(Tahoe/Truckee, Calif.) –  March 30 is National Doctors’ Day, and Tahoe Forest Health System proudly celebrates our local physician community for their commitment, sacrifice and heroic work.
On this day, we recognize the diverse and valuable work doctors perform – from primary and specialty care to urgent and emergency care. National Doctors’ Day is a special opportunity to personally thank and recognize the dedicated men and women who keep our community healthy and save lives.
National Doctors’ Day was first observed in 1933 and was officially made a national day of celebration by President George H.W. Bush in 1991. March 30th was specifically chosen because it marks the anniversary of the first use of ether anesthesia by Dr. Crawford W. Long.
Please join us in recognizing and honoring the physicians of Tahoe Forest Health System on their special day - National Doctors’ Day. We thank them for the dedication, leadership and skilled care they give every day.

SACRAMENTO – It has been 365 day since Governor Newsom issued a stay-at-home order with the promise that it would be only for a few weeks to fight the pandemic and flatten the curve. Fifty-seven Executive Orders later, an estimated 19,000 businesses have shuttered their doors and others are teetering on the brink of closure, 1.7 million Californians are unemployed, and fraudulent unemployment claims climb to $31 billion dollars, and there is no end in sight with the Governor refusing to relinquish his ‘one-man rule.’

Senate Republicans introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 5 last December to end the Governor’s state of emergency power, and reestablish the Legislature’s Constitutional co-equal status, but so far, a hearing has not been set for this measure.

“A year ago, Governor Newsom shut down the state based on the prediction of a worse-case scenario. At the time, the Governor promised us his decisions would be based on sound science and data, but when the predictions did not pan out, he refused to pivot to a new strategy. Instead, he doubled down on his command and control policies. When questioned about the data driving his decisions, he claimed people would not understand --- that it was ‘too complicated.’ What people do understand Governor is that your policies devastated our businesses, cost millions of jobs and have left our children with mental health problems and learning loss. It is time to end your ‘one-man rule.’” - Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk (Santa Clarita)

“It's time for the Governor to return power to the people and their representatives in the Legislature. The one-year anniversary of his commandeering of immense emergency powers highlights the arbitrary and haphazard nature of his one-man rule. With many small businesses on life support and in-class school instruction lacking in many communities, having the Governor continue his one-man rule is not working well for many Californians.” - Senator Patricia Bates (Laguna Niguel)

"Governor Newsom’s COVID shutdown took jobs from millions of Californians, shuttered the dreams of small business owners and left a generation of school children with a learning gap and struggling with the mental health effects of isolation. His government programs have been grossly-mismanaged. Millions of unemployed Californians had to deal with the bureaucratic EDD nightmare, which denied them timely access to critical benefits, all while the department allowed billions of dollars in fraud and waste. The Governor’s policies lurched from one proposal to another with confusing, conflicting and ever changing guidelines. While Californians had to comply with his rules, they did not always apply to the Governor himself who infamously dined indoors, unmasked, with powerful lobbyists and sent his children to an elite private school so they could receive in-person schooling. California deserves better than the one-man rule we have seen this past year." - Senator Shannon Grove (Bakersfield)

“It’s been one year since Governor Newsom ordered California to shut down. Since then, Governor Newsom has issued 57 Executive Orders and unilaterally changed over 400 laws. California’s unemployment claims have skyrocketed, businesses have shuttered, and Californians have fled the state in record numbers. Children fell behind in their education as nearly every school across the state shut down. And even with all this sacrifice in the name of safety, California’s COVID-19 case and death numbers are no better than states that remained open. Leadership starts at the top. It is time we do better and end the one-man rule.” - Senator Brian Jones (Santee)

“It’s been a year since Governor Newsom declared a state-of-emergency for the state of California,” said Senator Melissa Melendez (Lake Elsinore). “Since that day, thousands of businesses have permanently closed their doors; millions of Californians have lost their jobs and are on unemployment; EDD has doled out billions of dollars in fraudulent claims; and shuttered schools have tarnished the educational experience for California children. It’s time we take this unilateral control away from the Governor for good because Californians have had enough!”

