LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Firefighters continued to work through the night to fully contain the Point fire burning new Lower Lake.
The fire was first reported shortly before 5:45 p.m. Saturday.
Cal Fire said it is located in the area of Anderson Road and Panorama Road, near Point Lakeview Road, west of Lower Lake.
It resulted in evacuation orders in two zones, KEL-E146-A and LOW-E154, that officials said remained in effect overnight.
Early estimates of the fire’s size put it at around 25 acres.
By Saturday night, Cal Fire had rolled back that estimate to 14 acres, with 20% containment.
There had been concerns about an area flaring up due to the fire, and firefighters remained assigned to the fire.
More crews and teams are due to report to the fire on Sunday, according to radio reports.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Uisdean Nicholson, Heriot-Watt University; Sean Gulick, University of Texas at Austin, and Veronica Bray, University of Arizona
The ocean floor is famously less explored than the surface of Mars. And when our team of scientists recently mapped the seabed, and ancient sediments beneath, we discovered what looks like an asteroid impact crater.
Intriguingly, the crater, named “Nadir” after the nearby volcano Nadir Seamount, is of the same age as the Chicxulub impact caused by a huge asteroid at the end of the Cretaceous period, around 66 million years ago, which wiped out the dinosaurs and many other species.
The finding, published in Science Advances, raises the question of whether the crater might be related to Chicxulub in some way. If confirmed, it would also be of huge general scientific interest as it would be one of a very small number of known marine asteroid impacts and so give unique new insights into what happens during such a collision.
The crater was identified using “seismic reflection” as part of a wider project to reconstruct the tectonic separation of South America from Africa back in the Cretaceous period. Seismic reflection works in a similar manner to ultrasound data, sending pressure waves through the ocean and its floor and detecting the energy that is reflected back. This data allows geophysicists and geologists to reconstruct the architecture of the rocks and sediments.
Scrolling through this data at the end of 2020, we came across a highly unusual feature. Among the flat, layered sediments of the Guinea Plateau, west of Africa, was what appeared to be a large crater, a little under 10km wide and several hundred metres deep, buried below several hundred metres of sediment.
Many of its features are consistent with an impact origin, including the scale of the crater, the ratio of height to width and the height of the crater rim. The presence of chaotic deposits outside of the crater floor also look like “ejecta” – material expelled from the crater immediately following a collision.
We did consider other possible processes that could have formed such a crater, such as the collapse of a submarine volcano or a pillar (or diapir) of salt below the seabed. An explosive release of gas from below the surface could also be a cause. But none of these possibilities are consistent with the local geology or the geometry of the crater.
Earthquakes, airblast, fireball and tsunamis
After identifying and characterising the crater, we built computer models of an impact event to see if we could replicate the crater and characterise the asteroid and its impact.
The simulation that best fits the crater shape is for an asteroid 400 metres in diameter hitting an ocean that was 800 metres deep. The consequences of an impact in the ocean at such water depths are dramatic. It would result in an 800-metre thick water column, as well as the asteroid and a substantial volume of sediment being instantly vapourised – with a large fireball visible hundreds of kilometres away.
Shock waves from the impact would be equivalent to a magnitude 6.5 or 7 earthquake, which would likely trigger underwater landslides around the region. A train of tsunami waves would form.
The air blast from the explosion would be larger than anything heard on Earth in recorded history. The energy released would be approximately a thousand times larger than that from the recent Tonga eruption. It is also possible that the pressure waves in the atmosphere would further amplify the tsunami waves far away from the crater.
Chicxulub relative?
One of the most intriguing aspects of this crater is that it is the same age as the giant Chicxulub event, give or take one million years, at the boundary between the Cretaceous and Paleogene periods 66 million years ago. Again, if this really is an impact crater, might there be some relationship between them?
We have three ideas as to their possible relationship. The first is that they might have formed from the break-up of a parent asteroid, with the larger fragment resulting in the Chicxulub event and a smaller fragment (the “little sister”) forming the Nadir crater. If so, the damaging effects of the Chicxulub impact could have been added to by the Nadir impact, exacerbating the severity of the mass extinction event.
The break-up event could have formed by an earlier near-collision, when the asteroid or comet passed close enough to Earth to experience gravitational forces strong enough to pull it apart. The actual collision could then have occurred on a subsequent orbit.
Although, this is less likely for a rocky asteroid, this pull-apart is exactly what happened to the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet that collided with Jupiter back in 1994, where multiple comet fragments collided with the planet over the course of several days.
Another possibility is that Nadir was part of a longer lived “impact cluster”, formed by a collision in the asteroid belt earlier in solar system history. This is known as the “little cousin” hypothesis.
This collision may have sent a shower of asteroids into the inner solar system, which may have collided with the Earth and other inner planets over a more extended time period, perhaps a million years or more. We have a precedent for such an event back in the Ordovician period – over 400 million years ago – when there were numerous impact events in a short period of time.
