LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — On Monday, a judge sentenced an Upper Lake man to state prison for a 2020 killing.

Christopher Jon McDonald, 45, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the murder of 48-year-old John Turner Dickerson of Nice.

McDonald entered a no contest plea to first-degree murder last month, days ahead of the scheduled start of his trial, as part of a plea agreement reached with the District Attorney’s Office, as Lake County News has reported.

The body of Dickerson, who moved from Maryland to California in 2011, was found in the Mendocino National Forest on Aug. 9, 2020.

An autopsy concluded Dickerson died of a gunshot wound and that his remains had been in the forest for several weeks by the time they were discovered.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office’s investigation resulted in a search warrant being served on McDonald’s property, which led to his arrest in early May 2021.

Deputy District Attorney Daniel Flesch said the killing was the result of “a marijuana deal gone bad,” in which Dickerson had allegedly “lost” 30 pounds of marijuana that belonged to McDonald.

McDonald’s attorney, Andrea Sullivan, told Lake County News last month that had he gone to trial and been convicted, he could have faced a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

The plea agreement makes McDonald eligible for parole, Sullivan 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.

As other states make it harder for people to vote, California is expanding and protecting voting access.

State officials believe voting should be easy, that's why every active registered voter receives a ballot in the mail and Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed new legislation to make it even easier and safer to participate in our democracy.

The bills signed today will:

Increase vote-by-mail ballot drop box locations at UC and CSU campuses.

Protect election officials and poll workers from doxing and harassment by giving them the option to keep their home address confidential.

Increase multilingual resources and access to polling places.

The bills in the package include:

• AB 1631 by Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside) – Elections: elections officials.

• AB 2815 by Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) – Elections: vote by mail ballot drop-off locations.

• SB 1131 by Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) – Address confidentiality: public entity employees and contractors.

Last month, Gov. Newsom signed SB 103 by Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa) ensuring the state’s presidential electors cast ballots for candidates who won the election.

In a move to increase access to democracy and enfranchise more voters, the governor last year signed legislation permanently requiring a vote by mail ballot be mailed to every active registered voter in the state — a practice that began in California in 2020 as a safety measure to counteract pandemic-related disruptions and resulted in record voter participation.

For full text of the bills, visit http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.

 

At this point in the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly everyone has experienced the panic and uncertainty that come with having mild COVID-like symptoms – such as a cough and sore throat – only to test negative day after day. With cold and flu season just around the corner, that state of frustrating uncertainty is likely to strike most of us again.

Both COVID-19 and the flu are contagious respiratory illnesses that have similar symptoms, making it difficult to distinguish between the two viral infections without a lab test. Testing is the only way to know which virus is causing your symptoms. In fact, labs are working to create one test that can detect both COVID-19 and the flu.

As a nursing professor with experience in public health promotion, I am often asked about the differences between the flu and COVID-19. This year I am fielding many questions about the timing of getting the new COVID-19 booster and the flu shot and whether they can be given together.

Parsing the symptoms

Symptoms of both COVID-19 and the flu can range from mild – or no noticeable symptoms at all – to severe. While flu infection does not typically affect one’s ability to taste or smell, loss of taste or smell has been a common symptom associated with COVID-19 infection. Both infections can cause fevers, chills, body aches and fatigue. More severe symptoms of either infection include difficulty breathing and subsequent infections like pneumonia.

During the 2021-2022 flu season, the term “flurona” made its way into the COVID-19 vernacular. Flurona refers to a simultaneous infection with both the flu and COVID-19. While only a few cases of co-infections have been reported, it would not be surprising to see more of them this coming flu season. Vaccination for both the flu and COVID-19 is your best protection against both.

Timing the shots

With the newly formulated COVID-19 booster shot now available and flu season just around the corner, a natural question is whether there is an optimal timing for the two shots.

The answer to that question is to get both as soon as possible. It is important to consider that it takes approximately two weeks after vaccination for the body to develop antibodies from both the COVID-19 vaccines and the flu vaccine.

As long as you have completed your primary COVID-19 vaccine series and it has been at least eight weeks since your last COVID-19 booster, now is the time to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine that targets both the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – and the most recent omicron subvariants. The original COVID-19 vaccines and booster series have dramatically reduced the number of COVID-19 infection and death rates, as well as cases of severe COVID-19 that lead to hospitalization.

