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- Written by: Lake County News reports
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Code enforcement complaints and concerns about water use led to police identifying and eradicating a large illegal marijuana grow this week.
The Clearlake Police Department said its officers served a search warrant on Tuesday at a residence in the 2800 block of Pamela Lane.
After the service of the warrant, approximately 921 marijuana plants in four separate “hoop houses” were seized, police said.
No one was located at the residence at the time of the search warrant service, however, police said investigators have identified a potential suspect and the investigation is ongoing.
The department said complaints were received about this property from citizens and Code Enforcement was alerted.
One of the major concerns of the citizens was the amount of water being used to irrigate the marijuana as the main source of water in the area supplied by ground wells.
Based on the size of the grow it was determined that the operation was possibly a large-scale illegal commercial growing operation, and the investigation was turned over to detectives with the Clearlake Police Department’s Investigations Bureau.
There are no signs that anyone lived on the property, police said.
Police discovered that the subjects were stealing power from the utility company. The stolen power was used to power numerous pumps, lights and fans inside the growing operation.
There were unprotected power lines and outlets with large amounts of brush around the grow which was an additional fire hazard. The power was disconnected from the property, police said.
There were additional signs that the property had been used for marijuana production for several months before the execution of the warrant. Police said there were no indications that this marijuana grow was for medical purposes.
Anyone with information regarding this marijuana grow is encouraged to call Det. Leonardo Flores at 707-994-8251, Extension 315.
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- Written by: Ruth S. MacDonald, Iowa State University
Summer means cookouts, picnics and backyard barbecues. But a generous spread of food eaten outside raises some serious health questions. Nobody wants food poisoning – or to make their guests sick. But how do you know when you’ve kept the potato salad or fruit medley out too long?
As a professor and chair of the Food Science and Human Nutrition program at Iowa State University, I’ll answer those questions by starting with the basics of food safety.
Two general classes of food-related microorganisms exist. Pathogenic organisms make you sick. Other types of organisms make food look, smell and taste bad – in other words, they make food spoil.
It’s usually pretty easy to tell if spoilage microorganisms have invaded your food. Molds and fuzzy growth appear on solid foods. Liquids look cloudy or clumpy and often smell bad. Eating spoiled foods is never a good idea, and you’re smart to err on the side of caution. When in doubt, throw it out.
Cutting boards and kitchen thermometers
Pathogenic microorganisms in foods are much more stealthy. These microorganisms are the ones that cause cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and chills – symptoms that people associate with the “stomach flu.” Viruses also cause food-borne illness. Typically, detecting pathogens in foods by smell or sight isn’t possible. So proper handling and storage, and knowing when to toss leftovers, is critical.
The first rule of food safety is to keep preparation areas clean. Developing a routine helps. Always wash your hands before handling food. Make sure you thaw meats in the refrigerator, not on the countertop. Otherwise, as the frozen meat sits at room temperature, its outer surfaces warm faster than the interior. This allows pathogens to multiply.
Don’t use the same cutting board for meat, fruits and vegetables. In my kitchen, a red cutting board is for meat; the green one for fruits and vegetables. Use different knives, plates and utensils for the raw meats, and always put cooked meats on a clean plate.
Never rinse off raw meat or chicken in the sink, because that practice spreads bacteria on kitchen surfaces. Actually, there’s no need to rinse meat and chicken before cooking. But, if you insist, sanitize the sink with an antibacterial cleaning after moving the food away. That’s “after” – be sure not to contaminate any foods with the cleaner.
Any pathogens will be destroyed by fully cooking the meat to the recommended temperatures. Invest in a good kitchen thermometer. Although recommendations can vary slightly, you basically want an internal temperature of 160 F (71 C) for beef and pork, 165 F (74 C) for poultry, and 145 F (63 C) for fish and ham. Once food is cooked, keep hot foods at 140 F (60 C) or higher. When transporting or serving foods over a period of time, keep cold foods on ice or in a cooler, especially during the hot summer months.
Dealing with leftovers
After the meal is over, don’t let the leftovers linger. Move them into the refrigerator quickly.
As a newlywed, I spent Thanksgiving at my in-laws’ home in northern Minnesota. After dinner, they took all the serving dishes – turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes – and put them on the screened porch for storage. It was probably less than 20 F (-6 C) degrees outside – but still, that’s not a great idea because weather changes quickly and temperatures will fluctuate, leading to risk of pathogen growth.
My husband also believed foods should cool down on the counter before putting them in the fridge; he said it reduced stress on the refrigerator. This is not necessary and increases the risk for food pathogens. Modern refrigerators are fully capable of cooling warm foods quickly while maintaining their internal temperatures, so don’t hesitate to put away those leftovers as soon as possible.
Now, with the fridge full of leftovers, how long are they good to eat? Most cooked foods are safe to consume within three to four days. After that, contamination risk increases. If you have more leftovers than you can eat in that time frame, put them in the freezer. Be sure to cook leftovers to 165 F (74 C) before eating.
