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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – This month we will discuss telescopes: The kind that ordinary people, you and I, might use to explore the night skies.
First, why use a telescope?
The answer is, it dramatically increases what you can see.
There are some key features to consider when selecting telescope. They are aperture, mounting, power and automation.
Aperture refers to the size (diameter) of the telescope’s lens or mirror. Apertures ranging from 3 inches to 10 inches are typical.
In astronomy, bigger is better, so the larger the telescope, the more you will see. Bigger also means heavier, so take care not to choose a telescope you can’t easily carry outdoors.
Mounting refers to the mechanical structure that supports the telescope. It must be sturdy enough to prevent the telescope from vibrating and shaking when observing.
Power is the degree to which a telescope enlarges an object. A common misconception is that the more power the better.
In reality, the maximum power a telescope can handle is 50 power (50x) for each inch of aperture. A 6-inch telescope would, at best, handle a maximum of 300x under ideal viewing conditions.
Automation refers to whether or not a telescope is controlled by a computer. Finding your way around the night sky to locate objects can be time consuming and frustrating. Computerized telescopes do the hard work for you.
How much do telescopes cost? A 5-inch noncomputerized telescope may cost $260. A computerized telescope of the same size might sell for $400.
There are a number of online retailers you can investigate to learn more. Type “telescopes for sale” in your search engine and be prepared to see a wide variety of offerings.
Happy shopping!
John Zimmerman is a resident of Lake County and has been an amateur astronomer for more than 50 years. For more information about astronomy and local resources, visit his Web site at www.lakecountyskies.com .
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has a new group of canines needing homes this week.
The dogs range in age from 7 months to 8 years, and include mixes of chow chow, Chihuahua and pit bull.
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”).
'Monches'
“Monches” is a 2-year-old male Chihuahua mix.
He has a short white and tan spotted coat, and has not yet been neutered.
He's in kennel No. 5, ID No. 39309.
Male Chihuahua mix
This male Chihuahua mix is 3 years old.
He has a short black coat and weighs 10 pounds. Shelter staff did not report if he had been neutered.
He's in kennel No. 7a, ID No. ID: 39318.
Female Chihuahua mix
This female Chihuahua mix is 8 years old.
She has a short tan coat and weighs 12 pounds. It was not reported if she has been spayed.
Find her in kennel No. 7b, ID No. 39319.
Male chow chow mix
This male chow chow mix is 6 years old.
He has a medium-length black coat and weighs 68 pounds. It was not reported if he has been altered.
Shelter staff said he is very mellow, and has been on his own, traveling the streets for some time. He may have been abandoned.
He is good with other dogs, and is very sweet, not shy or skittish.
Find him in kennel No. 17, ID No. 39308.
Male pit bull terrier mix
This male pit bull terrier mix is 8 months old.
He has green eyes, a short brown brindle and white coat, weighs 38 pounds and has not been neutered.
Shelter staff said he is good with other dogs, is well-mannered for a pup and eager to learn.
He's in kennel No. 25, ID No. 39269.
'Piro'
“Piro” is a 7-month-old male pit bull terrier mix.
He has a short red coat and weighs 30 pounds. Shelter staff did not report if he has been neutered.
He's in kennel No. 29, ID No. 39291.
'Kara'
“Kara” is a 2-year-old pit bull terrier mix.
She has a short blue brindle coat and weighs 45 pounds. It was not reported if she has been altered.
Shelter staff said she is good with other dogs and is not a barker. She's very mellow, and it's believed she would be good with children.
She's in kennel No. 34, ID No. 39293.
Additional information:
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
In an effort to save lives and eliminate dangerous behind-the-wheel distractions like talking, texting, or browsing on a cell phone, the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), California Highway Patrol and more than 200 law enforcement agencies across the state today announced high visibility enforcement operations during April’s National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
“Catastrophic crashes can happen in a split second,” said Brian Kelly, Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency. “No text or phone call is worth that risk.”
