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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday accepted the resignation of Lake County’s chief public defender, two weeks after he was hired to do the same job for the county of Monterey.
The County Administrative Office, in a brief statement released to Lake County News, said the supervisors took the action involving Raymond Buenaventura’s resignation during closed session, which occurred at the end of the regular Tuesday meeting.
After emerging from the closed session, Supervisor Brad Rasmussen moved that the board accept the resignation, a motion Supervisor Bruno Sabatier seconded and the board approved 4-0. Supervisor Jessica Pyska was absent.
Buenaventura’s resignation from the county of Lake is effective Nov. 4.
“During his County service, Mr. Buenaventura’s commitment to ensuring fair and effective representation for all clients strengthened the County’s justice system and advanced its mission to serve residents with integrity and compassion,” the County Administrative Office said in its statement on Buenaventura’s departure.
“The County of Lake extends appreciation to Mr. Buenaventura for his contributions and wishes him the very best as he embarks on the next chapter of his career,” the county’s statement said.
Buenaventura began working for Lake County in October 2023, tasked with creating a new public defender’s office four decades after a previous iteration of the agency ended due to the high costs of dealing with the attorneys’ conflicts of interest.
The employment contract the Monterey County Board of Supervisors approved with Buenaventura on Oct. 14 goes into effect on Dec. 1, at an annual salary of $273,245. His current salary with Lake County is $204,360.
Following the vote to accept his resignation, the board took no further action. They did not announce the appointment of an interim chief public defender, which was a closed session discussion that was on the Tuesday agenda.
The county said the recruitment for a new chief public defender will be announced soon.
With Buenaventura’s departure, the county now has three department head positions to fill. In addition to the chief public defender, the county is recruiting for new directors for Animal Care and Control and Public Works.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The California Highway Patrol will launch a 12-hour maximum enforcement period, or MEP, from 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, through 6 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, to protect motorists and prevent impaired driving.
During the operation, all available CHP officers will be on patrol statewide, focusing on identifying and arresting impaired drivers before they cause harm.
“Impaired driving destroys lives, and even one life lost is one too many. This Halloween, we’re asking everyone to do their part before the festivities begin, arrange a sober ride and help us keep California’s roads safe for everyone who uses them,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee.
Driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or a combination of both can have deadly consequences.
On average, more than 800 fatal crashes involving impaired drivers claim over 900 lives each year in California, reinforcing the CHP’s commitment to removing impaired drivers from the road.
Impairment is not limited to alcohol. Prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs and cannabis products can all affect a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle safely.
Penalties for impaired driving
Drivers arrested for driving under the influence face serious penalties, including:
• Driver’s license suspension;
• Fines;
• Mandatory DUI education programs;
• Jail time.
During last year’s 12-hour Halloween MEP, officers investigated nearly 500 crashes statewide. About 90 of those involved impaired drivers, resulting in two deaths and more than 60 injuries. CHP officers also made nearly 120 DUI arrests during that period.
For more information about DUI penalties, visit the California Department of Motor Vehicles website.
Make the right choice
To help ensure everyone reaches their destination safely, the CHP urges motorists to:
• Designate a sober driver.
• Use ride-sharing services, taxis or public transit.
• Never drive impaired or ride with someone who is.
If you see someone who appears to be driving impaired, call 9-1-1 immediately.
“Whether it’s Halloween or any night of the year, the decision to drive sober can save a life,” Commissioner Duryee added. “Together, we can make our roads safer and prevent tragedies before they happen.”
The CHP reminds all drivers to make responsible choices behind the wheel — never drive under the influence, always wear your seat belt and follow the speed limit.
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of safety, service and security.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
On Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that California, along with a coalition of 24 other states, is suing the Trump administration over the administration’s unlawful refusal to fund SNAP benefits due to the nearly month-long federal government shutdown, despite possessing funds to support SNAP in November.
The 25 states that are taking the legal action allege that, under President Trump, the United States Department of Agriculture, or USDA, is needlessly suspending November SNAP benefits, causing 5.5 million Californians to lose critical access to $1.1 billion in food assistance.
