People / By / Yesterday, 12:55 p.m.

The Mayor of Camoapa

We ran into Mayor Rosaura Altamirano from Camoapa, Nicaragua on the Arcata Plaza, in town for the IBlock Party on Monday, Labor Day. With help from translator Nora Wynne, who works with the Arcata/Camoapa Sister City Project, we talked about how the two cities work together.

Activism, film, Government / By Heidi Walters / Sept. 2, 1:51 p.m.

Extra Sunny Fortuna

Remember Janelle Egger? You know, the Fortuna resident whose attempts to find out more about her city government’s plans to build a new water tank turned into a Kafkaesque quest and public records lawsuit against the city?

Well, with the help of Access Humboldt’s citizen-production services, she’s made a documentary of the saga: “Boondoggle in thrifty Fortuna?”
From Egger’s news release:

I began in the spring of 2008 to question why the city was planning to build a water tank since we have a virtually unused city reservoir with enough storage for the entire city. After a two year investigation of public records, including a struggle to access city records, I’m still puzzled as to why we are not using the city reservoir. But I’m convinced that the reasons given to build a new tank do not hold water.

Access Humboldt will air the documentary at 3:30 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 4, and at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 5. And there will be more airings in the future.

Egger’s timing is impeccable: She’s running for Fortuna City Council.

Crime / By Hank Sims / Aug. 26, 8:22 p.m.

Kneeland This Morning, in Images

Local photographer Mark McKenna was at the scene of the police investigation in Kneeland this morning. He graciously sent along a few photographs, including one of District Attorney Paul Gallegos riding in a helicopter. Click the images to magnify them.

Crime, Press Releases / By Hank Sims / Aug. 26, 4:04 p.m.

Final Tally: One Arrested, One Injured, One Safe and One Dead

From the Sheriff’s Office:

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Deputies continue to investigate the shooting that was reported to official this morning. At about 2:00 p.m. deputies found the body of a deceased adult male near a marijuana grow site. The preliminary cause of death appears to be a gunshot wound. Deputies do not expect to find additional victims but are continuing to search the area.

Investigators have learned that the shooting likely occurred last evening and involved four individuals: the suspect and three victims. Of the victims, one was airlifted to an out-of-the-area hospital for treatment for gunshot injuries. The second victim is deceased. The third victim was uninjured during the incident. The identity of all three victims is being withheld. The suspect, Mykal Wilde, 28 of Eureka, was arrested this morning and has been booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility for one count of murder and one count of attempted murder.

The motive for the shooting is still under investigation although Sheriff’s Detectives believe there was a dispute over illegal activity.

Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

Crime / By Hank Sims / Aug. 26, 10:53 a.m.

Police Search for Kneeland Shooting Suspect

At least one man was severely injured in shootout in Kneeland last night, apparently in a marijuana-related dispute. Police didn’t hear about the incident until this morning, when the wounded man is believe to have shown up at Kneeland airport seeking assistance. He is being Medivaced to Redding as we speak.

Stay tuned, however. We are getting signals — unconfirmed, for the moment — that this is actually a whole lot worse.

Police are now looking for Mikal Wilde of Greenwood Heights — white male adult, 28 years old, 6‘2”, shaved head and goatee. He is believed to be driving a dark green or black Ford F250 four-wheel drive, California license plate number 7B57780. 

Anyone with information is urged to call the Sheriff’s Office: (707) 445-7251.

UPDATE, 11:30 a.m.: Scanner traffic says that the suspect has been taken into custody on Greenwood Heights Road. Officers on the scene paged animal control to take custody of two pit bulls.

UPDATE, 11:53 a.m.: The CalFire Twitter feed reports what we’ve been hearing; that three people were found dead in Kneeland this morning. The Sheriff’s Office will not yet confirm this.

UPDATE: Here.

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