PM News 6/21/18

A dangerous weekend ahead for fires. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning that includes Lake County and other parts of Northern California, in effect from 11:00 Saturday morning to 8:00 Sunday night. Highs over the weekend could be near 100 in many places and it will be windy and dry. Authorities say that means you should avoid anything that could spark a fire because once a fire starts it would likely spread quickly. The fire risk should ease with cooler temperatures early next week, but the forecast also calls for continued dry conditions .

It has taken a few months, but the City of Clearlake is closer to hiring a new police chief. The Lake County News says the city is reviewing one finalist for the job and pending the outcome of required background checks, that candidate could take over in August. The finalist’s name isn’t being released. The new chief would take over from interim chief, Lt. Tim Celli, who was appointed in December when former chief Craig Clausen retired after two years of disability. Celli confirms he is not the finalist, but says he will stay on under the new chief.

The final numbers are in from this month’s primary in Mendocino County and officials say the results reported shortly after the election will stand. In local races, the official count shows Michelle Hutchins has won the race for school superintendent and won’t face a general election challenger. John Pinches and John Haschak will face off in the general election for supervisor in the Third District while Ted Williams and Chris Skyhawk will be on the ballot in the general in the Fifth District. Almost 46,000 people voted in Mendocino county on June 5th.

The City of Clearlake is looking ahead to the November election for two seats on the City Council and for City Treasurer. The seats all have four year terms. The filing period runs from July 19th to August 10th. There apparently isn’t much interest in the treasurer job though. No one has run for years so the treasurer is currently a city employee.

The city of Ukiah says it is working toward a settlement in a lawsuit brought by the Ukiah Valley Sanitation District, even as a trial date in the case has been moved from next month to September. The Sanitation District claims the city owes tens of millions of dollars, dating back as far as the 1960’s. The city contends the statute of limitations has run out on some of those claims and wants a court to toss them out before trial , which is now set for September 26th.

Unemployment in Lake County is as low as it has been in 30 years. The state Employment Development Department reports that the Lake County rate in may was 4.5 percent—down from 5 percent in April and 5.2 percent last May. The numbers were even better in Mendocino county, with just 3.2 percent out of work.

Another pizza shop robbery in Santa Rosa. This time, a robber hit a Domino’s on Farmer’s Lane on Thursday afternoon. The suspect flashed a gun grabbed cash from the register and took off. Based on the description and M.O. Police think it is the same person who held up Round Table Pizza on Marlow Road on Sunday. If you have information about the robberies, you can contact the Santa Rosa PD.

A big weekend at the Sonoma Raceway. NASCAR’s Monster race is set for this Sunday and big crowds are expected around the road course between now and then.

Advertisements

News 6/22/18

Two brothers from Santa Rosa pleading not guilty yesterday in the case of a fatal stabbing. 20 year old Johnny Martinez and 25 year old Gabriel Heredia are accused of stabbing 38 year old Shaun Avila to death outside his apartment early last month. Investigators say the three were involved with the same woman, the mother of one of Avila’s children who was dating Martinez. Avila was killed in front of his eight year old and two year old daughters; the brothers were arrested the next day in Modesto. The pair are scheduled to return to court in September for a preliminary hearing.

A Forestville man charged in the 2004 killings of two people on a beach on the Sonoma Coast pleading not guilty yesterday in Superior Court; 39 year old Shawn Michael Gallon also pleading not guilty in an incident where he’s accused of leaving a bomb on top of a car that exploded and injured a woman. Gallon was named as the man who killed 22 year old Lindsay Cutshall and her fiancé, 26 year old Jason Allen as they slept. The case went unsolved for more than twelve years. Gallon was arrested in 2017 on suspicion of killing his brother in a shooting at their family home in Forestville. Gallon pleaded not guilty in that slaying as well. The D.A’s office is still deciding whether or not to seek the death penalty.

