The Eureka City Council cast unanimous votes on two election-related items this week, including a major change to the way residents in Humboldt County’s largest city select their representatives. At Tuesday night’s meeting, the council moved forward what’s known as ranked choice voting by introducing an ordinance to implement the method supported by Eureka voters […]
Government
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UPDATE: County Employees Expected to Get Direct Deposits by End of Day, Workforce Board Issues No-Confidence Vote in Auditor-Controller’s Office
UPDATE: Humboldt County Deputy County Administrative Officer Sean Quincey released an update on the county’s payroll problems this afternoon, saying U.S. Bank has confirmed it has what it needs to make direct deposit payments to county employees by the close of business today. “We are in the process of printing out paper checks for employees […]
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Eureka Council to Consider Ward Maps, Implementing Ranked Choice Voting
The Eureka City Council is slated today to introduce an ordinance that will set the ball rolling on bringing a new system for electing representatives to serve behind the dais by next year’s general election. And, on another election front, the council will also have a public hearing on redrawing ward boundaries, which happens every […]
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Most Californians say Economic Inequality is Getting Worse, New Survey Shows
Seven in 10 Californians say the gap between rich and poor is getting larger, according to a statewide survey released Tuesday. The survey, conducted last month by the nonpartisan think tank, Public Policy Institute of California, polled 2,292 adult Californians about their opinions on the state’s economic outlook, financial security, job security, among other topics. […]
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NCJ Preview: 101 Underwater, Watching Cops and Raising Turkeys
The looming threat of sea level rise is particularly scary along U.S. Highway 101. CalTrans and others are searching for solutions to the flooded future of Humboldt’s main transportation artery, and this week we’re talking about the options and obstacles for keeping the roadway above water. We’re also looking at Eureka’s move toward more robust […]
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California’s State Auditor: ‘Speak the Truth to Power’
Gov. Gavin Newsom will soon get to make yet another appointment with far-reaching implications: Who should lead the independent agency tasked with evaluating the performance of his own administration? Elaine Howle — who has led the California State Auditor’s office for 21 years — announced last month that she plans to retire at the end […]
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California Redistricting: Four Key Questions
It took weeks of long, late-night meetings full of wonky debate and digital line drawing — as well as a haiku and at least two songs as public comment. But Wednesday night, California’s independent redistricting commission reached a key milestone: Its first official maps are out. (Find an interactive map viewer here.) The citizen panel […]
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Winged Warning: Migrating Birds Hit Hard by California’s Drought
It says something about the complexity of California’s water crisis that there are so many actors in the state’s water wars, all clamoring for more. Nature, alone, is silent in this fight, relying on others to speak on behalf of the welfare of wildlife and waterways. Across the state, biologists, farmers and hunters are lending […]
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As UN Tackles Twin Climate Threats, California Struggles with Them, Too
Nations around the globe this month have pledged to tackle two thorny and critical threats to Earth’s climate: methane, which is the most potent planet-warming pollutant, and widespread destruction of forests. Both of these are major contributors to climate change that California has tried — yet struggled — to address. More than 100 countries inched […]
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Heading for Charlie Moon Way
This summer during the Eureka Street Art Festival, artist Dave Young Kim painted a mural depicting a Mandarin duck and Ben Chin, the first Chinese American to open a business in Eureka in 1955, 70 years after the mass expulsion of Chinese people from the town. That mural, emblazoned with the word “hometown,” stands in […]
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Get Ready to ‘Fall Back’ this Weekend
It’s that “fall back” time of year, again. At 2 a.m. Sunday, daylight saving time comes to an end. And, once again, North Coast Congressmember Jared Huffman is working with his Republican colleague Buddy Carter of Utah on a bipartisan bill that would allow states the option of staying on daylight saving time all year. […]
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Council to Discuss Police Chief Post in Closed Session as Text Investigation Comes to a Head
The Eureka City Council will meet in closed session Tuesday to discuss how to proceed in the wake of Police Chief Steve Watson’s announced retirement and a case of anticipated litigation. Watson announced Wednesday he would be stepping down from the position he’s held for four years at the end of November. With the department […]