Sierra County, as part of the Greater Sacramento Region, has been under a Regional Stay Home Order since December 10, 2020. The Regional Stay Home Order has impacted our local businesses and inhibited many activities. The Greater Sacramento Region’s ICU capacity has been monitored by the State since we entered the Regional Stay Home Order. The State continues to review regional ICU capacity data and uses ICU capacity projections into the future for four weeks to inform their decisions. The State will notify Sierra County if the Regional Stay Home Order is lifted. There has been no communication to allow the current Regional Stay Home Order for the Greater Sacramento Region to expire.

At this time, Sierra County Public Health Department does not know if the Regional Stay Home Order will end or be extended. While we anticipate hearing from the State soon, we cannot guarantee this. We advise all businesses and organizations to continue to be patient and not preemptively accommodate activities that would go against the current Regional Stay Home Order. Once the County receives notification from the State, all businesses in Sierra County will be notified via an emailed press release to update the status of the Regional Stay Home Order. Until then, please continue to follow all restrictions outlined in the Regional Stay Home Order.
For more information, please visit www.sierracounty.ca.gov. If you have any questions or concerns, please email COVID19@sierracounty.ca.gov.
###

​

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (December 31, 2020) – A coalition of agricultural and business employers has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court challenging the COVID-19 related emergency temporary standards (ETS) recently approved by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Board). The complaint alleges, among other things, that the Board lacks statutory authority to impose many of the sweeping measures of the ETS on California employers.

For California’s multi-generational farmers, the health and safety of their employees and the consumers they serve is their top priority.

“In the weeks and months following Governor Newsom’s emergency declaration in March, California farmers and processors moved quickly to implement dramatic new safety practices aimed at mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace,” said Dave Puglia, President & CEO of Western Growers. “While these measures helped reduce transmission in workplaces, this virus has swept through communities large and small in spite of lockdown orders and mask mandates, and through every sector of the economy as well despite extraordinary efforts by employers and employees alike. The Board imposed unrealistic, unfounded and economically harmful standards in total disregard of these realities. We have no choice but to seek judicial relief.”

The standards promulgated by the Board are unprecedented and sweeping. They were adopted with little public notice or opportunity for comment based on a purported “finding of emergency” and a declared need for immediate action, even though it took the Board nine months to enact these rules. Furthermore, Cal/OSHA staff insisted the ETS were not necessary for the agency to enforce the continually evolving general and industry-specific guidelines for the prevention of COVID-19. As stated in the complaint, “the ETS does not solve a crisis as much as it creates one.”

“We take this unfortunate yet serious action because we believe there are unconsidered mitigation steps that have and would continue to better protect farm workers while allowing our farmers to continue to produce a consistent supply of fruits and vegetables,” said Christopher Valadez, President of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California. “As this pandemic has shown us over the last several months, it is imperative that science and data drive policy. That is at the core of what we seek in this lawsuit.”

The ETS create significant new obligations and liabilities for employers, and subject well-meaning California farmers and other businesses to additional enforcement actions and substantial penalties. The practical effect of these emergency standards is to shift the public health and economic costs of COVID-19 monitoring, investigation, compliance and remediation onto employers, all without any consideration of the financial damage inflicted on businesses already struggling to recover from the pandemic.

“These regulations will disrupt food supply operations all along the line, but it will be especially hard on our 20,000 small family farming members,” said Jamie Johansson, President of the California Farm Bureau. “They and their employees are the unsung heroes of the pandemic but once again, they must react to a rule handed down by fiat instead of going through a deliberate regulatory process where the voices of farmers would be heard. We hope the court forces government to follow the law.”

It is important to note that the ETS will have a disproportionate impact on California farmers and their employees since one aspect of the regulations is to substantially reduce and eliminate vitally needed agricultural housing during a statewide housing crisis. A reduction in already-scarce housing will directly impact farmworker communities and harm rural economies across the state that depend on agriculture.

