LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Fourteen-year-old Alyssa Arledge has lived in a wheelchair her entire life.
Born with spina bifida, a condition doctors warned her mother would offer little or no quality of life, Alyssa has defied the odds to become a vibrant, outgoing young woman eager for independence.
The home she lives in with her parents and younger brother, however, provides little opportunity for that.
As she is unable to easily leave the house without assistance, and had difficulty maneuvering her wheelchair around the home, Alyssa’s mother Sarah reached out to Habitat for Humanity Lake County to learn if there was any way they could help.
After a thorough evaluation of the home and discussing Alyssa’s needs with Sarah Arledge, Habitat for Humanity Lake County, as part of their Critical Home Repair Brush of Kindness Program, was happy to be able to come to their aid.
The program provides an array of repairs to low-income households throughout Lake County.
To date, they have assisted more than 300 households with health and safety and accessibility-related repairs In addition to providing qualified families with homeownership opportunities, helping families like the Arledges is one of Habitat for Humanity Lake County’s primary missions and goals.
A new sink was installed to accommodate Alyssa’s wheelchair and the bathtub has been adapted for accessibility.
One interior doorway was widened to provide access to the rear entrance where a handicap ramp was installed to give Alyssa access to the garden she has planted and loves to tend.
Best of all, a wheelchair lift has been installed at the main entrance of the home so that Alyssa can come and go as she pleases without relying on someone else to carry her chair up and down the stairs.
On the day the lift was installed, Habitat staff was present when Alyssa arrived home from school to see it and use it for the first time. The delight on her face as she maneuvered into the lift and rode it up to the front door on her own, without needing the aid of family to do so, was a joy to behold.
“You guys have helped me so much,” Alyssa said to Habitat’s staff. “You were always rushing to help and I am so thankful for all you have done. It has changed my life so much and I will be forever thankful. Thanks to you, I can be more independent and can go outside without needing help. I hope other people find you guys and see how wonderful you are. Knowing you were there to help me makes me very happy.”
Alyssa and her family expressed their ongoing gratitude throughout the entire process. It is that gratitude, and the happiness on Alyssa’s face, that fuels Habitat’s commitment to continuing their efforts in bettering the lives of Lake County’s families.
For a short video of the celebration and unveiling of the lift, or for more information about the work Habitat for Humanity Lake County offers, please visit http://www.lakehabitat.org.
If you or someone you know might benefit from Habitat for Humanity’s home repair services or are in need of housing, please contact the office at 707-994-1100, Extension 108, or stop by and talk with us about your needs and to pick up an application.
Additionally, there is an ongoing need for buildable property and for wheelchair ramps and lifts to assist people like Alyssa.
If you or someone you know are able to help, please contact Habitat for Humanity to discuss how you can help.
Tammy Brigham is administrator for Habitat for Humanity Lake County.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — The Yuba Community College District has selected the new president of Woodland Community College.
On Tuesday, Chancellor Shouan Pan announced the decision to begin contract negotiations with Dr. Lizette Navarette to become Woodland Community College’s next president.
Chancellor Pan plans to place the employment agreement on the agenda for public review and approval consideration by the governing board at its next regular meeting, which is scheduled for Dec. 14.
Yuba Community College District includes both Yuba Community College and Woodland Community College, the latter of which includes the Lake County Campus in Clearlake.
On Tuesday, Lake County News was unable to reach Navarette through the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, where she currently works.
The Full-time Faculty Association of Yuba Community College District, or FAYCCD, extended a warm welcome to Dr. Navarette as she steps into the president position at Woodland Community College, said union President Georgie O'Keefe.
“As we embark on this new chapter for WCC, FAYCCD is eager to work with Dr. Navarette to help rebuild trust and morale at WCC and also throughout the district. Once again, we express our warmest welcome to our new WCC president and eagerly await the opportunity to meet and engage in fruitful discussions,” O’Keefe said.
The Yuba Community College District conducted a nationwide search that resulted in 36 applicants for the Woodland College president’s job, Dr. Pan said in an Oct. 23 listening session with staff and local leaders.
At that time, Pan emphasized his belief in the importance of selecting a new Woodland Community College president as part of addressing concerns at the Lake County Campus.
The 36 original applicants were narrowed to 11 semifinalists who were interviewed in late October. Navarette was one of four finalists the district announced earlier this month.
District officials said three “outstanding” final candidates interviewed for the job on Nov. 14, the same day that they were featured in public forums.
Navarette currently serves as executive vice chancellor at the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, where she leads the Office of Institutional Supports and Success which includes college finance, facilities planning, institutional effectiveness and government relations, according to a biography released by the college district.
