###

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

###

The public can now search internal affairs documents and other police-misconduct records from nearly 700 California law enforcement agencies through a database created by UC Berkeley and Stanford University.

The Police Records Access Project database, which contains roughly 1.5 million pages of records from 12,000 officer-misconduct and use-of-force cases, is being jointly published today by CalMatters, The Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle and KQED.

The database is the first of its kind in the nation and will allow the public to search for particular types of misconduct or uses of force. It will also allow police departments to better research potential job candidates and can help researchers identify policing trends.

“The creation of a public facing database is critical for all of the stakeholders in the criminal legal system: whether public defenders, innocence organizations, prosecutors, police departments or academics,” said Barry Scheck, co-founder of the Innocence Project and a professor at Yeshiva University‘s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

Seven years in the making

The database took seven years to produce. It was compiled by journalists, data scientists, lawyers and civil liberties advocates working with the Berkeley Institute for Data Science, UC Berkeley Journalism’s Investigative Reporting Program and Stanford University’s Big Local News.

The ACLU Foundation of Southern California, California Innocence Coalition, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, UC Irvine law school’s Press Freedom Project and UC Berkeley law school’s Criminal Law & Justice Center also collaborated on the project.

The project began after California legislators approved a series of laws aimed at improving law-enforcement transparency. Senate Bill 1421, approved in 2018, and SB 16, approved in 2021, granted public access to use-of-force and other misconduct records.

However until now, those records were only available by filing a specific request to an individual agency.

“This living database makes the transparency and accountability aims of SB 1421 a reality,” said Tiffany Bailey, senior staff attorney at the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, which will contribute an additional 200,000 records to the database from its own efforts to obtain public records.

“Critically, families who have lost loved ones in California will now have direct access to the information they need to seek meaningful accountability that has too often been denied.”

The documents in the database were released by law enforcement agencies, district attorneys offices and other organizations and were redacted in compliance with California’s public records laws. The database does not include crime scene photographs, audio recordings or videos.

Police Records Access Project team members further redacted personal information about sexual assault and domestic violence victims.

The team used emerging technologies such as generative AI to collect, organize and vet the records and build the database.

Money for the project came from the state, with additional funding from the Sony Foundation and Roc Nation.

It’s time! The final rankings are in! We will cut right to the chase and start with the Top 10 Best Baseball Ballpark Experiences. Then we will chronicle those who didn’t make it and why. Next, we will list the Top 10 rankings for Game Atmosphere, Ballpark Cuisine, Club Hospitality and memorable moments. And, finally, we will review the final baseball game of the trip in Seattle. Curiously, this is not the last dispatch for the Sprint Across America. The final story will appear next week when we complete our national park tour.

Top 10 Best Baseball Ballpark Experiences

We start with the best of the best. These ballparks delivered, and delivered very well, in all aspects of the ballpark experience. Game atmosphere was weighted as half the final ranking, ballpark cuisine was one-third, and club hospitality was one-sixth.

No. 10: Cleveland Guardians / Progressive Field on June 26, 2025

PREVIOUSLY:

All dispatches from the Sprint can be found at this link.

Getting in the ballpark before the gates open, which was afforded us thanks to the Concourse Credentials the Guardians issued to us, was such a blessing. It allowed us to talk to concessions workers during their less-busy prep time, giving us inside details on why Froot Loops make such a great hot dog condiment or why they just had to bring back the spaghetti-and-meatballs pizza. We could also casually peruse Heritage Park where all the great Cleveland baseball moments and players are documented. Once the gates opened, we joined the many who flocked to Terrace Hall, a premium space open to everyone. There we discovered “Bam Bam” Turkey Legs in this two-level meeting and eating space. One level is inside, and one level is outside. We were also able to crash the members-only Carnegie Club where we got to see how the upscale folks experience a ballgame with their roasted lamb and penne pasta with meatballs. It was our most productive pre-game session at any ballpark. The stadium has an open view of the downtown skyline in the outfield, including the Rocket Arena – home of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers – tucked into the left field corner. Our seats were between home plate and the first-base dugout. Most stadiums have the concessions on the inside concourse where fans have to leave the seating area. Progressive Field features concessions that are open to the field as well as the concourse area. The field side is the “grab and go” side. It gave a more open feel to the park in general. The Cleveland fans only had one chance to become engaged in the 6-0 loss to Toronto – when it was time to sing “Hang On Sloopy” in the middle of the eighth, adding their signature “O.H.I.O” to the chorus. We came away from the game almost feeling pampered because everyone was extremely nice. Staff personnel, concession workers, ushers, and fans. Everyone just wanted to help. A disappointing afternoon for the home fans but an exceptionally enjoyable game for us.

No. 9: Baltimore Orioles / Camden Yards on June 12, 2025

We applaud the designers of Camden Yards who set the standard in 1992 for what a baseball stadium should be. Twenty-one ballparks have been built since then, and it’s a tribute to the Orioles that Camden Yards is still in the conversation for best ballpark in baseball. “It’s been 33 years, and it’s still gorgeous,” said longtime Orioles fan Larry Williams. “How can you not like this stadium?” The Orioles made many good, key decisions when building Camden Yards. The first brilliant idea was to build it downtown near the inner harbor. The result was that an industrial neighborhood that had seen better days was transformed into a commercial and residential hub once the park was completed. The second brilliant idea was to leave alone a large railroad building, a warehouse, that stood on the stadium property. This brick warehouse became a key element of the stadium’s identity – towering over the right field stands. It is iconic, second only to Fenway’s Green Monster for easily recognizable ballpark features. The warehouse is now incorporated into the outfield concession area with team stores and offices. The depth and quality of food at Camden Yards is among the best in baseball – No. 2 in our rankings: Crab cakes, Drunken Crab Soup, a footlong Chesapeake sausage, Boog’s BBQ, Ribeye Cheesesteak, Crab Mac Dog, Crab Mac, and a variety of loaded fries. Our seats are excellent, in the field level section, 17 rows from the field, just to the right of home plate. The field level section has only eight seats per row. Very nice change. The norm has been 16, which makes for a lot of standing up and down for all the people (sometimes just one guy) who keep leaving to buy concessions or visit the restroom. The O’s fans didn’t have a lot to cheer about as the visiting Tigers and their ace Tariq Skubal shut them down in a 4-1 game. But we had a lot to cheer about with the layout and design of the stadium, and the friendliness of the fans and staff.

