State university system grapples with $584 million shortfall
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/17/09
Long Beach
Faced with a projected $584 million shortfall to its budget as a result of the state budget crisis, the California State University Board of Trustees will meet July 21 to finalize plans to manage the budget deficit with skyrocketing fee increases and dramatic cuts to student services.
Trustee are set to vote on a proposed $672 fee increase for full-time undergraduate student residents, and a $990 tuition increase for full-time students from out of state, according to a release from university officials. Fee increases for all part-time and graduate students in the CSU are also expected.
High school and transfer students not already within the CSU system will be hit especially hard: Enrollment is already closed for the upcoming fall semester, and Humboldt State University officials concede that enrollment is closed for spring 2010.
CSU officials also calculate a reduction of 40,000 students system-wide in the 2010-11 academic year -- meaning fewer incoming high school graduates who otherwise qualify for admission will be allowed in.
“These are not easy choices,” CSU chancellor Charles B. Reed stated. “We are asking everyone to make sacrifices so that we can continue to serve as many students as possible and to preserve as many jobs as possible under very difficult circumstances.”
For the first time in living memory, the pain of budget cuts will actually be felt by Reed and other six-figure income university administrators; trustees are set to take action on proposed changes to state regulations to allow the Chancellor to furlough management and executive employees. Twin freezes on salaries for, and “non-essential” hiring of, executive positions are also being imposed.
All university employees, with the exception of campus-based police, are also expecting to feel the bite of involuntary furloughs two days a month. The California Faculty Association, which represents faculty, has yet to agree to an amendment to their contract to allow for furloughs -- the California State Employees Union, which represents support staff, has reached a tentative agreement with Long Beach to allow for furloughs.
While CSU employees will continue to be paid as normal and will not be subject to the IOUs the Controller is currently issuing, students receiving financial aid are; officials from the Chancellor’s office insist that payment deadlines for affected students are being deferred.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
EPD rousts heroin den, arrest six
One ounce of heroin also seized at second location
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/16/09
Eureka
Six needle-wielding heroin users were served with a search warrant and subsequently arrested on drug charges today, while across town Eureka Police Department officers simultaneously served a warrant at a second location and found an ounce of heroin.
First on the docket is 37-year-old Michael Ray Robinson, who is charged with maintaining a drug house at the unspecified address on the 600 block of West Wabash Avenue. Additional felony drug possession charges are pending for Robinson, according to EPD sergeant Steve Watson in a release.
The EPD Crime Suppression Unit, assisted by uniformed patrol officers, also arrested Philip Daniel Myers, 19, Christopher Paul Jacobson, 21, and Adonia McGarity, 38 for possession of hypodermic syringes and drug paraphernalia; EPD suggests felony drug possession charges are also pending for McGarity.
Virginia Mae Ramsland, 29, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, while Joseph Donald Ray, 42, was arrested for both drug possession and possession of paraphernalia.
EPD declined to disclose the second location searched where the ounce of heroin was seized; their investigation is ongoing and further arrests may follow.
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/16/09
Eureka
Six needle-wielding heroin users were served with a search warrant and subsequently arrested on drug charges today, while across town Eureka Police Department officers simultaneously served a warrant at a second location and found an ounce of heroin.
First on the docket is 37-year-old Michael Ray Robinson, who is charged with maintaining a drug house at the unspecified address on the 600 block of West Wabash Avenue. Additional felony drug possession charges are pending for Robinson, according to EPD sergeant Steve Watson in a release.
The EPD Crime Suppression Unit, assisted by uniformed patrol officers, also arrested Philip Daniel Myers, 19, Christopher Paul Jacobson, 21, and Adonia McGarity, 38 for possession of hypodermic syringes and drug paraphernalia; EPD suggests felony drug possession charges are also pending for McGarity.
Virginia Mae Ramsland, 29, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, while Joseph Donald Ray, 42, was arrested for both drug possession and possession of paraphernalia.
EPD declined to disclose the second location searched where the ounce of heroin was seized; their investigation is ongoing and further arrests may follow.
Big cats spotted in Arcata
Neither mountain lion “incident” involved aggressive behavior
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/16/09
Arcata
Either two mountain lions were spotted yesterday, or the same one was spotted twice in different neighborhoods of Arcata.
The first sighting was early in the morning, when a member of the public reported a mountain lion near Anderson Lane in SunnyBrae. Arcata Police Department officers checked the area, but did not locate the animal.
Late in the afternoon, a second sighting was reported in between Greenbriar Lane and Hilltop Court off of California Avenue, in the hills just north of Humboldt State University. APD units responding were equally unable to locate the cat.
APD sergeant Dave Brown warned the community that mountain lion sightings are not uncommon in the city, usually in areas bordering the forest. He cautioned residents on the edge of town not to leave pet food outside and to be more aware during early morning and evening hours.
If a mountain lion is encountered, citizens are advised to make themselves appear larger by waving your hands overhead and yelling, which may be useful in scaring the animal away.
APD asks anyone encountering a mountain lion in Arcata to contact them at (707) 822-2424.
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/16/09
Arcata
Either two mountain lions were spotted yesterday, or the same one was spotted twice in different neighborhoods of Arcata.
The first sighting was early in the morning, when a member of the public reported a mountain lion near Anderson Lane in SunnyBrae. Arcata Police Department officers checked the area, but did not locate the animal.
Late in the afternoon, a second sighting was reported in between Greenbriar Lane and Hilltop Court off of California Avenue, in the hills just north of Humboldt State University. APD units responding were equally unable to locate the cat.
APD sergeant Dave Brown warned the community that mountain lion sightings are not uncommon in the city, usually in areas bordering the forest. He cautioned residents on the edge of town not to leave pet food outside and to be more aware during early morning and evening hours.
If a mountain lion is encountered, citizens are advised to make themselves appear larger by waving your hands overhead and yelling, which may be useful in scaring the animal away.
APD asks anyone encountering a mountain lion in Arcata to contact them at (707) 822-2424.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Gigolo sting catches four local women
Undercover EPD decoy cruises Third Street to make busts
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/15/09
Eureka
In a departure from the usual police sting on male customers of prostitutes, Eureka Police Department officers made four arrests last night of local women who were soliciting a “John” or male decoy.
The Crime Suppression Unit utilized a car borrowed from J&L Towing and Transport and put an undercover EPD detective behind the wheel along the notorious Third Street strip between the Humboldt County library and the law office of Tracy Herrin. This neighborhood has been the target of numerous citizen complaints about open-air prostitution during late afternoon and evening hours, according to a release from EPD sergeant Steve Watson.
During the three hour operation, the sting operation netted four arrests for soliciting an act of prostitution: Carrie Lynette McKune, 23, Kristen Leilani Hill, 36, Valerie Rondi, 51 and Laurie Ellen Damon, 33, were all transported without incident to the county jail.
The Crime Suppression Unit was formed last month out of the ashes of the EPD Gang Unit, and according to Watson, the purpose of this change was to expand the scope and mission of the part-time unit to encompass gang enforcement, auto theft, burglary, prostitution, vandalism and street level drug sales.
The unit is currently supervised by a patrol sergeant under lieutenant Tony Zanotti, the Field Operations Division Commander, and its objective is to take a more aggressive approach to suppressing street crime and gang violence. Currently, seven officers plus the sergeant serve in the unit.
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/15/09
Eureka
In a departure from the usual police sting on male customers of prostitutes, Eureka Police Department officers made four arrests last night of local women who were soliciting a “John” or male decoy.
The Crime Suppression Unit utilized a car borrowed from J&L Towing and Transport and put an undercover EPD detective behind the wheel along the notorious Third Street strip between the Humboldt County library and the law office of Tracy Herrin. This neighborhood has been the target of numerous citizen complaints about open-air prostitution during late afternoon and evening hours, according to a release from EPD sergeant Steve Watson.
During the three hour operation, the sting operation netted four arrests for soliciting an act of prostitution: Carrie Lynette McKune, 23, Kristen Leilani Hill, 36, Valerie Rondi, 51 and Laurie Ellen Damon, 33, were all transported without incident to the county jail.
The Crime Suppression Unit was formed last month out of the ashes of the EPD Gang Unit, and according to Watson, the purpose of this change was to expand the scope and mission of the part-time unit to encompass gang enforcement, auto theft, burglary, prostitution, vandalism and street level drug sales.
The unit is currently supervised by a patrol sergeant under lieutenant Tony Zanotti, the Field Operations Division Commander, and its objective is to take a more aggressive approach to suppressing street crime and gang violence. Currently, seven officers plus the sergeant serve in the unit.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
King Salmon man goes missing in Headwaters
Kenneth Norman Dotson reportedly suffers from depression
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/14/09
Fortuna
An elderly resident of King Salmon has been missing for over a week and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is on the lookout.
Kenneth Norman Dotson, 67, was last seen on July 6 at his daughter’s residence in Miranda. His vehicle, a blue 1994 Buick LaSabre, was located at the Elk River Trailhead of the Headwaters Forest Reserve.
According to the HCSO release, Dotson is considered as an at risk individual due to a depressive condition, and relatives also report that his disappearance is out of character.
