Shipping News
(July 23, 2009) Humboldt County is an insanely political place, but off-year elections are not usually very exciting. You’ve got your school boards and your community services districts — important stuff, but not usually interesting anyone who isn’t immediately affected by the work of such bodies. With rare exception, they generally don’t inspire the countywide heat that your Board of Supervisor race does, say, or our Eureka City Council election.
There’s been one exception to this rule in recent cycles: The Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District. This district’s grand, insanely expensive and against-all-odds plan to bring container shipping and other types of international freight to Humboldt Bay has been a dependable political lightning rod since at least 2005. Plenty of money, time and effort have gone into district races, and plenty of screaming ensues.
It looks like the election coming up this Nov. 3 will not disappoint. Here’s a preview of the two races on the ballot as they stand today.
Division Three: Mike Wilson (incumbent) v. Dan Hauser.
Hauser — a freight-booster — announced his candidacy Friday morning for the district’s Arcata-centric seat, personally dropping off the press release at the Journal offices. He is a former state assemblymember, former Arcata City Manager and former executive director of the North Coast Railroad Authority, the state agency that owns the long-defunct rail line through Humboldt County. In the past year he has twice asked the Board of Supervisors to appoint him to the board of directors of the railroad authority; in both cases, the board chose someone else.
“I feel that we need a commissioner who will both protect the environment of Humboldt Bay and create meaningful jobs for our community. I will research all environmental and economic facts when looking at the best option for creating living-wage jobs,” Hauser writes in his announcement statement. “I firmly believe that we must continue to explore the option of creating a world-class green port that will set an example for smaller ports around the world.”
Hauser kicks off his candidacy with a long list of endorsements from old-school Democratic Humboldt County political movers and shakers. They include Supervisors Jimmy Smith and Jill Duffy, Senator Wes Chesbro, Arcata Mayor Mark Wheetley, Eureka Mayor Virginia Bass and current Bay District commissioners Ronnie Pelligrini and Roy Curless. Somewhat shockingly to anyone who has been around here for a while, they also include former Humboldt County Supervisors Danny Walsh and Anna Sparks, prominent representatives of the old-old-school Humboldt County conservative scene, which once loathed the liberal Hauser and his whole crew with an ardent passion.
Third Division incumbent Mike Wilson, perhaps the county’s most prominent freight skeptic, said today that he will, in fact, seek reelection. “I plan on running, but I haven’t made an announcement yet,” he said.
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Label GMOs Signature Gathering Training
meetings / 4 p.m. Sun Yi's Academy of Tae Kwon Do, 1215 Giuntoli Lane, Arcata. Help gather valid signatures to get the 'California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act' on the 2012 ballot. E-mail northernhumboldtlabelgmos@hotmail.com. 223-0424.
Open Celtic Music Session
music / 3 p.m. Cafe Veritas/Mosgo's, 180 Westwood Center, Arcata. Informal monthly gathering of musicians playing Irish and other Celtic music. Hosted by Seabury Gould. seaburygould.com. 845-8167.
Nonviolence Action Camp
etc. / 10 a.m. Chinmaya Mission near Piercy. Weekend-long direct action orientation features workshops, role playing, seminars, ceremonies and field trips. Bring food, bedding, warm clothes, signs, banners, bikes, drums, acoustic instruments. Pre-register. saverichardsongrove.org. 932-5898.
Audubon Society Field Trip
outdoors / 9 a.m. Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 1020 Ranch Road, Loleta. Meet at Refuge Visitor Center off Hookton Road. Leisurely, two- to three-hour trip intended for people wanting to learn birds of Humboldt Bay area. 822-3613.
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TWO Comments
Comment / By A Little More / July 24, 2009, 3:34 p.m.
Wow! Here we go again! District 3 is going to be an exciting race but wait… District 4 is starting to heat up.
We hear news of a possible spoiler for district 4? Well get your big guns out this is going to be good. Could there be a spoiler to the spoiler? Stay tuned we will find there are more people who want that seat then the two possibly three that we might hear about. It only takes one person to change that out come of an election. Look for it in August by the dead line.
Don’t forget your history surrounding these elections. Some former players maybe out for revenge? This is going to be good. The real news here is how much money will these people raise for their election, $25,000.00, 35,000.00 maybe more? I forget does this job pay anything?
You had better believe that there are a whole lot of special little groups with a whole lot of money both pro and con. We sincerely hope they do not violate any local rules for contributions from outside sources.
Thank you for your article, keep digging this one is going to go hot soon. You think there was mud slinging last election look out it’s going to get mean real quick. This time around everyone has a target on their back that says dig up dirt here.
:-)
Comment / By BOB2 / July 27, 2009, 3:34 p.m.
Don’t want no job producing port in Eureka, it would cut into beer drinking and getting stoned all the time. Why that would be insane!