News

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s two members of Congress voted on Monday to pass an end-of-year funding package that includes coronavirus relief and an omnibus spending bill that funds the federal government through Sept. 30, 2021.

Congressmen John Garamendi (D-CA) and Mike Thompson (CA-05) cast their aye votes for the omnibus and coronavirus relief bill, H.R. 133.

Both houses of Congress passed the package – which includes $900 billion in coronavirus relief and economic stimulus – on Monday. It next moves to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature.

It contains billions of dollars for health care efforts, including $55 million for the Food and Drug Administration to continue working on vaccines and therapies to fight COVID-19 and $73 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services’ efforts to support public health, to research vaccines and therapies, diagnostic testing and contact regarding coronavirus, while also addressing substance abuse prevention and treatment services, and child care support.

Another $8.75 billion will go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to support federal, state, local, territorial and tribal public health agencies to distribute, administer, monitor, and track coronavirus vaccination to ensure broad-based distribution, access and vaccine coverage.

For those who lost their jobs due to the pandemic, the package restores the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation supplement to all state and federal unemployment benefits at $300 per week, starting after Dec. 26 and ending March 14.

It also provides a refundable tax credit in the amount of $600 per eligible family member. The credit is $600 per taxpayer – $1,200 for married filing jointly – in addition to $600 per qualifying child. The credit phases out starting at $75,000 of modified adjusted gross income – $112,500 for heads of household and $150,000 for married filing jointly – at a rate of $5 per $100 of additional income.

“I’m pleased that this much-needed relief will finally come to American families,” Garamendi said. “The House offered a strong pathway for additional COVID relief back in May when it passed the Heroes Act. I am relieved that the Senate has finally come to the negotiating table and agreed to a compromise that will advance bipartisan legislation to address every aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Garamendi said the bill will accelerate the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine and includes funding to help stop the rapid spread of the virus.

In addition to the $600 direct payments to individuals and the extension to Unemployment Insurance payments for millions of Americans that the House fought to secure, Garamendi said there’s also $82 billion in funding to support the education system to help schools mitigate the transmission of the virus so we can safely reopen our classrooms.

The critical PPP forgivable loan program that has helped small businesses weather the coronavirus storm also receives an additional $284 billion in funding under this legislation, Garamendi said.

“This emergency relief is an important step forward. However, it must serve as an initial building block that we will expand upon to provide additional COVID-19 relief under the Biden-Harris Administration,” said Garamendi, adding he’ll continue working in a bipartisan manner to address the community’s needs during the pandemic.

Thompson said the bill was “far from perfect and it is not commensurate to the magnitude of this crisis.”

He added, “It’s not nearly enough funding and does not include enough relief for our health care systems that are overwhelmed or the families, workers and small businesses that are struggling financially. The package does not include funding for state and local governments or aid to our restaurant industry.

“However, the bill does offer some relief and so it’s an important step in helping our nation respond to and recover from this pandemic. It includes critical aid to speed up COVID-19 vaccination rollout, support for our schools, funding for our struggling small businesses, and a desperately needed extension of the expanded unemployment insurance. I view this package as a bridge to a bigger agreement that we must pass in the coming months,” Thompson said.

Thompson said he will work with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle and President-elect Joe Biden to get more coronavirus relief legislation passed as soon as we can in the 117th Congress.

The full text of the legislation – which is nearly 5,600 pages – is available here, while a 29-page summary is here.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County CARES Small Business Assistance Grant Program issued $1.3 million in grants to eligible small businesses.

The county of Lake partnered with Lake County Economic Development Corp. to provide much-needed financial relief to businesses at a key juncture of COVID-19 pandemic response.

"Local businesses are the backbone of our community,” said District 2 Supervisor and County CARES Act Ad Hoc Committee member Bruno Sabatier. “They offer so much to our communities; employment, support for programs and activities – many of the things we need to find comfort in our lives. COVID-19 has had a great impact on their financial stability, and we need to do what we can to provide the respite they need in these troubling times.”

COVID-19 has severely affected the hospitality industry.

“The hotel was closed for three months in the spring,” said Bernie Butcher of the Tallman Hotel and Blue Wing Restaurant. “This grant from the Lake County Board of Supervisors will be extremely helpful in allowing us to retain staff and expand our services.”

“This grant is everything,” said Derick Fiske, owner of Middletown’s Perry’s Deli, another grant recipient. “It has helped keep our dream of running a small business in our hometown alive. We couldn’t be more proud to be part of Lake County. Thank you!"

Lake County Economic Development Corp. shared the county’s vision to bring relief to a broad set of pandemic-affected businesses, and administered the program with support from Economic Development and Finance Corp. of Ukiah.

“This grant program has helped bridge a funding gap for many small businesses,” said LCEDC President Stephanie Ashworth. “However, the work is not done, and we all have a part to play. Continue to support your neighborhood businesses, by using local pick-up services and home delivery. Shop local even when you shop online, and continue to visit Lake County businesses that can safely provide in-person services.”

