John Chiv: April 2022

Apr 30, 2022

"Lost Coast Bandit's" preliminary hearing continued twice by defense for the same reason

David Moon aka "Lost Coast Bandit"'s preliminary hearing was already continued once again due to discovery. On 4/28, same reason by defense and the preliminary hearing was continued to 5/16/22.

Just like endorsements this year, some election signs show interesting combinations and are not partisan.

This is the first sign I have seen for Ben Hershberger. There aren't as many signs as in past elections but but Natalie Arroyo and Mike Newman have had the most I have seen in several parts of Eureka. Westside is clearly Natalie Arroyo and Kim Bergel territory.

Went by there at 11:30 today. No crew in there. No answer on the phone. Sign does not indicate why or when it will reopen.

On this Tuesday's Board of Supervisor's agenda is an item by First District Supervisor Rex Bohn.

He wants to send a "Letter to the San Francisco (SF) District Attorney, Chesa Boudin regarding the open-air illegal drug market in the SF Tenderloin District and the severe impacts on Humboldt County."

Thomas Edrington and Kent Sawatzky tell County about their intent to file a lawsuit

What would a Humboldt Board of Supervisors meeting be without some existing or potential litigation being discussed under closed session?

Thomas Kent Edrington, who lists a couple of different titles in his email to the County, including Founding Member of Transparent Humboldt Coalition and frequent public commenter Kent Sawatzky sent an email on 4/25/22 about a notice of intent to file a lawsuit.

Since Edrington has decided to identify himself with THC, I am free to discuss a conversation with Kent who approached me to link THC to my blog. I declined. I was going to keep that conversation private but if Edrington and Kent want to sue the County, they need to be transparent about their affiliations. I am not on the County's side or anyone's side. I am on the side of facts, truth and transparency.

The People use the defense strategy in the Ray Christie case and turn the tables

The defense has served many last minute motions to the People and this time, looks like the People beat them to the punch.

About 45 minutes ago, the District Attorney's office served Larson Law Firm with a courtesy copy of the People's motion to continue in the Ray Christie case.

(Photo: from Governor Newsom's office)

Starting on May 1, Medi-Cal, California’s health coverage program for low-income individuals and families, is extending eligibility for full coverage to more than 185,000 individuals who are 50 years of age or older, regardless of immigration status.

Zackarias DylanForestenser Rowe already has two felony cases in Humboldt Superior Court. One was filed April 4, 2022 and the other 1/21/22. Judge Christopher Wilson granted Rowe supervised release on April 6. Had he been in custody, today's incident could have been avoided.

A year later not much happening in the lawsuit against the County and Rolling Meadown Ranch LLC

(Exhibit A)

Today, there was a yet another hearing on the demurrer in the lawsuit filed by NorthCoast Environmental Center, Citizens for a Sustainable Humboldt, Redwood Region Audubon Society and Mary Gaterud against the County of Humboldt, Humboldt County Board of Supervisors and Rolling Meadown Ranch LLC.

I started covering Humboldt Superior Court in 2014. Two years later in 2016, I was at the Speakeasy and they had a drink called the misdemeanor. I remember laughing. People I shared that photo with found it amusing.

Those were the days Laurel and Kim were bartending. I had some time for a life. From attorneys, detectives, law enforcement and the community, there was appreciation. Appearing on KHSU to talk about why I started this blog was a great experience.

On April 27, 2022, an officer with the Eureka Police Department conducted a traffic stop on 14th Street at Union Street. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Jimmy Johnson, 48-year-old of Eureka.

Amy Segui (Conlin), Community Risk Reduction Specialist at Humboldt Bay Fire is saying goodbye. Sharing her message and reasons why she is leaving as requested.

(HCSO booking photo)

The suspect, Austin Medeiros is already in custody for the Kneeland homicide. Guess his preliminary hearing next week for that case will be continued by defense.

Mediros already has a probation violation 2016 case which is trailing the homicide case.

Judge Gregory Elvine-Kreis was disqualified from yet another case and yet again by Mr. Zach Curtis.

(Beer's booking photo)

Jesse Allan Beer's preliminary just concluded around 11:45 in Courtroom 2 right now with Judge Kaleb Cockrum presiding. Beer was held to answer on all charges.

The bailiff cuffed Beer and he was fully clothed in an orange jumpsuit unlike his booking photo.

Beer has one traffic ordinance,one 2020 case and four 2021 cases. The attempted homicide case is from 2021.

