LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The county’s planned tax-defaulted land sale set for later this month has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Tuesday, Lake County Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen updated the Board of Supervisors on the sale, reporting its cancellation and plans to reschedule.
Ringen’s written report to the board said that in a March 30 letter the State Controller’s Office had “strongly recommended” to county tax collectors that such tax sales be canceled or postponed until the governor provided further guidance.
While such land sales take place under statutory requirements, Ringen’s report said the governor can suspend statutory provisions as necessary. At the same time, Gov. Gavin Newsom “has moved to protect citizens from being displaced due to their financial situation related to the COVID-19 crisis.”
“Tax Defaulted Land Sale 157 is cancelled due to the Governor's executive order,” Ringen said in her written report.
That also was her message to the board during its meeting on Tuesday.
Ringen said she is planning to reschedule the sale for October. Once she has a date set, she said she will come back to the board for approval.
Ringen’s previous reports to the board stated that 240 properties were to be auctioned off.
In addition to a new date in October, Ringen said she is looking at conducting another tax sale in March 2021.
The county has thousands of properties in tax default, totaling millions of dollars in uncollected revenue.
The city of Clearlake and the county have been at loggerheads over the tax sales, which have not happened as frequently under Ringen’s tenure, a fact she has attributed to issues including staffing.
Earlier this year, the city threatened the county with legal action if Ringen’s office didn’t make additional efforts to hold more sales.
Those issues didn’t arise directly during Tuesday’s board meeting, although Ringen told the board that her office is working to reduce the number of parcels that are in tax default. She said she doesn’t know if they will be able to catch up any time soon.
Supervisor Tina Scott asked Ringen how many properties have been redeemed ahead of the tax sale.
Ringen estimated 25 to 30 properties had been redeemed, noting the majority of redemptions happen in the 30 days before a sale. She said that the county has so far collected $350,000 in delinquent taxes in relation to parcels listed in the recent sale.
She also reported that her department will be closely tracking properties impacted by COVID-19.
Last month, the board approved a process for waiving late fees and penalties for property owners who cannot pay on time due to impacts of the pandemic, as Lake County News has reported.
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. – State Sen. Mike McGuire and Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry have been working with county officials to ensure rural Californians are not left behind in coronavirus testing deserts as the state boosts the number of testing sites.
Currently, there are over 700,000 Californians who still aren’t within an hour’s drive of a testing site after a commitment was made by the state that all Californians will be within a one hour drive of a site. This is unacceptable to both the Assembly member and senator.
Sen. McGuire and Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry have been working hand in hand over the past several weeks with county officials and the California Department of Public Health to get a state testing site secured for local residents.
“If we are truly going to be a California For All, we need Testing For All,” Sen. Mike McGuire said. “The road to reopening our economy and our schools is built off of data, science and a robust testing program in all corners of this state. Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry and I have been working overtime to ensure testing equity and an additional state testing site here in Lake will be a huge boost. We are grateful to the county, California Department of Public Health and Governor Newsom for their partnership with this critical initiative.”
“I appreciate the partnership with the state, and the constant engagement from Lake County leaders to make sure that our reopening comes with the ability to track new developments with the virus at the county level. A testing site in Lake County is essential to reopening the local economy,” said Aguiar-Curry. “Safe reopening means having the ability to test and track the virus. Successful reopening will come when we can ensure a safe environment for patrons to go back out and support our local businesses.”
A state-sponsored testing site will be up and running in Lake County soon. Specific details and logistics on the site are currently being organized between the county and the California Department of Public Health. More information will be provided from the county of Lake in the coming days.
“From day one of the COVID-19 crisis, my priority has been keeping Lake County residents safe,” said Moke Simon, chair of the Lake County Board of Supervisors. “It has been deeply frustrating to get calls from people with mild-moderate symptoms that just can’t access testing, and as we proceed through the coming stages of recovery, testing will only be increasingly important. With 23 percent of our population over the age of 65, and an even greater percentage in at-risk categories, we all have loved ones we’re concerned about, and lives are at stake.”
“We cannot allow lagging indicators to lead in rural California,” said County Administrative Officer, Carol J. Huchingson. “More than 15,000 Lake County residents are at high risk of severe COVID-19 complications, and we have 50 staffed hospital beds and eight intensive care unit beds. It is not acceptable to wait until we have an acute crisis to understand the extent to which infection may be permeating Lake County’s communities. Greater surveillance testing capacity is overdue, and we are grateful our State representatives understood the problem, and we are on the precipice of addressing it.”
