How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
For this week, only, to allow the Registrar of Voters Office use of the board chambers to efficiently support election-related activities while observing COVID-19 precautions, no members of the board or public will participate in the board meeting from the chambers.
“We encourage all Lake County voters to make their voices heard on Tuesday,” said Moke Simon, chair of the Lake County Board of Supervisors. “Hosting our meeting virtually is a small thing our board can do to support our registrar of voters, Maria Valadez, in making this Election Day smoother, safer and more secure.”
In an Aug. 18 memo, Valadez requested the board’s permission to use the chambers, “In light of the need to make special arrangements to enable constituents to vote in person safely, with proper social distancing in place.”
Per Valadez, “Use of the Board Chambers [will] enable the setup of voting stations in the larger space.”
“I am grateful to the board for their willingness to allow use of the Board Chambers,” said Valadez. “Our staff is strongly committed to voter participation and voter safety under these unusual conditions.”
How to listen to and participate in Tuesday’s board meeting
A live feed of the meeting will be available at https://www.facebook.com/lakecountycagov/.
Visit https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx to view the Board’s Agenda, which includes Zoom information for live participation.
Click “eComment” (far right column) to submit a written comment. If a comment is submitted after the meeting begins, it may not be read during the meeting, but will become a part of the public record.
- Details
- Written by: Ellen Furlong, Illinois Wesleyan University
I have discovered one positive amid the pandemic: I love working with two dogs at my feet.
As someone who studies dog cognition, I often wonder: What is Charlie learning when he stops to sniff the crisp fall air? What is Cleo thinking when she stares at me while I write? Are my dogs happy?
I’m not alone in finding myself suddenly spending more time with my pups and contemplating what’s on their minds. More people in the U.S. are working from home now than are working in the workplace, and many now share home offices with their canine companions. What’s more, many are finding their lives enriched with the addition of a new pet, as people started adopting dogs at massive rates during the pandemic.
This uptick in dog time means I have been fielding questions from new and experienced dog owners alike about their companions’ mentalities. Many questions center on the same themes I ponder: What is my dog thinking? Am I doing everything I can to ensure my pup is content?
Fortunately, research on dog cognition can help unravel what is on their minds and provide insight into what they need for psychologically fulfilling and happy lives.
Smelling superstars
Dogs are both familiar and yet fascinatingly alien. To appreciate their “otherness” all you need to do is consider their sensory world.
My dogs and I have very different experiences when we walk a trail. I marvel at the beautiful autumn day, but my dogs have their heads to the ground, seemingly ignoring the wonders around them.
However, they are appreciating something I can’t perceive: the scent of the fox who scampered through last night, the lingering odor of the dogs who’ve walked this way and the footsteps of my neighbor, who last wore her hiking shoes in woods my dogs have never visited.
You’ve probably heard about dogs who sniff out cancer, weapons or even coronavirus. These dogs are not special in their nose power: Your dog could do the same thing. In fact, the first dog to sniff out cancer sniffed a mole on his owner’s leg so frequently that she went to the dermatologist, where she was diagnosed with melanoma.
A dog’s sense of smell is estimated to be 10,000 to 100,000 times better than that of a human. This is due, in large part, to staggering differences in odor processing in humans and dogs.
While we have about 6 million olfactory receptors, dogs have a staggering 300 million. Their epithelium, or nasal tissue, is about 30 times larger than ours. And while people have between 12 million and 40 million olfactory neurons – specialized cells involved in transmitting odor information to the brain – dogs, depending on the breed, can have 220 million to 2 billion!
How can you even conceptualize this breathtaking difference in abilities? This disparity is like detecting one teaspoon of sugar in enough water to fill two Olympic sized swimming pools.
Now that your mind has been blown about your dog’s incredible sense of smell, you can use this information to make your dog happier by taking it on the occasional “sniffy walk” – letting it lead the way and take as much time to smell as it would like. Such walks can make dogs happier by allowing them to gain lots of information about the world around them.
The love is mutual
While there are parts of a dog’s mind that are alien, there are also parts that feel very familiar. Chances are, your dog occupies a special place in your heart. Recent research suggests your dog feels the same way about you. Your dog adores you.
Dogs attach to their owners in much the same way human infants attach to their parents. Like babies, dogs show distress when left with a stranger and rush to reunite upon their person’s return.
A recent study found that dogs that have been deprived of food and owners choose to greet their owners before eating. Further, their brain’s reward centers “light up” upon smelling their owners. And, when your eyes meet your dog’s, both your brains release oxytocin, also know as the “cuddle hormone.”
[Deep knowledge, daily. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter.]
All of this research shows that you can make your dog happier with just one ingredient: you. Make more eye contact to release that cuddle hormone. Touch it more – dogs like pats better than treats! Go ahead and “baby talk” to your dog – it draws the dog’s attention to you more and may strengthen your bond.
Understanding your dog’s mind can not only sate your curiosity about your companion, but can also help you ensure your pup lives a good, happy life. The more you know about your furry friends the more you can do to meet their needs.
And now I am off to gaze into Cleo’s bright blue eyes, give Charlie a belly rub, and then let them take me on a “sniffy” walk.
Ellen Furlong, Associate Professor of Psychology, Illinois Wesleyan University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
To highlight the life-threatening dangers of fatigued driving, the California Highway Patrol joins the Office of Traffic Safety, or OTS, the California Department of Transportation and the National Sleep Foundation in recognizing Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, Nov. 1 to 8, and encouraging Californians to stay alert and stay alive.
“Staying alert behind the wheel goes beyond avoiding distractions,” said CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley. “The other major contributor to driver inattention is drowsy driving. Fatigue can have a similar impairment effect as drugs or alcohol.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, being awake for at least 18 consecutive hours is the same as having a blood alcohol content of .05 percent. On average, in California, there are more than 6,000 crashes annually that are attributed to drowsy driving.
“If you’re feeling sleepy, you shouldn’t be driving,” OTS Director Barbara Rooney said. “When you ask yourself, ‘Am I OK to drive?’, the answer should factor in not only if you’ve been drinking or have taken drugs that impair, but also if you’ve had enough rest.”
“We should all remember that despite the pace of life, it’s vitally important to avoid driving when fatigued or without adequate rest,” said Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin. “Caltrans operates more than 85 Safety Roadside Rest Areas throughout the state, each providing a convenient place to rejuvenate before returning to the highway.”
The public can view rest area locations by visiting http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/.
Some suggested tips to avoid drowsy driving include getting at least seven hours a day, sticking to a sleep schedule, and avoiding alcohol or medications that can cause drowsiness.
Caffeinated beverages may help in the short term, but are not a substitute for sleep or rest.
Stay alert and drive without distraction not only to protect yourself but also your passengers and other motorists.
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Chihuahua, German Shepherd, pit bull, Rhodesian Ridgeback and Shar Pei.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).
Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm for information on visiting or adopting.
Male Chihuahua
This male Chihuahua has a short black and brown coat.
He has been neutered.
He’s in kennel No. 3, ID No. 13638.
Shar Pei-Rhodesian Ridgeback
This male Shar Pei-Rhodesian Ridgeback has a short brown and black coat.
He is in kennel No. 19, ID No. 14132.
Female pit bull terrier
This female pit bull terrier has a short gray coat.
She is in kennel No. 21, ID No. 14127.
Female German Shepherd
This young female German Shepherd has a short tan coat with black markings.
She is in kennel No. 22, ID No. 14133.
Email Elizabeth Larson at