What's up for March? Some close pair-ups with the Moon, and Mercury makes an appearance, a subtle lunar eclipse, and a chance to catch a comet.
In March, you'll find Jupiter shining brightly in the west during the early evening hours all month long. And on March 13th, it's joined by a crescent Moon so close that the pair will be visible together through binoculars.
On the following evening, the Moon visits the Pleiades. This is another close pairing — with the five-day-old lunar crescent hanging right next to the bright star cluster — that will look great through a small telescope or binoculars.
Near the end of March, observers in the Northern Hemisphere will have the best opportunity of the year to catch a glimpse of Mercury in the evening sky. Look for it shining brightly low in the west following sunset.
Overnight on March 24 and into March 25, the Moon will pass through the outer part of Earth's shadow, creating a faint lunar eclipse called a penumbral eclipse.
Now, the more spectacular variety of lunar eclipses happens when the Moon passes through Earth's inner shadow, or umbra. That's when we see a dark “bite” taken out of the Moon, or in the case of a total lunar eclipse, a reddish, so-called “blood moon.”
Penumbral eclipses cause only a slight dimming of the Moon's brightness, so if you're not looking for it, you might not know there was an eclipse happening. But if you glance at the Moon early in the night, and then later, around the peak of the eclipse, you might notice the difference in brightness.
Even faint lunar eclipses like this one are always accompanied by a solar eclipse either a couple of weeks before or after. And on April 8, a total solar eclipse will sweep across the U.S. (We'll tell you more about that in next month's video.)
There's a comet making its way into the inner solar system that's already observable with a telescope, and might start to become visible to the unaided eye by late March or in April. It’s a mountain of rock, dust, and ice several miles wide named 12P/Pons-Brooks.
It has a stretched-out, 71-year-long orbit that carries it as far from the Sun as the orbit of Neptune and nearly as close as the orbit of Venus. Fortunately, because this orbit is tilted, it doesn't cross our planet's path, so there's no chance of a collision.
Comet 12P has been observed on several of its previous appearances going back hundreds of years, and one thing it's known for is its occasional outbursts. Sometimes this comet suddenly brightens by quite a bit, due to bursts of gas and dust being released from beneath its surface. If this happens in the March-April time frame as the comet nears the Sun, it could become bright enough to observe with the eye alone.
But even without additional brightening from outbursts, the comet is predicted to peak at a brightness that should make it easy to see with binoculars, and possibly just naked-eye visible under dark skies by the end of March.
Now, comets are notoriously unpredictable, so it's hard to know for sure how bright Pons-Brooks will get as it nears the Sun, but it's certainly worth a look. You can find it low in the west-northwest part of the sky at the end of evening twilight.
Comets, along with asteroids, are leftover pieces of the materials that formed the Sun and planets. So catch a comet and glimpse one of the building blocks of our solar system with your own eyes.
Stay up to date on NASA's missions exploring the solar system and beyond at science.nasa.gov.
Preston Dyches works for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Do you ever wonder how much rainfall you received from a recent thunderstorm? How about snowfall during a winter storm?
If so, an important volunteer weather observing program needs your help.
The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network, or CoCoRaHS, is looking for new volunteers across northwest California.
This grassroots effort is part of a growing national network of home-based and amateur rain spotters with a goal of providing a high density precipitation network that will supplement existing observations.
CoCoRaHS came about as a result of a devastating flash flood that hit Fort Collins, Colorado, in July 1997.
A local severe thunderstorm dumped over a foot of rain in several hours while other portions of the city had only modest rainfall.
The ensuing flood caught many by surprise and caused $200 million in damages. CoCoRaHS was born in 1998 with the intent of doing a better job of mapping and reporting intense storms.
As more volunteers participated, rain, hail, and snow maps were produced for every storm showing fascinating local patterns that were of great interest to scientists and the public.
Recently, drought reporting has also become an important observation within the CoCoRaHS program across the nation. In fact, drought observations from CoCoRaHS are now being included in the National Integrated Drought Information System.
How does one become a CoCoRaHS observer? Go to the CoCoRaHS website above and click on the “Join CoCoRaHS” emblem on the upper right side of the main website. After registering, take the simple online training, order your 4-inch rain gauge and start reporting.
