The Lake County Board of Supervisors is meeting this week to go over a policy for warming and cooling centers and more. Their meeting this morning at 9am to go over plans of action to predict weather events before they happen to better prepare for health needs of the community. Lake County News reports Supervisor Sabatier is asking multiple departments to formulate a plan, including Behavioral Health, the Office of Emergency Services, Public Health and Social Services. Also in the agenda are considerations for professional services to continue for Public Health and MIS support. An agreement between the county and Redwood Community Services for the Tule House residential substance use disorder treatment services will be considered as well. They’ll also go over the interview and appointment of a chief public defender.
Eight reintroduced California condors spent the night on the Yurok Reservation near the Klamath River for the first time. The huge birds of prey were returned to the range last year with the Northern California Condor Restoration Program. According to the Times Standard, the Yurok Tribe led the work with Redwood National Park. Groups of juvenile birds are stretching out their wings in the wild for the first time, and without parents to teach them, are learning on their own. They will teach new condors how to live in the range they once inhabited before their numbers went down. Late last year, there were a total of 561 California condors world wide. 347 are now free-flying, with 183 in the state.
Starting next year, low- and middle-income families in California are expected to be able to apply for up to 14-thousand dollars in grants to make their home more energy-efficient. The federal Department of Energy has just released guidelines that allow California to receive 582 million dollars from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. According to the California News Service, rebates will also cover upgrades to your breaker box, electric wiring, heating and air conditioning systems, and insulation. The California Energy Commission is expected to move quickly and open up applications early next year.
A fire in Lakeport closed up a restaurant yesterday afternoon. The blaze at Jimmy’s Deli and Taqueria began around 2:3 0pm yesterday. The Lake County News reports fire crews revealed the fire started in an electrical panel. The Nixle alert issued by the Lakeport Police closed one-lane of traffic on Lakeport Boulevard. The restaurant posted on social media they had experienced a small fire. They reported no one was hurt and there was no significant damage. They had to close as power was shut off. The restaurant says they hope to reopen soon.
The SEIU Local 1021, the union representing Mendocino County workers has voted to strike. The motion was approved with over 92 percent voting for the action. In a release in MendoFever, SEUI members say they are frustrated with the lack of leadership. A senior public health analyst for the county and Chapter President said the strike is a clear indication that things need to change. Mendocino County has about a 30 percent vacancy rate, meaning there is a critical staff shortage. The lack of employees jeopardizes the health, safety and well-being of residents. The SEIU noted a nearly 40 percent vacancy rate in Family and Children’s Services and a whopping 70 percent vacancy rate for mental health clinicians. The union noted even as Mendocino County had a nearly 45 percent increase in revenue since 2020 the Board of Supervisors continued to bargain in bad faith. They say the County insisted its employees pay more for their healthcare and retirement, equaling a pay cut for those employees. The union says that practice makes staffing shortages worse and pushes more county workers out of the area for better pay.
Ukiah Unified Schools are adding fences to improve safety. The Ukiah Daily Journal reports the fences are going up at a cost of about $5.5 million in funds from Measure A that includes ADA accessibility upgrades and other infrastructure work. The measure was passed in March of 2020. Work on the school district will include replacing roofs, plumbing and sewer systems, ventilation and physical ed facilities for year-round use. The work will also include updating facilities to better educate students in technical classes like computer science and skilled trades.
The Clearlake City Council is set to meet this Thursday and will consider a new affordable housing project. The Lake County News reports the 6pm meeting on the 3rd will also include choosing a voting delegate and two alternates for the League of California Cities conference next month. The council will also hear a presentation of the 2022 Lake County Tourism District Annual Report. They’ll also hear about the Main Street Project agreement with Citizens Caring 4 Clearlake and more. In the closed session they’ll negotiate with the Clearlake Municipal Employees Association to go over suits against the city by the Ko Nation of Northern California.
