News 5/20/2022

The Mendocino County Public Health Office is warning to stay away from the water at Pudding Creek Beach in Fort Bragg. The Environmental Health Division got back a water sample report to check on bacteria levels earlier this week, indicating the ocean water quality at the beach in Fort Bragg does not meet State standards. Warning signs have been posted at Pudding Creek to avoid contact with ocean water due to an increased risk to human health. Pudding Creek is along Hwy 1 at the north end of Fort Bragg. Contact with ocean water should be avoided for 50 yards on either side of the drainage entering the ocean. The signs will stay up until the water quality meets minimum standards specified by the State of California regulations. Environmental Health Division staff determine this safety standard based on bacteriological findings in their regular water sampling.

A former Mendocino County deputy and a former Willits Police officer now on a YouTube show called Confessions of an Ex-Cop says his former co-workers were corrupt. Trent James says his former colleague, Lieutenant JD Comer was under investigation for possessing child pornography and the Sheriff’s office is actively covering it up. Then he switched the alleged crime to Comer’s son Bailey who was booked into Mendocino County Jail for kiddie porn possession. Meanwhile, Mendo Fever reports the Sheriff admitted Comer’s home, where many people lived, was the scene of a criminal investigation, that also triggered an internal affairs investigation. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation. Sheriff Kendall has denied any sort of cover up since the alleged crimes occurred in 2019 and we’re just now getting wind of it. Comer’s son is accused of unlawful and knowing possession of videos and images depicting persons under 18 years of age engaging or simulating sexual conduct. He was booked, then released from jail last weekend.

A vegetation fire in Lucerne has been contained with no injuries and evacuations. Cal Fire reported Wednesday afternoon with Northshore Fire to a one-acre fire. It was contained at 2.5 acres. Fire officials have identified a local man as possibly starting the fire after it spread from a small barbeque to surrounding vegetation. They also found the guy had a warrant for his arrest in Lake County, so he was hauled in for violating state law, causing a fire through careless or negligent action. He was arrested by CAL FIRE Law Enforcement and booked into the Lake County Jail. A warning was also issued by Cal Fire as the weather warms up, fuels are already way too dry for this time of year, so be careful if you do choose to cook outdoors.

A structure fire has been reported in the 1100 block of S. Dora St. where police are telling residents to stay away from the neighborhood. Apparently, someone called dispatch to say the NorCal Dermatology Building was smoking and on fire at 1101 South Dora Street. Firefighters reported not being able to get into the building as it was well-involved. There was also a power line reported down in the area of the fire, and there were probably oxygen tanks inside. But they managed to get it under control and were there overnight, cleaning up afterwards.

Firefighters reporting to the scene of a fire in Fort Bragg say a kitchen fire was spreading. The fire on N. Sanderson Way shut down the street as fire crews arrived to assess the situation. A neighbor called the fire in saying they could see flames. There was a fire hydrant directly in front of the home. Mendo Fever reports someone was inside with a psychiatric condition, but they found the fire was not intentionally set and damage was limited.

Several thousand people reported to be without power from Rockport to Little River. PG&E said more than 11,000 customers were in the dark last night all the way out to Melbourne and the Big River Campground along State Route 20. The outage or outages, as there may have been two separate incidents, started yesterday afternoon with utility personnel scrambling to the scene. As of last night around 9pm, it appeared everyone had their power back on.

A man from Southern Calif. is going to prison for sexually assaulting a teenager from Lake County. 32-year-old Trevor Noel Reynoso of Murrieta is going to state prison for 16 years for supplying a teenage girl with drugs who was then sexually assaulted. Reynoso was reportedly arrested in June of last year after the mom of a 15-year-old called to report the girl had been sexually assaulted. The victim told police she met Reynoso online and they had sex several times over a four-month period. She said he gave her drugs for sex. It was found Reynoso had been targeting minors on Snapchat then would give them drugs in Hidden Valley Lake. The reporting minor worked with the Sheriff’s Office to nab the guy. He told police he thought the victim was 18.

Hundreds of millions of dollars coming to several Calif. counties by way of the State Transportation Commission. The $700 million to help repair and/or improve road infrastructure. There are two Lake County projects and four in Mendocino. The Lake County projects include $384,000 to cover mitigation work at Bachelor Creek Bridge on Highway 20 near Upper Lake; and nearly $4 million dollars for emergency allocations for embankment, guardrail and drainage repairs on Route 175/Hopland Grade near Hopland. In Mendocino County, almost six million is going to improve the South Fork Eel River Bridge, another one million or so for signs to go up on Route 1 near Fort Bragg, 2 million more to build a retaining wall, and for roadway and drainage improvements on Route 253 near Boonville; and finally, another 5.2M for emergency allocations for embankment, guardrail, drainage and road repairs on U.S. 101 near Willits.

Over 300 people took turns using the Ukiah Skate Park for the Skate Jam. Skaters along with their friends and families, plus vendors and bands partied in the outdoor space last year, so they’re doing it again. Skate Jam 2 is this Saturday, May 21st from 1-7pm at the Skate Park. The Sundays in the Park concert promoter says he has always wanted to do shows at the Skate Park, so he made it happen last year with the help of the City of Ukiah. About a half dozen bands will perform, they’re skate punk and rock bands, including a couple local outfits. It’s free for anyone who wants to skate during the event, and there will also be some organized competitions throughout the event.

A man from Daly City has been arrested after a high-speed chase in Ukiah. The California Highway Patrol reports stopping a Hyundai Santa Fe Monday morning as it was traveling too fast on the 101. The officer who contacted the driver, who was identified as Luis A. Mendoza-Gonzaga, says he admitted he didn’t have a driver’s license, so the officer told him to hand over the keys, but he took off. They report he hit speeds of about 120 mph, with Mendoza-Gonzaga driving erratically, going the wrong way on an on ramp. Ukiah police joined the pursuit and helped corner the guy who was found to be in a stolen car with ammo and meth on him. He was finally taken down and booked on suspicion of possessing stolen property, vehicle theft, evading an officer, delaying and giving false information to an officer, and possession of a controlled substance. He was held under $50,000 bail.

The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors has decided to pursue a new sales tax ordinance so the county can pay for local water supply protection and to help boost fire services. At the supervisors Tues. meeting they heard from a board member on the Russian River Flood Control & Water Conservation Improvement District who also serves on the Inland Water and Power Commission of Mendocino County. And during public comment a representative called in from the Mendocino County Farm Bureau who supported a tax increase. The board ended up voting unanimously even though two Board Members first seemed hesitant, to have county staff draw up a tax ordinance to provide money for fire and water and return to the full board on June 8th with the document.