P G & E said yesterday that they expect to be held liable for damages from the majority of October’s wildfires, to the tune of billions of dollars in losses. The company says two and a half billion of that represents the low end of possible liabilities based on a growing number of lawsuits – now close to 200 – filed against the company. Some estimates say the number could go as high as fifteen billion. CalFire announced earlier this month that equipment owned and operated by PG&E triggered a dozen of the Northern California wildfires, that killed eighteen people and destroyed thousands of structures. Investigators discovered the company was violating state code for failing to clear brush and maintain its equipment.

Beginning late tomorrow for twenty-four hours, cardholders with the California Electronic Benefits Transfer program will not be able to use their cards. The outage should start at 11 pm Saturday and last until 11 pm Sunday, so you’re advised to get cash and buy whatever food you’ll need in advance. The outage is because of a change in the vendors that operate the EBT system. Program officials say they’re trying to cause the least amount of inconvenience possible; they say the outage should be less troublesome because it’s a weekend at the end of the month rather than the beginning, which is when most transactions take place. The EBT website and customer service phone number will also be down.

Some good news from Lake County; they’ve recently recorded the lowest unemployment rate in nearly thirty years. The report from the Employment Department for May shows that Lake County’s unemployment rate was 4.5 percent, that’s the lowest number recorded since 1990. Data shows that agriculture is the primary reason for the low unemployment numbers; with more than a twenty percent growth in the “total farm” employment category.

The Mendocino county sheriff’s office says a woman has been arrested after her infant son died after he was left in a car for several hours. 23 year old Alexandrea Raven Scott was arrested after the death of her eighteen month old son. Police were called around 1:30 to Howard Memorial Hospital in Willits; they learned that Scott had brought the infant to the Emergency Room; they say Scott had left the child in the vehicle while she was inside the house visiting with friends. Scott was taken into custody and charged with willfully causing or permitting a child to suffer great bodily injury or death. She’s now being held without bail; anyone with any information as to Scott’s activities between June 19th and 20th, please call authorities at 707 234 2100.

PM News 6/21/18

CalTrans is proposing some changes to Highway 20 in Lake County. Officials say better signs, lighting, and other improvements between Upper Lake an Clearlake Oaks will prevent crashes and pedestrian deaths. Among the proposals–in Upper Lake, reducing the speed limit to 35 and improving lighting around the intersection of Government Street– and in Clearlake Oaks, installing flashing red lights on the east side of town and putting up more pedestrian activated lights at several busy crosswalks. County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jim Steele and others requested the plan which covers the part of Highway 20 most used by Lake County drivers and pedestrians.

P G & E says it expects to be on the hook for up to 15 billion dollars in damages from last fall’s wildfires. The utility told investors today that it will probably be held responsible for the fires which CalFire blames on poorly maintained P G & E equipment. The company believes the outcome of dozens of lawsuits will affect its bottom line and is taking a 2.5 billion dollar write off, just in case. C E O Geisha Williams says P G & E is committed to rebuilding and working with the state to prevent future tragedies.

Artists who lost everything in last fall’s Redwood Complex fire are getting some help from other artists. The Arts Council of Mendocino County has provided almost $6,000 in grants to those whose supplies were ruined last October. Although the grant money has run out, the council is still taking applications in case more funds become available. The council, along with the Community Foundation of Mendocino County, is also planning a fund raising performance based on the experiences of those who went though the fires. That performance will take place in September.

Worries in that a serial arsonist may be behind some recent suspicious grass fires in Santa Rosa. Crews responded to 13 fires in just two hours on Saturday night, and with the hot and dry conditions expected over the next few days, residents are on edge. Investigators say the fires in Southwest Santa Rosa and along the Santa Rosa Creek trail were all started with a butane lighter, likely by somebody biking along the trail. There is a $2,500 reward out for anyone with information leading to a conviction.

