LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has more new kittens waiting for new families this week.

The following cats at the shelter have been cleared for adoption.

Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm for information on visiting or adopting.

Male orange tabby kitten

This male orange tabby kitten has a short coat and gold eyes.

He is in cat room kennel No. 1b, ID No. 14159.

Male brown tabby kitten

This male brown tabby kitten has a short coat and gold eyes.

He is in cat room kennel No. 1c, ID No. 14160.

Female domestic short hair

This female domestic short hair kitten has a black coat and gold eyes.

She is in cat room kennel No. 1f, ID No. 14163.

Male brown tabby kitten

This male brown tabby kitten has a short coat and gold eyes.

He is in cat room kennel No. 36b, ID No. 14190.

Male domestic short hair kitten

This male domestic short hair kitten has a gray and white coat and green eyes.

He is in cat room kennel No. 108, ID No. 14169.

Female domestic short hair kitten

This female domestic short hair kitten has a tortie coat and gold eyes.

She is in cat room kennel No. 135, ID No. 14224.

Female domestic short hair kitten

This female domestic short hair kitten has a brown tabby coat and gold eyes.

She is in cat room kennel No. 135, ID No. 14225.

Female domestic short hair kitten

This female domestic short hair kitten has a brown tabby coat and gold eyes.

She is in cat room kennel No. 135, ID No. 14226.

Male domestic short hair kitten

This male domestic short hair kitten has a gray tabby coat and gold eyes.

He is in cat room kennel No. 135, ID No. 14227.

Female domestic short hair kitten

This female domestic short hair kitten has a gray tabby coat and green eyes.

She is in cat room kennel No. 147, ID No. 14219.

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. – These crisp, cold winter nights got me thinking about how we as a species evolved beneath a dome of stars.

Before we were subject to human-made light, the long winter nights were ripe with storytelling and stargazing.

Nearly every culture has stories depicting the constellations, moons and planets. For example, Cree Indians called December's full moon “Drift Clearing Moon,” the Western Abenaki named it “Winter Maker Moon” and the Mohicans said it was “Long Night Moon” since it arrived at the winter solstice – the longest night of the year.

Here in Lake County we are blessed with inky-dark skies throughout most of our hills and valleys which makes observing the celestial phenomena well, phenomenal. Poet Rainer Maria Rilke said it best: “It is breathtaking simply to be here.”

Some stars appear to glisten and glitter, but in reality the cold air that is our lens to the universe causes the quivering we detect.

After our star, the sunsets we play witness to a trillion other stars in our spiral-shaped Milky Way Galaxy. Then we are spectators to shimmering, shining stars with a range of sizes, temperatures and brilliance.

Following is an interview I conducted with William “Bill” Haddon, Ph.D., president and CEO of our local Taylor Observatory.

Due to the pandemic, the observatory's in-person events and field trips have been canceled, but Bill tells some remarkable, or should I say, out of this world astronomical tales.

1.You've enjoyed a long history at Taylor. How did you become involved in our observatory?

At the age of 5, while growing up in Denver, Colorado, my dad dragged me into our backyard at three in the morning to watch Perseid meteors. I don’t recall seeing meteors, and I hated the experience. But the idea of viewing interesting objects in the sky was placed in my brain.

In my room, there were glowing stars affixed on the ceiling. But what I recall most vividly was my mother’s description of her own activities involving comet Halley during its 1910 visit. She never actually talked about seeing the comet but instead that she and her three older siblings were ordered to stuff wet rags under the doors and windows at night to prevent poisoning by the cyanide gas that astronomers had identified in the comet’s tail.

My mother had always said she was born in 1907 and for years I wondered how she could have such a vivid memory of events at age 3. The truth is that when mom was 25 she enrolled in a class in Denver with an age limit of 20. So she listed her age as 20 and no one questioned it. She was born in the territory of New Mexico in 1902, and there were few official records. Thus she retired from Bank of America five years after their mandatory retirement!

