Ukiah Police have arrested three men from Southern California who are thought to be responsible for a series of pharmacy breaks across the state. A UPD release says officers found a broken window after they got an alarm from Myers Pharmacy on Hospital Drive early last Tuesday. The city’s FLOCK cameras picked up a suspicious car in the area –rented by one of the suspects, identified as Alabony Williams of Orange County. Detectives recognized the name as a person of interest in the statewide break-ins and another at Myers in February. They tied the car to another break-in at the Howard Memorial Medical Pharmacy in Willits the same night. Officers eventually found the car–and two men, identified as Tevin Barnes and Cedenmo Wyatt at a motel in Laytonville. Both were arrested. UPD officers found Williams a little later at the bus station, waiting to skip town. Investigators say the trio had swiped pills and codeine syrup from the pharmacies. They are all facing several felony charges as law enforcement works to link them to the other burglaries around the state. All three are out on $275,000 bail.
We saw a 40-degree swing in temperature in Ukiah on Wednesday, with a high of 81 and a low of 41. There was a freeze warning until early this morning and the National Weather Service says this cold signals the end of the growing season. Here’s another reminder that winter is around the corner – two months from today is Christmas Eve. It falls on a Tuesday this year.
The US Geological Survey reports a small earthquake early this morning in southern Humboldt County. It was a magnitude 4.1 and centered about 3 miles southwest of the small community of Petrolia–about 45 minutes north of the Mendocino Line around 2 AM. A few people reported feeling it, but it is a sparsely populated and remote area. No reports of any damage. That area has a history of quakes, the most recent significant one was in December 2021 at magnitude 6.
Before that though, there’s Halloween–a week from today. For the 13th year in a row, Haunted Lake Country returns to scare up a good time in Lakeport. It’s two events in one–a Corn Maze called “Field of Fears” and a haunted space called The Last Resort” It’s not just for frightful fun. The Record-Bee reports the event has raised $100,000 over the years for local charities You can check into, and MAYBE check out of, the Last Resort this weekend from 5 to 10 PM. You’ll have to wait until Halloween night to get lost in the maze. It’s open through November 2nd from 5 to 10. The first hour at both is kids’ hour–no scary lights, loud noises, or creepy effects that might frighten younger ghouls and goblins. There is an admission charge.
They’re stringing the lights at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens in Fort Bragg, preparing for the 14th annual Festival of Lights leading up to Christmas. The Gardens promise the best holiday display on the coast with hundreds of lights creating Holiday magic. The show runs from November 29th to December 22nd, There’s an admission charge–with advance sale tickets getting an arrival time to help with the crowd and the limited parking. You can find out more at their website garden by the sea dot org.
The US Attorney for Northern California has appointed one of his Assistant US Attorney as the government’s election officer for the region. Sarah Griswold will be the point person for the Federal government’s response to election-related complaints about issues like threats to poll workers and staff, voter intimidation, reports of election fraud, and civil rights violations. The Justice Department says they’re watching the election closely and that all 94 US districts have appointed election officers, with increased threats and other concerns about the vote a week from Tuesday. U S Attorney Ismail Ramsey says he and his colleagues have a vital job–ensuring America gets a free, fair, and peaceful election
California has fined Walmart 7.5 million dollars for illegally dumping hazardous and medical waste. The company’s trash will be monitored for the next four years. One of the stores named in the settlement was Walmart in Clearlake AG Rob Bonta says the deal holds Walmart accountable and keeps it from similar disposal issues. District Attorneys statewide did dozens of waste audits, digging into trash between 2015 and 2021 after allegations of illegal dumping started. They found Walmart tossed everything from bleach, pesticides, and rust removers to over-the-counter drugs into municipal landfills. The agreement also says Walmart will have to hire an independent auditor for waste checks three times a year until 2028 and share the results with the state.
A big birthday last weekend for Dorothea Atteberry of Lucerne. The Daily Journal reports that family and friends threw a special birthday bash–after all, you only turn 105 once. Her family says Dorothea has had an interesting life–born in Switzerland in 1919 at the end of World War One, living in Europe at the start of World War Two, and then in several places across the US before settling in Lake County in the late 1970s. Dorothea calls herself a lucky woman and is grateful for the party. Her secret to a long life? Yogurt and Chocolate. Dorothea is in a pretty select company. According to a recent study, only around 90,000 centenarians are alive in the US today.
