MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — A series of community events to remember the Valley Fire and celebrate resilience will take place in Middletown on Saturday afternoon, following Friday’s commemoration in Cobb.
The Middletown gathering will be held in Middletown Square Park, beginning with a ceremony at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Cal Fire Division Chief Mike Wink will host the ceremony.
Designated representatives from the offices of Congressman Mike Thompson and State Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry also may attend.
Speakers will also include former District 1 supervisors Jim Comstock and Moke Simon; Sheriff Luke Bingham; Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg; Callayomi County Water District Director Pat Giaccimini; current District 1 Supervisor Helen Owen, who will present a plaque dedication to the Middletown Area Town Hall; and Lake County Poet Laureate Brenda Yeager, who will offer a poetry tribute.
An open mic session will follow, inviting community members to participate and share personal stories.
Attendees are also encouraged to bring a photo, drawing, flower or note to add to the community Memorial Wall, described by organizers as a space that “honors those we lost and celebrates our shared resilience,” the event poster said. “All ages welcome."
From 6:30 to 10 p.m., the Middletown Art Center will host an art and expression session featuring poetry, music, dance and visual arts.
At 7:30 p.m., a free screening of “The Wild Robot” will be shown under the stars at the park.
Email staff reporter Lingzi Chen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — Sept. 16th will look a little brighter in Kelseyville this year.
In honor of Mexican Independence Day, the Kelseyville Business Association, or KBA, will proudly line Main Street with forty beautiful Mexican flags.
The flags, purchased by the KBA, will be a lasting tradition in future years as a tribute to the many community members of Mexican heritage who help make Kelseyville such a vibrant place to live.
Generous donations from local residents funded the new flagpoles, underscoring the community spirit that Kelseyville is known for.
While this year’s Día de la Independencia festival was canceled to prioritize the safety and well-being of residents, the KBA wanted to ensure the day was still honored in a meaningful way.
“We’re excited to bring this new tradition to Main Street,” said Helen Finch, president of the Kelseyville Business Association. “It’s a simple but powerful way to show our support for the many residents who celebrate this important day. We hope everyone takes a moment to stroll downtown, enjoy the display, and join us in honoring Mexican Independence Day.”
Founded in 1967, the Kelseyville Business Association is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to supporting the prosperity and growth of Kelseyville and its surrounding communities.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Community members are invited to take the Lake County Climate Vulnerability Analysis survey.
The deadline to complete the survey is Thursday, Sept. 18.
The survey responses will help local officials complete the climate adaptation plan, the community's roadmap for preparing for and responding to climate challenges.
The comprehensive climate vulnerability analysis found:
• Wildfire and smoke pose the greatest climate risks countywide.
• Most vulnerable populations include outdoor workers, households in poverty, tribal community members, and people with chronic illnesses/disabilities.
• Most at-risk community assets include energy infrastructure, homes, transportation systems and agriculture.
This five to 10 minute survey asks for your thoughts on our findings, ideas for building resilience, and barriers to implementing climate solutions.
County officials said the lived experience of residents and local knowledge are essential to ensuring the climate adaptation plan reflects community needs.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — With the 10th anniversary of the Valley Fire approaching, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday presented a proclamation honoring lost lives and the community’s resilience in the aftermath, and approved the purchase of a bronze plaque recognizing Middletown Rancheria’s contributions during disasters.
The Valley Fire, ignited on Sept. 12, 2015, near Cobb Mountain, burned 76,067 acres, destroyed 1,955 structures, severely injured four firefighters and took five lives. At the time, the Valley Fire was the third most destructive wildfire in modern California history.
The proclamation, read aloud by Supervisor Jessica Pyska, remembers the residents who died and firefighters who were injured, recognizes the strength of Lake County and its partners — from first responders, volunteers, tribal nations, nonprofits to government agencies locally and statewide — and acknowledges the lessons learned from the fire that continue to shape preparedness and response in times of emergency.
“I think about all the changes that have happened in our Office of Emergency Services, our partnership with Cal OES, the fact that we have Watch Duty now, we have Genesis, we have zones, we have people prepared, we have training,” Pyska spoke of the improvement in response over the years.
“We have so many things that have happened that have brought us to this point where we're not, hopefully, going to lose lives anymore,” she added. “We’ve all been transformed,”
Supervisor Helen Owen, who — like Pyska — lost her home to the fire, spoke of the tremendous support received locally, statewide and nationally.
