A 70-year-old Kern County woman is the first confirmed human case of West Nile virus infection in California this year, according to a Monday report from the California Department of Public Health.

“This first confirmed West Nile virus case reminds us that we must take precautions to protect ourselves and our families from mosquito bites,” said Dr. Ron Chapman, state health officer and director of the California Department of Public Health. “West Nile virus activity is greatest during the summertime.”

The woman was hospitalized, but is now recovering, health officials reported.

So far, no West Nile Virus activity has been confirmed in Lake County, according to the state.

To date in 2012, West Nile virus has been detected in 15 California counties, compared to eight counties by this time in 2011, according to the California West Nile Virus Web site, www.westnile.ca.gov/ .

West Nile activity across the state is more serious this year, with 98 dead birds and 124 mosquito samples compared to 12 dead birds and six mosquito samples during the same timeframe in 2011, the state reported. There had been no human cases by this point in 2011.

West Nile virus is transmitted to humans and animals by the bite of an infected mosquito.

The risk of serious illness to most people is low. However, some individuals – less than 1 percent – can develop a serious neurologic illness such as encephalitis or meningitis.

People 50 years of age and older have a higher chance of getting sick and are more likely to develop complications.

Recent data also indicates that those with diabetes and/or hypertension are at greatest risk for serious illness.

CDPH recommends that individuals prevent exposure to mosquito bites and West Nile virus by practicing the “Three Ds”:

• DEET – Apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaradin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535 according to label instructions. Repellents keep the mosquitoes from biting you. DEET can be used safely on infants and children 2 months of age and older.
• DAWN AND DUSK – Mosquitoes bite in the early morning and evening so it is important to wear proper clothing and repellent if outside during these times. Make sure that your doors and windows have tight-fitting screens to keep mosquitoes out. Repair or replace screens with tears or holes.
• DRAIN – Mosquitoes lay their eggs on standing water. Eliminate all sources of standing water on your property, including flower pots, old car tires, rain gutters and pet bowls. If you know of a swimming pool that is not being properly maintained, please contact your local mosquito and vector control agency.

California’s West Nile virus Web site, www.westnile.ca.gov/ , includes the latest information on West Nile virus activity in the state.

Californians are encouraged to report all dead birds and dead tree squirrels on the Web site or by calling toll-free 1-877-WNV-BIRD (968-2473).

California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris on Monday announced an innovative program with Yahoo! and Polaris Project to combat human trafficking by harnessing the power of the Internet to direct users to the national human trafficking hotline whenever certain terms related to human trafficking are searched through Yahoo!.

The goal of the initiative is to identify more victims of human trafficking by connecting survivors and community members to resources and support.

This program with Yahoo! and Polaris Project will provide Internet users with the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) hotline number when they search for specific words or phrases.

If key search terms such as “human trafficking” are used when using Yahoo! Search, Internet users will see a banner that states: “Call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888 to report sex trafficking, forced labor, or to get help.”

The Attorney General’s Office has also made available a Web site widget for download so that operators of any Web site can display a similar banner, which can be found at http://oag.ca.gov/widgets/human-trafficking .

Attorney General Harris pioneered this joint effort to combat human trafficking which has largely migrated online in the last five years.

Many human trafficking victims today are exploited through online advertising sites where their labor and bodies are advertised for purchase.

As human trafficking moves online, it is critical that victim services and law enforcement also respond online.

“Thousands of people are sold around the world, and trafficked into our country, every year for commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor,” said Attorney General Harris. “Human trafficking, often of children as young as 5 years of age, is a highly-lucrative enterprise for organized gangs who menace public safety. I commend Yahoo! for its moral leadership and Polaris Project for its commitment to identifying and serving victims of this intolerable crime. The efforts of Yahoo! and Polaris Project will improve the lives of untold people, and I hope that other search engines take similar steps to combat human trafficking.”

“As human trafficking moves into the online world, Yahoo! is in a unique position to have a positive impact on these terrible crimes,” said Michael Callahan, general counsel for Yahoo! “We believe this program and resulting activity will play a strong role in getting help to those in need.”

