The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: blackout

  • First-Year Students Frustrated with Their Education

    First-Year Students Frustrated with Their Education

    HSU freshmen got the short end of the stick after facing blackouts and the COVID-19 pandemic

    Humboldt State students have experienced a crazy school year. From blackouts in October and COVID-19 ending face-to-face classes, it’s been quite the ride for everyone. For freshmen, this was their first experience with college.

    Freshmen learn to live on their own, make new experiences and acclimate to their new surroundings. For the freshmen that entered in fall 2019, it’s been a different story.

    Mikayla Diaz, an environmental science management major from Torrance, California, struggled with scheduling her first semester during the blackouts.

    “It was just really unexpected,” Diaz said. “Starting college, people will tell you how to stay organized and to keep a weekly planner and stuff like that, so everything I heard just kind of went out the window. Like, I wanted to keep a weekly planner but how do I if I don’t even know if I’m having class? It was difficult to make my way and get the bare minimum done.”

    “Keeping in contact with my teachers has been helpful, but it is difficult to do the Zoom thing with my teachers. It’s kind of awkward.

    Mikayla Diaz

    HSU has a prominent science program, and with that comes a lot of lab classes. Megan Bach, a wildlife management major from Boulder, Colorado, admitted that the blackouts affected her lab class.

    “Because of both blackouts I missed two labs,” Bach said, “which I was super bummed about because we didn’t get to do certain activities. Same with the coronavirus too though.”

    COVID-19 has affected students throughout the world by pushing classes that are normally face-to-face online. Classes are conducted from home and teachers have been forced to cut assignments that can’t be done from home or without certain equipment.

    Bach is concerned about the lack of hands-on learning, specifically for her chemistry lab.

    “The teachers are doing a great job. I’m still getting all the information,” Bach said. “It’s just rough because it’s hard, especially from home. I hate online classes. It makes everything harder. I’m a very hands-on learner and I can’t even imagine how they’re gonna do my chemistry lab.”

    Although classes are changing to accommodate online learning, students are missing out most on science classes.

    “Teachers are cutting out a lot of work,” Diaz said. “Keeping in contact with my teachers has been helpful, but it is difficult to do the Zoom thing with my teachers. It’s kind of awkward. For classes—especially lab classes—I need to go to the Arcata Marsh or something and I can’t go and do that because I’m in SoCal. It’s just kind of disappointing.”

    Science students feel they aren’t getting the education they paid for. Science and freshman botany professor, Mihai Tomescu, admits some of his students are struggling with the online format.

    “There’s just a lot of stuff I’m missing out on.”

    Mikayla Diaz

    “Just recently I had a student emailing me and she was a really good student until COVID hit,” Tomescu said. “She was really involved in class, really liked the material, was there in lectures all the time, worked in the lab really hard, she really enjoyed it. She missed an assignment and I checked in with her to see how things were going and she told me that she has really big problems with the internet.”

    Tomescu admits that he can’t directly do anything about the situation or to help in any way with the problems his students are facing, such as internet access.

    “It’s either slow or not available or spotty. Parts of lectures will stop and she’ll have to wait for the internet to come back on and stuff like that,” Tomescu said. “That’s very worrisome, especially when you see that in a student that was doing really well in class and she was excited. I don’t want it to be a missed opportunity.”

    Doing school from home can be frustrating, difficult and demotivating. At times, it’s inaccessible for people that don’t have the resources they need to complete the work. Not only are students missing opportunities on campus or in classes, but they’re also missing out on social opportunities they’ll never get back.

    “It’s really frustrating because I’m not getting the material for my classes,” Diaz said. “There’s just a lot of stuff I’m missing out on.”

  • Struggles at the Station

    Struggles at the Station

    Floods and frequent power outages caused issues for KRFH during the fall semester

    Editor’s note: members of the editorial staff of The Lumberjack are part of and have been part of KRFH. The author of this article had no previous affiliation with KRFH.

    The Humboldt State University student radio station KRFH is back with new and old DJs for the spring semester after dealing with flash floods and frequent power outages during the last semester.

    Alejandro Zepeda was the station manager during the fall semester and is assistant station manager.

    “It’s been a rough semester for sure,” Zepeda said. “I ended up taking over halfway through the semester as station manager and just kinda walked into a shit storm.”