The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors has signed off on the County Lodging Business District’s annual report but not on all of its recommendations. One suggestion would explore the idea of cannabis tourism but there is concern that could put the county in legal jeopardy. One possibile way around that concern would be to create a separate non-county entity to promote the idea of a cannabis destination. According to the most recent figures in the report, visitors spent around 176 million dollars in Mendocino County in 2016, which supported more than 6,100 jobs and brought in significant tax revenue

A man charged in connection with a cold case murder from 2004 in Sonoma County has entered a not guilty plea. 39 year old Shaun Gallon of Forestville is accused of killing 22 year old Lindsay Cutchall and her fiancée Jason Allen as they lay in sleeping bags on Fish Head Beach in Jenner. That murder case was open for almost 13 years until Gallon was arrested last March. Prosecutors are still deciding if they will seek the death penalty. Gallon is due back for a preliminary hearing in December.

Mail-in ballots in California could soon come with prepaid postage. The State senate has passed bill that would require return postage for all ballots which is the rule in some counties but not others. Supporters say voting should be free for everyone, no matter where they live or vote. The assembly will have to agree to some changes made after it passed the bill before it goes to Governor’s desk. The postage cost would fall on counties, but they could get some help from the state under the plan.

The death of a shark that washed ashore down the coast near Santa Cruz has taken an unusual turn. Officials say they have now started a criminal investigation after a necropsy showed no obvious natural causes, but did apparently show something that got the interest of law enforcement. The shark was found beached last weekend at a seaside resort in Aptos. At first, investigators thought perhaps the shark was attacked by sea lion or had a bacterial infection. So far investigators are not saying just what they believe is suspicious about the death.

News 6/21/18

Prosecutors have expanded their case against a couple from Lakeport accused of sex trafficking; 37 year old Sam Massette and his wife, 27 year old Krystina Pickersgill are being held on a million dollars bail; police say the pair recruited young women and forced them into prostitution; one of their victims was a minor. Investigators are talking to at least two more possible victims of the couple. Authorities say Massette used threats of violence to control his victims; they also think that Pickersgill might have been a victim at some point. The amended complaint charges the couple with human trafficking, pandering and other charges.

A woman from Santa Rosa was arrested yesterday afternoon after she sold some stolen softball bats worth about a thousand dollars to an undercover detective. 33 year old Rose Ruth Hernandez is charged with violating probation, possession of stolen property and drug charges. A resident reported the bats stolen from his porch; a neighbor’s security camera showed a woman stealing the bats and running back to a waiting car. The victim later found the bats for sale on a selling app, and so detectives arranged to meet Hernandez and offered to pay the $400 asking price. When the deal was completed, police took Hernandez into custody; she had meth and drug paraphernalia in her possession and was also on felony probation. She told police that her 15 year old daughter had actually stolen the bats from the porch; police confirmed that through security footage; they say the daughter has not yet been arrested.

A pair of Santa Rosa men who got away with only about a hundred dollars in a botched robbery at a Reno convenience store have been handed prison terms of more than twelve years. A jury found 28 year old Connor Woods and 31 year old Michael Miller guilty of robbery, conspiracy and weapons charges; they were sentenced on Tuesday. Prosecutors say Woods walked into a 7-11 armed with a semiautomatic handgun in November of 2016 and demanded cash; the clerk tried to grab the gun which fell to the floor. The clerk then threw a cash drawer at Woods, who fled in a minivan driven by Miller. Woods confessed after authorities found the vehicle abandoned on the side of I-80 a few days later.

The city of Lakeport is planning to begin issuing tickets to property owners who don’t keep weeds and vegetation under control. They say the move is intended to help prevent fire danger. The City Council unanimously approving a resolution declaring dry weeds, brush and other vegetation that are creating a fire hazard on vacant or large lots throughout the city a public nuisance. The deadline to get rid of the weeds and vegetation is July 6th; after that a fine of as much as one hundred dollars will be assessed. The fine goes up for subsequent violations. A letter will be mailed to property owners who are not in compliance.

The 2018-2019 Lake County Teacher of the Year has been announced; it’s Erica Boomer, who’s an agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at Upper Lake High School. Boomer is an alumna of Upper Lake Union High School and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education. Among her accomplishments, she launched a drive to establish a California Partnership Academy in Alternative Energy and Sustainable Agriculture with the state Department of Education.