“Thanks to Senator McGuire and Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry’s tireless efforts, on behalf of and alongside Lake County’s leaders, we will soon know better where we stand in this fight,” said Supervisor Simon. “We’ve been fortunate, so far, but we have to be informed as well. Broader testing is critical to responsibly restarting our economy, and taking meaningful steps to recover from this crisis.”
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The National Weather Service said a weather system is bringing with it a cooler pattern of conditions that’s expected to continue into later in the week.
Lake County and other parts of northwest California are under a hazardous weather outlook until Sunday due to rain, cooler temperatures and snow levels down to between 5,000 to 5,500 feet.
The cooler conditions are following a temperature spike late last week that felt like early summer.
The National Weather Service previously had predicted rain for Monday and Tuesday, with that precipitation forecast now extending to Thursday.
There were several hours of steady but not very heavy rain on Monday. The National Weather Service’s observation stations reported the following 24-hour rainfall totals, through 12 a.m. Tuesday, in inches:
– Bartlett Springs: 0.18. – Colusa County line: 0.11. – Hidden Valley Lake: 0.23. – High Glade Lookout (above Upper Lake): 0.14. – Indian Valley Reservoir: 0.16. – Kelseyville: 0.13. – Knoxville Creek: 0.25. – Lakeport: 0.13. – Lower Lake: 0.05. – Lyons Valley: 0.11. – Soda Creek (near Lake Pillsbury): 0.17. – Upper Lake: 0.22. – Whispering Pines: 0.28.
For the rest of this week, temperatures are forecast to be 5 to 15 degrees below normal, with more showers likely.
“Significantly cooler temperatures and light rain are possible this week as an upper level trough moves into the area,” according to the forecast.
The long-term forecast also suggests that the coming weekend could see still more rainfall.
The Lake County forecast calls for chances of rain through Monday, with a break from Thursday night through Friday night.
Daytime temperatures are expected to fluctuate between the high 50s and high 60s during much of the week, peaking in the low 70s on Friday, while nighttime temperatures will drop into the low 40s.
Gusty winds of more than 20 miles per hour are possible on Tuesday, with lighter winds through Wednesday night, according to the forecast.
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. – Over the past year, California has seen a growth in its number of residents while Lake County’s population has shown a minor decline that puts it at a 13-year low.
The California Department of Finance’s latest population report, released this month, contains preliminary year over year January 2020 and revised January 2019 population data for California cities, counties and the state.
The agency said the estimates are based on information through Jan. 1 and do not include adjustments for potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report said California added 87,494 residents to bring the state’s estimated total population to 39,782,870 people as of Jan. 1.
California’s population grew by only 0.2 percent, continuing a historically slow growth trend since the Great Recession, the report said.
Lake County’s population dropped by 0.4 percent over the past year, going from 64,268 residents in January 2019 to the January 2020 estimate of 64,040.
The 64,040 residents reported in January is the lowest population estimate recorded for Lake County since 2007. The county’s highest population in that time was 65,131 in 2014.
The city of Clearlake had the largest overall reduction in the past year, -0.5 percent, from 14,363 to 14,297, followed by the city of Lakeport, -0.4, 4,698 to 4,677. For the balance of the county, the reduction was -0.3, dropping from 45,207 to 45,066.
Lake is among the rural counties impacted by wildfires that experienced population loss, according to the report.
Neighboring counties showed the following numbers:
– Colusa: -0.4, year-over change, 21,990 to 21,902. – Glenn: 2.5, year-over change, 28,695 to 29,400. – Mendocino: -0.5, year-over change, 88,388 to 87,946. – Napa: -0.6, year-over change, 139,970 to 139,088. – Sonoma: -0.8, year-over change, 496,947 to 492,980. – Yolo: 0.4, year-over change, 220,896 to 221,705.
Over the past year, 256 cities gained population, 225 lost population and one had no change, the report said.
The report shows that growth has remained strong over the past year in the Central Valley’s interior counties and the Inland Empire. At the same time, growth has continued but remained modest in the Bay Area, and slowing to near zero and even negative in most of the coastal counties.
The report showed that seven counties had growth rates over 1.0 percent: Glenn, 2.5 percent; Yuba, 2 percent; Placer, 2 percent; El Dorado, 1.7 percent; San Benito, 1.4 percent, which was the notable Bay Area exception gaining over 1 percent due to increased housing construction; San Joaquin, 1.1 percent; and Kern, 1 percent.
