How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
David Garlow Deason, 68, of Clearlake was convicted in February 2006 of shooting to death his 48-year-old girlfriend Marie Parlet on Dec. 6, 2004.
However, last December the First Appellate District Court overturned Deason's conviction, ruling that the trial court in Lake County “erred in excluding evidence of his intoxication,” as Lake County News has reported.
“He's going to be retried,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff.
The trial, said Hinchcliff, is set to begin Sept. 9.
Deason allegedly had a blood alcohol level of 0.27 on the night he is alleged to have shot Parlet. The couple, according to court documents, had a disagreement earlier in the day, after which Deason left and returned later that evening. At that point he is alleged to have shot Parlet once in the chest and once in the back from a distance of 18 inches.
Judge Richard Martin had ruled during the 2006 trial that no evidence could be presented about Deason's level of intoxication. That included turning down a request by defense attorney J. David Markham to call a toxicologist to the stand.
Markham had argued that the toxicologist could explain that Deason had consumed as many as 14 drinks to get to the level of intoxication he allegedly reached. Markham also asked that the jurors be instructed to consider the alcohol consumption in deliberations.
The appellate court disagreed with Martin's ruling, saying that Deason's level of intoxication was crucial to the issues of premeditation and deliberation, which are necessary elements in a first-degree murder conviction.
Hinchcliff said the instructions about considering Deason's alleged intoxication will be given when Deason is tried next. “Other than that, it will be the same trial.”
Deputy District Attorney John Langan, who previously prosecuted the case, will work on the next trial as well, said Hinchcliff.
Langan did not return calls seeking comment. Nor did Doug Rhoades, who will be representing Deasn in his retrial.
“Probably the biggest challenge is going to be getting all of the witnesses back in to testify,” said Hinchcliff.
Parlet's son, James Clarkson, of San Marcos, Texas, told Lake County News he was in disbelief when he first heard of the conviction being overturned. He wasn't notified – he found out about it inadvertently on the Internet after searching for press on the original case. That's when the story of the overturned conviction came up.
He called the reasons for the conviction a “loophole,” and said he was convinced of Deason's guilt in shooting his mother at point blank range.
Clarkson said his mother was a “genuinely nice person” whose life was ended before her time. She was a loving mother to him, his brother and sister; she also had five grandchildren whom she hadn't yet met. He's considering coming to California for the retrial.
After his conviction was overturned, Deason was brought back to Lake County this spring. He is being held in the Lake County Jail without bail on a charge of first-degree murder.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY – August skies are some of the most beautiful you will see all year. But before we discuss some of the night sky’s delights, we need to remember that there is a meteor shower that happens every August.
The Perseid Meteor Shower
This shower occurs in the morning of Aug. 12. The moon won’t set until 2 a.m. The moon will interfere with viewing. So it’s best to wait until after 2 a.m. before attempting to view.
Look to the east – that is where the shower will originate. A meteor shower occurs when the earth passes through the dust and debris left by a comet’s tail.
The Summer Triangle
Face south, and look directly overhead. You will see three very bright stars that form a triangle – this is called the “Summer Triangle.” Each star is in a different constellation.
The star furthest to west is Vega – it is in the constellation of Lyra the Harp (see the star chart). To the east is the bright star Deneb in the constellation of Cygnus the Swan.
To the south, the third star in the triangle is Altair in the constellation Aquila the eagle.
Deep Sky Objects
August skies have some beautiful objects that can be seen with a small to medium telescope. These objects are called deep sky objects.
One of these is the Swan Nebula – it’s a big cloud of dust and gas that looks a bit like a swan.
Another is the Wild Duck Cluster – a group of stars that appear close together that resemble a flock of ducks in flight.
And yet another is the Ring Nebula – it looks like a smoke ring in the sky!
To learn more about Lake County Skies in August, and to observe these objects through a telescope, visit Taylor Observatory (www.taylorobservatory.org) on Saturday, Aug. 23 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
John Zimmerman has been an amateur astronomer for 50 years. He is a member of the Taylor Observatory staff, where, among his many duties, he helps create planetarium shows.
{mos_sb_discuss:4}
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
For instance, The Kitchen Gallery in downtown Lakeport has been open for just over a year, and if I had the choice I would spend entire days shopping there. If I only lived closer I’d be making regular trips to it, probably weekly to keep up on new arrivals.
As I’ve said before, I prefer to spend my money locally and benefit the Lake County economy, but far too often in the past I have had to buy kitchen equipment online. Now, anytime I have a reason to run to the other side of the lake or need a food-related bobble I always make a stop in The Kitchen Gallery.
The first time I was in there I was amazed to see they had butter curlers in stock. I haven’t seen one of those for probably 25 years or so back in my grandparents’ home. For those of you who didn’t have the benefit of growing up with terribly proper and formal grandparents, a butter curler is used to shave cold butter into decorative curls to be served tableside instead of a totally proletarian stick of butter. My grandparents were amazing people, but they would scold my mother for my lack of upbringing if I held my fork in the “wrong hand” and ate like “an American,” and don’t get them started on my brutal food cutting technique (or lack thereof)!
