LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — An incoming cold front is expected to bring rain Friday and over the weekend.

Lake County has enjoyed several sunny days with warmer temperatures, a pattern forecast to hold on Thursday.

The National Weather Service said the warmer seasonal conditions will give way to “widespread
light rain and gusty south wind Friday afternoon into the weekend. Warmer weather will return mid next week.”

The Lake County forecast calls for rainfall amounts of up to an inch for Friday and Saturday, with slighter chances of rain on Sunday.

Gusting winds of about 10 miles per hour are in the forecast for Friday and Saturday.

Temperatures from Friday to Sunday will range from the high 50s during the day to the low 40s at night.

From Monday through Wednesday, temperatures will be on the rise again, reaching the high 60s during the day while at night lingering in the low 40s.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

The number of foreign-born people in the United States rose by more than 5 million over 10 years to 45.3 million or 13.7% of the nation's population, according to the 2018-2022 5-year American Community Survey, or ACS, estimates.

We compare estimates for the 2018-2022 period to the 5-year ACS period a decade earlier (2008-2012) when there were 39.8 million foreign-born people, or 12.9% of the population.

A new Census Bureau visualization explores where immigrants lived in the United States and how it changed between the two five-year periods at the national, state and county level.

It also features select indicators of socio-cultural and economic integration at the national level. Data users can look at the foreign-born population overall or select a specific place of birth, including regions (e.g., Africa), sub regions (e.g., Eastern Africa) and countries (e.g., Ethiopia).

The foreign-born population consists of anyone living in the United States who was not a U.S. citizen at birth, including naturalized U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (immigrants), temporary migrants such as foreign students, humanitarian migrants such as refugees and asylees, and unauthorized migrants. Estimates in the data visualization exclude those born at sea.

Highlights of the foreign-born population in 2018-2022 compared to 2008-2012:

• Immigrants made up over a fifth of the population in four states: California (26.5%), New Jersey (23.2%), New York (22.6%) and Florida (21.1%). Their numbers grew in all four states over the 10-year span.
• California, Florida, New Jersey and Texas had the largest increases, with Florida and Texas each gaining more than 850,000 foreign-born people.
• New Mexico was the only state whose foreign-born population decreased during that period.
Harris County, Texas, had the largest increase, followed by Miami-Dade County, Florida, and King County, Washington.
• The top 10 states where immigrants lived did not change, led by California, Texas and Florida in 2018-2022.
• Nine of the top 10 counties did not change, with Broward County, Florida, joining the group and Maricopa County, Arizona, leaving.
• Almost half (49.1%) of all immigrants in the United States entered the country before 2000.
More than half (52.3%) were naturalized U.S. citizens.
• Nearly a quarter of the foreign-born population 25 years and older had a bachelor’s (18.7%) or graduate or professional degree (14.9%), compared to 21.4% and 13.1% for the native-born population.
• An estimated 63.5% were employed, with over a third of the civilian employed foreign-born population (16 years and older) in management, business, science and arts occupations.

Joyce Hahn is a demographic statistician in the Foreign-Born Population Branch in the Census Bureau’s Population Division. Lauren Medina is chief of the Foreign-Born Population Branch in the Census Bureau’s Population Division.

 

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative movement disorder that progresses relentlessly. It gradually impairs a person’s ability to function until they ultimately become immobile and often develop dementia. In the U.S. alone, over a million people are afflicted with Parkinson’s, and new cases and overall numbers are steadily increasing.

There is currently no treatment to slow or halt Parkinson’s disease. Available drugs don’t slow disease progression and can treat only certain symptoms. Medications that work early in the disease, however, such as Levodopa, generally become ineffective over the years, necessitating increased doses that can lead to disabling side effects. Without understanding the fundamental molecular cause of Parkinson’s, it’s improbable that researchers will be able to develop a medication to stop the disease from steadily worsening in patients.

Many factors may contribute to the development of Parkinson’s, both environmental and genetic. Until recently, underlying genetic causes of the disease were unknown. Most cases of Parkinson’s aren’t inherited but sporadic, and early studies suggested a genetic basis was improbable.

Nevertheless, everything in biology has a genetic foundation. As a geneticist and molecular neuroscientist, I have devoted my career to predicting and preventing Parkinson’s disease. In our newly published research, my team and I discovered a new genetic variant linked to Parkinson’s that sheds light on the evolutionary origin of multiple forms of familial parkinsonism, opening doors to better understand and treat the disease.

