A man found seriously injured in Clearlake Oaks has reportedly died. Police have not identified the man yet but say he was found yesterday afternoon near Clark’s Island and E. State Highway 20. He was described as a White, middle aged man who was found unconscious with visible head injuries and a puncture wound on his stomach. He was taken to a hospital but died. Police are treating it as a murder, and an autopsy is planned.
A man in court on child porn charges has pleaded no contest, essentially admitting the crime. Just a day after Jeffery Cramer’s hearing, where it was agreed they’d move forward to a preliminary hearing, he entered the plea. He was the previous owner of Main Street Bicycles where warrants were served. They were also served at his home and police took digital devices from both locations. They found he had uploaded child pornography at least five times between August 2019 and February 2020 on social media pages. He was also a high school mountain biking coach in Clear Lake and Kelseyville. He will reportedly only serve felony probation for two years, but also faces a jail sentence which is up to the judge and could be about a year. He also has to go thru a yearlong sex offender counseling program.
Sonoma County could start to move into the Red Tier over the weekend. Even though the state has the county in the Purple, most restrictive tier, the state may change the tier structure. The gov. announced a new tier system based on when 2 million people in the most at risk neighborhoods get their vaccine. The Press Democrat reports, we’re at over 1.9 million so the metrics could change as soon as tomorrow. Sonoma is currently at 9 cases per 100,000 residents, the case rate will change to get to Red, from 7 to 10 cases per 100,000 people, removing an obstacle for the county, and possibly Lake and Mendocino to move forward too. But it’s ultimately up to the state to decide which counties change tiers.
Even though the state has a healthy surplus, the new 1.9 trillion dollar COVID relief package could send over $150 billion to California’s economy. About half of that goes directly to those who qualify for the $1,400 direct payments and to expanded unemployment benefits. Nearly $16 billion to public and private schools and $3.6 billion to help the state with its vaccination effort. Money also goes to transportation hubs and agencies and to childcare.
About 100 people have shown up to hear about the purple sea urchin from Reef Check, The Nature Conservancy and UC Davis as part of the Reef Check Kelp Restoration Project. One part of the project was to regrow the red urchins population and help the kelp forest regrow in the ideal conditions off the Mendocino Coast. So they’re gathering purple urchins and removing them to see if the kelp forest will regenerate. It’s been wrecked by warm water and the overpopulation of the purple urchins. That in turn starved abalone and commercially viable red urchins were overtaken. The program was funded by the Ocean Protection Council, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Watermen’s Alliance and is running in two locations in Noyo Bay. It was delayed due to the pandemic and just started.
Concerns in Lake County that vaccination doses may be going to out of county residents. The concern brought to the Lake County Board of Supervisors Tuesday and they decided to have volunteers track how many non-County residents are coming to local vaccine sites. But when Blue Shield totally takes over the vaccine distribution, which it’s transitioning into now, counties have to allow non-residents to make appointments. The Board Chairman commented maybe they should send bills to surrounding counties for the doses they lose to their residents.
A group in Southern Calif. is helping people navigate the confusing online signups for COVID19 vaccines. The grassroots volunteer corps run by people who have flexible schedules, can work a computer and are near one frequently. They’re helping others in major metropolitan areas where many thousands are trying to all get the same appointment slots. The volunteers help those who otherwise can’t figure the system out. County officials have hotlines across the state, and there are mobile clinics too. There are community health workers being hired and partnering with faith communities and community organizations to get vaccines into arms. The volunteer groups are reported to be an important step in getting the vaccines to low-income, disabled and isolated people.
Congressman Jared Huffman tackling the problem of folks not being able to pay their water bills due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The North Coast Congressman put out a statement saying the new stimulus package from the federal government, the American Rescue Plan, includes money for water assistance. He says the last year water has been proven to be a “critical resource” and especially with more people staying home, there’s been more personal water usage. In fact a statewide study shows about 1.6 million or 12% of households across Calif. have not been able to pay their water bills creating a $1 billion statewide household water debt. So Huffman and some of his democratic colleagues sent a letter to both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy about the problem and stated the $70 million dollars California is getting is not enough to address the amount of total debt.
The state says it’s finally finished clearing metal, concrete, ash and contaminated soil from nearly 1,400 properties after last summer and fall’s fires. That was at the properties of owners who wanted the state to do the work at no cost to them so they can start the rebuilding process. State contractors come out and take away any charred debris and also trees that were burned and found to be hazardous. They’ve also done some erosion control on 150 cleared properties. In August fires hit 18 counties statewide, and in September, there were another 10 counties. Over 4 million acres burned across the state.
A new report says President Biden’s $1.9 trillion relief package could cut California’s child poverty rate in half. Economists and progressives say a provision in the American Rescue Plan is “revolutionary”. It sends money to most families who have children with a one-year expansion of the child tax credit. They say it could potentially lift millions of Californians out of poverty this year, especially immigrant families that have suffered some of the worst health and economic effects from the COVID19 pandemic. It’s only a one year policy which some say may be a pilot-like program to see if a permanent child allowance could work in the United States. So families will get regular payments up to $3,600/year for each child under 6 and $3,000 for each child under 18.
A group of US senators, hailing from both parties are interested in making Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent. Most states observe DST, which incidentally starts again this Sunday morning at 2 a.m. It then ends on the first Sunday of November. So there are just 4 months of standard time. The Sunshine Protection Act was introduced by Texas Senator Sen. Marco Rubio. 15 states, including Calif. have voted to make DST permanent but it cannot be unless the federal government also makes the move. Hawaii and Arizona do not observe DST.
The Elk Emergency Planning Committee is reminding, we’re gaining on fire season. Scientists say it could be another mega drought year, not just for Calif., but for most of the western states. The Planning Committee says Elk has only received about 25 percent of its normal rainfall. They say it seems early, but now is the time to get go bags and emergency kits together. They remind also if you haven’t looked at this items in some time, go through them and replenish water, batteries, medications, snacks, and anything else perishable. They’ve posted the best items to have handy on the Elk Community Services District website (elkcsd.org).
