NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — The Mendocino National Forest is hosting a series of community sessions on post-wildfire recovery to gather a diverse range of public input that will be used to inform future restoration efforts.
Everyone who lives, works or recreates in the forest is encouraged to attend to learn more about the impacts of recent wildfires and share their input on prioritizing investments in its recovery.
Participants will be guided through stations to identify the places and activities they care about most on the forest and to provide input on future conditions.
Families are encouraged to attend and bring their kids for fun activities and to meet Smokey Bear. A Spanish translator will be available.
Input sessions will be interactive and will take about 45 minutes. Community members are invited to come between 5 and 7:30 p.m. No registration is required.
The sessions are as follows.
Wednesday, Nov. 8 Pleasant Valley Recreation Center 2320 North Ave., Chico
Thursday, Nov. 9 Red Bluff Community Center 1500 S Jackson St., Red Bluff
Monday, Nov. 27 Robinson Rancheria 1545 State Highway 20, Nice
Tuesday, Nov. 28 Library Commons 23925 Howard St., Covelo
Nearly 90% of the Mendocino National Forest has burned within the last five years. Land managers have a unique opportunity to develop a post-fire restoration strategy to help build a more resilient landscape for the future. Public feedback will inform a shared vision for restoration after severe wildfires.
These community sessions are possible thanks to a first-of-its-kind collaboration with researchers from the U.S. Forest Service’s Region 5, Pacific Northwest and Southwest Research Stations, USDA California Climate Hub, and University of California, Davis.
The team is developing an ecosystem-based, post-fire restoration framework and integrating community input to prioritize future projects.
More information about the community sessions is available online.
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — The Middletown Area Town Hall will discuss its election process this week.
MATH will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, in the Middletown Community Meeting Room/Library at 21256 Washington St., Middletown. The meeting is open to the public.
To join the meeting via Zoom click on this link; the meeting ID is 832 1989 2440. Call in at 669-900-6833.
On the agenda is proposed action regarding a candidate forum and the election for seats on the MATH board.
They will review the process and open seats and then open nominations.
MATH’s next meeting will take place on Dec. 14.
The MATH Board includes Chair Monica Rosenthal, Vice Chair Todd Fiora, Secretary Ken Gonzalez, Rosemary Córdova and Bill Waite, and alternates Julia Bono and Tom Darms.
MATH — established by resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12, 2006 — is a municipal advisory council serving the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley (including Hidden Valley Lake), Long Valley and Middletown.
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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. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has many new dogs and puppies waiting for homes.
Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Australian shepherd, border collie, boxer, Chihuahua, German shepherd, hound, Labrador retriever, pit bull, shepherd and treeing walker coonhound.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
Those dogs and the others shown on this page at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption.
Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online for information on visiting or adopting.
The shelter is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Should it be legal to take away the guns of people who are under a domestic violence protective order, which aims to shield victims from their abusers?
That’s the question posed in one of the biggest cases of the current Supreme Court term, focused on the limits of individual gun rights, which will be argued before the justices on Nov. 7.
When the court announces a new principle – for example, a limit on the powers of a specific part of government – citizens and lawyers are not sure of the full ramifications of the new rule. How far will it go? What other areas of law will come under the same umbrella?
In a revolutionary period, aggressive litigants will push the boundaries of the new doctrine, attempting to stretch it to their advantage. After a period of uncertainty, a case that defines the limits on the new rule is likely to emerge.
Focus on guns
U.S. v. Rahimi may be the limiting case for gun rights, identifying the stopping point of the recent changes in Second Amendment doctrine.
Zackey Rahimi is a convicted drug dealer and violent criminal who also had a restraining order in place after assaulting his girlfriend. The court will decide whether the federal law prohibiting the possession of firearms by someone subject to a domestic violence restraining order violates the Second Amendment.
In the 2022 case of New York Rifle & Pistol v. Bruen, the court announced a new understanding of the Second Amendment. The amendment had long been understood to recognize a limited right to bear arms. Under the Bruen ruling, the amendment instead describes an individual right to carry a gun for self-protection in most places in society, expanding its range to the level of other constitutional rights such as freedom of religion or speech, which apply in public spaces.