Just ran into HCSO Deputy Jason Akana. He is retiring. I wish him all the best. So many from HCSO and EPD like Jason have left. Their experience, compassion and professionalism is a loss for the citizens of this County.

This is for the lady who used to write scriptures on the sidewalk. They can stop you from writing on the sidewalk because they think they control the land. They cannot erase the message that has survived for centuries despite the effort to silence the faithful.

This is for the lady who gave coffee and donuts to those who most would shun in this town. They can use COVID as an excuse to stop your kindness. They can't change the hope you provide to strangers.

To the Humboldt police officer, the Humboldt first responder, the Humboldt firefighter, the Humboldt attorney, the Humboldt ER nurse, the Humboldt jail staff and so many more who have not allowed the dank nastiness and vitriol of Humboldt to stop you from being compassionate, treating every human being kindly, I see what you every day and I thank you. I understand what you go through.

Great food, engaging business Facebook page and they make delivery effortless

Esmeraldas understands that the customer is #1. They are consistent, friendly regardless of how busy they are. Taco Brothers on 5th street Eureka is another business that treats every customer well.

Conscience is a man's compass

Got this fortune cookie at lunch today. When I read it, I felt peace. This is part of a larger quote by Vincent Van Gogh.

Ben, your best endorsement is the one Andrea McLure wrote

(photo I took of David Celli, Kelly Neel, Ben McLaughlin and Elan Firpo at his campaign kickoff)

"Our courts have our faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal.”- Atticus Finch

(Hoffarth)

Former correctional deputy Ricardo AguirrePerez's codefendants also resolved their cases with pleas and sentences and all were on different days. One of the co-defendants had different judges for sentencing and a different Deputy DA appear in court that day.

Former correctional deputy Ricardo Tranquillinio Aguirre was remanded into custody yesterday after sentencing. In court minutes and records, his name is listed as Ricardo Tranquillinio Aguirre Perez . Remand had been previously denied at intervention.

When there is finally a fence at the Courthouse, you know there is a Countywide and Eureka citywide problem.

I was just walking by U. S. Bank and an electrician is at U. S. Bank. He walked to his vehicle and I took this photo.

A vandal cut wires. Sondra Kirtley found her business without electricity this morning and no internet. The power is up. Internet should be restored shortly. 9:50 internet back up at Scrapper's Edge.

Game of Humboldt, the unoriginal, unimaginative drearies

I think to make the Humboldt Board of Supervisors meeting more interesting, there should be a theme with a recap of each episode.

I thought of making today's meeting a Game of Thrones episode assigning characters to all the attendees but Humboldt BOS meetings are dull.

He had people coming up and chatting with him after the Measure Z agenda in the Board of Supervisor Chambers today, including me. Of course, duty calls and Captain Stephens went right back to work.

EPD Captain Brian Stephens has singlehandly been doing double duty. Captain Stephens is a good example of why having someone local in charge, who has been around, is invested in the community is important.

Instead of trial setting, GOP vandalism suspect Michael Valls resolved his case today with a one year diversion per PC 1000 which is California's pretrial diversion program for drug crimes involving simple possession.

There is a stay away from the Humboldt Republican headquarters with an exception if he is on Hwy 101. There is a victim restitution review hearing on 5/26. Judge Wilson ordered EPD to return Valls bike.

John Nicklas resolved his case at trial confirmation today with informal diversion. There is a review hearing regarding anger management on 10/26 and 1 year diversion hearing date on 4/26/23.

On April 25, 2022, at about 7:05 p.m., an officer with the Eureka Police Department observed a recently reported stolen vehicle parked at a gas station on the 3500 block of Broadway.

(2019 booking photo)

Joshua Thomas Spaulding was arrested by Cal Poly police yesterday for possession of controlled Substance, HS 11357(c), PC 466 possession of burglary tools and PC 664/488. Once again, he was released on O.R.

November 2019 is the last time I posted on Spaulding and that was his fourth arrest. Spaulding was arrested possession of controlled substances.

Travis Mendes seems obsessed with being a wannabe cowboy. Maybe he is just jealous that Ray Christie is living the life he wants?

(Travis Mendes trying to corral cattle)

In court briefings, Ray Christie's lawyer, Mr. Rick Richmond has said more than once, HCSO Deputy Travis Mendes' has an "abnormally personal interest in trying to bring Christie down."

There is no love lost between Christie, Travis Mendes and his father Alan Mendes who was a former HCSO Deputy and now Ferndale Police Officer.

