Late night structure fire stays contained to one building with help from Humboldt Bay Fire
On Wednesday night, Humboldt Bay Fire responded to a structure fire on the corner of 8th & H streets in Eureka.
The structure in question appeared to be an abandoned Victorian house, with the damage contained to just the single building. Following calls, officials were on scene quickly, but were unsure how long the house had been burning before they arrived.
Humboldt Bay Firefighters shoot water over the back of a burning house as they respond to structure fire in Eureka on Oct. 30. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Public Information Officer for HBF Amy Conlin was on scene and confirmed that there was no humans, animals or pets found in the building when they arrived and that the fire had been burning for some time before they got the call.
“By the time the first truck 8181 was to the scene, there was black smoke pushing through the roof,” Conlin said. “So it had been going for a little bit.”
Conlin also noted that while the cause of the fire would likely remain unknown until HBF concluded their investigation into the matter, the blaze could have been the result of people staying in the vacant property in an attempt to stay out of the colder nights.
The burned out roof of a house in Eureka can be seen as Humboldt Bay Fire responds to a structure fire on Oct. 30. The surrounding houses were not damaged by the fire. | Photo by Thomas Lal
“It looks like it was a vacant building,” Conlin said. “So it could have been some kind of spontaneous accident with the building itself or it could have been that there were squatters inside.”
The fire was largely under control at the time of Conlin’s comments with firefighters on the roof cutting holes in order to vent the heated gases out of the structure. Given the late hour, a more thorough investigation into a cause for the fire is expected to be carried out in the morning. However, due to the extent of the damage, any evidence may be inconclusive.
Humboldt Bay Fire responds to a structure fire in Eureka as they work on the roof of a house in order to better attack the remaining flames on Oct. 30. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Humboldt Bay Firefighters assess the situation on the roof as they respond to a structure fire in Eureka on Oct. 30. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Humboldt Bay Firefighters are silhouetted against the smoke from a burning building as they get into position to open up a hole in the attic in order to better attack the flames trapped inside of a house in Eureka on Oct. 30. | Photo by Thomas Lal
A firefigher from HBF tests the structural integrity of a covered porch while water comes over the top of a burning house in Eureka while fire crews respond to the flames on Oct. 30. | Photo by Thomas Lal
A firefighter from HBF takes a moment to recover behind a fire truck as firefighters finish putting out a structure fire in Eureka on Oct. 30.
Some areas of Humboldt County still don’t have power, however power will potentially be restored by tonight
UPDATE 10/29/19 5:25 p.m. : According to the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services alerts, “PG&E has advised that Humboldt County is no longer in teh scope for a Public Safety Power Shutoff tonight and power will remain on.”
They also said at this time the National Weather Service does not see more weather patterns that would cause another PSPS event in the near future.
UPDATE 10/29/19 4:24 p.m. : PG&E has now stated Humboldt County will be affected by a third power outage on Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. rather than the previously reported 9 p.m.
UPDATE 10/2/19 10:00 p.m. : According to a PG&E press release Humboldt county is expected to lose power on Oct. 29 at 9 p.m. This is the most current information as of Oct. 28 at 10 p.m.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company announced in a press release they will shut power off for a third PSPS event scheduled for Oct. 29.
The utility said the next weather event responsible for the third PSPS may begin Tuesday at 6 a.m. According to the Humboldt Office of Emergency Services, power will likely be turned off before that time, although the exact time of the shutoff remains unclear.
The third PSPS event is expected to last until the afternoon of Wednesday, Oct. 30.
Power was restored at Humboldt State University mid-morning Monday, but the campus remains closed through the duration of Tuesday. There is no update for Wednesday classes as of 5:20 p.m.
PG&E has reported it could take up to 48 hours to assess the damage from the Oct. 26 PSPS, but said it is attempting to restore power to customers before the next shutoff. According to the utility company, it is possible not all customers will have their power restored before it goes off again.
Amidst the shutoff, the Student Recreation Center is open temporarily till midnight. HSU is inviting students, staff, faculty and their families to eat for free at the J until campus reopens. Parking permits are not required during the shutdown.
This story is ongoing and timing is subject to change due to changing weather patterns.
Largest intentional blackout in California history keeps millions without power while the state burns
Over two million people across Northern California were without power on Sunday. Pacific Gas & Electric is working to restore power, but the company has scheduled another Public Power Safety Shutoff, this time for Tuesday morning.
Despite the shutoffs, fires are burning across the state. The Kincade Fire, a 66,000 acre fire in northern Sonoma County, was only 5% contained as of Monday at 3 p.m. Located just northwest of Santa Rosa, the Kincade Fire has forced more than 180,000 people to evacuate, including the towns of Windsor and Healdsburg.
There are no casualties or missing persons reported as of yet, but 80,000 structures are at risk. Firefighters from as far south as Pasadena and as far north as Oregon have reported to the scene to try and stop the fire from pushing west across Highway 101.
PG&E’s shutoff is an unprecedented intentional blackout, and is the largest intentional blackout in history, according to theLos Angeles Times. The utility’s goal is to prevent high winds—which have reached upwards of 100 miles per hour in some parts of Sonoma County—from sparking wildfires.
In a PG&E press conference on Saturday, CEO and President of the utility company—but not the entire corporation—Andy Vesey said the company’s goal is safety.
“Right now we have a big, historic event coming at us,” Vesey said. “We have two and a half million customers being impacted. There’s a real threat to public safety and that’s why we’re doing this.”
Yet, across the nation, media outlets are questioning PG&E’s shutoffs.
Articles from Time, The Nation and ProPublicahave claimed that PG&E’s shutoffs may not actually reduce wildfire risk. The shutoffs could prevent debris from sparking fires from electrical wires, but that is not the only cause of wildfires. Abraham Lustgarten for ProPublicapoints to cigarettes, barbecues, generators (which are used extensively during shutoffs) and cars as other common fire starters.
“The blackouts solved nothing, of course,” Lustgarten wrote. “De-energizing the electrical grid is a bludgeon: imprecise, with enormous potential for collateral damage as people deal with a darkened world. It doesn’t even eliminate fire risk.”
To Lustgarten’s point, a structure fire on the east side of the Arcata Plaza erupted Sunday afternoon, likely caused by a generator at the Big Blue Cafe, according to reporting by the Times Standard. While firefighters contained the blaze and no injuries were reported, initial estimates for the damages are as high as $2 million.
“It’s more than just climate change. It’s about the failure of capitalism to address climate change. It’s about decades of mismanagement. It’s a story about greed.”
Gavin Newsom, California Governor
In some instances, it seems the shut offs weren’t implemented in time to prevent electrical lines from sparking fires. PG&E admitted that it registered a failed jumper cable at one of its transmission towers near the possible ignition point of the Kincade Fire right before the fire began. The area of the fire was set for a Public Safety Power Shutoff, but it didn’t begin until 28 minutes after the fire started.
The outages have pressed some government officials to speak out against the corporation and its tactics. California Governor Gavin Newsom called out PG&E for greed and mismanagement in a press conference on Thursday.
“It’s more than just climate change,” Newsom said. “It’s about the failure of capitalism to address climate change. It’s about decades of mismanagement. It’s a story about greed.”
Vermont Senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders tweeted that it was time to think about public ownership of utilities.
Amidst the outages, PG&E’s stock has plummeted to all-time lows. On Saturday, Governor Newsom encouraged Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway to buy PG&E.
In the Saturday press conference, Vesey declined to entertain questions about PG&E’s tainted image. Vesey said those discussions can come later as they will focus on the public’s safety for now.
“No matter how much we focus on the past, it will not help us at all today or tomorrow,” Vesey said. “We take lessons learned, we take actions, we put in our programs and we work responsibly.”
For now, California is under a statewide declaration of emergency by Governor Newsom, who has promised to hold PG&E accountable.
“We will hold them to an account that they’ve never been held to in the past,” Newsom said in a press conference. “We will do everything in our power to restructure PG&E so it is a completely different entity when they get out of bankruptcy by June 30th of next year.”
Although areas of Humboldt County have the “all clear” for power restoration, another PSPS may be scheduled for Tuesday morning
Parts of Humboldt have been given the “all clear” to begin line inspections and restorations for the current Public Safety Power Shutoff.
“PG&E notified Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services (OES) that portions of Humboldt County have been given the “All clear” for the weather event and will begin the restoration process as soon as conditions allow,” the latest update from the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services said.
However, PG&E has also notified the county that another PSPS event may affect Humboldt as early as Tuesday morning.
“PG&E also notified OES that another weather event is scheduled for Tuesday 10-29-19 at 6 a.m. which will also result in a possible Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS),” the update said.
OES says it expects “a small window of time” between the two shutoffs, and urges residents to use the time to once again prepare to have no power.
“As always, this information from PG&E is subject to change,” the update said. “Updates will be provided as soon as they become available.”
“These delays in the power shut off are in part because PG&E is trying to limit the time that customers are impacted,” the update said.
PG&E increased the number of accounts within the scope of its latest Public Safety Power Shutoff today from 850,000 to 940,000. Since many accounts provide power to multiple customers, PG&E estimates that over two million people are within the PSPS scope.
PG&E expects to give the “all clear” for the windy weather event by 4 p.m. Sunday for Humboldt. However, the update clarifies that that is not when power will be restored.
“The weather “All clear” time is the time when PG&E personnel can begin inspecting the lines,” the update said. “It can take up to 48 daylight hours from the weather “All clear” time until power is restored because any damage found during the inspection will need to be repaired prior to power restoration.”