A Lakeport woman suffering minor injuries after her car was hit by a semi Tuesday afternoon; it happened on Highway 29 south of Main Street in Kelseyville. 48 year old Joshua West was headed north on Highway 29 behind the wheel of a semi truck when he crossed into oncoming traffic and struck the car driven by 78 year old K C Patrick. Both vehicles veered out of control, Patrick’s car rolling down an embankment and the semi hitting a fence and several trees. Patrick was taken to Sutter Lakeside Hospital with minor injuries; West was not hurt. Both were wearing seat belts according to investigators. The semi caught fire after the wreck, however fire crews got the blaze out quickly. The investigation into the crash is continuing.

PM News 6/20/18

It looks like we’ll be sweltering this weekend with the heat and dry conditions raising concerns about the danger of wildfires. The National weather service has also issued a special weather statement that says the building heat could affect people at risk, especially the very old and very young. If the predictions hold, temperatures will hover near 100 by Saturday,with higher readings at some inland spots. It will be cooler, but still dry, into next week.

It won’t help much this weekend, but people in Lake County will soon be able to use the Middletown pool to cool off for the summer. The county says it has hired a lifeguard so the pool will open starting July 4th, which is two weeks from today. The pool will be open Wednesdays through Sundays from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The county says if it can find more lifeguards, the hours could be extended.

People in Lakeport who don’t control their weeds and overgrown yards could be hit with a fine. The City Council has approved a resolution authorizing penalties for property owners whose land is considered a risk for grass fires. City officials say that of June 1st, there were more than 150 properties that had growth that could be hazardous. Those people will get letters saying they have ten days to clean up or they could be fined up to $100 for a first violation.

The City of Clearlake is getting some help to reduce the risk from natural disasters The $112,000 grant from FEMA will help the city identify those risks and do something about them before tragedy strikes. City manager Greg Folsom says while natural disasters can’t be predicted or prevented, the city can take steps to make sure the threats are kept to a minimum. If FEMA likes the city’s mitigation plans, more money could be available in the future.

Environmental activist Erin Brockovitch has joined the legal team handling a lawsuit against P G & E by more than 1,500 people affected by last fall’s wildfire. Brockovitch told a crowd in Santa Rosa that she has seen first hand the effects of environmental disasters and wants to use her expertise to help. Brockovitch will work as a consultant for the legal team that is suing P G & E claiming its failure to maintain infrastructure was a cause of the devastating fires. The utility isn’t commenting on Brockovitch’s joining the case. Brockovitch had her own battle fight against P G & E in the 1990’s when she sued over groundwater contamination from one of its facilities in the southern California community of Hinkley. Her story was the subject of the Oscar winning movie in 2000.

A state honor for a project in Ukiah that helps the homeless and people with substance abuse problems. The Ford Street Project has been named the 2nd Assembly district nonprofit of the year, according to assembly member Jim Wood. He says the projects deserves recognition because it assisted hundreds of people last year during their difficult times. Ford Street has been around since 1974 serving the Ukiah area. Among other things, it operates a 40-bed residential treatment facility and 20 bed sober home at its location on Brush Street

The California Highway patrol has started an investigation after top Democratic lawmakers and their staffs have reported getting some disturbing calls. Reports say the caller is using robo calls from someone appearing to be in distress and pleading for help. The state senate Sergeant at at Arms says the calls appear to be coordinated and may involve some kind of hack and use a number that make the messages seem as if they come from someone the recipient knows. Democratic consultant Brian Brokaw got one of those calls. He says it’s not a just a prank and that whoever is behind the calls has what he calls “serious issues”.

News 6/20/18

Two teenagers have been arrested, they’re accused of using a pellet gun to rob people outside a bank and gas station in Santa Rosa. 18 year old Ryan Kahle and 19 year old Bijan Almassi were arrested on suspicion of robbery; police are trying to determine if the two are connected to a third potential robbery in the area. Police found the pair in a car matching a description by the victims and took them into custody; a pellet pistol was found in the car as well. The pair are being held in Sonoma County Jail on 100,000 dollars bail apiece.

