Cover Story
Swerving with Merv
To say that Merv George was a local legend is an understatement. He was a man who led by example. He stood out among his peers as the righteous savior of the old world who could blend it with the new one dawning. His main passions in life were his music, his family and his…
SECOND UPDATE: Warning Issued on Dungeness Crab After Testing Shows Toxin
SECOND UPDATE: The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has “enacted a delay” of the recreational Dungeness crab season for areas stretching from Patrick’s Point to the Oregon border due to “unhealthy levels” of domoic acid. UPDATE: The California Department of Public health is now warning the public against eating Dungeness crab caught from Patrick’s…
Access Humboldt Announces Voter Education Effort; Elections Office Reminds Folks to Register
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for months, you’re probably aware that Election Day is less than two weeks away. And if you’re freaking out because you’ve been entirely consumed by watching national pundits froth at the mouth over faraway congressional races and don’t know where you stand on local candidates and measures, take…
North Coast Night Lights: This Way to the Galactic Core
I found myself on a ridge line along the Kneeland Road the night of July 18, 2018, on an impulsive late-night mission to the Galactic Core. It was out there, all I needed was a stretch of road that would take me up to meet it at the horizon. We live in the Milky Way…
Music Tonight: Wednesday, Oct. 24
Cirque Mechanics is a traveling troupe of steampunk-ish circus acrobats who mix music, mechanical animals and daring aerial acts in a stunning show of modern performance art. The troupe will be performing its 42FT-Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels show at the Arkley Center for the Performing Arts tonight at 7 p.m. for your viewing pleasure ($49,…
APD Investigating Incident of Shots Fired into the Air at Weekend House Party
The Arcata Police Department is investigating after shots were fired into the air early Sunday morning during a fight at a Susan Avenue house party. No one was injured. A vehicle that matched the description of the suspect’s was later stopped in Eureka but no firearm was located and the occupants were released at the…
Arcata Arson Suspect Arrested
A man suspected of setting a fire at the Intermodal Transit Facility in Arcata Sunday was arrested yesterday afternoon on suspicion of arson. According to an Arcata Police Department release, Brandon Jay Childers was identified using surveillance video. The 28 year old was located near the scene of the fire. The amount of damage caused…
Fortuna CCC Crew Heads Out to Help Florida After Hurricane Michael
Fortuna members of the California Conservation Corp headed out to Florida this morning to help lend a hand to those devastated by Hurricane Michael, which killed at least 39 and left entire communities in Florida wiped off the map. The crew, joined by another from San Diego, will be sent out across the Florida Gulf…
Guilty Plea in Teen Girl’s Meth Overdose Death
A Rio Dell man pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter Monday in connection with the death of a 16-year-old girl who died of a methamphetamine overdose while partying at a Eureka hotel in February of 2017, according to the Lost Coast Outpost. Tavin Dee Evans, 20, is expected to be sentenced to three years in county…
Music Tonight: Tuesday, Oct. 23
Nationally touring funk band Kung Fu plays Humbrews tonight at 9 p.m. Known for a sound that combines the mid 1970s aesthetics of jazz fusion with modern EDM, this group is generally feted on the jam circuit for its tight grooves and spontaneous shows. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door tonight…
Light Pole Blocking S Street After Accident
A light pole is down and blocking most of S Street in Eureka after an accident about 4:15 p.m. that is snarling traffic in the area. According to the scanner, there are no injuries but the number one and two lanes are currently closed. Caltrans is on the scene.
Hundreds Gather to Celebrate the Life of Merv George Sr.