However, the court’s conservative justices also tend to argue that constitutional rights are balanced by responsibilities to promote a functional society, a concept known as “ordered liberty.” The practical question is how to know the proper balance between liberty and order. If the right to carry a gun can be regulated but not eradicated, limited but not eliminated, where is the line?
The court’s answer in Bruen is history – a current law does not have to match a specific historical one exactly, but it has to be similar in form and purpose. Whatever gun regulations Americans allowed during the early republic – the critical period from around the 1780s to around the 1860s at the time of the Civil War – are allowable now, with the exception of any that would violate principles added to the Constitution more recently, such as racial equality under the 14th Amendment.
Justice Clarence Thomas, the author of the Bruen ruling, described it this way: The government must “identify a well-established and representative historical analogue, not a historical twin.” Thomas argued in Bruen that no such historical analogue existed for the limits New York imposed, invalidating the state’s ban on concealed carry permits.
The Rahimi case will provide a critical test of this historical approach to the boundaries of constitutional rights.
Historians have presented evidence that there were widespread laws and practices during the early republic limiting gun possession by individuals, like Rahimi, who were judged to be dangerous. However, those dangers did not include domestic violence, which was not deemed the same important concern then that it is now.
The court may consider the laws prevalent in the early republic, which regulated those who “go armed offensively” or “to the fear and terror of any person,” to be analogous to contemporary laws restraining those under a domestic violence restraining order. If so, the ruling will likely uphold Rahimi’s conviction and limit gun rights.
On the other hand, if the court reads those historical standards as more narrow and specific than the contemporary ban on gun possession while under a restraining order, those limits will be struck down.
In celebrating the service of U.S. military veterans, California State Parks is offering free admission to 144 select state parks on Veterans Day, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.
“State Parks recognizes the many sacrifices members of our nation’s military and their families have made and continue to make in the service of their country,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “It is appropriate to invite all military veterans, reservists, and active-duty personnel to visit state parks for free and connect with nature.”
Signed by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. in 2013, Assembly Bill 150 (Olsen), authorized California State Parks to offer veterans, active duty, and reserve military personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and the National Guard of any state a reduced fee or free day use at participating state parks.
A variety of parks throughout California will offer free access, including Anderson Marsh State Historic Park in Lower Lake and Clear Lake State Park in Kelseyville.
Historic state parks include Marshall Gold Discovery, Petaluma Adobe, and El Presidio de Santa Barbara. State beaches include Torrey Pines, Pismo, and Pescadero. State vehicular recreation areas include Hollister Hills, Eastern Kern County Onyx Ranch and Prairie City, home of the Hangtown Motorcross Classic.
A full list of the participating park units can be found online.
To enter these park units for free, a valid military ID or a California driver’s license identifying the individual as a veteran must be shown to park staff.
The park units that specifically honor historic military sites or veterans that will be open for free admission on Veterans Day include Angel Island State Park, William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park, Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park, Fort Tejon State Historic Park and Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park.
Visitors are asked to recreate responsibly, plan ahead and visit the web or social media pages of their destination to confirm hours of operation and view visitor guidelines that are in effect.
Please remember to safely share the road and be prepared for equestrians, pedestrians, joggers, wildlife, etc. on roadways.
Most people with chronic back pain naturally think their pain is caused by injuries or other problems in the body such as arthritis or bulging disks. But our research team has found that thinking about the root cause of pain as a process that’s occurring in the brain can help promote recovery. That is a key finding of a study my colleagues and I recently published in JAMA Network Open, a monthly open-access medical journal.
We have been studying a psychological treatment called pain reprocessing therapy that may help “turn off” unhelpful and unnecessary pain signals in the brain. To do this, we carried out a study in which some people were randomly chosen to receive the pain reprocessing therapy treatment, while some got a placebo injection into their backs.
We included 151 adults ages 21 to 70 years old with chronic back pain. We found that 66% of participants reported being pain-free or nearly pain-free after pain reprocessing therapy, compared with 20% of people who received a placebo.
These results were remarkable because previous trials of psychological treatments rarely led to people reporting full recoveries from chronic pain. So we needed to better understand how this treatment worked: What changed in people’s thinking that helped them recover from chronic back pain?
The most common chronic pain condition is back pain. Many patients – and doctors – are focused on identifying different back problems that they suspect may be causing the pain. So they try all sorts of treatments, often to no avail.