Police have identified a suspected drunk driver responsible for a three car crash that injured several people on Highway 101 near Cotati on Sunday; 41 year old Cesar Hernandez caused the crash around two Sunday afternoon; witnesses reported Hernandez driving erratically at high speed and swerving between lanes prior to the crash. He was arrested by police on suspicion of DUI and remains in Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital where he is being treated for burns.

Authorities in Mendocino County say they’ve identified a kayaker found dead late Monday night on a beach near Van Damme State Park. Searchers found the body of 65 year old Donald Paul Strauss just before 11 pm; police say Strauss had gone out alone earlier Monday from Van Damme Beach; his wife called the sheriff’s office to report him as overdue and a massive search was initiated, with several volunteer firefighters, a US Coast Guard helicopter, state park rangers and others pitching in. No word yet on a cause of death; an autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow.

The Mendocino county sheriff’s office arresting a man spotted by officers riding on a roadway on a bike he had reportedly stolen. Police saw 37 year old Joshua Bell of Fort Bragg on Highway One; as they investigated, they heard from a man who said it was his bike that Bell was riding. Bell is now charged with possession of stolen property; he was taken to jail on 15,000 dollars bail.

Police investigating a DUI hit and run yesterday near Fort Bragg; the wreck happening in the 500 block of Oak Street; police were able to identify the suspect vehicle near the intersection of Oak and Harrison streets and determined that the 16 year old driver was driving without a license and was intoxicated. Witnesses say the suspect hit a work truck belonging to a drywall company which was parked on Oak Street, then tried to flee the scene before officers stopped him. The driver was released to the custody of his parents; the incident is still under investigation.

A crucial battle today in the fight to restore net neutrality; a pair of bills will be heard in committees in the State Assembly. The FCC repealed Obama-era net neutrality rules last week; Senate Bill 822 would make it illegal for internet service providers in the state to profit by speeding up, slowing down or blocking online content. The bill would also prohibit companies from making certain websites more attractive by letting people visit them without using mobile data. The second bill would give the state attorney general more oversight power.

The Lake County Registrar of Voters office will be conducting a public manual for the June 5th primary election. The process will begin Monday morning at 9 on the second floor of the Courthouse at 255 North Forbes street in Lakeport. A minimum of one percent of the ballots will be counted from randomly chosen precincts. You may attend and observe if you wish.

Mendocino county sheriff’s deputies responding to a domestic violence call yesterday morning; police arrived at a residence in the seventeen thousand block of North Highway 1 and spoke with the suspect, Kevin Turpin. They determined Turpin and his 19-year-old son had gotten into an argument over a skateboard; the son’s mother interjected in the argument and Turpin threw a metal pet food dish at her, then Turpin and the son began punching each other. The woman again tried to intervene, and was struck in the face several times by Turpin. Turpin was arrested on domestic violence charges; police discovering he had two misdemeanor warrants out for his arrest on traffic and probation charges. He’s being held in the Mendocino county jail on $35,000 dollars bail.

PM News 6/1918

The Lake County Board of Supervisors is expected to hear a proposal this week that would create a tourism improvement district in Lakeport and Cleralake.. Those behind the idea say the district would be a source of funding used to increasing occupancy rates for local lodging businesses. The consulting firm that has been studying the it says the district would be funded by a small assessment on those lodging businesses and would be run by a non-profit group called Visit Lake County California. If the board approves when it meets on Tuesday, the plan would go back to the two cities for their final OK.

Authorities now say a man from Clearlake whose body was found last week at a resort on Lakeshore Drive was killed by a pipe bomb. 42 year old Justin Westermeyer was apparently alone on June 12th at the resort in the 10900 block of Lakeshore when the bomb went off. Sheriff’s deputies say there is no indication that Westemyer had intended to harm anyone with the device. The sheriff’s office also says Westermeyer’s death points out that it is never a good idea to try to make any kind of explosive , even it just seems like harmless fun.

