News 7/30/10

ROLL OVER ACCIDENT 7/30/10

· A SINGLE VEHICLE ROLL OVER ACCIDENT ON MORGAN VALLEY ROAD LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT SENT 4 PEOPLE TO THE HOSPITAL, INCLUDING TWO CHILDREN.

ACCORDING TO THE CHP, 18 YEAR OLD MARCHETA HEAIRET OF HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE WAS TRAVELING WESTBOUND WHEN, DUE TO EXCESSIVE SPEED, SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, RAN OFF THE ROADWAY AT OVERTURNED AT AROUND 10:30 PM. HEAIRET SUFFERED MAJOR INJURIES AND WAS AIRLIFTED TO THE UC DAVIS MEDICAL CENTER. 3 PASSENGERS IN HER CAR, TWO CHILDREN AND 1 ADULT WERE TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO ST. HELENA HOSPITAL IN CLEARLAKE WITH MINOR INJURIES. THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE CRASH IS CONTINUING.

$30 K IN DAMAGE FROM FIRE JKB 7/30/10

• FIRE INVESTIGATORS ESTIMATE DAMAGE FROM A BLAZE THAT DESTROYED THE CONTENTS OF A STORAGE AREA USED BY THE OCO TIME AND ITS TIME IN UKIAH EATERIES AT $30,000.

THE FIRE WAS REPORTED JUST BEFORE 8 AM THURSDAY IN A NARROW 50 FT LONG ALCOVE BETWEEN TWO BRICK BUILDINGS ON WEST CHURCH STREET. INVESTIGATORS SAY THE FIRE APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED NEAR THE GARBAGE AND RECYCLING BINS. THE BRICK WALLS PREVENTED THE FIRE FROM SPREADING AND DAMAGING NEIGHBORING BUSINESSES.

NUMEROUS FIRES BREAK OUT JKB 7/30/10

• NUMEROUS FIRES BROKE OUT ALONG HIGHWAY 101 NEAR UKIAH YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.

THE FIRST FIRE WAS REPORTED AT 2:23 PM NEAR BURKE HILL. IT SCORCHED AN ESTIMATED 50 ACRES BEFORE BEING BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL. TWO MORE FIRES WERE REPORTED ALONG HIGHWAY 101 BETWEEN BURKE HILL AND REDWOOD VALLEY DURING THE NEXT TWO HOURS, INCLUDING ONE THAT SHUT DOWN TRAFFIC TO THE ON AND OFF RAMPS AT EAST BOUND HIGHWAY 20. THAT FIRE BLACKENED AT LEAST 5 ACRES BEFORE BEING CONTAINED. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRES HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED.

ANOTHER BANK ROBBERY IN CHICO JKB 7/30/10

• THE CHICO AREA WAS HIT WITH ANOTHER BANK ROBBERY YESTERDAY WHEN A SUSPECT WALKED INTO THE SIERRA CENTRAL CREDIT UNION SHORTLY BEFORE 4 PM AND PRESENTED A NOTE WITH HIS DEMANDS.

THE TELLER COMPLIED AND THE MAN FLED ON FOOT WITH AN UNDISCLOSED AMOUNT OF CASH. RESPONDING OFFICERS WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE SUSPECT, BUT DID LOCATE A HAT AND JACKET HE WORE DURING THE ROBBERY. THE SUSPECT IS DESCRIBED AS A WHITE MALE ADULT, 25 TO 30 YEARS OLD APPROXIMATELY 5 FOOT 6 INCHES TALL WITH A BROWN MUSTACHE AND BEARD. YESTERDAYS INCIDENT WAS THE 6TH BANK ROBBERY TO OCCUR IN THE CHICO AREA OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS.

HEALTH OFFICIALS ISSUE LAKE ADVISORY JKB 7/30/10

• THE LAKE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES HAVE ISSUED A HEALTH ADVISORY FOR AREAS OF CLEARLAKE THAT HAVE BEEN INUNDATED WITH BLUE GREEN ALGAE.

HEALTH ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN POSTED AT A FEW SOUTHERN BEACH LOCATIONS. THE AFFECTED PUBLIC AREAS INCLUDE AUSTIN PARK, HIGHLANDS PARK AND REDBUD PARK. HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY AVOIDANCE OF CONTACT WITH THE WATER IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF ALGAE ACCUMULATIONS IS ADVISED. PEOPLE AND PETS SHOULD AVOID SWIMMING, WADING AND DRINKING WATER IN THE IMMEDIATE ARES WHERE BLUE GREEN ALGAE BLOOMS ARE PRESENT.

MAN KILLED IN POT GARDEN HAD PREVIOUS POT ARREST JKB 7/30/10

• A MAN WHO WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY A MENDOCINO COUNTY OFFICER DURING A MARIJUANA RAID HAD A PREVIOUS CONVICTION FOR MARIJUANA RELATED OFFENSES.

24 YEAR OLD ANGEL FARIAS HERNANDEZ OF SANTA ROSA WAS ARRESTED NEAR LAYTONVILLE IN 2008 FOR TRANSPORTING AND SELLING MARIJUANA. HERNANDEZ WAS FATALLY SHOT AFTER LEVELING A RIFLE AT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AS THEY RAIDED A CLANDESTINE POT GARDEN IN A REMOTE AREA IN EASTERN COVELO TUESDAY. A 2ND SUSPECT ESCAPED. THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE SHOOTING IS CONTINUING.

MENDO SUPES MOVE FORWARD ON SOLID WASTE CONTRACT JKB 7/30/10

• THE MENDOCINO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS VOTED 3 TO 2 TUESDAY TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS WITH SOLID WASTE OF WILLITS ON A NEW CONTRACT TO TAKE OVER THE COUNTYS TRANSFER STATION OPERATIONS, WHILE LEAVING THE CASPAR TRANSFER STATION OUT OF THE DEAL.

SUPERVISORS NARROWLY APPROVED A CONTRACT EARLIER THIS YEAR FOR ALL 6 STATIONS, BUT THE FORT BRAGG CITY COUNCIL BALKED AND VOTED NOT TO SUPPORT THE DEAL REGARDING THE STATION AT CASPAR WHICH THE CITY AND COUNTY JOINTLY OPERATE. THE BOARD OF SUPES ON TUESDAY ALSO APPROVED A LETTER TO BE SENT TO THE FORT BRAGG CITY COUNCIL STATING ITS POSITION ON THE PRIOR VOTE AND ASKING THE CITY TO SUGGEST CHANGES TO THE CURRENT AGREEMENT THE CITY WOULD FIND ACCEPTABLE TO INCLUDE THE CASPAR STATION IN THE DEAL. SUPERVISORS SMITH AND COLFAX DISSENTED ON BOTH VOTES.

BODY FOUND CONFIRMED AS MISSING NBA STAR JKB 7/30/10

• AUTHORITIES IN TENNESSEE HAVE OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED THAT A BODY FOUND WEDNESDAY IN A WOODED AREA NEAR MEMPHIS IS THAT OF FORMER NBA STAR LORENZEN WRIGHT.

OFFICIALS SAY THE CAUSE OF DEATH HAS BEEN RULED AS A HOMICIDE BY GUNSHOT WOUND. WRIGHT WAS LAST SEEN JULY 18TH AFTER VISITING HIS EX-WIFE AND CHILDREN. HE WAS REPORTED MISSING 3 DAYS LATER. POLICE SAY A 911 CALL WAS PLACED FROM HIS CELL PHONE IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF JULY 19TH, BUT THEY DID NOT RELEASE DETAILS ABOUT THE CALL.

JULY DEADLIEST FOR AMERICANS IN AFGHANISTAN JKB 7/30/10

• 3 U.S. SOLDIERS WERE KILLED IN 2 SEPARATE BLASTS IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN YESTERDAY, MAKING JULY THE DEADLIEST MONTH FOR AMERICAN FORCES SINCE THE WAR BEGAN 9 YEARS AGO.

THEIR DEATHS BRING THE JULY TALLY OF DEAD AMERICANS TO 63. A TOTAL OF 85 INTERNATIONAL SERVICE MEMBERS INCLUDING THE AMERICANS HAVE DIED THIS MONTH. THE DEADLIEST MONTH. FOR COALITION FORCES OVERALL WAS LAST MONTH IN WHICH A TOTAL OF 103 INTERNATIONAL SOLDIERS DIED. 60 OF THOSE WERE AMERICANS.

ABANDONED WELL WILL TAKE DAYS TO CAP JKB 7/30/10

• AN ABANDONED WELLS TRUCK BY A BARGE IN SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA EARLY TUESDAY IS STILL SPEWING A MIXTURE OF OIL, GAS AND WATER, AND COULD TAKE AT LEAST 10 DAYS TO CAP.

AUTHORITIES SAY SEALING THE WELL WILL BE DIFFICULT, AS BARGES AND FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT WILL HAVE TO NAVIGATE THE SHALLOW WATERS THE WELL IS LOCATED IN. OFFICIALS ARE NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW MUCH THE WELL IS LEAKING. WHEN IT WAS IN USE THE WELL PRODUCED APPROXIMATELY 33 BARRELS OF OIL A DAY.

WORLD POPULATION TO HIT 7 BILLION NEXT YEAR JKB 7/30/10

• THE WORLD POPULATION IS EXPECTED TO EXCEED 7 BILLION PEOPLE SOMETIME NEXT YEAR.

ACCORDING TO ANALYSTS, AN AVERAGE OF 267 PEOPLE ARE BORN, AND 108 DIE EVERY MINUTE WORLDWIDE. ITS ESTIMATED THAT BY THE YEAR 2050, THE WORLDS POPULATION WILL EXCEED 9 BILLION.