Finally, of course, this may just be a coincidence. We do expect a collision of a Nadir-sized asteroid every 700,000 years or so. For now, however, we cannot definitively state that the Nadir crater was formed by an asteroid impact until we physically recover samples from the crater floor, and identify minerals that can only be formed by extreme shock pressures. To that end, we have recently submitted a proposal to drill the crater through the International Ocean Discovery Program.
As with the main impact crater hypothesis, we can only test the little sister and little cousin hypotheses by accurately dating the crater using these samples, as well as by looking for other candidate craters of a similar age.
Perhaps more importantly, could such an event happen in the near future? It is unlikely, but the size of the asteroid that we model is very similar to the Bennu asteroid currently in near-Earth orbit. This asteroid is considered to be one of the two most hazardous objects in the solar system, with a one-in-1,750 chance of collision with Earth in the next couple of centuries.
As wildfire season continued to unfold today with a string of blazes across California, the state Assembly approved legislation from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that would enhance wildfire prevention through implementation of a $20 million prescribed fire claims fund.
“Clearing our forests of tinder-dry brush and weeds has proven to be a cost-effective way to minimize the intensity and scope of wildfires,” Sen. Dodd said. “It’s why I wrote the law last year to encourage more prescribed fires. Now we can enhance our use of this time-tested technique by establishing guidelines for a fund to cover some costs borne by prescribed fire professionals. The Assembly’s approval today takes us a step closer to achieving our goal.”
Prescribed fire, also known as controlled burning, has been used for centuries to clear dead trees and brush that are known to fuel runaway wildfires.
Rarely do prescribed fires escape their bounds and cause damage to neighboring properties. Yet affordable insurance is difficult to secure, preventing property owners from treating their land.
Sen. Dodd’s bill, Senate Bill 926, would create standards for a fund to help cover costs.
It is a followup to Senate Bill 332, also written by Sen. Dodd and signed into law last year, which protects landowners and prescribed fire managers from having to pay fire suppression expenses unless they have acted with gross negligence.
SB 926 is sponsored by The Nature Conservancy.
It passed the Assembly on Thursday and heads next to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his signature following a concurrence vote in the Senate.
“If we are going to restore our forests at a pace and scale, we need to reduce barriers to prescribed burning — our most effective long-term landscape fire management tool,” said Jay Ziegler, director of policy and external affairs at The Nature Conservancy. “Science shows prescribed fire is critical to curbing catastrophic megafires in California. SB 926 will help us do more of it. We appreciate Sen. Dodd’s leadership on establishing a prescribed fire claims fund.”
Dodd represents the Third Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Solano, Yolo, Sonoma, Contra Costa and Sacramento counties.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Clearlake City Council will hold a special meeting on Monday to discuss appointments to council seats and recruiting a new finance director.
The council will meet at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 22, in closed session to discuss a potential case of litigation before the public portion of the meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
Comments and questions can be submitted in writing for City Council consideration by sending them to City Clerk Melissa Swanson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
To give the council adequate time to review your questions and comments, please submit your written comments before 1:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 22.
Each public comment emailed to the city clerk will be read aloud by the mayor or a member of staff for up to three minutes or will be displayed on a screen. Public comment emails and town hall public comment submissions that are received after the beginning of the meeting will not be included in the record.
On Monday, city staff will ask the council to discuss and provide direction on whether to appoint nominated councilmembers to serve another term in lieu of holding an election for those seats.
City Clerk/Administrative Services Director Melissa Swanson’s report explains that incumbent council members Russ Cremer and Dirk Slooten were the only ones to file to run for election in November.
“Because there are the same number of available offices and candidates, Elections Code § 10229 gives the City the option to appoint these candidates in lieu of holding an election,” Swanson wrote.
“Government Code 36512(d) prohibits an appointment that would result in a majority of councilmembers serving by way of appointment. For this reason, if the Council chooses to appoint the incumbents in lieu of election, if any future seat would become unfilled before the next election, the City Council would not have the option to fill the available council seat via appointment and would have to hold a special election at that time,” Swanson sadi in her report.
She said there were no nominations for city treasurer. Likewise, the city has the option to appoint a qualified elector to the city treasurer seat in lieu of holding an election or authorize the election for city treasurer to move forward, which allows for a candidate to be nominated during the write-in candidate period of Sept. 12 through Oct. 25.
Swanson said that city municipal code requires that whenever a vacancy occurs in the office of city treasurer, the city manager is automatically appointed to fill the vacancy until a successor is appointed or elected.
There has been no elected city treasurer filling the vacancy since 2006, Swanson said.
