A man from Fort Bragg is being blamed on some small fires that burned on the Noyo Bluffs. Only about ½ acre burned on a hill above the shore, but witnesses put a known transient from the area, Lee Jason Rupert at the scene. He was arrested Tuesday night for arson. Mendo Fever reports speaking to the Fort Bragg Police Department who contacted other transients nearby who fingered Rupert as the person who lit several fires that merged into one. Police knew him from previous contact. They were there with firefighters on the north side of the harbor near the Mendocino Indian Reservation, where there are several homeless encampments. High winds spread the fire, but firefighters got quick control of the flames and Rupert was arrested on suspicion of arson.
Appointments are already available for children in Calif. ages 12-15 year’s old to get the Pfizer vaccine. Yesterday an independent panel approved its use, and the CDC followed. The Governor announced the more Californians that get vaccinated, the faster we can slow the spread of COVID-19. He says the state’s leading the country with more than 32 million vaccines administered and some of the lowest positivity rates in the entire country. The move comes after the FDA first approved the vaccine’s use in youth 12-15 after clinical trials proved it was safe with the only non-serious side effects as fatigue and headache.
Parents, legal guardians or emancipated young people can check vaccine availability and book an appointment at MyTurn.ca.gov or by calling California’s COVID-19 Hotline at 1-833-422-4255. Or contact their family doctor, local community health clinic or public health office for more information.
A security company in Sonoma County with ties to the Windsor Mayor accused of sex assault, are going out of business. The Press Democrat reports Whitestar Security Group was owned by Mayor Dominic Foppoli, Clayton Taylor and Brandon Rojas. The company rose fast, securing contracts with the state and nonprofit homeless service providers. After eight women accused Foppoli of sexual assault, abuse or misconduct, contracts were canceled and partners left Whitestar. Then there were layoffs. So the company is going out of business after losing as much as 70% of its business after the Foppoli scandal surfaced.
The Governor’s clarifying his stance on wearing masks indoors after the mid-June planned reopening of the state. The mandatory mask requirement has been in place nearly a year, and the Gov. had said he would be lifting most protocols on businesses and activities June 15th if things leveled off. But on Tuesday he said we’re not wearing face coverings, and not restricted in any way, except huge, large-scale events, and there we’d use common sense. But yesterday while in Monterey he said, there will still probably be some mask guidelines and mandates for indoor activities. But that he hoped that would be lifted soon too. It comes after Cal OSHA said some guidelines would change on facial coverings. The state Dept. of Public Health says they’ll update face covering rules as appropriate with the goal to loosen restrictions as people get vaccinated.
A man from Lakeport accused of being in possession of child pornography had his sentencing continued. 59 year old Jeffery Cramer was supposed to be sentenced Monday after taking a plea deal but the DA on his case says the court must use a visiting judge since two others disqualified themselves, and a third was expected to do the same, but we don’t know why. So the case moves to mid-June when they’ll set a new sentencing date. Cramer entered a no contest plea to felony possession of child pornography after a month’s long investigation at Main Street Bicycles, which he owned at the time. He was found to have used digital devices to upload kiddie porn at least five times between August 2019 and February 2020. He faces a year in jail and 2 years’ probation.
The Gov. has announced another plan for public schools, investing another $20 billion for inclusivity. The Gov. says the state’s doing more to fully reopen in the upcoming school year in his $100 billion economic recovery plan. He says his plan will “create new opportunities for every student, especially for the neediest students, so that every child can thrive, regardless of their race or zip code”. The $20 billion dollar investment will create universal Pre-K and establish college savings accounts for 3.7 million disadvantaged kids for higher education pursuits or to start their own business.
The discussion on cannabis code enforcement with the Mendocino Board of Supervisors continues. This past Tuesday the board discussed mirroring what Humboldt County is doing and they’re considering adding several jobs in the cannabis and sheriff’s departments. In Humboldt County, we heard they use satellite imagery and various agencies work together against illegal grows, but here in Mendo, it’s more code enforcement reactive. The Mendocino County Sheriff was at Tuesday’s meeting saying the county needs to once and for all put its foot down on sites that are out of compliance so they can also address more dangerous activity in the county. It was a busy meeting Tuesday, as supervisors also discussed how to spend PG&E settlement funds and heard from the utility company on this year’s plans for potential Public Safety Power Shut-Offs.
A pickup truck driver was trapped for almost three hours after a crash into a tree. The Ukiah Valley Fire Authority reported to an area near the Mill Creek Dam yesterday finding the truck slammed, and stuck in the large oak tree on a steep hill. The driver was described as having critical injuries and taken from the vehicle with the jaws of life. He’s identified as 20 year old Jonathan Corona of Ukiah. With him in the truck were three teenagers, a 17-year-old boy, 15-year-old girl and 14-year-old girl, all from Ukiah who were able to get out of the car on their own. But the two teen girls also had major injuries. And the boy was injured too, so everyone in the truck ended up in the hospital. Police are investigating and say they think alcohol and drugs could have been a factor.
A special meeting’s planned of Ukiah’s Paths, Open Space and Creeks Commission. They’re deciding today about the proposed annexation of almost 700 acres of land in the Western Hills which would also include the possibility of new housing and infrastructure improvements. The city’s looking at acquiring, then annexing 693 acres for open space preservation, at the same time allowing low-density residential development on about 50 of the easternmost acres. But a report on how it might affect the environment showed possible significant air quality impact and on Biological Resources, Cultural /Tribal Cultural Resources, Geology and Soils, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Hydrology and Water Quality, Noise, Utilities and Service Systems, and Wildfire. But they say mitigation measures could reduce all impacts to less than significant.
Not looking like Lake County’s moving out of the state’s Orange Tier, into Yellow. The state’s getting rid of the color-tiered system in a month anyway. The county’s interim Public Health Officer, Dr. Evan Bloom told the Board of Supervisors Tuesday the reason was the amount of the population who’ve received the COVID-19 vaccine. That’s about 52% of those 16 and older. And not all are fully vaccinated. The state’s rate was 63% as partially or fully vaccinated. And Lake County’s epidemiologist says there are promising indicators though for daily case and positivity rates, but more people could be getting vaccinated to help. She says it’s especially important for the over 65 crowd.
Mediacom has announced it’ll take part in the federal government’s Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. The program is set up for families and individuals who have been unable to pay for their Internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic at a time when most, need it. The temporary program is being administered by the FCC to give those eligible up to $50 off their monthly internet bill. The company says it’s another way they can make sure families and individuals adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic have access to reliable broadband. Enrollment began this week, but those who want it must first get verified. For more info, call 855-330-6918.
