News 10/30/15

Work continues to find homes for those living in a campground in Hidden Valley Lake since the Valley fire took their homes. A formal deal between the County and the Hidden Valley Lake Association for free camping spaces for fire survivors ended last week but officials say they won’t kick those there to the curb. It’s unclear how many people are staying at the campground but some peg the number at about 80. The Lake County Deputy Social Services Director says most of the folks have registered for help from FEMA and that’s in the works, but some have not registered and a few did not qualify for help, for various reasons. Her staff has been working on housing for them and she thanks the Campground and the Konocti Harbor Resort and Spa in Kelseyville for stepping up.

Three people from Antioch have been arrested on drug and weapons charges following a Tuesday bust in Willits that started over some stolen mail. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office says the three were arrested after deputies were called to investigate the theft of mail from a roadside box on Ridgewood. That led them to a car, from which deputies say they smelled a strong odor of pot. A search then allegedly turned up heroin, meth, marijuana, a gun, mail taken from some local mailboxes, and tools used to pry open locks and doors.

Three transients accused of robbing and killing two people in the Bay area including a former Middletown yoga teacher have had a brief court appearance. The three appeared yesterday and were ordered to return to Nov. 19th to enter pleas to first-degree murder and other charges. They are charged with shooting and killing Canadian hiker Audrey Carey in Golden Gate Park on October 3rd and Middletown’s Steve Carter 2 days later, on a Marin hiking trail. They were captured October 7th, but officials tell the Press Democrat the case has moved slowly because it took time to appoint defense attorneys qualified to handle death penalty cases.

A man from Clearlake who police say held two women hostage at gunpoint has been shot and wounded by police. Police say Brenden Fanucchi was shot during a confrontation after they got a call to their nonemergency line from an anonymous man who claimed he heard a female yelling for someone to “put the gun down”. Police went to the home and found a man with a gun holding the two women inside a garage. He wouldn’t let one of the women go and threatened to kill her. Officers were pleading with Fanucchi for some time to let the hostage leave, then police felt there was an imminent threat to the woman’s life so they went inside and shots were fired. He was taken to the hospital and one officer had a minor injury not related to gunshots. The Sheriff’s dept. is investigating.

An 18 year old man recovering after a stabbing on the soccer field of an elementary school in Ukiah. The Mendocino County Sheriff Dept went to Ukiah Valley Medical Center where the man had multiple stab wounds to the back. He says he was on the soccer field at Grace Hudson Elementary School when two Hispanic men approached and harassed him about the color of his t-shirt. He says they asked repeatedly if he was a gang member which he says he is not. They stabbed and beat him and took off.

A new committee in the state legislature for broadband in rural areas has met for the first time. The Select Committee on the Digital Divide in Rural California is chaired by Healdsburg Assemblyman Jim Wood. Wood says the committee put together to quote “shine a spotlight on the lack of digital infrastructure in rural California.” This after last month when much of the North Coast had a major broadband outage of almost 18 hours. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office says they have no leads in who cut the line. And internet was out after a truck accident last August, cut a fiber optic line on Comptche-Ukiah Road with broadband services lost that time more than 45 hours, including 911 services for some.

Looking good for final completion of the Cole Creek Bridge Replacement Project on Soda Bay Road. The Lake County Director of Public Works says it’s been frustrating but it looks like it’ll all be done in late November. There were apparently issues with steel support piling so that caused a major delay. That meant the piling for the bridge was not at the proper load rating so the work had to stop while an engineer was brought in for geotechnical work and to design an alternative with different material for the piling before work could continue.

A few people still busted for looting in the Valley Fire have pleaded no contest or are waiting to go to court in December. One person had their case totally dismissed. Insufficient evidence. Another man accused of trespassing, Royce Sterling Moore, entered a no contest plea for entering a closed disaster area in exchange for dismissing another count of possession of burglary tools. 3 men from the Bay Area still awaiting their court cases. They were all in either camouflage or black clothing, found by a police officer conducting enforcement stops.

The Fort Bragg City Council has decided to allow the county to verify signatures on a petition to put a measure on the ballot proposing a ban on new social services in the Central Business District. The resolution, apparently a formality, as staff informed the council they didn’t have a choice. The Concerned Citizens of Fort Bragg trying to block the Hospitality Center from using the Old Coast Hotel Building as a mental health and homeless services facility.

A parcel tax being considered for Mendocino Coast District Hospital. The board members of the hospital have voted to start working on the possibility of the parcel tax for the district on the June 2016 ballot. The board has not taken a position formally but apparently supports the planning committee’s recommendation for outreach efforts to begin to test the popularity of the parcel tax among local voters and survey people’s opinions about local healthcare needs.

A workshop in the multi-purpose room at Dana Gray Elementary about poor conditions of the Fort Bragg school district’s playing fields. Consultants from a Santa Clara landscape architecture firm specializing in sports planning and design, came armed with pictures of existing conditions and draft drawings of potential improvements for each field. The fields that need work include Dana Gray Elementary, the high school stadium and varsity baseball field, the middle school fields, the Redwood Elementary field and the old oval field next to the C.V. Starr Center.

A man in Portland, Oregon’s arrested for breaking into a neighbor’s house and stealing undies. The Oregonian reports Daniel Kowatch admitted he thought about breaking into the home several times to see if he could get away with it, he did and he didn’t. Those in the home chased him out and called police. Police say they found a couple pairs of women’s underwear in his jacket along with feminine hygiene products and a large bowie knife. He was arrested for burglary and criminal mischief charges.

A dad in Dallas carving pumpkins with his 7-year-old daughter takes matters and that tool into his own hands, stabbing a man he says broke into his house. Police say the suspect stole a car, crashed it, then ran to the man’s neighborhood to try and escape police. Brian Hackney says that’s when the guy ran into his home and started rifling through his wife’s purse so with knife in hand he confronted the guy and a neighbor called 911.

