"Today's criminals increasingly use the Internet, smartphones, and other digital devices to victimize people online and offline," said Attorney General Harris. "I am creating the eCrime Unit so that California can be a leader in using innovative law enforcement techniques to target these criminals. The eCrime Unit will be comprised of investigators and prosecutors charged with working across jurisdictions and leading task forces to protect California consumers and businesses."

The eCrime Unit investigates and prosecutes crimes that include a substantial technology component.

Examples and descriptions of the kinds of crimes that the unit will prosecute are:

• Identity theft: The Internet provides new ways for criminals to steal personal information and identities whether through email phishing scams or trolling the Internet for personal information about others.

• Fraud committed using the Internet: This includes scams perpetrated via email and on Internet auction Web sites.

• Theft of computer components or services: Burglary and robbery of computers or other electronic devices by highly-organized gangs at manufacturing sites, storage facilities and retail stores.

• Intellectual property crimes, such as counterfeiting or piracy: Large numbers of Web sites and online networks exist solely for the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material, such as movies, music and software.

• Child exploitation: Disrupting online child pornography networks and those who commit sex crimes against children using the Internet or social media.

Many of these crimes are multi-jurisdictional and are better suited for prosecution on a statewide level.

The eCrime Unit, which began operations in August, consists of 20 attorneys and investigators, many of whom have spent years working on complex technology crimes.

Technology crimes affect consumers, businesses and the state government's operations. California had 10 of the top 25 metropolitan areas for identity-theft related consumer complaints in 2010.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, California has the most identity theft complaints of any state and third highest per capita. In fact, every year, more than 1 million Californians are victims of identity theft. Total losses throughout the state exceeded $46 million last year.

"Every year, California loses millions of dollars because the intellectual capital of our state is being hijacked by criminal elements," said Assemblywoman Nora Campos, D-San Jose. "The addition of the eCrime Unit to California's fight against technology crimes sends a clear message that we are determined to root out this type of illegal activity."

The eCrime Unit will also provide investigative and prosecutorial support to the five California regional high-tech task forces funded through the High Technology Theft Apprehension and Prosecution Trust Fund Program and provide coordination for out-of-state technology-crime investigation requests.

The eCrime Unit also will develop and provide training for law enforcement officers, prosecutors, the judiciary, and the public on cyber safety and the importance of strong information-security practices.

"As the importance of the Internet to our economy has grown, criminals have moved online to steal valuable information and goods from individuals and businesses," said Santa Clara District Attorney Jeffrey Rosen. "In the 21st Century, law enforcement will be increasingly combating online criminal activity. The Attorney General's eCrime Unit will provide much needed resources and expertise to thwart and prosecute online criminals who cause billions of dollars in damage every year."

Attorney General Harris outlined several cases that exemplify the work of the eCrime Unit.

In July, George Bronk, a Sacramento-area man was sentenced to more than four years in state prison after hacking into email addresses and Facebook accounts of victims by finding answers to email security questions. He found indecent pictures and video and then blackmailed the victims. The victims in this case were located in at least 17 states and United Kingdom. More information on the case can be found http://www.oag.ca.gov/news/press_release?id=2541&y=&m=6.

Attorney General Harris also announced the filing of five felony charges against Chen Zhang on Dec. 8 in San Joaquin Superior Court.

Zhang is being charged with possession of unauthorized and counterfeit jewelry from five different companies. Investigators for the Attorney General's Office seized an estimated $1.5 million of counterfeit goods from her residence in Tracy, California on Nov. 3.

In another case, defendants allegedly ran an identity theft scam at ATM vestibules across seven counties. They allegedly used a card reader to capture victims' card numbers and a hidden camera to capture the PIN numbers. Total losses are estimated to be $2 million.

The case (California v. Aroutiounyan) originated in San Luis Obispo County, but the Department of Justice eCrime Unit was able to investigate and charge the entirety of the scheme across all seven counties.

Harris also announced the launch of a new web site devoted to cyber safety, which can be found at http://oag.ca.gov/cybersafety. The Web site contains information about online child safety, identity theft prevention tips and help for victims.

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The town hall will begin at 7 p.m.

