MAN DENIED PAROLE JKB 3/8/12
- A MAN SERVING A PRISON SENTENCE FOR THE 2ND DEGREE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF A POLICE OFFICER IN 1992 WAS DENIED PAROLE ON TUESDAY.
67 YEAR OLD DEWY HANSEN WAS SENTENCED TO 23 YEARS TO LIFE AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO SHOOTING CLEARLAKE RESERVE POLICE OFFICER JOHN PHILLIPS AT POINT BLANK RANGE AS PHILLIPS SEARCHED FOR HIM WHILE SERVING AN ARREST WARRANT. HANSEN LOST AN EYE IN THE RETURN FIRE. HANSEN HAD TWO PRIOR CONVICTIONS FOR ARMED ROBBERY AND ONE FOR POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE, AND HAD AN ARREST WARRANT PENDING FOR A THIRD ARMED ROBBERY ON THE DAY OF THE SHOOTING. PROSECUTORS ALSO SAY HANSEN HAD A 30 YEAR HISTORY OF CHRONIC DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE AND HAD CLAIMED TO HAVE INJECTED THREE QUARTERS OF A GRAM OF METHMPHETAMINE JUST BEFORE THE SHOOTING. THE PAROLE BOARD DENIED HANSENS RELEASE ON THE GROUNDS THAT HE STILL PRESENTED AN UNREASONABLE RISK OF DANGER TO THE PUBLIC. HE WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE AGAIN UNTIL THE YEAR 2017.
WOMANS BODY FOUND IN S.F. BAY JKB 3/8/12
- SAN FRANCISCO POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE DEATH OF A WOMAN WHOSE BODY WAS FOUND FLOATING IN THE WATER NEAR FISHERMANS WHARF ON TUESDAY.
TWO PEOPLE REPORTED SEEING THE BODY OFF PIER 45 AT AROUND 11:20 AM. A POLICE SPOKESPERSON SAID THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS SIGNS OF FOUL PLAY. HER NAME HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED PENDING NOTIFICATION OF FAMILY MEMBERS.
JUVENILE HALL ESCAPEE JKB 3/8/12
- LAKE COUNTY AUTHORITIES ARE SEARCHING FOR A 16 YEAR OLD BOY WHO RAN AWAY FROM JUVENILE HALL WEDNESDAY MORNING.
THE BOY HAD BEEN ALLOWED CERTAIN PRIVILEGES, INCLUDING WORK DUTIES AND WAS ON GARBAGE DETAIL WHEN HE CLIMBED OVER A FENCE AND ESCAPED AT AROUND 8 AM. JUVENILE HALL OFFICERS SEARCHED FOR THE BOY FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF BEFORE TURNING OVER THE CASE TO THE LAKE COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT, WHO HAVE PLACED A PICK-UP ORDER ON THE JUVENILE ESCAPEE.
PRESCRIBED BURN PLANNED FOR TOMORROW JKB 3/8/12
- WEATHER CONDITIONS PERMITTING, A PRESCRIBED BURN USING A HELI-TORCH IS PLANNED IN THE GRINDTONE RANGER DISTRICT OF THE MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST NEAR LONG POINT AND FOREST HIGHWAY NUMBER SEVEN TOMORROW.
THE OPERATION WILL UTILIZE A HELICOPTER DIRECTED BY FIRE PERSONNEL IN A SPOTTER PLANE TO IGNITE THE BLAZE, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE FUEL LOAD FOR UP TO 700 ACRES OF THE FOREST. THE PUBLIC MAY NOTICE SMOKE IN THE AREA ON FRIDAY, AND RESIDUAL SMOKE LINGERING AFTER OPERATIONS HAVE CEASED.
NORBURY HEARING JKB 3/8/12
- THE COURTROOM WAS PACKED TO OVERFLOWING AGAIN YESTERDAY DURING A PRELIMINARY HEARING FOR 33 YEAR OLD BILLY NORBURY, WHO IS ACCUSED IN THE SHOOTING DEATH OF POPULAR LOCAL MUSICIAN 30 YEAR OLD JAMAL ANDREWS.
IT WAS THE 2ND HEARING FOR NORBURY, WHOS FAMILY HAS HIRED UKIAH ATTORNEY AL KUBANIS TO REPLACE THE APPOINTED ATTORNEY FROM THE PUBLIC DEFENDERS OFFICE. A NEW PRELIMINARY HEARING WAS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 10TH IN ORDER FOR KUBANIS TO COME UP TO SPEED ON THE CASE. NORBURY HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER IN THE SHOOTING OF ANDREWS JANUARY 28TH. DISTRICT ATTORNEY DAVID EYSTER HAS SAID HE WILL NOT CHARGE NORBURY WHO IS WHITE, WITH A HATE CRIME AGAINST ANDREWS, WHO IS BLACK, AS SOME HAVE CALLED FOR. EYSTER SAYS THE EVIDENCE INDICATES A MOTIVE OTHER THAN JUST RACE.
NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTORS APPOINTED TO HHSA JKB 3/8/12
- TWO NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTORS WERE APPOINTED TO THE COUNTYS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY THIS WEEK.
TOM PINIZZOTTO AND KARIN WANDREI WILL BEGIN THEIR NEW POSTS WITH THE HHSA APRIL 15TH. PINIZZOTTO IS CURRENTLY THE AGENCYS INTERIM MENTAL HEALTH DIRECTOR AND WANDREI IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MENDOCINO COUNTY YOUTH PROJECT.
WILLITS BYPASS CONSTRUCTION COSTS JUMP JKB 3/8/12
- CALTRANS OFFICIALS HAVE ANNOUNCED THAT THE CONSTRUCTION COST FOR PHASE ONE OF THE RECENTLY APPROVED WILLITS BYPASS JUMPED AN EXTRA $14 MILLION DOLLARS.
ACCORDING TO CALTRANS, THE PRICE INCREASE WAS DUE TO $6 MILLION DOLLARS IN MITIGATION AND ANOTHER $8 MILLION DOLLARS FOR STRUCTURES. THE MENDOCINO COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS HAS PLEDGED $2.1 MILLION DOLLARS IN FUTURE SHARES OF TRANSPORTATION FUNDING TO HELP COVER THE COST INCREASE. THE CALTRANS INTER-REGIONAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WILL COVER THE REST.
BROOKTRIALS BOD APPROVES FIRE TAX INCREASE MEASURE JKB 3/8/12
- THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE BROOKTRAILS AREA TOWNSHIP OF WILLITS HAVE APPROVED PLACING A FIRE TAX INCREASE ON THE JUNE 5TH BALLOT.
IF PASSED, THE BALLOT MEASURE WILL INCREASE TAXES ON EACH OF THE 1,260 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES IN BROOKTRAILS BY $35 A YEAR, AND BY $60 A YEAR ON THE 4,089 UNIMPROVED PARCELS. FEES FOR THE 69 DUPLEXES IN THE TOWNSHIP WILL INCREASE BY $40 PER YEAR, ON THE 14 TRIPLEXES BY $45 A YEAR, AND THE 67 FOURPLEXES BY $50 ANNUALLY. SIX COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AS WELL AS THE BROOKTRAILS LODGE WILL PAY AN EXTRA $55 A YEAR. THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE WILL HELP FUND PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT NEEDS OF THE BROOKTRAILS FIRE DEPARTMENT.
