The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, has released new research and data showing that, despite historically high housing needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of sheltered homelessness declined in 2021.
HUD experts and independent research suggest that pandemic relief efforts prevented a potential surge in evictions and housing instability and temporarily reduced homelessness during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an article published Tuesday in HUD’s online magazine, the PD&R Edge, HUD experts also outline key lessons from past research about how the federal, state and local governments can work together to prevent and end homelessness.
The executive summary of the biennial Worst Case Housing Needs report, published Tuesday, analyzes data from 2021 and estimates that 8.53 million renter households had “worst case needs” in that year, the highest number since HUD started estimating these needs in 1978.
Households with worst case needs are defined as renter households with very low incomes (incomes at or below 50% of area median income) who do not receive government housing assistance and pay more than one-half of their income for rent, live in severely inadequate conditions, or both.
Much of this increase was driven by rising rents and severe cost burdens faced by many low-income families as the rental market tightened.
Despite these trends, HUD’s Annual Homelessness Assessment Report: Part 2 for FY21, published last month, shows that fewer people entered a shelter program in 2021, and sheltered homelessness overall decreased by 17% between 2019 and 2021.
In an article in HUD’s online magazine, the PD&R Edge, HUD leaders summarize the research and suggest that federal interventions, including the Emergency Rental Assistance program, eviction moratoria, income supports like stimulus payments, the enhanced unemployment insurance, and the enhanced Child Tax Credit, the federal government helped prevent a worsening of homelessness and evictions.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Biden-Harris Administration and Congress were able to prevent millions of people from experiencing evictions and housing loss. We were able to prevent a spike in homelessness during the height of the pandemic,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “While we didn’t solve the challenge of homelessness - only ensuring an adequate supply of affordable housing and access to supportive care can do that - these data provide valuable insights about how we address homelessness and ensure every person has a safe and stable place to call home.”
Building on best practices and evidenced-based research, the Biden-Harris Administration has deployed historic resources in 2023 to address the crisis of homelessness.
Earlier this year, HUD released a first-of-its-kind package of grants totaling $486 million and approximately 3,300 housing vouchers to help 62 communities address unsheltered homelessness and homeless encampments.
In addition, through the ALL INside initiative, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) and its 19 federal member agencies will partner with state and local governments to strengthen and accelerate local efforts to get unsheltered people into homes in six places: Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Phoenix Metro, Seattle, and the State of California.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Air Quality Management District reported that smoke from wildfires in Northern California, Oregon and areas to the north are creating regional smoke impacts throughout Lake County and the western states.
The district said current air monitor readings throughout Lake County show “unhealthy for sensitive groups” air quality levels.
All areas of Lake County experienced “moderate” to “unhealthy for sensitive groups” air quality on Monday.
The air quality forecast through Wednesday will range from “moderate” (AQI of 51-100) to “unhealthy” (AQI of 151-200) with areas at higher elevations expected to experience the most smoke impacts.
Current weather models indicate continued smoke and haze through Tuesday and possibly into Wednesday.
Expect fluctuating periods of poorer air quality as the occasional wind gust pushes smoke into Lake County.
Starting on Wednesday, a change is expected, with most areas of Lake County forecasted to reach “moderate” to “good” air quality.
This smoke forecast is based on the latest weather, monitoring, fire activity information and will be updated as necessary.
The district is actively monitoring the smoke impacts throughout the county. Additionally, you may go to www.lcaqmd.net and follow the quick links for air monitoring for current smoke and air quality conditions.
Concentrations of smoke may vary depending upon location, weather, elevation and time of day. Smoke from wildfires and structure fires contain harmful chemicals that can affect your health. Smoke can cause eye and throat irritation, coughing, and difficulty breathing.
People who are at greatest risk of experiencing symptoms due to smoke include: those with respiratory disease (such as asthma), those with heart disease, young children, and older adults.
These sensitive populations should stay indoors and avoid prolonged activity. All others should limit prolonged or heavy activity and time spent outdoors.
Even healthy adults can be affected by smoke. Seek medical help if you have symptoms that worsen or become severe.
Follow these general precautions to protect your health during a smoke event:
• Minimize or stop outdoor activities, especially exercise. • Stay indoors with windows and doors closed as much as possible. • Do not run fans that bring smoky outdoor air inside – examples include swamp coolers, whole-house fans, and fresh air ventilation systems. • Run your air-conditioner only if it does not bring smoke in from the outdoors. • Change the standard air conditioner filter to a medium or high efficiency filter. If available, use the “recirculate” or “recycle” setting on the unit. • Do not smoke, fry food, or do other things that will create indoor air pollution.
If you have lung disease (including asthma) or heart disease, closely monitor your health and contact your doctor if you have symptoms that worsen. Consider leaving the area until smoke conditions improve if you have repeated coughing, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness or pain, palpitations, nausea, unusual fatigue, lightheadedness.
Localized areas of unhealthy air quality are possible throughout this fire season. Take appropriate measures whenever smoke is present.
MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. — Officials said the work to contain a lightning-caused fire on the Mendocino National Forest is continuing to progress, with acreage holding steady and containment growing.
The Slide 1 fire, burning in the Yolla Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness, remains at 473 acres, and containment has increased to 75%.
Firefighters reported little to no movement of the Slide 1 fire during Sunday's shift.
Crews continue to make progress with containment. Plans for suppression repair and resource demobilization are underway.
For the weather forecast firefighters are expecting more clouds, cooler temperatures and potentially .25" of precipitation over Monday and Tuesday.
A drying and warming trend is expected Wednesday through the rest of the week.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday said he filed an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court in defense of a federal law that prohibits individuals under domestic violence restraining orders from possessing firearms.
The case, United States v. Rahimi, is being heard by the Supreme Court following the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals's decision ruling this lifesaving federal “red flag” law unconstitutional under the Second Amendment.
The governor’s brief argues that the lower court incorrectly interpreted the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision last year and that the federal government’s ability to enact gun regulations to protect families from dangerous individuals is supported by a longstanding historical tradition.
“It’s simple: Domestic abusers shouldn’t have guns, and America’s gun safety laws are supported by the Constitution and longstanding historical tradition. The Second Amendment is not a suicide pact. The Supreme Court must reverse the lower court’s decision,” said Newsom.
Newsom’s action to file an amicus brief followed Monday’s action by House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chairman Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who led 151 representatives and 18 senators in an amicus brief which repudiates the Fifth Circuit’s decision in Rahimi and calls on the Supreme Court to set a clear standard that allows for Congress to pass laws that keep the American people safe.
Thompson’s office called the Fifth Circuit’s ruling in Rahimi “one of the many disturbing decisions concerning gun violence that have been influenced by the recent Bruen decision.”
“The Fifth Circuit’s ruling in the Rahimi case has tragic and dangerous implications for people in domestic violence situations,” said Thompson. “I believe it is the responsibility of Congress to ensure that our laws protect the most vulnerable among us. The availability of firearms to be possessed by individuals with domestic violence restraining orders can escalate domestic violence and increase the risk of death or serious injury — the Supreme Court must not allow this to happen.”
The defendant in United States v. Rahimi was suspected of five shootings in Texas between 2020 and 2021. Police searched his home and found multiple firearms. He had a domestic violence restraining order which prevented him from owning a firearm under federal law.
The New Orleans-based Fifth Circuit agreed to rehear his case after the Bruen decision and applied the new “history and tradition” legal test. The court found that the federal statute was not sufficiently similar to any historical laws raised by the government. The prosecutor presented numerous historical laws that disarmed individuals dating from the colonial period. The court thought these laws were aimed at preserving political and social order, and not protecting an identified person from a specific threat posed by another.
If the Fifth Circuit decision in Rahimi is upheld, Thompson’s office said “it would open the floodgates to domestic violence abusers and other dangerous people seeking to possess firearms.”
California has its own red flag laws that allow victims of domestic violence to seek protective orders to prohibit their abuser from possessing a gun.
Across the nation, 45 states have similar laws enacted that limit the ability of those under a domestic violence restraining order from accessing firearms — saving lives and protecting victims from potential violence.
The governor’s amicus brief defends the federal government’s ability to enact commonsense gun safety laws, and builds on California’s longstanding efforts to reduce gun violence, protect victims and survivors, and save lives.
Recently, the governor introduced a proposal to end the gun violence crisis through a historic amendment to the U.S. Constitution, signed a package of gun safety laws making it easier for Californians to sue manufacturers of illegal assault weapons and those bringing them into our communities, allowing lawsuits against irresponsible gun industry members, strengthening prohibitions on ghost guns, and restricting marketing to minors.
The governor also launched an 18-month campaign to promote gun violence restraining orders.
A study from the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis found that California’s red flag law has been used to stop 58 threatened mass shootings since 2016.
California’s gun safety laws work. In 2021, California was ranked as the No. 1 state for gun safety by the Giffords Law Center, and the state saw a 43% lower gun death rate than the national average.
According to the CDC, California’s gun death rate was the 44th lowest in the nation, with 8.5 gun deaths per 100,000 people – compared to 13.7 deaths per 100,000 nationally, 28.6 in Mississippi, 20.7 in Oklahoma, and 14.2 in Texas.
The hospital where I practice recently admitted a 14-year-old girl with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, to our outpatient program. She was referred to us six months earlier, in October 2022, but at the time we were at capacity. Although we tried to refer her to several other hospitals, they too were full. During that six-month wait, she attempted suicide.
Unfortunately, this is an all-too-common story for young people with mental health issues. A 2021 survey of 88 children’s hospitals reported that they admit, on average, four teens per day to inpatient programs. At many of these hospitals, more children await help, but there are simply not enough services or psychiatric beds for them.
So these children languish, sometimes for days or even a week, in hospital emergency departments. This is not a good place for a young person coping with grave mental health issues and perhaps considering suicide. Waiting at home is not a good option either – the family is often unable or unwilling to deal with a child who is distraught or violent.
