News 1/22/2020

3 people have been killed in snow related accidents in Lake Tahoe. So much wet snow, the first death in an avalanche at Alpine Meadows last weekend. Another man, from Carson Valley was killed in a snowmobile accident at Blue Lakes, then the third, Christopher Nicholson was injured on the expert run at Heavenly Mountain Resort near South Lake Tahoe. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.

The Clearlake City Council considering transportation for the most needy. The council heard from the Lake Links manager from Lake Transit Authority earlier this month about the need for special transportation options in Lake County. The manager told the council there are major needs for the large vulnerable population in Lake County, but there are major limitations he says. They are already making hundreds of trips per year for the homeless and thousands a year for those who otherwise couldn’t get to their destinations. They’ve also received an $800,000 federal grant for mobility services and have applied for a second grant. They have other options too, including a reimbursement program and a new program called Medi-Links that runs between Lake County and Santa Rosa for medical appointments.

The Lakeport City Council applying for a grant to finish the repairs needed on the two bathrooms at Library Park that still need replacing. The Public Works director asking the city council to approve a $184,000 grant application to the state which will pay without a city match. The director says they haven’t applied for grants for a while from the Division of Boating and Waterways which helps. So the council voted unanimously to approve applying for the grant.

More cops on the streets of Lakeport. The police chief says they’re in a mandatory training today so they’ll be more patrols on the streets. Chief Brad Rasmussen says Clearlake police are also coming over the help with the training. Lake Co News reports police, sheriff and California Highway Patrol help each other out during trainings. And likewise, Lakeport cops have helped Clearlake in the past.

State Senators Bill Dodd and Mike McGuire have drafted legislation regarding disaster insurance claims after devastating wildfires the last few years. Dodd introduced the bill yesterday which he says will help move residential insurance claims thru in a smoother way for disaster victims. Dodd says insurance companies need to act so living expenses for temporary housing and other costs get to victims faster. He also says they shouldn’t have to be inundated filling out forms. The legislation is also sponsored by the state Insurance Commissioner. It expands what it means to get additional living expenses for homeowner losses in a state of emergency.

The meet and greet with Congressman Mike Thompson was a success even in the rain. More than two dozen showed up yesterday at Grinders Steep. There was standing room only at the event. He spoke about the impeachment, calling his approval, a sad vote. He also touched on healthcare, the national debt, and gun control. All in response to constituents comments and questions. Thompson noted that the House has been passing legislation, including expanded background checks on gun sales, but that the senate is sitting back, not acting. He says members of the public need to call, write and email their representatives repeatedly to show support and help get legislation passed.

A former city councilmember in Ukiah says she’s running to be on the Board of Supervisors. Mari Rodin is also a grant writer and former member of the Mendocino County Local Agency Formation Commission. She says some of her ideas include development by the city center and downtown, helping with the homelessness issue with programs of outreach and intervention, adding that Measure B passing can help with that. She calls homelessness a humanitarian issue. She’s a supporter of recreational marijuana sales and wants the government to support Fire Safe Councils.

It’s still an emergency. That word coming down from the Ukiah City Council calling the repairs needed at the Wastewater Treatment Plant after flooding nearly a year ago an emergency. The Public Works director at the council meeting last week saying the ponds at the plant are still in “somewhat horrifying condition”, adding they can’t stop the flows until it’s drier out. There is work scheduled once there’s a dry spell of a week or more. The ponds damaged last February during heavy rains. The work to be done at a cost of about $320-thousand dollars.

A local non-profit bringing more family physicians to Mendocino county says it’s moving into a donor advised fund. Family Medicine Education for Mendocino County announced the transition and its management by the Community Foundation of Mendocino County. The president of the fund says they’ve inspired more than $350,000 in donations from sponsorships, matching funds, and ticket sales to Rural Health Rocks. Their original goal was for $100,000. The organization started in 2015 in response to a nationwide shortage of physicians in rural areas.

Uber in Calif. tests a new feature where drivers get to decide how much they want to charge. The test is only at three airports in Calif. and something the company says is in response to a new law regarding independent contractors. So the drivers at the Santa Barbara, Sacramento and Palm Springs airports will have the ability to come up with fares based on a multiple of Uber’s base, time and distance rates. Then those who need a ride are paired with a driver that offers the lowest rate. Drivers who want to make more will then have a longer waiting period. The company says it’s a way for them to keep the work flowing for tens of thousands of California drivers.

A vote to raise tuition at the University of California has been tabled for now. The UC President’s office released a statement yesterday saying it was moving the vote by the UC Board of Regents on the two tuition proposals but didn’t say when it would take place. It comes after the governor took issue with the proposed hikes, either for new students or current ones, that would keep going up each year they attend. The Governor’s office also released a statement saying he put money into higher education in last year’s budget, and was planning the same for next year’s budget. So he thinks the proposed tuition increase are unwarranted.

The Mendocino County homeless count is happening next week. The Homeless Services Continuum of Care yearly Point in Time Count is next Thursday, January 30^th. It’s a requirement to continue receiving Federal and State funding for housing and homeless services. Volunteers will fan out across coastal and inland areas of Mendocino County, working in teams, to count children, families and individuals on the streets. The Continuum of Care works to help those who are unsheltered. There’s still time to volunteer, please contact Garry Colson: 707-463-7763 or email colsong@mendocinocounty.org.

News 1/21/2020

Another step closer to annexing part of South Main Street in Lakeport. Lake Co News reports the Lake Local Area Formation Commission approved moving forward with an application to annex a part of South Main. It comes after the Lakeport City Council had a special meeting regarding the application for 50 parcels on 136 acres along South Main Street south of the city. There had been a dispute over the land, between the county and the city of Lakeport over tax sharing. But the city decided to agree with the Local Area Formation Commission’s proposal and the Board of Supervisors approved the process. But the Commission still has to settle who gets what out of any tax revenue. The Commission is charged with overseeing development and to protect natural resources and agricultural lands. The next meeting of the Commission is March 18^th in Lakeport.

An update on the Hope Center project in Clearlake will reportedly include asking the city for money. The Council meets Thursday on the matter after Councilman Russell Perdock asked for a discussion with a request for $500,000 from the city for the project. The Clearlake Planning Commission approved the use permit to convert an old office building into a medical support and residential care facility. That would be for people who cannot recover alone from an illness or injury, like a rehab facility. So the City Council will be getting an update this week on the project and possible funding to finish it. The council will also consider cannabis related violations of the city’s ordinance. The council is also going to be in closed session with lawyers regarding a lawsuit involving PG&E.