The Lake County Board of Supervisors had reports from the Sheriff’s office and the Dept. of Public Health. It was during the monthly update from Public Health Officer that the news came about an uptick in COVID cases and a recent shortage of baby formula nationwide. The Public Health Officer Dr. Erik McLaughlin said COVID in Lake County has gone from 1.5 percent positivity to 4.4 percent. He said they’d be more nervous if that percentage was ten percent, so it’s not an emergency yet. The most who are getting the virus are in the age range of 18 to 34. He says they are expecting hospitalizations. At the same time, he spoke about the infant formula shortage and warned moms against diluting formula. The Sheriff also updated the board on the annual report being available online for the public to see; and spoke of a recent complaint about an illegal marijuana garden in Twin Lakes where they found nearly 2,500 cannabis plants and 340 lbs of drying marijuana.

News 5/19/2022

The Mendocino County Board of supervisors voted unanimously this week to move ahead with a possible sales tax ordinance that would be used to fund projects that protect local water supply as well as boost fire services. The Ukiah Daily Journal reports that two board members expressed doubts that a new spending measure would be approved by voters but ultimately voted to begin drafting a sales tax ordinance regarding allocations for fire and water. That plan will be presented to the full board on June 8th.

There’s an elevated fire weather outlook today and tomorrow in northeast Mendocino County and the eastern side of Lake County. The National Weather Service in Eureka says a red flag warning has been issued across the northern Central Valley and into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada due to high winds, higher than average temperatures, and low relative humidity.

A woman suffered traumatic injuries last night after being kicked by a horse in KLEE-own. Mendocino medical responders were called to a field behind a home on Mill Creek Road just before 8:30 and MendoFever reports that EMTs used a six-wheeler to access the patient. She was taken by air ambulance to an out of area hospital.

A small fire broke out yesterday afternoon in the hills above Lucerne. Lake County news reports that the Robinson fire was first reported just before 3:30 p.m. along Robinson Road. Reports said the fire grew to two acres as the wind pushed it uphill into brush. A man in a motorhome was trapped for a time but Northshore and California Fire were able to reach him. The fire was contained. The cause was not yet released.

The Clearlake City Council will meet tonight to discuss new rules for a food recovery program, the sale of a vacant city-owned parcel and a contract for police mobile audio visual equipment. The meeting is set for 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall. It will also be broadcast live on the city’s Youtube channel. Residents can participate via Zoom or in-person.

Humboldt Bay fire crews were called to a structure fire late yesterday afternoon at the Humboldt Waste Management authority building in Eureka. Humboldt Bay’s fire chief told ABC 7 News that they responded to the Hawthorne Street facility around 5pm and found that the sprinklers inside had gone off as soon as the alarms went off which made it easier to contain the fire. No word yet on the cause.

And Ukiah Symphony Orchestra is set for their final performances of the season. The Ukiah Daily Journal Reports that “At The Movies” 1. will feature medleys of movie and TV show soundtracks including The Mandalorian, Superman, Wonder Woman, Black Panther, Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean. Tickets are available at ukiahsymphony.org and the Mendocino Book Company. Shows are Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2pm.

Police arrested a man near Ukiah following a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle. California Highway Patrol reported that on Monday morning just before 10- troopers pulled over a Hyundai Santa Fe for speeding on US 101 south. MendoFever reports the driver, Luis Mendoza-Gonzaga, told officers he didn’t have a license and when he was asked to turn over his keys he sped away. The pursuit reached speeds of over 120mph and the vehicle exited the wrong way on the Perkins St. ramp. Ukiah PD and MCSO helped search for the vehicle abandoned at the Big Lots parking lot on S. orchard Avenue with ammunition and what appeared to be drugs inside. The driver was eventually located and taken into custody.

A woman suffered traumatic injuries last night after being kicked by a horse in Cleone. Mendocino medical responders were called to a field behind a home on Mill Creek Road just before 8:30 and MendoFever reports that EMTs used a six-wheeler to access the patient. She was taken by medevac to an out of area hospital.

Gov. Newsom has appointed two new members of the Lake County Fair board- formally known as the 49th District Agricultural Association. Nara Dahlbacka of Hidden Valley Lake and Traci Medina of Lakeport have been selected to sit on the board of directors. The positions do not require Senate confirmation and they are not paid positions.

The Clearlake City Council will meet tonight to discuss new rules for a food recovery program, the sale of a vacant city-owned parcel and a contract for police mobile audio visual equipment. The meeting is set for 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall. It will also be broadcast live on the city’s Youtube channel. Residents can participate via Zoom or in-person.

News 5/18/2022

The Ukiah City Council will vote again this evening on the future of the home of Dragon’s Lair. The Ukiah Daily Journal reports that a majority of members voted earlier this month that the building that houses the business at 101 South Main Street should not be demolished even though the city’s Demolition Review Committee approved the building owner’s request to tear down the 100-year-old structure. A public hearing will address the issue tonight at 6:15pm in the City Council chambers at 300 Seminary Avenue and virtually on Zoom.

Lakeport’s Main Street Association will be looking for a new president. Robert Boccabella told the Lake county Record Bee that he will resign as of this month citing complex circumstances.

Humboldt County’s Superintendent of Schools issued a statement yesterday supporting students on the 16th annual International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia. The day is recognized as a step toward abolishing discrimination and ensuring that schools are safe for all- regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

A rise in COVID cases and the baby formula shortage were two topics addressed at yesterday’s Lake County Board of Supervisors meeting. Lake county news reports that in the Department of health services monthly update- Dr. Eric McLaughlin said the county is averaging about 5.7 cases per 100,000 per week. He said that’s not an emergency but he is concerned about the velocity- as they’ve been seeing a 1 percent increase in cases per week. McLaughlin also warned parents against diluting baby formula.

The Lake County Board of supervisors yesterday unanimously voted against a large cannabis project that would have been located next to south county subdivisions and proposed removing a large portion of a blue oak woodland. Lake County news reports that This was the board’s second action against WeGrowLLC’s proposal for processing and distribution operations on 9 acres of a 309 acre property in Middletown.

When the Lake Local Agency Formation Commission meets this morning they will discuss the process for handling protests against the city of Lakeport’s proposal to annex the South Main Street corridor. Lake County news reports the city of Lakeport is seeking to annex 137 acres, made up of 50 parcels, in the area south of the existing Lakeport city limits, adjacent to South Main Street and Soda Bay Road and east of Highway 29. The commission will meet at 9:30 in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall. You can also watch via zoom.

