Under a slew of multi-colored umbrellas and layers of winter clothes, community members hit the streets of Eureka on Saturday to take part in the third annual Eureka Women’s March. At the Madaket Plaza on Saturday, people rallied alongside one another despite the whirlwind of recent controversy surrounding the event, steady rain and the march’s […]
Linda Atkins
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Eureka Women’s March Back on for Jan. 19, with New Organizers
As a catalyst for change, Women’s Marches across the nation provided a stepping stone that helped propel women’s issues to a forefront these last two years. But, this year’s march in Eureka was cancelled December 28 after organizers released a statement saying their committee was “overwhelmingly white” and needed more diversity. This brought national attention with […]
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Key Players and Their Emails (A Companion to This Week’s Cover Story)
This week’s cover story, “Swept,” takes a deep dive into the Eureka city government’s collective thought process as it planned to clear the PalCo Marsh of homeless encampments over the course of more than a year, culminating in the May 2, 2016 sweep that resulted in the relocation of more than 100 homeless people. To […]
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Eureka City Council Receives Plaque, Rejects Cannabis Urgency Ordinance
The city of Eureka received an exclusive award Tuesday night, accepting the official Stoplight Plaque from the Willits Mayor Bruce Burton. Burton, who visited the city council meeting along with Willits City Manager Adrienne Moore, said the plaque had been in Willits’ possession for more than 20 years. “Since 1994 the city of Willits has […]
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Supreme Court Denies Eureka’s Request in Police Video Case
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 […]
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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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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 […]
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Eureka City Council Butting Heads With Staff & Each Other on Homelessness
The restless crowd packed into city council chambers Tuesday night gradually filtered out until only the most hardcore civics enthusiasts remained, as the Eureka City Council meeting was extended, then extended again, stretching until 10:30 p.m. The majority of the four-and-a-half-hour meeting was taken up by public comment on two contentious items: whether or not […]
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Eureka City Council Approves Controversial Open Space Property Management Plan
The Eureka City Council approved a plan aimed at reducing the size and number of illegal encampments within city limits last night after hours of passionate public comments. Councilmembers Linda Atkins, Melinda Ciarabellini and Marian Brady all voted in favor of the Open Space Property Management Plan, with Kim Bergel abstaining and Natalie Arroyo offering […]