Humboldt Last Week

The Sheriff’s Office has been looking into how an office they oversee has been illegally allowing the sale of dead people’s stuff to their own employees. LoCO reporter Ryan Burns guests. Also: Some of our local news TV stations were bought out by a company that has drawn criticism for its conservative leanings (former North Coast News reporter Jeremy Chen guests). A local gets the rare Citizen’s Distinguished Service Medal, there’s a military general in our midst, that “oh ship” moment, and much more.

Elle Snow, a local sex trafficking victim and activist, was on CNN last week discussing her experiences and efforts to end “the game.” Also: A press conference on the case of an HSU student murdered at a house party, Betty Chinn is stolen from and the community rallies, possible energy karma, a new Humboldt-launched app, a corruption investigation within the Sheriff’s Office, a viral video of an altercation at a local business leaves you furrowing a brow, crime updates, and much more.

A grandma was arrested for leaving her two-year-old granddaughter in a hot car in the Bear River Casino parking lot for about 40 minutes while she gambled inside. The child was found unresponsive hidden underneath a blanket. Also: An interview with John Marciel who likely saved a child’s life after intervening when her mother was “trying to remove the demons” from her at the beach, the cowboy-hat criminal, imposters, an amazing foster family, the new all-inclusive scout group, Humboldt’s Cheech and Chong shout-out, cannabis country crooning, and much more.

A law professor recently analyzed potential charging developments in the tragic stabbing death of 19 year old HSU student David Josiah Lawson. NCJ's editor Thadeus Greenson is interviewed. Also: Crime updates, court dates for big cases, HACHR keeps working to reduce overdose deaths, Humboldt’s polluted beach problem, a scary attempted exorcism, better teeth, Humboldt’s new famous baby zebra, a tribute to how lucky we are, poll results, and much more.

A local firefighter filed a grievance after his boss asked him to stop wearing a Black Lives Matter pin on his uniform. Also: An update on the murder investigation of HSU student David Josiah Lawson, a former restaurateur and substitute teacher pleads not guilty to pedophilia-related charges, Jevin Kitchen is doing amazing things as a track star, comment sections under fire, the EPD chief accepted a job in Santa Cruz, a man was Rice Krispies Treated at the hospital, hacking Russians, Pepsi is iced from HSU, upcoming events, and much more.

After an eight-month investigation Humboldt County’s Civil Grand Jury released reports suggesting there are significant problems with the way allegedly abused and neglected children are protected here. Also: Crime, a crazy dog bite, more car races, the women-only showing of “Wonder Woman,” more sweet words from Sara Bareilles per usual, a bill to extend last call, trauma care designations for some local hospitals, and much more.

After at least two reported incidents spawned a community conversation about bullying last week, community leaders weigh in with their experiences and thoughts. Also: Preliminary hearings for an alleged murder with a truck in Shelter Cove, sentencing for an assault on an elderly restaurateur, charges added for Marci Kitchen, an inmate firefighter died on the job, car racing, ticks, a soap opera actor trying to make some Humboldt weed money, lasers, movies at the park, a fight over 420 is reignited in Arcata, possibly Humboldt’s first openly transgender school administrator, a person played by Hilary Swank, and so much more.

A beloved local zebra was shot and killed near Petrolia along our beautiful Lost Coast for no apparent reason and the Sheriff's Office is investigating. Also: More developments on the stabbing death of an HSU student at a house party last month, the DA says cops were justified in killing a man in McKinleyville last year, Arcata’s alleged tree destroyer is arrested, a former Humboldt Crab is doing big things in the pros, golf on graves, upcoming evening fun, and much more.

After preliminary hearings last week a judge ruled to let a jury decide if a mom is guilty of drunk driving and killing her own teenage daughter as well as her daughter’s teenage friend. A deep look at the victims’ lives, the facts, the preliminary hearings last week, a psychiatric opinion from television’s Dr. Judy Ho, and comments from a close friend of Marci Kitchen. Also: Other top stories from the last seven days.

The city of Eureka honored a man for helping cops arrest a large man -- possibly 6-foot-4 -- who was on drugs and violently resisting. Also: The suspect in a controversial Arcata stabbing saw murder charges dismissed due to lack of physical evidence, a campus cub, HSU going tobacco-free, a face-tattooed man’s alleged wild string of incidents, new Humboldt beer, Eureka police using asset forfeiture money to fight childhood drug use, people that pick fights over smiling, and much more.