Constituents interested in participating in the telephone town hall event should contact Rep. Thompson’s Napa District Office at 707-226-9898 and leave their name, phone number and city of residence.

Thompson represents California’s First Congressional District, which includes the counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa and Yolo.

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Through its “Start Smart” driving curriculum, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is hoping to help teens develop into responsible drivers as they embark on their driving future.

“Many teens are eager to get their driver license when they turn 16 and may not realize the huge responsibility that comes with that privilege,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow.

Every year, thousands of collisions occur in California involving teen drivers.

According to the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), from 2007 through 2009, there were more than 31,000 fatal and injury crashes involving at least one teen driver between the ages of 15 and 19. Those same collisions resulted in 743 people killed and more than 48,000 injuries.

However, it’s worth noting that over the course of those three years, fatal and injury collisions involving teens decreased by approximately 30 percent and 22 percent, respectively.

In Lake County during that same time period, there were 118 fatal and injury crashes involving teen drivers between the ages of 15 and 19, with seven fatalities and 139 injuries, according to SWITRS data.

“Through continued education we can keep the momentum going in the right direction,” said Commissioner Farrow. “We invite new teen drivers, parents and guardians to attend a ‘Start Smart’ class in their community to better prepare them for the road.”

CHP personnel will conduct “Start Smart” presentations throughout the state at venues ranging from youth events to community activities. The target audience for the two-hour presentations is teens, 15 through 19 years old, and their parents or guardians.

The Clear Lake CHP office has held the trainings for local teens as part of its efforts to protect young drivers.

“Start Smart” driving classes are designed to provide an interactive safe driving awareness class which will illustrate how poor choices behind the wheel of a car can affect the lives of numerous people.

“Start Smart” also focuses on responsibilities of newly licensed drivers, their parents and guardians, and collision avoidance techniques.

Funding for the program is provided by a grant awarded by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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With the economy making public transit a more affordable and reliable option for many community members, Lake Transit Authority is continuing to see a growing demand for its services.

Transit General Manager Mark Wall said the 2010-11 fiscal year was a record year for ridership, with 326,000 passengers.

The 2011-12 fiscal year promises to be bigger. Wall said they’ve seen a 25-percent increase, and are projecting that by the fiscal year’s end they will have had 400,000 passengers.

Wall said that is comparable to neighboring Mendocino County’s transit agency, which has 400,000 passengers a year and a population of more than 100,000 people, compared to Lake County’s 65,000 residents.

Lake Transit’s Route 1, which runs from Clearlake to Lakeport along the Northshore, is the busiest, having carried 86,000 passengers in the last fiscal year. It also runs the longest hours and brings in the most revenue, according to Lake Transit statistics.

The other routes include Route 2, Kit’s Corner to Middletown; Route 3, Clearlake to Deer Park; Route 4, Clearlake to Lakeport; Route 4A, Kit’s Corner to Lakeport; Route 5, Clearlake city north loop; Route 6, Clearlake city south loop; and Route 7, Lakeport/Ukiah.

According to Lake Transit statistics, Route 5 is in second place for ridership, followed by Route 6.

While Lake Transit would like to add services and routes, Wall said they don’t have the revenue to do it.

He said the transit system is funded by a number of sources. Passenger fares constitute 25 percent, while the rest comes from state funds and federal grants.

This fall, Lake Transit Authority received $309,288 in state transportation bond funds to purchase five replacement buses, as Lake County News has reported.

Lake Transit has avoided the kinds of cuts other transit agencies have experienced, said Wall. The only cut that’s planned is the elimination of a 6:30 a.m. Saturday-only run from Clearlake to Lucerne, and the 7:17 a.m. return from Lucerne to Clearlake.

In light of the economy, “We’re pretty much where we can be with operations,” according to Wall.

Wall said the new year will see fare increases, which go into effect Jan. 2.

Among the changes, local bus fare will go from $1 to $1.25 for the general public, and from $.50 to $.75 for seniors and disabled riders, Wall said.

