KZYX News

California Attorney General Rob Bonta offers guidance to schools on dealing with federal immigration officers; PG&E completes the final draft of the surrender application and decommissioning plan for the Potter Valley Project; and the planned construction of a Grocery Outlet in Fort Bragg on the moves forward.

A superior court judge in San Francisco on Monday ruled against the group Fort Bragg Local Business Matters, upholding the coastal development permit granted by the City of Fort Bragg to Best Development Group to build and operate a Grocery Outlet in the old county social services building on North Harbor Drive and Franklin.The Mendocino Coast Parks and Recreation District has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Local Agency Formation Commission to conduct what is known as a municipal service review. City Manager Isaac Whippy said the review has the potential to affect the funding for the CV Starr Community Center.

Some mushroom hunters get lost every year and have spent as much as three days in the woods. Linda Doar, 59, spent just one night. She tells independent journalist Frank Hartzell how she got separated from her friends and what she did to stay warm on one of the coldest days of the year.

After more than three years of legal challenges the City of Fort Bragg and Mendocino Railway are looking for ways to work together. The city council on Monday approved a contract with an organization called Economic and Planning Systems, Inc. to explore a collaborative development strategy for the mill site. The city will also host a community workshop for mill site visioning and illustrative planning on February 25, at 5:00 p.m. at Town Hall.

Danielle Grilli, a former employee of the Mendocino County auditor-controller's office, cast doubt on the criminal accusation against former auditor-controller Chamise Cubbison. Law enforcement is looking for a suspect or suspects that fired multiple rounds of .556 bullets into homes in Redwood Valley. And residents of Point Arena demanded code enforcement and a vacancy ordinance.

Lt. Andrew Porter, the lead investigator in the felony prosecution of suspended Auditor Chamise Cubbison, acknowledged Tuesday that herformer boss played a larger role in the high-profile case than originally presented publicly.

The annual survey of the homeless population known as the PIT Count, will happen Wednesday morning. As senior program manager Megan Van Sant explains, the count is carried out by volunteers, and there are fewer this year than last year. Additional volunteers can contribute to a more accurate count.

When you bite into a crisp apple, or enjoy local eggs for breakfast, do you ever wonder about the work that went into producing that delicious food? Susanna Sidensticker does - in fact, as the co-owner and co-operator of Bee the Change Microfarm in Willits, she has little time to think about anything else. Bee the Change is a family owned and operated micro farm specializing in raising chickens, ducks, quail, rabbits and pigs using organic regenerative practices that work in harmony with nature since 2019.

In Washington, the U.S Bureau of Reclamation has awarded the Round Valley Indian Tribes and the Sonoma Water Agency $15 million. In Sacramento, committee assignments have been made official. We spoke with District Two Assemblyperson Chris Rogers about his committee assignments. And, closer to home, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has opened the north boat launch at Lake Mendocino. Meanwhile, in Ukiah, the Humane Society for Inland Mendocino County has closed due to a Parvo emergency, and Fort Bragg Mayor Jason Goedeke reported on a bridge safety meeting with Caltrans.

New documents filed in the Cubbison case show District Attorney David Eyster’s opposition to Chamise Cubbison more than two years before charging her with criminal misappropriation of funds. Among the documents, an August 30, 2021 email written by Eyster to then Supervisor Glenn McGourty could be central to the defense’s argument that Eyster was committed to finding a way to prevent Cubbison from serving as auditor-controller months before questions arose about improper overtime payments made to a payroll manager.

Nominated for two Academy Awards and for the National Book Award, Sayles is here to announce his latest novel “To Save The Man”. He will be appearing at the Gallery Bookstore in Mendocino Village on January 22nd. Sayles has published 8 novels and a short story collection. “To Save The Man” tells the dual story of the Carlisle Indian School and the Massacre at Wounded Knee. It juxtaposes the life of Indigenous children who are forced to give up their heritage and the struggles of the Native American tribes who are forced onto reservations and allotments in what was known in the 1800s as The Territory. Sayles talks about his inspiration for the novel, the hardships Native Americans faced, the prejudice and fear of the white population, and the impact on children. In his novel, he details the lead-up to the massacre and takes the reader through the moments when the US Army gunned down hundreds of innocent Lakota Sioux. The story is told through the eyes of Carlisle Indian School students. According to Sayles, Carlisle was the blueprint for the Indian Boarding Schools that sprung up across the US and Canada causing immeasurable hardship to native populations.

