Anale Burlew. Courtesy photo. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — A former assistant chief in Cal Fire’s Sonoma Lake Napa Unit has been appointed to one of Cal Fire’s key statewide leadership positions.
Anale Burlew, of San Anselmo, has been appointed Cal Fire’s chief deputy director by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Burlew has been assistant deputy director, fire protection operations at Cal Fire since 2022 and has served in several positions there since 2011, including deputy chief, command and control, assistant chief, Sonoma Lake Napa Unit Central Operations; battalion chief, Nevada Yuba Placer Unit; and battalion chief, Northern Region Headquarters.
She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in fire service management from California State University, Sacramento.
This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $219,360.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has numerous kittens and older cats waiting to be adopted.
The cats at the shelter that are shown on this page 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, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Autumn is the season to gaze at gorgeous leaves of gold, yellow and orange as they flutter from the trees and fall on our yards – but then, of course, comes the tedious task of raking them up and trying to decide what to do with them. SciLine interviewed Susan Barton, a professor of plant and soil sciences at the University of Delaware, who says taking a lazy approach is actually a win for your garden and the critters that live there.
Dr. Susan Barton discusses fall lawn care.
Below are some highlights from the interview. Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.
Can leaves on a landscaped property ever be left as they are, or should they always be mulched?
Susan Barton: A layer of leaves on the lawn will exclude light, which would be detrimental to the lawn. So when the leaves fall, either rake them up or chop them up with a lawn mower so they are finer and can sift down in through the grass blades. But if they fall in a landscape bed, or under trees, shrubs and larger plants, it’s fine to just leave the leaves without mulching them.
What are the benefits of mulching leaves rather than removing them?
Susan Barton: The leaves contain nutrients, and they also are a source of organic matter. So if you allow the leaves to go back into the landscape, you are providing nutrients for the plants to take up, and you are providing organic matter that will improve the soil structure.
If you think about forest, where leaves just naturally return to the soil and decompose every year, it’s some of the richest soil we have. By allowing that to happen in your landscape beds, you’re getting the same benefits.
What can keep leaves from blowing from one property to another?
Susan Barton: Chopping them up will dramatically reduce the blowing of the leaves. Make them smaller by either mowing over the leaves where they fall in the lawn, or raking them into piles and then mowing them.
There are also leaf vacuums that vacuum, chop up and put the leaves in a bag. Then you spread the leaves on your landscape beds.
What are the environmental benefits of not removing the leaves?
Susan Barton: If you rake up your leaves, put them in a black plastic bag and have them taken off to a landfill, then they never get to decompose and return those nutrients and organic matter back to the soil. Instead, you’re taking what could be a resource and making it a problem.
Also, many insects spend the winter in leaf litter. And a lot of people might not want insects in their landscape, but only about 2% of all the insects in the world are considered pests. Most of them are either beneficial or of no consequence to humans, and they are very important food sources for birds and other animals. Birds feed the insects, especially caterpillars, to their hatchlings.
So by allowing the insects to overwinter in the leaf litter, you’re supporting bird populations and, of course, pollinators, which help plants produce seeds that can develop into new plants.
When should people fertilize lawns?
Susan Barton: In the fall, because that is when turf grass is primarily growing roots and you’re promoting the kind of grass growth that makes a healthy, dense lawn. When you fertilize in the spring, your grass is growing leaves at that point, so you’re really just causing the grass to grow more and grow faster, and you will need to mow more often. So it really doesn’t make sense to fertilize in the spring.
Also, when you chop up the leaves in the fall, you are actually also fertilizing in the fall because you’re putting those chopped up leaves back into the soil. But it’s a good idea to add some additional fertilizer besides just the leaf litter.
How can people get the most out of their lawns and make their landscaping more environmentally friendly?
Susan Barton: The suburban norm is to have a lawn with some decorative plants around the house, or at the end of the driveway. But I think it’s a good idea to sort of flip that paradigm and design areas of the lawn that provide for play and gathering spaces, and then figure out what everything else can be.
It’s just a different way of thinking about the landscape, and much more environmentally sensitive. It will provide all kinds of ecosystem services, whether it’s better water infiltration or better air quality. If we think about pulling carbon dioxide out of the air, we’re doing it a lot more if we’ve got a ground cover, a shrub layer, a small tree layer and a large tree layer than we are if we have just a lawn.