Baked goods like breads, cakes, pies and cookies made in your kitchen will have a shorter shelf life than store-purchased items because yours are without preservatives. They will become stale, lose their texture sooner and grow mold. Once you see that, toss the whole thing out rather than try to cut away the contaminated spots. While it’s unlikely to cause severe illness, some bread molds produce toxins that might cause problems, particularly for children or the elderly.
Foods with higher moisture content spoil faster because water gives bacteria a chance to grow. So carrot cakes or zucchini bread spoil within about five days. Refrigerate these items, and you’ll increase their shelf life. Pies should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within three to four days. Cookies are typically low in moisture, except those containing fruit, jam or icing. Keep these types of cookies in the refrigerator and discard if they start to grow mold.
As you get ready for your summer get-togethers, keep in mind that reducing food waste is good for both the environment and your budget, so consider portion sizes and the quantity you’re making to better manage leftovers. And remember that proper handling as you prepare and then store your meals will make sure you and your family enjoy your cookouts, parties and reunions without a food-related illness.
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Ruth S. MacDonald, Associate Dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Iowa State University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said it has arrested a Clearlake woman for setting small fires in the Lower Lake area.
Kayla Renee Main, 32, was arrested on Sunday night, said Lt. Rich Ward.
Ward said that deputies responded to the 9000 block of Lake Street in Lower Lake at 9:25 p.m. Sunday for a report of an unknown female setting fires in the area.
Radio reports from Sunday night indicated the fires were being set in the area of the Lower Lake Cemetery.
When the deputies arrived at the scene, Ward said they contacted witnesses in the area who directed them to the north of their location where they found three partially extinguished fires.
The fires were approximately 50 feet from each other and approximately 12 square feet in size with a large amount of embers, Ward said.
Personnel from Lake County Fire Protection District soon responded and assisted in extinguishing the fires. Ward said no structures or outbuildings were damaged by the fires.
Deputies remained in the area and contacted a female adult, later identified as Kayla Main. Ward said deputies noticed Main was holding a butane lighter in her hand.
Suspecting Main may be responsible for setting the fires, deputies asked if she had any involvement with the fires being started, Ward said.
Ward said Main initially told deputies she did not, but later admitted to starting the fires by accident.
Main stated she was attempting to locate her cellphone and while doing so, she dropped her cigarette which caused the fire. Ward said Main admitted knowing the grassy area was extremely dry and would potentially catch fire due her dropping a lit cigarette.
Main was taken into custody for felony arson of property, Ward said.
Deputies learned Main was on formal felony probation out of Lake County and added a felony probation violation charge, Ward said.
Ward said Main was transported to the Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked on the charges.
An investigator from the Lake County Fire Protection District assisted the Lake County Sheriff’s Office with the arson investigation, Ward said.
Booking records showed that Main, whose occupation is listed as In-Home Supportive Services worker, remained in custody on Wednesday, the same day that she was due to make a court appearance.
Anyone with additional information pertaining to this case is encouraged to contact Lake County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Detective Richard Kreutzer at 707-262-4200 or
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Authorities have arrested a Clearlake Oaks woman who they said is responsible for a Sunday evening fire that destroyed numerous structures.
Tori Elizabeth Brannon, 49, was taken into custody on Monday morning, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Lt. Richard Ward said that at approximately 5:52 p.m. Sunday, deputies from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist the members of the Northshore Fire Protection District with evacuations related to a structure fire in the 60th block of Hoover Street in Clearlake Oaks.
Deputies remained in the area while fire personnel extinguished the fires, Ward said.
Five structures and six outbuildings were damaged or destroyed as a result of the fire, he said.
On Monday at approximately 9:54 a.m., Ward said deputies were dispatched to the 60th block of Hoover Street for a report of a woman walking up and down the street shouting at neighbors in regards to the fire that occurred the previous night.
Deputies contacted a neighbor in the area that reported their neighbor, Tori Brannon, was shouting she did not owe anyone an apology for starting the fire the previous night, Ward said.
Ward said Brannon also made statements she would burn down all of the neighbors’ homes before leaving the area.
Deputies searched the area and contacted Brannon at a nearby business. Ward said Brannon told deputies she was attempting to dispose of old gasoline by pouring it on the ground and soaking it up with an old blanket.
Brannon said she attempted to put the gas-soaked blanket into a trash bag when a Bic lighter she was holding in her hand spontaneously sparked and ignited the blanket, causing the fire to get out of her control, Ward said.
Ward said Brannon said the flames blew up in her face and she began shouting for someone to call 911.
Deputies and an investigator from the Northshore Fire Protection District continued to receive voluntary statements from Brannon and consent to search and collect evidence, Ward reported.
He said deputies established probable cause to arrest Brannon on felony charges of unlawful starting of a fire resulting in destruction of an inhabited structure, and unlawful starting of a fire during a state of emergency.
The value of the combined property loss and damage was estimated at approximately $613,500, Ward said.
Ward said Brannon was transported to the Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked on the charges.
Booking records said Brannon, whose occupation is listed as counselor, made her first court appearance on Monday.
A bail enhancement was requested from a Lake County Superior Court judge and granted in the amount of $500,000, Ward said.
Anyone with additional information pertaining to this case is encouraged to contact Lake County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Det. Richard Kreutzer at 707-262-4200 or