GHB THE CAUSE OF GIRLS DEATH JKB 2/1/12
- A 14 YEAR OLD SANTA ROSA GIRL WHO INITIALLY WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE DIED AFTER DRINKING ALCOHOL DURING A SLEEPOVER AT HER HOME LAST SUMMER, OVERDOSED ON GHB.
ACCORDING TO THE LATEST REPORT FROM THE SONOMA COUNTY CORONERS OFFICE, TAKEIMI RAO DIED AFTER DRINKING A FATAL DOSE OF GAMMA-HYDROXYBUTYRIC ACID IN A BEVERAGE. IT HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED IF RAO ACCIDENTALLY OR INTENTIONALLY INGESTED THE DRUG. GHB IS ONE OF SEVERAL SUBSTANCES CLASSIFIED AS A DATE RAPE DRUG THAT HAS BECOME POPULAR AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE AT DANCE CLUBS AND RAVES. THE CAUSE OF DEATH WAS CONFIRMED AFTER A 9 MONTH LONG INVESTIGATION. THE INVESTIGATION INTO HOW THE TEENAGER CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE DRUG IS CONTINUING
GANG ASSAULT SENTENCE JKB 2/1/12
- A FORT BRAGG MAN PLEADED GUILTY TO A PAIR OF GANG RELATED CHARGES AND WAS SENTENCED TO A YEAR IN JAIL AND THREE YEARS PROBATION YESTERDAY.
20 YEAR OLD ALEJANDRO GRIJALBA PLEADED GUILTY TO ONE FELONY CHARGE OF BATTERY CAUSING SERIOUS BODILY INJURY AND A MISDEMEANOR CHARGE OF ATTEMPTING TO DISSUADE A WITNESS, CONCEDING THAT BOTH CRIMES WERE FOR THE BENEFIT OF A CRIMINAL STREET GANG. ACCORDING TO PROSECUTORS, GRIJALBA PUBLICLY RENOUNCED HIS GANG TIES DURING LAST FRIDAYS SENTENCING HEARING AND VOWED TO HAVE HIS GANG TATTOOS REMOVED.
MAN KILLED AFTER STEPPING INTO TRAFFIC JKB 2/1/12
- THE SOUTHBOUND LANES OF HIGHWAY 101 WERE CLOSED FOR NEARLY TWO HOURS LAST NIGHT NEAR FIELDS LANDING IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY AFTER A TRANSIENT MAN STEPPED INTO TRAFFIC AND WAS HIT.
ACCORDING TO THE CHP, WITNESSES AT THE SCENE SAID THE UNIDENTIFIED MAN STEPPED INTO THE PATH OF A PICK UP TRUCK JUST BEFORE 6 PM. AFTER BEING HIT BY THE TRUCK, THE MANS BODY WAS STRUCK BY AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF VEHICLES. AT LEAST THREE OTHER MOTORISTS WERE INVOLVED. INVESTIGATORS DONT KNOW IF THE MAN WAS TRYING TO CROSS THE HIGHWAY OR STEPPED INTO TRAFFIC INTENTIONALLY. NONE OF THE DRIVERS INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT WERE UNDER THE INFLUENCE. AUTHORITIES SAY IT COULD TAKE SOME TIME TO IDENTIFY THE VICTIM, DUE TO THE EXTENT OF HIS INJURIES.
FIRE DAMAGES HOME JKB 2/1/12
- A FIRE CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO A HOME IN CLEARLAKE SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
THE FIRE WAS REPORTED SHORTLY BEFORE 4 PM AT A HOME ON ALVITA AVENUE. QUICK ACTION BY FIREFIGHTERS KEPT THE BLAZE CONTAINED TO THE LIVING ROOM WHERE IT BEGAN. ACCORDING TO FIRE INVESTIGATORS, THE HOME HAD BEEN UNDERGOING REMODELING AND THE UTILITIES WERE TURNED ON. IT ALSO APPEARED THAT SOMEONE MAY HAVE ILLEGALLY ENTERED THE HOME AND ACTIVITIES INSIDE THE HOUSE RESULTED IN A FIRE TO THE COUCH. THE EXACT CAUSE IS STILL UNKNOWN. DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURE WAS ESTIMATED AT $30,000.