“As I reflect on California’s statewide shutdown anniversary, I am reminded that we are strong and resilient. We have seen many step up to support one another in unprecedented ways. Our state is slowly reopening, but there is still a lot of work to be done. I remain committed to helping every Californian get back to their everyday lives and will continue to work towards providing the tools necessary for our communities to thrive.” - Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (Yucaipa)
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Senator Wilk represents the 21st Senate District, which includes the Antelope, Santa Clarita and Victor valleys. Learn more about Scott by visiting his website and be sure to connect with him on social media.
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SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education (CDE) today has posted estimated local education agency (LEA) allocations from the $6.6 billion made available as part of the Assembly Bill (AB 86) COVID-19 relief package. The funding provided by AB 86 will accelerate the safe return to in-person instruction across California and provide schools the resources to expand academic, mental health and social-emotional supports, including over the summer. 
“As more school districts across California announce plans to bring students back into classrooms, we at the CDE are providing the technical support our schools need to access resources in a timely way so educators can focus on providing a safe return to in-person learning, accelerate learning, and begin recovering,” said State Superintendent Tony Thurmond. 
A breakdown of how the $2 billion for In-Person Instruction (IPI) Grants and $4.6 billion for Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) Grants were determined for each LEA are available on the CDE IPI and ELO Grants Funding Results web page.
Funding for the IPI Grants was determined based on the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). The ELO Grants are also determined based on the LCFF with an additional $1,000 for each homeless student.
The $2 billion IPI grants are available to local educational agencies offering in-person instruction, including hybrid models, by April 1, 2021, and funding will be reduced by one percent for each calendared instructional day that all required groups are not receiving in-person instruction. IPI Grants will be forfeited if a local education agency does not offer in-person instruction for all required student groups by May 15, 2021. IPI Grants can be used for purposes associated with in-person instruction, including COVID-19 testing, cleaning and disinfection, personal protective equipment, ventilation, salaries, and social and mental health support services. 
The Expanded Learning Opportunities Grant makes up the remaining $4.6 billion, which can be used for extended instructional learning time, learning supports, health, counseling mental health and social emotional learning, community learning hubs, supports for credit deficient pupils, and training for school staff. 
LEAs will need to adopt and submit a plan for the new funding.
In May 2021, LEAs will receive 50 percent of their estimated allocation for both the IPI and ELO Grants. Allocation amounts for both the IPI and ELO Grants will be recalculated based on final data for the fiscal year. In August 2021, LEAs will receive the remainder of their allocation, less any reduction or forfeiture of IPI Grants described above. LEAs must spend funds by August 31, 2022.
CDE is developing a list of Frequently Asked Questions that will be posted to its website in the near future. Questions may be directed to InPersonGrants@cde.ca.gov  and ELOGrants@cde.ca.gov.
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The California Department of Education is a state agency led by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. For more information, please visit the California Department of Education’s website. You may also follow Superintendent Thurmond on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

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E-MAIL: communications@cde.ca.gov
 

$6 Billion in Reopening and Expanded Learning Funding Amounts for TK-12 Schools Now AvailableSACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education (CDE) today has posted estimated local education agency (LEA) allocations from the $6.6 billion made available as part of the Assembly Bill (AB 86) COVID-19 relief package. The funding provided by AB 86 will accelerate the safe return to in-person instruction across California and provide schools the resources to expand academic, mental health and social-emotional supports, including over the summer. 
“As more school districts across California announce plans to bring students back into classrooms, we at the CDE are providing the technical support our schools need to access resources in a timely way so educators can focus on providing a safe return to in-person learning, accelerate learning, and begin recovering,” said State Superintendent Tony Thurmond. 
A breakdown of how the $2 billion for In-Person Instruction (IPI) Grants and $4.6 billion for Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) Grants were determined for each LEA are available on the CDE IPI and ELO Grants Funding Results web page.
Funding for the IPI Grants was determined based on the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). The ELO Grants are also determined based on the LCFF with an additional $1,000 for each homeless student.
The $2 billion IPI grants are available to local educational agencies offering in-person instruction, including hybrid models, by April 1, 2021, and funding will be reduced by one percent for each calendared instructional day that all required groups are not receiving in-person instruction. IPI Grants will be forfeited if a local education agency does not offer in-person instruction for all required student groups by May 15, 2021. IPI Grants can be used for purposes associated with in-person instruction, including COVID-19 testing, cleaning and disinfection, personal protective equipment, ventilation, salaries, and social and mental health support services. 
The Expanded Learning Opportunities Grant makes up the remaining $4.6 billion, which can be used for extended instructional learning time, learning supports, health, counseling mental health and social emotional learning, community learning hubs, supports for credit deficient pupils, and training for school staff. 
LEAs will need to adopt and submit a plan for the new funding.
In May 2021, LEAs will receive 50 percent of their estimated allocation for both the IPI and ELO Grants. Allocation amounts for both the IPI and ELO Grants will be recalculated based on final data for the fiscal year. In August 2021, LEAs will receive the remainder of their allocation, less any reduction or forfeiture of IPI Grants described above. LEAs must spend funds by August 31, 2022.
CDE is developing a list of Frequently Asked Questions that will be posted to its website in the near future. Questions may be directed to InPersonGrants@cde.ca.gov  and ELOGrants@cde.ca.gov.
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The California Department of Education is a state agency led by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. For more information, please visit the California Department of Education’s website. You may also follow Superintendent Thurmond on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
E-MAIL: communications@cde.ca.gov
 

