LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The man who was involved in a lengthy standoff with law enforcement in early November is being evaluated after his defense attorney questioned his mental competence.

Francisco Morales-Gomez, 31, of Clearlake has remained in custody at the Lake County Jail since Nov. 8, when he was arrested following a day-and-a-half-long standoff in which he held his 6-year-old son hostage, as Lake County News has reported.

Earlier this month, ahead of his scheduled trial, his defense attorney told a judge that he had concerns about his client’s mental competence, Deputy District Attorney Trang Jensen.

The November standoff began when Morales-Gomez’s wife called police to report that he had brandished a firearm at her at their home at 29th and Boyles avenues.

When officers responded, Morales-Gomez came to the door with his child – carrying what was believed to be a rifle – before taking the child and going back inside the house.

What ensued were lengthy negotiations between Morales-Gomez and the Clearlake Police Department, with the SWAT teams from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office later taking part in the negotiations.

About half a dozen nearby homes were evacuated, portions of 28th, 29th and Boyles avenues were closed and a helicopter, robot and drone from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office also were used, authorities said.

During the standoff, authorities said Morales-Gomez made multiple threats to shoot the law enforcement officers.

The standoff would finally end after Morales-Gomez called to ask for food, with an officer hurriedly responding to the scene with a hot pepperoni pizza.

SWAT team members placed the pizza inside the front room, while Morales-Gomez remained at the back of the house, where he agreed to pass his child out of a window to law enforcement.

When Morales-Gomez attempted to go out of another window, he was taken into custody.

As it would turn out, Morales-Gomez had a BB gun, not an actual firearm, according to Jensen.

Jensen said Morales-Gomez is facing four felony counts – false imprisonment of a hostage, false imprisonment by violence, child abuse, and resisting an officer with violence or the threat of violence – in addition to multiple misdemeanors.

Morales-Gomez had been set for trial beginning on Wednesday, but at his Jan. 14 court appearance for a settlement and trial readiness conference, his defense attorney, Dana Liberatore, declared a doubt as to his mental competence, Jensen said.

As a result, “Criminal proceedings have been suspended,” Jensen said.

She said Morales-Gomez is due to return to court on Feb. 11, at which time Judge David Markham will receive reports from two doctors who are evaluating Jensen’s mental competence.

At that point Markham is expected to make a ruling as to whether Morales-Gomez is mentally competent to stand trial, Jensen said.

If Markham finds Morales-Gomez competent, Jensen said criminal proceedings would be restarted and the trial reset.

Should Morales-Gomez be found incompetent, the law requires he be placed in treatment until his competence is restored so the criminal case can proceed.

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.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors this week will present a proclamation recognizing efforts last year to mitigate wildland fire risk and hear the annual report from the Lake County Tourism Improvement District.

The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.

The meeting can be watched live on Channel 8 and online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.

At 9:06 a.m., the board will present a proclamation recognizing Caltrans District 1 and Konocti Conservation Camp Crews for outstanding efforts to mitigate wildfire risk in 2019.

At 9:10 a.m., the board will get the annual update from the Lake County Tourism Improvement District, which was formed in October 2018.

“The LCTID now acts as the tourism destination marketing entity dedicated to the goal of attracting visitors to Lake County for overnight stays. Increased overnight stays result in increased Transient Occupancy Tax revenues for the County of Lake as well as both cities, the City of Clearlake and the City of Lakeport,” County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson’s report to the board explains.

Huchingson said the presentation will update the board as to what work has been done and work in progress.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

5.1: Adopt proclamation recognizing Caltrans District 1 and Konocti Conservation Camp Crews for outstanding efforts to mitigate wildfire risk in 2019.

5.2: Approve additional leave of absence request for Department of Social Services Eligibility Specialist III Gary Pepper from Jan. 7 to June 1, 2020, and authorize the Chair to sign.

5.3: Approve Amendment No. 4 to the agreement for indigent services between the county of Lake and Lake Indigent Defense, LLP and authorize the chair to sign.

5.4: Resolution authorizing Lake County Behavioral Health Services to approve funding allocations for the Whole Person Care Pilot Program.

5.5: Approve minutes of the Board of Supervisors meeting held Nov. 19, 2019.

5.6: Adopt resolution authorizing the 2020-2021 Grant Project- Lake County Child Advocacy Center Program and authorize the chair to sign the certification and assurance of compliance.

