The Last Howlers
As pandemic fatigue sets in for many, two Blue Lake sisters keep howling
Update: Two Arrested in Eureka Burglary
Update: Last night, law enforcement surrounded an apartment complex on the 2100 block of Spring Street in Eureka after responding to a report of an in-progress burglary. After officers responded to the call, a standoff ensued and the SWAT team and K-9 unite were called to assist. Eureka Police Department arrested 18-year-old Thomas Cookman and 21-year-old Tyler Lemmons…
‘Confession’ Hits Amazon Prime with Local Talent and Scenery
The Humboldt-Del Norte Film Commission has good news for those of us who’ve burned through our streaming queues: Humboldt artist and author Daniel Niyiri’s thriller Confession is now available to stream on Amazon Prime. The drama centers on a forensic psychiatrist’s evaluation of a captured murderer who claims to be a demon. Check out the…
COVID Deaths, Case Count Continue to Climb
For the third day in a row, Public Health reported the COVID-related death of a Granada Rehabilitation and Wellness Center resident, the fifth in a week. In addition, another hospitalization and 36 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed. The individual was in their 60s. “We’ve been in close contact with the staff at Granada, and have…
Fatal Crash Discovered on 299
A fatal crash was discovered on State Route 299 today, according to the Incident Commander speaking over the scanner. Just before 1 p.m., a vehicle was seen on its roof against a culvert over a steep embankment near mile marker 32 on State Route 299 about 5 miles west of Willow Creek. Emergency personnel requested…
Suspect in Samoa Homicide Arrested
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office reports a person of interest in a Nov. 15 homicide was arrested Dec. 10 by a Eureka Police Department officer who recognized him. Eureka resident Travontae Javoni Hutson, who was taken into custody at a residence on West Hawthorne Street after initially fleeing the officer, was booked into jail on…
Pedestrian Injured After Struck by Vehicle in Eureka
At about 5:17 p.m., a vehicle struck a pedestrian near the intersection of Fourth and L streets in Eureka. About 5:20 p.m., an officer told dispatch over the scanner that he was “out with one down in the roadway. The left two lanes of Fourth Street are blocked. Please remember that information gathered from initial…
Three Staff Tested Positive for COVID-19 at Sempervirens Psychiatric Hospital
The Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed that three staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 at Sempervirens 24-Hour Psychiatric Hospital, a 16-bed in-patient facility in Eureka. According to the release, one staff member and a close contact tested positive for the virus on Sunday while the third tested positive during…
MMS Art Students Partner with Sequoia Humane Society
McKinleyville Middle School eighth grade art students are partnering up with Sequoia Humane Society to raise awareness and find forever homes for all of their rescue animals. Each MMS student created a watercolor portrait of an adoptable animal and donated the paintings to the animal rescue so that when the animals are adopted their owner…
Humboldt Records 13th COVID-Related Death; First Vaccine Given
Public Health today reported another COVID-related death, an additional hospitalization and 26 new cases. The individual was in their 80s and a resident of Granada Rehabilitation and Wellness Center at the time of their death, as were two other resident whose deaths were reported yesterday. The Eureka facility has seen 69 residents and 23 staff…
Judge Dismisses Case Against Four Septuagenarian Rainbow Ridge Activists
Early this morning a judge dismissed charges against four septuagenarians stemming from protests against logging on Rainbow Ridge. In June of 2019, four local elders and residents of the Mattole area – Jane Lapiner, David Simpson, Ellen Taylor and Michael Evenson – were arrested and charged after they planned to stop timber fallers for Humboldt…
EPD Holiday Blood Drive Set for Tomorrow
The Eureka Police Department is hosting its annual Holiday Blood Drive at the Northern California Community Blood Bank (2524 Harrison Ave., Eureka) tomorrow, Wednesday, Dec. 16 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The public is invited to stop by any time between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. and join them in helping give the gift of life this…
Search Ongoing for a Felony Suspect Who Fled from Law Enforcement Near Hoopa
Multiple law enforcement agencies are searching for a suspect who fled from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department near Hoopa this morning. At one point, according to the scanner, the suspect fled into and later out of water in an attempt to escape. As of 12:20 p.m., the suspect is still being sought. According to Samantha…
Grant Offers Defensible Space Help for Local Landowners