Dotson is described as a white male, 5 foot 9 inches tall, 170 pounds, with grey hair and blue eyes. Members of the public with any information about Dotson’s whereabouts are asked to call the HCSO at (707) 445-7251.
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/14/09
Fortuna
An elderly resident of King Salmon has been missing for over a week and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is on the lookout.
Kenneth Norman Dotson, 67, was last seen on July 6 at his daughter’s residence in Miranda. His vehicle, a blue 1994 Buick LaSabre, was located at the Elk River Trailhead of the Headwaters Forest Reserve.
According to the HCSO release, Dotson is considered as an at risk individual due to a depressive condition, and relatives also report that his disappearance is out of character.
Dotson is described as a white male, 5 foot 9 inches tall, 170 pounds, with grey hair and blue eyes. Members of the public with any information about Dotson’s whereabouts are asked to call the HCSO at (707) 445-7251.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Bill passes to halt suction dredge mining
Resumption would await new regulations from Fish and Game
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/13/09
Sacramento
A measure headed to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desk would immediately enact a temporary ban on suction dredge mining in rivers and streams across the region.
Senate Bill 670, authored by Pat Wiggins (Dem - Santa Rosa) and Lois Wolk (Dem - Davis), was adopted earlier today by a 28-7 vote of the State Senate -- a sufficient margin to override a possible gubernatorial veto.
The ban would stay in place until the state’s Department of Fish and Game finishes its court-ordered overhaul of regulations governing this practice, which the bill’s backers claim is highly destructive to spawning grounds for fish. Suction dredge mining involves powerful machines which float on the river’s surface and suck up sediment to uncover valuable minerals.
Wiggins asserted in a release today that she undertook this legislation due to her alarm at the decline of salmon and steelhead populations on the North Coast, which led to recent bans on salmon fishing up and down the Pacific seaboard.
“This ban affects the livelihoods of thousands of commercial fishermen, fish processors, and charter boat operators,” she stated. “The ban has eliminated hundreds of thousands of dollars in economic activity – especially in rural areas.”
“Yet while fishermen are being told to stop fishing, a recreational activity called ‘suction dredge mining’ is allowed to continue. SB 670 is about equity. We simply cannot ask an entire fishing industry to stop their work, while a small group of hobbyists are allowed to continue.”
The state was ordered by a federal court to overhaul regulations governing suction dredge mining as a result of a 2005 lawsuit by the Karuk Tribe. After counterclaims by suction dredge miners, the courts ordered Fish and Game to complete a California Environmental Quality Act review before it acted. This CEQA review was supposed to take 18 months and wrap up a year ago -- but Fish and Game has yet to even begin the process.
Last Thursday, the Alameda District Court issued a preliminary injunction in the case, ordering Fish and Game to immediately cease using general fund money to operate the suction dredge permitting program because it is being operated in violation of CEQA.
“In addition to this being essential to saving salmon and steelhead fisheries, this bill will save the department an estimated $1 million in costs, to administer a program that does not pay for itself,” Wiggins added in her statement.
Assemblymember Jared Huffman (Dem - San Rafael) shepherded the bill through the State Assembly, along with Noreen Evans (Dem - Santa Rosa) and Dave Jones (Dem - Sacramento). It received its strongest support from the California Tribal Business Alliance, the Karuk Tribe and other tribal organizations, along with a coalition of fishermen and environmental groups.
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/13/09
Sacramento
A measure headed to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desk would immediately enact a temporary ban on suction dredge mining in rivers and streams across the region.
Senate Bill 670, authored by Pat Wiggins (Dem - Santa Rosa) and Lois Wolk (Dem - Davis), was adopted earlier today by a 28-7 vote of the State Senate -- a sufficient margin to override a possible gubernatorial veto.
The ban would stay in place until the state’s Department of Fish and Game finishes its court-ordered overhaul of regulations governing this practice, which the bill’s backers claim is highly destructive to spawning grounds for fish. Suction dredge mining involves powerful machines which float on the river’s surface and suck up sediment to uncover valuable minerals.
Wiggins asserted in a release today that she undertook this legislation due to her alarm at the decline of salmon and steelhead populations on the North Coast, which led to recent bans on salmon fishing up and down the Pacific seaboard.
“This ban affects the livelihoods of thousands of commercial fishermen, fish processors, and charter boat operators,” she stated. “The ban has eliminated hundreds of thousands of dollars in economic activity – especially in rural areas.”
“Yet while fishermen are being told to stop fishing, a recreational activity called ‘suction dredge mining’ is allowed to continue. SB 670 is about equity. We simply cannot ask an entire fishing industry to stop their work, while a small group of hobbyists are allowed to continue.”
The state was ordered by a federal court to overhaul regulations governing suction dredge mining as a result of a 2005 lawsuit by the Karuk Tribe. After counterclaims by suction dredge miners, the courts ordered Fish and Game to complete a California Environmental Quality Act review before it acted. This CEQA review was supposed to take 18 months and wrap up a year ago -- but Fish and Game has yet to even begin the process.
Last Thursday, the Alameda District Court issued a preliminary injunction in the case, ordering Fish and Game to immediately cease using general fund money to operate the suction dredge permitting program because it is being operated in violation of CEQA.
“In addition to this being essential to saving salmon and steelhead fisheries, this bill will save the department an estimated $1 million in costs, to administer a program that does not pay for itself,” Wiggins added in her statement.
Assemblymember Jared Huffman (Dem - San Rafael) shepherded the bill through the State Assembly, along with Noreen Evans (Dem - Santa Rosa) and Dave Jones (Dem - Sacramento). It received its strongest support from the California Tribal Business Alliance, the Karuk Tribe and other tribal organizations, along with a coalition of fishermen and environmental groups.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Arcata Corps Committee targets Eureka waterfront?
Development in neighboring city apparently part of growing mandate
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/12/09
Arcata
Does the City of Arcata’s Committee on Corporations and Democracy have jurisdiction over development on the Eureka waterfront?
That unlikely question will come into play Tuesday as a special meeting of the Corporations Committee has as its only item of new business the “Proposed Home Depot in Eureka” discussion. This irregularly scheduled session will take place at the Arcata Branch Library behind City Hall at 3:30 p.m.
The idea of a Home Depot outlet as the anchor store of a proposed commercial and residential development of the former railroad yard known as the Balloon Tract has predominated recent Eureka city politics, especially due to the involvement of billionaire Republican fundraiser Rob Arkley through his family-owned Security National company.
Yet while it’s true that the Balloon Tract environmental and developmental review process will extend beyond the boundaries of Eureka if the project is sent up to the California Coastal Commission, the City of Arcata wouldn’t appear to be an agency with any purview over a Eureka development -- and it’s never been publicly suggested by any Arcata official that they were inviting Eureka to review projects in Arcata.
The Corporations Committee, dominated throughout its history by a majority of its members also adhering to the ideology of Democracy Unlimited of Humboldt County, is seeking to expand its mandate -- a mandate already revised by previous City Councils to give the committee advisory powers over a wide array of economic and political affairs in Arcata. The committee-administered Arcata ordinance banning the operation of new “formula restaurants” is the subject of ongoing lobbying efforts by the Corporations Committee and by other DUHC members to expand this cap to all retail establishments in the city that fall under the Corporations Committee’s “chain” definition.
Officially, the City of Arcata has no position on the proposed Balloon Tract development, with or without a chain hardware store. DUHC does have a position, and a prominent one, and their controversial leader David Cobb has made no secret of his total opposition to any private development on the waterfront parcel in numerous public statements. Before he was fired as a Times-Standard columnist, Cobb accused the Arkley family of demonstrating an “arrogant display of wealth and power,” and likened the Home Depot proposal as akin to developments found in a “third world country.”
Also on the Corporations Committee agenda are proposals to ban bottled water and plastic bags, impose rent control, push federal legislation on government-run health care and continue their “educational component” consisting of an ideology identical to that of Democracy Unlimited.
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/12/09
Arcata
Does the City of Arcata’s Committee on Corporations and Democracy have jurisdiction over development on the Eureka waterfront?
That unlikely question will come into play Tuesday as a special meeting of the Corporations Committee has as its only item of new business the “Proposed Home Depot in Eureka” discussion. This irregularly scheduled session will take place at the Arcata Branch Library behind City Hall at 3:30 p.m.
The idea of a Home Depot outlet as the anchor store of a proposed commercial and residential development of the former railroad yard known as the Balloon Tract has predominated recent Eureka city politics, especially due to the involvement of billionaire Republican fundraiser Rob Arkley through his family-owned Security National company.
Yet while it’s true that the Balloon Tract environmental and developmental review process will extend beyond the boundaries of Eureka if the project is sent up to the California Coastal Commission, the City of Arcata wouldn’t appear to be an agency with any purview over a Eureka development -- and it’s never been publicly suggested by any Arcata official that they were inviting Eureka to review projects in Arcata.
