HUMBOLDT TODAY: A handful of senators are calling for an investigation into whale deaths on both US coasts; Governor Newsom is hoping to secure federal disaster funds for our area; plus, Cal Poly Humboldt is looking into allegations its basketball coach was abusive toward players. Details on those stories and more in today’s newscast with John Kennedy O’Connor.

FURTHER READING: 

• (VIDEO) Behold: Eureka High School’s New 40,000-Square-Foot Gymnasium is Nearing Completion
• (PHOTOS) Arcata Fire Tackles Late-Night Farmhouse Blaze on West End Court
• LET THE SIRENS WAIL! All Simulated Hell Should Break Loose at 11 This Morning, as the Tsunami Warning System Tests its Gear

HUMBOLDT TODAY can be viewed on LoCO’s homepage each night starting at 6 p.m.

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Ramada’s slogan is “Style. Pleasure. Comfort.”

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Press release from Cal Poly Humboldt:

We’re excited to share that Cal Poly Humboldt is continuing to expand its off-campus housing options for continuing and transfer students for Fall 2023. 

Starting today, continuing and transfer students now have the option to select the Ramada Inn in Arcata as another option for accommodations on their Humboldt housing application. This is in addition to the College Creek residence hall on campus and the Comfort Inn, Super 8, and Motel 6 in Arcata.

The Ramada Inn, Comfort Inn, Super 8, and Motel 6 amenities include:

• Housekeeping services, daily breakfast, cable TV, WiFi, limited parking, and more 

• Nearby public transit service to campus and additional transportation support from Cal Poly Humboldt 7 days a week with extended evening hours 

• Resident Advisors who live full-time in each hotel with professional Residence Life Coordinator staff oversight 

• Enhanced programming such as a faculty lecture series and special catered dinner events

• University Police and hotel staff patrol the property regularly

• Shared kitchens that students can use to prepare their own food, and one staffed by Dining services that will offer grab-and-go items that can be purchased with a meal plan

You may be wondering how we arrived at these off-campus housing solutions. In any given year,  an estimated 3,000-4,000 students choose to live off campus in private rentals in the community. Even so, there simply is not enough quality, affordable housing—a serious challenge faced by college students across the state.   

Leasing hotels is a short-term solution as we move forward with plans for building five housing facilities. One new housing facility,  the Craftsman Student Housing project, is slated to open as early as 2025, and will accommodate 964 students. After additional planned on- and off-campus housing facilities are completed, there will be space for about 4,100 students in University-owned housing.

We’re  optimistic about the road ahead as we grow as a polytechnic. Right now, we’re offering more off-campus housing than ever before: a total of 430 students will be housed in the University-managed hotels.  

Current students will receive a separate communication about the room selection process and waitlist information. Please continue to check the FAQ, which is updated when there’s more information to share.  

Also, remember that our Off-Campus Housing office assists students with finding a place to live in the local community. We’re expanding staffing for this office to provide additional support for students. Our Emergency Housing program is for students who are unable to find permanent housing, or abruptly lose their housing. 

We’re deeply grateful for the constructive feedback from students, families, and other members of the campus community. It’s input that we take to heart and oftentimes brings to our attention concerns that we consider as we move forward with housing projects. We encourage you to email housingfeedback@humboldt.edu or call (707) 826-3451. You can also contact the Dean of Students Office at dos@humboldt.edu.

Press release from Eureka City Schools:

It’s been a long time coming but the highly anticipated 40,000 sq. ft. brand-new Eureka High School gymnasium is cruising at a steady pace toward an estimated midsummer 2023 completion date.

“Think about the phenomenon of a brand-new facility, it’s going to have a shine on the floor and on the walls and our students are going to get to take advantage of the most beautiful athletic facility in all of Northern California,” said Omar Khattab, Eureka High School Assistant Principal and Athletic Director.

The facade has developed its character, the restrooms and locker rooms are complete, the main court floor is almost finished being laid, and the flag poles just went up! It’s these weekly developments that have staff and students beaming with excitement and envisioning what this new gym will bring when they finally get to step on the court.

Elijah Griffin is an EHS Junior and a member of the wrestling team. He says, “I think you’re a product of your environment and I think having good facilities will facilitate good practices, good energy, and lead to good performance in games.”

“I feel like playing in the old gym there’s a bunch of memories and everyone’s played there, but now having a new gym I’m excited because we get to create those first memories and it will be super cool to experience that,” said EHS Sophomore and girls’ basketball player, Mallorie Beauchamp.

Once complete the new facility will have a regulation basketball and volleyball competition court with retractable seating for more than 1,200 spectators.

“I’m hoping for the atmosphere to be really good with the fans,” said Maia Hales, EHS Junior and girls’ basketball player. “I think the community will come together just even for the opening day or the first game that’s played in here, which is really exciting, and I think it will boost our confidence a lot.”

