FORT BRAGG VOTERS BACK SALES TAX HIKE FOR CENTER JKB 3/7/12
- FORT BRAGG VOTERS HAVE BACKED A HALF CENT SALES TAX INCREASE TO HELP SAVE THE FINANCIALLY TROUBLED C.V. STARR AQUATIC CENTER.
ACCORDING TO THE MENDOCINO COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICE, ALMOST 75% OF VOTERS GAVE THE THUMBS UP TO THE TAX INCREASE THAT IS EXPECTED TO RAISE NEARLY $700,000 A YEAR FOR THE CENTER. FORT BRAGGS CURRENT SALES TAX RATE IS 7.75%. A COUNTY WIDE 1/8TH CENT SALES TAX INCREASE APPROVED BY VOTERS TO HELP FUND LIBRARIES WILL GO INTO EFFECT APRIL 1ST. THE AQUATIC CENTER SALES TAX INCREASE WILL GO INTO EFFECT IN JULY BRINGING THE SALES TAX RATE IN FORT BRAGG TO 8.375%, MAKING IT THE HIGHEST IN THE COUNTY.
MAN ARRESTED FOR CAR THEFT JKB 3/7/12
- A UKIAH MAN SUSPECTED OF DISMANTLING STOLEN VEHICLES WAS ARRESTED BY SACRAMENTO AUTHORITIES IN CARMICHAEL LAST WEEK.
LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAD BEEN SEARCHING FOR 29 YEAR OLD JASON PRATT SINCE JANUARY 18TH WHEN DETECTIVES WITH THE UKIAH POLICE DEPARTMENT FOUND STOLEN VEHICLES IN HIS SHOP ON FEEDLOT LANE THAT HAD BEEN STRIPPED AND CUT APART. PRATT WAS TRANSPORTED TO UKIAH LATE LAST WEEK AND HE WAS BOOKED INTO THE COUNTY JAIL ON CHARGES OF RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY AND BEING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.
E-QUAKE AT GEYSERS JKB 3/7/12
- THE GEYSERS WERE SHAKEN BY A 3.1 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE EARLY THIS MORNING, THE 8TH QUAKE 3.0 OR LARGER TO STRIKE THE AREA SINCE THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.
THE QUAKE OCCURRED AT 12:57 AM AND WAS CENTERED 2 MILES NORTH OF THE STEAM FIELDS AND 5 MILES WEST OF COBB.
30 YEAR OLD TESTIMONY ADMISSIBLE JKB 3/7/12
- MENDOCINO COUNTY JUDGE ANN MOORMAN HAS RULED THAT TESTIMONY FROM A VICTIM THAT WAS ALLEGEDLY ABUSED 30 YEARS AGO IS ADMISSIBLE IN THE CURRENT MOLESTATION TRIAL OF 68 YEAR OLD RICHARD KRUSE OF ALBION.
KRUSE IS ACCUSED OF MOLESTING A 6 OR 7 YEAR OLD GIRL WHO WAS ON HIS WATER SKI TEAM, BEGINNING IN SEPTEMBER OF 2007. HE HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH COMMITTING LEWD AND LASCIVIOUS ACTS WITH A CHILD YOUNGER THAN 14 AND PERFORMING SEXUAL ACTS ON A CHILD YOUNGER THAN 10, ALONG WITH SPECIAL ALLEGATIONS. ACCORDING TO THE PROSECUTORS OFFICE A FORMER RESIDENT OF THE COUNTY SAYS SHE WAS MOLESTED IN A SIMILAR FASHION 30 YEARS AGO BY KRUSE AND IS PREPARED TO TESTIFY. SHE IS EXPECTED TO TAKE THE STAND MARCH 14TH OR 15TH. JURY SELECTION FOR THE TRIAL BEGAN MONDAY.
BOMB SCARE TRIGGERED BY PAPER SCROLL JKB 3/7/12
- AUTHORITIES HAVE ANNOUNCED THAT A BOMB SCARE THAT SHUT DOWN DISNEYLAND FOR CLOSE TO THREE HOURS ON SATURDAY WAS CAUSED BY A ROHNERT PARK MAN WHO PLACED A SCROLL OF PAPER IN A TREE FOR GOOD LUCK.
