UKIAH
Mendocino College Foundation honors 2022-23 scholarship award recipients
The Mendocino College Foundation honored scholarship award recipients for the 2022-23 academic year at a mixer at the Ukiah Campus on Wednesday, May 11, 2022. For the first time since Spring 2019, the Foundation was able to host an in-person event with scholarship students and their families; donors; College faculty and staff and members of both the College Board of Trustees and the Mendocino College Foundation (MCF) Board of Directors. The Foundation distributed 160 Scholarships totaling more than $204,500 to 114 students enrolled at Mendocino College for Fall 2022.
Some students, like Benard Heggenhougen, have been taking dual enrollment classes at their high school and have already jumpstarted their college education. Benard received the Jeff Banks ($2,500) and MCF Evelyn R. Foote ($1,500) scholarships and plans to study Computer Science at Mendocino College this fall.
Others, like Jessica Huckabay, are returning students, taking a new path offered through the Career Technical Education (CTE) Department. In Huckabay’s case, the new Physical Therapy Assistance (PTA) program is offering a promising career in an in-demand field – as anyone who has tried to get an appointment for physical therapy knows. A massage therapist, Huckabay became unemployed due to the pandemic and took the opportunity to reassess her career choices. Noting the excellent job prospects for PTAs, she took a leap and enrolled in the program. “I didn’t know if I was going to be able to do this, but I have felt so supported at every turn by Mendocino College,” she says. “I have a degree from UC Davis, and Mendocino College has surpassed even the level of support I had there. The counselors personally called me the day I found out I got into the program; the instructors are so skilled and really preparing us not just to pass the exam, but to provide a high level of quality care,” she continues. “To get the scholarship from the foundation has been just another level of support that I am so thankful for.” Huckabay was awarded the MCF Joan & Harry Bistrin Memorial Scholarship ($1,000).
Francisco Castaneda is a current Mendocino College student returning for the 2022-23 academic year, who plans to transfer to a four-year university in 2023 to pursue Civil Engineering. He received three awards: Kiwanis of Ukiah/Bob Brown Scholarship ($1,000); George Weger Scholarship ($1,000); and MCF Academic Excellence ($1,500).
Fourteen Nursing students were awarded scholarships, including Rebecca Morse, who received four distinct awards: MCF Coast Scholarship ($1,000); Chapter WQ PEO Sisterhood ($1,000); MCF Academic Excellence ($1,500); and the Fiona & Richard Perkins Scholarship ($1,000). A mom of two, she commutes from Mendocino to Ukiah to attend nursing and clinical classes. She just finished her first year and is looking forward to the Fall 2022 semester with extra support thanks to Mendocino College Foundation Scholarships.
Thank you to all of the donors that support students through scholarships at Mendocino College, including staff, faculty and administrative groups, which collectively this year donated $9,000 towards 11 scholarships.
If you would like to learn more about how you can contribute to scholarships that support Mendocino College students, contact the foundation office at 707-467-1018 or visit foundation.mendocino.edu. Help us help them.
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LAKEPORT
June 1 deadline for weed abatement in Lakeport
The City of Lakeport’s Municipal Code requires dry vegetation creating fire hazard conditions to be abated by June 1.
The hazardous weed abatement regulations outlined in Section 8.28 of the Lakeport Municipal Code (LMC) defines dry vegetation creating fire hazard conditions as a nuisance. The code outlines a procedure that allows the city to abate declared nuisance properties if the property owners do not self-abate such identified hazardous vegetation in a timely manner.
Dry vegetation is required to be abated at least once between May 1 and June 1 each year. The weed abatement standards are not a one-time observance. A property owner will likely need to remove dry vegetation on their property more than once during the year.
The recent wildfires in Lake County have shown our community how imperative it is to prepare against wildfires and proper maintenance and abate hazardous weeds regularly during the high fire months, April through October.
For further guidance on how to maintain your defensible space, please contact the Lakeport Fire Protection District at (707) 263-4369 or review materials available from CalFire at https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/get-ready/defensible-space/
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CLEARLAKE
PG&E provides new safety information about downed powerlines
One of the most important safety tips shared by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is to treat all downed powerlines as if they are energized and keep away. Circumstances, however, can become more complicated if a powerline is in the path of an evacuation route.
“It’s very unusual for a powerline to make contact with a vehicle, but should that occur, we want our customers to be prepared with the knowledge that can save their lives,” said Frank Fraone, PG&E public safety specialist. “This is especially important when discussing evacuation plans with your family and friends, since wildfires and earthquakes can cause powerlines to fall.”
PG&E has tips and a helpful video (https://players.brightcove.net/1691765962001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6302325432001) to keep you and your loved ones safe on the road.
If you see a downed powerline:
- If you see a low-hanging or downed powerline, assume it is energized and extremely dangerous.
- Keep yourself and others away, and do not touch or try to move a downed line. Be sure to remain a minimum of 30 feet away on a dry surface and 60 feet away on a wet surface.
- Report downed powerlines immediately by calling 911 and by calling PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.
If you are evacuating due to an emergency, and downed powerlines are blocking your path:
- Always seek a safe route that does not have downed powerlines.
- If there is no evacuation route clear of powerlines and you have no other choice, drive slowly over the powerlines to prevent the lines from becoming tangled with your vehicle. Stay inside the vehicle at all times.
- If powerlines become entangled with the vehicle, stop, call 9-11 and remain inside the vehicle until first responders arrive on-site and provide direction.
If your vehicle comes in contact with a downed powerline:
- Stay inside! The safest place is in your car. The ground around your car may be energized.
- Honk the horn, roll down your window and yell for help.
- Warn others to stay away. Anyone who touches the equipment or ground around the vehicle may be injured.
- Use your mobile phone to call 911.
- Fire department, police and PG&E workers will tell you when it is safe to get out of the vehicle.
If there is a fire and you must exit a vehicle that has come in contact with downed powerlines:
- Remove loose items of clothing.
- Cross your arms across your chest and jump clear of the vehicle, so you are not touching the car when your feet hit the ground.
- Once outside the vehicle, do not touch the car.
- Keep both feet close together and shuffle away from the vehicle without picking up your feet.
- Shuffle at least 30 feet away on a dry surface and 60 feet away from the line on a wet surface.
Additional driving tips:
Traffic Signals: If traffic signals are out or flashing red, come to a full stop at every intersection, and proceed as you would at a four-way stop.
Keep emergency gear in your car when you’re traveling, including:
- Cell phone
- Flashlights
- Jumper cables
- Blankets
- Warning devices (such as flares or reflectors)
Learn more at safetyactioncenter.pge.com.
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