Senate Majority Leader Mike McGuire’s ground-breaking legislation to expedite offshore wind development to help meet the Golden State’s long-term electricity demand and extraordinary climate goals passed Tuesday with bipartisan support in the Senate Natural Resources Committee.
“If we’re serious about bringing on desperately needed new power generation facilities and meeting the state’s nation-leading climate goals and energy needs — we must move heaven and earth to deploy new green power,” McGuire said.
“This bill will expedite the state-side offshore wind permitting process eliminating three years off of the permitting timeline all while protecting California’s coastal environment and storied fishing fleet, it will deploy resources for offshore wind infrastructure in local communities and help get folks to work through new career training programs,” McGuire added.
SB 286 — the Offshore Wind Expediting Act — will accelerate the state-side offshore wind permitting process through the State Coastal Commission and State Land Commission.
At the same time, it will ensure environmental safeguards will remain in place, California’s storied fishing fleet interests are protected, and the bill will advance resources that benefit communities and develop family-sustaining careers through workforce education programs.
In addition to desperately needed streamlining, this bill also mandates state agencies and key stakeholders come together to collaborate and develop the long-term game plan to deploy offshore wind infrastructure.
SB 286 requires the Coastal Commission to bring the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the State Lands Commission, the Ocean Protection Council, representatives from the commercial fishing industry, representatives from the offshore wind industry, federal agencies, labor, Native American tribes and other stakeholders together over the next two years.
This stakeholder group will create a statewide standard to ensure offshore wind development is expedited and will develop data-driven strategies to avoid and minimize impacts to ocean fisheries and to the maximum extent possible, mitigate for unavoidable impacts.
SB 286 was approved by a 9-0 vote in Senate Natural Resources Committee and will be heard next in the Senate Energy Committee.
Have you ever had a nasty infection that just won’t seem to go away? Or a runny nose that keeps coming back? You may have been dealing with a bacterium that is tolerant of, though not yet resistant to, antibiotics.
Antibiotic resistance is a huge problem, contributing to nearly 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019. But antibiotic tolerance is a covert threat that researchers have only recently begun to explore.
Antibiotic tolerance happens when a bacterium manages to survive for a long time after being exposed to an antibiotic. While antibiotic-resistant bacteria flourish even in the presence of an antibiotic, tolerant bacteria often exist in a dormant state, neither growing nor dying but putting up with the antibiotic until they can “reawaken” once the stress is gone. Tolerance has been linked to the spread of antibiotic resistance.
I am a microbiologist who studies antibiotic tolerance, and I seek to uncover what triggers tolerant bacteria to enter a protective dormant slumber. By understanding why bacteria have the ability to become tolerant, researchers hope to develop ways to avoid the spread of this ability. The exact mechanism that sets tolerance apart from resistance has been unclear. But one possible answer may reside in a process that has been overlooked for decades: how bacteria create their energy.
Cholera and antibiotic tolerance
Many antibiotics are designed to break through the bacteria’s outer defenses like a cannonball through a stone fortress. Resistant bacteria are immune to the cannonball because they can either destroy it before it damages their outer wall or change their own walls to be able to withstand the impact.
Tolerant bacteria can remove their wall entirely and avoid damage altogether. No wall, no target for the cannonball to smash. If the threat goes away before too long, the bacterium can rebuild its wall to protect it from other environmental dangers and resume normal functions. However, it is still unknown how bacteria know the antibiotic threat is gone, and what exactly triggers their reawakening.
My colleagues and I at the Dörr Lab at Cornell University are trying to understand processes of activation and reawakening in the tolerant bacteria responsible for cholera, Vibrio cholerae. Vibrio is rapidly evolving resistance against various types of antibiotics, and doctors are concerned. As of 2010, Vibrio is already resistant to 36 different antibiotics, and this number is expected to continue rising.
To study how Vibrio develops resistance, we chose a strain that is tolerant to a class of antibiotics called beta-lactams. Beta-lactams are the cannonball sent to destroy the bacteria’s fortress, and Vibrio adapts by activating two genes that temporarily remove its cell wall. I witnessed this phenomenon using a microscope. After removing its cell wall, the bacteria activate even more genes that morph it into fragile globs that can survive the effects of the antibiotic. Once the antibiotic is removed or degraded, Vibrio returns to its normal rod shape and continues to grow.
