How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
- Details
- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
The Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce invites the community to welcome the holiday season on Saturday, Dec. 4.
The day begins at 11 a.m. with vendors all day at Austin Park.
The parade lineup begins at 4:30 p.m. at Redbud Park. At 5 p.m. the parade will begin and continue to Austin Park.
Add to the holiday spirit by participating in a friendly competition between the businesses along the parade route for the best holiday decorations. A $100 gift card will be awarded as a prize
For more information or to enter the parade, contact the chamber at 707-994-3600. Parade entries must be returned at 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, to the chamber at 14295 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake, or email
- Details
- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
The process to convert to the new system began at the end of October, with a deadline of July 15, 2022.
The Federal Communications Commission said a 10-digit dialed telephone call requires entering both the three-digit area code and the seven-digit telephone number to complete the call, even if the area code is the same area code as your own.
When an area code transitions to 10-digit dialing, you will no longer be able to dial seven digits to make a local call.
Transitioning to 10-digit dialing will not affect your current telephone number. Your phone number, including your area code, will not change, the FCC said.
In California and in Illinois area code 708, you may be required to dial the number "1" before the area code and seven-digit phone number for local calls.
California has the most area codes affected, including the 707 area code which covers Lake County, along with 209, 530, 562, 626, 650, 925, 949 and 951. All of them require 1 +10 digit dialing for landline customers.
In 2020, the FCC established “988” as the new, nationwide three-digit phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
The new three-digit dialing code will be available nationwide by July 16, 2022, and will provide an easy to remember and easy to dial three-digit number to reach suicide prevention and mental health counselors, similar to "911" for emergencies and "311" for local government services.
To help facilitate the creation of "988," area codes that use "988" as a local exchange, or the first three digits of a seven-digit phone number, will need to use 10-digit dialing.
The FCC said there are 82 area codes in 35 states and one U.S. territory that currently use "988" as their local exchange and allow seven-digit dialing. A local exchange, also known as a central office code, is the first three numbers of a seven-digit telephone number.
To prepare for implementation of a quick way to dial the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline — using only "988" to connect callers to the Lifeline — these area codes must transition to 10-digit dialing for all calls, including local calls.
During the transition to “988,” Americans who need help should continue to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK) and through online chats.
Veterans and Service members may reach the Veterans Crisis Line by pressing "1" after dialing, chatting online at www.veteranscrisisline.net or texting 838255.
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 30, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting can be watched live on Channel 8, online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and on the county’s Facebook page. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.
To participate in real-time, join the Zoom meeting by clicking this link.
The meeting ID is 924 6009 0973, pass code 597249. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,92460090973#,,,,*597249#.
All interested members of the public that do not have internet access or a Mediacom cable subscription are encouraged to call 669-900-6833, and enter the Zoom meeting ID and pass code information above.
To submit a written comment on any agenda item visit https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and click on the eComment feature linked to the meeting date. If a comment is submitted after the meeting begins, it may not be read during the meeting but will become a part of the record.
At 10 a.m., the board will host the final public hearing on the county-level redistricting process.
Staff will present for approval the new boundary maps for the five supervisorial districts, and discuss a draft ordinance amending the Lake County Code to establish the new boundaries of the supervisorial districts for the county, pursuant to state election code.
In an untimed item, the board will consider a letter to the California Department of Public Health regarding indoor basketball facial covering rules for youth sports.
In a memo to the board, Chair Bruno Sabatier is asking for support to send the letter to CDPH Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly regarding a mandate that indoor basketball players and referees wear facial coverings.
“Our schools have reached out to us, letting us know that they are advocating for change regarding facial coverings as it is not realistic and potentially dangerous to ask our youth to wear facial coverings while exerting the amount of energy needed to run up and down the court,” Sabatier said.
The letter requests the state change the mandate to allow players and refs to play without facial coverings during practice and games and to test twice a week to mitigate the potential for the spread of COVID-19.
The letter notes, “Wearing a facial covering and sitting in a classroom is vastly different from wearing a facial covering and exerting an enormous amount of energy indoors. Due to the heavy breathing, sweating, and accelerated moisture build up created within a mask, mandating that athletes and refs wear facial coverings increases the potential for choke hazards as well as increased fatigue while they are playing. Basketball is a physical sport, and the potential for masks to be moved possibly impairing the vision of players or masks torn off falling on the ground creating a dangerous obstacle on the court are high. In attempting to the reduce the hazards of COVID, mandating facial covering for basketball may increase other hazards to the physical well being of the players.”
It also points out that CDPH has already approved allowing college athletes to play without facial covering, “and we feel that the needs of our youth match the needs of our college athletes.”
The letter continues, “We have all worn masks throughout the pandemic and have experienced at one time or another running up a flight of stairs or carrying heavy items exerting enough energy to make us realize that a mask and increased levels of exercise do not go hand in hand. Imagine playing an entire game of basketball? We are asking our youth to do the impossible.”