Pain is the brain’s alarm system, letting us know about injuries or other threats to our body. Much of the time, the system works well, accurately warning us that a part of our body is injured and needs to be protected. But when a person has been in pain for months, years or even decades, pain processing pathways are more likely to fire, and brain regions that typically are not involved in pain start to be involved. Chronic pain also leads to increased levels of activity in glial cells, which are part of the brain’s immune system. All these changes in the brain then serve to “entrench” the pain, making it persist.
People, very understandably, think that if their back hurts, there must be a problem in the back – even though we researchers know this is often not the case.
It’s critical to note that just because the signal originates in the brain, the pain is not any less real. The pain is always real, no matter what. But to treat it effectively, one needs to accurately identify the root cause.
How we do our work
In our study, we asked people to tell us in their own words what they think is the cause of their chronic back pain. It is a simple question, but few studies have asked their participants to describe the source of their pain.
Participants in our study described injuries, weak muscles, arthritis and other bodily factors as the causes of their pain. Almost no one mentioned anything about the mind or brain.
One of the main goals of pain reprocessing therapy is to help people think differently about the causes of their pain. After we treated participants with pain reprocessing therapy, about half the causes of pain that people described were related to the mind or brain. They said things like “anxiety,” “fear” or “neural pathways” were the causes of their pain.
The more that people shifted to this kind of understanding, the more their back pain went down. We think this shift in understanding reduces fear and avoidance of pain, which can tamp down pain pathways in the brain and promote healthy, pain-reducing behaviors like exercise and socializing.
Ask your health providers, or check out these online resources that can help you assess whether and when the brain is playing a role in chronic pain.
Accurately identifying the underlying causes of pain is the first step toward healing it.
The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors is set to honor veterans and the Indigenous population and discuss recommended changes to the tentative map for a proposed south county subdivision.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting ID is 958 4020 7528, pass code 124311. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,95840207528#,,,,*124311#.
The board will start the meeting with several proclamations, including one designating the month of November as National Native American Heritage Month.
They also will recognize veterans on Veterans Day and present a proclamation commending Clear Lake Gleaners and Redwood Empire Food Bank for invaluable community service.
At 9:15 a.m., the board will address food insecurity in Lake County and consider giving staff direction.
In an item timed for 11:30 a.m., the board will hold a public hearing to consider the Planning Commission’s recommendation of approval of a modification to a tentative subdivision map for Valley Oaks Land and Development Inc. located at 18426 S. Highway 29 and 18765 Hartmann Road, Middletown.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Adopt proclamation designating the month of November 2023 as National Native American Heritage Month.
5.2: Adopt proclamation recognizing veterans on Veterans Day.
5.3: Adopt proclamation commending Clear Lake Gleaners and Redwood Empire Food Bank for invaluable community service.
5.4: Adopt property tax exchange resolution for proposed annexation to Konocti County Water District .
5.5: A) Approve travel to Sacramento for Supervisor Crandell to attend the RCRC Executive Committee meeting from Nov. 7 to Nov. 8 in an amount not to exceed $300; B) approve travel to Oakland for Supervisors Pyska and Sabatier to attend the CSAC Annual Conference from Nov. 13 to Nov. 17 in a total amount not to exceed $4,100; and C) retroactively approve travel to Eureka for Supervisor Green to attend the North Coast EMS / JPA Meeting from Nov. 1 to Nov. 2 in a total amount not to exceed $275.
5.6: Sitting as the Lake County Air Quality Management District Board of Directors, authorize the air pollution control officer to extend the temporary counter hours for the district.
5.7: Approve Board of Supervisors meeting minutes from Oct. 17 to 24, 2023.
5.8: Approve agreement between county of Lake and New Life Health Authority dba New Life, LLC. for substance use disorder outpatient drug free services, intensive outpatient treatment services, and narcotic treatment program services in the amount of $10,000,000 for Fiscal Year 2023-24 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.9: Approve closure of all Lake County Behavioral Health Services clinics and centers for a mandatory all staff training on Dec. 14, 2023, from 1 to 4:30 p.m.
5.10: Adopt resolution Authorizing the 2024-2025 Grant Project-Lake County Child Advocacy Center Program and authorize the chair to sign the grant subaward certification of assurance of compliance.
