CRIME & SAFETY

The Lassen County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a possible domestic violence incident in Westwood on Saturday as a possible homicide. According to a statement from the LCSO, Melanie Ann Hines, 41, of Westwood, was arrested Saturday, June 3, on a second-degree murder charge and transported to the Lassen County Jail.

The California Highway Patrol provides an update on yesterday’s hazmat spill that closed Highway 139 for hours. Just after 5 am, Pedro Colon was driving a big rig, towing two trailers south on the highway, when a deer jumped in his path. Colon quickly tried to avoid the deer and swerved, but this caused his trailers to shift, spilling corrosive liquid. Colon pulled into the nearest available turn-out and awaited the CHP’s arrival. A hazmat team was able to clear the spill, and the highway re-opened later that morning.

The Susanville City Council recognized the city’s most senior employee at the council’s Wednesday, June 7 meeting. Ryan Cochran, Susanville’s police chief, was recognized by a proclamation from the council for his 25 years of service. He has served the city longer than any other current employee.

Susanville’s Little League is warning parents to keep a close watch on your children when at the fields through the remainder of the season. Following the vandalism at the fields over the holiday weekend, where bleachers and a porta potty were toppled over and a quad stolen, the league says drug paraphernalia was also found surrounding the portable bathrooms near the farm field. As is typical for many parents, given the nature of the field’s seclusion to surface streets, children can roam between fields watching friends and siblings play. Now the League says they strongly advise against doing so. They ask you to be “HYPER aware of your surroundings” and asking you to keep your children from playing underneath the bleachers and not to use the portable bathrooms, as they “do not know if there are more items that could potentially hurt your child still in hiding”.

The City of Susanville says there is a new scam affecting utility users. There have been reports of calls going out to homes from scam artists requesting payment on your utility account to avoid sending it to collections. The city reminds you that the city will never contact you asking...

The extended holiday weekend did not come and go without trouble; overnight Saturday, thieves caused havoc at the Pat Murphey Little League Fields in Susanville, just as the final games for playoffs come to an end for the season. The conex box that housed maintenance equipment for the fields had...

The Susanville Police Department reminds everyone taking a trip to visit friends or family this summer to always buckle up and keep children in child safety seats. This year’s Click It or Ticket campaign runs through June 4th. During this time, the Susanville Police Department will have additional officers on patrol actively looking for drivers and passengers who are not wearing a seat belt. This includes vehicles where children are not secured in child safety seats.

Lassen Family Services and several dozen community members painted over the hate-crime vandalism that marred two exterior walls of the nonprofit organization at 9 a.m. this morning, Monday, June 5. Pride Month began Thursday, June 1, and the hate speech equating the colors in the Pride Flag with pedophilia was...

The Susanville Police Department reminds everyone taking a trip to visit friends or family over the Memorial Day Weekend to always buckle up and keep children in child safety seats. This year’s Click It or Ticket campaign runs from May 22 to June 4. During this time, the SPD will...

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA - 1:34 P.M. UPDATE - The Chico Police Department, Gridley Police Department, Butte County Sheriff's Office, Plumas County Sheriff's Office, Lassen County Sheriff's Office and Sutter County Sheriff's Office said as of Saturday their 911 systems are down due to an AT&T outage. In a public safety advisories...

Theft and vandalism have once again raised their heads at the Pat Murphy Little League Field in Susanville. In response to previous vandalism events, the Susanville City Council recently approved funding for a security camera at the park, but Susanville Police Captain Mike Bollinger said the camera was facing a different direction and did not capture any of this event.

A second mobile home was destroyed in Tuesday’s mobile home fire, displacing a family that asks for the community’s support. Family friend Emma Lewis set up a gofundme account (gofundme.com/f/52323-puite-house-fire-in-susanville-california) and wrote on Facebook, “Kevin and Nikki my dear friends have lost their home due to a structure fire today at their home in Susanville. They have two boys who lost their rooms and all their things. Unfortunately, they didn’t have insurance, so they have lost not only their home but all their belongings, clothes and everything. Lets’ rally together and help this family get back on their feet. Any money raised goes directly to them. They will need funds for hotel stay until they can figure out a new living situation. Please donate. Every dollar counts, and I know the family would appreciate any help given.”