$6 Billion in Reopening and Expanded Learning Funding Amounts for TK-12 Schools Now AvailableSACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education (CDE) today has posted estimated local education agency (LEA) allocations from the $6.6 billion made available as part of the Assembly Bill (AB 86) COVID-19 relief package. The funding provided by AB 86 will accelerate the safe return to in-person instruction across California and provide schools the resources to expand academic, mental health and social-emotional supports, including over the summer. 
“As more school districts across California announce plans to bring students back into classrooms, we at the CDE are providing the technical support our schools need to access resources in a timely way so educators can focus on providing a safe return to in-person learning, accelerate learning, and begin recovering,” said State Superintendent Tony Thurmond. 
A breakdown of how the $2 billion for In-Person Instruction (IPI) Grants and $4.6 billion for Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) Grants were determined for each LEA are available on the CDE IPI and ELO Grants Funding Results web page.
Funding for the IPI Grants was determined based on the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). The ELO Grants are also determined based on the LCFF with an additional $1,000 for each homeless student.
The $2 billion IPI grants are available to local educational agencies offering in-person instruction, including hybrid models, by April 1, 2021, and funding will be reduced by one percent for each calendared instructional day that all required groups are not receiving in-person instruction. IPI Grants will be forfeited if a local education agency does not offer in-person instruction for all required student groups by May 15, 2021. IPI Grants can be used for purposes associated with in-person instruction, including COVID-19 testing, cleaning and disinfection, personal protective equipment, ventilation, salaries, and social and mental health support services. 
The Expanded Learning Opportunities Grant makes up the remaining $4.6 billion, which can be used for extended instructional learning time, learning supports, health, counseling mental health and social emotional learning, community learning hubs, supports for credit deficient pupils, and training for school staff. 
LEAs will need to adopt and submit a plan for the new funding.
In May 2021, LEAs will receive 50 percent of their estimated allocation for both the IPI and ELO Grants. Allocation amounts for both the IPI and ELO Grants will be recalculated based on final data for the fiscal year. In August 2021, LEAs will receive the remainder of their allocation, less any reduction or forfeiture of IPI Grants described above. LEAs must spend funds by August 31, 2022.
CDE is developing a list of Frequently Asked Questions that will be posted to its website in the near future. Questions may be directed to InPersonGrants@cde.ca.gov  and ELOGrants@cde.ca.gov.
#####
The California Department of Education is a state agency led by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. For more information, please visit the California Department of Education’s website. You may also follow Superintendent Thurmond on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
E-MAIL: communications@cde.ca.gov
 

$6 Billion in Reopening and Expanded Learning Funding Amounts for TK-12 Schools Now AvailableSACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education (CDE) today has posted estimated local education agency (LEA) allocations from the $6.6 billion made available as part of the Assembly Bill (AB 86) COVID-19 relief package. The funding provided by AB 86 will accelerate the safe return to in-person instruction across California and provide schools the resources to expand academic, mental health and social-emotional supports, including over the summer. 
“As more school districts across California announce plans to bring students back into classrooms, we at the CDE are providing the technical support our schools need to access resources in a timely way so educators can focus on providing a safe return to in-person learning, accelerate learning, and begin recovering,” said State Superintendent Tony Thurmond. 
A breakdown of how the $2 billion for In-Person Instruction (IPI) Grants and $4.6 billion for Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) Grants were determined for each LEA are available on the CDE IPI and ELO Grants Funding Results web page.
Funding for the IPI Grants was determined based on the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). The ELO Grants are also determined based on the LCFF with an additional $1,000 for each homeless student.
The $2 billion IPI grants are available to local educational agencies offering in-person instruction, including hybrid models, by April 1, 2021, and funding will be reduced by one percent for each calendared instructional day that all required groups are not receiving in-person instruction. IPI Grants will be forfeited if a local education agency does not offer in-person instruction for all required student groups by May 15, 2021. IPI Grants can be used for purposes associated with in-person instruction, including COVID-19 testing, cleaning and disinfection, personal protective equipment, ventilation, salaries, and social and mental health support services. 
The Expanded Learning Opportunities Grant makes up the remaining $4.6 billion, which can be used for extended instructional learning time, learning supports, health, counseling mental health and social emotional learning, community learning hubs, supports for credit deficient pupils, and training for school staff. 
LEAs will need to adopt and submit a plan for the new funding.
In May 2021, LEAs will receive 50 percent of their estimated allocation for both the IPI and ELO Grants. Allocation amounts for both the IPI and ELO Grants will be recalculated based on final data for the fiscal year. In August 2021, LEAs will receive the remainder of their allocation, less any reduction or forfeiture of IPI Grants described above. LEAs must spend funds by August 31, 2022.
CDE is developing a list of Frequently Asked Questions that will be posted to its website in the near future. Questions may be directed to InPersonGrants@cde.ca.gov  and ELOGrants@cde.ca.gov.
#####
The California Department of Education is a state agency led by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. For more information, please visit the California Department of Education’s website. You may also follow Superintendent Thurmond on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

 
(Washington, DC) –  Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) issued the following statement in opposition to H.R. 6, the Democrats’ bill to grant mass amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants, while doing nothing to improve border security.
 
Rep. LaMalfa said: “The Department of Homeland Security has told Congress it expects over 115,000 unaccompanied children to arrive in the United States this year alone, and legislation like this one is a major reason why.  We must stop sending signals to the rest of the world that we will give temporary protection followed by a shortcut to citizenship to those who cross the border if they are a minor.  We need an orderly, fair immigration system, that starts with complete control of the border. Our country has always worked to export the principles of freedom and opportunity to the rest of the world. The US cannot solve the rest of the worlds poverty and oppression by absorbing everyone who wishes to come here to have a better life.  Many of us have a great deal of sympathy for those brought here through no choice of their own, but this bill isn’t a solution to the problems with our immigration system.”
 