The Mendocino County Board of supervisors voted unanimously yesterday to move ahead with a possible sales tax ordinance that would be used to fund projects that protect local water supply as well as boost fire services. The Ukiah Daily Journal reports that two board members expressed doubts that a new spending measure would be approved by voters but ultimately voted to begin drafting a sales tax ordinance regarding allocations for fire and water. That plan will be presented to the full board on June 8th.

News 5/17/2022

A two vehicle crash late yesterday afternoon triggered a grass fire in Ukiah. California Highway Patrol were called to the incident near Highway 101 and Talmage Road just before 5:30. Officials say the vehicles went into the center divider and got tangled in wire where a 20 x 50-foot area of grass caught on fire. One of the drivers sustained minor injuries.

A rare beaked whale washed up on shore Sunday at Mendocino County’s Jug Handle State Natural Reserve near Fort Bragg. Mendofever reports that the deceased whale is known to be elusive and for its ability to dive deeper than any marine mammal and it’s unusual to see one wash up on shore.

A suspect was arrested after a variety of drugs and guns were seized from a Lake County home on Friday. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said bags of dried marijuana, pounds of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin along with several guns were discovered at a home in the 2800 block of Merced Street in Nice. The Press Democrat reports that the months-long investigation led investigators to Brandon Weilert also known a Brandon Grendis. He’s charged with multiple felonies including selling and distributing narcotics and possessing a machine gun.

It was announced a week ago that Lakeport’s fire chief will retire after just a year on the job. Chief Jeffrey Thomas submitted his resignation to the Lakeport Fire Protection District Board May 10th and was effective at the close of business on Monday. Lake County News reports that a special meeting was held yesterday morning and Ukiah Valley Fire Chief Dan Grebil was appointed as Lakeport’s interim chief while the board searches for a successor.

News 5/16/2022

It’s a no from the California Coastal Commission for a proposed desalination plant to turn sea water into drinking water. The proposal was for Huntington Beach, but the Commission says it’s not a bellwether of what may happen elsewhere if a similar proposal comes forth. Coastal Commission staff advised the Commission to say no saying, there’s too high a cost for water and not much local demand for it, plus risks to marine life and the possibility of coastal flooding if sea levels rise more. The developer, Poseidon Water, said it would have created a sustainable, drought-tolerant source for water. They also thanked the Governor who supposedly supported the idea.

Minimum wage is already supposed to be going up, but with inflation, it could be sooner, rather than later. The Governor’s office says they want the $15 rate to hit $15.50 by January 1st of next year. That was part of the preview of the Governor’s $18.1 billion inflation relief package. Separately there’s a proposed ballot measure out there with one million signatures on its petition to raise the minimum wage to $18/hour. The ballot measure needed only 623,000 signatures to get onto the November ballot. Currently state law says inflation raises minimum wage 7%, which takes it to $15.50.

The governor says he’s giving UC and CSU campuses way more money in his budget, calling the investments, a “game-changer”. On Friday he spoke about the 5% raises in giving to the University of California and California State University systems over the next five years. And for the money, the systems are going to have to meet certain benchmarks, like reporting yearly on the progress they’ve made on certain goals, which includes better graduation rates, more enrollment, making college more affordable and making sure a certain number are ready after college for high-demand careers. The Governor previously hinted there would be more money for the campuses, then Friday detailed it out more.

The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors has a busy week ahead. Their packed schedule for the meeting tomorrow includes doling out thousands of PG&E settlement funds to various fire districts. Each will get over $45,000 to buy new water tenders. They’ll also consider the full version of the Strategic Plan and with the plan, approve payments to consultants for that. They will take the matter of creating a stand-alone water agency, look to seriously commit to reduce the amount of litter in Coastal Watersheds by educating visitors and working with neighboring Sonoma and Marin Counties and local jurisdictions and Tribal Partners. The Board will also consider sending a request to the Governor to work with the Office Of Energy Infrastructure Safety to temporarily stop PG&E’s enhanced vegetation management program in Mendocino County.

The Bikers Against Childhood Abuse group has their fundraiser on the horizon. This Saturday, May 21st, the 100 mile ride takes off from the Ukiah Elks Lodge. Registration is at 9am and the event starts at 11. It’s $25 for a single rider and $35 for two or more in a group, plus another $10 for a meal after.

A woman in Willits has been arrested after a reported assault on another woman. Deputies say one woman was parked in a car and the other woman, Tesla Hencz, drove past her, then pulled back around and rammed the front of her car. The victim says she also heard a single gunshot ring out, and soon after she had a deflated tire. She told Deputies it was Hencz who did it, then took off towards Highway 162. Deputies didn’t find her and put out a BOLO alert. Hencz was found in Laytonville and arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism and an active misdemeanor warrant. They found a spent shell casing in her car, and damage that was consistent with the damage to the other car. It’s believed the two were dating the same person. Hencz was booked into the Mendocino County Jail where she was to be held in lieu of $32,500.00 bail.

After two years without, the Lake County Weed Management Area is hosting their yearly “Invasive Weeds Tour.” The event this year is one week from Wednesday, May 25th, as it should be great weather, and there should be a lot of weeds probably still flowering. It’s free to attend, and they encourage the public to be there. They’re meeting up at 9am at the Ranch House at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park between Clearlake and Lower Lake for a leisurely guided walk for about a mile to check out the invasive plants in the park and look at what controlled burns and other control mechanisms can create. There will be a discussion after. A reminder too, to wear sturdy shoes, and bring snacks or lunch if you like.

This event is sponsored by the Lake County Department of Agriculture and the Lake County Resource Conservation District. Please contact the Agriculture Department at (707) 263-0217 if you have any questions.

Two men in Willits has been arrested for trying to sell marijuana. Deputies say they saw a car towing a trailer on Highway 101 and conducted a traffic stop because of multiple vehicle code violations. Jesus Paredes and Juan Marquez-Diego were found with as much as 128, 2 foot tall growing marijuana plants. They say the pair were going from Covelo to Clearlake without paperwork to show they legally owned the plants. They were both arrested for transportation for sale of marijuana and conspiracy to commit a crime and held on $20,000.00 bail each.