The children were raised by their grandmother, Dada, in Denver. Dada was a professional clairvoyant and an astrologer. We found out the truth when mom admitted, in her 80s, the discrepancy in her age. I’ve had a life-long interest in comets as a result.

When Barbara and I moved to Lake County in 2008 I wanted to start an astronomy hobby. We quickly discovered Lake County’s wonderful Taylor Observatory-Norton Planetarium and Barbara McIntyre’s informative monthly programs there. Pretty quickly I was attending Friends of Taylor (FOTO) board meetings, not realizing that Walt Lyon was ready to pass the leadership baton. My arm got twisted.

We have an especially talented, resourceful and active group in FOTO. Tim Gill, assistant superintendent of Kelseyville Unified School District, is a math teacher with an astronomy interest that has led to seven lectures at Taylor. Because the Kelseyville school district owns the land under Taylor, Tim’s membership has special importance. The Honorable Judge David Markham is our treasurer/CFO.

Barbara McIntyre serves a secretary of FOTO, but most importantly she designed and now operates our website, www.friendsoftaylor.org. The site includes a capability to receive donations and Taylor memberships via the web.

Dr. David Velasquez, former head of the Lake County Symphony and its current vice president is our one member with a formal astronomy education. Dave has a degree in astronomy and physics from the University of New Mexico.

We have a local artist on our board, Emily Whittlesey of Kelseyville, in recognition of the historic relationship between art and astronomy. Six years ago, Mr. Tom Shleif appeared. As a former director of the Southbridge Lighthouse Museum in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and a professional exhibit designer at the famous Field Museum in Chicago, Tom is an optimal board member. And if that was not sufficient, Tom has become a first-rate astrophotographer with a developing national reputation in that difficult field.

Finally, our favorite board member is Mr. Eduardo Alatorre. Eduardo was an observatory assistant in a student volunteer program run by Barbara McIntyre. He’s lectured regionally and locally, including many talks given at Taylor on Solar System topics. Currently, Eduardo is a Mendocino College math major, and also serves as an official LCOE Taylor docent.

2. Since the observatory is linked with the Lake County Office of Education, are there distance learning programs in place, or are the wonderful STEM projects going to resume later, when schools are open for in-person learning?

LCOE owns the Taylor buildings. Two years ago, with encouragement and support from County Education Superintendent Brock Falkenberg two staff positions were created to oversee and operate Taylor. Elisa Prather, LCOE’s STEM specialist, manages Taylor along with Mr. Angelo Parisi, the resident astronomer.

Angelo was one of two extremely well-qualified applicants for the position. He is a co-founder of Ferguson Observatory, our sister observatory in Kenwood, Sonoma County. Notably, his vocal group the “Big Bang Band Travelling Star Show” won the Astronomical Society of the Pacific’s coveted Los Cumbres award for educational outreach.

Angelo is a great teacher with a love of astronomy. For distance learning, he’s formed an Astronomy Club, which is described on the LCOE website. Weekly online learning sessions are conducted in which students are challenged with interesting astronomy problems.

3. Looking back, astronomically, what would you consider to be the most exciting event of 2020?

Without question it is the appearance of comet Neowise, officially “C/2020 F3 NEOWISE,” in March 2020. While not a “great” comet like 1P Halley or comet Hale-Bopp (1996), Neowise was visible, naked eye, in the northern sky during the summer. It was a circumpolar comet, first seen in the early morning NE sky, and later in the early evening in the NW. In history comets have been seen as portents of disaster, including the Black Plague. Surprisingly I’ve not seen any suggestion that comet Neowise predicted the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lake County residents who are interested in astronomy might want to monitor our Facebook page “Friends of Taylor Observatory” for updates on important astronomy events. For example on Dec. 21, four days before Christmas, the planets Jupiter and Saturn will nearly coalesce in the sky, perhaps reminding us that such a planetary conjunction is a leading theory to explain the Star of Bethlehem.

