Category Archives: Youth

Articles, Law, Youth

DN Probation Chief Asks Supervisors To Oppose Proposed Limit on Probation Period for Juvenile Offenders

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Thumbnail photo courtesy of Del Norte County Probation

Calling it a solution looking for a problem, Lonnie Reyman urged Del Norte County supervisors to oppose a bill that seeks to place a 12-month limit on the probation period for juvenile offenders.

The chief probation officer asked the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to send a letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom requesting his veto on Assembly Bill 1376. The state’s juvenile justice system is already tailored to the youths’ individual needs, Reyman argued, and a judge determines how long they’ll be on probation.

“As stated in the letter, this takes away that authority for the court to determine what is in the best interest of that youth given all the information they receive,” he said, “both from my department, other agencies involved in the crime that occurred and any other entities and agencies that have input on the length of that probation and what that probation looks like.”

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Articles, Community News, Education, Transportation, Youth

Despite ‘Making Strides,’ Students Were Nearly An Hour Late To School, DNUSD Transportation Director Says

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Thumbnail photo by Paul Critz

Del Norte County Unified School District’s transportation director painted as optimistic a picture as he could when describing the first week of school for trustees.

But, though he said things have improved, Chris Armington admitted to cases where students were nearly an hour late getting to school.

“We are making strides to make sure that communications do go out to the parents,” he told trustees on Thursday. “I work with [DNUSD communications director] Michael Hawkins on communicating our shortages and our lates to the community, and we ask parents to assist if they can take their students rather than them being super late.”

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Articles, Education, Youth

DNUSD Recap: Trustees Create Budget Committee, Discusse Science Instruction and Climate Change

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

Standing Budget Committee:  Trustees approved the creation of a formal budget committee with dedicated meetings that will focus on how to be transparent about the district’s financial situation with all stakeholders, including parents.

Coming two months after he and his colleagues approved a 2025-26 budget amid warnings that DNUSD faces a slow decline in revenue and an increase in expenditures, District 5 Trustee Michael Greer said the meetings will be public.

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Articles, Local Government, Youth

Staff Vacancies, Increased Detention Costs, Relocation of Juvenile Services Pose Challenges to Del Norte Probation, Chief Says

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Thumbnail photo courtesy of the Del Norte Probation Department

Though his department has an overall vacancy rate of 33%, Lonnie Reyman said Del Norte County probation will be screening more than 20 potential new recruits.

The county’s probation chief offered this ray of optimism as part of an otherwise complex budget report to the Board of Supervisors on Monday. 

Probation and Re-entry Services, which includes the Youth Opportunity Center and detention services, is also expecting an uptick in the number of juvenile offenders that are in custody and are expecting the cost to house them to increase, he said.

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Articles, Arts & Culture, Community News, Youth

Low-Power FM Station Continues To Broadcast Local Voices, News to ‘Crescent City, Del Norte County and Beyond’

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Health Matters wasn’t Lynn Szabo’s idea.

Paul Critz, co-founder and director of KFUG Community Radio, had visited Redwood Urgent Care to discuss underwriting possibilities. Next thing Szabo knew she had a spot on the air to discuss all things health and why Del Norters should care.

“It was kind of amazing,” she said. “He came up with a show idea and for me to do [it]. He took a minute and a half to come up with it.”

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Articles, Community News, Crescent City, Education, Youth

Del Norte High School’s 2025 Graduation Ceremony

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It was a picturesquely sunny day when Del Norte High School held its 132nd annual graduation commencement for the Class of 2025. Families and friends filled the home side of Mike Whalen Field on Friday and then some to see their graduates. 

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Articles, Community News, Youth

DiRT & Glitter to Provide Free Summer Arts Adventure Program to Native and Del Norte Youth and Community

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Disclaimer: KFUG & Redwood Voice are actively working with DiRT & Glitter to provide the 10-week sound design course as part of its program.

A press release from DiRT & Glitter:

“Local Environmental Arts Non-profit DiRT & Glitter to Provide Free Summer Arts Adventure Program to Native and Del Norte Youth and Community: Program funded by Yurok Tribe’s Klamath Promise Neighborhood Initiative Strengthens Community Health”

Local environmental arts non-profit DiRT & Glitter is offering free arts adventure programming for native and local Del Norte youth all summer long, thanks to the support of the Yurok Tribe’s Klamath Promise Neighborhood Initiative (KPN). 

The organization’s Youth Art and Adventure Program is providing youth and community opportunities to learn new skills, acquire job training, connect with professional arts and adventure experts and experience our local wilderness, all with the aim of strengthening the health of our community.

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Articles, Education, Youth

Mountain School In Gasquet May Lose A Teacher As DNUSD Grapples With Budget Deficit

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Thumbnail photo by Aisling Bludworth

(Updated at 4:42 p.m. Wednesday: Del Norte Unified School District Director of Communication Mike Hawkins offered a clarification regarding class sizes in the district. While class sizes are changing, many are still fairly small, he said.)

Brandiy Dixon’s days teaching third through fifth grades at Mountain School in Gasquet appear to be numbered.

But instead of fighting to keep her job when she appeared before the Del Norte County Unified School District Board of Trustees on Thursday, Dixon said she was concerned about her colleagues, who will now be expected to cover five grade levels each, and her students.

“The maturation gap between a 4 year old and a 9 year old and a 9 year old and a 14 year old is enormous,” she said. “These are formative years where students need targeted academic support, clear routines and peer connections appropriate at their stage of development. This structure risks students feeling overlooked, frustrated or unsupported, especially those who already need scaffolding to succeed.”

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Articles, Education, Health, Youth

Del Norte’s School Wellness Guide Prompts Discussion Over Birthday Parties, Cupcakes, and Equity

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Thumbnail photo: Fish tacos were on the menu for Del Norte High School students in this file photo from last year. Julie Bjorkstrand, Del Norte Unified School District’s director of nutrition services, presented an updated wellness policy and guide to the DNUSD Board of Trustees last week. | Photo courtesy of Josh Mims

Julie Bjorkstrand’s attempt to clear up confusion surrounding a wellness policy and accompanying guide turned into a plea for community involvement after questions about classroom birthday parties, cupcakes, pizza and other treats persisted.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires school districts participating in the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs to adopt a school wellness policy. Such policies are required to include guidelines that set nutrition standards around food and drink sold or provided to students on campus during the school day. 

Treats for classroom parties fall into the latter category, said Bjorkstrand, Del Norte Unified School District’s director of Nutrition Services, but it doesn’t mean having to give them up entirely.

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Community News, Youth

Free Summer Meals Available for All Children in Brookings-Harbor

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A press release from the Brookings-Harbor School District:

The Brookings-Harbor School District will offer free summer meals for all children ages 1 through 18 from Monday, June 9, 2025, through Thursday, July 31, 2025, at the Brookings-Harbor High School Cafeteria, located at 629 Easy Street.

Meals are available Monday through Thursday and must be consumed on site. The cafeteria will be closed on Fridays and Thursday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. View the Summer Meals Information Page.

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