From the Humboldt County Joint Information Center:
The State of California has updated
guidance for various industry sectors to expand capacity with
COVID-19 safety measures in place, while also outlining a timeline
for full reopening on June 15.
Citing the state’s vaccination progress
and stabilized case rates and hospitalizations, California Gov. Gavin
Newsom announced that the state will do away with the “Blueprint
for a Safer Economy.”
The state will require masking as well as
testing or vaccination verification requirements in relevant settings
after the “Blueprint” sunsets. Both the California Department of
Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have
emphasized the need for continued COVID-19 prevention measures, such
as masking, regardless of vaccination status.
For the economy to reopen, Newsom said
two conditions must be met:
Vaccine supply must be sufficient for
Californians 16 years and older who wish to be inoculated.
Hospitalization rates must remain stable
and low.
While the “Blueprint” is still in
place, the state continues to update industry guidance to reduce the
risk of COVID-19 transmission. Changes to the guidance take effect on
April 15 and reflect only requirements under the “Orange” or
Moderate tier, to which Humboldt County is currently assigned.
Beginning April 15:
Gatherings:
Allowed outdoors with up to 50 people.
Indoor gatherings are strongly
discouraged but allowed with capacity limits in place.
Private meetings or events (i.e.
receptions or conferences):
Outdoor meetings and events are limited
to 100 people, which increases to 300 if all guests are tested or
show proof of full vaccination.
Indoor activities are allowed at
150-person capacity if all guests are tested or show proof of
vaccination.
Indoor live events or performances:
Physical distancing, advance ticket purchases, designated food and
beverage areas required in all venues, and attendance is limited to
in-state visitors.
Venues with capacity of up to 1,500 –
Capacity limited to 15% or 200 people. Increases to 35% if all
guests are tested or show proof of vaccination.
Venues with capacity of 1,501 and above
- Capacity limited to 10% or 2,000 people. Increases to 35% if all
guests are tested or show proof of vaccination.
The state also clarified that spectators
and observers at youth and adult recreational sports are allowed and
that teams and organizations should follow the Outdoor Seated Live
Events and Performances guidance found here
https://files.covid19.ca.gov/pdf/guidance-live-performances—en.pdf.
Kirk Hammett and his iconic guitar Greeny pose with a bag of the ‘Greeny Blues Blend’ | Photo by Brett Murray. Images from Muddy Waters’ website
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Coffee — arguably the most metal of morning beverages, due to its dark color and invigorating effects — has just become even more metal, at least locally. McKinleyville-based Muddy Waters Coffee Company recently released a new blend at the request of the legendary lead guitarist of Metallica, Kirk Hammett!
Hammett is apparently a big fan of the local roasters and had a member of his team reach out to Muddy Waters late last year to see if the company would be interested in doing a coffee collaboration.
“They emailed me and said ‘Kirk loves your coffee,’” Chris Nichols, owner/operator of Muddy Waters told the Outpost this afternoon. “I said ‘yeah, let’s make this happen! How could this be bad for me?’”
The blend, which was released last week, is called “Greeny Blues” and is inspired by Hammett’s iconic guitar, Greeny — a 1959 Les Paul that was made famous by Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green. When Nichols was asked to create a blend for Hammett and his famous axe, he started experimenting with different combinations of dark roasts (Hammett’s favorite, of course) and mailing them for Hammett and his team to sample. The end result is a full-bodied dark roast, a combination of Indonesian and African beans.
Currently the “Greeny Blues” blend is only available online and it ain’t cheap — $20 for a 12-ounce bag — but that hasn’t stopped fans from flocking to the stuff and Nichols says he has shipped bags of the Hammett-endorsed coffee to countries all over the world. “I scared the Arcata post office by dropping off about 700 orders this morning,” he said.
Nichols added that he and Hammett’s team are working out the details for expanding the release — designing a package that will work better on grocery store shelves and possibly coming up with a lower price-point — and that folks should look out for the “Greeny Blues” blend in stores in the next three to six months. Hammett has also already expressed interest in doing another release with Muddy Waters, Nichols said, which he is very excited about.
How exactly Hammett became such a fan of Muddy Waters’ roasts, Nichols is not entirely sure, but he knows that this isn’t the first time the multi-millionaire rock star has done a coffee collaboration. The guy just really loves his coffee.
