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Wednesday, October 4, 2023
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The Latest

Government

Ukiah Man Booked for Attempted Murder After Allegedly Pistol-Whipping His Girlfriend

"Based on statements and evidence, it was learned that Commander had violently attacked the female, telling her he was going to kill her the entire time he assaulted her."

The Disappearance of Cannabis Activist and Pioneer Chris Giauque: A Father’s Search for His Son

On the evening of August 9, 2003, Chris set out for a remote property in Northern Mendocino County, to collect $150K owed to him by his business partner. He would never return home.

Willits Woman Arrested After Allegedly Attempting to Ram Man With Truck

"Witnesses told the officer that they saw a man and woman in a heated argument around the vehicle just prior to his arrival, although the two were no longer there."

Traffic

CAL FIRE Hosting Public Listening Session Regarding Jackson Demonstration State Forest Management Plan

"Written comments can be submitted to JDSF@fire.ca.gov through 8:00 a.m. November 10th for discussion at the November 15, 2023, JAG Meeting."

Reducing Fishing Gear Could Save Humpback Whales with Low Impacts to California’s Crab Fishermen

"Sometimes simple solutions are better. It all depends on the nature of the problem. For humpback whales, the problem is the rope connecting a crab trap on the seafloor to the buoy on the surface. And for fishermen, it’s fishery closures caused by whale entanglements."

Two West Coast Pond Turtles Proposed for Endangered Species Protections

"The northwestern pond turtle is found in Washington, Oregon, and California north of the San Francisco Bay Area and in the Central Valley."

Fire

Op-Ed/Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Tom Allman on Matt Kendall—’I’ve Witnessed a Young Deputy Mature Into a True and Disciplined Leader’

"I voted for Matt because he has proven his ability to lead and improve the sheriff’s office."

How Serious is the County’s Alleged Fiscal Crunch, and Who is to be Believed? Who Knows—Op-Ed

"A flurry of pronouncements and pontifications garnered headlines this week but brought little clarity to the true state of the County of Mendocino’s finances."

‘He’s Not an Evil Person, Just Someone in Need of Help’: Mother of Man Convicted Ukiah Arson Fires Speaks Out in Letter to the...

"He's been crying out for help for a long time, his parents failed him as a boy, the system failed him and now his public defender is failing him!"

Tribes

Water

The Bright Side

Round Valley Indian Tribe Member Named One of Four Recipients of Rodney T. Mathews Jr. Scholarship

“In the spirit of the Rodney T. Matthews scholarship, I am blessed. Today I will walk taller knowing the Morongo Band of Mission Indians has supported me in my educational journey.”

Mendocino County Library Bridges the Digital Divide: Chromebooks Now Available for Checkout

"The purpose of this program is to address the high rate of unmet need for technology services throughout the country. Each of the six library branches and the Bookmobile have devices that are available to be loaned out for a 28-day checkout period on a first-come, first-served, walk-in basis."

Students Rally to Bring a Skate Park to Anderson Valley

“Without a skate park, without somewhere to go outside and interact with people and stay active, you can get very, very bored, and that can make you very, very sad.”

Cannabis

Utilities

Ukiah Solar Users Unhappy With City Billing Practices

City representatives blame a software glitch, but they also argue that there is a “common misconception” that solar homeowners will no longer receive a bill, or their costs for electricity will drop to zero.

PG&E Invites North Coast Region Customers to a Town Hall for Updates on Wildfire Season and Safety

"On Wednesday, August 9, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., PG&E experts will provide a brief presentation, during which participants will have the opportunity to ask questions."

Mendocino County Employees Vote Yes in Strike Authorization Vote 

“Mendocino County has amazing people, natural resources, and the spirit to move forward. This strike authorization is a clear indication that things need to change.”

Health

Mendocino County Public Health Issues Advisories for Upcoming Respiratory Virus Season

"Now that we have made it through the summer heat, it is time to think of this fall’s seasonal respiratory diseases. We used to call it the Flu Season, and it still is. But we know many other germs cause respiratory symptoms. Most are mild. But some may be more severe and, for some, even life-threatening."

Mendocino County Public Health Warns of Monkeypox Circulation

"The medical community has been notified. I am sending this out so that those who need to finish their vaccine course (2 doses, total for the series), and so those at risk, are aware and can take precautions."

Attorney for the Mendocino Coast Health Care District Appeared Asleep During Board Meeting

The camera showed attorney Alexander Hensen lying on an unmade bed, nestled into a pillow, eyes closed, and breathing heavily.

Public Health Prohibits Mussel Harvesting to Protect Against Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning

"The mussel quarantine is in effect along the California coast, from the Oregon border to the Mexican border. All bays, inlets, and harbors are included."

Drought

A Sense of Urgency at Mendocino Russian River Forum as Leaders Consider Continued Water Release at Lake Pillsbury

PG&E announced on March 16 that it would not be closing the gates at Scott Dam in April for seismic reasons, which will result in less water stored in Lake Pillsbury this summer.