To obtain a rain gauge, volunteers can order through the CoCoRaHS website for about $35 plus shipping. They have a limited number of rain gauges to give out if you are able to be a regular observer and there is a limited number of observers currently in your area.
Observations are available on maps and reports for the public to view within five minutes of submitting them.
The process takes only five minutes a day, but the impact to the community is tenfold: By providing high quality, accurate measurements, the observers are able to supplement existing networks and provide useful results to scientists, resource managers, decision makers and other users.
If you have any questions, including how to apply for a free rain gauge, email Matthew Kidwell at the National Weather Service in Eureka at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call at 707-443-6484.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The city of Lakeport, in collaboration with Lakeport Disposal Co. Inc., is planning the Spring 2024 Community Cleanup Day for city residents.
The event will take place on Saturday, March 30, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the public parking lot located north of the Fifth Street boat ramp in downtown Lakeport.
Residents and business owners of the city of Lakeport are invited to participate in this effort to enhance our environment and beautify our city.
This event is limited to city of Lakeport residents and business owners; anyone dropping off trash and solid waste will be required to provide photo identification and a copy of a current city of Lakeport utility bill.
Participants are asked to follow these guidelines:
• Stay in vehicle while Lakeport Disposal staff unloads materials • Two visits maximum per each address
ACCEPTED MATERIALS: Household trash; televisions; appliances (stoves, washers, dryers, dishwashers and water heaters); electronic waste; mattresses; household furniture; unusable clothes, blankets, towels; and similar materials.
NOT ACCEPTED: Refrigerators, hot tubs/spas, air conditioners, construction debris, used tires and Household Hazardous Waste.
For more details, please see the city’s website or Facebook page, or contact Lakeport Disposal at 707-263-6080.
The USDA Forest Service, California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, and California ReLeaf welcome the support and sponsorship of Edison International and Blue Shield of California to celebrate California Arbor Week, March 7 to 14.
This year, Edison International donated $50,000 to California ReLeaf for California Arbor Week Grants — a community-led, tree-planting grant program offered by California ReLeaf with support from Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service.
This grant funding will go directly to supporting community urban forestry programs across the state.
“We are thrilled and grateful to work with so many partners to celebrate Arbor Week,” said Cindy Blain, executive director of California ReLeaf. “Arbor Week is a great reminder of the powerful role trees have in building climate resilience, community connection, and improving public health.”
Arbor Week has the ongoing support of the Forest Service and Cal Fire. Both agencies support ongoing community tree planting in urban areas of California through grant funding, education and technical expertise.
“Last year, the Forest Service announced the award of $43.2 million to the state of California and $102.87 million to cities, counties, nonprofits and schools to support our urban and community forests and people — funding made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act," said Miranda Hutten, Urban and Community Forestry Program Manager for the Pacific Southwest Region of the Forest Service.
“This historic investment recognizes the value of urban forests to build equity, support public health, increase climate resilience, and connect communities. This Arbor Week celebration we want to acknowledge the partners who support this vision and the people greening our neighborhoods across the region,” Hutten said.
But they’re not excited about it, and they haven’t been for months.
A September 2023 Monmouth University poll showed no more than 40% of Americans said they were “enthusiastic” for either Biden or Trump to run again. That same month, the Pew Research Center found that 65% of Americans were exhausted with the current state of American politics. In February 2024, The New York Times said Democrats in particular were burned out by the seemingly endless avalanche of political crises.
You can listen to more articles from The Conversation, narrated by Noa.
It is not surprising that a rematch of the 2020 election is failing to inspire excitement in the American people. Yet, as a political scientist who studies citizen engagement and the public’s feelings toward the candidates, I find these trends disturbing. It’s not just polarization that’s driving voters’ malaise – it’s something else, which carries a stark warning for the health of American democracy.
There is another divide in politics
Most discussions of the current state of the American electorate have understandably focused on political polarization. Democrats and Republicans often express disdain for each other, even when they don’t actually disagree on specific policies for the nation to pursue.
