LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As one of the driest and warmest winters on record winds down – with Clear Lake at one of its lowest levels in nearly two decades – Northern California could see significant rainfall and snow in the coming week.

The National Weather Service is warning that this week could bring the most rainfall of the winter season so far, with several “waves” of weather expected to move through interior Northern California beginning late Sunday and extending through Friday.

Forecasters also are expecting snow levels beginning at the 4,000 elevation and rising as the week progresses.

A winter storm watch has been issued for northern Lake County, specifically covering areas above 5,000 feet from Monday evening through Tuesday night.

In those areas, snowfall could be moderate to heavy during that time period, with south to southwest winds between 20 and 35 miles per hours, and gusts as high as 60 miles per hour over mountain ridges.

In the county's lower elevations, showers are expected from Sunday through Saturday. Snow levels are expected to drop to around 2,900 feet at one point early in the week, with south southwest winds as high as 31 miles per hour Monday night, according to the National Weather Service's forecast.

Daytime highs will be in the high 40s and low 50s, and in the 30s at night, forecasters predicted.

The anticipated late weather precipitation is needed in California, which has had a relatively dry, warm winter.

The state Department of Water Resources' snowpack tracking data showed that on Saturday evening the statewide snowpack summary was at 34 percent of normal.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that this winter so far has been rated the fourth warmest on record for the contiguous United States and drier than average for the lower 48 states and across the West and Southeast.

In Lake County, lake levels also are low just a year after the lake was at flood stage for the first time in more than a decade.

Early Sunday, readings of Clear Lake showed it was at 3.05 feet Rumsey, Rumsey being the special measure for the lake.

A full lake is 7.56 feet Rumsey, and that was Clear Lake's depth on March 11, 2011, according to data from the Lake County Department of Water Resources.

Sunday's reading for the lake was the lowest for that date from 1994 to 2011, years for which lake depth data reports were available on the U.S. Geological Survey and Lake County Department of Water Services Web sites.

For comparison, on March 11 the lake was at 6.39 feet Rumsey in 2010, 4.03 feet Rumsey in 2009, 7.05 feet Rumsey in 2008, 6.05 feet Rumsey in 2007, 8.23 feet Rumsey in 2006, 6.87 feet Rumsey in 2005, 7.72 feet Rumsey in 2004 and 7.08 feet Rumsey in 2003, US Geological Survey water data showed.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

 

NASA's Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft orbiting the moon officially have begun their science collection phase.

During the next 84 days, scientists will obtain a high-resolution map of the lunar gravitational field to learn about the moon's internal structure and composition in unprecedented detail.

The data also will provide a better understanding of how Earth and other rocky planets in the solar system formed and evolved.

“The initiation of science data collection is a time when the team lets out a collective sigh of relief because we are finally doing what we came to do,” said Maria Zuber, principal investigator for the GRAIL mission at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. “But it is also a time where we have to put the coffee pot on, roll up our sleeves and get to work.”

The GRAIL mission's twin, washing-machine-sized spacecraft, named Ebb and Flow, entered lunar orbit on New Year's Eve and New Years Day. GRAIL's science phase began on Tuesday, March 6, at 5:15 p.m. PST.

During this mission phase, the spacecraft will transmit radio signals precisely defining the distance between them.

As they fly over areas of greater and lesser gravity caused by visible features such as mountains, craters and masses hidden beneath the lunar surface, the distance between the two spacecraft will change slightly.

Science activities are expected to conclude on May 29, after GRAIL maps the gravity field of the moon three times.

“We are in a near-polar, near-circular orbit with an average altitude of about 34 miles (55 kilometers) right now,” said David Lehman, GRAIL project manager from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif. “During the science phase, our spacecraft will orbit the moon as high as 31 miles (51 kilometers) and as low as 10 miles (16 kilometers). They will get as close to each other as 40 miles (65 kilometers) and as far apart as 140 miles (225 kilometers).”

Previously named GRAIL A and B, the names Ebb and Flow were the result of a nation-wide student contest to choose new names for the spacecraft.

The winning entry was submitted by fourth graders from the Emily Dickinson Elementary School in Bozeman, Mont.

Nearly 900 classrooms with more than 11,000 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, participated in the contest.

JPL manages the GRAIL mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

The GRAIL mission is part of the Discovery Program managed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver built the spacecraft.

For more information about GRAIL, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – An undercover operation by narcotics detectives that lasted more than a month led to the arrest in early February of a Lakeport man.

