LAKEPORT, Calif. – Adventurer and motorcyclist Steph Jeavons will have a stopover in Lakeport this week.

Hillside Powersports will host Jeavons at its new location, 2575 S. Main St. in Lakeport, at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 29.

AAA Auto Club of Lakeport and Hillside Powersports are sponsoring the visit by Jeavons, a resident of northern Wales who is riding solo around the world on a Honda CRF250L.

Since leaving London on March 23, 2014, she has ridden her bike “Rhonda the Honda” through 40 countries and is aiming to become the first Briton to ride to all seven continents.

“It's a good, fun bike,” she said of Rhonda, which has reportedly traveled further than any 250cc motorcycle before.

She got hooked on riding motorcycles when a child, starting off as a passenger and getting her license when she was 22. She comes from a family of riders, including her grandmother, who rode during the war.

Since she began riding, she's done a lot of adventure rides, leading up to her worldwide trip.

Jeavons said she is trying to avoid highways and main roads on the way.

Frank Dollosso of AAA Auto Club in Lakeport rode to San Francisco Friday to meet up with Jeavons and ride with her back to Lakeport.

The route they followed included Highway 1, cutting across to Lake County on the dirt roads Dollosso knows.

As of Sunday, Jeavons had traveled approximately 44,687 miles, according to her Web site.

She's now on the return leg home, stopping over in Lake County as she heads north to Canada.

The community is invited to come out and hear Jeavons share her stories of world travel.

For more information about the Monday appearance, call 707-349-1490.

For more information about Jeavons' worldwide trek or to donate a tank of gas visit http://www.stephmoto-adventurebikeblog.com/ , and follow her hashtag #OneStephBeyond on social media.

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 once again has a shelter filled with dogs looking for forever homes.

Adoptable dogs this week include mixes of cattle dog, Chihuahua, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever, mastiff, Papillon, pug, Shar Pei, terrier and pit bull.

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”).

'Mom'

“Mom” is a female cattle dog mix with a short black and white coat.

She's in kennel No. 4, ID No. 4428.

Female German Shepherd

This pretty female German Shepherd has a short black and tan coat.

She's in kennel No. 5, ID No. 4452.

Chihuahua-terrier mix

This male Chihuahua-terrier mix has a short brown and white coat.

Shelter staff said he already is neutered so he will be available for adoption at a lower fee.

He's in kennel No. 7, ID No. 4272.

Pit bull terrier mix

This male pit bull terrier mix has a dark coat with white markings.

Shelter staff describes him as a sweet boy.

He's in kennel No. 8, ID No. 4491.

'Monkey'

“Monkey” is a male pit bull terrier with a gray and white coat.

Shelter staff describes him as an adorable and wiggly love bug.

He's in kennel No. 9, ID No. 4498.

Female terrier mix

This female terrier mix has a short tan coat.

She's in kennel No. 14a, ID No. 4415.

Female terrier mix

This female terrier mix has a short tan coat.

She's in kennel No. 14b, ID No. 4416.

Labrador Retriever-pit bull mix

This female Labrador Retriever-pit bull mix has a black coat with white markings.

She has a sweet personality, according to shelter staff.

She's in kennel No. 15, ID No. 4486.

Female Chihuahua mix

This female Chihuahua mix has a long light brown coat.

She's in kennel No. 16, ID No. 4482.

Male Chihuahua mix

This male Chihuahua mix has a short tan coat.

He's in kennel No. 17, ID No. 4466.

Pit bull terrier-Shar Pei mix

This male pit bull terrier-Shar Pei mix puppy has a short brown and white coat.

He's in kennel No. 18, ID No. 4459.

Pit bull terrier puppy

This male pit bull terrier puppy has a black coat with white markings.

He is in kennel No. 19, ID No. 4472.

Male pit bull terrier mix

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

He's in kennel No. 21, ID No. 4432.

'Buddy'

“Buddy” is a handsome male shepherd-pit bull terrier mix with a short tricolor coat.