Over those years, I have noticed that these young patients have become more aggressive and suicidal. They are sicker when compared to years past. And the data backs up my observation: From 2007 through 2021, suicide rates among young people ages 10 to 24 increased by 62%. From 2014 to 2021, homicide rates rose by 60%. The situation is so grim that in October 2021, health care professionals declared a national emergency in child mental health.
For every 100,000 children in the U.S. – with 1 in 5 of those children having a mental, emotional or behavioral disorder in a given year – there are only 14 child and adolescent psychiatrists available to treat them, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. At least three times as many are needed.
There is also a significant shortage of child therapists – social workers, psychologists, licensed professional counselors – as well. This is particularly the case in rural areas across the country.
But what children and adolescents see online is not the only problem. Much of life still happens offline, and a lot of it is not good. Millions of young people deal every day with alcoholic, drug-abusing or neglectful parents; peers who drink, vape and use drugs; violence at their schools or in their streets; and overwhelmed caregivers – whether parents or others – preoccupied with financial or other personal problems.
For an adolescent already struggling to make sense of the world, any one of these issues can be overwhelming.
Not enough time or money
The U.S. health care system does very little to support these children or their families. This pattern begins at the moment of birth, and it is baked into the system.
Nor can some families afford mental health treatment to support their children’s needs. Many mental health providers don’t take insurance and instead opt for out-of-pocket payments from patients. This is due to the low reimbursement rates from most insurers, which makes it very difficult to sustain a practice. Depending on the service, the cost could be anywhere from US$100 to $600 per session.
To see providers that do take insurance, there are usually co-pays – typically between $20 to $50 a week. But it can often be challenging for the insured to find a suitable in-network provider to meet a child’s needs.
The payments add up, particularly when mental health treatment takes many months, and sometimes years, to have an effect. There is a reason why it takes so long. Unlike medical doctors, mental health professionals do not simply make a diagnosis and provide medication or surgery. Instead, for treatments to work and to change the outcome for young people who are struggling, an ongoing – and lengthy – relationship between the therapist and the patient is needed.
Treating a child is significantly more difficult than treating an adult. That is, in part, because children are constantly developing and changing. But perhaps the most formidable challenges are the multiple entities a child therapist may have to work with: caregivers, the school system, the courts and child welfare agencies. What’s more, getting a diagnosis, treatment or both often involves working with multiple providers, such as a primary care doctor, individual therapist, family-focused therapist and psychiatrist.
In the institute where I work, the psychiatry department loses money on almost every patient we treat. If it weren’t for fundraising and fostering relationships with donors, the department could only provide care to a select few.
Possible solutions
Struggling children and teens in the U.S. need earlier interventions. Although schools are ideal places to teach social skills, they still do not offer enough activities to help young people develop resilience to cope with adversity.
Sometimes, young patients see primary care doctors who don’t have enough training in this area. Telephone hotline programs, which offer these doctors free consultations from mental health professionals to help assess problems in young patients, should be available throughout the U.S. But right now, only 19 states have such programs. One bright spot: The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which launched in July 2022, is available 24/7.
When a young person needs treatment, parents should prioritize finding a mental health provider right away. Asking the child’s primary doctor and school counselors for a reference is a good start. If the child is already on a waiting list, a parent or guardian should call the provider weekly to check in and make sure the child is not forgotten.
The process can be discouraging and daunting, but in our current environment, which provides limited support, that’s the way it is. And without a heavy lift from parents, the child remains at great risk.
Science is only beginning to understand how smoke affects our health, but its secret may lie in the size of the particles it emits.
Wildfires are bigger, more severe and more common today in the western United States than at any time in the last four decades, with Maui, Hawaii’s devastating blaze being just the latest tragic example. In California, nearly half of the state’s largest fires on record occurred in the past three years.
We asked UC San Francisco professors of medicine Arianne Teherani, PhD, and Sheri Weiser, MD, why wildfire smoke is particularly bad for your health. Teherani and Weiser cofounded UCSF’s Center for Climate, Health and Equity as an education and research hub to shape climate action by ensuring health systems respond to the climate crisis.
Why have wildfires increased in California?
Climate change intensifies droughts, boosts strong winds, and increases lightning strikes, creating the perfect conditions for wildfires. Meanwhile, more people than ever live on the edges of wildlands that have changed to become more fire-prone. Grazing lands, for example, replaced harder-to-burn native landscapes.
Drier conditions in California and a move away from historical, indigenous controlled-burn practices also means there are more dry plants and trees to burn in these spaces.
Can wildfire smoke make you sick?
Wildfire smoke enters the air as particle pollution, which is sometimes called “particulates” or “particulate matter.” Particulate matter is all around us, both indoors and outdoors, all the time, but wildfires emit massive amounts of particulate matter.
Wildfire smoke contains a mix of chemicals, including those released by homes as they burn – from household cleaners to asbestos siding. Depending on what’s fueling the fire, wildfire smoke can include things like sulfuric acid, dust and mold.
