The Ukiah City Council has decided what to do with the money received from the settlement of cases related to the Opioid Crisis. The plan is to use the $300,000 for the Ford Street Project’s new 24-bed Sober Living Facility and treatment pavilion. The project’s executive director, Jaquline Williams, told the council that the new facilities will provide a 20 percent increase in the number of people it can help with recovery from substance abuse. Williams says that while the opioid crisis has eased somewhat since its peak, opioid addiction remains a serious problem. She says the money will add to state grants, which don’t cover things like furniture and other needs the center has, and prevent the center from going into debt. City Manager Sage San Giacomo praised Williams and called the facility a special place for the city to have available.
Look for more work around Perkins and Orchard Streets in Ukiah, as crews have added a night shift to the ongoing road rehabilitation to take advantage of the stretch of favorable weather. Their current focus–putting in storm drains to reduce flooding. The city says the work will be noisy and that there will be intermittent lane closures on Southbound Orchard Street between Clara and Perkins Street, but the Pear Tree Shopping Center will stay open and accessible.
The Eastern Region Municipal Advisory Council is looking at potential sites for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations. County Planners have suggested a joint plan with Lakeport, Clear Lake, and CalTrans using a grant for a zero-emissions infrastructure. The Lake Area Planning Council says it has already done research that shows most people who have an EV want to see the chargers near where they go often, like shopping plazas, and want to make sure any sites are safe, with adequate security and lighting. The next step–the L A P C will gather more information about specific sites and report back to the regional group.
Mendocino County’s Animal Control unit—sending a message aimed at people who’ve been dumping animals at the shelter. Shelter staff say simply leaving animals you may have found or no longer can care for is bad for the shelter and the animals–and it’s against the law. They say there’s no way of knowing where the animals came from and that the dogs and cats may be hurt, scared, or lost without a chance of finding their homes. The shelter says that while they understand people wanting to do the right thing, it is much better to call them first or to contact animal control. That way, they say, that gives the animals the best chance at a happy ending.
The Fort Bragg police department‘s latest monthly statistics are out. The department says it took 794 calls for service and took 61 reports in October. They also conducted 46 traffic stops–including 4 for DUI – and made 35 arrests. Of those, 30 were for theft and 5 were for assault. None of the assaults involved a firearm.