No. 8: Philadelphia Phillies / Citizens Bank Park on June 10, 2025

Games at Citizens Bank Park are definitely enhanced by the presence of perhaps the most famous mascot in professional sports, the Phillie Phanatic. The Phanatic is actively involved in pregame and during the game. During pregame he mugs with those getting special presentations, and he serves as catcher for all the ceremonial first pitches (four this game). It is not too far to say he is the ambassador for the team. And, of course, he is known for various shenanigans during the game while dancing on top of the dugout or roving the stadium in a quad runner while shooting t-shirts into the stands from a cannon-like launcher. Kids can imitate his launch-skills In the right field concourse area called The Yard. It includes a wiffle ball field with a dugout and bullpen, a 30-foot climbing wall, a hot-dog launcher where kids try to hit a target, and a concessions area just for kids. It was easy to enjoy the Burnt End Cheesesteak from Bull’s BBQ – one of seven cheesesteak options in the park – in our seats three rows from the field just off first base. There was the usual “vigorous, full-rounded melody of disparagement,” as was once written about the Philadelphia fans propensity for booing. They couldn’t be blamed as the Phils dropped this one 8-4 to the Cubs, the team’s 10th loss in 12 games. Regardless of outcome, the Phillies game event staff took care of those of us that were there for the baseball. Stadiums have LED signage all over the stadium. Big screens, little screens, and a ribbon that spans the entire stadium. Most of the time the signage shows game information and advertising. However, when an attempt is made to increase fan participation, messages will take over every square inch of the signage to “GET LOUD” OR “MAKE NOISE.” It is a pet peeve of mine that in these promotional moments at all the stadiums, fans cannot see any game information. No balls and strikes. No number of outs. No line score. This is the case at every stadium – except this one! At Citizens Bank Park, some of the LED panels permanently display the game information no matter what other information is being displayed. Definitely worth some extra credit in the rankings. Thank you, Philadelphia Phillies!

No. 7: Seattle Mariners / T-Mobile Park on August 1, 2025

The decibel level says it all – 84.8 during a walk-off home run for the loudest moment in any ballpark all summer. Louder than all the explosions in the very impressive postgame fireworks show. Seattle Mariner fans have T-Mobile Park on fireworks alert as they anticipate two winning months to send them into the 2025 postseason. All of this newfound excitement has come because of aggressive moves by the team at the trade deadline that included bringing back Geno Suarez in a trade with the Diamondbacks. “The biggest difference Suarez will make is in the clubhouse,” said Mariners fan Tyler Huling. “A lot of the players are excited to have a familiar face back, and it puts faith back in the ownership and management that they have the players best interests in mind.” That familiar face has also been hitting a lot of home runs, putting the Mariners in position to be only the second team ever to have two players hit more than 50 home runs in a season. The last team with such a pair of sluggers, the 1961 New York Yankees, won the World Series in five games. Our seats were 26 rows up, down the left field line – the perfect place to try to get a hot dog floating on a parachute during the Hot Dogs from Heaven promotion at the top of the eighth inning. Nobody else does anything like this. The fans loved it, including this fan! Another hot dog highlight was the Godzilla Hot Dog with its wasabi relish and thinly sliced jalapeno. It is our choice as the second-best hot dog in all of baseball. And nowhere else in Major League baseball can you buy toasted grasshoppers.

No 6: Milwaukee Brewers / American Family Field on June 29, 2025

In Milwaukee you have already enjoyed a great day at the ballpark before the gates even open. Brats and burgers are grilled by thousands in the parking lot near permanent structures with awnings and picnic tables called Party Pavilions. Families are playing corn hole and tossing around footballs and baseballs hours before first pitch. “Tailgating – this is all we know,” said Brewers fan Russ Potratz of Omro, Wisc., as he tended to his grill cooking brats and burgers at his tailgate. Once inside, the great food continues, although the park doesn’t offer specialty brats, probably realizing it can’t match the tailgate quality. Try one of Topped Dog’s three specialty hot dogs, and you will have a new favorite hot dog. Or get the Loaded Mac and Cheese at Blue’s Egg for the best loaded mac and cheese in baseball. The Brewers do things a little bit bigger than other teams. Their Famous Racing Sausages became popular in the early ‘90s and inspired other teams to follow suit. Perhaps the next most notable is the Presidents Race at Nationals Stadium. With all the other crazy mascot races out there, the Brewers upped the ante with 10 mascots – five sausages and five mini sausages in a relay race. Very entertaining as the mini sausages were about six years old and didn’t quite comprehend what a relay race was. Another area where they do things bigger is the seventh-inning stretch. Everyone sings “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” A few other stadiums sing a second song. But the Brewers add “God Bless America” and “Roll Out the Barrel.” We had great seats – 13 rows from the field between home plate and the first base dugout – to enjoy the food, the mascot race, the songs, and the game. The fans were excited to see their team take a 2-1 lead into the ninth, and to stand and cheer wildly with two outs in the ninth. But a home run dampened the enthusiasm and the Brewers eventually lost in extra innings. For us, it was two bonus innings to enjoy a great day of brats, burgers and baseball.

No. 5: Pittsburgh Pirates / PNC Park on June 8, 2025

We are family! It turns out that wasn’t just a hype-theme song for the 1979 Pirates, a team that won a World Series title. When you’re at PNC Park, you are treated well. “Pittsburgh fans treat you like family,” said Pirates fan Dominic Noel, citing his personal experience which also captured the essence of our experience. This is one of three ballparks where there was an overabundance of kindness from stadium workers and fans. (Tampa Bay and Cleveland were the others.) And when you’re with family, you eat well – whether it’s the Haluski Cannonballs or Manny’s BBQ. Family also gets you great seats, and ours were right behind home plate, about 20 rows up. It rained all morning, so ushers with towels were out in droves, drying seats as fans arrived. Exceptional work by the grounds crew got things ready, and the game managed to get squeezed in between two thunderstorms. What a view! PNC Park is set along the shore of the Allegheny River. Most of the newer downtown stadiums offer an excellent view in center field of their respective cities. PNC has the best view of any of them with spectacular skyline scenery from center field to right field, featuring more than 30 buildings and a bridge. Ace Paul Skenes kept the visiting Phillies bats in check, and a run in the bottom of the eighth gave the Pirates a 2-1 lead. But the storms returned in the ninth inning. As fans scrambled to put their rain gear back on, one Pirate fan had a statement for all the surrounding Phillies fans. “Just put it over your head because you’re embarrassed to be swept by the Pirates.” Indeed, Pittsburgh held on for the 2-1 win to sweep the 3-game series against the Phillies, its first sweep of Philadelphia since 2015.