News 7/2910

SUSPECT KILLED IDENTIFIED JKB 7/29/10

• A SUSPECT THAT WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY A MENDOCINO COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICER IN A LARGE MARIJUANA GARDEN NEAR COVELO HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS 24 YEAR OLD ANGEL HERNANDEZ FARIAS.

FARIAS WAS LISTED AS A TRANSIENT. HIS LEGAL RESIDENCY STATUS IS UNKNOWN. FARIAS WAS SHOT AFTER LEVELING A RIFLE AT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AS THEY ENTERED THE GARDEN EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. A 2ND SUSPECT ESCAPED. THE OFFICER WHO FIRED THE SHOT HAS BEEN PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE PENDING THE OUTCOME OF AN INVESTIGATION. AUTHORITIES SEIZED 11,635 PLANTS FROM 3 GARDENS IN THE AREA NEAR BOARDMAN RIDGE. NO ONE ELSE WAS INJURED DURING THE INCIDENT.

E-QUAKE AT GEYSERS JKB 7/29/10

• THE GEYSERS WERE SHAKEN BY A 3.3 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE YESTERDAY, THE 22ND QUAKE 3.0 OR LARGER TO STRIKE THAT AREA SINCE THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.

THE QUAKE OCCURRED AT 3:37 PM AND WAS CENTERED A MILE NORTH-NORTH EAST OF THE STEAM FIELDS. IN OTHER SEISMIC ACTIVITY RECENTLY, AN EARTHQUAKE INITIALLY REPORTED TO BE 3.1 IN MAGNITUDE THAT OCCURRED 11 MILES NORTH WEST OF LAKE PILLSBURY ON TUESDAY WAS UPGRADED BY THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SERVICE YESTERDAY TO A MAGNITUDE OF 3.4.

LABOR AGREEMENT REACHED JKB 7/29/10

• AFTER MONTHS OF NEGOTIATIONS, THE COUNTY HAS REACHED A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE MENDOCINO COUNTY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, WHICH REPRESENTS ABOUT 60 MID LEVEL MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT WILL RUN FROM OCTOBER 1ST 2010 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH 2011 AND WILL RESULT IN A 10% WAGE CUT FOR MID MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEES. THE ESTIMATED SAVINGS TO THE COUNTYS GENERAL FUND IS $325,000. THE AGREEMENT ALSO ALLOWS THE COUNTY THE ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT A NEW REDUCED BENEFIT RETIREMENT TIER FOR NEW HIRES.

HAND GRENADE FOUND JKB 7/29/10

• HUMBOLDT COUNTY AUTHORITIES CALLED IN A BOMB SQUAD WHEN A LIVE HAND GRENADE TURNED UP ON SANDY PRAIRIE ROAD IN ALTON YESTERDAY.

A CONCERNED CITIZEN CONTACTED THE SHERIFFS OFFICE AT AROUND NOON TO REPORT FINDING THE GRENADE, WHICH APPEARED TO POSSIBLY BE OF RUSSIAN DESIGN AND ORIGIN.. AFTER CORDONING OFF THE AREA, THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY BOMB SQUAD USED A ROBOT AND A PERCUSSION ACTUATED NEUTRALIZER TO DESTROY THE GRENADE AT THE SCENE. IT IS UNKNOW WHO WAS IN POSSESSION OF THE GRENADE OR HOW IT ENDED UP WHERE IT WAS FOUND, BUT ACCORDING TO POLICE, APPEARED TO BE SOMEWHAT WEATHER WORN AND COULD HAVE BEEN AT ITS LOCATION OF AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

UKIAH MAYOR THOMAS TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION 7/29/10

• UKIAH MAYOR BENJ THOMAS HAS ANNOUNCED THAT HE WILL RUN FOR A 2ND TERM IN THE UPCOMING NOVEMBER ELECTION.

THOMAS WAS ELECTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN 2006. HIS TERM EXPIRES IN JANUARY ALONG WITH FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS PHIL BALDWIN AND MARY ANN LANDIS. LANDIS ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK THAT SHE TOO WILL SEEK ANOTHER TERM IN OFFICE.

TWO PEOPLE RESCUED FROM FIRE JKB 7/29/10

• A CAL FIRE CREW RETURNING FROM A VEHICLE CRASH IN COVELO SAVED AN ELDERLY WOMAN AND HER INVALID BROTHER WHEN THEY NOTICED AN ADJACENT APARTMENT ON FIRE WEDNESDAY MORNING.

THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AT AROUND 9:30 AM AT A 3 UNIT COMPLEX ON BIGGAR LANE. FIREFIGHTERS WERE ABLE TO WAKE THE RESIDENTS AND GET THEM SAFELY OUT OF THE HOUSE. THEY WERE ALSO ABLE TO QUICKLY CONTAIN THE FIRE, WHICH BROKE OUT IN AN APARTMENT THAT WAS VACANT. NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION, BUT BELIEVED TO BE ELECTRICAL IN NATURE.

4 KILLED IN C-17 CRASH JKB 7/29/10

• 4 AIRMEN ON BOARD AN AIR FORCE C-17 CARGO PLANE WERE KILLED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED DURING A TRAINING MISSION NEAR ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE IN ALASKA ON WEDNESDAY.

THE CRASH OCCURRED ABOUT 6:14 PM. NO WORD YET ON THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. A MILITARY BOARD OF OFFICERS IS INVESTIGATING.

FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS SOME OF IMMIGRATION LAW JKB 7/29/10

• FEDERAL U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE SUSAN BOLTON BLOCKED SEVERAL OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL ASPECTS OF ARIZONAS NEW IMMIGRATION LAW THAT IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE EFFECT TODAY.

IN A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION ISSUED YESTERDAY, BOLTON STRUCK DOWN PROVISIONS IN THE LAW THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED POLICE TO QUESTION PEOPLES IMMIGRATION STATUS IF THERE WAS REASON TO BELIEVE THEY WERE IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY. HER RULING ALSO BLOCKS PROVISION OF THE LAW THAT MAKE IT A CRIME FOR PEOPLE TO FAIL TO APPLY FOR OR CARRY ALIEN REGISTRATION PAPERS. ARIZONA GOV. JAN BREWER SAID THE STATE WOULD FILE AN EXPEDITED APPEAL TO THE 9TH U.S. CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS.

BODY OF BASKETBALL STAR FOUND JKB 7/29/10

• THE BODY OF MISSING NBA BASKETBALL STAR LORENZEN WRIGHT WAS FOUND IN A WOODED AREA IN SOUTHEAST MEMPHIS YESTERDAY.

WRIGHT WAS LAST SEEN JULY 18TH. HIS FAMILY REPORTED HIM MISSING JULY 22ND. AUTHORITIES ARE TREATING THE INCIDENT AS A HOMICIDE. NO OTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE CASE HAVE BEEN RELEASED.

JACKSON DOCTORS WONT BE PROSECUTED JKB 7/29/10

• NONE OF THE 7 DOCTORS AND 1 NURSE INVESTIGATED BY CALIFORNIA AUTHORITIES WILL FACE CRIMINAL PROSECUTION IN THE DEATH OF POP STAR MICHAEL JACKSON.

INVESTIGATORS DID NOT FIND SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO FILE CHARGES AGAINST ANY OF THE MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS. ONE OF THE DOCTORS WHO USED A FAKE NAME TO PRESCRIBE JACKSON DRUGS SHORTLY BEFORE HIS DEATH COULD BE DISCIPLINED BY THE STATE MEDICAL BOARD. DR. CONRAD MURRAY, WHO WAS JACKSONS PERSONAL PHYSICIAN WHEN HE DIED A YEAR AGO WAS NOT PART OF THE PROBE AND HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER.

FIRE DOWNTOWN JKB 7/29/10

• A FIRE BROKE OUT IN A SMALL ALCOVE NEXT TO ITS TIME AND OCO TIME ON WEST CHURCH STREET THIS MORNING.

FIREFIGHTERS HAD THE BLAZE KNOCKED DOWN QUICKLY AND SAID THAT NONE OF THE SURROUNDING BUSINESSES SUFFERED ANY SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE, OTHER THAN SMOKE. THE BLAZE WAS REPORTED JUST BEFORE 8 AM. NO WORD YET ON EXACTLY WHAT BURNED OR THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE.

News 7/28/10

POLICE SHOOTING JKB 7/28/10

• AS WE REPORTED YESTERDAY, THE INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY INTO THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING A SUSPECT WHO WAS SHOT AND KILLED AT THE SITE OF A LARGE MARIJUANA GROWING OPERATION ON U.S. FOREST SERVICE LAND IN THE BOARDMAN RIDGE AREA OF COVELO EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING.

AN 8 MEMBER TEAM THAT INCLUDED SHERIFFS DEPUTIES, U.S. FOREST SERVICE AGENTS AND A K-9 UNIT ENCOUNTERED TWO HISPANIC MEN IN THE GARDEN AT AROUND 6:45 AM. ONE OF THE SUSPECTS LEVELED A RIFLE AT ONE OF THE OFFICERS AND WAS SHOT. BOTH MEN FLED FROM THE SCENE. THE WOUNDED SUSPECT RAN ABOUT 30 FEET BEFORE BEING SUBDUED BY THE K-9 OFFICER. HE DIED A SHORT TIME LATER DESPITE LIFE SAVING EFFORTS BY OFFICERS. THE 2ND SUSPECT ESCAPED. THE SUSPECT WHO WAS KILLED HAD NO IDENTIFICATION ON HIM, BUT WAS DESCRIBED AS A HISPANIC MALE IN HIS 20S. THE NAME OF THE OFFICER INVOLVED, WHO IS A 25 YEAR VETERAN WITH THE SHERIFFS OFFICE, HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED. HE HAS BEEN PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE PENDING THE OUTCOME OF AN INVESTIGATION BY THE MENDOCINO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. ACCORDING TO AUTHORITIES, THERE ARE AN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF LARGE GROW SITES IN THE AREA.