“This is an important step towards uncovering this hidden crime and providing human trafficking victims with a path towards freedom,” said Bradley Myles, Executive Director and CEO of Polaris Project. “To truly eradicate human trafficking from our communities, everyone must work together to increase awareness that this crime exists right here in the U.S. and to help survivors find the resources they need to reclaim their lives. We thank Attorney General Harris and Yahoo! for their leadership in recognizing that we are all part of the solution.”

The NHTRC hotline, operated by Polaris Project and funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, received more than 19,000 calls last year, with more of those calls coming from California than any other state. Almost 20 percent of callers nationwide who reported potential human trafficking found the hotline number through an Internet search

The hotline is a toll-free, victim-centered number available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and in more than 170 languages.

Trained call specialists are on constant standby to link human trafficking victims to shelter and other resources that provide safety and protection.

The hotline also fields tips of suspected human trafficking cases and provides information, training and technical assistance to diverse audiences.

The NHTRC has built up a national network of more than 3,000 organizations and contacts who are working to fight and respond to human trafficking across the country.

With this comprehensive anti-trafficking referrals database, call specialists can connect callers to local service agencies or law enforcement officers who are ready to respond.

Attorney General Harris has made the fight against human trafficking a key priority throughout her career as a prosecutor. She co-sponsored the 2005 California Human Trafficking Victims Protection Act that first made human trafficking a felony in the state.

Attorney General Harris also served on the California Alliance to Combat Trafficking and Slavery Task Force and the Department of Justice is currently updating the report “Human Trafficking in California,” which was released by the task force in 2007. The updated report is expected to be issued this summer.

Human trafficking is estimated to be a $32 billion industry, the world's third most profitable criminal enterprise behind drugs and arms trafficking.

Human trafficking involves the recruitment, smuggling, transporting, harboring, buying, or selling of a person for purposes of exploitation, commercial sex, domestic servitude, sweatshop labor, migrant work, agricultural labor, peonage, bondage, or involuntary servitude.

While human trafficking can be closely linked with the smuggling of human beings across international borders, tens of thousands of Americans are exploited in human trafficking situations inside the United States ever year.

Human trafficking strips people, especially women and children, of their freedom and violates our nation's promise that every person in the United States is guaranteed basic human rights.

Polaris Project is one of the leading organizations in the global fight against human trafficking and modern-day slavery. Named after the North Star “Polaris” that guided slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad, Polaris Project is transforming the way that individuals and communities respond to human trafficking, in the U.S. and globally.

By successfully pushing for stronger federal and state laws, operating the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline (1-888-373-7888), conducting trainings, and providing vital services to victims of trafficking, Polaris Project creates long-term solutions that move our society closer to a world without slavery. Learn more at www.polarisproject.org .

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – A crash on Highway 29 early Monday evening killed one person and sent another person to the hospital.

The crash, which happened at around 6:30 p.m. Monday, occurred near the Grange Road intersection just south of Putah and Guenoc lanes outside of Middletown.

Witnesses reported that Cal Fire and South Lake County Fire responded to the wreck, involving a red Chevrolet pickup and a silver Pontiac Grand Am.

The pickup was on its passenger side up against the Pontiac. The front of the Pontiac was smashed in.

The Pontiac's driver, said to be a male, died at the scene, according to witnesses.

The driver of the pickup, also said to be a male, had to be cut out of the vehicle, with firefighters slicing off the top of the cab to free him.

Firefighters then transported the pickup's driver to a landing zone set up about a half-mile down the highway, where he was picked up by a REACH air ambulance and flown to an out-of-county trauma center.

Specific information about the cause of the crash and the names of those involved was not immediately available as of 10:30 p.m. Monday.

More information will be posted as soon as it is available from the California Highway Patrol.

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A clean up day and planting party was held at Clarks Island in Clearlake Oaks on Sunday.

The island has been the scene of a variety of cleanup and restoration efforts over the last several years, after the county of Lake purchased it.

The Clarks Island Sustainability Initiative, a group of community members and leaders, has led the effort to revitalize the area, which is a highly visible spot along Highway 20.

Supervisor Denise Rushing and a group of others worked on and around the island on Sunday, and checked on a floating island installed there.

Rushing said otters ate the cattail tubers off the living – apparently cattail root is an otter delicacy, she said. The otters swam underneath and munched from below.  