Swanson said the options include holding an election for all three seats, appointing Cremer and Slooten while holding an election in November for city treasurer, and appointing a qualified elector to the city treasurer seat and appoint the two qualified City Council candidates to the Council seats.
Also on Monday, City Manager Alan Flora will ask the council to consider hiring an executive recruiter to fill the upcoming finance director vacancy.
Flora’s report said that last week the city’s current finance director accepted a position out of state.
The city’s finance director, Kelcey Young, was hired in June 2021.
“Staff would like to move forward expeditiously to fill the upcoming vacancy,” said Flora, who is requesting authorization to select and contract with an executive recruiting firm to fill the vacancy.
Flora is asking to spend up to $30,000 on the recruitment.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
This story is being updated as new information is available.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Firefighters are working to stop a Saturday evening fire near Lower Lake.
The Point fire was first reported just before 5:45 p.m. Saturday in the area of Point Lakeview Road near Highway 29.
Firefighters at the scene later put the fire closer to the area of Panorama Road near Lake Road.
Several local fire agencies including Lake County Fire, Kelseyville Fire, Lakeport Fire and Northshore Fire responded, with Cal Fire sending a full wildland fire dispatch including air attack, helicopters and four air tankers.
Evacuations were ordered in the area of sunrise Drive, Black Oak Drive and near Sunrise Shore.
The Point fire near Lower Lake, California, on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022. Photo by Dave Hughes. As of just before 6:30 p.m., the fire was reported to be 25 acres, with a moderate rate of spread.
At that point, structures were threatened but none were involved.
Tankers are working to drop retardant to stop the fire, with copters dropping water.
Shortly after 6:30 p.m., the Lake County Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation order for two evacuation zones, KEL-E146 and LOW-E154.
Air attack reported shortly after 7 p.m. that forward progress was close to being stopped, with tankers making good progress on the head of the fire.
Copter 104 from the Boggs Helitack was at the fire and working to knock out a spot fire by structures just before 7:20 p.m.
Before 7:30 p.m., incident command gave orders for resources to work on the incident on Sunday, which included several crews, strike teams and at least one dozer.
Minutes later, the last tankers were being released, with two copters to continue to work the incident until dark.
Also at about 7:30 p.m., the sheriff’s office issued an evacuation warning for the area of Konocti Vista Drive to Anderson Road in the Jago Bay area, located in KEL-E146-B pm Zonehaven. Residents of the area are asked to maintain situational awareness and prepare to evacuate if necessary.
Shortly before 8:15 p.m., the sheriff’s office said the evacuation warning for the area west of Anderson Road was lifted.
However, all evacuation orders east of Anderson Road at Pt. Lakeview remained in effect at that time.
Additional information will be published as it becomes available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Updated evacuation areas for the Point fire on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022. Image courtesy of Zonehaven.Helicopters pick up loads of water out of Clear Lake to fight the Point fire on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022. Photo by Dave Hughes.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Clearlake Animal Control has many great dogs waiting to be adopted by new families.
The City of Clearlake Animal Association also is seeking fosters for the animals waiting to be adopted.
Call the Clearlake Animal Control shelter at 707-273-9440, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to inquire about adoptions and schedule a visit to the shelter.
Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or on the city’s website.
The following dogs are available for adoption. The newest additions are at the top.
“Andy.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Andy’
“Andy” is a male American pit bull mix with a short gray and white coat.
He is dog No. 48995415.
“Bear.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Bear’
“Bear” is a male Labrador retriever-American pit bull mix with a short charcoal and fawn coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 48443153.
“Betsy.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Betsy’
“Betsy” is a female American pit bull mix with a short white coat.
She has been spayed.
She is dog No. 50236145.
“Bluey.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Bluey’
“Bluey” is a male retriever mix with a short black coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 50552999.
“Big Phil.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Big Phil’
“Big Phil” is a 13-year-old male American pit bull terrier mix with a blue coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 49951647.
“Colt.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Colt’
“Colt” is a male Rhodesian Ridgeback mix with a short rust and black coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 49812106.
“Groucho.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Groucho’
“Groucho” is a male Chihuahua-miniature pinscher mix with a short tricolor coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 49651597.
“Hakuna.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Hakuna’
“Hakuna” is a male shepherd mix with a tan coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 50176912.
“Kubota.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Kubota’
“Kubota” is a male German shepherd mix with a short tan and black coat.
He has been neutered.
Kubota is dog No. 50184421.
“Luna.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Luna’
“Luna” is an 8-month-old Labrador retriever-terrier mix with a black and white coat.
She is dog No. 50339254.
“Mamba.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Mamba’
“Mamba” is a male Siberian husky mix with a gray and cream-colored coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 49520569.
“Matata.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Matata’
“Matata” is male shepherd mix with a tan coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 50176912.
“Newman.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Newman’
“Newman” is a 1-year-old male American pit bull terrier mix with a black and white coat.
