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Winners of the 2018 Early Childhood Educator Awards in Lake County, Calif., were announced on Friday, May 4, 2018. Shown are, back row, left to right, Supervisor Tina Scott, Angela Cuellar-Marroquin, Katrina Hickey, Erika Cacho, Cindi Kaup, Connie Hodges, Rachel Cumpston, Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg; front row, left to right, Crystal Davis, Heather Wichlaz, Alana Bowman, Martyna Blissky and Maria de la Luz Garcia. Photo courtesy of Kayla Alaska Taylor Photography.


KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – It was a night of celebration as the winners of the 2018 Early Childhood Educators awards were announced on Friday.

The Lake County Child Care Planning Council, administered through the Lake County Office of Education, coordinates the annual awards. This year’s ceremony was held at the Mt. Konocti Winery in Kelseyville.

Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Lake County Supervisor Tina Scott and Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg were on hand in the packed house to acknowledge the good work of all 61 nominees.

"I am very grateful to all of the educators and advocates in Lake County that have dedicated their lives to our kids," said Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters). "They are there for us at the very start of our children's and grandchildren's lives."

“I am excited to see our Early Childhood Educators being recognized for all the hard work they do supporting our youth,” said Scott. “The children they are serving are the future of Lake County.”

Scott and Falkenberg also serve as commissioners of Lake County’s First 5, which focuses on the well-being of Lake County children ages 0 to 5.

Falkenberg is a strong advocate for strong early childhood education in Lake County. “Research shows that quality early childhood education is associated with higher measures of early language and math development. Congratulation to all of the nominees who work so hard to provide that quality experience to the youngest members of Lake County.”

This year’s winners are:

Inspiring the Field Award: Rachel Cumpston, Lake County Office of Education Lower Lake Preschool.

Making A Difference Award: Cindi Kaup, California Preschool Instruction Network.

Preschool Teacher of the Year: Maria de la Luz Garcia, Lake County Office of Education Kelseyville Preschool.

Outstanding Program Support: Crystal Davis, North Coast Opportunities Pearl Head Start.

Advocate of the Year (award sponsored by Adventist Health Clear Lake): Martyna Blissky, Easter Seals Bay Area Lakeport.

Infant/Toddler Teacher of the Year: Erika Cacho, Early Head Start.

Inclusion Award (Award sponsored by First 5 Lake County): Alana Bowman, North Coast Opportunities Pearl Head Start.

Leading the Field Award – Katrina Hickey, Big Valley Rancheria Preschool.

Family Child Care Provider of the Year (award sponsored by First 5 Lake County) – Heather Wichlaz, Little People Daycare.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Connie Hodges, Alphabet Soup Children's Learning Center.

Angela Cuellar-Marroquin, Lake County Child Care Planning Council Coordinator, explained the importance of these awards. “Early education is the foundation of a successful academic career. It’s a time that we recognize the hard work that the early educators do each and every day.”

The Lake County Child Care Planning Council thanked those organizations and agencies who helped make this year’s event possible with their generous donations: Lake County Department of Social Services, First 5 of Lake County, Adventist Health Clear Lake, the Lake County Office of Education, and the hard work of the LPC members.

A complete list of all 2018 nominees can be found at www.lakecoe.org/news/details/2018_ece_nominations.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and the California Highway Patrol, along with the California Office of Traffic Safety, will work together to help reduce the number of fatal and injury collisions involving motorcyclists by encouraging roadway safety through education and awareness.
 
“Vehicle drivers and motorcyclists share equal responsibility for roadway safety,” said CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley. “It is important for drivers to understand the safety challenges faced by motorcyclists. Look twice for motorcyclists and leave plenty of space between your vehicle and the rider.”
 
Recent data from the California Department of Motor Vehicles shows there are more than 900,000 registered motorcycles in the state and more than 1.4 million licensed riders.

According to preliminary data from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, last year 466 motorcyclists were killed in traffic collisions, and more than 14,000 motorcyclists were injured. In 2016, there were 560 motorcyclists killed and more than 14,400 injured.
 
Motorists can do their part by sharing the road. The majority of multi-vehicle motorcycle collisions are caused when other drivers simply did not see the motorcyclist.

Staying alert, sharing the road, and looking twice for riders will help reduce the number of injuries and deaths on our roadways.
 
