Chesbro, whose district includes five Pacific shoreline counties from Bodega Bay to the Oregon border, returns to seats on the California Legislature’s Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture and on the Pacific Fisheries Legislative Task Force. He served on both as a member of the California State Senate (1998-2006).

“This is a continuation of my advocacy for California fisheries while I was in the Senate,” Chesbro said. “I asked the speaker to appoint me to the joint committee and the legislative task force because reviving our distressed fisheries is crucial to the North Coast. Fisheries have a huge impact on the economies of our coastal communities. A healthy environment creates healthy economies in fishing communities.”

The First Assembly District contains four important California fishing ports: Crescent City, Eureka, Fort Bragg and Bodega Bay.

“Our salmon fishery is in crisis, Chesbro said. “The causes of the declines extend beyond California. Fish don’t respect state or national boundaries. It’s critical that legislators from Western states work together to save and rebuild our fisheries.”

The California Legislature’s Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture has eight members, four from each house. Its purpose is to give the fishing industry a voice in Sacramento. The committee is informational, and holds hearings on issues of specific concern to fisheries, the fishing industry, environmental interests and consumers.

The Joint Committee holds an annual forum at Capitol that brings together members of the fishing fleet, policy experts, state regulators and community members to engage with legislators on urgent issues surrounding the critical nexus between stable fisheries and the economies that depend on them.

The Pacific Fisheries Legislative Task Force is made up of legislators appointed from the legislatures of Western states that have an interest in Pacific fisheries management. The Task Force meets twice a year and serves as a clearinghouse for opinion from the various interests involved in Pacific fishing. Duties of its members include reporting to the legislatures and Congressional delegations of the participating states on issues involving the protection and fostering of fishing in the Pacific region.

The Task Force also creates a block of fishery-interested state legislators who can effectively lobby Washington elected officials on the importance of sustaining our unique fisheries.

LAKE COUNTY – The Lake County Passion Play will hold a practice on Sunday, April 19.

Anyone interested in taking part is encouraged to attend the practice, which will take place at 1:45 p.m. at the Passion Play grounds, 7010 Westlake Road, Upper Lake (off Highway 29, about seven miles north of Lakeport in Lake County).

Practices usually last two hours.

For more information or directions call 707-279-0349.

The plan sets forth goals and objectives to address needs of seniors & people with disabilities in Lake and Mendocino Counties.

The hearing will take place on Thursday, April 30, 9 a.m. to noon, at 747 S. State St., Ukiah.

To RSVP or get more information, call 707-463-7775.

The area plan is available on line at www.mcdss.org.

Future Tajik homeowners with Richard Birk (far right), president of Habitat for Humanity, Lake County. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY – Richard Birk, President of Habitat for Humanity Lake County, has just returned from a working volunteer trip to Tajikistan where he helped build homes and to consult with the Tajikistan Habitat for Humanity organization.

Tajikistan is the smallest of the “stans” and is bordered by Afghanistan, China and other countries.

After being under the domain of the old Soviet Union, the country formed a new independent constitution in 1992 and then fell into a civil war that ended in 1997.

Since the end of the civil war Tajikistan has struggled with poverty as more than 80 percent of the people live below the poverty line and mostly survive by subsistence farming. Currently many who can work, take jobs in Russia and remit much of their wages back to Tajikistan.

Traveling to Tajikistan is not easy, as it a long travel route from Lake County and there are only two flights a week from Istanbul, Turkey to the capitol city of Dushanbe and you must have a special invitation to obtain an entry visa.

The project that Birk was involved with was the building of 60 homes in order to move families from a mud slide prone village, where mud slides have already caused death and destruction.

Some of the homes are complete, but families are hesitant to move into their new homes because of the lack of water and electricity.

Since the local government does not have the funds, which is about $30,000 to supply water and electricity to all the homes, Birk is trying to find funding here in the United States, so as to get the families out of harm’s way and into decent place to live.

If you are interested in donating funds for this project, please call Birk at 707-994-1100.

If you are interested in volunteering locally for Habitat for Humanity Lake County, please call 707-994-1100.

Tajikistan Habitat for Humanity construction site. Courtesy photo.

The shoot on Saturday, April 18, 2009, will offer local families a chance to take part in fun and safe shooting. Courtesy photo.

KELSEYVILLE – Lake County 4-H and the Konocti Rod and Gun Club will hold a free family fun shoot on Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Bring your family out for a day of fun and safe shooting at the Konocti Rod and Gun Club range at the end of Highland Springs Road in Lakeport.

