More than 50 shots were fired at parked cars and some homes inside a Redwood Valley neighborhood early Wednesday morning, bringing out a large response from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. They say it started around 430am along Ellen Lynn Road at Virginia Circle with the Sheriff’s Office sending on Situational Awareness Alerts on social media. Investigators say deputies found more than 50 cartridges of expended ammunition in the roadway with several cars and homes hit with bullets. While no one was hurt there were several people, including children, that deputies say were in direct danger from the flying bullets. Whoever fired the shots took off before deputies arrived and has not yet been found or even identified as of late last night.
Testimony in the ongoing hearing over whether suspended Mendocino County Auditor Chamise Cubbison should face trial for felony misappropriation of public funds now reportedly suggests the previous auditor may have known more about the situation than she did. Cubbison and payroll manager Paula Kennedy are accused of allowing Kennedy to be overpaid during the pandemic when she was the only one processing payroll for 1200 people. The lead investigator in the DA’s case against Cubbison and Kennedy testified Tuesday that retired Auditor Lloyd Weer was actually the one signing off on payroll when Kennedy was working the long hours and using an obscure pay code to essentially draw overtime. The Daily Journal reports the investigator also testified that his notes showed Cubbison never personally benefited from Kennedy’s extra money and that no one believed Kennedy was not doing all the work. A jury has been hearing testimony for several days to decide whether there will be a trial.
Cloverdale Police are on the hunt for a man they say robbed the McDonald’s on S. Cloverdale Blvd Wednesday afternoon. They say the man, believed to be in his 20s, was wearing a gray hoodie when he walked to the front counter around 4pm, demanded money, and ran off with some cash. No one was hurt and police have not said if he had a weapon. If you know anything you are asked to call Cloverdale Police.
Woodland Community College had been going through some upgrades. At an event last week the dean presented details on some campus changes as well as educational opportunities. The Record Bee reports WCC has expanded their Basic Needs Center which provides students free access to school supplies, food, and some clothing. They have also added more security staff. They are currently expanding the library and adding a 3D printer for creative use. And they want to increase their STEM program including a STEM boot camp targeting middle schoolers and enticing them into math and science with tools like Virtual Reality. And then dean says one major ongoing project is the construction of a submersible on campus that will eventually go into Clearlake and then Lake Tahoe and be used for astronaut training.
The 2025 Mendocino County Community Wildfire Protection Plan is almost done and now the County needs your input to finish it. A public review period starts on February 10 and runs through March 3. The County calls your feedback crucial in developing a plan that enhances Mendocino County’s resilience and safeguards the communities from wildfires. To get you ready for the public review period, Mendocino County OES and SWCA Environmental Consultants will host a public webinar on February 7 at 6 pm. All County residents are encouraged to attend.
The Willits Community Theatre is holding auditions for the world premiere of “Serenity House,” a play written and directed by local actor and writer Schuyler Marcier. It’s a dark comedy that was originally set to premiere at Mendocino College during the pandemic. The themes deal with mental health, healthcare and humanity. Auditions for “Serenity House” are on Tuesday, February 18 and Saturday, February 22. They are looking for six men, four women and three not specified. All experience levels are welcome and none of the roles have been pre-cast.
