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: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS; Posted On Tuesday, 15 April 2025 02:44; 15 April 2025

CDFW publishes Black Bear Conservation and Management Plan for California

**An adult black bear. Photo courtesy of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.**

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has published the Black Bear Conservation and Management Plan for California.

The plan, an update to the 1998 Black Bear Management Plan, draws upon the latest scientific tools and methods to conserve, manage, and monitor black bear populations in California.

California is home to an estimated 60,000 black bears, among the largest populations in the United States, along with 40 million people. Management of this iconic species is complex, and opinions can sometimes vary on how best to ensure the health of this species and minimize human-wildlife conflict throughout the state.

“The Black Bear Conservation and Management Plan for California aims to balance the many diverse viewpoints about black bears while greatly enhancing our ability to ensure healthy populations in the future,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham.

The Black Bear Conservation and Management Plan was developed using the latest peer-reviewed scientific methods and a transparent public engagement process. A draft of the plan was released publicly one year ago and received comments and input from more than 5,000 individuals and groups, all of which CDFW worked to address in the final publication.

“This plan allows us to employ the best available science to understand populations and make informed management and regulatory decisions going forward to ensure black bears thrive into the future and can be enjoyed by all Californians,” said Arjun Dheer, CDFW’s Statewide Black Bear Coordinator.

The plan provides the foundation to meet two overarching goals:

Conserve and manage black bear populations that are ecologically functional, disease-resilient, and genetically diverse statewide and regionally, and conserve and enhance their habitats.

Provide opportunities for black bear hunting, viewing, and public education; minimize human-black bear conflict; consider animal welfare in black bear conservation and management; and be inclusive of all Californians in black bear conservation and management decisions.

Pursuant to these goals, CDFW is conducting intensive population monitoring of black bears across California using GPS collars, den checks, camera traps, hunter harvested tooth samples, and the collection of DNA samples from hair snare stations.

Due to California’s geographic size and ecological diversity, the Black Bear Conservation and Management Plan divides the state into nine Bear Conservation Regions where populations will be monitored and managed independently of other regions.

Publication of the plan does not change any hunting regulations or bear harvest limits. Any changes to hunting regulations or the statewide annual bear harvest limit will be conducted through the California Fish and Game Commission public process.

: Peter McGraw, University of Colorado Boulder; Posted On Monday, 14 April 2025 02:25; 14 April 2025

Tax Day highlights the costs of single living – but demographics are forcing financial change

Tax Day is right around the corner – an annual reminder that without the option to file jointly, singles pay more per dollar earned than married people. Tax advantages are just one of over 1,000 legal and economic benefits married couples enjoy, a disparity worsened by marketplace and employer practices.

Despite its disadvantages, single living is on the rise. While the average age of first marriage was just 21 in 1960, today it has risen to 29. Half the adults in the U.S. are unmarried, and half of them aren’t seeking a relationship. As many as a third of Zoomers may never tie the knot.

But this shift is more than cultural – it’s redefining the rules of personal finance. Freed from the constraints of shared decision-making, single people are earning, spending and investing on their own terms.

And as a behavioral economist who studies single living, I think this could mean big things for the future of money. As more people opt out of marriage, I expect that governments, businesses and financial systems will adapt – just as they did in response to women’s economic independence.

The price of singlehood

As a lifelong bachelor, I have a cheeky response when filing my taxes: “That’s the price of freedom.”

For many singles, the price is too steep. More than half of singles over 30 feel financially insecure, one survey found, and their economic reality backs it up. For example, singles spend about US$5,500 more annually than their married peers – which adds up to more than $200,000 over a 40-year career.

Some of the challenge is mathematical. Married couples split major expenses like housing, transportation and travel, and rely on dual incomes as a buffer against job loss or disability.

Policy amplifies the financial burdens. One-person households are the most common type in the U.S., yet developers still prioritize building large single-family houses – driving up apartment and condo costs. Retirement presents another stark contrast. Singles can’t claim spousal or survivor Social Security benefits and solely fund their retirement.

Employers design benefits around families – offering spousal coverage, dependent tax breaks and family leave. Single employees tend to shoulder more responsibilities yet receive 3.6 fewer paid days off per year than their married peers.

In the marketplace – from travel to tech and insurance – businesses often price goods and services with couples and families in mind. Solo travelers often pay single supplements on cruises and tours. Streaming, phone and retail memberships offer “family plans” with no option for solo users subscribing as part of a group. Even auto insurance penalizes solo drivers – two-door cars cost 16% more to insure.

The costs add up – but the news for singles isn’t all bad.

Peter McGraw discusses living single in a financial system built for two.

The financial upside of going solo

I study how singles build financial security through the hallmarks of single living: autonomy and adaptability.

An obvious financial factor is the cost of children. While some singles are parents, they’re far less likely than married couples to shoulder the expense of raising a child – an outlay of more than $300,000 per child before college.

A key advantage: Singles have complete financial control. They choose how to earn, save and spend. There’s less risk of absorbing a partner’s credit card or student loan debt, covering for reckless spending, or facing the financial fallout of divorce.

Career flexibility is another key advantage. Singles can more easily relocate for higher-paying jobs or lower-cost locales – freedom that enables powerful financial arbitrage. Many digital nomads, most of them single, choose countries with lower costs and better quality of life.

