Congressman Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) on Tuesday again voiced his concerns with a plan that would take water away from the Delta region.

Joined by Representatives George Miller, Doris Matsui, Jerry McNerney and John Garamendi, Thompson met with Jerry Meral, the deputy secretary of the California Natural Resource Agency, to express his grave concern over any Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) that could adversely affect the Delta Region. Meral is the senior state official who oversees the BDCP.

“Needlessly rushing the scientific review of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan is simply irresponsible, and that is what I told the Bay Delta Conservation Plan officials today,” said Thompson.

“We know all too well the consequences of bad water policy combined with impractical deadlines,” Thompson said. “In Humboldt and Del Norte counties, expedited review of the Klamath River project resulted in the death of 68,000 Chinook Salmon. Are we really considering walking down the same road again? We need sound, science-based solutions that don't harm our wildlife or environment."

The year 2009 saw the lowest return of Sacramento fall-run Chinook on record – less than 40,000 adult fish, a decline of over 90 percent from the historical average of 450,000, according to Thompson's office.

Low returns have resulted in the closure of the salmon fishery and the loss of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in the fishing industry.

Beyond its importance for fish, keeping enough water flowing through the Delta is also essential to maintain habitat used by millions of migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway and the associated economies which generate billions of dollars for the state each year, Thompson's office reported.

This excessive water diversion harms the wildlife and ecology of Delta and the economies that it drives.

“I will continue to be a strong advocate for the people of the entire Delta region to ensure that the water resources we need remain in place,” said Congressman McNerney. “Steps must be taken now to ensure that the BDCP serves the best interests of our region, and insisted that the voice of the Delta be heard.”

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“The truth is, because we don’t see these injuries … they don’t receive the same level of attention as amputations, burns, shrapnel injuries,” Chiarelli said. “There is simply a bias – and I really mean that – there is a bias either conscious or subconscious toward invisible wounds and injuries … It exists everywhere including in the medical community.”

Chiarelli made his remarks Sept. 26 at Defense Forum Washington, a one-day conference on support for wounded warriors and families as they struggle to heal and regain stable lives.

The annual event is co-sponsored by U.S. Naval Institute and Military Officers Association of American.

Before Chiarelli spoke, April Marcum, wife of retired Air Force Sgt. Tom Marcum, described for attendees how her husband saw that bias from the medical community when he returned wounded from Iraq in 2008.

A combat arms training and maintenance specialist with 12 years in service, Tom Marcum had been in charge of an armory on Ali Air Base Iraq when a mortar round fired by insurgents exploded 35 yards away, knocking him unconscious.

When he could, Tom called April to say that, except for a headache, he was OK. A medic told him he should rest a couple of days before returning to duty. But when Tom’s tour ended several weeks later and he returned to Moody Air Force Base, Ga., April could tell he wasn’t himself.

“He still had the same headache. He was confused at simple things. He had short-term memory loss. The last straw for me was the day he called me on his way from work … and said, ‘I can’t remember how to get home,’ ” April recalled, tearing up. Tom, at her side, let April speak for the family.

“The local medical community, including the Air Force medical clinic doctor, seemed to be reluctant to help,” April continued. “Tom’s primary care doctor implied Tom was trying to get out of work. This was a slap in the face to both of us” considering that, with two boys to raise, neither Marcum had ever complained during any Tom’s various deployments.

“Then the doctor made this statement: ‘I’ll write you a prescription for Motrin but you really need to suck it up and go back to work,’ ” April said.

They pressed for an appointment with the medical group commander. Eventually Tom got a thorough evaluation at the poly-trauma unit of the VA Medical Center in Tampa, Fla.

Doctors diagnosed traumatic brain injury with an orbital wall blowout fracture behind an eye. A shoulder required surgery. Tom also had hearing loss, vision deficit and post-traumatic stress disorder.

He spent months in Tampa and “received outstanding medical treatment,” April said. He was medically retired from the Air Force in May 2010.

Three years after returning from war, Tom Marcum remains on the temporary duty retirement list awaiting word on whether the Air Force will retire him permanently. April said she had to quit her teaching job to care for her husband and raise their sons.

While living on 70-percent disability payment from the Air Force, and Social Security Disability Insurance, the Marcums have exhausted their life savings, she said.

Chiarelli, after his own remarks, took a question from April about how the Army conducted some tests on her husband and the Air Force later would not accept the results because they appeared on an Army evaluation form.

