NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) received the Women’s Legislators Lobby, or WiLL, Pacesetter Award in recognition of her bold leadership in carrying Assembly Joint Resolution 30, “Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act” through the California Legislature.
The resolution called upon Congress to pass H.R. 669, authored by California Representative Ted Lieu (D- Los Angeles County), to prohibit the president from unilaterally authorizing the deployment of nuclear weapons in an offensive attack without specific authorization from Congress.
“I am honored to receive this award and represent the Fourth Assembly District on a national scale,” said Aguiar-Curry. “I admire the work women leaders are doing in our country, and the role WiLL members are playing in bringing attention to critical issues like national security and the use of weapons of mass destruction.”
WiLL is a national nonpartisan network of women state legislators working to influence federal policy and budget priorities.
The Pacesetter Award honors women state legislators who are setting the pace in their state capitals for service, leadership, and progress.
Aguiar-Curry was presented the award at the National Women’s Leadership Conference in Washington, DC.
The conference, entitled “Women at the Tables of Power,” brought together women legislators and community leaders from across the nation to discuss national defense and the federal budget.
“AJR 30 added California’s Legislature to the many voices demanding respect for the balance of powers proposed in H.R. 669,” said Aguiar-Curry. “No one human being should have unilateral authority to wreak nuclear devastation. The law proposed in H.R. 669 would require every U.S. President to collaborate with Congress before an offensive nuclear strike,” said Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry.
AJR 30 was coauthored by 52 members of the California Assembly and was chaptered in 2018.
Aguiar-Curry represents the Fourth Assembly District, which includes all of Lake and Napa Counties, parts of Colusa, Solano and Sonoma Counties, and all of Yolo County except West Sacramento.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Despite the recent low temperatures and scattered precipitation throughout the region; open burning restrictions remain in effect in the State Responsibility Area, Cal Fire reported.
Cal Fire said its Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit remains well within fire season and is expected to remain as such for the foreseeable future.
Fire fuels conditions remain at a level adequate to support the potential for extreme fire behavior. Cal Fire said the recent moderation in weather conditions is not adequate to prevent the continued threat to public safety from catastrophic wildfire.
October and November have traditionally been the most destructive months for wildland fire in the Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, the agency reported.
Cal Fire continually monitors weather conditions and associated fire danger, and will lift the burn suspension when conditions become appropriate for the use of open burning.
Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit Chief Shana Jones encourages residents to remain mindful that one spark is all that is required to start a wildland fire.
Cal Fire asks the community to follow these tips to prevent wildfire:
– Cease use of outdoor power equipment by 10 a.m., not during the heat of the day, or when the wind is blowing. – Mowers are designed to mow lawns, not dry vegetation. – Use a weed trimmer with a string line to cut down dry weeds and grass. – Make sure ashes from wood stoves are “dead out” before dumping.
For more information on preparing for and preventing wildfires, visit the Cal Fire Web site www.readyforwildfire.org or call your local Cal Fire facility.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors this week will discuss a response to the final grand jury report, look at the process for area plan updates and hold nuisance abatement assessment confirmation hearings.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, 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 and online. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.
In an untimed item, the board will consider its response to the 2018-19 Grand Jury Final Report.
The board also will hold an untimed discussion on possible direction concerning area plan updates to include timelines, meetings to date and the update process.
In other business, the board will hold three timed hearings to confirm nuisance abatement assessments: 9:15 a.m., Lawrence Ratcliffe (deceased) in the amount of $7,931.14; 9:25 a.m., Lee Nasha Rice in the amount of $2407.31; and 9:30 a.m., Michael Hart (deceased) in the amount of $15,175.53.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Approve the minutes of the Board of Supervisors meeting held Aug. 20, 2019.
5.2: Approve member agreement with Plexux Global for a three-year term and authorize the chair to sign.
5.3: Adopt a resolution approving a MOU with the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association and authorizing execution of the contractor certification clause and signatures for pesticides use reporting data entry for the Fiscal Year 2019-2020.