Her responsibilities include formulating policies that determine the distribution of over $13 billion in local assistance and capital outlay funds to the state’s 73 community college districts, professional development which advances student success, and coordinating state and federal matters for the system.
Other previous positions held by Navarette include California Community College’s vice chancellor of College Finance and Facilities Planning — she was the first woman to hold that position — and vice president of the Community College League of California, as well as associate director of regional relations for the University of California, Riverside, and as the youth and education coordinator for the city of Riverside.
A first-generation college graduate, Navarette holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations from UC Riverside, a master’s degree in public administration from the University of La Verne, and a doctorate in education from UC Davis.
In 2021, Dr. Navarette earned the United Nations Global Education for All award for her research on working adult learners.
Importance of the new president
Navarette’s selection followed by less than two weeks a Yuba Community College District Board meeting in Clearlake during which former students and faculty, as well as Lake County leaders, told the board they needed to give the Lake County Campus the resources it deserves in order to save it.
At that Nov. 9 meeting, community members blamed the campus’ decline on the decision in the 2016-2017 academic year to align the Lake County Campus with Woodland Community College, the administration of which they said has been squeezing the campus through attrition of staff and cutting of student resources.
“Woodland should not decide what is good for Lake County. Period,” Clearlake City Councilman Slooten told the board, one of two dozen speakers who championed the campus at the meeting.
Following the meeting, Dr. Pan told Lake County News that the district board had heard community members’ concerns.
“The Board and I are focusing on shoring up college and campus leadership, including hiring the permanent president for Woodland Community College and later the permanent vice president, and dean for the Lake County Campus,” Pan said in an email. “Having the right leadership matters to the future of the college and the Colusa Center and the LCC.”
At that point, Pan said they were at “the last step of hiring the permanent College president.”
He said realigning the Lake County Campus is not under consideration. “One of the top priorities for the new president is to understand the issues and challenges related to LCC and to develop a plan to address them, including a review of the resource allocation.”
Navarette will be key not just to working with the Lake County Campus but also to addressing the issues that have arisen with the district’s full-time faculty.
FAYCCD said its members have worked without a contract since July 1, 2022, and are no closer to a contract now.
“The District has made it clear verbally and in writing that it does not view full-time faculty as a fiscal priority,” O’Keefe said in a memo sent to full-time staff on Nov. 8.
On Nov. 17, union members voted to develop a work to rule plan and then enact it in the near future.
As O’Keefe explained, “Work-to-rule is a lawful job action where employees do exactly what is stated in the written rules, procedures, and the contract—nothing more, no free labor—to help demonstrate the value of their contributions and the necessity for fair compensation. This is an appropriate and effective strategy in those cases where employers provide unfair and unreasonable compensation offers. Through work to-rule, we demonstrate to management just how important our work is, and how much overwork we do—including the work before our day even begins.
Navarette is on track to begin the president’s job in early 2024, which is the timeline Pan had reported at the Oct. 23 meeting.
The district board also appointed Patricia Barba as the Lake County Campus’ interim dean at its Nov. 9 meeting.
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.
As millions of people begin to venture out onto California’s busy roadways for the upcoming holiday, the California Highway Patrol is preparing to serve up its annual Thanksgiving Maximum Enforcement Period.
Beginning at 6:01 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 22, and continuing through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 26, the maximum enforcement period, or MEP, aims to reduce the number of crashes, injuries, and fatalities during one of the year’s busiest travel periods.
“Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude and celebration, but the holiday is also associated with increased travel and a higher risk of traffic incidents,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “Our officers will be on patrol to take enforcement action as necessary and to provide assistance to motorists who are stranded or in need of help on the side of the road.”
During the MEP, CHP officers will be working to assist and educate motorists and enforce traffic safety laws throughout the state, actively looking for unsafe driving behaviors, including impaired or distracted driving, speed and reckless driving, and people not wearing seat belts.
Last year during the Thanksgiving MEP, 37 people were killed in crashes within the CHP’s jurisdiction.
The CHP’s holiday enforcement effort also resulted in more than 8,600 citations issued to motorists for speed and seat belt violations.
Additionally, CHP officers made 1,016 arrests for driving under the influence during the four-day period.
“Remember to prioritize safety as you travel during the holidays,” added Commissioner Duryee. “Observe speed limits, avoid distractions, and ensure everyone in the vehicle is buckled up. Responsible driving contributes to a happy and safe holiday.”
Just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, California State Parks, in partnership with First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and the California Natural Resources Agency, is expanding its popular California State Park Adventure Pass from 19 select state parks to 54.
The pilot program, currently in its third year, allows California fourth graders and fourth-grade teachers free admission to participating parks until Aug. 31, 2024.
