The Koi Nation of Northern California is suing the City of Clearlake for its lack of cultural protections and legal requirements in the proposed Burns Valley Sports Complex. The Record Bee reports the city is required to consult with the Nation about the potential effects of the project on cultural sites of the tribe. Tribal leaders say city officials approved a rushed project excluding cultural resource protections and without Tribal consultation. Clearlake City Manager Flora reacted yesterday, saying the proposed sports complex is aimed to support the entire community. The Koi Nation temporarily succeeded in stopping hotel development on 18th Avenue in the city with previous litigation.
Representative Thompson, Chairman of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force is calling on Speaker McCarthy to schedule gun violence prevention bills to vote as soon as possible. The House has not voted on any gun violence prevention bills this year. Lake County News reports House republicans cancelled the last day of votes last month over differences in opinion on a government funding bill. Thompson wrote a letter to the Speaker and issued it yesterday saying gun violence has become the leading cause of death in kids and urging him to consider gun violence prevention legislation. Thompson says there are enough votes to pass the Bipartisan Background Checks Bill.
The Mendocino Department of Cannabis Control is hosting a public meeting later this month to go over the draft environmental report. In a release issued in MendoFever, the department is preparing the report for licensing cannabis cultivation in the county. It’s a project to improve annual licenses in the county and consider future licenses for cultivation operations. The department created a Notice of Preparation and is circulating it for public review that will end on the 31st. The department will hold a virtual scoping meeting on the 22nd from 10 to noon.
North Coast Opportunities is giving aid to people who experienced hardships during the storms from earlier this year. The group, along with other local organizations is helping those who could not get earlier assistance due to their immigration status. Eligibility includes living or working in Mendocino County from late December thru January with proof of work or residence. MendoFever reports those who experienced financial setbacks doe to loss of work, food, power or more could qualify for up to $4,500 per household. Vision Family Center in Ukiah has information on the program as part of the Community Action Agency.
Low-income seniors are getting help with $50 in vouchers for the Fort Bragg Farmers Market. Voucher booklets are available in Fort Bragg at the market, open through October from 3 to 5:30pm at Laurel and Franklin Street downtown, according to MendoVoice.
The City of Fort Bragg with the Unified School District have new pickleball courts for people of all ages. Last November, the City and School District used $130,000 to fix up the school’s tennis courts to install 8 pickleball courts. The group also refurbished 2 tennis courts.
The Grace Hudson Museum in Ukiah is open for tonight’s First Friday Art Walk with live music. There will be a tour of the Wild Gardens and more. The museum is free all day. The Ukiah Daily Journal reports the current exhibit includes Artistic Reflections on the Back of the Land Movement with over 30 artists.
The Fort Bragg City Council and Police Department are addressing homelessness. Leaders in Fort Bragg have focused on recommendations in the Homeless Needs Assessment Report that was given to the Mendocino County Board in 2018. The board chose to not adopt the recommendations, according to the Advocate News, however, Mayor Norvell began to work on humane policies to target the issue. Along with Police Chief Cervenka, the Mayor helped design mission guidelines. They worked on zero-tolerance enforcement in shopping carts thefts as well as zero-tolerance for encampments downtown. Chief Cervenka helped develop the Care Response Unit within the police department to help the homeless with resources. The CRU team has reportedly decreased homeless arrests in Fort Bragg by nearly half.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is welcoming 43 newly graduated Wildlife Officers. The department issued a release in Lake County News celebrating the newest officers trained with California Peace Officer Standards. The graduates will now work through a Field Training Program to learn how to use their skills in real life with field training officers. Some of the graduates will go on to help the Law Enforcement Division within the department in marine and cannabis enforcement, petroleum spills and response and more. The division is looking for more candidates; those who are interested should get in touch with the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The Redwood Coast Senior Center is offering free training to people over the age of 55 to become senior peer counselors. The program is designed to help seniors with in home counseling for people over 60 in the community. The Advocate News reports starting next month, training will begin on issues related to aging. Contact the Redwood Coast Senior Center for more information.
Congressman Thompson with other lawmakers is introducing the Nurse Corps Tax Parity Act. Lake County News reports the bill would amend the IRS code to equally treat recipients of scholarships and loan repayment systems. It would get rid of a tax penalty on people entering the profession. Thompson says everything should be done to encourage people to get into nursing, as the nation is seeing a shortage of the medical professionals. Lawmakers in support of the bill say Nurse Corps members work in underserved communities helping those with the greatest health disparities. They deserve the same benefits as National Health Service Corps members receive.
The City of Healdsburg is working on a strategy to combat climate change. The city held a workshop last week at the community center as officials collect community input on city plans. The Press Democrat reports a final draft of the city’s mobilization plan includes feedback from the community on issues from emissions to contracts. The group engaged with the community on six categories; building energy, carbon sequestration, transportation, water and solid waste. A tree protection ordinance is a popular action with affordable solutions on reducing carbon. The community supported infrastructure improvements to the city’s roads and bike paths. The city is planning to support the Regional Climate Protection Authority’s climate goals.
Mendocino County Sheriff Matt Kendall is thanking residents who helped put out a fire this week. Kendall posted in social media yesterday, thanking people who stopped to help emergency responders put out a fire on Highway 20 east of Potter Valley Road. He notes the rapidly moving blaze was headed towards homes when people nearby stopped to help contain the fire with shovels, water and fire extinguishers.
Some in the area are still experiencing drifting smoke from the Flat Fire in Oregon. As of yesterday, sources report the wildfire has grown to over 31,000 acres and is at about 28 percent containment. Expect hazy conditions to continue with wind changes over the weekend.
There is an opportunity to get rid of your junk, with the Willits Dump Day on Sunday at the Willits Transfer Station. Residents can drop off large items for free. The event was created through the Governor’s Clean California Initiative. It’s a $1.2 billion multi-year clean up program led by CalTrans to keep roads and waterways free of garbage. The event begins at 9am and will go until 1pm, or the capacity of the station is reached. Acceptable items include furniture, appliances, off rim tires, mattresses, green waste and other large items. Hazardous waste, construction debris and commercial tires won’t be accepted. Officials are asking that you separate your recyclables from trash and other large items to facilitate an efficient process.
PG&E is scheduling another town hall meeting for customers in the North Coast. The utility will host a virtual meeting next Wednesday the 9th at 5:30pm, according to the Press Democrat. PG&E will explain their plans for high fire season and protocols for shutdowns and more. They will discuss their enhanced power line safety settings to minimize fire risk in high winds. A spokesperson said there will also be an update on the undergrounding process and tools they’ll use in high fire threat areas. The virtual meeting is open to residents of Mendocino, Lake and Sonoma Counties.
The Cemetery District is one of the topics presented by the Lake County Civil Grand Jury. The over 300 page report includes how local cemeteries are coping with rising costs. Cemeteries have struggled in recent years to keep up with inflation and property operations costs. The Grand Jury recommended the Board of Directors for Lake County’s 6 cemeteries charge fees to cover the cost of services to residents. The grounds preservation is vital to the history of the community with an ongoing project to maintain grave headstones, plaques and markers.
