No significant change in the status of the Medicine fire that’s burning near Covelo. Cal Fire says the fire remains at 47% containment. About 150 personnel have been there since Sunday, patrolling the perimeter of the 262-acre fire and putting out hotspots. Dozens of other fires are burning across the state. Among the biggest, the 21,000-acre Butler fire in Siskiyou and Humboldt Counties. Cal Fire says that the fire was started by a lightning strike–one of a couple of dozen statewide that were weather-related over the past couple of days. The good news–the National Weather Service doesn’t see any elevated fire risk for Lake or Mendocino County for the rest of the week, at least.
Homelessness is an ongoing problem in Lake County, and an organization involved in the search for solutions is planning a meeting to talk about it. The Lake County Continuum of Care will host the Community Conversation on Homelessness next month, where they’ll look at what’s being done and what is in the works to address the issue. Also on the agenda–hearing directly from those who have been homeless or know someone who is.. The organization says every voice matters because the problem affects the entire community–from individuals, to service providers, and businesses. The meeting is September 24th at 5:30 at the Soper Reese Theater in Lakeport.
Yuba College is expanding its career training for wildfire response. The school–which has a campus in Clearlake–will use the $300,000 state grant to develop new courses to address the growing need for skilled fire professionals who specialize in fire prevention, fire suppression, and forest health. The college says it will work closely with Cal Fire and other agencies to design the program and support those who go into it. Yuba College Dean of Career Technical Education and Workforce Development, Dr. W. Alan Dixon Sr., says the grant is a significant investment in the community that will not only build student careers, but will also contribute to the safety of the entire region. Yubacollege.edu has information on the program.
The University of California will have a record number of new incoming students this fall. The UC system reports it admitted 100,947 students for the upcoming semester, up 7 percent from last year. The system admitted 73 percent of those who applied, and also offered admission to 17 percent more international students. U C President Michael Drake says the numbers show the value of a U C Education.
California is joining a lawsuit challenging federal cuts in medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood. The multistate lawsuit says defunding Planned Parenthood is unconstitutional because it violates the clinics’ freedom of speech and expression. 22 other states are involved in the case that was filed in federal Court in Boston. The Department of Human Services says states should not be forced to fund groups that engage in political advocacy.
