LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Four cats this week are presented for your consideration for new companions.

Siamese, tabbies and a handsome gray cat are available at the county’s animal shelter, where adopted animals now can be spayed or neutered to reduce adoption-related costs.

Cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed and microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake .

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.

The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).

‘Flower’

“Flower” is an 8-year-old female domestic short hair mix.

She is a brown tabby with white markings, and has lovely green eyes.

Flower is residing in cat room kennel No. 17, ID No. 31965. She also can be seen in the video above.

Seal point Siamese

This male seal point Siamese is 1 year old.

He has a short white coat and blue eyes. He is not yet altered.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 20, ID No. 32050.

Male tabby

This male gray and black tabby is 3 years old.

He has a short coat and a docked tail.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 52, ID No. 32041.

Gray domestic short hair

This gray male domestic short hair mix is 3 years old.

He is not yet altered.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 96, ID No. 32059.

Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com .

Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. – Mendocino County officials seized more than two dozen firearms, some of them stolen, and arrested two men during a Friday investigation.

Vince Allan Ballew, 45, of Boonville and 40-year-old Patrick Dino Mariani of Philo were arrested in the case, according to Sgt. Greg Van Patten of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.

Van Patten reported that at 4 p.m. Friday Anderson Valley Resident Deputy Sheriff Craig Walker responded to a residence located on Hutsell Road in Boonville to serve a search warrant.

Deputy Walker was assisted by sheriff's office detectives and special agents with the Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force, Van Patten said.

In recent months Deputy Walker had received confidential information about the presence of several firearms at the residence, one of which being reported as stolen during a burglary to a Ukiah area residence in October 2011, according to Van Patten.

Upon arriving at the location Walker, the detectives and special agents contacted Ballew and Mariani, who were inside the living room area of the residence, Van Patten said. Based upon previous law enforcement contacts the residence was known to be Ballew's primary residence with Mariani apparently being a guest.

Upon contact the pair were in close proximity of several loaded and unloaded firearms. Van Patten said some of the firearms where determined to be assault weapons illegal for a private person to possess in California.

During a search of the residence approximately 26 firearms were seized to include different types of rifles, shotguns and handguns, Van Patten said.

Of the firearms seized five were assault rifles, one was an Uzi machine gun and two later were determined to be reported stolen during a burglary to a Ukiah area residence in October 2011, Van Patten reported. Various types and amounts of ammunition for the firearms were also located inside the residence.

Ballew was arrested for being in possession of assault weapons and for possessing a firearm with an altered serial number. Mariani was arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Both were transported to the Mendocino County Jail where Ballew was to be held in lieu of $15,000 bail and Mariani was to be held in lieu of $25,000 bail.

As the one-year anniversary of the devastating Japanese tsunami arrived this month, engineers from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering Tsunami Research Center are working with the State of California to better understand the damaging currents caused by tsunamis.

Funded by the California Geological Survey, the California Emergency Management Agency, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, USC researchers will use hydrodynamic computer modeling and historical tsunami data to evaluate the currents generated by tsunamis and their effect within California ports and harbors.

Results from the study will be used to determine safe depths for evacuation, to map zones that might be prone to higher or lower currents under tsunami conditions (to inform how ships and boats are moved and evacuated), and to create hazard maps for ports, harbors and marinas. Work will begin in the next few weeks and last through the end of 2012.

Currents caused by the Japanese tsunami of March 2011 caused millions of dollars of damage at 27 harbors along the California coast, particularly in Santa Cruz and Crescent City.

In Santa Barbara, swirling currents lasted for more than 24 hours, with the strongest surges taking place long after the original currents.

According to Associate Professor Patrick Lynett and Adjunct Research Professor Jose Borrero of the USC Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, who will conduct the study, these tsunami-induced “phantom currents” are not well understood.

Even in moderate-sized tsunamis, currents can rip large boats from their moorings. During the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, at locations very far from the earthquake itself, large ships were ripped from their moorings and pushed around the harbor by surges occurring many hours after the tsunami first arrived.

A similar effect occurred in Crescent City in November 2006, when a magnitude 8.3 earthquake off of Russia's Kuril Island caused a moderate tsunami.

The currents caused by the waves were strongest some three hours after tsunami arrival and caused $20 million in damage to Crescent City harbor. Repairs from that event had not yet been completed when the Japan tsunami struck.

“Imagine an oil tanker or cargo ship torn loose and out of control in the Port of LA or San Francisco Bay,” warned Dr. Lynett, USC's John and Dorothy Shea Early Career Chair in Civil Engineering. “The problem could escalate very quickly.”

“California is being proactive in its effort to re-evaluate certain elements of its tsunami preparedness based on lessons learned from the Japan event,” said Dr. Borrero. “During the Japan tsunami, even though we knew how big the waves were going to be, we severely underestimated the strength and duration of the currents.”

“Fortunately, this is a hazard that can be dealt with,” said Rick Wilson of the California Geological Survey.

Wilson's agency and the federal and state emergency management agencies are funding Lynett and Borrero to look at this issue as part of USC's ongoing initiative to provide tsunami expertise to the State.

Lynett and Borrero have been working together gathering data on this phenomenon and to applying advanced computer models to quantify the extent and duration of these late arriving and potentially damaging surges.

Said Lynett, “We have the tools available to understand this problem and make the right call in the future.”

In an article published earlier this month in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Lynett and Borrero described observations of these currents at several locations both within California and internationally and describe their efforts to understand them.

For more information about that paper, visit www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X12000696 .

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Launching a new program intended to “build capacity and effectiveness” of vineyard workers, the Lake County Winegrape Commission is sponsoring a series of training sessions for a select group of foremen and crew heads from Lake County vineyards.

