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The red arrows denotes a site in Clearlake Oaks, Calif., and at Richmond Park in Kelseyville, Calif., where the county of Lake has issued a danger warning due to a cyanobacteria bloom, while the yellow arrows show Keeling Park in Nice, Calif., Elem Indian Colony in Clearlake Oaks, Calif., and Redbud Park in Clearlake, Calif., where warnings have been posted. Green markers are below California trigger levels and the blue markers are regular sites not tested during the last sampling event. Image courtesy of the county of Lake and Big Valley Rancheria.


LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Late Friday, Lake County Public Health issued an updated advisory with warnings about potential health risks due to a seasonal cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, bloom on Clear Lake.

The bloom is taking place in all three arms – Lower, Oaks and Upper – of Clear Lake, the county reported.

Bloom conditions can change rapidly and wind and waves may move or concentrate the bloom into different regions of Clear Lake.

Officials said testing of sites in Clearlake Oaks and Richmond Park had been confirmed at “danger” levels.

At the same time, they urged boaters and recreational users of Clear Lake to use caution in coming in contact with the water at the Elem Indian Colony shoreline in Clearlake Oaks, at Redbud Park in Clearlake and Keeling Park in Nice.

Lakewide sampling on July 13 indicated that blooms were present in several locations on Clear Lake, officials reported.

The county said the lab results for the Clearlake Oaks site showed a level of 480 micrograms per liter, or ug/L, which is at the danger level. The Richmond Park site lab result showed a level of 25 ug/L, which is also at the danger level.

The Elem site showed a level of 4.9 ug/L, the Redbud Park site had a lab result of 4.1 ug/L and the Keeling Park site showed a lab result of 4 ug/L. The county said all of these results are at the caution level.

For information on all of the sites tested, visit http://www.bvrancheria.com/clearlakecyanotoxins.

The Clearlake Oaks location is close to a drinking water supply. Drinking water at that site was tested last on July 10 and was below the Environmental Protection Agency recommended guideline of 0.3 µg/L and was safe to drink. Sampling of drinking water at the the site will next occur on Monday, July 23.

Blue-green algae can pose health risks, particularly to children and pets. The county urges people to choose safe activities when visiting the Oaks arm and parts of the lower arm of Clear Lake and wherever blooms are visible.

It is strongly recommend that people and their pets avoid contact with water, and avoid swallowing lake water in an algae bloom area.

The algae bloom can appear as cut grass in the water or blue-green, white or brown foam, scum or mats that can float on the water’s surface and accumulate along the shoreline and boat ramp area.

Recreational exposure to toxic blue-green algae can cause eye irritation, allergic skin rash, mouth ulcers, vomiting, diarrhea, and cold and flu-like symptoms.

Pets can be especially susceptible because they tend to drink while in the water and lick their fur after.

Get medical treatment immediately if you think that you, your pet, or livestock might have been poisoned by blue-green algae toxins. Be sure to alert the medical professional to the possible contact with blue-green algae.
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Early on an August morning, the sky near Cape Canaveral, Florida, will light up with the launch of Parker Solar Probe.

No earlier than Aug. 6, 2018, a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy will thunder to space carrying the car-sized spacecraft, which will study the Sun closer than any human-made object ever has.

On July 20, 2018, Nicky Fox, Parker Solar Probe's project scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab in Laurel, Maryland, and Alex Young, associate director for science in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, introduced Parker Solar Probe's science goals and the technology behind them at a televised press conference from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

"We've been studying the sun for decades, and now we're finally going to go where the action is," said Young.

Parker Solar Probe will swoop to within 4 million miles of the sun's surface, facing heat and radiation like no spacecraft before it.

Our sun is far more complex than meets the eye. Rather than the steady, unchanging disk it seems to human eyes, the sun is a dynamic and magnetically active star.

The sun's atmosphere constantly sends magnetized material outward, enveloping our solar system far beyond the orbit of Pluto and influencing every world along the way.

Coils of magnetic energy can burst out with light and particle radiation that travel through space and create temporary disruptions in our atmosphere, sometimes garbling radio and communications signals near Earth.

The influence of solar activity on Earth and other worlds are collectively known as space weather, and the key to understanding its origins lies in understanding the sun itself.

“The sun’s energy is always flowing past our world,” said Fox. “And even though the solar wind is invisible, we can see it encircling the poles as the aurora, which are beautiful – but reveal the enormous amount of energy and particles that cascade into our atmosphere. We don’t have a strong understanding of the mechanisms that drive that wind toward us, and that’s what we’re heading out to discover.”

That's where Parker Solar Probe comes in. The spacecraft carries a lineup of instruments to study the sun both remotely and in situ, or directly. Together, the data from these state-of-the-art instruments should help scientists answer three foundational questions about our star.

One of those questions is the mystery of the acceleration of the solar wind, the Sun's constant outflow of material.

Though we largely grasp the solar wind's origins on the Sun, we know there is a point – as-yet unobserved – where the solar wind is accelerated to supersonic speeds.