“People love coffee,” Nichols said. “Don’t underestimate how crazy people will go for it.”
Former Humboldt State lineman Alex Cappa continues to be a standout among his young NFL peers.
Boston Globe reporter Ben Violin tweeted yesterday that the Buccaneer guard led all NFL players in performance-based pay for the 2020 season — nearly doubling his $750,000 salary by earning an extra $622,056.
Top earners of PBP in 2020:
TB Alex Cappa $622,056 ARZ Kelvin Beachum $604,185 BUF Taron Johnson $578,749 LA Austin Corbett $572,736 DEN Amani Oruwariye $572,067 CHI Germain Ifedi $570,571 PIT Chukwuma Okorafor $567,469 MIN Dakota Dozier $561,951 NE Mike Onwenu $554,792
Performance-based pay provides bonuses to players at the bottom of the league’s pay scale who see plenty of in-game action. Cappa was on the field for 99.7 percent of the team’s offensive snaps during the 2020 regular season, but missed most of the post season after he broke his ankle in the first round of the playoffs.
NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo reports that Cappa won’t see a dime of his performance-based bonus until at least 2024, as part of negotiations hashed out by the NFL last year.
As part of last year’s negotiations over a salary-cap shortfall, the performance based pay was deferred a few years. Players will receive this season’s payouts in 2024 or later. Here’s the whole list: https://t.co/5syug2FbQBhttps://t.co/wepJsjtWNJ
The City of Arcata has selected Emily Sinkhorn as the City’s new
Environmental Services Director. Sinkhorn will oversee Arcata’s Environmental Services Department
which encompasses the City’s parks, natural resources, facilities, recreation, streets, utilities, water and
wastewater divisions.
Sinkhorn has a depth of experience in watershed restoration, climate change, forestry, alternative
transportation, grant development and community engagement. She most recently served as the Director
of the Natural Resources Services Division of Redwood Community Action Agency, overseeing
programs that restore local watersheds, promote active living and support community-led change.
Of Emily Sinkhorn’s appointment, City Manager Karen Diemer noted that, “Ms. Sinkhorn’s proven
track record of environmental stewardship, experience delivering completed projects through public
engagement, commitment to ending racial disparities in local government, and her dedication to
ensuring core public services are supported stood out from a pool of very qualified applicants. I am
excited to see Arcata’s Environmental Services legacy grow through Emily’s leadership.”
Sinkhorn has a strong compass focused on environmental stewardship and its connection to community
health, and as Arcata’s new Director of Environmental Services she, “looks forward to strengthening
community partnerships to address climate change, zero waste strategies, active transportation and
improving public spaces and infrastructure.” When asked about her current outlook she shared, “I am
looking forward to working with the Environmental Services team, and I am committed to maintaining
the collaborative, long-term view the City has built while also prioritizing practical projects to address
climate change, complex environmental problems and issues of equity that often disproportionately
impact the most vulnerable in our community.”
Emily Sinkhorn graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Bachelor
of Science in Environmental Science, and has a Masters of Science in Forest Ecology from Oregon State
University. She has spent many years volunteering for local environmental and community organizations
including the Bigfoot Trail Alliance, the Humboldt Bay Trail Fund Working Group, McKinleyville Land
Trust, Greenwheels, Humboldt Roller Derby and the Humboldt Folklife Society.
Emily’s work as Arcata’s Director of Environmental Services will commence following ratification of
her employment contract at the City Council Meeting taking place virtually on Wednesday, April 21 at 6
p.m. Please visit cityofarcata.org for instructions on how to view the meeting.
Eureka attorney Michael Acosta and his partner Sarah Carroll, charged with maintaining a drug house and possession of drugs for sale, have been scheduled for a jury trial in late August.
This morning Judge John Feeney scheduled an Aug. 30 trial for the couple, who were arrested Feb. 4 when Drug Task Force agents raided their home on Cedar Street. The house also serves as Acosta’s law office. Both Acosta and Carroll are out of custody, and Acosta is continuing to practice law locally.
Acosta is representing himself, with attorney Andrea Sullivan representing Carroll. Sullivan, appearing via Zoom this morning, said she has an appointment Friday to review the district attorney’s case file. There are “numerous unknown confidential witnesses,” she said.
