LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Friends of a Hidden Valley Lake man who died in a motorcycle crash in February are planning a special event this weekend to raise funds for his family.

The memorial poker run for the family of 51-year-old Jeff Boorn will take place on Saturday, March 28, in Middletown.

Boorn died on Feb. 14 in a motorcycle crash on Highway 175.

The husband and father of two was a friend to many, and the business partner of Gene Renner, owner of Tire Pros in Clearlake.

Renner said Boorn had been his partner since July 2014.

“There wasn't anyone who met this guy who didn't like him,” said Renner. “Any dealings with the customers, anyone who came in, were a pleasure. He was very friendly and caring.”

Renner continued, “It's such a tragic thing to happen because he was such a nice guy.”

He called the amount of cards and condolences that have come into the shop “extraordinary.”

“It's unbelievable the donations that have come in to help his family and it really shows you what kind of person he was.”

An online fundraiser set up to help Boorn's wife Jennifer and two children has raised more than $15,000.

The donation link is http://www.gofundme.com/boornmemorialfund .

Before he joined Renner, Boorn worked for Tom's Automotive in Middletown, owned by Linda Diehl-Darms and husband, Tom Darms.

“Tom and I loved Jeff and so sad to have him leave this world,” Linda Diehl-Darms said. “He worked for us for over four years. We became close friends.”

She continued, “Jeff was one of the best men we have ever known. Jeff was the kind of man a person did not forget. It was uplifting to spend time with him.

“He was kind, considerate, polite and loved his family and friends,” she added. “His family was his world. His focus was to provide the best he could for them. We are heartbroken for his family. Jeff touched many lives and he will be greatly missed.”

Another friend, Denise Loustalot of Clearlake, called Boorn “the best of the best,” a man who put his family first at all costs, and who wanted to achieve success for them, but also extended his caring to many other people.

“Everyone that came into Jeff's life really mattered to him. It didn't really matter if it had been a day or a month when he saw you he remembered whatever struggle or event you may have been going through and would always ask how things were,” Loustalot said.

“It was very important to him that everyone reached their goals and dreams,” she said. “Jeff would do anything to help you get there while daily encouragement from the sidelines.”

As a sign of their love for him and his family, Boorn's friends are putting on the March 28 memorial poker run, which will welcome motorcycles – which he loved, Loustalot said – and vehicles.

All proceeds will benefit Boorn’s wife and children.

The entry fee is $30. Registration and sign up begins at 9 a.m. at Grinders Steep in Middletown, 21187 Calistoga Road, or registration can be done ahead of time online at http://www.boorn2ride.com/ .

The route will circle the lake, stopping at all Napa Auto Parts stores – 3576 Big Valley Road in Kelseyville, 1015 S. Main St. in Lakeport, 555 E. Highway 20 in Upper Lake and 14942 Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake.

Other stops in Clearlake will include Tire Pros, 14370 Lakeshore Drive; O’Reillys Auto Parts, 14993 Lakeshore Drive; and Enterprise Towing and Automotive, 15195 Lakeshore Drive.

The ride will end at the Middletown Lions community building, 15399 Central Park Road, where there will be a raffle and a barbecue. Meat and bread will be provided. It’s requested that participants bring a side dish.

Separately, Jennifer Boorn said a memorial service will be held on what would have been her husband's 52nd birthday – Thursday, April 2.

The service will take place beginning at noon at the Clearlake First Assembly of God Church, 4472 Snook Ave.

She said everyone is welcome.

“We are all feeling such a big loss with his death,” said Renner. “It's like he's taken a part of me with him. He was a part of me and a piece of me is gone.”

Denise Rockenstein contributed to this article.

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.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Authorities on Saturday arrested a Sonoma man for murder in an investigation that began with an illegal dumping report at a government building.

Christopher McNatt, 40, was arrested in the case, according to a joint report from Sonoma Police Chief Bret Sackett and Sonoma County Sheriff's Sgt. Cecile Focha.

The victim in the case was identified by officials as Ronald Gordon Sauvageau, 64, of Cazadero.

At 11:48 p.m. Friday a subject called the Sonoma Police Department to report illegal dumping in the Sonoma Plaza. Officials said the subject reported that within 15 minutes prior to their call, someone had discarded a barrel and couch cushion in front of Sonoma City Hall.