Hundreds of people gathered Sunday to celebrate the life of Merv George Sr., a Hupa religious dance leader and frontman of The Merv George Band, which for decades kept local dance floors buzzing at venues big and small. George was remembered Sunday as a talented musician with an easy smile who was dedicated to the communities he…
Beyond Geek TV Show Goes Kinetic
Beyond Geek, a public television show about “a fascinating world you didn’t know existed, full of people who take geek to a whole new level,” has just released a new video about this year’s Kinetic Grand Championship. Described as “part update, part behind the scenes” of the show’s kinetic episodes, filmed during the three-day Memorial…
52 Pounds of Pot Found at McKinleyville Hash Lab Explosion
The man injured in Sunday’s butane hash oil lab explosion is in critical but stable condition and has been transferred to an out-of-area hospital for treatment of his severe burns, according to an update from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. According to release, deputies recovered approximately 52 pounds of cannabis bud and seized one firearm…
What’s behind all those DMV voter-registration snafus? ‘Motor voter’ may have launched with makeshift computer system
Editor’s note: Today is the last day to register to vote in California in order to participate in next month’s midterm elections. For more information or to register online, visit here. The DMV gave the public a series of piecemeal explanations as it acknowledged making more than 100,000 errors in recent months in registering Californians…
Entertainment Tonight: Monday, Oct. 22
It’s really spooky out tonight. And by spooky I mean extinct. Ghoulishly dead on the scene. So instead of a show please allow me to suggest a couple of seasonally appropriate movies that tend to get overlooked but are actually quite worth your time. James Whale is perhaps best known as the openly gay director…
Man Suffers Severe Burns in McKinleyville Hash Lab Explosion
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a hash lab explosion that took place this afternoon in the 1200 block of East Bates Road in McKinleyville that left a man with severe burns. According to a release, deputies were called to the scene just after 2 p.m. and found a hash oil extraction lab inside…
HumBug: Spiders in the House
The month of October, ending in Halloween, is the perfect time to check out our local spider fauna. Many of the largest and showiest species are at their finest at this time of year. With that in mind, I’ve seen quite a few lately. At my house, at least, the common house spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum)…
Cirque Mechanics
Swing out, sister. Center Arts presents Cirque Mechanics in a “jaw-dropping stage spectacular” for all ages featuring a galloping metal horse, strongmen, acrobats, aerialists and more. Wednesday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. at Arkley Center for the Performing Arts ($29-$49).
Music Tonight: Sunday, Oct. 21
Down the rabbit hole you are invited to go at the Siren’s Song tonight at 8 p.m. when a local bass-heavy electronic cadre takes the stage. Come join SnackieMFchan, DrinkingMoonlight, Badam and more with visual effects by VJWEEZYPAIN for a night of pure imagination. As of press time I have no idea what this show…
Solo Vehicle Accident on SR 96 Injures One
About 2:09 p.m., a solo vehicle crashed on State Route 96 near mile marker 23. A woman received major injuries, according to a spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol. A helicopter responded to the scene to fly the woman to a hospital, the spokesperson confirmed. For a time, both lanes were blocked but just after…
So Long, Mr. Fish
You’re going to have to get your Christmas crab someplace else this year. Mr. Fish (2740 Broadway), the iconic Eureka shop that’s been shelling out shellfish and doling out sole for 47 years, is closing indefinitely Oct. 26. Owner Mark McCulloch originally bought the place from a friend when he was barely in his 20s…
Music Tonight: Saturday, Oct. 20
It’s the eighth annual presentation of the live interpretive soundtrack of Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams at The Sanctuary this evening at 7 p.m. One of the master’s last films will be shown with eight different bands interpreting the sounds for the eight principle vignettes for a show which is guaranteed to be worth a gander. Featured…
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Comedian Steven Wright is a man of few words. Fortunately for us, they’re funny. If you like your humor understated and your delivery of the deadpan variety, be sure to catch Wright and all his frizzy-haired, monotonous genius Sunday, Oct. 21 at 8 p.m. when he performs at the Arkley Center for the Performing Arts…
Community Icon Muriel Dinsmore Dies at 89
Muriel Dinsmore, a tireless supporter of myriad community causes — from the arts to historic preservation to education — died this week. She was 89. Born in Eureka just before the stock market crash of 1929, Dinsmore grew up in Rio Dell and was well-known for the decade she spent as editor of the Times-Standard’s…
Public Defender’s Office: New Trial Denied Despite ‘Conclusive Evidence’ of Jury Misconduct
