The rain moving into NorCal is not an atmospheric river, according to the National Weather Service. SFGate reports meteorologists are no longer using that description to for the system that’s bringing rain to the area through Sunday. Instead, it is being examined as a “Gulf of Alaska low” that dropped down moisture, rather than pulling rain from the south Pacific. The total rainfall forecasted has dropped from over 2 inches to around 1 to 2 inches. Weather officials say the heaviest rain is expected to the coast and mostly offshore, farther to the west of Mendocino County than previously forecasted. Tomorrow is expected to be the wettest day.
More information is being released about the man who was electrocuted in Lake County one week ago, November 7th. The fatal accident happened when Steven Green got a drone he was flying stuck in a tree. It happened last Tuesday evening just before 5:30pm near the Sandy Beach Trailer Lodge in Lucerne. Green tried to dislodge the drone using an aluminum pole while standing on an aluminum ladder when he accidentally touched a power line nearby. KymKemp reports when emergency responders got there they tried life saving measures for about half an hour and were unfortunately unsuccessful. Electrical injuries kill around 1,000 people per year, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Governor Newsom is urging California universities to beef up campus security as protests rage over the Israel Hamas War. Newsom sent a letter yesterday to university system heads to cultivate spaces for affinity and dialogue amid heightened anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, according to Politico. He said students have been physically assaulted and targeted because of having a Jewish, Arab, or Muslim identity. Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters are calling for a cease fire in Gaza. A protest led by Jewish peace activists staged a sit-in at the federal building in Oakland, last night. There were multiple arrests, according to AOL News. Protest organizers, Jewish Voice for Peace, posted online that by 9pm last night, dozens were taken into custody.
The Mendocino County Coroner is working to ID the man who died in an early morning crash. The man killed in a rollover crash was speeding, according to CHP. The accident happened early yesterday morning before 8am. He was headed east near Albion on Albion Ridge Road when the truck he was driving didn’t make the turn onto Middle Ridge Road, veering off the east shoulder. The man was not wearing a seatbelt, and was thrown from the truck. Emergency personnel arrived and pronounced the man dead at the scene. CHP is investigating. Anyone with information on the incident is urged to call the CHP office in Ukiah.
There are more details on another fatal accident in Mendocino County that happened over the weekend. Saturday, a man was killed when hit by another driver early in the morning after trying to avoid crashing into a pickup truck on Highway 101. The Press Democrat reports it happened around 4am, just north of the Cal Fire Howard Forest Station. The CHP Ukiah office explained the truck ended up facing north in the southbound lane after going up a dirt embankment. Another driver approached the area and tried to avoid the pick up truck driver who’d left his vehicle. The pickup driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office and Coroner are investigating and will identify the fatality. CHP says drugs and alcohol were not likely a factor in the death. The second driver stayed at the site and cooperated with authorities.
Thanksgiving is just over a week away, and is slated to be the busiest holiday for travelers on record. Lake County News reports nearly 7.5 million people will be out and about in California, breaking a record. Nationwide, about 55.5 million people are scheduled to travel for the upcoming holiday weekend. AAA Northern California reports there is a year long trend showing Californians are eager to get away to be with loved ones. They report most travelers, about 88 percent, plan to drive. The good news for drivers is that gas is down about 36 cents a gallon compared to last year. Officials recommend drivers leave during off peak hours, before 11am or after 6pm. For those who are flying, get to the airport early.
The Mendocino County Office of Elections issued a release announcing the official filing period for the March primary election can file for candidacy until December 8th. There are several documents and policies to fulfill for those interested in local, state and federal offices and are available on the county’s election website or on the California Secretary of State’s website. More information is available at the county office in Ukiah as well.
PG&E has not done enough to clean up the geothermal landfill south of Middletown. During the Middletown Area Town Hall meeting last week, there was an update on the site. The Record Bee reports there is still waste in the ground water and PG&E is still on the line to correct the hazardous conditions. During the meeting conservation advocates say the utility planted Eucalyptus trees hoping they’d soak up wastewater, but it has not been enough. The water board reportedly gave PG&E guidelines on the work, but water samples are showing that conditions have worsened. A Planning Commission representative says PG&E must resubmit plans to clear up the property on Butts Canyon Road.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue division will have new rain gear, thanks to the work of local Rotary clubs. The Sheriff announced yesterday the Collaborative Grant by Rotary International. According to a post on social media, Search and Rescue volunteers will receive rain gear next month. The grant was approved in September for what the Sheriff says is long awaited rain gear as the cold and wet season approaches. Local Rotary clubs include the Ukiah, South Ukiah, Willits and Fort Bragg chapters.
Applications are available for Cal Fire’s millions of grant funding, now through mid-January. The department made the announcement today regeneration projects is available. Cal Fire is looking for projects to prevent wildfires and restore forests to healthy functioning ecosystems. Another aim of the grants is to capture carbons and reduce green house gasses. A video will be released explaining the grant process and requirements on Cal Fire’s Forest Health webpage. All applications are due by January 15th.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors plan to meet this 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.
California Water Commission is taking comments on white paper. In the latest update from the Russian River Water Forum, the commission announced it will include discussion on a draft white paper containing potential strategies to protect communities, fish, and wildlife in the event of long-term drought. The draft was developed in support of a Water Resilience Portfolio Action which calls for protections in cases when droughts last at least six years. The commission’s meeting will be Wednesday, Nov. 15, in Sacramento. Public comments on the draft can be submitted during the meeting or emailed to the commission.
Lady of the Lake for Lake County News author Angela DePalma-Dow is the area limnologist, studying the characteristics of lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands. She has been working with the County of Lake Water resources Department for the last 5 years as an invasive species program coordinator. The Press Democrat reports De Palma-Dow works with local, tribal and federal agencies to keep Clear Lake protected. She is currently removing the invasive creeping water primrose from properties around the lake and following up with native plantings. The prolific weed can clog waterways and overrun native wetland plants. The invasive plant also hurts fish access to spawning grounds and more.
Medi-Cal is announcing changes starting at the beginning of 2024. Effective January 1st, the program is expanding coverage. Asset verification and immigration status will no longer be required in determining new or ongoing eligibility. Lake County News reports the agency previously changed the age scope for Medi-Cal for adult coverage from ages 26 to 49. As open enrollment continues for now, residents are urged to contact their county social services departments for policy updates and more.
