LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A Lakeport man died Monday after authorities said he shot himself at a grocery store in Nice.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office did not release the name of the man, who had been flown to an out-of-county trauma center for treatment on Monday evening.
At 12:10 p.m. Monday, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office was advised by a family member that the man was making suicidal and suicide by law enforcement statements.
The sheriff’s office was informed that the person was driving a vehicle in the Lakeport area and was reportedly armed with a handgun.
No reports were made to the sheriff’s office that the individual intended to harm anyone other than himself, and the sheriff’s office said it was not aware of any information that he posed an immediate or imminent threat to the community.
Sheriff’s deputies responded to the last known location of the individual to conduct a welfare check, but they were unable to locate him.
A be on the lookout request for a welfare check was broadcast to all sheriff’s personnel and allied agencies. A short time later, a Bureau of Land Management officer observed the individual and attemp bted to make contact.
The man refused to speak with the officer and proceeded to drive away; the BLM officer observed the individual point the firearm at himself while driving.
The California Highway Patrol and the BLM officer continued watching the vehicle from a distance and followed it for a short period. No actions were observed which would lead the officers or the Lake County Sheriff’s Office to believe the individual posed an immediate threat to the public.
In accordance with legislation passed in 2020, which requires de-escalation practices to be implemented, the sheriff’s office requested the additional officers to disengage in an attempt to de-escalate the situation.
In accordance with the recently enacted legislation and in accordance with training undertaken by the deputies, disengaging was determined to be the most appropriate action given the statements reported that the person wished to commit suicide by law enforcement and observation of him threatening nobody other than himself.
Law enforcement continued to monitor the incident and communicated with Lake County Behavioral Health to further de-escalate the incident and provide the individual with the needed services while continuing the sheriff’s office investigation.
Around 5 p.m., dispatch received calls of a male adult walking around the outside of Sentry Market with a firearm. Sheriff’s office dispatch was advised the person had not threatened anyone with the firearm.
The sheriff’s office responded to the scene and identified the person as the same individual from the earlier calls.
Deputies began to engage the individual in conversation, attempting to de-escalate and bring him safely into custody where he could receive help. Deputies spoke with him for approximately 13 minutes.
A crisis negotiator was requested to respond to the scene, and deputies secured the area to prevent members of the public from coming near.
During that time, the person pointed the firearm at himself several times. He did not threaten law enforcement or any member of the public with the firearm during the incident.
While deputies were talking with him, he discharged one round from the firearm resulting in a self-inflicted injury. He was provided immediate medical attention and was airlifted to an out-of-county trauma center. However, he died from his injury.
“Unfortunately, this situation ended tragically, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office offers our condolences to the family and our community as a whole. Our first priority is to protect life,” the agency said in a Tuesday statement.
The sheriff’s office said help is available to those who need it. Dial 988 to speak with a trained counselor confidentially and for free. More information can be found at https://988lifeline.org/.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — For the first time in nearly four decades, the Lakeport City Council has decided to increase storm drainage taxes for new construction.
The tax is only paid once, similar to building fees, and will now go from $0.10 cents per square foot to $0.20 cents per square foot, the maximum amount allowed under a measure approved by city voters in 1980.
For the amount to increase more, city officials said voters would need to approve a ballot measure with a two-thirds majority, said City Attorney David Ruderman.
The last time there was an increase was 37 years ago, staff reported.
When asked by Lake County News why so much time had passed since the tax was raised, Community Development Director Jenni Byers said there is now a different level of scrutiny from the state, which brought to light that so much time had passed since the last increase.
“It’s pretty heavy what our requirements now are,” Byers said.
Public Works Superintendent Ron Ladd presented the resolution to increase the storm drainage tax to the council.
He explained that in January 1980 the council adopted an ordinance establishing a special tax on new construction and related impermeable surfaces — such as driveways — to fund flood control and storm drainage improvements.
In measures that went on the ballot later that year and in 1984, voters gave approval to the tax, allowing the council to set it at between $0.01 and $0.20 per square foot rather than a fixed rate of $0.20 per square foot.
In May 1984 the City Council set the rate at $0.10 per square foot and it hasn’t been raised since, Ladd said.
In 2003, the cities of Clearlake and Lakeport, and the county of Lake adopted the Lake County Stormwater Management Plan as required by the Federal Clean Water Act and the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System, Ladd said.
In 2006 the city of Lakeport adopted an ordinance establishing stormwater management regulations to protect and enhance the water quality of water courses and water bodies within the city in compliance with the Federal Clean Water Act. Ladd said those regulations seek to reduce pollutants in stormwater discharges to the maximum extent practicable and by prohibiting non-stormwater discharges.
