SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been detected for the first time in free-ranging California wildlife.
One hunter-harvested mule deer, a buck from El Dorado County, was confirmed to be infected with SARS-CoV-2.
The deer was harvested in 2021 and sampled by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, or CDFW, for chronic wasting disease surveillance.
It was negative for chronic wasting disease, or CWD, and did not show any outward signs of illness.
In California, SARS-CoV-2 has been confirmed in pets and zoo animals, but never in free-ranging wildlife.
Following reports of SARS-CoV-2 detections in free-ranging white-tailed deer and mule deer in other states and Canadian provinces, CDFW tested archived deer samples for SARS-CoV-2.
The samples consisted of lymph nodes collected as part of CDFW’s CWD surveillance efforts. CWD has never been detected in California’s deer or elk populations.
CDFW submitted archived samples from 170 black-tailed and mule deer collected in 2020 and 209 black-tailed and mule deer collected in 2021.
Initial testing for SARS-CoV-2 was conducted at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory at UC Davis, and confirmatory testing was conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa.
“Others have shown that deer can be infected with SARS-CoV-2 and that they can pass it to other deer but do not get sick,” said Dr. Brandon Munk, senior wildlife veterinarian with CDFW. “We do not see SARS-CoV-2 as a threat to our deer populations but we continue to work with partners to better understand what, if any, significance SARS-CoV-2 infections in wildlife may pose to wildlife and people. This is certainly another reminder not to intentionally feed deer. Artificially congregating deer increases the likelihood of spreading disease and may be a source of SARS-CoV-2 exposure for deer.”
There is no evidence that people can contract COVID-19 by eating meat from an infected animal. Nonetheless, hunters are encouraged to take appropriate precautions when handling and dressing game and practice good food hygiene when processing their animals.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that although people can spread SARS-CoV-2 to animals, especially during close contact, the risk of animals spreading SARS-CoV-2 to people is considered low.
The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies developed guidance pertaining to SARS-CoV-2 in white-tailed deer.
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, or APHIS, reports confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 in animals across the United States.
Since 2021, APHIS has been monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infections in free-ranging deer.
CDFW is collaborating with USDA APHIS and others to sample and test more California deer for SARS-CoV-2.
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — The South Lake County Fire Protection District will host its ninth annual open house this weekend.
The free event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at Station 60, located at 21095 Highway 175 in Middletown.
Scheduled demonstrations during the open house include a hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation raining at 11 a.m., an auto extrication demonstration at 11:30 a.m., and a live smoke crawl at 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m.
There will be burger and hot dog meals for $2 each; fire engine rides, bounce house and face painting, each for $1; a meet and greet with Sparky; fire safety education; REACH helicopter demonstration and tour; free raffles; children’s activities and games including the flame knockdown, cupcake walk and smoke crawl; and fire department t-shirts will be for sale.
For more information, call the district at 707-987-3089.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday issued a proclamation declaring April 23 to 29, 2023, as "California Library Week."
The text of the proclamation follows.
PROCLAMATION
This National Library Week, we recognize the essential services, resources, and opportunities that libraries provide for all Californians. There are 1,127 public libraries in California – each one a vital hub for learning and education, health and wellness, community engagement, and economic development.
California’s public libraries provide tens of thousands of public programs each year, including early learning for infants and toddlers, meals for children, literacy tutoring, services for jobseekers, and more. They house technology labs, makerspaces, Wi-Fi hotspots, career centers, and community gardens.
Librarians and library staff play a critical role in connecting community members to these services and resources, including teens and seniors, veterans, people new to the United States, and unhoused individuals.
Libraries build community resilience, supporting Californians every day and in times of need. During the pandemic, California libraries continued to provide vital services – online, on the phone, and in person – including curbside pick-up and home deliveries. They provide comfort and shelter during emergencies like earthquakes and fires.
Across the nation, libraries – and librarians – are facing censorship and attacks for championing diversity, inclusion, and equity. The American Library Association reports that school and library book challenges are at record highs, with most targeting works by LGBTQ+ writers and writers of color. It is more important than ever that we expand equitable access to California’s public libraries and defend their essential role in protecting intellectual freedom.
The value of a library is inestimable – it goes beyond the building, beyond the books. Their value lies in the possibilities they offer: in the doors to knowledge and to imagination they offer our kids; in the comfort they provide; and in the support they share freely.
Libraries are the heart of our communities. They provide Californians of all ages and all backgrounds with the resources they need to succeed and thrive. During National Library Week, we celebrate the countless ways that libraries enrich our communities. Let us reaffirm our commitment to protecting our libraries and support efforts to provide inclusive spaces for learning and empowerment for all.
