Anderson said the caller claims to represent Medicare or the Social Security office and asks the consumer to verify or provide information, such as a Medicare number, bank and checking account information.

He said all consumers should be cautious when speaking to unknown individuals on the telephone, and to never give out any personal information over the phone including date of birth, Medicare or Social Security number, policy numbers, credit card numbers or bank account information.

When this information is obtained by con artists it is used for identity theft and to invade bank accounts and credit cards, Anderson said.

"If you receive one of these calls, hang up and do not give them any information," Anderson cautioned. "Medicare or Social Security employees will not contact you via phone requesting this type of information. If you have any questions about the status of your Medicare of Social Security benefits, you can contact the agencies directly."

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Mark Knaup, 52, who took the stand during his trial, had faced four felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child and one count of sexual penetration with a victim under 16, according to Deputy District Attorney Ed Borg.

“We’re thrilled with the verdict,” said Knaup’s attorney, Stephen Carter of Carter & Carter in Lower Lake.

Carter added that Knaup was grateful for the verdict as well.

Knaup did not respond to messages Lake County News left on Wednesday seeking comment.

The trial included three days of testimony before it wrapped up on Wednesday, Borg said.

Borg said they delivered closing arguments and jury instructions on Wednesday and handed the case over to the jury, which he said was only out about an hour.

Afterward, he said jurors indicated that they weren’t sure of exactly what happened based on the evidence presented. He said that uncertainty is the definition of reasonable doubt, so they did the right thing in making the acquittal.

Knaup was arrested in April 2009 after his girlfriend’s then-15-year-old daughter accused him of fondling her several times in late 2008 and early 2009, Borg said.

Carter said the defense was a complete denial of the charges. “When we pled not guilty we meant it.”

The defense pointed out what they believed were serious conflicts in the teen’s story, but Borg countered, “There were discrepancies but I wouldn’t characterize it as telling different stories.”

A challenge for the prosecution was that there was no physical evidence. “It rises and falls on the credibility of the victim. That makes it difficult for juries,” said Borg.

Testifying for the prosecution were two witnesses, the alleged victim, now 18, and a doctor who discussed Child Sexual Assault Accommodation Syndrome, which is a therapeutic tool used to explain why sexual assault victims don’t always immediately report abuse, Carter said.

“I cross-examined the doctor who testified and got him to confirm that this does not take into account those allegations,” said Carter.

As for his approach to cross-examining Jane Doe, Carter said his approach was to be respectful. “It’s always challenging.”

Borg credited Carter with doing a good job with the case and with the cross-examination in particular, noting that there is a fine line between badgering a witness and getting the facts.

Knaup also took the stand, which Carter said he felt would be a good idea, and Knaup agreed.

“I thought he did well,” said Carter. “It’s difficult for someone who’s never been charged with a crime like that to go up and get cross-examined.”

Knaup testified that the teen, whose mother he had dated, was motivated to make the allegations because she wanted him out of the picture. Carter argued that there appeared to be a design to lie in order to get what the teen wanted.

“There was evidence that the mother in the family often relied on Mark to help her be more consistent in terms of enforcing the rules,” said Carter, adding that the teen had been at risk of losing her car over violating such rules of behavior.

Carter also presented to the court a letter that Knaup received from the teen a few months before the first allegation in which she confessed to a pattern of lying.

“We were able to present that to the jury to help explain why there was such a doubt as to Jane Doe’s credibility,” he said.

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A record low of 791 persons were killed in DUI crashes on California roadways last year, compared to 950 in 2009.

The 2010 figures for California showed the largest single yearly drop of DUI deaths in the past 14 years, the NHTSA reported.

In Lake County, however, DUI-related deaths showed an increase in 2010, rising to four, compared to one DUI-related death reported in 2009, according to NHTSA data. DUI-related deaths in Lake County included three in 2006, six in 2007 and four in 2008.

The NHTSA said that DUI deaths in California increased yearly from 1998 to 2005, but have decreased every year since 2005.

“This marks a huge milestone in the fight against drunk driving,” said California Office of Traffic Safety Director Christopher J. Murphy. “While we are elated by these figures, there were still 791 lives, futures and dreams that will never be fully realized. We cannot back off from our ultimate goal – toward zero deaths.”

