The California Department of Public Health has warned against eating the internal organs (viscera) of recreationally caught Dungeness crab from affected waters from the California/Oregon border to Reading Rock State Marine Reserve, and from Ten Mile State Marine Reserve to the Sonoma/Mendocino county line. Cooking does not destroy the toxin. For more information, go to … Read more
Mendocino County Supervisor John Haschak (District 3) will step down in January 2027. The Willits resident served seven years, focusing on District 3’s emergency preparedness, and plans to remain politically active.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors named criminal defense attorney Thomas Feimer as the county’s next chief public defender on Tuesday, filling the position created in 2023. He replaces Raymond Buenaventura.
The Clearlake City Council holds its final regular meeting tonight to select 2026 leadership and conduct the first reading of an ordinance for the 2025 California Building Standards Code update. The meeting will include presentations thanking outgoing Mayor Russ Cremer and Vice Mayor Dirk Slooten, followed by the appointment of the new mayor and vice … Read more
Lakeport Unified School District is undertaking an ambitious, student-centered redesign of its secondary education program, significantly shaped by feedback from students in grades 5-12. Students advocated for a more relevant, diverse, and practical learning environment. The “Bridge to 2026” strategic plan will be completed by summer 2026 to guide implementation. Successful elements from the pilot will then … Read more
The Skunk Train is back in operation after a derailment. On November 23rd, the Skunk Train’s 4:30 p.m. Christmas excursion from Willits derailed one passenger car 30 minutes into the trip. The ten passengers were uninjured, transferred, and the remaining train returned to Willits. The investigation determined the cause was a wheel climbing a joint … Read more
The $15.5 million Caltrans widening project on Mendocino’s 1939 Jack Peters Bridge (State Highway 1) is complete. The year-long construction, which added new railings, a pedestrian walkway, two 12-foot lanes, and two 6-foot shoulders, caused detours between Mendocino, Caspar, and Fort Bragg. Caltrans states the bridge is now “more accessible and safer for everyone.” More … Read more
Correction Officer Jason Tharp has completed his training in the Corrections Division and is now working solo in the Lake County Sheriff’s Office jail facility. Sheriff Frank Leonbruno announced Tharp’s readiness via social media, commending his achievement and expressing optimism for his future with the department. Tharp’s new solo role is vital for maintaining safety … Read more
The recent vandalism of a Point Arena mural honoring Nicole Smith, a murdered Pomo woman, has brought increased visibility to her unsolved 2017 case and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement. The defacement, which seemed aimed at white muralist Nicole Ponsler, backfired by drawing that attention, according to Smith’s sister. Nicole Smith was fatally … Read more
The Lakeport City Council holds its final meeting of the year today, with leadership selection for 2026 on the agenda. Also, convening as the City of Lakeport Municipal Sewer District Board of Directors, the Board will consider approving a license agreement with Westside Community Park for the trail park’s construction, operation, and maintenance on CLMSD … Read more