News for 4/1/2024

If you had a chance to be a part of the zoom audience last week, you saw the Lake County Board of Supervisors at their weekly meeting. It took place in the Lakeport Chambers and the board heard what was basically updates and an overview of the 2050 general plan and local area. In addition, there was discussion of what to do with excess proceeds from the County Tax Collector. These plans involve a number of processes including assessments and reviews like the California Environmental Quality Act review. It’s a three year process beginning right now with community engagement and continuing through Fall of 2026. In order to gather as much data as possible, the county has partnered with Americorps and other organizations to facilitate community meetings, events, and canvassing the community. The public is encouraged to participate in these meetings or reach out via the website lakecounty2050.org.

If you are caring for a loved one with dementia, you’ll want to consider “The Power of Caregiving” workshop designed exactly for someone like you. Hospice Services of Lake County and the Redwood Caregivers Resource Center are presenting the free two-part workshop. It’s scheduled for Saturdays, April 20 and 27, 10 a.m.to 2 p.m., at 1862 Parallel Drive. Lunch and snacks will be provided for participants, and arrangements for respite care may be available with advance notice. The workshop is intended to provide a supportive, educational opportunity to help participants increase peace of mind and understanding of caregiving and to feel less isolated and stressed by providing awareness of resources and widening their support systems. For more information or to register, visit the organization’s website at www.lakecountyhospice.org.

All of last month was celebrated as Women’s History Month, a time dedicated to recognizing and honoring the remarkable achievements and contributions of women, both present day ad throughout history. Woodland Community College proudly celebrated by continuing to foster diversity, equity and inclusion. Next is the 2024 Eagles of Excellence awards and celebration. This event raises funds to support the students at Woodland Community College and provides an opportunity to recognize and honor individuals who have made significant, positive impacts in both college and the wider community. The next Eagles of Excellence presentation is April 12th at the WCC Performing Arts & Culinary Center.

The Lake County Fair Board has a new appointment from Governor Gavin Newsom. It’s William Coburn of Upper Lake. He was appointed to the 49th District Agricultural Association of the Lake County Fair Board of Directors. Coburn has been co-owner and culinary director of Crazy Quilt Farms since 2021. He has also been an In-Home Supportive Services provider since 2019. In addition, he was the kitchen manager at Lovejoy’s Tea Room and a business manager at Neiman Marcus. His new position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation for the position.

You need to know of some road projects that will be taking place around the North Coast this week. Caltrans has reported that the Mendocino County projects may very well affect Lake County commuters and possibly work in Del Norte and Humboldt counties as well. Obviously, in these areas, Caltrans says drive with caution, be prepared to stop in traffic control areas and realize you will need to slow down. Know that the‌‌ ‌‌Caltrans‌‌ ‌‌Traffic‌‌ ‌‌Operations‌‌ ‌‌Office‌‌ ‌‌has‌‌ ‌‌reviewed‌‌ ‌‌each‌‌ ‌‌project‌‌ ‌‌and‌‌ ‌‌determined‌‌ ‌‌that‌‌ ‌‌individual‌‌ ‌‌‌project‌‌ ‌‌delays‌‌ ‌‌are‌‌ ‌‌expected‌‌ ‌‌to‌‌ ‌‌be‌‌ ‌‌less‌‌ ‌‌than‌‌ ‌‌the‌‌ ‌‌statewide‌‌ ‌‌policy‌‌ ‌‌maximum‌‌ ‌‌of‌‌ ‌‌30‌‌ ‌‌minutes‌‌ ‌‌unless‌‌ ‌‌‌noted‌‌ ‌‌otherwise. To get route updates, check QuickMap at www.DOT.ca.gov.

It’s almost Earth Day time again and Noyo Food Forest’s 15th Annual Earth Day Festival is set for Saturday, April 20th from noon to 4pm. Location will e at The Learning Garden – that’s on the Fort Bragg High School campus. This year will bring some awesome live music and entertainment from Circus Mecca, Morgan Daniel of Foxglove, Gwyneth Moreland and the 2nd Hand Grass featuring Gene Parsons. Also included will be a plant sale, great food, hands-on environmental activities, earth-friendly artisan crafts and so much more. Overall, the event will focus on regenerative gardening and community farming. The Earth Day Festival has been the signature benefit event for Noyo Food Forest since it was in 2006. This event is open to everyone. More information is available at noyofoodforest.org.

The city of Ukiah says they are moving construction work on the Purple Pipe Project this week. That means lane closures on Bush Street. Ghilotti Construction will begin on Brush Street near Mazzoni Street. They will be installing recycled water pipelines. Work will progress to the east and eventually going underneath Highway 101. Watch for construction signs and be prepared for detours.

It was a bit of a surprise, but it appears that Mendocino County District Attorney David Eyster has hired an outside prosecutor who will be the one to oversee a felony case that targets suspended county Auditor Chamise Cubbison and former county Payroll Manager Paula June Kennedy. The hire is Traci Lewis Carrillo. She is a former Sonoma County deputy district attorney who is now in private practice. She is taking over the case as special prosecutor. Two reasons this is a surprise – one is how much it will cost taxpayers and secondly, there is no knowledge of how long the contract is with Carrillo. Eyster’s hiring of an outside prosecutor now is raising questions about whether a preliminary hearing scheduled in less than three weeks for Cubbison and Kennedy can proceed. Carrillo says she is prepared to proceed with the hearing.

News for 3/29/24

The California Attorney General’s Office will not be filing charges against former Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli, who has been accused of sexually assaulting multiple women. The Attorney General’s Office made the announcement on Thursday, about two years after it took over the investigation. A spokesperson for Attorney General Rob Bonta says the office doesn’t have enough evidence to support filing charges in cases not barred by the statute of limitations. Foppoli is accused of sexually assaulting women between 2002 and 2021.

Clarification and safety are at the heart of an effort to reform California school zones.  A new bill aims to clear up speed limits with time-based standards instead of the usual “when children are present” rule.  The new legislation will bring California in line with the majority of other states by using clearer time of day standards for school zone speed limits.  The bill would also lower speed limits in school zones to 20 miles an hour or less and improve safety planning near schools.

California is taking another step in fighting the drug overdose crisis.  The state has been giving away free naloxone kits, which reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.  Now, Dr. Mark Ghaly says the program is being expanded to include fentanyl test strips.  California’s Health and Human Services Secretary says it’s another tool to bring down rising numbers of deaths from fentanyl.  Eligible organizations will get the test strips and the effort will be tracked through the state’s Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis.

An MCSO Sergeant saved a man’s life in Ukiah. It happened on Monday when the Sergeant was on routine patrol near Perkins Street Bridge. Just before 11am the sergeant reported that he saw a man tying a rope to the bridge, and then putting the rope around his own neck. The sergeant approached the man as he was attempting to get over the bridge railing. He was able to pull the man back onto the bridge and detain him. According to a news release from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, the man was taken to Adventist Health Ukiah Valley where he was connected to mental health resources.

The Speedway Gas Station in Ukiah was robbed this week. On Tuesday, Ukiah Police responded to a silent alarm call at the Speedway just before 4am. When they got there an employee reported a man they knew, Ryan Okerstrom, had come into the convenience store, shoved him against the wall, and stole two packs of cigarettes. Officers found Okerstrom nearby, reportedly smoking one of the stolen cigarettes. He was arrested without incident and taken to the Mendocino County Jail on a robbery charge.

A fundraiser for a local school is guaranteed to make you laugh. It’s the 3^rd annual Comedy for a Cause and it’s being held on Saturday, April 13^th. The event will be at the Ukiah Valley Conference Center on South School Street. Proceeds will benefit the Ukiah School Safe and Sober Grad Night and the Willits High School Class of 2024. You can get tickets at the Mendocino Book Company in Ukiah. The comedy show will feature comedian Mark Lundholm who has appeared on Comedy Central and Showtime and had his own one-man show on Broadway. Doors open at 6pm and the show will be hosted by Ukiah’s own Jake “The Bern Man” Bernie.

