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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – New damage assessments on Sunday put the total number of structures by the Glass fire up by several hundred, while the August Complex is approaching the one-million-acre mark.

The Glass fire reached 64,900 acres on Sunday night, a growth of 1,450 acres over the previous 24 hours, with containment up to 26 percent, Cal Fire reported.

It is threatening 21,785 structures and Cal Fire said approximately 36,803 people are evacuated in Napa and Sonoma counties, where it’s been burning since Sept. 27.

On Sunday afternoon, the fire’s movement toward the Lake County line prompted officials to issue evacuation warnings for two areas south of Middletown, as Lake County News has reported.

Cal Fire said 2,774 personnel are assigned to the incident, with resources including 408 engines, 49 water tenders, 21 helicopters, 27 hand crews, 58 dozers and nine masticators.

New damage assessment information in Cal Fire’s Sunday evening report put the total number of destroyed structures at 1,235, which breaks down to 759 in Napa County and 476 in Sonoma County. Damaged structures total 242 – 116 in Sonoma County, 126 in Napa County.

August Complex closes in on one million acres

Officials said Sunday evening that the August Complex added close to 9,000 more acres since the previous night, rising to a total of 993,191 acres, with containment at 54 percent and 2,327 firefighters assigned.

Sparked by lightning on Aug. 17, the complex is burning on the Mendocino, Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers National Forests, lands that are located in Colusa, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Tehama and Trinity counties.

The Forest Service said the complex is threatening 2,200 structures and has destroyed 108.

Officials said that on Saturday, on the complex’s South Zone – which includes northern Lake County – the Pacific Northwest Team 2 reset strategy and moved resources to the northwestern corner of the August Complex.

The team joined forces with Cal Fire and the Alaska Incident Management Team 1 to establish priorities and assign assets to priority areas, according to the Forest Service report.

As in previous shifts, task forces consisting of multiple fire engines and water tenders continued patrolling containment lines from Eel River, on the west side of the fire, to Lake Pillsbury in the south, and east and north to Paskenta, the Forest Service said.

The Forest Service said there also was some additional collaboration with Cal Fire when personnel and resources were assigned to areas east of Covelo and south of Red Rock to share resources and improve dozer lines to gain further containment in that area.

On Sunday officials said overhead teams were in place and solidifying plans, assigning resources and building strategy to contain active fire on the west and northwest perimeter.

On the South Zone, quick response resources are strategically placed in case aerial observations discover fire activity that threatens containment lines as winds shift and weather patterns change, officials 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.
The August Complex as mapped on Sunday, October 4, 2020. Map courtesy of the US Forest Service.
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The Glass fire as mapped on Sunday, October 4, 2020. Map courtesy of Cal Fire.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Authorities have issued evacuation warnings for two areas south of Middletown due to the Glass fire getting closer to Lake County.

The Glass fire, which has been burning since last Sunday, grew by about 400 acres overnight for a total of 63,885 acres and 17-percent containment by Sunday morning, Cal Fire reported.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office issued the evacuation warnings just after 3 p.m. for areas south of Rancheria Rancheria Road, east of the Lake-Sonoma County Line, north of the Lake-Napa County Line and west of Highway 29, and for South Mirable Road, east of Highway 29, north of the Lake-Napa County line and west of McGuire and Three Peaks ridgeline.

A map showing the evacuation warning areas is below.

“These Evacuation Warnings are due to the Glass Fire moving closer to the Lake County Line. We are asking everyone to take preparations in the event that a mandatory evacuation order is issued,” the sheriff’s office said in its alert.

Should evacuation orders be issued and shelter is needed, evacuees you will be directed to a temporary evacuation point, the sheriff’s office said.

Cal Fire said Highway 29 remains closed to vehicle traffic in both directions between Tubbs
Lane and the Lake County line.

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 six dogs waiting for new homes this week.

Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of border collie, Chihuahua, Labrador 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.

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”).

Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm for information on visiting or adopting.

This female Labrador Retriever is in kennel No. 8, ID No. 14073. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female Labrador Retriever

This female Labrador Retriever has a short black coat with white markings.

She is in kennel No. 8, ID No. 14073.

This female Labrador Retriever mix is in kennel No. 9, ID No. 13989. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female Labrador Retriever

This female Labrador Retriever mix has a short black coat with white markings.

She is in kennel No. 9, ID No. 13989.

“Ruby” is a young female Chihuahua in kennel No. 19, ID No. 14055. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Ruby’

“Ruby” is a young female Chihuahua with a short tan coat.

She has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 19, ID No. 14055.

This male pit bull is in kennel No. 20, ID No. 14058. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male pit bull

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

He is in kennel No. 20, ID No. 14058.

This male pit bull is in kennel No. 22, ID No. 14066. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male pit bull

This male pit bull has a short brown coat.

He is in kennel No. 22, ID No. 14066.

