Local News

State officials are reportedly considering closing the abalone fishery along the Northern Coast because of dead red abalone and other dead sea animals.  The State Fish and Game Commission is taking up the matter Thursday.  The Dept. of Fish and game will first investigate then report to the commission who may take emergency action to close the abalone season along all or parts of the Sonoma coast.  There's been an abalone die-off along that part of the coast since August 27th because of a red tide.  Biologists say that kind of abalone die off coincided with the local red tide bloom and calm ocean conditions but they're not exactly sure why the die off is happening.  They say that similar die-offs have happened before when the same type of weather and bloom conditions existed.

Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies have made a slew of weekend drug and weapons busts.  A Sheriff’s Office spokesman says on Friday, Richard Teague and Luis Ramiriez of Ukiah were arrested for meth possession and being under the influence.  Ramirez was also reportedly arrested for allegedly having a billy-club type weapon, which is said to be a violation of his probation.   Then on Sunday in Gualala, deputies reportedly arrested a woman on several charges after initially going out on call of an argument between a man and a woman.  A spokesman says that while the fight itself was not deemed to be legally problematic, a deputy reportedly observed that the women, Connie Zapara, showed symptoms of being on meth.  And while talking to her, the deputy also reportedly saw a handgun partially concealed under the driver’s seat of her car.  A search of her car then allegedly also turned up some meth and she was arrested.

Six people previously arrested for poaching deer in the Scotts Valley area have been found guilty and sentenced.  The Lake County District Attorney's Office says game wardens from Lake and Mendocino County were tipped that deer were being killed at night while spotlights were being shined on them.  The DA also reports witnesses saw someone shining a light while another person shot the animals then the alleged poachers would run away with the animal in tow.  They were also reportedly found guilty of clubbing fawns to death.  Wardens also found meth on those arrested, a box of ammo and a spotlight.  The men, some of whom were illegal aliens, were all arraigned last week on various charges including poaching and possession of a firearm.  They got 45 days in jail, three years probation and hunting privileges revoked for three years. They were all also put on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) holds and could face deportation.  A seventh man is being arraigned this week on the weapons charge.

Hundreds of Mendocino County employees are reportedly striking.  The employees reportedly walked off the job just before 1 p.m. yesterday which caused the shutdown of some county government operations but they were all expected back to work today.  The Press Democrat reports those that walked are possibly planning another protest at the Board of Supervisors meeting in Ukiah.  The union workers reportedly had signs and used bullhorns at the Ukiah courthouse for what they say are unfair labor practices.  There were also walkouts in Willits and Fort Bragg.  Union officials say the county is telling the employees who are negotiating a contract to “take it or leave it.”  Negotiations reportedly continuing for more than a year. 

A man in Fort Bragg says he was stabbed because he didn't give another man a cigarette.  Police in Fort Bragg say they've arrested another man, Nickolas Bollmann on suspicion of stabbing Brian McCutcheon Saturday.  Bollman reportedly telling police, the stabbing was in self defense.  Police say McCutcheon was stabbed twice in his left side but his injuries were not life threatening.  He told cops he wouldn't give the other guy a smoke so he was stabbed.  Bollman told police McCutcheon became aggressive and attacked him and he thought his life was in danger.  He was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

The tribal chair for the Robinson Rancheria Pomo Indians has been arrested.  Tracey Avila reportedly had a $20,000 bench warrant for grand theft for allegedly embezzling thousands of dollars from the Elem Indian Colony between February and September 2006 while acting as the tribe's fiscal officer.  Avila reportedly turned herself in Friday but was released on bail later.  She's due in court on Halloween.