News 8/30/19

A scam on the coast. Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies get a call to a resident in Fort Bragg who tells them about a Craigslist ad for an apartment rental in the Village of Mendocino which seemed too good to be true, but they responded. The victim tells deputies an unidentified person sent them a rental/lease agreement asking for personal information which they gave them, but started getting suspicious and asked for their identity, later finding out someone else owned the property and it wasn’t for rent. The victim called credit agencies to place an alert on his credit. Then deputies found the suspect was using an internet phone and their email was fraudulent. The same thing apparently happened recently to someone in Fort Bragg. A reminder to be careful when responding to online ads.

For further information on Cyber Crimes and scams, please review the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) athttps://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/on-the-internet

A new video gaming lounge coming to Ukiah. The arcade looking to open where a Karate studio used to be on East Church Street. Paul Jackson looking to open “Next Level Gaming” which is described as a video game lounge and arcade with retail space. The Karate studio closed in that location nearly a year ago. The arcade would have 15 to 20 arcade machines inside and a retail space with some minor improvements to be done before they open. They say they’d like to also have birthday parties and tournaments in the space which will be open Thursday through Sunday from 4 to 9 p.m.

The Gov. looking to reform the way charter schools are run in the state. Gov. Newsom coming to an agreement which is now in the Assembly after several months of hearings on the proposed changes about how the schools are managed and operate in California. The Gov. and legislative leaders call the bill one that will significantly reform the Charter Schools Act, focusing on student needs. The Assembly Bill to be voted on in the coming weeks before the end of the current legislative session. It would give local school boards more discretion over approving new charter schools, teachers would have to have a state credential and background check. The bill’s author says there will probably need to be more compromise before it gets to the Governor’s desk.

A box full of four week old puppies left near the Humane Society for Inland Mendocino. The six puppies left in the sun without food or water last Sunday. Five started showing signs of improvement after they were treated by a vet, but one died of heat stroke. The other five reportedly recovered and were put into foster care. The pups being called the “cookie litter” with names of Snicker, Chip, Graham, Oreo and Teddy. They are four boys and one girl and in about four more weeks should be ready for adoption.

The first step to get the recycled water flowing thru the Purple Pipe System in Ukiah. The city reportedly received a conditional acceptance letter so the recycled water can be used after the State Water Resources Control Board got the “revised Title 22 Engineering Report” from the city last month. The water will be used only for irrigation and industrial uses like dust control, and not as drinking water. The Daily Journal reports Ukiah’s director of water and sewer says they’ve not used the water yet because they’re still inspecting and testing equipment.

Following many other locations across the country, the Kmart in Lakeport is closing. The store will start their massive liquidation sale next month and close for good by the middle of December. The store on South Main Street just one in a long line of other Kmart and Sears stores that have been closing since the parent company, Sears Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year. There are about 425 stores left as compared to 2016, when there were more than 1,600.

Another victim of the shooting massacre in Gilroy. Police say one more person came forward after the mass shooting at the garlic festival last month. The 58-year-old man was grazed by a bullet to his head and had stitches. He came forward to police this week, so that brings the July 28^th shooting total to 17. Three others, including two children, were killed. The shooter killed himself. Police are still processing evidence and looking at video footage, including from police body cameras, and witness statements to make sure there are no other victims. They say they’re pretty sure they’ve accounted for all of them, but there may be one more woman who was injured, but not shot.

A man from Northern Calif. has died while competing in a triathlon at Lake Tahoe. 64 year old Mark Combs apparently in the swimming section of the Lake Tahoe Tri last Saturday at Sugar Pine Point on the west shore of the Lake when he called for help. Rescue swimmers came out to get him, pulling him out of the water and emergency responders tried helping him but he was pronounced dead. The Eldorado County Sheriff’s Office reported a preliminary autopsy showed he had some sort of heart disease. They don’t suspect any sort of foul play.

The Lake County Public Health Officer has resigned and an interim officer is in her place. The Board of Supervisors has accepted Dr. Erin Gustafson’s resignation five months after she was first appointed permanently. She had been the interim officer nearly two years. She apparently wrote a resignation letter earlier this month to the county’s Health Services Director that she got a job closer to family in San Bernardino County and her last day is today. So for now Dr. Gary Pace, who was interim Lake County Public Health officer in the past after Dr. Karen Tait retired, is taking over.

A man police in Lakeport say committed multiple crimes against women has been sent to the state hospital for treatment. A judge ruled last week 52 yr. old Billy Dale Spear was a sexually violent predator. He was accused in 2010 in Santa Rosa of approaching a young woman and violently sexually assaulting her. Then while in jail, exposing himself to female correctional officers. He got three years for that. Then he was arrested for not registering as a sex offender, got out again, and was arrested again for false imprisonment by means of force in Lake County. That time police say he approached a young woman on a bus and tried to kiss her. So he got more time in prison. Then several psychologists examined him, and he was found to have schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. One psychologist testified he would most likely reoffend. He’s now committed to the State Hospital at Coalinga for an indeterminate term.

Nuisance properties are being cleared out of Clearlake. Police say four unsafe and nuisance properties have been demolished and removed because the property owners were not in compliance. CalRecycle grant money paid for the work along with city abatement funds. This year 14 properties have been removed. The police department put out a statement saying they have zero tolerance for property owners who fail to abate hazard or nuisance properties and anyone who continues to do so will be fined and risk losing their property and be liable for the abatement costs.

News 8/29/19

Patients and health-care advocates are rallying on the State Capitol for legislation regarding so-called “pay-for-delay” deals, where pharmaceutical companies pay generic drug makers to keep their products off the market. The first-in-the nation bill has to pass the state Senate Appropriations Committee by tomorrow in order to get a full vote this session. Assemblyman Jim Wood of Santa Rosa authored the bill. He says generics introduce competition and help drive prices down for consumers.

:09  “If you can keep people on the brand name drug for longer, it costs your insurance company more money, your premiums are higher. It costs all of us more money, and that needs to change.”

Tag:  The bill would step up enforcement of laws against these types of deals and place the burden of proof on the drug companies to prove they aren’t making payments for anti-competitive purposes. Pharmaceutical companies argue this law would open up the floodgates for expensive consumer lawsuits, which could drive prices up.

***

Second Cut: The Federal Trade Commission says Americans pay at least three-and-a-half billion dollars more a year for brand-name drugs because generic companies take money to “sit on” their new products rather than release them. Wood says the drug companies’ claim that this bill would actually slow the arrival of generic drugs doesn’t hold water.

:09  “We hear from the drug companies that many of these agreements get the drugs to market sooner and they are not anti-competitive. And so I’ve asked, you know, ‘Show me.’ And no one’s been able to do that.”

Tag:  California Attorney General Xavier Becerra recently settled four lawsuits amounting to 70-million dollars against drug companies over “pay-for-delay” practices.

A man from Illinois whose body was found in Lake County died of blunt force trauma to the head. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s office reports an autopsy was performed yesterday on human remains found Monday which were believed to be Grant Whitaker.  Whitaker’s family reported he was camping with Mavrick Fisher in Trinity County and they had an argument and they hadn’t heard from him since. Fisher was found in Rosarito, Mexico soon after and is expected to be extradited and booked into custody at the Lake County Jail sometime today on a no bail probable cause warrant. They’re still investigating the death and are asking anyone who may know anything to call the Sheriff’s office.

The state legislature is looking at ways to address the massive shortage of affordable housing. Residents with Section 8 vouchers pay only 30% of what they earn for rent, then they get federal assistance to pay the rest. Sometimes there’s a years long wait for housing for Section 8 applicants. State lawmakers are considering two bills, one to give landlords more of an incentive to accept Section 8 tenants with a 3% tax break of whatever the voucher’s worth. And the other bill would make it illegal for landlords to discriminate against tenants getting federal housing vouchers or local housing assistance. The two bills will be considered tomorrow in the state Assembly.

