On June 7, Earth-orbiting satellites detected a flash of X-rays coming from the western edge of the solar disk.

Registering only “M” (for medium) on the Richter scale of solar flares, the blast at first appeared to be a run-of-the-mill eruption – that is, until researchers looked at the movies.

“We'd never seen anything like it,” said Alex Young, a solar physicist at the Goddard Space Flight Center. “Half of the sun appeared to be blowing itself to bits.”

NASA has just released new high-resolution videos of the event recorded by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The videos are large, typically 50 MB to 100 MB, but worth the wait to download.

“In terms of raw power, this really was just a medium-sized eruption,” said Young, “but it had a uniquely dramatic appearance caused by all the inky-dark material. We don't usually see that.”

Solar physicist Angelos Vourlidas of the Naval Research Lab in Washington DC calls it a case of “dark fireworks.”

“The blast was triggered by an unstable magnetic filament near the sun's surface,” he explained. “That filament was loaded down with cool1 plasma, which exploded in a spray of dark blobs and streamers.”

The plasma blobs were as big as planets, many larger than Earth. They rose and fell ballistically, moving under the influence of the sun's gravity like balls tossed in the air, exploding “like bombs” when they hit the stellar surface.

Some blobs, however, were more like guided missiles.

“In the movies we can see material 'grabbed' by magnetic fields and funneled toward sunspot groups hundreds of thousands of kilometers away,” noted Young.

SDO also detected a shadowy shock wave issuing from the blast site. The “solar tsunami” propagated more than halfway across the sun, visibly shaking filaments and loops of magnetism en route.

Long-range action has become a key theme of solar physics since SDO was launched in 2010. The observatory frequently sees explosions in one part of the sun affecting other parts. Sometimes one explosion will trigger another ... and another ... with a domino sequence of flares going off all around the star.

“The June 7th blast didn't seem to trigger any big secondary explosions, but it was certainly felt far and wide,” said Young.

It's tempting to look at the movies and conclude that most of the exploded material fell back--but that wouldn't be true, according to Vourlidas. “The blast also propelled a significant coronal mass ejection (CME) out of the sun's atmosphere.”

He estimated that the cloud massed about 4.5 by 1015 grams, placing it in the top 5 percent of all CMEs recorded in the Space Age.

For comparison, the most massive CME ever recorded was 1016 grams, only a factor of ~2 greater than the June 7th cloud.

The amount of material that fell back to the sun on June 7 was approximately equal to the amount that flew away, Vourlidas said.

As remarkable as the June 7 eruption seems to be, Young said it might not be so rare.

“In fact,” he said, “it might be downright common.”

Before SDO, space-based observatories observed the sun with relatively slow cadences and/or limited fields of view. They could have easily missed the majesty of such an explosion, catching only a single off-center snapshot at the beginning or end of the blast to hint at what actually happened.

If Young is right, more dark fireworks could be in the offing. Stay tuned.

Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

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These Saskatoon berries, considered a "super fruit" because of their high antioxidant level, were purchased from Federica Davis of F & G Farms during the Lake County Farmers Finest Saturday morning market at Steele Winery in Kelseyville, Calif. Photo by Esther Oertel.

I was delighted to have my level of fruit and veggie awareness raised through two unexpected finds at last week’s farmers’ market.

One of them, a powerfully nutritious but largely unknown veggie, will be the subject of next week’s column. This week is devoted to the other, the bright, sassy Saskatoon berry.

When I happened upon these little berries, their size, shape and jewel-like red-purple-blue coloration reminded me of a cross between huckleberries and cranberries. Nibbling on a few revealed a sweet-tart flavor, furthering this thought.

Research upon my return from the market showed that they’re related instead to an entirely different fruit, the apple. We call them a berry, but botanically, like the apple, they’re a pome.

Saskatoon berries, more commonly called saskatoons, are native throughout much of Canada, Alaska and the north central United States.

They’re considered “super fruits” because of their high level of health-promoting antioxidants, which have anti-cancer and anti-aging effects.

Antioxidants also contribute against cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases and act as a protective guard to our immune systems.

Since it’s to our benefit to consume antioxidant-rich foods, we should keep our eye on the Saskatoon berry, which has the highest ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) value of any fruit, a method used to determine antioxidant activity.

