News 03/31/16

The Governor Jerry Brown’s plan to raise California’s minimum wage to $15 an hour has cleared its first legislative hurdle, passing through the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The measure is a deal reached earlier this week between state labor leaders and some democrats in the state legislature. It now heads to the full Assembly where it could be heard as soon as today. It would gradually raise California’s hourly minimum wage from the current of $10/hr up to $15 by 2022 for large businesses and by 2023 for smaller ones. Supporters say it’s needed to help low-paid workers stay out of poverty as wages stagnate but costs of living rise. Opponents say it puts a strain on businesses still trying to rebound from the recession.

Folks in Lucerne struggling with water shortages due to the drought. The Record Bee reports the California Water Service, or CalWater, charges more than any other service around the lake. The paper reports that’s a tough pill to swallow for many on fixed incomes in the tiny town. So District 3 Supervisor Jim Steele and some town residents are fighting the water rates, looking to own their own utility. But for the time being CalWater’s looking to raise their rates over the next three years. Their General Rate Case is being reviewed now by the California Public Utilities Commission. If it’s approved, Lucerne residents will get a more than 6 percent bump next year and 1.5 percent each year until the end of 2019.

A virtual call center for those who need mental health treatment in Lake County has been unanimously approved. The Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission all said yes to the nearly one million dollar fund for the web-based virtual “call center” so those who need help can be more quickly connected to someone in mental health services in Lake County. Those who use the online service can track and share personal health information with providers of their choice. The 853-thousand dollars to cover the five year project comes from Proposition 63, the Mental Health Services Act approved by California voters in 2004 for stronger mental health services in the state. This specifically from so-called innovation funds, to be used for unique, untried, time-limited approaches to the mental health system.

Another step closer for Senator Mike McGuire’s bill to provide free access to transit for California veterans. The bill made it thru its first Senate committee with unanimous, bi-partisan support. McGuire says there’s 2 million veterans in California and not much affordable and reliable transportation for jobs, mental health services and medical care. McGuire says they launched the same sort of program in his district when he was on the County Board of Supervisors which he says has been incredibly successful. He says his bill, the Golden State Patriot Passes will help increase veterans’ access to care and employment, ultimately raising the quality of life for veterans in the state.

Prosecutors say they’re not going after the death penalty against three homeless people accused in the robbery and murder of two people days apart in Northern California. The Marin Independent Journal reports the Marin County District Attorney saying he’s instead going after the maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole. 18-year-old Lili Alligood, 23-year-old Morrison Haze Lampley and 24-year-old Sean Angold all pleaded not guilty for the death of backpacker Audrey Carey, of Canada last October in San Francisco; and two days later the murder of yoga teacher Steve Carter on a hiking trail in Marin County. He had taught workshops at Harbin Hot Springs, which was destroyed by the Valley fire.

As Ukiah prepares for budget planning, the city announces it needs a new finance director. The Daily Journal reports the city manager saying they’ve been working without one. Karen Scalabrini was hired two years ago but is no longer employed by the city. There’s also apparently no assistant finance director on the books. The city manager says it could take three to six months to find a new finance director so they’ve hired a temp through Regional Government Services. Apparently it’s not the first time the city’s contracted out for such help. The newspaper reports before Scalabrini left Ukiah’s employ, another contractor was helping with budgeting and auditing due to a backlog. Jim McAdler will work as the interim director. He had been doing the same before Scalabrini was hired.

Mendocino College working with local law enforcement for their active shooter training on the Ukiah Campus. The exercise yesterday, led by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s office with the Ukiah Police Department, Ft. Bragg Police Department, Willits Police Department, Cal Fire, the Office of Emergency Services, the Ukiah High School SCRUBS program and other local emergency responders. There were more than sixty local law enforcement and paramedic officers who took part in the drill. They pretended the school had an active shooter inside, moving with unloaded guns drawn thru several of the buildings on the Mendocino College Ukiah Campus. Volunteer community members acted as victims of a campus shooting.

The Broadband Alliance announcing an important legislative meeting for anyone concerned about recent outages. Senator McGuire working on a bill so reporting requirements of broadband outages are more streamlined in rural areas. He’s introduced the Emergency Reliability and Public Safety Act with the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors, Office of Emergency Services, and the Broadband Alliance all endorsed. The bill is headed to the Senate Energy committee next Tuesday which the county Office of Emergency Services Coordinator will testify at. McGuire’s looking for more county support though in the form of others willing to testify too.

A man in Lakeport’s been arrested in connection to a stabbing. Police report getting a call to the Seventh Day Adventist Church where they found Terry Rucks of Lower Lake who told police officers he was in an altercation and had called 911. The stabbing victim was across the street at the time being worked on by emergency medical personnel. Rucks told officers he acted in self defense saying the victim had kicked his car and yelled at him, then punched, kicked and forced him to drive the guy somewhere. He says he reached for his knife in the car and stabbed the victim. But the victim who told police he’d been having issues with the homeless trespassing on his property as they waited for a warming shelter to open at the church. He told folks to leave, but says Rucks stayed and argued with him. He says he walked away but Rucks followed and attacked him. He went to the hospital for treatment and Rucks was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and booked into county jail.

A new childcare center coming to Ukiah. The Planning Commission has approved a permit for the new daycare at the United Methodist Church on North Pine Street. The Daily Journal reports just a few concerns raised by the commission which had given approval to a different operator of a day care at the church in 2010. The building already has classrooms and an outdoor playground. The new center to be managed by Raise & Shine, a new nonprofit agency in Northern Calif.

A man headed to Japan from Hawaii busted for trying to do yoga and meditate instead of sit in his seat as requested. The FBI says the pilot turned the flight back to Honolulu International Airport when he heard Hyongtae Pae yelling at crew members and found he’d shoved his wife. The FBI reports the guy didn’t want to sit down at meal service, so he went to the back of the airplane to practice yoga and meditate and got angry when his wife and flight attendants told him sit down. He even tried to head-butt and bite Marines that were passengers on the flight. Pae recently started yoga to help with anxiety and his lawyer says he hadn’t been able to sleep for the last week and a half.

A campus lockdown in Arkansas before police found there were pest control employees chasing squirrels. A teacher at a Magnet School in Hot Springs says they saw men running around yesterday morning so he notified administrators he thought they had rifles. Officers found the men had pellet guns, and were employees of a pest control company hired to eradicate squirrels at a nearby apartment building. The employees fired a shot at a squirrel, missing then chased it onto school property. The school lockdown lifted after the situation was sorted.

News 03/30/16

Clearlake police say one of their officers shot and killed a burglary suspect the officer was trying to arrest. Police say it happened yesterday morning early. The officer was responding to a burglar alarm, and found a possible suspect at the property. As he struggled to take the man into custody, the officer used his stun gun but the man hit the officer in the head with an object, causing the officer “significant injury.” At that point the officer pulled his gun and shot the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The officer was treated for his injuries at a hospital. The Lake County District Attorney’s Office is investigating.

