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The new website is part of Listos California, which is a state effort that connects communities with resources before, during and after emergencies.

During his visit to Cal OES, the governor was briefed by emergency managers on the administration's preparedness for summer and peak wildfire season, including progress made in building forest resilience to catastrophic wildfires, firefighter staffing levels and firefighting fleet readiness, and the administration's Extreme Temperature Response Plan that was developed to coordinate an all-hands response by government to mitigate the state's most deadly natural weather event.

"California is prepared for summer and peak wildfire season — with a surge in firefighters and equipment, better forest management, and one of the most tried and tested emergency management systems in the world. Make sure your family is prepared too. Visit ready.ca.gov — a new resource to help keep Californians safe this weekend and all summer long," Newsom said.

Combined with a comprehensive suite of translated messaging and materials, Listos California at Cal OES continues to uplift life-saving messages through interactive, community-based tactics, including peer-to-peer phone banking efforts, in-person events, and door-to-door engagements.

Extreme heat preparation: Listos California recently kicked off its summer season campaign efforts, beginning with its Wildfire Awareness Campaign in rural communities.

Community leaders are encouraged to sign up for local emergency alerts and share these resources with family, friends and neighbors to build resiliency and help communities stay safe this summer.

Snowmelt and swift water preparedness: California's waterways can conceal dangers below the surface. With a melting snowpack, the volume and speed of the water are creating hazardous conditions. Across the Administration, state departments and agencies are promoting swift water safety and drowning prevention messaging in honor of the summer season. Water safety messages in more than a dozen languages can be found at Listos California.

Wildfire and emergency preparedness: CAL FIRE has worked to reduce the risk of fires all year round, including increased fire prevention efforts, better firefighting technology and resources, and community preparedness initiatives. In 2023, there was a 93.87% reduction in structures destroyed compared to 2022. Potential mega-fires were kept small, protecting communities and limiting smoke impacts and CAL FIRE met its 100,000-acre goal for fuel reduction activities for the fourth straight year. Through the Ready for Wildfire initiative, Californians can learn the necessary steps to prepare their homes to be better prepared if a wildfire strikes.

Roadway safety: Heading into Memorial Day, the California Highway Patrol is initiating a statewide Maximum Enforcement Period from Friday to Monday to address the expected surge in holiday travelers on California roads. In 2023 over the holiday weekend, 46 people were killed in crashes and more than 1,100 arrested for driving under the influence throughout the state.

Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) authored the bills.

"In 2016 the National Crime Information Center reported 5,712 missing American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls in the U.S., but only 116 of those cases were logged by the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System," Ramos said. "California is not alone in bearing the trauma of MMIP cases, but we have one of the highest numbers of uninvestigated and unresolved case numbers in the country. Despite state action in recent years to confront the violence and trauma to our families, we know we have much more to do. I am appreciative of the support of my colleagues and the administration in combating the MMIP crisis."

MMIP legislation now headed to the Senate are:

AB 1863

AB 1863 would require the California Highway Patrol to develop policies and procedures related to the Feather Alert, a notification system similar to the AMBER alert used when Native Americans are missing and in danger.

The Feather Alert took effect in January 2024 after passage of AB 1314 (Ramos, 2022).

AB 1863 would also allow law enforcement agencies or tribal nations to request the alert, updates the definition of danger to a person's safety, and requires CHP officials to respond to the request for alert activation within 48 hours and provide written notice to the requesting entity if the request is denied.

Ramos said the changes would help ensure an effective and responsive alert system. He added the changes evolved after an informational hearing and discussions with tribes, law enforcement and CHP. It is co-sponsored by Bear River of the Rohnerville Rancheria, Pechanga Band of Mission Indians and the Yurok Tribe.

AB 2108

AB 2108, the Luke Madrigal Act, requires a county social worker or probation officer to immediately notify parents or legal guardians, attorneys for parents, court-appointed special advocate, the court of jurisdiction and others when they receive information that children receiving child welfare services, including non-minor dependents, are missing from foster care.

Native American children enter the child welfare system at a rate that is 2.7 times their representation in the population, the highest of any racial group.

National data shows that 85% of all missing Indigenous children over a 10-year period were endangered runaways. Runaways are especially vulnerable to becoming victims of crime.

Luke Madrigal was a proud member of the Cahuilla Band of Indians and he grew up on the Soboba Indian Reservation.

Madrigal was best known for giving his time, energy, and knowledge to help others, especially children. For six years, he served on his tribe's council, and generously gave his time to the National Indian Child Welfare Association, Riverside County Tribal Alliance for American Indian Children and Families. Sponsors are the Yurok Tribe, California Tribal Families Coalition and Alliance for Children's Rights.