Noe Reyes Gutierrez, 41, was arrested on Feb. 3, according to a Friday report from Capt. Chris Macedo of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Macedo said that beginning in late December 2011, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force detectives began working an undercover operation into possible sales of methamphetamine by Gutierrez, who was working as a landscaper.

On Dec. 29 Gutierrez traveled to Yuba City and sold an undercover detective approximately one ounce of methamphetamine for $1,300, Macedo reported.

On Jan. 27, Gutierrez again met with the undercover detective, this time in the Walmart parking lot in Clearlake, and sold the detective approximately one ounce of methamphetamine for $1,200, according to Macedo.

Then, on Feb. 2, detectives conducted surveillance on Gutierrez, who Macedo said arranged to meet with the undercover detective to sell two more ounces of methamphetamine.  

Gutierrez met with the undercover detective and stated that the two ounces of methamphetamine would be ready the following day, Macedo said.

Detectives with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force obtained a warrant for Gutierrez’s arrest, as well as a search warrant authorizing a search of Gutierrez’s person, home and vehicles, according to Macedo.

On Feb. 3, Narcotics Task Force members contacted Gutierrez and arrested him for the warrant. Macedo said the detectives also served the search warrant and located ammunition, a small quantity of marijuana and a glass pipe commonly used for ingesting methamphetamine.  

Gutierrez remains in custody with $200,000 bail on several counts of violation of Health and Safety Code section 11379, transportation or sales of a controlled substance.

Anyone with information that can assist the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force is encouraged to call the Narcotics Anonymous Tip Line at 707-263-3663. 

 
Rosemary is in bloom everywhere, and bees have been out in droves to take advantage of the plethora of florets.
 
Even when sunshine is not as abundant in the wintertime as it has been this year, rosemary’s blossoms come forth beginning in December, enticing these sweet-producing insects.
 
Flowers continue blooming until the height of spring, giving honey bees plenty of time to gather stores of treasured nectar.
 
A member of the mint family, rosemary is native to the Mediterranean region, particularly along the coastal hills of Spain and Portugal.
 
Its name derives from the Latin word “rosmarinus,” which translates to “dew of the sea,” a reference to its needing no more water than the humidity from the sea to survive in many areas.
 
And it’s true that rosemary thrives in dry conditions. It does well in California’s Mediterranean-like climate, even in times of drought.
 
Its pine needle-like foliage, gray-green in color, grows abundantly on woody stalks, and its small, colorful flowers (white, pink, blue or purple in hue) add a robust beauty to the garden, as well as to the plate.
 
Rosemary’s hardiness and its ability to hang in pots, crawl along the ground, and be used in a hedgerow, make it a favorite landscaping plant.
 
The somewhat pine-like, pungent scent of rosemary has long been valued for its aromatic properties. Wealthy folk in the 16th century paid perfumers to heat rosemary sprigs and sugar over hot coals to fill their homes with its fragrance.
 
Just a century or two earlier, the smoke of rosemary sprigs was used to deter the black death, or bubonic plague, in Europe.
 
In more modern times (as recent as World War II), a mixture of juniper berries and rosemary was burned in French hospital wards to kill germs.
 
As it turns out, scientific research has revealed that rosemary does have some antibacterial properties.  
 
Rosemary has long been known as a symbol of remembrance, friendship and love, which is why brides at one time adorned themselves with the herb, either entwined in a wreath for their hair or as part of their bouquet.
 
Rosemary was tossed into the graves of departed loved ones by mourners as a symbol that they would not be forgotten.
 
Rosemary has a strong flavor, so is best used with a bit of caution in culinary applications, since it doesn’t take much to overpower a dish with its flavor.
 
Having said that, rosemary is absolutely beautiful paired with foods that hold their own against this powerful herb, such as lamb, for which rosemary is a classic seasoning.
 
If using it with fish, be sure it’s a strongly flavored, assertive fish, such as fresh swordfish or tuna. The same is true of shellfish, with mussels being a good match.
 
Pork braised with rosemary and sherry is delightful, and the herb marries well with anchovies and garlic.
 
The latter combination is especially good with a tomato-based pasta sauce, since rosemary also pairs well with tomatoes.
 
Rosemary is a nice flavoring for baked or grilled chicken. Rosemary can be thrown right on the coals in a barbecue to bathe the chicken in flavorful smoke.
 
Creative grill masters use rosemary sprigs to apply barbecue sauce or the woody stems to skewer items for grilling. (Soaking the stems first to prevent burning is recommended.)
 
