The state of California’s Forest Climate Action Team (FCAT) will hold a series of public meetings in late February and early March to provide the public with information on the team’s proposed work, and to invite public comment.

Established last year following recommendations made in the 2014 update to the Assembly Bill 32 Climate Change Scoping Plan, the FCAT is composed of a broad range of state and federal agencies with responsibilities for forests and related natural resources. Local governments also are represented on the FCAT.

The Forest Climate Action Team is led by Ken Pimlott, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), with support from the California Natural Resources Agency and the California Environmental Protection Agency.

FCAT’s primary role is to develop a “forest carbon plan,” as called for in the scoping plan update.

The forest carbon plan will provide strategies and targets to ensure that California forests will be managed to maintain healthy forest conditions, and continue to grow and store carbon in the form of wood to offset the negative effects of climate change for future generations.

The forest carbon plan will summarize and address historical challenges associated with forest resource management, including jurisdictional boundaries, carbon baseline establishment and monitoring, costs and benefits, and financing, among other issues.

Development of the plan will give careful consideration to the entire range of environmental, economic, and social benefits provided by forests in the state.

Through the development and adoption of the plan, the aim of the FCAT is to engage resource managers, experts from multiple jurisdictions, and the public to collaborate on collective goals and reach carbon sequestration targets.

The Forest Climate Action Team looks forward to the opportunity to introduce its work to the public and to take comments and answer questions.

The schedule for the public meetings is as follows:

– Sacramento: Feb. 20, 1 p.m., auditorium, State of California Resources Building, 1416 Ninth St.
– Redding area: March 2, 1 p.m.
– Anderson: March 2, 1 p.m., Gaia Hotel, 4125 Riverside Place (tentative; check FCAT Web site for final information, http://www.fire.ca.gov/fcat/ ).
– Arcadia: March 11, 1 p.m., Training Center, Angeles National Forest Headquarters, 701 N. Santa Anita Ave.

The Feb. 20 meeting also will be Webcast, and satellite locations where the public may gather to view the Webcast and ask questions or make comments have been set for:

– Bishop: US Forest Service/Bureau of Land Management Offices, 351 Pacu Lane.
– Fresno: CAL FIRE Office, 1234 East Shaw Avenue.
– Richmond: UC Berkeley Richmond Field Station, Building 445.
– Sonora: Tuolumne County Emergency Services Center, 18440 Striker Court.

More details on the meetings, including agenda, draft documents, locations, and how to access the Webcast may be found on the FCAT Web site, http://www.fire.ca.gov/fcat/ .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The storms that began Friday have brought with them much-needed rain and, in some cases, some peril for local residents due to falling trees, downed power lines and power outages.

The storm began early Friday, with several inches of rain falling across the county and into early Saturday, based on National Weather Service data.

Over the last several days reports have come in from around Lake County of trees cracking in half or pulling out of the ground due to the saturated earth, sometimes knocking down power lines and temporarily closing roadways, as was the case Friday evening in Lakeport and near Middletown, as Lake County News has reported.

There also were various reports of debris and rocks in the roadways on the first night of the storm, with county road crews working to get them cleaned up quickly.

However, perhaps the most harrowing story from the weekend storms so far is that of Kelseyville resident Ann Baker, whose home was crushed by a falling pine tree.

“I'm 74 years old and that's the worst thing I've been through in my whole life,” Baker told Lake County News in a Sunday afternoon interview.

For the last seven years Baker has lived in her small home – on Carrie Lane near Salmina Road – which is owned by her daughter.

On Friday at around 7:30 p.m. Baker was sitting in her recliner in her living room, watching television, with the wind outside “blowing like crazy.”

Then, “I just heard this crack noise,” she said.

Wondering what it was, Baker got up from her chair. Then, she said, she could hear the big pine tree outside her home falling, “so I ran to my kitchen,” thinking the tree wouldn't fall that way.

She ran to a corner, crouched down, and cried, “Help me, Jesus!”

Baker said the tree hit the chimney of her wood stove and then fell across her bedroom.

Had it been a few hours later, she would have been in bed. She thanked God that she wasn't, “Because I wouldn't be here today.”

She's now staying in a guest cottage at her daughter's home, noting that her former home was destroyed by the damage.