AB 2138

AB 2138 would establish a three-year pilot project under the Department of Justice granting California state peace officer status to qualified tribes and the officers they employ.

Participating tribes include Blue Lake Rancheria, Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians and the Yurok Tribe.

AB 2138 would require the Department of Justice, or DOJ, to monitor, evaluate and support the program and allows DOJ to suspend or terminate participation in the program for gross misconduct or failure to comply with program requirements.

Thirteen states and the federal government already grant peace officer status to tribal police. The Yurok Tribe and California Indian Legal Services are co-sponsors of the measure.

AB 2695

AB 2695 requires the DOJ to align its records and data with the federal National Incident-Based reporting system to assist law enforcement and others understand where criminal incidents related to MMIP are occurring and also include a notation indicating whether domestic violence incidents took place in Indian Country.

AB 2695 is sponsored by Attorney General Rob Bonta.

"I commend and thank Assemblymember James Ramos for his relentless work on behalf of tribal communities. California faces a serious crisis of murdered and missing Indigenous people, and I am proud the Assembly passed this critical legislation to take swift action to protect native residents. I will always work with Assemblymember Ramos to ensure justice and accountability for Indigenous communities," said Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister).

In addition to AB 1314 that created the Feather Alert, Ramos also authored the following MMIP legislation in previous years:

• AB 3099 in 2020 that called on the DOJ to increase collaboration, training among law enforcement agencies related to MMIP-related cases and provide outreach to victims, their families and advocates.

• AB 2022 in 2022 which banned the use of a slur against Native American women as a geographic place name in California.

• AB 44 in 2023 that granted tribal governments and tribal law enforcement access to the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System.

Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-North Coast) is coauthoring all 15 bills — 10 focus on evidence-based prevention and treatment solutions aimed at the fentanyl crisis and substance use disorder, and five are directed at preventing, deterring, and prosecuting retail theft and community-based crimes.

"The Senate's Safer California Plan is a perfect example of what we can accomplish when we set aside party politics and work together to solve problems," McGuire said. "These 15 evidenced-based bills will help curb the deadly fentanyl epidemic and the rising rates of retail theft and community-based crimes that are impacting communities up and down the Golden State. We look forward to working with the Assembly and Governor to get this comprehensive legislative package across the finish line, which will make this state safer and our communities healthier."

The Safer California Plan has been widely acclaimed by law enforcement, firefighters, medical experts and addiction professionals.

Bills included in the Safer California Plan and Senate votes are noted below.

Fentanyl

SB 1319 (Wahab): Expedites approval of projects that expand the continuum of substance use disorder rehab facilities. Final vote: 39-0

SB 1320 (Wahab): Requires health plans to develop a mechanism to reimburse providers who provide primary care and behavioral health integrated services. Final vote: 36-0

SB 1385 (Roth): Supports navigators in hospital emergency departments and in the criminal justice system to ensure patients and justice-involved individuals are connected to evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder and to ongoing treatment services. *Would include corresponding budget action to ensure navigators receive support training. Final vote: 39-0

SB 1442 (Ochoa Bogh & Skinner): Empowers CalRX to supply California providers with vital United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) approved testing and health assessment equipment, which will allow access to affordable rapid response testing strips for diagnostics purposes. Final vote: 38-0

SB 1468 (Ochoa Bogh & Roth): Educates and encourages providers to make use of the new federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) rule to allow practitioners to dispense a three-day supply of narcotic medication to start detoxification treatment or maintenance treatment for people who use opioids. Final vote: 38-0

SB 908 (Cortese): Requires the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to spread awareness of the increase in opioid overdoses and develop guidelines to protect and prevent fentanyl-related deaths of children zero to five. Final vote: 38-0

SB 909 (Umberg): Addresses physician shortages, including addiction medicine specialists, in underserved areas by eliminating the cap on the Steven M. Thompson loan repayment program for physicians who agree to provide direct patient care in an underserved area for 36 months. Final vote: 39-0

SB 910 (Umberg): Establishes statewide standards used by collaborative courts to improve programming, drug testing, and medication-assisted treatment for individuals moving through the criminal justice system. Final vote: 39-0

SB 950 (Skinner): Expands the number of re-entry hubs to provide more warm hand-offs and treatment options to individuals returning home from the criminal justice system. *Would include corresponding budget action to align state reimbursement models with federal rules to maximize funding potential. Final vote: 39-0

SB 1502 (Ashby): Prevents illicit use and trafficking of Xylazine (aka "tranq"), an animal tranquilizer with no approved human use that is increasingly being found in the illicit drug supply and has been linked to rising overdose deaths across the country. Final vote: 38-0

Retail theft and community-based crime

SB 1144 (Skinner): Disrupts the sale of stolen goods on online marketplaces by requiring that third-party sellers be certified, and bans sellers suspected of criminal activity from operating through online marketplace platforms. Final vote: 33-1

SB 1416 (Newman): Increases penalties on professional organized retail theft in particularly significant large-scale resale schemes. Final vote: 39-0

SB 905 (Wiener): Removes the locked door loophole for automotive property thefts. Final vote: 38-0

SB 982 (Wahab): Cements the work California has done on organized crime by making the law on organized retail theft permanent. Final vote: 39-0

SB 1242 (Min): Requires courts to impose higher penalties on criminals who create fires in order to engage in retail theft. The higher penalties do not impact Proposition 47. Final vote: 36-0

More information about the Safer California Plan can be found here.

McGuire represents the North Coast of California, which stretches from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, including Del Norte, Trinity, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin counties.

When people think about what we get from the U.S. space program, it may be along the lines of NASA technology spin-offs such as freeze-dried food and emergency space blankets.

But space activities do much more that benefits life on Earth. Research in space helps scientists study our environment, develop new technologies, create jobs, grow the economy and foster international collaboration.

Of course, with reports of Russia developing an anti-satellite nuclear weapon, members of Congress and the media have focused their attention on space defense and military readiness.

This is critical, but there are still many other benefits to reap from space. Getting the most out of U.S. space involvement will require collaborating across various social, environmental, commercial, governmental, international and technological backgrounds.

As a space policy scholar focused on private-public partnerships, networks and coalitions, I've seen that policymakers can get the most out of U.S. space endeavors if they invite a wide array of experts into policy discussions.

Benefits on Earth

NASA satellites play a crucial role in documenting changes in global temperatures, sea-level rise, arctic ice extent and air quality. Satellites have also been collecting data for almost 50 years to monitor water use, crop health and crop production. These long-term observations help researchers track environmental changes across the globe.

Space research provides a wide array of technologies in addition to rockets and Moon landers. Cellphone cameras, CAT scanners, the computer mouse, laptops, wireless headsets and water purification systems are just a few public goods NASA has generated.

These spin-off technologies come from NASA's partnerships with private firms, which subsequently make scientific discoveries widely available and accessible.

Growing the space economy

Experts predict that the space sector will continue driving the development of nonspace industries. Agriculture, energy, mining, transportation and pharmaceuticals are just some of the sectors that benefit through spin-off technologies and space-based research.

For example, scientists can conduct experiments on the International Space Station using the microgravity of space to study the chemistry of drugs, improve medications and test cancer treatments.

More organizations and individuals than ever share a vested interest in the space sector's success. Experts anticipate the global space economy - the resources used in space for activities - and research and development will continue to grow to a market of US$1.4 trillion by 2030.

Commercialization policies opened U.S. space activities to the private sector. This has led to partnerships with companies, such as SpaceX, Blue Origin and others, that are growing the space economy.

These companies have increasingly launched rockets and deployed satellites in recent years. This has increased the need for workers, both in manufacturing positions and specialized STEM roles. Additionally, private companies and universities are partnering to develop various technologies, such as landing systems for a U.S. return to the Moon.

Communities that host space industry centers have seen economic and educational benefits. For example, Huntsville, Alabama, home of the Marshall Space Flight Center and the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, has attracted an educated workforce with one of the highest rates of engineers per capita. Almost half of residents over the age of 25 in Huntsville have a bachelor's degree or higher.

This rate starkly contrasts with the national average, where 37% have at least a bachelor's degree, and the state's 27% average. Additionally, Huntsville's annual median household income is $8,000 higher than the Alabama average.

Since 1982, Huntsville has also hosted over 750,000 students at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center space camp. This camp educates students about science, technology, engineering and leadership to prepare them for a potential future STEM career.

International collaboration

Space also provides an opportunity for the U.S. to collaborate with other countries.

For example, the U.S. works jointly with Italy to observe the impacts of air quality on human health. The James Webb Space Telescope, a result of partnerships between NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency, allows scientists to peer into previously unobserved parts of the cosmos. International collaboration has also established the Artemis Accords, a set of principles agreed to by 40 countries for peaceful, sustainable and transparent cooperation in space.

Getting the most out of space

Right now, U.S. space policymaking occurs at the federal and international level. And while people outside of the government can act as witnesses during congressional hearings or through advocacy groups, that involvement may not be enough to represent the wide spectrum of viewpoints and interests in space policy.