In a PG&E press conference at their headquarters in San Francisco, PSPS Incident Commander Mark Quinlan emphasized that the restoration will take different amounts of time for different areas as PG&E works to patrol 31,000 miles of lines.
“The restoration time is a sequence as well,” Quinlan said. “It doesn’t mean that every customer is going to be out for 48 hours. It means that we’re going to begin restoration activities at the times that I mentioned, and we believe we will incrementally restore everyone all the way up and not have anyone out past 48 hours.”
Our first PSPS was a wakeup call, now it’s time to go into the next blackout more ready than ever
In early October, Humboldt County residents trailed around the block at gas stations hoping to fill up their tanks and stripped local grocery stores of food, water and battery operated lights. The Public Safety Power Shutoff made us realize how often we take electricity for granted, and how we use power for most of our daily activities. Simple tasks like cooking, cleaning, eating, working and watching television all require some form of electricity.
Some locals were fortunate enough to have gas-operated stoves to make and warm food, but most of the LJ staff didn’t. Many of us rent apartments or live on campus and have electric stoves, so something as simple as warming a can of beans was nearly impossible.
With the lights out, it felt like we time traveled back to the 1800s. The usual ways of entertainment were off the table, and when we went shopping in preparation most of us didn’t consider buying board games or downloading movies to a laptop. When it came down to sitting in a dark room with nothing to do we made a pact that the next time we would be better prepared.
Having a bag prepped for extreme situations could be lifesaving, and with a little forward thinking, your bag could be ready in minutes.
Here some items we think you should grab from the store or make sure you have before the power outage:
Flashlights and batteries. An obvious choice, but oil or battery-operated lanterns work great, too.
Candles and matches/lighters. This is Humboldt, so we wouldn’t be surprised if most people had a lighter on hand or nearby, but if you don’t you should look into easy means of lighting candles (or that oil lamp) to have some light once the sun goes down.
Cash and gasoline. When the electricity is down, systems are down. This generally means that stores –if open– can’t take cards because they have no way of charging them. This can also include gas stations. We recommend filling up and taking out some cash just in case you need to buy something or drive during the blackout.
Water. You need a minimum of one gallon of water per day per person. We recommend having even more and making an effort to conserve. During the initial PSPS, the City of Arcata urged residents to minimize sewer use and conserve water to the best of their ability. That’s a good rule of thumb, and especially smart if the power outage last longer than before.
Ice. You’ll need lots of ice if you’re interested in trying to save any of the food that was already in your fridge or freezer. We also recommend moving expensive perishables to the freezer and using gallon baggies filled with water as makeshift ice packs to help keep food cold. A cooler filled with ice is also a great option. If you have the money and the storage space, buying a cooler for emergencies like these and any future camping trips could really come in handy.
First Aid kit. You may already have one hanging around. If so, check the the kit to make sure it’s well-stocked and move it to a central place in your home. Communicate the new location with any family or roommates so it’s accessible for any who may need it.
Canned goods. Think of foods you wouldn’t mind eating cold. There’s no need to buy something that will make you gag when you’re trying to stay fed.
Fruit. Apples, bananas and oranges are just a few options. Fruit doesn’t need to be refrigerated and it can help keep your blood sugar up as well as making sure you have some daily fiber, potassium and vitamin C.
Non-perishable snacks. Crackers and chips make an easy snacks but they don’t replace an actual meal. If you have means of warming up water, we recommend grabbing some potato flakes and pasta to keep that stomach from grumbling.
A French press and some pre-ground coffee. If you’re a coffee drinker then we would highly recommend grinding some coffee today. Your future self will thank you. Thankfully a French press doesn’t require electricity, but it does require hot water. If you have an electric stove, instant coffee may be your best bet to get that caffeine fix.
Beef jerky and granola bars. For all you meat eaters, jerky is a great way to keep your protein levels up if you despise cold beans. Granola bars are also great. They’re convenient and versatile, and depending on the bar, they can be a good source of fiber and protein.
Applesauce, puddings and fruit cups. Your pick. But if the power’s out for a while you might get sick of Saltines and canned corn. To keep your mood up, give yourself a treat with a chocolate pudding, or enjoy a sweet, but semi-healthy snack with an applesauce or fruit cup.
Playing cards and boardgames. Whether it’s just you or a group, a deck of cards could most definitely come in handy. Playing cards or boardgames is a great way to pass the time. We recommend a regular deck of cards to start before moving into heavier, emotional games like Uno or Monopoly that could take a toll on your relationships.
Sleeping bags and blankets. It may not be the coldest time of the year, but if you’re used to having your electric heat on, then you’re in for a wake up call. Sleeping bags and blankets, as well as sweats, long socks, hoodies and beanies will help you stay warm while your heater can’t. It’s also good practice if you’re looking for ways to lower that pesky PG&E bill.
An emergency radio. If you’re lucky, you’ll never need to use one, but having a weather radio on hand can be lifesaving. Radios can help you find hot coffee, hot food, shelter or even a place to charge your phone. Some weather radios even double-up as lights and backup chargers.
Portable chargers. These are a great investment. We recommend having one fully charged at all times. If anything happens you can make sure your phone doesn’t lose its battery. If cell towers are active or have backup generators during a blackout, having enough phone battery to call family or friends to keep them updated or ask for updates can be essential.
While all of these items are helpful and important, it’s vital to try and stay calm when the outage hits. Extreme situations can cause mass chaos, and it often becomes more dangerous and stressful than it needs to be. Check our website for updates, sign up for Humboldt County alerts to stay in the know and remember to only call 9-1-1 in emergency situations.
The upcoming blackout is expected to affect 36 counties across Northern California and last longer than before
The extreme weather at the heart of the upcoming Public Safety Power Shutoff is expected to begin Saturday early evening and last until midday Monday, according to Pacific Gas and Electric.
Despite original calculations that included only 32 counties and 640,000 PG&E customers, new information from the utility estimates the shutdown could impact 850,000 customers and possibly affect 36 counties across Northern California.
PG&E Corporate Spokesperson Deanna Contreras confirmed the updated calculations in a phone interview.
“This time there are some distribution lines that are in the PSPS scope,” Contreras said. “Whereas last time the PSPS was in transmission lines coming from outside of Humboldt that provide power here.”
Contreras emphasized that she wanted customers to understand the reasoning behind the shut-offs.
“I want people to understand why we’re doing this,” Contreras said. “It’s not just because it’s windy. I want people to understand that this is because there are serious wildfire risks during these weather events.”
Contreras’ tone matched that of the latest PG&E press release.
“The weather event could be the most powerful in California in decades,” PG&E’s statement said. “With widespread dry Northeast winds between 45-60 miles per hour and peak gusts of 60-70 mph in the higher elevations.”
According to Contreras, PG&E is working to minimize the shutoffs and is already working on a restoration plan for when the weather subsides. Contreras said the utility giant has requested help from other energy companies to speed inspections and repairs.
“These crews are expected to be staged and briefed on the restoration plan by Sunday evening,” Contreras said. “If weather progresses as expected, restoration could begin in some portions of the affected area as early as Monday afternoon.”
In response to the likely shutdown, Humboldt State will close campus from 9 a.m. Saturday through the end of Monday, Oct. 28, and encourages faculty and staff to grab belongings from offices and classrooms before buildings lock for the weekend.
During the outage HSU Dining Services will offer free meals at the J after 5 p.m. Saturday through Monday evening for staff and students that bring their HSU identification. To help prepare residents for the PSPS, Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services also posted a list of nine power outage tips to its Facebook.
“Have food for 2-3 days on hand that doesn’t require refrigeration and can be cooked on a camp stove or outdoor grill,” OES said in its post. “Remember though, never use a camp stove indoors.”
The PG&E press release is copied below:
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today said it continues to monitor a potentially powerful and widespread dry, hot and windy weather event expected to begin impacting the service area Saturday between 6 and 10 p.m. and lasting until midday Monday.
PG&E will need to turn off power for safety several hours before the potentially damaging winds arrive. It’s important to note that as this weather system sweeps from north to south over a period of two days, PG&E customers across Northern and Central Californiawill feel the effects of hot, dry winds at different times, which means outage times will vary, as well.
The potential Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) is expected to affect approximately 850,000 customers and may impact portions of 36 counties across portions of Humboldt, the Sierra foothills, Western Sacramento Valley, North Bay, and across the greater Bay area, Monterey Bay and northern Central Coast on Saturday, Oct. 26. Customers in the southern-most portion of PG&E’s service area in Kern County could have power shut off for safety on Sunday, Oct. 27.
Predictive data models indicate the weather event could be the most powerful in California in decades, with widespread dry Northeast winds between 45-60 miles per hour (mph) and peak gusts of 60-70 mph in the higher elevations.
Winds of this magnitude pose a higher risk of damage and sparks on the electric system and rapid wildfire spread. The fire risk is even higher because vegetation on the ground has been dried out by recent wind events.
Given the forecast and conditions, PG&E is advising its customers of the potential for a widespread PSPS lasting several days, intended to prevent a catastrophic wildfire. As this intense weather event approaches the service area in the next 24 hours, PG&E’s forecasts will offer sharper detail, noting that the scope may continue to change on the number of customers who will be affected.
Once again, PG&E did not initially include all of Humboldt in its outage prediction. But according to OES, all of Humboldt County will be affected.
Due to possible extreme weather conditions and fire risk, all of Humboldt County is expected to lose power when Pacific Gas and Electric implements a Public Safety Power Shutoff early Saturday afternoon.
“The latest information from PG&E is that all of Humboldt County is now in scope for this PSPS power outage,” a Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services Facebook post said on Thursday evening.