In addition to its powerful stores of antioxidants, saskatoons are an excellent source of manganese, magnesium, iron, potassium and copper, as well as being rich in vitamins A and C. As to iron, they contain three times the amount as in the same weight of raisins.

They were an important food to indigenous peoples in North America, who – not surprisingly – also used other parts of the plant for medicinal purposes. The wood of the saskatoon bush is weighty and flexible, so was used in the production of arrows, tools, basket frames and cross pieces of canoes.

Early pioneers that settled throughout its native range relied on the saskatoon as a food staple.

Until recently, saskatoon berries grew only in the wild and were foraged, rather than harvested; however, commercially viable methods of farming them now exist.

It was less than 20 years ago that the first orchards were planted, and most of these exist in Canada, where demand far exceeds supply.

In the U.S., these berries are more commonly called serviceberries, June berries, or shadberries. “Saskatoon” derives from their longer but similar-sounding name in the Cree language. The city of Saskatoon in Saskatchewan, Canada is named for the berry.

They taste a bit like blueberries, but with a meatier texture. They’re described as having a nutty, almond-like flavor, and using almond extract in recipes that include them enhances this.

Saskatoons may be frozen or dried, as well as used fresh.

The culinary uses for saskatoons are similar to those of berries; they’re made into jams (quite possibly their most popular use), baked into pies, tarts and clafoutis, added to muffins, breads and scones, and sauces and relishes are made with them.

I saw a creative recipe at www.PlanetGreen.com utilizing saskatoons in a red wine sauce for roast pork.

I decided to make a fragrant sauce with them for serving over yogurt, which I’ve shared below. The berries held their shape well, making a nice contrasting texture to the smoothness of the yogurt, and the sweetness of the sauce was a perfect compliment to the yogurt’s tartness.

If you plan to use the sauce over a sweet dessert such as ice cream or cheesecake, I’d recommend reducing the sugar in the recipe by about half.

I’m glad to have made the acquaintance of these happy berries. I feel I have a new culinary friend. I hope you’ll enjoy them, too.

Saskatoon berry sauce

2 cups fresh saskatoon berries

¼ cup water

¼ cup sugar

1 cinnamon stick

½ vanilla bean

2 slices lemon

4 wide swaths of orange zest

Simmer all ingredients together in a saucepan until berries are flavored through and sauce is warmed, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Note that the sauce will be runny. If a thicker sauce is wanted, thicken with a little cornstarch or arrowroot powder. A thicker (less sweet) sauce would be a marvelous topping for cheesecake.

Store sauce well-covered in fridge.

Recipe by Esther Oertel.

Esther Oertel, the “Veggie Girl,” is a culinary coach and educator and is passionate about local produce. Oertel teaches culinary classes at Chic Le Chef in Hidden Valley Lake, Calif., and The Kitchen Gallery in Lakeport, Calif., and gives private cooking lessons. She welcomes your questions and comments; e-mail her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Shelena Stewart, 20, of Hidden Valley Lake, Calif., was named the queen of the 2011 Lake County Rodeo in Lakeport, Calif. Photo by Ed Oswalt.

The 82^nd annual Lake County Rodeo arrived on Friday evening, bringing with it a new rodeo queen and plenty of contests, from “mutton bustin'” for the kids to the serious business of the traditional rodeo events for adults – barrel racing, bull and bareback riding, saddle bronc, steer wrestling, and calf and team roping.

The rodeo is held at the grandstands at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St., Lakeport.

The annual rodeo parade will take place beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 9, in Lakeport.

The procession will begin at the baseball fields at the fairgrounds on Martin Street, travel to Main Street and follow that road north to Ninth Street, and return on Main to the fairgrounds.

Brody Brunner, 5, came all the way from San Diego to compete in the Lake County Rodeo's mutton bustin' event. For his effort he came through with the longest sheep ride of the evening on the opening night of the Lake County Rodeo in Lakeport, Calif., on Friday, July 8, 2011. Photo by Ed Oswalt.

The rodeo events will continue starting at 6 p.m. Saturday, with more mutton bustin', cowchip bingo, local barrel racing, local team roping, CCPRA Bull Riding, CCPRA Bare Back Riding, CCPRA Saddle Bronc Riding, CCRPA Steer Wrestling, CCPRA Calf Roping, CCPRA Barrel Racing and CCPRA Team Roping.

