LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The issue of drivers under the influence of drugs, or DUID, rather than alcohol, is an increasingly serious problem in California.

Faced with more instances of DUID, state and local officials are reiterating the message that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.”

The message takes on increased importance as the state begins licensing commercial nonmedical cannabis sales on Jan. 1, 2018, under provisions of Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act.

Alcohol-impaired driving is still the most serious problem on our roadways, but the percentage of drivers in fatal collisions who have other impairing substances in their system keeps rising.

“It has taken more than 35 years to convince the vast majority of the public that driving under the influence of alcohol is dangerous, illegal and socially unacceptable,” said Rhonda Craft, director of the Office of Traffic Safety. “With more dying on our roadways every day, we can’t afford to take that long when it comes to driving under the influence of prescription medications, marijuana, illicit drugs and even some over-the-counter medications.”

From 2005 to 2015, the percentage of drivers in fatal collisions who had an impairing drug other than alcohol in their system increased from 26.2 percent to 42.6 percent, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

As far back as 2012, a roadside survey in California showed more drivers tested positive for drugs that may impair driving (14 percent) than did for alcohol (7.3 percent). Of the drugs, cannabis was most prevalent, at 7.4 percent, slightly more than alcohol.

In addition to alcohol or cannabis, a driver could be subject to a DUI arrest if they are under the influence of prescription medications like sleep aids, tranquilizers, barbiturates, opiates and other painkillers, antidepressants, and even over-the-counter allergy or cough medications when they impair your ability to drive a vehicle.

“Just like drunk driving, driving under the influence of drugs is not only dangerous, it is a crime,” CHP Acting Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “What caused the impairment does not matter. In short, “drive high, get a DUI.”

In the face of more drug-impaired drivers on the road, the CHP and local law enforcement are training more officers in Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement and Drug Recognition Evaluation. The advanced training augments the Standardized Field Sobriety Test to help identify what substances other than alcohol a driver may be impaired by.

Acting Commissioner Stanley and Director Craft note alternatives to driving impaired, including calling a taxi or a sober friend or family member, using public transportation, or ride-hailing services. If you see a driver who appears to be impaired, do not hesitate to call 9-1-1.

During December, the Office of Traffic Safety ran public awareness announcements concerning prescription medication DUI.

From the end of December and running through January, the emphasis switches to one illustrating that no matter your age or your reasons for consuming cannabis, you should never drive while high.

"Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties." – Helen Keller

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – What are your plans at daybreak on New Year's Day?

A walk in a State Park? California State Parks say, "Ring in the New Year with us!"

Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association is hosting a First Day Hike on Jan. 1 at noon, and Clear Lake State Park is hosting a walk on Jan. 1 at 9 a.m.

For many folks the annual tradition of New Year's resolutions begins. Just how did that practice begin?

The craving to create “good karma” for the year's fresh start is potent. History tells us that back in the day, the Babylonians pledged to the gods to begin the year with a fresh slate by doing good deeds.

In ancient times a good deed could consist of helping a neighbor in need, meeting financial obligations or keeping farm tools in ready condition for the new season.

Some of the old and even ancient traditions which celebrate the New Year are still practiced around the world today, such as bell-ringing and fireworks.

According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, which was founded in 1792, it was customary in Thailand's ancient times to discharge firearms in order to scare off evil spirits.

The American Colonists practiced the same pistol-shooting custom, while the Chinese folks of ancient times believed that lighting firecrackers would aid in delivering them from malevolence.

Folklore tells us that in order to keep smooching your main squeeze, you should give them a smooch on New Year's Eve!

Some of the New Year traditions which have withstood the test of time from around the globe include popping a grape – one for each ring of the clock, so that your mouth is packed with 12 grapes at midnight. Don't forget to eat your black-eyed beans for a New Year's southern-style.

If you were in Pakistan or India you would consume a bowl of rice to ensure good fortune in the coming year, while in Switzerland you may drop a splotch of whipped cream on the floor to guarantee good fortune in the ensuing year.

The Dutch will probably still hold up a glass of mulled wine and the Irish will carry on the tradition of consuming a bannock – or unleavened – round pastry.

So whether you make plans in a traditional, time-honored manner, or create your own New Year's customs, you may want to “turn over a new leaf” and “put your best foot forward” as in the Scottish celebration of Hogmanay when families who visit one another after the bell tolls 12 midnight, step, or put their best foot forward over the threshold of their homes to guarantee goodness in the year ahead.

