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Written by: CALTRANS

Published: 14 October 2022

Construction began Thursday in rural San Diego County on the first leg of the 10,000-mile broadband network aimed at bringing high-speed internet services to all Californians so they can access emergency information, telehealth services, education, and employment.

“California is now one step closer to making the digital divide a thing of the past,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom. “We’re starting construction today to get affordable high-speed internet in every California home because livelihoods depend on access to a reliable and fast internet connection. This is about ensuring that all Californians, no matter the zip code they call home, can be part of the Golden State’s thriving and diverse economy.”

Construction began Thursday on State Route 67 near Poway in San Diego County, where Newsom Administration officials gathered as 500 feet of fiber optic cable was blown through conduit in the first segment of a massive, $3.8 billion statewide project known as the “Middle Mile” broadband network.

The planned network, which will be the nation’s largest, will cover the entire state to help bring reliable, high-speed internet access to the millions of Californians who do not have it now.

Once complete, funding for “last mile” efforts will support internet connections from “middle mile” lines to homes and businesses, as well as efforts to ensure individuals can afford broadband service where it already exists.

Roughly one in five Californians do not have access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet.

Secretary of the California Transportation Agency Toks Omishakin, Secretary of Government Operations Amy Tong, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa marked the occasion in Poway, at the site of a new fiber optic line that will run from Lakeside to Ramona. More than 200,000 people in the San Diego area do not have broadband service.

“Beginning construction on the middle-mile network is a significant step toward broadband equity and providing all Californians the opportunity to access critical information,” said Secretary Omishakin. “High-speed internet is much more than a connection — it’s a lifeline that families need to work, learn, and access critical services.”

“We are thrilled to see construction begin on the middle-mile network,” said Secretary Tong. “Too many rural and urban areas lack adequate broadband infrastructure, forcing residents to attempt to connect via mobile hotspots and unreliable satellite service, which leaves out too many Californians.”

Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who was named by the Governor in August to serve as Infrastructure Advisor to the State of California, joined the event Thursday to highlight the substantial federal resources coming to the state for infrastructure investments like broadband networks.

“This broadband network is one of the most ambitious and impactful infrastructure projects in California — and we’re thrilled that construction is underway starting today,” Mayor Villaraigosa said. “With billions more in federal infrastructure dollars on the way, we’re getting ready to celebrate many more groundbreakings for innovative projects across California. This goes far beyond infrastructure, this is about building the future of our state and creating thousands of good-paying jobs along the way.”

CDT Director Liana Bailey-Crimmins said construction on the first segment of the Middle Mile network follows more than a year of planning.

“The rapid planning by the Middle Mile team as well as our local partners is coming to fruition,” Bailey-Crimmins said. “It’s wonderful to see the hard work paying off, to make a difference in the lives of Californians who live in unserved areas like this one.”

Caltrans Director Tony Tavares said each of the Department’s 12 districts is working to build segments of the Middle Mile network on an ambitious timeline in the hope of capturing the maximum amount of federal funding available.

“This project provides a wonderful opportunity for us to ‘dig smart’ and highlights the benefits of coordination among state agencies and with our local partners,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “Caltrans is proud to partner with the Department of Technology to create a broadband Middle Mile network, providing equitable, high-speed broadband service to all Californians.”

Once the Middle Mile network is complete, local carriers will have access to the network to provide communities with direct service to homes and businesses as well as reduced-cost or free broadband internet service for those who are eligible.

In July 2021, Governor Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 156 sponsored by Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon to expand the state’s broadband fiber infrastructure and increase internet connectivity for families and businesses. It includes provisions related to the $3.25 billion initially budgeted to build, operate and maintain an open access, state-owned Middle Mile network – high-capacity fiber lines that carry larger amounts of data at higher speeds over longer distances between local networks. The 2022 Budget Act included an additional $550 million General Fund to support the Middle Mile Broadband Initiative.

Broadband access in California received a boost in federal funding in 2021 with the passage of the federal American Rescue Plan Act and the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, both aimed at helping the nation recover from the COVID-19 pandemic with wide-ranging infrastructure investments including affordable access to high-speed broadband for individuals, families and communities so they may work, learn and connect remotely.

Californians interested in seeing if they qualify for discounted high-speed internet services available now may learn more at the state’s Broadband for All website.

