Category Archives: Articles

Activism, Articles, Local Government

Del Norte Fair Board Calls For Review Of Its ‘First Amendment Expression’ Policy; Rally Set For MLK Day

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Fairgrounds CEO Kim Floyd sent this map to Del Norte Democratic Committee Chairman Kevin Hendrick ahead of a rally in April asking that demonstrators park in the north parking lot.

Thumbnail photo: Nearly 1,000 demonstrators showed up for the No Kings Rally at the Del Norte County Fairgrounds in October. | Photo by Heather Polen

Three months after the No Kings Rally brought nearly 1,000 demonstrators to their front yard, officials at the Del Norte County Fairgrounds are calling for a review of its First Amendment Expression policy.

At a meeting of the 41st District Agriculture Association Board of Directors on Monday, Board President Kara Miller said she wanted to make sure demonstrators aren’t disturbing businesses or people renting buildings on fairgrounds property. 

Meanwhile, 41st DAA CEO Kim Floyd said she wanted to make sure the fair is protected from liability. She pointed to a confrontation that she said occurred during the No Kings Rally in October between someone who had pulled into the parking lot and a demonstrator.

Continue reading Del Norte Fair Board Calls For Review Of Its ‘First Amendment Expression’ Policy; Rally Set For MLK Day →
Articles, Education, Youth

DNUSD Workshop Series Aimed At Giving Parents Tools to Advocate For Their Special Needs Children

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Del Norte Unified is launching a new workshop series that urges parents to not only advocate for their special needs child, but be a voice for special education issues at a regional level.

DNUSD’s six-week IEP Empowerment Series starts Feb. 5, Special Education Executive Director Jennifer Armington told Redwood Voice Community News. Its goal is for DNUSD to offer a place where parents can air their concerns about special education issues as well as to arm them with information they need to advocate for their children, she said.

A larger goal is to get parents involved in DNUSD’s Collaborating on Meaningful Parent Advocacy for Student Success, or COMPASS, group. One or two parents involved in that group can then bring Del Norte-specific concerns to the committee advising the Humboldt-Del Norte Special Education Local Plan Area.

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Articles, Education, Health

DNUSD To Add Vape Sensors To Crescent Elk Middle School Restrooms; VP Says School Staff Have Confiscated 30 to 40 E-Cigs This Year

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Thumbnail photo by Lindsay Fox via Wikimedia Commons. Creative Commons License

A steady increase in vaping over about three years at Crescent Elk Middle School prompted its vice principal to propose using a combination of environmental sensors and cameras to catch students who might be partaking.

Lucas O’Laughlin, who is also the dean of students, said he and Principal Paige Swan have collected 30-to-40 e-cigarette devices this year. They’re either confiscated from a student who’s been caught or a student found them and turned them in, he said.

The proliferation of vaping has also caused damage to Crescent Elk’s restrooms, O’Laughlin told the Del Norte Unified School District Board of Trustees on Thursday.

Continue reading DNUSD To Add Vape Sensors To Crescent Elk Middle School Restrooms; VP Says School Staff Have Confiscated 30 to 40 E-Cigs This Year →
Articles, Education, Infrastructure

DNUSD Recap for Jan. 8, 2026: Facilities Plan, Salary Increases, New Bell System

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Thumbnail photo by Paul Critz

Among the items discussed at Thursday’s Del Norte Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting:

Facilities master plan: Trustees approved a $177,000 contract with Studio W, a Sacramento-based architect firm, to develop a five-year facilities master plan.

DNUSD sent a request for qualification to six different architectural firms, receiving responses from three of them, Facilities and Maintenance Director Josh McCubbin told trustees. Of the three, a committee consisting of McCubbin, Jeff Napier and Greg Bowen, the former and current assistant superintendents of business, decided that Studio W best fits DNUSD’s needs.

Continue reading DNUSD Recap for Jan. 8, 2026: Facilities Plan, Salary Increases, New Bell System →
Articles, Local Government

‘LA Times’ Lists Del Norte Fair Among Others Plagued With Scandal After State Audit Raises Nepotism, Credit Card Misuse Concerns

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Thumbnail photo by Jessica Cejnar Andrews

A month after the Los Angeles Times listed the Del Norte County Fairgrounds as one of 26 fairs in California struggling with misfortune CEO Kim Floyd offered minimal information on how things would change in the future.

In her Dec. 11 rundown, the Times reporter Jessica Garrison cited a state audit from 2019 that found that Del Norte County fair officials improperly spent more than $1,200 on alcohol in violation of state rules and allowed a manager to employ a close family member. 

Garrison also cited a state audit from 2025 that found additional violations of the state’s nepotism policy as well as $34,637 in credit card charges without receipts. The audit cited $11,903 in credit card charges for food and drink without receipts.

