Monday, 09 September 2024

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The USDA Forest Service is augmenting staff and pre-positioning firefighting resources across California, preparing for predicted critical fire weather over the weekend and into next week.

“We are committed to quick, aggressive response to fire starts on Forest Service managed land and stand ready to provide assistance to our partners. To do this, we’re planning ahead — to pre-position firefighting resources strategically for the most efficient response,” said Pacific Southwest Region Fire Director Jaime Gamboa.

Both northern and southern California are expected to experience critical fire weather this weekend.

Record high temperatures have caused vegetation to dry rapidly, especially in low- to mid-elevation ecosystems.

Monsoon moisture is expected to move into the area from the Southwest, slightly lowering temperatures. But a heightened possibility for thunderstorms through the weekend raises the likelihood for widespread lightning Saturday night into Sunday. This is expected to be followed by the returns to extremely hot temperatures.

The Forest Service asks the public to remain diligent about preventing human-caused fire starts, which can pull resources from lightning fires.

• Use caution when parking on dry grass and when towing and mowing.
• Make sure campfires are completely out before vacating campsites and picnic areas.
• Adhere to posted campfire restrictions.

Fire information is available on forest social media sites, as well as https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/.
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Cal Fire McClellan Air Tanker Base on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Photo courtesy of the Governor’s Office. 

California’s peak wildfire season is here, and state officials said it’s significantly more active than the last five years.

So far this year there have been more than 3,500 wildfires across California, with 207,415 acres burned and 128 structures damaged or destroyed.

That’s compared to just 10,080 acres at this time last year — and the five-year average of 38,593 acres burned.

The state continues to expand its aerial firefighting force, which is the largest in the world. California also continues to leverage new technologies to support its firefighting capabilities.

Gov. Gavin Newsom joined state fire and emergency officials in Sacramento at Cal Fire McClellan Air Tanker Base on Wednesday to provide an update on California’s wildfire response and readiness.

“The last couple years brought welcome relief for California as we saw historically low levels of wildfire. This season is shaping up to be very active, bringing the threat of dangerous wildfire to many parts of our state. California is ready with the world’s largest aerial firefighting fleet and new technology that helps us fight fire smarter — and we’re already seeing our investments pay off,” said Newsom.

The recently signed 2024 budget agreement maintains $2.6 billion through 2028 to protect Californians from wildfires and improve forest health.

This is in addition to $200 million per year for healthy forest and fire prevention programs, including prescribed fire and other fuel reduction projects.

The administration is implementing shorter workweeks for state firefighters and aims to bring on more than 2,400 additional firefighters over five years to augment staffing levels.

Californians can visit ready.ca.gov for resources and safety tips on wildfire, heat and other natural disasters.

Gov. Gavin Newsom at Cal Fire McClellan Air Tanker Base on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Photo courtesy of the Governor’s Office.

Below is a recap of the ways California is keeping communities safe from wildfire.

New aircraft, night-flying capabilities, and expanded drone deployment

• Expansion of helitack bases: Five additional helitack bases are operational, after personnel completed. training, bringing the total to eight bases equipped for night operations. Night-flying aircraft have been activated in response to many wildfires this year.
• Contracted aircraft add to Cal Fire’s permanent fleet of over 60 aircraft. Twenty additional helicopters and four airplanes, including five night-flying capable helicopters.
• Drone deployment: Cal Fire currently operates 159 unmanned aerial systems, representing a doubling in Cal Fire’s use of UAS for aerial ignition, support of prescribed burns, and wildfire containment.
• Ongoing transfer and outfitting of seven C-130 aircraft from the federal government.

Harnessing recent innovations

• Fire Integrated Real-Time Intelligence System, or FIRIS, to map wildfire information in real-time.
• Tecnosylva Wildfire Projection Tool to predict wildfire spread.
• Partnership with Department of Defense, using satellites to map wildfires.
• LiDAR Investments to make detailed, 3-D maps of more than 30 million acres of topography and vegetation in high-risk areas.
• Wildfire Threat Intelligence Center, or WFTIC, serving as California’s integrated hub for wildfire and weather intelligence.

Giving every Californian access to real-time wildfire intelligence

• A new and improved fire.ca.gov website gets information to Californians in real-time. Cal Fire’s redesigned website now provides more essential information, faster — including total emergency response, wildfires, acres burned, fatalities and structure damage. Integration of ALERTCalifornia Cameras for anyone to view, and real-time aircraft tracking. Comprehensive incident map of fires over 10 acres, in real-time.

Gov. Gavin Newsom meeting fire personnel at Cal Fire McClellan Air Tanker Base on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Photo courtesy of the Governor’s Office.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Library Bookmobile will make a special stop at the Farmer’s Market at The Shannon Mercantile on Saturday, July 13.

The Bookmobile will be there from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Mercantile is located at 4350 Thomas Dr., Lakeport.