SciLine is a free service based at the nonprofit American Association for the Advancement of Science that helps journalists include scientific evidence and experts in their news stories.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Recent rains and cooler temperatures across the region have lowered the threat of wildfires, allowing Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit to begin downstaffing from its peak staffing levels.
A total of 10 fire engines will be downstaffed on Monday, Nov. 13.
Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, or LNU, will continue to operate with 21 state engines — one at every fire station in the Unit — and staff 153 seasonal firefighters in addition to the 250-plus permanent suppression staff after that date.
“Living in California, we must understand that it’s not just a fire season, but rather a year-round vulnerability to wildfires,” said Cal Fire Unit Chief Mike Marcucci. “In our year-round fire state, we have different staffing levels that correspond to fire conditions. We are starting to experience shorter days and our fuel moisture levels are coming up, but we remain ready for the threat of wildfire on the appropriate level.”
Boggs Copter 612, the Sikorsky S70i Cal Fire Hawk based at the Boggs Mountain Helitack Base in Lake County, will be leaving the unit for the season on Nov. 13.
Operations at the Sonoma Air Attack Base will continue after that date with the use of one air tanker and one air attack plane.
The hand crew out of the Hood Mountain Fire Center in Sonoma County will also remain staffed at this time.
Cal Fire will continue to monitor weather conditions closely and maintains the ability to increase staffing should weather conditions change or if there is a need to support wildfires or other emergencies in other areas of the state.
There have been 340 wildfires that have burned merely 657 acres in Cal Fire LNU’s jurisdiction this year.
It is the third year in a row with a significant reduction in wildfire activity, Cal Fire reported.
During the six-year fire siege the unit saw between 2015 and 2020, the fire activity averages saw 526 fires burn 172,827 acres per year.
Cal Fire said this positive trend can be attributed to several key factors, including the ongoing efforts in fuels reduction and prescribed burns along with the staffing and resources dedicated to firefighting.
The region has also seen favorable weather conditions that aided in containment efforts.
During the cooler months, Cal Fire said it will continue its aggressive fuel modification work.
Residents and neighborhoods are also encouraged to focus on much of the same to help build resilience to wildfire for their homes and communities.
To learn more about building defensible space and other protective measures you can take, please visit www.readyforwildfire.org.
The Lakeport Fire Protection District’s ladder truck displayed a large American flag at Konocti Vista Casino as part of the annual Veterans Day celebration on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, in Lakeport, California. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News. LAKEPORT, Calif. — Lake County’s annual Veterans Day celebration on Saturday honored not just those who have served in the military but also those who have helped them once they came home.
The event took place once again this year at Konocti Vista Casino in Lakeport.
The Lakeport Fire Protection District brought its ladder truck, using it to display a large American flag just outside of the venue, where members of the Military Funeral Honors Team also were staged. The group posted the colors, provided a gun volley and the playing of “Taps.”
The Clear Lake High School Jazz Band, under the direction of Jenni Ingram, performed a host of songs honoring the military and My Divas sang the national anthem.
Members of 4-H distributed thank you cards to the veterans as they have in past years. In the audience, some of the vets noted how they’ve held onto the cards over the years.
The Clear Lake High School Jazz Band performed at the event. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News. Lake County has an estimated 7,000 veterans, with one of the highest per-capita veterans populations among California’s 58 counties.
It was noted during the ceremony that one in five Americans who will die this year have served in the military.
The event’s guest speaker was Lt. Luke Bingham of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Bingham, an Air Force veteran who served in the security services, also is planning to run for sheriff in 2024.
He deployed to the Middle East twice, in 1996 and 1997, and recounted how many of his family members also have been in the armed forces.
Bingham noted that only 6% of the United States population has been in military service, and borrowed a portion of a quote from Winston Churchill: “So much owed by so many to so few.”
He told the group, “I am proud to be a veteran and proud to stand among all of you who have served.”
Friend of the Veteran Award winner Angela Carter. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News. Honoring those who support veterans; veteran of the year
Each year, a celebration highlight is the presentation of two awards: Friend of the Veteran and Veteran of the Year.
This year’s Friend of the Veteran Award recipient is attorney Angela Carter, whose work in Lake County includes having previously managed the indigent defense contract.
“This is a tremendous honor,” said Carter, adding, “It’s very meaningful to me.”
One of her passions has been working as part of the Veterans Court team, a group that includes representatives of the Veterans Service Office, District Attorney’s Office and the Lake County Superior Court.