The Kitchen Gallery has all of the high-quality kitchen equipment that you could ask for. Spice racks, utensils, tableware, cutlery, Lodgeware ... I could go on and on. They offer cookware in a variety of price ranges, though all are of good quality. They have a unique assortment of all kinds of kitchen gadgets, in addition to books and product lines from Food Network stars. Items are available in a variety of styles as well, ranging from quirky modern martini glasses to elegant Japanese bamboo placemats to french toile napkins. They also stock picnic baskets, soy-based candles and tea kettles. Really, just about anything you could hope for, they have in this charmingly laid out shop.
When I enter The Kitchen Gallery I must look like one of the children in Willy Wonka’s edible garden, running from item to item saying things like, “This is totally cool!” “Wow! I don’t have one of these!” “Popover tins! I’ve always wanted to make popovers!” The staff at The Kitchen Gallery is friendly and jumps at the chance to help with any questions or special requests (believe me, I’m the king of special requests). Owner Leslie Firth is sociable and loquacious, openly talking about her family and her favorite items in the store that she uses.
Yes, it is possible to buy kitchen equipment many places in the county but let me warn you: kitchen equipment is the one place you don’t want to skimp. This is definitely a “You get what you pay for” thing. When I buy kitchen equipment I fully intend on it lasting for the rest of my life, and you should too. After all, it’s a waste of money to buy something over and over again, unless it's eggs.
I’ll be honest, I do have a block of cheap knives in my kitchen and they have occasional uses, but the lion’s share of my kitchen work is done by my high quality knives. Good quality cookware makes the work so much easier, and there is a good feeling you get when you look down at your utensils and realize that it is as beautiful as it is a pleasure to work with.
I can hear some people questioning how the quality of a kitchen tool can affect your preparation, so think of it this way: My car has over 250 horsepower, my wife’s has 100, my car is more comfortable to drive, gets better mileage, and has more gumption than her car, so naturally we take my car when we have to go somewhere together. You feel the difference everywhere we go although we are doing the same task in both vehicles. The higher quality makes for a better trip. Does that make sense?
I don’t want to give you the impression that everything good has to be expensive, but I do want you to think before you buy a new can opener, “Am I buying this because it’s the best one or because it’s the available one?” For example, I have a cheap but good quality meat tenderizing mallet that I bought at a dive shop where I worked years ago. It’s a good quality item without breaking the bank. Good quality doesn’t necessarily mean expensive.
Every once in a while my wife gets quixotic and buys kitchen utensils. I have no idea why she does it because she rarely cooks, but intermittently she’ll bring home a plastic ladle or some goofy utensil and claim “We needed it!” How does a woman who doesn’t cook figure out what we need in a kitchen utensil? Please somebody help me to understand that one! As a compromise to spare her feelings, I have a place in the pantry that these unusable tools get stashed that, if she really seeks them out she can use them. Most often they get put there never to be seen again. Life’s too short to adapt to inferior tools.
I have yet to see an item in The Kitchen Gallery that I thought wasn’t excellent quality or a useful item. OK, I’ll personally never get a butter curler, but that is mainly due to the fact that I never entertain at home and don’t see a need to do it for my family. The magnetic spice holders though, they are fantastic! They come in a set with six canisters and a metal plate that can be mounted on the wall. I own three sets of them and have freed up an entire shelf in my kitchen. A little hint; take a strip of cellophane tape and attach it to the side of the spice canister and write what the spice is with a marker for easy identification later. It’s faster than looking and wondering “Is this chipotle powder or paprika?”
Instead of a recipe this week ...well maybe it is a recipe, I wanted to help people with the care of their Lodgeware, a.k.a. cast iron cookware. My directions as always may be unlike others you may have seen, but my process has developed over many years of experimentation.
When you first purchase your cast iron pan you need to put it through a process called seasoning. This provides the pan with protection (after all, iron has a tendency to rust) and a somewhat non-stick surface. Cast iron cookware is not pre-seasoned at the manufacturer, but is coated with a food-grade wax to prevent moisture from causing problems during shipping and storage. When you bring home your pan, you can put it in you dishwasher for a nice heavy cleaning to remove this coating, but you should know that this will be the last time your pan sees soap and water ever again. When the wash cycle is finished, take the pan out of the dishwasher and put it on high heat on the stovetop for about a minute, then turn off the heat and let it cool down for half an hour. Why did you heat the pan after the washing? To remove any microscopic traces of water that might be hiding in the pores of the metal before “seasoning” it. That’s the next step.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cover your cooled pan entirely, inside and out, with bacon grease, lard, or vegetable shortening. For this original seasoning, liquid oils such as corn oil or even peanut oil will not work as well. You need a high saturated fat type item for this first seasoning to prevent rancidity. Once the pan is completely covered, place it directly on the top rack of your oven with the bottom rack below it covered in aluminum foil or a large cookie sheet placed beneath the pan to catch the grease as it drips (or just buy some oven cleaner for you to scrub the oven with later).
