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Opinion
Clear Lake is one of the most beautiful lakes I’ve ever seen.
If, like me, you live in Lake County you are lucky enough to be fairly close to this gorgeous body of water. But if you are like I was the first 15 years I lived here, you mostly see the lake when you drive by it.
That is no longer the case for me. I am on the lake three times a week from May through October, and even better, I am out there with a great group of people.
We’re getting exercise while enjoying the beauty of the lake, mountains, birds and more. Often times we are working out as a team, making it even more fun.
If you haven’t figured it out yet we are the Clear Lake Scullers, and we are on the lake rowing the sculls that are stored near Natural High in Lakeport.
You might think there is something special about us but that is not the case. We are just Lake County residents taking advantage of this amazing opportunity to enjoy our lake.
We are not necessarily in good shape as the only real requirement is to show up which you can do, too.
Find us on the web at www.clearlakescullers.org, phone us at 707-275-9315, or stop by some Saturday at 8 a.m. All you have to do is show up.
Annelle Durham lives in Upper Lake, Calif.
If, like me, you live in Lake County you are lucky enough to be fairly close to this gorgeous body of water. But if you are like I was the first 15 years I lived here, you mostly see the lake when you drive by it.
That is no longer the case for me. I am on the lake three times a week from May through October, and even better, I am out there with a great group of people.
We’re getting exercise while enjoying the beauty of the lake, mountains, birds and more. Often times we are working out as a team, making it even more fun.
If you haven’t figured it out yet we are the Clear Lake Scullers, and we are on the lake rowing the sculls that are stored near Natural High in Lakeport.
You might think there is something special about us but that is not the case. We are just Lake County residents taking advantage of this amazing opportunity to enjoy our lake.
We are not necessarily in good shape as the only real requirement is to show up which you can do, too.
Find us on the web at www.clearlakescullers.org, phone us at 707-275-9315, or stop by some Saturday at 8 a.m. All you have to do is show up.
Annelle Durham lives in Upper Lake, Calif.
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- Written by: Annelle Durham
You know your day was a success when you step into the shower and the floor turns black from the dirt that comes off your feet – LOL. That is not a joke, but the truth.
What a wonderful event this year’s charity softball tournament turned out to be. With the beginning of ball play, through the final game it was excitement. We congratulate S&S Insulation, this year’s winning team. Those men played six tough games to come out as the champions.
Our special congratulations go to their chosen charity, Sutter Lakeside Breast Cancer Navigational Services. The total raised came to a grand slam $3,269.00. We will be presenting the check to their charity representative.
I cannot tell you how proud Dean and I are of the players who come out each year to play ball and show us what it’s like for teams to put in their all. We are also very proud of our company and its’ employees for putting in their all as a team and making this event so successful.
Four years ago, I was trying to figure out what we could do in the community that was not the norm. We already give scholarships and sponsor youth sports teams, but I wanted something that involved the many – out of that collaboration came “Play Ball.”
With the total commitment of Kevin Henderson from the Lake County Adult Softball League, Bert Hutt our marketing director, the numerous sponsors and donors and all the First Pick Builders employees, this event has grown each year. I am already looking forward to next year’s event and cannot wait to see what this community can do.
A great big thank you goes out to our sponsors and donors listed below, that helped make this a successful event. I know you will recognize so many of them as generous and involved businesses and individuals. Way to go, Lake County.
Sponsors and donors include Hillside Motor Sports, Kelseyville Lumber, Mendo Mill & Lumber, Plaza Paints, Hardester’s Market, Sanducci’s Cottage, Clear Lake Redi-Mix, Conser Land Surveying, Park Place, Carpet Man, Lakeport Tire, Bruno’s Property Management, Konoctees, C P S Country Air Properties, Mike Holland, Farmers Insurance-Maria Messimer, Bruno’s Shop Smart, Safeway Lakeport, Foods Etc, AAA Insurance, Grocery Outlet (Lakeport& Clearlake), Bratto’s Riviera Foods, Lakeview Market, Sentry Foods, O’Meara Brothers’ Brewery, Flawless Skin by Tessa, Rosa D’Oro Winery, Six Sigma Vineyards, Steele Wines, Smiling Dogs Ranch, Lake County Wine Studio, Jimmy’s Deli, Chacewater Winery, Fore Family Winery, Castello di Amarosa, Sears, Angelina’s Deli, Sutter Lakeside Hospital.