Carter explained that Veterans Court is different from the normal court atmosphere.
Veterans who come into the program may be there due to issues relating to PTSD or addition, she said.
Carter said Veterans Court is a committee and a team effort that manages and helps veterans through an 18-month program that is an alternative to incarceration.
They help veterans meet a variety of needs. Carter said they’ve helped with service dogs, prosthetics, housing and meeting medical needs.
Veteran of the Year Award winner Kenneth Scott. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News. “It’s been a tremendous success,” she said.
She said Veterans Court begins with the pledge of allegiance and applause at the end.
Carter said she was accepting the award on behalf of the Veterans Court team.
She told Lake County News after the ceremony that recidivism for Veterans Court participants across the nation is about 50%, while in Lake County it is very low.
Along with Carter’s award, a second Friend of the Veteran Award was presented to Lake County’s volunteer drivers.
The Veteran of the Year Award went to Military Funeral Honors Team Kenneth Scott, who also is a board member of the Joy Madeiros Veterans Museum in Lakeport.
Scott emphasized the group’s service to veterans.
He said it was one of the greatest awards he had received.
The Military Funeral Honors Team helped close the event with a gun volley and the playing of “Taps” before veterans and attendees were treated to a free lunch.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The Lake County Military Funeral Honors Team prepares for the annual Veterans Day celebration on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, in Lakeport, California. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.
Under what conditions many chemical elements are created in the universe has long been shrouded in mystery. This includes elements that are highly valuable, or even vital to life as we know it. Astronomers are now one step closer to an answer thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope and a high-energy event: the second-brightest gamma-ray burst ever detected, most likely caused by the merging of two neutron stars — which resulted in an explosion known as a kilonova. Using Webb’s spectacular sensitivity, scientists captured the first mid-infrared spectrum from space of a kilonova, which marked Webb’s first direct look at an individual heavy element from such an event. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, A. Levan (IMAPP, Warw), A. Pagan (STScI) A team of scientists has used multiple space- and ground-based telescopes, including the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, to observe an exceptionally bright gamma-ray burst, GRB 230307A, and identify the neutron star merger that generated the explosion that created the burst. Webb also helped scientists detect the chemical element tellurium in the aftermath of the explosion.
Other elements near tellurium on the periodic table — like iodine, which is needed for much of life on Earth — are also likely to be present among the kilonova’s ejected material. A kilonova is an explosion produced by a neutron star merging with either a black hole or with another neutron star.
“Just over 150 years since Dmitri Mendeleev wrote down the periodic table of elements, we are now finally in a position to start filling in those last blanks of understanding where everything was made, thanks to Webb,” said Andrew Levan of Radboud University in the Netherlands and the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom, lead author of the study.
While neutron star mergers have long been theorized as being the ideal “pressure cookers” to create some of the rarer elements substantially heavier than iron, astronomers have previously encountered a few obstacles to obtaining solid evidence.
Kilonovas are extremely rare, making it difficult to observe these events. Short gamma-ray bursts, or GRBs, traditionally thought to be those that last less than two seconds, can be byproducts of these infrequent merger episodes. In contrast, long gamma-ray bursts may last several minutes and are usually associated with the explosive death of a massive star.
The case of GRB 230307A is particularly remarkable. First detected by NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope in March, it is the second brightest GRB observed in over 50 years of observations, about 1000 times brighter than a typical gamma-ray burst that Fermi observes. It also lasted for 200 seconds, placing it firmly in the category of long-duration gamma-ray bursts, despite its different origin.
“This burst is way into the long category. It’s not near the border. But it seems to be coming from a merging neutron star,” added Eric Burns, a co-author of the paper and member of the Fermi team at Louisiana State University.
The collaboration of many telescopes on the ground and in space allowed scientists to piece together a wealth of information about this event as soon as the burst was detected. It is an example of how satellites and telescopes work together to witness changes in the Universe as they unfold.
After the initial detection, an intensive series of observations from the ground and from space, swung into action to pinpoint the source on the sky and track how its brightness changed. These observations in the gamma-ray, X-ray, optical, infrared, and radio showed that the optical/infrared counterpart was faint, evolved quickly, and became very red – the hallmarks of a kilonova.
