News Blog

2nd UPDATE: With Information Conflicting, Uncertainty Mounts on Looming Blackouts

by Thadeus Greenson on October 28, 2019 at 9:12PM

2nd UPDATE: PG&E spokesperson Deanna Contreras responded to a Journal inquiry this morning to clarify that Humboldt (southern), which was slated to lose power at 7 a.m. this morning, includes Garberville, Benbow, Redway and surrounding areas while Humboldt (northern), currently slated to lose power around 9 p.m., includes Willow Creek, Hoopa, Arcata and Eureka. Contreras said she couldn’t give more specific information about which communities and cities were expected to be impacted because “the power lines run different directions.”

The historic Arcata Minor Theater bathed in moonlight beneath the stars during the PG&E power shutoff.

County: All of Humboldt Will Lose Power Early Tomorrow Morning

by Thadeus Greenson on October 28, 2019 at 5:03PM

The Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services just issued an alert warning that all PG&E customers in Humboldt County will lose power before early tomorrow morning and should be prepared to be without electricity for several days. The outage comes as extreme weather conditions are set to tighten fire risks in Humboldt and surrounding counties, causing "dangerous conditions for power transmission lines."

The Eureka Municipal Auditorium, crowded with people charging their electronics this morning, with a line extending out the door.

Some Power Restored as Another Blackout Looms

by Thadeus Greenson on October 28, 2019 at 11:25AM

PG&E is in the process of inspecting lines in an effort to bring power back to Humboldt County this morning, with some areas already having been restored as another Public Safety Power Shutoff looms before dawn tomorrow. According to the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services, PG&E is hoping to restore power to all local customers in advance of the next weather event that will bring elevated fire conditions and another blackout.

Transmission lines carry electricity from where it's generated to where it's used.

'All Clear' Given to Begin Checking HumCo Power Lines as Another Blackout Looms Tuesday

by Thadeus Greenson on October 27, 2019 at 2:45PM

The Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services is reporting that PG&E has indicated that portions of Humboldt County have received the “all clear,” meaning weather conditions no longer pose an elevated fire risk, allowing the company to being inspecting its lines in an effort to restore power, a process that could still take some days. PG&E has not, however, indicated which portions of the county have been deemed all clear.

The line for gas at Costco in Eureka stretched out of the parking lot and around the block Tuesday evening.

Update: Power Out, Restoration Estimates Remain Unchanged

by Thadeus Greenson on October 26, 2019 at 7:17PM

UPDATE: According to the Humboldt Office of Emergency Services, power started going out in Humboldt around 9:30 last night. Restoration estimates remain the same.

The barren shelves at Eureka's WalMart on the eve of the last blackout.

As Blackout Looms, Arcata Nonprofit Preps Free Meal Services, Seeks Volunteers and Donations

by Thadeus Greenson on October 26, 2019 at 3:54PM

With PG&E’s public safety blackout looming, Arcata House Partnership is again planning to provide a free meal services during the shutoff and is asking for volunteers and donations to aid the effort. While estimates as to when the shutoff will start continue to fluctuate — PG&E has offered differing estimates throughout the day with the latest coming at 2:41 p.m. and advising the power will go down at 8 p.m.

UPDATE: Blackout Could Hit Humboldt Hours Earlier Than Expected, Sheriff Warns to Prepare to Lose Power at Any Time

by Thadeus Greenson on October 26, 2019 at 11:20AM

UPDATE: In the company’s latest press release, PG&E is notifying the public that power will be shut off to more than 900,000 customers across 36 California counties in phases this afternoon. And the list of scheduled phases indicates power may be cut in Humboldt County earlier than the company is reporting.

My friend Ryan photographs the crescent moon setting at Moonstone Beach, seen here between his knees. A fishing
boat’s bright light shone intensely to the right. It was about the same brightness as the moon, and both appear very
light here due to a fairly long exposure and a high light sensitivity (ISO) setting.

North Coast Night Lights: Be the Moon

by David Wilson on October 26, 2019 at 10:32AM

In the days of film just prior to digital photography’s boom, photographers simply could not have made many of the nightscape images we see today. Film with enough light sensitivity to capture the stars and the rest of the Milky Way in all of the grandeur we are used to seeing in modern nightscape images did not exist; film that came anywhere close to sensitive enough was extremely grainy.

26 Year Old Killed in Alderpoint Road Crash

by Thadeus Greenson on October 26, 2019 at 7:11AM

The California Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal single vehicle big rig crash on Alderpoint Road yesterday afternoon. According to CHP, a 2019 Freight Liner was heading eastbound on Alderpoint Road, east of Wallin Road, when for reasons still under investigation it drifted off the south roadway edge and down a steep embankment.

Finding Groceries When the Lights go Out

by Jennifer Fumiko Cahill on October 25, 2019 at 9:05PM

UPDATE: Costco will be up and running on generators, as will Walmart and Target. Ferndale's Valley Grocery plans to stay open with the generator running.

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