That local fare covers “local areas,” which Lake Transit designates as Clearlake, including Glenhaven, Clearlake Oaks and Lower Lake; Lakeport, including north Lakeport and Kelseyville; Lucerne, including Nice, Upper Lake and Blue Lakes; Middletown, including Twin Lakes, Hidden Valley, Cobb and Loch Lomond; and the Rivieras, including Buckingham, Soda Bay, Riviera West and Clearlake Riviera.

Regional bus fare, which covers a trip through two or more of those local areas, will stay at $2.25 for the general public, but will rise from $1.50 to $2.25 for Lake Transit’s senior and disabled riders, Wall said.

Out-of-county fare for trips to destinations including Calistoga, St. Helena, Deer Park and Ukiah will increase from $3.50 to $5 for all riders, and monthly passes – which offer unlimited ridership – will increase from $35 to $40.

Other changes riders will see include the rerouting of eastbound service in Lucerne from Country Club Drive to Highway 20, a move based on a traffic calming study. The transit agency said the change is meant to improve bus schedules and travel times.

Community members also should notice the new bus shelters and benches along the routes, along with increased wheelchair accessibility.

Wall said the transit authority has raised $500,000 in grant funding over the last several years that is helping fund those shelters and benches. They’ve also partnered with Konocti Unified School District to have students install the structures.

Lake Transit will be closed on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, Wall said.

For more about routes and schedules, visit www.laketransit.org.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

The site can be found at http://sco.ca.gov/compensation_search.html.

Monday’s posting includes wages and other forms of compensation worth $38.8 billion.

"Holding public officials accountable for how they manage public dollars relies heavily on transparency," said Chiang. "The struggles of the city of Bell remind us that corruption and fiscal mismanagement are often the byproducts of keeping the public in the dark."

The county of Lake and cities of Lakeport and Clearlake are in compliance with the filing requirements, according to the states.

However, four counties and 37 cities did not file in time for the Web site update.

The counties that did file are Marin, Mono, San Benito and Tuolumne, according to the State Controller’s Office.

Cities that failed to file 2010 salary and compensation reports are Adelanto, Amador, Angels, Atwater, Cerritos, Cloverdale, Coalinga, Corning, Cudahy, Del Rey Oaks, Dunsmuir, Farmersville, Folsom, Fort Jones, Hawthorne, Hercules, Hillsborough, Hughson, Ione, Isleton, Kerman, Lindsay, Livermore, Loyalton, Maricopa, Oakdale, Palmdale, Placentia, Point Arena, Rio Vista, San Buenaventura, South El Monte, St. Helena, Tracy, Trinidad and Turlock.

Each noncomplying agency could face a penalty of $5,000, the Controller’s Office reported.

The State Controller’s Office’s salary and compensation Web site originally was created by Controller Chiang in late 2010, after he ordered local governments to provide salary and other wage information for their employees to his office.

In October 2010, Chiang’s office collected and posted 2009 wage information for more than 600,000 city and county employees. He then added 2009 information for the employees from 2,379 special districts.

In June, he added 2010 compensation information for 256,222 employees from the state of California and 123,406 from the California State University System.

The data postings drew heavy Internet traffic, and the site has logged nearly 5.3 million page views since October 2010.

The Web site covers elected officials as well as public employees. It includes minimum and maximum salary ranges, actual wages paid, the applicable retirement formula, any contributions by the employer to the employee’s share of pension costs, any contributions by the employer to the employee’s deferred compensation plan and any employer payments for the employee’s health, vision and dental premium benefits.

In addition, the Web site shows employees who hold multiple positions within either state government or the CSU system.

The State Controller’s Office continues to update and expand the site to include more public-sector data.

The 2010 compensation information for special districts, and 2011 information for state and CSU employees will be phased in over the next six months.

In August, Chiang and Community College Chancellor Jack Scott wrote to all 72 community college districts across the state, requesting they also submit their payroll data by early 2012.

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And some VA facilities might be “gaming” appointment dates so they appear to comply with a rule that veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, begin treatment within 14 days of seeking care.

Those were just two of many complaints leveled at VA officials who oversee the department’s burgeoning mental health care program during a hearing Nov. 30 of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.

