Another unusually hot October day today with a National Weather Service heat advisory in effect until 8pm tonight. Today’s high temps will again range from 97 to 110 expected for Lake County and the Mendocino Interior. Drink plenty of fluids, stay out of the sun, and if you have to work outside wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing and try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Tomorrow brings a little cooling, but not a lot, with temperatures expected to stay in the high 90’s through Sunday.
Once the temperatures come down, the Ukiah Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management will start doing some prescribed burns in the Point Arena – Stornetta Unit of the California Coastal National Monument. BLM says the pile-burn operations will continue periodically through the fall, winter and spring. BLM has been doing these burns along with some hazardous tree felling since 2021. They say it not only keeps down the wildfire potential but it also restores the coastal prairie.
Governor Gavin Newsom has proclaimed a state of emergency for Clearlake due to the Boyles Fire. The 81-acre fire in the beginning of September is estimated to have cost the city around $14 million with 35 homes destroyed and more damaged and 4,000 people who had to evacuate. City Manager Alan Flora tells Lake County News the emergency proclamation is a huge help to the City with the estimated damage is nearly twice what it’s in the $8 million general fund and it allows state agencies to enter into contracts for goods and services to more more quickly in recovery such as fixing damaged roads and cleaning smoke damage from schools. Meanwhile Flora says the hazardous waste cleanup is done, and next CalRecycle will have contractors clear out the burned vehicles and other debris. Flora says that may not start for a few weeks and while he knows homeowners are anxious to get in and do that themselves, it’s better if the state does so then can test the soil and clean any contamination as they go.
There are some new faces among the ranks of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office and Ukiah Police Department. This week Sheriff Matt Kendall introduced the newest Community Services Officer Sarah Davis and two lateral Deputy Sheriffs, Brittany Shores and Christopher McNally who he says bring nearly three decades of peace officer experience with them to Mendocino County. Last week Ukiah Police Chief Cedric Crook introduced officer Michael Jensen who came over from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office where he has been a deputy in Point Arena. The Chief tells the Willits News UPD now has 29 of their 32 officer positions filled.
Gas prices are the focus of an extraordinary session of the California State Senate. Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire announced Tuesday that the California Senate will convene next week to discuss possible legislation regarding California’s fuel supply. Lake County News reports the extraordinary session will be called to order Monday, October 7 and will start with a hearing of the new Senate Special Committee on Fuel Supply and Price Spikes. Then the Appropriations Committee will meet Tuesday morning and a Senate floor session is scheduled for Friday, October 11
A new state law will keep your medical debt from showing up on your credit report. On Tuesday Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law a bill that was backed by a Santa Barbara state senator and Attorney General Rob Bonta which blocks healthcare providers and their contracted collection agencies from sharing medical debt with credit reporting agencies. The Record Bee reports several states have enacted similar bans in the past two years. However, California’s version, which goes into effect in January, does not cover those who use medical credit cards or medical specialty loans which are sometimes used to pay off hospital stays. Those will still be reportable.
The Lake County Genealogical Society is hosting a tour of the Lower Lake Cemetery this Saturday. The walk though the historic cemetery starts at 10:30 a.m. Saturday October 5 from the parking lot which is off of Cemetery Circle Road, just north of Lower Lake Elementary School. There is no charge for the tour. Lake County News reports in the past these tours have included grave dowsing to try and look for unmarked graves. You can learn more on the Lake County Genealogical Society’s website: lcgs-ca.org.