Normally rod-shaped Vibrio cholerae remove their cell walls and turn into globs in the presence of penicillin, enabling them to survive longer.Vibrio cholerae revert back to their rod-shaped structure once the antibiotic threat is removed.
In people, this process of tolerance is seen when a doctor prescribes an antibiotic, typically doxycycline, to a patient infected with cholera. The antibiotic temporarily seems to stop the infection. But then the symptoms start back up again because the antibiotics never fully cleared the bacteria in the first place.
The ability to revert back to normal and grow after the antibiotic is gone is the key to tolerant survival. Exposing Vibrio to an antibiotic for a long enough time would eventually kill it. But a standard course of antibiotics often isn’t long enough to get rid of all the bacteria even in their fragile state.
However, taking a medicine for a prolonged period can harm healthy bacteria and cells, causing further discomfort and illness. Additionally, misuse and extended exposure to antibiotics can increase the chances of other bacteria residing in the body becoming resistant.
Other bacteria developing tolerance
Vibrio isn’t the only species to exhibit tolerance. In fact, researchers have recently identified many infectious bacteria that have developed tolerance. A bacteria family called Enterobacteriaceae, which include major food-borne disease pathogens Salmonella, Shigella and E. coli, are just a few of the many types of bacteria that are capable of antibiotic tolerance.
I recently found that a bacterium’s metabolism, or the way it breaks down “food” to make energy, may play a significant role in its ability to become tolerant. Different structures within a bacterium, including its outer wall, are made of specific building blocks like proteins. Stopping the bacterium’s ability to craft these pieces weakens its wall, making it more likely to take damage from the outside environment before it can take the wall down.
Tolerance and resistance are connected
Although there has been considerable research on how bacteria develop tolerance, a key piece of the puzzle that has been neglected is how tolerance leads to resistance.
In 2016, researchers discovered how to make bacteria tolerant in the laboratory. After repeated exposure to different antibiotics, E. coli cells were able to adapt and survive. DNA, the genetic material containing instructions for cell function, is a fragile molecule. When DNA is damaged rapidly by stress, such as antibiotic exposure, the cell’s repair mechanisms tend to mess up and cause mutations that can create resistance and tolerance. Because E. coli is similar to many different types of bacteria, these researchers’ findings revealed that, ironically, essentially any bacteria can develop tolerance if pushed to their limits by the antibiotics meant to kill them.
Bacteria form large communities in biofilms.
Another recent key discovery was that the longer bacteria remain tolerant, the more likely they are to develop mutations leading to resistance. Tolerance allows bacteria to develop a resistance mutation that reduces their chances of being killed during antibiotic treatment. This is especially relevant to bacterial communities often seen in biofilms that tend to coat high-touch surfaces in hospitals. Biofilms are slimy layers of bacteria that ooze a protective jelly that makes antibiotic treatment difficult and DNA sharing between microbes easy. They can induce bacteria to evolve resistance. These conditions are thought to mimic what could be happening during antibiotic-treated infections, in which many bacteria are living next to one another and sharing DNA.
Researchers are calling for more research into antibiotic tolerance with the hope that it will lead to more robust treatments in both infectious diseases and cancers. And there is reason to be hopeful. In one promising development, a mouse study found that decreasing tolerance also reduced resistance.
Meanwhile, there are steps everyone can take to aid in the battle against antibiotic tolerance and resistance. You can do this by taking an antibiotic exactly as prescribed by a doctor and finishing the entire bottle. Brief, inconsistent exposure to a medicine primes bacteria to become tolerant and eventually resistant. Smarter use of antibiotics by everyone can stop the evolution of tolerant bacteria.
A bill to urge the University of California to annually report its progress toward the return of Native American remains cleared the Assembly Higher Education Committee Tuesday on a bipartisan and unanimous vote of 12-0.
Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) introduced the measure, AB 226.
The return of remains and objects to the tribes is known as repatriation.
“Federal law — the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 — and the state California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 2001 are decades old,” Ramos said. “NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA require the return of our ancestors’ remains and sacred objects to appropriate descendants. Yet, decades after passage of these acts, the UC system retains thousands and thousands of remains despite two highly critical state audits and recommendations released in 2020 and 2022.”
AB 226 would also prohibit the use of Native American remains or cultural items for teaching or research.
“UC’s intransigence in following the law is shameful, and prevents the respectful burial of remains and closure for the state’s more than 100 tribes,” Ramos said.
AB 226 is sponsored by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and supported by the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake and Generation Up Inc..
