California Attorney General Rob Bonta is announcing a $273 Million agreement with a drug manufacturer in the ongoing opioid epidemic. Bonta says Amneal Pharmaceuticals failed to properly monitor and report suspicious orders. If completed, the agreement in principle will provide $92 Million in cash and over $180 Million nationwide in opioid overdose reversal products to resolve claims by states and local communities. States that do not accept the medication will receive cash instead of the products. The negotiations in this agreement have been led by California, New York, Delaware, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia.
The California Supreme Court has ruled a person cannot be detained for trying to avoid the police. The decision specifies that trying to avoid contact with law enforcement does not constitute a crime. The case was brought by a man who was detained on suspicion of illegal activity when he crouched down behind a car as cops approached. The man was charged with a gun crime. The police officer’s union calls the ruling “out of touch.”
Wildfire Preparedness Week is underway. It kicked off yesterday across California with this year’s theme of “meeting the mission through partnerships.” Governor Newsom says as vital projects continue to protect communities; everyone has an essential role in making their neighborhoods safer. That includes creating defensible space around homes and developing wildfire action plans. Live events are planned each day with live streams available. You can see all the details at readyforwildfire.org
The Department of Cannabis Control has released their latest Draft Environmental Impact Report for Mendocino County. If you’re interested in learning more about the Licensing of Commercial Cannabis Cultivation in Mendocino County, you can see the full report here.
There are new details about a high-speed chase that led to the arrests of two people in Healdsburg. The man and woman were arrested Friday afternoon, after allegedly stealing about a thousand dollars in merchandise from a Walmart in Windsor. Authorities say, when confronted in the parking lot, the man assaulted an employee, broke their phone, then went to a car, where the woman was waiting. He hopped into the car, and eventually reached Highway 101, where he drove as fast as 109-miles-per-hour while trying to lose to the police. The man eventually bailed out of the car and ran away. He was arrested at a nearby hotel. The woman stayed in the car and was detained.
Employees of DEMA Consulting and Management went unpaid for a month before the company pulled out of managing two homeless housing sites last week. The Press Democrat also reports nearly a dozen of the company’s key employees resigned last Wednesday, including its director of operations. The next day, the Sonoma County Health Services Department was suddenly left in charge of managing the two housing sites. The department is now being assisted by another contractor, FS Global. DEMA was expected to keep staffing the sites until the end of May. That’s despite county supervisors recently ordering the health department to cut ties with the for-profit homeless services provider.
Five people were arrested after a drug bust in Fort Bragg. Police responded to a local motel on an anonymous tip just before 5pm on Thursday. They found 5 people inside, and saw narcotics and drug paraphernalia in the room. During a search of the room, officers found more narcotics, digital scales, cash, and a police scanner. According to a press release from the Fort Bragg PD, Daniel Sanchez, Stefani Smith, Brittany Smith, and Kole Parker all of Fort Bragg, along with Johan Espinoza of Ukiah, were all arrested. The five suspects face several charges including possession of meth for sales, conspiracy to commit a crime, destroying evidence, and several outstanding warrants. They were all taken to County Jail and given bail enhancements of $50,000.
California’s tourism is at an all-time high. Governor Newsom declared that yesterday in a video posted on social media. And he recorded it from the top of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. He says visitors are coming to experience the wonder of this state, from a world-renowned coastline to the world’s tallest trees, to iconic cities and theme parks. New data shows last year’s spending topped a record-breaking 150-billion dollars.
Attention shoppers, there’s a new push to get rid of self-checkouts across the state. That could happen under a proposed bill if grocery and pharmacy stores don’t meet certain requirements. The goal is to change regulations in hopes of cutting down on thefts. It would also boost employment by increasing the number of employees monitoring the stations. The California Chamber of Commerce is against the move, saying it could hurt business.
The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors will gather for their regular meeting tomorrow. The meeting is scheduled for 9am in the Board Chambers on Low Gap Road in Ukiah. Items on the agenda include a discussion of the 3rd Quarter Budget Report, and discussion of the priorities and preparation of the 2024-25 Preliminary Budget for Mendocino County. The board will also discuss an agreement with the proposed Interim County Health Officer. The regular meeting will be open to the public and available on Zoom. The BOS will hold a closed session meeting Wednesday at 10am. Agenda items for the closed session will include the appointment of a Public Defender and a County Librarian. See the full agendas and get more info at MendocinoCounty.gov
A teenager was arrested for leading police on a chase in Fort Bragg. Officers clocked the vehicle for speeding on Friday just after 9pm near Cypress Street. The car ducked into an alleyway to try and avoid being pulled over. Officers caught up to the driver after a 12 minute chase when it went down a dead end road. The driver of the vehicle ended up being a 13 year old, who had two more juveniles in the car. The 2019 Kia they were in was reportedly stolen. The passengers were all detained until their parents arrived. The driver was arrested and booked for evading law enforcement.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office is hoping you can help them find a missing man. Alexander Why was last seen on South Main Street in Lakeport on Friday. It was also the last time he spoke with his wife. She has been trying to get ahold of him ever since and says his cell phone may have died. Why is a white male, about 6 feet tall and 190 pounds. He was seen wearing black sweatpants and a blue shirt, with sandals. If you have seen Alexander Why or have any information on his location, contact Lake County Sheriff’s Office central dispatch.
The California Highway Patrol just welcomed 8 new canine teams. They made the announcement during a ceremony on Friday after the teams finished months of intense training. The new teams will work in Narcotics and Explosives Detection and include two Belgian Malinois, two Dutch Shepherds, and four German Shepherd dogs. These additional teams bring a total of 49 canine teams to the CHP.