No. 4: NY Mets / Citi Field on June 14, 2025

Mets fans are in it for the long haul. A play might not go their way. An inning might not go their way. A game might not go their way. An entire series might not go their way. But Mets fans do not waver. “Being a Mets fan is the utmost pleasure and the utmost pain at the same time,” said Michael Hernandez. “This year I have confidence in what the team owners have planned. I love being a Mets fan and everything that goes with it. Good or bad.” There is a lot of good that goes on at Citi Field. The Mets fans stand up and cheer after every hit by the home team. Every hit! Citi Field has a gigantic videoboard, the largest in Major League Baseball. It is 17,400 square feet – three times larger than the one the Mets used to have. You can chow down on chilled fresh main lobster rolls, upscale burgers from Adam Richman’s Burger Hall of Fame, and a jerk meatball bowl or braised brisket bowl from the Coca-Cola Corner. We enjoyed the good (the food and atmosphere) and the bad (the Mets lose) at this game from seats that were just eight rows from the field, just off first base. Citi Field is also a place where commitments that stretch beyond being a Mets fans come into play. During an in-between-innings contest with a fan, the in-game host asked the female contestant to identify the difference between two almost identical pictures of the Ms. Met mascot. She correctly noticed that in one photo, Ms. Met had on a diamond ring. The in-game host said, “Now let’s look at the scoreboard to see what you’ve won.” On the scoreboard were the words “Jessie, will you marry me?” Then the scoreboard showed her soon-to-be fiancé on his knee with the ring. She said yes! Nice prize to win at a Mets game – for both of them! We cannot review the Mets game without once again thanking Josh Lederman who works in Communications with the Mets. He facilitated our escape from New York when we were stuck with tens of thousands of protesters in Manhattan. Josh directed us to the 59th Street Bridge for a path to the game.

No. 3: Houston Astros / Daikin Park on May 14, 2025

I’m amazed at how much we loved the train in left field. It runs on a track along the left field wall and punctuates every big moment for the Astros – blasting its whistle after home runs, big moments and, of course, victories. The celebratory effect is enhanced when fireworks erupt simultaneously from the scoreboard. The train has a conductor and carries a load of oversized baseballs. The train is a tribute to Union Station which is next to where the park is built; in fact, the Union Station building serves as the main entrance to the ballpark. And the view under the train! Large see-through panels offer views of the downtown Houston skyline. Both the train and skyline view draw you in, creating an intimate atmosphere. Our tickets were 35 rows behind the first-base dugout. Come hungry to this park because the Chicken and Waffle Sandwich and the Mac Daddy Dog are beyond delicious. The fans are high energy and noisy. Every Astros milestone was met with raucous cheering, engine and horn noises from the train, flashing lights and booming fireworks. Home runs, defensive gems, an eighth-inning rally, all in a comfortable air-conditioned environment with the retractable roof closed. It looked like the Royals might come away with a victory, but the Astros rallied in the eighth with three consecutive hits with one out. Jeremy Pena, who was 4-for-4, got the go-ahead single for his second RBI of the game. Cue the train, the flashing lights and the fireworks! We left this game fully satiated.

No. 2: San Francisco Giants / Oracle Park on April 27, 2025

Oracle Park was already buzzing 90 minutes before first pitch. Part of the reason was it was youth baseball and softball day, and kids of all ages were actively engaged in the outfield family-friendly area that includes two large slides. A newspaper promotion had a long line where Giants swag was being traded for online subscription commitments. The center field food kiosk was bustling with fans getting their Crazy Crab’z Sandwiches and clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls. From your seat you can see San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge, and the city skyline. Our seats were four rows from the field. McCovey Cove lies beyond the right field wall where home runs are recorded as “splash hits,” and fans in kayaks paddle around throughout the game, waiting for their chance at a game-used souvenir. Favorite son Bruce Bochy – who managed the Giants to three World Series titles – was in town as the visiting manager of the Texas Rangers. The game did not disappoint, a 2-2 battle going into the bottom of the ninth. It ended in a frenzy when Heliot Ramos hit a dribbler toward third that the pitcher fielded, then tossed down the right field line. Ramos ran to second, then slowed down. Third-base coach Matt Williams waved him to keep coming. After a quick glance over his shoulder, Ramos started running again toward third base. He dove safely into third and the ball ricocheted into left field. Ramos got up and stumbled toward home plate where his remaining available energy got him just to the point of collapsing on home plate for the game-winning run. A walk-off “Little League” home run! The sold-out crowd roared its approval. All-in-all, a perfect day for baseball.

No. 1: Minnesota Twins / Target Field on July 8 2025

The Twins were clinging to a 2-0 lead, and the Twins fans were getting annoyed with the presence of so many visiting Cubs fans. A strike out by either side was met with equal measure of groaning and cheering. Things shifted, however, in the top of the eighth inning when the Cubs threatened with a leadoff single followed by a walk. Reliever Griffin Jax struck out the next two batters swinging, and a line out ended the threat. The Twins faithful let the visiting fans know whose house they were in. It was as if every Twins fan cheered twice as loud as usual just to make a point. And they were just getting started. The bottom of the eighth was a slaughter, with Twins fans getting louder with each run scored and the Cubs fans getting quieter. Here’s how the inning played out: walk, home run, home run, double, wild pitch, single, home run. The electricity alone generated during the eighth inning might be enough to put the Twins in the running for best baseball ballpark experience. Add to the mix the amazing ballpark cuisine – four of our Top 20 favorites (Sweet and Sour Fried Pork, Kramarczuk’s Brat Sampler, Homestand Burger and Dugout Dill Pizza) came from Target Field – and you have the ballpark with the best food in baseball. I still can’t believe I had the best hamburger of my life at a ballpark. And while that was probably enough to get them the top ranking, add to it the No. 1 team in club hospitality, and the Twins end up far ahead of everyone else. Nina Zimmerman, Twins communications manager, treated us like we were from Sports Illustrated. She arranged for us to have premium seats, met us personally, set up a stadium tour, and suggested to the local FOX affiliate that we might make an interesting pregame story. The ballpark also has a great view of the Minneapolis downtown skyline; the Metro Light Rail conveniently ends right next to the stadium; game staff posts entertaining and interesting player notes during the game; and Winnebago Industries sponsors an interactive area just beyond right field that features mini golf, cornhole, and lawn chairs. It’s like an indoor tailgate section. The Twins and Target Field are the total package. Light up the Minnie and Paul sign. Twins win!

The Rest of the Best Baseball Ballpark Experiences

First category: Near Misses

It was a razor-thin decision for who made the Top 10 and what three teams were left out. All three of these teams gave us great experiences. “Near Misses” are the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays.

Second category: Triple Positives

These teams delivered in all three areas. They just weren’t quite as good as the rest of the teams ahead of them. (For those of you who have memorized previous rankings, we upgraded the Royals to “positive” for club hospitality after having many other experiences afterward with which to compare.) “Triple Positive” teams are Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Angels, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals. Well done, and thank you!