“I honestly believe it relates back to the stigma” tied to these invisible wounds of war, Chiarelli told her. “The medical community is as much stigmatized by these injuries as anybody.”

For example, Chiarelli said, he believes post-traumatic stress “is a no-kidding injury. But if you were to get 10 psychiatrists and psychologists over here you would have maybe six … who agree with me and the other four would say, ‘General you’re nuts. How dare you even say that if you haven’t studied this as long and hard as we have.’ The stigma is everywhere. It’s throughout the service … It’s throughout civilian [life].”

As vice chief, Chiarelli said, his top priority “is the health and well-being of the force,” which explains his focus on “the signature” wounds from Iraq and Afghanistan. Many soldiers and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries aren’t yet receiving care because their injuries haven’t been diagnosed and might not be discovered for years.

The National Institute of Health, he said, has estimated that the average length of time in this country between when an incident occurs that causes post-traumatic stress and the illness gets diagnosed is 12 years.

“And lots of bad stuff happens in that 12-year period,” he said, which can have lasting impact on individuals, their families and their careers.

Symptoms of both post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury can include difficulty concentrating, irritability, personality changes and memory impairment.

Yet the physiology behind these types of injuries still is not well understood, Chiarelli said. Advocates at the forum said oftentimes only a family member can spot symptoms and arrange needed medical help.

“The reality is that we as a department and as a nation will be dealing with the symptoms and effects of these injuries for decades to come. And make no mistake, this is where your money will be spent,” Chiarelli said.

About 20,000 soldiers are going through Army’s disability evaluation process, which takes on average 373 days. Another 20,000 are non-deployable for medical reasons. That 40,000 soldiers are removed from Army active end strength at any given time is “what happens when you have one percent of the population fight a 10-year war,” the vice chief said.

Fortunately, he said, much has been achieved from studying invisible injuries from these wars toward more timely diagnoses and treatment. For example, researchers are perhaps just a year away from developing a biomarker to detect conclusively whether a patient has suffered a concussion, using a device similar to what diabetics use to test blood sugar.

“Do you know how huge that will be?” Chiarelli asked.

Yes. Many in this audience, comprised mostly of wounded warrior caregivers and advocates, did indeed know.

To comment, e-mail 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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The sweet-tart taste of these freshly-picked Gravenstein apples makes them perfect for applesauce or pies. Photo by Esther Oertel.

The tree was small, with gnarled limbs on which grayish-green patches of lichen had made its home. The apples, though growing plentifully, were small, some the size of large cherries. Someone should have thinned the fruit, but the tree had been neglected.

Apples filled the bowl as I picked them from the tree, a motley crew of misshapen fruit in various sizes, some with patches eaten away by yellow jackets. I didn’t hold out hope for making much from this harvest, especially since many revealed inner rot when I cut and peeled them later in the kitchen.

But I plugged away, bit by bit, till every usable scrap of apple was peeled, cleaned, and tossed in a pot. To my surprise, the yield nearly filled two pots with fruit ready to be cooked into applesauce.

Alchemy occurred with the addition of heat and just a little bit of water. The apples softened into a chunky sauce, to which the smallest touch of brown sugar was added. A light dusting of cinnamon followed.

The result was truly magical. A highly flavored, not-too-sweet, fresh-tasting, soft but chunky sauce had been formed from the humble fruit. My son said it was the best he’d ever tasted and my heart swelled with pride.

It wasn’t me, however, who deserved the credit; it was the pure taste of one of the best cooking apples on the planet, the Gravenstein. If you’ve never made sauce with them or baked them into a pie, it’s well worth seeking them out for your first experience.

This apple variety is native to Denmark, where it was discovered as a chance seedling in 1669. It was introduced to western North America in the early 1800s by Russian sea traders, who planted a tree at their Fort Ross, Calif., settlement.

Renowned botanist and agricultural pioneer Luther Burbank was particularly fond of the sweet-tart Gravenstein apple. Of it he said, “If the Gravenstein could be had throughout the year, no other apple need be grown.”

The U.S. Gravenstein apple crop is concentrated in western Sonoma County, specifically near the town of Sebastopol.

This amazing apple is a difficult commercial crop. They don’t store well, making them available only in season, and short stems and variable ripening times make harvesting and selling difficult.

Sadly, most commercial Gravenstein orchards have disappeared due to suburban sprawl, grape vineyards, and bad economic conditions. Few growers are left.

