LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — It’s time once again to lift Lake County’s annual burn ban for the late fall and winter season.
The burn ban will be lifted for 2021 as of 8 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26, the Lake County Air Quality Management District reported.
The ban is being lifted now that Cal Fire has determined that wildfire risk has been significantly reduced by the recent rains, the district said.
Lake County’s joint fire agencies and Air Quality Management District’s open burning program has incorporated both fire safety and air quality management since 1987.
In related news, Cal Fire’s Sonoma Lake Napa Unit said it has suspended its burn ban for the season for Colusa, Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties effective on Oct. 26, for areas in the State Responsibility Area.
However, Cal Fire referred residents of that coverage area to their respective air quality management districts to verify it is a permissive burn day according to local regulations.
Burn permits are required for all outdoor burning in the Lake County air basin. Burn permits will be available at your local fire protection district.
The Lake County Air Quality Management District said a smoke management plan is required for multiday burns, overnight burns, standing vegetation burns, whole tree or vine removal, burns over 20 acres, and any other burn where significant smoke impacts may occur or sensitive receptors may be impacted.
A smoke management plan can be obtained at the Lake County Air Quality Management District office; call 707-263-7000 to make an appointment.
Bring a map showing the burn location, burn site coordinates (GPS locations), parcel number or address, acres to be burned, and details of vegetation to be burned. A fee is required for all burn permits, payable at the time the permit is issued.
Smoke management plans, agricultural burn permits and residential burn permits are $29, land development/lot clearing burn permits are $88. Cash or check only (exact change is appreciated).
Only clean dry vegetation that was grown on the property may be burned. Residential burn permits require a one acre or larger lot of record, a burn location that is at least 100 feet from all neighbors, and at least 30 feet from any structure in order to qualify.
Lot clearing/land development burns require special permits available at your local fire protection district. Read your burn permit carefully and follow all the conditions.
Officials ask community members who plan to use burning to please be considerate of their neighbors. A permit does not allow you to create health problems for others. You can be liable for health care costs, fines, and other costs resulting from your burning.
Consider composting or using the vegetative waste pickup provided with your waste collection service as an alternative to burning leaves.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Over the course of the weekend, Lake County saw several inches of rainfall as an atmospheric river passed over Northern California.
AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said the rainfall came about a month ahead of average.
The region badly needs the water due to the ongoing drought. As well, California has been hard-hit by another wildfire season.
“Repeated storms delivering such copious rainfall will have a major effect on the wildfire season — effectively ending the wildfire season from Northern California northward,” Porter said.
The storms also are forecast to bring heavy snowfall to the Cascades and Sierras.
There was steady rainfall from Saturday night into Sunday afternoon before the precipitation started to ease.
The National Weather Service’s observation stations in Lake County reported that, for the 36-hour period ending 2 a.m. Monday, there were rainfall totals around the county ranging from 4.29 inches near Upper Lake, 4.43 inches in Kelseyville, to 5.41 inches in Lyons Valley, 6.09 inches in Lower Lake, 6.75 inches near Lake Pillsbury, 7.69 inches at Bartlett Springs, 8.73 inches at Hidden Valley Lake, 9.23 inches in Middletown and 9.52 inches in Whispering Pines.
While Porter said the parade of storms that has brought the heavy rainfall to Lake County and Northern California “will have a positive impact on the water table,” he added, it “won’t be enough to solve all of the water problems which have been compounding for many years.”
Along with the heavy rainfall came numerous reports from Saturday night through Sunday of downed trees, downed lines, boulders in roadways and mudslides.
A mudslide on Sunday afternoon closed Highway 20 in both directions at Highway 16, with another slide later reported near Island Drive in Clearlake Oaks.
The National Weather Service said lighter rainfall would continue in Lake County into Monday and Tuesday, with nearly another inch of rainfall possible in that time
The unsettled weather is the tail end of a strong upper low pressure system winding down into British Columbia through Monday, the National Weather Service reported.
Conditions are expected to clear beginning on Wednesday and continuing until later in the week, according to the forecast.
Temperatures will increase toward the end of the week from the mid 50s to the high 70s in some parts of Lake County, the forecast said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Scotts Valley area of Lake County was once awash in hops, so much so that a rise in the earth on 11th Street at Scotts Valley Road was known colloquially as “Brewery Hill.”
Though the days of commercial hops cultivation in Lake County have fallen by the wayside, a Lake County farmer is doing his part to bring back the aromatic glory of that era.
Alex Vollelunga of Valley Long Farms in Lakeport has been growing hops on his property for the last four years. Vollelunga inherited the farm with its organic walnut orchard from his grandfather and has since expanded its offerings to encompass an extensive list of crops, including six varieties of hops.
Hops is integral to brewing beer and is one of the four main ingredients used to produce the quaff. The other three are malt, yeast and, of course, water.
It is the cone-shaped flowers of the hop plant that are used in the brewing process. Hidden inside each cone are tiny yellow pods, sticky glands called lupulin, which produce the resin that provides the characteristic bitterness that lends its aroma and flavor to beer.