Representatives from Pacific Gas and Electric meeting with the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors for another presentation of their intended Public Safety Power Shutoffs. They spoke last month to supervisors and came back again after criticism of the presentation. PG&E representatives say they’re watching their equipment closely in Mendocino County with 354 transmission lines in the County. There are also 15 substations in the county. Much of the equipment sits in high fire risk zones. Now the utility company says there could be possible power shutoffs of more than seven days. Supervisors mostly concerned about people with medical conditions without power. And Supervisor John Haschak says he was told by firefighters that having more backup power generators could increase the risks of wildfire.

A high schooler in Ukiah’s been arrested after a honey oil lab is found at his home. Police say the kid was selling drugs on campus and arrested the 14 year old. They say he had several prescription pills, concentrated cannabis, two vape pens, and other controlled substances. He was booked at the Mendocino County Juvenile Detention Center on several charges. They got search warrants finding the honey oil lab at his house and more prescription drugs and evidence of sales. An 18 year old man then was also arrested for suspicion of possessing prescription narcotics for sale, child endangerment, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and conspiracy to commit a crime.

A new weather website has been launched by PG&E so residents in the state can watch forecasts in real time and make sure there are no Red Flag Warnings as fire season starts. The new website, PGE.com/weather has predictions of up to a week in advance when they’re considering cutting power due to hazardous conditions. Weather conditions like high winds, low humidity and low moisture content of vegetation will trigger public power safety shutoffs for hours and possibly days. Residents should also be notified with 48 hours’ notice before shutoffs, when possible. The website has weather and wind information gathered from weather stations across the state.

The mom of a missing woman from Ukiah, says she thinks she was murdered. Kym Kemp reporting Tellie Simmons mother speaking about the cold case last year. Simmons was a manager of a cannabis manufacturer/distributor. The woman posted online a year before she went missing she had suicidal thoughts. The last time police had dealings with her was in July of 2013 when she was arrested with a man after they were found in a stolen SUV with drug paraphernalia on them. Police say they’re still investigating her disappearance, but there have been no developments.

Adventist Health taking over Mendocino Coast District Hospital is still in negotiations. The health care company reportedly submitted a proposal in June and an Ad Hoc Affiliation Committee has reportedly met with staff from Adventist on their proposal. A few more members have been added to the ad hoc committee in the meantime. Final negotiations are expected sometime near the end of October and could take several weeks. The hospital board’s finance committee met Tuesday at the same time the Finance Committee Chair had asked 10 hospital department leaders to find ways to trim 10 percent of their expenses or raise revenue by the same amount.

A woman who chained her dog outside when it was too hot without shelter and water has been arrested. Lake Co News reports 24 year old Champagne Delsie Leubner is charged with a count of felony animal abuse after being arrested earlier this month.   The arrest after Clearlake Animal Control gets a call in July about an animal without food or water sitting tied up in direct sun. An animal control officer went to the home found a dog chained up and tangled in the cable without shade or food or water and found the dog was suffering from heatstroke and took it to a vet. The dog had to be put to sleep after being found its body temperature was too high to read. Leubner booked on $35,000 bail which she posted and was released. She’s due back in court next month.

Local campgrounds could soon start to pay into Mendo County to support local fire districts. The Advocate newspaper reports the Board of Supervisors approved sales tax measures that would help support the county library system and ambulance service. They also covered the long sought after mental health section for the county jail, and looked at coming up with ‘multi-use cannabis zones. The board is reportedly working with designers on the mental health wing at the jail. The architects specialize in jails and there was unanimous support for refinements to the plan. The board also directing staff to finally approve a countywide ambulance service. And they looked at a possible sales tax measure for 2024 for the library system.

The Lake County Board of Supervisors looking at changes for the Water Resources Department to merge it with the Department of Public Works. The move to reportedly improve oversight and leadership. The move on Tuesday at the regular board meeting after a recommendation by an ad hoc committee which had reviewed info on the inner workings of various public works departments in comparable counties. Apparently more than half of them had water resources and/or Flood Control as part of their public works departments. Back in 2016 it was decided to separate the departments, but then it was revisited again this year. There will therefore be a new director for Water Resources with a salary of nearly $121,000 year.

A new health clinic coming to Guerneville because the Russian River Health Center is cramped. This according to a story today in the Press Democrat. One room at the center for the lead medical assistant and three nurses which is connected to another medical office which the newspaper reports looks more like a hallway. The modular building put up after a fire destroyed the first center in 2015. West County Health Centers broke ground last Friday on the new $14 million Russian River Health & Wellness Center. They say they should be finishing construction on the 10,000-square-foot medical and dental clinic’s by the end of 2020.

News 8/28/19

Congressman Mike Thompson in Sonoma County talking climate change. The Congressman at Sonoma State University Tuesday night with a standing room-only crowd saying climate change is the most important issue facing the US. He says there are other problems too, but if we don’t get on the warming planet soon, nothing else will matter. The Press Democrat reports Thompson was an early co-sponsor of the so-called “Green New Deal”. The newspaper reports the last four years have been the four warmest since the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration started record keeping 139 years ago.

A lawsuit’s been filed to stop a government program allowing the killing of predator animals. The lawsuit filed against the federal government for the program that allows trapping, poisoning and shooting animals including coyotes, bears and mountain lions. The lawsuit against the USDA’s Wildlife Services program which the Center for Biological Diversity and two other Bay Area groups say is cruel, outdated and ineffective. The program killing almost 1.5 million animals across the country last year alone, that includes more than 26,400 in California including coyotes, beavers, foxes, black bears and mountain lions and another 5,675 birds.

A man who spent almost three decades behind bars has been exonerated after new evidence is found. Bob Fenenbock was arrested for the death of Gary Summar who was beaten and stabbed to death at a Trinity County campground in 1991. Last Friday a judge found he was actually not guilty and reversed the verdict. The Northern California Innocence Project handled the case for Fenenbock. He was one of several people tried in the case and found guilty after a 9-year-old boy testified against him. But another man, Bernard MacCarlie admitted he was the murderer, out to avenge the molestation of his girlfriend’s daughter. He was found guilty and sent to prison but Fenenbock, was still held because of “post-conviction evidence”. Then the Innocence Project stepped in last year.

A rule on outdoor marijuana growing has been repealed by the Lake County Board of Supervisors, making it potentially easier for commercial growers. The requirement that growers have to follow strict commercial road requirements is no longer. The Board voted unanimously to repeal the resolution saying outdoor growing can be considered commercial, but under Calif. state law, it’s an agricultural activity. The resolution says it’s similar in nature to other agricultural operations in California, and they should be considered for appropriate fire safety measures. So new fire safety rules for all agricultural activities will include cannabis and hemp along with winegrapes, pears, walnuts and other crops.

Five new program directors have been hired by North Coast Opportunities around the time the nonprofit celebrates its 50th anniversary. They’ve also announced they’re expanding some of their programs that serve Lake and Mendocino counties low to moderate income households. There’s a new director for their Head Start Child Development Program, Miriam McNamara; Robyn Bera is the new director of Community Projects for Lake County; the new CFO is Anna Rozelski; Holly Madrigal takes over as the Program Director of Leadership Mendocino; and finally the new director of Communications and Administration is Menaka Olson.

NCO provides services in five counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, Napa, Solano and Sonoma. NCO also serves as the Community Action Agency for both Lake and Mendocino counties. NCO reacts and adjusts to community needs, including disaster response and recovery.

A companion bill to pay for training to help cops use less deadly force starting next year. The Governor signed the deadly force law last week, that goes into effect next year. It means new standards for the use of force so it’s only “necessary in defense of human life” instead of when an officer finds the use of deadly force “reasonable.” The Senate bill being considered now would pay for trainings as part of the Commission for Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). The bill, if it passes, would set specific policy requirements on de-escalation, rendering medical aid and proportional use of force.

