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LUCERNE, Calif. — The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 08-08 of Lake County, in partnership with the Konocti Women’s Service Club, will hold a complimentary life jacket giveaway for children on Saturday, June 21.
It will begin at 10 a.m. at the Konocti Bait Shack, located at 6199 Highway 20, next door to Lucerne Harbor Park.
The event is scheduled to end at 2 p.m. or when the supply runs out.
The distribution of child and youth life jackets will be for children ages 2 through 12 years and within one of two weight divisions: 30 to 50 pounds or 50 to 90 pounds.
The Konocti Women’s Service Club members will register and weigh the children. Qualified Flotilla members will fit the child with the correct size and demonstrate to the parent the proper wearing of the life jacket.
All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The Flotilla of Lake County encourages boat owners and especially those with children to stay safe on the water by utilizing these complimentary services the Flotilla offers.
Play it safe: Wear your lifejackets.
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- Written by: Editor
Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA-04) has joined Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) and Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) to introduce the Bicycle Commuter Act of 2025, bicameral legislation that would reinstate and expand the Bicycle Benefit Subsidy Program’s non-taxable bicycle commuter benefit to encourage more Americans to bike to work.
“Cycling is efficient, low-cost, and low-impact on our roads and the environment — in other words, it’s good for you and for our planet. Encouraging people to bike to work just makes sense,” said Thompson, co-chair of the Congressional Bike Caucus. “I’m glad to work with Senators Welch and Padilla on this bicameral legislation restoring and modernizing bike commuters’ tax benefits.”
“The perks of biking to work are tenfold–saving commuters money, providing health benefits, and helping reduce emissions. An increasing number of Vermonters have recognized those benefits, with the number of cycling commuters doubling in the Green Mountain State in the past decade. But there’s more that we can do to strengthen biking infrastructure to help more folks around the country enjoy the advantages of cycling to work,” said Senator Welch. “Our bicameral legislation will reinstate and modernize the bicycling tax benefit to encourage more commuters around the country to get to work by riding a bicycle.”
“Biking to work is good for our planet, our health, and our wallets,” said Sen. Padilla. “The Bicycle Commuter Act would allow cyclists to take advantage of the same tax benefits that incentivize hardworking Americans to commute via public transit or carpool, while also helping keep our air clean and reduce congestion on our roads. It would also expand these commuter tax benefits to e-bikes, bikeshares, and certain scooters, further encouraging bike ridership and putting money back in the pockets of workers.”
In 2009, Congress created the Bicycle Benefit Subsidy Program to encourage more workers to bike to their jobs by allowing employers to offer a non-taxable reimbursement of up to $20 per month for expenses related to bicycle commuting.
However, employees who elected to participate in the program were forced to forfeit other commuter benefits, such as those provided for parking or transit.
The non-taxable bicycle commuter benefit was suspended until 2026 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, eliminating this vital financial incentive for employees who bike to work.
The Bicycle Commuter Act of 2025 would modernize the Bicycle Benefit Subsidy Program to ensure cyclists can access pre-tax commuter benefits similar to those available for parking and public transit and allow recipients to claim the bicycle benefit in tandem with other commuter benefits.
The bicameral legislation would also allow electric bicycles and bikeshare and scootershare services to be eligible for the benefit.
The Bicycle Commuter Act is supported by the Association for Commuter Transportation, League of American Bicyclists, North American Bikeshare and Scootershare Association, PeopleForBikes, Rails to Trails Conservancy, Safe Routes Partnership, and Sierra Club.
Thompson represents California’s Fourth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties.
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On Thursday, the California Department of Social Services, or CDSS, announced that SUN Bucks electronic benefit transfer cards have started arriving in the mail for families across the state.
California’s Summer electronic benefit transfer, or EBT, program, known as SUN Bucks, provides families $40 per month for food in June, July, and August ($120 total) when children do not have access to school meals.
“We are proud that California was one of the first states in the nation to launch this new federal program last year, which is helping families in need across California,” CDSS Director Jennifer Troia said. “Last year, nearly $500 million in food purchases were made using SUN Bucks food benefits by families and caregivers in California.”
More than four million eligible children in California are automatically enrolled in the program. Households with automatically enrolled children will receive their cards by the end of July 2025.
Eligible children who are not automatically enrolled in the program will need to apply with their school to get benefits.
How SUN Bucks works
Most children are automatically enrolled if they qualify for free or reduced-price meals at school or receive CalFresh, California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids, or CalWORKs, and/or Medi-Cal benefits (certified at or below 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level).
Children identified by their school as being in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or part of a migrant family are also automatically enrolled.
Children who are not automatically enrolled may apply by submitting a school meal application or Universal Benefits Application to their school by Sept. 2, 2025, to receive SUN Bucks benefits for summer 2025.
Due to the large number of automatically enrolled children, SUN Bucks EBT card issuances will occur in two stages:
- Stage 1: Automatically enrolled children will receive their cards from early June through July 2025. Cards will be mailed in alphabetical order according to the child’s last name.
• Stage 2: Children determined eligible after the start of Stage 1 will begin receiving their cards in September 2025 until mailings are complete.
Regardless of when a SUN Bucks EBT card is mailed or received, funds must be used within 122 days of the funds being added to the card, per federal guidelines. Any unused funds on the card will expire after 122 days. Expired benefits cannot be replaced. Visit the CDSS website for more information.
Participation in SUN Bucks will have no bearing on eligibility for CalFresh or any other public benefit program. Children who receive SUN Bucks may still participate in other summer meal options, such as SUN Meals.
About the SUN Bucks program: In December 2022, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, which created a new, permanent Summer EBT program for states to provide food benefits to families beginning in 2024. In July 2023, California passed Assembly Bill 120, establishing CDSS as the lead implementing agency, in partnership with the California Department of Education, to maximize Summer EBT program participation for 2024. This program continues to be rolled-out in many parts of the country.
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- Written by: California Department of Social Services
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Library Literacy Program is in need of volunteer tutors for its Adult and English as a Second Language, or ESL, programs in the Clearlake and Middletown areas.
The literacy programs offer one-on-one tutoring to learners ages 16 and older to improve their reading, writing, and conversation skills. Virtual tutoring is also available.
Volunteer tutors bilingual in Spanish are especially needed, along with tutors willing to work with adults with learning or developmental disabilities.
No experience is necessary to become a literacy tutor as long as one has patience, a desire to help others, and a good command of the English language.
Tutor training, where volunteers learn useful techniques for teaching adults to read, is provided free of cost, along with ongoing support. Upon completion of tutor training, tutors will be matched with learners, with tutoring hours being flexible for both the tutor and learner; sessions are typically held once per week for one hour.
Recent Adult Skills Survey data determined that Lake County had a 26% literacy proficiency level of at or below level 1, the lowest level.
Becoming a tutor can help someone to a better future. Many adults want to improve their reading and writing skills so they can access better jobs, further their own education, advocate for their children, and overall improve their way of life. Through hard work and perseverance, adult learners can change their own, and their family’s lives, for the better.
If you are interested in becoming a literacy tutor or know someone who could benefit from our services, please call 707-263-7633 or email
Visit https://library.lakecountyca.gov/836/Literacy-Program to read more about the literacy programs. Your volunteerism could help change a life.
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- Written by: Editor