Tuesday, 26 November 2024

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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors has added an urgency ordinance to its Tuesday agenda that will require everyone — regardless of vaccination status — to wear masks when visiting facilities operated by the county of Lake.

County officials said that as of Monday morning, Sutter Lakeside Hospital reported its emergency department was treating 18 COVID-19 patients. The hospital’s customary capacity is 14 beds.

Based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 6 a.m. Monday update, essentially half (49.4%) of all Lake County residents, and 41.1% of those currently eligible have yet to receive even one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

With so many residents unprotected, Lake County’s District 5 Supervisor, Jessica Pyska, is sponsoring the urgency ordinance as an extra Item for Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.

The urgency ordinance is intended to limit the risk of employees and the public contracting COVID-19 in county-operated facilities.

If passed by the required four-fifths vote, face coverings will immediately be required for all people, regardless of vaccination status, in county facilities (e.g.: the Lake County Courthouse building and surrounding offices; the Department of Social Services’ Lower Lake facility).

“Our board has the opportunity to set an example for all Lake County businesses by taking precautions that reflect the serious threat we are currently experiencing,” said Pyska. “If California was still using the Blueprint System, Lake County would be in the Purple Tier. All people were required to mask indoors when we were in the Purple Tier, and those precautions made a difference.”

If the board Adopts the Urgency Ordinance, another extra Item implementing changes to the County of Lake’s COVID-19 Worksite Protocol will also be considered.

“We are already asking a lot of our local hospitals and regional health care partners, and we must turn things around,” said Pyska. “Requiring universal masking in county facilities is highly sensible. We have learned over the past 17 months face coverings can significantly reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission when people from different households come together in indoor settings. Let’s do what we can to protect one another.”

Pyska introduced a resolution as an extra item at the board’s July 20 meeting to encourage people to wear masks in indoor public settings. The board unanimously approved that resolution.

Information on how to participate in Tuesday’s meeting, which begins at 9 a.m., can be found here.
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — Four people died Sunday when the helicopter they were riding in crashed near Colusa.

The Colusa County Sheriff’s Office said that at 1:15 p.m. Sunday it received a report of a helicopter crash near Highway 45 at Reservation Road.

The agency responded to the scene along with Sacramento River Fire personnel.

When they arrived, authorities said the first responders located four passengers on board the helicopter.

Authorities said the passengers were confirmed deceased at the scene.

The passengers’ identification was not released Sunday pending family notifications.

As of Sunday evening, no additional information on the victims was available.

The Colusa County Sheriff's Office said it was continuing to investigate the scene on Sunday, along with interviewing persons who may have seen the helicopter crash.

The agency said it notified the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, and they will take the lead on the investigation.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has more new dogs available to new families this week.

Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Australian cattle dog, basset, boxer, bulldog, husky, Labrador Retriever, pit bull, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rottweiler, shepherd and terrier.

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 website 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.

This 2-year-old male Labrador Retriever is in kennel No. 19, ID No. LCAC-A-1349. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male Labrador Retriever

This 2-year-old male Labrador Retriever has a short black coat with white markings.

He is in kennel No. 19, ID No. LCAC-A-1349.

This 2-year-old female basset-husky-hound is in kennel No. 21, ID No. LCAC-A-1331. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Basset-husky-hound mix

This 2-year-old female basset-husky-hound has a short black and tan coat.

She is in kennel No. 21, ID No. LCAC-A-1331.

“Dusty” is a 2-year-old female pit bull terrier mix in kennel No. 22, ID No. LCAC-A-611. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Dusty’

“Dusty” is a 2-year-old female pit bull terrier mix with a short gray coat.

She is in kennel No. 22, ID No. LCAC-A-611.

“Jim” is a 2-year-old pit bull terrier mix in kennel No. 23, ID No. LCAC-A-810. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Jim’

“Jim” is a 2-year-old pit bull terrier mix with a short black and white coat.

He is in kennel No. 23, ID No. LCAC-A-810.

This 6-year-old male terrier is in kennel No. 24, ID No. LCAC-A-1149. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male terrier

This 6-year-old male terrier has a short black coat.

He is in kennel No. 24, ID No. LCAC-A-1149.

“Rosco” is 3-year-old a male Rhodesian Ridgeback-Shepherd mix in kennel No. 25, ID No. LCAC-A-1205. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Rosco’

“Rosco” is 3-year-old a male Rhodesian Ridgeback-Shepherd mix with a short tan coat.

He is in kennel No. 25, ID No. LCAC-A-1205.

