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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A Clearlake woman who authorities said shot her boyfriend to death in July has been ordered to stand trial in the case.

Dominique Irene Molina-Dominguez, 33, appeared for a preliminary hearing before Judge Andrew Blum on Oct. 2.

The District Attorney’s Office has charged Molina-Dominguez with first-degree murder and three special allegations for the shooting death on July 10 of 38-year-old DeAndre Grinner.

Authorities believe the killing was premeditated, and that Molina-Dominguez waited for Grinner at their Clearlake home, where she shot him to death.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Rich Watson said there was testimony during the preliminary hearing that Grinner was texting or on the phone with another female the morning of the murder.

Watson said there also was testimony that Molina-Dominguez became aware of the communication and engaged in an argument with Grinner, which escalated to the shooting.

Molina-Dominguez told officers that she was a victim of domestic violence and had been hit by Grinner with a broom just before the shooting, Watson said.

At the end of the hearing, Blum held Molina-Dominguez to answer on the charges.

Molina-Dominguez has remained in custody on $1 million bail since her arrest a short time after Grinner’s shooting.

She is due for a bail review hearing, again before Judge Blum, on Tuesday afternoon.

Molina-Dominguez will be back in court on Oct. 22 for arraignment.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Cal Fire said it has arrested a Clearlake man on suspicion of arson in connection to two recent fires in Lake County.

The agency said its law enforcement officers arrested 41-year-old Donald Shawn Anderson at noon on Friday.

Anderson was taken into custody in Clearlake and booked into the Lake County Jail on four felony charges of arson in relation to two fires, Cal Fire said.

Specifically, Cal Fire said Anderson was arrested on two felony counts of arson of a structure or forest land and two counts of arson during a state of emergency in relation to fires set on Sept. 22 off Seigler Canyon Road west of Lower Lake, and on Oct. 2 off New Long Valley Road in Clearlake Oaks.

The fire in Seigler Canyon burned 0.98 acres and the one off New Long Valley Road burned 0.01 acres, Cal Fire reported.

Authorities said Anderson has been previously arrested on arson charges by Cal Fire.

In January 2004, he received a 212-month sentence after being convicted of arson charges, Cal Fire said.

On Monday, Anderson remained in custody, with bail set at $50,000.

Cal Fire urgest community members to stay alert and report suspicious behavior to help keep the community safe.

To report emergencies like fires or suspicious activity, call Cal Fire’s secure arson hotline at 1-800-468-4408.
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Toni and Phil Scully were the grand marshals of the 30th annual Kelseyville Pear Festival parade. Courtesy photo.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — For three decades, the last weekend of September has been a time of celebration for Kelseyville's farming industry, in particular, its famed pears.

On Saturday, Sept. 28, downtown Kelseyville buzzed with excitement as over 180 vendors came together with tens of thousands of residents and visitors to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Kelseyville Pear Festival.

Food purveyors, local farmers, artists and community organizations filled up sides of the Main Street, with live band music blasting through the day.

Since its launch in 1993, the Kelseyville Pear Festival has grown into a cherished annual tradition for local residents and incoming tourists. It has endured through wildfires and economic challenges, with just one brief pause in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.

Tracing back to its first launch in 1993, “We were not just celebrating the pear; we were celebrating our agricultural history of this big valley. It’s also about the Kelseyville community pride,” said Marilyn Holdenried, who chaired the pear festival for 23 years until 2015 when she retired.

“I always had a big white tent. We rented it and covered that whole parking lot, but it got too expensive to rent,” Holdenried said, recalling the old days holding the festival outside the Westamerica Bank. Now, she was delighted to see these bright colored umbrellas: “I think it’s charming and colorful.”

Alvaro Gonzalez and his family at the Kelseyville Pear Festival on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. Photo by Lingzi Chen/Lake County News.

‘Small towns, big families’

“Probably my favorite part of the festival is still the parade,” Holdenried said of the event’s unique showcase of the pride in community and agriculture during a phone call with Lake County News.

“The children, the adults, the floats, the carts, the tractors …” Holdenried said in a delighted tone. “I probably love the children the most.”

But she couldn’t leave out her other favorite.

