Articles, Community News, Crescent City, Local Government

Crescent City Fire Achieves Second-Highest ISO Rating

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Crescent City Fire & Rescue participates in a local Fourth of Parade. | Photo: Jessica Cejnar Andrews

Kevin Carey said he and his colleagues thought a Class 2 ISO rating was unattainable for Crescent City Fire & Rescue. So when he announced the department’s new designation with the Insurance Services Office Inc. before the City Council on Monday, the fire chief credited a slew of people, most especially the late Steve Wakefield.

Carey delivered the news to Wakefield’s wife Debra after first informing the city manager.

“She was absolutely ecstatic,” Carey said. “She knew that Steve would be super proud of us.”

The Insurance Services Office assigns a public protection classification on a scale from 1 to 10 with Class 1 being the best. The for-profit organization determines this score based on a field survey gauging a department’s emergency communication systems, staffing, training and equipment and its water supply.

Crescent City Fire & Rescue, which is jointly operated through the city and the Crescent Fire Protection District, had long operated under a Class 4 ISO designation and had been pursuing Class 3 status.

Continue reading Crescent City Fire Achieves Second-Highest ISO Rating →
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The Results of the Election (So Far) – Redwood Voice Community News

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November 6th, 2024 – For Redwood Voice Community News, a production of Redwood Voice Youth Media, today’s news: national, statewide, and local election results; a revisiting of Val Polyanin’s art; with funding drying up, the Del Norte Association of Cultural Awareness struggles with finances; the Northern California Condor Restoration Program completes their Fall round of health checks; proposed wood pellet plants threaten Northern California forests; Oregon’s State Emergency Coordination Center is activated to insure the election goes off without a hitch; and Brookings’ Chetco Girls basketball club scores a major victory in Medford. All this and our regular segments from the Pacifica Radio Network and National Native News.

We’re broadcasting on KFUG 101.1FM and kfugradio.org! every day at 12PM, with a rebroadcast at 5PM. We’re also airing on KZZH 96.7FM at 6AM, and KCIW 100.7FM at 6PM!

Today’s news card image is courtesy of Sora Shimazaki via Pexels, which has been edited.

Articles, CC Harbor, Community News, Elections

Del Norte Saw A Surge In Last-Minute Ballot Submissions, County Clerk Says; Dan Schmidt, Annie Nehmer and John Evans Lead In Harbor Race

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Thumbnail photo by Eric (HASH) Hersman, via Wikimedia Commons. Creative Commons License.

Though she’s not sure if the winners in Del Norte’s one contested race will change, County Clerk Recorder Alissia Northrup is certain that the raw data will change.

Northrup said her office and polling places throughout the county saw a surge in last-minute voters on Tuesday. As a result, Northrup estimated that more than 1,000 ballots were submitted and have yet to be counted.

Northrup told Redwood Voice Community News on Wednesday that she was hoping to have as many ballots counted as possible by Friday. She said she would release more numbers Wednesday afternoon, though said it would be raw data.

“It could still end up being those top three [candidates], but the numbers are definitely going to change,” Northrup said. “A lot of people were maybe only voting for one [person] and a lot of people skipped that race altogether.”

Continue reading Del Norte Saw A Surge In Last-Minute Ballot Submissions, County Clerk Says; Dan Schmidt, Annie Nehmer and John Evans Lead In Harbor Race →
Articles, Arts & Culture, Community News

DNACA Is Rebuilding After Two Rough Post-Pandemic Seasons; 2024-25 Concert Series Starts Wednesday

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Thumbnail image and flyer courtesy of DNACA

(Updated at 7:55 p.m. Tuesday with input from DNACA’s former executive director Stephanie LaTorre)

Managing an organization like the Del Norte Association for Cultural Awareness is akin to plate spinning, treasurer Catherine Balck says.

Pre-pandemic, the executive director had to find and hire instructors for its visual arts programs, organize public exhibits and book acts for DNACA’s annual concert series. The executive director worked with Pelican Bay State Prison and the William James Association to help coordinate Arts in Corrections — a state-funded program that stopped due to COVID. And they had to fundraise.