“This type of explosion is very rapid, with the material in the explosion also expanding swiftly,” said Om Sharan Salafia, a co-author of the study at the INAF — Brera Astronomical Observatory in Italy. “As the whole cloud expands, the material cools off quickly and the peak of its light becomes visible in the infrared, and becomes redder on time scales of days to weeks.”
At later times it would have been impossible to study this kilonova from the ground, but these were the perfect conditions for Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) and NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph) instruments to observe this tumultuous environment. The spectrum has broad lines that show the material is ejected at high speeds, but one feature is clear: light emitted by tellurium, an element rarer than platinum on Earth.
The highly sensitive infrared capabilities of Webb helped scientists identify the home address of the two neutron stars that created the kilonova: a spiral galaxy about 120,000 light-years away from the site of the merger.
Prior to their venture, they were once two normal massive stars that formed a binary system in their home spiral galaxy. Since the duo was gravitationally bound, both stars were launched together on two separate occasions: when one among the pair exploded as a supernova and became a neutron star, and when the other star followed suit.
In this case, the neutron stars remained as a binary system despite two explosive jolts and were kicked out of their home galaxy. The pair traveled approximately the equivalent of the Milky Way galaxy’s diameter before merging several hundred million years later.
Scientists expect to find even more kilonovas in the future thanks to the increasing number of opportunities to have space and ground-based telescopes working in complementary ways to study changes in the Universe.
“Webb provides a phenomenal boost and may find even heavier elements,” said Ben Gompertz, a co-author of the study at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. “As we get more frequent observations, the models will improve and the spectrum may evolve more in time. Webb has certainly opened the door to do a lot more, and its abilities will be completely transformative for our understanding of the Universe.”
These findings have been published in the journal Nature.
Webb is the largest, most powerful telescope ever launched into space. Under an international collaboration agreement, ESA provided the telescope’s launch service, using the Ariane 5 launch vehicle. Working with partners, ESA was responsible for the development and qualification of Ariane 5 adaptations for the Webb mission and for the procurement of the launch service by Arianespace. ESA also provided the workhorse spectrograph NIRSpec and 50% of the mid-infrared instrument MIRI, which was designed and built by a consortium of nationally funded European Institutes (The MIRI European Consortium) in partnership with JPL and the University of Arizona.
Webb is an international partnership between NASA, ESA and the Canadian Space Agency.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday will discuss a new contract for around the clock sheltering services for homeless Lake County residents.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting ID is 988 4488 3652, pass code 667243. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,98844883652#,,,,*667243#.
In an untimed item, the board will consider an agreement between Lake County Behavioral Health Services Department, acting as the lead administrative entity for the Lake County Continuum of Care, and Redwood Community Services Inc. for running the homeless shelter at the former juvenile hall in north Lakeport.
Under the terms of the contract, Redwood Community Services will receive $2,417,489.64 for fiscal years 2023 to 2026.
Redwood Community Services will run the shelter 24/7, as opposed to how it has been run previously, which required those sheltering there to leave during the day.
Behavioral Health Director Elise Jones’ report said the funds for the contract come from the Homeless Housing Incentive Program and the Homeless Housing and Assistance Program.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Approve letter of support for CalWild’s State Coastal Conservancy Grant funding request to support Upper Eel River watershed community visioning process.
5.2: Adopt resolution amending Resolution 2023-117 establishing position allocations for Fiscal Year 2023-2024, Budget Unit 2111, Public Defender.
5.3: Adopt resolution approving Agreement No. 23-0606-000-SG with California Department of Food and Agriculture for compliance with the High Risk Pest Exclusion Program for the period July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024, in the amount of $10,320.51.
5.4: Approve continuation of proclamation declaring a Clear Lake hitch emergency.
5.5: Approve continuation of proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to pervasive tree mortality.
5.6: Approve continuation of an emergency declaration for drought conditions not available not available
5.7: Approve continuation of proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to low elevation snow and extreme cold.
5.8: Approve amendment one to the agreement with Digital Path Inc. for use of the communications facility on Buckingham Peak of Mt. Konocti for a reduction of rent from $2,550 to $1,200 per month effective Aug. 1, 2023, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.9: Approve amendment two to the agreement between the county of Lake and SCS Engineers for engineering design services for the Eastlake Landfill Expansion Project in the amount of $14,120 for a total contract amount of $273,520, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.10: Adopt resolution expressing support for the Lower Lake HoliDAZE Street Fair, and temporarily authorizing a road closure, prohibiting parking and authorizing removal of vehicles and ordering the posting of signs.