The Mendocino County sheriff’s office has arrested a man who they saw riding down the road on a bike he had allegedly stolen. Deputies say they noticed 37 year Joshua Bell of Fort Bragg biking unsafely along Highway1 and as they investigated, they heard from a man who claimed it was his expensive bike that Bell was riding. Bell is charged with possession of stolen property and was taken to the county jail on $15,000 bail.

A man from Fort Bragg is accused of stealing merchandise from a convenience store and then threatening an employee who tried to stop the theft. Police identify the suspect as 70 year old Rodney Tuckey who was picked up a after a search following the incident at the Mobil Station in the 18000 block of North Highway 1 in Fort Bragg Tucker is charged with robbery and is in the Mendocino County jail on $75,000 bond.

A kayaker who was rescued from Fort Ross beach in Sonoma county is recovering after he somehow seriously cut his leg. The man had paddled ashore and called for help and was eventually taken by helicopter to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

Police have identified a man suspected of drunk driving who was involved a serious crash on Sunday afternoon on Highway 10 in Cotati. Police say 41 year old Cesar Eslava-Hernandez of Santa Rosa caused that wreck which involved three cars and left several people,including, Elsalva Hernandez, hurt. He is still in the hospital with burns.. Reports say Elsava Hernandez had been swerving in and out of traffic in the moments before the crash. The crash closed all southbound lanes of the roadway for about two and a half hours.

Two teenagers are facing charges that they held up at least two people in Santa Rosa using a pellet gun. Police Ryan Kahle and Bijan Almassi robbed one person outside a bank in Montgomery Village and another at a nearby gas station Sunday evening. Officers are looking into whether the pair might also be involved in a third similar crime in the area around the same time. Police say they are still investigating and are asking for anyone with additional information to contact law enforcement. In the meantime, Kahle and Almassii are being held in Sonoma County Jail on $100,000 bond.

A bill that would restrict police use of deadly force in California has taken a step forward. The measure would change the standard under which officers could aim to kill from "reasonable" to "necessary" and it has has now passed the Senate Law Committee by a 5 to 1 vote. Law enforcement groups don’t like it, saying it t would put officers lives in danger. Supporters contend the bill would help to address racism in police work

Get ready for some serious heat. Forecasters say we could see temperatures hitting almost 100 degrees in some places over the weekend,with higher readings further inland. With a long term forecast of hot and dry weather officials are increasingly worried about the fire risk, so there is now no permitted residential burning in Lake, Sonoma and Napa Counties.

News 6/19/18

Cal Fire has decided to suspend all burn permits for outdoor residential burning in Sonoma, Lake, Napa and other counties; authorities say that increasing temperatures and winds are drying out the annual grass crop and raising the fire danger. The suspension took effect yesterday and bans all residential outdoor burning of debris like branches and leaves. Since the beginning of this year, Cal Fire and crews across the state have responded to more than eighteen hundred wildfires.

This year’s recipient of the American Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges’ Leila and Simon Peskoff Award is professor Leslie Banta of the Mendocino College math department. The award recognizes work in the area of teaching, participation in professional communities and a commitment to continued growth in mathematics.

The October wildfires are raising calls to add to the number of affordable housing units in Sonoma county; a new ballot measure aims to put limits on rent that landlords can charge. Rents have jumped a great deal from 2011 to 2016 and have increased further since last October, when wildfires destroyed more than 6,000 homes and creating a flood of people who were suddenly forced to find new places to live. A subsequent state order was intended to fight price gouging; the order recently prompting local officials to propose a new tax to support affordable housing.

Voters in the state may get a chance to make their voices heard in November on the subject of daylight saving time. The state Senate approving a measure to ask voters to repeal a 70 year old law that set a clock change twice a year in California. The measure would give lawmakers the ability to adjust the time with a two-thirds vote. However, the state can’t end daylight saving time until next year at the earliest. The legislation would require a second bill as well as federal approval. The Assembly passed the initial measure last year and should sign off again on amendments made in the Senate; the bill then heads to Governor Brown.

