LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — One year ago, the Lake County Symphony Association Youth Orchestra was practicing for its annual June concert when COVID-19 closed down all rehearsals.
At that time, no one realized that it would be more than a year until they would rehearse again.
Due to the COVID-19 protocols, the Youth Orchestra is unable, once again, to present a live concert in June.
The good news: There will be an exceptional virtual live concert to be aired Sunday, June 6, at 2 p.m., through the Soper Reese Theatre.
A special thanks goes to LCSA board president Camm Linden, and son, Slade Darren, for many hours spent filming and editing this project.
It was a lengthy process that began in late January, when the string section of the youth orchestra began practicing three pieces at home they had worked on last season.
By April 11 the young musicians were able to meet outdoors at the Kelseyville Presbyterian Church for a rehearsal; the following week all three pieces were filmed outside at the same location.
The conductor’s welcome and program notes, solos, scholarships and awards were filmed indoors at the Soper Reese Theatre.
Orchestral pieces included in the program are: “Take Five” by Paul Desmond, arranged by Bob Cerulli; “Folk Tune Air” by Alexander Safford, with solo by Rafael Contreras; and “Libertango,” by Astor Piazzolla, arranged by James Kazik.
Concertmaster Rafael Contreras performs Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto in A minor, Opus 3, No. 6, accompanied by Camm Linden on piano.
He concludes with three fiddle pieces- “Wizard’s Walk,” “Ook Pik Waltz,” and “El Cumbanchero” with guitar accompaniment by Camm Linden.
Maya Leonard and Nafisa Jamil, who normally play violin in the youth orchestra, are featured piano soloists in this concert.
Leonard performs “Phantom Rider” by William Gillock. Jamil performs “Menuet, BWV Anhang 116” by Johann Sebastian Bach.
High school graduating seniors Rafael Contreras and Samantha Carter will receive scholarships for ongoing college studies through the LCSA in conjunction with the Allegro Scholarship Program, and both are recognized for their nine years of membership in the Youth Orchestra.
Contreras will receive the prestigious College Scholarship award for playing in the Lake County Symphony.
Maya Leonard and Nafisa Jamil will receive Allegro Scholarships for continued study in piano.
This virtual concert is sponsored, in part, by the Lake County Wine Alliance, Allegro Scholarship Program and Soper Reese Theatre.
The June 6 concert will be available on YouTube through the Soper Reese Theatre as a ticket donation event.
BERKELEY — Forests’ ability to survive and adapt to the disruptions wrought by climate change may depend, in part, on the eddies and swirls of global wind currents, suggests a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.
Unlike animals, the trees that make up our planet’s forests can’t uproot and find new terrain if conditions get tough. Instead, many trees produce seeds and pollen that are designed to be carried away by the wind, an adaptation that helps them colonize new territories and maximize how far they can spread their genes.
The new study compared global wind patterns with previously published genetic data of nearly 100 tree and shrub species collected from forests around the world, finding significant correlations between wind speed and direction and genetic diversity throughout our planet’s forests.
The findings are the first to show that wind may not only influence the spread of an individual tree or species’ genes, but it can also help shape genetic diversity and direct the flow of gene variants across entire forests and landscapes.
Understanding how genetic variants move throughout a species range will become increasingly important as climate change alters the conditions of local habitats, the researchers say.
“How trees move and how plants move, in general, is a big area of uncertainty in plant ecology because it's hard to study plant movements directly — they happen as a result small, rare movements of seeds and pollen,” said study lead author Matthew Kling, a postdoctoral researcher in integrative biology at UC Berkeley. “However, to predict how species distributions, and plant ecology, in general, will respond to climate change, we need to understand how these species are going to be able to move long distances to track the movement of natural resources and climate conditions over time.”
While animals, birds and insects can also disperse pollen and seeds, wind’s strong directionality makes it particularly important for understanding how different tree species will respond to climate change, said study senior author David Ackerly, a professor and dean of UC Berkeley’s Rausser College of Natural Resources.
“As the world warms, many plants and animals will need to move to places with suitable habitat in the future to survive,” Ackerly said. “Wind dispersal has a particularly interesting connection to climate change because wind can either push the genes or organisms in the right direction, toward more suitable habitat, or in the opposite direction. It may be the only terrestrial dispersal vector that can be aligned with or against the direction of climate change.”
Any way the wind blows
Despite the fickle nature of daily weather conditions, large-scale global wind patterns are largely determined by Earth’s shape, rotation and the locations of the continents, and are believed to be relatively stable over millennial timescales. These wind patterns are not likely to be dramatically altered by climate change, Kling said.
To examine whether these global prevailing winds have shaped the genetic diversity of modern-day forests, Kling compared current planetary wind models — compiled from 30 years of global wind data — with genetic data from 72 publications covering 97 tree and shrub species and 1,940 plant populations worldwide.
Kling’s analysis revealed three key ways that global wind patterns are shaping forests’ genetic diversity.
First, tree populations that are connected by stronger wind currents tend to be more genetically similar than tree populations that are not as connected.
Second, tree populations that are more downwind, or farther in the direction that the wind blows, tend to have more genetic diversity in general.
Finally, genetic variants are more likely to disperse in the direction of the wind.
Though these patterns can only be statistically validated by looking at many populations of trees throughout the world, they can sometimes be evident when examining the genetic diversity of a single tree species across its habitat range, Kling said.
For example, the island scrub oak, or Quercus pacifica, is native to the Channel Islands in Southern California, where prevailing winds tend to blow to the southeast.
Kling’s analysis showed that scrub oak populations on islands that are connected by higher wind speeds are more genetically similar to each other.
Genetic variants also appear to have dispersed more frequently to the islands in the southward and eastward directions than the reverse, leading to greater genetic diversity to the south and east.
Kling hopes that recognizing these patterns will help conservationists and ecologists better understand how well tree and plant species in different regions of the globe will adapt to a warming world.