To aid in creating your New Year's resolutions, the Old Farmer's Almanac has a list at https://www.almanac.com/blog/editors-musings/blog-how-make-new-years-resolutions.

For information on a New Year's walk, visit the Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AMIA.org.

Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is a retired educator, potter, writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.” She also formerly wrote for NASA and JPL as one of their “Solar System Ambassadors.” She was selected “Lake County Teacher of the Year, 1998-99” by the Lake County Office of Education, and chosen as one of 10 state finalists the same year by the California Department of Education.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has five dogs ready to go to new homes as the new year starts.

The dogs offered adoption this week include mixes of Labrador Retriever, pit bull and shepherd.

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”).

‘Romeo’

“Romeo” is a male pit bull terrier.

He has a short gray and white coat.

He’s in kennel No. 19, ID No. 9075.

Shepherd-Labrador Retriever mix

This male Shepherd-Labrador Retriever mix has a short tan coat.

He’s in kennel No. 26, ID No. 9148.

Male pit bull terrier

This male pit bull terrier has a short brown and white coat.

He already has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 29, ID No. 9003.

Male pit bull terrier mix

This male pit bull terrier mix has a short brown and white coat.

He’s in kennel No. 31, ID No. 9160.

Female pit bull terrier mix

This female pit bull terrier mix has a short black and white coat.

She already has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 33, ID No. 9140.

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, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.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.

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.

The astronauts and cosmonauts on the International Space Station take pictures of Earth out their windows nearly every day, and over a year that adds up to thousands of photos.

The people at the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston had the enviable job of going through this year’s crop to pick their top 17 photos of Earth for 2017.

The video above features the pictures they chose.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol arrested a Pope Valley man on Friday for driving under the influence after he crashed a semi carrying a load of gravel.

Dagoberto Arias Covarrubias, 36, was arrested following the crash, which occurred just after 1 p.m. Friday on Butts Canyon Road east of Langtry Estates near Middletown, according to the CHP’s report.

The CHP said Arias Covarrubias was driving a 1999 Peterbilt tractor trailer eastbound on Butts Canyon Road pulling a transfer trailer fully loaded with lava gravel.

While traveling through a straight section of the roadway, Arias Covarrubias, due to his alcohol intoxication, allowed the vehicle’s right rear trailer tires to drop off of a narrow portion of the south road edge, the CHP said.

As a result, the CHP said the truck tractor combination rolled over, spilling most of its load in the roadway.

The CHP said South Lake County Fire Protection District personnel were quick to open up a lane of traffic and performed one-way traffic control until Pope Valley Tow could remove the damaged vehicle from the roadway.

CHP Officer Rob Hearn evaluated Arias Covarrubias’ level of sobriety at the scene and determined he had been driving under the influence of alcohol, the CHP reported.

Hearn arrested Arias Covarrubias on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to the CHP report.

THe CHP said Arias Covarrubias was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital where he was medically cleared for booking at the Lake County Jail.

He was reported to be uninjured as a result of the wreck and was wearing his seat belt, the CHP said.

Arias Covarrubias was booked into the Lake County Jail, with bail set at $5,000, according to his booking sheet.

Jail records indicated Arias Covarrubias later posted the required portion of bail and was released, with a tentative court date in February.

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.

NICE, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has identified the woman who died last week in a trailer fire in Nice.

Lt. Corey Paulich said the fire victim is Carol Lee Evelyn Capo, 76.

Capo and her two dogs were found dead in her home, a singlewide trailer home at 3387 E. Highway 20, on the night of Tuesday, Dec. 19, as Lake County News has reported.

Paulich said Capo’s official cause of death is still pending.

Northshore Fire Protection District Chief Jay Beristianos said the fire was accidental. It was apparently caused by combustible materials that had been kept too close to an electric heater in the trailer’s kitchen.

Beristianos said Capo’s death could have been prevented had the home had a working smoke detector.

The Northshore Fire Protection District offers free smoke detectors and installation to any district residents. Call 707-274-3100 for more information.

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.

New laws approved by the California Legislature in 2017 address many aspects of highway safety, including cannabis consumption, seat belts on buses and other issues.

To support its mission of providing the highest level of safety, service and security, the California Highway Patrol is highlighting several of these new laws.

Alcohol and marijuana in vehicles (SB 65, Hill): Smoking or ingesting cannabis while driving or riding in a vehicle is prohibited. This is consistent with current law prohibiting the consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle.