The new Bookmobile has been sidelined by mechanical issues, which the library is working to resolve.

Unfortunately, some of these issues are still present, but the Bookmobile will be putting its best tire forward for this special event.

Even without full functionality the Bookmobile will be able to check books out to patrons, sign patrons up for the Summer Reading Program, issue library cards (including limited time, 50th Anniversary Library cards) and answer any questions about library services.

In honor of the event, there will also be signups for prizes printed by a 3-D printer. There will also be giveaways of unique bookmarks.

Come visit the Bookmobile at this special event to be included in the fun.

The Lake County Library Bookmobile’s purchase was supported, in part, with California State funds, administered by the California State Library.

An American Rescue Plan Act allocation from the Lake County Board of Supervisors also helped support the purchase.

To get the latest news on the Lake County Library, including updates on the bookmobile, visit the library online.
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The state of California has awarded almost $20 million in grants to 18 Native American tribes in California to support their efforts addressing the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, or MMIP, crisis.

The California Board of State and Community Corrections, or BSCC, approved a second round of awards under the MMIP Grant Program, established in the 2022 budget to provide competitive grants to California tribal nations.

The grant cycle is from Aug. 1, 2024, to June 1, 2028.

Lake County tribes including Robinson Rancheria and Scotts Valley are among the grantees.

Grants focus on work such as developing culturally-based prevention strategies, strengthening responses to human trafficking, providing culturally appropriate support services to affected families and their communities, and improving cooperation and communication on jurisdictional issues between state, local, federal, and tribal law enforcement agencies.

“Too many Native people, many of them women and girls, are missing with no answer. Behind each Missing and Murdered Indigenous Person case is a family and community grieving a loved one. These grants will support tribal governments in helping those families find peace — and in stemming this tragic epidemic,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The MMIP crisis is a worldwide issue, recognized in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

In the United States alone, 84% of Native women and 82% of Native men will experience violence in their lifetimes.

MMIP cases are seven times less likely to be solved than any other group, and Native women are victims of murder at rates more than ten times the national average.

California has worked closely with tribes across the state to develop strategies to support tribal work and investigations to solve and prevent these cases.

The work funded by these grants includes the following projects.

Cahuilla Band of Indians (in collaboration with the Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians, Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians): $999,998
The Cahuilla Consortium Victim Advocacy Program plans to build a "Hub" website that would warehouse awareness, prevention, and direct service information for all tribes in California, focused by region — Northern, Central and Southern. The information would be arranged and accessible to key audiences, tribal members, tribal service providers, tribal leadership, non-tribal service providers, both tribal and non-tribal law enforcement agencies. Additionally, the CCVAP will provide direct emergency services to those victimized by crimes that connect to the MMIP epidemic, with support provided to vulnerable Native survivors, their families and communities.

Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians: $1,000,000
The Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians will implement two initiatives. 1) Protecting the Sacred, through which the tribe will a) Educate schools, law enforcement, tribal systems on the signs of human trafficking, exploitation, and abuse; b) Convene an Indigenous Regional MMIP Coalition; c) Conduct a culturally based outreach and awareness campaign; and d) Promote coordination between Emergency Responders (police, firefighters, EMT, child welfare, health systems) to address human trafficking, exploitation, and violence towards indigenous people. 2) Healing Our Communities, through which the tribe will provide: a) Behavioral health and crisis interventions; b) Community healing activities; c) Traditional healing services; and d) Culturally centered interventions.

Greenville Rancheria: $982,870
Greenville Rancheria will take a preventative and proactive approach to ensuring youth, family and individuals' well-being in our communities along the Northern California I-5 corridor and in rural remote areas through: 1) Prevention, awareness, education, and events for tribal communities we serve; 2) Developing and producing digital mapping, and story maps with the collaboration of experts, to locate clusters of areas where our MMIP persons were last seen or were found; and 3) Assisting victim families with the most immediate needs of private investigator funds, counseling or as a liaison between law enforcement, courts processes and seeking help from culturally sensitive and familiar outreach.

Hoopa Valley Tribe: $1,000,000
With the support of BSCC funding, the Hoopa Tribal Education Association will strengthen internal capacity to disrupt systems of violence in the Hoopa community by promoting cultural engagement opportunities, trauma-informed practices, and by supporting access to education. The proposed project will hire a full-time cultural coordinator, support trauma-informed practices by providing opportunities for community training and wellness and support equal access to education for youth. By building protective factors through culture, education, and furthering ourselves as a trauma-informed community we hope to reduce the individual risk factors that perpetuate violence.

Ione Band of Miwok Indians (in collaboration with Wilton Rancheria): $1,999,675
Find My Relations Project is dedicated to addressing the critical issue of organizing a dedicated task force exclusively dedicated to finding missing and murdered indigenous people. With a mission rooted in compassion and justice, we aim to bring closure to affected families, find those who are lost, and significantly raise awareness about this pressing issue. Our multifaceted approach includes establishing a specialized and highly trained Native tactical task force, launching comprehensive awareness and education campaigns, and providing direct support to families and communities in need.

