Ginger root at Ray's Food Place in Clearlake, Calif. Photo by Esther Oertel.

In honor of Halloween, today’s column will celebrate the odd, the eerie and the out-of-the-ordinary when it comes to fruits and vegetables.

I traipsed to a local supermarket yesterday, camera in hand, hoping to take photos of a few exotic offerings in the produce department. As you can see from the accompanying pictures, I didn’t have much luck! What was there was pretty commonplace, at least from our point of view.

But when I began to view the veggies and fruits through the camera’s eye, it dawned on me that ordinary is really just a matter of perspective. The colorful fresh fare that lines the shelves of the average supermarket produce aisle is anything but ordinary.

The array of colors is amazing, not to mention the varying shapes, sizes and textures of each farm-produced item. It boggles the mind to think that such diversity sprang from the ground … or the branch … or the vine.

Fuzzy kiwi fruits. Photo by Esther Oertel.

Take the avocado, for example. Its hard outer coating is so bumpy and rough that it’s also known as an alligator pear. The skin that hides the rich flesh within is anything but appetizing.

How about the artichoke? Who would’ve thought that we’d consider this bud from a thistle plant such a delicacy, and who had the nerve to eat the first one?

Fuzzy kiwi look like cute little alien creatures, not unlike short-haired versions of the “Tribbles” of Star Trek fame. (Can’t you just imagine them purring?)

Gnarled rhizomes of ginger look more like tree roots than food, and pineapples remind me of hand grenades with wild hairdos on steroids.

Let’s not forget mushrooms, the “fungus among us” which is harvested from light-deprived growing caves.

Prickly pineapples. Photo by Esther Oertel.

You may think I’m easily amused, and perhaps I am, but I think of produce as art from a very creative mind. And the best part is that we’re privileged to eat it.

The truth is that many of the fruits and vegetables we now take for granted were once considered rare and exotic. Hot peppers, kiwi fruit and mangoes all fall into this category.

What follows is a fun look at some unique fruits and vegetables from around the world and close to home. They may seem exotic now, but who knows? One day they may be commonplace fare in our local market.

What better plant to celebrate today than the pumpkin tree? These branches with mini pumpkin-like fruit are sold for decorative purposes this time of year. As much as it looks like a pumpkin, the fruit is actually an ornamental eggplant, which is used in Asia in stir-fry dishes.

The dragon fruit’s official name is pitaya. Common in Asia, as well as in Central and South America, it sports a hot pink outer rind, out of which emerge neon green leaves that are reminiscent of tropical fish fins. Its bright white black-flecked flesh is sour, juicy, and refreshing.

Chinese artichokes, also known as crosnes, look like grubs or caterpillars. They have a rich, artichoke-like flavor and are eaten sautéed, pickled or as a garnish.

The grapefruit-sized cherimoya looks almost reptilian, with tight green scales on the outside. Inside is white flesh that’s soft and super sweet. It’s described as having a flavor that’s similar to a combination of banana, strawberry and pineapple.

Durians are popular across Southeast Asia. Green, football shaped, and spiny, they’re known for their strong, unpleasant odor and are banned from being eaten in public in some locations. Despite the smell, their silky, sweet fruit is used in desserts, or sometimes eaten raw in segments.

Avocados, sometimes called

Sheriff Rod Mitchell said his agency worked with state and federal authorities – including the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency and U.S Customs – on the search warrant service as part of an investigation involving drugs and weapons.

The investigation grew out of a traffic stop in Laytonville last week in which 100 pounds of marijuana were seized, Mitchell said.

Officials served search warrants simultaneously in Mendocino and Lake counties, he said.

In Lake County, Mitchell said, “It was a very rural, remote location where the warrant was served,” near the Landrum Ranch, which is east of Clearlake Oaks on Highway 20. Staging for the agents and deputies involved occurred at the Moose Lodge in Clearlake Oaks.