Gleaming stainless steel nets installed 20 feet below the sidewalk have cut Golden Gate Bridge suicides by 80 percent since they were installed over a year ago. Could similar nets stop future deaths in Fort Bragg?

On Saturday, January 18th, a sister march to the National Women's March on Washington will take place in downtown Ukiah. Women and their allies will begin at 12 p.m. at the Mendocino County Courthouse, and march to Alex Thomas Plaza, where they will gather to share music and information on a variety of issues pertaining to women’s advocacy and more. Jenn Procacci speaks with Lynda McClure, one of the organizers.

A body was recovered Tuesday afternoon around 4:30 p.m. near the cliffs just beyond Main Street in Mendocino. In addition, a coroner’s investigation of human remains discovered December 23 underneath the Noyo River Bridge positively identified Roy Mora, a 15-year-old Fort Bragg teenager who vanished on December 7. And, a Mendocino County Sheriff's deputy was arrested in Ukiah for domestic violence.

Fort Bragg councilperson Lindy Peters provided an update at Monday’s council meeting on litigation around the proposed Grocery Outlook store at the southern end of town. The lawsuit filed by Fort Bragg Local Business Matters will be heard on February 3 at 9:30 a.m. in Superior Court in San Francisco. Peters also sponsored a resolution proclaiming Fort Bragg's support for immigrants that was unanimously adopted by the council but provoked pushback from some residents.

The annual count of Mendocino County’s homeless population is happening on Wednesday, January 29, and the organizers are looking for volunteers to participate on the coast and in the southern and northern parts of the county. In addition, the Willits City Council is seeking applicants for a vacant council seat. Applications are due January 15. As of January 8, there were no qualified applicants.

The City of Point Arena is moving forward on a plan to update the city's pier and to find revenue sources to help reverse a financial implosion that is requiring city employees to work reduced hours. One possibility is a campground in the Point Arena Cove. Meanwhile, a man was caught on camera siphoning 60+ gallons in fuel from Coastal Seniors buses.

Superior Court Judge Ann Moorman on Wednesday ordered the case against Chamise Cubbison, Mendocino County's former auditor-controller, to proceed to a preliminary hearing. Moorman will rule on an motion to dismiss after that hearing. On Tuesday the newly elected Board of Supervisors met for the first time. Among their first actions was to elect a chair and vice chair and limit public comment on specific topics to no more than ten minutes.

At today's hearing, Cubbison's defense attorney will try to convince Superior Court Judge Ann Moorman that Lt. Andrew Porter, the sheriff's investigator who interviewed Chamise Cubbision, Paula Kennedy, and Lloyd Weer acted in bad faith when he failed to preserve the emails he reviewed. Many of the emails were subsequently lost.

Mendocino County is relaunching the mobile spay and neuter van, which is designed to bring essential services to communities across the county, following a successful trial run at the Humane Society of a new van. Thirty-four surgeries were completed, and the van is now ready to expand its operations with helping spay and neuter animals all across Mendocino County.

Cases involving public officials charged with misappropriation of public funds typically involve spending money on fancy dinners, cars, houses, lavish trips — and worse. The unusual case against Chamise Cubbison, Mendocino County's former Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector, involves an obscure payroll code. Allegedly, a county employee in charge of payroll used the code to compensate herself after Cubbison told the employee she was exempt from overtime rules. This morning, Superior Court Judge Ann Moorman will consider testimony from Cubbison's manager at the time, former auditor Lloyd Weer, as well as Andrew Porter, the sheriff's investigator before ruling on a motion to dismiss. Tom Rakes, head of the county’s IT services when the county’s email archival system mysteriously collapsed, has also been subpoenaed.