“Populations in different portions of a species range have evolved over time to be well-adapted to the climate in that specific part of the range, and as climate changes, they can become out of sync with those conditions,” Kling said. “Understanding how quickly genetic variants from elsewhere in the species range can get where they are needed is important for understanding how quickly the species will respond to climate change, and how vulnerable, versus resilient, a given population might be.”
This research was supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.
Kara Manke writes for the UC Berkeley News Center.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The Culinary Arts/Baking & Pastry Program at Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College is hosting its open house enrollment event, Culinary Round-Up, for anyone interested in pursuing a career in the culinary industry.
The Culinary Round-Up at the college will be on Tuesday, May 25, from 3 to 6 p.m., and will offer in-person tours of the state-of-the-art teaching kitchen lab.
Chef instructors will be available for questions with food samplings in this open house enrollment ice breaker event.
This is a historical time for the hospitality, culinary and tourism industries, which are in need of staffing.
There has never been such a great demand for the services they offer and need to fill the long-vacated positions due to the pandemic.
Great opportunities are rapidly developing in these sectors granting anyone a variety of careers to pursue from hospitality to kitchen management.
Culinary students at the college can earn a Certificate of Achievement in Culinary Arts and Baking in addition to a Culinary Arts Associates in Arts Degree.
Bring a guest, grab a bite and have a culinary tour at the campus located at 15880 Dam Road Extension in Clearlake.
Anyone interested in this event is encouraged to come.
Please RSVP by contacting the Culinary Arts Department at 707-995-4175 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Provence, a region in southern France, burst onto the radar screens of many Americans thanks to “A Year in Provence,” a 1989 bestseller by Peter Mayle.
Mayle and his wife, then 50-somethings from Britain, moved into a 200-year-old farmhouse in the Lubéron to experience rural life in the French style.
The result is a series of essays that whimsically portray life in a French village where the tempo is governed by the seasons of the Rhône Valley.
In addition to rural villages and swaths of countryside planted with lavender (the likes of which are painted by artists such as Cezanne), Provence includes the Côte D’Azur, also known as the French Riviera, and its cities, the most famous of which include Nice, Cannes, and Saint-Tropez.
The French Alps form the eastern border of Provence, and the Pyrenees are along its western edge.
The people of Provence speak with a strong regional dialect. The traditional language of the region is Provençal, a language of southern Europe that’s closer to Spanish and Catalan than the French spoken in Paris.
In the eastern part of the region, towards Nice and the Italian border, local dialects and culture mirror Italy more than they do the rest of France.
Long before the first Republic of France was formed in 1792, Greeks from the ancient city of Phocaea established a port city on the Mediterranean in 600 B.C., which they named Massilia. That city is now known as Marseilles (which happens to be the original home of bouillabaisse, a classic seafood stew made famous in the region).
What is now Provence was eventually ruled by the Romans, who claimed the area in southern France between the Alps and the Pyrenees as the first Roman province west of the Alps.
Their common monikers for the region were Provincia Nostra (meaning our province), Provincia Romana, or just plain Provincia. This eventually became La Provence, as it’s now known in today’s modern French.
Well preserved classical remains of Roman culture can be seen throughout the region, particularly in the Rhône Valley, such as the intact amphitheater in Arles still in use today.
Going back further, the coast of Provence has some of the earliest known sites of human habitation in Europe, with primitive stone tools dating back to well over a million years ago discovered there.
Olive trees, dry rocky coastline studded with stunted pines, vineyards, and villages are emblematic of large stretches of the Mediterranean coastline in Provence, similar to what’s found in other countries along this sea.
Other things found in Provence (some of which may surprise you) are bull fighting, flamingos, French cowboys, salt flats tinted from pastel pink to fuchsia, and the Verdon Gorges, Europe’s smaller but still spectacular version of the Grand Canyon.
It’s said that the light is special in Provence. Since the 19th century, renowned artists like Picasso, Matisse and Chagall have chosen to live and paint there because of it. Van Gogh painted Starry Night over the Rhône River in Provence.
Like much of the Mediterranean region, Provence is home to fields of wine grapes and is especially known for its rosé varieties. While wine is beloved there, pastis, a liqueur flavored with anise, is considered the traditional drink of Provence.
The region has a mild climate (like California, Provence is home to warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters), and this allows for the enjoyment of fresh meats, fish, fruits and vegetables throughout the year.
The cuisine is also influenced by other culinary cultures along the Mediterranean Sea, particularly Italy and, to a lesser degree, Spain.
This isn’t surprising, considering that the three pillars of Provençal cuisine, which are olive oil, tomatoes and garlic, are woven into the dishes of the region. When food is said to be served “a la Provençale,” meaning in the style of Provence, it typically indicates that these three food pillars are components of the dishes presented.
The city of Nice was initially part of Italy, and when it became part of France in 1860, other Italian favorites were incorporated into Provençal cuisine, such as polenta, fresh pasta, and pistou, which is the Provençal version of pesto.
Ratatouille, a Provençal vegetable stew, can include a variety of summer vegetables, like eggplant, tomato, zucchini, bell peppers, onions, and garlic. In a traditional preparation, the vegetables are cooked separately to maintain the integrity of their flavor and texture, then combined. Photo by Esther Oertel.
As an example of Italian influence, soupe au pistou is similar to minestrone, full of vegetables, legumes, pasta, tomatoes and herbs, and finished with pistou.
The traditional French version of pistou sauce has just four ingredients - basil, garlic, olive oil, and salt – and is made with mortar and pestle. More modern versions may include Parmesan cheese.
As you may have guessed, the biggest difference between pistou and pesto is that pesto contains pine nuts.
Interestingly, pistou is not a modern French word; rather, it’s from Occitan, a French dialect, and means “pounded,” a reference to its traditional preparation.
The olive oil that’s prevalent in foods such as pistou was introduced to the region when the Greeks established the ancient version of Marseilles in 600 B.C.
With the Mediterranean coastline on its southern border, Provence has a seafood-dense cuisine. In addition to all kinds of local fish, shellfish such as shrimp, mussels, clams, and langoustines (spiny lobsters) are eaten in abundance.
