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News

Thompson Coronavirus Relief Survey results show support for expanding federal assistance, cautious approach to reopening

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Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
Published: 12 May 2020
NORTH COAST, Calif. – Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) has released the results of his Coronavirus Relief Survey, polling constituents about their experience during the coronavirus pandemic.

This survey was conducted from May 1 through May 8 and results include answers from 4,605 respondents.

The survey was emailed out to constituents via Thompson’s mail records list as well as circulated via press reports and Thompson’s social media accounts. Respondents were chosen by self-selection.

“Despite social distancing guidelines that keep us apart, I want to ensure I am doing everything I can to connect with people in our community and ensure their needs are met during this crisis,” said Thompson. “That’s why I launched my Coronavirus Relief Survey and why I am glad to have input from more than 4,000 people in our district.”

He added, “The results are clear – people want more support from the federal government. Nearly everyone polled supports expanding the programs started in the CARES Act, such as the Paycheck Protection Program and the expanded unemployment insurance program. The vast majority also favor a cautious approach to opening up our community to ensure the health and safety of our neighbors and friends. Know that these results will inform my continued work to bring Federal relief back to our district.”

Full results of Thompson’s Coronavirus Relief Survey are as follows.

Have you been hurt financially by the COVID-19 pandemic?

Yes, somewhat: 43.8%
No, not at all: 30.2%
Yes, very much: 26%

Have you received a stimulus payment?

Yes: 42.3%
No, but I'm expecting a payment: 30.5%
No, I'm not eligible: 21%
No, the IRS website is unable to find my information: 6.3%

If yes, have you experienced any issues receiving the amount for which you are eligible? If you answered no to the previous question, skip this question.

No: 76.5%
Not sure: 14.9%
Yes: 8.7%

Which CARES Act programs (if any) have helped you or your family?

Stimulus payment: 35.1%
None: 33.8%
Expanded unemployment insurance: 10.7%
Small business assistance (PPP, EIDL, etc.): 7.1%
Student loan relief: 4.7%
Not sure: 3.9%
Mortgage forbearance: 3.2%
Other: 1.7%

Which CARES Act programs (if any) do you think should be extended or increased?

Small business assistance (PPP, EIDL, etc.): 22%
Expanded unemployment insurance: 21%
Stimulus payment: 16.8%
Student loan relief: 15.6%
Mortgage forbearance: 15.6%
Not sure: 3.3%
Other: 3%
None: 2.6%

Are you waiting to hear back on any CARES Act relief you have applied for?

No: 65.9%
Yes, waiting for information or a check from the IRS: 15.1%
Yes, waiting for information on unemployment benefits: 10.4%
Yes, waiting to hear back on a small business loan: 8.6%

How would you like to see the “re-opening” of our communities play out?

More cautiously to prioritize protecting public health: 69.3%
More quickly to prioritize getting people back to work: 23.9%
Not sure: 3.8%
Other: 3%

Do you think Congress should provide more funds to help schools, hospitals, paramedics, police departments, and other services in future coronavirus legislation?

Yes: 74.8%
Not sure: 12.9%
No: 12.2%

Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.

As states reopen, health institute projects increased number of US COVID-19 deaths

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Written by: Lake County News reports
Published: 12 May 2020
As some states continue to ease social distancing mandates and new data are acquired on people’s movements, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington is projecting a slight increase in expected COVID-19 deaths in the US.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, or IHME, is an independent global health research organization at the University of Washington School of Medicine. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the institute has released ongoing projections as Lake County News has reported.

IHME’s updated death projections total 137,184 cumulative COVID-19 deaths – the estimate range is from 102,783 to 223,489 – through the beginning of August. This follows the Institute’s May 4 forecast of 134,475 deaths.

“The increase is explained primarily by people’s movements, as captured in anonymous mobility data from cell phones,” said IHME Director Dr. Christopher Murray. “We’re also seeing fewer deaths expected in some states; however, we’re now forecasting slower downward trajectories in deaths after states hit their peaks in daily deaths.”

