In response to his daughter receiving a swastika on social media, a California Jewish lawmaker is pushing for a bill that would give school administrators authority to suspend or expel students if they cyberbully fellow students away from school and outside of school hours.
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Crime / Education / Government
Faculty Association Condemns Clearing of Campus; Lawmakers Call for Healing
Posted By Thadeus Greenson on Tue, Apr 30, 2024 at 3:57 PM
The Cal Poly Humboldt Chapter of the California Faculty Association has issued a blistering statement condemning the police clearing of Arcata campus last night that led to more than two dozen arrests, calling it "another dangerous escalation," while North Coast state legislators released a joint statement calling for unity and healing in the wake of the protests.
The faculty association, which had already passed a vote no confidence in CPH President Tom Jackson Jr. stemming from his handling of the protests that occupied a portion of campus for a week, strongly condemn the use of law enforcement to clear the occupied area of campus.
"Over the course of the last week, student protesters have continued to ask for negotiations with CPH administration, in order to have a peaceful resolution to the protest," the association press release states. "These are the actions of conscientious individuals working to end a genocide, not the actions of criminals as President Jackson and Sheriff Honsal repeatedly called the student-protestors. University communications describe this morning’s law enforcement action as 'necessary to restore order and to address the lawlessness and dangerous conditions that had developed,' though, the only danger was that imposed by the threat of police action. The statement further minimized the students’ brave actions to bring light to ongoing genocide by calling the sit-in a criminal activity and not free-expression or protest."
The association press release demands that law enforcement release all students and faculty arrested last night, that administration immediately reinstate students suspended for participating in protests and impose no academic sanctions, that barriers to campus be immediately removed and campus reopened/ that Jackson release a statement calling for an immediate ceasefire "taking note of College of the Redwoods President Keith Flamer's statement to President Biden, and that administrators who negotiated with students and led them to "believe there would be meaningful action on their conscientious demands" be held accountable.
North Coast state Sen. Mike McGuire and Assemblymember Jim Wood, meanwhile, released a joint statement noting "this has been an extremely challenging week in Humboldt"
"Protesting peacefully in America is a fundamental, Constitutional right — it's what our nation is about and, let's be candid, protesting is part of the fabric of the North Coast," he said. "That said, there is a clear line and it starts and stops with destruction of school property, vandalism and antisemitic hate speech."
The lawmakers went on to note that this morning's enforcement action resulted in no reported injuries and the "situation ended peacefully." Damage estimates on campus, they say, land at more than $1 million.
"Let's be clear — it's going to take time to heal," they say. "Trust is earned, and it is going to take all sides coming together to have the difficult conversations needed to move forward. Cal Poly Humboldt must be a campus where all faiths and students of all backgrounds feel safe, respected, and included. This has not been the case for Humboldt's Jewish students and others over the past week.
“As protests continue in other parts of the state and nation, it’s important to remember that reasonable ideas don't have to be in conflict — we can call for hostages to be immediately released and mourn every single one of the thousands of innocent lives lost; we can condemn violent actions and call for peace in the region. We’re stronger as a community when we learn from our differences and where we’ve been, and move forward together.”
Read the full statements from the faculty association and two lawmakers copied below.
The faculty association, which had already passed a vote no confidence in CPH President Tom Jackson Jr. stemming from his handling of the protests that occupied a portion of campus for a week, strongly condemn the use of law enforcement to clear the occupied area of campus.
"Over the course of the last week, student protesters have continued to ask for negotiations with CPH administration, in order to have a peaceful resolution to the protest," the association press release states. "These are the actions of conscientious individuals working to end a genocide, not the actions of criminals as President Jackson and Sheriff Honsal repeatedly called the student-protestors. University communications describe this morning’s law enforcement action as 'necessary to restore order and to address the lawlessness and dangerous conditions that had developed,' though, the only danger was that imposed by the threat of police action. The statement further minimized the students’ brave actions to bring light to ongoing genocide by calling the sit-in a criminal activity and not free-expression or protest."
The association press release demands that law enforcement release all students and faculty arrested last night, that administration immediately reinstate students suspended for participating in protests and impose no academic sanctions, that barriers to campus be immediately removed and campus reopened/ that Jackson release a statement calling for an immediate ceasefire "taking note of College of the Redwoods President Keith Flamer's statement to President Biden, and that administrators who negotiated with students and led them to "believe there would be meaningful action on their conscientious demands" be held accountable.
North Coast state Sen. Mike McGuire and Assemblymember Jim Wood, meanwhile, released a joint statement noting "this has been an extremely challenging week in Humboldt"
"Protesting peacefully in America is a fundamental, Constitutional right — it's what our nation is about and, let's be candid, protesting is part of the fabric of the North Coast," he said. "That said, there is a clear line and it starts and stops with destruction of school property, vandalism and antisemitic hate speech."
