SACRAMENTO
More incentives now available for consumers to retire or repair aging vehicles
The Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) has increased the incentive amounts to retire or repair a vehicle through its Consumer Assistance Program. Income eligible consumers can now receive up to $2,000 to retire a vehicle or up to $1,450 for emissions repairs.
The Consumer Assistance Program offers consumers financial assistance to repair or retire their vehicle if it fails a Smog Check inspection. Consumers can also retire their vehicle even if it passes a Smog Check. The program is part of California’s larger effort to help improve California’s air quality and assist consumers.
“The Bureau of Automotive Repair is committed to supporting consumers in reducing vehicle emissions and improving California’s air quality,” said BAR Chief Patrick Dorais. “These increased incentives help Californians keep their vehicles compliant with Smog Check requirements and give them options to retire an aging vehicle.”
Other changes include allowing consumers to receive repair assistance more than once for the same vehicle. The vehicle retirement incentive for consumers who do not meet income eligibility requirements also has increased to $1,350. Applicants must meet eligibility and vehicle requirements to participate.
To apply for the Consumer Assistance Program or learn more about options and eligibility requirements, visit https://www.bar.ca.gov/cap. For assistance in more than 200 languages, call (866) 272-9642.
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LAKE COUNTY
2025 Lake County Poetry Out Loud Competition to be held Saturday Feb. 1, 2025 at the Soper Reese Theater
The Lake County Arts Council and Lake County Poet Laureate Brenda Yeager invite the public to attend the 2025 Lake County Poetry Out Loud Competition. The event will be held on Feb. 1, 2025 at 12 PM at the Soper Reese Theater.
For 2025, competing schools are Lower Lake High School, Middletown High School, and Kelseyville High School. Local teachers at each school and county representative for California Poets in the Schools Michele Krueger, have been diligently working with their students for this program. Local writers Pamela Bordisso, Georgina Marie, Richard Schmidt, Beulah Vega, and Roy Blodgett will judge this year’s county competition.
Poetry Out Loud (POL) is a nationwide program that’s celebrating its 20th anniversary this year! The event is made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation. This program encourages the nation’s youth to learn about poetry through memorization, performance, and competition. Since the program’s inception in 2005, millions of students and thousands of teachers across the nation have participated. The program culminates every year with classroom and school competitions. School champions are invited to perform publicly and participate in the countywide competition. They can compete for the chance to represent Lake County at the state level. State winners then move on to compete at the national level. Every level of the competition has an opportunity for both pride and cash prizes.
Since 2007, the Lake County Arts Council has administered the Poetry Out Loud program in Lake County and annually hosts the countywide competition. The Executive Director of the LCAC, Barbara Clark, is excited to be offering this program for Lake County “This program allows for students to explore the art of the written word as well as performance. It starts in the schools, but connects students to local artists and opportunities in the community. Also, having a cash prize at each competition for the students isn’t a bad thing either.”
The Lake County Arts Council and participating schools hope to see many Lake County neighbors at the event to support poetry and our talented youth.
For more information on the event contact
Lake County Arts Council Literary Coordinator & Poetry Out Loud Coordinator Jordan O’Halloran at johalloran@lakearts.org
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