The Democrats’ H.R. 6:

• Grants amnesty and a quick path to citizenship to “dreamers”, those in the DACA program, those in Temporary Protected status, those in Deferred Enforced Departure, and others.
• Permits the Secretary of DHS to allow illegal immigrants into the US who would otherwise be inadmissible because of communicable diseases, knowingly smuggling, and those who have illegally voted in the US. 
• Lowers legal barriers for citizenship including removing consideration of violating state laws and having up to three misdemeanors
• Allows illegal aliens who have already been deported to receive green cards

Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties.
 
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March 2nd, 2021 - Sacramento, CA
Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Northeast California is now accepting scholarship applications for two scholarships in memoriam of former President & CEO, Barry Goggin.


About the Scholarship:
The Barry Goggin Scholarship help students pursue their goals of higher education. Initially funded by donations from Better Business Bureau serving Northeast California, these scholarships are broadly supported by those who value both academic and vocational education. The yearly awards currently include two scholarships in the amount of $2,500 each.  The awards will go to either an Academic, Vocational, or Graduate student. Please note that the scholarships are paid directly to the educational institution. 
The Academic Scholarship is open to the immediate family member or employee of an accredited business who will be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a two-year or four-year academic institution in Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba counties.
The Vocational scholarship is open to any individual who will be enrolled in a vocational or technical program this fall in Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba counties.


Testimonial from the previous winner, Angel Ford of the BBB Accredited Business, A2Z Home Improvement:
"I have always loved hiking through the mountains and seeing everything nature has to offer. However, that involves a lot of walking up large hills and steep inclines. I've found that the hardest part of those hills is right near the top when your lungs can't seem to get enough air and your legs grow weary.

College has been a similar experience for me and as I approach the end of my undergraduate years, it has become more strenuous. I found the Goggin scholarship right when I needed it, and the scholarship I received has helped me work my way up that last steep incline. The application process was thought-provoking and challenging and I found myself enjoying the process. The people I met were so kind and welcoming, and I am honored that I was chosen. I am confident in saying that I wouldn't be where I am now if it hadn't been for their encouragement and their aid. "


Applications for 2021-22 Academic Year:
Our next round of scholarship awards will be for the 2021-22 academic year. The online applications will be accepted beginning January 1, 2021 with a deadline of March 31, 2021. Please thoroughly read all the instructions below to ensure that the appropriate information is submitted.  All 2020-21 scholarship applications must be completed and submitted online with all requested materials. Please make sure your contact information is current and will be valid through June 30, 2021. If you need any assistance or accommodations with the application process, please contact the Better Business Bureau office no later than February 28, 2021 to ensure that we can assist you in time to meet the deadline of March 31, 2021.


Guidelines for applications
Academic Scholarship Application
Vocational Scholarship Applicaton
# # #
ABOUT BBB: BBB is a nonprofit, business-supported organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. For more than 100 years, the Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. Most BBB services to consumers are free of charge. BBB provides objective advice, free BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.3 million companies, 11,000 charity reviews, dispute resolution services, alerts and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. There are over 100 local, independent BBBs across the United States, Canada and Mexico. BBB of Northeast California was founded in 1937 and serves 24 counties throughout the region. Visit bbb.org for more information.
© 2019

 
(Washington, DC) –  Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) issued the following statement in opposition to H.R. 1620, the Democrats’ bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
 
Rep. LaMalfa said: “This outrageously partisan bill contains numerous issues that would end up harming women rather than protecting them. The most glaring example is it would force women’s shelters to accept men who claim to be women or lose federal grant funding. This puts women who are fleeing abusive and dangerous situations in harm’s way rather than offering protection. California already has an example, at a shelter for homeless women in Fresno a transgender man sexually harassed nine women. I urge Democrats to stop playing politics with programs that protect women and instead pass a reauthorization focused on helping women and children escape violence.”
 
Rep. LaMalfa is a cosponsor of Congresswoman Elise Stefanik’s (NY-21) bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Woman Act (H.R. 1892), which would keep important funding available to fight domestic violence and sexual abuse while Congress works on a long-term reauthorization. Even though authorization lapsed in 2018, Congress has continued funding VAWA grant programs. For fiscal year 2021, funding levels for VAWA’s 19 grant programs were nearly $580 million.
 
Additional harmful provisions of the Democrat’s H.R. 1620 include:

• Promotes unproven methods of victim treatment that could force a victim to confront her abuser
• Restricts the tools available to prosecute domestic violence cases
• Infringes upon 2nd Amendment rights without due process
• Fails to provide exemptions for religious organizations who run shelters and legal aid centers

