Surrounded
California’s unprecedented wildfires — and their smoke — ride a westerly wind toward Humboldt
The Peg House is Up for Sale
According to an SFGate story by former Journal staffer Ashley Harrell, now the outlet’s associate editor covering California parks, owners Diana Ballard-Doll and Gary Ballard are ready to sell the iconic burger pit stop to the right people for a cool $3 million. That includes 5.5 acres of land, the general store, the burger joint/patio/stage and the gas…
Locals Lending a Helping Hand Amid Wildfires, LoCO reports
In a region besieged by wildfires, a number of local organizations have stepped up to help the already pressed American Red Cross to make sure those who had to evacuate are being taken care of, Lost Coast Outpost reports. Whether it’s meals or connection to services, the Salvation Army Eureka, Cooperation Humboldt and a bevy…
County Sees Raised Health Care Capacity Alert Due to COVID Hospitalizations
Humboldt County Public Health reported one new confirmed COVID-19 cases today, bringing the counties total to 490. However, the county’s Health Care System Capacity alert level, described as “one of three categories that indicate the county’s capacity to respond to and manage an increase in COVID-19 cases,” was downgraded to yellow due to an increase…
SR 36 Threatened by August Complex as West Zone Sees Progress
The August Complex grew about 10,000 acres yesterday to 859,966 acres with about 39 percent containment, while the West Zone, which is nearest to Humboldt County, is nearly 104,000 acres with 45 percent containment. The CalFire unified team will host a virtual update on the current situation at 7 p.m. today on Facebook and will…
Hoopa Marks 9 Days of No COVID Cases
The Hoopa Valley Tribal Office of Emergency Services COVID-19 Incident Management Team today confirmed no new COVID-19 cases at the K’ima:w Medical Center for the ninth day in a row. The total number of cases stands at 52, with all currently considered recovered. More information can be found at https://hoopaoes.org.
Need a Student Desk? ECS Has Some for Free
With most of Humboldt County’s school children learning at home these days, everywhere from kitchen tables and living rooms to backyards are becoming makeshift classrooms. If you are missing a desk, Eureka City Schools might be able to help. The district will be giving away around 100 desks today on a first-come, first-serve basis at…
Fall Ushering in Rain, Swells
Fall is here. Along with pumpkin spiders weaving their webs and Halloween decorations already popping up around town, moderate rain is in the forecast this week, according to the Eureka office of the National Weather Service. The rain is expected to begin hitting Del Norte County late Wednesday afternoon before making its way into inland…
Fortuna to Fine Commercial Cannabis Growers, T-S reports
Fortuna will begin fining commercial cannabis growers in the city $1,000 a day after a unanimous vote Monday by the city council, according to the Times-Standard. Read the full story here.
Four New COVID Cases Along With Three New Hospitalizations
Humboldt County Public Health reported four new confirmed COVID-19 cases today, an uptick after a period of relative calm over the last week. Three new hospitalizations were also reported. County Health Officer Teresa Frankovich said more than 30 positive COVID-19 cases have now been tied to a large gathering in Southern Humboldt late last month,…
PG&E Contributes $500k to Local Schools
PG&E contributed $500,000 to Humboldt County Schools to help close California’s educational digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will be used to provide computers and internet hot spots for students in underserved communities. “More than two out of every three of our students are below the poverty line. This donation from PG&E will…
A Day for Evo
Today is Evo Fanucchi Day in the city of Eureka, celebrating native son Evo Fanucchi’s 100th birthday. It is an apropos gift for a man whose passion and work has been a gift to the city, and whose colorful life has touched so many. Evo’s dad, Angelo Fanucchi, immigrated from Italy to the East Coast…
Updates on Red Salmon and Slater-Devil Fires
Red Salmon Complex: 104,667 acres with 28 percent containment. Firefighters continue to take advantage of favorable weather in order to secure active areas of the Red Salmon Complex fire, using firing/burn-out operations and containment line construction to control the advancement of the fire, according to this morning’s update. “We had some rain last Friday, which…
