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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — As 2024 closes and 2025 begins, colder winter temperatures are set to welcome the new year.
The National Weather Service said another storm front — following an overnight cold snap when temperatures in some parts of Lake County were expected to drop into the high 20s — is expected on Tuesday.
There is a chance of rain on New Year’s Day, increasing that night, and continuing Thursday and Friday.
Forecasters said conditions will be clear into early next week.
On Tuesday night, temperatures are forecast to be in the low 30s, rising into the 40s on Thursday night before dropping again into the 30s for the rest of the week.
During the day, temperatures are expected to be in the low 50s on New Year’s Day, and for the rest of the week moving into the high 50s, according to the forecast.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, and on Bluesky, @erlarson.bsky.social. Find Lake County News on the following platforms: Facebook, @LakeCoNews; X, @LakeCoNews; Threads, @lakeconews, and on Bluesky, @lakeconews.bsky.social.
The National Weather Service said another storm front — following an overnight cold snap when temperatures in some parts of Lake County were expected to drop into the high 20s — is expected on Tuesday.
There is a chance of rain on New Year’s Day, increasing that night, and continuing Thursday and Friday.
Forecasters said conditions will be clear into early next week.
On Tuesday night, temperatures are forecast to be in the low 30s, rising into the 40s on Thursday night before dropping again into the 30s for the rest of the week.
During the day, temperatures are expected to be in the low 50s on New Year’s Day, and for the rest of the week moving into the high 50s, according to the forecast.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara on Monday announced the final major step in his Sustainable Insurance Strategy, issuing a historic regulation aimed at restoring stability to California’s insurance market while addressing the growing risks of wildfires and climate change.
The new Net Cost of Reinsurance in Ratemaking Regulation requires insurance companies — for the first time — to increase coverage in high-risk areas, ensuring more options for Californians while limiting the costs passed on to consumers.
The regulation works hand-in-hand with other reforms that Commissioner Lara has spearheaded that will have the effect of increasing insurance coverage options for Californians across the state.
“Californians deserve a reliable insurance market that doesn’t retreat from communities most vulnerable to wildfires and climate change,” said Lara. “This is a historic moment for California. My Sustainable Insurance Strategy is focused on addressing the challenges we face today and building a resilient insurance market for the future. With input from thousands of residents throughout California, this reform balances protecting consumers with the need to strengthen our market against climate risks.”
Reinsurance is a financial tool that is part of how insurance companies manage their risk portfolios associated with the policies they write to homeowners and business owners. Its roots date back to the 14th century, when merchants and traders sought ways to spread the risks of perilous ocean voyages, often relying on multiple insurers to cover their ventures.
As climate risks escalate across the nation, reinsurance has become an even more imperative component of insurance companies operating in high-risk and distressed areas, including California.
Lara’s office said modernizing regulations around reinsurance will enable insurance companies to expand coverage and write more policies in communities across the state facing greater risk, ensuring stability and resilience in the state’s insurance market.
All other states except California allow for costs of reinsurance in rates and, in 2023, the first systematic review of climate risk strategies by Ceres and the California Department of Insurance revealed that reinsurance is the primary strategy most insurance companies use to continue to write and expand coverage in higher risk parts of California and across the country.
What it means: Insurance companies must increase coverage in wildfire-prone regions, ensuring they write policies for at least 85% of their statewide market share, with annual increases until the threshold is met.
More coverage for Californians in wildfire-distressed areas: All homeowners insurance companies must increase the writing of comprehensive policies in wildfire distressed areas equivalent to no less than 85% of their statewide market share, whereas there is no current legal requirement today for insurers to provide any coverage in high-risk areas. Companies will have to continue to increase by 5% every two years until they meet this threshold.
Cost caps: The regulation treats reinsurance like other insurance company expenses allowed under Prop. 103 today — such as claims handling or agent commissions — by establishing an industry-wide standard cost of reinsurance and capping the amount of reinsurance costs that can be charged to consumers. Companies spending more than the industry standard cannot pass these costs onto their policyholders.
Greater efficiency: Establishing a standard cost based on an index of what insurance companies spend encourages them to be efficient and compete for the best price for reinsurance, so consumers get the best value.
California-only costs: The regulation limits costs to California-only, so consumers do not pay for the cost of Gulf Coast hurricanes or Midwest windstorms.
Reliable rates: The regulation goes hand-in-hand with forward-looking wildfire catastrophe models that can better predict future rates. Under the current system of historical data, insurance consumers are paying balloon premiums and rate spikes after major wildfires, without increased availability.
