This just in from HSU:
News Advisory - H1N1
Humboldt State University’s Student Health Center (SHC) received its first positive test confirming Novel H1N1 (swine) flu virus in an HSU student on Monday, September 14, 2009. Many students have visited the SHC today with flu-like illness, probably reflecting a mix of conditions that includes H1N1. Students experiencing coughs and fever are advised to phone the SHC at 826-3146. Everyone in the campus community is advised to take precautions and visit the University’s flu Web site, http://www.humboldt.edu/flu.
Personal hygiene is essential and prevention guidelines are posted on the Web site. College-age individuals are particularly vulnerable to the H1N1 virus. Symptoms resemble seasonal flu. Besides cough and fever, they include sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. During the summer, Humboldt State completed a Pandemic Response and Business Continuity Plan to sustain instruction and essential services to the extent feasible if the virus causes widespread absences and reduced staffing levels.
Remember that story you read in the Journal in August titled, "Fee-For-All"?
In it Ryan Burns detailed how, "For six years, CR illegally heisted hundreds of Hamiltons from students." It seems the College of the Redwoods was charging students for tests the state had already paid for.
Today we received a press release that admits the mistake:
CR may owe you a refund
College of the Redwoods is looking for students who may be entitled to a refund.If you were charged a $10 fee for retaking math and English assessment tests between July 2003 and Spring 2009, you may are entitled to a refund. CR mistakenly charged this fee.
CR is trying to locate affected students so that we can mail them a refund check. To receive a refund, please send an e-mail to [email protected] and include:
- Your CR ID number.
- Your current mailing address
- Your best estimate of the, date, month or time period when you retested for math and English placement.
A colleague was threading her way through the dredded plaza this afternoon, when a good citizen slipped this little white square of paper into her hand and said, "Be forewarned."
Ominous. Indeed. And as you can see from the little square, somebody thinks there's going to be a real day-wrecker a year from now. A three-state bummer.
Dutifully we went to the Web site , and saw that the fellow behind this prophesy -- "weatherbill" -- is a Cancer, lives in Nashville, works in construction and is additionally occupied as an "Electrician/Minister/watchman/writer/worship leader/evangelist/giver/servant/child sponsor/speaker/teacher/guitarist, all by the grace of God!"
He wasn't the one handing out the warnings today on the Arcata Plaza. Weatherbill's assistant?
Anyway, Weatherbill says you might want to plan to be away from California, Oregon and Washington on the weekends of Sept. 3 and 10.(Save up your furloughs?)
Oh, also, if you're on his Web site, and you decide you want to leave a comment, please do be respectful and not mention any birds in your missive:
OK, that was a cheap shot. But, and now we're serious, we've got just one question about all of this: What about our hedge of protection ?!
Our own Andrew Goff noticed these tropically clad worshipers singing and praying in front of the county courthouse this morning and stopped to inquire about the occasion. A friendly disciple informed him that the group had gathered on this eighth anniversary of 9/11, with Old Glories and a wooden cross in tow, to pray for protection from another terrorist attack.
For most folks, anyway -- and likely not without some tech-wrangling.
KEET's press release last week announcing that KEETWorld would no longer be available on Suddenlink cable channel eight annoyed fans of Tavis Smiley , Alan Alda and science . It seems Access Humboldt has held the rights to the channel all along and was simply loaning the space to KEET until they (Access Humboldt) chose to claim a fourth (!) public access channel. (And they have rights to a fifth, should they want it.)
Today, KEET Executive Director Ron Schoenherr told the Journal that Suddenlink found another spot for KEETWorld -- digital channel 108. And where the heck's that, you ask? Schoenherr explains:
If you currently receive the two KEET channels over the air [as in, through old-fashioned broadcast technology] you will continue to do so. If you have cable service through Suddenlink and a digital TV you will be able to receive [KEETWorld] on channel 108. If you don't have a digital TV, subscribers will need to exchange their analog cable box for a digital cable box.
Got it? If not, don't worry. Schoenherr said people will be around the KEET offices to help folks figure it out on the day of the transition -- September 15. "We're going to expect some phone calls," he said.
Access Humboldt Executive Director Sean McLaughlin said he's not a KEETWorld hater. In fact, he and his wife enjoy their programming at home, and he was happy to hear there will be a new spot for it.
"For us, [reclaiming the channel] wasn't so much because we had a lot of other local content...", he said. "Access Humboldt -- our whole thing is 'local voices through community media.' We look at the channels as venues for community people to speak."