5.11: Approve just compensation for a portion of the property listed in Attachment A be no less than the fair market value, as determined by appraisals performed by Bender Rosenthal Inc., and formally reviewed and certified by Sierra West Valuation, and authorize the Public Works director to provide approval to commence negotiations.
5.12: Adopt resolution for the acceptance of Congressional earmark funding to construct the Kelseyville Sidewalks Project.
5.13: Approve a professional services agreement between the county of Lake and Coastland Civil Engineering LLP., for engineering services for staff augmentation in an amount not to exceed $250,000 per year and authorize the chair to sign the agreement.
5.14: Approve first amendment to contract between county of Lake and North Coast Opportunities Inc. for stage one childcare services, in the amount of $642,856.00 per fiscal year from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2025, and authorize the chair to sign.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:07 a.m.: Pet of the Week.
6.3, 9:08 a.m.: New and noteworthy at the Library.
6.4, 9:10 a.m.: Consideration of the Sept. 30, 2023 report of Lake County pooled investments.
6.5, 9:30 a.m.: Consideration of presentation on California Jobs First Catalyst Fund proposal.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of emergency proclamation declaring a shelter crisis in the county of Lake.
7.3: Consideration of agreement between county of Lake — Lake County Behavioral Health Services Department, as the lead administrative entity for the Lake County Continuum of Care and Redwood Community Services Inc. in the amount of $2,417,489.64 for fiscal years 2023-26.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Addendum, conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9 (d)(1) — McCormick v. California Public Employees’ Retirement System, et al.
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.
Congressman Mike Thompson presents a Congressional Resolution honoring the Lake County Land Trust's 30th anniversary to President Val Nixon during the group’s 30th anniversary celebration on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in Kelseyville, California. Courtesy photo. KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — A crowd of more than 160 supporters and friends gathered at Boatique Winery on Saturday, Oct. 28, to mark an important milestone for the Lake County Land Trust, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary throughout 2023 and 2024.
The Lake County Land Trust was incorporated in late 1993 and received tax exemption status in 1994.
The Land Trust was founded to protect land in Lake County that is important for wildlife habitat, including wetlands, streams, forests and properties with other unique values.
At its annual dinners the Lake County Land Trust honors "Supporters of the Year." This year, during its 30th anniversary celebration the Land Trust honored the late Bob Schoenherr and Lakeport resident Susan Morton, pictured from left with LCLT president Val Nixon and board member Roberta Lyons. Courtesy photo. The Land Trust, or LCLT, owns two wetland preserves in the Big Valley area, totaling over 230 acres, owns and co-manages the Rodman Preserve of 232 acres near Upper Lake, owns the nine-acre Rabbit Hill Preserve in Middletown, a 40-acre chaparral preserve on the slopes of Mt. Konocti, and Monitor Island.
The trust is working with local tribes to develop management plans for properties in the Big Valley area and also stewards the Boggs Lake Preserve owned by The Nature Conservancy.
The dinner was a great success with catering provided by Rosey Cooks Gourmet Catering.
Mike Thompson greets "Lady of the Lake," Angela De Palma-Dow, at the Lake County Land Trust’s 30th anniversary celebration on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in Kelseyville, California. Courtesy photo. The Boatique Winery venue is always a favorite and event manager Francesca Zito helped all evening. Cobb resident Scott Serena provided music.
Guest speaker Angela De Palma-Dow, Water Resources Invasive Species Program coordinator, also known as “The Lady of the Lake,” talked about “Why I Love Clear Lake,” describing the amazing fact that the lake is a minimum of 500,000 years old.
The Land Trust’s president, Val Nixon, outlined the founding of the organization and thanked everyone who has been involved over the years, including donors, volunteers, former LCLT board members and employees.
A good crowd attended the 30th Anniversary Lake County Land Trust dinner on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in Kelseyville, California. Courtesy photo. Honored as Supporters of the Year were the late Bob Schoenherr and Lakeport resident Susan Morton.
Congressman Mike Thompson and his wife Jan attended and participated in the evening’s activities, including the silent auction.
Thompson presented a beautiful framed resolution honoring the LCLT for its 30 years of work
“It was a wonderful evening of fellowship and inspiration,” noted Nixon. “We thank all of our sponsors and supporters who attended; know that the Land Trust is here to stay because of you.”