This bitterness helps balance the sweetness of the malt. In addition, brewers can selectively use hops to produce a wide range of flavors within their created brews.
Much like wine grapes, each variety of hops has unique characteristics and can contribute wide-ranging flavor profiles such as citrus, pine, mango, resin, melon, and even the herbaceous notes of freshly cut grass.
Vegetal ingredients other than hops can also produce bitterness and flavor, and beer brewed using these rather than hops is known as “gruit.” A wide variety of plants can be used in gruit, including orange rind, spruce tips, juniper, yarrow, and bog myrtle.
This year Vollelunga’s hop bines (as the long hop stems are called) produced beyond his home brewing needs, so he offered some to Lakeport’s O’Meara Brothers Brewing Co. for use in their beer production.
According to brew master Tim O’Meara, the three varieties from Vollelunga — Cascade, Chinook, and Willamette — were “fantastic, very fresh and aromatic.”
“The beer came out great, with aromas of grapefruit and pineapple, as well as some herbaceous grassy notes. We are very grateful,” said O’Meara.
The beer created by O’Meara using these local hops was dubbed Hydrilla Killa and is a double India pale ale, or DIPA.
When brewed in the fall using fresh hops, beer is considered “wet hopped.” At other times of year when fresh hops aren’t available, brewers use the “dry hopped” method with processed hop pellets.
According to O’Meara, the fresh, whole cone hops were steeped in a large sack during the pre-fermentation wort boil to make a sort of hops tea. The wort boil is done to ensure that any harmful bacteria are eliminated from the brew.
In addition to imparting flavor, hops have inherent preservative qualities, extending the life of beer. The acids within hop resin are naturally antimicrobial, helping to ward off spoiling bacteria during fermentation, as well as keeping it fresher longer once brewed.
Beer brewers in times past understood this. By the late 1700s, British brewers were adding extra hops when beer was being exported to faraway places, averting spoilage on long ocean voyages or overland expeditions.
Another plus is that hops help to retain beer’s head of foam, a key component of its aroma and flavor.
The hop plant, Humulus lupulus, is a hardy climbing perennial in the Cannabinaceae family, which also includes hemp and marijuana. Despite its near relative, smoking or otherwise imbibing hops will not produce a high.
As mentioned above, the long arms of the hop plant are known as bines, rather than vines. Botanically speaking, vines climb using tendrils or suckers, while bines grow in a helix around a support.
Vollelunga has cleverly interplanted hops among his walnut trees so the bines can use the trunks as supportive trellises. His hops are harvested in August and September when the cones have started turning from green to crisp brown, prior to the walnut harvest in October and November.
Vollelunga plans to expand the number of hops bines every year, with the goal of being able to supply Lake County breweries with fresh hops during the “wet hop” brewing season. They currently have more than 20 bines and will plant more next spring.
In addition to crop cultivation, Vollelunga makes oils for culinary and grooming purposes from his farmed walnuts under the name The Bearded Nut. To reach him about hops or any of the Valley Long Farms products, he may be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
There is more to hops than beer.
Hops are utilized in herbal medicine in a similar way to valerian, as a treatment for restlessness, insomnia or anxiety. A pillow filled with hops was a common folk remedy for sleeplessness, and studies with animals have shown hops to have sedative qualities.
And while not a kitchen staple, hops may be incorporated into foods to add a touch of bitterness, such as in a marinade or pesto, or as a sprinkled seasoning.
Depending on the variety, hops will add a floral, earthy, peppery, or citrus flavor to dishes. Without a light hand, however, the bitterness can be overpowering.
The flowers, or cones, of the plant are most widely used in cuisine, but several other parts of the plant are edible, including the young shoots, which can be treated like asparagus.
Salt flavored with hops can be made with either processed pellets or fresh hops cones. Pellets may be ground and combined with salt using a ratio of one teaspoon ground hops to one tablespoon of salt, or a few fresh hops cones may be covered with salt in a closed container to impart a hoppy flavor.
Hops is used in some products because of its inherent aromatherapeutic properties, like lip balm and soap, or in herbal teas.
Today’s recipe for beer bread is reprinted from my March 2020 column on local craft beer breweries and includes several variations. To expand on the theme, try using an exceptionally hops-forward beer in the bread.
I’ll leave you with a “hoppy” (and perhaps happy) poem from Thomas Tusser’s 1557 work, “Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry.”
"The hop for his profit I thus do exalt, It strengtheneth drink and it flavoureth malt; And being well-brewed long kept it will last, And drawing abide, if ye draw not too fast."
Beer Bread with Rosemary and Olives
3 cups unbleached white flour 3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced ½ cup roughly chopped pitted kalamata olives 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) good quality beer 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish with one tablespoon of the olive oil.
Stir together the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl. Stir in the rosemary, then the chopped olives until both are well distributed.
Pour in the beer and stir until just incorporated into the mix. The dough will be sticky and somewhat heavy.
Spoon the dough into the baking pan and spread evenly. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Transfer bread to a trivet or cooling rack.
Cut into rectangles and serve warm.
Variations:
Eliminate olives and add ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
Diced apple (from one medium peeled apple) can be added along with the cheese.