Third category: Something Amiss

Two out of three areas were positive with these teams. But one area was not. The Rays are the highest rated team of this category because their non-positive area, ballpark cuisine, was more the fault of the Yankees – owners of the ballpark they play in – then their own club. The “Something Amiss” teams are comprised of the Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and Colorado Rockies. An honorable mention goes to the Chicago White Sox – the only game where a fan offered to buy me a beer.

Final category: Cellar Dwellers

These teams had some sort of fatal flaw that kept them at the bottom. One of them was even ranked No. 1 in a Top 10 category. Another had a Top 20 ballpark cuisine item. Ultimately, however, there was too much negative to overcome the positive. The cellar dwellers are the NY Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, Boston Red Sox and Sacramento-Las Vegas-bound Athletics.

Next, we break down the various categories of Game Atmosphere, Ballpark Cuisine, and Club Hospitality and give a Top 10 ranking for each.

Top 10: Game Atmosphere

There were many ways to land in the Top 10 for game atmosphere. A great game always helps because it gets the fans involved at a high level (Pirates, Astros, Giants, Mariners, Red Sox). Something no one else has lends some great atmosphere, such as a moving train (Astros), a splash home-run count (Giants), the largest scoreboard in baseball (Mets), a crazy-good mascot (Phillies), hot dogs from heaven (Mariners), ivy-covered outfield walls (Cubs), a wide-open skyline to downtown (Pirates) or a Green Monster (Red Sox). Loyalty regardless of outcome also plays a factor (Blue Jays, Twins, Mets). The Red Sox have the best game atmosphere because they hit on all cylinders – great fan involvement, unique ballpark features, and a carnival atmosphere throughout, beginning hours before the game on Jersey Street.

10. Chicago Cubs / Wrigley Field

9. Toronto Blue Jays / Rogers Centre

8. Minnesota Twins / Target Field

7. Pittsburgh Pirates / PNC Park

6. Philadelphia Phillies / Citizens Bank Park

5. NY Mets / Citi Field

4. Houston Astros / Daikin Park

3. San Francisco Giants / Oracle Park

2. Seattle Mariners / T-Mobile Park

1. Boston Red Sox / Fenway Park

Top 10: Ballpark Cuisine

If you perused the Top 20 ballpark cuisine items in Week 12, it will not surprise you who made this Top 10. Most of these teams had multiple items in the Top 20 list of ballpark food, or their signature dish was good enough to land them a spot. The Twins take the No. 1 status for great individual dishes, and many of them. The Orioles, Astros and Padres were not far behind, joining the Twins with general excellence across the board. The Diamondbacks had the best single item – Filthy Mac Fries – good enough to land in the Top 5.

10. NY Mets / Citi Field

9. Atlanta Braves / Truist Park

8. San Francisco Giants / Oracle Park

7. Pittsburgh Pirates / PNC Park

6. Milwaukee Brewers / American Family Field

5. Arizona Diamondbacks / Chase Field

4. San Diego Padres / Petco Park

3. Houston Astros / Daikin Park

2. Baltimore Orioles / Camden Yards

1. Minnesota Twins / Target Field

Top 10: Club Hospitality

This area was more than just how they treated us as small-market media correspondents. It was also how they treated their fans in general. But, to be fair, it was more about how they treated us. Were we celebrated as writers or regarded as pesky gnats buzzing around for their attention? The Top 10 embraced us and took care of us. All teams that issued us credentials made the list (Rangers, Astros, Rays, Guardians and Twins). All teams that issued us amazing seats are on the list (Pirates, Angels, Rays, Guardians, Mets and Twins). All teams that met us personally are on the list (Braves, Rays and Twins). All teams that gave us special treatment that helped us contact other teams are on the list (Padres and Rays). And, of course, there was the live interview on their FOX affiliate (Twins). Notice any cross over? Frankly, the Twins should be No. 1 and No. 2. Thank you to the professionals in media relations and communications that this list encompasses, the ones who recognize the little guy has work to do, too, and needs some help to get it done.

10. Texas Rangers / Global Life Field

9. Pittsburgh Pirates / PNC Park

8. Atlanta Braves / Truist Park

7. Houston Astros / Daikin Park

6. Los Angeles Angels / Anaheim Stadium

5. San Diego Padres / Petco Park

4. Tampa Bay Rays / Steinbrenner Field

3. Cleveland Guardians / Progressive Field

2. NY Mets / Citi Field

1. Minnesota Twins / Target Field

Top 10: Memorable Moments

We saw some very unusual things in our 30 games. Here are the Top 10. For more details, see the stories earlier in the series that feature that ballpark.

10. Ten mascots in one race (American Family Field, Week 10)

9. Sean takes a selfie with our phone before taking our picture (Wrigley Field, Week 10)

8. Grounds crew member gets trapped in the tarp (Great American Ball Park, Week 7)

7. Marriage proposal during a fan contest (Citi Field, Week 8)

6. Two outfield assists in the same inning by the same outfielder (Comerica Park, Week 9)

5. Riley Green’s two-homer ninth (Anaheim Stadium, Week 2)

4. Three first-pitch homers in our first six games (Dodger Stadium, Anaheim Stadium, Chase Field, Weeks 1 and 2)

3. Three outs with no strikes and no bat contact (Wrigley Field, Week 10)

2. 21 runs scored and a complete-game shutout (Coors Field, Week 3)

1. Walk-off “Little League” home run (Oracle Park, Week 1)

Game #30: Rangers versus Mariners at T-Mobile Field in Seattle, August 1

It is an exciting time to be in Seattle. The only Major League team to never get to the World Series made a series of big moves this week to try to finally get there. The biggest prize was third baseman Geno Suarez, a former Mariner who returned in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks. At the time of the trade, Suarez was fifth in the major leagues with 36 home runs and tied for the MLB lead with 87 RBI. His bat is added to a lineup that already has Cal Raleigh, the MLB leader in home runs with 41. The team had already traded for slugger Josh Naylor, also from the Diamondback, and left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson from the Pittsburgh Pirates. “The biggest difference Suarez will make is in the clubhouse,” said Mariners fan Tyler Huling. “A lot of the players are excited to have a familiar face back, and it puts faith back in the ownership and management that they have the players best interests in mind.” The Mariners and Diamondbacks were curiously knit together back in the 2001 season when Seattle won an MLB best-ever 116 games in the regular season in the American League, and Arizona finished with the third best record in the National League (92 wins). Greatness is not forged in the regular season, however, as the Mariners lost in the AL championship series to the New York Yankees, and the Diamondbacks – with former Mariner pitcher Randy Johnson as their ace – streaked through the playoffs, defeating the Yankees in seven games to win the World Series title in just their fourth season of existence. The Mariners, who have been around since 1977, have made the playoffs just once since that 2001 season. Raleigh and Suarez are on pace to top 50 home runs each. Only one time in Major League history has one team had two players each hit more than 50 home runs. That was the 1961 Yankees with Roger Maris (*61 home runs) and Mickey Mantle (54 home runs). The Yankees won the World Series that year in five games.

Game atmosphere: Positive

Fireworks. Mariners fans now anticipate fireworks more often, and the two games since they picked up Suarez have provided plenty of explosions, just not from the players they expected. J.P. Crawford was the chosen one for this game as he launched a 375-bomb for a 2-run walk-off homer in the ninth inning, sending the 40,000 in attendance into a frenzy in the 4-3 win. They pushed the decibel level to 84.8, the loudest outburst of any fans anywhere on this trip. Suarez and Raleigh’s bats may have been quiet this night, but it did not matter. With all the recent roster adjustments, Mariner fans are confident there is a win trying to burst out before the game is over. It’s an exciting time to be a Mariners fan, but they still have perspective. “I like our chances of making the playoffs,” Huling said. “After the playoffs are set, it’s really anybody’s game.”

The retractable roof at T-Mobile Park was open for this game, giving fans on the first-base side a great view of the Seattle skyline. … One of the best in-between inning entertainment promotions we’ve seen occurred in the top of the eighth inning: Hot Dogs from Heaven. Hot dogs in parachutes are launched into the air from the upper deck and float to the lower decks. I never thought I would get a sore neck from watching hot dogs fall from the sky with the hope one would float near me. Perhaps the Israelites never would have complained if they had kosher hot dogs from heaven instead of manna from heaven. … A fan’s homemade sign I liked: “What this place needs is more Cal bell.” (Remember, their best home run hitter is Cal Raleigh.) … They sing the intelligible portion of the song “Louie, Louie” after the seventh-inning stretch, adding “Let’s Go Mariners” to the refrain. It went something like this: “Louie, Louie. Oh, no, me gotta go. Let’s go Mariners.” … Their mascot race is the Salmon Run between four different types of fish, mostly salmon. This one was won by King Salmon. … They also had a fan play the Spot Big Foot contest where they had to find Big Foot amongst the crowed. I didn’t pay attention to what they won when they zeroed in on Sasquatch in the left field bleachers. … The park offers free Wi-Fi throughout the stadium.

Ballpark cuisine: Positive

T-Mobile gets a positive rating for its wide range of offerings, although we were disappointed that it was more quantity than quality. A big exception was the Godzilla Hot Dog from Sumo Dog – plenty of quantity and quality. It’s a footlong hot dog loaded with a tasty array of flavors in perfect portions. It is constructed well so that, even with all the piled-on fixings, it does not fall apart when you eat it. Here are the ingredients (don’t try to say them in one breath): footlong all-beef hot dog, beef chili, Togarashi cheese sauce, wasabi relish, pickled peppers, spicy mayo, teriyaki sauce, furikake, minced onion, jalapeno and nori. The jalapeno was thinly sliced so that it did not overpower everything. The Togarashi sauce was tasty, and the chili was spread underneath the dog so that it did not fall out. This specialty hot dog hits No. 2 on our list of best hot dogs in baseball.

There is a vendor with a crab sandwich but it is no Crazy Crab’z sandwich. The bread was seasoned well but the crab was virtually without flavor, making it more of a tomato sandwich. Another vendor sells the King’s Court Turkey Leg but it is a shadow of the Bam Bam Turkey Leg sold in Cleveland. This one is smaller and is smoked but not marinated in any sauce.

Sadly, we were unable to try Moto Pizza’s crab pizza. We got to them 59 minutes after the gates opened, and they were already sold out. It was a special recognition night for season ticket holders, and they entered the gates 30 minutes earlier, and it seems they made a run on the 2,000 crab pizzas that were available. For the record, its ingredients are Dungeness crab, a Moto cheese blend, parmesan, butter, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, and thyme.

Other food options include Cajun fish and chips, clam chowder in a bread bowl, pulled pork mac and cheese, and grasshoppers. Yes, you read that correctly. Toasted grasshoppers are sold at Edgar’s Cantina. “I ate a different insect In Thailand,” said Insecta-foodie Karla Hemmelgarn. “My buddy said Edgar’s at T-Mobile has grasshoppers. You can’t get that anywhere else in town. It’s a little extra protein.” Karla let me try one from her $10 purchase. She summarized it perfectly. “It’s crunch and flavor.” Nothing wrong with a little crunch and flavor. The crunch was all grasshopper but the flavor was the chili-lime salt with which they are seasoned.

Club hospitality: Positive

The team provided tickets 26 rows from the field, between third base and left field. VIP Parking was also provided.

Game details: Mariners win 4-3. Attendance 40,984. Time of game: 2:43.

Helpful tips: Bag policy – clear bags only, no larger than 12”x6”x12”. One-gallon, clear plastic zip-top bags are also allowed. Purses no larger than 4.5”x6.5” are allowed. Backpacks are not allowed. … Sealed, clear plastic water bottles up to 32 oz. are allowed as are empty plastic reusable bottles of 32 oz. or less. Outside food is permitted in single-serving sizes. … There is limited parking available in the stadium garage. SpotHero offers parking with prices ranging from $10 (almost a mile walk to the stadium) to $100 (half a mile walk to the stadium). Park and ride on the Link light rail to save money with a small investment of time. There is free parking at Lynnwood City Center and Angle Lake stations and travel time is 49 minutes each way from Lynnwood and 35 minutes each way from Angle Lake to the stadium. Adult fares are $3.

You don’t see that every day: The postgame fireworks show at T-Mobile was the most we have ever been entertained by fireworks. They were choreographed to Broadway showtunes, and multiple launch points were combined with fireworks generated directly from the stadium rim. In addition, a QR Code scanned by thousands of fans put their phones into the show, synchronizing the flashlight function of the phone with the fireworks. It was spectacular and a fitting way to end The Sprint.

###

Tom Trepiak is the former sports information director at Humboldt State and a member of the Cal Poly Humboldt Athletics Hall of Fame.

Levi Parker Rice
October 9, 1982 – July 9, 2025

It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of Levi Parker Rice, beloved father, cherished friend, and one-of-a-kind spirit, who left us on July 9, 2025. He was 42 years old.

Levi was born at Eskaton Lassen Memorial Hospital in East Susanville and spent his youth growing up in Janesville. But it was in Humboldt County that he found his true home. After moving here as a young adult, he graduated from Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt) in 2008 and remained a proud Humboldt resident 22 years. Born with a spark that never truly dimmed, Levi was a man of many layers — adventurous, creative, deeply nerdy in the most endearing way, and brave enough to take risks when others hesitated. His earlier years were marked by a kindness that left lasting impressions and a curiosity that led him to explore the world in both big ways and small ones — through the thrill of nature, the joy of stories, and the comfort of a garden in bloom.