But the relief dollars that kept DNACA alive during the pandemic have dried up and donations have dwindled, Balck told Redwood Voice Community News on Friday. Its long-time venue, the Crescent Elk Auditorium, was largely unavailable due to major renovations during the last two seasons.

After realizing DNACA was “bleeding money” due to expensive acts and a lack of ticket sales, the organization parted ways with its former executive director Stephanie LaTorre. 

But, Balck said, she and her colleagues on the DNACA Board likely didn’t realize how many moving parts the executive director had to manage until recently.

Now, with its first concert of the 2024-25 season set for Wednesday, DNACA’s Board of Directors has been running its day-to-day operations and is working to rebuild the organization, Balck said.

“Honestly, the fact that we didn’t have to pay an employee’s salary is what’s going to allow DNACA to continue,” she said, estimating that she has put in about 20 hours of volunteer work a week running DNACA since April. “When I stepped in, we had a month before our state and local partner grant was due with the California Arts Council. We hired a grant writer, and I [put in] an intensive amount of time to get the grant submitted — with the State of California, you either meet their deadline or you’re out of luck — I did get a small stipend, but it’s not anything close to what we were paying even one month of an executive director’s salary.”

Continue reading DNACA Is Rebuilding After Two Rough Post-Pandemic Seasons; 2024-25 Concert Series Starts Wednesday →
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The Condors Get Health Checks – Redwood Voice Community News

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November 5th, 2024 – For Redwood Voice Community News, a production of Redwood Voice Youth Media, today’s news: roadwork updates from CalTrans District 1; an update on the residency of Crescent City’s Safekeeping exhibit; the Crescent City Harbor District seeks an ice plant replacement; the Northern California Condors all receive health checks this fall; Golden State Natural Resources proposes that California trees be turned into wood pellets for foreign power plants; the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation celebrates National Native American Heritage Month; the Oregon Department of Emergency Management takes proactive measures during this election period; and the California Department of Fish & Wildlife advises you to reduce your trash before the bears’ “fall feeding frenzy!” All this and our regular segments from the Pacifica Radio Network and National Native News.

We’re broadcasting on KFUG 101.1FM and kfugradio.org! every day at 12PM, with a rebroadcast at 5PM. We’re also airing on KZZH 96.7FM at 6AM, and KCIW 100.7FM at 6PM!

Today’s news card image is courtesy of Cara McGary via the Northern California Condor Restoration Program, which has been edited.

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The Bears, They Hunger – Redwood Voice Community News

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November 4th, 2024 – For Redwood Voice Community News, a production of Redwood Voice Youth Media, today’s news: roadwork updates from CalTrans District 1; a revisiting of Val Polyanin’s art exhibition; the Crescent City Harbor District continues to work towards getting the ice plant back online; some Klamath Salmon and Steelhead are tagged with radio tags; it’s November, and already time to consider getting a Christmas tree; Nautical News from Kenny Priest of Fishing The North Coast; November is Native American heritage month; and bears are extra hungry this time of year. All this and our regular segments from the Pacifica Radio Network and National Native News.

We’re broadcasting on KFUG 101.1FM and kfugradio.org! every day at 12PM, with a rebroadcast at 5PM. We’re also airing on KZZH 96.7FM at 6AM, and KCIW 100.7FM at 6PM!

Today’s news card image is courtesy of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW), which has been edited.

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The State of the Safekeeping Exhibit – Redwood Voice Community News

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November 1st, 2024 – For Redwood Voice Community News, a production of Redwood Voice Youth Media, today’s news: roadwork updates from CalTrans District 1; Curry County’s Jail Commander continues to try to coax opioid settlement dollars from County Commissioners; scientists have tagged the first new salmon in the Klamath for research purposes; an update on the “Safekeeping” exhibit’s residency in Crescent City; Christmas tree permits are now available to purchase; and an update on fishing conditions from Kenny Priest. All this and our regular segments from the Pacifica Radio Network and National Native News.

We’re broadcasting on KFUG 101.1FM and kfugradio.org! every day at 12PM, with a rebroadcast at 5PM. We’re also airing on KZZH 96.7FM at 6AM, and KCIW 100.7FM at 6PM!

