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Folk in the Fresh Air
To see all 25 local bands that performed at the Humboldt Folklife Festival this year, it took an eight-day week — fitting, given the two sets of Beatles sing-alongs. Mother Nature cooperated with clear skies and warm temperatures out in Blue Lake from Saturday, July 18, to Saturday, July 25, when attendees showed up for […]
They’re on Our Flag, but Do Long-gone Grizzly Bears Belong in Modern California?
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. The grizzly bear on California’s flag went extinct a century ago in the Golden State. Now, a group of tribes and environmentalists is urging the Legislature to study whether it’s possible to bring them back. Grizzlies once lived across most of California. As […]
Mobley Sentenced to 20 Months for Embezzling from Longtime Employer
Following several delays, former Fortuna Councilmember Christina “Kris” Mobley is set to report to federal prison by Oct. 22 to begin serving a 20-month sentence for embezzling more than half a million dollars from a locally owned construction company that had employed her for decades. United States District Judge Charles R. Breyer handed down the […]
Environmental Health Officials Warn of Toxic Algae Blooms After Dog’s Death
County environmental health officials are urging residents to be on the lookout for toxic algae in rivers and other fresh water areas following the recent death of a dog shortly after the animal went swimming “in a slow, stagnant pool of water off the Eel River near Scotia.” As the Department of Health and Human […]
The Definition of Harm
A coalition of conservation groups, including the Arcata-based Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC), is suing to block the Trump administration’s move to strip longstanding habitat protections for imperiled wildlife from the Endangered Species Act (ESA). For more than 50 years, the word “harm” has been delineated to mean not just directly hurting or killing a listed […]
20 Years at the Playhouse
On Monday afternoon at the Creamery Building, Jacqueline Dandeneau stands with her thumbs tucked in purple overalls, grinning as David Ferney explains the Flynn Creek Circus’ Russian swing act to Vicki Ozaki of Humboldt Taiko. Ferney spreads his hands, pantomiming the “boat” the acrobats stand on, rocking higher and higher — to the mounting rhythm […]
Investing in Community
The Fortuna Theater, built in 1938, maintained its structural integrity after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Humboldt County in December of 2022. However, the extensive damage inside the building — caused by a ruptured sprinkler system — left the theater closed with no timeline for reopening. Three and a half years later, its list of […]
Humbuggery in Humboldt, Part 2
In the 19th century, Americans’ fascination with the occult made fortune tellers and mediums common entertainment at fairs, lecture halls and private parties. Newspapers across the country carried stories of remarkable psychic predictions and spirit manifestations. Journalists also regularly exposed practitioners as frauds, but this did little to temper the faith of true believers. In […]
Death of 77 Year Old Reported Missing After Hospital Release Under Investigation
A 77-year-old McKinleyville man was found dead this morning, 36 hours after he was reported to have been sent home in a ride service following his release from a local hospital around 10 p.m. on July 7. According to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, James Jaworski’s family said he never made it to his residence […]
Humbuggery in Humboldt, Part 1
“We have been told that Eureka is the best town for fakirs on the coast and it is a ‘good thing’ as any first-class fakir will testify who has tried it.” — The Daily Standard, March 8, 1900 Though technology has evolved, human nature has not. Like today’s confidence men and women, scammers of Humboldt’s […]
‘We have to work to keep our freedom’
By noon on June 27, a small group of protesters lined the street in front of the Humboldt County Superior Court. Many held signs criticizing the current administration, calling for the impeachment of President Trump and an end to fascism in America. Palestinian flags, Mexican flags and upside-down American flags signaling distress waved in the […]
