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Dennis Fordham. Courtesy photo.


Wills, trusts, powers of attorney and advance health care directives all appoint persons to act in a fiduciary (legal representative) capacity.

What do such appointments mean to the person(s) named to act? What happens if such persons fail or decline to act? Can the planning appoint alternative representatives?

A will nominates someone to act as executor upon the death of the testator (will maker). Many people think that their being named as executor makes them executor. Not so. A will only nominates someone to act as executor. A person named as executor does not have to accept the nomination in the will.

A petition to a court for a court order appointing an executor and letters testamentary signed by the appointed executor are necessary for the named person to become executor.

An executor is an officer of the court with fiduciary duties, authority and powers to act as personal representative of the decedent’s estate.

With a small estate it is not necessary to appoint an executor because alternative simplified approaches mean that probate is usually not necessary.

If a person declines or fails to accept the position of executor in a probate matter then an alternative person can request appointment. Persons nominated in the will as alternatives have priority but others can also petition to be appointed as executor too, if necessary.

A trust appoints someone to act as successor trustee upon the death or incapacity of the settlor. The appointment, however, is not effective unless and until the appointee accepts their appointment.

This is usually done by the successor trustee signing an acceptance of the trustee, but can also occur by the successor trustee taking action on behalf of the trust exercising their representative authority as successor trustee.

Of course, a person named as successor trustee does not have to accept the nomination. Once a person accepts to become trustee the person as trustee has an affirmative fiduciary duty to manage the assets and affairs of the trust. That is, the person cannot simply ignore their responsibilities (not perform) after they accept appointment as trustee.

If a person declines or fails to accept the position of successor trustee then an alternative person can step in. Persons nominated in the trust have priority. A trust may also provide a mechanism for the selection and appointment of alternative successor trustees. Otherwise, a court petition to appoint a successor trustee becomes necessary.

A power of attorney nominates a person to act as an agent (“attorney in fact”) to manage the finances, property, and legal affairs of the principal (signor of the power of attorney). An agent, similarly, has no affirmative duty to act as agent. However, once the agent first starts to act they become legally responsible for their actions.

An advance health care directive appoints a person to act as agent for healthcare decisions of the principal (signor of the AHCD). An agent under an AHCD has no affirmative duty to act as agent simply because they are named in the ACHD. However, once the agent acts as agent they become legally responsible for their actions.

If none of the persons nominated to act as agent under a person’s power of attorney or advance health care directive, as relevant, accept appointment then it is often necessary for a conservator of the person’s estate and/or person to be appointed by the court.

This entails a petition for appointment of a conservator which involves an investigation of the situation and persons involved.

It may also be contested by the person who is to be conserved (due to the lack of an alternative approach) or by family members who dispute the need for a conservatorship or the appointment of the person requesting appointment as conservator.

Before accepting their appointment, anyone nominated to act in any legal representative capacity, in any of the ways discussed above, should first consider whether they are ready to assume such responsibilities.

The foregoing is not legal advice. Anyone confronting the issue of protecting and preserving the assets of a decedent’s estate should seek appropriate legal and investment counsel before proceeding.

Dennis A. Fordham, attorney, is a State Bar-Certified Specialist in estate planning, probate and trust law. His office is at 870 S. Main St., Lakeport, Calif. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and 707-263-3235.
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Monarch butterflies cluster on a eucalyptus tree at Pismo State Beach’s Monarch Butterfly Grove in California. Ruby Wallau/Getty Images

On July 21, 2022, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature placed the migratory monarch butterfly on its Red List of threatened species and classified it as endangered. Monarchs migrate across North America each year and are one of the continent’s most widely recognized species. The Conversation asked Oklahoma State University biologist Kristen Baum, who has studied pollinators for more than 25 years, to explain the listing’s implications for the monarch butterfly in the U.S.

What is the IUCN, and what does its action mean?

The IUCN is a network of public, private and nonprofit organizations that work to conserve nature worldwide. The Red List, which was developed in 1964, provides a standardized approach for assessing the extinction risks of species. Listing the monarch butterfly draws attention to its status and to areas where more research is needed to understand factors contributing to its decline.

The IUCN listing applies to the migratory subspecies of the monarch butterfly, or Danaus plexippus plexippus. There are two migratory populations: one east and one west of the Rocky Mountains.

The eastern population migrates thousands of miles from overwintering sites in central Mexico to breeding grounds in the Upper Midwest and southern Canada. The western population migrates from overwintering sites along the Pacific Coast in California and Baja California in Mexico to breeding grounds west of the Rocky Mountains. Monarchs in other locations throughout the world, such as in Europe and many Pacific Islands, don’t migrate and are not part of the listing.