After naming the Middletown Rancheria and Twin Pine casino, Hardester’s markets in the Middletown Cobb and Hidden Valley area, the Middletown Lions Club and the City of Calistoga, among others, Owen said it was an “impossibility” to list everyone involved in the response as the county has not kept track of the data.
“If we’re going to thank one, we need to thank everybody,” Owen said. “It was phenomenal … It wasn't just in California, certainly it wasn't just in Lake County. It was throughout the nation where people were moved and helped us out, and I need to say thank you to them as well.”
“When this event happened, we were all such babies in disaster response,” said Social Service Deputy Director Kelly Page. “We quickly just leaned on compassion and flexibility, and that’s really what we used to get through the next several weeks.”
“This was the first fire for us at Cal OES of this size,” said Sean Smith of Cal OES, who led the debris removal operation for the Rocky, Jerusalem and the Valley fires — three consecutive, destructive blazes in Lake County in the same year.
“We were here learning while we were doing it, and the support from Lake County, from both your elected officials, your appointed officials, and everybody here was phenomenal,” Smith said, recalling the involvement of then-District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown.
Smith added: “To see you guys this resilient 10 years later is phenomenal. I've gone on to 33 fires since then. This one sticks with me.”
Throughout the meeting, gratitude and recognition were given to the Middletown Rancheria and Twin Pine for sheltering evacuees.
The Middletown Rancheria, Pyska said, has “opened their doors so many times without hesitation, to shelter people, to feed people with no expectation of ever being reimbursed or paid because we care about each other.”
“Middletown Rancheria doesn't need to do anything for acclamation. We just do it because it's the right thing to do,” said Middletown Rancheria Chairman Moke Simon, who also served as District 1 supervisor prior to Owen.
He added, “I think that's the best that I've ever seen this community come together. Politics divides it, disasters unite it and we'll just keep moving forward in that manner.”
Discussion and disagreement on plaque recognition
Following the proclamation, the board also discussed recognizing the Middletown Rancheria’s contributions with a bronze plaque, costing $2,100.
Pyska, who proposed the idea, said it’s a gift “from our government to their government to really recognize what a vital partner they are.”
However, Owen expressed concerns about “singling out” one entity. She said she had already purchased a plaque to “honor and remember the entire Middletown community” that contributed during the Valley Fire, including the Middletown Rancheria.
“I am really concerned that only one entity is being recognized for helping during the 2015 Valley Fire,” she said. “And I feel it's important that if we recognize only one, that others will feel insignificant.”
Owen recalled when she had yet to take office, Pyska once told her over lunch that “as a supervisor, we stay in our own lanes.”
“I am the District 1 supervisor; You are the District 5 supervisor,” Owen continued, implying that she felt Pyska was striding over the lane. “And I feel that there's been drama brought forward with this.”
Owen disclosed at the meeting that originally Pyska proposed buying four plaques and Owen offered to “split.” Later, Pyska called to offer splitting one of the four to Owen.
At that time, “You yourself were going to buy one for the tribe,” Owen said to Pyska. “Now you want the county to purchase this?”
“If we start recognizing people, we're going to have to start keeping track, and you have to also be prepared by singling people out, that we are going to open up a can of worms, and you're going to be hurting other people's feelings for not getting that same recognition,” Owen said. “So I cannot support this … and I think that this is drama that was unnecessary.”
Despite Owen’s emphatic opposition, all other supervisors and speakers during public comment supported the dedicated plaque to the tribe.
Pyska maintained that this plaque is “government to government” and requires the entire board’s approval to pay for and to give.
“This is not for just the Valley Fire,” Pyska said. “This is a decade of showing up time and time again and into the future, and that's why I want this board and this County of Lake to recognize the tribes and all that they do for our whole county.”
Sabatier said that Middletown Rancheria is a local government and partner agency, not a business or nonprofit, comparable to the cities of Clearlake and Lakeport.
“When we have partnerships, I think we need to celebrate partnerships,” he said, adding that regardless of whether the plaque is paid by supervisors’ discretionary funds, it comes from the tax dollars from the community.
Supervisor Eddie Crandell supports the plaque too and felt that “singling out” the discussion casts “a negative cloud on the situation rather than celebrating it.”
The board voted 4-1 to approve the plaque to Middletown Rancheria, with Owen voting against.
Three plaques have been ordered, confirmed by Chief Deputy County Administrative Officer Matthew Rothstein in an email. One plaque will be dedicated to Middletown Rancheria, while the other two will honor those who lost their lives, to be placed in Cobb and Middletown, with a total cost of $7,300.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — On Tuesday, Lake County’s In-Home Supportive Services, or IHSS, workers, members of SEIU Local 2015, returned to the Board of Supervisors meeting to urge elected officials to invest in long-term care.
