LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A woman who was the driver in a crash that killed her passenger has been charged with vehicular manslaughter.
Patricia Martha Murphy, 31, with addresses in both Willits and Lucerne, was the driver in a crash late on the night of Jan. 16 that resulted in the death of 30-year-old Justin Dale of Lucerne.
Shortly before midnight Murphy, driving a 2012 Volkswagen, hit the rear of a parked Ram 550 work truck on westbound Highway 20 east of Lake Street in Lucerne.
Dale died of his injuries at the scene and Murphy was taken to Sutter Lakeside Hospital for treatment of minor injuries, authorities said.
California Highway Patrol officers arrested her shortly after the wreck as they suspected she was under the influence of alcohol.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchliff said he has charged Murphy with felony vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence and felony driving under the influence causing bodily injury.
She appeared in Lake County Superior Court on Tuesday for arraignment, with attorney Sterling Thayer appointed to represent her, Hinchcliff said.
Hinchcliff said she is being held without bail and her preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 16.
Deputy District Attorney Danny Flesch has been assigned to handle the case, Hinchcliff said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Education leaders across the U.S. are trying to figure out how to effectively teach students about the risks and warning signs of human trafficking, which includes being forced into domestic servitude, commercial labor or sex work.
According to 2019 data gathered by the Polaris Project – a nonprofit that fights human trafficking, including sex trafficking – 24% of survivors reported that they were first trafficked before they turned 18.
Childhood researchers suggest that children need a safe haven where they can go when confronted with fear and threats. They also need a secure base, a place where they feel secure to explore the world around them.
Many children have been exposed to trauma, such as neglect or abandonment; physical, sexual or psychological abuse; loss of a loved one; or refugee or war experiences. When these memories are triggered, children feel distressed and unsafe.
Triggers may include words, tone of voice, facial expressions, smells, feelings or postures that are embedded in a child’s mind. And some can cause unexpected reactions in seemingly regular situations. For instance, a child whose abusive parent used to eat oranges may be triggered by the smell of an orange, and this memory may became linked with the abusive experience in the child’s mind. Or a common nickname might have been used by an abuser and can be a trigger.
Often, these memories are not conscious ones, so the child may not understand why they feel distressed or overwhelmed, and yet they respond to the trigger as if they are facing a real threat.
Teachers often use touch and tone of voice to build connections with children. But many children who have experienced trauma are sensitive to touch and avoid it. Teachers who learn how to use touch in reassuring and affirming ways – such as an encouraging pat on the back, an occasional handshake, high-five or fist bump – can help build a sense of safety and security in the classroom, building trust with students and making them less likely to fall prey to traffickers.
Schools can play an important role in helping students learn about and protect themselves from human trafficking. With these five concepts in mind, school leaders will be better prepared to help keep kids safe.
Submit comments and questions in writing for commission consideration by sending them to Administrative Services Director/City Clerk Melissa Swanson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Identify the subject you wish to comment on in your email’s subject line.
The commission on Tuesday will hold two public hearings.
The first is to consider a conditional use permit and categorical exemption to allow alcoholic beverage sales — on-site consumption — in an existing established restaurant, Delicias Alvarez, located at 14094 Lakeshore Drive.
The second public hearing is for a conditional use permit and categorical exemption for the development of an automobile sales operation at 14585 Olympic Drive, Suite A.
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.
Amid the national surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon on Tuesday announced that they have reached an agreement on a framework to ensure employees continue to have access to COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave through Sept. 30, 2022.
In a joint statement, the group said: “California’s ability to take early budget action will protect workers and provide real relief to businesses reeling from this latest surge.
“Throughout this pandemic, we have come together to address the immediate impacts COVID-19 continues to have on millions of California families, both at home and at work.
“By extending sick leave to frontline workers with COVID and providing support for California businesses, we can help protect the health of our workforce, while also ensuring that businesses and our economy are able to thrive.
“We will continue to work to address additional needs of small businesses through the budget — they are the backbone of our communities and continue to be impacted by COVID-19.”
Early budget actions will also include restoring business tax credits, including research and development credits and net operating losses, that were limited during the COVID-19 Recession; tax relief for recipients of federal relief grants for restaurants and shuttered venues; and additional funding for the Small Business Covid-19 Relief Grant Program.