The first group of “Master Vigneron Academy” participants is scheduled to meet once a month through August, then break for the harvest months of September and October before concluding the one year of coursework with a meeting in November.

Each session will cover one or more topics important to vineyard management and maintenance, including pruning, canopy management, vineyard layout, planting stock, equipment, health and safety of workers, conflict resolution, harvesting, winegrape quality and wine tasting.

The World English Dictionary defines the French word “vigneron” as “a person who grows grapes for winemaking.”

Wikipedia takes it a step further: “A vigneron is someone who cultivates a vineyard for winemaking. The word connotes or emphasizes the critical role that vineyard placement and maintenance has in the production of high-quality wine.”

The commission’s goal with its new project, the first of its kind in California, is two-fold: production of high quality wine and the development of some of the best vineyard workers to be found, according to Lake County Winegrape Commission President Shannon Gunier.

The commission will reward the individuals who successfully complete the academy with a “Master Vigneron” certificate.

“The end result is expected to be higher quality outputs in the vineyard with more efficient and skilled employees,” says Gunier. “Another key element is that better-trained workers will have greater confidence and develop into more valued employees. It is hoped that employers will recognize this, leading to better pay and enhanced advancement opportunities in the wine industry.”

The concept for the yearlong program was developed by the Commission’s Education Committee chair, Randy Krag of Beckstoffer Vineyards.

The commission has tapped its education director, Paul Zellman, to coordinate the program.

Zellman, who has 30 years of grape growing and winemaking experience, was selected to help the Commission accomplish the Master Vigneron Program goals.

The Ukiah viticulturalist will also assist with the continuing sustainable winegrape growing program, according to Gunier.

“We are excited to welcome Mr. Zellman to our team. His expertise will guide us through this brand new program,” said Gunier. “As it states in the mission statement for the Master Vigneron Academy, the commission directors believe ‘the vineyards are at the heart of producing world class wines and that experienced vineyard workers and foremen are the key to bring out the best of those vineyards.’ In developing this program, the commission directors sought to find the ideal teacher and coordinator. We have found a skilled, passionate and experienced individual in Paul.”

Zellman began his viticulture career as vineyard manager for MacGregor Vineyards, San Luis Obispo, in 1980, the same year he earned his bachelor of science degree in viticulture from the University of California, Davis.

He added a master of science degree in soil science from the University of California, Riverside, in 1995.

He has professional and personal ties to Lake County. “In 1998 I became the grower rep for Kendall-Jackson Winery for Lake, Mendocino and parts of Sonoma counties,” said Zellman. “At that time, Kendall-Jackson purchased about 60 percent of the total Lake County Sauvignon Blanc crop. During this period I met many Lake County growers and families.”

Zellman previously worked with the Lake County Winegrape Commission, from 2001 to 2003, directing a comprehensive wine quality assessment. He also developed maps and reports supporting the High Valley AVA application.

He is well-acquainted with Lake County, too, because of family. “I first become familiar with Lake County when visiting my wife’s family in Lakeport. My father-in-law is retired Superior Court Judge John Golden,” said Zellman. “My wife also has family in Ukiah where I now live and where we raised our two sons.”

Zellman has worked as a vineyard manager at San Pasqual Vineyards in Escondido, Calif., a grower relations representative with Kendall-Jackson in Santa Rosa, a cellar worker with Geyser Peak Winery in Geyserville, and an assistant winemaker with Brutocao Cellars in Hopland.

Speaking about anticipated outcomes of the Master Vigneron Program, Zellman said, “Growers will see crews that are supervised by graduates of the MV Program performing tasks correctly and at lower costs. Ultimately, wineries and wine drinkers will recognize these efforts by the production of better wines.

“Furthermore, as the word spreads of the professional training that we provide for our supervisors, Lake County will attract and retain more key vineyard supervisors. Also, other employees will see an opportunity to advance their own professional development and an enhanced livelihood.”

Meet the academy class

The first class of the Master Vigneron Program consists of 10 experienced Lake County vineyard workers.

They are Amador Duran of Obsidian Ridge Vineyards, Jaime Rosas of Lyon Vineyard, Gabriel Martinez and Felix Aguilar of Bella Vista Farming Co., Jeronimo Rico of Dorn Vineyards, Antonio Batres and Alonso Raygoza of Beckstoffer Vineyards, Tarciscio “Tacho” Corona of Stokes Vineyards, Federico Gonzalez of L & L Vineyards and Gerardo Mendoza of Red Hills Vineyard.
 
Amador Duran, Obsidian Ridge

Amador Duran is a vineyard foreman with Nissen Vineyard Services. He has worked on the Obsidian Ridge vineyard project since 1998.

His 15 years of vineyard experience, including many years on the Maxwell Ranch in Kelseyville, has given him the knowledge and skills to perform his current job as ranch foreman, he said.

He especially enjoys working with many people. Speaking about the range of tasks in his job, Duran said, “I love it.”

He looks forward to the Master Vigneron Academy courses, noting that he hopes to gain additional information about roots and plant stock.

Duran has lived in Lake County for more than 20 years and currently resides in the Clearlake area with his wife Alejadra.

The couple has four children: a son who is in college, a daughter in high school, a son in elementary school, and a 2-year-old daughter.

Jaime Rosas, Lyon Vineyard

Jaime Rosas is veteran of vineyard work in the Kelseyville area for more than 30 years.

Managing all operations of winegrape production for Walt Lyon’s Vineyard, Rosas came to Lake County in the mid-1970s and spent a few years working “here and there, like everybody else” until Walt Lyon offered him full-time employment.

Rosas had made the trek from Mexico in about 1974. His part-time experience included Lyon’s ranch.

