In our collective years covering crime in Humboldt County, a hard truth we’ve come to realize is that justice is rare — even rarer in a courtroom. The criminal justice system is a misnomer, as the very best it can deliver is protecting the community from a perpetrator while giving them a very limited chance […]
Arcata
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Fatal Apartment Fire in Arcata
One person was found dead after in an apartment fire that broke out in Arcata before dawn on Feb. 2, according to Police Chief Brian Ahearn. “Arcata Fire located one body inside of a ground floor unit,” Ahearn said. “The person was deceased.” The cause of the fire, which broke out just before 5:30 a.m. […]
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APD Chief, Charmaine Lawson Ask Witnesses to Come Forward
The mother of slain Humboldt State University student David Josiah Lawson has joined with Arcata Police Chief Brian Ahearn to tape a public service message asking for any witnesses to his April 15, 2017 stabbing to contact the department. In the short clip, Charmaine Lawson says, “There is DNA evidence from the knife used to […]
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Hundreds Turn Out as Humboldt Participates in Global Climate Strike (With Slideshow)
As community members waited on the Arcata plaza, their climate-action signs in hand, loud chanting emerged from Ninth and G streets, “Save the Earth!” “Save the Earth!” Hundreds of Humboldt State University and Arcata High School students started to flood the plaza in a massive wave. They were ready to set make mark as part […]
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Vehicle Thefts in Humboldt Declined Last Year
Fewer vehicles were stolen in 2018 than the previous year, according to statistics released by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, with Eureka leading local cities in the highest number of incidents. There were a total of 569 vehicles reported to county’s law enforcement agencies as stolen last year compared to 721 in 2017, according to […]
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Outstanding: A Report Expected to Shed Light on David Josiah Lawson’s Killing Remains MIA
In the aftermath of the April 15, 2017 stabbing death of David Josiah Lawson, as criticism swirled about the city of Arcata’s emergency and police responses and protests mounted, officials pledged the incident would be reviewed by an outside organization. Nearly two and a half years later, the city has yet to see the $30,000 […]
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Rita’s Restaurants Hit with ABC Fines; One Liquor License Sold at Auction
The state of California seized a local restaurant’s liquor license and auctioned it off this month, an action that came amid a flurry of local activity from the department of Alcohol and Beverage Control. With a bill of more than $500,000 in delinquent taxes and penalties owed to the state, Rita’s Margaritas and Mexican Grill, […]
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Man Arrested in 2018 Homicide Investigation
Jason Barnes, 46 of Eureka, has been booked into the Humboldt County jail on suspicion of killing 58 year-old Bernhard “Ben” Bertain. On Dec. 22, 2018, a verbal altercation between Barnes and an unnamed female reportedly occurred at the Burre Center in Eureka. An employee working at a nearby business witnessed the altercation and placed […]
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‘So Sad:’ Arcata Shooting Leaves One Teen Dead, Another Behind Bars
A Eureka High School senior was killed and another teenager is facing murder and attempted murder charges after an apparent marijuana deal turned deadly at an Arcata bus stop over the holiday weekend. Taevonne Latimer, 18, was shot multiple times in the torso just before 10 p.m. May 26 as he and three friends met […]
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Teen Suspect Surrenders in Fatal Arcata Shooting
A 16-year-old Manila resident surrendered himself to the Arcata Police Department this afternoon in connection with the fatal shooting of another teenager in what officials have described as a marijuana deal that quickly turned deadly. The APD said in a release that the agency will not be releasing the name of the suspect because he […]
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One Dead, One Hospitalized After Arcata Shooting
One man is dead and another is hospitalized after a shooting near the intersection of Foster and Alliance in Arcata just before 10 p.m. Sunday. The shooting reportedly occurred amid a marijuana sale-gone-wrong, when four Eureka men attempted to sell cannabis to a single buyer, Arcata Police Chief Brian Ahearn told Redwood News. Ahearn said […]
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Fire & Light is Closing Its Doors, Searching for a New Owner
Fire & Light, an iconic Humboldt County business story that mixed creativity with sustainability, is closing unless a buyer can be found. According to a Facebook page post today, the Arcata-based company known for its colorful glassware “is no longer financially feasible for the company to continue to operate without another significant investment of cash” […]