MENDOCINO COUNTY YEAR IN REVIEW
First quarter: January through March 2021
January
Jan. 2: Vaccination clinics hosted. Doses not yet available to the general public. Mendocino County has begun hosting “vaccination clinics” to administer doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to local front line healthcare workers, county officials reported.
Jan. 3: Jail outbreak rises to 76 people. At least one inmate was hospitalized this week as the outbreak of Covid-19 at the Mendocino County Jail expanded to include 76 people testing positive, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Jan. 5: First baby of the year is a girl. There weren’t fireworks, but Fort Bragg residents Carley Copello and Garrison Roach celebrated the start of 2021 in an even more special way, welcoming their newborn daughter just after midnight on New Year’s Day.
Jan. 6: Mulheren, Mcgourty sworn in. Two new Mendocino County supervisors were sworn in Monday in a socially distant ceremony that was not open to the public, county officials reported.
Jan. 8: Huffman talks from lock down. As an unprecedented takeover of the U.S. Capitol by a violent mob was underway in Washington, North Coast Congressman was in lockdown.
Jan. 9: Covid-19: Doohan contract extended. With only newly seated 2nd District Supervisor Maureen Mulheren dissenting, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors this week approved paying former Public Health Officer Dr. Noemi Doohan as much as another $100,000 to serve as Deputy Public Health Officer through the end of 2021.
Jan. 11: Goal: Vaccinate 900 per week. Mendocino County Public Health Officer Dr. Andy Coren said Friday that the county hopes to begin vaccinating 900 people per week, then steadily increase that number as more doses arrive.
Jan. 12: Covid-19 cases continue to rise. Closing in on its 30,000th fatality from COVID-19, California on Sunday continued reporting new deaths in larger numbers than any other point of the pandemic, and its average case count rose nearly equal with its pre-christmas peak.
Jan. 13: 2,775 vaccine doses received. After receiving more than 2,700 doses of Covid-19 vaccines this week, Mendocino County officials reported Tuesday that they are planning to host six “vaccination events,” including one that will deliver the first round of second inoculations for
people who got their initial shots three weeks ago.
Jan. 14: Dispensary permit renewed again. The city of Ukiah again renewed the operating permit for Cannavine on Airport Park Boulevard, a business that is still the only cannabis dispensary operating within the city limits of Ukiah since the sale of recreational cannabis was legalized in the state.
Jan. 15: Wood helps vaccinate teachers. North Coast Assemblyman Jim Wood (D-santa Rosa) volunteered on Tuesday to be part of the effort to vaccinate local residents when it was discovered a clinic was taking place in the same building as Wood’s Ukiah office.
Jan. 16: Distribution overview provided. As posted on the Mendocino County information webpage, “The County’s role and responsibility in the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine is logistics: planning and preparing for the distribution of one or more vaccines.”
Jan. 17: Hundreds of people vaccinated. Hundreds of Ukiah Unified School District employees received Covid-19 vaccinations Friday in one of at least two large events held in Ukiah.
Jan. 19: California calls for investigation. In the latest pitfall of California’s COVID-19 vaccine roll-out, the state’s top epidemiologist recommended Sunday night that clinics put hundreds of thousands of doses on hold after a series of allergic reactions in Southern California.
Jan. 20: 100 doses from Moderna lot used here. After previously reporting that no doses of a batch of Moderna vaccine identified as possibly causing “higher allergic reactions” had been administered in Mendocino County, officials updated a press release to reveal that 100 doses were in fact used in Ukiah earlier this month.
Jan. 21: Chase Bank in Ukiah robbed. A Ukiah man was arrested early Wednesday for allegedly robbing the Chase Bank on South State Street, the Ukiah Police Department reported.
Jan. 22: Supply constricts vaccine rollout. While reporting some good news in that the number of new Covid-19 cases in Mendocino County has been dropping recently, city of Ukiah officials also reported this week that vaccine distribution in the county has not been as robust as needed.
