The Lakeport City Council is holding a special meeting today at 5pm to go over appointments and the new courthouse project, according to Lake County News. They’ll also hold their regular meeting at 6pm. In the special meeting at 5:00 the council will consider reappointing George Spurr to another four year term on the Lake County Vector Control District Board through 2027. Other positions will be appointed to the Lakeport Fire Protection District Board and the Economic Development Advisory Committee. During the regular meeting at 6, the city manager will confirm the fulfillment between the Judicial Council of California and the City of Lakeport with development of the new Lake County Superior Courthouse. There will also be an update in efforts to mitigate issues with the city’s wastewater collection system.
CHP is investigating a fatal crash on Highway 101 that happened over the weekend. On Saturday, MendoFever reports a SUV was headed north on 101 near Laytonville. The driver veered off the road and hit a tree. The SUV burst into flames and killed the driver. The Mendocino County Coroner’s Office is investigating the identity of the victim as CHP continues to investigate the crash.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife are continuing the temporary recreational crab trap restriction from the Sonoma/Mendocino County line to Lopez Point, and expanding the restriction from the California/Oregon border to Cape Mendocino because of humpback whales and the possibility for entanglement from trap gear. The department issued an announcement in MendoFever on the expanded restrictions. The recreational trap restrictions will go into effect this Sunday, November 26th. All traps in Zone 1 must be removed by this Sunday. Recreational crabbers using other methods like hoop nets and crab snares will be allowed. The commercial Dungeness crab fishery is being delayed until December 16th. The department plans the next risk assessment will happen around the first week in December when more information will be released.
The Deep Valley Arts Collective is looking for artist submissions for the “Big Works” art exhibition at the Medium Art Gallery in Ukiah from January 5th through February 25th, 2024. The only requirement, according to an announcement in the Ukiah Daily Journal is that the artwork must be a certain size to qualify. All works will be framed at a minimum of 30” x 30”, with all mediums welcome and a maximum of 3 entries per artist. The deadline for entries is December 17th. Applicants will be notified by December 19th.
Lake County officials are investigating an officer involved shooting last week. A deputy responded to complaints of a man armed with a knife in an assault on Dixon Drive in Lakeport. The Press Democrat reports deputies arrived and found the man who had armed himself with a gun. Authorities tried many times to de-escalate the tense situation. However, shots were fired, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the man was pronounced dead at the scene. The Lake County District Attorney’s Office confirmed, that only one deputy fired their gun. The DA’s office is investigating.
As record breaking travelers hit the roads this holiday CHP is reminding people to drive safely. CHP will be undergoing a maximum enforcement period to reduce the number of crashes and fatalities. Officers will be working to enforce traffic laws throughout the state watching for unsafe driving behaviors like impaired or distracted driving, speeding and reckless driving as well a seat belt use. Last year, 37 people were killed during this holiday weekend according to CHP. Lake County News reports there were also 8,600 tickets given to drivers for speed and seat belt violations. The maximum enforcement period begins at 6pm Wednesday through Sunday the 26th.
A man killed in a head-on crash in Ukiah last week has been identified. Authorities say Christopher Casey of Santa Rosa was driving west of State Route 253 just before 11am last Thursday, when he crossed into the east lane and crashed into a truck near Stipp Lane. The Press Democrat reports both vehicles airbags were deployed but Casey was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene. The Mendocino County Coroner’s Office identified Casey yesterday. The driver of the truck was taken to Adventist Ukiah with moderate injuries. CHP is continuing the investigation.
The People’s Garden, or Jardin del Pueblo in Healdsburg was given a tractor worth nearly $90,000 to help grow crops for the hungry. The anonymous donor dropped off the tractor last week. The garden is worked on by about 40 volunteers who’ve tended the 1 acre plot for the last year, many local farm workers themselves. The focus of the garden is to help fight food insecurity and support job training. They hope to help train people with help from the tractor’s manufacturer. The all electric Monarch KM-V tractor was offered to the Sonoma Land Trust that decided the community garden in Healdsburg was the place it should be. This year’s harvest brought about 8,000 pounds of food that was donated to the community according to a director of Farm to Pantry.
The California Legislature is considering rolling back some environmental guardrails that were supposed to make the legal cannabis industry more sustainable, according to a senior fellow at the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at USC and a former president of the California Fish and Game Commission. Their report published in Maven’ Notebook this week notes that legalized recreational cannabis in the state was supposed to bring illegal growers out of the black market and into a regulated and safe market. But, cannabis prices have fallen significantly. Larger growers are taking over the market with smaller farms caught up in local permitting and regulations. SB 508 loosens environmental safeguards in an attempt to help smaller farmers, but may end up boosting the bigger farms as the smaller cultivators are priced out of the market.
California’s reservoirs are looking good at 124 percent of their average. But, high water levels may not leave enough space for the rains that began to move in last week. CalMatters reports the state’s water managers have dueling responsibilities; controlling floods while preparing for water scarcity. El Nino forecasts aren’t absolutely accurate, as over the last 23 years two out of three of El Nino’s have been dry. The new rain year that just began is actually off to a drier start. The Public Policy Institute of California notes that the state could have saved more water last year if there had been more efficient ways to transfer water from rivers and reservoirs to groundwater recharge sites. The Russian River watershed held onto about 7 to 8,000 acre feet more water in Lake Mendocino last year with an additional 19,000 acre-feet in Lake Sonoma. Governor Newsom is trying to fast track the Sites Reservoir project but it won’t be completed until at least 2030. Local, state and federal agencies are incorporating new weather forecasting tools into water governance as they decide to hold onto the water or release it.
The Mendocino College Foundation is raising funds for next week’s Giving Tuesday for the campus Food Pantry. The Foundation reports in a survey among Mendocino College students, nearly 54 percent say they’ve gone hungry due to low funds. The Foundation supports food pantries at the main campus in Ukiah, as well as in centers in Lakeport, Willits and Fort Bragg. Not only to those who utilize the pantry are fulfilled, but students who spend time working at pantries say they are seeing fellow students and neighbors that are able to continue working and studying thanks to their support. Check out the Mendocino College Foundation’s website for information and more to help in their Giving Tuesday initiative.
The National Park Service is issuing a call out for artists in the search for inspiration within Redwood National State Parks. The department is seeking artists of all mediums to apply for the 2024 Artist-In-Residence program. It’s an opportunity for eligible artists to spend up to four weeks at the Redwood National & State Parks to work in on their chosen art form. Writers, sculptors, photographers, painters, dancers, musicians and more can apply for the program that provides a $5,000 stipend. The submission window for the 2024 spring program is between December 1st through the 15th with the winning announcement on January 15th. The Dates of Residency are April 1st through the 30th. The Fall Program submission is next spring, with a November residency.
As CHP announces a maximum enforcement period starting tomorrow evening, the department along with the California Department of Justice are dealing with people driving under the influence of marijuana. The California Department of Motor Vehicles reports alcohol involved deaths have trended down in recent years, drug involved crash deaths have nearly quadrupled. KCRA reports the DMV annual report does not break down specific drugs. There is a legal limit for driving drunk at .08, but there is no specific measure for cannabis. There is no specific vehicle code for marijuana in the state. Officials are looking to the feds for research on the impact of weed on driving. Mother’s Against Drunk Driving recommend parents talk to their teens about driving high or getting into a car with someone who is.
