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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Animal Care and Control continues to have a shelter filled this week with big dogs and a little one, too.
This week's dogs include mixes of American Staffordshire Terrier, dachshund, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, 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”).
Great Pyrenees mix
This male Great Pyrenees mix has a long white coat.
He is in kennel No. 3, ID No. 5263.
Pit bull terrier mix
This female pit bull terrier mix has a short black and white coat.
She's in kennel No. 5, ID No. 5378.
'Kush'
“Kush” is a female adult pit bull terrier mix.
She has a short tan coat and already is spayed.
She's in kennel No. 6, ID No. 5249.
Shepherd mix
This male shepherd mix has a short tan and black coat. He already is altered.
He's in kennel No. 13, ID No. 5299.
American Staffordshire Terrier
This male American Staffordshire Terrier has a short black and white coat and has already been neutered.
He's in kennel No. 14, ID No. 5194.
Dachshund mix
This senior female dachshund mix has a short brown coat.
She's in kennel No. 17, ID No. 5399.
'Storm'
“Storm” is a female pit bull terrier mix with a brown and white coat.
She's in kennel No. 24, ID No. 5363.
'Cooper'
“Cooper” is a male shepherd mix with a black and tan coat and white markings.
He's in kennel No. 25, ID No. 5377.
Great Dane-Labrador Retriever mix
This male Great Dane-Labrador Retriever mix has a short black coat with white markings.
He's in kennel No. 26, ID No. 5104.
Pit bull terrier mix
This male pit bull terrier mix is in urgent need of a new home. He's been available for adoption since May 11.
He has a short brown coat.
Shelter staff said he does not jump and is very friendly, walking well on a leash, showing no food aggression, and allowing handling of his mouth, ears, paws and tail with no problems. He also enjoys a good tummy rub.
He would do great in a home with no cats.
Shelter staff said he is great with other dogs and would do wonderful with children.
He's in kennel No. 28, ID No. 4850.
Labrador Retriever mix
This male Labrador Retriever mix has short black coat.
He's in kennel No. 31, ID No. 5344.
Labrador Retriever mix
This male Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix has a short all-black coat.
He's in kennel No. 32, ID No. 5158.
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
Around 3.8 billion years ago, an asteroid more than 150 miles across, roughly equal to the length of New Jersey, slammed into the Moon and created the Imbrium Basin – the right eye of the fabled Man in the Moon.
This new size estimate, published in the journal Nature, suggests an Imbrium impactor that was two times larger in diameter and 10 times more massive than previous estimates.
“We show that Imbrium was likely formed by an absolutely enormous object, large enough to be classified as a protoplanet,” said Pete Schultz, professor of earth, environmental and planetary sciences at Brown University. “This is the first estimate for the Imbrium impactor’s size that is based largely on the geological features we see on the Moon.”
Previous estimates, Schultz said, were based solely on computer models and yielded a size estimate of only about 50 miles in diameter.
These new findings help to explain some of the puzzling geological features that surround the Imbrium Basin.
The work also suggests – based on the sizes of other impact basins in the Moon, Mars and Mercury — that the early solar system was likely well stocked with protoplanet-sized asteroids.
Imbrium sculpture
The Imbrium Basin – seen from Earth as a dark patch in the northwestern quadrant of the Moon’s face – measures about 750 miles across.
The basin is surrounded by grooves and gashes, large enough to be seen with even small telescopes from Earth, created by rocks blasted out of the crater when it was formed.
These features, known as the Imbrium Sculpture, radiate out from the center of the basin like spokes on a wheel, but are concentrated on the basin’s southeast side.
That suggests that the impactor traveled from the northwest, impacting at an oblique angle rather than straight on.
But in addition to features radiating from the basin’s center, there is a second set of grooves with a different alignment. These appear to come from a region to the northwest, along the trajectory from which the impactor came.
“This second set of grooves was a real mystery,” Schultz said. “No one was quite sure where they came from.”
Through hypervelocity impact experiments performed using the Vertical Gun Range at the NASA Ames Research Center, Schultz was able to show that those grooves were likely formed by chunks of the impactor that sheared off on initial contact with the surface.
The grooves created by those chunks enabled Schultz to estimate the size of the impactor.
Laboratory impacts
The Vertical Gun Range employs a 14-foot cannon that fires small projectiles at up to 16,000 miles per hour, while impact plates and high-speed cameras record the ballistic dynamics.