Rosemary is a key component in bouquet garni, a cluster of fresh herbs tied with kitchen string or in cheese cloth that’s used to flavor soups, stews and bean dishes.
 
Sage, thyme, parsley, sweet marjoram and summer savory round out the herb blend. Since rosemary’s flavor is strong and doesn’t diminish much with cooking, tread lightly with its use.
 
The same grouping of herbs may be chopped and added to braising liquid.
 
Rosemary has a special affinity for beans, particularly fava beans and white beans. Throw one or more sprigs into the pot when cooking.
 
In addition to beans, rosemary romances potatoes with its flavor. Adding rosemary, along with its friend, garlic, to potatoes before oven roasting makes for a flavorful dish.
 
Creamy potato soup also benefits from the addition of rosemary, as does soup made with sweet potatoes.

Chopped dried or fresh rosemary is a fantastic addition to home-baked breads, focaccia, or crackers. It can be sprinkled over the top prior to baking or added to the dough.
 
Combine rosemary with Parmesan cheese in a savory scone recipe. The same combination is also wonderful with polenta.
 
Since rosemary works well with apples and pears, try sprinkling a small amount of finely chopped rosemary into an apple pie or cobbler.
 
Interestingly, adding rosemary to fruit salad heightens the sweet taste of the fruit. Its flowers add color and flavor when sprinkled atop soups, salads, and the like.

Rosemary works well with egg dishes, so throw it into quiches, frittatas and even scrambled eggs.
 
And what about the work of those industrious bees?
 
Bees which have feasted on rosemary’s nectar make a fragrant, delicious honey. For that matter, honey from any source usually pairs well with rosemary.
 
Rosemary provides us with fiber, iron and calcium and, most importantly, has been shown to have a wide range of health benefits.
 
It contains substances which stimulate the immune system, increase circulation and improve digestion. In addition, its anti-inflammatory properties can reduce the severity of asthma attacks.
 
If you’re lucky enough to have a rosemary bush outside your home, cut sprigs as they’re needed. Otherwise, rosemary may be stored in the fridge wrapped in a damp paper towel inside a plastic bag.
 
Rosemary may also be frozen. Put whole sprigs in a zipper-sealed bag or use ice cube trays to freeze leaves in broth for use in recipes.
 
Today’s recipe, rosemary walnuts, is the result of an experimental marriage between a bag of Lake County walnuts and the abundance of rosemary growing in my backyard. It has since become one of my favorite quick snacks, and it makes for great munching with a local Cabernet. Other than the salt and pepper, everything in the pan can be sourced locally.
 
I’m also sharing a recipe for rosemary pesto by author, gardener and restaurant critic Jeff Cox. This highly flavored sauce is a great topping for pasta.
 
And before I go, did you know that rosemary has long been thought to improve the memory? Students in ancient Greece believed this, so wore rosemary garlands while studying for exams.
 
As it turns out, modern science has shown that rosemary increases the blood flow to the head and brain, thereby improving concentration.
 
It might not be a bad idea to tuck a rosemary sprig behind your ear the next time you take a test!
 
Rosemary walnuts
 
A drizzle of local olive oil for the pan
A couple cups of local walnuts
A handful of fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
 
Heat the oil in the pan for a few seconds, and then add the walnuts, tossing them as they cook (for about 20 seconds, just to begin the process).
 
Add the chopped rosemary and allow the walnuts to finish toasting. Watch the plan closely and continue to toss the walnuts as they cook.
 
Once the walnuts are toasted to your liking, add salt and pepper to taste. This entire process will take no more than a few minutes.
 
Recipe is by Esther Oertel.
 
Rosemary pesto
 
3 tablespoons pine nuts (or walnuts, which are local and less expensive)
2 cups lightly packed chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 cup lightly packed rosemary leaves
2 cloves garlic
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
 
Toss the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat until toasted light brown. Set aside.
 
Place the parsley, rosemary, pine nuts, and garlic in a blender. Whiz to make a smooth paste.
 
Add the oil in a very slow, steady stream until the paste is creamy.
 
Pour the mixture into a bowl and add the grated cheese, then salt and pepper to taste.
 
Transfer the pesto to a jar and cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil. Seal the jar with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to two months, or freeze indefinitely.
 
This recipe by Jeff Cox is courtesy of “The Organic Cook’s Bible.”