Data shows these changes happen in the corona, a region of the sun's atmosphere that Parker Solar Probe will fly directly through, and scientists plan to use Parker Solar Probe's remote and in situ measurements to shed light on how this happens.

Second, scientists hope to learn the secret of the corona's enormously high temperatures. The visible surface of the sun is about 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit – but, for reasons we don't fully understand, the corona is hundreds of times hotter, spiking up to several million degrees Fahrenheit. This is counterintuitive, as the sun's energy is produced at its core.

"It's a bit like if you walked away from a campfire and suddenly got much hotter," said Fox.

Finally, Parker Solar Probe's instruments should reveal the mechanisms at work behind the acceleration of solar energetic particles, which can reach speeds more than half as fast as the speed of light as they rocket away from the sun. Such particles can interfere with satellite electronics, especially for satellites outside of Earth's magnetic field.

To answer these questions, Parker Solar Probe uses four suites of instruments.

The FIELDS suite, led by the University of California, Berkeley, measures the electric and magnetic fields around the spacecraft. FIELDS captures waves and turbulence in the inner heliosphere with high time resolution to understand the fields associated with waves, shocks and magnetic reconnection, a process by which magnetic field lines explosively realign.

The WISPR instrument, short for Wide-Field Imager for Parker Solar Probe, is the only imaging instrument aboard the spacecraft. WISPR takes images from of structures like coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, jets and other ejecta from the sun to help link what’s happening in the large-scale coronal structure to the detailed physical measurements being captured directly in the near-Sun environment. WISPR is led by the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C.

Another suite, called SWEAP (short for Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons Investigation), uses two complementary instruments to gather data.

The SWEAP suite of instruments counts the most abundant particles in the solar wind – electrons, protons and helium ions – and measures such properties as velocity, density, and temperature to improve our understanding of the solar wind and coronal plasma.

SWEAP is led by the University of Michigan, the University of California, Berkeley, and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Finally, the ISʘIS suite – short for Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun, and including ʘ, the symbol for the sun, in its acronym – measures particles across a wide range of energies.

By measuring electrons, protons and ions, ISʘIS will understand the particles’ lifecycles — where they came from, how they became accelerated and how they move out from the sun through interplanetary space. ISʘIS is led by Princeton University in New Jersey.

Parker Solar Probe is a mission some 60 years in the making. With the dawn of the Space Age, humanity was introduced to the full dimension of the sun's powerful influence over the solar system.

In 1958, physicist Eugene Parker published a groundbreaking scientific paper theorizing the existence of the solar wind. The mission is now named after him, and it's the first NASA mission to be named after a living person.

Only in the past few decades has technology come far enough to make Parker Solar Probe a reality. Key to the spacecraft's daring journey are three main breakthroughs: The cutting-edge heat shield, the solar array cooling system, and the advanced fault management system.

“The Thermal Protection System (the heat shield) is one of the spacecraft’s mission-enabling technologies,” said Andy Driesman, Parker Solar Probe project manager at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab. “It allows the spacecraft to operate at about room temperature."

Other critical innovations are the solar array cooling system and on-board fault management systems. The solar array cooling system allows the solar arrays to produce power under the intense thermal load from the Sun and the fault management system protects the spacecraft during the long periods of time when the spacecraft can’t communicate with the Earth.

Using data from seven Sun sensors placed all around the edges of the shadow cast by the heat shield, Parker Solar Probe's fault management system protects the spacecraft during the long periods of time when it can't communicate with Earth.

If it detects a problem, Parker Solar Probe will self-correct its course and pointing to ensure that its scientific instruments remain cool and functioning during the long periods when the spacecraft is out of contact with Earth.

Parker Solar Probe's heat shield – called the thermal protection system, or TPS – is a sandwich of carbon-carbon composite surrounding nearly four and half inches of carbon foam, which is about 97 percent air. Though it's nearly eight feet in diameter, the TPS adds only about 160 pounds to Parker Solar Probe's mass because of its lightweight materials.

Though the Delta IV Heavy is one of the world’s most powerful rockets, Parker Solar Probe is relatively small, about the size of a small car.

But what Parker Solar Probe needs is energy – getting to the Sun takes a lot of energy at launch to achieve its orbit around the sun.

That's because any object launched from Earth starts out traveling around the sun at the same speed as Earth – about 18.5 miles per second – so an object has to travel incredibly quickly to counteract that momentum, change direction, and go near the sun.

The timing of Parker Solar Probe's launch – between about 4 and 6 a.m. EDT, and within a period lasting about two weeks – was very precisely chosen to send Parker Solar Probe toward its first, vital target for achieving such an orbit: Venus.

“The launch energy to reach the Sun is 55 times that required to get to Mars, and two times that needed to get to Pluto,” said Yanping Guo from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, who designed the mission trajectory. “During summer, Earth and the other planets in our solar system are in the most favorable alignment to allow us to get close to the sun.”