We are hoping that our popular planetarium show “Mystery of the Christmas Star” can be shown over the internet. Keep your eye on the Facebook page for developments. But in any case, cast your eyes to the west in the days around Dec. 21 to see these two planets, and judge for yourself if such a conjunction guided the Magi to Bethlehem.

4. My family has resided where impressive observatories are located, in Hawaii and the Canary Islands where there are Dark Sky Initiatives. Lake County's skies are one of its many great features. What can you tell us about the exciting Dark Skies Initiative here in our county?

We have two goals for the Dark Sky Initiative: First, to preserve dark skies for future generations of Lake County students. Second, to promote an Astro-tourism Industry for Lake County, encouraging the eight million residents of the Bay Area, Sacramento Sonoma and Napa Counties, where light interference is severe, to visit here. Because an overnight trip is required, lodging, restaurant, wineries and other businesses will benefit.

In November 2018 then-Supervisor Jim Steele successfully introduced a Lake County Board of Supervisors resolution to establish Dark Skies as the official policy of the county. There have already been positive outcomes of Jim’s efforts. FOTO board member David Velasquez has played an especially important role. Cal-Pine has been receptive to improving the lighting at their facility to minimize vertical light pollution.

We encourage Lake County residents to join our Facebook page “Dark Skies – Lake County CA” as part of a long term effort to build a case for certifying all or part of Lake County as an official “Dark Sky Community.”

The Redbud Audubon Society partners with FOTO in the dark sky effort. Much work remains. A Dark Sky Initiative group needs to be formed to promote sustained dark skies and the astrotourism industry. New lighting regulations are needed, as are a collection of locations where visitors can safely view the night sky. Taylor Observatory and the Clear Lake State Park are two obvious viewing choices.

In partnership with LCOE, FOTO had started weekend openings at Taylor prior to COVID-19 restrictions. Additionally, Angelo Parisi, runs a Dark Sky company in the county to accommodate small groups of visitors who want an in-depth viewing experience. These activities will resume at some point.

Bill, thank you and your team at Taylor for all you do.

Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is a retired educator, potter, freelance 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.”

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Theatre Co. is presenting an updated version of a classic Christmas tale with their latest production, “A Virtual Christmas Carol.”

The show runs Dec. 18, 19, 20 and 24 at 7:30 p.m. on YouTube. You’ll want to tune in at 7:00 to view the pre-show interviews.

The show is billed as a virtual journey of self-discovery and growth as Scrooge, tight-fisted and mean as ever, creates a life of hardship for his loyal employee, Bob Cratchit and his family. It takes the ghost of his old business partner, Jacob Marley, and three Christmas spirits to try to save his “rotten soul.”

The audience gets a glimpse into Scrooge’s past and into his soul via a series of virtual Zoom calls. The end result is a family-friendly take on a Christmas classic.

The show is narrated by Charles Dickens, played by KPFZ radio host Alan Fletcher. Local teacher, James Paton, plays Scrooge.

The cast is composed of mostly LCTC veteran adult and child actors with a few new faces. While the company is always excited when they can draw new actors to their shows, the virtual aspect meant they were able to cast actors with whom they would not normally get to work such as Ashley Ann Pearse of Eastern Washington, who plays the love of Scrooge’s life, and Natalie Ferrell of San Francisco.

This production will be recorded and played over YouTube. The decision to record the show was made early on. The sentiment going in was that this was new territory and that in order to produce a quality show in just under two and a half months and in a new medium, the company really needed to control as many variables as possible the first time out. They plan to switch to live performances once the learning curve is over.

If you would like to watch the performance you can purchase tickets in advance at www.LCTC.us.Tickets are only $5 per household. The link to the YouTube Channel will be emailed to you the day before the performance selected.

Be sure to check the company’s website in December for food and beverage recipes to make ahead of time to enhance your viewing experience.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care has more new dogs this week available for adoption.

Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Australian Cattle Dog, border collie, Dalmatian, Great Pyrenees husky, Labrador Retriever, pit bull and heeler.

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 (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).

Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm for information on visiting or adopting.

