SACRAMENTO, Calif. –  Today, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced an increase in 2020 State Water Project (SWP) allocations to 15 percent of requested supplies, up from the year’s initial 10 percent allocation announced on December 2.
Allocations are reviewed monthly based on snowpack and runoff information and are typically finalized by May.
 
“California gets most of its annual precipitation from a handful of major and infrequent winter storms,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “After some significant storms in December, January has been relatively quiet and is currently below average. We continue to hope for wetter conditions and must always work to eliminate waste and use water more wisely.”
 
Precipitation in the Northern Sierra is at 63 percent of average to date. Statewide snowpack is 76 percent of normal for this date. The state gets about 30 percent of its annual water supply from snowpack. Snow water content is one factor in determining allocation amounts along with reservoir storage and releases necessary to meet water supply and environmental demands.
 
Lake Oroville, the SWP’s largest reservoir, is currently at 61 percent of capacity and 94 percent of average for this time of year. Shasta Lake, the Central Valley Project’s (CVP) largest reservoir, is at 74 percent of capacity and 112 percent of average. San Luis Reservoir, the largest off-stream reservoir in the United States where water is stored for the SWP and CVP, is at 72 percent of capacity and 95 percent of average. In Southern California, SWP’s Castaic Lake is at 72 percent of capacity and 87 percent of average.
 
Today’s 15 percent allocation amounts to 635,434 acre-feet of water. The SWP provides water to 29 SWP contractors who supply water to more than 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland.
 
For information on current water conditions at the state’s largest reservoirs and weather stations, visit the California Data Exchange Center (CDEC).

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It’s not too late to take precautions against the flu; the threat
of infection can last several additional months, says AMAC

WASHINGTON, DC, Jan 24 - The flu can be uncomfortable, at best, but it can also be deadly. According to the Centers for Disease Control [CDC] so far this season more than 13 million people have been sick with the flu, at least 5,900,000 people have been to the doctor because of the flu, more than 120,000  people have been hospitalized and more than 6,600 have died.


Dan Weber, president of the senior advocacy organization, the Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC], is advising its membership and older Americans, at large, to get a flu shot if you haven’t already done so. 

“It’s not too late. The flu season is not over yet and the CDC says it can last for several more months,” Weber warns. He points out that 53% of flu victims are 65 years old or older, noting that Medicare covers 100% of the cost.. 

“Even if your physician does not take Medicare, there are alternatives. Most drug stores, particularly the major pharmacy chains, including CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid, offer Medicare-covered flu shots. And, free or low-cost shots are available at local clinics and public health facilities.” 

Weber adds, if you or someone in your family does come down with the flu, take precautions by following guidelines recommended by the CDC:

In addition to vaccination and appropriate use of antiviral drugs, CDC recommends everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of germs. 

·     If you are sick with flu-like illness, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities.

·     Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and wash your hands often with soap and water.

·     Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth as germs spread this way.

·     Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like flu.


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www.tfhd.com


 (Tahoe/Truckee, Calif.) –  February is Heart Health Month, and Tahoe Forest Health System is focusing on helping our community understand the threat of heart disease and the importance of maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle.

Heart disease remains as the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States.The good news is that a heart-healthy lifestyle can help prevent cardiovascular disease and improve heart health, even if a person has been diagnosed with a heart or vascular condition. Through a balanced diet and regular exercise, many forms of this disease can be prevented.

Tahoe Forest Health System is offering free Workshop Wednesdays during the month of February, from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm, held in the Eskridge Conference Room at Tahoe Forest Hospital.
Heart health workshop topics include:
Feb 5: Latest in Heart Health, with cardiologist, Dr. Tim Lombard, MD  
Feb 12: Seasoning with Herbs and Spices, with dietitian, Lisa Fligor, MS, RDN
Feb 19: Strength Training for a Healthy Heart, with exercise physiologist, Anna Aldridge
Feb 26: Breathing  and Mindfulness for Heart Health, with social worker, Sheryl Schultz, and health coach, Liz Schenk

The Cardiac Rehab Open House will immediately follow each workshop from 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm. Meet our disciplinary staff, enjoy healthy snacks, and tour the Cardiac Rehab facility. Everyone is welcome!
 