The most disturbing testimony came from Michelle Washington, coordinator of PTSD services and evidence-based psychotherapy at the VA medical center in Wilmington, Delaware.

She said staff shortages are impacting patient care as needed therapy for severe PTSD cases gets delayed by weeks or months, and scheduled appointments are sacrificed to management’s higher goal of boosting new patient enrollment figures.

“Due to chronic short staffing at my facility, and the inability to manage my patient appointments based on their individual needs, I am frequently frustrated in my ability to provide that care,” Washington said.

The evidence-based psychotherapy she uses for severe or complex PTSD cases, said Washington, involves 10 to 12 consecutive weekly sessions during which patients “re-experience” the trauma and address “erroneous beliefs” about the event so they “better process” trauma memory.

But scheduling patients for a series of weekly appointments “is very difficult at my facility,” Washington said.

Patients wait as long as six weeks for their first appointment. While waiting, some patients lose their motivation for treatment while others see their PTSD worsen.

“Also, because scheduling clerks are under great pressure to bring new veterans in within 14 days, they may take one of my PTSD patient’s regular appointments for a new patient appointment, which hurts the effectiveness of my patient’s treatment,” said Washington.

The Wilmington center appears on paper to schedule appointments for PTSD patients within the mandated 14 days.

But the first visit often will involve paperwork and patient history and no therapy, allowing statistical records to indicate treatment has begun.

“As long as scheduling continues to be driven by clerks pressured by management to make the numbers look good, and as long as mental health providers have little or no say about where and when to best serve their patients,” Washington said, “this will keep happening.”

She also described a “pervasive shortage of primary care providers” that results in patients being referred erroneously to mental health care for lack of an initial comprehensive care assessment to diagnosis properly conditions that require medical care and not a mental health provider.

John Roberts, executive vice president for mental health at the Wounded Warrior Project, said many veterans still can’t get timely mental health appointments because staff hires aren’t keeping pace with the needs of veterans, particularly those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Why, after 10 years, do warriors have to struggle to get effective care for the signature wound in this war,” Roberts asked. “Why isn’t the under secretary for health … moving beyond measuring baseline access to initial mental health evaluations to systematically tracking access to sustained follow up care? If leaders spent more time speaking with the veterans, and their own clinicians, they would realize that the problems with VA mental health system run far deeper than even their data suggests.”

VA mental health care staffs have increased by 48 percent since 2006 while the number of veterans using mental health service has climbed 34 percent to reach 1.2 million in fiscal 2010.

Roberts urged VA to enhance mental health by using its authority to refer patients to civilian providers when VA resources don’t allow timely care, and by expanding peer support programs so that PTSD patients get mentoring and encouragement from veterans successfully treated.

The veterans affairs committee held its last hearing on mental health staff shortages in July with testimony of two veterans with PTSD who had attempted suicide and still couldn’t get denied timely appointments.

At the time Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), committee chairman, directed VA to survey some frontline mental health care providers to determine whether they had sufficient resources to give timely care.

At the Nov. 30 hearing Murray announced that the results “were not good.”

Forty percent of providers said they could not schedule an appointment in their clinic within the VA-mandated 14-day window and 70 percent said they did not have adequate staff or space to deliver timely care.

Yet VA officials in July told Congress that 95 percent of veterans were getting appointments within the 14-day window.

Murray asked Mary Schohn, director of VA mental health operations, to explain the “disconnect.”

Schohn conceded that Dr. Washington from Wilmington might have hit on the reason “that patients are not having access to the evidenced-based therapies in the way that we expect they should be.”

The query of VA mental health care providers did indicate, Schohn said, that “there’s access to the system but not necessarily access to the specific therapies in the time they should occur. And we are working on ensuring that that happens.”

Schohn said clarifying guidance on the 14-day rule has gone out to hospitals and clinics, and site visits are planned “to find ways to solve the issues that Dr. Washington presented here today.”

Sen. Richard Burr (N.C.), the committee’s ranking Republican, noted that VA’s mental health budget jumped by 25 percent in 2011 to $5.7 billion. He demanded that Schohn provide a full accounting of how that was spent.

