The Sonoma County Water Agency is confirming a wastewater spill in the Russian River between Guerneville and Monte Rio. Officials say it happened during a power outage triggered by a winter storm last weekend. The exact volume of wastewater that spilled is unclear, but it is estimated to be less than 277-thousand-gallons. The wastewater had been treated to a secondary level at the Russian River County Sanitation District Treatment Plant. Sonoma Water says environmental specialists conducted tests and found no impact to wildlife.
California is getting its first A-I associates degree. The A.S. degree in artificial intelligence is launching this fall at MiraCosta College in Oceanside and it’s the first of its kind in the state. Companies are actively recruiting A-I-professionals and colleges are responding with AI curriculum. Professors say students will learn how to get the most out of AI platforms, like ChatGPT and students are saying they’re eager to learn. These careers are projected to pay $100 thousand to $200 thousand a year.
Congressman Mike Thompson announced he was able to secure another 4.1 million dollars in government funding for the future youth Sports Complex in Burns Valley. The money will be added to the 2 million dollars already raised for the project. With the new funding, the congressman said the project is closer to reality. The youth Sports Complex will be home to baseball, softball, and soccer fields. The original estimate on the project was 8 to 9 million dollars, but rising costs led to an increased estimate of another 9 million.
It’s another week away, but the 38th Annual Mendocino County Science and Engineering Fair and STEAM Expo is coming up. It’s scheduled for next Saturday, March 16th at Mendocino College from 10am to 4pm. According to a news release, The free Expo offers booths with hands on activities, music performance, and demonstrations from organizations all around California. Click here for more info.
Next weekend you can find the luck of the Irish if you head out on the Kelseyville Rotary’s 2024 Joker’s Wild Poker Run. It’s being held on Saturday the 16th from 2 to 6pm in Kelseyville. The poker run is hosted by Lake County Tribal Health and includes 6 stops. The run starts at Chacewater Winery and Olive Mill. The best hand at the end of the poker run is eligible for prizes from several local sponsors. When you get to the last stop you can enjoy a corned beef dinner and a raffle. The Joker’s Wild Poker Run benefits the Kelseyville Rotary Clubs community projects and downtown Kelseyville merchants. Kelseyville Rotary dot Org has all the details.
The state is facing fines of more than 40 million dollars after it failed to improve prevention measures for suicide in California prisons. The Record-Bee reports there are 15 suicide prevention protocols that a judge said needed to be implemented last year in order to avoid the fines. As of March 1st, California is still lagging on 14 out of 15 safeguards. California prisons have always had issues with suicides and the lack of prison mental healthcare, according to officials. A spokesman for the California DOC is reviewing the report and says he’ll have a formal response by April 2nd. Thirty inmates died by suicide in California prisons last year.