A man from Washington has been arrested in Mendocino County, accused of assaulting a woman in March in his home state. Mendo Fever reports Jack Waldrop has a history of violence and spent 21 years in an Oregon prison for strangling and beating his girlfriend to death. He’s accused of attacking another woman who escaped by locking herself in a gas station bathroom. Mendocino deputies patrolling near Willits saw a pickup truck idling on the shoulder, sticking out onto the highway. They went after Waldrop for 12 miles. He had taken off without the woman after other people in the gas station reportedly heard him yelling at her and police got a call. The woman ended up in the hospital with broken ribs and a fractured sternum. And Waldrop is charged with kidnapping and assault in Washington state.

Some endorsements announced in the run for Mendocino County Superintendent of Schools. Mendo Fever reports the Mendocino County Office of Education labor union has endorsed Nicole Glentzer and they’re encouraging employees in the union to do the same. A county Board of Education member is endorsing Superintendent Michelle Hutchins to continue on the job. Marilyn Puget mostly touted Hutchins work during the first days of the pandemic as her reason for support.

A small fire has been stomped out in Lakeport. Firefighters got a call yesterday to the area of Willow Point, on the shore of Clear Lake. When they got there, they found a 20’ x 20′ active burn with a slow rate of spread. After they got there, the Incident Commander canceled other resources who were called because it was small enough for those on scene to control. No damage or injuries were reported.

There’s a vacancy on the Lake County Board of Supervisors. We’ve been telling you about the member, Tina Scott, who’s leaving to take a teaching job, come July, so the rest of the board has to figure out how to fill the spot. They may put the seat up on the November ballot. They’re also discussing an appeal of a major cannabis project that the Planning Commission denied. WeGrow was denied the major use permit in Middletown to grow, process and have a distribution operation on nine-acres of a 309-acre property. A group of neighbors appealed the permit, then the Board of Supervisors upheld that appeal after the Planning Commission first said yes.

The state of the city report in Lakeport is being discussed along with some new outdoor dining areas or “parklets”. The meeting tomorrow night in council chambers is open to the public, with masks highly encouraged to be worn. You can also catch it online, on Zoom. The state of the city report will cover the budget, strategic planning, and this year, they’ll consider six priority areas the council decided on. They are public safety and crisis response; disaster resilience; good governance and fiscal stability; capital infrastructure improvement; safe, sustainable and attractive neighborhoods; and economic development. They will also go over prior goals and accomplishments and their relation to the new priorities they’ll be discussing.

News 5/13/2022

Governor Newsom, outlining the state budget surplus for the coming year — and it is a LOT:

NEWSOM2 “Here’s the number you have been waiting for, the surplus. The projected operating suplus for the state of California in the May revision is just shy of 100 billion dollars simply without precedent….” :13

The governor calls the 98.7 billion dollars the biggest state budget excess ever in the US. The money will move into the governor’s revised 22-23 budget. Among the additions, full implementation of universal medical coverage for all Californians and more than 11 billion dollars in tax rebates That means $400 in your pocket for every vehicle you own, up to $800. Billions of other tax breaks and credits are part of the plan too. The governor also wants an emergency increase in the state minimum wage to $15.50 an hour. It would kick in if the inflation rate passes 7 percent annually. That number comes out in July.

Money’s available for folks in Lake County who want to replace their old wood stoves. The county’s Air Quality Management District has funding available for projects that can be finished up by the end of June. This is for those who have an uncertified woodstove or fireplace insert who want a new, EPA-certified wood, electric or gas device. You may also qualify if you have a wood-burning fireplace which you use as a primary source of heat. It’s all part of the Woodsmoke Reduction Program which offers vouchers to low-income households, up to $5,000 and everyone else, up to $2,500. Installation is normally on the homeowner.

Send applications by email to LCAQMD@ LCAQMD.NETor in person at the District office located at 2617 S. Main St., Lakeport, CA 95453 or online at: WWW.LCAQMD. NET. Applications must be received by June 1, 2022 to be considered.

A PG&E helicopter has crashed injuring two people. The pilot and a man who was hanging by a cable as part of a training exercise. It was mid-week in the Livermore area, near the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where there are a bunch of factories and industrial buildings. A spokesperson with the National Transportation Safety Board reported both people ended up in the hospital. PG&E said after the crash the chopper was owned and operated by a contractor who was doing a training exercise and crashed into some PG&E training poles. Apparently, this is a routine exercise where power line workers are hoisted into the sky and suspended by a cable from underneath the aircraft. Management says nobody was seriously injured.

The public health director in Sonoma County says even though the latest couple of COVID variants from Omicron are widespread, the community is in a much better place than in the beginning of the pandemic. During a Zoom meeting Wednesday, Dr. Sundari Mase said, it’s difficult to know what lies ahead, but she feels optimistic. She says state models indicate the latest wave may be peaking now and she’s cautiously optimistic case numbers will be on the decline again soon. The seven day average of new cases as of Wednesday in Sonoma County was around 27 new daily cases per 100,000 residents. That could be higher as folks test themselves at home and may not report into their system.

A Ukiah resident asking if they can keep a beehive behind their house, got the a-ok. The city has reportedly approved two residential beehives within the city limits now. The Daily Journal reports the Zoning Administrator and Community Development Director for the city gave the green light for Teresa Kiedrowski to have a single hive in the backyard of her home on Nokomis Drive. She has about a quarter acre of land and the beehive would face her home and gardens, but could be moved. There must be a six-foot wall or hedge between the bee hive and an adjacent site, and it has to be faced away from other property lines or structures.

Some Middletown High Schoolers taking a floral design class will place wreaths in honor of Veterans on Memorial Day weekend. The Lake County Military Honors Team will offer the ceremony and a veteran Chaplin will lead an Invocation. 4H is in charge of the flag ceremony and a local Girl Scout Troop and Daisy Troop will help place the wreaths and add a flag to each of the 224 Veteran’s graves. District 1 Supervisor Moke Simon III, Tribal Chair of the Middletown Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians will be the guest speaker and will read the names of the Veterans buried at Middletown Rancheria. Jim Comstock, former District 1 Supervisor, will read the names of the Veterans buried in the Middletown Cemetery.

The Acting Forest Supervisor for the Mendocino National Forest says per her calculations there would be no significant impact for the North Shore restoration project’s environmental assessment. The project was put together for community wildfire safety improvements, like fuel reduction in the wildland urban interface and restoring and reforesting burned areas from the 2018 Ranch Fire. The project area is in Lake County, outside of Upper Lake, about 11 miles near communities on the north and northeast shores of Clear Lake. They’re accepting public objections for the next month and should have a final decision a couple weeks after that.