“I love the tractors being a farmer’s wife,” she said, laughing. “I always felt like those tractors belonged in the parade, and now especially with the women drivers, it’s just so fun.”

This year Toni and Phil Scully of Scully Packing Co., Lake County’s only remaining pear packing company, sat on an antique tractor in the parade as the appointed grand marshals for the first time.

They moved their young family to Lake County in 1974 and started the company 10 years after that.

Now, Scully Packing ships 40% of California’s Bartlett pears going into the fresh market, according to Toni Scully.

Elijah Watkins of Kelseyville High School shows his winning pear pie eating technique in his quest to win the pie eating contest and claim the prize for the high school Booster Club. Photo by Lingzi Chen/Lake County News.

This year’s festival also was 7-year-old Adrian Rojas’ first time taking part in the parade together with his siblings Mila and Mira.

Their grandmother, Julie Tibbetts, a former Kelseyville resident, has been coming to the pear festival every year since 2004, even after she moved to Sonoma County in 2011, except for last year when the family had a death.

This year, Tibbetts was joined with her two daughters, a son-in-law and three grandchildren. For the day, they watched the parade and shopped with the local merchants.

“And now we’re gonna listen to some of the local talents that we’ve been hearing for years since they were kids,” Tibbetts said, sitting with the family under a big red umbrella at the Westamerica Bank parking lot.

Elijah Watkins after his pie eating contest win during the 30th annual Kelseyville Pear Festival on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. Photo by Lingzi Chen/Lake County News.

What she loved the most about the festival is “the small town community,” Tibbetts said with a smile.

Alvaro Gonzalez with his family of five came out from their home on Second Street to join the festive crowd as early as 8:30 a.m.

They had breakfast at the fire department. “We do that every year,” Gonzalez said of the family tradition.

It’s hard for Gonzalez to pick a favorite part of the event: The kids were in the parade. The church sold really good tamales and the Lions club oysters and beer. “It’s really nice for the community.”

As the interview went on, Gonzalez was constantly stopped by longtime friends who went to Kelseyville High School with him decades back, all with their own families. “Small towns, big families!” they shouted and laughed.

Homemade souvenirs at the 30th annual Kelseyville Pear Festival on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. Photo by Lingzi Chen/Lake County News.

Eat up the pies

At noon, the pear pie eating competition kicked off under the hottest sunlight of the day. Twelve contestants, each representing a nonprofit, were getting ready to compete for the shortest time to eat up a freshly-made pear pie.

Organizer Trista Fossa, a Realtor with NextHome who’s also substitute teaching at Kelseyville High, said she would donate $250 to the winning nonprofit.

After intense wrestling with the pies, Elijah Watkins of Kelseyville High School won the crown and the donation for his school’s Boosters Club.

Watkins’ strategy to win involved starving.

“I didn’t eat last night,” he disclosed to another contestant before the race started. And he flexed his biceps to the audience to show his strength and determination while his varsity football teammates cheered by the huge trailer donated by Lauenroth Trucking that served as a stage for the competition.

Use of hands was prohibited by the rules, so Watkins immediately pressed his face into the pie when the game started. Soon he stood up while he kept eating off the pie, as if that would speed up the process.

“I really don’t like cinnamon, so I almost threw up,” he told Lake County News after the competition. But the will to win prevented that from happening — “I looked around the trophy and I was like, I want that,” he said. “I got it.”

After all, he won the beautifully designed pear-shape trophy.

Fossa has known Watkins since he was little. “He's a super sweet kid,” Fossa said. “I told him this is a returning trophy. You have to bring it back next year.”

Will Watkins win again? “Hopefully. Stay tuned,” Fossa said and laughed. “It’s just a fun event to get people together and it’s a conversation starter for sure.”

An early Kelseyville Pear Festival Parade entry. Courtesy photo.

Pears, more pears!

By 1:40 p.m. almost all official souvenirs specially designed for the 30th anniversary at the “Pearaphernalia” booth had been picked away. Aprons and women’s T-shirts were completely sold out; only four men’s T-shirts and a few caps were left, said Kathy Windrem, a volunteer at the booth.

