Unemployment rates in the North Bay dropped in February, according to state figures released Friday and were lowest in Marin County, at 3.9%, while Sonoma and Napa counties both reported rates of 4.3%. Solano County’s jobless rate last month was 5.2%. The Press Democrat says Mendocino County’s rate was 6.2%, and Lake County’s rate was 7.7%, according to numbers put out by the Employment Development Department.
With opioid overdoses rising nationwide, Ukiah High says thanks to a safety grant, the school now has Narcan on hand. According to Ukiah High Assistant Principal Jonica Vice, the school has the spray version of Narcan on campus, which is easy to administer and widely used in overdose situations. It’s a life-saving drug that is able to reverse opioid overdoses. You should know that there’s been a steep rise in teen opioid overdoses nationwide and locally. The Ukiah Daily Journal says two teens in Santa Rosa died from a fentanyl-laced overdose, and the two weren’t even aware the drug they were using was laced with fentanyl. Later that same day, two other teens ended up in the hospital from another fentanyl overdose. While training is not required, it is strongly encouraged, especially for coaches and teachers who interact with students daily.
It’s that time of year and trained community members are heading to local creeks to observe the Clear Lake Hitch and to collect data as part of a community science program. This year, 31 residents have volunteered to be part of the Community Science Hitch Spawner Observation Survey. The group is organized by the Lake County Watershed Protection District. Lake County News says it’s in partnership with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Each volunteer has preselected a site and is committed to monitoring it every week on a specific day for 10 consecutive weeks. There are a total of 33 public sites and two private property-sponsored sites, which cover a wide range of local tributaries. Coordinator Chris Childers with Lake County Water Resources says this is the first year of the program and that it will continue on an annual basis.
Just two months after the Department of the Interior gave its approval for the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians’ casino project in Vallejo, the agency has sent a letter to all interested parties they’re reconsidering. It went out this past week to the tribes that filed lawsuits aimed at overturning their approval of the project. It stated, in part, “while the Trust Determination still stands and the Vallejo Site remains in trust, the Department is temporarily rescinding the Gaming Eligibility Determination for reconsideration.” Yocha Dehe Chairman Anthony Roberts says he’s pleased that the Department of Interior is temporarily rescinding the Gaming Eligibility Determination for reconsideration, adding, it’s about more than just a single project. It’s about ensuring all tribal voices are heard.
Thanks to more rain and snow, California is ending the rainy season not too bad. The Department of Water Resources, which conducted the April snow survey at Phillips Station on Friday says their survey recorded 39.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 17 inches, which is 70 percent of average for that location. Lake County News says statewide, the snowpack is 90 percent of average as of this week. The April measurement is a critical marker for water managers across the state, since it’s generally when the snowpack reaches maximum volume and begins to melt. More snow is on the way, though, which could make this year close to average. The snowpack is a key component that guides how California’s water supplies are managed and thanks to diligent collecting efforts, reservoirs across California are currently 115 percent of average.
The Mendocino County Office of Education and its special education division are celebrating Ukiah’s Disability Awareness Day this Saturday. It will feature a talent show, educational resources and lawn games as the community celebrates people with disabilities and their contributions to the local community.
Fabiola Olimon Ramos, who’s the lead organizer of the event, says it’s important that parents come out to learn all of the resources available for their kids.The Mendocino Voice says the Disability Awareness Day gathering is being sponsored by the Mendocino County Office of Education, the county education office’s Special Education Local Area Plan, the Redwood Coast Regional Center, the Raise & Shine Family Resource Center and several other local organizations. It runs this Saturday from noon to 3 at the Alex Thomas Plaza in Ukiah.