The Humboldt County Public Defender’s Office contends that Jon David Goldberg, who was sentenced this afternoon for the murder of a Fortuna volunteer firefighter, was denied a new trial despite “conclusive evidence” of jury misconduct. A press release by the Humboldt County Public Defender’s Office also states that visiting Judge Graham Cribbs closed proceedings on…
UPDATE: Judge Denies New Trial, Sentences Goldberg to Prison
Visiting Judge Graham Cribbs sentenced Jon David Goldberg to 15 years to life in prison this afternoon for the murder of volunteer Fortuna firefighter Tim Smith but struck down a firearm enhancement that would have added 25 years to his term. He handed down his decision after denying Goldberg’s petition for a new trial following…
Judge Sentences Goldberg to 15 Years to Life, Denies New Trial
Visiting Judge Graham Cribbs sentenced Jon David Goldberg to 15 years to life in prison this afternoon for murdering volunteer Fortuna firefighter Tim Smith but struck down a firearm enhancement that would have added 25 years to his term. He handed down his decision after denying Goldberg’s petition for a new trial following a week of…
Visions Collide at Harbor District Forum
Two candidates for the Fourth District seat on the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District board exchanged tersely worded comments at a forum held on Oct. 17, sponsored by Access Humboldt and the League of Women Voters. The forum occurred at Access Humboldt’s TV studio, and viewers phoned in or emailed their questions for…
Dance Macabre
There’s a chill in the air, Turner Classic Movies has unwrapped all the Mummy flicks and your favorite candies are now fun-sized and wrapped in orange and black. Mid-October is here, fiends — it’s time to get your freak on. Two dark delights on local stages this season offer spooktacular frights and fun. The Halloween…
Silent Film Classics
The ARMACK Orchestra, comprised of students from Arcata and McKinleyville high schools, pulls some strings to provide live scoring to Charlie Chaplin’s The Rink (1916) and Buster Keaton’s Cops (1922) during Silent Film Classic Comedies, showing Thursday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 20 at 2 and 7 p.m. at Arcata High School…
Music Tonight: Friday, Oct. 19
There’s a mixed-bag but mostly folky affair happening at The Outer Space tonight at 7 p.m. Cinder Well plays a doomy sort of string music and will be supported by Humboldt’s own singer/songwriters Hollan, Big Dumb Swede and electro act Knot They’re ($6). Also at 7 p.m. in the beautiful environs adjacent to Elephant Rock,…
MCSD Candidates Square Off at Forum
Candidates for three open seats on the McKinleyville Community Services District Board of Directors met at an Oct. 16 forum at Azalea Hall sponsored by the McKinleyville Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters. Candidates answered questions asked by the members of the public who were present, or who phoned in their concerns.…
Fire and Food in Karuk and Yurok Communities
Traditional Native methods of prescribed burning aren’t just helping protect forests on the North Coast. According to an article published by Civil Eats, the controlled burns and ancient agroforestry practices are on their way to reestablishing forest-grown food staples, reviving traditional foodways and working toward food sovereignty. The article, produced with Mongabay, details how Karuk…
Interior Department Moves on Offshore Wind, RCEA’s Application Remains in the Mix
The U.S. Interior Department announced this morning that it is officially beginning the process of looking for companies interested in developing offshore wind farms along the California coast. The department will issue a “call for information and nominations” tomorrow, which will kick off a 100-day comment period that will close Jan. 27. So what does…
Reminder: ShakeOut Earthquake Drill This Morning
Reminder: The Great California ShakeOut takes place today at 10:18 a.m. and will include a test of the Humboldt ALERT Emergency Notification System, which will send out notices to those who have registered. More than 10 million Californians are expected to participate in the drill by practicing the “Drop, Cover and Hold on” mantra of…
Science Night!
Into weird science? Kids, take part in cool, hands-on activities and experiments at Science Night on Friday, Oct. 19 from 5 to 9 p.m. at College of the Redwoods (free). With more than 25 activities like Howling Gummi Bears, Chemical Magic Show and Pumpkin Chucking Trebuchet (catapult), it’s hair-raising fun for the whole family.
Music Tonight: Thursday, Oct. 18
Memphis, Tennessee’s punk garage wildlings Ex-Cult brings the psychedelic circle-pit sturm und drang to The Miniplex tonight at 8:30 p.m. ($7). In tow for the fun is Oakland’s punk act Manback as well as local garage punk act Wet Spot.
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Humraaz is a word in the Urdu language. Its literal meaning is “secret sharer.” It refers to a confidante, a person in whom you have full trust and to whom you can confess your core feelings. Is there such a character in your life? If so, seek him or her out…
First Man Misses its Moonshot
Previews FIRST MAN. “Hey Girl” memes and references to The Notebook (2004) aside, Ryan Gosling has become one of the most versatile, self-challenging leading men in Hollywood, with a constantly growing filmography to reflect it. Now he works almost exclusively on major releases for prestige directors but he brings intense focus and emotional depth to…
Fake News!
Editor: Mr. Richard Salzman quotes an article from the HSU publication, The Lumberjack, Sept. 19, citing it as evidence of the dangers of campus life. I found this alarming as I have a son soon to join that honored institution. After looking up the article online and perusing it, I realized that Mr. Salzman was…
Facing the Wind
Local fishermen are on the verge of forever losing local fishing grounds to wind power as California trades one renewable resource (seafood) for another (electricity). The state of California and its citizens are on the front line of the efforts to convert our energy use from the burning of fossil fuels (oil and gas) to…
Cracked Heart
There was a time a moment a point where it all shattered the heart fell like porcelain on a tiled floor shattered in a million pieces they were all swept up put in a box locked iron shut deep in the soul hidden for years but With a little love kindness connection It pieced back…
A Cook’s Book Club
My cooking is variously inspired by seasonal produce, memories of people or places, cravings for specific ingredients or dishes, and reading. Yes, you read that last one right. For the past 11 years on my blog Briciole, I have been hosting a literary/culinary event called Novel Food. And for the past 10 years I have…
Mindful Bitchface
After a lifetime of strangers scurrying from my path, coworkers asking if I’m angry with them and people looking back at me with a panicked “What?” I accepted my diagnosis. I have what medical professionals call severe chronic resting bitchface. My features naturally relax into a scowl somewhere between judgy stone statue and pre-strike hooded…
Anniversaries, Dreams and Hauntings
I am not a nostalgic fella and I tend to have a private needle that clicks between “ignorant indifference” and “seething distrust” when it comes to all of the hallmarks and anniversaries that we are collectively reminded to celebrate. However, in deference to my readers, of whom I am genuinely fond, and for the sake…
Reasonable Minds
Editor: I have read to two letters regarding Humboldt becoming a sanctuary county, one for and the other against (Mailbox,” Oct. 11). The one opposed gave facts, but threw in some emotions, too. The one for sanctuary began with a letter addressed to a friend of and friend, which by the way was anonymous. Sounds like the…
Keep it Clean
Editor: Amazingly, roughly three and a-half years have passed since we moved to Trinidad after years of visiting the area and falling in love with the beauty of the Trinidad Bay and coastal landscapes: the rough coastline, challenging trails, dynamic beaches and panoramic vista points inviting exploration. Impressed with the Trinidad Coastal Land Trust’s (TCLT)…
Connections Quiz
Short attention span? Perfect, we understand each other. Each of these “connections” will take no more than 18 seconds to read. That’s supposed to be the average duration of our short-term memories — good for copying down a phone number, hopeless (in my case) for remembering the name of someone I’ve just been introduced to.…
Vote Incumbents, Castellano, Seaman!
Editor: Influencing a corrupt developer in the White House begins by reining in his base of corrupt developers at home. Using local government to facilitate participation in recurring boom-and-bust housing fraud has caused an epidemic of foreclosures, bankruptcies and homelessness. Voters can ensure Eureka continues reversing this legacy in November by electing Leslie Castellano and…
Vote Castellano!
Editor: The city council promotes Eureka’s recognition as a premier arts destination. It’s time to acknowledge how important the arts are to the our cultural, social and economic fabric — with a working artist sitting on the council. Ask anyone making a living from their own art: It might look like all fun and inspiration…
Vote Seaman!
Editor: Susan Seaman, 27-year resident of Eureka, moves projects forward. “Youth, families, community, investment, prosperity” are themes that describe Susan. When she sees a spark of initiative, she keeps the flame burning in our small and large businesses. She knows that good work leads to healthy families and community. Susan sees the connections. What is good for…
Canna-count the Votes
Lost amid all the talk of a looming red or blue wave coming on Election Day, depending on who you ask on what particular day, is the likelihood that a green wave will continue to sweep over the country. A total of 30 states across the country have already legalized or decriminalized cannabis for medical…
Vote Watson!
Editor: I am writing to encourage you to vote for Brett Watson. I have known Brett for two years (I have only lived in the area for three). I know he is extremely hard working and is very involved in our community. What I really admire about Brett is he is very responsive to any…
No on K!
Editor: Measure K markedly lowers the safety for our law enforcement, citizens, family members and friends and creates dangerous situations for county officials and ICE in removing illegals/criminals. How many more citizens need to be victimized before we say enough? Our own Sheriff Honsal stated a need to keep “serious and violent” felons out of…
Vote Marks!
Editor: I strongly encourage all to vote for Richard Marks for harbor commissioner. I have known Richard since 2002 and he has consistently shown himself as a community member who brings people together. His history working with unions and organizing community activities like softball leagues show his commitment to civic action. I am most impressed…
No on M!
Editor: The Philippine-American War initiated by President McKinley with his annexation of the Philippines was a “model” for the later war in Vietnam. This included the massacre of civilians, the burning of crops and killing of farm animals, the herding of civilians into “detention camps,” the designation of certain areas where anyone could be killed…
