News

Zeke Grader of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fisherman's Associations submitted himself to a virtual lynching on the Sean Hannity show last week, as the host broadcast live in front of a mob of Central Valley farmers.

Grader gave as good as he got, but guess what? Everyone lost.

Hardcore!

Photo by Alessandro Catenazzi

From National Geographic News comes this:

Once the parasitic crustaceans enter the gills of a tadpole victim, they feed off the tadpole's tissues until male and female parasites mate. The male dies soon after. Meanwhile the fertilized female bores her way partially out of the tadpole.

Yes, and then the tadpole develops into a small, weak frog possibly with no hind legs or missing an eye or otherwise deformed. The NGN briefing summarizes a report just published in the journal Copeia about this parasitic copepod, Lernaea cyprinacea , which has proliferated in the overwarm waters of South Fork Eel River and wormed its way into Foothill Yellow-legged frogs, Rana boylii .

 

 

New Ferndalian Blog: The Ferndale Sloth was "... founded Sept. 15, 2009 for no particular reason other than a slothly desire to read news about Ferndale every day of the week."

The North Country Fair is underway on the Arcata Plaza . Here's a preview of the kind of thing you'll see and hear: SoHum's Lost Coast Marimbas play at 4:30 on the 9th and H stage. They're shown performing at the recent I-Block Party elsewhere in Arcata.

Chron.

KSLG DJ John Matthews has long been the local master of the "get." But this is astounding, even by his high standards:

September 18, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich with John Matthews on 94.1 KSLG

Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich will discuss his new memoir, The Governor with John Matthews this Monday (9/21/09) at 8:30 a.m. Blagojevich  will stand trial next year on federal corruption charges that could put him in prison for 20 years or more.

Listeners can tune in on the dial at 94.1 KSLG FM or online at kslg.com

On Monday, a demolition crew hired by the federal government returned to work at the decommissioned Centerville Beach Naval Station, west of Ferndale, and discovered several pieces of machinery had been stolen, according to a press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office. Workers noted a gaping hole in a security fence, the release states, and found the following items missing:

A 1991 (approx. year) Bobcat 553 Skid Steer Loader, white, orange and black. The Bobcat had an attached custom-made grapple bucket. The tires on the Bobcat are Setco brand solid (hard rubber) tires.

A 1998 24-foot Towmaster trailer with a bamboo deck, black in color, with "NWDD" on a stainless steel plate that is attached to the front frame rail of the trailer. The trailer displays Oregon License plate HS34108. The trailer is used to transport the Bobcat.

A Multiquip brand 25KVA generator. The generator has wheels.

The victim estimated the value of the stolen property at approximately $39,000, which would qualify the crime as grand theft nearly 100 times over.

 

Exports FAIL!: A Eureka couple got busted yesterday while speeding through Iowa in a pickup truck loaded with 116 pounds of marijuana and $7,000 in cash. A sheriff named Jeff Danker made the bust, with help from his canine partner. UPDATE: An astute reader recognized the name of the busted genius and speculated that he might be this Geoff Brandon

State Park Closure List Delayed: ... according to the SF

Local business owners and accountants gathered this morning at Eureka's Wharfinger building to have their nerd-wired, number-thirsty skulls ladled full of envigorating tax law concepts like "two-factor apportionment formulas" and "cross-jurisdictional vouchering." And you missed it, sucker!

Actually, if you or someone you're fond of owns a business in Eureka, you probably should have been there, because the nugget of sunshiny goodness buried deep within the turbid legalese was this: Vast portions of Eureka lie within a bonafide, state-recognized Enterprize Zone , which means if you're fool hardy enough to run a business in this economic sump, Mr. Taxman will likely cut you some slack.

EZs are designed to boost jobs and business investments in California's economically distressed areas. (Hello, Eureka.) The EZ in our county seat -- one of 42 statewide -- was established back in 1986 and renewed/rejiggered three years ago. Small business owners operating within the EZ could* qualify for breaks on stuff like the employees they hire, the sales/use taxes they pay and the business-related purchases they make. Plus, banks that lend them money may be able to deduct the interest.

*It''s all subject to enough hoops and hurdles to sprain the brains of the untrained.

The 2009 Enterprise Zone Workshop (the official name of this morning's gig) was sponsored by North Valley Bank, which provided coffee, snacks and plenty of glossy adverts. Jargon-master Lila Fedler, an education and outreach specialist with the state's Franchise Tax Board , dutifully facilitated the event -- walking people through the basics, which several local business owners clearly appreciated.

John "Hawk" Martin, owner of Humboats Kayak Adventures, said his business typically operates on credit, which has been hard to come by of late, so he was intrigued by the tax incentives available to lenders. "We're a small business," Martin said. "A little help could allow us to hire more people."

Antich Automotive owner Mike Connerly agred that local business owners need all the help they can get. In his 32 years in business, Connerly has never taken advantage of the available EZ tax credits, but the current economic malaise motivated him to learn more, he said. "To be quite honest, it's been a struggle just to stay in business," Connerly said.

Eureka Redevelopment Agency Program Manager Marie Liscom invited Eureka business owners to call her with questions at 441-4215. You should probably have a pen and paper handy. You can also take a business assessment survey here to "help guide public policy and decision making," according to City Manager David Tyson.