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Lakeport Fire Chief Doug Hutchison gets a view of fires in Mendocino County from Vista Point in Lakeport, Calif., on Friday, July 27, 2018. Photo by Tyler Elsa for Lake County News.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County officials are taking safety precautions due to the intense heat and dry conditions while monitoring the progress of two Mendocino County fires that began on Friday and within hours scorched hundreds of acres between them.

The Ranch fire began at around noon along Highway 20 near Potter Valley, northwest of Blue Lakes and eight miles northeast of Ukiah, with the River fires burning along Old River Road near Hopland, as Lake County News has reported.

Both were reported to be growing rapidly throughout the afternoon and into the evening.

The California Highway Patrol reported Friday evening that, so far, there are no closures of major highways in the fire areas.

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office said on its Facebook page late Friday afternoon that the Ranch fire was not at that time threatening any structures, and that Highway 20 remained open but that people should be vigilant, as conditions can change quickly.

On Friday afternoon, Lakeport Fire Chief Doug Hutchison put eyes on the fire from Vista Point in Lakeport.

“I’m concerned,” he told Lake County News a short time later.

He said the River fire at that point appeared to be moving to the southeast, but he noted that locally the winds typically become more westerly in the evening, which could push that fire to the top of Cow Mountain.

At the same time, he was concerned about the growth of the Ranch fire.

“We’re just going to ramp us as best we can here and hope for the best, but it’s going to be a long night,” he said.

On Friday the county of Lake also took a precautionary action it has taken during previous fire seasons and temporarily closed Mt. Konocti County Park, the county’s regional trails and the Highland Springs Recreation Area.

Those areas will remain closed until further notice, the county said.

County officials said Kelseyville Fire Protection District had requested the immediate closure of the two county parks due to the existing high fire danger and because of the already heavy demand on fire resources.

Separately, Lake County Animal Care and Control’s Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection volunteer group was reported to be on standby to assist if needed.

Sheriff Brian Martin said Friday evening that some of his personnel were responding to Mendocino County to embed with that county’s incident command center.

Martin said both fires will impact Lake County.

That impact already was apparent on Friday, with the smoke columns of both fires visible almost immediately. Thick smoke quickly moved into Lake County’s air basin and ash was reported to be falling in some areas.

Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart of Lake County Air Quality Management District issued an advisory for conditions ranging from “moderate” to “unhealthy for everyone.”

He said the district is actively monitoring the smoke impacts, with current particulate levels in Lake County ranging from “unhealthy for sensitive individuals” to “unhealthy” in the Lakeport and west county areas and “moderate” air quality in the eastern portions of the county.

Gearhart said the smoke and haze coming into Lake County was primarily attributable to the Ranch and River fires, with the Carr fire near Redding also contributing. The Carr fire on Friday had killed two people, burned more than 44,000 acres and dozens of homes, with evacuations under way as nearly 5,000 homes remain threatened.

He said the smoke is expected to remain in Lake County through the weekend, though we may see periods of variable air quality as the winds shift through the next few days.

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.
A smoky orange glow took over the skies in Lake County, Calif. On Friday, July 27, 2018, due to fires in neighboring Mendocino County as well as one to the north in Shasta County. Photo taken from Lucerne Harbor Park. Photo by John Jensen/Lake County News.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Animal Control has a selection of neat dogs waiting to go to new homes.

The available dogs are Arthur, Bebe, Bianca, Dingo, Jeff, Max, Neptune and Red Girl.

To meet the animals, call Clearlake Animal Control at 707-994-8201 and speak to Marcia at Extension 103 Monday through Thursday, or leave a message at any other time.

“Arthur.” Courtesy photo.

Arthur

Arthur is a male American Staffordshire terrier mix.

He weighs 55 pounds, is healthy and young.

He likes to swim and play fetch, is affectionate and intelligent, and likes older children.

“BeBe.” Courtesy photo.

BeBe

Bebe is 2 years old and weighs 40 pounds, with a short brindle coat.

Shelter staff said she is good with other dogs, and with both adults and children, but has not been tested with cats.

They said she is gentle and shy. She displayed friendly social cues and with more socializing she will gain confidence. BeBe would benefit from training as she is eager to please.

Bebe also loves to push her face into you for rubs.

“Bianca.” Courtesy photo.

Bianca

“Bianca” is a female American Pit Bull and shepherd mix.

She is healthy, weighs 50 pounds, is obedient, playful and affectionate, and likes toys.

She is intelligent, but also goofy and wants to please.

