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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County and the rest of California saw an increase in the jobless rate in December, despite the busy holiday season.
The California Employment Development Department’s latest report, released on Friday, showed that California’s overall unemployment rate rose from 4.9% in November to 5.1% in December, despite employers adding 23,400 nonfarm payroll jobs.
California’s December 2022 jobless rate was 3.9%
California payroll jobs totaled 18,180,700 in December 2023, up 23,400 from November 2023 and up 311,000 from December 2022, the Employment Development Department, or EDD, reported.
The EDD said California’s December job gains accounted for 10.8% of the 216,000 overall job gain for the nation.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the nationwide unemployment rate remained at 3.7% in December, up slightly from the 3.5% the previous year.
In Lake County, the unemployment rate rose from 6.1% in November to 6.9% in December. The jobless rate in December 2022 was 5.4%.
It was ranked No. 43 statewide for its December jobless rate.
Lake County’s job data showed the total farm category was up by 29% over the month and 77.8% over the year. Statewide, farm jobs increased from November by 3,000 to a total of 445,900 jobs in December. The agriculture industry had 9,100 more farm jobs in December 2023 than it did in December a year ago.
The total nonfarm category in Lake County was up by 0.1% but down by 0.6% compared to December 2022.
The report said six of California's 11 industry sectors gained jobs in December:
• Private education and health services added 13,200 jobs, leading in gains thanks to above-average increases in nursing care facilities and individual and family services. In Lake County, the category grew by 2% or 100 jobs.
• Government experienced increases totaling 8,100 jobs in both city government and special districts with local government jobs within the state now showing seven consecutive months of increases. That category saw a 0.7% decline, or 30 jobs, in Lake County.
• Leisure and hospitality saw gains of 7,100 jobs in the accommodation industry group, and the limited-service restaurants and other eating places industry groups. In Lake County, where hospitality is a key industry, there was a 0.9% decline in that category, accounting for the loss of 10 jobs.
• Manufacturing gained 2,600 jobs statewide and rose by 10 jobs, or 2.9% in Lake County.
• Other services rose by 1,300 jobs statewide, but in Lake County dropped by 11.6%, or 50 jobs.
• Statewide, construction added 200 jobs. In Lake County, the EDD combined that industry with mining and logging, which overall dropped by 60 jobs, or 6.8%.
In other categories of note, statewide, the month-over losses in professional and business services, at 3,800, were the largest of any category largely due to reductions in employment services. In Lake County, that industry remained flat, at 750 jobs.
Trade, transportation and utilities lost 2,100 jobs across California in December, while in Lake County it grew by 60 jobs, or 2.1%.
Information was down by 1,900 jobs across California, while in Lake County the industry remained flat, with 80 jobs.
Financial activities dropped 1,100 jobs statewide and in Lake County it grew by 10 jobs, or 3.2%, based on the EDD’s data.
The EDD said the number of Californians employed in December was 18,373,900, a decrease of 32,700 persons from November’s total of 18,406,600 and down 108,200 from the employment total in December 2022.
At the same time, the number of unemployed Californians was 983,000 in December, an increase of 29,200 over the month and up 192,700 in comparison to December 2022.
In related data that figures into the state’s unemployment rate, the EDD said there were 376,872 people certifying for unemployment benefits during the December 2023 sample week. That compares to 323,975 people in November and 326,252 people in December 2022.
Concurrently, 48,550 initial claims were processed in the December 2023 sample week, which was a month-over increase of 10,956 claims from November, and a year-over increase of 7,000 claims from December 2022, the EDD said.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The California Employment Development Department’s latest report, released on Friday, showed that California’s overall unemployment rate rose from 4.9% in November to 5.1% in December, despite employers adding 23,400 nonfarm payroll jobs.
California’s December 2022 jobless rate was 3.9%
California payroll jobs totaled 18,180,700 in December 2023, up 23,400 from November 2023 and up 311,000 from December 2022, the Employment Development Department, or EDD, reported.
The EDD said California’s December job gains accounted for 10.8% of the 216,000 overall job gain for the nation.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the nationwide unemployment rate remained at 3.7% in December, up slightly from the 3.5% the previous year.