The Corporations Committee, dominated throughout its history by a majority of its members also adhering to the ideology of Democracy Unlimited of Humboldt County, is seeking to expand its mandate -- a mandate already revised by previous City Councils to give the committee advisory powers over a wide array of economic and political affairs in Arcata. The committee-administered Arcata ordinance banning the operation of new “formula restaurants” is the subject of ongoing lobbying efforts by the Corporations Committee and by other DUHC members to expand this cap to all retail establishments in the city that fall under the Corporations Committee’s “chain” definition.
Officially, the City of Arcata has no position on the proposed Balloon Tract development, with or without a chain hardware store. DUHC does have a position, and a prominent one, and their controversial leader David Cobb has made no secret of his total opposition to any private development on the waterfront parcel in numerous public statements. Before he was fired as a Times-Standard columnist, Cobb accused the Arkley family of demonstrating an “arrogant display of wealth and power,” and likened the Home Depot proposal as akin to developments found in a “third world country.”
Also on the Corporations Committee agenda are proposals to ban bottled water and plastic bags, impose rent control, push federal legislation on government-run health care and continue their “educational component” consisting of an ideology identical to that of Democracy Unlimited.
Backbone Fire torches over 5,000 acres
Big Rock closes as army of firefighters assembles in Willow Creek
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/12/09
Eureka
The lightening-sparked Backbone Fire in a remote corner of Six Rivers National Forest is now responsible for torching approximately 5,200 acres of steep backwoods countryside, and is only 25% contained.
State and federal authorities have responded with the assemblage of a small army of firefighters based in Willow Creek, and forest officials have closed the Big Rock River Access site off of Big Rock Road in Willow Creek due to the growing needs of the firefighter encampment and the nearby helibase.
"Rafters, kayakers, and anglers use this popular area to 'put-in' to the lower Trinity River," said Forest supervisor Tyrone Kelley. "With 10 helicopters and other aircraft continually active in the area, public safety is our primary reason for this closure order."
Visitors to the river can still launch their boats at Camp Kimtu Beach adjacent to Veterans Park, according to the SRNF release. However, there is still a “no stop zone” on the Trinity River from the mouth of Willow Creek to one mile downriver, where visitors are asked to float through with caution due to the nearby helibase.
Other ongoing closures include Horse Ridge National Recreation Trail, Salmon Summit National Scenic Trail, Mill Creek, Tish Tang, and Red Cap Trails, Bear Hole, and Grizzly Camp areas.
Meanwhile, the 11 “hotshot” firefighter crews continue to make progress through hazardous snags, dense brush and steep conditions, further securing the southern and western flanks of the blaze located 36 miles northeast of Willow Creek in the Trinity Alps Wilderness.
Indirect fire line construction continues along Devil’s Backbone Ridge, Fawn Ridge and the drainage for Salmon Creek. Firefighters are also preparing Salmon Ridge as a future burn-out operation to be operated as conditions permit.
District Ranger Mary Kay Vandiver also announced the commencement of clearing activities around the small town of Gasquet as a follow-up to the community protection project implemented in 2003 to create shaded fuel brakes. Pioneer Village, North Fork Loop, Gasquet Mobile Home Park, French Hill Road, Gasquet Mountain Road and French Hill Trail will be thinned of small diameter trees and brush will be cleared in a project spanning over the next two months. Members of the public who are interested in this project are asked to contact district fuels planner Sheila Balent at (707) 457-3968 or at sbalent@fs.fed.us.
On the administrative side, Ken Swartzlander's California Type II Incident Management Team has joined George Custer's National Incident Management Organization out of Atlanta to manage the Backbone Fire.
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/12/09
Eureka
The lightening-sparked Backbone Fire in a remote corner of Six Rivers National Forest is now responsible for torching approximately 5,200 acres of steep backwoods countryside, and is only 25% contained.
State and federal authorities have responded with the assemblage of a small army of firefighters based in Willow Creek, and forest officials have closed the Big Rock River Access site off of Big Rock Road in Willow Creek due to the growing needs of the firefighter encampment and the nearby helibase.
"Rafters, kayakers, and anglers use this popular area to 'put-in' to the lower Trinity River," said Forest supervisor Tyrone Kelley. "With 10 helicopters and other aircraft continually active in the area, public safety is our primary reason for this closure order."
Visitors to the river can still launch their boats at Camp Kimtu Beach adjacent to Veterans Park, according to the SRNF release. However, there is still a “no stop zone” on the Trinity River from the mouth of Willow Creek to one mile downriver, where visitors are asked to float through with caution due to the nearby helibase.
Other ongoing closures include Horse Ridge National Recreation Trail, Salmon Summit National Scenic Trail, Mill Creek, Tish Tang, and Red Cap Trails, Bear Hole, and Grizzly Camp areas.
Meanwhile, the 11 “hotshot” firefighter crews continue to make progress through hazardous snags, dense brush and steep conditions, further securing the southern and western flanks of the blaze located 36 miles northeast of Willow Creek in the Trinity Alps Wilderness.
Indirect fire line construction continues along Devil’s Backbone Ridge, Fawn Ridge and the drainage for Salmon Creek. Firefighters are also preparing Salmon Ridge as a future burn-out operation to be operated as conditions permit.
District Ranger Mary Kay Vandiver also announced the commencement of clearing activities around the small town of Gasquet as a follow-up to the community protection project implemented in 2003 to create shaded fuel brakes. Pioneer Village, North Fork Loop, Gasquet Mobile Home Park, French Hill Road, Gasquet Mountain Road and French Hill Trail will be thinned of small diameter trees and brush will be cleared in a project spanning over the next two months. Members of the public who are interested in this project are asked to contact district fuels planner Sheila Balent at (707) 457-3968 or at sbalent@fs.fed.us.
On the administrative side, Ken Swartzlander's California Type II Incident Management Team has joined George Custer's National Incident Management Organization out of Atlanta to manage the Backbone Fire.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Waste Management burglar caught in the act
Aaron Wade Kangas was holding a portable stereo at time of arrest
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/11/09
The activation of a silent alarm led Eureka Police Department officers to the red-handed arrest of a 47-year-old
At about 9:30 p.m. officers were dispatched to the Humboldt County Waste Management facility at
After setting up a perimeter around the property, officers observed a male subject inside the fenced property carrying several items as he headed towards the exit gate. According to the EPD release, officers ordered the man, Aaron Wade Kangas, to the ground at gunpoint. He was handcuffed and taken into custody without further incident, and booked at the county jail on burglary charges.
Kangas was carrying several items belonging to HCWM at the time police arrested him, including a portable stereo. The items were recovered and returned to the business.
KHSU to air ‘California in Crisis’ series
Special reports from National Public Radio begin Monday
Frank Whitlatch,
7/11/09
Arcata
National Public Radio is producing a special series on budget and policy challenges facing
The segments will begin Monday, July 13, and continue through Thursday. Topics will range from “ballot box budgets” to “Ungovernable California” and “
The special coverage reflects growing national interest in
Specific times for the segments are not yet available, but they are scheduled for Morning Edition, which airs locally from 6 to 9 a.m. weekdays, and All Things Considered, which airs 5 to 7 p.m. weekdays. For more information, visit the shows’ websites at npr.org by selecting “programs.”
KHSU is a community-supported public radio station that is licensed to, and supported by,
KHSU can be heard around
Friday, July 10, 2009
Two more arrested in jailhouse trafficking case
Accused guard released after posting $50,000 bail
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/10/09
The investigation and subsequent arrest last weekend of a guard accused of trafficking narcotics into his own lock-up came full circle this week, with the alleged dealer and buyer both arrested yesterday.
Taryn Nichole Mabe, 20 of Willow Creek, turned herself in at about 5:00 p.m. last night at the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, where she was charged with conspiracy, conspiracy to bring a narcotic controlled substance into a correctional facility, conspiracy to bring contraband into a correctional facility, conspiracy to possess a narcotic controlled substance, and conspiracy to possess marijuana.
Her stay in the Humboldt County Correctional Facility was short-lived, however, as she immediately posted the $20,000 bail; Mabe’s arraignment is scheduled for July 22 at 1:30 p.m.
Also arrested was current inmate Ruben Anthony Peredia, who allegedly made use of the heroin, tobacco and marijuana shipped in to him by accused correctional officer Benjamin Jentry-Rakestraw. The inmate has been in the HCCF since March 1 when he was booked for the murder of Ezra Sanders, and will be arraigned on the drug charges on July 13.
According to HCSO public information officer Brenda Godsey, Peredia arranged for his girlfriend, Mabe, to drop off the drugs outside the jail, where Jentry-Rakestraw then picked it up and attempted to bring it in to deliver to Peredia.
No additional arrests are anticipated, according to the HCSO release.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Officers hunt down suspected burglar
Alleged accomplice, another parolee also nabbed
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/9/09
A
Steven Lawrence Dorfman, 38, already had an active warrant for violating his parole when he was also accused of the burglary and of making use of stolen credit cards. At about 5:40 p.m. yesterday, Bayshore Mall security personnel spotted Dorfman with a female subject and notified the Eureka Police Department. While the private security firm kept track of Dorfman, EPD officers responded, but too late, as he and his companion left the mall prior to their arrival.