“Dingo.” Courtesy photo.

‘Dingo’

“Dingo” is described by shelter staff as a happy, friendly boy who is a true people dog.

He is 2 years old, weighs about 45 pounds, and is good with both adults and children.

Dingo likes to be by your side, has nice manners and sits for treats like a true gentleman. He also loves to play ball and probably Frisbee, too.

Shelter staff said he is great with other nice dogs, but has low confidence and prefers people. He will benefit from more socialization.

“Jeff.” Courtesy photo.

‘Jeff’

“Jeff” is a male border collie mix.

He has a short tricolor coat.

“Max.” Courtesy photo.

‘Max’

“Max” is a 2-year-old male kelpie-pit bull mix who weighs about 50 pounds.

Shelter staff said has a lot of energy and would make a great exercise partner.

Max is good with other dogs and loves to play. He’s also good with older children. He’s not been tested with children.

Staff said he is very social and will benefit from obedience training to work on his manners.

“Neptune.” Courtesy photo.

‘Neptune’

“Neptune” is 2 years old and weighs 65 pounds. He has been neutered.

Shelter staff said he is good with other dogs and children, but has not been tested with cats.

He has a mellow disposition, loves to play fetch and tug-o-war. Shelter staff said he is a “super friendly guy” who needs some leash work.

Neptune is vaccinated and ready for adoption or can go to rescue.

“Red Girl.” Courtesy photo.

‘Red Girl’

“Red Girl is a Dutch Shepherd.

She has a short brindle coat.

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 fifth annual Lake-Mendocino Homeless Veterans Stand Down/Veterans Resource Fair is coming this September.

The stand down, organized by Lake County Vet Connect, will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19 , and Thursday, Sept. 20 at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin Street, Lakeport.

Free lunch will be served to all attendants.

The stand down/resource fair event last year at the fairgrounds hosted more than 150 veterans and offered a variety of services, assistance and information provided by more than 25 agencies and organizations.

This year's stand down will offer access to on-site medical services, enrollment in healthcare and supplemental nutrition programs, as well as other programs relating to educational, employment, and food resource issues that are important to our veterans.

Numerous VA resources will be onsite in addition to other federal, state, county and community organizations offering programs and avenues of assistance.

Organizers are again seeking volunteers to assist with the event. Volunteers will assist in capacities including helping to set up and tear down the venue, staging and issuing materials and supplies to Veterans, and preparing food.

United Veterans Council of Lake County is still seeking financial assistance for the purchase of additional material and supplies.

If you would like to donate financial assistance or volunteer to assist with this event, please contact Frank Parker, Lake County Vet Connect Committee chairman, at 707-274-9512.
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Smoke from the Ranch fire in Mendocino County, Calif., on Friday, July 27. Photo courtesy of Angela Carter.


THIS STORY IS BEING UPDATED.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – Firefighters are working two fast-growing wildland fire incidents that began Friday Mendocino County.

The Ranch and the River fires have between them burned hundreds of acres, according to reports from the scene.

The Ranch fire was first reported in an area off Highway 20 near Potter Valley, near a well-known buffalo ranch.

Cal Fire said shortly before 3:15 p.m. that the fire had burned 175 acres with zero containment.

It’s reported to be burning in grass, with aircraft dropping water and retardant to slow its progress.

Cal Fire said 12 engines, three water tenders, two helicopters, four hand crews, five dozers and 192 personnel are assigned.

The River fire also began on Friday in the area of Old River Road near Hopland, officials reported.

Just before 3:30 p.m. aircraft were diverted from the Ranch incident to the River incident.

At about the same time, the River fire was reported to be about 400 acres.

Due to big fires raging around the state – including the Carr fire near Redding – a large amount of air resources have not been available to respond.

New information will be published as soon as 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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California Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday issued new disaster declarations in response to three destructive fires burning around the state.

The governor’s proclamations covered the Carr fire in Shasta County, the Ferguson fire in Mariposa County and the Cranston fire in Riverside County.

All of the incidents have burned structures and caused evacuations, and on Thursday Cal Fire confirmed that a dozer operator was killed while fighting the Carr fire near Redding.

The Ferguson fire was 44,223 acres and 27-percent contained on Thursday night, while the Cranston fire was at 7,500 acres and 5 percent containment, Cal Fire said.

The Carr fire, caused by a vehicle, reached 28,763 acres and 6-percent containment on Thursday night. Cal Fire said it has so far destroyed 15 structures and damaged five more, with nearly 500 more structures were in its path at that time.