Recent polling reveals low wages for Lake home care workers prevent them from paying for housing, feeding their families and accessing medical care:
• 86% of Lake’s IHSS providers work multiple jobs — at least some of the time — just to make ends meet. • 65% of Lake’s IHSS workers have difficulty paying their rent or mortgage each month, reporting that they are sometimes or always late with their payments. Additionally, 52% of respondents spend at least 50% of their income on housing. • 53% of Lake’s IHSS workers experience consistent food insecurity, relying on CalFresh and/or food banks at least monthly. • 51% of Lake’s IHSS workers are sometimes or often unable to access medication — and 52% are sometimes or often prevented from visiting the doctor — due to concerns about cost. • 90% sometimes or always miss regular car maintenance because it’s too expensive.
Lesia Turner, a Lake County IHSS provider for 15 years, told the board that she and other care workers in Lake constantly face financial challenges due to IHSS wages that don’t meet everyday expenses.
“As the price of everything continues to increase, we find it harder to keep our heads above water,” she said. “Do we make a partial payment on PG&E or partial payment on the water bill?”
Lake County IHSS workers are currently negotiating a new contract with county officials, as their previous contract expired at the end of 2023.
More than 2,400 Lake County IHSS workers provide essential long-term care — including paramedical, personal care and household services — to seniors and people with disabilities.
The IHSS program ensures people have the freedom to receive long-term care in the setting of their choice by enabling them to remain in their homes instead of moving to an institutional setting.
Despite this essential role, Lake County is experiencing a caregiver shortage that will only worsen as the population ages.
Last year, more than 385,000 authorized IHSS care hours went unused in the county, nearly 10% of the total and more than double the percentage of unused authorized hours statewide. These unfulfilled hours suggest individuals are not receiving the care they need and qualify for.
Additionally, wages and benefits that fail to meet the needs of families are driving IHSS workers out of the caregiving profession.
The current Lake County IHSS wage is $17.15 an hour, only $0.65 above California’s minimum wage, and far below the MIT living wage threshold of $22.83 an hour for a single individual with no children.
“If I didn’t have my Social Security,” Lake provider Frances Ford told the Board, “there’s no way I could pay my bills on time.”
She added, “A strong contract would ensure that this program can hold onto quality providers and give vulnerable people in Lake the care they need.”
The population of older adults is growing in Lake and across California, increasing the demand for in-home care.
IHSS providers are especially critical in rural areas of Lake County, serving as vital links for the disability and senior community and offering essential care to those who do not have easy, affordable access to medical centers or specialized services.
“Lake County needs to start investing in care before more providers leave the industry which will worsen the current care crisis,” said SEIU Local 2015 President Arnulfo De La Cruz. “Care workers are essential and they need to be valued in order to safeguard the well-being of seniors and people with disabilities in Lake County.”
SEIU Local 2015 said it is committed to advancing policies that improve the lives of long-term care workers and those they care for. The union’s bargaining team encourages the Board of Supervisors to collaborate to address these pressing issues and ensure that Lake’s long-term care system is prepared to support the county’s future.
UPPER LAKE, Calif. — The Western Region Town Hall will hold its next meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 17.
The meeting will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Habematolel community center, 9460 Main St.
Community members also can attend via Zoom; the webinar ID is 833 1071 8838, the pass code is 058669. It also will be broadcast live on PEGTV.
On the agenda is a presentation from Sonoma Clean Power, a community-owned electricity provider that is proposing to begin serving Lake County.
There will be updates on WRTH’s presentation to the Board of Supervisors, its website, a combined meeting of municipal advisory committees serving District 3.
WRTH also will have a discussion on the beginning of the Community Oriented Policing Targeted Relief, or COPTR, program on the Northshore.
There also will be action by subcommittees on Pyle Road, Upper Lake school traffic safety and the Upper Lake levees.
Supervisor EJ Crandell is scheduled to give a report.
WRTH members are Chairman Thomas Aceves, Vice-Chairman Tim Chiara, Record Keeper Linda Alexander, and members Lisa Benavides, David Eby, Kathryn Parankema and Claudine Pedroncelli.
Google this week unveiled a major collaboration with the California Community Colleges that will provide more than two million students and faculty across the state’s 116 community colleges with free access to AI training, Google Career Certificates, and some of Google's cutting-edge AI tools including Gemini for Education and NotebookLM.
