Several ambulances have been called after reports of a disturbance in Willits. Police called to the scene, along with deputies. There were reportedly 2 people with injuries after the incident, but they refused help. Mendo Fever reports hearing on the scanner there was a juvenile who came out of a home and said someone was bleeding inside the home. A responding police officer told dispatch there had been a large crowd there when they got there and a woman was heard screaming.
A kayak found near Van Damme Beach along the Mendocino Coast with nobody inside triggered a search. Before 3 pm yesterday the water rescue started after the empty vessel was found in Little River. The kayak was reported to be blue, there was a paddle inside, jacket, and water bottle, but no pilot. Fort Bragg Fire, Mendocino Fire, the Coast Guard, State Parks Dept., and an air ambulance were called to the scene, but several hours later they were called off after nothing was found.
A fire started in the northern Hoopa area spurred residents to evacuate. The Fire Dept. and Office of Emergency Services ordered the evacuation with residents told to shelter at a neighborhood facility. At the time of the request it was over 100 degrees outside. Cal Fire was dropping water at the scene and 3 tankers were on hand also. The fire burned about 5-7 acres and the evacuations were lifted after about 4 hours. The fire chief said the fire appeared to be human caused. There was one heat related injury.
Free after school programs are being offered by the Ukiah Unified School District. In partnership with the City of Ukiah, and Near & Arnold’s School of Performing Arts & Cultural Education (SPACE). They partnered at the height of the pandemic too. They’ll be offering free after-school programs for any student ages 5 – 18 through the City’s Summer Safari program and SPACE camps. They say it will be their priority for a safe, fun, and relaxing experience for students and a much-needed break for parents. They are 5 days/week for six weeks at Frank Zeek, Grace Hudson, and Nokomis Elementary Schools. There is exercise, arts and crafts, activities, and games, directed by local teens and young people employed by the City of Ukiah.
There is a new Transition Director for the Public Health Branch of Health & Human Services. Anne Molgaard has more than 30 years’ experience in health and human services in nonprofits and government sectors. Mendocino County CEO Carmel Angelo says as Public Health and Health and Human Services are separated to two departments “Anne will lead Public Health through the transition”. She says she’s known for her organizational analysis and practical approach to public service. Public Health includes programs like WIC (Women, Infants, & Children), Nursing, Community Wellness and Environmental Health and the county’s COVID Pandemic Response.
More info for the public per Cal Fire regarding the Jackson Demonstration Forest. They’re inviting the public for a community meeting on the way this forest and others are managed. Jackson is the largest state-owned forest in California. The meeting on Zoom and the Cal Fire Mendocino Unit Facebook page and in public tomorrow night at the Willits High School baseball field at 6:30.
It’s like before times in Clearlake where they’re having the full Independence Day celebration this year, including a carnival, concert, parade, festival, fireworks and worm races, like in years past. Lake Co News also reports the Lakeshore Lions Club of Clearlake is sponsoring the 64th annual Redbud Parade and Festival this Saturday, starting at 11 a.m. The theme of the parade is “Stars and Stripes.” There will be locals marching along with a marching band, decorated floats, vintage cars, parade and show horses, fire and police vehicles, and more. At Austin Park after they will set up vendors and arts and crafts, along with games and entertainment. The famed worm races are sponsored by the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce.
Arrests in Clearlake during a special traffic enforcement operation. There were several traffic stops for the operation with 3 tickets given out for speeding, four tickets for moving violations and eight citations for mechanical violations. 2 arrests were made because the drivers had active warrants. 2 others got tickets for driving on a suspended license and one for driving with no license. An arrest for DUI, the driver was also in a stolen car. Police remind that speeding, not wearing seat belts and distracted driving can put you and others in danger.