It was around 1978 that Rosas was “fortunate” to be asked by Lyon to work for him. “Walt and I have a trust in each other. We understand each other,” said Rosas.

He joked, “(Walt) trusts me enough to mess things up,” adding that his employer allows him to try out ideas and sometimes they work out.

Rosas looks forward to the Master Vigneron Program, saying he is continuing to learn new things about winegrape production.

He lives near the Lakeport/Kelseyville border with his wife of 30-plus years, Marcia. The couple reared three boys who attended Kelseyville schools from kindergarten through graduation from high school.

Gabriel Martinez, Bella Vista Farming Co.

Gabriel Martinez currently manages all field operations on the five Bartolucci properties of the Bella Vista Farming Co.

He joined Bella Vista’s management team in 2009 following a two-year stint as supervisor at Bartolucci Vineyards.

His work experience includes employment with Syd Stokes over 14 years during which he worked his way up to foreman/supervisor.

Born in La Nopalera de Ecuandureo, Michoacan, Mexico in 1963, Martinez immigrated to the United States in 1981 and settled in the Finley/Kelseyville area.

He has worked in vineyards and pear orchards since. He is familiar with all cultural practices for both crops, having worked in pruning, picking, machinery operation, pesticide and fertilizer application, frost protection, irrigation and labor supervision.

In 1996, Martinez became a U.S. citizen.

He is married and has two sons, two daughters, and a granddaughter.

Felix Aguilar, Bella Vista Farming Co.

Felix Aguilar has worked for Bella Vista Farming Co. and/or Quercus Ranch since 1995.

Originally hired for his mechanical and fabrication skills, he was moved into a supervisory role because of his ability to plan work and manage people.

He oversees most vineyard and orchard activities for a number of Bella Vista’s clients, as well as repair and maintenance activities for much of the farm equipment used in those operations.

Aguilar owns property in Texas and Mexico where he grows Milo. He also enjoys buying, rebuilding and selling used cars and pickups.

Aguilar was born in Progreso del Campecino Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas, Mexico in 1952, and became a U.S. citizen in 1998.

He is married and has one daughter, four sons, and 14 grandchildren.

Jeronimo Rico, Dorn Vineyards

Jeronimo Rico has worked for Dorn Vineyards since the mid-1970s – “1974 or ’75,” he said – having previously been employed as a pear pruner in the Kelseyville area.

He is a supervisor for the Dorns, overseeing every aspect of the vineyard maintenance and winegrape production.

With his experience in all vineyard skills, Rico says he especially enjoys being a foreman and supervising other workers in the production process.

A resident of Kelseyville for nearly 40 years, Rico lives with his wife Adelina and daughter Esther.

Antonio Batres, Beckstoffer Vineyards

Antonio Batres has worked for Beckstoffer Vineyards for 11 years, mostly as vineyard supervisor but with experience in all vineyard skills.

He came to the company with a variety of experiences in California orchard crops.

Batres studied one year at CIANO (Centro de Investigaciones Agricolas del Noroeste) in Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico, research home of the “father of the green revolution” and Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug.

Batres and his wife live in Lakeport with their three children, ages 10 months to 16 years.

Alonso Raygoza, Beckstoffer Vineyards

Alonso Raygoza has worked for Beckstoffer Vineyards for over 12 years, learning vineyard skills from the ground up.

He is an experienced equipment operator extraordinaire. As harvest forklift operator, he loaded and unloaded most of the more than 2,200 valley bins that were dispatched from Beckstoffer’s operation last harvest.

Raygoza lives in Clearlake Riviera with his wife and 10-month-old daughter.

Tarciscio “Tacho” Corona, Stokes Vineyards

Tarciscio “Tacho” Corona is in his sixth year of employment with Stokes Vineyards. He has been picking grapes for Lake County growers for many more years, having been in the area for 14 years.

The 33-year-old is a foreman/supervisor who has shown his skills in working with people. He handles crews very well, according to his employer.

He is also a very good equipment driver and an excellent mechanic. Corona says his favorite vineyard activitiy is pruning.

He lives in Lakeport with his wife Apolonia (“Polly”) and three children ages 3 ½, 8 and 9.

Federico Gonzalez, L & L Vineyards

Federico Gonzalez is a vineyard foreman for L&L Vineyards where he has worked for 13 years. His duties are extensive and involve every aspect of the winegrape growing process.

As foreman, he is responsible for crew training and supervision. He drives tractors for spraying, discing and other maintenance, and actively oversees L&L’s irrigation and harvesting tasks.

Originally from the state of Michoacán, Gonzalez lives in Lakeport with his wife Gloria.

The couple’s children, three daughters and a son, range in age from 6 years to 20 years old.

Gerardo Mendoza, Red Hills Vineyard

Bringing experience from three years of work in Santa Rosa for vineyard owner Bob Mount, Gerardo Mendoza is new to vineyard work.

He began working at Mount’s Lake County vineyard this year. As a rookie to winegrape growing, Mendoza is charged with learning everything there is to know about the process. He says he is dedicating the next years of his life to doing so.

Mendoza moved from Santa Rosa to make a new home in the Red Hills region of Lake County. He and his wife Maria del Rosario have a son and a daughter, ages 5 and 2 years old.
 
Course outline

The first class of Master Vigneron Academy was introduced in November at the Winegrape Commission’s 10th Annual Sustainable Winegrape Growing Seminar at Ceago Vinegarden.

The first “official” class meeting of the group followed in January when the participants attended the 2012 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento.

One of the highlights of this year’s trade show was the Spanish language seminar sessions.

Several coursework hours will take place in the Finley Grange hall and in Lake County vineyards, according to the Academy outline.

“Participants will also have the opportunity to learn about the broader wine industry itself. (They) will engage in wine education with the chance to taste the ‘finished product’ and make connections between their critical work in the vineyard and how that results in what ends up in the bottle,” said Gunier.

