CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Another long-awaited road project is about to get under way in Clearlake.
The Meadowbrook Area Pavement Rehabilitation Project is set to begin on Monday, Aug. 12, and is expected to continue through the end of October, the city reported.
Expect traffic delays in the area under flagged control. There will be hard traffic closures intermittently from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The city reported that these closures are necessary for the grinding and paving operations to be expedited. Notification of closures will be sent directly to area residents.
The Meadowbrook Area project will be the last major paving project of this construction season, with a chip seal project to begin sometime in September, the city reported.
The city said gravel road grading and maintenance and pothole patching and crack sealing of many streets will continue.
“There are many areas of the city with roads needing attention and the community’s support of Measure V is generating needed funds to dramatically improve our public streets,” said City Manager Flora.
Salvador Vaca Garcia Jr. Photo courtesy of the Colusa Police Department.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The man wanted for the murder of his ex-girlfriend in January 2018 has been taken into custody.
The year-and-a-half-long manhunt for Salvador Vaca Garcia Jr. ended this week when he was arrested in Mexico, according to Colusa Police Department Police Chief Joshua Fitch.
Colusa resident Karen Garcia was reported by her family as missing on Jan. 9, 2018, just two days after her sister and four others were killed in a crash on Interstate 5 in Yolo County. Authorities said the initial report was taken by the Williams Police Department.
Karen Garcia and her vehicle were last seen in Colusa on Jan. 8, 2018, at approximately noon. Fitch said Karen Garcia and her vehicle were subsequently entered into the missing person’s database as the investigation continued.
A joint investigation was initiated with the Colusa Police Department, Williams Police Department, Colusa County District Attorney’s Office and the Colusa County Sheriff’s Office. Fitch said that during the investigation a search warrant was served at Karen Garcia’s residence located on the 400 block of Oak Street in Colusa.
Fitch said evidence found during the search warrant revealed a homicide.
On Jan. 14, 2018, at approximately 3:45 p.m. investigators received information that Karen Garcia’s vehicle was located in a parking lot in Woodland. Her vehicle and body were recovered at the scene, Fitch said.
Salvador Garcia, Karen Garcia’s ex-boyfriend, was identified as a suspect in the homicide and a warrant was issued for his arrest, Fitch said.
Fitch said Salvador Garcia disappeared and the U.S. Marshals Service reached out to local law enforcement to provide their services. Since this time, the U.S. Marshals Service has been working diligently to locate him.
Several agencies including local law enforcement as well as the Riverside Police Department, Sacramento County District Attorney Office, government of Mexico Fiscalia General de Jalisco-Grupo De Ordenes y Apprensiones and the Instituto Nacional de Migracion have assisted the Marshals with the investigation.
As a result of that work, Fitch said Salvador Garcia was located in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, and taken into custody.
On Sunday, the U.S. Marshals Service turned their custody of Salvador Garcia Jr. over to members of the Colusa County Task Force to be booked into the Colusa County Jail, Fitch reported.
“The law enforcement agencies of Colusa County would like to give thanks to the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance as well as to all who helped throughout this over a yearlong investigation,” Fitch said.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police chief will present to the city council this week a proposal for providing a new shelter for Clearlake Animal Control.
The council will meet beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, in the council chambers at Clearlake CIty Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
Chief Andrew White is asking the council to hold a discussion and give staff direction on his proposal – including a funding plan – for a new shelter.
White’s report explains that the Clearlake Animal Shelter currently operates out of the Public Works Corporation Yard on Airport Road.
He said the shelter consists of kennels located inside the old hangar building and a collection of outdoor kennels, while another old airport building holds the laundry room and an office that doubles as a cat kennel.
“The facility was not built for the current use and lacks adequate space for the volume of animals regularly taken in. The indoor kennels are often doubled up from their intended capacity. The outdoor kennels, which were intended for overflow, are also often filled with animals. There is no exam room for the contract vet to conduct comprehensive exams on animals. There is also a lack of space for proper quarantine,” White explained in his report.