Bouillabaisse, a seafood stew in a saffron-infused tomato broth, is comprised of these gifts of the sea. Traditionally made with at least three types of Mediterranean-caught fish in addition to the shellfish, it’s often served with baguette slices spread with aioli, another Provençal specialty.
Ground anchovies flavor sauces and salad dressings, and tuna, sardines and mullet are popular main courses.
Other traditional proteins include rabbit, veal and escargot.
In addition to the three pillars, foods are enhanced with fresh herbs like parsley, oregano, fennel, basil and rosemary. Other flavorful ingredients include Niçoise olives, capers, shallots and leeks.
Nutmeg, mace, almonds and lemons flavor desserts, and saffron is used in stews, sauces, and egg dishes like omelets and quiches.
Peppers, mushrooms, artichokes, potatoes, beans, Swiss chard, and squashes are common vegetables used in cuisine, and fruits and nuts include citrus, melons, apricots, peaches, cherries, quinces, figs, pine nuts, and hazelnuts.
Other local ingredients often incorporated in cuisine are chickpeas, lentils, goat cheese and truffles.
Ratatouille is a classic Provençal stew made from a variety of vegetables – eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, onions and garlic – all cooked in olive oil.
What makes ratatouille truly special is that each vegetable is cooked separately to preserve the integrity of its flavor and texture, then combined. The traditional method is to use a sauté pan; however, the vegetables can also be roasted. Some recipes call for layering the vegetables for a one-pan bake.
Salad niçoise originated in Nice and is a layered entrée with crisp greens, tomatoes, boiled potatoes, haricots vert (small, tender green beans) dressed with a vinaigrette dressing and topped with hard-boiled eggs and a seared tuna steak.
Other Provençal specialties include aioli, an egg-based emulsion flavored with garlic and olive oil, and tapenade, a spread made with olives and olive oil, often flavored with anchovies.
“Herbes de Provence” refers to marketed blends of herbs used in Provençal cooking and can contain any combination of thyme, rosemary, marjoram, chervil, fennel, oregano, basil, tarragon, lovage, savory, sage, and bay leaf.
The term gained attention in the 1960s through a Julia Child recipe published in “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” Poulet Sauté aux Herbes de Provence (Sauteed Chicken with Provence Herbs in English) used just three Provençal herbs: a teaspoon of thyme or savory, a teaspoon of basil and a quarter teaspoon of ground fennel.
A trend was born, and in the 1970s French companies began bottling their versions of herb blends representing Provençal flavors. Most have quite a few more herbs than Julia Child’s more edited offering.
Some say lavender is the soul of Provence; however, these blends typically don’t include it unless marketed in North America. In Provence lavender is used in cuisine but in sweet offerings like ice cream, crème brûlée, and infused teas and honeys.
Today’s recipe is a white bean stew in the style of Provence which can be made with dry or canned beans. And though I’ve offered it in the past, also included is my olive tapenade recipe (sans anchovies). Enjoy!
The three pillars of Provençal cuisine are olive oil, tomatoes and garlic. Photo by Esther Oertel.
White Beans Provençal
1 16-ounce bag dried Great Northern beans 1 ½ quarts vegetable or chicken stock, homemade, or commercial packaged broth 1 tablespoon kosher salt ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 2 yellow onions, chopped 2 – 3 carrots, diced 2 large stalks celery, strings removed and diced 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained 3 – 4 garlic cloves, minced ¼ cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish ¼ cup chopped celery leaves (optional) 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme 2 – 3 lemon wedges (optional) Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Soak beans overnight in a bowl with water to generously cover the beans.
Drain the beans and place in a large pot with the stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the beans are tender (but not mushy). Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Drain beans, reserving the stock they were cooked in.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes until tender.
Add the parsley, celery leaves (if using), garlic, rosemary, and thyme and cook for another 1 – 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the beans, tomatoes, and 1 cup of the cooking stock. Cook for 15 minutes, until the stock creates a sauce. Add more stock as needed.
Taste and add a squeeze or two of lemon as needed to balance the flavor.
Serve garnished with the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and extra chopped parsley.
Serve with baguette slices if desired.
Note: This can be made with canned white beans instead of dried beans for a quicker preparation.
Tapenade
1 cup high-quality black and green olives, any combination 1 tablespoon capers 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon lemon juice Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Coarsely chop olives in food processor fitted with steel blade; add remaining ingredients and pulse to combine. Be careful not to over-process, as tapenade should not be smooth.
If stored in tightly covered container, tapenade should keep for up to a month in the fridge. Add some extra virgin olive oil to moisten when needed before serving.
Tapenade can be serviced with crackers or baguette slices spread. For a treat, spread crackers or baguette slices with a mild goat cheese first.
Esther Oertel is a writer and passionate home cook from a family of chefs. She grew up in a restaurant, where she began creating recipes from a young age. She’s taught culinary classes in a variety of venues in Lake County and previously wrote “The Veggie Girl” column for Lake County News. Most recently she’s taught culinary classes at Sur La Table in Santa Rosa. She lives in Middletown, California.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has more dogs this week, including shepherds, terriers and huskies.
Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Belgian Malinois, chihuahua, corgi, dachshund, German Shepherd, husky, pit bull, Rottweiler and Scottish Terrier.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control website not listed are still “on hold”).
“Abigail” is a young female pit bull terrier in kennel No. 19, ID No. 14552. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Abigail’
“Abigail” is a young female pit bull terrier with a short tan and white coat.
She is in kennel No. 19, ID No. 14552.
This young male Belgian Malinois is in kennel No. 20, ID No. 14521. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male Belgian Malinois
This young male Belgian Malinois has a short black and tan coat.
He is in kennel No. 20, ID No. 14521.
This male Chihuahua-Dachshund mix is in kennel No. 21, ID No. 14553. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Chihuahua-Dachshund mix
This male Chihuahua-Dachshund mix has a short tan and white coat.
He is in kennel No. 21, ID No. 14553.
This female pit bull terrier is in kennel No. 22, ID No. 14486. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female pit bull terrier
This female pit bull terrier has a short blue and white coat.
