Busy week? We’ll help you catch up on the basics of this week’s cover story, which touches on Humboldt County’s jail, homelessness, drug addiction and mental illness. Read the full story here before you dive into a Facebook comments debate. This week the Journal took a deep dive into the recent $2.5 federal court verdict against […]
Death
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‘The Hollow Men’
Before the arrest and the sobering cell, long before the civil rights lawsuit or the $2.5 million verdict, there was a call for help. It was shortly after 2 p.m. on June 13, 2014, and 42-year-old Daren Borges was in a bad way. Near the intersection of Seventh and D streets in Eureka, just down […]
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UPDATED: Security Guard Shoots, Kills One
UPDATE: The man shot has been identified as Herbert Macias, 56, of Eureka. EPD Capt. Brian Stephens confirms that more details about the case may be released after interviews have been completed. The name of the shooter and the security firm for whom he or she works has not yet been released. Previously: The Eureka […]
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Early Morning Crash Kills Two
Two people traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 101 near Pepperwood died at around 1:50 a.m. when their 1995 Nissan coupe left the road, collided with the guardrail, then a tree and ignited, becoming fully engulfed in flames. The cause of the initial crash is unknown, as is whether or not drugs and alcohol were a […]
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UPDATED: Two Killed in Fatal Wreck Near Miranda
2nd UPDATE: The city of Fortuna released a statement yesterday afternoon saying it is “deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic loss” of longtime residents Dennis Wendt and Roger Harwood and stating that the lives of all Fortuna residents “have been forever touched in some way by their generosity and community minded commitment to making our town […]
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No Foul Play Suspected in Death of Massachusetts Man
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office said no foul play is suspect in the death of a 44-year-old Massachusetts man found on the bank of the South Fork of the Eel River over the weekend. According to a press release, Eric Christian Mineau, whose body was located near the base of a Garberville cliff, sustained injuries that […]
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Sheriff’s Office Investigating County’s 19th Homicide
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is investigating another homicide, after a 23-year-old was stabbed to death in Weott on Friday night. The homicide is the 19th recorded in the county so far this year, and comes in the midst of the county’s single grisliest annual homicide total in at least 30 years. It also puts […]
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Missing New Zealand Man Confirmed Dead in Possible Drowning
The Humboldt County Coroner’s Office has confirmed that a body found near the Mad River Boat Ramp at 9:20 a.m. today was that of Lester Abbey, who went missing yesterday after leaving for an evening jog. Abbey’s body was retrieved by a Coast Guard Helicopter. The New Zealand man was visiting family in McKinleyville, and […]
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UPDATE: Pedestrian Killed on Highway Identified
The man killed on U.S. Highway 101 near Herrick Avenue on April 16 has been identified as 27-year-old Latham Paul Daggett Greensfelder from the Petrolia area. His next of kin has been notified, according to the coroner’s office. Previously: Fingerprints of the man killed on U.S. Highway 101 did not turn up any results and […]
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UPDATED: Man Dies in EPD Custody at Hospital
Police have released the name of the man who died in custody on April 2. According to previous reports, Jeremy Edward Jenkins, 33, died from an unspecified medical emergency after being taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital. Officers said he “had ingested a substantial amount of methamphetamine.” Jenkins was a frequent name on the EPD’s arrest […]
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Name Released of Deceased SoHum Man Dumped in Hospital Driveway
Christopher Duke, 55, was probably already deceased when parties unknown unloaded his body into the shadows at the end of the driveway of Jerold Phelps Community Hospital in Garberville. “The upper part of the body was wrapped in a sheet, including the face,” says Kent Scown, the hospital’s chief operating officer. “It is an odd […]
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MediCal Expansion May Bring Better Addiction Treatment to Humboldt
Drug and alcohol related fatalities comprised 20 percent of all Humboldt County deaths over the last three years, but the number of those seeking help often exceeds the amount of treatment available. A change in the state’s MediCal program may change that, opening up access to treatment for many low-income residents. A key component of the […]