Go crazy with the olives and add several different types, up to 1 ½ cup total.
Substitute honey for the sugar.
Substitute half the white flour for whole wheat.
Use melted butter instead of olive oil.
Increase or decrease the sugar or honey. (Anywhere from one to four tablespoons will work.)
Increase or decrease rosemary to taste.
Add an equal amount of fresh thyme along with the rosemary.
Add a couple tablespoons chopped scallions or chives to any of the variations or on their own.
Add ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the olives and rosemary.
Esther Oertel is a writer and passionate home cook from a family of chefs. She grew up in a restaurant, where she began creating recipes from a young age. She’s taught culinary classes in a variety of venues in Lake County and previously wrote “The Veggie Girl” column for Lake County News. Most recently she’s taught culinary classes at Sur La Table in Santa Rosa. She lives in Middletown, California.
On Monday, Congressmen John Garamendi (D-CA03) and Mark Amodei (R-NV03) introduced the “Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels Act” (H. R. 5692).
This bipartisan legislation would authorize federal land management agencies to take proven, commonsense measures to prevent the proliferation of invasive species in our nation’s waterways, lakes, reservoirs and aqueducts.
Garamendi is a representative of Lake County, California, which has seen its critically important tourist economy centered around Clear Lake threatened by invasive quagga mussels and other aquatic invasive species exacerbating the lake’s harmful algal blooms.
Garamendi has secured federal resources in recent years to help curb the presence of invasive species in Clear Lake, and the “Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels Act” can provide key support in this ongoing effort.
“Invasive species crowd out native wildlife and incur billions of dollars in avoidable damage to our nation’s critical water infrastructure, particularly in western states like California,” Rep. Garamendi (D-CA) said. “In my Congressional District, proliferated quagga and zebra mussels clog water pipelines, reduce the capacity of canals, and damage reservoir operations for hydropower, water storage, and flood control.
“The best defense against spreading invasive aquatic species is simple: inspection and decontaminating watercraft so they do not spread aquatic invasive species from one waterbody to another,” Garamendi continued.
“Our bipartisan ‘Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels Act’ would ensure that federal land management agencies like the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service have the legal authority to conduct these inspections on federal land. In addition, our bill would establish a new U.S. Bureau of Reclamation grant program for inspection stations at federally managed reservoirs like those that comprise the Solano and Central Valley Projects,” Garamendi continued.
“Congress can and should take decisive action to limit the spread of aquatic invasive species, and that’s exactly what our bipartisan ‘Stop the Spread of Invasive Muscles Act’ will accomplish. I will continue working with my colleague representing the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, Congressman Amodei, to ensure this bill becomes law,” Garamendi concluded.
“I am proud to join Congressman Garamendi in introducing the ‘Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels Act’, which invests critical resources in building and operating additional invasive species inspection stations, while also allowing the Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service to aid in these efforts. This legislation is a commonsense solution to empower our federal agencies to be responsible stewards of our lakes and waterways, which is vital to the preservation of Lake Tahoe," Rep. Amodei (R-NV) said.
According to California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife, invasive quagga mussels were first detected at an intake for the Colorado River Aqueduct in 2007, which supplies water for communities in southern California.
Since then, the State of California has confirmed that all reservoirs, lakes, and watersheds receiving raw Colorado River water have been exposed to quagga mussels.
The first confirmed find of zebra mussels in California was in 2008, at the San Justo Reservoir in San Benito County, California.
The following organizations have endorsed the “Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels Act” (H. R. 5692): Western Governors' Association, National Wildlife Federation, National Marine Manufacturers Association, American Sportfishing Association, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
The full text of the “Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels Act” can be viewed here.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A new state jobless report shows that in September Lake County experienced its lowest unemployment rate since the pandemic began, while California’s overall rate remained unchanged.
The Employment Development Department on Friday released labor force data for September.
The report showed that Lake County’s unemployment was 6.2% in September, down from 7% in August. Lake County’s September 2020 jobless rate was 8.9%.
The lowest previous rate since last year’s pandemic onset for Lake County was 6.9% in May.
Additionally, this is Lake County’s lowest jobless rate since February 2020, according to state data.
A total of 570 unemployment claims were filed in Lake County in September, according to a state dashboard, compared to 837 in August. In September 2020, the state said 2,795 unemployment claims were filed in Lake County.
In September, California’s rate was 7.5%, unchanged from August. In September 2020, the state’s jobless rate was 10.6%.
The number of Californians employed in September was 17,594,600, an increase of 43,300 persons from August’s total of 17,551,300, and up 1,159,100 from the employment total in September of last year.
The state’s unemployed totaled 1,418,800, a decrease of 12,700 over the month and down 531,300 in comparison to September of last year.
The picture appeared better nationwide last month, when unemployment was 4.8%, down from 5.2% in August and 7.8% in September 2020, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
In Lake County, job sectors showing growth last month were wholesale trade, 11.1%, and government, 2.3%.
Sectors that were down included total farm, which showed a decline of 28.1%; mining, logging and construction, down 2.1%; leisure and hospitality slipped by 1.6%; and educational and health services declined by 1.4%.
