Category: Far North

Gear up for a weekend of chrome, carburetors and classic Americana as the 33rd Annual Fortuna Redwood AutoXpo rolls into town July 26-28. This favorite summertime event offers a nostalgic journey through automotive history with classic cars, a judged show and a cruise down Main Street. New this year is the return of the crowd-pleasing Burnout Contest at the Rodeo Grounds ($1). From the Sock Hop to the Drive-In Movie Night at Rohner Park featuring Bullitt, there’s something for everyone. Don’t miss the tractor pulls, artisans fair and mouth- watering Pit Barbecue. Most events are free, so bring the whole family for a weekend of vintage vehicles and small-town charm. Get all the event info at redwoodautoxpo.com…

With great sadness our beloved mother, Silvia Maria Leonardo passed away peacefully on July 8, 2024, at the age of 84 with both her children by her side. Born December 21st, 1939, in Fortuna to John and Lena Saottini. Mom and her older brother Eugene were raised on their parents’ dairy and vegetable farm in the Coffee Creek area of the Ferndale Valley. Spending her entire life in Ferndale, she attended Coffee Creek Elementary School then graduating from Ferndale High School in 1957. Marrying Frank Leonardo in the spring of 1962. Settling in Grizzly Bluff. Together side by side they worked the dairy. Raising their two children Lydia and Frank. Mother’s love for dairying led to her large cow collection, of which no two were alike. An avid card player, she enjoyed many hours spent with neighbors, friends and family playing her favorite card game ‘Pedro’. She liked to win! Mom and Dad enjoyed traveling with family and friends. Most memorable were trips to Reno, Willows, Tracy and visiting Italy and Portugal (Azores) They were both very proud of their heritage. Besides family, volunteering and

History meets hops at Humboldt’s newest summer celebration. The Humboldt County Historical Society and Blue Ox Millworks are teaming up to host the inaugural Beer Fest at Blue Ox on Saturday, July 27 from noon to 5 p.m. ($45, $6 VIP, $25 non-drinker). This 21+ event offers a taste of Humboldt’s finest brews, including offerings from Lost Coast, Eel River, Six Rivers, Powers Creek and more. There’ll be live music from Flynn Martin, The Elderberry Rust String Band and headliners Rooster McClintock. Food trucks on site include NouNou’s, Food by Hoy, and Cap’s Food Shack. Plus local artisans showcasing and selling their goods. Don’t miss this chance to sip, savor and support two local historical non-profits. …

Speaking of the Logger Bar, there’s a show going down tonight that is tailor-made for the venue. I’m talking about the return of Gunsafe, the formerly Humboldt-based dark street-country and jumped-up death blues vehicle helmed all these years by Stella Martinez. The roots run deep with this one, and longtime locals and new converts alike ought to converge to celebrate the midsummer return of this stellar group. The show starts at 9 p.m. No cover, but bring a few bucks for our travelers come home.

On this week’s episode of the NCJ Preview, we’re joined by California Local News fellow Kelby McIntosh, as he talks about Cal Poly Humboldt President Tom Jackson Jr. retreating to a tenured professor position at the university, updates to the controversy swirling around the Eureka City Schools Board of Trustees and the old Jacobs Middle School property exchange, as well as a tasty garden cocktail that’s a must add to your summer drink list. READ FULL STORIES HERE: A Garden Party in a Cup Jackson’s Retreat ‘Inadvertent Disclosure’ All these stories and more can be found in the latest issue of the Journal or on our website at: northcoastjournal.com/ . …

The philosopher and gadfly Daniel Dennett, who died in April, wrote that evolution by natural selection was “the single best idea anyone has ever had.” The word “anyone” implies a single idea-monger, although, as I’ve written elsewhere (“Evolution’s Co-Discover,” Nov. 5, 2020), the credit should go equally to two great field naturalists of the 19th century, Alfred Russell Wallace and Charles Darwin. The latter is usually cited as the prime discoverer, due to his publishing On the Origin of Species in 1859, a year after twin papers by both had been read to the Linnean Society of London on the same evening, July 1, 1858. Then there’s Patrick Matthew, who some historians say should be given credit as the original discoverer of natural selection, anticipating Wallace and Darwin by nearly 30 years. In 1831, Matthew published a book in which he uses the term “the natural process of selection.” However, his contribution, if it can be called that, is that he published his ideas in the appendix to a book on growing trees for shipbuilding, Naval Timber and Arboriculture. He wrote, “As the field of

The Logger Bar is the spot for some country-tinged, folky rock music as Portland’s Cruise Control coasts into town for an evening of free music starting at 9 p.m. I listened to some of the group’s tunes online, and found them to be some sweet, light-hearted stuff. Also on the bill is a brand new local band called Buzz Buzz Radio, so for those of you looking to get in on the ground floor of fandom, tonight’s the night…

