The Humboldt Herald

Three cheers for the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting!

"The record-breaking numbers reflect CAMP's continued, remarkable success in ridding California of large-scale marijuana gardens," he said in a statement.

The numbers might not tell the whole story though.

[T]he CAMP figures don't necessarily reflect an accurate ranking of top-producing areas because many counties, such as Sonoma County [#7], have local forces dedicated to pot eradication, while others make seizures only through the state program.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 12:28 PM 17 comments

While mayoral candidate Virginia Bass moves to settle the dust over unreported trips she took on Arkley’s dime, an Old Town business owner talks about “direct pressure” to support Arkley’s “Marina Center” project.

One owner who described experiencing “direct pressure” said that pressure came from Rob and Cherie Arkley themselves.

“I was offered things to make me feel sympathetic to their cause,” the owner said, adding that they personally know others in local politics and business that have been offered trips, hunting excursions and invitations to parties.

“It's kind of like the Arkleys are a glitter couple, and when people are invited to those parties they feel the glow of being in the 'A' group.”

Bass took the donated flights in 2002, and has subsequently voted on Arkley projects, including the drive-through Starbucks, and the controversial squashing of the city’s master plan for the Balloon Track after receiving phone calls from the Arkleys.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 10:06 AM 56 comments

Arnold makes second trip to Humboldt in less than 6 months

He's at Eureka High this very moment.

FLASHBACK: Rob Arkley boasts "I could get Arnold Schwarzenegger up here with one phone call."

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 9:31 AM 9 comments

Few new facts for standing-room only crowd

Humboldt County residents filled aisles and spilled into the hallway at the specially scheduled Eureka City Council meeting. There to discuss last week’s police shooting of 16 year-old Christopher Burgess, the city’s attorney, mayor, police chief and city council met the public for an information-sharing forum.

Eureka Police Chief Dave Douglas began with a slightly over-bearing repeat request for the community to include all people affected by the shooting in their thoughts and prayers. Douglas then restated the police version of events he presented on the day following the shooting. He reiterated that he could not release the name of the off-duty sheriff deputy that witnessed the shooting, or the names of the probation officers who pepper sprayed and chased Burgess while attempting to serve a warrant.

Police are still seeking the three witnesses mentioned in the news last week, but did not say what they may have witnessed.

However, Douglas offered two new pieces of information since last week’s press conference. First, he attributed a quote to Burgess, which may have been the teen’s last words. After officer Terence Liles pursued Burgess into the gully, Douglas quoted Burgess as telling Liles “I don’t want to go.”

The second piece of new information was the distance between Liles and Burgess, which Douglas now says was only four feet. At last week’s press conference he estimated 5-7 feet.

Following the Chief’s comments, dozens of residents waited for their turn at the podium. Mayor Peter LaVallee restricted speakers to 3-minutes per comment and did some gavel-pounding to admonish any cheering, booing or other outburst.

Eureka resident Sarah Solomon, who was a close friend of Burgess, said her friend was “wrongfully murdered.”

Most speakers aired concerns about lack of police training, the need for citizen review, and the two fatal police shootings that have rocked Eureka this year.

Christina Allbright, a member of the Coalition for Police Review urged the city for an independent review board that had subpoena power. “I wish we had it last week,” she said.

Some questioned whether Liles had received any psychological evaluation following his involvement in the April SWAT shooting of mentally ill Eureka resident Cheri Lyn Moore. Liles did not pull the trigger in that incident, but was one of the officers who immediately entered the apartment after Moore was shot nine times at close range.

Days before the latest shooting, Liles was named in the lawsuit filed on behalf of Moore’s family against Chief Douglas and several members of the Eureka police and SWAT team.

I’ll post the links to other reports on the Eureka City Council meeting as they come out.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 10:08 PM 66 comments

Yesterday saw yet another march and protest in Eureka, this time from Eureka High School to a memorial built for Christopher Burgess, the 16 year-old shot by Eureka Police on October 23rd.

At the protest two days ago, District Attorney Paul Gallegos and Mayor Peter LaVallee took proactive steps to meet protesters in front of the courthouse, rather than waiting for demonstrators to come into the building as they intended. People are understandably freaked out and pissed off over this second death-by-EPD this year. Whatever the outcome of the investigation, emotions are naturally brimming in the days following the incident.

LaVallee and Gallegos should be commended for facing the protesters. As a city official, standing before a mother whose son was gunned down by police would be difficult. There’s nothing you can say to “make it better.” But it took guts to face the reaction of the community rather than hide in one’s office.

In an editorial published today, the Eureka Reporter is calling for calm. The editorial board asks “all community residents to approach this tragedy with calm and an assurance that the shooting will be properly investigated.”

The problem is the lack of any real assurance that a proper investigation is forthcoming. Eureka is not suffering from amnesia, and residents clearly remember that following the April shooting of Cheri Moore, Chief Douglas told the community that the shooting was justified at the beginning of the investigation, rather than its completion. This claim was repeated by other police officers in press conferences in the weeks following that shooting. Unanswered questions still linger more than six months later.

The Eureka City Council is holding a special session on Monday, October 30^th to hear concerns about the shooting. Undoubtedly, there will be renewed calls for an independent police review board. Whether this is done calmly or with heated emotion remains to be seen.

But asking for calm while police investigate themselves is like suggesting citizens “turn the other cheek” rather than seek a redress of grievances.

People want an independent police review board, and the events of the last six months support that aim. But it won’t be achieved without citizen advocacy and agitation, which is bound to cause discomfort to the apathetic sector of our society.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 10:59 AM 63 comments

From time to time, thoughtful readers of my humble blog will take time to privately email me with jolts of wisdom so enlightening that to keep it to myself would be criminal. We’re in this together, after all.

That said, there are divisions among us, and it’s not just politics. You see, our very perceptions register differently, even when looking at the same piece of ground.