Baker said it would have been nicer had the tree just fallen across her yard, as that would have meant a supply of firewood.

“We can joke about it now because I’m alive to tell,” Baker said.

She chalked it up to being “just one of those freak accidents.”

Elsewhere on Friday, two power poles were sheared off along Pine Terrace Drive in the Riviera West in Kelseyville due to a fallen pine tree.

The rains also caused localized roadway flooding, including in one area along Scotts Valley Road.

Several power outages also have been reported during the storm. The latest was in the Cobb area on Sunday afternoon, where more than 1,300 customers found themselves without power shortly after 2 p.m. due to tree limbs impacting power equipment, according to Pacific Gas and Electric.
               
Other sorts of storm-related concerns also were being reported.

Northshore resident Dee Cuney reported on Lake County News' Facebook page on Saturday that she could see large logs floating offshore of Lucerne.

“Watching the Bass Boats go zooming across the lake with all the debris floating out there makes me cringe. Scary! Be Careful!” Cuney said.

Late Sunday night, the Lakeport Police Department reported that areas within the city were experiencing high winds.

In a 45-minute period police had been dispatched to three calls involving downed trees, some affecting power lines.

The calls involved a tree into a house on Manzanita Street, with no injuries and no reported utility issues.

There also was a large tree down across Smith Street, in front of the Lake County Probation Department, near Armstrong Street. Police said the tree compromised a high voltage power pole, which was leaning. Residents in the area were advised of the danger and told to stay clear of this area. 

On Ninth and Brush Street, a large tree limb knocked the power line connection off a house, according to police.

Lakeport Police, Lakeport Public Works and PG&E responded to the calls. Community members were asked not to approach the areas until they were rendered safe.

There also were reports late Sunday nigh tof trees blocking Loch Lomond Road at Sycamore Road and Bottle Rock Road at Penson Court, with the traffic signals at Live Oak Drive at Highway 29 in Kelseyville not working shortly after midnight.

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 highly anticipated update of the analysis of data from the European Space Agency's Planck satellite starts with a first paper published in Astronomy and Astrophysics, which already holds in store a few major surprises.

The first article in fact “rejuvenates” the stars of our Universe. Thanks to new maps of cosmic background radiation (in particular, those containing “polarization anisotropies” of radiation) scientists have found that the “reionization” process could be more recent than estimated until now.

Reionization is one of the most important processes in cosmology as it is associated with star formation, which cosmologists data back to after the “dark ages” of the Universe, when there was still no starlight.

The NASA WMAP satellite, launched in 2001, had given an initial estimate of the period when the process may have taken place.

The discovery, which still requires validation by the measurements that Planck is still able to provide that will be published in about a year's time, is associated with the publication of maps of “polarized” cosmic background radiation (the first light in the Universe produced by the Big Bang).

WMAP was the first satellite to attempt to provide this map, but today new Planck data suggest that reionization may have occurred approximately 550 million years after the Big Bang, I.e., 100 million years later than WMAP had estimated.

“According to Planck's observations, stars may be younger than believed, in bearing with other independent astrophysical indicators, and this finding may have major consequences on our attempts to understand the dark components of the Universe,” explained Carlo Baccigalupi, SISSA cosmologist and coordinator of the SISSA group involved in the Planck experiment.

“The contribution of the Trieste team involved in producing maps for the LFI on board Planck – consisting of SISSA and INAF-OATS scientists coordinated by Andrea Zacchei – was to generate new maps of the polarized light seen by the LFI which cover the whole sky. Now we're awaiting data from the high-frequency instrument (HFI), whose maps are mostly constructed by the French team. These additional maps should provide confirmation and a clearer picture of the evidence we detected,” said Baccigalupi.

Planck is a European Space Agency satellite, designed to observe, with an unprecedented degree of accuracy, the Big Bang through cosmic microwave background radiation.

Proposed in the early 90s, the satellite and its instruments were developed thanks to huge efforts that involved several national space agencies in Europe coordinated by ESA, whereas the NASA developed the cooling system.

On-ground analysis of the data has been conducted in only two centres in the world, Paris and Trieste.