Singles also have greater control over when and how they retire. Unlike couples, who must coordinate timing and strategies, singles have more freedom to retire early, ride out a down market, or ease into semiretirement.

Building a financial system for everyone

As a business school professor, I’ve seen how slow business and government can be to respond to demographic shifts. The tax system won’t change overnight – governments have long used the tax code to promote marriage – but other policies and practices will evolve. I believe the rise of singles – and the power of their votes and dollars – will make the status quo unsustainable.

Scandinavia and parts of Asia are setting precedents. In Sweden, solo adults are recognized as a “family of one,” with access to housing support, parental leave and pension benefits – no marriage required. Smart companies will also adapt to recruit and retain singles, who make up a large portion of the labor force. I expect to see an expansion of single-inclusive offerings like caregiving leave, flexible work arrangements and individual-friendly health plans.

Singles also build lifelong support systems outside marriage. Sweden again offers a glimpse of what might be: A landmark court case recently granted life insurance benefits to a platonic partner, proving that legal protections don’t have to hinge on romance.

Housing remains another legacy system built for couples. While most new developments still prioritize single-family homes, markets like Japan and Hong Kong have embraced lower-cost micro-apartments with shared community spaces – an appealing model for solo dwellers. Some U.S. cities are beginning to experiment with similar designs, signaling a shift toward more inclusive urban housing.

China’s celebration of solo living, Singles’ Day – held every year on 11/11 – is now the world’s largest e-commerce holiday, generating more sales than Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined. The company that created it, Alibaba, promotes deals on single-serve appliances, one-way flights and self-care bundles.

Western companies are catching on: Travel brands are waiving singles supplements, restaurants are welcoming solo diners with dedicated seating, and telecom companies are rolling out “friends and family” plans that don’t require a romantic partner.

Finally, I believe wealth management will respond to the rise of singles. While I’ve found that most financial advice still assumes that people will eventually marry, solo earners need different strategies, such as bigger emergency funds, flexible housing options and proactive estate planning. Expect a wave of financial products designed for solo living, from retirement tools to mortgages built for one.

As singles become the majority in many countries, governments, businesses and financial institutions will adapt by necessity.

The bottom line

As an advocate for singles, I am an optimist. Yes, singles pay more on Tax Day – among other challenges. But they also have one undeniable advantage: financial freedom. Singles can do more than survive in a system built for two – they can thrive.

Americans are not going back to the 1960s. As solo living becomes the norm, financial systems will evolve. Governments will face pressure to modernize policy, businesses will launch products and services for one-person households, and financial professionals will adapt to better serve solo earners.

The institutions that recognize this shift first will shape the future – for everyone.

Peter McGraw, Professor of Marketing and Psychology, University of Colorado Boulder

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

: Lauren Leese; Posted On Sunday, 13 April 2025 01:21; 13 April 2025

Space News: How NASA science data defends Earth from asteroids

Artist’s impression of NASA’s DART mission, which collided with the asteroid Dimorphos in 2022 to test planetary defense techniques. Open science data practices help researchers identify asteroids that pose a hazard to Earth, opening the possibility for deflection should an impact threat be identified. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben.

The asteroid 2024 YR4 made headlines in February with the news that it had a chance of hitting Earth on Dec. 22, 2032, as determined by an analysis from NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies, or CNEOS, at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

The probability of collision peaked at over 3% on Feb. 18 — the highest ever recorded for an object of its size. This sparked concerns about the damage the asteroid might do should it hit Earth.

New data collected in the following days lowered the probability to well under 1%, and 2024 YR4 is no longer considered a potential Earth impactor. However, the event underscored the importance of surveying asteroid populations to reveal possible threats to Earth.

Sharing scientific data widely allows scientists to determine the risk posed by the near-Earth asteroid population and increases the chances of identifying future asteroid impact hazards in NASA science data.

“The planetary defense community realizes the value of making data products available to everyone,” said James “Gerbs” Bauer, the principal investigator for NASA’s Planetary Data System Small Bodies Node at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland.

The asteroid 2024 YR4 as viewed on January 27, 2025. The image was taken by the Magdalena Ridge 2.4m telescope, one of the largest telescopes in NASA’s Planetary Defense network. Asteroid position information from observations such as this one are shared through the Minor Planet Center and NASA’s Small Bodies Node to help scientists pinpoint the chances of asteroids colliding with Earth. NASA/Magdalena Ridge 2.4m telescope/New Mexico Institute of Technology/Ryan.

How scientists spot asteroids that could hit Earth

Professional scientists and citizen scientists worldwide play a role in tracking asteroids. The Minor Planet Center, which is housed at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, collects and verifies vast numbers of asteroid and comet position observations submitted from around the globe.

NASA’s Small Bodies Node distributes the data from the Minor Planet Center for anyone who wants to access and use it.

A near-Earth object, or NEO, is an asteroid or comet whose orbit brings it within 120 million miles of the Sun, which means it can circulate through Earth’s orbital neighborhood. If a newly discovered object looks like it might be an NEO, information about the object appears on the Minor Planet Center’s NEO Confirmation Page.