White said the facility’s office building is in major disrepair and lacks enough space to support the operations, and the site overall “is not conducive to animal shelter operations due a lack of fenced corridors and access ways to prevent the escape of animals. There is also no defined area for potential adopters to visit with animals.”
His report said that, over the past year, the city’s Animal Control Ad Hoc Committee and department staff have looked at options for upgrading the shelter. “The options explored have included relocating to other sites in the city as well as renovating an existing building or erecting new buildings.”
On Thursday, White will present the options that the committee and staff have settled on after reaching consensus – acquisition and installation of two modular kennel buildings with HVAC, a combined capacity of 18 kennel boxes and 18 runs, a storage room, cat room, exam room and lobby area; one modular office; and with site improvements that include secure fencing and pathways, a landscaped central area for visiting with animals, concrete walkways and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant parking.
White said the city engineer has estimated the project could cost $376,000, which covers demolition of the current office building and relocations of other items.
He said staff has contacted the US Department of Agriculture about grant funding opportunities, and the city will be submitting a grant to the USDA by the end of September for up to 35 percent of the project cost, or $131,600. The remainder of the project cost is proposed to be covered by Series A Bond Funds, $200,000, and the general fund, $44,400.
In other business, staff will take to the council a proposed $45,000 contract with HD Excavating for the properties at 16216 34th Ave., 14170 Konocti St., 16052 19th Ave. and 3191 Sixth St. The abatements are pat of the city’s CalRecycle Illegal Disposal Site Abatement Grant.
Also on Thursday, the council will consider staff’s proposal to extend a moratorium on the establishment of tobacco retailing businesses, smoke shops, or hookah or vapor lounges within the city.
During Thursday’s meeting the Clearlake Code Enforcement Department also will make a presentation to the council.
On the consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are warrant registers; minutes of the July meetings; adoption of Resolution No. 2019-35, approving a temporary street closure for the inaugural soap box derby; second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 231-2019 amending the Clearlake Municipal Code regarding reserve police officers; acceptance of annual audit report for fiscal year ending 2018, including the report to those charged with governance and the appropriations limit report; and consideration of continuation of declaration of local emergency issued on Oct. 9, 2017, and ratified by council action Oct. 12, 2017.
Following open session, the council is scheduled to hold a closed session to discuss labor negotiations and an existing lawsuit against Pacific Gas and Electric Co.
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.
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Through a new traveling exhibition, discover an overlooked moment in U.S. history when people with disabilities occupied a government building to win their rights.
The exhibit “Patient No More: People with Disabilities Securing Civil Rights” will be on display at the Lower Lake Schoolhouse Museum from Aug. 15 to Oct. 4.
The exhibition uncovers the stories behind a turbulent April in 1977, when people with disabilities successfully launched protests across the nation to get Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 signed into law.
In this exhibition, visitors will get a chance to appreciate how the occupiers built networks of support, from unions to the Black Panthers; how protesters influenced the media and changed the language used to cover the protest; and the controversies of 504, especially in regards to race and deafness. Above all, this exhibition reminds all of us that disabilities are a source of creativity and innovation, not pity or tragedy.
Large print, braille copies of exhibition text, audio descriptions, and audio-described and captioned videos combine to make this show as accessible as possible.
Additional related programming includes a speaker series:
– Saturday, Aug. 24, at noon: Photographer and disability rights activist Anthony Tusler will be speaking on his experience at the 504 sit-in.
– Saturday, Sept. 14, noon: Illene Dumont and other members of People Services Inc. will be speaking on the history of People Services and on disability in Lake County.
Additional speakers are pending. Please check the Museums of Lake County Facebook page for more dates and speakers.
Patient No More is presented by the Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability at San Francisco State University, made possible with support from California Humanities, and traveled by Exhibit Envoy.
The Museums of Lake County raised funds to bring this exhibit to Lake County through private donors as well as through Lake County Department of Mental Health’s Prevention Mini-Grant Project.
The Lower Lake Schoolhouse Museum is open Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and is located at 16435 Main St.