Prevents “model-shopping”: “Model shopping” describes when insurance companies choose one model that produces higher rates for consumers, and another that lowers their reinsurance costs. To prevent model shopping, the regulation requires insurance companies utilize the same model for both. This promotes more consistent approaches to assessing risks, and balances the scales for consumers.
Largest insurance reform in 30 years: The new regulation is the final major element of the largest insurance reform in 30 years for California. The department held multiple workshops and hearings in 2024, including a meeting on Dec. 5 which was attended by more than 500 people and received 70 verbal and written comments which helped shape this regulation. Commissioner Lara has met with tens of thousands of Californians in all 58 counties across the state since taking office as well as testifying at four legislative briefings about his Sustainable Insurance Strategy over the past year.
Commissioner Lara announced on Dec. 13 that he had finalized a wildfire catastrophe modeling regulation with a requirement for insurers to increase their policy offerings in underserved areas of the state as a condition of incorporating catastrophe modeling into ratemaking. These two regulatory efforts work together, with other Sustainable Insurance Strategy reforms, to increase the availability of homeowners and commercial insurance policies in wildfire distressed areas.
The new Net Cost of Reinsurance in Ratemaking Regulation requires insurance companies — for the first time — to increase coverage in high-risk areas, ensuring more options for Californians while limiting the costs passed on to consumers.
The regulation works hand-in-hand with other reforms that Commissioner Lara has spearheaded that will have the effect of increasing insurance coverage options for Californians across the state.
“Californians deserve a reliable insurance market that doesn’t retreat from communities most vulnerable to wildfires and climate change,” said Lara. “This is a historic moment for California. My Sustainable Insurance Strategy is focused on addressing the challenges we face today and building a resilient insurance market for the future. With input from thousands of residents throughout California, this reform balances protecting consumers with the need to strengthen our market against climate risks.”
Reinsurance is a financial tool that is part of how insurance companies manage their risk portfolios associated with the policies they write to homeowners and business owners. Its roots date back to the 14th century, when merchants and traders sought ways to spread the risks of perilous ocean voyages, often relying on multiple insurers to cover their ventures.
As climate risks escalate across the nation, reinsurance has become an even more imperative component of insurance companies operating in high-risk and distressed areas, including California.
Lara’s office said modernizing regulations around reinsurance will enable insurance companies to expand coverage and write more policies in communities across the state facing greater risk, ensuring stability and resilience in the state’s insurance market.
All other states except California allow for costs of reinsurance in rates and, in 2023, the first systematic review of climate risk strategies by Ceres and the California Department of Insurance revealed that reinsurance is the primary strategy most insurance companies use to continue to write and expand coverage in higher risk parts of California and across the country.
What it means: Insurance companies must increase coverage in wildfire-prone regions, ensuring they write policies for at least 85% of their statewide market share, with annual increases until the threshold is met.
More coverage for Californians in wildfire-distressed areas: All homeowners insurance companies must increase the writing of comprehensive policies in wildfire distressed areas equivalent to no less than 85% of their statewide market share, whereas there is no current legal requirement today for insurers to provide any coverage in high-risk areas. Companies will have to continue to increase by 5% every two years until they meet this threshold.
Cost caps: The regulation treats reinsurance like other insurance company expenses allowed under Prop. 103 today — such as claims handling or agent commissions — by establishing an industry-wide standard cost of reinsurance and capping the amount of reinsurance costs that can be charged to consumers. Companies spending more than the industry standard cannot pass these costs onto their policyholders.
Greater efficiency: Establishing a standard cost based on an index of what insurance companies spend encourages them to be efficient and compete for the best price for reinsurance, so consumers get the best value.
California-only costs: The regulation limits costs to California-only, so consumers do not pay for the cost of Gulf Coast hurricanes or Midwest windstorms.
Reliable rates: The regulation goes hand-in-hand with forward-looking wildfire catastrophe models that can better predict future rates. Under the current system of historical data, insurance consumers are paying balloon premiums and rate spikes after major wildfires, without increased availability.
Prevents “model-shopping”: “Model shopping” describes when insurance companies choose one model that produces higher rates for consumers, and another that lowers their reinsurance costs. To prevent model shopping, the regulation requires insurance companies utilize the same model for both. This promotes more consistent approaches to assessing risks, and balances the scales for consumers.
