000 light-years away.

“With these pioneering measurements, we enter an era where measuring 3D motions of stars in other galaxies will become routine and will be possible for larger star samples. This will mostly be thanks to ESA’s Gaia mission,” concluded Massari.
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NORTH COAST, Calif. – A Lucerne man was injured on Friday morning when the semi he was driving went off of Highway 101 south of Hopland.

Fred M. Burns, 49, suffered major injuries in the wreck, which occurred at 7:50 a.m. Friday, according to the California Highway Patrol’s Ukiah office.

The CHP said Burns was driving a 2014 Peterbilt northbound on Highway 101 north of Pieta Creek.

For an unknown reason, the CHP said Burns allowed the semi to go off the highway and hit an embankment.

The semi overturned and came to rest in the highway’s northbound lanes, the CHP said.

The CHP said Burns, who was using his safety equipment, was transported to Ukiah Valley Medical Center for treatment.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, however, the CHP said drugs and alcohol do not appear to be contributing factors.

The crash caused a partial closure of Highway 101 for several hours Friday morning, according to the CHP.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – After going a month without shaving to benefit a local group that supports cancer survivors, the Lakeport Police Department’s participating officers gathered on Friday afternoon to find out who would win best beard honors.

The officers participated in “No Shave November” to raise cancer awareness and and to help fundraise for their partner organization in the effort, Sponsoring Survivorship.

A total on what was raised wasn’t immediately available. All funds will go to Sponsoring Survivorship.

Sgt. Mike Sobieraj won the contest, with Officer Tyler Trouette getting runnerup.

Officer Andrew Welter won the “Better Luck Next Year” award.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office also participated in No Shave November and reported that deputies and correctional officers raised $4,000 for cancer research.

A video of the Lakeport Police Department winners’ selection and a discussion of their beard-growing techniques is featured above.
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UPPER LAKE, Calif. – A fatality was reported as the result of a vehicle crash late Friday afternoon near Upper Lake.

The wreck was reported just before 5 p.m. in the area of Highway 20 and Van Sleeper Road.

Initial radio reports stated that the crash involved two or three vehicles.

Northshore Fire Protection District firefighters arriving at the scene reported that the crash involved two vehicles and partially blocked the highway.

The first units at the scene and a battalion chief that arrived immediately after them reported over the radio that one person had died in the wreck.

Radio reports indicated there also was one person who was injured but up and walking around and another person who was uninjured.

Fire units remained on scene until shortly before 6:30 p.m., based on scanner reports.

Additional details were not immediately available.

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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NORTH COAST, Calif. – On Friday, Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-05) led every member of the California House delegation in urging the chair and ranking member of the House Committee on Appropriations to include the state of California’s current $4.4 billion request for additional fire-related disaster relief in upcoming supplemental disaster relief legislation.

“Today, we’re calling on the leaders of the Appropriations Committee to help California communities devastated by the recent fires and grant the State of California’s current $4.4 billion request for further fire-related disaster relief,” said Rep. Thompson. “These were the worst fires in California’s history and, as a result, they left unprecedented damage in their wake. California has outlined the funding we need for relief efforts, and it is crucial that the Federal government steps up to help. This funding is a vital first step in our long-term recovery, and I’ll continue to fight to ensure we have all the resources we need to fully recover and rebuild.”

"We are united as a delegation to help our neighbors recover and rebuild from these tragic fires,” said Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23). “California will receive the resources we need in the supplemental package the House will pass – including legislation ensuring wildfire-specific tax relief for affected Californians, just as Congress approved for victims of the recent hurricanes.”

“Congress has an urgent responsibility to the California families whose lives have been upended by the disastrous wildfires,” said Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA-12). “We must provide these communities with the resources they need to recover, rebuild and heal during this heartbreaking time. The people of California deserve to know that Congress will be there for them not only now but throughout the long road to recovery.”

“In the wake of the worst wildfire disaster we have ever seen, our communities need this federal support to rebuild,” said Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-02). “I’m glad to see the entire California Delegation in Congress uniting today to call on the Appropriations Committee to deliver this this overdue disaster aid to Californians. I’ll keep pushing to secure the resources that my constituents need to navigate the long path to recover from this tragedy.”

