Cover Story
The Top 10 Stories of 2014
The year began with a tragedy that fueled Humboldt County’s ongoing debate about crime, drug abuse, mental health care and homelessness. (This week’s cover image was drawn by Joel Mielke as a response to Father Eric Freed’s New Year’s Day killing.) A local music promoter began a long recovery from a devastating injury, an incident…
Ho Ho Heave Ho
Your dear old Christmas tree wants to go back to the good green earth it came from. Come, compost! Come, energy! So get on it, before Valentine’s Day smooches in to mock you and your tree. You can drop your tree off for recycling at one of the places listed below, or call for curbside pickup.…
Not Today, Bike Thieves
Somebody locked his or her sweet fixie up in one of Mother Nature’s bike racks in front of Old Town Coffee and Chocolates in Eureka today. Just makes us want to steal the whole damn tree.
Holy Congressional Infographic, Batman!
North Coast Congressman Jared Huffman’s first term in office has been no cakewalk. In fact, it’s involved a lot of elbow grease and heavy lifting. Don’t’ believe it? Well, check out this handy infographic The Huff put together to show you just how much he’s accomplished over the past two years. See? He’s sent 92,709…
UPDATED: Coroner IDs Fortuna Crash Victim
UPDATE: The woman killed by her own car in a Fortuna accident Monday has been identified as 32-year-old Victoria Pruett, according to Humboldt County Deputy Coroner Trevor Enright, who said Pruett died of blunt force trauma. PREVIOUSLY: The Humboldt County Coroner’s Office has yet to publicly identify the woman killed in a single-vehicle crash Monday…
UPDATE: Worker Killed in Mill Accident
The coroner’s office identified the victim of yesterday’s industrial accident as 64-year-old Mike Vander Veen of Forest Hill, California. The cause of death appears to be accidental electrocution, according to the office, and an autopsy is scheduled for Jan. 8. Deputy Coroner Trevor Enright declined to say who Vander Veen was working for, citing an…
Long-Time Weather Boss Retires
After 36 years with the National Weather Service — 20 of those as the meteorologist in charge at the Eureka Weather Forecast Office on Woodley Island — Nancy Dean has retired. Her last day was today. “She’s been a great boss,” said Troy Nicolini on the phone this afternoon. “I feel really thankful. … I’ve…
Yes, That’s Humboldt County’s Water
Four years after a request from the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, the federal government has decided, per a solicitor’s review, that the county does indeed have the right to an annual 50,000 acre-feet of water it was promised back when the Trinity River was dammed. At the urging of Congressman Jared Huffman, apparently, the…
Shelter for Critters
As the winter weather becomes cold and wet, many of us are retreating indoors with a good book, a hot cuppa and a crackling fire, but what about the birds, pollinators and other wildlife that visit our gardens? If you enjoy hosting a variety of living things in your garden, providing shelter is an important…
Wise Up
Editor: Regarding your cover blurb “Hunting for the smartest person in Humboldt” (“The H Factor, Dec. 25”): The better pursuit is for the wisest. Socrates is apposite. “I am wiser than this man,” he declared at his trial for treason in 399 B.C., “for neither of us appears to know anything great and good; but…
Gray Matters Winter 2015
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Burned Out, and Another Thing
Editor: Enough with the marijuana already! Is this stuff as boring to write as it is to read week after week? Hasn’t weed done enough damage to this county already without ruining what has always been an outstanding local publication? Great column, Marci Burstiner (“Horror Movies,” Dec. 25). I was having similar Interview thoughts, but…
Weed Also Like to See a Change
Editor: Several of us were commenting at our recent Raging Grannie gathering that we have noticed a drastic change in the Journal recently. The emphasis of most of the articles seems to be on marijuana. We sincerely miss the great investigative journalism which we have learned to expect from this newspaper. We are interested in…
How Divine
Editor: I’d like to thank Jennifer Savage for her timely article on forgiveness (“Five Things to Know Before You Forgive Someone,” Dec. 25). With a new year upon us, for most it is a time to reflect how we can make amends; a time to learn from our mistakes by becoming new and improved versions…
Consciousness Fix
Editor: Barry Evan’s consciousness “Field Notes” (Dec. 18) was yet another great column; keep them coming. His exploration into the Hard Problem and Easy Problem of consciousness was fresh and very well illustrated. I appreciate the recommendation of Michael Graziano’s book and look forward to reading it. In my own journey in this realm I…
Take Your Napa and Shove It
Editor: I read “The Revolution Starts Here” (Dec. 11) with horror. What planet does California Cannabis Voice Humboldt live on? Their dream of turning Humboldt County into another Napa is chilling. Their ignorance or disregard for biological reality is inexcusable. Much of the rest of the world has been “developed” in just the way CCVH…
First Saturday Night Arts Alive!
