On May 12, staffers received word from their manager at Bear River Casino Resort saying it would be opening in 10 days and employees were expected to attend a May 18 training at the casino. The plan was to open for high rollers and VIPs on May 22 and to the general public two days […]
pandemic
Posted inNews
21 Days in the Park
In late March, as the COVID-19 pandemic’s stranglehold on New York City strengthened, with cases totals doubling every couple of days, the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods began to empty. By the tens of thousands, people sent mail-forwarding requests to the U.S. Post Office and left their homes in Manhattan or the Upper West and Upper East […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
Hydroxychloroquine: Dangerous Medicine?
Donald Trump, May 19, 2020: “Couple weeks ago I started taking [hydroxychloroquine]. Cause I think it is good. I have heard a lot of good stories. And if it is not good, I will tell you, all right, I am not going to get hurt by it.” Let’s rewind from the present: May 26: Due […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
‘Our Resolve to Fight:’ A Letter from Humboldt’s Health Officer
To the residents of Humboldt County: COVID-19 is a stealthy opponent. Its ability to spread easily from people who do not even know they are ill, along with its heightened severity among those of us who are older or have chronic conditions, make it a powerful threat to many in our community, particularly those who […]
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Humboldt Records First COVID-19 Death
Humboldt County saw its first COVID-19 death Sunday, when a resident at Alder Bay Assisted Living who had been hospitalized died of the disease. As of Saturday, Humboldt County had seen 77 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including an outbreak at Alder Bay that had seen six residents and two staff members test positive for the virus. […]
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‘Very Soon’
On the afternoon of Friday, May 8, just hours after some toy stores, florists, boutiques, bookstores and other retailers throughout Humboldt County re-opened for curbside pickup and delivery for the first time in weeks, Sheriff William Honsal addressed the media with a tone of hope and optimism. “This is a soft opening but we plan […]
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‘This is What a Pandemic Does:’ Humboldt Begins Charting a Course out of Shelter in Place
It was about an hour and a half into an April 28 COVID-19 briefing before the Board of Supervisors, amid a discussion that was pressing at times, with a pair of seemingly frustrated supervisors inquiring why certain businesses hadn’t been allowed to open or why Humboldt wasn’t being treated differently than other areas of the […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
An Open Letter to the Community from the Local Medical Society President
Now more than ever, Californians are relying on physicians to help guide them through these difficult times. While the outbreak of COVID-19 has created tremendous uncertainty throughout our communities, we have seen countless physicians put their own health and safety at risk to treat people facing a new, deadly disease. But that sacred trust between […]
Posted inNews
The Test
It’s been a common refrain, one that’s morphed into an intense chorus in recent weeks as county officials ponder the possibility of easing shelter-in-place restrictions in an effort to get people back to work. “It’s really important we have robust testing in place so we know what’s happening in the community and we can test, […]
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Signs to Mark Health Order Compliant Restaurants
While on your essential outings, you may start seeing green signs that read, “This facility is compliant,” in the windows of open restaurants around the county. The signs, introduced April 27, list four main practices to slow the spread of COVID-19 — wearing facial coverings, practicing social distancing and hand washing, and offering only takeout/curbside […]
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Public Health: No New COVID-19 Cases, 1.5% of Local Population Tested
Humboldt County Public Health announced this afternoon no new COVID-19 cases after 36 additional tests, leaving the countywide case count at 53, with 52 of those people having recovered. Just three local samples have tested positive since April 7, with the most recent coming Friday. With today’s results, the county has now seen more than […]