- Trash Mover
- ICO Delayed
- Toddler Munches Stash
- Storm Hype Reactions
- Irish Flood
- Rain Song
- Allen Retires
- Naulty Limbo
- Police Reports
- Catch of the Day
- Choo-Choo Appeal
- Grange Holiday Dinner
- Chokehold Murder
LOCAL RAIN GAGES as of late Thursday morning ranged from about 3.5 – 5 inches, and up to about 5.3 inches in Boonville.
NAVARRO had accumulated 4 inches of rain by Thursday morning. Much of downtown Healdsburg was flooded but Mendo's towns were pretty much unscathed, although isolated flooding occurred.
BOONVILLE seemed to have shaken itself off like a wet dog Thursday afternoon, even after being hit by over five inches of rain in less than a day. Downtown traffic was very light (perhaps partly due to Highway 128 being closed by the overflowing Navarro), water accumulations drained off quickly, power stayed on, and businesses opened as usual. Fire Chief Andres Avila said there were no storm related accidents or emergencies, no trees down that had to be cleared. A telephone line was reported down near the intersection of Highway 128 and 253, but most traffic was simply routed around it without serious disruption while crews repaired it.
JAN THE MAIL LADY was unable to get Thursday's mail to Point Arena. The Garcia River had spilled over Highway One at the low spot between Manchester and Point Arena, making the road impassable. Jan has been known to plunge on through, but not Thursday. She makes her impossible daily route look easy, and has now travelled many thousands of accident-free miles. Jan begins her day before dawn when she drives to Cloverdale to pick up the mail for Anderson Valley, Greenwood Road, Point Arena and way, way up into the hills to the old Point Arena Air Force station, then retraces her giant steps back to Cloverdale with the outgoing mail. Then home to Yorkville. Jan's six-days-a-week regimen is well into its fourth decade, one more essential person modestly doing a tough job.
DAVID SEVERN REPORTS: A couple of Llamas were spotted standing in the middle of the Navarro river somewhere behind the Farm Supply acting like they were just waiting for the water to rise. According to the Navarro Gauge sometime about 10am, the river went above flood level. 128 closed soon after, with the big bars pulled across the highway at Flynn Creek Road and the junction of Highways 1 and 128. At Shenoa, just before 10am. it was high and muddy for sure, just a couple feet from spilling on to the plateau Van Zandt built back a few years ago after it had washed away in a real big one. In Boonville things were gloomy, Mosswood was closed, but the gutters were barely flowing; no evidence of the “Trash Mover” we were told to expect. The emergency pager had yet to sound as of about noon.
PS. At 4pm this afternoon at Shenoa the Navarro had dropped about four feet from where it was in the morning. The gauge though showed it still rising – up to 30 feet with 23 feet being flood level.
PPS. Why do they keep calling it the “worst storm in five years”? It's the Best!
* * *
CHP: LOCAL ROAD CLOSURES:
Lake County –
- Soda Bay At Big Valley
- Sr29 At Highland Springs
- Adobe Creek Crossing
- Sr20 At Old Long Valley Rd
- Sr29 At Manning Flats
Mendo County –
- SR-175 at US-101 in Hopland
- SR-128 at the Navarro River bridge
- Vichy Springs Road at the Russian River bridge
- Talmage Road at the Russian River bridge
- 900 block of Babcock Lane
- SR-1 at Garcia River
Please remind everyone not to attempt to cross deep water.
If you have any questions please contact Officer Adams at 467-4040. Do not contact Ukiah CHP Dispatch as they are currently extremely busy with emergency calls.
Thanks,
Officer K. Adams, #19842
Public Information Officer
California Highway Patrol - Ukiah Area
(707) 467-4040 phone
2pm Update: At this time all closures are still in effect except for Vichy Springs Road at the Russian River bridge.
