The Gov. says no to the PG&E deal to get out of Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. Gov. Gavin Newsom says he wants the judge managing the case to scrap Pacific Gas and Electric’s plan to get out of bankruptcy. He’s also still saying there should be a way instead for the utility company to be a government-run operation. The governor’s office reportedly sending a letter to the court about PG&E’s plan as the company tries to make a June deadline to emerge from the bankruptcy after devastating wildfires, mostly blamed on the utility’s equipment. If the plan is approved, the company can draw money out of a special insurance fund the state created so utility companies can recoup possible future losses after wildfire emergencies.
Alternative energy at the forefront for the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors. The board has approved a partnership with Sonoma County Energy and Sustainability on multiple energy projects in Mendocino County buildings. That agency is under Sonoma County’s General Services Department coming up with energy management programs. Mendocino County began work on sustainability projects about a year ago, auditing what could be changed. No word on what it will cost for the audits and if it pays to make fixes.
No anatoxin has been found in Blue Lakes after positive tests last month. It was very low levels of the toxin with caution signs going up in the area. Those signs have been taken down after more tests were taken the middle of last month and again on January 7th showing no signs at all of the toxin. Because two tests came back negative usual activity in the area can begin again. The Clear Lake cyanobacteria monitoring program is managed by the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians and Elem Indian Colony. They pay for the routine tests at the Upper Blue Lakes.
Another $400,000 dollars has been approved to close down the old landfill in Ukiah. The City Council has approved the expenditure to close the old landfill at the end of Vichy Springs Road. The Daily Journal reports the Public Works Director reminding the City Council last week that the landfill was at capacity in the late 90’s. A firm was hired then to close the landfill, that being a cap and gas collection system. City staff have been working ever since on officially closing the landfill. The Public Works Director says they are still about $1 million short of the needed funds and they’re waiting comments on the final environmental impact review.
An admitted gang member going to prison after waiving his right to a jury trial in a couple of felony cases. The Mendocino County DA reports 26 year old Gabriel Diego was then convicted of attempted witness intimidation and admitted a special allegation of trying to intimidate a Good Samaritan witness on behalf of the Sureno criminal street gang in Fort Bragg. He was also found guilty of inflicting traumatic injury on the mother of his children, another felony, and for domestic violence while out of jail when his attempted witness intimidation case was pending. In yet a third case, he’s guilty of witness tampering related to the others. The case has been forwarded for a sentencing recommendation to the Probation Department. He’s due back in court for judgement and sentencing February 19th.
More transparency as the city of Ukiah makes website fixes so residents can see where tax dollars are being spent on street repairs. The Deputy City Manager told the City Council the website could have been more user friendly so staff members were making fixes regarding Measure Y dollars, which pay for street repairs. You can navigate now to a tab called Residents where there are contact numbers so you can report potholes, graffiti, non-working traffic signals and road hazards. The page explains to residents just how the city decides on that streets to fix with maps. There’s also a summary of how the money is spent which is also going to be put into a flier and delivered with future utility bills.
A meeting in Lake County on the eradication of an invasive plant called hydrilla. The California Department of Food and Agriculture is having a town hall regarding the statewide Hydrilla Eradication Project next Wednesday at Lakeport City Hall. The invasive aquatic plant can form large mats disrupting oxygen levels in Clear Lake. The state’s been working to get rid of the plant with success in 15 counties. But Lake County is currently impacted by an infestation. The state looking to help get Lake County to 100% eradication. The California Department of Food and Agriculture is taking public comment on a new environmental impact report until Feb. 16th. The meeting next Wednesday starts at 3:30pm.
A man in Northern Calif. reportedly scamming his insurance company connected to the massive Carr Fire. The fire burned through Redding in July of 2018. Now Stephen Cortopassi is facing nine felony counts of insurance fraud, scamming himself into a payout of $43,000 after he claimed the fire destroyed his home and vehicles. But he was apparently already getting more than $1 million for legally insured property after losing his home and four cars. He reportedly bought a new insurance policy the day after one of his cars was destroyed, and liability on the others, all worth $43,060.
PG&E and other utility companies that run public safety power shutoffs could be responsible for lost wages and spoiled food if some lawmakers have their way. The Press Democrat reports State Sen. Scott Weiner of San Francisco has introduced a bill to require investor owned utilities to pay their customers and local governments back some of the costs connected to intentional power outages. The utility companies say it’s to protect the public. Massive blackouts were put in place last fall. 2 million customers were in the dark in October, closing schools and businesses and making life a challenge for those using medical devices that can’t work without electricity. Weiner’s bill would require a utility company’s shareholders, not customers, to stash cash in a fund that would be used to reimburse customers within two weeks of a blackout. The California Public Utilities Commission to be in charge of the fund.
A new labor law being considered would take freelance writers and newspaper carriers out of another new labor law already passed that’s got lawsuits piling up to stop it. A bill introduced by now Senator Patricia Bates would require workers to be treated as employees not independent contractors. It comes after a law started January 1st that gives salary and benefit protections for those who work as independent contractors. Many are suing against it, including journalists, truck drivers and others. The January 1st law was focused on ride share companies like Uber and Lyft. But many freelancers are now unemployed. Bates says her new bill would help preserve quality journalism.