An HSU student tragically lost his life after he was stabbed to death at an off-campus house party and the suspect plead not guilty to murder. Also: Humboldt’s unemployment rate versus neighbors, a minivan with the bear necessities, a question about transporting weed by air, the “Finding Bigfoot” finale, tsunami preparedness, a guide for Arcata students on the move looking donate or recycle, an airborne car, a movie-star ship, a workplace tragedy, and more.

Ferndale native Jacob Cooney directed a new ‘80s comedy called “Pitching Tents” which has been garnering national reviews and local screenings. Also: More on the alleged murder of an HSU student, cartoonish clouds, an organization is looking for guys than can be a positive influence on kids that need it, arson, cheap Portland flights this summer, viral funnies by Fortunans, cat skinning, a TV shakeup, and more.

A homeowner who pistol-whipped an alleged thief and accidentally shot his gun twice is not facing charges. Also: EPD says the five-block trail of blood in Old Town was due to a guy who apparently decided to punch a window, dumb criminals, more Public Defender drama, construction where that building burned down in Fortuna, Ferndale's’ new celebrity at a historic music venue, satellite images of the Eel River six months apart, weed behind K-Mart, tablets at the jail, tow-truck trouble, proposed illegal-drug safe-zones, an HSU alum’s NFL update, Hugh Jackman, tragedy surrounding an HSU student, Gonsea’s reopens, and more.

A guy from Humboldt has worked as a lighting artist on a bunch of Oscar-winning movies. Also: A guy just waltzes in and out of a burning house, free dreadlocks, frightening hammer time on the Arcata plaza, free vendor booth space for the “Finding Bigfoot” series finale, a new Sheriff in town soon, an eye on crime, rehab possibilities, sex crimes, health code violations at a Chinese food place, a new bowling alley owner, a tasty sauce, and more.

New food options at Redwood Acres? Is a big mosquito season coming? Also: Humboldt’s first homicide of 2017 not involving a vehicle, HSU weed studies reportedly influencing lawmakers, lawyers say their new boss isn’t qualified, Disney dollars, a future Hall of Fame football player, and much more.

After a puppy was dropped off the Samoa Bridge, a local vet shares advice on adopting abused dogs. Also: The witness of a alleged murder in Manila surprisingly said the shooter was a different person than she originally identified, new zoo prices, the Atlanta Falcons new fullback who played for Eureka, a tuition raise for HSU, Fortuna says no to commercial pot, the Eureka Police Chief on bias, the Ferndale High School basketball team got a shout-out from ESPN on twitter, high lead poisoning rates for Eureka kids, displaced businesses in Eureka, and more.

SpongeBob creator and HSU graduate Stephen Hillenburg has been diagnosed with ALS. Comments from Stephen about his experiences in Humboldt are shared. Also: An airport update, a Humboldt-born TV dog, lighthouse leeway, the Sheriff on immigration, a puppy dropped from a bridge, court cases, school lock-downs, and much more.

State survey results show Humboldt kids might have more access to unhealthy products than the California average. But Humboldt also has a community that embraces healthy options. Also: Cannabis and canines, an Iranian HSU student’s experiences, the future of Humboldt healthcare coverage, iTunes gift cons, PG&Easy on my bill, donate to a family after a tragedy north of Orleans, county unable to rip fart joke, body image, avoiding DIY braces, and much more.

“A River’s Last Chance” will explore if our Eel River and the fish within will hold up against droughts, floods, a restrictive dam, and thirsty weed and wine industries. Also: Eureka cops will host a gun buy-back and security expo, a Humboldt solar sinsemilla organization gets a nod in the Sac Bee, legal fees were paid to a widow, less flights at the airport, a life-saving opiate overdose drug is available via HACHR, a cannabis business park in Rio Dell, the Weott Fire Department disbands, more adoptable pups, we can play some soccer, the Skunk Train is offering their ‘local discount’ to Humboldt residents now, and much more.

The Eureka Police Chief is boycotting a business for hosting a band with a disputed name. Also: A potential new program in Eureka to keep rentals maintained, a contested fart joke in an election booklet, a tree-mendous quake, the closing of a seminal Eureka restaurant, recreational weed permit analysis, the sentencing of an HSU student for vehicular manslaughter, places to ditch unwanted medications, Mills responds to calls to not work with federal immigration agents, and much more.