News

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Homeland Security grant has provided the Northshore Dive Team with several new pieces of important equipment to use in recovery and rescue operations in local waters.

Northshore Fire Capt. John Rodriguez said the team received the $16,000 grant at the end of December.

Diver Keith Hoyt said Willie Sapeta, Lake County's interim Office of Emergency Services coordinator and – beginning in January – the new Lake County Fire Protection chief, was important in the work of securing the grant.

In early January the team purchased the new equipment, Rodriguez said.

The new items include two air bags that can be inflated with scuba tanks, each with the capacity to lift 2,000 pounds underwater. Hoyt said the bags can be used to lift sunken cars or other vehicles out of a lake or other water body.

Rodriguez said the team also purchased four complete face mask sets that allow the divers to talk to each other, and their surface team, wirelessly. Recently the team has been practicing with the masks at the Westshore Pool in Lakeport.

In addition, they purchased hardwired communication ropes and an accompanying Aquacom communications box that also can be used for diver-to-surface and diver-to-diver communication.

In fact, Rodriguez said the special rope allows divers to speak to each other and the surface at the same time – a kind of underwater conference call.

In a practice this past Saturday in Nice, the team tried out the hardwired communication rope for the first time.

“It went great. It went even better than expected,” said Rodriguez

The grant is a major development for the team, which has been in existence for eight years and now has a total of nine members – five divers and four “tenders” who work on shore to assist the divers.

The entire team is swift water certified, with all of the divers having gone through a public safety diving course, Rodriguez said.

Team members are first responders whenever water-related incidents are reported – whether it's collisions involving vehicles going into one of the local lakes or a missing swimmer, he said.

They've worked on recovery missions in Clear Lake, Blue Lakes, Hidden Valley Lake and Lake Pillsbury, and also have assisted with operations in the Ukiah area, Rodriguez said.

“We respond to any of the lakes in Lake County,” he said.

During the team's eight-year existence, it's been supported mostly through donations and the team's beer booth at the annual Wild West Day in Upper Lake, according to Rodriguez. At the upcoming Wild West Day all of the new gear will be on display.

He said all donations go toward gear and training.

The team normally trains the first Friday and third Sunday of every month, Rodriguez said.

Donations can be made to the team at Northshore Fire Protection District's main office in Lucerne, located at 6257 Seventh Ave., telephone 707-274-3100.

Visit the team's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Northshore-Dive-Team/289897949089 .

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – The Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District Board of Director has dismissed the district's longtime manager and is now working to secure an interim manager while the recruitment process moves forward.

The district provides sewer and water to the Hidden Valley Lake community's estimated 7,000 residents.

At a special meeting held March 20, the board went into closed session and emerged to announce that General Manager Mel Aust “will be dismissed for cause, effective immediately,” by a unanimous vote of the board, according to board documents.

Aust recently had overseen a nearly $2 million solar project for the district's water reclamation plant, as Lake County News has reported.

According to State Controller John Chiang's Web site tracking local government pay rates, Aust's salary in 2010 had been $184,424, making him one of the highest paid officials in the county at that time.

Finding Aust's successor has been the topic of several special board of directors' meetings since late March.

On March 24, the board discussed a possible succession plan, a discussion held over to the board's next special meeting on March 28, at which time board members also discussed hiring a temporary general manager.

Last Thursday, April 5, following a closed session, the board announced that it had agreed on a short list of candidates from among the resumes board members reviewed for the interim general manager position, according to district documents.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Looking for a new companion? Now is a good time to find one.

Lake County Animal Care and Control has a full house of puppies and adult dogs needing a new home to call their own.

Thanks to Lake County Animal Care and Control’s new veterinary clinic, many of the animals offered for adoption already are spayed or neutered and ready to go home with their new families.

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”).

'Hooch'

“Hooch” is a 10-month-old male pit bull terrier mix.

He came to the shelter as a stray. He had been with another dog that had been hit and killed by a car. Hooch stayed by his friend's side all night in the pouring rain, shelter staff reported.

Hooch is about 70 pounds, has a short, chocolate-colored coat and is not yet neutered.

He is a “low energy” dog and loves to be with other canines.

