California’s Homeland Security Advisor is releasing a statement on protection efforts for Californians. In a release yesterday, Cal OES say they are actively monitoring the developing situation in Israel and Gaza and closely coordinating with security partners tracking potential impacts on the domestic threat environment. Officials are saying they are aware of statements about potential threats today, Friday, October 13th but emphasize that no specific and credible threat to California has been identified. The office is urging residents to stay alert, vigilant and prepared and also to immediately report any suspicious activity through local authorities.
Area residents are headed home from Israel and Gaza. The Press Democrat reports 10 Sonoma County residents are still in Israel, waiting the the US State Department to get transport. 7 Napa County residents have already been evacuated and are either already in the US or in Italy on their way home to California. The US is also setting up transport by sea; those awaiting word from US authorities will have no choice when transportation becomes available. The US evacuation processes began today, but officials say it may take some time. There are ongoing discussions about where and how additional evacuations will continue.
An Ukiah man is acquitted of vandalizing property in Mendocino County Superior Court this week. Eduardo Alvarez faced a jury who deliberated Wednesday and announced it acquitted Alvarez of one felony vandalism count and were hung on a second count. The Defendant still faces charges of vandalizing property causing over $400 in damage last spring. There will be a retrial of the second count before a new jury, its scheduled to start on December 4th.
PG&E say they’re on track to underground 350 miles of powerlines by the end of the year. In a statement in the Record Bee, PG&E says as of today crews have completed heavy construction of digging the length of trenches and is laying conduit. As of this week, over 137 miles have been fully installed underground and have been fully energized. The utility says about 20 miles each day will be buried and energenzied through the end of the year. Customers in Lake County are already using the lines underground. By 2026, PG&E plans to lay 2,000 miles underground with the cost per mile costing around $3 million. The undergrounding is a permanent way to reduce wildfire risk and improve reliability while decreasing the need for Public Safety Power Shutoffs. There are more than 2,000 utility crew members working daily on the project.
The Yurok Tribe is saddened by the Governor’s veto of a bill that would have heightened notification and hearing timelines when a foster child goes missing. The Chairman of the Tribe says Indigenous people, people of color and the poor are disproportionately impacted by the foster care system. The governor said Sunday the bill would have cost $10 million. Newsom noted he is directing the California Department of Social Services to work with counties to assess protocols and address needed improvements. AB 273 would have directed social workers and probation officers to look into the placement of the child and notify officials when a child is missing. The Willits News reports Newsom says the state faces economic risk and revenue uncertainty and must remain disciplined in significant fiscal implications.
Vote By Mail Ballots were mailed out to eligible voters last week and are available now in the County Clerk’s Office for the Special Consolidated District Election in the City of Fort Bragg. The Advocate News reports the election on November 7th includes a city-wide measure. On Election Day CV Starr Center will have a polling station for those needing help dropping their ballots off. You can also drop your ballot off now through 8pm on November 7th. No stamps are needed is you plan to mail your ballot and must be postmarked by November 7th. The ballots will be counted at the Mendocino County Election office in Ukiah with preliminary results posted on the County’s website.
A partial solar eclipse will be visible tomorrow morning. Millions of people in the Western Hemisphere will be able to see part of a “ring of fire” effect, when the moon crosses in front of the sun, but not fully covering it. For those in the North Coast area, the eclipse will begin around 8am and end around 10:40am. A docent at the Robert Ferguson Observatory says about 78 percent of the sun will be covered at maximum around 9:19am, according to reporting in the Press Democrat. Officials say it is vitally important that people not look directly at the sun without appropriate scopes; otherwise, eye injury could be harmful. Lake County Libraries will host eclipse viewing events with free eclipse glasses available while supplies last.
To reduce pollution in California’s waterways, the State Parks’ Division of Boating is accepting grant applications for floating restrooms. A million dollars in federal and state funding is available for around four Americans with Disabilities Act compliant floating potties. Applicants are encouraged to review the grant guidelines and submit an application by November 13th. The grant is available through the Clean Vessel Act with about 135 restrooms across the state. Each bathroom unit can be towed to shore for scheduled pump-outs and cleaning. In a release from the California State Parks’ Division of Boating and Waterways issued in KymKemp, the department says grant applicants must operate a lake or reservoir open to the public.
