A substantial tax hike for California’s faltering legal cannabis market took effect July 1, despite an aggressive industry campaign to suspend the increase that won the support of Gov. Gavin Newsom and other political leaders. The excise tax for weed is 19 percent as of July 1, up from 15 percent — the result of […]
News
Huffman: Senate Budget Bill a ‘Betrayal’
North Coast Congressmember Jared Huffman issued a blistering statement calling the budget bill narrowly passed by Senate Republicans shortly before the Journal went to press July 1 a “betrayal,” warning it will have devastating economic, environmental and health impacts. “The Senate just jammed through a scorched-earth reconciliation bill so toxic that it is worse than […]
A Place to Stop and Rest
When the Wiyot Tribe decided to leverage its resources to tackle Humboldt County’s housing crisis, it didn’t just start buying land to develop. Instead, tribal officials spent two years listening. “We spent two years studying housing,” says Dishgamu Community Land Trust Director Michelle Vassel. “We went to big events, farmers markets and just asked people […]
The Boys are Back in Town
Baseball is a crazy, beautiful, devastating and triumphant game. Sometimes, all in the span of a week. It’s a game of failure, where hitters can be successful if they get a hit three out of 10 times. And if you can win just over half of your meaningful games, you are in a great spot […]
Unraveled and Overturned Cases, and Street Food
This week’s cover is a CalMatters story about how a Hoopa man was arrested for a 32-year-old murder, and how a defense investigator unraveled the case against him. We also have an update on why the murder conviction of Jake Henry Combs has been overturned and what happens next. Finally, we’re sharing top picks from […]
No More Dogs at Friday Night Market, Fourth of July Festival and Fireworks
Dogs are no longer allowed at Eureka’s Friday Night Market and Fourth of July festival after the city issued a press release about the policy change on June 25. The city cited that crowds have grown over the years with more than 13,000 people attending last year’s Fourth of July festival and some 7,000 people […]
The Man Who Unsolved a Murder
On Aug. 28, 1976, sometime between 7:30 and 8 p.m., a 6-year-old boy named Willie Cook disappeared from the bed of his father’s pickup in Happy Camp, a secluded logging community in Northern California’s Klamath National Forest. Willie’s father, Bill Cook, had been working on his lawnmower at a repair shop in the center of […]
‘Inflammatory and Prejudicial’
An Alderpoint man found guilty of first-degree murder in 2023 appears headed for a new trial after a state appellate court recently overturned his conviction, finding a local judge erred in allowing the jury to be presented with “inflammatory and prejudicial” evidence that may have changed the outcome of the case. Jake Henry Combs, who […]
No Kings Protest, Oyster Fest and Restaurant Week
We’ve got Restaurant Week on the cover this issue. Inside, we’re looking back on a weekend of protest in Eureka and across the country, and Oyster Fest in Arcata. Hit subscribe for weekly updates on Humboldt stories.
Thousands Demonstrate in Eureka at No Kings Protest
From H to J streets, thousands of protesters took to the pavement as part of the No Kings protest, with the Eureka Police Department estimating 3,000 to 4,000 protesters were on site. The protest was one of many held across the country as millions were reported to be in attendance nationwide. Starting from 11 a.m. […]
Crabs Roll and We Ain’t Talking Sushi
A sign of a good baseball team is the ability to win in a bunch of different ways, a quality the Humboldt Crabs have shown this summer. They’ve had two walk-off wins, one in extra innings. They’ve had two wins by at least 14 runs. They have been down 5-0 before even coming to the […]
Ben Hurd, Whose Christmas Tree Farm Was a Holiday Tradition for Many, Dies at 93
Ben Hurd, who along with his namesake Christmas tree farm was an integral part of cherished holiday memories for generations of local families, has died. He was 93. According to an announcement on the farm’s Facebook page, Hurd passed away peacefully on the morning of June 12. “He was determined to stay in his home […]
