LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Two unrelated vehicle stops conducted Thursday evening have resulted in three arrests and the seizure of 32 pounds of processed marijuana.

Arrested during the stops were Redding residents Richard Daniel Birkett, 35, and Ashley Elizabeth Springer, 18, and 46-year-old Juan Manuel Hernandez of Clearlake, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

At 4 p.m. Thursday a patrol deputy observed a Toyota pickup traveling eastbound on Highway 20 in the Clearlake Oaks area with a broken tail light, Brooks said.

The deputy also noticed the vehicle was traveling well above the posted speed limit. He conducted an enforcement stop of the vehicle in the area of Highway 20 and Keys Boulevard, according to Brooks.

Brooks said the deputy contacted the driver, who was identified as Birkett, along with Springer, who was riding as a passenger in the vehicle.

As the deputy was talking to Birkett, he could smell the odor of marijuana emitting from inside the vehicle, Brooks said. Birkett told the deputy he had a small amount of marijuana inside the pickup. He also said he had a couple of pounds inside the camper shell.

Central Dispatch ran a records check and advised that Birkett had an outstanding arrest warrant from Illinois. The deputy advised Birkett of the warrant and the fact he was going to be searching the vehicle, Brooks said.

At that point Birkett changed his story and told the deputy there actually was 10 pounds of marijuana in the camper shell. Brooks said Birkett opened the camper shell and removed seven bags of processed marijuana from under a blanket.

He then changed his story again and told the deputy that each bag contained 2 pounds of marijuana for a total of 14 pounds, Brooks said.

Birkett explained to the deputy that he was going to have the marijuana shipped to Montana and then sold to a dispensary. He expected to make $6,000 from the deal, Brooks said.

Birkett was detained and placed into the back of the deputy’s patrol vehicle. Brooks said the deputy then contacted Springer, who said she is Birkett’s girlfriend and business partner. She told the deputy that the marijuana would probably sell for $25 a gram.

Brooks said Birkett was arrested for possession of marijuana for sale, sales of marijuana and the out-of-state arrest warrant. Springer was arrested for possession of marijuana for sale, sales of marijuana and conspiracy. They were both transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.

At 7 p.m. Thursday, a deputy was patrolling the Lakeport area when he noticed a black Chrysler traveling northbound on Parallel Drive with defective lighting equipment. Brooks said the deputy conducted an enforcement stop in the area of Parallel Drive and the entrance to Mendocino Community College.

The deputy contacted the driver, Hernandez, and as the deputy was explaining the reason for the stop, Hernandez opened the driver’s door. As the door opened the deputy smelled the overwhelming odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle, Brooks said.

Hernandez admitted he had approximately 17 pounds of marijuana inside the vehicle. When asked, Hernandez originally said he was driving from his friend’s house to his own home in the city of Clearlake. A short time later, Hernandez said he was driving from his home in Clearlake to a friend’s house, according to Brooks.

A K9 unit arrived to assist the deputy with the vehicle stop. The K9 deputy deployed his partner to conduct a sniff of the vehicle, Brooks said. As the dog approached the vehicle she produced a positive alert, indicating there was the odor of a controlled substance present.

Brooks said the K9 deputy then deployed his partner inside the vehicle. The dog produced a positive alert in the open rear cargo area of the vehicle.

Deputies conducted a search of the vehicle and located two large black plastic bags that smelled of marijuana. Inside the bags were empty beer cans and 18 smaller bags. Each of the smaller bags contained approximately one pound of processed marijuana, Brooks said.

Hernandez was arrested for the possession of marijuana for sale and the sales of marijuana, and transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked, according to Brooks.

The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Local and state firefighters are on the scene of a wildland fire in the Lower Lake area.

The fire, first dispatched shortly before 2 p.m. Friday, is located in a remote area three miles out off of Cantwell Ranch Road near Spruce Grove Road, according to dispatch.

Radio reports indicated the incident began when a vehicle caught fire. The fire then spread into nearby vegetation and began making a rush uphill.

Fire officials on scene reported just before 2:15 p.m. that the fire has a moderate to rapid rate of spread and is making a run up the ridge and heading toward Morgan Valley Road.

