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The city is inviting applications for the Lakeport Planning Commission, the Measure Z Advisory Committee and the Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee.
The deadline to apply has been extended to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1.
These appointments would be effective as of Jan. 1, 2021.
Membership on these commissions and committees is voluntary.
If you are interested in serving on one of these committees, applications are available on the city’s website under the Community News Topic, “Now Recruiting: Commission/Committee Openings,” or under the “Government” tab (Committees & Commissions).
For additional information, please contact Deputy City Clerk Hilary Britton at 707-263‑5615, Extension 102, or by email at
Most Americans probably don’t realize that we have a very limited understanding of the first Thanksgiving, which took place in 1621 in Massachusetts.
Indeed, few of our present-day traditions resemble what happened almost 400 years ago, and there’s only one original account of the feast.
As an anthropologist who specializes in reconstructing past diets, I can say that even though we don’t have a definitive account of the menu at the first Thanksgiving, letters and recorded oral histories give us a pretty good idea of what they probably ate. And we know for a fact that it didn’t include mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie.
A main course of waterfowl and venison
The main course is the one scholars can speak about with certainty.
The only eyewitness account of the first Thanksgiving comes from a letter written by Edward Winslow on Dec. 11, 1621. In it, he describes how the Puritans, after utilizing fertilization methods imparted by Tisquantum (also known as “Squanto”), had their first successful harvest. To celebrate, Governor William Bradford “sent four men on fowling” and they returned later that day with enough food to feed the colony for almost a week. Since waterfowl was plentiful in the Massachusetts Bay area, it’s widely accepted that they were eating goose and duck rather than turkey.
The letter also recounts that the Wampanoag leader Massasoit Ousamequin was present, along with “some ninety men,” and that they gifted five deer to the governor. Therefore, venison likely had a prominent place alongside waterfowl on the first Thanksgiving table.
Not cranberry sauce, but sobaheg stew
The natural bogs of the the region contained wild cranberries that could be dried and used all winter to bring variety and vitamin C into the diets of the Wampanoags. They even have their own holiday, Cranberry Day, that resembles our Thanksgiving.
However, there’s no account of cranberries at the first Thanksgiving, nor is there any mention of cranberries in other records of foods introduced to people who arrived on the Mayflower.
This may be due, in part, to the location of Plymouth Plantation relative to the boggy regions of Massachusetts, which are several miles away.
If bogs were not in the immediate area, then the fruit may not have been as readily used by the Wampanoags of this region as they were in other places with Wampanoag settlements, like Martha’s Vineyard.
Instead, for a side dish to the main course, a stew called sobaheg was most likely served. An easy way to make use of seasonal ingredients, the stew often included a mixture of beans, corn, poultry, squash, nuts and clam juice. All are used in the traditional dish today, and all would have been available in 1621. In fact, clams, fish and other seafood were abundant in the area, so they were probably present in some form, whether in sobaheg or another dish.
For carbs, look to cornbread, not potatoes
Historians attribute the first New England crop of potatoes to Derry, New Hampshire in 1722, so there’s no way mashed potatoes could have made an appearance during the first Thanksgiving.
Corn, on the other hand, was the staple starch of the time, and in the published notes of William J. Miller on the Wampanoag tribe, he indicates that among the foods introduced to them, the corn bread, called maizium, was “kind.” European settlers didn’t often speak favorably of indigenous food, so mazium stands out as a recipe that likely made it onto the table at this first feast.
A ‘green sauce’ gravy
Although the settlers may have made a gravy out of the drippings from the meats procured for the feast, a common staple for these early colonizers was a dish known simply as “green sauce.”
Although the best accounts of this sauce come from later records when households had their own gardens of European crops, recipes also utilized crops introduced to them by the Wampanoag. In addition to the corn (and barley) mentioned in Winslow’s letter, the harvest of 1621 likely included beans, squash, onions, turnips and greens such as spinach and chard. All could have been cooked at length to create a pulpy sauce that later became a staple in early New England homes.
What about dessert?
A regular supply of sugar or maple syrup wasn’t available in the area until much later. Sugar, which was the major export of Caribbean plantations, didn’t become popular in New England until the 18th century.
