It will now be easier to access one of the county’s most scenic trails for hikers of all abilities. MendoPark says they’ve created a new barrier-free entrance at Big River Haul Road. The road is part of the Big River Trail, a 10-mile road which connects Big River Beach with the Mendocino Woodlands State Park. Mendovoice says one of the people first to roll through the new gate was Leslie Krongold. Krongold, who leads groups on hikes and walks, uses a wheelchair.
Mendocino County officials are hosting several community meetings in order to see if the public would support an ordinance that would allow low intensity camping. The meetings aim to provide a basic overview of the amendment process and to get feedback from the community. The meetings are Wednesday nights with this week’s meeting in Anderson Valley at 6 p.m. at Boonville Veterans Hall, in Boonville.
A man from a small Yuba County town not far from Sacramento has gone missing according to authorities in Lake County. 38 year old Albert Herschler told a loved one he planned to walk to the Pacific Ocean. Herschler’s last known contact was on May 18, when he called his grandmother and told her he was “20 miles away from Clearlake” and in need of water. Mendofever reports police say every call since then to Herschler’s phone has gone straight to voicemail. Herschler is described as a white male, approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing about 160 pounds. He has a shaved head, a reddish-blonde goatee, and blue eyes and was last seen wearing a black t-shirt. Anyone with information is asked to call the Lake County Sheriff’s office.
The 18th annual Mendocino Film Festival is happening this week and according to festival organizers, this year’s lineup is bigger than ever. The festival runs Thursday through Sunday, and will feature 67 films from 20 countries. You should know there’s a strong showing from Mendocino County creatives, with several local filmmakers and special guests slated to appear. Mendofever says Directors Ana Blanco and Natasha Benjamin will attend the premiere of Sequoias of the Sea, their documentary about kelp forests and the Noyo Harbor community this Friday afternoon at 1. Will Hawkes, from Mendocino is a co-writer of the Oscar-nominated short The Last Ranger. His film will be part of the “Making a Difference” shorts program on Friday morning at 10.
The Willits Police Department is running a Hi-Lo siren emergency evacuation drill for city residents tomorrow. The sirens, on all Willits Police patrol cars, are only activated when an emergency requires immediate evacuation. City officials say the purpose of tomorrow’s drill is meant to help residents get that distinct sound in their heads and associate it with evacuating should there be a major local emergency. You should know that in the event of a real emergency that requires you to leave your location, a Nixle Alert will follow the sound of the sirens and direct you to what and where the danger is, and how to evacuate. Mendovoice says you can sign up for Nixle text alerts, by sending a text with your zip code to 888777 or online at nixle.com.
The California Assembly has passed a bill making it illegal for state lawmakers to sign non-disclosure agreements when handling taxpayer money or creating laws. The bill prevents lawmakers from keeping information secret, with penalties potentially including misdemeanors or felonies, enforced by local district attorneys. The bill will now be considered by the State Senate.
California will see a hot summer. NOAA predicts that much of California will experience higher-than-normal temperatures this summer. For June through August, there’s a 50 to 60 percent chance of warmer weather in northern and eastern California, and a 40 to 50 percent chance along the southern coast. Summer solstice starts on June 20th, marking the first day of summer.
