To Audit and Control
The unprecedented battle for fiscal oversight of the county of Humboldt
Cover Stories
To Audit and Control
As a thought exercise, take out a piece of paper and write down the names of Humboldt County’s last two auditor-controllers. It’s a safe bet that if you correctly scribbled Joseph Mellett and Michael Giacone, you either work in county government or are the most dedicated of civic enthusiasts. All that is to say, it’s…
Cheryl Dillingham – Questionnaire
How would you ascertain the current state of Humboldt County’s fiscal controls and what are your plans to enhance them? (200 words) I would start by doing an internal control evaluation. I would involve Auditor-Controller staff and other department staff where appropriate in the evaluation. The purpose would be to review existing fiscal controls to…
Karen Paz Dominguez – Questionnaire
How would you ascertain the current state of Humboldt County’s fiscal controls and what are your plans to enhance them? (200 words) I would describe the current state of Humboldt County’s fiscal controls as “evolving” and “strengthening” because I have implemented internal controls that were not in practice previous to my tenure and because the…
Arcada Gets Back in the Game
The orange and black pixelated sign for Arcada (660 K St., Arcata), reminiscent of Space Invaders, hung as a question for the past two years. The retro arcade bar for grownups opened in the last week in February of 2020 only to shut down two and a half weeks later when Public Health declared a…
Reparations Could Include Tuition, Housing Grants, California Task Force Says
California’s reparations task force will release today its first of two reports detailing the state’s history of slavery and racism and recommending ways the Legislature might begin a process of redress for Black Californians, including proposals to offer housing grants, free tuition and to raise the minimum wage. The 500-page study describes decades of state…
Wet, Windy Weekend in the Forecast
June is here and rain is in the forecast. The Eureka office of the National Weather Service reports this weekend is expected to be unusually wet, with the possibility of a quarter inch or more falling between 5 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday. “This will be a warm storm with mild temperatures and high…
One Dead, Another Rescued After Hikers Swept into the Ocean
One hiker was killed and another was taken to the hospital Sunday after being swept into the ocean near the Black Sands Beach trailhead in Shelter Cove. The Shelter Cove Fire Department ocean rescue unit was dispatched to the scene after a call came in around 2:45 p.m. reporting two people were in the water.…
NCJ Preview: All in the Game – Elections and Arcades
With Election Day drawing near, we’re looking at the surprisingly contentious auditor-controller race between Cheryl Dillingham and Karen Paz Dominguez — a race in which the candidates are cordial and supporters are the main source of vitriol. We’ll get into some background and why accounting is such a hot topic these days. And break out…
Cal State Raises Issue with Cal Grant Expansion
The campaign to expand free tuition to more low-income California students has been riding a wave of unanimous goodwill, despite its large costs. But the state’s — and nation’s — largest public university system has made public its concern that key trade-offs required for that expansion will be a financial burden for some middle-class students. …
HumCo Planning Director Headed to Fort Bragg
Humboldt County Planning and Building Director John Ford has informed the Board of Super visors he will be leaving his post next month and is expected to start work as the city manager of Fort Bragg in July. Ford, who stepped into the role in 2016, has helmed Planning and Building through a tumultuous period,…
Court: Time to Mask Back Up
Citing an increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases locally, the Humboldt County Superior Court has reinstated rules requiring face masks be worn in all county courtrooms and the Jury Assembly Room used for jury selection. The new rule went into effect yesterday. The court also reminds anyone due to appear in court who is symptomatic —…
Interior to Open Offshore Wind Comment Period Next Week
The U.S. Department of the Interior announced today that it will publish a Proposed Sale Notice next week, opening a 60-day public comment period on plans to open lease areas off the California coast — including one off Humboldt Bay — to bidding for the creation of offshore wind farms. “The Biden-Harris administration is moving forward…
The Evolutionary
GEORGE CARLIN’S AMERICAN DREAM. Given his insistence on examining words and everything else in context, it would be disrespectful to talk about the comedic life and legacy of George Carlin without noting the moment in which the HBO documentary about him debuts. OK, wait — there’s too much. Let’s just look at comedy. Last week,…
Real Concerns
Editor: No matter what side of the abortion issue you are on, no one has a right to dictate mastery over your own body. My response to the news that the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to take away abortion rights in this country after 50 years was physical (“Rally for Reproductive Rights in Eureka,”…
Offshore Wind Concerns
Editor: The California Coastal Commission’s decision to allow initial investigation into the feasibility of offshore wind generators (“Coastal Commission Moves Offshore Wind Forward,” April 14) will, once again, challenge our pristine coastline. The determination allows energy companies and foreign investors to establish multiple offshore wind generators, spanning 132,000 acres of our coastline. We all understand…
Gateway Concerns
Editor: After looking over the draft development plans for the proposed Gateway project, I was immediately opposed to the idea of eight-story apartments looming over the Arcata Bottoms, an area of known geological hazards, as well as tsunami and storm surges exacerbated by sea level rise. Bob McPherson described those in stark terms in his…
Diversify the Curriculum
Editor: Thank you for featuring the important work on Indigenous-centered curricula that young activists are promoting in the local public schools (‘Long Overdue,’ April 28). I have spent the last six years researching youth identity, participation choices and resilience in local high schools. Data from interviews, focus groups, surveys and ethnography clearly show that BIPOC…
Still Working Toward a Solution
Editor: J.A. Savage’s article (“Geopolitics Undermine Energy Authority’s Solar Project,” posted May 1) accurately portrayed some of the challenges Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) and other electricity suppliers currently face in meeting our renewable energy goals. As has been widely reported, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s ongoing investigation of alleged circumvention of tariffs imposed on…
More Oversight Needed
Editor: In Recognition of Elder Abuse Awareness Month, I would like to bring attention to this real problem in our community. There are articles about the failure of CWS to respond to reports of child abuse and this is certainly an eye-opener for our community … these little ones are our future and deserve protection.…
Steven Steward – Questionnaire
What do you see as a judge’s role in making Humboldt County a more just community? (200 words) Judges have a central role in making sure that Humboldt County is a just and fair community. From handling the most serious criminal cases to deciding child custody disputes, a judge has the important job of ensuring…
Arcata Strips Defiant Watson of Assignments, Limits Access to Staff
After hearing nearly two dozen residents plead with Councilmember Brett Watson to resign in the wake of a scathing investigative report that he abused his power and harassed a city employee, the Arcata City Council passed a series of measures May 17 aimed at protecting city staff, while limiting Watson’s access to City Hall. Watson,…
Up for Judgment
Four years after Humboldt County’s first contested judicial election in 20 years, we have another, with two candidates vying for the seat being vacated by Judge Christopher Wilson’s retirement. And seeing as an incumbent judge hasn’t faced a challenger locally in decades, whoever wins a seat on the bench in June seems likely to be…
Laugh It Up
I’m happy to report I finished last week with a show that absolutely repaired my mood and gave me just enough oomph to get back to the working week. I am, of course, talking about the Eureka Symphony’s amazing season finale. I will be brief because there is new business at hand, but two things:…
Ben McLaughlin – Questionnaire
What do you see as a judge’s role in making Humboldt County a more just community? (200 words) There are two relevant contexts: (1) Criminal Law and (2) Civil Law. Regarding the latter, it is essential that a judge treat the parties respectfully, with dignity and give them equal time. These principles are equally important…
Trinidad Arts Night
Venues throughout town will be open for art viewing and music, including Band O Loko at Saunders Plaza East and Fire Dancing at 9 p.m. Other free activities include a skate park, games and face painting. At the end of the evening, head to Trinidad Town Hall for a special jazz event from 8 to…
A Paean to Lefties
They squint, they stammer, they shuffle and shamble, they flounder around like seals out of water. Awkward in the house and clumsy in their games, they are fumblers and bunglers at whatever they do. — Sir Cyril Burt, The Backward Child, 1937 Sir Cyril Burt, one-time president of the British Psychological Society and notorious charlatan…
Sea to Summit: A Return to Salmon Mountain
While I was rushing to complete the Sea-to-Summit challenge in 2020, cycling and hiking from the ocean to mountain tops around Humboldt before weather and wildfires thwarted my plans, my friend Kelly was also pursuing all 10 peaks of the series (“Sea to Summit Part 1: Bald Mountain,” April 22, 2021). Unfortunately, she didn’t get…
A Hazy Day
A hazy day at Humboldt Bay, moments of Zen Watching pelicans play Offering thanks to Last night’s dreams, where stories are told In impossible schemes Movement and freedom Combine in a dance, loosening images Unfurled, entranced. Lori Cole
Eureka Boats Back on the Salmon after Break in the Wind
After sitting on the sidelines for four days, the weather finally cooperated Monday and the Eureka boats were back on the water looking for kings. Salmon have been easy to come by this brief season and Monday proved no different. Quick limits were reported by the handful of boats. “The best bite was straight out…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In defining the essential elements at play in a typical Aries person’s agenda, I’m not inclined to invoke the words “sometimes” or “maybe.” Nor do I make frequent use of the words “periodically,” “if,” or “ordinarily.” Instead, my primary identifying term for many Aries characters is “NOW!!!” with three exclamation points.…
