Voters in Kelseyville have apparently rejected a new community services district that would levy special taxes and build a new fire station. LakeCo News reports the company that ran the election told the Kelseyville Fire Board of Directors this week that the measure didn’t get the two-thirds majority it needed to pass. That company sent out more than 7,200 ballots in November, but only 2,100 were returned. Fewer than half of those voters had checked yes. Official results will not be out until a final ballot count on January 4th. A new fire station would cost 2.4 million dollars, plus another 1.2 million a year for staffing. The rejected proposal would have authorized a 4 million dollar bond issue paid for by an extra tax levy for people who live in that district.
A new rate plan is on the way for some PG&E customers in Lake County. The utility says it will move about 7,100 residential customers to the new plan that bases rates on time of use. The utility says it is part of an eventual plan to move all of its 2.5 million customers to time of use billing. Under the plan, electricity prices would be higher at peak times and lower when demand falls. That would encourage people to cut back their power use at those peak times. Customers will be getting a mailer from PG&E outlining the change, set to take effect in April. Users can opt out if they want to stay with their current flat-rate plan. The state is requiring all investor-owned utilities to make a time of use available as part of a statewide energy conservation policy.
Mendocino County public health officer Andy Coren thinks Covid vaccines are in short supply in some countries because a few people are looking to make a buck. In Coren’s view, there’s a global shortage because some companies that hold patents simply want to make money, rather than sharing with all worldwide vaccine manufacturers. Coren tells Mendofever.com that he agrees with the World Health Organization, which says failing to quickly vaccinate the whole world will prolong the epidemic and could lead to new variants. Coren calls a vaccine shortage created by a profit motive is –in his
words—unconscionable.
The state says the Omicron coronavirus variant is spreading rapidly across California. Health officials say it is now present in up to 70 percent of all newly reported cases. It has only been three weeks since California’s first Omicron-related case was reported in a man from San Francisco. Governor Newsom says he knows people are exhausted, but once again, he says the way out of the pandemic is through vaccines, booster shots, and masks.
Mendocino National Forest is hosting a virtual symposium to guide the development of post-fire restoration strategies on national forests in California. It will focus on the best way to restore lands burned in wildfires. Park service officials say it is important to manage forest lands after a fire in an ecologically sound way. The symposium will feature speakers with experience in post-fire land restoration and management. The symposium will be on Wednesday, Jan. 26. To find out more or to sign up visit the National Forest website
Something you may not think about – CalFire. is warning about…gift wrap. The advice—move all wrapping paper that was ripped of those gifts from any source of fire, like fireplaces or lit candles. You should also never burn the wrapping paper in the furnace. Cal Fire says the paper is very flammable, so you should make sure it doesn’t lead to a Christmas tragedy.
If your holiday plans include a trip to the mountains, you may need to make new plans. Heavy snow and dangerous conditions are forecast for the Sierras through the holiday weekend. Officials there are discouraging travel.