Why is particulate matter from wildfires so bad?
The bulk of wildfire smoke is made up of particulate matter that is about 30 times smaller than a human hair. This type of particulate matter poses the greatest risk to your health because it can work its way deep into your lungs and into your blood.
What are the health risks of inhaling wildfire smoke?
Wildfire smoke can make respiratory conditions like asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) worse and increase your risk of respiratory infections, such as bronchitis and pneumonia. Not surprisingly, wildfire smoke leads to more emergency room and doctor’s visits.
UCSF researchers are continuing to study wildfire smoke’s health effects. UCSF School of Medicine Associate Professor Jennifer Mulliken, MD and UCSF colleagues found that in California, large wildfires coincide with an 18% to 22% spike in invasive fungal infections like Valley fever.
Valley fever, so called because it was first discovered in California’s San Joaquin Valley, can cause fatigue, body pains and shortness of breath. In some people, Valley Fever causes long-term lung damage.
What can I do to stay safe from wildfire smoke?
• Stay indoors and close your windows and doors. • Avoid heavy physical activity or being active for long periods of time. • If you have an air conditioner, set it to recirculation mode and make sure to maintain its filter. • Use portable air cleaners with HEPA filters. • Consider using an N95 or K95 mask but be aware that even these masks can’t filter out certain gases released by wildfires. Wearing a mask doesn’t mean that you can work or play as normal outside. Remember that these masks are not suitable for very young children. • If you have heart or lung disease, ask your health care provider if it is safe for you to wear a respirator.
Who is most at risk of falling ill from wildfire smoke?
• People with asthma and other respiratory diseases. • People with cardiovascular disease. • Children. • Pregnant people. • Older adults. • Outdoor workers. • Low-income communities and those of color.
Can wildfire smoke disproportionately impact low-income communities and people of color?
Although most Americans in wildfire hazard zones are more socioeconomically secure, thousands of low-income communities are also on the frontlines for fire risk and lack the resources to prepare or recover from disasters.
For example, some communities may not have the money to pay to insure their homes or belongings or replace them after a fire.
Folks like this may already be at a higher risk for some chronic illnesses due to a lack of access to health care and poor working conditions, making them more vulnerable to smoke.
Laura Lopez Gonzalez writes for the University of California, San Francisco.
An estimated 3,000 pets were still missing more than a week after deadly wildfires ripped through Maui in August 2023 and left thousands of people – many of whom had companion animals – homeless. The Conversation asked Sarah DeYoung, who has conducted research in Hawaii and studies what happens to pets after disasters, to explain why rescuing companion animals is a high priority following wildfires and how donors can help animals and pet owners recover from this disaster.
What happens to pets after a catastrophic fire?
When disasters strike, people often evacuate with their pets, as long as it’s possible for them to quickly grab their dogs, cats or other kinds of companion animals. However, you may not have time to gather your animals during a quick-onset event like a wildfire, or your animals might be hiding.
This is especially true for cats, because they can be skittish. There are other complications, such as evacuation by boat – which makes it harder to bring animals along. When owners flee without a leash or carrier, their animals might bolt at any stopover or shelter.
Owners will spend weeks, months or even years after a fire searching for their missing cats and dogs. It can be challenging to identify and match pets with their humans because burn injuries can change the animal’s appearance, they may not have a microchip, or the owners themselves may have died in the fire.
Like people, animals that survive fires may experience trauma and stress symptoms, such as regressing on housetraining or other issues for days and weeks after the fire. The pets may need quiet time and support to recover from their stress. They may also need to be treated for burn injuries or lung damage from inhaling smoke. Some animals may not survive their injuries.
People who lose their housing for any reason may need to board their pets. Unfortunately, nearly all of Hawaii’s animal shelters are already at full capacity due to the state’s pet overpopulation, leaving little space available during emergencies.
Smaller animal sanctuaries may take in animals temporarily, but they also have limited space and staffing. Because of these challenges, animal-foster networks become key during and after disasters. Truly stray animals – cats, dogs and other animals that belong in homes but live on the streets – can also be flown to other places for adoption.
But before that happens, it’s critical to first make every effort to reunite lost companion animals with their owners.
Is aid for animals worth it when people are suffering?
In Hawaii, during the 2018 lava flows, I heard many people call their pets their “keiki” – the Hawaiian word for children. Losing pets is often devastating.
That’s why emergency shelters should allow people to stay with their pets if possible. Hotels or other providers should also consider temporarily waiving pet fees and relaxing their restrictions on companion animals to reduce barriers for displaced people and their pets.
People who lose their animals in a fire may experience depression and other mental health issues, which is one of the many reasons why mental health care is essential for the communities that experience disasters.
If a companion animal has died in a fire, it helps the owners to get confirmation that the death occurred because of their need for closure. Some pet owners and community members construct shrines, memorials or other structures to memorialize the pets that died in the disaster. After the 2018 Camp Fire in California, people in the scorched town of Paradise constructed a memorial for the animals they lost.