Rep. Huffman Hosts Livestream on 2020 Census Report
Congressman Jared Huffman will be hosting a Facebook Live event this Wednesday to announce the findings of a new Congressional report on the impacts of the 2020 Census on the constituents of California’s second district. The event takes place Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 2:30 p.m. at Rep. Huffman’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/RepHuffman. For more information on…
Dokkaebier Spices it Up
If the Booth Brewing was your gateway to Korean beer aesthetics, you’ll be pleased to know Dokkaebier has made its way into Humboldt stores. The independent beer company’s CEO Youngwon Lee, formerly of the Booth’s Humboldt operation, launched the Bay Area-brewed beer at San Francisco Beer Week in February on the cusp of shelter in…
UPDATE: SoHum Gunshot Victim in Serious Condition
UPDATE: One man is in serious condition and another has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after last night’s shooting in Myers Flat. According to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, the 47-year-old victim was found outside a Dyerville Loop Road residence with a gunshot wound to his upper body. The suspect, 54-year-old John Michael…
Red Salmon, Slater-Devil Fire Roundup
Red Salmon Complex: Nearing 105,000 acres with 20 percent containment “The word of the day is focus,” said Incident Commander Mike Strawhun in the fire update. “Today is day 56 of this fire and crews have been working very hard to construct control lines and find the right weather conditions to conduct firing operations.” With…
Paw Connection: An Old Dog Finds A New Home After Tragedy
A dog named “Banks” is getting a new lease on life after being discovered locked inside a vehicle following his owner’s death, probably for several days. After a woman noticed the situation and contacted authorities, the Humboldt County Animal Shelter was able to track down the owner’s next of kin who said Banks was around…
North Coast Night Lights: Visualize the Stars
“Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need — roads.” – Doc, Back to the Future II. One of the more challenging visualizations for me is to imagine looking at the Solar System from a point above it in outer space, far enough out that the Sun is but a bright point of light below. With…
Public Health: Three New COVID-19 Cases Confirmed Since Friday
Humboldt County Public Health reported this afternoon that it has confirmed three new COVID-19 cases since Friday, continuing a lull in cases that began in the middle of last week. The county has seen just six new cases confirmed over the past six days after having averaged six new cases per day over the first…
Spate of Fires Sparks Arson Concerns
Early in the morning of Sept. 19, firefighters responded to four suspicious fires in the Franklin K. Lane Grove just north of Phillipsville. “CalFire Law enforcement is investigating these incidents,” CalFire Battalion Chief Paul Savona said, noting there has been “an increase in fire activity in the Phillipsville-Redcrest area. “The community is advised to be…
Wildfire Evacuation Warnings Lifted for Humboldt
Evacuation warnings for swaths of Southern Humboldt were lifted today, according to the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services. The county fire phone line for evacuation information has been disconnected for now but Humboldt County residents are asked to stay “ready” during this fire season. The warnings were prompted by the West Zone of the…
Man Arrested in Fatal Arcata Stabbing
A 34-year-old Arcata man was arrested on suspicion of homicide last night after he reportedly stabbed his brother at a residence on the 1800 block of 11th Street before barricading himself inside when police arrived at the scene. According to the Arcata Police Department, responding officers found a 39-year-old man with a life-threatening stab wound…
Arcata Police Responding to Stabbing Report
Just after 7 p.m., law enforcement officers were sent to the 1800 block of 11th Street in Arcata where a person was reportedly stabbed. They were told to respond Code 3 (with lights and siren.) “Victim possibly stabbed with a rusty blade,” said first responder at the scene. No other details were immediately available.
Fatal Crash on Highway 299 East of Burnt Ranch, LoCo Reports
The Lost Coast Outpost is reporting at least one person has been killed in a car crash along Highway 299 east of Burnt Ranch near Ironside Mountain in Trinity County. Read the story here.
