A pedestrian was killed Sunday night in a hit-and-run crash near Highway 162 and Poonkinney Road, just south of Covelo. Emergency crews rushed to the scene around 8 pm, but the victim couldn’t be saved. The California Highway Patrol says they’re searching for a dark-colored pickup seen heading toward Willits after the crash. The road was shut down for hours as officers gathered evidence and searched for the driver.
Bad weather is delaying the start of a major road project in Lake County. The Cobb Area Pavement Project, originally set to begin today, will now kick off Wednesday as crews wait out the rain. Workers will move north to south through the area, with paving expected to wrap up in early November if the weather cooperates. County officials say anyone with questions can reach out to Public Works for updates.
Ukiah’s Planning Commission got a full slate of updates last week, including plans for a new Applebee’s/IHOP combo restaurant on Airport Park Boulevard. City planners say the project has cleared zoning and is heading to the building permit stage. Work is also moving ahead on a new urgent care clinic at the old Mendocino Animal Hospital site, while construction crews tackle drainage and resurfacing along Perkins Street. Later this month, the commission will review a proposed Open Space zoning ordinance and other development projects still in the pipeline.
Lake County schools are seeing real progress in the classroom, with new state test scores showing steady gains in reading and math. The latest results from the California Department of Education show 26 percent of students met or beat English standards and nearly 16 percent did so in math, small but meaningful jumps from last year. Education leaders say the growth reflects focused work on literacy and teacher support. The trend mirrors statewide improvement, where students across California posted better scores in both subjects this year.
Hopland residents packed a meeting last week to fight a steep rate hike, but the Public Utility District approved it anyway. Starting in November, Hopland water bills will jump 40 percent and sewer rates 25 percent, with officials citing inflation and costly state-mandated upgrades tied to a Caltrans project. The district said not enough written protests were filed to stop the increases under state law. Locals called the move “ridiculous,” saying small-town customers can’t afford the added costs.
North Coast Senator Mike McGuire is holding a virtual town hall Thursday night to talk about hunger and what’s being done to fight it. The 6 pm event will feature leaders from local food banks and school nutrition programs discussing how federal cuts to food aid are hitting California hard. McGuire says food banks are in “crisis mode” after losing billions in funding but insists the state is fighting to keep meals on kids’ plates. The town hall will stream live online, and residents can send in questions ahead of time.
Fire crews in Lake County made quick work of a brush fire that sparked Saturday near Lower Lake. The Rock Fire burned 39 acres after starting around 3:45 pm near Butte Rock Ranch and Morgan Valley roads but was 90 percent contained by nightfall. Cal Fire kept a small crew on scene overnight to watch for flare-ups and will return Sunday to finish mop-up. The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.
Mendocino County’s Behavioral Health Advisory Board will meet Wednesday afternoon to talk about mental health and homelessness services across the county. The meeting, set for 1 to 3:30 pm at the Behavioral Health office on South Dora Street in Ukiah, will include updates from nonprofits and local police. It’s open to anyone who wants to ask questions or share input about community services. The board is also looking for new members and encourages residents to get involved.
