How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The county of Lake is seeking four individuals to serve on a committee that will plan community visioning forums focused on promoting tolerance, respect, equity and inclusion in Lake County.
On Feb. 23, the Board of Supervisors unanimously proclaimed that promoting tolerance, respect, equity and inclusion is among its top priorities, as shown in the video above.
At that meeting, each supervisor read a portion of the proclamation and affirmed their commitment to hosting Community Visioning Forums to unearth priorities in the following categories:
· Meaningful actions and activities that will build bridges where there may be walls;
· Fostering tolerance, respect, understanding, equity and inclusion;
· Promotion nonviolence and nonviolent conflict resolution;
· Focusing resources on underlying causes and conditions that lead to inequitable resource and justice distribution; and
· Relevant solutions for any social injustices, as they may come to light.
Board members are working to develop these listening sessions now, and looking for four community members that can help ensure they are inclusive and effective.
“For nearly 80 years,” said District 4 Supervisor Tina Scott, “Americans have cast the vision that our nation should be, ‘indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.’ That isn’t a simple objective that can be outlined once, accomplished, and crossed off a list. It is a call, in everything we do, to ask the hard questions, and strive toward a more perfect union.”
“It is also a demand to develop policies that offer all of our neighbors an equal opportunity to thrive,” said District 3 Supervisor Eddie Crandell. “It is a privilege to partner with and inspire Lake County residents to promote that ideal.”
Does the board’s proclamation resonate with you? Do you have experience designing effective and engaging events?
To apply for a spot on the Community Visioning Forum Planning Committee click here.
- Details
- Written by: Mary A. Shiraef, University of Notre Dame
Trips canceled: 2.93 billion. International border closures: 1,299. Lives interrupted: Countless.
After the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, most countries in the world closed their borders – though public health experts initially questioned this strategy for controlling the spread of disease.
I study migration, so I began tracking the enormous changes in how and where people could move around the world. The COVID Border Accountability Project, founded in May 2020, maps travel and immigration restrictions introduced by countries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here is how our world shuttered – and how it’s starting to reopen.
1. March 11: It begins
Travel restrictions peaked right after the World Health Organization declared a pandemic on March 11. That week, our data shows a total of 348 countries closing their borders, completely or partially.
Complete closures restrict access to all noncitizens at international borders. Partial closures – a category encompassing border closures and travel bans – restrict access at some borders, or bar people from some, but not all, countries.
2. Fully closed borders
Most countries stopped all foreign travelers from entering at some point last year.
From Finland to Sri Lanka to Tonga, 189 countries – home to roughly 65% of the world’s 7.7 billion people – put a complete border closure in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to our database. The first to isolate itself from the world was North Korea, on Jan. 22, 2020. The last was Bahrain, on June 4, 2020.
Most countries eventually eased border restrictions, and many opened their borders only to close them again as COVID-19 cases spread globally. By the end of 2020, roughly half of all countries remained completely closed to noncitizens and non-visa holders except for essential travel related to health emergencies, humanitarian or diplomatic missions, commerce or family reunification.
3. Targeted bans and partial closures
Last year 193 countries closed down partially, restricting access to people from specific countries or closing some – but not all – of their land and sea borders.
Among these, 98 countries introduced targeted bans, which restricted entry to specific groups of people based on their recent travel or nationality. The first travel bans targeted China, followed soon by other countries that experienced the earliest known outbreaks of the novel coronavirus.
For instance, the United States was quick to pass a string of targeted travel bans, barring travelers from China first, then Iran, and then 26 European countries.
Most countries added land border closures to air travel bans, including the United States. In March the Trump administration closed its borders with Canada and Mexico.
4. Restrictions on US residents
Americans faced serious restrictions on their movement last year, too. People in the U.S., with its high COVID-19 spread, were barred from 190 countries either specifically – via a travel ban – or generally, due to closed borders.
The U.S. passport, usually one of the world’s most powerful for travel access to other countries, ranked 18th place in 2020. Regions newly off-limits to Americans include most of Europe and nearly all South America.
5. Visa seekers and immigrants
Of the 98 countries that implemented targeted bans, 42 specifically restricted all visa seekers from entering the country. The week following the U.S. closure of immigration offices worldwide, 20 countries, including the Philippines, Benin and Nepal, stopped issuing all visas. More than 100 visa bans barred visa seekers from specific countries or groups.
In September, the Trump administration halted the U.S. asylum program, barring refugees from seeking asylum. The only other country that explicitly targeted immigrants and asylum seekers with a COVID-19 travel ban was Hungary.
