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Safe and sane fireworks will be permitted in the city of Lakeport from July 1 to 4.
Fireworks purchased in the city of Lakeport can only be possessed and used within the incorporated boundaries of the city.
City officials reminded community members that while those fireworks are allowed in Lakeport, they are strictly prohibited in all other parts of Lake County, including the city of Clearlake.
Hours of discharge in Lakeport are July 1 to 3, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and July 4, from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
On July 4, a safe fireworks area will be set up at the end of Fourth Street near the lake.
Use of fireworks on private property, such as shopping centers, is only allowed by permission of the property owner.
All discharge of safe and sane fireworks must adhere to Lakeport Municipal Code Section 5.30.180, which states, “It shall be unlawful for any person to ignite, discharge, project or otherwise fire or use any Safe and Sane Fireworks, or permit the ignition, discharge or projection thereof, upon or over or onto the property of another without his/her consent, or to ignite, discharge, project or otherwise fire or make use or any Safe and Sane Fireworks within 10 feet of any residence, dwelling or other structure used as a place of habitation by human beings.”
Text the word “Fireworks” to 88877 for public safety information.
While COVID-19 vaccines continue to be highly effective at preventing hospitalization and death, it has become clear that the protection offered by the current vaccines wanes over time. This necessitates the use of booster shots that are safe and effective in enhancing the immune response against the virus and extending protection.
But when to get a first or second booster, and which shot to choose, are open questions. Many people find themselves unsure whether to wait on new, updated formulations of the COVID-19 vaccines or to mix and match combinations of the original vaccine strains.
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, uses its knob-shaped spike protein to gain entry into cells and to cause infection. Each of the existing and upcoming vaccines relies on emulating the spike protein to trigger the immune response. However, each vaccine type presents the spike protein to the immune system in different ways.
As immunologists studying inflammatory and infectious diseases, including COVID-19, we are interested in understanding how the COVID-19 vaccine designs differ in the type of immunity they trigger and the protection that results.
New bivalent vaccines
Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, the two companies whose mRNA vaccines have been the primary options for COVID-19 vaccination across all age groups, both have new vaccine formulations on the way. An advisory committee of the Food and Drug Administration is set to meet on June 28, 2022, to evaluate the newest versions and to decide on which are likely to be recommended for use in this fall’s booster shots.
Moderna’s new bivalent vaccine mixes mRNA that encodes for the spike proteins of the original SARS-CoV-2 virus as well as the slightly different spike protein of the more infectious omicron variant.
In early June 2022, Moderna said that in clinical trials, its bivalent vaccine outcompetes the original vaccine strain, inducing a stronger immune response and longer protection against the original SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, including omicron.
Moderna later announced that its newest formulation also performs well against the newest omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5, which are quickly becoming the dominant strains in the U.S. Because of the significantly stronger immune response that the new shot induces, Moderna predicts that such protection may last a year and plans to introduce its new vaccine in August.
And most recently, on June 25, Pfizer-BioNTech also announced results for its two new COVID-19 vaccine formulations: a bivalent formulation consisting of mRNA that encodes for the spike proteins of the original SARS-CoV-2 strain and the original BA.1 omicron subvariant, and a “monovalent” version that is only directed at the spike protein of BA.1.
The company’s preliminary studies demonstrated that both the monovalent and the bivalent vaccines triggered antibodies that neutralized the newer omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, although to a lesser degree than the BA.1 subvariant. However, Pfizer’s monovalent vaccine triggered better virus-neutralizing antibodies against the omicron BA.1 subvariant than did the bivalent vaccine.
However, whether the differences in the levels of such antibodies seen with the monovalent versus bivalent vaccines translate into different levels of protection against newer omicron variants remains to be established in clinical trials.
Progress on the Novavax vaccine
Another vaccine formulation that is working its way toward authorization is Novavax, a vaccine built using the spike protein of the original SARS-CoV-2 virus. The Novavax vaccine has the advantage of being similar to traditional vaccines, such as the DTaP vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, or the vaccines against other viral infections such as hepatitis and shingles. The Novavax vaccine has been clinically tested in South Africa, the United Kingdom and the U.S. and found to be safe and highly effective with 90% efficacy against mild, moderate and severe forms of COVID-19.
An advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration endorsed the Novavax vaccine in early June 2022. Now, the FDA is reviewing changes that Novavax made during its manufacturing process before making its decision to authorize the shot.
In Australia, the Novavax vaccine was recently registered provisionally as a booster for individuals aged 18 years and over. The company is performing phase 3 clinical trials to determine if its vaccine can be used safely and effectively as a booster in people who have previously taken mRNA vaccines.
When these new vaccines become available in the coming months, people will have significantly more options for mixing and matching vaccines in order to enhance the duration and quality of their immune protection against COVID-19.
Mixing and matching
Until then, clinical studies have shown that even mixing and matching the existing vaccine types is an effective strategy for boosting. For example, recent studies suggest that when adults who were fully vaccinated with any of the original three COVID-19 vaccines – Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson – received a booster dose with a different vaccine brand from the one they received in their initial series, they had a similar or more robust immune response compared to boosting with the same brand of vaccine.
Vaccine mixing has been found to be safe and effective in various studies. The reason why mixing vaccines might produce a more robust immune response goes back to how each one presents the spike protein of the virus to the immune system.
When the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutates in regions of the spike protein, as has been the case with each of the variants and subvariants, and tries to evade the immune cells, antibodies that recognize different parts of the spike protein can stop it in its tracks and prevent the virus from infecting the body’s cells.
So whether you decide to get a booster shot now or wait until the fall, for many it’s heartening to know that more options are on the way.
Prakash Nagarkatti, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina and Mitzi Nagarkatti, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — At its June 14 meeting, the Board of Supervisors approved the recommended budget for the new fiscal year, but it wasn’t a unanimous vote due to concerns over falling cannabis tax revenues.
Supervisor Bruno Sabatier was the lone dissenting vote in approving the 2022-23 recommended budget, raising objections due to staffing increases and lack of an economic development plan in the face of looming financial challenges.
The recommended budget must be adopted by June 30, with the final budget to be adopted no later than Oct. 2, said County Administrative Officer Susan Parker.
The board usually accepts the initial budget document in June and the final one in September. This year, the final budget hearing dates are Sept. 21 and 22.
Deputy County Administrative Officer Stephen Carter led the budget presentation during the hourlong discussion.
He said the coming fiscal year budget totals $337,455,551 for all funds, an increase of $18,069,436 over the fiscal year 2021-22 budget, which totaled $319,386,115.
The 2022-23 general fund totals $76,237,204, a decrease of $6,995,140, from the fiscal year 2021-22 general fund, which totaled $83,232,344.
Carter said the guiding principles of creating the budget continue to be to develop a “reasonable, sustainable budget” that will enable the county to maintain its fiscal solvency for the short- and long-term, while minimizing or avoiding negative impacts on service to the public and improving services when possible.
He said they also work to preserve the county’s general reserves, avoid layoffs, work furloughs or other compensation reductions that would negatively impact county employees and the local economy.
He said Bradley-Burns sales tax revenues received through May 2022 total $3,894,494, $100,000 lower than fiscal year 2020-21, with one month remaining to be received).
Proposition 172 sales tax revenues through May 2022 equal $4,410,082, nearly $1 million greater than fiscal year 2020-21.
Transient occupancy, or bed tax, revenues totaled $753,806.01 through May 2022, slightly higher than the total received in the now ending fiscal year.
An area of particular concern is the revenue from the cannabis cultivation and business tax, which through June 2 total $6,704,062.58, down $1,640,814.47 from May 2020-21.
Carter said that was due to the board deciding earlier this year to provide cannabis tax relief to growers who have been having challenges with the market. The county has temporarily reduced the cultivation tax rate by 50% and is applying it to the canopy area only, as opposed to the total cultivation area.
“These reductions, coupled with remaining uncertainty surrounding which permitted cannabis businesses will operate this year, make projecting revenue difficult,” Carter’s written report said.
Carter said during the meeting that the board’s decisions on the cannabis tax resulted in the county having to give some money back to growers who already had paid.
