A series of thefts across Mendocino County led to the arrest of 37-year-old Joseph Mark Andersen, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The investigation began in April when PG&E gear and access cards were stolen off Highway 20. Surveillance and transaction data later linked the thefts to Andersen’s Toyota Camry. Additional reports, including a $3,500 chainsaw theft in Boonville, further implicated him in June. On July 10, detectives found Andersen at a Fort Bragg motel with suspected meth, drug paraphernalia, burglary tools, and stolen goods. Mendofever says Andersen was booked into the Mendocino County Jail and is being held on $146,000 bail.
A solo-vehicle wreck in south Lake County last night killed one person, marking the second deadly pickup crash in the area over the weekend. The accident happened just before 7 on Big Canyon Road near Harbin Springs Road. Emergency responders found a red Chevrolet pickup on its side, with one person trapped underneath and another outside the vehicle. One person was confirmed dead shortly after 7:15 p.m. The driver sustained minor injuries. Lake County News says a similar deadly crash happened Saturday night on Bartlett Springs Road.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors will meet tomorrow morning. On the agenda, updates on local economic development initiatives, including the Capital Improvement Plan, a microgrid project, a regional health training hub, and a Community Development Block Grant application. They will also revisit a proposed fee hike by the Air Quality Management District and consider findings from a governance workshop that suggests shifting to a “chief executive officer” model for county leadership. Lake County News says the board will revisit the Lake County Air Quality Management District’s draft replacement fee schedule. The meeting is set to begin at 9 in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse. You can also see it online or on Channel 8.
The California FAIR Plan is dealing with a major increase in property insurance demand. The insurer of last resort has seen it go up by 42 percent to 650 billion dollars in the first nine months of the year. It’s being driven by rising wildfire risks and lack of other providers as many are leaving or have already left the state. There’s more than 610 thousand active policies, a 31 percent jump since September and premiums have gone up by 33 percent.