Tahoe Forest Health System offers the Pritikin Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation ICR program, a Medicare-approved, comprehensive lifestyle program designed specifically for patients recovering from a cardiovascular disease-related event, such as a heart attack or surgery. The program includes healthy cooking classes, nutrition workshops, healthy mindset workshops and medically-supervised exercise. Tahoe Forest Health System is the first Pritikin ICR location in California. Learn more about the Pritikin ICR program by clicking here.
 
For more information about our heart health events or the Pritikin ICR program, call (530) 582-3285.


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About Tahoe Forest Health System


Tahoe Forest Health System, which includes Tahoe Forest Hospital in Truckee, CA, and Incline Village Community Hospital in Incline Village, NV, offers 24-hour emergency care, primary and specialty health care clinics including Tahoe Forest Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, CoC-accredited cancer center, the Gene Upshaw Memorial Tahoe Forest Cancer Center, the Joseph Family Center for Women and Newborn Care and the Tahoe Forest Primary Care Clinic with same-day appointments. With a strong focus on high quality patient care, community collaboration, clinical excellence and innovation, Tahoe Forest Health System is a UC Davis Rural Center of Excellence. For a complete list of physician specialties and services, visit www.tfhd.com.
 
 

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email, including attachments, may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). If the reader of this e-mail is not the intended recipient or his/her authorized agent, the reader is hereby notified that any use, disclosure, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this e-mail, including attachments, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please IMMEDIATELY (1) Forward the email and all file attachments to compliance@tfhd.com to notify the Tahoe Forest Hospital District Compliance office AND (2) permanently delete the message and any file attachments. Questions may be directed to the Tahoe Forest Hospital District Compliance Hotline at 1(530)582-6655.

 
By Dr. Glenn Mollette 
 
 
Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil is coming out soon to see or not see his shadow on his big day, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.  If old' furry Phil wants to fly first class or even coach anywhere, he had better do it this year. The chances are he will be walking or riding with a friend in a car next Groundhog's day. 
 
A new rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation would permit airlines to stop accepting emotional support animals on planes allowing only service dogs that are professionally trained to perform tasks or assist passengers with disabilities, including psychiatric disorders.
 
I'm all for this as airplanes have started looking like Noah's Ark or flying zoos.  Who wants to ride on an airplane with birds, cats, pigs and whatever anyone imagines to be their emotional support creature? Maybe you do. A lot of us do not. 
 
 This has developed into a lot malarkey over the years. Carole and I were traveling back from Maine several years ago. We had bought tickets well in advance so we could have the two front bulkhead seats. This was a small plane and our seats weren't considered first class, but we had thee or four more inches of leg room. Before boarding our flight, we heard our names called on the airport public address system. We went to the check-in counter and were almost told that we needed to give up our seats for a man with a disability and his wife who had service animals. We were young, naïve and gullible so being tenderhearted people we said okay. 
 
The agent assigned us to the two seats directly behind our old seats which meant no extra leg room that we had planned for months in advance. The guy gets on the plane and he and his wife appear healthier than we are. He was wearing a hearing aid, but he was seeing and getting around fine as was his wife. With these people were "three" dogs. Yes, three dogs! The only thing I could tell that these dogs could do was stink up the area where we were sitting. To add insult to injury we had to ride now behind our original seats with these dogs occasionally starring at us. 
 
I'm not doing it again. Many years ago, I developed a blood clot from extended travel and I'm not giving up my seat for some person who needs to sit and pet their dog. I'm not an animal hater. I love animals. I had a dog in my house for sixteen years. For people who truly are disabled and need a documented trained service dog then that's okay but plan and buy your ticket in advance instead of bumping someone else out of their seat for your "dogs." 
 