The fire is spotting, with a one-acre spot ahead of the main fire, which at 2:15 p.m. was estimated to be between seven to 10 acres, based on radio reports from Cal Fire air attack.

By 3:15 p.m., the fire was estimated to have grown to 100 acres, with 15 percent containment, according to Cal Fire. By approximately 3:37 p.m., the fire was estimated to be 150 acres.

Structures are said to be in the fire's path, according to reports from the scene.

Cal Fire has dispatched five air tankers and two helicopters to help fight the blaze, reported to be in an area that's difficult to access for firefighters on the ground.

Cal Fire dozers and engines from Cal Fire and Lake County Fire Protection District also are at the scene, with Cal Fire putting out a mutual aid call to Lake County fire agencies just before 2:30 p.m. for five additional engines.

At 2:45 p.m. Cal Water put out a call to all Lake County fire stations for the immediate need of the four closest water tenders.

Resources are being staged at Highway 29 and Spruce Grove Road, according to radio reports.

Air attack estimated that the fire has the potential to grow as large as 200 acres.

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.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Thursday fire destroyed a north Lakeport home.

The fire, dispatched at 11:21 a.m., occurred in a summer residence located next to the Northport Trailer Resort at 5020 Lakeshore Blvd., according to Lakeport Fire Chief Ken Wells.

Wells said the home – located on the lakeshore behind a security gate next to the resort – was three-quarters involved by the time firefighters arrived at the scene.

Firefighters were able to keep the fire contained to the property, with the only nearby structure that was threatened being a fence, Wells said. Some smoke traveled to the nearby trailer resort.

There were no injuries, said Wells.

However, the home – estimated to be about 2,500 square feet in size – was a total loss, he said.

Wells said the fire was contained just before 2 p.m., but at that point he anticipated firefighters would remain on scene for overhaul and mop up for up to another four hours.

“We're waiting for the investigators to come as well,” said Wells, adding that he did not have an idea yet of the cause.

He said 19 firefighters were on scene, with resources coming from Lakeport Fire, Kelseyville Fire and Northshore Fire.

County roads personnel also were on scene helping to do traffic control on Lakeshore Boulevard, because Wells said the hydrant supply line was crossing the roadway.

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.

Astronomers viewing our solar system's asteroid belt with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have seen for the first time an asteroid with six comet-like tails of dust. Designated P/2013 P5, the asteroid resembles a rotating lawn sprinkler.

“We were literally dumbfounded when we saw it,” said lead investigator David Jewitt of the University of California at Los Angeles. “Even more amazing, its tail structures change dramatically in just 13 days as it belches out dust. That also caught us by surprise. It's hard to believe we’re looking at an asteroid.”

Jewitt leads a team whose research paper appears online in the Nov. 7 issue of the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

P/2013 P5 has been ejecting dust periodically for at least five months. Astronomers believe it is possible the asteroid's rotation rate increased to the point where its surface started flying apart.

They do not believe the tails are the result of an impact with another asteroid because they have not seen a large quantity of dust blasted into space all at once.

Scientists using the Pan-STARRS survey telescope in Hawaii announced their discovery of the asteroid Aug. 27. P/2013 P5 appeared as an unusually fuzzy-looking object.

The multiple tails were discovered when Hubble was used to take a more detailed image Sept. 10.

When Hubble looked at the asteroid again Sept. 23, its appearance had totally changed. It looked as if the entire structure had swung around.

“We were completely knocked out,” Jewitt said.

Careful modeling by team member Jessica Agarwal of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Lindau, Germany, showed that the tails could have been formed by a series of impulsive dust-ejection events.

She calculated that dust-ejection events occurred April 15, July 18, July 24, Aug. 8, Aug. 26 and Sept. 4. Radiation pressure from the sun stretched the dust into streamers.

Radiation pressure could have spun P/2013 P5 up. Jewitt said the spin rate could have increased enough that the asteroid's weak gravity no longer could hold it together.

If that happened, dust could slide toward the asteroid's equator, shatter and fall off, and drift into space to make a tail.

So far, only about 100 to 1,000 tons of dust, a small fraction of the P/2013 P5's main mass, has been lost.