After a bunch of cell phone lines and land lines went out across Mendocino County, it’s been revealed it was a Comcast contractor who was responsible. The contractor reportedly drilled through fiber optic cable needed for phone and internet service, twice. The first was on Tuesday, that’s when thousands lost service for about a day. Then yesterday, Supervisor Williams, who was tweeting status updates the whole time the first incident happened, said there was another incident which caused damage to a fiber optic line, so some people couldn’t get or make calls, get internet service, or dial 911. It all happened near Fort Bragg. Williams also says he’s been in touch with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to try to get to the bottom of the issue.

The Mendocino County Fire Safe Council announced they’ll be at the Homebrew Festival and Wildfire Safety Expo at Anderson Valley Brewing in Boonville. The event is next Saturday, the 21st, from 3–6 pm. There will be homebrewers of beers, ciders, meads, and more fermented beverages from the area all competing in the Brewer’s Choice awards. There will also be family fun activities and food for purchase. The Wildfire Safety Expo features information and service providers along with fire demonstrations and tips on how to stay fire safe.

More information about both events may be found at mendohomebrewfest.com.

News 5/12/2022

An event in Lake County shines a light on healthy living, the Blue Zone Project. A community wide project the county libraries got a grant for based on the book Blue Zones of Happiness. The Hope4Health Festival/Hope in the Park Concert is also on Saturday. It’s all part of the human health project that shows ways to make permanent changes to an area’s environment, policy and social networks. The libraries will start a walking group and host healthy cooking classes with CalFresh. Both activities will go eight weeks. Those living in Lake County are invited to the events, beginning with the concert at Austin Park in Clearlake at 3p this Saturday. A Blue Zone is where there are the highest concentration of people living to 100 years or older.

Since so many trees are dying in Lake County, the Board of Supervisors passed a local emergency resolution. This can help the county gather money to help take down the dead and dying trees, which are a safety hazard, especially during peak fire season. The board also heard from the Watershed Protection District which asked for $500,000 in matching funds for the Blue Ribbon Committee Storm Water Project Grant, with a $50,000 advance to get going until grant money comes in. And code enforcement asked the board to abate a home in Nice which is in tax default.

The Governor is pushing an idea for California taxpayers to help pay for abortions for women who have to leave their home state or who live here but can’t afford them. Its already covered for some people through Medicaid. There are some who don’t qualify for the healthcare program or have private health insurance. Yesterday the Governor said he wanted the state to hold $40 million in grant money to offer to clinics to help offset those costs. Newsom commented the state wouldn’t stand by and allow extremists to roll back basic constitutional rights, so he wants to make sure all women, not just residents, know they will have their fundamental rights protected. Those against abortion are against this and proposals in the Legislature regarding abortion rights.

Adults 21 and under can still have a semiautomatic weapon now that an appeals court tossed the ban. It was 2-1 in the 9th Circuit with justices saying the law violated the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms. The court also ruled a judge in San Diego should have blocked “an almost total ban on semiautomatic centerfire rifles” for young adults, likening the right to bear arms for this demographic, to the heroism of the young adults who fought and died in the revolutionary army. Guns rights advocates were trying to block Calif. from forcing young adults to show hunting licenses in order to buy a rifle or shotgun for those 21 or younger not in the military or law enforcement.

The Dept. of Water Resources is working with the state Dept. of Fish and Wildlife to protect the state’s salmon population, which continues to be at serious risk. It’s a tough balance for the agencies as the state is in severe drought. That mixed with climate change is having a negative impact on native species and ecosystems. Scientists and fish biologists have been working together for a while protecting the salmon populations and now there are dozens of projects to help restore critical habitat in places like the Feather and Sacramento Rivers.

A new report says the state may be about to help adjunct, or part-time instructors at community colleges pay for healthcare. The Governor’s draft budget for 2022-23 that came out at the beginning of the year had set aside $200 million to fund healthcare coverage at the state’s 72 local community college districts for adjuncts. The Governor has to send his budget to lawmakers by this Saturday. But there’s no word yet if the $200 million is still in the spending plan. The Faculty Association of the Calif. Community Colleges along with the California Federation of Teachers are pushing for the funding.

There’s a new campaign in place to save Kelp Forests. The forests are said to be just as important to forests on land, like in the Amazon or Redwood forests. The Advocate reports starting in 2014 kelp forests on the North Coast, mostly on the Sonoma and Mendocino County coastlines are down by as much as 96%. It’s due to poor oceanographic conditions like, no more apex predators, and purple urchins switching from passive to active grazers creating the aquatic deforestation. The Nature Conservancy is working to protect and restore the kelp forest ecosystems in California and elsewhere. They’re partnering with UC Los Angeles, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and Greater Farallones Association to research various roadmaps to resolution. For more info: Kelpwatch.org, the world’s largest map of kelp forest canopy in both time and space extending from Baja California, Mexico, to the Oregon-Washington State border seasonally from 1984 to 2021.

Locals in Mendocino County are being supported by the West Business Development Center who want to startup their own business. The Center has the StartUp Mendocino Business Accelerator Program, which is hosting a reception for the latest group of graduates next month. On Thursday, June 9^th the public’s invited to meet the new grads at the Rivino Winery. The public will be able to learn about the businesses and celebrate the participants success. They went through a 23 week long training with various local sponsors paying for the education. 14 applicants and 13 businesses were accepted for this cycle.

The state’s been trying to get the less fortunate to get a COVID19 vaccine, without a lot of luck. The Dept. of Health Care Services says 84% of residents in the state 5 years of age and older have at least one dose of vaccine, but only about 57% of folks in Medi-Cal have at least one shot, at least, as of last month. The state started a $350 million incentive program last year targeting Medi-Cal users so they’d get vaxxed. CalMatters reported as of last August when the incentive program started, compared to now, for those 12 and up, the numbers went up only slightly. The report says people who live in the poorest areas of the state who are enrolled in Medi-Cal were vaccinated at the lowest rates. And people not inoculated against COVID were nearly 9 times more likely to end up in the hospital, compared to those vaccinated and boosted

The city of Lakeport is going to the private sector to get money for water infrastructure. The City Council voted last week to go after private money from a bank. The council voted unanimously after the assistant city manager and finance director showed members the options to get nearly $6 million dollars in water system capital improvement projects. But those rates were from last August. The city manager, also at the meeting said the projects outlined were not the only ones needed over the next decade. So they would have to potentially find more money down the road. The city’s coming up with an entire list of projects to get moving on the work ASAP.

A man from Lakeport pretty much admitted guilt related to a fatal DUI last year. Steven Pruitt pleaded no contest in March to the crash in Clearlake Oaks that killed Lonnie Sullivan. Pruitt crossed the double yellow lines crashing into Sullivan west of Rodman Slough.  His no contest plea to the felony charge of DUI — under the influence of a drug while causing injury, means he accepts his conviction, without admitting he was guilty of the crime. He’s in jail on $1 million bail.