There are a few ways policymakers can receive input from different stakeholders. These might include inviting more experts from various policy areas to provide recommendations in congressional hearings, collaborating with advocacy coalitions to create sustainable policies, strengthening and expanding private-public partnerships, and setting a space agenda that emphasizes research and development.

Cheyenne Black, Graduate Research Assistant in the Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis, University of Oklahoma

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

National Cancer Institute awards $12.45 million to lead the first long-term cancer study of diverse U.S. Asian ethnic groups.

UC San Francisco researchers have received $12.45 million from the National Cancer Institute, or NCI, to lead the first long-term study of cancer among Asian Americans, a highly diverse yet understudied group.

Despite a growing incidence of cancers that in some cases exceed those of other groups, there has never been a national longitudinal study of cancer in the Asian American community, and there are many open questions.

For example, the researchers are seeking to understand why Asian American women who never smoked are susceptible to lung cancer, and why Asian Americans have become the first racial/ethnic group for whom cancer is the leading cause of death.

Researchers also plan to study the increasing rates of breast cancer, especially among young Asian American women; and the relatively high rates of nasopharyngeal cancer, a type of head-and-neck cancer, in Chinese Americans; as well as liver cancer in Southeast Asian Americans; gastric cancer in Korean and Japanese Americans; and thyroid cancer in Filipino Americans.

Asian Americans are the fastest growing racial and ethnic group in the United States and comprise 7% of the population. Yet, as of 2020, less than 1% of funding from the National Institutes of Health was devoted to research on Asian Americans. A 2016 review of NCI grants found almost no studies on the causes of cancer among Asian Americans.

"The fact there's been so little funded research in the cancer etiology of Asian Americans continues to perpetuate the sense that the cancer burden in these populations is very low," said Scarlett Lin Gomez, PhD, MPH, co-leader of the Cancer Control Program at the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics, and one of three co-principal investigators of the study. "That the NCI recognized this as a major gap and will be providing funding for this historic cohort is a significant step forward."

Study seeks participants from every Asian American group

The grant supports the creation of a national cohort called ASPIRE, or ASian American ProspectIve REseach. Gomez, along with co-principal investigators Iona Cheng, PhD, MPH, and Salma Shariff-Marco, PhD, MPH, will lead the effort in collaboration with UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Los Angeles, Cedars-Sinai, the University of Hawaii, Temple University, and Jefferson University.

"As the first national cohort to study cancer risks in our diverse Asian American communities, this is a historic milestone," said former U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health, Howard Koh, MD, MPH, of the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health and the Harvard Kennedy School, who serves on ASPIRE's scientific advisory board. "Our communities have been waiting for this moment for a lifetime, and we hope they will join the call to action to be a part of ASPIRE."

The initial cohort will be supported by a national network of partners across about 20 academic institutions, 40 community organizations, and two policy groups committed to Asian American health. In the coming years, they plan to recruit 20,000 men and women between the ages of 50 and 75 years old from all Asian American ethnic groups with diverse socioeconomic levels and lifestyles. They aim to expand the study to at least 50,000 participants.

Recruitment will be centered in selected regions that comprise more than a third of the Asian American population: California (the Bay Area, L.A, Orange County, and Sacramento) as well as the New York metropolitan region, including North Jersey, and the Philadelphia metropolitan area, which includes South Jersey. Researchers also will recruit nationally.

Alarming trends that need continued study

Cancer patterns for Asian Americans differ from those found in Asian countries, and new research shows anti-Asian discrimination has increased such cancer health risks as tobacco use and obesity.

It also affects the extent to which Asian Americans get screened for cancer and utilize other types of health care.

"There are unique cancer burdens in these groups, and the patterns and trends get lost when Asian American data are aggregated into one single statistic," said Cheng, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics. "We don't have cohort studies that can tell us what the risk factors are for cancer in diverse Asian American populations."

Victoria Colliver writes for UCSF.

When you turn on your faucet to get a glass of water or wash your face, you're probably not thinking about what's in your water - besides water. Depending on where you live and whether you have a water-softening system, your water might contain dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium. And these minerals can play a role in whether certain pollutants such as lead stay out of your water.

The more dissolved minerals, the "harder" your water. But is hard water actually good or bad for you?

As engineering researchers who study water quality, we have seen the effects - both good and bad - that soft and hard water can have on everything from plumbing systems to the human body.

What is hard water?

Hard water is water that contains dissolved minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese. Soft water contains lower concentrations of these minerals.

Hardness is measured in terms of calcium carbonate, CaCO₃, which is used as a reference point for comparing different minerals.

The amount of these minerals in a city's water supply varies by region. It depends on both where the water is coming from and how the water is treated.