The world today
I initially wondered whether international travel restrictions would stay in place after the pandemic ended, leading to more permanent restrictions on freedom of movement.
[Get facts about coronavirus and the latest research. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter.]
But, by and large, the world is reopening. By the end of last year, 137 of the world’s 189 complete closures had been lifted, and 66 of the 98 targeted bans had ended.
In addition to the staggering numbers of closures and the occasional international spats, I’ve been struck by the level of cooperation between countries, especially within the European Union. Virtually every EU country complied with the bloc’s travel recommendations – a testament to its ability to manage crisis as a unified region.
Travel restrictions will continue to emerge, end and evolve, dependent on context. As wealthier countries vaccinate their populations at rapid speed, less equipped countries continue to suffer severe outbreaks. International travel may soon require a COVID-19 “vaccination card.” New targeted travel bans could emerge.
“Normal” is a long way away.
Nikolas Lazar, Thuy Nguyen and the COBAP Team assisted with this story.
Mary A. Shiraef, Ph.D. Student in Political Science, University of Notre Dame
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Authorities arrested a Ceres couple last week who were found living in a stolen travel trailer in the hills above Lucerne with drugs, weapons and stolen tools.
John Wesley Buckhanan, 37, and Rochelle Ellene Slaybaugh, 32, were arrested on Wednesday, March 17, according to Lt. C orey Paulich of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Paulich said that at 8 a.m. March 17, Lake County Sheriff’s deputies were contacted by the Ukiah Police Department, which had received information regarding a burglary that had occurred in the city of Ukiah.
The victim reported locating one of the stolen items in an unpopulated area on Fulton Road in Lucerne, Paulich said.
The deputies went to the location on Fulton Road where Paulich said they located a Keystone travel trailer that was not hooked to any utilities.
The deputies made contact with the trailer’s two occupants, identified as Buckhanan and Slaybaugh. Paulich said a records check showed Buckhanan had a felony arrest warrant out of Stanislaus County related to stolen property and was placed under arrest for the warrant. Further investigation also revealed that that travel trailer was reported stolen out of Stanislaus County.
Paulich said the deputies conducted a search of the trailer and surrounding area, locating numerous tools that were reported stolen by the victim in Ukiah.
The theft victim was able to come to the Fulton Road location, identify the items that were stolen and recover them, Paulich said.
Deputies also located a short-barreled shotgun, a handgun and ammunition for various guns, miscellaneous rifle parts, burglary tools, and small amounts for heroin and methamphetamine, according to Paulich’s report.
Paulich said Buckhanan was transported and booked at the Lake County Jail on charges of felon in possession of a firearm, possession of stolen property, and possession of controlled substances.
Buckhanan remains in custody related to his warrant and being a felon in possession of a firearm, with bail set at $170,000, according to jail records.
Paulich said Slaybaugh was arrested and transported to the Lake County Jail where she was booked on the charge of being under the influence of a controlled substance.
The sheriff’s office is also requesting the district attorney seek additional charges against Slaybaugh for possession of stolen property, possession of a short barreled shotgun, and possession of controlled substances, Paulich said.
Due to $0 bail rules, Paulich said Slaybaugh was not able to be held in jail on these charges.
Sheriff’s detectives will be attempting to identify victims for additional items that were located and believed stolen, Paulich said.
Paulich told Lake County News that the sheriff’s office sent the location to Community Development for possible abatement.
He said the sheriff’s office had no previous contact with Buckhanan and only one prior minimal contact with Slaybaugh.
The sheriff’s office reminded the public to take a moment when purchasing items to document serial numbers. This can be easily done by taking a photo or video with a cell phone. This will assist law enforcement with identifying and returning property if it is stolen.
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
The museum system – which includes the Historic Courthouse Museum in Lakeport, the Schoolhouse Museum in Lower Lake and the Gibson Museum in Middletown – will reopen to the public on Thursday, March 25, Lake County Public Services reported.
Social distancing and masking will be required at all times in the facility in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, county officials said.
When Lake County went into the most restrictive purple tier on the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy at the end of November, restrictions included closure of facilities like museums.
However, last week Lake County dropped into the less-restrictive red tier, allowing for reopening of some sectors, as Lake County News has reported.
The days and hours of operation at each museum site will be Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Historic Courthouse Museum will resume normal hours of operation as staffing allows.
Museum visitors can sanitize their hands with sanitizer readily available throughout the building.
Staff will be monitoring the building to ensure the capacity limits set by California state guidelines are not exceeded.
Learn more about the Lake County Museums at http://museums.lakecountyca.gov.