He said jurisdictions are required to maintain, implement and enforce an effective stormwater management plan which is designed to reduce the discharge of pollutants into local watersheds and to enhance water quality.
Funds generated by the collection of storm drainage tax revenues are deposited in a specific budget account used for public storm drainage system improvements and related stormwater management plan activities in the city, Ladd said.
He said the increase in the tax was needed to fund public storm drainage improvements needed to comply with current and future Clean Water mandates from the state and federal governments.
City Manager Kevin Ingram said a recently completed study on Forbes Creek shows a need for a dramatic number of storm drainage improvement projects.
The stormwater drainage tax measure is “a small measure,” he said, and certainly isn’t going to come close to covering the $40 million in capital expenditure projects in the Forbes Creek area alone.
Ingram said the city spends more out of the general fund on stormwater projects than it collects in taxes.
Councilman Michael Green, who said he would love to see a higher tax, moved to approve increasing the tax, with Councilman Kenny Parlet seconding and the council voting 4-0. Mayor Stacey Mattina was absent.
The stormwater drainage tax turned out to be the main item on Tuesday night’s agenda.
The council had been set to consider awarding a $4.3 million contract for construction services on the new Lakefront Park to Builder Solutions Inc., but Ingram asked to pull the time after receiving a protest from the other bidder. After that protest is considered, it will be brought back to the council.
The public portion of the meeting ended after about 45 minutes with the council going into closed session for labor negotiations with the Lakeport Police Officers Association. Mayor Pro Tem Mireya Turner emerged shortly before 7:30 p.m. to say no action had been taken.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Scotts Valley Community Advisory Council will next meet on Monday, July 25.
The group will meet at 5 p.m. via Zoom. The public is invited to attend.
Under old business, the group will get an update on $150,000 in funding and the approve of Fish and Wildlife permits to clear vegetation from Scotts Creek beginning at the Hendricks and Scotts Valley Road bridge and ending downstream from newly installed culvert to the Eickhoff bridge.
They also will discuss Lakeport’s South Main Annexation, which is on the November ballot for a small group of voters in the annexation area; the Multi-Tribal Fire Prevention Grant application to Cal Fire to support the Scotts Valley Firewise Community; and broadband coverage for Scotts Valley.
In new business, the group will discuss new use permits, and get updates on the Scotts Valley Groundwater Protection Committee, the Scotts Valley Firewise Committee and water trucks filling up from a well drawing from the Scotts Valley aquifer.
The group also may have from a Bureau of Land Management representative on the South Couth Mountain Management Area implementation update.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Yuba Community College District Board of Trustees on Thursday approved appointing a Lake County educator as interim dean of Woodland Community College’s Clear Lake Campus.
Dr. Annette Lee, EdD, will now oversee the campus as the search for a new dean takes place.
She succeeds Dr. Cirilo Cortez, who was hired as dean of the Lake County Campus in July 2020.
Cortez left this spring to take a job as associate vice president of student affairs at California State University, Chico.
“I am excited to serve Woodland Community College and Lake County in this role,” Lee told Lake County News. “We have a lot of great energy on campus right now and I look forward to working with our staff, students, and community partners!”
Lee, who lives in Middletown, began teaching at the Lake County Campus in 2007.
From 2015 through 2018, Lee served as the executive dean of the Colusa and Lake County Campuses of Woodland Community College.
Since then, she has been a full-time faculty member in the Business and Management faculty.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Adventist Health and the insurance company Anthem Blue Cross of California said Monday they have agreed to a two-week contract extension in an effort to reach an agreement in ongoing negotiations that involve issues including reimbursements.
The contract between the health care system and insurance company was due to expire at 12:01 a.m. Monday.
That situation left some local patients — particularly those who have the insurance through their employers — extremely concerned because of the potential for their insurance to no longer be accepted at Adventist Health facilities.
Kim Lewis, spokesperson for Adventist Health Clear Lake, told Lake County News on Monday that the two sides had agreed to the two-week extension.
“The extension will give us time to reach a potential agreement. We are optimistic that we will make progress to negotiate a higher reimbursement rate, allowing us to keep care local for our Anthem patients in the communities we serve,” Lewis said.
She said the new contract termination date is Aug. 1.
On Monday, Anthem Blue Cross released its own statement on the situation.
It said: “Anthem Blue Cross has agreed to an extension with Adventist Health so we may continue negotiating in good faith in an attempt to retain the health system in our care provider network. We believe our care providers should be reimbursed fairly, and that will continue to be reflected in our offers during these negotiations. These offers included reasonable increases that are in line with what other provider partners receive for the same services, which will help keep health care affordable for those we serve. Our hope is to reach an agreement with Adventist.”