Today’s news card image is courtesy of KFUG Station Coordinator Amanda Dockter, which has been edited.

Articles, CC Harbor, Community News, Economy, Local Government

Ice Plant Saga: Harbor District Weighs Operating Plant As Short-Term Solution, Enlists Help From City, County Leaders

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Thumbnail courtesy of KFUG Station Manager Paul Critz.

After meeting with city and county representatives on Monday, Interim Harbormaster Mike Rademaker says there’s more momentum toward the Harbor District operating the ice plant rather than transporting the ice from Brookings.

The Crescent City Harbor District is still working on establishing a containerized ice plant, but with the commercial Dungeness crab season set to start soon, getting the ice plant on Citizens Dock up and running is a faster option, Rademaker told Redwood Voice Community News on Tuesday.

“Lead time is at least 24 weeks,” he said, referring to the containerized ice plant option, which could cost about $1 million. “It’s not a viable solution for the upcoming crab season or tuna [fishery].”

But local leaders are still figuring out how to address environmental concerns associated with the ice plant itself as well as how much ice the local fishing fleet actually needs, according to Crescent City Manager Eric Wier.

That information must also be weighed against the  costs associated with transporting ice from Pacific Choice Seafood’s plant in Brookings to Crescent City as well as figuring out how to get it onto local fishing boats, Weir said.

“We had an initial meeting in which some more questions were asked, and we need to have the answers to those questions,” he said Thursday. “What are some of the options and what are the impacts? How does this affect fishermen in regards to crab season, which is basically upon us, versus other fishing seasons? We need to have some answers fairly quickly.”

Continue reading Ice Plant Saga: Harbor District Weighs Operating Plant As Short-Term Solution, Enlists Help From City, County Leaders →
Articles, Arts & Culture, Crescent City

Roadside Art Collection Remains in Safekeeping with the City of Crescent City

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Inside the former Bank of America building on H Street in Crescent City resides an abundant collection of abstract mixed media paintings and sculptures by Ukrainian artist Val Polyanin. In 2022, the city became responsible for over 900 pieces of Polyanin’s art. Polyanin donated his collection to the city for safekeeping after rising rent costs forced him to abandon his roadside gallery alongside U.S. 101 south of town.

After debating whether or not to accept the donation, city councilors eventually agreed to allocate $10,000 out of their economic development fund toward obtaining his collection and curating the exhibit.

In May of 2023, the city held a grand opening for this exhibit, aptly named “Safekeeping,” for “First Friday”. These events, organized in conjunction with the Downtown Divas, are designed to draw traffic to local businesses in the downtown area and stimulate economic activity.

Redwood Voice Youth Media had initially been enlisted by the city to produce a short documentary film to be played on loop at this art exhibit. This video detailed Val Polyanin’s background, journey to America, and passion for artistic freedom.

Continue reading Roadside Art Collection Remains in Safekeeping with the City of Crescent City →
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Dungeness Crab Fishery Delayed Due to Domoic Acid – Redwood Voice Community News

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October 31st, 2024 – For Redwood Voice Community News, a production of Redwood Voice Youth Media, today’s news: roadwork from CalTrans District 1; Crescent City Councilors plans a partnership between Brookings’ South Coast Community Aquatics and Fred Endert Municipal Pool; Rowdy Creek flows freely once again following dam removal; Curry County’s Jail Commander continues to try to coax opioid settlement dollars from County Commissioners for inmate telehealth; with the Klamath River dams down, Chinook salmon begin to spawn in its tributaries once again; the California Wolf Project launches in partnership with UC Berkeley; the Dungeness Crab fishery will not be opening November 2nd for Northern Californians due to unhealthy levels of domoic acid; and one of Brookings’ residents turns 100! All this and our regular segments from the Pacifica Radio Network and National Native News.

We’re broadcasting on KFUG 101.1FM and kfugradio.org! every day at 12PM, with a rebroadcast at 5PM. We’re also airing on KZZH 96.7FM at 6AM, and KCIW 100.7FM at 6PM!

Today’s news card image is courtesy of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW), which has been edited.