The announcement came during the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Futures Summit 2025, an event designed to drive digital transformation and innovation across the California Community Colleges.
The system will also be one of the first members of Google’s AI for Education Accelerator, an initiative specifically designed to help prepare students for the jobs of today and tomorrow.
This announcement with Google represents a significant expansion and investment in workforce development within higher education, positioning California's community college students at the forefront of the AI-driven economy, education officials said.
As the largest system of higher education in the nation, the California Community Colleges play a crucial role in providing accessible education and career pathways.
This partnership aligns with the system's Vision 2030 goals, focusing on enhancing student access, support, and success.
By integrating Google's industry-recognized training and AI tools, the collaboration aims to equip students with the essential job-ready skills like AI and in-demand careers in fields like data analytics, cybersecurity, and more.
“This collaboration with Google is a monumental step forward for the California Community Colleges,” said Don Daves-Rougeaux, senior advisor to the chancellor of the California Community Colleges on Workforce Development, Strategic Partnerships, and GenAI. “Providing our students with access to world-class AI training and professional certificates ensures they have the skills necessary to thrive in high-growth industries and contribute to California's economic prosperity. This partnership directly supports our Vision 2030 commitment to student success and workforce readiness. Additionally, offering access to AI tools with data protections and advanced functionality for free ensures that all learners have equitable access to the tools they need to leverage the skills they’re learning, and saves California’s community colleges millions of dollars in potential tool costs.”
This new statewide partnership builds upon successful regional collaborations. Notably, Google previously worked with Stanford Digital Education and the Bay Area Community College Consortium, or BACCC, including faculty at San Jose City College, to integrate the Google Data Analytics Certificate into local curricula.
That pilot program demonstrated the value of combining industry-recognized credentials with the supportive structure of community colleges to equip students with the skills they need for the future of work.
Key components of the partnership include:
• No-cost access to cutting-edge AI tools: All students, faculty, classified professionals, and the regional consortia staff will receive access to the Gemini App, Google’s generative AI tool, with data protections, including FERPA compliance. This ensures they can use AI tools with their data in an equitable, safe and private way. Additionally, they will have access to Guided Learning, custom AI prompts called Gems, Deep Research reports, NotebookLM and more to help as they study, research and learn. • No-cost access to training: All students and faculty will receive free access to Google Career Certificates, Google AI Essentials, and Prompting Essentials. These programs provide practical, hands-on training for in-demand jobs. • Curriculum integration: Google and the Chancellor's Office will collaborate with faculty to integrate these certificate programs and AI courses, particularly focusing on Data Analytics and AI, into existing college curricula and pathways. • Enhanced faculty development: Faculty will gain access to Google's training programs, professional development resources, including best practices and implementation playbook developed during the Stanford/BACCC pilot, to effectively leverage the certificates. Faculty will also have access to Google’s new Google AI in Higher Education course which teaches faculty ways to use AI as an assistant in their professional practice to save time, inspire creativity, and assist with research.
“Technology skills, especially in areas like artificial intelligence, are critical for the future workforce,” said Bryan Lee, vice president of Google for Education Go-to-Market. “We are thrilled to partner with the California Community Colleges, the nation's largest higher education system, to bring valuable training and tools like Google Career Certificates, AI Essentials, and Gemini to millions of students. This collaboration underscores our commitment to creating economic opportunity for everyone.”
Officials said this initiative builds on the success of Google's tools and programs like Gemini for Education which has been officially integrated into the academic and administrative frameworks of 1,000-plus US Higher education institutions.
By bringing these tools and resources to the vast California community college system, Google and the Chancellor's Office said they are making a significant stride in democratizing access to high-quality tech education and preparing learners for the jobs of tomorrow.
The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; and degree and certificate pathways.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Two women died on Monday afternoon following a head-on crash on Highway 29 near Hidden Valley Lake.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office identified the two crash victims as Velma Darlene Whitley, 92, and Sharon Gale Dennis, 83, both of Hidden Valley Lake.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office said its officers were dispatched to the wreck at 2:35 p.m. Monday.
The CHP said the crash occurred on Highway 29, south of mile post marker 29.12, near Hidden Valley Lake.
When the officers arrived, they determined that Whitley was driving a 2010 Ford Edge southbound on Highway 29, according to the CHP report.
The CHP said Margaret Ann Titus, 58, of Lower Lake was driving a 2011 Nissan Altima northbound with Dennis as her passenger, seated in the front passenger seat.