She is in kennel No. 22, ID No. 14486.
This male corgi-shepherd mix is in kennel No. 23, ID No. 14561. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Corgi-shepherd mix
This male corgi-shepherd mix has a short brown and brindle coat.
He is in kennel No. 23, ID No. 14561.
This female pit bull terrier is in kennel No. 24, ID No. 14536. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female pit bull terrier
This female pit bull terrier has a short black and white coat.
She is in kennel No. 24, ID No. 14536.
“Ella” is a female German Shepherd in kennel No. 25, ID No. 14510. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Ella’
“Ella” is a female German Shepherd with a medium-length tan coat.
She is in kennel No. 25, ID No. 14510.
This female pit bull terrier is in kennel No. 26, ID No. 14550. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female pit bull terrier
This female pit bull terrier has a short red and white coat.
She is in kennel No. 26, ID No. 14550.
This female Rottweiler-pit bull mix is in kennel No. 27, ID No. 14551. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Rottweiler-pit bull mix
This female Rottweiler-pit bull mix has a short black coat.
She has been spayed.
She is in kennel No. 27, ID No. 14551.
“Brutus” is a male pit bull terrier in kennel No. 28, ID No. 14507. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Brutus’
“Brutus” is a male pit bull terrier with a short gray and white coat.
He is in kennel No. 28, ID No. 14507.
“Apollo” is a male husky mix in kennel No. 31, ID No. 14569. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Apollo’
“Apollo” is a male husky mix with a medium-length red and white coat and blue eyes.
He is in kennel No. 31, ID No. 14569.
“Ghost” is as male husky mix in kennel No. 32, ID No. 14563. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Ghost’
“Ghost” is as male husky mix with a white coat and blue eyes.
He has been neutered.
He’s in kennel No. 32, ID No. 14563.
“Bonnie Blue” is a female Scottish Terrier in kennel No. 34, ID No. 14560. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Bonnie Blue’
“Bonnie Blue” is a female Scottish Terrier with a long tan coat.
She is in kennel No. 34, ID No. 14560.
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.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday presented his $100 billion California Comeback Plan, the biggest economic recovery package in California history.
The governor’s plan outlines comprehensive strategies and major investments in key areas so that California can come roaring back from the pandemic.
The California Comeback Plan has one goal: hit fast forward on our state’s recovery by directly confronting California’s most stubborn challenges:
— Providing immediate relief for those hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic; — Confronting the homelessness and housing affordability crisis; — Transforming public schools into gateways for opportunity; — Building infrastructure for the next century; — Combating wildfires and tackling climate change.
“Every Californian has been impacted by this pandemic, and the sacrifices we’ve all made this past year have resulted in a historic surplus — I’m here to announce that we’re investing it in you,” said Gov. Newsom. “California’s economic recovery will leave nobody behind, that's why we’re implementing the nation’s largest state tax rebate and small business relief programs in history, on top of unprecedented investments we’re making to address California’s most persistent challenges. This is a jump-start for our local economies, and it’s how we’ll bring California roaring back.”
The California Comeback Plan outlines comprehensive strategies and major investments in the following five areas of focus.
Immediate relief for California’s families and small businesses
Two out of every three Californians to get Golden State Stimulus checks: The plan will create the biggest state tax rebate in American history, including an additional $8.1 billion in stimulus checks — for a total of nearly $12 billion — that will go directly to middle class Californians and families. Nearly two-thirds of Californians will now qualify for a stimulus check of $600. Qualified families with dependents, including families without resident status, will be eligible for an additional $500.
Largest small businesses relief program in the nation: The pan invests an additional $1.5 billion for a total of $4 billion in direct grants to California’s small businesses — on top of a massive $6.2 billion tax cut — putting more money directly into the pockets of hundreds of thousands of small business owners and helping them re-hire workers displaced by the pandemic.
Largest statewide renter assistance package in the country: Under Gov. Newsom’s Plan, California will offer the strongest renter assistance package of any state in America. The plan will provide a total of $5.2 billion to help low-income renters pay 100 percent of their back-rent, and all of their rent for several months into the future. The plan also includes $2 billion for past-due utility bills and more money than ever for tenant legal assistance.
Creating opportunity for Californians who lost their jobs: The plan provides $1 billion in new grants to workers who lost their jobs during the pandemic, giving California’s workforce critically-needed opportunities to earn and learn, go back to school, or start their own business. It also includes Universal Basic Income pilot programs.
Confronting homelessness and the housing affordability crisis
Confronting homelessness at historic levels: The governor’s plan will invest $12 billion to tackle the homelessness crisis, helping more than 65,000 people get off the streets or avoid homelessness altogether. The plan reaches the most vulnerable by rebuilding the behavioral health housing system that has been dismantled over decades. It also comes with new accountability measures to ensure local governments are spending the money effectively.
Ending family homelessness: Under the governor’s plan, California will seek to achieve functional zero on family homelessness within five years through a new $3.5 billion investment in homeless prevention, rental support through CalWORKs and new housing opportunities for people at risk of homelessness.
46,000 new homeless housing units — the biggest increase in California history: The California Comeback Plan includes massive expansions of Homekey — California’s groundbreaking national model for homeless housing. The package will unlock more than 46,000 new homeless housing units, including nearly 5,000 new affordable homes for people at risk of or exiting homelessness.
Encampment strategy: The California Comeback Plan includes targeted programs and grants to local governments to move people out of unsafe, unhealthy encampments and into safer, more stable housing.
Clean California’s streets: The governor’s plan calls for partnering with local governments to clean litter, commission public art and revitalize downtowns, freeways and neighborhoods across California.
More funding for new affordable housing than ever before: The California Comeback Plan tackles housing affordability head-on: it will put $3.5 billion into building more affordable housing for low-income families and create homeownership opportunities to help restore the California Dream.
Transforming public schools into gateways for opportunity
Transforming schools into gateways to opportunity: Under the governor’s plan, public schools in low-income neighborhoods can fundamentally transform into the kind of complete campus every parent would want for their child — with before- and after-school instruction, sports and arts, personalized tutoring, nurses and counselors and nutrition — paired with new preventative behavioral health services for every kid in California.
