Tag Archives: del norte county

Alerts, Articles, Environment, Transportation

Semi Hits Embankment Spills Asphalt Binder Into River; Driver Sustains Major Injuries

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Emergency crews responded to an overturned tanker that spilled some of its asphalt binder load into the Smith River early Thursday morning | Photos courtesy of Caltrans District 1

Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol and other emergency personnel are responding to a tanker that overturned near Idlewild on U.S. 199 and spilled some of its contents into the Smith River early Thursday morning.

The driver, a Redding man, was hauling more than 6,000 gallons of asphalt binder in a 2016 Kenworth semi at about 3:40 a.m. when his vehicle left the lane, collided with the embankment and overturned, CHP Public Information Officer Pete Gonzalez told Redwood Voice Community News. The driver was transported to Sutter Coast Hospital with major injuries, Gonzalez said.

It’s currently unknown how much of the asphalt binder entered the Smith River, Gonzalez said.

The collision occurred about a mile south of the Idlewild Maintenance Station, Gonzalez said. The road is currently down to one-way controlled traffic, he told Redwood Voice at about 11:30 a.m. 

Articles, Environment, Parks

Del Norte Hopes To Make Neighborly Relationship With U.S. Forest Service Official

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District 3 Supervisor Chris Howard referred to a historical failure to secure resources for wildfire mitigation and recreation as a major reason a Good Neighbor Authority Agreement with the U.S. Forest Service would be good for Del Norte County.

In response to skepticism from county resident and frequent commenter Sam Strait, Howard said the county could use the agreement as a way to get funding to organizations spearheading projects focusing on fuel reduction, watershed and forest restoration as well as trail development. He mentioned the Del Norte Fire Safe Council and the Del Norte Resource Conservation District specifically.

“There are a lot of these Good Neighbor Authorities being put in place throughout the State of California and the Pacific Northwest right now,” Howard said Tuesday. “I’m incredibly encouraged by the open door we’ve seen now with the Six Rivers National Forest, in particular with the staff at the Gasquet Ranger district, in helping us shape what this document looks like.”

Continue reading Del Norte Hopes To Make Neighborly Relationship With U.S. Forest Service Official →
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, Community News, Education, Regional News, Smith River, Tribal Affairs

‘Respectful Recognition Of The Original People’; Smith River School To Acknowledge Its Place In Tolowa Territory

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Thumbnail photo courtesy of the Smith River School Local Organizing Committee

Updated at 11:07 a.m. Saturday to correct Andromeda Lopez’s title and clarify Amanda O’Connell’s title.

It took more than a year of “energy, passion and advocacy,” but the Tolowa community, parents, teachers and advocates finally received the green light to formally recognize that their school stands on Tolowa homeland.

Andromeda Lopez, a Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation citizen and a True North Organizing Network leader organizer, called the unanimous approval from Del Norte County Unified School District trustees to install a public land acknowledgment sign at Smith River Elementary School a landmark moment in local history.

But the Board’s decision on Thursday came after its president, Charlaine Mazzei, cut the public comment period short amid outcry over what she and her colleagues said was a misunderstanding over the definition of the word territory.

Continue reading ‘Respectful Recognition Of The Original People’; Smith River School To Acknowledge Its Place In Tolowa Territory →
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.”

Continue reading Protest Efforts Fail To Stop City Water, Sewer Rate Increases →
Agriculture, Articles, Crime

Animal Cruelty Charges Filed In Connection With Horse That Died In Fairgrounds Stables

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Thumbnail photo courtesy of dnfair.org

A 20-year-old Crescent City woman faces one count of felony animal cruelty in connection with the death of a horse that was housed at the Del Norte County Fairgrounds.

A complaint Del Norte County District Attorney Katherine Micks filed Wednesday alleges that between Feb. 1 and March 27, Kaydence Rose Farley “subjected the horse to needless suffering” by failing to provide it with the proper food and drink. 

Farley is scheduled to be arraigned in Del Norte County Superior Court at 1:30 p.m. on June 29, Micks told Redwood Voice Community News on Monday.

Continue reading Animal Cruelty Charges Filed In Connection With Horse That Died In Fairgrounds Stables →
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

Rural Human Services Out, Harbor District In As Saturday Market Primary Sponsor

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The Community Artisan Market will make its debut for the 2026 season next week, but it will be under new management — the Crescent City Harbor District.

Harbor commissioners unanimously approved being the primary sponsor of the market after Harbormaster Mike Rademaker said its previous sponsor, Rural Human Services, “decided not to do the farmers market this year.”

RHS employee Angel Hanson has volunteered to run the market for the Harbor District this summer, Rademaker told commissioners on Wednesday. 

“It’s going to be the same structure as it was last year in terms of timing and vendor fees,” he said. “The harbor would be the primary sponsor with Angel being the project manager.”

Continue reading Rural Human Services Out, Harbor District In As Saturday Market Primary Sponsor →
Articles, CC Harbor, Infrastructure

Harbor District Leaders Meet Firms Vying For Citizens Dock, Seawall Project Manager Role

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Thumbnail photo: Harbor commissioners met the firms hoping to provide project management during the reconstruction of Citizens Dock and replacement of its adjacent seawall. | Photo by Jessica Cejnar Andrews

Harbor commissioners met two of the three firms that have offered to fill the project manager role in the rebuild of Citizens Dock and its adjacent seawall.

It’s another step toward construction for the U.S. Maritime Administration-funded project. But, while the project management services fee will be paid for with grant dollars, the firms’ proposals exceed the $250,000 to $350,000 that was originally budgeted for the position. 

However, that budgeted amount wasn’t included in the original request for proposals, Community System Solutions CEO Mike Bahr told commissioners Wednesday.

“We wanted to see what the proposers would propose for what they believed the scope of work for the project manager would be and what those costs would be,” he said.

Continue reading Harbor District Leaders Meet Firms Vying For Citizens Dock, Seawall Project Manager Role →