PM News- 2 11/29/19

A carjacking suspect is dead after getting put in a restraint by sheriff’s deputies outside Sebastopol. Sheriff’s officials say deputies meant to make him unconscious following a chase yesterday morning. The man was reported to have experienced a medical emergency after being put in handcuffs and he was rushed to Petaluma Valley Hospital, where he died.

Developers are fighting back against a new Windsor regulation that bans natural gas in new homes. The county is getting sued by developers who aren’t ok with the city requiring that most new homes use electric appliances for cooking and heating instead of natural gas technology. They claim the ban violates state environmental law and ignores the increased use of generators by folks who live in homes that don’t have gas.

SMART will be offering free rides for all passengers during limited service through December 1st. The free rides on five northbound and five southbound trains from San Rafael to the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport.

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office is warning folks about a credit card skimming operation going on in Auburn. Deputies say that they have found several skimmers at numerous gas stations throughout the area. Multiple pumps had the skimmers embedded in them, so it was pretty much impossible to know what was happening. At this time, the Sheriff’s Office recommends monitoring your bank account and credit cards for unauthorized transactions. The suspects have been known to use the stolen credit card info to buy gift cards. If your card or statements have been affected, contact the sheriff’s office. To avoid skimmers, go inside and pay the cashier; and, better yet, use cash.

Seven people are displaced from their home following a Thanksgiving Day apartment fire in Fairfield. Flames broke out yesterday morning on Gregory Street. Firefighters were able to get it under control relatively quickly, but four units were destroyed. Investigators say the fire was accidental and caused by the soldering of pipes. Damage is estimated at 100-thousand dollars.

With Black Friday sales going on across the nation, the Regional Park District in the East Bay wants people to come visit their parks instead of shopping. District officials said on Thursday that they are waiving fees for activities at their parks during Black Friday in an effort to encourage people to spend the day outdoors. This has been a tradition for the East Bay Regional Park District. This is the fifth year in a row for the event called “Green Friday.”

Humane Society Silicon Valley is helping save animals across California thanks to a Petco grant. The organization got a grant from the Petco Foundation in September. They used the 61-thousand-dollar grant to buy a truck that helps re-home homeless dogs and cats awaiting adoption in shelters throughout California. It travels between northern and southern parts of the state, relieving shelters of dogs and cats that struggle to find a home.

Folks in the South Bay who are looking to adopt a pet are in luck. Humane Society Silicon Valley is launching its Home for the Holidays adoption program today in which any adult animal at its three locations has adoption fees of just twenty bucks. The program highlights animals that have been with the organization for a long time or have special needs. People can take advantage of the offer through January 5th.

Fire officials are warning folks to make sure your fireplaces are cleaned and inspected every year before firing them up in the winter. Several house fires this time of year are started after someone starts a fire without having their chimney cleaned and properly inspected.

A body was discovered Thursday night after a fire near Middletown. Fire crews received the call of a fire on Grange Road at around 6 pm, when they arrived, they found an RV engulfed in flames right beside the home. Unfortunately, the firefighters didn’t have any water supply. At 6:30, crews were able to search the RV finally and found the body. The fire was tapped out shortly before 6:40 pm. At this time, no information has been made available.

The two men charged with the murder of a Lucerne man made their first court appearance on Tuesday. 49-year-old Daniel Ford and 35-year-old Michael Shaffer who allegedly killed 70-year-old Nicky Smith last Saturday morning and left his body on the side of the road near Lakeport. Both men were arrested that evening and are facing numerous charges of murder committed during an attempted robbery, kidnapping, and carjacking. The Lake County News reports that District Attorney Susan Krones said that this wasn’t a random killing Smith had prior contact with both Ford and Shaffer. The two are at the Lake County Jail without bond.

Mendocino County Law enforcement arrested a man in connection to the hit-and-run death of a skateboarder back in July. 21-year-old Calum Pulido got hit by a car on Little Lake Road near the intersection of Highway 1 in Mendocino. According to the Press Democrat, 36-year-old Ricky Santos was arrested Wednesday and charged with being an accessory. Santos was the passenger in the car, CHP is still searching for the driver 41-year-old Gina Bean.