Are there long-term problems for animal recovery?
In a place like Maui that gets many visitors and has a high percentage of vacation rentals, there will likely be challenges in terms of displaced local people finding rental units that accept pets. Many available housing units might have restrictive pet policies.
In my research with Ashley Farmer of Illinois State University, we found that people sometimes surrender their pets after disasters because they can’t find temporary housing that allows dogs or cats, or due to breed restrictions. A wave of animal surrenders causes already full shelters to become overcrowded.
There will be a need for some of those surrendered animals to be adopted or fostered for a longer period of time to ensure that there is enough room in local shelters. People will also need help as they continue searching for their missing animals.
What’s the best way to help?
In the college classes I teach regarding disaster response and recovery, I often emphasize the difference between intentions and impacts when it comes to volunteering, donations and other relief efforts.
Animal lovers in other places will often want to donate big bags of kibble, canned food, chew toys, dog crates and other physical items. As an animal lover myself, I can appreciate their great intentions and eagerness to help.
But shipping those items may not be helpful after disasters, and in fact, those donations may even be harmful. While conducting research in disaster zones, I’ve seen animal shelters get inundated with donated pet food that expired before it could be consumed.
Unless local animal shelters have robust distribution systems, the logistics of dealing with massive amounts of donated supplies can become overwhelming. It’s much more effective for donors who want to help companion animals and their owners after disasters to give organizations like the Maui Humane Society money. Those funds can pay for urgently needed goods and services, including spay and neuter surgeries and flea treatments.
My research team has seen that people in locations far away sometimes want to adopt a “disaster pet.” While some animals might be relocated from the islands eventually, the best way to immediately help is to give money to groups supporting people and their pets. This increases the chances that the people and animals who are already bonded to one another can stay together.
Keep in mind that animal shelters and other organizations that support pets and their owners after disasters will still need help months after the media has moved on. In other fire events, such as the Tubbs and Camp fires in California, animal organizations used the recovery phase as a time to trap and neuter feral cats, and then return them to the communities where they were living. Simultaneously, those organizations can keep on helping to reunite missing pets with their owners.
Finally, I believe it’s important to be compassionate toward people who lost pets in the Maui fire since they may be in mourning for quite a while. Losing a beloved cat, dog, rabbit, goat or turtle can be devastating at any time. During a disaster, the loss of a pet amplifies the overall horror of the event. Similarly, reuniting with a missing disaster pet can also be a symbol of hope and recovery.
In a case study, scientists detected the costly infection in cabernet sauvignon grapevines before they showed symptoms visible to the human eye.
Withering molds, root-rotting bacteria, viruses, and other plant pathogens destroy an estimated 15 to 30% of global harvests every year. Early detection can make the difference between a failed crop and a treatable one.
Using an airborne science instrument developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, researchers have found that they can accurately spot the stealthy signs of a grape disease that inflicts billions of dollars in annual crop damage. The remote sensing technique could aid ground-based monitoring for this and other crops.
In a pair of new studies, researchers from JPL and Cornell University focused on a viral disease called GLRaV-3 (short for grapevine leafroll-associated virus complex 3). Primarily spread by insects, GLRaV-3 reduces yields and sours developing fruit, costing the U.S. wine and grape industry some $3 billion in damage and losses annually. It typically is detected by labor-intensive vine-by-vine scouting and expensive molecular testing.
The research team wanted to see if they could help growers identify GLRaV-3 infections early and from the air by using machine learning and NASA’s next-generation Airborne Visible/InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS-NG).
The instrument’s optical sensor, which records the interaction of sunlight with chemical bonds, has been used to measure and monitor hazards such as wildfires, oil spills, greenhouse gasses, and air pollution associated with volcanic eruptions.
It was during a 2020 campaign to map methane leaks in California that plant pathologist Dr. Katie Gold and her team seized the opportunity to pose a different question: Could AVIRIS-NG uncover undercover crop infection in one of the state’s most important grape-producing regions?
“Like humans, sick plants may not exhibit outward symptoms right away, making early detection the greatest challenge facing growers,” said Gold, an assistant professor at Cornell University and senior author of the new studies. In the case of grapevine leafroll virus, it can take up to a year before a vine betrays the telltale signs of infection, such as discolored foliage and stunted fruit. However, on the cellular level, stress is well underway before then, changing how sunlight interacts with plant tissue.
Aerial advantage
Mounted in the belly of a research plane, AVIRIS-NG observed roughly 11,000 acres of vineyards in Lodi, California. The region — located in the heart of California’s Central Valley — is a major producer of the state’s premium winegrapes.
The team fed the observations into computer models they developed and trained to distinguish infection. To help check the results, industry collaborators scouted more than 300 acres of the vineyards from the ground for visible viral symptoms while collecting vine samples for molecular testing.