Levi had an unshakable connection to the outdoors. Whether hiking through dense forests, wandering along quiet rivers, or simply sitting beneath the stars, he found peace and purpose in the natural world. He reveled in the quiet beauty of a sunrise, the scent of fresh earth, and the freedom of a wide open trail. Nature was not just a place for him — it was a sanctuary, a source of inspiration, and a reminder of life’s simple wonders. It was here, among the trees and the breeze, that he truly felt at home.

He was a loving and steadfast father to three children — two daughters and one son — who knew him as a pillar of support, a guiding light, and someone who always showed up, no matter what. Whether he was baking something warm and delicious, planting seeds in the backyard, or getting wonderfully lost in a fantasy novel, an old movie, or a video game that brought him joy, Levi brought magic into the everyday.

Along with his three children, Levi is survived by the mother of his children. Though separated, they remained on good terms and shared a deep, enduring bond rooted in mutual love and respect.

He worked hard, never asking for praise, and gave of himself fully to the people and passions he cared about. He even wrote stories of his own — vivid, heartfelt, imaginative works that, though sadly lost, live on in the memories of those who knew his gift for storytelling.

His laugh — loud, uncontainable, contagious — could light up a room. His smile, always genuine, reminded everyone around him of the warmth and beauty in life. He taught us all the value of presence, creativity, and being unapologetically oneself.

Levi’s life was shaped by adventure, resilience, and love. He wouldn’t claim to be perfect, but he was genuine — and in that honesty, he gave others permission to show up as their true selves. He will be remembered for his deep love of music and adventure, his compassion, his ability to connect with others, and the care he took to make people feel seen, heard, and loved. Above all, he was fiercely loyal to those he held close.

An ash spreading ceremony was held at Trinidad Beach, where some of Levi’s ashes were laid to rest alongside those of his mother, Marcelle Rice, in the presence of close family and friends. A memorial and celebration of life followed on Sunday, July 20th, honoring the love, laughter, and legacy he leaves behind. Rest easy, Levi. You are deeply missed, eternally loved, and forever remembered.

###

Donald Lincoln Ziegenfuss — “Ziggy” — was born July 10, 1930, in Berkeley and passed away on April 29, 2025 in Eureka.  

Ziggy graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in business.  In his early years, he served as a transit operator in the Bay Area, Army Reserves for 28 years, and retired from the State of California Public Utilities Commission after 32 years of service where he was active in SEIU union representation and advocacy.  He was a volunteer serving the Eureka community for many years at St. Joseph Hospital, Eureka Elks Lodge, Rotary Club of Eureka, Humboldt Masons Lodge, Arcata Masons Six Rivers Lodge, and Eureka’s Redwood Shrine Club and Livermore’s AAHMES Shriners organizations.  He was also a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Eureka and American Legion organization. His countless hours of benevolent service all the way into his 90’s benefited numerous individuals, including the Rotary’s weekly backpack for kids program.

He was predeceased by his wife Johnnie Ruth, his parents Wilfred and Edna, brother “Little Wilfred” George and sister Ellen Smith.  He is survived by his niece Shelly Smith and nephews Marty and Jeff Smith and their families and also by his three stepdaughters, Diane Dillard, Debra Launey, and Cynthia Coppage and their children: Matt, Ginna, Kyle, Lauren, and Shelby and their children.

Along with “Ruthie,” Ziggy’s favorite things to do were to cook and entertain and collect toys for donation to the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital in Sacramento. He loved to volunteer at the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival, help fill bags weekly at the backpack for kids events with his Rotary member friends and drive his 1968 Buick flag car and the mini car with his Shriners friends in local parades.

A very special thank you to staff with Visiting Angels, Timber Ridge at Eureka and Hospice of Humboldt for their daily support and loving care of Ziggy in his last year on earth. It is amazing what they do!

A community memorial service will be held at the Six Rivers Masonic Lodge on Monday, August 11th at 2 p.m., 251 Bayside Road, Arcata. A private burial was held in May at the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery in Sacramento, California.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Hospice of Humboldt, Rotary Club of Eureka’s backpack for kids program, and Shriner’s Hospital for Children of Northern California (in Sacramento).

###

After 28 years of existence, at 5 a.m. on April 12, 1989, a fire brought the end to a project a man and his friends had put an enormous amount of time, money and energy into, hoping it would be a successful enterprise.

Sometime during 1960, Jim Turk sat idle after breakfast one morning. While doodling with a pencil on a piece of paper, he made a drawing of a ship. He loved ships and, in the past, had made many models. An idea came to him: It would be a wonderful tourist attraction to have a ship here on land that people could visit. The idea was well suited to Humboldt Bay, as there had been many wooden ships built here. He was also convinced that there should be fish on display along with this ship, as the bay was also a great fishing port.

He explained his idea to a friend, Mel Pinkham, who in turn brought in Lamone Call. Both thought their friend Jim had come up with a great idea. This ship was to be a tourist attraction, complete with coffee shop, gift shop, museum, aquarium and seal pool.

They talked to Ben McWhorter and Harold Barnard of Hollander’s Jewelry, both of whom went along with the idea. The men held several meetings and decided to go ahead with the project. As an initial step, they incorporated as “Shipwreck Incorporated.” To finance it, they each put up $25,000 for starters. Jim Turk was named general manager and was given a share as promoters stock, a fair enough move considering as the whole thing was his idea.

Lamone Call and Chauncey Gould owned land near King Salmon which they sold to the men. The 11 acres went for $1,500 each and were considered an ideal location.

They hired local architect Bill Van Fleet to make some sketches. They also brought in a fine building contractor, Ole Antonsen, to design and build this “ship” which had been wrecked. It measured 30 feet wide by 200 feet long and required that very heavy floating concrete foundation be poured. Actual building of the project began in the early part of 1961. The men contacted a good plumbing contractor, Calvin Wilson, to do all the necessary pipe work—a complicated and very big job. Chester The North Pacific octopus greeted visitors to the sight of the “Shipwreck.” Brown was hired to take care of the electrical part of this job, and the firm of Dunbar and Batich agreed to do the painting. These contractors were very good at their trades and were well established in the community, having enjoyed excellent reputations through the years.

Jim Turk and Calvin Wilson, the plumber, traveled from Seattle, Wash., to San Diego, Calif., to visit every known aquarium or similar business. Harold Barnard visited the San Diego Zoo, in an effort to learn the proper way to install the necessary piping, pumps and tanks they might need. He also studied the proper materials needed to handle the amount of salt sea water required for this building project (salt water is very corrosive and must be kept at just the right temperature, making it very difficult to handle). The sea water had to be run through filters, which had to be cleaned regularly—no small job. The fiberglass fish tanks were custom-made in Vancouver, Wash. The glass in front of the fish tanks was made special for this purpose—extra strong, very expensive. The 10 fish tanks, each holding 750 gallons of sea water, required a total of 7,500 gallons of sea water to be run through the filters every day.