In 2005, Slow Food USA declared the Sebastopol Gravenstein apple a heritage food and included it in their Ark of Taste, an international catalog of heritage foods in danger of extinction.

I feel grateful whenever I see Gravensteins in a store or on a tree. It’s good to know some still exist, even if in smaller quantities than in the past when they were shipped to World War II troops in the form of dried apples and applesauce.

We are in the midst of apple season, and the Gravenstein is but one of more than 7,500 known cultivars of apples. Most are harvested between August and November.

Apples are divided into three groups: dessert or table apples, which are bred for eating; cooking apples, such as the Gravenstein, which are bred for baking, drying, and making into applesauce; and cider apples, which are typically too tart and astringent to eat fresh, but impart a rich flavor to cider.

Lake County is home to a small handful of commercial apple growers. Apples grown by the Seely family of Upper Lake are available now at farmers’ markets, as well as at their farm stand through November.

I spotted a couple of interesting dessert apples at their booth at the Lake County Farmers’ Finest market in Lakeport’s Library Park Wednesday: Ozark Gold, similar to the Golden Delicious, and Prime Red, a cross of Jonathan and Worchester apples. Both looked tempting, with bright colors and firm textures.

Farmer Haji Warf of Upper Lake’s Kalikai Farms offered netted bundles of petite green apples at the market. These old-fashioned apples are crisp, with a surprisingly sweet taste belied by the color of the skin.

Ozark Gold and Prime Red apples were for sale at the Seely Family Farms booth at the Lake County Farmers' Finest market in Lakeport, Calif. on Wednesday, September 28, 2011. This market is now over for the season, but Seely apples will be available at the Saturday morning farmers' market held at Steele Winery in Kelseyville, Calif. through October. Photo by Esther Oertel.

The Library Park market has run its course as of last Wednesday, but the one at Steele Wines in Kelseyville on Saturday mornings will be in full swing through the end of this month. Both growers will likely continue to be there with apples in tow.

Apples are members of the large rose family. Wild ancestors of apples known today still grow in remote mountainous regions of central Asia, such as in southern Kazakhstan and surrounding countries.

Almaty, Kazakhstan’s capital and largest city, derives its name from the Kazak word for apple, “alma.”

I particularly enjoy apples in savory applications. My mother has developed a new favorite dish inspired by Alice Waters. Made with sweet potatoes, apples, and onions sautéed together in a skillet until the apples become caramelized, it’s absolutely delicious as an unusual side dish.

Another favorite of mine is sautéed apples and purple cabbage flavored with fennel or sage. White wine vinegar and currants or raisins add acidity and sweetness, respectively, for a balanced dish. As you can imagine, this is a nice accompaniment to pork or sausages.

Apples may be cored and stuffed with a bit of butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon and then baked until soft and sweet for a dessert reminiscent of apple pie, though a bit healthier. This was something that was often served in my otherwise dessert deprived childhood (and that’s not a complaint).

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is a phrase that’s said to have been coined in 19th century Wales, and it’s proven to be true to some extent. Research indicates that apples contribute to good health by reducing the risk of colon, prostrate and lung cancer.

They may also help with heart disease, weight loss, and controlling cholesterol. Compared to many other fruits and veggies, apples are relatively low in Vitamin C; however, they’re rich in other antioxidant compounds.

If an apple a day doesn’t keep the doctor away, it will at least delay him or her.

There are so many wonderful ways to use apples: in a rustic tart, for example, or baked into bread or added to butternut squash soup.

Today I’ve chosen something a little different to share, a salad by British Chef Jamie Oliver that features apples along with their elegant and recently-celebrated cousin, the pear.

The salad utilizes endive as its green. Endive, also known as chicory, has a bitter taste. It’s not sold in every supermarket, but with a bit of research it can be found. Relatives such as radicchio, escarole, or frisee (curly endive), impart a similar bitter taste and may be substituted. In a pinch, a mixture of Romaine lettuce and arugula will do.

While Oliver doesn’t include this in his recipe, I think a sprinkling of toasted Lake County walnuts would be a fantastic addition.

Enjoy!

Sweet pear and apple salad with bitter endive and a creamy blue cheese dressing

4 heads of endive (a mixture of red and white, if possible)

2 eating apples

2 pears

A handful of soft herbs (chervil, tarragon, parsley – use only one, or a mixture), torn or chopped

For the dressing:

2 ounces strong blue cheese

¼ cup crème fraiche (or plain yogurt or sour cream)

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra for drizzling

4 tablespoons cider vinegar

6 tablespoons water

Separate the endive leaves, wash and spin dry.