In case you missed the story about a transsexual male sexually assaulting women in a Fresno, CA shelter for women, here is the story:Poverello Sued For Protecting Transgender Individual In Women’s Shelter | KMJ-AF1 (kmjnow.com)
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties.
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) will be accepting grant applications for quagga and zebra mussel infestation prevention programs from March 22 through April 30, 2021. All applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 30, 2021.
“Quagga and zebra mussels continue to pose a serious threat to California's waters and fisheries,” said DBW Acting Deputy Director Ramona Fernandez. “It is important for the recreational boating community to do their part to prevent the further spread of these freshwater mussels, as they can damage boats, impact access at waterways, aquatic ecosystems and fisheries, water delivery systems, hydroelectric facilities, agriculture and the environment in general.”
California water body authorities have recognized the westward spread of mussel infestation via the Colorado River System and the potential harm to state waterways should lakes and reservoirs become invaded. To help prevent California waterways from infestation, DBW provides grants to entities that own or manage any aspect of water in a reservoir that is open for public recreation and is mussel-free.
The Quagga and Zebra Mussel Infestation Grant Program will award up to $3 million to eligible applicants. Owners and managers of uninfested reservoirs as defined in Section 6004.5 of the California Water Code are eligible to apply. Funds are available for prevention projects such as planning, watercraft inspection stations and inspectors, launch monitors, watercraft decontamination units, educational signage and outreach. These competitive grants are intended to augment local resources.
DBW will host a webinar on Thursday, March 25, 2021 where potential applicants can learn more about the application process and the Program. Application review and scoring will be conducted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and DBW. Final award decision will be made by DBW’s Acting Deputy Director Fernandez, with the grants expected to be encumbered by September 2021. To learn more, please visit the Quagga and Zebra Mussel Infestation Prevention Grant webpage.

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SACRAMENTO—The State Board of Education today voted to give California school districts the opportunity to use either state tests or other standards-aligned assessments to gauge student learning this spring.
The vote builds on last month’s Board action to apply for the maximum flexibility offered by the U.S. Department of Education in testing, accountability, and reporting requirements and to seek further options that account for the impact of COVID-19 on educators, families, and schools.
The Board is seeking to allow districts to use the best assessment tool available for the local context this spring, as many of them are still providing distance learning and working to reopen schools. Options include the state’s Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments and California Alternate Assessments for English language arts and mathematics, the Smarter Balanced interim assessments, or other diagnostic, benchmark, or interim assessments that:

• Are aligned with California Common Core State Standards for English language arts and math.
• Are available to assess students in grades 3-8 and 11.
• Are uniformly administered across a grade span, school, or district.
• Provide results that can be reported to parents/guardians, educators about individual students, and to the public by school and by district and are disaggregated by student group.

“While school reopening momentum is growing and we expect many more students to return to class this spring, we realize that many more may still be learning remotely either some days or every day,” said State Board President Linda Darling-Hammond. “The Board’s action today, coupled with our previous request for flexibility, will give local educators and state policymakers important data on student progress while recognizing the realities of a very challenging year.”
Diagnostic and interim/benchmark assessments help teachers identify student learning gaps and progress and adjust instruction throughout the year.  As a condition of funding this year, districts were required to use such assessments and identify them in their learning continuity plans filed last fall. A California Department of Education survey of schools and districts showed that the majority of districts use a diagnostic or interim test that would qualify with the parameters delineated by the Board.
Giving districts the opportunity to use local diagnostic or interim tests to meet state and federal expectations for assessment and reporting purposes will help lessen concerns about students participating in extensive testing before they have a chance to re-adjust to in-person learning.
This additional flexibility would expand on California’s previous federal flexibility request which would:

• Decouple state assessments from federal accountability requirements, as applicable. Instead, any data collected would be used to inform local educators and parents and align resources to student supports.
• Waive federal penalties for student testing participation rates of less than 95 percent on the state’s Smarter Balanced English language arts and math assessments.
• Extend the window by which schools must complete test administration to July 30 for the English Language Assessments for California (ELPAC), which measures English learners’ progress toward language proficiency, and for the Smarter Balanced assessments, as applicable.
• Waive administration of the state’s science tests altogether for 2021.

Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, all states that receive federal funds for low-income students and English learners must assess annual learning progress in math, language arts, science, and English learner language proficiency, as applicable.
Last year, the federal government granted blanket waivers permitting states to opt-out of annual testing altogether. However, a federal state assessment compliance template released March 8 closed the door on that option for this year.
At its November 2020 meeting, the State Board approved shortened blueprints of the Smarter Balanced assessments in English language arts and math in order to administer shorter tests in these subjects.
In addition, federal guidance allows remote administration of all tests. California has permitted remote testing since last August.
With many students only beginning to return to in-person instruction, Board members emphasized—as the Federal guidance states—that students should not be brought back to in-person instruction solely for the purpose of standardized testing.
“While there are benefits to providing a snapshot look at how our students have been affected academically by the pandemic, we all know that the social-emotional health of our students and their reattachment to a caring school environment must come first,” said President Darling-Hammond. “Helping our students cope with a painful year and feel supported in their learning remains our top priority.”
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The California Department of Education is a state agency led by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. For more information, please visit the California Department of Education’s website. You may also follow Superintendent Thurmond on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

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Truckee, Calif. – The U.S. Forest has recently approved the East Zone Connectivity Project authorizing construction of marquee additions to the Truckee trail network. New trail construction will occur on the west slope of the Verdi Range adjacent to Boca and Stampede Reservoirs near Truckee, Calif.
Specifically, the Connectivity Project approves:

• The construction of seventy miles of motorcycle single-track, including key connections to the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and the community of Verdi, Nev.
• The restoration of forty-one miles of user created OHV trail through sensitive areas.
• The construction of several new staging areas and trailheads.

