Category Archives: Community News

Community News

‘He’s Buried At Bar-O Boys Ranch’; Descendant Of Miner Raises Concerns Over Potential Sale Of Former Juvenile Facility

Leave a comment
Photo courtesy of Jane Miller

Thumbnail photo: George H. Washington lived on a mining claim near the Siskiyou Fork of the Smith River — where Bar-O Boys Ranch would be established — from 1894 to his death in 1927. His family say he’s buried on the 34-acre property | Photo courtesy of the Del Norte County Historical Society

With one supervisor noting that Del Norte County doesn’t have the means to maintain the 35-acre property, the Board on Tuesday took a step closer to preparing the former Bar-O Boys Ranch for sale.

Their unanimous decision to modify a contract with Public Square Real Estate to determine if a Surplus Lands Act designation for Bar-O would be appropriate is not listing the property for sale yet. But it still prompted Jane Miller to show supervisors a photo of a gravesite that belongs to her great great great grandfather, George Washington.

“He’s buried at Bar-O Boys Ranch and we just heard about the sale of the property being proposed today like an hour ago,” she said. “This man helped build the road … between Cave Junction and here for us to travel [on] and I just want to make sure his grave site is protected if you’re selling the land.”

Continue reading ‘He’s Buried At Bar-O Boys Ranch’; Descendant Of Miner Raises Concerns Over Potential Sale Of Former Juvenile Facility →
Articles, Community News, Environment, Local Government

Proposed Sale Of Pac Shore Properties Prompt BOS Discussion Around Wetland Mitigation

Leave a comment

Thumbnail photo: California Coastal commissioners stopped by the Pacific Shores subdivision during a visit to Del Norte County last year. | Photo by Jessica Cejnar Andrews

Del Norte County supervisors on Tuesday stalled the proposed sale of 18 tax-defaulted properties within the Pacific Shores subdivision to the state, instead directing staff to determine whether they could be used to mitigate wetland damage caused by future infrastructure projects.

Griping about a ratio the California Coastal Commission demanded during a runway safety project at the Del Norte County Regional Airport years ago, District 1 Supervisor Darrin Short asked if it would cost the county to hold onto the 18 properties rather than proceed with the sale. 

“We had to come up with 10 acres for [wetland] mitigation for every one acre we messed around with at the airport. It was plain extortion from the California Coastal Commission,” Short said. “My thought is the parcels we own in and around the swamps — Ruth Compound, whatever you want to call it — there are places there that are buildable. I’m thinking we could use these parcels to mitigate [that].”

Continue reading Proposed Sale Of Pac Shore Properties Prompt BOS Discussion Around Wetland Mitigation →
Articles, Community News, Crescent City

Crescent City Fire Celebrates 125 Years; Council Approves Reserve Officer Program; Beach Fires Revisited

Leave a comment

Thumbnail photo: Crescent City Fire and Rescue held its annual Fourth of July water ball tournament on Friday. | Photo courtesy of Crescent City Fire and Rescue

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

Crescent City Fire & Rescue’s 125th anniversary: 

After his dad, Rich Wier, accepted a proclamation from the mayor commemorating the local fire department’s 125 years of service, City Manager Eric Wier urged people to take a look through the fire station windows.

“You’ll be able to see some of this legacy,” Wier said. “You’ll be able to see the pictures of the chiefs on the wall and there’s only six — six in 125 years. You’ll be able to see an old fire pump that actually has the two handles where you had the firemen on either side pumping from a cistern. We’re talking 1900 protecting this community. It really says a lot when you say the heart and soul of this is the volunteers.”

Continue reading Crescent City Fire Celebrates 125 Years; Council Approves Reserve Officer Program; Beach Fires Revisited →
Articles, Community News, Education

DNUSD Board of Trustees Roundup, June 30, 2025

Leave a comment

Thumbnail photo by Paul Critz

Board President and Trustee Area 4 representative Charlaine Mazzei was absent. Among the items discussed at the Del Norte Unified School District Board meeting on Monday:

Seamless Summer Food Program: DNUSD’s director of nutrition services, Julie Bjorkstrand, gave trustees a brief rundown of the first two weeks of DNUSD’s Seamless Summer Food program. During the first week of the program the school district fed 800 students, providing them a total of six days worth of meals. During the second week, 1,312 students were fed and as of Monday, 512 have collected meals.

Meals are distributed Mondays and Wednesdays with two breakfasts and two lunches being provided per child on Mondays and four breakfast meals and four lunch meals provided per child on Wednesdays. 

Continue reading DNUSD Board of Trustees Roundup, June 30, 2025 →
Community News, LGBTQ, Videos

DNATL Pride 2025

Leave a comment

June 21st made Crescent City’s second annual DNATL Pride event, featuring numerous vendors, free food, a plethora of speakers, a speech from the Eureka Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and, of course, a pride parade.

PRIDE was hosted by the Crescent City United Methodist Church and Del Norte LGBTQ Resource Project. KFUG and Redwood Voice are a proud sponsor of DNATL Pride. Video by Gavin Van Alstine.

For more information and resources, check out the links below:

Articles, Community News, Health

“29 and Time to Shine” 2025 Community Health Fair

Leave a comment

A press release from the Department of Health & Human Services Public Health Branch:

Hello Del Norte County Community Members,

The Del Norte County Public Health Branch is excited to announce our 29th annual Health Fair! This year’s theme is “29 & Time to Shine!” Together, we can transform lives, foster hope, and create a healthier future for our community.