NOW THEREFORE I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim April 23-29, 2023, as "California Library Week."
GAVIN NEWSOM Governor of California
ATTEST: SHIRLEY N. WEBER, Ph.D. Secretary of State
Karen D. Holl, University of California, Santa Cruz and Pedro Brancalion, Universidade de São Paulo
As ecologists who study forestrestoration, we know that trees store carbon, provide habitat for animals and plants, prevent erosion and create shade in cities. But as we have explained elsewhere in detail, planting trees is not a silver bullet for solving complex environmental and social problems. And for trees to produce benefits, they need to be planted correctly – which often is not the case.
Planting trees can have both positive and negative effects, depending on how projects are planned and managed and where they are done.Vanessa Sontag, modified from Holl and Brancalion 2020., CC BY-ND
A monoculture of exotic eucalyptus trees (background) was planted into a native grassland within the Brazilian Cerrado, a global hot spot for conservation priorities. Transforming an open ecosystem into a shaded monoculture plantation can harm native plant and animal species and reduce the water supply for local people and aquatic creatures.Robin Chazdon, CC BY-ND
Planting fast-growing, nonnative trees in arid areas may also reduce water supplies. And some top-down tree-planting programs implemented by international organizations or national governments displace farmers and lead them to clear forests elsewhere.
Large-scale tree-planting initiatives have failed in locations from Sri Lanka to Turkey to Canada. In some places, the tree species were not well suited to local soil and climate conditions. Elsewhere, the trees were not watered or fertilized. In some cases local people removed trees that were planted on their land without permission. And when trees die or are cut down, any carbon they have taken up returns to the atmosphere, negating benefits from planting them.
To achieve benefits from tree-planting, the trees need to grow for a decade or more. Unfortunately, evidence suggests that reforested areas are often recleared within a decade or two. We recommend that tree-growing efforts set targets for the area of forest restored after 10, 20 or 50 years, rather than focusing on numbers of seedlings planted.
And it may not even be necessary to actively plant trees. For example, much of the eastern U.S. was logged in the 18th and 19th centuries. But for the past century, where nature has been left to take its course, large areas of forests have regrown without people’s planting trees.
Hardwood forests like this one in central New England have regrown after logging in the 18th and 19th centuries.David Foster/Harvard Forest, CC BY-ND
Helping tree-growing campaigns succeed
Tree-growing is expected to receive unprecedented financial, political and societal support in the coming years as part of the U.N. Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and ambitious initiatives such as the Bonn Challenge and World Economic Forum 1t.org campaign to conserve, restore and grow 1 trillion trees. It would be an enormous waste to squander this unique opportunity.
Protecting existing forests often requires providing alternative income for people who maintain trees on their land rather than logging them or growing crops. It also is important to strengthen enforcement of protected areas, and to promote supply chains for timber and agricultural products that do not involve forest-clearing.
Include nearby communities in tree-growing projects. International organizations and national governments fund many tree-growing projects, but their goals may be quite different from those of local residents who are actually growing the trees on their land. Study after study has shown that involving local farmers and communities in the process, from planning through monitoring, is key to tree-growing success.
A farmer and representatives from an international NGO and a restoration company discuss where to plant native trees on a cattle ranch in the Brazilian Amazon.Pedro Brancalion, CC BY-ND
Start with careful planning. Which species are most likely to grow well given local site conditions? Which species will best achieve the project’s goals? And who will take care of the trees after they are planted?
It is important to plant in areas where trees have grown historically, and to consider whether future climatic conditions are likely to support trees. Planting in areas that are less productive for agriculture reduces the risk that the land will be recleared or existing forests will be cut down to compensate for lost productive areas.
Plan for the long term. Most tree seedlings need care to survive and grow. This may include multiyear commitments to water, fertilize, weed and protect them from grazing or fire and monitor whether the venture achieves its goals.
We recently published a list of questions that all tree-growing organizations should answer and that funders should ask before pulling out their wallets. They include questions about whether the initial drivers of deforestation have been addressed, how the project will be maintained and monitored over time, and how local stakeholders will be involved and benefit from the project. It’s also important to look at the outcomes of prior tree-growing projects overseen by the organization.
Organizations that follow best practices are much more likely to grow trees successfully over the long term. Planting seedlings is just the first step.
This is an update of an article originally published on April 27, 2021.