A reminder, the Lakeport Rotary Club is holding it’s 98^th Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday. It will be at That Ranch on Thomas Drive in Lakeport, rain or shine. Kids can hunt for close to 3,000 eggs including 300 eggs that hold special prizes. Gates open at 1:15pm and the hunt begins at 1:30.

The national weather service says we can expect a windy weekend in Mendocino County. Thanks to a low pressure system that’s moving through we could see winds gusting around 40 or 50 miles an hour this afternoon. Frost, fog, wind, and rain are possible until Easter Sunday morning. Forecasters said the sun should be back in the Ukiah Valley by Monday.

Millions of Californians are bracing for a possible new electricity charge. But the state says the goal is to actually lower your bills. State regulators are considering a plan to add a 24-dollar flat fee to help companies cover basic costs. This would allow them to reduce prices by about five-to-seven cents per kilowatt hour. The change would affect PG&E, serving Lake and Mendocino Counties. If approved, it could begin late next year or early 2026.

California’s Dungeness crab season isn’t lasting very long. Fishing will close early along most of the state’s coast on April 8th. Officials say it’s to protect humpback whales returning to forage from getting caught in the gear.  They said it’s also why the season started two months late. The closure will run from the Sonoma-Mendocino County line to the border with Mexico. Recreational crab traps also won’t be allowed but other methods like hoop nets are okay.

More California ski resorts are keeping their slopes open longer. Thanks to Mother Nature dropping new snow this month. So far, four places have confirmed they will extend their season. Sugar Bowl and Kirkwood will both run lifts until April 28th. Palisades Tahoe and Mammoth Mountain have announced they’ll be offering an extra month past that, staying open through Memorial Day. Several others are set to close next month, but they could also decide to extend.

PM Update

Mendocino County D A David Eyster has taken his name OFF prosecuting the case against suspended county Auditor Chamise Cubbison and former county Payroll Manager Paula June Kennedy. Mendofever.com reports Eyster has named Traci Lewis Carrillo, who’s a former assistant DA in Sonoma County, to handle the trial against Cubbison and Kennedy. Carrillo is now in private practice and will be paid under a contract with the County. The defendants had asked that Eyster be taken off the case because they say he is biased due to past conflicts. Eyster brought felony charges last fall, accusing Cubbison and Kennedy of misusing county funds to pad Kennedy’s pay during the pandemic. The two women have denied the charges. There’s a preliminary hearing in the case set for next month, but Carillo says she’ll be ready. Eyster hasn’t commented about why he recused himself.
The Ukiah City Council has tabled a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. Members discussed the issue for hours at its meeting last week but voted NOT to consider the resolution by one vote. According to Mendofever.com opponents argued that the council had more important issues to discuss closer to home rather than wading into a hot-button international debate. Because the issue was tabled, not voted down, it can come up at a meeting in the future

Hang on to your Easter hats. The National Weather Service says We’ll see windy weather for the next couple of days with gusts up to 50 miles an hour at higher elevations. Easter Sunday though, looks to dawn clear.

Play Ball! It’s baseball opening day. The Giants open down the coast in San Diego. The A’s are home–in Oakland at least for now–against Cleveland.

News for 3/28/24

The countdown to the new California minimum wage is winding down and major restaurants are hinting at how they will cope with the bump up to $20 an hour. Some are planning menu price increases, passing some of the labor cost on to the customer. Others will ramp up their use of things like fry robots, automated drink dispensers and self-serve kiosks. McDonalds, Taco Bell and others already rely heavily on their mobile app for pre-orders. The wage increase is being called a critical cost of living boost for the roughly 700,000 fast food workers in the state. The new minimum wage kicks in on Monday.

Former California State Controller Betty Yee has officially launched her campaign for governor. In a video statement announcing her campaign, Yee said she’s hearing that “California is more out of balance than ever.” Two other female political leaders are in the race for governor, Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis and California Senate Leader Toni Atkins.

A California judge is recommending former Trump legal adviser John Eastman be disbarred for his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. On Wednesday, Eastman was found guilty of making false and misleading statements and for his role in provoking the January sixth riot at the Capitol. The judge said Eastman should be disbarred from the practice of law in California and that his name should be removed from the roll of attorneys.

You can see Lake County’s new Poet Laureate be inaugurated this weekend. Brenda Yaeger will be honored on Saturday from 1 to 3pm at Fore Family Vineyards. The event will happen in the tasting room on Main Street in Kelseyville. The outgoing Poet Laureate will be there to say her goodbyes and to welcome Yaeger to her new role. A virtual inauguration will also happen on Zoom, Monday April 1st from 5 to 7pm. Click here for Zoom Access.

The City of Fort Bragg will hold a special meeting of the Finance and Administration Committee this afternoon. The meeting is scheduled for 4pm at the Town Hall on Main Street. Agenda items include a review of the treasury report and the review of contracts and change orders.

A whooping cough outbreak in Northern California is getting worse. A couple hours south of here, in Marin County, one high school is now dealing with 93 cases. Officials are keeping parents updated but have not started a mask mandate. The highly contagious bacterial disease mostly affects children and state officials say it  could spread even more over spring break. Symptoms can show up five to 21 days after infection, with some developing a severe cough that lasts for weeks or months.

Beware in the water. A system that warns of danger off California’s coast is now in danger itself. It could end this summer when state funding stops. The lab behind the program alerts swimmers and surfers when great white sharks are near beaches. But the director fears there won’t be enough money in the budget to save it. He says they need seven-million dollars to keep the high-tech system running for the next few years.

PM Update

CalTrans is holding a public meeting next month to get input on a sidewalk repair project in North Point Arena. The project will repave and improve the sidewalks along Route 1, making them ADA-compliant and safer for pedestrians. It covers several miles of roadside in the community. The meeting is on April 18th at 6M at the Point Arena City Hall. There is more information about the project on the CalTrans website.

The Robinson Rancheria Resort & Casino has a new general manager–who is the first member of the Pomo Tribe and the first woman to ever hold that job. Elizabeth Anderson Nix is an enrolled tribal member of the Robinson Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians and began her career at Robinson Rancheria Resort & Casino as a blackjack dealer in 1993. She says she is both humbled and honored to take the top job.

Great news is you’re a skier. Two big resorts in the Mountains say they’ll stay open until April 28th because of the big mountain snow. Kirkwood and Sugar Bowl say the conditions are excellent, with Sugar Bowl reporting a snow base depth of 163 inches. It’s not just skiers who will benefit. The state says the Central Sierra is at almost 99 percent of its normal April 1 snowpack ,with more snow forecast before the end of the month. That should keep a drought at bay this summer.

Tax time can be SCAM time, and Attorney General Rob Bonta is offering advice to avoid getting ripped off. He says you can safely ignore calls from anyone claiming to be with the tax man–either state or federal. He also says you should be sure to use a secure PIN or password if you’re e-filing this year. The tax deadline is almost here..in less than 3 weeks.

Talk about a fat cat. Police in South San Francisco were prepared to face a mountain lion after a caller reported one sitting on top of a fencer in her backyard. False alarm. Police posted on Facebook later reported it was nothing more frightening than a big gray and white tabby perched between the fenceposts. No word if the owner will put a little less cat chow in the bowl,

News for 3/27/24

The state official who oversees California’s elections has given the green light for groups who want to recall Governor Gavin Newsom.  Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber says signature gathering for a Newsom recall can move forward. This is the latest effort to recall the governor.  Last month, Rescue California said it was filing a notice of intent. The group says it can justify removing Newsom because it says he has failed to deal with the state’s growing homelessness problem, high taxes, a large budget deficit, rising crime rates and immigration issues. In 2021, Newsom easily fought off a recall effort. Opponents will have to gather more than 1.3 million verified signatures. They have until September 3rd to put a measure on the ballot. 

