Authorities have issued a Silver Alert for an 81 year old woman from Geyserville. Michele Paul has been missing for about two weeks, last seen on the 13th. She is five foot 2 inches tall and weighs around 110 pounds. Sonoma County officials say she was last seen in a black VW Jetta with California license plate 8LBD141. If you have any information about Ms. Paul, please call the Healdsburg Police Department
Short-term rentals in Mendocino County will be discussed today in Ukiah from 6 to 8pm with the Department of Planning and Building Services in the final scheduled session. As Mendocino County officials are considering an inland housing ordinance neighboring Sonoma County is considering a proposed ballot measure to expand the lodging tax. The Press Democrat reports the board is looking to amend the tax to include a broader range of short term rentals and more. The board voted 3-2 this week and was one vote short of getting the proposal on the March 2024 election ballot. An estimated $1.5 million in taxes would be brought in if the proposal were to pass. Supervisors who voted “no” cited concerns about the measure including rental operators notifications. Having not passed, it will not be on the March ballot, but they could revisit the issue to consider putting it on the General Election ballot a year from now.
The FAIR Plan now has a broader homeowners’ insurance policy options after a LA Superior Court Judge ruled to uphold the Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s ruling. Additional coverage including accidental overflow of water or stream; incidental workers’ compensation, theft, falling objects; weight of ice, snow or sleet; freezing and more will now be covered under the state insurance plan. These things are usually covered in standard homeowners policies, but weren’t previously under the FAIR Plan’s limitations. Lake County News reports current FAIR Plan policy holders must purchase a separate difference in conditions to apply. The “insurer of last resort” covered homeowners who couldn’t get coverage as waves of insurance companies have left the state. The FAIR Plan has grown over 20 percent in the last year and now policy holders can have more coverage.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors voted to apply for a grant to promote sustainability and more. The board approved a partnership for a climate safe lake program. During their meeting this week, the Supervisors also decided to build the internal capacity of Lake County Community Risk Reduction Authority to use woody waste biomass, making over $1 million available the county. The county was selected for the pilot program and will start working on it. They’ll need a Joint Powers Authority to oversee a bio-mass utilization and sales to meet the goals of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. According to the Record Bee, the work on climate change projects requires tracking and evaluation as they progress. They are working to meet every requirement including contracts using municipal solid waste algae, food waste for petrochemical products and more to ensure financial sustainability and addressing the overabundance of waste.
The Friends of Cow Mountain organization is looking for volunteers to help clear the abundant brush on paths throughout the trail system. New brush growth from previous wildfires threatens to totally cover some trails that people have used for recreation. Not only are trails disappearing, but the overgrown brush can be dangerous. The area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management but members of the Friends of Cow Mountain have cleared out trails on their off road vehicles spending days on the trails clearing vegetation in recent years. The Ukiah Daily Journal reports they do have permission from BLM and say they are always looking for help clearing the trails used by equestrians, bikers, ORVs and more. The nonprofit is also looking for bigger equipment to help knock down heavy brush areas to help make it safer for the volunteers to work and for people to recreate.
The California Department of Public Health is warning people of the increased use of xylazine. Yesterday the Governor announced new legislation to prevent the trafficking and illicit use of the drug known on the streets as tranq. Lake County News reports xylazine is a powerful sedative and has caused countless overdose deaths throughout the country. While the tranq trend began on the East Coast, it is making its way through the black market to California and often paired with fentanyl, making it even deadlier. The use of tranq creates open, festering sores on users bodies. They are working on a campaign to educate the public about the severity of using the drug illegally. The department is issuing guidance to healthcare facilities to support patients who’ve been exposed to xylazine and how to treat related wounds and follow up.
Northern California is short on social workers, and medical healthcare providers. The Mendocino Community Health Clinic is encouraging people to apply for a healthcare scholarship at CSU in Chico. The school is offering two scholarships to help people get a Master’s in Social Work and eventually practice in underserved counties including Lake and Mendocino. MCHC officials say the program allows people to stay in the community while earning a degree that will help them in their career goals and serve their community by expanding access to healthcare. The Behavioral Health Expansion Program offers a $10,000 per year stipend, and a public behavioral health program is offering a $25,000 per year scholarship. Scholarship recipients must serve at a public behavioral health agency. The Mendocino County Office of Education has more details and entry programs and more.
National Wreaths Across America dedicates time annually to adorn veteran’s gravesites with Christmas wreaths. This year, the group will be working on their mission on December 16th, when truck derivers roll into town with trucks full of balsam veteran’s wreaths. They are looking for residents to help support the program that places nearly 3 million veteran wreaths at over 4,000 locations nationwide and abroad. The theme for this year is “Serve and Succeed.” Locally, many Lake and Mendocino County cemeteries will participate with an observance beginning at 9am on the 16th. Check the organizations webpage for details.
Air quality has been worsening in parts of Northern California and the Bay Area this week. Overnight in these areas, air quality has been reaching over 150. The level may impact those with respiratory conditions. During the daytime, the air quality returns to near normal levels. NBC news reports the high pressure system that has dominated the weather has led to less wind and cold nights. The use of chimneys and agricultural burning has led to increased particles in the air overnight along with pollutants like vehicle exhaust. A temperature inversion has been trapping that pollution close to the ground. By morning, the sun warms the surface and the pollutants rise and diffuse. Officials warn those with health conditions should stay inside during the evening hours. Forecasters say the trend will continue for a few more days. Check MendoAir.org for current levels.
California Governor Newsom is set to take on Florida Governor DeSantis tonight on Fox. The event is slated to be one of the biggest in political TV this year. At 6pm tonight Sean Hannity will moderate a 90 minute debate on Red State versus Blue State in Georgia, in front of a live audience. The two governors have been fighting this year and agreed to square off in a debate tonight. Both governors are aiming to boost their political profiles, according to the Press Democrat. Newsom is not running in next year’s election, but is supporting President Biden’s candidacy and considers the future.
Governor Newsom is appointing Tomiquia Moss as Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. In a release in the Record Bee, Newsom says housing and homelessness is the number one issue in the state and Secretary Moss brings decades of knowledge with the public and nonprofit sectors. The Governor also announced appointments at the California Department of Real Estate, in the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and the Civil Rights Council.
The attorney representing former Mendocino County Auditor/Controller, Chamise Cubbison, is formally asking the court the recuse District Attorney David Eyster. In her appearance in Mendocino Superior Court yesterday morning, MendoFever reports lawyer Chris Andrian says that there is potential conflict of interest in the public opposition the DA displayed before the Board of Supervisors, and years of contentious history between the two. He continued saying that the Board summarily dismissed Cubbison without pay with no due process. He forecasts civil litigation on that matter. Meanwhile, her co-defendant, Paula Kennedy also appeared, but pleas were not entered as the formal request for recusal was instead presented to the court. Cubbison’s next court hearing is set for December 19th.
California Governor Newsom is set to take on Florida Governor DeSantis tonight on Fox. The event is slated to be one of the biggest in political TV this year. At 6pm tonight Sean Hannity will moderate a 90 minute debate on Red State versus Blue State in Georgia, in front of a live audience. The two governors have been fighting this year and agreed to square off in a debate tonight. Both governors are aiming to boost their political profiles, according to the Press Democrat. Newsom is not running in next year’s election, but is supporting President Biden’s candidacy and considers the future.