Communities that source their water from wells rather than surface water such as lakes, streams, rivers and reservoirs often start with hard water pretreatment. As groundwater moves through the soil to a well, it picks up minerals. At the same time, areas where the types of rock and sediment are more prone to dissolving in water may have harder water.

Effects on water lines and distribution

Water that's too hard or too soft could damage pipes and lead to health and aesthetic concerns.

Since hard water has a higher mineral concentration, minerals can build up in pipes, which leads to clogged pipes in homes and public water systems. Hardness also creates more deposits at higher temperatures, so hot water heaters are prone to mineral buildup. In areas with hard water, water heaters have a shorter life span.

But hard water can help, too. While minerals from hard water can clog pipes, a thin layer of mineral deposition in water lines can protect you from ingesting toxins that could seep in from the pipe itself. Water without any minerals can play a role in pipe corrosion, because without a thin, protective layer of minerals, the water may start to eat away at the pipes, releasing metals from the pipes into the water. Drinking this water might mean ingesting metals such as lead, copper and iron.

While water that is too soft or too hard can have different effects on water lines, there is more chemistry than just hardness that plays a role in pipe corrosion and clogging. So, there's no specific hardness level that is a cause for concern. Water treatment plants take the appropriate measures to adjust for different hardness levels.

Effects on skin and hair

Whether you use hard or soft water to wash up can also have noticeable effects on your skin and hair.

Hard water is more likely to leave your skin dry. The minerals in hard water strip moisture from skin and create deposits that clog pores.

Hard water can also strip the hair of moisture, leaving it dry and coarse. Dry hair is more prone to frizz, tangles and breakage. Mineral deposits can also build up on the hair and scalp, clogging your hair follicles and leading to dandruff and slowed hair growth.

Many households have their own water-softening systems. A water-softening system may help hair and skin dryness and buildup. But many of these systems trap and replace calcium and magnesium with sodium, a mineral that does not contribute to water hardness, to lower overall hardness. Increasing the water's sodium content may be a concern for anyone on a low-sodium diet.

Overall health benefits

Other than aesthetic and water heater concerns, drinking hard water is actually good for you and doesn't come with any serious adverse side effects.

For example, the extra magnesium and calcium you consume in hard water may provide a gentle solution to digestive issues and constipation.

Also, researchers have found positive correlations between the hardness of drinking water and bone health. Since calcium is an essential mineral in bones, individuals in areas with drinking water that has more calcium may have higher bone mineral density and may be less prone to osteoporosis.

Researchers have also found that drinking hard water has been associated with a decrease in cardiovascular disease-related mortality. Magnesium helps regulate your cardiac muscles, while calcium keeps the sodium-potassium balance in your cardiac muscles in check, which they need to function.

Whether you have hard or soft water, don't worry too much. Water treatment plants take appropriate measures to ensure safe water for the communities they support.

To learn more about the water hardness in your area, you can contact your local water treatment plant about its specific water treatment process. Private well owners can contact their state government to find out the testing recommendations for their area.

Sarah Blank, Master's Student in Civil Engineering, Iowa State University and Timothy Ellis, Associate Professor of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, Iowa State University

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

The vandalism and theft took place on the same night as the annual "senior prank," which the high school said in a Thursday Facebook post has been an "unsanctioned practice and tradition" at the school for many years.

Based on information provided both by the school and the Lake County Sheriff's Office, the pranksters and the vandals appear to be two distinct groups.

"Seniors, towards the end of their senior year, come together and 'prank' the school," wrote Middletown High School Principal Shane Lee in the Thursday post.

"A prank can be defined as 'a trick that is intended to be funny but not cause harm or damage,'" Lee wrote. "This year's efforts had some semblance of 'prank' with prank-like results. This year's 'prank' also created harm & damage."

Lee reported that at 11:30 p.m. Sunday up to 25 individuals entered the school campus.

He said they were familiar with the grounds and presumed to be Middletown High School students, and were on the campus for 30 to 45 minutes.

A second and smaller group of individuals came onto the campus at 4 a.m. Monday, and it was that group that appeared to have been behind the damage and destruction to two trees, Lee said.

One of those trees was planted in memory of a Middletown Unified student, Jeni Hall.

Hall, who suffered from cystic fibrosis, died in November of 1984 at age 12. She would have been a part of the high school's class of 1990.

The memorial tree for Hall was planted in May of 2018. May is Cystic Fibrosis Month.

"MHS administration has been in contact with the family of this student and is aggressively working to locate and confirm the identity of the vandals and destroyers of the tree(s)," Lee wrote on Facebook.

Lee said the school administration contacted law enforcement. "A Sheriff's Deputy was on site and documented locations and damages," Lee wrote.