A load of milk spilled into Clearlake after a big rig crashes. It happened Sunday morning on Highway 20 at Cora Drive outside of Lucerne. The CHP says the big rig went partially into the lake, but the driver got out safely. The semi’s load of milk starting gushing into the lake. Firefighters rushed to the scene with the Northshore Dive Team. One person had minor injuries but they were flown by a REACH air ambulance to a trauma center to be checked out. Lake Co News reports Lake County Environmental Health, Lake County Water Resources and the Lake County Office of Emergency Services were all informed about the incident.

The federal government now investigating too after a bunch of middle-schoolers at Yosemite National Park got sick. About ten students visiting the park had what might be Norovirus, sick with stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and fever. But that’s not all, as many as 170 visitors and employees also got sick after the New Year. Now the National Park Service and other health care agencies are investigating how it spread. The concession company is working with federal officials to clean and disinfect the food service facilities and the Ahwahnee hotel. The students seemed to fall ill three days into their five day trip, after dining in Curry Village. Reports of week old yogurt served, eggs that tasted bad, fruit and Jell-O sharing utensils.

A backup on the 101 north of Leggett after a minivan crashed a half mile south of the Peg House. The van went off the highway and traffic slowed to a crawl as emergency vehicles made their way to the scene. Some passersby say they turned around to spot the accident better and saw a man inside the badly damaged van who couldn’t get out. They say the windshield was cracked, so they peeled it back and helped the man unlock the door of the van so he could get out. He said he passed out for a time but was said to be okay. Apparently nobody else stopped to make sure the man was ok.

California said to be behind in where it should be to reach self-imposed climate change goals. A new report released last week by Energy Innovation shows many other places are looking to Calif. to make their own changes after the U-S pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement. Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger set goals so Calif. would lower carbon emissions by 2020 to below 1990 levels, which has been done. Also the state had planned to get at least 33% of its electricity from solar, wind and other renewable energy and that’s done too. But Gov. Brown signed a law so the state would further reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. The report says the state will have to double emissions reductions to get there.

A new report from the Little Lake Fire District says they have a slew of new volunteers. The so-called “Chief’s Report” says they got 835 calls last year, two or three calls a day and it looks like this year is already falling in line with those numbers. The Chief Chris Wilkes also thanked volunteers in his report. He also stresses there’s not enough Emergency Medical Service help though which means more volunteers are being called. The report also says they’ve been training during the New Year, with first aid, CPR and their yearly Chief’s Academy, which has 30 volunteer participants. They got a new fire duty rig too. A couple of volunteers were promoted to Fire Captain, Eli Owen and Tim Caldwell.

A tuition hike could be in the offing at University of California campuses. Administrators reportedly looking at raising tuition for the first time since 2017 for in-state undergraduates. The nearly 3% hike or $348 is based on inflation, so it could go up more over the following four years. Administrators also looking at freezing costs for those already enrolled but increase it instead for freshman by $606 as they enter.  The UC Board of Regents should take up the two plans over the next week. They may vote on either idea or hold off until lawmakers set aside more money for the university system than the Gov. allowed in his recent budget proposal.

A commonly used over the counter drug could soon be listed as a carcinogen in Calif. Acetaminophen, known outside the U.S. as paracetamol or here in the states as Tylenol which is used to treat pain and fevers. It’s also in more than 600 prescription and over-the-counter meds for adults and kids, besides Tylenol, it’s in Excedrin, Sudafed, Robitussin and Theraflu. But a state law says consumers need to be warned if there’s a chemical that’s known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity. The FDA says if Calif. moves ahead with the warning it would be false and misleading and illegal under federal law. It’s also not listed with the International Agency for Research on Cancer because it’s a weak link. Calif. scientists appointed by the Governor’s office can add chemicals to the list, and in 2011 acetaminophen was voted as a “high priority” for consideration. A meeting on the matter set for the spring after the public comment period closes next week.

 

News 1/20/2020

More than a dozen states including Calif. have filed a lawsuit against the federal government for trying to block food stamps for nearly 700,000 Americans. The Calif. Atty. General Xavier Becerra says nobody should have to choose between a hot meal and paying their rent. The states and Washington, D.C., along with New York City say the Trump administration did not properly follow the required steps to put the wide ranging rules in place. It’s not the first time Calif. has sued the Trump Administration, there are 65 lawsuits in all.

Lawmakers are trying to reform the Cannabis industry’s tax code. Assemblyman Rob Bonta has introduced a bill to “suspend the state’s cultivation tax and reduce the excise tax from 15% to 11%” over 3 years”. Bonta says it’s to stop the black market by reducing the difference in pricing from illegal sales to the legal market. He says the illicit market is still undercutting the legal market and businesses complying with state regulations. His bill would temporarily reduce the tax burden on licensed businesses. There are reports that only 10% of the 1,700 cannabis dispensaries in Los Angeles are properly licensed.

Congressman Jared Huffman along with another 38 Members of Congress from both parties sent a letter to FEMA to drop a claim against PG&E and its settlement to pay survivors of the 2017 and 2018 Northern California wildfires. The multi-billion dollar fund agreed to by the utility company so thousands still without a permanent home can rebuild. Those signing including Mike Thompson say they think FEMA shouldn’t be trying to recoup any money as its owed first and foremost to survivors still trying to rebuild their lives. They say it could undermine FEMA’s reputation as an honest and fair partner.

A community meeting is set by the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors Cannabis Ad Hoc Committee in Laytonville. The community meeting is an update and for the public to be able to share any recommendations they have for the Ad Hoc Committee on possible changes to the County’s Cannabis Cultivation Ordinance. The board had asked the Committee to review the Ordinance and report back with possible revisions to streamline certain requirements. The meeting is Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. at Harwood Hall.

The new Mendocino County census website has been launched. ‘Mendocino Counts! 2020 Census’ at http://www.mendocinocounts.org. The county says it has all sorts of excellent resource information about the 2020 Census which officially starts April 1^st. It happens every decade to see how many members of Congress a state can have. It also informs how more than $675 billion in federal funding should be shared amongst the counties in Calif. The website is in both English and Spanish, featuring a frequently asked questions section. There will also soon be a link to the online census questionnaire and a phone number for other questions. Right now they’re accepting job applications through the site.

At a meeting of the Lakeport City Council, they’ll discuss applying for state grant money to improve park bathrooms. The meeting tomorrow night at City Hall where the Public Works Director is set to ask the council to adopt a resolution so the City Manager can send in a grant application to the Division of Boating and Waterways for just over $184,000 to pay to replace the bathrooms at the First and Third street boat ramp. They also want a public hearing regarding the Community Development Block Grant program and to discuss an application which asks for up to $3,500,000. The meeting will also cover storms and the recent public safety power shutoffs.

An Air Force serviceman who ran away from court-martial proceedings in Las Vegas is dead. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s office reportedly got into a standoff with a 32 year old serviceman after the Air Force requested help. They say he shot himself outside a car after a chase Sunday morning that ended in Redwood Valley. The court martial was taking place last Friday at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas. Before the airman was sentenced, he ran from authorities, so a warrant was issued for his arrest. The CHP tried nabbing him outside Ukiah, but he wouldn’t stop. Air Force Special Agents tried finding him on Reeves Canyon Road, where they located his Jeep Wrangler. Deputies got back up with a drone, which saw a person inside the vehicle. Then a single shot was heard. A SWAT team came out and found the man on a hill near the jeep dead from a gunshot out of a high-powered rifle.

(UPDATE)

On 01-20-2020 the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s Division was able to contact the wanted service member’s legal next of kin and notify them of the his death.
The wanted service member’s identity is releasable to the public and he has been identified as Kevin A. Larson (34 year-old male from Las Vegas, Nevada).

A special meeting of the Lake County Board of Supervisors and department heads has been called. On Wednesday morning the meeting on revenue generation and economic development for future sustainability. It’s happening Wednesday at 9 a.m. at the Lower Lake Town Hall on Main St.

An accident has taken the life of a man trying to cross Highway 101. The man hit at Burke Hill was declared dead on the scene near Ukiah. Paramedics tried CPR to no avail. The man reportedly waving his arms as he tried walking across the northbound lane. A truck hit him going at least 65 mph.

A special event planned in Covelo two years after a local woman disappeared after a fight with her ex-boyfriend. The event for Khadijah Britton a day after the two year anniversary of her disappearance. There have been searches continuing and flyers and banners up across the area where she vanished. There’s also a reward of more than $100,000 for information on where she may be and that could lead to an arrest. The event at the Rec Center at 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 8^th with guest speakers, food, a silent auction, and more. The young woman last seen being shoved into a car at gunpoint by her ex, Negie Fallis, who has been sent to prison on a felony firearm possession charge in a separate case connected to Britton.

A woman in Calpella has been arrested after reports of a domestic violence incident. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office reports getting a call, but say they didn’t notice any obvious disturbance. Then about fifteen minutes later, they got a call to Ukiah Valley Medical Center to look into a domestic violence dispute in the Calpella area and found a 27 year old man and 13 year old girl being treated. The man said he was dating 22 year old Jessica Pingree who was attacking him and when the 13 year old tried to intervene, she was also attacked. So Pingree was arrested for domestic violence battery and willful cruelty to a child and booked on $25,000.00 bail.

A man in Boonville’s been arrested after reports of a domestic violence incident. Mendocino Deputies responded December 23^rd after a woman says she was attacked by her husband Lamberto Magnaperez,. She also told deputies the man had been abusing her for two years. Deputies spoke to Magnaperez and say they developed probable cause to believe Magnaperez’s wife. He’s charged with domestic violence battery and was booked into Mendocino County Jail where he was held on $25,000.00 bail.

A young woman in Ukiah’s been arrested after reports a man was seen banging on someone’s front door, holding a gun. Mendocino deputies say they spoke to 18 year old Natalie Carrascosantana who they say told them there was no disturbance and she didn’t see anyone with a gun. Her boyfriend was found inside and gave deputies a different story. They ended up arresting Carrascosantana for domestic violence battery against her boyfriend.  Deputies found a gun in the home, but say there was no evidence it was used in the incident. Carrascosantana was being held on $25,000.00 bail.

 

 

PM News 1/17/20

Friends of the Willits Skatepark are looking for support getting lights, bathrooms and shade installed there. They want people who support those plans to show up at next Tuesday night’s meeting of the Willits City Council to make their feelings known. New plans for the park have been talked about for a while and skating enthusiasts say they only way to get improvements is to let city officials know.

Three Lake County arts organizations will share a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The money, along with an equal local matching amount, will go to promoting the county as a destination for the arts. The groups involved are the Lake County Arts Consortium, the Lake County Rural Arts Initiative, and Middletown Arts. Promotional ideas include a video highlighting art in the county and an online calendar showcasing local creative events.

One person is dead and one other is seriously injured in an avalanche in Placer County near Lake Tahoe. The county sheriff’s office says aa search is underway for others who are missing and may have been trapped when the snow gave way. The avalanche occurred on an advanced trail at the Alpine Meadows resort. The rest of the resort is open and officials say there is currently no threat to any other ski runs there. Several inches of snow has fallen in that area in the past 24 hours.

Tuition and fees for schools in the University of California System may be going up over the next five years. Reports say regents will talk about two proposals that would bring in more money to pay for financial aid and other school needs. One plan would see an annual increase tied to the inflation rate, while another would freeze rates for current students but increase them successively for each new class. School officials say more resident undergraduate students with financial need would get help under either scenario. Outgoing UC president Janet Napolitano says the system needs to decide on a plan now so students who accept admission this spring will know what they can expect to pay.

News 1/17/2020

A new labor law regarding independent contractors has been blocked in court. The new law started New Year’s Day and puts up obstacles for companies who classify workers as independent contractors instead of employees who can get certain benefits like workers compensation. But the judge granted the California Trucking Association a preliminary injunction after already putting a restraining order in place. The judge ruled the state had encroached on Congress’ territory. There are other groups fighting the new law too, like freelance writers and photographers, who also filed suit. The law was apparently intended to come down on ride-share companies like Uber, Lyft and food delivery companies like DoorDash and Postmates, who are all also challenging the law.

