State of Panic
How California’s hail-mary budget initiatives might affect Humboldt County
Cover Story
Death Spasms
Once upon a time, California was the envy of the nation. We had the best education system, the best jobs, the smartest and most innovative people, the best weather, the best scene. In the years between 1940 and 1990, the state netted 12 million new residents through migration — about 40 percent of the total…
Richardson Grove, Be-Bannered
Photo by Nadananda, of Friends of the Eel River, who got a call about the banner and hurried out there to check it out. Amy Arcuri — she of that peacemaking, old-growth treesitting crew who forged love-and-promises ties with the new owners of Pacific Lumber Company last summer — called this afternoon to let me…
Dead Suspect Was Local
The man who died in last night’s strange weedjack-turned-police chase — see here and here — was a local, reports acting coroner Frank Jager. He was 21-year-old David Fields, whose city of residence is unavailable at this time. He was definitely from Humboldt County, though. The other suspect in the case, a 19-year-old man from…
Update: Yes, It Was Weed
Follow-up release (to this) from the HCSO: As released earlier, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of shots fired near School and Anderson Road in McKinleyville. Further investigation revealed that a group had met at the intersection of School and Anderson to conduct a marijuana sale. During the transaction, one of the…
Shootout with at Deputies Ends In Death
Holy fucking moly. Sheriff’s office press release: UPDATE: The survivor is a 19-year-old male from Antioch. Note below that both suspects sustained gunshot wounds to the head, but the press release states that neither the CHP nor the Sheriff’s Deputies fired their weapons. More info in a few minutes. Shortly before 11:00 last night the…
Your Miss Indian World!
Ladies and gentleman — Brooke Grant of Hoopa, your 2009-2010 Miss Indian World ! Grant, a Hupa/Yurok/Karuk/Chippewa, was crowned at the massive Gathering of Nations Powow that took place last month in New Mexico. Lots of info at the link above, plus a cool Miss Indian World slideshow right here . Congratulations, Brooke! UPDATE: Thanks…
Truer Than They Knew
date. That’s was a pretty disgusting story out of Fortuna in this morning’s Times-Standard. According to reporter Sean Garmire, the district attorney’s office has filed charges against Robert Newell, former curator of the Fortuna Depot Museum, for allegedly swiping museum exhibits and hawking them on eBay. Garmire writes that Newell fessed up to the Fortuna…
Weed-Smelling Robotic Drone Helichopper
conquest.Weed-Smelling Robotic Drone Helichopper: Some inventions arrive before the world is ready for them. With Gov. Schwarzenator ready to talk legalization, this one arrives well past its sell-by
I’d want a CASA
Editor: I am an 11-year-old who read your article about court appointed special advocates ("The CASA," April 23). It was a long article, but interesting. It sounds like CASA is doing good and important work with children in our community. If I were a kid who was neglected, abused or had to be in the…
As the Earth Turns
There’s stargazing and stargazing. One way is with telescopes and sky charts. I’m pretty good at that. Another is the way I’m really good at is lying on my back on a summer’s night and just gazing. It only takes a few minutes of this to realize that the dome of the night sky is…
Second Friday Arts! Arcata
Arts! Arcata is Arcata Main Street’s monthly celebration of visual and performing arts, held at more than 30 participating locations in Arcata. Visit www.artsarcata.com for even more information about the event or call 822-4500. Arcata Artisans 883 H St. (13) Wine served to benefit Breast Health Project; Natalie DiCostanzo, pottery; Joyce Jonte, paintings; Joy Dellas,…
Muriel
In the patch of foliage the bonneted woman…
Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle is singer/songwriter Bill Callahan’s sophomore release under his own name. His near-20-year nom de plume of "Smog" or "(Smog)" has plainly cleared, leaving Callahan ample breathing room for space, orchestration and clarity to his songs. Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle may be his finest release to…
Elemental
At first glance, Monica Schill’s boulders appear to be of the earth, something one might view along the highway as a "rock slide area" warning sign flashes by the car window. But something more cunning than nature’s whims lurks here. Multicolored mosaic tiles adorn a quarter of the 88 boulders splayed across the Morris Graves…
Devouring Books on Food
Lei i libri li divora (she devours books) was the way in which, since I was a child, adults described my relationship with books. Regular bedtime for my brother and me was at 8:30 p.m. Of course, I did not go to sleep that early: I read under cover, literally. When the situation was right,…
Miles Ahead
As I strolled up G St. in Arcata Friday evening I had little idea what the night held in store. I did know that Mike Kapitan’s stellar band, Miles Ahead, would be interesting as always. And from what I had heard, the newly renovated Arcata Theatre Lounge was a nice new venue. Exterior changes to…
Can 1A Stop the Bleeding?
Retired teacher turned farmer Roger Smith says he’s torn. He’s a true blue Democrat who feels like he’s supposed to support Props 1A and 1B, and he knows the state budget situation is critical. He’s hesitant to "throw his lot in with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers League." Nevertheless, he’s decided to vote no on 1A.…
The Band-Aid Measures
Propositions 1C, 1D and 1E are the quick fix. Combined, they would produce an immediate cash infusion of $6 billion to balance the state’s 2009-10 budget. They would do this by diverting to the General Fund money currently allocated, per prior voters’ wishes, to specific services. Props 1D and 1E would only temporarily divert their…
How Tweet It Is
burstiner Poor Tweety Bird. A friend came down to breakfast wearing a Tweety Bird T-Shirt. It said Tweet! I thought it was her attempt at hipness. (5:00 AM May 4th from mobile web) burstiner Silly me. T-shirts are old tech. It was retro. It didn’t refer to Twitter, the Web site that turns text messages…
Chick Flick Wins!
Previews Beam me up, Scotty! That’s right … It’s time to contort your hands into those funny shaped "Vs" of salute, to don your Jordy LaForge glasses and to tell your closest pals, "Hey man, live long and prosper. All right?" Yes folks, Star Trek is back to the big screen as of this Friday.…
The Turkey Tail Cure
When an appealing fellow — bright blue eyes and long, strawberry blond locks that tumble from a floppy brown hat stitched with colorful mushrooms, plus a tidy beard and mustache — wanders into the office from the Arcata Marsh holding a small brown paper bag, from which he shakes out onto his palm several pretty…
Redwood Porn
Finally, those darned redwoods are going to pay off. Heh heh. Seriously, come October — well, even in the months leading up to October — the world is going to be embraced in a great, big, National Geographic-sized redwoodhug the likes of which nobody’s seen, at least not in a very long while. There’ll be…
I Like It Like That
It’s been a long time coming, three years in the making, but Axis Mundi, the debut album by Moo-Got-2, is finally done — and it’s a blast, with the band stretching out with a dozen tracks exploring funk, reggae and jamrock. The start for Moo-Got 2 came when two other bands, Old Man Clemins and…