The bill will now head to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Ramos is the first and only California Native American serving in the state’s legislature. He chairs the Assembly Committees on Rules.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Caltrans District 1 has announced free Large Item Dump Day events on Saturday, April 22, to celebrate Earth Day.
These dump day events are made possible through Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Clean California initiative, a sweeping $1.1 billion, multiyear clean-up effort led by Caltrans to keep roads and waterways free of litter, create thousands of jobs and transform state and local public spaces through beautification efforts.
Large Item Dump Day events will take place at the following locations in Lake County April 22:
C & S Waste Transfer Station: Accepting mattresses and furniture only at 230 Soda Bay Road, Lakeport, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or until capacity is reached. Sponsored by Clean California, County of Lake, South Lake Refuse & Recycling and Lake County Waste Solutions.
South Lake Refuse & Recycling: Accepting mattresses and furniture only, 16015 Davis St., Clearlake, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or until capacity is reached. Sponsored by Clean California, County of Lake, South Lake Refuse & Recycling and Lake County Waste Solutions.
Eastlake Landfill: Accepting mattresses and furniture only, 16015 Davis Ave., Clearlake, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or until capacity is reached. Sponsored by Clean California, County of Lake, South Lake Refuse & Recycling and Lake County Waste Solutions.
Free Dump Day collection is limited to the household items listed above. No construction materials, business waste, hazardous waste, electronic waste, treated wood waste or asbestos of any type will be accepted.
Caltrans reminds motorists to properly secure and tarp all cargo loads prior to driving. Transporting unsecured loads is unsafe, illegal, and pollutes California's roads and waterways. Loads that are not tied down, enclosed, or secured by tarps or other means will not be accepted.
Tips for securing your load:
• Completely cover loads with tarps or cargo nets. Debris can escape from gaps. • Remove loose material and trash before driving. • Don't overload — keep materials level with your truck bed. • Put light items lower, tie large items to the vehicle for traffic safety.
About the campaign
Since 2021, the Clean California initiative has removed 1.4 million cubic yards of trash, created 3,500 jobs, and awarded $300 million in local grants.
Visit CleanCA.com to learn more about how Clean California is transforming communities and educating the public.
In February, Gov. Newsom announced a new funding round for $100 million in grants for local Clean California projects. There are also a variety of career and job opportunities through Clean California. For more information on this, please visit the jobs section at tinyurl.com/CleanCAHiring.
Caltrans is also in the process of developing the Clean California Community program, in which communities from across the state can seek to earn a designation by meeting criteria centered around preventing and cleaning up litter, promoting recycling, and otherwise greening or beautifying their communities. Incentives will also be offered to encourage communities to earn this designation.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that it has completed another step in the process to complete the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine Superfund Site cleanup plan.
The 160-acre Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine Superfund site sits on the shore of Clear Lake in Clearlake Oaks.
The plan proposes cleaning up significant portions of the site in Clearlake Oaks, specifically the mine area, the Elem Indian Colony and contaminated soils in the residential area to the southwest of the site.
The EPA said the extended public comment period for the plan closed on Monday.
The comment period had included a series of open houses, and in-person and virtual public hearings and question and answer sessions.
The next steps, expected to run into the fall and winter, include responding to all comments and documenting the final plan in an official document called a “record of decision.”
From this year through 2025, the EPS will gather data and prepare cleanup designs.
That will be followed in 2025 and 2026 by the beginning of the cleanup, which is estimated to take three to five years depending on what phase one reveals.
From 2023 to 2028, the EPA will continue studying the north wetlands, Clear Lake and sediment to see how best to control mercury and other contaminants in these areas.
Background and resources
To view the site’s website for other information, click here.
• Administrative record: To view the detailed documents on how EPA developed cleanup options, please visit the website’s site document and data tab or click here.
• Proposed plan brochure: To view at a glance information about the proposed plan, please click here.
• Paper copies: Several key site documents in the record, the proposed plan and other files are available in hard copy at the locations below. Please call locations to confirm hours/availability:
Redbud Library 14785 Burns Valley Road, Clearlake Telephone: 707-994-5115
Lake County Library 1425 North High St., Lakeport Telephone: 707-263-8817
Superfund Records Center 75 Hawthorne St. San Francisco, CA 94105 Telephone: 415-947-8000
For any other questions related to the process or next steps, contact Gavin Pauley, the site’s community involvement coordinator, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 415-535-3725.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The city of Clearlake is investigating complaints of conditions in its animal shelter and has directed the contractor who runs the facility to make immediate changes.
