Cover Story
Cowbells and Crab Hands
Jason Arriola stands at the plate, bat ready to swing, and the crowd’s humming dims briefly as everyone watches. The Novato Knicks player facing him throws the ball and Arriola’s arms move like rubber as he swings, sending the ball into the far corner of the field. The crowd grows louder the farther he runs,…
New California Law Bans Law Enforcement from Interfering in State Elections
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Law enforcement officers will be banned from interfering with California elections under a new law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed May 27, just in time for the June 2 primary election. The law, which takes effçect immediately, criminalizes the act of taking cast ballots from the custody of a…
Sideways
This one goes to a hard deadline and print on the first Election Day of 2026 for us Californicators, so bear that in mind while reading whatever comes next. Regarding the gubernatorial race, I am tempted to write “whoever wins, we lose,” but that’s not my exact sentiment. I’ll be cautiously optimistic if Tom Steyer…
River City Wows
I remember when Lea Salonga and Daisy Eagan won Tony awards in the same year, 1991. Watching a Filipina and an 11 year old recognized on Broadway’s biggest night was inspirational and transformative as it affirmed all that is possible in the art I was quickly falling in love with. Likewise, watching performers like Michaela Band,…
First Saturday Night Arts Alive
Enjoy a lively evening in Downtown and Old Town Eureka as galleries, museums, theaters, bars and restaurants stay open late. Kalah and Onyx will be around Old Town with giant bubble art. SECOND AND F STREET INTERSECTION Spellbound, flow zone, performance. 4TH STREET MERCANTILE 215 Fourth St. Various artists. 40° North Gallery 320 Second St.,…
Crabs Sweep into the Season
The Humboldt Crabs opened their 83rd season with a bang Friday night, May 29, with a 13-0 win over the Novato Knicks. The win in front of 1,000-plus fans marked the beginning of a new era for the Crabs. Jeff Giacomini has taken the helm as the ninth head coach in Crabs history. Giacomini has…
Sex: Nature’s Greatest Hack
Although I wrote about this topic quite recently (“Why Two Sexes?” Feb. 15, 2024), I’m revisiting it due to increasing interest — and confusion — around gender politics. While one’s gender can be as fluid as our culture is diverse, biological sex isn’t. Eukaryotes like us are born male or female, depending on the size…
‘Backrooms’ Breaks Out of the Internet
BACKROOMS. In order to talk about Backrooms (2026), A24’s newest psychological horror directed by breakout filmmaker Kane Parsons and based off his cult YouTube series, it is important to take a few steps back to look at the veryinternet-based origins of this film’s unsettling landscape. The film’s endless mono-yellow passages and torturous fluorescent light invoking…
There Is A Story
There is a story,a story acting like a ribbon would in the wind,twisting and dancing. In this story she is like a hillrolling wet and green under a yellow sun. She is that sliver of moonbright in the dark summer night. She is surrounded by childrenand music, snow and breath and flowers,righteous indignation and a certain way…
