KUKI News

Governor Gavin Newsom is cracking down on vaping after illnesses and deaths linked to electronic cigarettes. He’s signed an executive order that jump-starts a new 20-million dollar public awareness campaign focused on the potential dangers of vaping both tobacco and marijuana. Newsom says the funding will come from proposition 64 and prop 56 money.

The attack on Saudi Arabia’s refineries will likely cause you to pay more at the gas pump. AAA says one of the refineries hit in the drone strike supplies 6% of the world’s oil, and that could mean an increase of about a quarter per gallon by the end of the month. AAA says local gas prices will start to increase this week. The current state average is $3.64 a gallon.

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office rescued a woman who claimed she had been kidnapped. Late Saturday evening, Deputies noticed a vehicle in on North State Street in Ukiah with numerous code violations. The driver, Thao Vang from Sacramento, was found to have an active felony warrant for his arrest from Butte County and was arrested The rear passenger, a 34 year-old adult female from Sacramento, said she had been kidnapped and held against her will by Vang, and was forced to travel with him to Ukiah. The victim said she believed she was going to be killed. Vang faces additional charges including kidnapping and false imprisonment. 34-year-old Christine Maxwell from Marysville, who was also in the vehicle, is charged with Kidnapping and 1Conspiracy without incident

The suspect accused of killing a man with a vehicle last week has been formally charged first-degree murder and vehicular manslaughter. Authorities say 62-year-old Thomas Andrew Magee, of Clearlake, ran over 40-year-old Joseph Symond Jackson, with his van on Highway 20 and Seventh Avenue in Lucerne last Tuesday morning at 1:30AM. The Sheriff’s Office says the men knew each other, and had a dispute over property prior to the incident.

PG&E will pay 11-billion dollars to resolve most insurance claims from the Northern California fires in 2017 and massive Camp Fire in 2018. Investigators confirmed in May that PG&E’s transmission lines were to blame for the Camp Fire that destroyed the town of Paradise, and killed 86 people. PG&E still faces a large group of legal claims from individual plaintiffs, whose cases are pending in federal and state courts.

TeMashio Nakai Anderson a member of the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians, has been selected as a provisional trustee for the Mendocino-Lake Community College District Board of Trustees He fills the vacancy left by the recent resignation of David Geck.

The Federal Aviation Administration has released its initial report on the seaplane crash that occurred at last weekend’s 40th Annual Clear Lake Seaplane Splash In. The incident occurred at around 4PM, as the event was ending. The FAA report and reports from witnesses, suggest that strong winds were a factor in the crash, pushing the plane back down into the water. The FAA report said the pilot was uninjured. His passenger received minor injuries. The plane sustained substantial damage.

This evening, the Middletown Art Center will commemorate the fourth Anniversary of the Valley Fire, as well as the Rocky and Jerusalem fires of 2015, and all of the wildfires experienced in Lake County since. The evening will feature an opening reception for the exhibit ALL THAT IS NOW from 6 to 9 p.m. as well as spoken word, and musical performances from 7 to 9 p.m. The exhibit will run through mid-November. The event is free to the public.

The State Legislature has approved a wildfire-inspired proposal from Sen. Bill Dodd, that would help low-income people who rely on life-support equipment to receive backup power during electric transmission line de-energization. SB 167 would require utilities to submit plans to the California Public Utilities Commission for supporting customers during temporary power shutoffs. The bill awaits Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature.

The 11th Annual Ukiah Valley Artist Open Studio Tour is tomorrow. This once a year free extravaganza of sixteen artists showcases some of the diverse and unique art found in Ukiah and Redwood Valley. Get a map for the free self-guided tour at: www.artsmendocino.org.

Downtown Ukiah will have activities going on from 7AM-4PM tomorrow including: A pancake breakfast, classic car show and the 2019 North Bay Artisans Showcase and Faire Performing Artists.