While some see Humboldt County - with its world renown redwood forests and unique little towns - as a place of inspiring beauty, others see a jewel that is begging to be plundered. Still others see nothing but a garbage heap that needs a good strong man to throw down some cash and take control.

Some people profess that “Jesus saves.” But others wish to leave that job to Rob Arkley. Such were the sentiments of one reader, whose email inspired this post.

Basically, the gist of the email is: if you’re concerned that a Home Depot will put the screws to more than just Piersons, you must have fuzz in your eyes. Because to care about the place where you live is foolish when that place is – and I quote – “a shitty little liberal ‘nowhere,' ‘never will be anything’ shithole [sic].”

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 11:41 AM 7 comments

There is confusion among Eureka voters about the ward system. For instance, many voters assume they can only vote for candidates running in the ward where the voter resides. This is false. Eureka residents get to vote for every contested seat on the city council.

The wards of Eureka are different than the districts that divvy up the county for the purpose of electing leadership to the Humboldt Board of Supervisors. Under that system, only residents of the 4^th district will be able to cast a vote for candidates running for that seat.

Under the ward system, however, Eureka voters can cast votes for all three seats up for grabs. You don’t have to live in the 5th ward to vote for Nan Abrams. Similarly, you don’t have to live in a ward whose councilmember is up for election in order to vote for the three seats that are. Get it?

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 10:46 AM 16 comments

Amy Stewart, you rock! Thank you for this excellent article.

Since the Big Box issue keeps coming up (like bad lunch) we need to dig beyond the great promises of a golden future™ and see the bill of goods we’re getting sold. The book Stewart reviews in the article, Big-Box Swindle by Stacy Mitchell, has some points you may want to ponder.

This article is jumping up and down with relevance as we gear up for the Eureka city council election. Read the whole thing, but here’s an excerpt.

In response to pressure from Home Depot and Lowe’s to lower prices, Black & Decker laid off 4,000 American workers and moved factories overseas. If Black & Decker didn’t do it, the chains would have simply found another supplier that would...

Home Depot’s treatment of a small supplier, Santa Fe Custom Shutters and Doors, was ruled in court to be “malicious...and fraudulent.” The company took on debt and increased its capacity to meet the terms of a Home Depot contract, which the mega-retailer then canceled. The judge noted that Home Depot routinely abused small vendors, and awarded $12 million in damages.

They don’t just knock out their direct competitors. Home Depot and Lowe’s, for instance, perform over 26,000 installations of windows, roofing, flooring and other products every day. While contractors are often the first to cheer the arrival of a big-box hardware store, they are surprised to learn that these retailers are also after their clients.

Newspapers, banks and other business services are particularly hard-hit by the arrival of the box. They are less likely to advertise in local newspapers or do their banking locally, and as local businesses fold, those banks and newspapers lose customers they can’t replace. (So if you were a real estate developer looking to bring a big box to town, and you also owned a newspaper and a bank, what impact would that have on your rivals?...)

Stewart isn’t exactly pointing fingers, and says she is just asking “hypothetical” questions.

But oh lord if Eureka isn’t ripe for the taking.

“But can’t a big box fit into the community if it’s designed right,” Stewart asks.

Mitchell is critical of what developers call “lifestyle centers” or “town centers” with words like “village” or “center” in the name, although “they’re not really the center of anything.”

In the same issue, Hank Sims writes about the maturing of Eureka, and how it has become a real city with real opposing groups fighting for control, rather than hand-me-down positions on governing boards and councils.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 2:16 PM 17 comments

Maybe it’s not just the Eureka Police that need to bone up on their skills on how to deal with the mentally ill. The Eureka Reporter has a pretty shocking feature about a depressed and suicidal man who went to the county mental health department for help but was turned away. Hours later, he shot himself in the head with a gun that mental health workers reportedly knew he had.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 9:51 AM 29 comments

KGOE reported this afternoon that about 100 people showed up at the Eureka Courthouse to protest the police shooting of 16 year-old Christopher Burgess.

A friend of Burgess, Laurie Tatom said she is collecting signatures for a petition that calls for the officer who shot Burgess to be punished.

Friends and family maintain that Burgess was unarmed, in contrast with the account stated by Eureka Police Chief Dave Douglas, who said Burgess had a 10-inch knife. Douglas said there are witnesses who saw Burgess with the knife while being chased.

There are many unanswered questions, and so far we have only heard a preliminary report from the EPD. This commenter raises important questions.

Perhaps that’s all we should be doing at this point – asking questions. There may be other people in the community who have more information than the general public on which to base their judgment. But all most of us have at this point is the news.

Local reporter Daniel Mintz interviewed several people, including the victim's mother and brother. The mother says the officer that shot her son is the same officer who beat him with a baton two years ago.

Any prior history between the two will be an important set of facts to the case. However, such facts would also be weighed in light of the circumstances.

Without all the facts, its hard to know how complicated the case is. But any prior history adds a whole 'nother level to the list of unanswered questions.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 5:55 PM 34 comments

Eureka Police Chief Dave Douglas spoke with reporters this afternoon to give “preliminary data” on yesterday’s “police involved” shooting of 16 year-old Eureka resident Christopher Burgess.

According to Douglas, the EPD was called to assist unidentified probation officers with the Humboldt County Probation Department who were chasing a male subject that was armed with a knife. EPD officers did not know the identity or age of the subject, according to Douglas.

The incident began when three probation officers went to arrest Burgess on a warrant. Officers walked through an open door, and upon contact Burgess brandished a 10-inch hunting knife and was subsequently pepper sprayed by the probation officers. Douglas showed a picture of the knife at the press conference.

The pepper spray was “ineffective,” Douglas said.

Burgess backed the officers out of the residence at knife point, Douglas said. Outside, while still brandishing the knife, Burgess was pepper sprayed a second time. Before being pepper sprayed each time, Burgess made verbal threats to the officers, according to Douglas.

After the second blast of pepper spray, Burgess ran and was pursued on foot while still carrying the knife, Douglas said.

