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The California Department of Public Health on Thursday launched an all-new, comprehensive opioid website that gives Californians a single source of prevention, data, treatment and support information.
The website, http://opioids.ca.gov, is part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s multi-pronged approach to connect Californians with information to prevent and reduce overdoses and deaths and support those struggling with substance use and addiction.
“Spreading awareness saves lives, and for the first time we are pulling together all of our opioid information in one place to help educate and protect our families and communities,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragón. “Fighting the opioid epidemic requires a broad response at many levels of government, which can be challenging for everyday people to navigate. This site pulls all those efforts together into one place for youth, adults, care providers, schools and parents. In support of Governor Newsom’s master plan to tackle opioids, CDPH is excited to launch this all-encompassing website to spread awareness, increase education, provide resources, and help save lives."
Overdoses affect all of us: Nearly 7,000 Californians died from opioid-related overdoses in 2022 and opioids are a main driver of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. The new, easy-to-navigate site provides valuable information and education on preventing and treating opioid overdoses and substance use disorders, which is are crucial steps in fighting the ongoing epidemic across the country.
The website includes five main sections:
About: Comprehensive background on opioids and fentanyl, the serious harms they can cause, and the history of the opioid crisis.
Prevention: Prevention methods and strategies that anyone can use, including step-by-step guidance for responding to a suspected or confirmed opioid overdose.
Data & Information: The latest overdose and substance abuse and misuse data and trends.
Treatment & Support: Resources for those struggling with, or supporting someone with, an opioid use disorder.
California Action: Details on California’s efforts to tackle the opioid epidemic, including enforcement actions targeting traffickers and dealers.
Overdose prevention grants: Coinciding with the launch of http://opioids.ca.gov,, the state is awarding nearly $8 million in grants to local organizations to implement evidence-based and community-driven public health interventions for preventing overdose from fentanyl and other opioids.
The grants have been allocated to six organizations across the state, including two in Northern California, two in the Central Valley and two in Southern California. These grants will assist efforts to increase education, testing, recovery and support services.
How CDPH is taking action: In March 2023, Gov. Newsom announced the state’s Master Plan for tackling opioids in California, including over $1 billion in funds to curb opioid use and abuse. As a part of this plan and in addition to awarding these grants, CDPH has launched its all-new website, began the first phase of a comprehensive opioid education and awareness campaign, implemented the Campus Opioid Safety Act, developed and distributed various promotional and information assets, and more.
For additional information on opioids, please visit CDPH’s all-new California’s Opioid Response website.
The website, http://opioids.ca.gov, is part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s multi-pronged approach to connect Californians with information to prevent and reduce overdoses and deaths and support those struggling with substance use and addiction.
“Spreading awareness saves lives, and for the first time we are pulling together all of our opioid information in one place to help educate and protect our families and communities,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragón. “Fighting the opioid epidemic requires a broad response at many levels of government, which can be challenging for everyday people to navigate. This site pulls all those efforts together into one place for youth, adults, care providers, schools and parents. In support of Governor Newsom’s master plan to tackle opioids, CDPH is excited to launch this all-encompassing website to spread awareness, increase education, provide resources, and help save lives."
Overdoses affect all of us: Nearly 7,000 Californians died from opioid-related overdoses in 2022 and opioids are a main driver of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. The new, easy-to-navigate site provides valuable information and education on preventing and treating opioid overdoses and substance use disorders, which is are crucial steps in fighting the ongoing epidemic across the country.
The website includes five main sections:
About: Comprehensive background on opioids and fentanyl, the serious harms they can cause, and the history of the opioid crisis.
Prevention: Prevention methods and strategies that anyone can use, including step-by-step guidance for responding to a suspected or confirmed opioid overdose.
Data & Information: The latest overdose and substance abuse and misuse data and trends.
Treatment & Support: Resources for those struggling with, or supporting someone with, an opioid use disorder.
California Action: Details on California’s efforts to tackle the opioid epidemic, including enforcement actions targeting traffickers and dealers.
Overdose prevention grants: Coinciding with the launch of http://opioids.ca.gov,, the state is awarding nearly $8 million in grants to local organizations to implement evidence-based and community-driven public health interventions for preventing overdose from fentanyl and other opioids.
The grants have been allocated to six organizations across the state, including two in Northern California, two in the Central Valley and two in Southern California. These grants will assist efforts to increase education, testing, recovery and support services.