Male pit bull mix

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

He is in kennel No. 15, ID No. 14196.

Pit bull-Australian Cattle Dog

This male pit bull-Australian Cattle Dog mix has a short tricolor coat.

He is in kennel No. 16, ID No. 14197.

Male pit bull mix

This male pit bull terrier mix has a short gray and brindle coat.

He is in kennel No. 18, ID No. 14138.

‘Opal’

“Opal” is a female Dalmatian-pit bull mix with a short white coat with black markings.

She has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 19, ID No. 14213.

Female Great Pyrenees

This female Great Pyrenees has a medium-length white coat.

She is in kennel No. 20, ID No. 14231.

Male husky mix

This male husky mix has a long red and white coat.

He is in kennel No. 21, ID No. 14230.

Female pit bull

This female pit bull has a short brown coat.

She has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 24, ID No. 14217.

‘Mable’

“Mable” is a young female Labrador Retriever-border collie mix with a short black and white coat.

She is in kennel No. 26, ID No. 14206.

Male pit bull terrier

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

He has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 27, ID No. 14216.

Male heeler-Labrador Retriever

This male heeler-Labrador Retriever mix has a short black and white coat.

He is in kennel No. 29, ID No. 14178.

Male pit bull terrier

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

He is in kennel No. 33, ID No. 14218.

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.

With winter just around the corner, all visitors to California’s National Forests should continue to plan ahead before visiting and recreate responsibly once there.

Early snowfall has already begun on some forests and road conditions will begin to impact access so please ensure that your vehicle is snow ready before you go.

Visitors are encouraged to view the Recreate Responsibly Winter Toolkit, which provides resources on planning ahead, weather conditions, avalanche awareness, and Leave No Trace principles. Additionally, a Spanish version of the toolkit can be found here.

A web map was developed to help visitors find out which recreation areas are open on nearby forests, including campgrounds, day use sites, and trails on National Forests in California. View the GIS map for winter updates at https://go.usa.gov/xwurX.

Please follow posted campfire, parking, and camping restrictions. Be prepared to find alternative areas if your trail or campground is full. Additionally, please note that fireworks are not permitted on any National Forest.

Forest officials recommend that you not travel long distances to recreate and, again, check with your local National Forest before visiting. If you or anyone in your household is feeling sick, please remain at home and plan your trip for another time. All visitors should practice self-sufficiency during your visits to national forests.

Recreating responsibly will help ensure that expanded access to recreational facilities, services, and opportunities continues.

Responsible recreation practices should be maintained at all times, including:

• Research winter road conditions and make sure your vehicle is snow ready;
• Maintaining at least six feet distancing from others;
• Do not gather in groups and please follow the latest guidance from officials;
• Communicate with others as you pass. Alert trail users of your presence and step aside to let others pass;
• Pack out your trash and leave with everything you bring in and use; and
• All services may not be available, so please plan accordingly.

The Geminids are widely recognized as the best annual meteor shower a stargazer can see, occurring between Dec. 4 to Dec. 17, with the best nights for viewing on Dec. 13 and 14.

The parent of the Geminids is 3200 Phaethon, which is arguably considered to be either an asteroid or an extinct comet. When the Earth passes through trails of dust, or meteoroids, left by 3200 Phaethon, that dust burns up in Earth’s atmosphere, creating the Geminid meteor shower.

The Geminid rate will be even better this year, as the shower’s peak overlaps with a nearly new moon, so there will be darker skies and no moonlight to wash out the fainter meteors. That peak will happen on the night of Dec. 13 into the morning of Dec. 14, with some meteor activity visible in the days before and after.

Viewing is good all night for the Northern Hemisphere, with activity peaking around 2 a.m. local time, and after midnight for viewers in the Southern Hemisphere.

Why are they called the Geminids?

All meteors associated with a shower have similar orbits, and they all appear to come from the same place in the sky, which is called the radiant. The Geminids appear to radiate from a point in the constellation Gemini, hence the name “Geminids.”