Following a chase, Douglas said Burgess turned on the officers a third time and “threatened to stab the officers if they continued to chase him.” Burgess then continued to run.

The chase then continued near Washington elementary school. Douglas said he believed the chase was seen by teachers and students, as well as others in the area.

One of the witnesses was an off-duty sheriff deputy who was present to pick-up his child from the school.

According to Douglas, the un-named deputy saw Burgess with the knife and being chased by two probation officers. The deputy joined the chase.

The probation officers and the off-duty deputy were unarmed, Douglas said.

The chase went past the school and into a “side yard area.” EPD officers had yet to come on scene.

The probation officers then lost site of Burgess who went “down into a ravine,” Douglas said.

After locating Burgess's location, EPD officer Terry Liles arrived. Liles had heard the general location of Burgess over radio transmission. Liles ran to the general area of Burgess, called for Burgess to give up, and then followed him into the ravine.

A confrontation occurred when Liles reached Burgess, and Liles repeatedly told Burgess to drop the knife. According to Douglas, several people heard the confrontation.

The distance between the officer and Burgess was “very close” at about 5-7 feet.

The ravine was steep, and Liles had “no safe means to retreat." Douglas said Liles believed he was going to be stabbed. "He stopped and shot the suspect,” Douglas said.

As other officers arrived they assisted Liles in carrying Burgess out of the ravine where “they tried to provide emergency medical assistance until the medical personnel arrived.”

The Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) continues to investigate the shooting. CIRT is comprised of the Eureka Police Department, Arcata Police, the District Attorneys office, the California Department of Justice and the Humboldt County Sheriffs Office.

Douglas said the EPD was criticized for waiting over night to release the details of the shooting.

Following questions from the media, Douglas said the weapon used to shoot Burgess was a 40 caliber side arm. Douglas did not know the number of times Burgess was shot.

Douglas took a breath before explaining that “any time we lose anyone for any reason, it’s an absolute tragedy.” Douglas said it was a “tragedy for the young man, in terms of the choice that he made” to brandish the knife as well as a tragedy for all others who were involved in or witnessed the incident.

Douglas said everyone involved in the shooting, including members of the families of Burgess and police deserve “your thoughts and your prayers because they all deserve that level of respect.”

Douglas thanked the unnamed sheriff deputy who stepped in to assist in the chase. The deputy was the only close witness although probation officers may have also witnessed the shooting.

EPD officer Liles, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest at the time of the incident, has been with the Eureka Police for 5-6 years and is a firearms instructor.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 6:20 PM 23 comments

People die all the time, as the daily obituary section in your favored local paper can attest to. But this week delivered some particularly heavy blows.

On Sunday, a “sleeper wave” killed a little girl and young woman just north of Orick in a spot where similar tragedies have previously unfolded. The sleeper, or rogue wave unexpectedly rushed onto the shore, sweeping the child out into the water. The mother of the little girl managed to escape the strong current but the mother’s friend, a 21 year-old school teacher drown trying to rescue the little girl.

Also on Sunday a Fortuna high school graduate working with the LAPD was stuck by a car and killed while in the line of duty. He leaves behind two sons, ages 1 and 3.

Today’s Times-Standard is filled with pictures of death and its aftermath. As noted on this blog and widely discussed on Fred’s, the Eureka Police shot and killed a 16 year-old boy after a short chase yesterday afternoon. The EPD is expected to release more information today, but it is clear that the mother of the boy disagrees with the officer’s account that the boy had a knife.

Yesterday also saw another Humboldt drowning, this time in the Mad River. A fisherman’s boat capsized and the older man drown approximately 100 yards from the Mad River boat ramp.

Condolences to all the family and friends left to cope with the loss of their loved ones.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 12:50 PM 4 comments

Anyone know why the Eureka police shot a teenager to death earlier this afternoon? From what I heard the mother is pretty pissed at the police and is wondering why such force was needed. I heard all of this on my scanner. But I couldn't tell why they took such action.

Bystanders said that they saw someone being chased into the gully by police. They then heard three shots, although one woman said she heard two reports. Scanner traffic during the incident had officers running into the gully chasing someone with a knife. Shortly afterward, officers reported that shots had been fired.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 6:56 PM 27 comments

Oh, but what’s this? Shock and awe, my friends. Bush told ABC last week that “we've never been 'stay the course'” when it comes to Iraq.

Never? Not even once?

Thankfully, a blog called “Think Progress” details the many times Jr. uttered these very words.

It’s difficult to get any more cynical. The sad fact is that there are many millions of United Statesians who will swallow this utter f*cking nonsense as the gospel because it came from a born again whatever-the-hell-he-is. He couldn’t possibly be Christian, since Christians don’t lie, right? “Thou shalt not” and all that, right?

[photo source]

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 5:22 PM 6 comments

If you haven’t yet registered to vote, today is your deadline. More info here.

The November 7 election is no minor event. The outcome will determine the future of Eureka, especially when it comes to the blighted Balloon Track. The next city council will decide whether to change the zoning for that parcel to accommodate Security National’s big box project.

Eric Kirk points out that the Times-Standard went out of their way to endorse all male candidates for Eureka City Council, even while admitting that one such endorsee is reluctant to serve on the council. Screw that. Vote for Nan Abrams. Unlike the incumbent, Nan actually wants the job.

While making their endorsements, the T-S explained that they weren’t trying to be the “the anti-Arkley publication,” alluding to the likelihood that the Eureka Reporter will endorse all the incumbents who voted to kill the public process for the Balloon Track after receiving a few calls from Rob Arkley. That’s a pretty poor reason to endorse a “token” candidate.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 10:16 AM 0 comments

Bush Sr: Now son, you’ve got to lie when you’re sincere, and be sincere when you lie.

Bush Jr.: Hehe, sure thing, daddy.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 10:22 PM 10 comments

If you’re into two-part opinion pieces, there is something for everyone at the Eureka Reporter. First, ex Pacific Lumber prez and current Seattle resident Robert Manne weighs in with comments that resemble something between a love letter, a mea culpa, and a high school yearbook signoff. Manne called his PALCO presidency a “dream job” and assures those he leaves behind that “we...will forever be a team.” Not quite sure what that means.