5.7: Approve plans and specifications for the Clayton Creek Road at Clayton Creek Bridge Replacement Project; Bid No. 20-02, Federal Project No: BRLO-5914(077).

5.8: Approve plans and specifications for the Bartlett Springs Road at Cache Creek Bridge Replacement Project; Bid No. 20-01, Federal Project No: BRLO-5914(092).

5.9: Approve amendment one between the county of Lake and Bennet Omalu Pathology for a five-year cost plan and fee schedule for pathology services at an estimated cost increase of $68,400 and authorize the chairman to sign.

5.10: Approve first amendment to the contract between the county of Lake and Chabot-Las Positas Community College District and authorize the chair to sign.

5.11: Adopt resolution revising the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Adopted Budget of the county of Lake by canceling reserves in Fund 262 County Service Area No. 2, Spring Valley Water Roads/Bridges and Dams, in the amount of $33,581.

5.12: Approve agreement between the county of Lake on behalf of CSA 2 Spring Valley and WEST Consultants, Inc. for dam inundation mapping and emergency action plan services for the period from Jan. 7 to Dec. 31, 2020, for an amount not to exceed $33,581 and authorize the chair to execute the agreement.

5.13: Sitting as the Lake County Sanitation District Board of Directors, approve agreement between Lake County Sanitation District and WEST Consultants Inc., for dam inundation mapping and emergency action plan services for the period from Jan. 7 to Dec. 31, 2020, for an amount not to exceed $43,186 and authorize the chair to execute the agreement.

TIMED ITEMS

6.2, 9:06 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation recognizing Caltrans District 1 and Konocti Conservation Camp Crews for outstanding efforts to mitigate wildfire risk in 2019.

6.3, 9:10 a.m.: Annual update from the Lake County Tourism Improvement District.

UNTIMED ITEMS

7.2: Consideration of the following appointments: Lower Lake Cemetery Board, East Region Town Hall, Glenbrook Cemetery District, Lake County Public Authority Advisory Committee and the Emergency Medical Care Committee.

CLOSED SESSION

8.1: Conference with labor negotiator: (a) chief negotiator: M. Long; county negotiators: C. Huchingson and P. Samac; and (b) employee organizations: LCDDAA, LCDSA, LCCOA, LCEA, LCSEA and LCSMA.

8.2: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9(d)(1) – Flesch v. Lake County District Attorney’s Office, et al.

8.3: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9 (d)(1) – County of Lake, et al v. PG&E, et al.

8.4: Conference with legal county: Decision whether to initiate litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 5456.9(d)(4) – two potential cases.

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 National Weather Service is predicting rain early this week before clearer conditions move in over the region.

The forecast across Northern California calls for light precipitation from a storm system that’s moving east on Monday night and into Tuesday.

The agency said a couple of storms through Tuesday will move into the Pacific Northwest, with the first of the storms bringing rain to the extreme northern part of California into early Monday.

The second system will move through Monday night and Tuesday and bring precipitation chances further to the south. The National Weather Service said precipitation amounts are expected to be small for both systems.

The forecast predicts that high pressure will build over the region Tuesday night and Wednesday to dry the entire interior out, with temperatures around 10 degrees above seasonal normals expected for the second half of the week.

On Thursday and Friday, there will be a possibility of cloud cover due to some storm systems passing through, but otherwise sunny conditions are forecast through the weekend, the National Weather Service said.

In Lake County, showers are forecast from Monday night through Tuesday, to be followed by sunny conditions during the days from Wednesday through Saturday, and partly cloudy conditions overnight those nights.

Temperatures are expected to range from the high 30s to mid-40s at night and from the mid-50s to low 60s during the day.

There also are chances of light winds through Tuesday, the forecast 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 California Department of Public Health has been informed that one individual in Los Angeles County and one individual in Orange County have tested positive for novel coronavirus 2019, or nCoV-2019.

CDPH said the information was confirmed by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the Orange County Health Care Agency and the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The California Department of Public Health has been preparing for this situation by working closely with local health departments and health care providers,” said Dr. Sonia Angell, CDPH director and state health officer. “We are supporting ongoing efforts by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the Orange County Health Care Agency to respond to these cases, and will continue working with our partners to monitor for any additional cases that may occur in California, to ensure that persons can be safely and effectively evaluated for this novel virus, and to protect the health of the people of California.”

