How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
The large space rock that will zip past Earth this Halloween is most likely a dead comet that, fittingly, bears an eerie resemblance to a skull.
Scientists observing asteroid 2015 TB145 with NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, have determined that the celestial object is more than likely a dead comet that has shed its volatiles after numerous passes around the sun.
The belated comet has also been observed by optical and radar observatories around the world, providing even more data, including our first close-up views of its surface.
Asteroid 2015 TB145 will safely fly by our planet at just under 1.3 lunar distances, or about 302,000 miles, on Halloween – Saturday, Oct. 31 – at 10 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time.
The first radar images of the dead comet were generated by the National Science Foundation's 1,000-foot Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.
The radar images from Arecibo indicate the object is spherical in shape and approximately 2,000 feet in diameter and completes a rotation about once every five hours.
“The IRTF data may indicate that the object might be a dead comet, but in the Arecibo images it appears to have donned a skull costume for its Halloween flyby,” said Kelly Fast, IRTF program scientist at NASA Headquarters and acting program manager for NASA's NEO Observations Program.
Managed by the University of Hawaii for NASA, the IRTF's 10 foot telescope collected infrared data on the object.
The data may finally put to rest the debate over whether 2015 TB145, with its unusual orbit, is an asteroid or is of cometary origin.
“We found that the object reflects about 6 percent of the light it receives from the sun,” said Vishnu Reddy, a research scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, Arizona. “That is similar to fresh asphalt, and while here on Earth we think that is pretty dark, it is brighter than a typical comet which reflects only 3 to 5 percent of the light. That suggests it could be cometary in origin – but as there is no coma evident, the conclusion is it is a dead comet.”
Radar images generated by the Arecibo team are available at: https://www.facebook.com/notes/national-astronomy-and-ionosphere-center-arecibo-observatory/near-earth-asteroid-2015-tb145-passes-by-without-a-fright/1082765941733673 .
Asteroid 2015 TB145 was discovered on Oct. 10 by the University of Hawaii's Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System – or Pan-STARRS-1 – on Haleakala, Maui, part of the NASA-funded Near-Earth Object Observations Program.
The next time the asteroid will be in Earth's neighborhood will be in September 2018, when it will make a distant pass at about 24 million miles, or about a quarter the distance between Earth and the sun.
Radar is a powerful technique for studying an asteroid's size, shape, rotation, surface features and surface roughness, and for improving the calculation of asteroid orbits.
Radar measurements of asteroid distances and velocities often enable computation of asteroid orbits much further into the future than would be possible otherwise.
NASA places a high priority on tracking asteroids and protecting our home planet from them. In fact, the U.S. has the most robust and productive survey and detection program for discovering near-Earth objects (NEOs). To date, U.S.-funded assets have discovered over 98 percent of the known NEOs.
In addition to the resources NASA puts into understanding asteroids, it also partners with other U.S. government agencies, university-based astronomers, and space science institutes across the country, often with grants, interagency transfers and other contracts from NASA, and also with international space agencies and institutions that are working to track and better understand these objects.
NASA also values the work of numerous highly skilled amateur astronomers, whose accurate observational data helps improve asteroid orbits after they are found.
LUCERNE, Calif. – An early Friday morning vehicle crash damaged utility poles, knocked down power lines on the grounds of the Lucerne Elementary School and resulted in minor injuries to the driver.
The solo-vehicle crash occurred just after 2:30 a.m. Friday on Country Club Drive in front of Lucerne Elementary, according to the California Highway Patrol and radio reports.
What appeared to be a brown Dodge pickup hit the school's chain-link fence and a utility transformer box on Country Club Drive, between 17th Avenue and Ogden Road.
Officials said the pickup also may have hit a building. At the scene, it was difficult to tell if one of the school's portables had been hit due to the mangled fence.
The truck appeared to be totaled, with damage extending along nearly the entire length of the passenger side.