The Office of Traffic Safety credited the record number of DUI checkpoints conducted in 2010 as partly responsible for the state’s sharp reduction in DUI deaths.

OTS allocated $16.8 million in federal funds to law enforcement agencies to conduct 2,553 DUI checkpoints in 2010, up from the $11.7 million allocated to 1,740 checkpoints in 2009.

According to NHTSA, checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent. In addition, 88 percent of Californians surveyed report they support the use of checkpoints.

Other contributing factors include countywide Avoid DUI Task Force operations that saw the California Highway Patrol team up with police departments across the state to arrest impaired drivers, the widespread recognition of the “Report Drunk Drivers Call 911” message promoted by CALTRANS through their changeable message signs, the many action items addressing DUI developed and implemented by state departments such as the Department of Motor Vehicles and local agencies through the Strategic Highway Safety Plan, the successful programs aimed at keeping alcohol from minors implemented by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, and the great work done by advocate and educational organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Safe Transportation Research and Education Center at U.C. Berkeley, and RADD – the entertainment industry's voice for road safety.

“Preventing these tragedies remains our top priority,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “By combining DUI enforcement efforts of the entire law enforcement community, with the support and dedication of our traffic safety partners and the motoring public, we will continue to make strides toward reducing DUI fatalities.”

The announcement comes just days before the Dec. 16 start of California’s December DUI Crackdown and NHTSA’s nationwide “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. The increased enforcement campaign ends Jan. 2.

Statewide 2010 DUI arrest numbers have been consistent with the past five years and higher than any year between 1997-2005, officials reported.

“California has taken a comprehensive approach to reducing drunk driving including aggressive use of sobriety checkpoints” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “We commend California for its commitment to highway safety and efforts by its law enforcement officers to keep drunk drivers off the roads.”

“The people of California are to be congratulated along with all those who actively worked to avoid these tragedies,” said Murphy. “They see that not only is drunk and drugged driving a serious crime affecting the lives of so many, it is now seen as a socially unacceptable behavior for everyone.”

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The projects, funded Dec. 1, are joint efforts by the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC) and the Center for Economic Development at California State University, Chico (CED, CSU Chico), the Northeastern California Connect Consortium (NECCC) and the Upstate California Connect Consortium (UCCC). They received $449,991 and $448,184, respectively, over a period of three years.

The counties within the scope of the NECCC are Butte, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou and Tehama. The counties within the scope of the UCCC are Colusa, Glenn, Lake and Sonoma.

"There is a deep awareness at the highest level in California of the importance of broadband availability and adoption to the state's historic global position of economic and technology leadership," said Tom West, manager for the two consortia. "These two funding decisions speak volumes of the state's commitment to ensuring that California remains a global leader in all areas of 21st century life."

Kelly Cox, Lake County’s administrative officer, added, "This grant will enable us to develop a much-needed comprehensive broadband plan for our county. Such a plan will enable us to pursue providers and funds to effectively implement broadband for our citizens and help us advance the county's economic development plans."

Both the NECCC and the UCCC reported that they will work with other consortia as part of a comprehensive Northern California Broadband Plan to set the stage for a robust, integrated, and open-access fiber-optic middle-mile – and combination fiber-optic and wireless last-mile – infrastructure throughout the 11 counties listed in addition to Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Trinity and Yolo counties.

Many of these counties are rural with rugged terrain as well as relatively low population, all of which pose great challenges to the construction of such an infrastructure over which broadband services can be delivered.

As a result, the counties in the projects’ areas currently lack the broadband services that are an essential part of a healthy economy and a good quality of life in the 21st century, and which are already enjoyed in other regions of the state, according to the report from the sponsoring organizations.

The NECCC and UCCC both consist of a multi-phase, three-year planning effort.

During the first year, the two consortia will concentrate on developing and designing the 16-county Regional Middle-Mile infrastructure, as well as 11 countywide backbone systems and last-mile community plans.

The NECCC and the UCCC then will facilitate the implementation of these infrastructure plans as well as developing and implementing adoption and training programs to ensure that every citizen has the opportunity to effectively use these capabilities.

"Developing and implementing a broadband plan for Northern California will help fuel the economies of counties like Modoc by enabling us to attract investment capital to make local resources and products available to consumers across the state and nation," said Chester Robertson, chief administrative officer of Modoc County and member of NECCC.