Lake County’s jobless rate in September ranked it No. 39 out of California’s 58 counties.
The lowest unemployment rate in the state in September was 3.6% in Marin. Imperial County had the highest, with 18.1%.
The statewide picture
California’s employers added 47,400 non-farm payroll jobs, which account for 24.4% of the nation’s 194,000 overall jobs gain in September 2021.
So far, California has now regained 1,723,800, or 63.5%, of the 2,714,800 jobs that were lost in March and April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state’s payroll jobs totaled 16,669,900 in September 2021, up from 16,622,500 in August 2021 and 15,874,100 in September 2020.
Nine of California’s 11 industry sectors gained jobs in September. Leisure and hospitality added 23,300 jobs last month thanks to strength in performing arts and spectator sports, with professional and business services posting a notable gain of 6,900 jobs thanks to increases in computer systems design and architectural and engineering services.
Job gains also were reported in manufacturing, 5,700; information, 5,000; government, 3,100; education and health services, 2,600; trade, transportation and utilities, 1,900; construction, 1,400; and financial activities, 1,300.
The “other services” sector registered the largest month-over employment decline with more than half of its 3,700 job losses coming in religious, grants, civic, and professional and like organizations. The other industry to report a job decrease was mining and logging, which reported 100 lost jobs.
The state said the number of jobs in the agriculture industry increased by 700 from August 2021 to 420,400 jobs in September. The agricultural industry has 16,900 more farm jobs in September 2021 than it did the September prior.
In related data that figures into the state’s unemployment rate, the Employment Development Department said there were 493,987 people certifying for Unemployment Insurance benefits during the September 2021 sample week. That’s compared to 638,976 people in August and 2,801,538 people in September 2020.
Concurrently, 78,878 initial claims were processed in the September 2021 sample week, which was a month-over increase of 15,325 claims from August, but a year-over decrease of 147,394 claims from September 2020, the Employment Development Department said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Konocti Unified School District adjusted homecoming events over the past week after Lower Lake High School’s football teams were placed in modified quarantine because of contacts with individuals who tested positive for COVID-19.
Lower Lake High’s homecoming festivities typically stretch across two days, including a Friday night football game and a Saturday night dance, said Konocti Unified Superintendent Dr. Becky Salato.
However, Salato said both football teams had to go into modified quarantine due to close contacts with a few staffers and one or two students who had tested positive for COVID-19.
She said the contact tracing process required by the California Department of Public Health included about 85 students and 20 staff members.
“The contact tracing is huge,” said Salato, noting principals have to do it daily.
“We always err on the side of doing more than not to make sure we’re keeping everyone safe,” she said.
Ultimately, about 60 students on the football teams ended up being placed in modified quarantine, Salato said. “It was a big group.”
While on modified quarantine, students can attend school but can’t take part in extracurricular activities, Salato said.
The California Department of Public Health’s latest health guidance for K-12 schools in the 2021-22 school year, updated on Oct. 20, explains that modified quarantine is used for unvaccinated students who are close contacts with COVID-19-positive cases; close contact is defined as more than 15 minutes over a 24-hour period within zero to 6 feet.
Students in modified quarantine may continue to attend school in-person if they have no symptoms; continue to appropriately mask, as required; undergo at least twice weekly testing during quarantine; and continue to quarantine for all extracurricular activities at school, including sports, and activities within the community setting, based on the state requirements.
While the homecoming rally took place on Friday, Salato said the homecoming games scheduled for Friday night, matching the Lower Lake Trojans junior varsity and varsity football teams against the Willits High School Wolverines’ teams, had to be canceled.
With so many students missing out on that event, Salato said the school administration wanted to make some adjustments to ensure everyone had a chance to participate in a homecoming event.
So they moved the homecoming dance, which had been scheduled for Saturday night, to the night of Saturday, Nov. 6, the night after the final football game of the season against Kelseyville High School.
Friday, Nov. 5, also is senior night, and Salato said moving the homecoming dance to the following night fit nicely.
Salato said the intent is to keep the students involved. “We know these extra things are important when they've missed so much in other years,” she said.
While COVID-19 is a key concern for educators, it’s not shut down schools so far this academic year, Salato said.
“Fortunately, we have not had any incidents that are considered outbreaks, where we’ve had to shut down completely,” she said.
There have been a few classes, including a special education classroom with 10 kids, that she said had to be placed on distance learning after a contact with a COVID-19-positive individual, a measure taken out of caution.
Salato said Lake County Public Health has been great, and works with the district’s team daily to address COVID-19 requirements such as contact tracing.
“It’s a difficult time for everybody,” she said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the community’s assistance in locating a missing Lakeport woman.
Shirley Schield, 75, was last seen early Monday, the sheriff’s office said in a Nixle alert issued shortly before 10 p.m. Monday.
Her family said she may suffer from dementia.
At approximately 3:06 a.m. Monday, Schield left the Northport Trailer Park, located at 5020 Lakeshore Boulevard in Lakeport.
She was carrying a dog leash and headed on foot toward the Lakeport area on Lakeshore Boulevard.
Schield is a Caucasian woman, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall and 130 pounds. She has blue eyes and short white hair and may respond to “Carol” or “Shirley.”