In Lake County, both Anderson Marsh State Historic Park and Clear Lake State Park are participating in the program.
The Adventure Pass is one part of the First Partner’s California for All Kids initiative, which seeks to put children and families on a path to a healthier future.
“We launched the California State Park Adventure Pass in 2021 to provide fourth graders and their families with more opportunities to reap the mental, physical, and social-emotional health benefits of time spent outdoors,” said Siebel Newsom. “Now, we’re expanding the Adventure Pass– nearly tripling the number of gorgeous California State Parks and historic sites fourth graders are able to visit and increasing their access to valuable hands-on, experiential learning opportunities in the process. By growing this program, we’re doubling down on our commitment to ensure California kids have access to the resources they need to get the best start in life.”
The California State Park Adventure Pass program, made possible by Assembly Bill 148, was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in July 2021.
The pass is valid for the one-year period during which the child is a fourth grader or fourth grade equivalent, from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31 of that year.
Any fourth grader who lives in California is eligible for the California State Park Adventure Pass, no matter how they attend school or how old they are. If they are a fourth grader or fourth-grade equivalent, they qualify.
To date, more than 50,000 passes have been provided to families.
“We are thrilled to expand the California State Park Adventure Pass from 19 to 54 participating state parks, including beaches and historic parks,” said State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “The curriculum being taught in fourth grade about history, natural, and social sciences make providing fourth graders with free state park access a great supplement to the lessons being taught to them in school.”
Obtaining a free pass online is simple.
Have a parent and/or guardian go to ReserveCalifornia.com or call 800-444-7275 (Spanish-speaking customer service available). All they have to do is set up a profile by providing their name, address, phone number and email address, and a free pass will be sent to their email right away.
Individuals who do not have access to a smartphone, computer or printer, and/or do not have an email address, can still request a pass by visiting a State Parks Pass Sales Office — click here for a list of locations — or by calling 800-444-7275.
“Expanding this Adventure Pass is great news for families across the state and another way our State Parks are expanding outdoor access,” said California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “As the parent of a fourth grader myself, I know how much kids love exploring new places. Now more kids and families will be able to experience a broader range of our natural places across California, helping us achieve the goal of building an Outdoors for All.”
The State of California champions the right of all Californians to have access to recreational opportunities and enjoy the cultural, historic, and natural resources found across the state. Too many Californians cannot access neither public outdoor spaces nor the state’s array of museums, and cultural and historical sites.
The state is prioritizing efforts to expand all Californians’ access to parks, open space, nature and cultural amenities. This priority requires focusing funding and programs to expand opportunities to enjoy these places. Doing so advances Gov. Gavin Newsom’s strong personal commitment to building a “California for All.”
Outdoors for All Pass Programs
In addition to the California State Park Adventure Pass, all Californians can check out a California State Parks Library Pass by using their library cards to access more than 200 participating state park units. The Library Pass program is also available to tribal libraries throughout the state.
Families receiving California Work Opportunity and Responsibility for Kids, or CalWORKs, individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and income-eligible Californians 62 and over can apply for the Golden Bear Pass with their smartphone or other web-based device in just minutes and have access to more than 200 California state park units.
The Golden Bear Pass is also available to participants of California’s Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, program.
On Tuesday, California State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (AD-29) appointed Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (AD-4) to the post of Assembly majority leader.
Aguiar-Curry’s district includes Lake County.
“I am proud that Speaker Rivas has honored me with this appointment,” said Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters). “I share the speaker’s commitment to collaboration with all of our colleagues in the Assembly, and our partners in the Senate and the Newsom Administration. I stand ready to support him, work for all Californians, and fight for the values of our Assembly Democratic Caucus in this new role.”
“The majority leader works closely with the speaker and speaker pro tempore to expedite proceedings and build agreement across our historically large caucus,” Speaker Rivas said. “Cecilia is a trusted friend and colleague who I’m proud to have worked with closely in the past, and has my full confidence for the work ahead. I thank Assemblymember Bryan for his exceptional work during my transition into the office of Speaker, and look forward to continuing our collaborative work for many years to come.”
Aguiar-Curry has served as the speaker pro tempore since July 2023, and in the State Assembly since December 2016. She also serves as vice chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus.
She has been an accomplished legislative advocate for women and children, California’s working families, local governments, agriculture and its employees, small cities and rural communities, and access to health care, education and economic opportunity for all Californians.
Aguiar-Curry represents the Fourth Assembly District, which includes all of Lake, Colusa, Napa, and Yolo counties, and part of Sonoma County.
Thanksgiving is an important time of the year for families and friends to come together.