Largest insurance reform in 30 years: The new regulation is the final major element of the largest insurance reform in 30 years for California. The department held multiple workshops and hearings in 2024, including a meeting on Dec. 5 which was attended by more than 500 people and received 70 verbal and written comments which helped shape this regulation. Commissioner Lara has met with tens of thousands of Californians in all 58 counties across the state since taking office as well as testifying at four legislative briefings about his Sustainable Insurance Strategy over the past year.
Commissioner Lara announced on Dec. 13 that he had finalized a wildfire catastrophe modeling regulation with a requirement for insurers to increase their policy offerings in underserved areas of the state as a condition of incorporating catastrophe modeling into ratemaking. These two regulatory efforts work together, with other Sustainable Insurance Strategy reforms, to increase the availability of homeowners and commercial insurance policies in wildfire distressed areas.
California Attorney General Bonta has announced the release of a new protocol for counties establishing domestic violence incident review teams.
A review team is a collaborative effort between legal, health, criminal justice, advocacy and judicial groups that come together to support, protect and fight for domestic violence survivors and their families.
The new protocol describes how different review teams across the state, the country, and the world approach key decisions. It highlights emerging practices and presents their potential advantages and disadvantages.
“These teams save lives,” said Attorney General Bonta. “It is my hope that each county in California establishes their own local team to advocate for survivors and their families. When we break down our silos and work together, everyone wins. My office is always at the ready to fight for survivors.”
In 1995, California state law authorized counties to establish Domestic Violence Death Review Teams.
The law directs review teams to identify and review domestic violence deaths, facilitate interagency communications, and develop recommendations for prevention and intervention policies and protocols with the objective of reducing and eradicating incidences of domestic violence.
In 2022, the legislature amended the law to authorize the review of near-death incidents and directed the Office of the Attorney General to publish a protocol for the development and implementation of interagency domestic violence death review teams for use by counties.
A domestic violence death review team is a county-level multidisciplinary team authorized by the California Penal Code to:
• Identify domestic violence death and near-death cases;
• Review death and near-death incidents;
• Facilitate agency responses;
• Develop prevention and intervention recommendations.
For more information and resources on domestic violence, please visit our Victims’ Services Unit website at https://oag.ca.gov/victimservices or call 877-433-9069.
A review team is a collaborative effort between legal, health, criminal justice, advocacy and judicial groups that come together to support, protect and fight for domestic violence survivors and their families.
The new protocol describes how different review teams across the state, the country, and the world approach key decisions. It highlights emerging practices and presents their potential advantages and disadvantages.
“These teams save lives,” said Attorney General Bonta. “It is my hope that each county in California establishes their own local team to advocate for survivors and their families. When we break down our silos and work together, everyone wins. My office is always at the ready to fight for survivors.”
In 1995, California state law authorized counties to establish Domestic Violence Death Review Teams.
The law directs review teams to identify and review domestic violence deaths, facilitate interagency communications, and develop recommendations for prevention and intervention policies and protocols with the objective of reducing and eradicating incidences of domestic violence.
In 2022, the legislature amended the law to authorize the review of near-death incidents and directed the Office of the Attorney General to publish a protocol for the development and implementation of interagency domestic violence death review teams for use by counties.
A domestic violence death review team is a county-level multidisciplinary team authorized by the California Penal Code to:
• Identify domestic violence death and near-death cases;
• Review death and near-death incidents;
• Facilitate agency responses;
• Develop prevention and intervention recommendations.
For more information and resources on domestic violence, please visit our Victims’ Services Unit website at https://oag.ca.gov/victimservices or call 877-433-9069.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Supporting the local food service and restaurant industry is the goal of an upcoming series of events presented by the Lake County Economic Development Corp.
The Restaurant Expo is a one-day training and networking event focused on providing expert support to new and existing owners of restaurants, food trucks, catering companies and other food industry businesses.
Lake County food industry business owners and their staff are invited to attend the expo on Jan. 27 at the Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College.
The event will start with registration and a no-host lunch at noon, sessions will begin at 1 p.m. and conclude with a networking mixer at 5 p.m.
Food industry business owners, managers, chefs and staff will be treated to presentations from industry experts.
Maria Martinson from Testa Ranch in Redwood Valley will share her inspirational story of her family’s business transitions from grape growing to winemaking and now opening a coffee shop, tasting room, restaurant and antique store.
Participants will learn how to engage with millennials and Gen Z customers, and a representative from US Foods will discuss how popularity and profitability are not the same and how businesses can work towards both.
Additional sessions will include changes in regulations presented by Lake County Environmental Health, how to start your own food industry business, industry experts will explain how to make the most of Restaurant Week, and learn about local hospitality training opportunities.