“As the weather begins to warm, we’ll start to see more motorcyclists out on our roads, and we want to make sure other motorists see them too,” said Office of Traffic Safety Director Rhonda Craft. “It can be easy to overlook a motorcycle due to their smaller size. For this reason, it’s all the more vital we put forth extra effort in keeping watch. We encourage all motorists to remember to share the road.”
 
Motorcyclists can also help protect themselves by always wearing the proper safety gear, including a U.S. Department of Transportation-compliant helmet, obeying the speed limit, riding defensively, and always riding sober.
 
The CHP administers the California Motorcyclist Safety Program, or CMSP, and strongly encourages all riders, new and experienced, to enroll.

The CMSP was developed in July 1987 and has training sites throughout the state. The CMSP trains approximately 60,000 motorcyclists per year and has trained more than 1.1 million motorcycle riders.

For more information, or to find a training site near you, visit www.californiamotorcyclist.com.
 
In 2017, the CHP was awarded a grant from the Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to develop the Have A Good Ride IV, or HAGR IV, program, promoting motorcycle safety and awareness.

The HAGR IV program’s goals are to reduce the number of motorcycle-involved collisions and victims of these collisions, statewide.
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Chaplain Terry Cara speaking to the crowd during the Lake County Safety Officers Memorial ceremony on Friday, May 4, 2018, in Lakeport, Calif. Congressman Mike Thompson in the right background along with Sheriff Brian Martin (left). Photo by Lucy Llewellyn Byard.


LAKEPORT, Calif. – The annual Lake County Safety Officers Memorial Ceremony to honor fallen officers who died in 2017 while on duty was held at Museum Park Friday night.

Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Rumfelt, whose end of watch was August 22, 2017, was honored along with fallen heroes Sheriff George Kemp, Deputy William Hoyt and Sgt. Richard Helbush, and firefighters Michael Mattioda and Matthew Black.

Rumfelt, born in 1966, was a deputy for three years and an officer for nine years with Lakeport Police Department.

He suffered a fatal heart attack after a violent confrontation with a domestic violence suspect.

The service was put on by the Lake County Sheriff’s Chaplains: Terry Cara, a retired Army Reserve chaplain; Steve Nesheim, pastor of the Kelseyville Presbyterian Church; and Mike Suski, senior pastor of Lakeport Christian Center.

Sheriff Brian Martin, wearing a band of black over his badge in a show of respect, spoke of Rumfelt, who was his friend.

The door of Deputy Rob Rumfelt’s patrol SUV, seen here on Friday, May 4, 2018, will be displayed in the Lake County Museum in Lake County, Calif. Photo by Lucy Llewellyn Byard.


Martin brought a bit of laughter to the solemn group of around 90 people, when he said, “Rob was a great deputy, officer, husband, father, son, brother, grandpa, cousin, uncle, coach … I’m grateful for the times we worked together and especially grateful for the times that Rob didn’t get too close to me at costume parties. Those who are laughing know what I’m talking about.”

Sheriff Martin is going to Washington, DC in May for National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Week where fallen officers who lost their lives in 2017 will be honored, including Rumfelt.

Also present was Congressman Mike Thompson, who thanked everyone “who took time from your day to be here to take part in this very important ceremony.”

The congressman spoke of how Rumfelt took a leave of absence from the Lakeport Police Department from 2006 to 2009 to serve in Iraq as a police advisor to Iraqi law enforcement agencies.

While there, “he bravely rescued a soldier at great personal risk, giving the soldier the precious time he needed to get to a doctor and that saved his life,” Thompson said.

Each chaplain read off names of fallen officers, whilst the firefighters’ bell rung in their honor. The sound echoed in the trees of Museum Park where wood sculptures of first responders stand. The sculptures by Mark Colp, Wooden Creations, were restored to their original beauty by Colp for the memorial.

Community members including Deputy Rob Rumfelt’s family and friends, attended the Lake County Safety Officers Memorial ceremony on Friday, May 4, 2018, in Lakeport, Calif. Photo by Lucy Llewellyn Byard.


The door of Rumfelt’s SUV patrol vehicle was at the memorial with messages written on it from his fellow officers. It will be displayed in the Lake County Museum.

A memorial bronze plaque was also unveiled with Deputy Rumfelt’s name on the memorial monument in Museum Park.

Rumfelt's family attended the memorial and afterward his father Robert Rumfelt said, “It was a beautiful service and we’re very honored by it.”

