Marty Durlin

On the streets of Mendocino Village, people talk about their New Year's Eve plans and look toward the future.

As the Regional Quality Improvement Coordinator for the Alliance for Rural Community Health, Miranda Ramos regularly participates in Covid updates, and is aware of all the protocols around avoiding Covid-19. She and her family practiced limiting their exposure in all the obvious ways: sheltering in place, avoiding gatherings, wearing masks, keeping their distance and so on. Nonetheless, she caught the virus. Because she is a public person, she chose to make her illness and her experience public -- both on social media and on KZYX. 

On November 4th, people in Mendocino Village were talking about the results -- or lack of them -- of Tuesday's election. Here's what they had to say.

Mendocino County Animal Shelter Director Rich Molinari and Ukiah veterinarian Charlotte Burns talk about the ways they're adapting to protect animals and their caretakers during the coronavirus epidemic and fire season.

Jim Culp interviews Pastor Matt Davis of the Mendocino Presbyterian Church, owner of a herd of goats who eat their way through invasive species and pretty much anything in their path. They're the Holy Goats, and landowners are hiring them to take care of their problem plants.

KZYX Program Director Alicia Bales attended a gathering in honor of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Saturday, September 19th, and recorded people's heartfelt tributes.

Jim Culp reports on how the peace community in Fort Bragg celebrated the life and accomplishments of Will Beaumont, who died last month at the age of 89. An accomplished boat builder, naval commander and industrial designer, Will spent part of his last years creating large posters of iconic peace activists that were used in protests and demonstrations.

Jim Culp reports on a day of gorse-busting on either side of Highway 1 in Caspar. The storied plant -- also known as broom or furze -- was brought to the coast from Ireland in the 1800s, and has taken its place as an invasive species that can become a huge fire hazard. A community-driven effort to remove it took place last week. 

Four owner-managers from Mendocino Village businesses talk about their experiences over the past six months, and what they've done to stay afloat.

Augustine Ruiz, a spokesman for the giant postal district that encompasses both San Francisco and Mendocino County, says there are no slowdowns, no layoffs and no problems locally, despite conflicting reports in other parts of the country, and even within the district. 

When Jim Culp didn't hear about his COVID test results after three weeks, he posted his complaint on social media, and others chimed in about delays in receiving the results of their tests. His quest to find out why led him to Lucresha Renteria, Executive Director of Mendocino Coast Clinics in Fort Bragg.

Jim Culp checks in with the Mendocino Film Festival, holding this year's event online; and with the Coast Cinemas. The movie theatre, with four screening rooms, hopes to reopen with many safety guidelines in place.

No big tent on the Mendocino Headlands this year: the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Mendocino Music Festival to cancel its 34th season. In its place, Festival Executive Director Barbara Faulkner and her staff have created online offerings specific to the Festival, and hope to present the same classical music programming next year.  Mendocino Village and the surrounding area will take a financial hit of at least $1.5 million, and locals and visitors alike will miss the live music. But there are some bright spots.