An update to a story we told you last week, California is extending the deadline to apply for college financial aid.  On Monday, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law that moves the April 2nd deadline to May 2nd.  Now, students have an extra month to complete their FAFSA.  Many students reported problems this year after a new FAFSA system was rolled out three months late.

Attorney General Rob Bonta is giving tips on how to avoid tax-related scams.  Bonta issued a consumer alert on Monday, giving Californians advice on how to prepare and safely file taxes.  Officials recommend not answering phone calls, emails or texts from people claiming to be from California’s Franchise Tax Board or the IRS.  He also said residents should make sure they have an active Identity Protection PIN for their IRS e-filing account.  Officials also advise using a two-factor authentication  to help protect tax filing accounts.  The deadline to file tax returns is April 15th, but those who need more time can request an extension.  

The Lake County Registrar of Voters sent out a reminder about the March 5th Presidential Primary Election. In it they remind residents that election results are still not final. They said they have about 4500 ballots that still need to be counted. Of those, just over 4 thousand are vote-by-mail ballots, 266 are provisional or conditional ballots, and 44 are ballots that require further review. If you’d like more information on the progress of the primary election, click here.

The Lakeport Rotary Club will host it’s 98^th annual Easter Egg Hunt this Sunday. It’s a free event being held at a new location this year, That Ranch on Thomas Drive in Lakeport. The easter egg hunt starts at 1:30pm and will happen rain or shine. Kids can hunt for almost 3,000 eggs. 300 of those eggs will have an extra special prize attached. Get all the Easter Egg Hunt Details on the Lakeport Rotary Facebook page.

A new bill is being introduced to help with the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous people in California and across the country. California Representatives Jared Huffman and Adam Schiff introduced the Tribal Community Protection Act on Tuesday. They say the legislation will help address the crisis and bridge the gap between tribal and state and local law enforcement. Among other things, the Act would create a funding incentive for states and localities who agree to share information, like the status of restraining orders, with Tribal law enforcement, and vice versa. The sharing of information can help both tribal and state police enforce those orders and help keep victims safe.  Officials said it’s often the complex jurisdictional overlaps at the federal, state, local, and tribal levels that make things worse when working cases of missing or murdered indigenous people.  

PM Update

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s office is investigating after a body was found in the Russian River. A kayaker reported the body on Saturday afternoon in the area of Morison Creek and Old River Road. The sheriff’s office sent up a drone, which spotted the remains about an hour later. The woman’s body was badly decomposed so investigators have not yet been able to make an ID.

Highway projects in Mendocino and Lake County are part of a statewide allocation of almost a billion dollars for road improvements. The California Transportation Commission has approved the funding to cover projects over the next 4 years Among the work.. improvement on Highway 29. from south of Bottle Rock Road to north of Cole Creek Road near Kelseyville. It will cost around 4 million dollars to put in a left turn lane and make other improvements in that area. Also on the list are around 1.4 million dollars for retaining walls, culverts, and ADA-compliant ramps and sidewalks on RT 1 from Pudding Creek Bridge to Highway 20 in Mendocino County. Around the state, Cal Trans will also spend millions on new bike lanes and pedestrian improvements.

The Powerball jackpot is still growing ahead of tonight’s draw. It could hit 1.1 billion dollars or more after nobody hit the numbers on Saturday. It is now the fifth biggest ever.
–

News for 03/26/24

The U.S. Department of Justice is taking California to court over alleged violations of religious beliefs. The feds contend the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is violating the rights of Sikhs,  Muslims, and others with a prohibition on wearing beards. The DOJ says California implemented a revised facial hair policy last year and since then, has denied several religious accommodation requests.  Officers are now forced to shave their beards or lose their jobs. The department asks the Court to order CDCR to stop enforcing its facial hair policy against officers who request to wear a beard because of their religious beliefs.