5.11: a) Waive the formal bidding requirement per section 2-38.1 extension of annual agreements; and b) authorize the IT director to issue a purchase order to Carahsoft Technology Corp. for Zoom video conferencing licenses in the amount of $30,860.90.
5.12: a) Waive the formal bidding requirement per Section 2-38.4 Cooperative Purchasing; and b) authorize the IT director to issue purchase orders to Carahsoft Technology Corp. for Center for Internet Security’s Endpoint Security Service for an amount not to exceed $70,422.
5.13: Adopt resolution changing county-maintained mileage for 2022.
5.14: Adopt resolution appointing directors of the Scotts Valley Water Conservation District Board in lieu of holding a general district election on Nov. 7, 2023.
5.15: Adopt resolution amending position allocations for FY24, Budget Unit 8695, Special Districts Administration Deleting One Utility Worker I/II and Adding One Water/Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee/I/II/III.
5.16: Authorize one-time purchase of clothing items in excess of amount provided by uniform and clothing purchase policy in a total amount not to exceed $1,600.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:07 a.m.: Pet of the Week.
6.3, 9:08 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the month of November 2023 as National Native American Heritage Month.
6.4, 9:09 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation recognizing veterans on Veterans Day.
6.5, 9:10 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation commending Clear Lake Gleaners and Redwood Empire Food Bank for invaluable community service.
6.6, 9:15 a.m.: Discussion and direction to staff regarding food insecurity in Lake County.
6.7, 9:30 a.m.: Hearing, consideration of appeal of notice of nuisance and order to abate (NONOTA) for 11630 Beryl Way, Clearlake Oaks (APN 035-262-33); Property Owner: Aura Thomas (AKA Aura Palma): hearing requested by Arlene Fox, on behalf of Ms. Thomas.
6.8, 11 a.m.: Presentation on CDBG Economic Development grants and Planned Façade Improvements Program.
6.9, 11:30 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of Planning Commission’s recommendation of approval of a modification (MMU 22-01) to a tentative subdivision map (SD 06-01) for Valley Oaks Land and Development Inc.; location: 18426 S. Highway 29 and 18765 Hartmann Road, Middletown (APNs: 014-260-51 and 014-260-24).
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of holiday greeting cards for the Board of Supervisors to send to Lake County troops in an amount not to exceed $600 and authorize county administrative officer or designee to purchase.
7.3: Consideration of Proposed 2024 Board of Supervisors regular meeting calendar.
7.4: Consideration of (a) board appointment of the 2024 Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), delegate and alternate; (b) board appointment of the 2024 Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA) Board of Directors, delegate and alternate; (c) board appointment of the 2024 Golden State Finance Authority (GSFA) Board of Directors, delegate and alternate; and (d) board appointment to the 2023 RCRC Environmental Services Joint Powers Authority (ESJPA) Board of Directors, delegate and alternate.
7.5: Consideration of appointments of a director and alternate to the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) Board of Directors for 2024.
7.6: Consideration of appointment to the Lake County Vector Control District Board of Trustees.
7.7: Consideration of proposed findings of fact and decision in the appeal of Scotts Valley Energy Corp. (AB 23-01).
7.8: Consideration of National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) funding opportunity to promote harm reduction and strategic patient-centered care.
ASSESSMENT APPEAL HEARINGS
8.1: Consideration of withdrawal on the following assessment appeal applications: a) No. 12-2022 Charles Bellig; and b) 18-2022 Lora Parrish; and c) 01-2022 Yvonne and Richard Riba; and d) 14-2021 Safeway.
8.2: Consideration of stipulation on the following assessment appeal applications: a) No. 03-2022 Elizabeth Robinson; and b) 08-2022 Lyne Lajeunesse; and c) 04-2022 through 07-2022 Jessica Spencer; and d) 17-2022 Jason Tapia; and e) 13-2021 Safeway; and f) 13-2022 Subba and Nirmala Naidu.
8.6: Consideration of the following assessment appeal application: No. 09-2022 - Grauf.
8.4: Consideration to deny Assessment Appeal Application No. 20-2022 Quail Run Fitness for failure to return notice of hearing.