FRIDAY MORNING UPDATES (9:26 am, December 12, 2014):
- SR-175 at US-101 in Hopland opened at 0915 hours
- SR-128 at the Navarro River bridge--CLOSED
- Vichy Springs Road at the Russian River bridge opened last night at approximately 1600 hours
- Talmage Road at the Russian River bridge opened last night at approximately 1700 hours
- 900 block of Babcock Lane--Open
- SR-1 at Garcia River opened at approximately 0830 hours
* * *
WXMENDOSTORM14!
The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office is continuing to update the following social media sites in regards to the current winter storm impacting Mendocino County:
- www.facebook.com/MendocinoSheriff
- www.twitter.com/MendoSheriff
- www.instagram.com/MendoSheriff (from smartphones)
- There has been a hashtag established so people can follow updates/get information on the storm at #WXMendoStorm14 via twitter.
The following is the current major incident log for the WXMENDOSTORM14 event on 12/11/14
- Fort Bragg, Schools closed – May be a building down.
- Potter Valley, West Road flooded from the 11000 BLK.
- Mendocino, Schools closed.
- Point Arena, Schools Closed.
- Willits, Mud Slide, Sherwood Road ½ mile up from 101, road closed both directions.
- Fort Bragg, Wind Damage to building.
- Point Arena, Eureka Hill Road closed at MPM 5.
- Calpella, E/S Calpella Road closed at MPM 1.25.
- Hopland, HWY 175 partial flooding, still open.
- Boonville, Anderson Valley Schools Closed.
- Leggett, Leggett Valley Schools closed.
- 07:05AM, Ukiah, Bevins Court.
- 07:05AM, Hopland, HWY 175 – CLOSED.
- 07:28AM, Mendo Coast, Approx 3,000 customers out of power.
- 07:45AM, Ukiah, S/B HWY 101 @ Talmage – Traffic Collision.
- 07:48AM, County-wide, Area flooding county wide – minimal road closures at this time.
- 07:59AM, Albion, Power lines down, structure fire on Albion Ridge Road.
- 08:02AM, Fort Bragg, Misc Storm related issues, nothing significant, all service open.
- 08:12AM, Willits, Sherwood Road Open to one-way traffic.
- 08:12AM, Willits, Commercial Street closed between Maddon and Bray.
- 08:19AM, Redwood Valley, East Road and Road C – roadway flooding.
- 08:20AM, Hopland, HWY 101 @ Comminsky Station Road – Road hazard.
- 08:22AM, Talmage, Russian River spilling into local orchards, road still open.
- 08:48AM, Tamage, Flooding on Talmage Court.
- 08:53AM, Talmage, Talmage Road to close in the next hour.
- 08:53AM, Ukiah, Oak Manor area – flooding starting, more water to come.
- 08:58AM, Ukiah, Babcock Lane – flooding, City.
- 09:13AM, Navaro, HWY128 expected to close by approx 11 am.
- 09:17AM, Willits, Sherwood open both lanes.
- 09:20AM, Brooktrails, Some local flooding but no major issues.
- 09:22AM, Fort Bragg, No major issues, crews on-duty to keep roads clear.
- 09:25AM, Willits, Several local streets closed due to flooding, constantly changing.
- 09:27AM, Navarro, HWY 128 is now closed.
- 09:33AM, Ukiah, Riverside park closed due to flooding, water coming up East Gobbi Street.
- 09:36AM, Talmage, Sanford Ranch Road flooding, threatening homes.
- 09:55AM, Talmage, Talmage area schools are being closed now.
- 09:55AM, Talmage, Shelter to open soon at MCOE on Eastside Road.
- 09:56AM, Ukiah, Babcock Lane closed due to flooding.
- 10:02AM, Ukiah, Oak Manor is not currently flooding – but water is rising.
- 10:02AM, Ukiah, EOC recommends Ukiah Unified to close schools prior to further flooding.
- 10:13AM, Point Arena, Port Road is closed due to flooding.
- 10:17AM, Talmage, Standing water of 6” on Talmage near Russian River, road not closed yet.
- 10:20AM, Ukiah, Plans in process to close Oak Manor School.
- 10:24AM, Hopland, HWY 175 (Mountain house Road) Land slide S/B lane @ MPM 5.5.
