News 12/9/14

BIG STORM HEADED TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA (EVR) JB 12/9/14

COUNTIES ACROSS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, INCLUDING LAKE AND MENDOCINO, ARE BEING URGED TO PREPARE FOR A VIOLENT STORM THIS WEEK.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUED A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT OF A MAJOR STORM SET TO ARRIVE WEDNESDAY NIGHT, BRINGING WITH IT HEAVY RAIN AND HIGH WINDS. THE THREAT LEVEL IS SEVERE, WITH AS MUCH AS 10 INCHES OF RAIN BEING FORECAST IN THE MOUNTAINS AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 60 MILES PER HOUR. THE STORM IS EXPECTED TO BE OF THE MAGNITUDE THAT HITS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ONLY ONCE EVERY SEVERAL YEARS. THE COMBINATION OF HEAVY RAIN AND HIGH WINDS COULD LEAD TO DOWNED TREES, POWER OUTAGES, STREAM FLOODING AND 1-2 OF SNOW IN HIGH MOUNTAIN AREAS.

VANDALS STRIKE DECORATIONS AT UKIAH HOME (LAW) JB 12/9/14

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS IN FRONT OF A UKIAH HOME HAVE BEEN VANDALIZED TWICE IN THE LAST WEEK.

THE OWNERS OF A HOME ON WEST PERKINS STREET HAVE SEEN THEIR EXTRAVAGANT DISPLAY OF OUTSIDE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS DAMAGED TWICE BY VANDALS RECENTLY. A FEW OF THE DAMAGED AND MISSING DECORATIONS RECOVERED NEAR MILL AND SPRING STREETS AND ON PARK AVENUE. EVEN AFTER ADDING A 3-FOOT FENCE AROUND THEIR YARD, THE CONTINUED VANDALISM HAS PROMPTED THE HOME OWNERS TO REMOVE THE BULK OF THE LAWN DECORATIONS FURTHEST FROM THE HOUSE. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON THE VANDALISM IS ASKED TO CALL THE UKIAH POLICE DEPARTMENT.

BERKELEY PROTESTS TURN VIOLENT AGAIN (LAW) JB 12/9/14

A SECOND NIGHT OF DEMONSTRATIONS IN BERKELEY OVER THE WEEKEND TURNED VIOLENT AND CHAOTIC.

RAUCOUS DEMONSTRATIONS HIT BERKELEYS STREETS FOR A SECOND STRAIGHT NIGHT SUNDAY AS PROTESTERS, ANGERED BY POLICE KILLINGS IN MISSOURI AND NEW YORK, CLASHED WITH OFFICERS, VANDALIZED BUSINESSES AND EVEN FOUGHT WITH EACH OTHER. AFTER STARTING PEACEFULLY ON THE UC BERKELEY CAMPUS, PROTESTERS MADE THEIR WAY ONTO A FREEWAY AND BLOCKED TRAFFIC. CHP OFFICERS WERE FORCED TO USE TEAR GAS AFTER BEING TARGETED BY ROCKS, BOTTLES AND EXPLOSIVES THROWN BY PROTESTERS. THE PROTEST FINALLY ENDED WHEN OFFICERS WERE ABLE TO REMOVE THE PROTESTERS FROM THE ROADWAY.

JOHN PINCHES TO BE HONORED AT TUESDAY MEETING (GOV) JB 12/9/14

3RD DISTRICT SUPERVISOR JOHN PINCHES WILL BE RECOGNIZED AT A MEETING TODAY FOR HIS LONG SERVICE TO THE COUNTY.

THE MENDOCINO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WILL HONOR 3RD DISTRICT SUPERVISOR AND BOARD CHAIRMAN JOHN PINCHES TODAY WITH A SPECIAL RESOLUTION PRECEDING HIS RETIREMENT. PINCHES HAS SERVED AS MENDOCINO COUNTYS 3RD DISTRICT SUPERVISOR FOR 12 YEARS AND AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD FOR 3 TERMS. AS A MEMBER OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT COUNTY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, PINCHES HAS WORKED WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH BOARD AND THE POLICY COUNCIL ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, TO NAME A FEW. PINCHES LAST BOARD MEETING WILL BE ON DECEMBER 16.

