Eureka Mayor Susan Seaman has released a public service announcement updating the community on the city’s efforts to care for its homeless residents amid the COVID-19 outbreak in Humboldt County. In it, she announces a number of new services and protocols, and says the Eureka Police Department recently gave 500 N95 masks, which are in […]
Homeless
Posted inNews
With Housing Element Passed, Staff Pushes Forward on Tiny Houses
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously, with Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson absent, on Aug. 20 to approve its Housing Element update, a bold new plan to address what county staff has identified as an affordable housing and homelessness “crisis.” Drafted by the county Planning and Building Department, the update is designed to […]
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Betty Chinn: Activist
It’s not a title Betty Chinn ever sought out, or even one she thought fit. In fact, when an author got in touch with Chinn to ask about including her in Girl Activist, a children’s book aimed at inspiring girls to make a positive impact in the world, Chinn wasn’t inclined to do it. “I […]
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The Grove
Seven years ago, Annamarie Whipple moved to Humboldt County but when her partner died unexpectedly a couple of years later, she found herself homeless, living at the Eureka Rescue Mission. Struggling to find a job while living at the mission, Whipple decided to save up some money for a motorhome and, most importantly, to go […]
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Town Hall Focuses on Need for Transitional Housing
Gathered in the Christ Episcopal Church on a windy and wet Saturday afternoon, nearly 40 people talked about homelessness and the need for transitional housing in Humboldt County. Under the stained-glass windows and vaulted ceiling of the nearly 150-year-old church, Reverend Daniel London and his wife Ashley London Bacchi helped facilitate conversations with a panel […]
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Town Hall Aims to Bridge ‘Empathy Gap’ on Transitional Housing
True North Organizing Network will host a town hall meeting tomorrow afternoon on the need for transitional housing locally. The meeting — scheduled from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church at 625 15th St. in Eureka — is intended to bridge the “empathy gap” organizers feel exists in conversations about finding shelter for […]
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PIT Count Finds Almost 1,500 People Without Shelter in Humboldt
Almost 1,500 people spent the night of Jan. 22 without shelter in Humboldt County, according to results of the Point in Time count released by the county Department of Health and Human Services. The biennial count held Jan. 23 found that 1,473 people had experienced unsheltered homelessness the night before, more than double the number […]
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Getting out the Count
Offering hot chili and coffee with a friendly smile, Jennifer Solis sat at a table in the Applebee’s parking lot surveying Eureka’s homeless population as part of the biennial Point in Time Count. With a soft voice, she began inquiring about their demographics, substance abuse issues, mental health and where they had slept the night […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
Homeless for Christmas
The daily trudging around town, trying to scrounge up the money to get what I need for the day, generally begins when I leave the Mission around 7 a.m., no matter the weather. Around here it can change in an instant and you’re suddenly and completely soaked to the skin, the wind whipping cruelly through […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
We All Need a Hero
When my 6-year-old daughter was afraid to put her head and face under water during swim class recently, I explained what it means to be brave. I said bravery isn’t about a lack of fear — acting without fear is easy. True bravery is when you’re terrified of something but you do it anyway. Some […]
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CNN Names Betty Chinn ‘Hero’
Eureka philanthropist Betty Chinn has been named “this week’s CNN hero.” The network’s Heroes series is designed to “celebrate everyday people changing the world” and showcase “how one person can truly make a difference.” The network accepts nominations annually and showcases one hero weekly, one of whom will be named the network’s hero of the […]
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Community Group Presents New Plan for Student Housing at Arcata’s Craftsman’s Mall
When a massive student housing project goes back before the Arcata Planning Commission on March 27, a recently formed community group will be presenting more than a show of opposition to the proposal — they have an alternative plan. “We believe there’s a better way than The Village project,” says John Bergenske, one of Arcata […]