California's statewide housing growth, as measured by net unit growth in completed housing units for 2019, was 94,662 units making 2019 the first time the state has added more housing units than people. Total housing in California reached 14,329,863 units, a 0.7 -percent increase, according to the report.
Of the 14,329,863 housing units in California, the report said 9,228,303 are single-family and 4,540,850 are multi-family with 560,817 mobile homes. Multi-family housing growth outpaced single-family housing by almost 8,695 net units – meaning, new construction minus demolition – continuing an eight-year trend.
The California Department of Finance produces the population estimates annually as part of calculating its annual appropriations limit.
The State Controller’s Office uses the Department of Finance's estimates to update its population figures for distribution of state subventions to cities and counties, and to comply with various state codes.
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.
NORTH COAST, Calif. – Congressman Mike Thompson will hold a coronavirus virtual town hall on Thursday, May 14.
The virtual town hall will take place from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
This event will be held over Zoom and interested participants must email Thompson’s office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. in order to join, as the platform has a capacity of 500 people.
Interested participants will be notified via email with instructions on how to join. The event will also be streamed on Facebook Live via Thompson’s page, https://www.facebook.com/RepMikeThompson/ .
This is the fifth in a series of virtual town halls where Thompson and experts from across the district are answering questions on the response to the fallout from coronavirus.
For this week’s virtual town hall, Thompson will be joined by Solano County Supervisor Erin Hannigan and Solano County Health Officer Dr. Bela Matyas.
All constituents of California’s Fifth Congressional District and members of the press are invited to join.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A vote by the Board of Supervisors last week approved requiring the public to use masks when visiting county government facilities once they reopen.
The board approved the policy as part of an urgency ordinance at its May 5 meeting in a unanimous vote.
Lake County Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace has so far not required masking generally in the county, although he has continued to strongly urge people to use masks to reduce transmission of COVID-19.
With that guidance in mind, on April 21, the board approved a temporary policy requiring county employees to wear masks in county facilities as a precautionary measure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last week, County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson and County Counsel Anita Grant brought to the board an updated urgency ordinance with changes suggested at the board’s April 28, as Lake County News has reported.
Among the updates to the language is a disclaimer that the masking requirement is meant to reduce the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission, but that it’s not a guarantee, and that rules for the courts – which are housed on the building’s fourth floor – would ultimately be determined by the judiciary, the latter suggestion coming from Supervisor Rob Brown.
The urgency ordinance, which went into effect on May 5, said that the safety practices it requires must be observed “while the present COVID-19 State of Emergency continues to exist, or until otherwise ordered by the Board of Supervisors.”
It requires the following:
– “a. Absent the option of a minimum six-foot separation or the use of protective shielding, persons entering a County facility who engage in in-person interactions, face-to-face meetings, or must work together in close proximity, shall wear face masks/coverings of their own devise or wear a face mask provided free of charge by the County of Lake during that period of interaction. In addition, when in lobbies, hallways, stairwells or using restrooms of County facilities, all persons are strongly urged to wear masks.”
– “b. All persons who enter a County facility who utilize an elevator shall wear face masks/coverings of their own devise or wear a face mask provided to them free of charge by the County of Lake while in the elevator.”
– “c. Notwithstanding the above-described requirements, the safety precautions in the County superior courts shall be determined by the local judiciary.”
As part of the safety precautions the county is implementing, the county will make face masks available to the public at the front entrance areas of all county facilities, at the customer service counters of all county facilities and at elevator entrances.
Visitors to the courthouse who refuse to use face masks may be refused service, according to the policy.
Huchingson said one of the primary issues with pursuing the policy is the cost and availability of masks.
She said that an estimated 1,000 people per month visit the courthouse, a number her office got in working with the court security staff.
During the meeting, it was reported that another 6,000 people a month are visiting other facilities such as the Social Services Department.
Huchingson reported later in the meeting that the rough annual estimate for providing masks to the public at all county facilities is $48,000. The county is planning to seek state and federal reimbursement for those costs.
County facilities still haven’t reopened for in-person services to the general public, which is part of the latter phase of Stage 2 – which began late last week – in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Resilience Roadmap.
County Deputy Administrative Officer Matthew Rothstein told Lake County News that the state criteria will require Dr. Pace to attest to the county’s readiness to progress to the latter phases. Rothstein said he expects that matter to come up during Pace’s Tuesday update to the board.
“The date county facilities resume serving the public will be informed by this discussion,” Rothstein said.
