Just a heads up. We’ve got a prescribed burn set for today at Shamrock Ranch near Laytonville. Cal Fire says the burn is a continuation of a series of prescribed burns that the agency put into place on the ranch since October. The plan is for Cal Fire to burn around 1,000 acres of grasslands, chaparral, and understory vegetation within oak woodlands and mixed conifer habitats. The Mendocino Voice says the burn is ongoing, depending on the weather of course, through the end of this month. Activities begin at 8 in the morning and around 3 in the afternoon daily.
California is in the hole. A new report says California may be facing a ten-billion dollar budget shortfall. Tariff policies, money issues at Medi-Cal and delayed tax filings from recent wildfire victims may actually double the shortfall to over $20 billion. Newsom skipped his formal budget proposal due in January due to the deadly SoCal wildfires but is expected to make the announcement next week.
The Instilling Goodness and Developing Virtue school at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Talmage has received full accreditation for its K-12 instruction.
IGDVS Principal Jin Jr. Jr. Shi called it very significant and "a testament to the collective effort of our entire school community.” The Ukiah Daily Journal says that Principal Shi addressed the Ukiah City Council this week after it declared May to be “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month” at the beginning of its regular meeting.
California and 17 other states are suing the Trump administration over an executive order that blocks new offshore wind leases, claiming it is illegal and jeopardizes California’s clean energy goals. Governor Gavin Newsom estimates offshore wind could produce up to 25 gigawatts by 2045, which he claims is significantly more than the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant’s output. In December 2022, five companies were granted rights to develop wind farms off Morro Bay and Humboldt Bay, at least 20 miles from shore.
An invasive mussel species has been found in another Northern California water body. During an inspection, California State Parks employees identified several live golden mussels attached to a vessel this past Tuesday at Beals Point. This latest discovery is the result of the new vessel inspection program at Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. Folsom Lake State Recreation Area Superintendent Mike Howard says thanks to the staff and program, this vessel was prevented from ever touching the water, which could have had catastrophic consequences. Lake County News says
State Parks is working with the owner and other agencies to safely decontaminate and quarantine the vessel.
A woman was hit and killed by a car in a convenience gas station parking lot Monday in Ukiah. Police report the collision happened in the 1100 block of Airport Park Boulevard. When officers arrived, they found the woman lying on the ground in a parking stall. Investigators say it appears that just before being struck by the car, the woman tripped and fell and that the driver hit her while they were trying to park. Mendocino Voice says she was airlifted to a trauma center and died the next day. The investigation remains ongoing.
Dozens of Mendocino County employees are taking the county up on its offer. They plan to resign this summer as part of a voluntary separation program the county has put in place as a multi-million-dollar budget deficit is on tap. The Board of Supervisors says Incentive payouts will be from $5,000 to $25,000 depending on length of service. Mendocino Voice reports that 28 employees have said they’re interested in the county’s offer. It could save the county nearly $340,000.