Most of the clothing and gadgets you buy in stores today were once in shipping containers, sailing across the ocean. Ships carry over 80% of the world’s traded goods. But they have a problem – the majority of them burn heavy sulfur fuel oil, which is a driver of climate change.
While cargo ships’ engines have become more efficient over time, the industry is under growing pressure to eliminate its carbon footprint.
Most of the big shippers’ fleets are less than 20 years old, but even the newer builds don’t necessarily have the most advanced technology. It takes roughly a year and a half to come out with a new build of a ship, and it will still be based on technology from a few years ago. So, most of the engines still run on fossil fuel oil.
If companies do buy ships that run on alternative fuels, such as hydrogen, methanol and ammonia, they run into another challenge: There are only a few ports so far with the infrastructure to provide those fuels. Without a way to refuel at all the ports that a ship might use, companies will lose their return on investment, so they will keep using the same technology instead.
It isn’t necessarily that the maritime industry doesn’t want to go the direction of cleaner fuels. But their assets – their fleets – were purchased with a long lifespan in mind, and alternative fuels aren’t yet widely available.
Ships are being built that can run on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and methanol, and even hydrogen is coming online. Often these are dual-fuel – ships that can run on either alternative fuels or fossil fuels. But so far, not enough of this type of ship is being ordered for the costs to make financial sense for most builders or buyers.
The costs of alternative fuels, like methanol and hydrogen fuels made with renewable energy (as opposed to being made with natural gas), are also still significantly higher than fuel oil or LNG. But the good news is those costs are starting to decline. As production ramps up, emissions will drop further.
Can tougher regulations and carbon pricing effectively push the industry to change?
A little bit of pressure on the industry can be helpful, but too much, too fast can really make things more disruptive.
Like most industries, shipping lines want standardized rules they can count on not to change next year. Some of these companies have invested millions of dollars in new ships in recent years, and they’re now being told that those ships might not meet the new standards – even though the ships may be almost brand new.
Another concern with the EU’s moves is whether it has a grasp on all the “what if” scenarios. For example, if the EU has stricter rules than other countries, that affects which ships companies can use on European routes. Any vessels that they put on routes to Europe will have to meet those emissions standards. If there’s a greater demand for products in Europe, they may have fewer vessels they could use.
Economists have estimated that the cost of cutting emissions 50% by 2050 are anywhere from US$1 trillion to, more realistically, over $3 trillion, and full decarbonization would be even higher. Many of those costs will be passed down to charterers, shippers and eventually consumers – meaning you and me.
Are there ways companies can cut emissions now while preparing to upgrade their fleets?
There are a number of options ship companies are using now to lower emissions.
One that has been used for at least 10 years is putting higher quality paint on the hulls, which reduces the friction between the hull and the water. With less friction, the engine isn’t working as hard, which reduces emissions.
Another is slow speed. If ships run at a higher speed, their engines work harder, which means they use more fuel and release more emissions. So shippers will use slow steaming. Most of the time, ships will go slow when they’re close to shore to reduce emissions that cause smog in port cities like Los Angeles. On the open ocean, they will go back to normal speed.
Workers at the Port of Long Beach, Calif., prepare to plug in a container ship.Tim Rue/Getty Images
Another option common in the U.S. and Europe is shutting down the ship’s engines while in port and plugging into the port’s electricity. It’s called “cold ironing.” It avoids burning more of the ship’s fuel, which affects air quality. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, where smog from idling ships has been a health concern, have been a big driver of electrification. It’s also less expensive for shipping companies than burning their fuel while in port.
Will a higher goal set by the IMO be enough to pressure the industry to change?
I used to work in shipping, and I know the maritime industry is a very old-school industry from centuries ago. But the industry has invested millions in new ships with the most effective technology available in recent years.
When the IMO began requiring all ships using heavy fuel in global trade to shift to low-sulfur fuel, the industry pivoted to meet the rule, even though retrofits were costly and time consuming. Many shipping lines complied by installing “scrubbers” that essentially filter the ship’s engine, and new ships were built to run on the low-sulfur fuel oil.
Now, the industry is being told the standards are changing again.
All industries want consistency so they can be confident investing in a new technology. The shipping lines will follow what the IMO says. They will push back, but they will still do it. That’s in part because the IMO supports the maritime industry, too.
The ideas floated within a month of Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse on March 10, 2023, range from calls to tweak banking regulations to a major overhaul of the government’s oversight of the banking system.
I’m a finance professor who previously worked for two major banks and was an economist at the Federal Reserve. Based on what I’ve learned from the banking crises that have occurred in the past 40 years, I’d put all the banking reform proposals under consideration into five categories.
