How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Upper Lake High School edged out longtime rival Lower Lake High to win the county's Academic Decathlon competition on Saturday.
The 18th annual event, held over two days and culminating with the Super Quiz competition Saturday afternoon, featured seven teams and dozens of students who, along with their coaches, have spent months preparing for the competition, which this year focused on the Great Depression.
Upper Lake High School Team Two will advance to the California State Academic Decathlon in Sacramento March 11 through 14.
Advancing for Mendocino County is Willits High School's team and Williams High School will represent Colusa County at the state event.
This was the first year that the competition was a regional one, according to Lake County Superintendent of Schools Wally Holbrook, who welcomed the large crowd of parents, grandparents, siblings, and superintendents, principals and board of education trustees.
As the crowd gathered and waited for the students to emerge from their second Saturday in a row of testing, the Lower Lake High School Blue Notes entertained and mini bios of each of the students flashed across a screen.
The students' career aspirations covered a variety of fields – molecular biologist, cardiologist, brain doctor, robotic engineer, environmental, politician, actress and U.S. Marshal.
They also shared their reasons for joining the team, including word-of-mouth recommendations from friends, interesting topics and improving study skills. One student, Tyler Warren of Upper Lake High School, replied, “My mom forced me.”
Organizing the event this year was Jamey Gill, Academic Decathlon regional coordinator for Lake, Mendocino and Colusa counties. She was assisted in the task by Tammy Serpa, Cheryl Graves and Tim Gill, and about 45 other community volunteers.
Lower Lake High School Principal Jeff Dixon hosted the Super Quiz, which included 45 questions focusing mostly on geology, and earth and planetary sciences.
First up were the Varsity students, who have grade point averages of 2.99 and below.
At the end of their three rounds, Williams led with six points, followed by Upper Lake High School Team One and Willits tied with five points, Lower Lake High School and Upper Lake High School Team Two tied with four points, and Middletown with two points. Clear Lake High School did not get on the board in those rounds.
Next were the three rounds for Scholastic students, with GPAs of between 3.0 and 3.74.
Upper Lake High School Team Two pulled to the front with 11 points, followed by Upper Lake High School Team One and Williams with 10 points each, Lower Lake with eight points, Willits with seven points, and Middletown and Clear Lake High tied with five points each.
Last were the Honors students, who have GPA of between 3.75 and 4.0.
By the end of the three Honors rounds, Upper Lake High School Team Two has 19 points, Upper Lake High School Team One and Williams were tied with 15 points, Lower Lake had 13 points, Willits had 12 points, Clear Lake had 10 points and Middletown had nine points.
Top medal winners included Upper Lake's Sarah Barnes with seven, followed by fellow Upper Lake students Christine Randall and Rebecca Swaney, each with five, Clear Lake High School's Shao-Jia Chang, also with five, and David Stansberry of Willits with four medals.
With Saturday night's win, Ana Sabalone – Upper Lake's coach and herself a former Upper Lake academic decathlete – celebrated her third win in three years coaching.
The challenge this year, said Sabalone, was the lack of students who were competition veterans.
“We only have five returners,” she said amidst hugs and congratulations after the competition.
She said that, traditionally, she has not sought out freshmen or sophomores for the team, but she's changed that outlook and now believes it's now good to begin training competitors earlier.
This year Upper Lake's first team had as a member Ian Seevers, the school's only freshman. The slender, red-haired Seevers pointed out he's also the only football player on either of the teams.
Justine Moran, one of the members of Upper Lake Team One, told Lake County News in an e-mail message late Saturday, “In the midst of all the excitement we didn't get a chance to thank our past coach Steve Harness.”
She said Harness, who was ill, was a huge help over the past few years and it wasn't the same with out him.
“We are very proud to have him be a part of our legacy,” she said. “This win was for him. We hope he gets well soon.”
The full results of the competition are listed below.
2011 ACADEMIC DECATHLON RESULTS
INDIVIDUAL MEDALS
Essay
First place: Jordan Austin, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Second place: Tie – Elsa Mora, Williams High School; Christine Randall, Upper Lake High School Team One.