A teen in Ukiah’s been arrested after a high-speed motorcycle chase. Police say an officer saw the motorcycle heading up South State Street at about 65 MPH. When the officer tried stopping the driver the teen sped up, leading the cop on a chase throughout Ukiah. The officer says the motorcyclist, who’s been identified as 19-year-old Manuel Luis Ayala-Rodriguez ran several stop signs and a red light and sometimes drove into oncoming traffic while trying to get away. After Ayala-Rodriguez wiped out in a dirt lot near Talmage and Babcock he was arrested for felony evading a police officer, violation of his probation and driving without a license.

An Advisory Council on Historic Preservation for the federal government is siding with local Indian Tribes, not signing on to Caltrans’ final proposal for identification and management of archaeological finds at the Willits Bypass project. The Daily Journal reports the agency joins tribes to reject Caltrans’ native site management plan so now it’s up to the California State Historic Preservation Office. A lawsuit was also filed by two local tribes against Caltrans and the Federal Highways Administration claiming Caltrans never protected historical finds while there was construction and mitigation work going on, a failure of required government-to-government consultations with regards to cultural resource protocols prior to construction.

The Economic Profile shows things not that bad despite disasters in Lake County in 2015. Lake Co News reports the economic picture is bright with actual improvements over the last several years. The report presented to the city councils this month put together by the Sonoma County Economic Development Board in association with the Lake County Regional Economic Development Committee. The news site reports the profile looks at items that include income and unemployment, real estate, consumer spending and taxable sales, and education through 2020. The report shows expected growth in median household income from just over $37,000 last year up to $42,000 or so by 2020. It also shows improvements in unemployment as the county digs out from the great recession.

A man in Clearlake who led police on a high speed chase has been arrested and found in possession of a weapon and drugs. Jose Murillo arrested for several charges Monday night after an officer on routine patrol saw a suspicious vehicle in the area of Old Highway 53 and followed. The officers saw a code violation on the truck and tried to stop it, but the man kept driving at unsafe speeds. He was stopped and taken from the truck and arrested. Cops found suspected methamphetamine in his car, several live rounds of ammo and a revolver that had been tossed on the road. The man, already a convicted felon, was arrested on several charges including possession of a firearm, prohibited person in possession of ammunition, evading a police officer and possession of narcotics for the purpose of sales.

P, G & E out inspecting power lines so if you see several helicopters flying low in the next several days throughout Mendocino and Lake counties you’ll know why.

PG&E says their patrols check electric distribution lines for maintenance in rural and remote areas. The choppers could be as low as 500 feet above the ground, depending on the area and if there are farm animals around. They’ve been patrolling rural areas where power lines are too far from the road where they can’t be checked by inspectors either on foot or driving. If the weather permits, the helicopters will be out today until about 5 p.m. near Fort Bragg, Willits, Ukiah, Clearlake, Lakeport and surrounding areas.

The name of a man who police say was beaten to death by his son has been released. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office reports 58 year old Sanford Sternick was beaten to death after an argument at his home. They’ve arrested his son 25 year old Jewel Dyer. The Sheriff’s Office reports a witness at the home near Longvale, says the argument led to a physical altercation, with the dad being beaten with a baseball bat. He died of blunt force trauma to the head in the living room of the home. Cops say Dyer has a history of mental illness. He’s charged with suspicion of murder, and was booked at the county jail under $500,000 bail.

A man has been arrested by Ukiah Police… suspected of stealing money from disabled residents of a group home in Sonoma County. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office reports Ronald R.D. Abad who’s a transient, worked at the group home for disabled adults in Penngrove, near Petaluma. The home found several hundred dollars missing last week. One of Abad’s co-workers looked inside a lock-box with the earnings of the developmentally disabled adults in the home finding it to be empty. It had just over $1,700 in it previously. Abad apparently told his dad he took the money and was going to Washington State. But police picked him up 7 mins after they issued a “Be-On-The-Lookout (BOLO)” alert. Abad arrested for suspicion of grand theft and theft from a dependent adult, with bail set at $15,000.

A woman in Fort Bragg got away after her boyfriend assaulted her. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office reports the woman told them she was assaulted Monday afternoon at her boyfriend’s home. Police collected evidence then arrested

Karl Barth of Fort Bragg on suspicion of domestic assault and for violating his probation. He was booked into the county jail under $50,000 bail.

It’s finally happening, the long delayed Dungeness crab season has begun with Bodega Harbor turning into a gridlock of crabbers taking off for the season at last. The Press Democrat reports there were even cheers in the crowd as fishermen got ready to take off yesterday after major ports reached agreement on a price. The crab should be sold as soon as this weekend. Usually Calif.’s Dungeness crab catch is more than $60 million with a peak back in the 2011-12 season at $95.5 million. The opening price agreed to yesterday was $2.90 a pound, a bit under the $3/pound which started the 2014-15 season. The season is supposed to start around mid November, ahead of the holidays, but high levels of Domoic acid had been detected for months.

Two people trapped halfway down a 200-foot cliff at Point Reyes National Seashore have been airlifted out. The San Francisco Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/1StMZJC) the long overnight rescue ended finally after three hikers were trapped on a crumbling ledge. One got down and was plucked back up by a California Highway Patrol officer dropped off by helicopter. Then a US Coast Guard helicopter and rescuers from several agencies helped with the rescue as the weather got worse. The other two trapped hikers were rescued after a short delay due to weather.

A new tourism video in Rhode Island has to be re-done after it was found a scene in the tape was actually shot in Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik. Some viewers on youtube pointed out the gaffe so the state’s got fix the oops, where it shows a skateboarder outside a glass building in Reykjavik, not Rhode Island. The Rhode Island Commerce Corporation’s says an editing company used the wrong footage.

Cupcake the Siamese cat is okay after getting stuck inside a small box for eight days. Cupcake’s owner accidentally put her in the mail along with some DVD’s, not noticing the cat asleep inside. She dropped the package off and after it went about 260 miles, the cat ended up on the other side of England. Those who received the box found Cupcake inside, curled up. A local newspaper says she was scared, nervous and dehydrated, but after a check with a vet, found to be fine. A microchip got her back to her owner.

News 03/29/16

Bail’s been set at $55k for a man from Fort Bragg accused of burglarizing a home. Mendocino County Sheriff Deputies were sent to the home on North Hwy 1 Saturday where a victim told them she thought her cousin Joshua Bell might have been responsible for the burglary. After talking to Bell, deputies reportedly found reason to suspect him and arrested him. They say he was also in possession of a controlled substance with the intention of selling it and was violating his probation.

California’s getting closer to being the first state with a $15 dollar minimum wage. Governor Jerry Brown announced a deal with state legislators and labor leaders to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022 for large business and 2023 for businesses employing less than 25 people. The Governor announced the deal at a press conference saying the deal was after response to those concerned about the impact on small business. Its’ not a done deal, though: Anthony Rendon, speaker of the state Assembly, where the bill is expected to face opposition, was not at the press conference yesterday. The current federal minimum wage is $7.25.

Scattered showers with some tiny pieces of hail fell on parts of the North Coast as a brief storm system passed through Santa Rosa, Cloverdale and near the Sonoma-Mendocino county line. Other areas of the Bay Area were also hit by the hail, the National Weather Service reported was the size of rock salt or tiny peas. Less than a hundredth of an inch of rain was reported at the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport. Dry weather’s forecast the rest of the week.

