Cover Stories
Reopening Redux
For Jill and Larry Cromwell, owners of Folsom’s three Maribou Salons, the last six months have been a neverending series of financial nightmares. How could they pay $26,000 a month in rent with the hair salons closed due to coronavirus? Would they have to declare bankruptcy? What did it all mean for their three children,…
Code Orange
Humboldt County has implemented the state’s new tiered blueprint for reopening and while it imposes added restrictions on some sectors and loosens them on others, County Health Officer Teresa Frankovich said she thinks it’s a net positive locally. While the governor’s previous “watch list” system was mostly an all-or-nothing endeavor — prohibiting certain activities and…
101 Reopens Near Willits
U.S. Highway 101 reopened to through traffic this evening. The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Department Twitter account tweeted, “Highway 101 is now open! Please share!” The main artery from Oregon to Los Angeles has been closed since Sept. 7 after a quick burning fire send residents fleeing. The Sheriff’s Department’s tweet warned this does not mean…
UPDATE: Route 1 Near Leggett Back Open
UPDATE: Caltrans reports State Route 1 is back open. PREVOUS: State Route 1 is now closed with no estimated time of re-opening. The California Highway Patrol told KMUD News that a big rig has rolled over, completely blocking the highway, approximately three miles from its intersection with Highway 101 in Leggett. That means that there…
UPDATE: Evacuation Warning Area Expanded
UPDATE: The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office reports that the Hopkins Fire Evacuation Warning area for Humboldt County has been expanded to include all areas west of Bell Springs Road to U.S. Highway 101 spanning from Elk Creek Road/Dyerville Loop Road to the Mendocino/Trinity county line. PREVIOUS: The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has now issued an…
Video Briefing on Hopkins Fire Response
Sheriff William Honsal and Humboldt County Emergency Operations Center Manager Ryan Derby recorded a briefing on the response to the Hopkins Fire, which they describe as a “rapidly evolving situation. Southern Humboldt communities are under evacuation orders and evacuation warnings. A temporary evacuation point has been set up at the fairgrounds in Ferndale, where evacuees…
No Confirmed COVID Cases Today
For the first time since July 13, no new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Humboldt County but there were three new hospitalizations. However, the county did report 25 cases since Friday yesterday and sent out a notice today that 22 cases have been tied to a Southern Humboldt gathering about two and a half weeks…
Sheriff Releases Evacuation Routes in Southern Humboldt
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office just issued a press release detailing the evacuation order and evacuation warnings currently in effect in preparation for “imminent wildfire progression into Southern Humboldt County.” The press release, copied below, advises residents currently in areas ordered evacuated — including areas south of State Route 36 in Bridgeville, and all communities along…
Rio Dell Sets up Water Station for Evacuees
The city of Rio Dell has opened a water station for fire evacuees in the parking lot of City hall, located at 675 Wildwood Ave. The self-serve station will be available for evacuees and their animals at any time for at least the next 24 hours and consists of two hose stations. From the press…
UPDATE: Wildfires: Evacuations, Air Quality Alerts, 101 Reopens Near Willits
A series of fires in region are affecting northern, southern and eastern communities, with an immediate evacuation order issued for areas south of State Route 36 in Bridgeville and all communities along Alderpoint Road down to the Mendocino/ Trinity County Line due to the Hopkins Fire’s rapid movements. An evacuation warning in Southern Humboldt includes…
Evacuation Order Issued
UPDATE: The County of Humboldt just announced road closures will be in effect at the following intersections: Alderpoint Road at State Route 36; Alderpoint Road at Dyerville Loop Road, Fort Seward Road at Dyerville Loop Road; and Alderpoint Road at Redwood Drive. PREVIOUSLY: An immediate evacuation order has been issued for areas south of Highway…
22 COVID Cases from SoHum Gathering
A large gathering in Southern Humboldt is responsible for at least 22 COVID-19 cases and more are expected, according to the county. About 50 people reportedly got together about two and a half weeks ago, including different households and people from out of the area. County Health Officer Teresa Frankovich emphasized this was an example…
Air Quality Advisories for NoHum, SoHum
An air quality advisory has been issued for the northern and southern reaches of Humboldt County and surrounding areas due to several fires burning in the region. Unhealth conditions are forecast for Weitchpec, Hoopa Valley, Gasquet, Garberville, Redway, Ruth, Zenia-Kettenpom and Trinity Pines over the next 24 hours. The forecast for the region as a…
UPDATING: Mateel, Redwood Acres Readying for Evacuees
UPDATING: The evacuation warning for Alderpoint, Palo Verde, Island Mountain and Harris remains in effect as the Hopkins Fire moves toward the area and residents are asked to be prepared to leave, if necessary, according to a 10 a.m. update. Animals can be evacuated to the Humboldt County Fairgrounds (call 707-496-8841 for more information) and…
SECOND UPDATE: 101 Still Closed as Oak Fire Burns