Officials through the night were widening the evacuation area, with four evacuation centers – one as far away as Corning – opening up as residents fled, causing Interstate 5 to slow to a crawl. The entire community of French Gulch is under evacuation order.

Cal Fire said the fire became very active throughout the day on Thursday, as firefighters worked aggressively to build containment lines around it.

Those efforts were hampered on Thursday due to extreme fire behavior and unfavorable weather conditions, and Cal Fire said hot and dry weather is forecast to continue.

The Lake County Air Quality Management District said Thursday that the smoke making its way into the local air basin came primarily from the Carr fire, as Lake County News has reported.

In other fire news, in Hopland in Mendocino County, firefighters responded to the eight-acre McNab fire, in the area of Valley View Road and McNab Ranch Road.

By Thursday night, the fire was 20-percent contained, with no structures damaged or threatened, Cal Fire said.

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.

072618 Carr fire map by LakeCoNews on Scribd

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From left, Julio Cesar Zaragoza, 37, of Clearlake, Calif., and 45-year-old Shanti Rebecca Gallon of Clearlake, Calif., were arrested on weapons charges on Monday, July 23, 2018, after he brandished a firearm. Lake County Jail photo.


CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Two Clearlake residents were arrested this week on weapons charges after police received a report of a man brandishing a weapon a handgun.

Julio Cesar Zaragoza, 37, and 45-year-old Shanti Rebecca Gallon were taken into custody on Monday morning, according to Clearlake Police Sgt. Tim Hobbs.

At around 9 a.m. Monday the Clearlake Police Department received a report that Zaragoza brandished a handgun at a person in the 15900 block of 21st Avenue. Hobbs said Zaragoza then left the scene, driving a silver Mazda car.

While officers were headed to the call, Zaragoza passed by Officer Mike Perreault heading the other way. Hobbs said Perreault turned around and conducted a traffic stop on Zaragoza’s vehicle.

Hobbs said Zaragoza and the only passenger, Gallon, were detained. The victim responded to the location of the stop and identified Zaragoza as the one who had brandished the firearm.

Zaragoza was arrested for brandishing a firearm, Hobbs said.

During a search of the vehicle, a loaded 9-millimeter semiautomatic handgun was located. Once the handgun was located Gallon stated the handgun belonged to her and Zaragoza had never seen it before, according to Hobbs.

Hobbs said Gallon was arrested for possession of a loaded firearm in public and possession of a concealed firearm.

Zaragoza is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Hobbs said Zaragoza was additionally charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, possession of a concealed firearm, and possession of a loaded firearm in public.

Zaragoza and Gallon were transported to the Lake County Jail, Hobbs said.

Hobbs said Officer Perreault obtained a bail enhancement raising Zaragoza’s bail to $150,000 and a source of bail order, requiring proof be shown money used for his bail was lawfully obtained.

At the time of this arrest, Zaragoza was out on bail for an arrest on June 27. In that case, Hobbs said Zaragoza was arrested for felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, possession of a concealed firearm, and possession of a loaded firearm in public, possession of controlled substances for sales, felony resisting arrest and others charges.

These charges were a result of Zaragoza running and violently resisting an officer during a traffic stop in which Zaragoza was found to be in possession of a loaded 10 millimeter semiautomatic handgun and more than 1 pound of methamphetamine, Hobbs said.


A handgun and ammunition seized from a car driven by Julio Cesar Zaragoza, 37, of Clearlake, Calif., on Monday, July 23, 2018. Photo courtesy of the Clearlake Police Department.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake’s new police chief took his oath of office and received a warm welcome from the community at the Clearlake City Council meeting on Thursday evening.

Chief Andrew White, 33, was sworn in and received his new badge as community members and numerous out-of-area law enforcement officials – from agencies in Benicia, Fairfield and Suisun City, among others – looked on.

The council held its meeting not at its usual location, Clearlake City Hall, but at the Clearlake Senior and Community Center in order to accommodate the large crowd and host a reception afterward.

“Today’s a very exciting day,” said Mayor Bruno Sabatier in opening the 18-minute meeting.

Rather than sitting in front of the room, council members were in the audience. Councilwoman Joyce Overton, who also is the senior center’s director, was absent for the event.

“This is an exciting moment for our city as we move forward,” Sabatier told the crowd.

City Manager Greg Folsom, who attended despite a back injury, noted, “This is an important day both for Andrew and the city of Clearlake.”

Folsom said he is excited to have White on the team. “I think we’re building a really strong team here in Clearlake and we’re getting a lot of things done,” he said, noting White comes with glowing recommendations and a technology background.

