The Lake County Continuum of Care has a request… they want to house at least 55 more homeless in the next 100 days. Their 100 Day Challenge funded in part by the US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development to help prevent and end youth homelessness. Lake County, the City of Long Beach and Monterey and Mendocino Counties are the third cohort to take on the Challenge put on by the Rapid Results Institute (RRI), and HomeBase. There is a method to the plan, 100 days, coach support, federal help and inspiring teams to achieve fast results for a sustainable system change. The 100 Day Challenge in Lake County means housing the unsheltered, including marginalized youth especially in the LGBTQ community, racial equity, and also housing those over the age of fifty-five, securing jobs, and strengthening the infrastructure of existing systems to better deal with this rising epidemic.
Adventist Health has a new policy aligned with the state, no visitors unless it’s a special circumstance. The Vice President of the hospital in Mendocino County says there are about the most people in the hospital with coronavirus since at any time since the beginning of the pandemic. Adventist Health’s VP, Judy Leach put out a statement yesterday asking the community to wear masks and get vaccinated. And that starting today there’s a new hospital visitation policy because of the rise in cases due to the highly contagious Delta variant. No visitors. Exceptions can be made for those with a child, someone who has a disability and certain end of life situations. All who do visit have to be fully vaccinated or have a negative COVID-19 test within the last 72 hours and masks have to be worn or you will have to leave.
A small fire in Ukiah has triggered evacuations. The fire yesterday in the area of the 101 and River St. with evacuation orders for the Vichy Springs area at Redemeyer Rd and Eldorado. And also for the Deer Wood and Knobhill areas. The fire apparently started by the City of Ukiah Softball Fields. A few hours after the evacuation, people were allowed to go home, but there was a warning they may have to leave again. The fire was being called the Highway Fire and burned about 30 acres.
Another day, another business, or two with COVID cases. The Mendocino County Public Health Office has put out the word that the Jack in the Box on Airport Blvd. in Ukiah and a Rite Aid store on S. State Street each had cases in which the public may have been exposed last weekend into Monday. The public health office says both businesses responded quickly and sent their employees to be tested. Public Health also says they only publish a businesses’ name and location because it’s impossible to specifically identify everyone in the public who may have been exposed. Another reminder by the Public Health Officer Dr. Andy Coren to stay home from work when exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19.
The Shasta-Trinity, Six Rivers, and Klamath National Forests are closed in the Trinity Alps Wilderness Area. The order is effective as of yesterday until mid November due to wildfires in the forest. This Forest Order is to protect the safety of the public and first responders. They say trailheads access is severely limited, and recreation in the Wilderness Area may be unsafe as the fast-moving fires continue to burn. Forest officials say tracking hikers in unsafe areas takes much-needed aircraft away from firefighting efforts, and adds risk and exposure to first responders. Plus they’re hoping for no more human caused fires if they close the forest temporarily.
A former Mendocino County Sheriff’s Dept. Deputy being sued, who currently works in the Lake County DA’s office. KYM KEMP reporting former Sheriff’s Sergeant Bruce Smith and Steve White, a former Fish and Wildlife officer are accused of conspiring with other law enforcement officials to steal marijuana and turn it around on the black market. The suit accuses the pair of an ongoing RICO conspiracy with members of the Sheriff’s Department and Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office. Serious allegations of racketeering, extortion, money laundering, tax evasion and more. The suit also claims, Kemp herself was publishing articles on the matter on her website Redheaded Blackbelt about a victim of the crimes contacting the FBI and after the ATF started an investigation. A man who claims officers took marijuana from him is suing and was the subject of the news reports. The US Attorney’s Office has also filed suit against the two officers.
A major piece of property in Lake County that can be part of a large restoration project has been approved by the Board of Supervisors. On Tuesday, the board sitting as the Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors all gave the green light to a purchase agreement for 124 acres in Nice for $1,495,600 to be a part of the Middle Creek Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Project. The project is to take out old, non-working levees and improve the watershed and water quality since it will reduce sedimentation and phosphorus loading.
Over $200 million dollars has been given to restaurants, food trucks, bars, inns and other dining-related businesses in the North Bay so they survive the pandemic. Over 620 grants went to businesses in Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma, Marin, Napa and Solano counties after the state closed down due to the pandemic. That limited everything to take-out dining, or curbside pickup. The SBA’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund mostly supplied Sonoma County businesses with funds, then Marin. It was part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act, enacted this past March.
A bunch of stolen catalytic converters reported in Lake County. The Sheriff Brian Martin says trying to figure out a pattern, or when it might happen again has been a challenge. Since the beginning of the year, there have been nine reports of stolen converters compared to four all of last year. And the last time before that was back in 2011. In Clearlake, the police chief says they’ve had two cases this year, both out of Toyota Prius’. The Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen says they had one last year and just one attempted theft of a catalytic converter this year, that was also in a Prius and last year was a truck.
If you’re headed to San Francisco you better be vaccinated against COVID-19. At least if you’re planning to spend time indoors… The announcement by the Mayor London Breed today.
It’s a tad stricter than a recent, similar announcement in New York City, in San Francisco you have to show proof of full vaccination for all customers and staff. In New York, you have to show proof of at least one shot for indoor activities. In San Francisco businesses have two months to verify an employee has been vaccinated. Los Angeles is considering a similar rule.
The recall is nearly upon us. Ballots are going out in Mendocino County to every registered voter Monday. The elections office says if you don’t get yours by the end of the month, you should call the Ukiah office to get a replacement ballot. There are drop boxes like back in the general election due to the pandemic. The elections office says they can open and process the ballot as soon as It’s received, they just cannot upload the results online until 8 pm on Election Night. You can also go in person, if that’s your preference, or if you need help. You can also drop your ballot off at any polling location in Mendocino County on Election Day.
ALL POLLING LOCATIONS ARE OPEN ELECTION DAY ONLY – 7 am – 8 pm
ROUND VALLEY BALLOT DROP IS OPEN ELECTION DAY ONLY – 7 am – 8 pm
If you have any questions, please call the Elections office at (707) 234-6819 or email us at mcvotes@mendocinocounty.org
