How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control's kennels are full this week with another group of dogs of all types.
Dogs featured this week are mixes of American Bulldog, basset hound, boxer, Chihuahua, dachshund, hound, Jack Russell terrier, Labrador Retriever, pit bull, poodle 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.
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”).
Jack Russell terrier mix
This male Jack Russell terrier mix has a short tricolor coat.
He's in kennel No. 4, ID No. 1357.
American Bulldog mix
This female American Bulldog mix has a short white coat.
She's in kennel No. 7, ID No. 1359.
Female boxer mix
This female boxer mix has a short tan and white coat.
Shelter staff said she is a very sweet, well-mannered girl who is looking for her forever home. She's calm and quiet, and has no food aggression or food guarding issues.
She's in kennel No. 8, ID No. 1247.
'Rambo'
“Rambo” is a male shepherd mix with a tan and black coat.
He's in kennel No. 12, ID No. 1354.
Great Pyrenees mix
This male Great Pyrenees mix has a long white coat.
He's in kennel No. 17, ID No. 1358.
Female lab mix
This female Labrador Retriever mix puppy has a short black coat.
She's in kennel No. 24a, ID No. 1212.
Dachshund-basset hound mix puppy
This female dachshund-basset hound mix puppy has a short tan and black coat.
She's in kennel No. 25c, ID No. 1271.
Dachshund-basset hound mix puppy
This female dachshund-basset hound mix puppy has a short tan and black coat.
She's in kennel No. 25d, ID No. 1272.
Female Chihuahua mix
This female Chihuahua mix has a short tan and black coat.
She's in kennel No. 26a, ID No. 1301.
'Lela'
“Lela” is a female poodle-terrier mix.
She's got a long, curly white coat.
She's in kennel No. 27, ID No. 1330.
'Chloe'
“Chloe” is a female poodle-terrier mix.
Chloe has a long curly black coat.
Find her in kennel No. 27, ID No. 1331.
'Caplina'
“Caplina” is a female poodle-terrier mix.
She has a long curly black and white coat.
Find her in kennel No. 27, ID No. 1332.
Male Chihuahua mix
This male Chihuahua mix has a sad story.
Shelter staff said he was found abandoned in a house. He was very scared at first but is now warming up.
He will need training and he may do better in a single owner home who is willing to spend time with him. He has been neutered and is ready to go to his forever home.
Find him in kennel No. 29, ID No. 1202.
Pit bull-shepherd mix
This male pit bull-shepherd mix has a short tan and white coat.
He's in kennel No. 31, ID No. 1348.
Pit bull terrier mix
This male pit bull terrier mix has a short black and white coat.
He's in kennel No. 32, ID No. 1306.
Pit bull terrier mix
This young male pit bull terrier mix has a short gray coat.
He's in kennel No. 33, ID No. 1307.
Hound-shepherd mix
This male hound-shepherd mix has a short brown coat.
Shelter staff said he is a very sweet dog that walks well on a leash and does not appear to be interested in cats.
He needs more socialization with other dogs; he does well with female dogs but caution is suggested around other males.
He has no signs of food aggression.
He's in kennel No. 34, ID No. 1107.
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, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.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
COBB, Calif. – A 3-magnitude earthquake was reported near The Geysers geothermal steamfield on Saturday.
A preliminary report from the US Geological Survey said the quake occurred at 8:26 a.m. Saturday.
The quake was centered one mile northwest of The Geysers and 13 miles southwest of Clearlake, at a depth of four-tenths of a mile, according to the report.
Two shake reports – one from Los Altos, one from San Francisco – were submitted to the US Geological Survey.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
The world is getting warmer.
It comes as no surprise, therefore, when researchers announce as they did this past September that Arctic sea ice extent is still below normal, continuing a years-long downward trend, covering less and less of the north polar seas with a frozen crust.
On the heels of that announcement, came another, a little more puzzling.
While Arctic sea ice was melting, Antarctic sea ice was at an all-time high. In 2014, sea ice surrounding Antarctica covered more of the southern oceans than it has since satellite record began in the late 1970s.
Is this also a sign of global warming?
“There is no doubt that climate change is real,” said Walt Meier of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. “The two poles are just responding in their own unique way to the same global phenomenon.”
He pointed out that Earth, taken as a whole, is losing sea ice.