Although Windrem had only volunteered for recent years, she had been a loyal attendee for decades as a Keylseville native. She wore a pair of pear-shaped earrings that sparkled under the sun.

“I’ve come every year and my earrings are from maybe 20 years ago,” Windrem said with a proud smile, showcasing the vintage earrings she bought at one of the old pear festivals.

Kelly Moe of Kelly’s Designs makes and sells her own art. This was her third year coming into the festival as a vendor with her craft in all forms from plushes, purses to earrings.

Moe started out four years ago at The Mercantile before the farmer’s market and then ventured out at some of the “bigger shows” such as the Blackberry Festival. “I try to stay local,” she said.

“I was disabled, and so I started making earrings just for myself, and then you know, it escalated,” Moe said and laughed, adding that she was expecting to come back next year again at the same spot.

Steve Robinson with his mini horses, Biscuits and Gravy, at the 30th annual Kelseyville Pear Festival on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. Photo by Lingzi Chen/Lake County News.

Animal friends

Not only children and adults, but donkeys and horses also took their part. Steve Robinson walked along the street with his two miniature horses, Biscuits and Gravy, and was constantly stopped by visitors who wanted to pet the two and take photos.

Robinson said the two little horses were pulling a wagon with him and another four people on it for the parade. “It’s nothing for these guys; they can pull five times their weight,” said Robinson.

Whitney Braito of Whitney’s Ranch Care went a step further with a makeover of herself as Princess Fiona from the Shrek movies, wandering the streets with her best donkey friend who’s 23 years old and a horse friend who’s 25.

“Both of these guys have been rescued,” Braito said. “They both came to me needing dietary corrections and rubber hoof trimming.”

Braito said she was going to send them back and come out again, since she was going to remove the makeup and “be a human.”

“When the donkey goes, the costume goes,” Braito said.

“Oh well, did we dream of it lasting 30 years?” Holdenried repeated the question that was asked of her in the phone call as she recollected memories of starting the festival at the very beginning.

“Probably not,” she said with a joyful chuckle.

Email Lingzi Chen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — The Middletown Area Town Hall, or MATH, will meet this week to discuss transportation, the upcoming general election and board nominations.

MATH will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, in the Middletown Community Meeting Room/Library at 21256 Washington St., Middletown. The meeting is open to the public.

Zoom will not be available. Viewers can participate via PEG TV at www.youtube.com/LakeCountyPegTV.

On the agenda is a presentation by Danny Wind focused on “safe, healthy and sustainable transportation routes and the use of informational technology, innovation and data to be more efficient, sustainable and solve problems.”

Under correspondence, MATH members will get a reminder about Measure U, the countywide advisory ballot measure in November regarding the proposed name change for the community of Kelseyville.

MATH Board nominations also will open at this month’s meeting, and continue at the meetings in November and December.

Candidates nominated must be a registered voter in Lake County; must have attended at least three meetings in the year prior to the election, and must reside within the South Lake County Fire Protection District boundaries as defined in MATH Bylaws.

MATH — established by resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12, 2006 — is a municipal advisory council serving the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley (including Hidden Valley Lake), Long Valley and Middletown.

For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Firefighters continued to make progress on the Glenhaven fire on Sunday.

Cal Fire said the fire remained at 417 acres by Sunday night, with containment up to 43%.

The fire began on Friday morning in the area of Highway 20 and Glenhaven Drive near Clearlake Oaks.

Cal Fire said ongoing damage assessment has revealed two residential structures have been destroyed and one additional single-family residence was damaged.

Assigned resources include 285 personnel, 24 engines, nine water tenders, two dozers and 10 hand crews, Cal Fire reported.

All evacuation orders have been downgraded at this point. Evacuation warnings remain in place for the following zones: GLE-E072, GLE-E094-A, GLE-E094-B, CLO-E073, CLO-E082, CLO-E098, CLO-E099, CLO-E102 and CLO-E106.

Information on evacuation zones can be found here.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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A map of the Glenhaven fire. Courtesy of Cal Fire.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Firefighters limited a fire burning on the Northshore to little new growth while raising the containment on it on Saturday.

The Glenhaven fire began on Friday at Hillcrest and Henderson drives near Glenhaven before moving toward Clearlake Oaks, endangering homes and leading to the evacuations of thousands of residents.

