Former sheriff Tom Allman says Mendocino County is falling way short when it comes to treating those affected by mental illness. 4 years after county voters overwhelmingly approved Measure B that implemented a sales tax increase to pay for a Psychiatric Health Facility and other programs to help improve mental health services, Allman says there is little to show for the money the county has taken in. Allman was a driving force behind Measure B. He has written a letter to the editor of the Ukiah Daily Journal, saying that the lack of mental health services—not marijuana—is the number one problem in the county. He is also concerned that law enforcement officers are still forced to respond to calls that can be handled more appropriately by mental health professionals. Allman wants the five members of the county board of supervisors to put mental health concerns at the top of every agenda to spur improvements to the system. Allman tells the paper he speaks from personal experience with the lack of help for people who need it. His brother took his own life back in 2005.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s office says quick action by county jail staff prevented an inmate from hanging himself. The MCSO says staff members found the inmate on Thursday with a sheet tied around his neck after a call from another prisoner came in over the jail intercom. The staff members then worked together to untie the sheet and make sure the inmate was still breathing. The 32-year-old man from Covelo was taken to the hospital and is expected to be OK.
The union representing Mendocino County Public Health workers is concerned about how their department is being run. The Ukiah Daily Journal reports that S E I U local 1021 has written to the county board of supervisors, saying Public Health workers are struggling to meet state standards because of low wages, staff shortages, and a lack of support from Health and Human Services management. The union says the 2007 merger that put Public Health into the same agency as the county Social Services and Mental Health departments has not worked out well. Union leaders think spinning off Public Health as a standalone department could ease some of the problems.
The Lakeport City Council will talk about labor issues at its regular meeting this week. They will have discussions with the Lakeport Police Officers Association, the Lakeport Employees Association, and Unrepresented Management in a closed session at 5:15 before their open meeting at 6:00. The public agenda includes introducing the new Lakeport Fire Protection District Fire Chief, Jeffery Thomas, who started his job in April. The Council will also look over a resolution that would allow the city to issue bonds to pay for its unfunded pension obligations. Lakeport is about 8.4 million dollars shy of what it needs to pay those pensions and what it has available with the state retirement system. Tuesday’s meeting is virtual. You can submit a question to virtualhost@cityoflakeport.com by 3:30 tomorrow afternoon if you would like to speak during the public comment period.
Blood supplies are running short, so the call is out for donors. The Lakeport Community Blood Drive on Tuesday is one way you can make that potentially life-saving gift. It will be held from 11 am to 3:30 pm. at United Christian Parish at 745 N Brush Street. All donors will be tested for covid-19 antibodies. Blood banks here and across the country are concerned because fewer people have donated due to the pandemic. The usual summer donation slowdown is just around the corner as well.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s office says it has received a report about a calf that was shot in Laytonville. Cattle Rancher Phil Gravier says he’s baffled why anyone would deliberately aim at a calf point blank and leave it for dead. Fortunately, the calf didn’t die and is slowly recovering. Gravier found his animal with a gunshot wound in its side at his property near the Foster Creek area off of Bell Springs Road earlier this month. He is sure it was no accident because the shooter went out of their way to find the calf in a remote pasture. Gravier says in his 20 years of ranching no one has ever tried to harm any of his livestock. The sheriff’s office says there are no suspects. If you know anything about the shooting, you can contact the sheriff’s office or reach Phil Gravier through his farm’s Facebook page.
The Lake Area Planning Council is looking for public opinions about transit. They’re set up a brief online web survey to get feedback to guide them as they make transit-related decisions. Specifically, they would like to know how familiar residents are with what’s available and how transit can serve the community better. You can see the link on the local news page of our website.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LakeCoTransitSurvey.
If you’re doing some spring cleaning or have some unwanted stuff you accumulated during the pandemic the City of Ukiah has a way for you to downsize. The Ukiah Community Yard Sale is scheduled for Sunday, June 6th at Todd Grove Park. The sale is from 8 am to 1 pm. Applications to become a vendor are available online at
www.cityofukiah.com/communityyardsale or at the recreation office on West Clay St. They are due June 1st. The vendor fee is $30 for the first booth and $25 for additional booths. If you are looking to add more stuff, getting in to buy is free. The Yard Sale will be held in conjunction with opening the park pool for the first time since the pandemic started.
This is TAX DAY, both for the state and the IRS. The deadline got pushed back from its traditional April 15th spot on the calendar to deal with the complex tax changes due to the pandemic. Now, time is about up. If those forms are in the mail by the end of the day, you are fine. After that, the clock starts running for interest and other penalties. If you have some really last-minute questions, need forms, or want to file online, the websites are taxes.ca.gov for California and IRS.gov for federal.