The lawmakers went on to note that this morning's enforcement action resulted in no reported injuries and the "situation ended peacefully." Damage estimates on campus, they say, land at more than $1 million.
"Let's be clear — it's going to take time to heal," they say. "Trust is earned, and it is going to take all sides coming together to have the difficult conversations needed to move forward. Cal Poly Humboldt must be a campus where all faiths and students of all backgrounds feel safe, respected, and included. This has not been the case for Humboldt's Jewish students and others over the past week.
“As protests continue in other parts of the state and nation, it’s important to remember that reasonable ideas don't have to be in conflict — we can call for hostages to be immediately released and mourn every single one of the thousands of innocent lives lost; we can condemn violent actions and call for peace in the region. We’re stronger as a community when we learn from our differences and where we’ve been, and move forward together.”
Read the full statements from the faculty association and two lawmakers copied below.
Crime / Education / Government / Politics
Large Police Operations Clears Cal Poly Humboldt Campus; No Injuries Reported
Posted By Thadeus Greenson on Tue, Apr 30, 2024 at 7:32 AM
Before dawn this morning, more than 100 police officers from agencies throughout the state descended on the Cal Poly Humboldt campus to systematically clear it of pro-Palestinian protesters, some of whom had occupied a portion of campus for more than a week.
A university press release issued this morning said the police action was necessary to "restore order" on the campus, which the administration had closed until May 10, and to "eliminate the threat of violence and criminal behavior." Yet a growing number of officials — including local city council members, county supervisors and university faculty and staff — in recent days had urged the university to show restraint and refrain from sending police in to clear the campus.
No injuries have been reported from this morning's police action and arrests. Local news site kymkemp.com had live coverage of portions of the operation, including video from reporter Ryan Hutson.
The full press release from the university is copied below and check this week's Journal for full coverage.
A university press release issued this morning said the police action was necessary to "restore order" on the campus, which the administration had closed until May 10, and to "eliminate the threat of violence and criminal behavior." Yet a growing number of officials — including local city council members, county supervisors and university faculty and staff — in recent days had urged the university to show restraint and refrain from sending police in to clear the campus.
No injuries have been reported from this morning's police action and arrests. Local news site kymkemp.com had live coverage of portions of the operation, including video from reporter Ryan Hutson.
The full press release from the university is copied below and check this week's Journal for full coverage.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
Crime / Emergency / Government
Deputy Shoots Cutten Shooting Suspect
Posted By Thadeus Greenson on Thu, Apr 25, 2024 at 4:55 PM
The Humboldt County multi-agency Critical Incident Response team is investigating a police shooting of an unidentified male suspect on Fern Street around 10:40 a.m.
The man is receiving treatment at an area hospital, as is a 75-year-old woman he allegedly shot prior to being contacted by police.
According to a press release, the Sheriff's Office received a 911 call around 10:30 a.m. reporting someone had been shot in the 2400 block of Fern Street. While en route, deputies learned that a white male adult had reportedly walked up to a 75-year-old woman standing in front of her garage with her sister and opened fire, hitting the woman at least once. He was then said to have fled on foot, heading west toward Walnut Avenue.
When deputies arrived on scene, they reported seeing a man matching the suspect's description walking on Fern Street and contacted him at gunpoint. The man reportedly refused commands and fled into a nearby residence. Three deputies then surrounded the home while waiting for backup. According to the press release, at 10:40 a.m., the suspect exited the residence and walked toward the deputies, "pointing a firearm in the direction of the deputies."
The man is receiving treatment at an area hospital, as is a 75-year-old woman he allegedly shot prior to being contacted by police.
According to a press release, the Sheriff's Office received a 911 call around 10:30 a.m. reporting someone had been shot in the 2400 block of Fern Street. While en route, deputies learned that a white male adult had reportedly walked up to a 75-year-old woman standing in front of her garage with her sister and opened fire, hitting the woman at least once. He was then said to have fled on foot, heading west toward Walnut Avenue.
When deputies arrived on scene, they reported seeing a man matching the suspect's description walking on Fern Street and contacted him at gunpoint. The man reportedly refused commands and fled into a nearby residence. Three deputies then surrounded the home while waiting for backup. According to the press release, at 10:40 a.m., the suspect exited the residence and walked toward the deputies, "pointing a firearm in the direction of the deputies."