In Trieste, in particular, SISSA, INAF-Astronomical Observatory of Trieste, and the University of Trieste participate in the Data Processing Centre for the low-frequency instrument.

In recent years, about 15 scientists from the three institutions collaborated intensely with continuous exchanges with the rest of the Planck collaboration made up of the world's leading experts in data analysis, computer science, cosmology and astrophysics for a total of over 200 scientists and technicians.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has two cats in needs of loving, forever homes this week.

Claudia and Max – who shelter staff said are charming and affectionate – are waiting for their new families.

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”).

'Max'

“Max” is a 1-year-old male domestic short hair mix with a cool tuxedo coat.

Shelter staff said Max came in injured and his owner surrendered him.

He's a big, sweet healthy boy who is affectionate and will greet you, waiting to be petted.

Max is neutered and vaccinated, so he is ready for the right person, or family, to take him to his forever home.

He's in cat room kennel No. 53, ID 1646.

'Claudia'

The lovely and sweet Claudia continues to wait at Lake County Animal Care and Control for a new home, and she needs one quickly.

She is 6 years old, and a coat with white and brown tabby markings, and is already spayed so she has a low adoption fee.

Claudia greets visitors, loving to get attention and pats. She loves to play with toys and to be cuddled.

She's in cat room kennel No. 73, ID No. 1316.

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.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – For the second year in a row Clear Lake High School's Academic Decathlon team took top honors in the county's 34th annual competition, and will now head to the state championship next month.

The team topped rivals Upper Lake, which took second, and Kelseyville, which took third, in the event, which culminated on Saturday afternoon in the Super Quiz, held at Kelseyville High School.

This year's theme is “New Alternatives in Energy: Ingenuity and Innovation.”

Academic decathletes compete in 10 disciplines – arts, economics, essay, interview, language and literature, mathematics, music, science, social science and speech – in addition to the Super Quiz. Locally, poetry and poster production contests have been added.

The interview and speech portions of the competition took place last weekend.

Only three teams competed this year, as longtime competitor Lower Lake High did not send a team to the take part.

Each team is comprised of three members each from three academic levels: Honors, grade point average of 3.75 to 4.00; Scholastic, 3.00 to 3.74 GPA; and Varsity, GPA of 2.99 or below.

For the Academic Decathlon's 10 core disciplines – not counting the poster and poetry contests – Chris Vincent of Clear Lake High School won the most medals, with a total of 11. Those included nine individual medals – seven gold, one silver and one bronze – and two gold medals for the first-place overall win and for the top spot in the Super Quiz.

During the Saturday afternoon awards ceremony, Vincent – whose wins included the speech category – gave his speech for the estimated 100 people in attendance.

Vincent's topic was plastic, its ubiquitousness, the importance of recycling it and the environmental challenges it poses.

Clear Lake High School Coach Jim Rogers credits his team's success to ample preparation in the form of a humanities class dedicated to the competition.

He said he loves the art and music portions of the competition, and last year he began recruiting students who also liked those subjects and who he felt would strengthen the team.

This will be Rogers' last year coaching, as he's planning to retire. He says he has someone in mind to succeed him as coach, but that hasn't been finalized yet.

“I just hope the class continues,” he said.

With the local competition over, “Now, we have to study for state,” said Rogers.

The state championship will be held March 20 and 21 in Sacramento, with the winning teams there advancing on to the national finals, which take place in April in Garden Grove.

Team rosters and full competition results are listed below.

TEAM ROSTERS

Clear Lake High School

Coach: Jim Rogers

Dakota Durbin, Cord Falkenberg, Nate Falkenberg, Julie Ann Mather, Narumi Jo Mitchell, Linda Ralosky, Savannah Rasmussen, Emily Seeley, Kennedi Syphax, Melissa Thibeau, Noelani Urquiza, Chris Vincent

Kelseyville High School

Coaches: Erick Larsen and Heather Koschik

Kristen Amendola, Montana Blocker, Madison Boyd, Ricardo Covarrubia, Noah Finch, Joseph Fletcher, Elizabeth Fricker, Garrett Grossner, Cassidy Holmes, Roberto Lozano, Mary McCallister, Cassidy McCoy, Anna Pak, Tiara Richards, Merin Rixen, Sarah Sheridan, Jared Smith, Marlin Smith, Justin Stanley, Nichole Stevens, Katie Terou, Collin Walker, Kaylie Williams, Andrew Vonwal