Philip White, Andrew White’s father, was on hand for the event, and took the opportunity to praise his son.

“There’s not enough you can say about your kids,” he said.

Philip White, who spent 30 years in public service himself – in the fire service, not police work – said his son decided at an early age that he wanted to be in law enforcement.

He said his old sheriff’s reserve uniform was used by his son for a Halloween costume, but then it remained in his son’s closet, tipping him off to the fact that something was going on. Later, he said his son became a crossing guard, an explorer and a cadet.

“Andrew, I’m really proud of you,” Philip White said, noting his son is a team player and forwarding thinking. He also thanked the city.

Tim Mattos, chief of Suisun City Police, said that when he took over his job three years ago, the first call he made was to Andrew White, to ask him to come and be his commander, that department’s second in command.

“Grab on and get ready for this ride,” Mattos told the city, adding that White is one of the hardest working individuals he’s ever met. “He is dedicated to this job.”

Mattos said that the Suisun City Police Department is proud of White even though they're losing him, explaining that it’s part of his growth.

“The city of Suisun and the police department thank you for everything you have done for us,” Mattos said to White, adding, “I am so honored to call you my peer.”

City Clerk Melissa Swanson called Chief White forward to administer his oath. In it, he pledged to support and defend the US Constitution and that of the state of California, against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Afterward, he shook Swanson’s hand and signed the oath document before his wife, Charlotte, came up to pin on his new badge.

White thanked the many people who helped him arrive as the city’s new police chief, including family, his past three chiefs of police – all of them in the room – along with former coworkers and friends, local officials who were on hand to welcome him, including Sheriff Brian Martin and Lake County Fire Chief Willie Sapeta, and the council and city staff.

“Being appointed the chief of police for the city of Clearlake is an absolute honor and privilege,” he said, adding that he recognized it’s a significant responsibility.

He told the council and staff, “You have my commitment to lead with honesty and integrity, ensuring we are responsive to our community, and work with other city departments and community partners to fulfill our strategic plan.”

White asked for the community’s patience as he becomes immersed in how the department works and learns how it interacts with city residents. He committed to ensuring his staff offers the highest quality policing services in a fair and impartial manner in order to continue making Clearlake a safer community.

To the police staff, White committed to provide clear direction, to be fair, to hold them accountable and also to be accountable to them, to challenge them to continually improve and develop, and to provide strong support.

“It is with great respect and pride that I now wear the badge and patch of the Clearlake Police Department,” White said.

White recognized Lt. Tim Celli, who over the last two and a half years had served both as acting and interim chief, and who has made White’s transition into the chief’s job smooth.

In closing the meeting, Sabatier said, “Chief White, welcome to the team.”

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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Smoke from the Carr fire near Redding, Calif., and fires in Southern Oregon is impacting Lake County, Calif., according to this image and an air quality official. Clear Lake in at the bottom center of the image, above Santa Rosa, Calif. Image courtesy of NASA.


LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Air Quality Management District said the smoke making its way into the county’s air basin is coming primarily from a fast-burning fire to the north.

Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart said the Carr fire burning in Shasta County is resulting in smoke and haze in Lake County.

He told Lake County News that fires in Southern Oregon also are believed to be having local impacts.

According to the National Interagency Coordination Center Situation Report, as of just before 4:30 p.m. the Carr fire has burned over 28,763 acres and is only 10-percent contained. Expected containment of this fire is unknown.

The fire is burning in timber and brush with extreme fire behavior. Weather forecasts indicate continued hot dry conditions which may result in intermittent smoke impacts for the Lake County air basin through the weekend.

An eight-acre fire, the McNab fire, also was burning near Hopland in Mendocino County on Thursday evening, when Cal Fire said it was 20-percent contained.

Air quality conditions in Lake County on Thursday were good with smoke visible in the basin though it remains elevated, said Gearhart. As the temperature cools overnight, some impacts from the smoke settling may occur in the county.

He said ultrafine particulate levels may be elevated into the moderate to unhealthy for sensitive individuals range. Localized areas may experience intermittent particulate levels in the unhealthy range should worst case weather conditions develop.

The air quality forecast for Lake County on Thursday night and Friday is “good” to “moderate,” with localized higher concentration areas possible, according to Gearhart.

All areas of Lake County may be significantly impacted should meteorological conditions worsen. Meteorological forecasts models indicate the smoke may be present over eastern and southern Lake County for the next couple days, but with the west winds developing, smoke impacts should start to clear through the weekend.

