For generations, the Yuki people lived by the Eel River. It was a lifeline flowing through their ancestral lands. Then, in 1908, the river's natural course was interrupted by the Potter Valley Project , impacting their way of life, their fish, and their culture. Now, with the impending decommissioning of the dams, a new chapter is unfolding.

June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month. Jesse Vanvoorhis, deputy director of Adult and Aging Services, is using the opportunity to draw attention to some troubling trends. Vanvoorhis has been directly involved with Adult Protective Services for at least the last six years and has worked in social services for 19 years. He points to a significant increase in elder abuse reports.

The Fort Bragg City Council on Monday narrowly approved a resolution accepting the Millsite Development Strategy Report as a guideline for subsequent planning of what to do with the oceanfront property that was once the site of the Georgia Pacific lumber mill. 

In local news, private developers are in early talks with the owner of the Albion headlands, Ukiah is planning to hold a town hall on a controversial annexation proposal and Chamise Cubbison’s civil suit against the county is taking an unusual twist as it moves forward.

For the past two years, the wine industry has been going through a tough transition. As older wine lovers drink less, they’re not yet being replaced by younger consumers. The industry also faces new challenges — from diet drugs to range anxiety in electric cars.

After weeks of detailed presentations, frank discussion, and grim fiscal forecasts, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors has adopted a budget for the upcoming fiscal year. “It was a difficult budget, but we made it through it,”
 said Board Chair John Haschak after the unanimous vote that followed six weeks of budget hearings.

Tom Corning didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a police chief. His journey into law enforcement started with a more universal call to arms. He served nearly seven years, including a 13-month deployment in Iraq as a crew member on an M1A1 Abrams main battle tank. After returning stateside, Corning became a recruiter for the Army in Marin and Napa Counties. When his service ended, he faced the realities of transitioning back to civilian life.

In local news today, there’s an update on the status of the Older Americans Act, hotel tax receipts may be rebounding after a three-year decline, the governor wants feedback on a new online tool to protect communities from extreme heat and CAL FIRE offers burn pile safety tips.

Who bombed Judy Bari? Lauren Schmitt of KMUD looks into the thirty-five year old attack on Earth First organizer Judy Bari. The 40-year-old environmentalist was severely injured by a pipe bomb when she was driving in Oakland on May 24, 1990. She died seven years later. Her colleague Darryl Cherney sustained minor injuries and has been seeking justice ever since. 

Residents of Potter Valley are confronting a difficult choice as they consider the future of farming in their home town:  water that costs at least $200 acre feet a year or no water at all.