AAA expects 9.6 million Californians to hit the road between now and Sunday–that’s 200,000 more than last year. Then the weather across the state shouldn’t be a problem, but rain and mountain snow could cause delays to the north in Oregon and Washington state.
The Clearlake City Council has approved a nearly 3.2 million contract to start the Burns Valley Arrowhead Olympic Drive Road project. City Manager Alan Flora–telling the council that the city has followed all the regulations in drawing up the proposal for the work on a two-mile stretch of road. He also told the council that no tribal artifacts from the Koi nation will be disturbed. The contract with Lehman Construction also includes an additional 10%, in case there are any unexpected costs.
Mendocino County Public Health is warning about the danger of a newly reportable occupational disease. It’s called Silicosis, and it’s on the rise among workers who cut or finish engineered stone for countertops. The state recently made it a reportable condition, meaning doctors who suspect it have to alert the state. Public Health says while no cases have been noted in Mendocino County, workers whose job involves countertop fabrication are at risk because inhaled silica dust can collect in the lungs and cause serious problems. The state says there have been 432 cases of silicosis since 2019–25 workers have died, and another 48 have needed lung transplants. It is preventable with proper safety precautions. There’s more information available at the state Department of Health website.
The outlook for this year’s year’s flu season in California suggests it will start earlier and hit harder. Health officials say a combination of low vaccination rates and a late mutation of this year’s virus are among the reasons. Normally, the cases spike just after Christmas, but doctors think we could see a jump in flu cases even BEFORE Christmas this year. They say it’s not too late to get your full shot if you haven’t yet.