He's in kennel No. 27, ID No. 32256.

'Lobo'

“Lobo” is a 1 and a half year old male German Shepherd mix.

He is a very active dog who loves to play ball; shelter staff said he would play ball all day long if he could.

Lobo has lived with kids cats and other dogs, and is neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 33, ID No. 32234.

Heeler-border collie mix

This male blue heeler-border collie mix is 8 months old.

He is black and tan in color, weighs just under 35 pounds and has been neutered.

This pup must have a home with other dogs, and a big yard to run. He has a moderate energy level and enjoys playing.

Find him in kennel No. 7, ID No. 32009.

‘Ike’

“Ike” is a 6-year-old male German Shepherd mix.

He weighs nearly 79 pounds, and has a long black and tan coat.

Shelter staff said Ike is great with other dogs, large and small. He is a low energy, well mannered canine who also has lived with horses.

Find Ike in kennel No. 11, ID No. 32187.

Female shepherd mix

This 10-month-old female shepherd mix is ready for a new home.

She is about 66 pounds, has a long coat and is not yet spayed.

She was found with an old injury to her front left leg. Although she is quiet and mellow she seems to get by just fine and loves to play with other dogs her size, but may be too rough for small dogs.

Find her in kennel No. 28, ID No. 32270.

Female lab-shepherd mix puppy

This female Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix puppy is 8 weeks old.

She has black coloring and is not yet altered.

Find her in kennel No. 17d, ID No. 32265.

Female lab-shepherd mix puppy

This female puppy, also a Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix, is 8 weeks old.

She is not yet altered. She has a short, black coat.

She is in kennel No. 17c, ID No. 32264.

Female lab-shepherd mix puppy

This female Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix puppy is 8 weeks old.

She has a short, reddish coat and is not yet spayed.

She is in kennel No. 17b, ID No. 32263.

Labrador Retriever-Shar Pei puppy

This male Labrador Retriever-Shar Pei mix puppy is 8 weeks old.

He has black and tan coloring and is not yet neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 17a, ID No. 32260.

Male Labrador Retriever-Shepherd puppy

This 8-week-old puppy is a Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix.

He has a short dark coat, and is not yet neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 16e, ID No. 32262.

Male Labrador Retriever-Shepherd puppy

This male puppy is a Labrador Retriever-Shepherd mix.

He is 8 weeks old and is not yet altered.

He is in kennel No. 16d, ID No. 32261.          

Male Labrador Retriever-Shepherd puppy

This male puppy is a Labrador Retriever-Shepherd mix.

He is 8 weeks old has black and tan coloring. He is not yet altered.

He is in kennel No. 16c, ID No. 32259.          

Male Labrador Retriever-Shepherd puppy

This male Labrador Retriever-Shepherd mix puppy is 8 weeks old.

He has black and tan coloring and is not yet altered.

He is in kennel No. 16b, ID No. 32258.

Labrador Retriever-Shar Pei mix

This male Labrador Retriever-Shar Pei mix is 8 weeks old.

He has a short black and tan coat, and is not yet neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 16a, ID No. 32257.

Border collie mix pup

This female border collie mix puppy is 12 weeks old.

She has black coloring, a short coat and has been spayed, and weighs about 12 pounds.

She's full of energy and looking for a good home.

She's in kennel No. 15b, ID No. 32048.

Border collie mix pup

This 12-week-old female border collie mix puppy is the sister to the puppy in kennel No. 15b.

She is around 11 pounds, has chocolate coloring and a short coat, and has been spayed.

Both she and her sister are expected to be medium-sized dogs.

Find her in kennel No. 15a, ID No. 32045.

Adoptable dogs also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dogs_and_Puppies.htm or at www.petfinder.com .

Please note: Dogs listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.

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.

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has produced the most detailed image so far of Messier 9, a globular star cluster located close to the center of the galaxy.

This ball of stars is too faint to see with the naked eye, yet Hubble can see over 250,000 individual stars shining in it.

Messier 9 is a globular cluster, a roughly spherical swarm of stars that lies around 25,000 light-years from Earth, near the center of the Milky Way, so close that the gravitational forces from the galactic center pull it slightly out of shape.