Admission to the rodeo costs $9 for adults, $6 for seniors age 60 and over and $4 for children ages 7 to 12. Parking is free.

At 9 p.m. Saturday the rodeo will host a dance that's free with a Saturday rodeo ticket. Tickets for the dance only cost $6 after 8:45 p.m. Dance to the sounds of Dean Titus & The Coyote Cowboys.

For more information on the rodeo, visit www.lakecountyrodeo.com.

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C.J. DeForest of Wheatland, Calif., wins the calf roping competition with a time of 8.2 seconds at the Lake County Rodeo in Lakeport, Calif., on Friday, July 8, 2011. Photo by Ed Oswalt.

The Clear Lake Junior Horsemen parade the stars and stripes in front of the grandstands at the Lake County Fairgrounds on the opening night of the Lake County Rodeo in Lakeport, Calif., on Friday, July 8, 2011. Photo by Ed Oswalt.

The message, “Slow or Move Over for Workers, It’s the Law,” will stay posted through July 22.

Caltrans also will begin a new billboard campaign and issue a public service announcement to television stations statewide reinforcing the “Move Over” message.

In May and June, three Caltrans highway workers died on the job within 48 days – the most in such a short period of time.

Since 1924, 178 Caltrans workers have lost their lives in the line of duty.

“Our goal is to do everything we can to keep our highways safe,” said Acting Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “Motorists must slow down, watch out for highway workers, and safely move over a lane when they see flashing amber lights on Caltrans or other emergency vehicles.”

The joint safety effort by Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), and the California Office of Traffic Safety will educate the public on the importance of moving over a lane to protect highway workers and CHP officers.

The CHP will provide the Move Over safety message during their morning traffic updates on broadcast stations statewide, and officers will be on the lookout for motorists not following the law.

“This traffic safety campaign isn’t about writing citations, it’s about providing a safer work environment for everyone who does business along the side of a highway,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “The only way to prevent tragedies from occurring on the side of the road is by giving

emergency personnel, highway workers, and the public adequate space.”

The DMV will display the Move Over safety message on electronic signs in 135 field offices, and highlight the law in its handbook and written driver’s test, where it will appear along with Slow for the Cone Zone information.

“Our collective goal is that motorists will become more attentive as they drive,” said DMV Director George Valverde. “With continued cooperative efforts such as the Move Over campaign, we can further improve highway safety."

The departments will update their web sites and social media pages, such as Facebook and Twitter, to reinforce the Move Over message.

“When we see Caltrans, law enforcement, emergency medical services, tow trucks, and other emergency or construction vehicles next to the roadway, they are there for one purpose - our safety,” said Christopher J. Murphy, director for the California Office of Traffic Safety. “Let's keep them and

ourselves safe by giving them plenty of room to operate.”

The Move Over law, which took effect in 2007, was amended in 2009 to add Caltrans vehicles displaying flashing amber warning lights to the list of vehicles for which motorists must move over if safe to do so or slow down.

To date, 45 other states have enacted similar laws requiring motorists to move over or slow down.

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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The 15^th annual food and wine event, A Taste of Lakeport, will once again pair Lake County wines with food from local purveyors at various locations along seven blocks of Main Street in downtown Lakeport on Friday, Aug. 19.

The event, which takes place from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., encourages a leisurely stroll along Main Street with stops at shops for wine tasting, while enjoying live entertainment and the company of friends, neighbors, and visitors.

Tasting will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., followed by the street dance and no host bar from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Eventgoers can sip premium Lake County wines from more than 20 participating wineries and sample tasty bites of local food.

To keep the fun going, live music will play throughout the evening featuring Blue Collar and The Blind Monkeys during the tasting portion of the event and the LC Diamonds during the street dance.

Tickets for the event are $30 in advance and may be purchased at the Lake County Chamber of Commerce. Tickets also may be purchased the day of the event for $35.

Ticket purchase includes a wine glass and a map showing all participating wineries and restaurants. The map may be stamped at each location and guests who visit each stop throughout the course of the evening qualify to enter a drawing for prizes.

Presented by the Lakeport Main Street Association (LMSA), A Taste of Lakeport is a benefit for the revitalization of downtown Lakeport. LMSA maintains large flower-filled baskets that hang from the lampposts along Main Street and hangs seasonal and holiday banners from the proceeds of this fundraising event.