Murray noted that IHME’s models are not yet predicting a resurgence or “return to exponential growth” of the epidemic in the US.

IHME said its forecasts will change as it acquires and analyzes new data. In addition, the organization’s modeling assumes that mandates currently in place will stay in place until infections are minimized.

Other positive indications come from increasing testing, the presumption that those testing positive are self-isolating, as well as increases in temperature.

IHME has found that when the outdoor temperature increases 1 degree Celsius, there is evidence the rate of virus transmission drops between 2 and 3 percent.

The findings also show that, over the last few weeks, five states – Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Georgia – have seen at least a 20 percentage point increase in mobility patterns.

In addition, 13 states have experienced between a 15 and 20 percentage point increase: Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

“While at least some of these patterns may be related to formal easing of social distancing policies, this upward trend in movement began in several places long before state-level mandates were relaxed,” Murray said. “Unless and until we see accelerated testing, contact tracing, isolating people who test positive, and widespread use of masks in public, there is a significant likelihood of new infections.”

Among other new findings:

– New York: Forecasting 31,620 deaths (estimate range of 30,105 to 33,954) through August 4, down from May 4 projection of 32,132 deaths
– Michigan: Forecasting 6,217 deaths (estimate range of 5,394 to 8,036) through August 4, down from May 4 projection of 7,080 deaths
– California: Forecasting 6,086 deaths (estimate range of 4,187 to 9,855) through August 4, up from May 4 projection of 4,666 deaths
– Texas: Forecasting 2,567 deaths (estimate range of 1,513 to 5,487) through August 4, down from May 4 forecast of 3,632
– Florida: Forecasting 5,440 deaths (estimate range of 3,027 to 11,592) through August, up from May 4 projection of 3,971 deaths
– New Jersey: Forecasting 14,752 deaths (estimate range of 12,255 to 19,594) through August 4, down from May 4 projection of 16,044 deaths
– Georgia: Forecasting 3,596 deaths (estimate range of 2,139 to 7,078) through August 4, down from May 4 projection of 4,913

IHME’s current forecasting lasts through Aug. 4.

Subsequent projections likely will extend into October and will include potential effects of students returning to school.

The new death projections for the US and all states are available in the Institute’s COVID-19 data visualization at https://covid19.healthdata.org/united-states-of-america .

Supervisors to discuss meals program for seniors, tax-defaulted land sale

Details
Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Published: 11 May 2020
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors will meet again this week with the Public Health officer, discuss a meal program for seniors and get an update on a tax-defaulted land sale.

The board will meet virtually beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 12, 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 and online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx . Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.

Because the meeting will be held virtually, members of the public are asked to submit comments on items to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please note the agenda item number addressed.

At 9:02 a.m., Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace will give the board his weekly update on the COVID-19 pandemic.

At 11:15 a.m., the board will consider the “Great Plates Delivered” program, a state-authorized program for delivering meals to eligible older adults.

In other business, at 11:30 a.m. Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen will give the board an update on a tax-defaulted land sale that had been set for the end of May. Ringen’s report said the sale has been canceled due to the governor's executive order.

The full agenda follows.

TIMED ITEMS

4.2, 9:02 a.m.: Consideration of update on COVID-19.

4.3, 11 a.m.: Consideration of amendment to the agreement between the county of Lake and the Skylark Shores Resort for COVID-19 emergency isolation housing and authorize the chair to sign.

4.4, 11:15 a.m.: Consideration of COVID-19 “Great Plates Delivered” program.

4.5, 11:30 a.m.: Consideration of status update on tax-defaulted land sale 157 due to the COVID-19 crisis.

4.6, 1 p.m.: Presentation of Employee Service Awards.

4.7, 1:15 p.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the week of May 10 to 16, 2020, as Wildfire Preparedness Week in Lake County.