In addition, the Connectivity Project designates thirty-five miles of existing non-motorized trail as open to Class 1 eBikes, including the Sawtooth Trail, the Jackass Ridge trail system, Emigrant Trail, and the Big Chief Trail. This is the first major addition of authorized, Class 1 eBike use on National Forest System trails within the surrounding area.
“From the historic paths of the Washoe, the Emigrant Trail and the Transcontinental Railroad,” said Jonathan Cook-Fisher, Truckee District Ranger, “to the more recent additions of Interstate 80 and the Airport District, the Truckee area has often found itself at the center of a trail and transportation network. We hope that the opportunities afforded by the East Zone Connectivity Project, along with other regional trail projects, honors this history. Our community continues to provide an excellent example of collaborative planning and recreation access that others can emulate.”
“Specifically, the addition of single-track motorcycle trails to our recreation network was a missing piece, as was the additional opportunities for Class 1 eBikes,” Cook-Fisher continued. “In the future, we envision multiple routes to travel on between the communities of Lake Tahoe’s North Shore through Truckee and on to Verdi or Reno, or west over the Sierra to points beyond.”
For more information about the Tahoe National Forest, go to www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe.
Join the conversation by following us on Twitter at twitter.com/Tahoe_NF and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TahoeNF.
 
 

By Harold Pease Ph.D.



On the heels of the Equality Act which opens the door for religious persecution and damages the right of assembly and speech, the Democrats with H.R.1, also misnamed, Bill For the People Act of 2021, seeks to cement corrupt election practices indefinitely.  Also, like the Equality Act, it had already passed the House with a solid 220 Democrats over unanimous Republican opposition of 210, before most Americans were aware of it because of the party’s overwhelming control of the press and full-court press censorship practices of anything negative to Joe Biden.
Contrary to its title the nearly 800-page, “Bill For the People,” would remove authority over elections from the people.  It constitutes a federal takeover of all elections.  It incorporates and legalizes every objectionable practice in the election of 2020.  It installs controlled elections.
Under the Constitution all elections, including federal, are governed at the state level under the philosophy never elevate to a higher level that which can be resolved at a lesser level.  The Founding Fathers placed the responsibility for all elections with the body closest to the people, “The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senator and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each state by the Legislature thereof” (Article 1, Section 4,).  Corruption is isolated and the people themselves, most affected by it, are most likely to correct it.
It undermines the Elections Clause cited above which bestows principleauthority to the states and the Electors Clause of Article II exclusive authorityin presidential elections.  “Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress” (Article II, Section 2, Clause 3)  Indeed, it could destroy the Electoral College. 
The state legislature constitutionally creates all law governing elections and holds all jurisdiction concerning the same.  Removing them would require an amendment to the Constitution mandating a 3/4th vote of the states rather than a mere bill of Congress passed by the majority of a single party.  Thus they hold authority over all voting issues.  The Democrats want that power.
Again, all election law is the prerogative of the state legislatures alone excepting what presently exists in the Constitution or that which has gone through the amending process, as outlined in Article V, and thus reassigned to the federal government.  These include Amendments: 12—election of the president, 15—universal suffrage not race based, 17—direct election of senators, 19—women’s suffrage, 24—poll tax for voting prohibited, and 26—voting at age eighteen. 
The “For the People Act of 2021” dumps state authority over elections, thus moving it further FROM THE PEOPLE, handing it over to the federal government instead.  It would mandate the following: mail-in ballots, a 10 day delay in election results, eliminate voter ID election security, register millions of criminally present foreign citizen voters, explode opportunities for election fraud, prevent cleaning up voter rolls, unleash mobs on political donors, gerrymander districts in favor of Democrats, make vote hacking easier, allow former felons voting before they complete their sentences, help those aged 16 and 17 vote illegally, ban keeping the records necessary for an election audit or recount, mandate ballot drop boxes, and work to extend to U.S. territories extra Democrat seats in congress (“15 Insane Things in Democrats’ H.R. 1 Bill to Corrupt Elections Forever,” by Joy Pullmann, March 8, 2021).  
Such also violates Amendment 14, Section 2, which gives states exclusive constitutional authority to decide when felons may vote again.  Again, a mere statute cannot override an Amendment to the Constitution.  
It unconstitutionally replaces state authority with unelected commissions.  The present independence of state judges assessing election controversies now would be under the authority of a new unelected “Commission to Protect Democratic Institutions” from Washington D.C.
If passed this is the largest overhaul of U.S. election law in at least a generation, perhaps since women’s suffrage, totally unconstitutional without an amendment.  With virtually no bipartisanship in Congress, Democrats are quite happy with how they “elected” Joe Biden in 2020.  The vote in the Senate is predictably 50-50 with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tiebreaker.  
Still, Senate rules require a 60 vote margin of victory and that will not happen honestly.  This they admit, “If Mitch McConnell is not willing to provide 10 Republicans to support this landmark reform, I think Democrats are going to step back and reevaluate the situation,” Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD), the author of HR 1, told Vox in a recent interview. “There’s all manner of ways you could redesign the filibuster so [the bill] would have a path forward” (“The bill still faces a steep climb in the US Senate,” Vox by Ella Nilsenella, March 3, 2021).
With the passage of H.R.1 everything previously illegal in an election is now made legal.  Simply put, “The bill interferes with the ability of states and their citizens to determine qualifications for voters, to ensure the accuracy of voter registration rolls [and] to secure the integrity of elections” (The Facts About H.R. 1—the For the People Act of 2019, The Heritage Foundation February 1, 2019). Look to permanent one party rule and the end of free elections and the Constitution as we know it if this bill, removing governance of elections further from the people, goes through.