A groundwater agency to be set up in Lake County to keep local control of the watershed. Lake Co News reports the Board of Supervisors approved the formation of the Big Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency following the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, which is part of the California Water Code. The
Public Works Director Scott De Leon will oversee the new department. The news site reports he has been the interim Water Resources Department director and brought the agency formation idea to the supervisors sitting as the Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors. Now the Board has to apply to the state to form the agency.

Beefed up highway patrol this holiday weekend. The California Highway Patrol and five other Western states with their Labor Day weekend campaign known as “No safe place for impaired drivers”. It’s an effort to get drunk and drugged drivers off the road. The CHP working with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, the state patrols of Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington as the Western States Traffic Safety Coalition, with a joint message that driving under the influence is drugs and alcohol. The Maximum Enforcement Period in Calif starts Friday at 6 pm and runs thru Monday at 11:59 pm. Last year 36 people died on California roads and highways and more than 1,000 were arrested for DUI.

The burned materials after the Camp Fire have almost entirely been removed in Butte County. The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services has 95% of the debris out. 10,200 lots of 10,800 that signed up for the state-run removal program are done. And another 127 lots are being abated by the town of Paradise and the county. Some people who lost their homes have red dirt on the ground now and are apparently planning to live in trailers as their new homes are built. Only 56 percent of the lots have been officially certified as complete because after the debris is totally taken out, soil testing has to be done. The Chico Enterprise Record newspaper reports hundreds of Camp Fire survivors still live in temporary housing or have other living arrangements.

A warning to pet owners to keep them out of lakes, ponds and streams because of accumulations of blue-green algae. The Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians and Elem Indian Colony test Clearlake frequently. The latest testing results of Clearlake on more than 20 sites all below the Caution level. But still a warning about pets being at risk, especially dogs who can ingest cyanobacteria after contact with the lake. There has not been any confirmed death of a dog, but one died earlier this week after getting seriously ill after swimming in the Putah Creek area. So local officials are out with this reminder for residents and visitors to be careful around water bodies. Lake County Water Resources has sampled the water where the dog and its owners were recreating.

News 8/27/19

A man reported missing in Illinois has been found dead in Lake County. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office got a call about a stolen car related to the missing man, Grant Whitaker by a Dollar General store in Clearlake Oaks.  They took possession of the car but didn’t find the man. Whitaker’s family had also reported to police that he may have been in a fight with a traveling companion, Mavrick Fisher of Nevada, while the two camped in Humboldt County.  Whitaker’s family says they didn’t hear from him after that. Then the Sheriff’s Office got info that Fisher admitted he killed Whitaker. They received detailed directions where Whitaker’s body was in Upper Lake and found human remains in remote area. The same day, cops in Rosarito Mexico, found Fisher. The Lake County Sheriff’s office is now awaiting his extradition.

Those running the MendoLake Complex Fire Relief Center looking for help still a year after the devastating fire burned hundreds of thousands of acres. The center has been helping survivors with day to day living items, guidance, support, referrals, and grant application services. The center looking for help supporting the center. The Center Director reports they still have people coming in to get help weekly. Director Danilla Sands announcing a fundraiser at the North Bay Artisan Showcase and Faire September 14^th. It’s at the same time as the End of Summer Show & Shine Classic Car and Motorcycle Show in downtown Ukiah. A booth for the MendoLake Complex Fire Relief Center will be in Alex Thomas Plaza. Volunteers are needed for 30-minute shifts from 10am to 4pm.

Volunteers can send an email to danilla3comet@yaoo.com or call (707)489-3970 or send a message to Danilla Sands on facebook to sign up.

A major event in Ukiah each year draws big crowds once again. The yearly Dunk Tank, a winner with crowds again. The fundraiser for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Sheriff Tom Allman one of the regulars at the fundraiser. He says for the last five years he’s attended and for the last couple years, whoever dunks him first has to fork over $100 for the nonprofit. The dunk tank donated by some local realtors. The money raised each year goes to the National Alliance. Last year they raised about $1,300. So far no tally for this year has been released.

Those interested in finding out how to contribute to or volunteer for the National Alliance on Mental Illness can visit their website at http://www.namimendocino.org, call 485-2008, or visit their office at 564 S. Dora St., in Ukiah.

A truck with a boat trailer attached goes into Lake Mendocino and has to be pulled back out again. The truck went into the water by the South Boat ramp Saturday afternoon. A team of divers had to go under to find where the truck was, then Sunday it was lifted back out.  The Mendocino Park Manager says nobody was injured in the accident.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office dive team, and the Solano County Sheriff’s office were all on the scene. No word how the truck ended up in the lake, but the Park Manager says they think the truck was in park and somehow disengaged and they also think the emergency brake was not engaged.

Still no decisions in Mendocino County for ambulance service. The Mendocino County Local Emergency Medical Services Agency, a required agency by the State’s Health & Safety Code, wanted to use a single provider for a wide swath of land in the county. The Board of Supervisors wanting to contract with one for the area including Piercy, Leggett, Covelo, Willits, Ukiah, Hopland, Anderson Valley from Navarro to Yorkville and the southern patch of land in inland Mendocino County. The coast is not included.  There are reportedly several groups that have applied to be the service provider.

Schools in California could soon allow mom and dad to give their kids medical marijuana and CBD on K-12 campuses. The California Assembly gave the green light to a bill yesterday for school boards to be able to decide if parents should be able to give their kids medical marijuana on school campuses in non-smoking form. Right now that is illegal. So kids who use the medicine for seizures have to leave campus to get their meds. Those behind the bill say that’s dangerous, those against don’t want the drug on campus and are also looking for stronger medical marijuana regulations for children. Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a similar proposal last year.

There are hundreds of homes following the new hazardous vegetation abatement ordinance in Lake County even though the window between when the ordinance was enacted and its due date was tight. The Record Bee reports letters went out to property owners directly after the ordinance was approved for brush clearance. The idea also had unanimous support from the board of supervisors, who passed them in March. There were ongoing discussions on the wording of the ordinance, before final approval. The code enforcement officer for Lake County says about 1,500 properties were inspected for compliance and only about 400 were found to be out of compliance, . Those owners got letters saying they had 21 days or face a potential administrative citation, about half of those are now in compliance.

PM NEWS

A resounding yes vote on new smoking rules in public places in Clearlake. Last week the City Council gave unanimous approval to the ordinance updating where smoking is no longer  allowed. It includes inhaling or exhaling tobacco or cannabis. It bans puffing within 25 feet of any outdoor eating areas, entrances and exiting places of employment, bus stops and shelters, ATMs, grocery stores, retail stores, bars and restaurants. Lake Co News reports there would also have to be signs posted in no smoking areas and violations would be enforced under the administrative penalties section of the municipal code. There was no public or council comment on the ordinance. There’s still a second reading happening, then final adoption at the Sept. 12^th council meeting.

Microplastic pollution has been detected by scientists for the first time in Lake Tahoe. Preliminary tests of water samples by the researchers at the Desert Research Institute in Reno showed there was red and blue pieces of plastic, but they were not any larger than the head of a pin. They say they will now dive deeper into the source of the materials. But studies have recently shown these sorts of particles come from trashed plastic like flip-flops, toys, toothbrushes, water bottles, synthetic clothing, Styrofoam and more. And that it can travel far in the atmosphere, carried by wind, rain and falling snow. Scientists say so far, they haven’t a clue where the plastics came from, but say they’ll try to figure it out.

News 8/26/19

A man in Laytonville has been arrested after an elderly woman reports being assaulted and her home vandalized. Mendocino County Deputies sent to reports of vandalism and the assault last Monday. They found the 82 year-old woman was assaulted and things stolen from her home by her grandson, Vance Langenderfer. Deputies say it happened after grandma got a restraining order against his wife. So the victim says when she answered her front door Langenderfer entered and started yelling and screaming, pushed her down, causing her to hit her head on the floor, then smashed several items around her house and threatened to shoot and kill her. The woman was taken to a hospital and social services called and Langenderfer was arrested soon after and held on $50,000.00 bail.

A timber sale is being finalized for an area near Clear Lake in the Upper Lake Ranger District. Mendocino National Forest officials have announced the Bartlett Salvage Sale was awarded to Sharp Timber Harvesting with logging operations northeast of Clear Lake on 500-acres. The Bartlett area tree felling and hauling to start soon and a warning there will be about 10 trucks a day and they will work to keep dust down on roads. But the Forest reminding visitors that logging operations will be a common occurrence across the Forest this fall. The Bartlett Sale is the first of many sales planned as part of the Ranch Fire roadside hazard tree management project. There are also potential traffic delays in the area. For more information about the forest, see the website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino/

A new Interim Public Health Officer named in Mendocino County. The Board of Supervisors announced Dr. Noemi Doohan as Interim Public Health Officer. Dr. Doohan has more than 15 years’ experience in medicine, joining a team of other seasoned local physicians. Dr. Doohan has been a health and human services partner in the work she has led with Adventist Health Ukiah Valley’s Street Medicine Program, Family Medicine Residency Program and the startup funding and implementation of the Safe Haven Clinic project. Former State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith will also be contracting with the county.

Representatives of PG&E reportedly meeting with the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors regarding their intended Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program. The meeting tomorrow after supervisors spoke to a California Public Utilities Commission representative last week. The supervisors telling the commission rep they were worried about the power shutoff program. The Daily Journal also reports some of the supervisors were asking the representative to be sure they hold PG& E accountable for its plan, but there was no real direction from the commission. The board spoke to PG&E representatives already, but apparently felt there were more questions needing a response.

A cop in Ukiah has been arrested for misdemeanor domestic violence. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office reports getting a call last Thursday to a home where Ross Lunceford lives. A sheriff’s spokesperson says deputies were told of an incident by the police dept regarding an officer and his girlfriend. The officer was booked on misdemeanor domestic violence and violating his probation and released on bail. He’s now on administrative leave while the department investigates. He was apparently on probation for a DUI arrest in 2017.

A meeting in DC on fire priorities for leaders from Lake County. The Board of Supervisors will take up the matter at their meeting tomorrow after several wildfire disasters. The County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson and Board Chair Tina Scott are apparently headed to Washington, DC with representatives from Rebuild Northbay and others who have been hit by wildfire disasters in recent years. So Huchingson reportedly requested talking with the full board about top priorities for meetings in DC at the Housing and Urban Development Dept, FEMA, the Department of Agriculture and federally elected representatives.

New teachers have a networking event in Lake County. Ahead of the new school year, the new teachers met with district leaders and others from Lake County to get a feel for the area, meet local business owners, and schmooze with other new teachers to the area. The Record Bee reports the Lake County New Teacher Reception was at the Riviera Hills Restaurant and Lounge in partnership with the Lake County Chamber of Commerce and the Lake County Office of Education. The Superintendent of Schools said he felt confident with the new hires.

A young man stabbed in a family dispute in Garberville. Kym Kemp reporting the story after hearing details from a local resident this weekend. The news site reports Cody Dillon told Kemp he heard yelling for help outside his house and found a 14 year old neighbor boy with a baseball bat bleeding from a stab wound to his chest. He says he brought him inside the house and he and his housemates, who happened to be volunteer firefighters called 911 and helped the boy. Not a lot more information has been released.

Planned personnel changes at the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office. The office announcing on Facebook they’ve had some movement in the office. Deputy District Attorney S. Houston Porter resigned for a position elsewhere after four years in the District Attorney’s Ukiah office. Senior Deputy District Attorney Tim Stoen is retiring after being the long-time lead prosecutor in the District Attorney’s Fort Bragg coastal office and working under a half dozen elected District Attorneys. The office post wishing both Deputy DA’s well in their personal and professional “books of life”.

More than 24 pets saved after a fire breaks out near the Clearlake Kennel. Lake Co News reports on the early morning fire last Friday, which started in a mobile home. Several firefighters and rescuers on the scene to stop the spread of the fire and save the animals from the kennel. The Lake County Fire Chief says it went smoothly, but an office building at the front of the kennel was gutted, but the rest was saved. The mobile home was also gutted. The news site reports the kennel area was not enclosed so animals could move away from the fire and it prevented them from smoke or heat related illness. No reports of injuries to fire personnel or other rescuers or any of the animals. An investigation has begun into how the fire started.

Another animal rescue in Lake County. A call about a bear being stuck in a tree in Clearlake last Thursday. The bear found near Hill and West 40th. California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Clearlake Police officers, Lake County Fire, the US Department of Fish and Wildlife and K&R Tree Service all in the area to safely get the bear out of the tree, using a tranquilizer dart. They used a rigging system to help the bear who fell out of the tree, hit an embankment and later relocated. Wildlife biologists who treated the bear and moved it after say it was fine.

More than 52,000 gun parts coming to Calif. from China stopped. The sights, stocks, muzzles, buffer kits and grips in three separate shipments at Los Angeles and Long Beach ports said to be worth more than $378,000. It was in several shipments over several months headed to a legal gun parts seller and distributor. But apparently the United States does have restrictions on certain countries, including China importing the inventory because of a 1989 arms embargo. There have been no charges in relation to the shipments but apparently those who were supposed to get the shipments are now being investigated.

A waiver is being considered for a proposed cannabis microbusiness that would be in the same building as a church near downtown Ukiah. The Daily Journal reports Wine Country Cannasseurs applied for a Major Use Permit for indoor growing, distribution and a retail outlet, using three offices in the building on East Smith Street. The church is in two of the other suites in the same building. Ukiah’s director of Community Development says the applicant asked for a waiver from the Limitations of Location because of its proximity, not only to the church, but also a mobile home park. But apparently the owner of the church is in support of Wine Country Cannasseurs as long as they’re closed during Wednesday night and Sunday morning services. The meeting Wednesday night at 6 pm in City Council chambers.

 

News 8/23/19

Two young men in Boonville have been arrested on a laundry list of criminal charges including attempted murder. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Dept reports getting a call to a shooting two weeks ago, meeting with the CHP at the scene after someone reported a silver Ford Mustang followed them and passed by a shot at them, just missing their head. The two men found nearby, and officers say they knew they were part of a criminal street gang, finding them with a loaded pistol.  They’re charged with several crimes including attempted murder, being a gang member with a loaded firearm, conspiracy and violation of probation. 18 year old Alfredo Asher Knight and 19 year old Marshall Leland Stillday both held on two separate bails of more than $300,000.

A mental health fair is being held for veterans. Redwood Community Services and the Ukiah VA Clinic teaming up for tomorrow’s Veteran and Family Wellness Fair at Todd Grove Park. The event is free and starts at 10 a.m. There will be more than 2 dozen vendors at the park offering services including Project Sanctuary, Hillside Health Center, the VA Clinic and Adventist Health. They’re encouraging vets to visit all of the vendors. They also have nurses from the VA on hand doing blood pressure checks and there will be staff from the VA helping those who need it to register for care.

Illegal encampments the target of Clearlake Police. Cops clearing out some homeless people living in makeshift housing and handed out several tickets. Patrol officers and others with Code Enforcement and representatives from Lake County Child Welfare Services, Adult Services, Social Services, Employment Services and Mental Health were out this week after notice was given a week ago to encampment occupants to leave. Those who stayed were offered counseling, but 34 people got citations for illegal camping and more. They pulled an old motorhome from the area behind Tractor Supply and the Cache Creek Apartments too.