For reasons the CHP said are still undetermined, Whitley allowed her vehicle to cross into the opposing traffic lane, resulting in a head-on crash with Titus’ Nissan.
Whitley was transported from the scene and ultimately succumbed to her injuries, the CHP said.
Titus suffered moderate injuries and was transported from the scene, the CHP said. Dennis died of her injuries at the scene.
The CHP said all three women were believed to be wearing their seatbelts. Drug or alcohol impairment is not suspected in this crash.
Resources from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Lake County Fire Protection District, Caltrans, California Department of Fire and Five Star Towing responded to the scene and assisted the California Highway Patrol with the investigation.
Highway 29 was closed for a short period during extrication efforts, with one-way traffic control established shortly thereafter, the CHP said.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A Clearlake man arrested for arson last month and later released from custody has been arrested for a second arson case.
Patrick Blaine Squier, 66, was in court on Tuesday afternoon for the second of the two arson cases he’s now facing, which happened 15 days apart.
The Clearlake Police Department arrested Squier on two felony counts of arson for an incident that occurred on Aug. 23, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Rich Watson.
Watson said the fire in question occurred behind Foods Etc., located at 15290 Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake.
The fire was reported just after 11 p.m. Aug. 23.
Initial dispatch said it was a trash can on fire behind the store, according to radio reports. Firefighters found it against a building and near numerous propane tanks, between the store and the Adventist Health clinic. The fire was contained within minutes of dispatch.
Watson said Squier was arraigned on the arson charges on Aug. 26, at which point the court decided to release him on his own recognizance.
Then, Clearlake Police arrested Squier again early on Sept. 6 for felony arson and committing a new offence while on bail, based on court and jail records.
That new case, said Watson, was for a fire that occurred the day of Squier’s arrest behind the Grocery Outlet in Clearlake.
Radio traffic for that morning included a dispatch at 4:08 a.m. for a debris fire behind the Grocery Outlet, located at 14806 Olympic Drive. Minutes later, police ran Squier’s name over the radio.
By 4:36 a.m., the fire was reported to be out, with Clearlake Police on scene with firefighters.
Squier’s booking sheet for that fire shows he was arrested at 4:46 a.m.
Watson said Squier was arraigned on Tuesday for the Sept. 6 fire. “The District Attorney’s Office argued for Squier to remain in custody without bail.”
The court agreed to keep Squier in custody without bail, Watson said.
He said both arson cases are set for preliminary hearing on Monday, Sept. 15.
A review of Lake County Superior Court documents shows a Patrick Blaine Squier with numerous other criminal case convictions, including felony assault, criminal threats and possession of a controlled substance.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This 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.
A new research effort is investigating how occupational exposures may increase cancer risk among California firefighters.
On Tuesday, the Governor’s Office announced the major new effort, led by the University of California Los Angeles and UC Davis, in collaboration with Cal Fire.
The project, a sub-study of the California Firefighter Cancer Research Study, or CAFF-CRS, is backed by nearly $9.7 million in funding from Cal Fire and will include 3,500 firefighters from departments across the state over a two-year period.
The research team is guided by a firefighter advisory board to ensure the study remains grounded in real-world needs and priorities.
“This research underscores Cal Fire’s commitment to protecting firefighter health through science, innovation, and partnership,” said Cal Fire Director Chief Joe Tyler.
The study will analyze how exposures on the fireground, especially during significant events, may drive changes in the body that contribute to cancer risk over time.
A specific area of focus will compare exposures and biological changes in firefighters who responded to the Eaton and Palisades fires in Los Angeles with those who did not.
Funding partners are Cal Fire and the University of California Office of the President.
This research is part of a broader, multi-agency effort to protect the health of those who protect our communities.
By better understanding the relationship between biomarkers of exposure such as heavy metals and biomarkers of effect such as epigenetic alterations, transcriptomics, and markers of inflammation and immune dysfunction, the team hopes to pave the way for new prevention and intervention strategies for firefighters nationwide.
On Tuesday, California’s 175th anniversary of statehood, Gov. Gavin Newsom transmitted the 2025 State of the State letter to the Legislature.
The Governor’s address, and his State of the State letter to the Legislature, highlight the Golden State as a cultural driver, leader in innovation, and defender of democratic values, powered and strengthened by its diverse population.