Manne also asks forgiveness from “those that I have offended in any way.” This may be directed at those residents whom he accused of leading “empty lives” because they complained about the damage they suffer from PALCO’s logging. Or perhaps he feels bad for calling others “eco-terrorists.” Then again, he might just be worried about the former PL employee who is suing him.

In part-two of his editorial, he encourages us to embrace the Arkley’s. Remember, Manne thinks fighting big boxes is a “ruse.”

The next two-parter is from Petrolia resident Ellen Taylor, who coincidently enough was the target of one of Pacific Lumber’s lawsuits a few years back (however, this was before Manne’s time in Humboldt County). But the focus of her editorials is 9-11 and the history of cover-ups perpetrated by the US government. This blogger was pleased that she wrote about the assassination of President Kennedy - a most egregious cover-up in US history. She quotes Napoleon Bonaparte, who “is supposed to have said, ‘You don’t have to suppress the truth forever, just until it doesn’t matter anymore.’”

In what is perhaps a more succinct opinion, former Arcata mayor Bob Ornelas takes county supervisor Roger Rodoni to task for his oft–commented-upon outburst at a recent meeting. Ornelas decries Rodoni’s “racism, thuggery, and sexual prejudice” as well as his “arrogance, pomposity and platitudes.” Further, Ornelas suggests Rodoni “should be making amends to the very people who have suffered the most from a legacy of redneckism that continues to plague our community.”

For some history on what Ornelas is probably referring to, at least in part, please see the Humboldt Herald archives:

• Toward a Full Disclosure of the Names of the Men Responsible for the Indian Island Massacre

• Hank Larrabee – Humboldt County Honors a Murderer
  

Ornelas ends his letter with another suggestion: “At the very least, Rodoni needs an enema!”

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 1:07 PM 5 comments

Humboldt County’s newest resident, Times-Standard editor Rich Somerville, has been soliciting local input to help him get acquainted with his new home. His editorial today, and one published last week, keep readers abreast of his findings.

Not surprisingly, he’s been told that we don’t like no outsiders around here, and that to have any stake or opinion about Humboldt County you have to be a descendent of Hank Larrabee or some other distasteful character in Humboldt’s bloody past.

Despite this, developers are hoping to make a mint on developing the crap out of the rural countryside so that newcomers who sell their million-dollar homes in SoCal can afford a place to live in Humboldt. Conditions for buying such a home include swearing in blood that neither the owner nor any co-habitants will engage in writing letters to the editor (except to praise unrestrained development), participating in any public meetings (unless limitless development is your heart’s desire), or engaging in any kind of activism that protests subdivisions as far as the cornea can see.

That’s why today’s news is such a damn bummer. Humboldt County is not growing at Rob Arkley’s projected 2%, but merely .4. That’s not even a whole number! These are sad, sad times. Why, even Arcata, that anti-corporate hellhole that is the bane of county land eaters, actually lost people between January ’05 and January ’06. Fortuna only grew by 5 homo sapiens.

So, among all the great advice Mr. Somerville is getting, I offer my own: to ingratiate yourself with the Humboldt honchos, don’t report the low growth rate numbers like you did today. It makes it really hard to sell the idea that we need to build cookie-cutter houses with materials supplied by Home Depot if the official paper reports such low demand.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 11:30 AM 4 comments

Winkler was first. Old Charles, former editor of the Times-Standard, lacked allegiance to the vision of Republican dominance as required by Eureka’s main money-soaked titan. Giant of a wallet that he may have, however, the big A is afraid of even the smallest opposing idea.

There is a buzzword the Arkley faction likes to repeat like a mantra, so that we can accept it like Jesus: competition. If you listen to their rhetoric, this is the gift they are bestowing on the lowly peasants that populate the Humboldt County seat. Even the San Francisco Chronicle framed it thusly:

[Arkley’s] Eureka Reporter ... is forcing the highly profitable Times-Standard to do something it really hasn't had to do since the Humboldt Times and Humboldt Standard officially merged in 1967 (though the papers were under the same owner since 1941): compete -- and compete hard.

Even ER publisher Judi Pollace touted that line in her response to the Chronicle article. “Do we compete? You bet we do, with all our heart and soul,” she wrote. “Do we each want to scoop the other newspaper? Without question! Let me tell you, that makes our day!”

Unfortunately, there appears to be something sinister in the way the “competition” is going. Because the race isn’t just paper to paper, it’s man to man.

Arkley vs. Singleton.

How do two stinking-rich newspaper-owning Republicans compete with each other? Especially when guided by the same goals? Sure, Arkley and Dean Singleton both aim to make money, but both also swoon at the altar of Bush’s America.

Competition with a Winkler-run paper apparently wasn’t any fun. Or Ark got tired of his increasingly common e-game of crap-in-your-opponent’s-inbox.

Though he doesn't mince words or political views, Arkley is something of a contradiction. While claiming not to have read the rival paper in five years, he seems to know an awful lot about it. He torments Times-Standard Managing Editor Charles Winkler with snarky e-mails that he often cc's to Singleton.

Or perhaps Singleton became smitten with the profound cross Arkley has chosen to bear – to turn this god-forsaken liberal bastion into a well-oiled machine that funnels money into the purses of top-Republican brass – Bush, Blackwell, Schwarzenegger, Santorum, Ridge.

There are differences between the two men, as so eloquently described by Humboldt's hottest blogger, Capt. Buhne. But an observant serf must cast their eye on the Republicans’ shared vision. That way, when asked “What was Singleton thinking?” regarding the abrupt replacement of editor Charles Winkler, you’ll know how to answer.

Who else?

So, what other names grace Arkley’s list? It would be foolish to judge by those “snarky e-mails” he sends out, because not every recipient has the ability to move and shake Eureka to the Right.