In the meantime, Rothstein said the county’s preparations for reopening facilities and implementing the masking protocols remain in progress.
“Work began last week to place masks, and signage has been developed,” Rothstein said Monday.
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.
NORTH COAST, Calif. – As the largest hunger-relief organization serving north coastal California, the Redwood Empire Food Bank is in dire need of food, funds, and volunteers.
The organization said the daily increase in the number of unemployed in the community is skyrocketing, and with fire season looming, the need for food will continue to increase at an exceptional rate.
“Over the past couple of months, our community has endured unprecedented challenges. The threat of COVID-19, and the shelter in place orders that blanket our state, have changed our lives in unimaginable ways. Yet the crisis we are facing is not just a public health one – it is a food crisis. And much like the disease itself, this food crisis knows no boundaries,” said Redwood Empire Food Bank CEO David Goodman.
Even in the best of times, food banks and food pantries are a bright spot in this community for neighbors struggling to make ends meet. Now more than ever, the food being provided by the Redwood Empire Food Bank is a lifeline.
In recent weeks, many of the Redwood Empire Food Bank’s partners have been forced to close their doors or limit their services, driving even more people to their doorstep.
“Since the start of this crisis, participation at our distribution sites has increased by up to 200 percent. Over the coming weeks and months, the number of people we serve in an average year will double, from 82,000 to 164,000,” said Goodman.
As an essential service provider, the Redwood Empire Food Bank has been on the frontlines of this crisis from the very beginning.
In the face of an extremely fluid situation, the organization has adapted and revamped operations to meet the drastically increased need.
Activating its emergency response program, Station 3990, has allowed more flexibility in the assistance provided, establishing temporary distributions whenever and wherever needed in addition to the food bank’s regular services.
Despite school closures, the Redwood Empire Food Bank continues to provide food to children and their families at more than 20 school sites. Thousands of new, more robust food boxes (each with enough food for 16 meals) are being safely packed every day with the help of the National Guard and a host of dedicated community volunteers.
“Each day, we are providing the equivalent of more than 80,000 meals to our neighbors in need – nearly 50 percent more than at this same time last year,” said Redwood Empire Food Bank’s marketing and PR manager, Rachelle Mesheau.
“As we always have, the Redwood Empire Food Bank stands ready to see our neighbors through the end of this crisis. But we need the help of our community. Every dollar, every minute, and every food donation makes a difference,” Mesheau said.
What can you do to help?
– Donate money. When you donate to the Redwood Empire Food Bank, your money helps purchase food, pay staff, fuel trucks and keep the lights on – distributing food to those in need.
– Donate food. Food donations help keep warehouse shelves stocked with non-perishable staple groceries for distribution through Redwood Empire Food Bank programs and partner organizations.
– The most needed items include Tuna and Canned Meat, Peanut Butter, Canned Soups, Stews, and Chili, Rice and Dry Beans, Cereal, Canned Fruits and Vegetables, High Protein Granola Bars, Trail Mix or Nut.
– Donate time. Throughout the year, the Redwood Empire Food Bank relies on 8,500 volunteers. With the shelter in place order, many volunteers are having to stay home and they're working hard to keep up with demand.
Most distribution sites have been turned into drive-thrus to accommodate safe social distancing practices. Volunteers are packing food boxes for participants to grab and go.
Dedicated community volunteers, Team Rubicon, and the National Guard are packing food boxes at the Redwood Empire Food Bank’s Sonoma County Day School outpost. Together, they are kitting approximately 5,000 food boxes a day.
“The sheer number of people falling into our safety net requires that it be broadened, fortified and maintained,” said Goodman. “With our community’s generous support, we can ensure that nobody experiences hunger.”
Donations can be made through the Redwood Empire Food Bank’s website at www.refb.org .
Anyone seeking food assistance can call the Redwood Empire Food Bank Food Connections Office at 707-523-7903 or visit http://getfood.refb.org .
Since 1987, the Redwood Empire Food Bank has provided food and nourishment to those facing hunger – currently serving 82,000 children, families and seniors in Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt, Del Norte and Lake County.
The Redwood Empire Food Bank collaborates with local and regional partners to obtain and distribute the equivalent of more than 40,000 meals every day. Through more than 200 direct service distributions and partnerships with 170 other hunger-relief organizations, the food bank forms a network of more than 450 weekly and monthly distribution sites serving all residents facing food insecurity.
As a result of California scaling up its COVID-19 testing capacity in recent weeks, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that more than one million diagnostic tests for the virus have been conducted statewide.