Deputies from the Sonoma Police Department arrived on scene and found a 55-gallon plastic barrel covered with a blue plastic tarp, according to the report.

Officials said there was dried blood on the outside of the barrel. Upon further inspection, deputies found a deceased adult male inside.

Deputies from the Sonoma Police Department and the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office immediately cordoned off the area and summoned detectives from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes and Crimes Scene Investigations Units, according to the report. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Detective Coroner responded as well and took custody of the deceased.

Working from leads, deputies and detectives went to the Acacia Grove Mobile Home Park on Highway 12 in Sonoma Valley, the report explained.

At a residence within the mobile home park, deputies established the location where the man was killed, which is in the unincorporated area of Sonoma County. Officials said deputies secured the residence pending a search warrant.

Two men were detained in connection with the homicide. They were interviewed by detectives and one – McNatt – subsequently was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility for murder, officials said.

McNatt is being held without bail and is scheduled for arraignment on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., the report said.

Authorities said that the weapon used during the crime has been recovered.

An autopsy of Sauvageau will be conducted on Tuesday to determine the cause and manner of his death, officials said.

Anyone with information pertaining to this case is encouraged to call the tip line at 707-565-2185. You can leave a message anytime and remain anonymous if you desire.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Unemployment rates across Lake County, California and the United States showed improvement in February, according to a Friday report.

Lake County's February unemployment rate was 8.3 percent, down from a revised 9 percent in January and much improved over the 10.2 percent rate reported in February 2014, according to the California Employment Development Department.

Statewide, unemployment was 6.7 percent in February, down from 7 percent in January and 8 percent last February, the Employment Development Department reported. California's unemployment rate is based on a survey of 5,500 households.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in February nationwide unemployment was 5.5 percent, down from 5.7 percent in January and 6.7 percent in February, 2014.

California's nonfarm jobs totaled 15,949,200 in February, an increase of 29,400 jobs over the month. The year-over-year change, February 2014 to February 2015, showed an increase of 476,400 jobs – up 3.1 percent – according to a survey of 58,000 businesses that measures jobs in the economy.

The federal survey of households showed an increase in the number of employed people, estimating that Californians holding jobs in February totaled 17,668,000, an increase of 48,000 from January, and up 450,000 from the employment total in February of last year.

The number of people unemployed in California was 1,275,000, down by 42,000 over the month, and down by 217,000 compared with February of last year, the state said.

Not only did Lake County's unemployment rate drop in February, its placement among the state's counties also improved slightly, rising to No. 32 from No. 33 in January.

Neighboring counties were ranked as follows: Colusa, 22.7 percent, No. 58; Glenn, 10.4 percent, No. 42; Mendocino, 6.6 percent, No. 20; Napa, 7 percent, No. 5; Sonoma, 4.9 percent, No. 6; Yolo, 7.5 percent, No. 28.

San Mateo County had the lowest unemployment statewide – 3.5 percent – the report showed.

Within Lake County itself, February unemployment rates were as follows, from lowest to highest: Nice, 2.1 percent; Cobb, 3.9 percent; north Lakeport, 5.2 percent; Hidden Valley Lake, 5.6 percent; city of Lakeport, 5.6 percent; Middletown, 6.6 percent; Upper Lake, 6.8 percent; Clearlake Oaks, 7.9 percent; Kelseyville, 8.2 percent; city of Clearlake, 12.2 percent; Lucerne, 14.2 percent; and Lower Lake, 15.8 percent.

Lake County's workforce has shown growth over the last few months. In February, it totaled 30,140 individuals, down slightly from 30,240 in January and 29,830 in February 2014, according to the state.

Taken as a whole, all Lake County job sectors showed a growth rate of 1.1 percent over the month and 3.7 percent over the year, based on a review of the report data.

The “total farm” industry category in Lake County once again showed the most growth – 19 percent – of any sector, as the county heads into the agricultural growing season.

Among the “total nonfarm” subcategories, wholesale trade grew by 7.1 percent over the month, with government showing a 0.7 percent growth rate.

Sectors showing declines included nondurable goods (-4.2 percent), goods producing (-2.5 percent), and transportation, warehousing and utilities (-1.8 percent).