This female Rottweiler-pit bull mix is in kennel No. 27, ID No. LCAC-A-731. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Rottweiler-pit bull mix

This 1-year-old female Rottweiler-pit bull mix has a short black coat.

She has been spayed.

She is in kennel No. 27, ID No. LCAC-A-731.

“Canelo” is a young male Australian cattle dog in kennel No. 28, ID No. LCAC-A-1348. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Canelo’

“Canelo” is a young male Australian cattle dog with a short red and white coat.

He is in kennel No. 28, ID No. LCAC-A-1348.

This 4-year-old female pit bull terrier mix is in kennel No. 29, ID No. LCAC-A-812. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female pit bull terrier

This 4-year-old female pit bull terrier mix has a short white coat.

She is in kennel No. 29, ID No. LCAC-A-812.

“Bubba” is a male pit bull terrier mix in kennel No. 30, ID No. LCAC-A-1306. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Bubba’

“Bubba” is a male pit bull terrier mix with a short black coat.

He is in kennel No. 30, ID No. LCAC-A-1306.

This 2-year-old male husky is in kennel No. 32, ID No. LCAC-A-1024. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male husky

This 2-year-old male husky has a medium-length red and white coat.

He is in kennel No. 32, ID No. LCAC-A-1024.

“Dee” is a 1-year-old male shepherd mix in kennel No. 33, ID No. LCAC-A-1347. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Dee’

“Dee” is a 1-year-old male shepherd mix with a black coat.

He’s in kennel No. 33, ID No. LCAC-A-1347.

“Ghost” is a 2-year-old female husky in kennel No. 34, ID No. LCAC-A-1167. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Ghost’

“Ghost” is a 2-year-old female husky with an all-white coat and blue eyes.

She is in kennel No. 34, ID No. LCAC-A-1167.

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.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lakeport City Council this week will consider an agreement to complete a feasibility study on a recreation center and meet the new Lakeport Police Department K-9 and his handler.

The council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

The agenda can be found here.

The council chambers will be open to the public for the meeting. In accordance with updated guidelines from the state of California and revised Cal OSHA Emergency Temporary Standards, persons who are not fully vaccinated for COVID-19 are required to wear a face covering at this meeting.

If you cannot attend in person, and would like to speak on an agenda item, you can access the Zoom meeting remotely at this link or join by phone by calling toll-free 669-900-9128 or 346-248-7799.

The webinar ID is 973 6820 1787, access code is 477973; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.

Comments can be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To give the City Clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments before 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 3.

Indicate in the email subject line "for public comment" and list the item number of the agenda item that is the topic of the comment. Comments that read to the council will be subject to the three minute time limitation (approximately 350 words). Written comments that are only to be provided to the council and not read at the meeting will be distributed to the council before the meeting.

During public presentations, the council is expected to meet new Lakeport Police K-9 Olin. Olin, a German shepherd, and his handler, Officer Kaylene Strugnell, began working together in June.

The city also will receive a donation check for the annual Fourth of July fireworks show from Bruno’s Shop Smart and the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, and get updates on the All Children Thrive Youth Governance Council and on cyanobacteria from Lake County Health Services.

On Tuesday, the council is scheduled to hold a public hearing and adopt the resolution to confirm and approve the utility billing delinquency list and the associated resolution and direct staff to submit the list to the Lake County auditor-controller for inclusion on the property tax roll.

Under council business, Finance Director and Assistant City Manager Nick Walker will present an update on the recreation center feasibility study, and ask for the council’s approval to execute an agreement with Studio W for the completion of the study. At the same time, Walker will ask for approval of the recommended budget adjustment in the amount of $31,000.

Also on Tuesday, Police Chief Brad Rasmussen will discuss with the council current procedures for release of a vicious animal after an abatement order and seizure by the Animal Care and Control director.

He said questions arose earlier this year during a vicious animal abatement case about how long a vicious animal order remains in effect and the procedures for eventually releasing it.

Proposed options are receiving the report as presented, requesting additional information be brought back and providing other direction to staff.

On the consent agenda — items usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances; minutes of the regular council meeting on July 20; confirm the continuing existence of a local emergency for the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency; review and file the draft minutes of the July 21, 2021 Measure Z Advisory Committee meeting; and authorize the out of state travel as requested by the city manager for Council member Mireya Turner to attend the National League of Cities’ City Summit to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, Nov. 18 to 20.

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.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has numerous cats and kittens ready for new homes.

The following cats at the shelter have been cleared for adoption.

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.

Two females in this litter of domestic short hair kittens remain available in cat room kennel No. A1, ID Nos. 1173 and 1174. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Domestic short hair kittens

Two females in this litter of domestic short hair kittens remain available.

