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A measure requiring training of state agencies in government-to-government consultation with tribal governments was approved Monday by the Assembly on a bipartisan 70-to-0 vote and now heads to the state Senate.

The bill, AB 923, was introduced by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland).

Ramos said, “We have seen recent examples of the confusion that too often arises as state and local governments interact with tribes. Questions of jurisdiction, sovereignty, and even just a lack of awareness about tribal governments’ prerogatives hinder collaborative relationships and access to public assistance during emergencies such as wildfires, earthquakes, and now during the pandemic.”

The measure also requires the executive branch of state government to consult with local governments within 60 days of tribes’ consultation requests and for state agency directors to consider the need for tribal consultation before approving a policy.

“California and local governments consult with one another as a matter of course,” Ramos stated. “It is appropriate and necessary that communication with tribal governments also be part of that government-to-government system of formal engagement to ensure equity in services for all of our state’s residents.”

AB 923 is sponsored by the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indian and supported by the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, Yurok Tribe, Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake, Barona Band of Mission Indians and the Yoche DeHe Wintun Nation.

Ramos is the first and only California Native American serving in the state’s legislature.
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Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced the appointment of Employment Development Department Chief Deputy Director of External Affairs, Legislation and Policy Nancy Farias as director of EDD, filling the role held by outgoing Director Rita Saenz since 2020.

Director Saenz will continue to serve the administration by resuming her role as a Commissioner on the California Commission on Aging.

“Director Saenz took the helm at EDD at a critical juncture of the pandemic, bringing her decades of experience in the public and private sectors to tackle the unprecedented challenges facing our state and nation,” said Governor Newsom. “With her steadfast leadership and dedication to public service, Director Saenz spearheaded important reforms at the Department to better serve working Californians, prevent fraud and hold bad actors to account. On behalf of all Californians, I thank her for taking on this vital role and for continuing to serve the people of our state as part of the Administration.”

Farias will begin serving as director of the department effective Feb. 1, 2022.

“Nancy Farias has played an invaluable role in the department’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the state’s unemployment system and implement improvements to better support hardworking Californians when they need it most. I look forward to her partnership in this all-important work to help California’s families, businesses and communities continue to recover and thrive,” the governor added.

Farias, 49, of Sacramento, has served as chief deputy director of external affairs, legislation and policy at the California Employment Development Department since 2020.

Farias was director of government relations at SEIU Local 1000 from 2017 to 2020. She was deputy chief of staff in the office of Senator Henry Stern from 2016 to 2017 and district director at the office of Assemblymember Mike Gatto from 2015 to 2016. She was deputy secretary of legislation at the Government Operations Agency from 2013 to 2016, deputy director of legislative affairs at the California Department of Human Resources from 2012 to 2013 and legislative director at SEIU Local 1000 from 2009 to 2012.

Farias was senior vice president at Smith, Ruddock & Hayes from 2008 to 2009 and an associate at Wolkon & Pascucci LLP from 2002 to 2008.

She earned a Master of Science degree in political science from Suffolk University and a Juris Doctor degree from Suffolk University Law School.

This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $204,613. Farias is a Democrat.

Gov. Newsom also announced the following appointments on Friday:

Jeffrey T. Killip, 62, of Olympia, WA, has been appointed chief of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health at the California Department of Industrial Relations. Killip has served as Acting Deputy Assistant Director of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health at the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries since 2021 and Senior Manager of Education and Outreach Programs there since 2017. He served in several positions at the Division from 2012 to 2017, including Industrial Hygiene and Laboratory Manager for Technical Services and Rules Manager. Killip was Regulatory Counsel and Board Vice Chair at the Western Institutional Review Board - WIRB Copernicus Group from 2010 to 2014. He was a Policy Health Analyst at the Washington State Healthcare Authority in 2010 and a Public Health Law Consultant at the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice at the University of Washington from 2009 to 2012. He was a Managing Director at the Washington State Association of Local Public Health Officials from 2007 to 2009 and a Behavioral Health Clinic Program Manager at the Southcentral Foundation from 2004 to 2005. He was an Assistant Attorney General in the Washington State Attorney General’s Office from 2005 to 2007 and in the Alaska Attorney General’s Office from 1991 to 2004. Killip was a Deputy District Attorney in the Colorado 14th Judicial District Attorney’s Office from 1988 to 1991 and Assistant Regional Counsel at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2 from 1987 to 1988. Killip earned a Master of Public Health degree from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Juris Doctor degree from the Seattle University School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $184,008. Killip is a Democrat.