Jamul Indian Village of California (in collaboration with the Manzanita Band, San Pasqual Band, and Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay): $1,999,625
Our proposal focuses on combating human trafficking in San Diego Indigenous communities through awareness, training, and law enforcement collaboration. It includes initiatives such as hosting a Summit, expanding the Acorns to Oaks program for young Indigenous girls, and launching public service announcements and billboard campaigns. Training programs will be enhanced with virtual reality components, and a tribal officer will be assigned to the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force to promote coordination between tribal police and their non-tribal counterparts. This comprehensive approach aims to create a safer community and combat human trafficking effectively.

Karuk Tribe: $1,000,000
The Karuk Tribe requires a specialist to create and execute a Tribal Community Response Plan for MMIP cases, which outlines the roles, protocols, and resources for handling incidents and is tested and updated regularly. The specialist will also raise awareness, protect youth and vulnerable groups, and directly support victims and families.

Pala Band of Mission Indians: $1,000,000
The Pala Band of Mission Indians (PBMI), a Federally Recognized Tribe, submits this MMIP grant proposal to enhance efforts to provide awareness and preventative measures with the MMIP crisis affecting our tribal communities. PBMI intends to implement systemic change providing culturally based prevention strategies, strengthening responses to human trafficking, improving cooperation and communication on jurisdictional issues between state, local, federal and tribal law enforcement. PBMI intends to collaborate collectively with other Tribes in their efforts to bring awareness for all California’s MMIP regardless of geographical area.

Pechanga Band of Indians: $980,035
This program is a multi-disciplinary approach to enhance the Pechanga Tribal Rangers (PTR) and Pechanga Child and Family Services (PCFS) departments’ capacity to effectively respond to runaway juvenile and missing persons incidents and strengthen juvenile runaways and potential victims of human trafficking. Further, it will educate and engage our tribal community to work together to protect our vulnerable and at-risk members. PTR will hire a trained law enforcement investigator/MMIP and Human Trafficking Coordinator. PCFS will hire a Master’s level Social Worker with a comprehensive background in Commercial Sexual Exploitation.

Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians: $967,845
The Picayune Rancheria is dedicated to addressing the issue of domestic violence in our community. Our Tribe recognizes that domestic violence cases are high and resources available in our area are limited to address these cases. To address this urgent need, we intend to use the MMIP grant to establish a program that will provide essential MMIP services to our community. Our program will offer a range of services, including crisis intervention, counseling, legal assistance, and case management. With the support of the MMIP grant, we will be able to provide the necessary resources and support to help victims find safety, healing, and justice.

Pinoleville Pomo Nation (in collaboration with the Robinson Rancheria, Kashia Band of Pomo Indians, and Redwood Valley Rancheria): $1,999,661
The proposed collaborative project is designed to increase awareness on MMIP issues to 500 people in Tribal and non-Tribal communities; provide mental health services, community healing and wrap-around services focusing on at-risk youth (30 per year) and promoting jurisdictional cooperation in Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma County. The project collaborates with Potter Valley Tribe and Redwood Valley Rancheria and partners with Ukiah Unified School District, Mendocino College, Consolidated Tribal Health Project and New Life Clinic. The project will implement three major goals to address critical challenges faced by the Native American youth
in response to MMIP.

Pit River Tribe: $1,000,000
The Pit River Tribe will develop MMIP projects led by the Tribal Victim Witness department. The MMIP project will include culturally based support and resources for family members that have had their loved one go missing. The project will develop and provide training such as search and rescue teams, a formal process in feather alert activation, and coordination with law enforcement. With an emphasis on culturally based practices that address the intersections of the MMIP crisis within the four county regions of the ancestral boundary area of Pit River, of which extends 3.5 million acres. This includes the Shasta, Modoc, Lassen and Siskiyou Counties.

Round River Indian Tribe: $750,571
The Round River Indian Tribe will build a MMIP system of response that is based on the Tribe's unique needs as a rural and remote community. The tribe will utilize a multistrategy approach that includes prevention, intervention, and response. The intent of the proposed project is to respond to urgent needs to prevent factors that contribute to MMIP. The Tribe will hire two full-time staff to develop the MMIP Prevention and Intervention/Response Program components.

San Pasqual Band of Missions Indians: $926,136
The proposed project is designed to help the San Pasqual community to develop and implement evidence and culturally informed prevention and outreach strategies and strengthen responses to issues related to MMIP. Culturally based prevention strategies include activities that help to restore youth and adult connections to traditional knowledge, language learning, and cultural awareness aim to improve cultural identities, wellness and self-esteem. Community engagement workshops and advocacy/awareness campaigns aim to improve knowledge and understanding to prevent victimization, reduce violent crime and improve community involvement in safety concerns.

Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Yokut Tribe: $981,173
The Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Yokut Tribe will use BSCC funding to establish a comprehensive program to address a critical gap in MMIP awareness, prevention, support, and healing to human trafficking victims, survivors, and families on the Tribal reservation. The Tribal Public Safety and Social Service Departments will train staff on how to recognize warning signs of human trafficking and learn to engage, assist, and provide services for human trafficking. The Tribe and both departments shall offer enhanced trainings and programs in several categories of MMIP.

Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians: $498,690
The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians will create a MMIP awareness and protection program that utilizes wrap-around program service concepts in a culturally informed manner. Services will include prevention, intervention and protection for Tribal members that are the most vulnerable and at risk of MMIP.

Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians: $500,000
The Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians’ initiative to establish a tiny homes village for the unhoused, along with a new grant database, aligns with the MMIP Grant Program, addressing homelessness and promoting cultural resilience. The village provides a culturally sensitive and safe living environment for the tribe's most vulnerable members, while the grants database enhances coordination and secures future funding. These efforts contribute to addressing MMIP by fostering community support and aiding at-risk or homeless tribal members. If awarded, 70 percent of funds will support services for the village, with 30 percent allocated to implement a sophisticated cloud based tribal grants database.

Wilton Rancheria: $991,323
Wilton Rancheria will use BSCC funding over the 46-month grant period to establish culturally appropriate trainings to local law enforcement agencies, uphold the current MOU with Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, create our Tribal Law Enforcement code, and initiate the process of developing a Tribal Law Enforcement Department. The gap Wilton Rancheria intends to address consists of strengthening the public trust with local tribal communities with policing agencies, and to prevent MMIP and human trafficking in Sacramento County.
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On Wednesday, Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chair Mike Thompson (CA-04), Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01), and Rep. Dan Kildee (MI-08) held a press conference marking the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force’s new action to help ban bump stocks.

On Tuesday morning, Rep. Titus filed a discharge petition for the Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act (H.R. 396).

“Bump stocks drastically increase a weapon’s ability to kill. With the addition of a bump stock, semi-automatic weapons function like machine guns,” said Thompson. “The previous federal ban on bump stocks was put in place by a Republican administration and upheld by a Democratic one — because keeping our communities safe isn’t a partisan issue. Now that the Supreme Court has wrongfully struck down this commonsense protection, I’m urging my Republican colleagues to work with us to pass Rep. Titus’ Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act to ban these deadly devices for good.”

“After my repeated attempts urging Republican leadership to bring this legislation for a vote, this petition is the necessary next step to enacting a permanent, federal ban on bump stocks,” said Rep. Titus. “The act of gun violence in Las Vegas on October 1, 2017 became a renewed reality when the Supreme Court wrongfully gutted the federal bump stock ban that had been in place since 2019. I won’t stop fighting until we see these devices banned once and for all.”

“After the Supreme Court’s dangerous and misguided decision to allow bump stocks to remain on America’s streets, it’s more important than ever for Congress to act on common sense gun control legislation. Bump stocks, which turn firearms into fully automatic machine guns, have no place in our communities. I’m urging House Republicans to take up our bipartisan bill to close the bump stock loophole once-and-for-all and protect our communities from senseless gun violence,” said Rep. Kildee.

H.R. 396 would subject bump stocks to regulation under federal firearms laws. Specifically, the bill adds bump stocks to the list of firearms subject to regulation (e.g., registration and licensing requirements) under the National Firearms Act.

Additionally, it includes bump stocks in the list of firearms subject to regulation (e.g., background check requirements) under the Gun Control Act of 1968.

Gun safety advocates also expressed support for the Task Force’s action to advance H.R. 396.

“Guns outfitted with bump stocks fire like machine guns and they kill like machine guns—and now that the Supreme Court has decided to put these deadly devices back on the market, Congress needs to take action. We applaud Congresswoman Titus and the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force for championing this lifesaving legislation, which would prevent potential mass shooters from being able to wreak havoc with a single pull of the trigger,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety.

“With the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Garland v. Cargill, bump stocks — accessories that turn semi-automatic weapons into the functional equivalent of machine guns — are now back in civilian hands. This was a devastating decision for communities across America. Bump stocks were used in the deadliest mass shooting in modern history. In 2017, a gunman used firearms equipped with bump stocks to fire more than 1,000 bullets, kill 60 people, and wound hundreds of others at the Route 91 Harvest Festival. We cannot let this happen again. Brady applauds Rep. Dina Titus’ discharge petition on the 'Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act' and we implore all members of Congress to support the petition and bring it to a vote to protect the communities that they serve from gun violence,” said Mark Collins, director of Federal Policy, Brady.

“We commend Rep. Titus and the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force for taking this step to expedite a vote to ban bump stocks. Bump stocks essentially turn semi-automatic guns into machineguns. With the Supreme Court's disastrous ruling to overturn the ATF ban on these dangerous devices, it is incumbent upon Congress to act now. We urge all members of Congress to support Rep. Titus’s bill and the petition to bring it before the House of Representatives for a vote. Lives are on the line,” said Emma Brown, GIFFORDS executive director.