The spacecraft will perform a gravity assist to shed some of its speed into Venus' well of orbital energy, drawing Parker Solar Probe into an orbit that – already, on its first pass – carries it closer to the solar surface than any spacecraft has ever gone, well within the corona. Parker Solar Probe will perform similar maneuvers six more times throughout its seven-year mission, assisting the spacecraft to final sequence of orbits that pass just over 3.8 million miles from the photosphere.

“By studying our star, we can learn not only more about the sun,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, the associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA HQ. “We can also learn more about all the other stars throughout the galaxy, the universe and even life’s beginnings.”

Parker Solar Probe is part of NASA’s Living with a Star Program, or LWS, to explore aspects of the sun-Earth system that directly affect life and society. LWS is managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for the Heliophysics Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Johns Hopkins APL manages the Parker Solar Probe mission for NASA. APL designed and built the spacecraft and will also operate it.

Sarah Frazier works for NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
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From left, Socorro Sierra, 34 of Healdsburg, Calif.; Climmie Smith-Hill, 30, of Santa Rosa, Calif.; and Felix Fernando Carreon, 43, of Santa Rosa, Calif., have been arrested for murder, kidnapping and conspiracy for the murder of Jose Martinez on Friday, June 29, 2018. Photos courtesy of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.


NORTH COAST, Calif. – Detectives from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office have arrested three men for the murder of a missing Cloverdale man.

Socorro Sierra, 34 of Healdsburg, and Santa Rosans Felix Fernando Carreon, 43, and Climmie Smith-Hill, 30, were taken into custody in the case, according to Sgt. Spencer Crum.

Crum said the case began on July 2 when a woman reported to the Cloverdale Police Department that her father, Jose Martinez, had been missing since June 29. She thought he may have gone on a fishing trip but got concerned when he hadn’t returned and his truck, a white Toyota Tacoma was also missing.

Officers from the Cloverdale Police Department issued a “be on the lookout” for Martinez and his truck to other law enforcement agencies. They also interviewed a number of family members and friends that indicated Martinez may have been involved in significant marijuana dealings, had been receiving threats lately and that this was likely more than just a routine missing person case, Crum said.

Crum said detectives from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office were consulted and worked closely with Cloverdale PD in an attempt to locate Martinez.

At about 6 a.m. Tuesday a Sonoma County Sheriff’s deputy found a truck matching the description of Martinez’s on Masterson Court and Holiday Street in Santa Rosa. Crum said the truck had the license plates removed and they had been swapped out with paper dealer license plates.

When the deputy ran the vehicle’s identification number, he found that this was the truck registered to Martinez. Crum said detectives from the sheriff’s office were called and started their investigation into the truck and how it ended up there.

Through investigative efforts and witness interviews detectives identified the suspects in the case as Sierra, Carreon and Smith-Hill, Crum said.

Detectives learned that Martinez and Socorro had significant marijuana dealings and the Sierra had recently threatened Martinez over a disputed business transaction, according to Crum.

Through a number of interviews sheriff’s detectives learned that Martinez went to Ray’s Food Place on Cloverdale Blvd in Cloverdale at about 8 a.m. Friday, June 29. Crum said detectives believe Martinez was kidnapped from the front of the store by the three men in a dark sedan.

Martinez was driven to the top of Geysers Road near the Calpine geothermal plant. Sierra walked Martinez to a remote location by a creek where he shot him to death with a handgun. Crum said Sierra walked back to the car where he met with Carreon and Smith-Hill. He drove them back to Santa Rosa and dropped them off.

Crum said that on Saturday, June 30, Sierra returned to the creek where he had left Martinez’s body. Sierra wrapped the body in a tarp and brought it back to his car. He then transported Martinez’s body to Healdsburg at a marijuana garden in the 2100 block of West Dry Creek Road.

Sierra, with the help of Carreon, rented a backhoe and brought it to the property where they dug a hole approximately 5 to 6 feet deep. Crum said they placed Martinez’s body in the hole and covered him with dirt.

Detectives learned about the location of the buried body in the marijuana garden. On Wednesday, Crum said detectives went to the property and, using a backhoe and shovels, unearthed Martinez’s body that was located under about five feet of dirt. Martinez’s body was transported to the Sonoma County Coroner’s Office pending an autopsy.

Crum said Carreon was arrested on July 10 at about 12:15 a.m. in the area of Marlow and Jennings Avenue in Santa Rosa on unrelated drug charges.

Sierra was arrested in the parking lot of the Guerneville Road Safeway Shopping Center on Tuesday at 3:45 p.m. Crum said a handgun, believed to be used in the homicide, was located inside Sierra’s vehicle at that time.

Smith-Hill was arrested at the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday at 1 a.m. after an interview, Crum said.

Crum said all three men were booked on charges of murder, kidnapping and conspiracy and are being held without bail.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Two of the city of Lakeport’s main arterial streets will be getting some improvements in the coming weeks.

The city reported that a chip seal project will take place on 11th Street between Highway 29 and Main Street and on South Main from Peckham Court to Lakeport Boulevard.