PG&E began notifying specific customers of the possible outage on Thursday evening and will continue to do so. The utility also told OES that their online address look-up tool wasn’t up to date as of Thursday night, but will be updated soon.
According to a post from the Humboldt County Government’s website, the outage is expected to last longer than the previous, which was only 28-hours, and residents should prepare to be without electricity for up to four days. The county also said the length of the outage and estimated time power could return is completely up to PG&E.
OES also made a post with nine tips for preparing for the outage. The list is copied below.
Are you prepared in the event the PSPS affects Humboldt County? There is still time to gather supplies and take steps to be ready if the power shuts off.
Here are some tips to help you get prepared.
1. Have food for 2-3 days on hand that doesn’t require refrigeration and can be cooked on a camp stove or outdoor grill. Remember though, never use a camp stove indoors.
2. Have 1 gallon of water, per day, per person for drinking and cleaning.
3. Have flashlights, battery operated lanterns or candles in a convenient location. Remember, if you are using candles, never leave them unattended, within reach of children, and keep them away from flammable items.
4. Keep your refrigerated items cold by freezing water bottles. When the power goes out, transfer the frozen bottles around items in your fridge to help keep them cold. You can also transfer items to the freezer once the power is out to keep them cold. Remember to only open your fridge when absolutely necessary and make it quick. Don’t open your fridge to check to see if it’s cold.
5. If you are getting close to needing a refill on prescriptions, do it soon.
6. Fuel up your vehicle.
7. Have cash on hand. When we lose power retailers may lose the ability to run debit and credit cards.
8. Remember to check on your neighbors. We are all in this together and we strengthen our community by pulling together.
9. Sign up for Humboldt Alert, Humboldt county’s emergency notification system. We will send out notification alerting you to any emergency that may affect you, not just a PSPS event. Click our link at the top of our Facebook page or visit Humboldtgov.org/alerts to sign up today.
For more information on preparedness, visit Ready.gov.
United Indian Health Services provides health and wellness services for Native Americans throughout Del Norte and Humboldt County
When you’re sick with cold sweats, a cough and a runny nose, being home with someone who loves and cares for you is the ideal situation. Those feelings of comfort, security and warmth are at the core of the United Indian Health Services and their mission of healing the mind, body and spirit.
Elizabeth Lara-O’Rourke, the community health and wellness division director for the Potawot Health Village in Arcata, talks about the different realms of wellness UIHS strives for when treating their clients.
“Being able to meet the many needs of our clients is really important for overall wellness,” Lara-O’Rourke said. “It’s not just physical wellness, but also spiritual wellness and we really try to include a strong cultural component in the services that we provide.”
UIHS is a collaborative program between various local tribes within the Humboldt and Del Norte counties that provide medical services along with community and wellness outreach specifically for Native Americans, whether they are local tribe members or not.
“We work to heal mind, body and spirit. Culture is a part of that. Art can support the healing process.”
Andre Cramblit
There are seven clinics – Xaa-wan’-k’wvt Clinic in Smith River, Taa-’at-dvn in Crescent City, Elk Valley Office in Crescent City, Hop’-ew Puel in Klamath, Weitchpec Libby Nix Community Health Center, Potawot in Arcata and Tish-non in Fortuna that collectively serve 1,200 active clients. However, Tish-non is closing down its Fortuna location on Oct. 25 and relocating to Eureka where they will reopen their clinic on Dec. 2.
“The environment here is about bringing people home, making people feel comfortable and offering an environment that offers a family atmosphere,” Lara-O’ Rourke said. “So we really try to have that not just with our clients but also with our staff.”
Twenty-three-year-old Winona Vigil is a front office assistant for Potawot. She graduated from Humboldt State in 2018 with a bachelors degree in psychology and a minor in kinesiology. She works as the receptionist and is the first face and voice that clients meet and greet upon entrance. Vigil says she likes the work and also appreciates helping out clients that come through the doors or those who call seeking aid.
“All my coworkers and everyone who works here is super supportive,” Vigil said. “And working with the clients, they are all usually friendly. They’ve got life stories and it’s interesting getting to hear them.”
UIHS offers basic medical, dental, vision, behavioral health and pharmacy services. The availability of health services differs from each clinic and programs such as Title IV Elder Nutrition help deliver food to American Indian elders.
Andre Cramblit, traditional resources specialist for the Potawot Health Village, says that by including cultural components, whether it’s through art, displaying traditional items or hosting cultural events, like the Harvest Party and youth summer camps, there are opportunities for Native Americans to connect with their heritage.
“We work to heal mind, body and spirit,” Cramblit said. “Culture is a part of that. Art can support the healing process.”
“People need to make decisions that are right for them. Not necessarily what the provider thinks is right, but what that client feels is the right decision for them because in healthcare sometimes there isn’t a right answer.
Elizabeth Lara-O’Rourke
Other traditional resources include various methods of recovery such as inviting traditional healers, sweats and supporting language classes.
Lara-O’ Rourke says that another theme of UIHS is that health of the environment equals the health of the people. The organization highly values and honors the connection that Natives have with the earth, water, plants and animals.
Whereas other health facilities or healthcare providers might separate mind, body and spirit, Lara-O’ Rourke said that for UIHS it’s interconnected and that knowledge is important for their clients to make the best decisions.
“People need to make decisions that are right for them,” Lara-O’Rourke said. “Not necessarily what the provider thinks is right, but what that client feels is the right decision for them because in healthcare sometimes there isn’t a right answer. It is what is best for that person, and only that person can decide that.”
Due to an expected severe wind event anticipated to occur around 10 pm Saturday night, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) notified the county this afternoon that it will de-energize some power lines in Humboldt County as part of the utility’s Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program. At this time, PG&E expects that 2,188 customer connections in Humboldt County will be affected. Electricity is expected to be turned off for those PG&E customers Saturday evening, possibly several hours before the wind increases.
This PSPS event is expected to last longer than the roughly 24-hour event earlier this month, which means residents who are affected may have electricity shut off for a longer period of time. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services (Sheriff’s OES) will provide updated information from the utility as it becomes available.
The length of the outage and estimated time of restoral [sic] is entirely up to PG&E. For information about PSPS or to sign up for alerts, go to http://www.prepareforpowerdown.com or call 1-877-9000-PGE.
PG&E expects to issue maps later today that show the anticipated affected areas. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services (Sheriff’s OES) will provide those maps and any information regarding affected areas as it becomes available. If the shutoff is isolated in Humboldt County, or includes distribution lines in our area, ground inspection may take longer than the aerial inspection completed after the Oct. 9th shutoff before restoration can begin.
The overall PSPS is expected to affect 32 California counties and approximately 640,000 customer connections. As conditions may continue to change and the scope of this event may be expanded, the county recommends that all county residents be prepared for an extended power outage beginning Saturday night.
Alison Holmes, Ph.D. spent her sabbatical researching whether California acts as its own nation
California has the means to be its own nation. It’s big, it’s wealthy and it’s been disrupting the status quo by acting internationally.
“California has been acting outside the box,” Humboldt State University Associate Professor and International Studies program leader Alison Holmes said. “They’ve been going and doing stuff with China, Mexico and Canada. It’s like, ‘Wait, you’re not supposed to do that. That’s not what international relations theory says, it’s not what the U.S. Constitution says, it’s not what all kinds of other rules suggest.’ So how are they doing that?”
Holmes spent her sabbatical last school year researching California and talking with state officials and those the state has dealt with.
In August, Holmes presented her research to the Center for California Studies at Sacramento State University in a presentation called, “California as a Nation-State: Innovative or Inevitable?”
In her research, Holmes found that cities and industries within California may act internationally, but the state itself doesn’t typically act as its own nation.
“We do things internationally but we don’t do them in a coordinated fashion,” Holmes said.
Holmes grew up in Oklahoma, but she moved to the United Kingdom after volunteering in Belfast during college. Holmes lived in the United Kingdom for 25 years, where, among other things, she worked for and advised the Liberal Democrats and worked as the Deputy Head of Corporate Communication Strategy for the BBC.
In 2005, Holmes completed her doctorate in London and then became a speechwriter for Ambassador Robert Tuttle.
“When I worked for the ambassador, I became very interested in international relations and diplomacy,” Holmes said.
California likes to think that it’s an innovator. We’re really big and proud about how we do stuff. And actually we’re not at the front of that innovation edge; a lot of other places in the world have been doing this for a long time.”
Alison Holmes, Ph.D.
When Holmes moved to California, she saw a perfect opportunity for research.
“California makes an excellent case-study, because it is the fifth largest economy in the world,” Holmes said. “But it is a sub-national unit of a huge, hegemonic, vast, largest-nation power.
Holmes said California’s international actions are part of a larger globalization trend.
“What a lot of international relations theory will tell you is that globalization has meant a bunch of people who aren’t nation-states have started to do things on the international stage,” Holmes said.
With this in mind, Holmes said that while California might be innovative for the United States, it isn’t elsewhere.
“California likes to think that it’s an innovator,” Holmes said. “We’re really big and proud about how we do stuff. And actually we’re not at the front of that innovation edge; a lot of other places in the world have been doing this for a long time.”
Holmes also said non-state entities acting internationally brings up questions about the very nature of sovereignty.
“When does a sovereign not have sovereignty?” Holmes said. “At what point do state relations at the international level become a foreign policy? My point here is that our traditional ideas of sovereignty are ill-equipped to describe what we see in the real world.”
Holmes says there are three future goals for California: the establishment of an agency focused on international policy, the honoring of tribal relations and the inclusion of tribes in international policy, and the coordination of city and county international efforts with state efforts.
Holmes ended her research presentation with an urge to take advantage of California’s diversity across all of its communities.
