KUKI News

The Board of Supervisors discussed the recent PG&E power shut-off that impacted up to 11,000 customers in Lake County beginning Sunday evening. Power in the Cobb area wasn’t restored until yesterday. Supervisors expressed dissasisfaction to PG&E representatives on how the outage was implemented. Sheiff Brian Martin called it a well-intentioned idea that was poorly planned and executed. The utility representatives said the Public Safety Power Shutoff was initiated due to a combination factors: a red flag warning, excessive wind speeds, low relative humidity and fuel moisture. PG&E and county officials are planning to have an after action meeting someitme next month.

The Ukiah City Council is expected to review a requested rate increase for garbage pickup during their meeting today. Ukiah Waste Solutions made the proposal following calcuated cost increases. The proposed increases for customers would be a $1.38 increase in the monthly rate for residents who use a 20-gallon can, and a $1.50 increase in the monthly rate for 32.-gallon cans.

A new doctor has been appointed in the case of 62-year-old Alan Leroy Ashmore, who went on a shooting rampage in Lake County last October. Ashmore, is accused of killing two people and the attempted murder of three others including a California Highway Patrol Officer. He recently pled not guilty by reason of insanity. That initiated a change because one of the doctors who was assigned to evaluate Ashmore, does not provide reports with that kind of plea.

The Cal Fire-Mendocino Unit will be conducting a prescribed burn for vegetation management, south of Covelo today. Aircraft and smoke will be visible in the Covelo area, south of Round Valley and east of Highway 162 through late this afternoon.

A man connected to a human trafficking case has reached a plea agreement with the Lake County District Attorney’s Office. 37-year-old Sam Lindsey Massette, and his 27-year-old wife, Krystina Marie Pickersgill, were arrested in June for forcing a teenage girls into prostitution in the San Francisco Bay Area. On Friday, Massette, pleaded guilty to two counts of human trafficking for the purposes of prostitution and two counts of pimping women in prostitution. Under an agreement Massette will receive a total maximum aggregate term of 52 years for human trafficking and pimpng charges for multiple victims. Earlier this month, Massette’s wife, pleaded guilty to one count of human trafficking, and will be placed on probation with a maximum prison sentence of 12 years if she does not comply.

Over 5,000 marijuana plants and 500 pounds of bulk processed marijuana was seized during a search in Lakeport last week. On Wedneday, October 10, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit along with the assistance of numerous state, local and federal law enforcement agencies including the DEA, Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force, Clearlake Police Department and Lake County District Attorney’s Office served 14 search warrants on properties within the Big Valley Rancheria in Lakeport. Police say the cultivation was part of a cartel drug operation. 10 people were also arrested.

Mendocino County plans to test both the MendoAlert and Nixle emergency alert and warning systems on Thursday. Those registered for the system may receive a phone call, a text message, or an email message just before 10AM.

The owner the Wisedas Resort property in Clearlake may be going to jail for violating the terms of his probation. As part of his plea deal, , Edward Meyer was to complete a sea wall at the old resort by Oct. 2, 2017. When that wasn’t done, his sentence was suspended to give him another opportunity complete the wall, but construction still hasn’t started. A judge has ordered Meyer to turn himself in by October 24th. to serve a 90-day sentence. Meyer plans to ask the court to reconsider.

PG&E has de-energized power lines impacting 17,000 customers in Lake, Napa and Sonoma Counties due to high fire danger. Approximately 11,000 customers in Lake County have been affected, including those in the communities of Clearlake, Clearlake Oaks, Clearlake Park, Cobb, Finley, Hidden Valley Lake, Kelseyville, Lakeport, Lower Lake, Middletown. Power is expected to be restored to most customers by this evening, but PG&E has warned that outages could last until tomorrow in some areas.

Caltrans District 1 reminds drivers that a full closure of Route 175 from 5.6 miles east of US Highway 101 to Mathews Road in Lake County is needed for recovery of an over length semi-truck that went over the embankment on Thursday. The truck and trailer will be recovered today and require special heavy equipment. The closure will last through 7PM. Tomorrow and Wedneday’s closure hours are shorter, from 8am to 4pm, to help accommodate commuter traffic. The truck’s load of plywood will be recovered on those days.