The crash knocked down two power poles and damaged a third, took out the transformer box and dropped power lines, radio reports indicated. There also were concerns that the chain-link fence around the school had been energized due to the downed lines.
The Northshore Fire battalion chief at the scene reported that lines were down and actively arcing on the school grounds, with arcing lines also reported on top of a portable classroom.
The driver was reported to be out the vehicle and walking around, based on radio reports.
Officials at the scene reported that the driver later was transported by CHP to Sutter Lakeside Hospital for medical clearance before being taken to the Lake County Jail.
Pacific Gas and Electric was said to have arrived on scene shortly before 3:45 a.m., based on radio reports. A school representative also was asked to respond.
PG&E's online outage center indicated there was a power outage – affecting only one customer – that was expected to be resolved at around 7 a.m. Friday.
Firefighters had to respond to a nearby home shortly before 4:30 a.m. to help a woman with her oxygen tank because of the power outage.
A county roads crew was on scene to shut down a portion of Country Club Drive at about 4:30 a.m., with firefighters clearing the scene shortly afterward.
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Thursday that more than $20 million in federal assistance has been approved for survivors of wildland fires in Lake and Calaveras counties.
Since wildfires swept Lake and Calaveras counties, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration have joined with local officials in working with individuals, families and businesses recover from the disaster.
Here is a snapshot of the disaster-recovery effort as of Oct. 29:
– The SBA has approved more than $10.3 million in low-interest disaster loans to businesses, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters.
– More than 3,500 Californians have contacted FEMA for information or registered for assistance with FEMA and nearly $9.7 million has been approved, including more than $6.4 million in housing assistance and $3.3 million in other needs assistance.
– To date, more than 3,300 survivors have been assisted at Disaster Recovery Centers in Calaveras and Lake counties. In Lake County, the centers are located in the the Middletown Senior Center, 21256 Washington St., and the former Apria Healthcare site, 14860 Olympic Drive in Clearlake.
– Inspectors in the field have made 2,671 home inspections – completing 99 percent of those required to date.
– Disaster Survivor Assistance teams have had 7,300 survivor interactions and made more than 1,700 whole community referrals.
Survivors who sustained disaster-related losses in Calaveras and Lake counties should register with FEMA by the Nov. 23, 2015, deadline.
Survivors can register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585; 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.
A direct telephone hotline is operational to process any requests from survivors who may need additional assistance at 916-381-0330, for TTY, call 711.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The devastating fires that tore through Lake County this year have seriously disrupted the lives of thousands of people.
In particular, the Valley fire has forced a large number of people to find housing in different areas, often leaving them separated from their support system – the network of family and friends they normally rely on for transportation to doctor’s offices, grocery stores and pharmacies, the post office and bank, friends’ homes and church.
Lake Transit has developed the Valley Fire Ride Assistance Program in order to help meet transportation needs that cannot be met by regular transit service during this challenging time, according to Mark Wall, general manager of Lake Transit.
Wall said the program will help both the people in need of rides and the volunteers willing to provide rides to others.
The program is simple. Qualified riders will identify someone who is willing and able to provide rides to places they need to go, Wall said.
Riders and drivers will keep a record of their trips, and submit them monthly to Lake Transit. Wall said the drivers will then be reimbursed for their mileage on a per-mile basis.
The goal of this program is to help people get the transportation assistance they need, and to help their helpers by removing – or at least reducing – the financial barriers that might interfere with their ability to assist, he said.
The program will be funded by emergency aid from state and federal agencies, Wall reported.
In the aftermath of the Valley fire disaster, Wall turned to Caltrans Federal Grants Chief Mark Codey for assistance.
The response was immediate, and positive. “He told me Caltrans would be there for us,” Wall said.
Two days later, Lake Transit Board members Jim Comstock and Martin Scheel joined Wall in a conference call to present Lake County needs to Caltrans and the Federal Transit Administration.
At the end of the call, Lake Transit received a commitment for fast and flexible funding for additional transit services to respond in the aftermath of the Valley fire, Wall said.
