WINTER WEATHER ON THE WAY JKB 1/19/12
- A SERIES OF STORMS HAVE BEGUN TO DESCEND ON THE NORTH COAST, AND THEY WILL BRING WITH THEM WIND, RAIN, AND SNOW TO THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS.
RAINFALL THROUGH TOMORROW MORNING IS EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM HALF AN INCH TO UP TO TWO INCHES IN SOME AREAS. MORE RAIN IS EXPECTED BEGINNING FRIDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS 3 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 1000 FEET, WHILE 10 TO 24 INCHES OF SNOW COULD BE POSSIBLE AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 3000 FEET. MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO BE PREPARED FOR EXTREME WINTER WEATHER DRIVING CONDITIONS.
ICY ROADS LEAD TO CRASHES JKB 1/19/12
- BLACK ICE TOOK ITS TOLL ON A NUMBER OF DRIVERS IN LAKE COUNTY YESTERDAY MORNING.
SEVERAL MINOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AND VEHICLES SLIDING OFF THE ROADWAY WERE REPORTED IN THE AREA OF COBB MOUNTAIN AND ALL ALONG HIGHWAY 175. ACCIDENTS WERE REPORTED NEAR RED HILL ROAD, SODA BAY ROAD AS WELL AS IN AND AROUND LAKEPORT. THERE WERE NO REPORTS OF ANY MAJOR INJURIES.
BODY FOUND IN CREEK IDENTIFIED JKB 1/19/12
- A MAN WHO WAS FOUND DEAD IN FORBES CREEK NEAR BRUSH STREET ON TUESDAY HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS 65 YEAR OLD CHARLES RICHARD GOODRICH OF LAKEPORT.
AUTHORITIES SAY HIS DEATH APPEARS TO BE ACCIDENTAL, BUT THE INVESTIGATION IS CONTINUING. RESULTS OF AN AUTOPSY SCHEDULED FOR YESTERDAY WILL BE RELEASED AT A LATER DATE.
E-QUAKE AT GEYSERS JKB 1/19/12
- THE GEYSERS WERE SHAKEN BY A 3.0 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, THE 2ND QUAKE 3.0 OR LARGER TO STRIKE THE AREA SINCE NEW YEARS DAY.
THE QUAKE OCCURRED AT 4:57 PM AND WAS CENTERED 2 MILES EAST SOUTH EAST OF THE STEAM FIELDS. IT WAS FOLLOWED BY FOUR AFTERSHOCKS RANGING IN SIZE FROM 1.2 TO 2.3 IN MAGNITUDE.
CITY COUNCIL APPROVES WALMART EIR JKB 1/19/12
- ON A VOTE OF FOUR TO ONE, THE UKIAH CITY COUNCIL UPHELD THE UKIAH PLANNING COMMISSIONS CERTIFICATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED WALMART EXPANSION.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION CERTIFIED THE EIR LAST MONTH, BUT AN APPEAL FILED BY A GROUP CALLED CITIZENS FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMERCE SENT THE EIR CERTIFICATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL. NOW THAT THE CERTIFICATION HAS BEEN UPHELD, IT WILL GO BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION WHO WILL DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO ISSUE A SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT. COUNCIL MEMBER PHIL BALDWIN WAS THE ONLY DISSENTING VOTE.
HOME INVASION ROBBERY JKB 1/19/12
- ANOTHER HOME INVASION ROBBERY HAS TAKEN PLACE, THE LATEST IN LOCK LOMOND.
THE VICTIM CALLED POLICE AT AROUND 5:30 AM AND REPORTED THAT HE HAD BEEN AWOKEN BY A NOISE A HALF HOUR EARLIER AND CONFRONTED THREE MEN STANDING IN THE HALLWAY WHEN HE WENT TO INVESTIGATE. ALL THREE SUSPECTS WERE WEARING DARK CLOTHING AND SKI MASKS, AND ONE WAS CARRYING A HANDGUN. HE WAS THEN ATTACKED AND OVERPOWERED BY THE INTRUDERS. THE SUSPECTS RANSACKED THE HOME, STATING THEY WERE LOOKING FOR MARIJUANA AND CASH. THEY EVENTUALLY LEFT TAKING ELECTRONICS, CASH AND THE VICTIMS CAR. THE VEHICLE WAS RECOVERED IN THE KELSEYVILLE AREA. THE VICTIM WAS TREATED FOR INJURIES HE RECEIVED AT ST HELENA CLEARLAKE HOSPITAL. THE SUSPECTS REMAIN UNIDENTIFIED AND AT LARGE.
SUPREME COURT WILL HEAR LONG BEACH MED POT CASE JKB 1/19/12
- THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY THAT IT WOULD HEAR THE LONG BEACH MEDICAL MARIJUANA CASE.
AN APPEALS COURT HAD STRUCK DOWN SEVERAL PARTS OF LONG BEACHS ORDINANCE THAT SOUGHT TO REGULATE MEDICAL MARIJUANA COLLECTIVES, INCLUDING RULES FOR A LOTTERY AND PERMITTING SYSTEM LAST YEAR. THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION SAYS SUCH REGULATION IS IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW, AS MARIJUANA IS ILLEGAL IN THE EYES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. MENDOCINO COUNTY OFFICIALS WHO HAVE SUSPENDED THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PERMIT PROGRAM UNTIL THE COURT RENDERS THEIR DECISION WILL WATCH THE CASE CLOSELY. FEES FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA PERMITS ISSUED LAST YEAR BROUGHT THE COUNTY MORE THAN $600,000. THE RULING BY THE SUPREME COURT IS EXPECTED TO TAKE 9 MONTHS TO A YEAR.
POLICE ARREST SIX PEOPLE OCCUPYING HOME JKB 1/19/12
- EUREKA POLICE ARRESTED SIX PEOPLE YESTERDAY MORNING WHO ALLEGEDLY BROKE INTO A VACANT HOUSE IN A PROTEST FOR THE PLIGHT OF THE HOMELESS AND FORECLOSURES.
FOUR MEN AND TWO WOMEN RANGING IN AGE BETWEEN 21 AND 25 WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AFTER POLICE FORCED THEIR WAY INSIDE. THE SIX SUBJECTS IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES AS PART OF THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT. FIVE OF THE SIX HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN ARRESTED AT OCCUPY EVENTS. ACCORDING TO POLICE THE TRESPASSERS SPRAY PAINTED ANARCHIST SYMBOLS ON THE WALLS, TORE OUT SOME OF THE WIRING AND CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE HOME, WHICH IRONICALLY, WAS NOT IN FORECLOSURE. THE RENTAL PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY BETWEEN TENANTS.