Another earthquake hits Ridgecrest. This one not as big, but still sizable. The 5.0 hit the same area where a massive 7.1 temblor hit last month followed by thousands of aftershocks. The U.S. Geological Survey reported it hit yesterday about 1:49 p.m., centered almost 20 miles north of Ridgecrest. The 7.1 happened July 5th after a 6.4 foreshock the day before. There was some damage to the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and the nearby neighborhoods of Trona and Ridgecrest.

Evacuations of hundreds of homes after a fast moving wildfire explodes in size. The fire outside Redding in Shasta County started yesterday, threatening thousands of homes. Cal Fire reports the fire yesterday quickly charred more than 600 acres or about a square mile driven by wind in dry grass, brush and oak trees. They reported there were at least 2,000 structures threatened, but that was an unofficial number just after the fire broke out. There were about 4,000 people at Shasta College where a shelter was quickly opened. The temperature was also hotter than 100 degrees and is expected to continue for the next few days.

A preliminary report on the small plane crash at the Oroville Airport labeled an accident. The FAA releasing their findings after the plane crashed and burned Wednesday with ten people aboard, including the two pilots. It also started a grass fire close by. The eight passengers and two pilots were rescued and firefighters attacked the fire and made sure there was no fuel leakage.

Several volunteers hit the Grindstone Ranger District to help cleanup some of the leftover debris from last summer’s Ranch Fire. The fire at the time, the largest that ever burned in Calif. history, blackening more than 410,000 acres in Mendocino, Lake, Colusa and Glenn counties. 32 volunteers cleared 40 miles of trail, put in new barriers in the Mill Valley Campground and took the old burned barriers and rebar out. They also installed 30 signs and trail markers over 196 hours. The fire had burned the whole off-highway vehicle trail system, culverts and bridges and impacted campgrounds, day use areas, trailheads and signage.

A fire breaks out at the Clearlake kennel. The fire early this morning. Lake Co News reports the call to firefighters around 2:45 a.m. finding a mobile home fully engulfed in flames and the fire was spreading to brush and the nearby kennel building, where animals were trapped. The Lake County Fire Chief reportedly reaching out for help with the animals and called Pacific Gas and Electric due to fallen power lines. The news site reports engines and water tenders were sent because of some sort of water supply issue. Firefighters were rescuing animals from the burning kennels. The fire was contained a couple hours after firefighters got there, no word on any animals so far.

Democratic presidential candidate, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont says he’s got a way to fight climate change while visiting Chico. Sanders says Paradise was a wakeup call for the whole country about the dangers of a warming planet, calling it a major crisis. Sanders toured a burned-out mobile home park in Paradise with victims of last year’s deadly fire. He says his climate change plan would be for ten years, calling it a “nationwide mobilization centered on equity and humanity”. He also says it would create 20 million new jobs due to the use of renewable energy.

The California Attorney General has announced working with a dozen 12 telecommunications companies to finally ban robocalls. The Department of Justice reports all 50 states and the District of Columbia working with AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile, Comcast, U.S. Cellular, Bandwidth, CenturyLink, Charter, Consolidated, Frontier, and Windstream. Atty. General Becerra reports they will have free call blocking and labeling to stop the robocalls before they start, no illegal spoofing of phone numbers, watching network traffic to monitor patterns and investigate suspicious calls and calling patterns, plus a whole lot more.

PM NEWS

The fire outside Redding holding at 600 acres with double the containment reported earlier. Fire crews holding the lines overnight with the Mountain Fire at 40% containment. The fire is apparently burning in the same area where last summer’s Carr Fire burned. The fire started yesterday mid morning in Bella Vista spreading fast in hot, dry conditions thru dense, brushy terrain. The fire reportedly doubled its size in less than an hour, threatening 1,100 homes and burning one. Almost 4,000 residents have been evacuated. Shasta College was also evacuated and an emergency shelter that was being held there was moved to a local church in Redding. Pacific Gas & Electric as promised cut power. More than 1,200 customers lost power after Cal Fire requested the public power safety shutoff.

A fire burns structures at the Clearlake Kennel. Lake Co News reports the fire started overnight near 3 AM. Firefighters got to the scene finding a mobile home totally in flames and the fire spreading to wildland and the nearby kennel building, where animals were trapped. The Lake County Fire Chief had put out a call for help with the animals from the city of Clearlake or the county of Lake and to Pacific Gas and Electric to tend to fallen power lines. The fire nearly contained less than an hour after firefighters got there and out an hour and a half later. They were mopping up by 5 AM. No word on any reports of animals being injured… or worse.

MORE PM NEWS

A man from Lakeport charged with the stabbing death of his father and the attempted murder of his mom and more in court for a review hearing and sent to a state hospital for mental health treatment. 50 year old Steven Michael Fredericks set to be admitted in two weeks, possibly into Atascadero State Hospital in San Luis Obispo County.  It comes after his lawyer said he didn’t think Fredericks was competent to stand trial, so the court appointed doctors to evaluate him. The report was filed with the court in June and received into evidence and the jury trial was waived. The court found Fredericks to indeed be incompetent to stand trial so the criminal proceedings against him are suspended until he can be restored to mental competency. His dad was killed last March.

The Mountain Fire outside Redding has destroyed three homes and four outbuildings. The fire in the footprint of the Carr Fire last year, has burned 600 acres. The fire’s 40% contained and holding, but windy weather had been forecast for the area this afternoon. Two firefighters have also been treated for minor injuries after the fire started yesterday. 1,100 homes were threatened and 3,900 people evacuated. 200 of those homes are still under mandatory evacuation orders.

News 8/22/19

10 people in a plane crash at the Oroville Airport. The small plane crashed at the end of the runway as it tried taking off then burst into flames and ignited nearby grass. The crash yesterday morning with eight passengers and two pilots. Firefighters hustled everyone out of the plane and attacked the flames. The grass fire put out fast, and no injuries of those aboard have been reported. The plane was saturated with water. The CHP on scene, closed part of Highway 162 close by in case there was a fuel spill.  The FAA, as standard procedure, will investigate.

The Lake County Chamber of Commerce getting ahead of next year, paying for the annual fireworks show in Library Park in Lakeport. The CEO of the Chamber presented a check of just over $5,600 to the Lakeport Mayor Tim Barnes for the yearly fireworks show. The Chamber’s cash also made possible with the help of Bruno’s Shop Smart. The Mayor commenting that the fireworks this year were amazing. The City Manager also added that the Lakeport Main Street Association also kicked in $1,000 for the fireworks show.

Lake County looks to be joining a consortium interested in buying the Potter Valley Project from PG&E. The Record Bee reports the Board of Supervisors approved a revised resolution this week to join the group after PG&E decided to abandon the water diversion and electric power project. The project includes the Scott Dam which forms Lake Pillsbury. Lake County leaders want the Scott Dam to stay in place which could dry up Lake Pillsbury. The consortium sending a notice of intent to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a feasibility study to see if the group can relicense the project. Some members in Lake County also want to focus more on habitat restoration.

Teachers in Calif. working for charter schools don’t necessarily need a background check and other requirements like public schools do, but that could change under a bill currently in the state Senate. The state Dept. of Education says there are more than 1,100 teachers at charter schools without any sort of credential or permit, including a Certificate of Clearance which teachers get after being fingerprinted and go thru a background check. Assembly Bill 1505 would mean stricter guidelines at charter schools, but it also defines core classes. If the bill passes, it wouldn’t go into effect until next year for new teachers at charter schools.