E-QUAKES AT PILLSBURY JKB 7/28/10

• THE LAKE PILLSBURY AREA WAS RATTLED BY A SERIES OF SMALL EARTHQUAKES YESTERDAY.

THE FIRST QUAKE STRUCK AT 2:21 PM AND MEASURED 3.1 IN MAGNITUDE. IT WAS FOLLOWED BY 3 AFTER SHOCKS OVER THE NEXT 2 HOURS MEASURING 1.5, 2.5 AND 1.8 IN MAGNITUDE. ALL OF THE QUAKES WERE CENTERED 11 MILES NORTH WEST OF LAKE PILLSBURY.

STOLEN VEHICLE RECOVERED JKB 7/28/10

• A NEGLECTED TURN SIGNAL LED THE ARREST OF A LOS ANGELES MAN AND THE RECOVERY OF A STOLEN VEHICLE LAST NIGHT.

A MENDOCINO COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPUTY ON ROUTINE PATROL ON HIGHWAY 101 NORTH OF WILLITS NOTICED A NEW TOYOTA SUV TRAVELING IN THE FAST LANE WITH ITS TURN SIGNAL ON OVER A LONG DISTANCE AT AROUND 10 PM. A RECORDS CHECK REVEALED THE SUV HAD BEEN REPORTED STOLEN FROM PASADENA. DEPUTIES CONDUCTED A HIGH RISK VEHICLE STOP AND DETAINED THE DRIVER, WHO INITIALLY GAVE A FALSE NAME AND STATED THAT A FRIEND HAD GIVEN HIM THE KEYS TO THE VEHICLE TO TRAVEL TO THE EUREKA AREA TO VISIT FAMILY. HE WAS ARRESTED AFTER HE COULD NOT PROVIDE THE FRIENDS NAME OR WHERE HE HAD BEEN WHEN HE RECEIVED THE KEYS. HE WAS LATER IDENTIFIED AS 27 YEAR OLD DWAYNE MASON, A PAROLEE OUT OF THE LOS ANGELES AREA. HE WAS BOOKED INTO THE COUNTY JAIL ON A NUMBER OF CHARGES AND IS BEING HELD WITHOUT BAIL.

KELSEYVILLE VANDALISM JKB 7/28/10

• THE LAKE COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT IS INVESTIGATING MULTIPLE ACTS OF VANDALISM THAT TARGETED A NUMBER OF DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES IN KELSEYVILLE JULY 18TH.

SEVERAL BUSINESSES AND OTHER PUBLIC LOCATIONS WERE TAGGED WITH SUSPECTED GANG RELATED GRAFFITI IN SILVER SPRAY PAINT. WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING SEVERAL HISPANIC MALES IN THE AREA TAGGING BUILDINGS WITH SPRAY PAINT IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. ONE OF THE SUSPECTS WAS WEARING ALL WHITE AND ANOTHER WAS SEEN WEARING A BLUE LA DODGERS JACKET. THE INVESTIGATION IS CONTINUING. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THIS INCIDENT IS ASKED TO CONTACT THE LAKE COUNTY GANG TASK FORCE.

COUPLE ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE JKB 7/28/10

• A REDWOOD VALLEY COUPLE BOTH ENDED UP IN JAIL AFTER A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENT EARLY MONDAY MORNING.

UKIAH POLICE RESPONDED TO THE HOME IN THE 200 BLOCK OF NORTON STREET JUST AFTER 2 AM WHEN A 24 YEAR OLD MALE VICTIM REPORTED THAT HIS EX-GIRLFRIEND, 22 YEAR OLD PEGGY SESSUMS HAD STRUCK HIM IN THE FACE CAUSING INJURY. OFFICERS HAD RESPONDED TO THE SAME HOME 45 MINUTES EARLIER WHEN THE VICTIM CALLED TO REPORT THAT SESSUMS HAD TAKEN HIS CAR WITHOUT PERMISSION. AFTER RETURNING HOME SESSUMS HIT HIM IN THE FACE AFTER LEARNING HE HAD CALLED POLICE. THE VICTIM REPORTEDLY GOT A PISTOL AND FIRED ONE ROUND INTO THE CEILING. HE WAS ARRESTED FOR THE NEGLIGENT DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM. SESSUMS WAS ARRESTED A SHORT TIME AFTER BEING FOUND AT ANOTHER LOCATION.

COUNTY SALES TAX MEASURE ADVANCES JKB 7/28/10

• A PROPOSAL TO PLACE A COUNTY WIDE HALF CENT SALES TAX MEASURE ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BY THE MENDOCINO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS YESTERDAY.

THE PROPOSAL WOULD INCREASE THE COUNTYS SALES TAX TO 8.75% AND WOULD BUMP THE SALES TAX OF WILLITS, UKIAH, FORT BRAGG AND POINT ARENA TO 9.25%. 2ND DISTRICT SUPERVISOR JOHN MCCOWEN PROPOSED A TAX SHARING AGREEMENT, OR 50% TAX REVENUE SPLIT WITH THE 4 CITIES AS A WAY TO INCREASE SUPPORT FOR THE MEASURE. THE MEASURE WILL UNDERGO A 2ND READING ON AUGUST 4TH WHERE THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER ADDING MCCOWENS PROPOSAL. THE MONEY RAISED FROM THE SALES TAX INCREASE WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT GENERAL COUNTY SERVICES AND FUNCTIONS.

HIT AND RUN IN FORT BRAGG JKB 7/28/10

• THE DRIVER OF A MINI VAN WHO INTENTIONALLY RAN INTO SEVERAL PARKED VEHICLES IN A PARKING LOT ON CHESTNUT STREET IN FORT BRAGG MONDAY EVENING, ASKED TO BE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY FOR A PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTION.

POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE LOCATION JUST AFTER 7 PM WHERE THEY FOUND THE DRIVER STILL BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE AFTER IT BECAME DISABLED FROM DAMAGE. THE DRIVER, WHOS NAME WAS NOT RELEASED, WAS DETAINED FOR A PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION. NO ONE WAS INJURED DURING THE INCIDENT.

2ND OIL SPILL IN GULF OF MEXICO JKB 7/28/10

• THERE HAS BEEN A 2ND OIL SPILL IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.

A TOWING VESSEL STRUCK AN OIL WELL IN THE BARATARIA WATERWAY OFF THE SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA COAST ON TUESDAY. THE WELL, CALLED C-117, IS DESCRIBED AS AN ORPHANED WELL. IT HAD BEEN OWNED BY THE CEDYCO CORPORATION OF HUSTON BUT WAS DECLARED ABANDONED BY THE STATE IN NOVEMBER OF 2008. THE TUG VESSEL WAS PUSHING A DREDGE BARGHE WHEN IT HIT THE WELLHEAD, CAUSING A 100 FOOT SPRAY OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS TO BE RELEASED INTO THE BAY. NO SPECIFIC FLOW RATE FOR THE WELL HAS BEEN DETERMINED YET AS IT WAS CONSIDERED TOO DANGEROUS YESTERDAY TO GET CLOSE ENOUGH TO ESTIMATE HOW MUCH WAS LEAKING OUT.

PASSENGER PLANE CRASH KILLS 152 JKB 7/28/10

• A PAKISTANI PASSENGER PLANE WENT DOWN IN BAD WEATHER IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CAPITAL ISLAMABAD WEDNESDAY MORNING, KILLING ALL 152 ABOARD.

THE AIRBUS 321 WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN HEAVY RAIN WHEN IT CRASHED INTO A HILLSIDE. ALL 146 PASSENGERS AND 6 CREW MEMBERS ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE PERISHED IN THE CRASH. OFFICIALS DO NOT KNOW IF WEATHER PLAYED A FACTOR IN THE CRASH.

NASCAR OWNER JACK ROUSH INJURED IN PLANE CRASH JKB 7/28/10

• NASCAR TEAM OWNER JACK ROUSH WAS INJURED TUESDAY EVENING IN A PRIVATE JET ACCIDENT AT WITTMAN REGIONAL AIRPORT IN OSHKOSH WISCONSIN.

THE FUSELAGE OF BEECHDRAFT PREMIER JET, REGISTERED TO ROUSH FENWAY RACING LLC, SNAPPED WHILE LANDING AT AROUND 6:15 PM. ROUSH AND ANOTHER OCCUPANT WALKED AWAY FROM THE CRASH. BOTH MEN WERE TRANSPORTED TO LOCAL HOSPITALS. ROUSH WAS REPORTED TO BE IN SERIOUS BUT STABLE CONDITION WITH NON LIFE THREATENING INJURIES.

FORMER NBA PLAYER MISSING JKB 7/28/10

• POLICE IN TENNESSEE ARE INVESTIGATING THE DISAPPEARANCE OF FORMER NBA PLAYER LORENZEN WRIGHT, AND SAY THERE IS A HIGH LEVEL OF CONCERN IN THE SEARCH TO FIND HIM.

THE 34 YEAR OLD WRIGHT WAS SEEN WHEN HE VISTIED HIS EX-WIFE AND THEIR CHILDREN IN COLLIERVILLE TENNESSEE JULY 18TH. WRIGHTS MOTHER REPORTED HIM MISSING 4 DAYS LATER. POLICE CAUTIONED THAT THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT WRIGHT WAS THE VICTIM OF A CRIME. WRIGHT PLAYED 13 SEASONS IN THE NBA AS A FORWARD CENTER FOR SEVERAL TEAMS INCLUDING THE L.A. CLIPPERS, ATLANTA HAWKS, MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES, SACRAMENTO KINGS AND CLEVELAND CAVALIERS. HE RETIRED IN 2009.