Core apples and slice them into matchsticks.

Core pears and slice them into eighths. (If under ripe, grill until lightly charred.)

Mix above ingredients in a large bowl, along with most of the herbs. (Reserve some herbs for garnish.)

Add dressing ingredients to a blender and process for about 15 seconds, until smooth.

Plate salad mixture and add blue cheese dressing. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and herbs for garnish.

Makes four servings.

Recipe by Jamie Oliver and courtesy of Jamie at Home.

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

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Upper Lake, Calif., farmer Haji Warf displays the petite green apples that grow on Kalikai Farm. Photo by Esther Oertel.

A Monday report said the relationship has always stemmed from the sincere interest of all parties to best serve the educational needs of the students and the Clearlake community, and has typically taken the shape of articulation of programs. During recent years that relationship has grown further.

In the 2009-10 academic year KUSD was faced with the tough decision of what to do in the wake of millions of dollars in budget cuts.

Ultimately, one of the decisions that were made was to close Oak Hill Middle School, which was adjacent to the Clear Lake Campus, and make the local elementary schools into K-8 institutions, creating an immediate cost savings, as Lake County News has reported.

As a result of that decision, property at the former middle school, including the bus barn, were now available. With the Clear Lake Campus looking at options of where to place its future buildings, a new partnership opportunity was created.

The KUSD Board of Trustees approved a purchase agreement at their June 2, 2010, meeting which was subsequently approved by the YCCD Governing Board on June 9, 2010.

The agreement was for YCCD to acquire a 3.17 acre parcel of property adjacent to CLC on 15850 Dam Road Extension in Clearlake, CA for $475,000.

The acquisition of the property will enable the Clear Lake Campus to add three new permanent facilities to the campus – a student services center, a science building and a culinary arts facility.

The land acquisition will also provide the Clear Lake Campus direct frontage to Dam Road Extension and greater visibility and access to the general public from State Highway 53. These three new buildings, which comprise 29,000 square feet, will be the first permanent buildings at the Clear Lake Campus.

The property acquisition and construction of the buildings constitute a $19 million project which is a part of the Proposition 39 Measure J facilities bond program passed by District voters in November 2006.

Construction has started on the new facilities with a groundbreaking ceremony being held on Sept. 7.

"This project will transform the campus, and will make it much more visible to the community,” said Clear Lake Campus Executive Dean Bryon Bell. “No longer will people drive down a narrow access road to discover what they've described as a 'hidden gem' in our community. I anticipate this project, along with our work in strengthening partnerships with KUSD and other local entities will provide long-term benefits to students in Lake County."

Also on Sept. 7, Lower Lake High School had a groundbreaking for its new auto shop facility. This state of the art facility is another example of how YCCD’s and KUSD’s partnership has made public dollars go further.

Four years ago a grant was written and received that would pay for one-half of the facility. While these funds were frozen due to the current financial crisis, the dollars garnered from the land sale helped secure the other half of the construction monies needed. Additionally, as part of the sale agreement, YCCD paid to improve the access road to the upper field at Highlands.

When the auto building is completed later this school-year, it will be filled with equipment and a new paint booth purchased through collaboration with local agencies and businesses.

“Clear Lake Campus students will be able to use the auto facilities and LLHS students will benefit tremendously from the new facilities at the college,” said Konocti Unified Superintendent Dr. William MacDougall. “This is a wonderful story about how through collaboration we can accomplish a great deal, stretch our dollars, and move forward during these tough financial times.”

Lower Lake High School's auto shop instructor will teach both high school and college classes. The Clear Lake Campus hopes to offer a small engine repair certificate in the near future as well as other types of automotive programs to accommodate both student demand and local workforce needs.

“This is truly a new era for the Clear Lake Campus,” said YCCD Chancellor Dr. Douglas Houston. “The future is bright and will continue to be so as long as we sustain the strong partnerships that we have built with our local school districts, businesses and community.”

The Yuba Community College District spans eight counties and nearly 4,200 square miles of territory in rural, north central California. It has colleges in Marysville and Woodland, an educational center in Clearlake, outreach operations at Beale Air Force Base and in Williams, and will be adding an outreach facility in Sutter County as part of the Measure J facilities bond.