SECOND UPDATE: U.S. Highway 101 remains closed Wednesday morning due to the Oak Fire, which CalFire reported in an update remains at 863 acres and 10 percent containment. Two structures have been lost. The cause remains under investigation. UPDATE: U.S. Highway 101 remains closed in the Willits area due to the Oak Fire, which started…
Public Health Reports 25 New COVID-19 Cases Confirmed Since Friday
Humboldt County Public Health announced this afternoon that 25 new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed since Friday. The new tally brings the countywide case total to 434 and comes after 771 samples were processed with a positivity rate of 3.2 percent. Humboldt is currently in the “moderate” category under the state’s new four-tiered system, with…
Power Shutoff Slated to End Wednesday
Wildfire threats from a high wind event prompted PG&E to turn off power to some 172,000 California residents, including about 3,000 in Humboldt County. For those affected, the lights are expected to come back on around 5 p.m. Wednesday, although it could be as late as 9 p.m. for some, according to PG&E. Two local…
No New COVID-19 Cases in Hoopa
The Hoopa Valley Tribal Office of Emergency Services COVID-19 Incident Management Team reports no new COVID-19 cases at the K’ima:w Medical Center today, leaving the total at 50. Today’s report also states four cases are still “active” and 46 cases are considered “recovered.” More information can be found at https://hoopaoes.org. See the full release below.
Red Salmon Complex Update – Red Flag Warning, Heavy Smoke Impacts
The Red Salmon Complex — comprising the Red and Salmon fires burning on the Klamath, Six Rivers and Shasta-Trinity National Forests within Humboldt, Siskiyou and Trinity counties — currently stands at 47,934 acres with 20 percent containment, according to this morning’s update. Fire crews battling the fires face challenges presented by winds expected to increase today…
UPDATE: Woman Shot Near SR 96
Law enforcement is searching for a suspect or suspects who shot a 29-year-old woman before 6 a.m. today in the area of Mill Creek Road and State Route 96. According to Samantha Karges, spokesperson for the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, they received a call for assistance at 5:52 a.m. from the Hoopa Valley Tribal Police…
Humboldt Bay Fire Releases Smoky Conditions/Respiratory Advisory
Humboldt Bay Fire is advising that smoky conditions related to the Red Salmon Complex and other fires burning in the south are affecting local air quality. In a news release this morning, Humboldt Bay Fire says that winds moving up from the southwest will push smoke and ash toward Eureka, the greater Eureka area and beyond. The…
Fire Evacuations Near Ruth Lake
The tiny community of Three Forks in southwestern Trinity County near Ruth Lake is being evacuated. Deputies from the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office and firefighters from multiple departments in the area are being sent to the area for structure protection and to help residents evacuate safely. According to the Trinity County Office of Emergency Services,…
THIRD UPDATE: Humboldt Power Shutoff Slated for Midnight
THIRD UPDATE: Outages in Humboldt County are now expected to impact around 3,000 customers and are likely to begin between midnight and 4 a.m. SECOND UPDATE: PG&E is planning to institute a Public Safety Power Shutoff in 22 counties due to a strong wind event forecast to hit around midnight, bringing increased wildfire risk, with…
Hoopa OES: No Current Evacuations
The Hoopa Valley Tribe’s Office of Emergency Services reports there are no evacuations in Hoopa at this time due to the strong wind event expected to hit this evening, which has the potential to impact the Red Salmon Complex. Read the Hoopa OES release below:
Fire Near Willits Closes 101
The Oak Fire which began about noon today northwest of Willits is now 1,000 acres and has completely closed U.S. Highway 101 in both directions. At least two structures have been destroyed. State Sen. Mike McGuire tweeted, “Highway 101 is now closed in both directions in Mendocino County due to the #OakFire. Northbound closure: North…
Smoky Skies from Red Salmon, Other Fires
The Red Salmon Complex — nearly 40,000 acres with 20 percent containment — as well as the August Complex and others to the south are impacting the region with heavy smoke. The North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District states in a news release that some valleys and basins are already experiencing the conditions, with…
Excessive Heat, Red Flag Warnings Issued
The Eureka office of the National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning and a red flag warning for parts of the region as another day of high temperatures hits. Interior areas of Humboldt could see near record triple-digit heat today and tomorrow, when the heat advisory ends at 6 p.m. People are cautioned…
County Settles with Counsel for $600K
The county of Humboldt and its long-on-leave counsel have parted ways but Jeff Blanck is not leaving empty-handed after the two parties agreed to a $600,000 settlement, according to reports by the Lost Coast Outpost and the Times-Standard. Read those stories here and here. Blanck was placed on administrative leave by the board of supervisors…
Baywood Country Club Briefly Shutters After Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19, TS Reports
The Times-Standard is reporting that an employee at the Baywood Golf and Country Club in Arcata recently tested positive for COVID-19, leading to a brief closure of the club. Read the full story here.