According to satellite measurements from NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center, the Arctic has lost an average of 20,800 square miles of sea ice a year since the late 70s.
Meanwhile, the Antarctic has gained an average of 7,300 square miles per year – not enough to balance loses at the other end of the planet.
But why do the Arctic and Antarctic behave in different ways?
“The increase we've seen in Antarctic sea ice is a little bit of a mystery,” said Meier. “We're still trying to figure out how a warmer global climate leads to these regional increases in ice cover.”
The culprit could be weather. Climate change is altering weather patterns around the planet, and one of those changes is an increase in windiness around the continent of Antarctica.
Cold air blows from the ice-covered continent out over the sea, freezing the waters and pushing sea ice outward to cover record-setting areas.
“That's one theory,” said Meier. “I think that winds are definitely playing a substantial role. But other factors could be at work, too.”
For instance, he pointed out that glaciers melting around the edges of the continent could, ironically, produce more ice in the surrounding ocean.
“Fresh meltwater from glaciers is easier to freeze than briny seawater,” he explained.
Snowfall could be important, too.
Snow landing on thin sea ice can weigh the ice down and push it just below the water.
Cold ocean water seeps up through the ice and floods the snow – leading to a slushy mixture that freezes and thickens the sea ice.
Some scientists feel that these processes could simply be due the natural variations in the Antarctic region's climate.
While it is clear that global warming is playing a significant role in the loss of Arctic sea ice, the trend in the Antarctic is small enough that it could be explained simply due to natural variations in the region's climate.
“Ultimately,” said Meier, “we expect that continued warming will take its toll, and even Antarctic sea ice will begin to decline.”
What we are seeing, he suggested, is the quirky regional way Earth responds to a global stimulus.
Earth's climate system is complex, and climate change will continue to have fascinatingly unpredictable consequences in the years ahead.
Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Kelseyville Food Pantry and the Lake County Hunger Task Force each received a $5,000 check from Sutter Lakeside Hospital and Sutter Health this November to feed the hungry in Lake County this holiday season.
The donations are part of a holiday tradition by the Sutter Health system and by Sutter Lakeside.
The Sutter Health network gives a quarter-million-dollar donation to Northern California food banks toward year's end as a means of expressing its not-for-profit mission.
“One of the things that I like most about Sutter is its commitment to support our local charities, organizations, schools and causes in the communities that they serve,” said Siri Nelson, chief administrative officer of Sutter Lakeside Hospital.
“Here in Lake County, many of our residents have to choose between buying groceries and paying bills,” Nelson said. “We are indebted to community partners like the Lake County Hunger Task Force and the Kelseyville Food Pantry for addressing the hunger needs of our patients, our neighbors and our families.”
“We are thrilled to be the recipient of such a large cash donation,” said Julie Berry from the Kelseyville Food Pantry. “Individuals and businesses in our community are spectacularly generous.”
Tammy Alakszay, Lake County’s Community Action and Volunteer Network coordinator for North Coast Opportunities, added, “The Hunger Task Force will use these funds for backpacks that we distribute weekly through the Hub in Upper Lake to needy families. They get them on Friday so that they have food available over the weekend when kids are not being fed at school.”
To make a donation to the Kelseyville Food Pantry, contact Julie Berry at the Kelseyville Presbyterian Church at 707-279-1104.
To make a donation to the Hunger Task Force, contact Lorrie Gray at 707-277-9227.
MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – With recent wet weather and more in the forecast, the Mendocino National Forest is encouraging visitors to monitor the weather and check conditions before visiting Forest recreation sites.
The first wet weather closure of the season was implemented Wednesday for both the Grindstone and Upper Lake Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) trail systems after trails were saturated by more than 2 inches of rain in 24 hours.
The trails will reopen after at least 48 hours of no measurable precipitation, forest officials said.
The closure order is formally referenced as Order Number 08-14-09 and is available online at www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino .
Recent drenching storms may have impacted roads in the forest. If you come across an area where the road is compromised or washed out, please report it to Forest Engineer Shannon Pozas at 530-934-3316.
As winter conditions return to the Mendocino National Forest, all visitors are asked to be cautious when recreating on the forest, whether they are driving, hiking, camping or enjoying other recreational pursuits – including selecting a Christmas tree.