As for maple syrup, Native Americans of the Northeast are credited as the first to procure it; however, it’s believed that European settlers didn’t begin harvesting it until 1680.
Although it is tough to think of Thanksgiving without decadent sweets, at least the first attendees were spared the awkwardness of having to refuse dessert after such a large feast.
Julie Lesnik, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Wayne State University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The jury handed down the verdict in the trial of 22-year-old Mavrick William Fisher on Friday.
Fisher stood trial for the killing of 25-year-old Grant David Whitaker of Mackinaw, Illinois, on Aug. 20, 2019, at Richardson Grove State Park in Humboldt County.
The trial proceedings were transferred to Lake County after Whitaker’s body was recovered on a property in the Scotts Valley area near Lakeport.
The two men, both deaf, had driven west, reportedly looking for property to purchase when they had a disagreement about parting ways.
District Attorney Susan Krones’ theory was that following their argument, Fisher attacked Whitaker – who she said wanted to part company – with a rock and beat him to death while he was sleeping in the tent they shared at Richardson Grove State Park.
Defense attorney Tom Feimer said that Fisher, however, has maintained since the beginning – and would do so again on the stand at trial – that he was defending himself against Whitaker’s attack.
Feimer said it was Fisher who wanted to go his separate way, and that night after their argument, Whitaker came into his tent and lunged at him. Fisher said he grabbed Whitaker’s hand and felt a sharp cut on his own hand.
The defense argued that a struggle ensued in which Fisher, in self-defense, grabbed a rock that was being used to hold down the tent and began hitting Whitaker, resulting in his death.
Feimer said Fisher admitted to driving to Lake County after Whitaker’s death.
Once here, Krones said Fisher – who drove the Chevy Impala that Whitaker had borrowed from his grandmother – disposed of Whitaker’s body on a ranch where the two of them had worked in Scotts Valley.
Sheriff’s deputies found the Chevrolet at the Clearlake Oaks Dollar General on Aug. 24, 2019, the same day that Whitaker’s grandmother reported him missing in Tazewell County, Illinois.
Two days later, Whitaker’s body was recovered in Scotts Valley and Fisher was taken into custody in Mexico. Days later, he was transferred to the Lake County Jail, where he’s remained since.
Trial began in October
After several delays – some of them due to the court closures resulting from COVID-19 – Fisher’s 12-day trial began in October.
Krones said jury selection began on Oct. 21 with evidence and testimony beginning on Oct. 26.
The trial, presided over by Judge Andrew Blum, took place in the Phil Lewis Hall at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Lakeport. That larger venue allowed for social distancing of all involved, including six alternate jurors. Krones said that, during the course of the trial, they lost only one juror.
Fisher had given two statements to police, which were entered into the record, in which he claimed Whitaker’s death was a matter of self-defense. At trial, Feimer said it was important for Fisher to tell his side of the story, and he had nothing to hide.
So Feimer said Fisher himself took the stand, where he testified over the course of about two and a half days.
On the stand, during questioning by Krones, Fisher said after the fight that killed Whitaker, he walked down to the Eel River and threw the rock into it.
He then returned to the tent, put Whitaker’s body in a sleeping bag and then placed it in the car.
Fisher brought the body to Lake County and left it at the Scotts Valley ranch. After the property owner raised concerns about leaving the car there, Fisher cleaned it out and left it in Clearlake Oaks.
Later, when he was in Mexico, he acknowledged feeling suicidal and sending messages about his state of mind to friends via social media.
Because Fisher is deaf, as was Whitaker, the case “drew a considerable amount of attention in the deaf community,” said Feimer.
Some of that attention was in the form of vitriol online, not all of it aimed at Fisher. Feimer said one of the interpreters in the trial mentioned seeing a death threat aimed toward them online, “which was very disturbing to all of us,” Feimer said.
On the afternoon of Tuesday, Nov. 17, the case went to the jury, which deliberated three days. Late Friday afternoon, they returned with a verdict, Krones said.