The design and construction of the middle mile network is overseen by the Middle Mile Advisory Committee with expertise from GoldenStateNet, the state’s consultant. For more information and interactive maps outlining the 10,000 mile system, please visit the Middle Mile Broadband Initiative website.

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Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS

Published: 13 October 2022

LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lakeport Fire Protection District reported Wednesday that it has named a new chief.

The new chief is Patrick Reitz, who will join the district’s team on Tuesday, Nov. 1.

He succeeds Chief Jeff Thomas, who resigned in May, as Lake County News has reported. Since then, Dan Grebil has served as interim chief.

Reitz is the former fire chief for the Idyllwild Fire Protection District in Idyllwild, California; the city of Sheridan, Wyoming; and the Crooked River Ranch Rural Fire Protection District in Terrebonne, Oregon.

Lakeport Fire said Reitz has served for more than 35 years in emergency services, including experience in fire, emergency medical services, or EMS, and law enforcement in Ohio, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming and California.

Having started as a volunteer firefighter, he has worked with volunteer, career and combination fire and EMS departments and districts; as well as private, volunteer and county EMS services.

In addition, Chief Reitz has worked as an adviser for emergency and disaster planning and preparation, as well as fire and emergency services issues with individuals, organizations and agencies.

Reitz and his wife, Christina, have five children and three grandchildren. They are relocating from Idyllwild, where Christina works for the Post Office and is a commissioner for the Idyllwild Fire Protection District.

The couple has been active in both the community and their church, and is looking forward to getting settled and getting to know the community of Lakeport.

The five-member Lakeport Fire District Board of Directors — appointed by either the Lakeport City Council or the Board of Supervisors — said in the Wednesday statement that it is enthusiastic about bringing on Reitz.

The board cited his extensive background in emergency services and how it will benefit the community with knowledgeable oversight of the fire district.

The Lakeport Fire Protection District provides fire protection and advanced life support ambulance services to Lakeport and surrounding areas.

Career staff includes the fire chief, three captain/paramedics, three firefighter/paramedics, six firefighter/EMT’s, one administrative assistant and one office assistant. The current volunteer firefighter roster is 19.

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Written by: Laura Kurtzman

Published: 13 October 2022

American voters overwhelmingly say they want government and industry to ensure the products they buy are free of harmful chemicals, and they are willing to pay more for it, according to a national online survey commissioned by the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment at the University of California, San Francisco.

“At a time when most issues are politically polarized, the issue of keeping people safe from harmful chemicals finds widespread agreement among Democrats, Republicans and Independent voters,” said Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, which conducted the poll.

The survey of 1,200 registered voters found broad agreement that the government require products to be proven safe before they are put on the market. More than 90% of those surveyed support this requirement and two-thirds strongly agree with these ideas.

The poll of 1,200 registered voters also found:

• 92% of voters agree and 63% of voters strongly agree that the government should require products to be proven safe before companies are allowed to put them on the market.

• 93% of voters agree and 62% strongly agree that companies should do a better job of removing harmful chemicals from consumer products.

• 88% agree that companies should do a better job of removing plastic and plastic packaging from consumer products.

• 76% are concerned about the impact that chemicals and plastics have on climate change.

• 54% say chemical regulations are not strong enough, while 21% say they are about right and 10% say they are too strong.

• 89% support and 56% strongly support the goal of the Toxic Substances Control Act to make it easier to limit or ban harmful chemicals and better protect vulnerable populations like pregnant women, children and people who live near polluting factories.

• 93% agree and 57% strongly agree that it is important to remove harmful chemicals from where we live, work and go to school even if it increases the costs for some products, and similar numbers agree that it is important for companies to keep harmful chemicals out of everyday products, even if it increases costs for some products.

Voters are concerned about all of the chemicals they were asked about in the survey and expressed the most worry about chemicals ingested through water, food and food packaging. Still, they are unsure of how the chemical regulatory system works.

About half (49%) say the chemicals in food and consumer products have been tested for safety, although this is not true.

“People assume that what they buy is safe and that almost always isn’t the case,” said Tracey J. Woodruff, PhD, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, who directs PRHE and the EaRTH Center at UCSF. “The good news is this survey reveals overwhelming support for the government to do a better job of protecting people from harmful chemicals.”

The poll was conducted May 25 to June 5, 2022.

Laura Kurtzman writes for the UCSF News Center.