Category Archives: Local Government

Articles, Crescent City, Housing, Infrastructure, Local Government

Construction On Battery Point Apartments Set To Resume By June 29, Developer Says

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Thumbnail photo: Changing state regulations and water damage from winter storms sidelined construction on the senior housing portion of Battery Point Apartments in Crescent City. | Photo by James Brooks

Construction is expected to resume at Battery Point Apartments in about two weeks, a representative of the Los Angeles-based nonprofit behind the affordable housing project said.

The project’s subcontractors are paid and a crane will be on site later this week, Synergy Community Development Corporation President Bill Rice told the Crescent City Council on Monday. The investor working with Synergy and its partner, Step Forward Communities, also brought in a construction management firm to remediate water damage to the senior housing structure.

Rice was reluctant to give an exact date of completion, but he told councilors that Synergy and Step Forward Communities are working with their insurance company to ensure the remediation is “done right.”

Continue reading Construction On Battery Point Apartments Set To Resume By June 29, Developer Says →
Articles, Crescent City, Education, Local Government, Youth

Uncharted Shores Academy Leases City-Owned Former Preschool Building At Peterson Park

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Thumbnail image courtesy of Uncharted Shores Academy

Uncharted Shores Academy has found safe harbor for its Offshore Resource Center thanks to a Crescent City Council decision Monday.

The Council’s unanimous approval to lease its property at 475 7th Street to the charter school comes roughly two weeks before Uncharted Shores was set to vacate one of its satellite locations at Washington Square, according to Executive Director Dan Cartwright. 

In addition to offering space for students in its homeschool program to meet with teachers, the Washington Square space also housed the school’s business office, Cartwright said. But because of Sutter Coast Hospital’s plans to use the building for medical offices, its current tenants need to be out by the end of the month, he said.

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Articles, Community News, Local Government, Parks, Youth

Supervisors Side With Gateway Education Over Florence Keller Use, Reject County MOU Restricting Day Camp Program To Picnic Areas

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Thumbnail photo courtesy of Del Norte County

Florence Keller Regional Park is one of a handful of local spots ideal for teaching kids how to build a shelter in the wilderness, Ron Cole says.

For 25 years, Gateway Education of the Wild Rivers Coast, has used the 26-acre park with its redwood grove as an outdoor classroom to teach youngsters how to identify plants, move quietly through their environment and build the intuitive skills needed for survival, the organization’s board president said.

“All of these things are pretty quiet activities,” Cole told Redwood Voice Community News after appearing before the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. “Even the games that they do to practice those skills — the kids are moving as silently as they can because they don’t want to be caught — (so) the concerns about noise really weren’t justified.”

Three members of the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a renewed memorandum of understanding with Gateway Education enabling the organization to continue to use three campsites and the former ropes course at Florence Keller for its Summer Day Camp program through 2031.

Continue reading Supervisors Side With Gateway Education Over Florence Keller Use, Reject County MOU Restricting Day Camp Program To Picnic Areas →
Articles, Education, Local Government

Del Norte Unified Still Struggles With Budget Deficit Despite Improvements

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Thumbnail photo courtesy of Del Norte Unified School District

Del Norte Unified School District is still grappling with a budget deficit, but the district’s current financial picture has improved over last year, its assistant superintendent of business said.

DNUSD’s net budget shortfall heading into the 2026-27 fiscal year is $3.78 million compared to the $4.6 million deficit it was dealing with last year, Greg Bowen told trustees on Thursday.

At a public hearing roughly three weeks after California Gov. Gavin Newsom released his revised budget, Bowen credited a 4.31% cost of living adjustment, or “super COLA” and  a proposal to allocate additional funding for special education for the improvements. But Bowen said district officials are “cautious about what the future holds.”

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Articles, Infrastructure, Local Government

City Officials Pursue $50 Million Forgivable Loan For Major Sewer Plant Upgrade

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Thumbnail photo by James Brooks

Following a public hearing and the adoption of increased sewer rates, Crescent City City Manager Eric Wier said staff have begun pursuing the state funding connected to the utility’s next phase.

The next phase involves installing the infrastructure the sewer plant needs to meet updated National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit regulations. 

After fining the city $228,000 for not complying with those stricter permitting regulations last year, the state has given Crescent City five, potentially 10 years, to make those upgrades, according to Wier. 