The Health Fair is more than just an event—it’s a movement. It’s about bringing people together to share resources, connect with one another, and inspire change. Families show up for the free resources and giveaways, but they leave with so much more: knowledge, connections, and a renewed sense of community. Let’s make this year the most impactful yet by coming together and providing the tools and services that truly make a difference.

This year, we are introducing the Puzzle Piece Project, a unique opportunity to showcase the incredible community-based programs that help Del Norte County thrive. We invite you to partner with us at Public Health to record short videos that highlight how your program or service contributes to the health and well-being of our community. These videos will symbolize how all of us—like puzzle pieces—fit together to build a stronger, more united Del Norte County. If you are interested in being part of the Puzzle Piece Project, please reach out to Anna Porter.

Continue reading “29 and Time to Shine” 2025 Community Health Fair →
Articles, Arts & Culture, Community News, LGBTQ

Best-Selling Author Joanie Lindenmeyer Spoke on Authenticity and Resiliency as a Kick-Off to PRIDE 2025

Leave a comment

“Be you, be the sparkle, and have faith!”

Joanie Lindenmeyer, retired Del Norte High School teacher turned best-selling author, shared stories of authenticity and resiliency as an LGBTQ+ person at the library June 19 as a kick-off to DNATL PRIDE 2025. She also spoke on the three books she wrote and co-wrote: Nun Better, Joyously Free!, and Healing Religious Hurts.

Lindenmeyer was a health education teacher at DNHS for 25 years until she retired in 2018. Before that, she worked in health education at Rural Human Services for two years. She now lives in Brookings.

Continue reading Best-Selling Author Joanie Lindenmeyer Spoke on Authenticity and Resiliency as a Kick-Off to PRIDE 2025 →
Articles, Community News, Crime, Law

Unidentified Man Fatally Shot By Law Enforcement; Incident Originated As A Medical Aid Call, Del Norte Sheriff Says

Leave a comment

Thumbnail photo: Law enforcement continue an investigation into an officer-involved-shooting that took place near Anchor Way and U.S. 101 on Friday. | Heather Polen

Updated at 11:16 a.m. Saturday:

From the California Highway Patrol:

On June 27, 2025, at approximately 10:55 A.M., California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers assigned to the CHP Crescent City Area responded to a 911 report of a male subject covered in blood, on Anchor Way west of US-101. 

Emergency medical personnel also responded to the scene. The male subject was carrying a knife and aggressively approached medical personnel. Medical personnel backed away from the male subject.

One Del Norte Sheriff’s Office (DNSO) deputy and two CHP officers arrived on the scene and ordered the subject to drop the knife.  The male subject was non-responsive to verbal commands.

The subject aggressively approached the deputy and officers. The DNSO deputy deployed his electronic control device, which proved to be ineffective. The subject continued to aggressively charge at the officers with a knife, and out of fear for his safety and the safety of others, a CHP officer involved shooting occurred.

The subject was arrested at the scene, and emergency medical aid was rendered. The male subject was transported to Sutter Coast Hospital and succumbed to his injuries.  

No injuries were sustained by CHP officers or Allied Agencies. 

###

A criminal and an internal affairs investigation is underway in connection with an officer-involved-shooting that claimed the life of an unidentified man, and took place at the intersection of Anchor Way and U.S. 101 on Friday.

The incident started as a medical aid call, Del Norte County Sheriff Garrett Scott told Redwood Voice Community News. Shortly after arriving at the scene — the grassy area near the Crescent City Harbor entrance — personnel from Crescent Fire and Del Norte Ambulance requested help from law enforcement, saying the patient was attacking them with a box cutter.

A Del Norte County sheriff’s deputy and a California Highway Patrol officer arrived on scene at about the same time, Scott said. The suspect was shot and later pronounced dead at Sutter Coast Hospital, the sheriff said, though the details surrounding shots being fired are still under investigation.

Continue reading Unidentified Man Fatally Shot By Law Enforcement; Incident Originated As A Medical Aid Call, Del Norte Sheriff Says →
Articles, CC Harbor, Community News, Local Government

Following 3-2 Vote, Rademaker Keeps Harbormaster Job Despite Concerns Over His Contract

Leave a comment
Rademaker

Thumbnail photo by Paul Critz

Three Crescent City Harbor commissioners let a five-year employment contract with Mike Rademaker stand despite concerns from two of their colleagues that someone had tweaked it after the fact.

During a meeting that lasted more than five hours Wednesday, commissioners Annie Nehmer and Dan Schmidt said the final version of the contract included terms that had been deleted during negotiations the Board held with Rademaker in May.

Nehmer said that paragraphs she and her colleagues had changed when negotiating Rademaker’s contract with the help of attorney Michael Travis, of Best Best & Krieger, had been added back in after it had been sent to the district’s current legal counsel, Ryan Plotz, of the Mitchell Law Firm, for review.

Continue reading Following 3-2 Vote, Rademaker Keeps Harbormaster Job Despite Concerns Over His Contract →
Articles, Community News

Del Norte’s Housing Authority Officially Opens the Legacy

Leave a comment

Del Norte County’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) had a public grand opening to their five-year long permanent supportive housing project, the Legacy, on June 10.

The grand opening began with a discussion first started by DHHS Director Ranell Brown, about the history of the Legacy, detailing the effort it took to transform the once known Coastal Inn & Suites motel into permanent supportive housing for Del Norte’s at-risk and homeless individuals. Beginning as interim housing, the property was used during the COVID-19 pandemic. The county purchased the former motel using a state-funded $2.8 million grant from the Project Homekey program and turned it into transitional housing, with the hopes of making it permanent supportive housing. 

Continue reading Del Norte’s Housing Authority Officially Opens the Legacy →