‘Good People’
Humboldt businesses donate car to honor one fallen veteran and give another ‘a step forward’
Cover Story
‘Good People’
Local business owners and community members gathered in Eureka on a recent Friday to give an old truck new life and an Army veteran a hand up while celebrating the legacy of an Arcata-born veteran. In an effort called “Project Jumpstart,” Quality Body Works partnered with other Humboldt County businesses to restore a donated vehicle…
North Coast’s Commercial Dungeness Season Closing Due to Entanglement Risk
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is closing the commercial Dungeness crab season statewide due to “assessed entanglement risk,” with the North Coast season now ending on April 20 at noon. “We received reports of additional humpback whale entanglements and moved quickly to close the fishery to protect migrating humpback whales that are just…
Public Health Reports Humboldt’s 141st COVID-19 Death
Humboldt County Public Health reported today that the county has confirmed one COVID-19 death since its last report March 30. No new hospitalizations were reported today but, according to a state database, eight people are currently hospitalized with the virus locally, including two under intensive care. The death reported today is the 141st in Humboldt…
‘Kevin’ the Baby Seal Has a Name and New Home, For Now
The baby seal rescued by Eureka Police Department officers who responded to a report of a couple taking the pup from near the Samoa Bridge, putting it into an aquarium and driving away has a new name: Kevin. The young one is under the care of the Northcoast Marine Mammal Center, which reports the nonprofit “will…
Report to California Legislature: Prepare for Devastating Effects of Climate Change
Painting alarming scenes of fires, floods and economic disruption, the California Legislature’s advisors on Tuesday released a series of reports that lay out in stark terms the impacts of climate change across the state. The typically reserved, nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office outlined dire consequences for Californians as climate change continues to alter most aspects of…
Vonda G. Wilson: 1939-2022
Vonda Glee Wilson of Eureka, California, peacefully passed away on the night of March 13, 2022, surrounded by her family. Vonda was born on September 14, 1939 to Vivian and Fred Broyles in Olympia, Washington. She moved with her family to Humboldt County in 1954. After Vonda graduated from Eureka Senior High in 1958, she…
Eureka Police Save Baby Seal Being Taken Away in Car (with Video)
Eureka Police Department officers saved a baby seal from a couple who took the pup from an area near the Samoa Bridge, put it into an aquarium in their car and were attempting to drive away. A person who witnessed the incident called police, who were able to locate the car and bring the seal…
High Surf Advisory: Breaking Waves Up to 23 Feet Possible
UPDATED: The Eureka office of the National Weather Service has issued a high surf advisory for the coasts of Humboldt and Del Norte County until 9 p.m., with breaking waves up to 23 feet possible. “Large breaking waves along the coast will lead to increased wave run-up on beaches with waves topping and washing over…
Sheriff’s Office Investigating Suspicious Death at Kneeland Home, Looking for Man Who Fled Scene
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the suspicious death of a 28-year-old woman found at a home in Kneeland on Sunday and looking for a man, possibly called Austin, who reportedly fled the scene in the woman’s car. According to the sheriff’s office, deputies were called to the residence on the 4700 block of…
Two Quakes Hit Near Rio Dell
Two earthquakes hit near Rio Dell in quick succession this morning. The first, a magnitude-4.1, struck at 8:16 a.m. and was followed two minutes later by a magnitude-3.9, according to USGS, both about 5 miles west of Rio Dell.
