LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Registrar of Voters reported that there are a number of local school board and special district seats to be on the Nov. 6 ballot.

Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley said the offices up for election include spots on all of the county’s school boards, the Mendocino-Lake Community College District, the Lake County Board of Education, the Northshore and Lake Pillsbury fire districts, Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District and the Redbud Health Care District.

Candidates may file now, with the deadline set at 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10.

The seats and terms for each district and board are listed below.

Mendocino-Lake Community College District: Trustee Area No. 5 (Lake and Mendocino counties), one vacancy, four-year term; Trustee Area No. 6 (Lake County), one vacancy, four-year term.

Lake County Board of Education: Trustee areas No. 3, 4 and 5, four-year terms.

Kelseyville Unified School District: Two vacancies, four-year terms.

Konocti Unified School District: Three vacancies, four-year terms.

Lakeport Unified School District: Two vacancies, four-year terms; one vacancy, two-year unexpired term.

Lucerne Unified School District: Two vacancies, four-year terms.

Middletown Unified School District: Three vacancies, four-year terms.

Upper Lake Unified School District: Top three candidates with the most votes will serve four-year terms; candidates four and five will serve two-year unexpired terms.

Lake Pillsbury Fire Protection District: Five vacancies, three- to four-year terms; two two-year unexpired terms. The first terms will be determined by lot at the organizational meeting.

Northshore Fire Protection District: At large, one vacancy, four-year term; Nice Zone, one vacancy, four-year term; Lucerne Zone, one vacancy, four-year term.

Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District: Two vacancies, four-year terms.

Redbud Health Care District: Zone 2, one vacancy, four-year term Zone 3, one vacancy, two -year unexpired term; Zone 4, one vacancy, four-year term.

Official declaration of candidacy forms for eligible candidates desiring to file for these offices can be obtained from the Lake County Registrar of Voters Office, located in Room 209 of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport, during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For more information call the Registrar of Voters Office at 707-263-2372.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – Earlier this month a Mendocino County Sheriff’s deputy became seriously ill during the search warrant service at a suspected illegal marijuana grow, and officials believe he may have been exposed to a dangerous chemical.

On the morning of Friday, July 13, deputies from the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office Marijuana Eradication Team, or COMMET, were assisting wardens from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife with the service of a search warrant at a residence in the 13500 block of Kenny Creek Road in Branscomb, according to a report from Sgt. Andrew Porter.

Porter said the purpose of the search warrant was to address a marijuana growing operation that involved suspected environmental crimes including the illegal diversion of water for the purpose of cultivating. The growing operation was also thought to be illegal and unpermitted.

During the service of the search warrant, a 36-year-old male deputy sheriff was possibly exposed to a chemical that was being used as an insecticide on the marijuana plants, Porter said.

The chemical has been identified as Metamidofos which is listed as a banned or severely restricted pesticide by the US Environmental Protection Agency, according to Porter.

Porter said the pesticide is transdermal and can be absorbed through contact with the skin, or inhaled through the respiratory system. Based upon the packaging and labeling of the bottle the pesticide appears to have been brought into the United States illegally from Mexico.

After the service of the search warrant the deputy started to experience stomach problems and progressively worsened. Porter said the deputy was treated at a local hospital in the days following his exposure and he is still under the care of a physician due his continuing symptoms that are common for exposure to this substance.

The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office cautioned the public and other first responders, who might come into contact with dangerous pesticides associated with marijuana cultivation, to use extreme caution as these types of chemicals are now frequently found in marijuana growing operations. If you think you have been exposed to this substance or a similar substance, please seek medical attention as soon as possible.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Authorities have taken into custody a Kelseyville man who they said was responsible for stabbing another man Sunday evening.

Chris Enrique Jiminez, 38, was arrested Sunday night for felony assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Capt. Chris Chwiałkowski told Lake County News that the stabbing occurred at approximately 7:06 p.m. at Pioneer Park, located at 5250 Third St. in downtown Kelseyville.

When the incident was first dispatched, Kelseyville Fire personnel responded to the Brick Tavern on Main Street, where they found the victim, who told them the stabbing happened at the park, according to reports from the scene.

Chwialkowski said the victim was stabbed in the chest.

Shortly after finding and checking out the victim, firefighters called for an air ambulance. They then transported him to Lampson Field to meet with a REACH helicopter, which transported the victim to an out-of-county trauma center, based on radio reports.