April 8, 17 and 22, have been earmarked for special statewide enforcement for all the allied law enforcement agencies.
Individual agencies will be looking for mobile device offenders in their areas on additional days throughout the month.
The increased enforcement aims to persuade drivers to recognize the dangers of distracted driving and reduce the number of people impacted by this perilous behavior.
The “It’s Not Worth It!” theme emphasizes that a phone call or text isn’t worth a hefty fine or a collision.
“Distracted driving has become a dangerous epidemic nationwide and we want to do everything we can to stop it here and now,” said OTS Acting Director Russia Chavis. “Law enforcement agencies will be out in full force to help remind drivers to put down their cell phones and maintain their focus on the roads. By working together, we can eliminate crashes and the senseless loss of lives of that can result from distracted driving.”
In recent years, hundreds have been killed and thousands seriously injured in California as a result of collisions that involved at least one driver who was distracted.
Nationally, an estimated 3,328 people died and 421,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver in 2012.
Any activity that diverts the driver’s attention away from the primary task of driving is distracting, but the recent dramatic rise in cell phone use has greatly increased the number of collisions.
“Any nondriving activity a driver engages in behind the wheel is a potential distraction and increases their risk of being involved in a collision,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “Through education and enforcement, law enforcement is working to change this dangerous and potentially life-threatening behavior.”
According to research, sending or receiving a text takes a driver's eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds.
Even a three-second glance at freeway speeds means a driver has traveled the distance of a football field.
In 2013, the California Department of Motor Vehicles reported over 426,000 handheld cell phone and texting convictions, with more than 57,000 tickets issued in April alone.
The CHP and statewide law enforcement agencies are committed to ensuring our streets are safe by ticketing anyone found driving while distracted.
The ticket cost for a first time texting or hand-held cell phone violation is about $162, with subsequent tickets costing about $282.
To avoid falling victim to distracted driving behaviors, OTS and the CHP are providing drivers with the following tips that can be implemented by any motorist:
- Turn off your phone or put it on silent mode, then put it out of reach while driving;
- Record an outgoing message on your phone that tells callers you’re driving and will get back to them when you’re off the road;
- Adjust controls and set your song playlist before you set out on the road;
- If it’s urgent, pull over in a safe place to place a call;
- Focus on driving, and avoid eating, drinking, reading, grooming, smoking, and any other activity that takes your mind and eyes off the road.
The California Office of Traffic Safety, California Highway Patrol, Caltrans and Department of Motor Vehicles remind you to drive safely not only during April’s Distracted Driving Awareness Month, but every day throughout the year.
Get more distracted driving information at www.distraction.gov , www.ots.ca.gov and www.chp.ca.gov , and teen information at www.impactteendrivers.org .
Assembly Bills 1519 and 1954, two pieces of legislation relating to the state fire prevention fee, will have their first committee hearings Monday.
AB 1519, authored by Assemblyman Donnelly (R-Twin Peaks), would eliminate the penalty placed on taxpayers who appeal their fire prevention fee bill and are denied.
Under current law, taxpayers who unsuccessfully appeal their fire prevention fee bills are charged a 20-percent monthly penalty if they fail to pay within 30 days, even if the taxpayer has agreed to an installment payment arrangement.
AB 1954, authored by Assemblywoman Harkey (R-Dana Point), would give taxpayers an additional, unbiased, level of protection by allowing them to appeal their fire prevention fee bills to the Board of Equalization if they are denied by Cal Fire.
State Board of Equalization member George Runner sponsored both bills.
“The confusing and controversial fire fee is tax policy at its worst,” said George Runner. “It should be eliminated entirely, but until then AB 1519 and AB 1954 are helpful steps to provide some relief from this burdensome tax.”
AB 1519 will be heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee, while AB 1954 will be heard in the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee.
Both hearings begin at 1:30 p.m. Monday in Sacramento.
