Cover Story
On The Lake
In January of 1965 the visionary painter Morris Graves wrote a letter to an old friend in Seattle: I am now, at last, buying the forest tract of land — near Eureka — which is where I will build a studio and settle. It is a 380-acre tract of virgin forest surrounding a five-acre lake.…
Suddenlink Ups the Ante to $10K
Remember a month or so ago when some nimrods cut off connections all over the county by chopping into Suddenlink’s fiber optic cables? The $5,000 reward the company was offering to help catch the culprits just got doubled. Here’s the note the company sent out explaining: “Suddenlink announced today that it is doubling its reward…
North Coast Railroad Authority Dodges Legal Challenge, Supports East-West Study
Today’s meeting of the North Coast Railroad Authority’s Board of Directors saw plenty of impassioned arguments, lots of squabbling over legalese and at least two cases of hurt feelings. The two most notable results were these: 1) The board voted 8-1 to delete key parts of a 2011 resolution, thus invalidating an environmental impact report…
More Lovin’ On CR
Well, amid all the sad talk of budget cuts and squinched offerings for students, the good money-news keeps a-comin’. First it was a vow from the community to round up the money to keep the college’s baseball program going. Now it’s a windfall for the college’s gerontology care program. According to the college, its Health…
Safe! (CR Baseball, That Is)
Afer much ballyhooing from the stands — and promises from community members to jump in and raise some dough — College of the Redwoods plans to bring back baseball. The college’s 46-year-old intercollegiate baseball program was benched a couple years ago, in one of the college’s budget-trimming moments. Men’s soccer was cut, too, and so…
Fortuna Facing Big Budget Cuts
The City of Fortuna is facing a $435,669 shortfall this coming fiscal year and will have to make what a news release from the city today calls “significant cuts to the City budget”: “The City Council is resolute about addressing this financial situation at the earliest possible opportunity and is prepared to make tough decisions…
Nurses Set Stage For Possible Strike
St. Joseph Hospital nurses voted last week to authorize a strike — but that doesn’t mean they’re about to strike. It means they’ve handed their nurse representatives a big cudgel to raise high in threat above the bargaining table where they’ve sat for weeks haggling with hospital administration over their new contract. “It’s used as…
A-holes Saw Down Old Growth Redwood so They Can Steal a Burl
That’s right: Some depraved reprobate(s) chopped down a 300-year-old natural wonder so they could hack part of it off, chainsaw it into a bear shape and hawk it to tourists on Hwy. 101. This happened up in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park last month, and the nefarious deed has understandably unleashed the righteous wrath of…
Kids: Enviro-Disaster
Editor: In California you can’t seem to bring your dog anywhere, and everywhere you do, they must be leashed (“Unleashed,” March 7). You can’t tie your dog up on a street and you can’t leave your dog in a car. I guess you have to leave them at home? Do you have to be a…
Spring
Spring The flowers, they bloom as the cars go vroom crushing the yellow buttercups. The sun, it shines burning all the vines and bringing the whole forest down. The people they frolic cuz’ they’re jobless alcoholics and that’s the meaning of spring. — Caleb Kerr (13)
Word Lovin’
Editor: Thanks to Pat Dillman for her comments about word accuracy usage in the NCJ (“Watch Your Words,” Mailbox, March 28). I have noticed numerous inaccurate use of words and even misspellings. Please help these writers to use proper terminology. If in doubt, check it out. Thanks for pressing on to publish this newspaper each…
Megafloods: Coming Our Way?
