News 3/23/12

ARSON INVESTIGATION JKB 3/23/12

• LAKE COUNTY AUTHORITIES ARE INVESTIGATING APPARENT ARSON FIRES THAT WERE SET IN TWO VEHICLES AND A RESIDENCE ON MADRONE STREET IN CLEARLAKE WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

FIREFIGHTERS WERE CALLED TO THE LOCATION JUST BEFORE 11:30 PM. WHEN THEY ARRIVED THEY FOUND TWO VEHICLES ON FIRE. ACCORDING TO INVESTIGATORS, AN UNKNOWN SUSPECT PLACED CLOTH MATERIAL IN THE FUELING NOZZLES OF THE TWO PARKED VEHICLES AND INTO TWO SEPARATE WINDOW FRAMES OF A NEARBY HOME AND LIT THEM ON FIRE. THE BLAZES WERE QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED WITH MINIMAL DAMAGE. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THESE INCIDENTS IS ASKED TO CONTACT THE CLEARLAKE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

DOG ATTACK JKB 3/23/12

• AUTHORITIES IN CLEARLAKE OAKS ARE SEEKING INFORMATION REGARDING THE OWNER OF TWO BLACK PIT BULLS DOGS THAT ALLEGEDLY ATTACKED A MAN AND HIS POMERANIAN DOG MONDAY MORNING.

ACCORDING TO INVESTIGATORS, THE VICTIM WAS WALKING HIS DOG NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF ISLAND DRIVE AND HIGHWAY 20 WHEN THE TWO DOGS ALLEGEDLY BIT THE MAN, KNOCKED HIM TO THE GROUND, AND THEN ATTACKED THE SMALLER DOG AT AROUND 7:15 AM. THE POMERANIAN SUFFERED EXTENSIVE INJURIES AND WAS LISTED IN CRITICAL CONDITION AT THE WASSON MEMORIAL VETERINARY CLINIC IN LAKEPORT. POLICE SAY THE OWNER OF THE PIT BULLS GAVE THE VICTIM FALSE CONTACT INFORMATION AND LEFT. HE IS DESCRIBED AS A WHITE MALE ADULT, 5 FEET 10 INCHES TALL AND POSSIBLY DRIVING A GREEN MITSUBISHI MONTERO WITH A POSSIBLE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER OF 5BGV640. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE INCIDENT IS ASKED TO CONTACT THE CLEARLAKE OAKS POLICE DEPARTMENT.

EUREKA TO APPEAL VERDICT JKB 3/23/12

• THE CITY OF EUREKA WILL POST A BOND WORTH 125% OF A $4.5 MILLION DOLLAR WRONGFUL DEATH JUDGMENT A FEDERAL JURY AWARDED AGAINST THEM, IN ORDER TO APPEAL THE VERDICT.

THE DECISION TO APPEAL WAS MADE AFTER A FEDERAL JUDGE DENIED THE CITYS REQUEST FOR A NEW TRIAL ON WEDNESDAY. THE CITY, ACTING AT THE BEHEST OF THEIR INSURANCE CARRIER WHO HAS INSTIGATED THE ACTION, NOW HAS UNTIL APRIL 16TH TO FILE THE $5.7 MILLION DOLLAR BOND TO APPEAL THE CASE. IN SEPTEMBER, A FEDERAL JURY FOUND EUREKA POLICE OFFICERS USED EXCESSIVE FORCE DURING THE ARREST OF 26 YEAR OLD MARTIN FREDRICK COTTON II ON AUGUST 9TH OF 2007. COTTON LATER DIED OF HIS INJURIES. U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE SANDRA BROWN ARMSTRONG DENIED THE CITYS REQUEST FOR A NEW TRIAL, SAYING THE VERDICT WAS STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY THE EVIDENCE.

POT BUST JKB 3/23/12

• AGENTS FROM THE COUNTY OF MENDOCINO MARIJUANA ERADICATION TEAM OR COMMET, ALONG WITH OFFICERS FROM SEVERAL OTHER AGENCIES, SHUT DOWN A SIZEABLE INDOOR GROWING OPERATION IN UKIAH ON MONDAY.