The living dock itself wasn't damaged, and Rushing said otters apparently don't like the other vegetation in the island, including horsetail, iris and sedge.

She said they are planning to replant the island with vegetation that is not as tasty to otters, such as water irises.

For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clarks-Island-Sustainability-Initiative/131571996892818 .

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

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Tabbies in a variety of colors, a Siamese and a calico cat are waiting for new homes at the county's animal shelter.

It's kitten season, so many kittens are offered along with the shelter's selection of adult cats.

Cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed and microchipped 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 there, hoping you'll choose them.

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

Female calico

This female calico is 1 year old.

She has gold eyes and a long, multicolored coat.

Find her in cat room kennel No. 4, ID No. 33123.

Orange tabby kitten

This male orange tabby kitten is 9 weeks old.

He has green eyes and a short coat, weighs just over 2 pounds and is not yet neutered.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 16a, ID No. 33208.

Orange tabby cat

This male orange tabby cat is 5 years old.

He has a short coat, gold eyes and has been neutered.

He's in cat room kennel No. 20, ID No. 33143.

Orange and white tabby kitten

This male orange and white tabby kitten is 9 weeks old.

He has gold eyes and a long coat, weighs just over 2 pounds and has not yet been altered.

Find him in cat room kennel 23b, ID No. 33202.

Gray tabby kitten

This male gray tabby kitten is 9 weeks old.

He has a short coat and gold eyes, weighs 2 pounds and has not yet been neutered.

He's in cat room kennel No. 23c, ID No. 33203.

'Silver'

“Silver” is a 9-year-old male Siamese mix.

He has a short, multicolored coat, blue eyes and has been neutered.

Find Silver in cat room kennel No. 54, ID No. ID: 32995.

'Joey'

“Joey” is a 14-year-old male domestic short hair mix.

He has tan coloring, green eyes and a kinked tail. He has been neutered.

He's in cat room kennel No. 55, ID No. 32994.

Gray tabby kitten

This male gray tabby kitten is 12 weeks old.

He has a short coat, green eyes and has been neutered.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 65b, ID No. 32840.

Male domestic short hair mix

This male domestic short hair mix kitten is 12 weeks old.

He has gray and black coloring and green eyes, and has been neutered.

He's in cat room kennel No. 65c, ID No. 32841.

Brown tabby kitten

This male brown tabby kitten is 12 weeks old.

He has a short coat and green eyes, and has been neutered.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 65d, ID No. 32842.

White and gray tabby

This white and gray female tabby is 2 years old.

She has a short coat and gold eyes.

She's in cat room kennel No. 94, ID No. 33184.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

COBB, Calif. – A moderate-sized earthquake was reported near The Geysers geothermal steamfield on Sunday.

The quake was reported at 1:32 p.m., according to the US Geological Survey.

It was centered at a depth of just over a mile, one mile northwest of The Geysers, five miles west southwest of Cobb and seven miles west northwest of Anderson Springs, the survey reported.

The US Geological Survey reported one shake report.

Another 3-magnitude quake occurred on Cobb near the steamfields on Friday, June 15.

The US Geological Survey said that quake occurred at 1:07 p.m. at a depth of nine-tenths of a mile two miles north of The Geysers, four miles west of Cobb and seven miles northwest of Anderson Springs.

Five shake reports were submitted to the US Geological Survey on the June 15 quake.

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

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – A collision near Blue Lakes on Saturday afternoon resulted in two people being flown out of county to a trauma center and a third going to a local hospital.

The crash took place on Highway 20 west of Irvine Avenue at 1:55 p.m., according to a report from the California Highway Patrol.

The report said that 25-year-old Frederico P. Ramirez of Lower Lake was driving a 1996 Ford Taurus westbound on Highway 20, with 47-year-old Maria Ramirez-Sepulveda of Clearlake riding as his passenger.

Driving eastbound on Highway 20 in a 2009 Honda Fit was Margaret F. Ward, 90, of Clearlake, the CHP said.

Ward's vehicle went into the opposing lane as she was traveling through a moderate curve. The CHP said she traveled into Ramirez's path. Ramirez attempted to stop but could not avoid the collision.

The CHP said the front of Ward's Honda hit the left side and front of the Ford, causing major damage to both vehicles.

Highway 20 was closed for approximately 30 minutes for emergency personnel on scene who were evaluating injuries, the report stated.