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Middletown Area Town Hall will meet this week to discuss proposed projects and bylaws updates.
MATH will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, at the Middletown Community Center, 21256 Washington St.
Meetings are open to the community, and offer the opportunity for additional public input on items not included on the agenda.
On the Thursday agenda is a report from the group’s bylaws committee and from District 1 Supervisor Moke Simon, a presentation from Dave Del of the Cryptorights Foundation and an update on the Wayne Capital LLC project at 13333 Big Canyon Road.
Action items and board reports include proposed revisions to the MATH bylaws, creation of a Firewise Community committee and the Geothermal Inc. landfill, owned by Pacific Gas and Electric. A public comment period on draft waste discharge requirements for the site closes Aug. 13.
The MATH Board includes Chair Sally Peterson, Vice Chair Claude Brown, Secretary Paul Baker, and at-large members Tom Darms and Marlene Elder.
MATH – established by resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12, 2006 – is a municipal advisory council serving the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley (including Hidden Valley Lake), Long Valley and Middletown.
Meetings are subject to videotaping.
For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
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.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Planning Commission will meet this week to hold a public hearing on a minor subdivision proposal.
The commission will meet beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
The main item on the commission’s Tuesday agenda is a proposal to split a nearly 18-acre parcel at 16920 Dam Road.
The staff report said owner Brenda Frey wants to break the property into two parcels and give them to her children.
The proposed subdivision would result in two equal parcels of 8.47 acres. The staff report said the lot is currently vacant and both lots can be accessed by Betz Lane. The parcels will be serviced through private wells and septic systems.
City staff is recommending approval of the plan.
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 Board of Supervisors is set to consider accepting the resignation of the county’s elected treasurer-tax collector and proposed changes to the deputy registrar of voters job classification.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6, 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 item timed for 9:30 a.m., Supervisors Bruno Sabatier and Moke Simon and County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson will take to the board a report from an ad hoc committee tasked to work with Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen, who has submitted her resignation, with the board to discuss options relating to consolidating the treasurer-tax collector’s office with the auditor-controller-county clerk’s office.
Sabatier and Simon, who were appointed to the ad hoc committee, along with Huchingson, said that during the course of its meetings, Ringen advised them of her intention to retire as of Jan. 10, 2020.
“The committee, therefore, recommends the Board take action to accept the resignation of the Treasurer-Tax Collector, discuss strategies for filling the Treasurer-Tax Collector position for the remainder of the term pursuant to Government Code Section 25304, and provide related direction to staff,” their report explained.
Last month, the governor signed AB 632, written by Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry at the board’s request. That bill allows Lake County to consolidate the treasurer-tax collector’s office with that of the auditor-controller-county clerk’s office, now headed by another elected official, Cathy Saderlund.
Sabatier and Simon are asking for the board to discuss the options for what actions to take now that the legislation has been approved.
Also on Tuesday, in an untimed item, new Registrar of Voters Catherine McMullen will ask the board to consider an amendment to the deputy registrar of voters job class specification.
McMullen, who joined the county in late June, said in her report, “My focus in the first few weeks has been understanding County of Lake and California elections practices and building a strong and complete ROV [Registrar of Voters] team. After reviewing the job descriptions within the Department there are changes that should be made before reopening the Deputy ROV recruitment.”
She said the county’s Classification, Compensation, Recruitment and Retention Committee has reviewed and supports her proposed changes.
McMullen said the prior recruitment for the job “did not yield a sufficient candidate pool and changes are needed now, before another recruitment is opened and before the results of that study will be available.”
She’s asking for several changes, including amending the previous work experience to include elections or administrative support functions that are comparable to that of an Elections Assistant I/II or Office Assistant III, changing the minimum required previous work experience from five years to three years with at least two years equivalent to that of Elections Assistant II or Office Assistant III and lowering the physical requirement to lift and move objects weighing up to 25 pounds, down from 75 pounds.
Additionally, she’s asking that the board approve adding the preference for a bachelor’s degree in public administration, business administration or a closely related field.