Mendocino County ranked #1 for opioid overdoses among California counties in 2021. Today, Mendocino County ranks 10th. We explore the reasons why in this newscast. In addition to organizations like Fort Bragg’s Care Response Unit, Mendonoma Health Alliance in Gualala, MCAVHN Care and Prevention Network in Ukiah, and SafeRX Mendocino in Willits, there are individuals like Marji Brunelle who have made it their mission to prevent overdoses, particularly among the formerly incarcerated people who may also be houseless.

2025 got off to a cold and soggy start, but that did not deter the Big River dippers, a group of about two dozen friends with a high tolerance for freezing cold water and a desire for a new perspective. We spoke with Hayley Ross who was bracing herself for her first dip. And, we all might want to brace ourselves for the changes 2025 will bringing, starting with a slew of new state laws. We look at three laws that will affect families with children and teens in Mendocino County.

For the last few weeks steelhead trout, coho and chinook salmon have been making their historic trek from the ocean to their spawning grounds. As the fish swim upstream, they are being closely watched. Coho, steelhead and chinook are endangered and threatened species. And new state and federal water rules, announced just before Christmas could make things even worse for salmon in the Bay Delta. We speak with Alaistar Bland from CalMatters.

Mendocino County is in the midst of a homeowner's insurance crisis, and while the problem is statewide, Mendocino is one of the 28 counties ranked as distressed, meaning that insurance companies have rated more than 20% of the properties here at high, or very high, risk of wildfire. Jenn Procacci speaks with Cindy Nelson from the Covelo Fire Protection District on the importance of defensible space and home hardening and with Deputy Insurance Commissioner Michael Solller about California's new sustainable insurance strategy.

The Noyo Center for Marine Science is celebrating its tenth year in operation. A stranded blue whale back in 2009 was the impetus for creating the center. Each year, Sarah Grimes, the Stranding Coordinator for Noyo Center presents the annual findings. She works under a permit through the California Academy of Sciences. Before the Noyo Center, animals stranded on Mendocino beaches fell to teams from Humboldt or Sonoma.Since 2014, the Noyo Center has documented the stranding of 18 whales, 8 dolphins, 6 porpoises, and hundreds of pinnipeds. In 2024, one of the more notable strandings was a juvenile female Fin whale. Fin whales are on the endangered species list. The whale was first sighted on the beach between Ward Ave and Ten Mile River. Later it washed up a second time at Ward Ave. There was evidence to suggest the whale died from a ship strike. A NOAA report on Fin Whale populations along the Pacific Coast estimates that between 43 and 95 fin whales die from ship strikes each year. The estimated total population on the Pacific Coast per NOAA is approximately 11,000.There were 40 pinnipeds identified on Mendocino beaches. The pinniped family includes California Sea Lions and various types of seals including Harbor, Elephant, and Fur Seals. Finally, three dolphins and one porpoise washed ashore, including a Pacific White-sided Dolphin. Each stranded animal is documented and many undergo necropsies to inform the scientific community.The live dolphin did not survive the transport to the Marine Mammal Center. Another particularly sad incident involved a California sea lion pup named Pipoca. Pipoca had been rescued earlier in the spring and rehabilitated at the Marine Mammal Center. He was released back into the wild, but unfortunately, he lasted only about six weeks before washing ashore. Sue Pemberton, the stranding coordinator for Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo talks about the importance of California Sea Lions as an indicator species for the Pacific Coast and the troubles they had this year with births and undersized pups. Photo of a Noyo Center presentation slide

The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors wrapped up its final meeting of the year Tuesday night, marked by farewells to outgoing supervisors, praise for climate initiatives, and pleas for help from the beleaguered cannabis industry.

The Mendocino County Courts and Behavioral Health Department is two weeks into a controversial experiment to use court resources to move schizophrenic and psychotic residents into treatment.

Jenn Procacci talks with Caroline Radice and Katherine Flink of Black Dog Farm and Catering in Willits about their passion for farming and the economic realities faced by small farmers.

Authorities are continuing their search for Roy Mora, 15, a transgender teenager who disappeared after setting out to watch a lighted truck parade in Fort Bragg with friends on Saturday, Dec. 7. Despite extensive search efforts and investigative progress, police say Mora’s whereabouts remains a mystery.