Chaplain Nesheim spoke these final words, after June Jackson of Praises of Zion Baptist Church in Clearlake sang “Amazing Grace.”

”Tonight we are gathered here to remember those who have given their lives in the line of duty,” Nesheim said. “As we light candles, let us not forget our fallen heroes and let us make a commitment to never forget their names.”

Lucy Llewellyn Byard is a correspondent for Lake County News. She lives in Lucerne.
The memorial to fallen safety officers in Museum Park with Deputy Rob Rumfelt’s bronze plaque unveiled, which took place during the Lake County Safety Officers Memorial ceremony on Friday, May 4, 2018, in Lakeport, Calif. Photo by Lucy Llewellyn Byard.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – This week the Board of Supervisors will discuss matters regarding a sales tax measure that goes before voters in June.

The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 8, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.

The meeting can be watched live on Channel 8 and online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.

In an untimed item, the board will consider, discuss and direct staff regarding the Measure G sales tax oversight committee and formation of the new committee.

The 1.5-percent sales tax measure goes before voters on the June 5 ballot. The measure, which would sunset after 10 years, is forecast to generate $4.5 million annually, as Lake County News has reported.

In other business, the board will consider continuing local emergency proclamations due to the Sulphur, Rocky, Jerusalem, Valley and Clayton fires, as well as the atmospheric river. Those items are timed from 9:15 to 9:18 a.m.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

7.1: Approve letter of support for AB 2727, as amended April 10, 2018, providing a personal income tax credit for firefighters and authorize the chair to sign.

7.2: Approve letter of support for AB 2208, an act to amend Sections 399.15 and 399.30 of the Public Utilities Code, related to energy and authorize the chair to sign.

7.3: Approve letter of support for AB 2518, an act to add Article 10 (commencing with Section 4630) to Chapter 8 of Part 2 of Division 4 to the Public Resources Code, related to forestry and authorize the chair to sign.

7.4: Adopt proclamation designating the month of May 2018 as Military Appreciation Month in Lake County.

7.5: Adopt proclamation designating the month of May 2018 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month in Lake County.

7.6 : Adopt proclamation designating the week of May 6 to 12 as National Travel and Tourism Week in Lake County.

7.7: Adopt proclamation designating the week of May 19 to 25 as National Safe Boating Week in Lake County.

7.8: Adopt proclamation designating the week of May 6-12, 2018 as Correctional Officers Week in Lake County.

7.9: Adopt proclamation designating the week of May 13-19, 2018 as Law Enforcement Week in Lake County.

7.10: Approve order and agreement of services with LexisNexis Coplogic Solutions Inc. for an online incident reporting program and authorize the sheriff to sign.

TIMED ITEMS

8.2, 9:06 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the month of May 2018 as Military Appreciation Month in Lake County; presentation of proclamation designating the month of May 2018 as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month in Lake County; presentation of proclamation designating the week of May 6 to 12 as National Travel and Tourism Week in Lake County; presentation of proclamation designating the week of May 19 to 25 as National Safe Boating Week in Lake County; presentation of proclamation designating the week of May 6 to 12 as Correctional Officers Week in Lake County; and presentation of proclamation designating the week of May 13 to 19 as Law Enforcement Week in Lake County.

8.3, 9:15 a.m.: Consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local emergency due to the Sulphur fire incident.

8.4, 9:16 a.m.: Consideration of Continuing a proclamation of a local emergency due to wildfire conditions, pertaining to the Rocky, Jerusalem and Valley fires.

8.5, 9:17 a.m.: Consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local emergency due to Clayton fire.

8.6, 9:18 a.m.: Consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local emergency due to the atmospheric river storm.

8.7, 9:20 a.m.: Consideration of (a) property tax revenue exchange agreement with Cobb Area County Water District resulting from annexation of water service areas; and (b) resolution providing for the exchange of property tax revenues as a result of annexation of County Services Area 7, Bonanza Springs; County Service Area 18, Starview; County Service Area 22, Mount Hannah; Adams Spring Water District, Alpine Meadows Water System, Pine Grove Water System, Hill 9 and 10 Mutual Water Association, and Branding Iron Mutual Water Co., and to facilitate the reorganization of Cobb Area County Water District (LAFCO File 2017-0001, Cobb Area Reorganization).

8.8, 9:30 a.m.: Presentation to the Board of Supervisors by California Forensic Medical Group.

8.9, 9:45 a.m.: Consideration of resolution adopting emergency operations plan for the county of Lake and the Lake County Operational Area.