Last year, Huchingson had unsuccessfully proposed the board consider making a bachelor’s degree a requirement for the registrar of voters job, as Lake County News has reported.
McMullen said the deputy registrar of voters class has been more limiting than the registrar of voters class “in that it has no equivalency guidelines allowing substitution of similarly complex work experience outside of elections administration.”
She added, “The proposed changes should increase the pool of qualified and potential applicants for a critical position in my department. The changes broaden the scope of desired work experience so that potential applicants may be considered who have the diverse skills and strengths that match the current needs of the Department. The proposed updates to the Deputy ROV class specification will greatly assist in forming a strong ROV team now, and moving into the future.”
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Adopt resolution in support of the California Public Utilities Commission's Disaster-Only 2-1-1 Service Dialing Implementation, with 2-1-1 Ventura County.
5.2: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and Restpadd Inc. for acute inpatient psychiatric hospital services and professional services associated with acute inpatient hospitalizations for Fiscal Year 2019-20 in the amount of $200,000 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.
5.3: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and Willow Glen Care Center for adult residential support services and specialty mental health services for Fiscal Year 2019-20 for a contract maximum of $50,000 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.
5.4: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and North Valley Behavioral Health LLC. for Fiscal Year 2019-20 for a contract maximum of $150,000 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.
5.5: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and Crisis Support Services of Alameda County for crisis support services for Fiscal Year 2019-20 for a contract maximum of $31,296 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.
5.6: Adopt a resolution to accept the county noncompetitive allocation award under The No Place Like Home Program received from the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
5.7: Adopt proclamation designating the month of August 2019 as Child Support Awareness Month in Lake County.
5.8: Adopt resolution authorizing the 2019-20 Grant Project-Lake County Victim-Witness Assistance Program and authorize the chair to sign the certification and assurance of compliance.
5.9: Adopt resolution authorizing access to state, local and federal criminal history information by the county of Lake.
5.10: Sitting as Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors, adopt resolution to form the Big Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency.
5.11: Approve the building and rooftop space license agreement between the county of Lake and Cellco Partnership, d/b/a Verizon Wireless; and authorize the chair to sign.
5.12: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; (b) approve equipment repair and service contract between the county of Lake and Peterson Tractor Co. for a total not to exceed $225,000 for FY 19/20 and authorize the chair to sign.
5.13: Adopt a resolution authorizing submittal of an application, acceptance of an allocation of funds and execution of a grant agreement with the California Department of Transportation, for an Airport Improvement Program Matching Grant.
5.14: Approve agreement between the county of Lake and SHN Engineers & Geologists Inc. for material testing services for the three SB1 rehabilitation projects in Lake County in an amount not to exceed $29,741.20 and authorize the chair to execute the agreement.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:10 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the month of August 2019 as Child Support Awareness Month in Lake County.
6.3, 9:15 a.m.: Consideration of Resolution No. 2019-10, of the board of directors of Northshore Fire Protection District, to enable the Lake County Registrar of Voters, to add a special fire tax measure to the Nov. 5, 2019, election.
6.4, 9:30 a.m.: (a) Consideration of report from ad hoc committee tasked to work with the Lake County Treasurer-Tax Collector; consideration of resignation from the treasurer-tax collector effective January 10, 2020, and (c) consideration of staff report on board options relative to the recent passage of AB 632.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of allowing cannabis use permit for outdoor cultivation licenses to follow Fire Code 4290 as “agricultural” activity.
7.3: Consideration of the following appointments: Scotts Valley Community Advisory Council.
7.4: Consideration of (a) Lake County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee’s recommendation for developing new premiums for the Lake County Fair Book in the amount of $360 annually; (b) Lake County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee’s recommendation to support Lake County Department of Water Resources to design, develop and distribute drainage signs in the amount of $9,234.
7.5: Consideration of (a) waiving the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approval of the agreement between the county of Lake and Crestwood Behavioral Health for adult residential support and specialty mental health services for Fiscal Year 2019-20 for a contract maximum of $800,000 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.