Five people were in the home when officers arrived, and all of them had drugs in their possession. Officers removed a small bag of methamphetamine from Acosta’s pants pocket. He told them he must have pocketed the drug when he was picking up trash around the property.
In Acosta’s office, which is upstairs in the residence, agents found 17 grams of heroin, a small quantity of meth and 74 “Xanny bars,” which contain the maximum level of a drug similar to Xanax.
Law enforcement had been monitoring Acosta’s home for months before the bust. At the September preliminary hearing, one agent testified it was common to see up to 25 people a day entering and leaving the residence.
The Redwood Arena hardwood gets a paint job. | HSU
Humboldt State University:
Humboldt State student-athletes are taking to the courts and fields with a new logo.
The bold new design reflects the Lumberjacks’ history and reimagines the iconic axe emblem. It also ties strongly to the University’s “Spirit H”—looking almost as if the “H” has become energized and ready to play. The logo will adorn the Lumberjack Arena floor, athletes’ practice gear and equipment, and products available to campus and the community.
The logo was designed in consultation with student-athletes, coaches, boosters, alumni, faculty, and staff, as well as partners and suppliers. The goal was to reflect the character and strength of HSU Intercollegiate Athletics & Recreational Sports as well as the pride of the broader University. The design process included extensive research, design, assessment, and focus group feedback.
The logo’s design process was itself a bit of an endurance test. The initial year-long redesign effort led to a nearly completed logo, but then had to be put on hold due to the pandemic.
“The new logo represents a bolder identity for HSU athletics,” says Jane Teixeira, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics & Recreational Sports. “It encompasses the pride of the Humboldt community and the excellence we focus on as a department and as an institution. Even though we started the logo process a while ago, sharing it with the community feels even more special after the challenges of the past year. I’m excited for the future and grateful to the University and to those who led the way on the creation of the new logo.”
The redesign was undertaken with help from the Osaki Creative Group, which has designed logos for products, universities including San Diego State, and professional teams including the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Through hundreds of concepts and iterations, the team helped HSU arrive at a collegiate sports design that stands out while also being clear and simple.
The group worked with campus partners through several rounds of design and redesign. It was decided early on that the campus was looking for a streamlined logo and preferred a riff on a simple monogram—an image that combines letters and images to form a symbol. It was also determined that the mark should represent HSU athletes, and that it should include aspects of HSU’s past, present, and future.
The final design is a dynamic symbol that combines the letter H in motion and the iconic axe. It incorporates an integrated lightning bolt motif—a nod to HSU’s first team name, the Thunderbolts, which was used until 1936. It adds action with angles and movement. And, of course, the color version of the new logo is proudly Green and Gold.
“We’re happy with the redesign, but the real strength of this new logo will come from the student-athletes themselves,” says Frank Whitlatch, Vice President for University Advancement. “On its own, the logo is basically just a drawing. But people will see the logo at games and on campus, and they’ll begin to associate it with the determination, spirit, and camaraderie of our student-athletes.”
In conjunction with the rollout of the new logo, the Lumberjacks have revamped the official Athletics website for the first time in four years. It is at hsujacks.com.
A multi-month collaborative effort between the Humboldt State University Office of Sports Information and Syracuse, New York-based SIDEARM Sports, a national leader in athletics website development, culminated in the website redesign. Along with a fresh layout and feel, the site is packed with new features and SIDEARM’s latest technologies, creating an immersive experience for Lumberjack supporters. Visit the new website at hsujacks.com.
Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks to the press during a visit to Ruby Bridges Elementary School in Alameda on March 16, 2021. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters
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Gov. Gavin Newsom is running two races this spring: The first is to clobber the coronavirus pandemic that has killed nearly 60,000 Californians and devastated businesses and schools with unprecedented restrictions. The second is to keep his job, which could be threatened by a recall election later this year.
The two paths intersected yesterday, as Newsom announced plans to fully reopen California businesses on June 15 — if hospitalization rates remain low and the state has enough vaccines to inoculate all Californians who want a shot.
“We’re seeing death rates… go down. We’re seeing case rates stabilize. We have the lowest case rates in the United States of America,” Newsom said during a press conference in San Francisco. “On June 15, all things being equal, if we continue that good work… we’ll be opening up this economy (for) business as usual.”
