A fire in Ukiah in a vacant home in the middle of being remodeled. The Ukiah Valley Fire Authority responded to North Dora street after a neighbor saw the fire when they awoke for work early yesterday. Firefighters say it looks like it started on the top level of the home and that it looked suspicious. The front door was unlocked, and the phone number firefighters had for the owner was disconnected. Very little damage to the home. Cal Fire, the Ukiah Police and the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office all on the scene too.
A woman from Fort Bragg is recovering after being attacked on Thanksgiving by a house guest. Fort Bragg Police say they got a call last Wednesday around noon from the woman who reported having been attacked and having a hard time breathing. She identified her attacker as Joseph Wooden of Fort Bragg, who she said was staying at her home because he was homeless. The victim says she was arguing with the guy and tried to get him to leave but he shoved her into a door and wall. He was found by officers later in the day and arrested on suspicion of felony battery and felony elder abuse and booked into Mendocino County Jail under $65,000 bail.
A man in Fort Bragg’s been arrested in connection to the stabbing of another man on Thanksgiving. Fort Bragg police report getting a call last Thursday evening for a stabbing and found Reynaldo Rosado sitting in his parked car. He says another guy, he knew as Jorge knifed him, hitting him in his hands and arms, then ran away. Cops found a weapon near the car and the victim was taken to the hospital. They say they went to a home of a family member of the suspect and found blood there, but a police dog did not alert to the guy. But later, police found him after a post to social media. Leonardo or “Jorge” Naal-Aviles was brought in by someone who knows him and arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated mayhem and held on $250,000 bail.
A gas main is being replaced on Elm Street. So the stretch between Low Gap Road and Magnolia Street is being closed to traffic today until next Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the work week. There will be alternate routes set up on Mondays through Fridays until the work is done. Any questions can be directed to PG&E.
The 25th annual Toy Ride went off without a hitch, except for some wet roads. The Willits Wild Bunch (WWB) and Willits Rotary had the yearly ride on Sunday to raise money and collect toys for the Willits Children’s Christmas Program. As in years past, a procession of motorcycles behind Little Lake Fire engines left the Evergreen Shopping Center and cruised to the Little Lake Grange. They had less of a turnout of riders, but still a bunch of people were out cheering the riders on. At the end of the route there was a bar thanks to the Willits Lions Club, a raffle and auctions. The money goes to children who otherwise wouldn’t have a Christmas.
PG&E claiming they may be “adversely affected” after the October fires across Northern Calif. The utility filed losses with the Securities and Exchange Commission Monday saying they’ve lost between $170 to $200 million for service restoration and repairs to their equipment and another $70 to $80 million for capital expenditures. They also apparently said in the filing, they’re aware there may be financial difficulties ahead depending on how much responsibility the fires were to the company. 43 people were killed and another 185 were injured in the October 8th and 9th fires. 245,000 acres in Northern Calif. were blackened by the fires.
A nearly seven million dollar project has been approved by the Lake County Board of Supervisors for a new sewer system in Anderson Springs. The board approved the contract for the work after the 2015 Valley Fire. Apparently the nearly 200 homes lost in the fire cannot be rebuilt without a modernized sewer system. The bid was a little higher than what was estimated but still within the approved amount to pay for the system by the State Water Resource Control Board. The construction will be in two phases, and three different funding agencies will help pay for the system.
San Francisco’s come up with the rules for the legal sale of recreational marijuana when it becomes legal in January. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors approve pretty much the same as the state rules, including the 600-foot space between stores and schools. Recreational sales are legal in California starting in the New Year but some cities and counties are still working on their regulations which can line up with the state or come up with their own rules. Some of the larger cities, including Los Angeles still have no regulations set for the January 1st start. San Francisco also won’t be set for sales to start New Year’s Day, but could be the first week if the mayor signs the new rules quick.
Parents at a school in Woodland complaining about potentially toxic carpet in classrooms. Several parents reportedly complained after the carpet was put in at Beamer Elementary, that their children became ill. The complaints over the summer saying the smell of chemicals was so strong, some of their kids are still ill. The school district says they’ve dealt with the issue, but some of the parents saying it’s not enough. Some of the symptoms made public by the parents to local media, nausea and headaches. Parents say they want the carpet tested or taken out.
State lawmakers start their work on sexual harassment. A legislative panel met yesterday to look into potential misconduct at the capitol. One lawmaker embroiled in scandal has already stepped down. But the panel was set to meet anyway, a once in every ten year re-do on rules for the legislature. Five women testified in front of the committee about harassment they’ve experienced or witnessed. The claims against staff and lawmakers, some women saying they were too afraid to lose their jobs if they spoke up. Democratic Assemblyman Raul Bocangera resigned Monday after allegations he kissed or groped several women without their consent. Another Democrat, Sen. Tony Mendoza is also facing misconduct allegations. There have been eight sexual harassment investigations over the last six years.
After the cement dried on the new spillway at the Oroville Dam, cracks were seen. But state officials say they’re fine. Federal regulators asking the Calif. Department of Water Resources to explain hairline cracks on the new flood-control chute. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is also asking what should be done to fix the cracks. But Calif. officials said the cracks were anticipated because of the new design and are not expected to affect the integrity of the new concrete slabs. But some experts say cracking in high-strength reinforced concrete structures is not expected because it can mean corrosion which was ultimately the problem back in February when the original structure failed, sending almost 200-thousand people from their homes.
It’s been a year since a teenager in Arizona got a random text from someone saying are you coming for Thanksgiving. The person on the other end saying they were Jamal Hinton’s grandma. But he didn’t know the number so he asked for a picture. It was Wanda Dench, she’s white, he’s not. He answered you’re not my grandma, but she invited him to Thanksgiving anyway. And he went. The story went viral. This year, Dench invited Hinton again… and he went. Hinton says she is like a grandma to him, they’ve kept in touch the last year. He says they connected and their friendship developed.
A family who lost their cat in the Tubbs fire in Sonoma County gets a surprise… Thomas the cat ran from his teenage owner’s arms as they ran from the flames October 9th. The Stockham family went back to their home which was all ash three days later. They found the body of a burned cat. They even had a funeral for Thomas… But they got an email from a microchip company saying someone had Thomas. They say they thought it was a scam, but sure enough, they found the cat last Friday near their burned out home. The man who found the cat apparently spent his spare time catching feral cats. The cat was presumed dead for nearly a month and a half.
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