1. Stronger supervision
Silicon Valley Bank reportedly ignored six separate warnings from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco that it had too little cash on hand and was engaging in risky practices. So calls for stronger bank supervision and regulation should come as no surprise.
Any such reforms would at least, in part, reverse changes from a law Congress passed in 2018 that loosened some banking regulations.
Previously, the government had to pay especially close attention to banks with at least US$50 billion in assets. Among other things, it needed to subject them to stress tests – in which the authorities assess whether banks have the ability to respond to hypothetical economic shocks – by having enough cash on hand to meet relatively strict capital requirements.
The 2018 law raised the cutoff for what counts as a “systemically important” bank to $250 billion in assets, thus allowing many banks, including SVB, to avoid these more stringent regulations.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Rep. Katie Porter of California have introduced legislation in the Senate and the House of Representatives that would simply repeal the 2018 law, returning the threshold to $50 billion.
Major banking trade groups, such as the Bank Policy Institute, which advocates on behalf of its large-bank members, have argued that the 2018 law was not a major factor in the failures of SVB and Signature Bank.
The role that deposit insurance plays in staving off and alleviating banking crises could also change.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. was only supposed to insure accounts of up to $100,000 during the 2008 financial crisis. But instead, it covered nearly all depositors, uninsured as well as insured, in most bank failures that occurred at that time.
“Is it $2 million? Is it $5 million? Is it 10 million?” she said in a television interview.
But those lawmakers have so far stopped short of calling for the FDIC to commit to always fully covering all losses among customers who experience losses when bank failures cause their deposits to vanish – rather than doing so on a case by case basis.
FDIC Chair Martin J. Gruenberg told the Senate Banking Committee during a recent hearing that the insurer plans to release its own proposals on May 1.
3. ‘Modified deposit payoff’
Other proposals go further.
For example, William Isaac, who chaired the FDIC from 1978 to 1986, is calling for the government to insure all non-interest-bearing checking accounts, regardless of size. But he also has a recommendation that might potentially discipline banks that run into trouble.
Isaac distinguishes between deposits that are essentially investments, such as certificates of deposit that people use for long-term savings purposes, and, say, a checking account a customer maintains primarily for basic transactions.
Investors with large sums of money held in CDs are generally wealthy individuals who can either assess financial risks on their own or with input from a paid adviser. People with CDs also have an incentive to leave them with the bank, because withdrawing the money tied up in them before maturity can mean paying a penalty or forfeiting the high interest rates that make them attractive investments.
Isaac also advocates returning to the way uninsured deposits – currently, those above the $250,000 mark – were treated in the 1980s. He calls this the “modified deposit payoff” model.
In resolving a bank failure, the FDIC would cover the full cost of compensating customers with uninsured deposits that don’t pay any interest, yet give uninsured depositors certificates worth 80% of their uninsured funds.
“This reform would protect business accounts that are essential to keeping the economy moving and would reduce substantially the risk of panics,” he wrote.
4. ‘Ring-fencing’
The most comprehensive proposals that call for restructuring the banking system would use what’s known as a “ring fence” model.
Since 2019, British banks have had to segregate their retail banking activities from their presumably riskier investment banking and international lending.
The most radical of these proposals would lodge all insured deposits in “narrow banks” which would be allowed to hold only cash and U.S. Treasury securities.
All bank lending activity would occur outside of narrow banks, perhaps in finance companylike firms funded with uninsured borrowing and capital instruments such as stocks and bonds.
Banks are typically required to set aside a portion of their deposits as reserves held either as cash or deposits at their local Federal Reserve bank. However, the Fed reduced that share to zero in March 2020 – effectively eliminating the requirement altogether.
Critics of the narrow-bank model point out that this approach would drastically reduce the amount of money banks could lend. As a result, systemic risks would shift from real banks into “shadow banks” – securities firms, hedge funds and other credit intermediaries that face less regulation and supervision. Shadow banks contributed to the 2007-2009 global financial crisis, according to the International Monetary Fund.
5. Compensation clawbacks
At the heart of the debate about banking reform is “moral hazard.” That’s a concept regarding how insurance can create an incentive to take bigger risks when people, institutions and even countries realize they won’t bear the full cost of that risk.
One way to reduce risks in this context is to make bank executives bear some of the costs when the banks they run fail.
A bipartisan group of senators have introduced a bill to do just that. It would require regulators to claw back compensation, including the bonuses and stock awards paid to bank executives in the five years preceding a failure.
