Monday, 25 November 2024

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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors this week will discuss a letter to the California Public Utilities Commission opposing a rate increase for Pacific Gas and Electric Co. that would impact most of Lake County’s residents.

The‌ ‌board will meet beginning ‌at‌ ‌9‌ ‌a.m. ‌Tuesday, Nov. 23, 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 989 2102 5973, ‌pass code 917285.‌ ‌The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,98921025973#,,,,*917285#.

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 item timed for 9:06 a.m., which was held over from last week, the board will discuss the letter in opposition to PG&E’s application for “Recovery of Recorded Expenditures Related to Wildfire Mitigation, Catastrophic Events, and Other Recorded Costs.”

“We are aware approval of this application would be expected to result in a 4.9% rate increase for most residential customers. In Lake County, this would mean increasing the energy costs for vulnerable residents in communities that have seen poor energy reliability in recent years,” the draft letter states.

It continues, “Customers reliant on PG&E’s Middletown Substation, for example, experienced 205 outages in the period from January 1 to September 13, 2021, alone, the average duration of which was 8.2 hours. Our residents served by the Konocti substation experienced 155 outages in the same period, with those outages spanning an average of 11.9 hours. 83% of all outages faced by Lake County residents in the just over 8 months surveyed were due to planned work, PG&E equipment, or PSPS Events, and this surveyed period notably omits the fall 2020 season that included multiple PSPS Events.”

The letter also notes that PG&E’s application is outside of the “normal cycle of anticipated PG&E rate increases,” and will increase ratepayer costs “without adding considerable certainty that power will be available is inappropriate.”

Board Chair Bruno Sabatier also plans to send his own letter to the CPUC, which points out that the proposed increase is especially unfair to residents of Lake County, who don't have access to natural gas but must rely on electricity and propane.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

5.1: Approve revisions to the procedure for placing items on the Board of Supervisors agenda.

5.2: Approve agreement between county of Lake and Hope Rising for the Smart Start — Bright Future Initiative for $75,000 for fiscal year 2021-22 and $75,000.00 for fiscal year 2022-23 for a total amount of $150,000.00 and authorize the chair to sign.

5.3: Approve Amendment No. 1 to the agreement between the county of Lake and Hilltop Recovery Services for Substance use disorder intensive outpatient program and outpatient drug free service for FY 2020-21 in the amount of $182,082.76.

5.4: Approve Amendment No. 2 to the agreement between the county of Lake – Lake County Behavioral Health Services as lead agency for the Lake County Continuum of Care and Social Solutions Global Inc. for the service and coordination of activities involved with the Lake County Continuum of Care Homeless Management Integration System Software for fiscal years 2020-24 and authorize the board chair to sign the amendment.

5.5: Adopt resolution authorizing the Behavioral Health director to execute and sign any subsequent amendments or modifications to the original standard agreement between the county of Lake and the Department of Housing and Community Development for the California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program grant funds.

5.6: Approve Board of Supervisors meeting minutes for Oct. 26, Nov. 4 and Nov. 5.

5.7: Adopt resolution authorizing the 2022-2023 Grant Project-Lake County Child Advocacy Center Program and authorize the chair to sign the certification and assurance of compliance.

5.8: Approve Budget Transfer in BU 1451, Registrar of Voters, to add a capital asset in account 62-71 for the purchase of workstations.

5.9: Approve the continuation of a local health emergency related to the 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) as proclaimed by the Lake County Public Health officer.

5.10: Approve the continuation of a local health emergency and order prohibiting the endangerment of the community through the unsafe removal, transport, and disposal of fire debris for the LNU Complex wildfire.

5.11: Approve continuation of a local health emergency by the Lake County Health officer for the Cache fire.

5.12: Approve the continuation of a local emergency due to the Pawnee fire incident.

5.13: Approve the continuation of a local emergency In Lake County in Response to the LNU Lightning Complex wildfire event.

5.14: Approve the continuation of an emergency declaration for drought conditions.

5.15: Approve the continuation of a local emergency due to COVID-19.

5.16: Approve the continuation of a local emergency due to the Mendocino Complex fire incident (River and Ranch fires).

5.17: Approve the agreement between the county of Lake and VFA Inc. for facility condition assessments and capital planning software, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.18: Approve the agreement between the county of Lake and SCS Engineers for phase one engineering design services for the Eastlake Landfill Expansion Project.

5.19: Approve continuation of a local emergency by the Lake County Sheriff/OES director for the Cache fire.

5.20: Approve the Department of Boating and Waterways 2022/23 application for financial aid in the amount of $ 472,784.28 ; and authorize the sheriff to sign.

5.21: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 2-38.4, Cooperative Purchases. (b) Approve purchase of a 2022 Ford F150 Regular Cab Pickup 4X4; and (c) authorize the Special Districts administrator/assistant purchasing agent to issue and sign a purchase order not to exceed $35,000 to Downtown Ford Sales, Sacramento.

TIMED ITEMS

6.2, 9:06 a.m.: Consideration of a letter of opposition to A.21-09-008, which would be expected to result in an effective 4.9% rate increase for most PG&E residential customers.

UNTIMED ITEMS

7.2: Consideration of ordinance amending Urgency Ordinance No. 3108 requiring all persons, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status, wear face coverings in county facilities.

7.3: Consideration of (a) board appointment of delegate and alternate to the Rural County Representatives of California, or RCRC, Board of Directors for 2022; (b) board appointment of delegate and alternate to the RCRC Golden State Finance Authority Board of Directors for 2022; (c) board appointment of delegate and alternate to the RCRC Golden State Connect Authority Board of Directors for 2022; and (d) board appointment of delegate and alternate to the RCRC Environmental Services Joint Powers Authority Board of Directors for 2022.

7.4: Consideration of the following advisory board appointments: Child Care Planning and Development Council.

7.5: Consideration of Amendment No. 1 to the agreement between the county of Lake and Sierra Vista for acute inpatient psychiatric hospital services and professional services associated with acute inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations for fiscal years 2020-21, 2021-22, and 20202-23.

7.6: Consideration of agreement between county of Lake — Lake County Behavioral Health Services as lead agency for the Lake County Continuum of Care and Worldwide Healing Hands for Fiscal Year 2021-22.

7.7: a) Consideration to waive the formal bidding process according to Purchasing Requirements Section 38.2(a) 2) as the unique nature of services precludes the competitive bidding requirements, and b) consideration to approve contract between county of Lake and North Coast Opportunities Inc. for the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Children in Foster Care, in an amount that shall not exceed the California Department of Social Services allocation, from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2024, and authorize the chair to sign.

CONSENT AGENDA

8.1: Conference with negotiators regarding the sale of county-owned property Located at 1111 Whalen Way, Lakeport, CA (APN: 21-1781-01); price and terms of payment (a) county negotiators C. Huchingson, S. Parker, S. Carter and (b) Elijah House.

8.2: Public Employee Evaluation: Title: Interim Health Services Director Carol Huchingson.

8.3: Existing Litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9 (d)(1) — IN RE NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION OPIATE LITIGATION MDL NO. 2804 Case No. 17-MD-2804.

