How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
NASA has selected a science mission that will allow astronomers to explore, for the first time, the hidden details of some of the most extreme and exotic astronomical objects, such as stellar and supermassive black holes, neutron stars and pulsars.
Objects such as black holes can heat surrounding gases to more than a million degrees.
The high-energy X-ray radiation from this gas can be polarized – vibrating in a particular direction.
The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission will fly three space telescopes with cameras capable of measuring the polarization of these cosmic X-rays, allowing scientists to answer fundamental questions about these turbulent and extreme environments where gravitational, electric and magnetic fields are at their limits.
“We cannot directly image what’s going on near objects like black holes and neutron stars, but studying the polarization of X-rays emitted from their surrounding environments reveals the physics of these enigmatic objects,” said Paul Hertz, astrophysics division director for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “NASA has a great history of launching observatories in the Astrophysics Explorers Program with new and unique observational capabilities. IXPE will open a new window on the universe for astronomers to peer through. Today, we can only guess what we will find.”
NASA's Astrophysics Explorers Program requested proposals for new missions in September 2014. Fourteen proposals were submitted, and three mission concepts were selected for additional review by a panel of agency and external scientists. NASA determined the IXPE proposal provided the best science potential and most feasible development plan.
The mission, slated for launch in 2020, will cost $188 million. This figure includes the cost of the launch vehicle and post-launch operations and data analysis. Principal Investigator Martin Weisskopf of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, will lead the mission.
Ball Aerospace in Broomfield, Colo., will provide the spacecraft and mission integration. The Italian Space Agency will contribute the polarization sensitive X-ray detectors, which were developed in Italy.
NASA's Explorers Program provides frequent, low-cost access to space using principal investigator-led space science investigations relevant to the agency’s astrophysics and heliophysics programs.
The program has launched more than 90 missions, including Explorer 1 in 1958, which discovered the Van Allen radiation belts around the Earth, and the Cosmic Background Explorer mission, which led to a Nobel Prize. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the Explorers Program for the agency's Science Mission Directorate.
For more information about the Explorers program, visit http://explorers.gsfc.nasa.gov .
After a decedent's own children, grandchildren are next in line to receive inheritances from a decedent's estate.
Grandchildren usually figure as alternative beneficiaries who inherit only if their parent predeceases their grandparent.
Grandchildren, however, can sometimes be primary beneficiaries, such as when the grandparent raised the grandchild or wants to provide for the grandchild because the grandchild's own parent will not. Regardless gifts to grandchildren require planning.
If the grandchild is a minor then planning is more complicated. Minors cannot receive assets directly in their own name.
Without planning in place a court petition to appoint a guardian is required. The assets are then managed by the guardian for the benefit of the minor. As the guardianship proceedings are costly it makes sense to plan and so avoid them.
If the gift involves a sum of cash that is say less than $50,000 then a Child Uniform Transfer to Minors Act ("CUTMA") account managed by a trusted adult could be used to receive the gift.
Alternatively the same money could be deposited into a College Education Savings Plan (such as a so-called 529 Plan) when the donor's intent is to provide educational assistance.
When the gift to a minor grandchild is sizable, or involves real property, however, a trust is often in order. The trust can manage assets for more than one beneficial grandchild, which reduces total administration costs.
Typically each grandchild begins with an equal separate share which is then adjusted for later distributions and expenses.
Unlike a CUTMA account the trust does not have to terminate once the grandchild reaches 25 years of age. CUTMA accounts make sense for smaller size monetary gifts which don't warrant the expense of a trust.
A trust may continue for the lifetime of the beneficiary; up to ninety (90) years under California law. It may also provide for alternative death beneficiaries in case a primary beneficiary dies before receiving their full distribution.
Most importantly a trust can be drafted to carry out the wishes of the grantor and yet allow the trustee enough discretion to have flexibility to deal with the circumstances.
If the grandchild is an adult at time of distribution then they can receive their gift outright. Nonetheless that may not always be best.
Do they have creditor issues, receive needs based government benefits, can manage the assets involved, or have any substance abuse problems? These are all circumstances when an appropriately drafted trust for the adult grandchild's benefit may be employed.
Unfortunately, some grandchildren become estranged from their grandparents, who may decide to disinherit them.
In those cases, the grandparent's estate planning documents will both expressly disinherit such grandchildren and also provide for other alternative beneficiaries.
No matter what, grandchildren cannot be ignored when doing one's estate planning. By law they are heirs to their grandparent's estate if the grandparent's child has died but the grandparent is survived by the deceased child's own children.
Thus, regardless of whether one is motivated by love and concern or otherwise how to treat one's grandchildren must be addressed.
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
MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – Temporary employment opportunities for the 2017 season on the Mendocino National Forest will be available soon.
Fire and aviation positions will be open from Jan. 9 through Jan. 13.
Announcements for a variety of positions in recreation, archaeology, biology, engineering and hydrology will be open from Jan. 17 through Jan. 23
Applications will be accepted on the USAJOBS Web site, https://www.usajobs.gov/ .
