Recruitment and Retention
Big raises in Mendocino could complicate local law enforcement agencies’ staffing struggles
Eureka Man Faces 40 to Life For Shooting His Friend in 2017
A Eureka man faces up to 40 years to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder today for the August 2017 shooting death of his decades-long friend. According to a Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office press release, David Kobak was convicted at the conclusion of a three-week trial, which included…
UPDATE: Fortuna Denies Abatement Appeal at Longtime Problem Property
UPDATE: The Fortuna City Council voted unanimously last night to deny Floyd Hoisington’s appeal of the city’s decision to declare his property in the 1300 block of Rohnerville Road a public nuisance and to order it abated at Hoisington’s expense. But the council also granted Hoisington a bit of a reprieve, giving him until March…
Social Media Rumors of Local Coronavirus Case Are False, Per Official Sources
Rumors spreading on Facebook this evening about a confirmed Coronavirus case locally are categorically false, per multiple sources. The rumors began spreading around 8 p.m., warning that a case of the virus that originated in Wuhan, China, had been confirmed in a patient — or two — at St. Joseph Hospital. But they are false, according…
Running Wild: Photos from the Clam Beach Run
The weather gods delivered a calm, dry Saturday morning for around 700 participants in the 55th annual Trinidad to Clam Beach Run Honoring Ford Hess. The race and fun run featured 5 3/4-mile and 8 3/4-mile options starting north of Trinidad — the “fun” for the longer races includes a wet crossing of Little River…
One Found Dead After Arcata Apartment Fire
One person was found dead after in an apartment fire that broke out in Arcata before dawn this morning, according to Police Chief Brian Ahearn. “Arcata Fire located one body inside of a ground floor unit,” Ahearn said. “The person was deceased.” The cause of the fire, which broke out just before 5:30 a.m. in…
Board of Supervisors Candidate Forum (Video)
About 100 people filled a 312 seat theatre Wednesday night as College of the Redwoods hosted the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors District 1 and District 2 candidate forum. All seven candidates running attended, with current District One Supervisor Rex Bohn running against local radio personality Cliff Berkowitz, while incumbent Estelle Fennel is challenged by…
Arts Alive!
Presented by Eureka Main Street. Opening receptions for artists, exhibits and performances are held the first Saturday of each month. For more information, call 442-9054 or go to www.eurekamainstreet.org 707 BAR First and C streets. Music by Dr. Squid. A TASTE OF BIM 613 Third St. TBD. ADORNI CENTER 1011 Waterfront St. Paul Rickard and…
Welcome to the Fun House
Or rather Fun Home – the Bechdel kids’ name for the inherited funeral home they grew up in and the latest production at Ferndale Repertory Theatre. Alison Bechdel, oldest of the three children, published a groundbreaking graphic autobiography of the same name in 2006, charting her coming-of-age and coming-out as she watches her parents’ marriage…
Tough Guy Act
Reviews THE GENTLEMEN. In case anybody was wondering, Guy Ritchie — when not occupied with middling, sometimes incomprehensibly conceived blockbusters (Sherlock Holmes and its sequel A Game of Shadows, 2009 and 2011; The Man from UNCLE, 2015; King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, 2017; Aladdin, 2019) — apparently still feels compelled to return to the…
‘Off the Ride’
In so many ways, last week’s cover story (“‘Tarnished'”) should reinforce people’s faith in the Eureka Police Department. The story, based on the internal affairs investigation that sustained allegations of sexual battery and conduct unbecoming against former officer Michael Stelzig, illustrated that EPD did a lot of things right. It took the allegations that were…
Lung Roulette
In the umpteenth sign that vaping illicit THC concentrates is a terrible idea, state officials announced Jan. 28 that tests conducted on a random sample of the more than 10,000 cartridges seized in raids of illegal dispensaries in Los Angeles last month yielded some alarming results. Specifically, the tests found that 75 percent of the…
‘Unhealthy’
Editor: Regarding Jan. 16 article “The Whistleblower:” Difficult, unhealthy situation that can be viewed as an end result of the de-evolution of our medical system. After World War II, President Truman promoted a single payer-like system that was rejected by the American Medical Association and American Hospital Association because it would “make doctors slaves” to…
Transitional Housing
Editor: A big no to establishing a Betty Chinn Village on our Hikshari’ Trail (“Transitional Housing Project Moves Forward, Grand Jury Report Underscores Need,” July 4, 2019). One day, this trail will be one of the advertised tourist draws to our beautiful city. Not if we ugly it up with those hideous trailers, which have…
‘A Joke’
Editor: The Senate “trial” is a joke (“The Time is Now,” Dec. 26). They began with a prayer to a Christian God who they take an oath to “be fair and listen to all the evidence.” Their behavior helps POTUS’ efforts to do anything he wants to do. Maybe he was right when he stated that…
Vote!
Editor: It happened over 3,400 times last year in the communities of McKinleyville, Manila, Samoa, Bayside and Arcata. It will happen even more times this year. That is, a call for first response to residential and commercial building fires, medical emergencies, flooding, hazard material spills and car accidents. Twice the number since 2006, when Arcata…
Destinations
Where can we go Half as nice as here Beneath towering trees Reaching to the Heavens With Pacific Waves Embracing Lost Coasts and Shorebirds leaving Priceless footprints In each moment Kirk Gothier
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): My favorite ancient Greek philosopher was the rascal Diogenes. As a joke, he carried around a lantern during the daytime, proclaiming, “I am just looking for an honest man.” When Alexander the Great, the most powerful man in the world, came to meet Diogenes while he was relaxing outside and asked…
Wiener Dog of the Sea
Once while wading in a little cove during a beautiful sunrise, I noticed a harbor porpoise swimming surprisingly close to me. And she had a tiny baby porpoise at her side. I’m guessing she had recently given birth and was in the safety of the shallows helping Junior learn to swim. As I stood in…
Recruitment and Retention
Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal says he became more concerned about his office’s already pressed recruitment and retention efforts when he heard that Mendocino County supervisors were giving their deputies a significant raise. Not that he begrudged the nearly 30-percent increase Mendocino’s deputies will be receiving over three years under a new contract approved in…
Incumbents Hold Large Cash Advantage in Supes Races
When it comes to financing a supervisorial campaign, it sure is nice to be an incumbent. That’s the primary takeaway from the first round of campaign finance disclosure reports filed with the Humboldt County Elections Office in advance of the March 3 primary, which will see five challengers battle a pair of incumbents for seats…
A Longer Short Month
January becomes February this week and it’s a leap year, so we get an extra day out of the month. It seems almost too much that 2020 is going to be just a little bit longer than most years, doesn’t it? Well, here we are. We are compelled by the calendar to go through the…
Windfall Apples
When life hands the farmers and home gardeners of Humboldt too many apples, many hand the excess to Food for People. Last year they donated some 57,000 pounds of excess produce and meat to the organization’s gleaning program, according to Food for People, which redistributed the food to people in need. Some of that was…