Esther Oertel, a freelance writer, cooking teacher, and speaker, is passionate about local produce and all foods in the vegetable kingdom. She welcomes your questions and comments and may be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – January saw Lake County's unemployment inch upward, while state and national unemployment rates edged down.

The California Employment Development Department's monthly report on unemployment – based on two separate surveys – showed that California’s unemployment rate decreased to 10.9 percent in January, and nonfarm payroll jobs decreased by 5,200 during the month, for a total gain of 322,400 nonfarm jobs since the recovery began in September 2009.

In December, the state’s unemployment rate was 11.2 percent, and in January 2011 the unemployment rate was 12.1 percent. The unemployment rate is derived from a federal survey of 5,500 California households, the report explained.

The U.S. unemployment rate decreased in January to 8.3 percent from 8.5 percent in December, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The nationwide unemployment rate for January 2011 was 9.1 percent.

Lake County's unemployment rate went from 16 percent in December to 16.5 percent in January, but was down 2.5 percent from January 2011 when it hit 19 percent, according to the report.

The county's statewide ranking for employment improved from 52 in December to 43 in January among the state's 58 counties, according to Employment Development Department data.

Dennis Mullins of the Employment Development Department's North Coast Region Labor Market Information Division said Lake County wage and salary employment decreased in January “following normal seasonal trends.”

Total jobs in Lake County decreased 60 jobs between December and January, but the county's jobs were up by 420 over this time last year, Mullins said.

Year-over-year job growth occurred in farm, 390; trade, transportation and utilities, 50; financial activities, 10; professional and business services, 40; and other services, 60, according to Mullins.

Manufacturing and leisure and hospitality had no change in job numbers since January 2011, Mullins reported.

He said industry sectors that showed job declines over the year included mining, logging and construction, with a loss of 40 jobs; information, 10; private educational and health services, 20; and government, down by 60, the sector with the largest decline.

According to the Employment Development Department report, surrounding counties' employment figure were as follows: Colusa, 27 percent, No. 58; Glenn, 16.8 percent, No. 45; Mendocino, 10.7 percent, No. 18; Napa and Sonoma County both had 9.2 percent unemployment, tying for ninth place; and Yolo, 14.1 percent, No. 33.

Marin County continued to have the lowest unemployment in the state, at 6.6 percent, while Colusa County's 27-percent rate gained it the state's highest rate.

The Employment Development Department reported that there were 575,895 people receiving regular
unemployment insurance benefits during the January survey week. That's compared with 536,442 in December and 603,946 in January 2011.

At the same time, new claims for unemployment insurance were 59,344 in January 2012, compared with 80,276 in December and 63,331 in January of last year, according to the report.

Small increase noted in employed Californians

The federal survey of households, done with a smaller sample than the survey of employers, showed an increase in the number of employed people.

It estimated the number of Californians holding jobs in January was 16,443,000, an increase of 28,000 from December, and up 308,000 from the employment total in January of last year.

The number of people unemployed in California was 2,020,000 – down by 40,000 over the month, and down by 203,000 compared with January of last year, according to the report.

EDD’s report on payroll employment – wage and salary jobs – in the nonfarm industries of California totaled 14,173,800 in January, a net loss of 5,200 jobs since the December survey. That followed a gain of 38,500 jobs in December and a year-over-year increase of 126,100 jobs, up 0.9 percent, based on a survey of 42,000 California businesses.

Six categories – mining and logging; construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; professional and business services; and leisure and hospitality – added jobs over the month, gaining 35,400 jobs, the state reported. Trade, transportation and utilities posted the largest increase over the month, adding 14,400 jobs.

Five categories – information, financial activities, educational and health services, other services and government – reported job declines over the month, down 40,600 jobs, according to the state.

Information posted the largest decrease over the month, down 22,900 jobs. In a year-over-year comparison – January 2011 to January 2012 – nonfarm payroll employment in California increased by 126,100 jobs, an increase of 0.9 percent.

Six categories – mining and logging; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; professional and business services; educational and health services; and leisure and hospitality – posted job gains over the year, adding 181,700 jobs, the Friday report showed.

Professional and business services posted the largest gain on a numerical basis, adding 61,000 jobs, up
2.9 percent. The report said that mining and logging posted the largest gain on a percentage basis, up by
3.6 percent, an increase of 1,000 jobs.

Five categories – construction, information, financial activities, other services and government – posted job declines over the year, down 55,600 jobs. The state said government posted the largest decline on both a numerical and percentage basis, down by 41,400 jobs, a decrease of 1.7 percent.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – An investigation by the Lake County Sheriff's Narcotic Task Force led to a Clearlake man's arrest last month on several drug-related charges.