Members of the planetary science community, whether or not they are professional scientists, are encouraged to follow up on these objects to discover where they're heading.

When an asteroid’s trajectory looks concerning, CNEOS alerts NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office at NASA Headquarters in Washington, which manages NASA’s ongoing effort to protect Earth from dangerous asteroids.

NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office also coordinates the International Asteroid Warning Network, or IAWN, which is the worldwide collaboration of asteroid observers and modelers.

Orbit analysis centers such as CNEOS perform finer calculations to nail down the probability of an asteroid colliding with Earth. The open nature of the data allows the community to collaborate and compare, ensuring the most accurate determinations possible.

This visualization from NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies shows the evolution of the risk corridor for asteroid 2024 YR4, using data from observations made up to Feb. 23, 2025. Each yellow dot represents the asteroid’s possible location on Dec. 22, 2032. As the range of possible locations narrowed, the dots at first converged on Earth, before skewing away harmlessly. NASA/JPL/CNEOS.

How NASA discovered risks of Asteroid 2024 YR4

The asteroid 2024 YR4 was initially discovered by the NASA-funded ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) survey, which aims to discover potentially hazardous asteroids. Scientists studied additional data about the asteroid from different observatories funded by NASA and from other telescopes across the IAWN.

At first, 2024 YR4 had a broad uncertainty in its future trajectory that passed over Earth. As the planetary defense community collected more observations, the range of possibilities for the asteroid’s future position on Dec. 22, 2032 clustered over Earth, raising the apparent chances of collision. However, with the addition of even more data points, the cluster of possibilities eventually moved off Earth.

This visualization from the NASA JPL Center for Near-Earth Object Studies shows the evolution of the risk corridor for asteroid 2024 YR4, using data from observations made up to Feb. 23, 2025. Each yellow dot represents the asteroid’s possible location on Dec. 22, 2032. As the range of possible locations narrowed, the dots at first converged on Earth, before skewing away harmlessly.

Having multiple streams of data available for analysis helps scientists quickly learn more about NEOs. This sometimes involves using data from observatories that are mainly used for astrophysics or heliophysics surveys, rather than for tracking asteroids.

“The planetary defense community both benefits from and is beneficial to the larger planetary and astronomy related ecosystem,” said Bauer, who is also a research professor in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Maryland. “Much of the NEO survey data can also be used for searching astrophysical transients like supernova events. Likewise, astrophysical sky surveys produce data of interest to the planetary defense community.”

Artist’s impression of NASA’s upcoming NEO Surveyor mission, which will search for potentially hazardous near-Earth objects. The mission will follow open data practices to improve the chances of identifying dangerous asteroids. NASA/JPL-Caltech.

How does NASA stop asteroids from hitting Earth?

In 2022, NASA’s DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) mission successfully impacted with the asteroid Dimorphos, shortening the time it takes to orbit around its companion asteroid Didymos by 33 minutes. Didymos had no chance of hitting Earth, but the DART mission’s success means that NASA has a tested technique to consider when addressing a future asteroid potential impact threat.

To increase the chances of discovering asteroid threats to Earth well in advance, NASA is working on a new space-based observatory, NEO Surveyor, which will be the first spacecraft specifically designed to look for asteroids and comets that pose a hazard to Earth. The mission is expected to launch in the fall of 2027, and the data it collects will be available to everyone through NASA archives.

“Many of the NEOs that pose a risk to Earth remain to be found,” Bauer said. “An asteroid impact has a very low likelihood at any given time, but consequences could be high, and open science is an important component to being vigilant.”

For more information about NASA's approach to sharing science data, visit https://science.nasa.gov/open-science.

Lauren Leese is web content strategist for the Office of the Chief Science Data Officer.

: LINGZI CHEN; Posted On Monday, 14 April 2025 02:38; 14 April 2025

Lakeport City Council to hold rescheduled hearing on affordable housing project parcel map, get update on pedestrian improvement project

LAKEPORT, Calif, — The Lakeport City Council this week will consider a final subdivision map for the Parkside affordable housing project, located in an area newly designated by Cal Fire as the highest fire hazard severity zone, get an update on a pedestrian improvement project set to start this spring and review city departments’ accomplishments over the past year.

The council will meet Tuesday, April 15, at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

The agenda can be found here.

If you cannot attend in person, and would like to speak on an agenda item, you can access the Zoom meeting remotely at this link or join by phone by calling toll-free 669-900-9128 or 346-248-7799.

The webinar ID is 973 6820 1787, access code is 477973; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.

Comments can be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To give the city clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments before 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15.

The meeting on Tuesday will start with a presentation by the organizers of the 1 Mile Fun Run & 5K Fundraiser benefiting unhoused canines. The event will take place on Saturday, May 17 at 2945 Reeves Lane with pre-run festivities at 9 a.m. The actual run starts at 9:30 a.m.

In council business, the council will hold a public hearing to adopt a resolution approving the final parcel map for the Parkside Subdivision project, located next to Westside Community Park.

In June of 2023, the city approved a tentative parcel map that would divide the 15.26-acre property at 1310 Craig Ave. into four separate residential parcels.

According to the staff report, the final map was reviewed by an external consulting surveyor, the City Engineer and the Community Development Department, all of whom found that “all conditions and requirements of approval applicable to the tentative parcel map have been satisfied.”