The framework includes significant funding to bolster testing capacity, accelerate vaccination and booster efforts, support frontline workers, strengthen the health care system and battle misinformation.
California’s community colleges generate $128.2 billion in economic activity, an amount equal to approximately 4.2% of California’s total gross state product, according to a new study that examined a wide range of factors such as payroll, job creation and alumni’s improved standard of living.
“This study validates the clear fact that California’s community colleges are an investment playing a critical role in driving the state’s economy and making a difference in millions of lives daily,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley.
He noted the report’s estimates that for every $1 invested in the community college system, students gain $5 in earnings, and taxpayers see a net benefit of $2 in added tax revenue stemming from students’ higher lifetime earnings and increased output by businesses.
The average community college graduate with an associate degree will see an increase in earnings of $11,100 annually, when compared to a person with a high school diploma or equivalent.
“Millions of former community college students have secured the education and workforce training needed to earn higher incomes and an improved standard of living while businesses in virtually every industry sector are becoming more profitable thanks to the skills obtained by community college alumni,” said Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges President Pamela Haynes.
Among the report’s highlights:
• The California Community Colleges, which include 73 districts and 116 colleges, is among the state’s largest employers with 91,328 full-time and part-time faculty and staff. • Payroll alone amounted to $8.5 billion, with colleges spending an additional $4.2 billion on day-to-day expenses. This initial round of spending creates more spending across other businesses throughout the state economy through what is commonly known as the multiplier effect. • The California Community Colleges supported nearly 1.5 million jobs – or one of every 16 jobs in the state – when combining the impact of payroll, operating expenses and construction costs with spending by students, faculty and staff. • The sum of the social benefits of California community colleges equal a present-day value of $265.9 billion when combining savings related to health, crime and income assistance ($3.3 billion) with students’ increased future income ($179 billion), added business income ($64.4 billion) and additional income from college activities ($19.2 billion).
The 101-page study produced by Emsi Burning Glass, titled The Economic Value of the California Community College System, incorporated an array of data including 2018-19 academic and financial reports from the college system, industry and employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census Bureau.
The economic modeling considers the added income created in the California economy as a result of increased consumer spending and the added knowledge, skills and abilities of students; and a variety of published materials relating education to social behavior.
The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving 1.8 million students per year.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has two adult cats and an older kitten waiting to be adopted this week.
Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online for information on visiting or adopting.
The following cats at the shelter have been cleared for adoption.
Female domestic shorthair
This 3-year-old female domestic shorthair cat has a calico coat and green eyes.
She is in cat room kennel No. 44, ID No. LCAC-A-2457.
‘Chowder’
“Chowder” is a 4-year-old female domestic shorthair cat with a calico coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 15, ID No. LCAC-A-982.
Male domestic shorthair
This young male domestic shorthair has a unique striped gray tabby coat.
He is in cat room kennel No. 53d, ID No. LCAC-A-2383.
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.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County’s unemployment rate dropped slightly in December, enough to reach its lowest level since the start of the pandemic.
The Employment Development Department’s latest report said Lake County’s December unemployment rate was 5.7%, down from a final adjusted rate of 5.9% in November and 8.8% in December 2020.
EDD records show that it’s the lowest jobless rate for Lake County since December 2019, when the county reported 5.5% unemployment.
The EDD said California’s overall rate for December was 6.5%, down from 7% in November and 9.3% in December 2020.
On the national level, unemployment in December reached 3.9%, down from 4.2% in December and 6.7% the previous December.
Lake County’s 5.7% rate ranked it No. 40 out of the state’s 58 counties.
Marin had the lowest unemployment rate in December at 2.7%, and the highest, 14.7%, was in Imperial County.
The state’s dashboard of unemployment claims showed Lake County residents filed 496 unemployment claims in December, up from 474 in November. In December 2020, 1,392 unemployment claims were filed in Lake County.
The state’s situation
California’s employers added 50,700 nonfarm payroll jobs to the economy, accounting for nearly 25.5% of the nation’s 199,000 overall jobs gain for the month. Payroll jobs totaling 16,892,300 in December 2021, up from 15,937,900 in December 2020.
The number of Californians employed in December was 17,836,800, an increase of 116,900 persons from November’s total of 17,719,900, and up 879,800 from the employment total in December 2020, the report said.