 
Dr. Harold Pease is an expert on the United States Consitution and a syndicated columnist. He has dedicated his career to studying the writings of the Founding Fathers and applying that knowledge to current events. He taught history and political science from this perspective for over 30 years. Newspapers have permission to publish this column. To read more of his weekly articles, please visit www.LibertyUnderFire.org.

SACRAMENTO, CA - The California Democratic Party (CADEM), the nation’s largest statewide Democratic Party, announced today a contribution of $250,000 to fight against the Republican led effort to recall Governor Gavin Newsom.

“The California Democratic Party unequivocally opposes the Republican attempt to recall Governor Gavin Newsom,” stated Rusty Hicks, Chair of CADEM. “The Republican National Committee, wealthy Trump donors and right-wing extremists have joined forces to disrupt California’s road to recovery. Despite the efforts by the GOP to take us back to some of our darkest days, CADEM is prepared to mobilize our grassroots people power and make it clear to voters that the Democratic Party is the only party focused on protecting the health and safety of all Californians and their families,” continued Hicks.

The Stop the Republican Recall campaign is a diverse coalition made up of Democrats and prominent progressives including Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Alex Padilla, Senator Cory Booker, Congressmember Ro Khanna, Congresswoman Katie Porter, and Stacey Abrams.

“Rather than supporting California’s pandemic recovery, Republicans are choosing to shift the focus and attention away from those who need it most. Sadly, chaos is the playbook for the Republican Party - and it’s time for Democrats to unite to forcefully reject the Republican recall of our Governor,” Hicks continued.

For more information about Stop the Republican Recall, visit StoptheRepublicanRecall.com. 

CADEM is the nation's largest statewide Democratic Party, representing over 10 million California Democrats. ####

SACRAMENTO – Today Assemblymembers James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) and Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) called for an end to state-level COVID-19 restrictions in California, introducing Assembly Concurrent Resolution 46 to terminate Governor Newsom's emergency powers. The Resolution is coauthored by other North State leaders, including Assemblymember Megan Dahle and Senators Brian Dahle and Jim Nielsen.
 
Gallagher and Kiley will be hosting a Zoom Press Conference on Tuesday, March 16 at 9:30 a.m. They will be joined by County Supervisors Bonnie Gore (Placer), Karm Bains (Sutter), and Tod Kimmelshue (Butte). 
 
Over the past few months, 14 counties in California have adopted or expressed support for the Healthy Communities Resolution, which rejects the state's top down, one-size-fits-all Blueprint for a Safer Economy. Counties that have formally adopted or expressed support for the resolution include Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Orange, Placer, San Luis Obispo, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, and Yuba. A document with each county resolution or letter of support is attached.
 
A growing number of geographically and politically diverse states have already lifted all or most of their statewide restrictions and returned decision-making power to the local level. California, by contrast, is last in the nation in opening its schools as well as its businesses. The AP recently reported that “California and Florida have experienced almost identical outcomes in COVID-19 case rates” despite their differing approaches, and that “states with greater government-imposed restrictions have not always fared better than those without them.”
 
“Gavin Newsom's response to COVID-19 has been a failure by any measure,” Kiley said. “Rather than needlessly continue to destroy lives and livelihoods, the state should trust local communities and the people of California to make their own decisions."
 
“It’s time to end the Governor's top down rule and restore local control,” Gallagher added. “This arbitrary tiered system has devastated our businesses, employees, and our kids' education far too long already. Other states have done just as well or better responding to COVID-19 without this heavy handed approach.”
 

 
On March 13, 2021, at approximately 1538 hours, Richard Joy from Beckwourth, CA, was driving a 2016 Kia Sorento southbound on Grizzly Road north of SR-70 and approaching the stop limit line.  Shirley Joy was positioned in the front right passenger seat.  A 2014 Subaru Crosstrek, driven by Olivia Fragiacomo from Portola, CA, was traveling westbound on SR-70 east of Grizzly Road.  Joy began to make left turn onto eastbound SR-70 and failed to yield the right of way to Fragiacomos’ approaching vehicle.  Joy drove directly into the path of the Subaru and Fragiacomo attempted evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision.  The front of the Subaru collided with left front of the Kia.   
 
Members of the California Highway Patrol, local Fire Department and Medical personnel arrived on-scene to render aid.  Richard and Shirley Joy were transported to Renown Medical Center in Reno, NV.  Tragically, Shirley Joy succumbed to her injuries as a result of the collision. 
 
Both directions of the SR-70 were reduced to one-way traffic control for approximately 1 hours to facilitate the on-scene collision investigation.  The exact cause of the collision is not yet known and the incident remains under investigation.  The medical examiner will assist in determining whether drug or alcohol impairment was a factor in the collision.  If any member of the public have questions regarding this incident, they are encouraged to contact the California Highway Patrol

By Ted Gaines
Word count 606
 
Governor Newsom looks certain to face a recall election. Voters – even his supporters – should be thankful that California has citizen empowerment tools to check corrupt, incompetent, unresponsive or simply unpopular government officials. If you favor accountability, look kindly upon the recall effort as a means of voters being heard.
 