There’s a new chief in town. In Fort Bragg a veteran officer, Lt. John Naulty has been named the interim police chief. Naulty starts his new job February 3^rd after Chief Fabian Lizarraga announced his retirement last month. Naulty has worked in Fort Bragg and Brentwood, but mostly here in Fort Bragg. He retired in March of 2014 after Mendocino County Sheriff’s Lt. Ricky Del Fiorentino was shot and killed. Naulty was responsible for killing the gunman in a shootout. Naulty got commendations for his heroic actions in the incident.

A Fort Bragg Lifeguard has been honored by the new Sheriff in Mendocino County. The Medal of Valor awarded to Lifeguard Ean Miller. At his ceremony was his Chief, other first responders were on hand too. Miller’s been a State Parks lifeguard the last three years. His United States Lifesaving Association Medal of Valor was for a couple of rescues, but they were both in the same three week period in 2018. One of those in dark, stormy waters off Westport’s rocky cliffs, the other in the razor-edged coves and sea caves of Mendocino Bay. He calls them just rescues.

Fees going up in Ukiah as the City Council gives the go-ahead for higher fees for building permits and other services. There was one dissenting vote, Steve Scalmanini who said he likes allowing the public to participate in the process and would also support any appeals from the public, so they don’t have to pay anything, calling the whole thing an insult. Staff says it’s the first time fees were raised since 2003. Staff notes that even though charges were almost tripling in some cases, they still will not get all of their money back for staff time. There was public comment before the vote, with some residents objecting on fees for permits for solar panels on homes.

PG&E is being told by the bankruptcy judge in its case to hire more tree trimmers so fees for customers can go down. The Judge William Alsup told the company he wants to see more proactive measures taken. The statements after the company admitted about 22,000 trees in its service territory might still be creating fire hazards and that could be why they had to have public safety power shutoffs. PG&E also has not ruled out doing it again while working on upgrades of their aging electrical grid. The judge says he thinks the trees not being trimmed is the reason the company has to conduct intentional power downs.

Police in Lakeport looking for help from the public to get find a missing man. Police say 55 year old Walter Stuart, Jr. has not been since he visited family December 19^th in Solano County. Police are working with the Fairfield Police Department to find the man who they say was in contact with family as Christmas got closer, but they haven’t heard from him since. Police say they had reports he might have returned to Lake County, including in Clearlake and Lakeport. He’s described as being a white man with brown hair and blue eyes, 6 feet tall, 160 pounds.

The Board of Trustees for the Yuba Community College District have chosen new officers. The President was re-elected, trustee, Richard Teagarden will be the leader for 2020. He represents Trustee Area 1 including part of Yuba County and includes Marysville Joint Unified School District. He was the superintendent of Yuba County’s Office of Education and the principal and teacher in the Marysville Joint Unified School District. They also re-elected David Wheeler as the vice president of the Board.

A man accused of arson has been found competent to stand trial. Matthew Miravalle in court for his Review of Doctors’ Report hearing. It comes after his lawyer said she didn’t think he was mentally competent to stand trial last year. The court ordered the proceedings to be suspended until Miravalle could be examined. Two doctors evaluated the man from Clearlake Oaks accused of starting three wildfires. The doctors found him to be competent so the criminal proceedings against him can start. His preliminary hearing is set for February 13^th. The fires last fall in Clearlake Oaks. He admitted he started them and was reportedly seen in the area of the most recent fire.

A man from Santa Rosa busted in Lake County on a weapons charge has pleaded no contest. The nolo charge admitted by John Brott who was charged with being a prohibited person from carrying a firearm. Other charges against him were dismissed and his case has been referred to the probation department for a sentencing recommendation. He was stopped while driving a car not registered to him and during a search of the vehicle, a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun was found next to the driver seat. A jury trial was set for earlier this month and canceled. He’s set for sentencing January 27^th.

News 1/16/2020

A special meeting planned by the Ukiah City Council on land-use policies and planning. The city’s Community Development Director says it’ll cover the future of the city’s development in the valley and annexation. At the last City Council meeting, it was noted the policies could become part of the general plan, so there will be some recommendations for the council at the meeting. Later the Planning Commission and the City Council will have a joint meeting on the General Plan. But for tonight’s meeting, the so-called “Plan for the Future” will touch on the goals for the Ukiah Valley Area Plan, the city staying with the current sphere of influence and the annexation plan for ten years for unincorporated areas of the city. The meeting tonight at 5:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.

A new report says we had the warmest year ever for oceans. The journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences released the report called “Record- Setting Ocean Warmth Continued in 2019”. It showed record heat over the last five years, calling the ocean heating irrefutable, and said is was key to the Earth’s energy imbalance. It goes on to say an excess of greenhouse gases in the air traps more heat inside the climate system and drives global warming. The report also said the 2014-16 marine heatwave devastated kelp forests, and in Northern Calif. we lost more than 90% of our kelp in one year. The report also says kelp is being replaced by urchin barrens and says Sunflower stars are extinct locally after they got sea star wasting syndrome.

PG&E is warning about the current storm being a doozy, so they’re sending crews out to Mendocino, Lake and Humboldt Counties to respond to outages quickly. A spokesperson for the utility company says fast moving wind and rain, along with snow in higher elevations is expected. They say they’re fully staffed with equipment ready. They will also have generators in rural areas and if power fails, they’ll also activate Operations Emergency Centers in Eureka, Ukiah, Clearlake, Fort Bragg and Fortuna.

A shout out to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex by Sherwood Valley Casino. The casino announced they contacted the Royal Household of The Duke and Duchess, Prince Harry and Meghan to partner up in business and philanthropy. Casino representatives say it’s no joke. They heard Megan was talking to Disney about charitable work, so the Casino’s General Manager said they wanted to make an offer as others had been doing after the Royal couple said they were stepping back from official duties and wanted to also make their own money. The Casino team actually contacted the couple with an offer. They say they think Mendocino County is a great place for their new home… we shall see.

Congressmembers Mike Thompson and Jared Huffman have publicly come out for the impeachment of President Trump. The two voted to forward the articles of impeachment against the President to the Senate. Thompson says there’s no doubt President Trump committed crimes and should be removed from office for trying to work with a foreign government to be re-elected. Huffman says he believes there’s growing pressure on senators. There only needs to be four Republican senators voting for witnesses to be brought forward.

The state’s considering raising taxes on big companies in alignment with how much the highest paid executives make opposed to what other employees make. Democratic state Senator Nancy Skinner’s bill has bigger tax penalties for companies with bigger pay gaps between leaders and other employees. The bill has passed out of the first committee and would only affect companies with at least $10 million of taxable income. Disney is one of the companies that could be impacted. Its CEO made more than $65 million in 2018, more than 1,400 times the median pay of a regular Disney employee.

It’s finally happening, the new seawall at Library Park in Lakeport’s being rebuilt. Starting in just a couple weeks the project that was supposed to start last month gets underway. The City Public Works Director told the city council last month the contractor was getting some of the supplies needed by last week, but there was a delay until the end of January. You may recall the cinder block seawall crumbled in winter storms in February of 2017. A company out of Oregon is doing the work at about $800,000 dollars. The city had estimated it would cost about a million.

Beefed up patrols looking for parking violators in Lakeport. Police say they’ll be enforcing parking rules downtown after multiple complaints. The police department says there’s been a lack of staff resources for some time so they’ve not been able to enforce the two hour parking rule for a while. But since there have been complaints downtown and around the courthouse affecting local businesses, police will be handing out more parking violations. They also may hire a parking enforcement company to hand out tickets so businesses don’t lose money because of parking violations.

Six women from Lake County are receiving cash rewards as part of the Live Your Dream awards from the Soroptimist Club. The cash awards between $500 to $2,000 for the women who are the primary wage earners in their families and are going to school to continue to grow and improve their lives. It’s happening at the Aroma Café at the Woodland Community College campus in Clearlake noon on February 13^th. Lunch will be provided for $20. The Soroptimist Club mission’s to improve the lives of women and girls with programs leading to social and economic empowerment.

A man with a gun reported at East Lake Elementary in Clearlake Oaks turned out not to be true, but a couple of unrelated arrests were made nearby. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office says they got a call to the school yesterday with reports a man was pointing a gun at kids on the campus. Students told school staffers about the gun, and the school resource officer was called. A lockdown was initiated and several law enforcement teams descended on the area. A woman was arrested for a warrant and a man near the school laying in thick brush with an ax and meth in his possession was also arrested.

The Governor is restarting the massive underground water tunnel project. The Governor’s office says the San Joaquin Delta project is on, issuing a Notice of Preparation for the project. But it won’t be overnight, it’s just the first of many steps to be taken for the environmental review. A similar project under Governor Brown featuring twin tunnels was stopped by Governor Newsom. The new project will be one tunnel and will carry less water but serve the same purpose. The cost projection has not been released yet. The director of the Calif. Dept. of Water Resources says the project is to help “safeguard a vital source of affordable water for millions of Californians”.

PG&E’s troubles not over as a member of the State Assembly is calling for a thorough review of the California Public Utilities Commission to see if state regulators were lax in their oversight of the troubled utility. Assemblyman Adam Gray wants the review to see if the state enabled neglect by Pacific Gas & Electric which ended up triggering wildfires, the ensuing bankruptcy and public safety power shutoffs. The utility company has submitted its plan to emerge from bankruptcy, but it has to be approved by the Commission and the judge in the case by the end of June to take part in a fund the legislature created to help state utility companies recover losses if their equipment’s found responsible for starting more devastating fires. Gray wants the state auditor to investigate the commission who he says knew about PG&E’s outdated infrastructure.

A bunch of cars stuck in Lake County as the first real winter storm barrels thru the North Bay. Several cars were stuck on Highway 175 between Hopland and Lakeport this morning awaiting snowplows to clear the road. Caltrans was also there and did not need to close the road. There were also reports of heavy snow and poor visibility on the 101 this morning thru the Ridgewood area north of Ukiah. The National Weather Service reported snow overnight below 1,000 feet in areas of southern Mendocino County. The Press Democrat reports downed trees throughout the North Coast and some spotty power outages were reported by PG&E.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has announced one of their officers graduated from the FBI’s investigations academy. Captain Norm Taylor completed the training in Quantico, Virginia in December. The FBI Training Academy is where they train their new special agents and intelligence analysts. The Sheriff’s Dept. says it’s the world’s premiere law enforcement executive development and leadership program, known globally for its academic excellence in communication, leadership, and fitness training.  Taylor was one of  258 men and women from 49 states, the District of Columbia, 37 countries, four military organizations, and 6 federal civilian organizations that took part.

News 1/15/2020

The governor is looking at a purchase of a nearly 51,000-acre cattle ranch above Livermore that is situated in four counties. The land to be the state’s newest park is featured in the latest budget by Governor Newsom, which was introduced last week. $20 million will go towards buying the land after 17 lawmakers egged him on, sending a letter to him last week, nudging him towards the N3 Cattle Company Ranch. It’s listed at more than $70 million. The Nature Conservancy and The Trust for Public Lands are kicking in $30 million. The ranch is on land in Alameda, Santa Clara, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties where they all intersect. Much of it in the Alameda Creek watershed which  provides drinking water for the Bay Area and California residents.

Several thousand dollars provided by Sutter Lakeside Hospital to Westside Community Park to help Lake County residents stay in shape. $7,000 will help add exercise equipment to the fitness trail running along the Rotary and Jane Barnes athletic fields and make the trail extend further into the western portion of the park. The hospital had donated $2,000 in the past, and that was spent buying the first three pieces of trailside exercise equipment, installed in 2016 by the Kiwanis Club of Lakeport.

A man from Willits has been killed in a car crash on Hwy 20. The California Highway Patrol reports on the Sunday afternoon crash of a 1991 Toyota Tacoma pickup near the Blue Lakes Lodge. They say the driver swerved into oncoming traffic, spun out, then continued rolling and hit another car head on. A third car behind him with two passengers also crashed. The man from Willits did not have on a seat belt and was seriously injured then taken to the hospital where he later died.  The CHP says they suspect alcohol was a factor in the crash.

A no parking zone is being considered in Ukiah on West Stephenson. The City Council is expected to take up the matter at their meeting today after the street was converted to two way for better traffic circulation downtown. City staff notes to the council say there are issues when School Street is closed for the holiday ice rink, the weekly Farmers Market and other special events. The Public Works dept. removed an on street parking space to allow for better traffic flow during the holidays, which is apparently something now being considered.

