Local News

September 20, 2024 — Four years after the Hopkins Fire destroyed 30 homes in Calpella and burned 257 acres near Lake Mendocino, arson in the Ukiah area has fallen 45%. A new approach to intentional fires, put in place by Ukiah Valley Fire Authority Chief Justin Buckingham, has reduced the percent of intentional fires from a high of 66% of all fires in 2021 to 35% today.

September 19, 2024 — Ten years ago a warm water blob in the Pacific Ocean destroyed 93% of the kelp forest off the Mendocino and Sonoma Coasts. Then a wasting disease wiped out the remaining ocean predators for purple urchins.Since that time, abalone season has been closed, the red urchin fishery was declared a national disaster and purple urchins blanket the sea floor consuming everything in their path. Today over 96% of the kelp forest has disappeared.The Nature Conservancy was recently given 1.6 million to develop kelp restoration programs along the coast. Tristin McHugh, the kelp restoration coordinator for The Nature Conservancy, provides an update on what's working to restore kelp forests at Big River and Albion and talks about how the restoration efforts are helping the decimated fishing industry.

September 18, 2024 — At last Tuesday’s meeting, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to keep current limits on cannabis density unchanged. In doing so, the supervisors rejected a proposal to reinterpret the original cannabis ordinance to allow larger commercial cannabis sites.

September 17, 2024 — The community of Round Valley gathered at the Round Valley Library Commons to celebrate the recent awarding of Best Small library in America to the Mendocino County Public Library branch.

September 16, 2024 — On September 9th, the Fort Bragg City Council held a hearing on a local coastal program amendment and coastal development permit for the area commonly referred to as the millsite. The changes alter the zoning on several parcels. If approved by the Coastal Commission, the change will allow the Noyo Center to build on its portion of the site, place the Noyo Headlands trail systems under parks and recreation zoning, and change the zoning on two parcels owned by the Sherwood Valley Tribe to medium-density residential.

September 13, 2024 — The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors tackled several key issues during their Tuesday meeting. They approved a pay raise for supervisors and the use of Measure B funds for the county jail. They also approved amending the cannabis ordinance to clarify the original intent of the ordinance.

September 12, 2024 — Sid Garza-Hillman the new Executive Director of the Mendocino Area Parks Association or Mendo Parks, as it is typically known, joins us to explain the purpose of the organization and how it is funded. He also discusses his vision to increase accessibility and expand youth programs at the ten state parks Mendo Parks raises money for.

September 11, 2024 — Fort Bragg is making progress on an ambitious $72 million overhaul of its water infrastructure, targeting decades-old systems and pioneering new technology to secure the city’s water future. Key projects include remodeling the water treatment plant, replacing ancient pipelines, constructing three new reservoirs, and piloting a desalination project using wave energy.

September 9, 2024 — Homelessness is on the decline across Mendocino County, with the glaring exception of the tribal community, according to the latest annual Point-in-Time (PIT) homelessness survey. The survey, conducted in January and released last week, provides a detailed snapshot of homelessness in the region.

September 06, 2024 — “Have Steinway, will travel,” could be pianist Hunter Noack’s motto. For the past eight years, Noack has been traveling across the American West, towing a nine-foot concert grand piano to some of the country's most beautiful landscapes, setting up a stage, and performing music in the environments that inspired its creation. On Monday, September 9, Noack will bring this experience to Mendocino, setting up his piano on the lawn in front of the Ford House. The performance will begin at 4 p.m.

September 5, 2024 — Last Tuesday, August 27th, the Round Valley Project's Development met at the Library Commons in Covelo. Round Valley Projects is a newly formed group that aims to address a lack of environmental focus, awareness, and vocational training coupled with limited opportunities and access to nature, which is causing a disconnect and weakening of environmental stewardship in youth and in the community. This is hindering local development, and neglecting the importance of understanding our histories, differences, climate change, geography, ecology, and conservation of natural resources in Round Valley.