Eric R. Banks, 50, of Sacramento, has been reappointed chair of the California Public Employment Relations Board, where he has served as Chair since 2021 and as a member since 2013. Banks was Partner at Ten Page Memo LLC from 2012 to 2013. He held several positions at the Service Employees International Union, Local 221 from 2001 to 2012, including Advisor, President and Director of Government and Community Relations. He was a Policy Associate for State Government Affairs at the New York AIDS Coalition from 2000 to 2001. Banks held several positions at the Southern Tier AIDS Program from 1993 to 2000, including Director of Client Services, Assistant Director of Client Services and Case Manager. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $171,590. Banks is a Democrat.

Ralph E. Lightstone, 73, of Sacramento, has been reappointed to the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board, where he has served since 2019. Lightstone was a member of the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board in 2019. He was Senior Advisor on Policy and Legislation at the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency from 2016 to 2018, where he was Director of Legislation from 2010 to 2016. He was Special Counsel to the Attorney General and a Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General from 2002 to 2010. Lightstone earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Loyola University of School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $166,306. Lightstone is a Democrat.
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SACRAMENTO — Building upon the success of California’s first-in-the-nation earthquake alert system, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday announced new functionality within the MyShake app to better serve Californians and keep surrounding communities safe.

HomeBase update

The MyShake app, funded by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and developed by the UC Berkeley Seismology Lab, has launched its newest enhancement called HomeBase.

It allows users to set a default location where they can receive earthquake early warning alerts, even if location services are temporarily down or turned off. This will increase MyShake’s ability to send timely alerts so that Californians affected by an earthquake can receive a warning for a location of their choosing and be prepared for shaking.

To activate the HomeBase function, users should update their MyShake app and navigate to the Settings page, where they will find an “Add HomeBase Location” button.

Tone warning and tsunami feature

Other new features on the app include an audible tone prior to the verbal warning, which can be accessed by checking the audio and visual alerts in the Settings > Notification page.
Tsunami safety information has also been added to the Safety Pages to remind people near the coast what steps they can take before, during, and after an earthquake to protect them from tsunamis. This update is timely given the recently occurred Tsunami Advisory that occurred along the entire West Coast due to a volcanic eruption near the Tonga Islands.

Additional funding

These new functionalities are important especially since Governor Newsom has proposed $17.1 million to enhance support of the California Early Warning Program in the 2022-23 State Budget – the California Blueprint.

California’s MyShake app expanding to Oregon and Washington

In addition, due to the success of MyShake, California is expanding its earthquake early warning system to two states. In partnership with the Oregon Office of Emergency Management and the Washington Emergency Management Division, the app is now available for people who live, work or visit Oregon and Washington.

About MyShake app

Launched in 2019, MyShake, which is also available in Spanish, was the first app to provide statewide earthquake early warning alerts for earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.5 or greater.

The amount of advance notice received varies depending on proximity to the epicenter. The app leverages the technology of the federal ShakeAlert system to deliver early warning of earthquakes before shaking starts.

ShakeAlert is operated by the US Geological Survey in partnership with Cal OES, the University of California Berkeley, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the University of Oregon, and the University of Washington.

MyShake also provides damage reports after an earthquake. Within the app, users can report damage so that others can see where damage has occurred in order to avoid those areas.
Since 2020, Android phones have earthquake early warning technology built in. However, Android owners can still benefit from the many other functions of MyShake, including the new Homebase feature.

To download MyShake and to learn more about earthquake preparedness, visit www.earthquake.ca.gov.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Library’s Adult Literacy Program has scheduled a new virtual literacy tutor training for February.

The training consists of two two-hour sessions on Wednesday, Feb. 2, and Wednesday, Feb. 9.

The training will take place on Zoom from 10 a.m. to noon for both sessions.