Krones said the jury found Fisher not guilty of murder – either in the first or second degree.
They hung on a charge of voluntary manslaughter but found him guilty of a lesser included offense, involuntary manslaughter, Krones said.
The jury also hung on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon with a special allegation of great bodily injury or death, she said.
Krones said the jury found Fisher guilty of taking a vehicle without permission.
Feimer said Fisher was disappointed that the jury didn’t find him to be entirely justified in his actions.
However, Feimer added, “It’s a much better outcome by far to have a verdict of not guilty on murder one and murder two, so he’s very grateful for that.”
The case isn’t quite over yet.
Blum has scheduled the case to return to court on Dec. 4, by which point Krones must decide if she is going to retry Fisher on the voluntary manslaughter and assault with a deadly weapon charges and the special allegation of great bodily injury or death.
If she decides to retry Fisher, because he has not agreed to a time waiver, proceedings would start as soon as January, and likely would return to the fairgrounds, she said.
She said Blum also set sentencing for Dec. 21 at 1:30 p.m.
Fisher, who remains in custody, is facing a maximum of four years in prison, but it would be served in the local jail, not state prison, Krones said.
Krones said Fisher is eligible for half-time credits, meaning that, with the nearly year and a half he’s already served in custody, he could be set for release early in 2021.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Caltrans extends deadline for Lucerne pedestrian and bicycling facilities improvement project survey
The survey can be found here: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/2045209373b94955ad2169093950dbf2.
Caltrans reported that the survey deadline has been extended to Dec. 31.
The agency will use the survey response as it prepares a project initiation document for the Lucerne Complete Streets Improvements Project.
Caltrans said the project was identified in two studies completed this past year, as Lake County News has reported.
As a result, Caltrans is looking at a project that it said may include improved sidewalks, crosswalks and bikeways on Highway 20 throughout Lucerne from the Morrison Creek Bridge to Country Club Drive
The document Caltrans is now preparing is the first step in seeking a funding source for the project.
The survey takes, at most, 10 to 15 minutes to complete, and allows participants to share their observations and to help prioritize needs and locations.
For more information or to offer additional comments, contact Alexis Kelso at
Angyalosi Beata // Shutterstock
Every October, people return to a familiar conversation: Should you get the flu shot? As flu season begins in the Northern Hemisphere, this question—along with other concerns—circulates among families, and in schools and workplaces. “I heard it isn’t as effective this year.” “I was told you should wait until it’s colder.” “My friend got a flu shot last year, and she had a fever afterward.”
There’s no shame in being concerned. The flu is a complicated disease caused by a family of influenza viruses. Each year, different variations of influenza circulate and become widespread globally. Flu experts at more than 100 influenza centers around the world keep track of these different variations, or strains, and go through an intensive research process to identify which strains may be the most common in a given season. This research process leads to the creation of the season’s vaccine, which is intended to protect against common flu strains that winter. But the seasonality of the flu leads to variation in both flu severity and vaccine effectiveness from year to year.
While COVID-19 may be dominating the health conversation right now, doctors and other experts are urging Americans to consider flu vaccination as well. The flu has caused between 140,000 and 810,000 estimated hospitalizations and between 12,000 and 61,000 estimated deaths each year since 2010, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2020, experts are particularly concerned that the seasonal flu may become a burden for hospitals, which are already caring for an influx of COVID-19 patients. The flu and COVID-19 also have similar symptoms and can require similar equipment from hospitals and health labs, which makes a double epidemic even more concerning.
In order to address flu concerns and help readers make decisions for themselves and their families, FindCare compiled a list of 20 common concerns about flu vaccination from friends, family, and online forums. Those questions were then sent to six doctors and epidemiologists, who responded based on their expertise.
The experts consulted in this story are:
- Emily Temple-Wood, D.O.; family medicine resident at Lutheran General Hospital
- Jessica Malaty Rivera, M.S.; infectious disease researcher and science communication lead at the COVID Tracking Project
- Lindsey Shultz, M.D.; physician, public health analyst, and expert contributor to COVID Explained
- Josh Petrie, Ph.D.; assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Health
- Rachel Roper, Ph.D.; associate professor at the East Carolina University Medical School
- Allison Messina, M.D.; chairman of the Division of Infectious Disease at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital
Read on to learn more about how flu vaccination works and why experts consider it important.
funnyangel // Shutterstock
How flu shots work
- Question: How does the flu shot work?