The asteroid's nucleus, which measures 1,400 feet wide, is thousands of times more massive than the observed amount of ejected dust.

Astronomers will continue observing P/2013 P5 to see whether the dust leaves the asteroid in the equatorial plane.

If it does, this would be strong evidence for a rotational breakup. Jewitt's interpretation implies that rotational breakup must be a common phenomenon in the asteroid belt. It might even be the main way small asteroids die.

“In astronomy, where you find one, you eventually find a whole bunch more,” Jewitt said. “This is just an amazing object to us, and almost certainly the first of many more to come.”

Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Come and celebrate the 20th annual Kelseyville Christmas in the Country Merchant Open House & Parade of Lights on Friday, Dec. 6.

Community members are invited to become a part of the light parade.

Last year was the biggest parade ever and each year organizers are amazed at the beautiful and creative ideas that come from the community.

Participants are encouraged to decorate trucks, cars, floats, boats, horses, wagons, scooters or community groups – anything brightly lit is welcome.

Parade line up begins at 5:30 p.m. in front of Gard Street School and the Holiday Parade of Lights starts at 6:30 p.m. on Main Street.

Community members are asked not to throw candy, or distribute business cards, fliers or any other materials that will be dropped and left on Main Street.

Applications have been sent out to last year's parade participants. For those who want to join the event for the first time, contact Mike Linnell at Linnell Printing, 707-279-4506 or his cell, 707-355-0272; or Mary Morse at Kelseyville Appliance, 707-279-8559, for an application or more information.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Hundreds of company-owned Blockbuster stores across the United States – including the only local store – are set to close by early next year.

DISH Network Corp., which owns Blockbuster, said Wednesday said it will close Blockbuster's retail stores by mid-January 2014, with DVD by mail distribution operations to end by the middle of this December.

Approximately 300 remaining U.S.-based retail stores and distribution centers will be shuttered, according to DISH Network.

Only franchised and licensed stores in the U.S. and abroad are to remain open for business, according to the statement.

Lake County has one Blockbuster store, located at 359 Lakeport Blvd., in the Bruno's Shopping Center in Lakeport.

The management of the Lakeport store had no information on the situation and instead referred Lake County News to the corporation for comment.

In response to a request from Lake County News for information about the Lakeport store, DISH Network spokesman John Hall reported there are approximately 50 franchised stores in the U.S. and they are not affected by Wednesday's announcement.

However, according to Hall, no stores in California are franchise stores, which means all California stores – including Lakeport's – will all be closing in January.

“This is not an easy decision, yet consumer demand is clearly moving to digital distribution of video entertainment," said Joseph P. Clayton, DISH president and chief executive officer, in a written statement released Wednesday.

"Despite our closing of the physical distribution elements of the business, we continue to see value in the Blockbuster brand, and we expect to leverage that brand as we continue to expand our digital offerings,” Clayton said.

With the closure of Blockbuster's retail and by-mail operations, DISH indicated that it will now turn its attention to digital delivery, including the “Blockbuster@Home” service to DISH customers and the transactional streaming service for the general market, Blockbuster On Demand.

This is the latest action by Blockbuster, which over the last year and a half has divested itself of assets in the United States, as well international assets, including operations in the United Kingdom and Scandinavia.

DISH officials said the corporation will continue to support Blockbuster's domestic and international franchise operations, relationships and agreements.

DISH also will retain licensing rights to the Blockbuster brand, and key assets, including the company's significant video library.

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.

Sometimes people ask a family member who has good credit to participate on a loan to purchase a home.

The family member’s name is added to title (ownership) even though they may pay little or nothing towards either the home’s original purchase price or its on-going mortgage, tax and maintenance payments of the residence.

What happens to ownership of the residence when the relative dies while still on title?

Hopefully, the relative’s estate planning leaves the property to the person(s) who really purchased the home, either by a written will or a living trust into which the partial ownership interest was transferred.

But what if the relative did not get around to taking care of this important detail?

In that case a very nasty legal dispute may erupt when the decedent’s heirs or beneficiaries under a will or trust, as relevant, seek to include the decedent’s partial ownership interest as part of the decedent’s estate, to the benefit of people who paid nothing towards the house.

