A report that just came out publicly says the federal Bureau of Prisons did nothing after hearing complaints there might be asbestos and mold at a federal women’s prison in California. The prison is under the microscope for alleged sexual abuse of inmates. Now the U.S. Office of Special Counsel is asking the Attorney General Merrick Garland to get involved. There have been several whistleblower complaints against the facility in Dublin. The office has asked Garland’s team to submit a report within 60 days. Some of the issues in the whistleblower complaints say managers have not addressed unsafe and dangerous working conditions which have put the health and safety of employees and inmates at considerable risk. It comes as the fed is already investigating serious misconduct at the facility. Five employees and a former warden all charged with sex abuse.
The German Shepard dubbed Thunder the Wonder Dog after it was shot and left to die in the forest near Caspar, has now died. The severely abused dog went viral after its owner tried to euthanize him herself but was not successful, so she left him in the forest seriously injured and shot. He was adopted after healing and lived on three acres in Shasta County, where his new owner says he lived a happy life. But last week it was found the German Shepherd had cancer and was only given a week to live. He died Saturday.
A fire over the weekend in Fort Bragg near Highway 20 and Hare Creek apparently started in a homeless camp. Fire officials say they haven’t figured out what started the fire but found structures in flames in the homeless encampment and spreading to brush and tall trees. Firefighters were charged with immediately protecting homes. Fort Bragg Fire and CalFire were on the scene with the Mendocino Fire Volunteer Fire Department, called on, but then canceled as the fire was contained before they got there.
Cal Fire is reporting several burn piles escaped from where they started last month, igniting small wildfires. Cal Fire Mendocino has started to require burn permits about a month earlier than usual due to the early fires. The Cal Fire Chief says folks need to be more vigilant about debris fires and controlled burns, saying it’s not really fire season anymore — it’s a fire year. Chief Luke Kendall says it’s much drier than in the past, so it wouldn’t take much to start a wildfire. He says the grass in Ukiah’s hills is already turning brown, which normally doesn’t happen until late May. The agency is preparing for a long wildfire season…. Or year. They’ll have at least one engine at every fire station by the middle of May, and be at peak staffing levels, by the end of May.
At the last Mendocino County Board of Supervisors meeting, the County Assessor, County Clerk, Recorder called in with a warning ahead of the Primary. Clerk Recorder Katrina Bartolomie’s message to candidates and voters against so-called electioneering. California election codes say you’re not allowed any sort of political action at polling places. That includes the elections office at the Mendocino County Administrative Center. The ballots are going out the first week of May for the Primary and Bartolmie says they’ve been very busy with a few hot local races in Mendocino County, so with that, the warning, to stay 100 feet away from polling places with political advocacy work, and that this year, Zoom and (Microsoft) Teams meetings are also included in electioneering.
It’s not what you think… PG&E is hovering around in choppers, but it’s to practice, in case they need to do Public Safety Power Shutoffs this summer… or sooner, but not right now. The energy company’s energized electric lines can be damaged and cause fires if their equipment is hit by a tree branch or other debris in a windstorm. The company says, because of that, they might have to once again de-energize lines to help prevent wildfires. In a real power down, they won’t power back up until the severe weather changes and lines have been cleared of any downed trees, branches or other issues. Then crews inspect again to be sure they can power back up, before doing so. The company says the practice patrols are to figure out how long all of that would take. And to improve safety.
Someone in the Mendocino National Forest Middle Creek Campground has reportedly been impaled by a stick somehow and died. Mendo Fever reports medics were called to the campground yesterday morning, then an air ambulance was called to the area, but never got there as the victim died before they could arrive. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office coroner was called to the scene. No other info was immediately released on how the incident occurred.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors (BOS) is considering an urgency ordinance for a temporary moratorium for any new agriculture and cannabis cultivation projects due to the drought. At the meeting tomorrow morning, in person, and on Zoom, the BOS will consider the interim urgency ordinance proposed by Supervisor Bruno Sabatier for the 45-day moratorium to protect water resources during the drought. The write-up to the BOS for the ordinance says Lake County Water Resources says already, the drought conditions may cause Clear Lake’s levels to drop close to the 1976 and 1977 lake levels. Sabatier says the county can do a better job conserving water without adding a new burden on the county’s already stressed water system. It would allow any projects already sent to the state for approval, to move forward.
This week, Congressman Mike Thompson is hosting a virtual town hall on the economy, inflation potential and the global market. It starts Wednesday night at 7pm. You can watch live on Thompson’s Facebook or email his office for an online invite. He’s having a special guest, chief economist at the US Dept. of Commerce. The two will talk inflation, gas prices, supply chains and Buy American policies.
The state has been impacted by the high price of prescription drugs related to Medicaid. In 2019 Governor Newsom went to private businesses to get help and a new Medicaid program was unveiled at the beginning of this year, with a private company running it. The latest on the plan, was that it hasn’t gone as anticipated, with thousands of low-income residents unable to get some of their critical medications for weeks, some had to wait on hold for hours when they called for help. The Medi-Cal Rx program was to be run by a unit of Magellan Health, who claim they are at the top when it comes to knowing pharmacy benefits and mental health. But the company was purchased by another. That company Centene has been accused by a handful of states for overbilling Medicaid.
As we mentioned last week, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife has opened nearly all fisheries in the state except for one in the Central Valley. The Feather River Fish Hatchery in Oroville was closed for two years and has now reopened to visitors for self-guided tours and guided tours by appointment only. It’s part of the massive Oroville Dam, where chinook salmon and steelhead trout spawn upstream the Feather River. The two species swim from the ocean to the hatchery every spring and fall. The chinook which were caught last fall are getting close to being mature now, so they can be seen at the hatchery until they’re released at the end of the month, into next month. The hatchery says they hope to fully reopen for this year’s Oroville Salmon Festival which is scheduled for Sept 24th.
The state’s warning dog owners in northern California to be careful of the possible spread of Salmon Poisoning Disease. This potentially fatal disease is only spread in dogs after eating some types of raw or cold smoked fish like trout and salmon that can become infected with a bacteria-like organism. The parasite is a natural organism in northern California waters. The reminder to dog owners from the State Dept. of Fish and Wildlife to be careful when feeding your dog, and even keeping them away altogether from salmon, steelhead, trout and other freshwater fish carcasses. The parasite dies in cooked fish, and is not harmful to humans. If your dog somehow ingested it, or you suspect that, you should watch for signs of stomach illness. Your dog can be treated if the disease is caught in time, but could die if they aren’t treated.
The state Legislature is considering a bill to remove the homeless who have encampments near rivers and other open spaces. The move after the body of a 20-year-old woman was discovered in an area by tents at a popular park near Sacramento. The woman had disappeared in January along the American River Parkway which is visited by millions of people every year. It’s also popular with transient folks. The body of the missing woman was found in a secluded area not too far away from some of the encampments. A homeless man was charged with murder and rape soon after. A group of Democratic state lawmakers are calling on the Legislature as a whole to pass a bill so it can be easier for local governments to clear out homeless encampments along parklands and other open spaces.