An air ambulance transported Ward to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital where where she was treated for moderate injuries and further evaluated by hospital personnel. The CHP said she had numerous lacerations on her head and arms.

Ramirez-Sepulveda, who lost consciousness as a result of the crash, also was transported via air ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with major injuries, including a suspected head injury.

A Northshore Fire ambulance took Frederico Ramirez to Sutter Lakeside Hospital. The CHP said he had minor injuries, including lacerations to his head and arms.

The CHP said Ramirez-Sepulveda was not wearing her seatbelt, but both Ward and Frederico Ramirez were using their safety equipment.

CHP Officer Steve Curtis is investigating the collision.

Like deeply-hued jewels, indigo blueberries are punctuation marks among the reds, yellows and oranges of other brightly-colored fruits in a summer salad.
 
Second only to strawberries in our adoration, beloved blueberries are abundant during their peak of season in June and July, giving us ample opportunity to scatter them over such summer fare.
 
When I entered a market the other day, I saw a produce clerk stacking endless plastic tubs of these gems onto a display. My heart skipped a beat, and then skipped one again when I saw that they were on sale for a wonderful price.
 
Needless to say, I scooped up four pints for my cart. I would’ve taken more (there were plenty), but I knew that these somewhat delicate berries wouldn’t hold up well to hoarding (unless frozen, of course).
 
Blueberries, related to huckleberries, bilberries and cranberries, are native to North America.
 
They were enjoyed by American Indians year-round long before European settlers and explorers arrived. They gathered them fresh in forests and bogs, preserving a good amount for their use after harvest was over.
 
They added sun-dried blueberries to soups and stews, and made a jerky called sautauthig (pronounced SAW-taw-teeg) from berries and meat, which they ate throughout the year.
 
They rubbed meats with a powder made from dried blueberries, and produced a dye for baskets and cloth from the dark pigment.
 
Known to them as star berries because of the star-like points on the blossom end of the berry, they were also used medicinally, making a tea from their leaves and using blueberry juice to treat coughs.
 
It is said that a favorite pudding-like dish made from corn and blueberries was shared by American Indians at the first Thanksgiving meal.
 
Today the U.S. is by far the largest supplier of both cultivated and wild blueberries in the world.
 
Most of the blueberries sold fresh in markets today are hybridized berries, bred for their plump size and juicy taste.
 
These cultivated berries are also known as highbush blueberries, as the bushes on which they’re grown can be as high as 12 feet; however, when cultivated, they normally range between four to seven feet high.
 
In contrast, lowbush blueberries are those which are often referred to as wild blueberries. In their native state, they’re normally lower than two feet tall.
 
Wild blueberries are never cultivated, but are harvested in the wild. These smaller, nutritionally more powerful berries are rarely marketed fresh; rather, they’re packaged and sold as frozen berries.
 
One caveat about blueberries, however: Buying organic is highly recommended.
 
According to the 2011 report, “A Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides,” blueberries grown in the United States are among the 12 foods on which pesticide residue has most frequently been found. Blueberries rank number ten on this list of the “dirty dozen.”
 
In addition, studies have shown that organically grown blueberries have impressively higher levels of antioxidants than their conventionally grown counterparts.
 
The health benefits of blueberries – phytonutrient superstars that they are – are legion.

 
They contain significant amounts of antioxidants, as well as no less than 16 phytonutrients, all of which work to protect the body from disease.
 
They’re an excellent source of bone-healthy vitamin K and have very good stores of free radical-scavenging vitamin C and manganese.
 
They’re also a good source of heart-healthy fiber.
 
In addition to whole body antioxidant support, studies have shown that blueberries contribute to cardiovascular health, lowered blood pressure, eye health, protection against cancer and healthy blood sugar levels.
 
Studies have also reflected their benefit to the improvement of cognitive abilities, including memory restoration in older people.
 
Choose berries that are firm, with a uniform hue and a whitish self-protective “bloom” on the skin’s surface. You may gently shake the container to see if berries move freely; if not, this may indicate that they’re soft or moldy.
 
Fresh berries are fragile and should be handled with care. Wash them briefly and carefully just before use, so as not to prematurely remove the bloom from the berries.
 