“Bump stocks turn an already deadly weapon into an exponentially more efficient weapon of terror and mass destruction. You can kill dozens of people within minutes with a bump stock. Even Trump’s DOJ agreed, when they banned them in 2017,” said Elena Perez, a senior policy associate at March For Our Lives. “With the Supreme Court undoing that Trump-era ban, and the US Senate failing to take action, it’s time for the House to ban these dangerous attachments. The fact is, there will be another mass shooting, and thanks to legalized bump stocks there is a good chance it will be exponentially deadlier. Congress must do its job and listen to the 80% of Americans who support a ban, and pass this discharge petition.”

On June 14, 2024, the Supreme Court overturned a years-long federal bump stock ban previously enacted by a Republican Administration, making these dangerous devices legal for civilian use in states that do not currently have state-level bans.

Bump stocks affix to assault rifles and generate automatic fire similar to machineguns, allowing a shooter to fire at a rate of 400 to 800 rounds per minute.

These devices were used to carry out the Route 91 Festival shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 1, 2017. This act of gun violence remains the deadliest mass shooting in our nation’s history, killing 58 individuals and injuring hundreds more in a matter of minutes.

A discharge petition is a rarely-used procedure by which a bill can be brought to the floor for a vote once it reaches 218 signatories. Rep. Thompson led the House’s most recent successful discharge petition in May of this year.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Caltrans on Tuesday awarded $51.4 million in planning grants for 89 sustainable, climate-resilient transportation projects throughout California to help communities better withstand the impacts of extreme weather events fueled by climate change.

Among those awards was a grant for a zero emission vehicle plan in Lake County.

Caltrans said the selected projects will help reduce planet-warming pollution, improve resiliency of the state highway system, enhance access to safe walkways and bike paths, and expand natural disaster preparedness.

Nearly $29 million comes from one-time state and federal sources made possible by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $15 billion clean transportation package in the 2022-23 state budget to further the state’s ambitious climate goals.

Another $12.4 million comes from Senate Bill 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. The awards will fund project planning and conceptual design efforts, helping move the projects closer to construction.

“California is at the forefront of planning transportation projects built to help underserved communities withstand the effects of climate change,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “By working closely with local partners, we can maintain a sustainable, adaptable and resilient transportation system that will serve all Californians far into the future.”

In total, Caltrans will fund:

• $28.8 million in Climate Adaptation Planning Grants – all from Gov. Newsom’s clean transportation infrastructure package – to 30 local, regional and transit agencies to identify transportation-related climate vulnerabilities through the development of climate adaptation plans, as well as project-level adaptation planning to address climate impacts to transportation infrastructure. Ninety-seven percent of these projects will benefit disadvantaged communities.

• $19.2 million in Sustainable Communities Competitive and Technical Grants to 50 local, regional and transit agencies for transportation and land use planning, as well as planning for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. This includes more than $6 million to fund planning for 16 projects that improve safety and access for people who walk and bike. Ninety-two percent of these projects will benefit disadvantaged communities.

• $3.4 million in federally funded Strategic Partnerships Grants to nine projects that will plan for managed lanes, training and certification for local elected officials, comprehensive multimodal corridors, transit network and comprehensive operational analyses, improve interregional ADA paratransit coordination, develop airport passenger transportation recommendations, develop a zero-emissions bus fleet, coordinate multimodal transportation and land use compatibility.

Among the Sustainable Communities Competitive and Technical Grants is the Lake County/City Area Planning Council’s Lake County Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Plan, which will receive $177,060.

The project aims to develop a zero emission vehicle, or ZEV, charging/fueling infrastructure plan. It will allow Lake County to join a larger energy network with neighboring jurisdictions that have already developed an electric vehicle charging network with future expansion, while Lake County’s budget constraints have limited such progress, according to the grant information.

Aligned with the State’s 2021 Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure, the project emphasizes investment in ZEV infrastructure, especially in rural areas. It involves collaboration with local Lake County agencies, including planning and public works, as well as tribal governments, to assess ZEV infrastructure needs and integrate these into land use and planning tools.

The project also is supported by the 2022 Regional Transportation Plan for the Lake County region, which include policies and objectives that support the purpose of this project, including support for planning projects that further greenhouse gas reducing efforts and plans that facilitate a transition to ZEV consistent with Newsom’s executive order N-79-20.

Caltrans awards transportation planning grants each year through a competitive process to encourage local and regional projects.

Applications are evaluated on how projects advance state transportation and climate goals by identifying and addressing statewide, interregional, or regional transportation deficiencies on the highway system.

The grant program began in the 2015-16 fiscal year. Since then, Caltrans has awarded 685 planning grants totaling $266 million, and more than 60 percent of those projects have been completed.