While everyone 6 months of age and older are recommended to receive both the COVID-19 and flu vaccines, certain populations have a higher risk for severe infection, such as pregnant women, and should be extra vigilant about getting vaccinated.

Further, among those vaccinated against COVID-19, symptoms during an infection tend to be milder. However, due in part to the quickly evolving nature of the virus, it’s become clear that immune protection from COVID-19 vaccination or infection does not last forever. While studies show that the primary COVID-19 series maintains efficacy against severe disease and death six months after vaccination, protection against infection decreases by between 20% to 30% by six months after vaccination.

This decline in immune protection is exactly why booster shots are so critical. Without a large uptake of booster shots in the population, COVID-19 infection rates could surge again.

Timing is also important with the flu vaccine. Flu cases typically begin to rise in October and peak between December and February, but can last through May. Ideally, people should get vaccinated before flu begins to spread, making September or early October the ideal flu vaccination time.

A difficult flu season ahead

Due to lockdowns, reduced travel, school closures and mask mandates in the first and second years of the pandemic, both the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 flu seasons were estimated to have fewer hospitalizations and deaths from the flu compared to many of the pre-pandemic years.

In the fall of 2021, experts became concerned about the potential for a COVID-19 and flu “twindemic,” especially as COVID-19 restrictions were lifting and masks were coming off. Fortunately, the worst didn’t bear out – flu numbers in the 2021-2022 season did not return to pre-pandemic levels. However, the possibility of a “twindemic” is not out of the picture for the coming flu season.

Flu seasons are inherently difficult to predict. With most people traveling again, schools open, mask mandates lifted and workers headed back to the office, people are undoubtedly going to be exposed to germs that they have been more protected from for the last two and a half years.

To further compound this, flu vaccine rates have been lower during the pandemic, suggesting that Americans may be out of the habit of getting their annual flu shot.

Pairing the shots

Many are also wondering whether they can or should get both the updated COVID-19 booster and the flu shot at the same time. The good news is, yes, it is safe for both adults and children 12 years of age and up who are eligible for the updated COVID-19 booster to get these vaccines simultaneously.

A recent study found that common vaccine side effects such as pain at the injection site occurred at slightly higher rates when someone received the flu vaccine and a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time, as opposed to receiving only a COVID-19 booster. However, those reactions, including fatigue and headache, were mild and resolved within a day or two.

You don’t need to make two separate vaccine visits as long as you are due for your next COVID-19 shot. However, I don’t recommend waiting to get your flu shot if you are not yet due for a COVID-19 booster. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests everyone receive their flu vaccine by the end of October. But if you miss that deadline, it is absolutely better to get vaccinated later in the season than not at all.

Community matters too

Getting the flu and COVID-19 vaccines isn’t just about your own health, it’s about family and community health too. Communities with higher vaccination rates have fewer opportunities to spread the virus.

Keep in mind that many people cannot be vaccinated because they have weakened immune systems or are undergoing treatments. They depend on those around them for protection. While one person may experience mild symptoms if they contract the flu or COVID-19, they could spread the virus to others who could become severely ill. Because it’s impossible to predict how people will react if they get sick, getting the flu and COVID-19 vaccines is the best prevention strategy.

Libby Richards, Associate Professor of Nursing, Purdue University

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

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — On Sunday, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) announced Lakeport Police Officer Juan Altamirano and Cory Smith of the Lake County Fire Protection District as the 2022 Lake County Public Safety Heroes.

Each year, Thompson honors law enforcement officers and first responders in our community who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.

“Our first responders play an essential role in keeping our communities safe and saving lives. Every year, it is a great honor to be able to recognize some of our public safety heroes from our district for their incredible work on behalf of our communities,” said Thompson. “Cory Smith is a proven leader in Lake County, serving as both a paramedic and fire marshal. His coolness and skill under pressure led to the safe evacuation of multiple endangered citizens during the Cache fire.”

Thompson continued, “Officer Altamirano is an exemplary officer and demonstrates important values of respect and commitment to duty. I am proud to recognize Mr. Smith and Officer Altamirano for their heroic efforts and they are well deserving of this award.”

