MIDDLETOWN
June 21 Middletown Luncheon Club
What do you know about the Middletown Art Center (known to locals as MAC)? Founder Lisa Kaplan will discuss the ways that MAC is contributing to community development and well-being. Learn about recent projects originated at MAC that have engaged local artists to create avenues for meaningful cross-cultural exchanges.
Lunch will be served by MAC on Wednesday, June 21, at noon, at the Middletown Senior Center, 21256 Washington Street. The program will end by 1 p.m. For only $5 per person, enjoy Baked Fish with Rice Pilaf, Carrots and Peas, a Wheat Roll and Grapes. Everyone is welcome.
Reservations are required for lunch. Call the Senior Center at 987-3113 to make your reservation.
Our programs occur 11 months of the year (no meetings in December) and always take place on the third Wednesday of the month. You might want to add a repeating date to your calendar along with the Senior Center phone number, 987-3113
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LAKE COUNTY
County Office of Climate Resiliency secures $649,350 Adaptation Planning Grant
For Lake County’s residents and communities to thrive and for our local economy to flourish, climate resiliency and disaster mitigation must remain areas of priority. An unparalleled series of 18 disaster events since 2015 have shown the grit and determination of our communities, and brought tremendous community leaders to the fore.
Yet, we must all agree, reducing the likelihood of future events, minimizing the risk of the next wildfire or flood causing significant damage to life and property, is a co-equal priority, and needed complement, to efforts to recover from disasters faced in recent years.
The County of Lake Office of Climate Resiliency has secured $649,350 in Round 1 funding from the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research’s (OPR’s) Adaptation Planning Grant Program (APGP) to do just that. Funding will support the following areas of priority.
- Assessing vulnerabilities across Lake County and developing a Climate Adaptation Plan (CAP);
- Implementing specific actions identified in our Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP);
- Enhance Public Education and Awareness of Natural Hazards and Public Understanding of Disaster Preparedness,
- Countywide Evacuation Plan,
- Climate Adaptation Plan, and
- Fund administrative support for the Chief Climate Resiliency Officer and Lake County Community Risk Reduction Authority (RRA), and support RRA partners’ engagement, tracking progress, and documenting outcomes; and
- Embedding values and actions promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the RRA’s leadership, membership, and processes.
“Getting Climate Adaptation and Countywide Evacuation Plans in place is essential to enhancing public safety and climate resiliency for all residents,” notes Terre Logsdon, Lake County’s Chief Climate Resiliency Officer.
“To get these planning efforts right, we look forward to the participation of Municipal Advisory Councils, Town Halls and community groups countywide, and collaboration with other County agencies. The multifaceted support provided by this State funding will greatly accelerate ongoing community and County of Lake efforts.”
“The Lake County Resource Conservation District (RCD) is excited to partner with the Risk Reduction Authority in ensuring equitable risk mitigation for all Lake County residents,” affirms RCD President, Dr. Harry Lyons. “This means incorporating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in all we do to sustain our communities and environments.”
“We are truly excited the elements of this proposal have been recognized as matters of statewide priority,” emphasizes Jessica Pyska, Chair of the Lake County Board of Supervisors. “As Vice Chair of the Lake County Community Risk Reduction Authority, I am confident funding for administrative support of that group will be very well invested. The RRA has become a vital point of connection for co-management of the climate-related threats we face, and ensuring it is sustainably well staffed has been a major point of emphasis. This is a great step forward!”
Securing funding for critical community priorities like this was a central informant of the Board of Supervisors’ efforts to create a County Office of Climate Resiliency and secure an effective Chief Climate Resiliency Officer; this grant is just the beginning.
“On behalf of the Office of Climate Resiliency, I look forward to continuing to work with the County’s many partners to make our residents safer and communities stronger,” emphasizes Logsdon.
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SACRAMENTO
McGuire’s Sexual Harassment Disclosure Act to stop abuse on college campuses clears Senate, heads to Assembly
Senate Majority Leader Mike McGuire’s California College Sexual Harassment Disclosure Act (SB 791) passed the Senate, and is headed to the State Assembly. The legislation is a massive step forward and will help ensure perpetrators are effectively removed from the Golden State’s college system.
Between 2017 and 2021, 54 employees at CSU campuses were found to have committed violations of sexual misconduct and discrimination. The violations included requests for sex, unwanted touching and aggressive verbal harassment.
The legislation will require applicants for administrative or academic positions disclose any final administrative or judicial decision determining they (the applicant) committed sexual harassment.
While Title IX protections exist to protect students, faculty and staff, bad actors have been able to escape the consequences of their actions by moving from one campus to the next.
“Here in California, in too many cases over the past decades on CSU campuses, it’s been the exact opposite. A culture of looking the other way, victim shaming and attempting to cover up violations have been commonplace. SB 791 is an important step to ending the abuse,” McGuire added.
