Archives for June 2016

Local gas prices are expected to change little during the Fourth of July weekend, and are lower than Wednesday’s statewide average of $2.90 per gallon, according to an industry expert. More from Lin McDowell…

State Board of Equalization officials also said earlier this week the excise tax on gas will drop by 2.2 cents, though consumers will not likely notice. Allison Mac, West Coast petroleum analyst for GasBuddy, said the state has recovered from last year’s “volatile” gas prices that skyrocketed to an average of $3.45 per gallon this time last year, which was mainly attributed to a refinery explosion in Torrance. The gas price average has stayed steady in California since April, hovering between $2.77 to $2.90 per gallon, she said. I’m Lin McDowell

An arrest has been made in a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a girl in Lucerne.

27-year-old Andrew James Gravlee, of Nice, was arraigned in Lake County Superior Court yesterday and will return to court next week to enter a plea. On Sunday, a
U-Haul pickup hit a 2002 Honda Accord parked on the side of Highway 20, causing the Honda to roll forward and hit a San Jose girl who was standing on the side of the highway in front of the car. The U-Haul driver kept going, and the pickup was found abandoned Sunday night.

Gravlee was picked up on Monday during a traffic stop. He was the passenger in a car where the driver was suspected of driving under the influence. Methamphetamine, marijuana and a meth pipe were found in the vehicle.

A man is facing several charges for violent behavior at a local bar.

Mendocino County Sherriff’s Deputies were called to Dick’s Place in Mendocino yesterday regarding a patron who’d been asked to leave due to unwanted behavior. When the man, 31-year old James Herriot from Albion, .remained outside the bar, an employee, 31-year old Patrick Harmon, went oustide and asked him to leave the property. Herriot reportedly tried to physically assault Harmon, then produced a ceramic bottle and struck one of the establishment’s windows, causing it to break. Herriot then swung and struck Harmon in the upper body with the same bottle, causing minimal injury.

Herriot was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon, felony vandalism, and probation violations.

A Pacific Gas and Electric crew had to make repairs to a utility poll in Lucerne yesterday after a vehicle crashed into it. The crash, which happened Highway 20, also caused damage to the wooden fence surrounding the playground at Lucerne Harbor Park across the highway. No children were injured – and the condition of the driver, or the cause of the crash has not yet been released.

Cogressman Mike Thompson is hosting a “Coffee with the Congressman” tomorrow at Grinders Steep Coffee House in Middletown from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Lake County residents are invited to talk with the Congressman and learn about the services available to constituents through his local offices.

The battle over a new Dollar General store continues unabated…more from Lin McDowell…

((Dollar General opponents are no closer to stopping the development from proceeding in Redwood Valley, as a Mendocino County Superior Court judge has been no more swayed than he was in April. The Ukiah Daily Journal is reporting that, last week, Judge Richard Henderson considered Redwood Valley Market owners Alex and Anthony Chehada’s second amended petition in their ongoing lawsuit against the county. Henderson ruled against the Chehadas’ first amended petition in April, and upheld that decision Friday. A hearing has been scheduled for 9:30 a.m. July 22 on the due process claim.

I’m Lin McDowell))

The Reservoir fire in eastern Lake County is now fully contained. Cal Fire firefighters were able to hold the blaze at 215 acres yesterday and as of yesterday evening, had it at 75-percent containment. It was fully contained after midnight. Crews spent most of the day yesterday establishing containment lines around the south part of the fire. Investigators are stil trying to determine the cause of the fire. No structures were threatened, damaged or destroyed.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is reporting that the body of missing boater have been located.

Sunday evening, deputies responded to the Clearlake State Park Marina in Kelseyville, regarding a man who had reportedly fallen into the water and not surfaced. Witnesses said they saw the man fall from his boat into the water which was near the docks. Police were called when no one could locate him in the water.
Deputies from both patrol and the marine unit, as well as Clearlake State Park Rangers, and the Northshore Dive Team searched the area of the marina for the man until it was too dark. His body was discovered late Monday morning. The man has been identified as 59 year old Caldwell Joseph Pitre of Palo Alto. His cause of death is pending autopsy results.

District 3 Supervisor Jim Steele is hosting a special town hall meeting in Lucerne this evening. During the meeting, he’ll talk about proposed amendments to Lake County’s medical marijuana cultivation rules. The proposed changes include the addition of a permitting and taxing process for medical marijuana. Sheriff Brian Martin will be a featured speaker at the town hall and will address the Medical Marijuana Ad Hoc Committee’s recommendations. Community members are encouraged to attend. It’s at 6PM at the Northshore Community Center, formerly the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center.

The City of Ukiah has scheduled a special meeting for 5PM today to discuss the renewal of its fire services contract with the Ukiah Valley Fire Authority. Committees that represent both the city and the UVFA have recommended that the current agreement be extended for another year. The city may also be able to hire another firefighter, that’s because there will be a litte over $106,000 left over from what the city had budgeted for fire services.