Food scraps can start going in the green bin next week for folks in unincorporated Lake County. If you choose the service, there’s a one-time 4.8% rate bump tied to organic processing, but it doesn’t kick in until Jan. 1, 2026 and works out to roughly a buck or so a month. The county says mixing food and yard waste will reduce methane and extend landfill life, and taking part is optional. Supervisors backed the change unanimously, with one member absent.
In Ukiah, a shelter-in-place order was put into place after police responded to reports of a man with a gun Tuesday afternoon. Officers were called to the Willow Terrace apartments after witnesses said the man entered an apartment that wasn’t his. Police have since lifted the shelter in place order and are still investigating. They haven’t released the suspect’s name but More information is expected later today.
Ukiah’s getting ready to celebrate Día de los Muertos on Sunday, November 2, at Alex Thomas Plaza. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., folks can expect live music, great food, and colorful low riders lining the plaza. The event is about honoring those who’ve passed while celebrating community and Mexican tradition. There’ll be a Catrin contest, local vendors, and plenty to keep families entertained all afternoon.
We first told you earlier this month that Monterey County had hired Lake County’s chief public defender, and now his resignation is official. The Lake County Board of Supervisors accepted Raymond Buenaventura’s resignation Tuesday, effective November 4. He was brought in last year to rebuild the county’s public defender’s office after decades without one. Supervisors voted 4-0 to accept his departure and say the search for his replacement will start soon.
The Lake County Fire Protection District is boosting its firefighting capacity thanks to new upgrades from Konocti Mutual Water Company. The Redbud Pump Station has nearly doubled its water flow, and the old system will now feed raw water straight from the lake for fire suppression. Local water providers have also connected their systems, meaning crews can share resources anywhere in the district during big fires. Fire officials say the plan worked well during the Boyles Fire and will make future emergency responses even stronger.
California is one of more than 20 states suing the Trump Administration regarding the temporary suspension of SNAP benefits. The suspension, blamed on the government shutdown, means the federal government will stop providing food stamps in November. California Attorney General Rob Bonta says Congress appointed six-billion-dollars in USDA contingency funds for the SNAP program through September of 2026. California and the other Democrat-led states suing argue the Trump Administration is choosing to let people go hungry by not using the available contingency