On Monday, Chwialkowski said he did not have an update on the man’s condition.

Jiminez was taken into custody just after 7:30 p.m., according to his booking sheet.

Chwialkowski said the stabbing occurred over something that was said.

“Witnesses verified the assault,” and Jiminez admitted to it, Chwialkowski said.

Chwialkowski also confirmed that sheriff’s deputies have had previous contacts with Jiminez.

Jiminez was booked at the Lake County Jail later on Sunday night, with bail set at $25,000.

He remained in custody on Monday, with arraignment set for Tuesday, according to jail booking records.

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.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Fire officials said Sunday evening that a wildland fire that began near Kelseyville on Saturday is nearing full containment.

The Carder fire, located in the area of Adobe Creek Road and Peterson Lane, began just before 2:40 p.m. Saturday, as Lake County News has reported.

Cal Fire said Sunday night that the fire had burned a total of 57 acres and was 80-percent contained. One structure was reported damaged.

On Sunday, the remaining evacuation orders were lifted, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office reported.

Officials have so far not reported a cause for the fire.

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.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors this week is expected to consider a resolution declaring the intent to sell the Lucerne Hotel, which a group wants to buy for a new college, and will continue its discussion on the establishment of a new cannabis business tax.

The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 24, 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.

In an untimed item, the board will consider a resolution declaring the intent to sell the Lucerne Hotel, which that same resolution will declare as surplus property.

The county has owned the building since 2010, and last month selected a proposal from the Romero Institute which is seeking to purchase the building to house New Paradigm College.

The county’s minimum bid price for the property is $2.5 million, according to county documents. Sealed proposals and oral bids will be received and considered during the board’s meeting on Aug. 14.

Also on Tuesday, the board will continue its consideration of establishing a cannabis business tax.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

6.1: Adopt resolution expressing support for the Lower Lake High School Homecoming Parade.

6.2: Approve resolution of the board of trustees of the Middletown Unified School District ordering a school bond election, and authorizing necessary actions in connection therewith not available.

6.3: Approve resolution of the board of trustees of the Upper Lake Unified School District ordering a district-wide election to authorize the issuance of school bonds, establishing specifications of the election order, and requesting consolidation with other elections occurring on Nov. 6, 2018.

6.4: Approve resolution of the board of trustees of the Upper Lake Unified School District ordering an election in School Facilities Improvement District No. 1 (K-8 Area) to authorize the issuance of school bonds, establishing specifications of the election order, and requesting consolidation with other elections occurring on Nov. 6, 2018.

6.5 : Adopt resolution amending Resolution No. 2018-73 establishing position allocations for Fiscal Year 2018-2019, Budget Unit No. 1012, Administrative Office.

6.6: (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 the agreement between the county of Lake and Clover Valley Guest Home for adult residential support services and specialty mental health services for fiscal year 2018-19 for the amount of $80,300 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

6.7: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Section Code 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and Manzanita House for adult residential support services and specialty mental health services for fiscal year 2018-19 for the amount of $125,000 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

6.8: (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 agreement between the county of Lake and Victor Treatment Centers, Inc. for specialty mental health services for fiscal year 2018-19 in the amount of $50,000 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

6.9: Approve contract between county of Lake through the Department of Social Services and Lake County Behavioral Health in the amount of $144,840 from july 1, 2017 to june 30, 2019 and authorize the chair to sign.

6.10: Approve contract between the county of Lake and Lake County Office of Education in the amount of $36,000 from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019 for providing a Family Positive Response program for children referred by probation and authorize the chair to sign not available.

6.11: Approve contract between Lake County Department of Social Services and Lake County Office of Education in the amount of $45,000 for fy 2018-2019 for case management services for children in out of home care; and authorize the chair to sign.

6.12: Adopt resolution authorizing submittal of an application to the California State Department of Housing and Community Development for funding the Home Investment Partnership Program and if selected, execution of agreement, amendments, related documents to participate in the Home Investment Partnerships Program.

6.13: Approve Amendment #1 to the contract between the county of Lake and Regional Housing Authority in the amount of $2,500 to prepare an application to the State HOME Investment Partnership Program, and authorize the chair to sign.

TIMED ITEMS

7.2, 9:08 a.m.: consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local health emergency by the Lake County health officer due to the Pawnee fire incident.

