Your Friday Newspaper — 7/31/26 Is corporate Hill House/Mendocino Hotel good news? + Update on death of Stephanie Sprague + Volunteers needed for Lions Club’s Carnival by the Sea + Minnesota man missing from Dolphin Isle

FORMER MINNESOTA GOLD MINER MISSING IN FORT BRAGG

UPDATE- FRIDAY NIGHT, STILL MISSING..Minnesota man missing from Dolphin Isle Joseph Paul Kruchowski, 65, was the subject of an active search Thursday after he was reported missing from his trailer at Dolphin Isle Marina. Kruchowski was born, raised, and worked all his life in Minnesota, where he ran a well‑known bait and tackle business with a loyal following. He briefly became a media curiosity a few years ago when he opened a gold‑mining claim on the edge of the military’s Area 51 in Nevada — a stunt that drew national attention and interviews.

He was last seen late Thursday morning at Dolphin Isle. By nightfall, deputies and volunteers were still searching the harbor, shoreline, and nearby trails. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Sheriff’s Office.

Sheila English posted this about the missing man..

“Missing around noonish- a Fort Bragg man in his early 60s with long, dark bushy hair. Clean shaven. Caucasian. Approximately 6 foot tall. He may be confused. His name is Joe. If you see him please contact local law enforcement and/or the sheriff.

You can also text his wife, Kelly – ‪1 (775) 962-2252‬. Thank you”

POLICE STILL MUM ON NAME OF DRIVER IN FATAL

The investigation into the crash that killed Stephanie Sprague, 67, is ongoing, and authorities have not yet released the full findings. What we’ve learned so far suggests the final report may differ from early assumptions — in fact, it may be different than what you might expect. Additional details are expected soon, and we will publish them as soon as they are verified.

Stephanie’s two cats were still outside on Thursday afternoon, staying close to the area around her home and responding only to familiar voices. Her daughter spent part of the day gently calling for them, hoping they would come along with her. The cats apparently slipped out when county deputies entered the home during the investigation.

Her dog, Inky, has already been reunited with family — he went home to Washington state with Stephanie’s son, Travis Squires.

Judy Martin at the Mendocino Coast Humane Society loaned Amber a Have‑A‑Heart trap, hoping the timid cats will eventually wander in and be safely brought into family hands. No information has been released so far by Fort Bragg Police about the driver or the circumstances of the crash.

Stephanie’s brother, Jeffrey Sprague, drove down from the Red Bluff area to face the horrible aftermath of his big sister’s unexpected death. He spent part of the day looking into what happened — speaking with police, walking the scene, and mapping out from investigator markings how the collision unfolded.

Clarification on what’s known — and what isn’t — in Stephanie Sprague’s death

Stephanie was walking her dog when she was struck — or possibly run over — near the corner of South Franklin and Cypress Street. Deputies and medics attempted to revive her at the scene, but she died there, and no transport was attempted.

This remains an unusual and complicated case. It is different than what you might expect, and it’s important not to jump to conclusions. The facts have not yet been released, and when they are, some early assumptions may prove wrong. Our reporting will stay grounded in verified information only.

Why FBPD is holding information — and why that matters

We think the Fort Bragg Police Department is taking the right approach by holding back details until the investigation is complete. Releasing partial or early information in a case like this almost always fuels the worst corners of social media — the trolls, the rumor‑spreaders, and the people who jump into crashes, tragedies, and crimes with zero facts and a lot of hate to unload. In recent years, we’ve seen how quickly misinformation can take over before investigators have even finished marking a scene.

In 2026, the better practice is clear: release information immediately only when there is an ongoing public‑safety issue. Otherwise, wait until the facts are verified and the full picture is known. It protects the integrity of the investigation, and it protects the community from the toxic spiral that comes when speculation outruns truth.

On the timing of notification — and what happened instead

That being said, the family was not notified in a timely way, nor given early information about the case. Several relatives learned who it was through Facebook — not through MendocinoCoast.news. All of this surfaced on social media before our first story appeared.

We took the time needed to verify details and to understand the true, human story of this woman. That meant we were behind those who rushed to share fragments, guesses, or gossip. It’s the tradeoff we make deliberately: accuracy and dignity over speed, even when social media is already churning.

