Cover Story
Young and Hungry
The students in the first period culinary arts class at Zoe Barnum High School are restless. They check their phones and turn around in their chairs to talk to friends. Karen Brooks — medium height, long dark hair, a patrician nose and upright posture — waits patiently. “High schoolers have great ideas but the worst…
UPDATE: Man Killed in Alderpoint Stabbing Identified
UPDATE: The sheriff’s office identified the man killed in an Alderpoint stabbing this week as Eugene Arnold Minikel, 37, of Redway. “This investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made at this time,” the brief news release states. A woman, whose name has not been released, told officials that she stabbed Minikel because he…
Wiyot Teenager Killed While Eeling
The Wiyot Tribe is reporting via social media that Alex Lopez, 15, an enrolled member of the tribe, died Saturday afternoon while eeling at the mouth of the Eel River. Lopez was experienced in the traditional Wiyot practice but waves pushed a log onto him in a freak accident. According to a report from KIEM…
Music Tonight – Wednesday, March 29
The Paula Jones Band comprised of Ken Lawrence, Tim Randles, Mike LaBolle, Don Baraka and Mrs. Jones will be playing up at the Mad River Brewery at 6 p.m. for free. I got a nice email — with photos! — from Brian Netzley of L.A.-based band The Black Market Trust, which plays The Arcata Playhouse…
Tastin’ it Through the Streets
Fat Tuesday ain’t got nothing on the last Thursday in March. A Taste of Main Street, one of Humboldt’s most anticipated nights of food and fun, rolls around Thursday, March 30, 2017 from 5 to 8 p.m. With 22 participating restaurants and food producers, it’s your opportunity to see what the ‘Boldt’s been cooking. Try…
Ruling Puts Martens Up For Endangered Species Reconsideration
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will likely need to revisit providing endangered species protections to the coastal marten after a federal court judge today overturned the agency’s decision not to list the small woodland creature. The Environmental Protection Information Center and the Center for Biological Diversity had sued the service after the latter unsuccessfully…
Deputy Public Defenders Tell Supes New Boss is ‘Unqualified’
In an unprecedented move, all nine Humboldt County deputy public defenders sent a letter to the Board of Supervisors on Friday urging it to reconsider the recent hiring of their boss, Public Defender David Marcus. “We, the undersigned, write this letter to express our belief that David Marcus is not qualified for the position of…
Music Tonight – Tuesday, March 28
As mentioned above, Me Pretty, commie noise punks from Santa Cruz, make their debut appearance in Humboldt at The Siren’s Song Tavern in Old Town Eureka around 8 p.m. The trio is joined by local freak jazz/noise band Friends of Future Sound and local living-room-pop rockers Dimboi. Check out this three-band bill at this free…
The Sound of Music
Get ready to shake, rattle and roll. The 27th annual Redwood Coast Music Festival gets into full swing March 30-April 2, swelling the city of Eureka with 30 bands at six venues performing 100 sets of live music. Add to that the throngs of people who come from all over to experience one of the…
Seven Apply to Fill Wheetley’s Council Seat
Seven hopefuls met Friday’s deadline to apply for the Arcata City Council seat left vacant when longtime member Mark Wheetley stepped down earlier this month to become Fortuna’s city manager. The council voted March 1 to move forward with the application process recommended by staff to fill the remainder of Wheetley’s term, which runs through…
Music Tonight – Monday, March 27
An earlier show at Humboldt Brews tonight brings Trampled by Turtles songwriter Dave Simonett to town. Performing under his moniker Dead Man Winter, he’s on the road supporting his recent release called Furnace. Dealing with the personal issues of divorce and separation from his two children, expect some intensely crafted songs of heartbreak and introspection.…
HumBug: Come Closer, Said the Fly to the Fly
Recently, scientists have calculated that spiders devour between 400 and 800 million tons of insects annually. Right now in my yard, though, on the fence where the white clematis chokes out everything else, there is a massacre going on and spiders are not the center stage players. Golden haired dung flies are chasing and eating flower…
TL;DR: The Innovate Business Challenge
Happy Sunday! Too busy to read all of this week’s story about Humboldt County Office of Education’s Innovate Business Challenge? We get it. Here’s the elevator pitch: Since 2010, local high school students have been competing to win up to $8,000 in cash and prizes for their small business plans. They are mentored along the…
The Kids are More Than Alright
The Humboldt State University Department of Journalism and Mass Communication just found out a story its investigative reporting students authored for the Journal placed in the Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards for Region 11, meaning it was one of the best pieces of student journalism published in California, Hawaii, Arizona and Nevada…
In ‘Crisis,’ Yuroks Suspend Commercial Salmon Season
For the second year in a row, the Yurok Tribe will not have a commercial fishery — a devastating blow to the tribe’s culture and economy. “We are in crisis mode,” said Yurok Tribal Chair Thomas O’Rourke in a press release that lamented poor conditions on the Klamath River that have led to historically low…
Music Tonight – Saturday, March 25
If you’re in the mood for French Chanson and Gypsy Jazz, the Westhaven Center for the Arts is the place to be tonight for French Oak Gypsy Band, comprised of North Bay Native Stella Heath, French/American guitarist Gabriel Pirad and reedist James Inciardi. A $5-$20 sliding scale for this show at 7:30 p.m. Another slide…
Huffman Celebrates Failure of TrumpCare
Rep. Jared Huffman issued a press release this afternoon in response to the failure of Republicans to bring the so-called “TrumpCare” bill to a vote. President Donald Trump, who ran on a platform of repealing the Affordable Care Act, indicated today that he would consider drafting a new bill once the ACA “explodes.” The Republican…
Music Tonight – Friday, March 24
In the event you missed said “certain member” of Moonpine last night, you can hear Nola with Belles of the Levee tonight at Cafe Mokka at 8 p.m. You’ll hear some sublime vocal harmonies and jazz/blues roots music all for free, and you can bring the kiddos along. Supporting his album Chronology, is Chronixx, who…
Daffodils by the River
Everything’s coming up daffodils at the Fortuna River Lodge for Fortuna Garden Club’s Daffodils by the River, March 25 from 1 to 5 p.m. and March 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (free). Enjoy live music and pick up show-quality daffodil bulbs for your garden.
Music Tonight – Thursday, March 23
Start your weekend early with some local music you can check out in the comfort of your home. KMUD will be featuring local Arcata band Neighbors on the “occasional series” The Adventurous Ear starting at 5 p.m. I’ve been working my way through Ron Howard’s Beatles documentary A Hard Day’s Night so I’m glad to…
Graham Nash
Two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Graham Nash (the Hollies, Crosby, Stills and Nash) returns to the Van Duzer Theatre on Friday, Mar. 24 at 8 p.m. ($56). With hits “Our House,” and “Teach Your Children,” it should be a very, very, very fine show.
‘Slightly Less Awful’
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions tossed some more shade on marijuana last week, adding to growing concerns that a federal crackdown is looming for the $7 billion industry. Speaking about efforts to combat violent crime and “restore public safety” before a group of state and local law enforcement in Richmond, Virginia, on March 15, Sessions…
A Big, Hairy Deal
Reviews BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. The centralization of American popular cinema continues, with Disney squarely in the rich middle of it: Lucasfilm, Pixar and Marvel Studios all live within the shadow of the Magic Kingdom. This means seemingly every mainstream movie without an R rating is likely to have had the Mouse’s big padded hands…
The Function of Design
In previous columns, I’ve addressed sustainability issues in landscape design. Here I’d like to focus on several functional issues. Welcoming Entries It’s a good idea to provide a gracious way for your guests to approach your house. Stepping stone walkways are picturesque, but save them for less-traveled portions of the landscape. A front walkway surface…
Who Are You Calling Vulnerable?
Editor: Regarding “The Need for Sanctuary” (March 9), you often hear these days of “the need to protect those who are the most vulnerable in our society.” Who decides who is the most vulnerable? Are those who have violated federal law to enter this country and then violate additional laws to remain that vulnerable class?…
Commenting on Cannabis
Editor: You overlooked a vitally important topic in your Cannabis Issue (March 16). It also goes missing from marijuana regulations and discussions of “best practices.” That topic is location. When the first step in establishing a marijuana grow is to chop down a swath of forest, or bulldoze a meadow or mountainside, you are degrading…
Even Weirder
Editor: I read Barry Evans’ recent column (“The Weirdness of English,” March 16) with interest. Another weird issue with the English language is how it deals with the names for numbers. We have adopted Arabic numerals and they make good sense for a base 10 system (and the Arabs invented the zero). But when it…
Schools Need Money
Editor: What a delightful article, “Hello and Goodbye,” in your March 9 NCJ. It was so positive! Both Garry Eagles and Chris Hartley sound like great men. Most importantly, these two superintendents from our Humboldt County Board of Education recognize the need for citizens to get our California Senate and Assembly representatives to focus on…
Playing Hardball
The harbinger of Eureka City Schools’ controversial proposal to cap transfers in an effort to stem the tide of students leaving for other districts — taking the state funding that comes with them — may have been a lawsuit filed last year against a small charter school. Filed in January of 2016, the case alleges…
It’s What, Not How, You Grow
Economics 101 teaches us that carrots are more effective than sticks in encouraging compliance by any industry. So what are the incentives for the cannabis industry? Why is cannabis being regulated more intensely than grapes, cattle or any other agricultural endeavor? And why do we continue to deal with one problem in a piecemeal fashion…
Someone Tapped on my Wire
hey, i’m up early again! this you can see on my tweet where the bluebird and facts and fiction do meet. someone tapped on my wire in a most sneaky way let’s go to the top — i’ll blame President Obama today. what have they heard? i’m beginning to dread what will unravel when they…
Music in the Time of Crisis
Every year it’s harder to tell the next generation borrowing money for college is a good idea. Tuitions are on the rise — imagine them ever going down! — and student loans linger longer and longer. However, one tremendous benefit of college remains: being surrounded by peers who share the sensitivities to the overwhelming and…
Humboldt on Tap
Adam Satrom reaches a gloved hand toward the ranks of empty beer cans waiting beside him. Checking for tiny defects that could spoil a good seal, he sets four, six, eight cans on his mobile canning machine. They jostle into a row down the conveyor belt as he tosses away the rare discard. Satrom is…
Coup De Foudre
Dell’Arte alum Rudy Galindo and his troupe Teatro Pachuco will perform physical comedy Coup De Foudre on Friday, Mar. 24 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Mar. 25 at 2 and 7 p.m. at the Arcata Playhouse as part of its 2017 Family Series ($15, $10 kids under 10).