This young male border collie is in kennel No. 27, ID No. 14052. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male border collie

This young male border collie has a short black and white coat.

He is in kennel No. 27, ID No. 14052.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors is set to discuss appointing a new member for the county’s planning commission and hear about the Registrar of Voters Office’s preparations for the Nov. 3 presidential election.

The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6.

The supervisors will meet in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport, for a hybrid meeting format which also will include the opportunity for community members to continue to participate virtually.

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

To participate in real-time, join the Zoom meeting by clicking this link at 9 a.m. The meeting ID is 979 3981 6130, password 208450.

To submit a written comment on any agenda item please visit https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and click on the eComment feature linked to the meeting date. If a comment is submitted after the meeting begins, it may not be read during the meeting but will become a part of the record.

In an untimed item, the board will consider the appointment of a new District 2 commissioner for the Lake County Planning Commission.

At its last meeting, the board honored Bob Malley, who spent a decade serving on the county planning commission for District 2, as Lake County News has reported.

Everardo Chavez Perez of Clearlake, who works in construction, has applied for the seat, according to board documents.

Also on Tuesday, Registrar of Voters Maria Valadez will give the board a report on the status of her preparations for the Nov. 3 election. The item is timed for 9:15 a.m.

In other business, at 9:10 a.m. the board will present a proclamation of appreciation to retired Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley and the Registrar of Voters Office staff for successfully conducting the March 3 Presidential Primary Election, and also recognize October 2020 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Lake County.

At 11:15 a.m., Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace will update the board on the COVID-19 situation in the county.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

5.1: Adopt a proclamation of appreciation for Diane Fridley and the Registrar of Voters staff on successfully conducting the March 3, 2020, Presidential Primary Election.

5.2: Adopt a proclamation designating the month of October 2020 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Lake County.

5.3: Approve certification for receipt of realignment backfill funds pursuant to Provision 3 of Item 9210-110-0001 of the Budget Act of 2020.

5.4: Approve memorandum of understanding by and between county of Colusa and county of Lake for agricultural commissioner/sealer of weights and measures and air pollution control officer duties, effective Oct. 6, 2020.

5.5: (a) Adopt resolution of the governing body of the county of Lake Authorizing Proposition 64 Public Health & Safety Grant Program Funding; and (b) approve Agreement No. BSCC 937- 20 by and between the Board of State and Community Corrections and the county of Lake in the amount of $996,173, for cannabis code enforcement and comprehensive “WRAP” program services.

5.6: Adopt resolution approving Agreement No. 20-0506-021-SF with California Department of Food and Agriculture for compliance with the Sudden Oak Death Quarantine Program for period July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021, in the amount of $6,512.08.

5.7: Adopt resolution approving Agreement No. 20-0080 with California Department of Food and Agriculture for compliance with the High Risk Pest Exclusion Program for period July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021, in the amount of $11,464.46.

5.8: (a) Waive the formal bidding process pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve agreement between county of Lake and Behavioral Health Services as lead agency of the Lake County Continuum of Care and Hope Is Rising Lake County in the amount of $200,000 for opening and operation of Hope Center for Fiscal Year 2020-21 and authorize the chair to sign.

5.9: (a) Waive the formal bidding process pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and Social Solutions Global Inc. for the service and coordination of activities involved with the Lake County Continuum of Care Homeless Management Integration System software for Fiscal Years 2020-21 through 2023-24 for a total contract maximum of $115,800 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

5.10: (a) Waive the formal bidding process pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and Resource Development Associates for the Community Planning Program process for Fiscal Year 2020-21 for a contract maximum of $61,675 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

5.11: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and Konocti Senior Support Inc. for senior support counseling services for Fiscal Year 2020-21 to compensate for additional services provided during Fiscal Year 2019-20 for a contract maximum of $36,150.00 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement .

5.12: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve agreement between the county of Lake and Mother-Wise Program (perinatal mood and anxiety disorders) for the Fiscal Year 2020-21 for a contract maximum of $125,000 and authorize the board chair to sign.

5.13: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and Davis Guest Home for adult residential support services and specialty mental health services for Fiscal Year 2020-21 for compensation for services provided in Fiscal Year 2019-20 for a contract maximum of $52,110 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

5.14: (a) Waiving the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approving the agreement between the county of Lake and Native American Mental Health Services dba North American Mental Health Services for telepsychiatry services for Fiscal Year 2020-21 for a contract maximum of $1,000,000 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

5.15: (a) Waiving the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve agreement between the county of Lake and Crestwood Behavioral Health for adult residential support and specialty mental health services for Fiscal Year 2020-21 for compensation for services rendered during Fiscal Year 2019-20 for a contract maximum of $171,684.19 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

5.16: Approve minutes of the Board of Supervisors meetings on July 28, Aug. 4, Sept. 10 and Sept. 15.

