After the CDC approved the COVID19 vaccine for kids 5-11, the incentives flew. There were scavenger hunts and blow-up animals at clinics statewide as children got the first of the two, kid sized doses. The vaccine is being rolled out for 3.5 million children in the age group at school clinics, pharmacies, pediatrician offices and county sites. The state is expecting 1.2 million doses to begin with. Santa Clara County has already begun administering the shots and reported appointments quickly filled. The state reports one of the highest vaccination rates in the country.
A protest hearing has been planned by the Mendocino Local Agency Formation Commission regarding the Ukiah Valley Fire District’s annexation of the city of Ukiah. The commission approved the move last month but will take public comment. The Daily Journal reports the commission noted some of the reasons were to strengthen the partnership between the fire district and the city, find money in a fair way to keep fire and emergency response stable for the long term. It also would mean landowners in the city would be taxed, so they can protest that at the hearing Monday.
A man wanted for the murder of another man in September of 2009 has been caught. 52-year-old Raul Delara Ruiz was beaten to death by three men at a cannabis farm in Hopland. Now the Sheriff’s office reports one of the men, 30-year-old Eduardo Albe Cardenas Salvarado was arrested for murder and false imprisonment. A sheriff’s office spokesperson says at the time Ruiz and the three others had been working at the cannabis grow and got into an argument. Ruiz and his wife were beaten and the suspects took off with much of the growing marijuana.
The man known as the Redbearded Burglar has been arrested in Albion. William Evers had been on the run since he fired shots at Mendocino County deputies in a remote area last spring. Since then, people reported seeing him breaking into some homes and stealing from a vegetable garden. Earlier this week deputies say someone spotted him again, with his pants down, literally, defecating by the side of the road in Albion, where he has now been was picked up
A heads up if you travel Highway 101 in the Ukiah area. CalTrans is improving a bridge deck so there will be some lane closures from time to time there could be some minor delays, so plan accordingly. The job is going on around the clock because of weather delays. CalTrans hopes to have the project done by the middle of next week
A new chipper hauling truck is coming to the county. The Mendocino County Fire Safe Council reported buying the truck for their Community Chipping Program through the California Coastal Conservancy. They gave money towards the Mendocino County Fuels Reduction Capacity Building Project which paid for the truck. The truck is with the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians as part of their partnership with the Fire Safe Council.
To learn more about the free Community Chipping Program services, visit MCFSC’s website at https://firesafemendocino.org/publications/mendocino-community-chipping-program/.
If you need bulk item pick up in Lake County, Caltrans is offering an option. On Saturday, November 20th, Caltrans will reimburse the county for disposal costs to take the items to either the Eastlake Landfill or the Lake County Transfer and Recycling Facility on Large Item Dump Day. They will be accepting furniture, tires, mattresses, TVs, appliances and other big, bulky items. They cannot take hazardous waste, household trash, business waste, construction debris and yard/landscape debris.
Lake County has finalized a new deal with the In-Home Supportive Services workers’ union. It was only briefly covered it at a meeting Tuesday. The Board of Supervisors — sitting as the In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority Board of Directors — all voted yes on the new agreement with SEIU Local 2015 Union. The workers will get .65¢ an hour over minimum wage. So for this calendar year they will get $14.65 an hour, but next year the minimum wage increases to $15 so they will get $15.65. It will last until Dec. 31, 2023 with a wage cap of $20. They will also get $5,000/year for protective personal equipment that will be managed by the union.
The court case continues against Lake County by the Center for Biological Diversity and Calif. Native Plant Society against the Maha Guenoc Valley resort near Middletown. The California Attorney General’s Office supports the case against the resort on part of the 16,000-acre Guenoc Ranch for 1,400 residential estate villas, 400 hotel units and 450 resort residential units. Those who filed the suit say the environmental impact report failed to follow the California Environmental Quality Act, consider wildfire risk, impacts on species of concern, water, greenhouse gas emissions and roads.
The Yuba Community College District Governing Board is about to change with the redistricting after the latest US Census. The last board meeting, the Governing Board heard about changes seen since the 2010 Census. The board will have to redraw the trustee area boundaries just like they do for political districts. So at their meeting next Wednesday, the Governing Board will review and consider new maps, which will then need approval by Feb. 28th.
A case of COVID has been confirmed in a staff member at Slam Dunk Pizza. The Mendocino County COVID-19 Department Operations Center has confirmed the case at the restaurant in Willits. They warn community members who may have been to the restaurant last Wednesday October 27th and Friday October 29th that they may have been exposed to COVID-19. You are advised to get tested if unvaccinated, or if you have symptoms while vaccinated. Slam Dunk management responded quickly. And the Public Health Office says they only publish business names because it’s impossible to identify everyone in the public who could have been exposed.