The fire burned 403 acres and two structures by Friday night, when containment was 10%.

By Saturday morning, the fire had grown to 417 acres, a number which firefighters held it to during the course of the day. By Saturday night, containment had risen to 30%.

Also on Saturday evening, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the last of the mandatory evacuation orders had been reduced to warnings. Information about community evacuation zones is here.

The sheriff’s office urged community members who had been evacuated to return home with caution.

The agency offered the following guidelines:

Inspect property: Look for structural damage and check utilities.
Document damage: Take photos for insurance.
Dispose of contaminated items: Discard any unsafe food, water, or medications.
Ventilate your home: Air out any smoke or odors.
Be aware of wildlife: Stay alert for displaced animals.
Follow safety guidelines: Wear protective gear if cleaning up.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Public Services will host a public Zoom meeting this month to discuss the new John T. Klaus Park in Clearlake Oaks.

The meeting will take place from 5 to 6 p.m.

The Zoom link is here.

The John T. Klaus Park will be located east of Clearlake Oaks along Highway 20, between the quarry and the Moose Lodge.

Klaus donated the 584-acre property to Lake County along with money to help develop it.

The Board of Supervisors approved the donation of the property and land in November 2022.

Lake County Public Services, which is overseeing both the development and long-term management of the park, hosted an initial public meeting on the project in August.

At that meeting, the county introduced its consultant, Helix Environmental Planning of Folsom, which was hired to conduct the initial analysis and conceptual planning.

Community members are urged to take a survey about the park plan at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2PGR2W9.

For more information, contact the Lake County Parks Recreation and Trails Division at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors is set to consider a list of properties to put up for tax sale and will present several proclamations this week and discuss the grand jury report.

The‌ ‌board will meet beginning ‌at‌ ‌9‌ ‌a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.

The‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌can‌ ‌be‌ ‌watched‌ ‌live‌ ‌on‌ ‌Channel‌ ‌8, ‌online‌ ‌at‌ https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx‌‌ and‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌county’s‌ ‌Facebook‌ ‌page. ‌Accompanying‌ ‌board‌ ‌documents, ‌the‌ ‌agenda‌ ‌and‌ ‌archived‌ ‌board‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌videos‌ ‌also‌ ‌are‌ ‌available‌ ‌at‌ ‌that‌ ‌link. ‌ ‌

To‌ ‌participate‌ ‌in‌ ‌real-time, ‌join‌ ‌the‌ ‌Zoom‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌by‌ ‌clicking‌ ‌this‌ ‌link‌. ‌ ‌

The‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌ID‌ ‌is‌ 865 3354 4962, ‌pass code 726865.‌ ‌The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,86533544962#,,,,*726865#. The meeting can also be accessed via phone at 669 900 6833.

In an untimed item, the board will consider a presentation from the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office regarding a preliminary proposal for a tax defaulted sale.

Treasurer-Tax Collector Patrick Sullivan said the list consists of 3,323 parcels. “Should your Board approve this preliminary proposal, the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s office will continue preparation of this sale and return with a resolution to finalize the offering,” Sullivan wrote.

In another untimed item, the board will consider responses to the 2023-24 Lake County Grand Jury report.

Also on Tuesday, the board will present several proclamations, including to honor Indigenous Peoples' Day, Code Enforcement Appreciation Week, Ageism Awareness Day, Head Start Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

5.1: Adopt proclamation declaring the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples' Day in Lake County.

5.2: Adopt proclamation designating the month of October 2024 as Head Start Awareness Month in Lake County.

5.3: Adopt proclamation designating October 9, 2024, as Ageism Awareness Day in Lake County.

5.4: Adopt proclamation designating the month of October 2024 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Lake County.

5.5: Adopt proclamation designating the week of Oct. 6 to 12, 2024, as Code Enforcement Officer Appreciation Week in Lake County.

5.6: Adopt resolution approving Agreement No. 24-0132-016-SF with the State of California Department of Food and Agriculture for insect trapping for FY 2024-25 for $36,547.

5.7: Approve long-distance travel for Health Services Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Dean Eichelmann to attend the National Healthcare Coalition Preparedness Conference in Orlando, Florida, from Dec. 9 to 13, 2024.