They are in cat room kennel No. A1, ID Nos. 1173 and 1174.

This male domestic short hair kitten is in cat room kennel No. 11c, ID No. LCAC-A-1144. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male domestic shorthair kitten

This male domestic short hair kitten has a gray tabby coat.

He is in cat room kennel No. 11c, ID No. LCAC-A-1144.

This female domestic short hair kitten is in cat room kennel No. 11d, ID No. LCAC-A-1145. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female domestic shorthair kitten

This female domestic short hair kitten has a black coat.

She is in cat room kennel No. 11d, ID No. LCAC-A-1145.

This 3-year-old female domestic medium hair cat is in cat room kennel No. 58, ID No. LCAC-A-1029. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Domestic medium hair cat

This 3-year-old female domestic medium hair cat has a brown tabby coat.

She is in cat room kennel No. 58, ID No. LCAC-A-1029.

“Furball” is a 6-year-old female domestic longhair cat in cat room kennel No. 84, ID No. LCAC-A-969. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Furball’

“Furball” is a 6-year-old female domestic longhair cat with a brown tabby coat.

She is in cat room kennel No. 84, ID No. LCAC-A-969.

This male domestic shorthair is in cat room kennel No. 120, ID No. LCAC-A-874. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male domestic shorthair

This male domestic shorthair has a gray and white coat.

He is 1-year-old and weighs nearly 6 pounds.

He is in cat room kennel No. 120, ID No. LCAC-A-874.

This 2-year-old female domestic shorthair cat is in cat room kennel No. C123, ID No. LCAC-A-1152. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female domestic shorthair

This 2-year-old female domestic shorthair cat has a white coat and blue eyes.

She is in cat room kennel No. C123, ID No. LCAC-A-1152.

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.
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Team USA has sent 613 athletes from 46 states to this summer’s 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, which were postponed a year due to the pandemic.

California, the most populous state, is sending the most (126) but Colorado is sending more per capita (5.9 per million).

The full roster of the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team shows athletes by state, including their name, sport, hometown and event(s).

Competition (some baseball and soccer games) began on July 21, before the opening ceremony on July 23. The closing ceremony is Aug. 8.

These Olympics are featuring 339 medal events in 33 sports. Four sports are new this year: karate, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing. Baseball and softball are returning for the first time since 2008.

Team USA athletes from 46 states

— California’s 126 athletes make up 20.5% of the U.S. team. Next are Florida (51), Colorado (34), Texas (31) and New York (27). On a per capita basis, Colorado (5.9 athletes per million population), Hawaii (5.7), and the District of Columbia (5.6) beat out all other states, including California (3.2).

— The nine states with populations over 10 million contributed 322 athletes (California, Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Georgia and North Carolina). The seven states with populations under 1 million sent 10 (Delaware, South Dakota, North Dakota, Alaska, District of Columbia, Vermont and Wyoming).

— Aside from the 50 states, the District of Columbia is home to four athletes (men’s basketball, fencing, tennis and triathlon) and Puerto Rico to one (baseball). There’s even one Italian on Team USA (men’s water polo).

More U.S. sports facts

— In 2019, there were 39,297 fitness and recreational sports centers establishments in the United States. They employed 777,590 people with a $12 billion annual payroll.

— The United States had about 140,000 athletes, coaches and umpires out of a workforce of 114 million in 2019. That’s about 1,228 per million population.

A brief history about the Olympics and Japan

— The modern Olympics began in 1896 in Athens, Greece.

— The United States has hosted more Olympics than any other country: four Summer Games (1904, 1932, 1984, 1996) and four Winter Games (1932, 1960, 1980, 2002).

— Japan has hosted four Olympics, tied for third with Italy: two Summer Games (1964 and 2020 held this year) and two Winter Games (1972 and 1998).

— During these Olympics, Japan is expected to host 11,238+ athletes from 206 countries. The official Games motto: United by Emotion.

— Tokyo is the largest metropolitan area in the world with a population of 38.14 million in 2016.

— Japan is ranked 11th with a 2021 population of 124.7 million.

The next three Summer Games are set to be held in 2024 in Paris, 2028 in Los Angeles and 2032 in Brisbane, Australia.

India, the second most populous country in the world, has never hosted the Olympics. Neither has any country on the continent of Africa.

Derick C. Moore is a senior communications specialist in the Census Bureau's Communications Directorate.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors will get the latest details on the county’s COVID-19 situation and consider appointments to the Lake County Planning Commission and Mental Health Advisory Board this week.