Anthem Blue Cross spokesman Michael Bowman also told Lake County News, “Our hope is to reach an agreement with Adventist prior to the current contract expiring, but if our efforts continue to be rebuked, we will work closely with our members to ensure they have continued access to quality care from any one of the many care providers in our network, including Sutter in Lakeport.”
In June, Adventist Health sent a letter to patients, which also was posted on its website, explaining that its current contract with Anthem Blue Cross “is not sustainable, and we need to renegotiate our terms.”
The hospital’s letter continued, “As a not-for-profit, faith-inspired organization, we provide services in some of the poorest areas of California and throughout the past five years, have given away more than $276 million in charity care to those in need. Our commitment to the underserved has resulted in multiple years of negative operating financial performance. As a system, Adventist Health provides a hospital network across California and must have rate increases that support overall expenses that continue to exceed the reimbursement we receive.”
Adventist said Anthem Blue Cross “has continued for the past two years to enjoy record profits, even in this highly inflationary environment. While Anthem raised members’ premiums annually, they continue to pay Adventist Health substantially less than other hospital systems. Anthem is one of our lowest paying health plans, and we can’t continue to provide quality care for patients at significantly reduced rates.”
In a statement issued on Thursday, July 14, Anthem Blue Cross said it’s been negotiating in good faith in an attempt to retain Adventist Health in its care provider network. The company said it was due to have a meeting the next day, Friday, July 15.
“While we appreciate hospitals are facing labor, supply and other cost pressures, the reality is that employers across the country, including those we serve here in California, are facing those same pressures. We’ve offered increases that are in line with what other provider partners receive for the same services, which will help keep health care affordable for those we serve. We believe our care providers should be reimbursed fairly, and that has been reflected in our offers during these negotiations,” the statement said.
Adventist said it will continue to keep patients apprised of the situation in the coming days.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Clearlake City Council is set to consider a request to annex 300 acres to the city and an agreement to provide supplemental policing services to the city of Lakeport.
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 21, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
Comments and questions can be submitted in writing for City Council consideration by sending them to City Clerk Melissa Swanson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
To give the council adequate time to review your questions and comments, please submit your written comments before 4 p.m. Thursday, July 21.
Each public comment emailed to the city clerk will be read aloud by the mayor or a member of staff for up to three minutes or will be displayed on a screen. Public comment emails and town hall public comment submissions that are received after the beginning of the meeting will not be included in the record.
On Thursday, the council will meet one of the shelter’s adoptable dogs before holding a public hearing on adoption of Resolution No. 2022-48 approving the fiscal year 2022-23 fee schedule.
Under business, the council will consider a request from the owners of Lake Vista Farms to initiate a process to annex 300 acres at 2050 and 2122 Ogulin Canyon Road.
In May, the Board of Supervisors upheld an appeal by neighbors against the Lake Vista Farms cannabis project.
City Manager Alan Flora’s report to the council explained that the Lake Vista Farms project is no longer viable and the owners are analyzing other uses for the property, including cannabis, industrial and residential.
“The same owners have worked with the City on a few other projects within the City limits and at this point would prefer to work with the City on the development of the 2050 and 2122 Ogulin Canyon properties as well,” Flora wrote.
In other business, Police Chief Andrew White will ask for the council’s authorization to enter into an agreement with the city of Lakeport for either entity to provide supplemental law enforcement services.
White’s report said the proposal is in response to the Lakeport Police Department’s request for assistance from the Clearlake Police Department to cover patrol shifts due to temporary staffing challenges. “The Clearlake Police Department has sufficient staffing to provide this coverage on an overtime basis without negatively impacting coverage in Clearlake.”
The council also will consider a contract amendment to the state for additional funding for the Chelsea Investments/Clearlake Apartments project, and hold a first reading of an ordinance amending city code relating to appealing abatement orders to the city, with the second reading to take place Aug. 4.
On the meeting's consent agenda — items that are considered routine in nature and usually adopted on a single vote — are warrants; minutes of the June 8, 2022 Lake County Vector Control District Board Meeting; adoption of Development Agreement, DA 2022-01 for a commercial cannabis operation located at 2250 Ogulin Canyon Road, further described as Assessor Parcel Number 010-044-19; second reading of Ordinance No. 263-2022 amending Chapter 8, Section 8-6 of the Clearlake Municipal Code relating to traffic and parking regulations.
The council also will meet in closed session to discuss an ongoing lawsuit against the county of Lake and Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen and an anticipated case of litigation.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
While all Americans have seen their grocery bills swell, many may not fully appreciate the enormous burden that rising food costs pose for low-income households. The reason is simple: Poor families spend a much larger share of their income on food than the median household.
