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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Lake County’s March jobless rate was 7.9 percent, which ranked it No. 35 statewide. It was down from 8.3 percent in February. The county’s March 2020 rate was 6.6 percent.
California’s overall unemployment rate was 8.3 percent in March, down from 8.5 percent in February. A year ago, California’s overall unemployment rate was 4.5 percent. California also posted an 8.3-percent rate in November.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said the federal unemployment rate reached 6 percent in March, compared to 6.2 percent in February and 4.4 percent in March 2020.
California’s jobless rate peaked at 16 percent last April, the same month that federal unemployment rose to its highest pandemic level, 14.8 percent.
In March, both California and the nation reached their lowest unemployment rates since COVID-19 began to impact the economy a year ago.
Lake County’s civilian workforce totaled 29,180 in March, up 90, or 0.3 percent, over February and showing a 1.6-percent rise over last year.
Within Lake County, Hidden Valley Lake had the lowest unemployment in March, 1.8 percent; followed by north Lakeport, 2 percent; Nice, 2.1 percent; Lucerne, 3.6 percent; the city of Lakeport, 4.9 percent; Cobb, 5.5 percent; Clearlake Oaks, 8.1 percent; Middletown, 8.2 percent; Lower Lake, 9.2 percent; Upper Lake, 11.8 percent; Kelseyville, 13.1 percent; and the city of Clearlake, 16.9 percent.
The EDD said Lake’s neighboring counties had the following jobless rates and ranks in the latest report: Colusa, 15.4 percent, No. 57; Glenn, 7.3 percent, No. 23; Napa, 6.6 percent, No. 16; Sonoma, 6 percent, No. 7; and Yolo, 6.4 percent, No. 11.
A snapshot of the state’s industries
The EDD report said the number of Californians with jobs in March was 17,342,600, an increase of 9,900 jobs from February’s total of 17,332,700, but down 962,000 from the employment total in March of last year.
At the same time, the number of unemployed Californians was 1,560,400 in March, a decrease of 49,600 over the month, but up by 696,300 in comparison to March of last year.
California has now regained almost 44 percent of the 2,714,800 total nonfarm jobs lost in March and April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the EDD said.
The EDD said all but one of California’s 11 industry sectors gained jobs last month.
Financial activities was the lone sector that posted losses totaling 600 jobs statewide. In Lake County, that sector grew by 40 jobs in a month-over comparison, for a total of 320 jobs in March, a 14.3 percent increase. However, it’s down by 5.9 percent compared to last year.
Leisure and hospitality, with an increase of 42,200 new jobs, continued to have the state’s largest month-over increase thanks to full-service restaurants.
That sector in Lake County was at 1,040 jobs in March, down by 10, for a loss of 1 percent since February and a 10.3 percent loss since March 2020.
Trade, transportation and utilities also had large gains, growing by 32,200 jobs, thanks to strength in clothing stores and transportation and warehousing.
Locally, that industry grew by 50 jobs, or 1.7 percent, for a total of 2,990 in Lake County. That sector also is up 4.5 percent over 2020.
Another sector showing strong gains also were posted in professional and business services, which gained 22,000 jobs, led by accounting, tax preparation and bookkeeping firms.
In Lake County, the professional and business services sector has had month-over and year-over gains, growing by 40 jobs, or 5.9 percent, to a total of 720 in March. Job numbers for that sector are up by 4.3 percent compared to March 2020.
Other industries showing improvement, with statewide and Lake County numbers growth presented, were:
– Other services, 7,300 jobs gained statewide, with no growth for the month in Lake County, where the total jobs in that sector number 520. That sector is down 1.9 percent locally over 2020.
– Mining and logging, and construction, up 6,100 jobs statewide. Lake County had no growth in that sector, with 790 jobs total and a 7.1-percent loss since last year.
– Information, 5,400 jobs gained statewide, none in Lake County. Total jobs in the sector locally is 90, with a 10-percent drop since 2020.
– Government, up 2,200 jobs across California, 140 new jobs in Lake County for a total of 4,190 jobs, a 3.5-percent growth over February and a 1-percent increase over March 2020.
– Manufacturing, 1,400 gained statewide, 10 jobs lost in Lake County, which is a 2.7 percent loss for the month and is down by 5.3 percent for the year. Lake County has 360 total manufacturing jobs.
– Education and health services, 1,200 jobs gained statewide and 10 jobs gained in Lake County. Lake County has 4,450 such jobs, which is up by 0.2 percent since February but down by 4.7 percent since March 2020.
In related news, the EDD said there were 680,279 people certifying for Unemployment Insurance benefits during the March 2021 sample week, compared to 794,348 people in February and 424,645 people in March 2020.
The state said 96,212 initial claims were processed in the March 2021 sample week, which was a month-over increase of 5,500 claims from February, but a year-over decrease of 90,267 claims from March 2020.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The presenter was Dr. Donna Beegle, who was born into a migrant labor family and married at 15.
She is the only member of her family who has not been incarcerated. By age 25, Dr. Beegle earned her GED and then, within 10 years, received her doctorate in educational ;leadership.
“This training is important for Lake County because some in our community have become stuck in that cycle of poverty,” said Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg.
Over 75% of Lake County students qualify for free and reduced lunches. Household income must be at or less than 130% (free) and 185% (reduced) of the federal poverty guidelines. Because of the high percentage of qualifying students, Lake County is considered a high poverty area.
“I contend that education and schools are the key to breaking this cycle. Education is the key to a fulfilled and productive life,” said Falkenberg. “This is why I am in education.”
This training was impactful to the attendees. One educator wrote on Facebook, “One of the best trainings I have attended in my 24-year career in education!”