However, the project has long faced fierce opposition from neighbors over the lack of roads going in and out of the area, which already has traffic congestion during events.

In September 2024, the developer promised to build a full-access bridge. However, the current plan turns out to only include an emergency vehicle access bridge, according to City Manger Kevin Ingram.

The new fire hazard severity zone map released by Cal Fire in February added over 600 acres in the city and the site of the Parkside project falls into the highest hazard zone.

The public hearing for the Parkside final parcel map was originally listed as an item on the agenda for the previous council meeting on Apr. 1.

However, with the absence of Councilmember Kenny Parlet, and because councilmembers Christina Price and Kim Costa had to recuse themselves, there was not a quorum to consider the item with the remaining two councilmembers. Therefore, the council approved rescheduling it to this Tuesday.

Public comment on this matter, however, was allowed during the April 1 meeting. Former Lakeport Mayor Michael Froio asked during public comment: “Is it true that the bridge was removed for an emergency evacuation bridge?”

“This time generally you present your questions and your comments, but we don’t necessarily provide responses at this time,” Assistant City Attorney Mackenzie Anderson replied, deferring the answers to the next meeting.

Also in council business is an update on the Tenth Street Pedestrian Improvement Project by Public Works Director Ron Ladd.

The sidewalk improvement project received eight bids on Apr. 2, with the lowest bid at $29,426 from AGD Engineering, according to the staff report. The project is tentatively scheduled to start in May and to be completed “within a 15 working day schedule.”

The city manager will also receive an update on the city departments’ accomplishments and progress for the past year.

On the consent agenda — items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances; minutes of the previous meeting on April 1; approval of warrant register of Apr. 3; approval of application 2025-019, with staff recommendations, for the 2025 Memorial Day Parade; approval of application 2025-022, with staff recommendations, for the Soper Reese Groundbreaking; approval of application 2025-023, with staff recommendations, for the 2025 Farmers’ Market in Library Park.

Email staff reporters Lingzi Chen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

: Ed Oswalt; Posted On Sunday, 13 April 2025 02:04; 13 April 2025

Lake County residents invited to participate in citizen science event

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — For the first time, Lake County has its own entry in the worldwide “City Nature Challenge” — a four-day event which encourages “citizen scientists” to use their phones or cameras to submit observations of all forms of life to further develop the inaturalist.org catalog of the world's life forms.

Between Friday April 25 and Monday April 28, observations submitted to inaturalist.org will be logged into Lake County's project as part of this competition.

Anyone can participate with the inaturalist app or at the inaturalist.org web site.

People can observe on their own, or can take part in two special events, called "bioblitzes" where a group explores an area with some guidance.

The events take place at 9 a.m. Sunday, April 27, at the Lake County Land Trust's Rodman Preserve at 6350 Westlake Road, Lakeport; and Monday, April 28, at 9 a.m. at the McLaughlin Preserve, 26775 Morgan Valley Road, east of Lower Lake.

In 2016, organizers from the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History and the California Academy of Sciences started the City Nature Challenge with the metropolitan areas of San Francisco bay and Los Angeles engaging in a friendly competition to document as many forms of life as their citizen scientists could.

By 2024, the annual event had grown to include 690 competing geographic areas, with over two million observations of over 65,000 species and over 83,000 participants.

The Lake County Project and more information is at https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2025-lake-county-california.

: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS; Posted On Saturday, 12 April 2025 03:34; 12 April 2025

Lake County superintendent of schools responds to federal memo on civil rights compliance and DEI programs

**Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg. Courtesy photo.**

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County’s superintendent of schools is raising concerns about a federal education memorandum issued earlier this month that’s aimed at rolling back efforts to encourage and embrace diversity.

On April 3, the U.S. Department of Education issued a four-page memorandum to public school superintendents across the nation, reaffirming that federal funding for school districts is contingent upon compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, said Superintendent Brock Falkenberg.

Title VI prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

“Expressed in the form of a positive mindset this is about supporting all students,” said Falkenberg.

“In Lake County, the value of supporting all students is embedded in everything we do. This value is not adopted because federal law demands it, but because it reflects who we are as a Lake County community and what we, the community, believe. Our commitment to nondiscrimination would remain unchanged even in the absence of Title VI,” Falkenberg said.

Falkenberg said that, what is more concerning in the memo is the ambiguous assertion that diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs may be at odds with federal law.

“The document provides no definition of DEI, no examples of what is considered noncompliant, and no clear guidance for public schools. This vague language, combined with what appears to be an emerging pattern of ambiguous communication from federal agencies, including a similar ‘Dear Colleague’ letter issued on Feb. 14, suggests a shift toward threats and posturing rather than clear policy and guidance,” Falkenberg said.

“This is deeply problematic,” he said.

“DEI is not a slogan or a box to check in Lake County. It is a reflection of our community and a core aspect of our mission to serve every child. Diversity is not optional in Lake County, it is our lived reality. Our families represent a wide range of racial, cultural, religious, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Our students include English language learners, children with disabilities, LGBTQ+ youth, and students from every political and social walk of life. You cannot ban or regulate diversity. It exists, and we choose to honor and leverage it,” Falkenberg explained.