Cheryl Pick is vice president and CFO of First Pick Builders Inc.
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- Written by: Cheryl Pick
I read with interest recent letters from Doug Harris and Dr. David Rogers urging support for an hourly wage increase for In-Home Supportive Services, or IHSS, workers.
IHSS is Lake County's largest employer with 1,800 workers. At their current wage, a full-time IHSS worker earns less than $23,000 a year, hard enough for an individual but most IHSS workers are also family providers.
Consequently, there is a high turnover rate. Hiring and training new workers is more expensive than keeping skilled workers. Harris and Rogers make solid cases for how a modest IHSS wage increase would economically benefit the entire county.
In “Austerity, the History of a Dangerous Idea,” economist Mark Blyth documents how, for the past 40 years, our government has practiced austerity economics ("belt tightening") by reducing spending on programs that help most Americans, while increasing corporate welfare in the form of huge subsidies and giving tax breaks to the wealthy ("trickle down"). Austerity economics is "penny wise, pound foolish" made into national policy.
No matter which party holds power in Washington, austerity economics has been practiced for four straight decades, with disastrous results for the average American. While corporate and Wall Street profits have shot through the roof, workers wages have stagnated, failing to keep up with inflation, so that someone in the same income bracket has less buying power today than they did 20 years ago.
What drives an economy? People spending money. What happens when people have less to spend? Economic depression.
No economy can be "belt tightened" into prosperity. That stuff "trickling down" is not prosperity.
Austerity economics is good for making the wealthiest even more wealthy, but for the rest of us … it does not work.
So, yes, even a modest raise in hourly wage for 1,800 workers would benefit Lake County's economy overall, because every penny of the additional four million will likely be spent here in Lake County, on necessities.
Lake County only pays 16 cents on the dollar toward IHSS. The other 84 cents comes from federal and state – that’s outside money coming into our county, an infusion of fresh blood.
The economic case is clear – raising the hourly wage of 1,800 workers would inject many more millions into our local economy annually, save money by helping IHSS keep trained staff already on board, and cost Lake County only 16 cents on the dollar.
The alternative to IHSS is nursing homes, which cost taxpayers much more. IHSS enables our elderly to remain in their own homes, surrounded by their community, while saving taxpayer dollars. IHSS provides seniors with a higher quality of life, at less cost. This is a no-brainer.
People who cut corners on small costs (saving pennies) can pay dearly in terms of large expenses later (pound foolish).
I hope our Board of Supervisors will see the wisdom in embracing a win-win proposal like the modest wage raise which IHSS is requesting.
Deb Baumann lives in Upper Lake, Calif.
IHSS is Lake County's largest employer with 1,800 workers. At their current wage, a full-time IHSS worker earns less than $23,000 a year, hard enough for an individual but most IHSS workers are also family providers.
Consequently, there is a high turnover rate. Hiring and training new workers is more expensive than keeping skilled workers. Harris and Rogers make solid cases for how a modest IHSS wage increase would economically benefit the entire county.
In “Austerity, the History of a Dangerous Idea,” economist Mark Blyth documents how, for the past 40 years, our government has practiced austerity economics ("belt tightening") by reducing spending on programs that help most Americans, while increasing corporate welfare in the form of huge subsidies and giving tax breaks to the wealthy ("trickle down"). Austerity economics is "penny wise, pound foolish" made into national policy.
