A bunch of traditional native plants are being planted by the Mendocino National Forest (MNF) and the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake. The plantings along Middle Creek on the Upper Lake Ranger District to reduce soil erosion, help with better water quality for the Clear Lake Hitch to spawn. The fish are a major source of food for the tribe. And finally, various traditional native plants the tribe uses for basketry and other purposes are being planted. The forest and tribe will continue to partner in the area to maintain the work and plant more in the future.
Some community forums in Mendocino county on Mental Health. The Mendocino County Chief Executive Officer, Carmel J. Angelo, has announced the first Community Forums to work toward reducing the number of people with mental illness in jails. Two sessions May 8th at the Ukiah Veterans Hall, and the following day at the Fort Bragg Veterans Hall. There’s an educational session first from 1-5pm, then public forums after, from 6-8pm, at both locations.
The Governor has requested Presidential Major Disaster Declarations after severe storms in February which brought massive flooding, mudslides and damage to critical infrastructure across California. That would mean state, tribal and local governments would receive help with recovery projects like repair and replacement of disaster-damaged facilities and infrastructure, like roads, bridges and utilities. It comes after the governor declared state of emergencies in 33 counties across the state after the storms.
Two people in Ukiah won’t be going to trial again after agreeing to a plea deal. The Mendocino County District Attorney reporting Christopher Bradford and Diontae Wright, both from Indianapolis, Indiana, found guilty of a robbery and assault with a firearm, plus for recklessly evading a peace officer and evading a peace officer by driving in the opposing lane of traffic. They were found not guilty or no verdict could be reached on various other crimes, so there was a hung jury and mistrial on those charges. It all comes after an October 2017 marijuana robbery in the Brooktrails area. They were supposed to go to a second trial in two weeks, but they accepted a plea deal Friday. The two now being held in jail on no bail holds until formal sentencing in June. A codefendant, tried separately, got 12 years in state prison.
A packed house at the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors meeting as supervisors took up the sudden closure of the Dungeness crab fishery. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife ordered all crab fishermen pull their gear out of the ocean by today. There was a resolution of support by the supervisors for the crab fishermen, but one of the supervisors took it off the consent calendar and opened it for conversation. There were several speaking out saying they’re going to be devastated by the closure financially. Apparently, the gear from the fishery has been getting caught up in whales, but hundreds of miles away. An environmental group filed suit against the Department of Fish and Wildlife for not protecting humpback whales, blue whales and pacific leather-back sea turtles.
Another bumper crop of local grapes. The 2018 Final Grape Crush Report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows one of the best crops in Northern Calif. in years and Mendocino Winegrowers say, the best ever for the county. The executive director of the group says they’re up 16 percent to nearly of 82,000 tons, better than the last record year of, 2013, by almost 4,000 tons. The value is also up. 2018 hitting $137.5 million, up nearly 15 percent from last year’s $120 million. Chardonnay the top varietal, at 33 percent of what was harvested, then it was Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir.
A settlement finally reached between two environmental groups and the North Coast Rail Authority. The two groups filed suit in July 2011 by the Friends of the Eel River and Californians for Alternatives to Toxics who wanted a new environmental impact report for a broken down part of the rail line, which is now going to be part of the Great Redwood Trail. The groups had argued the report was flawed and the corridor where the rail trail will be is toxic. Lawsuits went to the state Supreme Court. The settlement says the environmental groups are dropping their cases and the NCRA will pay them court fees.
The meetings continue in Lakeport regarding the design of a new waterfront park. This Thursday in City Hall the project will be center stage. The city’s using money from the Parks and Water Bond Act of 2018 for the new park at the old Natural High School property on Main Street. This is the second of four meetings on the park design. The meetings will be interactive. Those there will get points and find ways to spend their points on park features.
For more information contact the Lakeport Community Development Department at 707-263-5615, Extension 204, or email dchance.
A new report shows the City of Clearlake with a major downturn in violent and property crimes. The report by the Clearlake Police Chief Andrew White to be presented to the Clearlake City Council at their meeting Thursday. The chief says violent crimes were down by 16 percent the last year, compared to a year before. And property crimes are off 14 percent. White says it’s a massive accomplishment. Violent crimes are homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. And property crimes include burglary, larceny, vehicle theft and arson.
An advisory panel to the governor is recommending loosening liability laws after PG&E filed for bankruptcy. It’s one of three proposals to the Governor from the strike force working on wildfire plans. The governor put the force together at the beginning of the year. Gov. Newsom says he hopes their report brings tough conversations among utilities, insurance companies, lawyers, wildfire victims and others to come up with solutions over the next 90 days before the Legislature’s bill deadline. The report offered a couple other options too, creating a state fund for utilities to use to pay wildfire damages and reforming the state’s investor-owned utility regulator, California Public Utilities Commission, plus some ideas for PG&E while it goes thru bankruptcy proceedings, including municipalization or transfer of ownership.
After a cop smells weed during a traffic stop in Kelseyville, several arrests are made. A Lake County deputy sees a gray Volvo with a brake light out and conducts a traffic stop, smells the weed and three people in the car are searched. Richard Styles, the driver, and his passengers, Mandeep Singh Deol and Bleu Mariah Debardeleben are arrested. The car had moving boxes with three pounds of pot in them each. The deputy also found paraphernalia, more than a dozen firearms, cash and bolt cutters. The trio busted on multiple charges including felon in possession of a firearm, possession and transportation of marijuana for sale and drug addict in possession of a firearm.
Final votes on benefit zones in Kelseyville to help remove hazardous vegetation ahead of wildfires. The meeting tomorrow with the Board of Supervisors to consider the zones of benefit in Buckingham, Clear Lake Riviera, Riviera Heights and Riviera West. This comes after the board agreed for the zones back in January, then it goes to voters but people were protesting the idea at a meeting last month after ballots were returned confirming the idea was a good one. There were complaints about the nature of the election and other related factors so it’s in the board’s hands now to determine if the vote will comply with state law.