“That is the only way to create a robust local-global citizenship and to turn California’s state-nation vision of unity from diversity into a reality,” Holmes said.
Locally, Holmes said Humboldt is more global than it might think. Holmes urged Humboldt residents to connect local actions with outside, global forces.
“I worry that Humboldt is a little too proud of being the Lost Coast or being behind the Redwood Curtain,” Holmes said. “Privileging what they perceive to be the local over the global, to the point of seeking to disconnect from rather than engage with the world outside.”
Holmes said ignoring global events has consequences.
“If you don’t understand these things, you’re not really paying attention to what’s happening, how you can take advantage of that, how you can be a part of that and how it doesn’t have to roll over you like a steamroller,” Holmes said. “Because otherwise it will.”
However, Holmes cautioned that connecting local issues with the rest of the globe doesn’t mean people should start blaming external forces for all local problems.
“Trying to understand it is not the same as trying to find somebody else to blame,” Holmes said.
Holmes suggested that freshmen coming to HSU would likely benefit from learning intercultural communication strategies that international studies students use.
“There is culture shock,” Holmes said of new HSU students. “There is intercultural communication issues between the different groups of people who turn up here.”
While HSU politics professor and international relations teacher Noah Zerbe said Holmes’ work goes beyond the scope of his expertise, he did agree with the importance of paying attention to the rest of the globe.
“Stuff that happens globally affects us everywhere,” Zerbe said. “It affects us here as well.”
California’s prowess has led some to believe that California should secede from the United States.
Marcus Ruiz Evans, president of Yes California, the largest organization dedicated to California’s secession, said he believes California would be better off on its own.
“The basic idea is that California is held back financially because it’s part of America,” Ruiz Evans said over the phone.
“The basic idea is that California is held back financially because it’s part of America.”
Marcus Ruiz Evans
Ruiz Evans said Yes California and the #CalExit movement started back in 2011. Since then, it has seen significant growth, especially following the election of Donald Trump.
However, Ruiz Evans said that the movement’s growth led to a divide in its supporters that left the movement momentarily stagnant.
“With success came civil divorce,” Ruiz Evans said.
Nevertheless, Ruiz Evans said he firmly believes California should secede. Ruiz Evans said that California, on its own, wouldn’t have to fight with the president or the rest of the country, wouldn’t have to fight with federal immigration laws and would save billions of dollars.
Ruiz Evans also said California is held back politically and financially, and that he believes a split is only logical.
“We think it’s inevitable,” Ruiz Evans said.
Yet, when asked, Holmes put a damper on such enthusiasm.
“I am not sure ‘doing it alone’ is ever a great idea,” Holmes said. “I think while California is rich by many standards, if they had to pay for all the things that the federal government currently does, our situation would change rapidly. California could go that route, but revolutions rarely end well or the way the instigators intended. Be careful what you wish for.”
Despite help from wildlife responders, the whale has died
A humpback whale was found washed ashore on the south end of the Samoa Peninsula early Wednesday morning.
Eureka resident Berkeley Kijsriopas was on her morning beach walk with her mother and found the whale. It appeared to be wrapped up in a large fish net.
The pair made a quick call to animal rescuers from HSU’s Marine Wildlife Care Center. Animal rescuers, including HSU’s Dawn Goley, were the first to arrive on the scene, followed by Samoa Peninsula Fire District and the National Oceanic and Aeronautic Administration.
Humboldt Wildlife Care Center staff rehabilitation Lucinda Adamson was at the scene to help keep people away from the whale as marine biologists worked through an effective plan to cut ties from the whale without harming it.
Wildlife responders help the whale keep hydrated while police make sure beachgoers keep their distance. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Wildlife responders attempt to help the whale keep hydrated. The longer the whale is out of the water, the lower the chances of survival. | Photo by Thomas Lal
The beached whale was found earlier this morning by two Eureka residents on their morning walk. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Locals gathered with their dogs on leashes and phones in hand as they tried to capture the moment without stressing the whale or the wildlife responders.
“Those from NOAA here are working with people from around the country to figure out the best way to help the whale and keep the people safe,” Adamson said. “I’ve just been helping to get gear and people back to keep the whale’s stress down.”
Earlier today, there seemed to be no serious concerns that the whale may lose its life, but according to Goley and reporting by the Lost Coast Outpost, high tide isn’t until after 8 p.m. tonight and as time passes its chance of survival slims.
People will continue to work on getting the whale back out to the water as soon as possible, and despite high tide’s timing, there is a chance of the whale floating back out before then.
“They’ve been cutting some of the lines from him,” Adamson said. “But they’ve been doing a lot of assessments and just trying to get him back out there safely.”
Update: The whale has successfully been disentangled, but rescuers are waiting for the tide to rise to ensure he gets back out in the water.
Update: The whale is still on Samoa beach, but it is alive. Goley remains on the scene, and has been accompanied by sheriff’s deputies and game wardens along with the marine mammal rescuers.
Update, Thursday 9 p.m.: The whale has died. Goley, along with members of the Northcoast Marine Mammal Center and the NOAA, conducted health assessments, determined the whale wouldn’t make it through yet another night out of the water and decided humane euthanasia was the whale’s best option.
After nearly 160 years in the hands of Eureka, Tuluwat, briefly known as Indian Island, returns to its rightful owners
Wiyot Tribal members and Eureka community members were joyful, yet solemn, at the Eureka City Council meeting to officially return Tuluwat Island to the Wiyot people.
Wiyot tribal elder Cheryl A. Seidner blessed the room in a prayer of welcome. In the prayer, Seidner welcomed people from the East and from all directions as she turned in a circle, speaking in her native language. The crowd was silent and respectful, and tribal members let out emotional “ho’s.” Seidner thanked everybody in the audience and asked them to rise.
Wiyot tribal elder Cheryl A. Seidner speaks during the public comment section of the city meeting to return Tuluwat Island to the Wiyot Tribe while she is surrounded by supporters and tribe members at the Adorni Center in Eureka on Oct. 21. | Photo by Thomas Lal
“This is something I’ve always wanted since I was a kid,” Seidner said. “I thought the island was always ours, not anybody else’s. So we came together and said, ‘Let’s do this, let’s make it ours.’ So I decided to be bold and ask the new mayor to give us the island they owned.”
In 2004, 40 acres of Tuluwat were returned to the Wiyot Tribe. Oct. 21 marked the return of the remaining 202 acres. The tribe has been working with the City of Eureka for the last five years to make this happen, and this action marks the first step to repairing the damage caused to the tribe that began 100 years ago.
Cutcha Risling Baldy, Ph.D, the Native American Studies department chair at Humboldt State University, delivered one of many moving speeches to the hundreds of assembled community members. Baldy talked about the future of the Wiyot people and how she knew, one day, they would come back.
“I realized that native people were always making plans for our future and that we never gave up on our land or where we came from,” Baldy said. “That is the story I want people to know. I know that the story of Tuluwat, which people often refer to as Indian Island, has been one of a massacre for most people, but for me it has only been a place for world renewal.”
Baldy once read a book about stories gathered from people about Tuluwat. One particular story was about a woman who was stuck in the mud after the violence on the island. While it may be a story of sadness, Baldy said it was a moment of strength and hope. The woman sang a mourning song because she knew she had to send her tribe off properly. Her strength showed she knew her kin would one day return to Tuluwat.
Wiyot Tribal Chairman Ted Hernandez performs a traditional dance with members from the local tribes at the Oct. 21 Eureka City Council meeting to return Tulutwat Island to the Wiyot. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Jene L. McCovey sings a song during the Eureka City Council meeting to officially return Tuluwat Island to the Wiyot Tribe at the Adorni Center on Oct. 21.
A child stands with other tribal members at the Oct. 21 meeting to return Tuluwat Island to the Wiyot people. | Photo by Thomas Lal
HSU anthropology professor Gordon Ulmer acknowledged the significance of the day. Ulmer said the day should be a celebration of time immemorial, and that it displayed the vibrancy of the Wiyot tribe, despite the dark history.
“What we see here is a very vibrant thriving community that lives in the shadow of genocide,” Ulmer said. “People remember the genocide, but what is rarely acknowledged -or at least to a much lesser extent- is that people are still here, the Wiyot are thriving. There’s a lot to celebrate here.”
Eureka Mayor Susan Seaman began official proceedings by declaring the day as a moment in time that should forge strong bonds going into the future to create a long sought-after vision. Seaman prepared to take a vote from the council people while tension in the air grew as the crowd waited.
“I move to authorize the transfer of Tuluwat Island to the Wiyot Tribe and I authorize the vote,” Seaman said.
Leona Wilkinson sits and watches as the Eureka City Council meets to officially return Tuluwat Island to the Wiyot tribe at the Adroni Center in Eureka on October 21.
Members of the local Native American tribes perform traditional dances and songs during the Eureka City Council meeting for the return of Tuluwat Island to the Wiyot tribe at the Adorni Center on October 21.
Hilanea Wilkinson holds up a quilt designed to honor those who can now return to Tuluwat Island at the Eureka City Council meeting at the Adorni Center on October 21.
The Eureka City Council spoke on behalf of the motion, each member contributing a unique perspective to the magnanimity of the event. HSU Lecturer and Eureka City Council Member Natalie Arroyo wasn’t physically present, but she FaceTimed in and a representative shared a letter penned by her about Tuluwat.
“This is the first known transfer of land from a city to a tribe of this kind,” Arroyo said. “We are all responsible to do what we can to actively participate in healing. I will be so bold to say under current conditions Eureka owns the land, but it was never truly ours.”
The tension began to ease as Seaman’s voice fell over the crowd.