The‌ ‌board will meet beginning ‌at‌ ‌9‌ ‌a.m. ‌Tuesday, Aug. 3, 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, ‌online‌ ‌at‌ ‌https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx‌‌ and‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌county’s‌ ‌Facebook‌ ‌page. ‌ Accompanying‌ ‌board‌ ‌documents, ‌the‌ ‌agenda‌ ‌and‌ ‌archived‌ ‌board‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌videos‌ ‌also‌ ‌are‌ ‌available‌ ‌at‌ ‌that‌ ‌link. ‌ ‌

To‌ ‌participate‌ ‌in‌ ‌real-time, ‌join‌ ‌the‌ ‌Zoom‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌by‌ ‌clicking‌ ‌this‌ ‌link‌. ‌ ‌

The‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌ID‌ ‌is‌ 910 9817 5969, ‌pass code 062504.‌ ‌The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,91098175969#,,,,*062504#.

All interested members of the public that do not have internet access or a Mediacom cable subscription are encouraged to call 669-900-6833, and enter the Zoom meeting ID and pass code information above.

To‌ ‌submit‌ ‌a‌ ‌written‌ ‌comment‌ ‌on‌ ‌any‌ ‌agenda‌ ‌item‌ ‌visit‌ ‌https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx‌‌ and‌ ‌click‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌eComment‌ ‌feature‌ ‌linked‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌date. ‌If‌ ‌a‌ ‌comment‌ ‌is‌ ‌submitted‌ ‌after‌ ‌the‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌begins, ‌‌it‌ ‌may‌ ‌not‌ ‌be‌ ‌read‌ ‌during‌ ‌the‌ ‌meeting‌ ‌but‌ ‌will‌ ‌become‌ ‌a‌ ‌part‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌record. ‌

In an untimed item, Public Health officials will update the board on the evolving COVID-19 situation.

Also in untimed items, the board will consider appointing Maile Field as the new District 5 planning commissioner and Bonnie Blumenthal as the newest Mental Health Advisory Board member.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

5.1: Approve authorized representatives for Chandler Asset Management and direction to the county administrative officer to sign the authorization form.

5.2: Approve Amendment 4 to the commercial lease agreement between the county of Lake and Cipora Properties (formerly Bruno’s Property Management) for the lease of property located at 6302/6312 13th Ave., Lucerne, to revise the name and address of lessor and authorize the chair to sign.

5.3: Approve resolution setting rate of pay for election officers for the Sept. 14, 2021, California Gubernatorial Recall Election.

5.4: Adopt proclamation recognizing the retirement of Carolyn Cook-White, health programs support specialist, and honoring her many years of outstanding service to the county of Lake.

5.5: Approve amendment to the relocation policy.

5.6: a) Approve hiring incentive policy; and b) approve amendment to the employee referral program.

5.7: Adopt resolution amending Resolution 2021-68 establishing position allocation for fiscal year 2021-2022 revising salaries for Budget Unit 4121, Integrated Waste Management.

5.8: Approve plans and specifications for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Lake County Culvert Upgrades 3, FEMA-5189-FM-CA Culvert Replacement Project Various County Roads, Bid No. 21-04.

5.9: Adopt proclamation commending County Surveyor Gordon Haggitt.

5.10: Approve the extension of food services agreement with Trinity Services Group Inc. to supervise the preparation and service of meals at the Lake County Jail/Hill Road Facility and authorize the sheriff to sign the letter for the CPI increase.

5.11: Approve additional lift gate charges in the amount of $300 from the purchase of kitchen equipment from Cook's Supply.

5.12: Approve contract between the county of Lake and Brain Learning Psychological Corp. for learning disability testing and evaluation services in the amount of $45,000 from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, and authorize the chair to sign.

TIMED ITEMS

6.2, 9:06 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation commending County Surveyor Gordon Haggitt.

6.3, 9:10 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation recognizing the retirement of Carolyn Cook-White, health programs support specialist, and honoring her many years of outstanding service to the county of Lake.

6.4, 10 a.m.: Continued from July 20, public hearing, consideration of an ordinance amending Article X of Chapter Two of the Lake County Code to include further requirements for exemptions from competitive bidding and requirements for bid protests.

UNTIMED ITEMS

7.2: Consideration of appointment of District 5 planning commissioner.

7.3: Consideration of the following advisory board appointments: Mental Health Advisory Board.

7.4: Consideration of amendment to the existing Salary on Appointment and Advanced Step Appointment Policy 1601.1.

7.5.: Addendum, consideration of update on COVID-19.

CLOSED SESSION

8.1: Conference with labor negotiator: (a) chief negotiator: M. Long; County Negotiators: C. Huchingson and P. Samac; and (b) employee organizations: LCDDAA, LCDSA, LCCOA, LCEA, LCSEA and LCSMA.

