NEWS ARTICLE ARCHIVE — in chronological order, with pagination below
-
Frankly Speaking
UPDATE- No more avian flu cases after Point Reyes murre; But everyone vigilant for move north as birds, seals head here and beyond for summer
Update March 25: Sonoma and Marin county health have been monitoring and watching for any more cases of avian flu after a common murre was found and tests ultimately showed it died of avian flu. Hundreds of elephant seals at a Bay Area facility famous for its elephant seal colony have died of avian flu…
Read More » -
Jackson Demonstration State Forest
Three Days Lost in Jackson Forest: “Wonder Woman” 71, was OK but Missing all this Gear — Check Our Safety Kit Before You Go Hiking!
Somewhere out there is Wonder Woman. Turns out she’s real — she’s 71 — and she just spent three days and nights lost in Jackson Forest before anyone even knew she was missing. No food, no water, no gear. When Skunk Train railbike guides finally found her, she thanked everyone, waved off the ambulance, climbed…
Read More » -
Caspar
Updated story- Allegedly drunk driver blamed for tow truck head on that closed Caspar Creek Bridge off and on for three hours + on March 9
We have gotten needed details on a crash that caused one of the biggest traffic tieups of the year on the Mendocino Coast. We wrote a story that day and LInda and i took photos under the bridge and Brutus and I hiked up to the north end of the bridge. We got enough of…
Read More » -
City of Fort Bragg
A Little Food Truck Drama, a Big City Survey: Help Rewrite Fort Bragg’s Dining Map. Where? What kind of food?
One of our most‑read stories lately was the drama surrounding Sergio and Bertha’s food truck. We caught up with Sergio in his new spot last week, and he was genuinely relieved — and happy — to be back to business. Good News, Sergio and Bertha’s Fort Bragg food truck finds home! Thanks Purity!! The couple…
Read More » -
California Highway Patrol
On a Sunday night and early Monday morning, I heard three bad crashes come over the scanner — and CHP confirmed every one was suspected DUI
Editor’s Note — Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Truly. Any one of these individuals could be found innocent. An arrest is not a conviction; it isn’t even a charge. It’s simply a suspicion that must be tested and proven in court. On Sunday, March 8, while gathering news for the Monday KOZT report, I…
Read More » -
Frankly Speaking
What You Weren’t Told: The Crimes That Go Unreported — and the Ones That Get Overhyped
Creepy Crime Stuff from Mendo Frank joined the rest and reported on some old news during Frank’s stint on KOZT recently. The Sheriff’s Department sent out a press release last Monday about a horrific attack on a 72‑year‑old woman in Brooktrails — an attack that actually happened on Friday. From the law‑enforcement side, I get…
Read More » -
Frankly Speaking
Mendocino Area Parks Association and California State Parks Post Warning on Facebook
IMPORTANT STATE PARK ANNOUNCEMENT: Due to a shark incident on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at approximately 5:00 PM, Big River Beach was closed to the public in accordance with department policy. The beach is scheduled to reopen today, March 20, 2026, at approximately 5:00 PM The closure followed standard California State Parks protocol, and with…
Read More » -
Cannabis
‘Mendo’ popcorn vendor of popcorn business with name including 420 arrested for allegedly serving cannabis‑laced popcorn to Fort Bragg kids at a food truck event. If true, shouldn’t this operation been shut down by county health long ago?
A man well‑known around Mendocino County for his mobile kettle‑corn business was arrested by Fort Bragg Police on Wednesday on three felony charges following an 8‑month investigation. Michael James Fraser, 55, is accused of lacing his popcorn with THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, and one of the charges includes poisoning a child. Two Fort…
Read More » -
Frankly Speaking
State agencies now using shark attack to warn, educate, are falling sea lion populations causing sharks to come to shore more?
Update — Linda Little Hartzell here. I have been reporting this story, not Frank. He went out before work this morning, took some photos, and posted them on Facebook. As of this afternoon, we have received zero communication from any government agency about this incident. People are understandably worried. Is the shark still in the…
Read More » -
Mendocino County Sheriff's Office
Missing Mendocino Man -Lane Rider’s -Truck is Found
BREAKING NEWS UPDATE: San Francisco authorities have located Lane Rider’s 2018 white Toyota pickup at 325 Mason Street. Because Tony is listed as the vehicle’s co‑signer, he was contacted and instructed to retrieve the truck from impound on Friday. Lane himself was not found at the scene, and his whereabouts remain unknown. Additional information will…
Read More » -
Caspar
Car passing traffic hits pickup, crashes into front of big towtruck, becoming stuck for hours as Caspar Creek Bridge is closed off and on for much of Monday afternoon
A car passing traffic apparently bounced off a pickup and then went into the front of a huge towtruck, sending the vehicle spinning and resulting in those two vehicles being stuck together for much of the afternoon, we learned visiting the scene during a traffic. jam that lasted more than three hours. Monstorous traffic tieups…
Read More » -
Frankly Speaking
Morning news on KOZT, a look at both the somber and fun news we will be talking about!
On the KOZT morning show, here are some of the fun news items we will be featuring. If you have any guesses or input, e-mail frankhartzell@gmail.com Why has the Marine Mammal Center issued a warning to stay away from seals and sea lions? This guy is a famous musician you have often heard on KOZT.…
Read More » -
High School Sports
Fort Bragg High Mounts Big Comeback to Avenge Eureka Shutout — Oracle Park Awaits, and They’ll Need Our Support
Fort Bragg High’s baseball squad came storming back with six runs in the final two innings to pull off an improbable win and earn a split in their season‑opening doubleheader against Eureka High. But the biggest moment is still ahead! Next month, the Timberwolves will suit up on Northern California’s most famous field — Oracle…
Read More » -
Business & Labor
Good News, Sergio and Bertha’s Fort Bragg food truck finds home! Thanks Purity!!
Linda checks out the menu. The truck will move onto private property this week, at the invitation of Purity Market. BREAKING: Taqueria La Oaxaqueña Finds New Home at Purity Market. Let’s start a movement!! Food Trucks on Glass Beach Drive, or at the Dog Parks or at the Noyo Harbor turnaround. And have a lottery…
Read More » -
Letters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor: Unite — and Don’t Be Afraid to Dream Big for JDSF
Editor’s note — Polly Girvin was the life partner of Priscilla Hunter, a long‑time Mendocino County Indigenous tribal leader and elder. Originally from Berkeley and trained in law, Hunter was a central figure for years in the debates over the management of Jackson Demonstration State Forest. She died in November 2024 at age 77. I…
Read More » -
Roads & Transportation
Early Thursday Morning: Caltrans Clears Giant Slide in Elk; All Roads Open on 1, 20 and 128 After Days of Trouble
The little creek in Otis Johnson Park in Fort Bragg was roaring like a mini Niagara Falls. Linda posed while the dogs leaned over the edge, ears forward, staring down at the roaring beast. Turn the sound up on your phone and listen to what they were hearing in the video that follows — that…
Read More » -
Frankly Speaking
Brutus Invents a New Game at Age 10: German Shepherd Intelligence Is Both Funny and Funny
Brutus invented a new game on Saturday. To watch a dog create a game — not stumble into it, but invent it and then attempt to teach it to his human — is one of life’s great, underrated experiences. We’ve read all the books over the years, the ones about animal intelligence and the ones…
Read More » -
Health
Tick Bites Can Mess Up Your Life — But Angel’s Cannabis Pain Salve Saved Me When the Pharmacy Products Didn’t
Thank you, Angel. Your cannabis pain‑relief salve saved me today from the agony delivered by the most miserable creature the Creator ever gave us. I got bit by a tick last week and wound up with a big, angry cellulitis infection on my belly — the kind that makes wearing pants feel like a hostile…
Read More » -
Frankly Speaking
Letter to the Editor: Ruddick-Please stop dumping trash! Cal Fire may close more roads to all of us, including Egg Take if it can’t be stopped
Dear Editor: I want to thank you for your excellent article about the epidemic of trash dumping in Jackson Forest. As a long time user and member of the Rec. Task Force, the amount of trash be in dumped in the forest has grown worse over the years. I am worried that more closures are…
Read More » -
Noyo Harbor
What’s Next for The Wharf at Noyo Harbor — As It Reinvents Itself, the Harbor Wants to Hear Your Wishes
Come along on another Noyo Harbor photo voyage made especially for our favorite landlubbers. This little journey is brought to you by Linda and me after a Sunday spent wandering our harbor, soaking up its quirks and characters. We’ll play voyeurs together — admiring a few wonderfully eccentric Volkswagen Bugs and peeking at the now‑temporarily‑closed…
Read More »