Schohn conceded some “variability” in access to care across the VA system. But overall VA leads the private sector, and any other health system in the world, in delivering quality mental health care.

“I am personally concerned when I hear these stories about that not happening,” she said.

To comment, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., write to Military Update, P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA, 20120-1111 or visit: www.militaryupdate.com.

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“My administration remains committed to keeping the Legislature informed, but churning out 2,600 annual reports – some ordered more than two decades ago – is a waste of time and money,” Governor Brown said. “All state agencies and departments have been asked to take a closer look at these reports and will work with the Department of Finance and the Legislature to get rid of those that are no longer needed.”

Under Monday’s executive order, agency secretaries and department directors will prepare a list of all reports that they are required to submit to the Legislature, and identify those that may no longer be of significant value.

Each agency and department will report its findings to the Department of Finance, which will then review the findings and work with the Legislature to determine whether specific reports should be discontinued.

The Monday directive follows an executive order issued last week to cut costs, increase efficiency by using honest, common-sense budgeting methods.

Earlier this year the governor also ordered reductions in cell phones, fleet vehicles and swag given out by state departments.

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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – If you didn't get up early Saturday morning to see the full lunar eclipse, here's a memorable shot of it.

Timothy Moen, who lives in Riviera West in Kelseyville, shot this picture of the eclipse just before sunrise on Saturday from behind the Ely Stage Stop Museum on Soda Bay Road.

Moen bills himself as an “advanced amateur” photographer.

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Local volunteers will be on the lookout for ospreys and other birds that make their home in Lake County, Calif., during the annual Clear Lake Christmas Bird Count on Saturday, December 17, 2011. Photo courtesy of the Clear Lake State Park Interpretive Association.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s Redbud Audubon Society is preparing to participate in the national Audubon Society’s 112th annual Christmas Bird Count.

The national Christmas Bird Count takes place this year between Wednesday, Dec. 14, and Thursday, Jan. 5.

Individual counts are held on specific days, and in Lake County, the 37th annual Clear Lake Christmas Bird Count, will take place on Saturday, Dec. 17.

Gary Langham, chief scientist for the National Audubon Society, calls the annual bird count “a globally recognized example of crowd-science.”

The National Audubon Society said the annual bird counts collect data important to the long-term health of North America’s diverse bird populations, and helps track how those populations have changed since the first bird count was held.

“Data from Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count are at the heart of hundreds peer-reviewed scientific studies,” Langham said. “CBC data have informed the U.S. State of the Birds Report, issued by the Department of the Interior, and modeled after Audubon’s annual reports begun in 2004. For example, in 2009, CBC analyses revealed the dramatic impact climate change is already having on birds across the continent."

The inspiration for the first count in 1900 came from Frank Chapman, founder of “Bird-Lore” – today’s “Audubon” magazine – who suggested that people hunt birds only to count them. The National Audubon Society said Chapman’s proposal was an alternative to “side hunts” in which teams of hunters competed to shoot the most animals and birds.

The 2010 national bird count included a record 2,215 counts from all 50 states, all Canadian provinces and 107 count circles in Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands, the National Audubon Society reported. Approximately 62,624 people tallied more than 60 million birds.

“Everyone who takes part in the Christmas Bird Count plays a critical role in helping us focus attention and conservation where it is most needed.” said Audubon Christmas Bird Count Director Geoff LeBaron.

LeBaron said the work is the foundation of Audubon’s “WatchList,” which identifies species in need of conservation help.

The national organization said the count also helps spotlight success stories, such as the comeback of the bald eagle and increases in other populations that have benefited from conservation.

In preparation for the local bird count, Redbud Audubon will hold a meeting to discuss bird identification on Thursday, Dec. 15, at 7:15 p.m. at the Kelseyville Presbyterian Church Social Hall, 5430 Third St.

Society member and photographer Brad Barnwell will lead a discussion on bird identification and characteristics of birds that count participants may see in the field.

Everyone from beginners to veteran birders are welcome to take part; beginners can learn from more experienced observers and experts during the count.

Each count group has a designated circle of 15 miles in diameter, according to the National Audubon Society.

