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Local News 12 30 25 · KMUD News

• 0:05
  Speaker A: Good evening and welcome to the local news. Today is Tuesday, December 30th. I'm Gabriel Zucker reporting for KMUD. In tonight's news, one arrested after attempted armed robbery in McKinleyville. The CDFW announced its effort in January to capture and equip GPS trackers to deer, elk and wolves in Northern California. Stay tuned. Those stories and more. Coming up.
• 0:28
  Speaker B: Redwood Community Radio acknowledges that its transmitter sites are located on the unceded territory of the Sinkhayon, Wailaki, Wiat, Wilkot and Kato people. We honor ancestors past, present and emerging and acknowledge the ongoing cultural, spiritual and physical connection that these tribes have to this region.
• 0:49
  Speaker A: On December 27th, an attempted armed robbery ended in one arrest near McKinleyville High School. Nat Cardos reports.
• 0:56
  Speaker B: On December 27th, just before 11:40am Nathan Magazi was standing at the bus stop outside of McKinleyville High School to take a bus to Eureka when a man approached him and pulled out a knife, pressing it against his chest and demanding money. Kim Kemp of news outlet redheaded black belt interviewed Magazi where he recounted his experience.
• 1:14
  Speaker C: Well, it started as I was gonna go to Eureka to go see my dad. And I was waiting at the bus stop for the Saturday bus for 11:41 bus to leave Puerto. And this random dude was walking down the road from Dollar General and he came up, I mean, he took a knife out and he put it up against my chest and I was up against the wall and he threatened me and told me to give me my money to him and I told him no. And thankfully, a bystander in a gold Mercedes Sprinter van honked their horn and they scared them, thankfully, that if they weren't there to see it, whoever they are everywhere in this, I really appreciate that they did that for me because I don't think I'd be allowed to.
• 2:00
  Speaker B: The suspect had Magazi pinned to a wall when a passing motorist driving a gold Mercedes Sprinter van honked their horn, scaring the suspect away. According to Magazi, the suspect began walking away after the driver honked at him.
• 2:12
  Speaker C: Yeah, the guy started walking away. He didn't really run away. He was walking away while swinging his stick at a few cars while he was walking down to the street. I can't name of it. It starts to park something and I was on the bus at that point and I had to give the officer directions to what street it was at.
• 2:29
  Speaker B: Magazi boarded the bus for safety when it arrived and immediately called 91 1. Deputies arrived within approximately two minutes and shortly after located and detained a suspect nearby.
• 2:39
  Speaker C: I hopped in the front seat of the patrol car. We slowly went and drove by him. He asked me, is that the guy? And the guy was smiling at me, which frightened me as well, and I told him yes, that was him.
• 2:51
  Speaker B: 100 the knife was approximately 6 to 8 inches long and scanner traffic confirms that a suspect was taken into custody by the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office. No injuries were reported. Any witnesses to this incident, particularly the driver of the gold Mercedes Sprinter van, is encouraged to contact Humboldt County Sheriff's office at 707-445-7251. This is Nat Cardos reporting for KMUD.
• 3:18
  Speaker A: On Monday, December 29th, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, or CDFW, released a press release announcing they plan to start attaching GPS collars to deer, elk and gray wolves through the month of January via helicopter. The area where helicopter captures will be conducted are in parts of Alameda, Colusa, Humboldt, Lake Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Santa Clara, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama counties. Kaima News talked with Peter Tirra, the the public Information officer for the CDFW for the northern and north Central regions of California. He talked about the upcoming plan, explaining the process and reasons for this project.
• 3:54
  Speaker D: Throughout the month of January, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife will be coordinating helicopter captures in several Northern California counties. Captures of elk, deer and gray wolves and the goal is to get collars, GPS satellite tracking collars on as many animals as we can. These collars will stay on the animal about two to three years. They drop off over time, but during their lifetime they provide a lot of information.
• 4:33
  Speaker A: The GPS trackers do not use real time data. The project is focusing more on studying long term habits and migrations of the animals.