This Thursday is national Dump the Pump day, and the Mendocino Transit Authority wants you to join in by getting a free bus pass if you give public transportation a try. Everyone who rides an MTA bus gets a bus pass; one person will win a grand prize of a 16-trip bus pass. MTA general Manager Carla Meyer says that once people give bus riding a try, they’ll hop on board for life. She says there are several good reasons to take the bus, not only saving on the cost of gas, but reducing your carbon footprint. Again, Dump the Pump day is coming up this Thursday.

A reward of twenty-five hundred dollars is up for grabs to whoever helps police arrest and convict the person who started thirteen grass fires in Santa Rosa Saturday night. Police got a call about a fire around midnight and while crews were tending to that blaze, more fires were found in nearby areas. No buildings were damaged, and authorities say there were no injuries; the investigation is ongoing. If you’d like to submit a tip, call the Santa Rosa police department’s Property Crimes Investigation Team at 707 543 3575.

PM News 06/18/18

The Lakeport City council wants to address properties where overgrown grass is causing a fire hazard. At this week’s meeting, they will review a resolution that would declare those overgrown lots a risk and authorize citations for people who don’t clean up the weeds. The measure is one of several on the agenda for this week’s council meeting on Tuesday starting at 6 :00 PM at the Lakeport City Hall on Park Street.

The Lake County Board of Supervisors is having a workshop later this week to talk about taxing commercial cannabis businesses in unincorporated parts of the county. The board will review a report from a study committee that had looked at that question as well as possible fines and penalties for those businesses that violate permit requirements and are considered a public nuisance. The workshop will be held on Thursday morning at 9 am at the board’s office on North Forbes Street in Lakeport. .

Places that sell cannabis will have some new requirements for their products starting July 1st. The state is rolling out some new rules for pot products designed to ensure they are safe. Labs will now test for 66 pesticides and other contaminants and if there is anything wrong with any part of a batch , all of it goes up in smoke. Officials say businesses may encounter some additional testing costs at first, but in the end consumers will have the benefit of knowing what they buy is OK to use.

Lakeport police say they have received at least one report of a mountain lion roaming around Westside park and they want residents to stay alert in the area. The department says this lion is probably looking for something to eat—mountain lions really like deer. . The Department of Fish and Wildlife says you you should keep a close eye on pets and shelter other vulnerable animals. There is more information on wildlife encounters on the Department’s website .

Police at Humboldt State University in Arcata say they will investigate a series of viral videos that show the arrest of a woman over the weekend. University police say the stopped Samantha Alonso Luna during a a patrol targeting underage drinking on Saturday night at 9th and F streets.. She is is charged with resisting arrest, battery on a peace officer, public intoxication, and providing false identification to a police officer. A passenger in Luna’s car, who isn’t being identified bacuse she is a minor, is also facing similar charges The cellphone videos show a verbal confrontation in between a police officer and Luna, that escalated with Luna being taken from the car and subdued before she was taken into custody.

Officials have identified a scuba diver who died over the weekend at Salt Point State Park. Sonoma County Sheriff’s deputies say 51 year old Mark Alcott of the Fremont area apparently had some kind of medical emergency while he was diving in about 30 to 50 feet of water on Saturday and that Alcott’s diving partner was unable to save him. An autopsy will be done to find out the cause of his death.

A warning about a phone scam from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s office. The department says someone has been calling residents, claiming to be with law enforcement , saying there is a warrant for the caller’s arrest., and demanding money to settle the case. The sheriff”s department says that is not how it operates and never asks for money or other personal info on the phone. If you get a call like that, you should just hang up, but if you would like to report the call, you can do that on the department tip line [707-234-2100]

The world’s tallest steer, who spent his time in a pasture in Humboldt County, has died Daniel the steer was 6’4” and lived at the Lost Coast Hay farm in Eureka. Daniel was 7 years old when he went to the big roundup in the sky on Saturday.

News 6/18/18

A Lakeport man is in custody after a police pursuit, and now authorities are asking the public for any information they might have about the incident. Police spotting a car driven by 44 year old Travis Criss in the downtown area around two in the morning on Sunday; Criss reportedly sped away from police on several occasions, officers later finding the vehicle abandoned and spotting Criss walking down the street. Police discovered Criss was wanted on a warrant out of Ukiah and was stumbling and smelling of alcohol. He was arrested for misdemeanor drunk driving and a felony charge of fleeing from law enforcement with disregard for public safety. He posted bail and was released; police say the incident is still under investigation and ask anyone with information on the pursuit to notify authorities.