5.4: Approve long distance travel for Richard Yocum to attend the Clarity Human Services User Conference and Training Oct. 9 to 11, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
5.5: Sitting as the Lake County Sanitation District Board of Directors, adopt resolution accepting the Southeast Paving Project SD19-05, as complete and authorize the Special Districts administrator to sign the notice of completion.
5.6: (a) Approve the purchase of a Bandit 150XP Brush Chipper from Cal-Line Equipment; and (b) authorize the Public Services director/assistant purchasing agent to issue a purchase order in the amount of $39,749.00 to Cal-Line Equipment.
5.7: Approve the extension of food services agreement with Trinity Services Group Inc. to supervise the preparation and service of meals at the Lake County Jail/Hill Road Facility and authorize the sheriff to sign the letter for the CPI increase.
5.8: Approve the addendum to the lease agreement between the county of Lake and Margaret E. Lyon Survivor Trust for installation of a generator and transfer switch to the Anderson Ranch Parkway office and authorize the chair to sign.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:15 a.m.: Hearing, nuisance abatement assessment confirmation and proposed recordation of notice of lien for Lawrence Ratcliffe (deceased) in the amount of $7,931.14.
6.3, 9:25 a.m.: Hearing, nuisance abatement assessment confirmation and proposed recordation of notice of lien for Lee Nasha Rice in the amount of $2407.31.
6.4, 9:30 a.m.: Hearing, nuisance abatement assessment confirmation and proposed recordation of notice of lien for Michael Hart (deceased) in the amount of $15,175.53.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of response to the 2018-19 Grand Jury Final Report.
7.3: Discussion and possible direction concerning area plan updates to include timelines, meetings to date and the update process.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Public employee evaluations: Air pollution control officer.
8.2: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9(d)(1): County of Lake, et al. v. PG&E, et al.
8.3: Public employee appointment pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54957(b)(1): Appointment of Public Health officer.
8.4: Conference with labor negotiator: (a) Chief negotiator: M. Long; County negotiator: C. Huchingson; and (b) Employee Organization: LCSMA.
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.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council this week will hold a public hearing – continued from the last meeting – on the formation of a utilities undergrounding district and get an update on a grant used to fund policing.
The council will meet beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
At the start of the meeting the Lakeport Main Street Association will present the winners of the People’s Choice awards from the Taste of Lake County event and the council will offer a proclamation declaring the month of October as Domestic Violence Awareness month in the city of Lakeport.
On the agenda is a public hearing – held over from the last meeting – for the adoption of a resolution forming the 11th Street and North Main Street Underground Utility District.
Also on the agenda is a report from Police Chief Brad Rasmussen on the current status of the US Department of Justice COPS Grant and how the police department is using the grant to complete community policing operations in the city.
In other business, Utilities Superintendent Paul Harris will ask for the council to approve having City Manager Margaret Silveira sign the purchase order and supporting documents for the procurement of a service truck for the Public Works department.
On the consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are ordinances; minutes of the regular council meeting on Sept. 3; the Sept. 23 warrant register; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the Mendocino Complex fire; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the February 2019 storms; approval of amendment No. 1 to event application 2019-018, Pumpkin Festival, with staff recommendations, to change the street closure start time to 7 a.m.; approval of the corrected appropriations limit of $12,352,299 in Fiscal Year 2018-19 and $12,886,871 in Fiscal Year 2019-20 for the city of Lakeport adopt the proposed resolution; authorization for the city manager to execute the contract amendment with Tyler Technologies; direction to the city of Lakeport’s voting delegate to the League of California Cities Annual Conference to support the two resolutions provided in the annual conference resolutions packet; authorization of the cancellation of the regular meeting of Oct. 15; receipt and filing of the 2019 police after action report on the Independence Day Fireworks Operations.
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. – October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and throughout the month Lake Family Resource Center will raise awareness and engage the community with multiple events.
Lake Family Resource Center is focusing awareness on domestic violence in the hope of ending it in Lake County.
In October, community members are encouraged to wear the color purple, the symbolic hue for domestic violence awareness. It represents the courage, survival, honor and dedication to ending domestic violence, remembering the victims and honoring survivors. It has a long history of being used as a symbol by those seeking justice.