The contractor VSS International of West Sacramento will conduct the chip seal work from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 24. The city said there will be no road closures but traffic control will be in place.

Chip sealing is a rubberized asphalt applied to the existing road surface, which is then covered with aggregate rock, or “chip.” Chip sealing takes a few hours to completely cure.

No parking signs have already been placed along 11th Street in anticipation of the work.

On Monday, July 30, crews will return to put down the micro seal. The city said that work will be completed at night and will require a road closure.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Animal Control continues to seek homes for the dogs filling its shelter this summer.

The available dogs are Arthur, Bebe, Bianca, Dingo, Jeff, Max, Neptune, Red Girl and Wolfie.

To meet the animals, call Clearlake Animal Control at 707-994-8201 and speak to Marcia at Extension 103 Monday through Thursday, or leave a message at any other time.

“Arthur.” Courtesy photo.

'Arthur'

Arthur is a male American Staffordshire terrier mix.

He weighs 55 pounds, is healthy and young.

He likes to swim and play fetch, is affectionate and intelligent, and likes older children.

“BeBe.” Courtesy photo.

'BeBe'

Bebe is 2 years old and weighs 40 pounds, with a short brindle coat.

Shelter staff said she is good with other dogs, and with both adults and children, but has not been tested with cats.

They said she is gentle and shy. She displayed friendly social cues and with more socializing she will gain confidence. BeBe would benefit from training as she is eager to please.

Bebe also loves to push her face into you for rubs.

“Bianca.” Courtesy photo.

'Bianca'

“Bianca” is a female American Pit Bull and shepherd mix.

She is healthy, weighs 50 pounds, is obedient, playful and affectionate, and likes toys.

She is intelligent, but also goofy and wants to please.

“Dingo.” Courtesy photo.

‘Dingo’

“Dingo” is described by shelter staff as a happy, friendly boy who is a true people dog.

He is 2 years old, weighs about 45 pounds, and is good with both adults and children.

Dingo likes to be by your side, has nice manners and sits for treats like a true gentleman. He also loves to play ball and probably Frisbee, too.

Shelter staff said he is great with other nice dogs, but has low confidence and prefers people. He will benefit from more socialization.

“Jeff.” Courtesy photo.

‘Jeff’

“Jeff” is a male border collie mix.

He has a short tricolor coat.

“Max.” Courtesy photo.

‘Max’

“Max” is a 2-year-old male kelpie-pit bull mix who weighs about 50 pounds.

Shelter staff said has a lot of energy and would make a great exercise partner.

Max is good with other dogs and loves to play. He’s also good with older children. He’s not been tested with children.

Staff said he is very social and will benefit from obedience training to work on his manners.

“Neptune.” Courtesy photo.

‘Neptune’

“Neptune” is 2 years old and weighs 65 pounds. He has been neutered.

Shelter staff said he is good with other dogs and children, but has not been tested with cats.

He has a mellow disposition, loves to play fetch and tug-o-war. Shelter staff said he is a “super friendly guy” who needs some leash work.

Neptune is vaccinated and ready for adoption or can go to rescue.

“Red Girl.” Courtesy photo.

‘Red Girl’

“Red Girl is a Dutch Shepherd.

She has a short brindle coat.

“Wolfie.” Courtesy photo.

‘Wolfie’

“Wolfie” is a healthy and happy male dog.

They are not sure of his breed; possible ancestry includes shepherd or Akita.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff’s Office reported Thursday evening that its dispatch center is without telephone capabilities due to a damaged telecommunication line.

At approximately 2:40 p.m. Thursday a vehicle damaged a telecommunication line in the north Lakeport Area, the agency reported.

On Thursday evening, the sheriff’s office said AT&T is working to repair the damaged line, however, there is no estimated time to have the repairs completed.

All 9-1-1 lines have been routed to other 9-1-1 centers to be dispersed to the proper public safety agencies, the sheriff’s office said.

During this time, the normal Lake County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch telephone lines are not operational and are not able to be transferred.

If you required emergency response please dial 9-1-1. However, if you do not require emergency response please do not utilize 9-1-1.

Once the telephone lines are operational the sheriff’s office said it will send out another advisory message notifying the public that the phone system is back in service.
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Alexandrea Raven Scott, 23, of Trinidad, Calif., has reached a plea agreement for a 10-year prison term in the June 2018 death of her son. Mendocino County Jail photo.


NORTH COAST, Calif. – A Humboldt County woman this week reached a plea agreement that will see her spend up to 10 years in prison for the death of her young son in June.

On Thursday Alexandrea Raven Scott, 23, of Trinidad entered a guilty plea to felony child endangerment and also admitted a special sentencing enhancement alleging that abuse of her 18-month old son, Chergery Teywoh Lew Mays, was a proximate cause of the child's death.

The Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office said Scott accepted what it called a “one-time, take-it-or-leave-it offer” in the case.