How CDPH is taking action: In March 2023, Gov. Newsom announced the state’s Master Plan for tackling opioids in California, including over $1 billion in funds to curb opioid use and abuse. As a part of this plan and in addition to awarding these grants, CDPH has launched its all-new website, began the first phase of a comprehensive opioid education and awareness campaign, implemented the Campus Opioid Safety Act, developed and distributed various promotional and information assets, and more.
For additional information on opioids, please visit CDPH’s all-new California’s Opioid Response website.
The Clearlake Animal Control website lists 40 adoptable dogs.
Up for adoption is “Dandelion,” a female Doberman pinscher mix with a tricolor coat.
Also available is “Boo,” a male Alaskan husky mix with a gray and tan coat.
Click a number to change picture or play to see a video:
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
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — Wildlife disease specialists have confirmed the re-occurrence of the Eurasian strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in California wild birds.
In late October, Canada geese were found dead in Sacramento County and submitted to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Wildlife Health Laboratory for testing.
Preliminary testing was performed at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory in Davis.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the detection of HPAI H5N1 in two Canada geese in early November.
Subsequent detections have been made in wild birds in several additional counties during mortality surveillance including from Contra Costa, San Diego, Santa Clara, Solano and Yolo.
Detections in waterfowl during hunter-harvest surveillance have been reported from Fresno, Glenn, Kern and Yolo counties.
Prior to these detections, the last confirmed detection in wild birds occurred in June 2023.
This strain of Eurasian HPAI H5N1 has been circulating in the United States and Canada since the winter of 2021-22, arriving in California in mid-July 2022.
In total, 354 confirmed detections of the virus were made in wild birds collected from 44 California counties during mortality surveillance conducted between July 2022 and June 2023.
Detections of the virus appeared to subside during spring and summer in California, as well as more broadly in the United States. Now, as waterfowl and other waterbirds are undertaking fall migration, cases again are on the rise.
Avian influenza spreads through direct bird-to-bird contact and may also spread to birds through contaminated surfaces including hands, shoes, clothing and hunting gear.
While the Centers for Disease Control considers the transmission risk of avian influenza to people to be low, residents and waterfowl hunters are advised to take precautions to protect themselves, hunting dogs, falconry birds, poultry and pet birds.
Steps that may help reduce the spread of HPAI:
Report dead wild birds, and other wildlife, to CDFW using the mortality reporting form. While it is not possible to test every wild bird for HPAI, all mortality reports are important and help disease specialists monitor the outbreak.
Report sick and dead poultry to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) hotline at 1 (866) 922-2473.
Prevent contact between domestic birds and wild birds, especially waterfowl. Exclude wild birds from accessing chicken or other domestic bird feed and water.
Do not feed waterfowl or other waterbirds at park ponds as it may increase the congregation of birds and contribute to disease spread.
Do not bring potentially sick wild birds home or move sick birds to another location.
Before transporting potentially sick wild birds to wildlife rehabilitation centers, veterinary clinics, or other animal facilities, contact the facility for guidance and to determine if the bird should be collected.
If recreating outdoors in areas with large concentrations of waterfowl and other waterbirds, wash clothing and disinfect footwear and equipment before traveling to other areas or interacting with domestic birds.
Where it can be done so safely, consider disposing of dead birds to help reduce exposure to new birds and minimize scavenging by birds and mammals that also may be susceptible to infection. Dead birds may be collected into a plastic bag and placed in the regular trash collection.
Additional safety recommendations for waterfowl hunters:
Harvest only waterfowl that look and behave healthy. Do not handle or eat sick game. Do not handle wild birds that are obviously sick or found dead.
Field dress and prepare game outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. Do not dress wild game in the vicinity of poultry or pet birds.
Wear rubber gloves or other impermeable disposable gloves while handling and cleaning game.
Remove and discard intestines soon after harvesting and avoid direct contact with intestinal contents. Place waste in a plastic bag and dispose in a garbage container that is protected from scavengers.
Do not eat, drink, smoke or vape while handling dead game.
When done handling game, wash hands thoroughly with soap and water (or alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are unavailable), and clean knives, equipment and surfaces that came in contact with game. Wash hands before and after handling any meat.
Keep harvested waterfowl cool (either with ice or refrigeration), below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, until processed, and then refrigerate or freeze.