News 10/29/15

The Lake County Board of Supervisors has approved some temporary changes so several still-unclaimed pets from the Valley fire so they can go to new homes. Lake County News reports Animal Care and Control asked the board to waive all remaining fees for dog and cat adoptions, other than spay and neuter fees, so animals can get into new homes. Many animals are being held for almost seven weeks hoping their owners would show up, but as of today, they’re up for adoption. Besides 10 dogs and 27 cats, there are also two chickens, three horses and eight goats. Supervisor Rob Brown says some folks are still having trouble finding their pets, and animal control says they’re concerned some have found animals and not turned them for fear there’s a euthanasia policy in effect, which is not the case.

The new Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital in Willits is officially open. The $64 million building is about a mile from the old one and features what a hospital spokesman says are state-of-the-art operating rooms, a large Emergency Department, up-do-date earthquake proofing and artwork created by Mendocino County artists. Before the new Howard Memorial Hospital opens its doors to the general public though, the patients in the current building will be moved over. And they say the old ER will still be in operation until the new ER is fully up and running and all patients have been transferred.

The US Small Business Administration says they’ve approved more than $10 million in federal disaster loans for businesses and residents impacted by the Valley and Butte Fires in Lake and Calaveras counties. A spokesperson says the SBA has approved $357,200 for businesses and more than $9.6 million for residents to help rebuild and recover from the disaster. If you had damage you’re encouraged to register before the deadline of November 23rd. The SBA says you don’t need to wait for your insurance to settle or obtain a contractor’s estimate before you register. Call the Federal Emergency Management Agency at (800) 621-FEMA (3362). Or stop by the Lake County Disaster Recovery Centers. One is in Clearlake at the old Apria Health building on Olympic Drive; the other at the Middletown at the Senior Center on Washington St.

It’s happened again. For the second year in a row, The Press Democrat has won a top award for a daily newspaper website in an international online journalism contest. The newspaper reports Editor & Publisher magazine named Pressdemocrat.com the best daily newspaper website with under 1 million unique monthly visitors. The paper has also been named a finalist for the Eppy award.

The Brewery Gulch Inn in Mendocino has been won the third best hotel in Northern California by readers of Condé Nast Traveler. The magazine has a yearly readers’ choice awards which they say more than 128,000 readers participated in, rating more than 9,200 hotels. The Brewery Gulch Inn overlooks the Mendocino Coast. Rooms go for more than $300 a night.

It’s getting more challenging for Chinook Salmon due to the drought. A federal fisheries spokesperson says it doesn’t look good for the fish and has heightened fears of extinction. Officials with the National Marine Fisheries Service say preliminary counts show hot, shallow waters have killed off many of the young fish before they made it out to the Pacific Ocean. If numbers taken over the winter confirm the low number, it could be a second year in a row for 5 percent or less surviving California’s drought. Juvenile salmon need the water temperatures to be in the mid-50s or they can’t survive.

A woman from Willits is recovering after being stabbed. Police got a call to the E.R. at Ukiah Valley Medical Center Tuesday night and found the 18 year old victim who told them she was walking with a friend in downtown Ukiah when she was slashed multiple times. She says she wasn’t familiar with the Ukiah area so she wasn’t sure exactly where she was during the attack. She also told police she didn’t see or hear anyone at the time of the assault. Police say she had multiple stab wounds on her upper torso and to her head. Her injuries were described as serious. No arrests have been made.

Two brothers arrested for an attempted robbery at a marijuana garden. Three people were held hostage, one tied up last Friday. Someone called police saying there were two people with guns trying to steal pot plants on the property near Diener Drive and Highway 29 in Lower Lake. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office reports David Modica arrested, the victims saying he pointed a gun at them, although no one was injured. Several deputies descended on the scene along with the sheriff and commanding officers and detectives. Cops found shell casings but didn’t find the second suspect until they heard bushes rustling. Geno Modica was arrested later with 2 women. Both men fingered by the victims as the suspects and taken to jail. They face several charges and the two women were charged as accessories.

A witch priestess in Salem, MA got herself a protective order against a warlock she says was harassing her… yep, it’s all true. A judge granted the court order to Lori Sforza who accuses the self-proclaimed greatest warlock in the world, Christian Day of harassing her over the phone and on social media for three years. His lawyer says they were in business together at an occult shop and when she decided to go into business herself their relationship fell apart. The two had once made headlines casting spells together to try to heal Charlie Sheen, who once called himself a “Vatican assassin warlock”.

You can now get yourself some road kill on your next trip to NYC. Hotel Vermont is offering a selection of injured or killed animals on their menu calling it Wild About Vermont. The event next Saturday night with donations from hunters and fishermen in the state. It’s $75 a pop and features deer, bear, moose and muskrat.

California has less uninsured kids, 176 thousand of them. That’s more than any other state – since the Affordable Care Act went into full effect in 2014. This from a new report by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. Report coauthor Joan Alker says after California expanded Medicaid for adults – they signed up a lot of kids who were eligible but not yet enrolled.

Cut 74345 :14 "Many people don’t think about Medicaid expansion as a kids’ issue, but we know from past research that covering parents results in what we call a strong ‘welcome-mat’ effect for kids. That means when the parent learns about their own coverage opportunity they may learn their child is also eligible."

Tag: In the U-S overall, six percent of children don’t have health insurance. In California it’s five-point-four percent.

Second Cut: Kristen Golden Testa, with the nonprofit advocacy group Children’s Partnership, says the situation will get even better next year once a groundbreaking new state law to help undocumented children goes into effect.

Cut 75345 :09 "All low-income children will be able to enroll in Medi-Cal regardless of their immigration status. This will mean an additional 170-thousand children will have insurance."

Tag 1: Testa says that because California has the biggest population in the country, gains here will make a big dent in the national rate of uninsured children.

News 10/28/15

A mistrial has been declared in the double-murder trial of a Lake County man. After almost a month of testimony in the case against Jason Arreaga for the shooting deaths of Harley Hammers and Angel Tully, the jury informed the judge Friday after a week of deliberations, they were deadlocked. Arreaga was being tried for first degree murder; the jury deadlocked at nine voting guilty and three not guilty. The judge declared a mistrial and dismissed the jury. The Record Bee reports a new trial has been set for December 14.