She was last seen wearing a light blue and pink sweater with light blue pants.
If anyone has seen Shirley Schield or anyone matching her description, please contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office nonemergency line at 707-263-2690.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors is set to consider a final agreement for a land swap to facilitate a new sheriff’s headquarters and affordable housing development, and will also take up the appeal of a permit for a commercial cannabis operation in Upper Lake.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting ID is 963 1160 6935, pass code 252799. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,96311606935#,,,,*252799#.
All interested members of the public that do not have internet access or a Mediacom cable subscription are encouraged to call 669-900-6833, and enter the Zoom meeting ID and pass code information above.
At 9:06 a.m., the board will present a proclamation designating the month of October 2021 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
At 9:30 a.m., the board will consider the exchange agreement for the Lakeport Armory at 1431 Hoyt Ave. and a county-owned property at 15837 18th Ave., Clearlake.
“This land exchange would provide an opportunity to build at least 50% of the housing units as deed restricted affordable units located within the City of Clearlake and would allow the relocation of the Sheriff’s Office to the Lakeport Armory to help address their space needs,” County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson wrote in a memo to the board.
At 10:45 a.m., the board will hold a public hearing to consider an appeal of the Lake County Planning Commission’s approval of a major use permit and adoption of an initial study for a commercial cannabis project on 46 acres at 10717 and 10680 Schuette Road in Upper Lake, owned by Blue Lakes Organics.
The appeal was submitted on behalf of Ray Hoffman, owner of Le Trianon Resort. Part of the basis for the appeal is that Hoffman alleges that the land use compatibility with the resort was not studied. Concerns about drainage and runoff to nearby properties and into Blue Lake, odor and the site plan are among other issues raised in the appeal.
In other business on Tuesday, with Agriculture Commissioner Steve Hajik planning to retire effective Feb. 11, 2022, in an untimed item the board will consider giving staff direction regarding the recruitment process for Hajik’s successor.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Approve Amendment No. 2 to Agreement for recruitment services for Lake County Public Health officer.
5.2: Adopt resolution reappointing Anita L. Grant as county counsel for the county of Lake.
5.3: Adopt resolution authorizing the agreement in the amount of $757,550.00 between the county of Lake and the California Mental Health Services Authority for the period of agreement execution through Dec. 31, 2024, and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.
5.4: Adopt proclamation designating the month of October 2021 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
5.5: Approve continuation of resolution authorizing teleconferenced meetings during a state of emergency continue to exist.
5.6: Approve the Lake County District Attorney's Office — Victim Witness Division's Policy for direct financial victim assistance.
5.7: Adopt resolution approving county of Lake Health Services Department to submit a renewal application and certification statement for the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Grant with the State of California, Department of Public Health for Fiscal Year 2021 through 2022, in the amount of $270,601.06 and authorizing the board chair to sign said certification and interim Health Services director to sign application.
5.8: Approve amendment five to the agreement between the county of Lake and the Kelseyville Motel for COVID-19 emergency isolation housing and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.9: Adopt resolution approving the certification statement for the State Department of Health Care Services, CMS Branch’s California Children’s Services Administration Plan Renewal Grant for FY 2021-2022 and authorize the board chair to sign said certification statement.
5.10: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the first amendment to the agreement between the county of Lake and Management Connections for temporary staffing support services completed during fiscal year 2021-22 for a sum not to exceed $60,000 and authorize the board chair to sign the amendment.
5.11: Authorize the IT director to issue a purchase order to Dell Technologies for Microsoft Windows server licenses in the amount of $29,930.
5.12: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of the goods or services, and (b) approve the master agreement between the county of Lake and NCE for consulting services related to pavement preservation and rehabilitation of county roads, and (c) approve supplemental services agreement number one and authorize the chair to sign the agreements.
5.13: Adopt resolutions rescinding prior rejections and accepting certain roadways for public use for the purpose of providing increased water flow and necessary fire hydrants for fire protection to the communities of Forest Oaks and Bonanza Springs Subdivision No. 1.
5.14: a) Approve the FY 2021 Emergency Management Performance Grant application in the amount of $137,931 and b) approve the FY 2021 Emergency Management Performance Grant – American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in the amount of $60,483 and c) authorize Sheriff Brian Martin to sign the grant subaward face sheet, the authorized agent document and the subrecipient grants management assessment form; d) authorize County Administrative Officer Carol J. Huchingson to act as the authorized agent on behalf of the county to sign the standard assurances and initial each page, the lobbying certification and the FFATA financial disclosure document and e) authorize the chairperson of the board of supervisors to sign the certification of the governing body resolution.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:06 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the month of October 2021 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
6.3, 9:15 a.m.: Presentation of an annual report on the activities of Lake County Resource Conservation District.
6.4, 9:30 a.m.: Consideration of the Clearlake-Lakeport Armory Exchange Agreement to exchange the properties located at 1431 Hoyt Ave., Lakeport, CA (APN 003-046-750-000) and 15837 18th Ave., Clearlake, CA (APN 010-043-010) .