He raised concerns with the impact that those reduced revenue could have on the county’s budget going forward.
“With all the changes that have happened to cannabis, I do want to say that this is verging on the not being sustainable for the way we're heading,” Carter said. “If we do hire all of our positions, we are going to start running into not having enough ongoing revenue/cannabis funds. I just want to put that warning out there. It’s not imminent, but it is within the next three years, depending on how things go.”
Carter said the recommended budget includes a total workforce of 1,053.60 full-time equivalent positions, a net increase of 15.65 full-time jobs, over the previous year. Full-time positions in the general fund total 426.75, a net increase of 9.25 jobs over the year.
Need for fiscal projects, more complete reporting
Sabatier said approving a budget is one of the most important jobs the supervisors have to do.
He said four days for him and for the public to review the document — referring to when the budget was released by the county ahead of the meeting — was not enough time, especially as part of that meeting with its full agenda.
Sabatier said he had particular concerns about the situation with cannabis tax revenues.
“I think that we are making a very large assumption that we’re going to collect something. I’m not saying we're not going to collect anything,” but Sabatier said the board has heard from those in the cannabis industry saying they still have unsold products from the last few years.
He wasn’t sure the county will collect the projected $3.5 million in cannabis funds, and along with that Sabatier was concerned about potential impacts if the federal government allows the industry to go nationwide, along with the current economic challenges that include inflation and gas prices.
“While, yes, we’re balanced for this year, I do not see this as a balanced budget as I do not see this as a sustainable budget where I can be sure that in five years from now, everything is fine,” said Sabatier.
He also questioned the wisdom of adding new staffers, noting over each of the next two to three years the county will have 2% increases in salaries; that’s the result of the $21 million raises the board approved in 2020 and 2021.
“We know we’re heading towards a fiscal issue,” said Sabatier.
“We’re continuously increasing the cost of running the county, not decreasing the cost, where our revenues and appropriations are more balanced,” Sabatier added, noting he wanted to freeze hiring again.
Sabatier said the county has no economic development plan at all. He wanted to make changes that day to the budget, and said he believed the county had made a mistake by getting rid of the fiscal crisis plan. That occurred before the board finalized the millions in raises last year.
He asked for five years of “big picture” budget projections that would give a strategic look at the county’s fiscal situation.
Carter asked if Sabatier wanted any analysis specific to salaries. Sabatier said yes. “Salaries is definitely one of the biggest numbers that we should be looking at,” especially since they know there are ongoing increases, he said.
“Today I cannot approve this budget as is,” Sabatier said.
Supervisor Jessica Pyska agreed with the request for forecasting. “We are in a spot that calls for that.”
However, during the discussion she said the board needed to be strategic, and put more thought into it before making sweeping decisions that day.
Supervisor Tina Scott said the board needed to rely on its staff in creating the budget, and she said the county isn’t hanging everything on cannabis.
“I don’t think we’ve completely seen what the wage increase is going to do for Lake County. I’m optimistic,” she said, adding that she thinks the wage increases will save the county money because it doesn’t have to go through the hiring process repeatedly.
Scott said she was ready to move forward, and Supervisor Moke Simon said he was as well, although he also supported doing long-term strategic planning.
Sabatier also asked staff for a column of actuals on the budget sheets showing comparisons from previous years so he could look at trends. Carter said he would work on that.
Parker said the five-year analysis will help with the budget discussions the board will have in September.
“That’s the only comment that I wish to make at this time,” Parker said.
In separate motions, the board approved the recommended budget, the position allocation chart and the purchase of capital assets. Each of the votes was 4-1, with Sabatier voting no.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif – A new mural in downtown Lakeport recognizing essential workers will be dedicated on Friday, July 1.
The ribbon cutting ceremony will begin at 5 p.m. at 120 N. Main St., home of the Meals on Wheels Thrift Store.
Conceived as a gift to the community, the mural project was coordinated by the Lake County Arts Council in collaboration with the City of Lakeport, Lake Family Resource Center, Lake County Rural Arts Initiative, Lakeport Main Street Association and others.