What explains this enormous discrepancy? The answer begins with a dramatic change in spending patterns among American households during the 20th century, which I learned while researching shifts in commuting practices.
In the 1900s, the bare necessities of life, including food, were enormously expensive compared with today, leaving little room for spending on other goods or services for most Americans, according to a 2006 study by the Department of Labor. On average, American families spent over 40% of their income on food in 1901, 23% on housing and 14% on clothing.
But the relative cost of food and clothing decreased steadily over the next 100 years. By 2002, the two categories represented only 17.3% of a middle-class family’s expenditures and by 2020, the figure had fallen to 14.2%.
The sharp drop in the cost of food and clothing led to a massive reshuffling of family budgets over roughly the past century. As people reduced their spending on these items, they spent more on housing, transportation and insurance. As the country became wealthier, discretionary spending increased, too. Most Americans had more room in their budgets for eating out, televisions and entertainment.
This revolution in household spending largely excluded poor Americans, who continue to devote most of their income to feeding their families and other necessities like shelter. As a result, they are particularly vulnerable to spikes in food costs.
Low-income households devote more than twice as large a share of their budgets to food as middle-income households. As a result, food inflation is around twice as burdensome for families of limited means. But this actually understates the burden of high food costs on the poor because, unlike middle-class families, they have little discretionary spending they can pare back to free up funds for food.
American households are responding to soaring food inflation by eating out less frequently, buying generic brands and consuming less meat. For many, it may be the first time they’ve ever had to be so careful about what they spent on food.
Poor families, however, have long been forced to deploy these tactics to keep food expenditures in check.
An estimated 38 million Americans are food insecure, meaning that they have insufficient means to obtain sufficient food. The concern is, with food inflation rising at the rate it is, more families will face the prospect of being unsure where their next meal is coming from.
The council chambers will be open to the public for the meeting. Masks are highly encouraged where 6-foot distancing cannot be maintained.
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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To give the city clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments before 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19.
On Tuesday, Public Works Superintendent Ron Ladd will present to the council a construction services agreement with Builder Solutions Inc.
The new park consists of approximately 6.9 acres at 800 and 801 N. Main St.
Ladd’s report said the city received two bids for the project, which were opened on July 12.
Builder Solutions Inc. was the lowest of two bids submitted at $4,399,381. The engineer’s estimate for the project was $4,237,401, Ladd said.
He said construction is estimated to start in early September and be complete mid-January 2023.
In February 2020 the city received a $5.9 million grant to purchase the land and build the park from the California Department of Parks and Recreation in January 2020 through Proposition 68, the California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access For All Act of 2018, as Lake County News has reported.
“After two years of design, the project is ready for construction,” Ladd wrote.
Ladd said the project includes construction of a basketball court, splash pad, skate park, concession building with restrooms, shade structures, picnic areas, fitness equipment, a pavilion, lighting, irrigation and landscaping.
The bids were opened July 12, 2022. Two bids were received for the project.
Also on Tuesday, the council will consider adopting a resolution setting the storm drainage special tax at twenty cents per square foot of area covered by the new structure and related impermeable surface.
On the consent agenda — items usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances; minutes of the regular council meeting on June 21; adoption of a resolution authorizing continued remote teleconference meetings of the Lakeport City Council and its legislative bodies pursuant to Government Code section 54953(e); warrants; approve event application 2022-020, with staff recommendations, for the 2022 Konocti Challenge.
After the open portion of the meeting, the council will meet in closed session to discuss labor negotiations with the Lakeport Police Officers Association.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — After Lake County’s Community Development director resigned last week, the Board of Supervisors is expected to get an update on Tuesday on the process to find her successor.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 19, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting ID is 948 7125 3037, pass code 045716. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,94871253037#,,,,*045716#.
All interested members of the public that do not have internet access or a Mediacom cable subscription are encouraged to call 669-900-6833, and enter the Zoom meeting ID and pass code information above.
On Tuesday, the board will consider an update on the Human Resources Department’s recruitment process for the Community Development director position. The item is untimed.
Last week, Community Development Director Mary Darby tendered her resignation to the board after less than a year, following another closed session performance evaluation, as Lake County News has reported. Her resignation is effective Nov. 4.
A report to the board from County Administrative Officer Susan Parker said Human Resources staff will review with the board the steps that will be taken for the recruitment.
On Thursday, Human Resources staff opened “a continuous and promotional recruitment” which will have a first review of applications on Aug. 9, Parker reported. Human Resources is also planning advertisements with professional organizations, recruitment sites and social media.
If, after the first review of applications, no qualified applicants are produced, Parker said Human Resources will request a bid from the several executive search firms.
She said that Human Resources recently completed a request for qualifications for recruitment firm services for the Public Health officer, her own job and for county counsel attorney positions.