“We assisted with getting the search warrant and then the state officials took it over based upon everything we were able to find,” he said.

Late Friday, state Department of Justice officials were not able to provide additional information on the investigation, which was being handled by the DOJ's Bureau of Investigation.

He said at one of the two locations where warrants were served, 37 guns were seized.

Along with large amounts of cash – specific numbers were not immediately available – Mitchell said eight arrests resulted.

Seven of the suspects were taken by ICE to Yuba County for detention, while one was to be booked locally, he said.

The teams of agents and deputies remained at the locations late in the day, he said.

Based on the results of the search warrant seizures, Mitchell said it was anticipated that further warrants would result.

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Congressman Mike Thompson is looking to return to Congress for another two-year term. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Following a term in which there have been major national policy changes enacted in the nation's capital, Lake County's congressman has his eyes on things to come, and is asking to continue his service to the North Coast.

Mike Thompson, 59, is seeking his seventh term in Congress this November.

The Democrat from St. Helena has served in the House of Representatives since 1999. He divides his time between Washington, DC, and California's First Congressional District, which stretches across seven counties, including Lake, Mendocino, Del Norte, Humboldt, and portions of Napa, Sonoma and Yolo counties.

His wife, Jan, is a nurse practitioner. The couple have two sons – one a firefighter, the other a deputy sheriff – and three grandchildren.

During the time he's served in Congress, “My priorities haven't changed at all,” he said, adding that his focus in on, “The district, the district, the district.”

Natural resources, agricultural, fiscal responsibility and health care have all been big issues for the First Congressional District. In Lake County, additional issues are Social Security, heath care and Medicare. Thompson said he'll continue to keep the focus in those areas.

Thompson – a Vietnam veteran – is credited by local officials for his diligence in working to get a local Veterans Affairs clinic opened in the county. He was in Clearlake earlier this month to mark the opening of that facility, which took more than a decade of lobbying to get.

He recently received the endorsement of a number of businesses and organizations in the region, including the Farm Bureaus in Lake and Napa counties, as well as endorsements from numerous regional officials, with local supervisors Anthony Farrington, Jim Comstock, Denise Rushing and Jeff Smith, and Clearlake Mayor Judy Thein among them.

Thompson, a Blue Dog Democrat, is a member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, an appointment he said he worked hard to get to make sure the district had a voice.

“I'm finally getting some rank on the committee where I'm able to do some good things,” he said.

During his current term, Thompson has been a part of major actions including the health care reform bill.

He said he had a “very heavy hand” in preventative medicine and telemedicine aspects in the House version of the bill. While those didn't make it into the Senate version, they were added into the law's regulations.

Health care reform has a long way to go, both in the roll out of the legislation – currently under way – and what's still needed, he said.

“Whenever you reform anything it's just the beginning,” Thompson explained.

Thompson also wants to see the country get rid of its trade deficit, and reduce its dependence on imported oil.

He remains dedicated to continuing his work on behalf of the wine industry, an economic power in his North Coast district. He said he is keeping his eye on proposed new legislation that would make it tougher for the smaller wineries that dot the North Coast and Lake County to ship wine out of state.

There's also Wall Street reform on the horizon, with President Barack Obama recently appointing Elizabeth Warren as a consumer advocate.

Reacting to the discontent in the local community and across the country, Thompson said, “I understand why folks are mad. Heck, I'm mad.”

During the August break from Congress Thompson held six town halls in the district. During those events, he saw some people who were angry. Many wanted tax cuts and deficit reduction. His question: How can we do both?

While Thompson has been returned to office over the last several years by wide margins, and enjoys a bipartisan popularity across the district, he's nonetheless facing a challenge this year from Republican and Air Force Reservist Loren Hanks, as well as Libertarian Mike Rodrigues and Green Party candidate Carol Wolman.

Hanks has criticized Thompson for being part of what he alleges is Congress' out-of-control spending, and for being involved in legislation – like health care – that he believes is intrusive and beyond the scope of government power. He's also called Thompson “an entrenched incumbent.”

