Emergency personnel responded to reports of an overturned vehicle with a woman trapped inside shortly after 8pm last night. The accident happened on Highway 101 near Reynolds Highway north of Willits. Crews were able to free the female occupant of the vehicle within just a few minutes. Thankfully, she only experienced minor injuries.
Mendocino County is accepting applications from residents who would like to serve on the upcoming Civil Grand Jury. The 19 members chosen to serve on the Civil Grand Jury will be sworn in at the end of June of 2023 and serve one year. Their role will be to investigate the operations of county, city and district governments, provide civil oversight of local government departments and agencies and respond to citizen complaints. The Civil Grand Jury sets its own agenda and meeting schedule offers considerable flexibility since most of the work is completed through small committees. For more information and an application, got to ca.gov and search for “Grand Jury.” The deadline for application submission is Friday, May 31st.
The Executive Director of California’s Commission on Aging will be the guest speaker at today’s advisory committee meeting of the Area Agency on Aging of Lake and Mendocino Counties. Karol Swartzlander will appear at the meeting via Zoom today at 2pm to discuss the role of her agency in creating policy and services for California seniors. She’ll also give an update on the status of the state’s Master Plan on Aging Initiatives. The Area Agency on Aging coordinates support services and other resources for seniors and their caregivers helping them to maintain their quality of life and independence. For more information about the Area Agency on Aging visit www.lakecountyca.gov/ (www.lakecountyca.gov/727/Area-Agency-on-Aging)
The Community Foundation of Mendocino County has opened the application process for its 2023 Scholarship Program. Over the last few years, donors have helped the program grow significantly and in 2023 the foundation will offer more than 40 scholarships. The scholarship opportunities are endowed and curated by local residents often honoring its namesake. Donors also select the award’s criteria. This year’s opportunities include traditional scholarships, as well as, those for technical, trade and vocational training. The application deadline is March 10th. Scholarship applications can be found at www.communityfound.org.
Senior days are coming back to Anderson Marsh State Historic Park in Lower Lake. Registration is now open for Senior Days events which take place twice a month and are free to Lake County seniors. A variety of programs are offered from March to June and seniors may register for as many events as they choose. Programs include the opportunity to get up close and personal with live hawks to educational programs which offer the chance to learn more about Clear Lake, the history and culture of indigenous people of Anderson Marsh, the history of European immigrants and tours of the park and the historic Anderson Ranch House. Transportation will be offered to the park from the Clearlake Senior Center and parking is free for those who wish to drive themselves. Free lunch is also included. The goal of Senior Days is to make it easy for seniors to feel welcomed at the park while offering an educational and fun experience. To register and learn more about the program visit www.andersonmarsh.org.
If you’re looking for true love this Valentine’s season, it just may be waiting for you at the Lake County Animal Care and Control. Several new dogs and puppies were cleared for adoption this week including mixes of Akita, American Blue Heeler, German Shepherds, Huskies, Terriers and more. Dogs adopted through Lake County Animal Care and Control are neutered or spayed, microchipped and given age-appropriate shots and a county license. Residents of Lakeport and Clearlake are not required to pay a licensing fee. For more information, you can call the shelter or visit online at lake county ca.gov.
Local officials continue to coordinate with state and federal partners to establish Disaster Recovery Centers where those who suffered losses during the late December and January storms can apply for assistance. Mendocino County has been approved for both Public and Individual Assistance and residents may be eligible for funding for temporary housing, essential home repairs and to cover other disaster-related costs. While we wait for more information regarding Disaster Recovery Centers, residents can begin applying for assistance now by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov. Other options include downloading and applying on the FEMA app or calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. Be sure to check FEMA’s website before applying to learn about the information you’ll need to have on hand. Those who prefer in-person assistance can find information about local Disaster Recovery Centers, once they are established, by visiting the DRC locator at FEMA.gov.
The Middletown Area Town Hall, or MATH, is a municipal advisory council which serves the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley, including Hidden Valley Lake, Long Valley and Middletown. MATH will meet this week to hold annual elections of board officers and host guest speaker, Paul Duncan. Duncan is the chief for the Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit. He’ll discuss the new fire hazard severity zones for Lake County, including the impact to the county. He’ll also answer some frequently asked questions and host a q and a session. During the meeting, MATH will cover several items of business including a review of the bylaws and Rosenberg’s Rules of Order. The meeting takes place this Thursday, February 9 at 7pm in the Middletown Community Meeting Room at 21256 Washington St. For more information email: mathtownhall.
Virtual community workshops for a transportation study in Mendocino County begin tonight.. The Mendocino Council of Governments, or MCOG, will be hosting the workshops to consider the needs of area communities and new ways they can be served. Residents are asked to attend the workshops as MCOG presents the finding of the needs assessment and offers a preview of mobility solutions under consideration. Brooktrails residents are invited to attend tonight’s virtual meeting from 5pm to 6:30. Covelo’s workshop will take place from 11am to 12:30 tomorrow, followed by virtual meetings for Potter Valley, Laytonville and Hopland residents later in the week. Links to the virtual workshops can be found at https://www.mendocinocog.org/meetings
Four-time mountain bike world champion, Brian Lopes says his love of biking began when he was four years old and helped him to gain confidence, independence and friends. As an All Kids Bike national ambassador, he works to raise funds to bring the Kindergarten PE Learn-to-Ride Program to schools. So far, he’s helped to place the program in five California elementary schools and now has his sights set on bringing the program to Round Valley Elementary in Covelo. The program includes teacher training and a fleet of bikes and safety accessories. If you’d like to donate to the effort, go to Allkidsbike.org and search for Round Valley Elementary.
Testa Vineyards Coffee and Wine Shop is now open daily at their second location in Redwood Valley. Their popular tasting room at their Home Ranch in Calpella is now a wine club exclusive site hosting wine club gatherings and private events. Their new location is at the renovated Blacklock’s shopping center at 9001 N. State St. in Redwood Valley. The new location offers their family wines and has also added coffee to their menu. They are also serving a variety of baked goods from local eateries in Mendocino County.
