There could be a new Dollar General store coming to Fort Bragg. The Zaremba Group of Lakewood, Ohio has reportedly applied for a permit for a 9,100 square foot retail center on the corner of South Franklin and Maple streets. The developer would build it out and own the building, and Dollar General would manage and operate the business. The proposal reportedly fits into Fort Bragg’s General Commercial Zoning category. Now the developer has to turn in a design review permit application, then the city has about a month to decide. There are a couple of times where public comment comes in, on the environmental impact report or before it goes to the planning commission, if it gets that far.
The Mendocino Fire Safe Council has a new video series on its new website so you can learn what steps to take to protect your property from a wildfire. The series comes as the state had its first ever, Gigafire, a fire that’s larger than one million acres. That was the August Complex which burned more than two months this summer. This year over 4,257,000 acres burned and 31 people were killed. And 8 of the ten biggest fires to ever burn in the state, were this year. The Mendocino County Fire Safe Council was put together to help locals deal with living in wildfire country.
The first coronavirus vaccines have reportedly gotten to Calif. Mendo Fever reports 3rd District Supervisor John Haschak confirmed the county is getting 975 vaccines which will be given out in tiers. State Senator Mike McGuire also tweeted yesterday the first 327,000 doses of the Covid vaccine got to the state on Sunday. There will be a three tiered distribution of the vaccine, the first includes, healthcare facilities and staff including at prison hospitals, psychiatric facilities, skilled nursing facilities and other settings for the elderly or medically vulnerable. The next tier, also in healthcare and public health, then primary care and rural health centers and finally at specialty clinics for lab and dental workers and pharmacy staffers. It’s also split into 6 regions. We are in Region 2 which is getting nearly 80,500 doses.
Campgrounds are going to be able to open on Bureau of Land Management managed land. The agency says it’s following evolving guidance from the Center for Disease Control and state and local health authorities. In accordance with the state’s stay home order they are monitoring and evaluating if they’ll have to close certain campgrounds to help slow the spread of COVID-19. As long as visitors follow protocols like social distancing and mask wearing they can enjoy the public lands, but they ask that you stay away on weekends or other high use times. They say to plan ahead before your visit and make sure to bring your own supplies including hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes and toilet paper and to of course, pack out your trash. Visit recreation.gov where you can pay online to limit cash transactions during the pandemic.
The city manager in Willits has been honored as she leaves her job in just a couple of weeks. A tribute to City Manager Stephanie Garrabrant-Sierra at last week’s City Council meeting lasted about 20 minutes. City staffers talked up her many achievements after three years with the city. Her last day is New Year’s Eve day. The new City Manager is Brian Bender. Garrabrant-Sierra was lauded for helping during several emergencies, including wildfire response, Public Safety Power Shutoffs and the current COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty people applied for the position and that list was whittled down to 4, with Bender, of Montana being chosen. He was last the Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Deer Lodge, in Montana.
The new vaccines have to be kept in special freezers because they have to be stored at extremely cold temperatures, they can’t last more than 5 days otherwise. The County Chief Executive Officer Carmel Angelo said yesterday the vaccine is not in the county yet, and we don’t have the needed freezers. She says they did order the freezers, but there was such a high demand, they’ll get only one this week, and another, may come next month. The county should receive one box of the vaccine with 975 doses which have to be kept at least 76-degrees below, Fahrenheit. Apparently Adventist Health hospital facilities have the required storage to keep the vaccine at the temperature needed.
Lake County’s supposed to be getting its shipment of the Pfizer vaccine in days. Lake Co News reports 24 counties are getting the vaccine this week. That’s filtered through which of the counties has the highest risk and apparently Lake County is in the first group. The Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace says the county was supposed to get 475 doses, but the shipping container holds 975 doses, so they’re getting that amount. There could be another vaccine approved this week, manufactured by Moderna. That will be delivered to Calif, too within a week of its approval. Gov. Newsom says the two vaccines together have the state getting over 2 million doses by the end of the year.
There can be no retrial for Mavrick Fisher. A judge has ruled Fisher cannot have a second trial in the death of his friend who he traveled to California with in 2019, from Illinois. Grant Whitaker traveled with Fisher to Calif. where the two reportedly had dreams of starting a camp for the deaf together, but there was an altercation. Fisher was convicted last month of involuntary manslaughter for the death of his traveling companion. Fisher’s lawyer says he’s relieved there won’t be a retrial. The prosecution was trying for a new trial after he was found not guilty of murder and the jury was hung on voluntary manslaughter and assault with a deadly weapon with a special allegation of great bodily injury or death. Fisher will be sentenced next week.
A family in Lake County has a new home for Christmas thanks to Habitat for Humanity. Hector and Maria Rodriguez-Barajas’ home was destroyed in the Valley fire in 2015. They’ve been living in various places since the fire. But they worked with Habitat for Humanity Lake County and had various donations too so they could decorate for the holidays. The nonprofit is also asking for donations so they can continue providing folks like the Rodriguez-Barajas family with homes. You can mail them to their offices in Lower Lake or call for more info.
A man in Lakeport accused of shooting at another person and stealing firearms from another has been in court for his arraignment. He’s pleaded not guilty and denied special allegations. It comes after someone reported that Michael Dore of Lucerne had stolen firearms from his house and said he was at a Highland Springs Reservoir and shot at people there. Dore’s charged with carrying a loaded firearm in a public place, carrying a firearm capable of being concealed, permitting other person to carry a firearm in vehicle and assault with firearm on person for the September incident. Someone told deputies that Dore shot at him at a party at the Reservoir and left. He’s still in custody on bail of $300,000 and deputies are asking anyone who may have information on the shooting at the reservoir is asked to contact them.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company says its Foundation and the company are donating about $250,000 to the American Red Cross, volunteer fire departments and community organizations to help the residents impacted by recent wildfires. The company says the charitable contributions are part its overall commitment to donate $1 million for wildfire relief and recovery efforts. The money will be divvied up and spread out. One of the recipients is the South Lake County Fire Protection District which is getting $15,000 in support of the communities of Middletown, Anderson Springs, Cobb, Loch Lomond, Hidden Valley, and other small developments and individual dwellings.
A new effort to recall the Calif. gov. is making the rounds. Growing outcry about bungled unemployment claims and possibly fraud, closed schools and businesses and his maskless dinner at the high end restaurant, the French Laundry in Napa Valley. Those organizing the recall have already collected more than half the required nearly 1.5 million signatures on a petition so the recall can get onto a ballot. They have until the middle of March to get to that number.