At first blush, the political benefit seems obvious: The campaign attempting to throw Newsom out of office is fueled, in part, by anger over his decisions to close businesses, schools and churches amid the pandemic. His announcement that the state is planning to fully reopen could quell frustration and take some wind out of the recall campaign’s sails. The June 15 reopening happens to fall during a period when voters can remove their names from the recall petitions if they changed their minds.
But it’s not all upside. Newsom’s bold pronouncement about what he’ll do two months down the line — while infections are rising in other parts of the country, highly contagious coronavirus variants are spreading and only 18% of Californians are fully vaccinated — also comes with a dose of political danger.
“It’s a really risky decision, but with a high percentage of success,” said Fernando Guerra, a political science professor at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
“The risk is that the fourth wave may hit California, he’s going to have to backtrack, reinstitute some of the restrictions, and then it will reinforce the whole rationale for the recall.”
The effort to oust the Democratic governor began before the year-long pandemic upended life in California. It was driven by conservative activists who oppose Newsom’s progressive stances on immigration, gun control and criminal justice. But the pandemic gave their campaign a massive shot of momentum, as many Californians got fed up with the state’s constantly shifting restrictions — and a judge ruled that recall supporters could have more time to gather signatures because of last year’s stay-at-home order.
So the course of the pandemic and the course of the recall have become intertwined, making it impossible to separate whether Newsom’s decisions about one are driven by the other. A poll last week found that 56% of Californians would vote against the recall — enough for Newsom to keep his job. But polls capture the mood at a specific moment in time and public opinion could change depending on how the state recovers from the pandemic.
“You cannot help but see every decision that is made in the sense of the recall,” Guerra said. “The pandemic determines the fact that we have the recall, and how the recall is going to play out.”
Though Newsom has been projecting optimism about the end of the pandemic for several weeks, yesterday’s announcement was a big move that seemed to go beyond what he previously forecast. Last month, Newsom said he’d speed up business reopenings — but didn’t promise a full-scale reopening — after 4 million vaccine doses had been administered in the state’s hardest-hit communities. The state hit that number, he said, allowing him to set the June 15 goal.
“The risk is that the fourth wave may hit California, he’s going to have to backtrack, reinstitute some of the restrictions, and then it will reinforce the whole rationale for the recall.” — Fernando Guerra, political science professor at Loyola Marymount University
Newsom said he’s monitoring the spread of variants, and that his decision to reopen is based on California’s low case rates and an expectation of sufficient supply of vaccines. A prominent epidemiologist said Newsom’s plan is prudent, and the president of the California Chamber of Commerce said it “is especially welcome news as we enter California’s peak tourism and recreation season.”
But supporters of the recall campaign cast it as a purely political move that still falls short of what Californians need.
“Gavin Newsom is making a political football out of reopening California; don’t be surprised when he moves the goalposts,” tweeted John Cox, the Republican businessman who lost to Newsom in 2018 and is running against him if the recall qualifies for the ballot.
Another GOP challenger, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, said in a statement that “Newsom has shown that he’s only motivated by his own political survival, not doing what’s best for Californians.”
“If he truly wanted to help families across this state, he would reopen all public schools for in-person learning now.”
Even with the low rates of infection, California lags the rest of the nation in the portion of kids who attend school in-person. And while many schools in the state have begun to reopen this spring, they’re generally on hybrid schedules that only allow kids on campus for a few hours a week — making it difficult for many parents to work.
“The economy cannot reopen without schools fully and safely reopening as well, otherwise working parents, especially working mothers, will be left behind,” said a statement from Rob Lapsley, president of the California Business Roundtable, which represents the state’s largest companies.
“The schools must be a full partner in creating an equitable recovery and reopening, allowing all working families the opportunity to get back to work.”
Newsom said it’s his “expectation” that schools will fully reopen after June 15 and vowed that there will be “no barrier to having our kids back in in-person instruction.” But he did not commit to requiring that schools offer normal full-time schedules this fall — highlighting another political liability if the recall campaign is in full swing during back-to-school season and families are still scrambling to accommodate part-time class schedules and Zoom lessons from home.
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CALmatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.