Upper Lake High School

Coaches: Anna Sabalone and Angel Hayenga

David Becerra-Lopez, Daniela Estrada, Katie Foster, Heather Hankins, Miranda Huntley, Anisha Kalan, Wroehnyn Milks, Kaylee O'Bryant, Travis Rife, Juan Ruiz, Crystal Smith, Edgar Valencia, Arthur Wilkie

AWARDS

Team placement

First place: Clear Lake High School
Second place: Upper Lake High School
Third place: Kelseyville High School

Super Quiz

First place: Clear Lake High School       
Second place: Upper Lake High School
Third place: Kelseyville High School

Language and literature

First place: Chris Vincent, CLHS   
Second place: Heather Hankins, ULHS
Third place (four-way tie): Arthur Wilkie, ULHS; Katie Foster, ULHS; Travis Rife, ULHS; Nate Falkenberg, CLHS

Art

First place: Noelani Urquiza, CLHS
Second place: Melissa Thibeaux, CLHS
Third place (two-way tie): Nate Falkenberg, CLHS; Julie Ann Mather, CLHS   

Social science

First place: Chris Vincent, CLHS   
Second place: Julie Ann Mather, CLHS
Third place: Arthur Wilkie, ULHS   

Math

First place: Chris Vincent, CLHS
Second place (two-way tie): Nate Falkenberg, CLHS; Roberto Lozano, KHS    
Third place: Cord Falkenberg, CLHS    

Music

First place: Melissa Thibeaux, CLHS   
Second place (two-way tie): Noelani Urquiza, CLHS; Arthur Wilkie, ULHS
Third place: Chris Vincent, CLHS   

Economics

First place: Cord Falkenberg, CLHS    
Second place: Chris Vincent, CLHS
Third place: Melissa Thibeaux, CLHS   

Science

First place (three-way tie): Nate Falkenberg, CLHS; Chris Vincent, CLHS; Cord Falkenberg, CLHS     
Second place: Travis Rife, ULHS
Third place: Katie Foster, ULHS   

Essay

First place: Noelani Urquiza, CLHS    
Second place: Cassidy Holmes, KHS
Third place: Emily Seeley, CLHS   

Interview

First place: Heather Hankins, ULHS     
Second place: Chris Vincent, CLHS
Third place: Jared Smith, KHS   

Speech

First place: Chris Vincent, CLHS    
Second place: Julie Ann Mather, CLHS; Emily Seeley, CLHS   
Third place: Mary McCallister, KHS   

TOP FINISHERS FOR EACH ACADEMIC LEVEL

Honors category (3.75-4.00 grade point average)

First place: Chris Vincent, CLHS   
Second place: Nate Falkenberg, CLHS
Third place: Julie Ann Mather, CLHS   

Scholastic category (3.00-3.74 GPA)

First place: Cord Falkenberg, CLHS   
Second place: Arthur Wilkie, ULHS   
Third place: Melissa Thibeau, CLHS   

Varsity category (2.99 GPA or below)

First place: Travis Rife, ULHS   
Second place:     Noah Finch, KHS
Third place: Edgar Valencia, ULHS    

SECOND HIGHEST SCORING STUDENTS, PER SCHOOL

Clear Lake High: Cord Falkenberg
Kelseyville High: Cassidy Holmes
Upper Lake High School: Travis Rife

HIGHEST SCORING STUDENTS, PER SCHOOL

Clear Lake High: Chris Vincent
Kelseyville High: Noah Finch
Upper Lake High School: Arthur Wilkie

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.

“There is a fox in me ... a silver-gray fox ... I sniff and guess ... I pick things out of the wind and air ... I nose in the dark night and take sleepers and eat them and hide the feathers ... I circle and loop and double-cross.” – Carl Sandburg

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The yipping, barking sound a fox makes can sound similar to a small dog.

I heard the barking for several days running, and thought a neighbor's small dog was loose.

One day the gray fox made herself known to me, and then I knew the “barking” was not a dog, but a fox, or vixen, as female foxes as called.

