Cover Story
Burning the Buckeye
The scariest thing about prescribed burns — to me — is not the flames. It’s the people. This is what I explained to my friends when they asked about our plans for the 109-acre Buckeye Ridge Burn, a project funded by a CalFire Climate Change Investment grant awarded to the Save the Redwoods League. Save…
Arcata Lantern Floating Ceremony Set for this Saturday
Join with community members to commemorate the devastation of the World War II bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and advocate for peace at the Arcata Lantern Floating Ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 6, at 7:30 p.m. at Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary’s Klopp Lake (free). There will be music and poetry with lanterns entering the water…
Buddy Brown Blues Fest Back in Blue Lake
Don’t put that folding chair away just yet! Another Humboldt County festival favorite returns after two years: The 20th annual Buddy Brown Blues Festival takes up its rightful place in Perigot Park this Saturday, Aug. 6, from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ($15, $12 Folklife Society members, $5 for kids 12 and under). Ready to…
The Crabs Say Goodbye to Petrushka and Keep Rolling
The Humboldt Crabs were on a tear this week, using a combination of stellar pitching and unrelenting offense to sweep both the midweek and weekend series. Perhaps the best indicator of this is the run differential from the week. The Crabs defense and pitching staff allowed only three runs on the week and connected for…
Public Health Reports Two More COVID Deaths
Humboldt County Public Health reported today that the county has confirmed another two COVID-19 deaths since its last report July 28. Five new hospitalizations were also reported and, according to a state database, 15 people are currently hospitalized with the virus locally, including three under intensive care. The deaths reported today were Humboldt County’s 153rd…
TBAM: Getting Classy in Trinidad
In Why Trinidad is One of the Best Places to Recreate in Summer news, it’s weekend number one of the Trinidad Bay Art & Music Festival, which brings live classical music by world-class musicians — and a pop-up visual art gallery — to the seaside town the weekends of Aug. 5-7 and Aug. 12-14 ($200…
Can Californians Afford Electric Cars? Wait Lists for Rebates are Long and Some Programs have Shut Down
When Tulare resident Quentin Nelms heard California was offering a hefty state subsidy to help lower-income residents buy electric cars, he applied right away. But it wasn’t as easy as he thought it would be. Nelms spent four months on a waitlist before he was accepted into one of the state’s clean-car incentive programs in…
Buckle Up for a Busy Month in Sacramento
Welcome to the final countdown. Today, state lawmakers will reconvene in Sacramento after a month-long summer recess — during which some traveled abroad on trips funded by special interest groups that lobby them on various issues — for the final, frenzied month of the legislative session. Legislators face an Aug. 31 deadline to determine the…
NCJ Preview: Burning the Family Ranch, Roasting Vegetables, Bird Calls and Audits
This week we’re talking about how controlled burning works on private ranch land as wildfire prevention, with staff writer Linda Stansberry sharing her own family’s experience. Also, with summer vegetables taking over the local farmers markets, we’ve got Simona Carini’s roasted vegetable recipe, which may have you rethinking your standard sides. And a little bird…
Former Arcata McKinley Statue May Soon Have a New Home
After being kept at an undisclosed location since being removed from the Arcata Plaza in the early morning hours of March 8, 2019, it appears the statue of President William McKinley is one step closer to regaining his place in the sun. The Canton Repository reported July 22 that the Timken Foundation of Canton —…
Is it Too Easy for Write-in Candidates in California Elections?