At this time, no other persons infected with nCoV-2019 have been identified in California. Currently, the immediate health risk from nCoV 2019 to the general public is low.

It is very important for persons who have recently traveled and who become ill to notify their health care provider of their travel history.

Persons who have recently traveled to Wuhan, China, or who have had contact with a person with possible novel coronavirus infection should contact their local health department or health care provider.

CDPH has been prepared and is continuing with the following actions:

· Providing information about the outbreak and how to report suspect cases to local health departments and health care providers in California.

· Coordinating with CDC personnel who are doing screening of travelers from Wuhan, China at SFO and LAX airports.

· Assuring that health care providers know how to safely manage persons with possible nCoV-2019 infection.

· Supporting hospitals and local public health laboratories for collection and shipment of specimens for testing at CDC for nCoV-2019.

· Activating CDPH’s Emergency Operations Center to coordinate response efforts across the state.

The nCoV-2019 outbreak in China continues to evolve and California is prepared for more cases that may arise.

CDPH considers this a very important public health event; the agency said it is closely monitoring the situation and providing updates to partners across the state to support their preparedness efforts.

As with any virus, especially during the flu season, CDPH reminds you there are a number of steps you can take to protect your health and those around you:

· Washing hands with soap and water.

· Avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.

· Avoiding close contact with people who are sick are all ways to reduce the risk of infection with a number of different viruses.

· If someone does become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough, they should stay away from work, school or other people to avoid spreading illness.

CDPH will not be providing additional information about the patients beyond what is being shared by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and Orange County Health Care Agency.

For more information about nCov-2019, please visit the CDPH website.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – During the cold winter months when many birds fly south and bears “den” – they do not strictly hibernate here in Lake County, but attain a “seasonal lethargy” – honeybees, like many of us, cope with cold temperatures by gathering reserves and slowing down.

Beekeepers tell us that when the temperatures drop down to the 50s and below, honeybees assemble in a special area of the hive into a cluster.

Using their amazing bee-wisdom, honeybees know that it is imperative that they keep their queen bee warm and safe, so the queen is kept inside the cluster. Then, the worker bees quiver their little wings while shivering.

These wise little critters also know to keep the cluster rotating to allow for those on the outside of the huddle to warm up on the inside. All of this unremitting motion generates enough heat in the hive to keep the temperature warm enough for survival.

But this incessant motion requires much in the way of sustenance, which means honey for energy.

Some sources state that depending on the size of the honeybees hive, they can devour up to 30 pounds of honey over the winter season.

I contacted a local hobbyist beekeeper, Arnaud Hubert and asked him some questions about beekeeping.

Here they are:

Q: What do bees in Lake County feed on in the winter months?

A: They slow down, but if a day is nice and sunny and warm enough, some bees will venture out for water, pollen or even nectar. There are some blooms right now – rosemary, silver dollar eucalyptus, manzanita and others.

Q: When bees swarm locally, who collects the swarm, and what is the procedure?

A: I do, as well as the other beekeepers mentioned on the following Facebook page (post is currently unpinned since we’re not in swarm season yet): https://www.facebook.com/BeekeepersGuildofLCC/.

A lot of people sometimes refer to a swarm as a hive, and vice-versa, which makes our job (or hobby, in my case) a bit tricky. When they call, we have to ask them to describe what they’re seeing. If it’s a cluster of bees on a branch or in another location, we can collect it as long as it can be reached. If it’s already settled inside a structure (between walls, empty wine barrel, or some other cavity approximately the size of the inside of an oven), then it’s no longer a swarm, it’s a hive.

If a swarm lands on someone’s property, they can choose to ignore it – the swarm will eventually move away after a few minutes or a couple of days. But they could also decide to settle in a cavity they find on that property - and then it becomes a potential problem.

Beekeepers will usually collect swarms for free, or a very modest fee. If, however, they need to extract it from a structure, it’s called a cut-out, or an extraction. That won’t be free, as it’s a lot of work. Often the extracted colony won’t survive.

Q: What kind of landscape do you recommend to encourage bees and other pollinators?

A: Native flowers! Also: rosemary, lavender, borage, clover, buckwheat, thyme … UC Davis, which also has created a wonderful bee garden which is worth visiting in the spring – has published this guide:
https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/blog/support-california-native-bees-these-10-plants.