Playlist 7/27/10

B.O.B. W/HAYLEY WILLIAMS-AIRPLANES

LAROUX-BULLETPROOF

MC COY, TRAVIE-BILLIONAIRE

PERRY, KATY W/SNOOP DOGG- CALIFORNIA GURLS

POSNER, MIKE-COOLER THAN ME

USHER W/WILL.I.AM-OMG

3OH!3 W/KESHA-MY FIRST KISS

B.O.B. W/BRUNO MARS-NOTHING ON YOU

CRUZ, TAIO-DYNAMITE

DERULO, JASON-RIDIN’ SOLO

DRAKE-FIND YOUR LOVE

EMINEM-NOT AFRAID

EMINEM W/RIHANNA-LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE

GUETTA, DAVID W/FERGIE AND CHRIS WILLIS-GETTIN’ OVER YOU

IGLESIAS, ENRIQUE W/PITBULL-I LIKE IT

LAMBERT, ADAM-IF I HAD YOU

MAROON 5-MISERY

NE YO-BEAUTIFUL MONSTER

PARAMORE-THE ONLY EXCEPTION

SHONTELLE-IMPOSSIBLE

TIAO CRUZ FEAT. LUDACRIS-BREAK YOUR HEART

TRAIN-HEY SOUL SISTER

B.O.B. W/RIVERS CUOMO-MAGIC

COSGROVE, MIRANDA-KISSIN U

MAYER, JOHN W/TAYLOR SWIFT-HALF OF MY HEART

MINAJ, NICKI-YOUR LOVE

ONE REPUBLIC-SECRETS

THE SCRIPT-THE MAN WHO CAN’T BE MOVED

USHER W/PITBULL-DJ GOT US FALLIN’ IN LOVE

WE THE KINGS-WE’LL BE A DREAM

AUBURN W/IYAZ-LA LA LA

FLO RIDA W/DAVID GUETTA-CLUB CAN’T HANDLE ME

HOT CHELLE RAE-BLEED

KESHA-TAKE IT OFF

LADY ANTEBELLUM-I RUN TO YOU

NEON TREES-ANIMAL

T.I. W/KERI HILSON-GOT YOUR BACK

TRAIN-IF IT’S LOVE

News 7/27/10 UPDATE

MENDOCINO COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPUTIES INVESTIGATING A MARIJUANA GROWING OPERATION IN THE BOARDMAN RIDGE AREA OF COVELO EARLY THIS MORNING, SHOT AND KILLED AN ARMED SUSPECT AT THE LOCATION. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 6:45 AM. PER PROCEDURE, THE MENDOCINO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE AND THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT. THE NAMES OF THE OFFICERS INVOLVED OR THE SUSPECT THAT WAS KILLED HAVE NOT YET BEEN RELEASED.

News 7/27/10

17 YEAR OLD HELD IN STABBING JKB 7/27/10

• A 17 YEAR OLD FORT BRAGG BOY WAS ARRESTED AFTER STABBING A 20 YEAR OLD MAN LATE SATURDAY NIGHT.

20YEAR OLD JORGE GARCIA ROBERTO, WAS STABBED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE UPPER EXTREMITIES DURING A VERBAL ALTERCATION WITH THE JUVENILE AT AROUND 11 PM. HE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL, TREATED AND RELEASED. THE JUVENILE WAS ARRESTED AND BOOKED INTO JUVENILE HALL FOR ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON. ACCORDING TO POLICE, BOTH PARTIES WERE ATTENDING A QUINCEANERA AND ALCOHOL MAY HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN THE INCIDENT.

SEXUAL ASSAULT JKB 7/27/10

• A FORT BRAGG MAN WAS ARRESTED AFTER ADMITTING TO RAPING AN 18 YEAR OLD MAN DURING A FAMILY CAMPING TRIP LAST WEEK.

28 YEAR OLD JESUS PARTIDA WAS BOOKED INTO THE COUNTY JAIL ON A NUMBER OF SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGES. THE VICTIM AND HIS FAMILY SAID THE INCIDENT OCCURRED IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF JULY 21ST AFTER A NIGHT OF HEAVY DRINKING. ACCORDING TO POLICE THE VICTIM WAS TOO INTOXICATED TO RESIST THE ASSAULT, AND HE REPORTED THE INCIDENT THE NEXT DAY AFTER CONSULTING WITH A DOCTOR. WHEN INTERVIEWED BY POLICE, PARTIDA ADMITTED TO SEXUALLY ASSAULTING THE VICTIM AND WAS ARRESTED. HE WAS RELEASED AFTER POSTING BAIL.

ROUND VALLEY SUPER OF SCHOOLS FOUND DEAD JKB 7/27/10

• AUTHORITIES ARE INVESTIGATING THE DEATH OF ROUND VALLEYS NEW SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS WHO APPARENTLY PLUNGED TO HIS DEATH FROM ONE OF THE BRIDGES NEAR CONFUSION HILL LATE LAST WEEK.

THE BODY OF 45 YEAR OLD KEVIN JOLLY WAS FOUND ON FRIDAY SHORTLY AFTER HIS VEHICLE HAD BEEN LOCATED, PARKED NEAR THE CONFUSION HILL TOURIST ATTRACTION IN PIERCY. HIS FAMILY HAD REPORTED HIM MISSING THE DAY BEFORE. JOLLY TOOK OVER AS ROUND VALLEYS SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS ON JULY 1ST AFTER WORKING FOR THE BURBANK UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. ROUND VALLEY SCHOOL OFFICIALS ARE MEETING TODAY TO DISCUSS HIRING AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT. JOLLYS DEATH REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION, BUT ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS, FOUL PLAY IS NOT SUSPECTED.

MAN ARRESTED FOR MURDER OF 4 YEAR OLD JKB 7/27/10

• A HUMBOLDT COUNTY MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF MURDERING THE 4 YEAR OLD GRANDSON OF THE WOMAN HE WAS DATING.

25 YEAR OLD LEON BIGLEGGINS WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. 4 YEAR OLD DYLAN BLOUNT-CHAMBERS WAS FOUND HAVING DIFFICULTY BREATHING LATE SATURDAY NIGHT BY HIS GRANDMOTHER, DONNA RAY BLOUNT. THE CHILD WAS TAKEN TO MAD RIVER COMMUNITY HOSPITAL WHERE HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT 11 PM. ACCORDING TO POLICE THE CHILDS BODY SHOWED SIGNS OF ONGOING ABUSE. BIGLEGGINS ALLEGEDLY WATCHED THE CHILD WHEN BLOUNT WAS WORKING. THE CHILD HAD BEEN STAYING WITH HIS GRANDMOTHER FOR THE SUMMER. THE CHILDS MOTHER HAS BEEN INFORMED OF THE DEATH. INVESTIGATORS SAY IT IS UNCERTAIN WHO MAY HAVE BEEN ABUSING THE CHILD, BUT AT THIS POINT, BIGLEGGINS IS THE ONLY SUSPECT IN THE CASE. HE IS SCHEDULED TO BE ARRAIGNED ON THE CHARGES TOMORROW.

PEIDMONT LUMBER CLOSES JKB 7/27/10

• PIEDMONT LUMBER IN LAKEPORT HAS CLOSED.

THE EMBATTLED RETAIL STORE AND LUMBERYARD CLOSED ITS DOORS YESTERDAY. MENDO MILL IS IN THE PROCESS OF BUYING THE STORE AND HAS TOLD WORKERS THEY PLAN TO RE-OPEN IN AUGUST. FORMER PIEDMONT EMPLOYEES WILL HAVE INTERVIEWS THIS WEEK TO REAPPLY FOR THEIR JOBS. COMPANY OFFICIALS CITED THE DOWNTURN IN THE ECONOMY AND A FIRE THAT DESTROYED PIEDMONTS WALNUT CREEK LOCATION AS TWO OF THE FACTORS THAT LED TO THE CLOSING.

BUI ARREST JKB 7/27/10

• LAKE COUNTY SHERIFFS MARINE PATROL BUI CHECKPOINT ON CLEARLAKE NETTED ONE ARREST OVER THE WEEKEND.

DURING THE OPERATIONAL PERIOD, A TOTAL OF 46 BOATERS WERE CONTACTED AND SCREENED. 3 OPERATORS WERE GIVEN FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS AND 44 YEAR OLD PAUL WATERS OF MIDDLETOWN WAS THE ONLY ONE ARRESTED FOR BUI AFTER BEING FOUND UNDER THE INFLUENCE. THE CHECKPOINT WAS HELD OFF OF BEAKBAN ISLAND AND LEUBOW POINT FROM 3 TO 6:30 PM SATURDAY.

LIGHTNING SPARKS FIRES JKB 7/27/10

• STATE FIRE OFFICIALS SAY THAT SCORES OF FIRES ACROSS NORTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA WERE IGNITED OVER THE WEEKEND BY MORE THAN 4,000 LIGHTNING STRIKES.

CALFIRE REPORTED AT LEAST 33 FIRES THAT BURNED MORE THAN 250 ACRES OF LAND SINCE SATURDAY AND THE US FOREST SERVICE REPORTED ANOTHER 78 LIGHTNING SPARKED FIRES THAT HAD BLACKENED 115 ACRES. A FIRE SPARKED ON BLM LAND IN LASSEN COUNTY HAS BURNED MORE THAN 1700 ACRES AND WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 10% CONTAINED AS OF LAST NIGHT. A FIRE IN MONO COUNTY HAS SCORCHED MORE THAN 600 ACRES AND WAS 60% CONTAINED AS OF LAST NIGHT. FIRES WERE ALSO REPORTED IN SHASTA AND SISKIYOU COUNTIES.