Another lawsuit against PG&E. This time Sonoma County says it’s retained a lawyer to take on a lawsuit against the utility company for the Kincade fire which cost the county as much as $620 million. The county reportedly going after money from PG&E in its bankruptcy case where the utility company is still negotiating ways to pay off liabilities from wildfires, including the 2018 Camp fire and the 2017 October firestorm that killed several people and destroyed thousands of homes in Sonoma County. The lawsuit also seeks to get compensation for a series of public safety power shutoffs this past October and November.

Two women reportedly shot by a man in Clearlake are in critical condition. Clearlake police are looking for the alleged shooter, 30-year-old Gabriel Cardenas Diaz. They say Diaz went into a home to confront his girlfriend and shot a handgun several times, hitting three women inside. One of them who was pregnant and is listed in critical condition. A third woman was treated and released from the hospital. Cops say there were several people inside at the time of the shooting, including children.

The Lake County Board of Supervisors considering what to do about the letter it received from the City of Clearlake about tax-defaulted properties the city thinks should have been sold. The City Manager brought the issue to the board last fall and the City Council ended up sending letters to several state agencies including the controller’s office, the California Board of Equalization and the California Attorney General’s Office. The city asking for Lake County Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen to be investigated. She and a staffer at the Board meeting yesterday along with the city manager and other city leaders. There’s apparently as much as $9 million worth of delinquent properties in the city. Ringen says she will work hard to solve the issues and the Board asked her to make it happen and promised resources to help.

Profit being blamed for a rise in health care costs in the State. The Department of Managed Care released a report showing the premium costs from insurance companies. Back in 2018, they doubled their profits, and then some. Profit noted in the report at as much as $2.75 billion over $1.01 billion the year before. The report shows there weren’t many factors that drove up the price of healthcare for residents, besides profit. But taxes and fees were up there too, and prescription drugs were also a contributing factor, but not by that much. Taxes and fees were up 30 percent over a year before and prescription meds were up under 5 percent.

A new Assistant City Manager has been named in Lakeport. Lake Co News reports it was only a week after the City Council approved the job classification that the new staff position was filled. The first ever assistant city manager job is being filled by the Community Development Director Kevin Ingram. He’s been in his current position about five years. Last year the City Council approved of the new position, which is touted as a training opportunity for those interested in being the city manager sometime in the future. Ingram will be responsible for supporting the city manager on major projects; be the point of contact with elected officials; develop and/or help implement city-wide goals; support boards, commissions and community groups; and fill in as the city manager if they’re unable to work or are away.

A vegetation management project is planned in the burn scar of the Ranch Fire. The US Forest Service reports they’ll be putting down herbicide and pulling invasive species, but they first are seeking public comment before next Tuesday, January 21^st. The project is on 54 acres at 15 different sites in Glenn, Colusa, and Lake counties. The 2018 Ranch Fire caused invasive species to spread over 15 sites. The mostly young plants will be sprayed with herbicide and the older plants will be pulled mechanically. There won’t be any herbicide applied in the Snow Mountain Wilderness and no aerial application of herbicide is proposed.

A proposal by an Assembly woman from Arleta would require school aged kids to learn all about climate change. Assemblymember Luz Rivas says her bill would call for climate change education as a requirement for students from 1^st grade the 6^th and there would also be a graduation requirement for students in grades 7 through 12, starting 2025. If it passes and the governor signs it into law, schools would have to add it to their curriculum no later than the 2021-22 school year.

 

 

 

News 1/14/2020

A man lying on the sidewalk in Ukiah had to have NARCAN administered. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office reports a deputy on routine patrol was flagged down because of a car blocking traffic. The deputy had medical responders come to the scene after assessing the man was unresponsive and probably overdosed on opiates.  The deputy gave the man NARCAN and he immediately responded and started waking up. Medical responders took him to Ukiah Valley Medical Center for further treatment. Narcan nasal spray is used as a sort of antidote to reverse opioid overdoses.

Mendocino County staffers working on new ways to get a business license. The Board of Supervisors directed staff to study small business regulations in Lake County to see if there are businesses that need licensing to protect the public and how much any of that would cost. Staff are expected to report back to Supervisors with a full report, but it wasn’t noted when the county might make changes. The Daily Journal reports Supervisor Ted Williams said there were roadblocks due to Planning and Building Service inspections that take too long, not the cost of the license. Supervisor John Haschak was concerned about timelines for new businesses getting approved.

A fire in Ukiah has burned a building with a bunch of cars inside. The Ukiah Valley Fire Authority reports the fire on Saturday afternoon was stopped before it spread, but no other info was released.

A phone scam reported by PG&E from crooks threatening to turn your power off if you don’t pay money. The utility company says they got several reports the last few weeks of scammers calling about past due utility bills, then told the person on the other end needed to pay right away with a cash card. PG&E’s Security Investigator for the North Bay and North Coast says when someone asks for a gift or cash card, that should raise a red flag. The scammers reportedly trying to hit folks in Marin, Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino, and Humboldt Counties and have a caller ID that says either “PG& E” or “Pacific Gas & Electric”.

The green light has been given to support marijuana gardens in the county exclusion area just outside Clearlake. The city council has approved a policy first brought up last fall. The City Manager says there are amendments in the Lake County Code related to growing cannabis which includes these so called exclusion areas. The code was recently amended to include cannabis growing in a city’s sphere of influence if whoever is applying for the grow gets a letter of support from the city. The policy being proposed allows the city manager to have the authority to issue the letters.

A special meeting of the Lakeport Planning Commission so new leaders can be appointed, and a new member introduced. The meeting this Thursday will feature the swearing-in of newly appointed Planning Commissioner Jeff Warrenburg .The yearly election of officers will also happen too. Lake Co News reports they may also discuss a possible amendment to a couple of Zoning Ordinances regarding portable sandwich board signs in the Central Business zoning district.

The Governor’s office looking at new ways to stop homelessness with possible penalties for cities and counties who don’t take action. The Governor’s task force on homelessness is reportedly considering a law to force municipalities, and the state to find housing for people without. The governor on a statewide tour to bring attention to the homelessness issue. Newsom is urging lawmakers to get something on the November ballot to force cities and counties to take action on homelessness for the more than 150,000 people without homes, or these municipalities could face legal action. Of course that would first have to pass both houses of the legislature. Homeless advocates say more specifics are needed.

