Cover Story
Still Having Fun
The sun was just coming out of the clouds when Abe Stevens answered the door to the spacious Fortuna warehouse that houses his distillery. Beams of sunlight shone in through skylights, haloing the small still standing in the center of the building. Bright copper and silver, the still was dwarfed by the expanse of the…
Photo Contest!
The North Coast Journal is looking for your best pictures of Humboldt at work. From now through May 15, use your phone, your tablet or even a real camera to capture images of Humboldt at work, whether it’s a rancher with his herd, a doctor in her scrubs or a grower tending his crop. Email…
Update: County and HumCPR settle for $100k
Third District Supervisor Mark Lovelace — the sole dissenting vote on the supervisor-approved settlement — explained his decision in an email this afternoon: “Ultimately, I believe this case was politically motivated from the start, and I’m confident the court would have recognized that the County has consistently complied with the public records act in good…
Airport Manager Resigns
The years-long, controversial tenure of Humboldt County Airport Manager Jacquelyn Hulsey is over — she handed in her resignation this week just as budget shortfalls were threatening several county aviation jobs. Hulsey drew fire for her handling of an airplane disappearance in 2009 that left two men presumably dead and a months-long unexplained paid leave.…
Hemorrhaging Money, County Proposes Layoffs, Furloughs
Citing difficult financial times, county staff is advising the Board of Supervisors to lay off four full-time employees from the Department of Public Works Aviation Division, including Program Coordinator Emily Jacobs. Jacobs has been active in the county’s effort to recruit new air service and has helped manage the airport during the long, unexplained absences…
Boeing, Boeing Bounced
The summer season for Ferndale Rep just shrunk by a little as noted in a press release sent out this morning. A plan to alternate between two shows in July and August was shelved. Lost in the shuffle is the French farce Boeing, Boeing, a story about a swinging bachelor with a flat in Paris…
Update: Oyster Fest Mess
The $10 Oyster Fest admission fee – which raised the ire of many oyster-eaters and the approval of many others – won’t line the pockets of the Arcata elite, says Arcata Main Street Executive Director Jennifer Koopman. Because of recent financial woes, Koopman said, Main Street needs money to keep Oyster Fest afloat. Not to…
The Yak Men and Their Yaks
The Yak Men emerge from the woods around Arcata on a semi-regular basis, leading a pair of yaks into town. They tell us they prefer living among live trees to life in “dead wood houses.” The yaks have no names, the Yak Men did not offer theirs.
The United States of Zheng?
Our country’s name comes from Amerigo Vespucci, the Italian explorer who first challenged Columbus’ assertion that Brazil and the West Indies were part of Asia. But how close did we come to be living instead in the United States of Zheng? Really close, according to ex-British Royal Navy Officer Gavin Menzies, author of the 2003…
Russia Meets America
The Eureka Chamber Music Series presents Russia Meets America, a program of Russian and American piano music performed by Russian pianist Daria Rabotkina on Friday at Calvary Lutheran Church in Eureka.
Those Two Guys
If you’re familiar with Cory McAbee, it’s probably because of The Billy Nayer Show, a 20-year collaboration between songwriter/autoharpist/filmmaker McAbee and drummer Bobby Lurie. By mutual agreement, Billy is currently on hold; both musicians have moved on to new adventures. For McAbee, it’s a semi-solo project he calls Captain Ahab’s Motorcycle Club. McAbee says the…
Family Thanks
Editor: I wish to thank Josephine Johnson and the Journal for their fair treatment of Betty and Reg Dawson’s end-of-life story. Talking with Josephine about our experience gave Dominic and me time for reflection, and some closure. Betty and Reg were special people: clever, humble, polite, reserved, dignified, kind and generous. The saying “we die…
Should public funds be used to study an East-West rail line?
Some years back, when I called the North-South railroad and its backers Idealistic Dreamers Involved in Our Transportation System (IDIOTS for brevity), you might have thought that I was anti-railroad. Such is not the case. A railroad would do wonders for our local economy. What I am against is using public funds on an endeavor…
VA Valuable
I am writing as a partially disabled combat infantry veteran of Vietnam, regarding your recent article “The Long Wait,” (April 18) about the new VA clinic in Eureka. We live on a cattle ranch near Petrolia, almost 50 miles from Eureka. I have been using the VA since 1994 when my private insurance became impossible…
Should public funds be used to study an East-West rail line?
On the issue of an East-West rail line, there are those who promote the notion of “no public funding for the feasibility study at all,” or “if there is a need, let the private sector do the study.” Those comments suggest that no state or federal funds should be used in a feasibility study. If…
CR is History
Editor: Eighteen years ago, the president of College of Redwoods saw the importance of a historic preservation program and HPRT was born (“Re-imagining CR,” April 11). Historic Preservation and Restoration Technology teaches the intricacies of historic preservation in all of its aspects. The HPRT program has trained 10 DANCO employees at the Samoa site, Golden…
Mongolian Nightz
Producers who abscond from genre norms are harder to come by these days. Thankfully, the locally bass’d Datablend crew have committed themselves to bringing ample, enigmatic, spine shattering vibrations to your ravenous earholes every Thursday in May for Mongolian Nightz at Masaki’s Mongolian Grill. Their inaugural event on May 2 will feature sets by Datablend…
First Saturday Night Arts Alive!
First Saturday Night Arts Alive! Opening receptions, art exhibits, music and more, 6-9 p.m. For more information contact Eureka Main Street at 707-442-9054 or www.eurekamainstreet.org. 1. EUREKA INN 518 Seventh St. Lauren Cogan Jones, mixed media. 2. AREA 1 AGENCY ON AGING 434 Seventh St. “Being Here Now — Celebrating Older Americans Month,” works by…
Fortuna’s First Friday
Find art, music and fun in downtown Fortuna on the first Friday of every month, 6-9 p.m. BARTOW’S JEWELERS, 651 12th St. Artist Susan Schuessler demonstrates silverpoint. CUDDLY BEAR THRIFT STORE, 751 10th St. Open jam night! All are welcome to bring instruments! DOWNTOWN STORE FRONT GALLERY, Main Street Between 11th and 12th streets. Works…
Garberville Arts Alive, Friday
Celebrating local art and music in Garberville and beyond. CAFÉ MINOU, 436 Church St. Art by Heather Parker and music by the FNR band. MATEEL ARTS CO-OP, 773 Redwood Drive. Paintings by Mendocino artist Jessie Clark, along with works by Mary Odisio and many other local artists. FLAVORS, 767 Redwood Drive. Paintings by Jessie Clark. GARDEN…
Trinidad Art Nights
Trinidad’s first Friday art nights begin this month and continue through October. More information available from TrinidadArtNights.com. SALTY’S, 322 Main St. Vocals and bass by the Hann-Hemingway Duo from 6-7 p.m., art by Big Lagoon School students, jewelry by Midori Angelica Designs. SAUNDER’S PARK, at start of Patrick’s Point Drive, a spin jam from 6…
Michael Bay, Reconsidered
Reviews PAIN & GAIN. It’s all too easy to hate on Michael Bay. I know because I used to do it all the time. When Armageddon was storming the box office I reacted like it was a hate crime. For would-be cineastes his name is low-hanging fruit, shorthand for everything that’s “wrong” with contemporary cinema.…
What got kicked down
Seven years seemed impossible As a young man he had seemed Impossible that he had been here seven Years and still he found himself still On the Plaza With hand outstretched Sliding from one oil stained corner to another he Mocked those college students and berated The shop owners As capitalist tools Because he…
Oats and Roses
If flowers could throw punches or blow kisses, Theresa Oats would be right there to witness it with one of her signature rose paintings. Need a flower with a sweet disposition? Oats has you covered. Want one that comes with a sharp tongue? She’s painted that too. You can see her roses — passionate, pugnacious…
East-West Rail
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A Touching Choice
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Books, Books and More Books
Pamela Foster, who isn’t based in Humboldt now but sure knows the place, has written a delightfully cheesy but very fun novel called Bigfoot Blues. She’ll be among the authors out in force this weekend scrawling their names, your names and probably anyone else’s name you’d like into your very own copy. Once you buy…