Now that I knew the sounds of a fox, I was not at all annoyed, but conversely, I listened ever so intently each time I left the house, for the sounds of the crafty fox, and it brought a smile to my face each time I recognized its call.

Throughout the course of the next few days, I was made privy to the antics of the vixen's kits. The young foxes are also called pups, or cubs.

The two rambunctious furballs played about, and tumbled - looking like blissful flashes of red and gray.

The pups ran about and took liberties with any gardening paraphernalia I had carelessly left about, such as gloves, plant marker-sticks and a hat.

The vixen stood guard and carefully watched over her young charges – the ever-dutiful mother.

Gray fox belongs to the biologic family canid, which includes coyotes, wolves and dogs.

Our neighbors since the Pliocene era of the geologic timeline, fox has been around for millions of years. Fossils found in Arizona are proof of this amazing fact.

The gray fox differs genetically from red fox, or Vulpes, and shares similar family lines with the ancient raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides as well as the African bat-eared fox, or Otocyon megalotis.

The male fox is known as a tod or a dog, while an assemblage of foxes is called, surprisingly enough, an earth, a leash or a skulk.

Gray foxes, or Urocyon cinereoargenteus, are omnivores, eating more small mammals in the east, but here in California they dine more often on insects, herbs and fruit.

Red foxes can be found in California, but, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife they are non-native and pose a threat to “vulnerable species and ecosystems because they are so highly adaptable and are such adept hunters.”

Fox features prominently in the mythology of many cultures. In Greek mythology the Alopekos Teumesios is known as an enormous fox that was disciplined by the gods to Thebes for committing a crime. Zeus flung fox up to the stars into the constellation Lepus (the Fox), or Canis Minor.

In Japan they call the fox kitsune, and they figure largely in the folklore of Japan. The fox is considered to be a character of high intelligence, with this attribute increasing with age. Kitsune feature magical characteristics in ancient Japan.

The folktales of Japan talk about the fox's affinity for tricking people, and that they can become shape-shifters, and remake themselves into women.

As a trickster, Japanese fox stories state that they can be merely mischievous or even malicious.

Some other characteristics fox possess in the Japanese culture are that they can have up to nine tails, and that the higher the number of tails, the more influence and power it exerts.

In contemporary culture the Japanese depict fox in many popular books and movies, such as anime, and they also show up frequently in video games.

“The earth has music for those who listen.” – George Santayana

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.

LUCERNE, Calif. – The Lake County Regional Economic Development Committee offers its first mini-Summit Seminar event, “Speed Date Your Business,” on Friday, Feb. 20, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Marymount California University’s Lakeside campus in Lucerne.

Wine and appetizers will be served.

The “Speed Date…” event is the first in a Summit mini-seminar series that will include a hands-on how-to social media session, a financial resources seminar, and a tutorial on entrepreneurship.

The mini-Summit Seminars are a spin-off of the 2014 Lake Leadership Summit, a sold-out event that gathered local business owners, community leaders, and entrepreneurs for a dynamic program of speakers, break-out sessions, and film clips that encouraged attendees to expand their respective enterprises and help grow Lake County.

The “Speed Date Your Business” seminar offers participants the opportunity to connect with motivated people who crave more than conventional networking.

The event is highly-structured – just like speed dating - with the sole purpose of sparking creative collaborations between businesses.

The cost is $25 for one ticket or $40 for two.

The Summit events are created and produced by a countywide group whose members include leaders from Lakeport and Clearlake city governments, the county of Lake, representatives from a variety of community organizations, chambers of commerce, educational and health institutions, and workforce development offices.

“Speed Date Your Business” was presented as a breakout session at the 2014 Lake Leadership Summit as “Arranged Marriages: More Than a One-Night Stand.”

“When we created the Summit, we wanted to push the boundaries. What we knew then, and it’s clear from the feedback we’ve been receiving ever since, is that people are hungry for new ways to connect and develop,” said Summit co-creator, Michelle Scully, executive director of Marymount California University’s Lakeside campus.

“We were intrigued with the concept of arranged marriages and wanted to pair up two local businesses that had little in common to cross-market their products,” said Scully. “We found Mendo Lake SUP and Carve Pilates right here in Lake County – two businesses that are already practicing this concept – and were thrilled to learn that they’re thriving. We created a break-out session around their energy.”