Finally achieve universal Pre-K: Under the governor’s plan, California will finally achieve universal pre-school, providing high-quality, free transitional kindergarten to all four-year-olds in California. The California Comeback Plan also adds 100,000 child care slots to support caregivers.
3.7 million kids get college savings accounts: The California Comeback Plan creates child savings accounts for 3.7 million low-income children in public school for higher education or to start their own business, making college more attainable than ever before.
Drive down costs of college attendance: The governor’s plan will make college more affordable and accessible than ever before by driving down the cost of attendance, including drastically cutting the cost of student housing and working to reduce the cost of textbooks.
Building the infrastructure of the next century
Broadband for all: Taking on the digital divide, Gov. Newsom’s plan advances the state’s work toward universal broadband with a $7 billion investment to expand broadband infrastructure and to increase access and achieve affordability. The plan will help build out a statewide middle mile network for improved access in underserved regions, including rural areas, and allows local governments and Tribes to access last mile funding, which connects broadband to the home.
Creating a modern transportation system: The California Comeback Plan includes a $11 billion investment to build a modernized and sustainable transportation system for the next century — roads, bridges, high-speed rail, ports and public transportation, including projects for the 2028 Olympics.
Combating wildfires and tackling climate change
Doing more than ever before to fight and combat wildfires: Governor Newsom’s Plan will make the single largest investment in wildfire preparedness in our state’s history — $2 billion in emergency preparedness investments. It includes purchasing new firefighting equipment like airplanes and helicopters, as well as investments in land and forest management projects that save lives.
Nation-leading climate action: California is leading the nation in tackling climate change head-on, including a $3.2 billion package to accelerate California’s zero-emission vehicle goals, leading to cleaner air for future generations. It also includes a $1.3 billion investment to prepare for extreme heat, sea level rise and environmental justice priorities like oil well capping, toxic site clean-up and pollution control.
Drought response: Climate change is making droughts more common and more severe. The California Comeback Plan invests $5.1 billion in drought support, water supply and natural landscape projects around the state as well as an additional $1 billion in direct aid for Californians who have past-due water bills.
Building a 22nd century electric grid: Amid record-breaking temperatures driven by climate change, California’s electricity grid will continue to be stressed more and more every year. The California Comeback Plan will help the state build a cleaner, resilient and reliable 22nd century electric grid.
The California Comeback Plan expands our recovery efforts to reach more people, with bigger benefits. It will extend the Golden State Stimulus to middle class families, creating the biggest state tax rebate in American history. It also creates the largest small business relief package in the nation, prioritizing the state’s recovery efforts and giving money directly back to California’s small businesses.
Fueled by a resurgent economy, a surge in state revenues and additional federal recovery funds, the $75.7 billion surplus reflected in the California Comeback Plan stands in stark contrast to the $54.3 billion budget shortfall estimated just 12 months ago.
Gov. Newsom’s California Comeback Plan seizes this once-in-a-lifetime moment to address long-standing challenges by taking on threats to our state’s future and ensuring every California family — regardless of their race or zip code — can thrive.
Additional details on the Governor’s Plan can be found at www.ebudget.ca.gov .
Lake County’s legislators respond to plan
Lake County’s members of the California Legislature both responded to the governor’s May revise budget plan on Friday.
“We are living in unprecedented times — coming out of a worldwide pandemic that has impacted our most vulnerable communities the hardest. And, California is coming back stronger than ever before. We’re bringing forward bold and innovative solutions to California’s biggest challenges,” said Sen. Mike McGuire.
“The Golden State has witnessed record devastation wrought by the worst wildfire seasons in history over the past decade. Today’s proposed budget reflects desperately needed funding on fire prevention and response, helping to keep millions of Californians safe. This budget includes a $1.24 billion investment, building on past years’ funding, in forest health, fire response and making our communities more fire safe,” he said.
“Our state is also taking action to combat the homelessness crisis with a $12 billion housing and services plan. Rural California has some of the highest rates of homelessness in the state. It’s unacceptable. So far this year, hundreds of additional permanent housing units were funded by the state and have been permanently secured in the North Bay and North Coast this year. Over 6,000 units were secured across the Golden State. And we will build an additional 46,000 permanent and supportive housing units for homeless residents starting in the second half of 2021 through 2022.
“And we all know that none of these investments matter if we don’t massively increase funding for our public schools, prioritizing our students and teachers which means we’re prioritizing our future. This proposed budget includes $20 billion to transform our public schools with new investments in after school programs, student mental and physical health, enrichment programs, universal meals and universal Transitional Kindergarten. This is how we change lives and build a more equitable California.
“And, we’re paying down debt. Making billions in payments to reduce our pension liability and lowering future expenses for California taxpayers.
“Now, I look forward to working to get this deal done and across the finish line in the coming few weeks,” McGuire said.
Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry celebrated the governor’s historic commitment to internet connectivity with a $7 bill investment in broadband and Clear Lake.
Under the broadband proposal, existing Caltrans networks will be leveraged to build open-access broadband infrastructure as roads and underground utilities are constructed. This will maximize funds and ensure a quick and efficient deployment of modern, durable, high-speed internet infrastructure.
Funds will also be made available to assist local governments and tribes building their own broadband infrastructure, and to help increase access to high quality broadband service in rural areas.
Aguiar-Curry’s AB 14 Internet for All Act lays the policy framework for the governor’s proposal to connect all Californians and expand eligibility to local and tribal governments.
“This is truly an historic day for our State and a bold proposal to address the gap in access to reliable and affordable internet for all Californians,” said Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters). “People across our state, especially in small towns and rural areas like those in my district, have struggled to take advantage of the digital economy. The pandemic has made painfully obvious that a lack of connectivity prevents access to equitable opportunities for our people — education and job training, telehealth, small businesses’ expanding to online consumers. I want to thank the Governor for his incredible commitment to connecting California, and so many of my colleagues who joined me in this yearslong mission, including Senator Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg), to make the dream of Internet for All a reality.”