Third place: Sarah Barnes, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Speech
First place: Rebecca Swaney, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Second place: Jordan Austin, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Third place: Tie – Miguel Medina, Willits High School; Sarah Barnes, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Interview
First place: Jose Ruiz, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Second place: Joshua Buttke, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Third place: Josue Ramirez, Willits High School.
Language and Literature
First place: David Stansberry, Willits High School.
Second place: Sarah Barnes, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Third place: Christine Randall, Upper Lake High School Team One.
Arts
First place: Ian Weber, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Second place: Rebecca Swaney, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Third place: Tie – Sarah Barnes, Upper Lake High School Team Two; Maria Vega, Williams High School.
Social Sciences
First place: Spence Haddan, Lower Lake High School.
Second place: Roy Hankins, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Third place: Tie – David Stansberry, Willits High School; Elizabeth Perkins, Lower Lake High School.
Mathematics
First place: Oliver Leighton, Clear Lake High School.
Second place: Stephanie Rasmussen, Clear Lake High School.
Third place: Shao-Jia Chang, Clear Lake High School.
Music
First place: Tie – Shao-Jia Chang, Clear Lake High School; Christine Randall, Upper Lake High School Team One.
Second place: Corey Cherrington, Lower Lake High School.
Third place: Sarah Barnes, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Economics
First place: Shao-Jia Chang, Clear Lake High School.
Second place: Joshua Buttke, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Third place: Josue Ramirez, Willits High School.
Super Quiz
First place: Christine Randall, Upper Lake High School Team One.
Second place: Ian Weber, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Third place: Tie – Rebecca Swaney, Upper Lake High School Team Two; Oscar Nieves, Upper Lake High School Team One.
Top three Varsity-level students
First place: Christine Randall, Upper Lake High School Team One.
Second place: David Stansberry, Willits High School.
Third place: Roy Hankins, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Top three Scholastic-level students
First place: Rebecca Swaney, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Second place: Sarah Barnes, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Third place: Corey Cherrington, Lower Lake High School.
Top three Honors-level students
First place: Shao-Jia Chang, Clear Lake High School.
Second place: Elizabeth Perkins, Lower Lake High School.
Third place: Jordan Austin, Upper Lake High School Team Two.
Students with second-highest point totals for their school
Clear Lake High School: Oliver Leighton.
Lower Lake High School: Corey Cherrington.
Middletown High School: Nika Gibbs.
Upper Lake High School: Sarah Barnes.
Williams High School: Juanita Hernandez.
Willits High School: Siarra Bergmann.
Students with top point totals for their school
(Each student from Lake and Mendocino counties received a $250 scholarship from the Lodge at Blue Lakes; the Williams student received a $250 scholarship from a separate fund.)
Clear Lake High School: Shao-Jia Chang.
Upper Lake High School: Rebecca Swaney.
Willits High School: David Stansberry.
Middletown High School: Francisco Sandoval.
Lower Lake High School: Elizabeth Perkins.
Williams High School: Elsa Mora.
Poetry contest (new this year; not counted toward competition scores)
First place: Naomi Walker, Willits High School.
Second place: Elsa Mora, Williams High School.
Third place: Corey Cherrington, Lower Lake High School.
Poster contest (new this year; not counted toward competition scores)
First place: Cheyenne Hoffman, Lower Lake High School.
Second place: Bianey Madrigal, Lower Lake High School.
Third place: Hector Landeros, Lower Lake High School.
THE TEAMS
Listed in alphabetical order.
Clear Lake High School
Principal: Steve Gentry
Coach: Jim Rogers
The team: Shao-Jia Chang, Alice Crockett, Alyssa Hauptman, Asia Jones, Rabacca Lambert, Oliver Leighton, Philip Leighton, Stephanie Rasmussen.
Lower Lake High School
Principal: Jeff Dixon
Coach: Nancy Harby
The team: Corey Cherrington, Sara Fred, Raj Gandhi, James Haddan, Spence Haddan, Cheyenne Hoffman, Hector Landeros, Bianey Madrigal, Shawn McAlister, Elijah Orlando, Elizabeth Perkins, Carina Ruedas, Sara Sanders and Teodora Toshich
Middletown High School
Principal: Bill Roderick
Coaches: Patti Jimenez, Jennifer Pyzer and Robin Cara
The team: Donald Albright, Destiny Foxworthy, Nika Gibbs, Cole Rockwell, Francisco Sandoval and Ashley Thompson
Upper Lake High School
Principal: Patrick Iaccino
Coaches: Ana Sabalone, Angel Hayenga
Team One: Ivan Lopez, Jesus Martinez, Justine Moran, Oscar Nieves, Christine Randall, Ian Seevers, Homan Su, Mark Umalin, Daniel VanMeter and Tyler Warren.