    KRFH is in the basement of Gist Hall, and when it flooded on Sept. 19, 2019, Zepeda said water started coming down from above.

    “There was a couple spots where the water literally just came in through the ceiling,” Zepeda said.

    Zoe Kelman, the manager for the live music program LIXX, said the lounge they use for recording ended up getting affected badly from the water.

    “I’ve probably turned the station back on myself after power outages somewhere between six and 10 times at this point.”

    Alejandro Zepeda

    “The whole LIXX lounge got flooded and it smelled horrible,” Kelman said.

    Kelman went on to say that pieces of the ceiling came down and the whole floor became dyed orange. Kelman also said it was lucky she came in before the event to set things up.

    “I had actually gone in and already moved some of the equipment,” Kelman said. “It was already sitting on a table, so we got lucky that when the flooding happened none of our stuff was on the floor.”

    Despite the salvaged equipment, the wiring in the KRFH studio runs in the ceiling. At first they couldn’t immediately tell if there was any direct damage to the wiring, but they ended up having to move the LIXX recording that day.

    • Part of KRFH’s CD collection adorns the wall of the KRFH booth on Jan. 28. | Photo by Seth Finnegan

    “We couldn’t do it in the LIXX lounge ’cause it smelled like a swamp, so we decided to do it in a different room,” Kelman said. “It was just like a whole thing where basically all of our equipment cut out at some point. We got dead air. Like, anything that could’ve gone wrong, went wrong.”

    The frequent power outages were also an issue for the station.

    “I’ve probably turned the station back on myself after power outages somewhere between six and 10 times at this point,” Zepeda said.

    Zepeda said the power backup system was out of date so when the power went off, there was no leeway.

    Zepeda said KHSU could hold a solution for the station.

    “Within the year before they got gutted, they actually just upgraded all of their equipment and got a backup generator and a bunch of emergency supplies,” Zepeda said. “I remember thinking during the blackouts—having nothing to do at home—that I could’ve been on the air. I could’ve been talking. We could’ve been relaying news but instead we were all just sitting on our hands.”

    “You can’t break this KRFH spirit.”

    Eddie Rivera

    Zepeda said if the station was given access to the abandoned KHSU studios, they could’ve taken it over and helped the community.

    Last semester was Eddie Rivera’s first time as a DJ. Alongside the floods and power outages, he also described the station’s leadership struggles.

    “Students are so busy and so overworked that sometimes you just can’t attend to everything that the club might need,” Rivera said.

    He estimated that with class time and time spent on the air, students in the class will add an extra five hours of work to their week. Rivera said their manager struggles are a lot better now.

    “We have a couple new managers and people who are taking a lot of initiative,” Rivera said. “The managers that we have are very dedicated to it and very positive.”

    Rivera said the setbacks made the semester difficult for them, but they are still going.

    “You can’t break this KRFH spirit,” Rivera said.

  • Miscommunications and Misdirection

    Miscommunications and Misdirection

    Hold PG&E accountable for its reckless and unprofessional behavior

    During the most recent Public Safety Power Shutoffs, the Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s communication with its customers was awful.

    The first time the utility shutoff power in Humboldt County was on Oct. 9. The county had less than 12 hours of notice for residents to prepare for a possible four-day outage. Humboldt was the only county in California to lose all power and initially wasn’t even on the list of affected counties.

    After the outage, Michael Lewis, PG&E’s senior vice president of electric operations, said that Humboldt County shouldn’t have lost power in the first place. Although extreme weather and fire risk were at play in other counties’ outages, Humboldt went dark because of scheduled maintenance on one of the transmission lines coming into the county.

    On Saturday, Oct. 26, reports from PG&E said only about 2,000 customers in Humboldt would be affected. Several hours later, PG&E corrected itself and acknowledged that all Humboldt residents would be hit with the outage.

    During the most recent PSPS, the utility released news that another outage would likely hit Humboldt early Tuesday morning. Additional updates said that while many residents would regain power, it was possible that residents still without it may continue to be in the dark through to Tuesday’s outage.