HAYWARD TO STEP DOWN AS BP CEO JKB 7/27/10

• TONY HAYWARD WILL STEP DOWN AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF BP OIL AMID ONGOING OUTRAGE OVER THE SPILL IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.

HE WILL BE REPLACED BY AMERICAN ROBERT DUDLEY BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST. BP SAYS THEY WILL NOMINATE HAYWARD AS A NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AN OIL AND GAS VENTURE IN RUSSIA. IN THE MEANTIME HE WILL RECEIVE A YEARS SALARY AMOUNTING TO $1.6 MILLION DOLLARS. OTHER DETAILS OF HIS SEVERANCE PACKAGE HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED.

REMAINS OF MISSING SAILOR RECOVERED JKB 7/27/10

• THE REMAINS OF AN AMERICAN SAILOR WHO WENT MISSING AFTER THE VEHICLE HE AND A FELLOW SAILOR WERE RIDING IN WAS AMBUSHED BY TALIBAN INSURGENTS LAST WEEK, HAS BEEN FOUND IN EASTERN AFGHANISTAN.

ACCORDING TO NATOS INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE, COALITION FORCES RECOVERED THE MISSING SERVICE MEMBER ON SUNDAY AFTER AN EXTENSIVE SEARCH. THE SEARCH FOR THE OTHER SERVICE MEMBER IS CONTINUING. A TALIBAN SPOKESMAN CONFIRMED THAT THE AMERICAN SAILOR HAD DIED DURING A FIREFIGHT AND THAT THE GROUP IS HOLDING THE OTHER SAILOR. NO IMMEDIATE DEMANDS FROM THE TALIBAN FOR THE RETURN OF THE AMERICAN HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED.

BELL OFFICIALS VOTE FOR PAY CUT JKB 7/27/10

• CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE SMALL TOWN OF BELL CALIFORNIA, WHO SPARKED OUTRAGE STATEWIDE WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED THEIR COMBINED SALARIES TOTALED MORE THAN $1.6 MILLION DOLLARS, VOTED LAST NIGHT TO GIVE THEMSELVES A PAY CUT.

MAYOR OSCAR HERNADEZ, WHO DEFENDED THE SALARIES LAST WEEK, EVEN WENT AS FAR AS TO SAY HE WOULD TAKE NO PAY AND WOULD NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION. 3 OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS ANNOUNCED THEIR RESIGNATIONS LAST WEEK. THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO REDUCE THEIR SALRIES TO THAT OF WHAT ONE OF THE LOWEST PAID MEMBERS WAS MAKING AT JUST A LITTLE OVER $8000 A YEAR. MOST OF THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD BEEN MAKING NEARLY 10 TIMES AS MUCH. THE MEDIAN ANNUAL INCOME OF BELL, WHICH HAS ABOUT 36,000 RESIDENTS, IS LESS THAN $35,000 A YEAR.

MISSING OREGON BOY UPDATE JKB 7/27/10

• AUTHORITIES IN OREGON WILL HOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE TODAY TO SHARE INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF THEIR INVESTIGATION INTO THE DISAPPEARANCE OF 7 YEAR OLD KYRON HORMAN.

KYRON HAS BEEN MISSING SINCE JUNE 4TH. HIS STEPMOTHER TERRI HORMAN IS CONSIDERED A PERSON OF INTEREST IN THE CASE, BUT AS OF YET HAS NOT BEEN NAMED AS A SUSPECT. KYRONS BIOLOGICAL FATHER, BELIEVES TERRI HORMAN IS INVOLVED IN THE DISAPPEARANCE. INVESTIGATORS SAY THEY HAVE DEVELOPED MORE THAN 3,300 LEADS FROM TIPS THAT CONTINUE TO PORE IN AND THAT SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN THE CASE.

News 7/26/10

BICYCLIST KILLED JKB 7/26/10

• A 60 YEAR OLD WILLITS MAN WAS KILLED WHEN HE SWERVED IN FRONT OF A MINI VAN WHILE RIDING HIS BICYCLE ON MAIN STREET THURSDAY AFTERNOON.

THE BICYCLIST, WHOS NAME HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED PENDING NOTIFICATION OF FAMILY MEMBERS, WAS TRAVELING NORTHBOUND WHEN HE RODE INTO THE PATH OF THE VAN BEING DRIVEN BY 53 YEAR OLD MAUREL LUCIANO OF WINSDOR AT AROUND 4 PM. HE WAS TAKEN TO HOWARD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL WHERE HE DIED OF HIS INJURIES. THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE CRASH IS CONTINUING.

POT BUST JKB 7/26/10

• THE MENDOCINO MAJOR CRIMES TASK FORCE RAIDED A FAIRLY LARGE MARIJUANA OPERATION IN THE ROBINSON CREEK ROAD AREA ON FRIDAY IN WHICH A 14 YEAR OLD CLAIMED THAT THEY HAD BEEN USED A FORCED LABOR.

A FLY OVER EARLIER IN THE MONTH SPOTTED THE OPERATION. WHILE DEPUTIES WERE WAITING AT THE LOCATION FOR A SEARCH WARRANT TO CONDUCT THE RAID, THE TEENAGER CONTACTED AUTHORITIES AND SAID THEY HAD BEEN FORCED TO TRIM AND TEND THE GARDEN. AGENTS SEIZED BETWEEN 1400 AND 1500 MARIJUANA PLANTS FROM BOTH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR GARDENS, 26 POUNDS OF PROCESSED MARIJUANA AND A 70 KILOWATT GENERATOR. 30 YEAR OLD SEAN GORDON OF UKIAH WAS ARRESTED AT THE SCENE. HIS EMPLOYERS IN THE OPERATION, JUDIAH AND KELE HOFFMAN ESCAPED AND ARE BEING SOUGHT. JUDIAH HOFFMAN IS ALSO BEING SOUGHT IN MARIJUANA RELATED CASES OUT OF LAS VEGAS AND LOS ANGELES. THE JUVENILE WAS PLACED WITH RELATIVES.

“It’s an insult to the survivors. Effectively, he should have been receiving many life sentences. It makes light of the crime and suffering,” she said.

Duch, 67, was the head of the S-21 prison. Few people brought to the prison made it out alive; only about a dozen were found by the Vietnamese, who invaded Cambodia in 1979.

One of the survivors, Bou Meng, said that the verdict made him so angry that he was sweating in the air-conditioned courtroom as he listened to the judge’s words.

“I underwent brutal torture. Although Duch did not hit me himself, he ordered his men to hit me in front of him. This hurt me. The verdict seems to slap me in the face and kick me in the head,” he said.

Prosecutors had asked for a 40-year sentence. On Monday they said they were studying the ruling to decide whether to appeal. Duch’s attorney, Kar Savuth, could not be reached for comment.

The judge, in announcing Duch’s sentence, said he took into consideration that the defendant had expressed remorse, admitted responsibility and cooperated with the court. The judge also took into account the “coercive environment” of the Khmer Rouge, he said

Duch pleaded guilty, but said he was only following orders and asked for forgiveness. Last November, he asked to be freed after spending some 11 years in detention.

In the last week of the trial, he argued that international law did not apply to him because he was following orders.

When the verdict was read, spectators in the packed courtroom turned to each other and discussed in hushed tones the significance of the sentence.

LAKEPORT POWER OUTAGE JKB 7/26/10

• THOUSANDS OF LAKEPORT RESIDENTS WERE WITHOUT POWER ON FRIDAY.

THE OUTAGE BEGAN SHORTLY AFTER 11 AM AND AFFECTED MORE THAN 2,400 CUSTOMERS. PGE HAD ALL THE POWER RESTORED BY 1 PM. THE CAUSE OF THE OUTAGE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION.

WILLITS MAN ARRESTED FOR INJURY CHILD JKB 7/26/10

• A WILLITS MAN WAS ARRESTED AFTER INJURING A CHILD DURING A TIRADE LAST WEEK.

21 YEAR OLD NOLAN LAWSON WAS REPORTEDLY IN AN ALTERCATION WITH SEVERAL ROOMMATES AT A HOME AT THE WAGON WHEEL MOBILE HOME PARK WEDNESDAY NIGHT WHEN HE BEGAN THROWING A VARIETY OF ITEMS. ONE OF THOSE ITEMS STRUCK A 4 MONTH OLD CHILD THAT WAS BEING HELD BY ONE OF THE ROOMMATES. THE CHILD SUFFERED A MINOR HEAD INJURY. LAWSON FLED THE SCENE BEFORE POLICE ARRIVED, BUT HE WAS ARRESTED A SHORT TIME LATER. HE WAS BOOKED INTO THE COUNTY JAIL FOR CHILD ABUSE AND CHILD ENDANGERMENT. THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE INCIDENT IS CONTINUING.

POT BUST JKB 7/26/10

• 6 PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED AND 2 CHILDREN WERE TAKEN INTO PROTECTIVE CUSTODY AFTER AUTHORITIES RAIDED A MARIJUANA OPERATION ON A 17 ACRE PIECE OF PROPERTY ON COMPTCHE UKIAH ROAD LAST WEEK.

POLICE SEIZED MORE THAN 1400 GROWING MARIJUANA PLANTS, 2 GRAMS OF METHAMPHETAMINE AND TWO FIREARMS. TWO CHILDREN AGES 10 AND 8 WERE TAKEN FROM THE PARENTS AND TURNED OVER TO PROTECTIVE SERVICES.

