This is what community is about; also shout out to James and Rebecca Cunha for being positive success role models for turning their life around

This is what community is all about. Mckinleyville Community Watch is a great group and stories like this are part of the norm.

Kevin Jenkins is a great example of a local business person and community leader.

So proud of Rebecca and James Cunha who have turned their life around.

Photos and facebook text reproduced below with pernission from Cyndi Bainbridge-Wright:

If this alleged grow exists, and they get busted due to call on scanner, they only have themselves to blame!

Should have used a quieter car! I did not realize loud noise covered the smell of weed. In that case, police would never bust anyone at a traffic stop if the person had loud music blaring and weed in the car.

Just heard a Sheriff deputy being dispatched on scanner to D street, couldnt catch address.

The reason for the call was : RP  said loud vehicle has been running for hours to cover noise and smell of grow.

2017 Eureka Crab Celebration cancelled

Eureka Main Street Press Release:

The Eureka Crab Celebration, including all of its components (ie: Crab Crawl, Crab Run 5k, Crab Festival and Crab Movie) is cancelled for 2017 due to the commercial crabbing industry being shut down along the entire west coast. Event sponsors and vendors will receive full refunds.

Scanner alert, reports of active shooters at airport, Broward County

Scanner alert from Broward County, Florida. Initial reports of at least two active shooters at the Ft. Lauderdale airport. Law enforcement confirmed an hour ago, no second shooter.

Update: Reports that a gunman is in custody. Nine people were shot;  five confirmed dead. Eight transported to the hospital. Shooting occured in a baggage claim area.

EPD detectives awaiting autopsy results in P street homicide

I checked with EPD on the P street death investigation.

EPD Crime Analyst Brittany Powell said the case is "still an active investigation. The Detectives are awaiting final autopsy results."

Previous posts:

http://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2016/12/deceased-girl-on-p-street-found-dead-in.html?m=1

http://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2016/12/epd-confirms-death-investigation-on-p.html?m=1

http://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2016/12/drug-house-bust-on-p-street-in-eureka.html?m=1

Stepfather charged with alleged molestation of stepdaughter; claims of watching pornography and sex on "Daddy Daughter" days

Yesterday, Mario D. Alexander was arraigned on 11 counts, all with the special allegation that the offenses involved more than one victim.

Deputy District Attorney Stacey Eads is prosecuting the case. Public Defender Meagan O'Connell is representing Alexander.

Count 1 to 3 are Oral Copulation/Sexual Penetration with a child 10 years old or younger; Jane Doe #2. Counts 4-8 Lewd Act Upon A Child  14 years or younger; Jane Doe #2. Counts 9-11 Lewd Act Upon A Child 14 years or younger; Jane Doe #1.

One alleged victim is the daughter of Alexander's ex-wife's friends, the other alleged victim is Alexander's step-daughter, biological child of his (now ex) wife at that time. "Daddy Daughter" days are when some of the alleged acts took place between Alexander and his step daughter. The details the children gave in the CAST interviews included descriptions of the step daugther saying "she watched movies where girls put their mouth on boys parts" and "rubbing in the middle, she said, you know how you pee." One alleged victim acted out giving a hand job on a soda bottle.

The alleged victims did not testify at the preliminary hearing so the above was through testimony of witnesses.

A preliminary hearing  took place on December 16 starting 1:30 p.m.for Alexander in Courtroom 1. Listed below are the 9 counts for the preliminary hearing.

No other media was present. I wanted to wait until arraignment to post details about the preliminary hearing to see if the charges were different.

(I will have posts on the preliminary hearing up later, definitely by the weekend).

HCSO Deputy Eric Morris was the People's first witness. HCSO Sgt. Greg Musson was the People's second witness and the lead investigator in this case.

It did not conclude and will continue at 9:30 on Monday morning with the testimony of Ms. Alexander, the third witness and then Deputy Greg Musson being questioned on redirect.

Deputy District Attorney Stacey Eads is prosecuting the case. Public Defender has been appointed for Alexander.