Shelter staff said he would do great in a home without livestock.

He's in kennel No. 22, ID No. 4487.

Male Doberman Pinscher

This male Doberman Pinscher has a short brown coat with tan markings.

He's in kennel No. 23, ID No. 4461.

Papillon-terrier mix

This adorable male Papillon-terrier mix has a long white and red coat.

He's in kennel No. 26, ID No. 4494.

'Cheech'

“Cheech” is a female pit bull terrier mix with a brown and white coat.

She's in kennel No. 27, ID No. 4462.

Labrador Retriever puppy

This male Labrador Retriever mix puppy has a short black coat with white markings.

He's in kennel No. 28, ID No. 4423.

Female pit bull mix

This female pit bull mix has a short brown brindle coat with white markings.

Shelter staff said she loves cuddles and attention, and does very cute play bows.

She's in kennel No. 29, ID No. 4337.

Chihuahua mix

This male Chihuahua mix has a short tricolor coat.

He same in as a stray and is now looking for his new family.

He's in kennel No. 30, ID No. 4475.

Chihuahua mix

This male Chihuahua mix has a short brown coat.

He's in kennel No. 31, ID No. 4488.

'Shelby'

“Shelby” is a female shepherd-pit bull mix puppy.

She's got a short brown coat with white and black markings.

She's in kennel No. 33, ID No. 4395.

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.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – In the wake of numerous reports by south county residents of thefts on properties in the Valley fire area, a meeting in March will discuss setting up a network of new Neighborhood Watch groups.

The meeting will take place beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, at the Calpine Geothermal Visitor Center, 15500 Central Park Road, Middletown.

The new Neighborhood Watch groups are proposed to be formed in the areas of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Hidden Valley Lake, Jerusalem Valley, Loch Lomond, Middletown and Spruce Grove Road.

At the Middletown Area Town Hall meeting earlier this month south county residents discussed the issues of thefts, burglaries, vandalism and trespassing on their properties.

Sheriff Brian Martin at that time reported that his staffing levels are down significantly, and as he works to address that he urged community members to pursue a Neighborhood Watch group. He said such groups have been particularly effective on the Northshore.

Representatives of the sheriff's office and the California Highway Patrol are scheduled to be at the March 8 meeting to discuss the do’s and don’ts of patrolling.

Other topics for the March 8 meeting will include how to organize a Neighborhood Watch, setting up patrols in certain areas, effective sign placement and simple things you can do on your property to discourage theft.

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. – California’s wine industry has banded together in support of #LakeCountyRising for a charity wine auction to be held on March 20.

The event will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena.

Proceeds will support the long-term rebuilding efforts after the devastating Valley fire in southern Lake County.

The event is presented by #LakeCountyRising, a collaborative fundraising effort of the Lake County Winegrape Commission, Lake County Winery Association and Lake County Wine Alliance.

In support of this important event, Fritz Hatton, the incomparable and foremost wine auctioneer in the U.S., will energize guests as they bid on memorable live auction and silent auction lots that are being assembled by Napa Valley Vintners, Lake County Winery Association and other wine region associations around the state.

Extraordinary live and silent auction lots are being announced.

A personal barrel lot by Beckstoffer Vineyards will provide a half ton of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from the 2016 harvest of the Georges III Heritage Vineyard in Rutherford and includes the expertise of the winemaking team at Sinegal Estate who will custom crush, craft, barrel, age, bottle and label the finished wine specifically for the successful bidder.

For the avant-garde bidder, a 2016 Polaris Ranger EV is being offered as the “green” live auction lot and comes fully loaded with 100 bottles of the finest Napa Valley wines. This environmentally-friendly electric off-road utility vehicle is known for its smooth ride and quiet operation.

