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MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – Mendocino National Forest officials reported that they have opened many areas, roads and trails previously closed by the Ranch fire.

“There is still a vast amount of restoration work to do, but we are very pleased to be able to reopen much of the Ranch fire closure area for summer visitors. We hope that visitors pay close attention to warning signs when entering the area and maintain awareness of their surroundings,” said Forest Supervisor Ann Carlson.

Forest Order No. 08-19-03 is effective July 12, 2019, until July 1, 2020.

Forest Order 08-19-03 is posted on the forest Web site and includes the order, map (Exhibit A) and the list of remaining closures (Exhibit B).

Please refer to these documents while planning a trip and call the district office nearest your destination before traveling to the forest.

Be aware that hazards may persist in the fire area for several years. Click here for a forest tip sheet on traveling and recreating safely in burned areas.

Carlson added, “Although Forest Order 08-19-03 currently goes to July 2020, we are constantly evaluating conditions and reducing hazards in order to open more of the fire area.”

For more information, check the forest Web site, Facebook page, Twitter @MendocinoNF or call 530-934-3316.
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Lakeport Police Lt. Jason Ferguson, center, with Lakeport Police volunteers at a Lakeport City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, in Lakeport, Calif. Ferguson will take over as the new police chief of the city of Cloverdale, Calif., in August 2019. Photo courtesy of the Lakeport Police Department.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A local law enforcement veteran has been named the new chief of police for the city of Cloverdale in neighboring Sonoma County.

Lt. Jason Ferguson of the Lakeport Police Department has been hired by Cloverdale, where he will start work Aug. 5 and be sworn in on Aug. 14.

His last day with the Lakeport Police Department – where he has worked for nearly 21 years – is Friday. The department held a farewell barbecue for him on Thursday.

“It was a professional opportunity that I couldn’t pass up,” Ferguson told Lake County News, noting that the city of Lakeport has taken good care of him over the years.

“It’s a huge loss, but at the same time I’m happy for him to get this opportunity,” said Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen, noting that Ferguson has been an outstanding second-in-command and leader for the department.

Rasmussen added, “I consider it a badge of honor to have been so involved in training him over the years that he could go from our department and take over another department.”

Cloverdale’s police department has been headed since last summer by interim Chief Bob Stewart, the retired chief of Cotati, who took over when then-chief Stephen Cramer went on medical leave. Cramer retired in December and died in February after a long battle with cancer.

Ferguson, 49, started his law enforcement career with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in January 1996 as a correctional officer.

He joined the Lakeport Police Department in June of 1998 as a reserve level two officer, hired by then-Chief Tom Engstrom.

“I had really good luck stealing correctional officers,” Engstrom told Lake County News in 2012.

Ferguson moved into a patrol officer position in September 1998. The following January, the department sent him to the police academy; he graduated in May of 1999.

Then-Chief Kevin Burke promoted Ferguson to sergeant in 2007 and in 2012 Rasmussen named him lieutenant. During his 2012 promotion ceremony, Rasmussen administered the oath, as Engstrom, by then a councilman, looked on.

Engstrom told Ferguson after he took his lieutenant’s oath, “I did one good thing when I was chief and that was hire you.”

Rasmussen said Ferguson has been integral to the department in numerous ways, serving as school resource officer and later overseeing the program. He’s also managed officer training, served on the countywide narcotics task force, supervised Lakeport Police’s move to its new headquarters on South Main Street, and has written agreements and contracts with the city and other agencies, such as the Lakeport Unified School District.

Altogether, Ferguson has more than 2,500 hours in formal Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training-certified training, which Rasmussen said doesn’t count the noncertified training he’s also taken.

Rasmussen said he had trained Ferguson throughout his time with the agency. In recent years, as part of the agency’s succession plan, Rasmussen’s goal was for Ferguson to be able to take over as police chief when he retired.

