Ukiah police have arrested a wanted man after a foot chase. They say an officer spotted 44-year-old John Cook in the area of Rupe St. and Perry Street on Thursday morning and knew that Cook had a felony warrant from Sonoma County. Cook saw the officer and ran off. The officer chased him, and during that pursuit, he noticed that Cook tossed out an object, later found to be an illegal zip gun with a live 40-caliber round inside. Other officers responded and eventually cornered Cook in a parking lot on State Street, where Cook gave up when officers drew their guns. Cook was arrested and booked into the county jail on four felony charges.
Clearlake is preparing to buy some tax defaulted property directly from Lake County About two dozen homes, worth up to $150,000, would be sold without the city going through the formal auction process. That has been something the city has wanted to do for a long time but is finally moving forward under new treasurer/tax collector Patrick Sullivan. The city manager says most of the properties are not suitable for development, but some are blighted and could be fixed up to offer more quality housing. The city council voted to move forward with negotiations on a tax sale that could happen in May.
The Clearlake animal shelter is full, but it has been able to save several rescued animals by transferring them to another facility. 23 animals were transferred to a no-kill shelter in Sonoma County, including 12 dogs—four adult dogs and eight puppies. That shelter has a high adoption rate, meaning the animals have a better chance of finding good homes. Animal control leaders gave the city council an update on its services, saying the city is expanding its spaying and neutering efforts. It has partnered with the Clearlake Veterinary Clinic to continue to improve those services to help control the pet population.
Ukiah continues to wrestle with vandalism at a popular city park. The Daily Journal reports the bathrooms at Ukiah Skate Park were closed for a time earlier this month after someone smashed the porcelain sinks inside. Officers say it’s more than just graffiti on the walls. For now, the city is hoping self-policing and park users who report what they see will help, but eventually there could be security cameras if the problem persists. An awareness strategy worked earlier this winter after someone reported people using Airsoft rifles at the city’s Riverside Park. Since putting up signs and educating people about park rules, police say inappropriate activities have declined there.
Ukiah has hired a second consultant to review the pending city’s flood plain maps. The first consultant the city hired found the most recent required FEMA maps were in line with flooding models, but Public Works Director Tim Eriksen wanted a second opinion. Eriksen told the City Council this week that the new maps are very different than the current ones and put a lot more people in the flood plain. That would mean property owners applying for a a federally backed loan and getting expensive flood insurance. He says he wants to make sure the city isn’t missing anything or adding any areas that have never historically flooded. City Manager Sage Sangiacomo thinks the maps go too far, especially in the Brush Street Triangle and Masonite Industrial Park areas. He is urging residents to go to the city website to review the proposed flood plain areas. The city has until March 15th to appeal the new FEMA maps.
The agency in charge of overseeing California’s budget for homeless services has calculated how much the problem cost the state between 2018 and 2021.The figure is around ten billion dollars. The Inter-agency Council on Homelessness says that money helped about 571,000 people over that period. The report to lawmakers comes with concerns about how the huge investment is spent and whether it is making any difference. According to those who have read the report, one thing is clear: homelessness is a huge problem that is only getting worse as more people live on the streets despite programs designed to help.
State lawmakers will discuss a bill that would require high school students to learn about personal finance before they graduate. Sponsors say too many kids are basically financially illiterate when they get out of high school. If it passes, it would make that class mandatory by the time the class of 2029 graduates. The topics would include things like budgeting, credit, and financing. 17 other states already have similar laws.
Supply chain issues are hitting where it really hurts. Girl Scouts of Northern California say cookie sales have been delayed a few weeks. It means no Thin Mints or Tagalongs until at least March 8th. The cookie baker says it is experiencing inventory shortages, so the sales are on hold for now. People in the region eat lots of cookies. 25,000 girls—and their parents—sell around 4 million boxes of cookies a year. Scouts say they are disappointed but will start coming around and setting up their sales tables just as soon as they can.