The agency said a no contest plea to a felony charge is the same for all purposes as a guilty plea under current state law.

To accept this disposition and avoid a possible murder conviction, Scott also was required to stipulate to an aggravated sentence of 10 years in state prison and to waive all local jail credits, the District Attorney’s Office said.

Scott was arrested in June in Willits following the death of her son, who investigators determined she had left in her vehicle with the windows rolled up for about 10 hours.

He died at Howard Memorial Hospital, where his mother had taken him and where sheriff’s deputies responded to begin the investigation.

Because felony child endangerment – even abuse causing death – has not been characterized by the Legislature as crimes of violence, the District Attorney’s Office said Scott is eligible to earn time credits in prison of up to 50 percent of her overall sentence.

Moreover, it is expected that voter-approved Proposition 57 will further shorten the time the defendant must serve in prison, mandating her release on community supervision after she has served only three years, officials said.

"This was a death that should not have happened; I expect that it has left an unfillable hole in the lives of the child's father, as well as the paternal and maternal sides of the extended families," said Mendocino County District Attorney David Eyster, the prosecutor handling the case.

"If nothing else, I hope the stipulated prison time will send a message that those who abuse children should expect to be treated like the serious criminals that they are. In this case, it remains difficult to believe that a parent would leave her child alone for hours on end strapped into a car seat in a closed vehicle – all night into the following afternoon. How is it possible that the child's mother did not safeguard her infant, failed to provide him necessary food and hydration for double digit hours, and allowed him to die a lonely, excruciating death in a hot car while she was literally yards away "partying" in a house with strangers? This sort of abuse is well-deserving of hard time in state prison," said Eyster.

Following the court's acceptance of her change of plea, Scott's matter was referred to the Adult Probation Department for a social study and the preparation of a prison packet.

The information developed by probation travels with the defendant to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to help the prison authorities perform intake, classification, and facility assignment.

The 10-year prison sentence will be formally imposed by Superior Court Judge John Behnke at 9 a.m. Aug. 15 in Department H of the Mendocino County Superior Court in Ukiah.

The law enforcement agency that handled the underlying criminal investigation of the child's death and submitted the crime reports and findings that allowed the DA to pursue the conviction was the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.
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Red Cross representative Don Rowe with New Volunteer Award recipients David Fromer, at right, of Middletown, Calif., and Erica Luke of Mendocino County, Calif., at a ceremony in June 2018 in Ukiah, Calif. Photo courtesy of the American Red Cross.


NORTH COAST, Calif. – The American Red Cross of the California Northwest honored 17 volunteers from Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties at annual Volunteer Recognition Dinners in May and June.

Volunteers honored include:

– Administration and support volunteers: Rebecca Taylor-Ford (Sonoma) and Miriam Tcheng (Sonoma).

– New volunteers: Julie Ito (Sonoma), Betsy Witthohn (Sonoma), David Fromer (Lake) and Erica Luke (Mendocino).

– Disaster cycle services exceptional response volunteers: George Dresnek (Sonoma) and Nathan Gilfenbaum (Sonoma).

– Disaster cycle services outstanding support volunteers: Kay Warning (Sonoma) and Kathy Hall (Sonoma).

– Sally Parks volunteer services: Leticia Sotelo (Sonoma) and Robin Dieter (Sonoma).

– Gene Beck Memorial Volunteers of the Year: Sierra Marcelius (Sonoma), Annie Schaefer (Napa) and Mary Desautels (Mendocino).

– Youth and young adult volunteers: Patrick Foley (Sonoma) and Jackson Phillips (Sonoma).

In addition, a number of people were honored at the event for the number of hours they volunteered for the Red Cross in 2017.

While the annual event spotlights many of key volunteers, Red Cross California Northwest executive director Jeff Baumgartner said the events are designed to acknowledge all of the Red Cross's local volunteers.

"Our volunteers take on a variety of important roles while serving our communities," said Baumgartner. "All of our volunteers give selflessly of their time, and the Red Cross would not be able to provide the help and support we do without them."

You can make a difference in the California Northwest by becoming a volunteer with the American Red Cross.

Volunteers constitute about 94 percent of the total Red Cross workforce to carry out our humanitarian work.

Red Cross volunteers are trained to meet the needs of those affected by disasters, providing food, shelter and comfort for families affected by major disasters such as fires, floods and earthquakes as well as helping local residents prepare for and recover from emergencies of all kinds. They will find the position that appeals to you and allows you to use your skills and talents.

For more information, please visit www.redcross.org.
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The red arrow denotes a site in Clearlake Oaks, Calif., where the county of Lake has issued a danger warning due to a cyanobacteria bloom, while the yellow arrow shows the Richmond Park area in Kelseyville, Calif., where a warning has been posted. Green markers are below California trigger levels and the blue markers are regular sites not tested during the last sampling event. Image courtesy of the county of Lake.


LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Public Health is urging boaters and recreational users to avoid direct contact with or use of waters containing blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, in the Richmond Park and Clearlake Oaks areas.