The wines are from Napa Green Certified vintners: Benessere, Charles Krug, Cliff Lede Vineyards, Clos Du Val, Davies Vineyards, Franciscan Estate, Frank Family Vineyards, Frog’s Leap, Gamble Family Vineyards, HALL, Heitz Wine Cellars, Jones Family Vineyards, Joseph Phelps Vineyards, Keenan Winery, Laura Michael Wines, Merryvale Vineyards, PEJU, Raymond Vineyards, Robert Mondavi Winery, Saintsbury, Salvestrin, Signorello Estate, St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery, Starmont Winery & Vineyards, Swanson Vineyards, The Hess Collection Winery, Trefethen Family Vineyards, Truchard Vineyards, Vineyard 29 and ZD Wines.

An ultimate San Francisco Giants game experience at AT&T Park has been created for another lucky live auction winner.  With luxury transportation to the ball park, 12 guests will luxuriate in a private VIP Suite filled with gourmet food and Napa Valley wines, and will take home a signed baseball from Barry Bonds to remember the day.

Winners of a Michelin 3-Star live auction lot will indulge in a dining experience for three couples at The Restaurant at Meadowood, Napa Valley. They will enjoy six sumptuous full tasting menus with wine pairings (inclusive of tax and service). Winners will also take home three bottles each of sought-after Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons from the renowned wineries: 2011 Harlan Estate Red Wine, 2005 Heitz Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2012 Scarecrow Wine Mt. Etain Red Blend.

Another live auction lot includes four magnums of wine from several of Beckstoffer Vineyards’ Heritage Vineyards and the opportunity for two couples to join Andy and Betty Beckstoffer at PRESS Napa Valley in St. Helena for a curated dinner complemented by several To Kalon wines. Each couple also will receive a signed copy of sommelier Kelli White’s new book, Napa Valley Then & Now.

A silent auction item from the “Heart of the Valley,” includes dinner for four at Mustard’s Grill in Yountville and a mixed case of Napa Valley wine including: two bottles Far Niente 2013 Chardonnay; two bottles Joseph Carr Wine 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon; two bottles Tom Scott Vineyards 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon; two bottles Grgich Hills Estate 2012 Chardonnay; two bottles The Prisoner 2014 Red Blend; one bottle Faust 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon; and one bottle Silver Trident 2012 Red Blend.

The “Hillside Heaven” silent auction item features lunch for four at The Bistro & Bar at Aubérge du Soleil in Rutherford, and a mixed case of Napa Valley hillside wines including six bottles of 2013 Mount Veeder Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, and six bottles 2013 Viader Vineyards & Winery Tempranillo.

“Northern Exposure” is a silent auction item of dinner for four at Sam’s Social Club in Calistoga and a mixed case of wine from the northern end Napa Valley, including: one bottle Arietta 2013 White Blend; one bottle Behrens Family Winery 2012 Homeland Cabernet Sauvignon; one bottle Behrens Family Winery 2011 The Collector Red Wine; one bottle Bridesmaid 2012 White Blend; one bottle Bridesmaid 2012 Red Blend; one bottle Clark-Claudon Vineyards 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon; one bottle Markham Vineyards 2013 Merlot; one bottle Saint Helena Winery 2008 Red Blend; two bottles Ballentine Vineyards 2012 Old Vine Zinfandel; and two bottles Castello di Amorosa 2012 Sangiovese.

From the Napa Valley’s southern end comes a silent auction item named “Distinctly Southern” and includes dinner for four at Cole’s Chop House in downtown Napa and a mixed case of Napa Valley wine, including: five bottles Arrow & Branch 2013 Sauvignon Blanc; five bottles Jamieson Ranch Vineyards 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon; and two bottles Rocca Family Vineyards 2011 Red Blend.

For the silent auction bidder who has an alternative mind-set, “Riveted by Reds,” includes a copy of the fine art photography book Perspectives Napa Valley, and a mixed case of Napa Valley alternative red varietals, including: two bottles Mira Winery 2011 Syrah; two bottles Castello di Amorosa 2012 Sangiovese; two bottles Viader Vineyards & Winery 2013 Tempranillo; two bottles Kenefick Ranch 2011 Cabernet Franc; one bottle Cornerstone Cellars 2012 Cabernet Franc; one bottle Madrigal Family Winery 2012 Petite Sirah; one bottle Humanitas Wines 2012 Cabernet Franc; and one bottle Joseph Carr Wine 2012 Merlot.