- Source: Emily Temple-Wood, D.O.
- Answer: “I like to think of the flu shot—and vaccines in general—as target practice for your body. Our immune systems are infinitely adaptable but the main downside is that it takes time for them to learn how to fight different bugs, which means you usually get sick the first time you get exposed to something like the flu.
“We can hack that system with vaccines, which give your body the information it needs to fight something off without getting you sick. The flu shot is what we call an inactivated (killed) virus vaccine—you can't get sick from the vaccine. When you get the shot, your immune system notices the dead viruses and makes antibodies against the dead viruses. Antibodies are what the body uses to fight infections, and they get better when you have already been exposed to something. So, if you've had the flu shot and get coughed on by someone who has the flu, your immune system has already seen the flu and has practiced killing it. That means that if you get sick at all, it'll be less severe.”
BaLL LunLa // Shutterstock
Illness from the vaccine
- Question: Can you get the flu from the flu vaccine?
- Source: Jessica Malaty Rivera, M.S.
- Answer: “No, you cannot get the flu from the flu vaccine. Flu vaccines are made with inactivated (killed) viruses that cannot cause illness. For those who are vaccinated against flu and still get the flu during flu season, symptoms are often milder as a result of vaccination.”
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
Potential side effects
- Question: What side effects should I expect?
- Source: Lindsey Shultz, M.D.
- Answer: “The most common side effects for the injected vaccine are tenderness, redness, or a bit of swelling at the injection site. While not everyone will get these, it's good to plan ahead for a few days of muscle soreness in whichever arm you get the vaccination just in case, so figure out which arm works will work out best for you—most people pick their nondominant arm. It's also possible to get a low-grade fever, headache, and nausea, though these should go away after a day or two. The nasal spray flu vaccine also has the potential to cause a runny nose, sore throat, and cough.
“Serious adverse events are quite rare, and the risk profile is much lower than the risks you'd generally run from getting the flu itself. Contact your medical provider if you experience a high fever or signs of a severe allergic reaction like difficulty breathing, dizziness, or a rapid heartbeat. These signs would most likely happen within a few minutes to hours of getting the shot and can be remedied with medical treatment.”
PanyaStudio // Shutterstock
Pain at the injection site
- Question: Why will my arm be sore after getting the vaccine?
- Source: Emily Temple-Wood, D.O.
- Answer: “Your arm gets sore after the flu shot for a couple of reasons. The first one is that you got stabbed a little bit and any kind of poke hurts. The second reason is that your immune system is busy mustering that response to the killed viruses in the vaccine. This involves sending white blood cells to the area and increasing blood flow, which causes swelling as well.
“The best thing to do for the pain and swelling is to relax your arm as best you can during the shot, and move your arm more afterward to get lymphatic flow moving. You can also use heat or cold packs, and over-the-counter pain medications if the pain is severe and your doctor says it's okay.”
fizkes // Shutterstock
Got sick once
- Question: I got sick once after getting the flu shot! Why should I get it again?
- Source: Josh Petrie, Ph.D.
- Answer: “Many types of viruses cause cold and flu like symptoms, but the flu shot only protects against the influenza virus, which typically causes more severe disease. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and others from influenza. You can not get influenza from a flu shot, but it is not uncommon to feel a little under the weather after receiving it. That means your immune system is responding to the vaccine and is a good thing.”
Mario Tama // Getty Images
Fear of needles
- Question: Can I get vaccinated if I don't like needles?
- Source: Rachel Roper, Ph.D.
- Answer: “Yes, there is a flu mist nasal vaccine. The flu injection/shot is a killed (dead) virus, but the flu nasal spray vaccine is a live attenuated virus. It is a severely weakened virus that will cause a small brief infection in your nasal passages. Most people don’t even notice it. The live flu mist often produces an even better immune response than the shot.
