Rescuers are still searching for a former resident of Mendocino County on Mt. Jefferson in Oregon. Steven Van Pelt was reportedly coming back down the 10,495-foot tall volcano when witnesses say he fell a couple hundred feet down and they lost sight of him Friday. The mountain is said to be one of the most challenging of the higher volcanoes. The local Sheriff’s Office says they’re still looking for Van Pelt. Kym Kemp reports a mountaineer contacted the news site saying they had seen Van Pelt and a climbing partner Friday about 1,200 feet below the summit and that they were well equipped for the conditions. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office reported the rescue was complicated by the rough terrain, calling it “extremely dangerous”.
If you’re headed out towards State Route 36 on a road trip be mindful of delays as crews continue to work in the August Complex burn. They’re doing emergency slide work in Trinity County, about 6 miles west of the junction with State Route 3 near Forest Glen. The work starts Monday with one hour delays expected weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 5-10 minute delays over nights and on weekends. They’re trying to get the work done ahead of fall and winter weather, hopefully by the start of October.
A new poll says Gov. Newsom may indeed be recalled. The Berkeley IGS and Los Angeles Times poll released yesterday says more voters are considering the removal of the Governor than the last poll. 47% of likely voters surveyed said they’d vote to recall Newsom, with a slim approval of 50% questioned said they’d keep him in office. The Governor for his part says he’s confident he will be able to keep his job. The Calif. Republican party chair says they’re ready to win. The poll shows former radio talk show host Larry Elder as the preferred replacement for Newsom, yet 40% surveyed said they were undecided on a replacement candidate.
If you’re not planning to get vaccinated, you won’t be allowed to attend any Cal State University campus. The University System announced yesterday it will be mandatory for all faculty, staff and students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 for the fall semester. Those who are using campus facilities will have to show proof they’re fully inoculated before Sept. 30th except those with religious and medical exemptions. The schools will reverse course from April when they announced they’d only mandate a vaccine after full approval for any of them by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. But the Chancellor said the current surge of Delta cases is too alarming.
The cases of coronavirus in Lake County are out of control. The highest rate in the state at 50/100,000, and it could be higher, because these numbers are a week old. The county reports the testing positivity rate is currently at 17.4% way up from the 1% rate the county had mid-June. The cases jumping are blamed on any factors, about the time the state removed all safety restrictions, the county only having about 42% of those eligible, vaccinated and those who are enjoying non mask wearing, which is only supposed to be for the fully vaccinated not that 42%. The county says they’re also documenting delta cases which is 1,000 times more powerful than the original virus. The county says it’s critical for those not vaccinated to do so and for everyone to follow preventative measures as we have in the past, masking, hand hygiene and social distancing. The State of California reports 99% of the cases are in the unvaccinated.
The rate of COVID infections in Lake County has doubled in the last week. At last week’s Board of Supervisors meeting, they passed a resolution for community members to mask back up, although it’s not mandatory. The acting Public Health Officer, Dr. Charlie Evans said the pandemic is far from over. The county epidemiologist says the state is seeing 35 cases per 100,000 people, a jump from the week before, and that Lake was at 50 cases per 100,000. The board agreed to urge mask wearing again when they were at 17 cases per 100,000. There was also another death due to the virus last week, which brings the total to 65 so far. Over the last week, there were 250 confirmed cases. Lake Co News reports that’s the third-highest week for cases in Lake County since the pandemic first surfaced.
Northern Calif. Congressman John Garamendi has released his discussion draft of the “Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Expansion Act”. This means the public can now comment on the legislation which will expand the Monument to include a federally owned piece of land known as the “Walker Ridge” tract. The Lake County Board of Supervisors is supporting the Monument along with the California Wilderness Coalition and California Native Plant Society. In 2014, Garamendi worked with other Calif. legislators to get the Walker Ridge tract included in the National Monument boundary. And the new draft will include it saying it includes rare and beautiful plant species, some found only in Northern California. Also rare and protected animals have habitat there including the bald eagle, golden eagle and tule elk.
