For the first time, a flux tower has been installed in the state’s redwood forest ecosystem. The tower in Jackson Demonstration State Forest will help researchers gather continuous data of how much carbon, water, and energy are entering and leaving an ecosystem over time. The flux tower will also monitor how changes in weather are affecting the health of an ecosystem. Long-term, the tower can estimate how climate change is affecting an ecosystem. The tower joins a national network across many different types of forests.
A murderer’s sentencing was paused, after he revoked part of his plea deal. The defendant, Nova Maye Deperno of Occidental appeared in court Tuesday for a 2021 murder. Deperno’s attorney believed they had reached a plea agreement months ago, which offered him 25 years to life for the murder of Ronald Meluso of Lucerne, along with a 10 year enhancement. The plea deal also covered an assault with a deadly weapon in a different case. Deperno insisted he did not want to plea to that charge, saying he was innocent. He was appointed another defense attorney and given a new hearing for May 2, when the plea will be withdrawn or the sentencing will be rescheduled.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors decided to scrap the Lucerne Town Hall project, in favor of a new Middle Region Town Hall in a unanimous vote last week. This week, a group of community members are planning to meet to continue the original Lucerne Town Hall project, despite the board’s decision. The group will meet at 6 p.m. tonight, in the multipurpose room at Lucerne Elementary School. The moderator will be Kurt McKelvey, who was chair of the Lucerne Area Town Hall before the board took action to dismantle it on April 11. They will discuss bylaws changes, as well as the county’s responses to previous town hall actions.
The Mendocino Cannabis Department will have the front counter open Friday, April 28, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, the deadline to accept Tax Appeal Packets, for the Cannabis Cultivation Tax Amnesty and Payment Plan. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted. This will be the only opportunity to appeal the 2022 Cannabis Business Tax.
Residents can submit an Appeal Application in person to the County of Mendocino Cannabis Department, Tuesdays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cal Fire has launched a new online process for burn permits, which will allow people to apply online for residential burns, general burning, agricultural burns, and more. Once a permit is approved, permit holders will still need to make sure it is a permissive burn day with the local air quality district. All residential burn permits expire on April 30 annually and a new permit must be applied for on May 1st. More information about the new online application process can be found at this Cal Fire website.
Families hard hit by the pandemic could see some relief in the form of proposed child tax credits. Proponents say that could help up to 1 million low income California households. Local children falling into poverty has increased according to a recent study, and the newly proposed bill has draw opposition although many local leaders have endorsed the plan. If passed it would cost about 700 million annually.
The Governor says no to new funding for foster care advocate program. Reporter Lesley Lotto says Newsom is trying to plug the budget hole at the expense of children.
Governor Gavin Newsom is cutting funding to CASA, or the Court Appointed Special Advocates, an organization serving distressed children. CASA of Mendocino and Lake Counties is losing a large chunk of money that normally goes to help abused, neglected and at risk children who many times end up in Foster care. They have 5 employees, about 20 volunteers and serve about 400 cases for these kids. CASA is mandated to be funded by the government and has only limited donations. They are continually challenged for financing. And now the state’s cutting support from 60 down to 20 million dollars next year. The Governor’s decision to cut the already low state share is being decried by local CASA director Sharyn Hildebrand as “sadly unfair to distressed children and the people who are trying to help them”
A two-day economic summit designed to foster innovative thinking will be hosted this year in Ukiah. The goal of Our Elemental Economy which is this year’s theme, is to identify shared economic opportunities and strengthen collaboration. The Ukiah Valley Conference Center in Ukiah will be the site for the conference on Sept, although attendees are encouraged to register now for the event.
Legislation advanced from Sen. Bill Dodd that would boost diversity in California city councils by allowing the first council pay cap increase in nearly four decades, bringing salaries more in line with the cost of living. According to a press release, Dodd says “It’s a major commitment that’s especially hard on working people… My proposal will improve diverse representation and increase access to elected office for all Californians by making it less of a financial challenge to serve.” The maximum amounts set by state law have not been increased since 1984, despite inflation of more than 300% during that time. Sen. Dodd’s proposal, Senate Bill 329, would allow councils to adjust their maximum pay to reflect inflation as measured by the California Consumer Price Index. Any increases would require a majority vote of the city councils.