In a message to supporters on the eve of Thompson's Oct. 17 appearance in Napa with President Bill Clinton, Hanks wrote, “District 1 voters know the federal government is too big, it spends too much, and Mike Thompson is an enabler of those epic proportions.”

Hanks also suggested that Clinton's appearance “indicates a fear of the voters' awakening.”

At that same campaign event, Clinton took aim at Hanks for not even living in the First Congressional District.

The Solano County Registrar of Voters Office confirmed to Lake County News that Hanks is registered as an absentee voter there, meaning he can't vote for himself in the upcoming election. But federal rules allow a candidate not to live in the congressional district in which they are seeking office.

As for Hanks' criticisms about spending, “There was a lot of spending that was done and, I would argue, needed to be done to keep us out of a Great Depression,” said Thompson.

He added, “I didn't run for Congress to vote for bailout bills.”

Some spending is needed, said Thompson, due to the country being “woefully behind” in infrastructure.

Democrats, said Thompson, have spent $2 trillion to try to address the country's recession. He laid blame for larges amounts of spending on the Bush administration, pointing out that Clinton left the White House with a balanced budget.

He said President George Bush took the country into a “war of choice” in Iraq. Thompson has opposed that war, while Hanks has supported it.

Thompson went on to point out that the Bush administration pushed for a $2 trillion tax cut and $1 trillion prescription drug bill, neither of which are paid for.

“What he's saying,” Thompson said of Hanks' allegations on spending, “is not even close to reality.”

He also accused Hanks of being “intellectually dishonest” about spending when he's passing out brochures about a tax cut extension that doesn't have a plan to pay for it.

Thompson said you can't spend more money than you have, and that's why he supported the “pay go” legislation.

“Everything we're doing, we're paying for,” Thompson said.

He doesn't believe there will be a massive control shift in Congress such as is being predicted, although he expects seats to be won and lost on both sides of the aisle. Thompson predicted single-digit margins of change in both houses of Congress.

Thompson has once again this year secured a large amount of financial support for his reelection bid.

Campaign finance reports through Oct. 13 made available through www.opensecrets.org show that Thompson has raised approximately $1,749,748, spent $1,531,549 and has $1,330,039 in cash on hand. That overall total is about $167,000 less than he raised in the 2008 election cycle, which was his highest fundraising year to date.

Of the funds Thompson has raised this year, 49 percent, or $859,181, has come from political action committees, while $845,320, or 48 percent, came from individual contributions, with 3 percent or $45,247 reported from “other” sources.

Hanks has raised $83,103, spent $65,992 and has $17,109 in cash on hand, the reports showed. He's had no political action committee contributions, with 93 percent, or $77,520, coming from individual contributions. He's contributed 4 percent, or $3,135, to his campaign, and has received $2,448, or 3 percent of the total, from the “other” category.”

Rodrigues and Wolman both claimed no funds raised in the Oct. 13 report.

More information about the candidates in the race can be found online: www.mikethompsonforcongress.com , www.hanksforcongress.com , www.thegoodmike.com/ and www.carolwolmanforcongress.com .

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

An artist's concept of THEMIS-P1 and P2 (since renamed ARTEMIS-P1 and P2) in lunar orbit. Courtesy of NASA.

“Their real names are THEMIS P1 and P2, but I call them 'dead spacecraft walking,'” said Vassilis Angelopoulos of UCLA, principal investigator of the THEMIS mission. “Not so long ago, we thought they were goners. Now they are beginning a whole new adventure.”

The story begins in 2007 when NASA launched a fleet of five spacecraft into Earth's magnetosphere to study the physics of geomagnetic storms.

Collectively, they were called THEMIS, short for “Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms.” P1 and P2 were the outermost members of the quintet.

Working together, the probes quickly discovered a cornucopia of previously unknown phenomena such as colliding auroras, magnetic spacequakes, and plasma bullets shooting up and down Earth’s magnetic tail.

