For the first time, a spacecraft far from Earth has turned and watched a solar storm engulf our planet. The movie, released today during a NASA press conference, has galvanized solar physicists, who say it could lead to important advances in space weather forecasting.

“The movie sent chills down my spine,” said Craig DeForest of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. "It shows a CME swelling into an enormous wall of plasma and then washing over the tiny blue speck of Earth where we live. I felt very small.”

CMEs are billion-ton clouds of solar plasma launched by the same explosions that spark solar flares. When they sweep past our planet, they can cause auroras, radiation storms, and in extreme cases power outages.

Tracking these clouds and predicting their arrival is an important part of space weather forecasting.

“We have seen CMEs before, but never quite like this,” says Lika Guhathakurta, program scientist for the STEREO mission at NASA headquarters. “STEREO-A has given us a new view of solar storms.”

STEREO-A is one of two spacecraft launched in 2006 to observe solar activity from widely-spaced locations. At the time of the storm, STEREO-A was more than 65 million miles from Earth, giving it the “big picture” view other spacecraft in Earth orbit have been missing.

When CMEs first leave the sun, they are bright and easy to see. Visibility is quickly reduced, however, as the clouds expand into the void.

By the time a typical CME crosses the orbit of Venus, it is a billion times fainter than the surface of the full Moon, and more than a thousand times fainter than the Milky Way.

CMEs that reach Earth are almost as gossamer as vacuum itself and correspondingly transparent.

“Pulling these faint clouds out of the confusion of starlight and interplanetary dust has been an enormous challenge,” said DeForest.

Indeed, it took almost three years for his team to learn how to do it. Footage of the storm released today was recorded back in December 2008, and they have been working on it ever since. Now that the technique has been perfected, it can be applied on a regular basis without such a long delay.

Alysha Reinard of NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center explains the benefits for space weather forecasting:

“Until quite recently, spacecraft could see CMEs only when they were still quite close to the sun. By calculating a CME's speed during this brief period, we were able to estimate when it would reach Earth. After the first few hours, however, the CME would leave this field of view and after that we were 'in the dark' about its progress.”

“The ability to track a cloud continuously from the Sun to Earth is a big improvement,” she continues. “In the past, our very best predictions of CME arrival times had uncertainties of plus or minus 4 hours,” she continued. “The kind of movies we’ve seen today could significantly reduce the error bars.”

The movies pinpoint not only the arrival time of the CME, but also its mass. From the brightness of the cloud, researchers can calculate the gas density with impressive precision.

Their results for the December 2008 event agreed with actual in situ measurements at the few percent level. When this technique is applied to future storms, forecasters will be able to estimate its impact with greater confidence.

At the press conference, DeForest pointed out some of the movie’s highlights: When the CME first left the sun, it was cavernous, with walls of magnetism encircling a cloud of low-density gas.

As the CME crossed the Sun-Earth divide, however, its shape changed. The CME “snow-plowed” through the solar wind, scooping up material to form a towering wall of plasma. By the time the CME reached Earth, its forward wall was sagging inward under the weight of accumulated gas.

The kind of magnetic transformations revealed by the movie deeply impressed Guhathakurta. “I have always thought that in heliophysics understanding the magnetic field is equivalent to the ‘dark energy’ problem of astrophysics. Often, we cannot see the magnetic field, yet it orchestrates almost everything. These images from STEREO give us a real sense of what the underlying magnetic field is doing.”

All of the speakers at today’s press event stressed that the images go beyond the understanding of a single event. The inner physics of CMEs have been laid bare for the first time – a development that will profoundly shape theoretical models and computer-generated forecasts of CMEs for many years to come.

“This is what the STEREO mission was launched to do,” concluded Guhathakurta, “and it is terrific to see it live up to that promise."

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

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The crash, which involved a pickup, occurred on Merritt Rad west of Smith Lane at 11 p.m. Thursday, according to CHP Officer Kory Reynolds.

While initial radio and CHP reports on Thursday night had indicated three people were dead, Reynolds said that in fact two people had died as a result of the crash.

He said the names of the deceased were not being released pending family notifications.