There will be one-on-one coach/shooter instruction including air rifles by Crossman, .22 rifles, center fire rifles, shotguns, and black powder rifles and antique firearms.

All firearms and ammo provided for free; no personal firearms please.

They will have educational displays from Safari Club International, free gun locks and safety literature.

Large hot dogs for $2 and water for $1 will be available.

For more information visit www.krgc.org, or call Rick or Jill at 707-994-7531.

All firearms and ammunition will be provided for free during the Saturday shoot. Courtesy photo.

SACRAMENTO – John Wagner, director of the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), announced earlier this month that participants in California’s Food Stamp Program will receive a 13.6 percent increase in their monthly benefits beginning in April.

Approximately 2.5 million Californians (one million households) receive food stamps totaling approximately $321.6 million each month. That is expected to increase to 2.8 million Californians (1.15 million households) in the upcoming year.

The 13.6 percent increase will raise the average monthly food stamp benefit from approximately $300 per household per month to approximately $341 per household, resulting in $47 million in additional federal dollars arriving in the state each month.

“These benefits help low-income families put food on the dinner table every day,” said Wagner. “A 13.6 percent increase will dramatically help families, while also boosting California’s economy in ways that benefit grocers, food manufacturers and growers.”

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), passed by Congress and signed by President Obama on Feb. 17 provides for the 13.6 percent food stamp increase through federal fiscal year 2010.

The act also provides California with approximately $22 million in administrative funding for costs associated with increased SNAP caseloads. (The federal food stamp program is now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or “SNAP”.)

Participation in California’s Food Stamp Program by those not already receiving CalWORKs or other assistance increased 21 percent between January of 2008 and December 2008, from 628,000 to 764,000 cases.

To be eligible, households must meet asset requirements and have an income below 130 percent of the federal poverty level, currently $2,297 a month for a family of four. “We encourage everyone who thinks they might be eligible to apply for nutrition assistance benefits,” Wagner said.

According to US Department of Agriculture (USDA) research, every $1 of additional federal food stamp benefits results in a $1.84 in local economic activity. More than 19,000 retailers and 62 Farmers' Markets serving more than 183 locations statewide currently accept food stamp benefits in California.

As part of the announcement about the increase in the food stamp benefits, Dr. Mark Horton, Director of the California Department of Public Health, reminded Californians that they can eat healthier foods in difficult economic times because it is often less expensive than buying highly processed, prepared foods that may be low in nutritional content.

“All Californians should eat more fruits and vegetables, buy produce in season when it is most affordable, and select whole foods, such as dried beans and grains, whenever possible.” he said. “It not only makes sense from a health perspective, it makes good economic sense as well.

“Farmers’ markets can be a great source of low-cost healthy foods,” Horton said. “We are pleased that 62 farmers’ markets across the state accept food stamp benefits, and we look forward to working with our community partners to increase that number even more.”

Dr. Horton oversees the “Champions for Change” public awareness campaign targeting low-income mothers in California communities that include a high number of food stamps recipients.

The campaign, administered through a statewide network of community organizations known as the Network for a Healthy California, is aimed at empowering low-income Californians to exercise and choose healthy foods to combat obesity and its associated health effects, including diabetes and hypertension.

In addition to the food stamp increase, the ARRA also provided additional funding for the Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP). Under EFAP, commodity foods from the USDA are made available to California’s food banks and food pantries for distribution to low-income Californians.

The amount of commodities provided by USDA is based on economic need, as determined by the unemployment index and the U.S. census population. In fiscal year 2008-09 through March 31, California received 48 million pounds of commodities from USDA. An additional 22 million pounds of commodities is scheduled to be received through September 30, 2009, plus another 10 million pounds of commodities under the ARRA.

The assistance comes as demand for food at California food banks is reaching an all-time high. “No California family should have to face hunger,” Wagner said. “In difficult economic times, the nutrition assistance safety net, which includes food stamps and the emergency food assistance program, becomes even more important. Californians who are able to make food donations to their local food bank or pantry are encouraged to continue to be as generous as possible."

Additional information about California’s Food Stamp Program is available at www.cdss.ca.gov/foodstamps/.

Additional information about the Champions for Change outreach campaign is available at http://cachampionsforchange.net/en/index.php.

Additional information about the Emergency Food Assistance Program is available at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/contacts/sdacontacts.htm or call (916) 229-3344.