However, the two men are close in age and likely to retire at the same time, and Rasmussen was not planning to retire in the near future. Then the opportunity in Cloverdale came up for Ferguson.

Ferguson said he began testing for the job in April, with the interviews in May. The mayor and a council member were part of the hiring panel and offered input on the process, with City Manager/City Clerk David Kelley making the hiring decision. Kelley also negotiated the employment contract with Ferguson.

Cloverdale city officials said Kelley was out on vacation this week so he couldn’t be reached for comment.

Lake County News reached out to interim Chief Stewart, who declined to comment on Ferguson’s hire.

The initial offer was made to Ferguson in May. But before the job offer could become official, several other steps needed to be included, including the involved background, psychological and medical evaluations that peace officers go through during the hiring process.

Since then, Ferguson said he has met with most of the Cloverdale Police staff, including the executive management team.

Ferguson said he had wanted to take the opportunity to lead his own law enforcement organization, and the one that he will take over next month will be similar in some ways to the one he’s leaving.

The Cloverdale Police Department has 13 sworn officer positions, the same as Lakeport Police, he said.

The main difference is that Cloverdale is larger than Lakeport, with an estimated population of 9,100 residents, according to the city of Cloverdale. Lakeport’s most recent US Census population estimate was 4,766.

He’ll also get a large boost in pay. In June, the Lakeport City Council voted to establish a police lieutenant and captain job range at $6,965 to $8,466 per month for a lieutenant and $7,679 to $9,334 for a captain; the Cloverdale Police chief’s job range as advertised is $125,142 to $151,767.

Ferguson has visited Cloverdale in recent months to get a feel for the community and take part in events.

He’s due to be introduced at the community’s National Night Out event on Aug. 6, the day after he starts work.

Seeking a successor

As for the process to find Ferguson’s successor, on Thursday the city posted a recruitment flier online for a lieutenant or captain. Rasmussen said the position is available both to current police staff and outside applicants.

In the short term, while that recruitment moves forward, at Tuesday’s Lakeport City Council meeting Rasmussen will ask for approval of a resolution appointing Gerardo Gonzalez as interim police lieutenant.

Gonzalez retired in 2016 from the Willits Police chief job. He has more than 30 years of experience, Rasmussen said.

He joined the city in 2018 as a part-time level one reserve officer. “He wanted to stay active in law enforcement so I brought him on as a reserve,” according to Rasmussen.

With Rasmussen estimating that it will take six months to fill Ferguson’s job, he’s asking to have Gonzalez fill the job for that amount of time. Gonzalez is a CalPERS retiree and can work up to 960 hours per year.

Rasmussen said Gonzalez will work about 25 hours a week, and will cover administrative duties while the recruitment process takes place.

Outside of Ferguson’s departure, Rasmussen said that he’s fully staffed, with one new officer hired on Monday, another coming on next week and a third now in his eighth week of training.

He said he and Ferguson will continue to work together in various capacities – both Cloverdale and Lakeport are part of the 13-city Redwood Empire Municipal Insurance Fund – and Rasmussen said he expects he’ll be calling Ferguson frequently to ask questions about various administrative issues he was handling.

Rasmussen said it’s a credit to the Lakeport Police Department and the city that Ferguson was ready and could take the opportunity to become Cloverdale’s chief.

He said the new job is giving Ferguson the opportunity to lead and make positive changes in another community.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A Lake County man arrested and indicted in 2013 for a marijuana trafficking case that also had involved him holding captive and having sex with a teenage girl – who he had kept in a metal box – was sentenced on Wednesday to 31 years in federal prison.

Ryan Alan Balletto was sentenced to 372 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to manufacture, possess with intent to distribute, and distribute marijuana; his possession of firearms in furtherance of narcotics trafficking; and his employment of a minor to violate drug laws, according to United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge San Francisco and Northern California Ryan Spradlin.

The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, senior United States District judge, in a hearing held in San Francisco.