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Crime / Education / Government
Cal Poly Humboldt Closed as Protesters Occupy Building
Posted By Thadeus Greenson on Tue, Apr 23, 2024 at 11:20 AM
The Cal Poly Humboldt campus is closed today, as dozens of protesters continue to occupy Siemens Hall, having barricaded its entrances, while calling on the university to divest from entities they say fuel Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas in Gaza.
“The message from inside is that, first of all, they feel the university is complicit because of the campus’ investments with weapons companies and Israeli companies,” said Ryan Connelly, a junior biology major who identified himself as a spokesperson for those occupying the building. “Their conditions for release of the building: Divest, and then we’ll talk.”
“The message from inside is that, first of all, they feel the university is complicit because of the campus’ investments with weapons companies and Israeli companies,” said Ryan Connelly, a junior biology major who identified himself as a spokesperson for those occupying the building. “Their conditions for release of the building: Divest, and then we’ll talk.”
Monday, April 22, 2024
Judge Rejects Changing Trans Youth Ballot Measure's Name
Posted By Carolyn Jones on Mon, Apr 22, 2024 at 2:31 PM
A group working on a fall ballot initiative that would limit the rights of transgender students lost a round in court Monday when a judge sided with the state in its description of the measure.
Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Stephen Acquisto ruled that Attorney General Rob Bonta’s title, “Restricts Rights of Transgender Youth,” is a fair description of the initiative, which would require schools to notify parents if a student identifies as transgender, ban gender-affirming care for those under 18 and place other limits on students who identify as a gender other than what they were assigned at birth.
The ruling is a setback for the group, dubbed Protect Kids California, as it tries to meet a May 28 deadline to collect 550,000 signatures to qualify for the fall ballot. The group has so far raised just over 200,000 signatures, organizers said.
Protect Kids California, led by Roseville school board member Jonathan Zachreson, put forth the initiative in November, calling it the “Protect Kids of California Act,” but a day after the group filed its paperwork with the Secretary of State, Bonta gave the initiative a new name and summary. The new name, Restricts Rights of Transgender Youth, and description made it harder to collect signatures and donations, Zachreson said, leading the group to sue for a name they said would be more reflective of the initiative’s goals.
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
State Bill Aims to Address Cyberbullying Off Campus
Posted By Ryan Sabalow/CalMatters on Tue, Apr 16, 2024 at 1:12 PM
But Long Beach Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal’s Assembly Bill 2351 is coming into conflict with California’s recent reforms intended to prevent students of color from being expelled and suspended at disproportionate rates.
The ACLU and other social justice organizations oppose Lowenthal’s bill. The bill’s critics told the Assembly Education Committee earlier this month at the bill’s first hearing that giving school administrators authority to punish students for behavior that occurs off campus could result in the return of “racially biased and disparate” punishment that puts students on a “school-to-prison pipeline.”
Lowenthal told the committee that as a socially-conscious Democrat, he previously couldn’t “imagine a scenario where I’m on a different side” from the ACLU, but he said his daughter’s experience highlighted why the law needs to change.
“Only a decade ago, school bullying ended once you got home and were safe,” he said. “Today, many of these activities are now taking place online, off campus, in the digital ether, and outside regular school hours, and there is nowhere and no time that our kids are truly safe.”
Monday, April 15, 2024
California Salmon Fishing Banned for Second Year in Row
Posted By Rachel Becker/CalMatters on Mon, Apr 15, 2024 at 11:27 AM
In a devastating blow to California’s fishing industry, federal fishery managers unanimously voted to cancel all commercial and recreational salmon fishing off the coast of California for the second year in a row.
The April 10 decision is designed to protect California’s dwindling salmon populations after drought and water diversions left river flows too warm and sluggish for the state’s iconic Chinook salmon to thrive.
Salmon abundance forecasts for the year “are just too low,” Marci Yaremko, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s appointee to the Pacific Fishery Management Council, said last week. “While the rainfall and the snowpacks have improved, the stocks and their habitats just need another year to recover.”
State and federal agencies are now expected to implement the closures for ocean fishing. Had the season not been in question again this year, recreational boats would likely already be fishing off the coast of California, while the commercial season typically runs from May through October.
In addition, the California Fish and Game Commission will decide next month whether to cancel inland salmon fishing in California rivers this summer and fall.
The closure means that California restaurants and consumers will have to look elsewhere for salmon, in a major blow to an industry estimated in previous years to be worth roughly half a billion dollars.
“It’s catastrophic,” said Tommy “TF” Graham, a commercial fisherman based in Bodega Bay who now drives a truck delivering frozen and farmed salmon and other fish. “It means another summer of being forced to do something you don’t want to do, instead of doing something you love.
