Power out for a large chunk of Trinity County on either side of Hwy 299 as the Monument Fire continues to burn. A couple hundred PG&E customers lost power last night, around the fire. The Sheriff’s Facebook page said the utility company had de-energized power lines from the Big Bar area westward to the County line, because of the proximity to the Monument Fire. The fire has burned 15,000 acres, growing 6,000 acres overnight. Thousands had to evacuate their homes. Fire officials say the fire is sparking spot fires which have crossed the Trinity River and Highway 299, eventually closing that highway. Evacuation orders were issued Monday night.
Anyone who’s backpacking along the Lost Coast Trail in the King Range National Conservation Area is being warned about unfavorable tidal conditions this month and next. They say to watch for the tides receding below 3 feet through the end of the month and about ½ of next month. But it’s spread out and mostly during daylight hours. You can check with the King Range Office about the Lost Coast Trail for more info.
A fire burning in Ukiah along N. State Street appears to be out. Several structures had been threatened yesterday as the vegetation fire blackened an area near the 4200 block of North State. No word how the fire started yesterday afternoon, but there were no evacuations or injuries reported. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office issued a Nixle Alert about a fire burning and they were on the scene and to stay out of the area. They stopped the fire from progressing too far pretty quick and canceled a call for backup from Brooktrails Fire but asked for help still from Hopland and Potter Valley Fire to help with mop up. Fire officials were poring over surveillance footage from the area, and indicated it might be suspicious in nature.
Another day, another business with a COVID-19 case. The second supermarket this week… first Raley’s, now word there’s been a case at Lucky’s Supermarket. The Mendocino County Public Health Office is warning anyone who may have been at the 504 E Perkins St location in Ukiah between July 23rd and 25th, that they may have been exposed and if they’re unvaccinated to be tested or be tested if vaccinated and experiencing symptoms. The management of the supermarket reportedly responding fast to the case and sent employees to be tested and told specific customers about the case. As we’ve been reporting this week and last, the Public Health Officer Dr. Andy Coren is continually reminding to stay home if you’re feeling ill and further asks all residents to stay vigilant and follow state guidelines to prevent spreading the virus in the community.
More than 90 people who were supposed to go to jail to serve time get a reprieve thanks to the pandemic. A judge in Sonoma County delayed the surrender dates of 93 people from this month until October to try to stop spreading the virus amongst inmates at the Sonoma County Jail. The Sheriff’s Office told The Press Democrat they had 31 positive cases in new inmates. Then the next day they added 3 more and were awaiting the test results from a handful of others. The general population area is in lockdown. No cases have needed hospitalization. 23 staff members there are also in quarantine after being exposed.
Two Lake County crashes have ended in deaths this week. The CHP in Clearlake reported on the deaths of 51 year old William Wright of Hidden Valley Lake who died July 31st after a big rig being driven by Frederick Gibson II of Roseville veered towards the edge of the road and overcorrected and hit Wright, killing him instantly. Gibson had major injuries too. The same day a 31-year-old woman was killed and her passenger had major injuries crash along Highway 20, west of Blue Lakes Road. That driver veered into oncoming traffic for some reason and hit another car. There were minor injuries in that car. The CHP says they do not believe drugs or alcohol were factors in either of the crashes.
After the scandal that hit the Windsor Town Council, they’re having a special election. The former Mayor and councilmember Dominic Foppoli resigned after sexual abuse allegations against him. The council could not agree on how to choose a new member to fill the vacancy, so now comes word there will be a special election for the Town Council seat next April. It was unanimous last night to have the election April 12th for the seat that will stay filled through Dec. of 2022. The empty seat is actually the former Vice Mayor’s who is now the mayor. The Town Council was supposed to settle the matter by July 21st but were deadlocked on how to do it. So state law says there is to be a special election by default.
The Governor looks poised to place language on the recall ballot next to his name that says the effort against him is a witch hunt by Republicans. Not those words specifically, but the state’s official voter guide may be able to call the effort a “Republican recall”. Organizers sued to get that language along with a “Republican power grab” or an abuse of the state’s recall laws out of the voter guide. But the judge in the case has temporarily sided with the Governor. She will rule on how the Governor can brand the recall later this month. But voters are supposed to start getting their ballots already next week. The last day to vote is Sept. 14th.
It’s now official, Lakeport’s first police dog in over ten years has his shiny new badge. The Police Chief Brad Rasmussen introduced police K-9 Olin to the city council at the latest city council meeting along with his handler Officer Kaylene Strugnell. The Lakeport Police Department’s first dog since K-9 Max, a Belgian Malinois, retired in 2009. Lake Co News reports the chief thanked various organizations for helping with the fundraiser to make the police dog department a reality once again. Rasmussen presented Olin with his badge.
The Mendocino County Public Health Officer with a warning about the latest surge of new COVID-19 cases. There have been over 100 the last several days for a total since the beginning of the pandemic, of nearly 5,000 cases. On Tuesday, Dr. Coren said more than a dozen people were hospitalized and six of were in the ICU. He said the rate of hospitalizations was inching up to a point we have not seen since last winter. He told the Board of Supervisors Tuesday that almost 90% of cases in the county were in the unvaccinated. Vaccinations were going up a little with nearly 62% of Mendocino County residents having been fully vaccinated and almost 71% had at least one dose. There are two new orders in place for county residents, one that starts Tuesday, universal indoor masking and all fire department, EMS and law enforcement staff have to get vaccinated or regularly tested. That mandate starts September 1st.