City Manager Alan Flora told the Clearlake City Council on Thursday that city staffers are following up on numerous complaints about the Clearlake animal shelter, located at 6820 Old Highway 53 and run by North Bay Animal Services, based in Petaluma.
The situation arises as the population at the shelter in recent months has reached capacity — reported to be 70 dogs. It’s fallout from the pandemic that has been reported at shelters nationwide.
Lake County News reached out via email to North Bay Animal Services Executive Director Mark Scott after the meeting on Thursday and again by phone on Monday to ask for his comments about the situation but Scott did not respond.
The shelter facility, which is overseen by the Clearlake Police Department, underwent significant upgrades in 2020 under the leadership of then-Police Chief Andrew White, who left in December for the police chief job in Martinez.
The city awarded the contract for management of the animal shelter to North Bay Animal Services in August.
The contract term is for 10 years, at a cost of $375,000 per year.
It may be terminated without cause with six months’ written notice, and may be ended for cause with a written notice given 60 days ahead of time.
The contract requires North Bay Animal Services to provide patrol and respond to calls as dispatched; complete reports; testify in hearings; pick up animals; enforce local, state and federal laws related to animals; issue citations; investigate bite reports, animal cruelty or neglect, and public nuisance reports; oversee rabies control, including filing required reports with the county health department; and provide animal care and control services as part of disaster response.
Under the contract’s terms, there is to be one qualified animal control officer on duty from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week, excluding federally recognized holidays.
The agreement addresses the animal population and euthanasia. It states, “Contractor will endeavor to operate under the No Kill philosophy. However, Contractor and City recognize that some animals will be humanely euthanized for public safety or animal health issues. Contractor is responsible for managing the shelter population to ensure space is available for additional intake.”
Community members complain to City Council
Flora had planned to give the council an update on the situation during his usual report at the end of the Thursday meeting.
However, he ended up addressing the matter earlier in the meeting in the midst of comments from several community members who complained about North Bay Animal Services’ performance.
Community members who spoke complained to the council during the meeting’s public comment portion, alleging a refusal to let volunteers walk dogs in an attempt to cover up conditions, donated blankets and bedding being thrown away rather than laundered and animals left in freezing cold kennels.
They raised questions about what is happening with the dogs being transferred to the organization’s Petaluma facility and pointed to a general lack of oversight at the shelter.
Rita Laufer, who worked for many years with the Animal Coalition, claimed that half the food donations from Clearlake are taken to Petaluma. She added that she thought that police department staff — including Chief Tim Hobbs, who oversaw it while a lieutenant, and Lt. Martin Snyder — did a better job of managing the facility.
They also reported issues about an untreated outbreak at the shelter of giardia, an infection that can be caused by coming in contact with infected feces, or contaminated soils or water sources.
The statements at the council meeting followed comments on social media in recent weeks that reported similar issues, along with pictures of kennels covered with feces, a result of the giardia outbreak.
On April 4, North Bay Animal Services posted a message on its Facebook page addressing what it called a “misinformation campaign” spreading on Facebook that included issues related to euthanasia reports and animal care in both its Clearlake and Petaluma shelters.
“The City of Clearlake animal shelter was struggling; we answered their call for help. City leadership acknowledges that the changes in animal housing, increased vet care, increased adoptions, increased response to animal control calls have made a huge difference for the citizens of Clearlake and the pets they love. We are committed to an increased social media presence for our Clearlake shelter,” the message said.
It also said, “Do not feed into the drama. If you have a question about what you’re seeing, ask the people who can provide an answer: shelter staff. Do not spread false accusations that you do not have first hand knowledge of.”
As of Monday night, the shelter’s website, now also run by North Bay Animal Services, shows 28 adoptable dogs.
However, during the shelter and pet update at the Clearlake City Council’s March 16 meeting, shelter staff acknowledged that not all of the adoptable dogs at the shelter have been showing up on the website, a point that Councilman Russ Cremer pressed them about fixing.
At that time, it was reported that the shelter’s live release rate was 99.9%.
City directs organization to make changes
Flora said on Thursday that not all of the statements made by the public during that night’s council meeting were accurate, although he didn’t state exactly what was not true.
However, Flora told the council, and Lake County News in a follow-up email, that he and Chief Hobbs — whose department oversees the animal shelter — met with Scott on March 29 to discuss issues at the shelter.