In August 2021, Smith responded to the Cache fire in Clearlake as a member of Prevention 715. There, they worked tirelessly to remove fences and clear paths alongside two engine companies from Cal Fire.

During the assignment, they discovered two individuals in immediate danger from nearby flames, one of whom had severe burns. Upon evacuation, they radioed for a medical unit to transport her to a nearby hospital.

Early last year, Officer Altamirano demonstrated his compassion, respect, and dedication to duty while responding to a suspicious vehicle report.

Altamirano found a truck and loaded trailer broken down in an area of Lakeport that was dangerous for the driver and other motorists.

Upon further inspection, he found that the truck and trailer were carrying a family and all their possessions, and they had no resources to get the vehicle out of the way or operating at that time.

Officer Altamirano used his own personal resources, not those of the department, to have the truck and trailer towed to a safe location to wait while the family could make other arrangements. Any other action could have placed the family in jeopardy of losing their vehicle and possessions.

While reviewing Officer Altamirano’s actions, other similar incidents came to light, in which he provided meals and water to other community members in need, and found creative ways to provide service to his community above and beyond the call of duty.

The full list of the Public Safety Heroes of the Year for the Fifth Congressional District is below.

Captain John Angell, Crockett-Carquinez Fire Department
Sergeant Zach Lekse, Martinez Police Department
Cory Smith, Lake County Fire
Officer Juan Altamirano, Lakeport Police Department
Rodger Collinson, Napa Fire Department
Deputy Brian Ringo, Napa County Sheriff’s Office
Deputy Joseph Schiavoni, Napa County Sheriff’s Office
Detective Rory Logan, Benicia Police Department
Robert O’Connor, Solano County Paramedic
Kristy and Bob Brindley, Just1Mike Foundation
Officer Westin Schindler, Santa Rosa Police Department
Sergeant Terry White and Officers Jason Jucutan, Jeff Badger, Dane Schindler and Brett Wright, Santa Rosa Police Department Special Enforcement Team

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors is set to discuss a possible audit of the nonprofit that has run the county’s homeless shelter and consider a homeowners association’s request to waive aquatic weed herbicide treatment permit fees.

The‌ ‌board will meet beginning ‌at‌ ‌9‌ ‌a.m. ‌Tuesday, Sept. 27, 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 973 4955 4438, ‌pass code 986184.‌ ‌The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,97349554438#,,,,*986184#.

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

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

In an untimed item, the board will consider the county’s contractual relationship with Elijah House and the retention of an outside auditor to review and assess contract and funding compliance, appropriations and expenditures.

The nonprofit, based in Oroville, ran the county’s homeless shelter from July 2020 to the end of last month.

In recent months, questions have arisen about the nonprofit’s performance and its accountability.

The board also will consider retaining special legalized services to address PG&E's wildfire mitigation activities and a request by the Clearlake Oaks Keys Property Owners Association for a waiver of fees for an aquatic weed herbicide treatment permit.

At 9:10 a.m., the board will host the presentation of Employee Service Awards.

At 10 a.m., the supervisors will hold a public hearing for a proposed rezone and a negative declaration sought by Daniel Sosa for 3774 and 3794 E. Highway 20, Nice, the Nice Market.

Sosa is asking to rezone the property from Highway Commercial-Design Review to Community Commercial in order to allow retail sales of commercial cannabis.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

5.1: Review of revised response of the AVA Authority to the 2021-22 Grand Jury Final Report.

5.2: Approve the agreement between county of Lake and Kings View Professional Services for MIS support services for FY 2022-23 in the amount of $158,469 and authorize the board chair to sign.

5.3: Approve agreement between the county of Lake and 4Leaf Inc, for structural plan reviews of large residential projects for an amount not to exceed $50,000, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.4: Waive the formal bidding requirement and authorize the IT director to issue purchase orders to Dell Marketing L.P. for Microsoft Apps for Enterprise licenses; and authorize IT director to sign Microsoft Enterprise Agreement enrollment paperwork.

5.5: a) Approve bid relief for Converse Construction Inc. for Bid No. 22-08, Hill Road Correctional Facility Backup Generator Project; and b) award of Bid No. 22-08 to G.D. Nielson Construction Inc. in the amount of $507,456 and authorize the chair to sign the agreement and notice of award.