Lake Transit’s Mobility Programs Coordinator Karl Parker will be the primary contact and coordinator for the program.
“The Valley Fire Ride Assistance Program reflects Lake Transit’s commitment to assist the community and respond creatively to conditions caused by the recent fires,” Parker said.
Quickly restoring transit routes, providing free fares in the short term, and launching the Valley Fire Ride Assistance Program are ways in which Lake Transit is responding to the needs of people in the communities hardest hit by the fires, Wall said.
“Right now we are working to identify additional bus schedules and services that Lake County residents may need,” Wall added. “Suggestions from the public are very welcome.”
For more information about the Valley Fire Ride Assistance Program, contact Karl Parker at 707-995-3330 or 707-263-3330, email
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Halloween is a fun and spooky time of year for you and your little ones.
It can be a dangerous time as well. Did you know that decorations were the first item to be ignited in an average of 860 reported home structure fires per year from 2009 to 2013?
Nearly half of all decoration fires in homes are the result of decorations being too close to a heat source.
Thirty-eight percent were started by candles and one-sixth began in the living room, family room or den.
You can make trick-or-treating safe with a few easy Halloween safety tips:
– Trick-or-treating: Never trick-or-treat alone. Always go with a parent or another adult. Never go into anyone’s home without the permission of your parent or the adult you are with. Only visit houses with their lights on. Walk on sidewalks and driveways. Make sure to cross the street at the corner or in a crosswalk. Be sure to inspect treats before allowing your children to eat them.
– Costumes: When choosing a costume, stay away from billowing or long-trailing fabric. If you are making your own costume, choose material that won’t easily ignite if it comes into contact with heat or flame.
– Visibility: Provide children with flashlights to carry for lighting or glow sticks as part of their costumes. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough so he/she can see clearly out of it or use face paint and makeup as an alternative.
– Flammable decorations: Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations well away from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs and heaters.
– Candles/jack-o-lanterns: It is safest to use a glow stick or battery-operated candle in a jack-o-lantern. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution. When lighting candles inside jack-o-lanterns, use long fireplace-style matches or a utility lighter. If you choose to use candle decorations, make sure to keep them well attended at all times. Do not leave them near flammable objects or where trick-or-treaters may walk. Make sure children are watched at all times when candles are lit.
– Exits: Remember to keep exits clear of decorations, so nothing blocks escape routes.
Cal Fire wishes all Californians a safe and enjoyable Halloween.
For more Halloween fire safety ideas and tips, visit the Cal Fire Web site at www.fire.ca.gov .
HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – The work to transition dozens of people from the Hidden Valley Lake Campground into more suitable housing is continuing after a formal agreement between the Hidden Valley Lake Association and the county of Lake for free camping spaces for Valley fire survivors ended over the weekend.
While the agreement is no longer in place, officials said that the people still staying there are not going to be forced to leave.
However, officials are concerned about the well-being of anyone remaining in tents at the campground due to inclement weather that's in the county's forecast.
When a Lake County News reporter went to the campground on Tuesday to speak with people staying there, the individuals asked not to be identified.
Said one woman in the camp, "We're making do with what we have to do it with.”
Casey Morgan, identified by Lake County Supervisor Jim Comstock as a leader at the encampment, also declined comment when contacted by Lake County News on Wednesday.
The situation at the campground is one of the most visible manifestations of the critical housing needs that exist in the fire's wake.
It also shows the challenge facing both fire survivors, who have limited housing options, and the local government, which is looking for ways to place people in transitional housing arrangements while they start to rebuild their lives.
Following the fire, the county of Lake and the Hidden Valley Lake Association entered into an agreement to offer the campground for free to fire victims, officials reported.
Estimates of how many people are staying at the campground have varied. However, on Wednesday, Comstock said he received a roster that totaled the campground's guests at 80 people.
