When most people think of small towns, they imagine sleepy streets, quiet evenings, and a population that winds down with the sun. But as someone who lives in one, let me tell you: that couldn’t be further from the truth. Small towns are brimming with quirky, outlandish and sometimes wildly unexpected moments that rival any urban drama.

Take a recent event at our local waste management center (aka the dump). What started as a routine day took a wild turn when an employee noticed something unusual among the scrap metal, what appeared to be a bomb. The area was quickly evacuated to ensure everyone’s safety and neighboring businesses were instructed to shelter in place. Cue the arrival of Beale Air Force Base’s explosives team, who after closer inspection, discovered that it was in fact a live mortar—a literal explosive device! Thankfully, the mortar was removed without incident, but it’s not every day you hear, “Hey, they found a bomb at the dump!”

And while you may think that’s a one-off of an almost unbelievable situation, trust me, it’s not. Now, if you really want to see the heart of small-town life, look no further than the local police and sheriff department’s call logs.

Here’s the thing: most 911 and law enforcement calls are public record, which means curious minds can read through them (usually within 24 hours). Call logs use a type of short hand to indicate who is giving information such as: (RPTG) means Reporting and (RP) means Reporting Party. These logs are an absolute gold mine of the bizarre, hilarious, and downright strange happenings you won’t find in a bustling city.

To start, we have the call log from the bomb at the dump incident:

Another “only in a small town” call log example is one where someone reported that a dog was chasing their donkey around. Eventually the dog was captured and brought it into the local animal shelter.

If it’s not domesticated pets or barn animals, you can rest assured a wild animal will make the call logs. Like this call which reported of a family of three bears that broke a shed and were eating some of the callers chickens as a late night snack.

Now comes one of the more quirky calls. This caller wanted to report a package he believed to have been sent by his daughter to herself that possibly contained some sort of drugs.

The grand finale of call log highlights, is this beauty. A women calls the police to ask to be let back into a local private gated community and visit her old residence in order to “break into the home to obtain a folder.” Needless to say she was denied entry and informed of the court orders needed to do a civil standby.

There are so many more call log entries I could touch on but these are the absolute top highlights of the beginning of 2025. These quirky moments, that we’d otherwise never hear about, make living here special. You don’t just read about the community; you feel it. Unlike the anonymous bustle of a city, in a small town, every odd story, every unexpected twist becomes a thread in the fabric of daily small town life.

So, the next time you hear someone dismiss small towns as boring, share the story of the live mortar found at the dump or perhaps the bear family who was craving chicken tenders. Chances are, after hearing those stories, they’ll realize there’s way more excitement in these little communities than they ever imagined.

Click Here to check out Nevada County Sheriff’s Call Log!

Click Here to check out Grass Valley Police Daily Call Log!