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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
The performances will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 14, and Sunday, May 15, at the Passion Play grounds at 7010 Westlake Road near Upper Lake, located off Highway 29 about four miles north of Lakeport.
Admission is free but donations are gratefully accepted.
The play portrays the passion, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.
Organizers said the play “is a prayerful expression of the faith of the people involved. Men, women, and children from many denominations have come together to make this a truly ecumenical experience, touched by the Holy Spirit.”
Spectators are urged to bring their own chairs.
Water is available, as are facilities for the handicapped.
There is no smoking, food, drink or pets permitted on the grounds.
For more information, visit the Passion Play Facebook page or the website, or call 707-263-0349.
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- Written by: NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
April 2022 was slightly cooler and wetter than normal across the contiguous U.S., according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.
What made the month standout was an early start to the wildfire season, several tornado outbreaks and a widespread Western drought.
Below are more take-aways from NOAA’s latest monthly U.S. climate report:
Climate by the numbers
April 2022
The average April temperature across the contiguous U.S. was 50.7 degrees F (0.4 of a degree below the 20th-century average), ranking in the middle third of the 128-year record.
Temperatures from the Northwest to the Great Lakes and into the mid-Mississippi Valley were generally below average, while much of the Southwest, Deep South and portions of the East Coast saw above-average temperatures.
The average precipitation for the month was 2.58 inches — 0.06 of an inch above average — which places the month in the middle third of the historical record.
Above-average precipitation fell across portions of the Northwest, northern Rockies and Plains, Great Lakes and Northeast, while the Southwest and the central and southern Plains saw below-normal precipitation.
Year to date
The average U.S. temperature for the year to date — YTD, January through April 2022 — was 39.9 degrees F (0.8 of a degree above average), ranking in the warmest third of the climate record.
Temperatures were above average across parts of the West and also along the East Coast, with California seeing its sixth-warmest such YTD on record.
The average precipitation for the first four months of 2022 was 8.25 inches (1.22 inches below normal), which ranked as the 13th-driest January-through-April YTD on record. California had its driest YTD on record for this four-month period, while Nevada and Utah had their third driest.
Other notable climate events in April
Wildfire season kicked off early: Dry and windy conditions across the Southwest and Plains contributed to an active start to the wildfire season in April. As of May 3, the largest fire across the U.S., the Hermits Peak Fire in New Mexico, consumed more than 145,000 acres and was 20% contained. Across all 50 states, 1.1 million acres have burned since January 1— 160% of average for this time of year.
Tornadoes were numerous: Several tornado outbreaks occurred during April, contributing to an above-average tornado count for the month. A dayslong outbreak in early April brought tornadoes and severe weather from the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, metro area to the Carolinas. Another outbreak mid-month struck the Great Plains, Midwest and Deep South, with another round of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes raking the central Plains on April 29-30.
Drought conditions improved overall: According to the May 3 U.S. Drought Monitor report, 53.8% of the contiguous U.S. was in drought, down approximately 4 percentage points from the end of March. Drought conditions expanded or intensified across portions of the West, central Plains and Deep South. Drought conditions lessened or were eliminated across portions of the lower Mississippi Valley, the Great Lakes, the Northern Rockies and Plains, Pacific Northwest and across portions of Hawaii.
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- Written by: ANNE MORSE
Overall fertility trends from 1990 to 2019 were relatively stable, compared to previous decades but varied significantly by age, according to a Census Bureau analysis.
The analysis, which looked at Census Bureau and National Center for Health Statistics data, shows fertility rates of women ages 20-24 declined by 43%, while those of women ages 35-39 increased by 67% during the roughly 30-year period.
Together, the data paint a compelling picture of how the age at which American women give birth has changed over time.
Fertility trends: 1990-2019
Fertility rates in the United States gradually declined from 1990 to 2019. In 1990, there were about 70.77 births each year for every 1,000 women ages 15-44. By 2019, there were about 58.21 births per 1,000 women in that age group.
While broadly stable, annual births in the United States declined from about 4.1 million to 3.7 million from 1990 to 2019 (Figure 1).