Lake County Deputy Social Services Director Jennifer Fitts said her staff has been out at the campground over the last several weeks, making contacts, keeping counts of those who need assistance and trying to match them with other accommodations.
“We have names and contact information for almost everybody that is out there,” Fitts said.
Fitts said there are 16 RV spaces, 13 of which have been occupied, including by one donated RV.
The majority of those staying at the campground have registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but Fitts said about six families were identified who hadn't registered.
FEMA is working on disaster case management for families eligible for assistance and helping them understand their choices, she said.
In some cases, she said people haven't qualified for assistance for odd reasons, and so her staff has attempted to work with them to facilitate getting them help.
Some people who have stayed there have been transitioned into other temporary housing. She said several rooms remain available at Konocti Harbor Resort and Spa in Kelseyville.
Comstock said Konocti Harbor has been “phenomenal in their response.”
Fitts said many people staying at the campground have indicated to Social Services staff that they want to be near their properties and the schools where their children attend.
“What the families really want is to just stay close to their community,” Fitts said, adding, “There just aren't a lot of great solutions for people right now.”
In addition, some homeless people not impacted by the fire have shown up and started staying at the campground, she said.
Fitts said one of the county's critical concerns is people staying in tents as the winter weather arrives, bringing with it the expectation for heavy rains and possible flooding. “The county is really worried about that.”
She added, “We want to do everything we can to help our families.”
As of Sunday, the county's agreement with the Hidden Valley Lake Association for fire victims' free use of the campground ended, Fitts said. That was a week after it originally was scheduled to end, but the association extended it.
Fitts said the contract needed to come to an end because it was going to make the fire survivors ineligible for FEMA assistance.
“We didn't want to have a negative impact on these families' benefits,” she said.
However, even with the contract ending, she said the association has determined that it will allow the campers to stay and plans to work with them individually.
The Hidden Valley Lake Association confirmed that it intends to continue to make the campground available to fire victims who need it.
In a written statement released to Lake County News, Charles Russ, the association's interim general manager, said the campers are not going to be forced to leave because the contract has ended.
“Understandably, those whose burned out homes are close by are not anxious to move far from their homesites. With local housing pretty much in short supply, their options are limited,” Russ said. “Nevertheless, receiving financial assistance disqualifies them from remaining in the campground without paying a fee.”
Russ said the association “is working closely with all parties involved to provide workable solutions.”
At its meeting last Thursday, Russ gave the Hidden Valley Lake Association Board an update on the situation, according to Jim Freeman, the association's marketing and communications manager.
Like the county, the association is concerned about people staying in tents during inclement weather, Freeman said.
Comstock said he met with Russ, who indicated that the association is devising a plan for moving forward in helping the displaced residents.
“It's a private campground and they're being quite generous with people using it,” said Comstock.
He said more RVs are being brought in to replace tents.
Fitts said her staff called the people camping at the facility to tell them they didn't have to leave, and that the association will work to help them.
She said there also were plans for Social Services staff to once again reach out to the impacted families and offer them access to the remaining rooms – estimated at six – at Konocti Harbor. “We'll see if we can get any more takers.”
Over and above that effort, Fitts said county staff also are trying to find additional fire victims who haven't come forward to seek formal assistance but may be staying with friends and other family members.
She said she has pulled staff from all over the department to work with displaced families. Staffing is stretched, with people working a lot of overtime.
Fitts said the Lake County Long Term Recovery Group has formed and is meeting on a regular basis to find solutions.
The Lake County Long Term Recovery Group includes representatives of the United Methodist Churches, United Christian Parish, Middletown Rancheria, St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake/Adventist Health, North Coast Opportunities and Hope City, a nonprofit organization established by Hope Crisis Response Network and Lake County area churches to rebuild up to 100 homes for uninsured, under-insured, disabled, elderly, veterans and low-income victims of the Valley fire.
Fitts said the hope is that the recovery group will be able to offer case management services to families on a long-term basis, as Social Services doesn't have that capacity.
John Lindblom contributed to this report.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