Ukiah is prepping for some weighty pumpkins starting this afternoon. The Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off begins at 4pm downtown. The Ukiah Daily Journal reports the record for heaviest pumpkin in the event was in 2008 with an over 1,000 pound mammoth pumpkin. Today’s festivities include live music, food and drinks and free children’s activities. There will be a Saturday morning PumpkinFest Parade starting at 10am, rain or shine. The contenders will be on display through the weekend. Also on tap is a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, haunted house and scarecrow city.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service is announcing up to $36 million via President Biden’s Investing in America initiative for fish passage projects across the country. In a release in MendoFever, communities will benefit from dam removals, culvert replacements and reduced flooding as the Service works with Tribes, state and local agencies, non-governmental organizations and conservation partners to reconnect important aquatic systems. The National Fish Passage Program is prioritizing projects to create sustainable fish passage, prioritize species and habitats, work on regional and watershed priorities for habitat restoration and enhanced community resilience.
The Clearlake City Council is approving the sale of a city owned lot to help encourage development of new homes. Lake County News reports at their meeting last week, the council approved selling a property on 36th Avenue as part of the city’s homestead program. The program offers people a lot at no cost or $10,000 toward the purchase of a privately owned parcel. The homestead program was approved 3 years ago and uses $1 million from Series B bond funds to encourage market-rate housing. There are income requirements and connections within Lake County, financing for the construction of a new home and more. The number of applicants has decreased with interest rates high but the Clearlake City Manager says there are still several people going through the process.
Latino Outdoors North Coast is hosting a Leave No Trace Event this weekend. Tonight there will be a one hour workshop introduction to the principles for the Leave No Trace project from 5 to 6:30pm at the Noyo Headlands Park, West Cypress Street entrance. Tomorrow, the 14th is Stewardship Day: Invasive Plant Removal and Native Plant Restoration with the Mendocino Land Trust and the City of Fort Bragg from 10am to noon. A Fort Bragg city official will give a presentation on native species and problems caused by invasive plants. A leader from the Mendocino Land Trust Stewardship team will also be there and discuss work and opportunities in the area. Tools and gloves will be provided but feel free to bring planting tools if you like, as well as a chair or blanket.
This weekend the Potter Valley Tribe is asking for volunteers to help clean up the Eel River near Potter Valley. The Ukiah Daily Journal reports they will be cleaning a 12 mile section of river from Van Arsdale Reservoir to Lake Pillsbury in Lake County. Volunteers are asked to meet at 9am at the Potter Valley Tribe’s ER14 property west of Pioneer Bridge on the south side of the Eel River. They’ll work to pick up trash from the river, roads and beaches so everyone can enjoy a clean watershed and recreation area. Sunday, there is a walk planned in Low Gap Park in Ukiah across the street from Ukiah High School with the Sanhedrin Chapter of the California Native Plant Society.
The City of Ukiah is continuing its work to expand the diversity of staff and programs in the city. In a release in MendoFever, the city says their engagement at the Ukiah High School Career Fair gave them an opportunity to show off the diverse career paths as the largest employer of youth in the area. This weekend, the city will be at a booth for the Ukiah Country Pumpkinfest. They’ll have a renaissance themed booth near the Haunted House on School Street where people can find out more about upcoming projects and employment opportunities.
It’s Clean California Dump Day this weekend in Lake County. Tomorrow, the 14th Caltrans District 1 and Lake County will have the Dump Day Event at transfer stations in Lakeport and Clearlake. Residents can drop accepted large items for free. It’s part of the Governor’s Clean California initiative led by Caltrans to keep roads and waterways free of litter. Saturday residents can bring dump day items starting at 9am thru 1pm, or until capacity is reached. The Lakeport Transfer Station on Soda Bay Road in Lakeport, the LCWS Recycling Center on Davis Street in Clearlake and the Eastlake Landfill on Davis Avenue in Clearlake will be places accepting large items from residents. No construction materials, hazardous waste, tires or asbestos will be accepted.