Two people are recovering after an ATV they were riding on crashed near Hopland. The CHP reports William Jensen of Willits had major injuries and his 11 year old passenger, from Redwood Valley, had minor injuries. The CHP reports Jensen as the driver of the ATV. The two went down a steep gravel section of McNab Ranch Road around 10 mph but hit a dirt embankment, then the right side of the ATV went airborne and threw the boy off as the ATV continued downhill and overturned onto Jensen. He had to be taken by air ambulance to Ukiah Valley Medical Center where he was treated and later released. Neither had on a helmet.

Sonoma County health officials looking to keep minors away from cigarettes so now the

Board of Supervisors considers a $7 per pack price at almost 140 stores outside of city limits. This is part of the county’s anti-smoking campaign first revealed last April to reduce smoking for teenagers and fight tobacco companies’ marketing efforts which county health officials say targets those under 18. The cost for a pack of smokes is varied by location in the county now, in some stores in downtown Santa Rosa they’re already $7 per pack. Although over by Santa Rosa Junior College, where many young people congregate, liquor stores sell the same brand for around $4. The Board of Supervisors should consider the matter at this morning’s meeting.

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office wants the public to be aware of their, very loud, active threat training exercise. The training tomorrow morning in Ukiah to include simulated gun fire and explosions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mendocino College campus in Ukiah. The Sheriff’s dept. says there will be multiple county public safety agencies there for the training and access to the college campus is restricted during the exercises. They’re informing the public so they’re not caught off guard by noise and the quote, “heavy presence” of public safety personnel and vehicles at the college during the training. They remind the public that county law enforcement agencies have been part of these one-day training sessions over the last several months, updating skills to respond to active threat situations.

A man has been killed in Longvale, beaten to death, possibly by his own son after an argument. That from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office who reports to the Daily Journal the man who died lived at the home in the 35000 block of North Highway 101 with two of his sons. They say he had a fight early yesterday morning with one of the two, police have named as 25 year old Jewel Dyer, who they say has a history of mental illness. Police say the younger Dyer attacked the dad, killing him with a baseball bat. He’s been arrested on suspected homicide charges.

An official candidate list has been released by the Mendocino County Assessor-Clerk-Recorder’s Office for the local portion of the June 2016 primary election. The Daily Journal reports most of the incumbent candidates are running unopposed, except in the 1st district for the county supervisor spot and Department 5 Mendocino County Superior Court judge. Only a couple of countywide measures on the June ballot too. Superior Court Judge Ann Moorman runs without opposition in Department 1; two local lawyers, one from Fort Bragg, Patrick Pekin and the other from Ukiah, Keith Faulder are running for the Department 5 seat; Dept. 8 Judge Cindee Mayfield is running unopposed; a constitutional lawyer, Montana James Podva is running for the 1st District Supervisor Carre Brown’s seat; the 2nd District Supervisor John McCowen is running unopposed just like 4th District Supervisor Dan Gjerde.

A woman about to be evicted from her apartment in Santa Rosa lights herself on fire, nearly killing herself and destroying the four-unit property where she lived. The Press Democrat reports a fire investigator saying Melissa McMullin poured gasoline all over herself then laid on her bed and flicked a lighter Sunday night. The paper reports the room she was in ignited into flames. She tried to escape, but her son dragged her out to save her. She’s in the hospital with third-degree burns and her son was treated for smoke inhalation. There were no other injuries. The woman is suspected of arson, but not charged so far. Fire officials estimate the damage to be as much as $500,000. She was supposed to be evicted April 30th after continued disputes with neighbors.

The Pez Candy company in Orange, CT descended into chaos during the annual Easter egg hunt due to pushy parents at the company’s headquarters. Hundreds showed up for the event. Local media reports many ignored the rules some rushed the field and took everything. The company’s GM says there were more than 9,000 eggs on three fields with staggered start times for different age groups. Pez officials say parents didn’t wait and ended up apologizing for “an unfortunate situation”. The GM says the parents looked like a swarm of locusts, saying the actions of a few turned the event into “a mess.” Some in attendance went to the company’s Facebook page saying the event, was “a joke” and blamed it on “greedy parents”. No injuries were reported.

500 acres of land outside Las Vegas for sale. You can own your own town, or a chunk of vacant land, called Cal-Nev-Ari. Nancy Kidwell offering her town for just $8 million. She had tried selling it before, back in 2010 for $17 million but didn’t get any bites. The elderly woman has now dropped the price and includes the town’s casino, diner, convenience store, 10-room motel, RV park and mile-long dirt airstrip in the deal. The town about an hour south of Vegas. Kidwell and her husband, Slim, founded the town in 1965 where 350 people now call home.

News 03/28/16

Personal use firewood permits start becoming available for purchase from the Mendocino National Forest. This Friday, you can get the permits for $5 a cord. There’s a minimum purchase of four cords for $20 though. The permits are valid through the end of the year and you don’t have to get all the wood at once. When the wood is taken, it has to be dead and down. A reminder by the Forest Service to the public, that it’s illegal to take firewood from the forest without a valid permit. You can order them by mail, the forms are available online at www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino. If you cannot personally cut the wood, you have to get a third party authorization to allow someone else to cut or gather the wood.

A man in Lakeport’s been arrested for attempted burglaries. Lakeport Police say they heard someone outside their department patrol office trying to open door handles and electronic locks. Jason Whitcher tried getting inside the office, but officers stopped him, finding him to be highly intoxicated and arrested him. The man first taken to the hospital for medical clearance. The next day he was booked into jail after he because verbally and physically resistive. Cops needed to use force to secure, move and place him in their vehicle. They say on the way to jail he spit on an officer through the safety cage and threatened to harm the officer when his handcuffs were removed. He’s charged with several crimes including public intoxication, battery on a peace officer and threatening an executive officer. He’s on a NO BAIL hold due to a probation violation.

The Lake County Board of Supervisors has raised rates in several areas. Higher fines approved for Lake County Libraries from 20 to 25 cents. They also raised the Community Development Department’s fees 25 percent and doubled the $250 rate for Calif. Environmental Quality Act initial studies to $500. The board also created a reassessment fee for the Assessor-Recorder from $35 to $100 depending on how big a property is. The document recording fees also up, $14 instead of $7. The Record Bee newspaper reports the Deputy County Administrative Officer saying this is all just the beginning with raised fees expected in several areas. The county staff has been working on the master fee ordinance, but couldn’t raise everything across the board right away. He says they’re still working on the schedule.

Clearlake police have found the missing Lakeport Senior Center “Food Truck”. Police got a tip from someone they say saw the trailer and soon after two people were arrested in connection to the ripoff. The trailer found in the area of 22nd Avenue and Irving last Thursday. 2 officers went to the area and saw two suspects stripping parts off the trailer, including its license plate. Ian and Victoria James, both of Clearlake busted. The two say they found it on the side of the road and were going to live inside it. But police say they made other statements too, that were inconsistent so they arrested the pair for possession of stolen property and booked them into the Lake County Jail.