Flora said he made directives to staff regarding how to proceed.
Regarding the specific actions being taken, Flora said he directed Hobbs to start an investigation into the allegations about shelter conditions.
Ryan Peterson, a highly regarded detective who recently was promoted to lieutenant in the Clearlake Police Department, has been assigned to conduct that investigation, which Flora said has already started.
Flora said he ordered that the investigation be completed within 30 days.
In addition, Flora said he gave North Bay Animal Services two weeks to remove animals from the public workshop area at the Public Works building next to the shelter.
He said it was never the city’s intention to have animals housed long-term in that portion of the building, and that they need to be adopted out or other accommodations found.
Flora said that Hobbs can approve temporary housing there. Such was the case a few weeks ago, when the police department had an arrest warrant for someone with more than 20 dogs, which had to be accommodated. He said they also can’t use temporary kennels except for transport.
There will be a change in access to the facilities, as Flora said there are areas that unauthorized people shouldn't be wandering around in.
He said the issues with the shelter’s laundry and washers have been resolved. A heavier duty washing machine was needed and he said the city is looking into what they can do to accommodate more reliable laundry services.
Flora pointed to the requirement in the city’s contract that North Bay Animal Services follow the UC Davis Shelter Medicine care and cleaning protocol while operating the shelter. He said the city is asking North Bay Animal Services for its cleaning policy.
The organization also will be required to provide monthly reports that will be submitted to the City Council. Flora said the city is asking for additional information relating to the number of veterinary visits and spay/neuter surgeries performed.
Lt. Peterson’s new role in oversight of the shelter will include a monthly meeting with North Bay Animal Services and a walk-through of the shelter, Flora said.
Flora said he can’t direct it, but he’s recommending that North Bay Animal Services appoint a lead worker or supervisor at the shelter.
That’s in response to complaints he’s received that volunteers and others don’t have anyone at the site to turn to for directions.
Flora said the investigation is ongoing and more follow-up is planned.
On Monday, Flora told Lake County News that he and Hobbs went over with Scott the issues at the shelter and that they expect North Bay Animal Services to comply with the city’s requirements.
Regarding the contract, Flora said the city is less than one year into the 10-year contract with North Bay Animal Services.
“We have plenty of flexibility to terminate if needed but our focus is straightening things out and moving forward together,” Flora said.
North Bay’s full Facebook post from April 4 is published below.
“There is a misinformation campaign spreading on facebook that we would like to clear up. We’d like to address 2 areas: euthanasia records, and animal care in our Petaluma shelter and our Clearlake shelter.
“There are questions about our euthanasia numbers. Our vet clinics serve our many jurisdictions, not just Petaluma. For that reason it’s not possible to compare their reported numbers against a smaller (understandably) number that we report to the City of Petaluma. For more details, see this web post: https://northbayanimalservices.org/community-letter/
“Questions have been asked about the increased pet population at the Petaluma shelter, and the level of care at the Clearlake shelter. Since assuming the Petaluma contract, the human population of our city has increased, so has the pet population. We have added pet housing, play yards and storage facilities to accommodate that need. What’s more, every shelter across the nation is facing this increase in animal shelter population. For more information, check the details on the website: https://northbayanimalservices.org/community-letter/
“The City of Clearlake animal shelter was struggling; we answered their call for help. City leadership acknowledges that the changes in animal housing, increased vet care, increased adoptions, increased response to animal control calls have made a huge difference for the citizens of Clearlake and the pets they love. We are committed to an increased social media presence for our Clearlake shelter.
“What can you do?
“Do not feed into the drama. If you have a question about what you’re seeing, ask the people who can provide an answer: shelter staff.
“Do not spread false accusations that you do not have first hand knowledge of.
“Come visit either shelter at any time. We are open to all. You can easily walk in and view the animals for yourself. No appointment necessary.
“Come volunteer at the shelter! We have plenty of tasks that need to be done, from laundry to dog walking to cuddling cats. Everyone is welcome!”
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake Local Agency Formation Commission, or LAFCO, has an opening for a commissioner and is seeking applicants interested in serving.
LAFCO is a distinct agency created by state legislation to ensure that changes in governmental organization occur in a manner which provides efficient, quality services and preserves open space and agricultural land resources.
The commission is charged with applying the policies and provisions of the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 in its decisions regarding annexations, incorporations, reorganizations, and other changes of local government. The LAFCO website is www.lakelafco.org.