The Biden administration has identified more than 175,000 square miles of old growth and mature forests on U.S. government land and plans to craft a new rule to better protect the nation’s woodlands from fires, insects and other side effects of climate change. Federal officials plan to announce results from the government’s first-ever national inventory of mature and old-growth forests in advance of a public release. Officials say those stands of older trees are under increasing pressure as climate change worsens wildfires, drought, disease and insects and leaves some forests devastated.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has instructed PG&E to begin the process of surrendering the Potter Valley Project license. The deadline for PG&E to submit its surrender plan is at the end of December, 2024. The Russian River Water Forum was formed to negotiate with the utility to take over the facilities. The group is struggling to get the money it needs. In Mendofever online, they say some have proposed the California State Water Resources Control Board help with funding the acquisition. The Planning Group is made up of people from Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma County Governments, tribes from Eel and Russian River basins, agricultural and recreational groups. The RRWF website has a link to news articles about the process, as well as an email sign-up sheet to receive updates.
The Lakeport City Council, held a discussion during their Tuesday meeting, on whether to continue the selling of safe and sane fireworks. According to the Lake County Record Bee this week, the council told staff not to include removal of fireworks sales on the ballot for an upcoming election, but instead make ordinance updates. Fireworks sales are conducted by four non-profit groups in accordance with Measure C, which allows for the sale and use of California State Fire Marshal approved fireworks within the City of Lakeport. The city has continued to reduce the use of fireworks outside of designated areas in a campaign aimed to inform the public. The next regularly scheduled Lakeport City Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 2, at 6 p.m.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors held their weekly meeting and are considering an ordinance regarding “ag exempt” and “temporary ag” structures for use in the cannabis industry. The board discussed allowing hoop houses, as “temporary hoops for cultivation.” The hoops would be exempt from building codes if they met certain criteria; including no use of electricity, and hoops removal during the rainy season. Another recommendation was the allowance of drying structures, tents, and shipping containers for a period of three years. The board also discussed providing a budget of $120,000 to hire a chief public defender and potentially create a Public Defender’s Office, according to the Record Bee.
The Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, or LNU, announced changes to it’s staffing by elevating their level to hire 79 additional firefighters who are going through the rehire academy at the Napa County Fire Training Center this week. The incoming firefighters allow the unit to staff 11 state engines. The unit also announced a winter recap. The LNU responded of over 6,300 incidents from January through the end of March, an increase of 28 percent compared to the previous five-year average for the same time period. They say crews responded to increased storm-related emergencies.
The American Lung Association released a report released yesterday that shows 98 percent of Californians are experiencing unhealthy levels of air pollution. In its annual “State of the Air” the organization tracks the status of ozone and particle pollution for every U.S. county. The 2023 report shows many California counties receiving failing grades for both smoke and ozone pollution. Grades are assigned based on a weighted average of the number of days where the AQI reached “unhealthy” or “hazardous” levels. Research has shown that lower-income communities are likely to have fewer trees and higher temperatures compared with wealthier, more shaded neighborhoods. Next week, the California Air Resources Board will vote on two measures that would impact future air quality. They will include regulations for locomotive operation and zero-emission trucking.
Should felons be allowed to vote in California? A proposed amendment to the California state constitution would allow incarcerated people in state and federal prisons in California to vote in elections. 140,000 are in California’s state prisons with about 8,500 doing time in Kern County. According to The Sentencing Project, none are allowed to vote. The law has been on the books in California since 1866. If the amendment passes committee by two thirds it will go on the 2024 ballot.
Mendocino Sheriff’s Deputies are still looking for the suspect in the murder of Nicholas Whipple. Lee Anthony Joaquin is wanted in connection to the homicide of the 20-year-old man in Covelo 3 weeks ago. Joaquin is 5 foot five inches, and weighs around 180 pounds. He has shoulder length hair, sometimes pulled back. Joaquin is considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information on Joaquin is asked to call the sheriff’s department at 707-463-4086.