Smoky conditions can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and air passages, Gearhart said. These conditions can be hazardous for sensitive individuals including young children, the elderly, and individuals with heart conditions, and those with chronic lung disease such as asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory conditions. Remember to take precautions and plan ahead as smoke conditions can change quickly.

Gearhart said the “good” to “moderate,” with the potential for localized areas in the “unhealthy for sensitive individuals” air quality forecast results from visible smoke over Lake County and the potential for smoke to settle into the basin.

The potential for degraded air quality, haze, and particulate from the ongoing wildfires are expected to continue throughout Lake County, until the wildfires are contained, Gearhart said.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Wednesday evening earthquake in Sonoma County was felt by Lake County residents and others around the North Coast.

The 3.4-magnitude quake occurred at 5:38 p.m. 1.4 miles south of Caldwell pines and 13 miles southwest of Clearlake, at a depth of just over a mile, according to the US Geological Survey.

The survey received shake reports from Clearlake, Hidden Valley Lake, Kelseyville and Middletown, as well as numerous locations in Sonoma and Napa County, with reports coming in from as far away as Daly City and San Ramon.

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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The cast of Shakespeare at the Lake’s production of “As You Like It.” Photo courtesy of Laura Barnes.


LAKEPORT, Calif. – The work of the greatest playwright will once again light up Library Park this weekend when the third annual Shakespeare at the Lake presents “As You Like It.”

The play will be presented at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 28, and Sunday, July 29.

This year's play is brought to the community by Mendocino College and the Lake County Theatre Co., in cooperation with the Lake County Friends of Mendocino College and the city of Lakeport.

Putting on a production of this size is, without a doubt, a group effort. Aside from the 20 actors, all of whom are enrolled in a performance class at the college, there are dozens of behind the scenes players who help make the dream of an outdoor Shakespearean experience a reality.

Producers, directors, set designers, scene painters, costumers, lighting and sound operators, stage managers, publicity coordinators, and security guards (to watch over the set and tech equipment overnight in the park) all play an important role in the production.

The cast and crew have worked tirelessly for the past few months and they are excited to present the play to a live audience.

The first two years of the project were crowd-pleasing sensations. Audiences in the hundreds flocked to the idyllic setting in Library Park to enjoy “A Midsummer Night's Dream” in 2016 and “Much Ado About Nothing” in 2017.

Thanks to its success during the first two years, Shakespeare at the Lake, under the direction of Mendocino College theater instructor John Tomlinson, earned the award for “Best New Idea” at the 2017 Stars of Lake County.

Unlike the more traditional presentations of the past two years, this year's play will break away from the Renaissance era and embrace a much later rebirth: the 1960s.

Peace-loving, forest-dwelling hippies will tell the story of corrupt royalty, banishment, mistaken identity and, of course, plenty of love to go around. You may even hear some of your favorite groovy 60s tunes throughout the production.

Concessions, including hot dogs and bratwurst, fresh salads, cookies, and local beer and wines, will be for sale before and during the performance. Don't forget to bring a chair.

For more details about the production visit www.lctc.us.
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Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg reads “I am a Rainbow” written by Dolly Parton to more than 120 children and parents at the July 20, 2018, Lake County Library story time in Library Park in Lakeport, Calif. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program administered through the Lake County Office of Education, delivered its 50,000th free book to Lake County’s youngest residents this month.

To celebrate this milestone, LCOE’s early literacy program Bloom teamed up with the Lake County Library to bring arts and crafts, games and even free giveaway books to a special story time at each library in Lake County in mid-July.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book-gifting program that mails free, age-appropriate, high-quality books to children from birth until their fifth birthday, no matter their family’s income.

Six years ago, in 2012, in an effort to improve early literacy for Lake County’s children and help prepare them for kindergarten, the Lake County Office of Education began participating in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

This year, LCOE's Bloom continued that initiative and saw the growth of the program explode.

Currently, more than 2,100 Lake County children are receiving books through Imagination Library. This is approximately 56 percent of Lake County’s age 0 to 5 population.

“Research shows that when children are read to at an early age, there is a positive parent/child connection, and it is also associated with higher measures of early language and math development,” said Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg.

Although the books from Imagination Library are free for the children, there is an associated cost to the Lake County Office of Education of $25 per child, per year.

This program is funded by donations from local businesses, community organizations and individuals.

Financial partners include First 5 Lake County, Lake County Wine Alliance, Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Charlotte Griswold and Adventist Health Clear Lake.

