The Mendocino County Public Health Officer says cases are flattening and that may mean an end to the holiday surge. Public Health Officer Dr. Andy Coren says it’s still a bit early to say for sure, but the daily case rate was under 30/day for the first time since early this month. There are however two more deaths to report for a total of 36 now. 14 people are in the hospital including one in an ICU. Coren gave his weekly update Friday and as of that date, 6,700 people had received a first dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine thru the Public Health office and 320 people had received a second dose. There are others who’ve also been vaccinated thru Adventist Health, pharmacies and Indian Health Services. Supplies in the county now are all for second doses.
The Ukiah Unified School District holding town halls to discuss getting back to in person learning. There are three town halls, today, tomorrow and Wednesday. They are for Elementary, Secondary, and all grades in Spanish. The School’s Superintendent is going to be at all of them with principals and district staff to answer questions. Email your questions before or during a Town Hall to townhallquestions@uusd.net.
SPANISH Virtual Town Hall for all grades will be held on Monday, Jan. 25 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Https://www.facebook.com/ukiahunifiedschooldistrict.
The Elementary school virtual town hall will be on Tuesday, Jan. 26 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on the UUSD Live Youtube channel at www.youtube.com/channel/ucvrrjxt- cilbvvdmzq2aw9q.
The Middle and High School virtual town hall will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 27 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on the Youtube channel at www.youtube.com/channel/ ucvrjxt-cilbvvdmzq2aw9q.
Sherwood Firewise has the agenda set for the year. The group met about a week and a half ago discussing last year’s accomplishments. They talked about an Emergency Access Route being open which had been used for the Oak Fire last summer, the Willits Creek Emergency Access Route funding being secured and adding more access routes which are currently being negotiated with Supervisor John Haschak. They say the Oak Fire evacuation was the smoothest ever with the Mendocino County Sheriff, CAL Fire and Brooktrails Fire Department. The group also talked about getting the Firewise USA recognition for 2020-2021. Right now, the biggest project they’re working on is creating a CSA zone for continued maintenance of their Emergency Access Routes. The meeting on that is today at 1:30 p.m.
It might go on a little longer. It’s been more than 2 weeks of no service from Altice/Suddenlink. They’ve got an active dispute with Cox Media Group and say Cox dropped NBC and CBS TV stations after raising prices. Altice accusing Cox and Cox in turn accusing them of adversely affecting customers instead of agreeing to “a fair market deal.” The Times-Standard newspaper says the cut of channels could mean some can’t view the Superbowl. But there are other services the community cannot see because of the feud between the two media companies. Suddenlink tells the newspaper it was not their decision and blames Cox for jacking up prices above what they and customers pay any other broadcaster.
The FBI has a be on the lookout alert for the so-called, “Lost Coast bandit”. The FBI reported last week the suspect had robbed the Central Coast Credit Unions in Eureka and Arcata and that in all three crimes, the man passed a note threatening to shoot the teller and/or all customers if any alarms were activated or dye packs deployed. The man is described as White, around 5-foot 6 to 5-foot 8-inches tall, 170 pounds, medium build and at the time wore a Fox of Dickies hoodie and dark pants. Agents say they’re not sure if the thief is from the area. Local police said they weren’t sure where the Lost Coast name came from. The robberies were from December to January. The last caper on January 16th was caught on surveillance footage.
The yearly Point-in-Time (PIT) count is set to happen this week. In Lake County they report there will be modifications due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The county’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports the federal dept. of Housing and Urban Development requires Continuum of Care organizations to count people without shelter over the last ten days of January. In Lake County it’s this Thursday. There will be a limited number of surveys done this year over the phone as well as in person counts. They will call case managers who work with those without shelter and places like the Veterans’ Association. And the Lake County Office of Education is calling families and reporting back too.
A man from Clearlake had a court appearance online with the court finding good cause to continue against the man on several charges including murder. 63 year old Thomas Magee accused of running down someone walking in Lucerne then leaving the scene. The two apparently involved in a dispute over property. The case will start in April after being rescheduled from this Wednesday. He’s charged with vehicular manslaughter, murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, attempted murder and hit and run for the September 2019 incident. Police say the hit and run of Joseph Symond Jackson was murder. Magee was arrested last fall on murder charges and held on $1 million bail.