Consortia Associate Manager Cathy Emerson of CED is passionate about giving the rural communities a collective voice.

"I learned that the northern counties want action, not more studies, and that someone was needed to guide a process, not tell them what to do or how to do it,” Emerson said. “These consortia are intended to include people from all aspects of the region, and based on the membership pledges and letters of support we are receiving, I'd say that's what we have: a group of dedicated, committed individuals who at the end of the day can say they not only were a part of something, they actually affected change, and to the collective benefit of the whole region."

More information about the NECCC and the UCCC can be found at www.necalbroadband.org and www.upcalbroadband.org. Visit the Center for Economic Development at www.cedcal.com.

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This Honda Accord was involved in a single-vehicle crash on Tuesday, December 13, 2011, in Clearlake, Calif. One child was reported injured. Photo by Gary McAuley.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A single-car crash sent a child to the hospital Tuesday afternoon.

The crash occurred on Highway 53 just south of Ogulin Canyon Road and across from the Konocti Unified School District bus barn at around 3:30 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.

A 2004 Honda Accord traveling southbound crossed the northbound lane and went off the road’s east shoulder, running into a 6 foot high pile of dirt and rocks being used as road construction material, according to reports from the scene.

A 3-year-old girl riding in the car who was reportedly not restrained properly suffered abdominal trauma and was flown to the hospital. Reports did not indicate the extent of her injuries, of if anyone else riding in the car was injured.

More information wasn’t available on the crash from Clearlake Police Department Tuesday evening.

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The car hit a pile of dirt and rocks used for construction on the side of the road. Photo by Gary McAuley.

The two Mars launches of Nov. 26, 2011. On the left, a solar explosion hurls a CME toward the Red Planet (Credit: SOHO). On the right, the Mars Science Lab or "Curiosity" lifts off from Cape Canaveral (Credit: Howard Eskildsen of Titusville, FL).

On Nov. 26, Curiosity blasted off from Cape Canaveral atop an Atlas 5 rocket.

Riding a plume of fire through the blue Florida sky, the car-sized rover began a nine month journey to search for signs of life Mars.

Meanwhile, 93 million miles away, a second lesser-noticed Mars launch was under way.

Around the time that Curiosity’s rocket was breaking the bonds of Earth, a filament of magnetism erupted from the sun, hurling a billion-ton cloud of plasma (a “CME”) toward the Red Planet.

There was no danger of a collision – Mars rover versus solar storm. Racing forward at 2 million miles per hour, the plasma cloud outpaced Curiosity’s rocket by a wide margin.

Next time could be different, however. With solar activity on the upswing (Solar Max is expected in 2012-13) it’s only a matter of time before a CME engulfs the Mars-bound rover.

That suits some researchers just fine.

As Don Hassler of the Southwest Research Institute (SWRI) in Boulder, Colorado, explained, “We look forward to such encounters because Curiosity is equipped to study solar storms."

Hassler is the principal investigator for Curiosity's Radiation Assessment Detector – "RAD" for short.

The instrument, developed at SWRI and Christian Albrechts University in Kiel, Germany, counts cosmic rays, neutrons, protons and other particles over a wide range of energies.

Tucked into the left front corner of the rover, RAD is about the size of a coffee can and weighs only three pounds, but has capabilities of Earth-bound instruments nearly 10 times its size.

Encounters with CMEs pose little danger to Curiosity. By the time a CME reaches the Earth-Mars expanse, it is spread so thin that it cannot truly buffet the spacecraft. Nevertheless, RAD can sense what happens as the CME passes by.

"RAD will be able to detect energetic particles accelerated by shock waves in some CMEs1," says Arik Posner of NASA’s Heliophysics Division in Washington DC. "This could give us new insights into the inner physics of these giant clouds."

There’s more to this, however, than pure heliophysics. Future human astronauts will directly benefit from RAD’s measurements during the cruise phase.

"Curiosity is nestled inside its spacecraft, just like a real astronaut would be," notes Frank Cucinotta, Chief Scientist for NASA’s Space Radiation Program at the Johnson Space Center. "RAD will give us an idea of the kind of radiation a human can expect to absorb during a similar trip to Mars."

Of particular interest are secondary particles. Galactic cosmic rays and solar energetic particles hit the walls of the spacecraft, creating an inward spray of even more biologically dangerous neutrons and atomic nuclei. RAD will analyze the spray from the only realistic place to make such measurements – inside the spaceship.