The lawsuit filed by lead attorney David A. Schwarz, Kent R. Raygor and Barbara Taylor, with Sheppard Mullin, argues that in enacting the emergency regulations without due process, the Board failed to explain the causal link between the ETS and the emergency situation to be addressed, or to adequately justify the necessity of the new rules. Additionally, the complaint contends that many of the regulations have nothing to do with workplace health or occupational safety but are designed to address non-work-related COVID-19 exposure risks.

Click here for a fact sheet that details the basis for the legal challenge.

The six plaintiff organizations and media contacts are listed below:

• California Association of Winegrape Growers: Michael Miiller, (916) 204-0485, Michael@CAWG.org or Meredith Ritchie, (916) 708-3364, Meredith@CAWG.org
• California Business Roundtable: Brooke Armour Spiegel, (916) 553-4093, brooke@cbrt.org
• California Farm Bureau: Dave Kranz, (916) 719-2056, dkranz@cfbf.com
• Grower-Shipper Association of Central California: Christopher Valadez, (831) 422-8844, chris@growershipper.com
• Ventura County Agricultural Association: Rob Roy, (805) 388-2727, Rob-vcaa@pacbell.net
• Western Growers: Cory Lunde, (949) 885-2264, clunde@wga.com

About California Association of Winegrape Growers:
The California Association of Winegrape Growers protects and promotes the interests of California winegrape growers by providing members a unified voice, effective advocacy and strong leadership. CAWG promotes the winegrowing industry’s long-term success by advancing the adoption of sound public policies, and fostering awareness and understanding of winegrape growers’ contributions to the economy, environment and California communities.

About California Business Roundtable:
The California Business Roundtable is a non-partisan organization comprised of the senior executive leadership of the major employers throughout the state – with a combined workforce of more than half a million employees. For more than thirty-five years the Roundtable has identified the issues critical to a healthy business climate and provided the leadership needed to strengthen California’s economy and create jobs.

About California Farm Bureau:
The California Farm Bureau works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of nearly 32,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of more than 5.5 million Farm Bureau members.

About Grower-Shipper Association of Central California:
Grower-Shipper Association of Central California is a regional trade association, offering advocacy, programs and services to over 300 members. Founded in 1930, today the organization’s membership consists primarily of growers, shippers, harvesters and processors of vegetables and fruits produced in the Central Coast region of California, encompassing Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Santa Clara Counties; united around a core mission of advancing solutions benefitting families, food and farming.

About Ventura County Agricultural Association:
Ventura County Agricultural Association is a trade association dedicated to supporting agriculture businesses in the California counties of Ventura and Santa Barbara. The association provides a wide variety of services to its members, but most significantly in labor relations and employee safety training programs.

About Western Growers:
Founded in 1926, Western Growers represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico. Our members and their workers provide over half the nation's fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including nearly half of America's fresh organic produce. Some members also farm throughout the U.S. and in other countries so people have year-round access to nutritious food. For generations, we have provided variety and healthy choices to consumers. Connect with and learn more about Western Growers on our Twitter and Facebook.

# # #
‌  ‌

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today conducted the first Phillips Station snow survey of the season. The manual survey recorded 30.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 10.5 inches, which is 93 percent of the January 1 average for this location. The snow water equivalent measures the amount of water contained in the snowpack and is a key component of DWR’s water supply forecast. While conditions were positive at Phillips Station, statewide the snowpack is just 52% of average for this date.

“The snow survey results reflect California’s dry start to the water year and provide an important reminder that our state’s variable weather conditions are made more extreme by climate change,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “We still have several months left to bring us up to average, but we should prepare now for extended dry conditions. The Department, along with other state agencies and local water districts, is prepared to support communities should conditions remain dry.”