Registration Partners include Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Adventist Health Clear Lake, Lake County Department of Social Services, Lake County Tribal Health Consortium, Dr. Barbara Gardner, Lake Family Resource Center, Women, Infants and Children, LCOE preschools, Easter Seals and First 5 Lake County.

To find out more information about Imagination Library, or to sign up your child – or children – for free books, go to www.ImaginationLibrary.com.

To make a tax-deductible contribution please contact Carly Swatosh 707-262-4163 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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BERKELEY, Calif. – Millions of California parents face slim odds in finding child care or preschool slots, especially in fast-growing edges of metro-areas and the Central Valley, says a new report from UC Berkeley.

Just 52 percent of the state's children, 3 to 4 years of age, are enrolled in a pre-k program, a shortage that besets middle-class and poor families alike, researchers found after compiling data from a variety of state and local agencies.

A half-century of research has detailed the benefits of preschool on children's early learning and later school achievement, including recent studies in four California counties.

The new analysis – Achieving Fair Access to Early Education – takes an unprecedented look at pre-k enrollment rates statewide, along with disparities in supply across regions and among local communities (zip codes). It was conducted by researchers at American Institutes of Research (AIR) and UC Berkeley.

"California has shown discernible progress in widening access to preschool for 4-year-olds," said Karen Manship, principal researcher at AIR and lead author of the study. Over two-thirds attended preschool in 2016, the most recent year with complete data. Almost 70 percent of children from low-income families gained access to local centers.

"But pre-k remains painfully scarce for families with 3-year-olds across California," Manship said. Just over one-third (34 percent) of the state's 3-year-olds attend preschool statewide, far below other states nationwide. "And only one in eight infants and toddlers are in licensed care arrangements."

The study did not examine the quality of pre-k programs statewide, which varies radically, at times staffed by poorly paid teachers, researchers said. "We must ensure that quality rises along with enrollment rates," said Bruce Fuller, professor of education at UC Berkeley, who led the project. "We don’t want to expand access to mediocre pre-k."

California families pay over $9,100 yearly for preschool on average, unless they qualify for public support, according to the state’s parent resource network.

Several lower-income counties face a “double-edged disparity,” researchers say, where child care supply has historically been low and child populations are projected to continue to grow. On the other hand, counts of young children have begun to fall in major urban counties, which provides these counties an opportunity to get closer to universal access.

Large gaps in ‘commuter counties’ and the Central Valley

There are notable shortages in farther-out suburbs, where metro-area commuters reside, and there are scant programs in the Central Valley. In San Joaquin County, an hour from Silicon Valley, just 44 percent of all 4-year-olds enroll in pre-k. Riverside County suffers from meager supply as well, where only 43 percent attend preschool.

The picture remains mixed for major urban counties. The pre-k enrollment rate for all 3 and 4-year-olds stands just below half (48%) in Los Angeles County. But over three-quarters of 4-year-olds from low-income families now attend a center, thanks in part to L.A. Unified’s aggressive effort to lift early learning.

Some 77 percent of 4-year-olds attend preschool in comparatively affluent Santa Clara County. But supply ranges much higher in metro-areas, compared with farther out “commuter settlements” and the Central Valley. One quarter of all 3-year-olds have access to licensed child care or preschool in San Joaquin County, relative to 53 percent in San Francisco.

A policy opportunity?

At least one gubernatorial candidate is highlighting the importance of affordable early care and education. "We need to focus on building the architecture of the brain in those first three critical years [of life]," Lieut. Governor Gavin Newsom said during a candidate forum last spring. "I'm the only person on this stage who actually did it — fully implemented universal preschool as mayor of San Francisco."

The Republican candidate for governor, John Cox, has expressed no position on child care or preschools for the state’s young children.

California was home to over 2.4 million children, 0 to 4 years of age (in 2016). About one million of these kids are raised in middle-class or upper-income families who do not qualify for public support of child care or pre-k slots.

Three-fifths (60 percent) of married mothers with a child 3 years old or younger had entered or returned to the labor force in 2017 nationwide, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This rate rises to over two-thirds (67 percent) for unmarried mothers with a young child.

The new study was conducted for the Berkeley Early Childhood Think Tank, an independent panel that’s devising policies to improve family access to, and the quality of, child care and pre-k programs. The panel’s work is funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation in Los Altos.

A statewide map showing enrollment rates for California counties appears here. 

The analysis was led by Karen Manship, principal researcher at AIR based in San Mateo, and co-directed by Bruce Fuller, professor of education and public policy at UC Berkeley.

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