Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies found a body in a field east of the North State Street Ramp to Highway 101 north in Ukiah. The body found Monday, seemed to have been there a while. Deputies found the body was a homeless man. They could not ID the body due to its decomposition. The Sheriff’s Office and coroner are working to identify the man and how he died.
There was a wildfire yesterday northeast of Willits just before 7pm. Fire crews headed to North Highway 101 and Ryan Creek Road to the 3 acre fire. The Ryan Fire was visible on the Laughlin Ridge fire camera system. Cal Fire and county crews responded via air and ground. Within minutes, forward progress was stopped thanks to a Cal Fire plane. MendoVoice reports ground crews stayed on to mop up the burn area and watch for spotting.
There is more information on the firey crash on Highway 101 near Ukiah last weekend. The Ukiah Daily Journal reports a Santa Rosa woman crashed her Jeep, it rolled and went up in flames according to CHP on Sunday. Malia Donovan was headed north on HIghwy 101 when she veered off the road after 10pm. During the incident, Donovan’s Jeep hit a Tacoma. The driver of the truck was not hurt. CHP reports alcohol was a factor in the crash, and Donovan was arrested.
A home caught on fire in Point Arena last night around 8pm. People inside the building evacuated as firefighters headed toward a plume of smoke on Windy Hollow Road, asking for additional help. MendoFever reports the two alarm fire was threatening a nearby building. The fire commander reported the home was fully engulfed. No word on any injuries.
California is rapidly expanding a program that allows students to pursue certain bachelor’s degrees at their local community college. Right now 27 schools offer or will soon offer a baccalaureate degree in career-oriented fields that are in high demand in the Golden State. A bill passed 2 years ago allows the state to approve up to 30 new degree programs per year. The California News Service reports the programs are very cost-effective – four years of tuition for the Baccalaureate study cost about ten thousand five hundred dollars, and many students save money by living at home. You can find a list of schools and programs on the California Community Colleges website.
The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors will be on their August recess beginning next week, in a release issued yesterday. The recess will give the clerk time to catch up on annual tasks, records filing and preparation for the upcoming fiscal year. Members of the board will continue to meet for other regularly scheduled committee and public meetings during the month.
The state’s unemployment rate increased slightly last month and Lake County’s rate went down as the area moves into the summer agricultural season. Lake County News reports California’s unemployment rate was down over half a point to 3.9 percent in June. Lake County’s unemployment rate went down a point to 4.6 percent last month. In the last year the state’s nonfarm jobs increased by nearly 400,000, or just over 33,000 per month. Nationally, unemployment last month was 3.6 percent, the same number as June of last year. According to the Employment Development Department, Lake County ranks as number 38 among the state’s 55 counties. Mendocino County’s jobless rate was 4.6 percent for June.
A DUI driver in Mendocino County has been found guilty of his second offense yesterday. The Mendocino County DA announced that a Mendocino County Superior Court jury found defendant Juan Calvillo Rivera of Willits was guilty of drunk driving and more. Rivera admitted in he had a prior misdemeanor in Sonoma County for a DUI in 2018, a marked mistake on the defense team. The case now moves to sentencing. A date has not yet been announced.
A man with two active warrants walked past the Mendocino County Superior Court on North State Street in Ukiah, when a deputy recognized him. Kristoff Suba was walking east on West Standley Street when the deputy confirmed his felony and misdemeanor warrants. Suba was arrested and booked into jail, held in lieu of a $35,000 bond, according to a release from the Sheriff’s Office.
Last night there was a police pursuit that led to a traffic accident in Ukiah. Police detained 2 people at the crash scene on Clara and North Orchard Avenues by Kohls. MendoFever reports it happened just after 10pm last night with one injury reported. There are reports that one of the people police detained had a history of evading police.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors met this week and granted the homeless shelter in Lakeport, Sunrise Special Services another 90 day extension to continue operations. The board heard a request to increase total compensation. Board members raised concerns on recent issues with the shelter citing more time is needed to address those issues. They also heard a request for help under the California Disaster Assistance Act to mitigate tree mortality in the county. Administrators estimated the pervasive tree mortality covered about 31,000 acres with over 90,000 dead trees needing to be cleared. About 22,000 of those are in high traffic areas or on evacuation routes, according to the Record Bee.
The California Office of Emergency Services issued an extension for people impacted by the late winter storms. MendoVoice reports federal assistance application deadlines will be extended through the 1st of September. Residents and business owners in Mendocino County who were impacted by the February through March storms can still get help under the Presidential Major Disaster Declaration. People have 45 additional days to seek help online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via the FEMA mobile App or through their phone lines.
The Wonder Fire in Shasta County has grown to over 150 acres. The Press Democrat reports the blaze began Monday afternoon south of Shasta Lake. It’s the first significant wildfire in NorCal that forced authorities to evacuate areas around Bridge Bay Marina. Cal Fire reports that as of last night the fire is at about 50 percent containment with 10 crews on scene and 19 engines. The steep terrain the blaze is spreading in is creating difficulty for firefighters. Meanwhile, to the east a fire in Butte County has burned about 65 acres and was 10 percent contained as of last night. The Turkey Fire has 3 crews responding with 13 engines. The blaze in eastern Butte County is burning in heavy brush near a ridgeline. Multiple spot fires have been reported as crews worked overnight to cut containment lines.
In a Forest Service Update, the Mendocino National Forest announced some offices will be closed for training today and tomorrow. The visitor information offices in Upper Lake and Covelo will reopen Friday afternoon. The Willows information center will close today only. In their announcement, the forest also announced open positions. The Forest Service is looking to hire forestry technicians. The position helps the forest service to promote the natural resources and promote engagement with the public.
California’s population growth has significantly slowed. According to projections from 2013, the state finance department estimated there would be close to 53 million people in the state. A decade later, that projection has slimmed way down to just under 40 million residents. The stagnation could threaten California’s economy, according to the Mercury News. More people are moving out of state than in and a study says the people who are moving are taking about $340 million in tax revenue with them. The study shows more wealthy people are leaving the state citing taxes as the cause. Companies that have moved out of state have erased billions in projected tax revenues. The study finds 40 percent of Californian’s have seriously considered moving out of state because of high taxes.
The new app for the Mendocino County Cannabis Department is up and running, and the department is working on tweaking it for the best possible and most efficient use with residents in the permitting process. The department is developing guidelines to help navigating the new app. There have been some challenges brought up, and the team is working to respond and upgrade the software.
A teacher at Nokomis Elementary in Ukiah began a 17 day journey on the sea to survey shark and red snapper in the Western North Atlantic. Martin McClure, a third grade teacher is part of a team with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Teacher at Sea, bridging science and education. McClure was originally chosen for the trip in 2020 but was delayed due to the pandemic. McClure boarded the Oregon II ship Monday in Mississippi and began a daily work routine with the scientists. He’s blogging the details of his journey and of the groups work. McClure is working under the chief scientist in 12 hour shifts. Catch up with McClure’s blog. https://noaateacheratsea.blog/author/mccluremr/
