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Local News 09 24 26 · KMUD News

• 0:00
  Speaker A: Foreign.
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  Speaker B: Welcome to the KMUD News. I'm your news Director, April Lewis and I'm glad to be with you for this broadcast. This episode includes stories on the coastal act turning 50, Humboldt county, concerns about flock cameras relating to national discourse, the Jacobs sentencing, and on a fishing oriented nonprofit in Fort Bragg. But first, some local alerts and updates. This is KMUD News, Starting off with a request from the Petrolia Fire Department. Petrolia Fire is an underfunded all volunteer fire department serving one of the most remote areas of Humboldt County. Over the last year, they've worked hard to expand what their department can do. From medical calls, wildland fires rescues and to covering Cal Fire's Mattol Station. Along with sending their firefighters out on strike team assignments, responsibilities for the department continue to grow. They're asking for some help. Petrolia Fire's goal is to raise $20,000 for PPE radios, pagers, medical and rescue equipment, training apparatus needs and the equipment their firefighters need for extended assignments. If you live here, have visited the Lost coast, hike our trails or simply want to support a small rural volunteer fire department, they'd be incredibly grateful for your help. You can donate through the donation button@petroliafire.org Next is an alert from PGE. PGE crews are currently surveying by helicopter over electrical distribution lines, other equipment and nearby vegetation to spot and prevent potential wildfire risks throughout Humboldt County. Those flights began the week of September 22nd and will continue for approximately another month. Helicopters equipped with LIDAR sensors and high resolution imagery technology will evaluate PGE power lines in adjacent trees in rural areas. At each inspection point, the helicopter may hover for 10 minutes. Helicopter surveys will be along distribution power lines every day between the hours of 8am and 5pm weather permitting. Helicopters will be flying low at an altitude of about 500ft, but will occasionally hover as low as 200ft. Next is a feather alert from the Mendocino sheriff's office on September 18th. The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office dispatch center received a call regarding a possible missing person in the Ukiah area. A family member notified sheriff's deputies that their relative, Ariana Arnold, was released from custody at the Mendocino county jail on September 10 and had not been heard or seen since. The family was concerned for Arnold's well being and as they've been unable to reach her, the family informs sheriff's deputies that Arnold has ties to the Ukiah, Hopland and Lake county areas. She is described as 5 foot 3, 114 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. The missing person's case is still being actively investigated and anyone with information related to Ariana Arnold's whereabouts is requested to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office Dispatch center at 707-463-4086 and select option one. And up next, our main stories. This is KMUD News. A man convicted of murder has been sentenced to 60 years to life in prison for the 2022 shooting death of Trevor early in Alder Point. It's the second time a jury has convicted Jake Henry Combs of first degree murder after his first conviction was overturned on appeal. Ryan Hudson was in the courtroom and
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  Speaker C: has more Jake Henry Combs will spend at least 60 years in prison before he's even eligible for parole. That's the outcome of a sentencing hearing that took place Yesterday more than four and a half years after he shot and killed 25 year old Trevor early in Alder Point. The murder occurred after Combs dog allegedly attacked early, prompting Combs to respond according to his defense by shooting early in the head to allegedly protect his animal. The DA's prosecutor had pointed out several times throughout the course of two trials and several years in the courtroom that self defense does not extend to the defense of an animal or while also noting that the dog was never shown to be in any danger. This is the second time that a jury has convicted Jake Combs of first degree murder in the killing of Trevor Early. His first conviction in 2023 was thrown out on appeal after the trial court allowed jurors to see video of Combs assaulting another inmate, evidence the appeal court found prejudicial. A second jury reached the same verdict in May of this year and Combs was again headed to sentencing. But before sentencing could occur, Combs defense team asked for a third trial. They had argued that two jurors sworn declarations showed that the jury panel had committed misconduct during deliberations and alleged that they had failed to fully assess whether or not the shooting took place. In the heat of passion, Judge Caleb Cockrum heard arguments from both sides and then denied the motion finding that no jury misconduct had