Map of North America showing monarch butterfly fall migration routes.
In fall, eastern North American monarchs fly south using several flyways that mostly then merge into a single flyway in central Texas that leads to their overwintering sites in central Mexico. Western monarchs migrate from the Rocky Mountains to overwintering sites on the Pacific Coast. USFS


What are the main factors threatening monarchs?

There are many factors contributing to monarchs’ decline. One of the most serious threats is habitat fragmentation and loss. Habitat fragmentation occurs when urban development or agricultural expansion break up large areas of habitat into smaller, often isolated patches. This leaves fewer areas for monarchs to find the nectar-rich plants that adult butterflies feed on, or milkweed, the sole food source for monarch caterpillars.

Other threats include pesticides, disease, climate change and invasive species. Providing more suitable habitat for monarchs in more places could help them tolerate these stresses.

Monarchs are particularly susceptible to threats during the parts of their annual cycle when many millions of them cluster together. For example, a winter storm in March 2016 killed 31%-40% of the monarchs in some overwintering colonies in central Mexico. Winter storms also blow down trees, which can reduce habitat for overwintering colonies in subsequent years.

Temperature and precipitation can influence monarchs’ spring and fall migrations and breeding season success. For example, spring weather is an important factor influencing the size of the summer monarch population. Slightly warmer and drier springs produce more monarchs on the summer breeding grounds.

Scientists send a hummingbird-shaped drone to film swarming monarch butterflies in Mexico at close range.


Are monarch butterflies protected in the US?

Not yet, although the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognizes that they are at risk.

The agency received a petition in 2014 to list the monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. It concluded in 2020 that listing the monarch was warranted but precluded. This means that while monarchs are at risk of extinction, they are less at risk than other species that are currently higher priorities, such as the rusty patched bumblebee.

That decision put monarchs on the candidate list, where the agency reviews their status every year. Only a subset of species on the IUCN Red List is also protected under the Endangered Species Act. For insects, that number is less than 20%.

The IUCN report estimates that the eastern monarch population has declined by 22%-72% over the past decade, and the western population has declined by 66%-91%. Evaluating trends for insect populations can be challenging because they tend to fluctuate from year to year.

 Another challenge for measuring the populations of migratory species is that patterns can differ depending on when in the annual cycle they are evaluated, such as breeding versus overwintering. To estimate how many eastern monarchs overwinter in central Mexico, scientists measure how many hectares of trees are covered with monarchs and convert that number into an estimated number of butterflies.

Many factors influence how densely monarchs cluster together in trees on their overwintering grounds. Estimates based on data from the summer breeding grounds are also challenging because monarchs go through multiple generations per year and breed across a large area.

Would an ‘endangered’ listing in the US help monarchs?

Migratory monarchs have a huge range that extends from southern Canada to central Mexico and includes all of the contiguous U.S. They use many types of open habitats, from prairies to urban parks. This makes it challenging to implement and enforce regulatory actions.

The IUCN report points out that the decline of the eastern migratory population seems to have slowed, or even stabilized, over the past 10 years. The 2014 petition to list monarchs under the U.S. Endangered Species Act spurred many actions to support monarchs that likely contributed to slowing their decline, from planting milkweeds and nectar plants in home gardens to large-scale restoration projects.

Supporting these efforts could provide more benefits than a listing under the Endangered Species Act. When a species is listed, the federal government produces a recovery plan that often includes restrictions on actions that threaten the species, such as hunting or land development. Studies have found that private land owners often become less willing to participate in conservation activities, such as allowing researchers to monitor the species on their property, after a species is listed.

It’s hard to say whether listing monarchs would have this effect. People love monarch butterflies, and community science projects that involve activities like monitoring eggs and caterpillars and tagging monarchs are very popular. Data collected by citizen scientists has expanded what researchers know about monarchs. Many of these efforts have taken place over large areas and long time spans that would be hard for scientists to replicate.

I see community scientists as critical for informing monarch conservation efforts, and hope the IUCN’s action will inspire more people to get involved.The Conversation

Kristen A. Baum, Professor of Integrative Biology and Associate Dean for Research, Oklahoma State University

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

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California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye. Courteys photo.

SAN FRANCISCO — Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye on Wednesday announced that she will not seek re-election as chief justice of California in the November 2022 general election.

She will conclude her current term of office on Jan. 1, 2023, after 32 years of service at every level of the state courts.

As the 28th Chief Justice of California, she is the first person of color and the second woman to serve as the state’s chief justice.

During her 12-year term, Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye envisioned an accessible court system on every level for all Californians that reflects the people and communities that courts serve.

Cantil-Sakauye’s career included working as a deputy district attorney in the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office; deputy legal affairs secretary and deputy legislative secretary to Gov. George Deukmejian; judge for the Sacramento Municipal Court and later the Superior Court of Sacramento County; associate justice for the Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District (Sacramento).

In 2011, she was appointed chief justice of the Supreme Court of California and chair of the Judicial Council of California.