 Most real trained service dogs are better behaved than some passengers. It's just finally time that our airlines can get some control over the zoos flying through the sky. 
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Tax on commercial properties for education and Local Government funding (2020) is actually Phase 1 of Prop 13 Repeal. VOTE NO on AB-48 at the California Primary March 3, 2020. This is hidden as an Education Measure to bring down Prop 13. VOTE NO ON AB-48
California’s Proposition 13, a ballot initiative in 1978, required all properties to be taxed at no more than 1 percent of the purchase price and increased at the rate of inflation or 2 percent, whichever is lower. A ballot measure proposed for the 2020 election that would change Proposition 13’s tax protections for commercial properties. The proposed ballot measure would create a split-roll for property taxes; residential properties would keep their tax protections, while commercial properties would have their tax protections limited or removed. Residential properties would continue to be taxed at the property’s purchase price, while commercial and industrial properties would be taxed based on their market value, instead of the purchase price, and the revenue generated from this change would go to local government and school districts.
 
In 1978, California voters passed Proposition 13, which set property taxes for residential and commercial properties at 1 percent of the purchase price. Proposition 13 also limited property taxes’ annual increases to 2 percent per year. This prevents owners from being pushed out of their homes and businesses because of an inability to pay property taxes because of property value increasing rapidly.
 
Proposition 13 also established that any measure proposed for increasing state revenues be approved by a two-thirds vote from each house of the legislature. Since Prop 13 passed in 1978, property tax revenues have grown for $5 billion to $66 billion in 2017-18, which is an average of 6.9 percent annually. Prop 13’s tax limits and protections, on average saved homeowners an estimated $13,700 and renters $4,400 in 2017.
 
The proposed ballot initiative that would change the tax protections for commercial and industrial properties while keeping the protections for residential properties, this is known as a split roll. The proposal would require those commercial and industrial properties, except for properties zoned as commercial agriculture, to be taxed based on the market value. This property tax split-roll would also increase property taxes for businesses by requiring that property taxes be reassessed every three years. Residential properties would continue to be taxed based on the purchase price, with annual adjustments made at the rate of inflation or 2 percent, whichever is less.
 
The initiative would offer tax exemptions for industrial and commercial properties that are businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees, for the first $500,000 in a business’s personal property, for businesses that are valued at less than 2 million dollars, with adjustments for inflation starting in 2023.
 
Continually, the ballot initiative is estimated to bring in $11 billion dollars in additional revenue, which would be distributed to local governments and school districts. 11 Percent of the funds would be allocated for community colleges, and 89% would go to public schools, charter schools, and county education offices, according to the state distribution formulas.
 
Support:
Schools and Community First
California Teachers Association
SEIU California State Council
California Democratic Party
 
Opposition:
Californians to Stop Higher Property Taxes
California Business Roundtable
California Chamber of Commerce
California Taxpayers Association
 
