Santa Rosa City Councilman Chris Rogers is close to claiming a spot in the November runoff in the race to represent the North Coast in the state assembly. Rogers is now leading California Democratic Party Chairman Rusty Hicks by about 1,500 votes. Rogers is primed to face Republican Del Norte School Board trustee Michael Greer, who has more than 27% of the vote. The winner will represent Assembly District Two, which spans Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt, Del Norte and Trinity Counties. Most of the registered voters in the district are Democrats, meaning Rogers would be a heavy favorite in November.
Officials are moving forward with plans to build a new pump system, which will allow for continued water diversions from the Eel River into the Russian River and Lake Mendocino. Earlier this week, the recently formed Eel-Russian Project Authority chose to build a pump station facility that will pull water from under the surface of the Eel River when the water level is high in the wintertime. The new system will replace structures that will be removed when PG & E takes its two dams out of the area. The utility company is decommissioning the Potter Valley hydroelectric project, which has channeled Eel River water for over 100 years.
California’s Tsunami Preparedness Week starts on Monday, and state agencies are reminding people along the coast to be prepared in case of an emergency. Waves from earthquakes, underwater volcanoes or landslides can cause injuries, deaths, flooding, and damage to coastal communities, even if they are only two feet high. People are asked to pay attention to tsunami warnings and get to higher ground.
State Farm is leaving thousands of California insurance customers behind, planning not to renew nearly 72 thousand policies starting this summer. Last year, the company said it would not accept new applications for property and business policies, citing construction costs, risk from wildfires and other challenges. They also mention outdated insurance regulations in the Golden State, which are currently under revision. The non-renewals reportedly affect 30 thousand homeowners, renters, residential associations, and business owners. Californians who will be impacted by the changes will be notified soon.
The Ukiah City Council is getting between the Palace Hotel and The State Historic Preservation Office. Those who are fighting to keep the historic hotel standing have come up against a declaration the city made in November that calls the Palace Hotel an imminent threat to the public. That declaration means the preservation office can’t step in and protect the structure because they have no regulatory jurisdiction. So far no one has enforced the compliance order to take the building down. The only thing the city has done is put up scaffolding around some parts of the Palace along the street.