Congressman Mike Thompson has introduced a mental health access bill again with a counterpart from New York. Thompson’s office reports he and Congressman John Katko have announced they’ve reintroduced the Mental Health Access Improvement Act. The bipartisan bill looks to address the mental health care gap for seniors with an expansion of providers for those who use Medicare. Thompson says they’ve reintroduced the bill because it’s hard for seniors to get mental health care. He says this would allow them to see a broader group of qualified mental health care providers through Medicare. Right now seniors cannot see mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists with the same training and education as other providers but can’t get reimbursed by Medicare.
The Clearlake Planning Commission continues to look at a property swap with the county to develop residential units. The commission will look at the general plan and consider if the property needs an environmental review. One of the properties is under a quarter of an acre and is being donated to the city by the last surviving owner of Crown Holding Co. the other is 16.28 acres of county-owned property for housing units. The smaller one the old state-owned Lakeport Armory, which it wants to use for a new headquarters for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Clearlake looking to use the larger property for multilevel income housing, recreational/open space areas, and commercial retail/medical offices.
The state Department of Public Health has ended the Regional Stay at Home Order, but has gone back to the colored tier system. The changes because the three regions that were under the strict lock downs are over 15% ICU capacity, that was what triggered the closures. The region we’re in in Northern California, the RANCHO area was not in the order to begin with. But the regions that were can get back to outdoor dining and indoor salons finally as part of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The tier updates are given weekly on Tuesdays. The director of the public health dept. for the state says citizens heard their urgent message and accepted the challenge to slow the spread of the virus and save lives. The dept. says there are positive signs the virus is slowing again, but the pandemic is a long way from ending. As a reminder to continue to wear masks, maintain physical distance of at least 6 feet, wash hands frequently, avoid gatherings and mixing with other households, follow all state and local health department guidance and get the vaccine when it’s your turn.
The BLM in Ukiah working with Cal Fire Sonoma Lake Napa Unit will be doing a prescribed burn on the northeast side of Mt. Konocti in Kelseyville. The pile burns in the Black Forest area along Soda Bay Road this week and continuing here and there this winter and thru the spring, weather permitting. It’s part of the shaded fuel break project started back in 2008 to improve landscape health and get rid of hazardous fuels that could move wildland fires where public lands meet urban development.
The Lake County Public Health Officer says there’s still a surge of cases of COVID19 across the county, the highest rate so far and hospitals are feeling stressed. Dr. Pace says this is most likely the worst phase of the pandemic, and there’s no way to know how long it will last. Vaccine distribution around California is being managed by the State Department of Public Health; and what the counties get from the state is based on population. Lake county’s been getting only about 400 doses/week. There are priority phases 1a and 1b currently getting their vaccines. Safeway in Lakeport is taking appointments for those tier groups, check online to see what group you’re in, then you can make an appointment thru Safeway Pharmacy. There’s also a new vaccine site at the Lakeport Fairgrounds and Senior Center in Clearlake by appointment only. Right now there are no appointments for the general public.
Mendocino County has announced the second vaccination event for those who were first in line to get the first Pfizer vaccine January 6th or 7th. This event is ONLY for those already vaccinated on those days at the Redwood Empire Fairgrounds and waiting to get their second dose. The second dose is on Wednesday, by appointment only at the Redwood Empire Fairgrounds from 9a-4p and not open to the public. Those with appointments have to bring their identification and vaccination card. For an appointment, visit the county’s Vaccine Scheduling Page.
A man from Laytonville’s been arrested after the CHP found a wanted man they say caused a disturbance at a business last week. The CHP reports responded to the area and contacted Levi Lamoureux who they say tried to steal some stuff from the business but was told to leave. They say he wouldn’t leave and started to harass customers. Deputies say he was on active parole so they searched him and found an unspent 7mm rifle cartridge, so they arrested him for being in possession of ammunition by a prohibited person and violating his parole. He’s being held on $25,000.00 bail.
Adventist Health reports seeing more overdoses lately. 4 OD’s reported in recent days. The emergency room at the hospital reports the overdoses were non-prescribed opiates or compromised forms of heroin/fentanyl, ecstacy, and cocaine. They’re asking community members if you know anyone who may be at risk to call, as they have counselors available and they can connect folks with training and distribution of NARCAN in case of a suspected opioid overdose.