8.4: Conference with legal counsel: Existing Litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9 (d)(1) — City of Clearlake v. County of Lake, et al.

8.5: Public employee appointment pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54957(b)(1): Interview of Health Services director and appointment of Health Services director.

8.6: Public Employee Evaluation: Title: Director: Registrar of Voters Maria Valadez.

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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Looking downstream Cache Creek from the Cache Creek Dam. About 230,000 acre feet of Clear Lake water belongs to Yolo County according to California Water Rights law. Photo by Angela DePalma-Dow.


Dear Lady of the Lake,

I just moved to Lake County and live next to the lake. I heard the other day that Lake County doesn’t have water rights to Clear Lake? Is that correct? Can I take water from the lake to irrigate my garden? I also have a pond on my property and a well, who has rights to those sources of water?

Thanks for clearing this up!

— Wondering about Water Rights Walter

Walter,

Thank you for asking these questions. I get asked about water rights quite a bit actually. You are right about Clear Lake’s water rights — they actually belong to Yolo County. Anyone who takes water from the Lake — beyond riparian rights (we will talk about these below) — has to compensate Yolo County. This also applies to the streams that flow into Clear Lake. Basically, any water that would eventually flow through Clear Lake and into Cache Creek and through the Cache Creek dam is considered “property of Yolo County” and they can charge a user for diverting or selling that water.

The story about Clear Lake water rights is old, going back more than 100 years. There have been some modifications to the rights over the years to protect the sustainability of Clear Lake, to ensure there is water in the Lake to provide for the residents of Lake County who live around the lake and to protect the habitat of the lake for wildlife and recreation.

Water rights is a big topic, but very important. Water rights — and the registration and accounting of those rights — are important to the local, regional, and state managers of water resources. Without an accurate record of who is using water, where the water is coming from and what the water is being used for, water in the west can not be managed for long-term sustainability and the resource will literally go dry.

Please note that today’s column will not cover California Tribal Water rights, but know that in general tribal water rights, for federally recognized tribes, are governed by the Winters doctrine. This doctrine basically contains two principals; 1) federally reserved lands have a right to use sufficient water to fulfill the “primary purpose” of the reservation, and 2) these water rights cannot be destroyed by state water law or by water users acting in accordance with state law.

However, there are specific uses and rights determined by each individual tribe and lands in hand. For more information on the Winters Doctrine, I recommend this brief review from the Congressional Research Service by C. Broughner (2011).

There are also many complex issues arising when conflict around water rights and resources are strained, especially when it comes to tribal beneficial use and the demands of agriculture and hydropower generation that maintains the economy of the state. Again, this important and vital topic is way beyond the scope of today’s column, but a great book to read that dives into tribes, water use and conflict in California is “Upstream: Trust Lands and Power on the Feather River” By Dr. Beth Middleton of UC Davis (Available from University of Arizona Press). I highly recommend this read.

If you have questions about current rules and regulations for water rights in general, I suggest you refer to the State Water Resource Control Boards Water Rights Frequently Asked Questions. This page provides a plethora of information in a quick, easy format to find information related to any situation regarding water rights or water law in California.

Yolo County water rights

While I will cover some details here, and there are many details, be aware that there is a nice historical summary provided on the Water Resources Department webpage on “How Yolo County Acquired Water Rights.”

About 1908, the Yolo Water and Power Co., which purchased holdings and land from the Moore Ditch Company based in Yolo County, applied for 300,000 miners inches of water rights from Cache Creek, including Clear Lake and her tributaries. A miner’s inch is actually a unit of flow, but it varies between 1/36 and 1/60 cubic feet per second depending on where in the world the term is being used. The “inch” reference actually indicates the size, in square inches, of a hole and how much water would pass through in hydraulic mining operations. Today, this is translated to about 230,000 acre-feet of Clear Lake water.

In 1912 the Yolo Water and Power Co. application for Cache Creek water coincided with the construction of a dam on Cache Creek, near the current location of the Cache Creek Dam. It’s unclear exactly how much interest Lake County had in the water flowing through Cache Creek, but when the Board of Supervisors was asked if they wanted to also apply for the water rights, apparently they said no, and the Yolo Water and Power Co. was given priority rights.

In 1927, Yolo Water and Power Co. was purchased by the Clear Lake Water Company, and in 1967, Yolo County residents voted to purchase the Clear Lake Water Company (and it’s rights) for about $2M in bonds. Before this in 1951, the Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, or YCFCWCD, was established by the state legislature to conjunctively manage surface and ground water resources in Yolo County. The YCFCWCD now manages the Cache Creek dam,
Indian Valley Reservoir, Chapman Reservoir, and manages the “world’s longest inflatable rubber dam” as part of the Capay Diversion Dam project.

YCFCWCD can continue to hold rights to Cache Creek, Clear Lake storage, and her tributaries as long as they continue to put the water to beneficial use and irrigation. This is called a “vested right”. As long as YCFCWCD is demonstrating that they are 1) Using the water and 2) using the water for beneficial use (i.e. irrigation, drinking water, storage), or uses accepted as appropriate or non improper exercise of the right, they can continue to hold their permitted right to Clear Lake waters and her tributaries.

Yolo has an even longer history using water from Cache Creek, according to the YCFCWCD, “The appropriated water right on Cache Creek in Yolo County has a priority of December 4, 1855. Through Permit No. 19162, issued by the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board), the District also has the right to utilize water from Clear Lake for hydroelectric power generation.”

Additionally there have been three decrees that have modified and clarified when and how Yolo can take and use water:

The 1920 Gopcevic Decree maintains Clear Lake water level between zero and 7.76 Rumsey. Basically Yolo can’t take water when Clear Lake is below the level where it naturally flows through Cache Creek and they can’t close the dam when they have too much water, creating lake level to exceed 7.76 Rumsey, leading to flooding. This Decree helps regulate water storage and prevents flooding of shoreline properties around Clear Lake.

The 1940 Bemmerly Decree prevents anyone from altering the shape or size of Cache Creek between Clear Lake and the Dam so that water that flows from the lake past the Grigsby riffle is a natural flow and not altered to allow more/less flow then what would naturally be occurring. For more details on the Grigsby Riffle, refer to my column from Oct. 17, “Learning about Lake Levels.”

The 1978/1995 Revised Solano Decree maintains the timing of water withdrawal by Yolo from Clear Lake based on spring water levels. Much like what happened during the 2021 drought season, the Lake did not reach a level above 3.22 feet Rumsey on May 1, so Yolo could not release any water.

Cache Creek Dam, viewed looking downstream from the Clear Lake side. Photo by Angela DePalma-Dow.

Waters not beholden to Yolo County water rights

Walter, you asked about other surface waters and if they are included in the rights of Yolo County. If there is a natural flow of water to Clear Lake, and that water would contribute to the 230,000 acre feet of water they have rights to, then that water belongs to Yolo. If the water stays in an isolated pond, marsh, wetland, or a creek or stream that does not flow Clear Lake, then it’s not subjected to Yolo water rights.