It was not always so. In the early 20th century, California state and local governments, media, and courtrooms operated as little more than subsidiaries of the mighty railroads, which abused the public faith by buying and selling influence as though it was rail stock. Republican reform Governor Hiram Johnson revolted against railroad dominance by creating a direct-democracy end run around the moneyed Colossus that so easily and thoroughly controlled the state.
 
Johnson championed three major reforms: the initiative, the referendum, and, so critical now, the recall. Each gave voters the chance to circumvent the existing and corrupted power structure that had silenced them.
 
Voters went from having little or no way to hold their representatives to account to having a powerful arsenal for self-determination, which they have used many times in the past century.
 
When runaway property taxes chased seniors out of their homes and broke family budgets, voters came together in 1978 to pass Proposition 13, the most consequential tax reform in state history. Prop. 13 has saved families billions in its four-plus decades of existence. This reform simply could not have originated in the legislature, whose appetite for more and more tax dollars is legendary, but only as an initiative from the people.
 
When Gray Davis short circuited during the energy crisis, voters famously used the recall to usher in Arnold Schwarzenegger as his replacement, to see if the Hollywood legend could right the ship of state.
 
Whether you supported Davis or Schwarzenegger or Prop. 13 is secondary to the power Governor Johnson’s reforms invested in the people. The key element of his changes is that voters were given the ability to weigh in, to be heard, in ways that purely representative democracy does not allow.
 
Governor Newsom’s detractors have accused him of decimating small business, failing to reopen schools, and disregarding his own restaurant-killing safety guidance. These criticisms have fueled another grassroots effort to end his term early and find a better replacement.
 
Even if you support Newsom completely and think his handling of California is flawless, is it not a good thing for the Governor – and all politicians – to be haunted by the specter of accountability?
 
Hiram Johnson left us tools, not toys. It is not easy to place a recall on the ballot. To qualify, proponents need to submit valid signatures equal to 12-percent of the prior election’s turnout total. This year, that means roughly 1.2 million signatures were needed to put our current Governor up for a vote of (no) confidence. That threshold is a huge hurdle and ensures that recalls will not be used lightly.
 
But that threshold also means it now typically costs $5 million or so to qualify a recall or initiative for the ballot. This tool of the people runs the risk of being transported into the exclusive realm of big-money special interests who can afford paid signature gatherers, advertising, mail pieces and other tools of organization and persuasion. We should not let it turn into the very thing it was intended to fight. We should make it easier to qualify initiatives, referenda, and recalls, to keep them safely within reach of authentic grassroots efforts.
 
Newsom may or may not fare better than Davis. But win or lose, the recall is a signal to the current Governor and all politicians that they serve at the people’s pleasure.
 
Senator Ted Gaines (Ret.) was elected to represent the Board of Equalization’s First District. He is a leading taxpayer advocate and is committed to providing trustworthy and transparent representation for nearly ten million constituents in 30 counties of northern, eastern, and southern California. For more information, visit boe.ca.gov/Gaines.
 

Grand Opening Thursday March 18
CHANGE: 3 - 7 pm serving refreshments

Opening for Business Friday March 19
7am to 2pm.
Open Wed thru Sunday’s 7am to 2pm
​

 
(Washington, DC) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa issued the following statement after the Senate included a one-time provision in its version of the American Rescue Plan to make the first $10,200 of Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits in 2020 tax free. Congressman LaMalfa raised the issue in a letter to his House and Senate colleagues and did offer an amendment during House debate on this bill that would have excluded UI compensation from gross taxable income for 2020. Thousands of Californian’s will face large unplanned tax burdens because of Gavin Newsom’s Employment Development Department (EDD) incorrectly calculated tax withholdings, or simply ignored withholding requests. President Biden has nominated Julie Su to be Deputy Secretary of Labor. Su was the Secretary of California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, that unfortunately was the agency that directly oversaw California’s EDD debacle.
 
LaMalfa said: “By forgiving federal income tax on UI benefits in 2020, Americans who suffered the most – with the loss of their job – will be given extra assistance consistent with lawmakers’ original intent. In addition, those who have suffered identity theft and unemployment fraud will have buffer time for state workforce agencies and the IRS to fix the mistakes made. It is unacceptable that EDD’s inability to withhold taxes properly would lead to a Californian being penalized and owing a lump sum in April. The Senate made the right move to add this direct, targeted, COVID-related aid.”
 
LaMalfa has sounded the alarm for weeks that an avalanche of problems would arise this tax season regarding the taxation of UI benefits. As the COVID-19 pandemic decimated the American economy and left millions of people jobless, many were unaware that UI benefits were considered taxable income. Additionally, state workforce agencies, such as California’s EDD, were inconsistent in withholding federal income taxes, causing thousands of Californians to owe a lump sum of taxes due to EDD’s mistakes. Lastly, international identity theft and unemployment fraud schemes have resulted in an estimated $36 billion in fraudulent payments, including sending unemployment funds to California’s Death Row inmates. Recently, Americans have been receiving 1099-G tax forms claiming they owe income taxes on UI benefits received in 2020, although they did not receive these benefits.
 
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc,
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