LAFCO meets on the third Wednesday of every other month at Lakeport City Hall or at Clearlake City Hall. Commissioners receive a $100 monthly meeting stipend.
The appointment is for a public member who resides anywhere within Lake County, including the territory in the city limits of Lakeport and Clearlake, to sit as a public member or alternate on the commission to complete a four-year term ending in May 2027.
A public member must be able and available to regularly attend commission meetings and/or hearings or otherwise will be removed after absence of three consecutive meetings.
No officer or employee of the county or any city or special district within Lake County is allowed to sit as a public member on the commission.
A public commission member, as are all other commissioners, is required to file an annual statement of economic interest.
If you are interested, send a letter describing your background and reasons for wanting to become the selected public member to serve on the Lake Local Agency Formation Commission no later than Friday, May 5.
For more information, contact LAFCO Executive Officer John Benoit at 707-592-7528 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Please send your letter of interest describing your background to Lake LAFCO, P.O. Box 2694 Granite Bay, CA 95746 or email a letter of interest to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
All applicants will be invited to the LAFCO meeting on Wednesday, May 17, for an interview with the commission.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A 4.4-magnitude earthquake that occurred just inside the Sonoma County line on Tuesday night was reported by residents around Lake County and beyond, and was followed by some strong aftershocks.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the earthquake occurred at 10:39 p.m. 4.6 miles west northwest of Cobb, at a depth of six tenths of a mile, just inside the Sonoma County line.
Many people, including this reporter, were alerted to the quake through a U.S. Geological Survey ShakeAlert on smartphones that said, “Emergency alert: Severe. Earthquake Detected! Drop, Cover, Hold On, Protect Yourself.”
“Wheeeee that was a fun shake,” Cobb resident Matt Smith wrote on Lake County News’ Facebook page.
Residents of other parts of the county — including Clearlake, Cobb, Glenhaven, Hidden Valley Lake, Kelseyville, Lucerne, Lakeport and Middletown — reported on social media that they also had felt the quake, and that it was powerful and “a doozy.”
It was followed by a 2.8-magnitude aftershock, one that was 2.5 in magnitude and a 3.3-magnitude quake, all in Sonoma County, and a 2.5-magnitude quake in Lake County, west northwest of Cobb.
As of 3 a.m. Wednesday, approximately 678 shake reports had been submitted to the U.S. Geological Survey from around Lake, Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma counties, the Bay Area, Folsom, Truckee and Glenbrook, Nevada.
Earlier on Tuesday, shortly after 4 p.m., there had been a 2.5-magnitude earthquake that occurred near Lake Pillsbury and due north of the area where the earthquakes near Cobb took place.
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.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — The Yuba Community College District Board appears to be getting closer to selecting a new chancellor, with the trustees set to discuss the appointment at a meeting this week.
The board will meet in closed session at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 13, with the regular session to begin at 5 p.m. at Yuba College, 2088 N. Beale Road, Building 300-Flavors, Marysville.
Members of the public can attend the meeting virtually through this Zoom link.
The Zoom Meeting ID is 852 1986 0695; the call-in number is 1-669-900-6833.
The district — which includes Woodland Community College and its Lake County campus in Clearlake — has been without a permanent chancellor since 2021, when Dr. Douglas Houston left.
Since July, 2021, Dr. James L.J. Houpis has served as interim chancellor.
Earlier this month, the district held public forums in Marysville and Woodland to introduce the four chancellor finalists: Dr. Beatriz Espinoza, Dr. Eugene Giovannini, Dr. Shouan Pan and Dr. Wei Zhou.
During the closed session on Thursday, the board is due to discuss the chancellor’s appointment.
On the agenda for the public portion of the meeting is the consideration of an employment agreement with a new chancellor.
The report for that employment agreement explains that before taking a final action on such an appointment, Government Code requires that an oral report must be given in open session regarding the compensation to be paid to the superintendent candidate.
The agenda packet doesn’t include a proposed employment contract, which appears to hinge on the outcome of the closed session.
“If negotiations of a Chancellor employment agreement are unsuccessful, this agenda item will be considered at a subsequent Board Meeting,” the report 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.
Representatives Jared Huffman (CA-02), Doris Matsui (CA-07), and John Sarbanes (MD-03) HAVE led a group of 28 lawmakers in sending a letter to Secretaries Tom Vilsack and Deb Haaland, urging the Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior to undertake a formal rulemaking to protect mature and old-growth forests.