8.2: Conference with (a) temporary representatives designated to meet with county department heads regarding salary and benefits and (b) unrepresented management employees.

8.3: Public employee appointment pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54957(b)(1): (a) Interviews of Community Development director (b) appointment of Community Development director.

8.4: Public employee appointment pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54957(b)(1): Appointment of Public Health officer.

8.5: Public employee evaluation: Air pollution control officer.

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.
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Feijoada, a stew made with black beans and pork, is sometimes called the national dish of Brazil. Photo by Esther Oertel.


LAKEPORT, Calif. — I was transported to Brazil on Thursday, though I didn’t have to travel far — just the 30 or so miles from Middletown to Lakeport.

I was connected by a colleague of mine to Euni Barbosa Sloan, a local Brazilian woman who is delightfully enthusiastic about dishes from her native land.

I was invited to join the two of them to sample feijoada (pronounced fay-jwa-da), a quintessential Brazilian stew and a specialty of Sloan’s, to whose home I had trekked.

The day was hot — near 100 in Lakeport — but it didn’t rival the warm welcome I received when I reached my destination and knocked on the door.

Brazilians are known for their friendliness (hospitality is characteristic of Brazil), and my host unquestionably embodied this trait. After being greeted with a hug I was ushered into the kitchen, where the components of our lunch were ready and laid out.

Euni Barbosa Sloan of Lakeport, California, hails from Brazil and enjoys making dishes from her homeland, such as this feijoada. Photo by Esther Oertel.

Arrayed in front of me were bowls of traditional accompaniments to feijoada: succulent slices of orange, toasted cassava flour with bacon (known as farofa in Brazil), and a juicy salsa of sorts, made joyfully colorful by a rainbow of bell peppers.

Sloan piled white rice fresh from the stove into a bowl and ladled fragrant stew into a tureen. A mound of finely shredded deep green kale was put in a skillet to sauté, something done last minute to ensure its freshness.

Since there are so many components to this dish, Sloan had printed a picture showing how to assemble one’s plate, something this novice appreciated.

Once our plates were full and we were ready to eat, talk turned to Sloan’s homeland. I learned a bit about its history and gained greater knowledge of its food.

Farofa, a dish of toasted cassava flour with bacon, is a traditional accompaniment to feijoada, Brazilian black bean and pork stew. Photo by Esther Oertel.

Brazilian cuisine is influenced by a mixture of European, Indigenous, and African ingredients and traditions.

Feijoada, a stew of black beans and pork, is sometimes called the national dish of Brazil. It likely originated with African slaves who worked on Brazil’s coffee, cotton and sugar cane plantations.

Its name stems from feijão, the word for black beans in Portuguese, the language of Brazil.

After the plantation owners had feasted on pork, slaves would use the leftovers, typically the “undesirable” parts such as the ears, tails and feet, to make a stew with black beans.

These days many eliminate the original parts used by slaves and substitute ribs, bacon and sausage; however, Sloan offers a nod to the initial configuration by adding a pig’s foot to the more modern version.

Her stew was rife with deep flavor, rich and smoky, and I found myself reaching for the tureen to replenish my plate. The juices of the black beans and pork mixed well with the graininess of the farofa, and the oranges, kale, and salsa provided balance by adding bright notes to the dish.

Dishes that traditionally accompany feijoada, Brazilian black bean stew, include kale, white rice, fresh oranges, salsa, and farofa, toasted cassava flour with bacon. Photo by Esther Oertel.

It was a truly sublime experience, and I find myself thinking of the flavor even now, though I eat mostly plant-based foods.

Sloan enjoys cooking the dishes she grew up with in Brazil and strives to make them as authentic as possible, though it can be a challenge to find true Brazilian ingredients.

For example, in Brazil she makes feijoada with calabrese, a sausage that originated in Italy’s Calabria region, a reflection of the Italian influence in some of Brazil’s cuisine, particularly in the south.

In the U.S. she subs more available linguica or kielbasa, smoked sausages hailing from Portugal and Poland, respectively.

She often has luck finding ingredients at Bruno’s Shop Smart in Lakeport, but if all else fails, she orders what ingredients she can online.

Sloan refers to the cassava flour I mentioned as yuca flour (not to be confused with yucca, another plant with edible parts). Other names for the root from which this flour is made include manioc, mandioca, casabe and, as we may more commonly know it, tapioca.

In Portuguese, cassava flour is known as farinha de mandioca.

As to what food Sloan misses most, she longs for pão francés, a sourdough French bread warm from the bakery and spread with butter. I could almost taste it through her description. She’s been unable to find it here.