A couple of nonprofits in Lake County have helped with reforestation after last year’s Valley Fire. #LakeCountyRising, part of the Lake County Winegrape Commission, Lake County Winery Association, and Lake County Wine Alliance and the Lake Area Rotary Club Association (LARCA) area helping raise money to help reforestation in the fire affected areas. Together they’ve been able to deliver almost $60,000 to the East Lake Resource Conservation District (RCD) so seedlings can be planted The money has paid for greenhouse planting of 100,000 native conifers, some Douglas fir and sugar pine that can be distributed around the time of the late Fall 2016/Spring 2017 planting season. They can go to higher elevations, like Cobb Mountain. #LakeCountyRising worked with Rotary to get the funding for reforestation, working with East Lake Resource Conservation District (RCD).

The brother of a mentally ill jail inmate who died at a local hospital after being booked says negligence by local law enforcement caused his brother’s death. This is the second amended wrongful death suit against the County, the Sheriff, and several others brought by James Neuroth on behalf of his brother, Steven Neuroth. The amended complaint includes that Steven was a paranoid schizophrenic with schizo-affective disorder and depression. He was arrested in June of 2014 by Willits Police after finding him to be paranoid and delusional, suspecting he was under the influence of a controlled substance. His brother says there were several things that led to his brother’s death like excessive force, a nurse without proper credentials to diagnose him and improper restraint. Neuroth allegedly died from blunt force injuries, fractures, organ injuries and other serious physical injuries.

Several people in the dark over the weekend north of Ukiah after a tree fell. Dispatchers got a call Saturday mid morning to the issue in the 200 block of Chyanne Court near Eastside Calpella Road. First responders never made it out as Pacific Gas and Electric crews went out. More than 190 customers were without power for a time, but it was back on within about 3 hours of the call.

A man who disappeared hiking in the Trinity Alps nearly 2 years ago has been declared legally dead. Carrie Morris reported her husband Steve missing in August of 2014. The official search was called off after five days after his hike to Billy’s Peak, above Stoddard Lake. Morris and as many as 100 friends, fellow churchgoers and strangers went looking for her husband. The unofficial search went on thru the spring of 2015. But last May, hair and tissue was found in a ravine 2 miles from the mountain was never linked to Steve Morris, but his wife decided to stop the search. An approval of a death certificate came this past Feb. after a Sonoma County Superior Court finding that he was most likely dead.

The California legislature working closely with unions came to a deal to gradually raise the state’s minimum wage to $15. The issue will not go to voters. Senator Mark Leno (D-CA) has confirmed the deal. The Los Angeles Times reported the Governor Jerry Brown is going to formally announce the agreement today. It means the minimum will go up to $10.50 January 1st, 2017, then $11 in 2018 and another buck a year until getting to $15 in 2022.

For the first time since the severe drought began, about four years ago, Lake Mendocino is using excess lake water to generate electricity at full speed. Water releases from the dam are being increased so the hydroelectric plant in Ukiah can stay at maximum capacity, enough for a third of Ukiah’s electric power demand in the winter. Officials say the plant’s running efficiently. It takes about 400 cubic feet per second to run the plant at full capacity. Since we had so much rain, there’s a higher water level in the lake, meaning more strength to push the turbines deep beneath the lake. The hydroelectric plant built almost 30 years ago and has not been fully operational 50% of the first 20 years. But some reconstruction has meant its run steadily, if not full force, since 2007.

A couple of bakeries in Indiana fighting for the rights of four-sided doughnuts. The Post-Tribune (http://trib.in/1RlkKxR ) reports Family Express in Valparaiso is petitioning a court to declare it can continue to call its products "Square Donuts." But its competitor in Terre Haute, Square Donuts, which has been creating its doughnuts since the 1960s at nine locations, wants Family Express to stop. Square Donuts sending Family Express a cease-and-desist letter after trying to talk with their competitor which went nowhere.

A baby seal got 4 miles out from the water, landing in the front yard of a home in the San Francisco Bay Area. Ozzie the fur seal, found last Thursday in Fremont with no visible signs of injury. She was taken to the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. The 9 month old pup’s been on the run before, last time found malnourished at New Brighton State Beach in Capitola. She was treated and released this month in Bodega Bay. The center says the seal was supposed to be headed north to Alaska but lost her way and headed south instead.

News 03/25/16

A man in Clearlake’s been arrested for a fire that started in his home with his family inside. Police also say the man first attacked his dad and stepmom with a shovel before he set the home on fire early Wednesday. A family member calling police saying Troy Burnett was acting strangely and they wanted police to come. Less than five minutes later someone else called 911 and said the house was on fire. Lake Co News reports Clearlake Police the first to arrive and went into the burning home and rescued all four people inside including Burnett, his sister, and his elderly father and step mom. His three family members have all been hospitalized. Burnett is charged with attempted homicide and arson of an inhabited structure.

Someone has stolen the Lakeport Senior Activity Center’s food truck, which they use to raise money for Meals on Wheels. The Executive Director tells Lake Co News the small vintage trailer disappeared Wednesday but could have been taken several days ago. It had been in the Center’s lot on Konocti Avenue. He says it looks like whoever took it just cut the lock, hooked it up and drove off with it. The trailer is blue and white with small propane tanks on the front hitch. Anyone with information is asked to call either Lakeport Police or the CHP’s Clear Lake Area Office.

A new Mendocino County Grand Jury report shows county departments are in general compliance with California Public Records Act requests. The newly released grand jury report called “For the Record: Records Management in Mendocino County Government" done internally, not after public complaint, the typical process of the grand jury. The grand jury reported the report on three areas of county records management: responses to public records requests, retention and destruction of county records, and storage of inactive county records. The report after jurors visited nearly a dozen county offices, asking for public records without saying who they were. The recommendations given were for the county to review and update its records retention policy and procedures; start a general records retention schedule covering records in several departments and offices and to consider a county records center in alignment with records management industry standards.

More than 2 pounds of pot inside a package has been stopped by UPS in Ukiah. Police report an officer went to a business on Cherry St. last week after the marijuana was found in the package. An employee at UPS says he opened the box he that he thought was suspicious and found about 2.5 pounds of marijuana inside.

A man from Ukiah’s been arrested after he set off a fire extinguisher in a bar. Police got a call to the Perkins Street Grill last Sunday morning after someone reported at 12:30 a.m a patron pulled a fire extinguisher off the wall and set it off in the business. A 22 year old man’s arrested but didn’t explain why he set off the extinguisher. He was busted for being drunk in public.

The regularly set meeting of the Fort Bragg Unified School District led with a resolution about probationary certified employees. The meeting in closed session where the board unanimously approved the “non-reelection of probationary certificated employees” and an authorization to notify a temporary certified employee. Chair Gerald Matson reported that the board also unanimously authorized the district to notify a temporary certificated employee they were losing their job after the 2016-17 year. 4 teachers told they’d be let go. Some middle schoolers even showed up at the regular meeting to speak on behalf of their teachers.

