The identity of a Jane Doe found in Mendocino 44 years ago has been revealed. The case of a woman whose body was found at the Mendocino Lake County border in 1979 had gone cold, and the remains had not been identified, until now. With help from modern technology, and several interviews with people who had matching DNA, officials announced that Jane Doe was actually Wanda Lee Brewer from Carson, California. The investigation into her death continues, and detectives hope to find new leads now that they know her name. Anyone who may have information about the case is asked to reach out to the Lake County Sherriff’s Department.
California is a step closer to apologizing to Black residents for its role in supporting slavery. The state Assembly approved that bill yesterday, sending it to the Senate. It requires an admission to instituting slave laws and discriminatory policies. The apology will also be on a plaque installed at the capital. This comes after lawmakers introduced proposals in February based on recommendations from a first-in-the nation reparations task force. Some of those bills will also be up for a vote next week.
It’s back to business at the California State Capitol after an anthrax scare. A suspicious package forced the legislature building to evacuate yesterday as a Senate hearing was going on. It was delivered to the ninth floor and labeled as anthrax, but it wasn’t. A spokesperson from Governor Newsom’s office says the substance was tested and confirmed not to be dangerous. Staff members returned once officials gave the all-clear.
The state is launching a program next year to focus on the mental health needs of teenagers. It will train young adults between 18 and 24 to act as navigators for middle and high school students on campus and in community-based organizations. The Youth Mental Health Corps aims to show kids how to navigate social challenges online such as harassment and bullying. It also helps the navigators pursue careers with help paying for college.
Time is almost up for Californians to get money they are owed. The state has the second largest amount of unclaimed refunds from the 2020 tax year at 94-million dollars. And today is the deadline to file those returns. That tax season was extended an extra month to help everyone due to the pandemic. IRS data shows just over 88-thousand people here could miss out on getting an average of 835-dollars back.
A new area code is coming to Northern California next year. Customers in the 530 region may be assigned a telephone number that starts with 837 when they request a new service or an additional line. It will start on January 31, 2025, because of high demand for numbers in the area. The change will affect about 21 counties, stretching from the edge of the San Francisco Bay Area to the borders with Oregon and Nevada.
A little library in Ukiah has been destroyed by vandals. According to a Facebook post from the Mendocino County District Attorneys office, the vandalism happened last Saturday night on the corner of Wabash and Laurel. The little library was completely smashed, and the books were littered on the ground. The Little Library program encourages literacy by allowing people access to free books at small book sharing houses throughout the community. So far, police have not named any suspects. They ask anyone with information to call the Ukiah Police Department.