These findings allowed researchers to solve several longstanding mysteries of the Northern Lights.

The mission was going splendidly, except for one thing: Occasionally, P1 and P2 would pass through the shadow of Earth.

The solar-powered spacecraft were designed to go without sunlight for as much as three hours at a time, so a small amount of shadowing was no problem. But as the mission wore on, their orbits evolved and by 2009 the pair was spending as much as 8 hours a day in the dark.

“The two spacecraft were running out of power and freezing to death,” said Angelopoulos. “We had to do something to save them.”

The team brainstormed a solution. Because the mission had gone so well, the spacecraft still had an ample supply of fuel – enough to go to the Moon.

“We could do some great science from lunar orbit,” said Angelopoulos.

The ARTEMIS spacecraft are currently located at the L1 and L2 Earth-Moon Lagrange points. Courtesy of NASA.

NASA approved the trip and in late 2009, P1 and P2 headed away from the shadows of Earth.

With a new destination, the mission needed a new name. The team selected ARTEMIS, the Greek goddess of the Moon. It also stands for “Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of the Moon’s Interaction with the Sun.”

The first big events of the ARTEMIS mission are under way now.

On Aug. 25, ARTEMIS-P1 reached the L2 Lagrange point on the far side of the Moon. Following close behind, ARTEMIS-P2 entered the opposite L1 Lagrange point on Oct. 22. Lagrange points are places where the gravity of Earth and Moon balance, creating a sort of gravitational parking spot for spacecraft.

“We're exploring the Earth-Moon Lagrange points for the first time," says Manfred Bester, Mission Operations Manager from the University of California at Berkeley, where the mission is operated. “No other spacecraft have orbited there.”

Because they lie just outside Earth's magnetosphere, Lagrange points are excellent places to study the solar wind.

Sensors onboard the ARTEMIS probes will have in situ access to solar wind streams and storm clouds as they approach our planet – a possible boon to space weather forecasters.

Moreover, working from opposite Lagrange points, the two spacecraft will be able to measure solar wind turbulence on scales never sampled by previous missions.

“ARTEMIS is going to give us a fundamental new understanding of the solar wind,” predicted David Sibeck, ARTEMIS project scientist at the Goddard Space Flight Center. “And that's just for starters.”

ARTEMIS will also explore the Moon's plasma wake – a turbulent cavity carved out of the solar wind by the Moon itself, akin to the wake just behind a speedboat.

“This is a giant natural laboratory filled with a whole zoo of plasma waves waiting to be discovered and studied,” Sibeck said.

Another target of the ARTEMIS mission is Earth's magnetotail.

Like a wind sock at a breezy airport, Earth's magnetic field is elongated by the action of the solar wind, forming a tail that stretches to the orbit of the Moon and beyond.

Once a month around the time of the full Moon, the ARTEMIS probes will follow the Moon through the magnetotail for in situ observations.

“We are particularly hoping to catch some magnetic reconnection events,” said Sibeck. “These are explosions in Earth's magnetotail that mimic solar flares – albeit on a much smaller scale.”

ARTEMIS might even see giant “plasmoids” accelerated by the explosions hitting the Moon during magnetic storms.

These far-out explorations may have down-to-Earth applications. Plasma waves and reconnection events pop up on Earth, e.g., in experimental fusion chambers. Fundamental discoveries by ARTEMIS could help advance research in the area of clean renewable energy.

After six months at the Lagrange points, ARTEMIS will move in closer to the Moon – at first only 100 kilometers from the surface and eventually even less than that.

From point-blank range, the spacecraft will look to see what the solar wind does to a rocky world when there's no magnetic field to protect it.

“Earth is protected from solar wind by the planetary magnetic field,” said Angelopolous. “The Moon, on the other hand, is utterly exposed. It has no global magnetism.”