The Mendocino National Forest is looking for a diversified, committed, hardworking, and highly skilled workforce. Job locations are Willows, Stonyford, Upper Lake, Covelo, Paskenta or Elk Creek, Calif. Not all jobs are available in all locations.
For more information about employment on the Mendocino National Forest please contact John Bohmer, Civil Rights Officer, at 530-934-1103.
For information about the forest, check the forest website https://www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino , Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MendocinoNF/ or Twitter @MendocinoNF.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The next free household hazardous waste dropoff event will be held Friday, Jan. 20, and Saturday, Nov. 21, at Quackenbush Mountain Recovery & Compost Facility, 16520 Davis St. adjacent to the Landfill, Clearlake.
From Highway 53 turn on to 40th Avenue, take a left on Moss Avene, follow the signs to the landfill on Davis Avenue.
Hours will be from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Households can bring up to 15 gallons of toxic items free of charge. Fees will be charged for amounts over 15 gallons.
Items that are accepted include paint, solvents, fuels, five-gallon propane tanks (empty), pool chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, batteries, fluorescent light tubes (up to 60 linear feet) and other toxic materials that cannot be put in the trash.
Items that cannot be accepted include televisions, computer monitors, ammunition, explosives, radioactive materials or infectious wastes.
To learn how and where to properly dispose these items, please visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us or contact the recycling hotline at 707-263-1980.
Household hazardous waste dropoff services are provided to Lake County residential households by the Integrated Waste Management Division of the Lake County Public Services Department and the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).
Businesses also are welcome to use this convenient service to properly dispose of hazardous waste and protect our environment, however, businesses must pay for this county-funded service and first make an appointment. Business appointments can be made by calling Lake County Waste Solutions at 707-234-6400.
Beginning in June, ask about receiving a free puncture-proof sharps container at one of these events to use for free sharps disposal.
Free recycling options for residents and businesses:
· Recycled paint is available to both residents and businesses at Lake County Waste Solutions and South Lake Refuse and Recycling Center first-come, first-served basis in five gallon containers. Colors include tan, brown, gray and pink.
· Used motor oil and cooking oil can be dropped off by businesses and residents, at Lake County Waste Solutions, South Lake Refuse & Recycling Center, and the North Shore Fire Protection District station at 6257 Seventh Ave. in Lucerne. Visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us for more locations.
· Electronics (e-waste) can be dropped off at Lake County Waste Solutions and at South Lake Refuse & Recycling Center.
Lake County Waste Solutions
230 Soda Bay Road, Lakeport
888-718-4888 or 707-234-6400
Monday-Saturday, 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
www.candswaste.com
South Lake Refuse & Recycling Center
16015 Davis St., Clearlake
Open daily, 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
707-994-8614
www.southlakerefuse.com
The free Household Hazardous Waste drop off program is subsidized by the Lake County Public Services Department, Integrated Waste Management Division and CalRecycle as a public service to Lake County households.
For more information about recycling, reusing and reducing, visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us , call the recycling hotline at 707-263-1980 or like Lake County Public Services on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LCPublicServices?fref=ts .
The Reverend Dr. Lynn C Freele passed away Jan. 4, 2017, after a long battle with cancer.
Lynn received her Master of Science – Educational Psychology/Community Counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Master of Divinity from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary – Berkeley, and doctorate from San Francisco Theological Seminary.
Lynn served as pastor of Galilee Lutheran Church in Kelseyville, Calif., for 20 years (1989-2009), served on the Ethics Committee at Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport, Calif., for 12 years and taught philosophy, ethics, and world religions part-time at Yuba Community College in Clearlake, Calif., for 20 years.
She is survived by her four children, Diana, Howard, Bryan and Stefanie; son-in-law, Jon Saputo; daughter-in-law, Debbie Freele; son-in-law, Seth Lewers; and grandchildren, Wyett, Lucas, Kali and Jakob.
A private memorial will be held in Wisconsin.
NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT A CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION
AND NOTICE OF PROPOSED MINOR USE PERMIT
BY THE LAKE COUNTY ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Lake County Zoning Administrator of the County of Lake, State of California, will consider approving Minor Use Permit 16-37 with no public hearing if no written request for a public hearing is submitted by 5:00 P.M., January 18, 2017, at the Community Development Department, Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport, California. Should a timely request for hearing be filed, a public hearing will be held on January 25, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. in Conference Room C, 3rd Floor of the Courthouse.
Minor Use Permit 16-37: The property is located at 17461 Arroyo Vista Rd., Middletown, APN 050-322-05. The property owner, Wade Hansen has requested approval of this permit in accordance with Lake County Code to allow a 25 percent reduction of the required front yard setback from 30 feet to 22.5 feet to accommodate a deck in the front yard. Project planner: Tricia Shortridge, (707) 263-2221 or
Copies of the application, environmental documents, all reference documents, and staff reports associated with each project are available for review through the Community Development Department, Planning Division; Telephone (707) 263-2221.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Robert Massarelli, Director
By: ____________________________________
Michalyn DelValle, Principal Planner