“Equity, meanwhile, is how we ensure that every student has what they need to learn and succeed. It’s not about favoritism or unfair advantage, it’s about fairness,” said Falkenberg.

“Equity means providing a wheelchair for a student with mobility issues, lunch for students facing food insecurity, or flexible academic programs for students dealing with a health crisis or family emergency. Equity is meeting students where they are, giving them the tools and support they need, and holding high expectations for all,” he said.

Inclusion, Falkenberg explained, “is simply the practice of making sure every student, every family, and every staff member feels valued, respected, and welcome in our schools. That includes opportunities to engage in clubs, community events, cultural celebrations, and educational programs that reflect our shared values and diverse experiences.”

Across Lake County, over $17.1 million of annual school districts’ budgets comes from federal grants, most notably Title I, which supports students in low-income communities, and Individuals with Disabilities Act, or IDEA, which Falkenberg said provides partial funding for special education services.

“This funding is critical to serving our students and should never be used as leverage to pressure school districts into abandoning the values of the communities they serve or compromising their commitment to children,” Falkenberg said.

The Pledge of Allegiance, Falkenberg points out, ends with the statement, “With liberty and justice for all.”

“Our movement forward as a county is dependent on all students and children thriving, Falkenberg said. “Something is fundamentally wrong when school leaders are asked to choose between critical federal support and doing what is right for students.”

Falkenberg added, “In Lake County, we will continue to stand for all children without exception. We will not allow vague threats or rhetoric to derail the progress we have made. We will not retreat from our responsibility to prepare every child, regardless of background, to thrive, while they contribute meaningfully to society, the workforce, and our democracy.”

: Elizabeth Larson; Posted On Monday, 14 April 2025 02:34; 14 April 2025

Supervisors to consider new study of community choice aggregation for county energy rates

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors this week will consider a proposal to study the energy rate costs for Lake County if it were to join a community choice aggregator.

The‌ ‌board will meet beginning ‌at‌ ‌9‌ ‌a.m. Tuesday, April 15, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.

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

To‌ ‌participate‌ ‌in‌ ‌real-time, ‌join‌ ‌the‌ ‌Zoom‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌by‌ ‌clicking‌ ‌this‌ ‌link‌. ‌ ‌

The‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌ID‌ ‌is‌ 865 3354 4962, ‌pass code 726865.‌ ‌The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,86533544962#,,,,*726865#. The meeting can also be accessed via phone at 669 900 6833.

In an item timed for 11 a.m., the board will consider a presentation by Sonoma Clean Power, a community choice aggregator.

In his report to the board, Deputy County Administrative Officer Benjamin Rickelman explains, “Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) enables Counties and/or Cities to pool the electricity demand of participating communities’ facilities to purchase and/or develop power on their behalf. Sonoma Clean Power (SCP) is a CCA which presently serves customers in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties.”

Rickelman said the board unanimously passed Ordinance No. 3026 on June 23, 2015, authorizing implementation of a community choice aggregation program in Lake County because it was believed that it would offer energy cost savings.

In 2019, the county requested that Sonoma Clean Power conduct a feasibility study. That study, which came out in 2020, found that the rates would be 5 to 8% higher for Lake County unless Sonoma Clean Power authorized a significant subsidy of about $33 million. Sonoma Clean Power’s board declined to do that and did not extend a service offer to Lake County.

With a preliminary estimate by Sonoma Clean Power showing that rates for Lake County could go down, the board is being asked to consider an updated feasibility study. Rickelman’s report said the cities of Clearlake and Lakeport also have expressed interest in a new study.

Should the feasibility study demonstrate cost savings for Lake County residents without placing an undue burden on Sonoma Clean Power’s existing customers, Rickelman said the organization’s staff “indicate it is probable their Board will extend an offer of service.”

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

5.1: Adopt resolution to appropriate unanticipated revenue in BU 1120 non-departmental revenue.

5.2: Approve Amendment No. 1 to the agreement for Lake County Housing Action and Implementation Plan (HAIP) services between the county of Lake and PlaceWorks, extending the contract through May 30, 2025, at no additional cost to the county, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.3: Approve closure of all Lake County Behavioral Health Services department locations for mandatory training in the 2025 annual PRISM Medical Malpractice Program on April 23, 2025, from 9 a.m. to noon.

5.4: Approve Board of Supervisors meeting minutes from March 11, 2025, and March 25, 2025.

5.5: Approve waiver of the 900-hour extra help limitation for extra help office assistant, Kimberly Young, for fiscal year 2024-25.

5.6: Approve agreement for the placement of juveniles in Mendocino County not to exceed $250,000, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.7: Approve Amendment One to the agreement with Staten Solar Corp. for design, installation and commissioning of energy conservation facilities serving the Lake County Courthouse campus, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.8: Adopt resolution authorizing and directing the chair of the Board of Supervisors to execute annual Federal Apportionment Exchange Program and State Match Program agreements with the state of California, Department of Transportation, Agreement No. X25-5914(137).

5.9: Adopt proclamation designating April 13–19, 2025, as National Public Safety Dispatchers Week in Lake County.

