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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
NORTH COAST, Calif. — A midnight earthquake in northern Sonoma County was felt by residents in several areas of Lake County early Thursday.
The United States Geological Survey said the 4.2-magnitude quake occurred just after midnight Thursday morning.
Its epicenter was located 7 miles east northeast of Cloverdale at a depth of just under a mile and a half, the US Geological Survey reported.
On his Facebook page, State Sen. Mike McGuire called it a “pretty good shaker” felt in northern Sonoma County as well as western Lake County.
“No early reports of damage or injuries,” McGuire said.
As of 1 a.m. Thursday, 172 shake reports had been submitted to the US Geological Survey from 33 zip codes.
In Lake County, reports came from Clearlake Oaks, Kelseyville, Lakeport, Middletown and Nice.
That 4.2-magnitude quake was followed by less than a minute by a 2.7-magnitude just to the north, US Geological Survey records showed.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
The West Coast Health Alliance continues to recommend vaccination in alignment with the American Academy of Pediatrics Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule.
On Jan. 5, 2026, the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed a decision memorandum to revise the Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule and significantly reduce the number of vaccinations routinely recommended for all U.S. children.
This decision did not follow established procedure for vaccine policy recommendations and threatens an increase in vaccine-preventable diseases in children nationwide.
Children getting sick from the diseases prevented by recommended immunizations leads to missed school for children, missed work for parents, and even hospitalization and death in some children.
The current American Academy of Pediatrics Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule is based on established vaccine safety and effectiveness evidence.
AAP recommendations consider:
• When children are most vulnerable to diseases;
• When vaccines work best with children’s immune systems;
• The safety of vaccinations being recommended;
• The risk of diseases in the United States;
• Our current access to health care and immunizations; and
• Cost effectiveness of implementing national recommendations for a particular vaccination.
While the first three concerns are similar across countries, the last three concerns may differ considerably between countries.
The AAP recommended immunization schedule serves as a starting point for discussions between families and their providers, as it always has.
Officials said parents should continue to make informed decisions about the vaccines that their children receive based on discussions with their child’s health care provider.
Prior to 2025, AAP had endorsed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, based on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which followed a rigorous review of data on risk of disease and safety of vaccination in the United States.
Changes in the newly released recommended immunization schedule are not based on changes in vaccine safety and effectiveness data, officials said.
The changes were based on a comparison of the number of routine vaccinations recommended in the United States versus select other countries. It did not consider the different conditions in each country. These changes were also not vetted by experts from medical and public health organizations, health care providers, or the public before they were published.
“We do not expect these changes to affect insurance coverage for vaccines for this plan year,” the alliance reported. “All child and adolescent immunizations recommended as of December 31, 2025 will remain available and covered by public and private insurers; however the changes create confusion and will put more children at risk of preventable diseases.
The West Coast Health Alliance said it will continue to review available vaccine science and ensure continued access to recommended vaccines.
Each state is examining the impact of these federal changes on vaccine access in their respective states.
The West Coast Health Alliance and American Academy of Pediatrics continue to support these longstanding recommendations including informed parental decisions for the best protection of their children.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday appointed a new Animal Care and Control director.
The board came out of a closed session shortly after 2:45 p.m. to vote for the hire of Rachel Smith.
Vice Chair Jessica Pyska moved to approve Smith’s hire, effective Feb. 9, with Supervisor Bruno Sabatier offering the second. The board’s vote was unanimous.
Pyska’s motion stated that Smith will start at step two of the salary scale. The county of Lake’s Human Resources website shows the job’s overall pay scale ranges from $92,952 to $112,980 annually.
The resolution establishing salaries and benefits for management unit employees, in effect from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2029, shows that the second step starts at $8,133 a month, or $97,596 annually.
“I am looking forward to leading Lake County’s Animal Care and Control team and collaborating with County stakeholders to promote a more humane world for animals,” said Smith. “Listening to and supporting the needs of the community will be critical. Through these efforts, we will improve the health, safety, and welfare of both pets and those who care for them.”
Smith brings nearly a decade of experience in the animal welfare field, along with an academic background that includes a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and psychology, the county reported.
She is certified by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST, is a nationally certified animal control officer and holds multiple professional certifications, according to the county’s announcement.
Her LinkedIn page shows certifications involving investigation, forensics and animal welfare.
It also showed past positions in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Denver and Boulder, Colorado, and El Dorado County.
“She has extensive experience conducting complex animal welfare related investigations and is a nationally recognized speaker on animal welfare investigations,” the county said.
She hosted the Animal Welfare Investigations Project podcast and served as chair of the Animal Welfare Investigation Board.
Smith also is a former affiliated member of the International Society for Animal Forensic Sciences, an organization “founded to advocate for the advancement and excellence in investigations involving crimes against animals,” according to its website.
Efforts to fill the position
The county has attempted to fill the Animal Care and Control director’s position since last year after losing two directors in just over a year’s time.
Jonathan Armas was director from March 2019 to until the summer of 2024. In June of that year, County Administrative Officer Susan Parker was appointed interim Animal Care and Control director.
In October 2024, Gregory Wilkins — who came from Texas, with animal control experience in six states — was appointed to the job following a nationwide search. He continued in the job until June of last year.
Since July 1, the Animal Care and Control director position has been held on an interim basis by Assistant County Administrative Officer Stephen Carter Jr.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The death on Monday of a longtime Northern California member of Congress will trigger a special election and impact the field forming to run for a newly redrawn congressional district.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa, representing the First Congressional District, died suddenly on Monday night. He was 65 years old.
