CALFire has mandated burn permits in Mendocino County. Starting today, all hazard reduction burning will require a permit. You can get them online at BurnPermit.Fire.CA.gov. You’ll have to watch a short educational video before you can submit your application. Permits will be valid for one year and will require you to renew them on your permit anniversary. All burn permits will be issued free of charge. CALFire reminds you to keep a 10 foot minimum clearance down to bare soil around all burn piles and have a shovel nearby along with a water source. Anyone under the age of 18 should also have an adult present while burning. Anyone who fails to follow CALFire guidelines can be cited or fined. Read up on safety info at ReadyforWildfire.org
Sacramento State University will allow an on-campus pro-Palestinian protest encampment to continue as long as it remains peaceful. The university initially said it would allow the encampment to remain in place until today at midnight. On Tuesday night, Sacramento State officials announced they would allow the encampment to stay in place. But, it must stay peaceful and follow the University’s time, place and manner policy on speech and speech-related activities. The protesters, led by the group Students for Justice in Palestine, say they plan to stay until their demands are met. That includes the California State University Board of Trustees divesting from Israel.
The California Assembly’s top law enforcement officer is reportedly still on paid leave. An investigation into the conduct of Chief Sergeant-at-Arms Alisa Buckley is reportedly also underway. Buckley has not been in the Assembly Chamber since she was sent home following a floor session in early April. Citing privacy reasons, the Assembly Rules Committee has not given any more details. The committee has also not officially confirmed whether Buckley is on paid leave.
Today marks the fifth day of a pro-Palestinian protest on the campus of Sonoma State University. On Tuesday, as many as 20 professors joined students who are demonstrating against the Israel-Hamas war. Some students have been camping out since last Friday. The protesters, organized by SSU Students for Justice in Palestine, are demanding the university call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and recognize Palestinian identity in academics. They also want the university to divest from all entities that profit from and support the occupation of Palestine and agree to an academic boycott that would shut down study-abroad programs linked with Israel.
California is voting on adding 24 dollars a month to utility bills in the state. The California Public Utilities Commission will meet May 9th to confirm a plan to add 24 dollars and 15 cents a month to most residential electric bills in the state. It would mark the first increase in rates under a new state law, AB 205, which passed during the budget process in 2022 and could add additional fees in the future. Two attempts to repeal the new law this year were voted down in the state legislature. If approved, the new fees would start in the fall of next year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning about organic walnuts that were sold in bulk at a variety of stores. About a dozen people from Washington and California have been infected with E. coli. Seven people have been hospitalized. The walnuts were sold in 19 states including Washington, Oregon, and California. They were sold in a large number of co-ops and natural food stores and came from Gibson Farms. If you bought walnuts in bulk, you may want to check with the store to see if they’re part of the warning.
A week of occupation by Pro-Palestinian protesters at Cal Poly Humboldt University is over. Monday night, police in riot gear told more than 100 activists to leave. They were occupying campus buildings, which led to classes being canceled. Tuesday morning, 35 people were arrested, and an encampment was cleared. The protesters, like those on a growing list of universities across California and the country, are calling for the school to divest from Israel and call for an end to the war in Gaza.
You may have noticed helicopters in the night sky in Mendocino County. The CALFire Mendocino Unit is doing night training this week. Copter 601 out of Howard Forest Helitack Base is conducting night vision training over Mendocino County as a way to build their skill set and prepare to work after sundown if they have to fight a wildfire. The helicopter can be seen in the sky between 6 and 10 pm on select training days. Training consists of take offs and landings, static and hover water filling and dropping, and air rescues.
Say goodbye to restaurant surcharges. They’ll soon be illegal in California. The attorney general’s office confirms a new state law that bans hidden junk fees will apply to the food industry. Starting July 1st, all service fees must be included in menu prices, so customers know exactly what they’re paying up front. Some restaurants fear this could drive people away and force them to cut worker wages. The ban also applies to concert tickets and hotel rooms. A list of frequently asked questions on the law will be released today.
