Yesterday we celebrated Earth Day. In California, the Environmental Protection Agency marked the occasion by announcing California’s “Infrastructure Economic Development Bank” otherwise known as “iBank” has been awarded over 254-million dollars in federal “Solar For All” grants. The money will allow the bank to develop long-lasting solar programs for low-income and disadvantaged communities who are often left out of residential solar programs. California’s iBank is among 49 state-level awards the EPA announced Monday, as they handed out about five-point-five-billion dollars in total.
Cal Fire is reminding anyone planning a camping trip to get your burn permit before making a campfire. You could risk violating regulations which may leave you facing a fine or even criminal charges. Illegal campfires can lead to devastating wildfires, endangering lives and property. Permits are also required if you want to burn debris, so that people know how to do it safely. To apply for a campfire or debris burning permit, visit ReadyForWildfire.gov/permits.
California has unveiled over 80 targets for nature-based solutions to fight climate change and reach carbon neutrality by 2045. The state has invested around nine-point-six-billion-dollars since 2020 in nature-based solutions to combat the effects of climate change. The targets by 2045 include over 33 million acres managed to reduce wildfire risk. The state will manage nearly 12 million acres of forest for biodiversity protection, carbon storage, and water supply protection. Just over four million trees will be planted to protect California communities from the climate crisis, remove carbon, and increase access to nature. Other targets include croplands, grasslands, deserts, and beaches. Governor Gavin Newsom says the state is “setting aggressive and ambitious new targets to use California’s lands to fight the climate crisis.”
With temperatures on the rise, experts are reminding homeowners to prepare their trees. Matt Morgan with Davey Tree in Sacramento says check your trees for any winter damage or disease. Now is also a good time to prune. He says as summer approaches watering is crucial. Getting proper water into the soil will help the trees combat stress brought on by the heat. Morgan says you should remove fallen leaves, branches, and waste around your trees to set the stage for healthy growth. A slow-release fertilizer will help trees fight against pests and diseases. To reduce weeds, conserve soil moisture, and minimize soil erosion, add two to four inches of mulch around the base of your trees.
An armed robbery in Leggett targeted a toll booth. It happened around 5:30pm on Saturday at the Chandelier Drive Thru Tree. A man armed with a gun approached the toll booth attendant, an 18 year old girl and demanded money. He got away with an undetermined amount of cash, while the other toll booth attendants locked themselves in the booths and the nearby giftshop until police arrived. The suspect can be seen in surveillance videos, and pictures of him have been posted at Mendo Fever dot com. Anyone who may have information leading to an arrest is asked to call the Mendocino Sheriff’s Dispatch Center.
The Mendocino Board of Supervisors meets at 9am today in the board chambers on Low Gap Road in Ukiah. The meeting is open to the public, and also available on Zoom. Agenda items include a discussion about whether to authorize submission of an application to the DWR for the Statewide Flood Emergency Response Grant Program. The funding would be used for the Mendocino County 2024 Flood Emergency Response Initiative. The General Government Committee meets tomorrow at 9am. Find the full agenda for both meetings along with the Zoom links at MendocinoCounty.gov
There’s a new effort to change security screening at California airports. Lawmakers will take up a bill tomorrow that requires third-party vendors use their own lane. This would stop services like Clear Secure from letting paid subscribers cut in front of other passengers. Six airlines are against the measure. Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue and Hawaiian all claim the move would “severely restrict” airports from managing checkpoint lines. They fear if Clear stops operating, the revenue loss could increase airfare tickets.