Some of this disdain is rooted in identity. For example, people who hold unfavorable attitudes toward African Americans, feminists and other groups associated with the Democratic Party tend to identify more strongly with the Republican Party. People with unfavorable attitudes toward stereotypically Republican groups such as evangelicals and gun owners tend to be stronger Democrats.
From this perspective, Democrats and Republicans are pack animals motivated to protect their group and their group’s interests.
Often overlooked, however, is how the vitriol of modern American politics fuels what political scientists Yanna Krupnikov and John Barry Ryan call “The Other Divide.” This is the divide between people who engage in politics and those who don’t.
In short, a significant number of Americans don’t talk about politics, whether because they are not interested in politics or are turned off by the negativity. It’s a gradual trend dating back to the 1980s and 1990s that has continued for decades now. This weakens the fabric of democracy, because the only voices that are heard online and in the media are from those who are most willing to speak up. They tend to be the most dissonant and extreme views.
The public discussion about the country’s past, present and future therefore leaves out a wide range of people’s voices. What they might say is hard to know, specifically because they don’t engage in political discussions.
Young people – those of voting age at least – are less likely to see voting as important.AP Photo/Michael Dwyer
Young voter disengagement
Especially troubling to me is the political disillusionment expressed by young people, who are the most likely group in the country to avoid identifying themselves as members of one party or the other. People who identify themselves as independents – especially if they don’t lean toward one party or the other – are also likely to lack interest in voting.
Having come of age during an era of high polarization, younger people are less likely to idealize politics and the right to vote. In prior research, my colleagues and I found that younger people worldwide were just as interested in politics as older citizens but were less likely to view voting as a civic duty. Protesting or joining an organization offers social benefits to young people – an opportunity to feel like they are part of something bigger. Voting, by contrast, is perceived as a more solitary act.
If younger American voters aren’t excited about the choices on the ballot, they may be more likely not to vote at all.
In a recent survey I conducted in collaboration with IGNITE National, an organization seeking to bolster young women’s engagement in the political process, we asked Gen Z Americans, adults born after 1996, what drove their disillusionment with American politics. Consistently, Gen Z respondents noted that the candidates appearing on the ballot did not look like them, contributing to their feeling of detachment from the political process.
Barack Obama’s race made 2008 a historic election. Hillary Clinton’s gender made 2016 a historic contest as well. By contrast, 2024 features the two oldest white men to ever seek the presidency, vying for second terms in office.
Burnout’s effects on democracy
Americans have many demands on their time. Between work, family and other activities, many struggle to watch or read the news, fact check what they see on social media or engage in productive political discussions. As a result, most of the American public is largely unaware of key aspects of important issues, and does not pay attention to the parties’ stances on those issues.
This lack of engagement is dangerous for democracy. Voters who cannot evaluate the merits of contrasting policy positions, or who cannot accurately assign blame and give credit for the state of the American economy, will ultimately fall back on cheap cues such as partisanship to make their choices.
Or they may abstain from politics altogether.
The campaign season offers an opportunity for voters who may be open to persuasion to engage in the political process for a short period of time, become sufficiently informed and make their voices heard. Though there are flaws in the many processes of political campaigning, media coverage and community involvement, the bottom line is simple: Deliberative democracy requires an American public that is willing to deliberate.
If Americans are too burned out to engage enthusiastically and provide feedback to political leaders, then there is little hope that any government could truly reflect the will of the people.
Lakeport Unified Board President Jennifer Williams-Richardson and Board member Phil Kirby during the board of trustees meeting on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, in Lakeport, California. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News. LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lakeport Unified School Board on Wednesday night voted to begin notifying several employees of the potential for layoff as part of district leadership’s plan to address a budget shortfall.
The decision came at the end of a special three and a half-hour meeting called for Wednesday evening at the district office, where dozens of people crowded into the boardroom, with the audience spilling into the lobby.
At the start of the meeting, Superintendent Matt Bullard gave a brief statement on the proposal to cut both certificated and classified staff — including key union representatives — and blamed the situation on the state’s dropping revenues.
The proposal in its original form included cutting 16 employees, as well as the district’s long-running day care and after school program.
Among the employees facing layoff is Rachel Paarsch, director of supplemental support. Several people spoke in support of Paarsch and her work to advance and expand the district’s alternative education program.
