A former Mendocino County Deputy Sheriff is indicted in Trump’s Georgia Election Interference case. The mug shot of Stephen Lee has been taken as he is one of the 19 co-defendants in the case. The Ukiah Daily Journal reports the now Reverend Lee surrendered himself on August 25th. Lee currently is the interim pastor of Living Word Lutheran Church in a suburb of Chicago. He worked in Mendocino County in the 1980s and was assigned to the coast. He is charged with violation of the Georgia RICO Act, two counts of influencing witnesses and conspiracy of false statements. His bail was set at $75,000 and was released.
The Mendocino County’s Chief Accounting Officer, Chamise Cubbison is accusing some county supervisors of working in bad faith to get the county’s financial records to the state. MendoFever reports Cubbison says the CEO office has more budget analysts than she does as Auditor Controller. She says financial information is sent to the CEO, but that they make the decision on what gets to the board. She alleges board members are making the case for chaos in those stalled reports to make a Department of Finance under their oversight, rather than other elected officials. Cubbison says nearly complete updated reports will show there is only about $10 million in the county’s general reserve and faces a $421 million budget for the current fiscal year. The delayed reporting is also affecting the labor union whose contract negotiations are stalled. She is welcoming the state controller’s audit that was announced last week.
The state Employment Development Department is issuing its latest report of state jobs in high-demand and information about resources for job seekers. Lake County News reports the North Bay economic region had a 3.9 percent unemployment rate for July. The department is reporting stats on the regions top job openings projected through 2030. High-skill jobs include general managers, registered nurses, teachers and accountants. Middle-skill jobs include accountants, drivers, medical assistants and more. Entry-level positions include home health aides, hospitality jobs and retail sales positions. California remains strong in job growth, according to the EDD, with over 35,000 jobs gained per month this year.
More than a million Californians with old felony convictions are eligible to have them wiped from their records. An expungement clinic this week in San Francisco aims to move things along. California News service reports Old convictions have thousands of consequences and can prevent people from renting an apartment, getting a job, applying for certain professional licenses, attending a child’s field trip, and much more. Many legal aid groups offer help with record sealing, including the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Area Regional Re-entry Partnership, and Inland Counties Legal Services.
A COVID 19 wave is washing into the state as kids head back to school and people retreat back indoors. A state epidemiologist says most of the population has a high immunity now, so people shouldn’t panic. CalMatters reports the positivity rate has been growing over the last few months with waste water surveillance confirming a rise in infections. Hospitalizations are also trending up with an increase of nearly 90 percent. Officials say hospitals are not being dramatically impacted, but health professionals are urging people to be vigilant in washing hands and getting the latest vaccination, expected this month. Officials are warning people to also get their seasonal flu shot, with seniors urged to get the RSV vaccine as well.
Police are investigating a fatal motorcycle crash. Saturday morning, Fort Bragg Police went to South Main and Cypress Streets to the scene of a collision. Multiple first responders and health care workers tried to save the rider, but were unable to. It appears the rider was splitting lanes headed north on South Main Street where he ran a red light, hitting a few cars on the way. The rider was struck in the intersection. Throughout the day traffic was detoured away. Anyone with information on the accident is asked to call Fort Bragg Police.
The cost of a new car rose significantly this year in California. Lake County News reports on AAA’s annual report, finding that a new car is expected to cost over $14,000 a year, or over $1,000 per month. It’s a 12 percent increase this year. AAA shows there is an increase in luxury vehicles with extra features that is driving the increase, and especially in California. The auto club says if you need a new car, start shopping early, get pre-approved with a bank or lender, and check several places to trade your old car in. Timing is especially important, with news this morning of a UAW strike possible within the next week or so.
Ukiah Police are investigating a motorcycle crash. Saturday evening around 10pm, a motorcycle crashed into a vehicle near Talmage Road and South State Street. A medevac was called for the 56 year old man on the bike. He reportedly had several broken bones and was in respiratory distress. MendoFever reports emergency responders took the injured man to Ukiah Regional Airport for Transport. Police closed down the intersection for hours Saturday night.
There will be two overnight closures for the Pudding Creek Bridge starting tomorrow night and Thursday night. Workers will be able to escort emergency vehicles over the bridge, should the need arise. MendoFever reports during the first overnight closures there wasn’t a need. The bridge will be closed to all traffic from 10pm to 4am as crews continue to work on the east side of the bridge. The new railing on the half-completed bridge depicts salmon on red railings. Caltrans has revealed an extra wide sidewalk on the west side. The new outside lane has a shoulder that is wider than the old lanes. Through this week, drivers can expect delays, but can look forward to two six foot wide walkways, and more.
The East Region Town Hall is meeting tomorrow at 4pm in Clearlake Oaks. There will be a guest speaker from Caltrans District 1, discussing a project along Highway 20 around Upper Lake, Nice, Glenhaven and Clearlake Oaks. Lake County News reports the agenda also includes updates on Spring Valley illegal cannabis cultivation, FireWise Community safety and more. There will be an update from the Northshore Fire Protection District as well.
Assemblymember James Ramos is working to pass legislation aimed at CSU’s handling of remains and cultural items with a system wide Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. AB 389 would require monitoring collections and repatriation by December of 2025. In a release issued in Lake County News, Ramos says too many residents’ imagine a single Native American group in the state, rather than the complex and individual tribes spread across the state. He says the state is home to over 100 tribes. Ramos says he was enabled to make the California Native American Legislative Caucus to begin the work of focusing on tribal welfare.
Lakes Sonoma and Mendocino have the highest combined storage total since 1985, the first year Lake Sonoma was first filled. In the end of August reporting, Lake Sonoma has about 240,000 acre feet with Lake Mendocino filled with 84,000 acre feet. The reporting is less than nine months after the reservoir on Dry Creek reached its lowest level in history. The Press Democrat reports the combined storage of the two lakes has never been higher, according to the Sonoma County Water Agency. Water officials say the vast amount of rain and conservation efforts created the high levels this year. The new Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations account about 11,000 acre feet in Lake Mendocino on the Russian River’s east Fork outside Ukiah.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife are working with the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force in the state. A recent operation in Covelo found 29 illegal grows. In a release from the department in KymKemp, officials destroyed 41,000 marijuana plants and over 7,000 pounds of processed cannabis. They also seized 40 firearms. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office with local and state officials estimate the retail value of the latest bust is over $45 million. 15 suspects were detained at several sites using illicit pesticides with the Department of Fish and Wildlife counting over 120 violations and 34 Water Code violations. The cooperative of officials continues to investigate.