7.6: Consideration of amendment to the deputy registrar of voters class specification.
7.7: Consideration of the award of bid for the three SB1 rehabilitation improvement projects; Bid No. 19-10 to Granite Construction in the amount of $566,052.25 and authorize the chair to execute the notice of award and the agreement.
7.8: Consideration of the award of bid for the FEMA FMAG Culvert Replacement No. 1 and No. 2 Project, Bid No. 19-01, to Coleman Environmental Engineering Inc. in the amount of $649,497.50, and authorize the chair to sign the notice of award and execute the contract.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Public employee evaluations title: Special Districts Administrator Jan Coppinger, Public Services Director Lars Ewing.
8.2: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code Sec. 54956.9 (d)(1) : Drake v. Kennedy, et al.
8.3: Conference with legal counsel: Significant exposure to Litigation pursuant to Gov. Code Sec. 54956.9( d)(2)(e)(3): California River Watch.
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 consider approving a resolution that will pursue collection of delinquent utility bills.
The council will meet in closed session beginning at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6, to discuss a potential case of litigation before the public portion of the meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Finance Director Nick Walker will present to the council a resolution to confirm and approve the utility billing delinquency list during a public hearing.
As part of the hearing, the council also will be asked to direct staff to submit the list to the county auditor-controller for inclusion on the property tax roll.
Walker’s report shows that there are eight properties with total outstanding bills totaling $3,385.44.
His report said the accounts on the list have been identified by the Finance Department as delinquent as May 31.
Final notice to delinquent accounts, as May 31, were sent to property owners on July 17, he reported.
“In order to collect on these accounts, the city is required to notify the delinquent account holders and give them an opportunity to bring their account current. The city provided this notice, which provides account holders until 4:30 p.m. on August 8th to bring their account current. Therefore, a current Delinquent Utilities Account List will be provided at the time of the meeting with any accounts for which payment has been made removed,” Walker wrote.
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 July 16; the Aug. 1 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 sending a letter of support for a League California Cities resolution calling on the California Public Utilities Commission to amend Rule 20A to add projects in very high Fire Hazard Severity Zones to the list of eligibility criteria and to increase funding allocations for Rule 20A projects.
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 California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office said it is planning an upcoming checkpoint to check for drunk drivers and people without driver’s licenses.
The safety checkpoint will take place on Friday, Aug. 16, somewhere within the unincorporated area of Lake County.
The goal of the CHP is to ensure the safe passage of each and every motorist by targeting roads where there is a high frequency of intoxicated or unlicensed drivers.
The agency said a sobriety/driver license checkpoint is a proven effective tool for achieving this goal and is designed to augment existing patrol operations.
Vehicles will be checked for drivers who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or driving unlicensed, officials said.
The CHP said the objective is to send a clear message to those individuals that consider driving and mixing alcohol or drugs, or driving when unlicensed, that you will be caught and your vehicle will be towed away.
Funding for this program was provided from a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
State Controller Betty T. Yee has published the 2018 self-reported payroll data for state departments and California State University, or CSU, institutions on the Government Compensation in California Web site.
The data cover more than 375,000 positions and a total of $22.04 billion in 2018 wages.
Users of the site can:
· View compensation levels on maps and search by region; · Narrow results by name of the entity or by job title; and · Export raw data or custom reports.
The newly published data include 252,214 positions in 151 state departments and 123,717 positions in 23 CSU campuses and the Chancellor’s Office.
California law requires cities, counties, and special districts to annually report compensation data to the State Controller.
The State Controller also maintains and publishes state and CSU salary data. A list of entities that did not file or filed incomplete reports is available here.
Since the Web site launched in 2010, it has registered more than 11 million pageviews. The site contains pay and benefit information on more than two million government jobs in California, as reported annually by each entity.
Cindy Leung, University of Michigan and Julia A. Wolfson, University of Michigan
SNAP is the primary way the government helps low-income Americans put food on the table. According to the government’s own calculations, an estimated 3.1 million people could lose SNAP benefits, commonly referred to as food stamps, through a new proposal that would change some application procedures and eligibility requirements.
