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LAKEPORT, Calif. – For the 20th year, Lake County law enforcement agencies partnered to collect and distribute toys to local children who have been crime victims.
On Friday, representatives from agencies including the District Attorney's Office and its Victim-Witness Division, the California Highway Patrol, Clearlake Police Department, Lake County Sheriff's Office, Lakeport Police Departments gathered to pick up and deliver the gifts.
Debbie Wallace, who heads up Victim-Witness, said the county administrative and auditor's offices also adopted families.
As in past years, St. Mary's Catholic Church in Lakeport helped gather many of the gifts, Wallace said.
Wallace and other officials involved in the annual event describe it in the video above.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – In 2007, North Coast Opportunities established The Gardens Project in Mendocino County to help increase access to healthy, fresh, local, and just foods.
The Gardens Project encourages self-reliance by helping people cultivate food and develop leadership skills.
Since 2007, The Gardens Project has created or redeveloped 38 school and community gardens, has trained 75 garden leaders, and has offered countless free workshops and other events in the gardens.
The Gardens Project recently received a three-year USDA Community Food Project grant to replicate this successful model in Lake County.
The ultimate goal of this grant is to build 10 new gardens in low-income neighborhoods, as well as develop leadership, advocacy and organizational skills among garden leaders by providing intensive leadership training.
The grant also will include free gardening trainings and food production workshops.
NCO has hired Ava Ryan as the Lake County Gardens Project coordinator, and she will work out of NCO’s Clearlake office.
Ryan got involved at an early age in the local food movement in her hometown of Brooklyn, New York, and studied sustainable agriculture at Cornell University. She has since worked on research and production farms, and has used gardens in educational settings both internationally and in Sonoma County.
“I’m excited to work with the local communities and organizations in Lake County,” said Ryan. “It’s an incredible opportunity to combine my skills and my passion for food to help build a more resilient local food system.”
Over the next year, The Gardens Project will identify key neighborhoods for community gardens around the county with the intent of establishing at least two new gardens by the end of 2016.
Rural Communities Housing and Development Corporation manages more than 1,000 low-income rental units for families and seniors, and will help create access to garden sites at their locations.
Additional land will come from private donations or will be leased from the city. Once sites have been identified, the California Conservation Corps will help clear land and build garden infrastructure.
Community gardeners usually pay a low annual fee – around $20 to $30 – which includes water, tools, irrigation equipment and seeds.
Community gardens typically range in size from 20 to 40 individual plots. Plot sizes average 10 feet by 10 feet, but can be as small as 5 feet by 5 feet or as large as 20 feet by 20 feet.
NCO has a history of working with gardens in Lake County. In the past several years, The Gardens Project has helped develop three Lake County community gardens, including the NCO Clearlake Food Pantry Garden, the FLOW Garden located on East Highway 20 in Lucerne, and the North Shore Villas Apartment Garden which serves seniors and those with disabilities.
According to North Shore Villas Garden Leader Lorrie Rose, “The water system NCO put in has worked out so very well. Even people in wheelchairs and scooters can navigate around the garden and use the hoses with little difficulty.”
Ryan is eager to build on these previous successes, and is currently working with the Highlands Senior Center in Clearlake to open their one-acre garden to gardeners in the community.
“A lot of the infrastructure is already in place, so the garden should be ready for 20 to 30 families to grow food in the spring,” said Ryan.
In addition to community gardens, The Gardens Project is working to develop a network of community members and groups involved in food, nutrition, and agricultural issues that will encourage long-term food policy planning.
The initial model will be loosely built on the foundation created by the Lake County Food Roundtable, which has been functioning for several years as an informal food policy council.
The end goal is to develop a local food action plan that will address food production and access in Lake County.
If you have any questions or are interested in supporting or developing a community garden in your neighborhood, feel free to contact Ryan via email at
Elizabeth Archer works for North Coast Opportunities.
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Our county's very own Black Forest is situated on 255 acres on Soda Bay Road close to the development called Buckingham Park.
As it is part of the northeastern rise of Mount Konocti, it has always been considered a sacred site by Lake County Native Americans.
Unlike southwestern Germany's Black Forest, we have no Danube River, or any of the over one dozen waterways they have, flowing through the forest.
However, we do have a beautiful, cathedral-like, dense woodland that is strewn with colossal boulders that are swathed in moss and lichen.
Here you can breathe in the crisp clean scent of the woods, while watching the ecosystem working all around you.
You may witness a fallen giant breaking itself down into smaller and smaller bits- returning to the earth.