4.8, 1:20 p.m.: Presentation of annual report by Lake County PEG TV.

4.9, 1:45 p.m.: Second reading, consideration of an ordinance amending Chapter 21, Article 27 of the Lake County Code pertaining to commercial cannabis cultivation.

4.10, 1:50 p.m.: Consideration of resolution to initiate amendments to the zoning ordinance to amend regulations and development standards for commercial cannabis cultivation.

4.11, 2 p.m.: Consideration of advisory board appointment: South Lake County Fire Protection District Board of Directors.

UNTIMED ITEMS

5.1: Adopt proclamation designating the week of May 10 to 16, 2020, as Wildfire Preparedness Week.

5.2: Approve minutes of the Board of Supervisors meetings from April 21, 2020, and April 28, 2020.

5.3: Adopt resolution approving cooperative Agreement No. 20-73-06-0256-RA with the USDA to provide an Animal Damage Control Program for the county of Lake.

5.4: Adopt resolution adopting Agreement No. 19-0994-005-SF with California Department of Food and Agriculture for compliance with the European Grapevine Moth detection program and authorization execution thereof.

5.5: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2 as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve agreement between the county of Lake and BHC Sierra Vista Hospital for acute inpatient psychiatric hospital services and professional services associated with acute inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations for fiscal year 2019-20 in the amount of $25,454.00 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

5.6: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve Amendment No. 1 between the county of Lake and LocumTenens.com LLC for telepsychiatry services for fiscal year 2019-20 for an increase to the contract maximum to $390,000 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

5.7: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the first amendment to the agreement between the county of Lake and Charis Youth Center for specialty mental health services for fiscal year 2019-20 to increase the contract maximum to $45,000 and authorize the board chair to sign.

5.8: Approve waiver of the 900-hour extra help limit for Records Technician Von Morshed.

5.9: Approve the electronic submission of the grant application for the US Department of Justice Coronavirus Supplemental Funding Program and authorize the chairman to sign the documents.

5.10: Approve the purchase of kitchen equipment from Myers Food Service Equipment Supply and authorize the sheriff to issue a purchase order in the amount of $9,545.34.

5.11: Approve the Standard Agreement #19-5006 between the county of Lake and the California Department of Social Services for quality assurance services in the amount of $108,695 for the term of July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2024.

5.12: Approve contract between the county of Lake and North Coast Opportunities Inc. for the Housing Support Program in the amount of $415,540, from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.13: Approve addendum to agreement by and between the county of Lake and Megabyte Systems Inc. to purchase the transient occupancy tax module for the amount of $25,000 and authorize the chair to sign.

5.14: Sitting as the Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors, adopt resolution authorizing the Water Resources director to sign the notice of completion for the 2019 Evaluation of Levee Culverts Project, Upper Lake, CA Bid No. WR 19-01.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

CHP to deploy a motorcycle safety enforcement operation in Clear Lake area

Details
Written by: Lake County News reports
Published: 11 May 2020
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Whether you drive on a scenic highway or a congested freeway, motorcycles are all around.

As such, motorcycle-involved crashes in California continue to be a major concern for the California Highway Patrol.

From January 2018 through December 2018, provisional statistical data revealed there were 22 injury crashes involving motorcycles and one fatal crash involving motorcycles in the CHP Clear Lake Area jurisdiction.

In an effort to reduce the number of motorcycle incidents or crashes resulting from unsafe speed, following too closely, unsafe lane changes, improper turning, and other violations by both motorcyclists and other drivers, the CHP’s Clear Lake Area will deploy additional officers on Highway 20 and Highway 29.

The operation will commence on May 22 and May 25.

To assist the CHP in this traffic safety effort, the Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, has awarded a grant titled “Get Educated and Ride Safe II.”

With the grant-funding, the Clear Lake Area will continue to deploy additional enforcement efforts through Sept. 30.
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