“Mature and old-growth trees play an outsized role in carbon sequestration and storage and provide a host of related benefits, including water quality, recreation, and overall ecosystem integrity,” wrote the lawmakers.
In April 2022, President Biden issued Executive Order 14072, recognizing mature and old-growth forests as vital to the health, prosperity, and resilience of communities across the nation.
Mature and old-growth trees absorb and store more greenhouse gases than younger trees and are home to greater biodiversity, making them essential to our climate and conservation goals.
In light of this, Executive Order 14072 directed USDA and DOI to define, identify, and complete an inventory of mature and old-growth forests on federal lands by April 22, 2023.
However, the executive order did not direct USDA and the Department of the Interior to initiate a formal rulemaking to provide durable protections.
“We strongly urge you to initiate a formal rulemaking to ensure these crucial actions are not easily overturned in the future.” the lawmakers continued. “And while your agencies work to implement E.O. 14072 and finalize the rulemaking process, we ask that you issue interim guidance as soon as possible to protect against the further loss of existing mature and old-growth forests. These actions are key to accomplishing the Administration’s commitments to protecting our climate and biodiversity and to position the U.S. as an international leader in nature-based solutions.”
The letter has the support of environmental leaders and stakeholders.
“Ecologically intact older forests have a myriad of benefits, with one being increased resilience to climate stressors like wildfire and drought,” said Josh Hicks, senior campaign manager, National Forests Campaign, The Wilderness Society. “Therefore, a policy that retains, restores, and recruits increased old-growth forests is one of the best ways to fight against the increased, uncharacteristic wildfires we’ve seen over the past several years. We are so appreciative of Representatives Matsui, Huffman and Sarbanes for elevating this important issue.”
“From coast to coast, a diverse coalition of stakeholders is calling on the federal government to protect mature and old growths forests from the myriad threats they face, including wildfires, climate change, and reckless logging,” said Blaine Miller-McFeeley, senior legislative representative, Earthjustice. “Protecting and restoring these ecosystems is one of the best nature-based solutions we have for fighting climate change and should be a cornerstone of U.S. climate policy. We thank Reps. Matsui, Huffman, Sarbanes, and dozens of other Congressional members whose districts include forests across the country for recognizing this important issue and leading efforts to urge the federal government to protect our climate forests.”
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — The Middletown Area Town Hall this week will get an update on cannabis-related matters from the county and discuss community engagement.
MATH will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 13, in the Middletown Community Meeting Room/Library at 21256 Washington St., Middletown. The meeting is open to the public.
To join the meeting via Zoom click on this link; the meeting ID is 331 855 4843. Call in at 669-900-6833.
Starting at 7:05 p.m., the group will hear from guest speakers.
They will include Supervisor Moke Simon, who will give the first quarter update and take questions.
He will be followed by Andrew Amelung, the Cannabis Task Force Committee Program Manager for the Community Development Department, who will provide a brief update on the progress of the Cannabis Task Force.
The group also will discuss strategies to engage community discussion, and Zoom equipment and operating needs, including volunteers.
The MATH Board includes Chair Monica Rosenthal, Vice Chair Todd Fiora, Secretary Ken Gonzalez, Rosemary Córdova and Bill Waite, and alternates Julia Bono and Tom Darms.
MATH — established by resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12, 2006 — is a municipal advisory council serving the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley (including Hidden Valley Lake), Long Valley and Middletown.
For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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. — Highland Springs Recreation Area was recently closed for over a month due to significant winter storm-related damage.
While the recreation area has since reopened, there is a considerable amount of brush that still needs to be cleared to allow fuller use of the park and trails.
On Saturday, April 15, Lake County Water Resources will host a Highland Springs Vegetation Cleanup Day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Participants will meet at the Highland Springs disc golf course.
Residents are encouraged to bring hand tools (no use of power tools will be permitted), gloves, sunscreen water and lunch, and join this event.
Volunteers will work together to drag brush into piles, cut brush into smaller pieces and clear pathways.
The Highland Springs Recreation area is located at 3600 E. Highland Springs Road in Lakeport. Continue on Highland Springs Road through the open gate, and the disc golf course will be on the right-hand side of the road. Some parking is available near the course.
Highland Springs Recreation Area is owned by the Lake County Watershed Protection District and managed by the Lake County Water Resources Department.
For more information, contact Water Resources at 707-263-2344 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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