“We know that our Lake County business owners, community leaders, and entrepreneurs all dream of something that will make their lives easier. Some want to expand, some want to stabilize their sales cycles, and some may want to introduce a whole new product to the world,” said Rebecca Southwick, Summit co-creator and Lake County Tourism Ambassador Manager.

“We believe strongly in the power of collaboration and we know that every single person doing business in Lake County possesses something valuable – whether it’s information, a fresh perspective, or even relationships with key people in their industry that they may be willing to share,” Southwick said. “'Speed Date…' is a quirky, entertaining way to reach out and create relationships that will result in enhanced community relationships. “

Southwick added, “The 2014 Summit participants loved this break-out session and requested that we present it as a stand-alone event. We’re delighted to continue this momentum and look forward to seeing participants from the original Summit as well as making new connections.”

The event is limited to 75 participants. Participants may register online at www.EmbracetheLake.com .

For questions, call Rebecca Southwick at 707-349-8105 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – This month we’ll focus on a local astronomy resource rather than on the night skies.

That resource is Taylor Observatory.

Taylor Observatory is located in Kelseyville at 5725 Oak Hills Lane (for a map, go here: www.bit.ly/1DQAorI ).

The observatory features a large 16-inch research grade telescope under a dome.

The telescope is controlled by a computer and can automatically locate more than 140,000 celestial objects!

Norton Planetarium is located in the facility, with a state-of-the-art star projector that provides realistic views of the night sky.

The projector also displays movies that cover the entire dome (full dome movies).

There is a classroom that can seat as many as 55 people. The classroom has a “smart board” that is used for the projection of images and Web pages.

The facility is open to the public on the fourth Saturday of the month between the hours of 8 and 11 p.m.

During a public event, there is a classroom presentation, followed by a planetarium show. Afterward, there is telescope viewing. Admission is $5 per adult and $3 per child under 12.

Taylor Observatory has been in continuous operation since 1980. It is owned by the Lake County Office of Education.

Friends of Taylor Observatory, a nonprofit corporation, supports the operation of the facility.

Taylor Observatory is only one of a very few facilities in Northern California that has both a large telescope and a planetarium. It is a unique and valuable Lake County resource.

For more information, visit the observatory’s Web site at www.taylorobservatory.org .

Information about Friends of Taylor Observatory can be found at www.friendsoftaylor.org .

John Zimmerman is a resident of Lake County and has been an amateur astronomer for more than 50 years. For more information about astronomy and local resources, visit his Web site at www.lakecountyskies.com .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Forecasters' predictions for a big rainstorm came true for Lake County on Friday, with an average of several inches of rain reported at locations around the county.

The rain also brought with it some winds, along with downed trees and power lines, and dangerous conditions on some area roadways.

The two storms moving over California this weekend have been attributed both to an “atmospheric river” – a wide band of concentrated moisture – and to a “pineapple express.”

“A pineapple express is a continuous surge of tropical moisture extending from near Hawaii all the way into a West Coast storm,” AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.

AccuWeather reported that during Saturday into Saturday night, the rain over the region will taper to showers.

Then, a second storm will arrive along the West Coast Sunday into Monday, unleashing another round of heavy rain and most likely another dose of flash flooding, mudslides and travel disruptions, according to AccuWeather.

Lake County, like the rest of Northern California, had little rain in January. Last month, in fact, was the driest on record for the San Francisco area, AccuWeather reported.

However, Friday's storm brought a healthy amount of rain to the county.

Twenty-four hour totals reported through 2:30 a.m. Saturday by the National Weather Service included 1.79 inches near the High Glade Lookout above Upper Lake, 3.64 inches near Lakeport, 3.13 inches at the Lake/Colusa county line, 4.15 inches on Mt. Konocti, 5.29 inches at Lower Lake, 6.22 inches at Middletown and 6.28 inches at Whispering Pines.

The National Weather Service also reported on high wind speeds around the county on Friday. There were 40-miles-per-hour gusts at Hidden Valley Lake; Kelseyville, 42 miles per hour; Mt. Konocti, 43 miles per hour; Cow Mountain Ridge, 50 miles per hour; and at High Glade Lookout, high wind speeds of 71 miles per hour.