Bake the pan for an hour. Then (WITH HOT MITTS!) remove and let cool on the stovetop. Your pan is now seasoned, but repeating this process one or two more times will give you an even better result.
Some people recommend cleaning your cast iron ware after use with hot water and a stiff brush ... Not me. Hot water breaks down and removes fats from surfaces and you want to protect those, so I propose when your pot needs cleaning you first empty out any excess grease or fat, wipe it out with a couple of paper towels, and then add a half a cup of kosher salt. Using that salt as an abrasive, take a moist sponge or wad of paper towels and scrub the pan clean with it. When the pan bottom is clean and smooth again the salt will be a dirty ugly color so just dump it into the garbage and with a dry towel remove any left over salt. Cleaning your pan like this will save the original seasoning and add an additional layer of seasoning, further improving the condition of your pan.
How do you know if you are doing a good job at keeping your pan seasoned? The inside bottom should feel slick and smooth like a Teflon pan. If you wash your pan with soap and water or it doesn’t feel slick and smooth then repeat the original seasoning process again. Taking care of your cast iron like this and it can be handed down for generations.
Ross A. Christensen is an award-winning gardener and gourmet cook. He is the author of "Sushi A to Z, The Ultimate Guide" and is currently working on a new book. He has been a public speaker for many years and enjoys being involved in the community.
{mos_sb_discuss:4}
- Details
- Written by: Ross A. Christensen
The county's Public Works Department reported that on Thursday a large number of floating hydrilla fragments were found along the southern shoreline area of Clear Lake, in a large mass near the entrance to Anderson Marsh.
This find is in addition to other major infestations found in areas around Clear Lake State Park, Lakeside County Park, Soda Bay, Buckingham and Konocti Bay.
With now more than 76 finds of hydrilla on Clear Lake in recent weeks, state and local officials increasingly are concerned and are asking for the public’s help in preventing any further spread of the non-native invasive weed.
First detected in Clear Lake in 1994, hydrilla is an invasive aquatic plant that grows very fast, has no natural enemies in California, provides limited habitat to fish and wildlife, and is capable of crowding out native plants and destroying the lake’s ecosystem.
“Fragmentation of hydrilla – either intentionally by hand-pulling or inadvertently through boating – is a very serious threat, not only to the delicate ecosystem of Clear Lake but to every other water body downstream from Clear Lake, including the Sacramento Delta,” said Dr. Robert Leavitt, Assistant Director of Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services for the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).
This seriousness, according to Leavitt, is what prompted California to declare hydrilla an invasive species requiring eradication.
It also is the reason why state employees are working diligently on the eradication efforts on Clear Lake. Each of these fragments is capable of starting new plants.
Considered one of the worst invasive aquatic weeds in the world by many aquatic nuisance species specialists, Hydrilla verticillatta is easily spread as it propagates freely from small fragments that are often created by the churning of boat propellers. Those fragments continue to live while floating, and once they come in contact with mud or lake bottom, they begin to root.
If left untreated, hydrilla plants spread rapidly and can interfere with boating, impact water storage and transport mechanisms, and eventually, even harm the ecosystem.
“It’s really important that the public is aware of their role in stopping the spread of hydrilla,” said Pamela Francis, deputy director of Water Resources, a division of the Lake County Department of Public Works. “We need everyone’s help to keep this weed from blanketing Clear Lake.”
As part of its ongoing eradication efforts on Clear Lake, CDFA has placed orange buoys at locations around the lake to mark where hydrilla has been spotted and where treatments occur. Boaters are asked to avoid these areas.
It is illegal to moor to the buoys, and officials also are asking boaters to stay as far away from the buoys as possible to keep out of the treatment areas.
“The boating public should be aware that their cooperation in avoiding these areas is critical to prevent further fragmentation and spread,” said Patrick Akers, CDFA Hydrilla Eradication Program manager.
In addition to avoiding the affected areas, the public is reminded that any removal of any aquatic weeds – whether by hand-pulling or by mechanical or chemical means – requires a permit.
“Some people don’t realize that even the simple removal of one plant by hand can cause fragments to be released,” Francis said.
In addition to fragmentation, hydrilla reproduces with seeds, tubers and turions, which can remain viable for several days out of water or several years in sediment before re-sprouting.
Since 2002, Lake County has implemented an Aquatic Plant Management Program, which allows for the abatement of nuisance aquatic vegetation for the purposes of navigation and recreational use of Clear Lake through a permit process.
This regulatory program is managed by the Lake County Department of Public Works, which serves as a single-point source for obtaining the permit to control weeds to be in compliance with the California Department of Fish and Game, the California Department of Food and Agriculture Hydrilla Eradication Program, the Lake County Agricultural Commissioner, as well as the Regional Water Quality Control Board.
For information, contact the Lake County Department of Public Works, Water Resources Division, at 707-263-2341 or go online to: http://watershed.co.lake.ca.us.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports