We have all heard of Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Small Business Saturday. A few years ago, a new event was added to our list: Giving Tuesday, which is reserved for the Tuesday after Thanksgiving as a day to encourage people to do good and give back to charities. Humboldt County has a strong sense […]
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Posted inLetters + Opinion
Utilize Indigenous Knowledge to Prevent Wildfires
We need a dramatic shift in our efforts to curb wildfires in California. Instead of reacting to wildfires, we need to utilize the knowledge of Indigenous people on managing the land. When it comes to fire prevention, the wisdom of Indigenous tribes like the Yurok, Karuk, Hoopa and Wintun is unparalleled. Indigenous knowledge and connection […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
Moving Forward on Priorities for Indian Country
When President Joe Biden nominated me to be the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, I felt the profound importance of what that moment meant for Indigenous peoples in our country. I knew then, as I still feel now, that we’re at the beginning of a new era where Indigenous knowledge in our work to combat […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
What the Seven Stages of Severe COVID-19 Look Like Up Close
I’m a respiratory therapist. With the fourth wave of the pandemic in full swing, fueled by the highly contagious Delta variant, the trajectory of the patients I see, from admission to critical care, is all too familiar. When they’re vaccinated, their COVID-19 infections most likely end after Stage 1. If only that were the case […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
It’s Not a War, It’s Biology
The pandemic has brought forth the language of war: We must fight back against the virus, engage in battles, attack the enemy. It’s nonsense: Pandemics are biochemistry. Perhaps treating them as such will help depoliticize them. Viruses are on the border between biology and chemistry; they rely on biological organisms for the “infrastructure” to reproduce […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
Summer Fun for Kids
Summer’s finally here, school’s out and kids are at home … again. The days are now as long as they’re going to get and all that evening light is exciting, especially with restaurants and events opening up. But maybe after more than a year of staying in, summer vacation isn’t quite the novelty it might […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
GET VACCINATED!
COVID-19 vaccines are now widely available and are beginning to bring about an end to this year-long pandemic. We are fortunate to have a generous supply of vaccines here in the United States and I encourage everyone to take advantage of this. If you have not been vaccinated yet, go for it! Any minor side […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
Stick the Landing
There’s a good reason getting everyone out the door on-time — with their shoes on — can feel like a major accomplishment for parents. It’s more or less the same reason bedtime is the number one topic parents contact me to discuss. Whether it’s the transition from the living room to the car seat or […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
‘Everything I’m Against’
My name is Brett McFarland and I’m writing about Sun Valley’s proposed cannabis project. I’ve been farming in Humboldt county for almost two decades and am proud to call this place my home. Currently, my wife, Julia, and I own and operate Crazy River Ranch, a local organic farm raising grass-fed beef and a variety […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
‘Please, Come Forward’
I am Charmaine Lawson, mother of David Josiah Lawson, who was known by many as DJ. If this is your first time hearing my story, here is a brief summary of the facts leading to my son’s murder and how you can possibly help. DJ was a sophomore attending Humboldt State University studying criminal law. […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
My Friend Charmaine
We can never know ahead of time, who or what may change the course of our lives. Charmaine Lawson brought three beautiful children into this world. David Josiah was her first born. Anthony and Chloe followed. A single mom, she wanted her children to do great things and they were each making her proud. On […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
Reward Water’s Worth
When you think of shipping Humboldt’s Finest in Ziplocs to Southern California, you’re not thinking of bags of river water. But, putting Humboldt’s water in giant baggies on a boat to Southern California was a plan actually taken seriously in 2003 to encourage more water use. Humboldt historically has an outsized allocation of water from the state because the former […]