Whether you are gathering around the table to indulge in family recipes that have been passed down for generations, or you’re creating something new in the kitchen this year, Cal Fire has some kitchen safety tips to help you prevent accidental kitchen fires.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, or NFPA, the holiday season sees a peak in home cooking fires.
Data from 2017 to 2021 highlights unattended cooking as the primary cause of such fires and associated casualties.
Each year, cooking fires cause hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries and more than $1 billion in damages. California experienced over 60,600 cooking fires from 2017 to 2022, which equates to over 1,000 cooking fires per month in our state alone in a five-year period.
Nearly 5,300 of those fires resulted in injuries, with 571 unfortunately resulting in fatalities.
Frying the turkey instead of baking it for hours, has become increasingly popular. “Cooking fires are preventable.
Always use your device outdoors, have a fire extinguisher handy and never use water to put out a grease fire.
It’s also important to remember when frying your turkey, fry on concrete, not grass, as any sparks on vegetation could cause a fire,” advised California State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant. “Never leave your turkey unattended, regardless of where and how you choose to cook it.”
Following the proper safety precautions this holiday will help you and your family and friends enjoy a safe holiday.
Cooking safety tips:
• Always stay in the kitchen while frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you must leave the kitchen for even a short period, turn off the stove and oven. • Regularly check on food that is simmering, baking, or roasting; and use a timer to remind yourself that you’re cooking. • Turn pot handles towards the back of the stove. • Keep children 3 feet away from the hot stove, and away from hot food and hot liquids. • Never use water to put out a grease fire. Instead, turn the burner off and slide a lid over the flame. Baking soda can also be used to help extinguish a small grease fire. • Make sure a fire extinguisher is in the kitchen and you know how to use it. • Ensure you have working smoke alarms installed in your home. Press the test button and if the alarm does not beep, replace the unit immediately. • When using a turkey fryer, be sure to follow instructions closely. Don’t exceed the recommended oil level and only use the device outdoors. Never place a frozen or partially thawed turkey in hot oil. • Know your exit routes in case of a fire emergency, get everyone out and then call 911.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday announced the California Highway Patrol is increasing statewide efforts to combat organized retail crime as the annual holiday shopping season begins.
As part of the Governor’s Real Public Safety Plan, the CHP is increasing its law enforcement presence in key retail districts across California and its Organized Retail Crime Task Force, or ORCTF, is increasing enforcement efforts through proactive and confidential law enforcement operations with allied agencies through the holidays — keeping more shoppers, merchants, and retail districts safe.
“When criminals run out of stores with stolen goods, they need to be arrested and escorted directly into jail cells. Leveraging hundreds of millions of dollars in law enforcement investments, the California Highway Patrol — working with allied agencies — is increasing enforcement efforts and conducting and supporting covert and confidential takedowns to stop these criminals in their tracks during the holiday season, and year-round,” said Gov. Newsom.
“The men and women of the California Highway Patrol are working around the clock to keep shoppers, merchants, and retail districts safe this holiday season — and year-round,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “Much of our task force’s success can be attributed to the strong working relationships we have with our law enforcement partners throughout the state and the rapport we have cultivated with the retail industry. Working together with our partners, and utilizing the CHP’s extensive statewide resources, we are cracking down and stopping unacceptable criminal activity.”
Some of the $350,000 worth of evidence that CHP seized in a single recent investigation The additional law enforcement presence across California is an effort to keep shoppers and merchants safe while catching retail criminals in the act.
To help reduce the amount of retail crime that occurs during the holiday shopping season, the CHP’s ORCTF regional teams in Southern California, the Bay Area, the San Joaquin Valley and Sacramento will be collaborating with retailers, loss prevention, and local law enforcement agencies.
Additionally, several proactive and confidential law enforcement operations are planned with allied agencies throughout the state and investigators are aggressively investigating and taking down known boosters and fencing operations linked to organized retail crime.
Since the inception of the ORCTF in 2019, the CHP has been involved in nearly 2,200 investigations that have led to the arrests of more than 1,500 suspects and the recovery of nearly 420,000 items of stolen retail merchandise valued at more than $33 million.
Building on these successful efforts, Gov. Newsom announced earlier this year that the state awarded the largest-ever single investment to combat organized retail crime in California history — sending over $267 million to 55 cities and counties to increase arrests and prosecutions for organized retail crime.
Public safety funding in California is at an all-time high. Building on investments to improve officer retention and well-being and the Governor’s Real Public Safety Plan — which focuses on strengthening local law enforcement response, ensuring perpetrators are held accountable, and getting guns and drugs off our streets — California’s 2023-24 budget includes more than $800 million in funding to support multiple programs to improve public safety and crack down on retail crime.