8.10, 10 a.m.: Sitting as Lake County Sanitation District, Board of Directors, (a) consideration of proposals for Middletown Sewer Force Main Realignment project; and (b) authorize chair to award the design contract to Oscar Larson & Associates of Eureka for an amount not to exceed $36,200.

UNTIMED ITEM

9.2: Consideration, discussion and direction to staff regarding: (a) the structure of the sales tax oversight committee; (b) formation of the sales tax oversight committee.

CLOSED SESSION

10.1: Public Employee evaluations title: Social Services director.

10.2: Conference with legal counsel: Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9 (d)(2) (e)(3): Claim of Simmons.

10.3: Conference with legal counsel: Significant Exposure to Litigation Pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9(d)(2) (e)(1): One potential case.

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. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has a new group of dogs waiting for forever homes this week.

Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of border collie, Chihuahua, chow chow, German Shepherd, Great Pyrenees, hound, Labrador Retriever, pit bull and shepherd.

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.

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”).

“Emma” is a female German Shepherd in kennel No. 5, ID No. 9657. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Emma’

“Emma” is a very sweet senior female German Shepherd.

She has a short black and tan coat and already has been spayed.

She is available for a $30 adoption ($10 re-registration on microchip and $20 license fee), with all other costs paid.

Animal control said she has heartworm and is being treated for it. They will ask the adopter for a donation towards the treatment.

She’s in kennel No. 5, ID No. 9657.

“Rocky” is a young male German Shepherd in kennel No. 17, ID No. 9934. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Rocky’

“Rocky” is a young male German Shepherd with a medium-length black and tan coat.

He’s in kennel No. 17, ID No. 9934.

“Sadie” is a female Chihuahua in kennel No. 18c, ID No. 9879. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Sadie’

“Sadie” is a female Chihuahua with a short black and gray coat.

She’s in kennel No. 18c, ID No. 9879.

This female border collie-pit bull mix is in kennel No. 22, ID No. 9922. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Border collie-pit bull mix

This female border collie-pit bull mix has a short gray and white coat.

She’s in kennel No. 22, ID No. 9922.

This female chow chow is in kennel No. 23, ID No. 9810. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female chow chow

This female chow chow has a long black coat.

She’s in kennel No. 23, ID No. 9810.

This female German Shepherd is in kennel No. 28, ID No. 9710. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female German Shepherd

This female German Shepherd has a medium-length tan and black coat.

She’s in kennel No. 28, ID No. 9710.

This female German Shepherd is in kennel No. 29, ID No. 9709. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female German Shepherd

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

She’s in kennel No. 29, ID No. 9709.

“Bella” is a female Great Pyrenees in kennel No. 30, ID No. 9901. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Bella’

“Bella” is a female Great Pyrenees with a long white coat.

She’s in kennel No. 30, ID No. 9901.

This female hound-Labrador Retriever mix is in kennel No. 32, ID No. 9933. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Hound-Labrador Retriever mix

This female hound-Labrador Retriever mix has a short black and white coat.

She’s in kennel No. 32, ID No. 9933.

This male Chihuahua is in kennel No. 34, ID No. 9932. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male Chihuahua

This male Chihuahua has a long black and tan coat.

He’s in kennel No. 34, ID No. 9932.

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.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On Wednesday the three candidates in the race for Lake County Superior Court judge participated in a forum in Clearlake.

Don Anderson, Shanda Harry and Andre Ross spent an hour and a half answering questions from the community during the forum at the Clearlake Senior Community Center.

The three are in the race to succeed Judge Stephen Hedstrom, who did not seek reelection this year.

A full video of the event can be seen above.

Two more candidates’ forums are scheduled this primary season:

– District 3 supervisorial candidates EJ Crandell and Denise Loustalot will be featured in a forum on Wednesday, May 9, in the Board of Supervisors chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport; and
– District attorney candidates Steven Brown and Susan Krones will take part in a forum on Monday, May 14, also in the Board of Supervisors chambers.

This year’s forums are sponsored by the Lake County Bar Association, Lake County Economic Development Corp. and Lake County News.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – A forum for the District 3 supervisorial candidates will take place on Wednesday, May 9.

The forum will begin at 6 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport.

EJ Crandell and Denise Loustalot will participate in the event.

Crandell and Loustalot will answer a round of at least 10 questions in a timed, rotational format.