Administration of cannabis laws in California (SB 94, Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review): This bill establishes a single system of administration for cannabis laws in California. Among its many provisions is an appropriation of $3 million for the CHP to train state and local law enforcement officers in drug recognition and impairment. SB 94 also prohibits the possession of an open container of cannabis or cannabis product when operating a motor vehicle. An Impaired Driving Task Force, led by the CHP Commissioner, was created to develop recommendations regarding the best practices, protocols, legislation, and policies to address driving under the influence (DUI) of cannabis and controlled substances. Law enforcement anticipates an increase in DUI resulting from the legalization of recreational cannabis. SB 94 went into effect on June 27, 2017.

Pedestrian crossing signals (AB 390, Santiago): This bill permits a pedestrian to begin crossing an intersection while facing a traffic signal displaying a flashing “DON’T WALK” or “Upraised Hand” symbol if the traffic signal includes a countdown timer and the pedestrian can complete the crossing before the traffic signal phases to a steady “DON’T WALK” or “Upraised Hand.” The intent of this law is to provide clear standards for pedestrian behavior at intersections controlled by traffic control signals and countdown timers.

Seat belts on buses (SB 20, Hill): Effective July 1, 2018, the driver and passengers of a tour bus are required to be properly restrained by seat belts if the bus is so equipped. Passengers will be allowed to move about the cabin of the bus to use onboard facilities. The operator of the tour bus will be required to ensure that the seat belts are in good working order and inform passengers of the legal requirement to wear a seat belt. School buses and transit buses are excluded from this bill.

On Monday, Jan. 1, millions of viewers around the world will watch as the California Highway Patrol’s Mounted Patrol Unit marches proudly along the 2018 Pasadena Tournament of Roses parade route.

The CHP Equestrian Unit was once again chosen to participate in this year’s celebration from among the hundreds of applicants.

“The CHP is honored to have been selected for the second year in a row to be part of the 129th Rose Parade,” said CHP Acting Commissioner Warren Stanley. “From the beginning, horses have played a role in the Rose Parade and the CHP’s Mounted Patrol Unit is proud to be part of such a historic event.”

On Wednesday, Dec. 27, six Belgian, Shire, Percheron and Clydesdale draft horses, their CHP riders, and three CHP escorts made the journey from Sacramento to Pasadena to be a part of the more than 100-year-old tradition, which includes flower-covered floats, marching bands, and other equestrian units from across the nation.

The CHP’s Mounted Patrol Unit is one of 18 equestrian entries in this year’s parade.

Other notable appearances for the CHP’s Mounted Patrol Unit in recent years include the San Francisco St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Hollywood Christmas Parade, Los Angeles Kingdom Day Parade, Lake Tahoe 4th of July celebration, University of California Equestrian Days, and both the Coarsegold and Red Bluff Round-Up Rodeos.

The CHP’s equestrian team is assigned to the Capitol Protection Section and is responsible for the State Capitol and Capitol Park, as well as hundreds of state properties in downtown Sacramento. The Mounted Patrol Unit is used for general patrol and other situations.

This year marks the 88th anniversary of the CHP and the 31st anniversary of the Department’s Mounted Patrol Unit.

An innovative interpretation of X-ray data from a cluster of galaxies could help scientists fulfill a quest they have been on for decades: determining the nature of dark matter.

The finding involves a new explanation for a set of results made with NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, ESA’s XMM-Newton and Hitomi, a Japanese-led X-ray telescope.

If confirmed with future observations, this may represent a major step forward in understanding the nature of the mysterious, invisible substance that makes up about 85% of matter in the universe.

“We expect that this result will either be hugely important or a total dud,” said Joseph Conlon of Oxford University who led the new study. “I don't think there is a halfway point when you are looking for answers to one of the biggest questions in science.”

The story of this work started in 2014 when a team of astronomers led by Esra Bulbul (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass.) found a spike of intensity at a very specific energy in Chandra and XMM-Newton observations of the hot gas in the Perseus galaxy cluster.

This spike, or emission line, is at an energy of 3.5 kiloelectron volts (keV). The intensity of the 3.5 keV emission line is very difficult if not impossible to explain in terms of previously observed or predicted features from astronomical objects, and therefore a dark matter origin was suggested.

Bulbul and colleagues also reported the existence of the 3.5 keV line in a study of 73 other galaxy clusters using XMM-Newton.