She has successfully advocated for reforms of court funding models, fees, and procedures that unfairly impact the poor; adequate, sustainable funding for court operations; diversity and inclusion in the legal profession; and the role of civic education and engagement in sustaining public trust and confidence in the judicial system.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye said: “I have informed Governor Gavin Newsom that I will not seek re-election as Chief Justice of California and will conclude my judicial service when my current term of office ends. And of course, I will support the smooth transition of Judicial Branch leadership. Through his efforts, and those of recent governors, he will have a diverse pool of exceptionally well qualified jurists and legal professionals to choose from, and I believe the judiciary, the courts, and access to justice in California will be in good hands.

“My first interaction with our justice system was when my family faced eviction from our home and my mother felt helpless. As the daughter of farmworkers, I experienced in my community what it was like to stand up for your rights and demand protections. As a wife I felt the impact of unjust Japanese Internment on my in-laws. As a judge I saw the devastating effects of family violence and established the first court in Sacramento dedicated solely to domestic violence issues. As Chief Justice I continue to keep in mind the faces behind the cases and remain focused on the goal of providing all Californians with equal, fair, and accessible justice.

“A graduate of a public school, community college, and public university, I am proud to have served the people of California to the best of my ability at every level of our state court system.

“The support and encouragement of my family, my extended Filipino family, minority bar associations, and numerous role models and mentors throughout my public service career have enabled me to achieve and succeed even under sometimes difficult circumstances. I am grateful to them all.

“My career as chief justice is bookended by the Great Recession and administrative challenges at the beginning and now an historic judicial branch budget and the persisting difficulties of a Global Pandemic. Throughout my tenure, I have been privileged to serve in government with so many dedicated public servants and advocates: three governors; successive Senate Pro Tems, Assembly Speakers, and legislative members; justice partners and stakeholders involved with every part of our court system; as well as the judicial officers, court professionals, and the staff who serve on the Judicial Council of California and its advisory bodies. Their collegiality and professionalism have enabled us to move mountains—making sound statewide policy decisions and implementing an array of court programs and initiatives to benefit the public.

“For me, collegiality with my bench colleagues was also critical to my service as a justice on the court of appeal and as Chief Justice on the Supreme Court of California, along once again with a wonderful and brilliant professional staff. We discussed, debated, and sometimes disagreed, but we were always focused on the rule of law and what was right and just.

“I have taken, and administered, many oaths during my public service career, but no matter how many times I hear an oath “…that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” it always resonates. Each generation must renew and refresh our constitutional democracy. I truly appreciate the opportunities previous governors, judicial branch leadership, and the People of California have given me to support, defend, and enhance the rule of law.

I have said before that I hold my office in trust until it is time for the next leaders to protect and expand access to justice—that time is now.”

In response to Cantil-Sakauye’s announcement, Gov. Gavin Newsom offered praise for her service.

“In her more than decade-long tenure leading California’s judicial branch, Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye has steered our state’s courts through times of great challenge and opportunity, championing important reforms to make our justice system fairer and more transparent, and expanding equal access to justice for all Californians,” Newsom said.

Newsom said she has served with distinction at every level of the state courts before breaking barriers as the first person of color and the second woman to serve as the state’s chief justice.

“A fierce defender of access to the courts, she fought against immigrant enforcement raids at courthouses targeting vulnerable victims and witnesses of crime. During the pandemic, her tireless efforts modernized operations and expanded access to services at California’s courts, while retaining jobs and safe in-person access for those who need it. Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye has been a leading voice for bail reform, calling out its disproportionate impacts on low-income people, and has raised awareness about the unfair financial hardships caused by fines and fees on those unable to afford them,” he said.

Newsom added, “From the wake of the Great Recession to a global pandemic, Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye has led with a deep dedication to the rule of law, California values and the highest ideals of public service. On behalf of a grateful state, I thank Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye for her nearly four decades of service to the people of California and wish her well in her next chapter.”

Cathal Conneely writes for the Judicial Council of California.
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When a daring team of engineers put a lander and the first rover on the Red Planet a quarter century ago, they changed how the world explores.

On a July evening in 1997, Jennifer Trosper drove home from work at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory holding a picture of the Martian surface to her steering wheel.

Earlier that day, the agency’s Pathfinder mission had landed on Mars encased in protective air bags and taken the image of the red, rubbly landscape that transfixed her.

“As I was on the freeway, I had that image on my steering wheel and kept looking at it,” Trosper said, reminiscing. “I probably should have been looking more closely at the road.”

Given that Trosper was the mission’s flight director, her excitement was understandable. Not only had Pathfinder landed on Mars, a feat all its own, but it had done so at a fraction of the cost and time required of previous Mars missions.

And, the next day, the team was set to change the course of Mars exploration forever: They had sent instructions to Pathfinder to extend a ramp so that history’s first Mars rover, Sojourner, could roll down onto the planet’s surface.