Lauren Berlinn, spokesperson for the Lake County Sheriff's Office, confirmed to Lake County News that the vandalism was reported to the agency.

"There was a senior prank earlier in the evening that caused no issue; however, a second group entered the school grounds later in the evening/after midnight and committed theft and vandalism. A deputy went to the school to take a report and talk with staff," Berlinn said.

Berlinn added, "There are no leads at this time."

Lee said the high school administration is working with the senior class leadership group, and that replacement trees will be fully funded by the senior class fund. "Monies will be provided to replenish the student fundraising efforts."

On the district's end, due to privacy laws, if they identify suspects who are students, Lee said they "cannot disclose specific actions taken towards specific students. Consequences and punitive actions have been implemented."

Some of the individuals who participated, however, are not believed to have been senior class members, Lee said.

Lee said the high school administration also is working with neighboring businesses to get evidence of possible student activity on their premises the same night.

"MHS administration is continuing to work towards learning more and attempting to discover the identity of the individual(s) who destroyed the trees and removed monies," Lee wrote.

This wouldn't be the first time vandalism and damage was reported at the same time as a senior prank.

In 2019, a group was reported to have gone through the campus, spray painting buildings and causing damage, in an incident that was not the planned prank. Those individuals were reportedly caught.

Anyone with information about this week's theft and vandalism can contact the Lake County Sheriff's Office's nonemergency dispatch at 707-263-2690.

The full Facebook post from Middletown High School is published below.

MHS Fact Sheet: "Senior Prank"

MHS "Senior Prank" Incident (5/19/24)

What is the "senior prank" and why does this happen?

The "senior prank" has been an unsanctioned practice and tradition here at MHS for many years. Seniors, towards the end of their senior year, come together and "prank" the school.

What is a "prank" and did this year's activity fit this definition?

A prank can be defined as "a trick that is intended to be funny but not cause harm or damage". This year's efforts had some semblance of "prank" with prank-like results. This year's "prank" also created harm & damage.

What does MHS/MUSD know about this year's senior prank as it occurred?

On the evening of 5/19 at approximately 11:30pm, as many as 25 individuals came onto the MHS campus. These individuals were familiar with the grounds and are presumed to be MHS students. The actions took place during the 30-45 minutes. At just after 4:00 am, a smaller group of students entered campus.. It appeared as if this small group was behind damage/destruction to the two trees. One of the trees was planted in memory of an MUSD student. MHS administration has been in contact with the family of this student and is aggressively working to locate and confirm the identity of the vandals and destroyers of the tree(s).

Has local law enforcement been notified of the damages and potential crimes?

Yes. The MHS Administration has established an incident number with law enforcement. A Sheriff's Deputy was on site and documented locations and damages.

Have arrangements been made to restore trees and monies to the grounds and student group?

Yes. MHS Administration has worked with the MHS Senior Class leadership group. Replacement trees will be fully funded by the Senior Class fund. Monies will be provided to replenish the student fundraising efforts.

Have students been identified and punished for these harmful and damaging actions?

This question does begin to infringe upon student privacy. Due to privacy laws, the district cannot disclose specific actions taken towards specific students. Consequences and punitive actions have been implemented. To provide background information: MHS has 88 seniors. Approximately 25 student-aged individuals showed up for the "Senior Prank" event (some of whom are said to NOT have been seniors). 63 seniors (or more) did not participate in the "Senior Prank" event on 5/19.

What are MHS' next steps?

MHS administration is working with neighboring businesses to attain any evidence of student activity on their premises during the night / morning of 5/19. MHS administration is continuing to work towards learning more and attempting to discover the identity of the individual(s) who destroyed the trees and removed monies.

-Mr. Lee

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 big winners? The Mandujano family from Healdsburg, California. Brothers Omar and Efrain both placed in the top tier.

Omar Mandujano took first prize, $5,000, with his 27.68-pound catfish. His brother, Efrain. placed fourth, taking home $700, for his 24.43-pound catch.

Six members of the Mandujano family fished in the Derby. Not all placed but they fished together as a family, just as they've been doing for years.

"We've all been fishing in this Derby as a family for a long time, but this is the first year my brother and I placed high on the leaderboard in the same year," Omar Mandujano said.

The brothers enjoy quibbling over who is the better fisherman. Efrain Mandujano, the younger of the two, said, "Our mom had me teach my older brother to fish."

Later, drawing hard applause and laughter, Efrain wheeled Omar out on a makeshift four-wheel wagon to claim his big cash prize.

"It's how we roll," Efrain said.

When announcing Omar Mandujano's win Dennis Locke, chair of the Derby, reminded the audience that Omar took first place in 2008, winning a Lowe fishing boat. Omar said the boat served the family well for many years.