On the Humboldt coast Under two quilts and my Mariner’s blanket Warm gifts given to me by warm people all of whom live in warmer places than here The entire planet is hotting up A twenty mile drive would find me twenty degrees warmer with sunshiny skies I’m not complaining It only sounds like it I worry about my plants Impressionable cannabis trying to get a foot in the door Several potted dahlias, green, confused Cat still has his winter’s coat on Coughs up a hairball every morning At least the winds aren’t blowing They only blow when sunny But that’s another poem That also sounds like a complaint Larry Crist…

Eureka City Schools emails shed light on Jacobs property swap As controversy swirled in the months after the Eureka City Schools Board of Trustees abruptly decided to forgo a $4 million purchase offer from the California Highway Patrol for its old Jacobs Middle School property and instead entered into an unusual $6 million deal with a mystery developer, the district’s superintendent maintained he did not know who was behind the LLC named in the agreement. For seven months now, speculation has swirled regarding who the principals in AMG Communities-Jacobs, LLC, a company legally formed just two days before the trustees’ vote to approve its offer to trade a small residential property on I Street and $5.35 million in cash for 8.3 acres of the defunct campus. But a batch of emails recently released to the Journal in response to a request under the California Public Records Act indicate an attorney working for the district believed they were negotiating with a lawyer working for local businessman Robin P. Arkley II when forging the deal. “Paul, whether we move forward with CHP or Arkley, we are going

Editor: Thank you Mr. Greenson for your editorial “The Crisis of Our Time,” and reporting on Project 2025 (“Huffman Talks Project 2025,” July 18). I think this issue will galvanize the majority of voters who would prefer not to have a huge police state and fewer checks on presidential power. Project 2025 has 140 members of Trump’s administration associated with it to: place the federal bureaucracy, including the Justice Department under direct control of the president, AKA “unitary executive theory;” replace thousands of government employees with appointees loyal to the president; eliminate the Department of Education and much of the FBI and Homeland Security. Regarding the Republican presidential candidate Mr. Trump, his former department chiefs and numerous support staff have publicly stated that he is unfit for office. Every citizen should pay attention to the Republican plan and as you say, think critically about it before voting this November. Dennis Whitcomb, Blue Lake Editor: Jared Huffman’s attempt to “raise awareness” of the “dangers of Project 2025” couldn’t have been more timely. As if Donald Trump’s nonstop vitriol and plans to undo the republic weren’t enough

Editor: Many heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers who logged several 10-hour days working to give free health care to so many of our friends and neighbors who lack basic healthcare access. Medical professionals gave their time and expertise and scores of helpers worked selflessly to ensure that so many were relieved of pain and disabilities. What a spectacular display!   Also, many thanks to the North Coast Journal for its article two weeks ago alerting the public about the event (“Nonprofit Brings Free Dental, Medical Clinic to Humboldt,” July 4) and last week for coverage of it (“Humboldt Lines Up for Free Care,” July 18). We especially note and appreciate the mention of the volunteers from our group, Health Care for All (also, Physicians for a National Health Program), whose Humboldt chapters have been working the last decade to bring public understanding to the one solution to the very healthcare inadequacies that inspired this free-care event. We salute CareForce for its efforts and at the same time hope that public awareness and action will make it forever unnecessary in the future when we adopt a universal, single-payer healthcare system.

Two people were killed when a small plane crashed near the Kneeland airstrip yesterday morning, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office reports. According to a press release, emergency services were dispatched to the airport at 11:15 a.m. to a report of a fire and possible crash, and arrived to find wreckage in a steep ravine north of the airstrip. “Sadly, two confirmed fatalities were located within the wreckage,” a press release states, adding that the identities of the deceased are being withheld until their families can be notified. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have take over investigation of the crash, and all further inquiries should be directed to them at (202) 314-6000. See the full release from the sheriff’s office copied below. The HCSO has turned the crash site over to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to investigate this incident. All further inquiries regarding the crash should be directed to them. The NTSB can be contacted at 1(202)314-6000. On July 23 at approximately 11:15 AM, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Deputies, Fire Services, and

Speaking of the Miniplex, it’s a good time to remind everyone of Big Mood, the weekly queer dance party curated by DJ Pandemonium Jones. The fun starts at 8 p.m., it’s free to get in and this boy knows his stuff when it comes to grooving on wax tracks made to melt your candle and spin your flames.