The license plate of his vehicle was recorded, however, and a county-wide alert led to a California Highway Patrol officer locating his vehicle at a
After a short foot pursuit they were taken into custody, and Dorfman was charged with burglary, theft by access card, resisting arrest and possession of stolen property. His companion, 23-year-old
Back at the motel room, a search uncovered several knives, methamphetamine, marijuana and a fire safe. A 27-year-old
The vehicle Dorfman and Asbury left Bayshore Mall with was located at the motel and towed until a search warrant could be obtained, and the investigation is ongoing, according to a release by EPD detective sergeant Patrick O’Neill.
EPD catches up with alleged thief
K-9 unit “Tahoe” helps cut second escape attempt short
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/9/09
A man wanted for several weeks on drug and stolen property charges was nabbed by Eureka Police Department detectives and their canine partner today.
William Lee Nicholson, 29 of
EPD officers at about 6:20 p.m. yesterday evening spotted Nicholson standing in the yard of a residence on the 3900 block of Cedar Street. The officers observed Nicholson turn and walk into the residence, at which time the unnamed detectives set up surveillance on the residence until additional units arrived.
By the time EPD officer Michael Guy and K-9 unit “Tahoe” arrived, however, Nicholson had yet again pulled his disappearing trick. Guy and Tahoe tracked him to a neighboring yard, where Nicholson was found hiding in the bushes. He was taken into custody without incident and charged with the original drug and stolen property charges.
Gerace was contacted standing outside the same
Both suspects are in county jail and await arraignment.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Hate crime suspect arrested
John David Osborn accused of painting racial statements on Harris Street
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/8/09
Eureka
A local man holding a paint bucket and roller was arrested after a brief foot chase with an officer on Harris Street on Saturday.
John David Osborn, 21 of Eureka, was observed by a Eureka Police Department officer on routine patrol the evening of Independence Day. The unnamed officer spotted several as-yet unspecified “racial statements” written at the intersection of Harris and California Street, according to the EPD release, and noticed Osborn, who had fresh paint on his hands.
As the officer approached Osborn, he ran away and the officer gave chase, leading to his arrest shortly thereafter. The officer noted that the fresh paint on his hands matched the paint written in the street.
Osborn was charged with a hate crime as well as the violation of the terms of his probation. He was additionally charged with vandalism and possession of a narcotic smoking device.
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/8/09
Eureka
A local man holding a paint bucket and roller was arrested after a brief foot chase with an officer on Harris Street on Saturday.
John David Osborn, 21 of Eureka, was observed by a Eureka Police Department officer on routine patrol the evening of Independence Day. The unnamed officer spotted several as-yet unspecified “racial statements” written at the intersection of Harris and California Street, according to the EPD release, and noticed Osborn, who had fresh paint on his hands.
As the officer approached Osborn, he ran away and the officer gave chase, leading to his arrest shortly thereafter. The officer noted that the fresh paint on his hands matched the paint written in the street.
Osborn was charged with a hate crime as well as the violation of the terms of his probation. He was additionally charged with vandalism and possession of a narcotic smoking device.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Firefighters check spread of Backbone Fire
Thirteen other fires under control in Trinity Alps
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/7/09
Eureka
Firefighters today successfully checked the spread of a lightening-induced blaze already responsible for torching over 4,500 acres on Devil’s Backbone Ridge approximately 36 miles northeast of Willow Creek.
The Backbone Fire was previously two independent blazes, the Lower Trinity-17 Fire on the Six Rivers National Forest, and the Trinity Fire on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. These combined into a larger conflagration thanks to hot weather conditions, density of brush and tough topography for firefighters to operate in.
Thirteen other fires triggered by lightening storms last week were contained over the weekend and are now in controlled status and continue to be patrolled, according to a release from Six Rivers National Forest. Firefighters working to control the fire in this remote wilderness must be extremely careful due to the hazard of falling snags as well as downhill line construction.
The National Incident Management Organization is assuming command of the fire under incident commander George Custer this week; his seven-member team is intended to provide a more customized approach for long-term fires in remote locations. Forest administrators justified this move as a way to reduce cost and provide a safer, more consistent fire containment strategy.
“The remote location of the fire in the Trinity Alps Wilderness, combined with the heavy dead and down fuels and standing dead snags from the Megram Fire, contribute to the fire's complexity,” forest supervisor Tyrone Kelley stated. “This has made fire suppression difficult.”
Crews in the last 48 hours have completed fire line construction into Horse Linto Creek and have also secured the line beyond Trinity summit, checking the spread of a 15 acre blaze in the Red Cap Creek drainage.
Forest officials are working closely with the Hoopa Tribe and keeping tribal members and fire service personnel updated on the Backbone Fire. Kelley met yesterday with Tyrone Kelley, newly elected chair of the Hoopa Tribe, to discuss the protection of cultural sites in the area. Forest officials stated afterwards that they are working to keep the fire away from the Hoopa Reservation boundary.
Several roads, trails and camps in the area have been closed due to fire conditions, including Horse Ridge National Recreation Trail, Salmon Summit National Scenic Trail, Mill Creek, Tish Tang, and Red Cap trails as well as Bear Hole, Grizzly Camp and the Willow Creek Big Rock Day Use Area.
While rafting on the Trinity River is still permitted, there is a “no stop zone” from the mouth of Willow Creek stretching one mile downriver, and forest officials ask visitors to float through with caution due to the helibase located there. Rafting and rafting guide services are still operating, and the interim Kimtu Beach access is open, along with the Hawkins Bar access point.
FIRE FACTS
Size: Approximately 4584 acres
Started: July 1, 2009
Resources threatened: no structures are threatened.
Active Fire Location: 36 miles Northeast of Willow Creek in Trinity Alps Wilderness
Resources:
* 9 hotshot crews
* 2 type II initial attack crew
* 1 helitack crew
* 1 Type 3 helicopter; 4 Type 2 helicopter, 5 Type I helicopters
* 1 engine
* 9 Water tender
* 322 Total personnel
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/7/09
Eureka
Firefighters today successfully checked the spread of a lightening-induced blaze already responsible for torching over 4,500 acres on Devil’s Backbone Ridge approximately 36 miles northeast of Willow Creek.
The Backbone Fire was previously two independent blazes, the Lower Trinity-17 Fire on the Six Rivers National Forest, and the Trinity Fire on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. These combined into a larger conflagration thanks to hot weather conditions, density of brush and tough topography for firefighters to operate in.
Thirteen other fires triggered by lightening storms last week were contained over the weekend and are now in controlled status and continue to be patrolled, according to a release from Six Rivers National Forest. Firefighters working to control the fire in this remote wilderness must be extremely careful due to the hazard of falling snags as well as downhill line construction.
The National Incident Management Organization is assuming command of the fire under incident commander George Custer this week; his seven-member team is intended to provide a more customized approach for long-term fires in remote locations. Forest administrators justified this move as a way to reduce cost and provide a safer, more consistent fire containment strategy.
“The remote location of the fire in the Trinity Alps Wilderness, combined with the heavy dead and down fuels and standing dead snags from the Megram Fire, contribute to the fire's complexity,” forest supervisor Tyrone Kelley stated. “This has made fire suppression difficult.”
Crews in the last 48 hours have completed fire line construction into Horse Linto Creek and have also secured the line beyond Trinity summit, checking the spread of a 15 acre blaze in the Red Cap Creek drainage.
Forest officials are working closely with the Hoopa Tribe and keeping tribal members and fire service personnel updated on the Backbone Fire. Kelley met yesterday with Tyrone Kelley, newly elected chair of the Hoopa Tribe, to discuss the protection of cultural sites in the area. Forest officials stated afterwards that they are working to keep the fire away from the Hoopa Reservation boundary.
Several roads, trails and camps in the area have been closed due to fire conditions, including Horse Ridge National Recreation Trail, Salmon Summit National Scenic Trail, Mill Creek, Tish Tang, and Red Cap trails as well as Bear Hole, Grizzly Camp and the Willow Creek Big Rock Day Use Area.
While rafting on the Trinity River is still permitted, there is a “no stop zone” from the mouth of Willow Creek stretching one mile downriver, and forest officials ask visitors to float through with caution due to the helibase located there. Rafting and rafting guide services are still operating, and the interim Kimtu Beach access is open, along with the Hawkins Bar access point.
FIRE FACTS
Size: Approximately 4584 acres
Started: July 1, 2009
Resources threatened: no structures are threatened.
Active Fire Location: 36 miles Northeast of Willow Creek in Trinity Alps Wilderness
Resources:
* 9 hotshot crews
* 2 type II initial attack crew
* 1 helitack crew
* 1 Type 3 helicopter; 4 Type 2 helicopter, 5 Type I helicopters
* 1 engine
* 9 Water tender
* 322 Total personnel
Guard at county jail caught trafficking drugs
Benjamin Jentry-Rakestraw attempted to bring in heroin, tobacco, marijuana
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/7/09
Eureka
On the heels of a month-long investigation of a correctional officer bringing contraband into the county jail, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office arrested one of their own this weekend on drug charges.
Humboldt County’s top cop expressed outrage at the news that a young Correctional Facility officer would bring shame upon the HCSO, which runs the county jail.