On average, the Sierra snowpack supplies about 30 percent of California’s water needs and the snowpack is an important factor in determining how DWR manages the state’s water resources. Its natural ability to store water is why the Sierra snowpack is often referred to as California's “frozen reservoir.” As spring sets in, the snowpack begins to melt. Water that’s not absorbed into the ground, called “runoff,” trickles into mountain streams, which feed rivers and eventually aqueducts and reservoirs, where it can be stored for use throughout the dry season. Climate change is affecting California’s snowpack, however, as more precipitation falls as rain and less as snow.

More telling than a survey at a single location are DWR’s electronic readings from 130 stations placed throughout the State. Measurements indicate that statewide, the snowpack’s SWE is 5 inches, or 52 percent of the December 30 average.

“Today’s survey brought a first glimpse of how the state’s snowpack is shaping up, but there is a lot of winter still ahead,” said Sean de Guzman, chief of DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Section. “While the dry conditions during late summer and fall have led to a below average snowpack, it is still encouraging to have the amount of snow we already have with two of the three typically wettest months still to come.”

DWR conducts five media-oriented snow surveys at Phillips Station each winter near the first of each month, January through April and, if necessary, May.

Additional Resources

Video of today’s Phillips survey (Expected between 2-3 p.m.)

Digital photos of today’s Phillips survey (Expected between 2-3 p.m.)

Snowpack readings (View readings for current regional snowpack and historical snowpack comparison)

CDEC precipitation data (View current charts for the Northern Sierra 8-station index for updated rainfall readings in the critical northern portion of the state, as well as the San Joaquin 5-station index and Tulare Basin 6-station index.)


###
​

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol (CHP) today announced the availability of nearly $27 million in grant funds to help local communities combat impaired driving.
The funding is the result of Proposition 64, the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act, which provided specified cannabis tax funding to the CHP to administer local grants for education, prevention, and enforcement programs regarding impaired driving.  Funding for the grants comes from a tax on the cultivation and sale of cannabis and cannabis products sold in California since January 2018.
For the current grant cycle, the CHP’s Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program will be awarding grants based on a competitive process to California law enforcement agencies and local toxicology laboratories meeting the eligibility requirements described in the 2021 Request for Application, available on the CHP website.   
The CHP will hold a virtual workshop on January 6, 2021, to answer questions from potential grant applicants regarding the application process, the 2021 Request for Application, administrative program regulations, and other general questions.
Applications will be accepted beginning January 7, 2021, through February 23, 2021, for programs beginning on July 1, 2021.  These grants will enhance existing efforts to address impaired driving.
“These grants represent an opportunity for the CHP to work collaboratively with local traffic safety stakeholders to strategically address impaired driving issues while making California’s roadways a safer place to travel,” CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray said.
Those interested in this grant opportunity can learn more about the program, obtain workshop updates, and view the 2021 Request for Application by visiting the Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program page on the CHP’s website, under the Programs and Services tab.
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.
 
###
 

 
 
Dr. Glenn Mollette 
 
2021 is here, and will it be just another year? If it's just another year then that won't be bad at all because too many will not have another year. The opportunity and privilege to have another year is the gift of life. Being alive and living your life is about as good as it gets. Aim for being alive this time next year. 
 
Make some decisions about 2021. Where do you want to be this time in 12 months? Would you like to be ten pounds heavier? Maybe you would like to be ten or twenty pounds lighter? If you cut back on your portions and get off the couch you can lose a pound a week on average. This is daunting but just think about where you can be the first of March if you start today? Don't start tomorrow. Start right now. Today. This minute. Throw all that junk cake and pie in the trash. This is a tough decision because we hate to say goodbye to all those holiday cookies and candies. Your body will thank you and you will feel so much better very soon.
 
Decide about financial habits. Millions of Americans carry credit card debt. Minimum payments on $3,000 of credit card debt is like swimming up river. If you have missed a few payments your credit card company may be anxious to hear from you. Ask them if they will consider a settlement payoff. A friend of mine owed $5,000 and his credit card company settled for a $2800 payoff. Your company might or might not but it never hurts to negotiate. You might be able to sell some things in order to erase that back breaking high interest debt. 
 