Ms. Eads indicated to Judge John Feeney that she would be gone for two weeks and a colleague would sub in.

Charges are: Counts 1 and 2 are Oral copulation/Penetration with child under age of 10; Counts 3 -9, seven counts of Lewd or lascivious act with child under 14 years.


Since arraignment, the preliminary hearing has been continued four times.

Most recently by the District Attorney, twice before by the defense, first time by stipulation.

Alexander's mother, accompanied by another woman attended only part of the preliminary earlier in the day. On Friday, the preliminary hearing started at 9:45 and continued after lunch until the end of the day.

Previous post:

http://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2016/11/preliminary-hearing-for-man-with-27.html?m=1

Chief Andrew Mills: "Case solved, man admits to calling in 911 threat"

(To those of us who live and work in Old Town, Bobby Ladd is a familiar sight.)

Ladd was arrested and released with a citation.

Chief Andrew Mills: 17 minutes ago:

Case solved. Man admits to calling in 911 threat.

EPD Press Release:

The suspect who made the threat by payphone is in custody.  He has been identified as Bobby Ladd, 54 of Eureka.  Ladd was located near the 400 block of F Street at about 11:45 a.m.

Hoopa court closed tomorrow due to road conditions, weather and power outages

Humboldt Superior Court's Hoopa court will be closed tomorrow, January 6, 2017 due to road conditions, weather and power outages.

Another call, another threat to Eureka High, students being sent home?

Just received a tip from a parent of a threat of a shooting at Eureka high school that was called into EPD and the high school. Said Eureka High was letting students go home.

EPD had not heard of a separate threat.

I called the school administration and was told by the Superintendent's office that following the EPD massive shooting threat press release, according to protocol, parents were called by an auto dialer. The school is not sending students home but parents can come and pick their children up if they wish.

EPD receives anonymous threat of massive shooting in town today

Warnings have been issued at the Humboldt County Courthouse about a possible shooting in or near the Courthouse. Security was enhanced, as a precaution, even though the threat was vague, according to Undersheriff William Honsal.

Press Release:

On January 5, 2016 at about 8:57 a.m., the Eureka Police Department received an anonymous 911 call from a payphone on the 800 block of 4th Street that there was going to be a massive shooting in this town.  Officers are currently investigating the credibility and source of the call.  There were no specific targets or locations named in the call.  The Eureka Police Department is taking this threat seriously and are making the necessary notifications as a precautionary measure.
If you recognize the voice on the recording please call the Eureka Police Department at (707) 441-4060.

(I cannot link audio files)

First Nation tribal fisherman from Washington join West Coast crab fleet tie up

First Nation tribal fishermen from Washington State have joined the West Coast crab fleet “tie-up” for the re-instatement of the $3.00 per pound price for fresh Dungeness crabs.  West Coast crab fishermen had been receiving $3.00 per pound from all West Coast fish buyers, since November 15, 2016. On Monday, December 26, 2016,one large west coast fishing industry processor instructed its subsidiary in Eureka, California to reduce the price paid to fishermen in California’s District 7, just as those fishermen were ready to go to work.

What was perceived by fishermen and other fish buyers as an attempt to cause a cascade of lower crab prices coast wide, has instead caused the largest tie-up of fishermen in the history of the west coast Dungeness crab fishery.  Crab fishermen, up and down the coast, have held port meetings each day and are resolved to stay tied up until the buyer that created this mess, realizes their mistake, and pays the original $3.00 price.

Newly elected sheriff admits to being meth addict and stealing meth from evidence storage

Next time people in Humboldt complain about law enforcement, be glad we have the decent folks here that we do.

There maybe a handful of bad apples here but having lived in a few more places outside Humboldt, all over the U.S., we are very lucky here.

Now this place has a problem.

Aaron Ostrom honored by MCSD with the Community Builder Award

Aaron Ostrom, founder of Mckinleyville Community Watch was honored just a few moments ago with the Community Builder Award by the Mckinleyville Services District.