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — The Kelseyville Unified School District is inviting interested community members to apply to become provisional board members in the wake of two board member resignations.
Applications — which can be found on the Kelseyville Unified website or the district office — are due by noon on Friday, Dec. 8.
The district reported that the two board members who resigned are Natalie Higley and Allison Panella.
“One board member is now a Kelseyville Unified School District employee, working as a school counselor, so she is no longer eligible to serve as a board member, and the other resigned from the board for personal reasons. That leaves us with two vacancies we need to fill,” said Superintendent Dr. Nicki Thomas.
Thomas said the board plans to have the vacancies filled by Dec. 19.
Panella told Lake County News, “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time on the board and regret not completing the remainder of my term. I have resigned because I accepted a position as a school counselor for Kelseyville Elementary School, where I look forward to serving our students in a more meaningful way.”
The current elected board members — Board President Rick Winer, Clerk Gilbert Rangel and Mary Beth Mosko — will appoint the new board members, who will serve a provisional term from December 2023 through December 2024.
The role of the school board is to ensure that school districts are responsive to the values, beliefs and priorities of their communities, according to the California School Boards Association.
Boards fulfill this role by setting direction, establishing an effective and efficient structure, providing support, ensuring accountability and providing community leadership as advocates for children, the school district and public schools.
In Kelseyville, the time commitment to serve is approximately four hours per month.
Board members typically attend one regular monthly meeting and occasional special meetings, for which they prepare by reading materials provided in advance.
Meetings usually last about two hours each.
The basic criteria to serve as a Kelseyville Unified board member include residing within the district boundaries, being a registered voter, having no conflicts of interest that would invalidate service (such as being a district employee) and being at least 18 years of age.
Thomas noted that the board would love to find applicants who are familiar with Kelseyville Unified and have an unselfish interest in public schools, the community, and in every child.
“The board hopes to find candidates who demonstrate courage and the ability to explain and enforce necessary rules, even when they are unpopular, and who understand that leadership often involves doing the most good for the most people — which can require garnering support for a feasible policy as opposed to a perfect policy,” Thomas said.
She said the current board members work for the good of the whole based on moral and ethical values and she appreciates that.
Thomas also believes having a sense of humor can help ease the tension when difficult decisions must be made.
Once applications are reviewed, qualified applicants will be invited back for interviews on Dec. 14 and the two applicants chosen to fill the vacancies will be sworn in on Dec. 19.
These provisional board members will serve until newly elected board members are chosen during the November 2024 election.
In November 2024, two positions will be listed on the ballot: one for a full four-year term and another for the remaining two years of an existing four-year term.
While people usually think first about the turkey or the ham during holiday meals, the sides are what help balance your plate. Colorful vegetables like green beans, collard greens, roasted carrots and mashed sweet potatoes are loaded with important micronutrients. But how you prepare them will help determine whether you get the most nutritional value out of each bite this holiday season.
As a biochemist, I know that food is made up of many chemical substances that are crucial for human growth and function. These chemical substances are called nutrients and can be divided into macronutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals.
Vegetables are full of micronutrients that human bodies need for metabolism – or converting food into energy – as well as to form and maintain cells and tissues. These micronutrients can be classified into three types: minerals, water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins.
Minerals
The greens – collard greens, kale, spinach, green beans – on your table are rich sources of the elements magnesium and calcium. Your body needs these two major minerals for muscle movement and bone health.
Magnesium is essential for many of the enzymes that play important roles in DNA synthesis and repair, as well as protein production and metabolic function. The cellular processes, especially accurate DNA synthesis, are important in protecting your body from developing diseases such as cancer. Calcium helps regulate the pH in your body, influences your metabolism and strengthens your nerve impulses. Nerve impulses are important for your senses and your memory.
Greens are also a source of iron – you were right, Popeye! – which is particularly important for the oxygen-binding proteins hemoglobin and myoglobin that transfer and store oxygen in your body, respectively. In addition, human bodies require iron for processes that help generate energy, protect against oxidative damage and make hormones.
Orange vegetables – carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and squash – contain some levels of calcium and iron as well as high levels of potassium. Potassium is important for muscle movement, nerve impulses and maintaining low blood pressure. Although not a colorful vegetable, white potatoes also contain very high levels of potassium.
Water-soluble vitamins
Most green and orange vegetables contain high levels of vitamin C. Vitamin C is an important water-soluble vitamin because it acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect your cells against certain types of damage caused by very reactive molecules known as free radicals.
In addition, vitamin C can enhance immune response and is essential for the synthesis of collagen – the major protein in your skin. Although taking large levels of vitamin C will not keep you from ever getting sick, a healthy amount can help your skin stay soft, help you avoid diseases like scurvy and potentially shorten the length of a cold.