    When Tuesday morning came and went, locals wondered when the outage would hit. Those who regained power the day previous still had it, and conflicting reports from PG&E, the Redwood Coast Energy Authority and the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services led to mass uncertainty about when –and if– the power would go out again.

    For those PG&E customers who tuned in to one of the company’s many streamed press conferences, they were forced to wade through jargon including “operational event,” “incident commander,” and the terribly-named “Public Safety Power Shutoffs.”

    Late Monday night, the Redwood Coast Energy Authority posted on Facebook that PG&E said that power in Northern Humboldt wouldn’t go out until 9 p.m. That same night, OES made its own Facebook post stating that PG&E said power was still planned to go out early in the morning.

    On Tuesday morning, OES continued to stand by what it had learned from PG&E.

    PG&E’s own updates from Tuesday morning listed the outage time for Northern Humboldt as 9 p.m., and as the day went on, that seemed to be likely.

    Humboldt State University had no better idea of when the power would go out, as it noted in its update on Tuesday morning.

    “HSU is seeking clarity from PG&E regarding the timing of a possible power shutdown,” HSU’s update said. “There has been conflicting information from the company, and in local news reports, over the last 24 hours.”

    PG&E later updated its estimated timing to 7 p.m., and then, around 5 p.m., it called off any PSPS for Humboldt at all. On Facebook, OES said PG&E had given it inaccurate information.

    “PG&E has provided the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services (OES) inaccurate information regarding times of de-energization in our County,” OES said.

    Communication is everything. PG&E changing times of planned outages makes sense, especially since the outages are primarily based around weather patterns. But failing to provide accurate information to emergency services and county officials is ludicrous. The company’s communication strategies are unacceptable.

    As a community and state we need to hold PG&E accountable and remove ourselves from its firm corporate grip. These blackouts should be the push California needs to turn toward alternative energy and municipal utility boards, ridding the state of monopolized power once and for all.

  • How HSU Handled Its Second Blackout

    How HSU Handled Its Second Blackout

    For the second outage to affect Humboldt in less than a month, students and staff were better prepared for the darkness and the subsequent time off

    After Humboldt County’s first Public Safety Power Shutoff, students and staff at Humboldt State University were better prepared when the latest outage hit the county the night of Saturday, Oct. 26.

    Marine biology sophomore Tyler Nagle spent his Sunday at a beach in Trinidad with friends.

    “I went to the beach, got a campfire going, roasted some s’mores and looked at the stars,” Nagle said.

    While Nagle said he’s learned how to prepare for these outages, he did have concerns about the outages’ impact on classes.

    “I definitely think this has taken a hit on my learning,” Nagle said. “But I hope these will be more few and far in between.”

    Vice President for Administration and Finance and HSU Emergency Operations Center Director Douglas Dawes said it’s too early to make any calls about how the outages will affect the semester’s class schedule, but he said HSU will be in touch with its academic accreditor.

    Otherwise, Dawes said he’s proud of the way the campus has handled the outages.

    “There have been some hiccups, but we’re getting through it,” Dawes said.

    Dawes said one generator failed over the weekend, but Facilities Management quickly moved around generators to keep providing power to the most essential buildings on campus including the Jolly Giant Commons, Student Recreations Center and residence halls.

    “They’ve been champions,” Dawes said. “Our facilities team has been keeping everything together.”

    Daniel Valencia, a sophomore kinesiology major, normally works at The Depot. During the outage, Valencia helped out at The J. When not working, Valencia said he enjoyed his hobbies.

    “I picked up skating more,” Valencia said. “And I’ve been looking into hobbies like reading and painting.”

    Zane Eddy, a master’s student in the environmental science and management program, came from an undergraduate program at the University of Oregon. Eddy said he was surprised by the outages.

    “It’s really odd having these power outages,” Eddy said.

    Eddy spent his free time going to Clam Beach and picking chanterelle mushrooms. Eddy said he believes the outages will make people understand their dependence on others for power.

    “We’re part of a larger system and we’re part of a larger environment,” Eddy said.

    While preparing for the outages on Friday, Interim Vice President of Enrollment Management Jason Meriwether echoed Dawes and said he was proud of how HSU handled the first outage.

    “That was a positive thing that we responded to the power outage in that way,” Meriwether said. “Now, in my opinion, that’s how it should always be and that’s how it will be. But I think students were happy to know we took that approach.”