Genetic linkages and associations

In the mid-1990s, researchers started looking into whether genetic differences between people with or without Parkinson’s might identify specific genes or genetic variants that cause the disease. In general, I and other geneticists use two approaches to map the genetic blueprint of Parkinson’s: linkage analysis and association studies.

Linkage analysis focuses on rare families where parkinsonism, or neurological conditions with similar symptoms to Parkinson’s, is passed down. This technique looks for cases where a disease-causing version of the gene and Parkinson’s appear to be passed down in the same person. It requires information on your family tree, clinical data and DNA samples. Relatively few families, such as those with more than two living, affected relatives willing to participate, are needed to expedite new genetic discoveries.

“Linkage” between a pathogenic genetic variant and disease development is so significant that it can inform a diagnosis. It has also become the basis of many lab models used to study the consequences of gene dysfunction and how to fix it. Linkage studies, like the one my team and I published, have identified pathogenic mutations in over 20 genes. Notably, many patients in families with parkinsonism have symptoms that are indistinguishable from typical, late-onset Parkinson’s. Nevertheless, what causes inherited parkinsonism, which typically affects people with earlier-onset disease, may not be the cause of Parkinson’s in the general population.

Conversely, genome-wide association studies, or GWAS, compare genetic data from patients with Parkinson’s with unrelated people of the same age, gender and ethnicity who don’t have the disease. Typically, this involves assessing how frequently in both groups over 2 million common gene variants appear. Because these studies require analyzing so many gene variants, researchers need to gather clinical data and DNA samples from over 100,000 people.

Although costly and time-consuming, the findings of genome-wide association studies are widely applicable. Combining the data of these studies has identified many locations in the genome that contribute to the risk of developing Parkinson’s. Currently, there are over 92 locations in the genome that contain about 350 genes potentially involved in the disease. However, GWAS locations can be considered only in aggregate; individual results are not helpful in diagnosis nor in disease modeling, as the contribution of these individual genes to disease risk is so minimal.

Together, “linked” and “associated” discoveries imply a number of molecular pathways are involved in Parkinson’s. Each identified gene and the proteins they encode typically can have more than one effect. The functions of each gene and protein may also vary by cell type. The question is which gene variants, functions and pathways are most relevant to Parkinson’s? How do researchers meaningfully connect this data?

Parkinson’s disease genes

Using linkage analysis, my team and I identified a new genetic mutation for Parkinson’s disease called RAB32 Ser71Arg. This mutation was linked to parkinsonism in three families and found in 13 other people in several countries, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Turkey, Tunisia, the U.S. and the U.K.

Although the affected individuals and families originate from many parts of the world, they share an identical fragment of chromosome 6 that contains RAB32 Ser71Arg. This suggests these patients are all related to the same person; ancestrally, they are distant cousins. It also suggests there are many more cousins to identify.

With further analysis, we found RAB32 Ser71Arg interacts with several proteins previously linked to early- and late-onset parkinsonism as well as nonfamilial Parkinson’s disease. The RAB32 Ser71Arg variant also causes similar dysfunction within cells.

Together, the proteins encoded by these linked genes optimize levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is lost in Parkinson’s as the cells that produce it progressively die. Together, these linked genes and the proteins they encode regulate specialized autophagy processes. In addition, these encoded proteins enable immunity within cells.

Such linked genes support the idea that these causes of inherited parkinsonism evolved to improve survival in early life because they enhance immune response to pathogens. RAB32 Ser71Arg suggest how and why many mutations have originated, despite creating a susceptible genetic background for Parkinson’s in later life.

RAB32 Ser71Arg is the first linked gene researchers have identified that directly connects the dots between prior linked discoveries. The proteins encoded bring together three important functions of the cell: autophagy, immunity and mitochondrial function. While autophagy releases energy stored in the cell’s trash, this needs to be coordinated with another specialized component within the cell, mitochondria, that are the major supplier of energy. Mitochondria also help to control cell immunity because they evolved from bacteria the cell’s immune system recognizes as “self” rather than as an invading pathogen to destroy.

Identifying subtle genetic differences

Finding the molecular blueprint for familial Parkinson’s is the first step to fixing the faulty mechanisms behind the disease. Like the owner’s manual to your car’s engine, it provides a practical guide of what to check when the motor fails.

