After several search warrants in Mendocino County, several thousand pot plants have been removed and hundreds of environmental crimes averted. Operation Clean Sweep is done in Mendocino County after 28 search warrants are delivered in Covelo, Dos Rios and Laytonville. More than 42,000 plants were removed, 603 environmental crimes were observed, as well as pollution to water quality and water rights crimes observed and hundreds of California Department of Fish & Wildlife violations were also observed, but no arrests have been made.
Assemblyman Jim Wood’s bill to make sportfishing licenses last a year no matter when they’re purchased is taking a minute. The bill passed the Assembly, but Wood yanked it while the Senate was considering it to take another look at policy and marketing strategies to increase fishing and hunting in California. The bill could then include incentives for those who purchase fishing and hunting licenses in California. In the last 4 decades state fishing license sales are way off, up to 55%, so the bill looks to reverse that trend. A sportfishing license is about $50 and they last, no matter when you buy them, until Dec. 31st of the year.
A search is underway for a man from Santa Rosa last seen Friday and believed to be in Mendocino County. The Sheriff’s Office reports searching north of Pieta Creek in southern Mendocino County for 25 year old Derek Weidner. The man’s 2015 gray GMC Denali pickup at around mile marker 6.7 on the 101 in Hopland last weekend. Then the search started Monday and continued all day yesterday. The man seen last at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds RV Park in Santa Rosa. He’s described as 6 foot 3, 290 pounds with brown eyes, black hair, and a heavy build with a beard.
A Wildfire Safety Open House has been presented by PG&E in Willits. The presentation at the Willits Community Center last Thursday to answer questions about the proposed Wildfire Safety Program and Public Safety Power Shutoffs. There was information for the public to look at up close and personal and a chance to ask questions and hear the utility’s plans for this fire season. They mentioned again that power lines that pass thru high fire-threat areas may be turned off for safety reasons. They say they’ll make sure they let customers know within 48 hours of the planned shutoff, but that extreme weather conditions may mean less notice.
A man wanted in Ukiah for several crimes. Bryan Andrew Martin wanted on several warrants by the Sheriff’s Dept. The Sheriff’s Dept. says Martin is wanted for committing a felony while out on bail, possessing drugs, drug paraphernalia and for disobeying a court order. His picture is posted on the Sheriff’s Dept. Facebook page under Warrant Wednesday. He’s described as a 50 year old man, about 6 feet tall, 170 lbs with blonde dreadlocks and blue eyes. They’re looking for anyone who may have seen Martin to report him to the sheriff’s office.
PG&E still working to install equipment ahead of this fire season. Workers seen yesterday in the Mayacamas Mountains east of Geyserville installing a solar-powered weather station. The utility company is installing cameras around the state too after the fires of 2017 and 2018. They plan to install at least 600 weather stations in high-risk fire areas from Bakersfield to the Oregon border in Calif. Within the stations will be 100 high-def cameras that can zoom in on fires and home in on their locations.
A lot of money finally pouring into the state nearly four years after a cancelled Dungeness Crab season. The nearly $26 million dollars from the federal government after a toxic algae bloom ended the commercial crab season in 2015-16. The federal package includes about 23 million in direct aid for crab fisherman and seafood processors with about half for 570 Dungeness crab permit holders who will be paid by the amount of crab traps they had permits for in the 2015-16 season.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors has given the formal go ahead for the purchase of several backup generators in the case of PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs. Yesterday, the board gave the green light to staff to buy the generators. Lake Co News reports the board asked the Public Services Dept. to get bids on generators for only two weeks. The county says they opened bids to electrical contractors separate from installations Monday, and are evaluating those now. So far the lowest bid for generators and transfer switches was around $200,000. They would be going into Animal Care and Control, Behavioral Health Dept, Child Support Services, Social Services Administration and Victim-Witness.
A meeting’s planned regarding the old Geothermal landfill in Middletown. The site on Butts Canyon Road on part of a 460-acre property owned by Pacific Gas and Electric Co. There’s a 15 acre closed landfill on the property. The site had been used between 1976 and 1986 by various entities as a dumping ground for nonhazardous drilling wastes from exploratory drilling, geothermal well development, and plant operations. Then from 2003 to 2006, PG&E started to close the area off so there would be no human contact with the waste, but then concentrations of certain chemicals were found in shallow groundwater near the landfill. The town hall meeting on the matter, August 13th after the public comment period ends. That started July 15th.
Comments can be sent to Brad Shelton, P.G., Central Valley Water Board, 11020 Sun Center Drive #200, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670, or via email at Brad.Shelton@waterboards.ca.gov .
A sinkhole in the area of the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff should be fixed today. The giant hole found yesterday under part of a bridge crossing the Rodman Slough. The cutoff had to be temporarily closed. The Lake County Department of Public Works sent out an alert to the community about the closure yesterday. Lake Co News reports the Road Superintendent says the issue came after mass flooding in Clearlake this winter. The last time the Cutoff was closed was in February 2017 during a rainy winter. That time the roadway was closed for almost ten days.
Some Calif. insurance companies apparently interested in taking over Pacific Gas & Electric which owes them billions after wildfires believed to have been started by the California utility’s equipment. A group of insurance companies has reportedly filed court documents to try to bring an end to PG&E’s exclusive right to file a reorganization plan as part of their bankruptcy proceeding. The companies want to submit their own plan for wildfire victims and other PG&E creditors. The insurance companies say PG&E owes them as much as $20 billion in wildfire losses and they would like their to be converted into stock so they would own a major part of the company and could then come up with a trust for wildfire victims. They call this idea a viable path to PG&E emerging from bankruptcy. PG&E has until Sept. 26th to submit its plan.
A man who went missing on Lake Mendocino after his father also died on the lake, has been laid to rest. Carlos Soto apparently had a heart attack or stroke and his son Vincent was missing a month before he was found July 15th by kayakers on the lake. The younger Soto was found after his family kept vigil at the Lake daily since the two men went out on a fishing trip. The Press Democrat reports Soto’s brother, Daniel Garcia said they had the funeral last Friday. The family carried him to his grave site which is consistent with their tradition.
The Governor says the DMV’s issues could take more time even as they try to improve customer service. The department will start to accept credit cards, upgrade its website and offer clearer instructions for residents to get the federally mandated REAL ID after two hour wait times last summer. The Governor says the work to improve wait times is ongoing, but that it will still be tough next year because of an expected surge in people getting their new federal ID’s. The governor’s comments after a report on the DMV was released about how the agency would improve services. The Gov. has also appointed a new DMV director, but he has to be approved by the state senate.
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