“Cutting Rachel’s position would be a very big mistake,” said parent Krystal Pasalo, explaining how Paarsch has helped her son, who has learning disabilities.
On the classified side, the plan included eliminating the head groundskeeper and skilled maintenance worker positions and creating two head custodians with less pay, for a savings of only about $12,000 a year.
While the final vote included Paarsch’s layoff, the groundskeeper and maintenance positions, along with the after school coordinator and day care assistant were spared in the end.
Certificated staff found out about the proposal on Feb. 20, but classified staff said it was only on Monday that they found out what was proposed.
Wednesday’s action is what Bullard and board members said is a “first step” in attempting to meet the district’s budget shortfall in the coming months. Layoff notices for educators must be made by March 15.
Bullard said the proposal was the best option in his opinion. He went on to explain that the district wants to have competitive wages and benefits to attract employees to the district and, once they’re here, to retain them. The goal is to pay a minimum of $20 per hour for hourly employees and $60,000 per year for salaried employees.
“Budget reductions, reducing expenditures, is not an easy task,” said Bullard, who noted that all positions in the district deliver value to students and faculty.
“The decisions that are going to be made in the next three months as the budgeting unfolds are incredibly difficult to make,” Bullard said.
After nearly an hour and a half hearing input from alarmed staff, parents and students, the board went into a closed session in Bullard’s office, where they stayed behind closed doors for just under two hours before emerging to announce their decision.
Need for reducing expenditures
In response to questions asked during the meeting by Lake County News, Bullard said the proposed staff cuts were aiming to reduce expenditures by $1.3 million.
He said the district is deficit spending by $1.6 million this year and if costs aren’t reduced, Lakeport Unified could be facing significant financial issues in the coming school year.
Staff and their supporters argued that, particularly when it came to maintenance and grounds staff, the cuts would impact campus safety.
Darren Wells, the skilled maintenance worker whose job was on the list for elimination, said he’s saved the district tens of thousands of dollars with his work across the campus. He said safety should be a top priority, adding he didn’t think Bullard was willing to take a cut in pay.
Wells also is the classified union president, a factor which several people Lake County News spoke to during and after the meeting raised as an issue that led them to conclude that Wells was potentially being targeted.
Additionally, the school board and administration faced heavy criticism from one of its own during the meeting.
Lynn Andre, a retired district employee and former board member, said she didn’t understand why they are cutting the day care program, which was making money for the district not just by revenue but by attracting students.
“Your district has a problem with declining enrollment and to cut services, I can guarantee, will continue that decline,” said Andre, who noted that in the 15 years she had managed the day care program, it never faced a reduction.
“So if it’s in the red now you’re doing something wrong. You’re doing something wrong,” she said.
One of the things the district is doing wrong, Andre suggested, is that it hasn’t raised the rates for the program. During the rest of the meeting, there were parents who said they would gladly pay more for the program’s services.
Dave Norris, who worked for Lakeport Unified for 38 years and is its former head of maintenance, bolstered the safety argument by pointing out that the district is spending very little money on maintenance and grounds when considering the vast amount of responsibility.
He explained the variety of needs, from keeping playing fields in safe and acceptable shape — including removing gophers from the football field — to maintaining the bleachers in the gym and on the fields.
Dan Camacho, who now is the head of maintenance, said the district needs to have a serious conversation about the money saved and safety.
Camacho then changed gears, saying he thought it was sad that teachers and coaches wanted to put things on Facebook about the situation, adding he wished they would get the facts first. He singled out longtime football coach Milo Meyer, who was standing in the foyer, and who had posted his concerns about the district’s planned cuts.
In response to Camacho, Meyer went to the podium and began to give his take on the situation, explaining that students bring money to the district. “We have declining enrollment. End of story.”
Meyer said there have been about a dozen quality teachers who have left for other districts because of Lakeport Unified’s situation.
He said they’ve lost students, a tennis court and a swimming pool, and are losing other space on the campus as well, pointing to a large number of containers behind the gym.
Meyer said he didn’t know what the answer was, but that, “We need to look at ourselves.” He also raised issues with the rapid turnover of administrators, a matter others referenced as well.