A man looking to take a picture with his brother’s duplicate dog tags, loses the tags, but a good Samaritan jumps in. The Record Bee reports Michael Essex had his photo arrangement laid out to memorialize his brother killed in action 7 years ago to that day August 16^th. The picture was to include Clear Lake and Mt. Konocti in the background, but a fishing pole apparently jostled the tags into the lake. Then someone saw his post on Facebook and the owners of Bullfrog Underwater Services offered their help, jumped into the lake and plucked the tags back out.

Anyone who wants a fire extinguisher can get one for free. The Lake County Wine Alliance giving away 500 extinguishers to residents of Lake County. Lake Co News reports Ukiah Oxygen has donated 350 ABC chemical and 150 2.5 gallon stainless steel water-filled extinguishers at a discount, then the Wine Alliance paid for that. There was an event Saturday where several community members got a fire extinguisher. The Kelseyville Fire Protection District is distributing the rest thru today. They will also show those who take them, how to handle the extinguishers.

Unemployment stays the same in Calif, tying a record low in July. Lake Co News reports the jobless rate in Lake County was slightly up though. The California Employment Development Department’s data shows the state tied a record low at 4.1 percent last month, the same as first set in July until December of 2018. In Lake County the rate went up to 5.1 percent from 4.9 percent in June, still below last year’s 5.2 percent. Nearly 3.3 million jobs have been added in the state since February 2010. Lake County was 35^th in the state for July, Mendocino at a very low 4 percent, Napa even lower at 3 percent, tied with Sonoma County.

A bit of a scare in Willits as a gas main break leads to an evacuation of residents. It happened mid-morning yesterday when a construction crew near Pine and Spruce streets hit a gas main. Police sent an alert right away saying there was a one block radius evacuation, but then they quickly sent another alert, extending it to two blocks. They warned the public to steer clear of the area as PG&E made their way to the scene to shut off the gas. Around an hour later, there was an official statement put out by police on their Facebook page to alert community members. A local elementary school was not evacuated, but they were told to “shelter in place”. Soon after the original leak, about 2 hours later, PG&E turned off the gas and the situation ended, those evacuated allowed to return home.

Several spot fires break out in Windsor and the 101 has to be closed down during rush hour traffic. The CHP says there were seven small vegetation fires all breaking out around 5:30 p.m. on the southbound side of the highway and a car crash nearby really snarled traffic. It was also on a day the National Weather Service said there would be critical fire conditions because of hot, dry, windy weather. The car crash was a big rig that crashed into a car, something firefighters say may have been caused by the fires. Two minor injuries were reported, but nobody had to go to the hospital.  One large fire threatened a local business which had to close down. The fires were out soon after they started.

Another employee agreement is reached by the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors. This time with the Mendocino County Public Attorneys’ Association. Just a few days ago we noted another group of county employees signed a three year deal. The board voted unanimously to approve the agreement with attorneys covering July 1^st through June 30^th of 2022. This agreement for a 3 percent Cost of Living Adjustment and a wage market adjustment of almost 11 percent. It means in the second and third year of the contract, the lawyers will get 3 percent Cost Of Living Adjustment and a market adjustment of about 8 percent.  Same arguments made by the Public Attorneys’ Association as the County Employees, being under valued compared to nearby communities.

Info released by the Drug Enforcement Agency and Centers for Disease Control shows almost 40 million doses of opioids prescribed to folks in Mendocino County over a 6 year period. The Washington Post published the release of the information last month, and that was published by other publications too, including the Advocate-News and Mendocino Beacon. Mendocino had a rate of 63 pills per person a year, but Lake County was at 97. Humboldt County at 76 pills per person a year and Sonoma County was 39. In Mendocino County, 38 people reportedly died from opioid overdoses between 2006-2012

Those who survived the Redwood Complex Fire part of the massive October 2017 firestorm, may be able to receive more aid. The long-term fire recovery team in Mendocino County, Mendocino-ROC, for Rebuilding our Community looking for survivors of the fire as we get closer to the two year anniversary, to get some of their remaining grants and more. They’ve already distributed more than $3.5 million dollars to residents in Mendocino County including immediate relief after the fires and long term needs, like new homes for victims of the Redwood Complex and Mendocino Complex fires from last year. The deadline to apply is October 31^st.   

To find out what grants you may be eligible for, please call or text 621-8817 to make an appointment or visit the Redwood Resource Room at the Ukiah Valley Conference Center during drop-in hours Monday-Thursday 10am-2pm. You can also email mendorecovery@gmail.com

Some Camp Fire survivors using repurposed wood burned in the fire for new homes. Burned pine trees being used by residents with the help of a local, portable community sawmill run by a nonprofit, From the Ground Up Farms, Inc. The community of Concow hit hard by the fire last year. Several families reportedly lining up to use the sawmill to rebuild before winter. They also say they want to utilize felled trees which were killed by the fire or are dying now.  About 1,000 people lived in Concow before the deadly fire. And eight out of the 86 who died were in Concow.

A couple of new members appointed to the Ukiah Unified School District Board of Trustees after those who were in the seats moved out of the area. Zoey Fernandez appointed for Trustee Area Central, and José Díaz for Trustee Area North. José’s also on the UUSD District Advisory Committee. He says he wanted to be involved to support teachers and school staff who he says are the strength of the district. Fernandez is a Program Specialist for Mendocino County helping after the 2017 Redwood Complex Fire and she volunteers at one of her kids schools in Ukiah Unified. The two openings were announced in June and those who were interested in the spots were invited to interview.

 

News 8/21/19

An agreement reached for another three years between the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors and county union workers. Mendocino County SEIU Local 1021 agreeing to the new deal which the Daily Journal reports includes higher pay and health benefits. The two sides had been negotiating after the union held informational pickets last month on their lunch breaks. They were trying to get notice about their pay compared to those in comparable counties across the state. The Board of Supervisors had a negotiating team work with the union. The pay for union workers is now reportedly closer to other counties of comparable size. The board though says they’ve set aside money for the contract the first year but have to figure out how to pay for the second and third years.

A couple of cars and a cow collide in Mendocino County. The Ukiah Valley Fire Authority on the scene Monday night after the accident about five miles south of Talmage on Old River Road. A Honda Pilot hit the cow, then plowed into a Toyota pickup truck. There were no injuries reported.

Hundreds of thousands of state money reportedly misspent by a state agricultural association. The state auditor’s office reports staff members from one of the state’s 54 district agricultural associations were guilty of “gross mismanagement” of the district. The actual association has not been named, they generally oversee local fairs and exhibitions to show off California’s agricultural resources and products. Another state department charged with overseeing the ag. association didn’t find the violations for years. The CEO of the association and the maintenance supervisor reportedly let workers drink booze on the job and drive state-owned vehicles for personal use and use credit cards without receipts.

State regulators taking a look after residents in California are complaining they’re losing their homeowner’s insurance in fire prone areas. More than 340,000 rural homeowners have lost their insurance over four years. The Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s staff released the numbers this week showing non-renewals were up 6 percent over last year. Especially the areas affected by the 2015 and 2017 fires, those homeowners lost their insurance, 10 percent more than last year. One of the worst areas was in Nevada County, where they had a 38 percent jump from the year before. The numbers don’t include last year’s Camp Fire because some of the policies have not expired yet.

A new law in Calif. so folks have backup batteries for their garage door openers. It comes after some of the October 2017 fires and the Camp Fire last year.  Back in the 1990s, there was a rule where garage door openers had to have sensors. Now we take it further with a Senate Bill requiring all newly installed openers have battery backups for power.

The California’s teacher pension fund getting into politics, looking to join a lawsuit to change Facebook’s corporate governance practices. The California State Teachers’ Retirement System looking to join the lawsuit against Facebook’s leadership along with the Fireman’s Retirement System of St. Louis and retail investor Karen Sbriglio after it was revealed the political consulting company Cambridge Analytica got ahold of folks personal information without their knowledge, then used it for political purposes. The pension fund says they think weak corporate governance practices were partly to blame for the scandal that hurt Facebook’s stock price.