Jan. 23: Eight apply for council seat. Before the deadline of noon on Jan. 21, eight people had applied to the City of Ukiah in the hopes of being appointed to fill the seat on the Ukiah City Council vacated by Maureen Mulheren, who was recently elected to the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors.
Jan. 24: Holiday case surge may be over. With the rate of new Covid-19 cases in Mendocino County dipping slightly, Public Health Officer Dr. Andy Coren said it is [possible that the holiday surges could be ending.
Jan. 26: Vaccine second dose clinic set. The County of Mendocino has announced a second-vaccination event, to be held on Wednesday, for those who received their first Pfizer vaccine doses on Jan. 6 or 7.
Jan. 27: 14 percent of those over 18 vaccinated. Three more deaths of Mendocino County residents from the Covid-19 virus were reported over the weekend, bringing the total number of deaths to 36 as of Jan. 25, the Mendocino County Health Department reported.
Jan. 28: Ukiah Police sergeant charged. An arrest warrant was issued this week for a Ukiah Police Department officer accused of entering a woman’s hotel room and committing sexual battery, the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office reported.
Jan. 29: Thousands still without power. Thousands of residents throughout Mendocino County were still without power Thursday following a storm Jan. 26 that dumped several inches of snow in many areas, including some which reportedly received more than a foot of the precipitation.
Jan. 30: City Council appoints Rodin. At a special virtual meeting Thursday, the Ukiah City Council appointed former Council member Mari Rodin to fill the seat recently vacated by Maureen Mulheren, who was elected to the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors.
Jan. 31: PG&E says outages to continue. Many Mendocino County residents who lost power after Tuesday’s snowstorm may not have their power restored until Monday, Pacific Gas & Electric reported.
February
Feb. 2: County issues revised school order. Effective Friday, Jan. 29, Mendocino County Public Health issued a revised Health Order regarding Covid-19 protocol for schools.
Feb. 3: City seeking Covid-19 grants. During its virtual meeting tonight, the Ukiah City Council is scheduled to consider a plan to apply for nearly $400,000 in grant money to aid in the city’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Feb. 4:Neighbor appeals goats permit. A hearing officer hired by the City of Ukiah recently upheld a permit granted to a Ukiah family requesting to keep two goats on their property within the city limits.
Feb. 5: Khadijah Britton case updated. Mendocino County Sheriff Matthew Kendall and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) plan to update the public today on the missing person case of Khadijah Britton, a Covelo woman who disappeared three years ago this month.
Feb. 6: $50,000 goes to Potter Valley Project. Continuing expenditures that are expected to total about $100,000 a year for the next few years, the Ukiah City Council Wednesday approved giving the Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission another $50,000 toward its ongoing efforts to keep water flowing from the Potter Valley Project into Lake Mendocino.
Feb. 7: Employees at seven restaurants test positive. Outbreak testing will be conducted in Fort Bragg this weekend after more than a dozen employees of seven of the city’s restaurants have recently tested positive for Covid-19, Mendocino County officials reported.
Feb. 9: Celebrate Valentine’s Day with music. Everyone is invited on Valentine’s Day to share peace and love through music via a virtual concert to premiere on Sunday, Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. on Youtube.
Feb. 10: 18 test positive at Mountain View. A dozen residents of an assisted living facility in Ukiah recently tested positive for Covid-19 in one of four current outbreaks, Mendocino County health officials reported Tuesday.
Feb. 11: Program manager job eliminated. Mendocino County officials announced this week that there will no longer be a Measure B (Mental Health Treatment Act) program manager, and the tasks formerly assigned to Alyson Bailey will be assumed by Behavioral Health and Recovery Services.
Feb. 12: Planning appointments changed. The Ukiah City Council voted recently to change the process for seating new members on the Planning Commission, but halted discussions on
allowing people living outside the city limits to serve on the board.