5.6: (a) Approve acceptance of donation from Juneko Steele in the amount of $65,000, to be allocated for the purchase of a 2023 Chevy Tahoe K-9 vehicle and a K-9 prisoner transport insert; and (b) approve purchase of one (1) 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle 4x4 from Folsom Chevrolet in an amount not to exceed $60,000 from the Sheriff/Coroner Budget Unit 2201, Object Code 62.72 and; (c) adopt resolution to allocate unanticipated revenue for the purchase of K-9 vehicle and a K-9 prisoner transport insert for use by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office; and (d) waive the competitive bidding process under 38.2 (3) as the bidding process would produce no economic benefit to the county; and (e) authorize the sheriff/coroner or his designee to sign the purchase order(s).

5.7: Approve first amendment to the contract between county of Lake and Adams Ashby Group for HOME and CDBG loan portfolio management services in the amount of $50,000, from July 1, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2022, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.8: (a) Waive the competitive bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 2-38.2, based on a determination that competitive bidding would produce no economic benefit to the county; (b) authorize Special Districts administrator/assistant purchasing agent to issue a purchase order not to exceed $25,000 to DXP Turbo for the purchase of two replacement high service pumps.

TIMED ITEMS

6.2, 9:10 a.m.: Presentation of Employee Service Awards.

6.3, 10 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of proposed rezone (RZ 22-02) and negative declaration (IS 22-19). Applicant: Daniel Sosa. Project Location: 3774 and 3794 E. Highway 20, Nice (APNs 032-181-02 and 03).

UNTIMED ITEMS

7.2: Consideration of appointments of a director and alternate to the California State Association of Counties Board of Directors for 2023.

7.3: Consideration of the following advisory board appointment: Hartley Cemetery District.

7.4: (a) Consideration of a resolution authorizing application for grant funding under the Regional Climate Collaboratives Program, as administered by the Strategic Growth Council; (b) consideration of a draft partnership agreement for the Climate Safe Lake Project, and authorization of a designee to sign.

7.5: Consideration of resolution of intention to the Lake County Board of Supervisors to initiate an amendment to the zoning ordinance relating to appeals.

7.6: Consideration of resolution of intention of the Lake County Board of Supervisors to initiate the following amendments: An amendment to Chapter 5 of the Lake County Code relating to permitting ag-exempt and temporary ag structures, an amendment to Chapter 27 of the Lake County Code regarding mitigation fees, and an amendment to Article 68 of the zoning ordinance regarding definitions of temporary building types.

7.7: Discussion and consideration of the county’s contractual relationship with Elijah House and the retention of an outside auditor to review and assess contract and funding compliance, appropriations and expenditures.

7.8: Consideration of retention of specialized legal services to address PG&E's wildfire mitigation activities.

7.9: Consideration of request by the Clearlake Oaks Keys Property Owners Association for a waiver of fees for an aquatic weed herbicide treatment permit.

CLOSED SESSION

8.1: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9(1) – Flesch v. County of Lake.

8.2: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9(d)(1 -) Center for Biological Diversity, et al. v. County of Lake, et al.

8.3: Public employee evaluation: Title: Behavioral Health director.

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.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Clearlake Planning Commission will meet this week to discuss the plans for a new city recreation center and corporation yard.

The commission will meet beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

The agenda can be found here.

Submit comments and questions in writing for commission consideration by sending them to Administrative Services Director/City Clerk Melissa Swanson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Identify the subject you wish to comment on in your email’s subject line.

Community members also can participate via Zoom. The webinar ID is 826 9498 8020.

To attend by phone, dial in at +1 669 444 9171; one tap mobile is available, +16694449171,,82694988020# US.

The meeting also can be watched on the city’s YouTube account.

To give the planning commission adequate time to review your questions and comments, please submit written comments before 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27.

The main item of business on the Tuesday agenda is a public hearing for the commission to consider adopting a resolution adopting a mitigated negative declaration based on an initial study and a conditional use permit for the Burns Valley Development located at 14885 Burns Valley Road.

The development includes the city’s planned new recreation center, as well as the new Public Works Department worlds yard and building facility, sports fields for baseball, T-ball and soccer, police department storage facilities, a vehicle and equipment storage area, and public access/facilities.