The recommendation is based on the potential health risks from the algae, which is currently blooming in all three of the lake’s arms – Upper arm, Oaks Arm and Lower Arm.

Bloom conditions can change rapidly and wind and waves may move or concentrate the bloom into different regions of the Clear Lake, officials reported.

Water monitoring is done by Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians and Elem Indian Colony.

The county said that on Tuesday lakewide sampling indicated that blooms were present in several locations on Clear Lake. Water samples have been submitted to the lab for cyanotoxin analysis, but a preliminary analysis on five sites using the ABRAXIS field strips was performed.

One site, Richmond Park, indicated at least 10 µg/L, considered a warning level, while another site by the county park in Clearlake Oaks, indicated at least 20 µg/L, which is a danger level, according to the county report.

County officials expect the pending lab results will confirm those levels; they said they will report on the results of that testing.

In the case of the Clearlake site, the county said it is close to a drinking water supply. Drinking water at the site was tested last on July 10 and was below the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended guideline of 0.3 µg/L and was safe to drink. Sampling of drinking water at the site will next occur on Monday, July 23.

A danger sign was posted at the Clearlake Oaks site on Wednesday, officials said.

The Public Health Department gave warning signs to the bar and grill at Richmond Park on Wednesday and it is strongly recommended that the warning signs are posted immediately and remain posted until further notice.

Blue-green algae can pose health risks, particularly to children and pets. The county urges people to choose safe activities when visiting the Oaks arm and parts of the lower arm of Clear Lake and wherever blooms are visible. It is strongly recommend that people and their pets avoid contact with water, and avoid swallowing lake water in an algae bloom area.

Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, are common and natural to our waters and found throughout California. Cyanobacteria thrive in nutrient-rich water and can multiply rapidly to form blooms and scums, particularly during the warm days of summer and early fall.

The algae bloom resembles thick pea soup or spilled paint on the water’s surface. It can appear as cut grass in the water or blue-green, white or brown foam, scum or mats that can float on the water’s surface and accumulate along the shoreline and boat ramp area.

Signs of a toxic bloom may include: a large number of dead fish, waterfowl or other animals, or sudden, unexplained sickness or death of a cat or dog that has been exposed. It is not possible to tell if cyanobacteria are toxic by looking at them.

Recreational exposure to toxic blue-green algae can cause eye irritation, allergic skin rash, mouth ulcers, vomiting, diarrhea, and cold and flu-like symptoms.

Pets can be especially susceptible because they tend to drink while in the water and lick their fur after. Possible health effects of animal exposure to a toxic bloom include weakness and staggering, difficulty breathing, convulsions, vomiting or diarrhea.

A blue-green algae bloom is not stringy, made up of long bright grass-green strands that feel either slimy or cottony. This is harmless green algae. It’s also not mustard yellow in color; this probably is pollen.

Get medical treatment immediately if you think that you, your pet, or livestock might have been poisoned by blue-green algae toxins. Be sure to alert the medical professional to the possible contact with blue-green algae.

Also, make sure to contact the local county public health department at 707-263-1090.
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On Friday Gov. Jerry Brown announced the appointment of six new Court of Appeal justices.

Appointees included Judge Alison M. Tucher as associate justice, Division Four of the First District Court of Appeal; Judge Halim Dhanidina as associate justice, Division Three; Justice Nora M. Manella as presiding justice, Division Four; Judge Dorothy C. Kim as associate justice, Division Five; Judge Maria E. Stratton as associate justice, Division Eight of the Second District Court of Appeal; and the appointment of Judge Michael J. Raphael as associate justice, Division Two of the Fourth District Court of Appeal.

First District Court of Appeal

Alison M. Tucher. Courtesy photo.

Alison M. Tucher

Alison M. Tucher, 55, of Berkeley, has been appointed associate justice, Division Four of the First District Court of Appeal.

Tucher has served as a judge at the Alameda County Superior Court since 2014.

She was a partner at Morrison and Foerster from 2004 to 2014, where she was a litigator from 1998 to 2004.

She served as a deputy district attorney at the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office from 1995 to 1998 and was assistant director of the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s White House Security Review Team from 1994 to 1995.

Tucher served as a law clerk for the Honorable David H. Souter at the U.S. Supreme Court and for the Honorable William A. Norris at the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.

She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School, a Master of Arts degree from the University of Cambridge and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Williams College.

Tucher fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Maria P. Rivera.

This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, consisting of Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Senior Presiding Justice J. Anthony Kline.

Tucher is a Democrat.

Second District Court of Appeal
Halim Dhanidina. Courtesy photo.

Halim Dhanidina

Halim Dhanidina, 45, of Irvine, has been appointed associate justice, Division Three of the Second District Court of Appeal.

Dhanidina has served as a judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2012.

He served as a deputy district attorney at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office from 1998 to 2012.

Dhanidina earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pomona College.

He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Richard D. Aldrich.

This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, consisting of Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Senior Presiding Justice Arthur Gilbert.