Reviewing statewide job sectors showing changes, mining and logging; construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; and leisure and hospitality added jobs over the month.

At the same time, information, other services and government reported job declines, and construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; other services; and government posted job gains, the state said.

Also on Friday, the Employment Development Department reported that there were 426,874 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the February survey week, compared with 397,142 in January and 539,062 in February of last year.

At the same time, new claims for Unemployment Insurance were 43,302 in February, compared with 40,989 in January and 65,494 in February of last year, the state reported.

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

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest (Oregon and Washington) and Pacific Southwest (California) Regions are beginning a public conversation on the process for revising forest land management plans in the Northwest Forest Plan amendment area.

To gather ideas on the revision process, share information, and outline our current thinking about a plan revision strategy, the Forest Service is holding a series of public listening sessions in California, Oregon and Washington.

The California listening session will take place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 25, at the Red Lion Hotel in the Sierra/Trinity rooms, 1830 Hilltop Drive, Redding.

For driving directions visit www.redlion.com/redding/map-directions . Parking is free.

The Northwest Forest Plan was created in 1994 with the intent of protecting the critical habitat of the northern spotted owl while maintaining a viable forest products industry in the Pacific Northwest.

The Northwest Forest Plan amended 26 land use plans, spanning 24 million acres of Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service-managed lands in Northern California, Washington and Oregon.

In California, the plan amended land and resource management plans for the Klamath, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers National Forests.

In Oregon and Washington, the plan amended land and resource management plans for the Deschutes, Fremont-Winema, Gifford Pinchot, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie, Mt. Hood, Okanogan-Wenatchee, Olympic, Rogue River-Siskiyou, Siuslaw, Umpqua and Willamette National Forests.

Background information on plan revision and additional information is available on these Web sites:

– Region 6 (Oregon and Washington): www.fs.usda.gov/r6/ ;
– Region 5 (California): www.fs.usda.gov/r5/ .

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – On Tuleyome’s the last hike along the Judge Davis Trail, hikers encountered a rattlesnake – which is leading the group to remind everyone that rattlesnakes are common throughout the Berryessa Snow Mountain region.

Although rattlers breed in the summer, the females store the sperm and reproduce in the spring, so be aware that some of the snakes you’re seeing out there may very well be “pregnant.”

Rattlesnakes, unlike many snakes, are ovoviviparous, which means they carry their eggs inside their bodies and then give birth to live young.

Here are some rattler tips for you to remember next time you go hiking:

– Wear over-the-ankle or calf high boots and loose fitting long pants or chaps.

– Do not step or put your hands where you cannot see. (Don't place your hands on unseen ledges or into animal holes.)

– Don't turn rocks or boards over with bare hands. Use a tool.

– Step up onto logs and rocks, never over them, and be especially careful when climbing rocks.

– Avoid walking through dense brush or willow thickets. If you must, use a long stick or branch to beat the brush before you as you go.

What to do in the event of a snake bite:

– Try to remain calm and inactive.

– Get to a hospital or doctor as soon as possible (have someone else drive).

– Loosen or remove any restrictive clothing or jewelry (e.g. shoes, watch) from the area near the bite.

– Watch the victim for signs of shock. Treat if necessary by lying flat with feet elevated and cover with warm clothes or blanket. But never elevate the bitten area, as this will increase the blood flow and send the venom to other tissues.

– Identify or photograph the snake only if it remains visible from a safe distance.

– Don't make incisions over the snakebite.

– Don't constrict the flow of blood.

– Don't immerse a limb in ice water.

– Don’t use your mouth to extract venom. Sucking out the venom is no longer a recommended practice and wastes valuable time. The important thing is to get to a hospital as quickly as possible.

– Don't run or carry unnecessary items as you go for help, to avoid elevating your pulse rate.

– Don't try to catch or kill the snake.

– Don't administer any pain medications or antihistamines, unless instructed by a doctor or EMT.

Remember, about one-third of all rattlesnake bites are "dry" bites, when no venom has been injected. 

Have fun out there, but be smart and stay safe.

Tuleyome is a conservation organization based in Woodland, Calif. Mary K. Hanson is an amateur naturalist and photographer who is the author of “The Chubby Woman’s Walkabout” blog.

