Free rides for all who like to take the bus. Mendocino Transit Authority is offering free rides on its fixed route buses this month. All Mendocino County residents are encouraged to give MTA a try for free. All buses are accessible to individuals with disabilities. For more information on MTA and its services – visit http://www.mendocinotransit.org or (800) 696-4MTA.
A new exhibition is going up at the Mendocino College Art Gallery. The “Students Respond to the Figure” show will open tomorrow. The official reception is December 1st from 4:00-6:00pm with light refreshments. The gallery says the exhibition represents a cross-section of student work from Portrait Painting and Figure Drawing classes. There will be white chalk on a black mat board depictions and some mixed media mixed in.
A special holiday event is being planned in the town of Lower Lake. Hometown Christmas in Lower Lake is happening on Main Street. Friday, December 9th from 4 to 8 p.m. where you can shop with local vendors all night and enjoy special festivities too incuding the Xmas tree lighting at the museum, a visit from Santa and a light parade.
For parade or vendor applications, call Coleen 707-533-7363 or Teresa 707-898-4486.
The Calif. Coastal Commission has donated almost 2.2 million dollars to Mendocino County. The grant from Round 8 Local Coastal Program comes from an appropriation of $31 million for the Coastal Commission to support Climate Resiliency. The money is set aside for local governments and to support Coastal Commission staff administering the program and working with local governments on climate resiliency along the coast, including adapting to the impacts of climate change and sea level rise. With this the Mendocino County Department of Planning and Building Services and the Executive Office had applied for the grant funding. The county received the full amount it asked for.
A man from Ukiah has been arrested after another contacted Deputies. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Dept. reports a man approached Deputies earlier this week to talk about a situation. They say the man said Dilan Gregory threatened harm against him. That triggered an investigation into Gregory with Deputies out searching for him. Once they caught up to the guy, he was arrested. Gregory’s held in jail on $20,000 for felony criminal threats.
A man from Covelo suspected of robbery has been found guilty. The jury returned from deliberations this week, finding 22-year-old Georgie Eugene Britton-Hoaglin guilty in connection to a robbery in August. He was also convicted for two sentencing enhancements one that he was armed at the time, the other that he had a previous strike on his record. That was for great bodily injury by personally inflicting the injury on a victim in 2017. Plus, there was another charge of criminal threats. Now it’s up to the probation department to come up with a sentencing recommendation for Britton-Hoaglin. He’s due back in court December 16th to hear his fate.
Adventist Health Howard Memorial has won an award for performance. The hospital says it’s part of the National Rural Health Day celebration that they were recognized with a 2022 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in quality and patient perceptions. The Chartis Center for Rural Health puts together the winners list for the Performance Leadership Awards for rural hospitals. They’re based on results from data compiled from the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX™.
A car has reportedly hit a bicyclist by the intersection of South State Street and Laws Avenue causing major injuries and bringing out an air ambulance. The first reports were that the bike rider may have died, but then they were taken to the hospital. Part of South State Street was blocked so emergency personnel could get to the scene.
A road worker had to be taken by air ambulance to a hospital after falling from a bridge on State Route 162 east of Hwy 101. Rescuers say the 36-year-old man fell 35 feet down from the side of a bridge. He was complaining his back hurt and he was having a hard time breathing. Apparently Caltrans had crews in the area of the Outlet Creek Bridge at the time.
Winter shelter vouchers are ready for folks in Fort Bragg. It was pretty cold earlier this week, but not cold enough to distribute any vouchers for motel rooms. They’re giving them out from November 15th to April 30th if the forecast low is under 40 degrees or if there’s a chance of rain at 60 percent or more. Tuesday wasn’t quite there, but pretty close. At the latest City Council meeting the police chief said there would be two changes to the shelter program, they were extending another month, that takes it to April, and those who need vouchers, wouldn’t have to go to the police department. Those in need will report to the homeless shelter, the Hospitality Center. And if there are no beds there, that’s when they can get a voucher, for one day only.
After several years of giant budget surpluses in Calif., we’re headed in the other direction. It looks like a $25 billion budget hole is likely next year. Those in the know say the state will be done with its historic run of surpluses. This is reportedly due to the amount of taxes the super-rich pay, as they’ve been making less as of late. That per the S&P 500 which is a key indicator of financial health and can be seen as a bellwether regarding the income of the uber-wealthy. It’s gone down over 17% since a peak in January. The latest report shows California revenues are $41 billion under what was expected, per the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office.
A man from Ukiah who was set to go to trial for setting a bunch of fires has admitted he did it. 34-year-old Alberto Vincent Acosta pleaded guilty to “willfully and maliciously“ setting 12 fires in and around Ukiah in August 2020. He admitted to at least one fire on August 12th of that year, then two others at homes where people were there at the time, and during a state of emergency. He also admitted there were some grass fires and wooded properties he set ablaze, also during the same state of emergency. Eight counts against him were dismissed as part of a plea deal to withdraw a not guilty by reason of insanity plea. He was however examined by a couple of mental health professionals who agreed he was indeed insane at the time. He agreed to go to prison for 272 months. He will be formally sentenced Dec. 8th.
A giant charitable donation has been made to the Mendocino Coast Healthcare Foundation from a local family foundation. $150,000 will be split up, $50,000 to help recruit and retain coastal caregivers through All In For Nurses and $100,000 for advanced MRI technology. The foundation and donors donate major gifts they characterize as being transformational to help
solve urgent, multi-faceted issues like the local nursing shortage. They also work to respond to urgent community needs, and donate to support the long-term success of coastal caregivers and students.
Some changes afoot regarding outdoor dining in Lakeport. When the pandemic broke out, ordinances were passed nationwide to allow outdoor seating as indoor dining was thought to be a super spreader for the virus. There were public hearings Tuesday at the Lakeport City Council meeting on the matter after city staffers received recommended changes from the council on wording related to zoning. The changes were in language as each year staff have their maintenance review for outdoor dining to be sure things are cleaned and maintained.
In Fort Bragg, a free thanksgiving dinner is being offered. First Presbyterian Church Of Fort Bragg is offering the traditional dinner with turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, cranberry sauce, a dinner roll, pumpkin pie, and juice. There’s no dining option though, but there is an option for home delivery, between Westport and Albion, or curbside pickup at the church.
To reserve a meal, order online, at https://fbpchurch.org/ctd-1/, or call Eve at 707-478-7212 or the church office at 707-964-2316. You can also print out a “Meal Reservation Form” from their website. Reservations are required by 11 a.m. on Wednesday, November 23.
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