But there are some obvious targets that would be wise to keep their ear to the pavement.

Like Kirk Girard, the Community Development Services Director. Girard has “been aggressively targeted by Arkley” for standing in the way of demands made by that local development fraternity, Phi Sigma HELP.

Skewing the truth in the quest for the almighty dollar has never spooked Mr. Arkley. In fact, the latest newsletter put out by HELP continues to erroneously insist that county planners put out a “secret” report that conflicted with demands by developers, and when developers complained to the board of supervisors it was a “public protest.” “However, the public protest was ignored,” the newsletter cries.

Another obvious target is the ever-popular Larry Glass. But the tricky thing about Larry is that he doesn’t have a Republican boss whose strings can be massaged. So we have to look out for another so-called Eureka Coalition for Jobs – the anonymous “group” that ran attack ads against councilmember Chris Kerrigan in the days before his successful re-election. Or perhaps there will be something less predictable.

Unfortunately, the stakes are much higher now that the Balloon Track is in the bag.

And while Republicans on a national level plan an October-time gotcha! to save their scandalous hides, we on the local level brace ourselves for the pre-election Arkley surprise.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 8:51 AM 40 comments

KHSU is having their pledge drive. In between talking about all the great programming KHSU offers, someone talked about a recent contest in which you write a sentence where the last two letters of each word must be the first two letters of the next word. For example:

An animal almost stopped educational alliances.

or

My mystical alien enamel elevates esteemed editorial allowances.

You try. Leave your stabs at this difficult exercise in the comments section.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 10:14 AM 7 comments

The presentation by designer Eric Lindstrom included blueprints of what could be a walkable community that includes housing as well as a possible culinary institute. The blueprint featured a green belt “spine” that runs the inside length of the parcel for a restored native habitat with a wetland trail.

University of Oregon Assistant Professor Mark Gillem discussed “civitias,” and said we all have a right to be involved in the planning process and that “civic leaders should support that right.”

But apparently the Times-Standard disagrees. Their editorial today tells us it’s time to work together to get “something” done. Does something include a Home Depot? They rehash the same thoughtless sentiments expressed before – that the Balloon Track is empty and a haven for bad things, so we must do something.

Ok, fine. But that doesn’t mean we fall in line behind the first (or second) boring big box idea that comes along.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 9:11 AM 49 comments

Below is a little something you might relate to. It’s a blogger's call to stop a giant corporate big box from squashing a beloved local relic in order to preserve the unique character that defines a place. In this case, Austin.

So naturally, because the iconic restaurant is in every possible respect the physical and spiritual embodiment of the Austin zeitgeist, a generic corporate behemoth is going to tear it down in order to build a mega-Marriott triple hotel complex. We’ve already got a butt-ugly stinking Marriott, but the jerkbag white dudes in charge of destroying everything I love don’t care. Dig what this one had to say:

“Why should you hold up a several-hundred-million-dollar investment because of a small little restaurant?” J. Willard Marriott asked Thursday while visiting Austin. “The restaurant can relocate and should relocate.”

My fellow Texans — and anybody else who disdains to stand idly by while all that is good and pure in the world is crushed under the callous Italian loafer of capitalist pigbag honkydom — help save Las Manitas.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 11:58 PM 7 comments

Before blogging there was good old fashioned Xerox. And just ‘cause there is blogging now doesn’t mean you have to toss your Xerox in the trash. It’s still a legitimate option to get your message across.

But because there is blogging, I thought it prudent to offer this flier found in Eureka. It concerns Bruce Rupp, a Republican running for Humboldt Water District trustee.

Someone is real serious that Rupp is bad news – especially because Cherie Arkley supports him. I admit that taints my opinion, but I don’t know much about him.

Please, blog lovers, leave your informed comments below. For I want to know if Bruce Rupp is really the “best Republican money can buy.”

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 10:06 PM 24 comments

Thank goodness Eureka residents didn’t fall for the big lie that a big-box will save us when Wal-Mart was poised back in ’99 to place their employee-be-damned monstrosity on the Balloon Track. You see, despite all this talk that one of these bloated “super stores” will pump-up our local digs, a Pennsylvania jury found employees were forced to work off the clock and through their lunch breaks.

Although it is unlikely that Eureka will be encumbered with a Wal-Mart anytime soon, Fortuna might not be so lucky. A while back there were reports that the retail giant was eyeing the site of the now closed Pacific Lumber mill in the Friendly City. Some Fortunans responded by creating a group called Fortuna First! which organized educational forums including a screening of the must-see movie Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price. The issue must be in a lull since according to their website Fortuna First! hasn’t done much in the last year.

It’s been a while since anything has been in the news about plans for that site, aside from the suggestion by ex-Pacific Lumber president Robert Manne that we distrust those who fail to embrace the big boxes. “Fighting over the big-box issue is a red herring, a ruse,” he said. That was right before he got replaced by current CEO George O’Brien.

Back when Wal-Mart was trying to bust its way into Eureka, then-mayor (and current candidate for 4th district supervisor) Nancy Flemming was all for it. These days she agrees that it might not have been a good idea. Thankfully, 61% of Eureka residents were way ahead of her and voted against changing the zoning for the Balloon Track.

Today, we’re having a re-play of sorts, only now it’s about Home Depot. “It's sad the same issues seemingly settled seven years ago have returned with many of the same players involved,” Supervisor Bonnie Neely was quoted as saying last February.

And again, current zoning for the Balloon Track is what's keeping big-box #2 from further contaminating the site. It’ll be up to the Eureka City Council to decide on any zoning changes, which is why it’s important to VOTE November 7 and do what anti-big-box councilmember Chirs Kerrigan requested: “send me some council members that will agree with me.”

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 2:07 PM 11 comments

Details from the official flier pasted below. See also today’s T-S article.

Join Citizens for Real Economic Growth (CREG) on the evening of October 13.

