This morning the Fortuna Police Department arrested former Toddy Thomas Middle School teaching assistant Matthew Oliver Gibson of McKinleyville on suspicion of sexual abusing a child. According to a press release, Gibson was a teaching assistant in the 2017-2018 school year and helping with the after-school program at the Fortuna school when he allegedly sexually abused a […]
Crime
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HCSO Investigating Death on Bell Springs Road
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a gunshot victim found in his vehicle on Bell Springs Road near Island Mountain Road. Sheriff’s Deputies found Richard Grayson Drewry, 85, of Garberville in a vehicle with a gunshot wound, after trying life-saving efforts Drewry succumbed to his injuries and died. The manner of his […]
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Lawson Civil Trial Pushed Back
The trial date for Charmaine Lawson’s civil lawsuit alleging the city of Arcata violated her constitutional rights by inadequately and incompetently investigating the 2017 stabbing death of her son has been pushed back to late this year. The case — in which Lawson alleges racism and discrimination contributed to the city’s “deliberately indifferent” policies, practices, […]
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Eureka Man Arrested After Allegedly Threatening Mass Shooting
Police arrested a 49-year-old Eureka man shortly after midnight this morning after he allegedly told a Weaverville restaurant employee he had plans to commit a mass shooting at a Eureka government building after the employee asked him to wear a mask. Eureka Police Chief Steve Watson said the man, identified as Darin Michael Ward, told […]
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Largest Fentanyl Bust in HCDTF History
The Humboldt County Drug Task Force seized 4 ounces of fentanyl, the largest seizure amount in HCDTF history, earlier this morning after serving a search warrant on a vehicle belonging to Roscoe Reidel of Eureka. According to the release, HCDTF had been investigating Reidel since December for allegedly transporting large quantities of fentanyl from San […]
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Humboldt Dem Headquarters Hit During Siege at U.S. Capitol
As a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol yesterday in an unsuccessful attempt to upend the certification of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ election, the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee’s headquarters was broken into and vandalized. ( North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman was forced to lockdown in his office during the siege and tweeted as […]
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HCDTF Confiscate More Than One Pound of Meth
Humboldt County Drug Task Force seized approximately 1.31 pounds of methamphetamine, 1.5 ounces of cocaine and $7,900 after serving a search warrant on two Eureka residents yesterday. According to the release, HCDTF agents had been investigating Miguel Jose SierraHerrera, 25, and his girlfriend Micheal Clair Guyette, 25, before making a traffic stop that led to […]
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Huffman from Capitol Lockdown: ‘This Just Cannot Stand’
Speaking to the Journal by phone this afternoon from his Capitol office during a mandatory lockdown instituted by Capitol Police as officers worked to clear the building of a violent pro-Trump crowd, North Coast Congressmember Jared Huffman said he entered the day braced for the possibility of conflict but didn’t imagine anything like this. “There […]
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UPDATE: One Dead, One Wounded and One Motel Damaged in Early Morning Incident in Arcata
Arcata Police Sgt. Chris Ortega confirmed today that a shooting at an Arcata motel in the 4800 block of Valley West Blvd. about 3 a.m. led to a fire and a man’s death. According to Ortega, officers were dispatched to the motel “for the report of a man discharging a handgun in the parking lot.” […]
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New California Laws of 2021: A Brief Video Review
1. California widens mental health conditions insurers must cover: In the past, state law only required treatment for nine serious mental illnesses. Even before the pandemic, more than half of Californians said most people with mental health conditions couldn’t get the help they needed. Some families even dropped private insurance to qualify for treatment in […]
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EPD POP Detains 14 People at Eureka Residence This Morning
This morning Eureka’s Problem Oriented Policing (POP) team showed up again at the residence of 204 West Hawthorne Street which has a history of law enforcement raids for drugs and in response to neighbor’s complaints. This morning, a large contingent of officers arrived and detained a number of people who were in the home. “POP […]
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Second Suspect in Samoa Shooting Arrested
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office reports a second suspect has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting in Samoa last month. Ian Rose, also known as Ian Pease, was stopped by California Highway Patrol officers in Crescent City on Dec 18 after a brief pursuit, according to the HCSO. Rose, 30, was arrested on […]