The Butte County Sheriff’s Office said it received a 911 call at 6:50 p.m. Monday from LaMalfa’s Richvale residence regarding a medical emergency.
Authorities said the call was transferred to medical personnel, who immediately responded to the residence and transported LaMalfa to Enloe Hospital in Chico for treatment.
When he arrived at the hospital, he was taken into emergency surgery, where he died, the agency said.
“In accordance with standard protocols, the Coroner’s Unit of the Butte County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an investigation to determine the cause of death. A forensic pathologist is scheduled to conduct an autopsy as part of this investigation, according to the report.
Years of service in state, federal governments
LaMalfa was an Oroville native and rice farmer who served eight years in the California Legislature. During his tenure, he supported Proposition 209, which ended affirmative action in California and later supported Proposition 8 to ban same sex marriage in the state. He was an opponent of California’s bullet train.
He was elected in 2013 to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served until his death. LaMalfa supported the overturning of Roe v. Wade, questioned climate change, voted against making Juneteenth a federal holiday and voted to cancel military support to Ukraine in its war with Russia.
LaMalfa was the part-owner of a family farm in Richvale that analysis by the Environmental Working Group, or EWG, found received more than $5.5 million in commodity and disaster subsidies from 1995 through 2024. The EWG also reported that LaMalfa's family business received the most in subsidies among all members of Congress and their immediate families for that period.
Despite his strong partisan stances, LaMalfa had worked often with Congressman Mike Thompson, a Democrat who represents Lake County.
Their latest bipartisan effort, announced last month, was to introduce a bill to deliver tariff relief for wine and specialty crop growers.
He and Thompson also aligned on other issues, including the effort to stop the removal of the Potter Valley Project, which will save Lake Pillsbury.
In December, LaMalfa sent a formal letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission opposing the request to decommission Scott and Cape Horn Dams, which create Lake Pillsbury and Van Arsdale Reservoir, respectively, which supply water for irrigation, residential use, and firefighting across Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma counties.
“The removal of these dams would have profound, far-reaching, and irreparable adverse consequences for the towns, farms, and natural environment in Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties and across Northern California,” LaMalfa’s letter said.
LaMalfa also has been a longtime supporter of the Sites Reservoir plan in the Sacramento Valley.
On Facebook Tuesday, Thompson posted, “Saddened by the loss of my longtime colleague, Doug LaMalfa. Doug was a lifelong Northern Californian who loved his community and I was glad to work with him often on bipartisan efforts to improve life for our constituents, including to support our farmers, help prevent fires, and tackle the home insurance crisis. Jan and I have Doug’s wife Jill, their children, and Doug’s staff in our prayers.”
Also on Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom and his wife offered their condolences to LaMalfa’s family.
“Congressman Doug LaMalfa was a devoted public servant who deeply loved his country, his state, and the communities he represented. While we often approached issues from different perspectives, he fought every day for the people of California with conviction and care. He will be deeply missed,” Newsom said. “Jennifer and I are holding Doug’s family, loved ones, and colleagues in our thoughts as California mourns his passing.
Newsom ordered the flags at the State Capitol and Capitol Annex Swing Space to be flown at half-staff in LaMalfa’s honor.
Special election to be called; field begins to form for redrawn district
Based on protocols set out in the U.S. Constitution, it will be up to Newsom to call for a special election to fill LaMalfa’s seat for the remainder of his term, which was to run through the end of this year.
Regarding a U.S. House vacancy, California election code requires the governor issue a proclamation for a special election within 14 days of the vacancy. A copy of that proclamation must be sent to the board of supervisors of every affected county.
State election code further requires that the special election called by the governor must take place on a Tuesday at least 126 days after, but not more than 140 days after, the issuance of the proclamation.
That timing could coincide with the statewide primary. Newsom issued a proclamation on Monday setting the primary for Tuesday, June 2.
LaMalfa was due to seek reelection in that primary, but was expected to face serious challenges due to his First District having been redrawn by Proposition 50, passed by voters in a special election this past November to temporarily change congressional district maps. It was a response to a similar effort in Texas.
That redrawn First District will now include portions of Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma counties, along with Glenn, Tehama, Butte and Plumas.
As the move to redraw his district mounted, LaMalfa visited locations including Lake and Sonoma counties.
However, Congressman Mike Thompson told Lake County News that the new district is expected to flip from a Republican to a Democrat representative.
State Sen. Mike McGuire, whose district includes Lake County, is among those who have entered the race. He and his wife Erika also offered condolences to LaMalfa’s family, friends and colleagues on Monday.
“Public service is a noble calling, regardless of party, and Congressman LaMalfa’s dedication to serving the people of California deserves recognition, respect and gratitude,” said McGuire. “Our prayers are with his family and the communities he has proudly served.
In addition to McGuire, also actively in the race for the newly redrawn First District seat are Democrats Audrey Denney, a Chico resident who founded a business to work with nonprofits, and Kyle Wilson, a Santa Rosa attorney.
Other candidates in federal election filings are Democrat Casey Stewart of Rancho Cordova and Erica Rhoden of Long Beach, whose party affiliation is listed as “unknown.” Democrat James Salegui of Siskiyou County dropped out of the race in November after the redistricting was approved due to Prop. 50.
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