We will present alternative visions—including architectural drawings—

for Eureka’s public trust property containing the Balloon Tract.

Speakers, visual aids, and a slideshow will demonstrate what

other visionary cities have done with their Balloon Tracts & Waterfronts.

Most importantly, a clear path to achieving alternatives will be presented.

OCTOBER 13, 2006

WHARFINGER BUILDING

5:45pm reception • 6:30pm presentation

Seating is limited.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

FOR MORE INFORMATION: 267-8878 • EMAIL: info@saveeurekawaterfront.org

www.SaveEurekaWaterfront.org

there is a better way…

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 5:40 PM 31 comments

Times-Standard reporter John Driscoll editorializes today that Bullying is not part of the rite of passage. He writes:

Kids who bully have problems. Kids who are bullied will develop problems. Both sets of problems are ripe for violent outcomes. Bullying must not be shrugged off as “boys will be boys” or “girls will be girls” or as a natural rite of passage or inconsequential.

Here in Humboldt, if you happen to be a “mid-level bureaucratic whore” you better watch your P’s and Q’s or Supervisor Rodoni will bitch-slap your ass in public. Yee-ouch!!

Plus, if the county's General Plan fails to conform with Arkley's desired 2% growth rate to grease the gonads of the developers he’ll sue this Podunk county into a chasm bigger ‘n a right-winger’s sense of ethics.

Here on the World Wide Series of Tubes we have the blogs with their attending armies of anonymous readers whose sour comments can curdle the cream in your coffee. It is more likely than not that such comments are posted by adults. However, it’s not always apparent from the level of discourse. But I digress.

Student bullying poses a problem (or a symptom) that won’t be solved in the schools. As stated in a letter to the editor in yesterday’s T-S, “[w]e are a nation who has declared war on terrorism and a nation who has invested billions in a war machine to prevent terrorist monsters from threatening our way of life. And yet we tend to ignore, excuse or simply run from monsters who disguise themselves within our midst.”

CORRECTION: The above-referenced editorial was an editorial by the Times-Standard rather than an editorial by T-S reporter John Driscoll. The Humboldt Herald regrets the error.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 1:11 PM 12 comments

Preston is an author by trade, but lately has been climbing the world’s tallest trees with HSU’s Steve Sillett and writing about it.

According to the article, Preston and Sillett, along with Sillet’s wife Marie Antoine and biologist James Spickler hiked on September 16 to the undisclosed spot in Redwood National Park where Hyperion stands. The mission was to climb and definitively measure the giant redwood.

Apparently biologists still discover new species in the redwood canopy.

“I’m finding tiny golden-brown ants up here,” Antoine said [over a two-way radio]. “It’s only the second time I’ve ever seen ants in a redwood.”

“That may be a new species,” Sillett said. Often enough, when the scientists encounter something unusual living in a redwood, it proves to be an unknown species. In beds of soil sitting on limbs, they’ve found large pink earthworms, of a species that doesn’t yet have a name.

In a strange coincidence, this issue of the New Yorker is filled to the brim with ads for the Gap, the giant clothing chain store that was the subject of a redwood-related boycott in the late ‘90’s after Gap executives purchased Mendocino Redwood Company. MRC logged the redwood forest much the way it’s done in Humboldt – with clear-cuts, herbicides and winter logging operations. The Hyperion article itself is flanked on either side with ads for Gap (or “Crap,” as it’s commonly called in some circles).

Hyperion was nearly cut down in the ‘70’s. The edge of a thirty year-old clear-cut begins just a few hundred feet from the base of the world’s tallest tree.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 4:44 PM 6 comments

What is it? Tim Flemming, son of 4^th District Supervisorial candidate Nancy Flemming, says that’s what we need on the Balloon Track.

We know the goal of the developers is economic growth – for their bank accounts. But environmental growth? Sounds like a nice add-on to make the prospect of a Home Depot on Humboldt Bay more palatable.

Tim talks about the jewels of Humboldt County, citing much of the waterfront development, and throws in our “rivers” and “forests” for good measure. But you’ll never see the Humboldt-into-Santa-Rosa crowd get worked up over massive clear-cutting, old-growth logging or the damn dams on the Klamath.

Yet the prospect of saddling the Bay with a boring big box inspires developers to put pen to paper to extol the virtues of the environment.

The people who are pumped-up to put a Home Depot on the Balloon Track are not concerned about the majority who will be hurt by this development, let alone the environment. Please, leave the buzz words out and just be honest. A Home Depot is simply a way to HELP the wealthy help themselves.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 9:05 AM 47 comments

In recent, kinder days, before Roger Rodoni accused his colleagues on the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors of being “bureaucratic whores,” he spoke in measured tones of the often unnamed economic engine that drives the Humboldt train. Rodoni wants to know how much Humboldt County reaps from the weed.

Wikipedia has some estimates, but even the widely used internet encyclopedia can’t give us exact numbers.

Although specific figures are hard to come by due to [marijunana’s] illegal status in the United States, one estimate put it between 150 and 200 million dollars per year[3], and another places it between 200 and 500 million dollars per year[4].

For those perplexed on how to broach the subject with your children, family or friends, perhaps a tastefully illustrated book with a diverse cast of characters is just what the doctor ordered.

It’s Just a Plant is a kid's book about marijuana.

If the words "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" don't include the right to experiment with your own consciousness, then the Declaration of Independence isn't worth the hemp it was written on. -Terence McKenna

We have come such a long, long way since the days of the founding fathers, like George Washington who said “[m]ake the most of the Indian hemp seed, and sow it everywhere!”

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 9:13 AM 42 comments

There is a very bizarre letter to the editor in today’s Eureka Reporter that is both pro-death penalty and pro-Home Depot. The link is obvious, don’t you think?

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 9:17 AM 19 comments

The affair traces its roots to 1986, when Hurwitz's Maxxam Corp. took over Pacific Lumber Co. -- and its vast holdings of old growth redwoods -- with financial assistance from the now-defunct Drexel Burnham Lambert junk bond firm.