Continue reading ‘LA Times’ Lists Del Norte Fair Among Others Plagued With Scandal After State Audit Raises Nepotism, Credit Card Misuse Concerns →
Articles, Infrastructure, Local Government

Crescent City Planning Commission To Consider 14-Unit Townhome Project

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Thumbnail photo: This image shows a 14-unit townhome development proposed for an area near J and 7th streets in Crescent City. | Image courtesy of Crescent City

Sam Schauerman, the developer behind Roosevelt Estates, is seeking to build another housing development in Crescent City, this one closer to the downtown area.

Schauerman, owner of Elk Creek Builders LLC, will go before the Planning Commission on Thursday for an architectural review of a 14-unit townhome project proposed for 708 J Street. According to City Manager Eric Wier, when they are finished, the units will be available to rent at the market rate.

“They’re townhome styles with garages and separations between the different driveways,” Wier told the City Council on Monday, “so it’ll be a little bit different style than some of the other developments.”

Continue reading Crescent City Planning Commission To Consider 14-Unit Townhome Project →
Articles, CC Harbor, Infrastructure, Local Government

CC Harbor Seeks Funding To Determine If Dredge Material Can Be Deposited Near Whaler Island

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Thumbnail photo: Crescent City Harbor officials are seeking funding for a project to determine whether its dredge materials can be used for beach enhancement. | File photo by Gavin Van Alstine

Crescent City Harbor officials are pursuing a grant they say may turn a dredging dilemma into a valuable resource for projects like wetland restoration and beach enhancement.

The Harbor District is seeking $500,000 in California Regional Investment Initiative grant dollars for its beneficial reuse project. This project involves depositing about 10,000 cubic yards of dredge material along the beach near Whaler Island and assessing the ecological impacts. 

If there are no adverse impacts, the Harbor District may have an answer to a challenge that’s been plaguing it for years, according to Harbormaster Mike Rademaker.

Continue reading CC Harbor Seeks Funding To Determine If Dredge Material Can Be Deposited Near Whaler Island →
Articles, Local Government

City Council Recap, Jan. 5, 2026: Measure S Appointments, Cannabis Regs, Council Appointments

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Among the items discussed at Monday’s Crescent City Council meeting:

Measure S Oversight Committee: Crescent City’s newest city councilor objected to volunteer firefighter Dana Reno’s continued appointment to the Measure S Oversight Committee.

Steve Shamblin, who had been on the oversight committee before he was appointed to the City Council, said he felt it was a conflict of interest for Reno to be involved in both the committee and Crescent City Fire and Rescue. The oversight committee is tasked with ensuring Measure S tax revenue is spent appropriately, which includes partially funding Crescent City Fire and Rescue — a concern Shamblin raised on Monday.

Continue reading City Council Recap, Jan. 5, 2026: Measure S Appointments, Cannabis Regs, Council Appointments →
Articles, CC Harbor, Local Government

Linda Sutter Files Federal Complaint Against Crescent City Harbor, Says CCHD Commissioners Violated Her Constitutional Rights

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Thumbnail photo: Linda Sutter spoke with KFUG Community Radio as a candidate for Crescent City Harbor commissioner in October 2024. | Photo by Amanda Dockter

Local activist Linda Sutter has filed another court complaint against the Crescent City Harbor District, this time accusing officials of violating her First and Fourteenth Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution.

Filed in the Eureka-McKinleyville Division of the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of California on Dec. 14, Sutter’s complaint included Harbormaster Mike Rademaker and commissioners Rick Shepherd, John Evans and Gerhard Weber as individual defendants. In her complaint, she accuses them of attempting to silence her when she speaks at public meetings and states that not responding to her requests for information under the California Public Records Act interferes with her “First Amendment news gathering rights.”

Sutter also states that Weber, who was chairman for much of 2025, used his position to suppress the speech of other women, namely Stephanie Abrams, Alicia Williams and Donna Westfall.

Continue reading Linda Sutter Files Federal Complaint Against Crescent City Harbor, Says CCHD Commissioners Violated Her Constitutional Rights →
Articles, Arts & Culture, Community News

Art Notes: Rikuzentakata Taiko Performers, New Public Art, Celtic Music Concert

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Thumbnail image courtesy of DNACA.net

If you have Arts Notes that you would like featured, contact DNACA at DNACA_CC@CLOUD.COM. We would love to spread the word about your events. You can also send the info to our Facebook Group, as well.

• Beginning January 8, 2026 we will be displaying at the Del Norte Regional Airport on the 2nd Floor Mezzanine, Tolowa Dee-Ni’ Nation posters.  Come see the beautiful artwork.  

• Beginning January 9, 2026, the Nat Soules Art Collection will be displayed in the main building hallway at College of the Redwoods’ Del Norte campus.  Please come during regular business hours to see the beautiful artwork.

Continue reading Art Notes: Rikuzentakata Taiko Performers, New Public Art, Celtic Music Concert →