Some people who’ve been jailed in Lake County and are back out in society are getting a helping hand. The Police Dept. in Lakeport reports partnering with Siyan Clinical Research after the county was awarded a grant. Hope Rising Lake County reportedly put together a health needs assessment and the California Community Reinvestment grants program awarded Lake enough to help the formerly incarcerated get support for their mental health, dealing with addiction, poverty, unemployment and housing stability. The program came about as part of Proposition 64, the legalization of recreational marijuana act back in 2016. Siyan Clinical Research is said to be the biggest psychiatric research facility in Northwestern California.
A man caught up in the Capitol Riots at the US Capitol January 6th is having a fundraiser at a Guerneville winery. The Press Democrat reports conservative social media figure, Brandon Straka, is having a fundraiser Saturday at the Rio Crest Winery, charging up to $150 to get in. The former liberal-turned-conservative media influencer started the #WalkAway political movement, for frustrated Democrats to come over to the other side. His so-called “comeback fundraiser” after some social media platforms curbed his ability to post. He was arrested in Nebraska and faces multiple federal charges including impeding a law enforcement officer during civil disorder; entering and remaining on restricted grounds; and disorderly conduct with intent to disturb a hearing before Congress. His preliminary hearing is Aug. 25th.
There’s another Flex Alert in Calif. The state’s electric grid operator issued the statewide Flex Alert for today due to higher-than-normal temperatures. This means they want residents to try to conserve electricity from 4-9 p.m. The California Independent System Operator is asking consumers to set their thermostats at 72 degrees and only use major appliances before 4 p.m. Close blinds and drapes so it stays cool in your home. Then when the Flex Alert starts, to please turn the thermostat to 78, turn off any unnecessary lights, and don’t use major appliances until after 9 p.m.
A fire near Adventist Health Ukiah Valley is being called arson. The Ukiah Valley Fire Authority reports the fire Monday was intentionally set, but only burned about an 1/8th of an acre of grass. They say it was arson and they have some leads they’re chasing down. We reported the fire burning behind a Baskin Robins ice cream shop near the Pear Tree shopping center. Hospital staff were outside with fire extinguishers. When firefighters got there, they found about a tenth of an acre charred.
The Governor is on a bill signing quest… the latest to consolidate state agencies dealing with legal cannabis sales. The Assembly Bill puts all agencies together as one under the new Department of Cannabis Control. The agency will be the sole regulator of the drug for license holders, which includes “cultivators, retailers, manufacturers, distributors, testing labs, microbusinesses, and industry event organizers”. It will also manage the state’s track-and trace system. The Governor says it’s another major step forward and the state will continue to build upon efforts for a diverse and inclusive industry, protect consumer and public safety, safeguard the environment and advance economic opportunity for small businesses.
The Lake County Civil Grand Jury has released a report on mental health programs. They say their investigations shown a light that the county needs its own inpatient psychiatric and rehabilitation facility or access to a closer facility. The GJ says most of the county’s services are by walk ins or appointment at the County’s Behavioral Health Services dept. with local clients sent to out of county facilities, far from home, or an emergency room for a hold, neither of which is ideal. The report also said the county has billed MediCal over $3.5 million for just twenty patients placed in out of county facilities. And it would be less expensive if they were closer to home, even in Mendocino County when one becomes available. They suggested entering a contract with Mendocino County for joint services.
The Governor finds himself in yet another mask controversy. Last year appearing at a restaurant during strict lockdown without a mask and not socially distanced from others outside his household. Now he’s taken his kids out of summer camp because a photo circulated showing one of his kids at camp indoors without a mask on. Recall campaigners jumped on the photo, then the governor said they took their children from the camp because they found out face masks were not being enforced there. There’s been no guidance really on this except in the fall, the Governor wants kids and adults to wear masks indoors at schools when they reopen. But that is up to individual counties to enforce.
