How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
- Details
- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
Held at Lower Lake High School last month, the event brought together community leaders, health advocates, educators, and students to confront the ongoing challenges of commercial tobacco and vaping in Lake County, with a special emphasis on youth prevention and grassroots solutions.
This year’s summit, hosted in partnership with Adventist Health Clear Lake, featured powerful presentations, including remarks from Dr. Becky Salato, Konocti Unified School District superintendent, and Andrea McBride, a Lower Lake High School student. Both shared compelling and heartbreaking insights about the vaping epidemic impacting local schools, shedding light on the urgent need for solutions to protect the health and well-being of our youth.
Attendees also heard from Liberty Francis, Public Health project manager, who provided an overview of the county’s work in commercial tobacco prevention and cessation, showcasing innovative programs aimed at reducing tobacco use.
Community member Tammy Serpa shared her deeply personal journey as an ex-smoker, offering a message of hope and resilience while highlighting the importance of resources and community support in overcoming addiction.
Representatives from UCSF’s The Loop — Dr. Robynn Battle, Dr. Val Yerger, and Lou Moerner — delivered inspiring sessions on their work within marginalized communities, emphasizing the importance of grassroots efforts in creating meaningful change.
Their expertise provided attendees with actionable strategies to address tobacco-related health disparities in Lake County.
To align with the Blue Zones Project's Power 9 principles, the summit featured Blue Zones-inspired meals, prioritizing fresh, plant-forward foods that support health and longevity. Attendees also had the chance to participate in a demonstration Moai (a small group activity that promotes movement and social connection), meeting on Main Street in Lower Lake, and walking together to the summit venue.
“Commercial tobacco cessation is critical for improving the health and quality of life in Lake County,” said Greg Damron, Public Policy Advocate for Blue Zones Project - Lake County. “Our community suffers deeply from the physical, emotional, and financial devastation the tobacco industry perpetuates. Events like this help us unite and take actionable steps toward a healthier future for everyone.”
The summit concluded with an uplifting presentation by Shelly Trumbo, Blue Zones EVP and Community Transformations Officer, who highlighted the strength and resilience of Lake County community members. She encouraged attendees to continue building on the progress made, using the Blue Zones Power 9 principles to create an even happier, healthier, community.
Blue Zones Project - Lake County reported that it remains committed to supporting initiatives like the Hope Rising Innovation Summit that align with its mission of promoting long-term well-being through sustainable change.
“Together, alongside partners like Adventist Health Clear Lake, we can help Lake County “break free” and move toward a tobacco-free future,” the organization said in its announcement.
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting can be watched live on Channel 8, online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and on the county’s Facebook page. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.
To participate in real-time, join the Zoom meeting by clicking this link.
The meeting ID is 865 3354 4962, pass code 726865. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,86533544962#,,,,*726865#. The meeting can also be accessed via phone at 669 900 6833.
Supervisors Michael Green and Moke Simon will end their terms in January.
At 11:45 a.m. and 11:55 a.m. the board will present proclamations commending Simon and Green, respectively.
In other business, at 9:15 a.m., the board will consider an appear of the Planning Commission’s denial of major use permit and mitigated negative declaration for the Rancho Novoa special event venue on a property located at 5680 Blue Lakes Road, Upper Lake. .
At 1 p.m., the board will get a presentation on the National Flood Insurance Program.
At 1:30 p.m., Community Development Department staff will provide an informational update on Cannabis Ordinance Task Force recommendations, which Green and Simon reportedly wanted to take place before they left the board.
Also on Tuesday, the board will hear presentations from Code Enforcement on its activities under the Illegal Dumping Abatement Grant activities and its final drone usage policies.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Adopt proclamation commending Supervisor Moke Simon on his eight years of service to the county as District 1 supervisor.
5.2: Adopt proclamation commending Supervisor Michael S. Green on his two years of service to the county as District 4 supervisor.
5.3: Adopt proclamation commending Bill Foltmer for his long and illustrious career as football head coach at Middletown High School.
5.4: Approve early activation of email for District 1 Supervisor-elect Helen Owen and title the email address as supervisor-elect.
5.5: Approve continuation of emergency proclamation declaring a shelter crisis in the county of Lake.
5.6: Approve continuation of proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to pervasive tree mortality.
5.7: Approve continuation of proclamation declaring a Clear Lake hitch emergency.
