People in Cobb are rattled after a 4.6 earthquake hit an area northwest of the Geysers at around 11:20pm last night according to MendoVoice. The USGS reports an aftershock registering at 3.1 magnitude at 6:20am this morning. There are over 55 people who are reporting they felt the quake according to the USGS. The shallow quake registered at nearly a mile deep. There were people around Clearlake who felt the light shaking.
The newest COVID vaccine is now available at Walgreens and other area pharmacies. Health officials are urging everyone over 6 months old to get the lastest booster. The CDC approved the new booster last week, saying it was safe and effective at protecting against the variants currently circulating. Those who are immuno-compromised or have other health conditions should seriously consider getting the latest shot. As COVID rates are increasing in NorCal and the nation health experts say get vaccinated as soon as you can. Both Moderna and Pfizer have the vaccines, and doctors say you don’t have to stick with one manufacturer. The shot appears to produce a good immune response against 90 percent of current strains, and even covers the divergent strain worrying some, called BA2.86. You can get the flu shot, the COVID booster and even the RSV vaccine, but officials say you may want to get them at separate times to minimize any side effects.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents of a phone scam where people are pretending to be from the department. The Ukiah Daily Journal reports a scammer will call and say they are with the Sheriff’s Office and ask for payments of fines. The office says one example is someone claiming to be a captain. The Sheriff’s Office is reminding people they will never call asking for payment, nor does the office accept gift cards or online payment apps. If someone is contacted, please fall the Mendocino County Sheriff’s office to report the call.
The third annual regional economic development summit in Ukiah is this Thursday and Friday. The group including the Greater Ukiah Business and Tourism Alliance, the Redwood Coast Region and more are getting together at the Ukiah Valley Conference Center. The theme of the meeting aims to include four counties via the State of the Redwood Coast Region. Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake and Mendocino Counties and tribal lands will be included in the regional opportunity to grow local economies. Thursday begins the summit and the agenda includes growing rural counties and attract businesses with a speech from banking professionals. Ukiah will host a reception at 5:30 with food and craft vendors on Church Street. The group plans to focus on how smaller communities can work together to make themselves more resilient to natural disasters. Friday, the summit will discuss housing and industry.
Tomorrow is National Voter Registration Day. Residents can register to vote online at registertovote dot ca dot gov. Lake County News reports you can also register if y ou are a Lake County resident at the Registrar of Voters office in Lakeport. Registration forms are also available at all county libraries and post offices. Students aged 16 and 17 can preregister to vote, so as they turn 18, they’ll be able to participate in the next election.
The State of California is suing oil companies saying they misled the public about risks of their products. Attorney General Rob Bonta says the harm of tens of billions of dollars in damage to communities follows years of deceit. The state is seeking an abatement fund to pay for future climate-related damages and community resilience projects. The Press Democrat reports Exxon Mobile, Shell, BP, Conoco Philips and Chevron are the defendants in the case along with their industry trade group. The suit alleges the companies launched a narrative to downplay climate change and says misdirection exists today that minimizes the effects of fossil fuel combustion.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors is meeting tomorrow morning to discuss approving the new fiscal year budget. Budget appropriations for the 2023-2024 budget come out to over $383 million. Lake County News reports the board will designate September 22nd as Native American Day. The board plans to authorize the Lake Water Resources Director to apply for a state Water Resources Flood System Repair project for work on the Upper Lake Levee system and more. In closed session the board plans to interviews for the chief public defender position as well as interviews for the Interim Health Services Director.
Ukiah Police are investigating a fatal crash near Todd Grove Park yesterday. The Ukiah Daily Journal reports a white sedan crashed into a redwood tree at the Ukiah Valley Golf Course on Park Boulevard yesterday around 5:30pm. There were reportedly many witnesses in the crowded park who say they heard the vehicle speeding. One man was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries, while another man died at the scene.
It’s open-enrollment season for most health-care plans, meaning within the next month and a half, you can make changes to your health plan. Open enrollment starts today for more than 5 million public employees in California. California News Service reports People with employer-sponsored health plans should check the plan’s website for important dates. The Medicare Open Enrollment Period runs from October 15th through December 7th. Open enrollment for people on the state’s marketplace for health plans, Covered California, runs November 1st through January 31st, but you have to sign up by the end of December for coverage to start January first.
The Lake County Emergency Warnings posted an update on social media on COVID cases in the area. Over the last week, test positivitiy has been nearly 19 percent. Health care providers are urging residents to get over the counter self tests to confirm if you’ve got the virus, and they are asking you report your result to the Lake County Public Health Department. The most recent COVID boosters are still making it to market, but should be available within a few weeks.
CHP is investigating a sideshow of 200-300 cars near Covelo over the weekend. State Route 162 and Howard Street was the intersection filled with people racing and showing off their cars on Friday night. MendoFever reports deputies from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office worked with CHP and Tribal Police to break up the gathering.
Representative Jared Huffman is spreading the word on the “Held Our Kelp Act.” IN a release in KymKemp, Huffman says “local communities are working hard to restore vital ecosystems but climate change and an epidemic of kelp eating urchins have created a perfect storm,” and he’s asking for an all hands on deck approach. The act would create a new grant program to fund conservation, restoration and management work. The legislation would look at the greatest regional declines, long term resilience and identify focal recovery areas by Tribal, federal or state management plans. Finally the “Help Our Kelp Act” would authorize $5 million per year through 2028.
Ukiah solar power customers are frustrated with the city’s billing system. Some are paying thousands of dollars in unpaid city energy bills, only to have the city pay them back for excess power generated. MendoFever reports Ukiah operates Mendocino County’s only customer owned utility with membership in the non-profit Northern California Power Agency. With 100 solar-equipped homes in Ukiah, they’re supposed to save over $1,500 annually or nearly $30,000 over 20 years. City officials say a software glitch is to blame but that customers should still be billed for electricity due to weather or solar panel size and performance. Solar installation companies may also contribute to the confusion but officials say a zero bill is not a certainty. While they work on billing fixes including regulatory fees the city is hoping for a resolution down the road.
A hunter is healing from injuries after a feral pig attacked him in Lake County. It happened Friday before noon around Middletown’s Langtry Farms Vineyard. Friends of the hunter tried to move the injured man to the winery, but ended up requesting an air ambulance. MendoFever reports first responders were acting fast to get the hunter to the Middletown Fire Station to meet the medivac copter. The Scanner Lake County Facebook page first reported the incident on Friday.
The Lakeport City Council is meeting tomorrow evening at 6pm. The Assistant City Manager will ask the council for a grant administration for the Adams Asby Group to help the city with state and federal grants including the Community Development Block Grant. During the meeting, Lake County News reports there will be a resolution requested by the Public Works Director to revise parking zones. The council will also consider accepting and approving the Clear Lake Open Bass Tournament and approve the CLHS Homecoming Parade.