5.10: (Sitting as the Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors) Adopt resolution authorizing the Lake County Watershed Protection District director to amend the Flood System Repair Project (FSRP) 2024 Levee Patrol Road Gravel Repair Project agreement to increase funding for the project.

5.11: Second reading – Adopt an ordinance amending Article IX, Chapter 15 of the Lake County Code – Updating Water Vessel Inspection Program.

TIMED ITEMS

6.2, 9:03 a.m.: Pet of the Week.

6.3, 9:04 a.m.: National Poetry Month Poem of the Week.

6.4, 9:06 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating April 13–19, 2025, as National Public Safety Dispatchers Week in Lake County.

6.5, 9:10 a.m.: Consideration of presentation by Dr. Christopher Chen, UCCE Integrated Vineyard Systems advisor.

6.6, 10 a.m.: Presentation on the North Coast Opportunities Building Up Individuals and Local Development, or BUILD, Program.

6.7, 10:45 a.m.: Public hearing: a) Consideration of resolution making findings necessary to authorize an energy services contract for design, installation and commissioning of energy conservation facilities serving multiple county facilities; and b) consideration of agreement with Enerlogics Networks Inc., for design, installation, and commissioning of energy conservation facilities serving multiple county facilities.

6.8, 11 a.m.: a) Consideration of a presentation by Sonoma Clean Power (SCP); b) consideration of direction to staff to request SCP undertake an updated study on the feasibility of Lake County joining the community choice aggregator.

UNTIMED ITEMS

7.2: Consideration of use of staff time in excess of 8 hours to research a request received from the Office of Congressman Mike Thompson.

7.3: Consideration of Amendment No. 1 to the agreement between the county of Lake and Davis Guest Home Inc., for adult residential support services and specialty mental health services for FY 2024-25 in the amount of $330,000.

7.4: Consideration of an additional $15,000 transfer in lump sum from the general fund to Public Guardian account for “BB,” to be used by the Public Guardian for monthly patch payments not to exceed $5,000 per month for his placement at Nazareth Classic Care, a private-pay facility that does not accept Medi-Cal or Medicare.

CONSENT AGENDA

8.1: Closed session: Conference with labor negotiator — (a) Chief negotiator: C. Torrez; County negotiators: S. Parker, S. Carter, C. Moreno, P. Samac, and D. Rico; (b) Employee organizations: LCDDAA, LCDSA, LCCOA, LCEA, LCSEA, and LCSMA.

8.2: Closed session: Public employee discipline/dismissal/release.

8.3: Closed session: Public employee evaluation – Title: Behavioral Health Director Elise Jones.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, and on Bluesky, @erlarson.bsky.social. Find Lake County News on the following platforms: Facebook, @LakeCoNews; X, @LakeCoNews; Threads, @lakeconews, and on Bluesky, @lakeconews.bsky.social.

: Elizabeth Larson; Posted On Sunday, 13 April 2025 01:41; 13 April 2025

Helping Paws: Huskies, shepherds and terriers

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has more new dogs waiting for their homes this week.

The dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Australian shepherd, border collie, bull mastiff, Catahoula leopard dog, cattle dog, Chihuahua, French bulldog, German shepherd, husky, Labrador Retriever, pit bull terrier, poodle, Rottweiler and Siberian husky.

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.

Those dogs and the others shown on this page at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption.

Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online for information on visiting or adopting.

The shelter is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, and on Bluesky, @erlarson.bsky.social. Find Lake County News on the following platforms: Facebook, @LakeCoNews; X, @LakeCoNews; Threads, @lakeconews, and on Bluesky, @lakeconews.bsky.social.

Oliver

Rocco

Alma

Hariett

Mila

Charles

Toby

Timmy

Mister

Koda

O'Reiley

Billy

Wheezy

Dottie

Ritz

Mr. Pibb

Chuck

Lady

Hershey

Alex

Willa

Pinto

Kennel#27(BusterBrown)

Marcel

Argo

Sadie

Finn

Rome

Kennel#4

Kennel#22

Kennel#12(Mom)

Kennel#13a

Kennel#13b

Banjo

: Elizabeth Larson; Posted On Saturday, 12 April 2025 02:53; 12 April 2025

Central Region Town Hall to meet April 14

LUCERNE, Calif. — The Central Region Town Hall will next meet on Monday, April 14.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center, 3985 Country Club Drive.

Virtual participation is available via Zoom at https://app.zoom.us/wc.

To join by phone dial 1 669 900 9128. The Zoom Webinar ID is 825 9780 9680; the passcode is 778050.

The full agenda can be seen here.

Agenda items include:

• Discussion and possible action including acceptance of an update from Public Services Director Lars Ewing and the Department of Water Resources regarding Alpine Park cleanup, swim area cleanup and tule/brush cleanup.

• A presentation from Senior Transportation Planner John Speka regarding the Lake Area Planning Council's update of the Regional Transportation Plan.

• A presentation from Public Works Director Glen March regarding transportation concerns and future projects.

• An update from Caltrans regarding potential projects.

• An update regarding a potential joint municipal advisory committee meeting.

• Flood control mitigation for Victoria Creek.

An update from Supervisor EJ Crandell.

The Central Region Town Hall Board includes Chair Becky Schwenger, Vice Chair Austin Pratt, Recorder Atlas Pearson, and members Jon Karlsson and Jacob Blue.

