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 […]
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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 […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
A Plea for Understanding
I grew up in a neighborhood in Queens, New York, which was probably about a quarter Jewish, a quarter Catholic, a quarter Protestant and a quarter other. I didn’t realize what a tiny minority Jews were until I left New York. And I never had people react with surprise when I told them I was […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
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 […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
I Don’t Trust Humboldt Area Foundation on Race, Safety and Belonging
Social justice and racial equity in Humboldt and Del Norte counties will not be defined or achieved by the four white women who signed the Humboldt Area Foundation statement titled “A Statement on Race, Safety and Belonging” that recently appeared on the organization’s website. As an institution, the HAF does not practice what it preaches […]