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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The California Highway Patrol is encouraging the public to put safety first and designate a sober driver, a rideshare service or a taxi to make your ride home a safe one.
“St. Patrick’s Day celebrations can often result in a highway tragedy,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “Plan ahead and do not let the use of alcohol or drugs mixed with driving result in a collision, jail time, injuries, or death.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration describes March 17 as one of the deadliest holidays for drunk driving and alcohol-involved crashes.
Last year on that day in California, seven people were killed and 116 others were injured in collisions caused by driving under the influence, or DUI. It was a busy day for CHP officers who made 219 arrests for DUI.
This year, do not push your luck. Buckle up, avoid shenanigans behind the wheel, and designate a sober driver if your St. Patrick’s Day celebration will include alcohol or other impairing substances.
The financial impact of a DUI can be sobering. Attorneys’ fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work, higher insurance rates and car repairs can reach $15,000 or more in California.
“Temptations to drive impaired can increase during the holiday,” added Commissioner Stanley. “If you are planning to drink, do not get behind the wheel.”
To help keep the roads safe, the CHP encourages the public to report impaired drivers by calling 9-1-1.
Be prepared to provide the public safety dispatcher with a description of the vehicle, location, and direction of travel.
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of safety, service and security.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of American Staffordshire Terrier, dachshund, German Shepherd, husky 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.
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”).
‘Smokey’
“Smokey” is a male dachshund mix with a short black and brown coat.
He already has been neutered.
He is in kennel No. 6, ID No. 11555.
‘Ava’
“Ava” is a female American Staffordshire Terrier with a short black and tan coat.
She is in kennel No. 19, ID No. 13606.
‘Tyson’
“Tyson” is a male German Shepherd with a medium-length tan and black coat and brown eyes.
He is in kennel No. 20, ID No. 11202.
Female pit bull terrier
This female pit bull terrier has a short tan and white coat.
She is in kennel No. 22, ID No. 13604.
Male husky
This male husky has a medium-length black and white coat and brown eyes.
He is in kennel No. 24, ID No. 13585.
‘Sheriff’
“Sheriff” is a male German Shepherd with a medium-length black and tan coat.
He is in kennel No. 30, ID No. 13618.
Male pit bull terrier
This male pit bull terrier has a short brindle coat.
He is in kennel No. 31, ID No. 13507.
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, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.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
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- Written by: Brittany Enos
This summer, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will undertake NASA’s first-ever attempt to touch the surface of an asteroid, collect a sample of it, and safely back away.
But since arriving at asteroid Bennu over a year ago, the mission team has been tackling an unexpected challenge: how to accomplish this feat at an asteroid whose surface is blanketed in building-sized boulders.
Using these hazardous boulders as signposts, the mission team developed a new precision navigation method to overcome the challenge.
The OSIRIS-REx team had originally planned to use a LIDAR system to navigate to Bennu’s surface during the Touch-And-Go, or TAG, sample collection event. LIDAR is similar to radar, but it uses laser pulses rather than radio waves to measure distance.
The OSIRIS-REx Guidance, Navigation, and Control, or GNC, LIDAR is designed to navigate the spacecraft to a relatively hazard-free surface.
The mission had originally envisioned a touchdown site 164 ft (50 meters) in diameter, but the largest safe areas on Bennu are much smaller.
The biggest site is just 52 ft (16 m) wide, or roughly 10 percent of the safe area envisioned. The team realized that they needed a more precise navigation technique that would allow the spacecraft to accurately target very small sites while dodging potential hazards.
In the face of this challenge, the OSIRIS-REx team switched to a new navigation method called Natural Feature Tracking, or NFT.
NFT provides more extensive navigation capabilities than LIDAR, and is key for executing what the team is calling “Bullseye TAG,” which delivers the spacecraft to the much smaller sampling area.
As an optical navigation technique, it requires the creation of a high-resolution image catalog onboard the spacecraft.
Earlier this year, the spacecraft made reconnaissance passes over the mission’s primary and backup sample collection sites, designated Nightingale and Osprey, flying as close as 0.4 miles (625 m) over the surface.
During these flyovers, the spacecraft collected images from different angles and lighting conditions to complete the NFT image catalog.
The team uses this catalog to identify boulders and craters unique to the sample site region and will upload this information to the spacecraft before the sample collection event.
NFT autonomously guides the spacecraft to Bennu’s surface by comparing the onboard image catalog with the real-time navigation images taken during descent.
As the spacecraft descends to the surface, NFT updates its predicted point of contact depending on the spacecraft’s position in relation to the landmarks.