The EDD said the number of unemployed Californians was 1,238,000 in December, a decrease of 86,800 over the month and down 510,500 in comparison to December 2020.
Since February 2021, California has added 1,034,400 total nonfarm jobs, which averages out to be a gain of 94,036 jobs per month for that time period, the EDD said.
The report said California has seen a year-over record 6% in nonfarm jobs for 2021, which is the largest calendar year increase in the official series data going back to 1990.
The state has now regained 1,946,200, or nearly 72%, of the 2,714,800 jobs that were lost in March and April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ten of California’s 11 industry sectors gained jobs in December with leisure and hospitality (+15,000) leading the way due to significant gains in food services and drinking places.
Professional and business services (+12,000) has regained all of the jobs it lost during the pandemic-induced recession and had good month-over gains in professional, scientific and technical services with computer systems design and related services contributing strongly.
Month-over, no industry sectors lost jobs for the first time since March 2021, according to the report.
In related data that figures into the state’s unemployment rate, the EDD said there were 355,749 people certifying for Unemployment Insurance benefits during the December 2021 sample week. That compares to 434,676 people in November and 1,007,331 people in December 2020.
Concurrently, 49,071 initial claims were processed in the December 2021 sample week, which was a month-over decrease of 3,645 claims from November and a year-over decrease of 110,021 claims from December 2020.
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.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County superintendent of schools has called for a special June election to fill a Middletown Unified School District Board vacancy after a petition successfully challenged a longtime educator’s provisional appointment to the seat.
Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg said Monday that the Lake County Office of Education has determined that enough valid signatures were submitted by the registered voters of the Middletown Unified School District to require a special election to fill a board seat and to terminate the provisional appointment of Annette Lee.
Lee confirmed to Lake County News that Middletown Unified Superintendent Tim Gill called her Monday morning to tell her the petition had been successful and she was removed from the board.
Lee is the former executive dean of Woodland Community College’s Lake County Campus, a chief business official and holds a doctorate in educational administration. She graduated from district schools and her two children have attended school there as well.
She and Allison Berlogar were appointed to the board on Dec. 1 after the resignation of board members LaTrease Walker, who specifically cited her opposition to COVID-19 mandates, and Thad Owens, who did not give a reason for resigning. The terms for Walker’s and Owens’ seats expire in November, when they are due to go back on the ballot.
Lee was appointed to fill Walker’s seat and Berlogar Owens’ seat.
During the board’s Dec. 15 meeting, Lee had suggested alternative language to a proposed resolution against the state’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates for students and staff because she said she wanted it to be more inclusive of different points of view.
The resolution was held over until the board’s Jan. 18 meeting, during which it was approved in a 3-2 vote, with Larry Allen and Lee voting against it. Allen said at that time that the resolution would not change anything and that such mandates ultimately are not up to the district.
Lee’s proposed changes to that resolution appeared to have led to the challenge to her appointment.
She said no community members have come directly to her to raise any concerns about her appointment.
Under state Education Code, provisional appointments may be challenged with a sufficient number of signatures being submitted to the county superintendent of schools within 30 days of the date of the provisional appointment.
The petition was submitted to the Office of Education on Dec. 30. Proponents listed on the petition are Cobb resident LaTrease Walker, whose seat Lee was appointed to fill, and Hidden Valley Lake residents Austin Pullman and Charles Green.
The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office assisted the Office of Education in validating the signatures.
A requirement of 1.5% of the 6,129 voters registered in the district’s last election was necessary to trigger the special election. That means that 92 valid signatures were required for the petition to be successful.
With the petition being ruled successful, on Monday Falkenberg called a special election to be held on June 7, the same date as the statewide primary.
That means that Middletown Unified’s board will have a vacancy for nearly five months.
The original estimate for the special election to fill the seat was $50,000.
Registrar of Voters Maria Valadez said she derived that estimate based on the costs another school district incurred a few years ago in a special election. She said consolidating the special election with the primary could reduce the costs to Middletown Unified by a half or a third.
On Monday, Falkenberg submitted a packet to the Lake County Board of Supervisors that included his resolution calling the special election on June 7 and requesting the Registrar of Voters Office furnish all election services necessary for the election.
Falkenberg’s resolution estimates that conducting the special election on the date of the primary could save Middletown Unified up to $25,000.