Team Two: Jordan Austin, Sarah Barnes, Joshua Buttke, Jaqueline Estrada, Roy Hankins, Alexander Mairs, Jose Ruiz, Rebecca Swaney, Ian Weber and Shayla Wyman.
Williams High School
Principal and coach: Dan Flanigan
The team: Aron Ashbury, Samantha Coombs, Sandra Cruz, Juanita Hernandez, Erik Knight, Erica Leos, Rocio Martinez, Elsa Mora, Anna Ramirez, Maria Vega and Lisa White.
Willits High School
Principal: Gordon Oslund
Coach: Jeff Bergmann
The team: Joanna Bennett, Siarra Bergmann, Jay Hansen, Cristobel Lopez, Miguel Medina, Josue Ramirez, Aaron Ramirez, Bonnie Smith, David Stansberry and Naomi Walker.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
NASA's Robonaut 2 is primed and ready for launch aboard space shuttle Discovery in February. R2 is so ready, in fact, that it's going up ahead of its legs, which will follow on a later launch.
“The robot's legs aren't ready yet,” said Rob Ambrose of NASA's Johnson Space Center. “We're still testing them. But there will be plenty for R2 to do while waiting for its lower extremities.”
R2 – developed jointly by NASA and General Motors – will be the first humanoid robot to travel and work in space, so it'll be training for some big responsibilities.
“This robot will eventually become the space station crew's right-hand 'it,'” said Ambrose, who noted that R2 is neither male nor female.
Thanks to the legs and a few other upgrades, “it” has a bright future. In fact the ultimate goal is for R2 to help the astronauts with EVAs. But first, like a student in school, the robot must progress stepwise as new features – like legs – are added and it acquires new abilities.
“For its first training sessions, R2 will be placed on a fixed pedestal for lessons on a task board,” Ambrose said. “The board has switches, knobs, and connectors like the ones astronauts operate, and the crew will mock up chores for R2 to master.”
Once the legs are added, the trainee will be able to move around inside the station, wiping handrails, vacuuming air filters, and doing other mundane tasks for the crew.
“Much like those of us down here on Earth, space station astronauts spend their Saturday mornings cleaning,” said Ambrose. “R2's legs will give the crew their Saturday mornings back! It's all about making efficient use of the astronauts' time. They don't need to waste time doing simple stuff R2 can do.”
The legs have special toes that plug into the space station walls so R2 can learn to climb without using its hands.
“The hands must be free to carry cleaning supplies and tools,” explained Ambrose. “Remember, robots don't have pockets to put things in.”
But there's another reason for the climbing lessons. R2 must become an expert “no hands spiderman” before it can graduate to its most critical duties: performing EVAs.
“R2 will practice indoors first because if it falls off inside an astronaut can pick it back up for another try,” said Ambrose. “With a misstep outside, R2 could end up dangling helplessly out in space on a tether.”
Once the robot is climbing well, a new computer upgraded with software enhancements will be sent to station.
The crew will exchange it with the one now in the R2's chest. The ground team is also working on a battery for R2. At present, the humanoid has to plug in like a lowly toaster.
“We want to give R2 more and more freedom, so we're eliminating the need for cords and cables,” Ambrose said.
After all these upgrades, the robot will be able to set up EVA worksites. R2 even has “eyes” (two video cameras that give it three-dimensional vision) for viewing an external worksite before the crew heads out to tackle a job.
“If the crew sees a need for certain tools or for 'fine tuning' the work station, they can direct R2 to make the changes and lay it out just like they like it,” Ambrose said. “It's kind of like a nurse setting up for a surgeon. The crew can then come in and do the job quickly, and complete multiple jobs in less time.”
And in the event of an emergency, R2 can be a first responder.
“It can get outside in a hurry to check out a problem,” Ambrose said. “Astronauts have to suit up and then depressurize in the airlock for hours before venturing out.”