On the ground, team members created “hazard maps” for both the Nightingale and Osprey sites to document all of the surface features that could potentially harm the spacecraft, like large rocks or steep slopes.
The team used the image catalog in conjunction with data from the OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter, or OLA, to create 3D maps that closely model Bennu’s topography.
As part of NFT, these maps document boulder heights and crater depths, and guide the spacecraft away from potential hazards while targeting a very small site.
During descent, if the spacecraft predicts it will touch unsafe terrain, it will autonomously wave-off and back away from the surface.
However, if it sees that the area is free of hazards, it will continue to descend and attempt to collect a sample.
NFT will be used in April to navigate the spacecraft during its first sample collection rehearsal. The operations team performed preliminary testing during the Orbital B mission phase in late 2019, and the results demonstrated that NFT works in real-life conditions as designed. NFT will also be used for navigation during the second rehearsal planned for June.
OSIRIS-REx’s first sample collection attempt is scheduled for late August. The spacecraft will depart Bennu in 2021 and is scheduled to deliver the sample to Earth in September 2023.
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, provides overall mission management, systems engineering, and the safety and mission assurance for OSIRIS-REx. Dante Lauretta of the University of Arizona, Tucson, is the principal investigator, and the University of Arizona also leads the science team and the mission’s science observation planning and data processing.
Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built the spacecraft and provides flight operations. Goddard and KinetX Aerospace are responsible for navigating the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in NASA’s New Frontiers Program, which is managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.
For more information on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, visit https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex and https://www.asteroidmission.org .
Brittany Enos is with the University of Arizona.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Clearlake City Manager Alan Flora and Lakeport City Manager Margaret Silveira took the actions about an hour apart late Friday afternoon.
Both cities made the declarations citing the existence of “conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property” due to the potential for COVID-19’s introduction into their respective communities.
The actions by the cities of Clearlake and Lakeport followed by a few hours Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin’s proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to existing conditions that could introduce COVID-19 into Lake County, as Lake County News has reported.
Local officials all emphasized that no cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed within Lake County yet, but that the actions are meant to position them to receive state and federal assistance should it become necessary.
“This declaration will allow us to effectively respond to an outbreak, request mutual aid and possibly obtain reimbursement for expenses,” the city of Lakeport said in a statement about its emergency declaration.
While COVID-19 has not been detected in Lake County so far, counties in the North Coast region including Humboldt and Sonoma have reported confirmed cases of the virus.
Earlier this month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a statewide emergency. The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic earlier this week and on Friday President Donald Trump declared a national emergency.
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors ratified Lake County Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace’s proclamation of a local health emergency. The board also must consider ratifying Sheriff Martin’s proclamation at its meeting next week.
Similarly, the city councils of Clearlake and Lakeport will consider ratification at their meetings next week. The Lakeport City Council is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 17; the Clearlake City Council meeting is set for 6 p.m. Thursday, March 19.
The city of Lakeport’s statement on the emergency declaration said its mission is to work with county agencies and the public to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“We ask that the public monitor information released by the Lake County Public Health Department, the California Department of Public Health and the United States Centers for Disease Control,” the city of Lakeport’s statement said.
The city of Clearlake’s full proclamation is published below.
PROCLAMATION BY THE
CITY OF CLEARLAKE DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
DECLARING A LOCAL EMERGENCY
WHEREAS, City of Clearlake Municipal Code Section 2-11.6 empowers the Director of Emergency Services (City Manager) to proclaim the existence or threatened existence of a local emergency when the city is affected or likely to be affected by a public calamity and the City Council is not in session; and
WHEREAS, Government Code Section 8550 et seq., including Section 8558(c), authorize the City Manager to proclaim a local emergency when the City is threatened by conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the City that are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of the City; and
WHEREAS, a novel coronavirus, COVID-19, causes infectious disease and was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China in December 2019. Symptoms of COVID19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath; outcomes have ranged from mild to severe illness, and, in some cases, death. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has indicated the virus is a tremendous public health threat; and
WHEREAS, Chinese health officials have reported tens of thousands of cases of COVID-19 in China, with the virus reportedly spreading from person-to-person. COVID-19 illnesses, most of them associated with travel from Wuhan, are also being reported in 117 countries, with over 44,000 cases, including the United States; and
WHEREAS, on January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern” and on March 11, 2020, the WHO has elevated the public health emergency to the status of a pandemic. On January 31, 2020, United States Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency for the United States to aid the nation’s healthcare community in responding to COVID-19. On February 26, 2020 the County of Orange declared a local emergency and a local health emergency. On March 4, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a State of Emergency in California; and