The restaurant was located on the top deck, thereby offering a view of Humboldt Bay. The gift shop and viewing area for the aquarium were below deck, while the restrooms were in the stern of the ship, below deck.

After several months work, the ship was finally ready for masts and rigging. The team hired Humboldt Gates to design and install this partof the job, and a wonderful job he did. Three tall masts were installed in the ship, each with four cross-arms made of aluminum pipes. The long mast was located near the deck, while the remaining graduated to shorter lengths. At one time replicas of sails were hoisted along with flags, painting a very pretty picture on Humboldt Bay.

In the front of the ship, in what resembled a large rock, supplies were kept. A building in the rear housed all the pumps, filters and other machinery needed to operate this facility. Turk purchased a mobile home for his personal living quarters and parked it on the bay side of the ship. His father-in-law, Charles Barrows, also lived and worked at the site.

The seal ponds were located in front of the ship, complete with walks for tourists to watch and feed the playful seals. The seals proved to be one of the best attractions, as everyone loved to watch the playful creatures.

The seal pond was about 80 feet long by 12 feet wide. It ran seven feet deep on one end, tapering up to the other. The pool held 10,000 gallons of sea water and was called Pirate’s Cove. Children loved rowing about in a small row boat in the “cove.”

Ben McWhorter, an experienced pilot with his own airplane, along with Jim Turk, flew along the coast and found a seal rookery north of Fort Bragg. The rookery was located about five miles north of Rockport, at Usai in Mendocino County. The two men then rented a fishing boat as well as the services of two skin-divers. The divers went on the beach where the seals were, captured a few young seal pups and put them into sacks. The pups were brought “home” to the Shipwreck, where they were placed in the seal pond and provided with good care and plenty of food. The seal pond was always of great interest to the Top, public.

It was soon found that a great many seals were making their home right here in Humboldt Bay. Eventually, most of the seal pups were captured in south Humboldt Bay with the use of nets. These young seals were kept in a fenced area adjoining the Shipwreck where they were fed several times a day and given vitamins to keep them in good health. Many people wanted to purchase a seal or two, which led to a very profitable business for Jim Turk. He did come to capture and sell seals to many zoos and aquariums around the country.

The octopus, a very touchy and difficult animal to keep even under the right water conditions, also lived at the Shipwreck. This particular octopus was reputed to be one of the largest in captivity with a 19-foot span. Likewise, there, were many different fish that had to be provided with just the right food and proper care as Shipwreck residents.

The large parking area out in front was graded and graveled, in fine shape with room for 100 cars.

When the Shipwreck was completed, at a cost of approximately $250,000, the ship gleamed white with brown trim. Christened the Seven Seas, a grand opening was held in September 1961.

About the time the project was completed, the California Dept. of Transportation (Cal-Trans) decided to work on Highway 101 for several weeks, right in front of the Shipwreck; this did not help with the opening. However, the Shipwreck apparently took off and, during one of the first years, 90,000 people registered in attendance.

During its heyday there were some 20 full- and part-time employees, many of whom were students who wanted to learn something of this work and needed a part-time job.

During 1969, Lady Bird Johnson came up with a bill to remove all signs along the highways that were placed there after 1960. This action put a damper on attendance at the Shipwreck, as 38 of the signs had to be removed from Cloverdale in the south, to Crescent City in the north. As soon as signs were removed, attendance fell off drastically because tourists could not notice the Shipwreck without the signs to indicate its location. In the early part of 1971, Gary Barnard painted the exterior of the ship a bright yellow, in hopes of attracting tourists.

In 1972, the owners decided to close the Shipwreck for a time until they could decide what to do about rising costs. With no one there to look out for it, the Shipwreck became a haven for transients and teenagers who covered the walls with graffiti. Vandals soon moved in, breaking into the buildings, chopping holes in the roof, breaking the glass, tearing down the rigging, stealing fixtures and fittings, sleeping on the premises and building fires. The Fire Department was called to the scene many times. The weeds grew, the wind, sun and rain did their work and the place, in general, seemed to fall apart.

Then came the final day: April 12, 1989 …

###

The story above was originally printed in the September-October 1993 issue of the Humboldt Historian, a journal of the Humboldt County Historical Society. It is reprinted here with permission. The Humboldt County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization devoted to archiving, preserving and sharing Humboldt County’s rich history. You can become a member and receive a year’s worth of new issues of The Humboldt Historian at this link.

###

[Ed. — The photo gallery below, by the Outpost’s Andrew Goff, shows you what remains of Shipwreck today.]

###

PREVIOUSLY:

•  ‘It’s Just Gone’: GOP Funding Cuts for Public Media Pose Existential Threat to KEET-TV, Station’s GM Says

###

Two not-unrelated items in the news today.

1. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, once the country’s clearinghouse for the public funding of public television and public radio, is closing up shop, following its financial evisceration in the Big, Beautiful Bill.
2. Our local PBS station, KEET-TV, has, as of today, canceled its weekly news broadcast — Headline Humboldt, presented by former Times-Standard reporter and Outpost contributor James Faulk. Tonight’s show will be the last.

KEET has been hurting very badly for the last few months, as our Ryan Burns explored in detail a couple of weeks ago. Not only has half its funding instantly evaporated, but it’s been off the broadcast airwaves for quite a while now, having suffered damage to its transmitter.

Headline Humboldt was kind of a throwback program, in which Faulk ran down the news of the week in a Cronkite-ish fashion and then held a conversation with some local newsmaker or another. Faulk brought some energy to the thing. It’s sad to see it go.

If you want to tune into tonight’s final program, it’ll livestream on KEET’s YouTube channel starting at 7 p.m. Faulk’s guest will be Eric Kirk, a local attorney and omnipresent political commentator. 

KEET is looking very shaky, but here’s hoping Faulk keeps going in some fashion or another. The truth is out there.

###

Hours after a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, emergency alerts sounded on phones across Humboldt County, warning coastal residents to evacuate to higher ground in response to a potential tsunami threat. The alert, issued at 8:28 p.m. on Wednesday, was the third and most urgent in a series of escalating emergency alerts.

“A series of powerful waves and strong currents may impact coasts near you,” the tsunami warning stated. “You are in danger. Get away from coastal waters. Move to high ground or inland now. Keep away from the coast until local officials say it is safe to return.”