The Willits City Council taking action on multiple water projects. The city’s engineering project manager introduced a measure for a professional services contract for work on the City’s Groundwater Improvement Project. The city’s been looking to improve its groundwater infrastructure for a while and at the same time meet public demand if there’s an issue with surface supply like due to drought or damage from natural disasters. A grant application is reported to be the first step to start the first phase of the project which is set to start this summer. The engineer working on the project reminds there was a shortage of water in Willits back in 2014 during the five year drought in Calif.

The federal government continues negotiating with Pacific Gas & Electric after catastrophic fires led to the utility company’s bankruptcy. A $13.5 billion dollar settlement for wildfire losses has been agreed to. Now reports surface that a top FEMA official is none too happy about the settlement agreement which puts the FED in the position of having to get money paid back another way. The FED paid out nearly $4 billion for victims of fires started by PG&E equipment from 2015-18. FEMA reportedly looking to get as much as $200 million from fire victims if they can’t get it from the bankruptcy settlement, but is now reportedly looking to revise the settlement with the bankruptcy judge to avoid that. Some fire victims say FEMA deserves nothing.

A blast of winter coming our way with snow accumulations expected in Lake County. The winter storm watch for most of Northern Calif. will of course hit the highest elevations hardest. The weather system expected to hit tomorrow into Friday with snow of up to three feet in the higher elevations, but snow is expected to drop in Lake County and in the high peaks in the Mendocino National Forest we could get up to 20 inches. Probably more like a regular old rainstorm for most of us, but Cobb and Mt. St. Helena are expected to get sleet.

Since the primary has moved up in Calif. we’re seeing several candidate statements emerging. Those running for supervisor, city council or other local offices have begun announcing their candidacies. The Mendocino Voice reports local businessman James Green is running for supervisor in the First District. Also making an announcement, the former mayor of Ukiah, Maureen “Mo” Mulheren. She’s filed to run for the seat in the 2nd Supervisorial District. She’s endorsed by the retired Sheriff Tom Allman, and others. She announced about a year ago, while she was still the mayor.

The Pine Mountain Lookout in the Upper Lake District of the Mendocino National Forest is finally reopening after the Ranch Fire. The lookout was closed in the summer of 2018 to protect it from the massive fire. It was not damaged, but the area around the lookout had to be cleared of downed trees and other debris. They’ve also opened reservations for the lookout which will be open from the end of April through November. You can get to the lookout by car, but you have to bring all of your own supplies. The lookout’s been there for almost 100 years, opening back in 1933. It was used for fire detection until 1942. It has 180-degree views of the surrounding area at an elevation of 4,400 feet.

As noted in our earlier newscast, quite the weather system coming thru. And in Lake Tahoe, a wind gust of more than 130 mph was recorded. So be careful on roads throughout Northern Calif. Chains or snow tires are required on Interstate 80 in the Sierras and many other highways in that area as the winter storm with loads of snow barrels thru the area. There’s a winter storm watch Thursday so if you were planning on heading out for a skit trip, you’re in luck, as as much as 2 feet of snow is expected to dump in the the highest elevations. The National Weather Service says it recorded a 137 mph wind gust at Alpine Meadows near Tahoe City this morning at 3:45 a.m. And at nearby Squaw Valley, a recorded gust of 124 mph.

The legislature has tossed the idea of a ban on medically unnecessary treatments for young kids born with ambiguous or conflicting genitalia until they turn 6. Lawmakers putting forth the bill to ban any procedure for an intersex child 6 years of age or younger unless it’s found it’s medically necessary by the Medical Board of California. But now most of the lawmakers who were on a panel for the idea said they thought it was too broad and wondered if kids at 6 could even understand enough to help parents make a decision. State Senator Bill Dodd says his grandaughter’s almost 5, and says he thinks it’s not a decision she could make for herself.

News 01/13/20

Congressman Jared Huffman and a colleague from Mississippi have introduced a bill so fisheries can receive disaster relief quicker. Huffman and Congressman Steven Palazzo teamed up for the Fishery Failures: Urgently Needed Disaster Declarations Act — or the Fishery FUNDD Act, to expedite money coming from the federal government with a time limit the government would get to respond to a fishery disaster request and how long after that it can take to distribute money disbursed after a disaster. Right now fishing communities have to wait to get money from the fed until after fish populations decline, during closed seasons, or if they suffer losses due to other disruptions.

Some new board officers have been chosen for the Mendocino Coast Healthcare District. Just after the new year at a forum. Some had been waiting on potential developments regarding the Labor and Delivery department, but instead the new board President  announced the board fired their legal counsel and hired a new one who have specialized experience in hospital affiliation. As you may recall the hospital is going thru a potential merger with Adventist Health. There have been two meetings already since the new year. The president of Adventist was at one of the meetings.

Something of a Green New Deal in Calif as the Governor announces new programs including a loan program for recycling, low-carbon transportation and climate-smart agriculture projects. The so-called Climate Catalyst Revolving Loan Fund is part of Newsom’s new budget for low-interest lending for small businesses and organizations with green ideas but for one reason or another may not be able to compete for venture capital funding. This on top of the state’s many public climate projects.

First 5 Lake Commission has a new leader. Lake County District 4 Supervisor Tina Scott has been elected as the new Chairperson for the Commission. The position requires her to attend all meetings and has general supervision over the business and property of the Commission. They also execute all formal documents on behalf of the Commission along with its Executive Director. The new Vice Chair is Denise Pomeroy, the Director of Health Services for the County. Their next meeting is Feb. 12^th at the Lower Lake Town Hall.

A couple of events in Lake County with Congressman Mike Thompson. Next Tuesday, Thompson will host “Coffee with our Congressman” at the Grinders Steep Coffee Shop at noon, in Middletown. Later, he’s hosting a town hall at the Tom Aiken Community Hall at Kelseyville High at 5:30. His office encourages all constituents of the Fifth Congressional District to attend. His district covers all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.

An area of the Clear Lake’s wetlands is being purchased thanks to a state grant. Lake Co News reports a $675,000 grant was approved by the state Wildlife Conservation Board to pay for the 200-acre Wright property. The Land Trust has reportedly been eyeing the land for a decade and a half. The news site reports the grant money comes from various sources including the Habitat Conservation Fund and other bond measures that voters had previously approved to preserve and protect California’s natural resources.

The Governor’s trying to help bring prescription drug prices down, so his office has announced a program to start the state’s own generic drug label. The first law of its kind in the nation would allow the state to negotiate directly with drug manufacturers for select prescriptions. Apparently it’s not the only plan the Governor’s considering to bring down the cost of health care for Californians. His office released part of the proposal last week, but no cost estimates have been released to the public. The governor also working to get more rebates from drug manufacturers.