Aguiar-Curry also announced the governor’s renewed commitment to research on and revitalization of Clear Lake through the Blue Ribbon Committee established by her AB 707.
From left, Scarlet bugler, Penstemon centranthifolius; photo by Karen Sullivan. At right, Foothill penstemon, penstemon heterophyllus; photo by Kim Riley. LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — When spring begins to wane, the penstemon party kicks into high-gear with saturated colors ranging from lilac to blue to indigo to scarlet red waving on tall stalks inviting everyone to come and join in the party — you, me, hummingbirds, bees — everyone is invited to the penstemon party!
Commonly called “beardtongues” for the long and hairy tongue-like stamen located in the middle of lip-shaped flowers, there are 111 species native to California, with 14 species of penstemon in Lake County alone according to CalFlora.
These nectar-rich flowers are a favorite of bees, butterflies, moths, flies, and hummingbirds and make great additions to your garden and yard as they have a long blooming season.
Purdy's foothill penstemon, Penstemon heterophyllus var. Purdyi. Photo by Terre Logsdon.
Known as a “pioneer plant,” penstemon are among the first wildflowers to repopulate land that has been disturbed such as clearing to create gardens, roadside grading, erosion-exposed soils after flooding, and after wildfires which help make it ideal for planting in your own gardens here in Lake County.
Once the locally-adapted and drought tolerant native varieties have been established in your gardens/yard, penstemon will happily come back year after year if you allow the flowers to go to seed after they are done blooming.
Terre Logsdon is an environmentalist, certified master composter, and advocate for agroecology solutions to farming. An avid fan and protector of California wildflowers, plants, natural resources, and the environment, she seeks collaborative solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change. Kim Riley is retired, an avid hiker at Highland Springs, and has lived in Lake County since 1985. After 15 years of trail recovery and maintenance on the Highland Springs trails, she is now focused on native plants, including a native plant and pollinator garden on her property as well as promoting and preserving the beauty of the Highland Springs Recreation Area. Karen Sullivan has operated two nurseries to propagate and cultivate native plants and wildflowers, has lived in Kelseyville for the past 30 years, rides horses far and wide to see as many flowers as possible, and offers native plants and wildflowers for sale to the public. You can check her nursery stock here. They are collaborating on a book, Highland Springs Recreation Area: A Field Guide, which will be published in the future. In the meanwhile, please visit https://www.facebook.com/HighlandSpringsNaturalists and https://www.facebook.com/HighlandSpringsRecreationArea.
Foothill Penstemon, Penstemon Heterophyllus. Photos by Kim Riley.
Foothill Penstemon, Penstemon Heterophyllus. Photo by Kim Riley.
A new video gives viewers the sensation of standing on the Red Planet and seeing the action firsthand.
When NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter took to the Martian skies on its third flight on April 25, the agency’s Perseverance rover was there to capture the historic moment.
Now NASA engineers have rendered the flight in 3D, lending dramatic depth to the flight as the helicopter ascends, hovers, then zooms laterally off-screen before returning for a pinpoint landing.
Seeing the sequence is a bit like standing on the Martian surface next to Perseverance and watching the flight firsthand.
Located on the rover’s mast, or “head,” the zoomable dual-camera Mastcam-Z imager provided the view. Along with producing images that enable the public to follow the rover’s daily discoveries, the cameras provide key data to help engineers navigate and scientists choose interesting rocks to study.
Justin Maki, an imaging scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, led the team that stitched the images into a video. The frames of the video were reprojected to optimize viewing in an anaglyph, or an image seen in 3D when viewed with color-filtered glasses (you can create your own 3D glasses in a few minutes).
Maki’s been creating 3D imaging of Mars since his days as a graduate student processing images from NASA’s Sojourner, the first Mars rover in 1997. But this is the first time he’s created actual 3D video of an aircraft flying on Mars.
“The Mastcam-Z video capability was inherited from the Mars Science Laboratory MARDI (MArs Descent Imager) camera,” Maki said. “To be reusing this capability on a new mission by acquiring 3D video of a helicopter flying above the surface of Mars is just spectacular.” The videos of the helicopter are the most extensive 3D video yet from the Mastcam-Z team.
The rover’s drivers and robotic-arm operators use a more sophisticated 3D system to understand exactly how things are positioned on Mars before planning the rover’s movements.
But, according to Maki, team members have also been viewing still 3D images for rover-drive planning.
“A helicopter flying on Mars opens a new era for Mars exploration. It’s a great demonstration of a new technology for exploration,” he added. “With each flight we open up more possibilities.”
The April 25 flight brought with it several other firsts, with Ingenuity rising 16 feet, then flying downrange 164 feet. That was a record until Ingenuity traveled 873 feet on its fourth flight, on April 30.
For its fifth flight, on May 7, Ingenuity completed its first one-way trip, traveling 423 feet, then reaching an altitude of 33 feet above its new landing field.
The flights began as a technology demonstration intended to prove that powered, controlled flight on Mars is possible. Now they will serve as an operations demonstration, exploring how aerial scouting and other functions could benefit future exploration of Mars.
More about Perseverance
Arizona State University in Tempe leads the operations of the Mastcam-Z instrument, working in collaboration with Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego.
A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust).
Subsequent NASA missions, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.
The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.
JPL, which is managed for NASA by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.
An important question now arises: What happens if we don’t reach herd immunity? Dr. William Petri is a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Virginia who helps lead the global program to achieve herd immunity for polio as the chair of the World Health Organization’s Polio Research Committee. He answers questions here about herd immunity and COVID-19.
What is herd immunity?
Herd immunity occurs when there are enough immune people in a population that new infections stop. It means that enough people have achieved immunity to disrupt person-to-person transmission in the community, thereby protecting nonimmune people.
Immunity can result from either vaccination or prior infection. Herd immunity may exist globally, as it does with smallpox, or in a country or region. For example, the U.S. and many other countries have achieved herd immunity for polio and measles, even though global herd immunity does not yet exist.