How fast are Geminids?

Geminids travel 78,000 mph (35 km/s). This is over 1000 times faster than a cheetah, about 250 times faster than the swiftest car in the world, and over 40 times faster than a speeding bullet!

How to observe the Geminids?

If it’s not cloudy, get away from bright lights, lie on your back, and look up. Remember to let your eyes get adjusted to the dark – you’ll see more meteors that way. Keep in mind, this adjustment can take approximately 30 minutes. Don’t look at your cell phone screen, as it will ruin your night vision!

Meteors can generally be seen all over the sky. Avoid watching the radiant because meteors close to it have very short trails and are easily missed. When you see a meteor, try to trace it backwards. If you end up in the constellation Gemini, there’s a good chance you’ve seen a Geminid.

When is the best time to observe Geminids?

The best night to see the shower is Dec. 13 to 14. The shower will peak around 01:00 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). Sky watchers in the Northern Hemisphere can see Geminids starting around 7:30 to 8 p.m. local time on Dec. 13, with the rate of meteors increasing as 2 a.m. approaches. In the Southern hemisphere, good rates will be seen between midnight and dawn local time on Dec. 14. Geminid watchers who observe from midnight to 4 a.m. should catch the most meteors.

How many Geminids can observers expect to see Dec. 13-14?

Realistically, the predicted rate for observers in the northern hemisphere is closer to 60 meteors per hour. This means you can expect to see an average of one Geminid per minute in dark skies at the shower peak. Observers in the southern hemisphere will see fewer Geminids than their northern hemisphere counterparts – perhaps 25 percent of rates in the northern hemisphere, depending on their latitude.

Where will NASA stream the Geminids meteor shower?

We will broadcast a live stream of the shower’s peak Dec. 13-14 from a meteor camera at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, (if our weather cooperates!) from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. CST on the NASA Meteor Watch Facebook page.

Meteor videos recorded by the All Sky Fireball Network are also available each morning to identify Geminids in these videos – just look for events labeled “GEM.”

Happy viewing stargazers!

Lance D. Davis writes for NASA. This article originally appeared at www.NASA.gov.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the first emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine, and Lake County’s Public Health officer reported that nearly 1,000 doses will soon be heading to the county.

The FDA’s approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine allows it to be distributed in the United States, and with COVID-19 cases rising significantly in Lake County and statewide, Dr. Gary Pace said the progress surrounding vaccines offers great hope.

“The approval and shipping processes are underway, and we expect delivery of the first doses in the county sometime next week,” Pace said.

As of Friday, Lake County had documented 1,215 COVID-19 cases – an increase of nearly 200 over the week – and 22 deaths. Eleven residents are currently hospitalized, with seven of them in care out of the county, Public Health reported.

Lake County remains in the purple tier, the most restrictive tier on the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy. Out of California’s 58 counties, 54 – accounting for 99.9 percent of the population – were in the purple tier as of Friday.

County Public Health departments across California reported Friday that there are more than 1.52 million confirmed COVID-19 cases statewide and more than 20,850 deaths.

Pace said the Pfizer vaccine is to be shipped out by next week, with Lake County to receive an allotment of 975 doses.

“The fact this vaccine was developed so quickly is truly remarkable, yet some people are expressing concerns about its safety, due to its rapid arrival on the market,” Pace said. “The FDA approval process has been followed, and before it gets distributed, a group of experts in California will review the studies and safety data.”

He said the first priority is vaccinating and protecting hospital staff who face repeated exposure working on the front lines. “If the surge comes, as projected, they need to be healthy to provide care.”

The county will continue to pursue more vaccine doses in the coming weeks and Pace said it will be administered in priority order, as determined by the state and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hospital staff and medical first responders are vaccinated first, then nursing home staff and then residents. The second tier of priority includes medical clinic staff, other essential workers – law enforcement, firemen, school staff and other people working in public – and then people at higher risk due to age or medical conditions, Pace said.

