Charmaine Lawson said she emerged from a meeting with the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office yesterday feeling the investigation into her son’s 2017 stabbing death is moving “in the direction of an arrest” and that she’s “somewhat satisfied” with the case’s progress. Charmaine Lawson has been publicly critical of law enforcement and prosecutors since her […]
investigation
Posted inLetters + Opinion
The Grifter in Chief
History will remember 2018 as the year it became increasingly clear that a grifter — and likely a felonious one — is living in the White House. No matter what you think of tariffs, border walls and tax cuts, there should no longer be any illusions: What we’re seeing isn’t normal, or the product of […]
Posted inNews
APD Re-Investigating Every Lead in Lawson Case, According to Memo
The city of Arcata has hired the nonprofit Police Foundation to review the Arcata Police Department’s controversial response to the April 15, 2017, stabbing death of Humboldt State University sophomore David Josiah Lawson at an off-campus party. According to a Sept. 10 memo to the city council from City Manager Karen Diemer that was released […]
Posted inNews
APD Interim Chief Hopes to See Charges in Lawson Case in 6-8 Weeks
After a group of about 30 protesters shut down an Arcata City Council meeting for the second consecutive night to demand justice for a slain Humboldt State University student, Interim Police Chief Richard Ehle offered a brief update on the case, saying he hopes to conclude the investigation and forward it on to the district attorney’s […]
Posted inNews
The Jury is In
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury released 11 reports in the last two weeks that delved into subjects as diverse as jail safety, animal control, water quality and the very future of Humboldt County. Every year the HCCGJ conducts lengthy and thorough investigations into issues related to county government; the agencies or departments identified in […]
Posted inNews
Police Investigate School Threat, Deem it Not Credible
Police investigated a suspicious note found on the Arcata High School Campus yesterday that contained a “threat of violence” but determined it not to be credible. According to an Arcata Police Department press release issued this evening, the note threatened that the unspecified violent act would be carried out tomorrow, May 24. Police and the […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
North Coast Left Out of Governor’s Pitch to Crack Down on Illegal Cannabis
It’s no secret Humboldt County has many, many of cannabis farms. It’s also no secret that the vast majority of them — between 80 and 90 percent by most estimates — have taken no steps to come into compliance with state or local laws. Not only does this mean that there are upwards of 10,000 […]
Posted inNews
UPDATE: Two Juveniles Arrested in Dinsmore Homicide
2nd UPDATE: The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Arcata Police Department, arrested two juveniles on Monday, Oct. 16 in connection with the homicide of Richard Falk. The Journal has reached out to the sheriff’s office to confirm whether or not the juveniles, one male, one female, were related to Falk, and will […]
Posted inNews
DOJ Investigator Heading to Town in Public Administrator Probe
A representative from the California Department of Justice is expected to arrive in Eureka this week to take over an investigation into possible wrongdoing involving the management of estates overseen by the county’s Public Administrator’s Office. District Attorney Maggie Fleming says she was notified by phone Aug. 3 of the state’s decision to run the […]
Posted inNews
Sales of Estate Items to County Employees Under Investigation
Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal announced today that the sheriff’s office has launched an investigation into possible improprieties involving the sale of estate assets managed by the public administrator’s office to county employees. In a report by the Lost Coast Outpost’s Ryan Burns, Honsal says the situation came to his attention when the Outpost began […]
Posted inNews
State Conducting Sweeping Investigation of DHHS’s Handling of Child Abuse Reports
The California Attorney General’s Office has launched an investigation into the the Humboldt Department of Health and Human Services’ handling of reports of child abuse and neglect, and specifically whether it is in compliance with the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act. The origins and goals of the investigation are unclear, but a court document […]
Posted inNews
Feds Launch Klamath Investigation
As if enough hard feelings didn’t exist over Klamath River water rights, the Office of Special Counsel, the federal agency in charge of researching claims put forth by whistleblowers, has directed the Interior Department to determine if millions of dollars meant for environmental restoration were instead used to benefit farming and ranching interests. A press […]