The vaccine rollout continues in California with those over the age of 16 allowed to have access in many counties. California public health officials also say though that we’re still in the demand vs. supply issue due to the tainted Johnson & Johnson vaccine. 15 million doses were cross contaminated with another vaccine. The state’s received approx. 2.4 million doses this week, and expects 2 million next week and 1.9 million doses the week after. Some parts of the state are reporting tons of open appointments. The Lake County Public Health officer earlier this week reported that last week there were many available appointments. The state Office of Emergency Services says the My Turn system may have open appointments which could mean this weekend a limited number of walk ups for those 18 and over. Those 16 and over will be eligible next week.
The number of people allowed into Yosemite National Park is being capped due to the pandemic. So advanced reservations are required for day visits. The park’s superintendent put out the word yesterday during a meeting with government and business leaders in communities around the park. She said it’s because they’ve already been seeing large crowds in recent weeks and cases of COVID-19 continue to spread in California, and various other states and countries where visitors come from. The same is happening at other national parks, Rocky Mountain and Glacier. You can make a reservation at www.recreation.gov starting April 21st.
A prescribed burn is planned near Ukiah, weather permitting. So if you see smoke next week, Monday to Friday, you’ll know why. It’s on private land about 6 miles outside the city between Robinson Creek Road and Low Gap Road. The burn is under the Vegetation Management Program (VMP) project and will be done with tight restrictions for the personal safety of firefighters and area residents. Cal Fire is conducting the burn and says like all burns if there’s any indication the burn cannot be conducted in a safe manner, due to high winds or local fire activity, they’ll cancel.
There are major vaccine changes due to a laboratory error with the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Across the country, the allocations of that vaccine are down, now the California Department of Public Health says there’s a reduced supply from the Federal Government. The CDC reported one million first doses will be available this week, 33% less than last week. But there’s a 95% reduction from about 572,000 doses last week to 67,000 doses this week of the single dose vaccine. A plant in Maryland where the vaccine was being made had a mishap with the Astra Zeneca vaccine, which has since been rectified. But it’s given the US supply a hit.
A man from Covelo has been arrested after a chase with cops and it turns out he’s a sex offender who failed to register in the city. Allen Wears was arrested Monday after a patrol deputy saw Wears duck as he drove past him. The Deputy also noticed there were light equipment violations on the rear of the vehicle so he went after the guy. He was in a green Subaru, but wouldn’t stop so the Deputy followed him, but lost him due to dust on a dirt road. But then he picked up his trail soon after and a backup Deputy came and they were able to detain Wears after he hit a rock. He went running and the Deputies found he was a registered sex offender on parole. He also had a warrant for his arrest, he was found at a home nearby and arrested for sex offender failure to register and reckless driving while evading a peace officer and held without bail.
A known gang member has been arrested in Redwood Valley for carrying a gun. The Sheriff’s Office reports arresting Juan Carlos Lopez of Ukiah Wednesday after reports of a stolen car. Deputies got a call from CHP officers after a car was reportedly stolen from the Coyote Valley Gas Station in Redwood Valley. The car was empty so Deputies canvassed the area and went into a nearby casino, seeing Lopez there. They knew him from other contacts and that he had several warrants for his arrest. The guy ran off when a Deputy approached, then threw a chair toward the Deputy who chased him into the parking lot. The Deputy shot him with a Taser, but he had thick clothes on. He was eventually caught after tossing a loaded .44 which a police dog found. He was taken to a hospital though after complaining of stomach pain and shortness of breath, then cleared and taken to jail for several charges and held on $215,000.00 bail.
The continued remediation after the massive August Complex fire continues. There was an online meeting yesterday between Mendocino National Forest staff and researchers. There were 18 fires that all merged into one massive one that ended up as the state’s largest ever and first ever Gigafire. It burned over 1,032,600 acres including over 2/3rd’s of the forest’s acreage. The post fire assessment by forest supervisors in the Mendocino, Six Rivers and Shasta-Trinity National Forests was last fall. The follow up was how to restore the forest and clear debris. The project in the Mendocino National Forest outside Covelo and Willows calls for hazard tree removal and fuel reduction on 4,500 acres of a 15,500-acre burn area.
Police in Clearlake are asking for the public’s help to find a missing 14 year old boy. Ocean Smith went missing late last night after a fight with his family. Police say Ocean took off in an unknown direction. His family says the boy has special needs and this sort of behavior is out of character for him. He’s described as a Black, male juvenile, 6 feet tall, 300 pounds, with black hair and hazel eyes. Police said he was last seen wearing a t-shirt and blue shorts.
Construction can move forward on a project locals aren’t too happy about in Hidden Valley Lake. But the Lake County Planning Commission approved the project unanimously for the Hartmann Complex. They’ve granted the project a major use permit for the more than 12,400 square foot complex near the Greenview Restaurant and pro shop. The restaurant and pro shop will be relocated and the old building it’s in will be torn down. The new building will house banquet facilities, a patio, and will require relocating practice greens and repositioning the first hole golf tees. There will be more parking, a dedicated drop-off area, new sidewalk, curb and gutter. 28 property owners nearby objected and 10 more wrote letters of concern.
A local water official at the latest Mendocino Board of Supervisors meeting saying it may be the driest year ever for Lake Mendocino. The Director Of Water And Sewer Utilities For The City Of Ukiah, Sean White told the board the Lake may be at the lowest level since it was built. Ukiah has reportedly received half its normal amount of rain for this time of year. The Lake was reported at 36,570 acre feet of water and an elevation of 716.39 feet. Last year the Army Corp called it the third driest year for the basin, but as of last August the lake had more than it does now, 50,600 acre feet of water, with an elevation of 726.3 feet. The State Water Resources Control Board is reportedly still working on possible water cuts and possible more mandates will come from the state too.
More people are speaking out about recently revealed sexual assault allegations against the mayor of Windsor. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the allegations against Mayor Dominic Foppoli by at least 4 women over 16 years. The San Francisco Chronicle apparently broke the story of the women who say he either tried to assault them, took advantage while they were drunk, or had dated him and then was raped by Foppoli. The Sonoma County Sheriff says he’s started a formal investigation after the Town of Windsor asked for it. He says if the allegations turn out to be true, it’s criminal activity and with that comes severe consequences. The Press Democrat reports all of the Sonoma County supervisors, the mayor of every other city in the county, three state legislators and two Town Council members have called for Foppoli to be removed from office or resign immediately.
There are only two counties who remain in the Purple most restrictive Tier in California’s soon to be over, Blueprint to Reopen the Economy. The Gov. announced the entire state would reopen by mid-June, but still Inyo and Merced are in the Purple Tier. Merced was one to reopen sooner than the state’s tier system allowed last year. And in Inyo, the town is coming upon the annual Mule Days which attracts 30,000 visitors and over 700 mules Memorial Day weekend. It was canceled last year due to the pandemic. There can be no indoor activities or the concert they have yearly or dancing, or barbecues. Inyo may be able to move to the Red Tier by Tuesday, but needs to be in the Yellow Tier for all the regular before times activities that go with Mule Days. Both Lake and Mendocino County are out of Purple where they sat for months, Mendo in Orange and Lake in the Red Tier.