“The Small Business Assistance Grant Program brought a breath of fresh air, and we must continue to find ways to help businesses endure the pandemic,” said Sabatier. “Keeping our communities safe and supporting Lake County’s business community are among our board's top priorities."

More resources for small businesses and a link to sign up for alerts regarding the state’s upcoming $500 million Small Business Relief Grant opportunity can be found at https://business.ca.gov/coronavirus-2019/.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The forest supervisors from the Mendocino, Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers national forests reported that the August Complex vegetation and resource rapid assessment has been completed.

The assessment and maps are available at www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd865429.pdf.

The rapid assessment evaluates short-term post-fire restoration opportunities; identifies public safety, cultural, and natural resource concerns; and integrates a short-term strategy with medium- to long-term strategic management of the post-fire landscape across forest boundaries.

The Rapid Assessment Team was comprised of specialists in heritage, fuels, geology, wildlife, timber, public affairs, planning and other resources.

This assessment is a first step in identifying the hazard reduction and restoration activities the Forests will pursue within the August Complex fire area.

Additional resource considerations and public input will be included during the next steps to help refine and target areas for restoration work.

There will be more information provided after the first of the year about public involvement opportunities.

Any projects that are selected to move forward will go through additional field assessment and the necessary environmental compliance prior to implementation.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A group of 10 AmeriCorps youth from nine different states was in Lake County in December, fulfilling their mission of improving communities and achieving skills that will benefit them throughout their lives.

Headquartered at Clear Lake State Park, the group worked on projects for the Clear Lake State Park, Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, and the Lakeshore Fire Protection District.

During their stay in Lake County, they were also able to work on a project at the Lake County Land Trust’s Rodman Preserve near Upper Lake.

The youth, aged 19 through 23, helped Land Trust board members and volunteers construct the base of a boardwalk that will cover a portion of the trail that often gets flooded during the rainy season.

The Lake County Land Trust, or LCLT, was awarded a Cal Wildlands grant from the Rose Foundation that covered the materials for the boardwalk, but for the construction portion of the project, the Land Trust turned to volunteers for help.

After working for several days, LCLT members – all in their 60s and above – were more than pleased to secure the help of some young people.

“It was so much fun to work with this group,” noted LCLT President Val Nixon. “They were so enthusiastic, smart, and super hard workers.”

Bob Schoenherr, a Land Trust volunteer, and Tom Smythe, LCLT executive director, designed the boardwalk and oversaw the work. Schoenherr was impressed that he only had to demonstrate what needed to be done once and the volunteers were off and running.

The group of 10 have been “isolating,” together for weeks and were tested for COVID-19 illness before joining.

During the work shifts with other people, they wore masks and remained socially distanced, carefully following COVID-19 protocol.

After a full day of work and enjoying a lunch hosted by the Land Trust, the AmeriCorps volunteers had completed a significant – and the most difficult – portion of the new boardwalk at the Rodman Preserve.

Once it is done and the preserve re-opens for its monthly guided walks, the public will be able to appreciate the skills of this hardworking group of volunteers.

AmeriCorps is a voluntary civil society program that is supported by the U.S. government. It was founded in 1995 by the Clinton administration.

Youth are expected to work for a year and in return they receive housing, a living allowance, college tuition assistance, and “the satisfaction of improving the lives of the people in the communities where they work,” states the organization’s website. They work in education, public safety, health care and environmental protection.

The Lake County Land Trust was founded in 1994 with the goal to protect and preserve important natural habitats and wild land areas of Lake County.

The Rodman Preserve, located on Westlake Drive off of the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff, is the organization’s flagship property and also features a small nature center. The preserve totals over 200 acres and is home to a variety of flora and fauna.

The Land Trust owns four properties in fee title and holds three conservation easements. One of its main efforts is to protect and preserve the remaining natural habitat on the shores of Clear Lake.

For more information about the Land Trust go to www.lakecountylandtrust.org.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Symphony Association – like so many others – has had a rough year due to COVID-19.

First, the annual June Wine Fest, the major fundraiser for the LCSA, was canceled just as Wine Club members were beginning to plan it.

The Mother’s Day Concert was the next casualty. Then, all the concerts for the year.

Music lessons for beginners and the LCSA Youth Orchestra also had to be canceled; they will start again once it is safe to do so, said Sue Condit, conductor of the youth orchestra.

Board members have continued to meet via Zoom to work on ideas for keeping things afloat and to plan how to satisfy the concerns of members and advertisers.

LCSA members and supporters were asked to donate the money they had already spent for this year’s concerts, and many did just that. Several even added additional amounts to their donation or membership renewal.

“The members really came through for us,” said Lynne Bruner, LCSA treasurer. “People are stepping up and being very generous. We are so grateful for their support. Without it, I don’t know where we’d be.”

Donations are always appreciated, said Bruner, who recommended folks consider giving gift memberships. “This can be done easily by going to our website and it’s an additional way to show support for our symphony.”

Advertisers, another treasured financial resource needed to keep the LCSA strong, have been assured that their ads would be placed in the concert program for the entire year of 2021, once live performances resume.