Thoroughly cook all game to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before consuming.
Clean and disinfect clothing, footwear and hunting gear before traveling to other areas. As appropriate, footwear and gear may be washed with soap and water, then disinfected in household bleach diluted 1:10 with water for at least 10 minutes.
Bathe hunting dogs with pet shampoo after hunting, and do not feed dogs raw meat, organs or other tissues from harvested waterfowl.
Falconers should avoid hunting waterfowl, and other waterbirds, during the HPAI outbreak.
For guidance on keeping domestic birds healthy, please visit the CDFA and USDA websites.
For guidance on orphaned or injured live wild birds, please contact your nearest wildlife rehabilitation center prior to collecting the animal. Be advised that some wildlife rehabilitation centers may have restrictions on the wildlife species they will admit.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — Hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding made its way into the hands of Lake County’s nonprofits and schools on Wednesday thanks to the efforts of the Lake County Wine Alliance.
Wine Alliance board members hosted dozens of beneficiaries at a reception at the Soper Reese Theater in Lakeport on Wednesday evening in order to distribute donation checks from the proceeds of the September Wine Auction.
The funds distributed on Wednesday totaled $226,000, down from the record $300,000 handed out last year.
Wine Alliance Treasurer Rob Roumiguiere called the amount of generosity and support in the community “incredible.” That includes not just the donors and people who enjoy the auction, but the estimated 200 volunteers who work every year to produce the event.
In all, 41 beneficiaries received funds from the auction, which began in 2000.
The beneficiaries are all Lake County high schools’ fine art programs and the four high school FFA programs, Adventist Health Clear Lake Palliative Care Department, World Wide Healing Hands, Mother Wise, Lakeport Senior Center, Kelseyville Food Pantry, Catholic Charities, First Lutheran Church, Lake County Youth Symphony, Lake County Rural Arts Initiative, Clear Lake High School Culinary Program, Lower Lake High School Culinary Program, Lake County Arts Council, Woodland Community College Culinary Program, Clearlake Youth Center, Ely Stage Stop, Friends of the Lake County Library, Give Back Track, Konocti Fire Safe Council, Lake County Channel Cats, Lakeport Volunteer Firefighters Association, Northshore Fire Fund, Operation Tango Mike, Jack’s Lavender Farm, United Veterans Council of Lake County, Operation Santa, Sheriffs and You Foundation, Totes for Teens, Lake County Young Life, Lake County Sheriff’s Activity League, Hospice Services of Lake County, People Services and Lake Family Resource Center.
Work on the 2024 Wine Auction will begin in January. Roumiguiere said the event will return to The Mercantile in Kelseyville on Sept. 21, 2024.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — At a community meeting in Woodland on Wednesday hosted by the Bureau of Land Management and the USDA Forest Service, attendees called on President Joe Biden to expand Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument.
Nada Wolff Culver, principal deputy director at the Bureau of Land Management, Karen Mouritsen of BLM California, and Wade McMaster, Mendocino National Forest supervisor, representing Regional Forester Jennifer Eberlien attended the meeting and heard from over 75 speakers who unanimously expressed their support.
Attendees included tribal leaders, local elected officials, scientists, conservation advocates, outdoor recreationists, and local residents and community members.
Over 88,000 supporters have signed a petition urging President Biden to use the Antiquities Act to expand the monument.
The proposed expansion area - Molok Luyuk - is located on the eastern edge of the existing monument and includes 13,753 acres of BLM-managed public lands in Lake and Colusa County.
Expanding the monument will help safeguard lands that are sacred to the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, and preserve important wildlife corridors and the area’s distinct biodiversity.
“Many of the plant and animal species within Molok Luyuk are traditionally important to the lifeways of the Patwin people, and we consider their protection and stewardship to be part of our sacred responsibility to the land,” said Yocha Dehe Tribal Chairman Anthony Roberts.
The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, which is requesting the expansion, has a long and significant connection to Molok Luyuk, stretching back thousands of years. The ridge includes areas where religious ceremonies are practiced and sites that were central to vital trading routes.
A key goal of this effort is also to establish co-management with federally recognized Tribes and to return to an Indigenous name for these lands. Molok Luyuk is Patwin for “Condor Ridge” and is a name provided by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. Currently, the area is referred to as “Walker Ridge.”