Globular clusters are thought to harbor some of the oldest stars in our galaxy, born when the universe was just a small fraction of its current age.

As well as being far older than the sun – around twice its age – the stars of Messier 9 also have a markedly different composition, and are enriched with far fewer heavier elements than the sun.

In particular, the elements crucial to life on Earth, like oxygen and carbon, and the iron that makes up our planet’s core, are very scarce in Messier 9 and clusters like it. This is because the universe’s heavier elements were gradually formed in the cores of stars, and in supernova explosions.

When the stars of Messier 9 formed, there were far smaller quantities of these elements in existence.

Messier 9, as its name suggests, was discovered by the great French astronomer Charles Messier in 1764.

Even through the most advanced telescopes of the day, none of the stars in the cluster could be seen individually.

Messier, seeing only a faint smudge, therefore classified the object as a nebula – or “cloud” in Latin.

It was only later in the 18th century that astronomers, most notably William Herschel, began to spot stars within the cluster.

The contrast between Messier’s equipment and the tools at the disposal of today’s astronomers is stark.

Hubble’s image, the highest resolution image yet made of Messier 9, is able to resolve individual stars, right into the crowded center of the cluster.

More than 250,000 of them are neatly focused on the detector of Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys, in an image which covers an area no bigger than the size of the head of a pin held at arm’s length.

As well as showing the individual stars, Hubble’s image clearly shows the different colors of the stars.

A star’s color is directly related to its temperature – counter-intuitively, perhaps, the redder it is, the cooler it is; and the bluer it is, the hotter.

The wide range of stellar temperatures here is clearly displayed by the broad palette of colors visible in Hubble’s image of Messier 9.

Messier 9’s neighborhood is interesting too, and is marked by two vast and dark nebulae. These pitch-black clouds of interstellar dust are known as Barnard 259 (to the south-east of Messier 9) and Barnard 64 (to the west), and are clearly visible in wide-field images of the cluster.

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA.

Almost all the sediment-associated chemical concentrations found in 131 of the nation's rivers that drain to the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf Coasts are lower than worldwide averages, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey.

These coastal rivers are a significant pathway for the delivery of sediment-associated chemicals to the world’s coastal zones and oceans.  

"I hope that the results of this new study will remind everyone that it is not only river water that can transport chemicals and pollutants, but also the associated sediment load," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "Our citizens expect high environmental quality as compared with worldwide averages, but clean water alone will not suffice if river sediments are host to toxic heavy metals and concentrated organics that can produce dead zones."

Though overall levels are better than worldwide averages, about half the rivers draining to the Atlantic Ocean have elevated concentrations of nutrients and trace and major elements in their sediment. About a quarter of the rivers draining to the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico also have elevated levels.  

"Suspended sediment and sediment-associated chemical concentrations and transport are not well quantified in most U.S. coastal rivers." said Dr. Arthur J. Horowitz, USGS research chemist and lead author on the study. "This study is the most comprehensive study to date that documents the chemical make-up of sediment in coastal rivers across the entire nation, and serves as a baseline comparison for understanding whether conditions are improving or getting worse. These baselines also may be used in the future to assess the impacts of climate change."

The U.S. coastal zone is a major economic resource and has substantial esthetic value. At the same time, these waters are under considerable environmental pressure from increasing population densities, urbanization, and various forms of commercial exploitation.  

Historically, sediment erosion and flow was viewed solely as a physical, engineering issue. Sediment-associated chemical quality has added a major new driver for monitoring suspended sediment.  

Suspended sediment in rivers often accounts for a significant portion of the chemical constituents transported downstream to coastal zones and oceans.

For example, in the Mississippi River Basin, suspended sediment accounts for the annual transport of at least 75 percent of the nutrient phosphorus, other major elements and trace elements, 50 percent of the carbon and 30 percent of the nitrogen delivered to the Gulf of Mexico.

This study examined concentrations and annual fluxes for trace elements, major elements and total nitrogen, phosphorus, carbon, organic carbon, inorganic carbon, and sulfur for 131 coastal river basins.