Ricky Lawrence Bryan, 52, a truck driver, was arrested on Feb. 15, according to a Friday report from Capt. Chris Macedo.

Macedo said that on that date the Lake County Sheriff’s Narcotic Task Force Detectives served a search warrant at Bryan’s Clearlake residence.

Narcotic detectives assisted by the Clearlake Police Department responded to the residence, Macedo said. When detectives announced their presence at his front door Bryan fled into his bedroom.

The front door of the residence was open, but a closed and locked security door briefly delayed detectives entering the residence, Macedo said.

Detectives forced entry into the residence and detained Bryan as he exited his bedroom. Also located inside the suspect’s bedroom was Ashley Jackson, who Macedo said was detained without incident.

While searching the residence detectives located a locked safe in Bryan’s bedroom. Macedo said detectives forced the safe open and located approximately one pound of crystal methamphetamine, $3,240 in US currency and a loaded .22 caliber pistol.  

Macedo said detectives also located a loaded a 9 millimeter pistol in a desk drawer in the suspect’s bedroom.  

While searching the suspect’s garage, five pounds of marijuana was located, and several glass pipes used to smoke methamphetamine were located throughout the residence, Macedo said.

Bryan was booked into the Lake County Jail early on the morning of Feb. 16 for possession of a controlled substance for sale, being a felon in possession of a firearm, being armed in commission of a felony, possession of ammunition by a felony and possession of marijuana for sale.

His bail was set at $25,000. Jail records show Bryan later posted bail and was released.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The week starts off with seven dogs cleared for adoption at the county’s animal shelter.

A poodle, and dogs whose breeds include mixes of American bulldog, Rhodesian Ridgeback, heeler, boxer, Labrador Retriever, shepherd and pit bull are ready and waiting to meet you.

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

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

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

‘Luck’

“Luck” is a female shepherd mix.

She is 4 months old, and has a short, tan-colored coat. She is not yet spayed.

Find her in kennel No. 11, ID No. 31982.

Male poodle mix

This male poodle mix is 6 years old.

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

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

‘Delilah’

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

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

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

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

American bulldog mix

This female American bulldog mix is 2 years old.

She has brown and brindle coloring, weighs 80 pounds and has been spayed.

She is in kennel No. 13, ID No. 31784.

Female lab mix

This female Labrador Retriever mix is ready for a new home.

She has a short brown coat and brown eyes.

Find her in kennel No. 3, ID No. 31902.

Heeler-pit bull mix

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

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

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

Rhodesian Ridgeback-boxer mix

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Local and state officials recently conducted an operation aimed at reducing underage drinking in the city.

The Lakeport Police Department and the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control conducted a decoy “shoulder tap” program on the night of March 1, according to a Friday report.

The Decoy Shoulder Tap Program is an enforcement program that ABC and local law enforcement agencies use to detect and deter shoulder tap activity.

During this program, a minor decoy, under the direct supervision of law enforcement officers, solicits adults outside ABC licensed stores to buy the minor decoy alcohol.

The minor contacted 19 adult individuals at five different locations and solicited those adults to purchase them alcohol, according to the Lakeport Police Department.

Police said three adults were arrested and later released on a citation for purchasing the minor alcohol.

One of the arrests took place in the 2900 block of Lakeshore Boulevard in north Lakeport, and two arrests occurred in the 2600 block of S. Main St., also in Lakeport, police said.

The individuals arrested were Erma Holladay of Lakeport; Luis Bandillo of Hood River, Ore.; and Bartolo Valerio-Garcia of Walnut Creek, according to the report.

The Lakeport Police Department thanked the remaining 16 citizens who were contacted and refused
to purchase the minor decoy alcohol.

This project is part of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s Minor decoy/Shoulder Tap Grant Project, funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Two children abducted from Willows in Glenn County on Friday morning have been found safe.

A statewide Amber Alert had been issued early Friday afternoon for 2-year-old Randi Martinez and 5-year-old Vanessa Martinez, who allegedly had been abducted by Leonard Dale Tuttle Jr., 30, their mother's former boyfriend.

Officials reported shortly before 3 p.m. that Tuttle had been taken into custody and the children were safely recovered.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Sunday marks the one-year anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake and the resulting tsunami that devastated Japan and sent shock waves across the Pacific.

