Several Ukiah families need a place to stay following a Monday afternoon fire at an apartment complex on South Dora Street. Ukiah Valley Fire Authority Battalion Chief Eric Singleton tells the Daily Journal first responders found the fire burning inside the walls between the two of the units and while they initially knocked it down fast, it took a while to find the source with the fire burning through insulation. It brought out a big response including fire fighters from CalFire and Hopland Fire, as well as Ukiah Police Mendocino County deputies. All seven apartments in the one complex were evacuated and have had their electricity and gas turned off until the building inspector approves re-opening. No one was hurt. The exact cause is under investigation.
Lake and Mendocino are among 13 counties that will share in a $300,000 grant from Wells Fargo to the California Finance Consortium to help shore up small businesses. Officials say it will go to groups like local economic development agencies that help small businesses with plans and strategies to grow and maintain that growth. It will also help to bolster lending so more small businesses can get access to capital for improvement or expansion. Wells Fargo says their ultimate goal is to stimulate job creation to improve local economies.
The Mendocino Coast Police Activities League is having a Christmas Party this Saturday for all coastal kids from preschool through 5th Grade. It’s December 7 from 11am-1pm at the Fort Bragg Fire Department. There will be cookie decorating, crafts, games, prizes and photos with Santa. It’s a free event sponsored by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, California State Parks, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, CHP CalFire, the Coast Guard and Fort Bragg Police.
If your weeknight travels take you on Highway 1 over the Jack Peters Creek Bridge between Fort Bragg and Mendocino, start planning ahead for next week. Caltrans will be fully closing it on the nights of December 11 and 12, from 10pm to 6am both of those nights. They have been planning for months to install major upgrades to the bridge with a wider deck and new railings but the work kept being postponed. Meanwhile officials are encouraging you to use the official detour that Caltrans will offer because all the other ways around are remote and sometimes tricky. Officials tell the Mendocino Voice that sometimes people rely on apps for a detour that can lead them on a harrowing drive, especially in the overnight hours. The official detour is to use Highway 101 which is several miles out of the way but they say may be more reliable than the backroads.
The City of Fort Bragg is hosting a farewell event for Mayor Bernie Norvell who is leaving the post to serve on the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors. The City says everyone is invited to a reception on Monday, December 9 at 5pm at Fort Bragg Town Hall. Officials say they want to thank Norvell for his eight years in service to Fort Bragg which included adopting balanced budgets for financial stability, addressing homelessness with innovative strategies, enhancing water resiliency and infrastructure, and prioritizing public safety. Following the reception, the City Council meeting will begin at 6pm during which Mayor Norvell will deliver his final remarks. The meeting will also include seating the new council and appointing a new Mayor and Vice Mayor.
If you used Petaluma-based financial services company Burleson & Company, LLC, heads up: The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed federal charges against owner James Burleson for allegedly defrauding clients between 2020 to 2022 with about $3 million in losses for clients but $1.8 million in gains for him. The Press Democrat reports Burleson is accused by the SEC of making risky trades and then “cherry-picking” the results by directing profitable trades into his own accounts and unprofitable trades into client accounts. The SEC is asking for a jury trial.