For visitor information, contact the Lake County Visitor Information Center at 800-525-3743 or www.lakecounty.com.

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Ladawn Mary Scott, 58, and Eric Von Taylor, 45, both of Whispering Pines, Calif., were arrested by Lake County Sheriff's Narcotics Task Force members on drug-related charges on Friday, July 8, 2011. Lake County Jail photos.

COBB, Calif. – The service of a search warrant by the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force on Friday morning has resulted in two arrests and the seizure of methamphetamine and narcotics paraphernalia.

Arrested were 58-year-old Ladawn Mary Scott and 45-year-old Eric Von Taylor, both of of Whispering Pines, according to a report from Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

On July 1 narcotics detectives secured a search warrant for Scott's person, home and vehicles, and served the warrant at 8:30 a.m. Friday, July 8, Bauman said.

After entering Scott’s home detectives found Taylor sitting on a couch in the living room. Bauman said Scott was located as she was exiting a bedroom. Both were detained without incident.

During a search of the home, detectives located a glass “meth” pipe concealed beneath a cushion in the couch where Taylor had been sitting, Bauman said. Taylor was determined to be under the influence of a controlled substance and arrested.

A search of the bedroom Scott was exiting when detectives entered the home revealed a small toiletry case containing methamphetamine. Bauman said the toiletry case also contained more meth pipes, digital scales, packaging materials consistent with the sales of controlled substances, and other narcotics paraphernalia.

He said Scott also was determined to be under the influence of a controlled substance and arrested.

Both Scott and Taylor were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked, Bauman said.

Scott was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of narcotics paraphernalia and being under the influence of a controlled substance, he said, while Taylor was charged with possession of narcotics paraphernalia and being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Jail records indicated that Scott's bail was set at $10,000, while Taylor's was $3,000. Both posted bail later on Friday and were released.

Anonymous tips about drug trafficking in Lake County can be phoned in to the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force at 707-263-3663.

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The pictured drugs and drug paraphernalia were allegedly found by Lake County Sheriff's Narcotics Task Force members during a search warrant service at the home of Ladawn Mary Scott, 58, of Whispering Pines, Calif., on Friday, July 8, 2011. Lake County Jail photos.

Arrested were Ira Blue Bowes, 19, and Gabriel Azbill Bowes, 27, according to Sgt. Scott Poma of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.

At 7 p.m. Saturday, July 9, Mendocino County Sheriff's deputies and Round Valley Tribal Police officers responded to a reported shooting at the intersection of Concow and Yuki boulevards, Poma said.

Tribal Officers arrived to find Kenneth Hanover Sr., 44, of Covelo, lying in the street. Poma said Hanover had been shot in the mouth and the shoulder.

Hanover was transported by air ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, where his condition is listed as stable, Poma said.

Poma said the investigation at the scene revealed that a physical fight between two family groups of American Indian men had escalated until Ira Bowes allegedly shot Hanover Sr. in the mouth and shoulder with a handgun.

Bowes fled the scene on foot and was later located at a Hopper Lane address and arrested without incident, Poma said.

Gabriel Bowes is alleged to have assisted in the planning and execution of the assault, transporting the weapon to the scene and hindering the investigation, Poma said. Gabriel Bowes was arrested at a Little Lake Way address.

Gabriel and Ira Bowes were booked into the Mendocino County. Jail booking records showed that Ira Bowes was arrested for attempted murder, with bail set at $750,000, while Gabriel Bowes was booked for assault with a firearm, drawing or exhibiting a firearm, felon/addict in possession of a firearm and conspiracy to commit a crime, with bail set at $40,000.

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NASA's Dawn spacecraft obtained this image with its framing camera on June 24, 2011. It was taken from a distance of about 95,000 miles (152,000 kilometers) away from the protoplanet Vesta. Each pixel in the image corresponds to roughly 8.9 miles (14.3 kilometers).

NASA's Dawn spacecraft is closing in on Vesta, and from now until the ion-powered spacecraft goes into orbit in mid-July, every picture of the giant asteroid will be the best one ever taken. What will researchers do with this unprecedented clarity?

“For starters,” said Dawn chief engineer Marc Rayman, “we're going to look for an asteroid moon.”