7.3, 9:10 a.m.: Consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local emergency due to the Sulphur fire incident.

7.4, 9:11 a.m.: Consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local emergency due to wildfire conditions, pertaining to the Rocky, Jerusalem and Valley fires.

7.5, 9:12 a.m.: Consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local emergency due to Clayton fire.

7.6, 9:13 a.m.: Consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local emergency due to the atmospheric river storm.

7.7, 9:14 a.m.: Consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local emergency due to the Pawnee fire incident.

7.8, 9:15 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of a resolution amending the master fee schedule for departmental services rendered by the county.

7.9, 9:30 a.m.: Public hearing for the proposed Lake County Tourism Improvement District.

7.10: 9:45 a.m.: Presentation from Rural County Representatives of California for iFoster's 1 Laptop Program for Foster Youth.

7.11, 10 a.m.: Continued from June 19, hearing, nuisance abatement hearing for Toby Coleman; 3905 Gaddy Lane, Kelseyville CA, APN: 008-028-34.

7.12, 10:30 a.m.: Presentation by Health Services Tobacco Education Program and overview of program objectives for fiscal years 2017-2021.

UNTIMED ITEMS

8.2: Consideration of resolution declaring the Board of Supervisors intent to sell property, not required for public use, known as the Lucerne Hotel, Located at 3700 Country Club Drive, Lucerne, California (APN’s 034-182-030 & 040, and 034-867-010 Through 070), Pursuant to Government Code Section 25520 Et Seq.

8.3: Discussion and consideration of a county ordinance adding Article VII to Chapter 18 of the Lake County Code establishing a cannabis business tax.

8.4: Consideration of (a) appointment of Dr. Gary Pace, M.D., MPH, MCP, as interim county health officer; (b) approval of professional services agreement for interim health officer services and authorize Health Services Director to sign; and (c) possible direction to staff for next steps in filling the county health officer position on a permanent basis.

8.5: Sitting as Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors, consideration of a resolution authorizing the Watershed Protection District director to execute a funding agreement with the state of California Department of Water Resources to accept $15,000,000 in grant funding for the purchase of real property as part of the Middle Creek Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Project.

CLOSED SESSION

9.1: Public employee evaluations: Public Services director, Health Services director.

9.2: Conference with legal counsel: Decision Whether to Initiate Litigation Pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9(d)(4): County of Lake v. United States, Department of Interior.

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.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association and the Lake County Historical Society are once again presenting “Bluegrass at the Ely,” that will benefit both organizations.

The event will be held on Saturday, Sept. 8, on the grounds of the Ely Stage Stop and Country Museum at 9921 State Highway 281 (Soda Bay Road) from noon to 5 p.m.

Tickets are $20 per person pre-sale and $25 at the gate.

Bluegrass at the Ely will feature the popular Blue and Lonesome band from Sonoma County and the Bay Area who play straight ahead traditional Bluegrass music.

Some great local talent from Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties complete the day’s schedule.

The groups include Uncle Mike, well-liked musician from Clearlake performing a wide variety of music on guitar and mandolin; Angle of Repose, Scott Serena and Friends from Cobb who play folk and Traditional music; Konocti Fiddle Club consisting of very gifted young fiddlers led by Andi Skelton; Humdingers led by Bill Bordisso who play a variety of songs on traditional instruments with rich vocal harmony and favorites; and Twin Fiddle, Gus Garelick and Andi Skelton, award-winning fiddlers, accompanied by Don Coffin on guitar.

There will be art and craft booths, food vendors and beer and wine available for sale. Bring your own lawn chair for seating and no dogs please. Children age 6 and under will be admitted at no charge.

Pre-sale tickets will be available at Catfish Coffeehouse in Clearlake and Watershed Books in Lakeport or online at www.andersonmarsh.org.

For information call 707-995-2658.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Behavioral Health Services was recently awarded a $75,000 technical assistance grant to prepare for the upcoming “No Place Like Home” grant opportunity that is going to California voters this November.

Lake County Behavioral Health Services is contracting with local agency Paragons LLC, which will guide the project.

Funding for No Place Like Home comes from the California Department of Housing and Community Development and is to provide permanent supportive housing for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness along with mental health and/or substance use disorders.

Lake County Behavioral Health Services already has funds available to initiate a permanent supportive housing project in the County.