Balletto, 36, of Lakeport, pleaded guilty to the charges on Dec. 7, 2018, officials said.

According to his plea agreement, Balletto admitted he worked with others to grow more than 1,300 plants of marijuana in 2013 in Lake County with the intention of selling the marijuana for profit.

In connection with the marijuana-growing operation, Balletto coerced a minor girl – then 15 years old – into working in the marijuana grow.

Balletto initially met the 15-year-old victim in Los Angeles, and offered to let her live with his family in Northern California. Instead, he drove her to his rural marijuana grow site in Lake County and coerced her into helping with marijuana cultivation.

In connection with this coercion, Balletto admitted to physically abusing the minor victim, including forcibly confining her in a small, metal tool chest for an extended period of time, restraining her and electrically shocking her, according to authorities.

Officials said Balletto also admitted to sexually abusing the minor victim by having nonconsensual sex with her while requiring her to work on the marijuana grow.

Balletto admitted to possessing numerous firearms, including two .223 caliber assault rifles, in furtherance of the marijuana-growing operation.

Balletto further admitted that, upon learning that the police were looking for the minor victim, a co-conspirator instructed her to call 911 and tell them that she was with friends and was “all right.”

A federal grand jury handed down an indictment on Aug. 1, 2013, charging Balletto with one count of each of conspiracy to manufacture, possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of marijuana; manufacturing marijuana; possession of firearms in furtherance of narcotics trafficking; and employment of a minor to violate drug laws.

Balletto pleaded guilty to all counts except the substantive distribution charge. Balletto has been in custody since his arrest in May 2013 and will begin serving his prison term immediately.

Also charged in the August 2013 indictment was Balletto’s co-defendant, Patrick Stephen Pearmain.

On Oct. 23, 2018, Pearmain pleaded guilty to employment of a minor to violate drug laws and conspiracy to manufacture, possess with intent to distribute, and distribute marijuana.

On April 19, 2019, Judge Breyer sentenced Pearmain, 30, to serve 150 months in prison for his role in the scheme, as Lake County News has reported.

The minor victim was rescued, and both men were arrested, as a result of the joint efforts of the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Defense – Criminal Investigation Service, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Los Angeles Police Department and the West Sacramento Police Department.

“This case is an unfortunate example of how despicable criminals, like Balleto, will stop at nothing to cultivate an illegal harvest in the interest of gaining illicit profits while taking advantage of an innocent child to satisfy his perverse desires,” said Spradlin. “Homeland Security Investigations is the largest criminal investigative component of the Department of Homeland Security, and we are committed to rescuing victims of exploitation, while simultaneously conducting investigations to arrest the perpetrators, shutdown their illegal operations, and seek justice for their victims.”

The men were prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California with significant assistance from the Lake County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew L. McCarthy and Kevin J. Barry are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States Attorney’s Office.
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From left, Leighann Marie Painchaud, 33, and David Edward Row, 36, of Lower Lake, Calif., were arrested on Friday, July 12, 2019, on drug charges. Lake County Jail photos.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – A Lower Lake couple was arrested early Friday on numerous drug charges following a traffic stop and probation search.

Leighann Marie Painchaud, 33, and David Edward Row, 36, were taken into custody at 3:30 a.m., according to booking records.

Lt. Corey Paulich said that at 2:50 a.m. a Lake County Sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Nissan truck in the 15000 block of Kugelman Street in Lower Lake, contacting the occupants of the truck, Painchaud and Row.

The deputy recognized Painchaud and knew she was on searchable probation, Paulich said. Painchaud told the deputy she lived at a residence nearby.

Marijuana located by deputies during a probation search in Lower Lake, Calif., on Friday, July 12, 2019. Photo courtesy of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies conducted a probation search of Painchaud’s residence and bedroom she shared with Row, Paulich said.

Inside the room they located approximately 50 grams of methamphetamine, a bag of psilocybin mushrooms, ecstasy pills, one tab of acid, and several glass pipes commonly used to ingest controlled substances, according to Paulich’s report.