5.17: Approve budget transfer and second amendment to the Verity master agreement between the county of Lake and Hart InterCivic Inc. for the purchase of additional voting equipment in the amount $1,600, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.18: Adopt resolution setting rate of pay for election officers for the Nov. 3, 2020 General Election.

5.19: Approve grant agreement between the county of Lake (grantee) and Center for Tech and Civic Life and authorize the chair to sign.

5.20: Approve Award of Bid No. 20-17 for the Hill Road Correctional Facility Phase II Reroof Project in the amount of $389,757 to Westech Roofing Inc.; and authorize the chair to sign the agreement and notice of award.

5.21: a) Approve agreement between the Mattress Recycling Council and the county of Lake; and b) Consideration of acceptance of a micro-grant from the Mattress Recycling Council for $10,000.

5.22: Approve purchase (a) HEPA Filtration system from portable air group for use at the Lake County Jail; (b) racks and transfer boards from Mopec for use in the mobile refrigerated unit; (c) approve budget transfer in the amount of $33,444 into a fixed asset account due to the total cost of each order and (d) authorize the sheriff to sign the purchase orders.

5.23: Approve advanced step hiring of Stacey Schofield as Public Safety Dispatcher II, Step 4.

5.24: Approve equitable sharing agreement and certification between the county of Lake Sheriff's Office and the US Department of Justice; and authorize the sheriff and chairman to sign.

5.25: Approve contract between county of Lake and Lake County Office of Education for foster youth services in the amount of $45,000 per fiscal year from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2023, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.26: Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and a) approve intergovernmental agency agreement between county of Lake and Regional Housing Authority for HOME Loan Program Services-Program Income, from Oct. 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2023, in the amount of $88,823, b) approve intergovernmental agency agreement between county of Lake and Regional Housing Authority for HOME Loan Program Services-18-HOME-12585, from October 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2023, in the amount of $69,901, and c) authorize the chair to sign both agreements.

TIMED ITEMS

6.1, 9:01 a.m.: Public input.

6.2, 9:05 a.m.: Consideration of the continuation of resolution ratifying the declaration of local health emergency and order prohibiting the endangerment of the community through the unsafe removal, transport and disposal of fire debris for the LNU Complex wildfire.

6.3, 9:10 a.m.: (a) Presentation of a proclamation of appreciation for Diane Fridley and the Registrar of Voters staff on successfully conducting the March 3, 2020, Presidential Primary Election; and (b) presentation of proclamation designating the month of October 2020 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Lake County.

6.4, 9:15 a.m.: Consideration of a report on the status of preparations for the Nov. 3, 2020, election.

6.5, 10 a.m.: Presentation of Big Valley Groundwater Basin Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and implementation.

6.6, 10:15 a.m.: Notice of lien hearing for Pattie Antalek, Bart Clanton, Marcia Clanton, Lani Ironberg, Nadine L. Ironberg, Keven Peck, Mildred Peck; 6355 Soda Bay Rd., Kelseyville, California.

6.7, 10:45 a.m.: Notice of lien hearing for Darryl Weinke; 12942 Second St., Clearlake Oaks, California.

6.8, 11:15 a.m.: Addendum, consideration of update on COVID-19.

UNTIMED ITEMS

7.2: Consideration of appointment of District 2 planning commissioner.

7.3: Consideration of advisory board appointment: Mental Health Board.

CLOSED SESSION

8.1: Public employee appointment pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54957(b) (1): Interview and appointment of Special Districts administrator.

8.2: Public employee evaluations: Behavioral Health Director Todd Metcalf, Public Works/Water Resources/Interim Community Development Director Scott De Leon.

8.3: Conference with labor negotiator: (a) chief negotiator: M. Long; county negotiators: C. Huchingson and P. Samac; and (b) employee organizations: LCDDAA, LCDSA, LCCOA, LCEA, LCSEA and LCSMA.

8.4: Conference with (a) county negotiators: M. Simon, B. Sabatier, C. Huchingson, S. Carter (b) temporary representatives designated to meet with county department heads regarding salary and benefits and (c) unrepresented management employees.

8.5: Conference with legal counsel regarding existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9 (d)(1): Ugorji v. County of Lake, et al.

8.6: Conference with legal counsel regarding existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9 (d)(1) Brandi Martin v. County of Lake, et al.

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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Fruits and vegetables are beautiful in their diversity and complexity, as lovely as any arrangement of exotic flowers. Photo by Esther Oertel.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – In honor of this month’s holiday, Halloween, today’s column will celebrate the odd, the eerie, and the out of the ordinary when it comes to fruits and vegetables.

I traipsed to a local supermarket today, phone in hand, hoping to take photos of a few exotic offerings in the produce department. I didn’t have much luck, as what was there was pretty commonplace, at least from our point of view.