This eight-image mosaic was acquired by Pathfinder July 5, 1997, the second Martian day, or sol, of the mission. The newly deployed Sojourner rover — the first of its kind on the Red Planet — sits on the Martian surface after driving down Pathfinder’s ramp. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech.


Named after the fiery American abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth, the rover weighed just 25 pounds (11 kilograms) and was no larger than a microwave oven.

But after touching down and spending 83 days traveling the surface, the tiny spacecraft proved that exploring Mars with a rover was possible.

It also led Trosper to work on a series of ever-larger, more complex rovers: Spirit and Opportunity, Curiosity, and NASA’s most advanced Mars rover to date, Perseverance, on which she served as project manager until recently.

In fact, just as Pathfinder took Sojourner along for the ride, Perseverance brought Ingenuity, the plucky little helicopter that proved powered, controlled flight in Mars’ thin atmosphere is possible. Slated for just five flights, Ingenuity has flown 29 times so far, and it has the potential to reshape Mars exploration every bit as much as Sojourner did a quarter century ago.

With every new mission and every new way of exploring Mars, humanity gains a better understanding of how the Red Planet once resembled Earth, covered by rivers and lakes and featuring the chemistry needed to support life.

NASA’s search for life on the Martian surface started in earnest in 1976, when the twin Viking landers arrived. The agency wouldn’t land another spacecraft on Mars until Pathfinder, which arose in an era when NASA had been directed to build its missions “faster, better, cheaper.”

Pathfinder’s team harnessed new approaches and technologies to deliver the mission ahead of schedule and at a lower cost than the Viking landers.

NASA’s Sojourner Mars rover is seen on the 22nd Martian day, or sol, of the Pathfinder mission near a location nicknamed “The Dice” (three small rocks behind the rover) and a rock nicknamed “Yogi.” Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

Jessica Samuels, an engineering intern in Arizona at the time of Pathfinder’s landing, remembers watching news coverage of the event with her roommate. The excitement helped lead her to pursue aerospace engineering.

“That moment — seeing this little mechanical rover exploring the surface of another planet — made me realize that’s something I would love to do,” said Samuels, now Perseverance’s mission manager. “I had always been interested in space, but that was the spark where I thought this could actually be my profession.”

To take the public along for the journey, the agency harnessed the power of another kind of relatively new technology: the Internet. A website devoted to the mission featured the latest images from Mars, and it became a sensation.

Doug Ellison, who today uploads commands to Curiosity from JPL, was about to enter college in rural England when Pathfinder touched down. After hearing about Pathfinder’s website, he bicycled into town to an IT business that let people pay by the hour for Internet access.

With the business’ employees huddled behind him, Ellison saved Pathfinder’s Martian landscapes onto a 3 1/2-inch floppy disk (this was an era long before cloud computing) and printed them out on a black-and-white dot matrix printer to create a vista of the Red Planet he could look at from home.

He taped the printouts up to form a circle. Then, he stuck his head in it.

“It was pretty much the worst VR experience ever,” Ellison said.

Even so, the Internet provided an inspiring new way to experience space exploration.

“Putting so much online so quickly was a paradigm shift. That’s the motivation today to share as much as we can as quickly as we can from our rover missions,” said Ellison. “I think the Mars program owes Pathfinder a debt of gratitude for being the entire steppingstone for everything since.”

NASA’s Sojourner Mars rover captured this panorama on the Red Planet about a week before its final data transmission, which occurred Sept. 27, 1997. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech.


Tech demos lead the way

Sojourner began as a technology demonstration, NASA’s way of testing and proving what is possible. Ingenuity began the same way — though now it’s an operations demonstration scouting locations on Mars not just for Perseverance, but for a possible landing spot for a future Mars Sample Return campaign.

The campaign would bring samples collected by Perseverance to Earth to be studied by powerful lab equipment searching for signs of ancient microscopic life. But the campaign would include other milestones, like the first instance of a rocket launching off the surface of another planet (a crucial part of getting samples from Mars to Earth). That feat would also support future efforts to land humans on Mars and bring them back home.

Back in 1997, Trosper and team had their hands full just learning to drive a rover on Mars for the first time. “We were a little bit cowboyish. We just didn’t know what we didn’t know,” she said.

What they did know was this: Their mission has lived up to its name, finding a path forward to what had seemed almost impossible before.

NASA’s Sojourner Mars rover captured this image of the Pathfinder lander with air bags, now deflated, that were used to cushion the spacecraft during touchdown. The letters “JPL” and an American flag can be seen on the lander’s electronics box below the lander’s camera, which is mounted on a mast. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech.
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Tweens who spend more time on screens have a higher likelihood of developing disruptive behavior disorders, with social media having an especially strong influence, a new UC San Francisco-led study published this week in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry found.

