Arcata Vice Mayor Emily Goldstein announced last night that she will be stepping down from the city council seat she was elected to a little more than one year ago to “focus on the health of my family.” At times growing emotional, Goldstein said the decision was “really hard” but the “energy and time I […]
Government
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Why Single Payer Died in the California Legislature, Again
Despite, or perhaps because of, an aggressive last-minute push by progressive activists ahead of a crucial deadline, legislation to create a government-run universal health care system in California died Monday without coming up for a vote. The single-payer measure, Assembly Bill 1400, was the latest attempt to deliver on a longtime priority of Democratic Party […]
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Gavin Newsom was the Face of Legal Cannabis in California. Can He Fix Its Problems?
When California voters legalized marijuana for recreational use in November 2016, it was also a victory for Gavin Newsom, who spent months traveling the state as the face of the campaign. At an election night party at a San Francisco nightclub, the then-lieutenant governor celebrated this “point of pride,” telling attendees that California had sent […]
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NCJ Preview: Watson Texts, Measure S and New Year Cookies
This week, we’re looking at the still undisclosed allegations against Arcata Mayor Brett Watson from the perspective of texts between city councilmembers and what it tells us about the frustrations and confusion behind the scenes. We’re also breaking down why local cannabis farmers are struggling in the legal market and asking the county for a […]
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Student Housing is Tight. A California Plan Wants $5 billion for Affordable Beds
The University of California housed more students than the system officially had room for last fall. Yet UC leaders, lawmakers and the governor all want to dramatically expand student enrollment. But that ambition is at odds with a housing crunch crippling the UC and campuses across California. Students will need somewhere to live and a […]
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CHP Investigating Fatal Crash Near Woodley Island
The California Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal head-on crash on State Route 255 near Woodley Island last night. Dwayne Faughn, 49, of Samoa, died at the scene of the crash, according to CHP, after the 2000 Lexus he was driving northbound collided head on with a 2020 Jeep for unknown reasons. The crash sent […]
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U.S. Army Corps, UC Berkeley Repatriate Human Remains to Wiyot Tribe
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers San Francisco District and the University of California at Berkeley repatriated 20 human remains believed to be lineal descendants of the Wiyot Tribe and 136 historical, traditional and culturally important objects that belong to the Wiyot Tribe. “We have been working to return the remains of our relations for […]
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Tonga Tsunami: A Reminder of the North Coast’s Vulnerability
One week ago today, surges sent more than 5,000 miles across the ocean from the devastating volcanic eruption near Tonga began to hit the California coast as Humboldt County residents awoke Jan. 15 to a tsunami advisory that would span some 12 hours — and even longer just to the north in Del Norte County. […]
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McGuire Named State Senate Majority Leader
North Coast state Sen. Mike McGuire has a new title today — majority leader —which moves him up the Capitol ladder to the rung of second highest ranking member of the upper house of California’s Legislature. He was named to the post by Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins. “With bold leadership along with the […]
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Here’s What’s Changed as California’s New COVID Workplace Rules Go into Effect
As COVID-19 case rates in California have jumped to their highest levels yet — more than six times the peak of the delta variant wave — updated workplace rules kicked in last week to better help protect workers vaccinated against COVID-19. The revised rules come from the California Division of Safety and Health — also […]
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NCJ Preview: Spectator Ban, Outgoing Health Officer, Cookie Perfectionism and More
There’ll be no spectators at Humboldt County school sporting events, at least for the next couple of weeks. We’ll go into how the Humboldt Del Norte League came to that decision in the face of quickly rising COVID-19 case numbers and the ensuing backlash. We’ll also get into where our county is in terms of […]
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Free Tests? As COVID Surges, Rapid Results Cost Up to $300
When Rebecca Santucci of Lakewood learned that her sister, Stacy, may have been exposed to COVID-19, she set out to look for a rapid test. She needed to know quickly whether their 88-year-old father was at risk. Pharmacies had been wiped out of home test kits, and testing clinics were booked solid for at least […]