Below is the text of the 2025 State of the State letter:
Today, as California celebrates the 175th anniversary of its admission to the Union, our country faces an uncertain future and pernicious threats to the foundation of our democracy. As I write to you, California is menaced by a federal administration that dismantles public services, punishes allies across the globe, and sweeps the rule of law into the gutter. They have thrown away decades of progress on clean air and water, sent the U.S. military into the streets of our cities, and used extortion in an attempt to bully our businesses and world-class public institutions. But California, this uniquely blessed state, is standing up. Graced by God with bountiful resources and made greater by our spirit of openness and courage, I have no doubt we will emerge stronger — but only if we fight together and hold fast to our values. Friends and colleagues, the state of the state is strong, fully committed to defending democracy, and resolved to never bend.
California began the year with one of the worst natural disasters in American history. But look no further for proof of our resilient spirit than the fortitude Californians displayed when hurricane-force winds swept through Los Angeles in early January. Despite great personal danger, our firefighters, law enforcement personnel, and other first responders demonstrated tireless resolve. They saved countless lives. As we mourn the people lost in Altadena, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and beyond, we take solace in the heroic way those communities stood up in the aftermath. They moved with a singular purpose to support businesses, schools, houses of worship, and displaced families. At the same time, federal, state, and local officials mobilized with historic speed and scale in the days and weeks after the fires. Through executive orders waiving red tape, the state paved the way for debris-removal crews to move quickly through damaged areas and streamlined permits to speed rebuilding. Homes are now rising. Our commitment will not waver; we will be there until the last residents return and local businesses thrive again.
Even as fires still burned, the newly elected President began targeting our state — testing our resolve with his relentless, unhinged California obsession. This Legislature moved with extraordinary speed throughout this year to support fire-impacted communities and prepare for the federal attacks we knew were coming. Together with the Attorney General, we have filed 41 lawsuits on behalf of the people of California to challenge federal actions that threaten to drive up prices, force layoffs, and inflict economic ruin. We’re fighting for equal access to education and health care, and to uphold the Constitution and the ideals of this nation.
In June, the President deployed the National Guard and U.S. Marines in Los Angeles in a cowardly attempt to scare us into submission, as masked officers and immigration agents snatched people off the streets. They chased farmworkers through fields in Ventura County and arrested strawberry sellers in the very plaza in Los Angeles where Japanese Americans were rounded up during World War II. Through the courts — and the raised voices of everyday people — California has resisted this dangerous and un-American assault on our values. We are committed to protecting the men and women who make this state stronger through their hard work and entrepreneurial spirit. And when the President threatens to bankrupt UCLA — an engine of innovation and economic prosperity, a world leader in science and medicine — with his own bankrupt ideas, he will fail.
It would be a mistake to think California is cowering in the face of this onslaught. The foundation we have built together empowers us to embrace the values that have made California the global center of progress. We imagine — and implement — the future. We build what others say is impossible. Our state is strong because of the engine of economic growth California has built over the past seven years — in schools, community colleges, and universities, as well as in labs, on construction sites, and factory floors. Together, we have crafted a bold economic vision for the Golden State that will bring us well into the 21st century.
From cradle to career, we are reimagining education and workforce development to meet the demands of a changing economy. That starts by ensuring that opportunity is not limited by your ZIP code. California now offers college and career savings accounts from birth. Public school students receive comprehensive support, including free meals, mental health services, enriched academic programs, and afterschool activities. As of this school year, universal transitional kindergarten will be available to all four-year-olds, easing the financial burden on parents and giving California children a jump start on their education. The Universal Meals Program is projected to serve nearly one billion meals in schools — we want hungry minds, not hungry children.
To connect education to employment, the state has created regional collaboratives that align schools and colleges with local job markets. We’re focusing on three fields where demand is exploding: education, health care, and green energy. This Master Plan for Career Education envisions students beginning career exploration in high school, with expanded access to college courses, career technical education, and paid internships at the University of California, the California State University system, and community colleges. We made community college tuition-free for two years for first-time, full-time students through the California College Promise, and we’re investing in affordable student housing and open educational resources. We’re working with leaders in the tech industry to prepare the next generation for the workforce of a new era, teaching young people how to embrace the opportunities and advancements offered by AI, while also teaching them to recognize and handle risks accordingly. Apprenticeships and earn-and-learn programs are scaling up dramatically, to serve more than 500,000 individuals by 2029 — a goal we will undoubtedly exceed.