Social media use was most likely to be linked to conduct disorder, while other forms of screen use — such as watching videos and television, playing video games, and texting — were more likely to be associated with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).

Conduct disorder is characterized by violating others’ basic rights or societal rules with actions such as bullying, vandalism and stealing, while ODD is marked by a pattern of angry or irritable mood, argumentative or defiant behavior, and vindictiveness.

Researchers collected data on screen use, then evaluated for behavior disorders one year later. Each hour of social media was linked with a 62% higher prevalence of conduct disorder, while television, video games, video chat, and texting were linked with a 14% to 21% higher prevalence of ODD.

“Social media platforms can encourage bullying and aggression, which may contribute to the development of conduct disorder in children,” said Jason Nagata, MD, lead study author and assistant professor of pediatrics at UCSF.

“Children can be exposed to violent content on social media through ads even if they are not searching for it,” said Nagata. “If kids do search for violence, algorithms will feed back even more disturbing content and children can get stuck in cycles of toxicity.”

Watching movies and playing video games, on the other hand, may displace sleep and physical activity as well as reduce social support, he said, which could explain the tie to ODD.

In another recent study, Nagata and colleagues found that adolescents are so attached to their phones — the main vehicle for screen time — that they report losing track of time when using their phone (47.5%) and will interrupt whatever they are doing when contacted by phone (31%).

A threshold at four hours a day

Prior cross-sectional studies have suggested an association between screen time and behavior disorders but didn’t differentiate between types of screen use or only examined one type, such as video games.

The current prospective study examined links between several types of screen time and behavior in a demographically diverse national sample of 11,875 children ages 9 to 11 years old.

Children self-reported hours per day spent on six different screen modalities: viewing/streaming TV shows or movies; watching/streaming videos, such as on YouTube; playing video games; texting; video chatting; and using social media such as Instagram, separately for weekdays and weekend days.

Exceeding four hours of daily screen time may lead to disruptive behaviors through exposure to harmful content or the development of screen addictions.

The average amount of screen time was four hours per day, with the most time spent watching/streaming TV shows/movies (1.3 hours on average), playing video games (1.1 hours), and watching/streaming videos (1 hour).

In fact, four hours a day was a threshold, with time above four hours associated with a 69% higher prevalence of conduct disorder and a 46% higher prevalence of ODD.

“Some guidelines recommend limiting recreational screen time to two hours per day, but this may not be realistic for many teens,” said Nagata. “Exceeding four hours of daily screen time may lead to disruptive behaviors through exposure to harmful content or the development of screen addictions.”

To assess for behavior disorders, researchers asked parents and caregivers to complete the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, or KSADS-5, a computerized tool for categorizing child and adolescent mental health concerns, a year after their children had reported screen use.

They found 1.9% of the children met criteria for new-onset conduct disorder (1.1% of girls and 2.8% of boys) and 6.3% met criteria for new-onset oppositional defiant disorder (4.7% of girls and 7.9% of boys).

Future research could examine sleep and ADHD as potential mediators between screen use and disruptive behavior disorders, the authors wrote. “Given that the strongest association was between social media and conduct disorder, social media may be the platform to target for preventive interventions,” said Dr. Nagata.

Co-authors: Andrea Garber, Ph.D., RD in the UCSF Department of Pediatrics; Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, MD, Ph.D. in the UCSF Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics; and UCSF medical students Jonathan Chu and Puja Iyer contributed to this research. Please refer to the paper for additional co-authors.

Jess Berthold writes for UC San Francisco.
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Fed Chair Jerome Powell indicated further hikes to come. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The U.S. Federal Reserve hiked its benchmark interest rate by a further three-quarters of a percentage point on July 27, 2022.

The jump was expected by most economists, although some had thought the central bank would go further in its attempts to put the brakes on soaring inflation and impose a full point increase.

The Conversation asked Arabinda Basistha, an economist at West Virginia University, to cast an eye over the Fed’s announcement and provide three key takeaways about what it tells us about the economy and future monetary policy.

1. More hawkish on monetary policy

On the surface, the headline decision to raise the interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point is very much in line with what was expected. But a careful reading of the accompanying statement by the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) reveals a slightly more hawkish Fed – one that’s more willing to act more aggressively in attempting to calm inflation – than in the last such meeting in June, when it likewise raised rates by three-quarters of a percentage point.

On that occasion, the vote was not unanimous – Kansas City Fed President Esther George opted to go for a half-point raise but was outvoted by colleagues who wanted the more aggressive 0.75% hike in a bid to bring down inflation.

But this time the vote was unanimously in favor of the three-quarter point rise, an indication that the Fed thinks it needs to act more decisively in the face of stubborn cost of living increases.

A notable change in the FOMC statement was the removal of any reference to supply chain disruptions due to COVID-19 in China. That line was in June’s statement, so its absence this time may indicate an easing of the supply chain issues that have contributed to inflation hitting a 40-year high.