“I will use the full authority of my office to reduce the cost of the special election for the Middletown Unified School District. Any savings can then be used in the classroom to serve our students,” Falkenberg said in a written statement issued by his office.
Valadez said that Falkenberg’s request to her office must be approved by the Board of Supervisors. It’s expected the board will take up that request in the next few weeks.
She said the filing period for candidates for Middletown Unified’s seat would be the same as for other offices coming up for election in June.
Declaration of candidacy forms would need to be filed with Valadez’s office between Feb. 14 and March 11, according to the resolution.
If there are no qualified candidates, filling the seat would again be up to the Middletown Unified board, the resolution explains.
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.
Grant Ferguson, University of Saskatchewan and Jennifer C. McIntosh, University of Arizona
Outside of the world’s oceans, groundwater is one of the largest stores of water on Earth. While it might appear that the planet is covered in vast lakes and river systems, they make up only 0.01 per cent of the Earth’s water. In fact, we now know there is 100 times as much groundwater on this planet as there is freshwater on its surface.
Groundwater is the water contained beneath the Earth’s surface. It’s stored in the tiny cracks found within rock and the spaces between soil particles. It can extend deep into the subsurface, at least as much as 10 kilometres.
As groundwater researchers, we’re interested in how governments and industries might use these extensive groundwater reservoirs, such as for storing liquid waste and carbon dioxide. But groundwater may also have environmental functions that have not yet been revealed — this body of water remains hidden, with very few windows available for us to explore it.
One of Earth’s largest stores of water
While scientists have known for at least five decades that groundwater makes up a large fraction of the world’s water, estimated volumes of groundwater had focused on the upper two kilometres of the Earth’s crust.
A recent analysis that looked 10 kilometres beneath the surface found that the true volume is likely twice as large. These new estimates mean that groundwater is the largest continental reservoir of water — even more than all the water contained in the continental ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland, which were long thought to be the Earth’s second-largest stores of water.
Previous groundwater estimates arrived at lower volumes because they only considered groundwaters at shallower depths. But permeable rocks are found down to at least 10 kilometres below the Earth’s surface and can hold water in cracks and pores. While these spaces only account for a small volume of the rock mass, they add up to nearly 44 million cubic kilometres of water in the upper 10 kilometres of rock, enough to fill more than 10,000 Grand Canyons.
The circulation of this deep groundwater is controlled by the forces that drive flow, such as topography, and the permeability of the rock. For example, rainwater and snowmelt circulate more deeply in mountainous areas than flatter regions. Groundwater can flow at speeds of metres per year in sandstones and limestones, or nanometres per year in intact igneous and metamorphic rocks, due to extreme variations in the permeability of different rocks.
Environmental functions of deep groundwater
All of this has helped contribute to the treatment of deeper groundwater as being separate from shallow groundwater resources. For example, oil and gas producing regions often only protect groundwater to a certain depth, without consideration of the strength of the connections between shallow and deep groundwaters.
Deep groundwaters may only be weakly connected to the rest of the hydrologic cycle but this does not mean they are unimportant to the functioning of our planet. Microbes have been found in most subsurface environments with temperatures below 80 C, typical for depths of three to four kilometres. This subsurface life likely accounts for more than 10 per cent of the Earth’s total biomass, and yet the links between deep groundwater circulation and subsurface life are largely unexplored at this time.
There’s clearly still much to learn about deep groundwater. Our windows into the deep subsurface are limited to deep mines, oil and gas wells and a handful of research sites.
New approaches are required to understand deep groundwater, its environmental functions and interactions with the rest of the hydrologic cycle over deep time, both in the past and into the future.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Students at two county high schools are preparing to square off once again in the Lake County Mock Trial.
The event will take place on Friday, Feb. 11, at the Lake County Courthouse in Lakeport.
This is the 10th annual event, which will see Upper Lake and Middletown once again competing for the honor of going to the 41st annual state competition in Los Angeles.
Dana Adams of the Lake County Office of Education said last year’s event was virtual and was hosted at the Napa courthouse.
This year it will return to the Lake County Courthouse in Lakeport.
The students will argue the fictional case of People v. Cobey, which is the trial of Jamie Cobey, a horticulturist living in the community of Burnsley, California, a semirural town in the high desert.