This is the traditional presentation of feijoada, Brazilian black bean and pork stew. Shown are accompaniments farofa (a toasted cassava flour dish with bacon), kale, salsa, fresh oranges and white rice. Photo by Esther Oertel.

I learned of pastel, a thin crust savory or sweet Brazilian pastry filled with cheese, meat, or bananas and cinnamon, and coxinha, a Brazilian chicken croquette, which is a popular street food there.

I also learned that the custom in Brazil is to eat a heavy meal midday and a snack in the evening. Sloan has convinced her American husband to embrace this custom. Luckily he works nearby and can come home for lunch to enjoy his wife’s lavish cooking.

Our meal was finished with coffee and bolo de laranja, a rich Brazilian cake flavored with a whole orange, rind and all, that manages to be both dense and delicate.

Brazil is known for its passionate love of meats, and there are some Brazilian steakhouses and barbecue restaurants within driving distance, though not in Lake County. Napa, Sacramento, San Jose and San Francisco were mentioned by Sloan, and Brazilian food may also be available in nearby Sonoma County.

Sloan prepared feijoada for her husband’s birthday celebration less than two weeks prior to my visit, and I’m grateful she made it a second time for me. I deeply appreciate her valuable contributions to today’s column, as well as her warm Brazilian hospitality.

I also extend my sincerest thanks to Teresa Marks, a fellow literacy tutor and Lake County Literacy Coalition board member, for suggesting the subject and introducing me to Sloan.

Brazil, which occupies half of South America’s land mass, was ranked by Condé Nast Travel editors as the most beautiful country in the world. (This is no small task, to be sure.) As Condé Nast reports, with its many and delightful natural wonders, Brazil has “no shortage of grandeur.”

While I’ve never traveled to Brazil (I hope to someday), my visit to the Sloan residence, what I now think of as a local Brazilian outpost, was both grand and delightful.

Today’s recipes are generously shared by Sloan and are for her feijoada and Brazilian orange cake.

Feijoada (Brazilian black bean and pork stew)

1 pound dried black beans (soaked at least four hours or overnight), drained and rinsed
4 ounces slab bacon, rind removed, diced
1 pound pork ribs, cut into individual ribs
2 smoked sausages, such as linguica or kielbasa, sliced
4 ounces pork meat, cut into small pieces
1 pork foot, cut into small pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 or 4 bay leaves
Water, about 8 cups
Oil for pot
Salt to taste

Add oil to a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add bacon and cook over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

In the same pot, brown ribs and sausages in batches. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

If needed, add more oil to the pot and sauté garlic over medium heat until soft and fragrant, being careful not to burn, about a minute or less.

Add the beans, bacon, sausages, ribs, pork meat, pork foot, salt, and bay leaves to the pan. Cover with water, about 8 cups.

Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Cover and let it cook for 2 to 2 ½ hours, or until the beans are soft.

If the stew has too much liquid, uncover the pot and continue cooking to allow some of the liquid to evaporate.

Bola de laranja is a dense yet delicate Brazilian orange cake flavored with a whole orange, including the rind. Photo by Esther Oertel.

Bolo de Laranja (Brazilian orange cake)

1 whole orange with skin, cut into pieces with white pith removed
1 cup neutral oil (Sloan uses avocado oil)
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
Powdered sugar for decoration

Grease and flour a tube pan.

In a blender or food processor, puree orange, oil, eggs and sugar. Set aside.

Mix flour and baking powder in a large bowl.

Add blended orange mixture to the bowl and incorporate well.

Pour into a greased and floured tube pan and bake at 360 degrees F for 30 minutes.

When cool, remove from the pan.

Lightly sprinkle powdered sugar over the cake to decorate.

Recipes by Euni Sloan.

Esther Oertel is a writer and passionate home cook from a family of chefs. She grew up in a restaurant, where she began creating recipes from a young age. She’s taught culinary classes in a variety of venues in Lake County and previously wrote “The Veggie Girl” column for Lake County News. Most recently she’s taught culinary classes at Sur La Table in Santa Rosa. She lives in Middletown, California.
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This mini-panorama combines two photographs taken by Apollo 15 lunar module pilot Jim Irwin, from the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) site, at the end of the second Apollo 15 moonwalk on August 1, 1971. Scott is leaning to his right and is putting down the Apollo Lunar Surface drill used to take core samples and set up a heat flow experiment. The Solar Wind Spectrometer is in the right foreground. The min-pan of photographs AS15-11845 and 11847 was combined by Erik van Meijgaarden, volunteer contributor to the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal site. Credits: Erik van Meijgaarden.