News 5/11/2022

California is trying to be ahead of the pack fighting Climate Change which means all-electric furnaces, stoves and other appliances. The state has released a new pollution-reduction plan looking at being carbon neutral by 2045. The California Air Resources Board put out the plan, which is just ahead of Hawaii, which has set the same goal, but in 2050. It means no fossil fuels that are used to juice up cars, trucks, airplanes, ships, homes, businesses and other sectors. The board’s report recommended cutting oil and gas use by 91% by 2045 at the same time, capturing and storing carbon emissions from remaining resources. The plan has not been finalized; it still must go thru the public comment process.

We’re not following the Governor’s water reduction demands in the severe drought. In fact, it was the opposite. The state reported water use was up almost 19% in March compared to 2020. The Governor had asked residents to cut water usage by 15% compared to 2020. The conservation effort was helped some by a lot of late fall, early winter rain, which reduced water demand. But the first quarter of the year have been extremely dry. Water use started to climb up in January and February, then skyrocketed in March when folks started to water their lawns. Since last July, Californians cut their overall water use by only 3.7%.

Five people have been arrested after an electronics ripoff at the Ukiah Walmart. Police say four juveniles along with a 20-year-old man swiped several pairs of AirPods but were caught later. Staff at the store say the five broke into the display case, took 13 pairs of Apple’s wireless headphones and took off without paying. Police canvassed neighborhoods and found two young men nearby. They were confirmed as runaways from Sacramento who left a group home. Mendocino Deputies found two more young people by the Ukiah Rail Trail. And the 20-year-old was caught after that. He’s identified as Nathan Stiles of Lake County. All are charged with burglary and conspiracy.

A new event is being put on in Mendocino County by the Mendocino Cannabis Alliance. The Mendocino Craft Farmers Auction is being held in July and will be hosted by a couple of local Cannabis business owners. The event at the Brambles, a venue in the redwoods in Anderson Valley. The charity auction will distribute proceeds to Redwood Community Services Crisis Response. The organizers say it’s a way to give back to the community and County and bring awareness to high quality cannabis produced locally. Some of the auction items include overnight stays, health and wellness experiences, fine dining and adventures in the wilderness.

Tickets are $200 each and will be tax deductible. Interested guests and sponsors should contact nikkijturtle@gmail.com for details.

Adventist Health has been awarded an A grade by the Leapfrog Group. The independent national watchdog organization gave the healthcare provider the top Hospital Safety Grade for achieving the highest national standards in patient safety. The group grades hospitals across the country by using over 30 categories in safety like preventable errors, injuries and infections; and they also look at systems in place to protect patients from harm. It’s apparently the only hospital ratings program that uses hospital prevention of medical errors and harm to patients as part of their grading system. The whole thing is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.

The yearly quarantine for all sport-harvested mussels along the Calif. coast is in effect. The state Department of Public Health announced the quarantine to protect the public against neurotoxins that naturally occur in mussels but can lead to serious illness and even death. It doesn’t apply to mussels from Clear Lake, or any commercially sold clams, mussels, scallops or oysters. Commercial shellfish harvesters or dealers certified with the state are allowed to sell the items which are tested frequently, by state order, to make sure they’re safe to consume.

A new microbusiness relief program related to the COVID19 pandemic has been introduced in Mendocino County. The county and the Economic Development & Financing Corporation (EDFC) launched the California Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant Program which has smaller grants available of up to $2,500 for microbusinesses impacted by the pandemic. The amount of money depends on eligibility requirements from the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA). They opened the application portal May 1st and it will stay open until they run out of grant money.

EDFC also offers business loans from under $5,000 up to $250,000 to start-up and existing businesses in Mendocino, Lake and Sonoma Counties.

Interested in learning more about this opportunity and other business resources EDFC offers? Visit http://www.edfc.org. Or call (707) 234-5705.

A cell phone outage has been reported in Mendocino County. AT&T users may have lost service in Branscomb, Laytonville, Willits, Casper, Covelo, Fort Bragg, Rockport, Westport and Leggett. And there are some landlines reported down in Fort Bragg and Ukiah too, so it’s not only AT&T. Workers are out trying to problem-solve and repair the equipment, but no timeline was given. If you have service and can’t reach 911, then please call (707) 961-2800 for emergency life safety emergencies.

It looks like folks who lost cell and landline service are back in business. Crews are reportedly not done so there could be some trickling of service on in some areas. On social media, some folks posted they had their service back on after it went out yesterday morning. Mendo Fever reported the 5th District Supervisor Ted Williams was tweeting updates yesterday and last night on AT&T’s progress and said State Senator Mike McGuire was instrumental in getting AT&T crews out and residents service reconnected from Fort Bragg to Rockport to Covelo. Williams said he wished there was a “more robust response.”

They’re getting ready for one of the most popular events at Clear Lake, the Catfish Derby.
The three-day event this weekend in Clearlake Oaks. It’s touted to be the best catfishing tournament west of the Mississippi which brings hundreds of people, but also snarls traffic along Highway 20 over the event. Last year was a smaller event due to the pandemic, but this year they’re gearing up for back to normal times. They’ve got their annual fundraiser for the Clearlake Oaks-Glenhaven Business Association too for the 38th year. They sponsor the event with proceeds pouring right back into the community. They expect 1,000 entries this year.

News 5/10/2022

California may soon stop “hidden” court fees referred to as civil assessment fees, or cut them down. The extra cash is sometimes added to traffic tickets and minor violations and can be ten times the amount of the initial offense. The fee is tacked on for those who don’t pay their ticket by the imposed deadline of if the don’t come to court. You can get charged as much as $300 for a jaywalking violation which might only cost $35. Debt Free Justice California says Calif has some of the highest civil assessment fees in the country. The state gets around $100 million a year from the assessments with the courts getting 50%. And a recent report shows people of color are disproportionately impacted by the fees. The Governor has proposed cutting the fees to a max of $150 in his latest budget, but some lawmakers and Debt Free Justice want them banned entirely, especially since the state has a projected $68 billion budget surplus.

The state reports we could be short on energy needs for over a million homes during peak summer months. The California Public Utilities Commission, the California Energy Commission, and the California Independent System Operator all agree the state will have about 1,700 less megawatts of power than needed during high demand, when it’s the hottest and driest. Add on the drought, the potential for extreme heat and wildfires, and the supply chain and regulatory issues, that’s a hot mess as far as energy reliability this summer. The state can buy power from other states to avoid blackouts and residents can use less power during peak hours of heat. The Governor’s office says they’re looking at a “range of different actions.”