TEENS ARRESTED FOR BREAKING WINDOWS JKB 7/26/10

• TWO TEENAGE BOYS WERE ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGEDLY BREAKING OR DAMAGING MORE THAN 50 WINDOWS AT NOKOMIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL A WEEK AND A HALF AGO.

POLICE RESPONDED TO THE SCHOOL NUMEROUS TIMES OVER A 4 DAY PERIOD BEGINNING JULY 15TH ON REPORTS OF WINDOWS BEING BROKEN AT THE SCHOOL. LAST WEEK INVESTIGATORS LEARNED THAT TWO BOYS AGES 13 AND 14 HAD BEEN ASKED BY SCHOOL STAFF TO LEAVE THE GROUNDS JUST PRIOR TO THE VANDALISM OCCURRING. BOTH WERE QUESTIONED AT THEIR HOMES AND ARRESTED. BOTH WERE BOOKED INTO JUVENILE HALL.

CHECK FRAUD ARREST JKB 7/26/10

• POLICE HAVE MADE AN ARREST OF A WOMAN SUSPECTED OF PASSING A NUMBER OF BAD CHECKS IN THE FORT BRAGG AREA EARLIER THIS MONTH.

ACCORDING TO INVESTIGATORS, AT LEAST 10 BUSINESSES FELL VICTIM TO THE FRAUDULENT CHECKS WRITTEN BY 59 YEAR OLD MARYESTHER JACKSON. AUTHORITIES SAY JACKSON HAS A HISTORY OF PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS FOR FRAUD AND HAS USED NUMEROUS FICTITIOUS NAMES AND SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS AND IS BEING SOUGHT ON AN WARRANT IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION ON FRAUD CHARGES. SHE WAS LOCATED IN UKIAH AND BOOKED INTO THE MENDOCINO COUNTY JAIL WITH BAIL SET AT $150,000.

AFGHAN WAR DOCUMENTS LEAK JKB 7/26/10

• THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT IS EXPRESSING OUTRAGE AND SHOCK AT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF LEAKED U.S. MILITARY AND DIPLOMATIC DOCUMENTS THAT WERE RELEASED ON THE WHISTLEBLOWER WEBSITE WIKILEAKS.ORG OVER THE WEEKEND.

PUBLISHED ON SUNDAY, THE WEBSITE CLAIMS THE DOCUMENTS ARE MORE THAN 90,000 U.S. MILITARY AND DIPLOMATIC FIRST HAND REPORTS AND THE MILITARYS OWN RAW DATA ON THE WAR INCLUDING NUMBERS KILLED, CASUALTIES AND THREAT REPORTS FILED BETWEEN 2004 AND JANUARY 2010. THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE DOCUMENTS HAS NOT BEEN CONFIRMED.

DAM BREAK JKB 7/26/10

• AT LEAST 200 STRUCTURES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED AND MORE THAN 1,100 DAMAGED AFTER A DAM ON AN EASTERN IOWA LAKE FAILED ON SATURDAY.

THE LAKE DELHI DAM, LOCATED ABOUT 45 MILES NORTH OF CEDAR RAPIDS, BURST AS THE RESULT OF AN UNUSUALLY HIGH AMOUNT OF RAIN THIS SEASON. IT IS UNCLEAR HOW MANY OF THE STRUCTURES IMPACTED BY THE ENSUING FLOODWATERS WERE RESIDENTIAL HOMES. NEARLY 10 INCHES OF RAIN HAD RECENTLY FALLEN IN A 12 HOUR PERIOD IN THE AREA AND WAS TOO MUCH WATER FOR THE DAM TO HOLD ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS. NO INJURIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED.

BP RELIEF WELL DELAY JKB 7/26/10

• IT COULD TAKE SEVERAL MORE DAYS BEFORE DRILLING RESUMES ON A RELIEF WELL IN THE GULF OF MEXICO THAT AUTHORITIES SAY IS THE ONLY WAY TO PERMANENTLY STOP OIL FROM GUSHING FROM THE RUPTURED BP OIL WELL.

THE RIG RESPONSIBLE FOR DRILLING THE RELIEF WELL WAS FORCED TO SHUT DOWN ON SATURDAY DUE TO BAD WEATHER. STEPS NECESSARY TO RECONNECT THE WELL AND RESUME DRILLING COULD TAKE A NUMBER OF DAYS.

MAN SENTENCED FOR WAR CRIMES JKB 7/26/10

• A MAN WHO RAN A NOTORIOUS CAMBODIAN TORTURE PRISON CAMP DURING THE KHMER ROUGE REGIME WAS FOUND GUILTY OF WAR CRIMES ON MONDAY.

KAING GUEK EAV, ALSO KNOWN AS DUTCH, WAS FOUND GUILTY OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, MURDER AND TORTURE. MORE THAN 14,000 PEOPLE DIED AT THE PRISON DURING THE TIME EAV SERVED THERE. HE WAS SENTENCED TO 35 YEARS IN PRISON, WITH 16 YEARS TAKEN OFF FOR TIME ALREADY SERVED.

News 7/23/10

FATAL ACCIDENT JKB 7/23/10

• A FATAL TWO CAR COLLISION NEAR PIERCY THAT KILLED A LAYTONVILLE WOMAN AND INJURED TWO OTHER PEOPLE YESTERDAY WAS CAUSED BY AN ABANDONED BICYCLE.

ACCORDING TO THE CHP, 37 YEAR OLD SASKIA MARTIN OF BENBOW WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON HIGHWAY 101 FROM THE HIGHWAY 271 ONRAMP WHEN SHE MOVED INTO THE FAST LANE TO PASS A BIG RIG AT AROUND 9:30 PM. JUST AS SHE WAS TRAVELING BESIDE THE SEMI SHE SAW A BICYCLE LAYING IN FRONT OF HER IN THE ROADWAY AND TOOK EVASIVE ACTION IN THE ONLY DIRECTION SHE COULD, LEFT ACROSS A 5 FOOT WIDE ASPHALT DIVIDING SECTION. SHE LOST CONTROL OF HER VEHICLE AND SPUN INTO THE ONCOMING LANE OF TRAFFIC DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF AN SUV DRIVEN BY 44 YEAR OLD TONIA EVANS OF LAYTONVILLE. EVANS WAS KILLED IN THE CRASH. HER HUSBAND, 52 YEAR OLD ALLEN EVANS SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. MARTIN ALSO SUFFERED ONLY MINOR INJURIES. THE ACCIDENT CLOSED THE ROADWAY FOR MORE THAN 5 HOURS. THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE CRASH IS CONTINUING.

ACCIDENT VICTIMS NAMES RELEASED JKB 7/23/10

• THE NAMES OF THE DRIVERS INVOLVED IN A 3 CAR COLLISION ON HIGHWAY 101 JUST SOUTH OF BURKE HILL ON WEDNESDAY HAVE BEEN RELEASED.

57 YEAR OLD LINDA MCGREGOR OF UKIAH WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE DRIVER OF THE CAR THAT TRIGGERED THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE CHP, MCGREGOR WAS TRAVELING NORTHBOUND WHEN FOR UNKNOWN REASONS SHE CROSSED THE GRASS MEDIAN, AND SIDESWIPED AN SUV DRIVEN BY 32 YEAR OLD BRANDIE WEBSTER OF PETERSBURG ARKANSAS AND THEN COLLIDED HEAD ON WITH A CAR DRIVEN BY 56 YEAR OLD DORIS KANEWSKI OF WINDSOR. ALL THREE DRIVERS SUFFERED MINOR TO MODERATE INJURIES. THE INVESTIGATION IS CONTINUING.

DUPLEX FIRE JKB 7/23/10

• INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE A DUPLEX FIRE IN UPPER LAKE THAT LEFT TWO FAMILIES HOMELESS LAST NIGHT, WAS CAUSED BY A CIGARETTE.

THE FIRE BROKE OUT SHORTLY AFTER 6:30 PM IN TWO ATTACHED CABINS USED BY THE CALIFORNIA CONSERVATION CORPS IN THE 9300 BLOCK OF GOVERNMENT STREET. A CIGARETTE FELL UNDER THE BACK PORCH AND SPARKED THE BLAZE. THE STRUCTURE WAS THREE QUARTERS INVOLVED BY THE TIME FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED. NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THE BLAZE, BUT THE HOMES WERE CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS.

EXPLOSIVE DEVICE FOUND IN CAR JKB 7/23/10

• THERE WAS SOME EXCITEMENT YESTERDAY WHEN SOMEONE NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A LIVE MILITARY FRAGMENTATION GRENADE LYING ON THE FRONT SEAT OF A WHITE HONDA ACCORD IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE MENDO LAKE CREDIT UNION IN FORT BRAGG.

A VISUAL INSPECTION BY FORT BRAGG POLICE OFFICERS DETERMINED THE GRENADE WAS IN A SAFE CONDITION WITH THE TRIGGERING MECHANISM STILL INTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN REMOVED FROM THE AREA AND PLACED IN A REMOTE LOCATION AT A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE PUBLIC SO THE DEVICE COULD BE REMOVED SAFELY. THE GRENADE WAS LATER DETERMINED TO BE INOPERABLE WITH NO FUSE OR POWDER INSIDE AND POSED NO IMMEDIATE THREAT TO THE PUBLIC. THE DEVICE WAS CONFISCATED AND WILL DESTROYED BY POLICE AT A LATER DATE.

LANDIS TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION JKB 7/23/10

• UKIAH CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MARY ANNE LANDIS HAS ANNOUNCED THAT SHE WILL RUN FOR RE-ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.