Community members may submit questions at the event or by emailing moderator Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

The forum also will be recorded and posted online.

A forum for district attorney candidates Steven Brown and Susan Krones will be held on Monday, May 14, also in the Board of Supervisors chambers.

This year’s forums are sponsored by the Lake County Bar Association, Lake County Economic Development Corp. and Lake County News.
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ACCUWEATHER GLOBAL WEATHER CENTER – AccuWeather reports the Northeast and mid-Atlantic are in for a bit of everything this summer as the weather transitions between hot, humid and stormy.

Meanwhile, the southern United States will endure persistent storms and the threat for an early tropical impact.

In the Southwest and California, building heat and dryness will pose a high risk for wildfires.

Summer to bring heat, humidity and severe weather to Northeast, mid-Atlantic

From heat to humidity and severe weather, the Northeast and mid-Atlantic are set to experience a bit of everything this summer.

A few hot periods will take hold throughout the summer, though it won't be persistent.

"I think there's going to be surge later in June when we really start to feel some heat here in the Northeast. But will it stick around the whole summer? I don't think that's going to happen," AccuWeather Expert Long-Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok said.

I-95 cities, including New York City, Boston and Philadelphia, are predicted to average close to normal with respect to the number of 90-degree days.

"Humidity-wise they'll have to watch out for August. That may be up a little bit," he said.

Severe weather could strike the northern mid-Atlantic states and eastern Ohio in June.

In July, that risk will shift farther northward.

Showers and thunderstorms to target the Southeast, Tennessee Valley, Gulf Coast

A barrage of showers and thunderstorms will target the Southeast, with Florida set to bounce back from severe drought conditions.

"They're going to see some more action across the peninsula throughout the summer, which is good for them. I don't see any dry conditions developing like we saw a couple of years ago," Pastelok said.

Heavier storms will pose a risk for flooding with the Tennessee Valley and central Gulf coast facing the greatest threat.

Meanwhile, the entire region will be at risk for an early tropical impact.

"The last several years we've seen early tropical hits. I don't see anything against that this year. Whereabouts? That's a tough call. Anywhere is possible along the Gulf coast this year," Pastelok said.

If a tropical system does impact the region, it's more likely to be a tropical storm which would pose a greater risk for flooding rainfall, he said.

Severe weather to threaten the western Ohio Valley, Midwest, central/northern Plains

Short-term periods of high heat will blast the region in June, though temperatures will bounce up and down throughout the summer.

Severe weather will also target the first month of the season.

"June, I think, will be the month for the severe weather in the northern Plains," Pastelok said. "It could linger a bit into July, but it will take a break before coming back in August."

Stifling heat, drought to grip the southern Plains

Severe drought is predicted to continue across the southwestern Plains as intense heat dominates the summer.

June could end up being one of the top-five hottest on record for the region.

"Places like Dallas, Amarillo, Oklahoma City, those places are going to record above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation this summer," Pastelok said.

The forecast could spell bad news for cattle farmers and consumers alike.

"The Plains drought could have an effect on agriculture and grazing for cattle," Pastelok said. "The grass is not going to grow as much, so farmers are going to end up spending more on feed."

High fire threat for the Southwest, California as heat and dryness build

Heat and drought will also stretch into the Southwest and California.

The fire threat in both of places will arrive early then remain high for a good part of the summer before rainfall increases into July and August.

Flash flooding is possible as precipitation increases for the interior Southwest and the central Rockies around the midpoint or latter half of the season.

Typical summer to transpire in Northwest, Rockies

Following a typical pattern for the Northwest and Rockies, late spring and early summer will remain mostly wet and cool.

The transition to warmer and drier summer weather won't arrive until later in the season.

As the warmth increases in mid-July and August, drought conditions may develop east of the Cascades.

This could result in the threat for fires from late summer and into the fall season.
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Congressman Mike Thompson and Kelseyville High School student Taylor Paulich, who is the finalist for Lake County, Calif., in the 2018 Congressional Art Competition. Courtesy photo.


LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Friday, Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-05) announced that local judges selected Taylor Paulich from Kelseyville High School as the Lake County finalist in the 2018 Congressional Art Competition for her piece, “In the Zone.”

“Congratulations to Taylor Paulich, Lake County’s 2018 Art Competition finalist,” said Thompson. “Each year, I look forward to seeing the incredible talent of artists across our region and I am always deeply impressed by their vision and artistic abilities. Thank you to all the students who participated and the dedicated teachers who supported their work.”