For more information about YCCD visit www.yccd.edu.

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Members of the Corvettes of Lake and Mendocino Counties gather with the Lake Family Resource Center Board of Directors and Executive Director Gloria Flaherty (center, holding check) on Thursday, September 29, 2011. Photo by John Yde.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Thanks to the generosity of local Corvette enthusiasts, children at Lake County's domestic violence shelter will have a place to play.

On Thursday, Sept. 29, members of the Corvettes of Lake and Mendocino Counties presented a check for $3,000 to Lake Family Resource Center Executive Director Gloria Flaherty.

The gift will help build a new playground for children at Freedom House.

The donation was a surprise for Flaherty, who had been in an orientation meeting for new board members at Lake Family Resource Center's business office, located at 5350 Main St. in Kelseyville, on the same property as the shelter.

Flaherty was asked to step out into the parking lot, where several newer Corvettes, as well as a vintage Corvette owned by John Yde, were parked.

Members of the club then presented Flaherty with the check for $3,000 to support her plans for the playground.

Flaherty, who was caught off guard by the gift, was brought to tears.

“I'm so excited,” she said.

A playground for Freedom House's children had been at the top of Flaherty's wish list. She said children who are housed at the shelter haven't had a place to go outside and play.

Before the Corvette club's donation, she had begun exploring grants and funding to make it happen. The total estimated cost is $7,500, and the $3,000 gift will lay the groundwork for raising the remainder of the playground funds through matching grants and other donations.

Corvette club members noted that supporting the playground was a natural fit for them, as they're all kids at heart.

This isn't the first sizable donation from the club to Lake Family Resource Center.

In June 2010, the club gave a $3,000 gift to the Barbara LaForge Memorial Fund, which supports Freedom House, as Lake County News has reported.

Support from groups like the Corvette club are integral to fulfilling Lake Family Resource Center's mission of offering support to those in need, according to Flaherty.

“We live and die on our relationships in the community,” she said.

Community members can make tax-deductible donations to support the playground project. Donations can be sent to Lake Family Resource Center at 5350 Main St., Kelseyville, 95451.

For more information call 888-775-8336 or visit www.lakefrc.com.

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Aaron Bassler, 35, of Fort Bragg, Calif., was shot dead by Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies on Saturday, October 1, 2011. Mendocino County Sheriff's Office photo.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – The five-week search for the man suspected of killing a Fort Bragg City Councilman and a land trust employee in August came to a deadly conclusion on Saturday.

Aaron James Bassler, 35, of Fort Bragg, who had eluded a massive manhunt since the Aug. 27 shooting of Councilman Jere Melo, was shot on Saturday by Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies taking part in the search, according to Mendocino County Sheriff's Capt. Kurt Smallcomb.

Smallcomb said Bassler was spotted as he walked down a logging road.

The Sacramento County team members subsequently shot and killed Bassler, Smallcomb said.

The search for Bassler – who was linked not just to Melo's fatal shooting but to the Aug. 11 murder of Mendocino Land Trust staffer Matthew Coleman – was the largest in Mendocino County history, according to Sheriff Tom Allman.

The search had intensified over the past week, after Bassler fired on a three-member team from the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, as Lake County News has reported.

The confrontation between Bassler and the three-member team occurred in an area near Northspur Road – located 14 miles east of Fort Bragg and 10 miles northwest of Willits – where a series of vacation cabin burglaries had been linked to Bassler, officials reported.

Bassler fired on the team on Thursday shortly before noon in a densely wooded and brushy area, appearing to have flanked the men as he did Melo weeks earlier. Allman said the men returned fire at Bassler, who was about 100 meters away.

He disappeared, only to reappear and open fire again. Allman said the Alameda County team returned a total of 10 shots before Bassler once again vanished into the woods that he has explored since he was a child.

A surveillance camera had captured an image of Bassler at one of the Northspur Road area cabins, holding a high-caliber assault rifle, which Allman released on Monday.

Bassler was believed to have taken a .22 caliber rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun during one of the burglaries.

On Wednesday a California Department of Justice criminalist confirmed that a fingerprint found at the scene of one of the burglaries was Bassler's.

The search has involved multiple state, local and federal agencies, including assistance from the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said at a Wednesday press conference that Lake County Sheriff Frank Rivero called him after hearing of Bassler's confrontation with the Alameda County team and pledged additional resources.