In Lake County, they’re holding a Countywide Community Visioning Forum. The Forum’s Planning Committee is holding their second meeting, on Zoom tomorrow from 6 to 8 p.m. The county announced it like this: residents from Lake County’s richly diverse communities saw as the Board of Supervisors unanimously proclaimed “Promoting Tolerance, Respect, Equity and Inclusion” among their utmost priorities. They promised meaningful actions and activities that will build bridges where there may be walls; fostering tolerance, respect, understanding, equity and inclusion; promoting non-violence and non-violent conflict resolution; focusing resources on underlying causes and conditions that lead to inequitable resource and justice distribution; and relevant solutions for any social injustices, as they may come to light.
The Gov. working with legislative leaders in the Senate and Assembly then announced an extension of the state’s evictions moratorium, and an infusion of more money in the rent relief program, all related to the coronavirus pandemic. The proposals would mean $5 billion in federal rental assistance will go to state tenants and small landlords and also protect vulnerable households from eviction. The National Housing Law Project works with lower income communities and says people in rentals still face financial obstacles so the moratorium will help. Plus it will help landlords too.
Grad students at Univ. of Calif. campuses may soon unionize. Student Researchers United, a committee of graduate student researchers, has filed a petition to get certified as a union for their 17,000 or so members. Those organizing say they want more money and healthcare benefits, to be protected against harassment and discrimination and have a formal grievance procedure. Right now the graduate student researchers are part-timers under a faculty member or principal investigator receiving anything between around $1,800 to $3,500/month. They get UC-provided healthcare.
The Gov. says Calif. is roaring back from the coronavirus pandemic, and now reports say, so is the real estate market. The industry basically closed in March of 2020, but then started to ramp back up last May to October. The North Bay Real Estate market inventory including Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties was at around 40% of what it was last May, but 10% above last month. There were more than 1,900 sales last month, 17% higher than a year ago. In Mendocino County at the end of May there were about 140 homes for sale as opposed to 236 a year ago. There were 70 sales last month, 32% higher than a year ago.
Even though the state is fully reopened after the worst days of the pandemic, senior centers across Lake and Mendocino counties are staying closed for in person meals and other services, but are opened for some. The Area Agency on Aging’s Governing Board had a meeting last week. They manage the senior centers. Money set aside for last year because of the pandemic. Some of the facilities reported less money this year though. There were increases in minimum wage and food and gas for Meals on Wheels employees. In Fort Bragg, they’re serving meals and are opened for congregate dining. The Lakeport Senior Center are meeting next month to assess, but they’re looking at a September reopening. And at the Highlands Senior Center they’ve re-started activities like Zumba and other fitness classes, which are not that big so they can distance themselves. There were two seniors there who reported positive COVID tests. They’re waiting until after the Independence Day holiday to assess what else might open. They are doing Meals on Wheels deliveries, which are up.
Cal Fire is reminding that fireworks are illegal in Mendocino County. They’ve been sending notices out to remind residents to do their part to have a safe holiday and help prevent wildfires and injuries caused by fireworks. As a reminder too, two out of five fires on the 4th of July are caused by fireworks, more than any other cause of fires. The agency says the state has zero tolerance for the use or sale of illegal fireworks. CAL FIRE is working closely with local law enforcement and firefighting agencies to take away illegal fireworks and prosecute those found in possession of them. In Mendocino County, all types of fireworks are illegal and their use is punishable by law. Anyone possessing, transporting or using fireworks in Mendocino County is in violation of the law. The costs are in the hundreds of thousands and sometimes, millions of dollars to fight fires and you will be responsible for that and any damage caused by a fire.
There’s a new threat to water bodies in the state. So there’s a request if you’re an avid angler to help prevent allowing invasive Quagga and Zebra Mussels in the ponds at Mill Creek County Park. When they are introduced into water bodies, they negatively impact fish and waterfowl populations, increase maintenance costs to drinking water and dam infrastructure, and alter ecosystem functions in detrimental and unmanageable ways. There are not any Quagga or Zebra Mussels in North Coast waterways, including Mill Creek Ponds, Lake Sonoma, or Lake Mendocino. So the Mendocino County Resource Conservation District is doing surface monitoring to make sure it stays that way. They will be there Saturday, on Free Fishing Day. The day anglers do not need a fishing license to fish in California.