• 4:40
  Speaker D: It's not real time data, but it is data that's uploaded typically a couple times a day and downloadable by our scientists. And through that data we're able to understand a lot of things. How long do the animals live or where do they travel? What's their migration route? Which habitat are they using? So that can inform things like maybe where we need to consider wildlife corridors or you know, travel corridors, but reproduction success, all these sorts of things we're able to track and that informs our management of the species in terms of talk deer and elk in terms of like hunting tag allocations and that sort of things. Do those need to be adjusted based on the data that we're receiving that we learn?
• 5:30
  Speaker A: Gray wolves in particular are important to keep data on, including keeping livestock safe in rural areas.
• 5:37
  Speaker D: Gray wolves, another very important species to get collars on because we're able to monitor those animals movements. And we can also, for our rural counties, keep those folks informed. Siskiyou, Plumas, Trinity, those types of places, you know, if wolves move into the area, if they're moving toward livestock operations so that we can head off conflict, hopefully to that, to some degree and let folks know that wolves are in the area, moving into the area. So it's really an important part of our scientific study of these, all these populations.
• 6:20
  Speaker A: Tira went into detail about where they will focus their efforts on gray wolves.
• 6:25
  Speaker D: Okay, so when we're talking about wolves specifically, we'll be looking at Siskiyou county, Lassen and Tehama counties primarily. And there are known packs out there, some with wolves already wearing collars. So we'll be able to track those packs down pretty quickly. And if it's safe and everything, we'll, we'll get additional colors on those animals. But we're also me looking at other wolf groups and Modoc, Shast and Plumas counties and trying to get collars on as many of those animals as possible as well. Once we capture the wolf and fix the collar and get some basic biological information, we return those animals back to the nearest suitable public land or the habitat, you know, where we captured them from, if it's safe to, you know, land the helicopter there and that kind of thing. So, yeah, they're returned to the kind of near suitable habitat.
• 7:28
  Speaker A: There is not a set amount of animals the CDFW is planning to go after. Tira said it is more of a blanket approach. There is not a set target, but the goal is to tag as many animals as possible. They targeted this time of year because the cold makes capture and release easier. For the researchers and animals, the data gathered is key to managing wildlife interactions with society.
• 7:47
  Speaker D: Yeah, it's kind of good as you go as you find them. I know the more collars we can deploy, the better that's more information we're getting for wolves. It allows us to track them better. A lot of it's dictated by weather, right? I mean, it can't fly. You know, you need safe weather in which to fly helicopters and conduct these, these operations. So sometimes weather's a limiting factor. You know, we typically do this in wintertime because it's easier to track the animals if there's snow on the ground. Deer, of course, move from their high elevation summer range down into lower elevations for the winter. Again, easier to track them and capture them. So the cool conditions are also safer for the animals. Sometimes this can be, you know, Stressful for the animals. So the cool weather is more conducive to a healthy capture than say, you know, hot summer temperatures kind of things, which can put a lot of stress on animals. So it's a good time of year to do it. We do this throughout the state and at various points. And it's really an important part of, you know, understanding and wildlife populations and helping the wildlife population and also people in terms of managing traffic corridors, wildlife corridor, trying to avoid wolf conflict on ranging operations, that kind of thing.
• 9:10
  Speaker A: The trapping and capture will be conducted by a third party aviation company. TIRA talked about their approach and process of trapping and capturing the animals before scientists are able to process the animals.
• 9:21
  Speaker D: So it's a third party aviation company that conducts the actual trapping and captures from helicopter. This is what they do full time. And it's finding, you know, any animal you can, I believe so I believe, you know, when it comes to deer and elk, the females are desired because that can inform, provides information on reproduction, that sort of thing. And they will tend to stay with the herd. So it's good for locating the herd. But the wolves, you know, the goal is to capture, you know, as many as possible. Sometimes you can catch a lot, sometimes you don't catch any. A lot of it's again, it's weather dependent. But the, the helicopters fly pretty low when animals spotted and there's a kind of a net gun that's shot over the animal to, you know, to capture it. And then typically there's helicopter staff, you know, kind of get the animal on the ground and then secure it and it's taken back to a base camp staffed by fish and wildlife veterinarians and scientists where they process the animal in terms of recording drying blood, getting DNA tests and getting weight and measurements and assessing age and those sorts of things that all get documented.