Events planned to raise awareness this month include proclamations declaring Domestic Violence Awareness Month that will be presented at the Lakeport City Council at its meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, the Board of Supervisors Meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8, and the Clearlake City Council meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10.
Wednesday, Oct. 9, is “‘Health Cares about Domestic Violence Day,” which aims to reach members of the health care community with education about the critical importance of screening for domestic violence.
The main event for the month is the sixth annual “Power of the Purple Walk” beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Lake Family Resource Center headquarters, 5350 Main St., Kelseyville.
The walk is a untimed and free event, however, donations are gratefully accepted. Once the walk is completed, cake and refreshments will be offered.
Lake Family Resource Center said it takes a coordinated effort from all corners of the community – individuals, advocates, community groups, law enforcement, faith-based organizations and schools – to combat the scourge of domestic violence with intervention and prevention and declaring that it will not be tolerated in our community.
The entire community is invited to help break the silence on domestic violence.
When taking over-the-counter drugs or prescription medications with a “do not operate heavy machinery” warning label, “heavy machinery” includes your car as well.
That is the message from a new impaired driving campaign launched by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, that will run until Nov. 17.
It is a message that the California Office of Traffic Safety, or OTS, will be supporting to educate drivers on the types of drugs other than alcohol that can impact your ability to drive safely.
“Many people may be scratching their heads when they see a ‘do not operate heavy machinery’ warning on allergy medicine or a prescription from their doctor,” OTS Director Barbara Rooney said. “But your car is ‘heavy machinery.’ We hope this campaign makes the public think twice before they get in the car after using medications. A DUI doesn’t just mean booze.”
In a national roadside survey of drivers conducted by NHTSA in 2013 and 2014 during weekday daytime hours, 10 percent tested positive for the presence of a prescription or over-the-counter, or OTC, drug.
The reality is that everyday OTC drugs like cold, allergy and sleep medicines can be impairing, as well as prescriptions for antidepressants, opioids and sleep aids. Use of these drugs can make you sleepy, affect judgment, reaction time and coordination, increasing the risk for crashes.
It is why the OTS will continue to prioritize funding to agencies for education and enforcement programs focused on drug-impaired driving.
These programs include training for officers to detect and evaluate drivers suspected of being under the influence of drugs, staffing and training of prosecutors for drugged-driving cases, and partnerships with county agencies, local organizations and universities to educate youth and older populations on OTC/prescription drug use and driving.
The OTS encourages the public to avoid driving until you know how you react to OTC drugs or prescription medications, look for “do not operate heavy machinery” warning labels, and follow instructions carefully. Some medications may be impairing if combined with a second medication.
The OTS administers funding for traffic safety programs statewide with the goal of reducing crashes that result in deaths, injuries, and economic losses. The OTS is a department under the California State Transportation Agency.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has three cats – two kittens and an adult – ready for adoption.
The following cats and kittens at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption.
This female domestic short hair kitten is in cat room kennel No. 41a, ID No. 12847. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Domestic short hair kitten
This female domestic short hair kitten has a black and gray tabby coat and gold eyes.
She is in cat room kennel No. 41a, ID No. 12847.
This male domestic short hair cat is in cat room kennel No. 63, ID No. 12710. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male domestic short hair cat
This male domestic short hair cat has a gray and white coat and green eyes.
He is in cat room kennel No. 63, ID No. 12710.
This male brown tabby is in cat room kennel No. 143, ID No. 13006. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male brown tabby
This male brown tabby has a long coat and green eyes.
He’s in cat room kennel No. 143, ID No. 13006.
Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
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.
One of the magnificent dancing horses that paraded through downtown Kelseyville, California, during the annual Kelseyville Pear Festival Parade on the morning of Saturday, September 28, 2019. Photo by Maryerlene Huffman. KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Thousands of Lake County residents and visitors packed downtown Kelseyville throughout its daylong Pear Festival celebration on Saturday.
Crowd estimates at the event placed attendance as high as 12,000, on par with last year’s event.