That is more likely to happen when animosity, distrust or dissatisfaction exists amongst the surviving family members.

This unfortunate scenario happened to a client of mine when her mother died, without a will, still “owning” a one-third undivided interest in my client and her husband’s residence.

The other daughter probated their mother’s intestate estate, which otherwise did not require a probate (as it was appraised at under $150,000), and sought to include the mother’s partial ownership in the residence as an estate asset, to be divided amongst three different heirs.

Fortunately, through her deposition and documentary evidence, my client proved that her mother only participated on title at the lender’s request; not because she paid any of the associated purchase and ownership costs.

Both the true intentions of the parties to the loan and the equities (justice) of the situation demanded that the residence be removed from the mother’s estate. The question was finding a legal theory to support that common sense result.

Equity, the Anglo-American common law doctrine that fairness and justice prevail, provides that a “resulting trust” may be established by court order where necessary to give effect to the true intentions and equity of the situation.

A resulting trust means that the person whose name is nominally on title, in this case the deceased mother, is only there because of some underlying agreement that requires title to be transferred elsewhere.

Here, the agreement required to be given effect was for the administrator of the deceased mother’s estate to transfer title to the other daughter and her husband, the true and rightful owners of the residence.

All of this legal aggravation and expense could have been avoided if the mother had executed a will bequeathing her one third interest as she intended.

Dennis A. Fordham, attorney (LL.M. tax studies), is a State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law. His office is at 870 S. Main St., Lakeport, California. Fordham can be reached by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at 707-263-3235. Visit his Web site at www.dennisfordhamlaw.com .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Library invites the public to provide feedback and discuss broadband Internet access with Cathy Emerson, manager of the Upstate California Connect Consortium.

Emerson will meet with the public at three Lake County library branches on Thursday, Nov. 14, to gather information toward the UCCC’s goal of implementing “a broadband infrastructure plan that will provide a cohesive, integrated and robust …network infrastructure that will interconnect …Colusa, Glenn, Lake and Sonoma [Counties] together for the first time.”

Lakeport Library will host the first meeting from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at 1425 N. High St.

The second meeting will take place from 1:30 p.. to 2:30 p.m. at Middletown Library, 21256 Washington St.

The third meeting will begin at 3:30 p.m. at Redbud Library, 14785 Burns Valley Road in Clearlake.

For more information about the broadband meetings contact county librarian Christopher Veach at 707-263-8817.

The UCCC Web site www.upcalbroadband.org explains the consortium’s mission, the connection project and its members and community partners.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Unified School District Board voted last month to refinance outstanding general obligation bonds, a decision that is anticipated to result in large savings for district taxpayers.

The refinancing of the $1.64 million in bonds, which the board trustees authorized at their Oct. 10 meeting, will save the district’s property owners an estimated $52,000 in taxes over the next three years, according to district officials.

“Our board felt that as stewards of tax dollars, it was the right thing to do,” said district Superintendent Erin Smith-Hagberg. “The passage of time and a lower interest rate environment provided the opportunity to refund the old bonds.”

Two-thirds of voters in the district’s November 2001 election approved a $7.5 million general obligation bond measure, according to board documents.

Those bond proceeds were used to repair and renovate classrooms in the schools and construct the Marge Alakszay Center multipurpose building.

The district reported that the interest rates on the outstanding bonds from the 2002 authorization ranged from 4.25 percent to 4.75 percent.

The interest rates for the new bonds to be issued this December will range from 1.28 percent to 1.83 percent, a difference that the district said will save property owners $52,000 over the next three years.

Additionally, the report to the board indicated the refinancing cost the district nothing and did not extend the bond term.

“If we have an opportunity to save local taxpayers money, especially in this economy, then we should pursue it,” said Lakeport Unified School Board President Phil Kirby.

District officials said property owners in the district will see a reduced tax rate on future tax bills.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – A fire near Lower Lake has burned 200 acres, fire officials reported Friday evening.

The Cantwell Fire broke out at approximately 1:42 p.m. Friday, according to Cal Fire.