6.5, 10:45 a.m.: Public hearing, discussion and consideration of appeal (AB 21-03) of the Planning Commission approval of major use permit (UP 20-45) and adoption of initial study (IS 20-56) for a commercial cannabis cultivation license on a property located at 10717 and 10680 Schuette Rd., Upper Lake; APN's 003-002-11 (cultivation site) and 003-001-21 (clustering property).
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Direction to staff regarding recruitment for new agriculture commissioner upon the retirement of Steve Hajik effective Feb. 11, 2022.
7.3: Consideration of (a) waiving the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approval of the agreement between the county of Lake and North American Mental Health Services for telehealth psychiatry services for fiscal year 2021-22 for a contract maximum of $975,000.00 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.
ASSESSMENT APPEALS
8.1: Approve withdrawal on the following Assessment Appeal Applications: No. 24-2019 Charles Bellig Trs., 01-2020 Rodney Miller, and 25-2020 Lakeshore Drive II.
8.2: Continue the following Assessment Appeal Applications: No. 21-2020 Renfro Family and 23-2020 Brad Revelli.
8.3: Approve stipulation on the following Assessment Appeal Applications: a) No. 24-2020 Charles E. Bellig; and b) No. 26-2020 Deborah Ann Bakhtiari.
8.4: Deny the following assessment appeal applications on timeliness, as no request for hearing received: 02-2020 Beatrice Bell and 11-2020 through 20-202 H&S Energy.
CLOSED SESSION
9.1: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9(d)(1): Center for Biological Diversity et al. v. County of Lake, et al.
9.2: Public employee evaluation: Director of Public Works, Water Resources and Community Development (until 06/13/21) Scott De Leon.
9.3: Public employee evaluation: County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson.
9.4: Public Employee Evaluation: Interim Health Services Director Carol Huchingson.
9.5: Conference with negotiators regarding property tax exchange for the annexation of the South Main Area (136.78 acres south of the current Lakeport City limits); price and terms of payment: (a) County negotiators: Supervisor Scott, Supervisor Simon and C. Huchingson and (b) city of 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.
Even before the pandemic, the U.S. workforce increasingly relied on remote collaboration technologies like videoconferencing and Slack. The global crisis accelerated the adoption of these work tools and practices in an unprecedented way. By April 2020, about half of companies reported that more than 80% of their employees worked from home because of COVID-19.
That shift was made possible by decades of research into, and then development of, technologies that support remote work, but not everyone uses these technologies with the same ease. As early as 1987, groundbreaking research identified some of the challenges facing women working from home using technology. That included the difficulties of child care, work-home separation and employee growth opportunities.
Since that time, we have learned much more about virtual collaboration. As an associate professor of information systems, I’m interested in what we can expect as we eagerly anticipate a post-pandemic future. One thing stands out: Hybrid work arrangements – that is, employees who do some tasks in the office and others virtually – is clearly going to be a big part of the picture.
One survey from April 2021 shows 99% of human resources leaders expect employees to work in some kind of hybrid arrangement moving forward. Many have already begun. As just one example, Dropbox, the file hosting service, made a permanent shift during the pandemic, allowing employees to work from home and hold team meetings in the office.
The definition of “hybrid” varies in other organizations. Some workers might be in the office a couple days a week or every other day. Other businesses may require only occasional face-to-face time, perhaps meeting in a centralized location once each quarter.
Either way, research does show many companies fail in their implementation of a virtual workforce.
Remote work versus in the office
In-office work promotes structure and transparency, which may increase trust between management and workers. Developing an organizational culture happens naturally. Casual office conversations – a worker walking down the hall for a quick and unscheduled chat with a colleague, for instance – can lead to knowledge-sharing and collaborative problem-solving. That’s difficult to replicate in a virtual environment, which often relies on advance scheduling for online meetings – although that’s still feasible with enough planning and communication.
But if you look at different metrics, in-office work loses out to working from home. My recent research discovered remote workers report more productivity and enjoy working from home because of the flexibility, the ability to wear casual clothes, and the shortened or nonexistent commute time. Remote work also saves money. There is a significant cost savings for office space, one of the largest budget line items for organizations.
Hybrid arrangements attempt to combine the best of both worlds.
It’s not perfect
It’s true that hybrid work faces many of the same obstacles of face-to-face work. Poor planning and communication, ineffective or unnecessary meetings and confusion about task responsibilities happen remotely as well as in-person.
Perhaps the largest issue when working at home: technology and security concerns. Home networks, an easier target for cyberthreats, are typically more vulnerable than office networks. Remote workers are also more likely to share computers with someone else outside of their organization. Hybrid organizations must invest upfront to work through these complicated and often expensive issues.
With hybrid work, managers cannot see the work taking place. That means they must measure employee performance based on outcomes with clear performance metrics rather than the traditional focus on employee behavior.
Another potential pitfall: Fault lines can develop within hybrid teams – that is, misunderstandings or miscommunication between those in the office and those at home. These two groups may start to divide, potentially leading to tension and conflicts between them – an us-versus-them scenario.
Establishing a hybrid environment
Numerous recommendations exist on the best way to develop a hybrid model. Here are a few of the best ideas.