The white potatoes on the table have high levels of vitamin B6, which is a component of enzymes essential for carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. It also helps create healthy blood cells and is important in the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, which both regulate pleasure and happiness.
Fat-soluble vitamins
One of the most important vitamins you get from the green vegetables, especially leafy ones like kale, spinach, collards and Brussels sprouts, is vitamin K. Vitamin K is an essential component of enzymes that make proteins in bone and proteins that help clot blood after injuries.
Vitamin A is another important fat-soluble vitamin found in spinach and orange vegetables. The source of vitamin A in vegetables is actually beta carotene, which gets broken into two molecules of active vitamin A after consumption. Vitamin A is essential to vision as well as cell differentiation, reproduction, bone health and immune system function.
Absorption of micronutrients
Consuming vegetables that contain micronutrients is very important, but just as important is your body’s ability to absorb the nutrients and transport them to the cells that need them. Macronutrients like carbohydrates, fats and proteins that primarily make up the food we eat are very efficiently absorbed into your bloodstream.
However, only 3%-10% of some micronutrients actually get distributed throughout your body. Other ingredients and factors in your food can moderate whether you absorb vitamins and minerals.
Therefore, it is important to prepare vegetables in a way that can enhance the body’s ability to absorb their essential vitamins and minerals.
One good example of this is iron – specifically, the iron in the food you consume. Heme iron, which is the form necessary for incorporation into your body, comes only from animal products and is the most easily absorbed.
The plant-based iron contained in green and orange vegetables, on the other hand, is not bound to a heme, and your body can’t absorb it as readily. Consuming vitamin C alongside vegetables can increase the uptake of nonheme iron. So, a squeeze of lemon or orange juice can not only enhance the flavor of your vegetables but the micronutrients you obtain from them.
Fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamin K and vitamin A, are best absorbed when the meal contains some dietary fat, which you can get from oil. This is particularly important for vitamin K because green vegetables are its primary dietary source. This is in contrast to the other minerals and vitamins discussed that can also be obtained from animals or legumes that contain some amounts of dietary fat already.
After consumption, vitamin K must be packaged with other fats in structures called micelles or lipoproteins that can move around in the bloodstream. That means that it’s a good idea to prepare your greens with some source of fat – olive oil, avocado oil, butter or even a little bacon grease.
So, if you’re staring at the southern style collard greens on your plate and wondering whether they’re as healthy as eating a raw green leaf, think about it in terms of the biochemistry. While raw greens provide you with plenty of fiber and minerals, they won’t help your vitamin K levels as greens cooked in oil will.
Enjoy your time around the holiday table. Load up your plate with everything you like to eat, and make sure to not go completely fat-free in order to help your body process and use all the micronutrients.
One big idea to understand is that airlines don’t earn very much money, if any at all, from ticket sales. This is mainly due to the highly competitive and capital-intensive structure of the airline industry, which often leads to reduced profit margins. Instead, they make their profits from bag fees, ticket change fees and — importantly — frequent flyer programs.
Frequent flyer programs, coupled with rewards credit cards, are very profitable for airlines. For example, Delta’s latest annual report shows last year that the company earned US$5.7 billion from selling credit card miles. Given Delta only made $3.6 billion in profits, this frequent flyer program clearly boosts the bottom line.
Designing the optimal rewards program
Many types of businesses, not just airlines, offer rewards programs. From a company’s perspective, a well-designed loyalty program should cost little or nothing, give customers great value and prevent them from using a competitor.
Frequent flyer programs fit this bill: Giving some passengers the ability to board early or access to a lounge costs airlines almost nothing, but many customers desire it. Plus, the chase for status or free flights locks people into using only one airline.
Much of the appeal of status programs comes from their exclusivity. This leaves airlines with a problem: where to set the bar. A low bar means nearly everyone gains status. But customers get no value being allowed to board first if almost everyone on the plane can also do it, and airport lounges aren’t a haven when travelers can’t find empty seats. At the same time, setting the bar too high results in empty lounges and unhappy customers.
Striking the right balance is tough, since the number of flyers is constantly changing due to economic conditions. When the economy is doing well, people want to travel. This gives airlines an incentive to tighten frequent flyer rules. When the economy is doing poorly, people stay home and airlines relax their rules.
For example, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, few people flew, so airlines made it easy to earn or keep status. Today, with the economy doing better and flying back to pre-pandemic levels, airlines are making it much tougher.
Many airlines are switching from a frequent flyer status model based on miles traveled to one based on dollars spent. This move aligns with the main design principle of these programs: The benefits a company gives to customers must mirror the value it gets from them.