“As soon as we received information of a possible contraband smuggling problem we began a complete and thorough investigation,” Sheriff Gary Philp stated in a release. “A problem like this that involves a staff member is not only unlawful, it is also extremely disappointing to me and all other members of this agency who hold ourselves to a high standard of professional and ethical conduct.”
“This type of incident is a complete anomaly for us and is frankly a gross violation of trust to us as well as the public we serve and will never be tolerated.”
Sheriff’s investigators and jail staff initiated the investigation, which included surveillance and the service of three search warrants, after receiving information from an undisclosed source that an officer might be bringing contraband into their own jail.
On Friday at about 9:30 p.m., officer Benjamin Jentry-Rakestraw, a 20-year-old Fortuna resident, was stopped as he attempted to bring heroin, tobacco and other contraband into the jail. He was on duty at the time of his arrest, and booked into his own lock-up for bringing a narcotic controlled substance into a correctional facility, bringing contraband into a correctional facility, possession of a narcotic controlled substance, and possession of marijuana.
Jentry-Rakestraw’s bail was set at $20,000 and he is expected to be arraigned by Wednesday. This investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are expected; no other officers are suspects, according to the HCSO release.
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/7/09
Eureka
On the heels of a month-long investigation of a correctional officer bringing contraband into the county jail, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office arrested one of their own this weekend on drug charges.
Humboldt County’s top cop expressed outrage at the news that a young Correctional Facility officer would bring shame upon the HCSO, which runs the county jail.
“As soon as we received information of a possible contraband smuggling problem we began a complete and thorough investigation,” Sheriff Gary Philp stated in a release. “A problem like this that involves a staff member is not only unlawful, it is also extremely disappointing to me and all other members of this agency who hold ourselves to a high standard of professional and ethical conduct.”
“This type of incident is a complete anomaly for us and is frankly a gross violation of trust to us as well as the public we serve and will never be tolerated.”
Sheriff’s investigators and jail staff initiated the investigation, which included surveillance and the service of three search warrants, after receiving information from an undisclosed source that an officer might be bringing contraband into their own jail.
On Friday at about 9:30 p.m., officer Benjamin Jentry-Rakestraw, a 20-year-old Fortuna resident, was stopped as he attempted to bring heroin, tobacco and other contraband into the jail. He was on duty at the time of his arrest, and booked into his own lock-up for bringing a narcotic controlled substance into a correctional facility, bringing contraband into a correctional facility, possession of a narcotic controlled substance, and possession of marijuana.
Jentry-Rakestraw’s bail was set at $20,000 and he is expected to be arraigned by Wednesday. This investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are expected; no other officers are suspects, according to the HCSO release.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Residents escape apartment complex blaze
Sunday’s three-alarm fire the latest in a series of Eureka blazes
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/6/09
Eureka
Residents of an apartment complex escaped without injury after a three-alarm fire broke out in a second story unit last night, with the cause still under investigation.
At 9:21 p.m., Eureka Fire Department and Humboldt Fire District personnel responded to the report from 2979 Union Street of an apartment fire, and due to the potential for significant damage to the entire complex, additional local personnel and mutual aid engines from Arcata, Loleta and Blue Lake were also called to the scene.
With two hoselines brought to bear, firefighters brought the blaze under control and extinguished it without injury to themselves, although the fire damaged two apartments directly, caused water damage to a downstairs apartment and clouded the entire second floor with smoke.
As the apartment building was not inhabitable immediately following the fire, Humboldt County Red Cross also responded to help displaced victims locate temporary housing.
The Eureka Fire Department has had several residential structure fires in the past two weeks and urges community members to check for working smoke detectors inside their homes.
Anyone with information on the cause of the fire can contact EFD fire captain Chris Jelinek at (707) 441-4000 or cjelinek@ci.eureka.ca.gov.
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/6/09
Eureka
Residents of an apartment complex escaped without injury after a three-alarm fire broke out in a second story unit last night, with the cause still under investigation.
At 9:21 p.m., Eureka Fire Department and Humboldt Fire District personnel responded to the report from 2979 Union Street of an apartment fire, and due to the potential for significant damage to the entire complex, additional local personnel and mutual aid engines from Arcata, Loleta and Blue Lake were also called to the scene.
With two hoselines brought to bear, firefighters brought the blaze under control and extinguished it without injury to themselves, although the fire damaged two apartments directly, caused water damage to a downstairs apartment and clouded the entire second floor with smoke.
As the apartment building was not inhabitable immediately following the fire, Humboldt County Red Cross also responded to help displaced victims locate temporary housing.
The Eureka Fire Department has had several residential structure fires in the past two weeks and urges community members to check for working smoke detectors inside their homes.
Anyone with information on the cause of the fire can contact EFD fire captain Chris Jelinek at (707) 441-4000 or cjelinek@ci.eureka.ca.gov.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Arcata to appeal feds on recruitment
Eureka City Council will either join or bail on Tuesday
Charles Douglas, Humboldt Sentinel
7/5/09
Arcata
Apparently undaunted by a U.S. District Court slap-down of the Youth Protection Act last month, a bare majority of the Arcata City Council voted Wednesday to pursue an appeal to the Ninth Circuit, highlighting the increased tension between anti-war activists and an Obama Administration pushing Bush policies which mandate unfettered access to public schools by military recruiters.
“It’s to empower other cities and communities to look at their situation with their youth,” Councilmember Susan Ornelas said before the 3-2 vote.
She was joined in her support of the appeal by Councilmembers Shane Brinton and Alex Stillman; in opposition were Councilmember Michael Winkler and Mayor Mark Wheetley, who cited “limited fiscal resources” as the motivator -- despite most of the casework thus far having been produced by pro bono attorneys.
Approved as Measure F by 73% of Arcata voters, the YPA would have made it illegal for military recruiters to initiate contact with persons under 18 years of age. Eureka passed its own YPA in the same election last November by a closer margin of 57-43, and its City Council will face a similar decision in a closed session meeting starting at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
The implementation of both initiatives was blocked after the Pentagon referred them to the Civil Division of the US Department of Justice in the waning days of the Bush Administration. Their civil action in federal court alleged the Supremacy Clause of the federal Constitution would render the local laws invalid in the face of the No Child Left Behind Act, which mandates military recruiter access to public schools which accept federal funding.
Although some of the peace activists associated with the initiative campaign group “Stop Recruiting Kids!” had hoped the federal action would be dropped with the departure of the Bush Administration, there has been no let-up from the DOJ in seeking to have the two laws stricken from the books.
“We're determined to appeal,” campaign organizer Jack Nounnan said. “We have a fine team of lawyers so believing in this cause as to be willing to waive any charges.”
Nounnan is hoping local anti-war activists will pack the normally sleepy pre-closed session public comment portion of the Eureka City Council meeting Tuesday to remind elected officials of the popular support these measures enjoy.
“Every time out in such obvious misuse of government power, we've got to take our stand against its control of our lives and remember how this undermines our local autonomy!”
To contact the local Measure F/Measure J campaign, visit www.stoprecruitingkids.org.
Charles Douglas, Humboldt Sentinel
7/5/09
Arcata
Apparently undaunted by a U.S. District Court slap-down of the Youth Protection Act last month, a bare majority of the Arcata City Council voted Wednesday to pursue an appeal to the Ninth Circuit, highlighting the increased tension between anti-war activists and an Obama Administration pushing Bush policies which mandate unfettered access to public schools by military recruiters.
“It’s to empower other cities and communities to look at their situation with their youth,” Councilmember Susan Ornelas said before the 3-2 vote.
She was joined in her support of the appeal by Councilmembers Shane Brinton and Alex Stillman; in opposition were Councilmember Michael Winkler and Mayor Mark Wheetley, who cited “limited fiscal resources” as the motivator -- despite most of the casework thus far having been produced by pro bono attorneys.
Approved as Measure F by 73% of Arcata voters, the YPA would have made it illegal for military recruiters to initiate contact with persons under 18 years of age. Eureka passed its own YPA in the same election last November by a closer margin of 57-43, and its City Council will face a similar decision in a closed session meeting starting at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
The implementation of both initiatives was blocked after the Pentagon referred them to the Civil Division of the US Department of Justice in the waning days of the Bush Administration. Their civil action in federal court alleged the Supremacy Clause of the federal Constitution would render the local laws invalid in the face of the No Child Left Behind Act, which mandates military recruiter access to public schools which accept federal funding.
Although some of the peace activists associated with the initiative campaign group “Stop Recruiting Kids!” had hoped the federal action would be dropped with the departure of the Bush Administration, there has been no let-up from the DOJ in seeking to have the two laws stricken from the books.
“We're determined to appeal,” campaign organizer Jack Nounnan said. “We have a fine team of lawyers so believing in this cause as to be willing to waive any charges.”
Nounnan is hoping local anti-war activists will pack the normally sleepy pre-closed session public comment portion of the Eureka City Council meeting Tuesday to remind elected officials of the popular support these measures enjoy.
“Every time out in such obvious misuse of government power, we've got to take our stand against its control of our lives and remember how this undermines our local autonomy!”