Joe Manni has a current lawsuit in which he is suing the Alexandre family. That is the former employer mentioned in his declaration in the latest defense motion in the Ray Christie case filed today.

Manni has previously sued Mario Avelar. Avelar has previously sued Ray Christie and is now doing business with Ray Christie. Manni and Mario Avelar have now written declarations for Christie.

Ask yourself why?

(may replace with photos from filings later)

I reported earlier that the defense filed a new motion today regarding the 2018 raid in Ray Christie's case.

There is the declaration from Mr. Rick Richmond, Christie's attorney. There is a declaration from Charles Adam, the defense computer expert. There is a declaration from Brandon Horn who testified at the first trial. There are also video exhibits filed with the court. I have included some excerpts in this post.

(Cumbow)

Anyone can file a lawsuit. Is there merit to Cole Hess suing Deputy Nathan Cumbow and Humboldt County Sheriff's Office in a civil unlimited auto tort case? I have listed all of Hess' Humboldt Superior Court cases.

Since my original post, Ronald Maloney's photo has mysteriously disappeared from his profile. This is how it looks when I checked again on August 22, 2022.

In September 2021, I reported Former IT manager Ronald Maloney is suing the Times-Standard/Media News Group,Inc. for wrongful termination. Maloney worked for the business for 21 years.

TS' publisher John Richmond has yet to respond to my email from September 2021. There was a case management conference scheduled today which has been continued to 8/1/22.

New defense motion in Ray Christie case was filed on April 25. Will it be scheduled to be heard on May 9, the same day as trial setting? It was literally filed a few minutes ago. I was at the clerk's office today checking on this case to see if there were any new filings. The person filing the motion was standing right behind me. So, I went checked e court a few minutes later.

It is another motion about the evidence in the 2018 raid that was referenced in court last time by Christie's attorney, Mr. Rick Richmond.

(Jones)

Since early April the Humboldt County Drug Task Force (HCDTF) has been conducting an investigation into Levi Jones (30 years old from Eureka) for trafficking fentanyl into Humboldt County.

(HDSO President Destry Henderson, Newman and HDSO VP Jamie Barney

The Humboldt Deputy Sheriffs Organization (HDSO) is proud to officially announce their endorsement of Mike Newman for 4th District Supervisor.

The two largest county employee unions have endorsed Cheryl Dillingham for Auditor-Controller.

Michael Arely WinterBauer was arrested by Arcata Police Department yesterday for PC 245 (a) (1) assault with a deadly weapon and PC 368(b)(1) elder abuse.

Apr 24, 2022

What County Counsel resigned a week ago?

I was checking something on Humboldt Auditor Controller Karen Paz Dominguez's page and just saw this comment. I reached out to Paz Dominguez to ask if she was referring to Humboldt County Counsel Jefferson Billingsley or Natalie Duke or someone else from that office.

"Humboldt County Counsel Jefferson Billingsley turned in his resignation in early April and his last day was the 15th," Paz Dominguez responded.

Given the recent press release by APD today about 4 deaths in last several days, Humboldt Public Health and the Coroner's office should release stats about deaths related to drug overdose.

The Los Angeles report about spikes in death being mostly drug overdose related and not due to COVID made national headlines. It isn't just deaths among the homeless that are due to drug overdose.

City Ambulance, Humboldt Bay Fire and local law enforcement respond disproportionately to several daily calls at Humboldt apartments, shelters, houses and motels and while they save lives, who know's the outcome of the next 911 call.

On Sunday, April 24, 2022 at approximately 3:39 am, the Arcata Police Department received a call of a body inside a room at a local hotel and that the reporting party needed "police now."

APD Officers located an approximately 45 year old female inside a room. The female was not breathing and had no pulse. Officers performed CPR however, the female was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Jose Flavio SanchezLiborio was arrested by EPD yesterday for PC 69 resisting an executive officer, PC 243(c)(2) battery on a peace officer and PC 245(a)(1) assault with a deadly weapon.

SanchezLiborio is frequently arrested. When I add his record to the post, will anyone in Humboldt be shocked? Doubt it.

Apr 23, 2022

Yes, Rocky, "this story is a broken record"

"Alameda County Sheriff's Office detectives and their partners at the Narcotics Task Force recovered 92.5 pounds of illicit fentanyl at locations in Oakland and Hayward. That’s 42,000 grams that were headed for the streets of the Bay Area. This is a glimpse of the fentanyl epidemic." -ACSO

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