Just as each make of motor is subtly different, what makes each person genetically susceptible to nonfamilial Parkinson’s disease is also subtly different. However, analyzing genetic data can now test for types of dysfunction in the cell that are hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease. This will help researchers identify environmental factors that influence the risk of developing Parkinson’s, as well as medications that may help protect against the disease.

More patients and families participating in genetic research are needed to find additional components of the engine behind Parkinson’s. Each person’s genome has about 27 million variants of the 6 billion building blocks that make up their genes. There are many more genetic components for Parkinson’s that have yet to be found.

As our discovery illustrates, each new gene that researchers identify can profoundly improve our ability to predict and prevent Parkinson’s.

Matthew Farrer, Professor of Neurology, University of Florida

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — The Northwest Forest Plan Area Federal Advisory Committee will meet April 16 to 18.

This will be the fourth meeting for the Federal Advisory Committee to provide the Forest Service with recommended updates for the Northwest Forest Plan Amendment.

The meeting will take place at the Redding Rancheria Trinity Health Center, 81 Arbuckle Court, Weaverville.

The secretary of agriculture established this committee to support ongoing efforts to amend the Northwest Forest Plan.

The Federal Advisory Committee brings together representatives with diverse perspectives, experiences and expertise — including community, tribal, government and other interest groups from across the Northwest Forest Plan landscape to inform the plan amendment.

This group is helping the agency identify ways to effectively conserve key resources while considering social, ecological, and economic conditions and needs.

FAC meetings are open to the public with an opportunity to submit comments. Details on meetings, including how the public can provide information to the committee is posted on the regional website.

The Federal Advisory Committee does not replace the public involvement process or the public’s opportunity to engage directly with the Forest Service regarding Northwest Forest Plan amendment efforts during the planning process.

The Northwest Forest Plan covers 24.5 million acres of federally managed lands in northwestern California, western Oregon, and Washington. It was established in 1994 to address threats to threatened and endangered species while also contributing to social and economic sustainability in the region.

After nearly 30 years, the Northwest Forest Plan needs to be updated to accommodate changed ecological and social conditions.

Of note, forests in California included in the NWFP FACA planning are:

1. Klamath National Forest and Butte Valley National Grassland;
2. Lassen National Forest;
3. Mendocino National Forest;
4. Modoc National Forest;
5. Six Rivers National Forest;
6. Shasta-Trinity National Forest.

Additional information about the Northwest Forest Plan is available here.

For more about USDA Forest Service, visit www.fs.usda.gov/r6.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The Lake County Sanitation District's operations within the city of Clearlake were one of the key items on the Clearlake City Council’s agenda last week.

At the April 4 meeting, City Manager Alan Flora led a discussion with the council on the county’s Southeast Regional Wastewater System and issues that have arisen with regard to a new housing development.

“This hasn’t been a very good year for the sewer system in Clearlake,” which is what initiated the discussion, Flora said.

Flora said Special Districts Administrator Scott Harter was invited but had another meeting.

One of the chief issues related to Konocti Gardens, a new 102-unit low-income apartment project built on 11 acres at 3930 Old Highway 53, developed by CSI Construction Co.

Flora said that although Konocti Gardens is ready to come online and be occupied in June, the county won’t allow the project to connect to the wastewater system until upgrades are made to the system.

That means the apartment complex won’t be online until October or November, “causing some pretty significant financial impacts to the project,” Flora said.

Flora said that the decision not to let the complex connect to the system was based on a capacity analysis required by Special Districts for projects over 20 units. He said he wasn’t sure why, but the city didn’t receive the draft report until early February.

That report indicated there is 2,200 feet of pipe in the collection system that would be over capacity as a result of this project, Flora said.

Flora noted later in the discussion that the city had been told by the county that the capacity plan was a formality and that everything would be fine, “but it wasn’t.”

He said the county did an updated sewer model in 2022. “This is a section of the collection system that is a problem with or without development.”

It was the city’s understanding, Flora said, that there aren’t areas of significant concern in the city for collection other than Highlands Harbor, which has spills every time there is a significant rain event.

However, based on this most recent capacity analysis, Special Districts won’t allow Konocti Gardens to connect to the sewer system, Flora said.

As a result, the county — including Supervisor Bruno Sabatier — along with the city and the developer have been having almost weekly meetings. “There’s some promising progress” in the developer being able to get occupancy, Flora said.

Flora said Special Districts is open to doing things to speed up design and construction of the needed upgrades.