That aside, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell stuck a downbeat note on inflation in the U.S., acknowledging in a news conference accompanying the announcement that June’s Consumer Price Index hitting 9.1% was “worse than expected.”

2. Expect a further rate hike in September

There is now a clear indication that that the FOMC will impose another rate hike when it meets in September. Powell noted in the news conference that another 0.75 percentage point rise in September “could be appropriate.”

At the same time, he acknowledged that with the latest increase, the Fed’s rate was pretty much in line with what economists call the “neutral” rate of interest – that is, a rate which neither stimulates the economy nor slows it down. The “neutral rate” is assumed to be around 2.5%; the latest FOMC hike puts the Feds’ policy rate up to a range of 2.25% to 2.5%.

So if there were to be another fairly sharp rise in the benchmark interest rate in September, it would push the Fed rate above the neutral rate – a move that would restrict economic growth. Again, this is an indication that the Fed is striking a more hawkish tone on monetary policy.

Powell did mention that a more moderate rate rise in September is possible, but that will likely depend on there being clear data showing price stabilization and an overall softening of the labor market. The job market has been strong for a while, with healthy monthly gains. The Fed will be looking for a decrease in the current high number of job vacancies, along with lower wage inflation, to signal a softening labor market before it can ease back on aggressive rate hikes.

3. Economic output is slowing, but no recession (yet)

In the statement accompanying the FOMC rate decision, the Fed noted that recent data showed “spending and production have softened.” Powell expanded on that a little, noting that business fixed investment – that is, how much companies spend on things like machines or factories – had gone down.

This acknowledgment that expenditure is softening wasn’t in June’s statement and is a clear sign that Fed officials believe the economy is slowing down, something Powell acknowledged. Yet at the same time, the Fed chair said the strength of the labor market indicated robust overall demand.

As such, it would seem Powell does not see the U.S. heading into recession, but rather, there will be some slowing down of the economy throughout the second half of this year.The Conversation

Arabinda Basistha, Associate Professor of Economics, West Virginia University

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

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NORTH COAST, Calif. — Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, or LNU, has welcomed two additional type-1 helitankers.

The helitankers arrived on July 1, 2022.

Cal Fire has positioned two contracted type-1 helitankers used as exclusive use for aerial firefighting operations in the LNU.

Helitanker 1CH from Columbia Helicopters will be based out of Napa County Airport, and Helitanker 37S from Siller Brothers will be based out of Sonoma Air Attack base at the Sonoma County Airport.

In addition to the unit's own Type-1 Cal Fire HAWK "Copter 104" based in Lake County, the region will now have three large helicopters not only arriving quicker to any new fire but can send local aircraft to multiple fires occurring at the same time.

These aircraft will be available for fire assignments in the greater Bay Area and all of California.

As rapid fires spread and concurrent wildfires will continue to be the norm, and areas throughout the state previously thought to be immune to large and damaging fires are proving to be as vulnerable as areas with active fire histories.

Cal Fire said the entire state is at greater risk of major fires than at any other time in recorded history.

That includes the redwood coastal belts and the more temperate areas of Northern California, as evidenced by the 2020 San Mateo and Santa Cruz Unit Lightning Complex, which burned over 86,000 acres and destroyed 1,490 structures along the coast range of Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties.

Additional surge equipment will be required to enhance Cal Fire’s ability to meet the increasing operational deficiencies created by a changing climate, meet demands caused by a year-round fire regime, and provide a deeper pool of available equipment.

In addition to Cal Fire staffed helicopters, the department relies on exclusive use contracted or “call when needed” helicopters to increase its aviation response. Contracts which are based on a call when needed premise do not guarantee the availability of a helicopter when the department calls, and these arrangements are usually implemented when a large fire is ongoing and not for initial attack response.

Cal Fire has experienced the reliability and dependability of exclusive use contracts in that they provide greater efficiencies in getting helicopters to the initial attack stage of fires.

Helitanker 1CH, a Boeing CH-47D Chinook, is owned and operated by Columbia Helicopters of
Aurora, Oregon.

Helitanker 1CH arrived at the Napa County Airport and has been on contract since June 16. This helitanker holds up to 2,800 gallons of water on a fixed tank, which is permanently attached to the aircraft. The fixed tank system also provides a safer operation since they do not have a bucket hanging underneath the helicopter while in flight.

Helitanker 37S, a Sikorsky S-64E Skycrane, is owned and operated by Siller Brothers out of Yuba City. Helitanker 37S arrived and has been on contract since July 1. This helitanker holds up to 2,000 gallons of water on a fixed tank.

“The S-64E helicopter features three experienced pilots — a command pilot, copilot and aft seat pilot, whose job is to guarantee precision on every job,” Siller Brothers reported.