“We are prepared to strategically utilize approximately $965,000 in Mental Health Services Act housing monies, along with a recently established $500,000 housing reserve account to be approved by the Board of Supervisors this fiscal year,” said Lake County Behavioral Health Services Administrator Todd Metcalf. “The timing couldn’t be better for these funds to leverage additional future housing dollars slated to be coming soon to Lake County, in particular, the No Place Like Home grant.”

The agency already is working closely with the housing Continuum of Care coalition facilitated by Adventist Health Clear Lake, along with having a seat on the Hope Rising Governing Board.

The Hope Rising Governing Board is currently working on a transitional housing project focusing on the County’s chronic homeless population.

Lake County Behavioral Health Services’ permanent supportive housing plan would be the next step for those moving through the transitional housing process.

A $2 billion dollar bond, to be repaid by Mental Health Services Act funds, will fund the No Place Like Home grant. The initiative will be put to California voters this fall.

“It is critical that Californians, especially Lake County voters, understand the high importance and value of what this can do for our homeless population suffering from substance use or mental health problems. Getting folks into stable housing has proven to be the key first step in their path to recovery,” Metcalf explained.

“This is an exciting time of opportunity in Lake County,” says Shelly Mascari, director of Community Wellness at Adventist Health and Executive Director of Hope Rising. “As our agencies, organizations and community members align behind common goals and shared initiatives we create synergy that is driving transformation throughout Lake County. The No Place Like Home grant and Lake County Behavioral Health Services’ leadership in this work is evidence of our alignment and potential.”

For more information, contact Todd Metcalf at Lake County Behavioral Health Services at 707-274-9101.

Braden Varney Memorial Service from CAL FIRE on Vimeo.

The funeral for Cal Fire Heavy Fire Equipment Operator Braden Varney will be broadcast online live on Monday morning.

The livestream, which can be seen above or at https://vimeo.com/calfire, will begin at 11 a.m.

The funeral is taking place in Modesto.

Varney, 36, a 10-year Cal Fire veteran, died July 14 as he was battling the Ferguson fire near El Portal in Mariposa County, as Lake County News has reported.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Work is continuing to fully contain a wildland fire that began Saturday afternoon near Kelseyville and one that began a short time later near Redwood Valley in Mendocino County.

The Carder fire began just before 2:40 p.m. Saturday in the area of Adobe Creek Road and Peterson Lane near Carder Road, as Lake County News has reported.

By nightfall, the fire had been held to 60 acres with 20-percent containment, and one structure reported damaged.

Fire crews stopped the forward spread of the fire Saturday evening, according to Cal Fire.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said mandatory evacuations were implemented in the area of Kelsey Creek Drive to Carder Way and Adobe Creek Road to Peterson Lane.

Officials said the evacuations remained in place overnight, as did road closures in the fire area.

Incident command ordered more resources to assist on the fire on Sunday, according to radio reports.

So far there has been no report on the fire’s cause.

Also on Saturday, in neighboring Mendocino County the Heart fire began within an hour of the Carder fire. Cal Fire said the incident start time was just before 3:20 p.m.

The Heart fire is located at mile marker 35 on Highway 101, west of Redwood Valley.

On Saturday night Cal Fire said the Heart fire had burned 65 acres and was 50-percent contained, with forward progress stopped.

Officials said the fire threatened one structure but had not damaged or destroyed any. Likewise, its threat to electric infrastructure had been mitigated.

The Heart fire is expected to be fully contained on Sunday.

The causes of the Heart fire remains under investigation.

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.

“‘Man proposes and God disposes.’ There are but few important events in the affairs of men brought about by their own choice.”

So begins the personal memoirs of an American president. The short preface of this two-volume magnum opus is alone worth reading.

In two paragraphs, the author speaks unabashedly about the circumstances that led to his writing an autobiography.

He never intended to write anything for publication, let alone a memoir, but, as he says in the opening line, “Man proposes and God disposes.” Circumstances determined that he should write after all.

Born Hiram Ulysses Grant on April, 27, 1822, in Point Pleasant, Ohio, he was the son of a businessman and tanner – a life path he never wanted for himself.

As a young man, Hiram took more after his reserved mother than his gregarious father, and by the time he turned 17 he didn’t seem to have amounted to much.

Recognizing that his son never intended to continue in the family tanning business, Hiram’s father arranged for his boy to enter West Point and pursue a military career instead.