: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS; Posted On Monday, 14 April 2025 02:29; 14 April 2025

Annual Trivia Challenge to raise funds for Lake County Symphony

**"Dames and Dunces" were the big winners of the 2024 Trivia Challenge. They will return this year to defend their title. Photo by Slade Darrin.**

LAKEPORT, Calif. — Save the date and get your tickets now to be a part of the second annual Team Trivia Challenge, on Saturday, April 26, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Soper Reese Theatre.

This is a fundraiser for the Lake County Symphony Association. You can help keep the music playing while having a great time viewing or participating in the Trivia Challenge.

Quizmaster Mark Lipps from Ripe Choice Farm & Catering will again be part of the fun, as he juggles asking the tough questions while keeping everyone on track and on time.

The competition is limited to 20 four-member teams. Each four-member team will pay $200 to enter the contest. Singles can play too. They will pay a $50 entry fee to join or create a team to vie for the championship.

To ensure a place on stage, teams and singles are urged to order their tickets now at the Soper Reese website. All teams and single participants are being asked to show up by 6:40 p.m. on April 26 so the Trivia Challenge can start on time at 7 p.m.

Teams can consist of anyone: family, friends, co-workers from businesses or public-service agencies, or members of community service or fraternal organizations. The possibilities are endless.

Team sponsors are welcome and will be publicly acknowledged. The winning team from last year, “Dames and Dunces” (Josh and Renee Cook; Holland and Jennifer Libby), were invited back to defend their title — at no charge. They have eagerly accepted the challenge and will be the ones to beat this year.

Audience members will pay $15 or $20 to watch a great show and have a chance of winning a prize ($20 ticket holders sit closer to the stage to have more access to the action).

After several rounds of a game known to trivia enthusiasts as “Agree/Disagree” three lucky winners in the audience will receive a pair of tickets to either the Mother’s Day Concert in May, the Summer Concert in August, or the Fall Concert in November.

Additionally, anyone who wants to can enter a drawing for the chance to become part of a “wildcard” team and join the competition for free.

For tickets and more information, go to the Soper Reese website at www.soperreesetheatre.com.

: Robert Sanders; Posted On Sunday, 13 April 2025 01:28; 13 April 2025

Scientists discover why obesity takes away the pleasure of eating

A steady diet of high-fat foods leads to reduced pleasure in eating, likely contributing to obesity. UC Berkeley scientists have discovered why, opening up new possibilities for treating obesity — not by fighting desire, but by restoring desire in a healthier way. Credit: Christine Liu/UC Berkeley.

The pleasure we get from eating junk food — the dopamine rush from crunching down on salty, greasy French fries and a luscious burger — is often blamed as the cause of overeating and rising obesity rates in our society.

But a new study by scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that pleasure in eating, even eating junk food, is key for maintaining a healthy weight in a society that abounds with cheap, high-fat food.

Paradoxically, anecdotal evidence suggests that people with obesity may take less pleasure in eating than those of normal weight. Brain scans of obese individuals show reduced activity in pleasure-related brain regions when presented with food, a pattern also observed in animal studies.

Now, UC Berkeley researchers have identified a possible underlying cause of this phenomenon — a decline in neurotensin, a brain peptide that interacts with the dopamine network — and a potential strategy to restore pleasure in eating in a way that helps reduce overall consumption.

The study reveals an unsuspected brain mechanism that explains why a chronic high-fat diet can reduce the desire for high-fat, sugary foods, even when these foods remain easily accessible. The researchers propose that this lack of desire in obese individuals is due to a loss of pleasure in eating caused by long-term consumption of high-calorie foods. Losing this pleasure may actually contribute to the progression of obesity.

“A natural inclination toward junk food is not inherently bad — but losing it could further exacerbate obesity,” said Stephan Lammel, a UC Berkeley professor in the Department of Neuroscience and a member of the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute.

The researchers found that this effect is driven by a reduction in neurotensin in a specific brain region that connects to the dopamine network. Importantly, they demonstrate that restoring neurotensin levels — either through dietary changes or genetic manipulations that enhance neurotensin production — can reinstate the pleasure in eating and promote weight loss.

“A high-fat diet changes the brain, leading to lower neurotensin levels, which in turn alters how we eat and respond to these foods,” Lammel said. “We found a way to restore the desire for high-calorie foods, which may actually help with weight management.”

While findings in mice don’t always translate directly to humans, this discovery could open new avenues for addressing obesity by restoring food-related pleasure and breaking unhealthy eating patterns.

“Imagine eating an amazing dessert at a great restaurant in Paris — you experience a burst of dopamine and happiness,” said Neta Gazit Shimoni, a UC Berkeley postdoctoral fellow. “We found that this same feeling occurs in mice on a normal diet, but is missing in those on a high-fat diet. They may keep eating out of habit or boredom, rather than genuine enjoyment.”

Gazit Shimoni and former UC Berkeley graduate student Amanda Tose are co-first authors, and Lammel is senior author of the study, which will be published March 26 in the journal Nature.

Solving a long-standing puzzle in obesity research

For decades, doctors and researchers have struggled to understand and treat obesity, as countless fad diets and eating regimens have failed to produce long-term results. The recent success of GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic, which curb appetite by increasing feelings of fullness, stands out among many failed approaches.

