The PG&E Outage map shows there are still just over 4,200 residents in Mendocino County without power this morning. Most locations have an estimated restoration time of 10:00 tonight. There are some areas where power is not expected to be restored until late on Sunday. You can click here for the latest updates and sign up for text alerts.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors formalized the appointment of a new Health Services Director this week. At their meeting on Tuesday, they formally appointed Anthony Arton to the position. Arton has over 20 years of experience in development and oversight of public health, according to a press release. He most recently served as Public Health Director for Coos County, Oregon. Before that he was a Public Health Director and Emergency Planner in Missouri.
Vote by mail ballots should be hitting your mailboxes soon. They were sent out on February 5th, so as long as your address is current, they should be to you by the end of the week. If you haven’t gotten yours by the 15th, you can call to get a replacement. If you moved since the last election, you’ll need to update your address, which you can do online at Registertovote.ca.gov Mendocino residents will also get a new Voter Information Guide and Sample Ballots soon. Keep in mind, the last day to register to vote is February 20th. The Presidential Primary election is on March 5th.
Residents of Lake County who are still without power now have somewhere warm to go. The Cobb Community Center, also known as the Little Red School House, has been opened as a warming center. Volunteers from the Mountain Lions Club will staff the location from 8am to 6pm daily until further notice. The Lake County Behavioral Health Mobile Unit is there today from 9am to 1pm. You can go there to warm up, charge devices, and access other services like a hot shower. Adventist Health’s mobile shower unit will be there today from 9:30am to 3pm.
Bring the kids out to A Gathering of Hearts this Saturday at the Ukiah Branch Library. The event will run on Saturday from 10:30am to noon in the Children’s Room. Kids can enjoy story time, games, and puppets. Snacks and craft time will also be offered. Children must be accompanied by a parent. The event is free and hosted by Mendocino County Library, Ukiah Valley Friends of the Library, and River Oak Charter School. Look for more information on the Library’s social media.
If you’re a small business owner, or thinking about opening a small business, you can take part in some important training. On select Wednesdays and Thursdays now through the end of April, Lake County is hosting a training series for small and mirco businesses. The training is being held at the Lower Lake Town Hall on Main Street. You can take part in workshops that include basic business readiness, marketing, and networking. The workshops are funded through California’s Community Development Block Grant Program. The training is free but workshops have limited space. Get registered by sending an email to Andy@CDS.consulting
Ukiah Valley Fire Authority says crews have responded to dozens of fallen trees in the last few days. They worked to clean up over 30 trees between Sunday morning and Monday morning. One of the trees, a downed Oak, was more than six feet in diameter and fell on the hood of a car as it drove down North State Street. The two people in the vehicle were uninjured. Another large oak tree came down Sunday night on Lake Mendocino Drive. Luckily no one was injured, but the road was closed for some time while crews removed debris. There were so many calls for service, the battalion chief had to call in off duty personnel to help with the clean up efforts. The Willits news reported they worked together with Cal Fire, Redwood Valley / Calpella Fire, the CHP and several other agencies.
A Clearlake woman who was killed when she was hit by a car has been identified. According to the Lake County News, Marla Shaffer was walking south across Highway 20 in Nice around 7:30 Sunday evening when she was hit. The CHP said it was dark and raining, and it appeared Shaffer was walking from Robinson Casino to a nearby gas station.
It was good news for a hiker reported missing near Laytonville. Last night, Mendocino county Sheriff’s Office reported they got a call from a hiker who said she was lost around 6pm. The hiker reportedly kept first responders on the phone while they searched on foot for her exact location. It took about an hour to find her, but they did, and escorted her back to safety.
