> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.mendolocal.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Mendo Local Weekly News Roundup — October 12, 2025 - URL: https://www.mendolocal.news/mendo-local-weekly-news-roundup-october-4d2/ - Published: 2025-10-12T17:19:30.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-13T20:22:16.000Z - Description: A Supreme Court denial, a stymied recall, and polling place confusion - Author: Elise Cox - Tags: Weekly News, #mendolocal Hello friends, Another week and another story about the lack of clarity around Mendocino County finances. Plus a stalled District Attorney recall effort, polling place confusion, and an LLC called “Paradisiacal Properties” purchases 47 acres outside Elk. # 🗞️ MENDOCINO COUNTY **Supervisors stymied by missing budget data** *By Mark Scaramella, Anderson Valley Advertiser* Supervisors debated hiring requests without basic budget data from CEO Darcie Antle, postponing the DA’s staffing ask amid a countywide 6% cut target. Assessor-Clerk-Recorder Katrina Bartolomie, whose office ran its own numbers, called the discussion “kind of a waste of time.” Modest hires in her office, plus library and public-health positions funded outside the General Fund, were approved. Antle promised full details Nov. 4. [read the full story](https://theava.com/?ref=mendolocal.news) **Recall effort against Mendocino County DA stalls due to paperwork errors** *By Elise Cox, Mendo Local News* The Registrar of Voters rejected a citizen-led recall of DA David Eyster after errors in the published Notice of Intent in the Anderson Valley Advertiser. If resubmitted and accepted, organizers would have 160 days to collect 8,200 valid signatures. A countywide election could cost $300,000–$350,000. [read the full story](https://www.mendolocal.news/p/district-attorney-recall-effort-rejected) **Polling places and drop box info contained in ballot packets** *By Matt LaFever, Independent Coast Observer* After some postcards omitted polling-place details, Registrar Katrina Bartolomie urged voters to use official drop boxes and vote early; corrected postcards are being mailed. Full ballot packets with polling places and drop boxes went out last week. [read the full story](https://www.mendonoma.com/?ref=mendolocal.news) **Paradise in transition: land sales and monastic expansions** *By Frank Hartzell, Mendocino Coast News* A conservation group sold 47 acres in Elk for $1.5M to a new LLC, while Ukrainian Catholic Monks of Mount Tabor bought 51.5 acres in Redwood Valley for $712K, expanding their monastic footprint. [read the full story](https://mendocinocoast.news/paradise-in-transition-vegan-canadians-ukrainian-monks-and-a-look-at-mendocinos-rarely-seen-heavens/?ref=mendolocal.news) **REACH crew nurse dies** *By Frank Hartzell, Mendocino Coast News* A REACH Air Medical Services helicopter crashed on Highway 50 near Sacramento, resulting in the tragic death of Nurse Suzie Smith. Two other crew members remain hospitalized. The crash occurred shortly after takeoff from UC Davis Trauma Center, with pilot Chad Millward making a miraculous landing that avoided highway vehicles. Frank Hartzell and the Fort Bragg LIONS club are organizing a community gratitude effort. To contribute, email [frankhartzell@gmail.com](mailto:frankhartzell@gmail.com) with subject “I want to help Reach.” [read the full story](https://mendocinocoast.news/community-update-sending-reach-a-care-package-ai-misreporting-deepened-the-trauma/?ref=mendolocal.news) --- [Subscribe](#/portal/signup) # ❄️ FORT BRAGG **Supreme Court denies “Skunk Train” railway’s appeal in regulation dispute** *By Elise Cox, Mendo Local News* The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review Mendocino Railway’s federal case over local/state regulation of rail activities tied to the former GP mill site. The dispute now proceeds in California state court as settlement talks continue. [read the full story](https://www.mendolocal.news/p/us-supreme-court-denies-skunk-train) **New icehouse in Noyo Harbor** *By Mandela Linder, The Mendocino Voice* Noyo Harbor will get a state-of-the-art icehouse built from three stacked shipping containers, capable of producing and storing up to 20 tons of flake ice for commercial and recreational fishing. Tours of the facility were offered to the public last week. [read the full story](https://mendovoice.com/2025/10/new-noyo-harbor-icehouse-poised-to-support-the-north-coast-fishing-industry/?ref=mendolocal.news) --- # 💧 HOPLAND **Hopland PUD votes to triple water rates, sparking community outrage** *By Elise Cox, Mendo Local News* The board approved rate hikes that will triple water costs over 10 years for 330+ customers. First increases—40% for water, 25% for wastewater—take effect Nov. 1\. Residents blasted transparency, projections, and justifications tied to potential projects and rising admin costs. [read the full story](https://www.mendolocal.news/p/hopland-public-utility-district-board) --- # ⚓ POINT ARENA 🌧️ **Mendonoma residents want Caltrans to address flooding** *By Susan Wolbarst, Independent Coast Observer* As rains return, residents near Gualala and Point Arena brace for seasonal closures when rivers overtop. Locals say long-discussed fixes—like a Windy Hollow Road bridge—keep slipping in regional priorities. [read the full story](https://www.mendonoma.com/?ref=mendolocal.news) --- # 🏞️ UKIAH ⚖️ **Ukiah pays $450K in settlement over former police chief’s alleged sexual assault** *By Matt LaFever, MendoFever* The city settled a federal lawsuit alleging former Police Chief Noble Waidelich sexually assaulted a woman in uniform. Ukiah admits no liability, calling the settlement a fiscal decision amid criticism of earlier warnings that went unheeded. [read the full story](https://mendofever.com/?ref=mendolocal.news) [Subscribe](#/portal/signup) --- # 🌙 WILLITS 🎉 **Harvest Moon celebrated with pie-eating contest, tree giveaway** *By Mathew Caine, Willits Weekly* Main Street filled with families, food, and games at the annual Harvest Moon Hometown Celebration. PG&E’s vegetation team gave away 100 small trees in under an hour. [read the full story](http://www.willitsweekly.com/?ref=mendolocal.news) --- # 📰 CALMATTERS **‘No tax on tips’ offers limited benefits for California workers** *By Levi Sumagaysay, CalMatters* A new federal deduction allowing up to $25,000 in tips to be deducted from taxable income may offer uneven relief for service workers and could carry unintended consequences, experts say. [read the full story](https://calmatters.org/economy/2025/10/no-tax-on-tips-california/?ref=mendolocal.news) **Judge shuts down California tribes’ gambling lawsuit** *By Ryan Sabalow, CalMatters* A Sacramento Superior Court judge dismissed tribes’ suit aimed at forcing card rooms out of the market, citing federal gambling law. Card rooms praised the decision; tribes plan to appeal. [read the full story](https://calmatters.org/digital-democracy/2025/10/california-gambling-casinos-cardrooms/?ref=mendolocal.news) --- # 🗂️ NOTABLE PRESS RELEASES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS **City of Ukiah Moves Ahead with Annexation** *City of Ukiah* The City of Ukiah met on October 8 with Mendocino County Farm Bureau, Mendo Matters, and the No Ukiah Annexation group. The city said the purpose of the meeting was to exchange information, address misconceptions, and gather feedback on specific ideas that could inform revisions to the City’s potential annexation maps. [Read the announcement](https://cityofukiah.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PR%5FCommunity-Discussions-re-Annexation%5F100925.pdf?ref=mendolocal.news) or [listen to KZYX GM Andre De Channes read a version of the announcement during NPR news programming breaks on October 10](https://jukebox.kzyx.org/?ref=mendolocal.news) **California launches Cannabis Equity Grants Program for local jurisdictions** *By GO-Biz Newsletter* The state opened FY 2025–26 applications to support local cannabis equity: reducing entry barriers and boosting participation in the legal market. Deadline: **Dec. 8, 2025, 11:59 p.m.** [read the Mendocino Voice story](https://mendovoice.com/2025/10/mendocino-county-eyes-new-cannabis-equity-grant-to-boost-local-growers/?ref=mendolocal.news) or [read the announcement](https://business.ca.gov/cannabis-equity-grants-program?ref=mendolocal.news) **Redwood Forest Foundation receives $2.8M for wildfire mitigation** *By USDA* A USDA grant will expand and maintain fuel breaks along Hwy 1 near Leggett (about 579 acres) and fund community prescribed-fire training. [read the Mendocino Voice stor](https://mendovoice.com/2025/10/redwood-forest-foundation-awarded-2-8-million-for-wildfire-mitigation-near-leggett/?ref=mendolocal.news)y or [read the announcement](https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire/grants/cwdg?ref=mendolocal.news) *Editor’s note: The item about the City of Ukiah moving forward on annexation was added at 11:21 a.m. on October 12, 2025*