Your Wednesday Paper: Our pledge to you on big fires… + WTH is this? Fresh salmon, nightmare in Fortuna was long known, but… & Blues Beach now CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC
MendocinoCoast.news pledges today to cover any BIG FIRES or other major natural disasters that (hopefully won’t) hit Mendocino County this year or in future years. When something big breaks, we’ll work as a team and we’ll work with other local media willing to cooperate.
I’m second‑string newsman at KOZT, so I’m sure JOE would welcome the help if a major fire hits. That’s how it used to work: when the county was burning, newspeople put aside differences and got the job done. Some stayed in the office and kept the information flowing; others drove straight to the fire line and brought back the kind of on‑scene reporting that actually helps people.
We also hope to cooperate with Elise Cox of MendoLocal, the Anderson Valley Advertiser, the ICO, Redheaded Blackbelt, and Mendocino Voice as coverage develops, and we’ll reach out as those opportunities arise. If this old‑fashioned idea comes together, we’d all work to be one point of contact for authorities — a unified line where verified information gets out fast and clean.
We’ll update you on who steps up and in.
As for the dead legacy papers like the Advocate… we suppose we could try, but they seem focused on writing politically charged national news now, and they closed the office and fired everybody, so… ???
NO PRIVATE FIREWORKS please over the 4th. All are illegal here in Mendo now. Would you want to lose everything you have in a fire or kill others by being a fool?
What on earth is this plate doing here?
We photographed this plate, which protrudes from below fifteen feet of soil on an island off the Mendocino Headlands. We’ve found other crockery there too. WTH (WHAT THE HAY?) How does a piece of household china end up buried that deep on a windswept offshore lump of land?
Was there a house out there once? It sure doesn’t look FROLIC‑era — not even close. The style reads more like 1850–1950, the kind of everyday dishes a pioneer family or WWII‑era farm household might have used. Something carried it out there, or someone lived out there, or something washed in and stayed. That’s the puzzle.
Can anybody read the label on this thing? If you can place it, you’re part of the fun.
We’ll keep bringing you local puzzles like this — odd finds, coastal mysteries, and the strange artifacts that turn up when you poke around the edges of Mendocino County. It’s part of what makes this place what it is.
BLUES BEACH CLOSES TO ALL TRAFFIC
Blues Beach, located between Fort Bragg and Westport, is now closed again. It had long been a favorite spot for driving and beach parties before the major construction project, which shut it down for a year during the build‑out of the massive 38‑foot‑tall sea wall stretching more than a quarter mile.
Blues Beach had been packed with cars since Caltrans finished construction a month ago and left the site exactly as they found it — including the bumps and the eroded hill that led straight to the sand. The agency is preparing to transfer the property to Kai Pomo, the tribal cooperative of three local tribes.
With July 4 approaching and the likelihood of an unregulated car‑heavy beach party with fires and illegal fireworks, Caltrans has closed the beach again. Pedestrian access remains open, but the beach is CLOSED TO ALL VEHICLES.
Time for dinner … Salmon is here … Fresh local salmon on the docks
Princess Seafood has California salmon coming in now, and SUPER FRESH fish will be available Thursday right off the docks in the mooring basin in South Noyo Harbor.
A persistent public myth says “fresh never frozen” salmon is the only real deal. Not true. All fishermen (with brains) put salmon on ice the moment they catch them — it protects the meat and makes it better. Salmon also freezes extremely well, and it’s honestly hard to taste the difference between last year’s frozen salmon and boat‑frozen salmon from this year.
But fresh off the docks — or straight from Princess — is still better. Fantastic, really. The kind of fish that reminds you why Mendocino County still knows what real seafood tastes like.
Fresh caught King Salmon! Dock sale tomorrow on C dock. F/V KIII will be doing dock sales Thursday 7/2 while supplies last. Limited amount.$15 a lb whole fish available. #Noyoharbor#freshfish#northcoastcatch#buylocal
it’s timing and volume, folks.