He has been neutered.
Newman is dog No. 49057809.
“Sadie.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Sadie’
“Sadie” is a female German shepherd mix with a black and tan coat.
She has been spayed.
She is dog No. 49802563.
“Sparkles.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Sparkles’
“Sparkles” is a female terrier mix with a short brindle coat.
Shehas been spayed.
She is dog No. 50592729.
“Terry.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Terry’
“Terry” is a handsome male shepherd mix with a short brindle coat.
He gets along with other dogs, including small ones, and enjoys toys. He also likes water, playing fetch and keep away.
Staff said he is now getting some training to help him build confidence.
He is dog No. 48443693.
“Tiramisu.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Tiramisu’
“Tiramisu” is a female Alaskan husky mix with a short brown and cream coat.
She is dog No. 49652833.
“Willie.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Willie’
“Willie” is a male German shepherd mix with a black and tan coat.
He has been neutered.
He is dog No. 50596003.
“Ziggy.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control. ‘Ziggy’
“Ziggy” is a male American pit bull terrier mix with a short gray and white coat.
He has been neutered.
Ziggy is dog No. 50146247
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
COBB, Calif. — The Cobb Area Council has partnered with the Seigler Springs Community Redevelopment Association to present the second annual Blackberry COBBler Festival.
This year the event has expanded to include activities throughout Cobb over the entire weekend of Friday, Aug. 26, to Sunday, Aug. 28.
The main event will be held Saturday, Aug. 27, at Mountain Meadow Venue 16451 Golf Road on Cobb from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This festival is part of a larger plan created by the Economic Development Ad Hoc Committee of the Cobb Area Council as a way to bring more visitors to the Cobb area to help stimulate growth and to support our local businesses and artisans.
The event will feature live music, food, beer and wine, artisan vendors and a kids area. Home bakers are encouraged to enter the blackberry cobbler contest for a chance at a first prize ribbon.
All blackberry cobbler entries are to be submitted from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Judging begins at 2 p.m. and the winners will be announced at 3 p.m.
Other events for the weekend include the following:
• Sunday hike in Boggs Forest with Friends of Boggs Mountain at 9 a.m. RSVP at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
• Sunday at Pine Grove Resort: PineGrooven dance, food, fun starting at 10:30 a.m.
• Adam Springs Clubhouse: Blackberry menu and drinks.
• Blackberry frozen yogurt and treats at Mtn. High Coffee and Books.
Visit www.ExploreCobbCA.com for more information and to support the artists and businesses in the Cobb community.
The Cobb Area Council is grateful for the generous donation from Calpine Corp. to ensure the success of this annual event.
The group also thanked Whispering Pines Resort, Mountain Meadow Venue, Mandala Springs Resort, PG&E, Hardester’s Market, Reynolds Systems, Jennifer Wall Realtor Re/Max GOLD, Adventist Health, Abby Leu Presents, Jon the Tax Man, James and Inez Wenckus, California Tendai, Wild Bee Creations, Boatique Winery, Kelsey Creek Brewery, Shannon Family of Wines, Fore Family Winery, Pope Valley Winery, R Vineyards, Trinchero Family Estates, Lagunitas Brewery, Bell Haven Flower Farm, A. Nichols Tree Service, Action Sanitary, Big Falls Water, Reynolds Systems, Patrick Lambert Farmers Insurance, CVS Pharmacy, O’Meara Bros. Brewing Co. and many, many volunteers who have come together to help make sure this event is a success.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – For the first time this year, West Nile virus has been detected in mosquitoes and a dead bird in Lake County.
The mosquitoes, Culex tarsalis (western encephalitis mosquito), were collected in traps near Clearlake Oaks on Aug. 16.
The dead bird, an American crow, was reported by a Lakeport resident on Aug. 6.
“Despite the dry year, mosquitoes and West Nile virus activity continues to be a risk. Mosquitoes will find the water they need to lay their eggs. We’re seeing West Nile virus activity increasing statewide, including in Lake County,” said Jamesina Scott, Ph.D., district manager and research director of the Lake County Vector Control District.
“You can avoid West Nile virus by avoiding mosquito bites,” Scott said. “Mosquitoes thrive in still water. Dump out or drain water in backyard water sources, or contact the district for free mosquito-eating fish for water that can’t be drained, like unmaintained (green) swimming pools and spas, ornamental ponds, or animal watering troughs.”
The district encourages residents to reduce their risk of contracting West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne diseases:
• Dump or drain standing water to prevent mosquitoes. Mosquitoes need water to complete their life cycle. • Defend yourself. Use repellents containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Follow the label directions. • Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are present, typically dawn and dusk.
So far this year, West Nile virus activity has been detected in three mosquito samples and one dead bird in Lake County.
Statewide, 24 California counties have detected WNV this year, mainly in mosquitoes.
