Monthly Archives: April 2025

Articles, Community News, Curry, Infrastructure, Law

Discovery of Lead Paint on Bunk Beds Force Curry County Commissioners To Reduce Jail Capacity

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Thumbnail photo: Ken Lund via Wikimedia Commons. Creative Commons License

Lead paint on bunks at the Curry County Jail prompted commissioners to temporarily reduce the facility’s capacity, cutting its number of beds from 35 to 16.

The Curry County Sheriff’s Office will be more judicious about who they accept into the jail as a result, according to Lt. Jeremy Krohn. But it’s the less drastic of two options he presented to commissioners at an emergency meeting on Friday. The alternative was to completely evacuate the jail, he said.

Some staff have already been relocated, Krohn said.

Continue reading Discovery of Lead Paint on Bunk Beds Force Curry County Commissioners To Reduce Jail Capacity →
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Curry County Commissioner Announces Resignation – Redwood Voice Community News

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April 4th, 2025 – For Redwood Voice Community News, a production of Redwood Voice Youth Media, today’s news: an update on when the second installment of the Secured Property Taxes is due; ;aw enforcement talks about the challenges they face with mental health calls, and how PATH will aid them; a Curry County Commissioner announced his resignation; Curry County declared a local emergency after a recent storm; Stephanie Weldon has been named Deputy Director of the Office of Health Equity at the CA Department of Public Health; new programs allow California prisoners and victims to reconcile; CDFW is advancing the state’s management for California’s Gray Wolf population; and the CDFW announces changes for commercial and recreational Dungeness crab fisheries. All this and our regular segments from the Pacifica Radio Network and National Native News.

We’re broadcasting on KFUG 101.1FM and kfugradio.org every day at 12PM, with a rebroadcast at 5PM. We’re also airing on KZZH 96.7FM at 6AM, and KCIW 100.7FM at 6PM!

Today’s newscast image is courtesy of Curry Civic TV via their YouTube Channel, which has been edited.

Articles, Community News, Curry, Local Government

Curry County Commissioner Brad Alcorn Announces Resignation Effective May 1

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Thumbnail photo: Brad Alcorn.

Curry County Commissioner Brad Alcorn announced his resignation on Wednesday, telling his colleagues that he had “personal things” he needed to focus on requiring him to be gone for extended periods of time.

“I know that not being present here every day would certainly not be fair to the people of this county, but it also would not be fair to either of you,” he told commissioners Jay Trost and Patrick Hollinger at the end of the Board’s regular business meeting. “You guys show up every day. You work hard trying to solve this county’s problems, and you need someone, a third person, that’s going to be doing the same.”

Alcorn said his resignation will be effective May 1 and the Board’s April 15 meeting will be the last time he serves as its chair.

Continue reading Curry County Commissioner Brad Alcorn Announces Resignation Effective May 1 →
Articles, Community News, Health, Law

Law Enforcement Leaders Discuss Challenges When Responding To Non-Criminal Mental Health Calls; Del Norte’s PATH Crisis Team Launches With Limited Hours

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Thumbnail photo: Concept art of the Del Norte County’s Providing Access to Hope mobile mental health crisis response van. Above: Supervising Behavioral Health Specialist Mariah Coats and two of PATH’s team members, Certified Peer Support Specialist Ryan Downs and Behavioral health Specialist Aaron Matthess. | Photos courtesy of Shiann Hogan

Del Norte County’s Providing Access to Hope, or PATH, program has responded to 27 calls for help since it launched nearly two months ago.

In a majority of those cases, the staff manning the new mobile mental health crisis unit have helped those individuals come up with a safety plan and have followed up with those folks, Behavioral Health Branch Deputy Director Shiann Hogan told Redwood Voice Community News.

But, while it’s a resource anyone, including law enforcement, can call upon, PATH is currently only available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday due to staffing issues.

Continue reading Law Enforcement Leaders Discuss Challenges When Responding To Non-Criminal Mental Health Calls; Del Norte’s PATH Crisis Team Launches With Limited Hours →
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Gray Wolf Conservation Plan Moves to Phase 2 – Redwood Voice Community News

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April 3rd, 2025 – For Redwood Voice Community News, a production of Redwood Voice Youth Media, today’s news: roadwork updates from Caltrans District 1; the deadline for the second installment of secured property taxes approaches; Del Norte Supervisors discussed the loss of Secure Rural Schools Program funding; cuts to California school nutrition programs won’t be affecting Del Norte schools; following the recent storms, Curry County officials declare a state of emergency; Yurok Citizen Stephanie Weldon is named Deputy Director of the Office of Health Equity for the California Department of Public Health; “Hands Off Protests” against the Trump administration are planned for this upcoming weekend; new programs allow California prisoners and victims to reconcile; experts are concerned the recent Earthquake in Alaska will result in Mt. Spurr erupting; and California’s 2016 Conservation Plan for Gray Wolves moves to Phase 2. All this and our regular segments from the Pacifica Radio Network and National Native News.

We’re broadcasting on KFUG 101.1FM and kfugradio.org every day at 12PM, with a rebroadcast at 5PM. We’re also airing on KZZH 96.7FM at 6AM, and KCIW 100.7FM at 6PM!

Today’s newscast image is courtesy of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, which has been edited.

