If you saw the commotion at the Ukiah Walmart parking lot Saturday night, it was Ukiah Police arresting a man on gun and drug charges. UPD says an officer on routine patrol in the lot saw a pickup truck with several apparent code violations and a man walking away fast when he saw the cop. A little while later the officer saw the man, now ID’ed as Dustin Bruce of Willits, walk out of the store to the truck. UPD says the officers allegedly saw drug paraphernalia in plain sight in the truck which triggered a search. They claim that search turned up meth, a loaded .22 caliber rifle, multiple rounds of ammunition, and more drug paraphernalia. Bruce was arrested on four felony charges.
A body has reportedly been found in the rocks near the cliffs in Mendocino. A Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office investigator tells Mendo Fever someone spotted the body around 330pm Tuesday near the cliffs by Out of this World on Main Street. The Coast Guard was called in to retrieve the body and while they initially thought the person had a pulse they were confirmed dead a short time later. Investigators are trying to determine whether the person came from a boat in the ocean or fell from the cliff.
About $170,000 in cash and illegal marijuana has been seized in Upper Lake. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office says on Saturday a deputy patrolling the area stopped a car after seeing the driver break some traffic laws. The deputy says there was an overwhelming odor of pot coming from the car and then learned the three people in the car were all from Illinois and had a large amount of cash. A search allegedly turned up several suitcases full of packaged marijuana and processed, dispensary-style marijuana products. The three were arrested for illegal marijuana sales, possession, and transportation. Investigators are looking to see if anyone else was involved.
Good news for entrepreneurs as the Lake County Microenterprise Business Technical Assistance Program is back. This program offers no-cost technical business assistance to small entrepreneurs in unincorporated areas of the County. Lake County News reports those who meet the income criteria set by the California Housing and Community Development Department can get help putting together business and marketing plans, and learn how to access capital as well as build credit and build a network. For information contact Lake County Community Development Services.
Heads up for some controlled burns starting this week near Point Arena. The Bureau of Land Management says they will be doing prescribed fire operations in the Point Arena – Stornetta Unit of the California Coastal National Monument. The pile-burns started yesterday and may continue periodically through the winter and spring. The National Monument Manager says the burns not only cut down on the fuels for wildfires but they also restore the coastal prairie from the encroachment of some trees and shrubs.
The state attorney general is reminding Californians of a new law that started January 1 that removes medical debt from your credit report. On Monday Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert to start checking your credit report to make sure medical debt is not being counted into your credit score. Bonya says California banned medical debt because it’s considered an unforeseen circumstance and not a reliable indicator of financial risk which makes it an unfair reason to keep you from getting loans, renting an apartment, or getting a job. Bonta recommends regularly checking your credit report and reminds you that you get a free one each year from the three national credit bureaus.
