A teenager reported missing yesterday is safe. Clearlake police say 13-year-old DeShawn Mills has returned home after a bulletin was sent out that he was missing earlier in the day.
City manager Sage Sangiacomo has told the city council that Ukiah’s revenue is down over the past year. He says projections from the city tax consultant show that the numbers are down significantly for the second quarter in a row. Sangiacomo says one reason is a downturn in the cannabis industry, not just in Ukiah but across Northern California. He says that the downturn has a ripple effect across the economy. Despite the income slowdown, Sangiacomo thinks the city is well-positioned with a budget surplus and reserves, so there is no need for a knee-jerk reaction. However, he is concerned that the problem is long-term and something city leaders should be aware of as they draw up future budgets. That process for the coming year is now underway.
The city of Fort Bragg is looking for volunteers to help spruce up the Otis Johnson Wilderness Park as we count down the days until spring. The seven-acre park in the middle of the city is home to a vibrant ecosystem, and the group Conservation Works says that it is important to keep the forest, soil, and water there healthy and resilient in the face of environmental challenges. The work includes planting redwoods, cleaning the creek, and pulling up invasive plants. The first of four stewardship days is this Saturday, with three other opportunities on March 2nd, March 18th, and March 25th. The Fort Bragg city website has information on how you can get involved.
Another candidate in the race for the US Senate in 2024, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, has announced she will run for the seat now held by Senator Diane Feinstein, who is retiring. Lee is the third Democrat to get in. The others are also in Congress—Katie Porter and Steve Schiff. Lots more Democrats will be in by the time the primary rolls around next year because it is a once-in-a-generation opening for the seat that has belonged to Feinstein since 1993.
Tesla is opening some of its fast superchargers to everyone by the end of next year. That could help drivers with other models who are sometimes frustrated trying to find a plug-in. Tesla has by far the biggest infrastructure of any EV maker, so this could help expand the market even more. The deal to give more access was announced by the White House. Tesla has three superchargers in Mendocino County—in Ukiah, Fort Bragg, and Laytonville.
If you’re called and serve on a jury in California, the pay is minimal—$15 a day unless your employer gives you paid time off. A bill in the Assembly would change that for low-income jurors. Sponsors say no one should have to face financial hardship, so their bill would raise the daily stipend to $100 for those who make 80% of the average wage in their county and are not paid by their employer for off time, are self-employed, or are unemployed. It would only apply to criminal cases. Prosecutors and defense lawyers agree it would be a good idea to ensure all defendants get a constitutionally guaranteed jury of their peers.
Arguments in the case of a man accused of killing a 13-month-old baby last year and dumping the child’s body near railroad tracks in Ukiah are focused on the defendant’s competence to stand trial. Edward Two Feathers Steele was not in court on Wednesday as his public defender argued that her client could assist in his case. Steele is facing second-degree murder charges for the death of the boy, who was found last August in the 300 block of Brush Street. Steele is also charged with child cruelty for injuring the victim’s two-year-old brother, who was found nearby. Steele had been dating the children’s mother at the time. The judge ruled that a doctor should examine Steele and report back by March 8th, when the preliminary hearing could resume depending on the findings. Steeel remains in the Mendocino County Jail.
Lakeport police are warning about thieves who have been stealing license plates. Officers say those plates are then being put on stolen cars or switched out, leaving the owner unaware until they’re pulled over. The thieves often take and swap a plate from a similar-looking car, which means unsuspecting drivers can get stopped when the bad plate shows up on a police license plate reader. Lakeport police say they’ll start to strictly enforce California’s two-plate requirement. They are also urging owners to be vigilant and to immediately contact the DMV to replace any missing plates.
There’s a new manager at the Beryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. Melissa Hover will take on the big job of overseeing the 330,000 acres of public land stretching from Napa County to the mountains in the Mendocino National Forest north of Clear Lake. Hover has had a long career with the Bureau of Land Management. She calls the Monument home to some of the most spectacular public lands in the country and says she looks forward to ensuring its future for generations to come.
Governor Newsom is breaking his usual silence about his ex-wife, Kimberly Guilfoyle. Gilfoyle is a Fox News commentator and is engaged to Donald Trump Jr. In an interview on CNN, the governor calls Guilfoyle a different person than the woman he married, who, in his words, “fell prey” to the culture at Fox News when she started working there in 2006. They were divorced shortly after that.
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