A 19-year old is facing manslaughter charges after a baby was killed in a crash near Sea Ranch. Saturday night, the Press Democrat reports the driver is suspected of driving under the influence when his truck drove off of Highway 1 and flipped over, killing a one year old child. Colton Marrufo will face gross vehicular manslaughter, child endangerment and gun charges. A four year old suffered minor injuries. Marrufo was found drunk according to CHP. He went through medical clearance and is now in custody in Sonoma County Jail on a $200,000 bail. He is set to appear in Sonoma County court one week from tomorrow.
No damage or injuries are being reported after a 3.9 earthquake shook south of San Francisco. The Press Democrat reports it happened Friday evening just after 6:30pm and was centered near Millbrae. It was measured at nearly 8 miles deep. The quake happened on the San Andreas Fault, where earlier this month farther north in Mendocino and Humboldt Counties a few 3 point magnitude quakes shook the coastal areas.
The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors along with District Attorney David Eyster face as much scrutiny as two women who were suspended from duties in the finance office. Auditor Chamise Cubbison says supporters will be at her plea hearing tomorrow morning at 9am. The Board will meet later tomorrow afternoon at 1pm to go over the suspension that may have a legal challenge to it. The Ukiah Daily Journal reports some say District Attorney Eyster’s continued battles with Cubbison over spending have affected the latest investigation. Some say the DA should have referred the high profile case due to their involvement. Cubbison was recruited years ago by the county, and elected last year to work in a combo position of Auditor/Controller/Treasurer & Tax Collector Office. Cubbison’s attorney says the suspension over $68,000 in overtime pay to Paula Kennedy was arranged before her tenure.
California’s unemployment rate in September is a point above where it was last year, 4.7 percent. Nationwide, the unemployment rate for the month is 3.8 percent, just .3 percentage points higher than last year. In Lake County News, the unemployment rate for Lake County didn’t change from August, with 5.6 percent; but the rate is higher than September of last year. California added over 430,000 new jobs than in February of 2020, the pre-pandemic high. Regionally, Lake County’s private service grew by just over a point and private education and health services grew by 4.5 percent. Mendocino County’s rate is 4.6 percent and Sonoma is 3.5 percent for the same time period.
The oldest confirmed Californian ever is in Mendocino County. The Press Democrat reports that Edie Ceccarelli of Willits is the third oldest person on Earth at 115 and the oldest person in the country. The active senior was born in 1908 and lives in a care home in the town where she was born, Willits. Ceccarelli’s blood was drawn by researches last week to study her blood in a bio bank for researchers to discover how her longevity might help the discovery of new medical breakthroughs.
Storm drains are being installed along the west side of Mill Street, to Gobbi in Ukiah with no utility service interruptions slated for this week. In a few weeks, work to replace the sewer lines in the center of State Street will begin. MendoFever reports Sidewalk work is ongoing on the north side of town, with new curbs and gutters being put together. On the west side, sidewalk demo has begun with base rock installed for pedestrian access. Electrric lines, irrigation lines will be placed before new sidewalks are set. With four crews working hard downtown, Phase One is speeding along. Construction is happening this week from 7am to 6pm.
Mendocino’s County CEO Report includes information about work the Redwood Empire Hazardous Incident Team does. Early this month, a damaged sail boat was found off the coat of Mendocino. The Coast Guard found a sailor and noticed a noxious gas on board. Elevated carbon monoxide levels were high, officials believe from a jug of fiberglass resin. The Redwood Empire Hazardous Incident Team stepped in to clear out contaminates. The team eliminated the cause and turned the boat back over to the Coast Guard.
Mendocino County is alerting taxpayers to an error in billing. Some taxpayers received more than one notice and could see mistakes on the bills due to a printing error. In a release sent out Friday, they say corrected tax bills will be prepared and sent out as soon as possible. The county is asking residents to use the reprinted bill when sending in tax payments. You can reach out to the Mendocino County Tax Collector’s Office for more information.
Hackers changed a digital sign on Highway 20. KymKemp reports instead of a safety message at the intersection of State Route 20 and Road 144 the sign had two words, “Fat Cock.” The signs were apparently reprogrammed in an online hack that could lead to felony charges of vandalism. Caltrans has faced this issue before in 2017 when a sign near Davis read “Trump Has Herpes” in another online attack. Tongue-in-cheek responses from some media say the latest hack was an attack on overweight roosters. Caltrans worked to fix the sign where the agency is working on the Calpella Two Bridge Replacement project.
The heavy rain in NorCal this year has helped to produce an infestation in pear orchards of the flatheaded borer. In an article in the Willits News, reported by UC Coop Extension Diversified Ag Advisor Dr. Goncalves, the insect has been found in Lake County orchards. The flathead borers tend to invade sunburned areas on first year trees. The insect mainly feeds on soft woods. The borer is a beetle found around the world and is one of the largest beetles. The flatheaded borer is one of over 300 species in the state and can also be found damaging logs and wood products and in other fruit orchards like walnut, cherry, apple and more. The California Pear Advisory Board and UC Coop Extension Advisors are testing to identify the stages of life for the insect to work on mitigation measures. The group will hold an online meeting this Thursday from 8 to 9am. You can get more details at the UCCE offices in Lake and Mendocino Counties.
The Ukiah City Council is meeting Wednesday and will talk about demolishing the Palace Hotel. Last month, the building was officially inspected and was found to have structural failures including a collapsed floor, failed joists and buckling lead glass windows. A report was made to the city that the building needs to be demolished because of its serious threat to public health and safety. MendoFever reports the demolition is exempt from environmental review because of the damage done by the storms of late winter. The Palace Hotel has been vacant for nearly 3 decades. The City of Ukiah will hold a public meeting on Wednesday at 4pm to include the public as the historic building makes its final mark on Ukiah as it comes down.
Heavy rain is predicted for the state as we begin a new water year. Officials with the National Weather Service and the NOAA say El Nino will be a predominant climate factor driving winter’s outlook. Cal Matters reports the west will see above average precipitation that could surpass the 1997-98 winter with damaging and sometimes fatal mudslides and nearly a billion in property damage. With reservoirs up from last winter, officials say it’s time to be more proactive on flood protection and water storage.
The UC Hopland Research and Extension Center and Redwood Valley Outdoor Education Project are collaborating this week for a youth environmental education event. Local youth organizations in Ukiah, Hopland and Redwood Valley will get together on November 1st to find volunteers needed to help guide filed trips and nature walks. The Hopland Research Center and Redwood Valley Outdoor Education Project welcome over 3,000 students in field trips annually since the end of the pandemic. They need volunteers to support site staff and guide groups on nature walks while sharing information about the wildlife and ecosystems of the area. The recruiting event next Wednesday from 10am to 1pm at Shippey Hall at the Research Center on University Road.
