One person died and another was rescued from a house fire this morning on the 1000 block of Riverside Drive in Rio Dell. According to a press release from the city, the Rio Dell police and fire departments responded to the scene just before 7:20 a.m. With “critical” assistance from the Fortuna Volunteer Fire Department, […]
Rio Dell
Posted inLife + Outdoors
Keeping the Beat for 50 Years in Humboldt
I felt like a stranger in a strange land when I drove into Rio Dell in March of 1975 to play a six-month job with a country band. Fortuna native Jerry Cooper, a musician I’d played with in San Francisco, had moved back home. He called me in San Francisco and offered six months of guaranteed […]
Posted inNews
CHP IDs 2 Adults, Child Killed in 101 Crash
The California Highway Patrol has identified the three people killed in a Jan. 21 crash on U.S. Highway 101 as Arcata resident James Baker, 55, and Rio Dell residents Christina Freitas, 42, and Neveah Beyer, 9. According to a news release, the crash occurred shortly before 10:45 p.m. just north of Rio Dell and minutes […]
Posted inNews
Rio Dell Resident Killed in Crash
A 48-year-old Rio Dell resident was found dead Tuesday in a vehicle located 75 feet down an embankment at the Jordan Creek Bridge on U.S. Highway 101, according to the California Highway Patrol. A CHP news release states emergency crews responded to the scene after a call came in just after 12:30 p.m. reporting a […]
Posted inNews
Huffman, Citing Rio Dell, Asks FEMA for more ‘Flexible, Equitable’ Access to Disaster Aid
North Coast Congressmember Jared Huffman questioned the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency about inadequacies built into the disaster relief program Sept. 19, specifically citing the recovery struggles in Rio Dell as an example of how the system is failing smaller, rural communities in the wake of natural disasters. While thanking FEMA Administrator Deanne […]
Posted inNews
Quake Recovery, Chili Mess, Fermentation and Greek Sass
This week we’re checking in on post-quake recovery in Rio Dell, where FEMA funds have not come through and residents are struggling. We’ve also got a look at the fallout from a business owner’s homophobic comments at the Humboldt County Fair’s annual chili cook-off. In happier news, we’re talking fermented koji and miso, as well […]
Posted inArts + Scene
Wildwood Days Back in the Saddle
The wild, wild west is alive and kicking at Wildwood Days, happening Aug. 3-6 in Rio Dell (free admission). The Rio Dell Volunteer Fire Department fundraiser has four days of fun for the whole family with a car cruise, an all-day music festival in the park, vendor and craft fair, Soap Box Derby, kids’ night, […]
Posted inNews
Habitat for Humanity to Help Quake Victims Rebuild
The county of Humboldt and Habitat for Humanity Yuba/Sutter have formalized an agreement for the organization to help local residents make repairs to homes badly damaged in the Dec. 20 quake and Jan. 1 aftershock. According to a news release, the county, city of Rio Dell and the state Office of Emergency Services have been […]
Posted inNews
Town Hall on Earthquake Recovery Efforts
A virtual Humboldt County Earthquake Recovery Town Hall is scheduled to take place tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. with a focus on discussing long-term efforts, especially returning those displaced by the Dec. 20 temblor and Jan. 1 aftershock back to their homes or other housing. State Sen. Mike McGuire will open the session that includes state […]
Posted inNews
Winter Storm Watch: Snow Slated to Start Tuesday, Chance for a Coastal Dusting
Once again, Humboldt County is in the calm before the storm. While Monday’s holiday is expected to be sunny with a high in the mid-50s on the coast and in the mid-to-high 60s inland, the rest of the week’s temperatures are forecast to plummet with each passing day, getting down into the 40s during the […]
Posted inNews
PG&E: Repairs Set to Begin on Earthquake-Damaged Gas Line in Loleta
Repair work on an underground gas line in Loleta, damaged during the magnitude 6.4 earthquake that shook the region Dec. 20, is expected to begin in mid-February, according to PG&E. Areas in the Eel River Valley — especially Rio Dell — bore the brunt of the powerful temblor. According to the utility’s spokesperson, PG&E has […]
Posted inNews
Quakes Damage Hits $32M, Disaster Loan Center Moves to Rio Dell, Contractors Wanted for State Earthquake Retrofitting Program
To state the obvious, living in Humboldt County means living in earthquake country. That’s the reason why local homeowners, especially those with a house built before 1940, may be eligible to apply for a state program called Earthquake Brace + Bolt, which aims to help offset the cost of retrofitting homes vulnerable to falling off […]