- 10:33AM, Ukiah, Ukiah Unified to close all schools, Sending out a message to parents to pick up children, will run buses at normal times.
- 10:36AM, Hopland, Russian River currently at 19’ expected to rise to 23’ by mid afternoon, may affect HWY 101.
- 10:36AM, Ukiah, Oak Manor school to remain open until children are picked up, if water causes issues children will be moved to Grace Hudson school until they are picked up.
- 10:40AM, Ukiah, Perkins Street closed due to flooding.
- 12/11/4 at 10:46AM, Ukiah, River Oak Charter School closing in response to Ukiah Unified closure.
- 10:48AM, Talmage, MCOE closing and sending staff home.
- 10:48AM, Talmage, Shelter being set up at MCOE.
- 10:54AM, Point Arena, HWY 1 closed at Garcia River due to flooding.
- 11:07AM, Ukiah, St. Mary school closed.
- 11:08AM, Ukiah, Hillside Community Clinic closing.
- 11:10AM, Ukiah, Rock slide, S/B HWY 101 MPM 15.11 (just north of Crofoot Ranch).
(Sheriff’s Office/Emergency Services)
STORM KNOCKS OUT ICO, Steve McLaughlin Reports:
Due to flooding, the Independent Coast Observer will be delayed this week.
Readers may read the new issue with FREE ONLINE ACCESS Thursday, Friday and Saturday only.
Go to icoonline.mendonoma.com
Enter email "sampleonline@mendonoma.com"
Password: stormdelay
We hope to mail the paper Friday.
Steve McLaughlin, Editor and Publisher, Independent Coast Observer
911 CALL, 5pm Thursday. Non-emergency response to a downtown Boonville residence for a report of a four-year old girl having ingested marijuana. Patient transported via AV Ambulance for rendezvous and transfer to advance life support unit from Ukiah. Possible breathing difficulties.
#STORMAGEDDON! Fun with Bay Area storm hype
THE RAIN SONG
This is the springtime of my loving - the second season I am to know
You are the sunlight in my growing - so little warmth I've felt before.
It isn't hard to feel me glowing - I watched the fire that grew so low.
It is the summer of my smiles - flee from me Keepers of the Gloom.
Speak to me only with your eyes. It is to you I give this tune.
Ain't so hard to recognize - These things are clear to all from time to time.
Talk Talk - I've felt the coldness of my winter
I never thought it would ever go. I cursed the gloom that set upon us...
But I know that I love you so
These are the seasons of emotion and like the winds they rise and fall
This is the wonder of devotion - I see the torch we all must hold.
This is the mystery of the quotient - Upon us all a little rain must fall.
— Robert Plant
COAST HOSPITAL CEO/CFO Wayne Allen Retires
(Coast Hospital Press Release)
Board, staff, and community praise Allen’s service to MCDH, and enjoy a down home barbecue at farewell party
Fort Bragg, California – December 5, 2014 — Wayne Allen, Interim CEO/CFO of Mendocino Coast District Hospital for the past three years, retired on Thursday, December 4, handing the jobs over to Interim CEO James Sato and Interim CFO Steve Miller. Mr. Allen stated, “I’ve had a very wonderful journey — twice (referring to his first stint at MCDH from 2006–2008). I’ve appreciated all the support; we have a wonderful team here.”
At the Board of Directors meeting on Tuesday, December 2, Mr. Allen introduced both Sato and Miller as the team who will take the hospital through the next three to five months during the continued search for a permanent CEO and CFO. Mr. Allen said, “These guys are going to fit in well. They’ve already met our department heads. We’ve been working steadily for the past 48 hours to make the transition as smooth as possible.”
Mr. Sato, who was CEO of MCDH from 1991–1994, has 39 years experience in healthcare administration and is well-respected by long-time staff at MCDH. Mr. Miller, from Dallas, Texas, has 30 years experience as a hospital and medical center financial officer. He stated, “I thank you all for placing your trust in me, and I look forward to being here.”