Reynolds said that 23-year-old Jacobo Mejia was driving the 1999 Ford F-150 pickup eastbound on Merritt Road west of Smith Lane at an unknown speed with five passengers when he allowed the pickup to drift off the north shoulder.

Mejia lost control and turned the truck to the right, traveling across the roadway and exiting the south shoulder, overturning several times, according to Reynolds.

Four passengers in the pickup were not wearing seat belts and were ejected from the vehicle, said Reynolds. Two of the passengers were pronounced dead at the scene.

Reynolds said passenger Abelino Gomez, 28, of Kelseyville, was taken to Sutter Lakeside Hospital by Kelseyville Fire ambulance with major injuries.

The rest of the crash survivors were flown out to area trauma centers by air ambulances which landed at Lampson Field, according to reports from the scene.

Passenger Armondo Gomez, 33, of Kelseyville was flown to Santa Rosa Memorial hospital with moderate injuries, while Reynolds said Mejia and passenger Juan Perez, 22, of Kelseyville were both flown to UC Davis Medical Center with moderate injuries.

Reynolds said Mejia was placed under arrest for felony driving under the influence causing injury and vehicular manslaughter.

CHP Officer Matt Norton is investigating the incident, Reynolds said.

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Harris sued Philip Kramer, the Law Offices of Kramer & Kaslow, two other law firms, three other lawyers and 14 other defendants who are accused of working together to defraud homeowners across the country through the deceptive marketing of “mass joinder” lawsuits.

“Mass joinder” lawsuits are lawsuits with hundreds, or more, individually named plaintiffs. This is the first consumer action by the Attorney General's Mortgage Fraud Strike Force.

Kramer's firm and other defendants were placed into receivership on Monday, Aug. 15.

The legal actions were designed to shut down a scheme operated by attorneys and their marketing partners, in which defendants used false and misleading representations to induce thousands of homeowners into joining the mass joinder lawsuits against their mortgage lenders.

Defendants also had their assets seized and were enjoined from continuing their operations.

Nineteen Department of Justice special agents participated as the firms were taken over Wednesday, Aug. 17, along with 42 agents and other personnel from Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General, the California State Bar and the Office of Receiver Thomas McNamara at 14 locations in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

Sixteen bank accounts were seized, the Attorney General's Office said.

“The defendants in this case fraudulently promised to win prompt mortgage relief for millions of vulnerable homeowners across the country,” said Harris. “Innocent people, already battered by the housing crisis, were targeted for fraud in their moment of distress.”

"The number of lawyers who have tried to take advantage of distressed homeowners in these tough economic times is nothing short of shocking," said State Bar President William Hebert. “By taking over the practices of four attorneys accused of fraudulent marketing practices, the State Bar can put a stop to their deplorable conduct as part of our ongoing effort to protect the public.”

It is believed that at least two million pieces of mail were sent out by defendants to victims in at least 17 states. Defendants' revenue from this scam is estimated to be in the millions of dollars.

As alleged in the lawsuit, defendants preyed on desperate homeowners facing foreclosure by selling them participation as plaintiffs in mass joinder lawsuits against mortgage lenders.

Defendants are alleged to have deceptively led homeowners to believe that by joining these lawsuits, they would stop pending foreclosures, reduce their loan balances or interest rates, obtain money damages, and even receive title to their homes free and clear of their existing mortgage.

The defendants also allegedly charged homeowners retainer fees of up to $10,000 to join as plaintiffs to a mass joinder lawsuit against their lender or loan servicer.

Consumers who paid to join the mass joinder lawsuits were frequently unable to receive answers to simple questions, such as whether they had been added to the lawsuit, or even to establish contact with defendants. Some consumers lost their homes shortly after paying the retainer fees demanded by defendants.

This mass joinder scam began with deceptive mass mailers, the lawsuit alleges. Some mailers, designed to appear as official settlement notices or government documents, informed homeowners that they were potential plaintiffs in a “national litigation settlement” against their lender. No settlements existed and in many cases no lawsuit had even been filed. Defendants also advertised through their Web sites.

When consumers contacted the defendants, they were given legal advice by sales agents, not attorneys, who made additional deceptive statements and provided (often inaccurate) legal advice about the supposedly "likely" results of joining the lawsuits. Defendants unlawfully paid commissions to their sales representatives on a per client sign-up basis, a practice known as "running and capping."