Meeting too often or with little purpose – that is, meeting for the sake of meeting – leads to fatigue and burnout. Not everyone needs to be at every meeting, yet finesse from management is required to make sure no one feels left out. And meeting-free days can help with productivity and allow employees a block of uninterrupted time to focus on complex projects.
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Listening to employees is critical to making sure the hybrid environment is working. Continually seeking feedback, through one-on-one conversations, focus groups or human resources surveys, is important too. So is recognizing and rewarding employees with in-person or virtual kudos for their achievements. Performance incentives, such as financial rewards or tokens of appreciation including food delivery, help develop a supportive culture that increases employee commitment.
Finally: Both managers and employees must be transparent in their communication and understanding of hybrid plans. Policies must be in place to define what tasks happen in the office and remotely. Access to reliable communications is essential, particularly for remote work. All employees must receive the same information at the same time, and in a timely manner. After all, whether in the office or online, workers don’t want to feel they’re the last to know.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A Sunday evening solo vehicle crash near Middletown led to the death of a child, as well as major injuries for two others and a small vegetation fire.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office said the crash occurred at 5:28 p.m. Sunday on Highway 29 north of Hilderbrand Drive.
Authorities did not release the name of the 10-year-old girl who was fatally injured in the wreck.
The CHP said Manuel Santos Torres, 24, of Middletown was driving a 2007 BMW 550i northbound on Highway 29 with Jennifer Palalia-Zuniga, 26, and the 10-year-old girl, both of them also from Middletown, riding as his passengers.
For reasons that the CHP said are still under investigation, the BMW veered off the east side of the roadway and hit multiple trees.
Due to the force of the impact, the BMW caught fire and began a small vegetation fire, which the CHP said was extinguished quickly.
The CHP said emergency personnel removed the three occupants from the BMW.
The child died of her injuries at the scene, the CHP said.
Santos Torres and Palalia-Zuniga, both of whom were wearing their seat belts, sustained major injuries and were transported to Adventist Health Clear Lake Hospital for treatment, the CHP said.
Radio reports indicated air ambulances couldn’t fly because of the weather on Sunday.
The CHP said neither drugs nor alcohol are suspected as factors in the wreck.
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.
Elementary and secondary school revenues and spending increased in most areas in fiscal year 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of School System Finances.
All but two of 36 reporting areas, spanning 35 states and the District of Columbia, had increased revenues for public school systems, according to preliminary fiscal year, or FY, 2020 finance data on elementary and secondary schools.
All but five states reported an increase in total expenditure in FY 2020.
Because of the pandemic, the two areas that had 1-year declines (student transportation and food services) had slower growth in 10-year spending than other categories.
Increased spending in instruction and teacher salaries offset notable decreases in spending on student transportation and food services in a school fiscal year that included a global pandemic.
In 2020, as a result of COVID-19, school closures affected at least 55.1 million students in 124,000 U.S. public and private schools.
The survey also offers a window into 10-year trends, which shows steady increases in revenue and expenditures across public school systems.
Because of the pandemic, the two areas that had 1-year declines (student transportation and food services) had slower growth in 10-year spending than other categories.
Some revenue and spending categories decrease
Preliminary Annual Survey of School System Finances provides users with an early look at FY 2020 school system finance data compared to the prior year. State education agencies submit a majority of the data, which they collect from school systems in their respective states.
The U.S. Census Bureau is releasing data tables and the accompanying visualization early in an effort to provide the public with timely information about how these data may have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reporting areas’ total revenue increased to $584.9 billion in FY 2020, up 2.2% from $572.5 billion in FY 2019, according to survey data.
Total expenditure by these reporting areas grew to $586.4 billion in FY 2020, an increase of 2.5% from $571.8 billion in FY 2019.
The survey also provides spending breakdowns across categories: instruction, administration, instructional staff support, pupil support and other support services for students and staff.
Current spending consists of expenses for day-to-day activities of school systems, including teachers’ salaries and benefits and most other school system daily expenses.
It is the largest category of total expenditures, accounting for 87.3% of total expenditures in FY 2020 with $512.0 billion reported by school systems — up 1.5% from $504.2 billion in FY 2019.
Despite the increase in overall current spending, two significant categories of current spending decreased from FY 2019: student transportation and food services.
Total student transportation expenditure for reporting areas decreased 5.7% to $20.1 billion in FY 2020 from $21.3 billion in FY 2019.
Only five out of 36 reporting areas — Delaware, the District of Columbia, Minnesota, Washington, Wyoming — reported increases in student transportation.
Food services expenditures decreased overall for reporting areas, from $23.7 billion in FY 2019 to $15.9 billion in FY 2020, a 32.9% decrease.
Only eight out of 35 reporting states — Alaska, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wyoming — reported an increase in food services expenditure in FY 2020.
Federal revenue for public school systems also decreased slightly from the prior year. Overall revenue from federal sources was $40.8 billion in FY 2020, a 1.0% decrease from $41.2 billion in FY 2019.
How COVID-19 affected school finances over whole decade
The graphic below shows trends in public elementary and secondary school finance statistics over the last 10 years for the areas that reported on the preliminary FY 2020 Annual Survey of School System Finances.
