Cover Story
Best of Humboldt
Most of the time when we say something is a popularity contest, it’s a bad thing. The exception is our annual Best of Humboldt, when our readers vote on their local faves from barbecue to skate parks. It’s like voting for prom kings and queens, but without the drama. Or is it? There were some…
North Coast Night Lights: Reflections at Richardson Grove
As you read on your computer or mobile device, remember that you, too, can unplug, go outside not too far from where you are now and experience a night something like the one in this image. I took a break from plugged-in things for a week and camped for part of it in Southern Humboldt’s…
Gist Hall Re-Opens After Asbestos Shutdown
After a presence of disturbed asbestos found in a “space used to help circulate air” closed down Gist Hall in May, Humboldt State University has announced the building reopened this week. Right before the spring semester ended, HSU closed down the building to test for traces of asbestos. Tests later confirmed no asbestos fibers were…
Eureka Hit a Record High on Tuesday
If you were wondering, the coast did set a record temperature for the day yesterday at 71. That bested the 2003 high of 70, according the Eureka office of the National Weather Service. Of course that’s nothing in comparison to the what-the-heck highs of early June, when the 11th saw Eureka hit a scorching 85…
Rollback of Endangered Species’ Protections Raising Fears
The Trump administration’s move to weaken what many see as key aspects of the Endangered Species Act is garnering outrage and pushback, with critics fearing a greater deterioration of the natural world amid the planet’s growing biodiversity crisis. Credited with saving the bald eagle — among many iconic species, including several on the North Coast…
UPDATE: Sheriff’s Office IDs Man Killed in McKinleyville Stabbing
UPDATE: The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has identified the man who died in a McKinleyville stabbing as Rohnert Park resident Dylon T. Liakos. He was 30. No new details of the incident were released. According to HCSO, the Criminal Investigations Division is “still actively investigating the case.” See the entire release at the bottom of…
Photos from the Lantern Floating Ceremony
A large crowd attended the 37th annual Lantern Floating Ceremony at the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary on Saturday evening under clear skies. A gentle breeze helped push a few hundred lanterns that had been created earlier that morning on the Arcata Plaza out across Klopp Lake. The original Japanese ceremony uses floating lanterns to…
Coastal Commission: If Trinidad Rancheria Can Find Water, it Can Build its Hotel
The California Coastal Commission went against the recommendation of its staff Thursday and gave the Trinidad Rancheria the go-ahead — or a “conditional concurrence” — to build a five-story hotel on its property off Scenic Drive south of the city. This means that the Coastal Commission, which is tasked by law with protecting the California…
HSU Enters Interim Agreement to Farm Out KHSU Management
Humboldt State University has entered into an interim agreement with Capital Public Radio in Sacramento to provide “programming assistance” to KHSU-FM, which was controversially gutted by the university back in April. “The agreement allows KHSU to continue airing national and state programming as the university considers various approaches KHSU’s future,” states a university press release.…
Rainbow Ridge Treesitter Comes Down
After two months, a treesitter who goes by “Rook” has come down from a perch in the canopy of a giant Douglas fir where she was protesting Humboldt Redwood Co.’s timber activities at Rainbow Ridge, according to a release from Earth First! Humboldt. Rook was escorted from the scene by security but was not arrested.…
31 Points About Mass Shootings
We were at a loss for words. Two shootings — in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio — in less than 24 hours. Thirty-one dead. Fifty-one injured. As information trickled in, the pit in our stomachs grew. A hate-filled manifesto indicating the El Paso killer had targeted Mexicans. Reports that the Dayton killer had been…
‘An Inspiring View’
Editor: After many years, I recently ventured back up Monument Road and up along Bear River Ridge (“Why I support Terr-Gen’s Wind Project,” June 27, and “Hook, Line and Turbine,” July 4). It was so rewarding to see such an inspiring view unchanged by the decades and I encourage anyone who loves this place to…
Unicorns
Nymphs on patrol I have seen alarmingly few dragonflies along my stretch of the Van Duzen River this year. Where I’m used to seeing dozens in a day, I’m seeing one or none. About the only species I’ve seen recently hereabouts is the large black and yellow western river cruiser (Macromia magnifica) patrolling along gravel…
Best of Food & Drink 2019
Best Catering Company Sammy’s BBQ & Catering Before the smell of smoky Hawaiian-style barbecued chicken wafted from its Eureka restaurant, before folks took the King Salmon exit to eat ribs by the canal, Sammy’s began as a catering business. I’m strongly recommending you hire this family operation for anything you’re inviting me to because, sweet…
See-Saws On the Border
Fortunately, We all still care About the children, On both sides of the walls We build between each other…
Best of Cannabis 2019
WINNERS: Budtender Monty Mifflin, The Heart of Humboldt 601 I St., Arcata; 822-9330 theheartofhumboldt.com Second Place: Michelle Seelye at Humboldt Patient Resource Center Third Place: Brooke B at Satori Cannabis Nursery Hendrx 840-5667; hendrx.farm Second Place: The Heart of Humboldt Third Place: Talking Trees Dispensary Humboldt Patient Resource Center Multiple locations in Arcata and Eureka…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): When it came time to write your horoscope, I was feeling unusually lazy. I could barely summon enough energy to draw up the planetary charts. I said a weak prayer to the astrological muses, pleading, “Please don’t make me work too hard to discover the message that Aries people need to…