During his experiments with low-angle impacts, Schultz noticed that impactors tend to start breaking apart when they first make contact with the surface.
That point of initial contact is actually behind or “up-range” of the final crater, where the bulk of the impactor digs into the surface.
The chunks that break off up-range of the final crater continue to travel at a high rate of speed, scouring and grooving the surface.
“The key point is that the grooves made by these chunks aren’t radial to the crater,” Schultz said. “They come from the region of first contact. We see the same thing in our experiments that we see on the Moon – grooves pointing up-range, rather than the crater.”
After seeing these features in the lab, Schultz worked with David Crawford of the Sandia National Laboratories to generate computer models showing that the same kind of physics would also happen at the colossal scales of a lunar impact.
With an understanding of how those grooves were created, Schultz could use them to find the Imbrium impact point. And because the fragments would have broken off from the either side of the impactor, the groove trajectories could be used to estimate the impactor’s size.
Those calculations yielded an estimated diameter of 250 kilometers or 150 miles across, large enough for the object to be classified as a protoplanet.
“That’s actually a low-end estimate,” Schultz said. “It’s possible that it could have been as large as 300 kilometers.”
'Lost giants' and the Late Heavy Bombardment
Schultz and his colleagues used similar methods to estimate the sizes of impactors related to several other basins on the Moon created by oblique impacts.
Those estimates – for the Moscoviense and Orientale basins on the Moon’s far side – yielded impactor sizes of 100 and 110 kilometers across respectively, larger than some previous estimates.
Combining these new estimates with the fact that there are even larger impact basins on the Moon and other planets, Schultz concludes that protoplanet-sized asteroids may have been common in the early solar system.
“The large basins we see on the Moon and elsewhere are the record of lost giants,” Schultz said.
The research has several other significant implications, he said.
The surviving fragments from these impactors would have littered the ancient surface of the Moon, slowly becoming mixed with native soil and rock.
That could help explain why samples returned from the Apollo missions had such a high meteoritic content. That is particularly true of Apollo 16, which landed downrange from the Imbrium impact.
Furthermore, Schultz’s work suggests fragments from these giants could account for a many of the impacts that occurred during a period called the Late Heavy Bombardment, which occurred from about 3.8 billion years ago to around 4 billion years, when scientists think most of the craters we see on the Moon and Mercury were formed.
The impact models Schultz and Crawford developed suggest that thousands of the chunks that crumbled off of the Imbrium impactor and others would have broken and kept going, escaping the Moon’s gravity and flying off into space.
On subsequent orbits around the sun, those chunks would have crossed the Earth and Moon orbits again and again, creating a strong possibility of subsequent impacts. Some of those objects would have been a kilometer or two across, large enough to create 20-kilometer craters.
“These chips off the old blocks could have contributed significantly to the impact record we see on the Moon and other terrestrial planets,” Schultz said.
Schultz also said he continues to be amazed by what we can learn just by looking up at the Moon.
“The Moon still holds clues that can affect our interpretation of the entire solar system,” he said. “Its scarred face can tell us quite a lot about what was happening in our neighborhood 3.8 billion years ago.”
The research was funded in part by a grant from NASA.
LUCERNE, Calif. – Marymount California University’s Lakeside Campus in Lucerne is still accepting applications for the fall 2016 semester, which begins on Aug. 22.
Residents of Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma counties are encouraged to apply to finish a bachelor’s degree in psychology, business or liberal arts.
Classes offered are upper-division, degree-completion classes.
To qualify, a student must have completed their lower division classes, or the equivalent of an associate's degree.
Tuition for local students has been reduced substantially and is now comparable to tuition at California State Universities.
A reduced tuition rate, classes which take place in the evenings, and a location in Lucerne, means students do not need to leave Lake County to earn a university degree.
In addition, because classes are held in the evenings, students who have jobs may take classes while working during the day.
For more information on enrolling for the fall semester, call Enrollment Coordinator Kathy Windrem at the Lucerne Campus at 310-303-7699.
Online applications can be made on the university Web site at www.marymountcalifornia.edu .
MIKE AND DAVE NEED WEDDING DATES (Rated R)
Unlike the most recent review of a family friendly animated film, this column turns sharply in the other direction with “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates,” where the “R” rating should be considered nothing short of a very hard-R.
This raunchy comedy, which deserves its adult rating for a smorgasbord of drug use, nudity, crude sexual content, profanity and general deviancy, seems modestly inspired by “Wedding Crashers,” yet taking the concept to another level.