A 9.0-magnitude earthquake struck at 2:46 p.m. March 11, 2011, 80 miles east of Honshu, with a 7.9-magnitude quake occurring at 3:15 p.m. 36 miles east of Honshu, according to U.S. Geological Survey records.

The larger quake triggered a tsunami that left destruction in three Japanese districts. The earthquake also led to a nuclear disaster for the country when the Fukushima Daiichi facility was damaged, resulting in meltdowns and explosions.

Japan suffered the loss of nearly 16,000 people, with half a million estimated to be homeless, according to the aid organization ShelterBox.

Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan described it as the worst crisis the country had faced since World War II. “This earthquake and tsunami and also the situation concerning the nuclear power stations are perhaps the hardest hardship that we have experienced after World War II,” Kan said.

The video above by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows the tsunami's path and power.

The video below, also by NOAA, shows the path of debris from the tsunami, expected to arrive on California's coast by next March, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The tsunami came across the Pacific, slamming into the West Coast, and resulting in one death and nearly $100 million in public and private-sector property losses up and down California.

The tsunami led to state and federal disaster declarations for the hardest hit areas, including neighboring Mendocino County.

Other areas damaged by the tsunami included coastal portions of Del Norte, Humboldt, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.

On Friday officials from the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA), the California Geological Survey (CGS) and the Federal Emergency Agency (FEMA) viewed progress by the Santa Cruz Port District in its efforts to recover from the impacts of the tsunami wave surge generated by the Tohoku earthquake.

“Sunday's anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami is a reminder that events thousands of miles away can have an impact on California and other parts of the United States,” said Cal EMA Secretary Mark Ghilarducci. “Our thoughts are with those in Japan and the United States whose lives were affected by last year's earthquake and tsunami.”

Dozens of tsunamis have hit California's coast since 1800, and a number of them caused damage. Most notably, a tsunami generated by a huge earthquake in Alaska killed 11 people in Crescent City in 1964.

“Tsunamis are relatively rare events, but we have been reminded time and again of the need to be prepared at the state, local and individual level,” said Mark Nechodom, director of the California Department of Conservation, CGS' parent organization. “The most recent reminder came last year, and it has not gone ignored.”

Californians can obtain information about tsunami preparedness by contacting their local office of emergency services or at www.tsunami.ca.gov .

On Saturday night, March 10, Californians will be turning their clocks forward in observance of Daylight Saving Time.

When they do, Cal Fire is reminding them to replace the batteries in all smoke alarms. Firefighters are also urging residents to replace the batteries in the carbon monoxide alarms as well.

This minimal effort could mean the difference between life and death.

Already this year several fatalities have occurred in California which might have been prevented with working smoke alarms.

“Cal Fire has long advocated the ‘Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery’ campaign,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, director of Cal Fire. “A smoke alarm is one of the cheapest and most effective ways homeowners can provide year round fire protection for themselves and their families.”

Every year lives are lost in homes without smoke detectors or those homes with a non-functioning smoke detector.

In a study conducted by the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), nearly 96 percent of households report having at least one fire alarm.  

Yet the US Fire Administration reports residential fires make up nearly 83 percent of all civilian fire deaths.  The culprit is generally a disconnected or dead battery.

Save a life. Change your clocks; change your smoke alarm batteries.

Fire officials also remind residents that smoke alarms should be replaced at least every ten years and when residents buy a new one, purchase an alarm with 10-year batteries

“Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms unquestionably help save lives, but they are nothing without working batteries inside of them,” said Chief Tonya Hoover, California’s state fire marshal. “Just a few minutes twice a year to change that battery can truly mean the difference between life and death."

For more information, visit the Cal Fire Web site at www.fire.ca.gov .

An Amber Alert has been issued for two children abducted from Willows in neighboring Glenn County this morning.

The California Highway Patrol reported that Leonard Dale Tuttle Jr., 30, is alleged to have taken two little girls, 2-year-old Randi Martinez and 5-year-old Vanessa Martinez, at about 9:30 a.m. Friday.

The children, both of whom are American Indian, are described as follows: Randi Martinez is 3 feet tall, 35 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair, and Vanessa Martinez is 4 feet tall and 70 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair.

Tuttle is as an American Indian male, is 6 feet, 7 inches tall, weighing 360 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

He has a tattoo of lips on the left side of his neck and a feather and panther tattoo on his right arm.

Tuttle was last seen driving a 2002 white Mitsubishi Lancer, California license plate 5PIB347.

Anyone who sees the suspect should call 911 or the Willows Police Department at 530-934-3456.