Best of Bonus 2019
Best Local Politician Steve Madrone He might be new on campus but that didn’t stop freshman Supervisor Steve Madrone from taking on another title this year. The longtime Trinidad resident — who successfully rode a dark horse in the race to take the venerable Fifth District crown in a down-to-the wire win from a two-time incumbent…
‘In Violation’
Editor: The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has continued to separate children from their parents in violation of court orders (“A Humanitarian Disaster,” Aug. 1). As far as I know, they are not yet asking parents to choose which child they may keep and which ones will be taken from them. So I…
Outstanding: A Report Expected to Shed Light on David Josiah Lawson’s Killing Remains MIA
In the aftermath of the April 15, 2017 stabbing death of David Josiah Lawson, as criticism swirled about the city of Arcata’s emergency and police responses and protests mounted, officials pledged the incident would be reviewed by an outside organization. Nearly two and a half years later, the city has yet to see the $30,000…
Best Of Arts, Entertainment & Recreation 2019
Best Band The Undercovers Cover bands had never been my thing. No disrespect but I always felt that if I wanted to hear Prince belt out “Let’s Go Crazy,” Tom Petty run through “I Won’t Back Down” or the Beatles reminisce on “Yesterday,” well, they all did a pretty damn good job so why reinvent…
Not so Fast, Mr. Andersen
Editor: John Andersen paints a pretty picture of the Gap Brothers’ Humboldt Redwood Co., but it’s a picture of the rapidly receding past, not the reality of the present (“Come See for Yourself,” Aug. 1). Tree sitters block logging of the Mattole’s older trees of Rainbow Ridge because they know intact forests are the only…
Best of Retail 2019
Best Pawn Shop Humboldt Bay Trade And Pawn Chances are you’ve seen the sign for Humboldt Bay Trade and Pawn (aka Humboldt Pawn) soaring over one of Eureka’s main thoroughfares. And, perhaps, you’ve been a bit curious. Maybe it’s time you went inside. Carrying on a service of short-term loans and cash for goods that…
What About JPR?
Editor: Recent articles covering discussions between KHSU, Capital Public Radio (Sacramento) and North State Public Radio (Chico) are overlooking the fact that Jefferson Public Radio (JPR – Ashland) also has two local broadcast services in Humboldt County (Mailbox, July 11). JPR provides Classics and News as well as news and information programming, each of which…
A More Direct Approach
Editor: Not enough water to flush the hotel toilets. Ugly. All that and more. If it really is in tribal interests to develop a casino-adjacent hotel near Trinidad, the nasty ramifications could be modified (“Questions Swirl Ahead of Trinidad Hotel Hearing,” Aug. 1). But it’s apparently not the tribe so much as the investors. My…
Best of Services 2019
Best Tire Shop Tony Gosselin & Sons’ Tire It was about a year ago that a flat on my partner’s car took me into the local storefront of a national tire chain. The tire was unfixable, as I’d suspected, but the sales clerk told me that we wouldn’t need just one new tire. Instead, because…
An Important Omission
Editor: Thanks for the article on homeless students (“The Grove,” Aug. 1). One important omitted demographic to this important story, however, is that of homeless preschool children. Although HCOE was happy to report regarding their services to K-12 homeless kids in Humboldt, one of their dark secrets is that they refuse to offer any mandated…
Lawyers, Guns and Money vs. Us
It was a rough weekend for anybody who has a negative opinion about mass gun violence in America. I’d like to address this issue but I don’t want to do so broadly, so I will only speak to those who want to see change in the current trajectory of our country, and by the time…
Sheriff’s Office, National Guard Begin Week of Warrants
Humboldt County’s Marijuana Eradication Team, working with the National Guard, is in the midst of serving multiple search warrants on unpermitted grows in a multi-day crack down on the illicit cannabis market. The team eradicated more than 7,000 plants Aug. 5, according to Sheriff’s Office Lt. Mike Fridley, who heads MET. “We hit four search…
What’s Good: Sauced
In the way that Colette might have looked back on her love affairs with a calmer eye and an appreciation for the sudden and temporary passions that drove her to reckless choices, so do I look back on the trail of condiments with which I have been briefly and tumultuously obsessed. The first was likely…
The Painting on the Wall
At the block party for the second annual Eureka Street Art Festival, more than a dozen artists hailing from points ranging from Bayside to Buenos Aires were steadily moving toward completion in front of ebullient crowds. Many had been working in public all week — spraying, brushing, gridding and stenciling, shimmying up and down ladders…
Arts! Arcata
Arts! Arcata is Arcata Main Street’s monthly celebration of visual and performing arts, held at locations in Arcata. Visit www.arcatamainstreet.com, Arts! Arcata on Facebook, or call 707-822-4500 for more information. ALCHEMY DISTILLERY 330 South G St. Art and live weaving from the Natural Fiber Fair along with local libations tastings. ARCATA ARTISANS GALLERY 883 H…
Lady in Waiting
Review OPHELIA. As the title character of Ophelia tells us at the outset, “It is high time I should tell you my story myself.” So begins this re-telling of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, one that adds dimension and depth to its characters. Shakespeare fans will appreciate Ophelia but so will non-fans. It’s a story of empowerment and…