There are some other types of rights to be aware of when it comes to surface and groundwater sources of water. Here are some terms and descriptions, but keep in mind that there are some variations among these terms depending on the sources you are referencing.

Riparian rights. A Landowner who has land adjacent to a water source can use that water on their land. Riparian rights are as old as California’s statehood, originally used to encourage agriculture development in the early formation of the state. One thing to note about riparian rights is that they are not lost if not used, which can create some uncertainty to neighbors or water users downstream, for example.

Anyone who uses water from Clear Lake (or her tributaries), who uses water exceeding the rights afforded for riparian rights (The maximum use allowed under such a registration is 4,500 gallons per day for immediate use or 10 acre-feet per year for storage in a pond or reservoir) are responsible for compensating YCFCWCD, as they are the legal holder of the water right of that water source and these amounts exceed reasonable riparian right use.

Drinking water systems and purveyors located along the lake have an appropriative right agreement with YCFCWCD, meaning they report the monthly amount of water they take from the lake and what they sell. Some of the water sold by the purveyors goes to those properties who would have natural riparian rights, so there is some “littoral credit” given back to offset overall costs of water to the purveyors based on the number of properties who could claim riparian rights.

There could be a need for small domestic or diversion to storage permit if you are using water for livestock watering, irrigation, and storage for times when there is less water. That type of permit is more like a registration, through the state, requires an annual report and can help ensure that a specific water source is not being depleted when considering all the water uses and users. The state would really like all water users to register and report on their water use so that tracking and accounting of all water uses is comprehensive and actually effective.

Riparian rights apply to a pond or stream that is located on private property; only the landowner can use the water from those sources as long as they don’t interfere with someone else’s riparian right. In other words, someone downstream also has a right to access and use that water and your upstream activities can’t dry up the stream therefore inhibiting the downstream users rights.

Walter, you had asked about being able to use Clear Lake water for private use in your garden, and the answer is yes, as long as you only use the water on your own property and aren’t selling it or diverting it to someone who does not have riparian rights. Unless of course there is an agreement in place for an appropriative right between you, the state, and another water user.

Appropriative water rights. These are basically diversion or diverter rights, usually made with an agreement to a riparian rights holder. According to the Water Education Foundation, “California law allows surface water to be diverted at one point and used (appropriated) beneficially at a separate point….This is in contrast to a riparian right, which is based on ownership of the property adjacent to the water.”

Appropriative rights require a permit or license and can apply to surface water and groundwater, but according to the 1914 Water Commission Act, all diversions must acquire a permit with the State Water Resources Control Board, and the Board is charged with keeping records of all appropriations. This record-keeping is very important so that water can be managed appropriately so the resource doesn’t become exhausted.

In times of water shortage or drought, the most recent appropriative claims on the water source will be denied or curtailed, and in cases where there is extreme water shortage, all claims could be retracted to prevent exhaustion of the water source.

Groundwater law and groundwater water rights

This last type of water right — and management — is very tricky, and dare I say, evolving in real-time, as we all learn more about the amount of water that exists sub surface, or in the ground, from an aquifer, known as groundwater.

In California a landowner has rights to pump a reasonable amount of groundwater from a well on their own property and use it for an appropriate, non-wasteful manner. That definition might sound ambiguous and subjective to you, but that is why the groundwater law and groundwater management is such a topical subject of California water resource efforts right now. The courts are constantly refining these types of terms and definitions.

A groundwater basin is an area where all ground water in an area is connected, think of this as the underground “watershed.” Groundwater management focuses on safe yield of a basin, meaning the amount of water being extracted from the aquifer does not exceed the water entering the aquifer over a water year. When water extraction is greater than water inputs (precipitation, snowmelt, storm water runoff, etc) ,overdraft is occurring in a groundwater basin.

According to the Water Education Foundation, “Overdraft occurs when, over a period of years, more water is pumped from a groundwater basin than is replaced from all sources – such as rainfall, irrigation water, streams fed by mountain runoff and intentional recharge.” Some residents of Lake County experienced lowering of groundwater levels (overdraft has not been documented, the basin rebounds during a wet year) first hand this year during the drought where their well ran dry, limiting their ability to access clean, fresh water for private, commercial, or domestic use.

Across all of California we use more groundwater, two million acre-feet to be exact, than is being replaced, or recharged into the source. Some areas are at higher risk of overdraft than others, and the state is prioritizing those areas for improved groundwater management. The Big Valley Basin is the highest priority groundwater basin in Lake County (technically labeled a medium priority basin) and the subject of an intense and expensive groundwater sustainability plan development.

For more information on that project and how you can be involved (and if you live in the Big Valley - Finley - Kelseyville area, you should be!) you can visit the Lake County Department of Water Resources Big Valley Groundwater Webpage here. 

For general groundwater information, including opportunities for well monitoring and well maintenance resources like grants and loans, you can visit the general Groundwater Management website here.

Now Walter, if you are interested in having your well monitored so that you can track your use and the status of the aquifer, Lake County Water Resources is looking for more landowners to participate in a local well monitoring program. Participation in the program includes two measurements a year (spring and fall) and your well data is available by your request at any time and would only be used by the County to better understand the current state of the groundwater resources and how to manage them going into the future.

If you are interested there is a simple survey here that will connect you and the groundwater monitoring staff at Water Resources. Once you fill out this survey, a staffer will contact you to get more information and answer any of your questions. If you are interested but want more information first, you can call Water Resources directly at 707-263-2344.

Creek and farm in Bear Valley, Colusa County. A naturally flowing ditch, creek, or stream can be tapped for use by someone who owns property on said water way as long as the use is reasonable and does not deplete the source preventing others from their riparian right. Photo by Angela DePalma-Dow.

The connection between surface and groundwater

Due to the unique nature of groundwater compared to surface water, the historic management of groundwater use has been left up to local officials and agencies. For example, the local Lake County Environmental Health Department issues well permits for new wells in Lake County, although they are not a water management resource agency.

The roots in groundwater in the state have been separate from those governing surface water, almost as if they are disconnected concepts. However, the fields of ecology, geology, hydrology, and biology have demonstrated that surface and groundwater are very much connected and influence each other in the physical, chemical, and biological sense. You can not effectively manage one without managing the other.

Healthy and plentiful surface water depends on a healthy aquifer and vice versa. Therefore the state is rethinking and reinventing the management of groundwater - mostly through the development of localized basin-specific Groundwater Sustainability Plans. This management need is becoming more and more urgent as climate change has led to the reduction in the snow melt and precipitation predicted and available to recharge groundwater - and surface water supplies- to meet everyone's needs.

While this topic is vast and I could write 100 columns or more on water rights and water as a resource, I will end today with a quote from the California Water Blog. This post, from October 2014, was written by Dr. Ted Grantham, currently of UC Berkerely, who has worked on many projects involving the intersections of water quantity, quality, science and politics. This quote is more than five years old - but it still very much applies.