Friday, April 12, 2024
UPDATE: Artillery Shell Deemed Safe in Ferndale
Posted By Thadeus Greenson on Fri, Apr 12, 2024 at 11:22 AM
UPDATE:
Ferndale Police Sgt. Robert Lindgren says the artillery shell that prompted the evacuation of a building and the partial closure of Main Street this morning while the county bomb squad responded was empty.
Lindgren also corrected some inaccurate information initially disseminated to the Journal by police amid the dynamic events of the morning. Lindgren says police were notified this morning of a possible explosive ordnance at a book store on Main Street and he responded, taking some pictures of the device to send to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad, which then asked him to evacuate the building and cordon off the area while it responded.
The device was ultimately removed using the bomb squad’s robot and then determined to be empty.
Lindgren says it was subsequently determined the book store’s owners acquired several boxes of what they thought were books about a month ago from some kind of estate sale. When they began going through the boxes today, Lindgren says they came across the antique artillery shell, were concerned and contacted Fortuna Police Chief Casey Day. The device was then reported to police dispatch, prompting Lindgren’s response.
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Tuesday, April 9, 2024
County Preps Measure S Enforcement Action on Hundreds of Cannabis Farms
Posted By Thadeus Greenson on Tue, Apr 9, 2024 at 6:49 PM
The Humboldt County Planning Department will soon be suspending the permits of hundreds of cannabis farmers who failed to enter into a payment agreement for owed Measure S taxes by the March 31 deadline, Planning Director John Ford told the Journal.
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted in October to give cannabis farmers until March 31 to enter into payment plans for a total of $14.1 million in unpaid excise taxes, and until March 31, 2025 to pay their bills in full. Ford said his department is awaiting a list from the Humboldt County Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office of farmers who have owed taxes but failed to enter into a payment plan.
According to Whitney Morgan, the county’s revenue and tax manager, 318 cannabis farmers have agreed to payment plans with the county that, if paid in full, would make good on a combined $4.2 million in taxes owed. But Morgan says farmers associated with another 401 accounts with balances due totaling $6.1 million failed to reach payment plans with the county by the deadline.
The numbers Morgan provided total $10.3 million — $3.8 million less than the amount staff said was owed in Measure S taxes back in October. Morgan says $2.8 million of that was deemed “uncollectable” by planning staff due to permits being “approved or withdrawn before cultivation,” while it was also discovered some accounts had been over billed due to misclassifications. Some accounts were also simply paid in full, she said.
Those who failed to enter a payment plan will have their permits suspended for 90 days, Ford said. Farmers can then use those 90 days to enter into a payment plan and pay “what should have been paid within the first 90 days,” in which case the suspension will be lifted, Ford said. Those who fail to enter a payment plan and come current on it within 90 days will see their permits scheduled for revocation, he said.
Ford said he expected the notices of suspension to be mailed out by the end of this week.
Passed by voters in 2016, Measure S imposes taxes on farms of up to between $1 and $3 per square foot of cultivation space, depending on whether its outdoor, mixed light or indoor. Supervisors voted to suspend the tax entirely for two years in 2022 but opted to reimpose it at a 90-percent reduced rate beginning for the 2024 cultivation year, with payments due in Spring of 2025. At the same time, they voted to begin cracking down on farms with unpaid tax bills.
It's uncertain of how much of the $10.3 million owed the county will be able to collect, as some have estimated the bulk of the $6.1 million owed by those who have not reached payment plans is for farms that have gone out of business, with their owners having left town and the properties involved having changed hands.
The bills coming due is also a point of anxiety for the local cannabis industry, which is already struggling amid statewide oversupply, low wholesale prices and what farmers deem excessive regulatory and compliance costs. The Humboldt County Grower’s Alliance (HCGA) has warned that the county’s effort to collect on owed Measure S taxes, coupled with the state no longer granting provision licenses beginning next year, could result in a “deck clearing” in 2024, with many farms going out of business.
“I’m hearing from a number of farmers who don’t have the money, who just still don’t have the money,” HCGA Executive Director Natalynne DeLapp said.
Editor's note: This story was updated from a previous version to correct the date by which owed Measure S taxes need to be paid in full. The Journal regrets the error.
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted in October to give cannabis farmers until March 31 to enter into payment plans for a total of $14.1 million in unpaid excise taxes, and until March 31, 2025 to pay their bills in full. Ford said his department is awaiting a list from the Humboldt County Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office of farmers who have owed taxes but failed to enter into a payment plan.
According to Whitney Morgan, the county’s revenue and tax manager, 318 cannabis farmers have agreed to payment plans with the county that, if paid in full, would make good on a combined $4.2 million in taxes owed. But Morgan says farmers associated with another 401 accounts with balances due totaling $6.1 million failed to reach payment plans with the county by the deadline.