But when I began to view the veggies and fruits through the camera’s eye, it dawned on me that ordinary is really just a matter of perspective. The colorful fresh fare that lines the shelves of the average supermarket produce aisle is anything but ordinary.

The array of colors is amazing, not to mention the varying shapes, sizes and textures of each farm-produced item. It boggles the mind to think that such diversity sprang from the ground … or the branch … or the vine.

Take the avocado, for example. Its hard outer coating is so bumpy and rough that it’s also known as an alligator pear. The skin that hides the rich flesh within is anything but appetizing.

How about the artichoke? Who would’ve thought that we’d consider this bud from a thistle plant such a delicacy, and who had the nerve to eat the first one?

Fuzzy kiwi look like cute little alien creatures, not unlike short-haired versions of the “Tribbles” of Star Trek fame. (Can’t you just imagine them purring?)

Gnarled rhizomes of ginger look more like tree roots than food, and pineapples remind me of hand grenades with wild hair-dos on steroids.

Let’s not forget mushrooms, the “fungus among us” which is harvested from light-deprived growing caves.

You may think I’m easily amused, and perhaps I am, but I think of produce as art from a very creative mind. And the best part is that we’re privileged to eat it.

The truth is that many of the fruits and vegetables we now take for granted were once considered rare and exotic. Hot peppers, kiwi fruit and mangoes all fall into this category.

What follows is a fun look at some unique fruits and vegetables from around the world and close to home. They may seem exotic now, but who knows? One day they may be commonplace fare in our local market.

What better plant to celebrate autumn than the pumpkin tree? These branches with mini pumpkin-like fruit are sold for decorative purposes this time of year. As much as it looks like a pumpkin, the fruit is actually an ornamental eggplant, which is used in Asia in stir-fry dishes.

The dragon fruit’s official name is pitaya. Common in Asia, as well as in Central and South America, it sports a hot pink outer rind, out of which emerge neon green leaves that are reminiscent of tropical fish fins. Its bright white black-flecked flesh is sour, juicy and refreshing.

Chinese artichokes, also known as crosnes, look like grubs or caterpillars. They have a rich, artichoke-like flavor and are eaten sautéed, pickled or as a garnish.

The grapefruit-sized cherimoya looks almost reptilian, with tight green scales on the outside. Inside is white flesh that’s soft and super sweet. It’s described as having a flavor that’s similar to a combination of banana, strawberry, and pineapple.

Durians are popular across Southeast Asia. Green, football shaped, and spiny, they’re known for their strong, unpleasant odor and are banned from being eaten in public in some locations. Despite the smell, their silky, sweet fruit is used in desserts, or sometimes eaten raw in segments.

The black radish looks nothing like its small, red, rotund counterpart that we’re used to seeing. Rather, it looks more like a chubby, black-skinned carrot. A more common variety is round and about the size of a tangerine. It has a pungent flavor and is used often as a supplement.

Fiddleheads are a short-lived delicacy, being available for only a few weeks in the spring. These curly fronds from young ferns are native to Canada and New England and taste somewhat like asparagus. One note of caution, though: When eaten raw, they’ve been linked to food poisoning, so it’s best to steam them before eating.

Lychee fruit has long been seen as a dessert on a Chinese menu, but have you ever seen them in their natural state? This fruit native to Asia looks more like a sea creature than a fruit. Green tentacles grow out of bright pink skin which surrounds the sweet, juicy, white flesh inside.

Morel mushrooms, native to woodsy areas in the U.S. and Europe, have a honeycombed head, making them look like elongated brains on a stick. Be careful if you hunt them in the wild as some varieties are poisonous.

Star fruit, also known as carambola, have five fin-like segments along their elongated body, so when cut a star shape appears. This tropical yellow fruit tastes a bit like plums or pears.

When sliced, the lotus root has a beautiful, almost snowflake-like, design in its flesh. It’s crunchy like water chestnuts or jicama, but has a more delicate flavor than either of these.

Ramps, also known as wild leeks, are becoming increasingly popular with chefs. This member of the onion family has a scallion-like bulb and flat, broad leaves. Native to North America, it’s typically available for only a few weeks each year.

That’s my exotic green grocer’s dozen. Can you think of any I missed?

As to today’s recipe, below are instructions for making a tasty baked pumpkin stuffed with cornbread and autumn greens. We have a plethora of pumpkins growing in our home garden now, both large and small. The bright spots of orange that peek through the tangle of green vines reminded me of this delightful and somewhat out of the ordinary treat for your fall dinner table.

The recipe below is a vegetarian version of this dish but, if you prefer, cooked sausage or sauteed ground meat can be added. Enjoy!

