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February 21, 2002
Daly escrow
to close --not
A spokesperson for Humboldt
State University said earlier this week that HSU expects escrow
to close March 1 on the sale of the Daly building complex in
Eureka to developer Dan Ollivier.
"As far as I know, escrow
is proceeding," said Elizabeth Hans McCrone.
Ollivier could not be reached
for comment Tuesday, but some city officials expressed doubt
the sale will proceed without resolution as to the fate of the
historical State Theater, one of three buildings in the Daly
complex.
Members of the Eureka Redevelopment
Board expressed frustration at HSU officials, who were not present
at the board's Feb. 13 meeting.
The Daly Building complex at
5th and G streets was purchased by the university in 1998 with
a $700,000 interest-free loan from city redevelopment funds.
HSU's plan was to transform the State Theater into a performing
arts center. The project was cancelled by HSU in 2000 due to
lack of funds.
Redevelopment board chairman
Glenn Goldan said the university, not the city, bears responsibility
for the fate of the buildings.
Developer Dan Ollivier offered
HSU $550,000 for the entire property -- minus the old Daly parking
lot across F Street which had been sold to the city. He told
the Journal in January he was interested in renovating only the
newest of the three buildings and wants the city to demolish
the oldest building for additional parking. The fate of the historic
State Theater remains unclear. Ollivier has said from the beginning
of negotiations that renovating the theater is not part of his
plan.
The board is recommending that
the City Council put pressure on university officials to help
find a solution to saving the historic structure. The council
may take up the issue March 5, four days after the escrow deadline.
Pool to
open in May
Fresh from extensive repair
and renovation, the Eureka High School pool will reopen in May.
The pool was shut in 1996 because
of a leak that released about 8,000 gallons of water before it
was found. Reopening the pool turned out to be a more involved
process than just fixing the leak. Multiple regulations that
had been enacted since the pool's construction had to be addressed.
Foremost among the improvements was providing accessibility for
handicapped individuals, required by the Americans with Disabilities
Act.
The renovation was made possible
by contributions from Robin and Cherie Arkley, who have also
helped fund improvements at the Sequoia Park Zoo and the city's
new boardwalk.
Jacks move
to No. 5
The Humboldt State University
men's basketball team climbed up another notch in the national
rankings this week, making it No. 5 in their division.
The team is having a record-breaking
year, with a talented young squad serving up an unprecedented
22-1 record.
The Jacks' last home game is
this week, Feb. 23, at 8 p.m in HSU's East Gym against Central
Washington. The games have been selling out, so show up early.
The HSU women's team plays at 6 p.m.
Forest Plan
advisers sought
Concerned about the way Six
Rivers National Forest is being run? Here's your chance. A group
that advises federal lands managers is looking for new members.
The California Coast Provincial
Advisory Committee advises federal agencies responsible for implementing
the Northwest Forest Plan for this area. Two members are needed
-- one to represent environmental interests and one at-large
member.
The Northwest Forest Plan, set
up by executive order in 1994, sets policy on all federal land
within the range of the spotted owl. The plan has slowed the
flow of logs from national forests to sawmills, but it doesn't
just deal directly with timber harvests. Roads, vegetation management
and recreation are also affected by the plan.
According to Phebe Brown, spokesperson
for the Forest Service, "The plan deals with all facets
of land management on federal land in the owl's range."
One example is a recent recommendation
to federal land managers that the Eel River be given priority
for restoration funds. The recommendation, made because the river
is seen as being sorely distressed, doesn't carry the force of
law -- but it does carry a lot of weight, Brown added.
Milk labeled
hormone-free
In response to consumer concerns,
Humboldt Creamery announced it will start labeling its milk "hormone
free."
The change may reassure dairy
drinkers, but it will only affect what's on the outside of the
carton, not what's on the inside. Humboldt Creamery already tries
to make sure its milk is not produced using recombinant bovine
growth hormone, or rBGH.
A fail-safe guarantee is impossible,
as milk produced using the hormone is chemically indistinguishable
from milk from a cow that isn't using steroids. The creamery
relies on assurances from dairymen who say they do not use the
substance to boost milk output.
Union, environmentalists
link
Labor and environmental groups
haven't always seen eye to eye, but when the two started looking
for common interests in Humboldt County, they found an opportunity
for cooperation -- using union construction expertise to restore
watersheds.
"We want to make sure there
are trained people doing that kind of work," said Jim Smith,
president of the Humboldt-Del Norte Central Labor Council and
the American Federation of Federal State and Municipal Employees
Local No. 57.
The first step will be to locate
a site for a demonstration project and to seek government funding,
Smith said.
It's the first step for the
North Coast Initiative, an effort to combine the interests of
labor and the environmental movement. The steering committee's
roster reads like an all-star team of Humboldt County activists:
Smith shares the lead with Freeman House, author and salmon restoration
pioneer. Backing the duo up are leaders of most major union locals
and several environmental groups.
While the group may eventually
involve itself in activities like political advocacy, right now
the focus is on restoration work, Smith said. The unions could
help the restoration community by providing skilled workers,
and restoration groups could help workers by providing jobs.
In the long run, the goal is to build a cadre of skilled watershed
restoration professionals who could be on call for projects.
"It has been the experience
of everyone involved that the best way to create community is
to do the physical work together," House said.
Election
in Trinidad April 9
In a city with only 311 residents,
it can be hard to find enough candidates to fill the City Council's
table. But for the first time since 1996, Trinidad has found
more than enough, forcing an election.
Pat Morales, James R. Webb,
Greg McCormick and George Bowman applied to fill the three slots
left vacant by incumbents who decided not to run. Those incumbents
are Trey Huff, Brent Twoomey and Maria Bartlett.
In recent years vacancies on
the council have been filled by appointment.
Low-cost
spay, neuter
The Sequoia Humane Society is
offering a low-cost spay or neuter program during February. The
fee for the operation is $10 for cats and $20 for dogs.
Coupons may be obtained at a
participating pet shop or from www.sequoiahumane.org
for an appointment with a participating veterinarian. Call 442-1782
for information.
COVER
STORY | ELECTION 2002 | CALENDAR
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