The silent auction brought enthusiastic bidders at the Lake County Land Trust’s 30th anniversary celebration on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in Kelseyville, California. Courtesy photo.
Val Nixon and Angela De Palma-Dow, guest speaker at the Lake County Land Trust’s 30th anniversary celebration on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in Kelseyville, California. Courtesy photo.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Each year, millions of Americans come together to remember the fallen, honor those who serve and their families, and teach others about the true value of freedom as part of National Wreaths Across America Day.
This gathering of volunteers and patriots takes place in local, state, and national cemeteries in all 50 states — including Hartley Cemetery, Kelseyville Cemetery, Upper Lake Cemetery, Lower Lake Cemetery, Middletown and St. Mary’s Lakeport cemeteries.
Each year, a new theme is chosen to help volunteers and supporters focus their messaging and outreach in their own communities.
The theme for this year is “Serve and Succeed.”
The organization will continue its commitment to supporting and bringing attention to the needs of our veteran community while also showcasing the continued contributions of those who serve.
This year, National Wreaths Across America Day is Saturday, Dec. 16.
The event is free and open to the public. The observance will begin at 9 a.m. at all the cemeteries noted above in Lake County.
In 2022, approximately 2.7 million veterans’ wreaths were placed by volunteers on headstones at 3,702 participating locations around the country in honor of the service and sacrifices made for our freedoms”, each name said out loud.
“Wreaths Across America volunteers work year-round to ensure military laid to rest are remembered, their families and living veterans are honored, and the next generation is taught about the value of freedom,” said Toni Funderburg, site coordinator for Hartley Cemetery.
Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992.
The organization’s mission — “Remember, Honor, Teach” — is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as at thousands of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.
Delta Iota Tau, Girl Scouts in Kelseyville, Lake County 4-H Group in Lower Lake and FFA in Upper Lake and Middletown will be accepting donations for wreaths until Nov. 27.
It is the goal of each sponsoring group to place a remembrance wreath on each veteran gravesite at the cemeteries listed.
To do this they need your help. An Individual sponsorship cost $17 for one wreath and the family option costs $68 for four wreaths. Small businesses can fund 10 wreaths for $170 or any amount can be sponsored for $17 per wreath.
People can register to volunteer or sponsor a wreath at Hartley Cemetery by visiting https://wreathsacrossamerica.org/CA0751P or choose another Cemetery or Sponsor Group in Lake County by copying and pasting this URL in your search bar and in the middle of the page you can click Cemetery and Sponsoring Group.
There is no better time to express appreciation for our veterans than during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Everyone knows or has known a veteran.
Sponsors are on a mission to remember, honor and teach. Join them by sponsoring wreaths to be placed in honor of a veteran this December. They will ensure that their sacrifice is remembered yet again and passed on to a new generation of Americans.
The U.S. population is projected to reach a high of nearly 370 million in 2080 before edging downward to 366 million in 2100.
By 2100, the total U.S. resident population is only projected to increase 9.7% from 2022, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau population projections.
The projections provide possible scenarios of population change for the nation through the end of the century.
The 2023 National Population Projections is an update to the last series of projections, published in 2017, to account for the impact of COVID-19 and to reflect the results of the 2020 Census through its inclusion of the Vintage 2022 National Population Estimates as a base.
It also extends the population projections to 2100, the first time since 2000 that the Census Bureau projections have stretched this far into the future.
“In an ever-changing world, understanding population dynamics is crucial for shaping policies and planning resources,” stated Sandra Johnson, a demographer at the Census Bureau.
“The U.S. has experienced notable shifts in the components of population change over the last five years,” she explained. “Some of these, like the increases in mortality caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, are expected to be short-term while others, including the declines in fertility that have persisted for decades, are likely to continue into the future. Incorporating additional years of data on births, deaths and international migration into our projections process resulted in a slower pace of population growth through 2060 than was previously projected.”
Projections illustrate possible courses of population change based on assumptions about future births, deaths and net international migration.
The 2023 projections include a main series (also known as the middle series) considered the most likely outcome of four assumptions, and three alternative immigration scenarios that show how the population might change under high, low and zero immigration assumptions.
Other highlights:
Total population
By 2100, the total population in the middle series is projected to reach 366 million compared to the projection for the high-immigration scenario, which puts the population at 435 million. The population for the middle series increases to a peak at 370 million in 2080 and then begins to decline, dropping to 366 million in 2100. The high-immigration scenario increases every year and is projected to reach 435 million by 2100.