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Adopt resolution authorizing Lake County Behavioral Health Services to increase the rates for specialty mental health services effective July 1, 2021.
5.2: Adopt resolution approving County of Lake Health Services to apply for funding in the amount of $542,450 through the California Department of Public Health for fiscal years 21/22 through FY 26/27 and authorize the director of Health Services to sign said application.
5.3: Approve purchase of vehicle equipment from Precision Wireless in the amount of $65,433 from the Sheriff/Pursuit Replacement Budget Unit 2217, Object Code 28.30; and authorize the sheriff/coroner or his designee to issue purchase order.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:06 a.m.: Consideration of a presentation by United Way of the Wine Country regarding possible expansion of 2-1-1 Lake County from disaster-only to full service.
6.3, 9:25 a.m.: Consideration of the California Fire Safe Council 2021 Cal Fire Evacuation Route Planning and Development Grant Program application for financial aid for the Soda Bay Corridor Evacuation Route Planning and Maintenance Project, and authorize the Public Works director to sign.
6.4, 10 a.m.: (a) Redistricting Public Hearing #4 — Final approval of boundaries/maps; (b) discussion of a draft ordinance amending Article II of Chapter 2 of the Lake County Code, establishing the boundaries of the supervisorial districts for the county of Lake, Pursuant to Sections 21500 et seq of the California Elections Code.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of letter to California Department of Public Health regarding indoor basketball facial covering rules for youth sports.
7.3: Consideration of the following advisory board appointments: Western Region Town Hall.
7.4: Consideration of Cannabis Equity Grant application.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Public Employee Appointment Pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54957(b)(1): Interview of Health Services director appointment of Health Services director.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The California Employment Development Department’s latest report on joblessness showed that Lake County’s unemployment rate was unchanged in October, remaining at 6.2%. The October 2020 rate was 8.3%.
Lake County’s September and October 6.2% unemployment rate is the lowest for the county since the pandemic began in the spring of 2020.
California’s rate in October was 7.3%, down from 7.5% in September and 9.8% in October 2020. The state’s payroll jobs totaled 15,963,400 in October 2020, 16,677,800 in September 2021 and 16,774,600 in October 2021.
The state’s employers added 96,800 nonfarm payroll jobs to the economy last month, and thanks to October’s job growth, the state has now regained 1,828,500, or 67.4 percent, of the 2,714,800 jobs that were lost in March and April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the report said.
California’s one-month job growth also accounted for about 18.2% of the nation’s 531,000 overall jobs gain in October.
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics said the jobless rate nationwide was 4.6% in October, compared to 4.8% in September and 6.9 percent in the previous October.
A state dashboard showed that Lake County had 718 Unemployment Insurance claims in October and 50 claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, compared to 1,527 and 230 claims, respectively, in those categories the previous October.
In Lake County, the total farm employment category was down 28.2% over September, with information posting an 11.1% decline followed by a 7.1% in trade, transportation and utilities. Categories showing growth included nondurable goods, 3.7%, and government, 1%.
Lake County’s October unemployment rate ranked it No. 41 out of California’s 58 counties.
Neighboring county jobless rates and ranks were: Colusa, 8.3%, No. 55; Glenn, 5.4%, No. 27; Mendocino, 5%, No. 21; Napa, 4.5%, No. 10; Sonoma, 4.3%, No. 7; and Yolo, 4.6%, No. 13.
The lowest unemployment rate in California in October was 3.4% in Marin, while Imperial County came in with the highest, 17.7%.
Regarding the statewide picture, the number of Californians employed in October was 17,639,100, an increase of 32,700 persons from September’s total of 17,606,400, and up 588,800 from the employment total in October of last year, the report said.
The number of unemployed Californians was 1,383,200 in October, a decrease of 41,200 over the month and down 471,200 in comparison to October of last year.
The number of jobs in the agriculture industry decreased by 3,100 from September 2021 to 416,500 jobs in October, a decrease that is seen seasonally. The report said the agricultural industry had 7,400 more farm jobs in October 2021 than it did the October prior.
The Employment Development Department said 10 of California’s 11 industry sectors gained jobs in October. Only the government category showed declines, with a loss of 4,000 jobs attributed to reductions in city and county government.
Professional and business services led with 39,500 new jobs thanks to large gains in employment services; followed by leisure and hospitality, 21,500; Trade, transportation and utilities, 14,900, which the report attributed to good growth in food services and drinking places, and strong hiring in the retail trade sector; construction, 7,500; education and health services, 5,400; financial activities, 4,400; manufacturing, 2,800; information, 2,700; other services, 1,800; and mining and logging, 300.
Also in October, there were 463,257 people certifying for Unemployment Insurance benefits during the monthly sample week, compared to 493,987 people in September and 1,650,946 people in October 2020.
Concurrently, the Employment Development Department said 59,879 initial claims were processed in the October 2021 sample week, which was a month-over decrease of 18,999 claims from September and a year-over decrease of 92,762 claims from October 2020.
Email Elizabeth Larson at