Proposed California bills are facing a deadline today to pass out of the Senate or Assembly. Lawmakers started the week with over 900 bills and many have met the deadline and are one step closer to the governor’s desk. That includes a bill that makes porn websites verify users’ ages. A measure that prevents schools from conducting hyper-realistic shooting drills is also moving on. Lawmakers have also approved a bill that prevents local governments from enacting voter ID requirements and a bill that lets striking workers claim unemployment insurance benefits.
Hotter and drier weather coupled with gusty winds are the perfect combination for wildfires. According to the National Weather Service in Sacramento, it’s important to keep vehicles off dry grass, maintain vehicle breaks and tires, and secure tow chains to avoid dragging, which can cause sparks. Never leave fires unattended and obey burn bans. Grills and smokers should be used on gravel or pavement. Never toss cigarettes on the ground. Water your lawn and keep the grass cut short. And, most importantly, evacuate if ordered by local officials.
Governor Newsom has signed a new law that lets Arizona doctors perform abortions for their patients in California. Licensed Arizona doctors who have performed an abortion in the last two years can apply for a temporary California license. If they qualify, they’ll be able to provide abortions and abortion-related care through November 30th. The law lets providers work in California while the repeal of Arizona’s 1864 near-total abortion ban takes effect. On Thursday, Newsom’s office said the California bill will go into effect immediately.
The California Department of Forestry and CAL Fire Mendocino Unit will be conducting a vegetation prescribed burn on Jackson Demonstration State Forest next week. Burning will start Monday and last through Friday from 10am to 3pm daily. The burn will be held under strictly controlled weather and fuel conditions. You’ll see smoke and aircraft in the area along State Highway 20 between Willits and Fort Bragg.
Adventist Health Ukiah Valley will hold a community baby shower for expectant families next week. The shower will be held on Wednesday, May 29th from 5-7pm at the hospital’s Family Birth Center in Ukiah. The event will include tours of the Family Birth Center and meet and greets with the labor and delivery team, according to a news release. You’ll also have the opportunity to have your car seat checked for proper installation. The event is open to families who are expecting and families with children 6 months old and younger. The Community Baby Shower will also include a Diaper Drive and Giveaway. Anyone wanting to donate diapers can drop off donations at the Administration office at the hospital.
The Fort Bragg City Council will meet on Tuesday at 6pm at the Town Hall on Franklin Street. Agenda items include a discussion of the Pavilion Design as part of the Bainbridge Park Enhancement Project and a discussion of the City Hall Roof Replacement Project. The next city council meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 10th at 6pm. See the full agenda and get the Zoom link at City.FortBragg.com
This is the last weekend to hit the slopes in California. Two ski resorts are staying open through Memorial Day thanks to winter storms extending the season. Most resorts in the Lake Tahoe area closed in April but Palisades Tahoe has been running lifts thanks to more than 400 inches of snowfall. Mammoth Mountain Ski Area got 367 inches. If you’re headed for the slopes, prepare for traffic as travel is expected to hit record levels this weekend. It’s good news for an Oakland woman who’d been missing in Mendocino County for days. Elizabeth Schenk was found alive around 4pm yesterday in a wooded area north of Fort Bragg. Schenk went missing around 9am on Tuesday when she went for a walk and got lost. She survived the wilderness and came out with only a few scratches, bumps, and bruises. Schenk was taken to Adventist Health Mendocino Coast Hospital for evaluation, according to a press release. Search efforts united members of Schenk’s family with over 70 volunteers from several counties, drones, and 7 certified tracking dogs.