A  “Napa Valley Cabernet Fest” is a silent auction lot which includes a mixed case (one bottle each) of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: Chateau de Vie 2009 Calistoga; Cimarossa 2011 Howell Mountain; Corison Winery 2013 St. Helena; FARM Napa Valley 2013 Napa; Faust 2012 Rutherford; Reverie Vineyard & Winery 2010 Calistoga; Lamborn Family Vineyards 2011 Howell Mountain; O’Brien Estate 2012 Napa; Joseph Carr Wine 2012 Rutherford; Silver Stag Winery 2012 Napa; Tom Scott Vineyard 2012 Yountville; Rudd Oakville Estate 2011 Oakville; and a copy of the fine art photography book Perspectives Napa Valley.

Seating for the event is limited and advance registration is required. Tickets are $150 and may be purchased online at www.lakecountyrising.org/charity-auction .

Those who would like to bid but aren’t able to attend can check the www.lakecountyrising.org/charity-auction Web site after March 1 for lot descriptions and advance bidding details.

Those who aren’t able to attend but want to help can click the “Get Tickets” button, and then choose “Donation” instead of the “Live Auction” ticket to make a donation in any amount. Donations are tax-deductible.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Library has added new materials to its collection to help Lake County residents with recovery efforts and future disaster planning.

Following the Valley fire, survivors turned to the Lake County Library for help with disaster recovery.

Some used the library’s public computers to fill out forms, to search for lost pets or to contact loved ones.

Others used library resources to find house plans for rebuilding their homes. Still others sought islands of quiet in their local libraries.

Lake County Library employees found themselves helping survivors with all sorts of recovery questions.

Middletown Library’s roof suffered only minor damage and the library remained available to the many library patrons who lost their homes to the blaze or were evacuated for long periods.

In the chaotic weeks after the fire, people began to search for help in rebuilding homes, dealing with bureaucratic paperwork and regaining emotional strength.

California State Librarian Greg Lucas visited Lake County and met with Lake County Librarian Christopher Veach in November.

During their discussion Veach briefed Lucas about the unique library issues that had arisen from the fires.

As a result, the Lake County library received a grant of $15,000 in federal Library Services and Technology Act funds from the California State Library to purchase materials to help with the information needs created by the Valley fire.

Veach focused on ordering materials that would help with rebuilding, recovery and future planning.

He selected books and DVDs on topics such as construction, landscaping, wildfires, disaster planning and self-help for both children and adults.

Some of the new titles now in the library collection are The Fire Smart Home Handbook, Healing Your Grief When Disaster Strikes, Living with Fire and Therapeutic Gardens.

A list of the materials can be found on http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Lake_County_CA__Library/Catalog/NewNoteworthy.htm .

Patrons with library cards from Lake, Sonoma or Mendocino County can request these materials and others to be sent to their local branch libraries.

Veach expressed his appreciation about the grant and the new materials.

“I’m so grateful for these funds from the California State Library so we can provide materials to residents just when they need them the most,” he said.

The Lake County Library is on the Internet at http://library.lakecountyca.gov and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary .

Jan Cook works for the Lake County Library.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Fire survivors who lost homes in the devastating Lake County fires and residents struggling with local childcare will benefit from a generous donation of $80,000 from Fire Family Foundation.

A donation of $60,000 was made recently at the Middletown Fire Station to Hope City, a disaster relief agency rebuilding homes destroyed by the fires, and a donation of more than $20,000 went to the Lake Family Resource Center for much-needed childcare in the community.
 
Fire Family Foundation provides assistance to individuals and families affected by fire-related disasters throughout California and is the charitable hand of Firefighters First Credit Union.

The foundation worked with the North Bay’s Redwood Credit Union and Mendo Lake Credit Union, along with the California Credit Union League to identify the greatest needs of fire survivors and provide the funding.