‘Unhealthy’ Air Advisory For Trinity, Coast is Clear
The communties of Hayfork, Ruth, Zenia-Kettenpom and Trinity Pines areas in Trinity County may experience ‘unhealthy’ conditions in the next 24 hours due to wildfire smoke, according to this morning’s air quality advisory from the North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District. Coastal communities from Trinidad to Rio Dell will continue to experience ‘good’ conditions. There are no…
Warmer Temps Bring Increased Fire Activity, Smoke
Red Salmon Complex: 103,276 acres and 20 percent containment. Warmer temperatures and low humidity have returned making the fire more active than it has been in the past couple days, according to this morning’s update. Along with the increase in fire activity comes an increase of smoke. Heavy smoke may affect Hoopa Valley this afternoon with some…
Vigil for Ruth Bader Ginsburg
About 50 people gathered at the Humboldt County Courthouse on Saturday to honor Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died yesterday at 87 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Photographer Mark McKenna was there to capture moments from the gathering.
Recent Weather Helped but Fires Continue to Grow
Red Salmon Complex: Nearly 102,000 acres and 19 percent contained Recent rains helped damper fire activity on the Red Salmon Complex as warmer, drier days should allow for burn operations that include adding to the containment line at Tish Tang Ridge, according to today’s update. Meanwhile, firefighters will continue defensive firing to keep the complex…
Suspect in McKinleyville Hostage Situation ID’d
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office today identified the man arrested after a hostage situation and standoff on the 1600 block of Fisher Avenue in McKinleyville last night as 30-year-old Jesse David Brucklacher. According to a news release, Brucklacher was taken into custody by the SWAT team just after 12:30 a.m. following a multi-hour incident that…
Vigil to Honor Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
“Someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability. And to help repair tears in her society, to make things a little better through the use of whatever ability she has. To do something, as my colleague David Souter would say, outside myself. ‘Cause I’ve gotten…
NCJ Editor Nabs National Food Writing Award
We are elated to announce today that North Coast Journal arts and features editor Jennifer Fumiko Cahill won the Association of Alternative Newsmedia’s 2020 award for best food writing, while the paper’s Media Literacy Issue took second place for best special section. The nonprofit association includes nearly 100 member papers throughout the country, including many…
UPDATE: SWAT Ends McKinleyville Hostage Situation
UPDATE: A 30-year-old man who barricaded himself in a McKinleyville apartment last night was taken into custody early this morning after the SWAT team made entry on a search warrant, according to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. The 26-year-old woman who was being held inside was able to get out safely before the team went…
All Road Closures In Humboldt Lifted
The Humboldt Office of Emergency Services announced that all Humboldt County roads that were closed in the August Complex west zone have been lifted. People should use caution when entering roads and areas affected by the fire. For other county road closures not related to wildfire activity, please visit http://humboldtgov.org/roads See the Humboldt OES Twitter…
Update: One Fatality in Head-On Collision in Cutten
California Highway Patrol responded to a fatal head-on collision involving a vehicle and a motorcycle in Cutten today. In their investigation, CHP learned that a 2007 Kymco Motorcycle, being driven by 29-year-old Trista Poletski of Eureka, had been traveling northbound on Walnut Drive, south of Greenbriar Lane in Cutten when the motorcycle traveled into the…
Public Health: No New COVID-19 Cases Confirmed Today
Humboldt County Public Health confirmed no new COVID-19 cases today for just the second time since July 13, leaving the county’s case tally at 482, including 94 so far this month. Humboldt County remains in the “moderate” category under the state’s new four-tiered system, but health officials have warned that the region is on the…
Red Salmon Complex Fire Update
The Red Salmon Complex fire is now at 99,310 acres but still at 17 percent containment. The Red Salmon Complex is burning on the Klamath, Six Rivers, and Shasta-Trinity National Forests within Humboldt, Siskiyou, and Trinity Counties. “People in Forks of Salmon have active fire to their south and are worried,” said Incident Commander Mike…
Slater Devil Fire Update