The Master Vigneron students are scheduled to visit Guillaume Nursery and University of California at Davis vineyards during one of the in-field course days in March and will take another trip in June to a Sonoma County winegrape grower’s operation in Healdsburg.

In a welcome letter to participants, Zellman told the group the areas to be covered in the course include vineyard cultural practices, vineyard development, nursery stock, winegrape varietals, and labor management.

“This is a hands-on course consisting of vineyard tours, classroom activities and seminar sessions. Practical labor management skills will be honed through specially arranged training assignments with role playing as a key component of the process,” he said.

The Master Vigneron Academy graduates will be able to use the knowledge they gain to enhance their work as “leaders, mentors and mediators” in their vineyard careers, said Zellman. The participants will get a glimpse of the entire California winegrape industry, he added.

Zellman said he looks forward to working with each of the students selected for the program. The course, as it progresses, will provide opportunities for the experienced group to expand their interactions with Lake County and Northern California winegrape producers, he noted.

Established in 1991 by the winegrape growers of Lake County, the Lake County Winegrape Commission is a local marketing order.

Its primary function is to provide marketing, education, and research programs to Lake County winegrape growers.

For more information about upcoming events and workshops, check the commission’s Web site, www.lakecountywinegrape.org , or call the commission office at 707-995-3421.

For information about the seminar or the Master Vigneron Program, email Zellman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

COBB, Calif. – A moderate-sized earthquake was reported on Cobb Mountain Saturday afternoon.

The 3.1-magnitude quake occurred at 4:21 p.m., according to an initial report from U.S. Geological Survey.

The estimate of the temblor's magnitude could change later when reviewed by a seismologist.

The quake was recorded at a depth of a tenth of a mile two miles west of Cobb, three miles northeast of The Geysers and six miles northwest of Anderson Springs.

A 4.3-magnitude quake hit the Cobb area on Feb. 12, as Lake County News has reported.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com .

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The service of a search warrant by the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force has resulted in two arrests, the seizure of LSD, 116 pounds of processed marijuana, $36,946 and a firearm.

Arrested were 45-year-old Elizabeth Anne Lango and Brandon Scott Augsburger, 28, both of Kelseyville, according to Sgt. Steve Brooks.

On March 2 the Lake County Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force received information from the Wisconsin Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration that they had served search warrants in Lake Winnebago, Wis., and Kimberly, Wis., according to Brooks.

Their investigation revealed that 43-year-old Spencer Breitreiter of Kelseyville and Paul Van Wychen of Wisconsin were responsible for transporting multiple pounds of marijuana from California to Wisconsin, Brooks said.

Agents recovered approximately 5 pounds of processed marijuana and $200,000 in cash. Brooks said both Van Wychen and Breitreiter were arrested in Wisconsin.

During a search of Breitreiter’s property in Wisconsin a rental agreement for a storage unit in Kelseyville was discovered. Brooks said the rental agreement was made out to Lango.  

He said Lake County Sheriff’s narcotics detectives responded to the storage unit. They deployed a narcotics detection K9 which alerted to the unit. A search warrant also was secured for Lango, her home and storage unit.

On March 2 at approximately 6:40 p.m., Lake County Sheriff’s narcotics detectives served the search warrant at Lango’s residence, located on Montezuma Way in Kelseyville, Brooks said. Upon entry to the residence Lango and Augsburger were detained without incident.  

During a search of the residence detectives seized 47 immature marijuana plants, approximately 20 pounds of processed marijuana, a sheet of suspected LSD containing approximately 100 dosage units, a 20 gauge shotgun, digital scales and $16,812 in cash, Brooks reported.

He said detectives also located a bank account in Lango’s name that contained $20,134 which was also seized pending asset forfeiture proceedings.

Lango denied any knowledge of the storage unit that was in her name. Brooks said detectives forced entry into the storage unit and located a Lexus parked inside.  

After making entry into the Lexus detectives discovered 96 pounds of processed marijuana. Brooks said most of the marijuana was packaged in vacuum sealed bags.  

Paperwork found inside the vehicle linked Lango, Breitreiter and Augsburger to the vehicle, according to Brooks. Additional paperwork found at the residence linked Lango to recent trips to the state of Wisconsin.  

Lango and Augsburger were both arrested for possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of marijuana for sale and being armed while in the commission of a felony, Brooks said. They were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.

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

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The 18th annual Heron Festival, presented by the Redbud Audubon Society, will be held Saturday, May 5.

This year the popular festival will be held at Redbud Park in Clearlake, and will take place on one day rather than two.

The event is a fun, family-oriented event that features pontoon boat tours, birding and nature speakers, exhibit booths, and children’s activities.

Pontoon boat excursions will take visitors into the Anderson Marsh area of Clear Lake to view nesting herons, egrets, grebes and other shorebirds.

The 90-minute boat trips will be offered from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Experienced Audubon birding guides will accompany each boat to share information about the birds and wildlife seen on each trip. The excursions depart from the Redbud Park marina.

Cost is $20 per person for the pontoon boat trips. Advance reservations are required and may be made online by visiting www.heronfestival.org .

The festival features speaker presentations, slide shows and videos on local birds and wildlife. Topics include the nesting herons and egrets, Clear Lake’s “dancing” grebes, and other birds likely to be seen during the festival.

The keynote speaker at this year’s festival is internationally-honored nature photographer Philip L. Greene from Point Reyes, Calif.

Greene has studied and photographed herons and egrets for over two decades. His spectacular photos and engaging lecture focus on the nesting cycle of herons and egrets, with special emphasis on mating behaviors, nest-building, and fledging.

