The Big Read in Lake County is ending. With that, they have a Poets Laureate Reading as their final event. The Lakeport Library in Lakeport is inviting the public this Saturday from 1-2 pm for the reading with Lake County’s Poet Laureate for 2020-2024, along with the state’s, Lee Herrick. There are other Poets Laureate joining, including from Ukiah, Alameda and from Kansas state. They will each share their own work. The 2023 National Endowment of the Arts Big Read is supported by several community and business partners, and supporters.
After a full on economic and community impact report was done, Senate Majority Leader Mike McGuire says the Great Redwood Trail will have major impact. McGuire says outdoor recreation is one of California’s biggest economic drivers. And that the Great Redwood Trail will have a lasting positive impact on local communities. The study shows yearly benefits of more than $102 million dollars from tourism, recreation and retail. And tax revenue for the state will add to almost $5.5 million dollars. They have two community meetings on the master planning process coming up, tonight in Fotuna and tomorrow in Willits.
Fortuna, March 22, 2023: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. River Lodge Conference Center.
RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/great-redwood-trail-grt-community-workshop-fortuna-tickets-523090426547
Willits, March 23, 2023: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Willits Community Center.
RSVP/Location here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/great-redwood-trail-grt-community-workshop-willits-tickets-530691541687
A man has been arrested in Fort Bragg after he landed in the hospital. Police say they got to Adventist Health Mendocino Coast after a call for help about an agitate man, fighting staff. They say the man was able to get ahold of some medical shears in the ambulance and somehow freed himself. They say he was chasing people with the sheers. When cops arrived, they saw the man running and ordered him to stop, but he threatened him and wouldn’t listen to their commands and ran off. He kept running towards officers threatening them and tried getting into homes in the area. Officers fearing for the safety of neighbors shot a TASER device successfully, and arrested the man who was having a mental health evaluation. They say drugs may have been a factor.
There’s a new US Attorney for the Northern District of Calif. The president announced he had nominated Ismail J. Ramsey, who took the oath of office this week. He was nominated last November and was confirmed by the US Senate March 7th. He was the Assistant United States Attorney in the same office until 2003, then in 2006, he went into private practice in Berkeley. He’s also been an adjunct professor at the University of California at Berkeley School of Law. He went to Harvard for undergrad, got his MBA at the Haas School of Business and his law degree is also from Harvard. He’s also a veteran of the United States Air Force.
The state Assembly is considering a bill to expand rat poison restrictions to help protect kids, pets and wildlife. Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Burbank) is pushing the California Ecosystems Protection Act of 2023 which would extend a current moratorium on second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides to add in a deadly first-generation anticoagulant rodenticide. She says California wildlife such as mountain lions and eagles are still being “needlessly poisoned”, and more needs to be done.
The first day of spring brought showers with it. The latest atmospheric river drenched an already waterlogged California. The storm mostly pounded the central and southern parts of the state, with sheets of rain reported in some areas, runoff and mountain snow. There was hail also reported at the state capital. Trees and power lines were down and one man in a sewer truck in the Bay Area was hit by a falling tree and died. Santa Cruz County clocked wind gusts up to 80 mph yesterday and a massive oak tree fell across Highway 12 in Santa Rosa. Utility companies were working to get over 200,000 customers lights back on, mostly south of San Francisco. This was the 12th atmospheric river since late December. Mammoth Mountain announced they’d stay open until the end of July!
A teacher from Redwood Valley spent nearly two weeks hiking through snow and ice to get to a car so she could get to school. Eighth grade science teacher Paula Abajian spent thirteen days trekking in the snow and through ice last Monday the first day she could drive out of the area due to the snow falling in her neighborhood since late February. She lives in the mountains with her family near Willits and the road to her home is covered in snow, which then froze over because of all the wet weather. The roads in and out were impassable for almost three weeks. Her home is also solar powered, so they had some challenges.
Another earthquake has hit Humboldt County. The temblor yesterday afternoon was measured at 4.6 magnitude. The U.S. Geological Survey pegged it at about 7 miles west southwest of Ferndale at 4:20 pm. Experts say it could be an aftershock of the earthquake in the area December 20th. A local earthquake expert told the Times Standard newspaper, there was no tsunami threat. But about 100 people called the USGS with shake reports from Eureka and Arcata mostly.
The Red Fox Casino has closed for good. The casino posted “it is with a heavy heart” the closure of the gaming facility as of Sunday. The casino has been in the Mendocino County community for the last two decades. The Cahto Tribe of the Laytonville Rancheria says even though they are closing the casino, they are still pursuing other economic opportunities.
A lot of road damage has occurred due to all of the rain and snow in Lake County. That means Elk Mountain Rd. in Upper Lake is being closed indefinitely. The Mendocino National Forest says the road which is also referred to as Forest Road M1 was hit hard by the storms and has been closed since the start of the month. The problem with that is, there’s now only one way in to Lake Pillsbury from Potter Valley. The Lake County Public Works Department posted to their Facebook page the road was closed down by the Forest Service March 1st and the Forest Service says the County closed the road above the Middle Creek Campground. Public Works crews are there working to get another access open from Potter Valley to the Soda Creek Store.
Cracking down on how much money can be donated to certain political candidates is on the docket at the state Legislature. State Senator Bill Dodd introduced a bill to put limits on how much money people can donate to candidates running for school boards and special district offices. A Senate committee approved the bill yesterday, which Senator Dodd says will put a cap on donations to ensure fairness and encourage a more diverse field in local elections. Right now, unlimited contributions are allowed through most of the state. Dodd’s bill sets the individual donation limit to $5,500, and it also allows local governments to set their own limits.
A man from Ukiah has been arrested after someone reported stolen lottery tickets and other items. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies got a call to a burglary at a business in the 1400 block of Lovers Lane two Sundays ago. The business reported “Scratcher” Lottery tickets were taken. Surveillance footage showed a man on camera after business hours taking the tickets, cigarettes, and beer. They identified him as 34-year-old Lorenzo Cruz of Ukiah. Deputies found him in a car with the items. He apparently cashed in some winning Lottery tickets and was arrested on suspicion of felony burglary and booked into Mendocino County Jail on $15,000 bail.
This year the Lakeport Rotary Egg Hunt is on. The yearly tradition is on April 9th at the Lake County Fairgrounds, for its 97th year. It started back in 1926. They’ll be hiding nearly 3,000 eggs and 300 of them will be “Special Pay” eggs. Kids 1 month to 12 years are welcome to join. They’ll be separated into age groups and directed to certain areas to match their group. The gates open at 1:15 pm, with the hunt starting at 1:30 pm.
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