“Molok Luyuk is a special and sacred place for area tribes and for many local residents who enjoy recreation activities like hiking and mountain biking,” said Lake County Supervisor E.J. Crandell, a member of the Robinson Rancheria Tribe. “The natural beauty of our home also drives tourism, which is key to the economic vitality of the region. Protecting these beautiful lands would be a gift to future generations.”
Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument stretches from Napa County in the south to Mendocino County in the north, encompassing 330,780 acres of public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.
President Barack Obama designated the national monument in 2015 using the Antiquities Act, a 1906 law that grants U.S. presidents the ability to designate federal public lands, waters, and cultural and historical sites as national monuments.
Earlier this year, elected officials, community leaders, and residents joined Senator Padilla, the late Senator Dianne Feinstein, Representative John Garamendi, Representative Mike Thompson and the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation in calling on President Biden to expand Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument using the Antiquities Act.
Northern California tribes, local elected officials, businesses, neighboring landowners, and over 300 scientists support the proposed expansion.
Supporters consider the Wednesday meeting a critical step forward in the effort to protect Molok Luyuk and follows a September visit to the area from Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Bureau of Land Management Director Tracy Stone-Manning.
“Molok Luyuk is a gem of rich cultural heritage and history, diverse wildlife and rare plants, stunning natural beauty, and accessible recreational activities,” said Sandra Schubert, Executive director of Tuleyome, leader of a local conservation organization. “We are deeply grateful to BLM Deputy Director Nada Culver and Wade McMaster of the USFS for spending the time to listen to our community's desire to protect these special lands right in their backyard. We urge President Biden to expand the existing monument and permanently protect the entirety of Molok Luyuk.”
The proposed expansion area includes oak woodlands, rocky outcroppings, wildflower meadows, the largest known stand of McNab cypress, and dozens of rare plant species. Protecting the landscape would help the state of California and the Biden Administration meet their shared goals of protecting 30% of lands and waters by 2030.
“As an avid OHV recreationist, I strongly support expanding Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument to include Molok Luyuk,” said Don Amador, former chair of the CA State Park Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission and one of three OHV users who spoke at the meeting in favor of the expansion. “The permanent protection of Molok Luyuk will improve the management of these lands and increase public access to recreation opportunities. This is a win-win for our community and I add my voice in support of President Biden using the Antiquities Act to expand the monument.”
To learn more about this effort and to sign a petition in support of the expansion of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, visit www.expandberryessa.org.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Association of Realtors reported that home sales this fall have continued to strengthen and are nearly on par with numbers a year ago.
Over the month of October, a total of 78 single family homes were sold through the multiple listing service, compared to 65 in September and 83 sold a year ago during the month of October 2022. These include traditionally built “stick-built” houses as well as manufactured homes on land, the association, or LCAOR, reported.
There were nine sales of mobile homes in parks in October, compared to six in September and seven sold during the month of October 2022.
For bare land (lots and acreage) 24 were sold in October, which is the same number of closed sales in September and lower than the 27 during October 2022.
As of the end of November, there were 427 “stick built” and manufactured homes on the market right now. If the rate of sales stays the same at 78 homes sold per month, there are currently 5.47 months of inventory on the market at the moment. That means that if no new homes are brought to the market for sale, in 5.47 months, all of these homes would be sold and there would be none available.
Less than 6 months of inventory is generally considered to be a “sellers’ market” while more than 6 months of inventory is often called a “buyers’ market.”
October’s data is a shift from September’s, where more than six months of inventory were available.
Agents are reporting a drop in requests for property tours, and fewer clients writing offers, which is consistent with the national home sales data.
The total percentage of homes bought for all cash in October was as follows: 31% (compared to 45% for September and 25% for October 2022); 32% were financed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac (“conventional loans”) compared to 26% for September and 42% for the October 2022; 23% were financed by FHA (the same as September as well as for October 2022); 6% were financed by the VA or CalVet (unchanged from September and compared to 5% for October 2022); 3% had other financing such as private loans, USDA, or seller financed notes (compared to 0% in September, and compared to 1% for October 2022).
There is a new entry for buyer financing: 1% of the sales had an assumable loan, meaning that the buyers were able to take over the existing financing, which was probably with an extremely low interest rate.
The homes in October sold at an average of 96% of the asking price at the time the property went under contract, but an average of 93% when compared to the original asking price when the property first came on the market.
This means that the asking home prices had been reduced from their original asking prices on the homes that sold before they actually sold. (In September homes sold for 97% of the asking price at the time the property went under contract, and 92% of the original asking price.)
A year ago in October, homes were selling at 97% of the asking price at the time the property went under contract and 89% when compared to the original asking price.
The median time on the market in October was 36 days, compared to 40 days in September and 37 days in October 2022.
The median sale price of a single family home in Lake County in October was $318,750, which is higher than the $249,000 median sale price for September but lower than the median sale price of $330,000 during October 2022.
This indicates that in October, the higher priced homes were selling in greater numbers to bring the median sale price up compared to September 2023, but in October 2022 the higher priced homes were selling at an even higher clip.
The median asking price of homes on the market right now is $372,000, which is a slight drop from October's $375,850.
In October, 40% of homes sold had seller concessions for an average concession of $9,069; these numbers are almost identical to September 2023, with 40% of homes sold having seller concessions for an average concession of $9,033.
In October 2022, 45% of homes sold had an average seller concession of $9,035.
Also in October, average concessions were higher for FHA ($9,749), while cash sales showed an average concession of $3,570, and buyers with a conventional loan had an average concession of $2,704.
Over the month of October, a total of 78 single family homes were sold through the multiple listing service, compared to 65 in September and 83 sold a year ago during the month of October 2022. These include traditionally built “stick-built” houses as well as manufactured homes on land, the association, or LCAOR, reported.
There were nine sales of mobile homes in parks in October, compared to six in September and seven sold during the month of October 2022.
For bare land (lots and acreage) 24 were sold in October, which is the same number of closed sales in September and lower than the 27 during October 2022.
As of the end of November, there were 427 “stick built” and manufactured homes on the market right now. If the rate of sales stays the same at 78 homes sold per month, there are currently 5.47 months of inventory on the market at the moment. That means that if no new homes are brought to the market for sale, in 5.47 months, all of these homes would be sold and there would be none available.
Less than 6 months of inventory is generally considered to be a “sellers’ market” while more than 6 months of inventory is often called a “buyers’ market.”
October’s data is a shift from September’s, where more than six months of inventory were available.
Agents are reporting a drop in requests for property tours, and fewer clients writing offers, which is consistent with the national home sales data.
The total percentage of homes bought for all cash in October was as follows: 31% (compared to 45% for September and 25% for October 2022); 32% were financed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac (“conventional loans”) compared to 26% for September and 42% for the October 2022; 23% were financed by FHA (the same as September as well as for October 2022); 6% were financed by the VA or CalVet (unchanged from September and compared to 5% for October 2022); 3% had other financing such as private loans, USDA, or seller financed notes (compared to 0% in September, and compared to 1% for October 2022).
There is a new entry for buyer financing: 1% of the sales had an assumable loan, meaning that the buyers were able to take over the existing financing, which was probably with an extremely low interest rate.
The homes in October sold at an average of 96% of the asking price at the time the property went under contract, but an average of 93% when compared to the original asking price when the property first came on the market.
This means that the asking home prices had been reduced from their original asking prices on the homes that sold before they actually sold. (In September homes sold for 97% of the asking price at the time the property went under contract, and 92% of the original asking price.)
A year ago in October, homes were selling at 97% of the asking price at the time the property went under contract and 89% when compared to the original asking price.
The median time on the market in October was 36 days, compared to 40 days in September and 37 days in October 2022.
The median sale price of a single family home in Lake County in October was $318,750, which is higher than the $249,000 median sale price for September but lower than the median sale price of $330,000 during October 2022.
This indicates that in October, the higher priced homes were selling in greater numbers to bring the median sale price up compared to September 2023, but in October 2022 the higher priced homes were selling at an even higher clip.
The median asking price of homes on the market right now is $372,000, which is a slight drop from October's $375,850.
In October, 40% of homes sold had seller concessions for an average concession of $9,069; these numbers are almost identical to September 2023, with 40% of homes sold having seller concessions for an average concession of $9,033.
In October 2022, 45% of homes sold had an average seller concession of $9,035.
Also in October, average concessions were higher for FHA ($9,749), while cash sales showed an average concession of $3,570, and buyers with a conventional loan had an average concession of $2,704.