Studying how the solar wind electrifies, alters and erodes the Moon's surface could reveal valuable information for future explorers and give planetary scientists a hint of what's happening on other unmagnetized worlds around the solar system.

Orbiting the Moon is notoriously tricky, however, because of irregularities in the lunar gravitational field. Enormous concentrations of mass (mascons) hiding just below the surface tug on spacecraft in unexpected ways, causing them over time to veer out of orbit. ARTEMIS will mitigate this problem using highly elongated orbits ranging from tens of km to 18,000 km.

“We'll only be near the lunar surface for a brief time each orbit (accumulating a sizable dataset over the years),” said Angelopoulos. “Most of the time we'll linger 18,000 km away where we can continue our studies of the solar wind at a safe distance.”

The Dead Spacecraft Walking may have a long life, after all.

See a video about the ARTEMIS orbit at www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcKRk3WdhT0 .

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In their previous life, THEMIS-P1 and P2 were on a mission to study Northern Lights. Courtesy of NASA.

California Highway Patrol officers examine the scene of a crash near Lucerne, Calif., on Friday, October 29, 2010. Photo courtesy of Northshore Fire Protection District.

LUCERNE, Calif. – The drivers and passengers involved in two-vehicle crash on Highway 20 Friday afternoon escaped serious injury.

The crash, reported just before 3 p.m., took place just east of Lucerne.

Officials reported that a vehicle traveling eastbound lost control and crossed into the westbound lane, hitting another vehicle then heading up an embankment and rolling over back onto the roadway.

At one point the overturned vehicle was said to be smoking, with the roadway blocked, according to reports from the scene.

The male driver and his dog both were able to get out of the overturned vehicle, but the dog reportedly ran away from the scene, officials reported. The other vehicle had two human occupants and a dog.

The driver of the overturned vehicle was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital by Northshore Fire Protection District, which sent a chief, battalion chief, two engines and two medics, according to reports from the scene. The occupants of the second vehicle were treated and released at the scene.

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With Halloween falling on Sunday, a variety of spooky celebrations and events are planned around Lake County.

A rundown of events around the county follows.

CLEARLAKE

Halloween celebration and parade: 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31, Tatonka Trading, 14240 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake. Contact Barbara Grier, telephone 707-995-1004. A free Halloween celebration, with a children's parade at 4:30 p.m. Carnival takes place from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

COBB

Boo Bash: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, October 30, at Rob Roy Golf Club, 16451 Golf Road, Cobb, telephone 707-928-0121. The free event will feature a hayride, pumpkin patch, games and crafts. 

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE

Pet Halloween contest: 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 30, Hidden Valley Pet Palace, 18983C Hartmann Road, Hidden Valley Lake, 707-987-1981. Third annual pet Halloween costume contest. Everyone is welcome. Prizes will be awarded.

“Halloween on the Silver Screen”: Event was canceled due to low ticket sales.

KELSEYVILLE

Kelseyville elementary parade: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., Friday, Oct. 29, downtown Kelseyville. Street closures will take place along Main Street from Second to Fifth streets, Second and Third streets from Main to Gard, and Gard Street in front of the school for the elementary school parade. The community is invited to come and enjoy the costumes. Drivers are encouraged to be aware of ghosts, goblins, witches and werewolves in the area.

Dogtoberfest and pet costume contest: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 30, Lake County Kennel Club of Northern California, 9925 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville, www.lckcnc.org . The festival for canines and their people will feature a “mutt strut” – a dog costume contest – and many fun and games for dogs and humans, including hot dog bobbing, relay races, musical mats, agility course, rally course, Canine Good Citizen testing and a photo booth with Horat Photography. For the humans, there will be a free hot dog lunch and a bake sale.

LAKEPORT

Halloween parade: 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., Friday, Oct. 29, downtown Lakeport. Lakeport Elementary School will hold its annual Halloween parade featuring children in costume. Street closures on Main Street will be in place.