SB 1 provides $5 billion in transportation funding annually that is shared between state and local agencies. Road projects progress through construction phases more quickly based on the availability of SB 1 funds, including projects that are partially funded by SB 1.

Find more projects that are building California’s climate-friendly future at https://build.ca.gov/ and https://rebuildingca.ca.gov/.
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Invasive European beachgrass at New River Area of Critical Environmental Concern in northwest Oregon. Credit: Greg Shine/BLM.

The Bureau of Land Management is approving seven herbicide active ingredients to control noxious weeds and invasive species on public lands.

The decision will be published in Friday’s Federal Register, and BLM field and district offices can now begin considering the use of these tools in efforts to control and eradicate noxious weeds and invasive plant species on the public lands they manage.

“One of BLM's highest priorities is to promote ecosystem health, and one of the greatest obstacles to achieving this goal is the rapid expansion of noxious and invasive weeds. Invasive annual grasses like cheatgrass and Ventenata accelerate wildfire risk and outcompete the native plants essential to maintaining healthy lands and waters. They are one of the greatest threats to important wildlife habitat for sage-grouse and mule deer,” said Sharif Branham, BLM assistant director for resources and planning. “BLM applies an integrated approach to vegetation management that includes science-informed and appropriate use of herbicides to manage weeds across public lands.”

The seven approved herbicides are Aminocyclopyrachlor, Clethodim, Fluazifop-P-butyl, Flumioxazin, Imazamox, Indaziflam and Oryzalin.

These herbicides have been approved by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency for treatment of weeds in rangelands and forests by all state and federal agencies subject to location-specific laws or regulations.

The BLM adopted assessments by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service completed Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessments considering their use on public lands.

BLM manages 245 million acres of public lands primarily in the western United States, including Alaska.

Approximately one third of these lands, or 79 million acres, are impacted by noxious and invasive weeds such as cheatgrass, leafy spurge, and aquatic weeds like giant salvinia. If not eradicated or controlled, these plants will continue to jeopardize the health of public lands, waters and wildlife — including mule deer and Greater sage-grouse where cheatgrass and related natural fire regime changes pose a substantial threat to habitat —in addition to constraining many other uses.

Invasive plant communities can become immune to herbicide active ingredients over time, so BLM and partners often use new active ingredients to overcome such resistance.

Several ingredients developed and registered during the past several years provide more effective and efficient management.

These approved herbicides are now available for use on public lands after BLM field offices complete local National Environmental Policy Act analyses and authorizations.

For more information, please visit the BLM National NEPA Register.
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As the new school year approaches, the California Department of Public Health, or CDPH, urges children, teens, and adults to get recommended and required vaccines.

“School immunization requirements and recommended vaccines help protect the health of our children, teens and communities,” said Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, CDPH director and State Public Health officer. “If you haven't done so already, talk with your doctor about immunizations for your child. And if your child needs to get immunized, schedule your appointment soon, well before the school year begins.”

California law requires students to receive age-specific immunizations in order to attend public and private elementary and secondary schools as well as licensed childcare centers.

Schools and licensed childcare centers are required to enforce immunization requirements, maintain immunization records of all children enrolled, and report children’s immunization status to CDPH.

Families can visit CDPH’s ShotsforSchool and Don’t Wait – Vaccinate! webpages for information on immunization laws and required vaccinations for students in California.

It is also recommended that children and adolescents are vaccinated against additional vaccine-preventable diseases, including human papillomavirus (HPV), a common infection which can slowly and silently lead to cancer. HPV vaccination is recommended starting at age 9 years to help protect against cancers caused by HPV infection. Many teens in California have not yet been vaccinated against HPV and lack other vital vaccines.

Families who are facing difficulties getting immunizations before the start of school can contact their local health department for help in finding a place to get immunized.

Under the Affordable Care Act, most health plans are required to cover vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and to not charge a deductible or copayment.

Children without insurance coverage qualify for the Vaccines for Children Program, which provides no-cost vaccines for eligible children.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Last week Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a proclamation terminating 22 open states of emergency for various prior fires, storms and other incidents for which a proclamation of a state of emergency is no longer necessary to facilitate response and recovery efforts.

Several of those emergencies, extending back to 2017, were for incidents in Lake County.

The full list is below, including the name of the emergency, the date proclaimed and the counties where the incidents occurred.