If construction can’t be completed, there will be a design for a bypass from that project around the impacted area and added back into the system in another area with capacity to handle it, Flora said.

Flora said Lacosan’s system had a large wastewater spill last winter, and six to seven spills this winter totaling close to one million gallons that have hit water bodies, including Clear Lake, within the Southeast system.

He said Konocti Gardens really illustrates the fact that Lacosan has millions of dollars in reserves that have been accumulated and no apparent upgrade plan for the system. Meantime, Highlands Harbor has been a decades-long problem.

All these things lead to, “what can the city do to get some more answers here and maybe be a little bit more involved,” Flora said.

He added, “It is a little bit unusual that most of the infrastructure was developed before the city was incorporated.”

When the incorporation happened — which occurred in 1980 — it was required that the sanitation district’s board of directors provide at least one seat to the city. Flora said city staff found a 1983 resolution in which the city delegated that seat back to the Board of Supervisors.

Flora said he met the week before with County Administrative Officer Susan Parker, Board Chair Bruno Sabatier and Vice Chair EJ Crandell to share the city’s research and what they believe to be the county’s obligation, which is to give the city a seat on the sanitation district board.

There may be another arrangement with the county. “Ultimately, the city just wants this to work,” Flora said.

He said his discussions led him to conclude the county is interested in meeting and talking more about the situation, and figuring out a way for the city’s concerns to be addressed.

The council ended up unanimously adopting a resolution requesting a role in the direct governance of Lacosan’s operations of the Southeast Regional Collection System.

In other business, the council held the second reading of Ordinance No. 269-2024 updating Clearlake Municipal Code Section 3-5 relating to fire mitigation fees.

The change in the ordinance did not include changing the fire mitigation fees. Flora said they decided to hold off on adopting any changes by resolution until there is interest to have a countywide discussion on fire mitigation fees and construction.

When asked by council members about when the matter could be wrapped up, Flora said it could be done by the end of the fiscal year in the summer.

Also on Thursday, the council presents a proclamation declaring April 2024 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and a proclamation declaring April 14 to 20 as Public Safety
Telecommunicators Week, offered certificates of appreciation for the Bunny Brunch and received the Recreation and Events Department’s quarterly report.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — The Middletown Area Town Hall, or MATH, will this week host an update on the process to update the Middletown Area Plan.

MATH will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 11, in the Middletown Community Meeting Room/Library at 21256 Washington St., Middletown. The meeting is open to the public.

To join the meeting via Zoom click on this link; the meeting ID is 869-1824-5695, pass code is 808449. Call in at 669-900-6833.

MATH is meeting earlier than usual in order to hold a community workshop on the area plan.

The meeting will get started with an update on the Middletown Art Center’s Water Basket Project.

The town hall’s members also will discuss and consider approving MATH’s proposed response to the Lake County Community Development Department’s request for a review of the updated Guenoc Valley Project. The deadline to respond is April 12.

At 6:10 p.m., MATH will host the Lake County 2050-Middletown Area Plan Update community workshop.

Community Development Department Director Mireya Turner and her staff, along with planning consultant PlaceWorks, will provide an overview presentation of the process for the Middletown Area Plan Update.

The two-hour workshop will include breakout sessions and time for public input, questions and answers.

MATH’s next meeting will take place on May 9.

MATH — established by resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12, 2006 — is a municipal advisory council serving the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley (including Hidden Valley Lake), Long Valley and Middletown.

For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

Alcohol misuse is responsible for thousands of deaths and traffic crashes each year


The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, or ABC, recognizes the importance of Alcohol Awareness Month every April due to the high number of alcohol-related deaths each year in the U.S.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 178,000 people die each year from excessive alcohol use. In 2021, 13,384 people died in alcohol-related car crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA.

"This month serves as an important reminder to engage in conversations about the risks associated with excessive alcohol consumption and to encourage safe and responsible behavior.” said ABC Director Joseph McCullough.

ABC regulates the sale, manufacture, and distribution of alcohol in California.

The department recognizes the serious health and public safety concerns surrounding alcohol, especially when it is misused.

Licensees and bystanders are also encouraged to do their part by reporting any signs of excessive or underage drinking to local authorities.

The effects of alcohol misuse are both deadly and expensive. Alcohol is the fourth-leading cause of preventable death in the United States, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and has a role in at least 7.1% of all emergency room visits.

