NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – With a unanimous show of support in the Assembly Thursday, Sen. Mike McGuire’s bill that will assist rural counties by again requiring the state to fund payment in lieu of taxes, or PILT, reimbursements to counties will now head to Gov. Brown’s desk for his signature.

In fact, support for the bill was so strong in the legislature that it was approved by all Senate committees, Assembly committees and both houses without receiving any votes in opposition.

PILT payments were established in 1949 to offset adverse impacts to county property tax revenues that result when the state acquires private property within a county for wildlife management areas.

Currently, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife owes nearly $8 million in payments to California’s 36 rural counties and a change in 2015 to the Fish and Game Code makes it even easier for the state to continue to forgo making these payments.

“The state needs to step up and follow through on a promise and advance Fish and Wildlife PILT payments to rural counties,” Sen. Mike McGuire said. “Since 2001, California has been depositing millions of PILT dollars into the General Fund. Those dollars should have been going to rural counties and it’s time to give those counties their due.”

Holding back these payments to counties on the North Coast has had a detrimental impact on the counties and their bottom line.

For example, in PILT payments alone, Del Norte is owed more than $220,000, Humboldt County is owed more than $160,000, Lake County is owed $93,000, Sonoma County is owed $116,000 and Marin County is owed more than $150,000.

“This was an agreement made decades ago and the state has reneged on these payments for far too long,” Sen. McGuire said. “Small communities and rural counties desperately need these dollars to keep our neighborhoods safe, fund local fire and emergency services and invest in crumbling roads and streets.”

The legislation was supported by the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC).

“On behalf of California’s rural counties, we appreciate the California Legislature’s approval of Senator McGuire’s Senate Bill 1188,” said Lee Adams, RCRC immediate past chair and Sierra County supervisor. “State PILT is a crucial source of public safety and health and welfare funding for counties, and ensuring this funding source continues simply honors the implicit state commitment that began more than six decades ago. We are grateful for the senator’s leadership on this issue, and we urge the governor to sign this legislation.”

SB 1188 is a bi-partisan effort to make PILT payments to counties a requirement. It passed unanimously, 66-0, in the Assembly on Thursday. It will now head to Gov. Brown’s desk for potential signature.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – The Board of Directors of Savings Bank of Mendocino County has appointed Erin Powis, Raymond James financial advisor, to serve on its board.
 
A long-time Potter Valley resident, Powis is the fifth generation of his family to be associated with Savings Bank since its founding in 1903.

He is the son of Mary March, Savings Bank director from 1984 to 2016.

“I’m honored to take over the seat on the board vacated by my mother,” said Powis. “This bank and community have given everything to me and my family throughout my lifetime and I’m just hopeful that I am able to give back in a meaningful way.”

Powis graduated from Potter Valley High School and attended Mendocino College and the University of Colorado Boulder.

He holds a degree in finance. He also holds Series 7,63,65 FINRA Securities licenses as well as being a licensed Full Life Insurance agent in the state of California.

Powis has worked since 2003 as a financial advisor / investment advisor representative for Raymond James Financial Services, located at the Savings Bank Main Office, 200 North School St., Ukiah.

After college, Powis moved with his wife Lindsey to Arizona for three years where he worked for a financial services company.

When the opportunity came available to move home and work at the bank, he took it in order to start a family in this community. Powis and Lindsey are the proud parents of four young children, three sons and a daughter.
 
Savings Bank of Mendocino County provides Mendocino and Lake counties with the dependability of a full service community bank with a strong ability to lend.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Klamath River anglers in the spit area (within 100 yards of the channel through the sand spit formed at the Klamath River mouth) will have caught their sub-quota of 167 adult fall-run Chinook salmon by sundown on Monday, Aug 22.

The spit area subsequently was closed to fishing one hour after dark.

Only the spit area is affected by this closure. Fishing downstream of the Highway 101 Bridge in the estuary will be unaffected until the lower river quota of 555 adult fall-run Chinook salmon over 22 inches is met.

Once that number is met, anglers will still be able to fish but will have to release any Chinook salmon over 22 inches.

As of Aug. 22, the lower Klamath River tally is 188 salmon caught.

The Klamath River above the confluence with the Trinity River will remain open until 189 adult Chinook are caught in this area.

The quota on the Trinity River is 183 adult Chinook from the confluence with the Klamath River up to Cedar Flat, and 183 adult Chinook from Cedar Flat up to the Old Lewiston Bridge.