The incident is located off of Cantwell Ranch Road, south of Morgan Valley Road and east of Highway 29.

It began as a vehicle fire that spread into the wildland, based on radio reports.

By 4:45 p.m. it had reached 200 acres, with containment at 15 percent.

Cal Fire and fire agencies from around Lake County had resources on scene, according to radio reports. Out-of-county Cal Fire units also responded.

An aggressive attack from the air – including numerous tankers and helicopters – had been used to try to control the fire, which fire officials said had the potential to reach 700 acres.

Air resources were being released as nightfall approached, with incident command ordering resources to continue the work on Saturday.

Additional details will be posted as they become 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.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A vehicle stop conducted Wednesday evening by a Sheriff’s K9 Unit, has resulted in one arrest and the seizure of marijuana.

Jeff Gabriel Hughes, 44, of Laytonville was arrested for the possession of marijuana for sales, sales of marijuana and the transportation of marijuana, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.

On Wednesday at 5:10 p.m. a sheriff’s k9 unit was actively patrolling in the area of Clearlake Oaks when the deputy noticed a vehicle traveling eastbound on Highway 20 that crossed over the double yellow lines into the oncoming lane of traffic, Brooks said.

Brooks said the deputy conducted an enforcement stop in the area of Highway 20 and New Long Valley Road and contacted Hughes, the driver, and explained the reason why he was stopped.

As the deputy was talking to Hughes, he smelled the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. Hughes told the deputy he had a small amount of marijuana in the vehicle, which was for his personal use, Brooks said.

The deputy deployed his K9 partner to conduct an exterior sniff of the vehicle. As the dog approached the trunk of the vehicle she produced a positive alert, indicating there was the odor of a controlled substance present, according to Brooks.

Brooks said the deputy had Hughes step out of the vehicle and informed him about the K9 alerting to his vehicle. When he told Hughes that he would be searching his vehicle, Hughes immediately admitted to having 5 pounds of processed marijuana.

Deputies searched the vehicle and located five bags of processed marijuana that were seized as evidence. Brooks said deputies also located $802, which was also seized pending asset forfeiture proceedings.

Hughes told the deputy he was on his way to Lake Tahoe to sell the marijuana. He said he was going to get $1,500 for each bag, Brooks said.

Hughes was arrested and transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked. Bail was set at $20,000, with jail records indicating Hughes remained in custody Thursday evening.

Brooks said the five bags of processed marijuana weighed a total 5.19 pounds.

The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A vehicle stop Tuesday evening has resulted in one arrest and the seizure of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Miguel Antonio Velez, 31, of Kelseyville was arrested following the traffic stop, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

On Tuesday at approximately 4:35 p.m. narcotics detectives were traveling eastbound on Highway 20 in Upper Lake. Brooks said they noticed a vehicle traveling in front of them which had numerous vehicle code violations.

They conducted an enforcement stop in the area of Highway 20 and Government Street in Upper Lake, Brooks said.

The detectives contacted a passenger in the vehicle who they immediately recognized as Velez, who they knew had several outstanding warrants for his arrest. He also was on felony post release community supervision probation, according to Brooks.

Brooks said detectives had Velez exit the vehicle and noticed a black pouch lying on the seat next to where he had been sitting. Inside the bag detectives located two hypodermic needles, two spoons containing a white residue and a cut straw, commonly used to ingest illegal drugs.

Velez was arrested for the outstanding warrants and the drug paraphernalia, Brooks said.

Prior to transporting Velez, detectives asked if he had anything else concealed upon his person. Brooks said they explained that additional charges would be added if he brought anything illegal into the correctional facility.

Velez advised he had methamphetamine concealed in a body orifice. He then removed the methamphetamine, which was in a bag and dropped it onto the ground, Brooks said.

Velez told the detectives that the bag contained four grams of methamphetamine. Detectives seized the bag and noticed it contained a white crystalline substance, which they recognized to be methamphetamine, Brooks said.

Valez also was arrested for the possession of a controlled substance. Brooks said Velez was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.

Detectives weighed the methamphetamine using a digital gram scale and noted it weighed 4.8 grams, Brooks said.

The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.