Has herd immunity been achieved globally for other infections?
This has happened only once on a global scale, with the eradication of smallpox in 1980. This was after a decadelong worldwide intensive vaccination campaign.
We also are also approaching global herd immunity for polio. When the Global Polio Eradication Initiative was formed in 1988 there were 125 countries with endemic polio and over 300,000 children paralyzed annually. Today, after 33 years of immunization campaigns, Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only countries with wild polio virus, with only two cases of paralysis due to wild poliovirus this year. So herd immunity can be achieved worldwide, but only through extraordinary efforts with global collaboration.
Dr. Anthony Fauci explains herd immunity at a hearing before Congress.
It seems as though the goal posts for herd immunity keep changing. Why?
Experts estimate that between 60% and 90% of the U.S. population would need to be immune for there to be herd immunity. This wide range is because there are many moving parts that determine what is needed to achieve herd immunity.
Factors influencing whether the target is 60% or 90% include how well vaccination and prior infection prevent not only illness due to COVID-19, but also infection and transmission to others. Additional considerations include the heightened transmissibility of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 and the use of measures to interrupt transmission, including face masks and social distancing. Other important factors include the duration of immunity after vaccination or infection, and environmental factors such as seasonality, population sizes and density and heterogeneity within populations in immunity.
What is the biggest barrier to herd immunity in the U.S.?
Two factors could lead to failure to achieve high enough levels of immunity: not every adult receiving the vaccine because of “vaccine hesitancy” and the likely need to vaccinate adolescents and children. The FDA cleared the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents 12 to 15 years of age on May 10, 2021, so that could help. But an added barrier is the constant pressure of reintroduction of infection from other countries where vaccination is not as readily available as in the U.S.
Achieving herd immunity to the extent of totally blocking new infections is therefore, while a laudable goal, not easily achievable. I think that for COVID-19 at this time, it will be possible only with the concerted global effort over years, similar to what led to smallpox eradication.
Why are there ‘vaccine hesitant’ individuals?
People may be vaccine hesitant for several reasons, including lack of confidence in the vaccine, the inconvenience of receiving the vaccine, or complacency – that is, thinking that if they get COVID-19 it will not be severe.
Lack of confidence includes concerns for vaccine safety or skepticism about the health care providers and public health officials administering them. Complacency reflects a personal decision that vaccination is not a priority for that individual because she or he perceives that the infection is not serious or because of competing priorities for time. Convenience issues include the availability and complexity, such as having to get two doses.
Since herd immunity will not be reached, what will our lives look like?
At least into 2022 and likely for much longer, I do not expect there will be herd immunity for COVID-19. What there will be, probably by the end of this summer in the U.S., is a new normalcy. There will be far fewer cases and deaths due to COVID-19, and there will be a removal of social distancing and year-round masking, as evidenced by the CDC’s new guidelines issued May 13, 2021, that vaccinated people do not have to wear masks in most places.
But there will be a seasonality to coronavirus infections. That means there will be less in the summer and more in the winter. We’ll also see outbreaks in regions and population subgroups that lack adequate immunity, short-lived lockdowns of cities or regions, new and more transmissible variants and a likely requirement for vaccine booster shots. We cannot let down on the research and development of treatments and new vaccines, as studies show that COVID-19 is here to stay.
Dr. Debbie-Ann Shirley is an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Virginia specializing in pediatric infectious diseases. Here she addresses some of the concerns parents may have about their teen or preteen getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
1. Does the vaccine work in adolescents?
Yes, recently released data from Pfizer-BioNTech shows that the COVID-19 vaccine seems to work really well in this age group. The COVID-19 vaccine was found to be 100% efficacious in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in an ongoing clinical trial of children in the U.S. aged 12 to 15. Adolescents made high levels of antibody in response to the vaccine, and their immune response was just as strong as what has been seen in older teens and young adults 16-25 years of age.
2. How do I know whether the vaccine is safe for my child?
So far, the COVID-19 vaccine appears to be safe and well tolerated in adolescents. All of the COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. have undergone rigorous study, but we don’t want to assume that children are little adults. This is why it is so important to study these vaccines just as carefully in children before health authorities could recommend use. Ongoing studies will continue to follow vaccinated children closely and robust safety monitoring will help rapidly identify rare or unexpected concerns if they emerge.
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was found to be 100% efficacious in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in children ages 12 to 15 years.valentinrussanov/Getty Images
3. I thought children were low-risk – do they still need to get the vaccine?
Currently, children represent nearly one-quarter of all new reported weekly COVID-19 cases in the U.S. While serious illness from COVID-19 is rare in children, it does occur – thousands of children have been hospitalized and at least 351 children have died from COVID-19 in the U.S. Some children who get seriously ill from COVID-19 may have underlying health conditions, but not all do. Vaccination will help protect children from developing serious illness.
Additionally, since adolescents can transmit COVID-19 to others, vaccinating children may prove to be an important part of safely getting back to normal activities of life, including attending school in person, participating in team sports and spending time with friends. A large survey of school-aged children showed that children in full or partial virtual school reported lower levels of physical activity, less in-person time socializing with friends and worse mental or emotional health compared with those receiving full in-person schooling. Children are experiencing unprecedented increases in indirect adverse health and educational consequences related to the pandemic, and we need to find ways to help them get quickly and safely back to normal life. Vaccination is one of them.
4. What side effects might I expect for my child?
Nonsevere side effects may be experienced following vaccination. The most commonly reported side effects have been pain and swelling at the injection site. Other common side effects include tiredness and headache. Similar to young adults, some adolescents have experienced fever, chills, muscle aches and joint pain, which may be more common after the second dose. These effects are short-lived, however, and most resolve within one to two days.
Some adolescents may faint when receiving an injection. If this is a concern for your child, let your vaccine administration site know ahead of time – your child can be given the vaccine while they’re seated or lying down to avoid injuries from falling.