To contact the local Measure F/Measure J campaign, visit www.stoprecruitingkids.org.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Turning Crisis Into Opportunity
California's Empty Wallet
Ellen Brown
7/4/09
“Our wallet is empty, our bank is closed and our credit is dried up.”
– Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, June 2, 2009
California State Controller John Chiang has warned that without a balanced budget in place by July 1, he will begin using IOUs to pay most of the state’s bills. On June 25, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger rejected a plan that would save the state $3 billion by cutting school spending, saying he would rather see the state issue IOUs than delay the funding problem with a piecemeal approach. The state’s total budget deficit is $24.3 billion.
Meanwhile, other funding doors are slamming closed. The Obama administration has said it will not use federal stimulus money to prop up California; and Fitch Ratings, a bond rating agency, announced that it was downgrading the credit rating of the state, which already has the lowest in the nation. Once downgraded, California’s rating is likely to fall below the minimum level legally required for most money market funds, forcing the funds to sell their California bonds. The result could be a cost of millions of additional dollars in higher interest rates for the state.
What to do? Perhaps California could take a lesson from the island state of Guernsey, located in the English Channel off the French Coast, which faced similar funding problems in the 19th century. Toby Birch, an asset manager who hails from there, tells the story in Gold News:
“As weary troops returned from a protracted foreign war [the Napoleonic Wars ending in 1815], they encountered a land racked with debt, high prices and a crumbling infrastructure, whose flood defenses were about to be overwhelmed . . . . While 1815 brought an end to the conflict on the battlefront, . . . severe austerity ensued on the home front. The application of the Gold Standard meant that loans issued over many years were then recalled to balance the ratio of money to precious metals. This led to economic gridlock as labor and materials were abundant, but much-needed projects could not be funded for want of cash.
“This led to a period of so-called ‘poverty amongst plenty’. . . . The situation seemed insoluble; existing borrowing costs were consuming 80% of the island’s revenues. What was already an unsustainable debt burden would need to be doubled to fund the two most essential infrastructure projects. This was when a committee of States members was formed . . . . The committee realized that if the Guernsey States issued their own notes to fund the project, rather than borrowing from an English bank, there would be no interest to pay. This would lead to substantial savings. Because as anyone with a mortgage should understand, the debtor ends up paying at least double the amount borrowed over the long-term.”
To prevent an unwanted inflation of the money supply, the Guernsey States issued the notes with a date due, and on that date the bearer was paid in gold. The money came from rents on the finished infrastructure, supplemented with a tax on liquor. Birch goes on:
“The end result of the Guernsey Experiment was spectacular – new roads, sea defenses and public buildings were established, fostering widespread trade and prosperity. Full employment was achieved, no deficits resulted and prices were stable, all without a penny paid in interest. What started as a trial led to a string of construction projects, which still stand and function to this day. Money was used in its purest form: as a convenient mechanism for oiling the wheels of commerce and development.”
Like Guernsey, California is facing “poverty amidst plenty.” The state has the eighth largest economy in the world, larger than Russia’s, Brazil’s, Canada’s and India’s. It has the resources, labor, and technical expertise to make just about anything its citizens put their minds to. The only thing lacking is the money to do it. But money is merely a medium of exchange, a means of getting suppliers, laborers and customers together so that they can produce and exchange products.
As has been explained elsewhere, today money is simply credit. All of our money except coins is created by banks when they make loans. The current crisis stems from a credit freeze that began on Wall Street in the fall of 2007, when banks were required to revalue their assets due to a change in accounting rules, from “mark to fantasy” to “mark to market.” Banks that were previously considered in good shape, with plenty of capital for making loans, suddenly came up short. Lending fell off, and so did the available money supply.
Just understanding the problem is enough to see the solution. If a private bank can create credit on its books, so can the mighty state of California. It merely needs to form its own bank. Under the “fractional reserve” lending system, banks are allowed to extend credit – or create money as loans – in a sum equal to many times their deposit base. Congressman Jerry Voorhis, writing in 1973, explained it like this:
“[F]or every $1 or $1.50 which people – or the government – deposit in a bank, the banking system can create out of thin air and by the stroke of a pen some $10 of checkbook money or demand deposits. It can lend all that $10 into circulation at interest just so long as it has the $1 or a little more in reserve to back it up.”
The 10 percent reserve requirement is now largely obsolete, in part because banks have figured out how to get around it. What chiefly limits bank lending today is the 8 percent capital requirement imposed by the Bank for International Settlements, the head of the private global central banking system in Basel, Switzerland. With an 8 percent capital requirement, a state with its own bank could fan its revenues into 12.5 times their face value in loans (100 ÷ 8 = 12.5). And since the state would actually own the bank, it would not have to worry about shareholders or profits. It could lend to creditworthy borrowers at very low interest, perhaps limited only to a service charge covering its costs; and on loans the bank made to the state, the state would ultimately get the interest, making the loans essentially interest-free.
Precedent for this approach is to be found in North Dakota, one of only three states currently able to meet its budget. North Dakota is not only solvent but now boasts the largest surplus it has ever had. The Bank of North Dakota, the only state-owned bank in the nation, was established by the legislature in 1919 to free farmers and small businessmen from the clutches of out-of-state bankers and railroad men. By law, the state must deposit all its funds in the bank, and the state guarantees its deposits. The bank’s surplus profits are returned to the state’s coffers. The bank operates as a bankers’ bank, partnering with private banks to loan money to farmers, real estate developers, schools and small businesses. It makes 1% loans to startup farms, has a thriving student loan business, and purchases municipal bonds from public institutions.
Looking at California’s budget figures, projected state revenues for 2009 are $128 billion. At a reserve requirement of 10%, if California deposited all $128 billion in its own state-owned bank, it could issue $1.28 trillion in loans, far more than it would need to cover its $23 billion budget shortfall. To lend itself the money to cover the shortfall, it would need only $2.3 billion in deposits and about $2 billion in capital (assuming an 8% capital requirement). What Sheldon Emry wrote of nations is equally true of states:
“It is as ridiculous for a nation to say to its citizens, ‘You must consume less because we are short of money,’ as it would be for an airline to say, ‘Our planes are flying, but we cannot take you because we are short of tickets.’”
As a card-carrying member of the banking elite, California could create all the credit it needs to fund its operations, with money to spare.
Ellen Hodgson Brown is the author of Web of Debt: the Shocking Truth About Our Money System and How We Can Break Free.
Ellen Brown
7/4/09
“Our wallet is empty, our bank is closed and our credit is dried up.”
– Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, June 2, 2009
California State Controller John Chiang has warned that without a balanced budget in place by July 1, he will begin using IOUs to pay most of the state’s bills. On June 25, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger rejected a plan that would save the state $3 billion by cutting school spending, saying he would rather see the state issue IOUs than delay the funding problem with a piecemeal approach. The state’s total budget deficit is $24.3 billion.
Meanwhile, other funding doors are slamming closed. The Obama administration has said it will not use federal stimulus money to prop up California; and Fitch Ratings, a bond rating agency, announced that it was downgrading the credit rating of the state, which already has the lowest in the nation. Once downgraded, California’s rating is likely to fall below the minimum level legally required for most money market funds, forcing the funds to sell their California bonds. The result could be a cost of millions of additional dollars in higher interest rates for the state.
What to do? Perhaps California could take a lesson from the island state of Guernsey, located in the English Channel off the French Coast, which faced similar funding problems in the 19th century. Toby Birch, an asset manager who hails from there, tells the story in Gold News:
“As weary troops returned from a protracted foreign war [the Napoleonic Wars ending in 1815], they encountered a land racked with debt, high prices and a crumbling infrastructure, whose flood defenses were about to be overwhelmed . . . . While 1815 brought an end to the conflict on the battlefront, . . . severe austerity ensued on the home front. The application of the Gold Standard meant that loans issued over many years were then recalled to balance the ratio of money to precious metals. This led to economic gridlock as labor and materials were abundant, but much-needed projects could not be funded for want of cash.
“This led to a period of so-called ‘poverty amongst plenty’. . . . The situation seemed insoluble; existing borrowing costs were consuming 80% of the island’s revenues. What was already an unsustainable debt burden would need to be doubled to fund the two most essential infrastructure projects. This was when a committee of States members was formed . . . . The committee realized that if the Guernsey States issued their own notes to fund the project, rather than borrowing from an English bank, there would be no interest to pay. This would lead to substantial savings. Because as anyone with a mortgage should understand, the debtor ends up paying at least double the amount borrowed over the long-term.”
To prevent an unwanted inflation of the money supply, the Guernsey States issued the notes with a date due, and on that date the bearer was paid in gold. The money came from rents on the finished infrastructure, supplemented with a tax on liquor. Birch goes on:
“The end result of the Guernsey Experiment was spectacular – new roads, sea defenses and public buildings were established, fostering widespread trade and prosperity. Full employment was achieved, no deficits resulted and prices were stable, all without a penny paid in interest. What started as a trial led to a string of construction projects, which still stand and function to this day. Money was used in its purest form: as a convenient mechanism for oiling the wheels of commerce and development.”