In baseball, and in life, sometimes you have to focus on the things you can control. The Humboldt Crabs enter the last two-game set of their conference schedule against the last place West Coast Kings tonight at a deadlock with the Lincoln Potters for the final playoff spot in the PEL, and a chance to play the Healdsburg Prune Packers for the championship. All the Crabs can do is focus on the task at hand, and do their part to handle what is out in front of them. It has taken a late season surge, some dramatic moments filled with ice in the veins, and a belief that it could happen, but our boys enter this week controlling their own destiny. Just win, just win and hope the Potters lose. It’s a situation that has been recognized by the coaching staff for the entirety of the past week. When asked last Tuesday what he thought the Crabs had to do to make the playoffs, Eric Giacone, who is in his eighth year with the Crabs, said without hesitation, “We’ve got to go at least 6-2

The Humboldt Folklife Festival delivered its usual week-long supply of Humboldt County musicians and bands to Blue Lake this past Sunday through Saturday, July 14 through July 20. The only problem? How to pick and choose what to attend, given the festival program was competing with what seemed like an unusually packed social calendar countywide. Emcee Patrick Cleary welcomed attendees to the festival in Perigot Park on Sunday at noon after the Annie and Mary Day parade, and then he joined the first band, All Wheel Drive, playing mandolin. It was followed by the Bayou Swamis, the Compost Mountain Boys and Dead On. An indoor “Songwriter in the Round” in the Dell’Arte Carlo Theater on Tuesday was led by Cleary and featured backstories and original songs by John Luddington, Sari Baker (accompanied by Jeff Smoller), Melanie Barnett and Xeff Scolari. The Festival’s Wednesday traditional “Under the Stars” show on the outdoor Dell’Arte stage began at 6 p.m. with a solo set by singer/songwriter/storyteller Kray Van Kirk (a long-time Alaska resident who was raised in Arcata). Rise and Bloom’s set followed and the sold-out audience then

Matchess is the nom de stage of Whitney Johnson, and also the name of a trio she leads to play her compositions, which are fairly abstract soundwaves of musical glossolalia and deep-brain somnambulant exploration. I listened to the Drag City artist’s latest offering and found myself wondering if I had somehow slid a cold fusion coil into my cerebellum, but in a pleasant way. They will be doing this sort of thing at the Miniplex tonight at 8:30 p.m. for a door price of $15, $10 if you pay in advance. IDYL, the solo project of Dan K from Black Plate, will be doing something pretty amazing, too.

A 25-year-old man was killed on State Route 96 when he reported stepped into traffic and was struck by a car Friday night, according to the California Highway Patrol. According to a press release, the CHP responded to a report of a vehicle-versus-pedestrian crash at about 11:40 a.m. on State Route 96 west of Shoemaker Road. A preliminary investigation determined Joseph McCovey stepped in the westbound lane, directly into the path of a 2015 Kia Soul, which subsequently left the scene. McCovey was pronounced dead at the scene. Shortly after midnight, Neo McKindley, 18, and his passenger, Dawnalee Rangel, 19, arrived ash the Hoopa Valley Tribal Police Station to report they’d been in the Kia that struck McCovey. Both were fully cooperative with officers, according to the release, and were released pending further investigation. Whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash remains under investigation. See a copy of the full release here…

It’s 7 p.m. on Monday night at Savage Henry Comedy Club, which means another installment of — thunderclap, sword slash, scream and evisceration sounds — Metal Monday. Tonight’s road band is a grindcore act from Michigan called Cloud Rat, with local support from Malicious Algorithm, The Groomers, Kolonizer and Pruritus Ani. If you don’t understand basic medical Latin, try to scratch that last name out for yourself. All-ages, as always, with a sliding scale $5-$15 to get inside. …

It’s a fine afternoon to go check out the music scene at the Fieldbrook Winery. Today’s players are Celtic, world, and folk guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Seabury Gould, who will be joined by fiddler Evan Morden. The tunes start at noon and are free, with an understanding that refreshments are available for purchase, and a note from me to tip the musicians if possible…

Two interesting but disparate shows are happening tonight, one in Arcata at 7 p.m., the other in Blue Lake two hours later, and so with a nod to chronology, let’s go. At Outer Space it’s a three-pronged affair, with Sacramento alt-rock band Quinine representing the road dogs, with local color provided by ambient act Blub and synth jazz duo Moosejaw. All-ages, $5-$10 sliding scale. Later on, the scorching outlaw country of Barnfire is on tap at the Logger Bar, historically a great venue for this band, and a good way to say farewell to the Folklife Festival in style. No cover.

North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman joined a growing chorus of Democratic officials calling for President Joe Biden to step out of the race today, issuing a joint message with three of his congressional colleagues directly to the embattled candidate, stating it was time for him to “pass the torch to a new generation.” Huffman has been raising concerns about Biden’s ability to defeat former President Donald Trump in recent weeks while also raising the alarm about Project 2025, the conservative roadmap designed for a new Trump presidency. (Read more in this week’s cover story “Huffman Talks Project 2025” here.) In a pre-recorded interview that ran on local radio station KZZH yesterday, he went as far as to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democrats’ best chance for retaining the White House. But Huffman had previously stopped short of directly pressing for Biden to end his bid for a second term. In a social media post accompanying the joint message, Huffman wrote, “Thomas Paine famously said, ‘the times have found us.’ Winning this election is a moral, democratic & existential imperative.” Huffman went on to