Children represent nearly one-quarter of all new reported weekly COVID-19 cases in the U.S.Cavan Images/GettyImages
5. Have there been any severe reactions among children?
No serious adverse events related to vaccination were reported in the Pfizer-BioNTech clinical trial. Serious allergic reactions have rarely been reported in older people. Anyone with a known severe or immediate allergy to the vaccine or any component of the vaccine should not get the vaccine. If your child has a history of any severe allergic reactions or any type of immediate allergic reaction to a vaccine or injectable therapy, let the vaccine site administrator know so that your child can be monitored for at least 30 minutes after getting the vaccine.
Parents should talk to a trusted health care provider or allergist if they have specific questions about the possibility of an allergic reaction in their child.
6. When will a COVID-19 vaccine be authorized for children younger than 12 years?
COVID-19 vaccine makers have begun or are planning to begin testing COVID-19 vaccines in younger children. As more information becomes available, the authorized age recommendations may change. Children ages 2-11 years old could potentially be eligible as early as the end of this year.
7. If I’ve been vaccinated but my child hasn’t, could I still give the virus to them?
The COVID-19 vaccines do not contain live COVID-19 virus, so they cannot cause COVID-19. Rather, getting vaccinated will help protect both you and your children from COVID-19. Studies have shown that vaccinated pregnant and lactating mothers can pass protective immunity on to their young infants across the placenta and in breast milk – one more benefit of vaccination.
Though researchers are still learning how well the vaccine can help prevent spread, vaccination is still an important way to limit infecting people who are not yet eligible for the vaccine, like younger children.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s May budget revision released on Friday includes continued funding and support for rehabilitating Clear Lake.
Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry announced the governor’s renewed commitment to research on and revitalization of Clear Lake through the Blue Ribbon Committee established by her AB 707.
Newsom’s focus on climate change includes $371 million from the general fund to be used over two years “to facilitate groundwater recharge and capture of flood flows by repairing canals damaged by subsidence, support the state cost-share of critical federal urban flood risk reduction projects, and advance detailed, watershed-scale studies of likely climate effects to give local water managers better data for local decision-making, including rehabilitation strategies at Clear Lake,” the budget summary explained.
“Clear Lake is a beautiful and valuable natural resource in Northern California. The regional economy and the well-being of Lake County’s residents and wildlife depend on its health,” Aguiar-Curry said.
“Sec. Wade Crowfoot and the members of the committee have done amazing work during the past few years to propose several initiatives to rehabilitate the lake and lakeshore. The governor's commitment to the recommendations by our Blue Ribbon Committee and my request to the Assembly Budget Committee will usher in the next phase of research and projects,” Aguiar-Curry said.
In addition to continuing to generate data on lake quality and health, the funding will support projects to restore indigenous plant populations, provide fish passage, rehabilitate or remove dilapidated shoreline structures, and remove acres of invasive shoreline vegetation that prevent access to the lake, restrict water flows and provide breeding grounds for West Nile-carrying mosquitoes.
Members of the Blue Ribbon Committee were outlined in AB 707 and include significant participation from local officials, Lake County tribal nations, local experts and community members.
Aguiar-Curry represents the Fourth Assembly District, which includes all of Lake and Napa Counties, parts of Colusa, Solano and Sonoma counties, and all of Yolo County except West Sacramento.
Dennis Fordham. Courtesy photo. In California, administering a deceased person’s estate often requires a petition to the superior court in the proper county (venue).
Let us discuss how to determine the proper county and who has standing to file a petition.
We consider the petition for probate, the petition for succession to property in a small estate, the affidavit for real property in a small estate, and the petition regarding the administration of a decedent’s living trust.
In California, a petition to open probate of a deceased resident’s estate must be filed in the superior court of the county where a decedent was domiciled, regardless of where they died. A person is domiciled in the county where they usually reside, i.e., their permanent residence.
Thus, the place indicated on the decedent’s California death certificate as the decedent’s “usual residence” determines the proper venue (county).
If the decedent was not a California resident then the petition should be filed with the superior court in the county where the decedent’s property is situated.
A court order issued in a California probate does not apply to real property located outside California.
If a California resident dies owning real property outside of California, then the probate laws applicable in that state or country apply. Real estate located within the United States held in a living trust still avoids probate anywhere.
A petition for probate may be filed by any interested person at any time after the decedent’s death, including a creditor of the decedent’s estate.
A person who is named as executor in a decedent’s will has first priority (right) to be appointed as the personal representative of the decedent’s estate.
However, the right to be appointed personal representative may be held to be waived if the person does not file a petition for probate within 30 days of learning of the decedent’s death.
When a decedent dies with a small estate — i.e., the gross value of the decedent’s real and personal property in California is collectively under $166,250 — a small estate procedure can be utilized to transfer property.
If the gross value of all the decedent’s real property in California is under $55,425 then (six months after the death) the person, or persons, claiming to be the successor in interest to the decedent’s real property of small value can file an affidavit regarding real property in a small estate in the superior court of the county where the decedent was domiciled.
A certified copy of the court filed affidavit must then be filed with the County Recorder in the county where the decedent owned the real property (which may be a different county from the court).
If the decedent’s small estate includes real property in California exceeding $55,425 in total value then a petition to determine succession to real and personal property can be filed in the county where the decedent was domiciled at time of death.
Such a petition must be signed and filed by the person(s) claiming to succeed to the decedent’s interest(s) in real and personal property in California.
Unlike probate, a living trust is usually privately administered without court supervision. Sometimes, however, a court petition is still needed, such as, but not limited to the following situations: when a trustee needs to be appointed, the trustee needs instructions or the trustee needs to ascertain what assets belong to the trust.
A court petition concerning the administration of a trust can be filed either by the trustee or by a trust beneficiary. The proper county in which to file the trust petition is the county where the trustee resides or does business.
The foregoing discussion regarding proper venue and standing is not legal advice. Consult an attorney if confronting any of the foregoing issues.
Dennis A. Fordham, attorney, is a State Bar-Certified Specialist in estate planning, probate and trust law. His office is at 870 S. Main St., Lakeport, California. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and 707-263-3235.