In this way, “RAD is a bridge between the science and exploration sides of NASA,” says Hassler. “The two objectives are equally exciting.”

RAD was activated on Dec. 6. Of the rover's ten science instruments, it will be the only one active during the cruise to Mars. Daily transmissions to Earth will let Hassler and colleagues monitor what's going on "out there."

"We're very excited about the possibility of more solar storms," he added.

As important as RAD’s cruise phase measurements are, the instrument’s primary mission doesn’t really begin until it lands on the Red Planet.

Mars has a very thin atmosphere and no global magnetic field to protect it from space radiation. Energetic particles reaching ground level might be dangerous to life – both future human astronauts and extant Martian microbes.

RAD will find out how much shielding human explorers need on the surface of Mars. RAD will also help researchers estimate how far below ground a microbe might have to go to reach a radiation “safe zone.”

Solar storms are just for starters. Stay tuned for the second installment of this story: Curiosity and the Habitability Mars.

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

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With so much happening outside of the vehicle, the California Highway Patrol is unleashing a traffic safety campaign reminding motorists to focus on driving, and worry about all the other distractions after they have safely arrived at their destination.

“There are so many drivers who understand the dangers of distracted driving and focus their attention on the road instead of responding to a phone call or text message,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “Unfortunately, many drivers still don’t understand the hazards, yet statistics has shown that traffic collisions caused by distracted driving are on the rise. This campaign focuses on these individuals.”

Distracted driving is one of the leading contributors to collisions and near-collisions.

According to the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, in 2009, California drivers age 20 years or older were involved in more than 23,000 collisions within CHP jurisdiction in which inattention was documented as an associated factor.

“The CHP urges drivers to stay focused on the primary task of driving,” added Commissioner Farrow. “Through education and enforcement, we are dedicated to curb this dangerous behavior.”

The yearlong, grant-funded Adult Distracted Driving II campaign consists of an education component, as well as several distracted driver enforcement operations throughout the state.

By the end of the grant, Sept. 30, 2012, a minimum of 50 distracted driving enforcement operations will have been conducted, and at least 20 traffic safety presentations completed.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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William Henry Holman, 43, of Kelseyville, Calif., was arrested on Friday, December 9, 2011, for several drug-related charges. Lake County Jail photo.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The service of a search warrant by the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force and the Napa County Special Investigation Bureau on Friday, Dec. 9, has resulted in two arrests, the seizure of marijuana, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

William Henry Holman, 43, of Kelseyville was arrested during the search warrant service, and more than $500 was seized for asset forfeiture, according to Sgt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

On Dec. 9 at approximately 5 p.m., narcotics detectives assisted the Napa County Special Investigation Bureau with the service of a search warrant for Holman’s person and his home, according to Brooks.

When narcotics detectives entered the home, Holman was located and detained without incident, Brooks said.

During a search of the residence, detectives located methamphetamine, a glass “meth” pipe, approximately 2.3 pounds of processed marijuana, a digital scale and over $50 in currency, Brooks reported.

Brooks said Holman was arrested for possession of marijuana for sales, possession of a controlled substance and possession of narcotics paraphernalia. Holman was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked, with bail set at $15,000. He later posted bail and was released.

The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be contacted through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.

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“Most importantly, we urge everyone to not drive while impaired,” said Lt. Greg Baarts, the commander of the CHP's Clear Lake Area office.

“We are committed to making the roadways safe for everyone,” he added. “The holiday season is a time for family and friends; unfortunately, it is also a time when we see too many alcohol-related fatalities.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2010 a Record low 791 persons were tragically killed in DUI crashes on California roadways, down from 950 in 2009.

“That means we are making great progress, but there is still a lot of work to be done” Baarts said. “We can not do it alone and we need everyone’s help. Make your plans to get home before you start celebrating. Have a non-drinking designated driver or someone you can call. The consequences are not worth it.”

It is estimated that a DUI conviction can cost over $10,000 when you combine the costs of fines, attorney fees and insurance premium increases. In 2010 the CHP arrested 91,492 persons for DUI statewide.

“In Lake County we have seen a drop in most DUI-related incidents and we hope this trend continues. We also hope the message of ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ is making people think twice before getting behind the wheel,” Baarts said.