Anglers may keep track of the status of open and closed sections of the Klamath and Trinity rivers by calling 800-564-6479.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – All branches of the Lake County Library system will be closed Sept. 3 to observe Labor Day.

Normal hours at all branches will resume on Sept. 6. Call your local branch if you have any questions.

Lakeport Library, located at 1425 N. High St., is normally open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The phone number is 707-263-8817.

Redbud Library, 14785 Burns Valley Road, Clearlake, is normally open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, noon to 7 p.m. The phone number is 707-994-5115.

Middletown Library, 21256 Washington St., is normally open Tuesday to Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The phone number is 707-987-3674.

Upper Lake Library, 310 Second St., is normally open Tuesday to Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The phone number is 707-275-2049.

The Lake County Library is on the Internet at http://library.lakecountyca.gov and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Community members who have been receiving CalFresh benefits and were living in Lower Lake (95457) and Clearlake (95422) zip codes at the time of the Clayton fire will receive automatic replacement of a portion of their CalFresh benefits.

This replacement issuance is intended to enable CalFresh households to replace lost perishable foods.

Because CalFresh benefits were issued between Aug. 1 and 10, and subsequent power outages began on Aug. 13, CalFresh recipients with benefits issued from Aug. 6 to 10 will receive 60-percent replacement, and CalFresh recipients with benefits issued from Aug. 1 to 5 will receive 45-percent replacement.

Recipients may check their Electronic Benefit Transfer, or EBT, balance by calling 877-328-9677 or visiting the EBT Web site www.ebt.ca.gov , and may contact Lake County Social Services at 707-995-4200 for any questions.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Democratic Party of Lake County hosts the grand opening of our United Democratic Campaign Headquarters on Women's Equality Day, Friday, Aug. 26.

The open house is from 3 to 6 p.m. at 390 N. Main St. in Lakeport. Light refreshments will be served.

Campaign material for Secretary Hillary Clinton and the endorsed Democratic women in Lake County, Cecilia Aguiar-Curry for Assembly District 4 and Monica Rosenthal for District 1 Lake County supervisor, will be available.

At the behest of Rep. Bella Abzug (D-NY), in 1971 the U.S. Congress designated Aug. 26 as “Women’s Equality Day.”

The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote.

This was the culmination of a massive, peaceful civil rights movement by women that had its formal beginnings in 1848 at the world’s first women’s rights convention, in Seneca Falls, New York.

The observance of Women’s Equality Day not only commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, but also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality.

Democratic leaders, volunteers and candidates in Lake County are highlighting our accomplishments and urge more women to register and vote.

The latest ABC News/Washington Post poll shows women supporting Hillary Clinton at 58 to 35 percent over Donald Trump.

Lake County Democrats want to turn that overwhelming support into victories in Congress, the Legislature and local level.

For more information contact the Democratic Party of Lake County at 707-533-4885 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or visit them online at www.lakecountydemocrats.org/Facebook or www.facebook.com/LakeCountyDemocrats/ .

SACRAMENTO – California’s community colleges are welcoming students this fall term with improved transfer pathways to California State University (CSU) and the University of California (UC) as well as bachelor degree offerings at 10 colleges as part of a historic pilot program aimed at meeting the needs of the state’s changing economy.

Additionally, college will be more affordable for thousands of students thanks to nearly two dozen College Promise programs now in place or beginning soon across the state.

“We usher in the new academic year enthusiastic about the road ahead,” said California Community Colleges Interim Chancellor Erik E. Skinner. “From improved transfer pathways to exciting new certificate programs at many of our campuses and the introduction of the bachelor’s degree at select colleges, our students now have even more choices when it comes to accomplishing their higher education goals.”

Bachelor’s degree programs will start at Antelope Valley College (airframe manufacturing technology); Bakersfield College (industrial automation); Feather River College (equine and ranch management); Foothill College (dental hygiene); Rio Hondo College (automotive technology); San Diego Mesa College (health information management); Santa Monica College (interaction design); Shasta College (health information management); Skyline College (respiratory care); and West Los Angeles College (dental hygiene). Five more programs are set to begin by the Fall 2017 semester.

“Our students now have the opportunity for local career advancement with this one-of-a-kind program,” said Antelope Valley College President Ed Knudson. “Antelope Valley College’s new airframe manufacturing technology degree embraces the unique training needs of the Antelope Valley’s aerospace economy. We are proud to be creating the area’s next generation high tech workforce.”