Sunshine will give way to more rain and snow in Northern California by tomorrow. The National Weather Service says two more systems are heading this way with widespread rain, possible thunderstorms, and mountain snow. Less than an inch of rain is expected in the valley, but winds could gust up to 40 miles per hour Wednesday and again on Saturday. The heaviest snow is expected late Wednesday and again on Friday with a good chance of over a foot of new powder. Levels will start off around 55 hundred feet and drop to about 35 hundred by Friday.

It’s Tsunami Preparedness Week and the National Weather Service will be performing  a full blown test of the tsunami warning system tomorrow in Mendocino County. Residents will hear the sirens and get alerts on TV and radio. The reverse 911 calling system will also be tested. You’ll be hearing these alerts between 11am and noon on Wednesday. You’ll also see a flyover by the Civil Air Patrol – those planes will broadcast the message that they’re testing the system. The air patrol will fly over the entire coast. If you have any questions about the scheduled tests,  you can call the Mendocino County Office of Emergency Services. You can get more info at TsunamiZone.org

Ukiah Police arrested a woman in a stolen car. It happened on Friday afternoon when UPD got an alert from the FLOCK license plate readers. They tracked down the stolen vehicle near the intersection of North Orchard and East Perkins. Officers found the silver Honda Accord in the lot of the Pear Tree Shopping Center. They followed the driver and eventually pulled her over in the Home Depot Parking Lot. Karina Osorio was arrested for possession of stolen property, and several other charges. According to reports, the vehicle was stolen earlier in the day from Petaluma. Osorio was also found to have an outstanding warrant in Marin County. She’s been booked into the Mendocino County Jail and will eventually be sent back to Marin county.  

Lakeport Police Department announced that it will stop using the Nixle platform next month. As of April 1^st, they said they’ll change the way they send out advisories and emergency alert messages to the community. Lake County News reports LPD will begin using Nixle’s parent company, Everbridge which has more features and will allow the PD to send more focused messages. Lakeport PD says anyone who wants to use the new service can get signed up at Everbridge.net or download the Everbridge app in your app store.

California is watching the Supreme Court closely today before taking more action on an abortion pill.  Justices will hear arguments on whether to keep mifepristone widely available. That’s one of two pills used to help end a pregnancy. The state stockpiled the other last year in case of a shortage on abortion drugs.  All 250-thousand pills have already been distributed. Governor Newsom will consider resupplying the stockpile if the nation’s high court seems likely to ban or restrict the medication.

PM Update

The Lake County Board of Supervisors will get an update this week about plans to turn the former armory building in Lakeport into the new HQ for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The project is expected to cost around 20 million dollars but so far the county hasn’t come up with the funds. Lake co news.com reports Public Services director Lars Ewing says that even though there’s no money yet, it’s a good idea to start with the design work because those plans can quickly become obsolete and need to be redrawn. Also on the board agenda, is an overview of the Lake County 2050 general plan and local plan updates. The meeting starts at 9 am tomorrow in the board chambers at the county courthouse. It’s available on Zoom. You can see instructions and look over the agenda on the county website.

A rare attack from a Mountain Lion in a remote part of El Dorado County has left one man dead. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says DNA tests have confirmed the animal was involved–it has been euthanized. The 21-year-old victim was hiking with his 18-year-old brother near the town of Georgetown Sunday afternoon when the 90-pound big cat moved in. The younger brother was able to call for help and was injured too underwent surgery but is expected to physically recover. It’s the first reported fatal mountain lion attack in California in 2o years

It’s been almost three weeks since the California primary and the count in a statewide ballot measure is still close. Proposition 1 would spend 6.4 billion dollars to provide more mental health services and programs to help the homeless. Governor Newsom supports it. As of now the “yes” votes have it by 20,000, but there are around 110,000 ballots in question because of missing or mismatched signatures. Both sides wanState’secrtarry of state’s office to reach out to voters with rejected ballots to let them fix– what’s called “cure”–the mistakes. The state has until April 12th to certify the vote total.