8.3: Consideration of request by the appellant to continue the following assessment appeal applications: a) No. 14-2022 Douglas Messick; and b) 19-2022 Stephen and Diane Holmstrom; and c) 16-2021 Tesla Energy; and d) 02-2022 Good Vibes Only LLC; and e) 22-2021 Worldmark to the May 14, 2024 Board of Supervisors Meeting at 10 a.m.
8.5: Consideration of timeliness of Assessment Appeal Applications 15-2022 and 16-2022 Javier Villalobos.
CLOSED SESSION
9.1: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9 (d)(1): Earthways Foundation, Inc. v. County of Lake, et al .
9.2: Conference with legal counsel: Existing Litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9 (d)(1) – McCormick v. California Public Employees’ Retirement System, et al.
9.3: Conference with legal counsel: Existing Litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9 (d)(1) – FERC Project No. 77, Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project.
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 joyous holiday season has begun with the highly anticipated fifth annual Festival of Trees Spectacular Party and Christmas tree auction, set to take place on Dec. 2 at 5 p.m.
The event will be located adjacent to Sophie's Day Spa at 3855 Main Street in Kelseyville.
It promises to be a magical evening full of cheer and festivities. Tickets for the event are on sale for $80 each until Nov. 20 and $85 after and include a no-host bar featuring Lake County wines, appetizers and a scrumptious dinner catered by Lake Event Design, all before the tree auction commences.
The Festival of Trees will showcase up to 25 brilliantly decorated Christmas trees donated by community members, organizations, and businesses.
The auction proceeds will benefit the special needs of Hospice/Palliative Care patients, as well as the Wings of Hope grief counseling program, which provides support to families with children who have lost loved ones.
Along with the tree auction, there will be a silent auction featuring beautiful holiday decor and other unique items.
For those who wish to participate, there are still a few openings available for tree donations to be included in the auction. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact Hospice Services to learn more.
In addition, community members are invited to view the spectacular trees in advance with characters from the beloved holiday classics, “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” and “Frozen,” after the Kellyville Light Parade.
The Festival of Trees has been made possible through the generous sponsorship of Platinum sponsors, including Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Lake County Tribal Health Consortium, Adventist Health Clear Lake, Kelly Butcher, Michaels Insurance, Sophie’s Day Spa, and Kelseyville Lumber.
Jamie Sells with Sophie's Day Spa is thrilled to support this inspiring event, noting, “Come to a spectacular party while supporting an amazing organization. So much talent, delectable food, and generosity for an organization that gives so much will align for an evening of celebration. It can't get better than that!”
For further event and ticket information, please call 263.6222 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or visit the Hospice Services of Lake County website at www.lakecountyhospice.org to purchase tickets online.
Hospice Services is a nonprofit healthcare organization that has been providing compassionate comfort care for patients and families experiencing life-threatening conditions for the past 44 years.
These services are made possible through the generous support of community members and fundraising efforts.
Let us come together and spread holiday cheer for a good cause.
Janine Smith-Citron is director of development for Hospice Services of Lake County.
What's up for November? Venus and Jupiter on opposite sides of the sky, the Leonid meteors return, and the celestial "sea" surrounding Saturn.
This November, Jupiter is up in the sky all night and sets just before sunrise, while Venus rises in the early morning hours. This means you can see them on opposite sides of the sky if you happen to be up before dawn. You may recall that these two planets appeared super close together just a few months ago, back in March.
On the morning of Nov. 9, find the crescent moon hanging just beneath Venus in the early morning sky before sunrise.
Then on the 17th, look for a beautiful crescent moon sitting low in the southwest all by itself in the twilight following sunset.
Thanks to the Moon illusion, which causes the rising or setting Moon to look larger, a crescent moon low near the horizon often appears extra captivating.
Then, after sunset on Nov. 20, look toward the south to see the first quarter moon just below Ringed Planet Saturn. The pair are joined by bright stars Fomalhaut and Altair.
And then on the 24th, look for the nearly full moon close to giant Jupiter in the east after sunset. Some binoculars will be able to capture both of them in the same field of view.
Finally, in the last few days of November, you'll notice Venus is rising in the morning with a bright star very close by. That star is Spica, which is actually two massive stars that orbit around each other every four days.
The annual Leonid meteor shower returns this month. The shower peaks overnight on Nov. 17, with the most meteors visible between midnight and dawn on the 18th. The Leonid meteors are dust particles that originate from comet Tempel-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1865 and orbits the Sun every 33 years.