The Lake County Board of Supervisors has opened bids to sell the Holiday Harbor property and immediately said yes to the top offer. The board approved selling the property in Nice in January. Lake Co News reports the county’s old redevelopment agency bought the six-acre property with 400 feet of lake frontage, docks, a launch ramp, boat slips, a two-story residential duplex, commercial building and several outbuildings – in June 2008 for about $2 million. The board approved the minimum bid at $1.2 million. The winning bid for $1,200,100 from Tim Vi on behalf of Bella Lago Development. Escrow money has been deposited.

A man in North Carolina claims he was arrested after not returning a VHS tape he rented in 2002. James Meyers says while driving his daughter to school earlier this week he was pulled over for a defective tail light. He says the police officer told him he had a warrant out for his arrest from 2002, because a movie he rented was never returned.

Meyers says the cop let him take his daughter to school if he promised to turn himself in. He did and was booked on a charge of failure to return rental property.

A man in Ohio decided he should wear a sign saying he’s a thief instead of going to jail after trying to ripoff a 52-inch television. Greg Davenport, of Liberty Township pleading no contest to the a theft charge for stealing the big screen from a Wal-Mart in December. The judge gave the guy the option of a month in jail or to wear the sign saying, quote, “I am a thief. I stole from WalMart.” He had to wear it for 8 hrs a day for 10 days. The police chief in the town says he hopes that embarrasses him enough to stop him from doing it again.

The Ukiah emergency winter shelter is closing. A GoFundMe campaign has started to buy tents though for those who will lose shelter tomorrow. As of now about $560 has been raised at the site www.gofundme.com/safecamping. The Daily Journal reports that’ll help Veterans, the mentally ill, the physically frail and a mom with five young kids who will go on a two-week camping trip during frost season. The Army Corps of Engineers runs the campsite and is asking campers to leave at the end of two weeks then they can hopefully be long term at an abandoned camping site near Coyote Dam.

A visiting judge says no to a new trial for a man found guilty last year for his connection to a 2013 home invasion robbery in Clearlake Oaks. Dion Andre Davis of San Francisco got 69-years-to-life yesterday from the same judge who was on his trial last year. He was found guilty last March for the June 2013 robbery at Ronnie and Janeane Bogner’s home. He and 2 others forcing their way into the Bogner’s home while they had their grandkids there. Police said at the time, the couple was targeted because one of the trio was a former employee of the family’s business, and thought they had guns and money at their home.

A home in Northshore’s been damaged by fire. The Northshore Fire Chief tells Lake Co News they went out to the fire in Nice last Saturday afternoon after a fisherman saw it. Firefighters happened to be doing a water rescue training nearby. Those inside notified by the fisherman of the fire and they got out in time and moved a car before their carport was gutted. The fire burned into the house and an outbuilding. It was out in about a half hour. It’s believed the fire was accidental, but fire investigators are confirming.

2 people in Clearlake have been arrested for growing marijuana. This just after the city approves its new cultivation ordinance, which went into effect March 13th. Police arresting Gambio Garcia and Samuel Beltran for violating the new ordinance. Police got a tip about a commercial marijuana growing operation in a secluded and heavily wooded area. Officers found a large plastic covered area referred to as a “hoop house” where plants are grown. That inside a large wooden fenced off area. Cops finding more than 100 marijuana plants, makeshift alarm devices and areas set up as obvious lookout points. The 2 men pulled up as officers were there but left quickly. They were pulled over for a traffic stop for a vehicle code violation and arrested.

News 03/23/16

Students at Coyote Valley Elementary School still getting bottled water due to concerns about possible chromium-6 contamination in the Hidden Valley Lake municipal water supply. The Record-Bee reports the school began giving out bottled water on March 11th after reports the water supply had higher than allowed levels of the heavy metal. The Hidden Valley Lake CSD has issued several recent statements to customers about the issue, saying there is no immediate health risk and that the problem is being addressed but the paper reports Middletown Unified School District officials were waiting for a written assurance from state health or water officials telling the district the tap water is safe to drink. The paper reports water district spokesman saying they had that written assurance and were forwarding it to the school but as of yesterday they were still doling out the bottled water.

Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest is still closed due to unsafe conditions after the Valley Fire and restoration and emergency timber operations. CalFire Sonoma Lake Napa Division Chief says 99 percent of the forest burned and 80 percent of the mature trees there died along with 95 percent of the conifer regeneration. The area closed to the public as the State Forest’s recreational facilities were also totally destroyed or heavily damaged by the fire last September. The Fire chief says it’s going to take time and intervention by scientists to help get it back to being a healthy forest — safe for the community and public to enjoy. He says they’re hoping for the end of this year.

$170M dollars in transportation funding has been approved by the state Transportation Commission. That’ll go to 49 projects including $46,000 for bike lanes and street improvements in Clearlake. The money to upgrade old roads and bridges and encourage folks to use alternative forms of transportation. The Caltrans Director says they’re allocating money for serious investment in preserving the roads and infrastructure and promoting the use of other forms of transportation, like walking, biking and transit. Bike lanes going in along Phillips Avenue in Clearlake and part of the street will also be rehabbed. It’s just one of 22 Active Transportation Program (ATP) projects approved by the Governor in September 2013.

State Sen. Mike McGuire is leading a group of other local and state officials for a couple of events in Mendocino County. The first is a Town Hall tomorrow night at 6:30 at the Ukiah High School Cafeteria. The mayor of Ukiah and county supervisors will attend for a state of the county update. The Superintendent of Education will give an education talk and the Sheriff will present a dept. briefing. The CHP and Caltrans will also be represented at the town hall. The other event, the Northern California Homeless Services Summit, will host members of the state Senate and other representatives from state departments and surrounding counties. McGuire says it will be a talk from several departments on homeless services. Mendocino County rated second in the US for homeless per capita.

A man from Ukiah’s been arrested after DUI on drugs and crashing head on into a garbage truck. The CHP reports Vinson Hill of Ukiah driving a 2002 Honda Civic on Marina Drive around lunchtime last Wednesday and drifted over the double yellow lines, hitting the oncoming vehicle head-on. Hill had major injuries and had to be airlifted to a hospital out of the area. He’s still in the hospital and will be officially charged for driving under the influence of drugs are pending his release. The driver of the garbage truck taken to Ukiah Valley Medical Center with complaints of pain.

Police in Vallejo being sued by a woman who says they ignored her kidnapping, calling it a hoax like in the movie, "Gone Girl". Denise Huskins and her boyfriend Aaron Quinn say police damaged their reputations, forcing them to move. The couple accusing police of defamation and infliction of emotional distress. They’re going after damages. The two, in their lawsuit say, the police dept waged a "campaign of disparagement" against Huskins and Quinn after her abduction last March. They say media around the world compared Huskins to the lead character in the film "Gone Girl" and even put her picture next one of the lead character, including one of the leading lady naked and covered in blood. A disbarred Harvard University-trained attorney was accused of kidnapping Huskins from her Vallejo home, he’s pleaded not guilty.