A major highlight, especially for children, is “Raptor Speak,” where live owls and other birds of prey join Curator Jenny Papka from Native Bird Connections to offer an opportunity to see raptor behavior up close.

Learn about these lively non-releasable raptors in a fun and informative talk and bird demonstration, offered twice on Saturday afternoon because of its popularity.

A nature fair with numerous outdoor exhibit booths presents conservation and nature displays, and educational materials. Nature-related arts and crafts also are featured.

Dr. Harry Lyons, Professor of Biology and Ecology at the Clear Lake Campus of Yuba College, offers an entertaining program on Saturday morning that mixes biology, music and humor to tell the story of Clear Lake.

In “Myths and Music of Clear Lake,” Dr. Lyons gives the history and biology of the lake’s more than two million years of existence and the importance of its ecosystem to the birds, fish, and wildlife of Lake County.

Except for the boat tours, all other festival activities are free, as is park entry and parking.

Redbud Park is located at 14655 Lakeshore Boulevard, Clearlake.

For festival information, visit www.heronfestival.org or call the Redbud Audubon Society at 707-263-8030.

Local resort, motel, and bed-and-breakfast reservations are available by calling the Lake County Visitor Information Center at 800-525-3743 or visiting www.lakecounty.com .

Since many of us became “honorary Irish”yesterday, it’s an appropriate time to discuss the oat, a grain that’s a favorite in Ireland.

Oats are amazingly healthy, and the only grain to have a legume-like protein. Oat protein is nearly equivalent in quality to soy protein, which, according to research done by the World Health Organization, is equal to animal protein from meat, dairy products or eggs.

The protein content of the oat groat, meaning its hull-less kernel, ranges from 12 to 24 percent, the highest among cereals.

Today’s oats are descendants of the wild red oat,a plant originating in the Fertile Crescent of the Near East; however, they were first cultivated in Bronze Age Europe, far from the origins of their wild relatives.

Cold winter mornings, especially blustery ones,are perfect for a hearty bowl of oatmeal. In case you’ve ever wondered why there are so many varieties of this seemingly simple cereal, here’s the lowdown, from the least to the most processed:

Steel-cut oats are produced by running the grain through steel blades that thinly slice them. They’re also known as Irish oats or pin oats and have a dense, chewy texture. Because they’re relatively unprocessed, they take about 40 minutes to cook, but are considered the healthiest form of oatmeal.

Old-fashioned oats (also known as rolled oats) are flat as a result of their being steamed and then rolled into flakes, whichmreduces the cooking time to about five minutes. The process was invented by the Quaker Oat Co. in the 1870s, revolutionizing the oat industry.

Quick-cooking oats are processed like rolled oats,but are finely cut before being sent through the rolling mills, reducing the cooking time even further.

Instant oatmeal is created by partially cooking the grains and then rolling them very thin. Oftentimes sugar, salt and other ingredients, such as flavorings, are added. Instant oatmeal is prepared by adding boiling water.

Other oat products include oat bran, which is the outer layer of the grain that resides under the hull. Bran is found in steel-cut and rolled oats, but may be purchased separately for adding to recipes, such as muffins, or even cooked on its own to make a cereal. (One caveat: I’ve found cereal made solely from oat bran to be unpleasantly sticky.)

Oat flour is used in baking, often combined withwheat or other gluten-containing flours when making leavened bread.

Oats are a cool-season, moisture-loving crop, so are mostly grown in northerly climates, such as the upper tier of states in the U.S., in Canada, Scandinavia, Germany, Poland and Russia. They’re often plantedas a cover crop in the fall to benefit the soil during the winter months; they then produce a springtime crop before the heat of summer sets in.

The ancient Greeks enjoyed oats, especially in sweet cakes made with the flour; however, the Romans considered them barbaric, at least until they conquered Celtic Britain, where they found oats to be an easily grown and nutritious food.

Since this time, oats have been identified with the British Isles, being a favorite not only in Ireland, but in Scotland and Wales, as well, as evidenced by haggis, a Scottish favorite made by mixing oats with offal and, if made the traditional way, cooked in a sheep’s stomach.

In England, oatmeal stout is brewed by mixing oatmeal in with the grist, meaning the brewing grains. It’s a dark and viscous beer, with a creamy texture that’s imparted by the oats.

The Japanese also make an alcoholic drink with oats. Amazake is a sweeter version of sake made with oats instead of rice.

Oat milk, like soy, rice, or almond milk, can be found in many stores as an alternative to dairy, and oats are a major ingredient in a variety of cold breakfast cereals, like muesli and granola.

When my sons were young, I added peanut butter and maple syrup to their oatmeal one morning and it became a family favorite. Nuts and dried fruit, such as raisins, sultanas or currants, are delicious with oatmeal and eliminate the need for sweeteners. Diced fresh apples may be tossed in while oatmeal is cooking.

Preparing oatmeal with milk instead of water makes for an extra creamy version, and spices such as nutmeg, cardamom or cinnamon add interest.

I’d love to hear your favorite way of preparing it, so please feel free to share your traditions and ideas in the comments section!

The health benefits of oats have been studied extensively. The fiber specific to oatmeal has been shown to lower cholesterol levels,and its unique antioxidants reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

In addition, they enhance our immune response to infection, stabilize blood sugar, lower risk for type II diabetes, and its fiber protects against breast cancer.

They’re a very good source of manganese and selenium, and a good source of dietary fiber, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus.

Today’s recipe is a twist on traditional oatmeal cookies, with the addition of coconut allowing the use of less sugar. They have a chewy texture and a caramel-like flavor.

The recipe calls for freshly grated nutmeg, and if you don’t have whole nutmeg at home, it may be found in the spice aisle of most supermarkets. Nutmeg may be grated using a tool such as a Microplane zester (preferred) or the finest side of a standing cheese grater. Otherwise, ground nutmeg may be substituted.