The Kincade burn area is under a Flash Flood Watch with a storm expected to roll in sometime tomorrow, bringing heavy rains that could last until early Monday morning. That could trigger flash flooding in the northern Sonoma County-area that was scarred by wildfires back in October.

The Clearlake Police Department initiated ‘Operation Drive Safe,’ special enforcement that focused on traffic-related violations on Tuesday. Between 8 am until 6 pm, regular patrol, including five additional officers, racked up a total of 74 traffic stops. Ten criminal, 27 moving, and 17 parking citations were issued and 11 arrests. Officials with the Clearlake PD want to make sure that local drivers and visitors from out of town get to their holiday destinations safely; plus, it makes Clearlake a cleaner, safer city.

The Ukiah Salvation Army needs Bell Ringers for its annual Red Kettle Campaign in Mendocino County. The posts set up this year in Ukaih will be at Safeway, Walmart, Lucky Supermarket, and Raley’s and in Willits (Will-lets) at the Grocery Outlet. The money raised in Mendocino County stays in the county to help with a variety of programs ranging from food pantries, emergency food and housing services, seasonal fundraising, and so much more. Each volunteer session is two hours, and volunteers are protected from the elements throughout the time.

The 12th annual “Wreaths Across America” commemoration in Lake County is Saturday, December 14th. Every year millions of Americans gather to remember the fallen and honor those who serve and teach the next generation about the value of freedom. The National Wreaths Across America Day event takes place in local and national cemeteries in all 50 states. In Lake County, ceremonies are being held at Hartley, Kelseyville, Lower Lake, Middletown, St. Mary’s, and Upper Lake.

PM News 11/29/19

A federal bankruptcy court judge rejected Pacific Gas & Electric’s latest attempt to change the state law that requires utilities to pay for the damage caused by wildfires if ignited by their equipment. Utilities used to be able to recoup their losses by raising rates, but two years ago the Public Utilities Commission rejected a request from San Diego Gas & Electric to do so after their equipment sparked major fires in the region. PG&E can still appeal the decision.

Homeless people at the Joe Rodota Trail homeless camp in Santa Rosa now has access to toilets. Portable toilets and hand-washing stations are now at the encampment, which houses at least 170 people. An advocate group worked to get the facilities, which were delivered earlier this week.

Two Sonoma County residents are being identified as the victims of a deadly crash in San Jose. The bodies of 22-year-old Dominique Uribe and 26-year-old Giovanni Broussard was found last week off Highway 101. An investigation shows their vehicle left the highway and started rolling, hitting at least one tree before stopping. It wasn’t immediately known why the vehicle left the road.

The California DMV made millions last year from selling drivers’ personal data. Data obtained by Motherboard, Vice’s tech news site, found the DMV made over 51-million dollars by selling driver’s information to interested parties during 2018 to 2019 fiscal year. Drivers’ names, addresses, and car registration information were some of the data being sold.

Needy families were given plenty of goods after the nation’s largest timed turkey trot in the Bay Area. This is the event’s 15th year and it drew over 22-thousand runners and raised an estimated 900-thousand dollars. According to officials, the race has raised over eight-point-seven-million dollars for five charities over the course of its fifteen years.

News 11/29/19

A freeze warning was issued last night for Santa Rosa, Napa and surrounding areas, including Marin County. The warning is in effect until nine o’clock this morning. Weather officials said temperatures may drop to the mid-20s. Isolated areas may see temperatures in the low 20s.

A head-on collision on Highway 101 during hail and heavy rain, Wednesday afternoon killed one man and injured two others. According to CHP, the crash happened shortly before 1 pm in Humboldt County near Salmon Creek Road. Two men in an SUV headed southbound lost control and veered into the northbound lanes directly into the path of oncoming traffic crashing into an SUV driven by 45-year-old Teresa Bowles. The male driver of the SUV died at the scene the male passenger was treated for minor injuries. Bowles was hospitalized for minor injuries.