A new member has been appointed to the Ukiah Unified School District Board of Trustees. Fred Keplinger won the seat at a special meeting last month. He’ll serve until the term is up at the end of the year. The seat will also be on the general election ballot, this November.  For his part, Keplinger said he was always interested in community service, especially anything to do with children. He’s a Ukiah native and an Emergency Management Coordinator for the Redwood Coast Regional Center. He’s a dad and retired Ukiah Police Officer whose provided hours of community service for adults and kids alike.

The Superintendent of Fort Bragg schools is supporting a candidate for Mendocino County Schools Superintendent. Becky Walker wrote a letter to the editor at Mendo Fever that says as an educator herself for the last 25 years, she feels Nicole Glentzer is the right person for the job. Walker says Glentzer has “a strong moral fiber; she speaks the truth; she uplifts those around her; and she is a true leader with integrity”. She added over the last few years with the pandemic and more, it’s been extremely difficult for students and educators, but there have been leaders like Nicole, who have risen to the occasion, offered help to others, and prioritized students.

Over one million dollars is going to Native American Tribes in Calif for historic preservation. The announcement by Congressman Jared Huffman of the Second Congressional District. He says his district is home to multiple Tribes and their culture and history have been a deeply important part of the fabric of the community since time immemorial. He says the funds will help preserve places of cultural significance, “ensuring America’s diverse history is protected and celebrated”.  The money is going to 17 Tribes in his District including Hopland Band of Pomo Indians, Pinoleville Pomo Nation, Sherwood Valley Rancheria and the Yurok Tribe.

Downtown Lakeport will be the scene for a ceremony to honor first responders. On Friday, the Lake County First Responder Memorial Ceremony is being held at Lake County Museum Park. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is hosting the event, starting at 5:30 pm. They are inviting the public to join to honor and memorialize those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their community in the line of duty and service.

For more information, contact Deputy Cynthia Radoumis at 707-262-4200.

A new report says the state’s spent or committed billions to help children in grades K-12 with mental health challenges but has not done nearly as much for kids 5 and under. This is something advocates say is needed, so they’re reaching out to the Governor to set aside $250 million in the state budget for mental health services covering infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents and caregivers. That’s about 25% of all Medi-Cal recipients 21 and younger without a proportionate share of health and mental health care as compared to older youth. The study by advocacy group Children Now who say this group cannot express themselves. And that about 43% under 5 have experienced at least one adverse childhood experience.

It was one day, but a milestone, nonetheless. On April 30th, 2 Saturdays ago, Calif. was 100% powered by clean energy. Energy demand across Calif. was at 18,672 megawatts at the peak hour of 2:45 pm, and there was 37,172 MW available. The state reported 101% of the power came from clean energy. The California Independent System Operator who oversees the bulk electric power system, transmission lines, and electricity market reported the exciting news. The Desert Sun newspaper reported about 70% of the energy needed came from solar power, and the rest was from wind, geothermal, and other renewable sources. The achievement lasted just about 15 minutes before lowering to about 97% renewables.

A bill to finally do away with forcing an investigation into a child’s stillbirth has passed an Assembly committee. Currently coroners have to investigate the deaths. Last week the Assembly Health Committee voted 11-3 to pass the bill as several hundred protesters against abortion were also at the Capitol, opposing the bill. Any fetal death at or after 20 weeks has to be investigated and treated as an “unattended death”. Since so many counties have Sheriff/Coroners, that means law enforcement are involved. Groups working with OB/GYNs say it’s dangerous because it could make pregnant people less likely to get medical help.

A man from Clearlake Oaks accused of stealing a piece of heavy machinery is going to state prison. David Archuleta was seen in December of 2020 taking a generator out of a Toyota Rav4 in the cover of night, while it was parked in front of his home. A police officer knew there had recently been a similar generator reported stolen nearby and confronted Archuleta. The officer got a search warrant and found stolen property from two homes burglarized a few days apart. Deputies also found a loaded Glock 9 mm pistol, and since Archuleta had a criminal history, he was not allowed to have firearms or ammunition. He was arrested and released on his own recognizance, but more charges were soon filed against him. Since he had a previous strike on his record, he got 17 years and four months in state prison.

3^rd District Supervisor John Hashak commenting on the upcoming election with his update to the County. The Supervisor’s notes on Mendo Fever talking about the upcoming Primary Election. The Elections Office said they had sent ballots out yesterday for the June 7^th primary. There are Supervisorial seats and the Superintendent of Schools with only two candidates for each position.  Also Hashak reminded the Sheriff, Assessor/Clerk/Recorder, District Attorney, and Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector have only one candidate running, the incumbent, so if nobody runs against them, they keep their jobs. Hashak’s seat is up for re-election too with a debate coming Sunday at the Willits Grange. The two running for County Superintendent of Education will also debate Sunday.

The FBI has decided not to pursue confiscating over $1 million in cash taken from armored cars moving money for state-licensed marijuana businesses in California. The money was returned to the owners, a 360 degree turn with a different US government in place, showing the Justice Department taking a less aggressive stance on operation of legal marijuana businesses that are still technically violating federal law. The FBI had said the $1.1 million taken last year from armored cars in San Bernardino County was part of a federal drug or money-laundering scheme, but never charged anyone. The company who owned that armored vehicle and another in Kansas with a similar seizure, got a court order earlier this year to get the Justice Dept. to stop the practice, unless they had evidence of illegal activity.

Police in Ukiah are asking locals to help them, by registering home surveillance cameras to document illegal activity. If the cameras point outside their homes or businesses, they can be registered so the police dept. has the ability to review the footage. Mendo Fever reports a camera registry system could help police catch criminals, they say it’s like neighborhood watch. The news site reports a suspected graffiti vandal was caught by footage cops got from multiple surveillance cameras which caught the criminal tagging multiple locations in Ukiah. And just a few months ago surveillance footage was used to confirm a robbery victim’s statement to police.

For more info, call Lieutenant Phillips at (707)463-6254 or email him at aphillips@cityofukiah.com

News 5/9/2022

It looks like COVID is nowhere near done with us. In Calif., infections are steadily rising, but not as bad as this past winter’s omicron wave. This new wave is also omicron, but 2 sub-strains of the variant, which are both just as contagious. The state Department of Public Health says the daily case rate, as of last Friday was 14/100,000 residents. That’s nearly 30% more in the last week, but also up 70% in the last two weeks. Testing positivity, that’s been reported to the state, is up about a point, to nearly 4% last week, but the highest since February. There were well over 1,100 in the hospital last week and climbing up towards 170 in an ICU. It looks like the San Francisco Bay Area has the dubious distinction of the highest daily case rate. It’s then, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and Alameda, respectively.