Mobilizing California's resources to face another year of extreme dry conditions, Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. on Thursday joined Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León, Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, and Republican Leaders Senator Bob Huff and Assemblymember Kristin Olsen to announce legislation to help local communities cope with the ongoing, devastating drought.

The $1 billion package will expedite bond funding to make the state more resilient to the disastrous effects of climate change and help ensure that all Californians have access to local water supplies.

“This unprecedented drought continues with no signs yet of letting up,” said Brown. “The programs funded by the actions announced today will provide direct relief to workers and communities most impacted by these historic dry conditions.”

The legislation includes more than $1 billion for local drought relief and infrastructure projects to make the state’s water infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather events.

The package accelerates $128 million in expenditures from the governor’s budget to provide direct assistance to workers and communities impacted by drought and to implement the Water Action Plan.

It also includes $272 million in Proposition 1 Water Bond funding for safe drinking water and water recycling and accelerates $660 million from the Proposition 1e for flood protection in urban and rural areas.

“Taken together, this package provides a major boost to our state’s efforts to manage the drought and strengthen our infrastructure,” said Pro Tempore De León. “I want to thank the governor and the Speaker for working together to respond to this crisis. It shows how we – as leaders – can get things done when we all work together in common purpose.”

“The drought isn’t letting up, so we can’t let up either,” said Speaker Atkins. “This legislation will deliver relief to Californians harmed by the drought and help us manage the significant problems the drought continues to cause. Since our skies are still clear – our job is too. And making sure we meet emergency needs, prepare for short term problems, and advance longer-term projects are an important part of that effort.”

“Republicans have consistently said that storage is essential for providing a reliable water source to all of California for future generations,” said Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff. “The Prop 1 water bond that was passed last year is a critical step forward in meeting the needs for California’s future. There’s no question California’s drought crisis has worsened, as once again we’ve experienced a dry winter. With the hot summer months approaching, it’s incumbent on all Californians to be responsible with how they use water. It’s critical that we act now.”

“This emergency drought relief is an important band aid,” said Assembly Republican Leader Kristin Olsen. “We must move beyond temporary fixes. Projects to increase water supply have been hung up in government red tape for decades. I'm glad today we are making decisions that help people and look to us all to take real actions on long-term projects so emergency actions are no longer needed.”

The legislation underscores the ongoing crisis facing California’s rural communities, according to the president of the California Farm Bureau Federation, Paul Wenger.

Wenger thanked Gov. Brown and legislative leaders for their attention to the crisis and urged the state to move quickly to provide aid to rural residents whose livelihoods have been harmed by water shortages. He also encouraged the state to move as quickly as possible to approve and build new water storage.

“Many California farmers face water cutbacks of 80 to 100 percent, and water shortages will force hundreds of thousands of acres of productive farmland to be idled,” Wenger said. “Tens of thousands of jobs will be lost on farms and in packinghouses and other rural businesses. People who work in those jobs form the backbone of our state’s rural economies, and we appreciate the state’s efforts to help them through this difficult time.”

While tackling the short-term crisis, Wenger said, the state should also improve management of existing water infrastructure and adapt it to meet future needs.

“Many people who study the climate say we may have more years such as this, with California receiving a few heavy rainstorms and not much snow,” he said. “We need to have the reservoirs in place to capture more of those heavy rain flows, especially if we can’t count on the Sierra snowpack. This winter, millions of acre-feet of water flowed to the ocean that might have been captured for later use.”

Wenger noted that California voters made it clear they want the state to build new surface storage, through their passage of the Proposition 1 water bond last year.

“That bond money needs to be put to work as quickly as possible,” he said. “Several projects have been identified that would allow California to capture runoff from strong storms like those we’ve had this winter, which would make future droughts less punishing. It’s time to stop studying and start building.”

Timothy Quinn, executive director of the statewide Association of California Water Agencies, said his organization applauded state leaders for taking a strong stance on protecting Californians from the effects of “this unrelenting drought.”

“This drought shows no sign of abating, and this package is a welcome step to accelerate relief to communities that are hardest hit,” Quinn said. “The expedited bond funding will help needed projects get out of the gate more rapidly – including recycled water projects that are ready to go and can be brought on line relatively quickly. It also jump starts some longer term projects that will help improve the resiliency of our system to combat future droughts.