WHEREAS, on February 2, 2020, the federal government initiated the suspension of entry of foreign nationals who were in China during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States. United States citizens, residents, and their immediate family members who were in China during the 14-day period preceding their entry into the United States are permitted entry, but are redirected to one of 11 airports where the CDC has quarantine stations to undergo health screening. Depending on their health and travel history, they will have some level of restrictions on their movements for 14 days from the time they left China. On February 29, 2020, the President expanded restrictions to include all aliens who were physically present within the Islamic Republic of Iran during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States, with additional restrictions being imposed on travel from Europe as of March 11, 2020; and
WHEREAS, as of March 12, 2020, the WHO reported that, to date, 125,048 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 4,613 of which resulted in death, across 117 countries; and
WHEREAS, in declaring a State of Emergency, the Governor indicated that, as of March 4, 2020, there were 129 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States, including 53 in California, and more than 9,400 Californians across 49 counties in home monitoring based on possible travel-based exposure to the virus, with officials expecting the number of cases in California, the United States, and worldwide to increase; and
WHEREAS, the Governor and the California Department of Health on March 11, 2020 issued a statement entitled “California Public Health Experts: Mass Gatherings Should be Postponed or Canceled Statewide to Slow the Spread of COVID-19,” determining that gatherings should be postponed or canceled across the state until at least the end of March. Non-essential gatherings must be limited to no more than 250 people, while smaller events can proceed only if the organizers can implement social distancing of 6 feet per person. Gatherings of individuals who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 should be limited to no more than 10 people, while also following social distancing guidelines. Furthermore, essential gatherings should only be conducted if the essential activity could not be postponed or achieved without gathering, meaning that some other means of communication could not be used to conduct the essential function; and
WHEREAS, the Governor on March 12, 2020 issued Executive Order N-25-20, ordering, inter alia, that all residents are to heed the orders and guidance of state and local public health officials; and
WHEREAS, the President on March 13, 2020 declared a state of emergency in the United States of America; and
WHEREAS, the City of Clearlake has the power to impose measures to promote social distancing including but not limited to limitations on public events; and
WHEREAS, conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property have arisen due to the potential introduction of COVID-19 to Clearlake and Lake County; and
WHEREAS, such conditions are beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of the City and require the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat; and
WHEREAS, it is imperative to prepare for and respond to suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases, to implement measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and to prepare to respond to an increasing number of individuals requiring medical care and hospitalization; and
WHEREAS, if COVID-19 spreads in California at a rate comparable to the rate of spread in other countries, the number of persons requiring medical care may exceed locally available resources, and controlling outbreaks minimizes the risk to the public, maintains the health and safety of the community, and limits the spread of infection in the community and within the healthcare delivery system; and
WHEREAS, the mobilization of local resources, ability to coordinate interagency response, accelerate procurement of vital supplies, use mutual aid, and allow for future reimbursement by the state and federal governments will be critical to successfully responding to COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, the City Manager, as the City’s Director of Emergency Services, has the power to declare a local emergency as authorized by Government Code section 8630 and Clearlake Municipal Code section 2-11.6.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED by the City Manager of the City of Clearlake as follows:
A. A local emergency exists based on the existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property caused by an epidemic, as detailed in the recitals set forth above.
B. The area of the City which is endangered/imperiled is the entire City.
C. During the existence of this local emergency, the powers, functions, and duties of the emergency organization of this City shall be those prescribed by state law and by ordinances, resolutions, and orders of this City, including but not limited to the City of Clearlake Emergency Operations Plan.
D. The City Council shall review and ratify this proclamation within seven (7) days as required by state law, and if ratified, shall continue to exist until the City Council proclaims the termination of this local emergency. The City Council shall review the need for continuing the local emergency as required by state law until it terminates the local emergency, and shall terminate the local emergency at the earliest possible date that conditions warrant.
E. That the City of Clearlake orders that, within the boundaries of the City of Clearlake, the Public Health Experts’ recommendations shall be deemed mandatory.
F. That a copy of this proclamation be forwarded to the Director of California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services requesting that the Director find it acceptable in accordance with State Law; that the Governor of California, pursuant to the Emergency Services Act, issue a proclamation declaring an emergency in the City of Clearlake; that the Governor waive regulations that may hinder response and recovery efforts; that recovery assistance be made available under the California Disaster Assistance Act; and that the State expedite access to State and Federal resources and any other appropriate federal disaster relief programs.
DATED: March 13, 2020
_______________________________________
Alan D. Flora
Director of Emergency Services
Email Elizabeth Larson at