“California is suffering the third driest year in a century and demands for water are at an all-time high. The huge gap between allocations and natural flows — coupled with great uncertainty over water-rights holders’ actual usage — is increasingly creating conflicts between water users and confusion for water managers trying to figure out whose supplies should be curtailed during a drought. [Basically, when it comes to ] Water Rights: You can’t manage what you can’t measure.”

Sincerely,

Lady of the Lake

Angela De Palma-Dow is a limnologist (limnology = study of fresh inland waters) who lives and works in Lake County. Born in Northern California, she has a Master of Science from Michigan State University. She is a Certified Lake Manager from the North American Lake Management Society, or NALMS, and she is the current president/chair of the California chapter of the Society for Freshwater Science. She can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

If you think someone is illegal diverting water from Clear Lake or her tributaries, meaning they are taking water without a permit or without a riparian right (i.e. does not live on the lake) you can report this activity directly to Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District at Phone: 530-662-0265 or to the email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or submit a comment on their webpage.

Thanks to Kristin Sicke (YCFCWCD), Ted Grantham (UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences), and Joshua Viers (Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) at UC Merced.) and for providing information for this column.
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From its vantage point high above Earth’s atmosphere, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has completed this year's grand tour of the outer solar system — returning crisp images that complement current and past observations from interplanetary spacecraft.

This is the realm of the giant planets — Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune — extending as far as 30 times the distance between Earth and the Sun.

Unlike the rocky terrestrial planets like Earth and Mars that huddle close to the Sun’s warmth, these far-flung worlds are mostly composed of chilly gaseous soups of hydrogen, helium, ammonia, methane, and deep water around a packed, intensely hot, compact core.

Though robotic spacecraft have sent back snapshots of their visits to these four enormous planets over the past 50 years, their swirling, colorful atmospheres are constantly changing. While robotic spacecraft that fly close to the planets can take sharper images, Hubble frequently revisits these distant worlds to reveal new surprises, offering fresh insights into their wild weather, driven by still largely unknown dynamic forces working under the cloud tops.

Hubble’s snapshots of the outer planets reveal both extreme and subtle changes rapidly taking place in these distant worlds. Hubble’s sharp view gleans insights into the fascinating, dynamic weather patterns and seasons on these gas giants and allows astronomers to investigate the very similar — and very different — causes of their changing atmospheres.

These Hubble images are part of yearly maps of each planet taken as part of the Outer Planets Atmospheres Legacy program, or OPAL. The program provides annual, global views of the outer planets to look for changes in their storms, winds, and clouds.

Hubble’s longevity, and unique vantage point, has given astronomers a unique chance to check in on the outer planets on a yearly basis. Knowledge from the OPAL program can also be extended far beyond our own solar system in the study of atmospheres of planets that orbit stars other than our Sun.

Jupiter

This year’s Hubble images of Jupiter track the ever-changing landscape of its turbulent atmosphere, where several new storms are making their mark, and the pace of color changes near the planet’s equator is continuing to surprise researchers.

Hubble’s Sept. 4 photo puts the giant planet’s tumultuous atmosphere on full display.

The planet’s equatorial zone has remained a deep orange hue for a much longer time, compared to previous darkening episodes. While the equator has changed from its traditional white or beige appearance for a few years now, scientists were surprised to find the deeper orange color to persist in Hubble’s recent imaging, instead expecting the zone to lose its reddish haze layer.

Just above the equator, researchers note the appearance of several new storms, nicknamed “barges” during the Voyager era. These elongated red cells can be defined as cyclonic vortexes, which vary in appearance. While some of the storms are sharply defined and clear, others are fuzzy and hazy. This difference in appearance is caused by the properties within the clouds of the vortexes.

“Every time we get new data down, the image quality and detail in the cloud features always blow me away,” said Amy Simon of the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “It strikes me when I look at Jupiter, in the barges or in the red band right below, you can see cloud structures that are clearly much deeper. We’re seeing a lot of structure here and vertical depth variation.”

Researchers also note that a feature dubbed “Red Spot Jr.” (Oval BA), below the Great Red Spot, where Hubble just discovered winds are speeding up, is still a darker beige color, and is joined by a string of white, anticyclonic storms to the south.

Saturn

Hubble’s new look at Saturn on September 12th shows rapid and extreme color changes of the bands in the planet’s northern hemisphere, where it is now early autumn. The bands have varied throughout Hubble observations in both 2019 and 2020.

Notably, Saturn’s iconic hexagonal storm, first discovered in 1981 by the Voyager 2 spacecraft, was difficult to distinguish in 2020, but it is again clearly evident in 2021. Hubble’s Saturn image catches the planet following the southern hemisphere’s winter, evident in the lingering blue-ish hue of the south pole.

In the past, Hubble has allowed researchers to closely track the northern hemisphere's seasonal changes.

“This is something we can best do with Hubble. With Hubble’s high resolution, we can narrow things down to which band is actually changing,” said Michael Wong of the University of California, Berkeley. “If you were to look at this through a ground-based telescope, there’s some blurring with our atmosphere, and you’ll lose some of those color variations. Nothing from the ground will get visible-light images as sharp as Hubble’s.”

Uranus

Hubble’s Oct. 25 view of Uranus puts the planet’s bright northern polar hood in the spotlight. It’s springtime in the northern hemisphere and the increase in ultraviolet radiation absorbed from the Sun seems to be causing the polar region to brighten.

Researchers are studying how the brightening polar hood results from changes in the concentration of atmospheric methane gas and the characteristics of haze particles, as well as the atmospheric flow patterns.

Curiously, even as the atmospheric hood gets brighter, the sharp southernmost boundary remains fixed at the same latitude. This has been constant over the past several years of OPAL observations, perhaps because a jet stream is setting up a barrier at that latitude of 43 degrees.

Neptune

In observations taken on Sept. 7, researchers found that Neptune’s dark spot, which recently was found to have reversed course from moving toward the equator, is still visible in this image, along with a darkened northern hemisphere.

There is also a notable dark, elongated circle encompassing Neptune’s south pole. Neptune's and Uranus’ blue color is a result of the absorption of red light by the planets’ methane-rich atmosphere, combined with the same Rayleigh-scattering process that makes the Earth's sky blue.

In 2021, there are few bright clouds on Neptune, and its distinct blue with a singular large dark spot is very reminiscent of what Voyager 2 saw in 1989.

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and the European Space Agency. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland, conducts Hubble science operations. STScI is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy in Washington, D.C.
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Research shows that many seniors living alone prefer to recover from acute illness in their own homes, rather than in long-term care facilities.

Now a new study by researchers at UC San Francisco has identified one factor that buffers the likelihood of a “health shock” culminating in a nursing home stay of at least 30 days.

Older adults who said they could count on a friend or relative to “help with personal care if needed,” in the event of a hospitalization of at least two days or a new diagnosis of a life-threatening condition, reduced their risk of requiring institutional care over a two-year period from 14.2% to 10.9%.

In the study, which published in JAMA Internal Medicine on Nov. 15, the UCSF researchers tracked data from 4,772 adults who had been enrolled in the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative, longitudinal study that assessed changes in disability, health and wealth as participants transitioned from the workforce to retirement.

