Cover Stories
Goodbye, Chief
Downstairs at Eureka’s Wharfinger Building, a man is sleeping on a bench next to his bike. Upstairs, the family of Thomas McClain, a 22-year-old Eureka resident shot dead by Eureka Police Department officers in 2014, wait for their chance to step up to the podium and confront the departing chief. But between these two signposts…
‘The People’s Chief’
Andrew Mills had just finished lunch and was strolling through Old Town on a Thursday afternoon, just about 24 hours before his almost four-year tenure as Eureka’s chief of police was to come to an end. Every few yards someone stopped him. There was the old department volunteer, the rabble-rousing community organizer, the former Marine,…
It’s Watson for the Interim
Steve Watson is not the kind of man who lets things go. Walking down Third Street, past the St. Vincent de Paul cafeteria, he initially passes the group of men who are standing with bikes and dogs waiting for the doors to open with a short greeting and nod. Then he pauses. “I smell marijuana,”…
Who’s Next?
Before former Eureka Police Chief Andrew Mills had left the building, City Manager Greg Sparks was already setting the wheels in motion to find his replacement. As the Journal went to press, Sparks was meeting with one of the owners of the recruitment firm Peckham and McKenney, Inc., guiding him through a series of meetings…
UPDATED: Security Guard Shoots, Kills One
UPDATE: The man shot has been identified as Herbert Macias, 56, of Eureka. EPD Capt. Brian Stephens confirms that more details about the case may be released after interviews have been completed. The name of the shooter and the security firm for whom he or she works has not yet been released. Previously: The Eureka…
TL;DR: How Andrew Mills Barely Escaped Humboldt
In case you missed it, Humboldt County bid former Eureka Police Chief Andrew Mills adieu last week. We offered a handful of stories looking at his tenure in town and what’s next for EPD. We encourage you to take a few minutes to look at the coverage and weigh in. But there are also a few…
Denied: Appellate Court Rejects Rechnitz Appeal for Change of Venue
On July 27 an appellate court ruled against a second plea on behalf of skilled nursing mogul Shlomo Rechnitz requesting that an upcoming elder abuse and wrongful death civil trial be moved closer to Rechnitz’s home and center of operations in Los Angeles County. The suit is being brought by local law firm Janssen Malloy,…
Early Morning Crash Kills Two
Two people traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 101 near Pepperwood died at around 1:50 a.m. when their 1995 Nissan coupe left the road, collided with the guardrail, then a tree and ignited, becoming fully engulfed in flames. The cause of the initial crash is unknown, as is whether or not drugs and alcohol were a…
Music Tonight: Tuesday, Aug. 1
Mad River Brewery welcomes acoustic guitar duo Apple Juice Jones around 6 p.m. It’s a free show and feel free to imbibe some non-apple juice liquids. It’s Jerome John Garcia’s birthday today — which should be a holiday here in Humboldt — and you know folks will be celebrating down at Humboldt Brews in Arcata.…
Angels of Hope Gets a Makeover
Community Paint Day turned lots of would-be shoppers into artists helping paint a mural at the Angels of Hope Thrift Store on Saturday, July 29 in Arcata. “I just came by to shop at the thrift store, and they gave me a paint brush,” said Jessica Young, of Arcata. “We were at the store to…
Study of NFL Brains ‘Reinforcing’ for Local Concussion Awareness Efforts
North Coast Concussion Program Coordinator Beth Larson said she wasn’t particularly surprised to see the groundbreaking study released last week in the Journal of the American Medical Association finding that 110 out of 111 brains of deceased NFL players were found to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative disease believed to be caused by repeated…
Music Tonight: Monday, July 31
I remember when Miss Lana Rebel was a part of The Juanita Family and Friends back in the early ‘aughts when they’d cruise down from Portland and play house shows and The Alibi. Them were some hazy days for me in my early twenties but I always remember having a great time. I think. Miss…
HumBug: A Moth of Another Color
When I think the word “moth” I think of something gray. To be sure there are brightly colored day fliers, but the nocturnal majority are gray or brown, patterned to blend in with tree bark where they rest during the day. One of the things that makes moth identification challenging is that there are often…
Reggae on the River
Lively up yourself, reggae fans. It’s that time again (August already? Seriously, summer, slow your roll). Gather up the tribe, slather on the sunscreen and trek out to French’s Camp for the 33rd Annual Reggae on the River happening Aug. 3-6 ($90-$500). The Mateel Community Center’s iconic festival along the banks of and spilling into…
Music Tonight: Sunday, July 30
The always-all-ages Outer Space in Arcata brings feminist-punk rockers Chastity Belt down from Seattle tonight, touring with their new album, I Used to Spend So Much Time Alone, so go help ’em out with that. They’re joined by Oakland pop rocker Stephen Steinbrink and local heroes The Monster Women. Show starts at 7 p.m. and…
Music Tonight: Saturday, July 29
I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve never made it out to a Roll on the Mattole (or the Mattole Valley for that matter) in the 17 years I’ve lived up here but I’ve heard legends about the festival from many of my musician friends — nothing but glowing tales about the splendors of this event.…
Goodbye MAC, Hello Waterfront Treatment Services
The dramatic debate in Washington, D.C. over the fate of national healthcare policy almost scuttled plans to bring comprehensive addiction treatment to Humboldt County. The July 18 vote by the Eureka City Council to allow City Manager Greg Sparks to negotiate a lease agreement for the property at 139 Y St. formerly known as the…
Supes Take Needed Step to Protect Our Coast
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors has joined other California lawmakers, business leaders, environmental groups and government agencies in rejecting the Trump administration’s attempts to open up the California coast to new offshore oil drilling. At its July 25 meeting, the board unanimously passed a resolution in support of the nearby Greater Farallones and Cordell…
Get Out and Play Day
Ah, the sounds of summer. The low din of a lawnmower, the zip of a tent flap, the sizzle of steaks on a grill and the No. 1 summertime mom-ism: “Go play outside! It’s a beautiful day!” followed by the corresponding kid lament: “But mom, there’s nothing to do!” Not so fast, junior. Eureka Parks…
Music Tonight: Friday, July 28
Cafe Mokka hosts some “Gypsy jazz” tonight, courtesy of Skyline Swing, who’ll be doing their thing around 8 p.m. and for free. Bring the kiddos along for this one. It’s a jam-packed bill at The Miniplex down the street as there’s a four-band lineup for you starting around 9 p.m., when local high-altitude peyote-rockers Opossum…
Roll on the Mattole
It’s getting hot in here. Time to Roll on the Mattole. On Saturday, July 29 from noon to midnight at the Mattole Grange, spend time with some real hosers listening to live music, eating barbecue and watching the wildland firefighter challenge ($25, $20 students/seniors, free for kids 12 and under with adult). All to benefit…
Westhaven Wild Blackberry Festival
Have a sweet time at the Westhaven Wild Blackberry Festival on Sunday, July 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Westhaven Fire Hall (free entry). Take home a fresh blackberry pie and some homemade jam after a fun day of barbecue, drinks, music, vendors and tours of the fire station and trucks.