Baked Stuffed Pumpkin

Ingredients

1 medium pumpkin, about 10 inches in diameter
1 recipe cornbread, baked, cooled, and chopped into 1-inch cubes
4 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups fresh autumn greens, such as kale, collards, turnip greens, beet greens, or chard (or a combination), washed and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 egg
3 tablespoons chopped mixed fresh herbs of your choice, such as sage, thyme or parsley (Note: 3 teaspoons dried herbs can be substituted)
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Vegetable broth to moisten

­Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the lid off the pumpkin and scoop out seeds and fibers. Place cleaned pumpkin on a lightly-oiled baking sheet and bake for around 45 minutes, then remove from oven and keep warm.

2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil or butter over medium-high heat and add onion and garlic, stirring to coat with oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are slightly softened and golden, about 5 minutes.

3. Add greens and fresh herbs. Cook, stirring, until greens are wilted and coated with oil.

4. In a large mixing bowl, place cornbread cubes, wilted greens, walnuts, egg, salt, and pepper, stirring to combine. Add enough broth to moisten.

5. Place stuffing in pumpkin and cover with foil. Replace pumpkin in preheated oven and bake for 35 or more minutes, until stuffing is cooked and pumpkin is tender.

6. Transfer pumpkin to a pretty platter and remove foil. Serve warm, being sure to scoop bits of cooked pumpkin on to everyone’s plate along with the stuffing.

Serves 6.

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. She lives in Middletown.
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Visible both in the inset photograph on the upper left and near the center of NASA's Perseverance Mars rover in this illustration is the palm-size dome called the Laser Retroreflector Array. In the distant future, laser-equipped Mars orbiters could use such a reflector for scientific studies. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech.


Perseverance is one of a few Mars spacecraft carrying laser retroreflectors. The devices could provide new science and safer Mars landings in the future.

When the Apollo astronauts landed on the Moon, they brought devices with them called retroreflectors, which are essentially small arrays of mirrors. The plan was for scientists on Earth to aim lasers at them and calculate the time it took for the beams to return. This provided exceptionally precise measurements of the Moon's orbit and shape, including how it changed slightly based on Earth's gravitational pull.

Research with these Apollo-era lunar retroreflectors continues to this day, and scientists want to perform similar experiments on Mars. NASA's Perseverance rover – scheduled to land on the Red Planet on Feb. 18, 2021 – carries the palm-size Laser Retroreflector Array (LaRA). There's also a small one aboard the agency's InSight lander, called Laser Retroreflector for InSight (LaRRI). And a retroreflector will be aboard the ESA (European Space Agency) ExoMars rover that launches in 2022.

While there is currently no laser in the works for this sort of Mars research, the devices are geared toward the future: Reflectors like these could one day enable scientists conducting what is called laser-ranging research to measure the position of a rover on the Martian surface, test Einstein's theory of general relativity, and help make future landings on the Red Planet more precise.

"Laser retroreflectors are shiny, pointlike position markers," said Simone Dell'Agnello, who led development of all three retroreflectors at Italy's National Institute for Nuclear Physics, which built the devices on behalf of the Italian Space Agency. "Because they're simple and maintenance-free, they can work for decades."

Laser Retroreflector for InSight (LaRRI) is the copper-colored half-dome on the deck of NASA's InSight lander. This image shows LaRRI's location below InSight's calibration target. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

A box of mirrors

The devices work a lot like a bike reflector, bouncing light back in the direction of its source. Perseverance's LaRA, for example, is a 2-inch-wide (5-centimeter-wide) dome speckled with half-inch holes containing glass cells. In each cell, three mirrored faces are positioned at 90-degree angles from one another so that light entering the holes is directed back out at exactly the same direction it came from.

LaRA is much smaller than the retroreflectors on the Moon. The earliest ones, delivered by the Apollo 11 and 14 missions, are about the size of a typical computer monitor and embedded with 100 reflectors; the ones delivered by Apollo 15 are even larger and embedded with 300 reflectors. That's because the lasers have to travel as much as 478,000 miles (770,000 kilometers) to the Moon and back. By the return trip, the beams are so faint, they can't be detected by the human eye.

The beams that Perseverance's LaRA and InSight's LaRRI were built to reflect would actually have a far shorter journey, despite Mars being some 249 million miles (401 million kilometers) away at its farthest point from Earth. Rather than traveling back and forth from Earth, which would require enormous retroreflectors, the laser beams would just need to travel back and forth from a future Mars orbiter equipped with an appropriate laser.

Illuminating science

Such an orbiter could determine the precise position of a retroreflector on the Martian surface. And since Perseverance will be mobile, it could provide multiple points of reference. Meanwhile, the orbiter's position would also be tracked from Earth. This would allow scientists to test Einstein's theory of general relativity, as they have with retroreflectors on the Moon. Each planet's orbit is greatly influenced by the bend in space-time created by the Sun's large mass.

"This kind of science is important for understanding how gravity shapes our solar system, the whole universe, and ultimately the roles of dark matter and dark energy," Dell'Agnello noted.