The California Department of Insurance last week concluded a new rule making process that — combined with additional enforcement — could make homeowners insurance easier to come by. And, the Scott's Valley tornado on Saturday is a reminder atmospheric rivers aren't the only winter hazard.

Division at the Fort Bragg City Council became apparent during the election of officers on December 9th. Officers are elected by a majority vote of the council. Councilmember Tess Albin-Smith proposed changing the format to a rotation process initially based on seniority. It would have meant that council members would likely have to serve at least two terms before becoming mayor. The motion failed 3 to 2 with Albin-Smith and Peters voting yes. Vice Mayor Jason Godeke who is in his first term was nominated for mayor and approved with a five-zero vote. Godeke then nominated first-term Councilmember Marcia Rafanan as Vice Mayor. During her comments, Albin-Smith expressed her opinion that Rafanan was not qualified to be mayor. Peters had previously suggested that he was the best candidate for mayor because he’s retired and does not have kids. Rafanan defended herself refuting both Albin-Smith’s claims and Peters’ view of his superior candidacy. Rafanan pointed out that she was elected to represent the poor working class in Fort Bragg and that she can do a good job. Rafanan was voted in four to one with Albin-Smith voting no. During public comment, several members of the audience objected to Albin-Smith’s treatment of Rafanan. The statements and arguments can be viewed in their entirety on the City of Fort Bragg website. Mayor Godeke immediately called a recess after public comment. The council returned and continued the City’s business. Newly elected Councilmember Scott Hockett nominated Ryan Bushnell to fill an empty seat on the planning commission, which passed 3 to 2, with Albin-Smith and Peters voting no. Rich Neal was reappointed to serve another term on the planning commission. Two public hearings were held that passed and established the option to recover fees for code enforcement and costs related to building permit inspection services. The council also decided to run a pilot program that would use the outside consultant Four Leaf for inspection services in place of the county for large projects to reduce delays. Smaller projects and standard permits will still go through the county process. A pro-housing initiative that was briefly discussed in November came back before the council with more detail. The initiative is still preliminary, but as it stands now it could eliminate planning commission review for multi-family housing and place the onus on city staff. City planning consultant, Marie Jones explained that the City’s current program adds months to the review plan and does not meet current state law. The City has to choose between selecting an administrative review or eliminating the review of large projects. Per Jones, eliminating review could lead to ugly cheap buildings, while administrative review will create more challenges for City staff.The council then approved a small increase in garbage rates. The average homeowner will see their bill go from $38.11 to $38.84. City Manager Isaac Whippy provided a budget report that shows the City is currently below budget and provided data on the CV Starr Center's efforts to increase membership and expand programs. Since the City took over CV Starr memberships have climbed steadily. A chronic issue with staffing lifeguard positions has kept the center closed on Sundays. CV Starr recently held additional lifeguard classes and the discussion of opening on Sundays is ongoing.Finally, local contractor Akeff Construction was awarded the contract to install EV Fleet Charging stations at the Fort Bragg Police Department. The council approved a contract with Telcion for network equipment, confirmed pay rates for the city manager, and approved a pump repair for the Noyo River Intake.

The Mendocino County Registrar of Voters on Wednesday provided the Statement of Vote showing the precinct by precinct tally of last month’s presidential election. While 73 percent of registered voters in Mendocino County cast ballots, there was a lot of variation at the precinct level. Turnout at small precincts like Green Valley, Ward Mountain, South Doolin, Russell Brook, Signal Creek, King Ranch, Mill Creek, Anchor Bay and Creekside approached 100 percent at one end of the spectrum. Meanwhile turnout at small precincts like West Medford, Nogard, Nogard South McNear, Maverick, Durable Mill, and Masonite was less than 50 percent at the other end.

Kailand Ignacio Garcia, 19, was charged with murder in the second degree in the death of Alyson Sanchezllanes. Seventeen-year-old Sanchezllanes dies of a fentanyl overdoes on January 17, 2024. And the search continued for Roy Mora, a 15 year old who vanished after setting out for the annual Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade.