The numbers Morgan provided total $10.3 million — $3.8 million less than the amount staff said was owed in Measure S taxes back in October. Morgan says $2.8 million of that was deemed “uncollectable” by planning staff due to permits being “approved or withdrawn before cultivation,” while it was also discovered some accounts had been over billed due to misclassifications. Some accounts were also simply paid in full, she said.
Those who failed to enter a payment plan will have their permits suspended for 90 days, Ford said. Farmers can then use those 90 days to enter into a payment plan and pay “what should have been paid within the first 90 days,” in which case the suspension will be lifted, Ford said. Those who fail to enter a payment plan and come current on it within 90 days will see their permits scheduled for revocation, he said.
Ford said he expected the notices of suspension to be mailed out by the end of this week.
Passed by voters in 2016, Measure S imposes taxes on farms of up to between $1 and $3 per square foot of cultivation space, depending on whether its outdoor, mixed light or indoor. Supervisors voted to suspend the tax entirely for two years in 2022 but opted to reimpose it at a 90-percent reduced rate beginning for the 2024 cultivation year, with payments due in Spring of 2025. At the same time, they voted to begin cracking down on farms with unpaid tax bills.
It's uncertain of how much of the $10.3 million owed the county will be able to collect, as some have estimated the bulk of the $6.1 million owed by those who have not reached payment plans is for farms that have gone out of business, with their owners having left town and the properties involved having changed hands.
The bills coming due is also a point of anxiety for the local cannabis industry, which is already struggling amid statewide oversupply, low wholesale prices and what farmers deem excessive regulatory and compliance costs. The Humboldt County Grower’s Alliance (HCGA) has warned that the county’s effort to collect on owed Measure S taxes, coupled with the state no longer granting provision licenses beginning next year, could result in a “deck clearing” in 2024, with many farms going out of business.
“I’m hearing from a number of farmers who don’t have the money, who just still don’t have the money,” HCGA Executive Director Natalynne DeLapp said.
Editor's note: This story was updated from a previous version to correct the date by which owed Measure S taxes need to be paid in full. The Journal regrets the error.
Friday, April 5, 2024
Judge Rules Arcata Can't Put Earth Flag on Top
Posted By Kimberly Wear on Fri, Apr 5, 2024 at 8:10 AM
The Earth flag’s future at the top of three municipal flagpoles in Arcata is in question after a judge found this week that voters there “do not have the power to exempt” the city from following state laws mandating the U.S. flag fly above all others.
Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Timothy Canning’s ruling on Measure M comes a year and a half after the citizen-led initiative directing the placement was approved in the November 2022 election with a final vote of 3,051 to 2,781, with around 52 percent having cast ballots in favor of putting the Earth flag on top.
Canning noted the principle question under his consideration at the request of the city was whether Arcata voters could impose the change through the local ballot measure process.
“There may be very strong policy reasons to fly the Earth flag above the national flag, as Measure M sets forth, but those policy reasons are insufficient to excuse the city from complying with mandatory state law on flying the national and state flags,” he wrote in the April 2 ruling.
Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Timothy Canning’s ruling on Measure M comes a year and a half after the citizen-led initiative directing the placement was approved in the November 2022 election with a final vote of 3,051 to 2,781, with around 52 percent having cast ballots in favor of putting the Earth flag on top.
Canning noted the principle question under his consideration at the request of the city was whether Arcata voters could impose the change through the local ballot measure process.
“There may be very strong policy reasons to fly the Earth flag above the national flag, as Measure M sets forth, but those policy reasons are insufficient to excuse the city from complying with mandatory state law on flying the national and state flags,” he wrote in the April 2 ruling.
Recent Comments
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Re: Faculty Association Condemns Clearing of Campus; Lawmakers Call for Healing
The McGuire-Wood's statement is a typical cowardly response by representatives of one of the corporate…
- on May 2, 2024
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Re: UPDATE: Most Cal Poly Humboldt On-Campus Housing to Go Freshmen-Only, Protest Planned
I agree. Not sure where my daughter is going to live as she is on…
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Re: Cal Poly Humboldt Closed as Protesters Occupy Building
OnTime, Where do the protesters expect Israel's Jewish citizens -- the ones who were born…
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Re: Cal Poly Humboldt Closed as Protesters Occupy Building
Hi Thatwasmint, How do you know the young people in Siemens Hall are misled and…
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Re: Cal Poly Humboldt Closed as Protesters Occupy Building
The demands seems to imply the college is directly tied to Israel, or Israel companies,…
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on April 23, 2024
