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TLDR Humboldt

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Thanks to Sitka Wine LoungeBelle Starr ClothingNorth Coast Co-opBeck’s Bakery, and Photography by Shi

Writer's pictureHumboldt Last Week

Humboldt Last Week podcast transcript (Ep. 336)

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Trucks carrying $1M of Guy Fieri’s tequila were hijacked in Texas. The heist included over 24,000 bottles from a tequila company Guy owns with rocker Sammy Hagar. No word if the truck thieves reported they could drive 55. Ferndale export and celebrity chef Guy Fieri likened the developments to a movie plot. Cargo theft has reportedly surged in 2024, with liquor becoming a major target. *** People


A missing Hawaii woman was possibly headed to the redwoods. In an Instagram post from last year, she’d tagged southern Humboldt’s Richardson Grove State Park. Hannah Kobayashi is 31 years old and her phone last pinged from LAX, when cryptic texts were sent from her phone on November 11 mentioning she was “headed to the redwoods” and expressing concerns about her safety and identity. *** RHBB


Cops say a homeless man died while attempting to steal copper wire at an abandoned power plant. The 50-year-old man reportedly died at the abandoned Blue Lake power plant by electrocution, burns, chronic meth abuse, and a fall from high enough to reach terminal velocity. *** RHBB


Eureka officials supported a funding effort by the county to rebuild our psychiatric hospital. Sempervirens is our aging psychiatric hospital near Henderson Center, but the new location would be Old Town at Fifth and I Streets.  While the move does not expand bed capacity, more mental health services are planned at other facilities including Arcata’s upcoming Behavioral Health Crisis Triage Center. *** LoCo 


Humboldt County laughs in the face of weather. A LoCo poll asked how bad our weather forecast has to be for people to skip downplaying it on social media to appear tough: “You're a big, brave storm boy! You're a real Humboldt girl who's seen all the weather already!” The top response saw respondents basically saying NOTHING phases them. *** LoCo


Humboldt’s small cannabis farmers continue to struggle after years of broken promises. While Governor Newsom said he’d protect small growers, big-money farms have taken over the market bringing prices to record lows. In 2017 the one-acre cultivation cap was removed, opening the floodgates for corporate farms. Recent data shows one farm in Southern California harvested more cannabis in a quarter than all of Humboldt County combined. Newsom also recently vetoed a bill that would have allowed small growers to sell directly to consumers at farmers' markets. *** RHBB


A bone discovered in the Eel River belonged to a man who vanished in 2017. Officials say DNA analysis revealed the bone belonged to Mark Burleigh, reigniting the call for answers about his disappearance. Rumors and unsubstantiated sightings have surrounded Mark’s disappearance, with his family going through years of uncertainty. *** RHBB


Pacific Seafood has moved its processing from Eureka to Oregon. They cited the economy and California's regulations for the decision. This has caused local fishermen to scramble for new buyers. For now, though, Pacific Seafood is remaining in Humboldt despite its lower profile and Eureka layoffs. This news is representative of yet another important sector of our economy facing challenges. *** LoCo


A statewide effort to rename places is changing the title of a bridge in Fieldbrook. The bridge will now be called Dulouwirughuqa’n, instead of a moniker with a derogatory term for Indigenous women, the Squaw Creek Bridge. The creek underneath will also be renamed Tip Top Ridge Creek. A private road beyond governmental jurisdiction will still have the outdated name. Humboldt County worked with local tribes to select the new names as part of this effort signed by Governor Gavin Newsom. *** LoCo


An innocent guy from McKinleyville won a settlement after being attacked by a police dog elsewhere. The former Marine won $850,000 from Sonoma County after a police dog severely injured his arm. It’s reported deputies knew the guy, his car did not match a suspect vehicle, and officers sicced the dog on him anyway despite his compliance. The fella from McKinleyville suffered lasting nerve damage and disfigurement. *** RHBB


Cal Poly Humboldt has been named one of The Princeton Review’s Green Colleges for 2025. Among other things supporting the development, Cal Poly Humboldt was the first university in California to ban single-use plastic water bottles and they’re internationally known for clean energy innovation research. *** CPH press release


The Sequoia Park Zoo — not Ferndale — is now set to host the tallest living decorated tree. Their Zoo Lights event in December is set to feature a massive redwood tree adorned with weatherproof decorations and colorful lights. Staff at the Eureka zoo says their tree of choice surpasses Ferndale's famous decorated spruce. *** NCJ


YouTuber Peter Santenello's new travel video about Humboldt has over a million views. In the piece, songwriter Brett McFarland gave a tour of his farm, and the YouTuber with over 3 million subscribers went to the Arcata Farmers Market, Blue Ox Millworks, and our breathtaking Redwood National Park. *** YouTube

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