“The COVID pandemic hit our community hard in so many ways,” according to Lakeport Mayor Pro Tem Mireya Turner, a leader in the effort to express appreciation for the service, strength and fortitude of our local essential workers.
“Some of us were able to shelter in place, while others could not do so because we depended on them to keep our economy and community moving. Many of us left home every day to keep our supermarkets open, our gas stations operating, to treat our sick, make deliveries, and harvest our gardens, orchards and vineyards,” she said.
“Now is the perfect time for our community to come together and express gratitude to our residents who gave so much of themselves to help us through this pandemic,” Turner said.
Local artists responded to the call for proposals which were then evaluated by a panel representing the sponsors.
Four designs were made available for online voting by essential workers to select the winning design and artist.
Emma Wakefield of Loch Lomond, a recent graduate of San Francisco State University in studio art, was chosen to paint her depiction of a young boy sleeping under a large quilt which contains patches with images of essential workers.
Shown in the mural are firefighters, doctors, farmers, construction workers, teachers, police officers, nurses and others.
Her concept represents these workers “protecting and nurturing future generations, keeping us and our children safe,” she stated in her proposal.
Funds to support the artist’s labor and materials were solicited from the community to “support this mural project to recognize our friends, neighbors and family members who, through their actions, kept us strong through the pandemic,” said Barbara Clark, executive director of the Lake County Arts Council. “All funds collected are being used for the mural and related expenses. Any excess funds will be retained for the next public mural project.”
More than one-half of the $8,000 goal for the mural project has been reached with contributions from Lake County Rural Arts Initiative, Laurie Dohring, Keeling-Barnes Family Foundation, Timothy Coffey, John Brosnan, Olga Martin Steele, Annelle Durham and Green Blog Design.
Tax-deductible, charitable donations may be made to the Lake County Arts Council at https://lakearts.org/essential-worker-appreciation-mural-project/ to support the mural.
The community is invited to the dedication ceremony, followed by the monthly First Friday Fling at the Lake County Arts Council’s Main Street Gallery, 325 N. Main St., at 5:30 p.m., and the summer concert in Library Park at 6:30 p.m.
The two available seats serve trustee area No. 2, Mendocino County, and trustee area No. 6, Lake County.
Trustees are appointed for a four-year term.
Interested candidates must complete a packet. The candidate filing dates are July 18 to Aug. 12. Anyone interested should contact the County Registrar of Voters for details.
The Board of Trustees of the Mendocino-Lake Community College District consists of seven members who reside in their specific trustee area and are elected by that area’s voters. Individual members perform their duties in accordance with their oaths of office and are committed to serving the educational needs of the citizens of the district, regardless of national origin, religion, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race or ethnicity, color, medical condition, genetic information, ancestry, immigration status, sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, or military and veteran status.
For additional information please visit www.mendocino.edu/elections or email Mary Lamb, executive assistant to the president, at
“California will not back down from the fight to protect abortion rights as more than half the states in this country, enabled by the Supreme Court, ban or severely restrict access,” said Newsom. “We are ensuring Californians will have the opportunity this November to enshrine the right to choose in our state constitution. And we’re not waiting until November to take action, today’s executive order ensures that the state will not hand over patients who come here to receive care and will not extradite doctors who provide care to out-of-state patients here. In California, women will remain protected.”
The order signed Monday prevents any information, including medical records and patient data, from being shared by state agencies or departments in response to inquiries or investigations brought by other states or individuals within those states looking to restrict access.
The state is expanding efforts to protect women seeking abortions or reproductive care as well as anyone assisting those women.
SCA 10 was passed by the California State Assembly Monday and now heads to the November ballot.
Within hours of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last Friday, Gov. Newsom signed legislation to help protect patients and providers in California from civil liability for providing, aiding, or receiving abortion care in the state.
In addition, Gov. Newsom and the governors of Oregon and Washington launched a new multi-state commitment to defend access to reproductive health care and protect patients and providers.
The budget agreement announced Sunday includes more than $200 million in additional funding for reproductive health care services.
Newsom also recently signed legislation eliminating copays for abortion care services and has signed into law a legislative package to further strengthen access and protect patients and providers.