Clear Lake's level continued to improve thanks to the storm.

The lake was at 2.94 feet Rumsey early Friday, rising to 3.32 feet Rumsey early Saturday, according to US Geological Survey records.

Weather creates road, power issues

The city of Lakeport, which had issued several bulletins on conditions throughout the day, reported at day's end that stream levels were stable or decreasing in volume, and drainage systems were fully functional for the current rain levels.

All city roads remained open, although at around 10 p.m. Friday a tree was reported to have taken down power lines in the 1500 block of Martin Street. That closure was later reported to have been cleared.

Lakeport Public Works staff is on standby through the weekend as a precautionary measure in case of additional flooding.

Elsewhere around the county, there were road safety issues due to the weather.

At 10:45 p.m. a tree was reported to have fallen at Highway 29 and West Road south of Middletown, blocking both lanes.

Just before 11 p.m., the wet conditions contributed to reports of debris and rocks across a portion of Soda Bay Road, which a county road crew cleared. In other parts of the county there were reports of downed trees.

No major road closures were reported on the county's highways early Saturday

Elsewhere around the region, at about 10:30 p.m. the California Highway Patrol reported that Highway 175 at the Russian River Bridge in Hopland is closed due to flooding.

Power outages also occurred around the county late Friday and early Saturday due to weather conditions.

The Pacific Gas and Electric's online outage center reported that downed power lines had knocked out power to nearly 1,500 customers in Lucerne at around 11 p.m.

There also were isolated outages – with no causes reported by PG&E – in the Clearlake, Kelseyville, Lakeport and Lower Lake areas.

Lake County News will continue to post updates on conditions throughout the weekend.

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. – The Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee this week will discuss its goals for the year and get updates on upcoming events.

LEDAC will meet from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

On the agenda is an informational presentation by Shannon Harris of Workforce Lake Business Services, which helps connect job seekers and businesses.

On the topic of regional economic development, the committee also will hear about the upcoming Summit Seminars for this year, including the Feb. 20 “speed dating” event at Marymount California University in Lucerne, and a strategic planning retreat on Feb. 27 at the Mendocino College Lake Center in Lakeport.

LEDAC members also will discuss the group's 2015 goals, including updating vacant commercial properties inventory, public art murals in Lakeport and changing art displays in city hall.

In addition, there will be committee member reports, updates on business outreach efforts and a chance for citizen input.

LEDAC advocates for a strong and positive Lakeport business community and acts as a conduit between the city and the community for communicating the goals, activities and progress of Lakeport’s economic and business programs.

Members do not have to be Lakeport residents.

Wilda Shock chairs LEDAC, the membership of which also includes Bill Eaton, Melissa Fulton, Rick Hamilton, Pam Harpster, Christine Hutt, Chris King, George Linn, Paula Pepper-Duggan, Rebecca Southwick and Taira St. John.

City Community Development Director Kevin Ingram and City Manager Margaret Silveira serve as ex-officio committee members.

LEDAC's next regularly scheduled meeting is Wednesday, March 11, at Lakeport City Hall.

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. – Lake County Animal Care and Control this week has a shelter filled with dogs that can serve roles both as companions and working dogs.

The dogs available this week are mixes of boxer, cattle dog, Chihuahua, Great Dane, Labrador Retriever, pit bull, Shar Pei, shepherd and terrier.

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

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

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”).

Pit bull terrier mix

This handsome male pit bull terrier mix has a short tan and white coat.

He's in kennel No. 6, ID No. 1664.

Pit bull terrier mix

This female pit bull terrier mix has a pretty face and a short gray and white coat.

She's in kennel No. 9, ID No. 1663.

'Snoopy'

“Snoopy” is a 10-year-old male shepherd mix looking for a mellow home.

He weighs nearly 50 pounds and has a short tricolor coat.

He has a low adoption fee as he is already neutered.

Snoopy loves people, and he gets along with low energy dogs because in the past he was attacked by another dog.

If you have dogs and are interested in Snoopy, shelter staff requests that an application to be filled out and bring your dogs for a meet and greet

He's in kennel No. 12, ID No. 1650.