Planning officials will be presenting the Santa Rosa city council with an outline of plans for the future of the downtown area sometime next week. The plan features several tall buildings and new apartments.

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is going green. Tonight, they will be holding a ceremony where a giant switch will light a 65-foot Christmas Tree and surrounding buildings, powered by solar power. This event also kicks off the Holiday in the Park event that runs today through January 5th.

A federal bankruptcy court judge is upholding a California law that requires utilities to pay for fire damages. The law drove PG&E into bankruptcy protection 10 months ago as it faced at least 20-billion dollars in losses which stemmed from a series of deadly wildfires in 2017 and 2018. The ruling is a victory for thousands of wildfire victims.

People across the Bay Area are being urged not to burn wood this weekend. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is making the request to prevent air quality impacts in inland valleys and neighborhoods.

News 11/27/19

Sonoma County’s getting millions in state aid after the Kincade fire. The $11 million authorized from the Office of Emergency Services. After the fire, estimated costs were $6.3 million for the county and another $4.7 million in firefighting for the county. The state has reportedly offered 75% of the costs so the county would have to cover $2.75 million of the cost. The county still has six months to account for all of the costs so the numbers could change. The Press Democrat reports local officials saying Sen. Mike McGuire and Assemblyman Jim Wood were instrumental in securing the funds for the County. The Kincade fire blackened nearly 78,000 acres, and burned 374  structures, including 174 homes.

A well-known American rock climber injured after falling from El Capitan at Yosemite National Park. But apparently Emily Harrington was rescued by several people, including a star climber, Alex Honnold, who tried to climb the same spot and was highlighted in a documentary last year called, Free Solo.  Harrington took to social media to thank those with her when she fell, a picture of her on Instagram shows some cuts and bruises on her face and neck. Harrington is the recipient of five United States sports climbing national championships.

The deadline to file a claim for wildfire losses from PG&E has been extended. If you have been a victim of wildfires caused by the utility company you have until December 31^st to file with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of California. The extension as part of PG&E’s bankruptcy filing in January for anyone with a claim, including, but not limited to property owners, renters, occupants, businesses and others. You can do it online at officialfireclaims.com. The court appointed claims rep says anyone who qualifies has an opportunity to get money for loss or injury from the Northern California fires that happened before PG&E filed for Chapter 11.

A man on parole has been arrested after police pull him over for a traffic related violation. A Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputy found Carlos White was on State Parole, with a search and seizure clause. The deputy says he told White to get out of the car several times, but he refused, and he was acting strange. He finally got out and was handcuffed and a search of his car turned up a loaded .45 caliber handgun, a digital scale, .45 caliber ammunition, and several baggies of suspected methamphetamine. He’s charged with several crimes including possession of a loaded firearm and possession of drugs. He was booked without bail due to his parole.

City leaders in Ukiah jockeying for position to be part of the location scouting for the new mental health treatment facility to be paid for by Measure B sales tax funds. The Daily Journal reports the Deputy City Manager saying it’s imperative for a local jurisdiction to have say in a facility before it’s location is confirmed. The Deputy City Manager serves on the Measure B Oversight Committee. The City working with the County and the developers along with the Rural Communities Housing Development Corporation to stay within city design aesthetic and building standards.

The auditor-controller/county clerk in Lake County will temporarily take over as the Registrar of Voters while the county looks for a new registrar to lead the department after the last Registrar resigned. Catherine McMullen announced her departure less than six months after taking over the office. Lake Co News reports McMullen posted on social media that her job was a nightmare and said she was bullied. Longtime Registrar Diane Fridley retired last December and in February, her deputy, Maria Valadez, also left for a job in Mendocino County. The board of supervisors also got into a whole discussion about totally restructuring the department and the controller’s office.

The Lake County’s winter warming center is opening for the season. The Hope Harbor Warming Center is opening Monday, Dec. 2^nd at New Hope Fellowship Church in Lakeport, by Kmart. It opens around dinner time and those wanting to stay have to get there before 7:30 p.m. They say they will not accommodate late arrivals. They say their mission is to create a space that’s physically and emotionally safe for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation. They’re staying open each weeknight, Monday through Friday through the end of March 2020.