Out of the 10 recruitment firms contacted for the request for qualifications, Human Resources only received two qualified responses for the county administrative officer’s recruitment and one for the Public Health officer recruitment.
It should be noted that the board hired Parker before ever engaging a recruitment firm.
In an untimed item, the board will consider a resolution clarifying the eligibility requirements for early activation permits in Lake County.
In an item on the consent agenda, the board will consider approving the purchase of a customized Mercedes Sprinter 3500 vehicle to serve as Lake County’s new Bookmobile, and authorize County Librarian Christopher Veach to issue and sign a purchase order not to exceed $250,000 to Farber Specialty Vehicles, Ohio. That new vehicle is grant-funded.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Approve agreement between county of Lake and Hilltop Recovery Services for substance use disorder treatment ASAM Levels 1.0, 2.1, 3.1, intensive outpatient and outpatient drug free treatment services in the amount of $336,150 for fiscal year 2022-23 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.2: Approve Amendment No. 1 to the agreement between the county of Lake — Lake County Behavioral Health Services as lead agency for the Lake County Continuum of Care and World Wide Healing Hands for fiscal years 2021-22 and 2022-23 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.3: Approve Board of Supervisors minutes June 28, 2022.
5.4: Approve purchase of a customized Mercedes Sprinter 3500 vehicle to serve as a Bookmobile; and authorize the county librarian/assistant purchasing agent to issue and sign a purchase order not to exceed $250,000 to Farber Specialty Vehicles, Ohio.
5.5: Approve agreement between the county of Lake and the Yuba-Yuba, Sutter-Colusa Tri-County Regional Juvenile Rehabilitation Facility for youth housing for the term of July 19, 2022, through June 30, 2025, for an amount not to exceed $25,000 in any single fiscal year and authorize the chair to sign.
5.6: Adopt proclamation designating the week of July 17 to 23 as Probation Officers Week in Lake County.
5.7: Acceptance of a donation from the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake in the amount of $25,000.
5.8: Acceptance of an IRobot 510 PackBot from the Hayward Police Department through the 1033 program.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:06 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the week of July 17 to 23 as Probation Officers Week in Lake County.
6.3, 9:10 a.m.: Consideration of ARPA/SLFRF allocation recommendations, pursuant to the recovery and revitalization plan for Lake County Not available Not available
6.4, 9:35 a.m.: Consideration of ordinance to adopt Lake County Sheriff’s Office “Military Equipment” Policy #708.
6.5, 10 a.m.: a) Consideration of an update from the county of Lake’s Energy Services Co. (ESCo), Trane US Inc., regarding recent progress on the N. Lakeport FLASHES Energy, disaster and climate change resiliency projects; and b) consideration of next steps and potential direction to staff to develop a letter of commitment to further the North Lakeport projects.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Continued from July 12, consideration of a resolution adopting a display of flags policy.
7.3: Consideration of resolution clarifying eligibility requirements for early activation permits in Lake County.
7.4: Consideration of second amendment to the abandoned vehicle towing and disposal services agreement with Kelseyville Auto Salvage Towing to Increase the FY 21/22 limit by $5,500 and FY 22/23 by $10,000 and approve the chair to sign.
7.5: Consideration of update on HR’s recruitment process for the Community Development director position.
CONSENT AGENDA
8.1: Conference with legal counsel: Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to Government Code sec. 54956.9(d)2),(e)(1) — One potential case.
8.2: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 549.56.9(d)(1) — Citizens for Environmental Protection and Responsible Planning, et al. v. County of Lake, et al.
8.3: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9(d)(1) — Center for Biological Diversity, et al. v. County of Lake.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Emily Smith-Greenaway, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences; Ashton Verdery, Penn State; Haowei Wang, Penn State, and Shawn Bauldry, Purdue University
COVID-19 was the third-most-common cause of death between March 2020 and October 2021 in the U.S., behind only heart disease and cancer, according to a recent study.
Older adults face the greatest risk of dying from COVID-19, but infection with the coronavirus remains a serious risk for younger people, too. In 2021, COVID-19 was the leading cause of death in adults aged 45 to 54, the second leading cause for adults aged 35 to 44 and the fourth leading cause for those aged 15 to 34.
As sociologists who study population health, we have been assessing how losing a loved one to COVID-19 has affected people’s well-being. Our research shows that more than 9 million people have lost a close relative to COVID-19 in the U.S. This dramatic rise in bereavement is troubling because our research finds that COVID-19 bereavement not only increases people’s risk of depression, but can make them uniquely vulnerable to mental distress.