THE UNIDENTIFIED MAN WAS AT THE AMUSEMENT PARK WITH HIS DAUGHTER AND HER YOUTH FOOTBALL SPIRIT TEAM FOR A NATIONAL CHEERLEADING COMPETITION. HE WOTE SOMETHING ORNATELY ON PAPER, ROLLED IT UP AND PLACED IT IN A TREE NEAR A TICKET BOOTH FOR GOOD LUCK. A PARK EMPLOYEE PERFORMING A ROUTINE INSPECTION SPOTTED THE SUSPICIOUS OBJECT JUST AFTER 7 AM AND A BOMB SQUAD WAS CALLED IN WHEN IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED WHAT IT WAS. THE MAN WHO PLACED THE SCROLL CALLED POLICE AFTER SEEING THE PARK HAD BEEN CLOSED ON THE NEWS AND DESCRIBED WHAT HE HAD DONE. AFTER CONFIRMATION, DISNEYLAND WAS RE-OPENED AT AROUND 10:30 AM.
LAKE CO. BOS DENY RIVEROS REQUEST OF OUTSIDE COUNCIL JKB 3/7/12
- THE LAKE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAVE DENIED A REQUEST FOR OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNCIL FROM SHERIFF FRANK RIVERO REGARDING AN INVESTIGATION BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE.
THE INVESTIGATION STEMS FOR A SHOOTING IN 2008 THAT RIVERO WAS INVOLVED IN WHEN HE WAS A SHERIFFS DEPUTY. THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT CLEARED HIM OF ANY CRIMINAL CHARGES AFTER AN INVESTIGATION. LAKE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY DON ANDERSON IS STILL INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT, BUT SAYS IT IS NOT A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. RIVERO REQUESTED LEGAL REPRESENTATION AS PROVIDED BY A CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE WHENEVER THERE COULD BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE OUR THE COUNTY COUNSEL TO REPRESENT HIM. COUNTY COUNSEL OFFERED TO SET UP AN ETHICAL WALL WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT TO REPRESENT HIM, BUT RIVERO REFUSED TO WAIVE THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST CLAUSE AND ASKED SUPERVISORS TO FUND PRIVATE COUNCIL. THEY DENIED THAT REQUEST ON A 4 TO 1 VOTE YESTERDAY. RIVERO SAYS HE WILL SEEK A HIGHER COURTS INTERVENTION.
PRESCRIBED BURN PLANNED FOR FRIDAY JKB 3/7/12
- A PRESCRIBED BURN USING THE HELI-TORCH IS PLANNED ON THE GRINDSTONE RANGER DISTRICT OF THE MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST NEAR FOREST HIGHWAY 7 A LONG POINT ON FRIDAY, CONDITIONS PERMITTING.
THE OPERATION WILL UTILIZE A HELICOPTER DIRECTED BY PERSONNEL IN A SMALL AIRPLANE TO IGNITE THE FIRE, WHICH IS PLANNED TO THIN THE FUEL LOAD FOR UP TO 7000 ACRES OF FOREST. THE PUBLIC MAY NOTICE SMOKE IN THE AREA ON FRIDAY, AS WELL AS RESIDUAL SMOKE LINGERING AFTER IGNITIONS ARE COMPLETE.
PLASTIC BAG BAN HEARING TONIGHT JKB 3/7/12
- THE UKIAH CITY COUNCIL WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT TO GATHER PUBLIC COMMENTS ON A DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT REGARDING THE PROPOSED CITYWIDE BAN ON PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS.
THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE WOULD FAN THE USE OF DISPOSABLE PLASTIC BAGS BY BUSINESSES AND WOULD REQUIRE THEM TO CHARGE AT LEAST 10 CENTS TO CUSTOMERS FOR A LARGE PAPER BAG. PUBLIC COMMENT FOLLOWING TONIGHTS HEARING WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL MONDAY. CITY STAFF WILL THEN BRING THE FINAL EIR BEFORE THE COUNCIL AT THEIR APRIL 18TH MEETING. TONIGHTS HEARING BEGINS AT 6 PM IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