“The California delegation has come together in a bipartisan fashion to work with Governor Brown to provide much-needed assistance to California communities affected by recent disasters,” said Rep. Ken Calvert (CA-42). “I recently toured the areas affected by the devastating wildfires with Rep. Mike Thompson because I felt it was important to see the horrific impacts up close and hear from those affected. There’s a tremendous effort being made by FEMA and the other agencies on the ground but we must ensure the areas affected by these disasters have the resources they need.”

The House Committee on Appropriations is currently developing supplemental disaster relief legislation that would appropriate funding for ongoing relief efforts in areas recently stuck by natural disasters.

The state of California has put forth a $4.4 billion request for supplemental disaster relief to begin long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts in communities affected by the fires.

The state’s detailed request can be found here.

The full letter to Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member Nita Lowey can be found here.
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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Kelseyville’s annual “Christmas in the Country” celebration lit up the downtown on Friday night.

Residents and visitors crowded the streets to visit merchants, have dinner and treats at local churches and restaurants, and to enjoy the evening’s signature event, the Parade of Lights.

The parade featured Santa, floats from many local groups and the famed “Bubble Machine.”

A video of the full parade is shown above.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Police officers on Friday arrested a Novato man on charges including kidnapping, making terrorist threats and fighting with police officers after he tried to take a child from an apartment.

Donald Jackson, 49, was arrested in the case, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph.

Just after 10 a.m. Friday Clearlake Police officers responded to a report of an attempted kidnapping of a child at an apartment complex located in the 7000 block of Old Highway 53, Joseph said.

The caller reported an unknown adult male subject had come into her apartment uninvited and picked up a 1-year-old child she was caring for, Joseph said.

An adult acquaintance of the caller was battered by the male subject while forcibly taking the child from the subject’s arms. Joseph said the unknown male who had attempted to take the child then left the apartment.

When officers arrived, they located the male subject leaving the vicinity of the apartment complex and safely detained him in handcuffs without incident, Joseph said.

Joseph said the male subject was identified as Jackson.

While one officer remained with Jackson, the other officer spoke to the residents of the apartment to determine what had occurred, Joseph said.

Jackson became more agitated and angry during this time, and began making threats to the police officers on scene, according to Joseph.

As Jackson was being moved to an awaiting patrol car, he became combative and began resisting officers. Joseph said Jackson spat at officers on scene, striking one in the face and kneed one of the other officers in the face.

Jackson was ultimately placed into a waiting patrol car. Once in the car, Jackson again spat at officers, striking two officers on their uniforms. Joseph said Jackson then began trying to kick out the rear windows of the patrol car.

Because of his actions, a hobble was placed around Jackson’s feet and a spit mask over his head so he could be safely transported to the Lake County Jail, Joseph said.

Upon completion of the investigation, Jackson was charged with felonies including burglary, attempted kidnapping, terrorist threats, child endangerment and two counts of obstructing an officer, and one misdemeanor count of battery. Joseph said Jackson was booked into the Lake County Jail.

It was discovered that the Lake County Sheriff’s Office had contacted Jackson during a call for service earlier in the morning and had transported him to Adventist Health Clear Lake for treatment, Joseph said.

Joseph said Jackson had been released from care by Lake County Behavioral Health approximately 30 minutes prior to this incident. Jackson was released after it was determined that he was not suffering a mental health episode, but was under the influence of methamphetamine.

The case will be referred to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office for filing, Joseph said.
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Mark your calendars: a series of three supermoons will appear on the celestial stage on Dec. 3, Jan. 1 and Jan. 31.

A supermoon is a moon that is full when it is also at or near its closest point in its orbit around Earth.

Since the moon’s orbit is elliptical, one side (apogee) is about 30,000 miles (50,000 km) farther from Earth than the other (perigee).

Nearby perigee full moons appear about 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than full moons that occur near apogee in the moon's orbit.

