By and large, freelance journalist Josh Wolf thought that the Black Lives Matter demonstration in Nevada City on Aug. 9, 2020, would be a relatively peaceful affair.
The other two have entered not guilty pleas, and await trial.
Randy Bennett Matheson, 48, pleaded guilty on March 15 to a misdemeanor charge of assault and battery. His plea was part of a negotiated resolution between prosecutors and Matheson’s defense attorney, Nevada County District Attorney Cliff Newell said.
Under the terms of the agreement, Matheson will be on court probation for one year, will have to attend anger management classes, and has been ordered to perform 30 hours of community service. Matheson is also prohibited from owning a firearm for 10 years. He will not face any time in jail as a part of the plea deal, Newell added.
Starting May 1 Nevada City will reimplement its parking pass program and once again begin enforcing parking meter fees.
The city temporarily suspended collecting parking meter fees last June to try to minimize the effect of COVID-19 restrictions on businesses.
However in July the council voted to enforce the policy again, determining the revenue the parking meter fees brought to the city was greater than the potential incentive the suspension provides for patrons.
Despite passing a resolution reversing the suspension, the policy was never enforced after the state moved to its color coded tier system that determines counties’ COVID-19 restrictions.
“From that point on the resolution was not enforced with the understanding that the police department would instead focus its enforcement on COVID violations,” interim City Manager Joan Phillipe told the City Council at its Wednesday meeting. “As you’ve made clear that hasn’t been a consistent practice either.”
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By John Orona | Staff Writer
Nevada City Police Chief Chad Ellis will be acting as city manager until an interim can be appointed, Mayor Erin Minett said Thursday.
The appointment could be short-lived, however, as a special meeting agenda for 4 p.m. Friday lists the potential appointment of former Colusa and Clearwater city manager Joan Phillipe as interim.
If approved, her appointment would be effective Monday at a rate of $56.67 per hour.
“Right now it’s unknown,” Ellis said of how long his new role will last. “Until someone is actually seated in that position, I’ll hold down the fort.”