What might be surprising is that the premise of two rowdy brothers needing “respectable” female dates for a family wedding is based on the true story of Mike and Dave Stangle posting an ad on Craigslist that goes viral and lands them on “The Wendy Williams Show.”
The screen versions of Mike and Dave are Adam Devine and Zac Efron respectively. Mike, the older sibling, is impulsive and a bit of a hothead. Dave is a little less prone to making trouble, but when paired with his brother all hell breaks loose.
Still in their 20s, Mike and Dave are New York liquor distributors who certainly don’t mind sampling their product, often to excess. This is what bothers their parents (Stephen Root and Stephanie Faracy) when the time comes for another family reunion.
The film has the promising start of any good raunchy comedy by highlighting the antics of the brothers as they invariably show up stag for a family gathering, get stinking drunk and proceed to destroy everything from wedding cakes to furniture.
With Mike and Dave’s little sister Jeanie (Sugar Lyn Beard) getting married in Hawaii, the parents stage an intervention with their unruly sons to demand that they bring nice girls as dates so that, theoretically, the wedding won’t be wrecked.
Thus begins the “audition” process as Mike and Dave go on a succession of double dates to find the right pair of girls to join them on the lure of an all-expense paid trip to the dream vacation destination of a Hawaii.
As you can imagine, the response to the online ad is overwhelming and Mike and Dave interview a strange field of candidates, from grungy girls to weird hippie chicks, paranoid girls and militant feminists, twin girls that look like guys and even girls that are guys.
But the brothers didn’t count on Tatiana (Aubrey Plaza) and Alice (Anna Kendrick). In a very deceptive manner, these two girls seek out Mike and Dave and charm their way into the winning spot as wedding dates.
Unknown to the brothers, Tatiana and Alice are pretty intense, crazy, down-on-their-luck waitresses, tough chicks who decide they need a break and transform themselves into nice, sweet, respectable-looking women.
Not until they get to Hawaii do Mike and Dave realize they have met their match with Tatiana and Alice, both of them capable of drinking anyone under the table and causing even more mischief than the Stangle siblings could imagine.
Of course, there’s a slow build-up to the coming explosion of bad behavior. For Alice, who had been recently dumped at the altar, the sudden reality of a happy wedding is too much to bear as she drowns her sorrows in booze and drugs.
The real wild card, however, is Tatiana, a tough cookie from Philadelphia who is ready to party and go on adventures. While pretending to be what she is not, Tatiana has to fend off the advances of a smitten Mike, who feels he may have found the right girl after all.
Not surprisingly, wedding plans start to go awry and the brothers are only partially at fault. Well, maybe they should take all the blame. Accidents happen with an off-road vehicle, and Jeanie finds herself looking a little worse for the wear.
Alice unwisely convinces Jeanie to relax with copious amounts of drugs and a sexually suggestive massage at the resort’s spa. One thing leads to another, and suddenly the groom Eric (Sam Richardson), a mellow dude oblivious to the goings-on, starts to have second thoughts.
Of course, Mike and Dave, though hardly far from innocent of any shenanigans, will be held accountable for any mayhem that results. And, indeed, it would be an understatement to say things get out-of-hand.
Arguably, Alice and Tatiana, going completely out of control, steal the show from the idiot brothers, and as a result, “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates” could just as easily been titled “Tatiana and Alice Go Wild.”
In any event, regardless of top billing, Dave and Alice and Mike and Tatiana create the oddball coupling of schemers and hard-charging party animals so that “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates” offers the raunchy laughs, though fitfully, to be expected from this type of comedy.
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.
Archery with lighted arrow nocks
Question: We are bow hunters and are wondering if there are any regulations against using lighted arrow nocks?
They turn on when shot from your bow and stay on until you turn them off. They operate by a small lithium battery and will stay on for many hours if needed.
The light makes it easier to follow the path of the arrow once released and will stay on until retrieved from the animal or wherever it ends up. (Joe G., Grass Valley)
Answer: There are no prohibitions against using lighted nocks so long as they don’t emit a directional beam of light.
“Notwithstanding the general prohibition of the use of lights in Fish and Game Code section 2005, arrows or crossbow bolts with lighted nocks that do not emit a directional beam of light may be used” (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, section 354(d)).
A nock is the slotted portion at the back of the arrow that sits against the bow string and holds the arrow in place until the archer is released.
Fishing with multiple rods in Tomales Bay
Question: In ocean and/or bays, such as Tomales Bay by Lawson's Landing, is a second rod stamp required?