Shifting age structures
The gradual decline in overall fertility rates masks more variation by age.
Fertility rates of younger women fell substantially: There were 116.40 births for every 1,000 women ages 20-24 in 1990. In 2019, there were only 66.59 births to every 1,000 women in that age range — a 42.79% decline. This contributed to the overall decline.
During the same period, the fertility rates of older women rose significantly.
In 1990, there were 31.50 births for every 1,000 women ages 35-39. In 2019 there were 52.72 births for every 1,000 women ages 35-39 — a 67.35% increase. But overall fertility rates declined because the jump in birthrates of older women was not enough to offset declines in birthrates of younger women (See Table 1).
This pattern is not sensitive to the years we compare; Figure 2 shows that this is indeed a persistent trend from 1990-2019.
This general pattern also holds true for population subgroups in the United States. Fertility rates increased at older ages, but not enough to make up for declines at younger ages.
These changing fertility rates by age shifted the median age at which women gave birth in the United States from age 27 in 1990 to age 30 in 2019.
The largest increase was among foreign-born and Black women, which rose from 27 to 32 years old and from 24 to 28 years old, respectively. The smallest increase in age (from 27 to 29 years old) was among women born in the United States.
Early 2000s mini birth boom
While fertility rates broadly declined in the United States from 1990-2019, there was a mini baby boom in the early 2000s.
This increase was driven by foreign-born Hispanic women.
This mini baby boom to foreign-born Hispanics ended in 2007, just before the Great Recession began later that year. The Great Recession officially began in December 2007, ending in June 2009, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.
It is not clear what portion of the fertility decline to foreign-born Hispanics can be attributed to the economic downturn since the decline began before the Great Recession started. This decline may partially be due to the end of the mini baby boom for foreign-born Hispanic women and a return to long-term downward fertility trend.
Historical fertility patterns
Despite the slight declines and mini-baby boom from 1990 to 2019, contemporary fertility trends are actually quite stable when viewed from a historical perspective.
During the 20th century, there were several periods of substantial change: the precipitous decline in fertility at the beginning of the century, the baby boom of the 1950s, and the decline in fertility rates that began in the 1960s.
Within these overall changes, there were smaller, short-term fluctuations.
For example, during the broad fertility decline of the early 20th century, fertility dipped and increased following the 1918 influenza pandemic. During the 1950s baby boom, fertility stagnated in response to an economic recession in 1953.
Such changes were clearly short-term deviations within broader trends. A longer-term view can help differentiate between broad, generational changes and small year-to-year fluctuations.
These diverse patterns in fertility throughout the years highlight the variety of phenomena that may affect fertility — from generational changes to disease. They also provide an in-depth view of the changing face of fertility in America over time.
Anne Morse is a demographer in the Census Bureau’s Estimates and Projections Area of the Population Division.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
The inaugural Agriculture and Natural Resources Career Day will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, May 11, at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St. in Lakeport.
All Lake County high school students are invited to attend in hopes of gaining knowledge
and excitement about ag and natural resource careers, and those that support these
Industries.
Participating farms, businesses and other organizations include MorningStar Farms, JAK Drilling, Clear Lake Lava, Mendo Lake Food Hub, Scully Packing, Mendocino College Ag Department, Lake County Vector Control, Lake County Public Health, Equus Workforce Solutions, NCPA, Reynolds Systems, Woodland College, Mendocino College, Cal Fire – Forestry, Cal Fire – Prevention, California State Parks, Beckstoffer Vineyards, Lake County Winegrape Commission, Brassfield Winery, Pacific Coast Horseshoeing, Holdenried Farms, Peace & Plenty Farm, Leonardis Organics, Edenberry Farm, Lake County Agriculture Commissioner, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, US Army, Lakeport Police Department and the city of Lakeport.
The foundation reported that the event wouldn’t have been possible without support from the community, especially Beckstoffer Vineyards, the 49th District Agricultural Association, the Lake County Sheriff’s Volunteers, and the many business, colleges and exhibitors who will be sharing information about their work and why these careers are so important in Lake County.
