Articles, Local Government

Del Norte County Officials Say Financial Picture Is Brighter, Though They Admit To Discrepancies

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Thumbnail photo by Aisling Bludworth

Eleven weeks after he presented county supervisors with a recommended general fund budget that included a $9.6 million deficit, Del Norte’s top administrative official said staff found additional resources to make an accelerated payment associated with the former Bar-O Boys Ranch.

But County Administrative Officer Neal Lopez blamed timing issues when District 2 Supervisor Valerie Starkey asked why that recommended $500,000 accelerated payment to the Bar-O Boys Ranch fund wasn’t included in the staff report she and her colleagues received Tuesday.

Lopez said he and others on the budget team also received last-minute information concerning the 2025-26 ending fund balance that would allow for the additional payment.

Continue reading Del Norte County Officials Say Financial Picture Is Brighter, Though They Admit To Discrepancies →
Arts & Culture, Community News

Art Scene: Juried Multimedia Exhibition, Community Drum Circle, Art in Public Places

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Here are this week’s Arts Notes from the Del Norte Association of Cultural Awareness (DNACA):

  • Oct. 17: DNACA is hosting a Community Drum Circle instructed by Mombo Hernandez at 1:30 p.m. at the Tapestry Arts Center, 224 F. St. in Crescent City. Hand drums and percussion instruments will be provided or you may bring your own. All ages are welcome.
  • On display until Oct. 22: DNACA presents a variety of local artwork at the 35th Annual Juried Multimedia Exhibition in the Del Norte County Courthouse, 450 H St. in Crescent City. The courthouse is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
  • On display until Oct. 22: DNACA presents Painting the Music– a collection of paintings of musical artists by local artist Marcia Morgan. Her portraits paired with musicians’ lyrics can be viewed on the second-floor mezzanine of the Del Norte County Airport, 1650 Dale Rupert Rd. in Crescent City.
  • On display until Dec. 10: DNACA showcases the dreamlike artwork of artist Susan Moore. View her exhibition at the College of the Redwoods’ Del Norte Campus, 883 W. Washington Blvd. in Crescent City between the business hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

To feature an event via DNACA, email Kim@DNACA.net. 

Articles, Infrastructure, Local Government

Del Norte County Board of Supervisors Recap, Sept. 8, 2026

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Thumbnail photo: Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office and jail. | Redwood Voice

Among the items discussed at Tuesday’s Del Norte County Board of Supervisors meeting:

Measure R funds for jail rehabilitation: Four supervisors agreed to use about $2 million in unallocated Measure R dollars to make up a funding gap in the ongoing jail rehabilitation project. 

But at least two representatives, District 1 Supervisor Darrin Short and his District 2 colleague Valerie Starkey, were confused at the term “Justice Campus” County Administrative Officer Neal Lopez used in his board report for Tuesday. Starkey abstained from voting.

In response to their concerns, Lopez brought up the Board’s approved use last year of Measure R dollars as gap funding for the jail project and also brought up a proposal to build a designated building for the Del Norte County District Attorney’s Office and the Probation Department.

Continue reading Del Norte County Board of Supervisors Recap, Sept. 8, 2026 →
Articles, Infrastructure, Local Government, Transportation

Airport Authority Discusses Projects List, FAA Funding and Fuel Farm Rehabilitation

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Thumbnail photo: Inside the Del Norte County Regional Airport terminal. Photo by James Brooks

Sean Rosenthal unveiled a five-year list of capital improvement projects he said may be eligible for $15.5 million in federal funding.

But, while the Border Coast Regional Airport Authority would be responsible for a 5% local match for most projects, things are different for a long-awaited rehabilitation of a fuel farm at Jack McNamara Field, the airport authority director told commissioners Thursday.

About $600,000 in Airport Infrastructure Grant dollars are available for the fuel farm project, Rosenthal said. Though the total estimated cost for the project is $1.2 million, the airport director told commissioners that figure isn’t finalized. Still, BCRAA will be responsible for figuring out how to pay for what the AIG grant doesn’t cover, he said.

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Articles, Crescent City, Infrastructure, Transportation

Transportation Commission Pitches Helps Crescent City Seek Funding For U.S. 101 Plan

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As the second phase of its downtown revitalization plan takes shape, Crescent City is now eyeing U.S. 101.

The city is pursuing a Caltrans Partnership Planning Grant to complete its U.S. Highway 101 Multimodal Land Use Plan with help from the Del Norte Local Transportation Commission.

The land-use plan for the highway corridor will analyze motorized and non motorized uses between Wilson Avenue and Anchor Way, Crescent City Manager Eric Wier told Redwood Voice Community News on Thursday.