The big day starts Saturday, July 4 at NOON with the always‑amazing Mendocino 4th of July Parade. If you’re going, think LOGISTICS FIRST — it’s Mendocino on a holiday, and the town fills up fast.
Parking: If you park in town, make sure you can GET AWAY afterward. Once the parade ends, traffic can lock up for up to two hours. Cars funnel into one exit route, and the jams are legendary.
Best workaround: Walk in from Big River Beach on the other side of the highway. Head up behind Mendo Presbyterian Church and — BAM — you’re right there. It’s beautiful, it’s easy, and you skip 90% of the traffic pain.
Crowd setup: Kate on KOZT tells us there will be NO JUDGING STAND this year. Judges and announcers will be in the crowd, which means no fixed point of commentary — more of a roaming, street‑level feel. We liked the stand, but this will be a different kind of fun.
Pro tip: Bring a radio. KOZT broadcasts live, as always, and it’s the best way to know what’s happening in real time when you’re wedged between a fire truck, a ukulele band, and a herd of kids with bubble guns.
Once you’re clear of Mendocino’s holiday traffic, drive back to Fort Bragg and head to Noyo Harbor, where the World’s Largest Salmon BBQ runs Saturday. It’s one of Fort Bragg’s signature traditions and leads directly into the biggest fireworks show ever for Fort Bragg. City staff say the show won’t be longer, just more intense, and the harbor will be packed.
Michael Miller runs the BBQ now. Below is his informative press release, which lays out the plan for Saturday’s event, the flow of the day, and what people can expect when they arrive at Noyo Harbor.
The Salmon Restoration Association (SRA) hosts the 55th Annual World’s Largest Salmon BBQ on Saturday, July 4, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in South Noyo Harbor. For 55 years, this iconic Mendocino Coast tradition has brought together great food, live music, and community spirit. The World’s Largest Salmon BBQ remains one of the region’s most anticipated summer events, attracting thousands of guests to Fort Bragg’s historic waterfront each year. This year’s BBQ dinner will feature charcoal-grilled, marinated wild-caught Alaska salmon, fresh corn on the cob, tossed green salad, and locally baked sourdough garlic bread from Fort Bragg Bakery. Fresh produce, including the salad mix, corn, and lemons used in the salmon preparation, is donated by UNFI Produce, continuing a partnership that helps support the event and its mission. Guests can also enjoy award-winning craft beers from North Coast Brewing Company, wines provided by Bonterra Organic Estates, and FREE locally roasted coffee from Thanksgiving Coffee Company. For dessert, the popular handmade ice cream from Cowlick’s Ice Cream Café will be available. Eating is only part of the celebration. Visitors can enjoy a full day of live entertainment, waterfront views, community gathering, and family-friendly festivities while celebrating the Fourth of July on the Mendocino Coast.
This Year’s Music Lineup • Latchkey • Frankie and the Lost Souls • West of Nowhere • Mama Grows Funk • Steven Bates Band
Tickets Adults: $40 Children (12 and under): $20 Tickets available online at salmonrestoration.org, at Harvest Market in the Boatyard Shopping Center in Fort Bragg, and at the gate on the day of the event.
Event Location South Noyo Harbor 19101 South Harbor Drive
Parking & Shuttle Free parking and shuttle service available from: • Noyo Headlands Park entrance (West Cypress Street and Highway 1) • Mendocino Coast Center on Del Mar Drive, across from McDonald’s on Highway 1
You knew it was one of the sickening, awful news stories ever — but it’s worse.
The story of Miranda’s Rescue is worse than most people realize. Local news outlets and critics tried to raise alarms for years, but in 2010, 2016, and again in 2026, people simply wouldn’t listen to their local media. That refusal has consequences, and we’re living with them now.
“The only thing that changed was that when they found 100+ dog microchips, people had to finally listen to the media,” said one of the top people in the field. That’s what it took — a pile of undeniable evidence — before the public tuned in.
We have to put our brains back in gear and turn off our favorite FAKE NEWS sources sometimes and listen to local news. The people who actually live here, who know the players, who see the patterns, who don’t wait for a national outlet to tell them what’s happening in their own backyard.