Paulich said that on the back porch of the residence, deputies located a butane honey oil lab and approximately 40 pounds of marijuana. They located 44 growing marijuana plants in the backyard.

Methamphetamine found by deputies during a probation search in Lower Lake, Calif., on Friday, July 12, 2019. Photo courtesy of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies located evidence that the lab was being used at the residence to extract honey oil from the marijuana, Paulich said.

Painchaud and Row were arrested and transported to the Lake County Jail, where they remain in custody on charges of manufacturing a controlled substance, possession of controlled substance for sale, cultivation of marijuana, and possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, according to jail records.

Their booking sheets show that Painchaud’s bail is $25,000 and Row’s is $100,000. Both are scheduled for Sept. 10 arraignments.

A butane honey oil lab deputies found during a probation search in Lower Lake, Calif., on Friday, July 12, 2019. Photo courtesy of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday signed a bill authored by Lake County’s members of the state Legislature that will allow the county government to combine the elected positions of auditor-controller and treasurer-tax collector into a single elected office.

Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) wrote AB 632, which was co-authored by Sen. Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg), and introduced in February.

Aguiar-Curry’s office reported that the bill received overwhelming bipartisan support when it passed in June.

Combining the two positions can lead to greater efficiency and collaboration, while cutting down on county costs, according to Aguiar-Curry’s office.

Five other counties currently have this authority: Mendocino, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Trinity and Tulare. Aguiar-Curry’s office said the counties of Santa Cruz, Sonoma and Tulare have already combined the two offices.

“I do everything I can to support the recovery and resilience of Lake County. The signing of AB 632 gives Lake County another tool to cut down on costs, while continuing to provide important local services to residents,” said Aguiar-Curry. “The combined auditor-controller-treasurer-tax collector position would still be elected by the voters, ensuring that the people of Lake County continue to have a voice in their county’s government.”

The governor’s signature followed by two days the Lake County Board of Supervisors’ approval of a letter to him to ask for him to support the bill.

“Lake County has been devastated by recent wildfires that have burned over 60% of the county’s land mass. As a result, Lake County is facing various financial challenges. We anticipate a $9 million annual budget shortfall by 2022-23, unless we are able to identify new sources of revenue and find ways to reduce costs,” the letter, signed by Board Chair Tina Scott, said.

“As part of our Fiscal Crisis Management Plan, we are considering combining these two fiscal offices, to cut down on county costs while still serving our constituents. The flexibility that AB 632 provides will enable Lake County to appropriately respond to both significant staffing and financial concerns. Because this legislation gives Lake County another tool to help during this fiscal crisis, we respectfully urge you to sign AB 632,” the letter said.

Aguiar-Curry told Lake County News that the county had guaranteed her that the intention was not to take out any positions until someone left.

She did not have information about the potential amount of money that the county could save, but said other counties that have done the same consolidation have had savings.

Cathy Saderlund is Lake County’s auditor-controller-county clerk, while Barbara Ringen is the tax collector-treasurer.

Both were initially appointed by the board on the retirement of their predecessors, Saderlund in October 2011 and Ringen in 2013. They ran unopposed and were reelected in June 2018.

Board seeks legislation

Aguiar-Curry wrote the bill in response to a request from the Board of Supervisors, with the board following up with a March 5 letter of support.

In September, the Board of Supervisors reached consensus to seek the legislation to consolidate the two offices, with then-Board Chair Jim Steele stating that it was an opportunity to streamline fiscal departments and address the county’s financial situation, as Lake County News has reported.

At the September meeting, the board cited Ringen’s challenges with staffing that were making it difficult for her to complete work on time, including closing the books for county budget preparation.

Both Ringen and Saderlund at that time said they would work with the county on researching and studying any resulting transition.

