A man was arrested on suspicion of stealing a vehicle Monday after he allegedly drove it away when the owner got out to talk to some people in Smith River.

Around 4:25 p.m., the truck’s owner called authorities to report her vehicle had been taken on South Indian Road, said Sgt. Chris Enriquez of the California Highway Patrol.

She had left her keys in the truck while she got out to talk, said Enriquez.

The Crescent City Fire Department responded to the blaze at 1661 Parkway Drive, next to Parkway Feed, around 7:30 p.m., said Fire Chief Steve Wakefield.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, Wakefield.

Safety improvements are on the horizon for the stretch of U.S. Highway 101 running through Smith River Rancheria.

Congressman Mike thompson, who represents Del Norte County, recently announced the awarding of a $2.5 million dollar grant provided by the Department of Transportation’s Tiger III program for the Rancheria.

Here are excerpts from the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office call logs for Dec. 14–20.

Wednesday, Dec. 14

• At 10:05 a.m. a report of someone inside a vacant house on the 700 block of Pebble Beach Drive.

• At 5:25 a report of two bikes stolen from an unlocked garage on the 200 block of Turnbull Lane.

Here are excerpts from the Crescent City Police Department call logs for Dec. 14–Dec. 20.

Wednesday, Dec. 14

• At 1:20 a.m. a report of a supicious male with a flashlight on the 1300 block of California Street.

• At 12:50 p.m. a report of a burglary on the 200 block of Jackie Street.

Sgt. Jeffrey Brown arrives Sunday night. Del Norte Triplicate/Richard Wiens

Specialist James Diehl and Staff Sgt. John Espitia, both of Crescent City, and Sgt. Jeffrey Brown of Brookings were three of 160 soldiers from the California National Guard’s 870th Military Police Company who returned from a war zone just in time for the holidays.

The company is credited with averting a potentially deadly insurgent attack last May.

Election to fill Slert’s seat would cost $20K

The City Council is hiring.

Last night it took the first step toward replacing Councilman Charles Slert, whose resignation is effective Jan 5.

The Council opted to forgo a costly special election less than a year before the term expires and instead will take applications over the next three weeks, choosing a successor by majority vote before the deadline of February 4.

Santa’s Workshop still needs presents for nearly 300 children in Del Norte County this Christmas.

“I need 285 presents as we speak,” said Ron Phillips, “head elf” of Santa’s Workshop, on Monday.

There were 1,286 applications to Rural Human Services’ Santa’s Workshop program for children’s presents, said Phillips, the special projects coordinator for RHS.

Homegrown Cal-Ore Life Flight merged with Reach Air Medical Services of Santa Rosa earlier this month.

The merger creates a comprehensive network of air and medical transportation in California and Oregon, said Cal-Ore CEO Dan Brattain, who will join the Reach Medical Holdings, LLC board of directors.

All of Cal-Ore’s 70 employees will join the ranks of Reach’s 300-employee roster.