These respective 2,800 and 2,000 gallon water droppers will enhance Cal Fire’s operations, ensuring that these mission critical resources are always available to respond to emergency fire events and operate safely in the field.

There will be additional firefighting resources that will help to address complex initial attack and large fire support operations. Cal Fire said this will not only increase its initial attack strength dramatically but will also reduce the time in getting these valuable resources to large fires as well.

The state also has on exclusive use contract this year three large air tankers with 3,000 and 4,000 gallon capacity as well as those normally available from Cal Fire’s partnership with the United States Forest Service.

These will be used in supporting roles behind the Cal Fire copters including the Cal Fire HAWK out of Boggs Mountain and the Cal Fire air tankers out of Sonoma, Ukiah, Sacramento and Chico, Cal Fire’s closest bases.

“Cal Fire LNU welcomes both Helitanker 1CH and 37S to the Unit and we look forward to working with both helitankers this year,” the agency said.

To learn more about Cal Fire’s Aviation Fleet visit https://www.fire.ca.gov/programs/fire-protection/aviation-program/.
Posted On

Cassie Urquhart, entomologist for the Lake County Vector Control District, counts mosquitoes collected in a local trap that was set out overnight. Courtesy photo.

LAKEPORT, Calif. — Mosquitoes are here, despite the drought, and the high temperatures are ideal for both mosquitoes and West Nile virus to thrive.

Although no Lake County mosquitoes have tested positive yet for West Nile virus, or WNV, in 2022, the warm nights mean that the virus will be detected here soon in mosquitoes, dead birds or sentinel chickens.

In California, the number of mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus activity increased sharply in the last two weeks.

So far, six California residents have been diagnosed with mosquito-borne illnesses this year.

“Both mosquito and West Nile virus activity increase when the overnight temperatures are 60°F or warmer,” said Jamesina Scott, Ph.D., district manager and research director of the Lake County Vector Control District. “In a dry year like this, many people don’t think about mosquitoes or the diseases they carry, like West Nile or St. Louis encephalitis viruses. The best way to protect yourself is avoid mosquito bites.”

Scott said that if you plan to be outside when mosquitoes are active, apply an effective repellent that contains Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or DEET.

Mosquitoes develop in water, so you can protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites and West Nile virus by dumping out standing water.

Now is a great time to take a walk around your yard and look for places that might hold water like buckets, toys, and boats and dump out any water you find.

If you have water that can’t be drained, like a pond, livestock watering trough, water feature, or an out-of-service (green) swimming pool, then contact the district and we can provide free mosquito-eating fish to prevent mosquitoes from growing there.

Residents can report dead birds to help the district identify where West Nile virus activity is taking place.

All dead bird reports from the public are critical in helping the district direct mosquito operations. Report dead birds to the state’s toll-free hotline at 1-877-968-2473 (1-877-WNV-BIRD) or online at the California Department of Public Health's website, https://westnile.ca.gov/report.

The Lake County Vector Control District provides mosquito and vector control services to our community.

Residents with questions or who would like help with a mosquito problem, including reporting a neglected pool or spa, or who have an in-ground yellowjacket nest on their property that they want treated, should contact the Lake County Vector Control District at 707-263-4770 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, or request service online anytime at https://www.lcvcd.org/request-service-d649036.

For more information about the Lake County Vector Control District and its services, visit www.lcvcd.org.

For information about West Nile virus, visit http://westnile.ca.gov/.

Information about mosquito repellents can be found on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov/westnile/faq/repellent.html.
Posted On

Pamela Jo Roay. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the community’s help in locating a missing Lower Lake woman.

Pamela Jo Roay, 67, left her home on Tish-A-Tang Road in Lower Lake on foot between 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.Tuesday, the sheriff’s office said in a Tuesday night report.

Roay is described as a white female with short gray hair and hazel eyes, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall and 340 pounds. A description of her clothing was not available.

She is considered at risk due to medical conditions and currently does not have her prescription medication.

Anyone with information on her location should call Lake County Sheriff's Dispatch at 707-263-2690.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. — New dogs have joined Clearlake Animal Control’s lineup of adoptable canines this week.

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 following dogs are available for adoption. The newest additions are at the top.

“Luna.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Luna’

“Luna” is an 8-month-old Labrador retriever-terrier mix with a black and white coat.

She is dog No. 50339254.

“Mamba.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Mamba’

“Mamba” is a male Siberian husky mix with a gray and cream-colored coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 49520569.

“Andy.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Andy’

“Andy” is a male American pit bull mix with a short gray and white coat.

He is dog No. 48995415.

“Bear.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Bear’

“Bear” is a male Labrador retriever-American pit bull mix with a short charcoal and fawn coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 48443153.

“Betsy.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Betsy’

“Betsy” is a female American pit bull mix with a short white coat.

She has been spayed.

She is dog No. 50236145.

