Multiple structures have been threatened by a small fire in the Bell Springs area. Laytonville Fire, Cal Fire, Leggett and the Little Lake Fire Depts were working the Bell Fire. The fire started yesterday and was burning in grass and oak woodlands. About 43 acres have burned and the fire is 85% contained. No injuries were reported.
A massive construction project is about to be awarded for the city of Lakeport’s new Lakefront Park. The City Council is meeting tomorrow night on the matter where the Public Works Superintendent is presenting a construction services agreement with the lowest bidder on the project. At just under 4.4 million dollars, construction could start this fall. The project to include a bunch of recreational activities, including a skate park, basketball court and splash pad and should be complete by next January. It’s being funded by a grant from the California Department of Parks and Recreation that goes back to the start of 2020 through Proposition 68, the California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access For All Act of 2018.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors continuing to look for a permanent Public Health Officer, now working to find a new Community Development Director after the last one resigned last week after less than a year in the position. The Human Resources Department is expected to announce how they’ll be recruiting for the position. Lake Co News reports last week the Human Resources dept. started the recruitment process and should have a first batch of applications to review by the first week of August. If they can’t find any qualified individuals in that batch, they will work with executive firms, similar to what they’re doing with the Public Health officer spot.
The state’s sending out the message that during the extreme drought, there’s a way to care for trees, while still cutting outdoor water use. Save Our Water — the State of California’s water conservation campaign with California ReLeaf and urban forest groups is educating the public how to properly water and take care of trees to protect the state’s tree canopy. They’re working with the USDA Forest Service, CAL FIRE’s Urban & Community Forestry Department and local groups so trees survive the drought and thrive to provide shade, beauty and habitat, clean the air and water, and make cities and towns healthier and more livable for decades to come. Some of the ideas include to deeply and slowly water mature trees 1 to 2 times per month, but younger trees 2 to 4 times per week, in some regions. Use recycled water for trees and try not to over prune them. And not to be overstated, use tons of mulch because it retains water.
The state chancellor’s office has reportedly not used money from the state for free textbook programs at community colleges. $115 million was bestowed for the state’s 116 community colleges, but it’s yet to be used. The Governor and lawmakers put the package together after the Governor went viral for calling the textbook industry a “racket.” The money is meant to go to degree and certificate programs so students don’t have to pay a dime for textbooks. But those in charge say they can’t give out any of the money yet because they have not put together an application for colleges. That should be done within the month. They will also put a system in place to track how the students are doing in the programs. Textbooks generally range from $150-$250 each.
A 7% raise is coming to California State University presidents and executives. The CSU Board of Trustees gave the thumbs up for the rate increases after a study found executives in the system were underpaid compared to similar schools nationwide. Last year the board voted to give salary increases, but not more than 10%. Still, this will be the largest pay raise for executives in the system for the last 12 years. Their last one was 3% in 2019. That’s not it either, the board also voted to give the 14 CSU presidents equity adjustments based on their performance reviews so their salaries are raised so they’re comparable to other universities.
No more United Airlines flights out of Santa Rosa’s Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport. Starting Nov. 1st, the airline is going on hiatus due to continuing pilot shortages. The Airport Manager says they’re not the only airport it’s happening at. They serve San Francisco and Denver from Santa Rosa and previously suspended service to Denver. But the airport manager says they hope to return that service soon. United also recently announced it will stop service between Flagstaff, Arizona, and Denver; Texarkana, Texas, and Houston; and between Los Angeles and San Diego in coming months. There’s a new airline in Santa Rosa though, Aha Airlines flies nonstop from Reno-Tahoe International to and from Santa Rosa.
There’s a new Noyo Harbor District Harbormaster. Anna Neumann has her Fishing Policy degree from Oregon State and knows her way around the ocean and a fishing vessel. Neumann worked as a crew member for a commercial fishing vessel and gathered tidal data for a non-profit. The Advocate is featuring Neumann and her new-ish job, which she started last September. Her job includes managing the marina, supporting local commercial fishermen, and the paper reports she’s working to restore the infrastructure of the harbor district. The newspaper reports most of Neumann’s attention is going on grant funding right now to remove abandoned boats, build a new fish cleaning station, get upgrades to Grader Park, and replace some infrastructure.
Nearly 2 dozen warning towers are being put in in Paradise. The Town Council approved the construction after the Camp Fire, one of the most destructive and deadliest in Calif. history. 21 towers will be built at about 42 feet each. They are pegged at over $2.5 million dollars, but will be 75% funded by FEMA, the Office of Emergency Services and from Hazard Mitigation grant money. The rest of the funds come from other grants and the town’s general fund. The town’s intending to integrate with the county should a time come, that there’s a county-wide warning system. The towers can be turned on all at once, or individually and can have cameras installed on them too. It was a unanimous decision for construction.
A new report from the CDC says about 90% of Calif. residents are in counties with a high COVID-19 community level, so masks should be worn in indoor public spaces. It’s due to the latest subvariants of omicron which has unleashed, yet another coronavirus wave. Los Angeles looks like it’s about to reinstate the indoor mask mandate as case levels and hospitalizations are on the rise. The county hit the high community level last Thursday, so if it stays there for the next couple of weeks, the mask mandate will be reinstated. And 41 other counties are also in the high level this week with many recommending, but not mandating, facial coverings in public in indoor settings. The California Department of Public Health has come out with a strong recommendation for mask wearing for everyone over the age of 2 in all indoor public spaces.
A big rig crash sent smoke into the air and flames licking the sky near Laytonville. The CHP reported the rig was fully engulfed in flames along the 101 south of Laytonville near the intersection with Shamrock Lane. The fire didn’t spread outside of the truck, but there were flammable materials inside the truck’s trailer. No injuries were reported, and the fire was reported to be out earlier this afternoon.
Several people in a car went down an embankment in Ukiah. The CHP reported a solo car crash on Low Gap Rd ending with the vehicle sliding 200′ feet down into in a creek bed. There were two people able to get out and climb back up. A rope system was rigged there to get the other two out. Four people had minor injuries.
