The Ukiah Valley Fire Authority is planning a controlled burn for tomorrow morning near the Transfer Station. There will be a live-fire burn beginning at 8:30am on Saturday at 300 Plant Road. The crew is targeting the invasive Star-thistle weed and will reduce hazardous fuels. The fire will also help Fire Authority teams with experience. They will monitor the blaze and weather conditions so that everything will be controlled safely.
A zone deer season is getting underway tomorrow. Lake County’s deer herd is slowly declining. The growing coyote population and loss of habitat are part of the reason the deer population is going down. Lake County deer are all Columbian blacktail, a subspecies of the mule deer, but smaller, according to the Record Bee. Lake County is one of the most popular deer hunting zones in California and the blacktail are a species that takes patience and skill to successfully hunt. Department of Fish and Wildlife game wardens will be out enforcing licenses and deer tags. State law requires hunters use steel ammunition. The department is warning hunters to follow all state laws, including unloading your weapon when you’re driving and watching for private property signs.
Mendocino County is getting Amtrak service in an expanded route. MendoVoice reports the route runs from Martinez to Arcata through Mendocino County. The expanded service will include 18 stops. The railway will also have the ability to sell bus only tickets along their routes. Route 7 will have bus stops in Ukiah, Willits, Laytonville and Leggett. Amtrak made the announcement with a spokesperson saying the move is a part of extensive collaboration with regional transit providers and to grow the Amtrak service statewide. The move will make bus tickets along the route available in Amtrak’s Thruway bussing. The expansion will improve transit to underserved areas, reduce air pollution and increase revenue for California.
Mendocino County has launched the Heads Up Project to collaborate with local agencies and groups with human services resources in the community. In a release the county says the project began with Ukiah Police, the Probation Department, Behavioral Health Department and the Special Projects Team and more to meet regularly and work with area residents with repeated and unproductive interactions with law enforcement and mental health services. The Mendocino County Sheriff joined the group last year and helped grow their project significantly. They work in response to 911 calls that were not necessarily criminal in nature and found many callers were the elderly, family members concerned for loved ones, neighbors and more seeking their help. The Heads Up Project is not funded directly. Each partner works within their scopes and more to help people in need.
Governor Newsom is deploying help to the Hawaiian island of Maui with resources and urban search and rescue following the deadly wildfires that have devastated the island. Newsom is directing Cal OES and members of the Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces to help in recovery operations. Lake County News reports they will also help in the continued search for survivors. Yesterday, the governor announced help from the Sacramento and Oakland firefighting personnel. This year, California has helped disaster recovery resources in Oregon, New Mexico and Montana.
Mendocino County District 3 Supervisor John Haschak made his monthly update on the state of the county in MendoVoice. The supervisor discusses county employees with SEIU 1021 on strike. Haschak confirmes the Board has not offered a cost-of-living increase this year and cites rising health benefits costing employees more. He urges more productive conversations between board members and the union are necessary to get back on track. Haschak did comment on the restructuring of the Cannabis Department with streamlined practices. He says more work is expected in other departments like Planning and Building, Animal Care and more. The supervisor also said the Transient Occupancy Tax for Short Term Rentals should be increased and would create revenue to help increase wages, fund infrastructure work and improve public safety. Haschak says the next Board meeting will be on September 12th with some short term solutions.
The Point Cabrillo Lighthouse hasn’t had its Fresnel light burning since the end of last year. The Mendocino Beacon reports the Coast Guard has the responsibility to maintain the light. There seems to be a problem getting a new motor for the lighthouse that has been steering ships for over a century. The motor uses electricity to light the way, in a full rotation every forty seconds. The lighthouse was damaged in the storms of January when it was flooded. The damage estimates are in the tens of thousands of dollars. The California State Parks helped restore the structure and is putting new doors and says rehab efforts are still needed, at a cost of around $35,000. The Point Cabrillo Lighthouse Association is looking for donations to help in the costs.
Kris Kristofferson is selling h is Mendocino Coast ranch for over $17 million. The Press Democrat reports the property along Highway 1 covers nearly 560 acres in Elk. Sotheby’s is listing the sale. The singer-songwriter and actor bought the land in 1980, that includes several barns and a four bedroom ranch style house. It has nearly a mile of ocean frontage with views of the Point Arena Lighthouse and Manchester State Park. Kristofferson kept the ranch simple, without elaborate buildings or other development that would clear the property; instead he’s conserved the area. The family tells the Press Democrat that they hope a new steward will carry on in maintaining the property, that hasn’t changed a whole lot in 100 years.
Lake County issued a release about this weekends high temperatures. Temps over 100 degrees are headed to the area for a while and the county is reminding residents that their libraries are open on Saturdays to help cool residents. There are also Peer Support Centers open to help as well. Officials urge everyone to be aware of the symptoms of heat exhaustion, heat stroke and more. Everyone should stay hydrated and try to stay out of the direct sun. Never leave kids or pets in closed cars. Keep outdoor pets and livestock in plenty supply of water and access to shade. The San Francisco Chronicle reports subtropical moisture is also headed our way for a humid weekend. Cyclone Eugene is spinning north toward the Bay Area bringing in chances of thunderstorms. The weather pattern called a rex block is expected through Saturday and Sunday and into next week.
COVID numbers in California continue to increase with sub-variant Eris dominating the nationwide surge. EG5 has some immune evasion characteristics, but officials say it doesn’t mean it will be a big wave. Eris is a sub-variant of the Omicron and has been found in increased levels in wastewater in parts of the state. Test positivity rates have increased in recent weeks, according to the Press Democrat and municipal data. Lake County’s latest data show an 18 percent test positivity rate over the last week emphasizing a growing trend in the region. Vaccines that are about to roll out for the autumn are targeted toward the right variant and should start becoming available soon.
The Mendocino Railway is announcing the return of the Chiggen steam engine. The owners of the Skunk Train are bringing back the train to the Redwood Route. Weekends in August and September will include the historic locomotive on a 7 mile roundtrip experience along the Pudding Creek Estuary. In a release in MendoFever, the railway says the Chiggen Train will leave from Fort Bragg with a stop at Glen Blair Bar for a little over an hour journey. The steam engine is similar the original train that ran on the same tracks since 1885.
Mendocino County residents who are permitted cannabis cultivators in unincorporated areas will now only pay 1.25 percent in taxes for this and next year. In a Canna Note issued today, the county announced all other cultivators and businesses will continue to pay $2,500 per year and dispensaries would pay a 5 percent tax. Check the Cannabis Department in the county for more details.
The Mendocino County Unit Chief of Cal Fire is announcing the closure of the Jackson Demonstration State Forest project sites for a Greenhouse Gas Fuels Mitigation Project starting today. The sites include Bob Woods, Camp 8, Cribwall, Dunlap, Fairbanks and Top of Hare will close for fuel reduction treatments. Cal Fire personnel will be operating with the Department of Forestry and local law enforcement as well as licensed Timber Operators and others to reduce hazards like falling trees and limbs as well as controlled fire mitigation burns.
The Fort Bragg City Council is meeting Monday the 14th at 6pm and hear a presentation from Redwood Waste Solutions on CRV Redemption Centers and more. The agenda was issued today, and includes an update to the city’s personnel rules and regulations on catastrophic leave. The council is expected to approve the Community Development Block Grant COVID relief Business Assistance Loan Program. Fort Bragg will get a marketing boost as the council will consider work with The Idea Cooperative. In the closed session, the council will work with legal counsel on anticipate litigation of 3 cases.