“Local water agencies are on the front lines responding to this drought with aggressive projects and programs to reduce water use, stretch existing supplies and protect remaining water reserves,” Quinn said. “They will continue to use every tool available to manage through the drought this year and improve our water supply reliability long term.

The Sierra Nevada snowpack, which Californians rely on heavily during the dry summer months for their water needs, is at a near record low.

The March snowpack measurement came in at 0.9 inches of water content in the snow, just 5 percent of the March 3 historical average for the measurement site.

The overall water content for the Northern Sierra snowpack came in at 4.4 inches, just 16 percent of average for the date. Central and southern Sierra readings were 5.5 inches (20 percent of average) and 5 inches (22 percent) respectively. Only in 1991 has the water content of the snow been lower.

Taking action to further strengthen water conservation in the state, the State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday voted to expand and extend an emergency regulation to prohibit certain water use, such as washing down sidewalks, and create a minimum standard for outdoor irrigation restrictions by urban water suppliers.

Since last February, the state has pledged more than $870 million to support drought relief, including money for food to workers directly impacted by the drought, funding to secure emergency drinking water supplies for drought impacted communities and bond funds for projects that will help local communities save water and make their water systems more resilient to drought.

Last month, Gov. Brown met with U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell in Sacramento to announce nearly $20 million in federal drought relief for California’s Central Valley Project.

In December 2013, the Governor formed a Drought Task Force to closely manage precious water supplies, to expand water conservation wherever possible and to quickly respond to emerging drought impacts throughout the state.

The following month, the administration finalized a comprehensive water action plan that charts the course for California to become more resilient in the face of droughts and floods and the governor declared a drought state of emergency.

In April 2014, the governor called on the state to redouble their efforts at combating drought.

Last fall, the governor signed legislation requiring local, sustainable groundwater management as well as legislation to put a water bond before voters, which won bipartisan approval in the Legislature and was approved overwhelmingly at the polls.

He also issued an executive order streamlining efforts to provide water to families in dire need as the extreme drought continues to grip the state by making funding available through the California Disaster Assistance Act to provide water for drinking and sanitation to households currently without running water.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control starts the week with one adoptable cat waiting for a new home.

The male domestic short hair cat will be neutered and ready to go as soon as his new family picks him out.

In addition to spaying or neutering, cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

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

In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .

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

'Stripey'

“Stripey” is a male adult domestic short hair mix.

You can meet Stripey in cat room kennel No. 26, ID No. 1951.

Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com .

Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

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

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

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

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

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

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – This week Lake County Animal Care and Control has nearly a dozen dogs ready to head to new homes and frolic in the springtime weather with their new families.

The dogs available include mixes of Akita, Australian Shepherd, Chihuahua, Labrador Retriever, Rhodesian Ridgeback, shepherd and terrier.

Low adoption fees are offered for some of the dogs.

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

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

In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .

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”).

Fox terrier mix

This female fox terrier mix is a nice, quiet and calm girl and does not appear to be a barker, according to shelter staff.

She has a short tricolor coat, is very people friendly and not skittish or shy.

She's in kennel No. 2, ID No. 1945.

'Titan'

“Titan” is a young male shepherd mix who shelter staff calls “a bundle of cuteness.”

He's survived a brush with parvovirus and is doing well.

He has dreamy blue eyes, floppy ears and a long tail. He will be available on March 24.

Titan is in kennel No. 3, ID No. 1957.

Akita mix

This 5-year-old male Akita mix has a short tan and white coat.

He knows basic commands and his housebroken, and needs some leash training.

Shelter staff said he likes toys and they're looking for an owner for him who would love to spend time taking him for walks.

He is mellow and would be great with kids, but they recommend no cats.

He's in kennel No. 9, ID No. 1938.

'Sunny'

“Sunny” is a high-energy 8-year-old male Labrador Retriever mix.

He has a short black coat and is neutered.

Shelter staff said he is a really good boy who needs to be in a home with a secure fenced-in yard, as he does like to wander.

Sunny could use some leash training, but otherwise shelter staff said he would make a great family dog.

Sunny is in kennel No. 12, ID No. 1705.

Female Australian Shepherd mix

This young female Australian Shepherd mix has a short multicolored coat.