While most categories of revenue and expenditure have increased steadily over the past decade, there is one notable exception — a decline in federal funding for schools. Some categories, such as transportation and food services, continued to grow over the previous 10 years but were disrupted, at least temporarily, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Revenue from both state and local sources have increased each of the past 10 years, while revenue from federal sources has decreased overall from FY 2011, a year during which additional funding was provided by the federal government through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Despite additional assistance for public elementary and secondary school systems from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, total federal revenue was only $40.8 billion in FY 2020, a decrease of 1.5% from $41.2 billion in FY 2019.
However, the full implications of the CARES Act on federal revenue for public school systems is not expected to be felt until the next full fiscal year.
Final data release expected in May 2022
These data are preliminary and are subject to change by the final release of FY 2020 Annual Survey of School System Finances data tables and files.
The full release of public elementary and secondary school system finance data from the FY 2020 Annual Survey of School System Finances is expected in May 2022 and will include finance data for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Due to the early release of the data, only a subset of geographic areas is included in the data tables and visualization.
State education agencies that submit the majority of the data for the survey had a soft due date of August 13, 2021 to submit data files, but also have the option of submitting later in the calendar year in order to verify the quality of their school systems’ financial data.
Stephen Wheeler is a supervisory survey statistician in the Census Bureau’s Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has many new dogs, big and little, awaiting adoption this week.
Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of American bulldog, American Staffordshire terrier, Belgian malinois, Doberman, German shepherd, hound, husky, Labrador retriever, mastiff, pit bull, Rottweiler, schnauzer, shepherd and Yorkshire terrier.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control website not listed are still “on hold”).
“George” is a 1-year-old male American bulldog mix with a short gray coat.
He is in kennel No. 4, ID No. LCAC-A-1430.
‘Teddy’
“Teddy” is an 11-year-old Yorkshire terrier-schnauzer mix with a long silver, tan and black coat.
He is in kennel No. 5, ID No. LCAC-A-1896.
Female shepherd-husky
This female shepherd-husky has a short tan coat with black markings and blue eyes.
She is in kennel No. 9, ID No. LCAC-A-1745.
Female shepherd-husky
This 1-year-old female shepherd-husky mix has a short tricolor coat and blue eyes.
She’s in kennel No. 10, ID No. LCAC-A-1746.
Female American Staffordshire terrier
This 7-year-old female American Staffordshire terrier has a short gray coat and white markings.
She is in kennel No. 11, ID No. LCAC-A-1890.
‘Einstine’
“Einstine” is a young Labrador retriever-pit bull mix with s short black coat with white markings.
He is in kennel No. 12, ID No. LCAC-A-1860.
Labrador-pit bull mix
This 5-year-old female chocolate Labrador retriever-pit bull mix has a short chocolate-colored coat.
She is in kennel No. 13, ID No. LCAC-A-1769.
‘Cynthia’
“Cynthia” is a 1-year-old female Doberman pinscher-hound mix.
She is in kennel No. 18, ID No. LCAC-A-1891.
‘Rocky’
“Rocky” is a 1-year-old female German shepherd mix with a short black coat and tan markings.
She is in kennel No. 19, ID No. LCAC-A-1719.
Female Rottweiler
This 5-year-old female Rottweiler has a short black and tan coat.
She is in kennel No. 20, ID No. LCAC-A-1833.
Male mastiff
This 2-year-old male mastiff has a short tan coat.
He is in kennel No. 21, ID No. LCAC-A-1869.
Female German shepherd
This 2-year-old female German shepherd has a short black coat with tan markings.
She is in kennel No. 22, ID No. LCAC-A-1733.
Female American Staffordshire mix
This 3-year-old female American Staffordshire mix has a short black coat with white markings.
She is in kennel No. 23, ID No. LCAC-A-1727.
Female husky-pit bull
This 1-year-old female husky-pit bull mix has a short brown coat with white markings.
She is in kennel No. 24, ID No. LCAC-A-1725.
Male husky-pit bull
This 1-year-old male husky-pit bull mix has a short coat.
He is in kennel No. 25, ID No. LCAC-A-1726.
‘LuLu’
“LuLu” is a 1-year-old female Rottweiler with a short black and tan coat.
She is in kennel No. 27, ID No. LCAC-A-1658.
Male shepherd mix
This 2-year-old male shepherd mix has a short black and tan coat.
He is in kennel No. 28, ID No. LCAC-A-1743.
Male pit bull
This young male pit bull has a short black and white coat.
He is in kennel No. 29, ID No. LCAC-A-1699.
Female pit bull
This 1-year-old female pit bull mix has a short gray coat with white markings.
She is in kennel No. 31, ID No. LCAC-A-1683.
‘Dozer’
‘Dozer’ is a 5-year-old American pit bull terrier mix with a short brindle coat.
He is in kennel No. 33, ID No. LCAC-A-1483.
Male Belgian malinois
This 2-year-old male Belgian malinois has a short black and tan coat.
He is in kennel No. 34, ID No. LCAC-A-1779.
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.