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Crime and public drug use in Eureka has escalated to what seems the point of no return.

The downtown area in particular — the focal point of the city, meant to attract tourists, be a nice place for locals to visit, and ultimately stimulate the economy — has become more of a breeding ground for pure pandemonium.

But some local citizens, business owners and law enforcement refuse to accept the situation as a lost cause and are looking at any and all possibilities for a solution.

This morning was the first “Take Back Eureka” meeting at Old Town Coffee and Chocolates, and it was an effort to get some sort of momentum underway.

From Cornelius Loewenstein of CL Leathers saying people are shooting up heroin and even fornicating behind his business on Second Street to Paul Leslie of Humboldt Honey Wine saying his daughter was threatened by a transient with a 6-foot long piece of steel and nearly raped on another occasion, in this LoCO Video Report we hear locals lay it all out on the table.

Plus Eureka Police interim chief Steve Watson, Captain Patrick O’Neill of the P.O.P. team and Old Town beat officer Cory Crnich were all there to show support and share what the department’s working on.

There will be another meeting tonight at 7 p.m.