UC Berkeley has a “Bee Lab” and produced this much longer but excellent list: http://www.helpabee.org/best-bee-plants-for-california.html .

Q: Where we may purchase local honey?

A: I don’t produce enough to sell it these days. It’s mostly gifted to friends. But some local beekeepers sell their honey at local tasting rooms, feed stores, or specialty stores like Lakeport’s health food store, or A+H in Kelseyville.

Q: How have bees endured after all of the recent fires? I am imagining they have not fared well at all.

A: I’m not sure, and it might not necessarily be the case. The hives in the path of the fire, that’s for sure. Back in ’15, Dan Tyrell of Middletown lost his hives in the Valley fire and nothing was left of them. But honeybees can also be quite resilient, and it’s possible some feral hives that were in burned areas survived, even those inside a tree that partially burned.

As for the resulting ecology, a few years ago I saw some research done by a UC Davis student on the aftermath of the Rocky fire. He found that the bumblebee population – and the wildflower flora – was actually recovering remarkably well in that area.

Now bumblebees aren’t honeybees, but in some ways they are more important since those are native species. Honeybees are after all technically invasive since they were introduced in our area in the 19th century.

Personally I think it’s very important that people shift their concerns towards wild bee species, some of which are endangered or threatened.

Honeybees will not go away (even if they are being threatened by the varroa mite, their No. 1 enemy), as they are crucial to California’s agriculture economy. Hope this helps!

Thanks very much to Arnaud Hubert for sharing his insights and knowledge.

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.”

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Join the Lake Family Resource Center at the Mt. Konocti Winery Event Center on Saturday, Feb. 1, for its annual “Wine, Chocolate & More” fundraiser.

The event will take place from noon to 4 p.m.

Nineteen notable local wineries and breweries are teaming up with 10-plus local restaurants, bakeries and eateries to offer a delectable experience you won’t soon forget.

Enjoy Mt. Konocti Winery and Event Center and fabulous views of Clear Lake and Mt. Konocti as you treat yourself to an array of chocolates, pastries and delectable savory bites while sampling a variety of wines, sparkling wines, dessert wines and even beer.

Take home a souvenir wine glass; have a chance to win the door prize – a giant wine glass terrarium; participate in an expansive silent auction; purchase your favorite wines to take home; and try your luck in a raffle with the lucky winners receiving a ginormous selection of wine that includes one or more bottles of wine from every single winery present.

All proceeds will benefit the programs and services of Lake Family Resource Center, which since 1995 has been strengthening the Lake County community one family at a time.

Tickets are $60 in advance and $70 at the door.

To purchase tickets visit http://lakefrc.org/wine-chocolate-more2020.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has a smaller group of dogs ready for adoption.

Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Doberman Pinscher, Labrador Retriever, pit bull, Rhodesian Ridgeback, shepherd and terrier.

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”).

Male Doberman Pinscher

This male Doberman Pinscher has a short red and brown coat.

He is in kennel No. 22, ID No. 13459.

Female terrier

This female terrier has a short brown and white coat.

She is in kennel No. 24, ID No. 13456.

Male Labrador Retriever

This male Labrador Retriever has a short chocolate coat.

He is in kennel No. 25, ID No. 13465.

‘Oso’

“Oso” is a male shepherd mix with a long black and tan coat.

He has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 27, ID No. 3173.

Male pit bull terrier

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

He is in kennel No. 30, ID No. 13448.

‘Goofy’

“Goofy” is a young male Rhodesian Ridgeback with a short tan and black coat.

Shelter staff said this boy is great with other dogs, although he is high energy and would benefit from obedience training. He would love to go jogging every day, he is very food motivated and willing to learn new things.

Goofy has been at the shelter since Nov. 5. He was originally taken from someone in Upper Lake and found on the highway in Clearlake. If anyone has any information on his owner please contact the shelter.

He’s in kennel No. 33, ID No. 13210.

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.

 

Editor’s note: California, the top U.S. food-producing state, is ending use of chlorpyrifos, a pesticide associated with neurodevelopmental problems and impaired brain function in children. Gina Solomon, a principal investigator at the Public Health Institute, clinical professor at the University of California San Francisco and former deputy secretary at the California Environmental Protection Agency, explains the scientific evidence that led California to act.