Another problem is the way the media system works. At a place like the Chronicle, you can’t accuse someone of wrongdoing without a government report in hand. And if the person is clever, slimy, and lawyered up, he can keep outlets like that from publishing anything. That’s how the system is built.
But not us. Not the AVA. Talk to us.
We’re here, we’re listening, and we’re not waiting for permission to report what matters.
The Miranda’s Rescue story keeps getting worse. Shannon Miranda, the man running the operation, also has other questionable ventures, and this follows the awful debacle at the Lake County animal shelter years ago. He refuses to cooperate with shelters that would take his animals, yet continues adopting them out to the public. It’s a pattern, and it’s not new.
We saw early signs ourselves many years ago at the Lake County pound, when we adopted our dearly beloved Aspen. The conditions were horrific. We tried to raise alarms. We tried to get people to pay attention. But MODERN SOCIETY WILL NOT DOUBT. And when local media asks questions, people get mad — even friends and neighbors. The conformity, the obedience, the cliques — frightening, but understandable in a world drowning in noise.
Thanks to the paparazzi, Fox News, Joe Rogan, and the endless churn of bloggers and influencers, people trust the media less and less. They almost universally defer to some government agency or business when we challenge wrongdoing — EVEN IF YOU KNOW US. And if that’s how people react to us, imagine how hard it is for other local outlets.
But folks, it’s time to remember something basic: Local media never was — and never will be — anything like MSNBC, CBS, The New York Post, Matt Walsh, Laura Loomer, or Michael Moore. We’re not national pundits. We’re not political brands. We’re not chasing clicks. We’re here, in your community, doing the work that actually protects animals, people, and public trust.
Local news matters. Local reporting matters. And when we raise alarms, it’s because something is wrong.
It’s absolutely FLABERGASTING — he mentions NOTHING about his huge pet cemetery. Read his website and see for yourself.
Always work with reputable animal‑rescue folks — and we’re blessed to have many. Caesar, our Ukiah County pound rescue, is living the good life now. Our new director, Amy Campbell, transitioned from a hands‑on care role at the shelter and now leads Mendocino County Animal Care Services on Plant Road in Ukiah. She’s already getting rave reviews.
But to our north and east, horrors have been perpetuated by people who were supposed to be helping. It’s a reminder that choosing ethical, accountable rescue partners matters more than ever.
We saw the first warnings years ago at the Lake County pound, when Aspen — our 104‑pound GSD/Swiss Mountain Dog — came home with Susan and Frank from horrible conditions. She had heartworm and they didn’t know. The place was absolutely trash and scary for the dog. Up in Fortuna, we watched Shannon Miranda build an empire of secrecy while reputable rescuers quietly did the real work. Caesar sleeps warm tonight because someone in Ukiah cared enough to pull him from the pound. Mendocino County keeps earning praise for doing rescue the right way. But to our north and east, the people who were supposed to be helping left a trail of horrors — and modern society shrugged, doubted, deferred, scrolled. It took more than a hundred microchips before anyone finally listened to the media. Accountability doesn’t come from algorithms or influencers. It comes from paying attention to the people who live here, who see the patterns, who keep asking the questions even when the crowd gets mad. Local news isn’t perfect, but it’s the only thing that ever tries to protect the place we actually live.
And now the coast rolls into the holiday weekend the way only Mendocino can. Salmon’s for sale along the waterfront, and the World’s Largest Salmon BBQ is warming up its grills. The Fourth of July parade runs straight into the biggest fireworks show Fort Bragg has ever staged — but remember, fireworks can be traumatic for many animals. Be respectful of your neighbors, keep your pets safe, and let the professionals handle the pyrotechnics. Come watch the show over our ocean, where the sky opens wide and the whole town breathes together.
Below: a stack of other local happenings. You’ll have to pick and choose your adventure this holiday weekend — too much to do it all. So Mendocino, lol. And MORE tomorrow! Good grief, we have tons of tourists, but are there enough to do all this- we had others yesterday too?