“We would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season” Baarts continued. “We will be out there patrolling, giving up quality time with our families to ensure holiday travelers arrive at their destinations safely. All we ask in return is cooperation from the public to drive safely and not to get behind the wheel impaired.”

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Nova Wilson-Fox, 23, was reported to have suffered a head injury and was flown by REACH air ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Her family told Lake County News Wednesday evening that she is in critical condition.

At 12:30 p.m. Wilson-Fox was driving a 2000 Honda Accord at an unknown speed northbound on Bottle Rock Road south of Spring Hill Road between Kelseyville and Cobb in cool, clear conditions, the CHP said.

For unknown reasons, she lost control of the car, which slid off the roadway to the east, the CHP reported.

The CHP report said the driver's side of Wilson-Fox’s car struck a tree several feet from the roadway.

She was unconscious when the CHP arrived, and appeared to have suffered a head injury, according to the report.

Bottle Rock Road had one-way traffic control in place for approximately one hour as CHP and fire officials worked at the scene, the CHP said.

The CHP said Wilson-Fox was wearing her seatbelt at the time of the crash, and alcohol is not to believed to be a factor in the collision, which remains under investigation.

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The safety recommendation specifically calls for the 50 states and the District of Columbia to ban the nonemergency use of portable electronic devices – other than those designed to support the driving task – for all drivers.

The safety recommendation also urges use of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration model of high-visibility enforcement to support these bans and implementation of targeted communication campaigns to inform motorists of the new law and heightened enforcement.

"According to NHTSA, more than 3,000 people lost their lives last year in distraction-related accidents", said Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman. "It is time for all of us to stand up for safety by turning off electronic devices when driving."

Hersman added, "No call, no text, no update, is worth a human life."

On Aug. 5, 2010, on a section of Interstate 44 in Gray Summit, Missouri, a pickup truck ran into the back of a truck-tractor that had slowed due to an active construction zone. The pickup truck, in turn, was struck from behind by a school bus.

That school bus was then hit by a second school bus that had been following. As a result, two people died and 38 others were injured.

The NTSB's investigation revealed that the pickup driver sent and received 11 text messages in the 11 minutes preceding the accident. The last text was received moments before the pickup struck the truck-tractor.

The Missouri accident is the most recent distraction accident the NTSB has investigated.

However, the first investigation involving distraction from a wireless electronic device occurred in 2002, when a novice driver, distracted by a conversation on her cell phone, veered off the roadway in Largo, Maryland, crossed the median, flipped the car over, and killed five people.

Since then, the NTSB has seen the deadliness of distraction across all modes of transportation.

• In 2004, an experienced motorcoach driver, distracted on his hands-free cell phone, failed to move to the center lane and struck the underside of an arched stone bridge on the George Washington Parkway in Alexandria, Virginia. Eleven of the 27 high school students were injured.

• In the 2008 collision of a commuter train with a freight train in Chatsworth, Calif., the commuter train engineer, who had a history of using his cell phone for personal communications while on duty, ran a red signal while texting. That train collided head on with a freight train – killing 25 and injuring dozens.

• In 2009, two airline pilots were out of radio communication with air traffic control for more than an hour because they were distracted by their personal laptops. They overflew their destination by more than 100 miles, only realizing their error when a flight attendant inquired about preparing for arrival.

• In Philadelphia in 2010, a barge being towed by a tugboat ran over an amphibious "duck" boat in the Delaware River, killing two Hungarian tourists. The tugboat mate failed to maintain a proper lookout due to repeated use of a cell-phone and laptop computer.

• In 2010, near Munfordville, Kentucky, a truck-tractor in combination with a 53-foot-long trailer, left its lane, crossed the median and collided with a 15-passenger van. The truck driver failed to maintain control of his vehicle because he was distracted by use of his cell-phone. The accident resulted in 11 fatalities.

In the last two decades, there has been exponential growth in the use of cell-phone and personal electronic devices.

Globally, there are 5.3 billion mobile phone subscribers or 77 percent of the world population. In the United States, that percentage is even higher – it exceeds 100 percent.

Further, a Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study of commercial drivers found that a safety-critical event is 163 times more likely if a driver is texting, e-mailing or accessing the Internet.

"The data is clear; the time to act is now. How many more lives will be lost before we, as a society, change our attitudes about the deadliness of distractions?" Hersman said.

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