While they're depressurizing, the crew can view the problem through R2's “eyes” and determine the approach and tools they'll need to resolve the emergency.
“Also, R2 can stay outside working as long as necessary, while humans can stay only a limited time,” Ambrose said.
What other adventures are in store for R2?
“There are so many possibilities for the future,” said Ambrose. “For instance, we could add wheels so R2 could scout a potential landing site on a planet or an asteroid or set up a workstation or habitat there. Someday R2 may even get a jetpack! But we have to crawl before we can fly.”
Visit Robonaut 2's home page at http://robonaut.jsc.nasa.gov/default.asp .
Dauna Coulter works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .
THE USGS HAS DOWNGRADED THIS QUAKE FROM 3.1 TO 3.0.
ANDERSON SPRINGS, Calif. – A 3.0-magnitude earthquake was reported near Anderson Springs Friday evening.
The quake was reported at 8:05 p.m. according to the US Geological Survey.
It was a poorly constrained quake immediately below the earth's surface and centered two miles southwest of Anderson Springs, five miles west of Middletown and six miles east southeast of The Geysers, US Geological Survey data showed.
The US Geological Survey received a total of four shake reports from areas including Clearlake Oaks, Middletown, Oakland and San Jose.
A 3.1-magnitude earthquake was reported in The Geysers area on Dec. 28, as Lake County News has reported.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
SACRAMENTO – On Saturday Gov. Jerry Brown issued a proclamation declaring Sunday, Feb. 6, as “Ronald Reagan Centennial Day” in the state of California.
Sunday marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of the nation's 40th president, born in 1911 in Tampico, Illinois, to a family “of modest means,” Brown's proclamation notes.
Reagan “served his country with honor and distinction as the 33rd governor of California and as the 40th president of the United States of America,” according to Brown's weekend statement.
The proclamation continued, “Having risen from humble Midwestern beginnings to the towering heights of our democracy, Ronald Reagan embodied the American dream.
“As California’s governor, he worked with members of the Legislature from across the political spectrum to advance this state’s fiscal future, thereby elevating collaboration above ideology whenever the common good was at stake.
“As President of the United States, his enduring legacy is likewise defined by his eschewal of political dogmatism when confronted with the practical needs of the Nation. To that end, he took bold steps to reduce the threat of nuclear war and worked with members of Congress from both parties to enact pragmatic fiscal reforms.
“On February 6th, I ask that all Californians celebrate Ronald Reagan’s legacy on the centennial anniversary of his birth. His buoyant optimism and deep faith in America are as inspiring today as they were when he served the Nation as our President.”
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library in Simi Valley is planning a number of celebratory events, including a Sunday celebration that will includes a 21-gun salute, a F-18 flyover, keynote remarks by former Secretary of State James Baker and the official laying of the presidential wreath on President Reagan’s memorial site.
The event will be streamed live at www.reaganfoundation.org/live-webcasts.aspx.
The National Football League also is planning to honor Reagan Sunday during Super Bowl XLV.
To find out more about the Reagan Centennial, visit the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library online, www.reagancentennial.com/#/Home .
Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .
NICE, Calif. – A wreck that occurred late Friday afternoon sent one woman to the hospital with minor injuries and resulted in the arrest of the second driver for driving under the influence.
The California Highway Patrol said the head-on collision occurred shortly after 4 p.m. on the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff at the Rodman Slough.
A tan Pontiac Sunfire and a black Mitsubishi SUV collided, with the SUV going off the road, the CHP said.
Northshore Fire and Lakeport Fire both responded, as the crash scene was close to the boundary between the two districts, according to reports from the scene.
The Pontiac's elderly female driver was placed on a stretcher and transported by ambulance to Sutter Lakeside Hospital. The CHP said she suffered minor injuries.
The driver of the SUV, 58-year-old Anthony Michael Barnes of Glenhaven, was transported to St. Helena Hospital Clearlake for a forced blood draw, the CHP said.
The Clearlake Police Department was called to assist with the blood draw, and a Clearlake Police officer arrested Barnes for driving under the influence.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
Education
Health
Business
Obituaries
Veterans
Recreation
Religion
Arts & Life
Government & Politics