Articles, Crescent City, Infrastructure, Local Government

Crescent City Area Residents May See Water, Sewer Bills Increase; Rate Studies Cite Increased Costs, Needed Maintenance, Structural Deficits

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Thumbnail photo by James Brooks

Aging infrastructure, increased costs and expenditures outpacing revenues are prompting Crescent City staff to seek a rate increase for water and sewer customers.

Representatives from Rural Community Assistance Corporation and Willdan Financial Services presented study results that reached similar conclusions for both utilities. 

On the water side, sales won’t be enough to cover the system’s operating and maintenance costs, RCAC Assistant Field Manager Samantha Ryan told the City Council on Monday.

Continue reading Crescent City Area Residents May See Water, Sewer Bills Increase; Rate Studies Cite Increased Costs, Needed Maintenance, Structural Deficits →
Agriculture, Articles, Education

Sunset High Teacher Nominated for Statewide Future Farmers of America Award

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Photos by Aisling Bludworth

Robyn Payne had a hand in agriculture from the day she could pick up a shovel.

Her father was an agriculture teacher and she grew up on a dairy. These days she follows in her father’s footsteps and teaches agriculture at Sunset High School.

Through her work at Sunset, she has been nominated for the Agricultural Educator of the Year award from the California Future Farmers of America Foundation, the California Farm Bureau, in collaboration with Nationwide Insurance.

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Articles, Crescent City, Economy, Local Government

New Housing Developments Spark Controversy; For Some Residents, It’s Too Many Too Fast

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Crescent City and Del Norte County residents on Monday spoke both for and against the various housing developments underway within the city limits. | Video and photo by James Brooks

Megan Miller sought to counter what she said was misinformation concerning the housing developments underway in Crescent City. But few stuck around past the public comment period at Monday’s City Council meeting to hear it.

Miller, Crescent City Housing Authority executive director, specifically spoke to Battery Point Apartments — a 162-unit complex that will house seniors and families — and the narrative that its tenants won’t be from Del Norte County.

“The waiting list for Battery Point Apartments, the senior units… there are 78 applicants on that list (and) there are 40 units,” she said. “Out of those 78, 72 of them are local residents. All 72 applicants are automatically ahead of those six who are from out of the area because anybody with a Del Norte County address steps ahead of somebody without one regardless of the application date.”

Continue reading New Housing Developments Spark Controversy; For Some Residents, It’s Too Many Too Fast →
Articles, CC Harbor, Infrastructure

Harbor Commissioners Seek General Contractor, Project Manager For Citizens Dock, Seawall Project

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Thumbnail photo courtesy of Andrew Goff; Right: Most recent rendering of Citizens Dock/seawall project. | Image courtesy of the Crescent City Harbor District

Harbor commissioners gave staff the green light to seek a general contractor, project manager, accounting firm and a grants manager as construction for the seawall and Citizens Dock rebuilds loom.

Commissioners unanimously approved releasing requests for proposals on Tuesday after Mike Bahr, CEO of Community System Solution, gave a rundown of what they and the public can expect over the next roughly two years.

“We’re looking at this as one project,” he said. “These two elements are two separate grants, but it really is one very large construction project that’s all taking place at the same time.”

Continue reading Harbor Commissioners Seek General Contractor, Project Manager For Citizens Dock, Seawall Project →
Articles, CC Harbor, Local Government

Crescent City Harbor District Recap, March 11, 2026

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Thumbnail photo by Gavin Van Alstine

Among the items discussed at Wednesday’s Crescent City Harbor meeting:

RV Park negotiations: Harbormaster Mike Rademaker will be traveling to Los Angeles this weekend to meet with Orange County developers seeking to lease Bayside and Redwood Harbor Village RV parks. Rademaker said he will be working through the weekend to get a final agreement before the Board of Commissioners and the public.

“I know everyone is so anxious like we all are to close this deal,” he said following a closed session meeting. “Keep in mind it’s potentially a 25-year deal. We are extremely close, we’re working on the finer points of the contract.”