• 10:46
  Speaker A: After the animals are processed, the scientists attach a GPS collar and then the animals are released. The trackers last between two to three years.
• 10:54
  Speaker D: The collars, when we catch the animals, they are sedated and we do, our scientists, our vets attached the GPS collar to GPS satellite tracking collar. It also has a VHF component. So it can be also tracked with a handheld device as well for cloak monitoring. So two ways to track and locate the animal and they fall off over time. They also give a mortality report if they stop moving, you know, for a long period of time. So that gives us an alert that we need to go check and see what's going on there. But yeah, really key tool used by wildlife scientists everywhere. These days. I mean, we put, we put tracking colors on butterflies even these days. So, you know, it's, it's really a really invaluable tool for understanding wildlife populations and wildlife movement and that sort of thing.
• 11:56
  Speaker A: The tracking data is not just for scientists. The CDFW has made a website where anyone can follow and track the movements of gray wolves in California.
• 12:03
  Speaker D: When it comes to the gray wolves, anyone can follow along. At our website, we have an online wolf tracker mapping tool. And so the data from those collars feeds into that tool, and anybody from the public can look on there and, you know, follow these animals and see where they're moving. And it also helps us, you know, if we need to alert ranchers or rural counties to wolf movements to protect livestock and ranching operations in those counties, you know, it gives us the board to do that and reach out to those folks.
• 12:38
  Speaker A: The website is wildlife.ca.gov conservation mammals gray wolf location map Turning to Mendocino Downtown Ukiah could face renovations in the near future, Cayman News Sydney Fishman reports.
• 12:59
  Speaker E: On a cold Thursday evening last month, about 40 Mendocino county residents gathered inside the Ukiah Valley Conference center to share their hopes and concerns about the future of downtown Ukiah. The meeting was about the School Street Multimodal Transportation Corridor Study, a planning project funded by an estimated $228,000 Caltrans grant, which was awarded to the city late last year. The study is researching School street from Clay to Henry street in downtown Ukiah and aims to identify ways to make the region safer and more accessible for residents, whether walking, biking or driving. The city says the results will guide future funding efforts to build new infrastructure in downtown Ukiah.
• 13:48
  Speaker F: So the orange is this expanded tree area. So right now the trees and the curb is where the red is.
• 13:59
  Speaker D: And then if you narrow up the street, you have, you can push things.
• 14:03
  Speaker F: In and have more room for a sidewalk if new trees get planted.
• 14:11
  Speaker E: Consultants from the engineering firm GHD led the workshop last month, walking participants through a series of stations where they could mark up maps, share comments, and visualize what a better downtown might look like. They passed out surveys asking what people want to see most in downtown Ukiah, whether that be better parking or shaded areas for summer afternoons. But one issue kept coming up the possible removal of the Chinese pistache trees that line the sidewalks. Those trees, known for their brilliant red and orange leaves, have long been a symbol of ukiah's downtown. A Change.org petition was even launched by local resident Dennis O' Brien and asked the city to protect the trees, calling them the heart and soul of School Street. Others argue that the trees are damaging the infrastructure in downtown Ukiah.
• 15:05
  Speaker G: I think they should all all the trees should be ripped up and all the sidewalks ripped and all the utilities replaced and have it done once and for all for the future. It'll be five years. In five years it'll look great. People just have to wait.
• 15:26
  Speaker E: That's Ukiah resident Paul Barth, who says the city needs to think long term about School Street's health and safety, even if it means losing the Chinese pistache trees. According to consultants at the workshop, the pistachi's roots have damaged some underground pipes over time, but they also emphasize that the problem is partly due to limited planting space. Nay Oakley, an arborist with ghd, says that when these trees are given proper soil and room to grow, they can thrive without harming nearby infrastructure.
• 16:00
  Speaker G: When they're given proper space, the correct planter, they don't have to compete. So the things underground don't typically see heaving sidewalks or damaged curbs. So I would say they're they're typically rated as low roof hazard.
• 16:15
  Speaker E: Deputy City Manager Shannon Riley says the city understands how strongly residents feel about School Streets trees and about preserving the character of downtown.
• 16:26
  Speaker H: City staff is always available. People can always call or email us.