Mr. Allen received many well wishes and kudos for his service to the hospital at a going away party in the hospital’s cafeteria on Wednesday, December 3. Requesting grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for his going away party, barbecue chefs Will Lee, Medical Staff Services Manager, and John Funderburk, Maintenance Manager, were happy to oblige, saying, “It’s Wayne’s day; what Wayne wants, Wayne gets.”
Inside the cafeteria, Chief Nursing Officer Terry Murphy, RN, and Administrative Assistant Gayl Moon served up barbecue, along with a side dish of tasty Santa Maria beans, homemade by Nutrition Services Coordinator Shonda Sanders. A salad and condiments bar rounded out the fare and dessert was a German Chocolate Cake, Mr. Allen’s favorite.
Outgoing Health Care District Board President Patricia Juaregui-Darland stated that Mr. Allen had been a wonderful partner to the board during his tenure and that she would miss his jovial banter. Staff presented Mr. Allen with cards and a framed photograph by hospital staff member Mark Scheffer, who is also a fine art landscape photographer.
Mr. Allen will be staying on at MCDH as a part-time consultant to complete several special projects that are pending. He is looking forward to spending more time with his family “who has been missing me” at his home in Reno, Nevada.
* * *
ALLEN’S RETIREMENT TIMING IS INTERESTING. Three new board members will be coming on to the Hospital’s board of directors in January, all of them from existing Coast Hospital medical staff: Dr. Glusker, Dr. Rohr and Nurse Kitty Bruning.
WHAT'S WITH the Fort Bragg City Council's shabby treatment of their police department's Lt. John Naulty? Naulty risked it all when he confronted and shot the rampaging Oregon killer who'd just murdered Sheriff's Deputy Delfiorentino last year. Naulty's been off the job ever since while the old city council required he be cleared to return to work by their psychiatrist. Naulty and his psychiatrist both say he's fine.
NAULTY said upon hearing that his shooting of armed fugitive Ricardo Chaney has been officially declared justified that DA Eyster and Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman have been very supportive and kept him informed during the investigation. “It’s nice to finally be cleared by the DA’s office,” he said. “Each day I’m learning more about what happened.” Naulty said he is unsure of when he will return to active duty. He has been released for duty by his personal psychiatrist since October, he said, but the City of Fort Bragg wants him to see a city psychiatrist. “The city has made no efforts to move in that direction,” he said. “I don’t know where I stand with the city.”
COPS ON PATROL IN UKIAH
On Friday, November 28th at about 12:30 AM a Ukiah Police Officer attempted to stop 25 year old Lydell Allen Williams, who was riding a bicycle eastbound in the 300 block of East Gobbi Street. Williams refused commands to stop and rode into the parking lot at 390 East Gobbi and around the building, then back onto Gobbi Street and fled westbound. The officer pursued Williams and placed the patrol vehicle in front of Williams to block his flight. Williams diverted northbound into another parking lot then abandoned his bicycle and jumped the fence along the railroad tracks and continued running. The officer pursued Williams on foot and followed him over the fence, and soon caught up to Williams and was able to bring him to the ground. After a brief struggle Williams was handcuffed. Williams had a warrant for his arrest for violating terms of his Post Community Release Supervision, and was also charged with resisting arrest. A representative of Probation contacted the officer and declined to place a hold on Williams pursuant to his Post Release Community Supervision. 14-3566
* * *
On Thursday, November 27th at about 1:15 AM Ukiah Police responded to the area of 600 Empire Drive for a disturbance in the area and a possible domestic quarrel. Deputies from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office responded as well, and located an intoxicated 15 year old male juvenile who refused to cooperate with officers. The male juvenile tried several times to walk away from the officers, and physically resisted and was arrested for public intoxication and resisting arrest. A 17 year old female juvenile was located near-by who was also intoxicated and found to be on probation. The female juvenile was arrested for violating probation and public intoxication, and kicked the arresting officer several times. The male juvenile remained belligerent and began striking the inside of the patrol vehicle, and had to be further restrained for his own safety. The female was additionally charged with battery on a police officer, and both were booked into juvenile hall
* * *
On Friday, November 21st at about 11:15 AM Ukiah Police responded to a residence in the 800 block of Waugh Lane for a stolen vehicle. The investigating officer determined the vehicle had been parked the night prior, and discovered missing that morning. Another officer was searching for the vehicle at the time, and located it abandoned behind a business in the 600 block of South State Street. The vehicle had sustained minor damage, and was returned to its owner. The investigating officer proceeded to contact business owners in the area and determined witnesses had observed three people exiting the vehicle. Through further investigation the investigating officer was able to identify one the suspects as 28 year old Motechuhzoma Ophelia Vaughn.