Gold noted it was a labor-intensive process, undertaken during a California heat wave. “Without the hard work of the growers, industry collaborators, and the scouting teams, none of what we accomplished would have been possible,” she said. Similar efforts will continue under the NASA Acres Consortium, of which Gold is a lead scientist.
The researchers found that they were able to differentiate noninfected and infected vines both before and after they became symptomatic, with the best-performing models achieving 87% accuracy. Successful early detection of GLRaV-3 could help provide grape growers up to a year’s warning to intervene.
In a complementary paper, the researchers said their case study shows how emerging capabilities in air and space can support ground-based pathogen surveillance efforts. These capabilities include forthcoming missions like NASA’s Surface Biology and Geology, or SBG — part of the fleet of missions that will compose the agency’s Earth System Observatory. They said that SBG will provide data that could be used in combination with machine learning for agricultural decision-making at the global scale.
Fernando Romero Galvan, a doctoral candidate and lead author of both studies, noted that sustainable farming practices are more important than ever in the face of climate change. “I think these are exciting times for remote sensing and plant disease detection,” he said. “Scalable solutions can help growers make data-driven, sustainable crop management decisions.”
“What we did with this study targets one area of California for one disease,” said co-author Ryan Pavlick, a research technologist at JPL. “The ultimate vision that we have is being able to do this across the planet for many crop diseases and for growers all over the world.”
Hakan Yilmazkuday, Florida International University
The formerly pristine reputation of the U.S. government’s debt lost a little more luster after another prominent rating agency demoted Uncle Sam from its AAA perch.
What does a downgrade of U.S. creditworthiness like this actually mean?
While the downgrade is unlikely to have much of an impact in the short term, its implications about the state and size of U.S. indebtedness will likely reverberate on Capitol Hill, where stalled negotiations over the budget could mark a step toward the Biden administration’s first government shutdown.
Fitch Ratings’ decision on Aug. 1, 2023, led to small declines in the stock and bond markets. But as an economist who studies the effects of monetary and fiscal policies, I’ve got longer-term concerns about the downgrade’s implications for U.S. economic growth.
To understand why, you have to look at both the reasons for Fitch’s downgrade and what it means for U.S. borrowing going forward.
Why Fitch downgraded the US
Just like people, the federal government has to balance the income it takes in and the money it spends for each fiscal year. Most federal income consists of tax revenue.
Since 2001, that revenue has rarely covered enough of the costs of everything the U.S. government pays for, from roadways to wars. When federal income falls short, the government fills the gap by borrowing money from investors.
That gap has gotten a lot bigger in recent years as the U.S. has spent trillions fighting COVID-19, contending with financial crises and funding several wars. As of Aug. 1, the U.S. Treasury owed US$32.6 trillion, both to bondholders and other parts of the federal government.
That’s part of the reason that Fitch cut the U.S. government’s long-term creditworthiness by one notch, from AAA – its highest rating – to AA+. Fitch also cited an “erosion of governance,” specifically pointing to recent efforts by conservatives to prevent the U.S. from raising its debt ceiling.
What happened last time
This was not the first time that a rating agency lowered the credit of the U.S. government.
At the time, Fitch issued a warning but it didn’t cut the U.S.’s credit rating until now.
The 2011 episode had no long-term effects on financial markets, including Treasury bonds – meaning investors remained happy to continue lending to the U.S. at favorable rates.
Does that mean Fitch’s downgrade will similarly have little long-term impact? Not necessarily.
Why things might be different
Any country seeking to borrow money in perpetuity needs lenders who are happy to lend.
Investors of all kinds around the world find Treasurys attractive. They’re seen as safe, because the U.S. government is considered less likely to default than, say, a company going bankrupt.
Rating agencies like Fitch assess these risks and periodically adjust their credit rating scores based on their assessment on the ability of the federal government – and other borrowers – to keep up with their debt obligations.
“Repeated debt-limit political standoffs and last-minute resolutions have eroded confidence in fiscal management,” Fitch said in its announcement, in a reference to recurring fights among lawmakers over raising the debt ceiling.
But if economists and financial analysts deem Treasurys to be growing riskier, then investors may become less interested in buying them. Alternatively, they may demand a higher interest rate in exchange for taking on the risk that the U.S. may default on its debts.
So, however the market reacts, I believe that this downgrade reflects the real deterioration of America’s fiscal standing as well as its ability to safeguard it.
And as economists and financial analysts decide Treasurys are becoming a riskier security to hold – whether because of the size of overall U.S. debt or because political brinkmanship is making a once-unthinkinkable default more likely – then investors may become less interested in buying them. Or, at least, they may demand the U.S. pay them more to take on the risk, resulting in higher borrowing costs for the government.
Ultimately, this means there will be less money for everything else the U.S. might want to spend money on – or the overall debt load will rise even faster.
Limited options
To cover its growing borrowing costs, the federal government has few options – none good.
It can borrow more money, which is seen as riskier – like taking out one loan to pay off another – and could result in an even lower credit rating and a continuous spiral of rising borrowing costs. Or it could hike tax rates or cut spending, both of which have political consequences and could be hard to accomplish given the degree of polarization in Congress.