The UCSF cohort was restricted to those aged 65 and older who lived alone in the community and managed activities of daily living, ranging from basic self-care to finances and home maintenance. They found that 68% of these participants experienced a sudden adverse change in their health status.

‘Unnerving’ number of seniors without assistance

Among the older adults living alone, 38% were unable to identify a friend or family member to help them in the event of a serious health issue, a number that lead author Sachin Shah, MD, from the UCSF Division of Hospital Medicine, described as “unnerving.”

“I think they are quite vulnerable. We see it in the hospital all the time,” he said. “We admit people who could be OK at home if they only had a little support.”

Many older adults are able to take care of themselves until they experience a health crisis, said senior author Kenneth Covinsky, MD, of the UCSF Division of Geriatrics. “They may have been able to walk without help, shower, dress and manage their medications, but after a health shock, they can no longer do so. This question can identify those at risk.”

Possible solutions, according to the researchers, is for more cities to implement programs in which older adults requiring assistance in their home can be matched with salaried caregivers or have a friend or family member receive a salary for their own caregiving.

“This would be in keeping with the preferences of most older adults to remain in their homes, and would reduce the tremendous cost of institutional care both to older adults and to insurers,” said Shah.

The researchers found no difference in mortality and self-care ability between those older adults living alone who could identify social support and those who could not.

Co-authors: Other authors are Margaret C. Fang, MD, from the UCSF Division of Hospital Medicine; S. Rae Wannier, MPH, of the UCSF Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics; and Michael Steinman, MD, from the UCSF Division of Geriatrics.

Funding: The study was supported by the National Institute on Aging (R03AG060090, P30AG044281, K24AG049057), the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (K24HL141354) and the UCSF Division of Hospital Medicine.

Competing Interests: Dr. Fang reports grants from NHLB/NIH during the study and grants from PCORI outside the submitted work. The other authors report grants from NIH/NIAS during the study.

Suzanne Leigh writes for UC San Francisco.
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Dr. Paula Dhanda and Jan McKenny decorate a tree filled with an abundance of antique European ornaments for the 2020 Festival of Trees displayed at Ruzicka Engineering. Photo courtesy of Hospice Services of Lake County.


KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — The third annual Festival of Trees Spectacular Party and Christmas Tree Auction is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 4.

It will take place beginning, at 3855 Main St., adjacent to Sophie’s Day Spa, in downtown Kelseyville.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting www.lakecountyhospice.org or calling 707-263-6222.

This event will feature over 21 Christmas trees exquisitely decorated and donated by community members and representatives of organizations and businesses.

Trees will be auctioned off with proceeds benefiting the special needs of Hospice/Palliative Care patients; and the Wings of Hope bereavement camp and school-based counseling program, both opportunities for children in the community to receive professional support when someone special in their life has died.

A silent auction with beautiful holiday décor and other unique items will be featured at the event.

Community members are invited to view trees in advance of the event from Nov. 26 through Dec. 2, between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., and Friday, Dec. 3, from 4 to 9 p.m. Trees will be displayed in the event venue and selected business.

This event is sponsored and supported by many generous businesses, organizations and individuals including Next Home Realty, Lake Parts, Empire Mortuary Services, Lucerne Roofing, Clearlake Veterinary Practice, High Country Security, Roto Rooter of Lake and Mendocino Counties, Savings Bank of Lake and Mendocino Counties, Rotary Club of Lakeport, ProCare Hospice Care, Jonas Energy Solutions, Delta Iota Tau, Bruno’s Property Management, Michaels Insurance, Vanderwall Engineering, Strong Financial Network, Lake County Electric, Lincoln-Leavitt Insurance, Kelly Butcher, Lake County Tribal Health Consortium, Bill and Dana Kearney, Bell Haven Flower Farm, Foods Etc., Mendo-Lake Respiratory, Lake Event Design, California Exterminators, UCC Rentals and Action Sanitary.

Party guests will enjoy a savory and sweet small plate meal prepared by multiple culinary professionals from the Saw Shop Public House, Ripe Choice Catering, Wild Hope Bakery, Mother Lovin’ From the Oven, Chef Cheryl Foberg, Lake Event Design and more. Local breweries and wines will be featured at a no host bar.

Hospice Services Community Relations Manager Beth Havrilla and development team members are excited to bring back this live festive event.

“Come and enjoy a spectacular party while supporting an amazing organization. Talent, delectable food and generosity will highlight an evening of celebration benefiting an important cause,” said Havrilla.

For event and ticket information, call 707-263-6222 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Tickets are $75 each and may be purchased from Eventbrite by visiting www.lakecountyhospice.org.

Hospice Services of Lake County is a nonprofit health care organization that has been providing compassionate comfort care for Lake County patients and families experiencing life threatening conditions for 43 years. These services are available due to the generous support from community members and fundraising activities.

Janine Smith-Citron is director of development for Hospice Services of Lake County.
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Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced that he has granted pardons to two members of California tribes, the Koi Nation of Northern California and the Resighini Rancheria.

The Governor’s Office said tribal leaders support these pardons, which recognize the grantees’ efforts and successes in rehabilitation post-conviction, as well as their extraordinary service to their communities.

These pardons coincide with Native American Heritage Month, which honors the vibrancy and resiliency of Native American culture.

Newsom extended clemency for Robert Morgan, a member of the Koi Nation, based in Lower Lake, and Frank Spa-ghe Dowd, a member and elected leader of the Resighini Rancheria, based in Klamath.

On Aug. 3, 2006, Morgan was convicted in Sonoma County Superior Court of assault with a deadly weapon for striking two people during a fight at a party. He was sentenced to three years of probation and 91 days in jail.

Morgan submitted a formal application for executive clemency in the form of a gubernatorial pardon, provided evidence that he is living an upright life and has demonstrated his fitness for restoration of civic rights and responsibilities, the Governor’s Office reported.

On March 15, 2002, Dowd was convicted in Del Norte County Superior Court on March 15, 2002, of assault with a deadly weapon for striking an individual with a bat during a fight at a party. He was sentenced to five months of probation and 270 days in jail.

The Governor’s Office said Dowd has complied with the provisions of California Penal Code sections 4852.01 through 4852.22, which provide a procedure after completion of sentence to seek restoration of civic rights and responsibilities.

On Oct. 9, 2020, the Del Norte County Superior Court granted Dowd a certificate of rehabilitation on evidence that he has been living an upright life and, in doing so, recommended that Mr. Dowd be granted a full pardon.

The California Constitution gives the governor the authority to grant executive clemency in the form of a pardon, commutation or reprieve.

The governor regards clemency as an important part of the criminal justice system that can incentivize accountability and rehabilitation and increase public safety by removing counterproductive barriers to successful reentry.

A pardon may remove counterproductive barriers to employment and public service and restore civic rights and responsibilities. A pardon does not expunge or erase a conviction.

Pardons recognize a person’s efforts in self-development after their crime and their efforts to make amends. Clemency does not forgive or minimize the harm caused by a crime.

The governor carefully reviews every clemency application and considers a number of factors, including an applicant’s self-development and conduct since the offense, the applicant's remorse and efforts to make amends, whether the grant is consistent with public safety and in the interest of justice, and the impact of a grant on the community, including crime victims and survivors.