On November 28th at about 10:25 AM Ukiah Police received a call of a drunken female in the area of 400 Clara Avenue. A Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputy was flagged down in that area at the same time, and detained Vaughn for public intoxication. Vaughn provided a false name, but the investigating Ukiah Police Officer arrived and identified her as Vaughn and arrested her for the stolen vehicle. Vaughn had methamphetamine in her possession, and was arrested for that and for an unrelated warrant. 14- 3500.
* * *
On December 1st at about 6:20 PM Ukiah Police Officers responded to the back lot of the police department for an authorized vehicle that had driven into the lot. Officers contacted the driver, 52 year old Michael Alan Wiles, who was on parole. Wiles admitted he had recently injected methamphetamine, stated he was “spun,” and that he was being “chased by Indians” and drove to the police department. Wiles was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance and violating parole. Miles’ passenger, 45 year old Jaime David Dalton, was also found to have used methamphetamine recently and was also arrested for drug influence.
* * *
On the morning of Wednesday, December 3rd Ukiah Police Officers along with Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted the Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force with the service of search warrants in the Ukiah area, one being at a storage unit on North State Street. Inside the unit, officers located over 10 ounces of methamphetamine packaged for sale, over 9 pounds of marijuana packaged for sale, items commonly used for the packaging and sales of drugs, and two firearms. The storage unit belonged to 47 year old Aurelio Ortiz Acosta, of Ukiah, a convicted felon. Later that afternoon task force officers served a search warrant in the 1300 block of Eunice Court and arrested Acosta for possessing methamphetamine for sale, being armed in the commission of a felony, and possessing firearms by a convicted felon.
CATCH OF THE DAY, Dec 11, 2014
RUDOLFO ALVAREZ, Ukiah. Drunk in public.
RODRIGO ANGULO, Ukiah. Domestic battery, probation revocation.
JESSE GIBSON, Redwood Valley. Dirk or dagger, probation revocation.
MICHAEL LARSON, Ukiah. Under influence of controlled substance.
BRADLEY MAXFIELD, Willits. Domestic battery.
MASON MCGEE, Ukiah. DUI, driving without license. (Frequent flyer.)
MARIETTA MCKEE, Fort Bragg. Domestic assault.
JEREMIAH MCOSKER, Ukiah. Parole violation.
TASHA ORNELAS, Ukiah. Under influence of controlled substance, probation revocation.
BRUCE SCOTT, Lucerne/Ukiah. Under influence of controlled substance, battery of police officer.
TASHINA TILLMAN, Oroville/Ukiah. Drunk in public, resisting arrest, possession of controlled substance and smoking/injecting device.
VINCENT VETTER, San Francisco/Ukiah. Probation revocation.
JORGE YAM-UC, Fort Bragg. Domestic assault.
CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT TO REVIEW NORTH COAST RAILROAD LAWSUIT
Conflicting appellate court decisions create uncertainty regarding environmental assessments required of High Speed Rail and other publicly owned railroads
The state’s highest court on Wednesday agreed to review an appeal of a lower court’s decision that would exempt publicly owned railroads from having to comply with California’s Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
An appellate court had found that the federal Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act pre-empted all state laws managing or governing railroads, including CEQA. The case decision — brought by Friends of the Eel River (FOER) and Californians for Alternatives to Toxics (CATs) — concerns California’s state-owned railroad, the North Coast Railroad Authority (NCRA), which meant California would be forbidden to control the railroad it had bought and paid for with public funds.