Foundation executive director Robin McCarthy along with credit union and league representatives presented the checks to Hope City Chief Executive Officer Kevin Cox and Team Lake County Chair Shelly Mascari this month.
 
Hope City has identified several homeowners who lost their residences in the Valley fire to be beneficiaries of the $60,000 gift, according to Cox. He noted Hope City matches the gift with volunteer labor, so it becomes a $120,000 donation.

The selection of families for receipt of Hope City’s assistance is needs-based, with aid going to individuals who had little or no insurance and may have other extenuating circumstances.

“We’re thankful to the foundation and local credit unions who have been so amazing in helping Lake County, and we thank the community for rallying to get families back into homes,” said Cox.
 
Another recipient of Fire Family Foundation grant funds was Lake Family Resource Center, which provides childcare in Lake County.

“We’re grateful for the focus on childcare needs for those impacted by the fire,” said Jennifer Dodd, Lake Family Resource Center’s executive director. “The grant will help families with childcare services so they can get back to work knowing their children are cared for.”

She said many fire survivors have challenges with transportation, changed school schedules and the disappearance of off-site daycares in the area.

“These funds will help reduce the stress impacting families in the area who have children,” Dodd said.
 
“It’s exciting to see how so many organizations and people coming together to support Lake County is helping the community move forward,” said Brett Martinez, Redwood Credit Union’s president and chief executive officer.

Noting the “heartwarming” actions coming from outside Lake County to assist with recovery efforts, Mendo Lake Credit Union Chief Executive Officer Richard Cooper said, “We’re thankful for the donations from credit unions across the state and beyond. We appreciate the efforts of Redwood Credit Union and the California Credit Union League in getting the word out about the tremendous need in Lake County.”

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Kelseyville County Park, located at 5270 State St. in Kelseyville, is a three-acre treasure.

It's fully loaded for fun with a sports field, playground and basketball court.

The views of lush oaks and stately Mount Konocti in the background cannot be beat.

Our favorite volcano rises to over 4,000 feet and is considered extinct.

This highly visible landmark is made of five separate peaks: Howard, South, Buckingham, Wright and Clark peaks.

Mount Konocti is thought to have erupted initially over 350,000 years ago, with its last blast having occurred 11,000 years ago. 

At Kelseyville's County Park a covered picnic area is provided, along with a barbecue and restroom. 

Kelseyville, situated in beautiful Big Valley proudly boasts, acre for acre, the largest amount of arable land in Lake County.

Early on in Kelseyville's history oats were planted, then came the world-renowned walnut and pear orchards.

Kelseyville's vineyards were under cultivation as far back as the 1850s, then along came Prohibition, when many of those first vines were ripped out and replaced by more pears.

According to “The History of Napa and Lake Counties,” “The first settlers here were of course, Stone and Kelsey, but it was long after their day before any idea of locating a town here was had by the citizens of that section. The first business place was opened here by a blacksmith by the name of Benham, who opened a shop here in 1857, and he had associated with him a wagon maker named German. No other place of business was begun until 1864, when T. F. Fall opened a store, which was the pioneer in that line. Messrs. Rosenbreau & Pace opened a store and boarding-house also in 1864. From that time on to the present the growth of the town has been steady, though not very fast.”

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.

Trustees have the power to employ attorneys, accountants and other professionals for a variety of reasons related to the trustee’s duties in administering the trust.

Let us examine the issue of paying attorney fees in various contexts.

The general rule in California is that, “[t]he trustee has the power to pay … reasonable compensation of the trustee and of employees and agents of the trust, …. .” This includes attorney fees.

If a trust is not one subject to court supervision, for example the administration of a living trust upon the incapacity or death of the settlor(s), the trustee should see whether the trust document itself speaks to the payment of attorney fees by the trustee.

Otherwise, under California law, the trustee’s attorney is entitled to reasonable compensation for services rendered; what trusts typically provide.