“Because it is a live virus it could be dangerous for people who are immunocompromised, so they should not receive it. It is currently approved for people 2 to 49 years old. There’s actually a [CDC] list of who all should not get the live flu mist vaccine.”
rblfmr // Shutterstock
Lack of health insurance
- Question: How do I get vaccinated if I don't have health insurance?
- Source: Lindsey Shultz, M.D.
- Answer: “Without insurance, the out-of-pocket cost will typically be around $40 for the regular dose, with an added cost for a senior dose. Check with services like Blink Health or GoodRx to see if any discounts are available in your area. The CDC-backed site VaccineFinder will help you locate pharmacies.
“There are also a number of options that provide free or discounted shots. Some schools and workplaces will hold events offering a flu shot to all members of their communities. Many county health departments also offer free or significantly discounted vaccines for people without insurance, or could provide you with more information about where to go in your community.”
Pra Chid // Shutterstock
Best time to get vaccinated
- Question: When is the best time of fall/winter to get vaccinated?
- Source: Emily Temple-Wood, D.O.
- Answer: “The best time to get vaccinated is whenever you can—though October seems to be a pretty good, sweet spot for staying protected through the end of flu season, earlier is totally okay, too. Definitely don't wait if you have the opportunity! There's no such thing as too late, either, if you're being offered the flu shot: It's because there's still flu hanging around.”
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
Where to get a flu shot
- Question: Where should I go to get a flu shot?
- Source: Rachel Roper, Ph.D.
- Answer: “Your doctor’s office, public health clinic, many pharmacies, and even some grocery stores. Everyone should have a primary care physician. If you have a physician, you can get help when you need it. If you don’t have a physician, it can be really difficult to find an appointment when you need one. Just go make an appointment with a physician for a check-up and flu shot so you will have an existing relationship with one where they have your info on file. It could save your life.”
busliq // Shutterstock
Allergy to eggs
- Question: I'm allergic to eggs, how does that affect me getting a flu shot?
- Source: Josh Petrie, Ph.D.
- Answer: “It shouldn't. The CDC recommends that people with egg allergy can receive any licenced influenza vaccine. However, there are vaccine options available that are not produced in eggs that you can discuss with your doctor if you're concerned or if you have had a severe reaction after receiving an influenza vaccine in the past.”
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
Vaccinating kids
- Question: Should my young children also get flu shots?
- Source: Allison Messina, M.D.
- Answer: “Yes, flu shots are recommended for all children aged 6 months and older. The youngest age recommended is 6 months.”
Angyalosi Beata // Shutterstock
The vaccine's yearly variation
- Question: What causes the variation in flu vaccine effectiveness?
- Source: Jessica Malaty Rivera, M.S.
- Answer: “Flu vaccine effectiveness can vary from season to season. The protection provided depends on the similarity between the viruses in the vaccine and those in circulation as well as the health of the individual. Flu vaccines tend to work better against influenza A(H1N1) and influenza B, and less against influenza A(H3N2). During seasons when the vaccine is well-matched to the vaccine, vaccination can reduce risk of flu illness by up to 60%.”
MedstockPhotos // Shutterstock
New vaccine each season
- Question: Why do I need a vaccine each year?
- Source: Rachel Roper, Ph.D.
- Answer: “Influenza viruses belong to the orthomyxovirus family of viruses. They are very unusual because they have eight different genome segments, eight different pieces. Most viruses have one piece of genome, but flu has eight. Because of this, flu can “reassort” genome pieces with other related viruses and make a whole new strain. This happens frequently, every year, so we have to make a whole new vaccine each year because the flu genome changes so dramatically. Other viruses that have one genome piece slowly mutate and evolve over time. That’s why our vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox have worked for decades—because those viruses mutate more slowly.”
fizkes // Shutterstock
Vaccinating healthy people
- Question: I'm young and healthy; do I still need to get vaccinated?
- Source: Rachel Roper, Ph.D.