The pardons announced Friday do not restore firearm rights.

While in office, Gov. Newsom has granted a total of 88 pardons, 91 commutations and 29 reprieves.

The Governor’s Office encourages victims, survivors and witnesses to register with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Office of Victims and Survivors Rights and Services to receive information about an incarcerated person’s status. For general Information about victim services, to learn about victim-offender dialogues, or to register or update a registration confidentially, visit www.cdcr.ca.gov/Victim_Services/ or call 1-877-256-6877 (toll free).

Copies of the gubernatorial clemency certificates announced Friday can be seen below.

Additional information on executive clemency, including how to apply, can be found here.

Pardon-Cert-11.19.2021 by LakeCoNews on Scribd

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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has four young cats available 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.

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

This male domestic shorthair kitten in cat room kennel No. 96a, ID No. LCAC-A-1871. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male domestic shorthair kitten

This male domestic shorthair kitten has an orange tabby coat.

He is in cat room kennel No. 96a, ID No. LCAC-A-1871.

This male domestic shorthair kitten is in cat room kennel No. 96c, ID No. LCAC-A-1873. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male domestic shorthair kitten

This male domestic shorthair kitten has an orange tabby coat.

He is in cat room kennel No. 96c, ID No. LCAC-A-1873.

This female domestic shorthair kitten is in cat room kennel No. 96d, ID No. LCAC-A-1874. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female domestic shorthair kitten

This female domestic shorthair kitten has an orange tabby coat.

She is in cat room kennel No. 96d, ID No. LCAC-A-1874.

This female domestic shorthair kitten is in cat room kennel No. 101a, ID No. LCAC-A-1945. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female domestic shorthair kitten

This female domestic shorthair kitten has a gray tabby coat.

She is in cat room kennel No. 101a, ID No. LCAC-A-1945.

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 another large and interesting lineup of dogs for adoption this week.

Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of American bulldog, American Staffordshire terrier, border collie, Doberman, German shepherd, Great Pyrenees, hound, husky, Labrador retriever, mastiff, pit bull and Rottweiler.

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.

“Luna” is a 3-year-old female German shepherd-Great Pyrenees mix in kennel No. 2, ID No. LCAC-A-1906. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Luna’

“Luna” is a 3-year-old female German shepherd-Great Pyrenees mix with a white coat.

She is in kennel No. 2, ID No. LCAC-A-1906.

“George” is a 1-year-old male American bulldog mix in kennel No. 4, ID No. LCAC-A-1430. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘George’

“George” is a 1-year-old male American bulldog mix with a short gray coat.

He is in kennel No. 4, ID No. LCAC-A-1430.

This 1-year-old male German shepherd is in kennel No. 6, ID No. LCAC-A-1892. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male German shepherd

This 1-year-old male German shepherd has a black and tan coat.

He is in kennel No. 6, ID No. LCAC-A-1892.

This female shepherd-husky is in kennel No. 9, ID No. LCAC-A-1745. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female shepherd-husky

This female shepherd-husky has a short tan coat with black markings and blue eyes.

She is in kennel No. 9, ID No. LCAC-A-1745.

This 1-year-old female shepherd-husky mix is in kennel No. 10, ID No. LCAC-A-1746. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female shepherd-husky

This 1-year-old female shepherd-husky mix has a short tricolor coat and blue eyes.

She’s in kennel No. 10, ID No. LCAC-A-1746.

This 7-year-old female American Staffordshire terrier is in kennel No. 11, ID No. LCAC-A-1890. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female American Staffordshire terrier

This 7-year-old female American Staffordshire terrier has a short gray coat and white markings.

She is in kennel No. 11, ID No. LCAC-A-1890.

“Einstine” is a young Labrador retriever-pit bull mix in kennel No. 12, ID No. LCAC-A-1860. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Einstine’

“Einstine” is a young Labrador retriever-pit bull mix with s short black coat with white markings.

He is in kennel No. 12, ID No. LCAC-A-1860.

This 5-year-old female chocolate Labrador retriever-pit bull mix is in kennel No. 13, ID No. LCAC-A-1769. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Labrador-pit bull mix

This 5-year-old female chocolate Labrador retriever-pit bull mix has a short chocolate-colored coat.

She is in kennel No. 13, ID No. LCAC-A-1769.

This 3-year-old female mastiff is in kennel No. 15, ID No. LCAC-A-1868. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female mastiff

This 3-year-old female mastiff has a short brindle coat.

She is in kennel No. 15, ID No. LCAC-A-1868.

This male German shepherd mix puppy is in kennel No. 17b, ID No. LCAC-A-1849. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

German shepherd mix pup

This male German shepherd mix puppy has a short tan coat.

He is in kennel No. 17b, ID No. LCAC-A-1849.

“Cynthia” is a 1-year-old female Doberman pinscher-hound mix in kennel No. 18, ID No. LCAC-A-1891. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Cynthia’

“Cynthia” is a 1-year-old female Doberman pinscher-hound mix.

She is in kennel No. 18, ID No. LCAC-A-1891.

This 5-year-old female Rottweiler is in kennel No. 20, ID No. LCAC-A-1833. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female Rottweiler

This 5-year-old female Rottweiler has a short black and tan coat.

She is in kennel No. 20, ID No. LCAC-A-1833.

This 3-year-old female American Staffordshire mix is in kennel No. 23, ID No. LCAC-A-1727. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female American Staffordshire mix

This 3-year-old female American Staffordshire mix has a short black coat with white markings.

She is in kennel No. 23, ID No. LCAC-A-1727.

This 2-year-old male German shepherd is in kennel No. 26, ID No. LCAC-A-1903. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male German shepherd

This 2-year-old male German shepherd has a black and tan coat.

He is in kennel No. 26, ID No. LCAC-A-1903.

This 2-year-old male mastiff in kennel No. 27, ID No. LCAC-A-1869. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male mastiff

This 2-year-old male mastiff has a short tan coat.

He is in kennel No. 27, ID No. LCAC-A-1869.

This 2-year-old male shepherd mix is in kennel No. 28, ID No. LCAC-A-1743. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male shepherd mix

This 2-year-old male shepherd mix has a short black and tan coat.

He is in kennel No. 28, ID No. LCAC-A-1743.

This 12-year-old male Labrador retriever-border collie mix is in kennel No. 30, ID No. LCAC-A-2101. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Labrador-border collie mix

This 12-year-old male Labrador retriever-border collie mix has a short black and white coat.

He is in kennel No. 30, ID No. LCAC-A-2101.

This 3-year-old male pit bull mix is in kennel No. 34, ID No. LCAC-A-2119. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male pit bull mix

This 3-year-old male pit bull mix has a short tan coat.

He is in kennel No. 34, ID No. LCAC-A-2119.

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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On Friday, Lake County’s two members of the House of Representatives voted to pass the Build Back Better Act, which invests in families, workers, the economy and tackling climate change.

Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA-03), who represents the northern half of Lake County, and Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA-05), who represents the county’s southern portion, were among the House members who voted to pass the legislation.