“The supermoons are a great opportunity for people to start looking at the moon, not just that once but every chance they have!” said Noah Petro, a research scientist from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

It’s hard for our eyes to distinguish these small changes in size when the moon is high amidst the vastness of the night sky.

But any time you catch a full moon as it rises or sets, while it’s suspended low on the horizon beaming through the silhouettes of trees or buildings, its apparent size might make you do a double-take.

You almost feel as though you could reach out, grab the glowing orb, and drop it into your coffee cup. Even more so if it’s a supermoon.

If you can only catch one episode of the supermoon trilogy, catch the third one. It will be extra special.

First of all, the Jan. 31 supermoon will feature a total lunar eclipse, with totality viewable from western North America across the Pacific to Eastern Asia.

The moon’s orbit around our planet is tilted so it usually falls above or below the shadow of the Earth.

About twice each year, a full moon lines up perfectly with the Earth and Sun such that Earth’s shadow totally blocks the Sun’s light, which would normally reflect off the moon.

“The lunar eclipse on Jan. 31 will be visible during moonset. Folks in the Eastern United States, where the eclipse will be partial, will have to get up in the morning to see it,” noted Petro. “But it’s another great chance to watch the moon.”

The moon will lose its brightness and take on an eerie, fainter-than-normal glow from the scant sunlight that makes its way through Earth’s atmosphere.

Often cast in a reddish hue because of the way the atmosphere bends the light, totally eclipsed moons are sometimes called “blood moons.”

“We’re seeing all of the Earth’s sunrises and sunsets at that moment reflected from the surface of the moon,” said Sarah Noble, a program scientist at NASA headquarters.

The Jan. 31 supermoon will also be the second full moon of the month. Some people call the second full moon in a month a blue moon, that makes it a super “blue moon.”

Blue moons happen every two and a half years, on average. With the total eclipse, it’ll be a royal spectacle indeed: a ‘super blue blood’ moon.

Sometimes the celestial rhythms sync up just right to wow us. Heed your calendar reminders. On the three dates marked, step out into the moonset or moonrise and look up for a trilogy of sky watching treats!

To learn more about the many wonders of the moon, go to http://moon.nasa.gov.

For more on the many skywatching events to be found throughout the year, visit http://science.nasa.gov.
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Gunn Organ, donated by A. G. Fultz, made by James A. Gunn, Gunn Organ and Furniture factory, in the late 1800s in Kelseyville, Calif. In the collection of the Courthouse Museum in Lakeport, Calif. Photo by Kathleen Scavone.

"Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." – Ludwig van Beethoven

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – When our county's pioneers had any precious down-time to speak of after a hard day of working in the fields, or completing chores such as milking, canning, gardening or preserving, they may have enjoyed reading by lamplight, creative needlework or they may have played word games.

Pioneer children passed the time playing “hide the thimble,” they made shadow puppets and also played with rag or paper dolls.

Some lucky pioneers who had the means to transport a large instruments such as a piano or an organ may have had some precious time to practice that versatile instrument.

They may have had the means to purchase an organ constructed locally.

The Gunn Organ, one of which was donated to the historic Courthouse Museum in Lakeport by A. G. Fultz, was made by James A. Gunn, who had an organ factory called Gunn Organ and Furniture factory in the late 1800s in Kelseyville.

Others may have perfected their skills on a banjo, which was invented in the 1800s. Folks back then may have played the harmonica, which was common in the late 1800s.

Depending on cultural practices, some pioneers may have played the concertina, also called the accordion.

Dulcimers were played by some, and are related to the German scheitholt. The Dulcimer was perfected in America; and it hailed from Appalachia.

Another popular instrument was the fiddle, also known as the violin, which was sometimes used to accompany the dulcimer. Fiddles were probably one of the most popular instruments, since they easily crossed cultural groups.

Of course, we cannot forget the improvised tools that were used as musical instruments back in the day, such as a whiskey jug, washboard and the spoons – a popular percussion instrument.