At the same meeting, the board supported making the minimum qualifications for the offices a bachelor’s degree in a related field, with experience not to be allowed as a substitute for education, which would apply to future office holders and will need to be separately established by county ordinance.

So far, county officials have been unable to provide an estimate for potential cost savings.

County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson told Lake County News at the time the board submitted its spring support letter to Aguiar-Curry’s office that they had no calculated costs at that point as there was no imminent plan for consolidation.

“While recent election outcomes have solidified both financial offices for the next four years, having this option will enable our Board to consider the course that best serves our constituents in the future. Whether or not Lake County moves forward will be a decision of the Board, based on an analysis of all relevant factors at the time,” Huchingson said.

As of the board’s spring support letter, there hadn’t been any discussion involving Saderlund about the mechanics of consolidation, nor had she spoken to Aguiar-Curry’s office.

Ringen did not respond to calls and emails from Lake County News asking about the bill and the consolidation proposal.

Saderlund said she was willing to write a white paper on consolidation, explaining that there would be timelines and processes that would need to take place.

“Both offices are so busy anyway,” she said.

She said she hoped the board and the County Administrative Office would reach out to the two impacted departments to work collaboratively and do a cost analysis should the county move forward after legislation was approved.

She said it’s not a new concept, and that it has worked in other counties, adding that Napa County had been exploring it at one point as well.

Last month, Saderlund told Lake County News that the California State Association of County Auditors, of which she is an executive officer, had taken a “watch” position on AB 632 after its Legislative Committee reviewed the bill.

AB 632 will take effect on Jan. 1, 2020.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has received multiple reports from citizens who have received phone calls from persons identifying themselves as department members stating citizens have outstanding arrest warrants.

Lt. Rich Ward said the scammers are not only requesting personal identifying information, but also providing money wiring instructions and/or payment in the form of prepared visa cards or similar.

Ward said this is a scam, and that the Lake County Sheriff’s Office is not involved in this activity.

He said the sheriff’s office urges anyone who receives such a call to not respond to the caller.

Do not provide the caller with any personally identifying information, including your name, date of birth, address, Social Security card, bank information or credit card information.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is investigating these reports of fraud. If you have any information concerning this scam, you may email your information to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

If you have questions regarding criminal cases or warrants, you may call the Court Clerk’s Office at 707-263-2374.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Sacramento man was seriously injured in a head-on wreck earlier this week on Highway 20.

Michael Ford Jr., 26, suffered major injuries in the Tuesday crash, which occurred at 4:50 p.m. on Highway 20 near Scotts Valley Road, according to the California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office.

The CHP said Ford was driving his 2013 Toyota Corolla westbound on Highway 20 approaching Scotts Valley Road as 38-year-old Alejandro Becerra-Camarillo of Lucerne was driving his 2007 GMC Sierra, while towing a utility trailer, eastbound on Highway 20 just past Scotts Valley Road.

Ford allowed his vehicle to cross over the solid double yellow lines, directly in front of Becerra-Camarillo's vehicle, the CHP said.

As a result, the CHP said the vehicles were involved in a head-on traffic collision, coming to rest blocking Highway 20. After the crash, both parties remained at the scene until emergency responders arrived.

The CHP said Ford was airlifted to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital due to his injuries sustained. Becerra-Camarillo was not injured.

The circumstances of this collision are still under investigation. However, the CHP said that neither alcohol nor drugs were suspected to be factors in the wreck.

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 California Highway Patrol has issued its report on the July 4 holiday, including the number of fatal crashes and arrests for driving under the influence.

The CHP conducted its July 4 holiday maximum enforcement period from Wednesday, July 3, at 6 p.m. until Sunday, July 7, at 11:59 p.m.

During that period, the CHP investigated 20 fatal collisions statewide compared to 11 in 2018.

There were 21 total people killed in those 20 collisions, compared to 11 killed in 2018, the CHP said.

Statewide, the CHP arrested 1,204 people for DUI, compared to 389 in 2018.