“Bluey.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Bluey’

“Bluey” is a male retriever mix with a short black coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 50552999.

“Big Phil.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.


‘Big Phil’

“Big Phil” is a 13-year-old male American pit bull terrier mix with a blue coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 49951647.

“Bro.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Bro’

“Bro” is a male terrier mix with a short tan coat.

He has been neutered.

Bro is dog No. 50262527.

“Colt.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Colt’

“Colt” is a male Rhodesian Ridgeback mix with a short rust and black coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 49812106.

“Hakuna.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Hakuna’

“Hakuna” is a male shepherd mix with a tan coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 50176912.

“Hondo.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Hondo’

“Hondo” is a male Alaskan husky mix with a buff coat.

He has been neutered.

He’s dog No. 50227693.

“Kubota.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Kubota’

“Kubota” is a male German shepherd mix with a short tan and black coat.

He has been neutered.

Kubota is dog No. 50184421.

“Matata.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Matata’

“Matata” is male shepherd mix with a tan coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 50176912.

“Newman.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Newman’

“Newman” is a 1-year-old male American pit bull terrier mix with a black and white coat.

He has been neutered.

Newman is dog No. 49057809.

“Sadie.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Sadie’

“Sadie” is a female German shepherd mix with a black and tan coat.

She has been spayed.

She is dog No. 49802563.

“Terry.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Terry’

“Terry” is a handsome male shepherd mix with a short brindle coat.

He gets along with other dogs, including small ones, and enjoys toys. He also likes water, playing fetch and keep away.

Staff said he is now getting some training to help him build confidence.

He is dog No. 48443693.

“Tiramisu.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Tiramisu’

“Tiramisu” is a female Alaskan husky mix with a short brown and cream coat.

She is dog No. 49652833.

“Ziggy.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Ziggy’

“Ziggy” is a male American pit bull terrier mix with a short gray and white coat.

He has been neutered.

Ziggy is dog No. 50146247

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.
Posted On

The California Highway Patrol is celebrating the lifesaving collaboration of many partners behind the scenes, including members of the public, who have helped safely reunite hundreds of abducted children with their families during 20 years of the state’s America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response, or AMBER, Alert system.

“The tremendous success of this program would not be possible without the partnership of law enforcement throughout California, broadcasters, government agencies at both the state and federal level, and members of the public,” said CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray. “When a child or at-risk individual goes missing, every second counts, and the AMBER Alert program provides a critical resource for law enforcement and the public.”

In July 2002, state law designated the CHP as the statewide coordinator for California’s AMBER Alert program.

Since the first AMBER Alert activation in August 2002, 376 children or at-risk individuals have been found safe because of the state’s emergency alert system designed to recover missing children or at-risk individuals by employing the public’s assistance.

The CHP issues an AMBER Alert at the request of a law enforcement agency investigating the abduction of a child or at-risk individual.

For an AMBER Alert to be issued, the CHP works with local law enforcement to confirm:

• a child 17 years old or younger, or at-risk individual, has been abducted or taken;
• the individual is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death;
• and there is information available that if shared with the public, could assist in the safe recovery of the individual.

As the AMBER Alert program has continued to evolve and through the years, the CHP has added secondary distribution methods to supplement the emergency alert system.

These include the Wireless Emergency Alerts program, which is operated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Communications Commission; the California Department of Transportation’s Changeable Message Signs on freeways; @CHPAlerts on Twitter; and the California Lottery displays AMBER Alerts on digital terminal signs and printed on lottery tickets.

The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of safety, service and security.
Posted On

CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The Clearlake Police Department reported that a skateboarder died this week after being hit by a driver who subsequently was arrested.

Clearlake resident Adam Huskey, 32, died as the result of the crash, which occurred on Monday morning, police said.

Authorities said that at 10:45 a.m. Monday Clearlake Police officers responded to Emory Avenue south of Mullen Avenue for a report of a traffic collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian.

When they arrived, the officers found the collision involved a Chevrolet Silverado occupied by two people and a motorized skateboard ridden by one person.

The driver of the Chevrolet was identified as 24-year-old Clearlake resident Dillon Alan Mahoney and the rider of the motorized skateboard was identified as Huskey, police said.

Police said Huskey sustained major injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

As a result of the investigation and based upon probable cause, officers arrested Mahoney for vehicular manslaughter.

Mahoney was booked into the Lake County Jail. He remained in custody on Wednesday, with bail set at $150,000. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday.

This is the second crash in the city that has killed a pedestrian in less than a week.

At around 1 a.m. July 20, 43-year-old Clearlake resident James Torrey Jr. was hit by a drunk driver on Highway 53 just north of Dam Road, dying a short time later, as Lake County News has reported.

If you witnessed the Monday collision on Emory Avenue, please contact Officer Christopher Kelleher by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at 707-994-8251.

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