We are nutrition and food policy researchers who have studied the effects of SNAP on the health and well-being of low-income Americans. Should this change go into effect, we believe millions of Americans, especially children, and local communities would suffer.
“My eating habits have improved where I can eat more healthy than before,” a Massachusetts woman who had recently been approved for SNAP told us. “It is like night and day – the difference between surviving and not surviving.”
SNAP benefits also ripple through the economy. They lead to money being spent at local stores, freeing up cash to pay rent and other bills. Every US$1 invested in SNAP generates $1.79 in economic activity, according to the USDA.
Trying again and again
The Trump administration has repeatedly attempted to slash SNAP and make it harder for people who qualify for benefits to get them.
The Trump administration also worked with Republicans in Congress to try to tighten eligibility requirements. Had this policy been implemented, all beneficiaries between the ages of 18 and 59 deemed “able-bodied” would have had to prove they were working at least 20 hours per week or were enrolled in school. According to government projections, some 1.2 million Americans would have eventually lost their benefits as a result.
Congress, which would have needed to approve the change for it to take effect, rejected it in December 2018. The White House then sought to change work requirements through a new rule that has not yet taken effect.
In July 2019, the Trump administration again sought to restrict access to food stamps without any input from Congress, this time by going through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families – a program that gives low-income families with children cash to cover childcare and other expenses.
Currently, most states automatically enroll families in SNAP once they obtain TANF benefits. The new rule would prevent states from doing this. Even though 85% of TANF families also get SNAP benefits, the vast majority of them still live in poverty.
The Trump administration’s proposed budgets have also called for changing how the government helps low-income families get food they have trouble affording. Its 2019 budget proposal called for replacing half of SNAP benefits with what it called “harvest boxes” of nonperishable items like cereals, beans and canned goods.
According to research we conducted with low-income Americans, 79% of SNAP participants opposed this proposal, with one of the primary reasons being not being able to choose their own foods.
“People who are struggling are already demoralized,” a New Mexico woman who uses SNAP benefits told us. “Being able to make our own food decisions is something that keeps us feeling like human beings.”
Advocates for food aid fear that recent proposals to change how SNAP works would reduce the share of Americans who get these benefits by making it harder to qualify and enroll in the program. Should this major transformation ever occur, children and families won’t have access to critical benefits that help them avoid going hungry.
Tracking the demand for food stamps
Although the Trump administration has until now largely failed in its effort to cut SNAP spending, the number of people getting food stamps is already declining. This trend began during the Obama administration, in the aftermath of the Great Recession.
Since the economy is doing well overall, the number of people on food assistance programs has fallen. The reason for the decline is that the number of people who are eligible for these benefits rises when the economy falters and falls when conditions improve. As a result, the government is spending less on food stamps without cutting the SNAP budget.
Case in point, 7 million people have already left SNAP due to better economic stability. In parallel, federal spending on SNAP budget has dropped from $78 billion in 2013 to $64 billion in 2019.
If the Trump administration wants to shrink SNAP, reduce costs and have fewer low-income Americans receive benefits, we believe that the best thing it can do is to keep working to improve the economy – particularly for low-income Americans, who have been reaping fewer benefits from the improving economy than others in recent years.
Pico Viejo, located in Teide National Park on Tenerife is the second highest volcano in the Canary Islands. Teide National Park is the most visited national park in Spain and Europe and, as of 2015, became the eighth most visited in the world. Photo by Billy Oertel.
Just 62 miles west of Morocco off the coast of North Africa, lie seven beautiful islands known as Las Islas Canarias in the language spoken there.
The Canary Islands, as we know them, are so close to the African continent that weather on the nearest islands is influenced by the arid winds from the Sahara Desert; even so, it’s Spain that claims the territory, making them the most remote outpost of the European Union.
And what a jewel in Spain’s crown they are!
