A drinking water health advisory for individual household intakes in the Lower and Oaks Arms of Clear Lake has been lifted. The County Public Health Department says changes in the weather have led to lower levels of potentially harmful Cyanotoxins, caused by bacteria in the water. High levels prompted that warning in September. The advisory did NOT cover public water systems. Health officials say those with private intakes should continue to monitor their drinking water and have it tested regularly for cyanotoxins, and also coliform, and nitrates.
Californians struggling with energy costs this coming winter will be able to get help after Washington sands almost 180 million dollars to the state. Congressman John Garamendi says that money from the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program – LIHEAP – will keep thousands of residents safe and warm over the next few colder months. The LIHEAP money is in addition to more than 200 million dollars allocated earlier this year for energy assistance under the Covid 19 American Rescue Plan. The California Division of Community Services and Development administers LIHEAP in the state. Nationwide the LIHEAP program will spend 33 BILLION dollars to help low-income families with their heating bills.
As it often does, California has the dubious distinction of leading the country in the price of gas, Triple-A reports the average price in the state is 4.65 a gallon. That is just 2 cents off the record and about $1.25 more than you will pay on average in the rest of the country. In Lake County, a check with gasbuddy.com this morning shows a range of prices from just under $3.95 Middletown to $4.69 in Lakeport. In Mendocino County, your fill-up will cost between $4.28 a gallon in Fort Bragg to $4.49 in Ukiah. Station operators say don’t get mad at them. The gas they sell isn’t really a moneymaker, and in fact, in some cases, they LOOSE when the pump clicks around. If you are wondering, gas is the cheapest in Oklahoma. Sooners are paying about $3.05 for a gallon.
The Community Foundation of Mendocino County has awarded more than $300,000 in local grants through its Nonprofit Relief and Field-of-Interest Programs. That money went to more than 50 different groups. The Foundation says those grants will help the nonprofit organizations continue to offer vital services to the community. Since October 2020, help totaling $558,000 has gone to 107 community groups. IF you would like to know more about the grants and who has received them the website is communityfound.org.
Look for some roadwork in Fort Bragg that could affect your drive today. Paving and rehab requiring traffic control and partial street width closures will take place between 7:30 this morning and 6:00 this evening at the intersection of McPherson at Bush. The city says there will be no through traffic there and no parking. The best bet would be to find another way around that area if you can.
The Chief of Staff at Adventist Health Mendocino Coast Hospital says he is worried about the fate of a local privately owned nursing home in Ft. Bragg. In a press release, Dr. William Miller says the Sherwood Oaks Home faces serious challenges with staffing and its infrastructure. He says license holder Joe Redding owns doesn’t own the property, which has made the situation even more challenging. Dr. Miller says the man who owns the building and land is in sales talks with a large nursing home chain. The Doctor thinks any new owner would have to make a significant investment to address deferred maintenance issues. The current property owner has not commented on Dr. Miller’s release.
There could be even more legal trouble for PG&E. A district judge says the utility may have violated federal probation because of its role in last year’s deadly Zogg fire in Shasta County. PG&E is already on probation for its actions leading to a massive natural gas explosion in the Bay Area community of San Bruno in 2010. The Shasta County DA’s office charges that PG&E lines sparked the Zogg fire, which killed 4 people. That could be a probation violation and mean additional sanctions for the 2010 incident. 8 people died in their homes when an overpressurized gas line blew up. PG&E was convicted of several felonies.
New maps showing California’s proposed political geography are out. The California Citizens Redistricting Commission had the job of figuring out just where the lines would fall based on the 2020 Census. The maps include Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly, and Board of Equalization Districts. It has been a challenging process because California is LOSING a seat in congress because of population changes. The commission says its work is not final and wants public input. You can see where you may end up on wedrawthelinesca.org. You can suggest YOUR map at drawmyca.org. The whole process must be done by next June so the districts can be used in the 2022 election next fall.
Real Estate prices and listings are UP in Lake County, while sales are DOWN. The latest figures from the Lake County Association of Realtors show the median price of a home in the county was $372,000 in September, up from $335,000 in August. 251 properties were listed, compared to 228 the month before. Sales dropped from 93 to 70 between August and September. A community breakdown shows the highest median price—half cost more, half cost less—was in Lakeport, at $435,000 in September. The lowest median was is Clearlake, at $255,000.