There were no reports of fatal crashes in Lake County during the maximum enforcement period last week.

Officer Joel Skeen of the Clear Lake Area CHP office said the agency investigated 14 total crashes for the maximum enforcement period.

The local CHP also had five DUI arrests, Skeen said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews
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A permanent informational sign installed at Lakeside County Park near Kelseyville, Calif. Courtesy image.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Health and water resource officials across Lake County and the state are reminding the public to be mindful of cyanobacteria – also known as blue-green algae – during this summer season.

Cyanobacteria are microscopic organisms that naturally occur in all freshwater and marine aquatic ecosystems. Usually, cyanotoxin concentrations are low, and not harmful to animals and humans.

Sometimes, when conditions are favorable (high nutrients and warm weather), these organisms can grow rapidly, forming visible colonies or “blooms.”

Cyanobacteria, and even some algae, produce toxins that reach hazardous levels when blooms occur. These are called cyanotoxins and are classified as harmful algal blooms, or HABs.

Blue-green algae is not to be confused with green algae, which is beneficial, non-toxic, and always present in Clear Lake.

Water testing is the best way to identify the type of algae that is in the lake at a specific time. During the warm seasons and since 2014, water quality and cyanotoxin testing is conducted about every two weeks at over 20 locations throughout Clear Lake, provided by the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians and the Elem Indian Colony.

To find out if a bloom is occurring and toxins are present, visit the Clear Lake Cyanotoxin Monitoring website, which will have the most current cyanotoxin lab results for the monitoring locations on the shoreline and interior of Clear Lake.

“We are pleased to provide this service to the community; the lake is of utmost importance to our tribe,” said Big Valley Band of Indians Tribal Chairman Anthony Jack. “Having current information on toxin levels at recreational and traditional use areas increases our knowledge about the lake and its needs.”

Newly placed since last summer, you will see permanent informational signs throughout the county and cities, at all public parks and public access points that coincide with the water testing locations.

No testing locations have reached caution levels yet this season, and all results showed non-detectable cyanotoxin levels at the last sampling on June 25.

You will see additional signs if cyanotoxins reach caution, warning or danger levels. The signs will be brightly colored and will be affixed below the permanent informational signs in order to provide the public specific guidance on which activities are safe to continue.

The permanent signs are the culmination of a collaborative communication effort between multiple partners: The county of Lake, Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Elem Indian Colony, the city of Lakeport and the city of Clearlake. The signs include a QR code, which can be scanned by a smartphone and will take you the Big Valley Rancheria Clear Lake Cyanotoxin Monitoring website. If you would like to post a sign at your beach or ramp, please contact Water Resources at 707-263-2344.

If you see, or think you see, a cyanobacteria bloom, please contact Water Resources at 707-263-2344, Environmental Health at 707-263-1164 or Public Health at 707-263-1090.

An example map image from Big Valley Clear Lake Cyanotoxin webpage that shows the most recent testing results and associated sample locations. During summer months, the tribes sample every two weeks and certified lab results will be shown with this map on their webpage. Courtesy image.


The Statewide Guidance on Cyanobacteria and Harmful Algal Blooms recommends the following for waters impacted by harmful cyanobacteria:

· Keep pets and other animals out of the HAB-affected water. Do not allow them to drink the water or eat algal material (scum) on shore. If they do get in the water, do not let them drink the water, swim through algal material, scums or mats, or lick their fur after going in. Rinse pets in clean water to remove algal material and potential toxins from fur.

· Do not drink, cook or wash dishes with untreated surface water from HAB-affected areas under any circumstances; common water purification techniques such as camping filters, tablets and boiling do not remove toxins.

· People should not eat mussels or other bivalves collected from HAB-affected areas. Limit or avoid eating fish from these areas; if fish are consumed, remove the guts and liver, and rinse filets in clean drinking water.

