A few road projects around Mendocino County could impact your travels this week. Starting today, crews will be doing tree work on Route 1 at the Elk Creek Bridge. You can expect lane closures and delays until around 6 this evening. Also starting today, work begins on Route 162 in Covelo from Wattenburg Road to the Cal Fire Covelo Fire Station. You’ll see alternating lane closures all day. They’ll pick that work zone up around 6pm. On Wednesday, electrical work will begin on US 101 from Elfin Glen to Arnett Drive. You’ll see delays and lane closures in that area from 8am to 5pm.
Lawmakers are working to establish entertainment zones in California. There’s a bill moving through the state legislature right now that if passed will allow bars and restaurants to serve alcohol outdoors. It expands on a current law that already lets businesses sell alcohol at festivals. Senator Scott Wiener supports the bill, saying the hope is to bring foot traffic back to pre-pandemic levels. Lawmakers said getting Californians back out in the streets is the key to economic recovery.
Workers on all 23 campuses of California State University are trying to decide if they want to form a union. Last Thursday voting started for over 20 thousand workers, and if approved the union would join existing faculty, dining hall, and adjunct professor unions. Organizers are hopeful, saying it would make it possible to bargain for better pay, hours, and benefits. The results of the vote will be announced February 23rd.
The MCAVHN Care and Prevention Network will hold their 36th annual Event of the Heart this weekend. On Saturday, February 3rd, Mendocino’s oldest non-profit will celebrate at the Ukiah Valley Conference Center. The event is always right around Valentine’s Day and is one of the organization’s biggest fundraisers. The event features an elegant buffet style dinner with live entertainment. There will be door prizes, live, and silent auctions with a champagne reception starting at 5:30. Read more about the event and get tickets online at MCAVHN.org.
The Willits Environmental Center will be hosting a public forum today with the candidates for the 2nd Assembly District. From 6:30 to 8pm all seven candidates running for seats in the district have been invited and will be spending time taking questions and speaking with residents about the issues. You can meet your next state Assembly member at the Little Lake Grange at 291 School Street in Willits.
We’re expecting more heavy rain and possible flooding this week. The National Weather Services issued a Hydrologic Outlook for Mendocino and Lake Counties and said we could see 3 to 5 inches of rain, most likely on Wednesday. Flooding could happen Wednesday into Thursday. The NWS said residents need to stay vigilant and be ready to take precautions.
The California Department on Aging is funding a survey better understand the needs of older adults in the LGBTQ+ community. Mendocino County residents who are 50 and older, and part of the LGBTQ+ community can help shape policies and programs and help get funding for non-profits that serve LGBTQ+ adults. The survey is anonymous and available in several languages and can be taken at Aging.CA.gov. The survey will be open until the end of March.
Lake County residents were shaken up on Friday when a 4.2 magnitude earthquake rattled through just before 1:30pm. The USGS reported that the event happened about 3 miles from Cobb and was felt all over the region. Luckily, no injuries or damage have been reported.
The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens is looking for nature lovers to volunteer. If you can spare a few hours, they have several ways you can assist at the Garden. Botanical Garden volunteers help with plant collections, special events, and fundraising activities, plus much more. Spring Docent Training also begins in February. As a docent, you can help create experiences for visitors to the garden, lead guided tours, and more. Get all the details on both the Docent and Volunteer programs at GardenByTheSea.org
If you’ve been wanting to learn more about how to become self-reliant in the modern age, you’re in luck. The Ukiah Daily Journal reports the Ukiah Branch Library will hold a class called Urban Homesteading 101: Paths to Sustainability and Self Reliance. It’s 6 hands on workshops to be held every other month. Learn from local homesteaders on the first Saturday of every other month starting with this Saturday, February 3rd. The free workshops are open to anyone ages 12 and up from 3-5:30pm. Library officials say the goal of the workshops is to remove financial and educational barriers and help those who want to grow their own food. Visit MendoLibrary.org for the details.
Governor Newsom is highlighting California’s Earned Income Tax Credit. He has declared this “CAL-EITC” Awareness Week, calling it one of the most effective tools to help lift working families and their children out of poverty. The announcement came today, on the same day you can start filing your 2023 taxes. California is one of 12 where the IRS says it will directly file federal returns for free without any income restrictions, starting in the middle of March.
The Grindstone wet weather trail has re-opened. Officials from the Forest Service said in a release that they lifted the trail closure on Saturday morning. Stonyford Trails are also open once again. The Upper Lake Ranger District said their OHV trails are still closed. You can check for the latest forest alerts and trail closures on the Mendocino National Forest website.