She's in kennel No. 24, ID No. 1321.

'Abby'

Looking for a super spunky puppy? Then check out “Abby,” a female terrier mix with a short black and white coat.

Shelter staff said she's 6 months old, full of energy and waiting for the right person or family to come in and adopt her. Come and spend some time with her and see if you connect with her.

She's in kennel No. 25, ID No. 1932.

Female Chihuahua-terrier mix

This female Chihuahua-terrier mix is about 3 years old, with a short red and white coat.

Shelter staff said she would make a great lap dog, gets along with other dogs and already is spayed.

She's in kennel No. 25b, ID No. 1851.

Female Chihuahua mix

This female Chihuahua mix has a short tan, black and white coat.

She's in kennel No. 25c, ID No. 1936.

'Roxie'

“Roxie” is a female Labrador Retriever mix who came into the shelter along with Max.

She is 4 years old, weighs 69 pounds and already is spayed, so she is available for a low adoption fee.

Roxie also is leash trained and knows basic commands, and has beautiful big brown eyes.

Roxie is in kennel No. 30, ID No. 1771.

Rhodesian Ridgeback mix

This female Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, along with her brother, came in as a stray from the Hendricks Road area in Lakeport.

She is 4 years old, weighs 54.5 pounds, and has a short brown coat and black markings.

Shelter staff said she is mellow, very sweet and a little shy, but warms up once she's had a chance to get to know a person.

She is heartworm positive so she will need treatment. Call for a quote for medications.

She's in kennel No. 32a, ID No. 1757.

Rhodesian Ridgeback mix

This male Rhodesian Ridgeback mix came in with his sister, and is also 4 years old.

Shelter staff says he gets along well with cats; his tail wagged as he watched them play.

Anyone who is interested in adopting him and who has dogs already is asked to submit an application and introduce bring their dogs in for an introduction.

He is slightly shy but with some training he could be a wonderful addition to your family or for an individual.

He's in kennel No. 34, ID No. 1762.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

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

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

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

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

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

The following are real life examples that illustrate problems which could have been avoided if the decedent had planned ahead while alive.

Consider the father who died with no will or trust leaving behind a predatory girlfriend and a disabled son, his heir.

Notwithstanding numerous requests from his family while he was alive, a divorced father with a living daughter did not do a will or a trust.

He died unexpectedly while with his girlfriend at a hotel. After his death the girlfriend proceeded to take possession of his truck and to stay at the father’s residence.

The surviving daughter as heir to the entire estate does not have legal grounds to remove the girlfriend until an administrator is appointed by the probate Code.

That leaves the deceased father’s estate – his residence and personal property – vulnerable to predators, including perhaps the girlfriend.

The lesson here is that if the father had transferred his residence and other assets into a living trust then the daughter could have secured his assets quickly after the father died, without any probate.

Consider the mother (of two children) who married in her 70s but did not update her separate property living trust to reflect her testamentary intentions.

Here the mother takes the risk, if she predeceases her current husband, that he will become automatically entitled to one-third of her separate property as an omitted spouse.

The lesson here is that if the mother updates her living trust she can specifically state her intentions not to leave any of her separate property to her current husband, should he outlive her.

Consider the father who dies leaving a second wife who did not get along with her husband’s son. She automatically takes title to the couple’s residence as the surviving joint tenant by filing an affidavit of death of joint tenant, and receives many bank accounts as the father’s designated death beneficiary.

The son is the trustee of the father’s living trust that leaves everything to the father’s two sons. The problem here is that the son cannot gain the cooperation of his stepmother with regard to inventorying and collecting the father’s personal property at the residence that now belongs to the mother alone.

The lesson here is that had the father transferred the residence into the trust the son as trustee (and thus owner of the residence) could not be denied entrance to the home for such purposes.

Instead a protracted and bitter confrontation ensued that finally led to the son gaining entrance to the home under difficult terms to remove the father’s personal property.

Take the mother who died naming her disabled daughter as death beneficiary to the mother’s IRA. The IRA would disqualify the daughter from continued eligibility to receive needs based SSI/Medi-Cal benefits.

As a result she does not know what to do and does not take required minimum distributions from the IRA.

The daughter has to hire an accountant to appeal federal tax penalties and as her attorney I petition the court to establish a special needs trust.

