The latest crop report to the Department of Food and Agriculture shows Mendocino County lost value year over year. The report’s required by the state’s Food and Agricultural Code. The 2021 report was accepted by the Board of Supervisors showing from 2020 and 2021, a 10% drop in gross value for a loss of about $22 million. Some of the reasons noted in the report included staffing and supply chain issues and the pandemic. Of course wine grapes were up there as the leading commodity, but their value was off almost 30% compared to 2020. Timber did well but lost value in alignment with wine grapes. But the county was noted as the 7th timber producer by volume. On the bright side, fruit and nuts were up in 2021 by about 4%. However cannabis was not noted for various reasons including a lack of participation.
A giant earthquake has hit Northern Calif. but the National WX Service says there is no Tsunami expected. The earthquake near Ferndale was measured at 6.4 and followed by strong aftershocks near Rio Dell. The initial earthquake was measured first at 6.1 then adjusted early this morning. Early this morning there were reports there may have been a structure collapse and fire in Rio Dell. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office tweeted not to call unless there was an immediate emergency. On the scanner, a warning there might be a shortage of ambulances. Also on the scanner this morning around 4 am, Hwy 211 is closed after Fernbridge was damaged.
An update on the investigation into the former Ukiah Police Chief, is that there is no news actually. Both Mendo Fever and Kym Kemp are reporting county prosecutors have been in touch with the state saying the criminal investigation into an alleged sexual assault by the former Police Chief Noble Waidelich continues with the help of another county, Sonoma. But their findings were released to the District Attorney David Eyster. Eyster’s refusing to comment on the case. Waidelich was fired last summer after a woman claimed while on duty the chief demanded sexual favors. It all comes after one of Waidelich’s underlings was fired and got probation for charges against him of burglary, sex assault and more.
The Feather River Fish Hatchery in Oroville is upping production of fall-run Chinook salmon next year. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced about 9.5 million fish will be raised next year in an attempt to fight back against drought and a thiamine deficiency that has impacted natural spawning and in-river production. This is the second year in a row the Feather River Fish Hatchery will exceed its typical production quota of 6 million fall-run Chinook salmon in an effort to try to sustain the state’s commercial and recreational salmon fisheries. This year they raised, then released 8 million fall-run Chinook salmon smolts.
The Lake County Public Health Office announced the county’s now in the ‘medium’ level of COVID19 community spread. The info was passed down from the state Department of Public Health. The latest metrics also show flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases, which are wreaking havoc nationwide are here too. Local health officials say they’re also concerned about first responders who will face challenges to fulfill their duties this winter as they may be directly or indirectly exposed to the triple-demic. Not only can they get sick but it will affect how they respond to others. The community level over the last week has moved the county up to medium level for COVID, per CDC guidelines. This means masks are once again mandated in congregate indoor spaces, like jails and homeless shelters. A reminder too, to avoid close contact with people who are sick, clean commonly touched surfaces and consider wearing a well-fitting, good-quality mask when indoors or in crowded spaces, cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then toss it, stay home when sick and limit contact with others, take a COVID test and wash your hands or sanitize them after being in contact with others.
The contracts reportedly signed with the county by unions representing county workers are only for six months. Mendocino Voice reports the county employees’ primary union and its management association contracts go through June 30th. Members of SEIU are getting a 2% cost-of-living adjustment starting next month. The union’s several hundred employees were wanting a 7.5% adjustment instead. The Board of Supervisors also approved a minimum wage hike to $17.42 per hour for other workers. Each side agreed to take the short-term contract so they could have room for more negotiations as the county deals with a more than 6 million dollar budget shortfall.
A young man from Lafayette in Contra Costa County has been reported missing, and possibly last seen in Ukiah. 24-year-old Angel Fulgado reportedly disappeared over the weekend, last seen early Sunday near a Safeway by his home. His dad says his last reported location was near Ukiah, but then his phone was powered down. His wife and dad went searching for him, with no luck. They also say he has no friends in the Ukiah area that they know of. He was last seen in a blue/gray 2017 four-door Toyota Corolla and the driver’s side mirror has adhesive tape on it. He was last seen in a black puffer jacket, black pants, and black Nike Vapors. He’s further described as being 5’4”, 160 pounds with brown hair and eyes. And he has a couple of tattoos, one on his shoulder and on his chest.
Some of the worst blue/green algae has been reported in Clearlake. BlueGreen Water Technologies has released their Top 10 Worst Toxic Algal Blooms of 2022 list. The organization’s CEO says the year 2022 was a “horrific year for water bodies in the U.S. and around the globe”. Clear Lake was noted as #3 and as becoming a “festering cesspool of toxic gunk” each summer. The publication noting noxious blooms of toxic blue-green algae forced residents to go inside to get away from the smell and possible headaches and respiratory problems, just by being close to the lake. BlueGreen Water Technologies says in the publication they work to restore, safeguard and optimize the health, safety, accessibility, and biodiversity of waterbodies worldwide.
California could be following in the footsteps of Oregon, making magic mushrooms legal. Along with ayahuasca, another plant medicine believed to open the mind and heal past trauma, the two part of a bill introduced and backed by mental health professionals and veterans groups to become legal in Calif. Those who support the idea say it’s about time the state ended its “war on drugs” and decriminalizing psychedelics would be better treatment for those with substance use disorders and anxiety and depression and more. State Sen. Scott Wiener reintroduced the bill after a previous version was pummeled by law enforcement. Some Democrats also joined Republicans and voted against it.
We could be at the end of falling gas prices in Northern Calif. as experts say they think we will swing back up again next month. Some experts say we will only go as low as three-dollars, 50-cents per gallon, unless we have a recession in the coming weeks. The Press Democrat reports Gas Buddy is saying in some areas the price is dropping about 10¢ a day and is expected to go even lower in coming weeks, but by less each day. The average price of a gallon of regular gas is about $4.50 in Santa Rosa for example, but you can search and possibly find it for four-oh-five.