Defendants' alleged misconduct violates the following laws:

• False advertising, in violation of section 17500 of the Business and Professions Code;

• Unfair, fraudulent and unlawful business practices, in violation of section 17200 of the Business and Professions Code;

• Unlawful running and capping, in violation of section 6152, subdivision (a) of the Business and Professions Code (i.e., a lawyer unlawfully paying a non-lawyer to solicit or procure business);

• Improper fee splitting (defendants unlawfully splitting legal fees with non-attorneys);

• Failing to register with the Department of Justice as a telephonic seller.

Homeowners who have paid to be added to one of the lawsuits should contact the State Bar if they feel they may be victims of this scam. They can also contact a HUD-certified housing counselor for general mortgage related assistance.

The Department of Justice has seized the practices of the following non-attorney defendants:

Attorneys Processing Center LLC; Data Management LLC; Gary DiGirolamo; Bill Stephenson; Mitigation Professionals LLC; Glen Reneau; Pate Marier & Associates Inc.; James Pate; Ryan Marier; Home Retention Division; Michael Tapia; Lewis Marketing Corp.; Clarence Butt; and Thomas Phanco.

The State Bar has seized the practices and attorney accounts of the attorney defendants: The Law Offices of Kramer & Kaslow; Philip Kramer, Esq; Mitchell J. Stein & Associates; Mitchell Stein, Esq.; Christopher Van Son, Esq.; Mesa Law Group Corp.; and Paul Petersen, Esq.

Attorney General Harris is challenging the defendants' alleged misconduct in marketing their mass joinder lawsuits; her office takes no position as to the legal merits of any claims asserted in the mass joinder lawsuits filed by defendants.

Victims in the following states are known to have received these mailers, or signed on to join the case. This is a preliminary list that may be updated: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas and Washington.

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The California Employment Development Department's report for July, released on Friday, showed that

California recorded a 12-percent unemployment rate last month, up from 11.8 percent in June but down from 12.4 percent in July 2010.

Nonfarm payroll jobs in California increased by 4,500 during the month for a total of 116,000 since 2011 began, according to data the agency uses from two separate surveys.

Lake County's unemployment rate was 17.5 percent in July, up from the seasonally adjusted number of 17.3 percent in June, earning it the No. 49 ranking out of 58 counties. The county's July 2010 unemployment rate also was 17.5 percent, according to the Employment Development Department.

The U.S. unemployment rate decreased in July to 9.1 percent, down from 9.2 percent in June, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The bureau noted in a separate Friday report that the Western United States reported the highest regional unemployment rate in July, 10.5 percent, while the Northeast recorded the lowest rate, 8.2 percent.

In California, Marin County had the lowest unemployment for July, at 8.1 percent, while Imperial County had 30.8 percent unemployment, the report showed.

Lake's neighboring counties registered the following unemployment rates and statewide ranks: Colusa, 18.4 percent, No. 55; Glenn, 17.3 percent, No. 48; Yolo, 12.2 percent, No. 24; Mendocino, 11.3 percent, No. 20; Napa, 9.2 percent, No. 5; and Sonoma, 10.3 percent, No. 7.

In Lake County, Clearlake Oaks had the highest unemployment, 25.7 percent, followed by Nice, 25.2 percent; the city of Clearlake, 24.8 percent; Lucerne, 18.4 percent; Kelseyville, 17.8 percent; Middletown, 17.8 percent; city of Lakeport, 16.9 percent; Cobb, 15.7 percent; Lower Lake, 14.7 percent; Hidden Valley Lake, 14.4 percent; north Lakeport, 13.9 percent; and Upper Lake, 9.2 percent.

Lake County had a labor force of 24,980 people in July, with 4,370 of them out of work, according to state records. In June, there were 25,640 people in the county's labor force, with 4,430 unemployed.

The Employment Development Department reported that there were 566,380 people in California receiving regular unemployment insurance benefits during the July survey week, compared with 528,919 last month and 666,502 last year.

