GROSS VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER PLEA JKB 10/31/11
- A HOPLAND MAN PLEADED GUILTY TO CHARGES OF GROSS VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER, AND FAILURE TO REPORT A FATALITY ON THURSDAY.
ACCORDING TO PROSECUTORS, 29 YEAR OLD CODY FISHER WAITED FOUR HOURS BEFORE REPORTING THAT HE HAD CRASHED HIS TRUCK, KILLING HIS PASSENGER, 30 YEAR OLD MATT PARE OF POWAY. HE INSTEAD PHONED A FRIEND TO BRING HIM A POT OF COFFEE SO HE COULD SOBER UP AFTER A NIGHT OF DRINKING, AND BEFORE POLICE ARRIVED. FISHER FACES UP TO 11 YEARS IN STATE PRISON. HE WILL BE SENTENCED DECEMBER 16TH.
JURY ACQUITS MAN ACCUSED OF RAPE JKB 10/31/11
- A HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE MAN ACCUSED OF RAPE WAS ACQUITTED BY A JURY ON THURSDAY.
27 YEAR OLD JOHN WESLEY DUNN WAS CHARGED WITH RAPE, KIDNAPPING AND ASSAULT. HIS ACCUSER, A 25 YEAR OLD WOMAN FROM HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, CLAIMED SHE DIDNT REMEMBER ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE SHE WAS TOO INTOXICATED AFTER A NIGHT OF DRINKING WITH DUNN. SHE CONTACTED POLICE ON AUGUST 1ST 2009, THE DAY AFTER THE ALLEGED EVENT OCCURRED AND DUNN WAS ARRESTED A WEEK LATER. DURING A PRELIMINARY HEARING IN DECEMBER OF 2009, A JUDGE RULED THE PROSECUTION DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO PROCEED WITH THE KIDNAPPING AND ASSAULT CHARGES, REDUCING THE CASE TO A SINGLE COUNT OF RAPE. THE JURY LAST WEEK SAID THE EVIDENCE DID NOT SUPPORT THE RAPE CHARGE, AND FOUND DUNN NOT GUILTY.
MEDICAL MARIJUANA ADVOCATES SUE FEDERAL GOVERNEMNT JKB 10/31/11
- MEDICAL MARIJUANA ADVOCATES CHALLENGING THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATIONS CRACKDOWN ON MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES AND COOPERATIVES, FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE ACTIONS IN SAN FRANCISCOS FEDERAL COURT THURSDAY.
AMERICANS FOR SAFE ACCESS SAID THE CRACKDOWN IS AN EFFORT BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNEMNT TO SUBVERT LOCAL AND STATE MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS. FEDERAL AUTHORITIES LAST MONTH WARNED CITY OFFICIALS THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA THAT ORDINANCES REGULATING MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES VIOLATE FEDERAL LAW. THEY ALSO STATED THAT LANDLORDS WHO RENT TO DISPENSARIES AND CO-OPS COULD FACE CRIMINAL PROSECUTION AND PROPERTY FORFEITURE. STATE OFFICIALS HAVE CRITICIZED THE HEAVY HANDED TACTICS THAT INCLUDE A RAID ON A MEDICAL MARIJUANA COOPERATIVE IN REDWOOD VALLEY THAT WAS OPERATING LEGALLY UNDER PERMITS ISSUED BY MENDOCINO COUNTY.
POLICE IN FORCE AT HELLS ANGELS FUNERAL JKB 10/31/11
- THERE WAS A HEAVY POLICE PRESENCE AT THE FUNERAL FOR A HELLS ANGELS MEMBER OVER THE WEEKEND, IN THE SAME CEMETERY WHERE HE WAS SHOT TO DEATH WHILE ATTENDING THE FUNERAL FOR ANOTHER HELLS ANGELS MEMBER TWO WEEKS AGO.
52 YEAR OLD STEVE TAUSAN WAS LAID TO REST AT THE OAK HILL MEMORIAL PARK CEMETERY IN SAN JOSE. HE WAS KILLED WHEN A FIGHT BROKE OUT AT THE FUNERAL OF JEFFREY JETHRO PETTIGREW OCTOBER 15TH. PETTIGREW, THE LEADER OF THE SAN JOSE CHAPTER OF THE HELLS ANGELS, WAS SLAIN BY A RIVAL VAGOS GANG MEMBER DURING A BRAWL AT A NEVADA CASINO ON SEPTEMBER 23RD.
NICE LUCERNE CUTOFF CLOSED JKB 10/31/11
- BEGINNING TODAY, THE NICE LUCERNE CUTOFF FROM LAKESHORE DRIVE TO STOKES AVENUE WILL BE CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 8 AM AND 5 PM.
THE CLOSURE WILL BE IN EFFECT MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY UNTIL WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 9TH IN ORDER TO PERFORM NECESSARY ROAD REPAIRS. SERVICES TO SUTTER LAKESIDE HOSPITAL AND RAYS CENTURY MARKET WILL NOT BE AFFECTED.
BURN SUSPENSION LIFTED IN LAKE COUNTY JKB 10/31/11
- CAL FIRE HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE BURN SUSPENSION IN LAKE COUNTY WILL END AS OF 8 AM THIS MORNING.
THE BURN SUSPENSION IS ALSO BEING LIFTED IN SONOMA, NAPA, YOLO SOLANO AND COULUSA COUNTIES TODAY AS WELL. THE SUSPENSION IN MENDOCINO COUNTY WAS LIFTED TWO WEEKS AGO. BURN PERMITS ARE STILL REQUIRED, AND ALL BURNING MUST BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH LOCAL AIR QUALITY REGULATIONS.
EIR AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW JKB 10//31/11
- AS OF TODAY, THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORTS FOR THE PROPOSED UKIAH WALMART EXPANSION AND THE NEW MENDOCINO COUNTY COURTHOUSE ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR REVIEW.
THE WALMART EXPANSION PROPOSAL SEEKS TO INCREASE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE CURRENT STORE BY MORE THAN 47,600 SQUARE FEET AND INCREASE OPERATIONS TO 24 HOURS A DAY. THE COURTHOUSE EIR LOOKS AT TWO LOCATIONS FOR THE PROPOSED NEW COURT FACILITY. BOTH EIRS INCLUDE INFORMATION ON ESTIMATED IMPACTS FOR AIR QUALITY, CLIMATE CHANGE, STORM WATER RUNOFF, TRAFFIC AND VISUAL IMPACTS AND ECONOMIC AND URBAN DECAY. THE REPORTS ARE AVAILABLE TODAY BOTH ONLINE AND IN HARD COPY FORM.