In the case of the InSight lander, which touched down on Nov. 26, 2018, laser-ranging science could also aid the spacecraft's core mission of studying Mars' deep interior. InSight relies on a radio instrument to detect subtle differences in the planet's rotation. In learning from the instrument how the planet wobbles over time, scientists may finally determine whether Mars' core is liquid or solid.

And if the science team were able to use the lander's retroreflector, they could get even more precise positioning data than InSight's radio provides. LaRRI could also detect how the terrain InSight sits on shifts over time and in what direction, revealing how the Martian crust expands or contracts.

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin carries two components of the Early Apollo Scientific Experiments Package (EASEP) on the surface of the Moon. The Passive Seismic Experiments Package (PSEP) is in his left hand; and in his right hand is the Laser Ranging Retro-Reflector (LR3). Credits: NASA.

Better landings on Mars

Mars landings are hard. To help get Perseverance safely to the surface, the mission will rely on Terrain-Relative Navigation, a new technology that compares images taken during descent to an onboard map. If the spacecraft sees itself getting too close to danger (like a cliffside or sand dunes), it can veer away.

But in such a mission-critical event, you can never have too many backups. Future missions barreling toward the surface of the Red Planet could use the series of reference points from laser retroreflectors as a check on the performance of their Terrain Relative Navigation systems – and perhaps even boost their accuracy down to a few centimeters. When the difference between successfully landing near an enticing geological formation or slipping down the steep slope of a crater wall can be measured in mere feet, retroreflectors might be critical.

"Laser ranging could open up new kinds of Mars exploration," Dell'Agnello said.

More about the mission

A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will also characterize the planet's climate and geology, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first planetary mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust).

Subsequent missions, currently under consideration by NASA in cooperation with the European Space Agency, would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these cached samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.

Managed for NASA by JPL, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover is part of a larger program that includes missions to the Moon as a way to prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.

Charged with returning astronauts to the Moon by 2024, NASA will establish a sustained human presence on and around the Moon by 2028 through NASA's Artemis lunar exploration plans.

For more information about NASA's Perseverance, go to www.mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/. For more about NASA's Moon to Mars plans, visit www.nasa.gov/topics/moon-to-mars.

A close-up view, taken on Feb. 5, 1971, of the Laser Ranging Retro-Reflector (LR3), which the Apollo 14 astronauts deployed on the Moon during their lunar surface extravehicular activity. Credits: NASA.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council this week will declare October Domestic Violence Awareness Month, hold a public hearing and consider directing staff to create new ad hoc committees.

The meeting will take place via webinar beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6

The agenda can be found here.

To speak on an agenda item, access the meeting remotely here or join by phone by calling toll-free 877-309-2074 or 213-929-4221. The access code is 596-105-550; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.

Comments can be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To give the city clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments prior to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

Indicate in the email subject line "for public comment" and list the item number of the agenda item that is the topic of the comment. Comments that read to the council will be subject to the three minute time limitation (approximately 350 words). Written comments that are only to be provided to the council and not read at the meeting will be distributed to the council prior to the meeting.

On Tuesday, the council will present a proclamation designating the month of October 2020 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the city of Lakeport.

The council also has a public hearing scheduled for that night to consider an ordinance that will update the Lakeport Municipal Code’s emergency services chapter.

Under council business, City Manager Kevin Ingram will ask the council to direct staff to review council goals and return with recommended ad hoc committees.

He’s also asking that, in the face of ongoing challenges to recruiting members, that the council freeze activities of the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee and the Parks and Recreation Committee.

In other business, Finance Director Nick Walker will present to the council proposed amendments to the fiscal year 2020-21 city budget.

Public Works Director Doug Grider will take to the council a resolution for approval that would authorize the city manager to submit an application for the Prop 68 Per Capita Program and execute any agreements necessary for the use of grant funds.

On the consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are ordinances; minutes of the regular council meeting on Sept. 15; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the Mendocino Complex fire; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the February 2019 storms; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the October 2019 public safety power shutoff; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the COVID-19 public health emergency; adoption of the resolution accepting construction of the City Hall Remodel Project by Bridges Construction Inc. and authorize the filing of the notice of completion; introduction of the zone change ordinance for the Bridges Construction project (ZC 20-01) and schedule a public hearing for a second reading of the zone change ordinance and adoption of a resolution for a general plan amendment (GPA 20-01) and mitigated negative declaration based on the environmental review/initial study (ER 20-02) on Oct. 20, 2020; introduction of the zone change ordinance for the Cory Poso project (ZC 20-02) and schedule a public hearing for a second reading of the zone change ordinance and adoption of a resolution for a general plan amendment (GPA 20-02) and negative declaration based on the environmental review/initial study (ER 20-03) on Oct. 20, 2020; approval of Application 2020-016, with staff recommendations, for the American Bass Fishing Tournament at Library Park, Oct. 30 to 31, 2020; approval of application 2020-017, with staff recommendations, for the American Bass
Fishing Tournament at Library Park on Oct. 10 to 11, 2020.