The distinctness of grieving COVID-19 deaths
Researchers have a sense of what constitutes “good” and “bad” deaths. Bad deaths are those that involve pain or discomfort and happen in isolation. Their unexpectedness also makes these deaths more distressing. People whose loved ones die “bad deaths” tend to report greater mental distress than those whose loved ones died in more favorable circumstances.
COVID-19 deaths often bear many hallmarks of “bad” deaths. They are preceded by physical pain and distress, often occur in isolated hospital settings and happen suddenly – leaving family members unprepared. The ongoing nature of the pandemic has inflicted an added layer of agony, as individuals are grieving during a time of protracted social isolation, economic precarity and general uncertainty.
In another recent study, our team used national survey data from 27 countries to test whether the mental health impacts of COVID-19 deaths are more severe than death from other causes. We focused on the case of spousal death and compared two groups of people: those whose spouses died of COVID-19 in the pandemic’s first wave and those whose spouses died of other causes just before the pandemic began. We found that COVID-19 widows and widowers face higher rates of depression and loneliness than expected based on widow and widower mental health outcomes pre-pandemic.
The secondary population health consequences of COVID-19 deaths
The outsized effects of COVID-19 deaths on grieving spouses’ mental health is troubling because we estimate that nearly 500,000 people have already lost a spouse to COVID-19 in the U.S. alone. The mental health problems that people face after losing a loved one can also lead to declines in physical health and even increase a person’s risk of death.
Our research suggests that COVID-19 not only increased rates of family bereavement, but that people who lost loved ones to the coronavirus were particularly distressed afterward. But we studied only widowhood; future research needs to identify the potentially unique health, social and economic consequences of COVID-19 losses for other bereaved relatives.
With COVID-19 representing 1 in every 8 deaths between March 2020 and October 2021, there are millions of people who could benefit greatly from financial, social and mental health support. It is also critical to continue taking steps to prevent future COVID-19 deaths. Each death averted not only saves a life but also saves numerous loved ones from the harm that follows these tragedies.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control is offering new adult cats along with kittens to new homes this week.
Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm for information on visiting or adopting.
The following cats at the shelter have been cleared for adoption.
This female domestic short hair kitten is in kennel No. 7, ID No. LCAC-A-3624. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female domestic short hair kitten
This female domestic short hair kitten has an all-gray coat.
She is in kennel No. 7, ID No. LCAC-A-3624.
“Mom” is a female domestic shorthair cat in cat room kennel No. 21, LCAC-A-3635. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Mom’
“Mom” is a female domestic shorthair cat with a white coat and blue eyes.
She is in cat room kennel No. 21, LCAC-A-3635.
This 3-year-old male domestic medium hair cat is in cat room kennel No. 63, ID No. LCAC-A-3633. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male domestic medium hair cat
This 3-year-old male domestic medium hair cat has a gray coat with white markings.
He is in cat room kennel No. 63, ID No. LCAC-A-3633.
This female domestic shorthair kitten is in kennel No. 84a, ID No. LCAC-A-3614. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Domestic shorthair kitten
This female domestic shorthair kitten has an all-black coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 84a, ID No. LCAC-A-3614.
This female domestic shorthair kitten is in kennel No. 84b, ID No. LCAC-A-3615. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Domestic shorthair kitten
This female domestic shorthair kitten has an all-black coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 84b, ID No. LCAC-A-3615.
This male domestic shorthair kitten is in cat room kennel No. 84c, ID No. LCAC-A-3616. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Domestic shorthair kitten
This male domestic shorthair kitten has an all-black coat.
He is in cat room kennel No. 84c, ID No. LCAC-A-3616.
“Fudge” is a young female domestic shorthair cat in cat room kennel No. A#139, ID No. LCAC-A-3700. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Fudge’
“Fudge” is a young female domestic shorthair cat with a gray tabby coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. A#139, ID No. LCAC-A-3700.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
At right, retiring Lucerne Elementary School District Superintendent-Principal Mike Brown and his successor, Megan Grant, at his retirement send off on Thursday, June 30, 2022, in Lucerne, California. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News. LUCERNE, Calif. — Standing together outside of the new kindergarten classroom building at Lucerne Elementary School in the noonday sun on June 30, Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg chatted with Mike Brown, the retiring elementary district superintendent-principal.
“This is it, the last day,” Falkenberg said.
Brown agreed. After three decades as an educator, he would leave the school that day and walk into retirement.
The afternoon event on June 30 was part of a heartfelt send off for Brown, a district employee for 32 years, with half of that time spent as superintendent-principal.
“Mike has shaped so many lives in his 32 years of service, mine included,” said Megan Grant, Brown’s assistant principal who now succeeds him in the superintendent-principal job.