On telling Stephanie’s story before the press‑release machine took over

We were able to tell some of Stephanie’s compelling story before the press‑release rubber‑stampers got hold of it. When her name was finally released, none of the other media outlets made any effort to humanize her. Every story ran with the same stock image — a Fort Bragg Police badge — and not one of them took the time to find a photo of the funny, lovely, unmistakably human Stephanie Sprague.

That’s the gap we try to fill: the part of journalism that remembers people, not just incidents. While others rushed out the badge graphic and a few lines of police jargon, we slowed down long enough to learn who she was, what she meant to her family, and why her loss matters.

On the deeper heartbreak — and the pattern we keep seeing

This part is truly heartbreaking. They do this every time — unquestioningly echo whatever the official viewpoint is, without even a flicker of curiosity about the human being at the center of the story. It’s the same reflex: grab the press release, slap on the badge graphic, and call it journalism. That willingness to be the hammer of whatever the official line is has become its own kind of failure.

Media that only publish official viewpoints — never question authority, never verify independently, never humanize the people involved — are by definition acting like fascist media. It’s the opposite of what a community outlet is supposed to do. And yet those same outlets spend enormous energy soliciting donations for “independent media,” while doing nothing that resembles independence.

This is why MendocinoCoast.news exists: to slow down, verify, humanize, and refuse to be the rubber stamp. It’s harder, it’s slower, and it means we’re sometimes behind the gossip machine — but it’s the only way to keep trust intact.

NYC BASED OWNERS PARTY WITH MENDO DIGNITARIES AT HILL HOUSE, TELL ABOUT PROGRESS ON MENDOCINO HOTEL

Is corporate Hill House/Mendocino Hotel good news?

Yes, it’s corporate. And yes — it’s also shaping up to be a genuinely nice addition to the community, with thoughtful ideas and creative, still‑emerging grounds that feel more Mendocino than manufactured. They’ve resisted the temptation to overdo Murder, She Wrote. Instead, there’s a small, well‑placed nook celebrating the 1980s Angela Lansbury series, which was partly filmed at an earlier incarnation of the Hill House. It’s understated, respectful of the show’s history here, and signals an approach from the new owners that’s worth reading about.

Can Mendocino welcome more out‑of‑town owners — and can a big corporation tell us the truth for once?

Can Mendocino welcome more out‑of‑town owners to two of its key properties? That’s the tension running through town right now — the push‑and‑pull between wanting investment and fearing the loss of identity. Mendocino has done this before, sometimes smoothly, sometimes with friction, and the community will decide again whether these new owners earn their place here.

And can a big corporation actually tell us the truth for once? That’s the harder question. Corporate hospitality groups tend to speak in brand language, not community language. Transparency isn’t their default. But this ownership group’s early choices — understated design, respectful nods to local history, no heavy‑handed branding — suggest they may be trying to meet Mendocino on Mendocino’s terms. Whether that holds will depend on how they communicate, how they listen, and how they show their work as changes unfold.

Our visit to the Hill House grand opening — and the lens we brought with us

We went to the grand opening of the new Hill House with our perspective fully acknowledged: we have long believed that corporate chains and the quiet colonization of communities by money and power have contributed to the unraveling of America in our lifetime. That bias is real, and it’s part of how we see the world — and part of why we cover Mendocino the way we do.

That being said, it’s worth taking a clear look at the plusses and minuses of what’s unfolding here. Corporate ownership doesn’t automatically mean cultural erasure, and local skepticism doesn’t automatically mean resistance. The truth, as always, sits in the details — the choices they make, the way they show their work, and how they treat Mendocino as a place rather than a backdrop.

The Hill House opening

The gala opening of the Hill House on Wednesday was suitably stylish and utilitarian — very much a step‑one rollout for Castle Peak Holdings, which also owns the Mendocino Hotel, slated to reopen in Spring 2027. The two projects clearly aim at different niche markets.

The Hill House under Trailborn’s banner is built for fresh, attractive venue space — the kind of corporate conference setting employees will love way more than if their company picked Redding or Fresno. Yuck. It’s also well‑suited for a multi‑level concert‑party or an upscale auction of rare antiques, with viewing rooms and a proper auction gallery. Upstairs access comes via elevator or a spiral staircase.

The major focus is partnering with local attractions like the Skunk Train and the Botanical Gardens. And Trailborn is actually putting money on the table — not just talking about how nice it would be if we all worked together.

‘As we look around this room, I know there are people here that are going to be important funders of ours or already are important partners of ours at Trailborn,” said MIke Weiss, co founder of the company that owns the Hill House.

“Here now are experts on the market and experts on all the things that I should be doing, and they helped me explore that and have that adventure while I was there. We can’t do that all on our own. We have to find the vendors that we want to work with, the partners we want to work with. Whether that’s a kayak tour or a wine tour, we’re bringing wineries here to show off all the great wine that they have. So we’re going to be planning some of that. We want to hear all of your ideas and suggestions, and you tell us what you want to see happen here, and we’re going to try and do our best to make that all,” Weiss said.

he Hill House’s scale, age, and the money behind its revival

The 44‑room Hill House stands out in Mendocino’s hotel landscape — not just because it has more rooms than most, but because it was built in 1978, while many of its neighbors are a century older. On paper, Castle Peak Holdings got a bargain when it bought the Hill House for $4.26 million in June 2022. Locals, of course, knew exactly how much work it needed.

Castle Peak secured a $20 million USDA‑backed loan to overhaul both the Hill House and the Mendocino Hotel. And while some residents don’t love that both properties are now owned by a NYC‑based conglomerate, it’s probably what was required to bring in the kind of capital needed to turn these places back into major contributors to the local scene and economy. The Mendocino Hotel was purchased at the same time, for $5.8 million.

The Hill House opened on Father’s Day weekend and has been busy ever since, with peak season now fully underway. Construction on the grounds is still ongoing, giving grand‑opening guests a glimpse of what’s coming next. Reporters Cheeser, Brubacker, Frank and Linda especially loved the creative driftwood chairs in one area — a standout touch. The front entry was filled with fabulous flower arrangements reminiscent of the Botanical Gardens, while other sections remain bare ground or mid‑planting as the build‑out continues.

Room rates will range from around $199 in the winter to roughly $500 in peak season — or whatever the going rate is locally at the time, staff predicted.

Creativity vs. corporate sameness

Unlike many new ventures around here, a real effort is being made to do something different with these two iconic Mendocino properties. (Planners of yet another pizza parlor or Mexican eatery in Fort Bragg should take note.)

Creativity is usually the first thing corporate chains lose. Most big companies are total screwups with no plan — just money — and they’re staffed by MBA bean‑counters who think shouting marketing messages louder than any local counts as strategy. They pour as little actual investment as possible into once‑local properties, and the community and workers get shafted by con artists. Think of the previous owners of the Heritage House.

This time, at least so far, the approach looks different — and worth watching.

We were genuinely delighted by the reception the corporate folks gave the community’s bigwigs — respectful, attentive, and without the usual corporate stiffness. Even better, local people are clearly woven into this operation in meaningful ways. For creative owners of local businesses, that matters. In our view, we’re lucky to have both the team and the strategy they’re bringing to the Hill House and the Mendocino Hotel.

Hill House strategy

The Hill House strategy is twofold. The fun part — and the part that feels most Mendocino — is the push to link hotel guests with local adventure companies. They’re creating real packages and easy access to the Skunk Train, the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, Noyo Harbor tours, and kayak trips at Van Damme. It’s not just brochure talk; they’re building actual deals and making the logistics simple.

Although the parent company is a giant NYC‑based corporation, the operating division is Trailborn — a subsidiary that focuses only on properties in the most spectacular places on earth. Places like Mendocino. They’re not buying hotels in Ukiah or Yuba City. Their whole model is giving guests a full adventure experience tied directly to the local landscape.

“Trailborn is a collection of hotels and resorts, and what we think are the most extraordinary outdoor destinations in the country. Like Mendocino is. We started the business with the view that life should be an adventure; that life is better when you’re outdoors, when you’re seeing the most beautiful places, meeting new people, taking the time to take a step back, find yourself, breathe the fresh air, see some things you haven’t seen before, and there’s no better place in our minds than Mendocino. So this is going to be a big market for us. We’ve got two of our properties here, and we’ve been working on this for a very long time. It’s taken longer to get the doors open here than we wanted, probably longer than a lot of you wanted,” said Castle Peak’s co-founder Mike Weiss.

Part two of the Hill House strategy is offering snazzy but not overdone convention and meeting space. The grand ballroom — once the Hill House’s signature — has been brought back better than ever, with an improved music stage built for real performances. Upstairs, two well‑appointed conference rooms add flexibility, and with an elevator now in place, everyone can access the full space.

Ballroom restoration and the rocky start

The ballroom was always grand, and it’s been brought back that way. Some spaces are completely renewed, including the two upstairs rooms. Because the Hill House dates from 1978, it was built by a modern, penny‑pinching, tall‑tale‑telling developer — cheaply made and in need of a massive renovation to meet Trailborn’s standards.

These corporate owners also got bucked off the Mendocino horse early on. First came the pandemic worker shortage, and then some heavy‑handed hiring practices that might work elsewhere but didn’t land well here. Frank was the first to report that story, back when he worked for the Mendocino Voice.

Learning curve and leadership

They learned. They innovated. And they’ve clearly put real money into this project. I listened to the speech by Weiss, the top guy, and watched the team throughout the grand opening. I don’t usually care for CEO types — too much con artistry and too many platitudes — but I liked this one. See the photos.

A goofy local guy tried to throw Weiss off with a Barstow joke, but he joshed back and kept going. From an outsider’s view, it looked like a place to work that’s demanding and also fun.

Asking Weiss about the money

I asked Weiss how much Trailborn had spent turning the wrecked Hill House into a snazzy but not super‑upscale working hotel. He said he wasn’t sure how much he could share, since some of the numbers are tied up in proprietary partnership details. Rare for me, I actually believed a corporate leader from something with “Holdings” in the name.

Hill House’s original concept — and its odd fit in Mendocino

The original developer claimed he built the Hill House to resemble a “New England fishing village,” whatever that is. I never saw it — and I lived in New England — but Hollywood did. The place became famous when Murder, She Wrote filmed there, standing in for coastal New England. Even then, the resemblance felt like a stretch.

Hill House sits in one of the coolest destination towns anywhere, but it’s not actually in the delicious part of Mendocino. There’s a death‑defying walk down the hill to town unless you cut through the cemetery. The property stands apart — perched above the cemetery, not downtown and not among the old Victorian homes that define Mendocino’s character. (The town was once called the City of Mendocino, though it was never incorporated.)

There’s the Hill House, and then there are the nearby residences — that’s it. A short car ride in either direction gets you to dramatic beauty, the old town, or the ocean, but the hotel itself sits slightly outside the magic zone.

Hill House was dying before Trailborn stepped in. Rooms went for $90 and the toilets didn’t work. By the end of the previous ownership, it was down to one‑star reviews — a once‑famous property in freefall.

Trailborn’s ownership — and what it means going forward

Nothing like the old one‑star era is likely to happen under Trailborn, which operates in partnership with Marriott. Staff were clear: it’s incorrect to say Marriott owns the Hill House or the Mendocino Hotel, despite what others have published. But you can feel a bit of Marriott’s conference‑center DNA in the Hill House — the polish, the meeting‑space logic, the operational discipline.

Trailborn brings the money, the structure, and the standards that the property never had before. And based on what we’ve seen so far, they’re using all three.

Mendocino Hotel’s story

Their Mendocino Hotel is a whole different story. It sits in the heart of Mendocino — the grand dame of both old and new Mendocino. Humorously, it too was built cheaply, only this time in the Old West. It was never a grand hotel in its original incarnation. But as tourism took hold early in the 20th century, it was brought “back” in grand style, as if it had always been the Ritz of Mendocino.

Mendocino Hotel’s renovation lineage

Mendocino’s premier hotel visionary of the mid‑20th century, Heritage House creator Loren Dennen, was the second person to fully renovate the Mendocino Hotel, about 60 years ago. Thirty years later, Jack in the Box founder — and late‑life super‑Mendoman — R.O. Peterson renovated it again. But neither renovation changed the basic truth: both hotels lacked the bones one might expect.

Mendocino Hotel’s reopening plan

Trailborn plans to reopen the Mendocino Hotel next year with a surprising focus on locals — getting people in for the restaurant, the bar, and making it a fun place to put up Uncle Bob and Aunt Sally. Weiss talked about wanting the truly grand old bar — probably the coolest one on the Coast — to be a hub for local brews, eats, and gatherings. Linda and I always loved the restaurant for its French Onion soup.

“We’re going to be opening a full-service restaurant down at the Mendocino Hotel. We’re going to bring that bar back to life, and really hope that that lobby down there is a place where all of you want to come and spend time and gather with each other. And so I know that that’s been a special place in this community. And so we’re trying to update that just a little bit while we’re working on a lot of the history and the charm and celebrating that space. We’ve also renovated all the guest rooms. We’re renovating all the guest rooms down there, adding suite bathrooms to to the second floor, which is the we didn’t have there. And we’re going to have a lot of events and activations,” Weiss said.

Weiss explained tht their approach is different than that of other corporations.

“What’s unique about Trailborn is every one of our properties is unique and different. We go in, we study the market. We understand the history of these places. What makes them special? And our job is to help bring that to life. And so, both of these properties here, and as you know, are historic places. There are a lot of things that have happened in these markets: gatherings, weddings, events that have happened. And our job is to try and create a space that you all want to come back to and fall in love with again. And so, to give you a little preview of of what we’ve done here, there’s going to be tours that happen after this. We’re going to do a quick ribbon cutting, and then we’ll do some tours. But as you can see, we’ve got in our minds two of the best spaces in the northern coast. to update them a bit to bring them back to life and make them a place where people want to have their special events, while maintaining as much of the charm and the history as we could. So, if you walk around the space, you’ll see in the artwork, in the programming, we’ve tried to celebrate a lot of what Mendocino has to offer, the things that have happened here, we’re going to do even more of that down at the Mendocino Hotel, and so we’ve renovated all of our guest rooms here. We’ve opened up Pizza Standard Time, which is a fun pizza concept here.”

Corporate downsides

Downsides of corporate ownership at these two hotels? The ownership will always sit in NYC. The profits flow back there, and the creativity comes from there and from the sharp‑looking partnerships and subsidiaries. Even if we like the boss, there’s always a new boss, and there’s no actual local control. And corporations almost always drift toward loud marketing and thin follow‑through on the big vision.

Compare Trailborn’s two properties with The Grove and The Cove — two of the most innovative places to stay in the local hospitality world. They’re owned by a local couple who came from Napa and now live near one of the properties. When the boss lives here, it’s better for the community. People can talk to the actual power and vision. And they’re deeply involved locally; co‑owner Theresa Raffo is a driving and funding force behind the Noyo Food Forest.

So we hope local businesses will partner with Trailborn and other hotels to create great experiences for visitors. But keep your critical thinking skills sharp. Doubt all advertising and marketing messages. Know that most local media serve power and will publish whatever lands in their inbox. And the rest won’t question corporate power at all. Mendocino is in the grip of the right, and nothing changes unless we start thinking critically again.

Mendocino has always tested the people who try to shape it. Trailborn arrived with big‑city backing, a wrecked Hill House, and a Mendocino Hotel that has lived more lives than most towns. They stumbled, learned, spent real money, rebuilt a ballroom once used as Hollywood’s fake New England, revived conference rooms that had collapsed under cheap 1978 construction, and tried to make something new out of something that had nearly died.

They listened, too. Weiss stood at the grand opening, joshing back at a goofy Barstow question, talking about locals in the bar and a Mendocino Hotel that feels like Mendocino again. You could see a team trying to make a corporate project fit a town that doesn’t bend easily.

But corporate ownership is still corporate ownership. The profits fly east. The decisions come from people who don’t wake up here. Mendocino has seen enough marketing to last a century, and we know how quickly big visions thin out.

Which is why The Grove and The Cove matter — two places run by people who actually live here, who show up, who fund the Noyo Food Forest, who answer to neighbors instead of shareholders. When the boss lives in Mendocino, the community feels it. When the boss lives in New York, the community feels that too.

So here’s the hope: Trailborn keeps listening. Local businesses link arms with every hotel and every place a visitor might land. We keep our critical thinking sharp, doubt every press release, and remember that most local media will print whatever lands in their inbox. Mendocino is in the grip of power, and the only antidote is paying attention.

Tonight, fog will slide over the Hill House, over the cemetery, over the grand old bar waiting to reopen. It will settle on The Grove and The Cove, on the harbor, on the stubborn, beautiful town that keeps demanding better.

And tomorrow, Mendocino will wake up and start again.