Finalists from each county in the Fifth Congressional District will now be judged and a grand prize winner will be selected.

That student and a guest will be flown to Washington, D.C. for an awards ceremony with winners from across the nation.

Their artwork will also be displayed in the halls of the U.S. Capitol for one year.

“In the Zone” by Taylor Paulich.
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Theodore Judah. Public domain image.


It didn’t take long for Theodore Judah’s dream to suffocate under the greed of his colleagues.

In their defense, they never gave Judah the impression that they were anything but what they were: capitalists. Money, and the making of it, was their one and only goal. How else do you get three merchants and a grocer to risk their fortunes on such a crazy scheme as building a railroad across the country?

Of course, that’s not to say it was a sure thing. In fact, it was completely bonkers. None of them had the faintest idea of how to build a railroad. All they had ever built themselves were shops in Sacramento and their own prestige.

But, that’s where Theodore Judah, the engineer, was to play his part.

Judah had long dreamt of a railroad that would connect California with the rest of America; one that would span from sea to sea. Sure, people scoffed and laughed at “Crazy Judah” but he didn’t mind. He had a dream and soon, he had proof of his serious intentions to follow up on that dream.

In 1856, after much planning, Judah and a group of investors finished work on the Sacramento Valley Line – the first railroad west of the Missouri River. In 1859 he was nominated by the California Pacific Railroad Convention to take his plans of a transcontinental railroad to Washington D.C.

He took his dream with him, eager to share the brilliance of it with those who had the ability to make it happen. Even back then, D.C. had a reputation for devouring the innocent, and within no time, Judah realized he was in over his head.

To be fair, his timing was off.

The Civil War loomed over the horizon and sectionalism paralyzed Congress. The plans he proposed to the politicians fell atop a heap of other equally ambitious projects that were looking for federal funding. It was a large heap.

You see, already the federal government was proving itself a lucrative source of money for businessmen. All a budding entrepreneur had to do was figure out a way of dovetailing his own personal interests with something the government wanted.

Heck, some even didn’t even try to mask what they were doing – they didn’t need to. After all, this was the time of the ambitious and completely daft plan to outfit American cavalrymen in the arid southwest with camels instead of horses (a project pushed for by soon-to-be Confederate President Jefferson Davis in 1858). If Uncle Sam paid for imported camels, he clearly didn’t scrutinize the federal funding package very closely.

Even still, it looked as if Judah’s plans had fallen on deaf ears. He returned to California with another plan in mind. He needed private investors to put money into the project first. That would convince the politicians back east of the feasibility of his plan. Because no one in 1860s America would put good money on a bad project, right?

All Judah had to do was pop his head outside the window in his office in Sacramento to find four likely investors. By now, their names are well known. The Big Four they would be called: Huntington, Crocker, Stanford, Hopkins. They would grow to become giants of American capitalism, but when Judah first approached them in the early 1860s, they were nothing but four well-to-do local businessmen. But they were businessmen willing to take a risk on a crazy plan.

With a new set of investors in hand, Judah made the long journey back to Washington D.C.– a journey by boat to the isthmus of Central America, then by riverboat down the snaking rapids until reaching the far coast and boarding yet another boat, this one bound for the east coast.

By the time he returned to D.C., the war had finally broken loose and Congress – which had suffered from entrenched gridlock between Republicans and Democrats before – now found itself ruled by a single party. And that party liked the idea of consolidating its far-off states by connecting them with a railroad. And so the Pacific Railroad Act passed through the halls of power in 1862. Theodore Judah was about to realize his dream.

But this isn’t a fairytale and life is tough. It certainly was for Theodore Judah.

After returning to California with the good news, he had a falling out with his business partners. The Big Four had plans of their own, plans to squeeze this federal deal for all the money it was worth. The efficiency and quality of the resulting railroad didn’t matter to them at the time. Their vision for the company diverged greatly from that of Theodore Judah.

Disenchanted, Judah boarded a ship once more, this time for New York, where he hoped to find better partners. Unfortunately, his luck failed him and he contracted yellow fever from an infected mosquito during his journey across Central America. He died soon after.

Six years later, on May 10, 1869, the final spike for the new transcontinental railroad was driven home, the memory of the man who first envisioned it far from everyone’s mind.