The world’s third highest volcano (when measured from the ocean floor), El Teide, is located on Tenerife, the largest of the islands in both area and population. Its height makes it the tallest mountain in Spain.
In addition, three of Spain’s four UNESCO World Heritage Sites are in the Canary Islands, an astounding fact if one considers mainland Spain’s rich trove of culture and history.
Each of the Canary Islands is unique, with variances in climate, geology and flora depending on where they’re situated in the archipelago. Some islands have flora found nowhere else in the world.
The Canary Islands chain is part of Macaronesia, a collection of four North Atlantic archipelagos of volcanic origin off the continents of Europe and Africa. Others in the group are the Azores, Madeira and Cape Verde.
San Cristobal de la Laguna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, contains many well-preserved 16th century buildings, such as this church featured in an Easter procession. Dragon trees, native to the Canary Islands and a symbol of the island of Tenerife, are in the foreground. Photo by Billy Oertel. There are still active volcanoes on the Canaries, evidenced by the spewing forth of a full four eruptions since European habitation in the 15th century.
While subtropical in climate, the culture is definitely European. The Canary Islands chain is the only part of Macaronesia that had inhabitants before European conquest, and the aboriginal peoples, the Guanche, are now completely assimilated into the current civilization.
Mystery surrounds the origin of these native people (some legends claim that they’re descendants of the lost city of Atlantis); however, DNA gleaned from mummified remains shows them to be most closely related to the Berbers of North Africa. Some mummies reportedly had blond or red hair.
Historical evidence indicates that they traded with the Romans; in fact, it was Roman author and military officer Pliny the Elder who first reported their existence.
While Guanche culture is considered lost, a legacy remains through the remnants of Guanche food found in Canarian cuisine.
This float is part of a Good Friday procession in San Cristobal de la Laguna on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Semana Santa, or Holy Week, is celebrated enthusiastically there. Photo by Billy Oertel. The Canary Islands were once considered a crossroads between Europe, Africa and the Americas, so the cuisine there has hints of Spanish, Latin American and North African fare.
The influence goes both ways, however. Canarian elements can be found in such New World cuisines as the Tex-Mex food found along the southern U.S. border, surprising until I learned that the city of San Antonio, Texas was founded by Canarian settlers, whose descendants fought alongside Davy Crockett at the Alamo.
My son spent a recent year in Tenerife teaching English, and my appreciation for the Canary Islands increased dramatically thanks to his rich experience.
He lived in the largest city on the island, San Cristobal de la Laguna (commonly known as La Laguna), which happens to be one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the island chain.
From the images my son sent while there, the town’s architecture is a beautifully preserved example of 16th century Spain.
La Laguna exudes history, particularly in the historic downtown area where my son taught, yet is very much alive with activity. Festivals and processions take place regularly, both religious and local in nature, and it’s not unusual to see jugglers and other artisans in the many public plazas.
Near his apartment vendors offered their wares in the Mercado de Municipal de la Laguna, a large, open building with a tent-like roof where individual stalls display a seemingly endless array of foods such as cheeses, meats, fish, vegetables, candied fruits, spices and sweets.
At nearby outdoor stalls live chickens, pigeons, ducks and rabbits could be found, as well as clothing, religious items, and even flowers sold by nuns.
San Cristobal de la Laguna on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands comes alive during Semana Santa, or Holy Week, such as during this Easter procession. Photo by Billy Oertel. A favorite Mercado find of his was olives in a variety of flavorful local sauces known as mojo.
Perhaps no food is more quintessentially Canarian than mojo sauce. The most popular version is called mojo picon, or red pepper sauce, made from dried red peppers, oil and other ingredients, thickened with stale bread.
Mojo verde, a green version, is made with fresh cilantro or parsley. These sauces are served with potatoes, fish and meats.
One of the teachers at my son’s school gifted him with a bag of gofio, a Canarian flour made with toasted grains (usually wheat or maize).
Gofio goes back to the time of the Guanches, when it was a staple of their diet and made with barley and a rhizome of certain ferns.
