The Lake County Board of Supervisors has rejected an offer to buy more than 500 tax-delinquent properties that did not sell at the county property auction in June. Lake Co news reports that a newly established non-profit wanted to buy those properties but county treasurer-tax collector Patrick Sullivan questioned the purchase application. North State Solutions of Chico was formed in September to buy single-family homes and re-sell them to low-income families, however Sullivan says he can’t find proof that it was registered as a charitable organization. North Coast offered to pay just over 350,000 for the 548 properties, but Sullivan told the Board that is way below the market value. He also questioned the size of the proposal and whether the county could handle all that would be involved. The Board agreed with Sullivan’s assessment and denied the application.
Mendocino County is clarifying the status of those evacuated from the Creekside Cabins property near Willits. The county says the residents chose to leave and were not evicted—because the county doesn’t have the authority to do that. Some residents are upset that the county didn’t give them more time to get their belongings. The temporary bridge allowing limited access will come down today. After it does, the property will be off-limits and the Sheriff’s office says it will cite anyone who trespasses. The county says it holds the property owner responsible for fixing access to the property but the landlord contends the STATE is responsible because the sinkhole is on state lands. 13 families who lived at the site have received vouchers for an alternate RV park, while a couple dozen others either have hotel vouchers hotels or have made their own arrangements.
A famous country music star reportedly owns some property adjacent to the Creekside Cabins. Mendofever.com reports that Kris Kristofferson has 7.4 acres next door. There is no indication that Kristofferson has ever been there—and the report says there is nothing to suggest he has anything to do with the situation with his neighbors.
Ukiah City manager Sage Sangiacomo is reflecting on the past year in his community. In an open letter to residents, Sangiacomo says the city is investing in priorities now while positioning itself well for the future. He cites the city’s handling of the drought and progress on environmental concerns as the top accomplishments of 2022. He also says Ukiah has done a good job advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, maintaining infrastructure, and implementing fire mitigation measures, among other accomplishments. Sangicomo says Ukiah is continuing initiatives that improve the quality of life in Ukiah a priority moving into 2023.
Mendocino County Sheriff’s deputies are using a new way to track suspected criminals. Deputies responding to a report of a man with a rifle in the 2800 block of North State Street in Ukiah used a specially equipped drone to spot the man—and tell him to give up via an aerial one-way speaker. He complied and the situation was resolved peacefully. The gun he had was actually a pellet gun, disguised to look like a high-powered rifle.
The owner of several Chevron gas stations in the region—including some in Lake and Mendocino Counties—will have to pay half a million dollars for failing to follow state environmental laws. The Press Democrat reports that Alam and Faizan Corporation failed to maintain equipment to detect leaks from its underground tanks and mishandled hazardous waste at some locations. Prosecutors also charged the company with labeling pumps with the wrong octane level and falsely advertising regular gas as premium at some stations.
A plan to bring passenger rail service to Windsor and Healdsburg is back on track after a unanimous ruling from the California Supreme Court. The seven judges say money in an escrow account set up after voters approved spending billions of dollars for a high-speed rail network in the state can be freed up. The proposition included money for the northward expansion. The Howard Jarvis Tax association sued, saying the question needed a two-thirds majority vote. It got 54 percent. Now, work to extend service can begin. Planners say the trains could run to Windsor by 2026 and to Healdsburg about a year later. Local officials say it could be a big boost to the regional economy.
California is getting almost 30 million dollars from Washington to fix roads damaged by the January storms. The state congressional delegation says the money will be a big help to communities hit hard by the storms. The National Park Service is getting another 10 million to repair the public-use roadways under its jurisdiction, while the Forest Service is getting another 8 million.
A federal judge has ruled against a California law that would have prevented doctors from going against the generally accepted science when treating COVID patients. Governor Newsom approved that law last September. He said it was aimed at preventing COVID misinformation. A group of doctors sued, saying the law was unconstitutional, and the judge ruled in their favor. The law is on hold as the litigation continues.
The January rain is helping the California Department of Water resources boost its allocation of water to 29 public water agencies. The Department says it can provide 30 percent of what the agencies asked for—up from 5 percent announced December 1. Director Karla Nemeth says the storms made clear the importance of efforts to modernize existing water infrastructure for an era of intensified drought and floods. The state’s two biggest reservoirs—Oroville and San Luis—gained 1.6 million acre feet of water. That is enough by itself to supply the needs of 5.6 million homes a year.