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.

 

The U.S. Senate voted to ratify an international treaty on Sept. 21, 2022, and join 137 other countries in agreeing to phase out a class of climate-warming chemicals that are widely used as coolants in refrigerators, air conditioners and heat pumps.

If you’re getting a sense of déjà vu, don’t be surprised.

These chemicals, called hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, were commercialized in the 1990s as a replacement for earlier refrigerants that were based on chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs. CFCs were destroying the ozone layer high in the Earth’s atmosphere, which is essential for protecting life from the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation.

HFCs are less harmful than CFCs, but they create another problem – they have a strong heat-trapping effect that is contributing to global warming.

If HFCs can be phased down globally – as many countries have agreed to do under the 2016 Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, the treaty just ratified by the U.S. Senate on a bipartisan vote – that would avoid about half a degree Celsius of temperature rise compared to preindustrial times. China, a major producer of these chemicals, ratified the amendment effective Sept. 15, 2021. And the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule in 2021 to cut HFCs production and imports.

Let’s take a closer look at what HFCs are and what might replace them next.

How HFCs keep rooms and food cool

Refrigerators and air conditioning use a technology known as a heat pump. It sounds almost miraculous – heat pumps use energy to take heat out of a cold place and dump it in a warm place.

Here’s how a refrigerator works: A fluid – CFCs back in the old days, and now HFCs – circulates in the walls of the refrigerator, absorbing the ambient heat to keep the fridge cooled down. As that liquid absorbs the heat, it evaporates. The resulting vapor is pumped to the coils on the back of the refrigerator, where it is condensed back to a liquid under pressure. In the process, the heat that was absorbed from inside the fridge is released into the surrounding room.

Air conditioners and home heat pumps do the same thing: they use electric-powered compressors and evaporators to move heat into or out of a house.

Choosing the right fluid for a refrigerator means finding a substance that can be evaporated and condensed at the right temperatures by changing the pressure on the fluid.

CFCs seemed to fit the bill perfectly. They didn’t react with the tubing or compressors to corrode the equipment, and they weren’t toxic or flammable.

Unfortunately, the chemical stability of CFCs turned out to be a problem that threatened the whole world, as scientists discovered in the 1980s. Leaking CFCs, mostly from discarded equipment, remain in the atmosphere for a long time. Eventually they make their way to the stratosphere, where they are finally destroyed by UV radiation from the sun. But when they break down, they create chlorine that reacts with the protective ozone, letting dangerous radiation through to the Earth’s surface.

When production of CFCs was eliminated in the 1990s to protect the ozone layer, new refrigerants were developed and the industry shifted to HFCs.

Why HFCs are a climate problem

HFCs are like CFCs but much more reactive in air, so they never reach the stratosphere where they could harm Earth’s protective radiation shield. They largely saved the world from impending ozone disaster, and they are now found in refrigerators and heat pumps everywhere.

But while HFCs’ chemical reactivity prevents them from depleting the ozone layer, their molecular structure allows them to absorb a lot of thermal radiation, making them a greenhouse gas. Like carbon dioxide on steroids, HFCs are extremely good at capturing infrared photons emitted by the Earth. Some of this radiant energy warms the climate.

Unlike carbon dixoide, reactive HFCs are consumed by chemistry in the air, so they only warm the climate for a decade or two. But a little bit goes a long way – each HFC molecule absorbs thousands of times as much heat as a carbon dixoide molecule, making them powerful climate pollutants.

HFCs leaking from discarded cooling equipment are estimated to contribute about 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions – about twice as much as aviation.

This is why it’s time to retire HFCs and swap them out for alternative refrigerants. They’ve done their job saving the ozone layer, but now HFCs are a major contributor to short-term global warming, and their use has been increasing as demand for cooling increases around the world.

What can replace HFCs?

Because they are so powerful and short-lived, stopping the production and use of HFCs can have a significant cooling effect on the climate over the next couple of decades, buying time as the world converts its energy supply from fossil fuels to cleaner sources.

The good news is that there are alternative refrigerants.

Ammonia and hydrocarbons like butane evaporate at room temperature and have been used as refrigerants since the early 20th century. These gases are short-lived, but they have a downside. Their greater reactivity means their compressors and plumbing have to be more corrosion-resistant and leak-proof to be safe.