A different court of appeals reached the opposite conclusion in a case involving California’s High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA). That court found that where the state is acting as an owner, not a regulator, federal preemption does not shield the state-owned rail line from having to comply with CEQA as a condition of its state funding.
The North Coast Rail Authority cases present substantially identical facts. The plaintiff environmental groups had argued that the split between the courts of appeals should move the Supreme Court to take the case, as it has now done.
CATs and FOER had challenged the NCRA’s 2011 Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on its plan to reopen a southern portion of the failed rail line. Once sued, NCRA claimed it was not legally bound to conduct the study – after spending millions of taxpayer dollars on the EIR, and tens of millions more provided by the state on the condition the project complied with CEQA.
“Like any other actor in the marketplace, California has the right to analyze the cost and effect of its plans before deciding to undertake projects and it chooses to do this through the CEQA process,” said Patty Clary, Executive Director of CATs. “Federal law does not interfere with this right nor with California citizens’ right, as provided by state law, to challenge the adequacy of this environmental review. We look forward to arguing these fundamental issues before California’s Supreme Court.”
Scott Greacen, Executive Director of FOER, welcomed the news. “Fundamentally, our system of justice depends on citizens being able to hold our government accountable. It cannot be correct that we will allow state agencies to renege on their promises, and to fly blind with the public’s money and the public’s property, without regard to the potential risks to public trust treasures like the wild and scenic Eel River and its threatened salmon and steelhead.”
Californians for Alternatives to Toxics is represented by East Bay attorney Sharon Duggan, Helen Kang of the Environmental Law and Justice Clinic of the Golden Gate University School of Law, William Verick of the Klamath Environmental Law Center, and Deborah Sivas of the Environmental Law Clinic, Mills Legal Clinic at Stanford Law School. Friends of the Eel River are represented by Amy Bricker, Edward T. Schexnayder, and Ellison Folk of Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger.
CATs and FOER are based in the Humboldt Bay area. The membership of each organization is from throughout northwestern California.
(Patty Clary, CATs, Eureka)
THE FOODSHED/GRANGE/COMMUNITY HOLIDAY DINNER is this Sunday, December 14 (meal served at 5:30) at the AV Grange. AV Foodshed and Grange provide the meat, dressing, potatoes and gravy. The community brings the sides, salads, desserts and drinks. Potluck items need to be in place before 5:30. The Grange provides the space and the cheerful Holiday ambience. The community provides the people power to put it all together. To contribute time to the holiday dinner contact Cindy at 895-2949. Hope to see you at the AV Grange on Sunday (and tonight, also, if you are coming to Grange Future, beginning at 6 pm (bring a potluck dish, a snack or just yourself - but please come to hear from the Greenhorns about the exciting things in the future of farming and Granges around the country)
COMMENT OF THE DAY
First – my credentials. I have studied martial arts for the last twelve years. I have also been a ringside physician for boxing for two years, and currently a ringside physician for mixed martial arts for two years. I’m currently studying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu – which involves various choke holds, such as the one applied to Mr. Garner. I have been choked nearly unconscious in practice twice – once by a trachea choke, the other by a carotid artery choke.
That being said, I believe Mr. Garner was murdered for the crime of selling loose cigarettes; I believe all the police involved should be arrested.
A choke hold is always potentially lethal if applied long enough. A potentially lethal technique should never be used against someone suspected of a petty, non-violent crime, who is not resisting arrest with deadly force, or extreme violence. If, say; the police had a strong suspicion Mr. Garner was a serial killer with a high likelihood of killing again if not arrested, and he had been choked and died, no-one would be upset – especially if it was determined he WAS a serial killer.
There are many non-lethal techniques police could have used with Mr. Garner, including swarming him, using pepper spray, or a Taser. A choke hold was not warranted to begin with, and it’s prolonged application after Mr. Garner was helpless on the ground, complaining of inability to breath to me rises to the level of murder.
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