Berries should be stored in the fridge in a covered container, where they’ll keep for up to three days. Berries at room temperature will likely spoil quickly.
 
Recent research has shown that the antioxidant properties of blueberries are not reduced by freezing – good news – though a slight change in texture may occur.
 
Wonderful vinaigrette dressings, marinades, and sauces are made with blueberries. They’re a favorite in muffins, and they do well in some savory applications, such as being cooked with pork or utilized in a fresh green salad with salmon.
 
Lemon and cinnamon are wonderful matches for this berry. Try them in a lemon scone, or in yogurt with cinnamon, for example.
 
This flavor combination was the inspiration for today’s recipe, blueberry-ricotta pancakes, which might be nice for a hearty Father’s Day brunch. They were a hit in a culinary class I offered on breakfast foods.
 
They’re wonderful topped with lemon syrup, and a recipe for that is included below.
 
My best wishes to all fathers today. May you be honored and blessed.
 
Blueberry-Ricotta Pancakes

This recipe makes about 12-14 pancakes.

Ingredients

2 egg whites
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 - 2/3 cup buttermilk
1 - 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 - 3/4 tsp baking powder
1 - 3/4 tsp baking soda
1 pinch (1/8 tsp) of salt
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
¼ - ½ tsp cinnamon
A few handfuls of fresh blueberries

Procedure

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.

Pour the buttermilk, butter and sugar into the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.

Whip the egg whites into stiff peaks and gently fold them into the batter using a spatula.

Mix the cinnamon with the ricotta and add in tablespoon sized drops to the batter, lightly mixing in.

Heat a large frying pan or griddle to medium high heat. Using a ladle scoop about 3/4 of a cup of batter onto the heated surface. Drop as many blueberries as you'd like onto the surface of the pancake (about 5 – 7 works well).

When you see bubbles across the surface and the bottom of the pancake is golden, flip & cook until lightly golden.

Serve with lemon syrup (recipe follows).

Notes: I recommend whole milk ricotta for this recipe, but part-skim will work. If fresh blueberries are unavailable or are of poor quality, frozen blueberries will work. (Add them to the pancakes while still frozen.) Maple syrup may be used in place of the lemon syrup; if so, a little lemon zest can be added to the batter, if desired.

I found the inspiration for this recipe on a food blog called “Our Sweet Life” at www.sweetlifekitchen.com . Their recipe in turn was inspired by one they saw on a Food Network show that featured the BLD Restaurant in Los Angeles. I tweaked it just a bit by adding cinnamon to the ricotta, changing the whole milk to buttermilk and creating a lemon syrup to accompany it.
 
Lemon syrup

This recipe makes about 1 – 1/2 cups.
 
Ingredients

1 – ½ cup sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 cup water
Juice of 1-2 lemons, strained, depending upon juiciness and taste

Procedure

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer and add the zest and juice.

Cook until slightly thickened but pourable, about 10 minutes.

Notes: The syrup will keep for up to twp weeks if refrigerated in an airtight container. Start with the juice of one lemon and adjust with more as needed. The syrup can also be used as a topping for baked goods, such as lemon-poppy seed bread, or as a refreshing beverage when mixed with sparkling water and ice.

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

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The oldest and most prestigious wine competition in North America has named Chacewater Wine Co. the Golden State Winery of the Year.

The California State Fair announced the winners of its Commercial Wine Competition after judging 2,890 wine entries from almost 700 California wineries.

This is first time in the competition's 150-year history that this prestigious award has been given to a Lake County winery.

“You have to have multiple high scoring wines to win Winery of the Year,” said California State Fair Chief Wine Judge GM “Pooch” Pucilowski. “Chacewater's Lake County Chardonnay scoring Double Gold, Best in the State is impressive considering there were 302 entries in that category."

Chacewater Wine Co. will be presented with the Golden State Winery of the Year award at the "California's Grape & Gourmet" event on Aug. 18 at Cal Expo in Sacramento.

The competition ranked Chacewater Wine Co. the best winery in the state, having achieved the highest average rating.

Chacewater's 2010 Chardonnay was awarded a Double Gold medal and won Best Chardonnay.

Chacewater wines also received two gold medals, five silvers and two bronze medals in addition to three Best in Class awards.