They will be hosted by the new Adult Literacy Program Coordinator Georgina Marie Guardado, also Lake County’s poet laureate from 2020 to 2024, and facilitated by Lake County Literacy Coalition Board Member and Literacy Tutor Pam Klier.

Participants will learn useful techniques for teaching adults to read. No experience is needed and ongoing support and workshops are provided for tutors.

Upon completion of the training, tutors will be matched with adult learners in a variety of settings around the county.

Those who would like to help adults improve their literacy skills are encouraged to attend. The training is free to attend with a suggested donation of $25 requested to cover materials.

Becoming a tutor can help someone to a better future. In addition to teaching literacy, the program offers services for GED and High School Equivalency test preparation, digital literacy, citizenship application assistance, written driving tests, and more.

For more information or to register for tutor training, please call 707-263-7633 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Visit the Lake County Library website at http://library.lakecountyca.gov.
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NORTH‌‌ ‌‌COAST, ‌‌ ‌‌Calif. ‌‌— ‌Caltrans‌‌ ‌‌reports‌‌ ‌‌that‌‌ ‌‌the‌‌ ‌‌following‌‌ ‌‌road‌‌ ‌‌projects‌‌ ‌‌will‌‌ ‌‌be‌‌ ‌‌taking‌‌ ‌‌place‌‌ ‌‌‌around‌‌ ‌‌the‌‌ ‌‌North‌‌ ‌‌Coast‌‌ ‌‌during‌‌ ‌‌the‌‌ ‌‌coming‌‌ ‌‌week. ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌
‌‌‌ ‌
Included‌‌ ‌‌are‌‌ ‌‌Mendocino‌‌ ‌‌County‌‌ ‌‌projects‌‌ ‌‌that‌‌ ‌‌may‌‌ ‌‌impact‌‌ ‌‌Lake‌‌ ‌‌County‌‌ ‌‌commuters, as well as work in Del Norte and Humboldt counties.
‌‌‌ ‌
Caltrans‌‌ ‌‌advises‌‌ ‌‌motorists‌‌ ‌‌to‌‌ ‌‌drive‌‌ ‌‌with‌‌ ‌‌caution‌‌ ‌‌when‌‌ ‌‌approaching‌‌ ‌‌work‌‌ ‌‌areas‌‌ ‌‌and‌‌ ‌‌to‌‌ ‌‌be‌‌ ‌‌‌prepared‌‌ ‌‌to‌‌ ‌‌stop‌‌ ‌‌at‌‌ ‌‌traffic‌‌ ‌‌control‌‌ ‌‌stations. ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌
‌‌‌ ‌
The‌‌ ‌‌Caltrans‌‌ ‌‌Traffic‌‌ ‌‌Operations‌‌ ‌‌Office‌‌ ‌‌has‌‌ ‌‌reviewed‌‌ ‌‌each‌‌ ‌‌project‌‌ ‌‌and‌‌ ‌‌determined‌‌ ‌‌that‌‌ ‌‌individual‌‌ ‌‌‌project‌‌ ‌‌delays‌‌ ‌‌are‌‌ ‌‌expected‌‌ ‌‌to‌‌ ‌‌be‌‌ ‌‌less‌‌ ‌‌than‌‌ ‌‌the‌‌ ‌‌statewide‌‌ ‌‌policy‌‌ ‌‌maximum‌‌ ‌‌of‌‌ ‌‌30‌‌ ‌‌minutes‌‌ ‌‌unless‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌
noted‌‌ ‌‌otherwise. ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌

For‌‌ ‌‌updates‌‌ ‌‌to‌‌ ‌‌this‌‌ ‌‌list‌‌ ‌‌check‌‌ ‌‌QuickMap‌‌ ‌‌at‌‌ ‌‌‌www.dot.ca.gov‌‌‌ or‌‌ ‌‌1-800-GAS-ROAD‌‌ ‌‌‌(1-800-427-7623). ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌

LAKE‌‌ ‌‌COUNTY‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌
‌‌‌ ‌
Highway‌‌ ‌‌20

— Paving work west of Upper Lake near Saratoga Springs Road will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

— Bridge work continues at Cache Creek. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 29

— Bridge work near the Lakeport Boulevard Overcrossing continues weeknights. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Motorists should expect five-minute delays.