A Lower Lake man’s been arrested on suspicion of DUI for a crash on Hwy 29. The CHP’s Clear Lake Area office says Kyle Pearce was arrested after the wreck around 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning. Police say he rolled his SUV and had to be cut out of it. Lake County News reports the SUV caught fire and started a brush fire which burned about a quarter-acre of the hillside. CHP says Pearce was wearing a seat belt but had to be flown to a hospital with serious injuries after he was arrested.

The Lake Area Rotary Club Fire Relief Fund is offering grants to businesses affected by this summer’s fires. They say the goal is to get store front, agriculture and home businesses back into operation or prevent them from closing down due to losses from the fires. Lake County News reports those losses can be either economic or physical and the grants of up to $2,000 will be made based on need. You can get the application online at the Lake Area Rotary Club website which is www.larca5130.org . They are also accepting donations.

A mountain lion has been hit by a car and killed in Forestville. The state Fish and Wildlife service reports the male cougar was reported dead in the road by an anonymous caller. A warden went to find the dead animal which they report weighed between 85 to 100 pounds and looked like it had been healthy before being struck. The agency says the animals are killed on roadways in Calif. on average about once a week. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates California having between 4,000 and 6,000 mountain lions.

A man believed to have been involved in a robbery of Bank of the West in Clearlake has been arrested in Michigan. Clearlake Police report former New York resident Samuel Campbell is suspected of being one of two people who robbed the bank in July at gunpoint. Campbell was arrested by the FBI after an investigation by Clearlake police with the FBI. Campbell to be extradited to California.

Fences have to be replaced to many farms and ranches affected by the Valley Fire. The Lake County Farm Bureau says it’s hard to tell exactly how much fencing needs replacing. Since many animals have gone home after evacuation, residents are being challenged to put up enclosures and make chicken coops quick enough, before winter. The farm bureau’s working with Redwood Credit Union to deliver funds for transitional fencing to keep animals safe. The Lake County Fire Victims Fund has gone way above the initial goal of $500,000. The Press Democrat and the office of state Sen. Mike McGuire working to get the word out about the fund in its early days which now sits at almost $2.1 million pledged. So money from the fund can be used for fencing which apparently has a quick approval process. Those who qualify, get their money to spend at local businesses for hardware, lumber and seed suppliers to purchase materials.

Those who want more solar power in California are spreading the word. P,G&E has proposed changes to savings and credit for solar customers returning power to the grid. Stakeholders are fighting for notice after the state’s three major utilities submitted proposals to the California Public Utilities Commission which would drive up solar costs for new customers.

Residents in Potter Valley have a school bond measure on the next ballot. If it wins, that means property owners will pay $60 for every $100,000 of the assessed value of their property so schools can be upgraded, including school buildings, playgrounds and parking lots. The Potter Valley interim school superintendent says they’re hoping to pull in about $3 million for a 30-year payback. The money wouldn’t be available, if the item passes, until the spring of 2016.

More light’s been shed on the new Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act that’s been signed into law by the Gov. Jerry Brown. The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors had a presentation by a legislative advocate Monday night to hear the details of the new law before it goes into effect in January. North Coast legislators, Sen. Mike McGuire of Healdsburg and Assemblyman Jim Wood, also of Healdsburg, worked on 2 of the 3 bills that passed. Each municipality in the state has until next March to enact a local cultivation ordinance to regulate or ban medical marijuana. Licenses for those who provide medical marijuana services aren’t required until Jan. 1st of 2018.

2 cars toasted after accidentally being set on fire. Ukiah Valley Fire Authority out at the fire on Fairway Avenue, a neighbor called yesterday afternoon after seeing smoke. Fire officials say there was some charring to the home’s porch. Apparently someone living in the home had used some jumper cables to charge batteries between his two vehicles, a Jeep and a Toyota RAV4. Later he used a leaf blower and noticed smoke and flames. The man and his family were outside when firefighters got there.

A new survey shows Californians have a favorite candy they like for Halloween. The survey by Influenster, a social media site for shoppers showed Life Savers the fave amongst trick-or-treaters. 40,000 site users asked about their favorite candy. In Oregon, responders said Candy corn but Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups got the most of all votes across the country.

A man has been arrested twice in a day for going into a middle school then into a daycare center, demanding he be allowed to sing Justin Bieber. D’laontie Lee Lewis was arrested after the middle school was placed on lockdown. Dunbar police say they found a small amount of marijuana on the guy then took him to the hospital. He was charged with disorderly conduct and trespassing after leaving the hospital and going to the daycare and trying to do it all over again. He was then readmitted to the same hospital.

News 10/27/15

A teen from Laytonville’s been killed in the crash of a stolen school van. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office says 14-year-old Deon Oldenes, was one of five kids in the van that crashed around 5am yesterday. The Press Democrat reports they are all thought to be from Laytonville High School. The CHP reports they were in a van stolen from the Laytonville Unified School District when it crashed into a tree on Branscomb Road.

At least 1200 people reported to have come out for Sunday’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors fundraiser for those who suffered losses from the Lake County fires. Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman put together a group of local leaders, businesses and service clubs to organize the community-wide dinner, auction & music event to raise money to support the rebuilding efforts of Mendocino’s Lake County neighbors. Organizers say all proceeds are going directly to the Lake County Wildfire Relief Fund created by North Coast Opportunities with the support of Mendo Lake Credit Union and the Savings Bank of Mendocino County.

Lake County Crop values are a notch down but still near their highest in history. Lake County News reports at last week’s Board of Supervisors meeting, the county Ag commissioner gave the annual report for 2014, showing the county’s gross agricultural production at just over $93 million. That’s a 3-percent decrease from the total reported in 2013, which at that time was the county’s all-time highest agricultural production number. Winegrapes continued to be the county’s largest crop in 2014 with a total value of nearly $59 million. Lake county’s No. 2 crop last year was pears with a gross value of more than $20 million. And the No. 3 crop for 2014 was walnuts, with a gross value of $6.7 million.