    Dawes said HSU served 4,400 meals on Sunday. While he admitted that HSU incurred some significant costs in diesel and food, he said a percentage of those costs can be covered by disaster funds.

    On Tuesday, HSU uploaded a response page for students wondering why classes are cancelled during the outage. The page noted concerns over safety, non-functioning technology and a focus on personal wellbeing. The page also explained why it takes time to reopen campus even once power is restored.

    “It takes a great deal of time to safely re-open the campus, including powering down and disconnecting generators, resetting locks, and ensuring fire suppression systems are working,” HSU’s post said.

    As of Tuesday afternoon, HSU classes are set to resume on Thursday, Oct. 31.

    In the future, Dawes said HSU will likely look toward generating more of its own power.

    “Having more generation for the campus would be a huge help,” Dawes said. “So we’ll be looking into doing that.”

    For now, Dawes wanted to thank staff, faculty and students for restoring his faith and hope in humanity.

    “We’ve got really good students that want to provide for others,” Dawes said. “And staff that really care about providing for students as well.”

  • PSPS Events Showcase Reliance on Fossil Fuels

    PSPS Events Showcase Reliance on Fossil Fuels

    With the recent Public Safety Power Shutoffs, blackouts may be a big push toward renewable energy

    Public Safety Power Shutoff, blackouts could aid the push toward renewable energy. Solar micro-grids, local offshore wind farms or more well maintained power lines could be the answer to back-to-back outages. 

    Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s PSPS events are triggered by environmental conditions that threaten parts of their power grid. For example, a third consecutive power shutoff was originally scheduled for Tuesday morning, but changing weather patterns pushed back the timing. On Tuesday at 5:22 p.m. the county was removed from the PSPS affected counties list.

    PG&E’s PSPS events are triggered by environmental conditions that threaten parts of their power grid.

    “Due to diminished weather conditions, Humboldt County is no longer in the scope for a Public Safety Power Shutoff tonight and power will remain on,” said Humboldt OES in an email alert. “There are still communities without power but PG&E advises they hope to have those areas re-energized tonight.”

    The nature of the power grid in Northern California renders Arcata and Eureka subject to power outages if other areas of the grid are at risk. The energy used in Northern Humboldt is imported through transmission lines to the Eureka Humboldt Bay Generating Plant, where it’s amplified for local use. If energy stops flowing through the lines to Humboldt, there is no source of energy and therefore, no electricity. 

    Terra-Gen, a Manhattan-based wind power company, has proposed a wind generation project for the Monument and Bear River Ridges that could provide nearly half of Humboldt’s energy. A panel discussion on the project will be held Nov. 6 at 5:30 p.m. in Founders Hall 118.

    “Anticipated project features include a significant contribution to North Coast renewable energy generation and to California’s clean energy mandate,” the panel flyer says.

    According to Terra-Gen, benefits of the project could include the creation of local green jobs and Humboldt Bay development. However, some local community members see the project as more consequential than not. 

    As California’s dry and windy seasons become the new normal, power shutoffs will likely become common occurrence.

    The proposed area of development, Monument and Bear River Ridges, sit on Wiyot territory. According to the Wiyot Tribe and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Monument and Bear River Ridges aren’t appropriate for wind development. The turbines could harm or destroy some of the rare and protected species that call the area home.

    “Concerns raised include impacts on bat and bird deaths; tree removal; effects on sites with cultural and ecological significance to Native American Tribes; erosion and sedimentation from sub-river drilling and road expansion; visual impacts; light and noise pollution; and traffic congestion,” the flyer says.

    The upcoming panel lists some of these concerns as additional talking points, but it is unclear if the company or the county have come to a conclusion on how to proceed with this particular option of alternative energy. 

    Alternatively, PG&E maintains that shutoffs are necessary to prevent dangerous wildfires like the Camp Fire of 2018. Any at-risk transmission line can be shut off. As California’s dry and windy seasons become the new normal, power shutoffs will likely become common occurrence. However, some individuals are taking advantage of the winds, rather than suffering from them. 

    Blue Lake Rancheria has tested local energy generation since 2011. The Rancheria has yet to be seriously impacted by the power shutoffs because they have solar electricity and battery storage, forming a microgrid. 