“The vote to return the Tuluwat island to the Wiyot Tribe was unanimous and the motion passed,” Seaman said.
A sea of people applaud the Eureka City Council during their meeting to return Tuluwat Island to the Wiyot tribe at the Adorni Center in Eureka on Oct. 21. | Photo by Thomas Lal
The signed documents with the signature of Wiyot Tribal Chairman Ted Hernandez after the Eureka City Council Meeting to return Tuluwat Island to the Wiyot tribe at the Adorni Center on Oct. 21. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Cheryl A. Seidner sings “Coming Home” at the end of the Eureka City Council meeting to return Tuluwat Island to the Wiyot tribe at the Adorni Center on Oct. 21. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Applause erupted from the audience. The crowd stood on their feet to clap and shout in joy.
Seidner invited her family to the front of the auditorium to sing a song to the people gathered in the room. Seidner welcomed everyone in the audience and invited them to sing the song “Coming Home.”
“I know that our ancestors knew this day would come,” Baldy said. “I think that we need to consider it an opportunity to think about our next steps in the future. People stand up and ask me, ‘What can I do?’ And I have one answer for them: you can start by giving all the land back. And now we know it’s possible.”
The signing of the deed marked the end of the meeting. Seidner placed a quilt representing all who could not be present on the table, and the council people huddled around to officially return Tuluwat to its ancient owners.
Wiyot Tribal Chairman Ted Hernandez and Eureka Mayor Susan Seaman embrace after signing the papers to officially return Tuluwat Island to the Wiyot Tribe at the Adorni Center on Oct. 21. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Baldy concluded her address with honest praise. With the Wiyot land reparation, the people in the room could now envision a radical future.
“A future with no dams, a future with salmon that are healthy, a future with our children that are singing, a future where we are dancing all the time,” Baldy said. “I know we’ve seen it and I know we’ve felt it, and I look forward to how amazing that is going to be. And I know that we can do it, and I look forward to how everyone in this room is going to make that happen.”
Indigenous Peoples’ Week provided an opportunity for the community to not only recognize native culture but learn about it
Last Thursday Yurok Tribe member Keith Parker, a Humboldt State alumnus and fisheries and molecular biologist, gave a presentation on campus about the Klamath River, his work on Lamprey eels and the local ecosystem.
As a tribal scientist, Parker gets to use his traditional knowledge from his Yurok heritage combined with his master’s degree from HSU to conduct field and lab work. The Klamath River is significant to the Yurok Tribe, as Yurok translates to “downriver people.”
“I have a spiritual and innate connection to the land,” Parker said. “It’s not just a study subject for me, it’s not just empirical data. I have skin in the game, literally.”
“I have a cultural connection. I live off that river, my kids eat off that river, we eat the salmon, the sturgeon, the lamprey, the elk, the deer and we harvest the roots.”
Keith Parker
Parker feels that his upbringing along with his academics makes him a better and more effective scientist. It is more than just conducting research for him, as he continues to learn and then teach others about a topic he feels passion for.
“I have a cultural connection,” Parker said. “I live off that river, my kids eat off that river, we eat the salmon, the sturgeon, the lamprey, the elk, the deer and we harvest the roots.”
The river has a rich history in native lore, being home to other tribes including the Karok and Modoc long before the earliest settlers came west. But in more recent years, the river has taken a decline in health.
Some of the causes can be attributed to the damming of the river, preventing the water from flowing properly and allowing harmful algae to grow. Specifically cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae.
The North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board and the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services send out broadcast warnings, cautioning people to avoid swimming in areas that contain the algae.
In July 2018, the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services issued a news release stating, “The presence of cyanobacteria has been previously confirmed in some water bodies within Humboldt, Mendocino and Lake counties including the South Fork Eel River, Van Duzen River, Trinity River, Clear Lake and Lake Pillsbury. It is difficult to test and monitor the many lakes and miles of our local rivers. Most blooms in California contain harmless green algae, but it is important to stay safe and avoid contact.” “It isn’t just a loss of biodiversity when you see a river system like that slowly dying, it’s a loss of cultural heritage as well.”
Another effect of the damming is that the salmon find it much harder to swim to and from the ocean, which slowly harms the surrounding wildlife.
“It isn’t just a loss of biodiversity when you see a river system like that slowly dying, it’s a loss of cultural heritage as well.”
Keith Parker
“Those fish leave as juveniles and they go out to the ocean and they come back later on in life much larger in size,” Parker said. “They then spawn and die, all those marine-derived nutrients that are in their flesh are absorbed into those forests.”
Yurok culture is linked to the river in many ways, including using it for transportation and trade. The Yurok tribe would trade items downstream, from the ocean, as they looked to collect larger deer and elk from deeper in the mountains.
“A lot of our people, even now, they’re breaking out in rashes from putting their hands in the water and taking the fish out,” Parker said. “The females of the tribe often weave baskets from roots they harvest from the water’s edge as well, and part of the method is sucking on the roots to soften them up so they can weave baskets and more. They are being affected as well.”
The Lamprey eels used to thrive, and were something that the natives could smoke and preserve as their food throughout the winter. They used handmade eel hooks, which the men make by hand and include carvings that are personal to each individual.
“When the women harvest those roots from this nasty river edge, when they’re making them they keep them in their mouth and they soften them up with their saliva while they’re making their basket, and they’re getting poisoned,” Parker said. “It isn’t just a loss of biodiversity when you see a river system like that slowly dying, it’s a loss of cultural heritage as well.”
PG&E cut power to more than 700,000 homes and businesses across Northern California, including Humboldt County, beginning early the morning of Oct. 9.
State officials have criticized PG&E, including Governor Gavin Newsom.
“This is not, from my perspective, a climate story as much as a story about greed and mismanagement over the course of decades,” Newsom said in a press conference on Thursday.
Humboldt County residents had less than 24 hours of notice, as PG&E’s initial warnings did not include Humboldt as an affected county.
PG&E sent warnings out to customers for some time about possible outages, but few were prepared for such a sudden total power shut down.
The shutoff came as a new last-resort tactic by PG&E called a “Public Safety Power Shutoff.”
The California Public Utilities Commission issued a resolution in May, supporting PSPS tactics to prevent wildfires like the Camp Fire, a wildfire that tore through Butte County, Calif. in November of last year.
“Clearly something needs to be done. There are lines breaking and they’re causing fires.”
Jeffrey Kane
The Camp Fire burned over 153 thousand acres, destroyed over 18,000 homes and killed 85 people, making it the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history.
California state investigators determined poorly-maintained electrical lines as the cause of the fire. PG&E was thus made responsible for the fire, and faced potential liabilities of $30 billion dollars. In January, PG&E filed for bankruptcy.
PG&E and U.S. District Judge William Alsup have since gone back and forth over the details of PG&E’s restructuring plans to repair the aging electrical lines. According to PG&E Spokesperson Megan McFarland, the utility has been working on a variety of operations.
“Our ongoing and expanded efforts include further enhancing vegetation management around power lines, conducting accelerated safety inspections of electric infrastructure in high fire-threat areas, and hardening our electric system,” McFarland said in an email.
Businesses around Humboldt reported tens of thousands of dollars in losses in sales and spoiled foods.
Humboldt State University Associate Professor of Fire Ecology and Fuels Management Jeffrey Kane said PG&E and the rest of the state are going to have to learn to manage vegetation to reduce the risk of wildfires.
“Clearly something needs to be done,” Kane said. “There are lines breaking and they’re causing fires.”
While Kane did not know the details of PG&E’s lines and practices, he said keeping vegetation away from transmission lines will require continual maintenance.
In the long-term, one model for PG&E’s future might come from San Diego Gas & Electric, as suggested by reporting in the Los Angeles Times. After a 2007 fire, SDG&E spent over $1 billion burying and insulating lines. SDG&E also sectioned off areas into separate micro-grids, so that shut offs could be more targeted and less widespread.
However, both of those practices will take time and money. Until then, PG&E will implement outages like the one triggered last week by a National Weather Service Red Flag Warning of high winds and low humidity.
The outage hit over 700,000 customers across California. In Humboldt, a late notice meant residents had only about 12 hours to prepare for what was predicted to be a three-to-five day outage.
While the outage only lasted about 24 hours in Humboldt, the outage caused widespread closures and the activation of the Humboldt County Emergency Operations Center.
Businesses around Humboldt reported tens of thousands of dollars in losses in sales and spoiled foods.
A news release from the Eureka Police Department noted a 26% increase in dispatches during the outage, but attributed the increase to nearly 40 false alarms. The five traffic collisions and three burglaries both fell within normal ranges, according to the release.
Office of Emergency Services Administrative Officer Sean Quincey said he was proud of the way the county responded and supported one another through the outage, which he said is essential in any emergency in Humboldt.
“Humboldt County is isolated,” Quincey said over the phone. “It’ll take time to get resources up here. Until then we need to support each other, and I was happy to see that happened.”
Arcata City Manager Karen Diemer shared a similar outlook over the phone.
“Humboldt County is isolated. It’ll take time to get resources up here. Until then we need to support each other…”
Sean Quincey
“I saw a lot of residents helping other residents and making sure that their neighbors were safe,” Diemer said. “So the resiliency of our community is strong.”
Unlike Humboldt, Quincey said some communities farther south received 48 hours notice—which, ideally, Humboldt will have in the future. McFarland echoed that statement.
“Our goal, dependent on weather, is to send customer alerts at 48 hours, 24 hours and just prior to shutting off power,” McFarland said.
Just before the outage, there were efforts at the Humboldt Bay Generating Plant to provide electricity for at least part of Humboldt County. But McFarland said HBGS doesn’t have the capabilities to operate when disconnected from the grid.