Donations for the Warming Center can be sent to the Kelseyville United Methodist Church, the center’s fiscal sponsor. Please make any checks payable to the church and put “warming center”on the memo line. Mail to P.O. Box 446 Kelseyville CA 95451. PayPal donations are also welcome at the Hope Harbor website www.hopeharborlakecounty.com .

Nightmare at Oakland International Airport as lights go out as heavy rain is coming down. The power outage last night about 7 p.m. Backup power generators were on but it still caused quite the hassle. The power was out for over an hour and the airport put out a statement saying they were investigating why it happened to begin with. Some departures were delayed, but arrivals kept coming. The power outage started to pop up on social media accounts around 6:30 p.m. some folks saying it was scary to land in the dark. The TSA stopped their line because X-ray machines and scanners were offline so they weren’t letting anyone thru security checkpoints.

A man who worked for PG&E for more than 20 years says he was unceremoniously fired after complaining about a device being used to restart a power line after it turns off. Todd Hearn, a PG&E lineman for more than 20 years, says he complained about reclosers which allowed workers to fix lines, but they’re also known to shoot bursts of electricity that could potentially start a fire. PG&E released a statement saying they were aware Hearn filed a legal motion with the bankruptcy court, but they don’t “comment on employment-related matters” for privacy reasons.

The Ukiah Holiday Trolley coming back to the streets for the holidays. There will be downtown stops starting Black Friday going until December 22^nd.  The trolley’s been around for more than two decades now. You can find guides and routes at the Ukiah Valley Conference Center, Savings Bank of Mendocino, El Azteca and Holes in the Wall as well as other places.

Another “A” rating for Adventist Health Ukiah Valley for patient safety. The Leapfrog Group bestowed the rating on the hospital for the second time this year. It comes via an independent watchdog group which assesses hospitals across the country recognizing Adventist as one of the safest in the nation. There was also an “A” rating in the spring. The president of the hospital says it’s a “testament to the continued dedication and hard work of our providers and staff to provide the highest standards of care to our community.” The survey included more than 2,600 hospitals across the country. About 1/3 of them received “A” grades. But only 91 of 275 hospitals received an “A” rating in  Calif.

PM News 11/26/19

Forecasters say storms like the one slamming into northern and interior California only happen once or twice a year, but – just our luck – this time it is hitting during one of the busiest travel times of the year too. Look for a variety of potential weather-related hazards depending on where you are or where you are going. There is a flash flood watch for the area scarred by the Kincaid fire last month, a winter storm warning for elevations above 2,000 feet in Lake County, that could see more than 18 inches of snow, and a high wind warning for the ridges and coastal lowlands of Mendocino County for gusts as high as 70 miles an hour through Wednesday. If your travel plans take you north and east toward the Sierra Nevada, it will be even worse as big mountain snowfalls could make driving difficult, if not
impossible. Meteorologists even have a scary sounding name for this type of storm. A “bomb cyclone” is the equivalent of a category 1 hurricane. We’ll see a small break around the holiday, but another storm system threatens travel-busting conditions later in the weekend

Mendocino County deputies have arrested a man from Laytonville who they say had a stolen gun inside a business on North Highway 101 and fired the weapon while a 7-year-old child was nearby. Deputies say a search warrant led them to the .44 magnum, and surveillance video showed 38-year-old Niko Steffan allegedly firing it in the business last Wednesday morning around 8:30. Steffan already said to be on probation and prohibited from having a weapon. Charges against him include willful cruelty to a child, illegal discharge of a firearm, receiving stolen property, and violation of probation. He was booked into the Mendocino County lockup where the judge set bail at $25,000.

A report says the California DMV is making money selling off your personal data. According to the website Vice, the DMV hauled in more than fifty million dollars in the last fiscal year by selling to third party groups like data brokers, credit bureaus and private
investigators. The state won’t say just what’s for sale but that it is all perfectly legal and carefully monitored for authorized use only.

