Sonoma Clean Power has donated $20,000 to launch the SchoolsRule Mendocino County initiative. It was created by Superintendent Nicole Glentzer and the Mendocino County Office of Education. The program aims to expand educational opportunities for students through field trips, outdoor activities, and arts and science programs. SchoolsRule will support schools with funding and event implementation. The Mendocino Voice says Sonoma Clean Power has contributed over $5 million to nonprofits, workforce programs, and fire relief efforts since the agency began in 2014.
The next City of Ukiah Planning Commission meeting is set for next week. The agenda includes unfinished business on whether to recommend the City Council approve pre-zoning of certain parcels in unincorporated Mendocino County as part of the 2025 Ukiah Valley Reorganization. New business involves adopting a resolution recommending a City Code amendment to create an Administrative Use Permit process, clarify animal keeping and zoning rules and declare the ordinance exempt from CEQA. The meeting is set for Wednesday evening at 6 in the Civic Center Council Chamber or on Zoom.
Caltrans has awarded $26.5 million in planning grants for 65 local projects to boost climate resilience, reduce emissions, improve bike and pedestrian safety, and enhance disaster preparedness. In District 1, five projects received funding, including $191,000to the Lake County/City Area Planning Council for the Lake County Tribal Transportation Needs and Engineered Feasibility Study, $279,000 to the Mendocino Council of Governments for the Mendocino County Regional Vehicle Miles Traveled Mitigation Program, $442,000 in Climate Adaptation Planning Grant funding to the Mendocino County Department of Transportation for the Climate Adaptation Storm Drainage Vulnerability Analysis and $286,000 to the City of Ukiah for the East Perkins Street Multimodal Transportation Plan.
New laws are taking effect to require bars and nightclubs around the state to offer lids on customers’ drinks. The legislation was brought by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal and will serve as a two-year pilot program. Businesses are required to make lids available but are allowed to charge a "reasonable price" for the accommodation. The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control will enforce the new rules, with penalties for businesses that don’t comply.
Mendocino National Forest officials are reminding visitors to follow safety rules for hunting and recreational shooting ahead of the July Fourth weekend. Key guidelines include: obey all firearm laws, shoot away from roads, trails, campsites, and people, and never fire within 150 yards of roads or campgrounds. You should use safe backstops, clean up all targets and trash, and avoid shooting at trees, signs, rocks, or glass. Tracer bullets, incendiaries, and fireworks are big no-no’s on public lands. This way, everyone has fun and stays safe.