Presented by Eureka Main Street. Opening receptions for artists, exhibits and performances are held the first Saturday of each month. For more information, phone Eureka Main Street at 442-9054 or go to www.eurekamainstreet.org 1. EUREKA INN 518 Seventh St. Dance showcase in the lobby. 2. HUMBOLDT ARTS COUNCIL at the Morris Graves Museum of Art…
The Day After
Empty glasses rinsed (Tiny headache) Black coffee (Stuffy nose) Platters drying (in the dish rack) Chairs askew Living room still clean (cleaner than usual) (from pre-party assault) High heels (under the couch) Green apples uneaten in a purple glass bowl — Stephanie Silvia
Home Grown
Art enthusiasts are a tough bunch. Despite endless holiday events, a new year and buckets of rain, we’ve still got to get our fix. Arts Alive in January can seem like a chore, but it doesn’t have to be. Across from the Eureka Theater, one art house hums with excitement, color and mediums of every…
Humboldt’s Fortune
At the start of a new year, there’s no shortage of politicos and barstool pundits making bets and predictions about what’s coming down the pipe for Humboldt County, but it’s not like any of them are psychic. So why not check in with folks who peek into the future for a living? Over the phone,…
Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner!
All hail Camp Tsunami, Eureka’s ‘final’ homeless solution When the Eureka City Council unveiled a proposed Final Solution to the Homeless Problem at its Dec. 16 meeting, too many people showed up. Council Chambers had only enough room to accommodate around 200. Attempting to solve the problem, the mayor announced that down the hall there…
Orion, Hunter of the Winter Skies
Winter is Orion the Hunter’s season as he strides across the evening sky, trusty sword hanging below the three stars of his belt. Orion is the most recognizable of all the “connect the dots” shapes created by our brains when we look up at night. Although occupying less than 1 percent of the area of…
The Year in Weed
A year into legal, recreational (or as advocates would have us say, “adult use”) pot sales in Colorado — and six months into Washington sales — the sky still hasn’t fallen. That’s a relatively short period of time on which to base any long-term predictions, but here’s one that’s nearly certain: Legalization will continue to…
Profiles
Reviews THE INTERVIEW. Dateline: Christmas, Fortuna Theatre. There was a strong media presence. Well, the one guy with his camera and tripod from News Channel 3, me and an off-duty Lost Coast Outpost correspondent. A ruddy-faced guy charged out of the lobby to tell the aforementioned lonely TV news guy that he came all the…
Hum Plate Roundup
How was your New Year’s Eve? Good? Too good? Here, this will make you feel better. Behind the Eight-Ball So this is not actually “the hair of the dog that bit you.” Which is disgusting if literal and really just about staying drunk if figurative. This is better. The Eight-Ball Stout Chocolate Cheesecake at Lost…
2015
The old year may have exited with a bang, but this new one arrives with the whimper not atypical for this desolate time of year. The students are gone, those people with means have fled for warmer climes, those without are huddled under blankets debating whether or not to keep watching Black Mirror on Netflix.…
Screwballs
In old Hollywood rom-coms, the men wore suits, the women wore the pants and everybody talked fast. And how! It was better living through chemistry — nothing like comic timing, hatpin-sharp wit and a good fight to fan the flames. Try and keep up when the Humboldt County Library kicks off its Screwball Comedy Film…
Spaceballs
When Mel Brooks directed his epic 1987 parody of Star Wars, he had no idea Jar Jar Binks was on the way. We can only dream of what might have been. And on Friday, Jan. 2 at 8 p.m., we can thrill to the Borscht-belt sci-fi schtick-flick Spaceballs at the Arcata Theatre Lounge ($5). John…
