According to the latest reports a man wanted in connection with a firearm brandishing incident and evading Mendocino County Sheriff’s deputies is still at large. Saturday evening officers attempted a traffic stop when they spotted Johnny Delgado’s vehicle…he was known to Fort Bragg law enforcement for brandishing his firearm at a female earlier in the evening. Around 7:30pm Delgado led deputies in a vehicle pursuit which ended on Sherwood Road East at County Ranch Road. The suspect struck the railroad tracks at the intersection which blew out two of his tires. He then bailed on foot and ran eastbound along the tracks. Deputies continued the pursuit until 7:47pm when their radio contact was compromised and they were forced to call it off.
Lake County boaters are advised to use caution for the next week due to Seine Net fishing that began in various locations around Clear Lake on Friday. Robinson Rancheria is conducting a feasibility study on carp and goldfish removal. Boaters should beware that fishing boats using 1000-foot seine nets will be sent to certain areas of the lake in preparation to capture and remove carp and goldfish. Multiple deployments will be conducted in Clear Lake through February 13, which is one week from today.
And today is the day that annual siren tests will be conducted in Lake County. At 11am, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office will do a full-length test of warning sirens for a full three minutes. Tests will be run in Middletown, Anderson Springs, Cobb, Loch Lomond and Kelseyville Riviera. A reminder will be sent out through LakeCoAlerts and Nixle prior to the test…if you haven’t signed up yet, you can do so now at https://lakesheriff.com/869/LakeCoAlerts . The Sheriff’s office will also conduct monthly tests on the first Monday of the month starting in March. The sirens are a way to alert the entire community in the event of an actual hazard such as an earthquake or wildfire.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors will meet on Tuesday to continue discussion and consideration of a draft proclamation that would declare an emergency in response to the conditions of the native Clear Lake hitch. A member of the United States Geological Survey will give a presentation on the Clear Lake hitch and other fish species during the meeting. Following that discussion, the board will discuss the recruitment process for finding a successor to County Counsel Anita Grant who will retire in March after more than 30 years in the County Counsel’s office. The meeting will be held in board chambers at the Lake County Courthouse beginning at 9am tomorrow and can also be watched live on Channel 8 or on the county’s Facebook page.
Small farmers in Mendocino and Lake Counties are encouraged to apply for grants through the Good Farm Fund. Grant applications are being accepted now through February 15th. Two different grant applications are available, one for farm grants, the second for wildfire preparedness and recovery. The grants are funded through community donations, small business sponsorships and local fundraisers. A copy of the application and guidelines can be downloaded at www.goodfarmfund.org. Again the deadline is February 15th, awards will be announced on March 15.
Just last month at the tender age of 114, Edith, “Edie” Ceccarelli was certified as the oldest living person in the U.S. On Sunday, the Mendocino County community showed up to celebrate the 115th birthday of their favorite daughter. Edie’s hometown is Willits and on Sunday, she was showered with flowers, balloons, a cake and a drive by parade which she enjoyed from the garage of the Holy Spirit care home. Ceccarelli, who was born on February 5th of 1908, watched as fire trucks, police cruisers and festively decorated private vehicles rolled past. Although her dementia is progressing, caregivers say Edie is doing quite well given the fact that she is the third oldest human on the planet. When asked her secret to a long life in the past, Edie recommended having a couple of fingers of wine with meals and minding your own business.
Those who suffered storm damage in Mendocino County will now be able to apply for aid from FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The county has been added to the major disaster declaration and approved for both Public Assistance and Individual Assistance to help with recovery efforts from the series of storms that wreaked havoc in the area beginning on December 27th. The funding could include grants to help pay for temporary housing and essential home repairs and other disaster-related expenses such as medical and moving expenses and transportation and childcare.
Mendocino County is coordinating with state and federal agencies to establish Disaster Recovery Centers where residents can apply for aid in person. According to the Mendocino Voice, those not wanting to wait to visit a Disaster Recovery Center can apply for Individual Assistance by March 16 by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov, downloading the FEMA app or calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. As disaster recovery centers are established, location information can be found by visiting the DRC Locator at Fema.gov. Visit FEMA’s website to see a list of items you’ll need to have on hand to apply when applying for assistance.
The Lakeport City Council meets tomorrow evening to consider midyear budget items and hold a public hearing regarding an ordinance on the use of military equipment by the Lake County Police Department. The council will hear an update on the city’s progress toward meeting department goals for 2022-23 which were set by the council. The Assistant City Manager will give the annual comprehensive financial report for fiscal year 2021-22. Councilmembers will also receive an update on the Clear Lake Blue Ribbon Committee. Council chambers will be open to the public for tomorrow’s meeting which begins at 6pm.
A community engagement meeting regarding the Fuel Treatment Project Plan will be held at the Mendocino Volunteer Fire Station tomorrow evening. The meeting will include presentations from State Parks Wildfire and Forest Resilience Program, the University of California Cooperative Extension, and the Mendocino Fire Safe Council. They’ll share information about the effectiveness of fuel breaks and the results of ecological impact research and provide information about upcoming community pile burning classes. The meeting is open to the public and takes place from 6-8pm tomorrow at the Mendocino Volunteer Fire Station – located at 44700 Little Lake Road. If you’d prefer to watch the webinar, email JDSF to request a link.