In Lake County, the unemployment rate rose from 6.1% in November to 6.9% in December. The jobless rate in December 2022 was 5.4%.
It was ranked No. 43 statewide for its December jobless rate.
Lake County’s job data showed the total farm category was up by 29% over the month and 77.8% over the year. Statewide, farm jobs increased from November by 3,000 to a total of 445,900 jobs in December. The agriculture industry had 9,100 more farm jobs in December 2023 than it did in December a year ago.
The total nonfarm category in Lake County was up by 0.1% but down by 0.6% compared to December 2022.
The report said six of California's 11 industry sectors gained jobs in December:
• Private education and health services added 13,200 jobs, leading in gains thanks to above-average increases in nursing care facilities and individual and family services. In Lake County, the category grew by 2% or 100 jobs.
• Government experienced increases totaling 8,100 jobs in both city government and special districts with local government jobs within the state now showing seven consecutive months of increases. That category saw a 0.7% decline, or 30 jobs, in Lake County.
• Leisure and hospitality saw gains of 7,100 jobs in the accommodation industry group, and the limited-service restaurants and other eating places industry groups. In Lake County, where hospitality is a key industry, there was a 0.9% decline in that category, accounting for the loss of 10 jobs.
• Manufacturing gained 2,600 jobs statewide and rose by 10 jobs, or 2.9% in Lake County.
• Other services rose by 1,300 jobs statewide, but in Lake County dropped by 11.6%, or 50 jobs.
• Statewide, construction added 200 jobs. In Lake County, the EDD combined that industry with mining and logging, which overall dropped by 60 jobs, or 6.8%.
In other categories of note, statewide, the month-over losses in professional and business services, at 3,800, were the largest of any category largely due to reductions in employment services. In Lake County, that industry remained flat, at 750 jobs.
Trade, transportation and utilities lost 2,100 jobs across California in December, while in Lake County it grew by 60 jobs, or 2.1%.
Information was down by 1,900 jobs across California, while in Lake County the industry remained flat, with 80 jobs.
Financial activities dropped 1,100 jobs statewide and in Lake County it grew by 10 jobs, or 3.2%, based on the EDD’s data.
The EDD said the number of Californians employed in December was 18,373,900, a decrease of 32,700 persons from November’s total of 18,406,600 and down 108,200 from the employment total in December 2022.
At the same time, the number of unemployed Californians was 983,000 in December, an increase of 29,200 over the month and up 192,700 in comparison to December 2022.
In related data that figures into the state’s unemployment rate, the EDD said there were 376,872 people certifying for unemployment benefits during the December 2023 sample week. That compares to 323,975 people in November and 326,252 people in December 2022.
Concurrently, 48,550 initial claims were processed in the December 2023 sample week, which was a month-over increase of 10,956 claims from November, and a year-over increase of 7,000 claims from December 2022, the EDD said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
On Friday, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) released the following statement after his legislation with Rep. Doug LaMalfa (CA-01) to make PG&E Fire Victims Trust settlement payments nontaxable passed out of the Ways and Means Committee as part of the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act.
“Fire survivors have been unfairly taxed on settlements from the Fire Victims Trust that are already not enough to cover what they lost. It’s just wrong,” said Thompson. “The inclusion of my bill to make these settlements nontaxable in the bipartisan tax package is an important development for our region. Today’s vote out of the Ways and Means Committee is a strong, positive step for fire survivors to receive the tax relief they deserve, and I am hopeful that this bill will receive a swift vote in both the House and the Senate so that President Biden can sign it into law.”
Rep. Thompson spoke during the mark up.
The bill is now set to go to the House floor for a full vote by the House of Representatives.
Thompson represents California’s Fourth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties.
“Fire survivors have been unfairly taxed on settlements from the Fire Victims Trust that are already not enough to cover what they lost. It’s just wrong,” said Thompson. “The inclusion of my bill to make these settlements nontaxable in the bipartisan tax package is an important development for our region. Today’s vote out of the Ways and Means Committee is a strong, positive step for fire survivors to receive the tax relief they deserve, and I am hopeful that this bill will receive a swift vote in both the House and the Senate so that President Biden can sign it into law.”