Orick's gain with Deputy Joe but I am not happy with his new assignment

I have my favorite deputies and bailiffs but Deputy Joe Conlin is and will always be my most favorite.   I don't care who is assigned to Courtroom 1, it will always be Joe territory.

Orick is very lucky. Joe has a great sense of humor, the right personality to handle people from all walks of life, stays calm in a very stressful job but don't cross him!

Even after we became good friends, you think he'd cut me some slack once in a while but no, he had to be all bad ass, tow the line and rules on me!

My revenge, writing this sappy post, so his coworkers get to pick on him about it.

Police, fire and ambulances near Samoa bridge

Two ambulances,  police and fire department under Samoa bridge on the Eureka side.

Despite initial reports, alleged victim was bleeding but stabbing unconfirmed.

According to scanner traffic and observers, EPD responding to a report of male stabbed and he is claiming he was robbed.  Victim is reported to be walking and talking, according to dispatch.

Victim claimed he was robbed by 2 males who fled east on Waterfront. One suspect was red hair, one was stocky build and one of them had a 49ers jacket on.

Police said they are looking for three suspects, two men and a woman.

Nicholas Leigl denied bail reduction as well as supervised release by Judge Cissna, for now

For now, that could change if defense files 995.

Mr. Michael Acosta presented his argument stating that Leigl was not a flight risk and asked for bail reduction or supervised release so his client could go back to work.

He also presented two letters to Judge Timothy Cissna on Leigl's behalf. One was from Leigl's father and one from his girlfriend.

Deputy DA David Christensen told Judge Cissna of the charges filed and that Count 1 with the special allegation was a life without parole crime, and no bail, according to schedule.

Mr. Acosta argued that Judge Arnold Rosenfield only held Leigl to the accessory after fact.

Citing Penal Code 739, DDA Christensen said that the DA's office believes Judge Rosenfield made a legal finding, not factual finding. The defense can file a 995 to challenge that, but at this point, "we ask the Court not to reduce bail. The Court can refer to supervised release."

Two no bail bonds on Nicholas Leigl; DA charges him with murder, accessory after fact and gang related special allegations

An OR Bail hearing is scheduled this afternoon in Courtroom 4 for Nicholas Leigl, one of four suspects in the homicide of Jesus Garcia.

Currently, Leigl is on a no bail status. According to Humboldt County jail records, he has two no bail bonds; one for a federal violation probation and the other for the murder charge.

Arraignment on info is scheduled for January 13. The complaint filed by the District Attorney's office charges Leigl with Count 1 Murder, with a special allegation that he was an active participant in a criminal street gang, at tbe time of the offense. Count 2 is Accessory after the fact with a special alkegation that the "offense was committed for the benefit of, at the direction of and in association with a criminal street gang."

Deputy District Attorney David Christensen is prosecuting the case. Private attorney Mr. Michael Acosta is representing Leigl.

Second bite at the apple partially successfully, Nicholas Leigl to be arraigned for Jesus Garcia case

Visiting Judge Arnold Rosenfield ruled after hearing arguments from both attorneys today, Deputy DA David Christensen and Leigl's attorney Michael Acosta.

This second preliminary was a two day preliminary hearing starting yesterday. Judge Rosenfield's final decision was:

Thank you Mario, City of Eureka worker, for your kindness and hard work this morning

I want to give a shout out to Mario, a city worker, who was working with a crew on a broken water line in Old Town.

This morning I woke up to no water, so did a couple of my neighbors. The city had not given any notice. With no coffee, on a cold winter morning, I wasn't exactly patient in approaching the City workers with why we had no water.

They were puzzled because they had not turned off anything on our block.

My landlord did not know and wasn't in any rush to solve the problem. I would like to thank Jeanine at City Hall and Councilmember Marian Brady who tried to get me information.

It was Mario though, who went beyond what was required, coming over checking the meters, looking for the shut off valves which weren't easily accessible and through a methodical process discovering someone had decided to turn the water off sometime in the early am for part of the block, including my place and an office.

Someone, who had no business, being on the property.