Cover Story
Conflicting Reports
Shortly after Sandra Lingle moved to Eureka from San Diego 32 years ago, something made an impression. “I saw somebody walking their dog at 11 o’clock at night — a woman — and I was thrilled,” she recalled last week. To Lingle, the sight reinforced that she’d moved to a safe place, a community where…
Arcata’s Mendosa to Retire
More than three decades after he came to work for the city of Arcata as a bus driver, Randy Mendosa announced Wednesday that he plans to retire his post as city manager in July. “It’s a great job — I’ve really enjoyed it,” Mendosa said by phone, before adeptly deflecting the praise and attention that…
Huffman Urges Obama to Reclassify Marijuana
North Coast Congressman Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, joined 17 of his cohorts today in sending a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to reschedule marijuana under the Controlled Substance Act. Currently, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under the act, putting it in the same category under federal law as heroin,…
Biologist Pleads Guilty in Yurok Embezzlement Case
A local biologist pleaded guilty today to a single federal count of conspiring to embezzle funds from an Indian tribal organization stemming from the bilking of nearly $1 million in federal funds from the Yurok Tribe over a three-year period beginning in 2007, tribal spokesman Matt Mais confirmed. According to court documents, Mad River Biologists…
Yurok Tribe Tosses Cap in Trade Ring
The Yurok Tribe has entered the carbon trade market, joining with sustainable forestry investment group New Forests Inc. to sell carbon credits based on a 7,660-acre patch of Doug fir and mixed hardwood forest the tribe’s promised to manage for increased carbon sequestration. The tribe will be issued 704,520 credits, according to a news release…
Trouble Brewing
The folks at Humboldt Made are hoping a labeling controversy might land a once-local beer’s brewing operations back on the North Coast. The Humboldt Brewing Co.’s current incarnation has little to do with its county of origin. Sure, there are the colorful labels complete with images of towering redwoods and lush ferns. There’s the word…
Bonus track: Banjos, check. Rap, check. Killer show tonight, check.
Fans of This American Life (catch it on KHSU Fridays and Sundays) may recall the episode “Numbers,” in which Ira Glass interviews musician David Soldier about a study determining what people most love and – more interestingly – hate in music: Soldier: There was quite a diversity in hatred. There were a lot of hated instruments……
County projecting large budget deficit
It looks like the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors will have some tough decisions to make in the coming months. The board is slated to receive its mid-year budget update Tuesday, and the news is pretty grim. According to the staff report, County Administrative Officer Phillip Smith-Hanes is expected to tell the board that the…
Tonight’s Setlist: Options Suave and Serious
Photo by Chris Tuite Oh, Strix Vega. One of Humboldt County’s most enduring bands and for good reasons. They’re talented, they’re attractive and the trio’s repertoire has grown to contain both long-form instrumental intricacies for music nerds and lush sing-alongables for those of us more hook-inclined. Prime your infatuation with this video by the Journal’s…
Court *Might* Start Charging for Records and Other Services
Be prepared to pony up for court records. When the Journal went into the court records office last week, an employee warned, somewhat admonishingly, that asking for a criminal case file without a case number would cost $15 in the future. “That’s new,” we thought. For years, court records employees have seemed happy to look…
NCJ Goes for the Gold
The 2014 Sochi Olympics became a source of entertainment before the official start of any of the games. From unfinished roadways to double-toileted bathroom stalls, the Internet has been flooded with pictures of the sort of mayhem generally only found in the 1986 comedy The Money Pit. It’s yet to be seen if the slipshod attempts…
Tonight’s Setlist: Beyond Bungle with Secret Chiefs 3, plus Oliver Mtukudzi at the Mateel
We get emails. Sometimes they look like this: “Hi, I’m Trey from Secret Chiefs 3. … It’s not the most famous band in the world, but we do sell out the Great American Music Hall in SF and similar venues across the USA, Europe, Australia and Latin America. We’ve never played Humboldt, but I grew…
Updated: Friendly Fire: Police Association in Dispute with City
Fortuna police officers seem to be experiencing some growing unfriendly feelings toward their city. Charles Ellebrecht, a sergeant with the department and president of the Fortuna Police Employees Association, took the podium during the public comment period of Monday’s council meeting and aired a grievance that it appears has long been simmering behind closed doors.…