Pace said he plans to get his shot as soon as he’s able to, noting, “At this point, the risk of COVID is far greater than any risk associated with the vaccine. The more people get vaccinated, the sooner we can move back to a more normal life.”

‘A tremendous step’

On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom visited an ultra-low temperature storage facility at the University of California, Davis Medical Center, which is preparing for the imminent arrival of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Newsom on Friday night called the FDA’s approval of the new vaccine “a tremendous step toward safe and equitable vaccine distribution in California.”

He said through the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup, the state’s scientists and experts have worked concurrently with the federal process to review the safety and efficacy of a COVID-19 vaccine and the workgroup’s recommendations are expected within 48 hours.

News of the vaccine’s approval came as California’s available intensive care beds continued to dwindle. On Friday, Pace said they were down to 11 percent vacancy statewide.

Dropping below 15 percent in a given region triggers more restrictive regional stay at home orders. So far, however, the Northern California region – which includes Lake, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama and Trinity counties – has not entered that category yet. As of Friday, the Northern California region had 26 percent of its ICU capacity remaining.

“Projections suggest we will continue to see a significant increase in cases due to the increase in travel and socializing at Thanksgiving. If we are unable to slow the expected spread, we will have trouble caring for everyone, due to inadequate hospital beds and staffing,” Pace said.

Pace said the state is preparing for this surge and helped increase ICU beds by 80 in Northern California. They are also opening a special facility at the Sleep Train Pavilion in Sacramento which can hold up to 220 people and will serve those that are improving but not ready to leave the hospital.

“Local hospitals have surge plans in place, as well, and can expand to some extent, but the availability of qualified care providers tends to be a real limiting factor. Any steps we can take now to prevent the surge will be very helpful in a few weeks,” Pace said.

In light of its worsening caseload and decreasing hospital capacity, Sonoma County instituted a new stay at home order that went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

The Bay Area region, which includes Sonoma County, was at 16.7 percent of ICU capacity on Friday night, a decrease since Thursday, which is down from yesterday. The state will impose a regionwide stay at home order when an area drops below 15 percent ICU capacity.

Pace said the Bay Area and Sacramento are Lake County’s main transfer sites for hospitalized patients. “We are monitoring the situation closely, and if we get to the point local hospitals are unable to transfer patients needing outside care, or we are overcrowded locally, we will need to consider further actions to slow the spread of the virus.”

Posts began circulating on social media on Friday that suggested Lake County was about to be placed in a new shelter in place order, but Pace told Lake County News on Friday night that while they were watching hospital capacity for the ability to transfer patients out when needed, “There are no imminent plans at this point to put in more restrictions.”

He said a glitch that caused a Wireless Emergency Alert about a stay-at-home order going into effect that was intended only for Sacramento County residents was sent to some Lake County residents mistakenly on Friday, which he suggested may have led to the posts about further local restrictions.

There also were claims online that patients from Sonoma County were being sent to Lake County due to a lack of bed capacity. In response, Pace said there was a transfer, “done for appropriate reasons for a Lake County resident,” and it wasn’t related to COVID-19.

“The next few months are going to be very trying. Please stay home and follow all of the guidelines,” said Pace.

He urged people to avoid traveling for Christmas, “but if you do go see family and friends, definitely take precautions.”

Pace added, “We are optimistic that in a few months, things will be improving. The vaccine will be getting out there to folks, and the weather will be improving, allowing us to be outdoors more. If we support each other, we will get through these challenging few months together.”

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. – Just days after the Lake County Superior Court announced it was canceling trials until the end of December and moving most hearings online due to the rise of COVID-19 cases in the county, officials said a court employee has contracted the coronavirus.

In a Friday statement, the court reported that it was notified late Thursday about the employee testing positive for COVID-19.

The employee last worked at the Lakeport Courthouse on Wednesday and at the Clearlake Courthouse on Monday, the court reported.

“The individual did not have any symptoms while at work. The individual did not work in a courtroom and did not have close contact with attorneys, law enforcement officers or any member of the public,” the statement said.