And before I go, if you’ve ever wanted to make steel-cut oats for breakfast, but don’t have the time, here’s a trick. Soak them in water overnight and you’ll be able to cook them in 10 minutes the following morning.

Chewy oatmeal-coconut cookies

1 ¼ cups old-fashioned (five-minute) rolled oats

½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed

¼ cup shredded coconut

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg, beaten

¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two baking sheets.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, coconut, flour, nutmeg and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg and vanilla, then mix with the dry ingredients.

Drop teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheets about 3 inches apart and flatten with the back of a fork.

Bake about eight minutes, until nicely browned. Let the cookies cool for a couple of minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to allow them to completely cool before stacking.

Recipe courtesy of “The Organic Cook’s Bible” by Jeff Cox.

Esther Oertel, a freelance writer, cooking teacher, and speaker, is passionate about local produce and all foods in the vegetable kingdom. She welcomes your questions and comments and may be reached at veggiebelle@hotmail.com .

SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Kamala Harris on Friday announced the appointment of Professor Katherine Porter of the University of California, Irvine School of Law as the California monitor of the commitment by the nation's five largest banks to perform as much as $18 billion worth of homeowner and borrower benefits in the state.

Attorney General Harris' decision to appoint a California monitor was made independent of the national settlement, and Professor Porter's role is focused exclusively on ensuring compliance in California.

This California commitment is part of a national federal-state mortgage settlement penalizing robo-signing and other servicing and foreclosure misconduct that is currently pending approval in a federal court in Washington, D.C.

Upon approval of the settlement, California's monitor will assist the Attorney General's Office in holding the banks accountable for their commitments to the state and ensuring that the promised benefits are delivered to homeowners in full and on time.

“Hundreds of thousands of California homeowners will benefit from the commitments of up to $18 billion extracted from mortgage lenders. We must enforce full and timely compliance with these commitments, and the appointment of Professor Porter as our California monitor is central to that enforcement,” said Harris. “Professor Porter's wealth of experience and knowledge will protect the interests of homeowners and ensure the settling banks deliver on their promises.”

“I will work hard to make sure banks hold up their promises to change troubling practices so that families and communities across California see the benefits of the settlement,” said Professor Porter. “Part of repairing the damage of the mortgage crisis is restoring public confidence that our largest financial institutions will treat consumers fairly and follow the law.”

Katherine Porter is a professor at University of California, Irvine School of Law. She specializes in commercial and consumer law, including mortgage foreclosures and bankruptcy, and just released a book, “Broke: How Debt Bankrupts the Middle Class.”

In 2007, Porter authored an empirical study that offered some of the first systemic evidence of the problems in mortgage servicing that harmed homeowners.

She has worked with other government entities, including the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, on issues relating to mortgage servicing.

Upon approval of the settlement, Professor Porter will verify the extent and timeliness of lenders meeting their obligations to California homeowners.

Using information obtained by the national monitor of the mortgage settlement, former North Carolina Commissioner of Banks Joseph Smith, Professor Porter will review lender filings, homeowner reports and complaints, and other compliance documents to ensure that benefits committed by the banks are performed and result in meaningful relief to California borrowers.

She will regularly report the results of her findings to the Attorney General's Office.

The appointment of Professor Porter as the state's monitor is one of a series of enforcement mechanisms to ensure transparent compliance with the national settlement and the separate California agreement.

Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and JP Morgan Chase will face significant financial penalties if they do not meet their guarantee of a minimum of $12 billion in principal reductions and short sales for homeowners within the state.

Unlike the larger national agreement, which is only enforceable in a federal court in Washington, D.C., the agreement reached with California empowers Attorney General Harris to enforce the penalty provisions in California state court.

California secured the estimated $18 billion in borrower benefits and relief as part of a national multistate settlement to penalize robo-signing and other bank servicing and foreclosure misconduct.

The agreement comes after California departed from the multistate negotiations last September when the relief to California was estimated at $4 billion.

Harris insisted on more relief for the most distressed homeowners, on stronger enforcement provisions, and that California and other states preserve key investigations into mortgage misconduct.

California's separate commitment also creates important incentives to ensure that banks will reduce the principal mortgage balance of underwater homeowners in California's hardest-hit counties and that the principal reductions in these and other California communities will occur within the first year of the settlement.

Professor Porter will ensure that both the California-specific and national settlements are properly implemented in the state.

“The California commitment provides a path for thousands of struggling homeowners in California to retain their homes, while preserving our ability to investigate banker crime and predatory lending,” added Attorney General Harris. “This is one important stride in our ongoing efforts to address the mortgage and foreclosure crisis that has devastated too many California communities.”

Attorney General Harris earlier this month joined Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and other state legislators to unveil the California Homeowner Bill of Rights, designed to protect homeowners from unfair practices by banks and mortgage companies and to help consumers and communities cope with the state's urgent mortgage and foreclosure crisis.

The legislation would make permanent and available to everyone the interim reforms agreed to as part of the California commitment, including a single point of contact for mortgage-holders and restrict the unfair and inherently deceptive system of dual-track foreclosures.

State legislators authoring key components of the Homeowner Bill of Rights include Assemblymembers Wilmer Carter, Mike Davis, Mike Eng, Mike Feuer, Holly Mitchell, Nancy Skinner, Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, and Senators Mark DeSaulnier, Loni Hancock, Mark Leno and Fran Pavley.

Harris also continues her work to have the Federal Housing Finance Agency authorize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – holders or guarantors of over 60 per cent of California mortgages – to participate in targeted programs of principal reduction that will benefit struggling homeowners, stabilize the country's housing market, and benefit taxpayers.

