The Clearlake City Council is meeting today at 6pm and will consider an agreement with the Elem Indian Colony for its plans for a travel center and go over possibilities regarding increased costs of the Burns Valley Sports Complex Project with delays stemming from the Koi Nation’s suit against the city. Lake County News reports they will appoint the 2024 mayor and vice mayor. The council is set to consider a public utility easement, and authorize a contract for automated license plate reader cameras. Also on their agenda is resolution of an application for the Outdoor Equity Program Grant. In closed session, they’ll go over a lawsuit and liability claim against the city, as well as the Koi Nation lawsuit.
The Silver Alert issued recently for a missing woman out of Sonoma County has been cancelled, as police found the missing woman, Michele Paul. deceased. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Department was alerted to a suspicious vehicle on Mountain iew Road in Boonville on Monday. There they found her car down a dirt road on in a rural area. There they confirmed it belonged to the missing woman and deployed the Mendocino County Search and Rescue Team to find her in the heavily wooded terrain. There deputies found Paul’s body. There were no obvious signs of foul play in their investigation into her death. The county coroner is now investigating how and when she passed.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is releasing its Critical Incident Debrief video and audio of a fatal officer involved shooting in Lakeport last month. MendoFever reports it includes footage from a couple of deputies body cameras, a cell phone of the suspect armed with a gun and the audio of the 911 dispatch. It happened on November 16th when Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of an assault involving a knife on Dixon Drive. There they found a suspect barricaded with several vehicles. The officers responded when the man pulled a gun from his waistband. Seconds later the suspect appeared with a gun when a deputy took a shot. They repeatedly called for him to drop his weapon, then followed him to the backyard where a second shot from authorities hit the suspect, he then fell into the pool. Soon thereafter he was pronounced dead. He was seen with an automatic handgun.
The Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission and the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voted to take steps in the dismantling of the Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project and approve a Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement in forming the Eel Russian Project Authority. The board voted unanimously at a meeting on November 30th to approve the joint authority, according to the Ukiah Daily Journal. The formation was at the request of PG&E to have the legal authority to negotiate with as the decommissioning process proceeds including the Scott and Cape Horn Dams on the Eel River. In the utility’s draft plan PG&E notes the joint authority will be responsible for modifications at the dam sites and the Van Arsdale Diversion to develop the New Eel Russian Facility. The aim is to allow water diversions through the Potter Valley Project’s tunnel between the two rivers and allow for upstream and downstream fish migration. PG&E says they’ll release a final draft surrender application next June with a final application expected in January of 2025.
Cal Fire and the Jackson Demonstration State Forest are inviting the public to be involved in management of the forest through the Jackson Advisory Group. There are looking for two applicants. The group is requesting a small private forestland owner and an industrial forestland owner. Interested candidates should apply via a letter of interest and resume by January 12th. Candidates should mail their information to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection office in Fort Bragg.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a probation violation. Last Sunday around 7:30pm, deputies were called to a situation off of Highway 175 in Hopland. There they found Antonio Lopez at his home. He was on formal probation. Deputies spotted methamphetamine and arrested Lopez, for felony probation violation and misdemeanor possession. He was booked into county jail and is being held on a no bail status.
There are now five counties in California reporting outbreaks of the highly contagious avian flu in commercial poultry flocks. The announcement was made yesterday by Federal and state food and agriculture officials affecting almost half a million birds. Last week, it was announced that outbreaks were in San Benito and Sonoma Counties with over a quarter million hens and ducks having to be euthanized. Fresno and Meced Counties also reported outbreaks of the airborne virus. This week, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors declared a local emergency to coordinate with other impacted counties to speed up aid to the operators and employees affected. The Press Democrat reports since the m idle of last year, there have been nearly 70 million birds throughout 47 states affected with the avian flu.
In more optimistic agricultural news, there are two newly approved American Viticultural Areas in Lake County. Lake County News reports winegrape advocates are welcoming the Long Valley and Upper Lake Valley AVAs as the industry raises the bar of quality in California’s wine production. The area is known for high elevation, volcanic soil and high quality winegrapes creating wines that are distinct and complex. The region is known for high end sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, syrah and more. The two new AVAs are fostering local viticultural innovation with the president of the Lake County Winegrape Commission saying the new viticultural areas further demonstrate the potential of the county.
Stellantis is accusing the California Air Resources Board of retaliation. The motor company filed a petition yesterday claiming the Board is retaliating against it through an “underground regulatory scheme” that put it at a competitive disadvantage. Stellantis says they are facing enforcement of more stringent greenhouse gas emissions standards than competitors like Ford. They claim board violated state law by failing to give public notice about the framework agreements and by not requiring public comment. Stellantis says its political speech freedom protected by the First Amendment was violated by the exclusionary framework agreements. It now faces enforcement of California’s greenhouse gas standards, while the automakers with framework agreements don’t, according to the Detroit News.
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives, California’s Mike McCarthy is announcing he’s resigning by the end of the year. McCarthy says he will vacate his seat and not seek reelection, leaving speculation as to who will represent California’s agricultural constituents. In his resignation posted in the Wall Street Journal yesterday he says he will continue to recruit the country’s best and brightest to run for elected office and will continue to serve America. It will now be up to Governor Newsom to decide on whether to call a special election to fill the remainder of McCarthy’s term. Cal Matters reports a special election would need to be called with two weeks of a vacancy. According to the Secretary of State, the filing deadline for candidates is December 13th for next years March primary and the November general election.
The Senate Protem’s Office is announcing that Senate ProTem Designee Mike McGuire will formally be formally elected to the position on February 5th on the Senate floor. Additional details on the state senator’s leadership will be released next week. Lake County’s Assembly representative Cecilia Aguiar-Curry was appointed Assembly Majority leader last month, according to Lake County News.
Temperatures have increased across the state according to Climate Central’s 2023 Winter Package. The 1 to 3 degree increase may mean the state’s fruit and nut crops could be negatively affected according to the Sac Bee. Data from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s Regional Climate Centers predicts warmer temperatures could make winter storms more hazardous with sleet and freezing rain. The National Weather Service says wet conditions are a possibility with the strong El Nino moves through the state. Forecasters say there is a 75 to 85 percent chance the system will be strong this year.