A clerical error in his entry papers listed his name as Ulysses S. Grant. Not wanting to be turned down for any reason, Hiram changed his name on the spot.

He continued his unremarkable path through life at West Point, making average grades and receiving several demerits for slovenly dress – a habit he never quite kicked.

He enjoyed mathematics and geometry, and showed a knack for horsemanship, but that was all. By the time he graduated (21st in his class of 39 cadets), Ulysses vowed to leave the military after his mandatory four year service.

During his first posting, in St. Louis Missouri, he met the woman who would become his wife. At the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, he was made a quartermaster, a position that gave him the opportunity to learn the difficult art of military logistics – a skill that would come in handy in future campaigns.

Over the next several years, he was stationed at different camps on the west coast, postings that kept him from his wife and growing family. Desiring to be nearer his family, the young captain tried his hand at several business ventures to make enough money to send for them.

Whatever talents he might have had as a military officer, Ulysses S. Grant was absolutely helpless when it came to making money. Frustrated, he began drinking heavily – kicking off a reputation that dogged him the rest of his career.

Finally, in 1854, while stationed at Fort Humboldt on the California coast, he had a run-in with his commanding officer and, amid allegations of drunkenness, he resigned his commission, having stayed in the army nearly six years longer than the four years he had vowed to see through.

The next six years saw the retired captain start and fail at several ventures – from a farm in rural Missouri to a real estate scheme in St. Louis. He was eventually forced to sell firewood on the streets to make ends meet. Finally, in 1860, he humbled himself and went to work at his father’s tannery, serving as a clerk under his two younger brothers.

He was ultimately saved from this ignominious life when the Confederate States opened fire on Fort Sumter in 1861. With the help of a local congressman, Ulysses was able to get a commission leading the 21st Illinois Volunteer Regiment, and he entered the fray as a lowly captain. He would leave the war as a lieutenant general.

His time as lieutenant general and commander of the Union armies left Grant with a mixed reputation. For some, he was considered a “butcher,” for his seemingly blithe willingness to expend the lives of his soldiers in the effort to break apart General Lee’s army. For others, he was the savior of the Union.

Regardless of what some thought of him, enough Americans believed in his capabilities that he was elected president of the United States in 1868, beginning the first of his two terms in office.

Eventually, however, his public service came to an end, and in 1877, President Grant found himself simply Ulysses Grant once more.

Although General Grant had always known what he was doing, and President Grant was able to plug along with the aid of advisers, civilian Ulysses S. Grant was always somewhat clueless and completely luckless.

The same lack of business sense that had led him back to his father’s business, now led the former president down the path of one failed business venture after another. In no time at all, he was penniless.

In 1884, after complaining of a sore throat to a doctor, Ulysses S. Grant was diagnosed with terminal throat cancer.

When it became known that he was not only completely broke but dying as well, his friend Mark Twain offered him a deal. If Grant would write them, Twain would publish his memoirs. Getting down to business, Ulysses S. Grant wrote six or more hours each day for months on end.

Finally, on July 18, 1885, his manuscript was complete. Five days later, on July 23, Ulysses S. Grant died.

Writing his memoirs proved to be the only successful financial venture he experienced in his life – and he wasn’t even around to reap the rewards. Grant’s widow received $450,000 in royalties, or roughly $10 million today.

In the end, the frankness and unadorned prose of his memoirs stand as a testament to a life lived equally straightforward and unprepossessing.

Antone Pierucci is curator of history at the Riverside County Park and Open Space District and a freelance writer whose work has been featured in such magazines as Archaeology and Wild West as well as regional California newspapers.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has four dogs ready for adoption.

Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Basenji, German Shepherd, Maltese and shepherd.

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.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.

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”).

‘Spaz’

“Spaz” is a female shepherd mix with a short tan coat.

She’s in kennel No. 12, ID No. 10437.

Male Basenji

This young male Basenji has a short brindle coat.

He’s in kennel No. 20, ID No. 10490.

Male Maltese

This male Maltese has a curly black coat.

He’s in kennel No. 22, ID No. 10475.

‘Lala’

“Lala” is a female German Shepherd with a brown and black coat.

She’s in kennel No. 32, ID No. 10420.

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm.

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

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.

About 12.7 percent of Americans lived below the poverty line in 2016. StanislauV/shutterstock.com

Robert L. Fischer, Case Western Reserve University

On July 12, President Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers concluded that America’s long-running war on poverty “is largely over and a success.”

