Lake County leaders are exploring whether to ditch PG&E power and team up with Sonoma Clean Power for cheaper, greener electricity. A workshop Tuesday laid out possible savings as high as 12.9 percent, with customers automatically signed up in 2027 unless they opt out. Supporters point to local control and economic benefits, but some officials bristled at only getting two seats on SCP’s 13-member board. Others worried about a 20-year lock-in if the county tries to leave and the lack of tribal input in the process. Formal votes are expected later this month, but for now the decision is still up in the air.
Ukiah is getting ready to add more outdoor space after the City Council gave unanimous approval for a new 22-mile trail system in the Western Hills. The Lookout Peak project, led by the Ukiah Valley Trail Group, has drawn big support from residents, along with a $50,000 donation to help connect the property. A handful of neighbors raised worries about parking and homeless encampments, but city staff say the added foot traffic should discourage those issues. Supporters say the trails will be a major boost for local recreation and tourism, giving residents and visitors tougher workouts and new ways to explore the hills.
A burglary call at Cal Poly Humboldt turned into a six-hour standoff Thursday after police found a man hiding in an overhead storage space. Officers say 36-year-old Shaine Scott Haugen refused to surrender but was finally taken into custody around 9 a.m. without injuries. He’s now facing a stack of charges including burglary, resisting arrest, and drug possession, with bail set at $55,000. It’s not Haugen’s first run-in with local law enforcement. He was arrested just last month for disrupting an Arcata City Council meeting.
Mendocino County is getting a new judge after Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed FredRicco McCurry to the Superior Court bench. McCurry, a longtime local attorney, spent more than 20 years in private practice before joining the county’s public defender offices. His background also includes seven years in the U.S. Army and earlier work with the Small Business Administration. A Pepperdine Law graduate, McCurry is part of a wave of 15 judicial appointments Newsom announced Sept. 18, with two going to the North Bay.
A Mendocino County group is getting nearly half a million dollars to help local farms go greener. The California Land Stewardship Institute won a $486,000 federal grant to work with about 120 farms on sustainable growing practices. The money is part of a $24.2 million program funding specialty crop projects across California, from pest research to promoting healthy eating. For Mendocino’s farmers, it’s a chance to boost sales of crops like fruits and nuts while keeping land and water healthier for the future.
A Mendocino County campground lost in the 2020 August Complex fires is finally reopening this weekend. Forest officials say Hammerhorn Campground, about 18 miles north of Eel River Station, now has new fire rings, picnic tables, and other upgrades thanks to help from local partners. Visitors should know the site only has non-drinkable water and no trash service, but it will be open through the end of hunting season. The campground officially opens today.
California is ready to fight fires and disasters, but the federal shutdown is making things tougher. CAL FIRE crews are still fully staffed, while thousands of federal workers are furloughed, leaving FEMA and the National Weather Service stretched thin. Governor Gavin Newsom says FEMA will pay for disasters already declared, but new requests could be left hanging. State leaders warn the uncertainty could complicate wildfire and emergency response in the weeks ahead.