"I've been fishing this Derby for 30 years. In fact, I began fishing the Derby before my son, Renato, was born," he said.

Renato Mandujano recalled fishing since he was old enough to hold a rod. "I couldn't have been older than 4 when I started fishing with my dad," he said.

The Mandujanos fish for catfish, bass, crappie, salmon and trout — mostly catch and release.

"Usually we camp, this trip we stayed on the boat the entire time," Renato said. "We're a serious fishing family."

Renato is raising his son like his dad raised him.

At 12 years old, Preyden fishes in the adult division. "My catch was not quite big enough to place this time but there's always next year," he said.

Continuing the family tradition, Omar said they would return next year. "You might say I'm addicted to fishing. I want to do better each time; next year I want to catch a bigger fish," he said.

But it's more than that Omar said. "Fishing and camping was a way to introduce nature and the outdoors to my kids. To be here today with my brother — his kids, Diego and Fabian — and mine, means so much. We're a family who loves nature and fishing together."

Also continuing family tradition, a local family trio from Clearlake enjoyed a first this year — all scored wins. Matthew Ross won sixth place with his 23.04-pound catch; Kristal Harris placed 16 with her 20.89-catch; and Mathew Ross Jr. placed 20 with his 20.52-pound catch.

"We see this family every year," Locke said. "But this is the first time all 3 have placed on the leaderboard in the adult category."

Also back this year were Ivy and Wyatt, who have been fishing the Derby from a very young age.

Jack "Bear" Scott and mom Colleen along with other family and friends have been coming to the Derby for years.

Ivy, Locke recalled, won first place in the 11 to 15-year-old category in 2017.

"That year she and brother Wyatt both placed, Wyatt won a fourth place award. In 2019 Ivy took a 3rd place award, also in the 11 to 15-year category. Fast forward to 2024 and she's graduating High School. I hope we see her with the family again next year," Locke said.

In a prior interview with parents Colleen and "Bear" Scott, they said winning is always nice but coming together every year as a family, supporting the kids and enjoying the sport, was most important and the reason they attend the Derby each year.

The Reordans of Lakeport — mom, dad, grandparents — were all smiles as Scarlett Reordan stepped up to receive the first prize award, $100, for her 20.82-pound catch in the 11 to 15-year category.

This is Scarlett's second time winning a first place award; she also took first place In 2021 in the up to 10 category.

"Great family and memories," Locke said. "We're all so happy to see Scarlett take home another 1st prize award."

The youngest to place this year hit high on the cuteness meter. At just 3 years old, Tyson Wyn took first place in the up to 10-year-old category with his 17.67-pound catch, taking home $100.

The family drove in at nine minutes to noon, just in time to make his catch count. "Mom and dad couldn't have looked prouder," Locke said. The family lives in Clear Lake Park.

In addition to the Mandujano brothers, who took first and fourth place, top tier winners in the adult category were Juan Lopez of Folsom placing second with his 25.22-pound catch for a prize of $1,000; Michael Loijos of Upper Lake placing third with his 24.91-pound catch for a cash award of $800; and Dan Fountain of Lathrop placed fifth with his 23.46-pound catch for a cash award of $600.

Closing out the event, Locke said there were not as many registrations as last year, but overall the fish were bigger and most fished as families.

"And as always, the crowd was bigger than the number that fished, swelling on the last day of the Derby to hear the results and congratulate the winners," Locke said. "For those of us who work on the Derby, every year is better than the last."

Details of all wins and a host of photos can be found on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and on Facebook, Catfish Derby at the Oaks, many impromptu photos are posted.

Olga Martin Steele is a member of the organizing team for the annual Catfish Derby.

These awards for communities like Lake County come at a time when wildfires are becoming more destructive across much of California.

"Lake County has been aggressively working to mitigate climate-related risks. Partnering with District Ranger Frank Aebly and local Forest Service staff have been an important facet of those efforts for many years," said Jessica Pyska, Lake County's District 5 supervisor and vice chair of the Lake County Community Risk Reduction Authority. "We appreciate the U.S. Department of Agriculture's recognition that hardening economically vulnerable communities is a matter of national priority."

Last Tuesday, the Forest Service announced funded proposals for three Lake County projects under the Community Wildfire Defense Grants program:

• Clear Lake Environmental Research Center: Awarded over $8 million to reduce fuels and restore fire-adapted ecosystems on private lands and roadways. This is a follow-up to their $9 million award in 2023, which is providing a blueprint for what a fire resilient community looks like.