The Lake County Office of Education’s Educational Services department will be providing several more trainings for local educators in the next few months, with a focus on social and emotional learning. Dr. Beegle will return in July to work with Lake County teachers.
Visit lakecoe.org/calendar for the most current information on upcoming trainings.
For more information on Dr. Donna Beegle, please visit https://www.combarriers.com/.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
It’s meant to address concerns over both fire hazard and air quality.
All burn permits expire on April 30.
The burn restriction applies to all areas in Lake County. The burn ban includes all open waste burning, though exemptions are possible for agricultural operations, essential control burns for fire hazard reduction projects, public safety burns and others.
The annual burn ban was first implemented in 1986 in response to weather conditions that often create extreme fire danger and poor air quality.
Air quality officials said a managed approach incorporating fire and air agency concerns has been implemented and improved upon for many years.
The ban allows a quick fire agency response to all fires observed from May 1 on, as they are all assumed to be uncontrolled fires unless specifically authorized by an exemption permit.
This program is credited with being one of the primary reasons Lake County has superior and healthful air quality.
To obtain an exemption permit to burn after May 1, first contact Air Quality at 707-263-7000 to determine need, then contact your local fire agency so that your burn site can be inspected for fire safety.
After the fire agency notifies the air district that the proposed burn site is fire-safe then an exemption permit may be obtained from the air district.
Anyone responsible for open burning during the ban without an exemption permit may be subject to citation, fines and fire agency response costs to extinguish the fire.
Burn restrictions will remain in effect until Cal Fire declares an end to fire season.
The Lake County Air Quality Management District asks the community to help reduce the danger and losses caused by uncontrolled fires and protect the county’s clean air.
“Public cooperation is greatly appreciated and results in a safer and more healthful environment for us all,” the district said.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Fair is set to return this summer after missing a year due to COVID-19.
After canceling the fair in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, on Monday night the Lake County Fair Board voted to bring it back for this year.
It’s one of the largest events in the county, drawing an estimated 40,000 visitors each year.
The Monday vote was 4-1, with Director Kim Hansen voting no due to her concerns about the fair’s finances, Fair Chief Executive Officer Sheli Wright told Lake County News on Tuesday.
Voting to support the return of the fair were Board President Tom Turner, longtime directors Janeane Bogner and Marcia Chauvin, and newest member Kirk Andrus.
Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Andrus, a well-known and respected local physician, to the fair board in March.
The fair dates this year are Thursday, Sept. 2, through Sunday, Sept. 5, Wright said.
She said they will start planning in early May.
Wright said this year’s fair is expected to be a smaller event than in the past and more volunteer-driven. She said she plans to rely heavily on volunteer support and hire fewer staffers due to the fair’s financial constraints.
She expects concessions and activities will be spread out more throughout the grounds, with signage and possible capacity monitoring.
One of the changes this year is moving the horse show back to Thursday during the fair. Many years ago it was moved to the day before the fair, which Wright said has been a complaint.
She said Jon Hopkins is volunteering to get the entertainment and music lineup put together. The goal is to ensure that as many local musicians as possible are included.
They’re also planning to have grandstand events including a destruction derby and mud bogs, Wright said.
Wright said the Lake County Fair also will have a secondary plan in case there is an upswing in COVID-19 cases that impacts the event.
Many of the details – such as whether there will be indoor exhibits – are still being worked out, Wright explained. With the state anticipating fully reopening by June 15, a lot of the rules that have prevented events like the fair are expected to end.
On April 2 the California Department of Public Health Industry Guidance for Amusement Parks and Theme Parks was updated to add fairgrounds. That led other regional fairs – like that in neighboring Glenn County – to announce plans to move forward with their events. The Glenn County Fair takes place at the end of May.
On Tuesday Wright was headed to the Tehama District Fair in Red Bluff to see how organizers there are handling the event safety.
In another neighboring county, the Colusa County Fair Board voted earlier this year to cancel its traditional June fair and instead hold a week of events around a restructured Junior Livestock Market Evaluation and Auction.
Facing fiscal challenges
This will be the first Lake County Fair for Wright in the CEO’s job. She came on the job last year in mid-March, just as the county, the state and the nation were starting to shut down due to COVID-19.
In June, the fair board took action to cancel the fair. The year 2020 was the first since World War II in which the fair didn’t take place.
Wright did, however, manage to hold the Junior Livestock Auction online in September. The plan is to hold the auction in person once more this year, she said.
Over the past year, Wright and the fair board have had to make tough decisions to cut costs to meet the fair’s financial challenges, which were amplified by the loss of revenue from the pandemic.
They’ve cut back on staff, so that it’s now Wright and groundskeeper extraordinaire Larry Richardson who are the fair’s two employees. Wright credited Richardson for keeping the fairgrounds in great condition and doing the work of six men in the process, noting the pride he takes in his work.
Wright said the fair also has rented the Phil Lewis Hall to the Lake County Superior Court for jury selection and trials. However, that arrangement is soon to end.
Gov. Newsom gave fairs their full allocation in his budget and they are expecting a little more funding to be placed in the revised May budget, which Wright said will keep the Lake County Fair going for much of the rest of this year.
Wright said the fair is looking at other potential revenue streams, including establishing a year-round RV park on the grounds.
The fairgrounds belong to the community and so need community support, Wright said.
She noted that community members are in fact jumping in to help with beautification projects on the grounds, and Wright said they also have interest from FFA and 4-H members who want to be involved.
The fair has a cleanup day event planned on Sunday, May 16. The Lake County Fair Foundation is asking for community volunteers. Those wishing to participate should RSVP by May 3 by emailing
Wright said it’s important to remain flexible as they move forward and wait to see what happens over the next four months.
To find out more about how to help the fair this year, call the fairgrounds at 707-263-6181.
Email Elizabeth Larson at