News 11/26/19

A man from Ukiah’s found guilty of having a firearm. The Mendocino County DA’s Facebook page has a post about James Robert Nix being found partially guilty on several charges. Guilt for assault with a firearm and the jury found true a separate sentencing enhancement that the defendant personally used a .40 caliber Glock handgun in the commission of an assault. But the jury was stumped and could not reach a unanimous verdict on another count for the same crime and another special allegation but involving a second separate victim, so there was a mistrial declared for that separate count and allegation. Nix is due back in court December 11th to decide if there will be a retrial.

A home in Ukiah used as an exercise for firefighters has been burned to the ground. The Daily Journal reports the home at the corner of North Orchard Avenue and Brush Street had been donated by the Rural Communities Housing Development Corporation. The home was apparently going to be torn down. So firefighters got to make it a training opportunity. The newspaper reports firefighters learning how to handle a hose, use a chainsaw and ventilate a roof and how to climb up a ladder if they had to get to a second story window.

In home health workers getting a pay bump. As part of their new contract, the Mendocino County In-Home Support Service (IHSS) Bargaining Team gets a raise and their wages won’t fall below $1 above minimum wage. They also get a $5,000 training fund for new trainings. The new contract has to be voted on by members by Monday, then the vote count will be held Tuesday. In Home Health Services says their new contract was put together to build a stronger program for providers, customers and families with higher wages, improved benefits and to protect the rights of the workers.

Thanks to the latest Eagle Scout project, more improvements have been made at the Lakeport Library. Boy Scout Troop 39 did all of the landscaping around the front of the library led by a junior at Clear Lake High, Scout Sayer Ford. It’s the third project to help beautify the library. Two other efforts already complete for a children’s patio and a parking island with planter boxes.

There will be a new roadmap to decide if certain streets should be included in the city of Clearlake’s maintained road system. The City Council directing staff to start the process after the city’s consulting engineer said most of the road development in Clearlake happened before the city was incorporated in 1980. After the city officially came together, the county turned over a list of streets it would maintain. So now staffers went back over that list and subdivision maps to confirm the list and create a reliable grid working with the county surveyor.

Congressman Mike Thompson says he’s running for office again, filing for reelection in the Fifth Congressional District. The district covers all of Napa County and parts of Lake, Sonoma, Solano and Contra Costa counties. Thompson put out a statement that he was running again to represent the Congressional District in Congress. He says there’s still work to do to invest in infrastructure, fight to pass comprehensive immigration reform and protect Dreamers, continue honoring promises to veterans and their families and to tackle climate change to make sure we have a planet to pass on to the generations that follow us.

A credit’s coming to your PG&E bill after multiple public safety power shutoffs. The utility company reported the credit was for those who lost power in the first, October 9^th intentional power down to prevent wildfires in Red Flag weather conditions. $100 credit for residential customers and $250 for commercial customers. But they say they’re not going to credit customers for the Oct. 23^rd, 26^th, 29^th or Nov. 20^th shutoffs. The utility apparently taking ownership for poor communication efforts during just the first power down. At the same time state regulators are investigating if PG&E met requirements to turn off power as a last resort and to only impact the fewest customers as possible.

PM News 11/25/19

The weather is about to take a turn for the worse, just in time for the Thanksgiving getaway. What you’ll get, will depend on where you are, or where you’ll be heading. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning and a wind advisory in Lake County. The storm warning is up from 10:00 Tuesday morning until 4:00 on Wednesday afternoon for locations above 2,000 feet. The wind advisory is out from 6:00 Tuesday evening until 6:00 on Wednesday morning. It will be rainy in lower areas but places in the county’s mountain areas might have snow of 5 to 10 inches or more. Mendocino County has a high wind warning from 1:00 on Tuesday afternoon until 4:00 Wednesday morning, with some gusts topping 60 miles an hour, both in coastal areas and on ridges and mountain passes. Winds could lead to power outages and tough driving, especially for high profile vehicles. Meanwhile, heavy rain is forecast toward the south toward Sonoma County and beyond. There could be 40-foot waves out at sea and two feet of snow if you’re heading to the Sierra Nevada north and west. Overall, it looks like a messy couple days ahead across Northern California, right in the middle of one of the busiest travel times of the year.