FDIC investigators probed whether Hurwitz's dealings with Drexel in that takeover contributed to the failure of United Savings, a Texas thrift that went out of business in 1988 at a cost of $1.6 billion.

Hurwitz won the $72 million judgment in August after U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes ruled that the FDIC investigation had been used by the environmentally friendly Clinton administration to "cause (Hurwitz) pain" so that he would sign the 1999 Headwaters Forest deal to preserve some old-growth redwood stands.

Poor Charles Hurwitz. At least he can blow his nose on all those millions we were swindled into paying him for Headwaters. He can wipe his eyes with the millions more that flood his pockets every year from plundering Humboldt County.

In its appeal, the FDIC said the judge got basic facts wrong by, for instance, basing his "conspiracy theory on a meeting between the FDIC's general counsel and then-Vice President (Al) Gore that never occurred."

I wonder how many times you have to play golf with a judge before "basic facts" go out the window and he awards you with a record-breaking fine against the FDIC.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 8:23 AM 17 comments

If Security National is saying that the only way to build “the Marina Center” is to anchor it with a big box store, then the project is too costly. Passing on the corporate expense to the community is a bad deal. The biggest beneficiaries to passing the buck would be Security National and Home Depot, which in turn would benefit the Republican party.

According to the Marina Center website, Home Depot is “considered an enlightened corporate citizen by the communities where it conducts business.”

But good luck finding any accolades to Home Depot as an “enlightened corporate citizen” by the communities forced to deal with these stores whether they want it or not.

However, it's easy find a breakdown of discrimination lawsuits that have been filed against Home Depot. You can read about the most recent lawsuit here.

Proponents of the Marina Center would have you believe that Home Depot values “Taking Care of Our People,” “Giving Back to Our Communities,” and “Doing the Right Thing.”

Just ask Tom Ridge, the ex-Homeland Security director who joined the HD board of directors in 2005:

Ridge is quite familiar with home-improvement projects. He was instrumental in a short-lived run on duct tape in early 2003, when he encouraged Americans to turn to the sticky substance and plastic sheeting as protection against terrorists using chemical and/or biological agents.

The move, which drew criticism from many corners, motivated many across the country to stock up -- to the extent that some retailers reported widespread shortages.

Both Home Depot and rival Lowe's Cos. were among the big beneficiaries of the buying binge. Home Depot, in fact, went so far as to set up special Homeland Security displays nears it entrances to tout sales of duct tape, plastic sheeting, batteries and bottled water, among other safe-room supplies.

Home Depot has also run into problems with Day Laborers who gather outside the stores hoping to be hired by shoppers with home improvement projects.

Seems that would be most unappealing to Cheri Arkley, who reportedly doesn't know and doesn't care where the displaced Rescue Mission would be moved to in order to pave the way for the Marina Center.

Building a Home Depot on the Balloon Track is too expensive for Humboldt County. I hope the citizens of Eureka will turn out to vote November 7 for a city council that will support a big box-free waterfont. Vote for Abrams, Glass, Kuhnel, and LaVallee.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 4:08 PM 57 comments

HCAOG deals largely with transportation issues. The Times-Standard reports on the Supervisor’s meeting:

The talk hovered around who should represent the county on that board.

Rodoni, since his election as 2nd District supervisor, has been the county's representative, but he has made waves recently by repeatedly voting against the Hoopa Tribe's membership.

Hoopa for years has been clamoring for admission to the group, and even had special legislation passed at the state level to become eligible. Still, the HCAOG board twice has split 4-4 on admitting the tribe.

Chairman John Wooley put the matter on the meeting agenda, which riled Rodoni. In what sounded like a carefully considered presentation, Rodoni warned that the disagreement between him and the four other Supervisors would “forever change the atmosphere of this board.”

“It's an attempt by a mid-level bureaucratic whore to bitch-slap me in public because they don't like the way I voted,” said Rodoni.

It appears to this citizen that Rodoni was actually trying “bitch-slap” Wooley in public by uttering such ugly words on the record.

And what is a “bitch-slap” anyway? Is Rodoni suggesting that Wooley’s inclusion of this issue on the meeting agenda was equivalent to treating Rodoni like a bitch and slapping him in public?

Without being well-versed in the HCOAG issue, I can see some of Rodoni’s concerns. But since we are talking about county transportation issues, it seems like Rodoni is nit-picking. Especially in comparison to other controversies involving Rodoni – like his refusal to recuse himself from voting on issues involving his landlord, Pacific Lumber.

Whether the issue, and Rodoni's words will "forever change the atmosphere" of the board of supervisors remains to be seen. But hopefully the board will not be dictated by fear of getting tongue-lashed with sexualized bluster by Roger if they happen to disagree with him.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 9:10 AM 31 comments

You may not have noticed, but recent years have not been kind to spokespeople at Pacific Lumber. The last person to hold the position, Chuck Center, quietly exited stage left without a word, apparently hoping no one would notice.

Before Chuck there was Erin Dunn, who spearheaded the companies shift from the colorless abbreviation “PL” to the friendly acronym “PALCO.” The change was a serious one, following years of bad PR. The new name stuck, but what happened to Erin remains a mystery.

Before that, the position of company spokesperson rested for years in the capable hands of Mary Bullwinkle, who defended PL through such calamities as the Stafford landslide, massive protests over ancient redwood logging, striking steelworkers descending on Scotia, mill closures, lay-offs, and the death of a protestor by an irate logger. Bullwinkle steadfastly professed the timber company’s innocence in all matters.

Then she was fired.

Now that Andrea Arnot is taking the reins – and taking the plunge – the Humboldt Herald hopes her power to wax positive about all things PALCO leads her to a better place than her predecessors.

And in case you’re worried that Ms. Arnot is unqualified for the position – I mean, she is going from reporting on high society in Eureka to the complicated world of California timber practices – let me lay waste to those fears. We may live in an amazing place where old-growth trees, salmon, marbled Murrelets and other magical staples of the North Coast cling weakly to the edge of existence, but all you need to know about Humboldt County are the rich folk who run the show. And Andrea knows.