The Lake County Board of Supervisors hears about the abatement of the Hoberg’s Resort and it’s wastewater system that was leaking sewage. Many people spoke up at yesterday’s meeting with concern about their own property and how fire debris and sewage was impacting the community. Lake Co News reports county officials saying they’re moving ahead to help the fire gutted resort clean up as the District Attorney says they’re investigating if there was any criminal wrongdoing relating to the environmental damage from the property’s condition.

A new principal has been named for Upper Lake Elementary. Lake Co News reports the Upper Lake Unified School District Board voted unanimously to choose Lakeport resident Stephanie Wayment to head the school. Wayment is the Educational Resources and Accountability director at the Lake County Office of Education right now. She has a multiple subject teaching credential plus an administrative credential and a master’s degree in education. Not only does she have a lot of administrative experience, but the news site reports she’s also taught in K-8 education in the Lakeport and Konocti school districts, and at the university level at Sonoma State and Dominican University.

NOAA weather radios are being given to Valley Fire survivors in Middletown. Next week the Sheriff’s Dept. is giving out the radios on Thursday afternoon from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Middletown Senior Center and Library. The Sheriff’s dept. and County Office of Emergency Services got grant money from Farm Insurance Co. to buy more than 300 desktop weather alert radios plus they also bought several visual alert-strobe lights to be distributed for some with hearing difficulties. Those who get the equipment have to live in the area of the fire last summer, have to show proof of residency and a utility bill for their home.

A mosquito larvicide treatment has been rescheduled by Vector Control in Lake County. It’s supposed to happen today and tomorrow, weather permitting. The District Manager says it’s going to happen at the marshlands across from the lake between Clear Lake State Park and Lakeport, parts of Anderson Marsh State Park and a small area east of the Clearlake Keys. Apparently that’s where the winter mosquito surveillance program found a lot of mosquito larvae for an early-season floodwater species hatching eggs laid in the mud in the past as the lake receded.

A couple in San Mateo County had been looking at a couple decades in prison after they were detained for trying to bring home a giraffe bone from Africa. The San Francisco Chronicle reports Jon and Linda Grant had to pay $62,000 in fines and bribes plus reach out to a U.S. congresswoman before being released from a Tanzania jail in January. The two purchased a bone in a shop in South Africa in December and had it in their luggage.

A woman who died had one thing she wanted people to NOT do as their final gift to her… not vote for Donald Trump. Alba I. Keus died at the age of 86 last week. Her obituary posted on ItemLive.com. It said she loved debating politics and her obit said “In lieu of flowers, Alba’s request would be that you do not vote for Donald Trump.” The death bed wish went viral.

News 03/22/16

The Upper Lake Unified School District Board is planning to discuss choosing a new elementary school principal at their meeting this week, according to their agenda. The board meets in a closed session today at 4 p.m. before their regular public session at 5 p.m. at Upper Lake High School. Valerie Gardner, who’s been the principal and superintendent of Upper Lake Union Elementary School District is retiring this summer after school ends. Lake Co News reports recruiting for the job which started earlier this year is now closed. Gardner herself is reportedly on the search committee along with interim Superintendent Patrick Iaccacino and some elementary school parents and teachers. The news site reports the candidate being proposed for hire at the meeting is Stephanie Wayment, who’s currently director of Educational Resources and Accountability at the Lake County Office of Education.

The state’s rebate program for electric vehicles is going to draw a line and cut some higher-income car buyers. Starting March 29th, single tax filers earning $250,000 will not qualify for rebates on plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles. The Sacramento Bee reports the income cap is $340,000 for head-of-household filers and $500,000 for joint filers. Conversely, low- and moderate-income residents will be eligible for an additional $1,500 in rebates. The California Air Resources Board Chair says they hope that will help the program get into more communities most impacted by air pollution.

A test of the Tsunami Warning System happening during the week. As we reported last week, tomorrow morning, the test happens at 11 a.m. and will be able to be seen and heard throughout Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties for one hour. That of course, on local television and radio, plus NOAA weather radios and outdoor sirens. It’s happening to make sure the warning system would function properly during a real tsunami emergency. This is a planned test so if you hear it, you don’t need to do anything at all, just know it’s a test.

The Lake County Board of Supervisors considering bids for the Holiday Harbor marina property in Nice. The board also hearing about further cleanup at Hoberg’s Resort and of course other business too. The meeting this morning at 9a in board chambers in Lakeport. The board’s also having a public bid opening for the purchase of Holiday Harbor after declaring they wanted to sell the property back in January. The opening bid for the property $1.2 million, a major loss as it was purchased by the former redevelopment agency in 2008 for about $2 million. Then the board will get an update on the cleanup and sewage leakage at the old Hoberg’s Resort.

A woman is recovering after crashing her car and rolling it as she got off the 101 in Ukiah. The Ukiah Valley Fire Authority and the California Highway Patrol went out to the crash yesterday morning after the small black sedan slid off the off-ramp from the northbound 101 to North State Street then rolled, stopping on its roof in the grass below. The woman was not taken to a hospital and appeared to have escaped without major injuries. It happened as roads in the Ukiah Valley were pretty soaked from moderate and heavy rain.

Looks like things are calming down with the mediation regarding the old Palace Hotel in downtown Ukiah. The City Attorney David Rapport says the lawyers for the city and the building owner had another conf. call set for the end of the month. He says the city is firm on what they want and should know then if they can reach an agreement. They will talk with the judge soon after that conf. call. The city has asked the Mendocino County Superior Court to get involved, appointing a receiver to take over rehabbing the building, but instead went to mediation. Some are asking for the money for mediation to instead go to rehab the old hotel.

Federal investigators wondering why a TSA worker ran from a security screening at Los Angeles International Airport, where about 70 pounds of cocaine was found stashed in her luggage. Officers stopped her randomly last Friday, but she was on the run still as of yesterday. LA Airport Police say the case shows all flight attendants and other airport employees have to be screened. This comes after a pot smuggling ring was busted up last year at Oakland International Airport and four former baggage handlers at San Diego’s airport went to prison in a drug-smuggling case.

A 10-pound piglet lost on the streets of San Francisco has been fostered at an unlikely spot. Janice has a new home at the Sonoma County Reptile Rescue in Sebastopol. She was seen running in the Mission District March 8th and was caught by a group of good Samaritans who helped get her to San Francisco Animal Care and Control. Nobody has claimed the animal but many are hoping to adopt her. The Reptile Rescue founder apparently has a background in not only reptile care, but also animal husbandry and conservation and had worked at the San Francisco Zoo.

The FBI says it can probably unlock an iPhone used by one of the shooters in the San Bernardino terrorist attack, canceling a meeting to try to get Apple’s forced cooperation. Late yesterday federal prosecutors asked for a delay in the court hearing set for today regarding the FBI’s demand for Apple to help unlock Syed Rizwan Farook’s encrypted phone. But “an outside party” has apparently shown agents a possible method for unlocking the phone.

It looks like a trio of Santa Ana police officers got the munchies while busting up a pot dispensary. The three charged with misdemeanor petty theft and one with vandalism for supposedly stealing snacks and damaging surveillance cameras at the pot raid. The whole thing caught on video. The officers charged yesterday for taking protein bars and cookies during a search last May at a marijuana dispensary found to be operating without permits.