The gathering was held next to the school’s new kindergarten building. Funded by a $1.2 million Full Day Kindergarten grant the school received from the California Department of Education, construction took place throughout 2020 and students and teachers moved into it in February 2021.
It offers two state-of-the-art classrooms, spacious enough for big classes and with attached bathrooms, a big plus when dealing with the youngest students who need to make frequent trips.
The building also laid the groundwork for full-day kindergarten that begin for the district in the last school year.
Board President Dawn McAuley said the construction of the kindergarten building took so much effort; from start to finish, it was five years.
“This school is a beautiful place,” where students are safe, protected and educated, McAuley said.
Part of Brown’s send off that day included dedicating the kindergarten building in his honor. The building is now named the Michael V. Brown Kindergarten Complex.
A plaque placed on the building says: “In honor and recognition of the outstanding commitment and 32 years of distinguished service to the Lucerne Elementary School District. Mr. Brown’s exemplary leadership and commitment to the students of this school were unparalleled. He went above and beyond the scope of his position to ensure that the students of this school were given the tools to become capable and conscientious citizens. Let this building embody his legacy and be a place where the seeds of knowledge are planted, nurtured, and given the resources to grow.”
McAuley called Brown “our Johnny Appleseed.”
The seeds Brown has planted and Lucerne Elementary’s resulting accomplishments are critical to offering the community what it needs for its children. Brown said the area is considered high poverty.
On Feb. 9, Brown gave his resignation letter to the school board, which accepted it. “It was hard to write that letter.”
The board then offered the position to Megan Grant, who accepted it. Grant, an Upper Lake resident, has been Brown’s assistant principal for the past six years and has been with the district for 16 years. Her tenure began July 1, the day after Brown’s retirement.
In November, Congressman John Garamendi honored her as Lake County’s Woman of the Year, an honor for which Brown nominated her.
Grant said during the June 30 event that finding a purpose and living with unwavering dedication is what makes a job a career. “Being accountable to your purpose and taking action when the path isn’t clear is what makes a role model,” she said.
“Mike embodies dedication and has been a role model to so many people. He has this amazing ability to plant seeds in people, then come back and give that gentle push when they were ready for it, then move them into change,” Grant said. “It is easy to give advice, it is much harder to give advice at that moment when someone is ready to accept it. That is a space where a person can shape someone else's life.”
Mike Brown, center, leaves the podium after giving his farewell at a retirement celebration on Thursday, June 30, 2022, in Lucerne, California. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News. Still loving the job
In a late May interview with Lake County News, Brown explained he had a goal for when to retire.
“I wanted to retire when I still loved going to work,” he said, adding, “I think now is a good time.”
The fact that he still enjoyed his job up to that last sunny day last month — even as the last years of his career were marked with the intensity of finding the way through the unknowns of a pandemic — is something he credits to the staff, faculty, students and their families at the little school.
He noted during his remarks at the retirement event that the school’s employees — 17 teachers and 40 staff — are very cohesive.
“I’ve never seen anything like it at any other school,” he said.
Brown’s wife, Toni, a teacher in the Kelseyville Unified School District who has taught for 36 years, also is retiring this year. She also had been planning it, and after they talked about it, Brown said they decided, “Let’s just do it together.”
They have a growing extended family, with a new grandson, Jack, born in April to one of their daughters, and their son has two young children, all of whom were on hand to see their grandpa’s career be celebrated with the June 30 send off.
Besides time with family, Brown likes to hunt and fish, and hopes to spend a lot of time traveling.
“I have places to go and fish to meet,” he told staff and friends at the building dedication.
During his tenure, Brown has seen all manner of changes and challenges, including the Great Recession, school funding challenges, new funding formulas, more learning requirements, a community challenged by a high poverty rate and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.
But Brown, Grant and the rest of the staff and faculty came through the pandemic challenge by becoming leaders in the effort to return children successfully, and safely, to class, in some cases a year earlier than other districts.
Lucerne Elementary and the Upper Lake Unified School District reopened for classes at the start of the 2020-21 school year, which Brown said was the result of quickly adjusting to state requirements and using COVID money to order supplies and equipment needed to get back in class.
Brown, a believer in the importance of having children learning in person, said getting children back school early in the pandemic is one of his proudest moments.
“Online learning was a flop statewide,” he said.
Even so, he said Lucerne Elementary has families that haven’t yet had their children return to school in person.
From left, Lucerne Elementary School District Board member Bruce Higgins, retiring Superintendent-Principal Mike Brown, Board Clerk Stacia Fetzer and Board President Dawn McAuley at Brown’s farewell send off on Thursday, June 30, 2022, in Lucerne, California. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News. The road to Lucerne
Brown, a Yuba City native, met his wife, Toni, when they were attending California State University, Chico, a school known for its teaching program. He was an agriculture major.