When asked recently about Humboldt County’s greatest asset, Arnot responded, “the people... it's the people that come here because they want to be here and make it the best it can be.”

And Palco is doing its part to rid this lovely land of space-hogging trees and all that other junk that gets in the way of the people.

Arnot joins the company at a time of sweeping new changes, including a fresh CEO, George O’Brien, who may be just as confused about the redwood bioregion as PALCO's latest recruit. “I have not operated in redwood, but timber is timber,” O’Brien told reporters as he stepped to the helm of the world’s largest redwood logging company.

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 9:20 AM 25 comments

Maybe Rob Arkley doesn’t read the Times-Standard to keep up on his local environs, but that doesn’t mean he’s above cavorting with miscreants who gather your private information and supply it to the highest bidder.

Who cares about weekend weather forecasts when you’ve got ChoicePoint, which collects phone records, medical records, social security numbers and every credit card purchase you made at the adult toy store.

Investigative journalist Greg Palast reports:

The leader in the field of what is called "data mining," is a company, formed in 1997, called, "ChoicePoint, Inc," which has sucked up over a billion dollars in national security contracts.

Worried about Dick Cheney listening in Sunday on your call to Mom? That ain't nothing. You should be more concerned that they are linking this info to your medical records, your bill purchases and your entire personal profile including, not incidentally, your voting registration. Five years ago, I discovered that ChoicePoint had already gathered 16 billion data files on Americans -- and I know they've expanded their ops at an explosive rate.

ChoicePoint is the largest data collection agency in the country, and they do the dirty work of spying on you for the government, who is forbidden to undertake such activities under the Constitution (which according to president Bush is just a “goddamned piece of paper”). ChoicePoint even wants your DNA.

But they don’t just give your private facts to the government. They’ll supply your info to corporations or other entities who might be interested in targeting you for marketing or other applications achieved by this marvel of high-tech profiling.

We all know that Mr. Arkley is a strong supporter of extreme Republican causes and players, including those of the most unscrupulous nature. And with Arkley’s Marina Center project, he aims to bring a fellow extremist’s enterprise to our fair city.

ChoicePoint's board has more Republicans than a Palm Beach country club. It was funded, and its board stocked, by such Republican sugar daddies as billionaires Bernie Marcus and Ken Langone -- even after Langone was charged by the Securities Exchange Commission with abuse of inside information.

And who is Bernie Marcus, you ask?

Only the founder of Home Depot, you know, of the big box Home Depots, the very monstrosity that Cherie Arkley promised she would NOT build on the Balloon Track.

So what, you might squeal. What does the founder of Home Depot have to do with my right to bad customer service and sticking it to Pierson’s?

Well, maybe Bernie Marcus took a hint from 1984 when creating the Orwellian atmosphere that soon-to-be-ex-Pierson's employees have to look forward to. Look what Sprawl-Busters has to say:

Home Depot places great emphasis on its workforce. "Our people set us apart from our competitors," they brag. Sounding like an episode from the X-files, Bernie Marcus explains that "The Home Depot culture is passed on generation to generation of orange-blooded associates."

Yet people who come to work for HD have no job security, and are, in fact, employees at will. Here is an excerpt from the HD Associate's Guide:

"As an associate of Home Depot, your employment is guaranteed for no set definite term, and you have the right to terminate your employment at any time, at your convenience, with or without cause or reason. Understand that Home Depot also has this right."

In other words, the company can let you go any time, without any justification or cause. The company's termination policy also includes a "reduction in force" policy, in which an associate can be involuntarily discharged because the company is down-sizing. "HD plans and schedules to keep RIF terminations to a minimum," the handbook explains.

Home Depot employees can also be subjected to "substance abuse" drug tests, and this extends to prescription drugs. Any employee who tests positive for a prescription drug--but does not have a written prescription, will be terminated.

HD employees must also agree to submit to "a search of personal belongings while on company property." Each employee is issued a locker for storage of personal and company-issued equipment. Personal locks are prohibited. "Home Depot reserves the right to search associate lockers."

Female employees at HD are allowed to wear skirts, but they cannot be shorter than three inches above the knee. Clothing which reveals midriffs, cleavage, or shoulders is not allowed. No spandex, or exercise clothes are allowed. No T-shirts are allowed.

For male employees, hair must be neat, clean, and "conservatively styled". Beards, mustaches and sideburns must be kept "neatly trimmed."

I know what you’re thinking – why can’t society live by such rules? Think of the progress. Everyone seemed so happy on Leave It to Beaver.

But enough about the workers. No one cares about them, anyway. All we really need to care about is going down the boring, dim-witted road to gentrification. Why not go all the way and give ourselves to the awaiting arms and databases of ChoicePoint and Home Depot?

I mean, when have the Republicans ever steered us wrong?

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 2:38 PM 27 comments

The Times-Standard gives a nod today to the Arkley’s for successfully purchasing the Balloon Track. The paper acknowledges that many millions will be spent in a clean-up process (in whatever form it comes). But chuckles ensued upon reading the part that said “we believed Cherie Arkley when she said Friday, ‘We're going to fix it.’" The paper didn’t specify if they believed her when she told them just under a year ago that no big box would be built on the site. "[I]t's not going to be a big box,” she said. “Repeat: It's not going to be a big box."

The T-S also questions today whether sometimes a little “rancor” is needed to make positive change.

Whether the subject is redevelopment, the Balloon Tract, the county's housing element or the Williamson Act, the tenor of discussion is increasingly tense, so much so that progress in either direction is slow in coming.

It is true that we tend to rattle each others chains around here. Chalk it up to having a community that cares about the goings on. Even if you're too afraid to ask the cops at Starbucks “what’s up with all the coffee?”

permalink I posted by Heraldo Riviera @ 9:33 AM 16 comments