Lake County Sheriff's Capt. James Bauman reported on Friday that a team of seven Lake County Sheriff’s SWAT members, a sheriff’s K-9 team and two supervisors were deployed to Mendocino County on Thursday to join the search.

Allman had said that the search for Bassler would not conclude without a resolution.

The operation had stretched Mendocino County's resources, with Allman reporting that the search had cost nearly $300,000. It had been aided by donations of hotel rooms, food and supplies from community members and businesses.

It also took its toll on agency members like Smallcomb, who has been an active part of the search around the clock for more than a month.

On Saturday evening Smallcomb said he was in emotional shock in the wake of the day's developments.

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The expo will be held between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Mendo Mill Home Center and Lumber Co. at

2465 S. Main St.

The focus of the expo is to provide local residents with information on ways to prepare for a disaster should such an event ever occur.

Representatives from a number of city, county and state public service agencies, along with representatives from private business, will staff booths to motivate residents on how to prepare for potential disasters by providing information and educational materials and sharing resources.

The objective is to inform and motivate the public on how to become and stay prepared, develop a plan and build an emergency resource kit for any local disaster that might affect them.

Recent disasters around the country, including floods, wildland fires, tornadoes, hazardous materials spills, earthquakes and acts of terrorism, have underscored the need for citizens to be prepared at all

times.

Studies show that most Californians, including people in our local area, are not adequately prepared for a significant disaster that could occur close to their home or work.

Free hot dogs and bottled water will be available for the first 200 expo attendees.

The expo is co-hosted by Mendo Mill Home Center and Lumber Co. and the city of Lakeport, and is supported by the Lake County Chamber of Commerce and Bruno’s Shop Smart.

Agencies, organizations and businesses confirmed for the event include Cal Fire, California Highway Patrol, Lake County Public and Environmental Health, Lake County Vector Control District, Vietnam Veterans of American Chapter 951, Lincoln-Leavitt Insurance, LEAF, Pacific Gas & Electric, Lake County Fire Safe Council, American Red Cross, Timberline Land Management, Ukiah Oxygen Company, DFM Car Stereo & Cellular, Lakeport County Fire District, City of Lakeport, Lakeport Police Department and Dennis Fordham, attorney at law.

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Brian Thomas Pearson, 44, of Clearlake, Calif., was arrested on Saturday, October 1, 2011, for drug-related charges following a probation search. Lake County Jail photo.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake man was arrested on Saturday after he allegedly was found in possession of drugs and syringes in violation of his probation terms.

Brian Thomas Pearson, 44, was arrested for misdemeanor possession of crystal methamphetamine, felony possession of hypodermic syringes and violation of his felony probation.

Sgt. Tim Hobbs said that on Saturday Clearlake Police officers responded to a residence in the 14000 block of Austin Drive to conduct a probation search at Pearson’s residence.

He said officers assigned to the community oriented policing beat in which Pearson's home is located have received ongoing reports of suspected illegal activity at the residence.

During the search Pearson was found to be in possession of crystal methamphetamine and hypodermic syringes, Hobbs said.

He was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail, where he remained on Sunday night on a no-bail hold due to the probation violation, according to jail records.

Hobbs said Clearlake Police officers had previously arrested Pearson at his home on Aug. 27 for possession of a controlled substance and violation of his felony probation.

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“These unfortunate deaths remind us of the potential danger from mosquito bites and West Nile Virus,”

said Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health.

To date in 2011, 88 human cases of West Nile Virus from 18 California counties have been reported, the agency said.

Last year 111 cases and six fatalities were reported, according to California Department of Public Health numbers.

Health officials said West Nile Virus is most commonly transmitted to humans and animals through a mosquito bite.

The risk of serious illness to most people is low. However, some individuals – less than 1 percent – will develop serious neurologic illness such as encephalitis or meningitis.

Individuals 50 years of age and older have a higher chance of getting sick and are more likely to develop serious symptoms. Studies also show that those with diabetes and/or hypertension are at greatest risk for serious illness.

Chapman said that the most effective way for individuals to prevent exposure to mosquito bites and West Nile virus is to remember the “Four D’s”:

• DEET – Apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaradin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535 according to label instructions. Repellents keep the mosquitoes from biting you. DEET can be used safely on infants and children 2 months of age and older.

• DRESS – Wear clothing that reduces the risk of skin exposure to mosquito bites.