Innovation is California’s inheritance. We intend to keep it. Our economy now exceeds $4.1 trillion, powered by a culture that rewards risk, attracts capital, and welcomes new ideas. We lead the nation in startups, venture capital, IPOs, and manufacturing output. We have more AI companies, more space technology, and more green innovation than any place on Earth. Now, we’re scaling that ecosystem through bold public investment. At the same time, we’re supporting emerging sectors, such as space exploration, where the Space Industry Task Force connects public and private partners. We are turning a shuttered Los Angeles mall into UCLA Research Park, a global hub for breakthroughs in immunotherapy and engineering. We are supporting one of our most essential legacy industries, Hollywood, with film and television tax credits that will keep production here at home. Our CalCompetes tax incentives have attracted $52 billion in investment and generated over 161,000 jobs, spanning from manufacturing to the space industry, since the program’s inception in 2013.
At the same time, California has built an economic foundation that supports everyone in our state — one that embraces the dignity of work and a good-paying career, regardless of where you live. We created the California Jobs First initiative, which divided the state into 13 regional economies that were then empowered to craft custom-built strategies tailored to the needs of the people who live there. The 13 collaboratives engaged more than 10,000 residents and experts in the development of their plans. This initiative is about building a stronger economy from the ground up – with each region guided by its own data-driven, community-led strategies, so that no county, town, or person gets left behind. We want an economy that works for everyone, supporting mechanics, technicians, truck drivers, farmers, teachers, medical researchers, nurses, doctors, small business owners, and entrepreneurs across all fields.
Even before this year began, it was clear the new federal administration would work to dismantle our clean air and water standards. Their attempts to undermine our decades of environmental progress only underscore their own lack of economic vision, which threatens to cede the future to China. No other place in the country has built a stronger green economy than California, a leader in environmental action for decades. More than 2 million zero-emission vehicles have been sold in California, accounting for approximately one-quarter of all new cars sold in the state. The state now boasts 60 ZEV-related manufacturers, and ZEVs are among our top exports. Clean transportation also means modernizing our systems. We’ve electrified Caltrain tracks, cleared all environmental reviews from Los Angeles to the Bay Area, and begun laying track for high-speed rail in the Central Valley, all while creating 15,000 good-paying jobs. We’re also running homes and businesses in California with clean electricity at ever-increasing, historic rates. This year so far, the state’s grid has operated with 100 percent clean electricity for the equivalent of 60 full days. To address our water challenges, California is implementing strategies to store, recycle, desalinate, and conserve enough water to serve more than 8.4 million households by 2040. Our climate investments will create millions of new jobs and cut air pollution by more than 70 percent. In California, economic growth and environmental protection go hand in hand.
California thrives on smart, strategic risk. To stay competitive, we are eliminating the obstacles that slow progress — streamlining approvals and permits for housing, clean energy, broadband, transit, water systems, and forest and vegetation management. At the Office of Data and Innovation, designers, data scientists, and developers work with state agencies to rethink and rebuild how services are delivered, guided by real-world experience. We’re also using technology to save lives. In 2024, nearly a quarter of California’s wildfires were detected by AI-enabled cameras, and CAL FIRE assessed over 4,000 fire starts with satellite technology, helping crews respond faster than ever.
Few people make me prouder of California than the legions of volunteers in this state. Together, we have built a volunteer force larger than the Peace Corps. Our Californians For All College Corps has provided more than 14,000 part-time service opportunities to support debt-free pathways for low-income students. The Youth Service Corps has employed tens of thousands of young people in community service. At the same time, the state’s Climate Action Corps created the country’s first state-level climate service corps to empower all Californians to take meaningful action to safeguard the climate. It has funded over 1,500 fellows and created opportunities for all Californians to act.
California’s streamlining spirit is on full display at the DMV, once maligned as sluggish and unresponsive — no more. By listening to customers and staff members alike, a modernized DMV expanded online services, built a virtual field office, and added payment options, dramatically cutting wait times. In the same spirit of listening, learning, and acting, we launched Engaged California. This new platform enables Californians to share ideas, provide feedback on their government, and participate in respectful, solution-focused conversations. Rather than slashing and burning, we’re finding ways to make government more effective, efficient, and engaged. We have also launched a new AI-powered tool to streamline the permitting process and expedite building permit approvals in hard-hit Los Angeles communities, helping families and businesses rebuild faster.