The case brief said Cobey is charged with the homicide of Cobey’s landlord and next-door neighbor, Erik Smith, with prosecutors alleging that Cobey placed a rattlesnake in Smith’s mailbox.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors this week will consider approving the sale of more than 900 tax-defaulted properties across the county.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting ID is 969 1025 0667, pass code 665289. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,96910250667#,,,,*665289#.
All interested members of the public that do not have internet access or a Mediacom cable subscription are encouraged to call 669-900-6833, and enter the Zoom meeting ID and pass code information above.
In an untimed item, the board will consider a resolution authorizing the board chair to approve and direct the tax collector to sell, at public auction via the internet, approximately 942 tax-defaulted properties.
It’s a much larger sale than in years past, with minimum bids on all of the properties totaling $7,870,400, according to the resolution from Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen.
Also on Tuesday, at 9:06 a.m., the board will get a COVID-19 update from Public Health.
At 9:40 a.m., the board will receive a follow-up presentation by Sonoma Clean Power Chief Executive Officer Geof Syphers on a geothermal opportunity zone, or GeoZone, and consider a resolution establishing county membership in the Sonoma Lake Mendocino Opportunity Zone.
In another untimed item, the board will consider a policy to waive the fingerprint rolling fee normally charged for applicants for Livescan fingerprint checks when the purpose of the Livescan is to satisfy the requirements to participate in youth service organizations serving the youth of Lake County.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Adopt resolution appointing Katherine Vanderwall as agricultural commissioner and sealer of weights and measures for a four-year term effective Feb. 12, 2022.
5.2: Approve revisions to the smartphone stipend policy.
5.3: a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to the Lake County Code Section 38.2, as agreement is tied to current 3-Year Mental Health Services Act Plan; and b) Consideration of the Agreement between the county of Lake and Resource Development Associates for the Community Planning Program Process and former Innovations project for Fiscal Years 2021-23 for a contract maximum of $112,350 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.
5.4: a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to the Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and b) consideration of agreement between New Life Health Authority dba New Life LLC for substance use disorder outpatient drug free services, intensive outpatient treatment services, and narcotic treatment program services for fiscal year 2021-22, not to exceed $400,000 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.5: Approve agreement between county of Lake and Adventist Health St. Helena and Vallejo for acute inpatient psychiatric hospital services and professional services associated with acute inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations for fiscal years 2021-22 and 2022-23 for a maximum compensation of $300,000 and authorize the chair to sign.
5.6: Approve Amendment No. 1 to the agreement between county of Lake and Lake County Office of Education for the Mental Health Student Services Act Grant Program-based specialty mental health services for fiscal year 2021-26 at no additional cost, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.7: (a) Adopt Resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors authorizing acceptance of the county of Lake noncompetitive allocation award under the No Place Like Home Program; and (b) adopt resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors authorizing acceptance of the county of Lake competitive allocation award under the No Place Like Home Program.
5.8: Approve Board of Supervisors meeting minutes for Dec. 21, 2021.
5.9: Approve lease for commercial property located at 858 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport, from Feb. 1, 2022, through Feb. 28, 2023, at $2,100 per month and authorize the chair to sign.
5.10: Approve memorandum of understanding between the county of Lake and the Kelseyville Unified School District for the period of Feb. 1, 2022, through June 30, 2022, to provide a school resource officer to Kelseyville Unified in the amount of $43,000 for the first prorated fiscal year and an automatic renewal for one additional fiscal year in the amount of $86,000 and authorize the chair to sign.
5.11: Approve agreement between the county of Lake and the Lake County Office of Education for probation family services, for the period of Feb. 1, 2022, through June 30, 2022, for an amount not to exceed $75,000 and authorize the chair to sign.
5.12: Approve late travel claim for Deputy Matt McCabe in the amount of $1,026 for K-9 training held in Ontario, California, and authorize the auditor to pay.
5.13: a) Approve Gun Violence Reduction Program grant award in the amount of $277,373; and (b) authorize the sheriff and chairman to sign the memorandum of understanding with the California Department of Justice.
5.14: a) Approve Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases detection and mitigation of COVID-19 in confinement facilities funding through the American Rescue Plan Act and b) authorize the chairman of the Board of Supervisors to sign the acknowledgment letter.
