The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a homicide investigation. KymKemp.com, a man called 9 1 1 around 5:30 this morning to say he had shot a woman in a home on Logan Lane in Covelo. Arriving deputies found the man standing over the woman’s body, holding a baby in his arms. He dropped the gun and surrendered. The report says the victim was the baby’s mother and that she had an order of protection against him. The sheriff’s office says it will have more information once it can release it publically.
Tribal advocates and lawmakers are questioning a federal law that puts public safety responsibility on tribal lands from the federal government to six states, including California but doesn’t reimburse the state for the cost. That law has been around since 1953, but it was amended to include limited federal funding for crime victims and court development. A judge with the Yurok Tribal Court calls the law a joke and says it’s time to demand change. A group of tribal leaders and lawmakers met this week to talk about ways the state can step up to revise the law, which they say has weakened tribal safety and contributed to the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. A bill in the legislature addressing tribal policing comes up next month.
Look for a controlled burn in Lake County over the next couple of days. The fire is planned for the Loch Lomond area by CalTREX, a training exchange that works with other agencies like CalFire, the Forest Service, and the Tribal EcoRestoration Alliance. The purpose is to reduce fuel for wildfires and improve the natural habitat of plants in the area. You could see or smell smoke, but if you do, CAltrex says you should NOT call 9 1 1. Expect the fires through the week, depending on weather conditions.
A note from the US Forest Service. The Upper Lake District office will have limited hours for the rest of the month because of staffing issues. The office is closed through the 27th, for two weeks in April, and two days in early May. They suggest calling first to make sure the office is open.
