After reports of a gun at a home in Willits, deputies make an arrest. It happened October 21st near 1 am that the Sheriff’s office had a report of shots fired. A witness told them Carlos Taylor-Lopez shot a rifle in the front yard of his home, but in the direction of his neighbors’ homes. Deputies found a live rifle cartridge and an expended rifle cartridge casing in his driveway. After they got a search warrant, they saw him being driven to work and stopped the car and arrested Taylor-Lopez. They searched his bedroom and found the rifle and ammunition. Since he was on probation, that was a violation. He was being held after his arrest on $15,000.00 bail.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors needs applicants from the Public to become a member of the Countywide Redevelopment Successor Agency Oversight Board. The voluntary Board took over years back when Redevelopment agencies across the state were dissolved. You can apply in Lake County at the County Administrative Office or online. The Oversight Board ensures “assets and properties of the former Redevelopment [Agencies]” or transferring owners is in the interest of the former Redevelopment Agencies. There are two members of the public on the Board.
If you see a helicopter in the sky in Lake County, there are geophysical surveys being done this month. Right now, weather permitting, they’re expected next week. It’s to check on groundwater resources and in support of local sustainable groundwater management efforts. They collect data on the missions through a large hoop under the choppers. They can only be done in daylight hours and will not fly over businesses, homes or other inhabitable structures, or confined animal feeding operations.
For more information about the surveys, visit the California Department of Water Resources AEM project website, www.water.ca.gov/programs/SGMA/AEM .
Please email Water.Resources@lakecountyca.gov, or call the Lake County Water Resources Department at (707) 263-2344, with any questions.
The Lake County Public Health Office says there continues to be modest improvements in coronavirus in the county. They say though that the daily rate is still higher than the state average at nearly 20/100,000 people as opposed to about 12/100,000. The agency says that’s the highest rate since any period besides the winter surge last year into the start of this year, and last summer’s Delta strain surge. So far 106 Lake County residents have died due to COVID-related illness, with almost half since July 1st. The office also says the vaccination rates are behind the state rate too, with 62% of Lake County residents fully vaccinated, and 8% partially vaccinated. Almost 73% of all Californians are fully vaccinated, and 80.7% have received at least one dose.
A Mendocino Deputy walking out of Safeway in Ukiah reportedly found a woman down on the ground unconscious. The deputy reported the 36 year-old female was not breathing and had just a faint pulse and found drug paraphernalia in the immediate area. Fearing the woman had overdosed on opioids, he grabbed NARCAN, the overdose reversal drug and administered two 4MG doses. There was no change, so when a Ukiah Police officer came as backup, they administered a third dose and she started to recover. She was taken to the hospital for further treatment.
A man from Laytonville is in jail after a series of domestic violence calls against him. The report that Robert Bell was abusing his mom and daughter, then violently resisted arrest. It comes after a psychiatric episode in August where the same man was found naked, covered in blood. The Willits Police Chief says Bell’s mom called for help and they found him “aggressive and combative” so they had to taser him twice. He’s charged with various felonies including, elder abuse resulting in great bodily harm, cruelty to a child resulting in possible injury/death and resisting/threatening an officer. He was subsequently charged with some possible arsons near his home on Spy Rock Road.
A fire reported at the Eel River Campground is reportedly out. Mendo Fever reports hearing on the scanner last night a home was on fire at the Campground on Mendocino Pass Road east of Covelo. A trailer was reported on fire, but apparently the reports were not true and there was a car on fire, that was empty and no trailers, homes or other structures were threatened.
A boil water notice has gone out for residents in parts of Cloverdale. The Press Democrat reports residents have been told they should boil their tap water or use bottled water for drinking and cooking after a water main broke. They didn’t say where it happened, but the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, the Sonoma County Health Department, and the city of Cloverdale Water System sent the advisory out yesterday afternoon. They warn if residents don’t follow orders, they could risk stomach or intestinal illnesses. They say it should all be resolved by Wednesday.
The CHP reports a white car has rolled and driven down an embankment on Highway 101 south of Hopland near the Geysers exit. Firefighters and medics were on the scene last night with one person sort of out of it after the crash. They had to be removed from the vehicle and an air ambulance was called but couldn’t make it due to weather, so a ground ambulance came in to whisk the victim away.
A firefighter who died during the Dixie Fire fight died of COVID19. New details have emerged about fire engine operator Marcus Pacheco’s death. He worked for the US Forest Service and died last month from the virus. The Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center, an interagency organization that promotes firefighter safety reported the 53 year old was assigned to the Dixie fire Aug. 10th, and was exposed a few weeks later, then died Sept. 2nd.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors will consider giving a raise to In-Home Supportive Services workers. And after a post on the Clearlake Police Dept. Facebook page, the board is also discussing a a syringe exchange program that’s now giving out glass pipes. The board is also discussing the redistricting after the US Census.
The Lakeport City Council is honoring the retiring Public Works director. At their meeting this week, they will also pick up on the redistricting issue and consider a mutual aid agreement with the Lakeport Fire Protection District. Public Works Director Doug Grider has been working for the city for 17 years. He will be honored at the meeting tomorrow night ahead of his retirement. But before he leaves, he will be asked to approve the agreement between the city of Lakeport and the Lakeport Fire Protection District who have not had a mutual aid agreement until now.
A federal contract between the Westlands Water District and the Bureau of Reclamation has been rejected. The judge out of Fresno Superior Court said there was not appropriate public notice and the agreement was also missing terms related to payment for environmental restoration of Northern California waterways— including the Trinity River. The Hoopa Valley Tribal Chair says their fishery has been a casualty for years and contractors have not wanted to pay for restoration costs. Apparently money owed, to the tune of $400 million dollars as part of the 1992 Central Valley Project Improvement Act was never collected. So a new contract will likely need to be redrawn.