“Clown Sweethearts” Perform in Playhouse Family Fun Series
Coventry & Kaluza, the “clown school sweethearts” hailing from the Clown Conservatory at the San Francisco Circus Center, bring music, comedy, acrobatics and hula hooping fun to the Creamery District’s Big Top Circus Tent on Monday, April 4 at 6 p.m. as part of the Arcata Playhouse Family Fun Series (free). The duo won Best…
NCJ Preview: Reinstating a Fired Sheriff’s Officer, Joan Schirle and Mocking Shakespeare
This week we’re digging into records the Journal went to court for to find out what went on in the arbitration proceedings following the firing of Sgt. Jason Daniels of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department. Daniels has been reinstated despite accusations of sexual assault and violations of sexual harassment and conduct rules, including text messages…
Patricia Ann Welsh: 1936-2022
Patricia Ann Welsh was born on November 1, 1936, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Edward and Nan Maguire. She fondly remembered playing in her Germantown neighborhood streets and parks, walking to school, and spending summer holidays enjoying the family beach house in Cape Cod, N.J. At 13, she met Jimmy Welsh. The two fell in love…
Next Up at the Humboldt Faculty Artist Series: Arcata Bay String Quartet
Enjoy an afternoon of music with the Arcata Bay String Quartet at the Humboldt Faculty Artist Series, Sunday, April 3 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Fulkerson Recital Hall ($15, $5 child and Cal Poly Humboldt students w/ID). Founded in 2017, the quartet features violinists Cindy Moyer and Karen Davy, violist Sherry Hanson and cellist…
The Bartow Project Opens April 2
Dell’Arte International and the Wiyot Tribe present The Bartow Project, a special collaboration featuring four film screenings and several exhibits about the life and art of Wiyot artist Rick Bartow. The event spans multiple venues across Wiyot ancestral territory from April 2-23. A limited seating Gala Event and screening takes place Saturday, April 2 at…
FPPC Gives Ruling on Arcata Mayor’s Conflict of Interest Question
The Fair Political Practices Commission has officially notified Arcata Mayor Stacy Atkins-Salazar and the city that she has a financial conflict of interest that prohibits her from participating in decisions about the proposed Gateway Area Plan. Atkins-Salazar had already been voluntarily recusing herself from discussions due to owning a residence and business directly across the…
Sierra Snowpack Worsens, Falls to Lowest Level in 7 Years
Seven years ago today, during the height of the last drought, California Gov. Jerry Brown stood on the barren slopes of the Sierra Nevada, watching as engineers measured the worst snowpack in state history. Today, snow measurements aren’t quite so bleak. But the snowy scene belies the severity of the drought. The snowpack — which…
Deal Struck for New Ownership of KIEM, KVIQ
Local television stations KIEM (Channel 3) and KVIQ (Channel 14) — both owned by Cox Media Group — are being sold to Imagicomm Communications, an affiliate of “general entertainment cable network” INSP, under an agreement announced by the companies March 30, which describes the transaction as furthering “the strategic evolution of CMG’s broadcast station portfolio…
Nuttall’s Cockle Fight
I have a shady-looking new neighbor. I’m pretty sure he slashed my tires — just because we like different sports teams. He’s that kind. I’m sure he’s also the one buying liquor and pornography for the neighborhood children and teaching them to steal my mail. He’s scum and I told my friends that I’d kick…
The ‘Friendly Officer’
William Dobberstein, Fortuna’s recently retired police chief, who was widely liked and known as a “friendly officer,” compassionate and willing to listen, through his 25-year career with the Fortuna Police Department, was found dead in his home Saturday. He was 53. Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal said his department is investigating Dobberstein’s death in his…
Lazarus Roots
These are ancient wars we’ve been born into; they aren’t anything we haven’t known nor are they ever really comprehended by any of us yet rather than take that walk into the forest to learn what we need to know about the root of all things we just keep resurrecting what would be best laid…
‘Embedded in the Culture’
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office internal affairs investigation that led to the firing of Sgt. Jason Daniels as he faced sexual assault allegations in 2014 was incomplete and unfair, according to the arbitrator’s ruling that overturned Daniels’ firing and reinstated his employment. The Journal reported last year (“Policing our Own,” June 10, 2021) that Daniels…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In 1904, it wasn’t illegal to use performance-enhancing drugs during Olympic competitions. Runner Thomas Hicks took advantage of this in the marathon race. The poison strychnine, which in small doses serves as a stimulant, was one of his boosters. Another was brandy. By the time he approached the finish line, he…
Giving Up the Ghost
Regular readers will remember I enjoy reviewing records in an appropriately intimate, yet dynamic environment — specifically, while driving to somewhere pretty in my truck. This week however, circumstances came together like irksome old gods to prevent that experience. First off, I only have a CD player in my truck and a Bluetooth speaker in…
Jewell Distillery’s Gin Journey
Here is a hill I’m willing to die on: Gin is underrated. I’m not sure what it is about this gorgeous, finessed, stand-alone booze that has folks convinced it only belongs in the roaring ’20s or that they would prefer a vodka martini, but I’m here to vehemently tell you that these people are wrong.…
Arts Alive
Presented by Eureka Main Street. Our galleries, museums, theaters, bars and restaurants are open. The indoor mask mandate for vaccinated people has expired. However, many businesses continue to require everyone to wear masks and follow other COVID safety precautions to keep patrons and staff safe. Please respect the standards set by individual businesses, be kind…
Reflections on Joan Schirle’s World
Every morning when I sit at my dining table, I see the card Joan Schirle sent me this last holiday season. “Hope to see you in the New Year in person!” she wrote in effortlessly fluid green script, signing off with a heart and a big curly J. And every morning when I sit down…
Laughing in Shakespeare’s Shadow
It only took close to 500 years for a musical that enacts my unpopular opinion that Shakespeare has become a model of elite and pompous thespian culture in which good acting is determined by mere participation, historically documented BIPOC people of the period apparently didn’t exist (except for that one guy) and migraine-inducing word salads…
The Cat Speaks Out Against Cancel Culture
I have endured this campaign of bullying in silence for as long as I can. But someone has to take a stand against the censorship, blackballing and overall mistreatment I have been subjected to since being canceled. Listen, this is pretty important, so if you could hurry up and finish scooping my litterbox, I’m going…
Getting (Back) Into Running with Six Rivers Running Club
I’ve been out of the running game for a while. I let my old jogging habits fizzle out during the pandemic, but once I got vaxxed and moved to Humboldt in 2021, it hardly seemed right to let all the scenic jogging spots go to waste. I kicked my feet off the couch and found…
Steelhead Season Comes to a Quiet Close
Winter steelhead anglers just can’t catch a break. Thursday, March 31, will mark the end of another abnormal steelhead season here on the coast. While the fishing was excellent, the real story was the lack of rain. But if you’ve been fishing the North Coast rivers the last few years, you know there’s very little…
Throwback Thrills
X. I’ve been a fan of Ti West’s work for longer than I care to remember. Sometime more a decade ago, I heard him interviewed and was intrigued enough by what I heard to explore his work. Back then, due to his relatively brief CV, the ubiquity of DVD rental and the lost, sought-after abundance…
Save Ranked Choice
Editor: As co-president of the League of Women Voters of Humboldt County, I’m writing to support Mayor Seaman in her opposition to California Assembly Bill 2808. This bill would repeal the use of ranked-choice voting (RCV) in any state or local election. Although Alaska and Maine are the only states currently using RCV for state…
‘Amen!’
Editor: Hallelujah! Thank You Margaret Emerson (Mailbox, March 24)!! I drive 55, too, specifically since the Terra Gen proposal was defeated. Driving 55 actually became a hot topic then … several letters were even published in the North Coast Journal regarding the practice and how beneficial it would be. I have seen maybe three or…
‘Our Part’
Editor: It is easy to be overwhelmed by despair about the impending climate crisis, to look away, give up (Mailbox, March 24). An antidote to hopelessness is action in community. There are local programs through which we can do our part to slow climate catastrophe. One such proposed program is Arcata’s Gateway Plan, which will promote…
Where’s the CAP?
If an irresistible force meets an immovable object, one possible outcome is a stalled Climate Action Plan. Caught between the realities of an ever-warming climate and a culture that is embedded in fossil fuels, city, state and county planners have been trying for years to come up with some acceptable and realistic ways of staving…