Above, in case are a zither, mandolin circa 1900-1905, a banjo made by Charles Morrell in 1865 which belonged to the Mathews family of Big Valley in Kelseyville, Calif., and a cornet, and tambourine, circa 1912. In the collection of the Courthouse Museum in Lakeport, Calif. Photo by Kathleen Scavone.

According to the Library of Congress, the first hit song was "Home, Sweet Home."

The Library of Congress Web site explained, "Regarded as America's first bona fide hit song, presented here in a performance by the famous Australian soprano Nellie Melba. The song was adapted from Henry R. Bishop's 1823 opera "Clari, Maid of Milan," with lyrics by John Howard Payne. It was widely sung throughout the nineteenth century and subsequently recorded by many early recording artists."

Listen to "Home Sweet Home" on Library of Congress' link at https://www.loc.gov/item/jukebox.6651 .

American popular music has had a way of making its way around the world. From the time Thomas Edison's phonograph cylinder made it possible to record music, American music has long entertained and thrilled people world-wide.

From Scott Joplin's ragtime-style dance music to jazz, blues and swing music, American music has made its mark. American country music is said to have originated by bringing in African American spiritual music and Appalachian folk music.

I you want to time-travel and enjoy old-fashioned music, be sure to visit Lake County Museum's own Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum's monthly free Fiddler's Jam in their barn.

There you can soak up not only the toe-tapping music that our local musicians are fiddling for you but you can take a trip to times past in the old barn where the music is played. There you will view old-fashioned farm implements and antique tractors as well as a stagecoach nearby. Living history events are held there on the fourth Saturday of each month at noon.

The Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum is located at 9921 Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville near Kit's Corner. Fiddler's Jams take place the first Sunday of each month from noon until two p.m. and is free, but donations are welcome.

For more information, view the Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum Web site at http://elystagestop.com/.

For a list of old-timey songs, their lyrics as well as audio files, visit http://www.songsforteaching.com/themeunits/pioneerstheme.htm.

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

A violin made by Thomas F. Hayter of Kelseyville, Calif., in 1884. In the collection of the Courthouse Museum in Lakeport, Calif. Photo by Kathleen Scavone.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department is investigating a Tuesday burglary in which several commercial vehicles were targeted for expensive catalytic converters.

Acting Clearlake Police Chief Tim Celli said that on Wednesday workers from the AT&T office, located in the 2500 block of Old Highway 53, found that suspects had cut the fence to their yard where several trucks were parked.

It also was discovered that catalytic converters were stolen from four trucks parked inside the fenced area, Celli said.

Celli said it appeared that the suspects specifically targeted the trucks for the catalytic converters because nothing else was touched on the vehicles or inside the yard.

The Clearlake Police Department is asking anyone who may have information regarding this theft to please contact Officer Jared Nixon at 707-994-8251.

In the meantime, Celli said officers will be conducting extra patrols in the area where it is known these types of vehicles are stored.

Celli reminded business owners, managers and citizens alike that now is a good time to ensure surveillance cameras and alarm systems are functioning properly. In addition, is a good idea to have extra lighting to discourage thieves from targeting an area.

“We also want to encourage citizens to call police if anything suspicious is seen,” Celli said.
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Alexy Rei Jenkins, 24, was reported missing to officials in Lake County, Calif., on Friday, December 1, 2017. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the community’s help in locating a missing at-risk woman.

On Friday, the family of Alexy Rei Jenkins, 24, reported her as missing to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, officials said.

Jenkins’ family reported to officials that they last spoke to her at 4:22 a.m. on Friday via a text message.

The content of the text message was unusual in nature. Jenkins has not been heard of since, the sheriff’s office reported.

Jenkins is described as 5 feet, 7 inches tall and approximately 120 pounds, with brown hair that is sometimes colored blonde and blue eyes. She has an unspecified tattoo on her right arm.

Jenkins is known to frequent the Clearlake, Lucerne and Clearlake Oaks areas, officials reported.

If you have any information or know the whereabouts of Jenkins please contact the Lake County Sheriff's Office Central Dispatch at 707-263-2690.

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