The National Weather Service is warning of high surf today creating dangerous coastal conditions. MendoVoice reports California State Parks are closing Laguna Point, Russian Gulch Beach, Van Damme Beach and Navarro River Beach. Widespread moderate to heavy rain is expected with high winds. Authorities are warning people that high winds could down tree limbs and power lines with the highest impacts on high ridges and coastal headlands. The National Weather Service issued a couple of warnings for the Mendocino Coast and parts of inland Mendocino County, including Leggett, Willits, Laytonville and Potter Valley. A wind advisory is in place through this afternoon. Gusts of up to 50 miles an hour could be potentially dangerous. A high surf warning is in place through tomorrow evening with surf run-up of up to 32 feet.
The state Attorney General Rob Bonta is joining other states supporting the government’s right to communicate with social media companies in issues of public concern. Lake County News reports the brief signed by 23 other Attorneys General was filed with the US Supreme Court yesterday in Missouri v. Biden, looking to reverse the Fifth Circuit’s decision to prohibit petitioners from talking with social media platforms about content. Bonta and others say if upheld government agencies would be prevented from working with the private sector to protect the public.
California banned flavored electronic cigarettes, or vape pens and cartridges about a year ago. A new study published in the Journal of American Medicine shows people, and even minors are still able to buy the banned substances online. Senate Bill 793 prohibited the sale of most flavored tobacco products, motivated to reduce consumption among young people. Lake County News reports tobacco industry data has been studied for the last several years as vapes began to trend upwards. Vaping is a public health concern with cancer causing chemicals and heavy metals like nickel, tin and lead sometimes. People become addicted to nicotine. The findings warrant urgent action by state agencies to enforce the ban on flavored tobacco products and more.
There are new laws about to take effect in California with the new year. Many laws will affect criminal procedures, healthcare, housing, schools and more. Governor Newsom signed over 1,000 bills set to become law on the first of January, and previous years bills are due to take effect in 2024. From affordable housing, to leave for workers experiencing reproductive loss there is a vast array of new laws. Police officers will have to say why they stop a driver, there will be more traffic speed cameras. City Council members will see an increase in pay, as will fast food workers and healthcare workers. There are new emissions rules for small gas engines and requirements for big oil companies to cap wells. In schools, a couple of bills would ad Asian American History, media literacy and more to the curriculum.
This year’s Potter Valley variance is terminated after Lake Pillsbury’s storage level exceeded the 36,000 acre-feet threshold on December 19th. In the latest Russian River Forum Update MendoFever reports funding for the group is running out. Working groups will no longer meet. A couple more Planning Group meeting are scheduled to go over PG&E’s revised draft next spring. The forum was successful in bringing many different groups together and plans to keep the website up and running. The Eel-Russian Project Authority will be run with a five member board including Sonoma County, Sonoma Water, the Round Valley Indian Tribes and the Mendocino County Inland Water Protection District, and will be open to the public. Groups are still considering the implications of the removal of the Scott Dam and Lake Pillsbury with several options moving forward. Securing financing and water allocation are some of the major issues to be solved.
CHP is preparing for another maximum enforcement period through the New Year’s weekend, starting Friday and continuing through Monday. The department will be watching for impaired drivers, speeders, distracted drivers and more. During the Christmas holiday maximum enforcement period, 20 lives were lost in car accidents. CHP officers made over 900 arrests for DUI, an average of one every five minutes, according to the Lake County News. Last year during the New Year’s Eve period, officers arrested 570 impaired drivers across the state. Authorities are urging people to have a designated driver, use ride share services and avoid distractions while driving as well as seatbelt use.
Authorities are investigating an accident on Route 20. CalTrans shut down part of Route 20 last night around 9pm. MendoFever reports it happened near mile marker 6, west of Upper Lake by Witter Springs Road in Lake County. Scanner reports indicate two vehicles collided with emergency responders attending to people with major injuries. There is early reporting there may be a couple of fatalities. Through early this morning while Route 20 was shut down a detour on Witter Springs Road and Bachelor Valley Road was in place. More details are yet to be released.
The California Department of Justice is investigating a shooting that happened aboard an Amtrak train in Mount Shasta on Christmas morning. KymKemp reports there were at least two victims and a Mount Shasta Police officer was also injured. A southbound train in Siskiyou County was the site of a fight between a passenger, a train employee and a police officer. A passenger was fatally shot, another shot and wounded. What appeared to be a homeless person carrying a garbage bag was acting erratic and chaos escalated as police and an Amtrak employee tried to contain the situation. Emergency responders tried to save someone who was shot, but one man was pronounced dead. Passengers evacuated, and an Amtrak employee was taken to a local hospital. The state DOJ continues to investigate and will release more details on the incident soon.
While there are hundreds of new laws set to take effect on New Year’s Day, some new reforms could put cash in your hands. In 2024, residents can redeem empty bottles of wine and liquor for money. The state is adding boxed wines and pouches to bottles and cans in the Beverage Container Recycling Program. The aim of the recycling reforms is to cut pollution and recycle more containers into new materials. Lake County News reports residents pay a 5, 10 or 25 cent deposit on beverages and the California Redemption Value, or CRV, means you can return the beverage containers and get that deposit back. Stores are updating labels and facilities to collect returnables and manufacturers and distributors are registering and submitting CRV payments. The state’s Bottle Bill reforms will include large juice containers too.
COVID is rearing its head again this winter. A new subvariant dubbed JN.1 is estimated to account for almost half of the virus cases across the country. The Press Democrat reports there is an increase in people getting ill with COVID after holiday travel. Counties are finding more of the virus in wastewater monitoring. The CDC says JN1’s continued growth suggests the variant is either more transmissible or better at evading our immune systems than other seasonal viruses. Current vaccines, tests, and medicines are continuing to work against the new subvariant, and health officials are urging people to get vaccinated. California counted nearly 3,000 new COVID hospital admissions, up 50 percent from last month.
A new state law will force insurance companies to negotiate payments with patients and their families in the New Year. The move is expected to save Californian’s tens of millions of dollars. On January 1st patients will only have to pay the equivalent of what they would pay for an in network ambulance service. It’ll be up to health insurers and ambulance companies to settle the bill. Cal Matters reports the California Association of Health Plans, representing health care insurance companies; oppose the bill due to the potential increase in premiums by about $67 million across the state. Healthcare advocates say the law closes a gap in the state’s consumer protections against surprise medical bills.
The National Weather Service is reporting strong storm surf off the Northern California coast through tomorrow. There is a wind advisory is in effect through Thursday. Travelers in the area are advised to prepare for hazardous conditions. Northern Mendocino County coastal areas may experience high winds through tomorrow. Weather Underground is warning of high surf with dangerously large waves. Life threatening surfing conditions and significant beach erosion are expected. A Gale Warning is in effect with gusts up to 30 knots and seas 13 to 15 feet from Cape Mendocino to Point Arena out to 10 nautical miles.