As of Aug. 18, 12 human cases of West Nile virus illness have been reported in California residents this year.
Residents can report dead birds to help the district identify where West Nile virus activity is taking place. All dead bird reports from the public are critical in helping the district direct mosquito operations.
Report dead birds to the state’s toll-free hotline at 1-877-968-2473 (1-877-WNV-BIRD) or online at the California Department of Public Health's website https://westnile.ca.gov/report.
The Lake County Vector Control District provides mosquito and vector control services to the community.
Residents with questions or who would like help with a mosquito problem, including reporting a neglected pool or spa, or who have an in-ground yellowjacket nest on their property that they want treated, should contact the Lake County Vector Control District at 707-263-4770 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, or request service online anytime at https://www.lcvcd.org/request-service-d649036.
For more information about the Lake County Vector Control District and its services, visit www.LCVCD.org.
Artist’s concept of Kepler-186f, an Earth-size exoplanet orbiting a red dwarf star in the constellation Cygnus. Credits: NASA/Tim Pyle. Imagine you go to a theme park with your family and you ask a park employee to take a group photo.
A celebrity walks by in the background and waves at the camera, stealing the focus of the photo. Surprisingly, this concept of “photobombing” is relevant to astronomers looking for habitable planets, too.
When scientists point a telescope at an exoplanet, the light the telescope receives could effectively be “contaminated” by light from other planets in the same star system, according to a new NASA study. The research, published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters on Aug. 11, modeled how this “photobombing” effect would impact an advanced space telescope designed to observe potentially habitable exoplanets and suggested potential ways to overcome this challenge.
“If you looked at Earth sitting next to Mars or Venus from a distant vantage point, then depending on when you observed them, you might think they’re both the same object,” explained Dr. Prabal Saxena, a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who led the research.
Saxena uses our own solar system as an analog to explain this photobombing effect.
“For example, depending on the observation, an exo-Earth could be hiding in [light from] what we mistakenly believe is a large exo-Venus,” said Dr. Saxena. Earth’s neighbor Venus is generally thought to be hostile to habitability, with surface temperatures hot enough to melt lead – so this mixing could lead scientists to miss out on a potentially habitable planet.
Astronomers use telescopes to analyze light from distant worlds to gather information that may reveal whether they could support life. One light-year, the distance light travels in a year, is almost six trillion miles (over nine trillion kilometers), and there are about 30 stars similar to our Sun within roughly 30 light-years of our solar system.
This photobombing phenomenon, in which observations of one planet are contaminated by light from other planets in a system, stems from the “point-spread function” (PSF) of the target planet. The PSF is an image created due to diffraction of light (the bending or spreading of light waves around an opening) coming from a source and is larger than the source for something very far away (such as an exoplanet).
The size of the PSF of an object depends on the size of the telescope aperture (the light-collecting area) and wavelength at which the observation is taken. For worlds around a distant star, a PSF may resolve in such a way that two nearby planets or a planet and a moon could seem to morph into one.
If that is the case, the data that scientists can gather about such an Earth analog would be skewed or affected by whatever world or worlds were photobombing the planet in question, which could complicate or outright prevent the detection and confirmation of an exo-Earth, a potential planet like Earth beyond our solar system.
Saxena examined an analogous scenario in which otherworldly astronomers might be looking at Earth from more than 30 light-years away, using a telescope similar to that recommended in the 2020 Astrophysics Decadal Survey.
“We found that such a telescope would sometimes see potential exo-Earths beyond 30 light-years distance blended with additional planets in their systems, including those that are outside of the habitable zone, for a range of different wavelengths of interest,” Saxena said.
The habitable zone is that region of space around a star where the amount of starlight would allow liquid water on a planet’s surface, which may enable the existence of life.
There are multiple strategies to deal with the photobombing problem. These include developing new methods of processing data gathered by telescopes to mitigate the potential that photobombing will skew the results of a study.
Another method would be to study systems over time, to avoid the possibility that planets with close orbits would appear in each other’s PSFs. Saxena’s study also discusses how using observations from multiple telescopes or increasing the size of the telescope could reduce the photobombing effect at similar distances.
Discovering exoplanets and determining if any can support life is part of NASA’s mission to explore and understand the unknown, to inspire and benefit humanity.
The research was funded by NASA under award number 80GSFC21M0002 and was also funded in part by the Goddard Sellers Exoplanet Environments Collaboration.
Nick Oakes writes for NASA.
This is a cartoon illustrating the planetary photobombing concept. Photobombers like Mars and the Moon could sneak into a picture of Earth, if you tried to observe it in a way similar to how scientists will try to find and understand potentially habitable worlds outside our solar system. Credits: NASA/Jay Friedlander/Prabal Saxena.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control’s shelter is filled with a big array of dogs needing to be adopted.
Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of catahoula leopard dog, chow chow, German shepherd, Great Pyrenees, hound, husky, Labrador retriever, pit bull, Rottweiler, shepherd, terrier and treeing walker coonhound.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption.
Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online for information on visiting or adopting.
This 3-year-old male German shepherd-chow chow mix is in kennel No. 7, ID No. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. German shepherd-chow chow mix
This 3-year-old male German shepherd-chow chow mix has a black and tan coat.
He is in kennel No. 7, ID No. LCAC-A-3866.
This 5-year-old male Labrador retriever mix is in kennel No. 8, ID No. LCAC-A-3737. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male Labrador retriever mix
This 5-year-old male Labrador retriever mix has a short gold coat.
He is in kennel No. 8, ID No. LCAC-A-3737.
This 2-year-old female pit bull terrier is in kennel No. 9, ID No. LCAC-A-3856. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female pit bull terrier
This 2-year-old female pit bull terrier has a black and white coat.
She is in kennel No. 9, ID No. LCAC-A-3856.
This 1-year-old male pit bull terrier is in kennel No. 10, ID No. LCAC-A-3855. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male pit bull terrier
This 1-year-old male pit bull terrier has a gray and white coat.
He is in kennel No. 10, ID No. LCAC-A-3855.
This male Rottweiler-shepherd mix puppy is in kennel No. 13, ID No. LCAC-A-3851. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male Rottweiler-shepherd mix
This male Rottweiler-shepherd mix puppy has a short black and tan coat.
He is in kennel No. 13, ID No. LCAC-A-3851.
June is a 2-year-old female catahoula leopard dog mix in kennel No. 18, ID No. LCAC-A-3768. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘June’
“June” is a 2-year-old female catahoula leopard dog mix has a short brindle coat.
She is in kennel No. 18, ID No. LCAC-A-3768.
This 1-year-old female hound mix is in kennel No. 19, ID No. LCAC-A-3766. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female hound mix
This 1-year-old female hound mix has a short brown and white coat.
He is in kennel No. 19, ID No. LCAC-A-3766.
This young female treeing walker coonhound is in kennel No. 22, ID No. LCAC-A-3776. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female treeing walker coonhound
This young female treeing walker coonhound has a short black brindle coat.
She is in kennel No. 22, ID No. LCAC-A-3776.
This 1-year-old female German shepherd is in kennel No. 24, ID No. LCAC-A-3780. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female German shepherd
This 1-year-old female German shepherd has a short black and tan coat.
She is in kennel No. 24, ID No. LCAC-A-3780.
This 7-year-old female Labrador retriever mix is in kennel No. 26, ID No. LCAC-A-3821. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female Labrador retriever
This 7-year-old female Labrador retriever mix has a short gold coat.
She is in kennel No. 26, ID No. LCAC-A-3821.
This 1-year-old female husky is in kennel No. 27, ID No. LCAC-A-3893. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female husky
This 1-year-old female husky has a cream and black coat.
She is in kennel No. 27, ID No. LCAC-A-3893.
This 1-year-old male shepherd mix is in kennel No. 28, ID No. LCAC-A-3796. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male shepherd mix
This 1-year-old male shepherd mix has a black and tan coat.
He is in kennel No. 28, ID No. LCAC-A-3796.
This 2-year-old male Labrador retriever-black and tan coonhound mix is in kennel No. 29, ID No. LCAC-A-3849. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Labrador retriever-hound mix
This 2-year-old male Labrador retriever-black and tan coonhound mix has a short black and tan coat.
He is in kennel No. 29, ID No. LCAC-A-3849.
This young female Great Pyrenees is in kennel No. 30, ID No. LCAC-A-3790. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female Great Pyrenees
This young female Great Pyrenees has a gray and white coat.
She is in kennel No. 30, ID No. LCAC-A-3790.
“Maya” is a 2-year-old female German shepherd in kennel No. 32, ID No. LCAC-A-2598. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Maya’
“Maya” is a 2-year-old female German shepherd with a short black and tan coat.
She is in kennel No. 32, ID No. LCAC-A-2598.
This young female Great Pyrenees is in kennel No. 34, ID No. LCAC-A-3789. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female Great Pyrenees
This young female Great Pyrenees has a short white coat.
She is in kennel No. 34, ID No. LCAC-A-3789.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office reported Friday on the candidates who have filed to fill dozens of seats on school district, community services and health district, fire district and water district boards across Lake County.
The seats are to be filled as part of this November’s general election.
However, with many of the seats not having more than one applicant, only those seats in contested races will be on the ballot. Those seats in uncontented races will be considered appointed.
The following is the list of seats available this fall. Each set of seats has a notation regarding whether or not it will appear on the ballot in November.
