The great Eureka parking lot war is escalating. Less than a week after the city of Eureka reported that an initiative seeking to block its plans to transform a host of downtown city-owned parking lots into multi-family housing developments has qualified for the November of 2024 ballot, a group of local residents led by Security […]
Government
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How Laphonza Butler Could Reshape California’s U.S. Senate Race
Laphonza Butler — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s pick to succeed the late U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein — will be sworn in today, making history as the first openly LGBTQ person and the second Black woman to represent California in the Senate. But how long does she want to keep the job? She isn’t saying, yet. “This […]
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Crossing Crisis, Ghosts Students and New Food and Drink
This week we’re talking about the dangers of crossing traffic on Fourth and Fifth streets in Eureka and what can be done about it. And over at College of the Redwoods, the “ghost student” scam is taking vital funds and class space. We’ve got a sneak peek at the new restaurant and new brewery opening […]
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Huffman, Citing Rio Dell, Asks FEMA for more ‘Flexible, Equitable’ Access to Disaster Aid
North Coast Congressmember Jared Huffman questioned the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency about inadequacies built into the disaster relief program Sept. 19, specifically citing the recovery struggles in Rio Dell as an example of how the system is failing smaller, rural communities in the wake of natural disasters. While thanking FEMA Administrator Deanne […]
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Can this Plan Fix California’s Insurance Crisis? What You Need to Know
A week after negotiations to rescue California’s floundering home insurance market stalled out in the Legislature, the state’s top insurance regulator put out his own rescue plan that effectively amounts to a trade for the state’s major insurers. Under proposed regulations Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced Thursday, major insurers will be required to cover a […]
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CA Lawmakers Want to Tax Guns and Ammo
With adjournment edging ever closer next Thursday, legislators are continuing to push through bills to beat the deadline. On Thursday: Gun tax: After years of failed efforts, the Legislature sent Gov. Gavin Newsom a measure to tax firearms and ammunition to fund gun violence prevention in California, CalMatters’ Alexei Koseff reports. Assembly Bill 28 by […]
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Crowley Questions Mount for Harbor District
Pressure is mounting on the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District to reconsider its relationship with Crowley Maritime, its partner in the rush to develop a marine terminal to serve the proposed offshore wind farm, or at least to hold off on consummating the partnership. The first official salvo came Aug. 20 in the […]
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Quake Recovery, Chili Mess, Fermentation and Greek Sass
This week we’re checking in on post-quake recovery in Rio Dell, where FEMA funds have not come through and residents are struggling. We’ve also got a look at the fallout from a business owner’s homophobic comments at the Humboldt County Fair’s annual chili cook-off. In happier news, we’re talking fermented koji and miso, as well […]
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Parking Lot Protection Initiative Submits Signatures to Qualify for March Ballot
Proponents of an initiative that would effectively block the city of Eureka’s plans to convert municipal downtown parking into multi-family housing have collected enough signatures to qualify the measure for the March ballot, they announced in a press release. The release says that Mike Munson, one of the leaders of the so-called “City of Eureka […]
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Humboldt History, Maui Fires and Fair Baking
This week we’ve got a historian’s look back on how Japanese people fared in our county in the wake of the Chinese Expulsion. We’re also sharing a first-hand account of the fires in Maui from a reserve Ferndale police officer who lost his family home. Finally, a dispatch from the county fair’s baking competition. Hit […]
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CA Officials Respond to Tropical Storm Hilary, Ojai quake and Wildfires with the Possibility of More Lightning in the Forecast
California received a one-two punch from Mother Nature as Tropical Storm Hilary unleashed torrential record rains and flooding across Southern California, and an earthquake struck near Ojai — all during what has historically been the state’s wildfire season. The wild weekend prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom to head south, declaring a storm state of emergency even […]
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Repairs to Grandstands Ready By Humboldt County Fair Time
This year’s Humboldt County Fair horse racing season took off from the starting gates Aug. 18, one week after emergency repairs were completed to prevent one of the annual event’s major draws from being scratched, which potentially could have put Ferndale’s spot on the racing circuit in jeopardy. But the repairs — including the installation […]