No matter which party holds power in Washington, austerity economics has been practiced for four straight decades, with disastrous results for the average American. While corporate and Wall Street profits have shot through the roof, workers wages have stagnated, failing to keep up with inflation, so that someone in the same income bracket has less buying power today than they did 20 years ago.
What drives an economy? People spending money. What happens when people have less to spend? Economic depression.
No economy can be "belt tightened" into prosperity. That stuff "trickling down" is not prosperity.
Austerity economics is good for making the wealthiest even more wealthy, but for the rest of us … it does not work.
So, yes, even a modest raise in hourly wage for 1,800 workers would benefit Lake County's economy overall, because every penny of the additional four million will likely be spent here in Lake County, on necessities.
Lake County only pays 16 cents on the dollar toward IHSS. The other 84 cents comes from federal and state – that’s outside money coming into our county, an infusion of fresh blood.
The economic case is clear – raising the hourly wage of 1,800 workers would inject many more millions into our local economy annually, save money by helping IHSS keep trained staff already on board, and cost Lake County only 16 cents on the dollar.
The alternative to IHSS is nursing homes, which cost taxpayers much more. IHSS enables our elderly to remain in their own homes, surrounded by their community, while saving taxpayer dollars. IHSS provides seniors with a higher quality of life, at less cost. This is a no-brainer.
People who cut corners on small costs (saving pennies) can pay dearly in terms of large expenses later (pound foolish).
I hope our Board of Supervisors will see the wisdom in embracing a win-win proposal like the modest wage raise which IHSS is requesting.
Deb Baumann lives in Upper Lake, Calif.
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- Written by: Deb Baumann
I am concerned that certain politicians are more interested in their own political ideologies than in supporting the citizens of Lake County.
To correct this possibly erroneous impression, I would urge at the Board of Supervisors to support a living-wage increase to the In-Home Supportive Services, or IHSS, workers in Lake County.
The IHSS program provides homecare services to low-income seniors and people with disabilities, providing this care in the home with dignity, rather than forcing the citizen into an institution.
The IHSS program is a far more effective use of funds for the care of the elderly and disabled than resorting to a nursing home.
IHSS is supported by Federal (54%), State of California (30%), and county of Lake (16.2%) funds, and is a good example of Lake County receiving a greater return on tax dollars (84 cents on the dollar) to support a critical program in Lake County.
Additionally, IHSS wages generate nearly $15 million input to the Lake County economy, and nearly $200,000 in Lake County tax revenue.
IHSS caregivers are typically paid at the minimum wage level, and are currently seeking a very modest wage increase on the order of 4 percent.
This raise is a considerably smaller percentage than the latest increase voted by the Board of Supervisors members to themselves.
Please contact your county supervisor and urge them to support the IHSS modest wage increase.
Dr. David Rogers lives in Lakeport, Calif.
To correct this possibly erroneous impression, I would urge at the Board of Supervisors to support a living-wage increase to the In-Home Supportive Services, or IHSS, workers in Lake County.
The IHSS program provides homecare services to low-income seniors and people with disabilities, providing this care in the home with dignity, rather than forcing the citizen into an institution.
The IHSS program is a far more effective use of funds for the care of the elderly and disabled than resorting to a nursing home.
IHSS is supported by Federal (54%), State of California (30%), and county of Lake (16.2%) funds, and is a good example of Lake County receiving a greater return on tax dollars (84 cents on the dollar) to support a critical program in Lake County.
Additionally, IHSS wages generate nearly $15 million input to the Lake County economy, and nearly $200,000 in Lake County tax revenue.
IHSS caregivers are typically paid at the minimum wage level, and are currently seeking a very modest wage increase on the order of 4 percent.
This raise is a considerably smaller percentage than the latest increase voted by the Board of Supervisors members to themselves.
Please contact your county supervisor and urge them to support the IHSS modest wage increase.
Dr. David Rogers lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Dr. David Rogers