For more information contact the Registrar of Voters Office at 707-263-2372 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
BOARDS OF EDUCATION
Lake County Board of Education TA 3 – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: One vacancy, one candidate filed.
• Denise Lee Loustalot, small business owner
Lake County Board of Education TA 4 – Will appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: One vacancy, two candidates filed.
Lake County Board of Education TA 5 – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: One vacancy, one candidate filed.
• Anna Rose Ravenwoode, incumbent
Mendocino–Lake Community College District TA 6 – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: One vacancy, one candidate filed.
• Lorree Lewis Crandell, wife/mother
Yuba Community College District TA 7 – Will appear on the ballot
Two-year unexpired term expiring December 2024: One vacancy, two candidates filed.
• Jeffrey Dryden, student • Douglas M. Harris, appointed incumbent
Kelseyville Unified School District – Will appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: Two vacancies, three candidates filed.
• Allison Panella, incumbent
• Janet Rykert, teacher/business owner • Rick Winer, incumbent
Konocti Unified School District – Will appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: Three vacancies, five candidates filed.
• Marty Aarreberg, retired school administrator • Pamela Bening-Hale, retired teacher • Bill Diener, incumbent • Jennifer Hughes, registered dental hygienist • Joan Shelley Mingori, incumbent
Lakeport Unified School District – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: Two vacancies, two candidates filed.
• Carly Alvord, incumbent • Jennifer Hanson, incumbent
Lakeport Unified School District – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2024: One vacancy, one candidate filed.
• Jen Richardson, appointed incumbent
Lucerne Elementary School District – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: Two vacancies, two candidates filed.
• Cheyenne Higgins, mother • Dawn McAuley, incumbent
Middletown Unified School District – Will appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: Three vacancies, four candidates filed.
• Eileen Anderson, mother/retired bookkeeper • Allison Berloger, appointed incumbent • Annette Lee, community college dean • Chris Ochs, school facilities director and appointed incumbent
Middletown Unified School District – Will appear on the ballot
Two-year unexpired term expiring December 2024: One vacancy, two candidates filed.
• Larry Allen, retired teacher and incumbent • Hank Lescher, retired business owner
Upper Lake Unified School District – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: Three vacancies, three candidates filed.
• Joanne Breton, appointed incumbent • Diane Tomkins Plante, incumbent • Ana Santana, incumbent
COMMUNITY SERVICES AND HEALTH CARE DISTRICTS
Anderson Springs Community Services District – Will appear on the ballot
Four-year terms expiring December 2026: Three vacancies, four candidates filed.
• Karen Coker, retired respiratory therapist • Carol Ohsiek, appointed incumbent • Donna Taylor, incumbent • Cynthia H. Weber, appointed incumbent
Anderson Springs Community Services District – Will not appear on the ballot
Two-year unexpired term expiring December 2024: One vacancy, one candidate filed.
• Roger Duke, appointed incumbent
Butler-Keys Community Services District – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: Two vacancies, two candidates filed.
• Susan Burton, incumbent • Mary M. Medeiros, incumbent
Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: Two vacancies, two candidates filed.
• Claude Brown, incumbent • Gary Gerard Graves, incumbent
Redbud Health Care District, Zone 2 – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2024: One vacancy, one candidate filed.
• Sandra Richards, retired nurse
Redbud Health Care District, Zone 4 – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2024: One vacancy, one candidate filed.
• Bill Diener, incumbent
FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT BOARDS
Kelseyville Fire Protection District – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: Three vacancies, three candidates filed.
• Paul Ernest Lauenroth, incumbent • Michele T. Rohner, incumbent • Mario Villalobos
Lake County Fire Protection District – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: Four vacancies, three candidates filed.
• Denise Lee Loustalot, small business owner • Jacqueline Snyder, incumbent • Diane M. Watson, incumbent
Lake County Fire Protection District – Will not appear on the ballot
Two-year unexpired term expiring December 2024: One vacancy, one candidate filed.
• Mario Ballard, appointed incumbent
Lake Pillsbury Fire Protection District – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: Three vacancies, two candidates filed.
• Stacy Delventhal, incumbent • Raymond Eugene Todt, appointed incumbent
Lake Pillsbury Fire Protection District – Will appear on the ballot
Two-year unexpired term expiring December 2024: One vacancy, two candidates filed.
• Heather Hasler • Warner Henderson, appointed incumbent
Northshore Fire Protection District, At Large – Will appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: One vacancy, two candidates filed.
• James O. Burton, incumbent • Leah Robbins, retired fire captain
Northshore Fire Protection District, Nice Zone – Will appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: One vacancy, two candidates filed.
• John T. Barnette, incumbent • Lori Carter-Runyon, Hilltop Recovery Services executive director
Northshore Fire Protection District, Lucerne Zone – Will appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: One vacancy, two candidates filed.