    Their microgrid works as a system of solar panels which power the Casino and other buildings during the day while also charging up a bank of Tesla batteries for the night. The grid can be connected or disconnected from PG&E’s grid as needed, making them sustainable without any power from the utility.

    The primary barrier to building offshore wind turbines and micro grids or improving PG&E’s transmission lines is cost. Alternative energy projects cost significantly more upfront that traditional fossil fuels. The economic costs of the recent power shutoffs, however, may be enough to kickstart real conversations about alternatives.

  • Humboldt County Won’t Lose Power on Tuesday

    Humboldt County Won’t Lose Power on Tuesday

    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.

  • Fires Still Burn as PG&E Implements Mass Outages

    Fires Still Burn as PG&E Implements Mass Outages

    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 the Los 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 ProPublica have 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 ProPublica points 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.”

  • Jacks Win First Exhibition Game

    Jacks Win First Exhibition Game

    A strong performance from transfer players creates a positive outlook for upcoming season

    Despite Humboldt County awaiting a blackout on Saturday, Jacks’ basketball made sure to keep the energy high on Friday night.

    The blackout forced Humboldt State Athletics to move its volleyball game to the same time as the scheduled basketball game, which meant the Jacks had to play in the East Gym.

    During the last few months, HSU men’s basketball added three Division I transfers to its arsenal. Compton, CA natives Raysean Scott Jr. (Florida Gulf Coast University), Leland Green (University of Hawaii) and Rob Lewis’ (Texas Southern University) combined efforts impact the game in a way the Jacks have missed for a while.

    Strategies issued by Head Coach Steve Kinder and Assistant Coach Rich Mendoza helped the Jacks focus on teamwork while capitalizing on opportunities to push points past Simpson.

    It’s not surprising for me, I knew from the recruitment trail last spring that we were onto some very talented players.

    Steve Kinder

    “It’s not surprising for me, I knew from the recruitment trail last spring that we were onto some very talented players,” Kinder said. “The players were remarkable and created a memorable environment for those in attendance.”

    The Jacks started off strong as guard Isaiah Pope found the net seconds after the first whistle. It wasn’t long before Simpson gave up their first foul and Jacks’ forward Raysean Scott Jr. capitalized on a free throw opportunity.

    Simpson began executing defensive plays against the Jacks as they attempted to find their place on the scoreboard, but it was met with resistance as the Jacks responded with chemistry between Scott Jr. and point guard Amari Green.

    Humboldt State point guard Amari Green strings for a play at the top of the key during the men’s basketball exhibition game against Simpson on October 25.

    The second half for the Jacks resulted in an increase of player activity and passing chemistry. HSU took another lead over Simpson as the battle for possession continued. The Jacks finished strong and concluded the exhibition game with a final score of 88-70.

    Kinder reflected on the importance of the East Gym and the impact it had on his coaching career with HSU basketball.

    “That East Gym experience today goes back to the good old days,” Kinder said. “It was the first time we have [played] there since the 2007 season, and to be back in there was quite a moment.”

    Despite the sudden change of venues, Kinder and his team were not impacted as the East Gym is a consistent training place.

    “We’ve held practices in there all year, so we felt like it was a road game for us,” Kinder said.

    Men’s basketball will hold one more exhibition game at Lumberjack Arena on November 5 against Southern Oregon University before hitting the road for an away game against Point Loma on November 8.

  • Blackout Preparation

    Blackout Preparation

    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.

  • Power Outage Update: 850,000 PG&E Customers Could Be Affected

    Power Outage Update: 850,000 PG&E Customers Could Be Affected

    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.

    This article was updated at 5:15 p.m. Friday.

  • Power Outage: Prepare for Up to 4 Days Without Electricity

    Power Outage: Prepare for Up to 4 Days Without Electricity

    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.

    This story is ongoing and will be updated. For more information go to PG&E’s website or use their address lookup tool.

  • Potential Power Outage, Again

    Potential Power Outage, Again

    From the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

    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.

  • Outage Hits Local Businesses

    Outage Hits Local Businesses

    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.”

  • HSU Students Cope With Power Outages

    HSU Students Cope With Power Outages

    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.”