He will be the first American-Muslim justice and the first South Asian American justice in the history of the California Courts of Appeal, if confirmed. Dhanidina is a Democrat.

Nora M. Manella. Courtesy photo.

Nora M. Manella

Nora M. Manella, 67, of Los Angeles, has been appointed presiding justice, Division Four of the Second District Court of Appeal.

Manella has served as an associate justice in Division Four of the Second District Court of Appeal since 2006.

She was appointed by President Clinton to serve as a judge of the U.S. District Court, Central District of California from 1998 to 2006 and appointed by President Clinton to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California from 1994 to 1998.

Manella served as a judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court from 1992 to 1994 and of the Los Angeles Municipal Court from 1990 to 1992.

She served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California from 1982 to 1990.

She was an associate at O’Melveny and Myers in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles from 1978 to 1982. Manella was counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution from 1976 to 1978.

She served as a law clerk for the Honorable John Minor Wisdom on the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit from 1975 to 1976.

She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Southern California School of Law, Order of the Coif and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wellesley College, Phi Beta Kappa.

Effective Aug. 22, she will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Presiding Justice Norman L. Epstein.

This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, consisting of Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Senior Presiding Justice Arthur Gilbert.

Manella is a Democrat.

Dorothy C. Kim. Courtesy photo.

Dorothy C. Kim

Dorothy C. Kim, 45, of Los Angeles, has been appointed associate justice, Division Five of the Second District Court of Appeal.

Kim has served as a judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2014.

She served in several positions at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California Criminal Division from 2001 to 2014, including deputy chief and Assistant U.S. Attorney.

Kim was a litigation associate at Irell and Manella LLP from 2000 to 2001 and served as a law clerk for the Honorable Norman H. Stahl at the U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit from 1998 to 1999.

Kim earned a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Sandy R. Kriegler.

This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, consisting of Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Senior Presiding Justice Arthur Gilbert.

She will be the first Korean American justice in the history of the California Courts of Appeal, if confirmed.

Kim is a Democrat.

Maria E. Stratton. Courtesy photo.

Maria E. Stratton

Maria E. Stratton, 65, of Los Angeles, has been appointed associate justice, Division Eight of the Second District Court of Appeal.

Stratton has served as a judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2006.

She served as Federal Public Defender for the Central District of California from 1993 to 2006 and held several positions at Talcott, Lightfoot, Vandevelde, Woehrle and Sadowsky from 1985 to 1993, including managing partner, partner and associate.

She was an associate at Overland, Berke, Wesley, Gits, Randolph and Levanas from 1984 to 1985. S

tratton served as a deputy federal public defender at the Office of the Federal Public Defender, Central District of California from 1981 to 1984 and as a law clerk for the Honorable Harry Pregerson at the U.S. District Court, Central District of California and at the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit from 1979 to 1981.

She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southern California.

She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Madeleine I. Flier.

This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, consisting of Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Senior Presiding Justice Arthur Gilbert.

Stratton is a Democrat.

Fourth District Court of Appeal

Michael J. Raphael. Courtesy photo.

Michael J. Raphael

Michael J. Raphael, 50, of Los Angeles, has been appointed associate justice, Division Two of the Fourth District Court of Appeal.

Raphael has served as a judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2012.

He served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California from 1999 to 2012.

Raphael served as investigative counsel in the Office of U.S. Representative Henry Waxman from 1997 to 1999 and was associate counsel at Sidley and Austin from 1994 to 1997.

He served as a law clerk for the Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones at the U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit from 1993 to 1994.

Raphael earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rice University.

He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Thomas E. Hollenhorst.

This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, consisting of Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Senior Presiding Justice Manuel A. Ramirez.

Raphael is a Democrat.

The compensation for each of these positions is $228,918.

Posted On

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors is seeking applicants to fill a vacancy on the Lakeport Fire Protection District Board of Directors.

Interested applicants must reside within the Lakeport Fire Protection District’s boundary and be registered to vote in Lake County.

Membership on the district board is voluntary.

Applications are available at the Lake County Courthouse, Clerk of the Board Office, Room 109, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport, or online at www.lakecountyca.gov on the Board of Supervisors page.
Posted On

Grillin’ on the Green welcomes enthusiastic diners. Photo courtesy of Susan Stout.


LAKEPORT, Calif. – More than a dozen competitors are ready to serve up tastes of their best barbecue in one of the hottest contests this summer, and the public is invited to help choose the winners.

Barbecue amateurs and experts will pit their skills against one another Saturday, Aug. 4, at the ninth annual “Grillin’ on the Green” at Westside Community Park, 1401 Westside Park Road.

The 5 to 7:30 p.m. event will feature the popular barbecue competition with plenty of food, drink, and entertainment for all ages.

Presented by the Westside Community Park Committee, the event is an annual fundraiser for development of the park, home to soccer fields, a dog park, baseball and softball diamonds, horseshoe pits, and a bicycle pump track. Future plans include establishing an equestrian center.