1. What is chlorpyrifos and how is it used?

Chlorpyrifos is an inexpensive and effective pesticide that has been on the market since 1965. Farmers across the U.S. use millions of pounds of it each year on a wide range of crops, including many different vegetables, corn, soybeans, cotton and fruit and nut trees.

Like other organophosphate insecticides, chlorpyrifos is designed to kill insects by blocking an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase. This enzyme normally breaks down acetylcholine, a chemical that the body uses to transmit nerve impulses. Blocking the enzyme causes insects to have convulsions and die. All organophosphate insecticides are also toxic and potentially lethal to humans.

Until 2000, chlorpyrifos was also used in homes for pest control. It was banned for indoor use after passage of the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act, which required additional protection of children’s health. Residues left after indoor use were quite high, and toddlers who crawled on the floor and put their hands in their mouth were found to be at risk of poisoning.

Despite the ban on household use and the fact that chlorpyrifos doesn’t linger in the body, over 75% of people in the U.S. still have traces of chlorpyrifos in their bodies, mostly due to residues on food. Higher exposures have been documented in farm workers and people who live or work near agricultural fields.

2. What’s the evidence that chlorpyrifos is harmful?

Researchers published the first study linking chlorpyrifos to potential developmental harm in children in 2003. They found that higher levels of a chlorpyrifos metabolite – a substance that’s produced when the body breaks down the pesticide – in umbilical cord blood were significantly associated with smaller infant birth weight and length.

Subsequent studies published between 2006 and 2014 showed that those same infants had developmental delays that persisted into childhood, with lower scores on standard tests of development and changes that researchers could see on MRI scans of the children’s brains. Scientists also discovered that a genetic subtype of a common metabolic enzyme in pregnant women increased the likelihood that their children would experience neurodevelopmental delays.

These findings touched off a battle to protect children from chlorpyrifos. Some scientists were skeptical of results from epidemiological studies that followed the children of pregnant women with greater or lesser levels of chlorpyrifos in their urine or cord blood and looked for adverse effects.

Epidemiological studies can provide powerful evidence that something is harmful, but results can also be muddled by gaps in information about the timing and level of exposures. They also can be complicated by exposures to other substances through diet, personal habits, homes, communities and workplaces.

3. Why did it take so long to reach a conclusion?

As evidence accumulated that low levels of chlorpyrifos were probably toxic in humans, regulatory scientists at the U.S. EPA and in California reviewed it – but they took very different paths.

At first, both groups focused on the established toxicity mechanism: acetylcholinesterase inhibition. They reasoned that preventing significant disruption of this key enzyme would protect people from other neurological effects.

Scientists working under contract for Dow Chemical, which manufactured chlorpyrifos, published a complex model in 2014 that could estimate how much of the pesticide a person would have to consume or inhale to trigger acetylcholinesterase inhibition. But some of their equations were based on data from as few as six healthy adults who had swallowed capsules of chlorpyrifos during experiments in the 1970s and early 1980s – a method that now would be considered unethical.

California scientists questioned whether risk assessments based on the Dow-funded model adequately accounted for uncertainty and human variability. They also wondered whether acetylcholinesterase inhibition was really the most sensitive biological effect.

In 2016 the U.S. EPA released a reassessment of chlorpyrifos’s potential health effects that took a different approach. It focused on epidemiological studies published from 2003 through 2014 at Columbia University that found developmental impacts in children exposed to chlorpyrifos. The Columbia researchers analyzed chlorpyrifos levels in the mothers’ cord blood at birth, and the EPA attempted to back-calculate how much chlorpyrifos they might have been exposed to throughout pregnancy.

On the basis of this analysis, the Obama administration concluded that chlorpyrifos could not be safely used and should be banned. However, the Trump administration reversed this decision in 2017, arguing that the science was not resolved and more study was needed.

For their part, California regulators struggled to reconcile these disparate results. As they saw it, the epidemiological studies and the acetylcholinesterase model pointed in different directions, and both had significant challenges.

4. What convinced California to impose a ban?

Three new papers on prenatal exposures to chlorpyrifos, published in 2017 and 2018, broke the logjam. These were independent studies, conducted in rats, that evaluated subtle effects on learning and development.

The results were consistent and clear: Chlorpyrifos caused decreased learning, hyperactivity and anxiety in rat pups at doses lower than those that affected acetylcholinesterase. And these studies clearly quantified doses to the rats, so there was no uncertainty about their exposure levels during pregnancy. The results were eerily similar to effects seen in human epidemiological studies, vindicating health concerns about chlorpyrifos.