“While Donald Trump parades around the world trying to repair the economic damage he's done with his incompetence, he's denying food to millions of Americans who will go hungry next month. It's cruel and speaks to his basic lack of humanity. He doesn't care about the people of this country, only himself,” said Gov. Newsom.
“When families don’t know where their next meal will come from, our government has failed its most basic duty to care for its people. The Trump administration’s decision to withhold food assistance that’s already been funded has left millions of Americans in fear and uncertainty. As a state, we know we must stand up and fight back. We are taking action for our families, for our children, and for the 5.5 million Californians who deserve the simple dignity of knowing there will be food on the table,” said First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom.
“Let’s be clear about what’s happening: For the first time ever, SNAP benefits will not be available to the millions of low-income individuals who depend on them to put food on the table," said Attorney General Rob Bonta. "November SNAP benefits can and must be provided, even with the government shutdown. USDA not only has authority to use contingency funds, it has a legal duty to spend all available dollars to fund SNAP benefits. The Trump Administration, however, has chosen instead to play politics with this essential safety net that so many people depend on — including 5.5 million individuals in California alone.”
Bonta added, “With the holidays around the corner, we are seeing costs for groceries continue to increase and food banks facing unprecedented demand. We are taking a stand because families will experience hunger and malnutrition if the Trump Administration gets its way.”
Trump choosing to delay SNAP benefits
The federal government is legally required to make payments to SNAP. Congress appropriated $6 billion to the USDA in SNAP-related contingency funds through September 2026 to continue funding SNAP benefits in instances like the current government shutdown.
Instead of helping, the Governor’s Office said the Trump administration chose to suspend November SNAP benefits despite contingency funding in place to help feed American families.
The USDA is selectively choosing what programs to keep open during this shutdown, as it has provided billions in aid for farmers and been able to temporarily fund WIC benefits. Trump is simply choosing not to use this authority to fund SNAP benefits for millions of Americans, including veterans and vulnerable populations, such as children and seniors.
California’s assistance to food-insecure families
While food benefits are delayed for 5.5 million residents, California is stepping up to protect families from hunger by fast-tracking $80 million in state funds to stabilize food bank food distribution and offset delays in federal CalFresh benefits.
Gov. Newsom has also mobilized the California National Guard and California Volunteers on a humanitarian mission to support food banks and Californians by planning, packing, distributing and delivering meals to families in need throughout the state — similarly to his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Contract negotiations between Sutter Health and employees at eight of its medical facilities — including Sutter Lakeside — have come to a successful and amicable conclusion, with the two sides confirming they signed a new contract agreement on Monday.
More than 4,700 frontline health care workers “overwhelmingly” approved a new contract agreement with Sutter executives, said SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, or SEIU-UHW, the union representing those staff members.
The agreement averted a strike at eight Sutter Health facilities in nine cities across Northern California that workers had authorized earlier this month, following informational pickets in August and September.
In addition to Lakeport, the new agreement covers facilities located in Antioch, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Oakland, Roseville, San Francisco, Santa Rosa and Vallejo.
SEIU-UHW said the Sutter Health workers it represents voted by a margin of 98% to approve the new agreement, which “addresses critical issues around staffing and working conditions by ensuring fair pay and benefits for frontline healthcare workers, allowing them to continue serving patients without disruption.”
In a statement released Monday night to Lake County News, Sutter Health said, “We’re pleased to have reached an agreement that supports our frontline employees while maintaining our shared focus on patient care and safety. As Sutter Health continues to achieve high safety scores, expand access to care, add new services and bring more physicians to the communities we serve, we’ll continue investing in and supporting the teams who make that care possible.”
The newly approved contract agreement provides 14 percent across-the-board raises over the life of the contract for workers, the union said.
The union reported the agreement also protects health care and retirement benefits for these frontline health care workers.
“This new contract shows that when we stand united, we can win improvements that protect both healthcare workers and our patients,” said Dinora Garcia, a dietary clerk from Sutter Lakeside Hospital. “Reaching this contract agreement wasn’t easy, but we stood together to advocate for worker and patient safety, improved staffing levels, and fair wages and benefits that reflect the vital work we do daily.”
SEIU-UHW represents Sutter Health workers who serve as nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, licensed vocational nurses, X-ray technicians, environmental and food services workers, among others.
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