Mendo Local Weekly News Roundup — August 29, 2025
A roundup of local news for the week ending August 29, 2025 from around Mendocino County.
Hello friends,
Here’s your roundup of Mendocino County news from this past week, featuring redistricting costs, a call-for-service for a reported bar fight in Fort Bragg the ended badly with two officers down and a patron complaining of constitutional rights violations, plus the golf course in Sea Ranch is re-opening. Let’s get into it!
MENDOCINO COUNTY
📊 How Much Will Newsom’s Big Anti-Trump Redistricting Plan Cost Mendocino County?
By Mark Scaramella, Anderson Valley Observer
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State Appropriations Chair Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, said California taxpayers will soon get an official cost estimate of the proposed redistricting before the special election. Mendocino County Registrar of Voters Katrina Bartolomie warned it could cost the county more than $400,000, primarily related to the expense of holding a special election. State costs could top $230 million. The Legislature has yet to earmark funds, leaving uncertainty over who will pay.
🌋 Bills Advancing in Sacramento Could Spark Geothermal Boom in Mendocino County
By Aly Brown, Bay City News / Mendocino Voice
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State lawmakers are pushing legislation to expand geothermal development, potentially unlocking new energy projects in Mendocino County. Advocates say geothermal power could provide clean energy and jobs, while opponents raise environmental concerns about land use and water.
FORT BRAGG
⚽ Worried About Plastic Turf and Playground Fill? Volunteers Needed for Research
By Frank Hartzell, Mendocino Coast News
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Local residents are raising concerns over widespread plastic use at Bainbridge Park and Wiggly Giggly Campground, from synthetic turf to plastic playground fill. Community members are invited to help MendocinoCoast.News investigate the environmental and health impacts.
🛡️ Be Careful What You Wish For
By Bernie Norvell, Anderson Valley Advertiser
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District 4 Supervisor and former Fort Bragg Mayor Bernie Norvell reflects on the retirement of Fort Bragg Police Chief Neil Cervenka. He warns that finding the right successor is crucial to preserving morale, retaining officers, and continuing community programs.
🎨 Newest Fort Bragg Mural Celebrates Kelp Forests and Whale Migrations
By Sarah Stierch, Mendocino Voice
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A massive new mural titled The Gray Whale in Kelp will soon adorn the facade of North Coast Brewing Company. Created by Larry Foster and painted by Marta Alonso Canillar, the mural will debut during KelpFest, celebrating Fort Bragg’s kelp forests and whale migration.
🚔 Fort Bragg Sergeant Injured While Breaking Up Bar Fight
By Elise Cox, Mendo Local
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Sgt. Jarod Frank suffered a head injury while responding to a fight at the Welcome Inn. After being knocked into a car during the scuffle, he was treated for a cut to the head and has since returned to duty.
📱 Mendocino County Butcher Says Fort Bragg Police Retaliated Against Him
By Elise Cox, Mendo Local
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Zander Kain Garay, a 24-year-old butcher at a local supermarket, says his constitutional rights were violated when he was arrested at the Welcome Inn after refusing to hand over cell phone video to police. He has filed a claim against the City of Fort Bragg.
POINT ARENA
🎖️ Veterans Monument Breaks Ground
By Chelsea Randall, Independent Coast Observer
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Construction is officially underway at the Point Arena Lighthouse for the long-planned Northern California Coastal Veterans Monument. Completion could come this year, pending additional fundraising.
SEA RANCH
⛳ Nonprofit Leaseholder to Reopen Sea Ranch Golf Links
By David Torres, Independent Coast Observer
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North Coast Golf Links LLC has signed a $1-per-year, five-year lease with Sea Ranch Lodge to reopen the Robert Muir Graves–designed course, which closed six months ago due to financial losses.
UKIAH
🔌 Vandalism of Internet Cable Causes Slowdown for Further Reach Customers
By Susan Wolbarst & Karen Elowitt, Independent Coast Observer
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Service disruptions hit Further Reach users after a cable was cut near Ukiah on Saturday, Aug. 23. Connectivity was restored the following afternoon.
VILLAGE OF MENDOCINO
🚺 Women’s Equality Day Parade and Celebration
By Mary Rose Kaczorowski, Mendocino Voice
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More than 100 gathered at the Kelley House lawn to celebrate the 105th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. The event featured a parade led by State Treasurer Fiona Ma, suffrage songs, period costumes, proclamations, and tributes to longtime local activists.
WILLITS
🏫 School Board Discusses Maintenance, Security Upgrades
By Addison Alvarado, Willits Weekly
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At its first meeting of the new school year, the Willits Unified School Board heard updates from Superintendent John Baker and staff on summer projects, including the installation of new security cameras.
🛒 Mariposa Market Celebrates 46th Anniversary
By Mathew Caine, Willits Weekly
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Owner Mary Anne Trevey credited loyal customers, dedicated staff, and fresh organic products for helping the natural foods store survive recessions, COVID, and the bypass. Local vendors offered samples at the anniversary party.
🛫 FAA Directs City of Willits to Change Airport Rules or Lose Funding
By Elise Cox, Mendo Local
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The FAA faulted the city for failing to enforce safety rules at the municipal airport, citing more than 100 complaints from one tenant. Officials are weighing limited code changes to meet federal requirements.
PRESS RELEASES
🧀 CDFA Recalls Raw Goat Milk Cheddar Cheese by Sierra Nevada Cheese Company
State regulators recalled raw goat milk cheddar after detecting listeria. The cheese was sold in Mendocino County and across California.
🦀 California Fish and Game Commission Revokes Commercial Fishing Licenses
Two fishermen lost licenses following repeated violations in the lobster and Dungeness crab fisheries, including abandoned traps that harmed marine life.
🌲 Mendocino Land Trust Adds Two New Conservation Easements
New easements protect a 30-acre grassland near Point Arena and a 2.3-acre redwood property near Fort Bragg, including the “Grandmother Tree.”
Thank you for reading. If you enjoy golfing, we hope you get a chance to visit one of the area’s most spectacular golf courses. See you next week.