Worldwide Healing Hands (WHH) inviting the public for their third annual “Hike 4 Healing” on April 30th. They’re looking for sponsors and hikers for their event. Those who sponsor will get publicity and acknowledgement. All donations from the hike help support the group’s goals and missions providing quality healthcare to women and children, especially those who do not have access to care. Those who take part will walk the Wright Summit Trail on Mount Konocti. The hike a bit more than 6 miles round-trip at an elevation of 1,600 feet. For more info, visit this radio station’s website

(https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2016-hike-4-healing-registration-23469961286 or search “2016 Hike 4 Healing” at EventBrite.com

A green light has been given to city staff in Lakeport for a municipal solar project expected to save millions of dollars in electricity bills. Lake Co News reports Mendocino College’s former facilities planning director is helping the city with the project. The first and second phases of planning on the project are done, one included funding options and schedule. The second phase the planning budget and soils testing. It’s expected to cost 2.5 to 3 million dollars when all is said and done. There’s an investor to begin with, then the city can buy the whole project for under 2.4 million.

Cal Fire’s beefing up staff ahead of the new fire season. Lake Co News reports the recent rains have helped wet down much of drought parched California, but Cal Fire firefighters are already training for another potentially busy fire season. The agency’s already hired more than 400 more seasonal firefighters, whose work will be fire prevention, fuel reduction and defensible space programs. The director of Cal Fire tells the news site, winter rain has helped, but it’s not enough to end the drought. There have already been 240 fires across the state since Jan. 1st.

Playlist 3/24/16

FLO RIDA-MY HOUSE

G-EAZY W/BEBE REXHA-ME, MYSELF & I

MIKE POSNER-I TOOK A PILL IN IBIZA

RIHANNA W/DRAKE-WORK

SELENA GOMEZ-HANDS TO MYSELF

ZAYN-PILLOWTALK

ALESSIA CARA-WILD THINGS

DJ SNAKE W/BIPOLAR SUNSHINE-MIDDLE

ELLIE GOULDING-SOMETHING IN THE WAY YOU MOVE

FIFTH HARMONY-WORK FROM HOME

GWEN STEFANI-MAKE ME LIKE YOU

JUSTIN BIEBER-COMPANY

LUKAS GRAHAM-7 YEARS

MEGHAN TRAINOR-NO

SHAWN HOOK-SOUND OF YOUR HEART

TAYLOR SWIFT-NEW ROMANTICS

TROYE SIVAN-YOUTH

ZARA LARSSON W/MNEK-NEVER FORGET YOU

ZENDAYA W/CHRIS BROWN-SOMETHING NEW

ARIANA GRANDE-DANGEROUS WOMAN

COLDPLAY-ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME

JAMES BAY-LET IT GO

KYGO W/PARSON JAMES-STOLE THE SHOW

NATHAN SYKES W/ARIANA GRANDE-OVER AND OVER AGAIN

NELLY-DIE A HAPPY MAN

ONE DIRECTION-HISTORY

RUTH B-LOST BOY

ANDRA DAY-RISE UP

CHAINSMOKERS (THE) W/DAYA-DON’T LET ME DOWN

DUKE DUMONT-OCEAN DRIVE

HAILEE STEINFELD W/DNCE-ROCK BOTTOM

HALSEY-COLORS

KYGO & DILLON FRANCIS W/JAMES HERSEY-COMING OVER

MAJOR LAZER W/NYLA & FUSE ODG-LIGHT IT UP

PANIC! AT THE DISCO-VICTORIOUS

News 03/16/16

The owner of the company that owns Mendocino Brewing company says he didn’t leave the country to avoid his creditors. That country, India. Tycoon Vijay Mallya took over the chairmanship of his father’s beer company in 1983 and co owns a Formula 1 team and can sometimes be described as India’s Richard Branson. But apparently he owes somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.3 billion from loans made to his defunct Kingfisher Airlines. More than a dozen banks trying to get money back after the airline failed a few years ago. He says he didn’t leave India for any other reason than travel. The Finance Minister and one of his lenders had been questioning why Mallya left India.

A major uptick in gang graffiti reported in Kelseyville and Clearlake Riviera. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office reports getting 8 calls Monday for vandalism involving graffiti. Deputies overnight that night went out to another eight vandalism cases with the same type of graffiti. They say most of the vandalism was in Kelseyville by the Kelseyville Lions Club and the Kelseyville Community Park. The ones over in Clearlake Riviera in the area of Teton Way and Marmot Way. So the Sheriff’s dept. says it’s beefed up patrols in the area as the investigate the other cases too.

A man in Fort Bragg has been arrested after a probation compliance check up. Fort Bragg Police, the Mendocino County Major Crimes Task Force, the Mendocino County Multi-Agency Gang Suppression Unit, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Mendocino County Probation Department went out for the check on Daniel Jacoboni’s registered address since he’s on felony probation for several gang related crimes. Cops found him in possession of clothing items related to gangs and patches from the Hell’s Angels outlaw motorcycle gang, plus a firearm. He’s not allowed any of that so he was arrested for being a Felon in Possession of Firearm and for Felony Violation of Probation.

A man from Lower Lake has been arrested in connection to a child pornography case. The FBI along with detectives from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office investigating Richard James Coel, the former Community Development Director for the County of Lake. Detectives and the Sheriff’s office had been watching Coel for child pornography allegations. He was arrested Monday at his home. Coel’s computer was taken as evidence and is pending a forensic examination.

A man in Ukiah and his dog get away after a fire started in their home on Clara Avenue. The Police Department noticed smoke coming from the home as an officer drove by mid morning yesterday. The elderly man inside the home says he didn’t even notice the house was on fire until the officer told him. He and his dog Sparky got out okay. Fire officials say they think the fire started outside the house and got near the home, but was put out quick. There is a small patch behind the kitchen in the back yard that was charred.

A couple dozen private wells in Boonville test positive for some sort of contamination. The Anderson Valley Community Services district found the bacterial and nitrate contamination during a survey of about 2 dozen wells. The district looking at ways to pay for an actual water and sewer system. Tests last week showed 21 of 23 wells contaminated with coliform bacteria and nitrates. The public health officer in Mendocino County says they’ve seen similar problems in other rural areas using older wells and septic systems. That includes along the Russian River in Sonoma County.

The ad hoc committee in Mendocino County appointed by the Board of Supervisors looking into fire and emergency medical services has found county fire protection services should be eligible for Proposition 172 funding. The action on the item has been pushed to the supervisors meeting April 5th. The county is having staff bring back suggested amounts that should go to fire districts. The amounts from property tax payments fire districts lost after redrawn state education funding formulas, the Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund. The Ad Hoc committee says the statewide amount diverted to schools could be in the neighborhood of $2.6 billion since the 1993-94 state budget.