The state said new claims for unemployment insurance were 57,897 in July 2011, compared with 74,944 in June and 73,817 in July of last year.

Surveys give different job growth numbers for July

The Employment Development Department said nonfarm jobs in California totaled 14,074,700 in July, an increase of 4,500 jobs over the month. That followed a gain of 30,400 jobs in June, according to a survey of 42,000 California businesses measures jobs in the economy. The year-over-year change – July 2010 to July 2011 – shows an increase of 189,400 jobs, up 1.4 percent.

A federal survey of 5,500 households showed a decrease in the number of employed people. It estimated the number of Californians holding jobs in July was 15,848,000, a decrease of 62,000

from June, and down 53,000 from the employment total in July of last year, the Employment Development Department reported.

The state said that the number of people unemployed in California was 2,167,000 – up by 34,000 over the month, but down by 85,000 compared with July of last year.

The report showed that eight categories – mining and logging; construction; manufacturing; information; professional and business services; educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; and other services – added jobs over the month, gaining 12,600 jobs. Educational and health services posted the largest increase over the month, adding 4,200 jobs.

Three categories – trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; and government – reported job declines over the month, down 8,100 jobs. Of those groups, government posted the largest decrease over the month, down 5,800 jobs, the state said.

In a year-over-year comparison, from July 2010 to July 2011, nonfarm payroll employment in California increased by 189,400 jobs, up 1.4 percent, according to the report.

Eight categories – mining and logging; construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; information; professional and business services; educational and health services; and leisure and hospitality – posted job gains over the year, adding 226,600 jobs, the state said.

The Employment Development Department said professional and business services posted the largest gain on a numerical basis, adding 59,400 jobs, up 2.9 percent, while information posted the largest gain on a percentage basis, up by 7.1 percent, an increase of 30,000 jobs.

Three categories – financial activities; other services; and government – posted job declines over the year, down 37,200 jobs, the Friday report noted. Government posted the largest decline on both a numerical and percentage basis, down by 33,000 jobs, a decrease of 1.4 percent.

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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – A pickup rollover on Merritt Road late Thursday night killed two people, injured four others and led to an arrest for felony driving under the influence and manslaughter.

The crash, first reported at about 11 p.m., occurred in the 2000 block of Merritt Road, between Renfro Road and Smith Lane, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Radio and CHP reports indicated that a red 1999 Ford F-150 pickup had overturned, ejecting three people who were reported to be unresponsive when paramedics arrived at the scene.

In all, six subjects were reported to have been in the vehicle.

While the CHP and radio reports indicated three of the seven died at the scene, the CHP said on Friday morning that in fact two people had died.

The CHP identified the pickup's driver as 23-year-old Jacobo Lopez Mejia, who was transported by air ambulance out-of-county with major injuries. A blood draw on him was requested.

CHP reported he later was placed under arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs causing injury and manslaughter with gross negligence.

The names of the others in the pickup were not available from officials on Thursday night.

Kelseyville Fire led incident command, with the Lakeport Fire sending mutual aid and several CHP officers on scene, according to radio reports.

Three air ambulances – two from REACH, one from CalStar – were called to the area.

They landed at nearby Lampson Field, where they picked up the patients from waiting ambulances and transported them to regional trauma centers, including UC Davis and Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

A fourth patient was transported by Kelseyville Fire ambulance to Sutter Lakeside Hospital, officials reported.

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Two homes burned in the fire on Bridge Arbor North outside of Upper Lake, Calif., on Thursday, August 18, 2011. Photo by Gary McAuley.

THE NAME OF A MAN WHO ASSISTED FIRE OFFICIALS, BUZZ MEWBORN, HAS BEEN CORRECTED.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – A Thursday afternoon fire near Upper Lake that destroyed two homes – along with outbuildings and vehicles – is being attributed to a lamp in one of the residences.

The fire burned homes at 9160 and 9180 Bridge Arbor North off of Highway 20, according to Northshore Fire Battalion Chief Steve Hart, who was the incident commander.

“We've got approximately eight people displaced,” he said Thursday afternoon after the fire was contained and fire crews were mopping up the scene.

Also destroyed were two outbuildings and two vehicles, Hart said, estimating total damages at about $300,000.