You might think of asteroids as isolated bodies tumbling alone through space, but it's entirely possible for these old “loners” to have companions.

Indeed, 19-mile-wide Ida, 90-mile-wide Pulcova, 103-mile-wide Kalliope and 135-mile-wide Eugenia each have a moon. And 175-mile-wide Sylvia has two moons.

Measuring 330 miles across, Vesta is much larger than these other examples, so a “Vesta moon” is entirely possible.

Where do such moons come from?

Rayman suggested one source: “When another large body collides with an asteroid, the resulting debris is sprayed into orbit around the asteroid and can gradually collapse to form a moon.”

Another possibility is “gravitational pinball”: A moon formed elsewhere in the asteroid belt might, through complicated gravitational interactions with various bodies, end up captured by the gravity of one of them.

Hubble and ground based telescopes have looked for Vesta moons before, and seen nothing. Dawn is about to be in position for a closer look. On Saturday, July 9, just one week before Dawn is set to go into orbit around Vesta, the moon hunt began. The cameras will begin taking images of the space surrounding the asteroid, looking for suspicious specks.

“If a moon is there, it will appear as a dot that moves around Vesta in successive images as opposed to remaining fixed, like background stars,” said Dawn Co-investigator Mark Sykes, who is also director of the Planetary Science Institute. “We'll be able to use short exposures to detect moons as small as 27 meters in diameter. If our longer exposures aren't washed out by the glare of nearby Vesta, we'll be able to detect moons only a few meters in diameter.”

While you won't see “find a moon” among the mission's science goals, a moon-sighting would be a nice feather in Dawn's cap. Not that it will need more feathers. The probe is already primed to build global maps and take detailed images of the asteroid's surface, reveal the fine points of its topography, and catalog the minerals and elements present there.

Besides, Dawn will become a moon itself when it enters orbit around Vesta. And the probe's motions as it circles will provide a lot of information about the rocky relic.

Sykes explains: “We'll use the spacecraft's radio signal to measure its motion around Vesta. This will give us a lot of detailed information about the asteroid's gravitational field. We'll learn about Vesta's mass and interior structure, including its core and potential mascons (lumpy concentrations of mass).”

As you read this, the spacecraft is gently thrusting closer to its target. And with the navigation images alone we're already watching a never-before-seen world grow ever larger and clearer.

“The pictures are beginning to reveal the surface of this battered, alien world,” said Rayman. “They're more than enough to tantalize us. We've been in flight for four years, we've been planning the mission for a decade, and people have been looking at Vesta in the night sky for two centuries. Now, finally, we're coming close up to it, and we'll be getting an intimate view of this place.”

NASA's Galileo spacecraft took this image of asteroid Ida and its moon Dactyl in 1994. The image was the first conclusive evidence that natural satellites of asteroids exist. Photo courtesy of NASA.

This is not only the first time a spacecraft has visited this alien world, it's also the first time a spacecraft has visited a massive body we haven't approached previously. In the past, rocket ships have orbited Earth, the moon, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mercury.

“In each case, flyby missions occurred first, providing a good estimate of the target's gravity along with information on other aspects of its physical environment, including whether any moons are present. This time we're much less certain what we'll find,” said Rayman.

At a recent press conference, NASA Planetary Science Deputy Director Jim Adams told reporters that Dawn will “paint a face on a world seen only as a 'fuzzy blob' up to now.”

What does Rayman think Vesta's face will look like?

“Wrinkled, ancient, wizened, with a tremendous amount of character that bears witness to some fascinating episodes in the solar system's history,” he said.

If a new moon is among the episodes, Rayman has a name in mind.

“How about 'Dawn'?”

Dauna Coulter works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

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Fee disputes usually arise when the trustee provides an accounting. Let’s consider how California law treats trustee compensation.

When dealing with court supervised trusts, California law distinguishes between “ordinary compensation” and “extraordinary compensation.”

So-called “ordinary compensation” includes the normal trustee duties a trustee regularly is expect to perform. Sometimes trustees will ask a court to grant “extraordinary compensation” when the trustee performs additional services – such as handling litigation, running a business or managing commercial property.

A trustee’s fees is governed foremost by what the trust document says. Trustees receive reasonable compensation under the circumstances of the trust administration, unless the trustee is a corporate entity (like a bank) or a government entity (such as the public guardian).

