A man from Redwood Valley has been arrested after calls to the Sheriff’s Dept. about a burglary. On Saturday night, on the 8th of January, deputies went to a home where residents said their ATV was missing and that a car in their driveway had some items stolen. Their home was also ripped off and ransacked. The ATV was found crashed on the side of the road nearby. After collecting evidence from the entire area, they found no suspect. The next day Deputies got a call to two homes on the same property nearby. They found Dominic Singelton hiding in one with items from the burglary the day before. He was arrested for several crimes and on active parole for another burglary in the same neighborhood. He’s jailed without bail.
A man and 2 women have been arrested after a domestic assault on another woman in Redwood Valley. Mendocino Deputies contacted a 21 year-old woman who shares a child with Nathan Feliz. She says as she went to hand over the youngster, he hit her multiple times in the face, and pulled on her leg to try to get her out of her car, then left with the small child. Deputies couldn’t find him nearby but did find him in Willits. They also found Vanessa Sanchez and Kiahna Feliz there who wouldn’t let Deputies inside. They heard a child crying and got a search warrant and eventually found Feliz hiding at an apartment next door where a neighbor didn’t give him permission to enter. He was arrested and held on $50,000.00 bail. The two women also arrested and held on $15,000.00 bail.
A call in Ukiah about a man with a knife brings out police. On their way police were told the man was trying to break into an apartment. They identified him as Andrew Custer where they say as they approached, he advanced to one officer, mumbling incoherently, carrying what looked like a 4-foot-long broom stick with a knife tied to its end, like a spear. They found out he was threatening neighbors with the spear and commanded him to drop the weapon, but he ignored them. They recognized him from previous contacts, knowing he had mental health challenges. Another officer came and Tased Custer who was taken into custody. He did injure one neighbor so he was arrested for burglary, assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and attempted murder.
Congressman Jared Huffman along with a colleague from Missouri has introduced legislation to help rural hospitals. Huffman and Congressman Sam Graves came up with a bipartisan bill, Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act which they say will infuse money into rural hospitals on the brink of bankruptcy and get critical care providers the help they need. Huffman says the hospitals stepped up in our time of need, and his bill with Rep. Graves will take the necessary steps to keep these facilities stay afloat and protect access to high-quality care with greater Medicare reimbursement. The bill would eliminate Medicare sequestration for rural hospitals, make Medicare telehealth service enhancements permanent and extend increased Medicare payments for rural ground ambulance services currently set to expire December 31st.
The “Biggest Catfish Tournament West of the Mississippi” is accepting application to enter. The Clearlake Oaks-Glenhaven Business Association is sponsoring the event which brings folks from across the state and country. It was canceled in 2020 and last year was scaled back, but got even more entries than in 2019, before the pandemic. The Committee Chair says they’re expecting another good year for “catfishing, our local community and the overall Lake County economy.” Prizes this year are worth $10,000 — in the adult and kid categories. The derby is from May 13 to 15. Entries are available online at www.clearlakeoaks.org/derby.
A hearing is continued this week by the Clearlake City Council regarding an appeal of a cannabis operation the Clearlake Planning Commission approved last year. The council’s meeting in closed session first, then at 6pm tonight will hear about the appeal of the Planning Commission’s approval of conditional use permit and mitigated negative declaration for the 15 acre cannabis operation on Ogulin Canyon Road. Staff have recommended the council deny the appeal filed by Dave Hughes. The council has other business too including meeting this month’s adoptable dog.
The Fort Bragg City Council has given their approval to enter into an employment agreement for an Interim City Manager. Starting January 3rd, Dave Spaur took the wheel at a rate of $76.30/hr. Also at the first meeting of the new year, the police department reported to the council on the winter weather shelter which they’re managing for the first time. It’s an overflow service from the Hospitality House when it’s too dangerous for sleeping outdoors. They use the Motel 6 and do not allow alcohol, drugs, or guests and risk being kicked out if they partake.
For the first time ever, Lake County has a woman leading the Agriculture Dept. Katherine Vanderwall has been appointed Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights and Measures. Vanderwall is a native, born and raised in Lake County. The chairman of the Lake County Board of Supervisors noted there wouldn’t be anyone else as well positioned for the role, and they’re excited she has stepped up to serve. She’s been the Deputy Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer of Weights and Measures for the last five years.
Congressmen Jared Huffman and Mike Thompson have honored a local winery owner on the floor of the US House. Last month a resolution in honor of Martha Barra for her 80th birthday and in recognition of her four decades of organic grape growing was read into the record. Huffman’s resolution said Barra has been a trailblazer in Mendocino County’s early wine industry, learning the business inside and out, looking for ecologically conscious agriculture and production methods early on. She currently oversees vineyard operations, does local tastings and hosts events at their property in Redwood Valley.
A slump in the economy in the North Bay like so many other places in 2020. Recently released data from the federal government shows the region was hard hit but rebounded in 2021 as travel and hospitality sectors recovered. The hardest hit, Napa, with Solano and Lake counties GDP pretty much unchanged. Sonoma and Mendocino counties were down around 3-3.5% and Marin only 1%.