Just over a month ago, the governor set an ambitious goal to increase testing to 25,000 tests a day by the end of April – and daily testing has averaged more than 35,000 in the past few days.
“Ramping up our testing capacity is critical as we begin modifying our stay at home order,” said Gov. Newsom. “In addition to standing up more than 80 new testing sites across the state in under-served communities, soon Californians will be able to get tested when they pick up their prescriptions at some pharmacies across the state.”
Ensuring the state has sufficient capacity to test for COVID-19 and ability to conduct contact tracing when outbreaks surface are key indicators in the state’s gradual efforts to modify the stay at home order, as laid out in the Resilience Roadmap.
Gov. Newsom also announced that the California Department of Consumer Affairs and State Board of Pharmacy will allow pharmacists to collect specimens for COVID-19 tests and order tests for consumers.
The specimens will be delivered to and processed at public health, university or commercial labs.
The state has also created a new “Medi-Nurse” line available for Medi-Cal patients without a health plan (fee for service) and uninsured Californians.
The line – 1-877-409-9052 – is available 24/7 for COVID-19 concerns or for general medical issues.
Those who have health insurance may visit www.covid19.ca.gov and use the telehealth zip code finder to access their health insurance plan’s telehealth and nurse helplines.
Increasing testing is one of the six critical indicators guiding California’s Resilience Roadmap. California’s six indicators for modifying the stay-at-home order are:
– The ability to monitor and protect our communities through testing, contact tracing, isolating, and supporting those who are positive or exposed; – The ability to prevent infection in people who are at risk for more severe COVID-19; – The ability of the hospital and health systems to handle surges; – The ability to develop therapeutics to meet the demand; – The ability for businesses, schools, and child care facilities to support physical distancing; and – The ability to determine when to reinstitute certain measures, such as the stay-at-home orders, if necessary.
On April 4, Gov. Newsom announced the COVID-19 Testing Task Force, a public-private collaboration working with stakeholders across the state to significantly boost California’s testing capacity.
The Task Force is co-chaired by Dr. Charity Dean, assistant director of the California Department of Public Health, and Blue Shield of California President and CEO Paul Markovich.
NORTH COAST, Calif. – Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) has released the results of his Coronavirus Relief Survey, polling constituents about their experience during the coronavirus pandemic.
This survey was conducted from May 1 through May 8 and results include answers from 4,605 respondents.
The survey was emailed out to constituents via Thompson’s mail records list as well as circulated via press reports and Thompson’s social media accounts. Respondents were chosen by self-selection.
“Despite social distancing guidelines that keep us apart, I want to ensure I am doing everything I can to connect with people in our community and ensure their needs are met during this crisis,” said Thompson. “That’s why I launched my Coronavirus Relief Survey and why I am glad to have input from more than 4,000 people in our district.”
He added, “The results are clear – people want more support from the federal government. Nearly everyone polled supports expanding the programs started in the CARES Act, such as the Paycheck Protection Program and the expanded unemployment insurance program. The vast majority also favor a cautious approach to opening up our community to ensure the health and safety of our neighbors and friends. Know that these results will inform my continued work to bring Federal relief back to our district.”
Full results of Thompson’s Coronavirus Relief Survey are as follows.
Have you been hurt financially by the COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes, somewhat: 43.8% No, not at all: 30.2% Yes, very much: 26%
Have you received a stimulus payment?
Yes: 42.3% No, but I'm expecting a payment: 30.5% No, I'm not eligible: 21% No, the IRS website is unable to find my information: 6.3%
If yes, have you experienced any issues receiving the amount for which you are eligible? If you answered no to the previous question, skip this question.
No: 76.5% Not sure: 14.9% Yes: 8.7%
Which CARES Act programs (if any) have helped you or your family?
Stimulus payment: 35.1% None: 33.8% Expanded unemployment insurance: 10.7% Small business assistance (PPP, EIDL, etc.): 7.1% Student loan relief: 4.7% Not sure: 3.9% Mortgage forbearance: 3.2% Other: 1.7%
Which CARES Act programs (if any) do you think should be extended or increased?
Small business assistance (PPP, EIDL, etc.): 22% Expanded unemployment insurance: 21% Stimulus payment: 16.8% Student loan relief: 15.6% Mortgage forbearance: 15.6% Not sure: 3.3% Other: 3% None: 2.6%
Are you waiting to hear back on any CARES Act relief you have applied for?