In my view, it’s too early to tell whether policymakers will make minor adjustments or opt for more significant reforms.
One thing that I hope all policymakers will keep in mind is that there are trade-offs between the financial stability of banks and market discipline. Offering too much government support – such as insuring all liabilities in the event of a bank failure – creates incentives for banks and their customers to ignore risks or to engage in risky behavior.
This article was updated to clarify Robert Litan’s contributions to the debate over banking reform.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — At its meeting on Thursday, the Clearlake City Council rescinded a contract for a city road project that staff intends to take to the state for a funding allocation and heard an update on operations at the city animal shelter.
That contract was with Argonaut Constructors, which was the low bidder at $4,632,295 for the 18th Avenue Improvement Project.
The council voted unanimously to add the item, which it discussed later in the meeting.
In explaining the item, Flora said part of the funding for the project is through the California Transportation Commission. Thanks to the city’s Measure V road sales tax, Clearlake is eligible for $500,000.
The commission is due to consider that funding at its meeting on May 17 and 18, Flora said.
However, he said that the commission won’t approve an allocation after a contract is executed.
At the same time, the city can lose the funding if it’s not allocated by July 4, he said.
Flora said he’d found out about those procedural issues that week. “Our contractor is aware of this,” he said, noting they’d been in communication and that he didn’t feel that it would impact the project schedule.
The only public comment on the matter was from Holly Roberson, an attorney for the Koi Nation tribe.
Roberson asked for clarification on what the project entailed.
Flora said it’s a project connecting 18th Avenue to Highway 53, crossing the city’s former Pearce Field airport property.
Roberson asked Flora if the city was moving forward on a project in active litigation.
Flora said yes.
Roberson, in turn, thanked him for being clear on the subject.
The litigation matter refers to the Koi Nation’s filing of a writ of mandate against the city on March 3 over its approval of plans for a new hotel project at the airport property.
In January, the council denied the Koi Nation’s appeal of the project to build a 75-room Fairfield Inn by Marriott hotel on 2.8 acres at 6356 Armijo Ave. The hotel is proposed by MLI Associates LLC, owned by Matt Patel.
The tribe has objected to the project on the grounds that it believes the city’s tribal consultation process violates the California Environmental Quality Act.
It’s one of a series of objections over projects in Clearlake that the tribe has raised over the past few years.
Nonetheless, on Thursday the council voted unanimously to rescind the previous contract approval so the project can be considered by the California Transportation Commission next month.
Flora told Lake County News after the meeting that the tribe’s writ of mandate included both the hotel and the 18th Avenue project.
He said the city has no obligation to stop a project just because a writ was filed, “so we will continue.”
There was a mandatory settlement conference the following day, “but based on the last year of negotiations with the Koi on various projects reaching a settlement is unlikely,” Flora said.
A settlement has not been reported since that conference.
Council hears update on animal shelter
In other business on Thursday, Lt. Ryan Peterson of the Clearlake Police Department updated on the council on the situation at the shelter.
The city contracts with North Bay Animal Services to run the shelter, but issues raised about animal care and shelter conditions led to Flora late last month issuing directives including that Peterson investigate the allegations. That investigation must be completed within 30 days, and so is expected by the end of this month.
Peterson did not discuss that investigation, but did update the council on animal statistics.
He said that 107 dogs have come into the shelter from Jan. 1 to April 20. Of those, 78 have left the shelter — including 30 being transferred to rescues or other facilities, 33 returned to owners and 15 have been adopted. None have been euthanized, giving the shelter a 100% live release rate.
At that point, there were 62 dogs at the shelter, down from 80 when he had reported to the council the previous month. “So they are making progress on lowering the numbers.”
Councilwoman Joyce Overton asked how many animals the facility is supposed to hold.
The newer portion of the shelter is meant to hold 30 dogs, with more dogs being held in a Public Works building at the site. Peterson said that the Public Works building is only supposed to be used for emergencies.
Flora said they haven’t completely removed all of the dogs from that shop area, but that there are no more dogs in temporary crates and the shelter is reducing the number of dogs per the direction given.
He said there will be an agenda item on the shelter after Peterson concludes the investigation, and that will be the appropriate time to discuss it further.
During public comment later in the meeting, Kay Lopez told the council she felt the shelter has failed the animals in more ways than one. In her visits to the shelter, beginning in 2017, Lopez said she’s either found the animals in overheated or freezing cold conditions.
Based on a visit on March 21, she said dogs appeared to have two-day-old food and a dog she saw was suffering from giardia. The shelter had a giardia outbreak earlier this year.