The bill passed the house in a vote of 220 to 213. It now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Thompson, chairman of the House Ways and Means Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee, said the legislation also includes his GREEN Act, which tackles climate change by providing tax incentives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“This bill makes a historic investment in American workers, families and communities and includes the most ambitious climate policies ever passed by Congress, my GREEN Act. The bill is paid for,” Thompson emphasized.

He said the GREEN Act uses the tax code to increase the use of renewable energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions enough to meet President Biden’s long-term emissions goals. “I’m deeply humbled that my legislation will play a key role in our nation’s effort to address the threat of climate change.”

“The ‘Build Back Better Act’ is the result of months of negotiations and compromise,” said Garamendi, who called it the largest relief package for the middle class in a generation.

“America has reached a positive turning point,” Garamendi said. “Right now, we have an opportunity to create the largest expansion of the middle class in a generation and show the American people that their government works for them — not just those at the top.”

For workers and families, the bill provides paid family leave, universal pre-K education for 3- and 4-year-olds and another year of expanded Child Tax Credit, a tax cut for working families.

“These programs invest in our children. In fact, the Child Tax Credit has already helped to cut child poverty in half,” Thompson said.

The Build Back Better Act also helps families get back into the workforce. It makes health insurance more affordable, supports local cities and towns, cuts taxes for homeowners, reduces the cost of medications and includes parts of Thompson’s Disaster Tax Relief Act to incentivize investments in disaster resiliency.

Garamendi said the bill is paid for by requiring the very largest corporations and wealthiest Americans — who often avoid paying any taxes at all — to finally pay their fair share. No one making under $400,000 will pay a penny more in taxes under this legislation, he added.

“All of this is supported without costing the middle class a single penny. No public school teacher, nurse or first responder should pay a higher tax rate than a billionaire. Yet that has been the case in America for far too long. The ‘Build Back Better Act’ rights this wrong and uses the revenue it generates to provide tax cuts, jobs, lower health care costs, and affordable housing for the middle class,” Garamendi continued.

He added, “The ‘Build Back Better Act’ is also our best shot to attack climate change and protect the air, water and land we all rely on for our children and grandchildren’s generations. With the ‘Build Back Better Act,’ we will finally unlock the green energy economy of the future we so desperately need.”

Benefits of the bill include the following.

Children, families and caregiving:

• Universal preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds;
• Four weeks of paid family leave;
• Affordable high-quality child care;
• Affordable, high-quality care for hundreds of thousands of older Americans and people with disabilities in their homes and communities; and
• An expanded Child Tax Credit.

Clean energy and combating climate change:

• $320 billion in clean energy tax credits;
• $105 billion in resilience investments;
• $110 billion in investments and incentives for clean energy technology, manufacturing, and supply chains; and
• $20 billion in clean energy procurement.

Affordable care for millions of hardworking Americans through:

• Affordable Care Act premium tax credits;
• New tools to negotiate lower prices of medications;
• Ensuring Americans with diabetes don’t pay more than $35 per month for their insulin;
• Creating a new, out-of-pocket cap of $2,000 on what seniors pay for their drugs in Medicare Part D;
• Allowing Medicare to cover the cost of hearing.

Bringing down costs, reducing inflationary pressures, and strengthening the middle class through:

• $150 billion investment in housing affordability and reducing price pressures, including in rural areas;
• Education beyond high school and workforce;
• Earned Income Tax Credit for 17 million low-wage workers;
• Raising the State and Local Tax deduction cap to $80,000 through 2030.

There also are protections and work permits for millions of immigrants consistent with the Senate’s reconciliation rules.
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If authorized, molnupiravir could be a key oral treatment to help keep COVID-19 patients out of the hospital. Plyushkin/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Nearly two years into the pandemic, it has become starkly clear that we need better treatments for COVID-19 for people in the earlier stages of disease.

Two new antiviral drugs could soon be the first effective oral treatments for COVID-19 to help keep people out of the hospital. An advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration plans to review the data supporting molnupiravir – a pill made by Merck and partner Ridgeback Therapeutics – on Nov. 30, 2021.

And in early November, Pfizer released preliminary results for its antiviral pill, Paxlovid, another potentially promising tool for COVID-19 treatment. On Nov. 16, Pfizer formally requested emergency use authorization of the oral pill from the FDA.

If these drugs get authorized in the coming weeks, they could be an important new treatment option for people with COVID-19, especially for those at high risk in the early stages of infection. The ability to treat COVID-19 with a pill rather than an injection or infusion means more people can be treated faster.

As an infectious diseases physician and scientist at the University of Virginia, I have helped care for hundreds of people with COVID-19. I’ve also helped conduct clinical trials to find new treatments. Molnupiravir and Paxlovid would fill a need that hasn’t been met by other COVID-19 drugs, which are either difficult to administer or only suitable for patients in the hospital.

Here’s a preview of why these new antiviral drugs are important, how they work and how they could be used.

Filling a gap in treatment

Researchers have so far found just a few drugs that are effective for the treatment of COVID-19. Until now, only antiviral monoclonal antibodies could be used to treat patients who are not hospitalized. However, these antibody drugs – which work by blocking the virus from entering cells – have to be given in a monitored setting like a doctor’s office.

And many patients who could benefit from monoclonal antibodies don’t have access because administration sites aren’t located nearby. They are also not affordable for many people outside the U.S. In the U.S., monoclonal antibodies are free to patients under emergency use authorization but could ultimately become far more expensive if and when they receive full approval by the FDA.

Early data suggests that both molnupiravir and Paxlovid are effective new drugs that patients can take at home to prevent complications of COVID-19 – which could be particularly beneficial for those at high risk of severe disease. Once authorized, these pills will allow patients to be treated earlier in the course of infection, at the point when antiviral drugs are more effective. By stopping the virus from growing in the body early on, the drugs can prevent the inflammation that causes severe COVID-19.

A young man in a mask receives a COVID-19 vaccination shot.
Although oral antiviral pills could be a major step forward in treating COVID-19, vaccines still offer the best protection from the virus. Prostock-Studio/iStock via Getty Images Plus


How molnupiravir and Paxlovid work

Molnupiravir works by causing the virus to record inaccurate genetic information. SARS-CoV-2 stores its instructions for making new viruses in a strand of RNA. Inside the cell, the virus makes copies of the RNA and then continues to make duplicates of those copies. When a patient takes molnupiravir, the drug masquerades as one of the key molecules in RNA and gets incorporated into the strands that the virus produces. When an RNA strand containing molnupiravir gets copied in turn, the virus makes errors in the copy. Over multiple rounds of copying, molnupiravir forces more and more mistakes until the virus is no longer able to function – a phenomenon in virology called “error catastrophe.”

Paxlovid uses a different mechanism to prevent the virus from replicating. SARS-CoV-2 creates proteins that are needed to build new viruses as one long string, called a polyprotein. But the polyproteins have to be chopped into smaller parts by a viral enzyme called a protease in order to become active. Paxlovid blocks the virus’s protease from doing this job, thereby preventing the virus from completing its life cycle.