No: 65.9% Yes, waiting for information or a check from the IRS: 15.1% Yes, waiting for information on unemployment benefits: 10.4% Yes, waiting to hear back on a small business loan: 8.6%
How would you like to see the “re-opening” of our communities play out?
More cautiously to prioritize protecting public health: 69.3% More quickly to prioritize getting people back to work: 23.9% Not sure: 3.8% Other: 3%
Do you think Congress should provide more funds to help schools, hospitals, paramedics, police departments, and other services in future coronavirus legislation?
Yes: 74.8% Not sure: 12.9% No: 12.2%
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s Public Health officer and Health Services Department staff are working on a plan to submit to state officials in order to allow an accelerated reopening of businesses and facilities that have been temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Gary Pace spoke with the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday morning about the next steps as Lake County moves into Stage 2 of the governor’s reopening guidelines. Stage 2 began on Friday.
The county has been under Pace’s shelter in place order since March 19. Pace changed the shelter in place order last week to be in alignment with the state shelter in place order, which remains in effect until further notice.
Pace told the board, “There’s caution and optimism at the same time,” as he speaks to schools and businesses about reopening while balancing a return to routines with efforts to keep the community safe.
As of Tuesday, Lake County’s confirmed COVID-19 cases remained at eight, all of them recovered, Pace said.
He said none of those eight individuals are contagious any longer, explaining that scientists have not been able to confirm the virus can grow in people after they come out of isolation.
Lake County has now tested more than 1,000 people, starting additional testing last week at two sites in Lakeport. Testing also is taking place this week in Clearlake, Pace said.
He said it’s important to reopen slowly, carefully and thoughtfully so there isn’t a need to shut down again.
As the county seeks an accelerated opening under the state’s rules, Pace said he wants to make masking mandatory in county businesses, with both workers and patrons to be required to use facial coverings.
He said he’s not interested in making masking mandatory when people are out walking, but he said that as people are mixing in the community, they need protections.
During the meeting Supervisor Rob Brown said he didn’t think mandatory masking was the way to go and that he opposed a “mandatory feel good requirement” that would be selectively enforced. He suggested it could be a good marketing tool and would be enforced by the market.
Pace said masking is about courtesy and taking care of your neighbor. He said that masking, social distancing and handwashing work to fight the virus.
As for enforcement, Pace said the county will ask businesses to follow a plan. Public Health won’t be approving or disapproving businesses’ plans, but businesses that are allowed to open in Stage 2 will need to follow state requirements and document that they have plans to follow health guidelines. They will need to post those requirements by their doors.
If Public Health starts to get complaints, Pace said its Environmental Health Division will go out and visit businesses and educate them about the requirements. He said there is no interest in issuing fines.
“We’re not going to be able to keep the public safe if people don’t comply,” Pace said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s reopening plan allows counties to move at an accelerated pace through the stages if they can attest to certain requirements.
Pace said Public Health intends to apply for a variance to follow that accelerated process.
On Tuesday afternoon, after the board meeting, the Governor’s Office announced that the state’s first two counties, Butte and El Dorado, attested that they have met certain criteria necessary to move further into Stage 2.
Butte has 20 confirmed cases and El Dorado has 60, with neither reporting any deaths to date, according to reports from their respective health departments on Tuesday.
Butte County has 210,291 residents and El Dorado 193,227, according to population estimates released this month by the California Department of Finance.
The California Department of Public Health reported that Butte and El Dorado can begin reopening dine-in restaurants and shopping malls, with modifications.
The state reported that several other counties also have applied for the accelerated process: Amador, Lassen, Nevada, Placer and Shasta.
Steps to seeking a variance
Health Services Director Denise Pomeroy told the board that her department has notified the California Department of Public Health of the county’s intent to seek a variance, meeting with the agency on Monday.
She said the county must be certified through a written attestation by the Public Health officer and supported by letters from the Board of Supervisors and local hospitals.
The state’s requirements for adjusting modifications include the epidemiological stability of COVID-19 cases, which Pomeroy explained means that there are no more than one case per 10,000 residents and no more deaths in the 14 days prior to the county’s attestation submission to the state.
Other requirements include providing copies of guidance to protect essential workers and availability of personal protective gear and cleaning supplies; a testing capacity of 1.5 tests per 1,000 residents, which Pomeroy said totals 700 per week in Lake County, and testing availability for 75 percent of county residents within a 60-minute drive; containment capacity; capacity of local hospitals to be able to handle a minimum 35-percent surge in COVID-19 patients in addition to handling normal care levels for non-COVID-19 patients; and the ability to shelter at least 15 percent of county residents experiencing homelessness, which totals about 86 people.