However, if the trust is subject to court supervision, for example a first party special needs trust established by a conservator pursuant to a court order, then the trustee must both follow any local court guidelines regarding the payment of attorney fees and obtain court approval to pay attorney fees. A petition with supporting details regarding the legal services is needed.

In a breach of trust situation, i.e., where a beneficiary charges that the trustee has violated his duties to the trust, the trustee usually hires an attorney to defend the trustee personally.

In that case, the trustee is best advised to hire his or her own attorney to represent the trustee personally. Doing so means that the trustee will pay out of his or her own pocket.

Otherwise, if the trustee pays an attorney using the trust’s assets and the trustee loses the case then the trustee will both have to repay the trust the monies spent on attorney fees and the successor trustee will become entitled to all attorney client confidences between the prior trustee and his or her attorney; the attorney-client privilege would then remain with the office of the trustee and not follow the person who once occupied the office.

Next consider a trustee who opposes a contest brought by a beneficiary to overturn the trust or one of its amendments.

That very situation was the subject of the recent appellate court decision in Doolittle v. Exchange Bank (2015), 241 CA4th 529.

In Doolittle, the daughters of the deceased settlor objected to the trustee administering an express directive, contained in the same paragraph as the trust amendment’s “no contest” clause, to pay attorney fees from trust assets to pay attorneys to defend the very same trust amendment that the daughters said was invalid.

In Doolittle, the appellate court ruled that the trustee could follow the trust amendment’s express directive to pay attorney fees (as they were incurred) prior to any determination by the court on the ultimate issue of whether the same amendment was valid.

The court did not agree with the daughters' argument that the attorney fee provision should be treated as a part of the amendment’s “no contest” clause; this would have prevented the trustee from paying attorney fees unless and until the trustee prevailed in the underlying dispute over the validity of the amendment itself.

The appellate court reasoned that, (1) unlike a “no contest” clause the payment of attorney fees did not specifically reduce or eliminate what the daughters were to receive under the terms of the amendment; (2) that to not allow the trustee to pay attorney fees as they were incurred would prevent the trustee from carrying out his present duty to defend the settlor’s directive; and (3) that the trust amendment expressly authorized the payment of attorney fees to defend the amendment.

When a trustee is uncertain about how to pay attorney fees, the trustee can petition the court for instructions.

Dennis A. Fordham, attorney, is a State Bar-Certified Specialist in estate planning, probate and trust law. His office is at 870 S. Main St., Lakeport, Calif. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and 707-263-3235. His Web site is www.DennisFordhamLaw.com .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A talented and playful kitten is waiting at Lake County Animal Care and Control for the person or family that will be his.

The kitten, estimated to be 4 months old, is the last of three brothers to have come into the shelter.

He's a playful fellow who also is gentle when he plays. When you stick your fingers through the kennel's door, he just wraps himself around them.

When he was visited this week, he also showed off his acrobatic side, doing a cartwheel in his cage to show his desire to play.

He'd like to come and cartwheel around your house.

He's in cat room kennel 80c, ID No. 4366.

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.

For the first time a team of scientists has tracked down the location of a fast radio burst (FRB), confirming that these short but spectacular flashes of radio waves originate in the distant universe.

The breakthrough, published in the journal Nature, was made using CSIRO radio telescopes in eastern Australia and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan's Subaru telescope in Hawaii.

“Our discovery opens the way to working out what makes these bursts,” said Dr. Simon Johnston, head of Astrophysics at CSIRO and a member of the research team.

FRBs emit as much energy in one millisecond as the sun emits in 10,000 years, but the physical phenomenon that causes them is unknown.

This, and their apparently huge distances, have tantalized scientists since their discovery in 2007. Only 16 bursts have ever been found but astronomers estimate that they might occur 10,000 times a day across the entire sky.

The paper in Nature records a burst from a host galaxy around six billion light-years away.

Importantly, it also confirms that FRBs can be used to find matter in the universe that had “gone missing.”