Make some money in 2021 - if you want to. Most Americans need to make money in 2021. Work on job applications. Peruse the newspaper. Search online. Consider places you have heard about and call them, go see them. Knock on doors of opportunity. You get nowhere if you do not try. You might complete 20 or 30 applications to get one job interview. Complete the application thoroughly. Give them a reason to consider you. Put together a good biographical sketch, resume. Have a friend or two to review and edit because two heads are better than one. Have some good trusted references. Wherever you work do a good job because you want them to say a good word about you. A good word may seal the deal on your next job opportunity. 
 
Jobs sometimes are scarce. Consider your personal knowledge and abilities and what might you do to make a dollar or two? What do you know that others need to know? What can you offer that others need or might want? Can you make something? Can you fix things? How can you help others?  Creating your own life and business might be the financial and mental sanity answer for you. If you create your own work and are good at what you do, you will not run out of something to do. 
 
Our decisions determine our destiny. Whatever decision we make we have to put into action. Faith without works is dead. May your life be good, healthy and filled with wonderful love, family and friends in 2021. Let's work together for a good year. 


Click here for -> Books By Glenn Mollette , Read his latest book Uncommon Sense
Music by Glenn Mollette through iTunes and all music dealers
  
Contact him at GMollette@aol.com.   Learn more at www.glennmollette.com   Like his facebook page at www.facebook.com/glennmollette
     additional biographical, Dr. Glenn Mollette is a graduate of numerous schools including Georgetown College, Southern and Lexington Seminaries in Kentucky. He is the author of 12 books including Uncommon Sense. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states. 

 
San Francisco, CA, December 28, 2020—Whoever coined the phrase “actions speak louder than words” did not live in the age of instantaneous communication: social media, email and texting. We watch politicians polarize citizens and countries just with one Tweet. Most of us have watched as one email or Facebook post severed a personal relationship. These negative actions can be avoided if we treat words like gold and not like weapons. Here, as we embrace the holiday season—a time of forgiveness and giving—award-winning writer, Joan Gelfand, author of the new book Extreme, shares five simple rules to employ healing words:
 
1. Get Your Grammar and Spelling Straight: There’s nothing worse than being on the receiving end of a misspelled, badly organized communication. Not only does it diminish the sender’s gravity, it shows that little care has been devoted to the writing—which literally is what we’re all doing … writing texts, emails and e-cards.
 
2. It’s All About the Tone: Have you ever had a “bad email day” where one was misinterpreted? If your gut says that your writing might be misunderstood, sleep on it until you can read it again with fresh eyes. Unless your note is time-sensitive, there is tremendous power in waiting until tomorrow.
 
3. What’s the Takeaway? Writing should always be clear and concise. In many ways, your note, email or letter is a pitch to the recipient. Whether you’re writing a love note, looking to break up or apologize, don’t wait until the last paragraph to do so. State your reason for writing right up in the first paragraph!
 
4. The Power of Writing a Real Note: Many millennials didn’t get the chance to learn how to physically write script or handwrite a note. That’s a shame because sending a handwritten note shows thought, time spent on behalf of the recipient, and a tactic that will stand out above and beyond an e-version. Mailing a letter or card with a stamp can get the positive result you hope for.
 
5. Honor the Format You Choose to Write On: Writing on social media is different than writing a greeting card. If you are writing to apologize or reach out to a long-lost friend, a quick note on social media is fine. If your recipient is more formal, then a longer note or formal letter can work wonders.
 
6. Add a Quote to Make Your Point: Enhance your position, thoughts and feelings by adding a famous quote. The reason that people choose one card over another is because of a catchy phrase, a clever hook or tagline; in other words: content. If Walt Whitman says it better for you, it’s OK for you to pull a short passage to make your claim. Not only will the reader be impressed, but they will also know you’ve taken the time to do some research. If you’re going down that path, remember to always credit the author of the quote.
 