New State Policies for Drilling Wells Could Dramatically Increase Costs and Permitting Times for Mendocino County’s Farmers—Op-Ed

"The State of California has billions of dollars available for water infrastructure. The new rules put a tremendous burden on the county and farmers. Will the state provide funding for any of this?"

State Drought Manager and Atmospheric River Expert Featured in Sonoma County Town Hall on November 10th

"A third consecutive year of below-average rainfall in the Russian River watershed has left the region’s two primary water storage reservoirs, Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino, near historic lows."

Drought

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Community Events

Celebrate the Freedom to Read at the Mendocino County Library: Banned Book Week October 1-7

"We celebrate their hard work opposing censorship and our First Amendment right to freedom of expression which includes intellectual freedom and an individual’s right to receive information on a wide range of topics even when they may be considered controversial, unpopular, or unconventional."

Retro Sunday! Community Appreciation Day at Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens

A taste of the good ol’ days with $1 entrance fee.

MendoMoments

MendoMoments: Surfer Rides a Wave Under the Blood Red Sun of Smoky Skies

Burch watched the surfers score "pretty decent waves" paddling under a slightly smoky sky darkened by wildfire smoke blanketing the region.

MendoMoments: A Little Library in the Hamlet of Hearst

It's good to know in the wilds of Mendocino County's mountains, any Joe Schmo can still curl up with a good book.

MendoMoments: The Joy of a Child on a Winter’s Morn

A cozy home. A blustery storm. The overnight transformation of a familiar forest into a winter wonderland. The comfort of knowing a warm, dry home and hot cocoa and blankets await when toes and fingers just cannot take it anymore.

Paranormal

A Woman Witnessed Two Sasquatch Hunting Sheep on the Mendocino Coast—An Interview

It was a summer evening in August 1966. Alongside the mouth of the Albion River, the sun hovered over the Pacific. In the changing light of the Mendocino Coast, two sisters would see something they would never forget.

Ukiah Cops, Point Arena Coasties, and a County Supervisor Recount Witnessing UFOs Above Mendocino County— MendoThrowback

Coast Guard Seaman Brad Roddy based at the Coast Guard Lighthouse Station in Point Arena claimed to see an object that "had a red-body light with a whitish light or glow on one end" and watched a "weird cloud formation" form around it.

A Traveler’s Haunting Encounter With a Mysterious Orb in the Darkness of the Mendocino County Night

This traveler crossed into the liminal space of root and rock and ridge and emerged forever changed. His experience cannot be authenticated. There are no photographs, videos, or corroborators. The only mark of those moments is a man forever trying to explain the unexplainable. 

Police Logs

Education

Ukiah Unified Bond Oversight Committee Members Needed

"In 2020, local voters approved Measure A, giving Ukiah Unified School District up to $75 million in bonds to renovate our facilities. As a part of this, Ukiah Unified is legally required to have an oversight committee consisting of at least seven volunteer members who serve a term of two years each."

School Safety Program Comes to Point Arena

"Fear, anxiety, and stress are emotions commonly associated with school violence and active shooter training. However, Point Arena schools recently adopted a different kind of program, designed to educate and empower not only teachers but also students to prevent and survive a violent event."

It’s Back to School Time for Ukiah Unified! Stay Alert, Drive Safely, and Keep Our Kids Safe

"Ukiah Unified schools are back in session starting on August 21, 2023, and it's never more important for drivers to slow down and pay attention than when kids are going back to school."

Cold Cases

Nearly Twenty Years After a Siskiyou County Woman Was Murdered, a Suspect Has Been Charged with Her Death

"This arrest is the result of the determination of our investigators and reflects our faithful commitment to pursuing justice for victims of violent crimes and their families."

Negie Fallis, the Lead Suspect in Khadijah Britton’s Disappearance, is Out of Prison and Back in Local Court

Khadijah Britton went missing over four-and-a-half years ago. During that time, Negie Fallis, the man law enforcement suspects made her disappear, has spent nearly two-and-a-half years behind bars. Fallis has managed to elude criminal prosecution for his suspected role in the disappearance of Khadijah.

Khadijah Britton’s Family Wants More Than the Feather Alert Notification System—They Want Justice

Khadijah Britton's grandfather hopes the Feather Alert system could bring someone home in the future. But, the notification system seemed trivial knowing with each passing day, his granddaughter’s case grows cold.

Mendonoma

A River Otter Visits the Point Arena Pier—A Dispatch From Mendonoma

"The otter looked at the people walking on the sidewalk, and immediately ran back into the water. No one else seemed to notice."

The Fleeting Flutter of a Flicker—A Dispatch from Mendonoma

"Northern Flickers are woodpeckers. They are often seen on the ground as they eat ants and beetles. They use their beaks to dig the insects up."