Police in Redwood Valley are on the lookout for vandals they say got away in a white car. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Dept. reports getting calls about vandalism to mailboxes and trash cans. Cops went to the area and stopped several cars that matched the description from neighbors in the area, but no suspects have been found. Police ask you to call the main number for the Sheriff’s Dept. if you’ve also been a victim of vandalism in Redwood Valley. Police also report there have been social media posts also looking for information. They also say they think a Redwood Valley community member may have caught video of the suspect’s vehicle. Sheriff’s deputies looking to get ahold of the footage to see if they can identify any suspect.
One man arrested another on the run after a burglary a couple weeks ago in Philo. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Dept. reports getting a call about two men walking into a locked barn. Deputies say the two men were confronted outside the barn and they took off. One was identified soon after as Larry Pee Wee Commander who’s on Parole. He was arrested soon after for violating parole. Plus he was found with some items stolen in the burglary and charged with several other crimes. His co-conspirator, Robert Douglas was soon identified as taking part and he too was arrested.
A man in Gualala has been arrested after another man was hit over the head with a skateboard. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Dept reports getting a call to a hospital where a 25 year old man says he was with some friends at the Gualala River and a man approached them with a skateboard. They say they asked him to leave, he did, but then when it was dark, he made a stealthy move toward the group and hit the victim in the back of his head with the skateboard. He’s identified as Jona Chapman. Cops went to his home in Point Arena and arrested him for assault with a deadly weapon resulting in great bodily injury. They say the guy was also recently connected to two separate felony probation cases. He’s held without bail.
The daytime homeless services center in Ukiah is opening soon. The Daily Journal reports Redwood Community Services looking to open the shelter on South State Street in August if all goes as planned. The homelessness and housing manager for Redwood says they’re finishing the flooring and painting walls, then they’ll start furnishing the place. The location currently hosts overnight shelter in the winter, but so far there’s no plans for that in the summer. It comes at the same time police have been asking some people in homeless encampments to pack up their tents, SUVs, trailers and RVs to leave Airport Road between the airport and the railroad tracks. Police are planning to clear the area to reduce fire hazards and vegetation along the tracks.
Choppers in the sky due to a joint training exercise with federal and local law enforcement hosted by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office reports it was a training for officers to be aerial observers so they’re up to speed on how to find and identify marijuana and associated environmental crimes. The training was a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. State agencies included the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, The National Guard was supposed to join, but did not. The choppers flew over public and private land the last week. The Sheriff’s Dept. reports gathering info on illegal grows on private lands during its training.
A new old member of the Clearlake City Council has been sworn in… again. Russell Perdock took the oath of office Thursday saying it was good to be back. The Record Bee reports the Mayor Russ Cremer saying Perdock was appointed because he could hit the ground running. The newspaper reports the council then reviewed and approved its $6.6 million budget for the next fiscal year which focuses on public infrastructure, code enforcement, updates to city technology, and public safety. You can see the budget online at the city’s website.
There could be a hike in phone bills as part of the latest state budget. The nearly 215 billion dollar budget includes upgrading the state’s old 911 system and aid for middle class families so they can pay their monthly health insurance premiums. But it may also mean a new monthly fee on phone bills and a tax for those who don’t buy health insurance. Some Republican lawmakers say it’s unconscionable to tax residents to pay for 911 upgrades while there’s a huge budget surplus. But Democrats, who hold super majorities in both houses of the Legislature, say they don’t want to dip into the surplus for ongoing expenses.
Lakeport City Council getting ahead of fire season working on action to get rid of weeds. Lake Co News reports the new fiscal year budget attacks weed abatement, and they’re considering buying a new generator in the new budget. The council to meet tomorrow night in closed session before the regular meeting. They’ll look over the proposed $16 million dollar budget. They’re also going to get a first look at the Lakeport Dam Emergency Action Plan before it goes to the state and the purchase of a new generator for the Lakeport Boulevard lift station at a cost of $40,000.
A new phone scam reported by Clearlake police. They say they’ve heard about two scams as of late. One where someone calls saying they’re a police officer but don’t say with what department. They then give the old line that there’s a family member who needs urgent medical care, so they need personal information and money. Caller ID showed an international number. Then the second scam is a fake kidnapping, where someone claims to be holding a family member hostage and demands a wire transfer of money. They say that one was also an international number.
3 people arrested during a protest of logging in Humboldt County. Reporter Kym Kemp says it happened at Monument Gate at the entrance to the Rainbow Ridge area where about a dozen protesters were trying to stop the Humboldt Redwood Company from logging. They were reportedly trying to erect a “mono-pod” to block the entrance and were arrested. One protester tells the news site Kym Kemp dot com, that two Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies “violently arrested three people” and “basically attacked the crowd.” A spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office says three people were indeed arrested for trespassing, resisting arrest and impeding traffic.
One of the two men who were arrested for the Ghost Ship Warehouse fire is testifying in court. The Press Democrat reports Max Harris was to testify in court today. He faces 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter with Derick Almena who’s been accused of running the Ghost Ship as an artist live-work space. A fire at the space in December of 2016 during a party killed 36 people. The two pleaded no contest, but a judge said no and they went to jury trial anyway. Court papers say prosecutors are blaming Almena because the warehouse was packed with highly flammable items with no smoke detectors, fire alarms, sprinklers or other required safety equipment. And they allege Harris assisted Almena to turn the old warehouse into the space and collect rent and schedule concerts.