The financial burden of alcohol misuse cost the U.S. an estimated $249 billion per year. NHTSA estimates that drunk driving crashes cost the U.S. $68.9 billion annually.

The Assembly Emergency Management Committee has unanimously approved AB 1863, a bill that would revise and strengthen California’s Feather Alert, an alert system to notify the public when Indigenous people go missing.

Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) authored the 2022 legislation that took effect a year ago.

“The Feather Alert is a tool to enlist the public’s assistance when a Native American might be at peril,” Ramos said. “Earlier this year, the Assembly reviewed the effectiveness of this important tool one year after it began, and listened to tribal members and law enforcement. We are committed to ensuring that this lifesaving notification system works effectively and easily for families worried about missing loved ones.”

Since the Feather Alert’s implementation, tribal communities made five requests, but the California Highway Patrol, in consultation with local law enforcement, granted activation in two instances. Of the two approved alerts, only one missing individual was found.

AB 1863 would streamline the process for activating the Feather Alert and make it more easily accessible.

The proposed changes would also expand definitions of endangered and missing for purposes of the alert notification and would require the CHP to issue a reason for denying activation within 48 hours.

“We carry the strength of our ancestors to ensure our tribal citizens are safe and protected,” said Bear River of the Rohnerville Rancheria Chairwoman Josefina Frank. “The work that has been done on AB 1863 has provided tribal nations their voices back to ensure we end MMIP.”

Chairwoman Frank continued, “We are the voice and movement for those we have lost, those who are hurting and the generations to come.”

“We are grateful to Assemblymember Ramos for introducing the Feather Alert and putting forth AB 1863 this session to directly address concerns from those at the forefront of this crisis,” Pechanga Band of Indians Councilwoman Catalina Chacon said. “Allowing our tribal governments to communicate directly with the State affirms our sovereignty, saves critical time, and will further help bring our missing people home safely.”

“I thank Assemblymember Ramos for creating this mechanism to quickly get the word out when Indigenous people go missing or are at risk,” said Yurok Tribal Chairman Joe James.

In citing his support for AB 1863 James stated, “We supported previous legislation that created this alert because it will help reduce the disproportionate rate of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People cases in California. The next generation of Indigenous California should not have to live in a world where they have to worry about family members going missing or worse. With the updates in this legislation, we will take action to address the remaining root causes of this complex crisis.”

AB 1863 is sponsored by the Bear River of the Rohnerville Rancheria, the Pechanga Band of Mission Indians and the Yurok Tribe.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Authorities have arrested a Lakeport man for a drive-by shooting last week that killed a Clearlake woman.

Nathaniel Ladre Hueners, 21, was arrested early Monday, according to Lt. Martin Snyder of the Clearlake Police Department.

He is accused of fatally shooting 45-year-old Elizabeth Williams.

On Friday just before 11 p.m., Clearlake Police officers were dispatched to the 15300 block of Pacific Avenue for a report of multiple gunshots heard, Snyder said.

While on the way to the call, Snyder said officers learned a victim of a gunshot wound was being transported to the hospital by an involved party.

He said the officers responded to Adventist Health Clear Lake Hospital and contacted the adult female victim who was receiving medical treatment for a gunshot wound.

Hospital staff attempted lifesaving measures, however, the victim, identified as Williams, died of her injuries.

Snyder said Clearlake Police detectives responded to assist in the investigation, during which it was determined that Williams was driving in a vehicle near Pacific Avenue and Konocti View Road.

Another vehicle pulled up next to Williams’ vehicle, and one of the occupants of the other vehicle shot at Williams' vehicle, striking her one time. The suspect then left the scene in their vehicle.

Based upon the evidence and witness statements, Snyder said officers identified Hueners as the possible suspect. After further investigation, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for him.

At about 1 a.m. Monday, Lakeport Police officers responded to a hotel in Lakeport for a noise complaint, Snyder said.

While investigating the noise complaint in one of the rooms, the officers contacted three people, one of whom was Hueners. Snyder said the Lakeport Police officers also located a firearm believed to be associated with Hueners at the hotel.

Hueners was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for murder, assault with a firearm, being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and violation of post-release community supervision.

Hueners, whose occupation is listed as an In-home Supportive Services worker, is being held without bail on the murder charge, according to his booking sheet.

Jail records show he is due to appear in Lake County Superior Court for arraignment on Wednesday.