The massive timbers are photosynthesizing way above your head, and below, down on the pliant forest floor mini dramas are playing themselves out with their myriad and mysterious ways of decomposing, recycling and regenerating all at once.
Ferns, mushrooms and all of the forest “characters” are attending to their queue in the ongoing drama.
This unique spot provides homes for wildlife, and through its very nature controls erosion all while providing us with gorgeous views.
Preparation to save the Black Forest started in 1999, when it became evident to the Lake County Land Trust that there were plans for logging this special spot. Then, more than 50 community members rallied around to work on its preservation.
For more details on the preservation process of Lake County's Black Forest, visit the Lake County Land Trust Web site, http://www.lakecountylandtrust.org/black-forest.html .
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.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A big group of dogs is waiting for homes for the holidays.
This week's dogs include mixes of Australian Shepherd, border collie, bull terrier, cattle dog, dachshund, Dalmatian, Great Pyrenees, hound, Labrador Retriever, Leonberger, pit bull, pointer, Sharpei, shepherd and terrier.
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”).
'Shorty'
“Shorty” is a handsome male pit bull with a short gray and white coat.
Shelter said is sweet and already neutered, meaning his adoption costs will be lower. He loves people and would like to go home for the holidays.
He's in kennel No. 2, ID No. 4200.
'Digger'
“Digger” is a male terrier and Sharpei mix with a short tan coat.
He was found on Lakeview Drive in Nice.
Shelter staff said he always comes to the front of the kennel, wiggly and happy. He has no food aggression, allowed them to pull at his feet and tail with no problems and he gets along great with female dogs.
He's in kennel No. 4, ID No. 3693.
Labrador Retriever-Dalmatian mix
This male Labrador Retriever-Dalmatian has a short black coat with white markings.
He also has one blue eye and one brown eye.
Shelter staff said he has a low energy level and is good with other dogs, having come in with the dogs in kennels No. 8 and 10.
He's in kennel No. 5, ID No. 4138.
Hound mix
This male hound mix has a short white coat with brown markings.
He's in kennel No. 7, ID No. 4165.
Cattle dog mix
This female cattle dog mix has a short white coat with black markings, and one brown and one blue eye.
Shelter staff said she has great manners, knows how to sit and lie down. She is a little hesitant about being indoors – she may only have been an outside dog – but is adapting well. She's good with other dogs, having come in with the dogs in kennels No. 5 and 8. Based on her evaluation, she seems to like male dogs more than females.
“She will melt your heart in minutes,” shelter staff said.
She's in kennel No. 10, ID No. 4152.
'Cache'
“Cache” has had a rough year. He was rescued from the area of the Jerusalem fire this summer and adopted, but later returned because of an issue with his adopter's cat.
Shelter staff said he's a gentle, mellow giant that is part Leonberger. He's looking for a special person to give him a home for the rest of his life.
Cache is in kennel No. 11, ID No. 3101.
Bull terrier mix
This sweet female bull terrier mix has a short brown and white coat.
She is in kennel No. 13, ID No. 4185.
Pit bull mix
This female pit bull mix has a short gray coat with white markings.
Shelter staff said she is great with other dogs and is very people friendly, just wanting to sit in your lap. She has a low energy level and would do well in home with children.
She's in kennel No. 18, ID No. 3194.
Pit bull terrier
This female pit bull terrier mix has a short black coat with white markings.
Shelter staff said she was brought in as a stray and is hoping her family will come for her.
She is in kennel No. 19, ID No. 4213.
Pit bull terrier mix
This female pit bull terrier mix has a short brown and white coat.
Shelter staff said she is super sweet and wiggly when she gets visitors at her kennel. She just wants to be loved and play in her new forever home.
She's in kennel No. 21, ID No. 4164.
German Shepherd mix
This male German Shepherd mix has a tan and black coat with white markings.
Shelter staff said he is a beautiful boy who does not have any problems with food aggression, and is tolerant with being handled and having his feet, tail and skin pulled with no problems.
He does fine with other dogs, male or female. He has a lot of potential, and just needs somebody who will work with him.
Find him in kennel No. 22, ID No. 4116.
Shepherd mix
This young male shepherd mix has a short tricolor coat.
He has a sweet, smiley face, according to shelter staff.
He's in kennel No. 23, ID No. 4219.
Shepherd-pit bull terrier mix
This young female shepherd-pit bull terrier mix has a short brown brindle coat.
Shelter staff describe her as a cuddle bug.
She is in kennel No. 27, ID No. 4201.
Great Pyrenees mix
This male Great Pyrenees mix has a medium-length white coat.
Shelter staff said he is a sweet boy who has a torn anterior cruciate ligament and will need surgery in the future.
