Downtown Ukiah is under construction with a couple of projects in the works. The City Engineer tells the Ukiah Daily Journal that work is at a feverish pace right now with the Phase 4 of the Recycled Water Project to move existing sewer lines and more. There is a 2 million gallon water tank being installed as part of the project that will run into the winter months. Utilities along main streets downtown are being installed with expanded sidewalks being prepared as well. One of the biggest parts of the ongoing work includes preparing for Phase 4 that includes removing 50 years of sludge near the water treatment plant. The downtown streetscape project is nearing Phase 1 completion while under-grounding electric lines are still being finalized. The city is also preparing for work on the Orr Street Bridge, and is working on procuring or creating materials for construction there.
Mendocino County Supervisors are facing more uphill battles. During a Board of Supervisors meeting this week, County CEO Darcie Antle said she is concerned about the fiscal sustainability of the county. MendoFever reports Antle says the deficit is going up with increased salaries and as labor negotiations continue and vacancies persist. Next year’s retirement contributions are expected to go up nearly $3 million. Acting Auditor Controller Treasurer Tax Collector Sara Pierce, who is working in the suspended Chamise Cubbison’s position, says trying to work through the county’s finances is difficult. Pierce’s assistant said her office is not being heard and is providing information they have to auditors and they are actively working on dozens of tasks not currently being implemented.
More information is being released about a body found in a burned out car near the dump in Covelo. Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies were able to get some information from the license plate. With help from the Chico State University Forensic Anthropology Department, authorities are waiting for confirmation via DNA analysis. During the investigation, a man reported his son was possibly missing and may be the victim. Deputies discovered the missing person worked at an illegal grow on Hopper Lane in Covelo. The victim had been staying near the grow site where authorities found Lawrence Joaquin and arrested him for drug charges and more. Another suspect, Iran Hoaglen fled the scene before being arrested. Hoaglen was found and arrested with help from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Lake/Mendocino Regional SWAT team. The investigation continues.
A Marysville man is found guilty after a three day trial for driving under the influence of meth and more. The Mendocino County District Attorney posted the jury deliberated last week and announced David Allred guilty. After the jury was excused, Allred also plead no contest to willful failure to appear in court. CHP and the Department of Justice crime lab helped bring forward evidence to the crimes in the Mendocino County Superior Court.
The League of Women Voters of Mendocino County is meeting next Tuesday from 6 to 7:30pm via Zoom. A District Supervisor will be on hand to discuss the contentious fiscal situation of the county and possibly next steps. The group is meeting as county finances continue to be contentious, along with department leadership changes and labor negotiations. The Advocate News reports the League of Women Voters will try to make recommendations brought up during their virtual meeting.
The Jackson Demonstration State Forest Advisory Group is meeting a week from today, November 15th. The day-long agenda includes looking forward to the 2024 schedule. The group also plans to discuss the Wildfire Resililence Project, continued from last months meeting. In another continued topic, the advisory group will go over the Forest Management Plan Scope of Work with an update. During the public forum part of the meeting they’ll go over pyrosilvicultural THP, or fire as a tool to control fuel density in the forest. The Field Tour portion of the meeting will continue in the afternoon with a trip into the forest via Road 630.
A man from Willits has been found guilty of felony malicious vandalizing a headstone in Little Lake Cemetery. The Mendocino County District Attorney posted the decision of a jury last night. Raymond Gribaldo was found guilty within an hour of jury deliberation. He removed and broke a headstone, filmed himself doing it and sent the video to family of the departed. Apparently, Gribaldo said he was fighting with the daughter of the woman interred in the grave. He was referred to the Mendocino County Adult Probation Department for a sentencing recommendation and more. Gribaldo’s sentencing hearing is set for January 3rd.
California homeowners facing home insurance coverage problems will have to wait for years for help. Consumers, lawmakers and insurers say the Department of Insurance’s proposals to address the crisis won’t be “prompt” as requested by Governor Newsom in September. The Bay Area News Group reports the governor’s executive order for prompt regulatory action has more complex hurdles in the way of immediate relief for those looking for affordable insurance. The Department of Insurance is working on regulations but isn’t expected to finalize new rules until next year, and enacted the year after that. With homeowners seeing up to triple sized premiums and insurers leaving the state, some have been forced to go without insurance. Wildfires have cost insurance companies so much that providing coverage in California is untenable.
The Alliance for Rural Community Health is offering to pay half the tuition or $2,000 scholarships for students who enroll in medical assistant or dental assistant training programs through the Mendocino County Office of Education to complete their externship at health centers in the area. Deadline for scholarship applications is December 4th. Classes run January 9 through May 16 and are held in Ukiah on Tuesdays and Thursdays with a 120 hour externship to finish up the programs. The Alliance is dedicated to supporting the network of Mendocino and Lake County community health centers. There are more details on Mendocino County’s website.
Climate activists will deliver a petition with 15-thousand signatures today (Thursday) to trade negotiators ahead of next week’s Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in San Francisco. President Joe Biden will be meeting with other world leaders to announce the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which would govern 40 percent of the global economy. The California News Service reports the Biden administration has pledged to prioritize climate change, workers’ rights and the health of low-income communities hardest hit by climate pollution and sea-level rise.
A hunter safety course will be offered December 2nd and 3rd for the first 12 applicants at the Highland Springs Range House. Lake County News reports the class covers gun safety and principles of conservation and hunter ethics. Completion of the class and exam will quality applicants to get a hunting license. Prospective students should register with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and be prepared to read the “Guide to Hunting Responsibility and Safety” for class credit.
Speaking of hunting, there is a California Free Hunting Day coming up this month, a few days after Thanksgiving on the 25th. Residents can hunt without buying a license, if other requirements are met including completion of a hunter education course, a Free Hunt Days Registration and any required tags or entry permits. On the 25th, waterfowl seasons and upland game seasons will be open in zones throughout the state. More information is at the CDFW Free Hunting Days website.
Video of the Sonoma City Council’s meeting last week shows anti-Semitic and racist public comments. The virtual meeting on November 1st was posted to the city’s website on Tuesday, and showed hateful rhetoric targeting people of color and the Jewish community. A council member’s personal information was also publicized. The Press Democrat reports the city has encountered increasing hate speech across North Bay communities, especially within the last month. The Sonoma City Manager says he’ll continue to be aggressive in stopping public comments that cross the line to protect the community. Last month, anti-Semitic fliers were distributed in response to the mayor’s office issuing a statement condemning hateful public comments. City staff says they plan to work with the attorney general to punish hate speech and hold those who threaten violence responsible.
The North Coast Resource Partnership is extending the deadline for proposals of technical assistance for project development for Cal Fire Forest Health Pilot Projects. The collaboration of agencies is prioritizing Tribes and disadvantaged communities. The organization update in this week’s Russian River Water Forum newsletter notes the application process is open through February 1st of next year. The pilot program is aimed at prioritizing and implementing forest health projects in the North Coast Region. The group plans to use a $10 million grant from Cal Fire to administer and implement projects. Projects must include fuels reduction, pest management, reforestation or biomass utilization. They anticipate giving between $5,000 to $15,000 per entity for support in a contract with the North Coast Regional Partnership.