I

​STEVE FRISCH, President of the Sierra Business Council (SBC) gave a presentation of white paper on Biomass Utilization in the Sierra Nevada to the Sierra County Board of Supervisors at its regular meeting held Tuesday, January 21st in Loyalton.
Frisch began by stating over the last several years California has had a variety of impacts from wildfire. The 8-½ million acres burned across the state last year  is really changing the forest composition. Fires over the last two years are starting to bring substantive changes in State policy regarding forest management. Frisch admitted that getting to a solution on this problem is probably the most difficult in California policy. He stated there was so much to go back and fix, undo or redo to get to a solution. Frisch said one of the key things we need to be thinking about in the long run is fire playing a more productive role. When it burns at a very low intensity it plays a role in thinning the understory and reduces future crown fires. Native Americans used to set fires to manage the landscape. He stated there is hundreds of millions of tons of material we need to find uses for. Frisch said there were three choices of what we could do with this biomass: leave in the forest, pile burn or use industrial processing. A study was done on the high hazard zones in California and there are 248 million BDT (bone dry tons) on 13.2 million acres.  He gave an example that the Loyalton facility, if operating at full capacity, would use about 150,000 tons a year. Concerning carbon emissions, Frisch stated using a biomass facility has the least carbon emission levels than pile burning or leaving it in the forest. Other benefits in using the biomass reduces wildfire risk, improves watershed quality, increases fire resilience, reduces particulate emissions during a fire, high paying year 'round jobs in natural resource communities, baseload power generation, and improves air quality. Frisch stated some of SBC’s goals are to educate decision makers, and shift public policy to support biomass.
He added, this is SBC’s top public policy objective, with more than half of its staff working on this effort. Frisch said this is probably the single most important issue that we are facing in the Sierra Nevada and requires an all-hands-on-deck approach.
They have been coordinating with state and industry groups and talked about some of the work they have been doing with American Renewable Power in Loyalton. Fuel supply problems have to do with pricing in the contracting. Bio RAM 1 facilities pay a higher price for fuel because they get paid more for power. ARP did not have the opportunity to be a Bio RAM 1 facility and is a Bio RAM 2 facility, which gets paid less. Frisch talked of the need for transportation subsidies to help get the fuel out of the biomass, but can’t count on them so that’s why it’s so important for the long term fix on the Bio RAM identification. Frisch stated SBC was meeting with ARP the following day to ask for the Governor’s direct intervention on this issue. He continued and said that SBC has been supporting the study process of the Tahoe Central Sierra Initiative. Frisch stated the objective was to identity the fuel in that area and have a portion of that fuel come to Loyalton which would create a permanent supply of fuel to the facility. ARP is also in the process of trying to negotiate the salvage material from the Camp Fire to come here. Frisch said if that is successful it would be a two to two-and-a-half year supply, adding SBC’s large-scale goal is to get a permanent supply of fuel to ARP. Frisch talked about climate research grants and they are proposing to do a feasibility assessment for locating a biomass refinery in this area, which would fit perfect in Loyalton. Should that occur, wood biomass to biofuel is significantly less carbon intense and there is a payment system, which would help pay to operate the refinery. SBC is in the process of writing this grant and asked Sierra County to become a collaborator. Supervisor Sharon Dryden was happy they were making this a priority and Sierra County Planning Director Tim Beals wanted to get this issue on the next agenda to become a collaborator and asked what the county could do to help. Frisch stated the most valuable thing is to be in close communication.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jan. 21, 2020
 



 
New exhibit underscores Chinese Californians’ often overlooked but significant role in shaping history, revealing parallels to immigration, race & civil rights issues today
 
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — Jan. 22, 2020: Today, the California Museum announced the long-term installation "Gold Mountain: Chinese Californian Stories" will open Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. The new exhibit details the history of Chinese Americans in California from the 1840s to the present through a display of historic artifacts and photographs, accompanied by interactive video stations, games and activities. Underscoring Chinese Californians' often overlooked but significant role in history, the exhibit reveals parallels to immigration, race and civil rights issues impacting the state and nation today.
 
"We're thrilled to present the new exhibit 'Gold Mountain,'" said Executive Director Amanda Meeker. "Although the role of  Chinese Californians  in building the transcontinental railroad is well-known, their other contributions to shaping our state over the last 175 years are often overlooked. This exhibit highlights their unsung role in the state's past and present while revealing connections to current issues of race, nationalism and civil rights.”
 
"Gold Mountain: Chinese Californian Stories" explores the Chinese American experience in California from the Gold Rush to the present in six themed sections. Highlights of Chinese immigrants' early achievements include their critical contributions to the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 as well as to building other infrastructure and contributing to the state’s agriculture, fishing and manufacturing. Later in the 19th century, the exhibit explores how Chinese Californians fought racist laws including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, a federal law pushed by California that prohibited immigration by Chinese laborers, and its enforcement through the incarceration of Chinese immigrants at the Angel Island Immigration Station from 1910 to 1940.
 