Property owners who need to clean up structures burned in the Rocky and Jerusalem Fires have until this Friday, October 30 to file a Right Of Entry Permit or a Private Cleanup Application. The deadline was set by Lake County Environmental Health, CalRecycle, and the California Office of Emergency Services to get the clean up done in a timely manner. Many property owners have completed the paperwork for the permit to allow the CalRecycle/OES teams to remove debris from their properties and some have chosen a Private Cleanup Application to do themselves. In either case, Friday is the deadline. Those who miss the deadline will be referred to the Lake County Planning and Community Development Department for future action.

Property tax bills headed out to property owners. The County of Lake, Treasurer-Tax Collector is sending out the bills for property tax owed for all property on record as of January 1st, 2015. Those who’ve had property damage related to the recent fires are getting a corrected property tax bill with a new due date and a reduction in property value related to fire damage. For more info, call the Assessor’s Office at 707-263-2302.

The Lake County Board of Supervisors honoring a volunteer group who assisted with animal rescues during the wildfires and they’ll consider proposed policies to help animals find homes due to the Valley fire. The beginning this morning at 9 a.m. in the board chambers in the Lake County Courthouse. The board’s honoring the volunteer group –Lake County Animal Care and Control – for rescue efforts during the recent fires. Apparently volunteers along with Animal Care and Control helped nearly 4,000 animals.

The Lake County Fire Protection District is having a debate for those running in the upcoming board election. It’s this Thursday in the Clearlake City Council Chambers at 6. The public is invited to attend to hear from those trying to fill 3 positions. Incumbents John Spriet, Michael Dean and Jacqueline Snyder are trying to keep their seats, and another candidate, Bud Moore is vying for a seat. The vote for the three board positions is in the Nov. 3rd General District Election.

More and more reports of sick or dead deer mean the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Wildlife Investigations Lab, or WIL is looking more deeply into the problem. They say evidence collected in urbanized areas from Siskiyou County to Fresno County from deer carcasses show it could be something called adenovirus hemorrhagic disease. This is not harmful to humans, livestock or pets. The agency says deer should not be fed and that wildlife veterinarians and biologists are documenting outbreaks. There are no treatments for most viral diseases for deer though. For more information on deer, visit www.keepmewild.com .

Three young transients facing murder and other charges for the death of a local yoga teacher and a Canadian woman had a delay in court proceedings. The three were in court yesterday on murder charges, but did not enter pleas. They were supposed to, but their arraignment was postponed because one of the suspects has not been appointed a lawyer. They went back to jail and will be back in court Thursday. Morrison Lampley is accused of being the shooter of a Canadian backpacker in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park and in the shooting death of a yoga instructor two days later in Marin County. 18 year old Lila Alligood and 24 year old Sean Angold also charged with the murder and robbery of the two.

Mendocino County mental health staff got in a little trouble after they didn’t follow rules to allow mentally ill patients a way to court. The county has to provide mentally incompetent inmates held on misdemeanors restoration services in a timely manner. That means they have to be in a condition to be able to go to court. So that sometimes means medication, and a medical evaluation. But one Mendocino County Deputy Public Defender says some inmates are held on misdemeanor charges while their mental competency is being determined before trial which sometimes takes up to six months. Now a judge rules the county’s mental health department has to step up in a timely manner or sanctions will be imposed.

A biscuit that survived the Titanic sinking has been sold at auction to a collector in Greece. The BBC reports the biscuit, similar in shape and color to a cracker, was in a collection from some newlyweds at the beginning of a three-month honeymoon trip to Europe in 1912. They were aboard the ship that rescued survivors of the Titanic. The cracker sold for more than 20-thousand dollars.

A woman in Indiana is recovering after dog somehow shot her in the foot. Her dog, Trigger, was sitting next to the woman’s 12-gauge shotgun without a safety on during a waterfowl hunt. The chocolate Labrador retriever, Trigger, stepped on the shotgun and depressed the trigger. The woman had to be treated at two hospitals before being released.

A man in New Mexico who was watching the TV show “The Walking Dead” says he beat his friend to death before he could become a zombie. A Grants police spokesman says Christopher Paquin was beaten by Damon Perry who admitted the beating death. He’s held on a murder charge. Paquin’s body found inside an apartment with maintenance workers holding Perry who admitted he and his buddy were drinking and his friend tried biting him so he beat him to death with his hands, feet, an electric guitar and a microwave.

News 10/27/15

A teen from Laytonville’s been killed in the crash of a stolen school van. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office says 14-year-old Deon Oldenes, was one of five kids in the van that crashed around 5am yesterday. The Press Democrat reports they are all thought to be from Laytonville High School. The CHP reports they were in a van stolen from the Laytonville Unified School District when it crashed into a tree on Branscomb Road.

At least 1200 people reported to have come out for Sunday’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors fundraiser for those who suffered losses from the Lake County fires. Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman put together a group of local leaders, businesses and service clubs to organize the community-wide dinner, auction & music event to raise money to support the rebuilding efforts of Mendocino’s Lake County neighbors. Organizers say all proceeds are going directly to the Lake County Wildfire Relief Fund created by North Coast Opportunities with the support of Mendo Lake Credit Union and the Savings Bank of Mendocino County.

Lake County Crop values are a notch down but still near their highest in history. Lake County News reports at last week’s Board of Supervisors meeting, the county Ag commissioner gave the annual report for 2014, showing the county’s gross agricultural production at just over $93 million. That’s a 3-percent decrease from the total reported in 2013, which at that time was the county’s all-time highest agricultural production number. Winegrapes continued to be the county’s largest crop in 2014 with a total value of nearly $59 million. Lake county’s No. 2 crop last year was pears with a gross value of more than $20 million. And the No. 3 crop for 2014 was walnuts, with a gross value of $6.7 million.

Property owners who need to clean up structures burned in the Rocky and Jerusalem Fires have until this Friday, October 30 to file a Right Of Entry Permit or a Private Cleanup Application. The deadline was set by Lake County Environmental Health, CalRecycle, and the California Office of Emergency Services to get the clean up done in a timely manner. Many property owners have completed the paperwork for the permit to allow the CalRecycle/OES teams to remove debris from their properties and some have chosen a Private Cleanup Application to do themselves. In either case, Friday is the deadline. Those who miss the deadline will be referred to the Lake County Planning and Community Development Department for future action.