occurred. With that, the case moved directly into sentencing. That same morning, Senior Deputy District Attorney Whitney Timm argued for the maximum sentence. She pointed to drugs found in Combs system as evidence of ongoing bad behavior, which included smuggling drugs into the county jail. That's a separate case that was also resolved same day. Tim argued that the pattern showed Combs was someone the court shouldn't extend mercy to. Combs defense team had submitted a statement of mitigation written by a doctor who described a childhood where drug use and alleged physical abuse were common in the Combs household. Tim didn't dispute the facts of that childhood experience, but she did tell the court a difficult upbringing does not reasonably explain shooting someone over a dog. She argued Combs showed no remorse during the trial and that his history did not substantially contribute to the killing. Before sentencing, the court heard from seven of Trevor Early's family members and friends. Among them was his sister, Cierra early, now a doctor and recently married. She told the court that Trevor was supposed to be her best man at her wedding the week after he had been murdered, turning to address Combs directly, who sat in the jury box wearing an orange jumpsuit. You are more free than we will ever be, she said to him, noting that he was still able to communicate with family members before calling him a coward and a monster. Trevor's cousin, in her statement, noted that Trevor had already paid for fireworks to go off at his sister's wedding and that even after he was gone, he was still there. The most powerful testimony came from Trevor's mother, Katrina early, who gave the final victim impact statement to the court. She remembered her son's bear hug greeting, the warm, swinging hug that family members described over and over again to the court. She told Combs he was a coward for shooting a man who never saw it coming, and she asked the judge directly to impose the harshest sentence the law allowed. Judge Cockrum then had Combs stand to address the court before issuing the sentence. Combs spoke quickly and at times with his voice wavering. He admitted to the court he was a really good person who didn't deserve that, he told the judge. Combs told the judge that he didn't believe it was first degree murder, but still he wanted to take responsibility for his actions, he said. Judge Cockrum then thanked the family for their heartfelt statements, noting that they helped him understand the full weight of what the crime had done, not just to the family but to the community. He then imposed the sentence, 25 years to life for first degree murder, another 25 years to life for the firearm enhancement and an additional 10 years on the separate jail case, 60 years total combs must serve before he can even be considered for parole. As he handed down the sentence, Judge Cockrum described Jake Combs holding the gun over Trevor Early's head, in his words as an assassination, noting that early had no way to defend himself in that moment outside the courtroom. After more than four years and two trials, over two dozen members of Trevor Early's family and friends finally expressed relief and in regard to Jake Combs dog the Cane Corso following the court hearing, I asked DA Whitney Tim if she had any information or insight about the whereabouts or condition of the dog, but she did not. For KMUD News, this is Ryan Hudson.
• 10:49
  Speaker B: A small nonprofit in Fort Bragg owns a piece of the west coast groundfish catch and it leases that piece to local boats. First, Roger Coriel reports.
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  Speaker D: It's like we are a true working waterfront. I love talking about the fishery, the ground fish fishery.
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  Speaker E: In Arcourt, that's Michelle Norvell, president of the Fort Bragg Groundfish Conservation Trust. The trust owns federal fishing quota permission to land a set number of pounds of fish. The trust leases its quota out every year. Boats that land their fish in Fort Bragg dock there, live there and hire local crew get first priority on a
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  Speaker D: petroleum where the petroleum's going for 77 cents a pound and we give, we're able to give a little bit more of a discount. Like I think the last time we leased it to our boats was for 50 cents a pound. So we give a steeper discount.
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  Speaker E: It's a small operation. The trust's 2024 federal tax return lists one employee and about $56,000 in lease income, down from about 78,000 the year before. In an interview Sept. 9, she said there wasn't enough quota to go around.
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  Speaker D: We don't have enough quota to provide everybody. Like we're selling. We're leasing out the very last of the quota to our boats this week. So the quota that we own that our boats need, we could probably use double that.
• 12:19
  Speaker E: For Mendocino Voice, Bay City News and KMUD News, I'm Roger Coryell.