Feb. 13: Cannabis permit up for renewal. In separate hearings Tuesday, the city of Ukiah will consider renewing a permit for a cannabis operation that has yet to open, and consider a request to divide a parcel of land at the end of Airport Park Boulevard into three plots.
Feb. 14: County reports another death. Mendocino County Public Health officials reported this week that another county resident has died due to Covid-19, marking the 40th death from the virus for the county.
Feb. 17: Charter schools talk about reopening. The Charter School Association of Willits discussed reopening plans at the Feb. 9 monthly meeting.
Feb. 18: Plastic reduction measures urged. With state legislators failing to pass plastic-reduction proposals two years running and Californians continuing to pour plastics into the sea, the state’s Ocean Protection Council approved a host of fact finding, technical assistance and policy promotion initiatives, aimed at turning the tide on such waste.
Feb. 19: Interim Public Health director hired. Mendocino County Health and Human Services Agency has announced the appointment of Mary Alice Willeford as interim Public Health director.
Feb. 20: FEMA floodplain maps discussed. The Ukiah City Council Wednesday was alerted to a potential expansion of the local floodplain maps created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a change that city staff said could have a significant impact on the amount of insurance property owners would have to pay to protect their homes.
Feb. 21: Outbreak may involve virus variant. Certain aspects of a recent Covid-19 outbreak at a Ukiah assisted living facility have Mendocino County Health Officer Dr. Andy Coren wanting to investigate further whether one of the virus’ worrisome variants may have been involved.
Feb. 24: County opens vaccines to age 65-plus. As of Monday, all Mendocino County residents 65 and older are eligible to receive a Covid-19 vaccination, health officials announced this week.
Feb. 25: Mountain View cases reach 31. The Covid-19 outbreak at Mountain
View assisted living facility in Ukiah has grown to include 31 cases and two deaths, Mendocino County Public Health Officer Andy Coren reported this week.
Feb. 26: Homeless man robbed of clothes, wheelchair. A homeless man robbed of his wheelchair and clothes was left naked outside Walmart earlier this week, the Ukiah Police Department reported.
Feb. 27: Former UPD sergeant charged. Former Ukiah Police Sergeant Kevin P. Murray was booked into Mendocino County Jail again this week after new charges were filed against him in connection to additional sex crimes that allegedly occurred in 2014.
Feb. 28: Logging workers can now get vaccine. Mendocino County health officials announced Friday that people who work in the logging industry “are now included in the current Agricultural Workers vaccination tier and immediately eligible” to receive Covid-19 vaccinations.
March
March 2: PG&E bills are on the rise. PG&E electricity and natural gas residential customers must brace for a jump in their monthly bills in March, an increase the utility says will be used to finance an array of efforts to improve safety and reliability.
March 3: Roundabout up for discussion. At its virtual meeting today, the Ukiah City Council will discuss modifying plans for a proposed roundabout at Low Gap Road and North Bush Street.
March 4: Housing overlay zone approved. The Ukiah Planning Commission recently approved a “Housing Overlay Zone” designation for three parcels on East Gobbi Street, a change allowing any housing projects proposed for the site to move forward with only a building permit as long as they meet certain city standards.
March 5: County expects to get J&J vaccine. Doses of the third vaccine to be approved by the Federal Drug Administration, made by Johnson and Johnson, should be arriving in Mendocino County this week, city of Ukiah officials reported.
March 6: Second appeal over goats denied. The Ukiah City Council voted this week to allow a family to keep two goats, denying the latest appeal by
their next-door neighbor on North Oak Street.
March 7: Another Covid death reported. Another Mendocino County resident died from the Covid-19 virus this week, bringing the total number of deaths to 44 as of March 6.
March 9: Guidelines issued for vaccinated. Vaccinated grandparents who haven’t seen their grandkids or children for a year got the go ahead to do so on Monday.
March 10: J&J vaccine arrives in county. The first shipment of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine arrived in Mendocino County on Monday, Public Health Officer Dr. Andy Coren told the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors Tuesday.