· Get medical treatment immediately if you think that you, your pet, or livestock has gotten sick after going in the water. Be sure to alert the medical professional to the possible contact with blue-green algae. Also, make sure to contact Lake County Public Health (707-263-1090) to inform Public Health of potential illness so they can take action as needed.

Remember to always practice healthy water habits:

· Heed all instructions on posted advisory signs

· Avoid body contact with water that looks discolored, like spilled paint, or has a green/blue surface scum, mats, or film, or is emitting a foul odor, or if Caution, Warning, or Danger signs are posted.

· Keep an eye on children and dogs, ensuring that they do not approach areas with water has the above appearance or foul odor, or if Caution, Warning, or Danger signs are posted.

· Do not drink untreated lake or river water. Common water purification techniques such as camping filters, tablets and boiling do not remove cyanotoxins.

· Do not cook or wash dishes with lake or river water.

· Wash yourself, your family, and your pets with clean water after lake or river play.

· Consume fish only after the guts and liver have been removed and rinse fillets.

For current cyanotoxin lab results, please visit the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians’ cyanotoxin monitoring website at https://www.bvrancheria.com/clearlakecyanotoxins .

For more information, please visit the following Web sites:

County of Lake Cyanobacteria brochure:
http://www.lakecountyca.gov/Assets/Departments/WaterResources/Algae/cyanobacteriabrochure2018.pdf 

County of Lake Cyanobacteria brochure (in Spanish):
http://www.lakecountyca.gov/Assets/Departments/WaterResources/Cyanobacteria+Brochure+Spanish.pdf 

California Harmful Algal Blooms Portal:
https://mywaterquality.ca.gov/habs/ 

Physician Reference Sheet:
https://www.cdc.gov/habs/pdf/habsphysician_card.pdf 

Domestic Animals and HABs:
https://mywaterquality.ca.gov/habs/resources/domestic_animals.html 

County of Lake Cyanobacteria Webpage:
http://www.lakecountyca.gov/Government/Directory/WaterResources/Cyanobacteria.htm 

BloomWatch!
http://cyanos.org/bloomwatch/ 

California Cyanobacteria and Harmful Algal Bloom Network:
https://mywaterquality.ca.gov/monitoring_council/cyanohab_network/index.html 

California Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program Freshwater HAB webpage:
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/freshwater_cyanobacteria.shtml 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
https://www.cdc.gov/habs/index.html 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: CyanoHAB website
https://www.epa.gov/nutrient-policy-data/cyanohabs
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Scientists have unlocked clues about the earliest forms of life on Earth by studying fossils found across our planet.

Similarly, we’re now learning more about the earliest formation of our solar system from a different kind of fossil – a Kuiper Belt Object, or KBO, known as 2014 MU69.

Travel back in time to the solar system’s very beginning. There, two objects were formed that eventually came together in a body resembling a flattened bowling pin.

When looking at the object from the vicinity of the Earth, which is 4 billion miles (6.4 billion km) away, MU69 looked like a point of light, even when using the powerful Hubble Space Telescope.

But thanks to the New Horizons spacecraft, this is what it looked like on New Year’s Day, 2019, from approximately 4,100 miles (6,600 km) away, about 7 minutes before the spacecraft’s closest approach.

New Horizons is a grand piano-sized spacecraft that was launched back in 2006, with the undertaking of exploring the Kuiper Belt – that donut-shaped disc of space that begins just beyond the orbit of Neptune.

Dwarf planet Pluto and its largest moon Charon reside in the Kuiper Belt, as do over 100,000 KBOs.

MU69 was discovered by the New Horizons team, and was found to be located in the neighborhood of New Horizons’ trajectory when the spacecraft reached the Kuiper Belt in 2015. Its location led to its selection as a flyby target.

New Horizons Project Scientist Hal Weaver, of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, notes three wondrous impressions about this 22 mile (35 km) long primeval object.

“First, this is the most primitive object ever encountered by a spacecraft. By that I mean the least changed since the time of the solar system’s formation,” Weaver said.