Fifty years ago, Apollo 15 lifted off from Kennedy Space Center, sending Commander David R. Scott, Command Module Pilot Alfred M. Worden, and Lunar Module Pilot James B. Irwin on the first of three Apollo “J” missions.

These missions gave astronauts the opportunity to explore the Moon for longer periods using upgraded and more plentiful scientific instruments than ever before. Apollo 15 was the first mission where astronauts used the Apollo Lunar Surface Drill, or ALSD, and the Lunar Roving Vehicle, or LRV.

Scott and Irwin would land on the Moon and use the ALSD at the site where they set up several scientific instruments during the nearly 67 hours they were on the surface of the Moon.

The tool was a rotary-percussive drill that used a combined motion that hammered a rotating drill bit into the surface to make a hole.

The overall purpose of gathering core samples was part of NASA’s lunar geology studies to learn more about the composition of the Moon and discover more about its history by looking at different kinds of rocks, including some from below the surface.

Now, NASA is going back to the Moon as part of the agency’s Artemis missions and has a new drill headed to the lunar surface as a commercially delivered payload via the Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative.

The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain, or TRIDENT, is key to locating ice and other resources on the Moon.

“Honeybee Robotics designed the TRIDENT drill for NASA to sample lunar regolith,” said Amy Eichenbaum, the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1, or PRIME-1, deputy project manager. “TRIDENT will help understand the physical properties of the lunar regolith while also allowing analysis of the resources present in samples taken from various depths.”

TRIDENT is also a rotary-percussive drill, but one major difference between it and its Apollo counterpart is that TRIDENT does not need astronauts to operate it manually.

Honeybee Robotics originally partnered with NASA through the Small Business Innovation Research program, a highly competitive program that encourages small businesses to engage in federal research.

The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain (TRIDENT) Engineering Development Unit performs recent testing at Honeybee Robotics. TRIDENT is a drill on the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1), the first in-situ resource utilization demonstration on the Moon, scheduled to take flight in late 2022. Credits: Honeybee Robotics.

PRIME-1 will be the first in-situ resource utilization demonstration on the Moon. For the first time, NASA will robotically sample and analyze for ice from below the surface.

PRIME-1 will use TRIDENT to drill in a single location at a site with a high likelihood of having water – whether in liquid or ice form.

It will drill down about 3 feet below the surface, each time bringing up samples that NASA will analyze with a scientific instrument — the Mass Spectrometer observing lunar operations, or MSolo.

“MSolo will measure water ice and other volatiles released from the sample brought to the surface by the TRIDENT drill,” said Dr. Janine Captain, the principal investigator for MSolo. “These measurements will help us start to understand the distribution of resources on the lunar surface, a key to enabling a long-term presence on the Moon.”

Apollo 15 landed near the Hadley Rille, a long, deep channel-like gorge in the Moon’s surface, which was at the base of the Apennines Mountains to the north of the Moon’s equator.

PRIME-1’s destination is the Moon’s South Pole — new territory far from all the Apollo landing sites — a location very interesting because NASA has previously detected water there from space.

However, gathering more accurate data requires PRIME-1, like ALSD, to land and drill into the surface to examine what is there.

What PRIME-1 discovers will help to update resource models for where explorers are most likely to find water on the Moon.

About a year after the PRIME-1 mission, NASA will send an exploratory rover — Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER — to the surface.

VIPER is NASA’s first mobile robotic mission to the Moon, and will carry a TRIDENT drill and scientific instruments that enable it to directly analyze water ice on the surface and subsurface of the Moon at varying depths and temperature conditions. VIPER will explore multiple sites on the lunar South Pole for about 100 days.

PRIME-1 and VIPER will build upon the legacy of Apollo 15 by using drills and rovers, allowing NASA the chance to look below the surface and detect what is there.

Much like Apollo 15, NASA is preparing to send new capabilities to the Moon that will enable people to stay there for longer than ever before, because learning how to find and use water is a key to living and working on the Moon and other deep space destinations.

“The Apollo missions first introduced the concept of drilling to provide subsurface understanding of a foreign world,” said Dan Andrews, VIPER Project Manager. “PRIME-1 and VIPER will expand the state of the art as we look to a future of sustainable exploration and learning how to live off the land.”

Leejay Lockhart works for NASA's Kennedy Space Center.


The brush assembly for The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain (TRIDENT) Engineering Development Unit shown in close up during recent testing at Honeybee Robotics. TRIDENT is a drill on both the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) the first in-situ resource utilization demonstration on the Moon and Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, NASA’s first mobile robotic mission to the Moon. Credits: Honeybee Robotics.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — With both the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention having modified the public health recommendations regarding face coverings, the Lake County Superior Court said it is reinstating the requirement for facial coverings in court facilities.