A man from Covelo is facing several serious charges after a chase that made its way through parts of Ukiah over the weekend. Sheriff’s deputies say 19-year-old Georgie Hoaglin-Britton sped away after deputies tried to pull him over early Saturday. He eventually crashed into a tree and a mailbox and bailed, even jumping onto a roof of a nearby house before deputies, CHP, and Ukiah Police officers were able to take him in. He was taken to the hospital to be checked out, then released and booked into jail. He is charged with multiple felonies, including evading, hit and run, driving under the influence of drugs, and violation of probation, among others.

News 11/25/19

A man from Potter Valley has been arrested for a stabbing in front of his house. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s office reports getting a call to a domestic disturbance last Monday morning, a man reporting he’d been stabbed, then later called back and said he was fine and didn’t need help. Deputies went anyway to the home and found a man injured, Joseph Ansbury, who said his injury was an accident and self-inflicted. They went into the home and spoke to the guy’s girlfriend who said they had a fight, and he choked her to a point where she felt she was about to lose consciousness and in self-defense, she stabbed Asbury to try to get away from him. Asbury’s charged with domestic violence battery and held on $25,000.00 bail.

Two men have been arrested after reports of another man’s death and carjacking. Police say Michael Schaffer was arrested after a traffic stop in Nice Friday night. He was contacted regarding Nicky Smith’s death and denied any involvement. Later Friday night Daniel Ford was arrested at the Running Creek Casino and also denied anything. The two men are charged with Murder, Kidnapping, Robbery, and Carjacking. The two both had parole and probation violations and held on one million dollars bail. Police are asking for the public’s help regarding any circumstances surrounding Smith’s death and in locating Darlene Anderson of Lucerne. Detectives say they think Anderson may know something about the crime and that she could be living in the Nice or Lucerne area.

A man arrested after reports of someone with a gun at a home in Fort Bragg. Deputies got a call last Tuesday to the 18000 block of North Highway 1 and found a 50 year-old victim. The victim told police he was confronted by two people, Connie Braga and Alan Garibay.  Garibay was not allowed to have any guns. But the victim says he pointed a semi-automatic pistol at him and threatened to kill him so the victim rode away on his bike, but says he was approached by a car with Christopher Braga inside. He too had a gun and threatened the victim. He hit the victim in the head several times and took off. The victim had minor injuries and Connie and Christopher Braga and Garibay were all arrested on multiple charges that include, assault with a firearm, criminal threats and possession of a firearm while in possession of narcotics.

Middletown High is teaming up with Lake County Behavioral Health Services for a pilot program across the country on Mental Health First Aid. The program starts in the spring of next year. It’s an in person training for high schoolers to get educated on mental illnesses and addictions so they can identify them, then respond to friends in trouble. The administrators of the program say it will empower high school students to help their friends when there’s a mental health problem or crisis, like suicidal thoughts. The National Council for Behavioral Health along with Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way Foundation” are piloting the course in more than 75 high schools across the country. Middletown High School was one of 40 for the second cohort of the pilot program.

Learn more about Mental Health First Aid at www.MentalHealthFirstAid.org.

After a couple months of the public safety power shutoffs, the city of Ukiah is moving to improve communications with PG&E. The Daily Journal reports the city council took up the matter at their meeting last week. Public comments included needing the utility company to improve their infrastructure. The City Council has an Ad Hoc committee set up for the matter including looking into workshops for “Energy Resiliency” and how the public at large can become more energy independent. Some ideas were more PG&E workers on the ground and to have the city considered a “transmission customer”, and since there are thousands of residential customers, to have the city not a simple residential customer.