Who pays for all those rewards, anyway?
Rewards programs are very profitable for airlines and their credit card partners. But for cardholders, the value proposition is less clear. These cards promise “free” rewards, but don’t actually deliver anything for free.
First, rewards cards often come with an annual fee. Fees typically range from around $100 per year for a simple airlines reward card to $600 for a card that gives lounge access. Second, since many people don’t pay off their credit card balance each month, these card companies make billions of dollars charging people interest.
Credit card companies also charge merchants roughly 2.5% every time a customer swipes a reward card — what’s known as the interchange fee. The more generous the card, the higher the fee merchants have to pay. In general, when sellers encounter many consumers using reward cards, they raise prices to offset the additional cost.
What do all these fees mean for the typical flyer? People who pay off their reward card balances in full every month get roughly back the extra amount they pay in fees and charges. People who don’t pay off their balances, or who use debit cards or cash, pay more so that reward card holders get “free” travel. The result is that poorer and less financially savvy people end up subsidizing the flights of richer people.
A boom time for airlines, less so for passengers
Since the deregulation of air travel in the 1970s, airlines have gone through boom and bust cycles. Right now, it’s a boom for airlines and a bust for people looking for frequent flyer status. There’s no reason for airlines to be as rewarding today as they were in the past. Planes are full of people willing to pay with money. Sometime in the future, however, it will reverse, and it will be a boom time for flyers looking for status when planes begin having empty capacity.
In the meantime, what should you do? Our general advice is that if you are going to use a reward card, choose a card that gives cash back, not one that gives airplane miles. Good old cash is far more useful than miles. Miles can be devalued by an airline at any moment. Plus, even the most elite status doesn’t help much when your plane is delayed — and that’s happening more and more these days.
Thanksgiving is a time for gathering with friends and family around the dinner table. No one wants to cause their family or friends to get sick from a foodborne illness on this holiday or any other occasion.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 1 in 6 Americans, or 48 million people, get sick from a foodborne illness each year. According to the CDC, more than 1 million of these people get sick from salmonella, which is the primary pathogen associated with poultry.
As a food safety specialist, my role is to educate food producers, manufacturers and consumers on how to ensure the safety of the food they produce.
This Thanksgiving – and, really, for any gathering – make sure you understand how to prepare your meal to ensure that everyone goes home without a foodborne illness. Understanding the safe food practices to follow at home during preparation, cooking, serving and storing leftovers will keep your holiday meal delicious and safe to eat.
Pathways to foodborne illness
Salmonella is a bacteria that causes a foodborne illness called salmonellosis. Salmonella is also often linked to undercooked poultry and beef, undercooked eggs, raw milk and produce. Symptoms of salmonellosis, which include diarrhea, fever and stomach pain, can begin six hours to six days after eating contaminated food.
Food contamination occurs when pathogens, toxins or chemicals make their way into food. Common pathogens that are attributed to foodborne illnesses are salmonella, E. coli, listeria and norovirus. Botulism is a foodborne illness that is caused by a toxin that is produced by a bacterium. A bacterial or viral contaminant can get on the food at any point along the food production chain, from the field, water, equipment, processing, handling, transportation, storage or preparation.
Every person who grows, handles, transports, stores or prepares food along the food production chain plays a very important role in detecting, eliminating or reducing contamination.
The perennial wisdom of hand-washing
Any food preparation and handling should always start with hand-washing.
Scrub hands, including the top, between fingers, around fingernails and wrists for a minimum of 20 seconds.
Rinse hands under running water.
Dry with a paper towel or air dry.
Hands should also be washed any time during food preparation that your hands have touched another food or surface that may have pathogens on it. This includes handling raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs, as well as touching unwashed produce, blowing your nose, touching your cellphone or petting a cat or dog, to name a few.
A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service, which is the branch of the USDA that makes sure meat, poultry and eggs are safe for consumption, observed that 97% of study participants failed to wash their hands during food preparation when they should have. So while hand-washing might seem like a no-brainer, clearly it’s not.
Rinsing the poultry beforehand is a no-no
While preparing your meal, there are a few critical food-handling steps to follow to prevent cross contamination, or the transfer of pathogens from one surface to another.
First, keep raw meat, poultry and seafood away from raw or ready-to-eat foods. For example, do not prepare your raw turkey next to where you are preparing a salad, or do not cut produce on a cutting board that had raw meat on it without washing it thoroughly first.
Many people may not realize that it is unsafe to rinse poultry before cooking. The USDA recommends leaving poultry unwashed because it can cause pathogens to easily spread throughout the kitchen from the spray of the water. The only exception is a brined turkey. Brined turkeys are required to be rinsed before cooking, but use extra caution when doing so, and be sure to sanitize all surfaces in and around the sink afterward.