However, McFarland suggested that HBGS may be able to provide energy to Humboldt in future emergencies.
“PG&E does have an engineering study underway to evaluate what plant modifications would be required to add that capability,” McFarland said. “Including changes that may be required to the existing air permit to allow HBGS to operate over the range necessary when disconnected from the grid.”
The outage ultimately served as a wake-up call for the county.
“We’ve learned that this is something that we need to be more prepared for,” Quincey said.
In a press conference held at the PG&E headquarters in San Francisco on Oct. 10, PG&E CEO Bill Johnson apologized for the outage and for failures in their website, maps and call centers.
“To put it simply, we were not adequately prepared to support the operational event.”
Bill Johnson, PG&E CEO
“To put it simply, we were not adequately prepared to support the operational event,” Johnson said.
As for the future of PSPS events, Johnson said PG&E is working to prevent outages from becoming the new normal. However, Johnson made the statement with a caveat.
“Given the risk to public safety, there’s a desire to have zero spark during conditions like the ones we had over the last several days,” Johnson said. “We will very likely have to make this kind of decision again in the future.”
Corrections: A previous version of this article listed the Camp Fire’s acreage in the millions, not the thousands.
Humboldt businesses take stock of losses from county-wide power outage
Local businesses scrambled to recover from two days of frantic sales and attempts at saving perishable foods on Oct. 10.
North Coast Co-Op General Manager Melanie Bettenhausen said she had been up for most of the previous 36 hours.
When the Co-Op learned of the outages, Bettenhausen said they had to choose between trying to store and preserve perishables, or trying to sell them off as quickly as possible.
They chose the latter and marked down all perishables at 50% off.
“And that resulted in madness in our stores,” Bettenhausen said.
Bettenhausen said more customers visited the Co-Op than on even their busiest days. Bettenhausen thanked the community for coming and helping salvage some of their losses. Nevertheless, their losses were significant.
“My best guess is somewhere between $25,000 and $30,000, because we were able to mark down and sell some products,” Bettenhausen said.
On Oct. 10 the Co-Op was documenting tens of thousands of dollars of perishable items that had to be thrown away, as temperatures rose outside of legal limits.
Bettenhausen estimated a dozen shopping carts full of items were tossed just from the dairy section at their Eureka store.
North Coast General Manager estimates losses between $25,000 and $30,000. | Photo by James Wilde
Conrad Coelho, the store manager of Murphy’s Market in Westwood, shared similar experiences.
“It was very busy,” Coelho said. “The busiest we’ve ever been since we opened in 2010.”
Coelho said lines inside stores stretched down aisles on Wednesday as customers waited 30 to 40 minutes to check out. While Coelho couldn’t give a number on their sales, he predicted significant losses from the frozen section.
Wildberries Marketplace President and owner Phil Ricord said the store experienced a rush of customers before the outage.
“Around 5 p.m. on Tuesday we got slammed big-time with customers buying canned foods and candles and stuff like that,” Ricord said.
Due to aging electrical infrastructure, Wildberries does not have a backup generator, and did not open on Wednesday. Instead, employees stored perishables in cold boxes, where they were able to maintain cold enough temperatures to save most of their foods.
Ricord did say that some produce was lost, and the sales lost from the Oct. 9 closure would be significant.
“We probably lost about $40,000 in sales,” Ricord said.
Gas stations also saw rushes the night of Oct. 8, with several gas stations running out of gas by the next day.
Any stores with ice quickly sold out as residents tried to keep their perishables cool. When local radio station KHUM broadcast that Murphy’s Markets in Westwood and Sunny Brae had received shipments of ice, customers rushed the stores, creating lines outside at the ice chests.
Arcata City Manager Karen Diemer echoed the statements by local businesses. Diemer praised “heroic efforts” by community members to purchase and salvage perishable foods, but did acknowledge the overall loss.
“I think we had a real economic loss in our restaurant and retail establishments throughout the city,” Diemer said over the phone. “But at this point it’s too early to really have any totals or numbers.”
While students enjoy the time off of classes, outages act as wake up for emergency preparedness
Humboldt State University students are coping with the mass power outages that hit Humboldt just after midnight.
Kinesiology freshman Malik Bobino, who sat in the afternoon sun by the library circle, spent the day hiking. Nevertheless, Bobino said the outage was stressful.
“It’s just dead,” Bobino said of campus. “It’s like Mad Max.”
Bobino said that campus Wi-Fi is largely off, although he has been able to get signals in a few small areas.
Zoology freshman Jeanette Carini said she has mostly lounged around in the dorms.
“I slept a lot because there wasn’t much to do,” Carini said.
The view of Humboldt State University from 14th Street. | File photo by Lauren Shea
While Carini spent time catching up on lost sleep, Wildlife freshman Max Manson said the time off school is relieving.
“It’s nice not having classes today,” Manson said.
However, Manson also confirmed that, aside from the door keycard locks, all power to the dorms it shut off. Hot water is not available in the dorms, as electric water heaters are off as well.
Manson and Carini both noted that food has been hard to come by, as the lines to the J stretch out the doors and down the stairs.
As the PG&E outage affecting over 800,000 California customers enters its first official night, no definite date is set for the return of electricity.
HSU student Max Blaettler said they slept in until 3 p.m. and went to the J at 4 p.m., where they enjoyed a free barbecue dinner.
“It was alright,” Blaettler said. “And it was free.”
As the PG&E outage affecting over 800,000 California customers enters its first official night, no definite date is set for the return of electricity.
However, reporting by Lost Coast Outpost has suggested that power could return as early as tomorrow, if high winds die down and PG&E finds no damage to transmission lines.
At HSU, students said they have already learned prepare better for next time.
“Next time we’ll stock up,” Manson said.
“Definitely have supplies,” Bobino said. “Like back-up chargers.”
In spite of the successful campaign to phase out single-use water bottles, Humboldt State has yet to remove plastic bottled beverages from campus
Almost 10 years have come and gone since Humboldt State University took back the tap and did away with single-use water bottles on campus.
Overall HSU is known to lead the way in sustainability across the California State University system. In spite of being further ahead in the sustainability game than most campuses, HSU still offers a variety of beverages for sale packaged in single-use plastic.
HSU Dining Services Director Ron Rudebock said they have gotten a fair number of comments over the last couple of years regarding plastic products and on phasing out plastics completely.
“We have been working with vendors to obtain their products in a reusable or compostable or recyclable package and vendors are changing their package materials,” Rudebock said.
Four of the five campus responsibilities listed under the policy have set deadlines.
The first is the elimination of single-use plastic water bottles by Jan. 1, 2023. HSU met this requirement in 2011. The second is the elimination of plastic straws no later than Jan. 1, 2019. HSU eliminated plastic straws during the fall 2017 semester.
The third responsibility listed, also set for January of this year, was the elimination of single-use plastic carryout bags. HSU stopped using plastic bags back in March 2014. The fourth deadline, and last with a time requirement, was the elimination of single-use polystyrene (e.g. STYROFOAM™) food service items no later than Jan. 1, 2021. HSU eliminated Styrofoam to-go containers over 10 years ago and the campus is working to eliminate it in any pre-packaged items.
The final goal of replacing single-use plastic items with materials that are reusable, locally compostable and/or recyclable doesn’t list a specific deadline.
A variety of some of the single-use plastic bottled beverages offered. According to Rudebock, much of the decision to continue to sell single-use plastic drinks is because of consumer choice. | Photo by Megan Bender
Rudebock said this specific change is a challenge. The Depot, the College Creek Marketplace, the Cupboard and vending machines still offer plastic bottled beverages on campus.
“We would like to see a faster adaption but with this guideline having no deadline and with the current collapse in the recycling market I do not see this becoming feasible in the next year,” Rudebock said.
Dining services has made some efforts in providing more glass or aluminum options. The J, for example, has a beverage cooler that is all aluminum and glass, has eliminated single use plastic containers and has single-use packaging that is compostable or recyclable.
However, other locations haven’t been able to make the same change as effectively because of the demand for products that happen to also be in plastic bottles.
“We’ve been working with a lot of our vendors and pushing, trying to get more either glass or aluminum containers.” he said.
Rudebock said Dining Services also goes out of their way to order aluminum and glass alternatives whenever possible from specific companies and brands like Coke or Pepsi.
“It kind of comes down to consumer’s choice,” he said. “Consumers can help by purchasing products that are in reusable, compostable or recyclable packaging and not requesting products that are not in reusable, compostable or recyclable packaging.”
Students have pushed back against the university in the past, questioning its dedication to environmental responsibility over their business ties with PepsiCo.
As reported in the Lumberjack and the North Coast Journal, in 2017 HSU made efforts to meet student’s demands to closer align with its dedication to social, economic and environmental issues by re-evaluating a 40-year-long partnership with PepsiCo.
Under the contract PepsiCo funded HSU with around $58,000 worth of athletic scholarships in exchange for pouring rights. Pouring rights allowed PepsiCo to reserve 80% of HSU shelf space for their products.
Students also made the argument the set up was not fair to local businesses.
In spite of being in a budget deficit and the loss of scholarship funding, HSU did not renew the pouring rights contract and let it expire at the end of June 2017.
HSU was the first California public university and third national public university to phase out water bottles.
The University Center and Dining Services stepped into to help with some of the lost resources.
Rudebock said they managed to fund a majority of the lost scholarship money but leaves the decision of how the scholarships are dispersed up to the school. This way the UC and Dining Services are not directly funding athletics or any specific department.