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  Speaker B: Local concerns about AI driven flock cameras are also expanding nationally, including at a recent United States Senate hearing. KMUD News reports flock cameras and other AI driven surveillance technology has been controversial across much of the country and also in Humboldt County. Humboldt currently has 11 known flock cameras in operation and after installing two more of the ALPR, or automated license plate reader cameras in the Willow Creek area. But the ALPR naming rarely tells the whole story as Flox camera systems are well known for collecting far more data than just photos of license plates for its artificial Intelligence powered surveillance network last year, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office was caught sharing data from the county's flock Cameras with over 300 law enforcement agencies, all without human oversight. The Sheriff's department now claims it only automatically shares data with 22 California law enforcement agencies. Flock cameras not only read license plates, they can recognize individuals by appearance and even their voice and keeps data on your vehicle like specific dents or bumper stickers. According to Flock Safety, during the past 30 days in Humboldt county, the company has detected 84,829 unique vehicle plates that resulted in 127 hotlist hits, meaning their cameras caught someone who was allegedly wanted by law enforcement. AI Being directly involved with law enforcement is a national issue and one that has caused pain, suffering and embarrassment for many Americans and their families. Vlock's AI systems are notoriously inaccurate and there have been multiple arrests in dangerous situations endured by citizens who are incorrectly identified as wanted criminals. Yesterday, Wednesday, September 23rd, the United States Senate Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism held a hearing titled Always Flock's Nationwide AI Surveillance Network. While senators and witnesses at the hearing were near total agreement on the dangers of Flock cameras, there were notable absences. Flock CEO Garrett Langley, along with the CEOs of Axon, Motorola and Verkada were invited to the hearing, but all declined to attend. Those other companies also produced surveillance technology in use by law enforcement and powered by AI. Flock attempted its own defense before the hearing via a letter from its legal counsel to Republican Senator Josh Hawley, who is leading an investigation into the company. One of the witnesses at the hearing was Lindsay Isaacs, a Florida resident wrongly accused of a crime and imprisoned due to Flock's AI surveillance system. Here's part of her testimony from yesterday's hearing.
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  Speaker F: My name is Lindsay Isaacs. I'd like to share with you what happened to me beginning on October 4th of 2025 and how it forever changed the trajectory of my Life. At approximately 1:04am on October 5, an FHP trooper and three deputies from the Marion County Sheriff's Office arrived at my parents home in Ocala looking for me. They asked where I was and where my vehicle was and told my parents that I had been involved in a fatal crash. My parents were confused and terrified. They told law enforcement I was home asleep in Palm coast and gave them my address. They could not understand what they were being told and they were now worried about whether I was even alive. My parents immediately drove to my apartment. They arrived at approximately 4:45am and found additional troopers there already. I woke up frantic. My parents were at my door, multiple troopers were outside and an impound truck was taking my Dodge Durango away right in front of me. I gave the troopers my receipt and information showing where I had been. I told them that I had not been involved in any crash. The troopers told me that there was damage to my vehicle consistent with the collision, but I could not see the damage they were describing. My Durango was in immaculate condition, yet I stood there watching law enforcement take it away while telling me that my vehicle had been involved in a crash where three people died. Despite this information, the investigation continued to focus on me and my vehicle. On April 17, 2026, a warrant was issued for my arrest. I was ordered to surrender myself at the Volusia county jail. By 2pm I could not understand what was happening. I was placed in solitary confinement for approximately three and a half days. Correctional officers told me I had to stay there because of the severity of my charges and I could not be housed with other inmates until I had been evaluated. I was placed in a blue suicide prevention dress with a broken Velcro on the left side. That left me exposed. The cell door was shut and it was not open for approximately 86 hours. I was then moved into a mental health unit for approximately 24 hours before ultimately being transferred to G Block, a maximum security housing unit where I remained for approximately 10 days. I was terrified. I was facing the possibility of spending the rest of my life in prison for a crash I knew that I knew I had not been involved in.
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  Speaker B: Lindsay Isaacs was eventually released from jail after 13 days when Flock's camera system incorrectly identified her vehicle as part of a deadly crash, a vehicle that had no visible damage and was not even the right color. Other witnesses at the Senate Flock hearing were from law enforcement in the cybersecurity community, along with lawyers from the ACLU and Institute for Justice. Alasdair Whitney, legislative counsel for the Institute for Justice, was one such witness.