California reassessed chlorpyrifos using these new studies. Regulators concluded that the pesticide posed significant risks that could not be mitigated – especially among people who lived near agricultural fields where it was used. In October 2019, the state announced that under an enforceable agreement with manufacturers, all sales of chlorpyrifos to California growers would end by Feb. 6, 2020, and growers would not be allowed to possess or use it after Dec. 31, 2020.

Hawaii has already banned chlorpyrifos, and New York state is phasing it out. Other states are also considering action.

5. What’s the U.S. EPA’s view?

In a July 2019 statement, the EPA asserted that “claims regarding neurodevelopmental toxicity must be denied because they are not supported by valid, complete, and reliable evidence.” The agency indicated that it would continue to review the evidence and planned to make a decision by 2021.

EPA did not mention the animal studies published in 2017 and 2018, but it legally must include them in its new assessment. When it does so, I believe EPA leaders will have great difficulty making a case that chlorpyrifos is safe.

In my view, we have consistent scientific evidence that chlorpyrifos threatens children’s neurological development. We know what this pesticide does to people, and it is time to move to safer alternatives.

[ You’re too busy to read everything. We get it. That’s why we’ve got a weekly newsletter. Sign up for good Sunday reading. ]

Gina Solomon, Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

NASA is celebrating the legacy of one of its Great Observatories, the Spitzer Space Telescope, which has studied the universe in infrared light for more than 16 years.

The Spitzer mission will come to a close on Jan. 30.

Launched in 2003, Spitzer revealed previously hidden features of known cosmic objects and led to discoveries and insights spanning from our own solar system to nearly the edge of the universe.

"Spitzer taught us how important infrared light is to understanding our universe, both in our own cosmic neighborhood and as far away as the most distant galaxies," said Paul Hertz, director of astrophysics at NASA Headquarters. "The advances we make across many areas in astrophysics in the future will be because of Spitzer's extraordinary legacy."

Spitzer was designed to study "the cold, the old and the dusty," three things astronomers can observe particularly well in infrared light. Infrared light refers to a range of wavelengths on the infrared spectrum, from those measuring about 700 nanometers (too small to see with the naked eye) to about 1 millimeter (about the size of the head of a pin).

Different infrared wavelengths can reveal different features of the universe. For example, Spitzer can see things too cold to emit much visible light, including exoplanets (planets outside our solar system), brown dwarfs and cold matter found in the space between stars.

As for "the old," Spitzer has studied some of the most distant galaxies ever detected. The light from some of them has traveled for billions of years to reach us, enabling scientists to see those objects as they were long, long ago.

In fact, working together, Spitzer and the Hubble Space Telescope (which observes primarily in visible light and at shorter infrared wavelengths than those detected by Spitzer) identified and studied the most distant galaxy observed to date. The light we see from that galaxy was emitted 13.4 billion years ago, when the universe was less than 5 percent of its current age.

Among other things, the two observatories found that such early galaxies are heavier than scientists expected. And by studying galaxies closer to us, Spitzer has deepened our understanding of how galaxy formation has evolved during the universe's lifetime.

Spitzer also has a keen eye for interstellar dust, which is prevalent throughout most galaxies. Mixed with gas in massive clouds, it can condense to form stars, and the remains can give birth to planets. With a technique called spectroscopy, Spitzer can analyze the chemical composition of dust to learn about the ingredients that form planets and stars.

In 2005, after NASA's Deep Impact mission intentionally slammed into Comet Tempel 1, the telescope analyzed the dust that was kicked up, providing a list of materials that would have been present in the early solar system. What's more, Spitzer found a previously undetected ring around Saturn, composed of sparse dust particles that visible-light observatories can't see.

In addition, some infrared wavelengths of light can penetrate dust when visible light cannot, allowing Spitzer to reveal regions that would otherwise remain obscured from view.

"It's quite amazing when you lay out everything that Spitzer has done in its lifetime, from detecting asteroids in our solar system no larger than a stretch limousine to learning about some of the most distant galaxies we know of," said Michael Werner, Spitzer's project scientist.

To deepen their scientific insights, Spitzer scientists have frequently combined their findings with those of many other observatories, including two of NASA's other Great Observatories, Hubble and the Chandra X-ray Observatory.