Paarsch, now in her 10th year as an administrator in the district — where she herself attended school and worked as a fledgling teacher — said alternative education has flourished over the past five years, under her leadership.
Alternative education is trending and is bringing in students, she added.
Clear Lake High School football coach Milo Meyer speaks during the Lakeport Unified Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, in Lakeport, California. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News. Waiting for a decision
The school board went into closed session in Bullard’s office just before 7:30 p.m. About 20 people — parents, students and staff — stayed on and waited for the board to come out and announce its decision.
During that wait, Phillip Sparkes, a senior at Clear Lake High School who had spoken to the board about his concerns about the proposed cuts, told Lake County News that he thought that getting rid of the permanent substitute counselors is ridiculous.
That means the main counselor is trying to cover too much, and she has less time for seniors. “They’ve stretched her too far,” Sparkes said.
When the board finally emerged after two hours, Board President Jennifer Williams-Richardson was visibly emotional. She came into the boardroom and took a tissue and began to dab her eyes. The rest of the board looked somber.
Their first order of business was to report action including unanimously approving taking the required steps to terminate a number of temporary employees as they must do at the end of each year. Those employees can be added back in the next school year, Bullard said.
They then took action to release Paarsch. That vote was 3-0, with two abstentions, reported Board member Phil Kirby, who also is Paarsch’s father.
The board then took up the first of the two resolutions regarding staff layoffs.
That resolution, for certificated staff, called for laying off nine full-time positions: three instructional coaches, three permanent substitutes, one permanent substitute counselor, one school psychologist and Paarsch’s position, director of supplemental support. The vote for that unchanged resolution was 3-0, with Kirby and Carly Alvord recusing themselves.
When it came to the classified layoffs, however, the board amended the proposed resolution. One bus monitor and two paraprofessionals will be laid off, but the head groundskeeper, the after school coordinator, Wells’ skilled maintenance worker position and the day care assistant were spared for now in a unanimous board vote.
“Obviously, these decisions are extremely difficult,” said Bullard, who thanked everyone for attending the meeting.
Bullard emphasized that they have not eliminated the positions but that what the board did was complete its ability to continue the process.
“This was just simply the first step” to provide employees the notice required by the education code and potentially eliminate the positions this spring, he said.
“This is the first step in this process, a process that we don’t want to do,” said Board member Dan Buffalo, adding that people could tell due to the emotions.
He said they have very little control over their revenues and they are trying to create space in their budget in order to give the best compensation packages for staff. The board has committed to an additional $1 million in its budget next year to do that while also right-sizing the district.
“It’s been a difficult night so maybe we’ll leave it at that,” Buffalo said.
Alvord said all of the board members have had really productive conversations over the past couple of days, although it doesn’t always feel that way when sitting in the boardroom.
“We really, truly sit here because we want what’s best for kids and we want what’s best for the district,” Alvord 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 Lakeport Unified Board of Trustees was behind closed doors in the superintendent’s office for more than two hours on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, in Lakeport, California. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Authorities have identified the Willits man killed in a crash on Highway 20 earlier this week.
Lauren Berlinn, spokesperson for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, identified the crash victim as Gregory Allen Van Gundy, 58.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office said Van Gundy was driving eastbound on Highway 20 east of Blue Lakes Road just before 1 p.m. on Sunday when he lost control in a curve and crossed into the opposing lane of traffic, hitting another vehicle head-on.
The CHP said Van Gundy died of his injuries at the scene. Two people in the car with which he collided had minor injuries.
The crash remains under investigation, the CHP 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.
National Groundwater Awareness Week is next week, and in the spirit of promoting groundwater knowledge, the Department of Water Resources announceD that its innovative groundwater mapping project is complete and will provide critical information about our underground water supply.
AEM surveys use state-of-the-art helicopter-based technology to scan the earth’s subsurface to depths of up to 1,000 feet, like taking an MRI of the earth, to visualize the aquifer structures beneath our feet.
You can see the AEM equipment in action in this DWR video: DWR's Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) Surveys: The AEM Method (youtube.com).
DWR collected nearly 16,000 miles of AEM data within 95 groundwater basins across California between December 2021 and November 2023.
