We’ve got an update on the “Golden Fire”. That’s the one at US Highway 101 south of Willits. Word was that fire had reached approximately 25-30 acres in size but yesterday afternoon that size was changed to something more along the lines of 12-13 acres. The good news was that forward progress had been stopped and additional resources that had been sent in were being released. The additional water tenders that were sent in seemed to have a big impact on getting that fire under control as well as the supremely competent ground crews. There WAS a three-car crash in the vicinity of the fire but no injuries were reported. We will keep you updated if need be.
There have been several weather-related disasters in Mendocino County so far this year and county officials have begun to implement a series of public meetings so that residents can provide information on how the county might be able to improve their emergency programs as well as how to build some community resilience. The meetings started just over a week ago and the next one is set for this Wednesday from 5:30-7pm at the Ukiah UC Cooperative Extension Conference Room on North Bush Street in Ukiah and there will be another on Thursday, also 5:30-7pm at Calpella/Redwood Valley Behavioral Health Regional Training Center. That’s on East Road in Redwood Valley. The meetings will continue through September 18th.
Representative Jared Huffman from San Rafael will in in Willits tomorrow for a “Coffee with Your Congressman” event. It’s a chance for local residents to ask questions and have an opportunity to hear an update on Huffman’s work in the nation’s capital. You can actually send questions in advance if you like to HuffmanQandA location for the event will be the Willits Fire Department on East Commercial Street in Willits. It will get underway around 10:30am and is expected to last for about an hour.
The number is $3.1 billion. That’s the allocation from the California Transportation Commission for projects, some right here in this part of the state, to quote improve the state’s transportation infrastructure, making it safer, more sustainable and more reliable end quote. That’s from a press release this week. The projects funded in Mendocino County were listed as:
- Approximately $6.5M of emergency allocations toward roadway, embankment and drainage repairs on U.S. 101 near Willits to Haehl Creek in Mendocino County.
- Approximately $2.6M of emergency allocations toward bridge repairs at South Willits Overhead No. 10-0001 on U.S. 101 in Mendocino County.
- Approximately $8.1M in federal IIJA funding toward the construction of a cable median barrier along U.S. 101 from Route 20 to Uva Drive/North State Street near Ukiah in Mendocino County.
- Approximately $17.4M including more than $15.4M in federal IIJA funding and $356K in SB1 funding toward improvements at Jack Peters Creek Bridge No. 10-0150 on Route 1 near the community of Mendocino in Mendocino County.
- Approximately $100K in support allocations toward the construction of a left-turn lane on Route 1 at Ocean Drive near Gualala in Mendocino County.
- Approximately $2.6M of emergency allocations toward roadway and drainage repairs on U.S. 101 near Hopland to north of Comminsky Station Road in Mendocino County.
- Approximately $1.9M of emergency allocations toward roadway and drainage repairs on U.S. 101 near Leggett to north of Cummings Road in Mendocino County.
- Approximately $125K of emergency allocations toward the removal of hazardous trees at various locations on U.S. 101 in Mendocino County.
It was another successful event for 100+ Women Strong for Inland Mendocino County in Redwood Valley. The big winner for the evening was Hospice of Ukiah who received more than $12-thousand, just edging out a couple of other local charities – Laytonville Healthy Start and Ukiah Valley Association of Habilitation. At the event in which more than 100 women each donated $100 before a vote was taken to decide the winner following a presentation from the three nonprofits. the three nonprofits made presentations. All funding for Hospice of Ukiah is by donations and the proceeds from their Thrift Store on State Street in Ukiah. By the way, the next 100+ Women Strong for Inland Mendocino County event takes place at Campovida in Hopland on Nov. 2. For more information, visit their website hospiceofukiah.com
It’s been around five years that the Lake Mendocino facilities have been closed, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced this week that the popular campground is once again open. The Operations Project Manager at Coyote Valley Dam/Lake Mendocino, confirmed Wednesday that the Ky-en Campground, was opened again this week. The campground had been a site used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency five years ago to house wildfire victims. Upgrades had been made to the power, sewer and water hook-ups for all the sites back then. Additional upgrades and improvements have been made and now the Lake Mendocino campsites are once again available.
Would you like to vote for a local hero? Well, here’s your chance. Three of the area’s newspapers have teamed up in a joint project with other newspapers here in the north part of our state that are all part of the California Newspaper Partnership. Now, they’re asking you for nominations for their very first “Mendocino County Hero”. Just send an email to nominate a hero to heroes, or heroes, or heroes. Tell them why your nominee should be the Mendocino Coast Hero. Nominations are due by Friday, Sept. 1, at noon. The winners will each receive a $500 cash prize.
The new school year began last week and Christopher Mann is now back at school. Although he is not a student! Officer Christopher Mann is the new School Resource Officer for the Ukiah Unified School District. The SRO position is a four-year position, according to Ukiah Police Chief Cedric Crook. Officer Mann spent time watching and learning from previous SRO Brett Chapman. Officer Mann’s new duties will mostly be at the high school but the officer also responds to needs in other schools in the UUSD. Previously the UPD had a description of the SRO’s role as working with school administrators to discourage illegal behavior on campus and protect the safety of the students.
This week marks a huge event. Thursday, the world’s largest annual campaign to end opioid overdose will take place. In Mendocino County, MCAVHN Care and Prevention Network will install a community memorial board that will be located on Clara Street right in front of the MCAVHN office. Mendocino County is number one in opioid use per capita in the State. And the purpose of International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is to “remember without stigma those who have died from overdose and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind,” according to the IOAD website. Everyone is invited to post a photo of a loved one who passed from Opioid-related issues on MCAVHN’s memorial board located at 148 Clara Street in Ukiah. For more information visit https://mcavhn.org.
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