He's in kennel No. 28, ID No. 4121.
Shepherd-Australian Shepherd mix
This male shepherd-Australian Shepherd mix has a black coat with tan and white markings.
Shelter staff said he is a handsome and sweet boy.
He's in kennel No. 31, ID No. 4197.
'Tux'
“Tux” is a male border collie mix with a short black and white coat.
Shelter staff said Tux is a smart, sweet boy who is recovering from an injury to his leg.
He has no issues with food aggression and allowed staff to take the food away without any problems. He would be good in a home with no other dogs and no cats.
He's in kennel No. 32, ID No. 4036.
Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix
This male Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix has a short tan and black coat.
Shelter staff said he has no food aggression, and does fine with female dogs. He is very scared in the animal control environment, and needs to go home to a loving family. He is great with people, and just needs some one on one time to come out of his shell.
He's in kennel No. 33, ID No. 3861.
Jack Russell terrier mix
This female Jack Russell terrier mix has a short black and white coat.
Shelter staff said she is older and a sweetheart.
She's in kennel No. 34, ID NO. 4210.
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 [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Planets are found around nearly every star, but astronomers still do not fully understand how – and under what conditions – they form.
To answer such questions, they study the rotating discs of gas and dust present around young stars from which planets are built. But these discs are small and far from Earth, and the power of ALMA was needed for them to reveal their secrets.
A special class of discs, called transitional discs, have a surprising absence of dust in their centres, in the region around the star. Two main ideas have been put forward to explain these mysterious gaps.
Firstly, the strong stellar winds and intense radiation could have blown away or destroyed the encircling material. Alternatively, massive young planets in the process of formation could have cleared the material as they orbit the star.
The unparalleled sensitivity and image sharpness of ALMA have now allowed the team of astronomers, led by Nienke van der Marel from the Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands to map the distribution of gas and dust in four of these transitional discs better than ever before. This in turn has allowed them to choose between the two options as the cause of the gaps for the first time.
The new images show that there are significant amounts of gas within the dust gaps. But to the team’s surprise, the gas also possessed a gap, up to three times smaller than that of the dust.
This could only be explained by the scenario in which newly formed massive planets have cleared the gas as they traveled around their orbits, but trapped the dust particles further out.
“Previous observations already hinted at the presence of gas inside the dust gaps,” explained Nienke van der Marel. “But as ALMA can image the material in the entire disc in much greater detail than other facilities, we could rule out the alternative scenario. The deep gap points clearly to the presence of planets with several times the mass of Jupiter, creating these caverns as they sweep through the disc.”
Remarkably, these observations were conducted utilising just one tenth of the current resolving power of ALMA, as they were performed whilst half of the array was still under construction on the Chajnantor Plateau in northern Chile.
Further studies are now needed to determine whether more transitional discs also point towards this planet-clearing scenario, although ALMA’s observations have, in the meantime, provided astronomers with a valuable new insight into the complex process of planetary formation.
“All the transitional discs studied so far that have large dust cavities also have gas cavities. So, with ALMA, we can now find out where and when giant planets are being born in these discs, and compare these results with planet formation models,” said Ewine van Dishoeck, also of Leiden University and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching. “Direct planetary detection is just within reach of current instruments, and the next generation telescopes currently under construction, such as the European Extremely Large Telescope, will be able to go much further. ALMA is pointing out where they will need to look.”
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Forecasters are predicting more rain through Christmas for Lake County.
Most of the county experienced steady rainfall on Friday.
The National Weather Service reported 24-hour rainfall totals through 4 a.m. Saturday, in inches, as follows:
– Bartlett Springs: 1.14;
– Indian Valley Reservoir: 0.19;
– Hidden Valley Lake: 0.84;
– Kelseyville: 0.47;
– Lakeport: 0.52;
– Lower Lake: 0.23;
– Middletown: 0.74;
– Upper Lake: 0.90;
– Whispering Pines: 1.32.
The forecast calls for chances of rain every day through Christmas, according to the National Weather Service.
Temperatures are expected to dip into the high 30s at night and top out in the high 50s during the daytime, based on the specific forecast.
The rain is helping Clear Lake to recover.
The level of Clear Lake was at 0.74 feet Rumsey as of 4 a.m. Saturday, according to the United States Geological Survey gauge on the lake.
While improved over the last few weeks, the lake's level is still well below the level recorded on the same day in 2014, when it was 2.14 feet Rumsey, but just above the 0.63 feet Rumsey on Dec. 19, 2013, according to US Geological Survey records.
Email Elizabeth Larson at