Rep. Thompson spoke during the mark up.
The bill is now set to go to the House floor for a full vote by the House of Representatives.
Thompson represents California’s Fourth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Clearlake Animal Control has many dogs and puppies waiting for new homes.
The Clearlake Animal Control website lists 46 adoptable dogs.
The adoptable dogs include “Cosmo,” a 2-month-old male pit bull terrier puppy with a black and white coat.
Also available is “Skittles,” a 1-year-old pit bull terrier mix.
There is also “Atlas,” a male German shepherd with a black and tan coat.
The shelter is located at 6820 Old Highway 53. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
For more information, call the shelter at 707-762-6227, email
This week’s adoptable dogs are featured below.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
People who live alone, especially seniors and dependent adults, may benefit from routine welfare checks to see if any assistance is needed.
What options do seniors and dependent adults, and their families, have to be proactive about such matters.
Is the senior or dependent adult’s home safe for them to live in? Perhaps the home needs safety modifications (such as installing grab bars in the bathroom). Perhaps the person is a hoarder and the home needs cleaning.
With senior citizens, a common concern is that they have fallen and are lying injured on the floor unable to get up, or that they are sick in bed and unable to take care of themselves.
Does the senior or dependent adult have a monitoring device on them to allow a monitoring center to check their wellbeing?
Typically this involves wearing an electronic pendant with a button that can be pushed to reach a monitoring service. The monitoring service can then speak with the adult and assess the situation. If the adult has fallen or is in any other kind of emergency the monitoring service calls 911 and also alerts family members of the situation.
Alternatively, as appropriate, the person might benefit from a camera monitoring system that allows the family to see how the person is doing inside their own home. This, of course, has serious drawbacks because it means a loss in privacy in exchange perhaps for more safety.
Another consideration, as appropriate, is that the adult be involved in daily activities, such as attending senior center exercise classes and other activities.
If agreeable, the persons overseeing or involved in such activities may be given the name and contact information of family members and asked to call a family member if the senior or dependent adult fails to appear or seems unwell.
Daily activities are a double win because they may help to keep the senior mentally and physically well and involved in the community.
At some point a senior or dependent adult may no longer feel or be able to safely live alone due a variety of reasons, including, on a personal level, an inability to do activities of daily living, impaired cognitive abilities (e.g., dementia), loneliness, and, on a financial level, inability to pay household expenses and resist fraudsters who prey on the vulnerable (e.g., telemarketers).
In that case the available options vary depending on the assets of the senior or dependent adult, their family circumstances, and the wishes of the senior or dependent adult involved.
Many persons, if they are financially able, want to move into an assisted living situation or, in some cases, move in with family. Assisted living centers are an ongoing monthly expense that often requires selling the family home to raise money.
Alternatively, moving in with the senior’s family (perhaps into a granny unit) may work, at least temporarily.
Any family arrangement, however, involves a variety of considerations for all those concerned, including how the change would affect the family dynamics, how personal care issues would be handled, and how the associated finances would be managed.
The solutions to the issues raised above are unlikely to be found in any single place. However, places to look for some possible assistance are the local “Area Agency on Aging,” the local senior center, and, most importantly, the close friends and family.
The foregoing brief discussion is not legal advice.
Dennis A. Fordham, attorney, is a State Bar-Certified Specialist in estate planning, probate and trust law. His office is at 870 S. Main St., Lakeport, Calif. He can be reached at
Some of the finest, smallest details in the universe – the gaps between elongated groups of stars – may soon help astronomers reveal dark matter in greater detail than ever before. After NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launches, by May 2027, researchers will use its images to explore what exists between looping tendrils of stars that are pulled from globular clusters.
Specifically, they will focus on the tidal streams from globular clusters that orbit our neighboring Andromeda galaxy. Their aim is to pinpoint a greater number of examples of these tidal streams, examine gaps between the stars, and ideally determine concrete properties of dark matter.
Globular cluster streams are like ribbons fluttering in the cosmos, both leading and trailing the globular clusters where they originated along their orbits. Their lengths in our Milky Way galaxy vary wildly. Very short stellar streams are relatively young, while those that completely wrap around a galaxy may be almost as old as the universe. A stream that is fully wrapped around the Andromeda galaxy could be more than 300,000 light-years long but less than 3,000 light-years wide.
