Back to some of the old rules when the drought was serious. The State Water Resources Control Board is poised to start new rules, fining folks who use too much water. They’re focused on seven wasteful water practices with rules possibly starting April 1st. There wouldn’t be a drought emergency declaration per se to put the new rules in place, like back in 2015 when the Governor put it into place. After the rules went into effect back then, there was a huge drop in the amount of water the state was consuming. But last winter there was a ton of rain so the drought was essentially over. If the new rules do go into place it would mean, no over-watering of lawns, no spraying driveways or sidewalks, no car washing without an automatic shutoff nozzle, no water fountains that don’t recirculate, no daily lawn or landscape watering, hotels have to ask guests if they want new linens and towels, and no street median washing without reason.
The state’s reporting more than 160 flu deaths so far this season. The amount of those getting sick is down finally, but the deaths are going up. State health officials reported 36 more people died last week from influenza, that was six more than a week before. So now there are 163 deaths from the flu in the state, but that’s not even counting those who are over 65 years old. State officials also report the flu is spreading more than it has before. No word if the outbreak has hit its peak yet either. And at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they report the flu season this year would be as bad, or almost as bad as in 2009 because of the H3N2 virus which is hard to use a vaccine for.
Congressman Mike Thompson has announced those receiving his Public Safety Hero Award. The award for exceptional law enforcement officers and first responders who go over and above the call of duty. Lake County Undersheriff Chris Macedo and Deputy Fire Chief Mike Ciancio with the Northshore Fire Protection District were honored in Lake County. Thompson said it was a challenging year for law enforcement and first responders due to the devastating fires and a continued threat of gun violence.
You might be able to get your healthcare from outside of local government. The Consolidated Tribal Health Project, Inc. announcing their clinic is opening primary care enrollment to non-Native Americans and Native American patients. The project says they’re committed to healthy lifestyles and to honor traditional Native American values of maintaining physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social wellbeing of the community. They started back in 1984 to tend to the health needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives in Mendocino County. It’s managed care is in partnership with Partnership HealthPlan of California, and with Indian Health Service; takes Medicare and has been accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.
A new city park on the agenda for the Ukiah Planning Commission. The park in the Wagenseller Neighborhood by the hospital. Todd Grove and Vinewood Parks are the only two closeby, and a decent walk, or a quick drive. The idea for the park after the city had their “Needs Assessment” workshop for residents in the area in 2016. Some of the feedback included concern about the amount of transients in the area, which might attract even more. Also concern voiced about how little parking there is nearby. People hoping for basketball hoops and playground equipment, and possibly barbecue pits and picnic tables and potentially community gardens. The meeting tonight at 6 in city council chambers.
A car ends up in Clear Lake but the driver only had minor injuries. The CHP reports the vehicle came off Highway 20 for some unknown reason, then went down an embankment last night near Paradise Valley Boulevard, and landing on its roof on the lakeshore. The CHP reports a female driver got out of the car with minor injuries. A witness says they saw her yelling at responding law enforcement officers.
Less applications for financial aid at California colleges from students known as "Dreamers" or DACA recipients. The L.A. Times is reporting as of this past Monday, just over 19,140 students applied for financial aid under the California Dream Act. That’s just above half those who applied a year ago. College counselors say the drop may be due to a rising distrust of government by immigrant families, plus there’s uncertainty about the status of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program –known as DACA.
The Calif. Transportation Commission looking for more accountability and info from the North Coast Railroad Authority out of Ukiah regarding its finances and future. The commission saying there’s not enough material in the recent plan to make “informed decisions” on the future of the agency which is in serious debt. The seven page plan was submitted last month, but the commission said there wasn’t info in it about current finances, its debt, a market analysis, expected benefits, who the funding partners are and “accountability measures”. The plan has been roundly criticized for not having enough information to inform state lawmakers and for being confusing. The same thing happened in December too, with the report before this one. The authority maintains freight service on a 316-mile rail route from Napa to Eureka.
An elderly woman from Santa Rosa who says she was abandoned in bed with other elderly residents during the October wildfires is suing an assisted living facility. 94 year old Barbara Pierce is taking Varenna at Fountaingrove to court regarding their treatment during the wildfires last fall that killed more than 20 people in Sonoma County and destroyed 5,130 homes. Another entity also suing another facility nearby for leaving the residents behind, some with dementia. They escaped with family help before that facility was gutted. Now Pierce claims there was no effort made to make sure she and others didn’t die after the neighboring facility burned to the ground. She was rescued by a man checking on his grandpa. He helped as many as 80 patients out, even carrying some.
A man from Brazil tries traveling from the Lisbon Airport in Portugal with drugs he was trying to smuggle into a fake rear end. Cops found a kilo of cocaine on the man who was trying to get into Portugal from northern Brazil. Another man was also arrested who cops found was supposed to be the one getting the drugs from the guy. Cops releasing a statement saying National Anti-Narcotics Trafficking officers were questioning the guy in customs after he was found with the drugs stitched into the fake bottom inside swim trunks.
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