DEPUTIES SERVING A SEARCH WARRANT ON PROPERTY ON ROBINSON CREEK ROAD SEIZED A TOTAL OF 468 GROWING MARIJUANA PLANTS RANGING IN SIZE FROM 8 INCHES TO 4 FEET TALL. THEY ALSO CONFISCATED 42 GROW LIGHTS. 30 YEAR OLD SARA FRAKER WAS ARRESTED AT THE SCENE AND BOOKED INTO THE COUNTY JAIL ON A NUMBER OF CULTIVATION CHARGES.

SAUSAGE RECALL JKB 3/23/12

• A TEXAS MEAT COMPANY HAS RECALLED MORE THAN A TON OF READY-TO-EAT SAUSAGE PRODUCTS DUE TO POSSIBLE LISTERIA CONTAMINATION.

THE RECALL INVOLVES ITEMS SMOKED AND FULLY COOKED MARCH 5TH. THE PRODUCTS WERE SOLD AT RETAIL OUTLETS IN TEXAS AND ONLINE THROUGH INTERNET SALES IN FOUR OTHER STATES, INCLUDING CALIFORNIA. RECALLED PRODUCTS INCLUDE 16 AND 48 OUNCE PACKAGES OF SOUTHSIDE MARKET & BARBEQUE ORIGINAL BEEF SAUSAGE, AND 1882 HOT RECIPE BEEF SAUSAGE, WITH LOT NUMBERS 065 A, B, C, AND D. AUTHORITIES SAY NO REPORTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED OF ANYONE GETTING SICK FROM EATING ITEMS CONNECTED TO THE RECALL.

SCAM PHONE SOLICITATIONS JKB 3/23/12

· THE MENDOCINO COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE HAS BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL COUNTY RESIDENTS THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED PHONE CALLS IN THE LAST FEW DAYS FROM CALLERS REQUESTING DONATIONS, WHO CLAIM TO BE FROM THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT.

THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT DOES NOT SOLICIT MONEY FOR OR FROM ANYONE. DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS ADVISE THAT IF YOU ARE CONTACTED AN UNKNOWN PERSON ASKING FOR MONEY TO BE SENT VIA WESTERN UNION, DEPOSITED ELECTRONICALLY, MAILED TO THEM OR LEFT AT YOUR DOOR, TO BE SUSPICIOUS AND CONTACT THE MENDOCINO COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE.

CONDUIT FOR SUBSTATION INSTALLED JKB 3/23/12

· UKIAH CITY UTILITY CREWS BEGAN LAYING UNDERGROUND CONDUIT AND INSTALLING CIRCUITS ALONG THE RAILROAD TRACKS FOR THE CITYS NEW ELECTRIC SUBSTATION ON SOUTH ORCHARD AVENUE THIS WEEK.

LINES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED UP THE RAILROAD TRACKS TO EAST CLAY STREET. WHEN OPERATIONAL, THE NEW LINES WILL REPLACE THE TEMPORARY CIRCUIT THAT IS CURRENTLY IN USE. THE NEW CIRCUITS ARE EXPECTED TO BE UP AND RUNNING IN ABOUT SIX WEEKS, PROVIDING ADDITIONAL POWER, WITH INCREASED RELIABILITY TO THE CITY AND ITS UTILITY CUSTOMERS.

POST PICK UP TIMES TO CHANGE JKB 3/23/12

· THE PICK-UP TIME FOR THE POSTAL BOXES NEXT TO THE OLD DOWNTOWN POST OFFICE LOCATION WILL CHANGE NEXT MONTH.

THE CURRENT PICK-UP TIME FOR THE BOXES ON THE CORNER OF WEST STANDLEY AND NORTH OAK STREETS IS 5 PM. AS OF APRIL 12, THE LAST PICK-UP WILL BE AT 3 PM.