For the first time in over a decade, the US is hosting the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in San Francisco. Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to arrive in the area tomorrow and meet with President Biden on Wednesday. The summit, meant to enhance trade and economic growth will also include contentious issues various leaders will have to face. There are 21 members whose nations represent about half the world’s trade, according to the Press Democrat. Russia’s war in Ukraine, Taiwan’s independence, the Chinese spy balloon incident and the Israel Hamas War are threatening to wash over what is supposed to be centered on trade and the economy. Besides controversial global tensions, Biden hopes to make progress on the new Indo Pacific trade deal after former President Trump withdrew the US from it.
Several inches of rain is possible for the North Coast in a moderate atmospheric river, rated a level 2, out of 5. Rainfall amounts aren’t expected to be catastrophic but some locations could get more than a month’s worth of rain in days. The National Weather Service is reporting that the Ukiah Valley could get up to two inches as Mendocino and Lake Counties are preparing for the highest amounts of precipitation. Snow is expected in higher elevations of the Sierras, with more snow likely late week as colder air is pulled across the area. El Nino is expected to affect weather with an increase in frequency of atmospheric rivers, including this year. Locally, MendoVoice reports in their farm column that the last of this year’s cannabis crop is due to be finished just in time as farmers begin to plant winter crops like garlic and onions.
Authorities are investigating a fatal crash that happened Saturday morning at the top of the Willits Grade portion of Highway 101. MendoFever reports a sedan and a truck collided around 4am just south of Willits. There were reports of a man lying in the road near Cal Fire’s Howard Forest Station who was pronounced dead by emergency responders. Caltrans closed a southbound lane for several hours with the two vehicles stuck on Highway 101. No details as to the identity of the man have yet been released.
There is a new mobile application for EBT cards. The California Department of Social Services with the state EBT project is providing the ebtEDGE Mobile Application and cardholder portal, and it is available now. Lake County News report the new app will help residents access their card information to set safety features and more. It has developed biometric access, gives cardholders the ability to freeze transactions, more efficient and swifter card replacement and more to stave off fraud and help users. Current cardholders can access the new online tool at ebt.ca.gov or by calling Customer Service for more details on the new technology.
The Mendocino Land Trust continues to work on area trails and more. In a release over the weekend, the Executive Director issued updates to some of their projects in Mendocino County. The Trust is currently working with the Redwood Coast Land Conservancy at Mill Bend Preserve. There, the groups are working on fuels management and seeking out funding for planning, permitting and design of public access as well as restoring the estuary fishery. Near Point Arena, the Trust is buying 12 acres for a connection in the trails called Saunders Landing. Finally, the biggest public access project on the coast is in Fort Bragg. The Trust with area agencies are working to develop close to 600 acres of pygmy forest recently acquired by the Recreation District. The project aims to develop trails while reducing human impact to the sanctuary areas.
Fort Bragg voters decided to renew the half cent sales tax that has helped finance road repairs for the last two decades. MendoVoice reports 81 percent of voters approved the measure authorizing the tax for an additional 10 years, with no set limit. The Assessor Clerk Recorder Registrar of Voters in Mendocino County says certification of last weeks election will likely happen by this Friday. Election day this time around saw dismal attendance numbers, with only about 23 percent of residents casting votes. Historically, it’s the lowest turn out in history. The tax measure is set to begin in 2025 with the current tax expiring by the end of next year. The annual revenue from the tax measure is just under a million dollars each decade.
Short-term rentals in Mendocino County will be discussed through several communities meetings this month. County officials say short term rentals have implications for transient occupancy tax revenues, housing stock and neighborhood stability, according to the Ukiah Daily Journal. There are no explicit short term rentals regulations for the inland areas of the county in zoning. The Mendocino County Department of Planning and Building Services is inviting residents to engagement sessions about a proposed Inland Short Term Rental Ordinance. This week, two sessions are scheduled from 6 to 7 pm. Tuesday a session will be at the Fort Bragg Veterans Memorial Building. Wednesday, there will be a meeting at the Boonville Veterans Memorial Building. The department also has a survey for residents on their website. Later this month, sessions will continue at the Willits Library on Wednesday, Nov 29th, from 6 -7pm. On November 30th there will be a session in Ukiah, in a Conference Room at Low Gap Road from 6 – 8pm in- person and online.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors plan to meet tomorrow morning at 9am and go over the terms of a contract with Redwood Community Services for nearly $2.5 million to continue running the homeless shelter through 2026. The agenda also includes approving a funding request to support Upper Eel River watershed community visioning process with the CalWild’s State Coastal Conservancy Grant. The board will discuss extending emergency proclamations including a shelter crisis. The board plans to accept congressional funding for the Kelseyville Sidewalks Project. In closed session, the board will meet with legal counsel on existing litigation.
Mendocino County Sheriff’s officials are investigating a possible fatal boat accident. Friday evening, a body was found on Ten Mile Beach, north of Fort Bragg. A capsized boat was found on a sandbar not far from the beach. KymKemp reports the 16 to 20 foot personal boat was secured by the California State Parks personnel. A US Coast Guard copter flew grid patterns in the area to rule out other possible victims. Investigators worked through the weekend with the harbor to determine if there were any last known occupants. The Mendocino County Coroner is working on identifying the body.
About 300 young adults leaving foster care in California will now receive a monthly check to help them make ends meet, part of the state’s first guaranteed income program. Some 150 people in Ventura will receive one-thousand dollars a month, and another 150 in San Francisco will receive 12-hundred dollars a month, with no strings attached. The California News Service reports opponents worry that people receiving unrestricted income could waste it on luxuries, but post-analysis of pilot programs in Stockton and Santa Clara County disprove that concern. This is the first statewide universal basic income program. There are also about 200 local programs now operating across California.
Cal Fire’s Sonoma Lake Napa Unit is downstaffing from peak levels as rain and cooler temperatures move into the area. Lake County News reports the Boggs Copter, the Sikorsky Cal Fire Hawk will leave the Helitack Base today. The Cal Fire unit will keep one fire engine at every fire state and keep 153 seasonal firefighters plus over 250 permanent staff after today. Cal Fire as always, will continue to monitor weather conditions and more if there is a need to respond to wildfires or other emergencies. This year, over 650 acres in the unit have burned in 340 wildfires. The good news is that it’s the third year wildfire activity has been significantly reduced.
A new law signed by the Governor will help protect people from excessive balance billing for ground ambulance rides. The AP reports California will be the 14th state to do so. Federally, legislators are working on the No Surprises Act to address the issue nationally. A federal and state law passed last year largely banned balanced billing for hospital care and air ambulance services, but not ground ambulance services. The average surprise bill for emergency ground ambulance rides in the state is over $1,200, and is the highest in the country. The new law will apply to about 14 million state residents in state regulated commercial health plans and limit how much a non network ambulance can charge patients. Officials are urging people to check their policy for details and can file a complaint with your health plan.
Authorities are investigating a serious crash on Highway 101 near Laytonville that happened Sunday afternoon. KymKemp reports a vehicle headed south crashed into a tree near Vincent Lane south of Laytonville. The patient had major injuries and needed to be extricated from the vehicle as an air ambulance was dispatched. It took a few hours to get the patient out of the vehicle and flown off the roadway to the hospital by about 3pm.