The governor recently calling on all citizens to be prepared in the case of an emergency. And so the state Assembly takes it a step further after 30 federally declared disasters in 2017 and 17 more in 2018. This year we’ve had a mild fire season so far, but still 51,000 acres have burned. There’s also been several earthquakes this year, including a couple of doozies leading to a state of emergency in Kern and San Bernardino counties. Assembly Bill 651 calling for air ambulances to be at the ready and for patients not to be charged for medical transport in the case of a state of emergency.

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s office on the lookout for a woman they say failed to appear in court for vandalism. In their weekly Warrant Wednesday post, the agency says they’re looking for 30 year old Amber Deanne King on a $10,000 warrant. She’s described as being 5′ 06″, 160 lbs. with brown hair and hazel eyes. She was last seen they say in Fort Bragg. Sheriff’s office asking anyone who may know where King is to call the department.

The new Chairman of the Hoopa Tribe in Humboldt County is sworn in and fires the police chief and a sergeant. Chairman Byron Nelson Jr. reportedly signing letters to fire the  Police Chief Dana Norton and Sergeant Michael Hass, a former Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputy hired in June. Norton had only been the police chief a short time, reportedly fired last week on the final day of his 18 month probationary period. Norton reportedly in trouble last month for insubordination. Norton telling a local newspaper he thinks he was fired because of corrupt political promises. An interim police chief was hired in the meantime.

Less students getting vaccinated in Butte County. The State Dept. of Public Health reporting on the numbers at both public and charter schools which show they are below recommended rates. The agency looks for a rate of 95% or higher in immunized students. And state law looks for public school kids to be vaccinated against 10 major communicable diseases unless they have an exemption. The rate went down as Butte County had the highest rate of measles in the state last year.  The schools apparently can’t stop students who don’t get their shots to enroll, but the Dept. of Public Health makes the numbers public at their website shotsforschools.org

News 8/20/19

After cops go after a stolen car near Hopland, a chase… Ukiah Police say they got a call from a woman who says her home was burglarized and her car stolen. Police saw the vehicle on the 101 and chased, but the driver took off past Hopland. They say one of the passengers in the car pulled the emergency brake as the car was in motion, so they spun out near the Green Bridge over the Russian River. The Daily Journal reports 2 women surrendered and two men took off into dense brush. The men have not been found, but the women were released after police find they were not involved in the burglary or car theft. They’re asking anyone who may know anything to call police.

Slow fire season so far. Cal Fire says the acreage burned this year is down 90% when you look at the average of the last five years. There have been 38 square miles of fires this year, down from an average of about 416 square miles in the same period the past five years. At this time last year, the Mendocino Complex fire was burning. And more than 970 square miles burned. Fires this year are down 15%. It only covers fires not on federal land, but the report also notes, typically the worst fires in Calif. have been in autumn.

The Ghost Ship trial is still going. The jury has had the case a few weeks with no determination on guilt for the two men accused in the deaths of 36 people at a party at the Oakland warehouse 2 ½  years ago. The judge has also dismissed three jurors and told the newly formed jury to start all over with alternates. The three month trial of Derick Almena and Max Harris now also includes a gag order for the lawyers on both sides, so they don’t speak to reporters.  The fire broke out in the warehouse, turned artist space that prosecutors say was packed with musical instruments, furniture and flammable debris with only two exits and no smoke detectors, fire alarms or sprinklers. Almena and Harris each face as much as 39 years in prison if convicted.

An apartment house is being proposed next to the homeless shelter on South State Street. The Daily Journal reports Redwood Community Services is looking to put up 30 single-occupancy apartments. The community development director told the Ukiah Planning Commission at their last meeting they’ve had several applications including two for housing. One of those for transitional, supportive housing across from the shelter, and another for eight single-family homes on West Gobbi Street. The director says they’ve also had some applications to put in Cannabis manufacturing and cultivation and retail outlets in the area.

Cannabis business is booming in Humboldt County. Manufacturing is a big business in Eureka and Arcata. The director of community development in Arcata says the cannabis industry is bringing jobs to the area. There are more than 30 marijuana businesses up and running in the city. In Eureka there are 60, with more than half in manufacturing and distribution. In Eureka too, there’s been between 300 and 600 jobs added in the city in the cannabis industry alone.  The city’s also both say the cannabis businesses are taking over and fixing old, dilapidated parts of the cities.

The “1,000 Hands to Protect Lake County Homes” project a success. Lake Co News reports Supervisor Rob Brown’s idea came to fruition last Saturday morning, the same weekend the Moose Fire that had burned nearby was declared 100% contained. The work to clear brush and debris along a six-mile stretch of Soda Bay Road from the Clear Lake Riviera to Soda Bay. Brown says he organized the event to protect the Soda Bay corridor against roadside fires. Brown was campaigning to get 500 volunteers, and ended up with 300. He says they got everything done he wanted to and finished early.

A suspected DUI driver on the run in Redding leads cops on a high speed chase. Police and the Shasta County sheriff’s dept chasing the driver and one passenger after they hit speeds of up to 100 mph before stopping because they hit spike strips. The driver id’d as Paul Cruz of Redding hit the strips after leading a chase for 35 miles. The car reported stolen the end of July in Redding. Cruz and his passenger Felicia Gensaw arrested early yesterday morning. Cruz on probation for drug crimes faces DUI, violation of probation and possession of a stolen vehicle charges. His passenger, Gensaw, for suspicion of possession of stolen property and of a substance which is believed to be methamphetamine.

Lake County needs a new CEO for the Fair. The current CEO, Courtny Conkle has accepted a job as manager of the Wyoming State Fair after nearly two years in Lake County. She will oversee the fair that runs Labor Day weekend, then start her new job in Wyoming Sept. 23^rd. Apparently she grew up in the industry with her family working at fairs her whole life. Her dad owns Conkle’s Concessions. She’s worked here locally, at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa and the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma. She says her new position in Wyoming is a governor-appointed position. If you’re interested in taking over the Lake County Fair next year, applications are available on the fair Web site or at the office on Martin St. For more information, call the fair office at 707-263-6181.

Kelseyville’s school board is considering what to do with the old Kelsey Creek Schoolhouse at their next meeting. The Board of Trustees is taking up the matter at the meeting tonight, reviewing a couple of proposals for the schoolhouse. The old building would have to be donated to a nonprofit after an agreement by the board in April. In May they approved a request for proposals for nonprofits with a 60 day proposal submission period. That ended July 31^st. Lake Co News reports the two proposals they received came from the Lake County Historical Society and the Lucerne Area Revitalization Association. One of the proposals to move the old building and the other to keep it where it is, renovate it and use it for events.

A vote coming on a proposed tobacco use prohibition ordinance in Clearlake. The proposal adds on to the places where smoking would be prohibited in the city. Right now there’s no smoking in any park, playground or recreation center. The new law would also add no puffing near bus stops, ATMs, at public events, near public buildings and several other businesses including bars and restaurants. There are penalties proposed for owners of businesses who don’t abide. There would also be no ashtrays allowed at the locations. And signs would have to go up saying there’s a smoking ban in place. It includes marijuana smoking, vaping and cigarettes. The meeting tonight at 6, then if approved, the ordinance would be put up for a final vote by the council on Sep. 12^th.

An Emergency Room from Adventist Health may be coming to Paradise. But it’s up to the state Legislature. There’s a bill in the Assembly now that would allow the Feather River Hospital to have free-standing emergency rooms. It comes after the Camp Fire which closed down the hospital because of damage. It was the only acute care hospital and the largest employer in Paradise. Other communities also counted on the hospital for care with many residents covered by Medicare or Medicaid with limited access to transportation. Right now it’s not authorized anywhere in Calif. to have free standing Emergency Rooms. The Feather River Health Center is opened again, but there are limited services there because it’s just a clinic, so the closest emergency room is in Chico. The bill has passed several committees and gets a 3^rd reading today by the Assembly.

