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The Lake County Board of Education and the Lucerne Area Town Hall will hold their special meetings about an hour apart on the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 21.
At 5 p.m., the Lake County Board of Education will meet at the Lake County Office of Education, 1152 S. Main St., in Lakeport.
The single agenda item is the $5.2 million Tribal Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention Program grant, awarded by the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency to the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians in November.
The grant was written by the tribe’s administrator, Tom Jordan, and Ana Santana, a Lake County Office of Education employee.
The grant language claims that the Office of Education was the “primary partner” in the plan, but Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg said the agency knew nothing about the plan or the grant.
It was not until Falkenberg investigated the matter that he reported finding out that the grant writers had intended for LCOE to run the facility, which he said they will not do because it’s not within LCOE’s scope.
Dozens of other secondary “partner” organizations also were named, but so far none have confirmed being part of the project or knowing about it.
At 6 p.m., the Lucerne Area Town Hall will hold a special meeting at the Lucerne Elementary School Multipurpose Room, 3351 Country Club Drive, also to discuss the plan for the hotel.
The meeting also will be available via this Zoom link.
The meeting ID is 871 6990 6960, password: 13931
The town hall, or LATH, had been meeting at the Lucerne Hotel but last week the owner, Andrew Beath, told them they could no longer meet there if they were going to discuss his proposed sale of the building to the Scotts Valley Pomo.
District 3 Supervisor EJ Crandell followed up by sending out a cancellation notice and setting the next meeting date for January. However, the town hall bylaws give the authority for scheduling meetings to the chair.
LATH Chair Kurt McKelvey wanted to hold the meeting before the end of the month, when it’s been reported that escrow may close on the 94-year-old building, around which the community was built.
McKelvey has once again invited Jordan to attend and speak to the community, but he has declined because of other plans. Jordan has asked to be on the agenda for January.
The meeting will include consideration of a resolution condemning the plan.
LATH also will discuss county maintenance issues within Lucerne, consider making the third request to Public Services for a definite date on when the harbor will be dredged, and discuss a community cleanup initiative and a resolution on the syringe exchange program.
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The earthquake occurred at 2:34 a.m. Tuesday offshore. It was centered 7.7 miles west southwest of Ferndale, according to the United States Geological Survey.
It has spawned dozens of aftershocks. As of Tuesday night, the USGS site showed nearly 60 aftershocks, the biggest of which was a 4.9-magnitude earthquake that occurred just five minutes after the main quake.
On Tuesday afternoon, as county emergency officials were preparing to hold a press conference on the situation, they were startled by still another aftershock that shook Rio Dell City Hall.
Also during that meeting, the battery backup system went down momentarily, a reminder that across the region, tens of thousands of people remained without power. As of 7 p.m. Tuesday, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office reported 40,000 people were still without power.
Officials also reported that the aftermath of the quake included damage to schools, structure fires, offline water systems that led to boil water orders, damaged gas lines and other critical utility infrastructure such as cell towers, as well as damage done to bridges and roads leading to closures, and dozens of homes had been red-tagged due to earthquake damage.
Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsel said 12 people were confirmed injured, with the expectation that reports of still more injuries may come in.
His agency also reported two people had died as the result of medical emergencies that occurred at the time of the quake.
Shortly after 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Honsel’s office reported that he had declared a local emergency in response to the quake.
An hour later, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office proclaimed a state of emergency for Humboldt County to support the emergency response.
Newsom activated the State Operations Center to coordinate with local and tribal governments and provide any needed resources such as shelter, food and water, and aid in damage assessments of buildings and roadways.
The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services reported that it was working with local utilities to rapidly restore power.
The emergency proclamation enables Humboldt County to access resources under the California Disaster Assistance Act, directs Caltrans to formally request immediate assistance through the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program and supports impacted residents by easing access to unemployment benefits and waiving fees to replace records such as marriage and birth certificates, among other provisions.
Newsom also directed state agencies and departments to take appropriate action as necessary to provide support to local communities, including the California Department of Transportation to ensure the safety of roadways, the California Highway Patrol to protect public safety, the California Department of Public Health and Emergency Medical Services Authority to aid local hospitals, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to help address any possible additional emergencies and the California Geological Survey for continued earthquake monitoring.
Updates are being posted on the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services Facebook page and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office website.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. — On Monday afternoon, as Clearlake Police Chief Andrew White prepared to leave for the next stop in what already has been an accomplished career, he received praise and shows of affection from officials, colleagues and community members — and a key to the city.
White is the first person in Clearlake’s 42 years as a city to receive such an honor, said City Manager Alan Flora during a heartfelt going away reception for White at City Hall.
Flora explained the key is part of a tradition that goes back to medieval times, when walled city gates were guarded during the day and locked at night.
“The key symbolizes the freedom of the recipient to enter and leave the city at will, and is meant to confer trust and honor, to a friend of city residents,” Flora said.
White, 38, has been police chief since July 2018. He announced at the start of November that he had accepted the police chief’s job in the city of Martinez. His first day is Jan. 3.
While White’s departure is a blow to the city, there is hope for the future. He was lauded for raising the bar for leadership, for building up a stronger, better department that will move forward and — White hopes — will do even better in the days ahead.
Flora said it’s White’s leadership example that created the dramatic change for the city.
In his four and a half years with the city, “every moment you were completely sold out for improving the city,” said Flora.
White has been key to managing the city’s response to wildland fires, the COVID-19 pandemic and the work of improving the city’s image, its prospects and its effective service of its residents.
He’s also forged key relationships with groups like the NAACP, whose members, including Rick Mayo, the local chapter’s president and founder, were on hand to honor him and thank him for his service, presenting him with a plaque.
Before reading a proclamation commending White from the Board of Supervisors, District 2 Supervisor Bruno Sabatier, who was still on the Clearlake City Council when White was hired, lauded him for how he approached his work.
“You have treated every day as day one, where on day one we always show our best,” Sabatier said, noting White’s enthusiasm for constant improvement has never tapered off.
Sabatier said White has helped raise the bar on what leadership is in Lake County, which will be a lasting impact of his work. “I think we’ve all been changed and affected and inspired by his leadership role that he’s taken in our community,” said Sabatier, adding that it impacted the entire county.
“While he may be leaving, we now have a new standard that we need to step up to, all of us, and I can’t thank you enough for doing that,” Sabatier said.
City Attorney Ryan Jones said White has the ability to fill any role and do it well — joking that he could even be city attorney if he wanted.
During the Monday reception, White received not just honors from his colleagues in the city, led by Flora, but from other leaders and community members.
In addition to Mayo, Jones and Sabatier, those coming forward to honor White on Monday included Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin, who is retiring at month’s end; Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen; Lake County Fire Protection Chief Willie Sapeta; and members of the Clearlake City Council.
Congressman Mike Thompson also sent a resolution honoring White that he had read into the Congressional Record.
Elizabeth Kelly, Clearlake Police’s chaplain, highlighted the difference between where the city is now and when he came here, and how that White leads by example. She described coming upon him directing traffic one day, and how that he wouldn’t expect anyone to do what he wouldn’t do himself.
On Monday, during his going away reception at Clearlake City Hall, White formally handed the baton to the city’s new interim chief, Tim Hobbs.
Hobbs, 41, has been with the Clearlake Police Department for 20 years — his entire career — and most recently at the rank of lieutenant. Flora appointed him acting chief effective on Monday.
Flora said the city has watched Hobbs grow and develop as a leader. “I have every confidence that you are ready to step in as acting chief and lead the department during this transition.”
White administered the oath to Hobbs, then took off his badge and gave it to Hobbs’ fiancee, who came forward to pin it on Hobbs’ uniform.
An eventful tenure
White first arrived in Lake County as the Mendocino Complex had triggered evacuations of thousands of residents from Kelseyville to the Northshore.
He spent his first days in Lake County helping the city of Lakeport, which had been evacuated in its entirety due to the monster complex, one of the biggest fires in California history. Rasmussen said White was his partner for two days during that incident, before he even got the chance to work at his own department.
Later, he would be at the core of the city’s response to the August 2021 Cache fire, which burned dozens of homes.
He also oversaw the building of a new animal shelter as the city turned a chapter in offering expanded animal control services, hiring North Bay Animal Services to handle that function. Even so, White has remained hands-on, even fostering dogs in his home.
His tenure has been marked both by collaboration and innovation. White has shown himself to have a wide variety of abilities, helping the city upgrade its IT infrastructure and also acting temporarily as the city finance officer.
Flora recalled first meeting White in the parking lot at the city’s Tractor Supply store with then-City Manager Greg Folsom.
It was an odd meeting, Flora said, as at that point Folsom was considering taking the city manager job in the city of Suisun City — which he later did — and White, working for the Suisun Police Department, was interested in the Clearlake chief’s job. It amounted to what Flora called a “personnel trade.”
He said Folsom stayed around for about eight months more before leaving, and Flora was grateful that White “decided to take the big risk on Clearlake.”
Flora joked that hiring White was the second best thing Folsom did as city manager — next to hiring Flora himself.
White has, during his time in Lake County, created deep connections with his fellow city employees and other local leaders. The reception proved emotional for Flora and White himself as they recounted their time working together and the lasting friendship that resulted.
Flora said he’s had the opportunity to work with many impressive people over the years, and he couldn’t be more proud of the city of Clearlake’s team.
He told White, “I place you in a group of less than a handful of people I have worked with that are truly exceptional.”
He added, “Many people have a talent and habit of attention to detail, but only a couple other people I know also possess a clear grasp of the big picture.”
Flora said White, when needed, has refused to take no for an answer, and places no limit on solving complicated problems.
He said he trusted White’s judgment 100%, and believes in his integrity. Flora said White has also been willing to hold him accountable when needed. He’s a valued leader and mentor, not just to the entire police department, but also the entire city organization.
The city will feel White’s departure deeply as an organization, and Flora said he will feel it personally, calling White his confidant. He said he’ll miss throwing around ideas, discussing ideas and sharing news stories about crazier things than happen in Clearlake.
Beyond his professional accolades, Flora said White is “one of the best people I know.” He and his wife, Charlotte, have opened their home to 18 foster children, which Flora called “nothing short of remarkable.”
With all of those accomplishments, Flora decided it was a key to the city that would best symbolize White’s impact on Clearlake.
Advice for the future
Before Hobbs’ swearing-in, when it came to White’s turn to talk about his time in Clearlake, as Flora predicted he would, White turned the subject toward his staff, saying the accomplishments of his tenure required a team effort.
“We’ve tried to make this a better and safer place,” said White, noting there is still more to do.
White said he may be most proud of the fact that the police department’s staff are now proud of where they worked, which wasn’t what they told him when he did one-on-one interviews when he arrived in Clearlake.
Based on his knowledge of the department, he said it’s never been more prepared to be successful in the future than it is now.
“My challenge for the department is not to continue doing what we were doing, but to take it to that next level,” White said. “And I know that they will. Things will be different. Being different is OK. That’s how the department evolves. But I know you guys are going to make it better.”
The community will accept nothing less, and it shouldn’t, he said.
He praised Hobbs, who he said is ready to do the job, and said he couldn’t be more excited for him.
White told Hobbs that taking on the job of police chief is the pinnacle of his career. “But I would also tell you that it’s at this moment, that your whole career becomes about everybody out there” — at which point White gestured with both hands toward the audience — “and not about you.”
He urged Hobbs to support the people in his department. White also told Hobbs to be mindful of his family, in realization of the job’s demands, and to work closely with the city manager.
White offered his own praise for Flora, saying his care for the city is unrelenting, and he thanked everyone for believing in the department.
He also offered a final token to Flora as the gathering drew to a close.
White said he often has kept his uniforms from previous jobs.
He then pulled a patch out of his pocket, which he had cut from one of his Clearlake Police uniforms.
“This patch has been through a lot,” he said, noting it has been in some dirty spots and scuffles, but that it was battle worn and tested.
Both men were emotional as White handed that patch to Flora and they embraced.
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Dr. Karl Sporer and the Lake County Health Services Department reported that Lake County has moved to the “medium” level of COVID community spread, according to the latest metrics released by the California Department of Public Health.
Additionally, and of great concern to health officials is that influenza and RSV are together driving a national wave of respiratory illnesses parallel to the ongoing pandemic.
Lake County’s health officials are particularly concerned for the community’s first responders as this development poses innumerable challenges for them as they go about fulfilling their duties this winter.
“Our first responders are burdened by the direct effects, indirect effects, and changes in their operational environments posed by this increased risk of exposure,” the Lake County Health Services Department said in a Monday afternoon statement.
“Directly, they’re threatened by the risk of severe illness, which leads to absenteeism, stress, and quarantines. Indirectly, this changes how services are delivered, training slows down, or first responders face increased healthcare costs. The availability of resources, their working conditions, and the level or type of demand for services is also affected,” the agency reported.
The community level of spread is determined by the number of new COVID cases in the county over the past seven days, the number of newly admitted patients with confirmed COVID, and the percentage of staffed inpatient beds that are occupied by patients with coronavirus.
With Lake County moving into the “medium” level of transmission, the CDPH mask mandate requires that congregate settings, such as jails and homeless shelters, implement universal mask mandates.
While officials said they are concerned for first responders given this development, their focus continues to be on Lake County’s vulnerable elderly and youth populations.
Lake County Health Services recommends that all people, but especially those who are more at risk for severe illness or live with someone who is, take the following extra precautions at this time:
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Clean commonly touched surfaces.
• Consider wearing a well-fitting, good-quality mask when indoors or in crowded spaces.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Throw the tissue away after using it.
• Stay home when sick and limit contact with others.
• Take a COVID test. People who develop flu-like symptoms should take a COVID test, especially if they have underlying conditions that put them more at risk for severe illness or hospitalization from flu or COVID. Free rapid antigen COVID tests may be ordered through the United States Postal Service here.
• Wash hands frequently with soap and running water. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
Officials also strongly recommend getting vaccinated and boosted against COVID and influenza to prevent more severe illness and hospitalization.
The updated bivalent booster offers increased protection against strains that are currently circulating, including omicron and its subvariants.
To learn about the most up-to-date vaccine schedule, visit https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/index.html or call Lake County’s dedicated COVID Hotline at 707-263-8174.
It is also recommended that everyone ages 6 months and older receive a yearly flu vaccine. People may receive their flu shot at the same time as their COVID vaccine or booster at one of many vaccination sites throughout our community.
For additional information about COVID-19 and this development, please visit the following websites.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Assessing Risk Factors for Severe COVID-19 Illness:
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/coviddata/investigations-discovery/assessing-risk-factors
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Community Levels:
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/community-levels
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Data Tracker:
www.covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view
County of Lake Health Services’ COVID-19 Resources & Data:
www.lakecountyca.gov/471/Coronavirus
The National Weather Service said there are chances of up to a tenth of an inch of rain for Lake County on Tuesday during the day and at night, with chances of rain on Thursday night as well.
This week there also is a forecast of patchy fog on Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
Later in the week, conditions are expected to be mostly cloudy on Friday, and then mostly sunny during the day on Saturday and on Sunday, Christmas day, before chances of rain return on Monday.
Daytime temperatures will be in the mid to high 50s through Friday, in the low 60s on Saturday and mid 60s on Christmas day, before dropping down closer to 60 degrees on Monday.
At night, the temperatures will range from the high 30s to low 40s on Tuesday and Wednesday, hovering in the low 40s through Monday.
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During the holidays, it’s typical for people to indulge in special foods. Being a pet owner myself, I know that many pet parents want to give their fur babies special treats as well.
As a veterinarian and clinical veterinary researcher, however, I also know that some very common foods – including many popular holiday staples – are dangerous to pets.
Here are some of the most common food-related crises we veterinarians encounter in the animal ER during the holidays, and what to do if they happen.
Fatty food risks
Turkey with gravy is probably among the most popular holiday meals. And most dogs or cats would certainly agree with their humans that roast turkey is delicious.
However, the fat contained in turkey skin – and the excess of fatty, greasy foods that can accompany it, such as gravy, butter and bacon – don’t go down well with cats and dogs. Pets that ingest an overload of fats may develop pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas, the organ that helps break down fat, protein and carbs.
Pancreatitis causes the pancreas to leak digestive enzymes and ultimately “digest” itself. If untreated, pancreatitis can affect other organ systems such as the kidneys and the liver and even cause blood clotting.
The most common symptoms of pancreatitis include vomiting and diarrhea. Pets that may have pancreatitis should be rushed to the closest veterinary hospital or ER. The vet will perform diagnostic blood tests, including a specific test for pancreatic enzymes called pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity or cPLI/fPLI.
Treatment for pancreatitis mostly involves dealing with its symptoms. The pet receives IV fluids to help establish electrolytes balance, with added anti-nausea and pain medications to stop the vomiting. Antibiotics may be necessary, as well as liver protectants and probiotics, and a special diet.
Onion offenses and bread badness
If only turkey were the sole problem! Many other common holiday ingredients can also harm pets.
Several allium species common to holiday cooking, such as leeks, garlic, onions, chives and shallots, can be healthy for people. For dogs and cats, though, alliums are toxic. If ingested, they can cause hemolytic anemia – a decreased number of red blood cells.
The signs of hemolytic anemia, which normally appear a few days after ingestion, include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and jaundice.
To treat hemolytic anemia in pets, veterinarians do blood tests to determine whether a transfusion is necessary. They address the symptoms of allium intoxication with IV fluids, antioxidants and anti-nausea drugs.
Yeast-risen foods like rolls and breads are also holiday dinner staples that people should keep away from their pets. The yeast in these foods can ferment in a pet’s warm stomach and produce toxic levels of ethanol. In pets, ethanol toxicity may lead to metabolic acidosis, which can cause sudden drop in blood glucose, respiratory depression, seizures and cardiac arrest.
Normally, pet owners do not suspect metabolic acidosis until it is almost too late, because it has few outward symptoms. So if there’s a possibility that a pet has swallowed any type of cooked or raw yeast dough, get it to a veterinary ER right away.
By the way, pets can also experience ethanol toxicity by lapping up cocktails or beer, so keep alcoholic drinks out of their reach as well.
No chocolate for pets
Now, what about a favorite holiday treat – chocolate?
Substances that may actually attract humans to chocolate – methylxanthines like theobromine and caffeine – are toxic to both dogs and cats. When vets provide emergency treatment for chocolate ingestion, we typically hear that children shared their candy with their beloved pet.
Pets that ingest chocolate can develop “chocolate intoxication,” a condition in which methylxanthines accumulate in the body and make them sick. Signs of chocolate intoxication in pets include tremors, increased heart rate, vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness and even seizures.
Chocolate intoxication in pets is a medical emergency. The pet needs to have its stomach emptied and receive support therapy with IV fluids and activated charcoal. The vet will probably want to know the type and how much chocolate the pet ate, because some kinds of chocolate, such as baking chocolate, can have worse toxic effects.
Chocolate also has a lot of fat, so the cat or dog’s pancreas will not enjoy it either.
Grapes and dogs don’t mix
How about fruits? Well, there is a fruit very toxic to dogs that often shows up at holiday gatherings: grapes, both fresh and dehydrated into raisins.
If eaten, the tartaric acid in grapes or raisins may cause acute kidney disease. Common signs of acute kidney disease in dogs are vomiting, intermittent diarrhea and increased intake of water.
Acute kidney disease in dogs is a medical emergency. If it is suspected, the pet should be rushed to a veterinary hospital or ER right away. Treatment is typically limited to stabilizing the pet with IV fluids.
Sweet for people, poison to pets
While xylitol toxicity is one of the more common emergencies we veterinarians see these days, it’s still largely unknown among pet owners.
Xylitol is an artificial sweetener often used in sugar-free products. While safe for humans, for cats and dogs it’s a fast-acting and potentially deadly poison.
Ingesting even the smallest amount of xylitol can cause a pet’s liver to rapidly release insulin, causing hypoglycemia – unusually low blood glucose levels. Within 30 minutes, the pet will experience symptoms such as vomiting, lethargy and seizures and lose coordination of its limbs – called ataxia.
Emergency treatment for a pet with xylitol toxicity involves giving the animal IV fluids containing dextrose to raise its blood glucose level and carefully monitoring its progress.
The bottom line? Several delicious foods that are safe for humans can be very dangerous for pets in general – not just cats and dogs, but also birds, reptiles and pocket pets like mice, hamsters and gerbils. So make the holidays special for furry or feathery babies by giving them treats from the pet food store or veterinarian’s office, and keep them away from the kitchen counter and trash can.
Leticia Fanucchi, Clinical Assistant Professor of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Oklahoma State University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.