Other major findings include:

• Elevated concentrations of trace elements like copper, zinc, lead and mercury frequently occur in association with present or former industrial areas and urban centers, particularly along the northeast Atlantic coast.
• Elevated carbon and nutrient concentrations occur in sediment all along both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, but primarily occur in rivers in the urban Northeast and Southeast, as well as in Gulf Coast “blackwater” streams, which are loaded with organic matter, because they drain swamps and marshes.
• Elevated calcium, manganese, potassium, and sodium distributions tend to reflect local geology, whereas elevated titanium, sulfur, iron and aluminum concentrations are ubiquitous, possibly because they have substantial natural, as well as anthropogenic, sources.

This study was completed as part of the USGS Climate and Land Use Change Mission Area.

I conducted a little survey on Facebook recently.

Since two major holidays are celebrated this time of year – Easter and Passover – I asked which fruit, veggie, nut, grain, herb or spice comes to mind when they think of the holiday they celebrate.

Of the dozens of varied answers, three people mentioned cloves.

Readers who cook a traditional Easter ham today will have homes smelling deliciously of clove if they’ve studded the meat with this powerful spice.

Other than eyesight, smell is arguably the most powerful human sense.

A whiff of a passing fragrance can evoke strong memories from the past, and cloves, with their strong and pleasant scent, are no doubt responsible for many.

Cloves are the dried buds of an evergreen tree native to the Maluku (formerly Spice) Islands of Indonesia.

The immature flowers begin light pink in color and later turn bright red, which is when they’re harvested.

The name derives from a Latin word, clavus, meaning nail. The buds do resemble small, irregularly shaped nails, and the stem end is sharp enough to pierce meat and the flesh of fruit.

Cloves were highly prized in Roman times, and there are records from ancient China indicating that courtiers placed cloves in their mouths when addressing the emperor so as not to offend him with their breath.

This spice is beloved around the world and has been part of the cuisine of many a nation since ancient times.

Cloves are popular as a flavoring in the cuisines of both northern and southern India. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of recipes for the northern Indian spice blend, garam masala, but cloves will nearly always be a component.

Dried cloves are a key ingredient in masala chai, a spiced Indian tea that was the inspiration for the chai tea sold in the U.S., which also contains cloves.

In Vietnamese cuisine, cloves often are used to flavor the broth of Pho, a noodle dish.

In Mexico, cloves are most often used in combination with cinnamon and cumin to season savory dishes.

Because the Dutch at one time controlled the Indonesian spice trade, cloves are used in the Netherlands on a widespread basis, including in cheese and traditional stews and to flavor speculoos, a shortcrust biscuit traditionally served at Christmas.

In Europe and the U.S., cloves are perhaps most often used in sweet foods, such as gingerbread or pumpkin pie.

Chinese five-spice powder, the only spice blend used in China, is a combination of cloves, cinnamon, fennel, star anise and Szechuan pepper.

A variety of other spice blends rely on cloves, such as quatre epice (four spices in French), which contains white peppercorns, nutmeg and ginger in addition to cloves.

Quartre epice is used to flavor charcuterie such as sausages or terrines, or to add peppery spice to beef stews cooked with red wine. A sweet version contains allspice in place of peppercorns and is used in rich cakes and puddings.

Cloves add flavor to bean and lentil dishes, pickled beets, pork roasts, cranberry sauce, mulled cider or wine, chutney, and a variety of other foods.

They pack a strong flavor punch, so it’s not necessary to use many when cooking, whether in whole or powdered form. A few whole cloves or a pinch of powder will usually do the trick. The longer they stand in warm foods, the more intense their flavor grows.

Tom Stobart, author of “The Cook’s Encyclopedia” (1980), says that the addition of a clove to beef stock or to a stew gives it a richness whose source will be unidentified.

He opines, “As a flavoring, cloves are best when kept below the level of recognition.”

I can agree with this! An otherwise perfectly beautiful stew was ruined the other evening by overly strong clove flavor when I added too many to the pot. (One or two would’ve done the trick, but I added three or four.)

Try studding a clove or two into a generous slice of orange peel as a secret flavoring for the next beef stew you cook. (But don’t make my mistake and go overboard.)