Some of Spitzer's greatest scientific discoveries, including those regarding exoplanets, weren't part of the mission's original science goals. The team used a technique called the transit method, which looks for a dip in a star's light that results when a planet passes in front of it, to confirm the presence of two Earth-size planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system.

Then Spitzer discovered another five Earth-size planets in the same system — and provided crucial information about their densities — amounting to the largest batch of terrestrial exoplanets ever discovered around a single star.

One of the first observatories to distinguish the light coming directly from an exoplanet, Spitzer harnessed the same capability for another first: detecting molecules in the atmosphere of an exoplanet. (Previous studies had revealed individual chemical elements in exoplanet atmospheres.) And it provided the first measurements of temperature variations and wind in an exoplanet atmosphere as well.

"When Spitzer was being designed, scientists had not yet found a single transiting exoplanet, and by the time Spitzer launched, we still knew about only a handful," said Sean Carey, manager of the Spitzer Science Center at IPAC at Caltech in Pasadena, California. "The fact that Spitzer became such a powerful exoplanet tool, when that wasn't something the original planners could have possibly prepared for, is really profound. And we generated some results that absolutely knocked our socks off."

One of Spitzer's major strengths is its sensitivity — that is, its ability to detect very faint sources of infrared light. Earth is a major source of infrared radiation, and trying to see faint infrared sources from the ground is like trying to observe stars while the Sun is up. That's a major reason why Spitzer's designers made it the first astrophysics observatory in an Earth-trailing orbit: Far from our planet's heat, Spitzer's detectors wouldn't have to contend with our planet's own infrared radiation.

Different infrared wavelengths can reveal different features of the universe. Some ground telescopes can observe in certain infrared wavelengths and provide valuable scientific insights, but Spitzer can achieve greater sensitivity than even much larger ground telescopes and see much fainter sources, such as extremely distant galaxies.

What's more, it was designed to detect some infrared wavelengths that Earth's atmosphere entirely blocks, rendering those wavelengths beyond the reach of ground-based observatories.

What is infrared light and how do we use it to study the universe? Infrared radiation, or infrared light, is a type of energy that we humans can't see but can feel as heat.

All objects in the universe emit some level of infrared radiation, whether hot or cold, making an infrared telescope like NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope very useful in detecting objects that might seem invisible.

Spacecraft can generate infrared heat too, so Spitzer was designed to stay cool, operating at temperatures as low as minus 450 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 267 degrees Celsius).

In 2009, Spitzer exhausted its supply of helium coolant, marking the end of its "cold mission." But Spitzer's great distance from Earth has helped keep it from warming up too much — it still operates at about minus 408 degrees Fahrenheit (or minus 244 degrees Celsius) — and mission team members found they could continue observing in two infrared wavelengths. Spitzer's "warm mission" has lasted for over a decade, nearly twice as long as its cold mission.

The original mission planners didn't expect Spitzer to operate for 16-plus years. This extended lifetime has led to some of Spitzer's most profound science results but has also posed challenges as the spacecraft drifts farther from Earth.

"It wasn't in the plan to have Spitzer operating so far away from Earth, so the team has had to adapt year after year to keep the spacecraft operating," said Joseph Hunt, Spitzer project manager. "But I think overcoming that challenge has given people a great sense of pride in the mission. This mission stays with you."

On Jan. 30, 2020, engineers will decommission the Spitzer spacecraft and cease science operations. During the 2016 NASA Senior Review process, the agency made a decision to close out the Spitzer mission.

The closeout was initially planned for 2018 in anticipation of the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, which will also conduct infrared astronomy.

When Webb's launch was postponed, the Spitzer mission was granted its fifth and final extension. These mission extensions have given Spitzer additional time to continue producing transformative science including pathfinding work for Webb.

JPL manages and conducts mission operations for the Spitzer mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Science operations are conducted at the Spitzer Science Center at IPAC at Caltech. Spacecraft operations are based at Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado. Data are archived at the Infrared Science Archive housed at IPAC at Caltech. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.

More information about Spitzer is available at https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/spitzer/main/index.html and https://go.nasa.gov/SpitzerToolkit.

LUCERNE, Calif. – The Northshore Fire Protection District officially welcomed two new members to its team of first responders and marked the promotion of another at a special ceremony held Friday afternoon at the district’s Lucerne headquarters.