When his wife, a member of the Renfro family, wanted to return home to Kelseyville, they made the move from the valley and have remained here since.
He had been working for a moving company and also had enjoyed coaching before he decided to get his teaching degree, which he did through Dominican University.
He did his student teaching in the Kelseyville Unified School District then went to work for Lucerne Elementary, where he taught for 12 years, served as assistant principal for four years and then moved into the superintendent’s job, a position he held for the last 16 years.
When he first arrived at Lucerne Elementary, there were about 350 students. Today, Brown said there are around 300. He attributes the enrollment change to many employers leaving the county over the past few decades, leading to some families leaving the community.
In the years since, the school has dealt with lost time due to wildland fires, recessions, teacher shortages, funding cuts and then new funding and bond opportunities for schools and facilities, and now COVID.
Brown’s efforts have not just impacted students but their learning space.
In his first year, they modernized the gym. Later, in November 2016, voters passed the district’s $4 million Measure A bond, which is paying for new classrooms and other facilities. Then the new kindergarten classrooms were completed.
Brown said he actually had planned to retire two years ago. However, when the pandemic hit, he decided to stay for a few more years, taking the opposite course of some in the profession who decided instead to leave it.
The kindergarten classroom building at Lucerne Elementary School in Lucerne, California, that was named for retiring Superintendent-Principal Mike Brown. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News. Navigating new challenges
Challenges aren’t anything new or unusual for educators. However, the last two years have arguably been among the most challenging of his career — and indeed the careers of many educators.
In March 2020, at the start of the pandemic, Lucerne Elementary was closed briefly, at the same time that other schools closed. Another month would pass before Lake County Public Health confirmed the first COVID-19 case in Lake County.
Brown said that closure during the final quarter of the 2020-21 school year was Lucerne’s only closure.
However, getting his little district ready to reopen sooner rather than later was no straightforward task, with no road map. It required foresight, planning and long hours.
His partner in the work was Grant. Both worked through the entire summer of 2020, getting the necessary preparations, planning and safety measures in place in order to reopen school in August.
He said those preparations included using the first round of COVID funding to upgrade the school’s heating and cooling units, installing high grade air filters and carbon dioxide filters to improve the quality of air and its freshness.
Building projects also continued while the children were away, including new additional classrooms replacing portables. “If you’ve ever taught in a portable, you know the joy of seeing one torn down,” Brown said.
When school did reopen, there were still hurdles to clear. Temperature testing was required. Social distancing, masking and plastic barriers were in place. There also were minor COVID outbreaks.
Once they were back in school starting in August 2020, the doors remained open except for a period during February 2021, when a temporary school closure was required in response to a number of staff being exposed to the coronavirus, he said.
“It was a long year,” he said, noting during that time he substituted in classrooms when teachers couldn’t be at work.
Extra safety measures like temperature checks continued until earlier this year, when Brown said they made the decision to discontinue them. That allowed him and other staff to go back to doing their jobs.
He said he’s proud of that work to welcome children back to the campus.
“They’re really resilient,” Brown said of his students. “I think they know this is their safe place.”
New classrooms at Lucerne Elementary School in Lucerne, California. They are located across from the kindergarten classroom building named for retiring Superintendent-Principal Mike Brown. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News. What’s ahead
Brown leaves the district in good stead. Not only is Grant ready for the new leadership role, but there is the potential for more campus improvements to come.
She told Lake County News that she’s doing well and settling into the new position.
There is more work to be done under the Measure A bond, and Brown said he’s hoping that the state will allocate $10 billion for schools this year, as the school is in line for four new classrooms at a cost of $4 million to $5 million, plus modernization of the main building. There also could be another transitional kindergarten grant for the school.
The last project he saw through is the Advancement Via Individual Determination, or AVID program’s introduction.
Brown said Lucerne Elementary is the first elementary school in Lake County to pursue it, and next year, every school will be doing it at the elementary level. He said it helps children become better, motivated students, and to be more independent.
During the last week of school, staff held a farewell barbecue for him, and the children made him banners and cards. “It was adorable,” Brown said.
At his retirement send off on June 30, Brown became choked up as he spoke about watching children come back to school after the pandemic, and he offered his appreciation to his entire hardworking staff, crediting him with helping get the challenges.
He also thanked his wife Toni for putting up with all of it — including going to work earlier and staying later.
“Keep this place an amazing place to work and learn,” he told his staff, also urging them to make a difference in students’ lives and to work to improve the community.
There can’t be any more fulfilling work, he said.
What’s ahead for Brown may be best summed up in a sign that sat on his desk.
It read: “And to think, some of life's best stories haven’t even begun yet.”
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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