• 16:30
  Speaker F: Our contact information is there.
• 16:33
  Speaker B: But this is the final formal community input forum.
• 16:38
  Speaker E: The city has held several public meetings over the past year to collect feedback on the study. Now, staff will take what they've heard and develop a proposal for the Ukiah City Council to review in spring. That meeting hasn't been scheduled yet, but Riley expects it will happen sometime in February or March. Until then, residents will keep watching closely, hoping the city can find a solution that upgrades downtown while also maintaining its beauty. Reporting for KMUD News, I'm Sydney Fishman in Ukiah.
• 17:14
  Speaker A: In state news, California PTAs and schools fill food gaps during winter break, public news services Farah Siddiqui reports.
• 17:22
  Speaker F: As schools across California head through winter break, parent teacher associations are stepping in to help families facing food insecurity, especially when students lose access to school meals during extended closures. National PTA recently announced emergency grant funding for local PTAs to support food pantries and meal programs during school breaks following disruptions tied to the recent federal government shutdown. Ashley Catanzano, director of communications and engagement for the Downey Unified School District, says PTA supported programs have become a key source of food for families in need.
• 17:55
  Speaker D: And we're also very fortunate to have a PTA helps room which is one central location that all of our school PTA's support like a food pantry, Catanzano.
• 18:06
  Speaker F: Says the pantry helps ensure families have access to food when school is not in session, including during long holiday breaks. National PTA says more than 40 million people nationwide receive SNAP benefits, with children making up nearly 40% of participants. Advocates say even brief gaps in federal funding or school closures can leave families struggling to meet basic food needs. School leaders say hunger has a direct impact on students ability to learn and stay engaged in class, making access to consistent meals critical to academic success.
• 18:35
  Speaker D: Well, you can't learn when you're hungry, and that's something that we've known forever.
• 18:39
  Speaker F: Catanzano says districts often work behind the scenes to identify families who need extra support and coordinate food access beyond a school day. One California recipient, Sussman Middle School PTA, received a $500 national PTA grant to help support local food pantry and meal distribution efforts. National PTA says it will continue urging lawmakers to prioritize child nutrition as Congress debates long term federal funding. For California News Connection, I'm Farah Siddiqui. Find our trust indicators@publicnewsservice.org.
• 19:12
  Speaker A: In national news. Oregon's bipartisan personal data protection in the age of AI Public news services Isabelle Charlay reports.
• 19:21
  Speaker H: As the multi billion dollar market for personal data expands, so are concerns about protecting everything from search histories to Social Security numbers. In response, Oregon is positioning itself as a leader in safeguarding its residents sensitive information. The nonprofit Oregon Consumer justice recently convened a panel of experts to discuss the issue and potential solutions. Representative Willie Chotson of Portland says his initial interest in data privacy was around safeguarding reproductive healthcare, patients and immigrants. But he discovered data privacy as a surprisingly bipartisan issue.
• 19:54
  Speaker D: There were so many other reasons why why people can care about data privacy. I think it's a really incredible opportunity where we can deliver wins that matter to each of us for our own values, but really reach across the aisle in terms of the values that they.
• 20:06
  Speaker H: Speak to, panelists said. Oregon is on the forefront of data privacy legislation. The state passed the Oregon Consumer Privacy act in 2023, which gives residents rights over their personal data. Another bill, restricting the sale of geolocation data and other data related to minors, will take effect in January. Dr. Katie Blevins of the Oregon Department of Justice says anyone can request individual companies delete their information. She says under the Oregon Consumer Privacy act, residents can file complaints with the DOJ if their requests are not honored or other privacy violations occur. Since the new law came into effect. Last year, she says the state has received nearly 300 consumer complaints, a much higher number compared to other states.
• 20:48
  Speaker F: People may not care as much if their local grocery store has some data about them, but they probably care more.
• 20:54
  Speaker D: Or if a lot of data brokers have data about them.
• 20:56
  Speaker H: Buying and selling data is a multibillion dollar industry, and Sean Patrick of PDX Privacy explains that with the progression of AI, more information is now being stored about regular citizens, including location, facial recognition data, spending patterns and other personal details. He encourages everyone to take action to protect their personal data. When we protect our information, we automatically begin to protect protect activists, we protect protesters, we protect immigrant communities, we protect a huge host of people that don't appear to be connected to us. Research shows 86% of the US general population believe data privacy is a growing concern, and the majority do not know what companies are doing with their data. For Public News Service, I'm Isabelle Charlet. Find our trust indicators@public newsservice.org.
• 21:45
  Speaker A: In National Native News, Antonio Gonzalez reads today's headlines.
• 21:50
  Speaker I: This is National Native News. I'm Antonia Gonzalez. During World War II, Japanese Americans were held captive in 10 internment camps throughout the U.S. two of them in Arizona built on reservations without tribal consent. In our last story, we heard how the Colorado River Indian tribes in western Arizona has made a point to preserve the remnants of one such wartime prison. Today, KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrazio takes us to the state's other side, which sits well hidden in the shadows of Phoenix, slowly fading away atop of the Gila River Indian community.
• 22:28
  Speaker J: I had the privilege to see this restricted site twice this year with the tribe's Wally Jones, who supervised my trip.
• 22:36
  Speaker G: I can't give really the location I want it to, but people do search it.
• 22:42
  Speaker J: We first met in April at the Chevron gas station in Bateshul, about 30 miles south of downtown Phoenix. The tribe did not allow KJZZ to record inside the camp itself, but Jones agreed to let me document our short ride there. No matter who is coming out, Jones stresses, they're not tours.
• 23:01
  Speaker G: This is not a tourist camp. This is a a regulated entry that department processes for the council's consideration for your visit. It's not just anyone can come out here. These are one of the few sites that the community allows non members to come in and kind of experience what.
• 23:27
  Speaker J: Was here, what was here in 1942 would have equated to Arizona's fourth largest city, home to over 13,000 internees stuck in the Sonoran Desert.
• 23:41
  Speaker G: The camp is not maintained. The community has decided to let nature recapture its natural state. But there are remnants of various barracks.
• 23:56
  Speaker J: Facilities and at least 230 ornate garden ponds now dried up, that prisoners built.
• 24:04
  Speaker G: It always amazes me that we find these ponds out here, that it was a signal of their tradition and their hope that they would not let their culture fade away.
• 24:21
  Speaker J: I returned this time not on my own, but as a guest of the Japanese American Citizens League in a caravan of at least 20 vehicles.
• 24:32
  Speaker G: And I was really touched by how emotionally connected the Gila River Indian community was in welcoming the Japanese Americans.
• 24:40
  Speaker J: That's Bill Staples Jr. President of the JACL Arizona chapter. I caught up with him at the tribe's Hohogam Heritage center after a November ceremony. Also there, making the trip from Seattle was 85 year old camp survivor Sylvia Domoto.
• 24:57
  Speaker F: They've been so welcoming and continue to respect and to keep the land there so that we can say yes, this really happened. It isn't just a fantasy.
• 25:10
  Speaker J: For National Native News, I'm Gabriel Pieterrazio, reporting from the Gila River Indian Reservation.
• 25:17
  Speaker I: A new law in California aimed at preventing suicides is taking effect in the new year. The measure requires the transportation and public health departments to identify best practices and countermeasures to avoid suicides on state bridges and overpasses. The bill by Native American Assemblymember James Ramos builds on his previous work, which includes measures to improve mental health services and the establishment of a suicide prevention officer. I'm Antonia Gonzalez.
• 26:05
  Speaker D: Native Voice one, the Native American Radio national network.
• 26:12
  Speaker A: That's all for tonight's broadcast. Thanks for listening. Thanks to our engineer Katie Phillips, and thanks for reporters Nat Cardos, Sydney Fishman, Farah Siddiqui, Isabel Charlay and Antonio Gonzalez. KMUD News is online. You can find us on kmud.org and now streaming on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, where you can download our stories and newscasts for offline listening during your rural commutes. You can also follow us on social media. If you have any questions or suggestions, you can give us a call at 707-923-2605 or send an email to newsmud.org Redwood Community Radio, Inc. Is funded by Press Forward national movement to strengthen communities by reinvigorating local news. Learn more at PressForward News. Reporting for KMUD, I'm Gabriel Zuckerberg.