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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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Officials are planning a virtual community meeting to discuss their work to contain the Glass fire, while to the north on the August Complex’s South Zone efforts continue to strengthen lines protecting communities around Lake Pillsbury.

Dry, hot weather conditions have continued to drive the Glass fire, but firefighters kept its growth to 1,090 acres during the course of the day on Saturday, for a total of 63,450 acres by nightfall, with containment rising to 15 percent, Cal Fire said.

The fire has been burning for a week in Napa and Sonoma counties.

At 6 p.m. Sunday, Cal Fire will host a virtual community meeting to give an update on the Glass fire. The meeting will be live-streamed on the Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit Facebook page.

Cal Fire said there are 2,773 firefighting personnel assigned to the incident, along with 408 engines, 49 water tenders, 23 helicopters, 27 hand crews, 66 dozers and nine masticators.

So far, no injuries to firefighters have been reported.

Critically low fuel moisture,very warm and dry weather conditions are contributing to very active fire behavior, Cal Fire said.

Aggressive mop up and tactical patrol continues in areas where the fire’s forward progress has stopped. Crews are working aggressively to construct and reinforce existing control lines, officials said.

Cal Fire said it is threatening 21,613 structures, down by several thousand since Saturday morning.

The fire has so far destroyed a total of 826 buildings, 561 in Napa, 265 in Sonoma. Another 163 buildings – 91 in Sonoma, 72 in Napa – have been damaged.

Sonoma County has now posted a damage assessment map.

The August Complex – burning since Aug. 17 – grew by nearly 15,000 acres since Friday, reaching 984,804 acres and 51-percent containment by Saturday evening, officials reported.

On the complex’s South Zone, which includes the Mendocino National Forest in northern Lake County, the US Forest Service said that hard work on Friday in the Lake Pillsbury region resulted in high confidence in the integrity of the containment lines built to protect property and resources.

All hose, fixtures, pumps and other fire apparatus have been pulled and reset for potential use in the northwestern corner of the August Complex. Patrol status has been achieved at Lake Pillsbury, Rice Creek and adjacent areas, officials said.

The Forest Service said Sunday will be a transitional day, with Pacific Northwest Team 2 migrating resources and strategy to the northwestern corner of the August Complex. In upcoming shifts, the team will further join forces with Cal Fire and the Alaska IMT1.

Along with that movement, task forces consisting of multiple fire engines and water tenders will continue patrolling the long containment lines from Lake Pillsbury to the west up to Eel River, and east and north to Paskenta, officials 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.
The August Complex as mapped on Saturday, October 3, 2020. Map courtesy of the US Forest Service.
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The Glass fire as seen from the Oat Hill area in northern Napa County, California, on Saturday, October 3, 2020. Photo courtesy of Angela Carter.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Cal Fire said Saturday that it’s making progress against the destructive Glass fire, but a red flag warning in effect through Sunday morning could create challenging conditions for firefighters.

The more than 2,600 firefighters assigned to the Glass five have continued to prevent it from the kind of explosive growth it saw in its earliest day while continuing to strengthen containment numbers.

On Saturday, Cal Fire said the incident was up to 62,360 acres, an increase of just over 2,200 acres since Friday morning. Containment on Saturday was reported to be 10 percent, an increase of 4 percent over the previous 24 hours.

It continues to threaten 28,835 structures, Cal Fire said.

The incident continues to burn in Napa and Sonoma counties. However, the latest mapping released by Cal Fire on Saturday showed the fire is burning about two miles south of the Lake and Napa County line.

The Glass fire as seen from above Calistoga Ranch in northern Napa County, California, on Saturday, October 3, 2020. Photo courtesy of Angela Carter.


Cal Fire said Saturday afternoon that Smoke and flames from the Glass fire may be visible from Middletown.

Officials said there are currently no evacuation warnings or evacuation orders for Lake County. However, they added that south county residents are reminded to remain vigilant and be prepared to evacuate in the event that fire activity changes.

Highway 29 south of Middletown, closed earlier this week, remains shut down due to the fire. Caltrans said there is no estimated time of reopening.

A red flag warning is in effect in parts of the fire area through Sunday morning, with reports on Saturday afternoon of winds picking up across the south county.

The red flag warning was issued due to high winds, hot temperatures and low humidity, which can create increased fire danger.

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 Glass fire as mapped by Cal Fire on Saturday, October 3, 2020.
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LUCERNE, Calif. – Millions of Americans live and cope with a mental health condition. An even greater number witness the struggles of at least one family member, friend or coworker.