“I am thrilled to see our hard work of the last year be recognized by such a big honor and numerous high ranking awards,” said winemaker Mark Burch.

Chacewater Wine Co. released its first seven wines in July of 2011 and six more wines in March of 2012.

Chacewater's wines are crafted from grapes grown by select Lake County grape growers as well as from organic and sustainably farmed grapes from their Estate Sierra Foothills vineyard.

The company's wines have been awarded Gold and Double Golds from this year's San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and Chacewater's 2010 Zinfandel and 2009 Malbec received a Best in Class and Gold Medal award at last month's Los Angeles International Wine Competition.

Visit Chacewater online at http://chacewaterwine.com/ .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A variety of big dog breeds and a few little ones, too, are available for adoption at the county's animal shelter this week.

Mixes of breeds at the shelter include husky, Doberman, Rottweiler, Thai Ridgeback, Shih Tzu, miniature pinschers and dachshund.

Thanks to Lake County Animal Care and Control’s new veterinary clinic, many of the animals offered for adoption already are spayed or neutered and ready to go home with their new families.

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”).

Miniature pinscher mix

This male miniature pinscher mix is 3 years old.

He has a short brown coat and weighs just over 7 pounds.

Find him in kennel No. 13, ID No. 33185.

'Zak'

“Zak” is 2-year-old male Australian Shepherd-hound mix.

He has brown brindle coloring, a long coat and weighs 40 pounds. He has been neutered.

Zak is in kennel No. 14, ID No. ID: 33177.

'Nanook'

“Nanook” is a 3-year-old male husky mix.

He has blue eyes, a long black and white coat, and weighs 55 pounds. Nanook has not yet been altered.

Find him in kennel No. 16, ID No. 33211.

Dachshund mix

This female dachshund mix is 1 year old.

She has a short black and tan coat, and weighs 16 pounds.

She is in kennel No. 17, ID No. 32993.

'Shelby'

“Shelby” is a 10-year-old female Australian Shepherd mix.

She has a short, black and blue merle coat and weighs nearly 63 pounds.

She is in kennel No. 19, ID No. 32125.

Pit bull puppy

This male pit bull terrier mix puppy is 9 weeks old.

He has blue eyes, a short chocolate and white coat, and weighs 23 pounds.

He is in kennel No. 21, ID No. 33191.

Border collie mix

This male border collie mix is 1 year old.

He has a short black and white coat and weighs 23 pounds.

Find him in kennel No. 22, ID No. 33062.

'Corrie'

“Corrie is a 4-year-old male Rottweiler-Doberman Pinscher mix.

He has a short black and tan coat, has a docked tail, weighs 98 pounds and has been neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 23, ID No. 33210.

Shepherd-Doberman Pinscher mix

This male shepherd-Doberman Pinscher mix is 9 years old.

He has a short tan and white coat, a short tail, weighs nearly 78 pounds and has been neutered.

He's in kennel No. 30a, ID No. 33159.

Shih Tzu mix

This male Shih Tzu mix is 6 years old.

He has a long white coat and a short tail, weighs nearly 24 pounds and has been neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 31, ID No. 33160.

Boxer mix

This female boxer mix is 1 year old.

She has a short coat, weighs 36 pounds and has not yet been altered.

She is in kennel No. 32, ID No. 33122.

Thai Ridgeback mix

This male Thai Ridgeback is 1 year old.

He has a short tan coat, weighs nearly 12 pounds and is not yet altered.

He's in kennel No. 33a, ID No. 33120.

Male terrier mix

This male terrier mix is 1 year old.

He has a short tan coat, weighs 10 pounds and has not yet been neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 33b, ID No. 33121.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

UKIAH, Calif. – A festive atmosphere with music, auctions, a garden tour and an informative talk by a special guest will complement gourmet appetizers and dinner at this year’s Gala on the Green, the annual fundraiser of the Mendocino College Foundation.

The Saturday, June 23, event will take place at Campovida, 13601 Old River Road, Hopland.

The gala begins at 5:30 p.m. with a welcome reception featuring appetizers by Mendocino and Lake County food purveyors, including Stan’s Maple Café, Come to Your Senses Catering, and Nicholas Petti of the College’s Culinary Arts Program and wines from participating wineries including Weibel, Parducci, Nelson Family Vineyards, Campovida, Cesar Toxqui, and Terra Savia.

