An Arcata woman has been granted the opportunity to post bail by a federal immigration judge after a seven-month detention in Bakersfield. Claudia Portillo, a 33 year old who immigrated to the United States from El Salvador when she was 7, was taken into custody and transferred to the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Facility in […]
Courts
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County Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit for $3.5 Million
The county of Humboldt has settled the federal civil rights lawsuit stemming from the 2014 jail death of Daren Borges, agreeing to pay Borges’ family $3.5 million in damages and legal fees, and to make various changes to jail policy. Borges, 42, a homeless, schizophrenic poet and artist, was living in Eureka at the time […]
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Lawsuit: Zoellner Alleges APD Falsified Reports in Lawson Investigation
Kyle Zoellner, the 24-year-old McKinleyville man accused last year of fatally stabbing a Humboldt State University student on April 15, 2017, has filed a lawsuit against the city of Arcata alleging police and city officials violated his civil rights. Zoellner — who was arrested at the scene of an off-campus party where David Josiah Lawson, […]
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Succulent Poaching Trio Pleads Guilty
Three poachers who operated an international smuggling ring that shipped succulents from Humboldt County to the Asian market have pleaded guilty to felony and misdemeanor charges, including conspiracy and stealing plants from public lands. According to a California Department of Fish and Wildlife press release, the trio — Liu Fengxia, 37, of China, and Tae-Hun […]
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3rd UPDATE: Killoran Cruises to Judgeship
3rd UPDATE: In the final election night tally, Lawrence Killoran cruised to becoming Humboldt County’s next superior court judge, taking 65.97 percent of the vote to Lathe Gill’s 33.64 percent, with 17,143 ballots counted in the race. Killoran will take over the seat being vacated by retiring Judge Dale Reinholtsen at the end of the […]
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Gov. Makes Fourth HumCo Judicial Appointment in Past 12 Months
For the first time in recent memory, the Humboldt County Superior Court bench is back at full strength. Gov. Jerry Brown has announced he will appoint Timothy Canning, the 59-year-old court commissioner from Arcata, to the seat vacated by the retirement of Judge John T. Feeney earlier this year. Canning, a Democrat, according to the […]
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Suspect Eureka Shooter Had Extensive Criminal Record
The man suspected of fatally shooting a woman in Eureka on May 6 before turning the gun on himself hours later in a Fortuna trailer park had an extensive criminal record that included several stints in prison, according to state corrections officials and local law enforcement. Ronald Allen Crossland, 52, is believed to have shot […]
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Marek Reavis Appointed New Public Defender
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted in closed session this afternoon to appoint Marek Reavis, currently serving as interim public defender, to that office’s top job. Reavis’ appointment caps a tumultuous year for the department, which saw public outcry and mass resignations over the board’s previous appointment, David Marcus, whom many considered unqualified. After […]
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St. Joseph Health Hit with Anti-Trust Lawsuit Alleging Unfair Business Practices to Protect 10-fold Price Markeups
The company that owns Redwood Urgent Care has filed a federal lawsuit against St. Joseph Hospital, alleging pervasive and systemic violations of state and federal laws designed to protect fair business competition. Wahidullah Medical Corp., which owns Redwood Urgent Care and its outpatient medical testing laboratory, filed the anti-trust suit earlier this month, seeking a […]
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Squireses Set to Step Back From Their Rentals, at Least for Now
A federal bankruptcy judge has approved an agreement forged — if somewhat begrudgingly — between landlords Floyd and Betty Squires and the city of Eureka that will essentially remove the couple from their property rental business, at least for the time being. Long story short, an “examiner with special powers” will be appointed to oversee […]
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Fortuna Council Places Wheetley on Paid Leave
The Fortuna City Council has placed City Manager Mark Wheetley on paid administrative leave in the wake of his sentencing earlier this week after pleading guilty to a “wet and reckless” charge, his second DUI-related offense in less than two years. “At a city council meeting on March 28, 2018, the city council voted 5-0 […]
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Goldberg Faces 40 to Life After Conviction
Jon David Goldberg will face 40 years to life in prison when sentenced May 11 after a jury convicted him Friday of second-degree murder, with an enhancement for personally using a firearm to kill 42-year-old Tim Smith in September of 2016. After less than two days of deliberations following a month-long trial, the jury came […]