- Answer: “Yes! In a normal flu season, hospitalizations can overwhelm our health care system, and this year we have a global pandemic, so it is especially important for everyone to get vaccinated. You don’t want to have a flu problem and have to go to a doctor or emergency room that is packed with COVID-19 patients. This could expose you to unnecessary risks, plus overwhelm the nurses and doctors trying to care for all the patients.
“In a normal year we have 5,000 to 30,000 flu deaths in the U.S., so getting a flu shot is a great idea; some years we have 60,000 deaths from the flu in the U.S. For flu and COVID-19, most deaths are in people over 50, but there are deaths in children, teens and 20s, too.”
Image Point Fr // Shutterstock
Vaccination while pregnant
- Question: Should you get vaccinated if you're pregnant and/or breastfeeding?
- Source: Allison Messina, M.D.
- Answer: “Yes, pregnant and breastfeeding women should be vaccinated for flu. Pregnant women should get the injectable flu vaccine rather than the intranasal one.”
fizkes // Shutterstock
Vaccination after illness
- Question: If I've already had the flu, should I still get vaccinated that same year?
- Source: Jessica Malaty Rivera, M.S.
- Answer: “Flu season typically starts in October and goes through March. If you got the flu before October, you are still vulnerable to the upcoming flu season and should get vaccinated. If you got the flu during the current flu season, you could still be vulnerable to other strains of the flu circulating that season and should get vaccinated.”
Angyalosi Beata // Shutterstock
Vaccination for the flu-averse
- Question: I never get the flu; why should I get the vaccine?
- Source: Emily Temple-Wood, D.O.
- Answer: “You've never gotten the flu until you get the flu, yanno? There's a first time for everything, and that includes the flu. Also, even if you don't get the flu, are in good health, or don't get particularly sick when you have had the flu, there are vulnerable people around you, now more than ever. Not just babies, people with chronic illnesses, pregnant people, and older people, but people who have recovered from COVID-19 are likely particularly vulnerable to the flu this year.”
DimaBerlin // Shutterstock
Already wearing a mask
- Question: Why do I need a vaccine if I'm already wearing a mask and socially distancing?
- Source: Lindsey Shultz, M.D.
- Answer: “Unfortunately as we have seen, no preventative measures are foolproof. They instead act likely overlapping layers of protection. The more risk-reducing choices we make, the safer we keep ourselves, our families, and our communities. Just like wearing a mask helps keep others safe, getting a flu vaccine not only helps keep you safe, but also the vulnerable people around you who either can't get a flu vaccine or those in whom they may not work as well. It will also help your local medical system by keeping local waiting rooms more clear as the COVID-19 pandemic continues into the winter season.”
Zigres // Shutterstock
Flu and COVID-19 prevention
- Question: Is the flu shot effective at preventing COVID-19?
- Source: Jessica Malaty Rivera, M.S.
- Answer: “Influenza and coronavirus are two different virus families so a flu vaccine cannot prevent COVID-19. There is also no evidence that getting a flu vaccine increases the risk of getting COVID-19.”
Marijan Murat/picture alliance // Getty Images
Flu and COVID-19 science
- Question: Was this year's vaccine “phoned in” because scientists are working on COVID-19?
- Source: Josh Petrie, Ph.D.
- Answer: “No, the normal procedures for selecting vaccine virus strains and manufacturing vaccines have been in place. The World Health Organization (WHO) selected which virus strains to include in the Northern Hemisphere vaccine at the end of February, and vaccine manufacturers are projecting that they will have more doses available than in the past.”
This story was originally published by Stacker, https://www.healthline.com/health/vaccinations/20-questions-about-the-flu-shot.
Based on the latest data from the California Employment Development Department, or EDD, both applications received and claims processed last week increased slightly from the week before for the first time in about a month.
The total of federal Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation extension claims for individuals who run out of regular state unemployment benefits accounts for about 26 percent of the nation’s total.
In addition, the EDD also reports a 64 percent reduction in the current backlog of claims since Sept. 19.
These are claims in which individuals have waited more than 21 days for issues to be resolved on either their initial claim for benefits or once they get into continued claim status.
The progress in burning down the backlog is updated each week on the EDD’s Unemployment Data Dashboards webpage.