How COVID-19 pills would be used

There are currently two primary forms of treatment for COVID-19 in the U.S.: antiviral and anti-inflammatory medications. Antiviral drugs stop the virus from growing in the body and are given within the first few days of symptoms to prevent severe disease. Anti-inflammatory drugs moderate the immune response and are used to help sicker patients who need oxygen.

Molnupiravir and Paxlovid were studied in separate clinical trials with similar designs. In both studies, the drugs were tested in outpatients with risk factors for severe COVID-19 who were at an early stage in their illness. Both studies also looked at how likely patients were to either die or be hospitalized. However, neither study has yet been peer-reviewed.

Molnupiravir reduced the risk of death or hospitalization by about 50% in non-hospitalized adult patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 when treated within five days of symptom onset. Paxlovid reduced this risk by about 89% for patients treated within three days of symptoms and 85% for patients treated within five days. Importantly, no patients who took either drug died in the studies. Because the drugs were not studied head to head, it’s difficult to say whether one will be better than the other in the real world. In early November, Britain became the first country to approve molnupiravir for use.

Molnupiravir did not help hospitalized patients recover faster from COVID-19. It is likely that Paxlovid would also not be useful at the point of hospitalization. Most patients who are in the hospital with COVID-19 are sick because of unregulated inflammation and not because the virus is still replicating in their bodies.

If and when these drugs get authorized in the U.S., they will probably be used for the same higher-risk patients who are eligible for monoclonal antibodies today. Monoclonal antibodies may still be used, though, for pregnant people, people on dialysis and some immune-compromised patients.

The U.S. has already purchased millions of doses of both molnupiravir and Paxlovid in anticipation of their authorization. However, the pills will only be useful if people also have access to cheap, fast and accurate COVID-19 tests, which are currently in short supply. If COVID-19 is diagnosed too late, patients will already be outside the window of time when antiviral drugs can be helpful.

[More than 140,000 readers get one of The Conversation’s informative newsletters. Join the list today.]

Other antiviral drugs are in development, including an oral form of the first COVID-19 drug, remdesivir and long acting injectable monoclonal antibodies.

Researchers are also working on repurposing existing drugs to treat COVID. Inhaled steroids like budesonide and an antidepressant called fluvoxamine are particularly promising.

While it’s exciting to see new treatments for COVID-19, prevention is still the best strategy. The COVID-19 vaccines continue to be the most effective tool for helping to end the pandemic.

[Understand new developments in science, health and technology, each week. Subscribe to The Conversation’s science newsletter.]The Conversation

Patrick Jackson, Assistant Professor of Infectious Diseases, University of Virginia

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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A view from NOAA’s GOES-17 satellite of a “bomb cyclone” approaching the Pacific Northwest of the United States on October 24, 2021. This powerful storm set a record-low pressure reading for this part of the Pacific Ocean. Photo credit: NOAA Satellites.

October 2021 was an unusually balmy month for the contiguous U.S., as several states recorded their warmest October on record.

Abundant Pacific moisture also dumped excessive rainfall over the western U.S. that created hazardous flood conditions in some places but helped snuff out some wildfire activity in the West.

Here are more highlights from NOAA’s latest monthly U.S. climate report:

Climate by the numbers

October 2021

The average October temperature across the contiguous U.S. was 57.0 degrees F, 2.9 degrees above the 20th-century average, making it the sixth-warmest October in 127 years.

Several states ranked even higher on record for heat. Maryland and Ohio had their warmest October on record, while Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island each saw their second-warmest October.

The average precipitation was 3.11 inches — 0.95 of an inch above average — making it the ninth-wettest October.

Above-average precipitation was observed across parts of the West, Plains, Great Lakes, Midwest, Southeast and Northeast. California and Illinois both saw their fourth-wettest October on record.

Year to date: January through October 2021

The average U.S. temperature for the YTD was 57.0 degrees F, 2.0 degrees above the 20th-century average, making it the ninth-warmest such period in the climate record.

Maine saw its second-warmest YTD on record, while New Hampshire and Vermont had their third warmest. In contrast, temperatures this year so far ran below average across parts of the Deep South.

The U.S. precipitation total for the YTD was 26.74 inches — 1.38 inches above average — which placed it in the wettest third of the record. Massachusetts and Mississippi had a third-wettest YTD, while Louisiana saw its fourth wettest.

Precipitation was below average across portions of the West, northern Plains, Great Lakes and New England. Montana saw its fourth-driest YTD on record.

Other notable climate events in October

Pacific Northwest smacked by record bomb cyclone: An all-time record low pressure system for the region developed in the eastern Pacific and strengthened rapidly on October 24, generating hurricane force winds and wave heights up to 45 feet off the coast of Washington and Oregon. Wind gusts toppled trees and knocked out power around the Seattle metro area and Puget Sound.

Atmospheric river deluged the West Coast: Conveyor belts of Pacific moisture, known as atmospheric rivers, impacted much of the central West Coast from October 19-26. On October 24, a Category 5 (exceptional) atmospheric river event brought record rainfall to portions of central California. Sacramento, Blue Canyon and Santa Rosa each reported their wettest 24-hour period on record. The heavy rain near wildfire burn scars triggered multiple landslides, but helped to partially quench the wildfire season and drought severity across parts of the West.

Tornadoes touched down: Preliminary tornado counts across the U.S. during October were the second most on record for the month with a count of 146. Only preliminary counts in 2018 ranked higher with 159 tornadoes reported. Oklahoma reported a record 31 tornadoes for October, which exceeds the previous record of 27 set in 1998.

A map of the United States plotted with significant climate events that occurred during October 2021. Please see the story below as well as the full climate report highlights at http://bit.ly/USClimate202110. Photo credit: NOAA NCEI.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Clearlake Animal Control has added new dogs to its list of adoptable pets.

The City of Clearlake Animal Association also is seeking fosters for the animals waiting to be adopted.

Call the Clearlake Animal Control shelter at 707-273-9440, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to inquire about adoptions and schedule a visit to the shelter.

Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or on the city’s website.

The newest dogs are listed at the top of the following list.

“Bella.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Bella’

“Bella” is a female American pit bull mix with a short gray brindle coat.

She has been spayed.

She is dog No. 48448381.

“Fiona.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Fiona’

“Fiona” is a female pit bull terrier mix with a short gray coat.

She is dog No. 48750483.

“Levi.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Levi’

“Levi” is a male golden retriever-Labrador retriever mix.

He has a short golden coat.

He is dog No. 48975687.

“Luscious.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Luscious’

“Luscious” is a male pit bull terrier mix with a short gray coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 48757611.

“Mitzi.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Mitzi’

“Mitzi” is a female Australian cattle dog mix with a medium-length black and white coat.

She has been spayed.

She is dog No. 48443306.

“Nala.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Nala’

“Nala” is an 11-month-old female German shepherd mix.

She has a medium-length black and tan coat.

She is dog No. 48289638.

“Turk.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Turk’

“Turk” is a male chocolate Labrador retriever mix.

He is dog No. 48911836.

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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