Canarians are raised on gofio – it’s rich in vitamins and minerals – and emigrants have spread its use to the Caribbean and the Western Sahara.
Gofio doesn’t spoil easily, so it was a favorite of Canarian mariners.
To accompany the flour, he was given a bottle of homemade palm syrup. As is typical, my son mixed the gofio flour with milk and the palm syrup to make a sweet paste, which he enjoyed.
He says that gofio tastes and looks like the dust in the bottom of a box of Cheerios (a good thing in his opinion).
If any readers are interested in trying gofio, a quick Internet search revealed that it can be purchased online at a surprising variety of vendors common to us.
Typical of the Canary Islands are guachinche restaurants, usually found in the countryside or small towns, though my son frequented one in La Laguna near his home.
This flowering plant, echium wildpretii, is endemic to the island of Tenerife, and is found mainly in the canyons of El Teide, a volcanic mountain that is Spain’s tallest. Photo by Billy Oertel. These restaurants are unique in that they’re owned and run by families who prepare large batches of food made exclusively with bounty from a working farm which they also own. Wines made with grapes from the property are often served.
It’s not unusual to see smoked pig legs hanging from the ceilings of coffee shops and bars, with the meat used to make sandwiches. A favorite neighborhood pub of my son’s featured an employee whose job was to carve ham at the end of the bar.
As a vegetarian, my son stuck with almogrote, a thick and delicious Canarian cheese sauce served with toasted bread.
Fried cheeses, queso asado, are served with a variety of sauces in the islands, including in sweet presentations. My son especially enjoyed (and now misses) queso asado con miel de palma, fried cheese with palm syrup.
I’m sure he would enjoy it if I could find the ingredients to make it.
Today’s recipe is for a signature dish in the islands, papas arrugadas, or wrinkled potatoes, which are served as a side dish or in a restaurant as tapas, typically accompanied by red or green mojo sauce. (A recipe for mojo verde is included below.)
What makes them interesting are the wrinkly skin and high level of salt that coats it, which originally came from boiling them in sea water.
The modern version uses heavily salted water, and I found a wide variety in the amount of salt added, from 2 tablespoons to a full quarter cup. I prefer a happy medium of 4 tablespoons, but you can adjust the salt as desired.
And before we go, you might be interested to know that the closest Taco Bell restaurant to La Laguna in Tenerife is 886.6967 miles away in Madrid, something that my son researched. As much as he enjoyed Canarian cuisine and his experience there, it was good to be home to enjoy a nice, American taco.
Please enjoy!
Papas arrugadas con mojo verde
2-1/2 pounds baby potatoes, the smaller the better (I like using a mixture of colors) 4 tablespoons coarse sea salt Water to just cover potatoes
For the mojo verde: 1 large bunch of cilantro (parsley can also be used; increase the cumin a bit, if so) 2 cloves garlic, peeled ½ teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cumin 1/3 cup olive oil 3 or more tablespoons cold water 2 or more (to taste) tablespoons sherry vinegar
Scrub potatoes and remove eyes, but do not peel. Place in pot with the salt and just enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil and then simmer until potatoes are cooked, about 20 minutes, but this will depend on their size.
In the meantime, make the mojo. Add cilantro, garlic, salt and cumin to a blender and puree to a paste. Add the oil in a steady drizzle while blending, then add the water and blend again. Add the vinegar and blend again. Check for seasoning and add more salt, cumin or vinegar to taste. Thin with more water, if needed.
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain all the water and return pot to the heat. Once all the moisture has evaporated, a thin coating of white salt should start to form on the potatoes. Shake or stir the pot to keep them from sticking. When the potatoes start to brown and wrinkle slightly, they’re done.
Served hot, topped with the mojo verde.
Editor's note: A previous version had inadvertently omitted the cumin in the mojo verde recipe.
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.
Old mixes with new in San Cristobal de la Laguna on Tenerife in the Canary Islands when a cattle tender takes a break to check his cell phone during one of the many local processions. Photo by Billy Oertel.
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