Like Guernsey, California is facing “poverty amidst plenty.” The state has the eighth largest economy in the world, larger than Russia’s, Brazil’s, Canada’s and India’s. It has the resources, labor, and technical expertise to make just about anything its citizens put their minds to. The only thing lacking is the money to do it. But money is merely a medium of exchange, a means of getting suppliers, laborers and customers together so that they can produce and exchange products.
As has been explained elsewhere, today money is simply credit. All of our money except coins is created by banks when they make loans. The current crisis stems from a credit freeze that began on Wall Street in the fall of 2007, when banks were required to revalue their assets due to a change in accounting rules, from “mark to fantasy” to “mark to market.” Banks that were previously considered in good shape, with plenty of capital for making loans, suddenly came up short. Lending fell off, and so did the available money supply.
Just understanding the problem is enough to see the solution. If a private bank can create credit on its books, so can the mighty state of California. It merely needs to form its own bank. Under the “fractional reserve” lending system, banks are allowed to extend credit – or create money as loans – in a sum equal to many times their deposit base. Congressman Jerry Voorhis, writing in 1973, explained it like this:
“[F]or every $1 or $1.50 which people – or the government – deposit in a bank, the banking system can create out of thin air and by the stroke of a pen some $10 of checkbook money or demand deposits. It can lend all that $10 into circulation at interest just so long as it has the $1 or a little more in reserve to back it up.”
The 10 percent reserve requirement is now largely obsolete, in part because banks have figured out how to get around it. What chiefly limits bank lending today is the 8 percent capital requirement imposed by the Bank for International Settlements, the head of the private global central banking system in Basel, Switzerland. With an 8 percent capital requirement, a state with its own bank could fan its revenues into 12.5 times their face value in loans (100 ÷ 8 = 12.5). And since the state would actually own the bank, it would not have to worry about shareholders or profits. It could lend to creditworthy borrowers at very low interest, perhaps limited only to a service charge covering its costs; and on loans the bank made to the state, the state would ultimately get the interest, making the loans essentially interest-free.
Precedent for this approach is to be found in North Dakota, one of only three states currently able to meet its budget. North Dakota is not only solvent but now boasts the largest surplus it has ever had. The Bank of North Dakota, the only state-owned bank in the nation, was established by the legislature in 1919 to free farmers and small businessmen from the clutches of out-of-state bankers and railroad men. By law, the state must deposit all its funds in the bank, and the state guarantees its deposits. The bank’s surplus profits are returned to the state’s coffers. The bank operates as a bankers’ bank, partnering with private banks to loan money to farmers, real estate developers, schools and small businesses. It makes 1% loans to startup farms, has a thriving student loan business, and purchases municipal bonds from public institutions.
Looking at California’s budget figures, projected state revenues for 2009 are $128 billion. At a reserve requirement of 10%, if California deposited all $128 billion in its own state-owned bank, it could issue $1.28 trillion in loans, far more than it would need to cover its $23 billion budget shortfall. To lend itself the money to cover the shortfall, it would need only $2.3 billion in deposits and about $2 billion in capital (assuming an 8% capital requirement). What Sheldon Emry wrote of nations is equally true of states:
“It is as ridiculous for a nation to say to its citizens, ‘You must consume less because we are short of money,’ as it would be for an airline to say, ‘Our planes are flying, but we cannot take you because we are short of tickets.’”
As a card-carrying member of the banking elite, California could create all the credit it needs to fund its operations, with money to spare.
Ellen Hodgson Brown is the author of Web of Debt: the Shocking Truth About Our Money System and How We Can Break Free.
CCC sets up summer projects
Fire safety and park maintenance improvements expected
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/4/09
Fortuna
Young men and women from across California will be in forest and parklands on the North Coast this summer to pitch in on fire safety efforts and other improvements.
The California Conservation Corps, in concert with the Northwest Youth Corps and Youth Conservation Camps, will be working across the Six Rivers National Forest on “projects that further the development and conservation of the nation’s natural resources” according to forest supervisor Tyrone Kelley.
In particular, the YCC will spend eight weeks in the Mad River watershed to clear brush, maintain hiking trails and campgrounds, and manage vegetation. The four youth involved will also learn about wildlife, archaeology, recreation and other subjects.
The CCC and NYC crews will work rehabilitating approximately 90 miles of hiking trails in the Siskiyou Wilderness, Marble Mountain Wilderness and the Lower Trinity.
Led by two staff, NYC-hired youth, ages 14 to 19, live and work as part of a ten-member team. The teams travel throughout the Northwest to complete a wide variety of projects such as stream restoration, trail construction, or habitat rehabilitation. The CCC is a state agency hiring 3,300 corps members per year between the ages of 18 and 25 who perform a variety of outdoor work.
For more information or to get yourself or your child involved in one of these programs, contact Julie Ranieri at (707) 441-3673 or jranieri@fs.fed.us.
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/4/09
Fortuna
Young men and women from across California will be in forest and parklands on the North Coast this summer to pitch in on fire safety efforts and other improvements.
The California Conservation Corps, in concert with the Northwest Youth Corps and Youth Conservation Camps, will be working across the Six Rivers National Forest on “projects that further the development and conservation of the nation’s natural resources” according to forest supervisor Tyrone Kelley.
In particular, the YCC will spend eight weeks in the Mad River watershed to clear brush, maintain hiking trails and campgrounds, and manage vegetation. The four youth involved will also learn about wildlife, archaeology, recreation and other subjects.
The CCC and NYC crews will work rehabilitating approximately 90 miles of hiking trails in the Siskiyou Wilderness, Marble Mountain Wilderness and the Lower Trinity.
Led by two staff, NYC-hired youth, ages 14 to 19, live and work as part of a ten-member team. The teams travel throughout the Northwest to complete a wide variety of projects such as stream restoration, trail construction, or habitat rehabilitation. The CCC is a state agency hiring 3,300 corps members per year between the ages of 18 and 25 who perform a variety of outdoor work.
For more information or to get yourself or your child involved in one of these programs, contact Julie Ranieri at (707) 441-3673 or jranieri@fs.fed.us.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Fire set in Winco bathroom
Damage from fire, water estimated at $5,000
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/3/09
Eureka
Firefighters were summoned to the Winco supermarket early Thursday morning after automatic sprinklers activated in the store restroom in response to an alarm.
The responding Eureka Fire Department engine found a fire ignited inside the bathroom had been extinguished by the sprinkler system. According to the EFD release, the fire was intentionally set, and investigators are looking for more information.
After assessing the status of the fire, EFD proceeded to shut off the system to minimize water damage, while Winco staff engaged in water removal.
Although the sprinklers were restored to normal operating status, the bathroom suffered an estimated $5,000 of damage from fire and water. EFD credits the system, however, with saving the overall Winco property, with an estimated value of $5 million.
Anyone who can help EFD identify those responsible for the fire are urged to contact assistant fire chief Bill Gillespie at 441-4000 or bgillespie@ci.eureka.ca.gov.
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/3/09
Eureka
Firefighters were summoned to the Winco supermarket early Thursday morning after automatic sprinklers activated in the store restroom in response to an alarm.
The responding Eureka Fire Department engine found a fire ignited inside the bathroom had been extinguished by the sprinkler system. According to the EFD release, the fire was intentionally set, and investigators are looking for more information.
After assessing the status of the fire, EFD proceeded to shut off the system to minimize water damage, while Winco staff engaged in water removal.
Although the sprinklers were restored to normal operating status, the bathroom suffered an estimated $5,000 of damage from fire and water. EFD credits the system, however, with saving the overall Winco property, with an estimated value of $5 million.
Anyone who can help EFD identify those responsible for the fire are urged to contact assistant fire chief Bill Gillespie at 441-4000 or bgillespie@ci.eureka.ca.gov.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
McCullen street fire still a mystery
Charred two-story house lacked electrical, gas services
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/2/2009
Eureka
A house fire on the south side of town is still under investigation today, with some questions answered and others as yet unsolved.
Firefighters concluded their on-scene efforts late yesterday after extinguishing the early morning blaze at 1506 McCullen Avenue, and confirmed that no one remained within the charred two-story home. This alleviated early concerns, according to the Eureka Fire Department release, that voices were heard within the building prior to the blaze.
While the area of fire origin was discovered, the exact cause remains under investigation. Accidental gas leaks or electrical problems have been ruled out, as the house is not presently serviced by these utilities, leaving human activity as the likely cause.
Investigative efforts are now centered upon follow-up interviews, and members of the public have any information related to the blaze, they are asked to contact fire chief Eric Smith at (707) 441-4000 or esmith@ci.eureka.ca.gov.
Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/2/2009
Eureka
A house fire on the south side of town is still under investigation today, with some questions answered and others as yet unsolved.
Firefighters concluded their on-scene efforts late yesterday after extinguishing the early morning blaze at 1506 McCullen Avenue, and confirmed that no one remained within the charred two-story home. This alleviated early concerns, according to the Eureka Fire Department release, that voices were heard within the building prior to the blaze.