IN A PRESS RELEASE ISSUED YESTERDAY, LANDIS SAID THERE IS MUCH MORE WORK TO DO AND SHE WANTS TO BE A PART OF IT. LANDIS WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPOINTED TO THE COUNCIL IN 2008 TO FILL THE VACANCY LEFT BEHIND BY JOHN MCCOWEN WHEN HE WAS ELECTED TO THE MENDOCINO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. THE TERMS OF FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS PHIL BALDWIN AND MAYOR BENJ THOMAS ARE ALSO UP FOR GRABS IN NOVEMBER. NEITHER HAS ANNOUNCED IF THEY WILL SEEK RE-ELECTION.

GRASS FIRE ON HIGHWAY 20 JKB 7/23/10

• QUICK ACTION BY FIREFIGHTERS KEPT A GRASS FIRE TO JUST 3 ACRES IN SIZE AFTER IT BROKE OUT ALONG HIGHWAY 20 NEAR THE DOUBLE EAGLE RANCH EAST OF CLEARLAKE OAKS YESTERDAY.

THE FIRE WAS FIRST REPORTED AT AROUND 2 PM. OFFICIALS SAY THE FIRES PATH DOWN A STEEP EMBANKMENT TOWARD A CREEK LINED WITH LARGE BOULDERS HELPED STOP ITS PROGRESS. THE FIRE IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY SPARKS FROM A BIG RIG PULLING A LONG BED TRAILER LOADED WITH HAY.

PAROLE SEARCH JKB 7/23/10

• TWO CLEARLAKE MEN WERE ARRESTED ON WEDNESDAY AFTER A ROUTINE PAROLE SEARCH TURNED UP A SAWED OFF SHOTGUN AND AMMUNITION.

25 YEAR OLD SETH DANDRIDGE AND 31 YEAR OLD STEVEN STONE WERE BOTH CHARGED WITH BEING FELONS IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM AND WITH MANUFACTURING AND POSSESSING A DANGEROUS WEAPON. BOTH WERE ALSO CHARGED WITH VIOLATION OF PAROLE.

BANK ROBBER CAUGHT JKB 7/23/10

• A WOMAN SUSPECTED OF ROBBING TWO BANKS IN BUTTE COUNTY LAST WEEK AND ONE IN YOLO COUNTY, WAS ARRESTED BY POLICE IN DAVIS CALIFORNIA ON WEDNESDAY.

48 YEAR OLD LAURA JANE MURRAY WAS ATTEMPTING TO SMASH A WINDOW ON HER CAR WHEN POLICE ARRIVED AT AROUND 1 PM. SHE HAD JUST FINISHED ROBBING THE UNION BANK IN DOWNTOWN DAVIS WHEN SHE LOCKER HERSELF OUT OF HER GETAWAY VEHICLE. MURRAY CONFESSED TO ROBBING A CREDIT UNION IN OROVILLE JULY 13TH BUT COULD NOT BE BOOKED INTO THE BUTTE COUNTY JAIL DUE TO A SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITION. SHE INSTEAD WAS ADMITTED TO OROVILLE HOSPITAL BUT WALKED AWAY ON THURSDAY THE 15TH. AFTER GETTING HER CAR BACK FROM OROVILLE POLICE, IT IS BELIEVED SHE THEN DROVE TO CHICO WHERE SHE ROBBED THE BUTTE COMMUNITY BANK.

NORTH KOREA WARNS OF RESPONSE JKB 7/23/10

• NORTH KOREA VOWED FRIDAY THAT THERE WOULD BE A PHYSICAL RESPONSE TO PLANNED JOINT MILITARY EXERCISES BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND SOUTH KOREA SCHEDULED FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK.

ABOUT 8000 MILITARY PERSONNEL, 20 SHIPS AND SUBMARINES AND MORE THAN 200 AIRCRAFT FROM BOTH COUNTRIES WILL TAKE PART IN THE EXERCISES THAT ARE SLATED TO BEGIN JULY 25TH AND CONTINUE THROUGH JULY 28TH. NORTH KOREA HAS CALLED THE EXERCISES A MILITARY THREAT.

STORM TO DELAY RELIEF WELL JKB 7/23/10

• TROPICAL STORM BONNIE WILL DELAY EFFORTS TO COMPLETE A RELIEF WELL THAT IS DESIGNED TO BE A PERMANENT FIX TO BPS RUPTURED WELL THAT IS SPEWING OIL INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO.

MANY OF THE VESSELS AND RIGS INVOLVED IN THE OPERATION MADE PREPARATIONS TO EVACUATE THE AREA YESTERDAY. OFFICIALS SAY THE DEPARTURE OF THE RELIEF WELL RIG COULD DELY THE OPERATION BY AS MUCH AS 10 DAYS.

WOMAN KILLS CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY HAD AUTISM JKB 7/23/10

• AN IRVING TEXAS WOMAN TOLD A 911 OPERATOR THAT SHE STRANGLED HER TWO YOUNG CHILDREN MONDAY BECAUSE THEY WERE AUTISTIC AND THAT SHE WANTED NORMAL CHILDREN.

ACCORDING TO DISPATCH RECORDINGS 30 YEAR OLD SAIQA AKHTER TRIED TO KILL HER 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND 5 YEAR OLD SON BY MAKING THEM DRINK HOUSEHOLD CLEANSER, BUT USED A WIRE TO STRANGLE THEM BOTH WHEN THAT FAILED. AKHTER IS BEING HELD IN THE DALLAS COUNTY JAIL ON $1 MILLION DOLLARS BAIL.

BILL TARGETS IMPROPER GOVERNMENT SPENDING JKB 7/23/10

• PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS SIGNED A BILL THAT WILL REQUIRE FEDERAL AGENCIES TO SPEND AT LEAST $1 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR ON AUDITS TARGETING IMPROPER PAYMENTS AND FRAUD.

THE BILL PROVIDES NEW FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR AUDITORS TO TRACK DOWN GOVERNMENT WASTE AND REQUIRES REPORTS BE MADE TO CONGRESS EACH FISCAL YEAR ON STEPS TAKEN TO CUT DOWN ON INAPPROPRIATE SPENDING. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IMPROPERLY SPENT $110 BILLION DOLLARS LAST YEAR. OBAMA SAID HIS GOAL IS TO REDUCE THE IMPROPER SPENDING BY $50 BILLION DOLLARS BY THE YEAR 2012.

News 7/22/10

BOATING ACCIDENT JKB 7/22/10

• THE LAKE COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING FOR ANYONE WHO WITNESSED A BOATING ACCIDENT IN THE GLENHAVEN AREA TUESDAY EVENING THAT SENT A PARADISE VALLEY MAN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH MAJOR INJURIES.

ACCORDING TO POLICE 60 YEAR OLD JAMES WICKERSHAM COLLIDED WITH AND TRAVELED UNDER A DOCK SUSPENDED ON CABLES AT AROUND 4:23 PM. HIS BOAT THEN CONTINUED ON AND STRUCK A ROCK WALL. HE WAS AIRLIFTED TO SANTA ROSA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL WITH MAJOR INJURIES. A PASSENGER IN HIS BOAT, 54 YEAR OLD NATASHA YOUNG OF SAN RAMON SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND WAS TAKEN TO SUTTER LAKESIDE HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT. ANYONE WHO WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT IS ASKED TO CONTACT THE LAKE COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT.

3 CAR COLLISION JKB 7/22/10

• A 3 CAR COLLISION SHUT DOWN TRAFFIC ON HIGHWAY 101 NEAR BURKE HILL SOUTH OF UKIAH FOR NEARLY AN HOUR LATE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.

ACCORDING TO THE CHP, THE DRIVER OF A RED ACURA WAS TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND WHEN FOR UNKNOWN REASONS SHE CROSSED THE CENTER GRASS MEDIAN, SIDESWIPED A NORTHBOUND SUV AND THEN COLLIDED HEAD ON WITH ANOTHER NORTHBOUND VEHICLE JUST AFTER 5:30 PM. MIRACULOUSLY NO ONE WAS CRITICALLY INJURED IN THE CRASH. THE DRIVER OF ONE OF THE NORTHBOUND VEHICLES WAS AIRLIFTED TO SANTA ROSA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, ALL WITH MODERATE INJURIES. THE OTHER DRIVERS WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE UKIAH VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER. THE ACCIDENT REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.

HELP SOUGHT IN IDENTIFYING STOLEN SUV DRIVER JKB 7/22/10

• AUTHORITIES ARE ASKING FOR THE PUBLICS HELP IN IDENTIFYING AND LOCATING THE SUSPECTS WHO STOLE A TRUCK WITH TWO YOUNG CHILDREN INSIDE ON SATURDAY.

THE TRUCK WAS STOLEN JUST AFTER 3:30 PM WHEN THE MOTHER LEFT THE VEHICLE RUNNING AS SHE RAN INSIDE CONTRERAS MEAT MARKET ON TALMAGE. TWO CHILDREN, AGES 6 MONTHS AND 1 YEAR WERE INSIDE THE TRUCK WHEN IT WAS STOLEN PROMPTING AN AMBER ALERT. THE TRUCK AND THE CHILDREN WERE RECOVERED IN REDWOOD VALLEY A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER. THE CHILDREN WERE SCARED AND DEHYDRATED, BUT OTHERWISE UNHARMED. POLICE ARE ASKING ANYONE WHO MIGHT HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CASE TO CONTACT THE MENDOCINO COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT.

NEAR DROWNING JKB 7/22/10

• PARAMEDICS SUCCESSFULLY RESUSCITATED A MAN WHO WAS THE VICTIM OF A NEAR DROWNING IN WOLF CREEK IN THE SPRING VALLEY AREA SUNDAY EVENING.