Hart said investigators have traced the cause of the fire to a lamp in the family room at 9160 Bridge Arbor North, which – like the other home destroyed – was a singlewide mobile home with added on living and family rooms.

There were no injuries, with the residents of both homes successfully evacuated, Hart said.

He said California Highway Patrol Officer Greg Buchholz and a group of people on scene rescued a 42-year-old woman who is bedridden from the home at 9180 Bridge Arbor North.

Albertine Vandine, 92, who lived at 9160 Bridge Arbor North, first reported the fire, with the call coming in shortly before 2 p.m. Hart said Vandine was evacuated from her home by her 70-year-old son.

Radio traffic indicated that the home at 9180 Bridge Arbor North was fully engulfed in flame when firefighters arrived on scene minutes later.

Pat Lynch, a Northshore Fire Protection District volunteer firefighter and owner of Hi-Way Grocery, douses the flames at the fire on Bridge Arbor North outside of Upper Lake, Calif., on Thursday, August 18, 2011. Photo by Gary McAuley.

The fire went into nearby vegetation, endangering several nearby structures, according to reports from the scene.

Hart said the fire ended up jumping Middle Creek and burning about a half-acre there. Altogether he estimated the fire on both sides of the creek burned as much as an acre and a half of vegetation.

Firefighters had several challenges, including numerous downed power lines, exploding oxygen tanks, several propane tanks around the homes, and ammunition and gunpowder in one of the residences, Hart said.

“With the power lines down and the explosions, it was hard getting into it,” Hart said.

The Lake County Public Works Roads Division reported that it closed Bridge Arbor North for several hours to allow firefighters to work the scene. Hart said the division also sent a backhoe to assist firefighters.

He said it took firefighters about an hour to contain the fire, but extensive mop up was expected to continue until about 6 p.m.

Mop up included the use of between 25,000 and 30,000 gallons of water from the Upper Lake County Water District, according to radio traffic.

Hart gave special recognition to two local men – John Noble and Buzz Mewborn – who volunteered their own water tenders to assist in fighting the fire.

Their assistance on the blaze helped firefighters a great deal, Hart said.

Multiple resources from several agencies responded to the Bridge Arbor North incident, Hart said.

Northshore Fire sent a total of six engines, a water tender and three chief officers; Cal Fire sent two engines and Battalion Chief Linda Green; Lakeport Fire sent a water tender; US Forest Service sent an engine; Lake County Public Works Roads Division sent a backhoe; CHP was on scene to assist with traffic control; and Pacific Gas & Electric responded to deal with the downed power lines, Hart reported.

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Fire crews douse smoldering debris with concentration of water and foam at the fire on Bridge Arbor North outside of Upper Lake, Calif., on Thursday, August 18, 2011. Photo by Gary McAuley.

A Cal Fire crew monitors and keeps cool several propane tanks exposed to flames at the fire on Bridge Arbor North outside of Upper Lake, Calif., on Thursday, August 18, 2011. Photo by Gary McAuley.

Two homes, two outbuildings and two vehicles were claimed at the fire on Bridge Arbor North outside of Upper Lake, Calif., on Thursday, August 18, 2011. Photo by Gary McAuley.

Brandon L. Gentry, 25, of Nice, was arrested on Sunday, Aug. 14, 2011, for attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon after he allegedly attacked his brother, who had intervened to stop him from committing suicide. Lake County Jail photo.

NICE, Calif. – A local man was arrested earlier this week after he allegedly stabbed his brother and threatened to shoot him when his brother stopped him from committing suicide.

Brandon L. Gentry, 25, of Nice, was arrested on Sunday, Aug. 14, for attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, according to Sgt. John Gregore of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Early on the morning of Aug. 14 sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of an assault victim at the Marina Market in Nice, Gregore said.

Deputies contacted 27-year-old old Ryan Gentry, who Gregore said was bleeding from knife wounds.

Ryan Gentry told deputies that he saw his brother, Brandon Gentry, attempting to cut his own throat with a knife, Gregore said.

When Ryan Gentry intervened, Brandon Gentry allegedly stabbed him numerous times with the knife. Gregore said Brandon Gentry then allegedly picked up a handgun and threatened to kill his brother before he struck him with the gun.