Baroque’s Back
Ah, Venice. The canals, the art, the history, the music. Haven’t got the Euros to pop over to the Bridge of Sighs? Sigh. Lucky for you, the Venice Baroque Orchestra will be making beautiful music at the Van Duzer Theatre on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. ($55, $25 kids, $15 HSU students). The orchestra,…
Tonight’s Setlist: Linday Lou & the Flatbellys
You can tell by the photo that Humboldt County will love Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys. She’s adorable, like the girl you had a crush on in grade school. The guys are attractive and sincere-looking in that way that only young people wearing natural fibers can be. The beards probably do not keep them from…
Rethink Jail Releases
Editor: It really insults my intelligence to read that people are being released from jail late at night, far from home, because of the dictates of the law (“Dead of Night,” Jan. 30). The law that is chosen is the one meant to uphold and protect a citizen’s civil and constitutional rights. Really? I believe…
In Good Hands
Editor: If the outstanding care I received from this team is any indication, Humboldt cancer patients will find great comfort in staying home to receive world-class care in the jeans and T-shirt environment we enjoy (“The Cancer Collaboration,” Jan. 23). At my first meeting with Dr. Allen he gave me a card with his email…
Debating Singleton
Editor: The title “Defending Singleton” grabbed my attention a couple of weeks ago, causing me to read a column I generally make it a practice to skip over. Initially, I considered composing a response to it, but realizing I couldn’t really do justice to its shortcomings within your 300 word limit, I didn’t try. So…
The rain
imagines gravity sideways. Lifting its hem, the toes of its shoes tap along the outstretched palms of the trees.
Pictures of Lily
Twee Thursday You can tell by the photo that Humboldt County will love Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys. She’s adorable, like the girl you had a crush on in grade school. The guys are attractive and sincere-looking in that way that only young people wearing natural fibers can be. The beards probably do not keep…
Smart Is Sexy
Ready to test the hypothesis? Slink over to Blue Lake Casino on Friday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. and find out how much game you’ve got at Sexytime Trivia ($15 advance, $20 at the door). Demonstrate your expertise on the birds and the bees in a sassy trivia quiz for points and prizes. Into group…
Short Sea Doldrums
Remember short sea shipping, that siren who lured us into a maritime reverie some years ago — a fortune-filled dream in which Humboldt Bay once again had a bustling port, helping to reduce transportation costs, air pollution and highway wear-and-tear? Where goods-laden barges — carrying more than just fuel and wood chips — made regular…
Hardball
Here’s a question of local perception about pot, which simply doesn’t engender the same vitriol as other drugs around here: Do “upstanding” locals grow and use marijuana because it’s less serious, or do we consider it less serious because more “upstanding” locals grow and use it? A prominent community member arrested last year on cultivation…
Chorizo: A Love Story
To set the record straight, I wasn’t trying to murder my ex per se. But he deserved it for cracking a joke with his Poblano buddies that American women only know how to take food out of the freezer and stick it in the microwave. What did he think he was getting when he chose…
Growing Boys
Reviews LABOR DAY. At first it seemed odd that a movie by Jason Reitman (Young Adult, Up in the Air) would be relegated to the dumping ground of mid-winter release. Reitman’s become something of a prestige director in recent years, gathering up commercial success, critical accolades and major award nominations along the way. But as…
Before You Stiff Your Server
1. Are you in America? You should tip. At least 15 percent, 20 percent if you’re civilized and financially comfortable enough. Can’t do math? There’s an app for that. 2. Did your server a.) spit in your food in front of you? b.) use a racist term in addressing you? c.) lean over and grab…
First Friday Fortuna Arts Night
Art, music, fun and great deals from local merchants is all happening in Fortuna the first Friday of every month. Fortuna’s First Friday, features amazing artist from Humboldt County, including oil, acrylic, water color painter, air brushing, pottery and modern day sculptures. Local musicians will play great music in a number of locations around downtown.…