Shar Pei-pit bull mix

This young male Shar Pei-pit bull mix has a short, dark-colored coat.

He's in kennel No. 17, ID No. 1684.

'Rascal'

“Rascal” is a friendly 6-year-old terrier-Chihuahua mix who came in with his brother, “Copper,” after they were found in Lakeport.

He weighs nearly 16 pounds, has a short black and white coat, and is already neutered, so he has a low adoption fee.

Rascal is in kennel No. 25a, ID No. 1430.

'Copper'

“Copper” is a friendly 2-year-old male terrier mix who was found wandering with his brother, “Rascal.”

He has a short brown and white coat, weighs 20 pounds and already is neutered, so he has a low adoption fee.

Copper is in kennel No. 25b, ID No. 1429.

Cattle dog mix

This young male cattle dog mix has a short white coat with reddish-brown markings.

He is in kennel No. 26a, ID No. 1722.

Boxer mix pup

This female boxer mix puppy has a short dark coat with white markings.

She is in kennel No. 26b, ID No. 1723.

Great Dane mix

This 2-year-old male Great Dane and mastiff mix has a black and white coat.

He weighs 77 pounds and shelter staff said he is good with other dogs. He needs leash work, but he listens very well and will sit on command.

Come and meet this super sweet boy in kennel No. 27, ID No. 1581.

Labrador Retriever mix

This 4-year-old male Labrador Retriever mix has a short tan and brown coat.

Shelter staff said he is a big happy dog, weighing 74 pounds.

He would rather be around female dogs than male dogs. If you are interested in him and have dogs, shelter staff requests a meet and greet.

He's in kennel No. 28, ID No. 1577.

Fox terrier

This lovely female fox terrier mix is about 1 year old.

She weighs 25 pounds and has a short coat that is mostly white with black markings.

Shelter staff said she comes off a little shy at first but since she loves to cuddle, she will warm right up to you.

She is good with other male and female dogs, large or small, and overall is a great dog.

The perfect home for her would be one where she gets lots of walks and someone who enjoys cuddling with her.

She's in kennel No. 34, ID No. 1676.

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.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Library invites the public to get to know Lake County better with Know Lake County, a free lecture series that begins at noon Saturday, Feb. 21, at Lakeport Library, 1425 N. High St.

Linda Lake, curator of the Lake County museums will present a slideshow program on the history of Lake County’s one-room schools and the evolution of those early districts to the unified school districts of today.

In Lake County’s early days small one-room schools like the Binkley Ranch School, Horse Mountain School, Grizzly Canyon School, Hullville School and Glen Eden School served students in remote corners of Lake County.

As transportation developed and the population increased, the small schools consolidated into larger unified districts.

The small schoolhouses took on new uses or were torn down. Very few are left.

The Know Lake County programs will take place on the third Saturday of each month from February through December at 2 p.m. at Lakeport Library.

Know Lake County delves into many facets of Lake County, including human history, natural history, outdoor recreation, science, performing arts and programs for children.

The family-friendly programs are designed to inform and entertain Lake County residents about Lake County.

Some programs will cover interesting lore about the county and others will cover the work that community organizations perform.

For more information about Know Lake County and other library programs call 707-263-8817.

Succeeding Know Lake County programs will feature Dr. Harry Lyons on Lake County geology, Victoria Brandon from the Sierra Club speaking about the Berryessa Snow Mountain Region; Dr. Jamesina Scott from Lake County Vector Control on Lake County insects and other critters; the Lake County Master Gardeners; representatives of the Taylor Observatory; and Gae Henry with the Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association.

The year will conclude with archaeologist Dr. John Parker on Lake County’s prehistory; retired park ranger Tom Nixon representing Konocti Regional Trails; Mike Adams from the Soper Reese Theatre; and Carolyn Jarrett from the Children’s Museum of Art and Science.

Know Lake County’s full schedule is posted on the Know Lake County Web site www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Lake_County_CA__Library/KLC.htm .

The schedule is subject to change without notice.

The Lake County Library is on the Internet at http://library.co.lake.ca.us and Facebook at www.facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary .

Library events are also posted at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Lake_County_CA__Library/Calendar.htm .