The man who threatened Ukiah residents and caused the lockdown of Hopland earlier this week may have been more dangerous than previously understood. Christian Beyer was found in Petaluma when he was arrested on a federal warrant Wednesday, after fleeing Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies on Monday. The Press Democrat reports the Army veteran is also accused of making online threats to kill staff at a military facility. Beyer posted a video on YouTube Monday, where he threatened to kill multiple people at Fort Irwin in Southern California, according to a special agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service working with the FBI Los Angeles Joint Terrorism Task Force. Beyer had several social media postings and videos regarding the military base along with a history of violence and illegal firearms.
The worst mass murder in Mendocino County History is being remembered, as one of the murders passed away in prison. The Mendocino County District Attorney posted online that the vice-president of the Vallejo Chapter of the Hells Angels, Chuck Diaz had been convicted in 1986 of murder in the first degree of Dallas Grondalski via knife attack. After Grondalski left the chapter and secretly moving to Fort Bragg with his family, Diaz with other Hells Angels found them, killed Grondalski and murdered his family the next day, wanting to get rid of all evidence by setting their home on fire. Diaz’s codefendant, Gerald Butch Lester, the former chapter president is still in prison for the crime. It took until 2004 for local authorities and investigators to limit suspects to the two Hells Angels club members and convict them.
A separated trailer was sent careening into Clear Lake yesterday morning. KymKemp reports a tractor trailer was driving on Highway 20 near Clearlake Oaks when the trailer became separated and slid 30 feet down the embankment and into the lake just after about 5am. The front half of the big rig kept going down the road. Highway 20 had one-way traffic through about 8:30 yesterday morning. There were no injuries reported and a heavy duty tow truck was dispatched to try to get the trailer out of the water. The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Hazardous Materials Spill report indicated the trailer had 50-60 tons of nitrogen and phosphorus. CHP is investigating the incident as agencies investigate if any spillage occurred in Clear Lake.
The Mendocino County Divisions of Environmental Health and Planning and Building Services are announcing they are holding a Coastal Community Stakeholder Meeting on November 13th from 8am to 10 am at the Fort Bragg Branch of the Mendocino County Library. The agenda includes an overview of current permitting processes, a discussion on recent updates and proposed changes as well as a community wide conversation on ways to make permitting more efficient and accessible to every resident. County staff from each department will be at the meeting to answer questions.
Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit announced this week that the Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest is now only open for day use from sunrise to sunset and is only open to pedestrians, bicycles and equestrian use. Lake County News reports some forest roads may be closed pending wet weather conditions. Friends of Boggs Mountain is sponsoring a free map and compass class this Saturday, Nov. 4, at 10 a.m. The class will be at the Little Red School House on Bottle Rock Road in Cobb. The instructor will help people understand a topographic map, proper use of your compass, magnetic north, true north, and map symbology. People are urged to RSVP and bring their own compasses.
Exposure to fentanyl during pregnancy is said to affect babies with a novel syndrome that is extremely harmful and disforming. Babies born after being exposed to fentanyl come into the world with small heads, underdeveloped jawbones, conjoined toes and rounded feet. The Tribune News Service reports physicians in a study, including in California, published the data in Genetic in Medicine Open. It’s the first established link between the synthetic opioid and birth defects. Until now, the children may have been misdiagnosed as having a genetic condition. Other effects include cleft palate and other genital anomalies. The doctors hope the study will increase awareness so that pregnant women won’t use fentanyl or immediately get proper treatment.
Legislators are announcing a bipartisan bill to make settlements from the PG&E Fire Victims Trust nontaxable. Representatives Mike Thompson and Doug LaMalfa said yesterday that it is one step closer to providing essential tax relief to fire survivors. Lake County News reports Thompson says the bill remains a top priority and will continue to move it forward until the president signs it into law.
The East Region Town Hall is working on cannabis regulations. During their meeting this week, the group worked to fine tune the process to help in permitting. The group reported on non-compliance with an illegal grow in Spring Valley. They worked with code enforcement who said they were shorthanded. As the seasons change, October was the end of the outdoor grow season and now operations legal or permitted are moving indoors. The Record Bee reports code enforcement has gained drones and more officers trained and have plans to hire part-time officers. There was a Blue Ribbon Commission updates as well this week, on projects slated for approval. Board members discussed increased funds to improve Middle Creek flood damage and ecosystem restoration. They also discussed long term traffic plans to route trucks off of Highway 20 and onto Highway 29.
The Eel River Recovery Project will hold a forest health meeting in Laytonville tomorrow from 9am to 5pm at Harwood Hall. MendoFever reports the meeting is focused on the community organization to maximize benefits of fire preparedness and forest health. A member of the Cahto Tribe will open the meeting along with 3rd District Supervisor John Haschak. There will be a report on the Cal Fire Tenmile Creek Watershed Forest Health Grant. The project includes treating nearly 1000 acres of land including part of the Cahto Tribe Rancheria. A member of the Redwood Forest Foundation will report on a Usal Forest Cal Fire grant. Other local groups including the Mendocino Fire Safe Council will be on hand too.
2023’s third quarter saw over 26 percent of new cars sold in the state were zero-emission vehicles, according to data out of the Governor’s Office. Lake County News reports it’s an increase from about 25 percent in the 2nd quarter. Governor Newsom touted the state’s progress in China last week, as he and his Chinese counterparts discussed progress on ZEVs after Newsom announced that California surpassed its zero-emission truck sales and car sales two years ahead of schedule. Thousand of dollars in rebates and grants are available for California residents and may have helped the state sell over a third of all US zero emission sales this year. The state has allotted an historic $52 billion as part of the California Climate Commitment including over $10 billion for zero emission vehicles and infrastructure.
The city of Lakeport is looking to fill several positions. They are looking for residents to work on local committees and commissions. Lake County News reports people are needed to sit on the Lakeport Fire Protection Board, the Vector Control District Board and the Economic Development Advisory Committee. The positions would begin on the first day of 2024. Appointments will be made at a Lakeport City Council this month. The city will take applications through Monday, November 6th.
A portion of funds from the voter approved Prop 64 will help the Fort Bragg Police Department with CHP to gather data on DUI enforcement. A part of the Cannabis Tax is being set aside for law enforcement grants and projects. Fort Bragg announced is has received about $47,000 to host educational events, publicity of DUI offenders and get specialized training in recognizing drivers under the influence of not only alcohol, but marijuana and other drugs. The first event will be tonight from 9 to 11pm at the intersection of E. Redwood Avenue and North Franklin Street.
The West Business Development group is providing free webinars this month and is hosting an online holiday marketplace beginning on the 15th. Along with the Small Business Development Center for Mendocino and Lake Counties, the organization is planning the first webinar on Saturday the 4th at 9:30am for an E-Commerce Digital Lab. There are also webinars planned for next week including How to Apply for small business loans.