5.8: Approve long-distance travel for Deputy Public Health Director Kim Tangermann to perform an on-site final inspection of the Public Health Mobile Medical Unit in Wakarusa, Indiana, from October 14-16, 2024.

5.9: Approve long-distance travel for Chief Probation Officer Wendy Mondfrans to attend the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Conference in Washington, D.C., in November 2024.

5.10: Approve Amendment One to the agreement with GSM Landscape Architects Inc. for professional design services for the Hammond Park Improvements Project, an increase of $35,641 and a revised total amount not to exceed $210,341, and authorize the chair to sign the agreement.

5.11: Approve the plans and specifications for the Hill Road Correctional Facility Perimeter Fencing Project, and authorize the public services director to advertise for bids.

TIMED ITEMS

6.2, 9:03 a.m.: Pet of the Week.

6.3, 9:04 a.m.: New and noteworthy at the library.

6.4, 9:05 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation declaring the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples' Day in Lake County.

6.5, 9:06 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the week of Oct. 6 to 12, 2024, as Code Enforcement Appreciation Week in Lake County.

6.6, 9:07 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating Oct. 9, 2024, as Ageism Awareness Day in Lake County.

6.7, 9:08 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the month of October 2024 as Head Start Awareness Month in Lake County.

6.8, 9:09 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the month of October 2024 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Lake County.

6.9, 9:30 a.m.: Public hearing, discussion and consideration of the community and economic development allocations of the California Community Development Block Program.

6.10, 10:15 a.m.: Public hearing, receive public comments regarding the application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development FY24 Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) Grant.

6.11, 1 p.m.: Consideration of proposed findings of fact and decision in the appeal of Michael Wegner (AB 23-04).

6.12, 1:05 p.m.: Consideration of proposed findings of fact and decision in the appeal of Roberto Estrada (AB 23-02).

6.13, 1:10 p.m. – Consideration of proposed findings of fact and decision in the appeals of Legendary Farms LLC, United Investment Ventures LLC, Melissa Smith, and Justin Smith.

UNTIMED ITEMS

7.2: Consideration of response to the 2023-24 Lake County Civil Grand Jury Final Report.

7.3: Consideration of agreement between county of Lake and Hilltop Recovery Services for ASAM Levels 1.0, 2.1, 3.2, and 3.5 services in the amount of $697,500 for FY 2024-25.

7.4: Consideration of appointments to various Local Area Plan Advisory Committees, or LAPACs.

7.5: Appoint Plans Examiner II Jack Smalley to serve as interim chief building official at Advance Step 2, effective Oct. 11, 2024.

7.6: Consideration of patch payment on a public guardian conservatee “BB” from general funds in an amount not to exceed $30,000 at $5,000 per month.

7.7: Consideration of proposed Chapter 7 tax-defaulted land sale.

CLOSED SESSION

8.1, 11 a.m.: Public employee evaluation: Public Health director.

8.2, 2 p.m.: Public employee evaluation: Public Health officer.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has more new dogs, some of them puppies, that are waiting for new homes this week.

The dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Anatolian shepherd, Australian cattle dog, Australian shepherd, border collie, boxer, cane corso, Chihuahua, German shepherd, husky, Labrador Retriever, pit bull terrier and 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.

Those dogs and the others shown on this page at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption.

Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online for information on visiting or adopting.

The shelter is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

 
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Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom announced Monday that the California Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-being is teaming up with the Susan Crown Exchange’s Million Coaches Challenge, or MCC, to launch 25x25: The California Coaches Challenge.

This initiative aims to train 25,000 coaches in positive youth coaching across California by the end of 2025.

Through the Council’s Move Your Body, Calm Your Mind campaign, MCC partners Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) and the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport will spearhead a statewide effort to instill the principles of positive youth development, social-emotional learning, healing-centered practices, and culturally responsive coaching in youth coaches. Coaches will learn a range of youth-centered strategies, including creating safe spaces for all young people, fostering a sense of belonging, and coaching with empathy. The American Institutes for Research, or AIR, which leads the multiyear implementation study of the MCC, will provide research support for the 25x25 California Coaches Challenge.