More than a billion dollars allocated by the state Transportation Commission for more than 130 highway projects across the state. 133 State Highway Operation and Protection Program, or SHOPP, projects. The Caltrans director says they’ve been making progress to strengthen the transportation system in the state after Senate Bill 1 passed in 2017, the Road Repair and Accountability Act. The money being used on a backlog of projects, 880 lane miles, 30 bridges, 474 congestion reducing devices, and the repair of 83 culverts to prevent flooding on highways. It includes the 101 in Mendocino County and also Route 1 in Mendocino County.

The Governor has signed a controversial police deadly use of force bill into law after the shooting of an unarmed black man in Sacramento last year. Governor Newsom was surrounded by a number of lawmakers, family members of those who had a relative die in a police shooting and supporters of the legislation as he signed the bill yesterday. The Assembly Bill calls for cops to try first with words instead of weapons to de-escalate a situation. The new law won’t go into effect until next January 1^st and states, police can only use deadly force if “necessary in defense of human life.” Right now cops are allowed to shoot if they find it “reasonable.” The new law also says prosecutors should consider police officers’ actions leading to the shooting as they decide if deadly force was justified.

News 8/19/19

A woman in Willits has been arrested for trespassing. Mendocino deputies sent to a suspicious female in a parked SUV, but when they arrived, they didn’t see her. Then later they were summoned to the same property again, this time the woman, reported to be lying face down in a field. When they arrived, they found her, back in the driver’s seat of the SUV and identified her as Jennifer Risch who they say drove off as they got there. They followed and tried stopping her, but she kept going even when they flipped on their siren and emergency lights, near where pedestrians were walking and says she drove into the oncoming traffic lane. She went off the road and hit a utility pole, splitting it in half, got out and then they say she looked like she was doing yoga. They finally got her and took her to a hospital. And after being medically cleared she was booked on $35,000.00 bail.

A woman in Redwood Valley’s been arrested after reports of a domestic violence incident. Deputies say when they got there, they found a 58 year old man who said he was in a relationship with Terressa Depree on and off for approximately four years, but on that day, they got into an argument over ownership of a can of coffee.  During that time, she started pushing him around, trying to toss him down a flight of stairs, and bit him.  She was arrested for Felony Domestic Violence Battery and held on $25,000.00 bail.

Not looking good for Yokayo Bowling Center. The owner says they’re closing for good September 14^th, even if there’s a last minute reprieve like they got last year. Mike Schultz tells the Daily Journal he can’t do a month to month lease anymore because he makes most money off of bowling leagues which don’t operate month to month, saying they’d have to go until at least May of next year. He goes on to say he got notice he has to vacate the premises by the end of Sept. He says he even offered to buy the building, but he was turned down.

Hemp’s a growing industry in Lake County. The Board of Supervisors to consider an agreement for the county to be paid by the State to register hemp growers and for that, enforce hemp regulations. A memo to the board by the county agricultural commissioner says the agreement with the Dept. of Food and Agriculture means $2,000 back to the county for the registrations. So far there are 33 hemp registrants in the county. The Ag. office will also get money back to train staff, for public outreach and enforcement against growers who don’t follow the rules, related equipment, vehicle and bookkeeping costs.

A shortage of doctors in Calif. The state facing a shortage, specifically, of primary care physicians, especially in rural areas and low-income inner city areas. A new study by Healthforce Center at UC San Francisco says the shortage could impact millions of people within ten years. Apparently adding to that is a third of the doctors in Calif are over 55 and may retire soon. Some studies show Calif. may need to find up to 10,000 primary care clinicians, which includes nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

Lake County Board of Supervisors taking up the Potter Valley Project at their next meeting. The Board to decide if they should be involved in the group purchasing the project from PG&E. The group to look into the water supply and species concerns in the Eel River and the Upper Russian River. The others in the consortium, the Sonoma County Water Agency, the Mendocino Inland Water and Power Commission, California Trout, Inc., and Humboldt County. The entities already entered a project planning agreement and Lake County had previously agreed to be part of it.

A major street paving project considered in Lakeport. The City Council will decide who to award the project to. The Public Works Director reportedly going to ask the council to award the South Main Street Pavement Rehabilitation Project to their lowest bidder for about 356,000. They would repair about 815 feet of South Main Street, including traffic control, cold planing, full-depth reclamation cement, paving and pavement markings. The council will first meet to discuss some litigation tomorrow night before the regular meeting.

An opening has been announced on the Mendocino-Lake Community College District Board of Trustees. Trustee Area No. 7 which includes Kelseyville and the surrounding areas in southwest Lake County is vacant. The board oversees the performance of the Mendocino-Lake Community College District. If you’re interested, you must be at least 18 years old, live in the District and be a registered voter. You can get more info at www.mendocino.edu applications have to be in by August 29^th.

A missing hiker from Northern Calif missing in the Trinity Alps has been found dead. EMT Daniel Komins found yesterday morning. The Trinity County Sheriff’s Office reports a helicopter spotted his backpack off a trail near Mirror Lake. His body found nearby.  They say at first look it seems he may have fallen in the steep and rocky terrain. He was missing since August 14^th when his girlfriend reported he had not come home. He was described as an experienced hiker who went out alone on a five day trip  about 75 miles northwest of Redding.

Calif. named as one of more than a dozen states with 120 cases of lung disease or injury they say could be linked to vaping. A CNN survey of state health departments finds 15 confirmed cases in Wisconsin, the state with the most cases… and another 15 they’re investigating. Illinois has 10 confirmed and 12 more cases being investigated and California has 19 being investigated. In New York, their State Department of Health says they’re “actively investigating” 11 cases. Indiana and New Jersey both reported nine cases. A total of 42 states and Washington, DC answered CNN for the survey.

The Moose Fire has been 100% contained officially. Cal Fire out with a statement yesterday they’ve totally surrounded the fire near Hopland after 225 acres burned. Three firefighters had minor injuries, but no structures were damaged or destroyed.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Another person who died in the Camp Fire has been identified. The Butte County Sheriff’s office reported 68 year old Judith Sipher of Paradise was positively identified which brings the number of those who’ve been positively id’d to 81. The remains of three people found after the deadliest fire in Calif. history were tentatively identified but have not yet been publicly released by the sheriff’s office. Two of the 86 victims are still not known. The fire last November destroyed the town of Paradise, burning almost 15,000 homes in Paradise and nearby towns.

A man from Trinity County has been reported missing after moving out of his permanent residence. Deputies on the lookout for 73 year old William Elliot who has not been seen or heard from since August 5^th. He was officially reported missing on the 11^th. He apparently no longer has a permanent address in the county and is believed to have moved several months ago to Lewiston. Deputies say he had been kicked out of his house and told others he was planning to live in his car with his cat. They have not reported any foul play.

A man from Marysville has been arrested in connection to the stabbing death of his mother. Police say Otoniel Carranza turned himself in Friday afternoon saying he attacked his 37 year old mom in their apartment. They went to the home, finding the woman with multiple stab wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene. No word on a motive. The State Department of Justice is helping detectives work the case. The man reportedly booked into the Yuba County Jail on suspicion of murder and held on $1 million bail.

A man reportedly fishing with friends on Lake Shasta has drowned. The incident near Packers Bay over the weekend. The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office reports the man went into the water to cool off after he and some friends ran out of gas on their fishing boat. Three other men with the man, who’s name has not been released. They were apparently floating on the boat after running out of gas, none had on life jackets. The friends say they saw him struggling to swim and tried to help and threw a life jacket and ropes for him, but he went under. They called 911 and several local law enforcement agencies came out with divers who couldn’t find him.