The changes are effective on Monday, Aug. 2.

In areas of “high transmission,” it is recommended that all individuals wear a proper face covering when indoors, regardless of whether an individual is fully vaccinated.

Over the last few weeks, the number of new cases and the positivity rate in Lake County has increased dramatically, with the county now having the highest case and positivity rates in the state.

“The court has the obligation to reasonably act to protect court staff, participants in court proceedings and all members of the public when at the court while acting to maintain public access to the court and the current scope of operations of the court,” court officials said in a statement.

As a result of the change in public health guidance, the extremely high virus transmission rate in Lake County and that many individuals coming to court may spend substantial time while indoors and in proximity to others, the Superior Court said it is making masking mandatory for everyone coming into a court facility.

For more information visit the court’s website.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Authorities said two separate crashes in different parts of Lake County on Saturday resulted in fatalities.

The wrecks occurred near Middletown Saturday morning and Blue Lakes in the afternoon.

The first crash was reported at 8:40 a.m. on Highway 29 at Mirabel Road, south of Middletown.

Reports from the scene stated that the crash involved a large box truck carrying mail and a pickup.

There were two patients, one with moderate injuries and one with major injuries, with extrication needed, according to radio reports.

Shortly after 9 a.m., an air ambulance requested to the scene was canceled.

The California Highway Patrol confirmed the crash resulted in a fatality.

The CHP said the roadway wasn’t fully reopened until just before 1 p.m.

Shortly before 3 p.m., Northshore Fire and Cal Fire were dispatched to a head-on crash on Highway 20 just west of Blue Lakes Road that blocked the roadway.

Incident command reported that two vehicles were involved with a total of three patients, two with major injuries, one with moderate injuries. Two air ambulances were requested to respond.

The CHP also confirmed that the crash resulted in a fatality but additional information was not immediately available on Saturday.

The roadway was not fully reopened until shortly after 4:45 p.m., the CHP reported.

Additional information on the wrecks will be published when it becomes available.

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.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Health officials said Lake County’s COVID-19 caseload has reached such critically high levels that the emergency departments at Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport and Adventist Health in Clearlake have now been significantly stretched for more than a week.

The Lake County Health Services Department has received reports that some people with mild symptoms that can be associated with COVID-19 have continued to utilize local emergency rooms for COVID testing. Others have sought vaccination at our hospitals.

“As a small, rural county, we have limited intensive care and emergency medicine resources. They must be reserved for those in medical distress; those in need of immediate care. Overutilization of these resources extends wait times, and delays care for those in the greatest need,” said Charlie Evans, MD, Lake County’s acting Public Health officer.

“At this time, we ask people with mild symptoms to please contact their medical providers and nursing advice lines, rather than going straight to the emergency room,” said Evans. “If you are in need of immediate medical care, go to the ER. However, if you are mildly ill, use alternative resources.”

Visit http://health.co.lake.ca.us/Coronavirus/Vaccines.htm and http://health.co.lake.ca.us/Coronavirus/Testing.htm to learn more about vaccination and testing resources available in Lake County.

COVID-19 testing resources in Lake County

OptumServe at Lower Lake Town Hall, 16195 Main St.: Mondays and Thursdays, 7 to 11 a.m. and noon to 4 p.m. Appointments are highly recommended, limited on-site registration is available.

Rite Aid is conducting drive-thru testing in Clearlake and Ukiah: Appointments can be made online at https://www.riteaid.com/pharmacy/services/covid-19-testing. Insurance is not required.

Labcorp offers home testing by mail. Visit https://www.pixel.labcorp.com/. Insurance is not required.

Lake County Tribal Health offers testing by appointment to established patients with or without symptoms. For appointments, call 707-263-8382.

Clearlake VA Clinic is offering COVID-19 tests to veterans experiencing symptoms or prior to procedures. Please call the TLC line at 800-733-0502 for information.

Quest Diagnostics offers home testing by mail. Visit https://questdirect.questdiagnostics.com/ for information and to see if you're eligible for $0 out-of-pocket-testing. (Quest Diagnostics in Lakeport is not offering in-lab testing for active COVID-19.)

Sutter Health (outpatient clinics) are offering testing to existing patients, if ordered by your provider. Please contact your provider's office for details.

Adventist Health is offering testing to existing pediatric patients (children) in limited circumstances. Please contact your provider's office for details.

Lake County Public Health will test by appointment on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Call 707-263-8174 to schedule or for information.

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