Local and state officials along with Caltrans are celebrating the completion of the Pudding Creek Bridge Project. Caltrans issued a release today on the finalization of the project that will improve accessibility and safety for drivers, pedestrians and bikers. The 340 foot long bridge was expanded to provide two twelve foot wide lanes; two eight foot wide pedestrian walkways and upgraded railings featuring steel salmon artwork. The project was part of the “Complete the Streets” Improvement with new sidewalks that connect south to Elm Street and north to Pudding Creek Drive with sewer line relocation.
Today PG&E announced their initial draft plan for removing two Eel River dams and surrendering the Potter Valley Project. There are a couple of options going forward, according to the Record Bee. One choice would be to remove the Scott and Cape Horn Dams; another alternative would be to develop a new diversion to the Russian River during the dam removal process. Friends of the Eel River say they prefer the speediest path to dam removal to help hundreds of miles of cold water habitat to help restore the fish population. As agencies, groups and organizations plan for the future of the watershed, members of the public are invited to submit comments to PG&E by December 22nd.
Clearlake Police are looking for a missing woman. Ricci Chandler was last seen in the morning over November 16th, yesterday, near Olympic Drive in Clearlake driving a black Cadillac SUV with Arizona plate X8A1SP. Chandler is at risk with an epilepsy and bipolar disorder, and has not taken her meds as prescribed. She is a white woman, about 5 foot 1 inch tall with long brown hair, possibly pulled into a bun and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a black jacket and black pants. Call the Clearlake Police Department if you have any information on Ricci Chandler’s whereabouts.
The City of Willits and the Willits Police Department computer servers will be down for upgrades all day. The emergency 911 number will not be affected during the outage that will start at 9am.
There is more information coming from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office about the man killed on Albion Ridge Road this week. The Press Democrat reports that Thomas Shoemaker was driving his truck at a high rate of speed when he veered off the road near Middle Ridge Road. Not wearing a seatbelt, he was thrown from the truck. Emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene. CHP is continuing the investigation into the accident.
DNA has linked a suspect in a 40 year old cold case in the region. Newsbreak reports Alfredo Carretero Jr. of Lakeport was linked to DNA evidence in the murder of beauty pageant winner Noelle Russo according to the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office. Russo was last seen in June of 1983 in Santa Rosa. Her battered body was found by a young boy in Rohnert Park. Investigators say the weapon used to kill Russo was a piece of milled lumber. Carretero Jr was considered one of the original persons of interest in the case and was recently identified as the main suspect with the new DNA data. The 65 year old was booked into Sonoma County Jail.
The Ukiah City Planning Commission is recommending further annexation of the Western Hills. In the vote they took during last week’s meeting, the said they’d compromise on some parcels that should be allowed for development, according to reporting in MendoFever. The commission is moving on the Western Hills due to their high-severity wildfire risk. The city would like the property under its control to better maintain it and so that it is less likely to be used for illegal cannabis grows. 84 acres were added to the annexation area this year. The commission voted to recommend to the City Council approval of rezoning to 44 acres that would remain in private ownership. There is some worry over the
The average price of gas in Ukiah Thursday is ranging from $4.69 to $5.39 per gallon, according to Gas Buddy. The California average is $5.03, down from $5.11 a week ago. Even a small decrease will make holiday travel easier for drivers, with AAA forecasting record breaking holiday travel numbers. Nearly 9 out of every 10 people will be driving this year. AAA says if you are planning on hitting the road next week, to leave during non peak hours, 11am or 6pm. Airlines are preparing for a busy week as well, and people are urged to get to the airport early if they plan to fly.
A man convicted of involuntary manslaughter will be sentenced in January after changing his plea to guilty rather than non guilty by insanity. Drew Price was found guilty this week in the death of Deborah Garner Flicker in March of 2022. Price withdrew his insanity plea after hearing he’d been acquitted of murder and instead convicted of involuntary manslaughter. The felony conviction for involuntary manslaughter carries a sentence of up to four years in county prison, and given his pre sentence credits it is expected that Price will only serve about four months. That sentencing hearing, according to the Mendocino County District Attorney will happen on the 10th of January.
CHP Ukiah is investigating a traffic crash that happened yesterday morning. Just before 11am a head-on collision was reported between a sedan and a truck on State Route 253 at Stripp Lane. The sedan was headed west on 253 when it crossed into the eastbound lane into the path of a truck. Both vehicle airbags were deployed, but the driver of the sedan was not wearing a seatbelt. The man from Santa Rosa was pronounced dead at the scene. The man in the truck, Dennis Smart of Ukiah, was taken to Adventist Hospital. CHP is investigating whether alcohol was a factor in the fatal crash.
The California Office of Traffic Safety has been doling out grants recently. In the latest round, CHP will get funding to engage the public in motorcycle safety, as crashes continue to be a major concern. Lake County News reports CHP began a yearlong program called Get Educated and Ride Safe, or GEARS to increase awareness throughout California. Last year, state data reflects there was an 8 percent increase from the year before in motorcycle crashes that resulted in 381 deaths and nearly 7,000 injuries. The campaign will promote US DOT compliant helmets for all riders. The agency will also increase enforcement in areas with high crash statistics with crashes involving speed, improper turns and driving the influence.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a murder on Dixon Drive in Lakeport. Yesterday a man armed with a knife reportedly assaulted someone. Deputies arrived and tried to deescalate the situation, the suspect had a firearm and shots were fired. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders.
Thousands of scientists in the state began a three day strike Wednesday. The AP reports it’s the first walkout by a state civil service union. The walkout is expected to spread to Oakland and other cities thru today. Members of the California Association of Professional Scientists began marching in the capital this week. There are about 5,200 unionized members working in over 50 state departments on issues like air pollution, toxic waste control, earthquake hazards and more. They’ve been working without a contract since 2020. The union is working to increase wages saying state scientists are paid 40 to 60 percent less than comparable positions. A state mediation session is planned for November 28th.
The Leonids meteor shower will light up the night sky with fast-moving streaks of light. This year, the Leonids began on November 3rd and will be visible thru December 2nd. The meteor shower is set to peak Friday night and early Saturday morning, according to NASA. The shower is produced when the Earth passes through the trail of dust and ice left by the comet Tempel-Tuttle during its 33-year orbit around the sun. The Leonids can include larger explosions of light and color called fireballs that can last longer than an average meteor streak, according to NASA. The Press Democrat reports people should start looking for the Leonids starting at about midnight on Friday, when the constellation Leo rises in the east, though the shower’s streaks will be visible throughout the sky.