• DAWN AND DUSK – Mosquitoes that carry WNV bite in the early morning and evening so it is important to wear repellent at this time. Make sure that your doors and windows have tight-fitting screens to keep out mosquitoes. Repair or replace screens with tears or holes.

• DRAIN – Mosquitoes lay their eggs on standing water. Eliminate all sources of standing water on your property, including flower pots, old car tires, rain gutters and pet bowls. If you have a pond, use mosquito fish (available from your local mosquito and vector control agency) or commercially available products to eliminate mosquito larvae.

California’s West Nile virus website includes the latest information on West Nile virus activity in the state.

Californians are encouraged to report all dead birds and dead tree squirrels on the Web site or by calling toll-free 1-877-WNV-BIRD (968-2473).

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It was a furious battle for second place in the large dachshund division during the Dachshund Derby at Oktoberfest on Saturday, October 1, 2011. Photo by Ed Oswalt.

The Dachshund Derby, which began races at noon following a costume contest, featured several heats of determined Dachshunds of all sizes and shapes, from smooth-coated minis to standard-sized wire-haired dogs.

The crowd hugged the race track, located near the Courthouse Museum, as Tony Barthel announced the races.

There was furious clapping and laughter as the races unfolded.

Photographer Ed Oswalt captured the featured images. Below is a video of some of the day's highlights.

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Curiosity is about to go to Mars. The car-sized rover, also known as the Mars Science Lab, is scheduled for launch in late November or early December 2011 from the Kennedy Space Center.

After an eight-month voyage to Mars, Curiosity will land at the foot of a 3 mile high mountain in a crater named “Gale.”

It sounds a little odd – a mountain in the middle of an impact crater. Wouldn't the impact have smashed it flat?

Some scientists believe the 96 mile wide crater filled in with sediments over time and relentless Martian winds carved a mountain in the center, where it now stands nearly three times higher than the Grand Canyon is deep.

Because of its history, this strangely sculpted mountain is the ideal place for Curiosity to conduct its mission of exploration into the Red Planet's past.

“This may be one of the thickest exposed sections of layered sedimentary rocks in the solar system,” said Joy Crisp, Mars Science Lab deputy project scientist from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “The rock record preserved in those layers holds stories that are billions of years old – stories about whether, when, and for how long Mars might have been habitable.”

Today the Red Planet is a radiation-drenched, bitterly cold, bleak world. Enormous dust storms explode across the barren landscape and darken Martian skies for months at a time.

But data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter suggest that Mars once hosted vast lakes and flowing rivers.

“Gale Crater and its mountain will tell this intriguing story,” said Matthew Golombek, Mars Exploration Program Landing Site Scientist from JPL. “The layers there chronicle Mars' environmental history.”

In the gentle slopes around the mountain, Curiosity will prospect for organic molecules, the chemical building blocks of life. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has found an intriguing signature of clay near the bottom of the mountain and sulfate minerals a little higher up.

Both minerals are formed in the presence of water, which increases potential for life-friendly environments.

“All the types of aqueous minerals we've detected on Mars to date can be found in this one location,” explained Golombek.

Clay settles slowly in water and forms little platelets that conform around things, hardening over time and encasing them in “casts.” Clay could seal organics off from the outside environment much like it preserved dinosaur bones on Earth.

“If organics ever existed on Mars, they could be preserved in the clay,” Golombek said.

Even on planet Earth, teeming with life, finding billion year-old well-preserved organics is difficult. But Curiosity will find them if they're present in the samples it takes.

The rover is equipped with the most advanced suite of instruments for scientific studies ever sent to the Martian surface. When these are brought to bear on Gale crater’s mysteriously layered mountain, the odds of a discovery will be at an all-time high.

As seasoned travelers know, however, the journey is just as important as the destination. Curiosity can travel up to 150 meters per Mars day, but will stop often to gather and analyze samples.

“It could take several months to a year to reach the foot of the mountain, depending on how often the rover stops along the way,” said Golombek. “There will be plenty to examine before getting to the central mound.”

A high-resolution camera on the rover's mast will take pictures and movies of the scenery, taking Earthlings on an extraterrestrial sightseeing tour.

“As Curiosity climbs toward higher layers, you'll see spectacular valleys and canyons like those in the U.S. desert southwest,” Golombek said. “The walls on either side of the rover will rise over 100 feet. The sights alone will be worth the trip.”

Stay tuned for updates from the Red Planet.

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