The state's Mortgage Fraud Strike Force continues its work to crack down on all forms of mortgage misconduct. Earlier this month, three prominent attorneys were arrested and are accused of running a loan modification scam.

A neutron star is the closest thing to a black hole that astronomers can observe directly, crushing half a million times more mass than Earth into a sphere no larger than a city.

In October 2010, a neutron star near the center of our galaxy erupted with hundreds of X-ray bursts that were powered by a barrage of thermonuclear explosions on the star's surface.

NASA's Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) captured the month-long fusillade in extreme detail.

Using this data, an international team of astronomers has been able to bridge a long-standing gap between theory and observation.

"In a single month from this unique system, we have identified behavior not seen in observations of nearly 100 bursting neutron stars during the past 30 years," said Manuel Linares, a postdoctoral researcher at the Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.

He led a study of the RXTE data that will be published in the March 20 issue of The Astrophysical Journal.

This graph based on RXTE data provides an overview of the changing character of T5X2's Xray emission during outbursts from Oct. 13 to Nov. 19, 2010.

On Oct. 10, 2010, the European Space Agency's INTEGRAL satellite detected a transient X-ray source in the direction of Terzan 5, a globular star cluster about 25,000 light-years away toward the constellation Sagittarius.

The object, dubbed IGR J17480–2446, is classed as a low-mass X-ray binary system, in which the neutron star orbits a star much like the sun and draws a stream of matter from it.

As only the second bright X-ray source to be found in the cluster, Linares and his colleagues shortened its moniker to T5X2.

Three days after the source's discovery, RXTE targeted T5X2 and detected regular pulses in its emission, indicating that the object was a pulsar – a type of neutron star that emits electromagnetic energy at periodic intervals.

The object's powerful magnetic field directs infalling gas onto the star's magnetic poles, producing hot spots that rotate with the neutron star and give rise to X-ray pulses.

At NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., RXTE scientists Tod Strohmayer and Craig Markwardt showed that T5X2 spins at a sedate – for neutron stars – rate of 11 times a second.

And because the pulsar's orbital motion imparts small but regular changes in the pulse frequency, they showed that the pulsar and its sun-like companion revolve around each other every 21 hours.

That same day, RXTE observed its first burst from the system: an intense spike in X-rays lasting nearly three minutes and caused by a thermonuclear explosion on the neutron star's surface.

Ultimately, RXTE cataloged some 400 events like this between Oct. 13 and Nov. 19, with additional bursts observed by INTEGRAL and NASA's Swift and Chandra observatories. NASA decommissioned RXTE on Jan. 5, 2012.

In the T5X2 system, matter streams from the sun-like star to the neutron star, a process called accretion.

Because a neutron star packs more than the sun's mass into a sphere between 10 and 15 miles across – about the size of Manhattan or the District of Columbia – its surface gravity is extremely high.

The gas rains onto the pulsar's surface with incredible force and ultimately coats the neutron star in a layer of hydrogen and helium fuel.

When the layer builds to a certain depth, the fuel undergoes a runaway thermonuclear reaction and explodes, creating intense X-ray spikes detected by RXTE and other spacecraft. The bigger the blast, the more intense its X-ray emission.

Models designed to explain these processes made one prediction that had never been confirmed by observation.

At the highest rates of accretion, they said, the flow of fuel onto the neutron star can support continuous and stable thermonuclear reactions without building up and triggering episodic explosions.

At low rates of accretion, T5X2 displays the familiar X-ray pattern of fuel build-up and explosion: a strong spike of emission followed by a long lull as the fuel layer reforms.

At higher accretion rates, where a greater volume of gas is falling onto the star, the character of the pattern changes: the emission spikes are smaller and occur more often.

But at the highest rates, the strong spikes disappeared and the pattern transformed into gentle waves of emission.

Linares and his colleagues interpret this as a sign of marginally stable nuclear fusion, where the reactions take place evenly throughout the fuel layer, just as theory predicted.

"We see T5X2 as a 'model burster,' the one that's doing everything expected of it," said Diego Altamirano, an astrophysicist at the University of Amsterdam in The Netherlands and a co-author on the paper describing the findings.

The question now before the team is why this system is so different from all others studied in previous decades.

inares suspects that T5X2's slow rotation may hold the key. Faster rotation would introduce friction between the neutron star’s surface and its fuel layers, and this frictional heat may be sufficient to alter the rate of nuclear burning in all other bursting neutron stars previously studied.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – It’s another full house of adoptable dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter.

Dogs large and small, of various breeds, are available at the shelter, which now offers spaying and neutering services for adopted pets in order to reduce adoption costs.

Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.

The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).

Labrador Retriever mix

This Labrador Retriever mix is a female; shelter staff has not reported her age.

She has tan coloring; whether she has been altered is not known.

Find her in kennel No. 15, ID No. 31902.

Chihuahua-Dachshund mix

This male Chihuahua-Dachshund mix is 7 months old.

He weighs 15 pounds, has blue and fawn coloring, and is not yet altered.

He’s in kennel No. 19, ID No. 32032.

Male shepherd-pit bull mix

This male shepherd-pit bull terrier mix is 7 months old.

He has a brown and white coat and is not yet altered.

He is in kennel No. 20, ID No. 32027.

Female pit bull terrier mix

This female pit bull terrier mix is 5 months old.

She has a short coat with reddish coloring. She is not yet altered.

Find her in kennel No. 21b, ID No. 32038.

Border collie mix puppies

These border collie mix puppies are 13 weeks old.

Some of them have black coloring, and some chocolate coloring, with short coats.

They are in kennel No. 25, ID No. 32045.

Female border collie mix

This female border collie mix, called “Delilah,” is 3 years old.