With Roman, astronomers will be able to search nearby galaxies for globular cluster stellar streams for the first time. Roman’s Wide Field Instrument has 18 detectors that will produce images 200 times the size of the Hubble Space Telescope’s near-infrared camera – at a slightly greater resolution.
“Roman will be able to take a huge snapshot of the Andromeda galaxy, which simply isn’t possible with any other telescope,” shared Christian Aganze, the lead author of a recent paper about this subject and a postdoc at Stanford University in California. “We also project that Roman will be able to detect stars individually.”
Imagine the results: Roman’s vast, exquisitely detailed images will allow researchers to easily identify many examples of globular cluster streams in Andromeda. To date, astronomers using existing telescopes in space and on the ground have been limited to studying a slightly smaller number of globular cluster streams within our Milky Way.
Is dark matter between the stars?
Dark matter, which many assume to be a particle, can’t yet be observed directly, because it doesn’t emit, reflect, refract, or absorb light. If we can’t see it, how do we know it’s there? “We see dark matter’s effect on galaxies,” Aganze clarified. “For example, when we model how galaxies rotate, we need extra mass to explain their rotation. Dark matter may provide that missing mass.”
All galaxies, including the Milky Way, are surrounded by a dark matter halo. As astronomers glean more about the nature of dark matter, they may find evidence that a galaxy’s halo may also contain a large number of smaller dark matter sub-halos, which are predicted by models. “These halos are probably roughly spherical, but their density, sizes, and even if they exist isn’t currently known,” explained Tjitske Starkenburg, a co-author and a research assistant professor at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
Roman will redefine their search. “We expect dark matter to interact with globular cluster streams. If these sub-halos are present in other galaxies, we predict that we will see gaps in globular cluster streams that are likely caused by dark matter,” Starkenburg continued. “This will give us new information about dark matter, including which kinds of dark matter halos are present and what their masses are.”
Aganze and Starkenburg estimate that Roman will efficiently deliver the data they need within nearby galaxies – requiring only a total of one hour – and that these observations may be captured by the High Latitude Wide Area Survey.
Starkenburg will also help lay the groundwork for this investigation through her contributions to another project recently selected for funding by NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Research and Support Participation Opportunities program. “This team plans to model how globular clusters form into stellar streams by developing a much more detailed theoretical framework,” she explained. “We’ll go on to predict where globular clusters that form streams originated and whether these streams will be observable with Roman.”
Aganze is also excited about other projects currently or soon coming online. “The European Space Agency’s Euclid mission is already starting to explore the large-scale structure of the universe, which will help us learn more about the role of dark matter,” he said. “And the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will soon scan the night sky repeatedly with similar goals. The data from these missions will be incredibly useful in constraining our simulations while we prepare for Roman.”
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is managed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, with participation by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech/IPAC in Southern California, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, and a science team comprising scientists from various research institutions. The primary industrial partners are Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation in Boulder, Colorado; L3Harris Technologies in Melbourne, Florida; and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging in Thousand Oaks, California.
Claire Blome works for the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The fundraising efforts of the Lakeport Fire Volunteers Association are making possible the purchase of a new piece of equipment for the Lakeport Fire Protection District.
On Thursday evening, the fire district board of directors held a special meeting to discuss just one item — granting permission for the district to accept a donation to purchase a utility terrain vehicle and the accompanying trailer.
The Can Am Defender vehicle, or UTV, will be used by the district for an off-road rescue program.
The volunteers raised $36,200, which will cover the entire purchase; the UTV costs $31,200 and the trailer costs $5,000.
Capt. Spencer Johnson, on behalf of the Lakeport Fire Volunteers Association, presented Chief Patrick Reitz with the $36,200 check during the Thursday meeting.
Johnson told Lake County News that the firefighters association raised the funds through several sources.
Those included putting on a comedy show at Konocti Harbor last year, a Haunted Lake County donation in 2022, proceeds from a slide at the Dickens Festival and money the volunteers had already raised from past fundraisers, Johnson said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at