5.15: Approve first amendment to the contract with Prentice Long for public authority labor negotiations in the amount of $30,000 per year, from Feb. 1, 2021, to Jan. 31, 2024, and authorize the chair to sign.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:06 a.m.: Consideration of update on COVID-19.
6.3, 9:40 a.m.: (a) Consideration of a follow-up presentation by Sonoma Clean Power Chief Executive Officer Geof Syphers on a geothermal opportunity zone, or GeoZone; (b) consideration of a resolution establishing county membership in the Sonoma Lake Mendocino Opportunity Zone.
6.4, 9:45 a.m.: Public hearing (continued from Jan. 11), consideration of resolution regarding vacating a roadway known as Dillard Avenue.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of resolution requesting state cannabis cultivation tax reform.
7.3: Consideration of suspension of CPI tax rate increase for cannabis taxes.
7.4: Consideration of changes to the Board of Supervisors annual calendar for 2022.
7.5: Consideration of the following advisory board appointments: Lake County Vector Control, Lake County/City Areawide Planning Council and Lake County Child Care Planning.
7.6: Consideration of a policy to waive the fingerprint rolling fee normally charged for applicants for Livescan fingerprint checks when the purpose of the Livescan is to satisfy the requirements to participate in youth service organizations serving the youth of Lake County.
7.7: (a) Consideration of the purchase of communications equipment to be installed at various repeater sites in the amount of $283,000; and (b) authorize the sheriff or his designee to issue a purchase order to Dailey Wells Communications.
7.8: Consideration of resolution authorizing the chairman of the board to approve and direct the tax collector to sell, at public auction via internet, tax defaulted property which is subject to the power to sell in accordance with Chapter 7 of part 6 of Division 1, of the California Revenue and Taxation Code and approving sales below minimum price in specified cases.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Conference with Legal Counsel: Existing Litigation pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9(d) (1): Center for Biological Diversity, et al. v. County of Lake.
8.2: Conference with legal counsel: Decision whether to initiate litigation pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9(d) (4) — 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.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced the awarding of more than $11.8 million in Indian Community Development Block Grant-American Rescue Plan funds to 11 Native American tribes in California, including two in Lake County.
Part of $83 million in grants to 74 tribal communities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the third round of Indian Community Development Block Grant-American Rescue Plan, or ICDBG-ARP awards, underscoring the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to delivering equitable COVID-19 relief to Tribal communities.
In Lake County, two tribes have received awards.
The Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians will receive $1,035,000, which will be used to construct a facility that will provide medical services to families impacted by COVID-19.
The Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians will receive $1,034,500 to construct a facility to provide medical services for families impacted by COVID-19 and to construct a tiny home.
Elsewhere around the region, the Pinoleville Pomo will receive $1,035,000 to purchase a modular unit to house medical services, the Round Valley Indian Housing Authority will use its $1,725,000 grant to renovate homes and to develop a food bank and the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria will receive $1,017,979 which it will use to acquire an existing apartment complex to address the housing shortage and acquire a mobile kitchen and a mobile quarantine unit.
HUD said these funds to tribes will help protect the health and safety of their communities, particularly low- and moderate-income individuals and families, by expanding access to safe housing, a suitable living environment, and economic opportunities.
“It is imperative that we continue providing Tribal communities with resources needed to protect the health and safety of their communities,” said HUD Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman. “With the funding HUD is awarding today, we remain diligent in continuing our mission to ensure that every person has the security of a healthy home and community. HUD will continue to strengthen partnerships with Tribal communities to ensure that all communities receive equitable relief.”
The announcement follows HUD’s previous awards of $74 million in ICDBG-ARP grants to 68 Tribal communities in November and $52 million in ICDBG-ARP grants to 49 tribal communities in December.
The American Rescue Plan included a total of $280 million for the Indian Community Development Block Grant program; HUD will announce additional ICDBG-ARP awards on a rolling basis.
The Department and the Biden-Harris Administration have made delivering equitable COVID-19 relief to tribal communities a priority. The American Rescue Plan Act provides a total of $750 million in HUD resources to Indian Country to support the continued fight against COVID-19.
In 2021, HUD made a historic $450 million investment in Indian Housing Block Grants to Indian tribes across the country to respond to COVID-19. The department also invested $5 million in COVID-19 relief for Native Hawaiians.