The Humboldt Redwoods State Park visitor center at Weott has a fine display, including newsreel movies, telling the story of the 1964 “Christmas flood.” It focuses on Eel River communities, such as Myers Flat, Weott, South Fork, Shively, Pepperwood and Stafford, all of which were essentially wiped out by floodwaters. However, those December rains also…
Beware the Police State
Editor: On Oct. 18, the Journal reported that Project Censored determined the expanding police state tops the list of underreported stories by the mainstream media. The militarization of our police has dramatically increased. Yes, here in Humboldt County. Recently, Carrie Peyton Dahlberg, your editor, was bullied and intimidated for trying to photograph a safe crime…
While Adults Play …
An eerie serenity has taken over the normally bustling Discovery Museum in Old Town Eureka. It’s after hours now, on the first Saturday night in February, and the lights in the lobby and gift shop have been turned off. Julia Grosby is shuffling through brightly colored paper, sorting it into piles and cutting out rectangles.…
Today’s Lesson: Sharing
Editor: The Fortuna Elementary School District is currently negotiating with Redwood Preparatory Charter School for space to house their school (“Charter School Rift,” Jan. 24). The districts offer was fair: Use of six classrooms; additional full-size classroom which could be divided for multiple uses such as administration office and individual instruction; shared use of girl’s…
In Praise of Giving
Editor: Many are called to give to the poor and needy as documented in the oldest manuscript still available to read. Abraham gave generously to strangers, giving them food and lodging for as long as they needed. Likewise, countless others have given freely, unconditionally to countless needy persons for thousands of years. So it is…
Dancing Into Spring
From students exploring their powers to established artists venturing in new directions, the spring dance season offers two highlights this weekend, with more coming up soon. This Thursday, April 4, at the Van Duzer, the HSU department of theater, film and dance presents On the Edge of Your Feet, an evening of contemporary dances. The university’s…
Thanks NCJ, Sorry Isom
Editor: I want to thank you for your “Dear School Trustees” editorial (Dec. 13, 2012), which I read and saved. Good thing, too, for once again Jon Isom is beating the parcel tax drum here in Southern Humboldt. Really, Jon, since when do new buildings guarantee an education? Reduce dropout rates? Guarantee my child will…
HumCPR Insights
Editor: This week’s cover story on HumCPR (“HumCPR Rising,” March 28) I was extraordinarily well written — especially given the limited access provided by one of the principal subjects of the story. I was impressed by the way his caution of the interview was presented without belittlement. I stayed up late just to read through the…
A Will to Hack
A Will to Hack
Classic Magic
The Tempest is Shakespeare’s last play and in some ways a summation. For one thing it’s a kind of anthology of clips from his greatest hits: there’s the royal treachery of his histories, a romance in a pastoral setting, a philosophical protagonist, spectacle, magic, music and a couple of clowns. It’s rare if not singular…
Electoral Mandate
Electoral Mandate
Shadows and Fog
Shadows and Fog: San Francisco Noir is the theme for the Humboldt County Library’s Based on the Book movies series in April. Each Tuesday there’s a screening of a 1940s era crime film shot or set in the fabled Bagdad by the Bay. First up, April 9, the quintessential detective story, The Maltese Falcon, based…
Disney Girls Gone Wild
Reviews SPRING BREAKERS. I’ve never been tempted to watch a Harmony Korine film twice. He floored me with the raw teenage sexuality of 1995’s Kids, which he co-wrote, and disgusted me with sociopathic images in 1997’s Gummo. I can acknowledge the artistic expressions and powerful messages of his films, but then it’s time to…
Political Reality 2013
We often read in news articles that so-and-so couldn’t be reached for comment. Well, sometimes a reporter just doesn’t try very hard. Sometimes we’re even glad when our phone calls aren’t returned, truth be told. But I want Journal readers to know how hard we tried to get an interview with our new Humboldt…
Something from Nothing
It started with a musical collaboration between the master of liquid guitar lyricism Steve Kimock, and the dynamic drummer Greg Anton. The year was 1984; the place, Marin County. “Greg and I met playing with Keith and Donna [Godchaux] in Heart of Gold,” recalled Kimock. “Then, tragically and unexpectedly, Keith lost his life in a…
Arts Alive! Saturday, April 6, 6-9 p.m.
1. EUREKA INN 518 Seventh St. Lauren Cogan Jones, mixed media. 2. MORRIS GRAVES MUSEUM OF ART 636 F St. Performance Rotunda, music by Marla Joy and Mike Conboy. Thonson Gallery, 12th annual Northwest Eye regional photography competition and exhibit, awards presented at 5:30 p.m.; Atrium & Rotunda Gallery, Selections from the HAC permanent collection; Homer Balabanis…
Fortuna’s First Friday Art Night, Friday, April 5, 2013
BARTOW’S JEWELERS, 651 12th St. Art by Susan Genell Schuessler CUDDLY BEAR THRIFT STORE, 751 10th St. Open jam night — bring your instruments! DOWNTOWN STORE FRONT GALLERY, Main Street between 11th and 12th streets. Artists from the Fortuna Arts Council. EEL RIVER BREWING COMPANY, 1777 Alamar Way. Melissa McQuinn will be making a live…
Bowling Memories
Editor: The bowling article (“For the Love of Bowling,” March 21) revived some very old memories. I took a bowling class at Portland State. I told the owner of the bowling alley that I would help take care of the alley if he taught me how to bowl and let me bowl free. He agreed.…
Audit CR!
Editor: College of the Redwoods is out of touch with the community (“CR Faces the Music,” Blog Jammin, March 14). The cuts of classes and faculty while adding remedial classes at the expense of viable classes are an example of that. The music program and theater art department have NOT been losing money. In fact,…