The 26th annual Kelseyville Pear Festival included a parade, pear-filled foods and drinks, a pie eating contest, a recipe contest, horse faire and more than 100 booths.
The cool fall day started off with the parade, filled with antique cars and tractors, horses, and many community groups.
Thousands of people visited downtown Kelseyville, California, during the annual Kelseyville Pear Festival Parade on the morning of Saturday, September 28, 2019. Photo by Maryerlene Huffman. The Lake County Horse Council renamed its Horse Faire – an event within the event – in honor of Quincy Andrus, a well-known local horsewoman and health care professional who died earlier this year.
The thousands of visitors made for a lot of work for the dozens of vendors, some of which sold out of food and beverage items.
The popular pear-filled baked goods – including pies and turnovers – were among the items that ran out, which is itself a tradition at the festival each year.
Antique tractors rumbled through downtown Kelseyville, California, during the annual Kelseyville Pear Festival Parade on the morning of Saturday, September 28, 2019. Photo by Maryerlene Huffman. The Chiefs cheerleading squad entertained during the annual Kelseyville Pear Festival Parade on the morning of Saturday, September 28, 2019. Photo by Maryerlene Huffman.
Community groups participated in the annual Kelseyville Pear Festival Parade on the morning of Saturday, September 28, 2019. Photo by Maryerlene Huffman. Antique steam engines were once again on display at the annual Kelseyville Pear Festival on Saturday, September 28, 2019. Photo by Maryerlene Huffman.
Hawaiian macaroni salad is known for its creaminess and mild flavor. Photo by Esther Oertel. When people say that the sunsets in Hawaii are especially spectacular, it’s not just sentiment. There’s a scientific reason why the evening colors there are among the most vibrant in the world.
It just so happens that Hawaii has the perfect cocktail of conditions for such a display.
For one, volcanic dust in the atmosphere aids in the scattering of light. There are a number of currently active volcanoes in the area, including Kilauea on the big island of Hawaii, which has been erupting since 1983.
Thanks to their location, the Hawaiian Islands have balmy weather year-round. Because of the heat, a fair amount of water vapor escapes into the air and the resulting humidity aids in the intensifying and scattering of light.
And finally, the sun sinks into the Pacific Ocean far from any landmass that could disturb the atmosphere or break the horizon line. The angle of a sunset over water makes for a beautiful one.
I once had the blessing of visiting Hawaii to witness those sunsets for myself; it was almost two decades ago when my youngest son wanted to assist with a vacation Bible school in one of Oahu’s poorest districts.
I’ll never forget the people we encountered there; I hold memories of that trip very close to my heart.
One afternoon when school was over, we visited a small farm owned by a co-teacher. Humble though it was, or perhaps because of that, it was a precious experience to chat and laugh together while sitting under a lush canopy of fruit- and nut-bearing trees.
I saw a cashew tree for the first time that day and learned that the nut is actually a small appendage hanging from a larger red fruit known as a cashew apple.
Trees bearing guavas, passion fruit, mangoes and other tropical treasures shaded our sitting area, and we were able to taste the fruits in season straight from the trees.
My son wasn’t feeling well, and our host offered him a pickled sour plum to suck on to relieve his sore throat, a home remedy of sorts.
He didn’t tell us what an unpleasant experience it was for him to suck on that sour and salty fruit. I learned later that it took a lot of willpower to not spit it out.
Like many foods in Hawaii, those plums were incorporated into local cuisine from another country. They hail from Japan and are known as umeboshi there, often translated into English as “salted Japanese plums” or “preserved plums.”
Distinct styles of food influence the cuisine of the Hawaiian Islands, each stemming from a corresponding historical period of immigration and settlement.
It’s truly a cuisine made up of the fusion of many food cultures.
Much of that is due to the growth of sugarcane and pineapple plantations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which created a demand for immigrant labor.
Workers from China, Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Portugal came to work in the fields and brought their own foods and cooking traditions with them.
Earlier in Hawaii’s history, during the era of ‘First Contact’ in the late 18th century when European explorers came to the islands, European foods, livestock and traditions were introduced.
In addition, whalers and others brought their own brand of dining to the islands, such as the New England cuisine that came with some of the visiting Christian missionaries.