High levels of chromium-6 have been found in the drinking water in Hidden Valley Lake so the local elementary school is doling out bottled water for kids to drink instead of municipal water. The school’s also turned off the campus drinking fountains so students and staff don’t use them. The Superintendent Catherine Stone of the Middletown Unified School District says she’s been told the water’s safe but they’re be cautious anyway. In a letter from the local water district, it referred to chromium-6 as a carcinogen or cancer-causing agent. Students can still wash their hands at school and the kitchen at the district’s Coyote Valley Elementary School in Hidden Valley Lake is also using the water. They’ll be putting in a reverse osmosis filtering system for kitchen water to remove chromium-6 from the water tho.

Clearlake’s medical marijuana cultivation ordinance has gone into effect. The new ordinance went live Sunday. It means those growing have to have a permit through the city for legally cultivating marijuana within its limits. Permit applications can be picked up at City Hall and can be downloaded at the city’s website. Those interested have until the end of April to submit their application with their $150 registration fee to City Hall. For more information visit www.clearlake.ca.us.

A trio of proposals for North Coast fishermen for this year’s commercial salmon seasons. It looks like a smaller Chinook salmon run in two areas so fishery managers have put together a shortened season with several gaps, mostly in the Fort Bragg region, where apparently the fishery may me almost entirely closed in June and completely in July. Congressman Jared Huffman of San Rafael and other Bay-Delta representatives say those gaps would mean about a 20 percent overall cutback for fisherman and as much as 45 percent along an area from Point Arena to Horse Mountain, north of Shelter Cove in Humboldt County. The Pacific Fishery Management Council made the determinations after calculating how many fish would hit several areas of the coast along the western United States. The options to be considered at a meeting Monday in Sacto.

A man from Turlock suspected of drunk driving crashed up a sidewalk, smashed a stop sign and knocked down a small redwood tree. Windsor police arrested 20 year old Dylan Agnitsch near a Home Depot Store after he lost control of his car. Deputies tried to detain Agnitsch but say he tried to get away before finally being handcuffed. He’s arrested on suspicion of felony assault on a peace officer, drunken driving and driving on a suspended license and booked into the Sonoma County Jail with bail set at $10,000.

A woman in Florida’s trying to keep her 6-foot-long pet alligator in her home. Rambo, the 125-pound reptile wears clothes, rides on a motorcycle and has his own bedroom in Mary Thorn’s home in Lakeland. She says she’s got an alligator and has had him 11 years, but he recently grew to 6 feet. Wildlife officials say the alligator needs 2.5 acres of land but the woman says Rambo can’t be left outdoors because of his sensitivity to sunlight. The Florida wildlife commission is investigating.

Police in a town in Massachusetts warning residents to watch for men challenging passers-by to rap battles. Charlton police told WCVB-TV (http://bit.ly/1U4Ktgy) say there’s a black SUV with a group of men inside who pulled up next to three teenage boys Saturday afternoon got out and started rapping. Others in the SUV asked they wanted to "spit some bars" with them when the teens said no, they left. Police say it didn’t seem like an attempted abduction, but the boys were afraid.

News 03/14/16

A flood warning in effect for the Navarro River still. As we reported last week, the National Weather Service in Eureka issued a FLOOD WARNING along with the State Department of Water Resources for the Navarro River At Navarro affecting Mendocino County. The river, as of yesterday was 16.7 feet. Flood stage is 23.0 feet which was expected over the weekend with a crest at near 30 feet expected Saturday.

The court of appeals has also affirmed a trespass grow of marijuana against a man from Santa Cruz. The Mendocino County Superior Court Judge awarded Maria and Ernesto Salazar more than a quarter million in damages against Ross Matejcek for trespassing on property in Covelo by taking land, water, and 225 trees for his pot garden. The man also ordered to remove a gate, fencing and irrigation lines, plus he has to restore an excavated hillside to its natural grade. The Court of Appeals agreed. The Salazars found the damage on their property back in 2010 and filed a civil suit in 2012 after paying for a survey at their vacation spot. The court found the property was bulldozed and they had water stolen for years. They had to hire a surveyor and lawyer to get relief.

Clearlake Police are finally at full staffing. Lake Co News reports it’s the first time in years they’ve had a full staff which comes after starting new programs and community outreach to find ways to improve service. The acting chief of the dept. presented an annual report to the city council last week. He recognized new hires and presented annual employee awards. There are two new K9 teams, Officer Mark Harden and “Zip” and Officer Travis Parson and “Bear.” There’s also a new traffic officer in town from Calistoga.

Three supervisorial seats in Lake County are up for grabs this June in the primary. Seats in Districts 1, 4 and 5 are up for election this year, they’re currently represented by Jim Comstock, Anthony Farrington and Rob Brown. The nomination period closed last Friday for races where an incumbent filed for reelection and this year, that was only in District 5. Brown did file for a fifth term, and will be challenged by a couple of newbies, Philip Reimers of Cobb and John Wesley Stoddard of Kelseyville. Comstock and Farrington didn’t file to run again so the nomination period for their seats has been extended until Wednesday at 5 p.m.

The Mendocino Community Health Clinic in Ukiah one of 3 dozen in the state that received federal awards for local substance abuse programs. The announcement last Friday from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In Ukiah, the clinic won $325,000 of $12.6 million the state received to fight prescription drug abuse. The HHS Health Resources and Services Administration is managing the funds and says the money will help California screen more patients for substance use disorders and connect them to treatment options.

Mendocino County Board of Supervisors is looking at money and Proposition 172 funding. The Daily Journal reports Supervisors Dan Hamburg and Dan Gjerde have been appointed to a special ad hoc committee to look into funds for fire districts and emergency medical services in Mendocino County. Fire districts were suing to get some of the Prop. 172 public safety funding, but the Acting County Counsel was able to block the measure in court. The board to take up the matter this week. And the county Executive Office is presenting its mid-year budget report at today’s meeting.

The state may loan Lake County money to abate six remaining commercial properties that were damaged by the Valley Fire. Debris is still sitting so the state may loan the money to the county to remove what’s left. Senator Mike McGuire says officials from CalOES met with county officials more than a month ago to discuss the situation and found they could get money from the state and pay the state back after the property owner pays the county.

The Community Development Department in Lake County looking to win approval to upgrade outdated permitting software. The agency will ask the Board of Supervisors if they can replace the current software which has been online since 1999 and has performance issues, cannot be updated and isn’t compatible with Windows 10. The Record Bee reports the most important aspect of replacing the software is it just can’t handle the amount of permits coming in from Valley Fire rebuilders. The proposed update will cost nearly 190-thousand dollars.

Police in Tennessee say a man they suspect of burglarizing a home told the homeowner he was actually there to save his wife, Taylor Swift. Police say they arrested Paul Herrin after the homeowner reported a disturbance, thinking the burglar was a tenant there to pay rent, but finding instead it was a stranger, who wedged their foot in the door and pushed his way through. The man arrested on aggravated burglary charges.

Police in a Texas town say a man wearing a Captain America costume’s on the run after a beauty store burglary. Police in Plano pouring over security footage showing the suspect and his accomplice stealing items from an ULTA Store. Cops say there’s been multiple burglaries at ULTA Salons which could be related. 2 suspects on the run, one in a plain ol’ black hoodie, the other in the Captain America hoodie with, camo cap, and red gloves.