The chemical industry has been developing newer alternatives intended to be safer for both people and climate, but as we saw with CFCs and HFCs, inert chemicals can have unintended consequence. Several industry leaders have supported efforts to phase out HFCs.

So, it’s time for another generation of cooling equipment. Just as TVs and audio equipment and light bulbs have evolved over past decades, refrigerators and air conditioners will be replaced by a new wave of improved products. New refrigerators will look and work just like the ones we’re used to, but they will be much gentler on the climate system.

This updates an article originally published on May 4, 2021, with the U.S. Senate ratifying the Kigali Amendment.

Scott Denning, Professor of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University

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

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has more adoptable cats ready for new homes this week.

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.

‘Mama’

“Mama” is a 2-year-old domestic shorthair cat with an all-black coat.

She is in cat room kennel No. 7, ID No. LCAC-A-3884.

‘Willow’

“Willow” is a female domestic shorthair cat with a gray and white coat.

Shelter staff said she has a quiet personality, but also has lots of love and purrs to give. “She likes to greet you with a cute little meow and flashy tail swish.”

She is in cat room kennel No. 47, ID No. LCAC-A-3762.

Male domestic shorthair kitten

This 4-year-old male domestic shorthair kitten has a yellow tabby coat with white markings.

“This sweet little guy loves gentle pets. He has a great purr machine that comes on as soon as he sees you. He is also one of our master kitty bakers and makes wonderful kitty biscuits. He does have a playful side when toys are introduced,” staff said.

He is in cat room kennel No. 53, ID No. LCAC-A-3971.

Female domestic shorthair

This 1-year-old female domestic shorthair has a buff coat.

“This lovely lady may take a little bit of time to warm up to you, but once she does you'll get to meet one of the sweetest kitties. She will make your hand tired from all the pets she wants,” shelter staff said.

She is in cat room kennel No. 56, ID No. LCAC-A-3972.

Male domestic shorthair cat

This 1-year-old male domestic shorthair cat has a black coat.

Shelter staff said he is a sweet, talkative kitty, who loves head scratches and will rub all over your legs as you walk through the room.

He is in cat room kennel No. 60, ID No. LCAC-A-3932.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — After two years of cancellations due to COVID-19, the Kelseyville Pear Festival returned on Saturday in its full form, to the delight of thousands of attendees.

The 28th annual event saw downtown filled with people from all over Lake County and beyond all day Saturday, which was graced with warm, sunny weather.

The day started off with the parade winding its way through town, filled with bubbles, tractors, classic cars and cheer squad members.

The festival was packed with music, food — much of it focused on the pear, from ice cream to pies and other treats — and vendors.

The Horse Faire also was part of this year’s festival, with horses and ponies getting their own corner of the event.

The day’s mood was upbeat, and visitors at the event and later on social media lauded organizers for putting on another great festival.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lakeport Police Department is hosting the National Night Out Against Crime in Library Park on Tuesday, Oct. 4, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

This is a community building partnership meant to bring police and other government agencies together under positive circumstances.

“Together we can reduce crime and build a stronger community,” the Lakeport Police Department said in a statement.

This event is being sponsored by local citizens and businesses and many of local partner agencies will be present with booths providing important public information and resources.

Those agencies include Health Services, Animal Care Services, Probation, Social Services, Service Dogs, Highway Patrol, school district and educational services, victim services, city services, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Family Resources, Main Street Association, Red Cross, community emergency response, Girl Scouts and senior services.

The Lakeport Kiwanis will be serving hot dogs, water, and movie theater popcorn. The Kelseyville Girl Scout Troop will be serving lemonade. There also will be snow cones.

There will be numerous games for children to play during the event as well as raffle prizes for both children and adults. The prizes will include gift certificates and merchandise from local businesses, new bicycles, fishing gear, housewares and sporting goods.

All adults and children attending will be given two general prize raffle tickets with opportunities to earn more by adults visiting all booths and completing a bingo card and by children for participating in games.

Children can also receive a free ice cream or doughnut card by meeting a police officer. Safety Pup, Chipper and McGruff the Crime Dog will also be interacting with the community. Face Painting by Chayo will be doing face painting for kids.