The low-immigration scenario is projected to peak at around 346 million in 2043 and decline thereafter, dropping to 319 million in 2100.
Though largely illustrative, the zero-immigration scenario projects that population declines would start in 2024 in the complete absence of foreign-born immigration. The population in this scenario is projected to be 226 million in 2100, roughly 107 million lower than the 2022 estimate.
Drivers of population change
In each of the projection scenarios except for the zero-immigration scenario, immigration is projected to become the largest contributor to population growth.
In the middle series and the high-immigration scenario, net international migration is higher than natural increase (the difference between births and deaths) in all years of the time series. For the low-immigration scenario, this crossover happens in 2029.
Reduced fertility and an aging population result in natural decrease — an excess of deaths relative to births — in all projection scenarios. This happens in 2038 in the main series, 2033 in the zero-immigration scenario, 2036 in the low-immigration scenario, and in 2042 in the high-immigration scenario.
Age and sex
Continued declines in fertility are projected to shift the age structure of the population so that there will be more adults age 65 or older compared to children under age 18.
In the middle series, the share of the population in the older age group surpasses that of the younger age group in 2029 and, by 2100, 29.1% of the population is projected to be age 65 or older compared to 16.4% under age 18. This crossover happens in 2030 in the high-immigration scenario, 2029 in the low-immigration scenario, and 2028 in the zero-immigration scenario.
The share of the population age 65 or older in 2100 ranges from 27.4% in the high-immigration scenario to 35.6% in the zero-immigration scenario.
Similarly, the median age of the U.S. population, which represents the age at which half the population is older and half is younger, is projected to increase over time in all projection scenarios.
In 2022, the median age for the total population was 38.9. In 2100, this is projected to increase to 47.9 in the middle series, 46.5 in the high-immigration scenario, 49.2 in the low-immigration scenario, and 53.6 in the zero-immigration scenario.
Median age is currently higher for females, who tend to have longer life expectancies at birth compared to males, and this trend is projected to continue. In the middle series it is projected that in 2100, the median age for females will be 49.1 and the median age for males will be 46.8.
Projected median age in 2100 for females ranges from 47.7 in the high-immigration scenario to 54.8 in the zero-immigration scenario.
For males, the projected values in 2100 range from 45.4 in the high-immigration scenario to 52.5 in the zero-immigration scenario.
Race and Hispanic origin
Non-Hispanic White alone was the most prevalent race or ethnic group in the United States in 2022 (58.9%), followed by Hispanic (19.1%) and non-Hispanic Black alone (12.6%). Although the share of the population in each of these groups is projected to change over time, these three groups are projected to remain the most prevalent through 2060 in all immigration scenarios.
In 2060, the non-Hispanic White alone population is projected to decline to 44.9% in the middle series, 42.7% in the high-immigration scenario, 46.6% in the low-immigration scenario, and to 50.7% in the zero-immigration scenario.
At the same time, the Hispanic population is projected to increase to 26.9% in the middle series in 2060, 27.8% in the high-immigration scenario, 26.2% in the low-immigration scenario, and to 24.6% in the zero-immigration scenario.
The non-Hispanic Black alone population is expected to remain at around 13% in 2060 in all of the immigration scenarios.
Nativity
The projected share of the population that is foreign-born is highly influenced by assumptions regarding international migration.
In 2022, 13.9% of the U.S. population was foreign-born. In the main series, this share is projected to increase to 19.5% in 2100, while the high-immigration scenario projects an increase to 24.4% and the low-immigration scenario projects an increase to 14.9%.
The zero-immigration scenario projects a decline in the share of the population that is foreign-born to 0.3% in 2100.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has more new dogs available for adoption this week.
Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Australian shepherd, border collie, boxer, Chihuahua, German shepherd, hound, husky, Labrador retriever, pit bull, shepherd and terrier.
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, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
In 1841, for the first time, the U.S. Census Bureau published information about veterans in a special bound volume on the men who served in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and other American conflicts.
Although it had been nearly 60 years since the American Revolution had ended, the compendium (now available online) listed the surviving pensioners, including widows, of that war.
In the 18 decades that followed, the data that the Census Bureau collected about veterans continually shifted and expanded, providing a historical record of just how much the definition of military service has been redefined over centuries.
Who was counted as a veteran depended on when and where a man served in the U.S. armed forces. And, yes, for most of the nation’s history, only men were considered veterans.