A wildland fire near Lower Lake that started on Saturday is close to being fully contained, according to fire crews; the Creek fire was reported around 2 o’clock Saturday afternoon in the 9400 block of Rocky Creek Road at Morgan Valley Road. Fire crews responded including a helicopter and bulldozers; in just over an hour, the fire had grown to thirty-two acres but was 95 percent contained by Saturday evening. The California Highway Patrol says a truck’s mechanical failures may have actually sparked the fire.

The Lake County Library has received a grant of more than five thousand dollars to host the NEA Big Read in Lake County; the Library is one of 79 nonprofit groups across the country to get an NEA grant, which will go to host a community reading program between September of this year and June of 2019. Organizers say they expect to add more corporate partners as planning continues through October.

In Lake County, applicants are urged to get into the running for several vacancies on the Lake County Resource Conservation District Advisory Board. One Supervisory Director and two members at large will be named; all of the members will be appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Applications will be accepted until close of business tomorrow, and you can get an application at the Lake County Courthouse, room 109.

The California Department of Public Health has announced it’s gotten the first confirmed cases of West Nile Virus. So far four illnesses have occurred in several counties statewide; the virus is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. Officials say the weather this month is contributing to an increased mosquito population and a higher risk of the virus spreading.

More than thirty personnel from nearly every law enforcement agency in Napa county will be taking part in the running of the Special Olympics Flame of Hope through the county on Wednesday; the Flame of Hope will begin its journey at 6 am in Calistoga before heading through St. Helena, Rutherford, Yountville and Napa. It will wrap up its trip at American Canyon around 1 in the afternoon after a route of some thirty-seven miles. The Law Enforcement Torch Run is a year-round fundraising campaign that will wrap up with the Special Olympics Northern California Summer Games, June 22nd through the 24th at UC Davis. The games bring more than 700 Special Olympics athletes together from throughout Northern California to compete.

In Sacramento county, District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert has announced that she’s no longer a Republican; Schubert announcing Friday that she’s changing her political affiliation to “no party preference; she says she made up her mind months ago but held off on making it official until the primry with Democrat Noah Phillips. Schubert said she didn’t want her political affirmation to be a focal point of the campaign.

The unemployment rate in the Sacramento metro area fell to 3.3 percent in May; that’s the lowest its been since 1990. Between April and May, some thirty-three hundred jobs were added in the area, bringing a total to more than 993,000 jobs, according to the Employment Development Department. The lowest unemployment count was in Placer County, at 2.8 percent, followed by El Dorado County with 3.2 percent. Construction is the largest contributor to jobs, the field created more than 1100 jobs since April, though many are seasonal positions. Government jobs increased as well; state government employment rose by 600 jobs; local government agencies added another 500 jobs as well.

A man’s been arrested for his involvement in a three car crash that injured five people, one of them seriously, and shut down southbound Highway 101 near Cotati yesterday. The driver’s identity has not yet been released, however police suspect him of driving drunk. A 28 year old woman was airlifted to an area hospital for what are described as non-life-threatening injuries; two other people were also taken to a nearby hospital. The man who was arrested was initially taken to Santa Rosa Memorial for burns, he was released from custody so that he could be transferred to UC Davis for more treatment.

Police are on the hunt for a man suspected of robbing a Santa Rosa restaurant yesterday afternoon; around 1 o’clock a man wielding a gun approached a cashier at Round Table Pizza and demanded cash, taking money from the drawer and fleeing on foot. Police searching the area but turning up no trace of the suspect. He’s described as a white male wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, dark jeans and with a blue bandana over his face. Anyone with any information on the robbery is asked to call the Santa Rosa Police; a reward of up to 2500 dollars will be given to whoever provides the information that leads to an arrest and conviction.