A group of people against mask protections have protested outside the Mendocino County Public Health Officer’s home. The so-called Mendocino Patriots apparently didn’t surprise Dr. Andy Coren as the County CEO Carmel Angelo said Coren was aware the group was going to gather outside his home. Angelo says the county notified Ukiah Police and the Sheriff’s Office. The CEO says Coren didn’t request any response. There were only a handful of people there though, and it was only for a couple hours. The group seemed to form last year and protested the mask mandate at local businesses. Dr. Coren reported going outside to garden during the protest and said they didn’t bother him and were mostly peaceful.
Surveillance cameras are being brought in to watch for potential arsonists by the Ukiah Valley Fire Authority. Ahead of the Ukiah City Council meeting tomorrow the fire agency said they were renting two surveillance cameras in a two-year contract for $10,500. It is on the city council’s agenda, but it doesn’t require approval necessarily. The report to the council says they need to increase eyes on the ground due to an increase in arson-related incidents. The report also says they’re using Flock Safety Camera Solutions who have been contracted in the past by the Sheriff’s office, Ukiah Police and law enforcement in Lake County.
State Sen. Mike McGuire’s climate emergency declaration is moving on to the state Assembly. McGuire’s resolution passed the Senate 30-4 which, if it fully passes, would declare a climate crisis emergency in the state. It was introduced after some student leaders brought up the idea, then lawmakers started the work last summer. The Governor has also set $15 billion in funding aside through his California Comeback Plan for wildfire and forest resilience, to support immediate drought response and long-term water resilience, and protect communities from various climate risks, including extreme heat and sea level rise. But McGuire says still more needs to be done.
A woman from Clearlake accused of igniting fires in Lower Lake is set for court again next month. Kayla Renee Main did not make it to her last scheduled hearing, apparently due to behavior issues at the jail. She was supposed to go to inpatient treatment to address mental health concerns, and the court gave permission for her to be involuntarily drugged until she could understand the proceedings against her. It comes after her lawyer declared he didn’t feel Main would be able to follow along in court due to her mental competency. All proceedings were suspended last year. But the court finds Main is competent to answer to the charges now, of arson of property, possessing material/device for arson and unlawful fire, resisting an executive officer, and violating probation and vandalism.
The new Registrar of Voters Office is opening in Lake County. The Registrar of Voters, Maria Valadez and her team are opening the new offices today at 325 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport, in the old PG& E building. Valadez says it’s been challenging in recent elections, especially after the pandemic surfaced, for them to provide enough space. She says the new office will enhance public confidence about the work they do and they’re excited to continue “providing the highest quality service.”
The Governor’s office has announced the Clean California Initiative is giving nearly $312 million to 126 beautification projects statewide. Almost all of the projects are for “historically underserved or excluded communities.” That includes Mendocino County’s “Central Boonville Beautification” project. There will be new art installations, crosswalks, and landscaping. And the “Covelo Downtown Connectivity” project is getting traffic calming features so the town’s Main Street will get a makeover to reduce litter and improve safety and connectivity for non-motorized users. The Governor’s office says all of the projects statewide will help foster cultural connections and civic pride.
After reports of a domestic incident in Willits, Police report arresting a man. Derrick McCain could be heard yelling and screaming in the background when a woman called for help. She said he had been drinking. When cops got there they say they could hear McCain possibly assaulting the woman and threatening her if she kept him away from his kids. He then came out of the home and police contacted him, saying he seemed drunk, was belligerent and tried to get away. Apparently the woman didn’t want McCain to take his kids to the park while he was drunk. There were two young kids there and Child Protective Services was called. McCain was arrested for Robbery, Criminal Threats, Obstructing/Preventing a 911 Call and Child Endangerment.
The Bureau of Land Management is taking public input for grant applications for the California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division. The BLM Bakersfield and Ukiah are having virtual town halls on the grant proposals and to get public input. The grants to pay for law enforcement and to operate and maintain the land for recreational use at the Knoxville, Indian Valley and South Cow Mountain management areas locally. The California grants program already funded trail maintenance and restoration, watershed assessments, accessible fire rings and barbeques, informational kiosks, animal-proof trash enclosures, restroom cleaning, route signage, emergency dispatch, sound testing and law enforcement patrols on BLM-managed public lands.
Ukiah Field Office: Feb. 17 at 5:30 p.m.
- Zoom registration link
- Comment by email: BLM_CA_UK_OHV_Grants@blm.gov
For specific questions, call Ashley Poggio, BLM at 707-468-4000
The Lake County Board of Supervisors is set to discuss masking requirements in county facilities. The board’s meeting tomorrow morning online and pretty quickly the Community Development Director is giving an update on operations and will consider the previous urgency ordinance from last July for a temporary moratorium on early activation permits for land use projects within the unincorporated county. Later Supervisor Bruno Sabatier is expected to ask his associates on the board to reconsider the urgency ordinance still in effect for mask wearing in county facilities as the state lifts indoor mask rules for some on Wednesday. The council chambers are open to the public for the meeting.
State Sen. Bill Dodd says he has a way to make it easier for hospitals to operate in a pandemic or other health emergencies. Dodd has introduced legislation to help hospitals across the state respond to public health crises including pandemics by making it easier to process licenses for health professionals, expand insurance coverage and make it easier to bolster bed space for patients. Dodd says the COVID19 pandemic and wildfires and other natural disasters have seriously impacted hospitals and they need to be ready to respond. He says his bill will help to increase hospital capacity, allow better treatment and triaging of victims of pandemics, wildfires, earthquakes and other emergencies.