This data, which is now publicly accessible, is invaluable for identifying the most suitable locations to implement groundwater recharge projects that can capture water from winter rain and runoff events to store underground for use during dry periods.
The replenishment of depleted groundwater basins is a key action that local agencies are implementing under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA, and is an essential part of California’s long-term water resilience and drought mitigation efforts, as seen in Governor Gavin Newsom’s strategy document, “California’s Water Supply Strategy, Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future.”
“AEM data helps GSAs move more expediently towards development of projects in areas previously deemed as non-suitable for groundwater recharge,” said Kassy Chauhan, Executive Officer, North Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency. “AEM has helped to navigate below ground to find the small pockets where the soil conditions are prime for groundwater recharge to occur. The picture of the sub-surface geology helps with project siting and ensures available financial resources are going towards feasible projects which will help get water into the underground helping the North Kings GSA reach its sustainability goals.”
California’s high- and medium-priority groundwater basins provide a major source of water supply for more than 15 million people, especially during dry years when surface water supplies are lacking. As California adapts to a hotter, drier future, groundwater supplies are becoming a more vital resource for communities, households, businesses, agriculture, and the environment that all depend on this critical water source.
“The state continues to make investments in the latest technology, like AEM, to ensure we are prepared for the weather extremes that are playing out in the new climate reality,” said Paul Gosselin, deputy director of sustainable groundwater management. “Data from these initial statewide AEM surveys are already being used by local groundwater agencies, and we are excited to move into the next phase, expanding data collection efforts and providing new tools for understanding and managing California's groundwater on a local, regional, and statewide level.”
As the 10-year anniversary of California’s landmark SGMA nears, DWR continues to build on the state’s long history of investigating California’s groundwater basins as part of California’s Groundwater (Bulletin 118). DWR is now moving into the next phase of this work, called Basin Characterization, where new and existing information, including AEM data, will be used to help identify and better understand underground aquifer structures and conditions more clearly than ever before.
DWR is assembling a broad team of experts and coordinating with local agencies to form a workgroup to support this effort to ensure that cutting-edge practices are employed, and results advance local groundwater management. The Basin Characterization Workgroup will aide in coordination and collaboration with local, state, and federal agencies, as well as academia and the private sector.
To support data access equity and allow all Californians to view and analyze this data, DWR developed online AEM Data Viewers. These viewers are revolutionary in the space of viewing complex geologic data as they allow data to be viewed online, without having to purchase specialized software. These tools will enable both the public and technical users to interact with the data in a three-dimensional space, providing a more immersive and informative experience.
DWR’s Basin Characterization efforts will be ongoing as tools and technology improve, in order to increase understanding of California’s groundwater basins and aquifer structures.
In May, DWR will release the next Semi-Annual Groundwater Conditions Update, which will contain the most current statewide groundwater data and information, including Annual Report data submitted by local groundwater sustainability agencies. This data will help provide a clearer picture of the amounts of managed and natural groundwater recharge that occurred during water year 2023.
All of this work is helping local groundwater managers better understand and manage their basins to address both drought and flood response and achieve long-term groundwater sustainability.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — After a long first night of counting the primary ballots, several candidates appear to be headed for victories in both supervisorial and judicial races, while one race remains too close to call.
The Lake County Registrar of Voters issued its final update for the first night of counting at 1:19 a.m. Wednesday.
Based on those initial returns, Jessica Pyska appears headed for a second term as District 5 supervisor, topping challenger Daniel “Boone” Bridges by a margin of 13.5%.
While the District 5 race was expected to be settled in the primary, the biggest surprise of the night may have been the District 4 race, with an open field of four candidates.
Brad Rasmussen, Lakeport’s police chief, led the field by a wide margin with more than 58% percent of the vote.
If he can hold onto a percentage of more than 50 percent plus one — the margin needed in a primary race with more than two candidates — Rasmussen will clinch the seat outright and not have to race to November.
Following Rasmussen in the returns were Laura McAndrews Sammel, with 21.10% of the vote; Scott Barnett with 16.10%; and Chris Read with 4.62%.
The District 1 race for an open seat had five candidates, although one of them was on the ballot but dropped out.
In that field, a neck-and-neck race has emerged between John Hess and Helen Owen.