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Articles, Economy

Bang for more buck: July 4th fireworks price is up due to tariffs, Chamber director says

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Thumbnail photo courtesy of the Crescent City-Del Norte County Chamber of Commerce

To some Del Norters, President Trump’s tariffs may be a political talking point, but a representative of the local visitors bureau says they’ve made this year’s July 4th fireworks more expensive.

The price tag for the community’s fireworks increased to $39,800 from last year’s costs of $36,000, according to Crescent City-Del Norte County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Cindy Vosburg. She declined to mention the president’s name, but said after he began implementing tariffs last spring, she contacted Pyro Spectaculars, the family-owned San Francisco-based company that’s created the local professional display for the past 25 years.

“For many years it was $30,000 and then three years ago they had to increase their prices,” Vosburg told Redwood Voice Community News, adding that the cost rose to about $36,000. “But then this year, it was a 10% increase because of the tariffs.”

Continue reading Bang for more buck: July 4th fireworks price is up due to tariffs, Chamber director says →
Articles, Infrastructure, Local Government

Del Norte County Board of Supervisors Recap, March 10, 2026

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Among the items discussed at Tuesday’s Del Norte County Board of Supervisors meeting:

Funding for EOC: 

Del Norte County staff plans to seek $2 million in fiscal year 2027 Congressionally Directed Spending money to establish an emergency operations center, Assistant County Administrative Officer Randy Hooper said.

County staff is looking at converting the manual arts building near the Flynn Administrative Center, according to Hooper, and would renovate the former gymnasium into a “hardened purpose-built EOC.” It would also house the Del Norte County Office of Emergency Services as well as be a “public safety answering point” or dispatch center, according to Hooper’s staff report.

Continue reading Del Norte County Board of Supervisors Recap, March 10, 2026 →
Articles, Elections, Local Government

Del Norte Election Lineup Set For June Primary

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Thumbnail image by Dwight Burdette via Wikimedia Commons. Creative Commons license.

Del Norte County voters will cast a ballot for two contested local races on June 2.

Incumbents Chris Howard and Joey Borges will each face challenges to their District 3 and District 4 seats on the Board of Supervisors, County Clerk-Recorder Alissia Northrup told Redwood Voice Community News.

The deadline to submit election paperwork was 5 p.m. Friday.

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Articles, Crescent City, Infrastructure, Local Government

Crescent City Planning Commissioner Says She Was Barred From Commenting On Housing Development

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Above: A 14-unit townhouse development is under construction on 708 J Street in Crescent City. | Image courtesy of the City of Crescent City.
Thumbnail: Crescent City Planning Commissioner Shawna Hyatt spoke before the City Council on March 2. | Screenshot

A Crescent City planning commissioner whose home and business are near Sam Schauerman’s 14-unit townhouse development says she was barred from making public comment at a recent meeting.

Shawna Hyatt is accusing city staff of directly swaying the outcome of a Planning Commission decision on Feb. 12 approving the architectural design review of the townhouse development at 708 J Street. 

She said that City Attorney Martha Rice emailed her after the meeting, stating that she was in error and apologizing. But Hyatt says what occurred isn’t an isolated incident.

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Articles, Community News

Crescent City, Del Norte Preparing For ‘Pause’ In CDBG Program; Funding Supports CASA, Senior Nutrition, Pacific Pantry

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Thumbnail image: Marina MacNeil and Dominique Richcreek, staff members at Pacific Pantry, visited Smith River in this photo from September 2024 with the pantry’s mobile market. Pacific Pantry is supported through CDBG funding from the city. | Photo by Jessica Cejnar Andrews

Though her organization’s main funding source, the Community Development Block Grant, is set to pause for two years, Christine Slette said she’s not totally freaking out.

With a year and a half left of its 2024 allotment, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Del Norte may be OK, its executive director told Redwood Voice Community News on Thursday. But if CASA is unable to renew its application in 2026, the number of foster youth its volunteers work with will decrease, Slette said.

“It feels like we have to spend more time fundraising and doing grant management than we do serving the children,” she said. “It’s frustrating. But we have such an amazing community (that) always steps up and helps us through tough times. But it’s a strain and it’s so unfortunate.”

Continue reading Crescent City, Del Norte Preparing For ‘Pause’ In CDBG Program; Funding Supports CASA, Senior Nutrition, Pacific Pantry →

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