The man suspected in the disappearance of a woman from Round Valley is out of prison, but in a local jail. Negie Fallis, is believed by Khadijah Britton’s family and others, to be involved in her disappearance in February of 2018. He’s in Mendocino County jail, and out of federal prison after over two years for possession of a firearm by a felon. Fallis was booked into jail back in 2018 after being seen holding a gun to Britton and forcing her into a car. Charges against him back then included kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, corporal injury to a spouse, and burglary. But the charges were dismissed. He’s been in and out prison since. Now he’s accused of violating his Post Release Custody Supervision.
Some folks in Santa Rosa and beyond felt some shaking. A magnitude 4.4 earthquake hit after 6:30 last night and not too far behind was a 3.9. The U.S. Geological Survey reported the 4.4 at 6:39 p.m. about 2.4 miles north-northeast of Santa Rosa and the 3.9 at 6:40 p.m. about 2.3 miles north of Santa Rosa. Geologists say the temblors hit on the Rodgers Creek Fault, which has the potential for an even stronger quake. The last bigger earthquakes on the fault were back in 1969 and were 5.6 and magnitude 5.7 near Santa Rosa. No injuries or damage was reported.
They’re still looking for a permanent police chief in Ukiah after the last one was fired. So the City Council has voted to hire an executive placement firm to find Chief Noble Waidelich’s replacement. This will be the fourth new chief in as many years. 3 head-hunting firms gave proposals to the city. City staff and an ad-hoc committee chose Mosaic Public Partners out of Placer County. The cost would be $38,000 and needs to be added to the budget. The city never told us why Waidelich was fired after first being placed on administrative leave for an ongoing criminal investigation. The city manager at the time of his firing said he was no longer a fit. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the former chief.
The Governor has announced the state’s launched a new website to help those who need abortions. Abortion.ca.gov is accessible for those who need to find an abortion provider and also gives information on abortion rights, different types of abortions, paying for the procedure, and more. It includes info for California residents and non-residents dealing with restrictions or outright bans like in Texas, Tennessee and Alabama. The site is in English and Spanish, and the state says it will also be translated into other languages too. The site is up a day after South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham introduced a national ban on abortions after 15 weeks of conception.
Three administrative sites on the Mendocino National Forest are being temporarily closed for hazardous material cleanup. It’s happening through the end of the month at the High Glade lookout, Keller Place and Beaver Glade fire station. The closures are to protect the public and contractors during the work. They’re asking the public to avoid the cleanup operations and if you come upon any heavy equipment on forest roads to be cautious. The 2018 Ranch Fire burned the High Glade lookout area. The Beaver Glade fire station and historic Keller Place cabin burned in the 2020 August Complex.
It’s been almost 14 years, but the Kelseyville Unified School District superintendent is leaving. Dr. Dave McQueen has announced he’s retiring next year. That will be after the 2022-23 school year, next June. The Kelseyville Unified School District Board of Trustees is looking for qualified applicants to take over next July. McQueen says he’s spent his entire career and lifetime in the district. And that all of his kids have graduated from Kelseyville High. The district will post the superintendent’s position this week with the deadline for applications as Oct. 12th.
An update is to be delivered to the Clearlake City Council on the recreation center feasibility study. The council’s also looking at a mutual aid agreement with several other cities in Lake and Mendocino counties tomorrow night. The second phase of the Recreation Center Feasibility Study will be high up on the agenda, but the mutual aid agreement for Clearlake, Lakeport, Fort Bragg, Point Arena, Ukiah and Willits would mean the cities and two counties would meet regularly. There, they would discuss issues, share ideas and give support with the City of Ukiah leading. At the beginning of the meeting the council is meeting some dogs up for adoption from the city shelter and read a proclamation declaring Sept. 23rd as Native American Day.
Public libraries across the state will be getting a shot in the arm after the Governor announced millions in grants for the institutions. Over a quarter billion dollars will be distributed to libraries in 172 cities in 34 counties, including Lake County. The $254 million is part of the first round of the Building Forward Library Improvement Grant Program. It includes nearly $1,100,000 for Lake County’s four libraries. In Lakeport, Middletown, The Redbud Library and the Upper Lake Library, with the most for Lakeport. Newsom says the libraries across Calif. are the “hearts of communities across the state and our hubs of learning, discovery, and oftentimes — safety”.
They’re hosting a free harvest sharing at the Grange in Willits. One week from this Sunday, on Sept. 25th from 9:30 a.m. to noon for all interested. There’s also a pancake breakfast the same morning. Head to the back of the Grange for the Harvest Sharing. There will be tables accepting donations of food related items to give away, plus you can take whatever you and your family might need. To top it off, the entire thing is free. They’re also inviting herbalists to bring culinary and/or medicinal herbs, fresh or dried. They are setting up a table just for that.
Since we’ve had such hot weather, wine country may be threatened. The climate crisis, first starting with a deep frost, then hot weather and drought have dried out vineyards. Wine-grape production is supposed to be down about 4% this year to 3.5 million tons. The USDA reported the numbers, which local owners say could mean they have the second-smallest crop for the last ten years. The last time the harvest was damaged since then was due to fires in 2020. Experts say vineyards are getting dangerously close to more damage due to even more intense and frequent weather disasters.