The County of Humboldt is offering private landowners the opportunity to participate in the Fire-adapted Landscapes and Safe Homes (FLASH) cost-share program designed to help create defensible space around homes and property. Grant funding for this program is provided by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) . Read more about the program and…
New Rule: Treated Wood Not Accepted at Local Waste Disposal Sites after Dec. 31
A new rule, effective January 1, 2021, will no longer allow the landfill disposal of treated wood waste — wood that has been treated with chemical preservatives that pose a risk to human health and the environment. A news release from the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services this morning stated that transfer station employees have…
Humboldt’s First COVID Vaccine Shipment Arrives
The first shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Humboldt County this morning and is being stored in a special freezer at St. Joseph Hospital. Public Health will be working with area healthcare providers over the next few days to coordinate getting out the first 975 doses to priority recipients, according to a county release.…
County Confirms Two More COVID Deaths
Public Health reports two more Humboldt residents have died — marking three deaths in less than one week — and 64 new COVID-19 cases have been reported since Friday, as local cases continue to surge. One of those who died was in their 70s and the other was in their 90s. Both were residents of…
Dangerous Surf Conditions Continue this Week
Another round of dangerous surf is heading to the coast Tuesday and Wednesday, prompting the Eureka office of the National Weather Service to issue a high surf advisory. The long period swell is expected to produce 20- to 25-foot breaking waves, creating hazardous conditions on local beaches, rocks and jetties. The advisory is in effect…
Over the Rainbow: A North Coast Fantasy
I’ve been tripping around in the night light of California’s far North Coast for some time now. A lot of nighttime visions have piled up from many late outings, cold nights and wee early mornings. Yet for all of that, this week I had nothing brand new. So the other night I found myself shuffling…
![[UPDATE: 3:07 p.m.] About 500 Garberville Residents Without Power After Boom](https://i0.wp.com/www.northcoastjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/pge-2.webp?resize=200%2C150&ssl=1)
[UPDATE: 3:07 p.m.] About 500 Garberville Residents Without Power After Boom
UPDATE: Most customers have had power restored after what PG&E preliminarily identified as “an equipment issue.” Only 20 customers are still without power at this time according to PG&E’s Outage Map. PREVIOUS: Just before 2 p.m., power went out in Garberville following what residents described as either a loud pop or a boom. One resident…
Snow on the 299
Snow is falling on State Route 299 this afternoon. According to the National Weather Service in Eureka, Snow levels are locally lower than forecast over portions of Trinity County this afternoon, around 2500 feet in spots. Roadways are slushy and slick above 2500 feet over Oregon Mountain & Buckhorn Summits now, with several inches accumulation…
Big Waves and High Tides
Large breaking waves are expected to begin hitting the local coast this afternoon, with the largest ones upward of 21 feet hitting in the evening hours, creating hazardous conditions, according to the Eureka office of the National Weather Service. “With these conditions in place, people should stay off the rocks and jetties as large waves…
COVID-19 Screenings Now Required for In-Person Court Appearances
The Humboldt County Superior Court announced Friday that all people attending in-person court proceedings will be required to complete a daily COVID-19 screening before being allowed into a courtroom. The court recently announced that with the rapidly rising number of positive COVID-19 cases, all criminal jury trials scheduled between Dec. 8, 2020 and Jan. 19,…
Commercial Crab Season Set to Open Dec. 23
Get that butter ready. The commercial Dungeness crab season is slated to start statewide on Dec. 23 after being delayed due to meat quality in the Humboldt region and whale entanglement concerns farther south. “Our recommendation was to open this Wednesday (Dec. 16),” said California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton H. Bonham in…
Backyard Shop Destroyed in McKinleyville Fire
The Arcata Fire District responded to a fire in a detached shop in the backyard of home on Holly Drive in McKinleyville around 11:20 p.m. Friday, which led to the evacuation of nearby homes for a time before firefighters were able to get the blaze under control, according to Redheaded Blackbelt. According to a AFD…
Local Girl Collects Over 100 Plush Toys and Blankets for Homeless Youth
One night while being tucked into bed with her Squishmallow (a plush toy), 8-year-old Clover Churchill told her mom that if she had more Squishmallows she would give them to all the homeless people in the world. With that in mind Cheryl Churchill, Clover’s mom, decided to make that dream a reality and show her…
NCJ Preview: Howling at Pandemic Fatigue and Restaurants Hit by COVID
While most 8 p.m. howlers have gone silent, two little girls in Blue Lake are still making themselves heard in support of frontline workers. We’ll talk about them and reasons, the practice fell off, including pandemic fatigue, which has real consequences. We’re also taking a look at the toll on restaurants and staff when employees…
County Confirms 36 New COVID-19 Cases, Topping 200 in a Week for First Time
Humboldt County Public Health confirmed 36 new COVID-19 cases today, capping another record week that saw 217 new cases, far outpacing last week’s record of 163 as local case counts continue to spike dramatically. The announcement comes after Public Health reported the county’s 10th COVID-19 related death Wednesday amid a case spike that has now…
Eureka City Council Votes 3-2 to Suspend Syringe Exchange Services
A marathon special meeting of the Eureka City Council, stretching from 7 until 11:30 p.m., resulted in the council voting 3 to 2 in favor of a resolution temporarily prohibiting all syringe exchange services within city limits, with councilmembers Natalie Arroyo and Leslie Castellano dissenting. The wording of the resolution is tangled, stating that the…
CHP Chase Erratic Driver Near Redway
This morning California Highway Patrol attempted to stop a vehicle with a spike strip on the Briceland Thorn Road after the suspects driving a rental from out of state fled an attempted traffic stop for erratic driving. According to Officer Nathan Bjork speaking for the California Highway Patrol about 8:50 a.m. law enforcement received a…
Local Municipal Buildings Closing and Reducing Hours Due to COVID-19 Cases Increases
Rio Dell City Hall and the Humboldt County Superior Court clerk’s office lobby are reducing their hours and closing in-person services due to the county’s increases in COVID-19 cases. Beginning on Monday, Dec. 14, Rio Dell City Hall will be reducing its hours for bill pay and other over‐the‐counter services. The new hours are 9:00 a.m.…
Public Health Confirms 32 New COVID-19 Cases, Marking Another Record Week
Humboldt County Public Health reported 32 new confirmed COVID-19 cases today, making 181 so far this week, setting a seven-day record for the fourth consecutive week as the local case surge continues. The announcement comes after Public Health reported the county’s 10th COVID-19 related death yesterday amid a case spike that has now seen 297…
Operation Santa Paws is On
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has partnered with local businesses to bring holiday cheer to Humboldt County shelter animals as part of Operation Santa Paws. “Operation Santa Paws is a holiday collection drive for shelter and rescue dogs, bringing needed toys, treats and supplies to our local animal rescues as well as to the Humboldt County…
Trinidad Council Schedules Special Urgency Meeting Tonight to Address STR Rent Moratorium
The Trinidad City Council is scheduled to hold a special council meeting tonight to consider adopting a special COVID-19 moratorium on short-term rentals (STR). Trinidad is considering the moratorium as the city continues to see tourism despite the county moving to the state’s “widespread” COVID-19 Risk Assessment Tier. The adoption of the moratorium could impact…
Back-to-Back Fires in Fields Landing and Eureka This Morning
Humboldt County firefighters were busy this morning as they responded to two back-to-back structure fires, one in Fields Landing and another on Broadway. The fire at Fields Landing was in a mobile home at Third and B streets. Firefighters quickly stopped the fire from spreading and destroying a nearby utility pole. Firefighters from having extinguished…
Humboldt Wildlife Care Center Receiving CDFW Grant
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is allocating $550,000 in grant funding to 45 nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation organizations, including the Humboldt Wildlife Care Center in Arcata, to support care for injured, sick and orphaned wildlife. “California’s injured, sick and orphaned native wildlife need our help now more than ever,” said CDFW Director Charlton…
A Time to Howl
While it may feel otherwise, it wasn’t that long ago that Humboldt County’s neighborhoods stirred nightly around 8 p.m., enlivened by howls and shrieks as people left their kitchen tables and couches to step outside onto their stoops and porches, into their yards and back alleys. While it was part of a worldwide ritual started…
‘Rubes’
Editor: Wondering about the QAnon revelations there is a worldwide liberal cabal promoting child pornography involving pizza parlors? The reason for the distinguished place in QAnon lore has been revealed: cheese pizza. Child Pornography. Get it? It’s a code, rubes (“A Deadly Finale,” Nov. 26). I hope we don’t run out of tin foil. They’re…
Please Don’t Cry in the Big Girl’s Store
When I was around 10 years old, my mother decided we should have swimming lessons. It was a good decision; in 1992, the Mattole River was still deep and swift in many places, and that’s where we spent most of our summers, dogpaddling and diving for submerged soda cans with our cousins. I wasn’t scared…
‘Be Curious!’
Editor: For a very long time, I have read the North Coast Journal’s feature column “Field Notes,” notable writings on science contributed to the Journal by Barry Evans. I first met Barry many years ago, shortly after he had returned from the completion of the walking pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. We met…
‘Upside Down’
Editor: Eighty-year-olds in Humboldt who want a COVID-19 test are out of luck, I hear — unless they already have COVID symptoms (“In the Lab,” Dec. 3). And even then they’ll wait three days or more for results. Test materials are scarce. Then I read that a college basketball team is being tested eight or…
The Last Howlers
They don’t do it every night, not anymore. But when it feels right to step outside at 8 p.m., take a deep breath and howl into the night, Blue Lake sisters Alexis and Shelby Wickizer — ages 8 and 5, respectively — still follow the urge. “Owwwwwwwwwww! Owwwwwwwww!” the girls called out together Sunday night,…
Getting Out of Your Shell
I answered the doorbell and found Wonder Woman standing there in full costume. She explained that she was a space alien telepathically disguising herself. In order to gain acceptance, they appear to Earthlings as the subject of our most recent erotic fantasy. It totally worked and I invited her in. (My dog must have thought…
Persimmon Season
It begins with that delectable tongue wrapped around mine sweet embrace Rare to find one ripe enough at first patience is rewarded–and required– then they put to shame the cacophony of late autumn apples It’s almost enough to compensate for the loss of summer’s sweet corn Carolyn Lehman December 2020
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): According to Taoist scholar Chad Hansen, “Western philosophers have endlessly analyzed and dissected a cluster of terms thought to be central to our thinking,” such as truth, beauty, reason, knowledge, belief, mind, and goodness. But he reports that they’ve never turned their attention to a central concept of Chinese philosophy: the…
‘Winter has Come’
The face was fresh but the message was familiar: Humboldt County’s COVID-19 case count is spiking at an increasingly rapid rate and may spiral out of control if residents don’t begin wearing facial coverings fastidiously when out in public. Hours before he would be unanimously voted in as Humboldt County’s new health officer, replacing Teresa…
‘A Curriculum that Empowers’
Speaking at a virtual roundtable called to discuss the systemic failures of local school districts to help Native students succeed, as detailed in a recent report by the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, Humboldt State University Native American Studies Chair Cutcha Risling Baldy said it largely comes down to curriculums that disempower Native…
COVID-19 Cases Among Restaurant Staff Deliver Another Blow
On Nov. 21, just five days ahead of Thanksgiving, for which Plaza Grill already had 300 confirmed holiday dinner orders and another 200 awaiting confirmation, owner Bill Chino picked up the phone and started calling customers to cancel. A front-of-house employee had just tested positive for COVID-19. The call list was daunting, he says, “but…
Fall Color
Fall is upon us in all of her splendor. The late rains this year mean we’ve been able to enjoy the beautiful trees longer than we’re generally used to. The lack of wind, until recently, has also contributed to the beautiful foliage staying in place. At my place, the paperbark birch is resplendent in her…
The Death of Leo Gallagher
These three headlines tell a story: “Ferndale Invades Fortuna,” Humboldt Times, Nov. 3, 1928. “Fortuna High Student Dies after Football Accident,” Humboldt Times, Nov. 5, 1928. “Leo Gallagher Funeral Held,” Humboldt Times, Nov 7, 1928. I’d heard of a period when there was no football at Fortuna High School due to the death of a…
Rain and Steelhead Both on the Horizon
Winter steelhead season has yet to take off on the North Coast but that could soon change. A pretty sizeable storm is headed our way this weekend that should put all of the coastal rivers on the rise, and hopefully open them to fishing. And more rain is on the way next week according to…
Hollywood Beginning
HAPPIEST SEASON. Having made no secret of my childlike but abiding love of Christmas movies and despite our conventional notions of time and meaningful dates of demarcation having slipped away in 2020, I feel compelled to watch them. Maybe it’s a passive version of the denial that has led swaths of the populace to wantonly…