ACCORDING TO AUTHORITIES THE 37 YEAR OLD VICTIM WAS OUT OF THE WATER AND BEING GIVEN CPR UNSUCCESSFULLY BY BYSTANDERS WHEN MEDICS ARRIVED. THEY TOOK OVER THE EFFORT AND WERE ABLE TO GET THE MAN BREATHING AGAIN. HE WAS LATER FLOWN TO SANTA ROSA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL FOR FURTHER TREATMENT. NO WORD YET ON HIS CONDITION. THE NAME OF THE VICTIM WAS NOT RELEASED.

WATER AND SEWER RATES TO GO UP JKB 7/22/10

• THE UKIAH CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY AGREED TO SIGNIFICANT RATE INCREASES FOR BOTH WATER AND SEWER SERVICES YESTERDAY.

THE WATER RATE INCREASES ARE NECESSARY DUE TO A COMBINATION OF REDUCED REVENUES CREATED BY SUCCESSFUL WATER CONSERVATION EFFORTS BY CITY RESIDENTS AND THE NEED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND UPKEEP OF AN AGING WATER DELIVERY SYSTEM. THE SEWER RATE INCREASES WILL HELP PAY FOR THE CITYS NEW CITY 20 YEAR TREATMENT PLANT. THE WATER RATE INCREASES, WHICH WILL SEE THE PRICE OF A UNIT OF WATER GO FROM $1.29 TO $2.73 OVER THE NEXT 5 YEARS WILL GO INTO EFFECT NEXT MONTH. SIMILAR INCREASES IN THE SEWER RATES WHICH WILL SEE A UNIT OF SERVICE JUMP FROM $7.40 TO ALMOST $9.80 OVER A 5 YEAR PERIOD WILL GO INTO EFFECT IN 2011.

LAKEPORT TURNS DOWN FIREWORKS SETTLEMENT OFFER JKB 7/22/10

• THE LAKEPORT CITY COUNCIL TURNED DOWN A SETTLEMENT OFFER FROM THE COMPANY THAT PUT ON THE DISAPPOINTING 4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS SHOW EARLIER THIS MONTH.

MATTHEW GILFILLAN OF PYRO SPECTACULARS OFFERED A 25% DISCOUNT AND THE PROMISE TO ADD MORE FIREWORKS AT NO CHARGE TO NEXT YEARS SHOW. THE CITY COUNCIL AT THEIR MEETING IN JULY 6TH VOTED TO WITHHOLD THE FINAL PAYMENT OF $8,650 BECAUSE THE SHOW STARTED LATE, STOPPED EARLY AND HAD NUMEROUS DELAYS AND DIFFICULTIES DUE TO FAULTY WIRING. WHILE TURNING DOWN GILFILLANS OFFER THEY DID DIRECT CITY STAFF TO CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS FOR NEXT YEARS DISPLAY. PYRO SPECTACULARS HAS BEEN PROVIDING THE FIREWORKS FOR THE LAKEPORT 4TH OF JULY SHOW FOR ABOUT THE LAST 30 YEARS.

MAN WHO WAS SHOT TRESPASSING ARRESTED JKB 7/22/10

• A KELSEYVILLE MAN WHO WAS SHOT WHILE TRESPASSING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY EARLIER THIS MONTH WAS ARRESTED ON A BENCH WARRANT LAST FRIDAY.

32 YEAR OLD JOHN KNISS WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY FOR A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WARRANT ISSUED IN AN UNRELATED CASE IN FEBRUARY. KNISS WAS SHOT WITH A SHOT GUN FROM A DISTANCE OF ALMOST 100 FEET BY 43 YEAR OLD NICKOLAS LEONE OF KELSEYVILLE JULY 10TH AFTER HE TRIED TO FORCE HIS WAY THROUGH A FRONT GATE ON LEONE PROPERTY. LEONE TOLD AUTHORITIES THAT KNISS HAD BEEN HARASSING AND THREATENING HIM BECAUSE HE BELIEVED LEONE WAS DATING HIS FORMER GIRLFRIEND. DEPUTIES WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE KNISS AT THE TIME OF THE SHOOTING. LEONE WAS ARRESTED FOR THE NEGLIGENT DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM. WHEN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY LAST WEEK, KNISS TOLD POLICE THAT HE DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR THE SHOOTING BECAUSE HE HAD NO INSURANCE, AND DID NOT REPORT THE INCIDENT TO AUTHORITIES BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID OF BEING ARRESTED.

BAD WEATHER MAY HAMPER OIL SPILL FIX JKB 7/22/10

• AN APPROACHING TROPICAL STORM COULD HAMPER BPS ATTEMPTS TO CREATE A PERMANENT FIX TO THE OIL GUSHER IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.

THE STATIC KILL OPERATION THAT BP PLANNED TO BEGIN IMPLEMENTING THIS WEEK, MAY HAVE TO BE POSTPONED UNTIL AT LEAST FRIDAY OR LATER. THE NEW CAP THAT WAS PLACED ON THE SUNKEN WELL JULY 12TH IS STILL KEEPING OIL INSIDE, BUT IS ONLY TEMPORARY. A RELIEF WELL IS SCHEDULED TO BE IN PLACE BY THE END OF JULY IF THE APPROACHING STORM DOES NOT CREATE MORE DELAYS. ANALYSTS SAY IF THE STORM MAKES A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE AREA IT COULD DISRUPT OPERATIONS OF UP TO TWO WEEKS.

IMMIGRATION LAW CHALLENGE JKB 7/22/10

• THE CONTROVERSIAL ARIZONA IMMIGRATION LAW WILL FACE TWO LEGAL CHALLENGES IN FEDERAL COURT TODAY.

THE FIRST IS WAS FILED BY A GROUP OF MORE THAN 100 INDIVIDUALS AND CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS, THE SECOND FROM THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION. U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE SUSAN BOLTON WILL HEAR BOTH CASES. THE LAW, SIGNED BY ARIZONA GOV. JAN BREWER IN APRIL REQUIRES POLICE TO QUESTION PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR STATUS IF THEY HAVE BEEN DETAINED FOR ANOTHER REASON AND IF THERES REASON TO SUSPECT THEYRE IN THE UNITED STATES ILLEGALLY. CRITIC SAY THE LAW WILL PROMOTE RACIAL PROFILING WHILE SUPPORTS CLAIM THE BILL IS ONLY TO ENFORCE STANDING FEDERAL LAWS. THE NEW LAW IS SCHEDULED TO GO INTO EFFECT JULY 29TH.

News 7/21/10

Willits woman hospitalized in suspected DUI crash

A young Willits woman remained hospitalized Tuesday in Santa Rosa after suffering several major injuries in a suspected drunken driving crash. Twenty year old Misty Duran, went to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital after the crash Sunday afternoon north of Laytonville. On Tuesday, she was listed in fair condition at the hospital. She was riding with Twentyone year old Kayla Chesser . Chesser suffered minor injuries and was arrested on suspicion of felony drunken driving. The two were headed north on Highway 101 in a 2003 Honda Civic. Chesser was speeding, the CHP said. She lost control of the car when it began to drift and she pulled back abruptly on the steering wheel. The Honda shot across the highway, just missing a crash with another car. It then ran off the road, overturned as it traveled down an embankment and landed on its roof. Duran suffered a broken back, pelvis and nose.

CEO of Superior Court on the move

Mendocino County Superior Court CEO Ben Stough has announced he will resign at the end of the month. Stough said he’s leaving to take a similar job in Colorado.”

He’s been CEO of Mendocino County’s courts for just more than four years.. Stough manages the court’s budget, personnel, calendar, records and statistics, among other things.  The court’s executive committee headed by its presiding judge, Mendocino County Superior Court Judge Cindee Mayfield, will decide how to fill Stough’s position.  Stough said there has been no decision yet about his replacement, but said his assistant, Caryn Downing, will likely move up to his job as interim CEO, and get his $151,000 salary.

POT RIP OFF     7/20/10

 FIVE YOUNG MEN WERE ARRESTED FOR ATTEMPTING TO RIP OFF A BACK YARD POT GARDEN IN THE ELVEN HUNDRED BLOCK OF WEST PERKINS LAST WEEK. EIGHTEEN YEAR OLD MARQUS MACEIO AND TWENTY YEAR OLD DOUGLAS HIDALGO WERE ALLEDGEDLY CAUGHT IN OR AROUND THE YARD AND THREE JUVENILE MALES AGES FIFTEEN, SIXTEEN, AND SEVENTEEN WERE APREH\ENDED ACTING AS LOOKOUTS FOR THE GROUP. POLICE WERE ALERTED BY A NEIGHBOR.  THE HOMEOWNER WAS UNAWARE OF THE ACTIVITY. POLICE FOUND OVER FORTY MARIJUANA PLANTS GROWING IN THE BACKYARD.

Felony charges filed against driver in fatal Geyserville crash

A San Francisco woman, designated to be the sober driver, had a blood-alcohol level of .10 at the time of a wine country crash that killed two Cloverdale women, the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday.Prosecutors have filed manslaughter charges against Lyndsay Murray-Mazany of San Francisco. She was released from Sonoma County Jail Tuesday morning after posting $100,000 bail. She is to be arraigned on the charges on Friday. Cloverdale residents Bev Jones and Sue McBride, both died in the Sunday afternoon crash. An initial CHP report indicated Murray-Mazany told officers they’d been tasting at some wineries on Dry Creek Road and in Geyserville. The blood-alcohol test she gave at the scene of the crash showed a .10 level. “That’s not high, but still over the limit (of .08), according to assistant D.A..Diana Gomez.