Furthermore, research has shown that higher government debt is generally associated with lower long-term economic growth, which reinforces the problem by reducing revenue and thus requiring more debt.
So, while Fitch’s downgrade doesn’t signal an imminent financial crisis, it does serve as a warning as Congress engages in its fiscal fights – including the one over the budget that will heat up in September.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lakeport Police Department, city of Lakeport, Lake County Behavioral Health Services and Lake Family Resource Center are collaborating to hold a town hall meeting regarding homelessness and mental illness in the community.
The meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, at the Soper-Reese Theater, 275 S. Main St. in Lakeport.
This is a complex issue requiring the collaboration of agencies and the community.
The intent of this meeting is to engage with the community and hear questions and concerns.
The agenda will include:
• Overview of legislative and voter changes to criminal justice laws over the past decade. • The mental health system in California, including criminal justice aspects. • Response to mental illness locally and constraints we face in that response in a rural county. • The status of the Lakeport Police and Lake Family Resource Center Crisis Responder Program. • A community call to action. • A survey to receive public feedback.
Officials urge community members to attend this important meeting.
For more information, follow the event on Facebook.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors is set to discuss a response letter to the state over its approval of a syringe exchange program that officials argue did not offer full consideration to county and city agencies.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 22, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting ID is 961 9237 3616, pass code 578015. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,96192373616#,,,,*578015#.
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 item timed for 9:15 a.m., the board will consider a request to the California Department of Public Health, or CDPH, to reconsider state approval of Any Positive Change’s application to provide syringe services in Lake County.
The board also will discuss other options in response to the letter and direction to staff.
In a letter to county officials dated Aug. 3, Marisa Ramos, Ph.D., the chief of CDPH’s Office of AIDS, wrote: “After the HIV outbreak in rural Scott County, Indiana, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted an assessment of counties throughout the country to assess their risk for significant increases in hepatitis infections or an HIV outbreak due to injection drug use. Lake County was one of two counties in California identified as being at risk for an outbreak of HIV among people who use drugs. According to data from CDPH’s assessment from 2018, Lake County rated as having a high level of vulnerability to a rapid increase in fatal opioid overdose and a high level of vulnerability to a rapid increase in HIV or viral hepatitis infection related to injection drug use. As shown in the most current Lake County data which was provided to you at the beginning of the consultation process, Lake County is still very much at risk.”
Ramos continued, “CDPH/Office of AIDS has determined that Lake County is at risk for rapid spread of HIV, viral hepatitis, or other blood-borne diseases and that the Any Positive Change meets the state requirements to address this public health need.”
For that reason, as of Aug. 3, Ramos said her office was authorizing Any Positive Change to provide mobile services on Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m. in front of Lake County Behavioral Health Services at 6302 13th Ave. in Lucerne and on Thursdays from 2 to 5 p.m. on Orchard Street off Highway 53 in Lower Lake.
In addition, Ramos said, “Any Positive Change is authorized to provide home delivery and pick-up, countywide, on Mondays from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Home delivery and pick-up includes services to individuals in private residences as well as tents, recreational vehicles, and other non-traditional forms of housing occupied by program participants. Services to unhoused individuals is an essential part of providing services to people with substance use disorder.”
The proposed response letter the board will consider raises concerns about the public not knowing they had a comment period and that there was lack of meaningful consultation with local law enforcement and Public Health, despite the concerns those agencies voiced.
The letter asks CDPH for reconsideration on the decision so that the county and cities may conclude the memorandum of understanding process with Any Positive Change.
It said that CDPH does not need to permit a syringe exchange program in Lake County because one already exists.
“However, our communities expect local leaders to think of the impacts these services may have in our community balanced with the needs to reduce the spread of infectious diseases. It is important that this remain a locally controlled program and not controlled by the state,” the draft letter said.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Approve concession agreement for coffee kiosk services by and between the county of Lake and MIX Lakeport LLC in the amount of $200 per month and authorize the chair to sign.
5.2: (a) Approve partnership agreement between the county of Lake, the Lake County Risk Reduction Authority Joint Powers Authority (RRA), and the Lake County Resource Conservation District (RCD) for the planning for an equitable climate safe lake project, and authorize chair to sign; (b) approve grant agreement between the county of Lake and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research for work performed under the Adaptation Planning Grant Program, and authorize county administrative officer or designee to act as grant signatories; (c) approve agreement between the county of Lake and the RRA for Services under the Adaptation Planning Grant Program not to exceed $52,083 and authorize the chair to sign; and (d) approve agreement between the county of Lake and the RCD for Services under the Adaptation Planning Grant Program not to exceed $161,183 and authorize the chair to sign.
5.3: (a) Approve the purchase of an animal control box in the amount of $30,776.15 and (b) authorize the Animal Care and Control director or his designee to issue a purchase order.
5.4: Adopt resolution authorizing the standard agreement between the county of Lake and the Department of Health Care Services for drug Medi-Cal services for the period of July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2027, and authorizing the Behavioral Health director to sign the standard agreement and the contractor certification clause.