As an additional “thank you” to advertisers, the LCSA is currently in the process of listing all the display ads on the LCSA web site with a link provided to each advertiser’s web site. This will guarantee a full year’s coverage for ads, even if a concert is canceled.

One way the LCSA was able to reduce some expenses this past year was by foregoing the costs of mass printing and mailing of its newsletter, “The Overture.” Instead, it was emailed to all members and was also made available on the LCSA website for all to view.

The number of newsletters for the year was reduced to one – the fall issue – instead of the usual three, since there was less news to report due to cancellations of events and concerts.

Recent board meetings have included discussions on ways to keep music fans supplied with their “symphony fix,” and online video performances are one way to do that.

Although some Lake County Symphony musicians have previously been available on YouTube, tech-savvy LCSA members have added more video performances in the past several months to meet the current reality.

So, while there won’t be another sold-out Christmas Concert for all to attend at the Soper Reese Theatre this year, and there won’t be the usual “audience sing-along” finale, there are performances available online from previous concerts that will more than meet the needs of those of us who really need to hear their favorite Christmas tunes.

You will still be able to listen to talented vocalists sing holiday favorites with our top-notch symphony.

One of those talented vocalists is prolific entertainer Jude Darrin singing “Mary Did You Know?” from the 2019 Holiday Concert with a custom arrangement by family member, Camm Linden, who also happens to be the new LCSA board president and the energy behind the YouTube expansion.

Linden, a semi-retired music pro from the motion picture industry and a member of the symphony, moved into the board presidency after Ed Bublitz abruptly resigned this position. (For more details on this story, view the Overtures Newsletter on the LCSA website.)

Other available holiday videos show the Lake County Symphony playing classic holiday favorites, including “Let It Snow,” “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers,” “Frosty the Snowman” and “A Cowboy Christmas.”

There is a long list of nonholiday performances available too. These feature the Lake County Symphony, individual musicians, the Youth Orchestra and the local fiddlers’ group that several symphony members perform with.

Want to hear Tchaikovsky’s Concerto #1, in B flat? Just click on Elizabeth MacDougall and watch her powerful performance in the LCSA 2017 LCSA November concert. Or, if you get goosebumps listening to great cello music, click on the videos featuring symphony member and music teacher Clovice A. Lewis Jr.

Then, there is the trumpet playing of Gary Miller, a standout in the Baroque Concert along with Oboist Beth Aiken. There is a lot to choose from, including some fine fiddling and jamming that will make some want to get up and dance.

To view, go to the LCSA web site and click on the link for Lake County Symphony Musicians Channel. You can also go directly to YouTube and search for “LC Symphony Musicians.”

The board is also considering putting on live, virtual concerts.

“I have been in contact with Dr. Pace at the health department to see how we might go about having a live performance that could be recorded or streamed live,” said Linden. “I think it’s very doable and would be okayed with proper safeguards. Ultimately, it will be up to the musicians involved and their comfort level. If we can make this happen, it would likely consist of a smaller group of musicians and not include wind instruments. We are exploring all options.”

The LCSA is cautiously optimistic that it will be possible for concerts and other activities to resume in the coming year.

Please continue to check the website periodically for updates. New information will be posted there as it becomes known.

Debra Fredrickson is with the Lake County Symphony Association.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Thanks to recent rains, the annual Lake County burn ban is being lifted.

The Lake County Air Quality Management District said the ban will be lifted as of 8 a.m. Monday, Dec. 21.

The ban is being lifted with Cal Fire’s determination that wildfire risk has been significantly reduced by the recent rains.

Burn permits are required for all outdoor burning in the Lake County Air Basin.

Burn permits are available at your local fire protection district. A smoke management plan is required for all multi-day burns, standing vegetation burns, whole tree or vine removals over one acre, burns over 20 acres in size, and any other burns where significant smoke impacts may occur or sensitive receptors may be impacted.

Smoke management plans can be obtained at the Lake County Air Quality Management District office most weekdays, call first to make an appointment at 707-263-7000.

Bring a map showing the burn locations, acres to be burned, and details of materials to be burned. A fee is required for all burn permits, payable at the time the permit is issued. Smoke management plans, agricultural burn permits and residential burn permits are $28, while land development/lot clearing burn permits are $84, cash or check only (exact change is appreciated).

Only clean dry vegetation that was grown on the property may be burned. Residential burn permits require a one-acre or larger lot of record, a burn location that is located at least 100 feet from all neighbors and at least 30 feet from any structure.

Lot clearing/land development burns require special permits available at your local fire protection district. Burn only the amount of material that can be completely consumed during burn hours. Read your burn permit carefully and follow all the conditions.

Consider using the vegetative waste pickup provided with your waste collection services or composting as an alternative to burning leaves. Please be considerate of your neighbors.

A permit does not allow you to create health problems for others. You can be liable for health care costs, fines, and other costs resulting from your burning.

Lake County’s joint fire agencies and Air Quality Management District’s open burning program has incorporated both fire safety and air quality management since 1987.