As Ryan Gentry fled from the residence, he heard several gunshots, but he was not struck by any bullets, Gregore said.

Later that morning Brandon Gentry was later located and arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail, according to jail records.

His booking sheet indicated he was charged with felony counts of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, willful discharge of a firearm in a negligent manner and making threats with the intent to terrorize, and misdemeanor exhibiting a firearm, with bail set at $85,000.

Jail records indicated he later posted bail and was released.

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Approximately 50 seaplanes are expected to attend the 2011 Clear Lake Splash-In, making for an interesting day of flight and ground displays. Photo courtesy of the Lake County Marketing Program.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The 32nd-annual Clear Lake Splash-In, the largest gathering of seaplanes west of the Mississippi, will be held in Lakeport Friday, Sept. 23, through Sunday, Sept. 25.

The public can get a closeup look at float planes on Saturday, talk with pilots, and witness a spectacle of aerial events including water-bombing contests, a parade of seaplanes, fly-bys and more.

Seaplanes and amphibians at the Splash-In will include Grummans, Republics, Lakes, Cessnas, Pipers, deHavillands and a variety of experimental aircraft modified with floats.

For pilots, registration is from noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 23, at the Skylark Shores Resort, 1120 N. Main St.

The Skylark Shores Resort docks will serve fixed-float planes and the ramp at the Natural High School field is available for amphibious seaplanes.

Land planes or aircraft unable to land on water more than once will be welcomed at Lampson Field, a few miles away.

Shuttle service will be available Saturday and Sunday from Lampson Field to the seaplane venues.

For more information, call 702-580-0193 or visit www.clearlakesplashin.com.

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Delana Rae Weathers was arrested on Thursday, August 18, 2011, on drug charges at her homes in Clearlake Oaks, Calif. Lake County Jail photo.

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A probation search conducted by the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force in Clearlake Oaks on Thursday has resulted in one arrest and the seizure of methamphetamine and paraphernalia.

Delana Rae Weathers, 54, who was on formal probation for a previous drug related conviction, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, resisting or obstructing a peace officer, concealing evidence and violation of probation, according to a Friday report from the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

On Thursday at approximately 4:30 p.m. narcotics detectives and a uniformed sheriff K-9 patrol deputy performed a probation search at Weathers' Venus Village home as she parked in the driveway, the report said.

The drug detection K-9 alerted on the interior of the pickup truck Weathers was driving, according to the report. A quantity of methamphetamine was later recovered concealed beneath Weathers’ clothing.

While searching Weathers’ bedroom, narcotics detectives located more methamphetamine on a dresser and paraphernalia commonly used to smoke controlled substances, such as methamphetamine, inside one of the dresser drawers, the report said.

Weathers was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked, with bail set at $10,000. Jail records indicated she later remained in custody early Saturday.

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

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Aguirre Fabian, 31, suffered injuries in the crash, which occurred at 9 a.m. on Perini Road, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Kory Reynolds.

Reynolds said Fabian was driving a 1994 Ford Mustang northbound on Perini Road east of Siegler Canyon at an unknown but unsafe speed when he attempted to negotiate a right curve.

Fabian drifted into the southbound lane and hit head-on a 1989 big rig, driven by James Harbaugh, 67, of Piercy, Reynolds said.

Fabian was transported to St Helena Hospital Clearlake with abrasions and complaints of pain, according to Reynolds.

The collision is still under investigation by Officer C. Tuggle, Reynolds said.

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COBB, Calif. – A 3.5-magnitude earthquake was reported near The Geysers geothermal steamfield early Wednesday morning.

The US Geological Survey reported that the quake occurred at 2:02 a.m. at a depth of 1.6 miles, with its epicenter located three miles east of The Geysers, three miles south southwest of Cobb and three miles west northwest of Anderson Springs.

Nine shake reports from six zip codes – Middletown, Cloverdale, Larkspur, Santa Rosa, El Cerrito and Sacramento – were submitted to the USGS by 11 p.m. Wednesday.

A 3.4-magnitude quake was reported near Anderson Springs on June 29, as Lake County News has reported.

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