Category Archives: Articles

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.”

Continue reading Crescent City Fire Achieves Second-Highest ISO Rating →
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.

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.

Continue reading DNACA Is Rebuilding After Two Rough Post-Pandemic Seasons; 2024-25 Concert Series Starts Wednesday →
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 →
Articles, Community News, Curry, Health, Local Government

Curry BOC Moves Forward On One Proposed Use For Opioid Funds; Jail Telehealth Proposal Delayed

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Curry County commissioners last week proceeded with a proposed partnership with Gold Beach to create a school resource and community resource officer (SRO/CRO) position using opioid settlement dollars.

But state procurement laws and the lack of a proposed contract is keeping the Board from moving forward on a request from jail commander Lt. Jeremy Krohn to provide addiction treatment services to inmates using those same settlement dollars.

The county would have to send out a request for proposals to service providers before it moves forward with telehealth opioid abuse disorder treatment at the jail, Finance Director Keina Wolf told commissioners at a special meeting Friday.

“More than likely there is more than one place that can provide us with telehealth capabilities and we need to give equal opportunity for people to apply for those contracts,” she said. “I know [Krohn] did say he reached out and had spoken with different individuals, but there’s not a contract attached so we don’t know what the not-to-exceed number would be and we don’t know what services exactly are going to be provided.”

Continue reading Curry BOC Moves Forward On One Proposed Use For Opioid Funds; Jail Telehealth Proposal Delayed →
Articles, Community News, Crescent City, Curry, Infrastructure, Local Government, Youth

Crescent City Eyes Partnership With Brookings Nonprofit To Offer Alternative Venue For Pool Patrons

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Crescent City councilors last week supported a proposed partnership with South Coast Community Aquatics in Brookings to give Del Norte County pool patrons a place to swim when the Fred Endert Municipal Pool closes for construction in December.

But on Monday, SCCA President Val Early told the Brookings City Council that discussions about how the arrangement would work are still preliminary. She floated the idea of instituting a community pass for patrons on both sides of the state line since Crescent City and SCCA would be funding the program. The details still needed to be ironed out before the agreement goes before the Brookings City Council for approval, she said.

“If we’re able to put that together and [if] you feel like that’s a worthwhile project, that would be a pilot program for us to be able to gauge what our winter activity would be,” Early said. “If we’re able to put together, this collaborative effort would start to happen in December and would go through February because those are the months the Crescent City pool is going to be closed.”

The Fred Endert Municipal Pool is expected to undergo upgrades to its HVAC system as well as its pool deck and locker room floors. As a result, the pool will be closed from December through February, City Manager Eric Wier said.

Under the proposed agreement with SCCA, the nonprofit organization that took over management of  the Brookings pool in 2023 would be responsible for facility-related costs. This includes heating the outdoor pool to between 83 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit, Wier told the City Council at its Oct. 21 meeting. Crescent City would provide the lifeguards and supervisory staff needed to operate the pool, he said.

Continue reading Crescent City Eyes Partnership With Brookings Nonprofit To Offer Alternative Venue For Pool Patrons →
Articles, CC Harbor, Community News, Elections, Local Government

Race For The Harbor: Harry Adams Says His Job’s Not Done

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Harry Adams credits the changing atmosphere and the new harbormaster for his last-minute decision to run for reelection as a Crescent City Harbor commissioner.

Adams, who’s currently president of the Board of Commissioners, says he’s not done doing the job. Yet  until about three weeks ago, he wasn’t even in the running for the three seats that are up for election this year.

“I felt like I was banging my head against the wall for four years,” Adams said, explaining why he hadn’t planned on seeking re-election. “I was frustrated. I wasn’t feeling it. But with the change in harbormaster, I feel like the cadence has changed, and I received  overwhelming support from the community to run again.”

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

Race For The Harbor: John Evans Wants To ‘Further His Service To The Public’

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The Crescent City Harbor is in the midst of a cultural shift, John Evans says.

The 40-year-old correctional officer says he sees this shift at play during Harbor District meetings, especially during public comment. Expectations for how the port should operate have changed. People expect a more professional image from the Board of Commissioners, he says.

Speaking with KFUG Community Radio’s Paul Critz and Redwood Voice Community News on Oct 17, Evans opined on the recent changes at the Crescent City Harbor District. This includes the resignation of its harbormaster in September amidst allegations of credit card misuse. Its perceived lack of transparency by the public as well as its financial struggles.

It’s not lost on Evans that the only contested local race on the ballot this election season is the Crescent City Harbor District Board of Commissioners. This, he says, makes him optimistic about its future.

“At the end of the day there’s no money being a harbor commissioner,” Evans said. “Everybody who threw their hat into the ring is passionate about it and they feel they have something to offer the harbor.”

Continue reading Race For The Harbor: John Evans Wants To ‘Further His Service To The Public’ →
Articles, CC Harbor, Community News, Elections

Race For The Harbor: Devon Morgante Wants To Help The Harbor Realize Its Potential

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Devon Morgante says he doesn’t want to come to the Crescent City Harbor District Board of Commissioners with an agenda, even though people ask him if he’s got one.

Instead, he says he wants to hear the community’s concerns, “filter that through education and experience,” work with his potential colleagues and the harbormaster and come up with a solution.

“Being here for about 19 years, we always enjoyed the harbor,” Morgante told KFUG Community Radio’s Paul Critz and Redwood Voice Community News last week. “There is a lot that could be done to improve the harbor. Then, as you start peeling back the layers, you’re like, ‘Oh, it’s not just about small business development, it’s not just about fishermen and their access….’ You start getting into the infrastructure and maintenance, the safety and, I guess, there’s a lot of different layers.”

Continue reading Race For The Harbor: Devon Morgante Wants To Help The Harbor Realize Its Potential →