• Lake County Resource Conservation District with Tribal EcoRestoration Alliance: Awarded $7.3 million for its "Fire in Hand, Healing Lands" project to use a traditional ecological knowledge-based approach to fuels reduction, including Indigenous-led restoration and beneficial burning. A key component is education and training through Lake County's Training Exchange Program, also called TREX.

• Seigler Springs Community Redevelopment Association: Received $249,000 to develop a new Community Wildfire Protection Plan to reduce wildfire risk and build resiliency in the Cobb Mountain area which is still recovering from the 2015 Valley Fire.

Last Wednesday, additional awards were announced under the Wood Innovations Program grant. Wood innovations grants are meant to spark innovation, create new markets for wood products and renewable wood energy from sustainably sourced wood, and increase the capacity of wood processing facilities.

Funded proposals include Scotts Valley Energy Corp., a wholly-owned corporation of the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians, which received a $409,000 award for a central wood processing campus and wood-to-energy generation in Upper Lake, the gateway to the southern portion of the Mendocino National Forest.

Local officials and funding recipients expressed excitement for the opportunities coming to Lake County.

"I am ecstatic about the funding that has been awarded to Lake County to bolster the county for community wildfire and also wood innovations," said Eddie Crandell, Lake County's District 3 Supervisor covering Northshore communities and Lake Pillsbury.

"Lake County Resource Conservation District is ecstatic to receive this investment and support our partners at TERA, and the community at large, to further integrate traditional ecological knowledge into our collective efforts of land stewardship and wildfire mitigation," said Harry Lyons, the district's board president. "Beneficial burning is an essential tool to maintain resilient landscapes, and we are thrilled to re-establish this on our landscapes with TERA's leadership."

Both the Community Wildfire Defense Grant and the Wood Innovations Grant are made possible in part by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.

More information about the funded proposals, as well as announcements about the grant program, is available on the Community Wildfire Defense Grants website and the Community Wood Grants and a Wood Innovations Grants website.

"We are delighted to inform you that the California Tribal Community Health Leadership Award Committee wishes to recognize the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake for maintaining a smoke-free environment for patrons and employees. This action demonstrates your commitment to creating a healthier environment for your community," wrote Regina Gradias, community engagement and outreach coordinator for the California Clean Air Project.

The Running Creek Casino was honored for its smoke-free facilities that launched in the wake of COVID and continue to this day.

The casino received the Tribal Community Health Leadership Award for its work to protect its patrons from the dangers associated with second-hand smoke.

"The Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake works hard to protect the health of our tribal community and all who visit our tribal enterprises. We are honored to be recognized for our initiatives to protect public health and promote healthy outcomes. We also appreciate the leadership of our casino's general manager, Chris Vieceli, who has guided this enterprise with skillful competence to help ensure our patrons have a great experience," said Sherry Treppa, chairwoman for the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake Tribe.

Last year over the holiday weekend, 46 people were killed in crashes throughout California.

Beginning at 6:01 p.m. on Friday, May 24, the CHP will initiate a statewide maximum enforcement period, or MEP, to address the expected surge in holiday travelers on California roads.

The MEP will continue through 11:59 pm. on Monday, May 27.

"Loss of life on our roads is preventable when drivers make safe and responsible choices behind the wheel," said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. "Always remember to drive sober, avoid distraction, adhere to the speed limit, and ensure adults are buckled up and children are properly secured in an appropriate car seat."

Throughout the holiday weekend, expect a heightened presence of CHP officers on patrol to enhance public safety by deterring reckless driving behaviors and taking necessary enforcement action when needed.

Last year, CHP recorded more than 1,100 arrests for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the 78-hour Memorial Day MEP, which is an average of an arrest every four minutes.

The CHP urges all drivers to make the right choices and avoid impaired driving. Arrange for a sober driver, use ride-sharing services, taxis, or public transportation if you have been drinking.

If you see or suspect an impaired driver, safely pull over and call 9-1-1 immediately. Be prepared to provide the dispatcher a description of the vehicle, the license plate number, location, and direction of travel. Your phone call may save someone's life.

The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of safety, service and security.

The patrol area includes Main Street, Museum Park, Library Park and Xabatin Community Park, and is bounded by Clear Lake to the east, Forbes Street to the west, Clear Lake Avenue to the north and C Street to the south.

City officials said this initiative aims to enhance police visibility, foster relationships with business owners, staff, residents and visitors. It will address crime and other issues affecting the quality of life in these areas.

Officer Morfin patrols during daytime hours from Tuesday through Friday.

The police department is currently fully staffed and said in a statement that it's pleased to be able to offer enhanced services like these to the community.

For more information about the program, contact Officer Morfin at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 707-263-5491, Extension 125.

For immediate police assistance or to report a crime, please call dispatch at 707-263-2690.

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