Everything at this event is free of charge.

The Lakeport Police Department invites the community to enjoy a fun evening, to get to know your neighbors and surroundings and build relationships with your local public service agencies.

Complete details including names of participating agencies and sponsors as well as prize details will be posted on the event’s Facebook page.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has more new dogs and puppies this week joining its group of adoptable dogs.

Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Australian cattle dog, Doberman pinscher, Dogo Argentino, German shepherd, Great Pyrenees, hound, husky, pit bull, Rottweiler, shepherd and treeing walker coonhound.

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.

Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online for information on visiting or adopting.

‘Harley’

“Harley” is a 6-month-old female German Shepherd puppy with a black and tan coat.

She is in kennel No. 4, ID No. LCAC-A-4024.

Male border collie

This 2-year-old male border collie has a black and white coat.

He is in kennel No. 8, ID No. LCAC-A-3995.

Female treeing walker coonhound-Doberman pinscher puppy

This 2-month-old female treeing walker coonhound-Doberman pinscher has a short tan coat.

She is in kennel No. 16a, ID No. LCAC-A-3924.

Female treeing walker coonhound-Doberman pinscher puppy

This 2-month-old female treeing walker coonhound-Doberman pinscher has a short tan coat.

She is in kennel No. 16d, ID No. LCAC-A-3927.

Male treeing walker coonhound-Doberman pinscher puppy

This 2-month-old male treeing walker coonhound-Doberman pinscher has a short tricolor coat.

He is in kennel No. 17a, ID No. LCAC-A-3921.

Male treeing walker coonhound-Doberman pinscher puppy

This 2-month-old male treeing walker coonhound-Doberman pinscher has a short tan and white coat.

He is in kennel No. 17b, ID No. LCAC-A-3922.

Male Rottweiler-Australian cattle dog cross

This 5-year-old male Rottweiler-Australian cattle dog cross has a short tricolor coat.

He is in kennel No. 18, ID No. LCAC-A-3942.

Female treeing walker coonhound

This young female treeing walker coonhound has a short black brindle coat.

She is in kennel No. 22, ID No. LCAC-A-3776.

‘Tracy’

“Tracy” is a 2-year-old female Dogo Argentino with a short white coat.

She is in kennel No. 23, ID No. LCAC-A-3952.

Female German shepherd

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

She is in kennel No. 24, ID No. LCAC-A-3780.

Male German shepherd

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

Shelter staff called him a “handsome sweet dude who is motivated by treats and does well walking on a leash.

He is in kennel No. 25, ID No. LCAC-A-3870.

Female husky

This 1-year-old female husky has a cream and black coat.

She is in kennel No. 27, ID No. LCAC-A-3893.

‘Poppy’

“Poppy” is a 4-month-old female Great Pyrenees with a short white and gray coat.

She is in kennel No. 30, ID No. LCAC-A-3790.

Male German shepherd

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

He is in kennel No. 31, ID No. LCAC-A-3930.

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Electric planes might seem futuristic, but they aren’t that far off, at least for short hops.

Two-seater Velis Electros are already quietly buzzing around Europe, electric sea planes are being tested in British Columbia, and larger planes are coming. Air Canada announced on Sept. 15, 2022, that it would buy 30 electric-hybrid regional aircraft from Sweden’s Heart Aerospace, which expects to have its 30-seat plane in service by 2028. Analysts at the U.S. National Renewable Energy Lab note that the first hybrid electric 50- to 70-seat commuter plane could be ready not long after that. In the 2030s, they say, electric aviation could really take off.

That matters for managing climate change. About 3% of global emissions come from aviation today, and with more passengers and flights expected as the population expands, aviation could be producing three to five times more carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 than it did before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aerospace engineer and assistant professor Gökçin Çınar develops sustainable aviation concepts, including hybrid-electric planes and hydrogen fuel alternatives, at the University of Michigan. We asked her about the key ways to cut aviation emissions today and where technologies like electrification and hydrogen are headed.

Why is aviation so difficult to electrify?

Aircraft are some of the most complex vehicles out there, but the biggest problem for electrifying them is the battery weight.

If you tried to fully electrify a 737 with today’s batteries, you would have to take out all the passengers and cargo and fill that space with batteries just to fly for under an hour.