George Runner represents more than nine million Californians as a taxpayer advocate and elected member of the State Board of Equalization.
By the time you finish reading this story, you'll be about 1,000 kilometers closer to the planet Mars.
Earth and Mars are converging for a close encounter. The distance between the two planets is shrinking by about 300 kilometers every minute.
When the convergence ends in mid-April, the gulf between Earth and Mars will have narrowed to only 92 million kilometers – a small number on the vast scale of the solar system.
Astronomers call this event an “opposition of Mars” because Mars and the Sun are on opposite sides of the sky. Mars rises in the east at sunset, and soars almost overhead at midnight, shining burnt-orange almost 10 times brighter than a 1st magnitude star.
Oppositions of Mars happen every 26 months. Of a similar encounter in the 19th century, astronomer Percival Lowell wrote that “[Mars] blazes forth against the dark background of space with a splendor that outshines Sirius and rivals the giant Jupiter himself.”
In other words, it's really easy to see.
There are two dates of special significance.
April 8 is the date of opposition, when Mars, Earth, and the sun are arranged in a nearly-straight line.
If the orbits of Mars and Earth were perfectly circular, April 8 would also be the date of closest approach.
However, planetary orbits are elliptical – that is, slightly egg-shaped – so the actual date of closest approach doesn't come until almost a week later.
On April 14, Earth and Mars are at their minimum distance: 92 million kilometers, a 6-plus month flight for NASA's speediest rockets.
You won't have any trouble finding Mars on this night. The full Moon will be gliding by the Red Planet in the constellation Virgo, providing a can't-miss “landmark” in the midnight sky.
Remarkably, on the same night that Mars is closest to Earth, there will be a total lunar eclipse. The full moon of April 14-15 will turn as red as the Red Planet itself. See this video for details: http://youtu.be/5gzgSuJM5O8 .
Although these dates are special, any clear night in April is a good time to look at Mars. It will be easy to see with the unaided eye even from brightly-lit cities.
With a modest backyard telescope, you can view the rusty disk of Mars as well as the planet's evaporating north polar cap, which has been tipped toward the sun since Martian summer began in February.
Experienced astro-photographers using state-of-the-art digital cameras can tease out even more – for example, dust storms, orographic clouds over Martian volcanoes, and icy fogs in the great Hellas impact basin. The view has been described by some observers as “Hubblesque.”
Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – One of Lake County's oldest resorts passed into new ownership this week.
Hoberg’s Resort & Spa was purchased from Cobb Mountain Partners by Lake County Partners LLC, with the sale closing on Wednesday, Lake County Partners spokesman Roger Salazar told Lake County News on Friday.
Terms of sale – including the sale price – for the 55-acre resort on Cobb Mountain were not disclosed.
“Hopefully this is a new day for that project,” said Salazar.
New owners Silvester Rabic and Frank Sasselli anticipate putting $7.5 million into renovating and operating the resort, where Cobb Mountain Partners had invested about $2 million since purchasing the property, Salazar said.
Cobb Mountain Partners – led by Dan Kottke, an early Apple employee – purchased the resort, located at 15205 Highway 175 on Cobb Mountain, in July 2010 from the Maharishi Global Administration Through Natural Law, as Lake County News has reported: http://bit.ly/1sjRFW3 .
Hoberg’s Resort was founded in 1885 by Gustav and Mathilda Hoberg. It began as a lodge with a few cottages, and grew to be one of the largest privately owned resorts in California.
At its peak in the 1950s, Hoberg’s hosted more than 1,000 guests a night and was home to celebrities and politicians.
In January 1974, the Hoberg family sold it to Maharishi International University, with the property later recorded under different organizations under the ownership of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of the Transcendental Meditation movement.
From the time of the 1974 sale by the Hobergs up until Cobb Mountain Partners purchased the resort 36 years later, it had not been open for public use.
Since the 2010 purchase, “There was substantial money put into the property,” said Dan Nelson, who acted as resort manager for Cobb Mountain Partners.