Information about the gala can be found on the event Web site, http://galaonthegreen.org .

Gala attendees interested in a tour of the Campovida gardens and an informational talk by Hubert Germain-Robin of Germain-Robin Distillery will want to arrive by 4 p.m., according to organizers. The tour and talk will precede the welcome reception.

Tickets for the event are still available and may be purchased online. The price is $100 per person. Tables, with seating for eight people each, may be reserved for $700.

A few tables are still left, according to Katie Fairbairn, the foundation’s executive director; individuals wishing to attend should purchase their tickets soon, she said.

Additional information about tickets and table reservations is available on the foundation’s Web site, http://foundation.mendocino.edu .

Proceeds from the event are used to fund scholarships for students and provide support for college programs as recommended by the administrators.

Last year’s Gala on the Green raised more than $66,000 for scholarships and educational programs.

Joining the pre-Gala activities, Germain-Robin is looking forward to discussing the differences between cognac and the wines of Northern California.

Invited by foundation board member Kit Elliott, the Redwood Valley resident said he plans to talk “a little” about himself but mostly about the different grapes, terroir and the microclimates used for producing cognac. His distillery is at the old Fetzer winery, “a good location,” he said.

While discussing cognac and distillation, Germain-Robin hopes to provide an “education about distillation,” he said, by having glasses of varietals for people to smell the differences in cocktails. “I educate the nose. I try to make it simple for people to understand,” he said. He invites people to join him for his discussion and demonstration, to be followed by a question-and-answer period.

During the gala, guests will enjoy live music by the George Husaruk Jazz Trio. Attendees will have the opportunity to make bids on nearly 30 silent auction items. Dinner by DK Catering will be followed by the live auction.

This year’s emcee for the event will be Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman, a member of the Mendocino College Foundation board.

Live auction items include an eight-day, seven-night vacation in Mazatlán, a Skunk Train private car trip for up to 40 guests, a four-night stay in a Squaw Valley Lake Tahoe
 condominium, an overnight luxury tent stay for two at Safari West, and a Jaxon Keys guest house getaway with dinner and music, a Hopland wineries tour and picnic with Sheriff Tom Allman and District Attorney David Eyster, and an assortment of neckties from the collection of John Bogner.

Additionally, one auction item will feature a progressive dinner around the West Side of Ukiah. The dinner will begin in the backyard garden at the home of Travis Scott and the Skunk Train’s Chief Skunk Robert Pinoli, followed by a meal hosted by Gary Nix and Tom East at a location overlooking the Ukiah Valley.

The evening will be completed with homemade dessert hosted by Jonathan Dooley and Mendo Lake Credit Union President Richard Cooper.

Mendocino College programs are supplying items for the silent auction, including lunch for six provided by Culinary Arts instructor Nicholas Petti, an auto service gift certificate from the Automotive Technology program, a sports fan package from the Athletic Department, and a basket of newborn baby items and supplies from nursing program.

Silent auction items include an original prints and paintings by Mendocino and Lake County artists, handmade quilts by Laura Fogg and Edelgard Smith, a Raku-fired sculpture by Gail Rushmore, and a specialty items pet basket.

Additional silent auction items include a dinner and overnight suite stay at Piazza de Campovida, a Home Inspection/Energy Audit
 by Tri County Certified Inspections, a hand-dyed scarf by fiber artist Holly Brackmann, hand-beaded items from Gautemala, Truett Hurst Wine gift baskets, framed photographs by Tom Liden, a photograph on canvas by Steve Eberhard, a Zoom! teeth whitening treatment, and a golf package for four at Sonoma Golf Club.

Several sponsors are lending their support to the foundation to present the Gala on the Green. Campovida LLC is a “Presenting Sponsor” for the event.

Platinum sponsors for this year’s event are Mendo Lake Credit Union and the Skunk Train.

Additional sponsors are bronze level: TLCD Architecture, Richard Cooper, and Wright Contracting; gold level: Wells Fargo Advisors John Goldsmith and Rand Rodgers, Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital, the Lake County Friends of Mendocino College, Realtor Gary Nix, Savings Bank of Mendocino County, SHN Consulting Engineers, Gary and Edelgard Smith, State Farm Insurance agents Jay and Lisa Epstein, Ukiah Valley Medical Center; silver level: Jared Huffman for Congress, Midstate Construction, Kit Elliott and George Husaruk, and Weibel Family Vineyards and Winery. Caito Fisheries is donating crab for the event.