A community action plan had a group of Mendocino County residents talking. The group along with leaders from District 3 were at New Paradigm College last week discussing future land use and development rules after the Board of Supervisors asked for a general plan update last fall. That involves the county’s eight “local area plans” which are folded into the general plan which is state mandated. The meeting at New Paradigm was hosted by the chair of the Western Region Town Hall (a District 3 municipal advisory council)  and featured the chair of the Redwood Valley Municipal Advisory Council who noted getting the community action plan implemented as part of the general plan is not guaranteed. She says they’ll do everything they can to make that happen though.

The Lake County Board of Supervisors diving into the issue with the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office. Lake Co news reports the board’s going to consider responding to a letter the City of Clearlake sent to the county last year about the performance of the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office when it comes to selling tax-defaulted properties, which they say is lagging. The city’s calling out Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen for not selling more tax defaulted properties which are supposedly worth millions at auction. The Lakeport City Council sent a letter of support regarding the issue too.

A car crash between three cars in the Blue Lakes area leaves one person seriously injured. The crash yesterday afternoon on Highway 20 happened in front of Blue Lakes Lodge. Lake Co News reports Northshore Fire and Lakeport Fire were on the scene. Two cars were blocking one of the lanes. The news site reported dispatch saying one of the vehicles had been reported prior to the crash as possibly being driven by an impaired driver. Four other people in the accident were uninjured.

A man from Sacramento’s been arrested for a DUI after being seen driving on 3 tires. Police say Martin Diaz Barajas Jr. was seen driving on 11^th St in Lakeport with major right front end damage and a missing tire so he was pulled over. When cops contacted him, they say he said he had just crashed off the 11th Street exit from Highway 29 and he knew his tire was missing but thought he could make it home, driving on the rim. He went thru field sobriety tests and was arrested. His blood alcohol content was measured at .085%. He’s charged with DUI and was reportedly released from jail already.

A woman in Fort Bragg has been arrested after reports of a fight between a man and woman over the weekend. Deputies got a call Saturday afternoon and found the couple had an argument that escalated. They say the woman, Kelie Adams-Penrod, physically assaulted the man, using her hands and a large wooden stick. They say the man had minor visible injuries consistent with the assault.  Adams-Penrod was arrested after deputies found she was on active summary probation with a term she obey all laws.  She’s booked on Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Felony Domestic Battery and a Misdemeanor Violation of Probation. She was held on $30,000.00 bail.

Because of fires the last three years, the state’s in dire need of more firefighters. The latest state budget proposed by the Gov. Newsom has the state hiring as many as 677 new full-time staffers for Cal Fire, over the next five years. That’s nearly 11% more than the 6,280 full-timers already working for the agency. There are also almost 2,400 Cal Fire positions that are seasonal employees. Of all of those, there would be about 440 new front line firefighters. The new hires are expected to be approved by the legislature. The budget is expected to have a $5.6 billion surplus. They say more staff at Cal Fire will allow more pre-positioning of staff in coming years.

The Alder Stop bus stop has been opened by the Mendocino Transit Authority. Last Thursday the stop and shelter in Willits opened, replacing the old Brown’s Corner bus stop on the 101. It’s situated right behind Lumberjack restaurant in the Evergreen Shopping Center. The MTA general manager says it’s safer, since it’s off the main highway and it’s convenient for nearby seniors.

 

 

News 01/10/20

The Six Rivers National Forest will be hosting a public meeting next Wednesday in Eureka to get input on the proposed Six Rivers Fire & Fuels Project. The proposal is a series of controlled vegetative burns and fire management across the forest, targeting woodland, shrub fields, and small trees less than 12 inches in diameter. The meeting will be at the Forest Supervisor’s Office on Bayshore Way from 5 pm until 7 pm. Forest staff, in addition to the public meeting, will also be holding workshops to discuss the project in length.

An early morning fire in Crescent City is being investigated as suspicious. The fire broke out shortly before 4 am at a double-wide on Cummins Road. Fire crews arrived to find the mobile home engulfed in flames as well as a sedan in the yard. Additional units were called in from Pelican Bay, Fort Dick Volunteer Fire Department, Del Norte County Sheriff deputies, and dispatch as well as crews from Pacific Power and Light. Officials learned that the trailer has been vacant for several years as well as reports of transient activity in the vicinity. No one was injured; no other structures suffered any damaged thanks to the efforts of the 15 volunteer firefighters who extinguished the blaze.

The city of Clearlake was introduced to the new Public Works Director on Thursday night at the city council meeting. Dale Goodman is said to have extensive public service experience, he served as director of Public Works in American Fork in Utah, Willows, California and St Helens in Oregon. The Lake County News reports that Goodman has been at the forefront of many valuable projects, including flood recovery, capital improvement, and regulatory compliance programs, for jurisdictions in several states. Goodman served in the US Army and the National Security Agency as an intelligence analyst. He has an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the State of New York in Albany.

The Mental Health Division of the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services will be hosting a few public meetings to discuss the Mental Health Services Act, also known as M-H-S-A. Officials are hoping to inform the public about the three-year-plan, and also get feedback from the community. The Humboldt County Department of Health says that gathering input is vital to drafting the plan that will outline the county’s M-H-S-A-funded programs from 2020 through 2023. Back in 2004, voters passed Prop 63 known as M-H-S-A, which placed a 1% tax on personal incomes that exceeds one million dollars to fund the development and expansion of mental health services for all ages. The first meeting will be this Tuesday at the Jefferson Community Center in Eureka on B street from noon until 1:30 pm. The second meeting is for Friday the 24th from noon until 1:30 pm at the Blue Lake Community Resource Center on Greenwood Avenue. Lunch will be served at this meeting, so you will need to RSVP by Wednesday the 22nd.

The Six Rivers National Forest will be hosting a public meeting next Wednesday in Eureka to get input on the proposed Six Rivers Fire & Fuels Project. The proposal is a series of controlled vegetative burns and fire management across the forest, targeting woodland, shrub fields, and small trees less than 12 inches in diameter. The meeting will be at the Forest Supervisor’s Office on Bayshore Way from 5 pm until 7 pm. Forest staff, in addition to the public meeting, will also be holding workshops to discuss the project in length.