The Forest Service has a new and final update on the Slide 1 Fire. As of last night, the blaze north of Mount Linn is 100 percent contained. The Mendocino National Forest issued a release on the containment this morning. Firefighters were able to control the fire at 473 acres. Rain moved over the fire early this week and helped hotshot crews finish containment last night. Today crews will be back to pick up supplies as firefighters work with resources on repair. Tomorrow, the type-3 incident will move to a type-4 incident. Officials remind the public that a closure is still in effect for the Yolla Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness area in the Grindstone Ranger District.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors discussed communication between the Department of Public Health and the county on syringe services. Any Positive Change’s application to provide those services is a contentious issue among the board members. At their meeting yesterday, they decided to continue working with the state and the syringe program on a long-term solution. Supervisors talked about the program permitting process and the pros and cons of having a syringe service. The Public Health Officer noted that the groups need to share specifics on their program and are looking for a signed agreement. They plan to revisit it within a few weeks.
Part of the smoke impact we’ve been dealing with this week is coming from the 40,000 acres Smith River Complex Fire in Del Norte County. Firefighters up north are being challenged with still zero percent containment. There are over 1,100 personnel on the scene of the huge Smith River Complex. Other fires north of our region include the Kelly Fire that is headed over the Oregon border today. Fire authorities also expect the Corral and Diamond Fires will merge today, according to KymKemp. Because Pacific Power halted electricity service, the utility is working to get generators working to critical infrastructure. While evacuations remain in place to our north, it’s a good time to be reminded of your zone in the case of wildfire or other emergencies.
California boards are aiming to keep their public meetings flexible and available remotely. CalMatters reports post-pandemic, organizations want to keep the right to attend government meetings remotely. As of July 1st, some in-person requirements that were suspended during COVID are back in place. The move also mandates some remote meetings be accessible to the public. Senate Bill 544 aims to keep those exemptions through 2025. The bill passed the Senate last spring and is in line to be heard by an Assembly Appropriations Committee hearing.
The joint power authority between the Cloverdale and Northern Sonoma County Fire Protection District is getting $7.4 million from state and federal agencies. FEMA and CAL OES announced last month the money would come in reimbursements to North County Fire, according to the Press Democrat. The funds are set to be used to manage brush and make breaks to keep fires from spreading and other mitigation work around Cloverdale. The Cloverdale Fire District helped get funding through a grant application to FEMA beginning back in 2020. The grant was given with wildfire protection planning in the community and fire district leadership.
100+ Women Strong for Inland Mendocino County is awarding Hospice of Ukiah over $13,000 as the organization’s winning charity. The event in Redwood Valley recently hosted more than 100 women who each donated $100 and voted on a wining charity to donate to among 3 chosen, according to the Ukiah Daily Journal. The organization also used proceeds from the Thrift Store on State Street in Ukiah to award the winning charity. Hospice of Ukiah not only cares for terminally ill patients, but they strive to add Palliative Care supporting patients and their families. The funds will help the center expand service into Anderson Valley. The 100+ Women Strong is an all-volunteer group working to help the community and help nonprofits in their missions. The next organization meeting will be in Hopland on November 2nd.
The man who killed a Nice woman in a hit-and-run was not at the Lake County Superior Court in Lakeport for his recent sentencing hearing. William Len’s attorney, Angela Carter appeared on his behalf, and asked for a continuance. Len is ordered to appear at the next sentencing hearing on August 28th, according to the Record Bee. Last spring, he pled not guilty in the case. He was found guilty in the jury trial last month. After several court dates where he did not appear the court filed a bench warrant. Last fall Len denied the special allegations and entered a not guilty plea. The charges are from spring of last year, when Amanda Arney was hit and killed by a car as she was walking on Highway 20 after midnight. CHP confirmed she was found down an embankment and was found dead hours later.
Governor Newsom is filing an amicus brief in the US Supreme Court to defend a law that prohibits people with domestic violence restraining orders from owning guns. The Supreme Court is hearing a case that was appealed on its decision that the law is unconstitutional under the Second Amendment. Lake County News reports the governor is arguing the appeal court incorrectly read the decision last year for the feds to enact gun regulations to protect families from violent people. Newsom says “The Second Amendment is not a suicide pact.” Other legislators signed on to the letter including Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chariman Rep. Mike Thompson. There are 45 states that have laws limiting domestic violence abusers access to firearms. California’s law has reportedly been used to stop nearly 60 threatened mass shootings since 2016.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors are announcing a new Public Health Officer after about a year. Dr. Noemi Doohan was announced as the permanent position as last week the board voted to approve a one year renewable contract. Her position is effective on September 1st. Dr. Doohan was most recently the Public Health Department Chief Medical Officer in Santa Barbara County and before that held the position in Mendocino County. Dr. Doohan is the first Public Health Officer to be a permanent placement after Dr. Erik McLaughlin resigned in spring of last year, according to Lake County News.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife is asking hunters to share quail samples with the state Conservation Genomics Project for the genetic library. The department has been working on the project for quails specifically for the lat year, according to KymKemp. They are looking for mountain quail from mountain habitats. They are looking at sub-species who may be at a greater threat by wildfires and more. They will take wings or organs if not the whole bird body. The department is warning people to keep quail separated if several are taken, to avoid cross-contamination and to freeze them. The state’s early mountain quail season opens September 9th and goes until October 20ths in the Quail Hunt Zone along the eastern Sierra.
Two more homeowners’ insurance companies are leaving the state in what is growing to be an exodus. AmGuard and Falls Lake Insurance are pulling out of California completely. The call comes as State Farm, Allstate, Farmers and other insurance companies are changing business in California or are leaving altogether. The latest two are relatively small in comparison to the national companies. Falls Lake notified the state it is stopping renewals starting in September with AmGuard following suit in November. The Press Democrat reports that there are companies still offering coverage. The California Department of Insurance says over a quarter of homes in Mendocino and Lake Counties are at high fire risk, making finding coverage difficult. For those who are being dropped, an option is the state FAIR Plan.
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voted to stop the moratorium on rent hikes for mobile home spaces as they look to update the ordinance. The moratorium had been put in place through February of next year. The move will affect areas in unincorporated places that have nearly 70 mobile home parks with over 2,000 spaces. During last week’s board meeting, supervisors discussed options to preserve tenant protections and affordable housing, according to the Press Democrat. In their meeting yesterday a trade group told the board that rent regulations were a direct attack on their ability to provide affordable housing.
The City of Lakeport and its agencies and departments will hold a town hall meeting on homelessness and mental illness next month. Lake County News reports the complicated issue is going to need collaboration from the police, Behavioral Health Services and more when they meet September 27th in the Soper-Reese Theater. On the agenda are legislative and other changes to criminal justice laws. They’ll discuss the mental health system in the state and constraints rural counties face. The meeting is aimed at focusing the community call to action and to get public feedback.
The Cobb Area Council is announcing the Third Annual Blackberry Cobbler Festival for this weekend. The Bloom report the Cobb Area Council is partnering with the Siegler Springs Community Redevelopment Association for the festival at Mountain Meadow Venue this Saturday from 11am to 4pm. There will be over 80 local artisan and food vendors as well as area nonprofits. Live music, beer and wine, kid’s activities and more are scheduled throughout the weekend. Bakers are encouraged to enter the Blackberry Cobbler Contest. Also included this year for the first time is the Art Adventure with creative spaces for artists of all kind.