5.8: Approve continuation of local emergency by the Lake County Sheriff/OES director for the 2024 late January, early February winter storms.
5.9: Approve continuation of proclamation of a local health emergency by the Lake County Health Officer for the Boyles Fire.
5.10: Approve continuation of a local emergency by the Lake County Sheriff/OES director for the 2024 Boyles Fire.
5.11: Approve continuation of local emergency proclamation by the Lake County Sheriff/OES director for the Glenhaven Fire.
5.12: Adopt Board of Supervisors rules of procedure, general protocol and committees policy update.
5.13: A) Adopt resolution of the Board of Supervisors of the county of Lake adopting an amended conflict of interest code for the county of Lake; B) adopt resolution of the Board of Supervisors of the county of Lake approving conflict of interest codes of certain local agencies located wholly within the county.
5.14: Approve Amendment No. 2 to the agreement between county of Lake and Native American Mental Health Services dba North American Mental Health Services for telepsychiatry services in the amount of $1,295,636.80 for fiscal years 2022-2025 and authorize the Board chair to sign.
5.15: Approve Amendment No. 1 to the agreement between county of Lake and St. Helena Hospital dba Adventist Health St. Helena and Vallejo for acute inpatient psychiatric hospital services and professional services associated with acute inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations in the amount of $600,000 for fiscal years 2023-2026 and authorize the Board chair to sign.
5.16: Approve the award of Bid No. 250855 to Humboldt Fence in the amount of $255,950 and authorize the chair to sign the agreement and the notice of award.
5.17: Authorize the destruction of certain Department of Public Works financial records, papers and documents pursuant to Government Code Sections 26202.
5.18: A) Adopt resolution accepting the work of the Socrates Mine Road (PM 2.61) Landslide Repair Project (FEMA-4308-DR-CA, LKLCC56) and Socrates Mine Road (PM 3.41) Landslide Repair Project (FEMA-4301-DR-CA, LKLCC03); and B) direct the Public Works director to file the notice of completion with the County of Lake Recorder’s Office.
5.19: Approve the 2024-2025 Community Corrections Partnership Plan.
5.20: Adopt resolution approving Amendment No. 3 to Agreement No. 18G30117 between the Secretary of State and the county of Lake for Voting Systems Replacement Funds.
5.21: A) Approve Amendment No. 2 between the county of Lake and Bennet Omalu Pathology for a one-year renewal of pathology services and B) Waive Section 38.1 of the Lake County Purchasing Policy and C) authorize the chairman to sign.
5.22: A) Adopt resolution approving the Lake County Sheriff’s Office to apply for State of California, Department of Parks and Recreation Off-Highway Vehicle Grant funds and authorize the Lake County sheriff/coroner or his designee to sign the project agreement; and B) consider delegation of authority to Lake County Sheriff/Coroner Rob Howe or Sheriff-elect Luke Bingham to execute the attached project agreement, No. G24-03-64-L01, and act as the county’s agent in negotiation, execution, and submittal of all related documents, including amendments and requests for payments.
5.23: A) Approve the Department of Boating and Waterways 2025/26 application for financial aid in the amount of $493,450.88, and authorize the sheriff to sign the application; and B) adopt resolution for authorization to apply for and accept, if awarded, fiscal year 2025/26 Boating Safety and Enforcement Financial Aid Program funding from the State of California, Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways, in the authorized amount of $315,312, and authorization to participate in the program.
5.24: Approve third amendment to joint powers agreement between county of Lake and Mendocino County for the Area Agency on Agency Program, in the amount of $74,647 per fiscal year, and authorize the chair to sign.
TIMED ITEMS
6.1, 9:02 a.m.: Public input.
6.2, 9:03 a.m.: Pet of the Week.
6.3, 9:05 a.m.: Presentation of Girl Scout Gold Award.
6.4, 9:06 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation commending Bill Foltmer for his long and illustrious career as football head coach at Middletown High School.
6.5, 9:15 a.m.: Consideration of appeal (AB 24-04) of Planning Commission’s denial of major use permit (UP 22-24) and mitigated negative declaration (IS 22-29) for Rancho Novoa special event venue on a property located at 5680 Blue Lakes Road, Upper Lake (APN: 003-007-03).
