Regional
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- Written by: Mendocino Land Trust
NORTH COAST, Calif. — Mendocino Land Trust has received a generous donation of property from longtime MLT supporter and environmental advocate Gabrielle Levine MD, who has been a stalwart champion for the protection of the Albion River since she transitioned from healing people as a doctor to healing the planet as an environmental steward.
The donated land is an undeveloped 20-acre parcel, located on the east side of Highway 1 in Albion, and features meadows, wooded terrain and ocean views from its elevated areas.
The land is now listed for sale by Tracy Wolfson of Engel & Volkers. Proceeds from the sale of the land will fund MLT’s Albion River Fund.
This fund focuses on MLT’s work in the Albion River watershed, including land conservation, habitat restoration, public access projects, and acquisition of conservation easements.
Matt Franks, MLT’s land protection manager, worked with Dr. Levine to make this remarkable gift possible.
As Franks explains, "Mendocino Land Trust is profoundly grateful not only for Gabrielle's generous donation to support our conservation work in the Albion area, but also for the stewardship and restoration work she has done on this property and more broadly. Her tireless advocacy, work, and innovation continue to benefit sensitive species and habitats in Mendocino County, and MLT is thrilled to partner with her in these efforts."
Mendocino Land Trust is honored to work with environmental champions like Dr. Levine to preserve and protect vulnerable habitats, and to ensure that stewardship of these precious waterways and riparian landscapes remains in place well into the future.
- Details
- Written by: CALTRANS
COLUSA COUNTY, Calif. — Caltrans has closed both the northbound and southbound Maxwell Rest Areas off Interstate 5 due to failed critical water and wastewater control systems.
The closures are necessary to protect public health and ensure compliance with environmental requirements.
The control systems that operate the well and sewer lift station have failed, preventing the facility from safely operating.
Replacement equipment has been ordered, and delivery is currently estimated to take approximately six to 11 weeks. Repairs will begin once the equipment arrives.
The northbound Willows Rest Area remains open at this time. However, the wastewater monitoring system has failed at the southbound rest area and it is also currently closed.
While the northbound rest area is still operational, Caltrans is closely monitoring conditions in the event additional repairs become necessary.
These emergency repairs focus on restoring electrical and control systems that manage water supply, wastewater flow, and monitoring systems essential for safe rest area operations. A separate, planned construction project scheduled to begin this spring at the Maxwell Rest Area does not include repairs to the well or lift station systems and is unrelated to the current closure.
This $22.4 million project at the Maxwell Rest Area is scheduled to begin later this year and will modernize infrastructure at the facility to better serve motorists in the future.
This project proposes improvements to extend the operational lifecycle of the rest area, including upgrades to comfort station facilities to meet changing traffic demands.
While this project will enhance the rest area overall, it does not address the emergency water and wastewater system repairs that caused the current closure.
Caltrans will provide updates as more information becomes available and once a timeline for reopening the Maxwell Rest Area can be confirmed.
Caltrans District 3 is responsible for maintaining and operating 4,385 lane miles in 11 Sacramento Valley and Northern Sierra counties. Caltrans reminds motorists to “Be Work Zone Alert” and slow in construction zones for the safety of travelers and crews performing these improvements.
Caltrans issues construction and road condition updates on X @CaltransDist3 and on Facebook at CaltransDistrict3. For real-time traffic information, click on Caltrans’ QuickMap quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ or download the QuickMap app from the App Store or Google Play.
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
NORTH COAST, Calif. — The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has provided an update regarding the unidentified human remains that were recovered from the Eel River on Jun. 25, 2025, near the Williams Grove Day Use area in Myers Flat.
The remains were submitted to the Chico State Human Identification Laboratory for examination and analysis, officials said.
The remains were determined to be of a male, believed to be middle aged or older, with an estimated height of 5 feet 5 inches to 5 feet 11 inches tall.
The examination revealed very poor oral health, with evidence that at least 19 teeth were lost prior to death. The remaining teeth showed signs of dental restorations, indicating the individual received dental care at some point in their life.
Degenerative changes were observed in the skeletal remains, suggesting the individual may have experienced chronic pain of difficulty with mobility.
One possible explanation for these changes could be rheumatoid arthritis, though this cannot be confirmed.
No major trauma was identified on the recovered remains; however, this does not exclude the possibility of soft tissue injuries that would not be detectable through skeletal analysis.
“At this time, the cause and manner of death remain undetermined. The individual has not yet been positively identified,” the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office said.
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office said it is continuing to investigate this case and is seeking assistance from the public.
Anyone with information regarding a missing person who may match this description, or who has information that may assist in this investigation, is encouraged to contact the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539 and reference case number 202502721.
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
NORTH COAST, Calif. — Humboldt County Sheriff William F. Honsal has proclaimed a local emergency due to the significant impact of the five-alarm structure fire involving multiple commercial buildings located between Tenth and H Streets in Arcata.
The structure fire occurred on Friday, Jan. 2, resulting in “a heroic multi-agency fire suppression operation,” Honsal’s office reported.
Thanks to coordinated efforts, officials said the fire was contained, and no injuries were reported, however, the fire resulted in catastrophic damage to private property, public property and infrastructure.
Water runoff used to fight the fire, including runoff mixed with ash, debris, and potentially hazardous materials from building contents, now poses a threat to public health and safety.
Runoff may cause impacts to environmental resources, including storm drains, nearby waterways, neighboring properties and water quality, with possible downstream impacts to aquaculture operations, fisheries and sensitive aquatic habitats.
Assessing, containing and mitigating the potential environmental impacts will require more resources than the county of Humboldt and the city of Arcata currently have available. The situation is significant enough that it requires additional response and recovery assistance from the State of California and its agencies.
A local emergency proclamation is a prerequisite to request state or federal assistance for response and recovery efforts related to this event.
Individuals who experienced fire damage to their home or business are strongly encouraged to work with their insurance provider(s) to file a claim for repairs. This emergency proclamation does not guarantee individual or financial assistance for damages incurred during the fire.
“The county of Humboldt’s thoughts are with those who have been affected by this event,” Honsal’s office said.
If you have been displaced as a result of this event, please call the American Red Cross at 707-496-8278 for assistance and resources.
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