The state Legislature has pushed through a bill to make it easier for Californians to sue gun-makers. Some say the legislation could put gun manufacturers out of business. One measure looks to outlaw ghost guns, another requires sellers to install digital video surveillance systems. There are several in the mix after mass shootings and a shootout near the State Capitol where six people were killed and a dozen wounded. These bills would essentially skirt federal law, since it’s illegal right now nationally to sue gun makers. But some liability suits are allowed. Following in New York’s footsteps, when that state approved calling the lawsuits, public nuisances. The state of California already boasts some of the country’s strictest firearm laws.
The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens has a fun event for the whole family this weekend. The Bumble Bees and Beneficials Family Field Day is happening Sunday. They’re hosting in the Education Center with self-guided field exploration, storytelling, music, bug displays, and seed bomb building. The Garden Manager says they’ve always got loads of bumble bees, hummingbirds, newts, snakes, skunks, and more. The event is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission tickets must be purchased in advance. Register for classes and pay admissions at www.gardenbythesea.org/calendar/field-day.
Caltrans has a plan to widen the Jack Peters Creek Bridge. The agency had a webinar on the Widening and Rail Upgrade Project a couple weeks ago with a Q&A session. The bridge would be repaired to a point where it meets current design standards with widening enough for two 12-foot lanes, two six-foot-wide shoulders, and a six-foot-wide pedestrian walkway. They also plan to upgrade the railings. Right now the bridge only has a one foot shoulder on either side, not near enough room for disabled vehicles, pedestrians, or bicycles. The project will take nearly one year, but will happen over two construction seasons, that means one lane traffic with delays up to 25 minutes. Still more public comment hearings ahead.
The Mendocino County Public Health Office is out with another statement about quarantines and isolations. The health officer is clarifying the statewide Isolation Order for positive COVID patients is still in effect even though Dr. Coren rescinded the local Order for Isolation and Quarantine in Mendocino County. So if someone tests positive for COVID19 they must isolate to protect others for five days if they have a negative test, no fever or symptoms. For others they have to go the full ten days, if they have no fever and their symptoms are resolving. The state’s quarantine recommendation has ended for the general public. Those exposed should get tested and wear a mask for ten days, but can still go to work, school or participate in regular activities with a negative test.
Several hikers out on the Lost Coast had to be rescued by the Coast Guard. On Facebook, the US Coast Guard from Humboldt Bay posted a helicopter crew plucked three stranded hikers from the Lost Coast Monday night in inclement weather, after rain-flooded creeks, and high seas cut off their only routes out. One of the trio posted on social media too, that they had a good first day and night, the next day got windy, but when they hit the Cooksie Creek, it was moving swiftly and knee deep, but passable. But she says the wind got too strong and they were too exhausted to keep going with two miles to get out, so they took shelter. They called for help when the wind picked up and rain started pelting them.
There was a one-day strike by nurses and health care workers at 15 Sutter Health facilities. The staff were striking against health and safety protections after failed negotiations with higher-ups. The picketing workers say Sutter refused to discuss their proposals on safe staffing and health and safety protections. The California Nurses Association (CNA), an affiliate of National Nurses United says they had a nearly unanimous strike authorization vote last month. They gave the hospitals notice they would be striking. The union says they had over 8,000 registered nurses and workers participate, including nurses at Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport.
A family in Redwood Valley says they saw a mountain lion in their yard. On Easter Sunday the cougar was seen in their front yard, which Mendo Fever reports is past the railroad tracks. Their home surveillance system caught the animal around 1 am about 20-30 feet from their front door. The family has a bunch of farm animals and outdoor cats, so the mom of the house told the news site she is hoping the lion was not there scoping out the situation. They have 4-H pigs, goats and chickens. The news site reports a biologist with the Calif. Dept. of Fish and Wildlife for Mendocino County says the family may want to report the sighting to the agency.
The Mendocino County District Attorney is joining other prosecutors statewide to criticize the plan to permanently expand early release of some prisoners for good behavior. DA David Eyster is working with a group of conservatives to get a new state Attorney General elected who will toss the state prison plan so thousands of ‘violent offenders’ are not released. Republican-turned-Independent Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert is Eyster’s choice. She’s been the Sacramento County’s District Attorney since 2014. She’s also favored by other conservative DA’s, law enforcement groups, and victims’ rights organizations, who complain the state is too soft on crime.
A crash in Ukiah blocked North State Street for several hours. Around lunchtime yesterday the CHP reported the crash in the 1800 block of North State Street where at least one person had a minor to moderate injury. They had to extricate the woman out of the car, both vehicles, a white Toyota hybrid and a silver Honda, had major damage. One of the drivers was taken to the hospital. The road was cleared in about 3 and a half hours.
A slew of earthquakes reported along the North Coast. Mendo Fever reports the first hit fifteen miles south of Hopland Monday night. It was a 3.3, not that big, but big enough to wake some folks from their slumber. Other quakes shook near Cloverdale over the last day or two between 1.3-2.3 on the Richter scale. Mendo Fever reported there were seven measurable quakes near Cloverdale from Monday into Tuesday.
A public hearing has been set in Clearlake after the city planned millions of dollars worth of roadwork. The City Council’s holding the hearing tomorrow night at 6 in person and online. The Finance Director presented the city council with some options for Measure V road improvement financing so the city could quickly start the work. The city could get a loan with a bank which would allow millions in work all at once instead of a bunch of smaller projects using the $2.5 million in yearly Measure V sales tax revenue.