He said channel 12 is the "anything goes channel." The recently opened channel 11 is for everything from interactive, live and experimental programming to overflow from other channels. Ten is the civic channel -- "like our local C-SPAN," McLaughlin said -- airing meetings from the County Board of Supervisors, city councils, planning commissions, even the Harbor District (coming soon!).
Which leaves eight for education. (It's being rebranded as "EDUC8.") It will be available to all local educational institutions, including HSU, CR and area school districts. Access Humboldt's new high-definition digital media center -- a big instigator in the digital land grab -- will be located in the old woodshop building at Eureka High. Local educators are encouraged to contact Access Humboldt if they're interested in getting something on the air (click the link above).
McLaughlin said KEET employees and viewers were certainly disappointed about getting the boot, but he stood firm in his defense of public access.
"We're not commercial TV," he said. "We're not about the most popular programs. Our mission is the First Ammendment."
This just in from NHM board member Karen Reiss:
HSU and Natural History Museum Board discuss plan to keep museum open until July 2010; future still uncertain
The HSU Natural History Museum Advisory Board met with HSU Provost Robert Snyder and College of Natural Resources and Sciences Associate Dean Steven Smith last night to discuss the future of the Natural History Museum. The University had announced on August 7th that the Museum would be closed permanently at the end of the month due to California's fiscal crisis and the University's need to cut millions from their annual operating budget. Following the initial announcement, the Board and public rallied to keep the museum open by a dual effort that involved fundraising to replace HSU's state funds contribution, and creating a proposal for a model that would allow the museum to operate without any state funds. The proposal submitted to HSU on August 28th by the museum Board and the Friends of the North Coast's Natural History Museum outlined a transition from the current university-funded and managed entity to an independent non-profit museum, funded and managed through the volunteer efforts of an elected Board of Directors and fewer permanent staff. The transitional phase was proposed to be partially funded by the grassroots fundraising efforts, which in the last few weeks has already netted approximately $74,000 in pledges from an energized base in the community.In last night's meeting, Provost Snyder noted that HSU would not be able to sell or lease the building until at least July 1, 2010, and committed to leaving the exhibits intact at the present time, rather than beginning to dismantle them, significantly extending the time period during which an alternative model for museum operations can be developed. The University also expressed interest in allowing K-12 educators to use the museum for class trips during the current academic year. This would enable curriculum specific to the Natural History Museum, written last year with funds from the McLean Foundation and the Redwood Science Project, to be utilized by area teachers. HSU also agreed to discuss the possibility of the fledgling Friends of the North Coast's Natural History Museum funding the expenses that would be necessary to keep the museum open to the public until July 2010. Details of such an arrangement remain to be worked out.
With respect to the long-term fate of the Museum, HSU plans to form a workgroup composed of representatives of the HSU administration, faculty, K-12 educators, and Museum Board to develop a proposal for the future of the Museum. In parallel, the Board intends to execute plans outlined in their proposal that move toward an independent nonprofit organization running the Museum. These include incorporating, applying for non-profit status, electing a new Board of Directors, and applying for grants and continuing to fund-raise for capital that will secure the long-term viability of the Museum.
For the present, the museum remains closed, but there now appears to be some hope that the Museum will be able to reopen to K-12 educators and the public shortly. In the long term, the Friends of the North Coast's Natural History Museum are committed to ensuring that a natural history museum that serves the needs of the North Coast community will continue to exist, whatever precise form it may take, and whatever role HSU chooses to play.
UPDATE #2: The T-S has the details.
UPDATE: Busted.
County Drug Task Force officers gave four loud repetitions of "Police Department! Search Warrant! Demanding Entry!" before busting open the front door. Inside an attached studio building they found processed marijuana, packaging material, two scales and seven grown lights feeding an untold number of two- to three-feet tall mature marijuana plants.
"We suspect it is a grow house," Nelson said. PG&E reportedly contacted the APD requesting a civil standby during a power theft investigation. The power company suspects the owners of having rigged a bypass to steal electricity.
According to neighbors, the house is owned by a local family, some of whom live in McKinleyville while others live in either Fortuna or Bridgeville. Nobody lives in the Arcata house full-time, the neighbors said.
The Journal is on the scene. Stay tuned.
Michael Peacock Dead, Homicide Supsected: The man who testified for the prosecution in the case against former Mendocino County Republican Party Chair Kenny Rogers was killed Friday. Foul play appears to have been invovled, according to the Sacramento Bee.
In July, Rogers was convicted of soliciting the murder of a political opponent; Tim Stelloh's report on the case was our Aug. 20 cover story.
all posts with fowl language will be deleted. I don't mind strong opposing opinions, just keep it clean. thanx
September 7, 2009 7:42 PM