A new way to track where rape kits are finally comes to Calif. Back in 2017 a law was enacted requiring law enforcement agencies to get evidence related to sex assaults into labs within 20 days. The labs then had 120 days to process them. But there have been ongoing delays in testing evidence from sex assaults. Now the state has hired a coordinator who will work with
investigators, medical facilities and others to keep track of evidence collected from victims. Then it’s put online as required by a law approved last year. The Calif. Atty General says it’s to finally end the long backlog of rape kits in the state, and keep victims informed of their progress. California’s one of 2 dozen or so states to come up with this sort of tracking system.
City leaders in Lakeport are trying to drum up new business including potential retailers to take over vacant spaces. The City Council got a report this week of the possibility of retailers taking over the old Kmart building. They voted unanimously to extend a contract with a consultant called the Retail Coach to help recruit businesses. The city manager says the company was hired in 2019 to help as the big box store closed, but then the pandemic hit. The downtown core is where the contract is focused. They’re looking at both national and regional retailers, that may include franchises, as well as independent businesses.
The end of another fire season as rain pounded Northern Calif. this week. At the Cal Fire Air Attack Base in Ukiah, they were moving the tankers out for the season. The contract for this year expired on Halloween. On Tuesday, the tankers flew away, but Cal Fire says they’re watching the weather. There is however one person staffed at the Ukiah airport because their air base is year round.
A new report from Calif. state scientists says wildfires, drought, extreme heat and more are pushing climate change faster. The latest “Indicators of Climate Change in California”, the 4th edition, was released this week. It shows climate change is changing rapidly and that fossil fuels are having devastating effects on the state. The last edition was four years ago. The latest shows the extreme weather patterns are more intense and erratic. And that people are getting sicker with heat-related illness, valley fever and from inhaling wildfire smoke. The report says even though the state is leading in the effort to fight the climate crisis, time is not on our side.
A group of volunteers has gathered at Glass Beach in Fort Bragg after a sea lion got stuck there. Volunteers there again Monday afternoon, a day after another sea lion had to be rescued near Russian Gulch State Park. The Mendocino Voice reports the Marine Mammal Center (TMMC), said they’ve had more calls about sea lions that seemed sick, lethargic, or distressed on land in northern Sonoma and Mendocino counties. The Center also says sea lions are a good indicator of the overall health of the ocean. Domoic acid poisoning is one illness, or bacterial infections, that are more prevalent now. The 200 pound sea lion was taken to a hospital in Sausalito.
A busy meeting is planned for the Clearlake City Council. Lake Co News reports the council is taking of several matters, including a housing plan and use agreement, financing for a road project and the city treasurer appointment. The meeting tomorrow night will include public comment. When they get down to business, the council will look at an application and potentially move to adopt the Permanent Local Housing Allocation Program. They’re also looking over an agreement between the city of Clearlake, Lake County Economic Development Corp. and Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce for the use of the Clearlake Visitor Center facility. And then on to discuss putting up money to finish a street and storm drainage project.
Since the City of Lakeport is working with its neighboring city Clearlake on police patrols, the City Council is considering ways to recruit more cops. At their meeting Tuesday the council talked about how difficult it’s been to recruit new police officers who are qualified. The police chief says in the last 3 decades the City of Lakeport has consistently been losing at least 2 cops a year. But, he says, the last 10 years, it’s gone to 3 per year. The city manager chimed in saying it’s a state and nationwide issue, not just in Lakeport. They currently have three sergeants, three officers, one officer in field training, one trainee in the academy and one pre-academy trainee. The chief says he’s worried about burnout for the current staff, but he doesn’t see the hiring crisis improving. The mayor says it’s a top priority to keep the department fully staffed.
There’s growing concern across the state after children have been getting infected with respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. In Santa Rosa one hospital has reported 222 children had RSV and other respiratory viruses between October 15th and 31st. That hospital treated 59 kids for respiratory viruses during the same period last year. In the past two months, four children between the ages of eleven months and three years have been hospitalized with RSV at Sonoma Valley Hospital. Two children in the same age group were hospitalized with respiratory illnesses at that facility in all of last year.
A woman from Petaluma has won the largest pumpkin award at the Mendocino County Fair and Apple Show. Cathy Henning’s 411-pound jack o’lantern took home the Best of Show blue ribbon. Henning says her pumpkin, which also won the purple Champion ribbon for best in the Harvest division, came from seeds out of Nova Scotia she planted in pure compost. She had to get a crane to pluck the gourd off her 50-acre property to get it to Boonville for the fair at the end of September.
A multi-car crash in Clearlake Oaks triggered multiple charges for a man from Pacifica. The four-car crash in July sent many to the hospital. 39 year old Stephen Robert Williams’ lawyer was in court without him this week where they discussed collecting evidence and subpoenaed records. The prosecution asked for the case to be continued so they could get the needed records. So the case will continue next month. It’s the second continuation after some of the alleged victims also couldn’t be found to testify. Back in April Williams was in court regarding a warrant for his arrest. In the meantime he may not drink or go anywhere where booze is sold. Williams is charged with seven counts of DUI causing injury and another three for DUI of alcohol for the July crash on Highway 20.
PG&E Corp. has announced they’re doling out as much as $100 million in possible damages due to the Mosquito Fire. The company was facing lawsuits for the fire this September that blackened nearly 77,000 acres across Placer and El Dorado counties. The company did not admit fault but announced they will send money to residents who lost their homes in the wildfire. They’re already paid out hundreds of millions more in damage from wildfires the last 7 years. Those impacted by the Mosquito Fire would be reimbursed within 75 days of the company receiving the claim. The fire burned 78 homes and was only contained last week. The energy company said they were sued by 34 homeowners and it was reasonable they’d incur a financial loss.