Leonids tend to be bright, with many producing long trains that persist for a few seconds after the initial flash of light. To view the Leonids, find a safe, dark spot away from bright lights, lie down and look straight up. The meteors can appear anywhere in the sky.
This year, the Moon is near its first quarter phase on the peak night. It sets just a couple of hours after nightfall, so it won't interfere with viewing Leonids. So bring a warm drink, bundle up, and enjoy your time searching for meteors in the November sky.
Looking toward the south a couple of hours after dark in November, you'll find the planet Saturn about halfway up the sky. This region of the sky is full of water-related constellations. For that reason, it's sometimes referred to as "the Sea" or "the Water."
Saturn currently sits within Aquarius, the water bearer, imagined as a human figure pouring water from a jug. Nearby are Pisces, the fishes, and Capricornus, the strange, mythical sea goat. Just beneath Aquarius is the Southern Fish, and just above him is the Dolphin.
To the east of Aquarius you'll find the constellation Cetus, a sea monster or whale. And next to Cetus is the constellation Eridanus, which represents a long, winding cosmic river.
Now, these star patterns are not particularly bright or easy to pick out. But it is interesting to note that this whole area of the night sky is populated by mythical figures related to water.
And speaking of connections between water and wonder, NASA plans to launch its Europa Clipper spacecraft next fall to study Jupiter's icy moon Europa — which is thought to contain an ocean that might support life.
And you can send your name to Europa, etched on the spacecraft. Visit this link to sign the "message in a bottle" that will be sent across the cosmic sea from Earth to Europa — from one ocean world to another.
Stay up to date on NASA's missions exploring the solar system and beyond at http://science.nasa.gov.
"What's Up" is NASA's longest running web video series. It had its first episode in April 2007 with original host Jane Houston Jones. Today, Preston Dyches, Christopher Harris and Lisa Poje are the science communicators and space enthusiasts who produce this monthly video series at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Additional astronomy subject matter guidance is provided by JPL's Bill Dunford, Gary Spiers, Lyle Tavernier and GSFC's Molly Wasser.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lakeport City Council this week will consider approving an agreement for a study for a navigation center to help address the city’s challenge with homelessness.
The council will meet Tuesday, Nov. 7, at 5:30 p.m. for a closed session to discuss property acquisition before the public portion of the meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The council chambers will be open to the public for the meeting. Masks are highly encouraged where 6-foot distancing cannot be maintained.
If you cannot attend in person, and would like to speak on an agenda item, you can access the Zoom meeting remotely at this link or join by phone by calling toll-free 669-900-9128 or 346-248-7799.
The webinar ID is 973 6820 1787, access code is 477973; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.
Comments can be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To give the city clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments before 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 7.
On Tuesday, Assistant City Manager/Finance Director Nick Walker will ask the council to authorize a professional services agreement with Vanir for a navigation center feasibility study.
Walker’s written report for the meeting explained that the city has secured funding for the study from the Permanent Local Housing Allocation program.
“Navigation Centers are emerging as a promising approach to addressing homelessness in many communities,” Walker wrote. “These centers offer temporary shelter, social services, and support designed to help individuals transition from homelessness to more stable and permanent housing situations. By providing a safe and welcoming environment, Navigation Centers aim to bridge the gap between homelessness and permanent housing, offering a path to stability and self-sufficiency.”
The council also will hold a public hearing to discuss a proposed zoning ordinance amendment regarding the time limit for planned development combining district and set a second reading for Nov. 21.
Public Works Director Ron Ladd will ask for the council’s approval of a purchase order agreement to CR Fence Co. Inc. dba Humboldt Fence Company for the Xabatin Park fencing.
In other business, Police Chief Brad Rasmussen will seek council authorization to enter into an agreement with the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control for a grant and receive the fourth quarter financial report from Walker, who will seek direction on the treatment of any surplus revenues.
On the consent agenda — items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances, minutes of the Oct. 17 meeting, the Oct. 25 warrant register and authorization to cancel the regular meeting on Jan. 2, 2024.
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. — It’s that time of year when the California Department of Fish and Wildlife reminds drivers to be aware of wildlife on state roads and highways.