Corn maze: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, through Sunday, Oct. 31, Rancho de la Fuente, 2290 Soda Bay Road, Lakeport. Entry fee: $5. Guests are encouraged to bring flashlights to make the corn maze even more fun.

Rocky Horror Show: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, and Saturday, Oct. 30, plus a midnight show on Saturday, Oct. 30, Little Theater at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St., Lakeport. Presented by the Lake County Theater Co. No one under age 18 admitted without a parent. VIP tickets with goodie bag and front couch seating, $25; reserved seating, $20; general seating $15; $2 discount for seniors, Lake County Theater Co. members and students, and those who come in costume. VIP, reserved and general tickets are available in Lakeport at Catfish Books, 707-263-4454, and at The Game Shop, 707-262-5824; general seating tickets are available at Griffin Furniture in Clearlake, 707-994-2112, and the Shannon Ridge tasting room in Clearlake Oaks, 707-998-5686.

Downtown Trick-or-Treat: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 30, in downtown Lakeport. Event will include a costume contest on Museum Square. Maps indicating trick-or-treat locations are available at all participating businesses or at the Lakeport Main Street Association desk in the lobby of City Hall at Second and Park streets. Sponsored by the Lakeport Main Street Association.

Halloween costume contest: 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 30, Konocti Vista Casino, 2755 Mission Rancheria Road, Lakeport. Winner takes all – $500 cash.

KPFZ Halloween Dance & Costume Party: 6 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, Oct. 30, Soper-Reese Community Theatre, 275 S. Main St., Lakeport. Adults-only party featuring no-host bar, four bands and costume contest with prizes for the top four costumes, including $500 cash for the winner. Tickets are available at the door: $10 for KPFZ members and $15 for non-members.

Halloween Smash: 1 p.m. gates open, races begin at 2 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 31, Lakeport Speedway, Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St. Speedway office can be reached at 707-279-9577. There will be off-road enduros, the boat race, and a haunted house and trick or treating for children. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 14 to 18 with children under age 14 admitted for free.

McBoo Costume Contest: 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31, Lakeport McDonald's, 1400 Todd Road. Costume contest for children up through age 12. Sign ups take place until 6:15 p.m., with the parade afterward. Prizes offers.

Kiwanis Halloween party: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 31, Clear Lake High School, 350 Lange St., Lakeport. There will be free games, candy and refreshments. Costume contest featuring prizes will be held at 7:15 p.m. Admission is free. All children preschool to age 13 and their parents are welcome.

LUCERNE

Haunted house: 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 31, Harley hippie's Coffee Shop & Internet Café, 6260 E. Highway 20, Lucerne, telephone 707-274-0400. For children up through age 13. The event is free, donations are welcome.

MIDDLETOWN

Halloween costume contest: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, Twin Pine Casino & Hotel, 22223 Highway 29, Middletown, www.TwinPine.com , telephone 800-564-4872. Signups begin at 6 p.m., with all contestants in costume receiving $10 free play. Best costume wins $300, $200 for most original costume, $100 for scariest costume, $100 in free plan for the funniest costume and $75 in free play for the best celebrity impersonation.

NICE

Halloween dinner, dance: 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 30, Halloween dinner and dance at the Sons of Italy Hall, 2817 E. Highway 20, Nice, telephone 707-263-1606. Dinner, stew served family style with salad and bread, begins at 6 p.m. Prizes will be offered for the best contest, with music by Jim Williams. Tickets cost $15 at the door.

Halloween dance and costume contest: 7 p.m. to midnight, Robinson Rancheria Resort Casino & Bingo, 1545 E. Highway 20, Nice. Judging for best costume, most original costume, scariest costume and funniest costume. Dance starts at 9 p.m. with “Too Smooth,” contest winners announced at midnight.

UPPER LAKE

High school parade: 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, downtown Upper Lake, Upper Lake Union School District's Red Ribbon Day Parade. Parts of Main and Second streets will be closed to vehicular traffic.

