A 31-year-old Eureka woman died in custody at the Humboldt County jail Monday night after she was found not breathing in her cell during a security check. Erica Ekker was housed alone in the maximum security female unit when she was discovered, according to a press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff”s Office. Medical staff performed […]
Emergency
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Pilot of Airplane that Crashed in Eel River Identified
The remains of an ultra-light aircraft pilot that went down May 4 into the main fork of the Eel River have been recovered and identified as those of 61-year-old Rex Whitlow. According to a press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Whitlow’s body was located at about 2 p.m. yesterday by family friends who […]
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THIRD UPDATE: Pedestrian Killed in 101 Hit and Run ID
THIRD UPDATE: The Humboldt County Coroner’s Office has identified the pedestrian killed May 5 on U.S. Highway 101 north of the airport as McKinleyville resident Ralph Pak Summers. He was 49. CHP Officer Cy May said the case is active and the agency is “following up on some pretty good investigative leads.” He says investigators […]
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UPDATE: U.S. Highway 101 Now Open
2nd UPDATE: U.S. Highway 101 is once again open north of Leggett, with one-way, controlled traffic passing by the slide that closed the highway for the better part of two weeks. Caltrans crews got the stretch of road re-opened last night but urge folks driving through the slide area to exercise caution and keep an […]
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Update: Names Released in Apparent Murder-Suicide at Caltrans Yard
Update: The Humboldt County Coroner’s Office has released the names of those involved in this morning’s incident. From the press release, “The deceased male subject in this case has been positively identified as Terry Allan Hayse, age 57 of Rio Dell. The female subject has been positively identified as Annette Kaleialoha Brooks, age 61 of […]
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UPDATE: CHP Reports Three Fatalities in State Route 299 Crash
Second Update: The CHP has confirmed that 3-year old Aubrey, the Woods’ daughter, has succumbed to her injuries. Update: The CHP has confirmed the name of the passenger in the Chrysler who died in the crash as 53 year old Janine Elaine Orcutt of Hoopa. Previously: The California Highway Patrol is reporting two fatalities — including an […]
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101 Closed Until at Least Next Week; Rain Forecast to Return
Caltrans is estimating a possible reopening of U.S. Highway 101 sometime mid-to-late next week and is warning travelers to expect detours of up to seven hours until the roadway can be safely reopened. The initial slide that closed down both lanes north of Leggett on April 16 was followed a few days later by another […]
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Not Guilty Plea Entered in Fatal Stabbing of 19-Year-Old HSU Student
The 23-year-old McKinleyville man accused in the fatal stabbing of Humboldt State University sophomore David Josiah Lawson pleaded not guilty to murder and a related weapons charge at his arraignment today. A preliminary hearing for Kyle Christopher Zoellner is set for May 1, District Attorney Maggie Fleming stated in an email to the Journal. His […]
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Share Your Stories About The Two Days That Shook Humboldt
With the 25th anniversary of the Cape Mendocino earthquake coming up next week, the Journal invites our readers to share their memories of those two days in 1992 when it almost felt like the earth would not stop moving. The magnitude-7.2 temblor followed by a series of strong aftershocks, including a 6.5 and 6.6, caused […]
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UPDATED: Early Morning Blaze at Hoopa High School
UPDATE: The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office sent a press release with information about a later fire, found at 10 a.m. the same day, that was confirmed as an “intentional act of arson.” That fire, at the Hoopa Tribal Fisheries building, self-extinguished and caused only minor damage to the building. Previously: Three structures at Hoopa Valley […]
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HSU Student Fatally Stabbed Amid House Party Fist Fight
A stabbing in Arcata early this morning left a 19-year-old Humboldt State University student dead. Details are scant at this point, but the university issued a press release this morning reporting that the stabbing occurred off campus and is being investigated by the Arcata Police Department, which has a suspect in custody but is still […]
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TL;DR: There Are No Easy Answers to Last Chance Grade
Didn’t have time to read this week’s cover story? We understand. Life can get hectic. To help out, here are some takeaways from this week’s feature, which delves into the complicated tangle of issues surrounding Last Chance Grade and efforts to move the roadway inland. Long story short, there are no easy answers to finding […]