RIVERO ASKS FOR STIFFER SENTENCE FOR DEPUTY JHKB 12/16/11
- LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF FRANK RIVERO HAS ASKED STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL KAMALA HARRIS TO RECONSIDER A LENIENT PLEA BARGAIN AGREEMENT MADE WITH FORMER LAKE COUNTY DEPUTY DERIK NAVARRO, WHO PLEADED GUILTY LAST WEEK TO HAVING SEX MULTIPLE TIMES WITH HIS 14 YEAR OLD BABYSITTER.
UNDER THE AGREEMENT, NAVARRO WOULD SPEND ONLY THREE MONTHS IN JAIL, HAVE THREE YEARS OF FORMAL PROBATION, AND NOT BE REQUIRED TO REGISTER AS A SEX OFFENDER. RIVERO THINKS THE SENTENCE IS TOO LIGHT, AND IN A STATEMENT RELEASED YESTERDAY, CALLED IT QUOTE, A TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE, AND SUCH A PLEA AGREEMENT UNCONSCIONABLE. NAVARRO IS SCHEDULED TO BE SENTENCED NEXT MONTH.
MAN SENTENCED IN FATAL STABBING JKB 12/16/11
- A LOS ANGELES MAN WAS SENTENCED YESTERDAY TO A YEAR IN JAIL AND FIVE YEARS PROBATION IN THE STABBING DEATH OF A GUERNEVILLE MAN THAT OCCURRED ON THE GUERNEVILLE FOOT BRIDGE LAST SUMMER.
22 YEAR OLD KEVIN PAYNE JR. PLEADED GUILTY TO FELONY VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER IN THE DEATH OF 31 YEAR OLD ELIJA LOCKHART OF SEBASTOPOL JULY 6TH. PAYNE GOT INTO AN ALTERCATION WITH LOCKHART AND 35 YEAR OLD JAMES LEWIS OF GUERNEVILLE, WHO REPORTEDLY MADE THREATS TO PAYNES FAMILY AND INSULTED HIM WITH RACIAL SLURS. PAYNE, WHO IS BLACK, GRABBED A KNIFE AWAY FROM LEWIS AFTER BACKING AWAY FROM THE TWO MEN, AND THEN STABBED LOCKHART IN THE CHEST. PAYNE COULD HAVE FACED 11 YEARS IN PRISON, BUT THE JUDGE REDUCED THE SENTENCE IN PART BECAUSE HE SAID PAYNE HAD BEEN PROVOKED BY THE VICTIM.
HEROIN BUST JKB 12/16/11
- A ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOP ON WEDNESDAY, LED TO THE ARREST OF A TRANSIENT MAN FROM THE ALBION AREA, AFTER HE WAS FOUND IN POSSESSION OF HEROIN.
36 YEAR OLD OZ SIMRIN WAS PULLED OVER FOR SPEEDING NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 20 AND HIGHWAY 1 AT AROUND 8 PM DURING THE STOP, SIMRIN SHOWED SIGNS OF RECENT DRUG USE AND A SEARCH OF HIS VEHICLE TURNED UP 1.7 GRAMS OF HEROIN.
VANDALISM OUTBREAK HIS LAKEPORT JKB 12/16/11
- A RASH OF GRAFFITI VANDALISMS HAS TARGETED THE CITY OF LAKEPORT OVER THE PAST WEEK.
THE GRAFFITI, WHICH IS POSSIBLY GANG RELATED HAS APPEARED DURING THE NIGHT TIME HOURS ON SEVERAL DOWNTOWN STREETS BETWEEN DECEMBER 10TH AND 13TH. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THESES INCIDENTS IS ASKED TO CONTACT THE LAKEPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT.
EIR FOR WALMART EXPANSION CERTIFIED JKB 12/16/1`1
- THE UKIAH PLANNING COMMISSION CERTIFIED THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED WALMART EXPANSION DURING A MEETING LAST NIGHT, BUT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT FACED SOME BIG CHALLENGES.
ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, THE EXPANSION IS EXPECTED TO CAUSE TRAFFIC TO BACK UP ONTO HIGHWAY 101 AT THE TALMAGE ROAD EXIT, CAUSING SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC JAMS. THE PRICE TAG TO FIX THE PROBLEM WAS ESTIMATED AT BETWEEN $5 AND $10 MILLION DOLLARS. THE REPORT ALSO STATED THE LARGER STORE WOULD DIVERT ABOUT $13.2 MILLION DOLLARS IN SALES FROM OTHER EXISTING BUSINESSES AND COULD LEAD ONE OR MORE GROCERY STORES TO CLOSE. THE EXPANSION IS EXPECTED TO GENERATE AN ADDITIONAL $74,000 IN ANNUAL SALES TAX REVENUE FOR THE CITY, WHICH WOULD NET ABOUT $40,000 ANNUALLY AFTER OTHER FACTORS, INCLUDING HIGHER LAW ENFORCEMENT COSTS WERE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
MENDO COUNTY JAIL PSYCHIATRIST STEPS DOWN JKB 12/16/11
- MENDOCINO COUNTY JAIL PSYCHIATRIST AND MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION, DOUG ROSOFF HAS STEPPED DOWN.
ROSOFF IS LEAVING AFTER 17 YEARS WITH THE COUNTY TO BE A STAFF PSYCHIATRIST AT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATIONS UKIAH COMMUNITY BASED OUTPATIENT CLINIC ON KINGS COURT. COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE FOUR INDIVIDUAL CONTRACT WITH PRIVATE PROVIDERS TO COVER ROSOFFS DUTIES UNTIL A LONG TERM SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND.
LAKE COUNTY BOS WAIVES BUILDING FEES JKB 12/16/11
- THE LAKE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED POLICIES TO WAIVE OR DEFER CERTAIN CONSTRUCTION RELATED FEES IN ORDER TO SPUR ECONOMIC GROWTH AT THEIR MEETING TUESDAY.
THE BOARD AGREED FOR THE WAVING OF 100% OF BUILDING PERMIT FEES FOR SOME HOUSING REHAB PROJECTS, 100% FOR AG BUILDING ON LARGE PARCELS, AND 50% OF BUILDING PERMIT FEES FOR FARM LABOR QUARTERS. THEY ALSO AGREED TO WAVE 100% OF CERTAIN PLANNING FEES FOR IN-FILL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND UP TO 50% FOR WORK NOT CONSIDERED IN-FILL.
CHRISTMAS EFFORT UNDERWAY JKB 12/16/11
- THE UKIAH VALLEY CHRISTMAS EFFORT IS UNDERWAY AT CARL PURDY HALL AT THE REDWOOD EMPIRE FAIRGROUNDS, YOU HEARD US REPORTED FROM THERE YESTERDAY.
DONATED TOYS, GIFTS, AND FOOD ARE BEING WRAPPED AND BOXED FOR DELIVERY TO MORE THAN 350 NEEDY FAMILIES IN THE UKIAH AREA ON CHRISTMAS EVE. THEY ARE STILL LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO WRAP, BOX, AND DELIVER GIFTS. IF YOURE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING OR DONATING, SHOW UP AT CARL PURDY HALL BETWEEN 9 AM AND 6 PM, OR CALL 462-3885.