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Incident occurred early Saturday morning, according to a report from Capt. Kurt Smallcomb of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.

Information developed so far has led investigators to believe the attempted home invasion was related to marijuana activities at the residence, Smallcomb said.

At approximately 7:21 a.m. Saturday Mendocino County Sheriff's communications officers were contacted by Jill Cahill, a resident of Steele Lane in Laytonville, Smallcomb said.

He said Cahill reported that just moments before her telephone call three individuals wearing masks and armed with unknown types of firearms forcibly entered into her residence, where gunfire was exchanged and one of the suspects was shot and believed to be deceased.

Deputies and emergency medical personnel responded to the location where they contacted Cahill and two other individuals who were visiting her. Smallcomb said deputies found one of the masked suspects laying just outside the residence, who was confirmed to be deceased.

Cahill advised that the suspects forcibly entered into her residence and sprayed pepper spray at her and her guests. Smallcomb said Cahill also reported that the suspects further displayed an unknown type firearm and shot at least one round inside the residence which struck one of Jill's visitors in the leg.

Armed with a .357 revolver, Cahill reportedly defended herself and her visitors, and a firefight took place inside the residence. Smallcomb said Cahill fatally shot one of the masked suspects, and the other two suspects fled the residence.

Mendocino County Sheriff's deputies, detectives and an investigator from the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office are continuing to investigate the incident, Smallcomb said.

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Tan M. Van, 56, of Ukiah was the driver in the incident, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Steve Tanguay.

At 7:50 p.m. Thursday Van was driving a 1998 Toyota pickup truck westbound on Highway 20 west of Irvine Avenue near Blue Lakes, Tanguay said.

Tanguay said Van made an unsafe turning movement to the left and the truck crossed over the double-yellow lines and crossed the eastbound lane of traffic.

The truck continued to the left and traveled down a steep embankment to the south of the roadway. Tanguay said Van's pickup struck a tree and then continued into Blue lakes.

Van was able to exit the vehicle and he swam to shore, Tanguay said.

This collision is being investigated by CHP Officer Greg Buchholz.

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Effective at 8 a.m. Monday, Nov. 1, Cal Fire will transition into winter preparedness mode, the agency reported.

The transition will include a reduction of seasonal firefighters – 185 personnel – as well as winter closing of selected Cal Fire fire stations and the end of fixed-wing aircraft for the season, officials said.

Cal Fire said the air tankers and air attack resources were released from service on Oct. 26, once the heavy rains blanketed the local area reducing the threat of a wildland fire.

However, Unit Chief Tim Streblow encourages residents to remember that even with increased rainfall, dry winds can still result in increased fire danger as fuels become dry.

The burn suspension was lifted on Oct. 25, but Cal Fire urged property owners interested in conducting control burns to check with their local fire agency and air pollution district to ensure they meet all fire and air pollution permit requirements prior to burning.

The unit includes the State Responsibility Areas (SRA) within six counties, Sonoma, Lake, Napa, Yolo, Solano and Colusa.

The Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit responded to more than 545 wildland fires within the six counties during the peak season, according to a Thursday report. The vast majority of these fires were less than 10 acres, due to aggressive initial attack by Cal Fire and local fire agencies.

Residents creating and maintaining 100 feet of defensible space around their homes had a major role in keeping these fires small, reducing the threat to life and property, the agency said.

“Creating a defensible space around structures has lead to many positive outcomes for the homeowner, as well as the firefighters who protect these structures during a wild and incident,” Streblow said.

Cal Fire reported that it will continue to respond to medical aids, hazmats, earthquakes and floods, or any statewide emergency from staffed stations throughout the unit.

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Firefighters Chrissy Pittman and Tom Hunter use a thermal imaging camera, sheetrock puller and fire hose to find hot spots in the walls and ceiling, expose them, and douse them with water, preventing further fire spread into the attic and possible re-ignition later on in a home in Lucerne, Calif., on Friday, October 29, 2010. Photo by Gary McAuley.