Daniel Blair and Ralph Mattice, who joined the district late last year, and Randy Newell, a four-year veteran of the district, were celebrated at the event at Lucerne Station 80.

Blair is a firefighter/EMT who came from the Marin County Fire Department and Mattice is a paramedic/firefighter who previously worked for AMR in Contra Costa County, while Newell moved up in the Northshore Fire ranks from firefighter/paramedic to engineer, according to Chief Mike Ciancio.

The three men were joined by their families, colleagues and district board members Jim Burton, John Barnette and Lynn Ringuette.

“This is a special occasion for these guys, to get badged,” Ciancio told the group, adding he hoped all of them will enjoy long careers in the fire service.

“These guys spend a lot of time away from home,” said Ciancio.

Ciancio, who started the introduced the ceremonies, made sure to welcome the families, explaining they are now part of the larger Northshore Fire family.

Ciancio then administered the oath to the three men, after which their family members took turns pinning on their badges.

Mattice’s wife, Bessie, pinned on his badge as their two small children, Jack and Pepper, watched nearby.

Daniel Blair’s father, Kevin, pinned on his badge, then shook his son’s hand.

Newell’s wife Casey, herself a volunteer firefighter, pinned on his badge as Ciancio held their small daughter, Ember.

For Newell, firefighting is a profession for more than one generation of his family. His grandfather, Bill Merriman, who worked for Kelseyville Fire for 32 years as an engineer, was on hand to celebrate the next step in his grandson’s career.

Ciancio told Lake County News that staffing for the district – one of the largest in the state as far as coverage area – includes a total of 19 full-time firefighter positions, one of which is open but is in the process of being filled, along with two battalion chiefs, two officer personnel and Ciancio himself.

In addition, Ciancio said there are about 12 volunteers on the district’s books.

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.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Police arrested a Lakeport man on Friday morning after an officer found him on the Terrace Middle School grounds without a reason to be there and in possession of a knife and drugs.

The Lakeport Police Department said Michael Richard King, 34, was arrested on Friday morning.

At 10 a.m. Friday, police said Lakeport Police School Resource Officer Ryan Cooley observed an adult male subject on the Terrace Middle School campus who appeared to have a folding knife hanging from the front of his beltline.

Cooley made contact with the male subject, who police identified as King, to check the status of the knife and the subject’s authorization for being on campus.

During further investigation, the police department said Officer Cooley determined that King was illegally in possession of a knife on campus and had no authorization, nor legitimate purpose, for being there.

Police said King subsequently was arrested for felony possession of a weapon on school grounds and misdemeanors for possession of suspected methamphetamine, possession of approximately half a pound of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

King was booked into the Lake County Jail on the charges and remained in custody late Friday on $15,000 bail.

His booking records show he is set to be arraigned in Lake County Superior Court on Monday.

SACRAMENTO – On Friday, the California Department of Water Resources announced an increase in 2020 State Water Project allocations to 15 percent of requested supplies, up from the year’s initial 10 percent allocation announced on Dec. 2.

Allocations are reviewed monthly based on snowpack and runoff information and are typically finalized by May.

Water from Clear Lake flows into Cache Creek which, in turn, flows into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, a source for the State Water Project.

“California gets most of its annual precipitation from a handful of major and infrequent winter storms,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “After some significant storms in December, January has been relatively quiet and is currently below average. We continue to hope for wetter conditions and must always work to eliminate waste and use water more wisely.”

Precipitation in the Northern Sierra is at 63 percent of average to date. Statewide snowpack is 76 percent of normal for this date. The state gets about 30 percent of its annual water supply from snowpack.

Snow water content is one factor in determining allocation amounts along with reservoir storage and releases necessary to meet water supply and environmental demands.

Lake Oroville, the State Water Project’s largest reservoir, is currently at 61 percent of capacity and 94 percent of average for this time of year.

Shasta Lake, the Central Valley Project’s largest reservoir, is at 74 percent of capacity and 112 percent of average.

San Luis Reservoir, the largest off-stream reservoir in the United States where water is stored for the State Water Project and Central Valley Project, is at 72 percent of capacity and 95 percent of average.

In Southern California, State Water Project’s Castaic Lake is at 72 percent of capacity and 87 percent of average.

Friday’s 15 percent allocation amounts to 635,434 acre-feet of water.

The State Water Project provides water to 29 contractors who supply water to more than 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland.