ACCUWEATHER GLOBAL WEATHER CENTER — The Halloween season is nearing its peak with carved pumpkins illuminating sidewalk stoops, skeleton decorations pieced together in leaf-covered lawns and teeth-chattering weather starting to chill parts of the United States.
Young masqueraders going door-to-door to collect candy in the coming nights to celebrate Halloween will want to check the AccuWeather forecast since waterproof costumes will be a necessity in some corners of the country, while an extra layer or two may be needed under costumes to stay warm while trick-or-treating in other areas.
The forecast in Northern California includes the potential for rain. Lake County is expected to have chances of showers beginning on Friday night and continuing through Halloween on Monday, with daytime highs in the low 60s and nighttime temperatures in the low 40s.
Spells of rain are predicted in some of the country's largest cities, but a repeat of the monster snowstorm of 2011 or the Halloween ice storm of 1991 is not expected.
A dry start to the Halloween weekend is foreseen for millions of residents across the East Coast, but like a vampire transforming into a bat, the weather will eventually evolve Sunday and Monday.
Rain showers are in the forecast from Bat Cave, North Carolina, to Spider, Kentucky, and northward into Sleepy Hollow, New York.
It may even be a damp day in Hell, Michigan, with showers spreading across the Ohio Valley and into the Great Lakes Monday.
Umbrellas may be enough to stay dry in areas where lighter, spottier showers occur, but anyone that is planning to wear a costume that requires the use of batteries, such as an inflatable outfit that requires a portable fan, should take extra precautions.
Much better trick-or-treating weather is predicted for folks across the nation's heartland with widespread dry and mild conditions in the cards through the weekend and into Monday.
A coat or sweater may still be needed for parents accompanying young candy collectors with temperatures from Pumpkin Center, Oklahoma, through Frankenstein, Missouri, predicted to drop into the 50s and 40s F after sunset.
While this may be chilly for some, it is an improvement over the weather across the northern Plains Monday, Oct. 24, when snow fell in regions of North Dakota, South Dakota, eastern Montana, Wyoming and the Front Range of Colorado.
Children across the West Coast dressing up as witches and wizards may want to consult the AccuWeather app rather than the crystal ball when looking into the future, as stormy weather is in the forecast for the final days of October.
It has not rained on Halloween in Portland or Salem, Oregon, or in Seattle since 2018, but the streak of rain-free Halloweens is likely to come to an end this year.
A parade of storms will drench the Pacific Northwest in the coming days, soaking many outdoor Halloween festivities throughout the weekend and into Monday.
Rain and high-elevation snow could also spread across the northern Rockies throughout the weekend and into Halloween, including Devils Tower and Casper, Wyoming.
Drier but chilly conditions are in the offing for the remainder of the western U.S., with temperatures near to slightly below typical late-October levels. This includes Death Valley, California, through Tombstone, Arizona, and everywhere in-between.
Brian Lada is an AccuWeather meteorologist and staff writer.
An example of a Bell 407 that may be conducting patrols along transmission lines in the North Bay and North Coast this week. Photo courtesy of PG&E. LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said it is conducting aerial patrols in Marin, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake and Humboldt counties this week as part of efforts to reduce wildfire risk in its service area.
Scheduled helicopter patrols are part of the company’s Vegetation Management Program to detect dead or dying trees.
The patrols, which began on Monday, will occur along several electric transmission lines located in the following areas:
• Lake County: Clearlake, Lower Lake, Kelseyville, Middletown, Lucerne, Clearlake Oaks, Upper Lake, Lakeport, Cobb (The Geysers).
• Humboldt County: Humboldt Bay, Orrick.
• Marin County: Sausalito, San Rafael, Bolinas, Novato, Olema.
• Mendocino County: Hopland, Mendocino, Gualala, Fort Bragg, Philo, Ukiah, Elk, Point Arena.
• Napa County: Napa, Calistoga, St. Helena.
• Sonoma County: Healdsburg, Geyserville, Fort Ross, Santa Rosa, Cotati, Cloverdale, Monte Rio, Windsor, Jenner, Annapolis.
“Helicopter patrols allow our crews to identify hazard trees that could pose a safety risk, just one of the many ways PG&E is working to manage trees and other vegetation located near powerlines,” said Ron Richardson, regional vice president for PG&E’s North Coast Region.
Depending on the weather conditions, foresters will fly a Bell 407 from the Ukiah Municipal Airport to the transmission lines and back for refueling. Flights may be as low as 300 feet and could be between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Flights are expected to conclude by end of day Friday, Oct. 28; however, weather delays may push flights to additional days.
Helicopters may reach higher elevations in areas where livestock are present. If determined necessary by a spotter from the helicopters, PG&E will send ground crews to conduct further inspections.
PG&E is using helicopters to inspect the trees along transmission lines within high fire-threat districts, as outlined by the California Public Utilities Commission, across Northern and Central California through the end of the year.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The California Employment Development Department’s latest jobless report shows that Lake County’s unemployment rate was down in September, with California reaching a record low rate and the nation’s numbers improving as well.
Lake County’s September unemployment rate was 4.2%, down from 4.4% in August and 6.3% in September 2021. The September rate is the second-lowest rate of the year, after the 3.8% reported in May.
In September, California matched the record low unemployment rate of 3.9% set in July 2022, according to the report. September’s rate is down from 4.1% in August and 6.4% in September 2021.
On the national level, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said the September jobless rate was 3.5%, down from 3.7% in August and 4.7% in September 2021.
California payroll jobs totaled 17,667,200 in September 2022, up 7,000 from September 2022 and up 712,600 from September of last year.
The number of Californians employed in September was 18,544,100, a decrease of 20,100 persons from August’s total of 18,564,200, but up 755,400 from the employment total in September 2021.
The number of unemployed Californians was 746,200 in September, a decrease of 37,600 over the month and down 471,900 in comparison to September 2021.
The state also added jobs for 12 consecutive months and has now recovered 99.1% of the jobs lost to the pandemic-induced recession from February to April 2020.
In Lake County in September, most industry sectors showed a drop in jobs, with the only growth noted in wholesale trade, 9.1%, and government, 1.5%.
Only five of California’s 11 industry sectors gained jobs in September, with education and health services (+15,000) showing the largest month-over gains thanks to strength in payrolls within colleges, universities, & professional schools. In Lake County, that sector was down by 0.4%.
Leisure and hospitality’s gains (+8,700) came largely from special food services, such as (for example) catering and food trucks. That industry in Lake County dropped by 4.3% last month.
Losses in government (-16,100) by and large were due to weakness in local government hiring, outside of education. For example, reductions in administration and services. That sector in Lake County grew by 1.5%.
Lake County’s unemployment rate earned it the No. 40 ranking statewide among the state’s 58 counties.
In September, San Mateo had the lowest unemployment rate in the state, 1.9%, while Imperial had the highest, 16%.
In related data that figures into the state’s unemployment rate, the Employment Development Department said there were 294,085 people certifying for Unemployment Insurance benefits during the September 2022 sample week. That compares to 310,212 people in August and 493,987 people in September 2021.
Concurrently, the state said 34,501 initial claims were processed in the September 2022 sample week, which was a month-over decrease of 2,699 claims from August and a year-over decrease of 44,377 claims from September 2021.
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 Board of Supervisors will welcome its newest member and discuss a proposal to create two new positions in the County Administrative Office to work on housing and economic development.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting ID is 955 5057 5835, pass code 311179. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,95550575835#,,,,*311179#.
All interested members of the public that do not have internet access or a Mediacom cable subscription are encouraged to call 669-900-6833, and enter the Zoom meeting ID and pass code information above.
An extra item is expected to be added on Tuesday for the swearing-in of Michael Green, who Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed to fill the unexpired term of District 4 Supervisor Tina Scott, who stepped down in July.
In an untimed item, the board will consider a proposal to restructure the County Administrative Office to include positions specifically focused on economic development and housing, an idea which emerged from the board’s Sept. 22 budget hearing.
The memo from County Administrative Officer Susan Parker calls for using one-time funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to pay for the plan.
The proposal includes a new county administrative officer position focused on housing, a reassigned management analyst, the tax administrator and part-time deputy county administrative officer converted to a deputy county administrative officer on economic development that will be the result of converting and a new management analyst position.
The cost for the two new positions — excluding benefits — is estimated at $219,827, Parker reported.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Adopt proclamation designating the month of October 2022 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Lake County.
5.2: Second reading, ordinance rescinding specified sections of the Lake County Zoning Ordinance relating to early activation.
5.3: Approve a purchase order for the purchase of a chip spreader for county road maintenance, and authorize the Public Works director/assistant purchasing agent to sign the purchase order.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:06 a.m.: Presentation of Proclamation Designating the Month of October 2022 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Lake County.
6.3, 9:15 a.m.: Presentation of Lake County Health Services monthly update.
6.4, 9:30 a.m.: Consideration of Amendment No. 2 to the September 2021 letter of commitment between the county of Lake and Trane Technologies to advance the N. Lakeport FLASHES Energy, Disaster and Climate Change Resiliency Projects.
6.5, 10:30 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of proposed rezone (RZ 22-01) and general plan amendment (GPA 22-01); Applicant is Valerie Peng; project located at 11377 Highway 29, Lower Lake (APN: 049-300-02).
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of restructuring the Administrative Office to include positions specifically focused on economic development and housing.
7.3: Consideration of memorandum of understanding between Lake County and Golden State Connect Authority to engage consultant(s) and implement the Local Agency Technical Assistance Grant by undertaking responsibility for performance of the grant-funded work and authorize chair to sign .
7.4: Consideration of a side letter to the Lake County Correctional Officer Association memorandum of understanding for Oct. 21, 2021, to June 30, 2025.
7.5: Consideration of the following advisory board appointment: Lakeport Fire Protection District Board of Directors, Lucerne Area Town Hall and Lower Lake Cemetery District.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Conference with legal counsel: Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9 (d)(2) (e)(1) – One potential case.
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 lovable cats and kittens waiting to be adopted.
Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online for information on visiting or adopting.
The following cats at the shelter have been cleared for adoption.
This 3-month-old male domestic shorthair kitten is in cat room kennel No. 60a, ID No. LCAC-A-4113. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male domestic shorthair kitten
This 3-month-old male domestic shorthair kitten has a black coat.
He is in cat room kennel No. 60a, ID No. LCAC-A-4113.
This 3-month-old male domestic shorthair kitten is in cat room kennel No. 60b, ID No. LCAC-A-4114. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male domestic shorthair kitten
This 3-month-old male domestic shorthair kitten has a black coat.
He is in cat room kennel No. 60b, ID No. LCAC-A-4114.
This 3-month-old male domestic shorthair kitten is in cat room kennel No. 60b, ID No. LCAC-A-4115. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male domestic shorthair kitten
This 3-month-old male domestic shorthair kitten has a tabby coat.
He is in cat room kennel No. 60b, ID No. LCAC-A-4115.
This 2-year-old female domestic shorthair cat is in cat room kennel No. 10, ID No. LCAC-A-3661. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female domestic shorthair
This 2-year-old female domestic shorthair cat has a gray tabby coat.
“She is an adult cat with some playful kitten tendencies when toys are brought out. She has a sweet little meow and likes to have playful chats with you,” shelter staff said.
She is in cat room kennel No. 10, ID No. LCAC-A-3661.
This 3-year-old male domestic shorthair cat is in cat room kennel No. 13, ID No. LCAC-A-4021. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male domestic shorthair
This 3-year-old male domestic shorthair cat has an orange tabby coat.
“This guy can be shy at first, but once he knows that you are all about the pets, he will roll right over and start his purr machine. He has a unique curly tail which he flicks around when curious,” shelter staff said.
He is in cat room kennel No. 13, ID No. LCAC-A-4021.
This 2-month-old male domestic shorthair kitten is in cat room kennel No. 36A, ID No. LCAC-A-4081. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control Male domestic shorthair kitten
This 2-month-old male domestic shorthair kitten has a white coat and blue eyes.
He is in cat room kennel No. 36A, ID No. LCAC-A-4081.
This 2-month-old male domestic shorthair kitten is in cat room kennel No. 36B, ID No. LCAC-A-4082. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male domestic shorthair kitten
This 2-month-old male domestic shorthair kitten has a light orange coat.
He is in cat room kennel No. 36B, ID No. LCAC-A-4082.
This 2-month-old male domestic shorthair kitten is in cat room kennel No. 36C, ID No. LCAC-A-4083. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male domestic shorthair kitten
This 2-month-old male domestic shorthair kitten has an orange coat.
He is in cat room kennel No. 36C, ID No. LCAC-A-4083.
This 2-year-old female domestic shorthair cat is in cat room kennel No. 73, ID No. LCAC-A-4090. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female domestic shorthair
This 2-year-old female domestic shorthair cat has a Siamese coat with reddish points and blue eyes.
She is in cat room kennel No. 73, ID No. LCAC-A-4090.
This 1-year-old male domestic longhair cat is in kennel No. 107, ID No. LCAC-A-4023. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male domestic longhair cat
This 1-year-old male domestic longhair cat has a black and white coat.
“This guy had a hard start, but has a lot of love to give once he warms up to you,” shelter staff said.
Staff said he also loves brushing and shows his appreciation with purring and head bumps.
He is in kennel No. 107, ID No. LCAC-A-4023.
This 2-month-old female domestic shorthair kitten is in kennel No. 129a, ID No. LCAC-A-4084. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female domestic shorthair kitten
This 2-month-old female domestic shorthair kitten has a white coat with orange markings.
She is in kennel No. 129a, ID No. LCAC-A-4084.
This 2-month-old female domestic shorthair kitten is in kennel No. 129b, ID No. LCAC-A-4085. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female domestic shorthair kitten
This 2-month-old female domestic shorthair kitten has a gray coat with white markings.
She is in kennel No. 129b, ID No. LCAC-A-4085.
This 2-month-old female domestic shorthair kitten is in kennel No. 129c, ID No. LCAC-A-4086. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female domestic shorthair kitten
This 2-month-old female domestic shorthair kitten has a tortoiseshell coat.
She is in kennel No. 129c, ID No. LCAC-A-4086.
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.
Assessment data released Sunday show that California performed better than most other states and the nation from 2019-22, but the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to impact student achievement overall and across all student groups.
State officials said the results illustrated in the study demonstrate the importance of California’s $23.8 billion to support students during the pandemic and as they returned to the classroom, and the continued educational transformations that California has implemented.
"California focused on keeping kids safe during the pandemic while making record investments to mitigate learning loss and transforming our education system,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom. “While California’s students experienced less learning loss than those in most other states during the pandemic, these results are not a celebration but a call to action — students are struggling academically and we need to keep getting them the resources they need to thrive. That’s why we’ve made record investments in education, created a new pre-K grade, implemented universal free meals, expanded before and after school programs, bolstered mental health, and more."
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, results in reading and math for fourth and eighth graders nationwide, California’s NAEP reading scores remained relatively steady while most other states and the national average showed declines, and math scores didn’t decline as much as most other states or the national average.
Last summer, California’s schools offered robust summer programming to recover learning loss and prepare for a successful 2021-22 school year – with 89% of schools offering summer programs with mental health and tutoring services.
In 2021-22, California schools stayed open for in-person instruction at a higher rate than schools in other states.
The massive statewide effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 included hundreds of millions of dollars to provide tens of millions of COVID-19 tests, vaccines, and PPE, as well as comprehensive guidance to maintain health and safety during in-person instruction.
Earlier this year, California was awarded the nation's preeminent award for education innovation.
$23.8 billion to address learning loss and support students
2020: $5.3 billion when students were distance learning to mitigate learning loss, bridge the digital divide, extend the school year, provide academic supports, offer tutoring, and more.
2021: $10.6 billion to help get kids back into the classroom and bolster student supports, including $2 billion for In-Person Instruction Grants, $4.6 billion for Expanded Learning Opportunities Grants (summer school, tutoring, mental health, and learning acceleration), and $4 billion for expanded-day, full-year instruction and enrichment for elementary students.
2022: $7.9 billion for Learning Block Recovery Grants to extend the school year, closing learning gaps and tutoring, counseling and mental health services, more instruction for struggling students, and new academic services.
California’s transformational education actions
More education funding than ever before. Governor Newsom allocated $170 billion for education in California, the highest funding levels for education in state history.
Universal transitional kindergarten. Public schools will add a new grade before kindergarten. By 2025, schools will serve an additional 450,000 children per year, giving all parents access to free, high-quality early care and education.
Universal access for youth mental health. With California’s $4.7 billion Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health, all young people ages 0-25 will have ready access to mental health supports both inside and outside of school.
Universal school meals. All students, regardless of income, have access to two free school meals per day – up to 12 million meals per day statewide. And $800 million was invested to increase access to fresh, high-quality, and locally-sourced meals.
Expanded access to after-school and summer learning. Elementary school students from low-income households, foster youth, and English learners will have access to enrichment programs year-round and 9 hours per day. At full scale in 2025, the $4 billion-per-year effort will serve an additional 1.5 million students per year.
Community schools. Roughly one out of every three schools in California will receive $4.1 billion to become ‘community schools’ to focus more on parent engagement, expanded access to mental health supports, and wraparound services.
More teachers, more counselors, and more paraeducators. Lower staff-to-student ratios means higher levels of support for students. With additional funding, ratios will be lowered across settings, including a reduction from 24:1 to 10:1 for transitional kindergarten and $1.1 billion in annual funding for high-poverty schools to hire up to 5 more staff each.
Eliminate teacher shortages, improve professional development. California invested a record $3.6 billion to improve educator recruitment, retention and training. That includes $500 million to attract new teachers and counselors to schools that need them most, $600 million for Teacher Residency programs, $1.5 billion for the Educator Effectiveness Block Grant, and more.
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