Lopez gave pictures she had taken of conditions at the shelter to Peterson.
The April 20 meeting also included Police Chief Tim Hobbs leading a swearing-in of Chelsea Banks as Clearlake Police’s new records and communications supervisor and an update from the city’s Recreation and Events Division.
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.
Native wildflowers, such as California goldfields and royal larkspur seen here, flourish when invasive annual grasses are controlled at the McLaughlin Reserve. Photo credit: Catherine Koehler. LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Mark your calendar — the Lake County Weed Management Area has announced its annual invasive weeds tours.
For 2023, they will offer two tours on consecutive days: the first, showcasing weeds that affect Clear Lake and efforts to restore tules along the shoreline; the second, featuring weeds of grasslands and oak woodlands and restoration of native wildflowers at the McLaughlin Reserve.
Both great tours are free.
The public is welcome and encouraged to join one or both.
The first tour will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, May 11, at Clark’s Island in Clearlake Oaks.
Join staff from the Lake County Water Resources Department and Resource Conservation District as they dive into the world of aquatic plants and wetland weeds of Clear Lake and Lake County.
Aquatic and wetland plant specimens and examples will be presented to facilitate hands-on learning and education.
They also will learn about recent invasive plant management efforts at Clark’s Island and the successful tule replanting effort that has been ongoing for the past two years.
This effort has been led by Lake County Watershed Protection District, Tribal EcoRestoration Alliance and tribal partners at Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians and Robinson Rancheria. Outreach materials and display tables will be available.
Attendees are asked to park on the west side of Clark’s Island, by the Adobe sign; extra parking is available along the north side of the channel, adjacent to PowerMart.
Then, on Friday, May 12, from 9 a.m. to noon, learn about weeds and wildflowers at the McLaughlin Reserve.
Join staff from the University of California McLaughlin Reserve to learn how invasive plants, especially annual grasses, have reduced native wildflower displays in Lake County.
Participants will view areas of the reserve where wildflowers have been restored by removing invasive species.
They will discuss the use of prescribed fire, cattle grazing, herbicides, mowing and hand pulling as tools to control weeds and restore wildflowers.
Robust wildflower displays are expected in May this year, so bring your cameras.
The group will meet at the McLaughlin Reserve Headquarters at 26775 Morgan Valley Road, then carpool for the field tour, which will involve walking about a quarter mile on gentle terrain.
For both tours, please bring hats, sunscreen, lunch or a snack, drinking water, and your questions about plants and the lake.
Please wear sturdy shoes free of seeds and mud, and bring gloves if you want some hands-on weed removal experience.
This event is sponsored by the Lake County Department of Agriculture and the Lake County Resource Conservation District. No reservations are required.
Please contact the Agriculture Department at 707-263-0217 if you have any questions.
Clark’s Island in Clearlake Oaks is on the Lake County Water Trail route, but also under current management and control of aquatic invasive species. Photo credit: A. De Palma-Dow.
Submit comments and questions in writing for commission consideration by sending them to Administrative Services Director/City Clerk Melissa Swanson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Identify the subject you wish to comment on in your email’s subject line.
The meeting also can be watched on the city’s YouTube account.
To give the planning commission adequate time to review your questions and comments, please submit written comments before 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 25.
The commission’s main item of business will be to hold a public hearing on a proposed mitigated negative declaration and conditional use permit for the city’s proposed Burns Valley Sports Complex, to be located at 14885 Burns Valley Road.
The site is a portion of a 31-acre property the city purchased behind the Safeway shopping center. In August, the city received $3 million from State Parks’ Rural Recreation and Tourism Program to create the new complex.
Also on Tuesday, the commission will make a determination of general plan consistency for the city’s proposed sale of a property at 14647 Palmer Ave.
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.
State Sen. Shannon Grove’s (R-Bakersfield) speaks at a press conference about her bill, SB 14. Courtesy photo. A bill to enforce greater penalties for those who victimize children through human trafficking has advanced in the State Legislature.
State Sen. Shannon Grove’s (R-Bakersfield) legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 14, is one of the first enhancement bills to pass out of the Senate Public Safety Committee this year.
As amended, SB 14 is a bipartisan measure that would add human trafficking of a minor to the list of felony crimes that are defined as serious, making it a strike offense, under California’s Three Strikes law.
The fastest growing criminal industry in the world is the buying and selling of human beings, and California is one of the largest hubs for human trafficking.