Another thing: Since whole cloves don’t dissolve in liquid, it’s a good idea to utilize a “vehicle” for cloves when flavoring dishes with them for easy removal.

For savory dishes such as stews, soups, or broths, a whole, peeled onion can be studded with them.

They can be inserted into the rind of orange slices for hot cider or mulled wine. This helps one avoid biting into a whole clove when dining, which can be an unpleasant experience.

Cloves are considered a nutrient dense spice, full of phytonutrients (nutrients derived from plant material that have been shown to be necessary for sustaining human life), as well as traditionally-recognized nutrients like manganese, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin K, dietary fiber, vitamin C, calcium and magnesium.

They’ve been used in medicinal applications throughout the world since ancient times, such as in Indian Ayurvedic and Chinese medicines.

Modern scientific research has shown them to be an effective anti-inflammatory, thanks to their active component, eugenol.

Eugenol also has anti-microbial properties, and is a mild anesthetic. For these reasons, this compound is used in a variety of applications in dentistry, as well as an ingredient in mouthwashes and throat sprays.

Studies also indicate this component of cloves may be effective in the prevention of toxicity from certain environment pollutants, digestive tract cancers, and joint inflammation.

The flavor in whole cloves typically lasts longer than when it’s ground, and airtight containers help preserve its pungency in either case.

Interestingly, if whole cloves are fresh, they’ll float vertically in a cup of water. Stale cloves will typically sink or float horizontally.

There are many interesting recipes that include cloves, and today I’ve included two, a sweet one, chocolate spice cookies, and a savory one, curried chickpea salad. I hope you enjoy them.

And before I go, did you know Clove Chewing Gum, made by Adams, first came to market during Prohibition? It became popular as a breath freshener to cover the smell of alcohol.

Perhaps they got their inspiration from the courtiers in the Chinese emperor’s court.

Curried chickpea salad

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 onions, medium sized, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, finely chopped

6 whole cloves

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 – 15 ounce cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

¼ cup water

Salt to taste

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, and fry onions until tender.

Stir in garlic, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, cayenne and turmeric. Cook for one minute over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Mix in garbanzo beans and the water. Continue to cook and stir until all ingredients are well blended and heated through. Add salt to taste and remove whole cloves.

Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro just before serving, reserving one tablespoon for garnish.

This salad is wonderful when served slightly warm. It may also be served cold.

Esther’s note: To peel ginger before mincing, use the back of a spoon, which can easily navigate the bumps and knobs on the root.

This recipe is courtesy of “Cookography” at www.cookography.com .

Chocolate spice cookies

½ cup natural cocoa powder (not Dutch cocoa)

2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ cup finely ground almonds

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup honey

¼ cup molasses

¼ cup dry red wine (or water)

For glaze:

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

¼ cup water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Blend cocoa powder, flour, sugar, almonds, spices and baking soda. Mix lightly to combine.

Add honey, molasses and wine, and mix until a smooth, sticky dough forms. Allow to stand for one minute to absorb the liquid, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Turn the dough onto a generously floured surface, and pat into a 6 x 10-inch rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Flour the dough lightly, and roll it once or twice with a rolling pin to even it out.

Cut the dough into 2-inch squares. With a dry pastry brush, wipe off any excess flour.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone liner, and transfer squares to the pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and let sit for one minute. Then, lift the parchment paper (with the cookies on it) and place it on a cooling rack.

While the cookies are still warm, combine confectioner’s sugar and ¼ cup water in a small bowl. Stir until smooth to make a glaze. Paint the surface of each cookie using a pastry brush; the glaze will soak in. In a minute or two, paint on a second coat of glaze.

Allow the cookies to cool completely; they will remain chewy on the inside.

This recipe makes 15 cookies. Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container.

Esther’s note: To grind almonds, use a coffee grinder dedicated for cooking purposes (such as for grinding spices) or a food processor. Be careful not to over grind into almond butter.

Recipe is courtesy of “The Perfect Pantry” at www.perfectpantry.com .

Esther Oertel, a freelance writer, cooking teacher, and speaker, is passionate about local produce and all foods in the vegetable kingdom. She welcomes your questions and comments and may be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .