After years of a consistent decline in assaults in Mariposa County, that number jumped by 42 percent to close out the decade. The figure, released by Mariposa County Sheriff Brian Muller on Jan. 2, represents just one of the areas of crime that experienced an increase last year.

“Overall, I was pleased with the statistics,’” Muller said. “I was prepared for the worst. I was anticipating moderate increases in property crimes and domestic violence related incidents.”

The sheriff was seriously concerned that the state of the economy would take a more serious toll on local crime rates. “I was confident that the downward trend in crime would come to a screeching halt, and that the numbers would be reminiscent of 2004, a year when local crime seemed to be at an all-time high.”

For the complete story, see the Jan. 7 edition of the Mariposa Gazette.