• Becky Schwenger, fire captain/paramedic • Gerald Shepherd, incumbent
South Lake Fire Protection District – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year term expiring December 2026: Two vacancies, one candidate filed.
• Stephanie Cline, appointed incumbent
WATER DISTRICTS
Buckingham Park Water District – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year terms expiring December 2026: Three vacancies, three candidates filed.
• Narendra "Ken" Agarwal, incumbent • Mark Boyle, incumbent • Lisa Vartabedian, incumbent
Callayomi County Water District – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year terms expiring December 2026: Three vacancies, two candidates filed.
• Jessica Dessel, appointed incumbent • Mary Patricia Giacomini, incumbent
Callayomi County Water District – Will not appear on the ballot
Two-year unexpired term expiring December 2024: One vacancy, one candidate filed.
• Joseph Franklin Verlarde, appointed incumbent
Clearlake Oaks County Water District – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year terms expiring December 2026: Two vacancies, two candidates filed.
• Stanley A. Archacki, incumbent • Samuel Boucher
Cobb Area County Water District – Will appear on the ballot
Four-year terms expiring December 2026: Three vacancies, four candidates filed.
• Steve Barnes, incumbent • Joshua Dixon, none • David Peters, retired health administrator • Joel Pyska
Konocti County Water District – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year terms expiring December 2026: Three vacancies, two candidates filed.
• Geoffrey Chapman, retired general contractor • Christine Marie Flora, incumbent
Upper Lake County Water District – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year terms expiring December 2026: Two vacancies, one candidate filed.
• Jackie Meri, incumbent
Upper Lake County Water District – Will not appear on the ballot
Two-year unexpired term expiring December 2024: One vacancy, one candidate filed.
• Jan C. Brelsford, appointed incumbent
Villa Blue Estates Water District – Will not appear on the ballot
Four-year terms expiring December 2026: Three vacancies, two candidates filed.
• David P. Andregg Jr. • Harold Bennett
Villa Blue Estates Water District – Will not appear on the ballot
Two-year unexpired term expiring December 2024: Three vacancies, two candidates filed.
• Donna Lynn Brooks, incumbent • Ann Knudsen, incumbent
From left, Bill Ward, Assistant Fire Chief Paul Duncan, Battalion Chief Brian York and Walt Dorn following the delivery of the new HeloPods at the Middletown Fire Station in Middletown, California, on Thursday, August 18, 2022. Photo courtesy of Cal Fire. MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — A generous donation from the South Lake Fire Sirens Auxiliary Group has allowed South Lake County Fire Protection District to order two new generation portable dip tanks known as HeloPods.
The HeloPod is a groundbreaking product manufactured in Simi Valley, California, designed and built as a mobile Helicopter Dip Tank and Cistern for large helicopters.
This game changing tool helps get a water dip site set up quickly during an incident. With the quick set-up, firefighters will only need to connect the hoses to the hydrant, then helicopters are ready to start pulling water from it, while still hovering, greatly reducing turnaround times.
South Lake County Fire joins San Diego County Fire and Riverside County Fire deploying these HeloPods in their areas.
Other departments include but are not limited to Los Angeles County Fire, Santa Barbara County Fire and Orange County Fire.
Soon to follow is another leader in Northern California, the Northern Sonoma County Fire District.
With the new CAL FIREHAWK, while much more fire capable, water sources can be more challenging to find.
The HeloPod builds on the broader goal for the South Lake Fire Protection District to improve our community's fire readiness and capabilities.
This first started with "Operation Force Multiplier,” a region-first program that has put firefighting tools and extinguishers in the hands of our residents.
The second was the purchase of Engine 6061, South Lake County Fire's new Type 6 wildland firefighting engine. Engine 6061 is smaller, lighter, faster, and more capable for off-road use.
Regarding the HeloPod, Assistant Fire Chief Paul Duncan said, "Our Team here at South Lake County Fire has been researching this new type of resource for a few years. When the opportunity presented itself, our research was already done. And with a special thanks to the South Lake Fire Sirens, we were able to do the right thing, increasing the safety of our communities."
Two HeloPods were delivered on Thursday morning. One will be placed within the Middletown area, and the other in the Cobb area.
South Lake County Fire is collaborating with the Cobb Water District and the Callayomi County Water District to supply water to the tanks and local property owners for the locations to place them.
These locations have been chosen for the first locations to help spread water availability throughout the fire district. The Hidden Valley Lake area already has the community lake as a water source.
“It is our group's passion and drive to support our firefighters. We are just thrilled to be able to fund this critical purchase to support the communities in our fire district,” said Carol Olsen, who runs the thrift shop for the Fire Sirens.
South Lake Fire Protection District as well as the Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit is excited to have these game changing tools located within our responsibility areas.
For more information about the HeloPods, see the video below or contact South Lake County Fire Protection District.