![Four people pose holding spades for the groundbreaking. Four people pose holding spades for the groundbreaking.](http://ucanr.org/blogs/anrnews/blogfiles/9530.jpg)
Bill Frost, Barbara Allen-Diaz, Bob Timm and 4-H member Cody break ground for the Rod Shippey Education Facility and Field Laboratory.
The article quotes Bob Timm, the center's director, as saying, "We want to talk to people about whether our vision meets what the needs in the community are -- we want a building that fits into Mendocino County." Timm hopes the building will help the center expand its community outreach programs by being a site for workshops, conferences and classes.
The $1.6 million project is funded by UC capital construction funds and private donations to the project.
Timm is encouraging gifts from the community so that that the facility including the added “Green Works” elements can be completed within the coming months. Descriptions of the building plans and added features are found on the Hopland REC website at http://ucanr.org/sites/hopland.
U.S. EPA, Napa County announce millions for water quality, flood damage, northern California salmon
An EPA press release announced nearly $3.3 million in federal, state and local funding aimed at restoring water quality and riparian and aquatic habitats in the Napa River watershed. As part of two major restoration efforts covering 15 miles of the Napa River, more than 40 landowners have committed to converting nearly 135 acres of farmland to wildlife habitat.
The primary grant recipient is Napa County, in partnership with the Napa County Resource Conservation District, the California Land Stewardship Institute, UC Cooperative Extension and the Rutherford Dust Restoration Team of the Rutherford Dust Society landowner group.