Public Health to Cannabis Farmers: Hire Local

by Thadeus Greenson on April 20, 2020 at 3:29PM

In a nod to 420, the international stoner holiday celebrated every April 20, that seemed odd yet entirely fitting, Humboldt County Public Health Officer Teresa Frankovich posted a "COVID Minute" video today to social media urging local farms not to hire trimmers from out of the area this year. "I'd like to have farmers prioritize hiring people from within the area so we minimize the introduction of travelers and recognize that all people coming into the area need to be quarantined for 14 days prior to mixing with the general workforce," she said in the short video, which can be found embedded below.

Public Health: No New COVID Cases

by Thadeus Greenson on April 18, 2020 at 4:03PM

The county has reported 52 COVID-19 cases to date, with the majority — 28 — coming in a six-day period from March 30 to April 6. But the rate of positive tests has tapered sharply over the past week, with a combined five announced for April 5 and April 6, one April 7 and no others until sole positive tests Tuesday and Wednesday.

News Roundup: Hospitals Ready for COVID Surge, Businesses Lend a Hand and More

by North Coast Journal Staff on April 18, 2020 at 2:04PM

The Mad River Union, meanwhile, has a thorough write-up of a recent Arcata City Council meeting, which includes information about the city’s rolling out an emergency loan program for local businesses, the council’s discussion on whether the city should introduce a mandatory-face-covering ordinance and efforts to house the city’s homeless residents, which include securing local motel rooms for some high-risk people and making city-owned parking lots temporarily available for socially distanced campgrounds. Read the story here, and peruse the paper’s special feature in which “area resident Paula Proctor and her sisters” offer up a “music playlist relevant to our time” and featuring a lot of Beatles in list form in case readers want to revisit making mixtapes at home.

What Next for California Cities? Deficits, Bailouts and Long Recoveries

by Ben Christopher, CALmatters on April 18, 2020 at 10:36AM

San Diego: Beach town facing budget deficit Newsom praised San Diego for taking early and bold action to house the region’s 8,000 homeless people, including procuring more than 2,000 hotel rooms as emergency isolation units.

State Projections Show Humboldt Could See 40 COVID-19 Deaths by June, According to Butte Health Officer (VIDEO)

by Thadeus Greenson on April 18, 2020 at 8:03AM

The Times-Standard reported last night on a “Covid-19 Check in” video that Butte County Public Health Officer Andy Miller posted yesterday morning explaining state modeling projections, which include that Humboldt County may see 40 deaths from the disease before June 1. “Even though it’s disturbing to think about and talk about, it’s out there and should be available,” Miller says in the nearly six-minute video (embedded below), explaining that the modeling is based on a “Johns Hopkins model” and represents the state’s “best guess” of what may come.

A Thank You to Our Members

by North Coast Journal Staff on April 18, 2020 at 7:34AM

Public Health Reports No New COVID Cases, Private Lab Results Continue to Dwindle

by Thadeus Greenson on April 17, 2020 at 5:38PM

Frankovich said "robust testing" is a key piece moving forward. “We all must understand that even small, incremental changes in our current order are likely to lead to some increase in transmission,” she said.

Recreational Salmon Season to Open May 1, State Announces

by Thadeus Greenson on April 17, 2020 at 12:55PM

Salmon Seasons Adopted for the California Coast While the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a delay to the April season along the California coast, salmon anglers can look forward to robust seasons going forward.

Local Job Losses Continue to Mount as More Businesses Close

by Thadeus Greenson on April 17, 2020 at 11:20AM

More than 1,800 Humboldt County residents have already lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an ongoing survey conducted by the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services. The 608 business responding — about 19 percent of local employers, per the U.S. Census — are reporting a combined $26.5 million in lost revenue and 1,874 layoffs.

CSU Suspends College Entrance Exam Requirements

by Thadeus Greenson on April 17, 2020 at 9:22AM

CSU to Suspend Standardized Testing Requirement for Upcoming Admission Cycles The California State University (CSU) will temporarily suspend the use of ACT/SAT examinations in determining admission eligibility for all CSU campuses for the 2021-2022 academic year.