If you have information regarding this incident, please contact Det. Chris Kelleher at 707-994-8251, Extension 321.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — This week the Yuba Community College District Board of Trustees will consider extending the contract of the interim dean of the Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College while the recruitment for the permanent dean continues.

The board will meet at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 11, for a closed session before the open session begins at 5 p.m. at Yuba College’s Building 300, 2088 N. Beale Road, Marysville.

The meeting also will be available via Zoom. The call-in number is 1 669 900 6833, the Zoom meeting ID is 8.32 4748 3204

The full agenda is here.

Staff is recommending board members approve the proposed employment extension of Patricia Barba, who has been acting as the Lake County Campus’ interim dean since the board approved her appointment in November, as Lake County News has reported.

Her annual salary is $113, 774 and the initial appointment was to continue through May 10.

The proposed extension will have Barba in the job until Nov. 8.

Meantime, the district is continuing its recruitment to find an individual to take the job on a permanent basis.

The closing date for the application is April 23.

In a March 28 email to area leaders, new Woodland Community College President Dr. Lizette Navarette reported that the job recruitment — dean of both the Lake County Campus and Colusa Center — was underway, with the job posted not just on the college website but on 10 different job sites.

Navarette also asked local leaders to share the position opening throughout their networks.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The latest round of a state-funded housing program will help low- to moderate-income households in California achieve the dream of homeownership and create more generational wealth, while also providing ongoing funding for future homebuyers.

Round 2 of the California Dream For All Shared Appreciation Loan program, which offers first-generation homebuyers up to 20% of their home purchase price in down payment assistance, will be using a random selection process to facilitate the equitable distribution of $250 million in state funds.

CalHFA, which oversees other successful down payment and mortgage assistance programs, is accepting applications for Dream For All Vouchers through April 29.

In the weeks after the application window closes, applications will be drawn and audited, and voucher recipients will have 90 days to shop for a home.

“The California Dream For All program is all about opening doors for first-generation homebuyers and offering more opportunities for future generations,” said CalHFA Executive Director Tiena Johnson Hall. “Homeownership has many financial benefits, from building equity that can help fund a college education to providing stable housing costs without the worry of rent increases.”

Voucher applicants will need to work with one of CalHFA’s Approved Lenders to get a Pre-Approval letter.

Applicants will also need a few other documents for submission, including a government-issued ID, proof of residence and other items. The complete list is located on the Dream For All webpage — www.calhfa.ca.gov/dream — along with other valuable program information.

The California Dream For All program addresses the challenge of buying a home in California in several ways.

First-generation homebuyers can receive a large enough down payment to eliminate the need for mortgage insurance and benefit from smaller monthly payments.

The California Dream For All program’s shared appreciation loan will save the average homebuyer about $1,200 per month, according to California Forward, a nonprofit policy advocacy organization that prepared a report on shared appreciation for the California State Treasurer’s Office in 2022.

All borrowers must meet CalHFA’s Dream For All income limits — about $132,000 in Fresno County, $155,000 in Los Angeles County and $287,000 in Santa Clara County.

This second round of California Dream For All aims to help between 1,600 and 2,000 households, and as those homeowners sell their homes or refinance their mortgages, the state will recover the down payment plus the 20% of the appreciation and recycle those funds in order to assist more homebuyers.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — The FireScape Mendocino Core Team invites community members and landowners to join an in-person workshop “Taking Action: Celebrating 10 Years of Collaboration.”

The workshop will be held on Thursday, April 25, from 1:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Private landowners, land managers, user groups, tribes, elected officials, businesses and community members will explore ways to help shape experiences on the fire-prone landscape in and around Mendocino National Forest.

Speakers will discuss past and current FireScape Mendocino projects and collaborations that address fire resilience, recreation, and jobs on the landscape.

Participants are invited to assist with developing solutions for resource challenges.

FireScape Mendocino is a collaborative of private citizens and public organizations focused on creating more fire-resilient landscapes in and around the Mendocino National Forest.

This is the 15th workshop hosted by the organization.

The workshop will be held at Granzella’s Banquet Hall, 457 Seventh St., Williams. Light refreshments and a buffet dinner will be provided for all who register in advance.

The workshop is free and open to the public. Participants should register in advance no later than April 17 at https://forms.office.com/g/FWsWsyBUrj.

Additional information about FireScape Mendocino can be found at https://www.firescapemendocino.org.

FireScape Mendocino is a voluntary, inclusive and collaborative effort to shape the future of our fire-prone landscape in and near the Mendocino National Forest.