5.5: Approve agreement between county of Lake and Community Behavioral Health for Specialty Mental Health Services for fiscal years 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 in the amount of $600,000.00 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.6: Approve the continuation of the proclamation declaring a shelter crisis urgency due to the current need for sheltering for those experiencing homelessness during the weather and temperature patterns that the county of lake has been experiencing.
5.7: Approve continuation of proclamation declaring a Clear Lake hitch emergency.
5.8: Approve continuation of proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to pervasive tree mortality.
5.9: Approve continuation of an emergency declaration for drought conditions.
5.10: Approve continuation of a local emergency by the Lake County Sheriff/OES director for the January 2023 Atmospheric River Event.
5.11: Approve continuation of proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to low elevation snow and extreme cold.
5.12: Approve Board of Supervisors minutes for Aug. 15, 2023.
5.13: Approve amendment one to engagement letter for investigative services between the county of Lake and Van Dermyden Makus Law Corp.
5.14: Sitting as the Lake County Sanitation District Board of Directors, authorize Special Districts administrator/assistant purchasing agent to issue a purchase order not to exceed $320,000.00 to Giuffre Bros. Cranes, Inc. for the purchase of a Manitex 1970C Crane Truck.
5.15: (a) Waive the competitive bid process per Section 2-38.4, Cooperative Purchases, of the County Code and (b) approve purchase orders for the purchase of three (3) vehicles for Special Districts and authorize the Special Districts administrator/assistant purchasing agent to sign the purchase orders.
5.16: Sitting as the Board of Directors for the Lake County Watershed Protection District, a) approve the purchase and sale agreement with Christine Reck for property within the Middle Creek Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Project and b) authorize the chair of the board of directors to sign the purchase and sale agreement.
5.17: Sitting as the Board of Directors for the Lake County Watershed Protection District, a) Approve the purchase and sale agreement with Gregory Michael Narvaez for properties within the Middle Creek Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Project and b) authorize the chair of the board of directors to sign the purchase and sale agreement.
5.18: Sitting as the Board of Directors for the Lake County Watershed Protection District, a) approve purchase and sale agreement with Linda Ruth Chandler for property within the Middle Creek Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Project and authorize the chair of the board of directors to sign the purchase and sale agreement; and B) approve the Well House easement deed and authorize the chair of the board of directors to sign the Well House easement deed.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:07 a.m.: Pet of the Week.
6.3, 9:08 a.m.: New and noteworthy at the Library.
6.4, 9:15 a.m.: a) Consideration of letter requesting California Department of Public Health reconsider state approval of Any Positive Change’s application to provide syringe services in Lake County; and b) Discussion of other options in response to letter and direction to staff.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: a) Consideration of delegation to NACo; and b) consideration of delegation to North Coast Opportunities.
7.3: Consideration of appointment to the Buckingham Park Water District Board.
7.4: a) Consideration of approval to revision to (a) Personnel Rule 1503 — Sick Leave; and b) Consideration of approval to revision to Personnel Rule 1504 — Bereavement Leave; and c) Consideration of approval to revision to 14. Family and Medical Leave and California Family Rights Act; and d) Consideration of approval to new pregnancy disability leave policy.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: 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.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — In response to the recent wildfires that have ravaged the beautiful island of Maui, Wine in the Willows and the Lakeport Club of Rotary are proud to announce a special fundraising event aimed at providing support to those affected by the fires.
The Maui fire fundraiser will take place on Aug. 23, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Wine in the Willows venue, 125 Park St.
This event promises to be an evening of compassion, community and contribution. Guests are invited to come together in a show of solidarity to help those impacted by the Maui fires.
Event highlights include:
• Wine delights: Wine enthusiasts and supporters alike will have the opportunity to enjoy a selection of exquisite wines available for purchase by the glass or bottle. Savor the flavors and raise a glass to support a vital cause. • Charcuterie tray for donation: Indulge in a delectable charcuterie tray available for donation. Guests can enjoy an assortment of gourmet cheeses, cured meats, and artisanal accompaniments while making a meaningful contribution to the Maui Fire Fund. • Silent auction: Exciting bidding wars are on the horizon with a captivating silent auction featuring an array of unique items and experiences. From local wines to dinner for four, they will have something to inspire you. • Generosity in action: Wine in the Willows is committed to making a difference. With every donation and 20% of each purchase made during the event, the Maui Fire Fund will receive much-needed financial support to aid in recovery and relief efforts. • Hawaiian spirit: Attendees are encouraged to embrace the island vibes and show their support by wearing a Hawaiian shirt. Let's come together as a community and create a colorful tapestry of unity that will shine as bright as the Maui sun.
No RSVP required and the event is open to all.
This Maui Fire Fundraiser at Wine in the Willows is an opportunity for everyone to join hands and hearts in support of a community facing challenging times.
“Through collective efforts, we can make a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by the fires,” the organizers said.