For more information about the annual Gala on the Green or about the Mendocino College Foundation, call the foundation office at 707-467-1018 visit the foundation’s Web site, http://foundation.mendocino.edu .

Scientists have made a biological discovery in Arctic Ocean waters as unexpected as finding a rainforest in the middle of a desert.

A NASA-sponsored expedition named ICESCAPE punched through three-feet of sea ice to find waters richer in microscopic marine plants, essential to all sea life, than any other ocean region on Earth.

"If someone had asked me before the expedition whether we would see under-ice blooms, I would have told them it was impossible," said Kevin Arrigo of Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., leader of the ICESCAPE mission and lead author of the new study. "This discovery was a complete surprise."

The microscopic plants, called phytoplankton, are the base of the marine food chain. Phytoplankton were thought to grow in the Arctic Ocean only after sea ice had retreated for the summer.

Scientists now think that the thinning Arctic ice is allowing sunlight to reach the waters under the sea ice, catalyzing the plant blooms where they had never been observed.

The finding reveals a new consequence of the Arctic's warming climate and provides an important clue to understanding the impacts of a changing climate and environment on the Arctic Ocean and its ecology.

The discovery was made during ICESCAPE expeditions in the summers of 2010 and 2011. Scientists onboard a U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker explored Arctic waters in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas along Alaska's western and northern coasts.

During the July 2011 Chukchi Sea leg of ICESCAPE, the researchers observed blooms beneath the ice that extended from the sea-ice edge to 72 miles into the ice pack.

Ocean current data revealed that these blooms developed under the ice and had not drifted there from open water, where phytoplankton concentrations can be high.

The phytoplankton were extremely active, doubling in number more than once a day. Blooms in open waters grow at a much slower rate, doubling in two to three days. These growth rates are among the highest ever measured for polar waters.

Researchers estimate that phytoplankton production under the ice in parts of the Arctic could be up to 10 times higher than in the nearby open ocean.

"Part of NASA's mission is pioneering scientific discovery, and this is like finding the Amazon rainforest in the middle of the Mojave Desert," said Paula Bontempi, NASA's ocean biology and biogeochemistry program manager in Washington. "We embarked on ICESCAPE to validate our satellite ocean-observing data in an area of the Earth that is very difficult to get to. We wound up making a discovery that hopefully will help researchers and resource managers better understand the Arctic."

The discovery has implications for the broader Arctic ecosystem, including migratory species such as whales and birds.

Phytoplankton are eaten by small ocean animals, which are eaten by larger fish and ocean animals. A change in the timeline of the blooms can cause disruptions for larger animals that feed either on phytoplankton or on the creatures that eat these microorganisms.

"It could make it harder and harder for migratory species to time their life cycles to be in the Arctic when the bloom is at its peak," Arrigo noted. "If their food supply is coming earlier, they might be missing the boat."

Previously, researchers thought the Arctic Ocean sea ice blocked most sunlight needed for phytoplankton growth.

But in recent decades younger and thinner ice has replaced much of the Arctic's older and thicker ice. This young ice is almost flat and the ponds that form when snow cover melts in the summer spread much wider than those on rugged older ice.

These extensive but shallow melt ponds act as windows to the ocean, letting large amounts of sunlight pass through the ice to reach the water below, said Donald Perovich, a geophysicist with the U.S. Army Cold Regions and Engineering Laboratory in Hanover, N.H., who studied the optical properties of the ice during the ICESCAPE expedition.

"When we looked under the ice, it was like a photographic negative. Beneath the bare-ice areas that reflect a lot of sunlight, it was dark. Under the melt ponds, it was very bright," Perovich said. He is currently visiting professor at Dartmouth College's Thayer School of Engineering.

"At this point we don't know whether these rich phytoplankton blooms have been happening in the Arctic for a long time and we just haven't observed them before," added Arrigo. "These blooms could become more widespread in the future, however, if the Arctic sea ice cover continues to thin."

The findings were published in the journal Science.

Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.