News for 3/25/24

This morning, a Juilliard string quartet will be performing songs composed by Sonoma County jail inmates. The four students’ performances will be available via a Zoom livestream at 8:30 a.m. The one to three-minute-long songs were composed by a group of eight inmates at Sonoma County Jail. The inmates learned how to create songs during a six-week music composition class called “Music for the Future,” which is offered through the nonprofit organization called Project: Music Heals Us.

A weekend rollover injured one person north of Willits. It happened Saturday near the entrance to Sleepy Hollow Campground on Highway 101. According to reports, first responders arrived just after 3pm to find a Subaru Outback had rolled over, causing them to close a northbound lane on a blind corner of the highway. The driver of the Subaru was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. CHP is investigating the cause of the rollover. Officials said the area near Sleepy Hollow Campground is a challenging one to navigate with tight bends and limited visibility.

Easter is this weekend and Clearlake Recreation and Events will be holding its 2nd annual Bunny Brunch on Saturday. Brunch will be served from 9 to 11am at the Clearlake Youth Center at Redbud Park. The Easter Bunny will stop by brunch, and the meal will be followed by an easter egg hunt. You can get tickets in advance on Event Brite or grab them at the door on Saturday. Click here for more info.

State officials say unemployment rates were down in February for most of our area. Figures released on Friday say Sonoma, Napa, and Lake Counties all posted lower unemployment rates in February than they had in January. Lake County showed unemployment at 7%. Mendocino County’s unemployment rate stayed the same in February at 6.2%. Across California, rates were up slightly from 5.2% in January to 5.3% in February. The Associated Press reports California now has the highest level of joblessness in the nation. Statewide, jobs in private education and health services saw the most growth, while the construction industry showed the most jobs lost.

Caltrans will be busy this week across Mendocino and Lake Counties. Look for tree work to be happening today in Lake County on Highway 29 near the junction of Route 281. That will have traffic down to one lane from 8am to 3pm. And on Route 1 in Mendocino County, bridge work starts today at the Gualala River Bridge. Look for one way traffic control from 7am to 5pm. You can expect delays in that area. CalTrans reminds you to drive with caution through work zones. You can get the latest updates on the QuickTrip tab at DOT.CA.Gov

A new effort is underway to protect California’s youngest fentanyl victims.  Senator Dave Cortese introduced legislation after two babies died last year.  In one, a three-month-old girl was reportedly never removed from her home despite warning signs.  Three months later, an 18-month-old died with 15 times the lethal amount of fentanyl in her blood.  Cortese says he wants every county to treat this as a crisis.  His bill would create statewide guidelines for when it’s appropriate for kids under five to be returned to their parents who have drug cases.

Another 11 California counties are getting help to recover from February storms.  Governor Newsom expanded last month’s state of emergency that includes Lake and Mendocino Counties.  Five counties are also part of his request for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration due to widespread flooding and mudslides.

Close to 80 California non-profits are getting a massive boost.  They’re among 361 charities nationwide that will share $640 million from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.  She’s the third richest woman in the country and was married to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos for nearly 25 years.  She split from him in 2019 with $38 billion in Amazon stock, vowing to give most of it away.  The 76 charities here include Foundation for a College Education, Next Generation Scholars, and Inner City Struggle.

Someone in the Golden State is waking up as the newest millionaire.  While no one won Saturday night’s massive Powerball jackpot, one ticket sold in the state came oh-so-close.  It matched five numbers to score just over $2.4 million.  Interesting note, all four of the biggest Powerball jackpots ever won were right here in California.  Players can try their luck again with tonight’s drawing.  The grand prize is $800 million.