A quick arrest after a bank robbery in Willits. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office says Jonathan Sales was picked up just a block away from the Chase Bank on S Main Street just before 3:00 on Wednesday afternoon. Cops say a man, who tellers later identified as Sales, walked into the bank, demanded cash, and fled with the loot. The crime was also caught on the bank cameras. When Mendocino County Deputies spotted the suspect they say he tried to resist, so they had to unholster their Tasers to take him down. Reports say officers found an undetermined amount of stolen money and that Sales gave incriminating statements. He is now locked up in the county jail on robbery charges
A man from Ukiah has been convicted of murdering his stepson and trying to kill another man. The Mendocino County District Attorney’s office says 66-year-old Thomas Jones formerly of Talmage, was found guilty on Thursday of special circumstances premeditated murder of stepson Jamie Wilcox in September 2020. Jurors also found Jones guilty of trying to kill Wilxox’s spouse, Jamie Garden as the two victims prepared to leave the family campground to go to work. Jones faces mandatory life in prison because of convictions for three armed robberies in Lake County and three others in Sonoma county back in the late 1970s. County Court Judge Keith Faulder will impose that sentence on March 27. Jones ignored the court’s advice and represented himself at his trial.
Planners in Fort Bragg will have a public hearing next week to discuss amending the city’s cannabis regulations. Among the changes–cannabis dispensaries would require a 100-foot buffer around schools and youth centers, and the shops could only be open between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM. There would also be some changes to zoning and land use standards. The recommendations are part of an initial study done by the City of Fort Bragg Community Development Department and the Metropolitan Planning Group. The Planning Commission hearing is scheduled for next Wednesday at 6:00 PM at Fort Bragg Town Hall, on Main Street. You can look over the proposal and the rest of the commission agenda on the city web page.
Another step toward developing property at the old airport in Clearlake. The Clearlake City Council has extended a consulting agreement that could lead to a master plan and an agreement about the 40-acre site of the former Pearce Field on Highway 53. The city has had an eye on building a large shopping center there for several years. The vote extends the contract with the consultant signed earlier this year. Lake Co News reports City Manager Alan Flora told the council at its meeting on Thursday he hopes the consultants can come back by April with more information to hand over to developers. The council approved the extension unanimously.
The Mendocino-Lake Community College District says it has saved local taxpayers $12.7 million dollars by refinancing some general obligation bonds. The district says a similar refi back in 2015 saved more than $37 million. MLCDD was able to get a lower interest rate because of an increase in its credit rating, resulting in cashback. Moody’s Investors Service, which issues those ratings, says it gave the district a higher score because of a solid increase in its tax base. Officials say they decided to pass the savings back to local taxpayers. The bonds were issued in 2014 to build the North County Center in Willits, Lake Center in Lakeport, The Library/Learning Resource Center in Ukiah, and to make facility improvements. Voters approved that spending in 2006.
Just in time for Presidents Day weekend, the Mendocino National Forest has opened several developed recreational campgrounds and trailheads. Some campgrounds and trailheads though remain closed due to safety hazards from the 2018 Ranch Fire and 2020 August Complex fire. Officials say while they want everyone to have a good time outside, they want park visitors to make smart decisions and be well prepared for the woods. The forest service website has a list of what is open and closed.
California lawmakers will take up a bill to prioritize wildlife crossings on state highways. Sponsors say better crossings would help both animals and drivers. The Safe Roads and Wildlife Protection Act would require Caltrans to identify barriers to wildlife movement as they plan transportation projects and to implement at least 10 projects per year that improve what the bill calls — wildlife connectivity. Assemblymember Laura Freeman says highway construction has cut off several species from their natural habitats and mating areas. She says that has led to inbreeding and genetic isolation for the animals. Of course, HITTING an animal is no fun either. One study showed More than 44,000 wildlife-vehicle collisions on California roads from 2016 to 2020, resulting in fatalities, injuries, and property damage.
The US Department of Education has awarded a 1.7 million dollar grant to bring back the music program at four elementary schools in the Konocti Unified School District. The one-time funding comes from the department’s Assistance for Arts Education program. The Konocti District was one of the only 27 chosen from 96 that applied from across the country. The grant will be used to start the Online Rural Arts and Music Program or ON-RAMP at the Burns Valley, East Lake, Lower Lake Elementary, and Pomo Elementary schools. Band Director Katherine Wiley tells Record-Bee.com that she is ecstatic about the grant. She says students deserve music education in their schools. The federal funds will be spread out in even increments over the next four years.
The state says almost a third of the properties hit by last year’s Cache Fire Lake County are now clear of debris. Those property owners had enrolled in the statewide Consolidated Debris Removal Program. They can now work with the county to start getting permits to rebuild. 78 properties are part of that Debris Removal program, administered by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. With the debris gone, 24 are now moving closer to reconstruction. The fire last August burned 83 acres and destroyed dozens of properties south of Clearlake.
California State University Chancellor Joseph Castro is OUT. Castro resigned from that job because of accusations that he mishandled some sexual abuse and intimidation cases in his previous job as President at Fresno State. Castro was hired as the first Mexican-American leader of the University System, which is the biggest in the country, just last year. Cal State Trustees accepted that resignation after a day-long meeting in private. In a statement, Castro said while he doesn’t agree with media reports of his actions, he felt it was in the best interest of the University system for him to go. Those reports claimed Castro was aware of at least seven harassment cases at Fresno State but failed to discipline the high ranking university official alleged to have been involved.