Not long after the alert was issued, local authorities attempted to downplay the tsunami warning on social media, referring to it as an “advisory” rather than a “warning” in an apparent attempt to ease concern among anxious residents. A Facebook post from the Eureka Police Department said the tsunami warning was “sent out in error” and was “meant for Del Norte County only,” causing confusion in the comment section.

Ryan Aylward, a warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Eureka, told the Outpost that the alert was issued intentionally, but said at no point were local officials expecting inundation outside of the tidal zone.

“Honestly, it was confusing for us too because we didn’t know where exactly the threat was,” Aylward said in a recent phone interview. “We knew that the tsunami wave height for Humboldt Bay was going to be about a foot, so we weren’t expecting waves to exceed the normal tidal area. But, after the warning went out, we talked to the local Office of Emergency Services, and they wanted to emphasize in the messaging that Humboldt County is not in a dangerous situation and people don’t need to evacuate, but they should avoid beachfronts and harbors.”

As predicted, the tsunami that arrived at our shores just before midnight was measured at about 1.2 feet — well within the threshold for a tsunami advisory — with no reported damage to the Humboldt Bay area. Our neighbors up in Crescent City didn’t fare so well, with local officials reporting up to $1 million in damages after three- to four-foot waves battered the city’s harbor.

Understanding the Tsunami Warning System

When an earthquake strikes, staff at the National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC) in Alaska rapidly analyze seismic data to determine whether or not a tsunami is possible and, if so, when and where it will occur.

“They’re trying to analyze what type of earthquake it was, how deep it was and trying to get that exact magnitude to understand the tsunami threat,” Aylward explained. “Once they have an idea of the magnitude and have confirmation that the earthquake generated a tsunami, the [NTWC] analyzes data from the buoys out in the ocean and creates a model to determine the approximate wave height forecast for the West Coast.”

As more data comes in, the NTWC runs the model again and again to get a better estimate of the wave size and the duration of the tsunami. They also look at the region’s history of tsunamis. In this case, staff determined the tsunami would exceed the warning threshold for several “small pockets” on the North Coast.

“They made the decision [to issue] a tsunami warning for Crescent City — that wasn’t even a question — but they decided to pull [it] as far south as Cape Mendocino … because of a spot right around Trinidad that was [expected to] exceed the threshold, which is just over three feet,” Aylward continued. “For most areas in Humboldt County, it was advisory, but there were some small pockets — like that spot up near Trinidad and other remote areas up in northern Humboldt — that could exceed the threshold. So, that’s how we ended up with a warning.”

In the hours leading up to the tsunami’s arrival time, the NTWC held hourly briefings with local and state authorities, including the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) and Humboldt OES, the California Geological Survey and NWS. If waves aren’t expected to exceed the advisory threshold, local jurisdictions are empowered to make their own decisions on which areas of the county are notified, said Humboldt OES Program Manager Ryan Derby. However, that process changes when a tsunami alert is upgraded to a warning.

“In those cases, the NTWC issues Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) to jurisdictions within the tsunami warning scope, without prior notification to the impacted jurisdiction,” Derby wrote via email. “Their ability to issue WEAs is at a countywide level, which prevents their ability to notify smaller subsets of a county. This results in the entire county receiving WEAs from the NTWC when only a small portion of the county may experience warning-level impacts.”

It’s a delicate balance. While it’s generally best to err on the side of caution, an emergency alert urging residents to evacuate immediately can incite panic and chaos. Remember that 7.0-magnitude earthquake we had last December? Before the shaking had even stopped, a siren-like tsunami warning emitted from our phones, prompting hundreds — perhaps thousands — of Humboldt County residents to evacuate their homes and offices, gridlocking traffic on Highway 101 and the Samoa Bridge.

After the disorganized response, Humboldt OES, in partnership with the Eureka NWS and the Redwood Coast Tsunami Work Group, held a countywide tsunami evacuation drill to practice proper evacuation procedures. Still, comprehensive education around disaster preparedness is lacking.

‘One Size Doesn’t Fit All’

Reflecting on this week’s emergency response, Derby emphasized that every incident is different, particularly when it comes to earthquakes and tsunamis. That’s why it’s so important for residents to familiarize themselves with the tsunami hazard map — linked here — and to listen to guidance from local emergency officials.

“The main takeaway is that for near or local earthquakes, when strong and/or long-duration shaking occurs, the earthquake is the community’s warning,” he said. “We must treat every tsunami advisory and/or warning seriously and trust the guidance of local officials until an ‘all-clear’ message is provided. Complacency to these situations can result in truly devastating impacts to the community and people’s lives.”

Still, there’s room for improvement, he said. Take the NTWC and NWS mapping system, for example. The map below, which was used in several advisories and warnings issued by the NWS, depicts the weather forecast zone for the Humboldt County coast, not the tsunami hazard zone.

“While the NTWC alerts and their automated process are in place to provide for public safety, and community members should absolutely pay attention to those alerts, the best advice we can provide is to follow the guidance and direction of local emergency officials,” Derby said. “Local emergency information takes into account the nuances of our specific threat landscape, community makeup and emergency actions that residents and visitors should take.”

Lori Dengler, emeritus professor of geology at Cal Poly Humboldt, agreed, adding that emergency officials “need to do a better job of identifying and forecasting impacts.” She also suggested that the NTWC and NWS implement tiers for different levels of tsunami warnings.

“One size doesn’t fit all,” Dengler told the Outpost. “Right now, we only have one level of tsunami warning  — anything between three feet and over 100 feet. Our tsunami maps are based on our worst-case threat — an earthquake the size of Kamchatka or the 2011 Japan quake happening right here. … But most tsunamis are far smaller than this and we need to follow Japan’s lead and have two or three levels of tsunami warning: moderate, large, enormous. That way, we could be more precise in describing the areas likely to be impacted.”

Dengler also suggested that the NTWC and NWS change the terminology for tsunami alerts because residents might not know the difference between a watch, advisory and warning. “[P]eople need to know what to do on their own.”

Aylward said the NWS office is working to improve and refine the local mapping system and reduce the scale of the emergency alert system.

“Currently, the wireless emergency alert system goes out to the entire county [when there is a tsunami alert],” he said. “People out in Hoopa received it even though, of course, there was no tsunami danger out there. We’re trying to narrow the [alert] area.”

###

Not sure if your house is located in the tsunami zone? Check out the state’s interactive Tsunami Hazard Area Map at this link.

Additional tsunami safety resources

• Redwood Coast Tsunami Work Group
• Humboldt Emergency/Disaster Information
• Humboldt Alert Sign-Up
• Arcata Emergency Preparedness
• USGS Earthquake Hazards Program
• CalOES Resources
• California Earthquake Authority
• NOAA Tsunami Safety

###