Local organizations, individuals and professionals go head-to-head in the Grillin’ on the Green cook-off, preparing their best barbecue recipes for attendees who then cast People’s Choice votes for their favorites.

A group of celebrity judges will select their favorite as well. Joining Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin on the panel of celebrity judges this year will be Dana Stubblefield, retired defensive tackle for the 49ers and the Raiders, and Luis Castelero, a Kelseyville farm owner who has more than 60 years in the restaurant business.

Event attendees will enjoy a variety of barbecued dishes, accompanied by side dishes and beverages, and entertainment including live music by the LC Diamonds, children’s water activities, a car show featuring vintage vehicles from local car clubs, and a Beach Handball demonstration.

Snow cones, canned soda and bottled water will be available from Marta and Domingo Avillea.

Tickets purchased in advance of the event are $25 per adult, $10 per child between the ages of 5 and 12, and no charge for children 4 years old or younger. Adult tickets purchased at the event will cost $30 per adult.

All proceeds benefit the Westside Community Park development. Call Cindy Ustrud, 707-263-7091, or Dennis Rollins, 707-349-0969, for more information.

Advance tickets for “Grillin’ on the Green” may be purchased at the Lake County Chamber of Commerce and The Travel Centers in Lakeport and at Polestar Computers in Kelseyville.

“Grillin’ on the Green gets better every year with incredible barbecue dishes created by our participating teams and lots of fun, family entertainment,” said Ustrud, the event chair. “Attendees call the fare the best barbecue around, and what a great way to raise funds for continuing improvements to our community park. We hope to see you there.”

This year’s grill competitors include teams from the Lakeport Kiwanis, the Early Lake Lions, and the Lakeport Lions. Also signed up to vie for bragging rights are The Smokin’ Aces (Adam Bruch), Beef Cakes (Jessie Richardson), PSI Slider “Bees” sponsored by the Delta Iota Tau Sorority, Team Sutter Lakeside (Dennis Rasner - Nurses Association for Sutter Health), Wayne Yahnke (Haunted Lake County), Fresh & Bangin' (John Arslanian), Andre Williams (Drinx), Aaron Vandewarker (Mendocino BBQ Catering), a team headed by Aaron Rollins, and another by Tyler Fandel.

The Lakeport Kiwanis booth at a previous Grillin’ on the Green event. Photo courtesy of Susan Stout.

Generous community backs ‘Grillin’’

Grillin’ on the Green is made possible by the participating grillers, sponsors, and the community, said Ustrud. “We are extremely grateful for the people who make the annual event a success each year,” she said. “There are a number of generous individuals, businesses and organizations who step up to help make the Grillin’ event happen.”

The Keeling-Barnes Family Foundation is for the eighth year offering a sponsorship match. The Foundation will match up to $3,000.

Other major contributors – “World Cup” sponsors – include Sutter Lakeside Hospital and the Ustrud-Rollins Family.

“Grand Slam” sponsors for 2018 include Alexander McGeoch, DDS, Brian L. Grey, DDS, Savings Bank of Mendocino County, Matt Mazzei Auto Dealership, Hillside Power Sports & Marine, Clear Lake Redi Mix, the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake, and the Lakeport Main Street Association.

“Home Run” sponsors include Susie LaPointe, The Dock Factory & Supply Co., Lakeport Tire & Auto, Guy Strohmeier’s Auto Center, Adventist Health, William C. Kranz, Attorney at Law, Lake Parts/Napa Auto Parts, Wilda and Jim Shock, and Margaret Silveira.

Organizations and individuals sponsoring Grillin’ teams are Delta Iota Tau Sorority, Sutter Lakeside Hospital, City of Lakeport, Lakeport Rotary, and an anonymous citizen of Lakeport.

Providing in-kind sponsorship and support for the event, Ustrud noted, are Lake Event Design, Lake County News, Lakeport Cinema 5, KNTI, Disney Trophies and Awards, UCC Rental Center, Thorn Hill Vineyards, Shannon Ridge Winery, and O’Meara Bros. Brewing Co.

Sponsors of the fundraiser are recognized annually at the event. Donations of any amount, payable to Westside Community Park Committee, may be sent to 1350 Berry Street, Lakeport.

Additionally, Ustrud thanked the committee members for their contributions. Committee members are Beth Havrilla, Alice Holmes, Jessica Kelley, Dennis Rollins, Val Schweifler, Sue Stout and Wilda Shock.

Westside Community Park is a regional recreational facility that is operated by the city of Lakeport and the Westside Community Park Committee. It has been in development for 19 years.

The nonprofit park committee is developing the park in conjunction with the city of Lakeport, volunteers, and numerous contributions by individuals and businesses dedicated to constructing a recreational facility for the youth and adults of Lake County.

Information about the event can be found on the park’s Web site, www.westsidecommunitypark.org, or on Westside Community Park’s Facebook page.

Grillin’ on the Green offers fun for children as well as adults. Photo courtesy of Susan Stout.

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