The California Supreme Court has decided not to reconsider a recent appellate ruling establishing a statewide precedent that police arrest videos cannot be considered confidential officer personnel records and shielded from public view. The court’s decision may put an end to a more than two-year battle between the city of Eureka and the North Coast Journal […]
Kim Bergel
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Eureka’s Temporary Homeless Sleeping Areas Here to Stay
It has been six months since the city dissolved the long-standing homeless camp in the Palco Marsh. The fall’s first storm has visited, bringing with it ripping winds and record rain. At least 30 people spent the storm newly housed, thanks to the efforts of Betty Chinn, the city of Eureka and the Humboldt County […]
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Eureka Takes Police Video Fight to the Supreme Court
The city of Eureka is trying to keep its recent appellate court loss from setting a statewide precedent. In July, the First District Court of Appeals rebuffed the city’s effort to block release of a video depicting the arrest of a 14-year-old suspect, ruling that the video — and others like it — could not […]
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Who Gets a Vote in Eureka? Ballot Measure Set For November.
Eureka voters and their representatives appear to be fairly fired up about democracy, although they have a different opinions about how that democracy is best expressed. This was apparent in Tuesday night’s city council meeting, in which the council voted 3-2, with Marian Brady and Melinda Ciarabellini dissenting, to put an item on the November […]
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A Morning Emergency in the Palco Marsh
It’s quiet. Despite its reputation as a chaotic place, the PalCo Marsh, also known as the Devil’s Playground, often is. A few dogs, tied in front of tents, bark. The motor of a fishing boat on the bay can be heard just out of sight behind the trees. Eureka City Councilmember Kim Bergel walks with […]
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Council Moves forward with Container Community for the Homeless
After an outpouring of critical public comment, the Eureka City Council opted last night to move forward with a proposal to create a temporary homeless living arrangement in a vacant lot on the corner of Third and Commercial streets. In a 4-1 vote, with Councilmember Linda Ciarabellini dissenting, the council amended its shelter crisis declaration […]
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City of Eureka Taking Proposals for Sanctuary Camp
This morning, the city of Eureka released an official request for proposals aimed at “nonprofit organization[s], religious institution[s] or other interested parties to provide a temporary-not greater than six months sanctioned camping facility within the city limits.” With a scant 39 days until the estimated 180 people living behind the Bayshore Mall are ordered to vacate in […]
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Palco Marsh Potty Fire an Act of Protest?
In the wee hours of Tuesday morning the portable toilets in the Bayshore Mall’s north parking lot burnt to almost nothing. So says the press release from Humboldt Bay Fire, which responded to a call at 5:28 a.m. to find the plastic potties completely destroyed by fire. But Richard Marks, who serves on the Humboldt […]
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Mayor Jager Joins Pro-Camp Camp
On the evening of Tuesday, Mar. 1, the Eureka City Council unanimously approved a resolution to support the Humboldt Area Center for Harm Reduction’s needle supply program, opted to send the Eureka Police Department’s little-used mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle back to the federal government and, after a smatter of discussion and dissent, approve changes to […]
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City of Eureka Poised to Embrace Needle Exchange, Oust Panhandlers
Brandie Wilson, founder of Humboldt Area Center for Harm Reduction (HACHR), says her organization has saved at least a dozen lives in 2016, thanks to its distribution of Naloxone, an opiate overdose reversal drug. HACHR has been able to give Naloxone to drug users within Humboldt County, along with 2,000 clean needles. Now the Eureka […]
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After Bitter Debate, Eureka Declares Shelter Crisis
Public comment was brief, compared to previous meetings on the subject of homelessness. Only around 30 citizens came up to the podium to address the city council about the proposed declaration of a citywide shelter crisis. The declaration, originally proposed by Councilmember Linda Atkins, was reworked by city staff before being put before the council […]
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City Council, Harbor District, Make Moves on Homelessness
As the Eureka City Council prepares to once again discuss declaring a city-wide shelter crisis on Tuesday, the Humboldt Bay Harbor District has moved forward with a plan to reinstall Porta-Potties near the PalCo Marsh. District Chairman Richard Marks, who spearheaded installation of Porta-Potties in the Bayshore Mall’s north parking lot last July, said that […]