Portuguese immigrants introduced their tradition of making sweet bread (pao dulce in Portuguese) to the islands, and in the 1950s a local baker developed a Hawaiian version of this bread. It became very popular in the islands and eventually beyond, putting King’s Hawaiian Bakery on the map.
During World War II, Spam was introduced to the islands in the rations of American servicemen. This canned meat product became an important source of protein for local residents after fishing around the islands was banned due to the war.
Hawaiians are now the second largest consumers of Spam in the world (Guam is first), at times consuming upwards of five million cans annually.
It’s used in a variety of ways there, including a sushi-like preparation on rice wrapped with a strip of nori seaweed.
I once took a sushi class which included a teriyaki glazed version of the above. I was very skeptical about the use of Spam in sushi, but it ended up being a pretty decent bite.
Hawaii is known for its Kona coffee, the most expensive (and some would say most delicious) in the world. Grown on the slopes of active volcanoes Hualalai and Mauna Loa, it was brought to Hawaii in the early 1800s from Brazilian cuttings.
Only coffee from the two Kona districts on the Big Island of Hawaii can be marketed as such; however, Kona blends are sold at cheaper prices.
Favorable conditions exist in these areas for cultivating Kona coffee: sunny mornings, moist afternoons, little wind, mild nights and porous, mineral-rich volcanic soil.
I once indulged in a small five-dollar cup of pure Kona coffee at a Hawaiian-themed coffee shop. I found it worth the price; however, I don’t recommend Kona blends, which often contain only 10 percent Kona coffee.
Prior to the arrival of Polynesian seafarers more than 2,500 years ago, the Hawaiian Islands were uninhabited with very few food-bearing plants.
These first settlers brought seeds and plants with them in their outrigger canoes, perhaps more than 30 types, mainly for food.
Among these were sweet potatoes, yams, breadfruit, banana, coconut, sugarcane and taro.
The early Hawaiian diet was quite diverse. Experts believe that well over 100 types of seafood were consumed, and (amazingly!) more than 200 types of sweet potatoes.
Polynesians brought pigs, dogs and chickens across the Pacific, and meat was cooked in ovens dug into the ground, as it had been in Polynesia.
Sea salt was a common condiment, sometimes made into a relish with kukio nuts or seaweed.
Of particular importance was the taro plant, which was used to make poi, a mainstay of the Hawaiian diet for centuries.
Poi is a purple-colored paste made from pounding cooked taro root (it’s toxic when raw) and is still very much part of Hawaiian food culture today.
Tourists in the Aloha State are typically introduced to poi at a Hawaiian luau, a traditional party that includes a feast, often with a roasted pig.
Fighting is not allowed when eating from a bowl of poi, a tradition that comes from the belief that Taro is the first-born son of the parents who started the human race.
Japanese immigrants introduced their tradition of bento, meals in segmented boxes, which influenced what many consider the quintessential Hawaiian meal, the “plate lunch.”
This developed as an inexpensive and carbohydrate-dense meal for workers in sugarcane and pineapple fields.
A plate lunch consists of generous scoops of white rice and macaroni salad along with an entrée. The entrees are often of Asian origin, such as beef teriyaki or chicken katsu, but can also be traditional Hawaiian pork dishes.
While in Hawaii, a local took us to a small roadside stand in the country for a traditional plate lunch. The experience was entirely new to me, and what stands out the most in my memory is the tenderness and flavor of the pork cooked in a banana leaf.
Today’s recipe is for authentic Hawaiian macaroni salad, known for its mild flavor and ultra-creamy texture. It’s a favorite side dish on the islands and an integral component of a Hawaiian plate lunch.
Composing a Hawaiian macaroni salad is different than making what we’re used to having on the mainland, so technique is key.
The traditional Hawaiian method is to overcook the pasta. It should be very soft and very plump.
Thinning the mayonnaise with milk to make a less dense dressing contributes to the signature creaminess of this dish. The pasta more easily absorbs the dressing, giving every bite a velvety texture.
Tossing the pasta with vinegar helps the soft pasta to stay moist and also assists in absorption of the sauce.
