Love Humboldt, win a camera

Humboldt County fans have three days left to throw down for the short video contest sponsored by KHUM and the Humboldt County Film Commission. The best 33-second-or-shorter film wins a flip camera and 300 bucks. Details and submissions here.

This short (but rule breakingly long) piece by Will Goldenberg zeros in on a most-beloved aspect of Humboldt County.

New Balloon Track suit may foil Arkley in old Balloon Track suit

The latest lawsuit to spring from controversy over Eureka’s Balloon Track may derail the landowner’s ploy to delay trial in an earlier suit by Humboldt Baykeeper.

Just last month US District Judge Jeffrey White ordered a later trial date in Baykeeper’s suit against Rob Arkley’s subsidiary CUE VI, which owns the Balloon Track.  The postponement was sought by CUE VI, who appear to be using the age old tactic of delay, delay, delay.

But the Judges’s order came with a stern warning to Team Arkley: “If the Court finds that Defendants have caused or contributed to delays in the administrative proceedings, permitting process or remedial work, the Court will consider advancing the trial date.”

Arkley has close ties with the Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF), which filed the new suit against the Coastal Commission on Friday over its agreement to hear appeals of a Coastal Development Permit for the Balloon Track.  In other words, he appears to be “contribut[ing] to delays in the administrative proceedings.”

Lawyers for CUE VI argued that action on the permit, or “Phase 1” of the controversial Marina Center project, will moot the Baykeeper lawsuit.

Arkley has twice applied for a seat on the Headwaters Fund Board, first in 2004 and again in 2009.  In each application he cited his time on the PLF Board of Directors as a qualification.

Is it a coincidence that Arkley’s old pals filed a lawsuit that stands to benefit Arkley?  We think not.

Arkley family ties with PLF go way back.  Robin Arkley, Sr. was a PLF trustee, and his obituary requested mourners donate to PLF in lieu of flowers.

In postponing the Baykeeper trial, Judge White ordered both sides to “submit joint status updates regarding the progress of the administrative proceedings, [and] Defendants’ permit applications” every 60 days.  The first update is due in about four weeks.  The Humboldt Herald will be watching to see if the court reconsiders the trial delay based on the new lawsuit.

New group sues Coastal Commish over Balloon Track

A new group called Citizens for a Better Eureka has joined with the Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) to sue the California Coastal Commission for “blocking plans to clean up the Balloon Track property.”

The charge is factually incorrect.  The Commission found “substantial issue” with a Coastal Development Permit issued by the City of Eureka to begin “Phase 1″ of the controversial Home Depot mall.  The finding was based on multiple appeals by environmental groups, Humboldt County Planning Commissioner Ralph Faust, and two members of the Coastal Commission.  The permit was overturned, giving control to the Commission. Chairwoman Bonnie Neely requested that staff schedule a hearing on the appeals sooner rather than later.

Citizens for a Better Eureka is headed by Gary E. Bird (who is not the same Gary Bird that works for the City of Eureka), and calls itself an “association of environmentally concerned local citizens.”

Uh-huh. Twenty bucks says their mascot is this guy.

One might also guess this charade has more to do with attacking Neely, who is seeking re-election to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, than with a sudden surge of environmental concern by big box developers and their friends.

A press conference announcing the lawsuit will be held tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11am and the corner of Commercial and Waterfront Drive.

PLF successfully sued to overturn Humboldt County’s Measure T, which banned campaign contributions from outside corporations in local elections.

Bass campaign full throttle on social media

The campaign to elect Eureka Mayor Virginia Bass to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors is embracing social media.  In addition to her campaign website, you can follow Bass on Twitter and Facebook.  If you’re more the audio/visual type you can watch her 30-second spot on YouTube.

Her motto invites you to get “hooked on Bass” for “real change.”  Perhaps the idea of being dragged to an inhospitable environment by a hook through the lip is honest advertising.

Paul Hagen makes it official

Former environmental prosecutor Paul Hagen threw his official hat into the proverbial ring of candidates running for Humboldt County District Attorney.  The Journal has the press release.

Hagen is already backed by certain big names in Humboldt’s enviro circles, according to sources.

Hagen will face current DA Paul Gallegos and fellow challengers Allison Jackson and Kathleen Bryson in the race for top cop.

Quote of the day

“The Cascadia [Subduction Zone] could shake for 2-5 minutes.” — Humboldt State seismologist Bob McPherson on KMUD news Friday discussing the “big one” that is due to hit the Pacific Northwest. By contrast the recent local quakes lasted under 30 seconds.  Loma Prieta lasted 10-15 seconds.

McPherson said the two recent quakes that rattled Eureka are simply reminders about what he called the “big gorilla” — the Cascadia Subduction Zone — that is set to deliver a massive earthquake in the coming years.

The 6.5 quake on January 9th occurred on the Russ Fault an unnamed fault.  The 5.9 quake on February 4th occurred on the Gorda Plate (or maybe the Mendocino Fault, there’s still debate about that, McPherson said).

Guessing game

It’s election season, boys and girls.  Time for big money and big promises.

A central question for 2010 is: whose strings are being pulled by Humboldt County’s most-monied special interest?

Contractor sting nabs sex offender, elder abuse suspect

A sting targeting unlicensed contractors netted an elder abuse suspect and a registered sex offender in Eureka Tuesday.  Below is a press release from the Contractors State License Board.

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SACRAMENTO – A man awaiting trial in Butte County for felony theft from an elder and misdemeanor unlicensed contracting was one of 14 suspected unlicensed contractors nabbed during a Contractors State License Board (CSLB) Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) sting in Eureka this week.

The undercover operation in cooperation with the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office (DA) was held in a Eureka home on February 2, 2010.  CSLB and DA investigators also conducted sweeps of construction sites on February 3 and 4, 2010, to ensure projects are being undertaken by licensees with the proper workers’ compensation insurance coverage.

6.0 Earthquake (downgraded to 5.9)

USGS says it hit 34.7 miles WNW of Petrolia at 12:20 pm. Humboldt Herald readers felt it in Burnt Ranch, SoHum and Eureka.

A 6.0 is about 50 5 20 times less intense than the 6.5 Quake that hit January 9th (correction thanks to Humboldt State seismologist Bob McPherson).

Info airing at KHUM and KEKA.

Eureka City Schools fails west side kids

The common refrain “do it for the children” doesn’t seem to mean much to Eureka City Schools, who are moving to turn Jefferson School into another satellite campus for College of the Redwoods rather than an educational facility for kids.

The ECS website says the district believes a “sense of family and community is fundamental in the development of an individual.”   Apparently a “community” means busing your kids hither and yon to school and back — especially those who are already living a hard knock life.