Property tax bills headed out to property owners. The County of Lake, Treasurer-Tax Collector is sending out the bills for property tax owed for all property on record as of January 1st, 2015. Those who’ve had property damage related to the recent fires are getting a corrected property tax bill with a new due date and a reduction in property value related to fire damage. For more info, call the Assessor’s Office at 707-263-2302.

The Lake County Board of Supervisors honoring a volunteer group who assisted with animal rescues during the wildfires and they’ll consider proposed policies to help animals find homes due to the Valley fire. The beginning this morning at 9 a.m. in the board chambers in the Lake County Courthouse. The board’s honoring the volunteer group –Lake County Animal Care and Control – for rescue efforts during the recent fires. Apparently volunteers along with Animal Care and Control helped nearly 4,000 animals.

The Lake County Fire Protection District is having a debate for those running in the upcoming board election. It’s this Thursday in the Clearlake City Council Chambers at 6. The public is invited to attend to hear from those trying to fill 3 positions. Incumbents John Spriet, Michael Dean and Jacqueline Snyder are trying to keep their seats, and another candidate, Bud Moore is vying for a seat. The vote for the three board positions is in the Nov. 3rd General District Election.

More and more reports of sick or dead deer mean the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Wildlife Investigations Lab, or WIL is looking more deeply into the problem. They say evidence collected in urbanized areas from Siskiyou County to Fresno County from deer carcasses show it could be something called adenovirus hemorrhagic disease. This is not harmful to humans, livestock or pets. The agency says deer should not be fed and that wildlife veterinarians and biologists are documenting outbreaks. There are no treatments for most viral diseases for deer though. For more information on deer, visit www.keepmewild.com .

Three young transients facing murder and other charges for the death of a local yoga teacher and a Canadian woman had a delay in court proceedings. The three were in court yesterday on murder charges, but did not enter pleas. They were supposed to, but their arraignment was postponed because one of the suspects has not been appointed a lawyer. They went back to jail and will be back in court Thursday. Morrison Lampley is accused of being the shooter of a Canadian backpacker in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park and in the shooting death of a yoga instructor two days later in Marin County. 18 year old Lila Alligood and 24 year old Sean Angold also charged with the murder and robbery of the two.

Mendocino County mental health staff got in a little trouble after they didn’t follow rules to allow mentally ill patients a way to court. The county has to provide mentally incompetent inmates held on misdemeanors restoration services in a timely manner. That means they have to be in a condition to be able to go to court. So that sometimes means medication, and a medical evaluation. But one Mendocino County Deputy Public Defender says some inmates are held on misdemeanor charges while their mental competency is being determined before trial which sometimes takes up to six months. Now a judge rules the county’s mental health department has to step up in a timely manner or sanctions will be imposed.

A biscuit that survived the Titanic sinking has been sold at auction to a collector in Greece. The BBC reports the biscuit, similar in shape and color to a cracker, was in a collection from some newlyweds at the beginning of a three-month honeymoon trip to Europe in 1912. They were aboard the ship that rescued survivors of the Titanic. The cracker sold for more than 20-thousand dollars.

A woman in Indiana is recovering after dog somehow shot her in the foot. Her dog, Trigger, was sitting next to the woman’s 12-gauge shotgun without a safety on during a waterfowl hunt. The chocolate Labrador retriever, Trigger, stepped on the shotgun and depressed the trigger. The woman had to be treated at two hospitals before being released.

A man in New Mexico who was watching the TV show “The Walking Dead” says he beat his friend to death before he could become a zombie. A Grants police spokesman says Christopher Paquin was beaten by Damon Perry who admitted the beating death. He’s held on a murder charge. Paquin’s body found inside an apartment with maintenance workers holding Perry who admitted he and his body were drinking and his friend tried biting him so he beat him to death with his hands, feet, an electric guitar and a microwave.

News 10/26/15

The Marijuana Ad Hoc Committee is having a special meeting. After the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors requested it, the meeting was set for tonight for a presentation on the State Legislative medical marijuana regulatory package. Lawmakers passed the regulatory package signed by the Governor earlier this month. It puts 3 bills together. A legislative advocate will be in town tonight to go over the trio of bills. They govern land use, water and natural resources, housing, transportation, wildfire protection policies, and health and human services. The meeting at 5-30 in the Board of Supervisors Chambers on Low Gap Road in Ukiah.

A fire’s put a family out of their house in Fort Bragg. Firefighters get a call Saturday to the fire on Walnut Street and find an apartment in flames. They say they were concerned about the spread to other apartments so officers evacuated the surrounding units while Firefighters got a handle on the fire. A Cal-Fire investigator was called out and said it was not suspicious in nature. It damaged three units. New living arrangements were being made for the family who lost their apartment.

Several Valley Fire related items of business have been approved by the Lake County Board of Supervisors. One piece of business, extending emergency declarations and possibly going after a grant to help the Behavioral Health Dept. offer services to those impacted by the fire. Last Tuesday, the county Health Officer also brought the board an extension of a proclamation of a local health emergency because of the fire which needs to be revisted every 2 weeks. Plus the board has entered an agreement with CalRecycle for management and coordination of the Rocky and Jerusalem fires’ debris cleanup.

The lawsuit regarding stopping work on the proposed Ukiah Costco warehouse is delayed at least another month. The Daily Journal reports the case being appealed and the lawyer asking for more time for filing of the opening brief which had been due in a couple weeks, Nov. 9th. The lawyer got another month, until Dec. 8th. The appeal filed over the summer on behalf of a group called “Ukiah Citizens for Safety First”. The first case dismissed by the judge saying the Environmental Impact Report was inadequate. The only name still part of that group formed more than a year ago is the lawyer.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness-Mendocino is having a town hall of sorts to look at some of the mental health challenges faced in the community. The Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman is the guest speaker at Ukiah Valley Medical Center in the Glenn Miller Conference Room Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Sheriff apparently has had his own challenges with mental health issues. The group says one in four people are affected by mental health issues during their lifetime.