Since starting on Sept. 7, the Slater Devil fire has grown to 143,092 acres and is at 10 percent containment as of today. “On the northern side of the fire near Shepherd Hills, crews were able to tie a small spot fire back into Forest Road 4803. Priorities for firefighters in the south zone today are…
NCJ Preview: Smoke, Fire and Risking Live Shows in a Pandemic
Fire everywhere and smoke all over Humboldt. We’ll break down what’s happening with the closes wildfires and why even places some distance away were blanketed with smoke and orange haze last week. Plus what the future of the North Coast looks like in terms of climate and fire. We’re also talking about venues that are…
Humboldt County’s Air quality Has Been Up and Down. Here’s Where to Find the Clearest Information, T-S reports
The Times-Standard is reporting where Humboldt County residents can find the most reliable air quality index. In the report, Brian Wilson, a local air pollution control officer who works at North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District says that some air quality outlook websites use different formulas to assess the air quality. Wilson says that people should…
St. Joe’s Health to Offer Housing for Homeless Residents
St. Joseph’s Health will house Humboldt County residents who are experiencing homelessness at the Providence Eureka House. /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:””; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:”Calibri”,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} “We know that the first step…
Just One New COVID-19 Case Confirmed Today
Humboldt County Public Health confirmed just one new COVID-19 case today, making 94 so far this month and 36 this week. The current countywide case total stands at 482 and Humboldt remains in the “moderate” category under the state’s new four-tiered system, but health officials have warned that the region is on the verge of…
HSU to House Firefighters in Residence Halls
Humboldt State University will provide housing for firefighters in unused residence halls on campus this fire season. The university has partnered with the U.S. Forest Service to offer quarantine housing for those fighting fires in and surrounding Humboldt County. In the event that the fire crews test positive for COVID-19, HSU has set aside two…
Start a New Year with an Enormous Challah
If you’re like me, you want two things right now: bread and for this year to just be over. Well, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year begins on Friday, Sept. 18 at sundown, when people all over the world will celebrate the end of the Hebrew year 5780 and the start of 5781. Among the…
First Rain of the Season Comes Tonight
The National Weather Service in Eureka announced that the first wetting rain of the season is expected tonight and tomorrow in some parts of the county. Drivers and motorists should drive slowly as roads will be slippery from oil build-up from cars over the summer. The majority of the rain will fall on Friday. See…
Sheriff’s Office Investigating Shooting Incident
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting incident that occurred yesterday on the 19500 block of State Highway 36. Sheriff deputies responded to a report of shots fired during a disturbance. An adult male was injured and was transported to a hospital before deputies arrived. the extent to his injuries and condition is…
Second Suspect Reportedly Arrested in Tripp Homicide
It appears another suspect has been arrested for the July 20 killing of Julius “Jules” Tripp near Hoopa. According to Humboldt County jail records, Daniel Armendariz was booked into the facility at 2:35 a.m. yesterday on suspicion of murder. Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Samantha Karges responded to a Journal inquiry about the arrest, saying it “looks…
Evacuation Orders Downgraded for Humboldt County Areas
The evacuation orders for properties south of Casterlin Road, including all properties on Casterlin Road, to the Mendocino/Trinity County line and east of Dyerville Loop Road and Bell Springs Road to the county line, have been downgraded to an evacuation warning. People can start returning to their homes but should be ready to evacuate at a…
Red Salmon Complex Update
The Red Salmon Complex fire has grown to 100,949 acres and is at 17 percent containment as of today. According to the release, the 100,000 acre gain is largely due to burnout operations in the southwest and northeast corners of the fire. “We’re not letting down our guard,” said Deputy Incident Commander Steve Watkins, “but…
August Complex Spreads 40K Acres, Forces New Evacuations
The August Complex, the largest fire in California history, consumed more than 40,000 acres yesterday (more than 60 square miles) and has now charred 839,000 acres and remains only 30 percent contained. Last night, the fire shot out multiple spot fires to the north of Rattlesnake Ridge and forced new evacuations. “It is a priority…
‘Guidelines?’