The university still does business with PepsiCo but under different rebate-based agreements. Dining services also stopped carrying Aquafina water bottles, a brand owned by PepsiCo as a result of the nationally recognized Take Back the Tap campaign.
Under the Waste Reduction & Resource Awareness Program, students began efforts to Take Back the Tap at HSU starting in 2009. The student lead group and Dining Services worked to phase out the sale of single-use water bottles in 2011 as is the primary focus of the campaign.
As a result, HSU became the first California public university and third national public university to phase out water bottles. Dining Services initially explored an alternative by offering boxed water.
“At first we thought they were upset with the plastic water bottles, but they said ‘No no, just the water,’” Rudebock said. “It was more about the idea of selling packaged water.”
Before HSU removed water bottles on campus, TBTT calculated that HSU’s annual bottled water demand “required approximately 43 barrels of oil per academic year” and in turn was “releasing 35,000 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.”
HSU now owns two Hydration Stations and has 16 water fill stations on campus.
Environmental Science & Management Professor James Graham and his geospatial students created an interactive map of HSU that includes where to find water fill stations on-campus as well as other resources.
The locations of all water stations on HSU’s campus according to the Sustainability project. These locations include the two Hydration Stations.
Sustainability Director Morgan King said Facilities Management worked with students help create the map.
“We worked with [Graham’s] students to develop layers for sustainability attributes,” King said. “Including water filling station locations, bike parking locations, recycling and compost bin locations.”
Anyone can access the map by visiting HSU’s sustainability website. The map key is listed in a drop down menu that offers different types of resources on campus. Under the sustainability option, users can check the box of the information they’re looking for.
Rudebock said Dining Services remains attentive to the needs of the students and the possibility of selling less plastic-bottled products.
“Every journey begins with a step,” Rudebock said. “The less plastic containers that students buy helps change the need for that product.”
The California State University system’s single-use plastic policy passed in December 2018 includes four policy changes that have deadlines, but the fifth and final goal of the policy doesn’t list a deadline.
Eliminate single-use plastic water bottles by January 1, 2023. HSU has already met this requirement as of 2011.
Eliminate plastic straws no later than January 1, 2019. HSU eliminated plastic straws during the fall 2017 semester.
Eliminate single-use plastic carryout bags no later than January 1, 2019. HSU eliminated plastic bags in March 2014.
Eliminate single-use polystyrene (e.g. STYROFOAM™) food service items no later than January 1, 2021. HSU eliminated Styrofoam to-go containers over 10 years ago and are working to eliminate it in any pre-packaged item
Replace single-use plastic items with materials that are reusable, locally compostable and/or recyclable.
To find out more about HSU’s Zero-Waste Initiatives, WRRAP and TBTT visit the WRRAP homepage.
Humboldt County residents prepare for a power outage
A power outage will hit Humboldt County as soon as midnight, and may last as long as five days according to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services.
PG&E notified OES today that parts of Humboldt County may see power shutoffs as a result of transmission line shutoffs in California’s Central Valley, due to high winds raising the risk of wildfires.
OES Public Information Officer Meriah Miracle said Humboldt County residents should prepare for an outage.
“Humboldt County should expect power outages as soon as midnight,” Miracle said. “PG&E has not given a time frame yet, but it could be as long as five days.”
Miracle added that PG&E is currently looking into using the local King Salmon power plant to offset any shutoffs. At 4 p.m., Miracle expected an update from PG&E over the following couple hours.
According to a Humboldt County press release, OES is working with response partners and has notified local health services.
“Humboldt County should expect power outages as soon as midnight. PG&E has not given a time frame yet, but it could be as long as five days.”
Meriah Miracle, Office of Emergency Services Public Information Officer
Humboldt State University has posted a statement on their website promising further information when available, including whether classes will be cancelled. The statement urged students to charge phones and critical electronics.
Miracle said residents should follow normal emergency preparedness procedures.
“OES is urging residents to prepare just like they would for any other events,” Miracle said.
For more information, multiple press released are posted below.
A message sent out to some PG&E customers today:
Dear Valued Customer,
To protect public safety, PG&E may turn off your power overnight. Power will remain off until weather conditions improve and it is safe to restore service. To view a list of your impacted locations visit pgepsps.com. Here is what you need to know:
Please have your emergency plan ready.
If you have a backup generator, please do a safety check and make sure you have enough fuel to last a few days. Generator safety tips can be found here. Power will remain off until weather conditions improve and it is safe to restore service. We will continue to monitor conditions and will contact you with further updates. In most cases, we would expect to be able to restore power within 24 to 48 hours after weather has passed. Depending on weather conditions or if any repairs are needed, outages (weather event plus restoration time) could last longer than 48 hours. For planning purposes, we suggest preparing for multiple-day outages. If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and extremely dangerous and report it immediately by calling 911.
For more information, including regular updates, visit pge.com or call 1-800-743-5002. Thank you,
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
From the Humboldt County website:
Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services (Sheriff’s OES) is preparing for the potential shutdown of PG&E power to areas of Humboldt County. On Tuesday, Oct. 8, PG&E notified the county that it may activate Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) protocols in neighboring counties due to extreme weather. Transmission lines that power Humboldt County could be affected as a result of a shutdown in another county. The shutdown could impact parts of Humboldt County within the next 24 hours.
Humboldt County is ready to respond to the effects of the power outage; however, the decision to turn off the power and the speed at which it is restored is managed solely by PG&E. The utility is working on a solution to generate power locally at its King Salmon power plant that would help offset the effects of any shutoff.
Sheriff’s OES has taken steps in preparation for a potential power shutdown after being notified by PG&E of their new PSPS program earlier this year. OES is currently operating the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and is actively coordinating with our operational area response partners and monitoring the situation.
Sheriff’s OES has notified community partners including hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, Humboldt Senior Resource Center, PACE, Open Door Community Health Centers and other critical service providers in the county. Adult Protective Services staff are working on contingency plans to protect the most vulnerable. Local emergency services including 911 dispatch have backup power and should remain active in the event of a power shutoff.
Learn more about PG&E’s Public Safety Power Shutoffs and sign up for PSPS alerts at prepareforpowerdown.com or call 1-877-9000-PGE. PG&E is monitoring weather patterns and will provide updates to customers and Humboldt County when information is available.
Sign up for Humboldt ALERT at humboldtgov.org/alerts to receive safety information and be informed of imminent threats to personal safety or property, tailored to an address of your choosing. To receive updated information from PG&E, update your contact information at prepareforpowerdown.com. Talk to your medical provider about a power outage plan for medical devices powered by electricity and refrigerated medicines. Plan for batteries and other alternatives to meet your needs when the power goes out. Many medications are still usable for two to three days at room temperature, including insulin, which can keep for 28 to 30 days. However, if you are in doubt, please be sure to check with your medical provider. Review the supplies that are available in case of a power outage. Have flashlights with extra batteries for every household member. Have enough nonperishable food and water. Use a thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer so you can know the temperature when the power is restored. Throw out food if the temperature is 40 degrees or higher. Keep mobile phones and other electric equipment charged and gas tanks full. Know how to manually open electric garage doors and gates.
Looking into ICF International’s report on HSU’s economic impact
According to a recent ICF International report, Humboldt State University generates over $567 million in annual industry activity.
ICF International, a global consulting firm based in Virginia, previously studied California State Universities in 2010. ICF uses a model that tracks HSU institutional, student and alumni spending and then calculates the resultant impact.
The report splits HSU spending into three categories: operational, auxiliary and capital.
HSU spent $166 million in the 2017-2018 fiscal year on operational expenses, which includes instruction, research, public service, academic support and student services.
HSU spent $26 million on auxiliary expenses, which includes the bookstore, campus restaurants and research institutes. $16 million went to dining services while about $10 million was spent on parking and housing.
HSU spent $5.5 million on capital expenses, which includes construction and renovations. The report said HSU expects to spend $33 million on capital projects over the next two years.
“University expenditures supported a total of 3,920 jobs in Humboldt County, as well as over $96 million in labor income and more than $293 million in industry activity,” the report said.
To reach the final figure of $567 million of industry activity, the report includes $70 million of student spending and $207 million of regional alumni impact.
“ICF used the average “Cost of Attendance” estimates from the HSU Financial Aid Office to calculate the total student spending impact,” the report said.
The report calls the alumni impact figure conservative, as it does not account for California’s relatively high wages in comparison with the rest of the country.
“California wages tend to be higher than the national average,” the report said. “In 2017, California real per capita income was approximately $2,650 dollars higher than the U.S. national average.”
The report says 58,000 HSU alumni are still in the workforce, while 23% of alumni live in Humboldt County.
“In 2017-18, HSU degree holders living in Humboldt County earned $973 million in wages,” the report said. “HSU degree holders statewide earned more than $3 billion.”
The most comparable CSUs in terms of student population are CSU Channel Islands, CSU Monterey Bay and Sonoma State University. While the locations of each of these universities makes them significantly different, HSU appears on par when compared.
In terms of regional impact, HSU placed second out of the four aforementioned CSUs of comparable student population size.
The CSU website lists summaries of each CSU’s economic impact, as recorded in the previous 2010 ICF analysis.
In terms of regional impact, HSU placed second out of the four aforementioned CSUs of comparable student population size.
In 2010, CSU Channel Islands generated $114 million of regional impact from $135.5 million of spending. CSU Monterey Bay generated $133 million of regional impact from $155 million of spending. HSU generated $190 million of regional impact from $232 million of spending. Sonoma State generated $330 million of regional impact from $213 million of spending.
The new ICF report was conducted only on HSU, so it’s not known whether HSU remains on pace with other CSUs.