MENDO SUPERVISORS PAY CUT MADE PERMANENT JKB 12/1/12
- WITH SUPERVISORS DAN HAMBURG AND KENDALL SMITH ABSENT BY A PRE-ARRANGEMENT, THE MENDOCINO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FINALIZED A PERMANENT 10% PAY CUT FOR THEMSELVES ON A 3 TO 0 VOTE YESTERDAY.
YESTERDAYS VOTE WAS JUST A FORMALITY AFTER THE SUPES VOTED 3 TO 2 LAST WEEK TO THE CUT WITH HAMBURG AND SMITH DISSENTING. THE CUT REDUCES THE SUPERVISORS BASE SALARY FROM $68,000 TO $61,200 A YEAR, AND WILL GO INTO EFFECT WHEN EACH ELECTED OFFICIAL NEXT TAKES OFFICE. THREE SEATS ARE UP FOR GRABS THIS ELECTION YEAR IN THE 1ST, 2ND AND 4TH SUPERVISOR DISTRICTS.
MAYOR TO APPOINT TWO MEMBERS TO SUCCESSOR BOARD JKB 2/1/12
- UKIAH MAYOR MARY ANNE LANDIS IS EXPECTED TO APPOINT TWO PEOPLE TO AN OVERSIGHT BOARD OF THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY THAT WILL BE HANDLING THE MAJORITY OF DUTIES PERFORMED BY THE NOW DEFUNCT UKIAH REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AT TONIGHTS MEETING.
LANDIS WILL APPOINT A MEMBER OF THE CITY THAT HELPED CREATE THE NEW AGENCY AND ONE THAT REPRESENTS THE EMPLOYEES OF THE FORMER URA. THEY WILL JOIN THE OTHER FIVE MEMBERS OF THE OVERSIGHT BOARD THAT INCLUDE TWO MEMBERS APPOINTED BY COUNTY SUPERVISORS, ONE MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE UKIAH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, ONE MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION AND ONE MEMBER APPOINTED BY MENDOCINO COLLEGE.
NO CONFLICT REGARDING SUPERVISOR BROWN JKB 2/1/12
- THE CALIFORNIA FAIR POLITICAL PRACTICES COMMISSION HAS FOUND NO EVIDENCE THAT LAKE COUNTY SUPERVISOR ROB BROWN VIOLATED CONFLICT OF INTEREST REGULATIONS REGARDING HIS POSITION AS A SUPERVISOR AND A HIGH SCHOOL COACH.
THE COMMISSION ALSO FOUND HE VIOLATED NO REGULATIONS IN VOTING ON ISSUES CONCERNING THE BOTTLE ROCK STEAM FIELDS, THAT ARE LOCATED ON THE SAME ROAD HE OWNS PROPERTY ON. IT ALSO DECIDED NOT TO PROSECUTE OR FINE BROWN FOR FAILING TO LIST THE ADDRESSES OF THE LAND HE OWNS ON BOTTLE ROCK ROAD OR ALL OF THE NAMES HE CONDUCTS HIS BAIL BOND BUSINESSES UNDER. THE BOARD HOWEVER DID ADMONISH BROWN FOR THE DEFICIENCIES IN HIS PAPERWORK OR ADVISED HE GET THEM IN ORDER. THE COMPLAINTS TO THE BOARD WERE BROUGHT BY ONE OF BROWNS CRITICS, WHICH HE CLAIMS WERE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED.
DONATED BLANKETS AND STUFFED TOYS DISTRIBUTED JKB 2/1/12
- LAKE COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPUTIES HAVE BEEN HANDING OUT NEW BLANKETS AND STUFFED ANIMALS WHEN THEY COME IN CONTACT WITH CHILDREN IN NEED WHILE DOING THEIR JOBS, THANKS TO AN ANONYMOUS DONOR.
THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY 40 NEW CHILDRENS BLANKETS, EACH INDIVIDUALLY PACKAGED WITH A NEW STUFFED ANIMAL IN DECEMBER BY THE DONOR. THE PACKAGES WERE DISPERSED TO PATROL DEPUTIES AND INVESTIGATORS AND MANY WERE HANDED OUT DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON TO NEEDY CHILDREN. THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT WANTED TO PUBLICLY THANK THE ANONYMOUS DONOR AND SAY THOSE WISHING TO MAKE SIMILAR DONATIONS CAN DO SO BY CALLING 262-4200.