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  Speaker G: ALPR technology now lets the government do something it could never do before, and that is travel back in time and reconstruct your movements, where you've been and with whom you've associated, all without a warrant and with the ease of running a Google search. Government say they need this kind of frictionless access to fight crime, and the goal is of course laudable. But as the Supreme Court has said, the warrant requirement is not an inconvenience to somehow be weighed against the claims of police efficiency. Technology may make surveillance more convenient, but it does not make the Fourth Amendment's protections any less important.
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  Speaker B: Sheriff Ross Teeple from Arizona's Pinal county was another witness. Sheriff Teeple expressed support for license plate readers generally, but stated his county canceled their contract with Flock due to fourth Amendment concerns.
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  Speaker A: The committee reached out to me because I was one of the first law enforcement leaders in the country to end our contract with Flock. Make no mistake, that decision was controversial, but it was extremely popular on both sides of the political spectrum. There is a good chance that the fentanyl being sold outside Union Station, right across the street or in your hometown came through my county. Given those challenges, it would be irresponsible not to equip my deputies with the best technology to help them do their jobs. But I will never allow technology to supersede your rights. I believe the latest camera networks powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning are capable of violating our citizens fourth amendment rights. We have entered an area where some camera networks are capable of capturing much more than just a snapshot of a plate on a highway. If my deputies need a search warrant to put a physical tracker on a vehicle, where is the line for camera systems that build an identical AI driven map of a citizen's life? We are paving the way to an AI driven surveillance state. If we allow government funded private surveillance companies to push this envelope blindly, we risk a sweeping judicial correction that could strip away the legitimate life saving aspects of ALPR technology entirely. We must establish clear statutory boundaries for automatic license plate readers. We cannot wait for a future Supreme Court ruling to correct AI overreach.
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  Speaker B: After witness statements, Republican senator Katie Britt of Alabama expressed privacy concerns and conveyed that she is working across the aisle on the issue of AI surveillance.
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  Speaker H: We must, we must protect people's fourth amendment rights. And when we're looking at this, I want to make sure that we're kind of looking at the, the total picture. Senator Warnock and I came together and wrote a letter and Mr. Chairman, I'd like to ask unanimous consent that this be submitted for the record. Thank you. We talked about our great concern over the widespread reports that there was misuse regarding these automatic license plate readers. In here we talk about many of the good things that we think have resulted, but ultimately the believe that appropriate safeguards are necessary to protect against the unauthorized access and abuse that has come to light.
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  Speaker B: Democratic senator Alex Padilla of California expressed concerns during the Senate hearing that Flock's AI surveillance system could be used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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  Speaker I: Flock claims that it does not partner with ice and the ICE does not have direct access to Flock cameras or their systems or their data. But we know that ICE is still able to access Flock data through state and local law enforcement agencies that have entered into agreements, cooperative agreements with ICE, known as 287 agreements.
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  Speaker B: Oversight concerns on Flock cameras are starting to be addressed at the county level in Humboldt as well. The county's board of supervisors recently created a group to craft policy around surveillance technology. With a deadline to create a proposed ordinance by the end of 2027. We won't know what that ordinance might dictate or restrict for at least a number of months. So for now, local concerns about flock cameras on the north coast remain. Reporting for KMUD News, I'm April Lewis. The California coastal act turns 50 years old today Roger Corial reports.
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  Speaker E: The California coastal act turns 50 today. Governor Jerry Brown signed it on September 24, 1976, saying the beaches are for all the people. In 2006, Walala business and property owners added a 15 minute fireworks show to Patriot Days, the town's Fourth of July weekend. People called the Coastal Commission to say the show had destroyed disturbed seabirds nesting on Walalla Point Island. The commission decided the fireworks were development under the Coastal act and needed a permit. The Wallalla Festivals Committee sued and lost. A state appeals court sided with the commission in 2010. Mendocino county has issued its own coastal permit since 1992 under rules the commission has to approve. The county is updating those rules now, including a plan for sea level rise. This month, the commission approved new housing rules for Fort Bragg and Point arena, including the state law that lets owners split a single family lot in two. Last December, it approved a one year test of a wave powered desalinization buoy at mill Bay off Fort Bragg. The Mendocino Land Trust says it has accepted 89 easements that can open trails to the coast more than any other nonprofit. It has opened trails on 16 of those 50 years after Brown signed it. The law that required a permit for a Wallala fireworks show still sets the rules on the Mendocino coast. For KMUD News and the Mendocino Voice, I'm Roger Corrio.
• 25:19
  Speaker B: California Attorney General Bonta and other state AGs prepare for Trump interference in midterm elections as Trump grows more desperate, KPFA
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  Speaker J: reports the progressive think tank the center for American Progress hosted the discussion. It comes at a time when the Supreme Court recently shot down President Trump's attempt to restrict mail in balloting and when talk of stationing ICE agents near polling stations has been floated. Attorney General Bonta said President Trump has been laying the groundwork for doubt in the election system.
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  Speaker K: When you see a president who says voter fraud is rampant, that calls male voting crooked voting, or that says that Democrats are cheating, and he says it at the State of the Union, he says it at his evening press conferences. He is trying to manufacture and generate mistrust.
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  Speaker J: Democratic Michigan Attorney General Dana Nestle says she's sure that that President Trump and his supporters will attempt to interfere in the midterms.
• 26:25
  Speaker L: If I was a betting woman, I would bet with, you know, my entire 401k that, you know that he's going to try to interfere in Michigan and that he is going to try to call local clerks or he will try to call other officials in the state in an effort to disrupt what I think candidly is going to be a Democratic landslide in Michigan.
• 26:50
  Speaker J: Attorney General Bonta said he and other California state and local officials have been running through scenarios for how to prepare for eventual challenges to election results in California.
• 27:03
  Speaker K: The polls for Mr. Trump are in the tank. That means he's more desperate. Desperate. A desperate Trump is a dangerous Trump. So we know that and we're ready. So again, if you can imagine it, we're ready for it. We've tabletopped all the different scenarios. We'll be ready to move quickly to protect your fundamental right to vote.
• 27:23
  Speaker J: Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said voters can take some comfort in knowing that the Constitution gives the states and Congress the power to administer elections, not the president. But she's readying her team for what may come in November anyway.
• 27:41
  Speaker H: Right now we're in clerk training. My team, we're doing a large northern Maine convening of clerks, literally today and tomorrow. I'll be seeing them tomorrow. And last week we did southern Maine. We at the secretary's office meet with our clerks every two weeks. There's an elections working group with the clerks. They surface issues that they're concerned about.
• 28:00
  Speaker J: The midterm election is Tuesday, November 3rd. California will begin sending out mail and ballots in October. For KPFA News, I'm Max Pringle.
• 28:11
  Speaker B: That's all for our news broadcast. Thanks for listening. Thanks to our rotation of broadcast engineers Dennis Marr, Katie Phillips, Bianna Federico, Michael McCaskill, Larry Lashley and Javier Rodriguez. Also, thanks to our reporters for this broadcast, Ryan Hudson and Roger Coreal. Cayman News is now on streaming platforms, including Apple, Podcasts, Podcasts and Spotify. You can download our stories and newscasts for offline listening. You can also follow us on social mediamudnews, including Facebook and Instagram. Do you have issues important to you that deserve more attention? Are there stories we're missing or that you're curious about? Give us a call at 707-923-2605 or send an email to newsema.org Redwood Community Radio, Inc. Is funded by Press Forward, the national movement to strengthen communities by reinvigorating local news. Learn more at Pressforward news. Redwood Community Radio acknowledges that its transmitter sites are located on the unceded territory of the Cinqueon, Wailocki, Wiat, Wilcott and Kato people. We honor ancestors past, present and emerging and acknowledge the ongoing cultural, spiritual and physical physical connection that these tribes have to the region. I'm April Lewis. Stay tuned.
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  Speaker J: In.