Pomeroy said the county must also be able to detail the county’s plan on which sectors and spaces will be opened, in what sequence, on what timeline, and indicate where its plan differs from the state’s timeline.
Additionally, the county must inform the state of emerging concerns and how it will implement early containment measures.
Pace said he wanted to have the plan ready for the board to review at its meeting next Tuesday, with plans to submit it to the state by the end of next week so the county could enter into an accelerated reopening the following week. He said mandatory masking in the stores and an enforcement framework would be included in the plan.
Supervisor Bruno Sabatier said he hoped the board on Tuesday would be able to give the plan final approval so it could be submitted as soon as possible to the state. “Let us know how we can help.”
Pomeroy said the goal is to have the plan read ahead of the Tuesday meeting, as early as Saturday or Monday, at the latest.
This article has been corrected to show that Pace’s most recent health order aligns with the state order and therefore doesn’t have a stated end date.
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.
Leslie Neal-Boylan, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Nurses are heroes of the COVID-19 crisis. May 12 is International Nurses Day, which commemorates the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the first “professional nurse.” The World Health Organization also named this year the “Year of the Nurse” in honor of Nightingale’s 200th birthday.
To nurses everywhere, this day and this year have great significance. Nurses, who are being recognized as heroes, have long awaited recognition as health care professionals in their own right and not ancillary to physicians. It’s wonderful to be recognized now in the context of coronavirus, but nurses have always been at the forefront – during war, epidemics and other times of disaster.
I have been a nurse for 40 years and a nurse practitioner for 17 of those years. An active clinician, researcher, scholar and educator, I currently serve as dean of the Solomont School of Nursing at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Throughout my career, nurses have typically been relegated to a secondary role, and if mentioned at all, we are described as assisting doctors. Nurses today are still asked why they didn’t become doctors instead. Aren’t we smart enough?
Many people don’t realize that nursing and doctoring are entirely different professions with different purposes. We are proud to work alongside doctors and other health professionals, but we have never worked behind them. Not all nurses work at the bedside, but we all touch the lives of patients.
Many nurses have doctoral degrees. They conduct research that advances the quality of patient care. Nurses change health care policy. For example, nurses play a significant role in health care reform and advise Congress on proposed health care rules and regulations. They also guide organizations regarding health care technology and care coordination and sit on executive boards of health care organizations. Nursing is both an art and a science.
The role of the nurse has evolved, but some things haven’t changed. Nurses have always cared for the sick, the well and the dying. We promote health and prevent illness. We interpret what is happening so that patients understand it. We are there for the entire patient experience from birth to old age, from wellness to illness, and throughout age and illness toward a peaceful and dignified death.
Our history provides many examples.
In 1854, Florence Nightingale brought 38 volunteer nurses to care for soldiers during the Crimean War. The cause of the conflict focused on the rights of Christians in the Holy Land and involved Russia, the Ottoman Empire, France, Sardinia and the United Kingdom. Male nurses provided care as far back as the Knights Hospitaller in the 11th century. But prior to Nightingale’s involvement, male and female nurses consisted of untrained family members or soldiers who cared for the ill and infirm.
Nightingale was the first to organize nurses and provide standardized roles and responsibilities for the profession. As such, she is credited with founding modern professional nursing. She was also an expert statistician, collecting data on patients and what did and didn’t work to make them better. Nightingale and her nurses improved sanitation, hygiene and nutrition. They provided care and comfort. Their work had a major impact on the survival of soldiers.
The American Civil War in the 1860s brought thousands of trained nurses to the battlefront, risking their lives to care for soldiers on both sides of the conflict. The most famous were Dorothea Dix, an advocate for indigenous populations and the mentally ill; Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross; and Louisa May Alcott, the author of “Little Women.”
Nurses again answered the call with the yellow fever epidemic of 1878, rushing from all over the country to Tennessee. The epidemic ultimately killed 18,000 people, and many nurses died while caring for the sick.
The U.S. recruited more than 22,000 trained nurses to treat Americans overseas and back at home from 1917 to 1919 during World War I. The war brought death from combat to about 53,000 Americans, while about 40 million civilians and military died worldwide. Time after time, nurses have left the warmth, comfort and safety of their homes to care for others.