This is what most trust documents say and is also what California law provides. Corporate trustees and Public Guardians, however, have trustee fee schedules that determine what they will charge for trustee services.

Let’s examine “reasonable compensation under the circumstances.”

California case law provides guidelines to evaluate whether trustee fees are reasonable under the circumstances.

The following are factors used to evaluate the reasonableness of trustee fees: (1) Value of trust assets under management; (2) success of trustee in administering trust (usually measured in terms of asset growth); (3) faithfulness of trustee in following the terms of the trust; (4) risks and responsibilities assumed by trustee; (5) time spent by trustee in administering the trust; (6) local court rules regarding trustee compensation; and (7) skill of trustee relevant to administering the trust.

The quality of the trustee’s accounting and documentation of trust administration services will be important evidence as to how the factors apply.

Thus, a trustee who successfully administers a large trust estate, faithfully follows the terms of the trust, spends many hours performing trustee duties, and uses special expertise to manage the trust assets is reasonably entitled large trustee fees.

This will be reflected either by the trustee charging a higher hourly rate or a higher percentage of the trust assets.

Courts much prefer trustees to compute their fees based on an hourly compensation. Local court rules where the trustee resides should be followed.

When a trustee hires agents to help with the management of trust assets – e.g., hiring a real estate management company to collect trust rental income – then the expenses incurred will naturally reduce reasonable trustee fees because the trustee has delegated out his work.

Also, if there are co-trustees the fees are apportioned between them based on the value of their services, unless the trust says otherwise.

If a trustee breaches his duty as trustee – such as by engaging in impermissible acts of self dealing (such as by using trust assets for the trustee’s own benefit) or by failing to administer the trust according to its own terms – the beneficiaries may bring a court proceeding to reduce the trustee fees accordingly.

Given that reasonable trustee fees depend on the facts and circumstances of each case, there is room for negotiation over what is reasonable.

Mediation, therefore, may be a cost effective way to negotiate disputes over trustee fees. Otherwise the issue of trustee fees may get resolved by costly trust litigation.

Dennis A. Fordham, attorney (LL.M. tax studies), is a State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law. His office is at 55 First St., Lakeport, California. Dennis can be reached by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at 707-263-3235.

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The map of the proposed Big Valley American Viticultural Area. Courtesy of Rick Gunier.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Growers and wineries in the Big Valley and Kelsey Bench areas of Lake County are working together to submit two separate American Viticultural Area (AVA) applications to the U.S. Tax and Trade Bureau in Washington, D.C.

The proposed Big Valley AVA will include all of Big Valley.

The boundaries are Highland Springs Road and Manning Creek on the west, the shores of Clear Lake on the north, Cole Creek along the base of Mount Konocti to Konocti Road on the East, and Bell Hill Road to the south.

The proposed Kelsey Bench area starts at Konocti Road in Kelseyville and extends southeast to Bottle Rock Road and Cole Creek Road along the Red Hills AVA’s eastern boundary.

It follows the eastern shore of Kelsey Creek south to the bottom of Kelsey Creek Drive. The western boundary follows Adobe Creek Road to pick up the boundary line for the proposed Big Valley AVA at Bell Hill Road to the point of beginning at Konocti Road in Kelseyville.

The U.S. Tax and Trade Bureau, a component of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, defines an American Viticultural Area as a designated winegrape growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with specific and clearly-defined boundaries.

The AVA system has been in place since the 1980s, and had recognized more than 200 regions as of January 2011.

The purpose behind AVAs is to identify the unique growing characteristics in a certain area, including weather, soil, history and microclimates. AVAs are listed on premium wines and are used by wineries to help market unique flavor profiles of the various winegrape varieties grown in that region.

An AVA specifies a geographical location from which at least 85 percent of the grapes are grown used to make that wine.

Rick Gunier, whose firm was hired to do the research and submit the applications for the Big Valley and Kelsey Bench American Viticultural Areas, and Project Manager Terry Dereniuk. Courtesy photo.

“In my opinion, the project is long overdue,” said David Weiss, Big Valley grower and chairman of the Big Valley, Kelsey Bench AVA Steering Committee.