In addition, the dressing is added in a two-step process, the first when the pasta is still warm, another factor which enables the pasta to soak up the sauce.
As to the ingredients, since the dressing is mayonnaise-based, it’s very important to use a good quality mayonnaise. I don’t normally mention specific products or brands, but in this case I highly recommend Best Foods mayonnaise (marketed as Hellman’s on the East Coast).
I used buttermilk in my recipe because it gives the salad extra tang, but milk can be subbed for a more traditional version.
My oldest son, who stops occasionally for a Hawaiian plate lunch with his work crew, gave the recipe below his stamp of approval.
Mahalo and enjoy!
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Ingredients:
2 cups mayonnaise, divided 2 cups buttermilk, divided 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt, plus 1 tablespoon for cooking water ½ teaspoon black pepper 16 oz. elbow macaroni ¼ cup cider vinegar ¼ cup white or yellow onion, grated ½ carrot, peeled and shredded ½ cup celery, finely chopped ½ cup frozen peas 2 tablespoons scallions, finely chopped
Instructions:
Whisk together 1-1/2 cups buttermilk, 1 cup mayonnaise, sugar, a teaspoon of salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon of salt to the water and cook the pasta for about 15 minutes, until it’s plump and very soft. Drain the pasta and pour it into a bowl. Pour vinegar over pasta and stir until it’s evenly distributed and absorbed. Allow pasta to cool for 10 minutes. Add the buttermilk-mayonnaise mixture and stir until evenly combined, then cool completely in the refrigerator.
Once cooled, add the grated onion, carrots, celery, peas and the remaining buttermilk and mayonnaise to the pasta and mix until evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour and for up to 2 days. Adjust seasoning if necessary and sprinkle scallions over salad before serving.
Making in advance is a good idea, as salad is best when flavors have melded for at least two to four hours.
Esther Oertel is a writer and passionate home cook from a family of chefs. She grew up in a restaurant, where she began creating recipes from a young age. She’s taught culinary classes in a variety of venues in Lake County and previously wrote “The Veggie Girl” column for Lake County News. Most recently she’s taught culinary classes at Sur La Table in Santa Rosa, Calif. She lives in Middletown, Calif.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake Family Resource Center is rolling out a new program offering assistance to those who have been the victims of human trafficking.
The organization has been building the program over the past year.
The United Nations defines human trafficking as "the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons by improper means (such as force, abduction, fraud, or coercion) for an improper purpose including forced labor or sexual exploitation."
It is a form of modern day slavery where people are forced in one way or another to perform acts against their will.
An estimated 27 million adults and 13 million children are trafficked worldwide profiting $32 billion a year.
Human trafficking has become the second largest criminal industry following the drug cartel. Nearly 80 percent of human trafficking is for sex and 20 percent is for labor exploitation.
California is one of the nation’s top four destination states for human trafficking. Three of the top 13 cities in the nation for human trafficking are located in California.
Eighty percent of the state’s human trafficking cases occur in the Bay Area, Los Angeles and San Diego, according to the California Department of Justice.
Lake County is only two hours north of San Francisco, is close to the Pacific Coast and only 60 miles from Interstate 5, one of the state’s most commonly traveled routes that is known for many truck stops and motels that are used for luring, recruiting and transporting trafficked victims.
“Our location has made Lake County a prime area for human trafficking activity,” the Lake Family Resource Center said in its new program announcement.
Over the past several years, Lake County has had high profile human trafficking cases that have resulted in criminal convictions.
They include a case that involved two men keeping a teenager at a marijuana grow and confining her in a metal box.
In another case, Lakeport resident Sam Massette was convicted in 2018 and sentenced to prison for selling teenage girls into prostitution in the Bay Area.
The Lake Family Resource Center’s new program will offer services including individual case management, safety planning, social and criminal justice advocacy, community crisis line response, restraining order assistance, support groups, psychotherapy, and emergency shelter and housing establishment assistance.
All services offered will be provided by trained human trafficking advocates and services are free and confidential.