Chlorine bleach is a commonly used sanitizer that can be used in the kitchen, but there are a few things to know before using it. Chlorine bleach works best when mixed with cool – not hot – water and should be made fresh daily before using. To prepare, mix a teaspoon of bleach with one quart of water, and let the solution cover the surface for one minute before wiping, or allow to air dry.
Cooking the meat to safe temperatures
Cooking the Thanksgiving turkey or ham are two more critical steps in preparing a safe holiday meal.
Before cooking turkey, make sure it is completely thawed in the refrigerator. For large birds, this may require up to one week of thawing time, so plan ahead.
All poultry must be cooked to a minimum of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooking instructions and cooking temperatures will vary based on the cooking method that you choose. But no matter the cooking method, make sure to take the temperature of the turkey in the thickest portion of the breast meat and innermost part of the thigh, being sure not to touch bone with the thermometer. Poultry must be cooked to 165 F because this is the temperature that is required to kill salmonella instantly.
Based on the size of your bird and your cooking method, determine the amount of cooking time it will need well ahead of time. If you are cooking it in the oven with other dishes, consider that some extra roasting time may be needed, as the temperature of the oven decreases and extends cooking time every time the oven door is opened. You want to make sure you have enough time to cook the turkey thoroughly and allow approximately 30 minutes of rest time at room temperature before carving.
If you are preparing ham, first determine whether it is fully precooked at the time of purchase or if cooking is required. Even if fully cooked, hams still need to be heated to a minimum of 140 F. Those that require cooking need to be cooked to 145 F. Like turkey, roasting time will be based on the size of the ham – plan ahead so you know when to put it in the oven. A thermometer should be used to measure the temperature of the thickest portion of the ham without touching bone.
Safe handling and storage should not be an afterthought
Safe handling of the turkey, ham and other side dishes does not end after they are cooked.
If the food is served buffet style and will be kept out at room temperature for an extended period of time, make sure to have a plan to keep hot food hot, which means above 135 F, and cold foods below 40 F, which is equivalent to the maximum safe temperature of a refrigerator. For example, hot foods can be kept hot in a preheated chafing dish, and cold foods can be served in their serving dish that is nestled in a bowl or tray of ice. If you are unable to keep the food hot or cold during service, then make sure they are put away in the refrigerator within two hours after serving.
Thanksgiving leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than three to four days. If you have a lot of leftovers that won’t be eaten within this time frame, consider freezing them for a quick meal at a later date, then thaw and eat them within three to four months for best quality. Remember to label and date leftovers so you know what they are and when they were put in the refrigerator or freezer.
New data show the country may not reach its goal to eliminate HIV by 2030 as part of federal initiative.
The COVID-19 pandemic slowed previous gains made in controlling HIV blood levels and worsened health disparities, according to UC San Francisco researchers leading the largest U.S. evaluation of the impact of the public health crisis on people with HIV.
While the country had been making progress on its goals to reduce HIV before COVID-19, the researchers found the pandemic compromised those gains by leveling off improvements in the overall population and worsening outcomes among Black patients and people who inject illicit drugs.
“Equity in HIV outcomes likely worsened during the pandemic, with decreased access to necessary care and increased socioeconomic impacts disproportionately affecting these populations,” said the paper’s first author, Matthew Spinelli, MD, assistant professor in the Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine at UCSF and the Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.
The study was published Nov. 14, 2023 in Clinical Infectious Diseases, the journal of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
The researchers used data from 17,999 participants from Jan. 1, 2018 to Jan. 1, 2022 at eight large HIV clinics in Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Chapel Hill, Cleveland, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle. They compared results from Jan.1, 2018 to March 21, 2020, tracking outcomes as the pandemic progressed.
Past progress in controlling the virus came to a virtual standstill during the pandemic for the general population. But for certain subsets, mainly Black patients as well as those with a history of injection drug use, the pandemic worsened their outcomes.
The percentage of Black patients who kept their viral loads suppressed decreased from 87% to 85%, and for people who inject drugs their level dropped from 84% to 81%.
The shelter-in-place orders around the country limited access to care for patients, especially those who were already experiencing health disparities. Factors included the shift to telemedicine to provide HIV services as well as reduced in-person medical visits. Increased isolation also led to worsening substance use, loneliness and mental health issues for some individuals.
UCSF’s Spinelli said the results show the U.S. may not reach its goals to eliminate HIV by 2030 as part of the federal government’s initiative Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S.
“We will need to redouble our efforts in responding to the HIV epidemic to regain our momentum, with a focus on improving health equity so that no one is left behind,” Spinelli said.