Despite the number of people affected and the broad availability of programs and services to assist those in need, widespread misunderstanding and stigma surround mental illness.

Oct. 4 to 10 is Mental Health Awareness Week, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI, is striving to raise public awareness of the many effects of mental illness.

“Many don’t seek out treatment in early phases, because they don’t recognize the signs and symptoms,” said Todd Metcalf, director of Lake County Behavioral Health Services.

Mental Health America, or MHA, recently developed free online screening tools for seven major mental health conditions, now available at www.MHAscreening.org.

These brief screenings lend insight into whether you or someone you care about may be experiencing clinical anxiety, bipolar disorder, psychosis, an eating disorder, depression, post-traumatic stress syndrome, or a substance use disorder.

While a screening is not a diagnosis, it can be the gateway to initiating a discussion with a loved one or mental health professional.

These unprecedented times have highlighted the critical role effective diagnosis and management of mental conditions plays in households and communities.

MHA’s online screening tools and resources from NAMI can be conversation starters that prompt lifesaving and transformative change.

Lake County Behavioral Health Services aims to support county residents’ mental health and well-being. They invite community members to join them in the effort of sharing information about good mental health.

“We want to replace stigma with hope – during Mental Illness Awareness Week and throughout the year,” said Metcalf.

For more information, please contact Lake County Behavioral Health Services at 707-274-9101 or 707-994-7090.
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Officials said assessment work is now underway on the South Zone of the August Complex on the Mendocino National Forest.

A Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response, or BAER, team was established by the Mendocino National Forest to begin burned area assessments of the August Complex South Zone.

The BAER team is being led by Forest Service Hydrologist Luke Rutten, Natural Resource and Planning Staff Officer Kendal Young and Fishery Biologist Dan Teater.

Another Forest Service BAER team is tentatively scheduled to begin its assessment of the North Zone of the August Complex in a couple of weeks.

The Forest Service said both teams will coordinate with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; National Weather Service; US Geological Survey; the counties of Lake, Mendocino, Glenn, Tehama and, Trinity; and other federal, state and local agencies as they assess potential post-fire impacts to the burned watersheds.

BAER surveys are rapid assessments that evaluate the burned area to identify watersheds having increased potential for post-fire flooding, sediment flows and rock slides, the Forest Service said.

Since the BAER survey is a rapid assessment to assist land managers prepare the burned area for rainstorms, officials said the team focuses on potential emergency impacts to life, and safety on National Forest System land and share the findings with the responsible downstream agencies.

The Forest Service said BAER teams may consist of scientists and specialists including hydrologists, geologists, soil scientists, road engineers, botanists, wildlife biologists, recreation specialists, archeologists and geographic information specialists.

The teams collect data during their burned area surveys to analyze through GIS and computer models and present their findings along with recommended BAER emergency response actions in a BAER assessment report, forest officials reported.

BAER teams utilize satellite imagery and specialist data to analyze and produce a map that shows the levels of burn severity on the watersheds. The Forest Service said this is the first step in assessing potential watershed impacts from wildfires to any National Forest System values that may be at-risk from potential increased flooding, sedimentation, debris flows and rock slides.

Based on their work, the Forest Service said BAER teams produce a report that describes threats associated with the burned area’s post-fire conditions along with recommended emergency stabilization measures and actions.

BAER emergency response efforts are focused on the protection of human life, safety and property, as well as critical cultural and natural resource values such as the water quality of streams and wetlands on National Forest System lands, officials said.

The resulting BAER reports are shared with interagency cooperators who work with downstream private homeowners and landowners to prepare for potential post-fire flooding and debris flow impacts, the Forest Service reported.

Homes or businesses that could be impacted by flooding from federal land that resulted from wildfires may be eligible for flood insurance coverage. Visit https://www.floodsmart.gov/.
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Mark Greydon Tolson, 44, of Hidden Valley Lake, California, was arrested on Wednesday, September 30, 2020, for oral copulation and sexual battery. Lake County Jail photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said it has arrested a Hidden Valley Lake man for sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman to whom he provided alcohol during a party at his home this summer.

Mark Greydon Tolson, 44, was arrested on Wednesday, Lt. Corey Paulich said.

On July 16, the female victim contacted the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and reported she had been sexually assaulted by Tolson, Paulich said.

Paulich said the victim reported that on July 15 Tolson provided alcohol to her and other adults under age 21 at his residence. The victim reported that later in the night she woke up to Tolson sexually assaulting her.

Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit detectives continued the investigation. On Wednesday, detectives served a search warrant at Tolson’s residence, Paulich said.

Tolson subsequently was arrested on charges of oral copulation and sexual battery and transported to the Lake County Jail, where he was booked on the charges. Paulich said Tolson later was released after posting bail.

The Sheriff’s Office asks anyone who may have further information regarding Tolson to please contact Det. Jeff Mora at 707-262-4224 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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