After driving around on routine patrol a couple weekends ago, a Mendocino Deputy saw a car on Highway 20 in Potter Valley speeding and took chase. The driver, Fernando Solorio stopped. The Clearlake man had an active warrant for his arrest in Mendocino County for unlawful sex with a minor, so he was picked up. Solorio is booked into Mendocino County Jail on $15,000.00 bail.

A man in Ukiah’s been arrested after reports of an assault two Sundays ago. Deputies say they got a call from a woman that Eduardo Alvarez physically assaulted her. The Deputies said they saw visible injuries on the adult female’s body. They also found the guy had threatened the woman and threatened to mess up her home, so she feared for her own safety and that of her personal property. Deputies searched for Alvarez and couldn’t find him, so they called his Parole Officer who issued a parole hold. The next evening Alvarez was arrested for Felony Criminal Threats, Felony Violation Parole and Misdemeanor Battery. He was held without bail.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company reports changing some of their wildfire safety protocols to hopefully bring down the risk of catastrophic wildfires. With that, the company’s hosting a wildfire safety webinar this Wednesday for residents in Mendocino, Humboldt, Trinity and Siskiyou counties. There will be a brief presentation, followed by a question-and-answer session ahead of this wildfire season. On Wednesday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. they’ll talk public safety power shutoffs, how they plan to handle wildfire season and more. Visit PG&E’s Community Wildfire Safety Program, visit pge.com/wildfiresafety for more info.

Plans continue on the new multi-million-dollar courthouse in Mendocino County. The $118M proposed courthouse in Ukiah will be revealed to the public at the end of the month. It’s said it will capture the ‘casual lifestyle’ of the Ukiah Valley but use the latest construction technologies including solar power. The building will be light-filled and efficient, according to the Court Executive Officer. A meeting in San Francisco is planned May 26th to go over the new design and review a 200-page report which features a four-year design/construction phase they’re looking to start July 1st, if the state court advisory committee approves it, which is expected. After that public meetings will be set in Ukiah to review the plans.

Continued discussion on the proposed annexation in the City of Lakeport now looks to be headed to the ballot. The city’s been looking to annex almost 137 acres south of the city limits, across from S. Main St and Soda Bay Rd., and east of Hwy 29. The Lake Local Agency Formation Commission, or LAFCo, gave the green light to a resolution to move forward and approved of public hearings so locals could have a chance to protest, if they wanted. The protests were handed into the City on Friday and will be counted and checked by the county elections and assessor’s offices. They have 30 days to verify the documents. Lake Co News reports they should have an official count by next week. If it’s over 25% of total landowners who are protesting, they will have to take it to registered voters.

The Lake County Board of Supervisors will take up discussion on how they’re going to recruit a new county administrative officer. Carol Huchingson retired, and the Board has been discussing hiring her replacement, but there is an interim officer currently. The Board will set a date to interview five people who have applied for the position so far. They also need to fill one of their own seats, for District 4 after Tina Scott resigned to take a teaching position. Also, at the meeting tomorrow, the Board will discuss an appeal of a cannabis project in Clearlake.

A prosecutor serving for years in Lake County has been honored by the Board of Supervisors. Chief Deputy DA Richard Hinchcliff was honored as the 2020 Wildlife Prosecutor of the Year by the California Fish and Game Commission. Since the pandemic was peaking at the time of the intended honor, it was delayed. Hinchcliff received the award last Tuesday, bestowed by the assistant chief of the Calif. Dept. of Fish and Wildlife’s Central Enforcement District and a member of the California Fish and Game Commission too. Hinchcliff has been working with the DA’S office in Lake County since 1995 and became the chief deputy district attorney in 2006.

It’s National Foster Care Wellness month. And there are over 407,000 children in the foster care system nationwide. In Mendocino County, Family & Children’s services is supporting nearly 200 children in the Family Reunification or Permanency Placement programs. About a third of them are living with relatives or someone close to them. National Foster Care Month is focusing in 2022 on finding those relative or family friend connections for a sense of security and connection and, often times allows for siblings to stay together. Locally there is a major lack of available homes for foster care though, so they’re asking for resource parents to provide stability and the nurturing children need to heal from a difficult situation.

For more information, call Mendocino County Family & Children’s Services Resource Family Approval Supervisor, Lindsey Coke, at (707) 467-5893 or visit: https://www.mendocinocounty.org/government/social-services/children-s-services/foster-care.

Gas prices are up again. As we head towards summer, and the Memorial Day weekend, which every year sees a jump in prices, a regular gallon of gas is up over the last two weeks to about $4.38 per gallon. That’s about 15 cents more than a week ago. The Lundberg Survey reported yesterday the current price is only a nickel under the highest average price in history — $4.43, which was this past March 11^th. The average price is $1.36 higher than it was a year ago. The survey recorded the highest average price for regular-grade gas was in the San Francisco Bay Area, at $5.85 per gallon. The lowest average was in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at $3.80 per gallon.

The Governor and leaders in his party challenging one another regarding the Los Angeles-to-San Francisco high-speed rail project. The bullet train project is projected to cost well over 100 billion dollars and said to be the biggest investment in infrastructure in state history. But a fight, over the last year and a half as the Governor’s asking for a $4.2 billion appropriation, but members of his own Democratic party, in the Assembly, won’t release the cash approved by a bond measure in 2008. And in the Central Valley, utility relocations around where the tracks are supposed to go, are holding up construction. Adding to the confusion, the latest cost estimate comes from back in 2019, so it doesn’t account for pandemic related supply issues, or inflation.

An Assembly member from Bakersfield says there needs to be an audit of sexual harassment policies and related settlements paid to those accused in the CSU system. Assemblyman Rudy Salas put out a statement that the recent allegations of sexual harassment involving various CSU campuses and the Chancellor’s Office, is “unacceptable and warrants the scrutiny and impartiality that only the State Auditor can provide”. The LA Daily News reported that the CSU Board of Trustees supports Salas’ request after continued criticism into how the university system handled these kinds of complaints after the former Chancellor allowed a Cal State Fresno administrator to retire, instead of thoroughly investigating complaints against him. Similar complaints have recently come out at Sonoma State and San Jose State universities.