Antone Pierucci is curator of history at the Riverside County Park and Open Space District and a freelance writer whose work has been featured in such magazines as Archaeology and Wild West as well as regional California newspapers.

The 1869 completion of the transcontinental railroad. Photo courtesy of Yale Collection of Western Americana, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
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When NASA’s Juno spacecraft recently flew over the poles of Jupiter, researchers were astonished, as if they had never seen a giant planet before.

And in a sense they hadn’t.

The pictures were unlike anything in the history of planetary exploration.

Juno entered orbit on July 4, 2016, and later found Jupiter's poles covered in nearly continent-sized storms that are densely clustered and rubbing together in a mind-blowing swirl.

“It’s like a whole new Jupiter,” said Scott Bolton, Juno’s principal investigator from the Southwest Research Institute. “The clouds were amazing.”

What’s striking about Jupiter’s polar storms is that there are actually multiple cyclones at each pole. So instead of having one polar vortex like Earth, Jupiter was observed to have as many as eight giant swirls moving simultaneously on its north pole and as many as five on its south pole.

Even more amazing things are lurking below. Researchers have long wondered about the giant planet’s hidden interior. How far down do Jupiter’s continent-sized storms descend? And what is the exotic material near the planet’s core?

Deep inside Jupiter, high temperatures and crushing pressures transform Jupiter’s copious supplies of gaseous molecular hydrogen into an exotic form of matter known as liquid metallic hydrogen. Think of it as a mashup of atomic nuclei in a sea of electrons freely moving about.

Jupiter’s powerful magnetic field almost certainly springs from dynamo action in Jupiter’s interior, the process by which the motion of this electrically-conducting fluid is converted into magnetic energy. The exact location within the interior is a mystery that researchers are still working to solve.

A planet’s magnetic field gets weaker as you get farther from its core. Jupiter’s magnetic field is 10,000 time stronger than that of Earth! However when measured at the cloudtops, Jupiter’s magnetic field is only 20 times greater than what we measure on Earth’s surface. This is due to Jupiter being so much larger than Earth.

Astronomers have long known that Jupiter has the most intense planetary magnetic field in the solar system. But according to Jack Connerney, Juno deputy principal investigator at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, “Juno’s magnetometers indicate that Jupiter’s magnetic field is even stronger than we thought.”

“Moreover, the magnetic field looks lumpy,” he says. “It is stronger in some places and weaker in others. This uneven distribution suggests that the field might be generated by dynamo action closer to the surface, above the layer of metallic hydrogen.”

Jupiter’s magnetic field is home to the biggest and most powerful auroras in the solar system. Unlike Earth, which lights up in response to solar activity, Jupiter makes its own auroras. It does this by tapping into power generated by its own spinning magnetic field. Induced electric fields accelerate particles toward Jupiter’s poles where the aurora action takes place.

Another source of insight is Juno’s Microwave Radiometer which measures thermal microwaves radiating from the deep recesses of the planet, revealing structure hundreds of kilometers beneath Jupiter’s thick clouds.

Recent results from Juno’s Gravity experiment show that Jupiter’s iconic belts and zones rotate as a series of cylinders down to depths of about 3000-5000 km. Beneath this depth, it appears that Jupiter may be rotating as a rigid body.

New discoveries about Jupiter continue to be made. Bolton says, “Every 53 days, Juno goes soaring by Jupiter and gets doused by a fire hose of data. There is always something new.”

For more discoveries from Jupiter and the other planets of our solar system, stay tuned to http://science.nasa.gov .
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City of Clearlake, Calif., employees brought their children to work on Thursday, April 26, 2018. Courtesy photo.


CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On April 26, in conjunction with more than 3.5 million of both public and private sector employers across the nation, the city of Clearlake participated in “Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day.”

Employees from all divisions, including the Clearlake Police Department, Public Works, Code Enforcement and administration, brought their children to work to show them the value of their education and help them discover the power and possibilities associated with a balanced work and family life.

The children spent a half day with the Public Works Department, learning proper equipment
techniques and how roads are built.

They were then given tours of City Hall, with a meeting with Vice Mayor Phil Harris, who taught them about the history of Clearlake and how the voting process works.

The children ended the day with a tour of the police department given by Sgt. Martin Snyder. They were able to see the police vehicles up close, and run the lights and sirens under close supervision by interim Chief Tim Celli and members of his staff.

"This was a great way to teach our next generation the importance of staying in school and the value of public service," said City Manager Greg Folsom.

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