Joan Gelfand is a writer, poet and critic whose stories, poetry and reviews have appeared in national and international publications, including the Los Angeles Review of Books, Rattle, Huffington Post, PANK! and California Quarterly. She coaches writers around the country and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle and a juror for the Northern California Book Awards. She is also a regular contributor to the Huffington Post. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, Adam Hertz, and two beatnik kitties, Jack Kerouac and Lawrence Ferlinghetti. For more information about Extreme: A Novel, please visit www.extremethebook.com.
 
Extreme: A Novel
Publisher: Blue Light Press
ISBN-10: 1421836513
ISBN-13: 978-1421836515

 
 
People v Brady Allen Cardin (20CR0071)
 
On November 13, 2020, Brady Allen Cardin, age 50 of Kings Beach, was convicted of violating Health and Safety code section 11550(e) a felony, being under the influence of a methamphetamine and in possession of a loaded firearm.  He was sentenced to2 years in State Prison.    
 
People v. Carl Andy Salyer (CR3972X)
 
On November 13, 2020, Carl Andy Salyer, age 24, of Butte County, was found in violation of his felony probation.  He was ordered returned to probation.
 
People v. Darrryl Daniel Higginbotham (20CR0031)
 
On November 23, 2020, Darryl Daniel Higgenbotham, age 32, of Verdi, was convicted of violating Penal Code section 243(e)(1), spousal battery, following a court trial.  He was sentenced to 3 years summary probation, ordered to complete a 52 week batterer’s program, pay a fine and perform community service.
 
 
People v. Brody James Smith  (20CR0005))
 
On December 8, 2020, Brody James Smith, age 39, of Downieville, was convicted of violating Vehicle Code section 12500, driving without a valid license.  He was ordered to pay a fine.
 
 
People v.Spencer George Ward (20CR0046)
 
On December 8, 2020, Spencer George Ward, age 21,of Reno, NV, was convicted of violating Vehicle Code section 23103, reckless driving.  He was placed on one year summary probation, and ordered to pay a fine.
 
People v. Charles Wesley Telford, Jr.  (20CR0062)
 
On December 8, 2020, Charles Wesley Telford, Jr, age 73, of Loyalton, was convicted of violating Penal Code section 415(3), disturbing the peace.  He was placed on two years summary probation, ordered to complete 20 hours of community service, and pay a fine. 
 
 
People v. Larissa Ranae Twiss (20CR0079)
 
On December 8, 2020, Larissa Ranae Twiss, age 35 of Sparks, NV was convicted of violating Penal Code section 647(f), drunk in public.  She was placed on one year summary probation and ordered to pay a fine. 
 
People v. Lee Ann Polastrini (20CR0084)
 
On December 8, 2020, Lee Ann Polastrini, age 48, of Loyalton, was convicted of violating Vehicle Code section 23103.5, reckless driving involving alcohol. She was ordered to spend 2 days in jail, one year summary probation, and to pay a fine.
 
People v. Francisco Ortiz (20CR0092)
 
On December 8, 2020, Francisco Ortiz, age 30, of Reno, NV was convicted of violating Vehicle Code section 14601.1(a), driving with a suspended driver’s license.  He was placed on one year summary probation and ordered to pay a fine.
 
People v. Jeffrey Allen Johnson (20CR0096-B)
 
On December 8, 2020, Jeffrey Allen Johnson, age 64, of Colfax, was convicted of violating Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, section 708.1, hunting deer without a license.  He was placed on one year summary probation and ordered to pay a fine.
 
People v. James Kenneth White (CR04006)
 
On December 8, 2020, James Kenneth White, age 40, of Loyalton, was convicted of violating Vehicle Code section 14601.1, driving with a suspended license.  He was placed on 2 years summary probation and ordered to pay a fine.