6.6, 9:45 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of A) closeout of the Community Development Block Grant - Business Assistance Loan Grant No. 20-CDBG-12081; B) closeout of the Community Development Block Grant CARES Act Grant No. 20-CDBG-CV2-3-003.
6.7, 10 a.m.: Consideration and discussion of the Broadband Implementation Plan and update on broadband initiatives.
6.8, 10:20 a.m.: A) Consideration of a revised cover memo for submittal to the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) seeking funding under the California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA) to provide emergency tree mortality response and authorize chair to sign; and B) Consideration of hazard tree survey analysis requested by CalOES, to be attached with cover memo.
6.9, 10:30 a.m.: Presentation of update by the Middletown Area Town Hall.
6.10, 11:15 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of a revised County of Lake ambulance ordinance.
6.11, 11:45 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation commending Supervisor Moke Simon for his eight years of service to the county as District 1 supervisor.
6.12, 11:55 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation commending Michael S. Green for his two years of service to the county as District 4 supervisor.
6.13, 1 p.m.: Presentation of National Flood Insurance Program.
6.14, 1:30 p.m.: Informational update on Cannabis Ordinance Task Force recommendations.
6.15, 1:45 p.m.: Consideration of Child Welfare Services social workers to exceed 1,500 map distance miles round trip, or travel to or around the Las Vegas, Nevada, area, due to client contact.
6.16, 2 p.m.: Presentation of Code Enforcement Illegal Dumping Abatement Grant activities.
6.17, 2:15 p.m.: Presentation of Code Enforcement final draft drone usage policies.
6.18, 3 p.m.: A) Consideration of resolution and MOU to create the Lake County Regional Housing Trust Fund (LCRHTF); and B) Consideration of direction to staff regarding the allocation of remaining Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) program funds for the Lake County Regional Housing Trust Fund for years 2021, 2022 and 2023.
6.19, 3:30 p.m.: Consideration of an engagement letter between the County of Lake and Nielsen-Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni, LLP, at a monthly retainer rate of $4,500 for an initial term of two years, with the option to annually extend for up to three additional years.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.1: Supervisors’ weekly calendar, travel and reports
7.2: Consideration of the Lake County Community Risk Reduction Authority "Tree Mortality & Forest Health Task Force Subcommittee" to be transferred to the Lake County Board of Supervisors as the acting authority.
7.3: Consideration of a letter of support for chief climate resiliency officer serving as co-investigator for the second phase of the Climate Health, Adaptation, and Resilience Mobilizing (CHARM) Lake County Project.
7.4: Consideration of a letter of support for the Lake County Fire Safe Council’s application to Coalitions and Collaboratives’ Action, Implementation, and Mitigation Program Grant.
7.5: Consideration of North Coast Opportunities BUILD Program Amendment No. 1 between the County of Lake and North Coast Opportunities, Inc., for the purpose of increasing the contract by $265,000 to fund an additional cohort, and authorize the chair to sign.
7.6: Consideration of a request for use of county staff time in excess of eight hours in support of duties associated with the National Association of Counties’ Intergovernmental Disaster Reform Task Force.
7.7: Consideration of revised Emergency Medical Care Committee bylaws.
7.8: A) Consideration of a resolution creating revenues and appropriations in Budget Unit 1785 - Public Safety Facilities; and B) Consideration of the award of Bid No. 250816 for the Lake County Jail Electronic Security Control System Upgrade Project to Tyco Fire and Security Management, Inc., in the amount of $3,855,279, and authorize the chair to sign the agreement and the notice of award.
7.9: Consideration of (A) Contract Change Order No. 4 to the construction contract between Lake County and Argonaut Constructors, Inc. for the construction of the Middletown Multi-Use Path Project (State Project No. ATPL-5914(102)) in the amount of $8,032.66, increasing the contract amount from $1,408,959.29 to a new contract amount of $1,416,991.95; (B) Resolution Accepting the Work of the Middletown Multi-Use Project (State Project No. ATPL-5914(102)) ; and (C) Direction to the Director of Public Works to file the Notice of Completion with the County of Lake Recorder’s Office
7.10: Consideration of (A) Contract Change Order No. 1 to the construction contract between Lake County and Lamon Construction Co., Inc. for the construction of the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff Asphalt Rehabilitation Project (State Project No. CRARPL-5914(126)) in the amount of $266.41,
increasing the contract amount from $210,215.20 to a new contract amount of $210,481.61; (B) Resolution Accepting the work of the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff Asphalt Rehabilitation Project (State Project No. CRARPL-5914(126)); and (C) Direction to the Public Works DIrector to file the notice of completion with the county of Lake Recorder’s Office.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The council will meet Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The agenda can be found here.