Astronomers think the contents of the universe are 70 percent dark energy, 25 percent dark matter and 5 percent ordinary matter.

But when they add up the matter they can see in stars, galaxies and hydrogen gas, they still only find half as much ordinary matter as should be there – the rest has not been seen directly and so has been described as “missing.”

Using the burst (FRB 150418) as a tool, the team were able to 'weigh' the universe, or at least the normal matter it contains.

“The good news is our observations and the model match – we have found the missing matter,” explained Dr Evan Keane from the SKA Organisation, lead author on the Nature paper. “It's the first time a fast radio burst has been used to conduct a cosmological measurement.”

Most FRBs have been found by sifting through recorded data months or even years after it was taken, by which time it was too late for follow-up observations.

To remedy this, Dr. Keane and his international team developed a system to detect FRBs within seconds, immediately alerting other telescopes with a view to pinpointing their location.

The Parkes telescope detected the new FRB on April 18, 2015. Two hours later, CSIRO's Compact Array telescope, 400 kilometers north of Parkes, homed in on the patch of sky the flash had come from.

It saw a radio source that lasted for six days before fading – the FRB's radio afterglow. This let the researchers zoom in on the FRB about 1000 times more precisely than any of the 16 previously detected bursts.

Meanwhile, in Hawaii the 8.2 meter optical Subaru telescope was also at work. Looking at the FRB field, it found a galaxy that could be matched with the radio source seen by the Compact Array.

More sleuthing showed that this object was an elliptical galaxy – a huge football-shaped mass of stars. Its redshift (0.492) means that it is about six billion light-years away.

The galaxy is old, well past its prime period for star formation.

“This is not what we expected,” Dr. Johnston said.

“It might mean that the FRB resulted from, say, two neutron stars colliding rather than anything to do with recent star birth.”

But there could be more than one road to an FRB, he added.

“In the near future, using CSIRO's Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) should be ideal and ASKAP will be able to start looking for FRBs this year,” he said.

“We expect to find several a week, and really clean up.”

Immediately after its 2008 launch, NASA’s Interstellar Boundary Explorer, or IBEX, spotted a curiosity in a thin slice of space: More particles streamed in through a long, skinny swath in the sky than anywhere else.

The origin of the so-called IBEX ribbon was unknown – but its very existence opened doors to observing what lies outside our solar system, the way drops of rain on a window tell you more about the weather outside.

Now, a new study uses IBEX data and simulations of the interstellar boundary – which lies at the very edge of the giant magnetic bubble surrounding our solar system called the heliosphere – to better describe space in our galactic neighborhood.

The paper, published Feb. 8, 2016, in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, precisely determines the strength and direction of the magnetic field outside the heliosphere.

Such information gives us a peek into the magnetic forces that dominate the galaxy beyond, teaching us more about our home in space.

The new paper is based on one particular theory of the origin of the IBEX ribbon, in which the particles streaming in from the ribbon are actually solar material reflected back at us after a long journey to the edges of the sun’s magnetic boundaries.

A giant bubble, known as the heliosphere, exists around the sun and is filled with what’s called solar wind, the sun’s constant outflow of ionized gas, known as plasma. When these particles reach the edges of the heliosphere, their motion becomes more complicated. 

“The theory says that some solar wind protons are sent flying back towards the sun as neutral atoms after a complex series of charge exchanges, creating the IBEX ribbon,” said Eric Zirnstein, a space scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas, and lead author on the study. “Simulations and IBEX observations pinpoint this process – which takes anywhere from three to six years on average – as the most likely origin of the IBEX ribbon.”

Outside the heliosphere lies the interstellar medium, with plasma that has different speed, density, and temperature than solar wind plasma, as well as neutral gases.

These materials interact at the heliosphere’s edge to create a region known as the inner heliosheath, bounded on the inside by the termination shock – which is more than twice as far from us as the orbit of Pluto – and on the outside by the heliopause, the boundary between the solar wind and the comparatively dense interstellar medium.

Some solar wind protons that flow out from the sun to this boundary region will gain an electron, making them neutral and allowing them to cross the heliopause.