I am a researcher who has studied poverty for nearly 20 years in Cleveland, a city with one of the country’s highest rates of poverty. While the council’s conclusion makes for a dramatic headline, it simply does not align with the reality of poverty in the U.S. today.

What is poverty?

The U.S. federal poverty line is set annually by the federal government, based on algorithms developed in the 1960s and adjusted for inflation.

In 2018, the federal poverty line for a family of four in the contiguous U.S. is $25,100. It’s somewhat higher in Hawaii ($28,870) and Alaska ($31,380).

However, the technical weaknesses of the federal poverty line are well known to researchers and those who work with populations in poverty. This measure considers only earned income, ignoring the costs of living for different family types, receipt of public benefits, as well as the value of assets, such as a home or car, held by families.

Most references to poverty refer to either the poverty rate or the number of people in poverty. The poverty rate is essentially the percentage of all people or a subcategory who have income below the poverty line. This allows researchers to compare over time even as the U.S. population increases. For example, 12.7 percent of the U.S. population was in poverty in 2016. The rate has hovered around 12 to 15 percent since 1980.

Other discussions reference the raw number of people in poverty. In 2016, 40.6 million people lived in poverty, up from approximately 25 million in 1980. The number of people in poverty gives a sense of the scale of the concern and helps to inform the design of relevant policies.

Both of these indicators fluctuate with the economy. For example, the poverty population grew by 10 million during the 2007 to 2009 recession, equating to an increase of approximately 4 percent in the rate.

The rates of poverty over time by age show that, while poverty among seniors has declined, child poverty and poverty among adults have changed little over the last 40 years. Today, the poverty rate among children is nearly double the rate experienced by seniors.

The July report by the Council of Economic Advisers uses an alternate way of measuring poverty, based on households’ consumption of goods, to conclude that poverty has dramatically declined. Though this method may be useful for underpinning an argument for broader work requirements for the poor, the much more favorable picture it paints simply does not reconcile with the observed reality in the U.S. today.

Deserving versus undeserving poor

Political discussions about poverty often include underlying assumptions about whether those living in poverty are responsible for their own circumstances.

One perspective identifies certain categories of poor as more deserving of assistance because they are victims of circumstance. These include children, widows, the disabled and workers who have lost a job. Other individuals who are perceived to have made bad choices – such as school dropouts, people with criminal backgrounds or drug users – may be less likely to receive sympathetic treatment in these discussions. The path to poverty is important, but likely shows that most individuals suffered earlier circumstances that contributed to the outcome.

Among the working-age poor in the U.S. (ages 18 to 64), approximately 35 percent are not eligible to work, meaning they are disabled, a student or retired. Among the poor who are eligible to work, fully 63 percent do so.

Earlier this year, lawmakers in the House proposed new work requirements for recipients of SNAP and Medicaid. But this ignores the reality that a large number of the poor who are eligible for benefits are children and would not be expected to work. Sixty-three percent of adults who are eligible for benefits can work and already do. The issue here is more so that these individuals cannot secure and retain full-time employment of a wage sufficient to lift their family from poverty.

A culture of poverty?

The circumstances of poverty limit the odds that someone can escape poverty. Individuals living in poverty or belonging to families in poverty often work but still have limited resources – in regard to employment, housing, health care, education and child care, just to name a few domains.

If a family is surrounded by other households also struggling with poverty, this further exacerbates their circumstances. It’s akin to being a weak swimmer in a pool surrounded by other weak swimmers. The potential for assistance and benefit from those around you further limits your chances of success.

Even the basic reality of family structure feeds into the consideration of poverty. Twenty-seven percent of female-headed households with no other adult live in poverty, dramatically higher than the 5 percent poverty rate of married couple families.

Poverty exists in all areas of the country, but the population living in high-poverty neighborhoods has increased over time. Following the Great Recession, some 14 million people lived in extremely poor neighborhoods, more than twice as many as had done so in 2000. Some areas saw some dramatic growth in their poor populations living in high-poverty areas.

Given the complexity of poverty as a civic issue, decision makers should understand the full range of evidence about the circumstances of the poor. This is especially important before undertaking a major change to the social safety net such as broad-based work requirements for those receiving non-cash assistance.

Robert L. Fischer, Co-Director of the Center on Urban Poverty and Community Development, Case Western Reserve University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.