Jet fuel can hold about 50 times more energy compared to batteries per unit mass. So, you can have 1 pound of jet fuel or 50 pounds of batteries. To close that gap, we need to either make lithium-ion batteries lighter or develop new batteries that hold more energy. New batteries are being developed, but they aren’t yet ready for aircraft.

An electric alternative is hybrids.

Even though we might not be able to fully electrify a 737, we can get some fuel burn benefits from batteries in the larger jets by using hybrid propulsion systems. We are trying to make that happen in the short term, with a 2030-2035 target for smaller regional planes. The less fuel burned during flight, the fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

How does hybrid aviation work to cut emissions?

Hybrid electric aircraft are similar to hybrid electric cars in that they use a combination of batteries and aviation fuels. The problem is that no other industry has the weight limitations that we do in the aerospace industry.

That’s why we have to be very smart about how and how much we are hybridizing the propulsion system.

Using batteries as a power assist during takeoff and climb are very promising options. Taxiing to the runway using just electric power could also save a significant amount of fuel and reduce the local emissions at airports. There is a sweet spot between the added weight of the battery and how much electricity you can use to get net fuel benefits. This optimization problem is at the center of my research.

Hybrids would still burn fuel during flight, but it could be considerably less than just relying entirely on jet fuel.

I see hybridization as a mid-term option for larger jets, but a near-term solution for regional aircraft.

For 2030 to 2035, we’re focused on hybrid turboprops, typically regional aircraft with 50-80 passengers or used for freight. These hybrids could cut fuel use by about 10%.

With electric hybrids, airlines could also make more use of regional airports, reducing congestion and time larger planes spend idling on the runway.

What do you expect to see in the near term from sustainable aviation?

Shorter term we’ll see more use of sustainable aviation fuels, or SAF. With today’s engines, you can dump sustainable aviation fuel into the same fuel tank and burn it. Fuels made from corn, oilseeds, algae and other fats are already being used.

Sustainable aviation fuels can reduce an aircraft’s net carbon dioxide emissions by around 80%, but supply is limited, and using more biomass for fuel could compete with food production and lead to deforestation.

A second option is using synthetic sustainable aviation fuels, which involves capturing carbon from the air or other industrial processes and synthesizing it with hydrogen. But that’s a complex and costly process and does not have a high production scale yet.

Airlines can also optimize their operations in the short term, such as route planning to avoid flying nearly empty planes. That can also reduce emissions.

Is hydrogen an option for aviation?

Hydrogen fuel has been around a very long time, and when it’s green hydrogen – produced with water and electrolysis powered by renewable energy – it doesn’t produce carbon dioxide. It can also hold more energy per unit of mass than batteries.

There are two ways to use hydrogen in an airplane: either in place of regular jet fuel in an engine, or combined with oxygen to power hydrogen fuel cells, which then generate electricity to power the aircraft.

The problem is volume – hydrogen gas takes up a lot of space. That’s why engineers are looking at methods like keeping it very cool so it can be stored as liquid until it’s burned as a gas. It still takes up more space than jet fuel, and the storage tanks are heavy, so how to store, handle or distribute it on aircraft is still being worked out.

Airbus is doing a lot of research on hydrogen combustion using modified gas turbine engines with an A380 platform, and aiming to have mature technology by 2025. Australia’s Rex airline expects to start testing a 34-seat, hydrogen-electric airplane for short hops in the next few years.

Due to the variety of options, I see hydrogen as one of the key technologies for sustainable aviation.

Will these technologies be able to meet the aviation industry’s goals for reducing emissions?

The problem with aviation emissions isn’t their current levels – it’s the fear that their emissions will increase rapidly as demand increases. By 2050, we could see three to five times more carbon dioxide emissions from aviation than before the pandemic.

The International Civil Aviation Organization, a United Nations agency, generally defines the industry’s goals, looking at what’s feasible and how aviation can push the boundaries.

Its long-term goal is to cut net carbon dioxide emissions 50% by 2050 compared with 2005 levels. Getting there will require a mix of different technologies and optimization. I don’t know if we’re going to be able to reach it by 2050, but I believe we must do everything we can to make future aviation environmentally sustainable.

Gökçin Çınar, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering, University of Michigan

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