Once in the interstellar medium, they can lose that electron again, making them gyrate around the interstellar magnetic field.

If those particles pick up another electron at the right place and time, they can be fired back into the heliosphere, travel all the way back toward Earth, and collide with IBEX’s detector.

The particles carry information about all that interaction with the interstellar magnetic field, and as they  hit the detector they can give us unprecedented insight into the characteristics of that region of space.

“Only Voyager 1 has ever made direct observations of the interstellar magnetic field, and those are close to the heliopause, where it’s distorted,” said Zirnstein. “But this analysis provides a nice determination of its strength and direction farther out.”

The directions of different ribbon particles shooting back toward Earth are determined by the characteristics of the interstellar magnetic field.

For instance, simulations show that the most energetic particles come from a different region of space than the least energetic particles, which gives clues as to how the interstellar magnetic field interacts with the heliosphere.

For the recent study, such observations were used to seed simulations of the ribbon’s origin. Not only do these simulations correctly predict the locations of neutral ribbon particles at different energies, but the deduced interstellar magnetic field agrees with Voyager 1 measurements, the deflection of interstellar neutral gases, and observations of distant polarized starlight.

However, some early simulations of the interstellar magnetic field don’t quite line up. Those pre-IBEX estimates were based largely on two data points – the distances at which Voyagers 1 and 2 crossed the termination shock. 

“Voyager 1 crossed the termination shock at 94 astronomical units, or AU, from the sun, and Voyager 2 at 84 AU,” said Zirnstein. One AU is equal to about 93 million miles, the average distance between Earth and the sun. “That difference of almost 930 million miles was mostly explained by a strong, very tilted interstellar magnetic field pushing on the heliosphere.”

But that difference may be accounted for by considering a stronger influence from the solar cycle, which can lead to changes in the strength of the solar wind and thus change the distance to the termination shock in the directions of Voyager 1 and 2. The two Voyager spacecraft made their measurements almost three years apart, giving plenty of time for the variable solar wind to change the distance of the termination shock.

“Scientists in the field are developing more sophisticated models of the time-dependent solar wind,” said Zirnstein.

“The new findings can be used to better understand how our space environment interacts with the interstellar environment beyond the heliopause,” said Eric Christian, IBEX program scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who was not involved in this study. “In turn, understanding that interaction could help explain the mystery of what causes the IBEX ribbon once and for all.”

The Southwest Research Institute leads IBEX with teams of national and international partners. NASA Goddard manages the Explorers Program for the agency’s Heliophysics Division within the Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

Members of the California Highway Patrol will travel to the country of Morocco under a partnership with the United States Department of State to support international law enforcement and anti-crime efforts.

The CHP’s Office of Community Outreach and Media Relations (COMR) will provide support to the Moroccan National Police, Direction Generale de la Surete Nationale or DGSN, as Morocco reviews its national police agency’s communication strategy.

The CHP was chosen because of its experience, reputation, capability, and outreach activities which provide a unique contribution to the needs and objectives of the DGSN.

“It is truly an honor for the CHP to be selected for this assignment, and it reflects well on the hard work and dedication of our employees who communicate with the public and the communities we serve,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “We understand now more than ever the importance of transparency and earning the public’s trust. We look forward to meeting with the Moroccan police officials to learn about their priorities and programs and to providing them the assistance they desire.”

The project marks the second overseas deployment by the CHP after the Department signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of State in 2014.

The State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs will reimburse the CHP for all expenses incurred during the deployments. The CHP previously went to Ukraine to assist with police training.

Participating in the first deployment of the DGSN’s communication program will be the commander of the CHP’s Office of COMR and a sergeant who oversees the CHP’s marketing and social media programs.

Next, DGSN officials will visit California to observe and study CHP public information officers as they interact and communicate with the media, the public, and community groups.

Representatives from the CHP are then scheduled to return to Morocco to mentor, guide and support the implementation of the Moroccan communication strategies.