The human trafficking team will offer community education and will be involved in outreach activities and awareness events through Lake County.
Additionally, the Lake Family Resource Center has been certified through the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST.
The Lake Family Resource Center is working with local law enforcement officials to provide POST and Standards and Training for Corrections-certified training to build skills and capacity to adhere to best practices on human trafficking victim-centered investigations, prosecutions and victim service referral procedures.
The organization thanked all of the community partners for their support and offered a special thank you to the Lake County Rollerette, Community First Credit Union and Clearlake Rotary for much-appreciated donations which are being used to get the new program off to a good start.
The Lake Family Resource Center provides a multitude of services to build family stability and strength. The agency supports Lake County residents in achieving stable, self-sufficient, and healthy families and communities.
Call the center at 707-279-0563 to find out more about their services.
Blowing the shofar during Rosh Hashana is one of the holiday’s many traditions. AP Photo/Emile Wamsteker
My most vivid adolescent memories of the Jewish High Holy Days are the painful rumbling of my empty stomach as I fasted on Yom Kippur, and the sharp blasts of the shofar – the ram’s horn – sounding from the synagogue pulpit.
I was one of millions of Jews the world over who observe “Yamim Nora’im.” That’s Hebrew for “Days of Awe” or “High Holy Days.”
This 10-day period begins with the two-day celebration of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana. It ends with the one-day observance of Yom Kippur, when adult Jews in good health are expected to fast.
What is the significance of these holy days for orthodox Jews, secular Jews and perhaps even for non-Jews?
Traditional beliefs
Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are known, respectively, as “The Day of Judgment” and “The Day of Atonement.” In Orthodox Judaism, these combined Days of Awe embody both celebration and trepidation, renewal and repentance.
This is a time when Jews believe that all humankind is judged by God and inscribed either in “The Book of Life” or “The Book of Death.” Judaism doesn’t believe these are actual “books.” However, Jewish tradition tells us that God writes down the names of the righteous in The Book of Life, and the names of the wicked in the Book of Death.
The belief is that the righteous will live through the coming year; the wicked will not. All others – neither fully wicked nor fully righteous – will have their fate decided between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
The angst surrounding these holidays is captured in a liturgical poem called the “Unetanneh Tokef,” translated as “let us speak of the awesomeness.” This ancient prayer is chanted during both Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur services, and states that,
“On Rosh Hashanah they are inscribed, and on the fast day of Yom Kippur they are sealed…who shall live and who shall die… who shall perish by water and who by fire; who by the sword, and who by a wild beast; who by hunger and who by thirst…”
Leonard Cohen, considered among the greatest of songwriters, was inspired by this poem and used similar words in his song, “Who By Fire.” He wrote,
And who by fire, who by water Who in the sunshine, who in the night time Who by high ordeal, who by common trial Who in your merry merry month of May Who by very slow decay And who shall I say is calling?
Given the apprehension that accompanies these stark pronouncements, it is hardly surprising that during the Days of Awe, observant Jews often greet each other with a phrase of hope, “G’mar Chatimah Tovah” – roughly translated, “May you be inscribed in the Book of Life.”
As a psychiatrist reflecting on the High Holy Days, I have often wondered how many traditionally raised Jewish children have been frightened by the prospect of winding up in the Book of Death. I know I was.
As someone who has written extensively on Jewish ethics, I know that the High Holy Days also embody an “ethical core” that transcends religious doctrines and embodies universal ethical truths.
The varieties of Jewish beliefs
Judaism encompasses a wide range of beliefs. Orthodox Judaism is based on the premise that the Torah – essentially, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible –represents God’s eternal and unchangeable rules for Jewish living and religious observance.
But non-Orthodox branches of Judaism emphasize Jewish ethical and cultural traditions more than strict adherence to Jewish law and scripture. They seek to adapt Jewish traditions to modern needs.
Judaism in all its varieties is, at heart, a religion of hope and optimism. For example, the somber warnings of the liturgical poem “Unetanneh Tokef” are softened by its reminder that one can avert being inscribed in the “Book of Death” by means of repentance, prayer and charity. That is done in the interval between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
Repentance, or teshuvah in Hebrew, requires taking a kind of “spiritual inventory” aimed at improving the health of our souls. True repentance during the High Holy Days also requires making amends to those we have sinned against or mistreated. Merely asking God to forgive such sins is not enough.