The plot of this dark matter tale thickened when only a week after Bulbul’s team submitted their paper a different group, led by Alexey Boyarsky of Leiden University in the Netherlands, reported evidence for an emission line at 3.5 keV in XMM-Newton observations of the galaxy M31 and the outskirts of the Perseus cluster, confirming the Bulbul et al. result.

However, these two results were controversial, with other astronomers later detecting the 3.5 keV line when observing other objects, and some failing to detect it.

The debate seemed to be resolved in 2016 when Hitomi especially designed to observe detailed features such as line emission in the X-ray spectra of cosmic sources, failed to detect the 3.5 keV line in the Perseus cluster.

“One might think that when Hitomi didn’t see the 3.5 keV line that we would have just thrown in the towel for this line of investigation,” said co-author Francesca Day, also from Oxford. “On the contrary, this is where, like in any good story, an interesting plot twist occurred.”

Conlon and colleagues noted that the Hitomi telescope had much fuzzier images than Chandra, so its data on the Perseus cluster are actually comprised of a mixture of the X-ray signals from two sources: a diffuse component of hot gas enveloping the large galaxy in the center of the cluster and X-ray emission from near the supermassive black hole in this galaxy.

The sharper vision of Chandra can separate the contribution from the two regions. Capitalizing on this, Bulbul et al. isolated the X-ray signal from the hot gas by removing point sources from their analysis, including X-rays from material near the supermassive black hole

In order to test whether this difference mattered, the Oxford team re-analyzed Chandra data from close to the black hole at the center of the Perseus cluster taken in 2009.

They found something surprising: evidence for a deficit rather than a surplus of X-rays at 3.5 keV.

This suggests that something in Perseus is absorbing X-rays at this exact energy. When the researchers simulated the Hitomi spectrum by adding this absorption line to the hot gas’ emission line seen with Chandra and XMM-Newton, they found no evidence in the summed spectrum for either absorption or emission of X-rays at 3.5 keV, consistent with the Hitomi observations.

The challenge is to explain this behavior: detecting absorption of X-ray light when observing the black hole and emission of X-ray light at the same energy when looking at the hot gas at larger angles away from the black hole.

In fact, such behavior is well known to astronomers who study stars and clouds of gas with optical telescopes. Light from a star surrounded by a cloud of gas often shows absorption lines produced when starlight of a specific energy is absorbed by atoms in the gas cloud.

The absorption kicks the atoms from a low to a high energy state. The atom quickly drops back to the low energy state with the emission of light of a specific energy, but the light is re-emitted in all directions, producing a net loss of light at the specific energy – an absorption line – in the observed spectrum of the star. In contrast, an observation of a cloud in a direction away from the star would detect only the re-emitted, or fluorescent light at a specific energy, which would show up as an emission line.

The Oxford team suggests in their report that dark matter particles may be like atoms in having two energy states separated by 3.5 keV. If so, it could be possible to observe an absorption line at 3.5 keV when observing at angles close to the direction of the black hole, and an emission line when looking at the cluster hot gas at large angles away from the black hole.

“This is not a simple picture to paint, but it’s possible that we’ve found a way to both explain the unusual X-ray signals coming from Perseus and uncover a hint about what dark matter actually is,” said co-author Nicholas Jennings, also of Oxford.

To write the next chapter of this story, astronomers will need further observations of the Perseus cluster and others like it.

For example, more data is needed to confirm the reality of the dip and to exclude a more mundane possibility, namely that we have a combination of an unexpected instrumental effect and a statistically unlikely dip in X-rays at an energy of 3.5 keV. Chandra, XMM-Newton and future X-ray missions will continue to observe clusters to address the dark matter mystery.

A paper describing these results was published in Physical Review D on Dec. 19. The other co-authors of the paper are Sven Krippendorf and Markus Rummel, both from Oxford. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Chandra program for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, controls Chandra's science and flight operations.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Northshore man who ran his pickup into a downtown Lakeport store on Christmas night made his first court appearance in the case this week.

Jason Kaluna Fugit, 46, of Nice, was arraigned in Lake County Superior Court on Wednesday, according to District Attorney Don Anderson.

Anderson said Fugit is charged with felony vandalism, burglary and reckless driving for crashing his truck into the front of the Campos Casual store on Monday night.