While the area of fire origin was discovered, the exact cause remains under investigation. Accidental gas leaks or electrical problems have been ruled out, as the house is not presently serviced by these utilities, leaving human activity as the likely cause.
Investigative efforts are now centered upon follow-up interviews, and members of the public have any information related to the blaze, they are asked to contact fire chief Eric Smith at (707) 441-4000 or esmith@ci.eureka.ca.gov.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Supes tap Atkins for rail authority
Incumbent Charles Ollivier passed over on split vote
Charles Douglas, Humboldt Sentinel
7/1/09
Eureka
Apparently, a dozen years with the North Coast Railroad Authority was enough for longshoreman and former Harbor Commissioner Charles Ollivier, who was replaced over his own objections and those of the public as Humboldt County Supervisors moved Tuesday to put a fresh face on the controversial board.
On a 4-1 vote and with vociferous objections from Supervisor Jill Duffy, the board tapped newly elected Eureka Councilmember Linda Atkins, a retired CalTrans worker, to fill one of Humboldt’s two spots with the NCRA, which also has representatives from local governments in Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin counties.
Atkins, who was not present at yesterday’s meeting, told Supervisors in her application letter that she saw rail as an opportunity to enrich the economy and increase tourism -- but a tell-tale line encouraging “trails with the rail” indicated the mounting test of will between advocates of restoring the entire Northwestern Pacific Railroad and those seeking to rip up the tracks in favor of a bicycle trail between Arcata and Eureka.
Supervisor Clif Clendenen, the other Humboldt County rep on the NCRA since shortly after his election last November, said the board had a variety of good candidates to choose from to entrust with an incredible asset like the railroad -- but then implied the need for increased trail construction to be met by himself and the new appointee.
“I’m excited to recommend Eureka City Councilmember Linda Atkins for this position,” he said. “She appreciates the multiple-use opportunities of our right-of-way.”
For his part, Supervisor Mark Lovelace was defensive about his support of the appointee in a closed-door nomination procedure, suggesting that the NCRA post was a regularly scheduled vacancy announced late last year.
“The current term of Commissioner Ollivier expires on [June] 30, so this is something that was expected, that was publicly posted and anticipated,” he said. “For my part I’ve given this a lot of diligence and reached out to everyone interested in serving.”
Lovelace also claimed he had either met with or spoken with all of the nominees, which included Arcata Councilmember Michael Winkler and former State Assemblymember Dan Hauser. This wasn’t sufficient to dissuade Duffy from launching into a pointed rebuke against her fellow Supes for backroom arrangements in dumping Ollivier.
“In this case, the way things are typically done with all of our appointments is we have a board report that is generated by the Clerk of the Board of the list of applicants and the applicants have the opportunity to present themselves…what I’m very uncomfortable with is that conversations were happening outside of the public process,” she said. “This is the first time that the Board is discussing this item in public and what I really want is what the different candidates offer, I don’t know what they have to offer and neither does the public, I want to know what their philosophies are, what their visions are and what their priorities are for the position.”
“What is this Board’s collective priorities for the North Coast Railroad Authority?” Duffy asked. “We haven’t had that conversation and now we’ve short-circuited the opportunity to have that conversation…it does create unnecessary tension and strife, it feels like a real slap in the face for all [Ollivier’s] energies and effort.”
Several members of the public stood up and essentially agreed with Duffy, calling for a more public process to select NCRA representatives and a general increase in the Supes’ support of restoring rail service to Humboldt County.
“I guess I have a vision for Humboldt County and that vision is to see some good paying jobs and I see the potential for the railroad in combination with portions of the harbor being redeveloped, acting in concert with each other to bring some industry to Humboldt County,” retired natural resources worker Ken Skaggs said. “There is a global economy that affects all of us and we could catch the advantages here of a global economy because Humboldt County is not an island unto itself.”
Increasingly uncomfortable in the face of public opposition and Duffy’s allegations, Lovelace shot back that Ollivier had not fully complied with his procedures to assess applicants for the NCRA seat.
“I was told by Mr. Ollivier that he was not interested in requesting re-appointment if there was any question about whether he be re-appointed,” Lovelace said. “I was told pretty clearly that his interest was in the re-appointment but not in sitting for an interview and not in sending in a letter of interest.”
Duffy retorted that she found that to be a “fascinating conversation” before being cut off by Board Chair Jimmy Smith, who then called Ollivier himself to the podium to clear things up. For his part, the longtime union man said his efforts were primarily directed at upgrading “antique” local infrastructure holding back economic development.
“I’m not here to be pushing a controversy, I’m only here to apply myself,” Ollivier said. “I do have a lot of experience and I thought I would be the candidate always with the proper knowledge to tie the railroad to the port. It begs us all to be developed!”
Atkins will take Ollivier’s place at the next NCRA board meeting, to take place in Eureka on August 12. For more information, visit northcoastrailroad.org.
Charles Douglas, Humboldt Sentinel
7/1/09
Eureka
Apparently, a dozen years with the North Coast Railroad Authority was enough for longshoreman and former Harbor Commissioner Charles Ollivier, who was replaced over his own objections and those of the public as Humboldt County Supervisors moved Tuesday to put a fresh face on the controversial board.
On a 4-1 vote and with vociferous objections from Supervisor Jill Duffy, the board tapped newly elected Eureka Councilmember Linda Atkins, a retired CalTrans worker, to fill one of Humboldt’s two spots with the NCRA, which also has representatives from local governments in Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin counties.
Atkins, who was not present at yesterday’s meeting, told Supervisors in her application letter that she saw rail as an opportunity to enrich the economy and increase tourism -- but a tell-tale line encouraging “trails with the rail” indicated the mounting test of will between advocates of restoring the entire Northwestern Pacific Railroad and those seeking to rip up the tracks in favor of a bicycle trail between Arcata and Eureka.
Supervisor Clif Clendenen, the other Humboldt County rep on the NCRA since shortly after his election last November, said the board had a variety of good candidates to choose from to entrust with an incredible asset like the railroad -- but then implied the need for increased trail construction to be met by himself and the new appointee.
“I’m excited to recommend Eureka City Councilmember Linda Atkins for this position,” he said. “She appreciates the multiple-use opportunities of our right-of-way.”
For his part, Supervisor Mark Lovelace was defensive about his support of the appointee in a closed-door nomination procedure, suggesting that the NCRA post was a regularly scheduled vacancy announced late last year.
“The current term of Commissioner Ollivier expires on [June] 30, so this is something that was expected, that was publicly posted and anticipated,” he said. “For my part I’ve given this a lot of diligence and reached out to everyone interested in serving.”
Lovelace also claimed he had either met with or spoken with all of the nominees, which included Arcata Councilmember Michael Winkler and former State Assemblymember Dan Hauser. This wasn’t sufficient to dissuade Duffy from launching into a pointed rebuke against her fellow Supes for backroom arrangements in dumping Ollivier.
“In this case, the way things are typically done with all of our appointments is we have a board report that is generated by the Clerk of the Board of the list of applicants and the applicants have the opportunity to present themselves…what I’m very uncomfortable with is that conversations were happening outside of the public process,” she said. “This is the first time that the Board is discussing this item in public and what I really want is what the different candidates offer, I don’t know what they have to offer and neither does the public, I want to know what their philosophies are, what their visions are and what their priorities are for the position.”
“What is this Board’s collective priorities for the North Coast Railroad Authority?” Duffy asked. “We haven’t had that conversation and now we’ve short-circuited the opportunity to have that conversation…it does create unnecessary tension and strife, it feels like a real slap in the face for all [Ollivier’s] energies and effort.”
Several members of the public stood up and essentially agreed with Duffy, calling for a more public process to select NCRA representatives and a general increase in the Supes’ support of restoring rail service to Humboldt County.
“I guess I have a vision for Humboldt County and that vision is to see some good paying jobs and I see the potential for the railroad in combination with portions of the harbor being redeveloped, acting in concert with each other to bring some industry to Humboldt County,” retired natural resources worker Ken Skaggs said. “There is a global economy that affects all of us and we could catch the advantages here of a global economy because Humboldt County is not an island unto itself.”
Increasingly uncomfortable in the face of public opposition and Duffy’s allegations, Lovelace shot back that Ollivier had not fully complied with his procedures to assess applicants for the NCRA seat.
“I was told by Mr. Ollivier that he was not interested in requesting re-appointment if there was any question about whether he be re-appointed,” Lovelace said. “I was told pretty clearly that his interest was in the re-appointment but not in sitting for an interview and not in sending in a letter of interest.”
Duffy retorted that she found that to be a “fascinating conversation” before being cut off by Board Chair Jimmy Smith, who then called Ollivier himself to the podium to clear things up. For his part, the longtime union man said his efforts were primarily directed at upgrading “antique” local infrastructure holding back economic development.
“I’m not here to be pushing a controversy, I’m only here to apply myself,” Ollivier said. “I do have a lot of experience and I thought I would be the candidate always with the proper knowledge to tie the railroad to the port. It begs us all to be developed!”
Atkins will take Ollivier’s place at the next NCRA board meeting, to take place in Eureka on August 12. For more information, visit northcoastrailroad.org.
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