The exhibit also showcases achievements by Chinese Californians who have broken barriers in a wide array of pursuits. Among featured stories are those of Wong Kim Ark (circa 1873-1946), a native San Franciscan whose triumph in the landmark Supreme Court case United States v. Wong Kim Ark established birthright citizenship in 1898; and Anna May Wong (1905-1961), a Los Angeles native who became the first Chinese American movie star in the 1922 film The Toll of the Sea. The exhibit also presents the successes of local Chinese Americans. Examples include Frank Fat (1904-1997), an immigrant who started the popular restaurant Frank Fat's in 1939, and Lisa Ling, a Sacramento native who is the only female Chinese American journalist on national news today.
 
On Sunday, Jan. 26, the California Museum will host the "Gold Mountain" Grand Opening“ celebrating the exhibit launch and the start of the Lunar New Year. The event offers free admission to all current exhibits with advance registration, plus an afternoon of related activities from 12 to 5 p.m. Festivities feature a discussion with exhibit subject Lisa Ling, host of CNN’s “This is Life with Lisa Ling,” and a lion dance performance by Leung’s White Crane Association of San Francisco.
 
ABOUT CALIFORNIA MUSEUM: The California Museum educates visitors on California's diverse history, arts, culture and unique influence on the world. Through interactive exhibits and engaging programs, the Museum inspires visitors to make their mark on history. Learn more at https://www.californiamuseum.org.
 
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In an election year, “small business” and “entrepreneurship” become popular buzzwords. Nearly every candidate will have a plan to support America’s businesses, but the small business community now has a plan of its own. With more than 140 members and dozens of ideas for all levels of government, the Start Us Up Coalition calls for a simple, common-sense approach to supporting entrepreneurship.
The Start Us Up Coalition represents organizations from across the country that are committed to eliminating barriers to entry for small businesses and entrepreneurs. These members include national organizations like the Center for American Entrepreneurship and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, as well as local and regional groups like the Illinois-based Peoria Innovation Alliance and the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center in Tennessee. By and large, these members hail from the small business and entrepreneurship community, bringing experience-based ideas to the table for policymakers.
Together, the Start Us Up Coalition members promote what they call America’s New Business Plan. It’s a bipartisan plan for policymakers that seeks to create new jobs and level the playing field for startups and small businesses. The plan is broken down into four main pillars:

• Opportunity: The Start Us Up Coalition supports policies that give Americans the bona fide opportunity to start new businesses by leveling the playing field for competition with big, existing businesses and cutting red tape that increases barriers to entry.
• Funding: Capital is easy to come by if you’re a business owner with a proven track record of success and you live near a coast. The Start Us Up Coalition calls for new funding models that can support new entrepreneurs in underrepresented communities, such as rural areas and minority populations.
• Knowledge: According to the coalition, entrepreneurs need training and educational opportunities that equip them with the proper know-how to start a business. This education should focus on important skills like communication, problem-solving, judgment and decision-making.
• Support: Recognizing the significant risks that entrepreneurs and small business owners take in the name of innovation, the coalition calls for financial reforms that support the next generation of entrepreneurs, many of whom can’t afford the risk of leaving a steady job while living paycheck to paycheck.

In addition to these overarching goals, the Start Us Up Coalition has ideas and action items for policymakers at all levels of government. For instance, the coalition calls on the federal government to create a permanent “director for entrepreneurship” position in the White House and asks state leaders to use their State of the State addresses to highlight entrepreneurship activity in their states. At the local level, the coalition advises city governments to support incubator programs for small businesses and conduct town hall meetings to better understand the barriers to entry for local entrepreneurs.
During this year’s election cycle, voters have an opportunity to show policymakers what they want. With America’s New Business Plan, the Start Us Up Coalition shows policymakers what America’s small businesses and entrepreneurs need. Learn more about the coalition and its ideas at www.startusupnow.org.
Read more about small business advice.