Three scholarships are being given to three natural science students at Mendocino College. The Friends of the Mendocino College Coastal Field Station and Natural Sciences, an affiliate of the Foundation have awarded the Mary Lou Koeninger Memorial Scholarship in Earth Science to Ana Delgado Mendoza and two scholarships by the Audubon Society are going to Missael Barosa and Erin Orth. Delgado Mendoza has an interest in math and is looking to go for geology, physics, environmental science or oceanography. Barosa loves wildlife and is hoping to transfer to Sonoma State University or Chico State University and Orth says she wants to be a conservation scientist and study environmental science at the graduate level.
For more information about the Friends of the Mendocino College Coastal Field Station and Natural Sciences, please contact earth science professor Steve Cardimona at (707) 468-3219.
Two local organizations are being sponsored by Vocality Community Credit Union ahead of fire season. Mendocino Coast Children’s Fund and United Disaster Relief of Northern California each got $5,000 for disaster relief and preparedness for 2021. The two nonprofits won the grants for helping during and after natural disasters, public health crises, and devastating economic periods. The Credit Union says the grants are part of their focus to better serve Mendocino, Lake, and Northern Sonoma counties members. Their newest branch is in Ukiah. The credit union is headquartered in Garberville.
For more information, visit https://www.vocalityccu.org/
The US Drought Monitor update shows areas in Calif. of “exceptional drought”. It’s been expanded in to the southern and eastern Sierra Nevada due to low snowpack. The weekly update comes just after the Governor expanded the drought emergency to cover 41 of the state’s 58 counties. Exceptional drought is the worst level from the monitor. Most of the rest of the state is in extreme or severe categories and just a small part of the far north coast and two southernmost counties are in moderate drought. The rain and snowfall this year have been well below normal and instead of flowing into rivers or creeks, was absorbed into the ground.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office reports an officer involved shooting in Elk. A homeowner, not in the house at the time, but had video footage of someone unknown to them inside the home. Deputies responded about 20 mins later and came into contact with a man outside, which led to a quick foot chase. The man opened fire on a deputy who returned fire. There were no injuries reported. The suspect has not been found, but investigators are still searching. They say whoever it was is armed and dangerous. They say they think it’s the same man involved in a string of vandalism/burglaries of cabins in the area of Pine Ridge Road and Low Gap Road in Ukiah last February. The suspect is described as being a white man, about 5 foot 10, 165-180 pounds and has a red beard.
Police in Willits got a call to a pub for a report of a burglary. It happened at Shanachie Pub where cops found a door had been forced open and a bunch of stuff was stolen. Police at a separate incident last Friday got security footage and identified the suspect as Dustin Brown who they saw walking and contacted. He admitted he was involved in the theft and had some of the stolen items and meth on him. Brown’s arrested and booked into Mendocino County Jail on burglary, cutting lines that conduct electricity and possession of controlled substance. The guy was released due to the pandemic, then busted again Wednesday after a rip off of another business, JD Redhouse. He denied doing anything wrong but was arrested anyway. This time he’s charged with false pretenses to obtain property, theft and committing a felony while out on bail or own recognizance. He was held in jail this time.
After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out new guidance on those fully vaccinated and wearing masks and social distancing, Calif. awaits new guidance. The state dept. of Public Health has kept mum so far about the new guidance. Masks will still need to be worn in crowded indoor settings, like when you travel on a bus or airplane, and in hospitals and prisons. The Gov. has vacillated on mask wearing in recent days, but before this new guidance came out. The state is supposed to fully reopen next month, but we’re not sure exactly what that will entail. So far about 60% of those 16 and older are partially vaccinated in California. But we might have to see what counties do locally, as percentages of people vaccinated varies.
The Governor says he wants to put another $1.5 billion into a program that gives grants of up to $25,000 to small businesses impacted by the pandemic. The money would barely make a dent unfortunately as 350,000 small businesses have filed applications of over $4.5 billion after another program was announced earlier this year. But business groups have said whatever the boost is, will help as the state’s supposed to reopen fully in about a month. The money on top of $500 million for 21,000 small businesses announced after the New Year. Then in February another $2.1 billion in grants was approved.
A parade in Lakeport for Memorial Day is on. The Lakeport Main Street Association announced their annual Memorial Day Parade will be on Saturday, May 29th after a year off due to the pandemic. The theme this year is “Honoring, Reflecting, Remembering” and will take place on Main Street from Martin to Clear Lake Avenue. The street will be closed starting at about 10:30 a.m. for an 11:00 start. So far there are about 50 entries confirmed for the parade including antique cars, horses, floats and a stagecoach. They will also livestream the parade on the event Facebook page.
A man from Crescent City has been arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter after a motorcyclist was killed on the Willits Bypass. The California Highway Patrol reports Michael Confer of Crescent City was driving a 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix north on the 101 early yesterday morning and for unknown reasons, went over the double yellow lines and into oncoming traffic. He went into southbound traffic, into the path of a 2007 BMW motorcycle, hitting it head-on, ejecting the 68-year-old driver. The Pontiac burst into flames and the motorcyclist was killed. He’s identified as Wayne Berry of Arroyo Grande. Confer had minor injuries and was arrested on suspicion of DUI of a controlled substance and vehicular manslaughter and booked into Mendocino County Jail.