First-time counters will be invited to participate in one of two count teams: the Anderson Marsh State Historic Park team led by Field Trips Leader Pat Harmon or the Clear Lake State Park team led by Barnwell.

Both groups start at 8 a.m. at either the Anderson Marsh parking lot or the Clear Lake State Park Visitor Center parking lot.

After the completion of the Clear Lake Christmas Bird Count on Dec. 17, participants are invited for a pizza dinner at Kelseyville Pizza at 6 p.m., where the group will compile the tally of birds sighted that day.

Anyone interested in participating in the bird count is asked to contact Darlene Hecomovich at 707-928-5591 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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The 2011 Geminid meteor shower peaks on the night of Tuesday, Dec. 13, and into the early morning hours of Wednesday, Dec. 14, and despite the glare of a nearly-full Moon, it might be a good show.

"Observers with clear skies could see as many as 40 Geminids per hour," predicted Bill Cooke of the NASA Meteoroid Environment Office. "Our all-sky network of meteor cameras has captured several early Geminid fireballs. They were so bright, we could see them despite the moonlight."

The best time to look is between 10 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Dec. 13, and sunrise on Wednesday, Dec. 14.

Geminids, which spray out of the constellation Gemini, can appear anywhere in the sky.

"Dress warmly and look up," said Cooke. "It's that simple."

The source of the Geminids is near-Earth asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Most meteor showers come from comets, so having an asteroid as a parent makes the Geminids a bit of an oddball.

"This is the thing I love most about Geminids," said Cooke. "They're so strange."

Every year in mid-December, Earth runs through a trail of dusty debris that litters the orbit of 3200 Phaethon.

Comets vaporizing in hot sunlight naturally produce such debris trails, but rocky asteroids like 3200 Phaethon do not. At least they're not supposed to. The incongruity has baffled researchers since 1983 when 3200 Phaethon was discovered by NASA's IRAS satellite.

One clue: 3200 Phaethon travels unusually close to the sun. The asteroid's eccentric orbit brings it well inside the orbit of Mercury every 1.4 years. The rocky body thus receives a regular blast of solar heating that might somehow boil jets of dust into the Geminid debris stream.

In 2009, NASA's STEREO-A spacecraft saw this process at work. Coronagraphs onboard the solar observatory watched 3200 Phaethon as it was swinging by the sun. Sure enough, the asteroid doubled in brightness, probably because it was spewing jets of dust.

"The most likely explanation is that Phaethon ejected dust, perhaps in response to a break-down of surface rocks (through thermal fracture and decomposition cracking of hydrated minerals) in the intense heat of the Sun," wrote UCLA planetary scientists David Jewitt and Jing Li, who analyzed the data.

Jewett and Li's "rock comet" hypothesis is compelling, but they point out a problem: The amount of dust 3200 Phaethon ejected during its 2009 sun-encounter added a mere 0.01 percent to the mass of the Geminid debris stream – not nearly enough to keep the stream replenished over time. Perhaps the rock comet was more active in the past?

"We just don't know," said Cooke. "Every new thing we learn about the Geminids seems to deepen the mystery.”

Led by Cooke, the Meteoroid Environment Office has just released an app for iPhones and iPads to help citizen scientists count meteors and report their observations to NASA. The "Meteor Counter" is available for free from Apple's app store:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/meteor-counter/id466896415 .

Cooke hopes sky watchers everywhere will use it to monitor the mysterious Geminids.

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

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The incident occurred just before 2:30 a.m. at 15135 Lakeshore Drive, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Acting Watch Commander Dominic Ramirez said Officer Travis Lenz had spotted the motorhome sitting in the middle of the roadway, with a male subject pushing it backwards.

Lenz pulled up to see what was happening, and after he got out of his patrol car, the motorhome rolled backward and hit it, Ramirez said.

Ramirez said Lenz was fine, but his vehicle had moderate damage as a result, with damaged fenders and its door pinned shut.

“The vehicle is out of commission for right now,” Ramirez said.

A CHP officer arrested the motorhome’s driver, 43-year-old Jill Marie Robbins of Clearlake Oaks, on misdemeanor charges of use of a controlled substance, driving while on a suspended license and driving under the influence, according to jail records.