“SB 14 will help strengthen protections for the thousands of minor victims who are sex trafficked and will serve as a deterrent for those who engage in this horrendous crime. While I am thankful that my legislation passed out of Senate Public Safety and will protect countless children who are trafficked, I remain committed to continuing to fight for survivors and victims of all ages,” said Grove.
This bipartisan measure was co-authored by 31 members of the Legislature. SB 14 is supported by a large coalition of human trafficking survivors, advocates, local, national and international organizations.
3Strands Global Foundation, whose mission is to mobilize communities in order to combat human trafficking through prevention, education and reintegration programs, sponsored the measure.
“3Strands Global Foundation is honored to sponsor Senate Bill 14. As an organization that has worked for over a decade to end human trafficking, we applaud Sen. Grove’s determination to ensure our communities are safe from this serious crime. SB 14 will bring justice for survivors and hold traffickers responsible who perpetrate this crime. We are committed to doing our part to hold those responsible for trafficking in our communities accountable, and it is our hope that the legislators will now do theirs,” said Ashley Bryant, CEO and co-founder of 3Strands Global Foundation.
An estimated 40 million people globally in the last decade have been forced into this modern form of slavery called human trafficking, a number that continues to grow. This horrendous practice could very easily be defined as “The Crime of our Time.”
Human trafficking is one of the world’s fastest growing and most lucrative crimes, generating around $150 billion around the world each year.
SB 14 made it out of the Senate Public Safety Committee with a 5-0 vote and will next be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — As the weather begins to warm up and summer starts knocking at the door here in Northern California, Lake County’s member of the State Senate and other state officials are inviting community members to a critical town hall on wildfire preparedness and prevention.
The virtual town hall will take place beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 2.
Sen. Mike McGuire will host the town hall, with guests Cal Fire Northern California Region Chief Jake Hess and Marin County Fire Chief Jason Weber.
This important conversation will cover how the state is responding in this era of megafires, what type of expanded resources are available this summer and fall to protect our communities and what people can do to better prepare themselves for wildfire season.
Watch the Town Hall live here, on Facebook, or dial in to listen by phone at 1-669-900-6833 and enter the Webinar ID, 854 0548 1929.
To ask a question during the town hall, RSVP here.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors this week will discuss a proposed resolution to approve a right-of-way purchase for the South Main Street-Soda Bay Road Improvement Project, which will include utility undergrounding in the area.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 25, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting ID is 951 7316 4186, pass code 332059. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,95173164186#,,,,*332059#.
All interested members of the public that do not have internet access or a Mediacom cable subscription are encouraged to call 669-900-6833, and enter the Zoom meeting ID and pass code information above.
In an untimed item, the board will consider a resolution approving agreements for the purchase of right-of-way for the South Main Street–Soda Bay Road Improvement Project.
Public Works Director Scott De Leon’s report to the board explains that the project is slated for undergrounding of the utilities in the spring of 2024.
By approving the purchase of fee title acquisition at the appraised fair market value of $66,123 for a portion of a parcel owned by Lisa Weiler at 32 Soda Bay Road, and by authorizing De Leon and County Administrative Officer Susan Parker to execute the necessary documents, “the process will be expedited and enable the County to secure the necessary right of ways in time to proceed with utility undergrounding,” De Leon wrote.
He said funding for the project comes from a variety of sources to include the State Transportation Improvement Program, Federal Demonstration Program, Lake Area Planning Council Local Transportation Funds, county of Lake road funds, and utility company tariffs and contributions.
In timed items, at 9:30 a.m., the board will hold a public hearing, continued from April 18, to consider a draft ordinance amending Chapter 5 of the Lake County Code relating to permitting temporary hoop structures for cannabis cultivation.
At 11 a.m., the board will discuss holding a special joint meeting with the Lakeport City Council at the request of District 4 Supervisor Michael Green.
At 11:30 a.m., the board will will consider Amendment No. 1 to the agreement with Sunrise Special Services for an additional 90 days and a new total not to exceed $307,200 for the continued operation of the North Lakeport Emergency Warming Shelter.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Sitting as the Lake County Air Quality Management District Board of Directors, authorize the air pollution control officer to establish temporary counter hours for the Lake County Air Quality Management District.
5.2: a) Approve reissuance of property tax refund check from FY 19/20 in the amount of $320.42 issued to Aaron Robert Paddock; and b) approve reissuance of property tax refund check from FY 19/20 in the amount of $45.46 issued to Brennan A. Conagha.
5.3: Adopt proclamation designating the month of April 2023 as Alcohol Awareness Month In Lake County.
5.4: Approve Board of Supervisors minutes for April 11, 2023.