A fire north of Healdsburg yesterday afternoon shut down Highway 101 for a short time. The blaze started on the east side of the highway south of Lytton Springs Road and jumped the 4 lane highway before spreading west of it, according to reporting in the Press Democrat. It began yesterday afternoon around 2:30pm and was contained in a little over an hour. Cal Fire officials say the size was just over 12 acres. No buildings were damaged and no one was reported injured in the fire, though it was close to a nearby homeless camp. Cal Fire and area fire crews used about 12 fire trucks and half a dozen air resources. Smoke was reported drifting over Alexander Valley. Highway 101 reopened within 15 minutes of closing as crews got a quick handle on the fire.
The California Tribal Families Coalition is looking for experiences that tribal kids, adults and families had within the child welfare system. Their stories would be part of a new documentary being produced. The Times Standard reports the Coalition would like to hear the stories of Native people to share their experiences. Storytelling is at the heart of tribal traditions passing information down to preserve heritage. The Coalition is working on the documentary to help illuminate the challenges Native people deal with especially in child welfare. They hope to inspire change for the positive and engage the public with their histories.
The Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chairman Representative Mike Thompson met with other legislators to reintroduce the Ghost guns and Untraceable Firearms Act. HR 4992 would ban the weapons that are created using 3-D printers and gun kits sold online. The ghost guns can be purchased without a background check and sold by unlicensed retailers. Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested a Northshore man last year with a ghost gun and other weapons along with a large amount of fentanyl. The new law would mandate online retailers of gun kits and more comply with federal firearm regulations. Ghost and untraceable guns have been increasingly used, according to the ATF there’s been a 1000 percent increase in them in the past 7 years. The law would require sellers to put serial numbers on the guns, or parts of guns and mandate background checks for buyers. The bill is widely supported by democrats and some independents.
The cannabis industry in California is on the decline. Last year’s California State Cannabis Competition win by Mendocino Family Farms helped promote the cultivator and stave off bankruptcy. The Sac Bee reports there’s been a steady decline in cannabis tax revenues in the last few years. Over saturation in the market means growers are having a hard time selling their product. The State Fair mobilized to promote the legal cannabis market and help normalize the crop with exhibits and competitions last year. The Department of Cannabis Control was also at the state fair with a spokesperson saying it’s vital that the legal market is supported. Enforcement has gone up, helping eliminate illegal growers and protecting those who are permitted as well as the environment.
The Department of Water Resources announced approval of groundwater sustainability plans for overdrafted groundwater basins in the state. The approved basins include the Ukiah Valley and others that supply a significant portion of water for about 3 million state residents. In a release issued last week, the department noted the amount of work put into the plans and the long term benefits for communities, agriculture and more across the state. They are working with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act to give direction to local groundwater agencies and recommend actions. This year, the department along with other state agencies is working with temporary diversion equipment to maximize high river flows from last winter and springs storms, to mitigate potential flood risk and recharge groundwater basins.
PG&E plans to hold a town hall next Tuesday, the 9th on updates about wildfire season. In a release issued on MendoVoice, the utility is inviting North Coast Region customers to a virtual meeting on this wildfire season and resources to prepare for power outages. The meeting is scheduled from 5:30 to 7pm and will feature PG&E officials giving a brief presentation that will include questions from the public.
The criteria for counting COVID deaths has changed in the state. The Mendocino County Public Health Officer issued a release today noting that COVID deaths will be based on the same criteria as other illnesses. The California Department of Public Health COVID dashboard just changed to show 154 deaths, instead of 146. The County Health Officer notes the change does not represent a significant increase saying COVID deaths in the last 6 months have declined and remain low. However, officials are warning that the fall and winter respiratory illness season is getting closer. For those who have not gotten updated boosters, now is the time to vaccinate. The vaccine is available to almost everyone over the age of 6. If you feel sick, take a COVID over the counter test. Health officials want everyone to revisit public health information.