Every autumn, as Daylight Saving Time concludes, the number of vehicle-wildlife collisions on California roadways increases.
As drivers adjust to less daylight during the evening commute during the first week of November, it’s also important to understand this is also the time of year that deer, elk, bears and other animals are typically on the move for migration, mating or foraging.
Over the past month, numerous dead deer have appeared along Lake County’s highways and roadways after they were struck by vehicles.
Collisions with wildlife can be dangerous and costly for drivers. Nearly 400 people were injured in more than two thousand collisions in 2019 involving wildlife, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Also, the UC Davis Road Ecology Center estimates the total annual cost of animal-vehicle conflicts in California to be about $250 million.
“Wildlife-vehicle collisions pose an increasingly significant threat to both people and wildlife and can result in serious injury or death. This time of year, large native species such as deer and elk are more likely to cross highways or roads during their mating season (rut), and black bears are on the search for food,” said Human-Wildlife Conflict Program Coordinator Vicky Monroe. “We ask drivers to remain cautious, vigilant, and aware of their surroundings while driving to help reduce this conflict."
Standard driving safety tips that also benefit wildlife include:
• Be extra alert when driving near areas wildlife frequent, such as streams and rivers, and reduce your speed especially around curves. • Don't text and drive! Leave your phone alone; it can wait. • Pay extra attention driving during the morning and evening hours when wildlife are often most active. • If you see an animal on or near the road, know that others may be following. • Don't litter. Trash and food odors can attract animals to roadways. • Pay attention to road shoulders. Look for movement or reflecting eyes. Slow down and honk your horn if you see an animal on or near the road. • Respect wildlife. California is their home too.
CDFW thanks drivers for recognizing the importance of safe driving as daylight hours are reduced.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office has reported on the candidate filings to date for the March presidential primary election.
Several county, state and federal offices will be on the ballot for the primary, which takes place on March 5, 2024.
The partisan offices on the ballot include United States president, county central committees and councils, United States Senator (full term), United States Senator (partial/unexpired term), United States Representative in Congress for District 4, State Assembly Member for District 4.
Nonpartisan offices up for election include Superior Court judges for departments 1, 3 and 4; county supervisors for districts 1, 4 and 5; and sheriff-coroner.
The Registrar’s Office said the timeframe for submitting in lieu of petitions — which reduce the cost for filings — ends at 5 p.m. Nov. 8.
All candidates for elective office must file nomination documents — which include nomination papers and declaration of candidacy — as well as pay a nonrefundable filing fee. That’s except for judicial candidates, who pay when filing the declaration of intention to have their name printed on the ballot.
The nomination filing period begins Nov. 13 and ends at 5 p.m. Dec. 8.
If an incumbent fails to file during this period, candidate filing will extend for any candidate except the incumbent until Dec. 13 by 5 p.m.
Registered voters interested in filing for county central committees and county council must file nomination papers and a declaration of candidacy between Sept. 29 and Dec. 8.
Filings to date
The Registrar of Voters Office said the following candidates have been issued in-lieu petitions so far.
• Judge of the Superior Court, Department 1: Michael S. Lunas. • Judge of the Superior Court, Department 3: Andrew S. Blum. • Judge of the Superior Court, Department 4: Shanda M. Harry, Anna Gregorian and William Conwell. • County Supervisor, District 1: Bryan Pritchard, Bren Boyd, Sean Millerick and John H. Hess. • County Supervisor, District 4: Brad Rasmussen, Laura McAndrews Sammel, Scott Jason Barnett and Chris Read. • County Supervisor, District 5: Jessica Pyska, Dennis Holzinger and Daniel “Boone” Bridges.
Candidates for judicial offices are required to file a declaration of intention and pay a nonrefundable filing fee before filing for office. Judicial candidates may file a declaration of intention between Oct. 30 and Nov. 8 at 5 p.m.
The elections office said Lunas, Blum, Harry and Gregorian have filed their declarations of intention.
Voters desiring information regarding any of the offices listed below may contact the Registrar of Voters office in person at 325 N Forbes St., Lakeport, by phone at 707-263-2372 or toll free at 888-235-6730.
The Registrar of Voters office is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding county holidays, to assist both candidates and voters. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. For additional information, visit the registrar’s website or email the department at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..