Jews from an ultra-Orthodox sect listen to their rabbi on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea as they participate in a Tashlich ceremony in Herzeliya, Israel.AP Photo/Ariel Schalit
The ethical core of the High Holy Days
Secular and Humanistic Judaism are branches of non-Orthodox Judaism and are often considered together under the rubric, “Secular Humanistic Judaism.” This tradition does not invoke or accept the concept of an eternal, transcendent God. During the High Holy Days, emphasis is placed on how all people – Jews and non-Jews – can become better human beings.
In this secular humanist tradition, Rosh Hashana is seen as a time for self-evaluation and self-improvement, without reference to God. Instead, emphasis is placed on the cultural, historical and ethical aspects of Judaism.
A common ceremony in the secular humanist tradition is “Tashlikh,” which involves symbolically casting off one’s sins by throwing bread crumbs into the water.
Tashlikh allows Humanistic Jews “…to reflect on their behavior; to cast off behaviors they are not proud of; and to vow to be better people in the year to come.”
Finally, although Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are quintessentially Jewish holidays, their ethical values transcend any one religion.
Ronald W. Pies, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, Lecturer on Bioethics & Humanities at SUNY Upstate Medical University; and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine [through Dec. 2019], Tufts University
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has several big and little dogs waiting for their new families this week.
Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Alaskan Malamute, American Staffordshire Terrier, Cane Corso mastiff, Chihuahua, Labrador Retriever, pit bull, pug, shepherd and terrier.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.
The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).
“Lucy” is a female Labrador Retriever in kennel No. 14b, ID No. 12951. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.‘Lucy’
“Lucy” is a female Labrador Retriever with a short black and tan coat.
She is in kennel No. 14b, ID No. 12951.
“Nova” is a female Cane Corso mastiff in kennel No. 17, ID No. 6579. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Nova’
“Nova” is a female Cane Corso mastiff with a short black coat.
She is in kennel No. 17, ID No. 6579.
“Corn” is a male American Staffordshire Terrier in kennel No. 18, ID No. 12967. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Corn’
“Corn” is a male American Staffordshire Terrier with a short red coat.
He’s in kennel No. 18, ID No. 12967.
“Boo” is a senior female terrier-pit bull mix in kennel No. 19, ID No. 12902. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Boo’
“Boo” is a senior female terrier-pit bull mix with a short white and gray coat.
She has already been spayed.
She’s in kennel No. 19, ID No. 12902.
“Ace” is a male Rottweiler-shepherd mix in kennel No. 20, ID No. 12899. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Ace’
“Ace” is a male Rottweiler-shepherd mix with a medium-length black and brown coat.
He already has been neutered.
He’s in kennel No. 20, ID No. 12899.
“Kiko” is a senior male Alaskan Malamute in kennel No. 21, ID No. 12966. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Kiko’
“Kiko” is a senior male Alaskan Malamute with a long white and gray coat and blue eyes.
He already has been neutered.
He’s in kennel No. 21, ID No. 12966.
“Lola” is a female pug in kennel No. 22, ID No. 12974. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Lola’
“Lola” is a female pug with a short tan coat.
She already has been spayed.
She’s in kennel No. 22, ID No. 12974.
This male Labrador Retriever is in kennel No. 25, ID No. 12850. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male Labrador Retriever
This male Labrador Retriever has a short black and white coat.
He is in kennel No. 25, ID No. 12850.
“Benny” is a young male shepherd in kennel No. 27, ID No. 12717. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.‘Benny’
“Benny” is a young male shepherd with a short brindle coat.
He has been neutered.
He is in kennel No. 27, ID No. 12717.
“Coco” is a female Labrador Retriever in kennel No. 34, ID No. 12764. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Coco’
“Coco” is a female Labrador Retriever with a short black and white coat.
Coco is in kennel No. 34, ID No. 12764.
Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
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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