The California Community Colleges Board of Governors gave final approval to the landmark pilot program in 2015. The bachelor’s degree programs are all in career technical education fields like health, technology and science that are hiring and need more skilled workers.

“The impact of being able to provide a bachelor’s degree in respiratory care at an affordable cost will allow students to directly access higher wage jobs in our community. It is a win for the student and a win for San Mateo County,” said Skyline College President Regina Stanback Stroud, Ed.D.

The number of California community college students transferring to both the CSU and the UC is up slightly. It is easier than ever for students to receive an associate degree while preparing for transfer to CSU via the Associate Degree for Transfer Program (AA-T/AS-T).

More than 2,000 transfer degrees are available at California community colleges statewide which, upon completion, guarantee students transfer to the CSU system at junior level with the opportunity to complete of a similar baccalaureate program in no more than 60 units. More information is available at www.adegreewithaguarantee.com .

The number of degrees awarded through the program in 2014-2015 was nearly double the amount awarded the year before. 20,644 students earned Associate Degrees for Transfer in 2014-15 compared to 11,448 in 2013-14.

Students interested in transferring to one of the nine undergraduate UC campuses can use the university’s new Transfer Pathways, which outline a single set of community college courses that prospective transfer students can take to prepare for a particular major.

Transfer Pathways have been developed for the 21 most popular majors for transfer students. More information is available at http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/transfer/preparation-paths/index.html .

As the cost of higher education continues to make headlines across the country, California is leading the way in the development and implementation of College Promise programs.

College Promise programs started in the early 2000s as a way to address the problem of college affordability by offering higher education funding for students who live in particular communities. California now has 23 such programs, 16 of which were announced just this year.

More information on the California College Promise and the various programs can be found at https://calcollegepromise.org/ .

“To see the interest and excitement about creating College Promise programs demonstrates the commitment we all have to the success of our students," said California College Promise chairperson Helen Benjamin. “For 30 years, California, with its Board of Governors (BOG) Fee Waiver program, has offered free tuition to financially needy students. Promise programs go a step further by providing financial help for other costs associated with attending college, including books, transportation and living expenses.”

For students who have not yet applied to attend a California community college, it’s not too late. Prospective students can visit http://home.cccapply.org/ to find information about each of the 113 campuses as well as application information.

A variety of financial aid opportunities are available for students, including the BOG Fee Waiver, Pell Grants and loans. Visit www.icanaffordcollege.com to learn more about each option. The Web site offers a step-by-step guide to finding and securing the right kinds of aid to fund each student’s community college experience.

The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation composed of 72 districts and 113 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year.

For more information about the community colleges, please visit http://californiacommunitycolleges.cccco.edu/ , https://www.facebook.com/CACommColleges or https://twitter.com/CalCommColleges .

Sylvia Ross is from California's Chukchansi people, and this poem, from the anthology Red Indian Road West (Scarlet Tanager Books), is as moving a description about the lasting warmth of hand-me-downs as I have ever seen. 

Her most recent book is a novel, Ilsa Rohe: Parsing Vengeance, published under the name Stephenson Ross and available from Bentley Avenue Books.

Marge's Shoes

The first few years she wore them
I didn't even notice the leather's soft tan,
and the buckskin laces roughly looped.
By the time I paid attention, her feet
had already curved the shoes inward,
weather had toughened the soft leather,
and one lace had broken short.
Then I asked where she got those shoes
and she said from the Indian store
down in Mountain View.
 
Some other time, another year, I asked
the name of the Indian store
that sold handmade shoes like hers,
but she said it went out of business
and no store sold mocs with vodka
splatters and Yosemite dirt ground in
with a little tamale pie, so I couldn't
buy shoes like hers anyway.
 
Last summer, laughing and crying
together, in the campground
at Lake Mendocino, on the night
before her youngest son's wedding
while the men drank beer and talked
of politics and sports,
I told her how much I really, really liked
those old shoes of hers. So
she took them off and gave them to me.
 
Those beat-up, raggedy Kaibab moccasins
I wear are stained and worn rough
by hard years in my friend's life.
I wear them when I need her courage.

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation ( www.poetryfoundation.org ), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. They do not accept unsolicited submissions. Poem copyright ©2013 by Sylvia Ross, “Marge's Shoes,” from Red Indian Road West: Native American Poetry from California, (Scarlet Tanager Press, 2016). Poem reprinted by permission of Sylvia Ross and the publisher. Introduction copyright © 2016 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction's author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006.