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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
While the recently-passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act created a program that provides immediate relief to small businesses with loans from the Small Business Administration, there was no such provision for those who have loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program, or RMAP.
In a letter to Congress, the group is requesting that any new legislation to address the coronavirus pandemic include six months of principal, interest and fee payment relief for RMAP borrowers, similar to that already granted to businesses who borrow through SBA.
“We believe these small business borrowers should be treated equally,” said Johnathan Hladik, policy director with the Center for Rural Affairs. “The majority of these business owners are in the service industry, which has been severely damaged by the coronavirus pandemic. They should not be ignored just because they are rural.”
RMAP, which was first created as part of the 2008 farm bill, allows the USDA to coordinate with Microenterprise Development Organizations that provide training, assistance, and lending capital to rural entrepreneurs. To qualify for a loan, a business must be located in a rural area, unable to access loan capital from other sources, and have 10 or fewer employees.
Since 2008, RMAP has helped more than 2,100 small businesses expand operations, create new jobs, and tap into new markets. Loans have been made in nearly every state and in Puerto Rico.
In 2017, 18 nonprofit Microenterprise Development Organizations worked with the USDA to make 156 loans. Though the average amount was just under $28,000, this helped start 26 new businesses and create 286 new jobs. At least 60 of these loans were made to women and 153 to racial/ethnic minorities.
“This policy has the potential to change lives for more than 1,000 small business owners in rural America,” Hladik said. “We believe these individuals deserve the same opportunity as SBA borrowers, and should not be treated differently because their zip code is rural.”
Visit www.cfra.org/RMAPLetter to read the full letter.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
The county of Lake’s Health Services Department has prepared helpful resources.
Social distancing protocol:
http://health.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/Departments/Health/Public+Health+Division/COVID-19/Business+Social+Distancing+Protocol+Form.pdf
“COVID-19 Reopening Plan,” a fillable PDF tool for businesses:
http://health.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/Departments/Health/Public+Health+Division/COVID-19/COVID-19+Reopening+Plan+Form.pdf
For those interested in further information on developments that are likely as soon as this week, the following resources are available.
Executive Order N-60-20, from Governor Newsom
https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/5.4.20-EO-N-60-20.pdf
“Governor Announces Loosening of State Order,” by the California State Association of Counties:
https://www.counties.org/csac-bulletin-article/governor-announces-loosening-state-order
For further Lake County-specific coronavirus information, please continue to visit the Lake County Health Services Department’s website at http://health.co.lake.ca.us .
The Lake County Coronavirus Response Hub has additional valuable resources: https://lake-co-ca-coronavirus-response-lakecoca.hub.arcgis.com/ .
If you still have questions, send an email request to
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
CDFA is looking to engage interested parties to provide early feedback as the map develops. Staff from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service will also participate in the workshop.
“We are excited to start the collaboration on creating a statewide soil organic carbon map,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “We want to hear from our stakeholders on how it might be useful and how they can provide resources for its development.”
The map will serve as an indicator of soil health as California takes multiple actions to sequester carbon in agricultural soils to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The California Biodiversity Initiative: A Roadmap for Protecting the State’s Natural Heritage calls for the state to undertake a series of actions to secure the future of its biodiversity, including the development of the organic carbon map.
As part of this process, CDFA will develop a data repository system for soils data submitted to CDFA’s Healthy Soils Program and make the data available to monitor progress of soil carbon sequestration.
This map-based tool will monitor soil organic carbon changes and show on-the-ground results of projects implemented to build soil health.
The workshop will be held via webinar and will be presented on two separate dates to maximize participation. The agenda and description of the map can be found on our Healthy Soils Program webpage.
Participants much register in advance for one of the following two dates:
May 5 10 a.m. PT
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2081096641823640844
May 6 1 p.m. PT
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3379254836366749452
There is also a written comment period on the development of the map. Questions and comments should be submitted to
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
His retirement will become effective on June 30, 2020, which is expected to be after the company’s plan of reorganization is confirmed by the bankruptcy court.
“I joined PG&E to help get the company out of bankruptcy and stabilize operations. By the end of June, I expect that both of these goals will have been met,” said Johnson. “As we look to PG&E’s next chapter, this great company should be led by someone who has the time and career trajectory ahead of them to ensure that it fulfills its promise to reimagine itself as a new utility and deliver the safe and reliable service that its customers and communities expect and deserve. I want to thank the Board as well as all of the employees, who work so hard every day to address the challenges the company has faced--it has been a privilege to work with them.”
PG&E has named William “Bill” Smith as Interim CEO. Smith, who joined the PG&E Board of Directors in 2019, will serve in this role from the time of Johnson’s departure through the appointment of a new CEO. Johnson and Smith will use May and June to transition. Johnson will remain on the board until June 30.
Andrew Vesey, current CEO and president of Pacific Gas and Electric Company, the utility subsidiary, will continue in his role overseeing the company’s electric, gas, generation and customer operations.
Smith is the retired president of AT&T Technology Operations at AT&T Services, Inc., where he spent 37 years with the telecommunications service provider and its predecessor companies.
He held a number of senior officer positions at AT&T, including president of network operations. In his last role, Smith oversaw data center and information technology operations, DIRECTV field operations, planning, engineering, construction, provisioning and maintenance for the company’s wireless and wireline networks.
Throughout his career, he managed organizations with more than 100,000 employees and led network and customer care efforts across a broad global footprint.
“We were fortunate to have Bill Johnson’s experience and steady presence for the past year as he shepherded the company through multiple challenges,” said Nora Mead Brownell, chair of PG&E Corp.’s Board of Directors. “We are equally fortunate now to have Bill Smith step up and provide strong, stable experienced leadership during this transitional period. With his knowledge of the company and his long-time operational and transformation experience in large and heavily regulated, consumer-facing organizations, he is well-positioned to help the company begin its next chapter.”
“I have been deeply involved in the board’s work helping to prepare PG&E for its successful emergence from bankruptcy,” said Bill Smith. “I am delighted that I can bring my knowledge and experience to bear going forward, working together with employees, our regulators, and elected officials to introduce the new PG&E and continue to fulfill the company’s commitments to its customers and communities.”
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