5.5: Adopt resolution authorizing the destruction of paper records that have been digitally-imaged for the Lake County Community Development Department to rely on the electronic record as the official record.
5.6: Approve Amendment No. 5 to the agreement between county of Lake and Management Connections for temporary staffing in the Lake County Health Services Department and authorize the chair to sign.
5.7: Approve Budget Transfer in Budget Unit 4011-Public Health for $9,000 from salaries account 740.01-11 to Capital Asset account 740.62-74; and amend the list of capital assets of the 2022-2023 Final Budget to include a dual modem and authorize the chairperson to the Board of Supervisors to sign.
5.8: Approve request to apply for the California Department Public Health/California Home Visitation Program grant funding for Public Health’s Home Visitation Program in the amount of $470,000 annually for the FY 23-24 thru 27-28 and authorize the department head to sign the affiliation application.
5.9: a) Waive the formal bidding requirement; and b) authorize the IT director to issue a purchase order in the amount of $53,687.50 to ECS Imaging Inc. for Laserfiche Cloud renewal.
5.10: Adopt resolution delegating to the Lake County Public Works director authority to negotiate and acquire certain real estate up to $7,000; the purchase of a portion of certain parcel (APN 027-221-110), is part of the bridge replacement project on First Street over Clover Creek.
5.11: a) Approve agreement for Federal Apportionment Exchange Program and State Match Program for California Department of Transportation - Non MPO County, Agreement No. X23-5914(128); and b) adopt resolution authorizing and directing the chair of the Board of Supervisors to execute the agreements for Federal Apportionment Exchange Program and State Match Program for California Department of Transportation – Non MPO County, Agreement No. X23-5914(128), and authorize the chair to sign the resolution and agreement.
5.12: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 2-38.4, Cooperative Purchases; and (b) approve the purchase of four 2023 Chevy Traverse vehicles; and (c) authorize the sheriff/coroner or his designee to issue a purchase order not to exceed $160,000 to California Automotive Retailing Group Inc. dba Dublin Chevrolet.
5.13: Approve long distance travel for Sherri DeLaTorre and Mary Pagan to attend the Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, from May 14 to 19, 2023.
5.14: a) Approve a purchase order for the purchase of two electronic key storage boxes from Real Time Networks Inc. in the total amount of $46,912.40 and b) authorize the Social Services director to sign and issue the purchase order.
5.15: Sitting as the Board of Directors of the Lake County Watershed Protection District, (a) waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 2-38 (2) & (3); (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and EOA Inc. Environmental Consulting firm to provide assistance to meet National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Storm Water Permit and Low Impact Development (LID) compliance and to authorize the Chair of the Board of Directors to sign the agreement; (c) approve the reimbursement agreements between the district, the city of Lakeport and the city of Clearlake to provide reimbursement for EOA Inc. to complete LID and Storm Water Program services and to authorize the chair of the board of directors to sign the agreements.
5.16: Approve memorandum of understanding between Big Valley Rancheria and the Lake County Watershed Protection District for the installation, maintenance and removal of flow monitoring equipment on Highland Springs and Adobe Creek reservoirs.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:07 a.m.: Pet of the Week.
6.3, 9:08 a.m.: National Poetry Month — Poem of the Week.
6.4, 9:09 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the month of April 2023 as Alcohol Awareness Month In Lake County.
6.5, 9:30 a.m.: Public hearing, continued from April 18, consideration of draft ordinance amending Chapter 5 of the Lake County Code relating to permitting temporary hoop structures for cannabis cultivation.
6.6, 11 a.m.: Consideration and discussion of a special joint meeting with Lakeport City Council.
6.7, 11:30 a.m.: Consideration of Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement with Sunrise Special Services for an additional 90 days and a new total not to exceed $307,200 for the continued operation of the North Lakeport Emergency Warming Shelter.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of travel to the California Wildfire & Forest Resilience Task Force meeting.
7.4: Consideration of the following Advisory Board Appointment: Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee.
7.5: Consideration of reappointment to the North Coast Emergency Medical Service Committee to include delegation of primary and alternate membership.
7.6: Consideration of resolution approving agreements for the purchase of right-of-way for the South Main Street – Soda Bay Road Improvement Project and authorizing the director of Public Works to execute the purchase agreements on behalf of the county of Lake.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9 (d)(1) - Citizens for Environmental Protection and Responsible Planning, et al. v. County of Lake, et al.
8.2: Addendum — conference with legal counsel: Significant Exposure to Litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9(d)(2), (e)(1) – One potential case.
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.