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117 “Hands Off” Protests Planned In California for Saturday – Redwood Voice Community News

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April 2nd, 2025 – For Redwood Voice Community News, a production of Redwood Voice Youth Media, today’s news: roadwork updates from Caltrans District 1; Del Norte County continues to lobby amidst Federal funding uncertainty; DNUSD dodges impact from federal program cuts to free meal services; also the DNUSD Board of Trustees endorse SiteLogIQ energy audits of local school campuses; the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation encourages Tribal Citizen feedback on proposed Tribal Community Wildfire Protection Plan; 117 Hands Off protests in California against President Donald Trump’s policies are expected to kick off on Saturday; Chetco Community Library District receives a generous donation of $124,000; Josephine County Judge grants Disability Rights Oregon a preliminary injunction against Grants Pass over designated camping sites; the CDFW releases a progress report on the California Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future; and an earthquake creates a volcanic eruption scare in Alaska. All this and our regular segments from the Pacifica Radio Network and National Native News.

We’re broadcasting on KFUG 101.1FM and kfugradio.org every day at 12PM, with a rebroadcast at 5PM. We’re also airing on KZZH 96.7FM at 6AM, and KCIW 100.7FM at 6PM!

Today’s newscast image is courtesy of Redwood Voice Director Persephone Rose, which has been edited.

Articles, Community News, Education, Infrastructure

Del Norte County, Education Officials Lobby For Century-Old Funding Source

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Thumbnail photo by Amanda Dockter

Pointing out that Del Norte County’s apportionment is a significant part of its general fund, District 3 Supervisor Chris Howard said continuing to lobby hard for the Secure Rural Schools program is important, even though Congress didn’t include it in the budget it approved last month.

Howard, whose district includes the Smith River National Recreation Area and parts of Redwood National and State Parks, called the loss of nearly $1.4 million to the community huge. It’s huge for Del Norte County and huge for Del Norte County Unified School District, he said.

But, while he urged Del Norters to let their elected representatives know where they stand on funding for infrastructure and schools, DNUSD Superintendent Jeff Harris said the district has learned not to count on those SRS dollars.

Continue reading Del Norte County, Education Officials Lobby For Century-Old Funding Source →
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SiteLogicIQ Proposal Signed On By School Board – Redwood Voice Community News

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April 1st, 2025 – For Redwood Voice Community News, a production of Redwood Voice Youth Media, today’s news: roadwork updates from Caltrans District one; the school board signs SitelogIQ proposal; the Crescent City Harbor District holds off on an MOU for fireworks with the county; news on the recent Community Baby Shower at the Family Resource Center; the Chetco Community Public Library Districts receives a substantial gift of $124,000; the Yurok Economic Development Corporation selected Dylan Aubrey to join the leadership for the upcoming Reservation Economic Summit; information on the California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Progress Report; two flue fires were handled by the Illinois Valley Fire District; and Disability Rights Oregon was granted a preliminary injunction against the city of Grants Pass. All this and our regular segments from the Pacifica Radio Network and National Native News.

We’re broadcasting on KFUG 101.1FM and kfugradio.org every day at 12PM, with a rebroadcast at 5PM. We’re also airing on KZZH 96.7FM at 6AM, and KCIW 100.7FM at 6PM!

Today’s newscast image is taken as a screenshot of Google Maps, which has been edited.

Articles, Community News, Education, Health, Youth

DNUSD Spared From Cuts To USDA School Nutrition Programs

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Thumbnail photo: DNUSD’s Nutrition Services Department fresh fish tacos to Del Norte High School students last year courtesy of the Community Food Council’s Sea-to-Market program. | Photo courtesy of Michael Hawkins

(Updated at 8:27 a.m. to correct an error. Julie Carter Bjorkstrand, Del Norte Unified School District’s director of nutrition services, will travel to Sacramento as part of the California School Nutrition Association’s legislative action committee.)

Potential changes to a federal program that offers free meals to socio-economically disadvantaged schools will impact 2.4 million Californian students, but those in Del Norte County won’t be among them, according to Julie Carter Bjorkstrand.

Bjorkstrand, Del Norte Unified School District’s director of nutrition services, also said that a $660 million cut to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Local Food For Schools program won’t impact Del Norte schools.

“It’s actually not going to impact us because I didn’t apply for that grant,” she said. “I didn’t like the reporting. They didn’t have it fully fleshed out and so I didn’t feel all that comfortable applying for it.”

Continue reading DNUSD Spared From Cuts To USDA School Nutrition Programs →
Articles, Community News, Education, Transportation, Youth

DNUSD Is Getting New Vans, Training New Bus Drivers, Transportation Director Says

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Thumbnail photo by Persephone Rose

Del Norte Unified School District is putting four new vans on the road, replacing an aging fleet that drew concerns from parents and staff who said they weren’t safe for students.

But since it will take  two or three weeks to be retrofitted to meet the district’s needs, DNUSD is still relying on those older vans, transportation director Chris Armington told the Board of Trustees on Thursday.

Providing an update  four months after parents and staff complained of warped brake rotors, leaking brake fluid and school bus seat belts held together with duct tape, Armington said his department had implemented a check-in check-out system for use of the vans.

Continue reading DNUSD Is Getting New Vans, Training New Bus Drivers, Transportation Director Says →