Affordability is the bedrock of economic mobility. California must be a place where everyone can afford to live, work, and thrive. Over the past six years, we’ve added tens of thousands of new childcare slots and expanded Paid Family Leave. We’ve dramatically increased the Earned Income Tax Credit and created new supports, such as the Young Child Tax Credit and the Foster Youth Tax Credit, providing billions in relief to working families. We’re piloting CalRx, a state-owned generic drug label, to slash the costs of insulin and naloxone. After CalRx naloxone entered the market in 2023, generic prices dropped almost 25 percent in a single quarter, saving the state tens of millions of dollars and helping us save hundreds of thousands of lives from drug overdoses. We’re making retirement savings more accessible through CalSavers and increasing basic support for older and disabled adults.
But one of our longest-standing affordability crises is housing. We’ve created accountability tools to ensure local governments do their part. We’ve also approved 42 housing- and homelessness-related CEQA reforms to accelerate homebuilding, and we’re holding local governments accountable for planning and permitting their fair share of new housing through a new Housing Accountability Unit. We’ve invested tens of billions in affordable housing and fast-tracked projects on state-owned land.
These programs, investments, and government innovations demonstrate California’s commitment to solving big challenges. We are relentless in spirit, leaving nothing unattended. And even if everything we have done is replicated by other legislatures and governors, as often happens, there remains something singular in the California spirit that fuels our success. Over 175 years, we have drawn pioneers in thought and industry, oddballs and intellectuals who were given the capital and freedom to create new worlds from their own imaginations. We are the state that built Hollywood into the most significant cultural force of the 20th century, and, decades later, by sheer imagination and sweat equity, transformed the world with the Internet and technological marvels.
My last letter to you warned about the poisonous populism of the right and the anxiety many people were feeling about the state of this country — some of it grounded in real fear about the national economy, but much of it stoked by misinformation and bigotry. We are now nine months into a battle to protect the values we hold most dear and to preserve the economic and social foundation we built for California. We are facing a federal administration built on incompetence and malicious ignorance, one that seeks the death of independent thinking. This is not the first time this state has endured darkness. Each time, we have created our own light and forged our own path toward a better place. Just as we have before, we will emerge stronger, smarter, and more unified. Next year, when it is again my duty and privilege to report on the State of the State one final time, I know California will look brighter and more prosperous than ever before — because of the indelible, audacious spirit that defines us.
Native American students and families will determine what constitutes traditional regalia or recognized objects of religious or cultural significance instead of school officials for purposes of adornments at graduation ceremonies if the governor signs a measure approved on a 73-0 vote Sept. 4 by the Assembly and now headed to the governor.
Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) introduced AB 1369 that also prohibits schools from creating any process that would discourage or prevent Native American students from displaying any tribal adornment or ceremonial regalia at graduation ceremonies.
Despite existing law and clarifying statutes affirming the rights of students to wear cultural adornment at high school graduations, school districts continue to deny students this right.
“Existing legislation and constitutional protections allow students to wear traditional tribal regalia at graduation ceremonies, but Native American youth and their families continue to face obstacles and challenges. Graduation ceremonies are a time for students, their families and tribal communities to share pride and joy in a major accomplishment. AB 1369 adds clarity to current law so that students’ and families’ celebration is not marred by unnecessary turmoil,” Ramos said.
He noted that regalia might include items such as eagle feathers or beading and represent cultural and religious traditions.
Testifying at a legislative committee hearing was Bella Garcia, a May graduate from Clovis High School, who struggled for almost two years to win approval to wear Native American adornments at her graduation.
“California sits on the traditional homelands of all California Indian people, and it is important to recognize California tribes’ sovereignty,” Garcia said. “American Indian youth deserve to be recognized, celebrated and uplifted while honoring their ancestors who came before them. Graduation is one of the most momentous milestones especially for California Native Americans.”
In 2018, the Legislature took action to protect student rights by passing AB 1248 (Chapter 804, Statutes of 2018).
That bill stated, “A pupil may wear traditional tribal regalia or recognized objects of religious or cultural significance as an adornment at school graduation ceremonies.”
Despite this language, school districts continue to deny Native American students from wearing tribal regalia or attempt to tell them what constitutes authentic or appropriate tribal items.
In 2021, the legislature passed Ramos’s AB 945 (Chapter 285, Statutes of 2021) which established a task force that would provide education leaders with policy, procedure, and best practices recommendations for the implementation of AB 1284. The report is currently being drafted. However, immediate action is required with this measure as instances of denials continue to be reported.
California Indian Legal Services and the Tule River Indian Tribe are the AB 1369 sponsors, and it is also supported by the Fresno Unified School District, ACLU California Action, Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake and Indigenous Justice, California Federation of Teachers, Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria and California Nations Indian Gaming Association.
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