In order to protect the employee’s privacy, the court did not provide any other details.

Court officials said they have been in contact with Lake County Public Health and are following all guidance provided.

Any employee who was in close contact with the individual who tested positive has been sent home and will isolate for 14 days, the court said.

A “thorough deep cleaning and decontamination” was conducted on Thursday evening, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the court statement said.

On Monday, the court announced it was canceling trials until Dec. 30 and moving most of its in-person hearings to online as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, an action similar to that taken by the Mendocino County Superior Court last week.

Court officials on Friday asked individuals who use the court to comply with the precautionary measures put in place earlier this year.

Those measures include:

– Maintaining at least 6 feet of distance from others at all times. If that is not possible, notify the bailiff or court staff immediately.
– Wearing face coverings over the nose and mouth at all times.
– Sick individuals are required to stay home.
– Any individuals with close contact to a COVID-19 positive individual, or a pending COVID-19 test are required to stay home.

The court’s orders and operational updates are available at its website.

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. – Following a rainy Friday, Lake County is expected to have more precipitation in the weekend ahead.

Rain fell throughout the day on Friday and into the night, offering the most substantial rainfall in more than a month.

The National Weather Service’s observation stations reported the following 24-hour rainfall totals in inches through 12 a.m. Saturday:

– Bartlett Springs: 0.31.
– Cache Creek near Lower Lake: 0.49.
– County line (at Colusa side): 0.15.
– Hidden Valley Lake: 0.30.
– High Glade Lookout (above Upper Lake): 0.47.
– Kelseyville: 0.60.
– Knoxville Creek: 0.28.
– Soda Creek: 0.44.
– Upper Lake: 0.14.
– Whispering Pines: 0.52.

The forecast called for showers to continue overnight Friday into Saturday. Saturday’s forecast is for slight chances of more rain during the daytime and nighttime hours.

Overnight rain is again forecast from Saturday into Sunday, which is expected to see still more showers, according to the forecast.

Monday through Friday are forecast to be mostly cloudy, with a slight chance of showers on Tuesday night.

Temperatures into next week are forecast to be in the high 30s to low 40s at night and into the low 60s in the daytime, forecasters said.

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 Hubble Space Telescope turned 30 this year, and for the occasion, it’s sharing a present with you.

NASA has just released dozens of newly processed Hubble images featuring 30 dazzling galaxies, sparkling star clusters and ethereal nebulae.

And there’s something extra special about these 30 celestial gems: All of them can be seen through backyard telescopes. Some of them can also be spotted with binoculars or even the naked eye.

All of these celestial objects belong to a collection known to amateur astronomers as the Caldwell catalog.

Compiled by British amateur astronomer and science communicator Sir Patrick Caldwell-Moore, the catalog was published by Sky & Telescope magazine 25 years ago, in December 1995.

It was inspired by the Messier catalog, assembled by French comet-hunter Charles Messier, which includes 110 relatively bright but fuzzy objects in the skies of the Northern Hemisphere that could accidentally be mistaken for comets.

Caldwell’s catalog highlights 109 galaxies, star clusters, and nebulae that are not included in Messier’s catalog but are also bright enough to be seen by amateur astronomers.

In addition, the Caldwell objects are split between the northern and southern hemisphere skies, providing interesting targets to pursue for amateur astronomers around the world.

This newly released collection of more than 50 Hubble images feature 30 objects in the Caldwell catalog. (Some of these 30 Caldwell objects appear in more than one new Hubble image.)
These images have been taken by Hubble throughout its career and used for scientific research or for engineering tests, but NASA had not fully processed the images for public release until now.

Because of Hubble’s detailed field of view, some of its pictures do not capture the entirety of a Caldwell object, sometimes instead zooming in on clusters of young stars in the arms of a spiral galaxy, stars on the outskirts of a cluster, or the zombie star at the heart of a nebula.

But in other cases, a mosaic of Hubble observations assemble to create a complete or nearly complete portrait of the celestial marvel.