“Sports are a hugely important tool for helping kids develop teamwork, confidence, and physical and mental health, while also meeting strong role models in their coaches. As leaders, we have an obligation to make sure those coaches have the tools to meet that high bar. Working with the Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-being and Million Coaches Challenge, I’m confident that we can build a new generation of coaches that are ready to meet every challenge our young athletes throw at them,” said Gov. Newsom.

“A positive and empowering youth sports culture is critical to the mental health and overall well-being of our children. When coaches are trained to prioritize character development, teamwork, grit, and emotional resilience, young people are more likely to stay engaged in sports and build essential life skills. The partnership between the Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-being and Million Coaches Challenge will ensure that our youth not only experience the physical benefits of sports but also gain the social and emotional support they need to thrive on and off the field,” said First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom.

Physical activity and sports participation rates are declining nationally, and California is no exception. Today many children in California are not meeting daily physical activity recommendations, and only half of California’s youth participate in sports. With around 70% of children discontinuing organized sports before reaching high school, the 25x25 California Coaches Challenge aims to create a more positive and inclusive sports and fitness culture that keeps youth engaged in sport and helps them develop the skills needed to thrive.

Through existing relationships with parks and recreation systems, schools, community-based organizations, and club teams, Positive Coaching Alliance and Center for Healing and Justice through Sports, or CHJS, will provide training to at least 25,000 coaches across California by December 2025.

The Governor’s Advisory Council will promote the initiative statewide, reaching communities with significant need and underrepresentation in youth sports.

CHJS has existing coach training partnerships across the state. Notable examples include the Dodgers Foundation, the Los Angeles Clippers, the YMCA of Greater Los Angeles, and, together with Nike, the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department. PCA, with its robust state-wide infrastructure, also has planned trainings this fall with the LA Jr. Clippers, USTA Southern California, Boys and Girls Club of Burbank, Irvine Ice Foundation, Santa Maria Swim Club, and numerous high schools across the state.

“California is setting a powerful example for the country. This initiative will help ensure that hundreds of thousands of young athletes experience sports in ways that promote physical, emotional, and mental well-being,” said Kevin Connors, managing director of the Susan Crown Exchange, funder of the Million Coaches Challenge.

The California Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-being
Move Your Body, Calm Your Mind is a California campaign launched in 2023 by the Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-Being, with a goal to provide guidance and resources on physical activity and mental well-being for Californians of all ages; increase awareness among all age groups about the benefits of movement, sport, nutrition, and overall mental wellness; encourage intergenerational physical fitness activities; promote equitable access to outdoor and physical activities for underserved communities; and facilitate collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies, education, business and industry, the private sector, and others in the promotion of movement and mental wellness.

The campaign provides easy ways for Californians to get active and to take steps to increase mental well-being. Move Your Body, Calm Your Mind provides resources for both individuals and organizations.

The Million Coaches Challenge

The Million Coaches Challenge partners have embarked on a journey to grow a generation of coaches trained in youth development. Coach training is essential to creating quality sports experiences and we envision a world in which all young athletes, regardless of their family’s income, their gender, their race, or their ability status, have access to coaches who are well-versed in youth development and skill-building techniques that help kids succeed on and off the field.

The first step: train one million coaches in youth development practices by 2025. The Million Coaches Challenge is funded by the Susan Crown Exchange.
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — The Faculty Association of Yuba Community College District, or FAYCCD, is set to hold a public protest on Thursday, Oct. 10, demanding a fair contract now from the Yuba Community College District.

At 4 p.m. Thursday, FAYCCD and its supporters will meet in the Yuba College cafeteria (Building 300) before attending the board of trustees meeting at 5 p.m. in the 300 Building Conference Room.

“After nearly three years of negotiations and wasteful litigation by the District, FAYCCD members demand a new contract that addresses key issues such as seniority rights and a salary enhancement during this time of historic inflation,” the union said in its announcement about the event.

FAYCCD faculty are reported to be among the lowest-paid community college educators in the state, while their healthcare costs have nearly doubled in just the last few years.