• I-10 Bridge Fire, Nov. 11, 2023: Los Angeles County.
• Humboldt Earthquake, Dec. 20, 2022: Humboldt County.
• Mill Fire, Sept. 2, 2022: Siskiyou County.
• McKinney, China 2 and Evans fires, July 30, 2022: Siskiyou County.
• Alisal Fire, July 1, 2022: Santa Barbara County.
• 2021 December Winter Storms, Jan. 8, 2022: Trinity County.
• 2021 December Winter Storms, Dec. 30, 2021: Alameda, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Humboldt, Lake, Los Angeles, Marin, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Sierra and Yuba counties.
• River, French, Washington, Windy, KNP Complex and Hopkins fires, Oct. 22, 2021: Siskiyou, Trinity, Kern, Tuolumne, Tulare and Mendocino counties.
• Fawn Fire, Sept. 27, 2021: Shasta County.
• Cache Fire, Sept. 7, 2021: Lake County.
• Caldor Fire, Aug. 30, 2021: Alpine, Amador and Placer counties.
• Caldor Fire, Aug. 17, 2021: El Dorado County.
• River and Antelope Fires, Aug. 5, 2021: Siskiyou, Placer and Nevada counties.
• Lava and Beckwourth Complex Fires, July 16, 2021: Siskiyou, Plumas and Lassen counties.
• High Winds,June 22, 2021: Madera and Mariposa counties.
• Glass and Zogg Fires, Sept. 28, 2020: Napa, Shasta and Sonoma counties.
• Slater and Other Siskiyou Fires, Sept. 10, 2020: Siskiyou County.
Creek, El Dorado and Valley fires, Sept. 6, 2020: Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties.
• Hill and Woolsey Fires, Nov. 9, 2018: Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
• Carr Fire, July 26, 2018: Shasta County.
• Thomas Fire, Dec. 7, 2017: Santa Barbara County.
• February 2017 Storms, March 7, 2017: Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa,
Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Kern, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Los Angeles, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Ventura, Yolo and Yuba counties.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A man died Wednesday when his vehicle went off Bottle Rock Road and hit a tree.

The crash occurred at approximately 1:44 p.m. Wednesday, the California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office reported.

The CHP did not release the name of the crash victim in its Wednesday night report pending the identification of next of kin.

CHP officers responded to a report of a solo vehicle crash on Bottle Rock Road, north of Spring Hill Road, involving a 2006 white Toyota Scion.

A preliminary investigation indicated the adult male driver was driving the Toyota northbound at a high rate-of-speed, the CHP said.

For reasons pending further investigation, the CHP said the driver lost control of the Toyota.

The Toyota traveled out of control in a northeasterly direction and traveled off of the east roadway edge, the CHP said.

The CHP said the Toyota traveled down a descending embankment, overturned, and struck a tree east of the roadway.

The driver and sole occupant of the Toyota was found ejected from the vehicle.

As a result of the crash, the driver sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene by Cal Fire, the CHP said.

The driver was not wearing his safety belt during the crash and neither alcohol nor drug use is suspected to be a factor in this wreck, according to the CHP report.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Five Star Towing were summoned to the scene and assisted CHP.

Bottle Rock Road, at this location, was reduced to one-way traffic control, the CHP said.

The crash is being investigated by CHP Officer K. Brown.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Yuba Community College District Board of Trustees this week will consider an agreement that will provide a Lake County school district with additional space for programs during an upcoming construction project.

The board will meet in closed session at 3 p.m. Thursday, July 11, to be followed at 5 p.m. by the regular session 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 892 1509 1087; the call-in number is 1-669-900-6833.

On the college board’s regular agenda is the memorandum of understanding between Yuba Community College District and the Konocti Unified School District.

The agreement establishes a partnership to provide, among other things, classroom space for Konocti Unified School District students and staff at the Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College, which is part of the larger Yuba Community College District.

“Konocti Unified School District and Yuba Community College District-Lake County Campus as part of Woodland Community College will partner to provide adult basic education, career and technical education, and professional development programs for adult learners. This partnership will include use of space at the Lake County Campus and shared resources,” the document states.

Konocti Unified Superintendent Dr. Becky Salato said the agreement arose as the district was seeking extra space during a construction project.

“We are modernizing our high school,” Salato said.

This summer, the district — which Salato said is experiencing a lot of growth in student numbers — is tearing down the main administration building and six classrooms at Lower Lake High School.

Salato said the administration building was incredibly old, and the classrooms at the back of it had been rebuilt repeatedly, but there was nothing more that could be done to bring them up to modern standards.

The project to modernize that building is covered by the district’s 2016 bond measure. Salato said it had been put off repeatedly but now is getting underway.

“It’s going to be absolutely beautiful when it’s done,” she said, explaining the new two story building will have classrooms on the top floor, administration on the bottom floor, with a student store, more safety measures and a totally different look.

“We’re going to be under construction for about a year and a half,” she said.

While that project is underway, Salato said the district needs additional classroom space. “I knew the college was not using all of their rooms,” she said.

Salato reached out to Dr. Lizette Navarette, the new Woodland Community College president, to discuss the idea.

At first, the college needed some convincing. However, the plan came together as Salato explained that she wants to locate the district’s independent study program there.

Those independent study students will then be encouraged to pursue dual enrollment with the college, Salato said.

She said the agreement and the use of the college campus is a great opportunity to streamline independent study students into a dual enrollment program.

The agreement will be in effect from June 24, 2024, to June 30, 2027.

