The Mendocino County CEO who is about to leave office has written an open letter to the Board of Supervisors. After sending a letter to the board in January about her earlier than expected retirement, Carmel Angelo said she would leave March 19th, this Saturday. In her goodbye letter she says she enjoyed her time at the top, and as the first female Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the longest serving CEO in Mendocino County. She said she was grateful for the opportunity to serve with the guidance & support of the Board of Supervisors, both past & present, responding to a number of emergencies. She noted the remnants of the pandemic, fires, legalization of cannabis and the homeless crisis. She cautioned to save the county money and not spend on non-mandated services.
A man from the Southern Humboldt area has apparently found somebody had died and their body was left at a vacant gas station in Garberville. The man says he was walking by a van with two other people and saw a foot in the door of the van that was left partially opened. He said he first thought it was possibly a blowup doll, but turned a flashlight on and saw it was actually someone’s remains. One of the trio called 911 and police came to the scene and awaited the Coroner.
A man from Fort Bragg said to be high on magic mushrooms called 911 to say he was dying. The CHP had to taser the guy, who they say was delirious Saturday night. Jesse Blanton reportedly told dispatch he got a bad batch of psilocybin so a medical emergency response was triggered. The Anderson Valley Fire Chief says the man was found lying in the road, and then jumped up and ran towards them, tearing off a side rear view mirror of a vehicle. Then a fire engine got to the scene, and he ripped another side-view mirror off that vehicle and tore window glass out of its frame. The highway was shut down as the man continued to be uncooperative and threatening. He was finally captured, taken to a hospital, and later booked into jail for resisting or threatening officer and resisting/delaying police officer, plus a couple misdemeanor offenses.
The City of Ukiah is using drones for overhead utility line inspection. The city’s utility company reported using the drone technology to inspect distribution lines, transmission lines and substation equipment so they can detect if any repairs are needed. The work will begin next month and continue through October during daylight hours. They will continue the work each year, hoping to avert unplanned power outages. They say it will help them get up close to the lines, without having to climb up to them. They will fly over private properties, but say if they have to make any repairs, they’ll call property owners to schedule the work.
The state’s recreational salmon fishery is opening. In two Saturdays, the waters from Point Arena south to the U.S./Mexico border. The minimum size limit is 24 inches. The openings north of Point Arena are still to be decided. The state fish and wildlife department reported the two primary stocks are the Sacramento River Fall Chinook and Klamath River Fall Chinook. Not as many fish, and the continued drought and overfishing means there are some restrictions for this year though. The agency says recreational anglers off the Central Coast will have an ample opportunity if the fish show, but in the north, it could be more constrained due to a persistent low abundance of Klamath River Fall Chinook.
Congressman Jared Huffman has announced his district is getting almost $8 million dollars from the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Emergency Connectivity Fund Program (ECF) from the American Rescue Plan. The money is supposed to go to schools and libraries so they’re equipped with internet and to make sure kids can get online if needed in case of virtual learning. It’s to aid what we’ve learned to be the “homework gap” where students lack access to the internet at home and can fall behind in their work. Huffman says there’s been a “deep digital divide” that was brought to the forefront nationally during the peak of the pandemic. He says these funds will help bring the tools kids need into schools.
A Tsunami test is coming, so beware that it’s not an actual emergency. One week from today, next Wednesday, March 23rd between 11:00 a.m. & 12:00 Noon in Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino counties. There will be interruptions on TV and radio and triggering of NOAA Weather Radios and Outdoor Sirens. The test of the Tsunami Warning System will ensure it works properly during a real tsunami emergency.
Surplus gear from a couple of Lake County law enforcement agencies have been sent to Ukraine after a request to the state of California. The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and Homeland Security had asked all law enforcement agencies, sheriffs, police chiefs and law enforcement executives to donate ballistic helmets and vests, and goggles and gloves after the Ukrainian government requested the help. The Office of Emergency Services and the California National Guard are helping to collect the items. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office reports sending 20 pairs of ballistic helmets and vests. The Lakeport Police Chief told the city council last night, they too had donated some equipment. But not in Clearlake. So far the state reports they are sending beds, wound and IV kits, a defibrillator, wheelchairs and other necessary supplies; 100 oxygen concentrators; and personal protective equipment to supply refugee camps.
State money for housing projects is coming for the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians. The Governor made the announcement yesterday of $181 million dollars for over a dozen Homekey projects across the state. The state says that will mean 605 housing units for people experiencing homelessness, or at risk of becoming homeless. Governor Newsom said yesterday since the beginning of the pandemic, thousands of individuals have been housed and almost every week, they’ve been approving more of these Homekey projects. The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians will get almost $2 million dollars for housing projects in Lakeport where they will be able to secure, then rehab the sites.
In Willits, students don’t need to wear masks to protect against COVID19 anymore. Last week, the Willits Unified School District (WUSD) Board of Directors met in person and online where they voted unanimously for an updated Covid Safety Plan. Changes include, no more masks, but that they’re “strongly recommended” for staff and students, same for buses. Those at the meeting in person and on Zoom were in favor of doing away with the facial coverings. They did say though that if there is a rise in cases over a ten-day period, they will require masks again until the case rate stabilizes over five days. Some parents and others did say they were concerned kids or adults who wanted to continue to wear masks would be bullied, but they were assured they were prepared to deal with that possibility.
Another day, another dollar, or so… Gas prices still soaring. Yesterday, another record broken, the highest average gas price was at $5.75 a gallon in CA, which is apparently, the most anywhere in the country. AAA reports gas is about 30 cents more this week, than last. The highest national average was $4.33 a gallon. San Francisco’s gas was creeping up to $6/gallon, at $5.87 Monday and Tuesday. Most prices across the Bay Area were stable and not soaring, but were way higher than last month. AAA is reported the price of a barrel of crude is down though, from about $123/barrel just after the invasion of Ukraine, to under $110 this past Monday. Gasbuddy’s head of petroleum analysis says the price of a barrel dropped under $98 actually, and that could mean lower overall average gas prices in coming weeks.
The first Redwood Trail Agency meetup has taken place. State Sen. Mike Mc-Guire reports the North Coast Railroad Agency has also officially stopped operating, which means the official start of the Great Redwood Trail Agency. McGuire put out a statement that the agency now owns the North Coast’s crumbling rail line, which also spurs the buildup instead of the longest Rail Trail in America. It will go from the San Francisco Bay to Humboldt Bay. The new agency became a reality from a bill McGuire authored. They will oversee the Trail Master Plan later this fall and build the Great Redwood Trail on top of the current rail bed. Various agencies will build certain sections of the trail.
Russian River Brewing Co. is raising money for Ukraine by brewing a limited beer. The brewing company in Windsor is donating proceeds of the sales to help the citizens of the country recently invaded and bombed by Russia. The company says they’ll brew a strong golden ale based from a recipe from the Pravda Brewery in Lviv, Ukraine. Russian River will sell it for $10/can and release it with their Pliny the Younger March 25th, which typically brings thousands of beer fans who wait in hours-long lines over two weeks. That one is a triple India pale ale and is thought to be one of the finest beers in the world.