Lenz arrested Robbins’ passenger and the subject who had been pushing the motorhome, 24-year-old Christopher Hoffman of Redding, for a parole violation. Jail records showed that Hoffman was being held on a no-bail hold.

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This color view of a mineral vein called "Homestake" comes from Opportunity's panoramic camera. Opportunity examined it in November 2011 and found it to be rich in calcium and sulfur, possibly the calcium-sulfate mineral gypsum. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell/ASU.

NASA's Mars rover Opportunity has found bright veins of a mineral, apparently gypsum, deposited by water near the rim of Endeavour Crater.

The discovery was presented Wednesday, Dec. 7, at the American Geophysical Union's conference in San Francisco.

“This tells a slam-dunk story that water flowed through underground fractures in the rock,” said Steve Squyres of Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., principal investigator for Opportunity. “This stuff is a fairly pure chemical deposit that formed in place right where we see it.1 It's the kind of thing that makes geologists jump out of their chairs.”

The vein examined most closely by Opportunity is about the width of a human thumb (1 to 2 centimeters) and 40 to 50 centimeters long.

Observations by the rover reveal this vein and others like it within an apron surrounding the rim of Endeavour Crater.

Nothing like it was seen in the 33 kilometers of crater-pocked plains that Opportunity explored for 90 months before it reached Endeavour, nor in the higher ground of the crater's rim.

Last month, researchers used the Microscopic Imager and Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer on the rover's arm and multiple filters of the Panoramic Camera on the rover's mast to examine the vein, which is informally named "Homestake."

The spectrometer identified plentiful calcium and sulfur, in a ratio pointing to relatively pure calcium sulfate.

Calcium sulfate can exist in many forms varying by how much water is bound into the minerals' crystalline structure. The multi-filter data from the camera suggest gypsum, a hydrated calcium sulfate. On Earth, gypsum is used for making drywall and plaster of Paris.

Observations from orbit had detected gypsum on Mars previously. A dune field of windblown gypsum on far northern Mars resembles the glistening gypsum dunes in White Sands National Monument in New Mexico. The origin of that windblown gypsum is, however, uncertain.

"It is a mystery where gypsum sand on northern Mars comes from," said Opportunity science-team member Benton Clark of the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. "At Homestake, however, we see the mineral right where it formed. It will be important to see if there are deposits like this in other areas of Mars."

The Homestake deposit, whether gypsum or another form of calcium sulfate, likely formed from water dissolving calcium out of volcanic rocks.

The calcium combined with sulfur that was either leached from the rocks or introduced as volcanic gas, and it was deposited as calcium sulfate into an underground fracture that later became exposed at the surface.

The discovery of gypsum fits the emerging picture of an ancient wet environment.

Throughout Opportunity's long traverse across Mars' Meridiani plain, the rover has driven over bedrock composed of magnesium, iron and calcium sulfate minerals that also indicate the presence of water billions of years ago.

The highly concentrated calcium sulfate at Homestake could have been produced in conditions more neutral than the harshly acidic conditions indicated by the other sulfate deposits observed by Opportunity.

"It could have formed in a different type of water environment, one more hospitable for a larger variety of living organisms," Clark said.

Opportunity has been exploring Mars for nearly eight years, far exceeding than the rover's original 3-month mission, which began in 2004.

Gypsum veins are just the latest example of an important discovery about wet environments on ancient Mars that may have been favorable for supporting microbial life.

Opportunity's equally productive twin, Spirit, stopped communicating in 2010. Opportunity continues exploring, currently heading to a sun-facing slope on the northern end of the Endeavour rim fragment called "Cape York" to keep its solar panels at a favorable angle during the mission's fifth Martian winter.

For more information about the rovers, including NASA's newest rover Curiosity now en route to Mars, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rovers and http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov.

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

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This close-up view of a mineral vein called "Homestake" comes from the microscopic imager on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. The vein is about the width of a thumb and about 18 inches (45 centimeters) long. Opportunity examined it in November 2011 and found it to be rich in calcium and sulfur, possibly the calcium-sulfate mineral gypsum. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell/USGS.