If you cannot attend in person, and would like to speak on an agenda item, you can access the Zoom meeting remotely at this link or join by phone by calling toll-free 669-900-9128 or 346-248-7799.
The webinar ID is 973 6820 1787, access code is 477973; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.
Comments can be submitted by email to
The main item on the agenda for Tuesday is the City Council reorganization as a result of the Nov. 5 election.
The council will be asked to certify the election results.
The mayor pro tem will offer a presentation to outgoing City Council member and mayor, Michael Froio.
The council will then seat and administer the oath of office to the four elected individuals — Kim Costa, Brandon Disney, Kenny Parlet and Christina Price — and seat the mayor and mayor pro tem for the coming year.
In council business, City Manager Kevin Ingram will ask the council to adopt a resolution approving a memorandum of understanding between the county of Lake, city of Clearlake and city of Lakeport authorizing the formation of the Lake County Regional Housing Trust Fund.
On the consent agenda — items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances; minutes of the City Council’s regular meeting on Dec. 3 and the special meeting of Dec. 10; direction to the clerk to prepare the 2025 Maddy Act Appointments List and post at City Hall and the Lakeport Public Library; adoption of the resolution accepting construction of the Silveira Community Center Electrical & HVAC Project by James Day Construction Inc. dba Coastal Mountain Electric and authorize the filing of the notice of completion; approval of the Amendment No. 2 to the commercial lease agreement with Jeff Leard, extending the lease term to Dec. 31, 2025, and authorize the city manager to execute the agreement.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Shalise S. Ayromloo
More than half of the businesses in the United States had a sole owner, consistently outnumbering multi-owner businesses each year from 2017 to 2021, according to an analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Business Survey, or ABS, which explores how reported business ownership varies by sex, race and ethnicity over time.
During the five-year period, the share of businesses with a single owner was remarkably stable, averaging 59.2%. By comparison, businesses with two to four owners made up an average 36.3% of all respondent firms, (Figure 1).
The share of businesses owned by five to 10 owners and those with 11 or more owners was significantly smaller and showed little variation. The portion with five to 10 owners consistently remained under 2% on average, while businesses with 11 or more owners accounted for about 1% of firms during this period.
Between 2018 and 2021, women-owned businesses were consistently more likely than male-owned to have one owner. (The difference in 2017 was not statistically significant.)
On average, 73.0% of women-owned businesses were solely owned, compared to 70.2% of male-owned businesses. This resulted in a persistent gap of 2.8 percentage points in sole ownership between men and women, (Figure 2).
Sole ownership by sex, race and ethnicity
Women-owned businesses were more likely to be sole owners than male-owned businesses across race and ethnic categories between 2018 and 2021. (The difference was not statistically significant in 2017).
Among minority-owned businesses (defined as a business owned by a person or persons of any race or ethnicity other than non-Hispanic White), on average 75.8% of those owned by women and 73.1% of those owned by men had one owner — an average difference of 2.7 percentage points, (Figure 3, Panel A).
Similarly, non-Hispanic White women-owned businesses were more likely than male-owned ones to have a single owner. From 2018 to 2021, an average of 72.5% of non-Hispanic White women-owned businesses and 70.0% of non-Hispanic White male-owned businesses were sole ownerships, yielding an average difference of 2.5 percentage points, (Figure 3, Panel B).
Sole ownership among hispanic and non-hispanic owned businesses by sex
From 2017 and 2021, an average of 74.6% of businesses owned by Hispanic women had a single owner. There was no statistically significant difference in the share of sole ownerships between businesses owned by Hispanic women and Hispanic men during this period, (Figure 4, Panel A).
But differences between businesses owned by non-Hispanic women and men emerged after 2018.
From 2018 to 2021, non-Hispanic women-owned businesses were 3.0 percentage points more likely to have a sole owner than male-owned businesses: 73.0% and 70.1%, respectively, (Figure 4, Panel B).
Shalise S. Ayromloo is a senior economist in the Census Bureau’s Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division.