Five local contractors got notice they have to appear in court for illegal contracting. The Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office teaming up with the California Contractors State License Board and several law enforcement agencies in a dozen undercover operations in seven cities. 76 people in all were busted for illegal contracting. The state contractors Fraud Team went out in Mendocino, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Diego, Fresno, Solano and Sonoma counties. The contractors busted locally bid services in Mendocino County in the price range from $2,000 to $4,500.

$3 million in funding for a couple of Mendocino Council of Governments projects approved. The California Transportation Commission pushes grant money from the state’s Active Transportation Program for a multi-purpose trail project in Covelo. Last year almost 900-thousand for environmental and non-infrastructure work. The two projects together among 87 grants funded under the statewide competition. There’s one more in Mendocino County too, the Northwestern Pacific Rail Trail Phase 2 project in Ukiah. That extends the city’s rail-with-trail facility from Gobbi (Go-bee) Street south to the commercial area at Commerce Street.

A message found in a textbook shared between students at Kelseyville High ends with an investigation. The Superintendent of Kelseyville Schools says a student found the phrase, quote “school shooting tomorrow” in the textbook which was in a classroom a couple years. Apparently the book is shared amongst students, so administrators have no idea who wrote the message. They also say it looked old, at least from a year ago or maybe longer. They turned the book over to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The district posted about the message on Facebook, which didn’t go over that positively with some parents asking why the school stayed open.

A school principal in North Carolina’s in trouble for driving past a stopped school bus. Johneka Simmons Williams, the principal of Bugg Magnet Elementary was charged, but a Highway Patrol trooper says Williams denied passing the bus while the stop arm was out. She released a statement saying she takes roadway safety seriously. Williams faces a minimum fine of $500 if found guilty.

A Houston school district police officer has been sent to jail for a year for asking a female motorist he pulled over if he could lick her feet. Patrick Quinn, a former Cypress-Fairbanks school district cop pleaded guilty to official oppression. Court papers say he stopped the woman and found marijuana paraphernalia but said he had a foot fetish and she could go if she let him lick her feet or give him her underwear.

Playlist 10/29/15

JUSTIN BIEBER-WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS-DOWNTOWN

ONE DIRECTION-DRAG ME DOWN

SHAWN MENDES-STITCHES

TAYLOR SWIFT-WILDEST DREAMS

WEEKND-THE HILLS

ALESSIA CARA-HERE

CALVIN HARRIS W/DISCIPLES-HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE

CONRAD SEWELL-HOLD ME UP

DAYA-HIDE AWAY

DEMI LOVATO-CONFIDENT

DRAKE-HOTLINE BLING

ELLE KING-EX’S & OH’S

ELLIE GOULDING-ON MY MIND

FETTY WAP W/REMY BOYZ-679

HAILEE STEINFELD-LOVE MYSELF

JESS GLYNNE-HOLD MY HAND

MAJOR LAZER W/ELLIE GOULDING & TARRUS-POWERFUL

MEGHAN TRAINOR W/JOHN LEGEND-LIKE I’M GONNA LOSE YOU

NICK JONAS-LEVELS

RUDIMENTAL W/ED SHEERAN-LAY IT ALL ON ME

SELENA GOMEZ-SAME OLD LOVE

X AMBASSADORS-RENEGADES

(THE) CHAINSMOKERS-ROSES

5 SECONDS OF SUMMER-HEY EVERYBODY!

AUDIEN W/LADY ANTEBELLUM-SOMETHING BETTER

BECKY G-BREAK A SWEAT

DNCE-CAKE BY THE OCEAN

MAROON 5-FEELINGS

NICKY JAM W/ENRIQUE IGLESIAS-EL PERDON/FORGIVENESS

NICO & VINZ W/KID INK & BEBE REXHA-THAT’S HOW YOU KNOW

ANDY GRAMMER-GOOD TO BE ALIVE (HALLELUJAH)

EMPIRE CAST W/JUSSIE SMOLLETT & PITBULL-NO DOUBT ABOUT IT

HALSEY-NEW AMERICANA

MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS W/ED SHEERAN-GROWING UP (SLOANE’S SONG)

OMI-HULA HOOP

PENTATONIX-CAN’T SLEEP LOVE

SHAGGY W/PITBULL & GENE NOBLE-ONLY LOVE

SIA-ALIVE

News 10/23/15

The group behind #LakeCountyRising says they’ve started to distribute money from their Fire Relief Fund. This first round for kids in impacted communities. Money to the Middletown Unified School District, the Lake County Fair Foundation and Lake Family Resource Center. The money for gift cards, food and clothes, Some business that have chipped in include, Congressman Mike Thompson and supporters, Trinchero Family Estates, Savings Bank of Mendocino County, Calpine Corporation, The Hess Collection, Rabobank N.A., Homestake Mining Company, Cache Creek Vineyards and others. The nonprofit, Lake County Wine Alliance is managing the collection and distribution of funds for #LakeCountyRising.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is asking your help in solving a poaching case in Mendocino County. They say three tule elk bulls, two identified by the number of antlers on each side of its head as “six-by-six,” and one as “five-by-five,” were shot and killed at different times in Covelo near the Mill Creek area. One in the beginning of August, one in early October and one last week. A CDFW spokesman tells the Daily Journal in one case the head was likely removed for the aesthetic value of showing off the antlers and teeth. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the CDFW via CalTIP line at 1-888-CALTIP.

Cobb Mountain businessman Beau Moore says he is not running for the Board of Supervisors after all, with the Valley Fire being the main reason. Moore told Lake Co News the fire destroyed his family’s home and devastated the community, leaving several years of hard work ahead. He says that leaves him no time to campaign and it would be unfair to his family and the people of District 5 to engage in campaigning when he should focus on rebuilding. But Supervisor Rob Brown has confirmed he’ll run again, even though he said earlier in the year he would not. He too says the Fire is the reason as he wants to help shepherd the rebuilding process.

Plans to harvest redwoods, some as old as 100 years, along the Gualala River have fierce opposition. The Press Democrat reports on the logging proposal for more than 500 acres upstream from the town of Gualala plus more in the flood plain at the mouth of the River in northwestern Sonoma County. Those supporting the proposal say it’s been studied by environmental regulators and meets safeguards in place to protect the river and habitat for salmon, steelhead trout and other plants and wildlife. Those against say felling the trees will take away the look of the landscape and harm the health of already impaired fish and wildlife habitat.