The lesson here is that the mother while alive could have created a special needs trust for daughter and named it as the death beneficiary to her IRA.

The foregoing are just a sampling of what can go wrong after a decedent dies.

The overall lesson is that decedent’s who keep their estate planning up to date as their circumstances and the circumstances of their beneficiaries change do a great service for their loved ones.

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 .

NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft has observed two unexpected phenomena in the Martian atmosphere: an unexplained high-altitude dust cloud and aurora that reaches deep into the Martian atmosphere.

The presence of the dust at orbital altitudes from about 93 miles to 190 miles above the surface was not predicted.

Although the source and composition of the dust are unknown, there is no hazard to MAVEN and other spacecraft orbiting Mars.

“If the dust originates from the atmosphere, this suggests we are missing some fundamental process in the Martian atmosphere,” said Laila Andersson of the University of Colorado's Laboratory for Atmospherics and Space Physics (CU LASP), Boulder, Colorado.

The cloud was detected by the spacecraft’s Langmuir Probe and Waves (LPW) instrument, and has been present the whole time MAVEN has been in operation.

It is unknown if the cloud is a temporary phenomenon or something long lasting.

The cloud density is greatest at lower altitudes. However, even in the densest areas it is still very thin. So far, no indication of its presence has been seen in observations from any of the other MAVEN instruments.

Possible sources for the observed dust include dust wafted up from the atmosphere; dust coming from Phobos and Deimos, the two moons of Mars; dust moving in the solar wind away from the sun; or debris orbiting the sun from comets.

However, no known process on Mars can explain the appearance of dust in the observed locations from any of these sources.

MAVEN's Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph (IUVS) observed what scientists have named “Christmas lights.”

For five days just before Dec. 25, MAVEN saw a bright ultraviolet auroral glow spanning Mars' northern hemisphere.

Aurora, known on Earth as northern or southern lights, are caused by energetic particles like electrons crashing down into the atmosphere and causing the gas to glow.

“What's especially surprising about the aurora we saw is how deep in the atmosphere it occurs – much deeper than at Earth or elsewhere on Mars,” said Arnaud Stiepen, IUVS team member at the University of Colorado. “The electrons producing it must be really energetic.”

The source of the energetic particles appears to be the sun.

MAVEN's Solar Energetic Particle instrument detected a huge surge in energetic electrons at the onset of the aurora.

Billions of years ago, Mars lost a global protective magnetic field like Earth has, so solar particles can directly strike the atmosphere.

The electrons producing the aurora have about 100 times more energy than you get from a spark of house current, so they can penetrate deeply in the atmosphere.

The findings are being presented at the 46th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in The Woodlands, Texas.

MAVEN was launched to Mars on Nov. 18, 2013, to help solve the mystery of how the Red Planet lost most of its atmosphere and much of its water. The spacecraft arrived at Mars on Sept. 21, and is four months into its one-Earth-year primary mission.

“The MAVEN science instruments all are performing nominally, and the data coming out of the mission are excellent,” said Bruce Jakosky of CU LASP, Principal Investigator for the mission.

MAVEN is part of the agency's Mars Exploration Program, which includes the Opportunity and Curiosity rovers, the Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft currently orbiting the planet.

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.” – Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

“Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.” – Rainer Maria Rilke

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The spring season has always inspired hope and joy with its abundance of life and  luminosity.

Spring's resurgence of tulips, butterflies and robins is heartwarming and reaffirming.

The first day of spring, or the vernal equinox, in 2015 occurred on March 20 at 3:45 p.m.

This astronomical event happens when our star, the sun moves across the celestial equator alongside the ecliptic, otherwise known as the path of the sun.

The vernal season brings about great change in vegetation here in Lake County. It seems that the trees and shrubs “green up” over night, and that one day the oaks are lifeless looking masses of intertwining branches, then, before you know it they are decked out in their new spring finery, practically glowing with fresh, green growth of the season.

Although we did not really experience much of a winter season at all this year, temperature-wise and rain-wise, it is truly inspiring to witness the annual event of spring.

As if playing Joseph Haydn's “Variations on a Theme,” Mother Nature's palette of green tones is astounding – almost overwhelming!