Business tax rates for the legal cannabis industry are going up. But the Humboldt County Growers Alliance says it’ll add support to the black market instead. And the California Cannabis Industry Association released a statement saying their members are “stunned and outraged” saying an eighth of an ounce will be about $5-10 more now. The taxes set to start Jan. 1^st where it’s believed mom-and-pop farms or small businesses could feel it the most.

Some additions to labor agreements between several unions and the Lake County Board of Supervisors include one-time stipends to several county employees. The side letters approved for the $1,500 stipends, but they’ve yet to be finalized. The unions including the Lake County Deputy Sheriffs Association and the Lake County Deputy District Attorneys Association looking for the “retention stipends” or advance pay or a gesture of good faith for the employees. The board will take up the matter tomorrow for the addendums, or side letters for permanent, full-time employees of certain classifications known as “Employee Recognition and Retention Stipends.”

City leaders and grocery store workers getting together with church leaders and utility company employees for this year’s Operation Gobble. Golden State Water’s campaign, a statewide donation program delivering thousands of turkeys for Thanksgiving every November thru community centers, churches and schools. They’ve delivered more than 240,000 birds since they began back in 1990. And the Clearlake Peace Officers Association and the city council are adding side dishes with the Thanksgiving meals mashed potatoes, stuffing and desserts.

PM News 2 – 11/22/19

A high-speed chase through Sonoma County early Thursday morning ended with the suspect pulling into his own driveway and surrendering to deputies. According to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy noticed a motorcycle speeding in a 25mph zone shortly before 3 a.m. 48-year-old Thomas Jackson, the driver of the bike refused to pullover and continued east down River Road at speeds of 110mph. Jackson has been charged with felony evading law enforcement, felony altering vehicle registration, resisting arrest and driving with a suspended driver’s license.

The Lake County man who died in a car crash earlier this week in Napa County is being remembered for his support and efforts in the community. 32-year-old Johnathan Thorn of Lower Lake was killed in a head-on collision on Highway 29 near Bale Lane early Tuesday morning. He was involved in numerous projects such as the Westside Community Park in Lakeport. He was also a member of the Westside Community Park Committee for four years.

Cooler temperatures and rain are in the forecast for Thanksgiving week according to the National Weather Service. Rain is expected to roll in on Tuesday afternoon or evening when the weather pattern changes. Lake County can expect to see rain starting on Tuesday all the way into Turkey Day.

AAA is predicting this Thanksgivings travel numbers to be second highest since the American Automobile Association began tracking travel volume. This year there is expected to be around 49.3 million people who will be hitting the road, the most seen since back in 2005.

Sonoma County might be about to allow commercial hemp cultivation. The county Planning Commission voted 4-1 Thursday on a set of zoning rules for growing the new crop.

PM News 11/22/19

Sonoma County estimates the local economy lost at least 50-to-70-million-dollars from just one of October’s PG&E public safety outages. The numbers were calculated by the county’s Economic Development Board and Moody’s Analytics-based the number of customers turned off for as long as three days, starting October 9th, and on data provided by more than 560 businesses surveyed. The total doesn’t include lost wages. PG&E has implemented wildfire prevention outages all over Northern California six-times over the last two-months.

A woman was found dead after a fire destroyed a condominium in Windsor Friday morning. When fire crews arrived on the scene around 6 a.m. the Courtyards East subdivision near Highway 101’s Central Windsor exit the condo was fully engulfed in flames. Once the fire was tapped out, crews discovered the body of a woman in the bedroom. At this time the cause of both the fire and the woman’s death are unknown.

A homicide investigation is underway after a man was found stabbed to death at a home near Coddingtown Mall. The Santa Rosa Police Department says officers responded to the home off Jennings Avenue Thursday afternoon after a woman found the man’s body and called 9-1-1. Police are still working to confirm the man’s identity but say he’s 55-years-old. His injuries were reportedly consistent with a struggle.

Ten California agencies are overpaying for workers comp insurance by millions. That finding from a state audit out today. It shows the agencies paid 20-million dollars more over five years because they used a different insurer and not the state provider. The agencies include Veterans Affairs, Transportation and the Secretary of State’s Office.