He said expenditures totaled about $2 million. That total covered renovation costs and many “soft” expenses, including architectural drawings of the entire resort, as well as roof work and infrastructure.
Nelson said that the group ran into financing issues, and so Kottke began looking for a prospective buyer.
Rabic has extensive real estate and software industry experience, and has financed and developed several spec buildings throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, according to his biography at http://lakecountypartnersllc.com . Details about Sasselli's business experience was not available on the site.
Lake County Partners intends to bring in American Resort Management to accelerate the opening and operation of Hoberg’s Resort & Spa, Salazar said.
Nelson is temporarily acting in an advisory capacity as the resort transitions to its new owners.
He has set up a meeting with the new owners and Community Development Director Rick Coel for April 14, Coel told Lake County News.
Coel said that the resort has no active permits now. “I need to determine what their timeline is for the rehabilitation show and advise on the use permit and building permit processes,” he said.
Salazar said the resort's new owners have a plan for moving forward that consists of a number of phases. They intend to announce their plans in the coming weeks. In the mean time, they will meet with the county, and work on permits and requirements.
“They want to make sure that they have everything lined up before they announce any hard dates,” Salazar said.
One part of the plan that has been announced is that Lake County Partners has reached an agreement to lease a self-contained structure that will be converted into The Spa at Hoberg’s Club Resort.
The spa will serve as the centerpiece of the revival of Hoberg’s and will be operated by Lake County Partners under the direction of American Resort Management.
Drawn to the project
Salazar said Lake County Partners was drawn to the Hoberg's property, and felt that it would work with the right backing and financing.
They consider it an opportunity to take a really unique property with a strong historical mooring and bring it into a new era, Salazar said.
He said there was no question that Cobb Mountain Partners wanted the project to succeed. “Nobody gets into a project to fail.”
However, he added, the downturn in the economy has waylaid a lot of projects like Hoberg's. He pointed to the efforts to sell Konocti Harbor as evidence.
Those financing issues had led to back property taxes and late vendor payments for Cobb Mountain Partners, according to local officials.
However, with Wednesday's closure of escrow, the county of Lake received a payment of $102,647.95 from the title company, which covered current and delinquent property tax on the resort's five parcels, according to Lake County Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen.
Ringen said the resort's property taxes had been delinquent since the 2010-11 tax year.
In addition, both Salazar and Nelson reported that payments owed to vendors by Cobb Mountain Partners had been made by the resort's new buyers.
Salazar said there is tremendous potential for hospitality in the region.
In a written statement, Rabic said getting the project back on track “is a great thing for Lake County and Northern California.”
He said plans at Hoberg's include “recreating a premier multi-faceted entertainment and activity destination in Lake County. With a new management structure in place, we can get down to finishing the next phases of renovation and finally reopen to the public.”
The new owners' vision is that the renovated Hoberg’s Club Resort will present a variety of film festivals, concerts, entertainment events and special themed weekends as part of its offerings.
It's hoped that the resort will not only offer lodging and one-of-a-kind club resort amenities, but that it also will “be a tremendous economic driver and job creator for Lake County,” Rabic stated.
The resort's new owners also introduced a new celebrity advisory board consisting of Lorenzo Lamas, Olivia d’Abo, Jose Canseco, Ernie Hudson and Glen Morshower, who will assist with marketing the resort when it opens and will attend grand opening events.
Hoberg's also is taking part in a reality television show called “Extreme Resort Makeover,” Lake County Partners reported.
Nelson said 22 promotional spots for the resort featuring the advisory board members already have been shot.
“We are so happy this project is once again moving ahead,” Sandra Hoberg, whose grandparents were the original owners of Hoberg’s, said in a written statement. “My entire family has been looking forward to seeing the resort renovated and restored. All of Lake County is going to benefit and I think the entire community is behind this important project.”
The resort's Web site is www.HobergsClub.com .
Email Elizabeth Larson at