The SBA says its approved nearly 8 million dollars in disaster assistance loans for victims of the Valley Fire. The number just for 67 homeowners or renters and five businesses or nonprofits. Final deadlines of Nov. 23rd for physical damage claims and June 22 of next year for economic injury, so the 8 million number is supposed to go up quite a bit. A spokesperson for the administration says it’s a good start so far, but there’s still a lot of work to do. The SBA says there’s more applications in the pipeline.

No bidders for a proposed new sidewalk in Ukiah near the Redwood Empire Fairgrounds. The Public Works Director tells the city council, since there are no bids, the project will have to be delayed. But the city manager says they can now reach out to local contractors and rebid the project. Apparently the city wasn’t allowed to go directly to local contractors during the bidding process, but they can now. The project to move the existing sidewalk 200 feet north to Garrett Drive.

City leaders in Fort Bragg looking to open their Town Hall for public forums and meetings, free of charge. The Advocate News reports several people spoke on the idea during public comment supporting the idea. The idea was referred to the Public Works and Facilities Committee in late August which drafted a recommendation so the Town Hall could be used one night a month for Town Hall meetings where citizens can discuss topics of local civic interest. The hall can also be rented for closed door, private events.

A man in Alaska got his car stuck on the road, at least he thought he hit a brick wall, turns out it was a 300-pound northern fur seal. The man told the Alaska Dispatch News his truck went airborne and got stuck in some mud. He got out to check it out and found the injured seal. Police say they had to shoot the animal. The roadway was 25 or 30 yards from the water.

The Massachusetts Department of Administration and Finance had an oops in a recent press release. The agency had a typo, sending media inquiries about a quote “free and fun party line” advertising adult hotlines. The Boston Herald (http://bit.ly/1GWpXDQ ) reports the release declared October Cyber Security Awareness Month and accidentally substituted area code “617” instead of “857”.

News 10/22/15

A 5-year-old from Willits reported missing after taking the family dog on what he called a field trip has been found safe after spending the night in the woods. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s office says the little boy disappeared from the Brooktrails area Tuesday afternoon after telling a sibling he was going on a “field trip” but never came back. More than 100 people from about 10 agencies helped look for the boy, who was found in good shape, with the dog, around 8 yesterday morning, about two miles from home.

Two men suspected of looting during the Valley fire have pleaded guilty. The Lake County DA says Jeremiah McGinnis of Cobb pleaded guilty to two charges of burglary and is expected to get a five-year-prison sentence. The Press Democrat reports he was charged for stealing an SUV, and some items from a home. The other suspect Royce Moore of Lakeport pleaded guilty to being in a restricted area during a disaster and was sentenced to 75 days in county jail and three years’ probation. Cases against three others arrested in the fire zone expected to be resolved soon on charges including conspiracy, possession of burglary tools, and unauthorized entry into a disaster zone.

If you lost some work because of this year’s wildfires, FEMA and the state office of emergency services have announced Disaster Unemployment Services available to those whose job or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a result of the fires. This for those who would not otherwise be eligible for regular unemployment benefits. The coverage is for Lake and Calaveras Counties and for losses starting September 13th. To file a claim, visit the website edd.ca.gov or your local unemployment office. The Deadline for filing claims is Monday.

The Lakeport City Council says no to a Halloween event that would have shut down a whole street. Wayne Yanhke asking for the city’s permission for the event called “A Walk Through the Forest”, in his neighborhood on Halloween night. The proceeds for the event to benefit the Mendo Lake Credit Union’s Valley fire fund. He asked to block Forest Drive from Terrace Drive to Hillcrest Drive which the police dept said was a bad idea. So the city council followed suit, saying no to the idea.

A town hall has been hosted in Clearlake for residents to discuss flood prevention and preparedness. Forecast calls for a severe El Nino. The event last week in the city council chambers with about 70 people showing up. The Public Works Director says his department is preparing for El Niño conditions predicted by national meteorologists. But he says that’s a lot of work and he doesn’t have the staff. One problem is drainage. He’s asking residents for help clearing storm drains near the properties. There will be sandbags available to residents at the Public Works yard on Airport Road and area businesses should have some too. Recent wildfires in the region mean there could be dangers due to flooding and mass debris. The meeting also covered neighbors helping neighbors, especially the elderly.

FEMA continues registering survivors of the Valley and Butte Fires in Lake and Calaveras County. A FEMA spokesperson says the deadline to register is just before Thanksgiving, Monday, Nov. 23rd. So far they’ve received more than 2,300 registrations in Lake County alone and another 1,000 or so in Calaveras County. FEMA says its approved almost 8.5 million in so-called “Individual Assistance” funds for Butte and Valley fire survivors. The two disaster recovery centers in Lake County – at the Middletown Senior Center and the Burns Valley Mall in Clearlake – have had 1,630 visits. Teams checking on those who’ve registered reported having nearly 6,500 interactions with fire victims of both fires. If you need to register and cannot get there yourself, call 916-381-0330 and FEMA will come to you.

A year since the city of Ukiah raised the penalty fee for camping, by creeks and the river and one county worker says there’s been little reduction in the amount of harmful waste left behind. Mike Sweeney the GM of the Mendocino Solid Waste Management Authority tells the city council they’ve cleaned up more than 30 homeless camps, most along the Russian River. He says that’s a marginal improvement. Sweeney says his agency’s spent more than 100 man hours and $4300. Last October the council increased the penalties for camping and panhandling in the city after a request by the police chief.

A man in Willits is recovering after being shot in the belly. He’s expected to live after Saturday’s shooting and subsequent surgery. The Willits News reports the shooting victim was taken to the hospital early Saturday with at least one gunshot wound. He told police he was parked at the Willits Chevron station Friday night waiting to meet someone when 2 men approached, yanked him from his car, and abducted him. He says he was put into either black car or a truck and driven to a remote location, possibly near Highway 20 where he was beaten and shot. He walked to the hospital. Police still searching for the shooters and say their investigation is for attempted murder.