“We have all seen the success of the Red Hills and High Valley appellations in helping build the Lake County brand and our reputation as a premium winegrape region. Big Valley and Kelsey Bench represent our original grape-growing acreage where local growers including the Dorns, Holdenrieds, Lyons and Euteniers first planted winegrapes,” Weiss added.

Funding for the project was provided by growers, wineries and the Lake County Winegrape Commission, all of whom have supported previous Lake County AVA projects.

Growers in both areas have donated their time and resources, helping to supply the information needed to put the two projects together.

“The most challenging part to these AVA projects is setting the boundaries, and that involves more than growers working together. History, unique soils and weather; all must be identified as the same in each AVA,” said Rick Gunier, whose firm was hired to do the research and submit the two applications.

Gunier and others held several meetings over the last three years, collecting and incorporating all of the information needed to define the two regions.

“These boundaries are a major part of what defines a region and the process took months of research as well as many grower meetings and interviews,” said Gunier.

Soil and weather experts were used to accumulate the information as well as verify that all of the data was correct.

“The Big Valley and Kelsey Bench are Lake County’s oldest winegrape growing regions,” said Gunier. “There are already excellent wines coming from both. Now what we need to do is get the word out so that people know.”

A more detailed definition of the boundaries, along with other supplemental information can be obtained by contacting Project Manager Terry Dereniuk at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Office of Education has been selected to receive a grant to participate in “The Big Read.”

The agency received a $2,500 award that was part of $1 million the National Endowment for the Arts awarded nationwide in support of The Big Read.

The only other organization on the North Coast to receive funding for the program was The Rural California Broadcasting Corp. in Rohnert Park, which received $17,000 for its Big Read effort, centered around the book, “Bless Me, Ultima.”

The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with Arts Midwest designed to revitalize the role of literature in American culture and to encourage citizens to read for pleasure and enlightenment.

Through the efforts of local partner agencies, businesses, schools and service organizations, Lake County's Big Read steering committee produced a well attended cash match fundraising event this past January, and the grant application was successfully submitted in February.

The Big Read is designed to restore reading to the center of American culture.

A 2004 report by the National Endowment for the Arts found that, not only is literary reading in America declining rapidly among all groups, but that the rate of decline has accelerated, especially among the young.

The Big Read aims to encourage reading on a local level with events that are diverse in both audience and format. The local steering committee selects one book that will be read by the entire county.

This year’s selection is “The Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe.”

According to the preface on The Big Read Web site, “Edgar Allan Poe invented the detective story, perfected the horror tale, and first articulated the theory of the modern short story as well as the idea of pure poetry.”

Activities for the Lake County Big Read will incorporate Poe’s works as well as his influence on the genres of mystery, horror and poetry.

Programming will occur primarily in the month of October, with the official kickoff at the Kelseyville Pear Festival on Sept. 24.

Schools will be contacted this summer with a teacher’s guide and ideas for classroom involvement. A “Little Read” is planned to include younger readers at schools and libraries.

An art contest, a film festival, discussion groups and many more activities will be available for Lake County residents to enjoy.

Volunteers also are needed for various events and activities. Creative and fun ideas are welcome as well.

For more information, or to volunteer to host a discussion group of your peers, please contact Robin Shrive, program director for The Big Read at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Brody Lee Pirtle, 54, of Clearlake, Calif., was arrested on drug charges on Thursday, July 7, 2011, following a parole search or his home. Lake County Jail photo.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A parole search conducted by the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force on Thursday afternoon has resulted in the arrest of a Clearlake man for a felony violation of parole and possession of narcotics paraphernalia.

Arrested was 54-year-old Brody Lee Pirtle of Clearlake, according to Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

On Thursday, July 7, at approximately 3:30 p.m., narcotics detectives contacted Pirtle at his home to conduct a parole search. Bauman said Pirtle was on felony parole for a prior vehicle theft conviction.

While searching the residence, detectives located a glass “meth” pipe concealed in a bedroom cupboard of the home, Bauman said.

Pirtle was arrested for possession of the pipe and for violating the terms of his parole. Bauman said Pirtle was subsequently booked at the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility for violation of parole and possession of narcotics paraphernalia. He was placed on a no-bail hold for the parole violation, according to jail records.

Anonymous tips about narcotics trafficking can be called in to the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force at 707-263-3663.

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