Hess, a retired congressional chief of staff and Lake County planning commissioner, led for most of the night, particularly in the absentee or vote-by-mail ballot counts.
However, as the night wore on and the precinct returns were reported, Owen, a well-known local rancher, chased Hess down and caught up to him.
By the end of the night, the two were in a statistical dead heat: Hess had a lead of only two votes over Owen — 454 to 452 — and both had far outpaced the rest of the field.
Coming up in third place in the first night’s count was Sean Millerick, with 244 votes, followed by Bryan Pritchard, who dropped out of the race, with 117 votes and Bren Boyd with 25 votes.
In the race for Superior Court judge for Department 4, incumbent Judge Shanda Harry — seeking a second six-year term — was leading by a 53% margin over challenger attorney Anna Gregorian by the end of the night. That margin is likely to be insurmountable even as more ballots are counted in the days to come.
Luke Bingham, running unopposed for sheriff, received 5,401 votes in the initial county, or 100% of the vote.
The Kelseyville Unified School District’s Measure Q bond, which sought to issue $35.5 million in bonds and enact property tax estimated to be $60 per $100,000 of assessed value, needs a simple majority to win. However, the initial election night tally put the “no” votes in the lead by six ballots and less than one percentage point.
The official canvass period will now begin, with the Registrar of Voters Office planning to certify the election by April 4.
Over the coming month, thousands more ballots are expected to be counted and, as a result, the final ballot count and percentages should change significantly, although trends tend to remain the same.
One number that will certainly change is overall voter turnout. The initial estimate was that voter turnout for the Tuesday primary was 19.64%, or 7,181 out of 36,561 registered voters.
Based on past election history, that percentage should increase once the final ballot count is complete.
The full preliminary counts through early Wednesday morning are below.
KELSEYVILLE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOND, MEASURE Q
10 precincts of 10 reporting
Yes, 794, 49.81% * No, 80, 50.19%
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. — A Willits man died Sunday afternoon following a head-on wreck on Highway 20 near Upper Lake.
The 58-year-old man’s name was not released pending notification of next of kin.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office said the wreck occurred on Highway 20 east of Blue Lakes Road.
The CHP said that at approximately 12:53 p.m., CHP Officer Jaxin Gallagher and Officer Brian Hanson were dispatched to the crash.
When they arrived, they found that a red Toyota Corolla traveling eastbound and driven by the Willits man, had lost control in a curved section of the highway.
The Toyota crossed into the opposing lane of traffic where it collided with a black GMC Sierra pickup, traveling westbound, driven by John Leone, 83, of Upper Lake, the CHP said.
The CHP said John Leone, and his passenger, Elizabeth Leone, were transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital with suspected minor injuries.
The driver of the Toyota succumbed to his injuries on scene, along with two dogs within the Toyota, the CHP said.
The CHP said all of the vehicles’ occupants were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the collision. Airbags deployed in both vehicles.
No alcohol or drug use is suspected and the cause of the collision is still under investigation, the CHP said.
The California Highway Patrol, Caltrans, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Northshore Fire Department and All in One Towing responded to the scene to assist with the crash.
Highway 20 was open to one-way traffic control for the duration of the incident, the CHP reported.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lakeport Unified School District Board will gather for a special meeting on Wednesday afternoon to discuss a proposal to cut several classified and certificated positions, from the head groundskeeper to the school psychologist.
The school board will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 6, in the boardroom at the district office, 2508 Howard Ave.
The board will first go into a closed session to discuss the discipline/dismissal/release of an employee before the open portion of the meeting begins.
Superintendent Matt Bullard is recommending the board approve two separate resolutions to implement the layoffs beginning in the 2024-25 school year.
In the case of the certificated staff, the first resolution calls for laying off nine full-time positions: three instructional coaches, three permanent substitutes, one permanent substitute counselor, one school psychologist and one director of supplemental support.
The second resolution, relating to classified staff, calls for discontinuing seven positions: The head groundskeeper, the after school coordinator, one skilled maintenance worker, one bus monitor, one day care assistant and two paraprofessionals.
Neither of the resolutions is accompanied by a report that explains the situation leading to the recommendations for cutting the positions.
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.
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