Rich Kinney readily concedes: Making it onto California’s November election ballot is a miracle. The 66-year-old associate pastor and former mayor of San Pablo in the Bay Area is running to unseat Democratic Assemblymember Buffy Wicks out of staunch opposition to her support for abortion rights. What did it take for him to make the…
Tough Go for Shelter Cove Salmon Anglers
The ocean sport salmon season re-opened Friday in the Fort Bragg Management Area, which extends from 40°10’00” N. latitude to Point Arena, including Shelter Cove, and the reports weren’t great. During Friday’s opener, roughly 15 to 20 salmon were reported by the 20 to 25 boats. Though the numbers weren’t robust, there were some nice…
Cha ChaDelivers, Gray Man Delights
CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH It’s not that I didn’t want to like Cooper Raiff (or his work), at least not exactly. But Shithouse (2020), his rather quietly acclaimed feature debut, suggested a number of themes and ideas that, in my insecurity, bitterness and age, seemed like potential emotional landmines. It is, after all, a college…
No Offense
Editor: Can we maybe stop complaining (Mailbox, July 21) about the naughty words that Jennifer Fumiko Cahill used in her column on the desperate need for gun control (“It Might Be Time to Get Totally Motherfucking Unhinged,” June 2)? She was writing satire, which makes use of exaggeration and irony. Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal…
An ‘Offensive Action’
Editor: Dear friends, neighbors, community, I am deeply saddened and maddened by the hateful defacing of the welcome sign at the Sanctuary Garden in Arcata (“Centro Del Pueblo Sign Vandalized, Vigil Planned,” posted July 21). I am one of many white people who are upset about this offensive action, presumably committed by another white person. I…
‘A Wake-up Call’
Editor: On behalf of the Humboldt Asians & Pacific Islanders in Solidarity (HAPI), we were heartbroken and enraged by two recent hate filled incidents (“Centro Del Pueblo Sanctuary Garden Sign Vandalized, Vigil Planned,” posted July 21; “Anti-Semitic Flyers Left in Arcata Neighborhood,” posted July 6). On July 21, at the Jardin Santuario (Sanctuary Garden for…
Correction
The July 14, 2022, edition of the North Coast Journal included the wrong crossword puzzle and answers. Answers for the July 7 puzzle are below. Additionally, a story in the same edition headlined “Ale in the Castle” included an incorrect name for Oak Deli and Brewery in Arcata. The Journal regrets the error.
Island Universes, Part 2
Last week, we discussed how, in 1755, Emmanuel Kant predicted the existence of “island universes” — what we now call galaxies — located at vast distances from our home galaxy, the Milky Way. Continuing the story: The Third Earl of Rosse William Parsons combined his love of theory (he graduated from Oxford with first-class honors…
The Way Summer Turned – Part II
Speaking softer now in a still lingering light Measured in long peeks out the window, Until the life of darkness Resumes the ongoing day: Slipping, Stretching, Into something else. Some of us lost the light Before we were even able To sequester its sparkling splendor In some imaginary pause. I walked right past that bus!…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Fiction-writer John Banville tells us, “There are moments when the past has a force so strong it seems one might be annihilated by it.” I suspect that’s sometimes true for many of us. But it won’t apply to you Aries anytime soon. In fact, just the opposite situation will be in…
SCO: ‘Commitment to Competence’ Needed in HumCo Finances
Those hoping that a long-awaited investigative report from the State Controller’s Office into Humboldt County’s fiscal dysfunction would carry either a blanket vindication or condemnation of former Auditor-Controller Karen Paz Dominguez were likely disappointed. The report, released publicly July 22 after months of investigation followed by months of review, stops well short of blaming Paz…
Hail, Caesars!
As I write this, I am listening to John Entwistle’s excellent first solo album, Smash Your Head Against the Wall, and although I am not following that particular piece of advice, I am drinking enough coffee to bend small sections of space/time with my eye twitches. It ain’t much, but it’s honest work. Speaking of…
Poundstone on Pandemic, Politics and Priorities
There’s something calming and familiar about her voice. Perhaps it’s from having heard her regularly on NPR’s Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me, or from having listened to her stand-up albums on repeat so many times over the years. More likely, though, it’s just the ease and tone of how she speaks. The nervousness I feel when…
Farmers Markets, Summer Produce and Joy
And like that, it’s summer: The hallmark vegetables of the season are rolling in and each week brings new delights to this avid consumer. Zucchini have been available for some time, more recently eggplant have appeared and, as I am writing this, I am snacking on the first locally grown cherry tomatoes I purchased at…
Trinidad Arts Night
This free event features a full array of exhibits, as well as fire spinning, face painting, skate ramps, boffers and plenty of music, including Canary and the Vamp at Saunders Plaza East — summoning forgotten ditties, ballads and musical numbers from the jazz age (free) — and WCA’s regular bimonthly jazz night, featuring RLA trio…
How to Run Your Life Like a Public Meeting
Good evening, everyone, and thank you for joining us, well, me. We have a very full agenda tonight and I’d like to end by 9 p.m. so I can clear the chambers and watch a show about gentle British people baking elaborate desserts without a running commentary for once. In our report out of closed…
Earbirding Humboldt
Summer in Humboldt is the perfect time for family vacations, trips to the beach or river, exploring the farmers markets and seeing the sights from atop a Ferris wheel. But for bird enthusiasts, it’s slim pickings. The spring migrants have flown the coop and most of the local residents are keeping a low profile while…