‘I am Done With This Life:’ EPD Releases Video, Audio Recordings, Shedding New Light on July 23 Shooting
Pursuant to a new state law, the Eureka Police Department has released video footage and audio recordings from the tense July 23 standoff that ended with officers fatally shooting 51-year-old military veteran John Karl Sieger, who was reportedly drunk and suicidal when he allegedly raised a pistol at officers, causing them to open fire. The…
Hoopa Sees 4 New COVID Cases
The Hoopa Valley Tribal Office of Emergency Services COVID-19 Incident Management Team reported four new COVID-19 cases at the K’ima:w Medical Center today, the first in more than a week, bringing the total to 50. Today’s report states there are five “active” case and 45 are considered “recovered.” A message from Hoopa Health Office Eva…
Smoke Conditions to Worsen During the Day
The Red Salmon Complex now stands at 37,638 acres —with the dominant Red Fire at 36,831 acres and 19 percent containment and the Salmon Fire at 807 acres and 79 percent containment. According to this morning’s update, active fire is expected today. Smoke from the complex and other fires burning to the south will likely…
Three Fire Day in Eureka
Humboldt Bay Fire responded to three incidents in Eureka on Saturday, including a residence, a commercial fire and a fire that engulfed a large homeless camp near the county Office of Education building. No one was injured at any of the scenes. The first, a shed fire on the 800 block of O Street, came…
Bridgeville Area in Scope for Monday Power Shutoff
The Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services posted an announcement on its Facebook page warning that Humboldt is in scope for a potential power shutoff. “Due to high temperatures and related potential for wildfire, Humboldt County is in scope for a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) beginning Monday, 9/7/2020,” starting around 10 p.m. Due to high…
Red Salmon Complex Fire Update
Fire crews continue to battle the combined Red and Salmon Fires burning on the Klamath, Six Rivers and Shasta-Trinity National Forests within Humboldt, Siskiyou and Trinity counties. According to today’s USDA press release, the Red Fire now covers 36,861 acres and is at 19 percent containment. The Salmon Fire “remains in its original footprint” at…
Property of Murder Suspect Searched: No Bodies Located
On Wednesday, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office not only assisted the DFW on serving a search warrant in the Sprowel Creek area and served their own search warrants on properties in Shelter Cove, but they conducted an investigation associated with murder suspect, Ryan Tanner. Late yesterday, Samantha Karges, spokesperson for the department told us via email,…
Frankie’s Develops a Sweet Tooth
Since shelter in place, Frankie Baker has scaled back. Where once a trio sliced and slung bagels in the Redwood Acres bakery, there’s only Frankie’s NY Bagels’ namesake, baking and selling online orders for pick-up on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Now those orders include a shifting lineup of desserts. Painstaking Italian rainbow cookies ($2.50), the first…
Medical Rescue Ongoing of a Paraglider Injured in a Crash Near Petrolia
About 2:48 p.m., a man who crashed his paraglider was injured in an accident near Prosper Ridge Road in the Windy Ridge Road area of Petrolia, according to the scanner. Petrolia and Honeydew Fire were dispatched to the scene. According to Samantha Karges, spokesperson for the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department, “Cal Fire and Medical responded,…
Public Health Confirms Six New COVID-19 Cases
Humboldt County Public Health confirmed six new COVID-19 cases today, making 41 this week and bringing the countywide total to 409. According to today’s release, large gatherings with people outside of one’s household continue to be a significant driver of local COVID-19 cases and with the holiday weekend, Humboldt County Public Health Officer Teresa Frankovich…
Record Your Music at the Morris Graves Museum
If a small studio seems dodgy for recording with your band right now, the Morris Graves Museum of Art has another option for you: the free use of its beautiful rotunda, where you and your bandmates can spread out and enjoy the acoustics. And you can use your recording to do a little virtual busking…
Several Students Enrolled in the Southern Humboldt Unified School District Test Positive for COVID-19
Humboldt County Public Health notified the Southern Humboldt Unified School District that students enrolled in the district tested positive for COVID-19. According to the release, all the students and families involved have been identified and they had no direct contact with anyone at the school as schools are distance learning. We encourage students, staff, and…
Election 2020: Here’s the Measures Humboldt County Voters are Being Asked About, T-S Reports
The Times-Standard is reporting the local measures that will be on the Nov. 3 ballot. The report gives a description and a for and against arguement for each measure that Humboldt County voters will see on their ballot. Read the full story here.