On the night of Fugit’s arrest, a judge gave a bail enhancement of $500,000 in the case. Anderson said that enhancement remains in place, with Fugit still in custody.

Fugit is due to return for appearance of counsel and plea entry at 8:15 a.m. Jan. 3. Anderson said Mitchell Hauptman was appointed as Fugit’s attorney.

Shortly before 7 p.m. Christmas night, Fugit drove his Chevy Silverado through the front of the Campos Casuals store, located at 344 N. Main St., as Lake County News has reported.

Lakeport Police Officer Tyler Trouette said he arrived to find Fugit standing in front of the store and his pickup in the back of the building. It had smashed not just through the glass entryway but through counters and merchandise displays.

Trouette said it appeared that Fugit had lined up his pickup and then accelerated through the front of the store. There were no signs of skid marks or attempts to brake.

Fugit’s criminal history includes his 2005 arrest for attempting to kill his grandmother, who he thought was conspiring with the government to commit treasonous acts.

He pleaded guilty to elder abuse and in 2008, was sentenced to eight years in prison but instead sent to the Napa State Hospital because he was found to have been insane at the time he tried to kill his grandmother.

Anderson said Fugit was released from the state mental hospital in the spring of 2015.

In recent months, Fugit has been regularly seen in downtown Lakeport with cardboard signs complaining of a government conspiracy to persecute him.

Since his 2015 release, Fugit has had no other criminal cases filed against him with the District Attorney’s Office, Anderson said.

Anderson said Fugit told authorities that he used to work for the Campos’ limousine service. Fugit said he thought the Camposes were part of a government conspiracy because he had been required to sign confidentiality forms to drive the limo.

Fugit also told investigators that the crash was an accident, but then claimed that his belief that the Camposes are part of a conspiracy was why he did it.

RheaBeth Campos, who along with husband Ron owns the store, said she recalled Fugit working for them a long time ago when they owned the limousine company. She said that was about 20 years ago.

Campos said Fugit worked for them, but “not for very long,” and only did a few limo runs, she said.

“I never knew who he was,” when he was standing on the corner more recently with his signs, she said.

Fugit did come into the store recently, bringing with him a written statement, Campos said.

The Campos’ son, James, who manages the store, took the statement and told his mother that it was page after page of ramblings.

RheaBeth Campos said her son threw the paper away, but after the crash he retrieved the statement from the dumpster to give to police.

Police originally estimated damage to the Campos Casuals building to be at least $100,000.

Campos said their insurance company will visit on Tuesday to give them an updated estimate.

In the meantime, the main damage already is cleaned up. “We’re quick on our feet,” said Campos.

However, there is still more to do, including additional cleaning, she said. They’ve also made themselves available to respond to requests for merchandise exchanges because of the Christmas shopping season.

As for the store’s future, it will return, Campos said, noting they will “absolutely” reopen.

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.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – A pilot escaped serious injury in an airplane crash near Upper Lake early Thursday.

The Federal Aviation Administration reported that the crash occurred at around 12 a.m. on Thursday at the Gravelly Valley Airport.

The plane involved was a single-engine two-seat Aeropro Eurofox, manufactured in 2005 and registered to a West Sacramento owner, according to FAA records.

The brief FAA report on the crash said that the aircraft landed hard on Gravelly Valley Airport’s Runway 33.

The pilot reported the aircraft was damaged, however, the FAA said the extent of damage to the plane was unknown at the time of its report.

No injuries were reported.

Northshore Fire Protection District units responded to the crash but were cleared to leave by the FAA shortly before 1:15 a.m. Thursday, according to reports from the scene.

Firefighters reported over the air that, at that point, the damaged aircraft was in the middle of the airstrip, where it was expected to remain for a few days until the pilot moved it.

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 California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office will conduct a driving under the influence and driver’s license safety checkpoint on Saturday, Dec. 30.

The CHP said the checkpoint will happen at a location somewhere within the unincorporated area of Lake County.

The agency said its goal is to ensure the safe passage of each and every motorist by targeting roads where there is a high frequency of intoxicated or unlicensed drivers.

The CHP said a sobriety/driver’s license checkpoint is a proven effective tool for achieving this goal and is designed to augment existing patrol operations.

Vehicles will be checked for drivers who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or driving unlicensed, the CHP said.

The objective is to send a clear message to those individuals who consider driving and mixing alcohol or drugs, or driving when unlicensed, that they will be caught and their vehicle towed away.

Funding for this program was provided from a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.