She has black coloring and a short coat. She is not yet altered.

She is in kennel No. 26, ID No. 32044.

Male pit bull mix

This handsome male pit bull mix is 7 months old.

He is black and white – he looks like he’s wearing a tuxedo – and is not yet altered.

He’s in kennel No. 27, ID No. 32039.

‘Lucy’

“Lucy” is a female Labrador Retriever-Rottweiler mix.

She is 1 year old, has black brindle coloring, and is not yet altered.

Find her in kennel No. 29, ID No. 32057.

Heeler-border collie mix

This male blue heeler-border collie mix is 7 months old.

He is black and tan in color, and is not yet altered.

Find him in kennel No. 7, ID No. 32009.

Male poodle mix

This male poodle mix is 6 years old.

He has gold eyes and a white curly coat which recently was cut short but is normally long. He has been neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 14, ID No. 31968.

‘Delilah’

“Delilah” is a 2-year-old female Labrador Retriever-boxer mix.

She has black coloring and a short coat, and is spayed.

Shelter staff said she’s is super sweet, affectionate and housebroken.

She is in kennel No. 16, ID No. 31916.

Heeler-pit bull mix

This male heeler-pit bull mix is 1 year old.

He has tan and white coloring and a short coat, and is not yet neutered.

He is in kennel No. 5, ID No. 31954.

Rhodesian Ridgeback-boxer mix

This male Rhodesian Ridgeback-boxer mix is 10 months old.

He has a short, white and black spotted coat, and is neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 6, ID No. 31955.

Adoptable dogs also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dogs_and_Puppies.htm or at www.petfinder.com .

Please note: Dogs listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

New movies of Jupiter are the first to catch an invisible wave shaking up one of the giant planet's jet streams, an interaction that also takes place in Earth's atmosphere and influences the weather.

The movies, made from images taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft when it flew by Jupiter in 2000, are part of an in-depth study conducted by a team of scientists and amateur astronomers led by Amy Simon-Miller at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and published in the April 2012 issue of Icarus.

"This is the first time anyone has actually seen direct wave motion in one of Jupiter's jet streams," said Simon-Miller, the paper's lead author. "And by comparing this type of interaction in Earth's atmosphere to what happens on a planet as radically different as Jupiter, we can learn a lot about both planets."

Like Earth, Jupiter has several fast-moving jet streams that circle the globe.

Earth's strongest and best known jet streams are those near the North and South Poles; as these winds blow west to east, they take the scenic route, wandering north and south.

What sets these jet streams on their meandering paths-and sometimes makes them blast Florida and other warm places with frigid air-are their encounters with slow-moving waves in Earth's atmosphere, called Rossby waves.

In contrast, Jupiter's jet streams "have always appeared to be straight and narrow," said co-author John Rogers, who is the Jupiter Section Director of the British Astronomical Association, London, U.K., and one of the amateur astronomers involved in this study.

Rossby waves were identified on Jupiter about 20 years ago, in the northern hemisphere. Even so, the expected meandering winds could not be traced directly, and no evidence of them had been found in the southern hemisphere, which puzzled planetary scientists.

To get a more complete view, the team analyzed images taken by NASA's Voyager spacecraft, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, and Cassini, as well as a decade's worth of observations made by amateur astronomers and compiled by the JUPOS project.

The movies zoom in on a single jet stream in Jupiter's southern hemisphere.

A line of small, dark, v-shaped "chevrons" has formed along one edge of the jet stream and zips along west to east with the wind.

Later, the well-ordered line starts to ripple, with each chevron moving up and down (north and south) in turn. And for the first time, it's clear that Jupiter's jet streams, like Earth's, wander off course.

"That's the signature of the Rossby wave," said David Choi, the postdoctoral fellow at NASA Goddard who strung together about a hundred Cassini images to make each time-lapse movie. "The chevrons in the fast-moving jet stream interact with the slower-moving Rossby wave, and that's when we see the chevrons oscillate."

The team's analysis also reveals that the chevrons are tied to a different type of wave in Jupiter's atmosphere, called a gravity inertia wave.

Earth also has gravity inertia waves, and under proper conditions, these can be seen in repeating cloud patterns.

"A planet's atmosphere is a lot like the string of an instrument," said co-author Michael D. Allison of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York. "If you pluck the string, it can resonate at different frequencies, which we hear as different notes. In the same way, an atmosphere can resonate with different modes, which is why we find different kinds of waves."

Characterizing these waves should offer important clues to the layering of the deep atmosphere of Jupiter, which has so far been inaccessible to remote sensing, Allison adds.

Crucial to the study was the complementary information that the team was able to retrieve from the detailed spacecraft images and the more complete visual record provided by amateur astronomers.

For example, the high resolution of the spacecraft images made it possible to establish the top speed of the jet stream's wind, and then the amateur astronomers involved in the study looked through the ground-based images to find variations in the wind speed.

The team also relied on images that amateur astronomers had been gathering of a large, transient storm called the South Equatorial Disturbance.

This visual record dates back to 1999, when members of the community spotted the most recent recurrence of the storm just south of Jupiter's equator.

Analysis of these images revealed the dynamics of this storm and its impact on the chevrons. The team now thinks this storm, together with the Great Red Spot, accounts for many of the differences noted between the jet streams and Rossby waves on the two sides of Jupiter's equator.

"We are just starting to investigate the long-term behavior of this alien atmosphere," said co-author Gianluigi Adamoli, an amateur astronomer in Italy. "Understanding the emerging analogies between Earth and Jupiter, as well as the obviously profound differences, helps us learn fundamentally what an atmosphere is and how it can behave."

The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena.

For information about Cassini, visit http://www.nasa.gov/cassini and http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov .