The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a stern warning this week about the potential dangers of cannabidiol, the cannabis-derived compound sweeping the nation. Commonly known as CBD, the non-psychoactive cannabinoid has been the subject of a wellness craze that has credited it with everything from treating acne and joint pain to cancer and neurological […]
Health
Posted inNews
Local Officials Warn Against Cannabis Use During Pregnancy
Officials from the local group Perinatal Substance Use Disorder Project presented research on the risks of cannabis use during pregnancy to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. The group — which started meeting in 2016 to examine the high rates of perinatal substance use in the county — informed the board that research […]
Posted inNews
Hoopa’s Long Wait for a Grocery Store is Over
On Monday, semi-trucks lined up outside of the new Hoopa Shopping Center waiting to unload pallets of groceries. Inside, more than a dozen new employees swiftly stocked shelves, learned how to use the cash registers, practiced frying chicken and worked in their respective sections of the store. The sounds of drills and hammers echoed as […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
Cancer, Part 2: Turtles, Birds and Rabbits
Last week, we looked at some of the many reasons why the diagnosis and treatment of cancer are so difficult and controversial. A common way of illustrating the problem is the “turtle-bird-rabbit” analogy. Although it can equally well apply to breast cancer (the most common cancer in women), here I’ll discuss it in relation to […]
Posted inNews
Eureka Council Slated to Hear HACHR Report Tuesday
The Eureka City Council is scheduled Tuesday to hear a presentation from a local syringe exchange program at the center of a public backlash against the practice, which some view as responsible for the needle litter scourge now rampant across the city. The Humboldt Area Center for Harm Reduction, known as HACHR, also submitted a […]
Posted inNews
Crow Tests Positive for West Nile Virus
The Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services reports that a crow has tested positive for West Nile Virus and that local humans should take precautions to avoid the disease. West Nile Virus is spread by mosquito bites and in humans the symptoms can range from none to severe illness and even death. DHHS […]
Posted inNews
St. Joseph Hospital Fined by the State for Juggling Surgeries
An April 2014 incident in which a surgeon had to leave a hysterectomy to perform an emergency Cesarean section has resulted in a $40,000 fine for St. Joseph Hospital from the California Department of Public Health. In its press release, the CDPH stated “the hospital failed to ensure the health and safety of a patient […]
Posted inNews
Shot in the Dark
Despite fears, it appears that California Senate Bill 277, the controversial public health law that prohibits children from attending public school unless they have been vaccinated against a spectrum of diseases such as Hepatitis B, measles, polio and rubella, has not had a signficant impact on enrollment in local schools. (“Prepare for Impact,”Aug. 25, 2016.) […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
A Singular Solution
The reason Republicans haven’t come up with a credible plan to replace Obamacare over the last seven years is because they’ve never thought it was important for all Americans to have access to health care. “Replace” was only recently tacked onto their dogged, unthinking attempts to repeal when they realized that taking away health insurance […]
Posted inNews
Rat Infestation Leads to Finger Pointing as Ray’s Leaves Hoopa
A rodent infestation and a nasty public spat over who’s at fault have combined to close the Hoopa Valley’s only grocery store. The problem first crept into public view last week, after numerous complaints to Humboldt County Environmental Health Services regarding a large rat infestation at Ray’s Food Place that left rat droppings, gnawed products […]
Posted inNews
The Reluctant Cyclist, part 5
Number of miles ridden: 21 Time traveled: 2 hours 05 minutes 31 seconds Number of times scolded for not wearing helmet: 1 (the scolding worked) Number of times actively feared for life: 3 Due to my bike needing repair and then some time out of town, I hadn’t ridden other than when I pedaled out […]
Posted inNews
Protect Your Lungs, Humboldt
Even those of us far away from the fireline have been impacted by the smoke and haze hovering over much of Humboldt County. If you washed layers of ash off of your car last week, consider what that stuff will do to the inside of your lungs! The North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District […]