LAKEPORT
Original painting to be raffled off at Lake County Symphony Christmas Concert Dec. 22
An original painting by Kim Brice will be raffled off at the Lake County Symphony Christmas concert on December 22 at the Soper Reese Theatre to raise funds for the Lake County Symphony. Brice created and donated her latest watercolor at the suggestion of Renee Crook, a friend and former co-worker who plays flute in the symphony.
“She thought it would help raise funds for the symphony,” said Brice. “I was happy to do it.”
Brice, who works as a librarian at the Kelseyville Riviera Elementary School, said her painting of a jazz trio was inspired by her admiration for Billie Holiday, widely considered one of the best jazz vocalists of all time.
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WASHINGTON D.C.
Garamendi votes to fund government for Fiscal Year 2020
On Tuesday, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) voted for two bipartisan appropriations bills to fund the federal government through the 2020 fiscal year. The $1.4 trillion spending deal funds nearly aspect of the federal government and includes $25 million in long-sought funding for critical research into gun violence at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health. The legislation is expected to be signed into law later this week.
“I’m pleased that the House has passed this bipartisan appropriations package to fund our government for the next fiscal year,” Garamendi said. “This bill provides:
- $41.7 billion for medical research at the NIH, a 7% increase over current funding that could support the critical research at UC Davis
- $134 million for western water storage projects, including $6 million for Sites Reservoir
- $640 million to strengthen rural broadband
- $80 billion for VA medical care—including funding to provide veteran homelessness assistance and suicide prevention
- $25.8 million for California to strengthen investments in housing through CDBG and HOME
- $425 million for election security grants
- Extends the National Flood Insurance Program through the next fiscal year—Congressman Garamendi introduced the Flood Insurance for Farmers Act earlier this year
- $15 million for the National Levee Safety Program, a three-fold funding increase and the first such increase since the program was authorized by Congress in 2014
- $181.2 million for Travis and Beale Air Force Bases, including $107.1 million for Travis AFB and $74.1 million for Beale AFB
- Provides $25 million for crucial research into gun violence research for the first time in more than two decades.”
“While these appropriations bills are a bipartisan compromise, there are still issues we need to address next year. Just this year, the President raided $6.1 billion from critical military construction projects across the United States to pay for his border wall. We must restore Congress’ power of the purse to ensure future funding for military construction projects are protected pursuant to the Constitution,” Garamendi continued.
“I’m grateful for the work Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey and others contributed to finalize this strong appropriations package. I’m pleased that this legislation has passed the House and is expected to become law,” Garamendi concluded.
An overview of the National Security Appropriations Minibus (H.R. 1158) is available online.
An overview of the Domestic Priorities and International Assistance Appropriations Minibus (H.R. 1865) is available online.
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MENDOCINO COUNTY
MCOE supports homeless youth during the holidays
Employees and friends of the Mendocino County Office of Education (MCOE) supported more than 250 homeless youth in Mendocino County during their holiday gift drive this year. MCOE Superintendent Michelle Hutchins said, “We are especially grateful to the heroic efforts of Tracy and Brent Schultz who organized and sponsored 40 kids this year.”
Year-round, MCOE coordinates educational resources for the hundreds of foster youth and homeless youth in the county, and each winter, MCOE employees host a gift drive so these children can have a little something special during the holidays, according to MCOE
Foster/Homeless Youth Services Manager Blythe Post. This year, MCOE received corporate support from Realty World Selzer Realty and Redwood Title Company.
Post said, “People become homeless for many different reasons—the loss of a job, a catastrophic illness, mental health problems—and the children suffer as a result.”
A lack of consistent housing can require some homeless students to move several times during the course of a single school year, making it hard for them to create lasting relationships. According to Post, these children often feel invisible at school and struggle academically because of social and emotional stressors, as well as inconsistent school attendance.
The holidays can be a particularly tough time for at-risk youth. Post explained that homeless students often become more aware of what they are lacking and when friends at school share holiday plans that involve gifts and family gatherings for holiday meals. This was the inspiration for the MCOE gift giving.
Superintendent Hutchins said, “If we can make the holidays a little brighter for these children, we’ve done a good thing.”
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