It wasn’t until 50 years later, in 1890, that another census collected data on veteran status. That census identified only veterans of the Civil War and the widows of Union and Confederate ex-service members.
At that time, the main reason for classifying veterans in the United States was for determining pension eligibility. As veterans benefits expanded in the early 1900s, the importance of including veterans data in the decennial census also increased, particularly to track whether veterans were engaged in military operations or were killed in action and left surviving widows and children.
For decades, the decennial census only classified as veterans the men who served during wartime or went abroad as part of a military operation. By 1930, the definition of a veteran expanded to include men who served on military expeditions, which included the Spanish-American War (1898), Philippine Insurrection (1899–1902), Boxer Rebellion (1900–1901), and Mexican Expedition (1916–1917).
Men who served in peacetime, or who did not experience combat or service overseas, were not counted as veterans.
Major turning points in how we classified veterans
Starting in 1930, veteran questions appeared on every decennial census to varying degrees until the 2000 Census.
With the end of World War II in 1945, the nation faced a burgeoning veteran population as most of the 16.1 million men who served during the war returned to civilian life.
The influx of veterans further fueled the need for data on military service and experiences.
1940
The 1940 Census marked a significant turning point in how the Census Bureau defined and collected data on veterans.
For the first time, the census included peacetime service, specified whether a veteran had served on active duty, and in which branch, for any length of time regardless of duty location (United States or abroad).
This was the broadest definition of a veteran and military service to date. Since military pensions were still a focus, the 1940 Census included dependents of ex-service members in the count of veterans and determined the mortality status of veteran husbands and fathers.
History of veterans data on the U.S. Census
Before 1940, the decennial census had been primarily concerned with identifying how and where veterans served, and consequently counted men as veterans only if they met certain conditions (i.e., service in a specific war, branch, or military expedition).
The 1940 Census shifted the focus to who served and when they did so, including both wartime and peacetime service.
1980
The “who” of military service changed again in 1980, when the census counted women as veterans for the first time. Women had long been connected to the U.S. military, even before they could formally serve or were recognized as veterans for their service.
A report on the history of women veterans from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) writes that although not recognized as veterans until 1980, women served on the battlefield alongside men during the American Revolution — some even masquerading as men.
Some women served as spies during the Civil War but their main contributions were in the field of medicine.
“The nurses who served during the Spanish-American War paved the way for the creation of a permanent corps of nurses in the Army and Navy. In 1901, the Army Nurse Corps (ANC) was established,” according to the VA.
Counting women as veterans marked a major shift in the way the Census Bureau measured the veteran population. Until that point, only men were considered to be veterans regardless of the military service or experiences of women.
Today’s veterans
With the implementation of the American Community Survey (ACS) in 2005, the 2000 Census was the last decennial census to collect data on veteran status for the United States (the Census Bureau continues to collect it for the Island Areas Censuses).
The ACS further expanded the “what” and “when” of veteran status by including questions on all possible periods of service, specifying each wartime period and delineating peacetime periods. The 2022 ACS shows there are 14.5 million men and 1.7 million women veterans.
In 1950, the White population made up about 93% of veterans. Today that figure is around 74%, which reflects in part the changing racial composition of the broader U.S. population.
The ACS also collected information on:
• Length of active-duty service. • Time of most recent service in the U.S. armed forces. • Current active-duty service (rather than just service in the past). • Service-connected disability status and rating of veterans who sustained an injury or became disabled because of their service.
This content, although it has changed in wording and scope, has remained the focus of veterans data at the Census Bureau since the ACS began.
In addition to the ACS, other Census Bureau surveys have expanded data collected on veterans.
The Survey of Income and Program Participation, or SIPP, is the only Census Bureau source of data on participation in VA programs and benefits.
The types of veterans data collected in SIPP include:
• Use of the GI Bill. • Home loans secured through the VA. • Military retirement. • VA pension. • Disability compensation, which are widely available to former service members, their dependents, and surviving family members of deceased veterans.
Just as earlier censuses reflect the changing definition of a veteran, today’s data on disability, pensions and other VA benefits reflect the need to better understand not just who veterans are, but their health and well-being.
As military service, roles and experiences continue to evolve, the Census Bureau will continue to adapt its data collection to better understand the changing needs of the men and women who serve in America’s armed forces.
Jonathan Vespa is a demographer in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division.
How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