Is a second rod stamp required to catch California halibut with multiple rods in Tomales Bay? (John C., Roseville)
Answer: A second rod stamp is not required to fish with multiple rods in Tomales Bay. A second rod stamp only applies to inland waters defined under CCR Title 14, section 1.53.
Restrictions on gear in the ocean pertain to certain areas such as San Francisco Bay and certain species such as groundfish and salmon.
Legal to mount waterfowl to give away?
Question: I was given a few ducks and some geese by a hunter in Fresno. These ducks have tags and the hunter provided me with an affidavit stating they were gifted.
I don’t have time to mount these anymore. Can I give them away for free since I don’t have a federal permit?
Also, I have a few ducks that I mounted for myself but would now like to part with them. Can I give them away for free as well? (Christina T.)
Answer: Yes. And for the gifted ducks and geese, once you are ready to give them away to someone else, you will also need to pass along any paperwork you received with them to the person you are passing the ducks and geese along to (Code of Federal Regulations Title 50, Part 20, sections 20.36-20.40).
How to check that a fishing guide has all licenses and insurance?
Question: I’m thinking of hiring a fishing guide for a trip. How can I check to make sure he has all the necessary licenses and insurance? (Barry N.)
Answer: To see if the guide is licensed and in good standing through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), please go to www.wildlife.ca.gov/licensing/guide and click on the licensed hunting and fishing guides link. This will provide you with the names of individuals with a valid California Fishing Guide license.
The license authorizes them to guide their fishing clients for money or compensation, but will not confirm that they carry insurance or any other credentials.
Your best bet will be to ask around about their reputations at a local fishing or sporting goods store or get a referral from past clients.
You should also ask the prospective guide to show you proof that they carry insurance and/or any other credentials.
Hoop netting with a winch
Question: I have a simple question about recreational hoop netting. Can I use an electrical device like an “Ace Hauler” to aid in the retrieval of my hoop nets?
It uses an electrical motor to aid in the work. You just wrap the rope around the wheel and pull. The motor does most of the work. If this is legal, are there any restrictions on the use of such a device? (Karl P.)
Answer: There are no regulations prohibiting the use of manual winches by sportfishers to assist in pulling crab traps or hoop nets.
Use of power-driven winches is prohibited north of Point Arguello, but there is an exception for handling crab traps or nets (see CCR Title 14, section 28.70).
Carrie Wilson is a marine environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s questions, she will select a few to answer each week in this column. Please contact her at
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – After 12 years of closure, the 45-foot lookout tower on the highest peak of Mount Konocti is once again being used to protect Lake County.
The tower had been closed due primarily to high costs as well as the proliferation of cell phones, according to tower volunteer Chuck Sturges.
However, last year, Cal Fire, in concert with the Forest Fire Lookout Association, began working to reopen the facility and return it to service.
Today, the tower's operations are supported and staffed by an all-volunteer effort.
The first volunteer training was held on Sept. 12, 2015 – the day the Valley fire broke out.
This summer, thanks to the efforts of volunteers, each morning the radio call goes out, “St. Helena, Mount Konocti Lookout … in service.”
The payoff has come almost immediately as volunteers in the tower sighted three unreported fires in the first three weeks of operation, Sturges said.
Cal Fire officials, including Cal Fire Division Chief Greg Bertelli, have credited the lookout's efforts with helping firefighters quickly respond to those incidents.
One of the season's early fires that the lookout spotted was the 215-acre Reservoir fire, which began June 26 east of Clearlake Oaks.
The lookout also was the first to report a fire at Beckstoffer Vineyards on July 1.
Lookout volunteers choose days for eight-hour shifts in the tower from an online schedule. At least one per month is required.
With a magnetic “Konocti Fire Watch Unit” sign attached to their personal high-clearance vehicle, they drive through a locked gate then three miles up the dirt road which extends from just passed Kelseyville Middle School to the top of Mount Konocti.
The summit itself has become part of Mount Konocti County Park, which normally requires a fairly steep three-mile hike to the top from the locked gate, located near a rudimentary parking area.
If an individual wishes to participate in this program serving all of Lake County and neighboring areas, the next training session for new volunteers is 9 a.m. Saturday, July 30, at the Kelseyville Fire Station.
For further information one can call Chris Rivera at 707-279- 2363 or e-mail Randall Grindle at
Follow the Forest Fire Lookout Association's Konocti Chapter on Facebook.