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Articles, Elections, Local Government

Early Election Results Show Howard, Borges Leading Over Challengers in Del Norte Supervisor Races

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Thumbnail photo: The Veterans Memorial Hall served as one of the polling places for the June 2 Primary Election. | Photo by Monique Camarena

Chris Howard said he was ready for the “next leg of the adventure” after final election night results were posted Tuesday, though he lamented at the low voter turnout.

As the evening wound to a close, the Del Norte County District 3 supervisor was ahead of his challenger Lupe Gutierrez based on early results the Del Norte County Elections Office posted at about 9:50 p.m.

County Clerk Recorder Alissia Northrup and her staff will spend the week processing ballots, but Howard is already looking toward his fourth term.

Continue reading Early Election Results Show Howard, Borges Leading Over Challengers in Del Norte Supervisor Races →
Articles, Crescent City, Infrastructure, Local Government

Protest Efforts Fail To Stop City Water, Sewer Rate Increases

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Thumbnail photo: Margaret Sargent on Monday speaks out in opposition of Crescent City’s plan to increase water and sewer rates. | Photo by Aisling Bludworth

A Proposition 218 protest failed to halt water and sewer rate increases in Crescent City on Monday despite an effort to collect signatures by a local group who says residents can’t afford them.

Though he didn’t specify if it was water or sewer, county resident David Olkowski, said at $95.38, his bill currently consumes about 16.95% of his social security income. It’s set to account for about 30% of his monthly social security at $171.92 when the rate adjustments take effect next month.

“The assistance we get from the many food banks are dwarfed by these rate increases,” he said. “The savings from our gardens, growing vegetables, fruit trees and produce, berries, are dwarfed by these rate increases.”

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Articles, Elections, Local Government

Howard Nets Big Donations, Gutierrez Outspends Opponent In District 3 Supervisor Race; Voting Closes Tuesday

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Thumbnail photo: Del Norte County elections staff began a live-stream as they processed on Monday. | Screenshot

Chris Howard received donations from big local names as he seeks to keep his District 3 seat on the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors.

Howard, who’s running against retired educator Lupe Gutierrez, boasts four-figure donations from Nick and Lisa Rail, Green Diamond Resource Company and Adam Goldstein, an entrepreneur from Burbank who moved to Crescent City.

The amount of the donations Gutierrez received between March 1 and April 23 pales in comparison to her opponent. However, she has spent $6,634.76 in literature, campaign paraphernalia and research, according to her California Form 460. 

Continue reading Howard Nets Big Donations, Gutierrez Outspends Opponent In District 3 Supervisor Race; Voting Closes Tuesday →
Articles, CC Harbor, Crescent City, Infrastructure, Local Government

Three CCHD Commissioners Abstain In Vote To Oppose City Water, Sewer Hikes; Bearing Cost Will Be Difficult, Board Chair Says, But ‘Rates Are Valid’

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Thumbnail photo: Crescent City wastewater treatment plant | Photo by James Brooks

Three harbor commissioners declined taking a position on whether or not Crescent City’s water and sewer rates should increase.

Chairman Rick Shepherd, Vice Chairman John Evans and their colleague Gerhard Weber abstained from a vote to oppose the proposed rate increases. Though they toured the sewer plant with City Manager Eric Wier, Shepherd and Evans said taking a position on the issue would be difficult for them.

Shepherd echoed points Wier has made to the Crescent City Council — that it’s been about 10 years since water and sewer rates have increased and that the sewer system is in dire financial straits. But, Shepherd also noted that the increased water and sewer rates may cost the Crescent City Harbor District $10,000 to $12,000 a year.

Continue reading Three CCHD Commissioners Abstain In Vote To Oppose City Water, Sewer Hikes; Bearing Cost Will Be Difficult, Board Chair Says, But ‘Rates Are Valid’ →
Articles, Local Government

Del Norte Supervisors Discuss Juvenile Detention MOU With Sonoma County; A Dispatcher’s Salary; District Attorney Staffing

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Thumbnail photo by Paul Critz

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

Juvenile Offender Placement: Del Norte County supervisors approved adding Sonoma County Juvenile Hall to the list of potential detention facilities it can use to house youthful offenders in Del Norte’s care.

Del Norte County Probation Chief Lonnie Reyman’s request comes about three years after the Board of Supervisors officially eliminated his department’s juvenile hall division  in 2023. 

The probation department continues to use the Humboldt County Juvenile Hall as its primary detention facility for youth with Mendocino, Shasta and El Dorado counties acting as a backup. According to Reyman’s staff report, contracting with the Sonoma County Probation Department also enables Del Norte youth to access its sexual offender treatment program and secure track treatment program.

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