Take the green of a newly emergent oak leaf. It is a succulent and moist green treat, and tender to the touch. The olive green of a hound's tongue leaf contrasts itself to the lime green of fresh-from-the-ground vetch.

Tender new growth of the wild rose plants stands out from the shades of emerald tree moss. Yet another shade of green begs to be noticed on the nearby moss decorating the rocks.

Talk of all things green brings to mind “the wear'n of the green” on Saint Patrick's Day (March 17).

Wearing green on this day is said to have come about when, around 1640, the green harp flag was put into use by the Irish Catholic Confederation.

Then, sometime during the 1670s the Irish began  to honor the Friendly Brothers of St. Patrick.

Now it's a custom to wear green accessories or shamrocks on St. Patrick's Day to honor the story that speaks of St. Patrick having used a three-leaved plant or shamrock to depict the Holy Trinity for the pagan Irish.

Then, three was an especially significant number for the Irish since they included several triple deities in their culture. 

The term, “lucky clover” has been attributed to the four-leaf clover, and is actually an unusual variant of the more frequently seen three-leaved clover.

Astronauts on NASA's International Space Station got into the spirit of  St. Patrick's Day awhile back. You can view a tribute to the holiday on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX-5n_YcxgQ .

Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is an 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 writes 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.

When you attach the prefix “nano” to something, it usually means “very small.” Solar flares appear to be the exception.

Researchers are studying a type of explosion on the sun called a “nanoflare.” A billion times less energetic than ordinary flares, nanoflares have a power that belies their name.

“A typical 'nanoflare' has the same energy as 240 megatons of TNT,” said physicist David Smith of UC Santa Cruz. “That would be something like 10,000 atomic fission bombs.”

The sun can go days, weeks or even months without producing an ordinary solar flare. Nanoflares, on the other hand, are crackling on the sun almost non-stop.

“They appear as little brightenings of the solar surface at extreme ultraviolet and X-ray wavelengths,” continued Smith. “The first sightings go back to Skylab in the 1970s.”

The relentless crackle of nanoflares might solve a long-standing mystery in solar physics: What causes the sun's corona to be so hot?

Imagine standing in front of a roaring fire. You feel the warmth of the flames. Now back away. You get cooler, right?

That's not how it works on the sun. The visible surface of the sun has a temperature of 5500 C. Moving away from the surface should provide some relief. Instead, the sun's upper atmosphere, known as the “solar corona,” sizzles at a million degrees – a temperature almost 200 times higher than that of the roaring furnace below.

For more than a half-century, astronomers have tried to figure out what causes the corona to be so hot. Every year or so, a press release appears purporting to solve the mystery, only to be shot down by a competing theory a year or so later. It is one of the most vexing problems in astrophysics.

Smith thinks nanoflares might be involved. For one thing, they appear to be active throughout the solar cycle, which would explain why the corona remains hot during Solar Minimum.

And while each individual nanoflare falls short of the energy required to heat the sun's atmosphere, collectively they might have no trouble doing to job.

To investigate this possibility, Smith turned to a telescope designed to study something completely different.

Launched in 2012, NASA's NuSTAR X-ray telescope is on a mission to study black holes and other extreme objects in the distant cosmos.

Solar scientists first thought of using NuSTAR to study the sun about seven years ago, after the space telescope's design and construction was underway. Smith contacted the principal investigator, Fiona Harrison of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, to see what she thought.

“At first I thought the whole idea was crazy,” said Harrison. “Why would we have the most sensitive high energy X-ray telescope ever built, designed to peer deep into the universe, look at something in our own back yard?”

Eventually, she was convinced. As Smith explained, NuSTAR has just the right combination of sensitivity and resolution to study the telltale X-ray flickers of nanoflares.

A test image they took in late 2014 removed any doubt. NuSTAR turned toward the sun and, working together with NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, captured one of the most beautiful images in the history of solar astronomy.

The next step, said Smith, is to wait for Solar Minimum. The current solar cycle will wind down in the years ahead, leaving the sun mostly free of sunspots and other magnetic clutter that can obscure nanoflares. NuSTAR will be able to survey the stellar surface and gather data on these explosions like no telescope has done before.

Will it solve the mystery of nanoflares and the solar corona?

“I don't know,” said Smith, “but I cannot wait to try.”

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