After the classroom event, Lake County Economic Development Corp., in partnership with the Lake County Winery Association and the Lake County Blue Zones Project, will host a networking event for participants to mingle and network with presenters and industry collaborators.
In addition, the third annual Lake County Restaurant Week will span the week of Feb. 24 to March 2. Restaurants from every corner of the county will participate to show off their best dishes and try new recipes.
To learn more about the Restaurant Expo and networking event or to sign up to attend, visit https://lakecountycaedc.org/restaurant2025/.
The Restaurant Expo is a one-day training and networking event focused on providing expert support to new and existing owners of restaurants, food trucks, catering companies and other food industry businesses.
Lake County food industry business owners and their staff are invited to attend the expo on Jan. 27 at the Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College.
The event will start with registration and a no-host lunch at noon, sessions will begin at 1 p.m. and conclude with a networking mixer at 5 p.m.
Food industry business owners, managers, chefs and staff will be treated to presentations from industry experts.
Maria Martinson from Testa Ranch in Redwood Valley will share her inspirational story of her family’s business transitions from grape growing to winemaking and now opening a coffee shop, tasting room, restaurant and antique store.
Participants will learn how to engage with millennials and Gen Z customers, and a representative from US Foods will discuss how popularity and profitability are not the same and how businesses can work towards both.
Additional sessions will include changes in regulations presented by Lake County Environmental Health, how to start your own food industry business, industry experts will explain how to make the most of Restaurant Week, and learn about local hospitality training opportunities.
After the classroom event, Lake County Economic Development Corp., in partnership with the Lake County Winery Association and the Lake County Blue Zones Project, will host a networking event for participants to mingle and network with presenters and industry collaborators.
In addition, the third annual Lake County Restaurant Week will span the week of Feb. 24 to March 2. Restaurants from every corner of the county will participate to show off their best dishes and try new recipes.
To learn more about the Restaurant Expo and networking event or to sign up to attend, visit https://lakecountycaedc.org/restaurant2025/.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control has a kennel full of dogs needing to find their new homes.
The dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Anatolian shepherd, Belgian malinois, boxer, cattle dog, Chihuahua, German shepherd, German shorthaired pointer, husky, Labrador Retriever, pit bull terrier and terrier.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
Those dogs and the others shown on this page 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.
The shelter is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, and on Bluesky, @erlarson.bsky.social. Find Lake County News on the following platforms: Facebook, @LakeCoNews; X, @LakeCoNews; Threads, @lakeconews, and on Bluesky, @lakeconews.bsky.social.
The dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Anatolian shepherd, Belgian malinois, boxer, cattle dog, Chihuahua, German shepherd, German shorthaired pointer, husky, Labrador Retriever, pit bull terrier and terrier.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
Those dogs and the others shown on this page 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.
The shelter is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Kennel#4a(pink collar)
Kennel#4c(Red Collar)
Kennel#4d(Yellow Collar)
Kennel#4e(Blue Collar)
Kennel#4f(Red collar)
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Pepper
Kennel#28
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Kennel#7(Fonzi)
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Cedar
Kennel#20(Griselda)
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Jasper
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Kennel#22a
As 2025 approaches, the California Highway Patrol is taking action to promote safe travel and prevent tragic crashes on California’s roadways.
Starting at 6:01 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31, the CHP will begin a statewide maximum enforcement period, or MEP, to crack down on dangerous driving behaviors and protect all road users.
This heightened enforcement will run through 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025.
This year’s Christmas MEP highlighted the risks drivers face.
In just 30 hours, crashes claimed the lives of five people within CHP jurisdiction, and CHP officers arrested more than 300 individuals for driving under the influence, or DUI — an average of one DUI arrest every six minutes.
“Our officers are committed to working through the holidays to ensure everyone can reach their destinations safely,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “Safe roads are possible when every driver makes responsible decisions behind the wheel.”
During the New Year’s MEP, CHP officers will target speeding, distracted driving, seatbelt violations and impaired driving.
Last year, during the 78-hour New Year’s enforcement effort, CHP officers made 892 DUI arrests statewide.
If you see a driver who appears impaired, call 9-1-1 immediately. Provide the dispatcher with key details like the vehicle’s description, license plate number, location and direction of travel. Acting quickly could save lives.
“Let’s welcome 2025 responsibly. Drive sober, stay focused and help make the new year safe for everyone on the road,” the CHP said in its announcement on the MEP.