“While this wet weather is a welcome relief, it also presents some challenges for those who enjoy the Mendocino National Forest from late fall through spring,” said Acting Forest Supervisor John Exline. “Changing conditions can present hazards to both visitors and forest resources. We want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable trip to the forest, while preserving resources so they can be enjoyed for years to come. To help with this, visitors are asked to be prepared for changing conditions, aware of their surroundings, and minimize impacts to saturated roads and trails.”
Many popular trails and some access points to recreation sites on the Mendocino involve crossing normally small creeks and streams.
Caution should be used at these stream crossings. People and vehicles can be swept away by currents in even relatively shallow water.
Also, conditions can change rapidly and a stream that was easy to cross in the morning can become impassable by afternoon, trapping people on the wrong side.
Following are some additional safety suggestions for those recreating in the forest this winter:
– Plan your trip. Check the weather, bring plenty of warm clothes, water, emergency food, tire chains, shovel and any other supplies necessary for the activity. Call to check if the area you are planning to visit is still open and accessible.
– Make sure you have a full tank of gas when you leave and are prepared for changing conditions in the mountains!
– Let someone know where you are going and when you plan to be back.
– Keep vehicles on designated roads and trails and be aware of changing weather and road conditions. Wet dirt roads can quickly turn to mud, making it possible to get stuck and causing damage to road, soil and water resources. If there are puddles in the road, mud flipping off the tires or you can see your ruts in the rearview mirror, consider pulling over to hike or turning around and finding a different area.
For more information, please contact the Mendocino National Forest at 530-934-3316 or visit www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino .
Whether assets are community property (belonging equally to both spouses, separate property (belonging wholly to one spouse) or mixed (partially separate and partially community) is an important issue when a marriage ends at death or divorce.
Let us consider some examples involving life insurance, retirement plans and home purchases where the lines can get blurred.
Any assets acquired while married and living together are presumed to be community property. Unless there is an express written declaration stating otherwise that is signed by the spouse whose interest is adversely affected, any asset acquired using community property funds – including marital earnings – is a community property asset regardless of whose name is on title as the owner.
In Marriage of Valli (2014), 58 Cal. 4th 1396, the California Supreme Court recently considered a life insurance policy purchased by a husband naming his then wife as both owner and beneficiary of the policy.
The court ruled that the policy was the couple’s community property and not the wife’s own separate property. Why?
The reasoning was that the policy was purchased with community funds and the husband had not signed an express written declaration saying that he relinquished his one-half community property interest.
The court held that the signed written declaration requirement still applied equally to purchases made by a spouse and not only to transfers of property between spouses.
Next, property interests acquired prior to marriage remain that owner’s separate property after marriage.
In Marriage of Green (2013), 56 Cal. 4h 1130, the California Supreme Court considered a husband’s military service credits, earned during his military service prior to marriage, which allowed him to purchase enhanced retirement benefits.
The court ruled that the credits were his separate property even though community property assets were later used to purchase the credits while married.
The court required the husband’s estate to repay the community property estate for the community funds the husband used to purchase his service credits. The reimbursement was a fraction of the husband’s enhancement to his retirement benefits.
Likewise, community property rights acquired during marriage can continue after the community has ended where a residual benefit remains.
In Marriage of Barwell (2013), 221 Cal. App. 4th 1, the California Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal considered a term life insurance policy purchased by a husband with community property funds.
The court ruled that the policy continued to have a community property interest after the marriage ended because the policy’s right of renewal was purchased during the first marriage using community property funds.
Accordingly, the policy proceeds had to be allocated between the community property estate of the husband’s first marriage and the husband’s separate property estate.
The husband’s separate estate had an interest in the policy too because he paid the insurance premiums on the renewed policy which is why the policy was in effect when he died.
Next, consider the purchase of real property by a single person before marriage where some or all of the subsequent mortgage payments are paid using marital earnings. What interests do the community and separate property estates have in the house?
The residence is the separate property of the person on title because the house was purchased using separate property assets.
However, because community property funds were then used to pay some or all of the mortgage payments, the community property estate was entitled to reimbursement.
Accordingly, any appreciation in the value of the real property benefits the separate property estate. Conversely, any deprecation in value hurts the separate property estate.
Either way the community property estate is entitled to reimbursement, nothing more and nothing less.
Dennis A. Fordham, attorney (LL.M. tax studies), is a State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law. His office is at 870 S. Main St., Lakeport, California. Fordham can be reached by e-mail at