The district will provide classrooms 901, 903, 904 and 905 at the campus, located on Dam Road Extension in Clearlake.

In exchange, Konocti Unified will pay $7,500 a year, which the agreement said Woodland Community College will invest into support for the partnership with Konocti Unified, including outreach and pathway development.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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From left, Commissioner John Langan, Judge Shanda Harry, Judge Michael Lunas, Judge Andrew Blum, Lake County Court Executive Officer Krista LeVier and Pella McCormick, the Judicial Council’s director of facilities, along with additional state officials participated in the groundbreaking for the new courthouse in Lakeport, California, on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Photo courtesy of Casse Forczek.


LAKEPORT, Calif. — The effort to bring a new courthouse to Lake County had its milestone moment last week when state and court officials gathered to mark the groundbreaking for the new Lakeport court facility.

The new building will be located at 675 Lakeport Blvd., and will be three times the size of the current court facility, located on the fourth floor of the Lake County Courthouse at 255 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport.

Judge Andrew Blum, who opened the brief groundbreaking ceremony, was joined by colleagues Michael Lunas and Shanda Harry, and Commissioner John Langan. Judge J. David Markham was out of state.

Blum thanked the Board of Supervisors, the Lakeport City Council, Sen. Mike McGuire and Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry for their help on the project.

The $83.8 million project is the work of the Judicial Council of California.

Pella McCormick, the Judicial Council’s director of facilities, thanked everyone for patiently waiting many years for the groundbreaking event.

She said the Judicial Council’s facilities program’s mission is working together to provide access to justice for all Californians.

McCormick said the new project will replace two antiquated facilities, and will provide four courtrooms and 46,000 square feet of space on a 5.7-acre site that will have parking for the public, jurors and court staff.

The project originally was conceptualized in the early 2000s. Then, in 2008, SB 1407 provided $5 billion in bond funding for new and renovated courthouses using court fees, penalties and assessments, McCormick said.

Lakeport’s courthouse was recognized then as one of most critically needed projects statewide, she added.

“In the intervening years, the project was started and stopped a couple of times,” McCormick said.

After several years’ delay, the 2021-22 state budget act included $83.8 million for the Lakeport courthouse project, including design and construction, she said.

McCormick said the new building will be beautiful, will relieve the current space shortfall, increase security, and provide a safe and efficient courthouse. It also will meet regulatory safety, seismic code and Judicial Council space standards.

She said it will have adequate space for a self-help center, jury assembly, attorney-client waiting rooms and separate secure hallways for in-custody defendants.

This project is a collaboration that McCormick said involved county and city partners over the course of many years. The Judicial Council worked closely with the Lake County Superior Court and an advisory group to determine the site.

“The new courthouse will be designed to address energy use and sustainability,” McCormick said, noting it will have water efficient landscaping and irrigation, LED lighting and solar arrays over the parking.

The project also will provide economic benefits to Lake County. McCormick said they made outreach to local subcontractors, and all qualified subcontractors were considered for work on the building.

Other benefits include improving in-custody transportation and detention, a state-of-the-art security system and improved public access to court services.

McCormick thanked Lake County’s judges, Court Executive Officer Krista LeVier, Judicial Council staff and the design-build team.

She said Lake County is an instrumental component of the state's history and economy.

“The new Lakeport courthouse will increase court efficiencies and improve access to justice for the people of the county for many decades to come,” McCormick said.

Judge Blum said the event was a long time coming, and had been in the works for 16 years.

“There were many times when we thought we would never get to this point today, so today is a real milestone,” Blum said.

He recognized retired Judge Art Mann, the only retired judge at the event, who was the presiding judge when the process started in 2008.

Blum also thanked retired judges Stephen Hedstrom, David Herrick and Rick Martin, all of whom put in a lot of effort into getting a new courthouse.

“This is not just a new building for the courts. It is a far better facility for the people of Lake County who use court services,” Blum said.

“Our current courthouse is officially the worst courthouse in the entire state of California. Yes, there is an official list, and we’re No. 1. So we do need a new courthouse,” Blum added.

Blum said he’d traveled to some of the new courthouses around California, finding them beautiful and well equipped.

“It’s time the people of Lake County had one of those facilities also,” he said.

Blum said the current courthouse on Forbes Street was built in the 1960s, when the county’s
population and caseloads were much smaller.

The new courthouse will be triple the size of the current facility, will have an on-site self-help center to help people file paperwork and there will be a comfortable place for jurors to wait before being called for service, as opposed to having to stand out in the hallway, Blum explained.

The building process is expected to take about two years, so Blum said the grand opening can be expected in 2026.

Before he and others picked up the ceremonial shovels for the groundbreaking, Blum recognized LeVier’s work.

“She has put more time into this project than the rest of us combined,” he 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.
An artists’ rendition of the new courthouse in Lakeport, California. Photo courtesy of the Judicial Council of California.

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