Behind the ‘Wild West’ of School Reopenings
An academic year in which public education will intersect with public health has created back-to-school shopping lists unlike any other for California’s schools as they attempt to transition toward in-person instruction once they have the state’s blessing. Bakersfield’s Panama-Buena Vista Union School District plans to hire a manager to handle contact tracing for a system…
North Coast Smoke Impacts, Air Quality PSA
Continued activity on multiple fires in Northern California will produce on-going impacts for Humboldt, Del Norte and Trinity counties states a North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District (NCUAQMD) public service announcement. The announcement states that the Red Salmon Fire has grown to 30,000 acres and smoke will remain elevated and impacts will fluctuate along the…
Partnerships to Ramp Up COVID-19 Testing
A partnership between United Indian Health Services (UIHS), Del Norte and Humboldt counties, Humboldt State University and Tribal communities will make it possible for Humboldt County Public Health to process nearly 9,000 COVID-19 tests a month. According to the release, the county will borrow additional testing equipment and receive an unlimited supply of state-purchased reagents…
Public Health Confirms Six New Cases
Humboldt County Public Health confirmed six new COVID-19 cases today. That makes 35 cases so far this week after 155 cases were confirmed in August and 100 in July. Humboldt is currently in the “moderate” category under the state’s new four tiered system, with local numbers at about 3.6 cases per 100,000 residents and a…
HSU Preliminary Enrollment Numbers Look Stronger Than Expected
Humboldt State University’s preliminary fall enrollment numbers look better than what was expected states a release from the university. The university was expected to have a 20 percent decline in student enrollment due to recent trends and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic but, as of the first week of classes, 6,471 students are enrolled…
No New COVID-19 Cases in Hoopa
The Hoopa Valley Tribal Office of Emergency Services COVID-19 Incident Management Team reports no new COVID-19 cases at the K’ima:w Medical Center today, leaving the total at 46. Today’s report also states two cases are still “active” and 44 cases are considered “recovered.” More information can be found at https://hoopaoes.org. See the full release below.
Humboldt Martens Granted Threatened Species Status
The Humboldt martens, a small, cat-like woodland creature once thought to be extinct, will now receive protection as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. According to Environment Protection Information Center (EPIC), the decision comes 10 years after EPIC and the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned for the animals to have protected species under…
North Coast Air Quality PSA
Humboldt County will see some moderate air quality with a potential of unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups and possibly some ash fallout as fire crews continue to contain fires in Northern California. A North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District (NCUAQMD) report states that Humboldt County coastal areas are expected to remain “Good” to…
Fire Restrictions in Smith River National Recreation Area
The Six Rivers National Forest is implementing fire-use restrictions within the Smith Rivers National Recreation Area (NRA)/Gasquet Ranger District and the Mad River Ranger District to protect natural resources and reduce potential fire starts and exposure to COVID-19 for employees and for public safety. The release states that “Forest Order 20-10-10 prohibits building, maintaining, attending…
Crowds Shutdown CRV Buybacks
The Humboldt Waste Management Authority is closing down CRV buyback services at its Eureka Recycling Center, which just began Tuesday, until further notice due to an overwhelming demand. Within a day of reopening, traffic began backing up on Broadway Street, prompting the city to set up temporary detours and wait times were one to two…
NCJ Preview: Farewell Frankovich, New Reopening Guidelines and Humboldt To Go
This week starts with the news of Humboldt County Public Health Officer Teresa Frankovich’s resignation. Then we’re breaking down what the new state guidelines mean for Humboldt County, and how local testing and cases can looses or tighten restrictions on businesses like gyms and restaurants during shelter in place. We’re also looking into how a Facebook…
A Lack of Imagination
Editor: I read with interest the article about Sean Armstrong wanting to rename some of Arcata’s streets (‘This is Our World,’ Aug. 27). I’ve been thinking about that for years, but not for historical reasons — simply for their lack of imagination. Perhaps only Salt Lake City can boast a more mundane street organization. Arcata,…
‘Poor Taste’
Editor: Is it me, or is the Pierson Building Center full-page “Celebrating Local History” ad (Aug. 27) insensitive at best, or blatantly promoting Blue Lives Matter? Are we expected to “celebrate” the harrowing image of five men on horses above a caption which references officers “chosen for their size and ability to fight rather than…
Correction
A story headlined “‘This is Our World'” in the Aug. 27, 2020 edition of the North Coast Journal contained inaccurate and potentially misleading information. Humboldt County historian Jerry Rohde said the “Humboldt Volunteers militia formed in 1860 was known to murder Native people, but did not indicate the same is true of three other militias…
Bridges of Humboldt County
Between Loleta and Ferndale, and a little to the west, the Eel River broadens and wraps itself around Cock Robin Island before depositing its fresh water into the Pacific Ocean. The island itself contains private property but connecting it to the mainland on the north side is one of Humboldt’s unique bridges, the publicly accessible…
Covid Field Notes
Strange days Isolation Canned food To maintain a budget. Day and night Sleep and wake No longer match No longer matter. Too much T.V. Too much bad news Too much racism Too much. Eyes behind masks Breath behind Masks required Where is my mask? ‘Help Wanted’ sign Could use the money If only the potential…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): “A new idea is rarely born like Venus attended by graces. More commonly it’s modeled of baling wire and acne. More commonly it wheezes and tips over.” Those words were written by Aries author Marge Piercy, who has been a fount of good new ideas in the course of her career.…
Humboldt To Go
Melissa Harnden has a little time before her next shift at St. Joseph Hospital. Her light brown hair is pulled back into a ponytail and she’s already in a set of black scrubs with black and white trim as we chat over Zoom, the neat, neutral-toned walls of her home flashing past as she carries…
Yurok Connected
When shelter in place hit in March, Rose Sylvia couldn’t just stay home. Sure, she had a job that allowed her to telecommute and her son’s school had shifted to distance learning. But Sylvia’s home, tucked near the end of State Route 169 in one of the most rural areas of a rural region, didn’t…
An Excellent Balm for Bogus Times
As much as this is a column regarding the charming third installment in a remarkably — shockingly — long-legged franchise, it is also very much not a column about Unhinged or The New Mutants. Those two, from a distance, appear to basically be throwaways, the latter a seemingly unloved stepchild within the extended Marvel family,…
Missing Harold
“Are you prepared to kill a man tonight?” “No.” “Are you prepared to die tonight?” “No.” “Then put the gun away and we will decide whether we call the police or go outside and try to help out.” I was age 15. The questions to me were from my father. I knew shotguns. I’d been…
Labyrinth Labor of Love
When I walk a labyrinth, my mind becomes almost still. So when I interviewed Susie Laraine and Rockie Head, two Eureka women who built a labyrinth, I expected them to be soft-spoken, even reverent. Instead our conversation was punctuated with raucous laughter as we sat apart on the grass next to the labyrinth in Head’s…
‘Painful to Read’
Editor: Thank you for covering the story about the search for justice on Howard Street in Eureka (“What Happened on Howard Street,” Aug. 27). It was painful to read the statement from the chief investigator for the DA, that, “based on the status of the evidence, we would be unable to prove beyond a reasonable…
Worth Saving
Editor: I read the report from Kym Kemp on your website with a predictable sense of alarm and foreboding (“During the COIVD Crisis, Southern Humboldt Dealt Another Bitter Blow as Only Pharmacy for 30 Miles Closes Tomorrow,” posted Aug. 27). The loss of core services is a serious issue for all rural areas and deserves…
The HACHR ‘Hoax’
Editor I find it ironic and self-serving for Eureka Councilmember Kim Bergel to say “I feel like we really tried to work with HACHR on so many levels” (NCJ Daily Online, Aug. 20). Almost two years ago, Bergel and fellow Councilmember Heidi Messner presented HACHR with a letter on city stationery threatening HACHR that “lack…
‘Police Reform Now’
Editor: Idea: It’s time we take firearms from law enforcement (“Fear to Anger to Rage,” June 4). Give them all non-lethal equipment and hire more officers if needed. A call for firearm assistance can then be made for firearm assistance whenever necessary. Doing that allows a much better decision to be made whether or not…
