A couple of weather systems are expected in the area starting today. Light rainfall is expected in the area with minor snowfall in the mountains. Tomorrow’s system will be stronger, especially in the Sierras. A winter storm warning has been issued by the National Weather Service from 10pm tonight to 10pm tomorrow night with wind gusts up to 50 miles an hour and snow accumulation in higher elevations. More rain is expected tomorrow with cold air. Overnight lows tomorrow will dip to the low 30s and 40s. Later this week a low pressure system may make landfall to the north and possibly affect the Bay Area with heavy rain and possible flooding according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The Lake County Planning Commission will kick off the year with a meeting on Thursday morning at 9am. The commission will elect a chair and vice chair. Lake County News reports they plan to decide on a cannabis project next to the historic Kelsey Creek School. The project would use a major use permit and more for Higher Ground Farms. The operation would have 22,000 square feet for cannabis cultivation in 8 greenhouses on Finley East Road currently owned by a man in Ukiah. It would be adjacent to the Kelseyville Unified School District property of the schoolhouse that’s been there since 1882. The Lucerne Area Revitalization Association is currently using the school site as part of a half century agreement with the school district. The group has filed many objections.
The Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee is holding its first meeting of the year tomorrow, from 7:30 through 9am. Elections will be done for chair, vice chair and secretary. There will be updates from organizations and agencies as the group discuses annual events. An update will be presented on the status of Vista Point shopping center, seaplanes, activities and more for the year, according to the Lake County News. The groups next meeting will be on March 13th.
Mendocino County Health Centers are encouraging local students to pursue a career in medicine. A program they provide, called Avenue M is a collaboration between Mendocino College and UC Davis to make a pathway into medical school. The MCHC is offering to host clinical rotations, and once students are finished with their program are offered potential job opportunities. They have financial support including loan repayment programs. Avenue M is recruiting mission-focused students from diverse and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. They are also interested in veterans with ties to NorCal. Check out the Mendocino County Office of Education for more details on the program.
The Accela Portal with the Mendocino County Cannabis Department is fully functional and up and running. The department has a guide on How To Submit a New Cannabis Cultivation Business License Application. In their latest Canna note the department says all new Phase III applications must be applied for online. More information is on their website.
California may face water issues with a low snowpack measurement. Winter of 2022 to 2023 included many atmospheric rivers that dropped a lot of rain in Lake and Mendocino Counties and snow in the mountains. The Department of Water Resources reported as of Saturday night, about all of the state’s reservoirs are above their average; but the same time last year, levels were far lower. Lake County News reports El Nino may create warm storms and heavier rainfall with less snow. Looking at climate change and the recent years impacts of hot dry conditions extreme fire weather is also of concern and emergency officials are preparing for a wet season with some flooding followed by a hot dry summer.
The Mendocino County Library is hosting an event at the Ukiah branch this Saturday from 10 to 11:30am to teach you how to use the library services. It’s a free event for people of all ages, and you’re encouraged to bring your smartphone, tablet or laptop. The event will teach users how to use ebooks, audiobooks, videos and more. Contact the Mendocino County Cultural Services Agency or visit mendolibrary dot org for more details.
There is an Ukiah Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency Update. The agency is announcing there will be a meeting about groundwater sustainability activities in the Ukiah Basin. The agency is holding a workshop to discuss its role in the Ukiah Valley Basin and the current fee study underway to secure the funds needed to independently fund sustainable groundwater management activities. The workshop will be on Thursday, the 11th from 6 to 730pm at the Behavioral Health Regional Training Center in Redwood Valley. Participation is welcomed to the Introduction to the GSA and Fee study. Residents are and strongly encouraged to participate. Visit Ukiahvalleygroundwater.org for more information.
There are 10 housing development projects being funded in the state, one of them will be in Clearlake. Governor Newsom announced money for 975 affordable homes locally. It’s part of the Excess Land for Affordable Housing Program. Clearlake CIC, LP got $10 million for Clearlake Apartments in a 80 unit project in the city. Lake County News reports the units will be aimed at households with income between 30-60 percent the area average. Another 20 units will be reserved for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The units will be on a 15 acre parcel on 18th avenue and will include a community building, playground and more. It was part of a land swap between the county and state, that Clearlake will get the former National Guard Armory next to the jail in Lakeport. Other funding will help complete the project including grants and investments.
The Mendocino National Forest is recruiting for an on-call program starting today. In a release, the Forest Service is announcing their hiring for the 2024 wildland fire on-call program. The program sponsors and dispatches 9 on call/organized crew Wildland Fire Type-II Hand crews. It’s a training opportunity in basic fire courses and once complete in about 10 days, you can be certified as a Firefighter Type II. You can register online or visit one of the in-person hiring days like today in Willows from 10am -3pm. The deadline to register is February 1st, and more information is available at the Mendocino National Forest website.
The Mendocino Transit Authority with other agencies is holding their first in person community workshop today from 4:30 to 6pm at the Fort Bragg Town Hall on the Short Range Transit Development Plan. The Ukiah Daily Journal reports members of the public are invited to bring input and feedback on transit plans in the county. The project team will gather details on the current transit situation and where they need to focus on in the future. The aim of the workshops is to help guide rider improvements over the next five years.
Governor Newsom may present his proposed budget this week as California faces an estimated $68 billion deficit. Newsom’s deadline for his proposal is tomorrow for the 2024-2025 budget. Months of budget negotiations are expected as legislators and agencies prepare for spending cuts. NBC reports some lawmakers are considering dipping into the education reserve of over $8 billion that has not yet been allocated. Around $26 billion of the deficit is coming from the 2022-2023 budget with the Legislative Analyst’s Office calling an unprecedented revenue shortfall, due to tax filing extensions from the emergency declarations from last year’s storms.
The California Department of Transportation is looking to tech companies to develop AI tools to reduce traffic and make roads safer. The LA Times reports the deadline for companies to submit ideas is January 25th. The department is searching for faster, more efficient traffic analysis. CalTrans wants to achieve the goal of zero fatalities or serious injuries on the roads by 2050. Governor Newsom signed an executive order last year about generative AI for uses in the public sector. Legislators in the state are considering the pros and cons of the technology and the risks and concerns about privacy and more.