Continue reading Transportation Commission Pitches Helps Crescent City Seek Funding For U.S. 101 Plan →
Articles, Infrastructure, Transportation

Transportation Commission Discusses Traffic Management Ahead Of STAA 197/199 Highway Closures

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Thumbnail photo: Work has already begun on the 197/199 Safe STAA Access project, particularly on State Route 197 and on U.S. 199 near the Patrick Creek Narrows. | Photo courtesy of Caltrans District 1

Though Caltrans pushed its plans to close parts of the highway for the 197/199 Safe STAA Access project back to January, Tamera Leighton went back to 2021 and the landslide at Last Chance Grade when thinking about how to manage traffic.

Leighton, executive director of the Del Norte Local Transportation Commission, mentioned the queue of cars that would form near South Beach and proceeded down U.S. 101 when the highway reopened at specific times to traffic.

In January, when Caltrans starts work on U.S. 199 in the narrows and has to close the road for hours at a time, Leighton said cars could queue up at the east end of the four-lane freeway past Gasquet.

Continue reading Transportation Commission Discusses Traffic Management Ahead Of STAA 197/199 Highway Closures →
Articles, Gasquet

Del Norte Supervisors Approve Private Road On Gasquet Property Over Neighbors’ Objections

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Thumbnail image: A Gasquet property owner seeks to subdivide a 40-acre parcel off into two lots as well as extend an existing road that serves the parcel. | Image courtesy of Del Norte County

A Gasquet property owner received the go-ahead last week to extend a private road as part of his plan to subdivide the 40-acre parcel.

Ron MacMaster contradicted two of his neighbors at the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors’ Aug. 25 meeting and said he has no plans to build a mobile home park. Though the county’s zoning laws allow the property to be subdivided into 21 lots, MacMaster said he’s planning on subdividing it into two lots.

“As far as the road goes, it’s my understanding that’s my property, so my two neighbors shouldn’t be impacted by this at all,” he said. “Right now it’s a dirt road. If it gets gravel and asphalt it’ll keep the dust down. It’ll be an improvement.”

Continue reading Del Norte Supervisors Approve Private Road On Gasquet Property Over Neighbors’ Objections →
Articles, Community News, Crescent City

Del Norte Library Writes New Chapter, Preps For Move To Former Ben Franklin Building

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Thumbnail photo: The Del Norte County Library has purchased the former Ben Franklin building and plans to turn it into the new library. Library Board President Andrew Napier said the library has about two years to renovate it. | Photos courtesy of Andrew Napier

Three years after its board decided that staying in Downtown Crescent City outweighed the tsunami risk, the Del Norte County Library will eventually move into the old Ben Franklin building.

At just under 15,000 square feet, Library Board Chair Andrew Napier says he envisions a maker space with access to 3D printers, laser engravers and button makers. There’s office space for Del Norte Reads, room for community meetings and, potentially, a Friends of the Del Norte County Library cafe. 

But right now, the building at 1072 3rd Street is an empty shell, Napier told Redwood Voice Community News on Thursday. The library has about two years to renovate it and move its 50,000-plus books, periodicals, movies and other materials in, he said. 

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Education, Local Government

DNUSD To Sell Surplus Vehicles Starting Monday

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Thumbnail photo: Del Norte Unified School are selling 10 surplus vehicles next week. The sale will start 7 a.m. Monday and last through 4 p.m. Friday. | Photo courtesy of Michael Hawkins

Though he initially balked at the plan, Michael Greer eventually came around to approving a resolution authorizing the sale of 10 surplus Del Norte Unified School District vehicles.

Greer said he worried that DNUSD wasn’t adequately getting the word out that it’s selling these vehicles and was giving its employees more of an advantage as a result. However, according to DNUSD Transportation Director Jenna Lussier, because the vehicles are worth less than $2,500 each, the process for providing public notice is more relaxed than if they were more than $2,500.

Plus, Board President Charlaine Mazzei and Trustee Area 2 representative Abbie Crist argued, the public discussion they were having about the vehicles counted giving public notice.

Continue reading DNUSD To Sell Surplus Vehicles Starting Monday →
Education, Transportation

New Transportation Director Describes Smooth Start To School Year

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Thumbnail photo by Jessica Cejnar Andrews

Jenna Lussier raved about her bus drivers and staff.

Four days after students returned to class, the new transportation director told Del Norte Unified School District trustees that her staff has been working extra time to make sure Klamath students are picked up. She also mentioned special efforts being made for youngsters at Redwood and Pine Grove schools.

“We are working diligently to get our children where they need to go,” Lussier said. “We had a couple of hiccups, but I think today those hiccups have been resolved…. I just want to thank my drivers because they’re making it awesome.”

Continue reading New Transportation Director Describes Smooth Start To School Year →

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