March 11: Pandemic speeds up automation. When COVID-19 sent millions of Californians home to work remotely, shop online and video conference their doctors, companies adapted by replacing certain services with new technology.
March 12: Housing overlay zone approved. After a somewhat lengthy discussion about traffic, parking and oak trees, the Ukiah City Council this week voted to moved forward with creating the city’s first Housing Overlay Zone for three parcels on East Gobbi Street, a change that allows housing projects on the site to move forward with only a building permit as long as they meet certain city standards.
March 13: MCSO: Ukiah man kidnapped, beaten. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s help in investigating the reported kidnapping and beating of a Ukiah man in Covelo during a marijuana sale.
March 14: Large pot grow eradicated. More than 3,400 marijuana plants were removed from an illegal growing operation in Hopland this week, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office reported.
March 16: Mobile home destroyed in fire. A mobile home was destroyed north of Ukiah Saturday night in what authorities believe was an act of arson, the Ukiah Valley Fire Authority reported.
March 17: Monarch butterflies on agenda. When she was a child, Ukiah resident Andrea Davis remembers Monarch butterflies “seemed to be everywhere,” especially in the fall.
March 18: ‘No contest’ plea in rape case. A Ukiah man previously convicted of raping a teenage girl avoided a fourth criminal trial this month by pleading “no contest” to raping another young victim, the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office reported.
March 19: Jail inmates get J&J vaccine. More than 100 inmates at the Mendocino County Jail were vaccinated Wednesday against the Covid-19 coronavirus, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office reported.
March 20: $757,481 approved for project. The Ukiah City Council Wednesday approved spending another three-quarters of a million dollars on the Downtown Streetscape Project, funds
that will be spent to repave and rebuild several side streets connected to the main work on South State Street.
March 21: Celebrating women’s history. The City of Ukiah Recreation Department is presenting a story promenade this month in front of City Hall to celebrate Women’s History Month.
March 23: 20 percent of adults fully vaccinated. More than 40 percent of the adult population in Mendocino County has had at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose, and nearly 20 percent are fully vaccinated, county health officials reported this week.
March 24: Virus variants not found locally. Mendocino County Public Health Officer Dr. Andy Coren reported Tuesday that there is still no evidence that any of the known Covid-19 variants have arrived in the county, though only two samples have been tested so far.
March 25: Two honored for saving man’s life. The Ukiah Police Department recently honored its officers for their work in the past year, including two who rendered medical aid to a man who collapsed in a grocery store parking lot. The first medical responder on scene, Ukiah Valley Fire Authority Battalion Chief Justin Buckingham, later noted in a commendation that the man very likely would have died without the lifesaving efforts of the two officers. The UPD honored the officers, Alex Cowan and Patrick Infante, with its Life Saving Award.
March 26: Safety upgrades planned for crosswalk. The Ukiah City Council recently approved planned safety upgrades for a crosswalk at South Dora and Luce streets that frequent users reported having regular close calls in while attempting to safely cross busy South Dora Street.
March 27: Variants discovered in county. Health officials were notified this week that at least four different Covid-19 variants have been circulating in Mendocino County since February.
March 28:Supes get progress update. The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors got an update this week on several projects being funded by Measure B funds that are currently underway, including a facility being built on South Orchard Avenue next to the Ukiah Post Office.
March 30: Ukiah Library reopens to public. Today is a momentous day in the history of Mendocino County. After a year of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukiah Library, at 105 N. Main St., is reopening its doors this week for limited in-person services on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, beginning this afternoon from 1 to 5 p.m.
March 31: Kubin named ‘Woman of the Year’. Citing her response to the Covid-19 pandemic as “leading an amazing effort,” Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-santa Rosa) announced this week that he has selected Ukiah Unified School District Superintendent Debra Kubin as 2021 Woman of the Year for Assembly District 2.