These new images join Hubble’s existing gallery of Caldwell objects, first published in December 2019. Hubble’s collection now includes 87 of the 109 Caldwell objects.

For each listing in Hubble’s Caldwell catalog, a basic star chart shows observers when and where they can find that object in the night sky, and a description suggests what type of observing equipment can be used to view it.

The individual articles also explain Hubble’s images for those who prefer to just enjoy the telescope’s exquisite views.

The Hubble Space Telescope was launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in April 1990.

After being upgraded five times by crews of spacewalking astronauts, Hubble is today, at 30 years old, even better than when it was launched and continues to make groundbreaking discoveries that challenge and advance our fundamental understanding of the cosmos.

To see all of the new images in Hubble’s Caldwell catalog, click here.

Vanessa Thomas works for NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Thursday night, during its final meeting of the year, the Middletown Area Town Hall finalized its slate of board candidates for the new year, discussed bylaws revisions and got an update on a cell tower project.

MATH opened nominations for three seats in October, with the nominations also open last month and again on Thursday night.

The seats to be filled – which Chair Tom Darms said include two representing Middletown proper and one at-large seat, not the other way around as had been stated on the agenda – currently are held by Darms, Vice Chair Sally Peterson and Secretary Paul Baker.

MATH’s board also includes Rosemary Córdova and Lisa Kaplan, who are at-large members.

MATH, whose members reported having less participation since the meetings have been held virtually and not in person, went into Thursday night’s meeting with no formal nominations having been accepted at its last two meetings.

By the end of the Thursday night discussion, however, a slate of three candidates formed and will be presented to the town hall for acceptance at its January meeting.

The candidates are Ken Gonzales, who previously served on the MATH board; businesswoman Monica Rosenthal; and Baker, who this time agreed to serve but said he didn’t want to continue to be the board secretary.

All three accepted their nominations.

At the November meeting, MATH approved bylaws updates which included making December the month in which nominations close and setting the election in January. While the group has typically held elections in January, the bylaws previously didn’t give a specific time for elections.

The November bylaws updates also include allowing for nominations by proxy for those who can’t attend a meeting in person, which previously hadn’t been allowed.

MATH went over further bylaws changes regarding clarification to the board election procedures which will be presented for acceptance at the January meeting.

Darms said the new board members will be approved in January. At that time, they are expected to discuss having alternates in place for the board in order to ensure they can have a quorum at future meetings.

In other business, the group received a report from Community Development Director Scott De Leon on the granting of a permit to Verizon for the use of an existing cell tower in Middletown.

A previous iteration of the project was denied by the Lake County Planning Commission last year but De Leon said he is allowing this new permit to go forward because it’s his conclusion that the county can’t deny it and comply with federal law.

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 Office of Education, in partnership with the local Lake County school districts, was recently awarded a Learning Communities for Student Success Program grant from the California Department of Education.

The grant runs through June of 2023.

The purpose of the grant is to support programs aimed at improving student outcomes by reducing truancy and supporting students who are at risk of dropping out of school.

“Lake County has a high rate of chronic absenteeism. The grant allowed us to create a local solution that will work for us here in Lake County,” said Lake County Deputy Superintendent of Schools Cynthia Lenners.

Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing two or more days of school, excused or unexcused, a month.

“When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating,” said Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg.

The Lake County Office of Education has seven job openings for the implementation and operation of this program. There are six attendance liaison positions and one attendance coordinator position.

The Learning Communities for Student Success Program staff will provide extra support and school site services to students and their families related to attendance.

They will be hired through the Lake County Office of Education but will be assigned to one of the local school districts in Lake County.

“Although we would like our attendance liaisons to have an Associated Arts degree, the most important qualification for the job is for a person to have the passion to make things better for our students in Lake County,” Lenners said.

The attendance coordinator position requires a Bachelor’s of Arts degree.

For information on how to apply for these positions, please visit lakecoe.org and click on the “careers” button. Application deadlines are Friday, Dec. 18.