LUCERNE, Calif. – A commercial and residential building on Highway 20 in Lucerne sustained several thousand dollars in damage after a wood stove started a fire Friday night.

The fire, reported just before 9 p.m., occurred at 6095 E. Highway 20, next door to the California Water Service water plant.

Several Northshore Fire Protection District engines, an ambulance, two battalion chiefs and a California Highway Patrol officer, who helped monitor traffic around the scene, responded.

Northshore Fire Battalion Chief Steve Hart said the fire was caused by an improperly installed wood stove.

The stove, located on the first floor, was too close to the wall, he said. Combustible materials ignited and the fire traveled up to the second floor attic.

Firefighters opened up the walls to remove charred materials and make sure the fire was out, Hart said.

The wood stove inside the home was an older installation that caused the fire. Photo by Gary McAuley.

Battalion Chief Pat Brown brought out a charred piece of wood from inside the wall to show to Hart, noting that it had been burning a long time.

Four firefighters worked on the second story of the building, using a chainsaw to access areas that were burned.

Firefighters were expected to stay on scene until about 10:30 p.m. conducting mop up and overhauling, making sure that there was no chance the fire could reignite, Hart said.

Estimated damage was $10,000 for the structure and $2,000 for the building's contents, which Hart said suffered some smoke damage.

No injuries were reported.

Hart said the winter season brings a lot of problems with wood stoves, especially older installations from the late 1870s and 1980s.

“The codes at that time weren't as good as they are now,” he said.

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Firefighters work on the roof of a structure at 6095 E. Highway 20 in Lucerne, Calif., on Friday, October 29, 2010. Photo by Gary McAuley.

Fire crews clean up and prepare to leave the scene after the fire is confirmed extinguished at 6095 E. Highway 20 in Lucerne, Calif., on Friday, October 29, 2010. Photo by Gary McAuley.

“When partying takes to the roadways, too often the result is tragic,” said CHP Lieutenant Mark Loveless, commander of the Clear Lake Area office.

Death is the most significant and obvious consequence of drunk driving, but a host of other nightmares also can occur, the agency reported.

Getting arrested for DUI can cost drunk drivers thousands of dollars in expenses, revocation of their driver’s license and possible jail time.

If you will be driving on Halloween, make sure you and all your passengers are buckled up and that only non-drinking drivers get behind the wheel.

“Halloween is an exciting event for children, but streets are dark and traffic is heavy,” said Lt. Loveless. “While children are putting on their costumes, parents should remind them about basic pedestrian safety – stay with parents or a group, cross at the corner and check for traffic before crossing the street.”

Motorists also need to be aware of children running from house to house, he said.

“The safest approach is for parents to accompany their children as they go from house to house,” Lt. Loveless said.

He recommends carrying a flashlight to illuminate the sidewalks and alert motorists.

Parents also should take precautions to ensure costumes are safe and that their child’s vision is not obscured, he said.

“This day can be a time of fun and fantasy for children. Don’t let it turn into a tragedy. Take safety along with you as you go from door to door,” Loveless said.

He issued a final safety reminder to motorists to watch their speed and to always buckle up and secure children in child safety seats.

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At 6 p.m. Wednesday the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office was contacted by the Mendocino Redwood Co. regarding Eric Grant, a company forest service technician whose truck had been located in the 200 block of North Highway 1 in Albion, according to Liz Evangelatos, an administrative assistant with the sheriff's office.

Evangelatos said sheriff's deputies were advised that Grant, a Fort Bragg resident, commonly takes his lunch breaks at the area of the bluffs in the afternoon, but did not return his truck to work or home.

Deputies, with the assistance of Mendocino Redwood Com. employees, Albion Fire, the U.S. Coast Guard and others searched the area of the bluffs as well as the trails and area of the sea shore to no avail.

At 9 a.m. Thursday the Mendocino County Search and Rescue team also joined the effort, which Evangelatos said is continuing.

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