Nurses were also among the millions who died from the 1918 influenza pandemic. Fifty million people died worldwide. This pandemic is probably most comparable to what we are experiencing today with COVID-19. But epidemics, such as polio, off and on from 1916 to 1954; the global pandemic of influenza A, 1957-1958; swine flu, 2009-2010; Ebola, 2014-2016; and Zika, 2015-2020, have also required constant nursing care.
I remember the AIDS pandemic, which began in 1981. I was a visiting nurse and saw many patients in their homes, from homeless shelters to penthouse apartments. Everyone suffered not only because of the physical and mental effects of the disease but also because of the stigma. People, even their families, were afraid to touch patients, kiss them or be near them. It was a lonely time for these patients. I watched them deteriorate and die. Nurses were often the only ones to hold the hands of these patients, so they wouldn’t die alone.
Nurses were also there during 9/11. They were among the courageous first responders who risked their lives to save others. Many have chronic diseases because of their exposure to Ground Zero.
Every year, nurses are voted first among the professions the public trusts the most, according to Gallup. We work hard to earn and maintain that trust. You will find us caring for people in their homes, in public health departments, in nursing homes and skilled care facilities, in rehabilitation hospitals, in prisons and correctional institutions, caring for the mentally ill and providing health care advice over phones and computers. Nurses work wherever there are people.
What do we ask in return? It’s simple. We don’t consider ourselves heroes, but we do deserve respect. Public images of the nurse in a sexy uniform or as a handmaiden to a doctor are wrong and insulting. We are professionals. Once the COVID-19 crisis is over, please don’t forget that we are always here for you. Always have been. Always will be.
As some states continue to ease social distancing mandates and new data are acquired on people’s movements, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington is projecting a slight increase in expected COVID-19 deaths in the US.
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, or IHME, is an independent global health research organization at the University of Washington School of Medicine. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the institute has released ongoing projections as Lake County News has reported.
IHME’s updated death projections total 137,184 cumulative COVID-19 deaths – the estimate range is from 102,783 to 223,489 – through the beginning of August. This follows the Institute’s May 4 forecast of 134,475 deaths.
“The increase is explained primarily by people’s movements, as captured in anonymous mobility data from cell phones,” said IHME Director Dr. Christopher Murray. “We’re also seeing fewer deaths expected in some states; however, we’re now forecasting slower downward trajectories in deaths after states hit their peaks in daily deaths.”
Murray noted that IHME’s models are not yet predicting a resurgence or “return to exponential growth” of the epidemic in the US.
IHME said its forecasts will change as it acquires and analyzes new data. In addition, the organization’s modeling assumes that mandates currently in place will stay in place until infections are minimized.
Other positive indications come from increasing testing, the presumption that those testing positive are self-isolating, as well as increases in temperature.
IHME has found that when the outdoor temperature increases 1 degree Celsius, there is evidence the rate of virus transmission drops between 2 and 3 percent.
The findings also show that, over the last few weeks, five states – Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Georgia – have seen at least a 20 percentage point increase in mobility patterns.
In addition, 13 states have experienced between a 15 and 20 percentage point increase: Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
“While at least some of these patterns may be related to formal easing of social distancing policies, this upward trend in movement began in several places long before state-level mandates were relaxed,” Murray said. “Unless and until we see accelerated testing, contact tracing, isolating people who test positive, and widespread use of masks in public, there is a significant likelihood of new infections.”
Among other new findings:
– New York: Forecasting 31,620 deaths (estimate range of 30,105 to 33,954) through August 4, down from May 4 projection of 32,132 deaths – Michigan: Forecasting 6,217 deaths (estimate range of 5,394 to 8,036) through August 4, down from May 4 projection of 7,080 deaths – California: Forecasting 6,086 deaths (estimate range of 4,187 to 9,855) through August 4, up from May 4 projection of 4,666 deaths – Texas: Forecasting 2,567 deaths (estimate range of 1,513 to 5,487) through August 4, down from May 4 forecast of 3,632 – Florida: Forecasting 5,440 deaths (estimate range of 3,027 to 11,592) through August, up from May 4 projection of 3,971 deaths – New Jersey: Forecasting 14,752 deaths (estimate range of 12,255 to 19,594) through August 4, down from May 4 projection of 16,044 deaths – Georgia: Forecasting 3,596 deaths (estimate range of 2,139 to 7,078) through August 4, down from May 4 projection of 4,913
IHME’s current forecasting lasts through Aug. 4.
Subsequent projections likely will extend into October and will include potential effects of students returning to school.