Editor: I wonder if the importance of complying with government-issued, virus-combating measures is lost when they’re described as “guidelines?” (“Transition,” Sept. 10.) For example, “guideline” is compared to “legal requirement” in Tempe, Arizona’s Community Development website. If their definition of “guideline” is what we’re working with for anti-virus measures, it’s not surprising we see people…
Not a ‘Provable Case’
Editor: Recent content in the North Coast Journal highlights a challenge people face in evaluating the criminal justice process and specifically the DA’s Office: lack of access to all relevant information. From the Aug. 27 NCJ article (“What Happened on Howard Street”) about the July 4 Howard Street incident, people may perceive racial injustice. However,…
Defund the Military
Editor: To all those who may be complaining about the smoke covered sky: If you ever wondered what a “Nuclear Winter” would look like, this is only a mild preview (“Advisory: Local Air Quality is ‘Very Unhealthy,'” posted Sept. 12). If you are unhappy or concerned about the smoke and the unprecedented state of fires…
Raised by Otters
Over the years I have found three dead North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) washed up on local beaches. One of them had worn teeth, so may have lived a full life, which is supposedly between about eight and 12 years in the wild. The second otter was small but badly decomposed, and I didn’t…
Life on Mars
With our morning glow on We stare out windows Now covered in ash, Drawn to the coast By offshore winds. Indifferent notions Perch on tree tops No longer in motion, As we all breathe deeply Longing for lost horizons… Kirk Gothier
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In one of your past lives, maybe you were a Neanderthal midwife in what’s now southern France. In another incarnation, you may have been a 17th-century Guarani shaman who shared your knowledge about local plants with an Italian Jesuit missionary in what’s now Uruguay. All the powers and aptitudes you perfected…
A Pandemic Winter
The United States’ 3.8 million square miles are split into 3,141 counties. Humboldt is one of just 43 identified by an investigative journalism project as having a homeless population most vulnerable to COVID-19. The Howard Center for Investigative Journalism spent months this year creating an index based on an analysis of homelessness and poverty rates,…
Surrounded
When dawn broke Sept. 9, Humboldt County was drowning in a sea of smoke, casting everything below in an almost glowing orange apocalyptic haze. The orange dawn turned to an orange morning, to an orange day. Street and porch lights with sensors glowed ominously throughout the day as worried Eureka residents called 911 to ask…
Peppers Make Summer Last Longer
As long as there are peppers at the farmers market, I can still believe in summer. I sort of understand how, come September, some people start feeling the pull of fall: bowls of steaming soup, glowing persimmons, roasted chestnuts. I love the warm colors of fall and my yearly pumpkin patch pilgrimage; I jump at…
Zoom and Doom
COASTAL ELITES. Maybe this will be the one, among many little-read movie columns in a left-leaning but ultimately centrist alternative weekly newspaper from the charred western slope of the former U.S., that gets me on the list. I am not egotistical enough to imagine I’ll go to the camp with the first or second tier…
Such a Shame
It’s a such a shame,” is a phrase we hear a lot when a restaurant shuts down. Since the shelter-in-place order came down in March, it’s been on constant loop as dining rooms and storefronts have gone dark around us. Owners and staff who have managed to hang on — careening from complete closure to…
This is Climate Change
California is no stranger to wildfires. Hundreds have died over the years, tens of thousands of structures have burned and entire communities have been devastated. This year, like the devastating fire years we had in 2017 and 2018, looks to be historically bad. Dozens of wildfires are burning today, including two of the biggest in…
‘A Great Debt of Thanks’
Editor: In the winter of 1860, dozens of wounded and frightened Indians made their way to the ranch of William and Ann West on Elk River. These people were survivors of the series of massacres that included the one on Indian Island. The Wests turned their ranch into a hospital and sanctuary, caring for the…
Rage
Editor: Journalist Bob Woodward has written a new book titled Rage based on personal interviews with President Trump. According to CNN, the book reveals that Trump knew in early February how deadly and contagious the novel coronavirus was. But Trump publicly downplayed the danger, privately admitting he did this to avoid panic; so when the…