“Second, the shape of MU69’s body is giving us new insights into how planets formed. Scientific hypotheses change as New Horizons delivers new data. Until we saw it up close, we didn’t know for sure if MU69 was a single object or two distinct pieces. Now we know it’s actually composed of two distinct pieces – a large, flat lobe and a smaller, rounder lobe, that have merged into one entity. This fusion gives us clues regarding the initial steps that were taken to form a planet,” Weaver continued.

“Third, the flyby showed MU69’s red color – redder even than Pluto – and we believe that this may come from organic material – the same material that may have contributed to the origin of life on Earth,” Weaver said.

Fossils of once-living things on Earth convey vital clues about the past. In space, KBOs can also convey fossil-like clues – about 4.5 billion years’ worth of solar system history.

Scientists are poring over the information they’ve received so far, and the data transmissions from the MU69 flyby will continue through the late summer of 2020.

In the meantime, New Horizons is traveling farther into the Kuiper Belt at about 31,500 miles (51,000 km) per hour.

The spacecraft is now observing additional KBOs and exploring the region’s concentration of charged particle radiation and dust within the Kuiper Belt.

To discover more about our solar system’s earliest times, visit http://science.nasa.gov .
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Animal Control continues to offer several familiar canines that are waiting for new homes.

The kennels also have many dogs that need to be reunited with their owners. To find the lost/found pet section, click here.

The following dogs are ready for adoption.

“Cadbury.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.


‘Cadbury’

“Cadbury” is a female Staffordshire Bull Terrier mix with a smooth medium-length beige coat.

She is No. 1215.

“Hamilton.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Hamilton’

“Hamilton” is a male German Shepherd with a medium-length brown and black coat.

He is No. 2177.

“Lexi.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Lexi’

“Lexi” is a female German Shepherd with a medium-length black and tan coat.

She is No. 2262.

“Snowflake.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Snowflake’

“Snowflake” is a male Chihuahua with a white coat.

He is No. 1864.

“Tyson.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Tyson’

“Tyson” is a male American Staffordshire terrier mix with a medium-length gray and white coat.

He is No. 1863.

“Wynn.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Wynn’

“Wynn” is a male American Staffordshire Terrier with a short brindle coat.

Staff said he is a lovely fellow who has been at the shelter for several months.. He loves affection and is available for adoption or through the foster to adopt program.

He’s believed to be about 6 to 7 years old.

He is No. 969.

Clearlake Animal Control’s shelter is located at 6820 Old Highway 53, off Airport Road.

Hours of operation area noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The shelter is closed Sundays, Mondays and major holidays; the shelter offers appointments on the days it’s closed to accommodate people.

Call the Clearlake Animal Control shelter at 707-273-9440, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to inquire about adoptions.

Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or at the city’s Web site.

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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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol will offer a free “Start Smart” traffic safety class for soon to-be-licensed, newly licensed, and teenage drivers and their parents or guardians on Thursday, July 25.

The class will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Clear Lake Area CHP office, located at 5700 Live Oak Drive in Kelseyville.

The CHP said a teenager is killed in a traffic collision every four hours nationwide. That equates to more than 1,870 teenagers killed each year. Another 184,000 teenagers are injured in traffic collisions.

These deaths and injuries can be substantially reduced or prevented by eliminating high-risk driving behaviors through education, and the CHP said its “Start Smart” program can help prevent these tragedies.

The Start Smart program focuses on providing comprehensive traffic safety education classes for teenagers and their parents.

Start Smart employs innovative techniques to capture the attention of teenagers and parents, providing a lasting experience.

The curriculum includes information on collision statistics, teen driver and passenger behaviors, graduated driver’s license laws, cultural changes in today’s society and the need for stronger parental involvement in a teenager’s driving experience.

Space is limited for this class. For more information or reservations, call Officer Joel Skeen at the CHP office, 707-279-0103, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

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