Lammel studies brain circuits, particularly the dopamine network, which plays a crucial role in reward and motivation. Dopamine is often associated with pleasure, reinforcing our desire to seek rewarding experiences, such as consuming high-calorie foods.

While raising mice on a high-fat diet, Gazit Shimoni noticed a striking paradox: While in their home cages, these mice strongly preferred high-fat chow, which contained 60 percent fat, over normal chow with only 4 percent fat, leading them to gain excessive weight.

However, when they were taken out of their home cages and given free access to high-calorie treats such as butter, peanut butter, jelly or chocolate, they showed much less desire to indulge than normal-diet mice, which immediately ate everything they were offered.

“If you give a normal, regular-diet mouse the chance, they will immediately eat these foods,” Gazit Shimoni said. “We only see this paradoxical attenuation of feeding motivation happening in mice on a high-fat diet.”

She discovered that this effect had been reported in past studies, but no one had followed up to find out why, and how the effect connects to the obesity phenotype observed in these mice.

Restoring neurotensin reverses obesity-related brain changes

To investigate this phenomenon, Lammel and his team used optogenetics, a technique that allows scientists to control brain circuits with light. They found that in normal-diet mice, stimulating a brain circuit that connects to the dopamine network increased their desire to eat high-calorie foods, but in obese mice, the same stimulation had no effect, suggesting that something must have changed.

The reason, they discovered, was that neurotensin was reduced so much in obese mice that it prevented dopamine from triggering the usual pleasure response to high-calorie foods.

“Neurotensin is this missing link,” Lammel said. “Normally, it enhances dopamine activity to drive reward and motivation. But in high-fat diet mice, neurotensin is downregulated, and they lose the strong desire to consume high-calorie foods — even when easily available.”

The researchers then tested ways to restore neurotensin levels. When obese mice were switched back to a normal diet for two weeks, their neurotensin levels returned to normal, dopamine function was restored, and they regained interest in high-calorie foods.

When neurotensin levels were artificially restored using a genetic approach, the mice not only lost weight, but also showed reduced anxiety and improved mobility. Their feeding behavior also normalized, with increased motivation for high-calorie foods and a simultaneous reduction of their total food consumption in their home cages.

“Bringing back neurotensin seems to be very, very critical for preventing the loss of desire to consume high-calorie foods,” Lammel said. “It doesn’t make you immune to getting obese again, but it would help to control eating behavior, to bring it back to normal.”

Toward more precise treatments for obesity

Although directly administering neurotensin could theoretically restore feeding motivation in obese individuals, neurotensin acts on many brain areas, raising the risk of unwanted side effects. To overcome this, the researchers used gene sequencing, a technique that allowed them to identify specific genes and molecular pathways that regulate neurotensin function in obese mice.

This discovery provides crucial molecular targets for future obesity treatments, paving the way for more precise therapies that could selectively enhance neurotensin function without broad systemic effects.

“We now have the full genetic profile of these neurons and how they change with high-fat diets,” Lammel said. “The next step is to explore pathways upstream and downstream of neurotensin to find precise therapeutic targets.”

Lammel and Gazit Shimoni plan to expand their research to explore neurotensin’s role beyond obesity, investigating its involvement in diabetes and eating disorders.

“The bigger question is whether these systems interact across different conditions,” Gazit Shimoni said. “How does starvation affect dopamine circuits? What happens in eating disorders? These are the questions we’re looking at next.”

Other co-authors are Charlotte Seng, Tamás Lukacsovich and Csaba Földy of the University of Zurich in Switzerland; Yihan Jin and Lin Tian of UC Davis; Hongbin Yang of Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China; Jeroen Verharen, Christine Liu, Michael Tanios, Eric Hu, Jonathan Read and Lilly Tang of UC Berkeley; and Byung Kook Lim of UC San Diego.

The work was supported by the McKnight Foundation, One Mind Foundation, Weill Neurohub, Rita Allen Foundation, Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation and National Institutes of Health (R01DA042889, U01NS120820, U01NS113295, R01NS121231, R01DA049787). Shimoni was supported by a Young Investigator Award from the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression.

Robert Sanders writes for the UC Berkeley News Center.

: Elizabeth Larson; Posted On Saturday, 12 April 2025 02:48; 12 April 2025

Clearlake Animal Control: ‘Levi’ and the dogs

**“Levi.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.**

CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Clearlake Animal Control has many dogs waiting for a new start with adoptive families.

The shelter has 55 adoptable dogs listed on its website.

This week’s dogs include “Levi,” a 10-month-old male mixed breed dog with a brown brindle coat.

Shelter staff said Levi — who is still a puppy — would love another furry friend to play with in his new home. He’s energetic, loves walks and cuddling.

The shelter is located at 6820 Old Highway 53. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

For more information, call the shelter at 707-762-6227, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or on the city’s website.

This week’s adoptable dogs are featured below.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, and on Bluesky, @erlarson.bsky.social. Find Lake County News on the following platforms: Facebook, @LakeCoNews; X, @LakeCoNews; Threads, @lakeconews, and on Bluesky, @lakeconews.bsky.social.