“FAYCCD faculty class sizes have increased in the name of ‘efficiency.’ All the while, the district has wasted an egregious amount of money on failed litigation to strip FAYCCD faculty of long-held rights and delay contract negotiations,” the union said.

The union said the faculty are united in their call for a contract that recognizes their invaluable contributions to student success and the overall quality of education in the district.

“Our educators deserve to be treated with respect and fairness. We’ve given our time, energy, and dedication to our students, and it’s time for the district to prioritize its faculty,” said Dr. Travis Smith, president of FAYCCD. “We’re fighting for a contract that reflects our commitment to high-quality education, equity, and the well-being of our faculty.”

The protest is open to the public, and FAYCCD encourages students, community members and allies to join in solidarity.

“We are not only fighting for ourselves, but for the students and the future of high-quality education in this district,” said Professor Kevin Ferns, FAYCCD lead negotiator.
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What's up for October? This month's viewing tips for Venus, Saturn, Mars and Jupiter. When's the best time to observe the destination of NASA's next deep space mission? And how you can see a (potentially bright) comet this month?

And watch our video 'till the end for photos of highlights from last month’s skies.

Up first, we look at the visibility of the planets in October. Look for Venus low in the west just after sunset. It's setting by the time the sky is fully dark. Saturn is visible toward the southeast as soon as it gets dark out, and sets by dawn. Mars rises around midnight all month. By dawn it has climbed quite high into the south-southeastern sky, appearing together with Jupiter. Now, Jupiter is rising in the first half of the night. In early October you'll find it high in the south as dawn approaches, and later in the month it's progressed farther over to the west before sunrise.

And, speaking of Jupiter, NASA plans to launch its latest solar system exploration mission to one of the giant planet's moons this month. Europa Clipper is slated to blast off as early as October 10th. It's thought that Europa holds an enormous ocean of salty liquid water beneath its icy surface. That makes this the first mission dedicated to studying an ocean world beyond Earth. Europa Clipper is designed to help us understand whether this icy moon could support some form of life, and along the way it'll teach us more about the conditions that make a world habitable.

Now, if you've ever pointed binoculars or a telescope at Jupiter, you know the thrill of seeing the little star-like points of light next to it that are its four large moons, which were first observed by Galileo in 1610.

There are two mornings in October, the 11th and the 25th, when you can most easily observe Europa. These are times when the moon is at its greatest separation from the planet as seen from here on Earth, and it's all by itself to one side of Jupiter. So be sure to have your own peek at Jupiter's moon Europa this month, as a new NASA mission begins its journey to explore an ocean in the sky.

Now a look at Moon and planet pair-ups for October. On the 13th and 14th after dark, look for the nearly full Moon with Saturn toward the southeast. Then on the evening of October 20th, the Moon rises near Jupiter, with the giant planet looking extremely bright.

You should be able to find them low in the east after around 10 pm that night. Then, in the morning of Oct. 23rd and 24th, early risers will be able to spot Mars together with the Moon, high overhead in the south.

October offers a chance to observe what could be the brightest comet of the year. Earlier this year we got a look at Comet 12P, which was visible with binoculars but not super bright. Now another of these ancient and icy dust balls is streaking through our neighborhood on an 80,000-year orbit from the distant reaches of the Oort Cloud. The comet, known as C/2023 A3, aka Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, is currently speeding through the inner solar system. It passed its closest to the Sun in late September, and will be at its closest to Earth on October 13th. And after that time, through the end of the month, will be the best time to look for it. This is when the comet will become visible low in the western sky beginning during twilight.

It will quickly rise higher each subsequent evening, making it easier to observe, but it'll also be getting a little fainter each night. As with all comets, predictions for how bright it could get are uncertain. If the comet's tail is brilliantly illuminated by the Sun, predictions show that it could become bright enough to see with the unaided eye. But comets have a way of surprising us, so we'll just have to wait and see.

Your best shot at seeing it will be from around October 14th through the 24th, with binoculars or a small telescope, and a reasonably clear view toward the west. So good luck, and clear skies, comet hunters!

Watch our video for views of what some of the highlights we told you about in last month's video actually looked like.

Stay up to date on all of NASA's missions exploring the solar system and beyond at science.nasa.gov.

Preston Dyches works for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

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