“It should be noted that the previous study’s methodology is not directly comparable to the current study,” the report said.
The report includes benefits beyond direct economic impacts, such as research, small business development and contributions to the community and local education.
Most of the report’s findings in these extra-economic areas appear to have data behind them. However, the report includes public radio station KHSU as one of HSU’s contributions to the community.
“Through its innovative, high quality programming, KHSU hopes to educate, enrich, enlighten, and entertain its listeners on local, national, and international issues,” the report said.
HSU abruptly fired all seven KHSU employees last April, citing a need for reorganization and streamlining. KHSU is run by one employee under a short-term agreement lasting until the end of October.
Nevertheless, HSU’s impact on the surrounding community appears significant, even in the midst of an enrollment decline.
HSU’s CAPS is working to combat mental health concerns among HSU students
Rates of attempted suicide in Humboldt County stand far above national and state averages, according to Humboldt State University Health Center Director Brian Mistler, Ph.D.
“Suicide attempt rates in Humboldt County are nearly twice the national and California averages,” Mistler said in an email response facilitated by HSU Communication Specialist Grant Scott-Goforth. “And HSU students face greater systemic barriers to access health care than in other more affluent and less isolated parts of the country.”
An estimated 40% of HSU students felt elevated levels of depression according to a 2016-2017 Healthy Minds Study led by Daniel Eisenberg, Ph.D of the Healthy Minds Network, which performs web-based mental health surveys on college students.
Eisenberg has been leading an analysis of student mental health at all 23 California State Universities. In the 2016-2017 analysis of HSU, an estimated 42% of students had elevated levels of anxiety, while an estimated 4% of students attempted suicide in the last year.
Mistler tied Humboldt County’s lack of expert services to mental health.
“…HSU students face greater systemic barriers to access health care than in other more affluent and less isolated parts of the country.”
Brian Mistler, Humboldt State University Health Center Director
“Mental health is a critical basic need and it’s tied to others like having enough food, shelter and physical health care and safety,” Mistler said in the email. “Psychological needs become more important as chronic resource insecurity increases.”
Mistler clarified that HSU’s relatively high rates of mental health conditions do not appear to be caused by Humboldt itself.
“From what we know today, the increased needs among students appear to be present on the first day,” Mistler said in the email. “That is, it’s not caused by being here.”
Mistler added that many HSU students may arrive with a history of limited health care access.
“It’s also true that many students arrive at HSU having not had access to their fair share of health and counseling services in the past,” Mistler said in the email. “It’s clear from all the data that HSU’s team of health experts do a phenomenal job of helping those students who choose to seek help.”
Counseling and Psychological Services Staff Psychologist and Outreach Coordinator Dr. Elizabeth McCallion in a CAPS office on Oct. 1. McCallion said most students who visit CAPS report positive experiences. | Photo by James Wilde
HSU Counseling and Psychological Services Staff Psychologist and Outreach Coordinator Dr. Elizabeth McCallion is one of the experts working to help students.
McCallion hopes to mitigate the stigma around mental health.
“Mental health support doesn’t just have to be for when you’re having severe symptoms,” McCallion said. “It can be a way of just generally taking care of yourself. Kind of like preventative health care.”
McCallion said CAPS is working to meet students where they are, including through library SkillShops and outreach by Multicultural Specialist Cedric Aaron.
McCallion praised HSU’s mental health services but did acknowledge a lack of services in the surrounding community.
“I think in terms of the counseling center, the counseling center does a wonderful job with that support,” McCallion said. “In terms of our community, there is a need for additional mental health care. But that’s not just mental health, that’s health care in general because of where we live.”
Both McCallion and Mistler emphasized that those students who do use HSU’s services see verifiable benefits.
“Dozens of studies confirm that medical and counseling services reduce the risk for students of catastrophic outcomes, help with anxiety and depression, and increase the chances of students graduating,” Mistler said in the email. “If there’s a message here, it’s to encourage people to use the available resources.”
Mistler noted that HSU’s outreach efforts have produced an increase in student visits to counseling services of about 5% each year.
Mistler also pointed out that students that receive counseling show improved retention rates and a higher likelihood of graduating.
Mistler and Eisenberg plan to prepare a CSU-wide analysis of mental health in spring 2020, which they hope will provide more information on the state of student mental health.
Per the CAPS website: You can reach a CAPS therapist by phone at all hours at (707) 826-3236. In emergency situations, you should call Humboldt County Mental Health at (707) 445-7715 or dial 911.
You may also reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
Clery Act reveals numerous sexual assault cases within the last 3 years at HSU
Humboldt State University’s 2019 Clery Act Annual Security Report reveals more than three sexual assault cases at HSU in each of the past three years.
Amelia Wagoner, a victim rights advocate and kinesiology major at HSU, said the problem goes deeper than the statistics suggest.
“The amount of reported cases here and throughout the nation do not reflect campus safety,” Wagoner said. “The reporting process is traumatic and most survivors don’t want to deal with it.”
The Clery Act federally requires all higher education institutions to disclose campus crime statistics. The newest report for HSU, released in September, covers crimes from January 2016 to December 2018. All Clery Act reports for California State Universities are available on the California State University webpage.
HSU’s report notes five rapes in 2016, five in 2017 and four in 2018. HSU doesn’t have the most rape or sexual assault instances within the CSU system, but it did have one of the largest percentages compared to its relatively low student population. Sexual assault victims made up .05% of HSU students.
HSU requires students to go through a consent course before attending, and all members of clubs or sports teams attend a Title IX seminar once per year. Title IX is a federal law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex in federally-funded education institutions, and the seminar focuses on teaching consent culture and anti-hazing.
Geography major Allie Jones expressed concerns about the faculty behind HSU’s Title IX seminar.
“At HSU, nobody on the Title IX team is a woman,” said Jones. “I’m sure the coordinator is qualified for his job, but as a woman I’d feel more comfortable having another woman to talk to.”
For now, Wagoner urged students to play their part in improving campus safety.
“Make sure everything is okay,” Wagoner said. “If you see or hear something that doesn’t seem right, do your part to make a difference.”
Soccer and volleyball fall to Sonoma State, cross country prepares for second Oregon meet
For the Humboldt State volleyball and soccer teams, anything regarding the Sonoma State Seawolves is going to leave a bad taste in their mouth. Sonoma State dealt three different Humboldt State teams a loss over the weekend, all on the road in Rohnert Park.
Men’s soccer was the victim of a come-from-behind effort from the Seawolves, women’s soccer lost a tight game and volleyball lost in four sets. Cross country didn’t compete last week as they continue to prepare for their upcoming meet in Salem, Oregon.
Coaches and players from HSU soccer, volleyball and cross country were at the weekly Tuesday press conference at Lumberjack Arena.
Cross Country
After a good showing at the Sundowner Invitational in Monmouth, Oregon the Jacks’ attention turns to another Oregon course at the Willamette Invitational in Salem on Oct. 5. Head Coach Jamey Harris noted that training is going to be lighter going into this week in hopes that his runners are ready for the upcoming meet this weekend. He also noted the women’s race in Salem will be a 5k instead of the standard 6k, which could lead to faster times.
Harris talked about the men being ranked tenth in the NCAA regional rankings and how it motivates his runners to be even better on race day. For junior runner Elliott Portillo the ranking is something to feel good about, but it serves as a spark to push even harder.
“It’s definitely something very validating,” Portillo said. “It means people are beginning to take notice, and we have to show them that we are deserving of the title.”
Another topic of conversation was the passing of legendary former HSU cross country and track coach Jim Hunt. Hunt coached the cross country and track teams from 1967 to 1986 and produced 64 All-Americans and 11 national champion runners. Harris was visibly emotional as he spoke about what coach Hunt meant to Humboldt State and to him.
“The impact that he [Hunt] had on this university, I can’t even put it into words,” Harris said. “I honestly don’t know what to say, because I feel like I can’t say anything that will be adequate.”
Volleyball
The HSU volleyball team played Sonoma State on Saturday as part of their three-game road trip and lost in four sets by a score of 3-1. The Jacks won the second set and tied the score at 1-1 early on, but Sonoma won the next two sets and won the match. For Head Coach Kelly Wood, she feels that this year’s team is a vast improvement over last season’s team as far as talent, but that the team needs to be more consistent throughout the entire match. She talked about needing all of her players to have a great game, not just a few.
“We’re showing good streaks within the match, but we have yet to pull together an entire, consistent match,” Wood said. “It seems like we need to get all of our cylinders firing during a match, we’ve got a couple on and a few that aren’t on.”
Women’s Soccer
For a team that is still getting their footing under them, going down to Rohnert Park and playing a nationally ranked Sonoma State team is going to be a significant challenge. The Jacks fell just short of completing that task, losing to the Seawolves 2-1 with Lindsay Stoner scoring the lone goal. Head Coach Paul Karver had a very positive attitude about the loss, despite the result.
“The Rubik’s cube is sitting in the corner, it’s two turns away and we just gotta get there,” Karver said. “There was so much heart and determination out on the field and our girls were never going to say die in that moment.”
Men’s Soccer
The Jacks lost on Friday to Sonoma State in the cruelest of fashions, losing the game 4-2 despite taking a 2-0 lead early in the game. Isiah Dairo and Gus Baxter scored early for the Jacks but by halftime they were tied 2-2 and then Sonoma State scored two more times to seal the victory for the Seawolves. Jacks’ midfielder Ethan Waters talked about how the Jacks lost focus after gaining the early lead and eventually falling short.
“We lost momentum,” Waters said. “We have to respect them a little bit more, of course we got the two-goal lead but I think overall we didn’t control the game.”
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