The free-flowing Mattole River, running 62 miles from its headwaters in Northern Mendocino County to its mouth, five miles past Petrolia in Humboldt County, defines the wettest place in California. Lauren Schmitt of KMUD radio went to Whitethorn, near the headwaters, to check in with the Sanctuary Forest land trust to find out how the river and the fish that spawn there, were affected by last month’s deluge.

In an emergency, would first responders be able to find you? This is a critical question in rural areas, where the local name for a road may well be different from the official one on the street sign… that is, if the street has a sign at all.

A powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the California coast Thursday morning, rattling homes and prompting a brief tsunami warning that left residents and boat owners scrambling to prepare. Despite the initial concerns, the event caused minimal damage.

In the most recent update from the U.S. Drought Monitor, Pete Fickenscher, the development and operations hydrologist at the California Nevada River Forecast Center said November's atmospheric river transformed this recent period from one the driest in the last 104 years to one of the wettest. And the Village of Mendocino looked at options for a community water system.

A routine review of updated bylaws for the Mendocino County Behavioral Health Advisory Board triggers a discussion about the need for greater transparency and accountability around spending state funds.

In the wake of the pandemic, the City of Fort Bragg adopted a zero-tolerance policy toward homeless encampments — independent of the recent Grants Pass Supreme Court decision. Counter-intuitively, this has led to far fewer arrests of homeless residents. Today, arrests of homeless residents have fallen from 54% of all arrests to less than 18% of all arrests. The secret? The small Care Response Unit embedded in the police department.

For Nikki Ausschnitt and Steve Krieg, owners of Petite Teton Farm in Anderson Valley, farming is more than a livelihood — it’s an art form and a deeply personal endeavor. After 20 years of cultivating their small family farm, they continue to face economic challenges familiar to many small farmers in Mendocino County.

As the state of California races to build out an 8,000 mile fiber optic network, the City of Fort Bragg is constructing the last mile connection to a new municipal network that could go online as the spring of 2026. Also, the Mendocino Coast Health Care District and Adventist Health management have concluded their talks around restructuring the hospital lease.

A minor altercation at Fort Bragg Middle School escalated into a significant police response earlier this fall, raising questions about the role of law enforcement on school campuses and sparking community conversations about racism and safety.

On November 21st, the Grass Roots Institute held its regular meeting on sea level rise and local coastal planning. Amber Fisette from the Mendocino County Water Agency joined the meeting to discuss county-wide drought planning, Sarah McCormick from the City of Fort Bragg reported on the difficulties of getting an aquaculture program going in Noyo Harbor and Marie Jones talked about Fort Bragg’s efforts to make multi-unit housing development easier by reducing requirements and eliminating public hearings and Mendocino County’s effort to allow transient camping on private property also without public hearings. Photo of Noyo River November 22, 2024, by Michelle Blackwell

25 de Noviembre del 2024 — En el programa de esta semana hablmos de inmigración con Dina Lopez, Directora de los Servicos de inmigración de las Caridades Católicas de Santa Rosa.

More than 5,300 Mendocino County residents were without power Friday morning, the majority of them on the coast, as part two of the atmospheric river toppled trees and brought down power lines. By Friday evening, PG&E had restored power to all but 300 customers. But even as the threat of the storm abated, scammers sought to swindle county residents with a masterful ruse.

A powerful storm swept through Mendocino County late Tuesday and into Wednesday, bringing gusts of up to 80 mph near Point Mendocino and 60 mph in the coastal areas of Fort Bragg and the Village of Mendocino. The National Weather Service warns that heavier rainfall and potential flooding are on the way.

A conversation with Blaire AuClair of Folk Life Farm about the realities of farming in Mendocino County, including whether farmers make a living wage and what tech is appropriate.

Gusting winds marked the storm's arrival as a low-pressure system made landfall Tuesday night. First responders across Mendocino County spent Tuesday preparing for the storm. Fort Bragg Police Chief Neil Cervenka said the city has activated its virtual emergency operations center and established a sandbag distribution site at the CV Starr Community Center.