Music Tonight: Thursday, July 27
The weekend starts early with a funky good time of a jam tonight at The Jam in Arcata around 9:30 p.m. Get ready to groove with the Humboldt Jam Collective, which has a bedrock of local talent, while others jam along. No word on a ticket price for this one. Could be free, or maybe…
All at Sea
Reviews DUNKIRK. Christopher Nolan is something of a professional dinosaur. He broke out with Memento (2000), a challenging, compelling and unlikely low-budget surprise, just as the era of the Big Independents seemed to be hobbling to its dusty, desperate end. As the climate of moviemaking and distribution grew ever less hospitable, Nolan flourished. He remained…
Alternative Farce
The truth is a tricky thing. It can be objective or subjective, slippery or elusive. It can be deep and bitter and hard to hear. It is rarely absolute. More rarely, it can be very funny. Now, lying — that’s funny. Not so much when it’s done to you but in the service of comedy,…
DEU Do’s and Don’ts
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office wants you to know the circumstances under which it will rip up your weed. On July 11, the agency eradicated 5,491 plants near Hyampom at an unpermitted grow. On June 28, it served three search warrants on a McKinleyville resident, Brent Visser, and reported finding 367 pounds of processed and…
Mmmmm
Editor: Is it just me, or did anybody else open the paper (July 20) to the table of contents on page 3, glance at the photo of the orphaned raven chick’s dinner and think, ‘Wow, that looks good,’?” Catherine Barnes, Eureka Related Stories
Oh, mercy
Editor: I was distressed to see in your article about the Wildlife Care Center (“Oh, Mercy,” July 20) that the Director Monte Merrick does not have a clue about what animal imprinting means. He states that animals don’t imprint on us from birth and his justification for that opinion is that we don’t even know…
Fight for Single Payer
Editor: With the struggle about healthcare continuing, the strengths of a single-payer system are visibly impressive. The Healthy California Act, Senate Bill 562, will cover everything Obamacare covers for every resident of California (Mailbox, July 13). Coverage will include dental, mental, vision, lab tests, substance abuse treatment, medical equipment, dialysis, emergency services, rehab, care in…
Good Things Come Small-Packaged
When I invited Janet Czarnecki, farmer and owner of Redwood Roots Farm, to contribute a recipe to my Farmers’ Favorites series, she answered without hesitation: “Grilled little gems with cheese, walnuts and balsamic vinegar on top. So good!” Her answer delighted me — the recipe would give me an excuse to get to know Little…
Modern History
The music of Jonathan Richman and/or The Modern Lovers showed up on my radar when he started playing shows in Humboldt semi-recently. He has an earned status and a cult following of those in the know about his place in rock ‘n’ roll history. As the frontman and driving force behind The Modern Lovers in…
Colossus 2017
You’re not from here; you’re poor You homeless, turbaned Sikh You refuse of Syria, you masses of Sinaloa’s shore You’re tempest-tossed; you’re not their best; you’re meek Take heed, beware lest ye be spanked as you exit through the golden door
Westworld vs. Realworld
Along with my views on the utility of miniaturized modular nuclear reactors (“Nuclear Batteries,” June 15), I suppose the opinion that generates the most unpopular reaction is my belief that free will is a boondoggle. While the free will versus determinism debate has been going on in philosophers’ ivory towers and beery college dorms for…
‘Nothing in Writing’
Local attorney Patrik Griego refiled his lawsuit last week, alleging that Humboldt County Public Defender David Marcus fails to meet minimum state qualifications for his post. And this time, Griego is using Marcus’ own words against him in arguing that he is unqualified to represent the county’s indigent defendants as the chief public defender. Last…
Dates with David Marcus
December, 2016 — Humboldt County Public Defender Kevin Robinson retires. Feb. 8, 2017 — The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors announces the hire of David Marcus as Humboldt’s next public defender. Feb. 14, 2017 — Several members of the local defense bar address the Board of Supervisors, urging it to scrap Marcus’ hire and begin…
Eureka Summer Concert Series
Sitting on the dock of the bay is one fine way to enjoy the Eureka Summer Concert Series Thursdays at 6 p.m. from June to August at the Madaket Plaza (free). Presented by Eureka Main Street, the series’ Thursday, July 27 concert features blues by Brad Wilson, and Thursday, August 3 features Zydeco/Cajun music with…
