Lake County supervisors will hold a special meeting this morning to tackle housing shortages and infrastructure needs. The board will review the Housing and Action Plan, which outlines challenges in building affordable homes, especially in Clearlake, Lakeport, and unincorporated areas due to a lack of developers, funding, and damage from past wildfires. Also on the agenda is a request for an extra $1 million to finish the Cobb Area Road Rehabilitation project, which has already cost $5.1 million. Some residents have raised concerns about the quality of the work so far. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Board Chambers in Lakeport, with the full agenda available on the county’s website.
A Ukiah woman was arrested for suspected DUI after her home caught fire Sunday night on South Dora Street. Fire crews arrived around 8:25 p.m. to find heavy smoke and flames in the attic, which spread to the living room and kitchen before being knocked down. The homeowner evacuated safely but returned later, where she was arrested by CHP officers. The home was left uninhabitable, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Firefighters are gaining ground on the Medicine Fire near Covelo, which is now 45% contained after burning 263 acres since Sunday afternoon. A Red Flag Warning expired last night for eastern Mendocino County, after dry conditions and gusty winds threatening to reignite the blaze. Mandatory evacuations were lifted Sunday night, but crews are still working to secure fire lines and extinguish hot spots. Cal Fire says the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Lake County’s unemployment rate rose to 7.3% in June, ranking it 46th out of California’s 58 counties. While California’s overall jobless rate ticked up slightly to 5.4%, Lake saw sharper impacts despite growth in sectors like transportation, farming, and manufacturing. Losses in professional services and goods producing jobs contributed to the county’s higher rate. Mendocino County also saw an increase, rising from 5.4% in May to 5.8% in June.
Lake County supervisors will hold a special meeting this morning to tackle housing shortages and infrastructure needs. The board will review the Housing and Action Plan, which outlines challenges in building affordable homes especially in Clearlake, Lakeport, and unincorporated areas due to a lack of developers, funding, and damage from past wildfires. Also on the agenda is a request for an extra $1 million to finish the Cobb Area Road Rehabilitation project, which has already cost $5.1 million. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. at the Board Chambers in Lakeport, with the full agenda available on the county’s website.
A public event focused on Missing and Murdered Indigenous People will be held this week in Fort Bragg, hosted by the Noyo Bida Truth Project. The program begins at 1 p.m. this Saturday at Mendocino College’s Coast Campus and features Dr. Tatiana Cantrell, MMIP Director for the Pinoleville Pomo Nation. Organizers say the event will spotlight the ongoing crisis and its deep roots in Mendocino County’s history. The community is invited to attend and learn more about efforts to seek justice and healing.
COVID-19 cases are rising again across California, but health officials say it’s too early to tell if it will mirror last summer’s surge. The recent uptick started in Northern California and is slowly moving south, though overall case levels remain lower than this time last year. Wastewater data shows COVID activity is currently at a “moderate” level statewide. Officials urge people to take simple precautions, including avoiding those who are sick and keeping up with vaccinations.