ONE INJURED IN UKIAH STABBING (LAW) JB 12/9/14

AN INJURED MAN WALKED INTO A UKIAH BAR EARLY MONDAY MORNING AND ANNOUNCED THAT HE HAD BEEN STABBED.

UKIAH POLICE OFFICERS RESPONDED TO THE FOREST CLUB ON STATE STREET JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT TO THE REPORT OF A STABBING. REPORTS STATE THAT THE 27 YEAR OLD VICTIM HAD BEEN STABBED IN THE UPPER BODY AND THAT HE HAD WALKED INTO THE FOREST TO SUMMON HELP. IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT THE STABBING OCCURRED AT WAS RELATED IN ANY WAY TO THE BAR. THE VICTIM WAS TAKEN TO UKIAH VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER, THEN TRANSFERRED TO AN OUT OF AREA HOSPITAL WITH INJURIES DESCRIBED AS SIGNIFICANT.

DRUG BUST AT STORAGE UNIT IN UKIAH (LAW) JB 12/9/14

A WARRANT SEARCH IN UKIAH LEADS TO THE ARREST OF A CONVICTED FELON ON DRUG AND WEAPONS CHARGES.

UKIAH POLICE OFFICERS ALONG WITH SHERIFFS DEPUTIES AND THE MAJOR CRIMES TASK FORCE SERVED MULTIPLE WARRANTS ON THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 3RD, INCLUDING ONE AT A STORAGE UNIT ON NORTH STATE STREET. INSIDE THE UNIT, OFFICERS LOCATED OVER 10 OUNCES OF METHAMPHETAMINE, OVER 9 POUNDS OF MARIJUANA, DRUG PACKAGING MATERIALS AND TWO FIREARMS. THE OWNER OF THE UNIT, 47 YEAR OLD AURELIO ACOSTA, A CONVICTED FELON, WAS ARRESTED LATER THAT AFTERNOON AT A HOME ON EUNICE COURT AND BOOKED INTO THE MENDOCINO COUNTY JAIL.

LAKE COUNTY BOS APPROVE SODA BAY DESIGN (GOV) JB 12/9/14

THE LAKE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVED A WATER SYSTEM DESIGN AGREEMENT FOR THE SODA BAY AREA.

THE RECORD BEE REPORTED AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN LAKE COUNTY SPECIAL DISTRICTS AND WATER WORKS ENGINEERS FOR ENGINEERING DESIGN SERVICES AT COUNTY SERVICE AREA 20 WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BY THE BOARD THIS WEEK. A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS WAS SENT TO 8 ENGINEERING FIRMS IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, WITH WATER WORKS ENGINEERS THE ONLY FIRM TO SUBMIT A COMPLETED PROPOSAL WITHIN THE 45 DAY TIME LIMIT. THE AGREEMENT INCLUDES A GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATION, HYDROLOGICAL REPORT AND PERMIT PROCUREMENT FOR THE WATER SYSTEM THAT SERVES SODA BAY, LAKEWOOD PARK, AND RIVIERA HEIGHTS.

BOARD OF RETIREMENT APPOINTS NEW ADMINISTRATOR (GOV) JB 12/9/14

THE MENDOCINO COUNTY BOARD OF RETIREMENT HAS APPOINTED A NEW ADMINISTRATOR TO TAKE THE HELM OF THE BOARD.

THE BOARD OF RETIREMENT CONTRACTED WITH ALLIANCE RESOURCE CONSULTING TO CONDUCT A SEARCH FOR ITS NEW RETIREMENT ADMINISTRATOR. JAMES WILBANKS WAS RECOMMENDED TO THE BOARD OF RETIREMENT BY THE SEARCH FIRM AFTER INTERVIEWS AND IN-DEPTH RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED THAT INCLUDED MANY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES. WILBANKS WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BY THE BOARD AFTER CONDUCTING ITS OWN EXTENSIVE INTERVIEWS. WILBANKS WILL ASSUME THE POSITION OF RETIREMENT ADMINISTRATOR ON JANUARY 5, 2015.