Grist Creek Aggregates on Covelo Road started putting asphalt into production to help with the Highway 101 repaving project to the north of the plant. Operations still don’t have a final greenlight and area residents are apparently concerned about the environmental and health impacts. Nuisance complaints about emissions, noise, dust, and odors have been filed with both local and state agencies since the plant started operations at the end of September. The plant producing rubberized asphalt for a contract with Caltrans.

Habitat for Humanity in Lake County has started fundraising so it can help low-income fire victims rebuild and repair homes. The administrator for the nonprofit says it’s hoping to raise as much as $1 million. They’re accepting donations thru PayPal at their website: lakehabitat.org You can also mail them to their P.O. Box in Lower Lake. For more information about donating, call 707-994-1100.

Police in Lakeport searching for a man they say tried luring a couple of kids. The first incident an 11 year old girl reported a man tried luring her at a bus stop Friday morning. She described him as a Black man in a white 4 door compact type vehicle, who she says passed her slowly and started staring at her. She says he circled back and drove by a couple more times and ordered her to get in the car. Her 8 year old brother told the guy to leave and he did. Then yesterday police say another 8 year old reported the same sort of incident happened Tuesday with a black man in a 4 door, but said when the bus came, the man drove off. Police say they think it’s the same guy.

News 10/21/15

A man in Covelo (Koh-Vehl-oh)’s been arrested after a report of shots fired in a preschool parking lot. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office reports getting the call to the 76000 block of High School Street where it was reported a man was holding a shotgun and had shot twice at a dog that he says killed his chickens. Gabriel Alejandro Ferreira is accused of the shooting, no kids were on school property at the time and there was no damage to the school. Ferreira was arrested for reckless discharge of a firearm and possession of a firearm on school grounds and held on $100,000 bail.

A man and woman from Willits arrested after reports of a brawl. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Dept. reports they found there was an alcohol-fueled fight between two adult sisters which led to multiple family members and friends getting involved too. Deputies say there was a man bleeding from the head when they arrived. They say he’d been hit in the head with a baseball bat or similar object. A woman sitting near the man had a laceration to her head, from a blunt object. Another woman was found at a home nearby complaining she was hit in the head multiple times too. Police say Jose Barriga-Padilla caused the injuries on all three victims. Talisha Barriga was also arrested for the physical assault of one of the victims.

A car crash that took out some power in Kelseyville is believed to have been caused by a woman who police say fell asleep at the wheel. The woman hit a utility pole around 8am yesterday morning after dropping her kids off at school. The Daily Journal reports the pole came down across both lanes of Konocti Rd, just west of Cole Creek, closing the road for much of the day and taking out the power for more than an hour. The woman has minor injuries; a 10-month-old baby in a car seat was not hurt. Police say neither drugs nor alcohol were involved.

A public meeting on the status of trees being removed after the Valley Fire gave some answers to concerned residents. District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown had the meeting Monday night at Cobb Elementary School. The Record Bee reports there were representatives from CalFire, CalTrans, AT&T, PG&E, the Department of Public Works and the University of California Lake/Mendocino County Cooperative Extension there discussing how they were involved in tree removal. They talked about plans to distribute about half-a-million seedlings to nurseries for cultivation and urged as you clean up your property, leave as much dirt and soil in place as possible and you can leave some branches, sticks, and logs to help minimize erosion.

With the rainy season coming on and winter weather around the corner, Fort Bragg Police are reminding you about driving in the rain. Many roads are at their most slippery when it first begins to rain, as oil and dust which has accumulated on the road has not yet washed away. Police ask that at the first signs of rain, you should slow down, and when you turn on your windshield wipers you should also turn on your headlights.

A fire quickly put out in Napa County, in the wilderness north of Lake Berryessa. Cal Fire reports the fire scorched about 2 acres in a very remote area. Cal Fire dropped firefighters off by helicopter to put it out. No structures were threatened and the fire was away from communities. It was reported at 6:15 a.m. north of Berryessa Peak and the lake. Cooler temperatures and higher humidity helped with fire fighting. The fire’s cause was under investigation.

Several people from Cobb and outside the community were all at the Village Pub to raise money for the owners of another local hangout who lost their home in the Valley Fire. Mutt & Jess owners Merrilee and Jesse Cahill were not insured. The fundraiser had a $20 donation, a silent auction, live music and booze flowing. The Village Pub owner Barbara Flynn organized the affair. Flynn says all businesses work to prop the other up. The better establishments do, the more the entire community thrives.

Two of the looting cases during the Valley fire have been resolved. One of the many cases of looting dismissed and another is set for preliminary hearing later this year. The Mendocino County DA says one other case was dismissed. That one involving Steven Worley of Whispering Pines who police chased for a time. He had stolen items in his car when he was stopped. But the DA closed the case saying Worley had permission to possess the safe, which belonged to one of his friends. Another case with a man from Cobb, Jeremiah McGinnis, pleaded to two charges of burglary which included stealing and repainting an SUV.

The Ukiah City Council is considering approving the installation of two new wells. The Daily Journal reports the Public Works Director will ask the council to approve building one new well and to replace another. The cost for both, just over 1 point 1 million dollars. The city hired a contractor to check out the two wells and design new ones if need be. Staff says the city got a grant that would cover the wells but it was allocated elsewhere. They say the grant might cover everything, something to be considered at their meeting tonight.

Police in Santa Barbara hauled a man in for crashing a wedding, biting a cop and a police dog. Police get a call last Saturday where it’s reported a stranger appeared at the wedding, possibly high on drugs. Guests tried to toss him, but during a confrontation with two cops, he punched one, bit him, then bit a police dog on the leg. The confused dog then bit an officer. The man was arrested and the two officers were treated for various injuries.

Police in NYC on the lookout for a man a bus driver says threw urine in his face. Police say the man got on the bus in the Bronx with a 5-year-old boy and argued with the driver as it pulled into a station, then threw a vial of urine on him. Police say he then took off with the boy. The driver had irritation on his face and eyes and was taken to a hospital.