— Bridge work continues north of Lakeport near the Park Way Overcrossing. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Motorists should expect five-minute delays.

— Bridge work continues south of Upper Lake near Robinson Rancheria Road. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should expect 10-minute delays.

— Bridge work will continue south of Upper Lake near Scotts Creek. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Motorists should expect five-minute delays.

Highway 53

— Bridge work continues south of Clear Lake at Cache Creek. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Motorists should expect five-minute delays.

Highway 175

— Bridge work will continue in Cobb near Humboldt Road. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should expect 10-minute delays.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 20

— Guardrail work will occur east of Fort Bragg on Tuesday, Feb. 1. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Motorists should expect five-minute delays.

— Emergency work continues south of Willits at the Jct 20/101 Bridge. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should expect 10-minute delays.

Highway 101

— Slide removal at Pieta Creek Bridge will continue. Northbound Lane closures will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

— Emergency work in Hopland from Route 175 to North Center Drive. Northbound Lane closures will be in effect from 7 a.m. to midnight. Motorists should expect minor delays.

— Moss Cove Safety Rest Area will be closed through March 2022.

— Empire Camp Safety Rest Area will be closed through March 2022.

— Utility work north of Leggett will occur Monday, Jan. 31. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 271

— Tree work south of Piercy will begin on Wednesday, Feb. 2. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Motorists should expect five-minute delays.

DEL NORTE COUNTY

Highway 101

— Bridge work north of Klamath near Old Hunter Creek Road will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

— Emergency work and construction in the Last Chance Grade area will continue. Motorists should anticipate 30-minute delays at all hours.

— Shoulder work near Ocean World in Crescent City will continue Monday, Jan. 31. Lane closures will be in effect from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should expect minor slowdowns through the area.

HUMBOLDT COUNTY

Highway 36

— Storm prep near Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 28. One-way traffic control in effect between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Motorists should expect five-minute delays.

Highway 96

— Emergency work near Willow Creek will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect at all hours. Motorists should expect 20-minute delays.

Highway 101

— Bridge work south of Phillipsville will continue. Lane closures will be in effect weekdays. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns. A northbound onramp closure will also be in effect. Motorists should use an alternate route.

— Maintenance work north of O Street in Eureka will continue. A southbound lane restriction will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should expect minor delays.

— Maintenance at the 6th Street Overcrossing in Westhaven is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 28. The southbound offramp will be closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Motorists should use an alternate route when necessary.

— A shoulder closure will continue near the Del Norte County Line. Motorists should expect minor slowdowns at all hours.

Highway 211

— Utility work is scheduled in Ferndale near the high school on Friday, Jan. 28. One-way traffic control in effect between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Motorists should expect five-minute delays.

Highway 255

— Utility work near Manila will continue. One-way traffic will be in effect from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should expect 10-minute delays.

Highway 299

— Emergency repairs from the 101 junction to the Trinity County line continue. One-way traffic control in effect 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Motorists should expect 15-minute delays.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — In 1579, British explorer Sir Francis Drake came to the shores of Northern California in his ship, the Golden Hind.

According to one of his crewmen, Drake affixed a brass plate on the spot of where he landed, claiming the land for the English Queen Elizabeth I.

In 1934, a brass plate was found that fit the description of the crewman. What unfolded is one of the most bizarre historical mysteries that took decades to resolve.

Jan Cook, a local amateur historian and 32 year veteran of the Lake County Library system, has investigated this episode and will be reporting on what transpired, and how it impacted our understanding of California history, at the next Lake County History Roundtable meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 2, at 6 p.m.

The meeting will be held at the Country Air Properties building located at 460 S. Main St. Lakeport.

The Lake County History Roundtable (formerly the Redwood Empire Civil War Roundtable) meets monthly to hear presentations by local historians and discuss history. It is free, and everyone is welcome.

For more information, contact Phil Smoley at 707-349-1008 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Editor’s note: This article, as originally submitted, incorrectly stated that Drake’s ship was the Half Moon. It was, in fact, the Golden Hind. The Half Moon was the ship of explorer Henry Hudson.

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