When it’s sports practice or physical education class time, the bleachers can be retracted and a mid-court curtain can roll down creating two full-size basketball courts. Plus, there’s the auxiliary gym which will serve as the wrestling room, with the flexibility to be utilized as an additional court along with many other uses for physical activities.

“What we’re really excited about are the differences between this gym and the existing gym that we have right now. One of the things that’s always been a challenge is practice in the wintertime for basketball teams. When we field up to six different teams - between the girls and the boys basketball teams - practice time and court time becomes prime. So, what happens is, a lot of the students get pushed out into the late evenings or the very early mornings. Now with the flexibility of this new gymnasium we will have three full basketball courts inside of the gym. This will condense that amount of practice time and get students home with their families. That’s going to be a huge benefit as we start to use this gym,” said Eureka City Schools Superintendent, Fred Van Vleck.

There’s a dedicated weight room - which every athlete dreams of, student locker rooms with showers and restrooms, coaches’ offices, a training room, and storage for athletic equipment.

“It will serve both our students and our athletes in that regard, as well as an opportunity for the rest of the community to use the gymnasium,” said Paul Ziegler, Assistant Superintendent Business Services. “We were very mindful of that when we were bringing this together, that it’s not just our own use, but we’ll be able to serve other youth throughout the community as well.”

Khattab adds, “The community here has a lot of youth leagues and a lot of youth sports that are really a pipeline into our school. So having kids become familiar with our brand-new facility is going to lend to the pride that those students are going to have when they step foot on the campus to be high school students.”

This new gym will not only benefit students, the community, and its generations to come but it serves as a testament to our community’s commitment to wanting the best for our youth; including but not limited to input and direction for the gym’s design and the passing of Measure S, the $49.75 million bond that paved the way to make this project possible.

Van Vleck says, “This is what we built with a good portion of those dollars and so this is something the community can be proud of, something the school can be proud of, and certainly build that Logger pride amongst our students.”

That’s not all, the foyer for the gym is large enough to accommodate up to 240 people, complete with a concession stand to support booster club fundraising.

Logger alumni might be excited about these nostalgic additions. When you walk in the new gym foyer the original wood ‘E’ from the Jay Willard Gym will be the floor centerpiece, and that legendary Logger statue will make his way from the former gym to stand tall in the foyer as well. So, get ready Eureka because the new Jay Willard Gymnasium will very soon be opening its doors to welcome you!

The overall Jay Willard Gymnasium project will be constructed in four phases and the completion of the new gym is just phase one. The following phases will be abatement of hazardous materials from the current facility, demolition of the current gymnasium, and then construction of a new parking lot.

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PREVIOUSLY: Scanner Traffic Indicates

Press release from the Arcata Fire Protection District:

Arcata, CA – March 28, 2023, at just after 10 pm, the Arcata Fire Protection District responded to a structure fire in the area of Highways 101 and 299. Responding units located the fire in the 4400 block of West End Court in Arcata. Upon their arrival, AFD found a 2-story farmhouse, approximately 50% engulfed in flames. Arcata Police units on scene also reported that an occupant was possibly still inside.

The first arriving engine companies were directed to focus on search and rescue for the possible entrapped party. When the search was completed, the Incident Commander was able to confirm that there was no occupant and the residents arrived at scene. There were no injuries reported.

Due to the age, construction of the structure, gusting winds, fire control was made difficult. The building sustained roof and second floor collapse, therefore, the decision was made to fight the fire defensively from the exterior of the structure for safety of the firefighters. It took approximately 1 ½ hours to gain control and extinguish the fire.

Arcata/Mad River Ambulance, PG&E and APD remained at the scene with 8 engines, 5 Chief Officers and the Arcata Fire Volunteer Logistics Unit. AFD would like to thank our mutual aid partners from Blue Lake Fire, Fieldbrook Fire, Humboldt Bay Fire, Samoa Fire, and Westhaven Fire for their assistance at the scene. Kneeland Fire assisted by covering the Arcata Fire’s jurisdiction.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation and the structure is a total loss.

Arcata Fire District would like to remind everyone to check and maintain the smoke alarms and immediately call 911 if you see a fire.

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It’s time, once again, to test the tsunami gear! Expect coastal sirens to scream and your radio and television broadcasts to be interrupted at 11 a.m., and be worried only if that does not happen.

They’re not texting people this time around, but if you live near the coast you might get a phone call before 11 a.m. to warn you that all simulated hell is about to break loose

From the National Weather Service:

The annual Tsunami Warning Communications EAS Test will occur on Wednesday, March 29th between the hours of 11 am and noon. Additional testing will also occur outside of this single hour with some jurisdiction’s reverse calling systems tested before the EAS test. The test will simulate the dissemination of a tsunami warning for Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino counties for a large tsunami wave originating from far away, such as in Alaska or Japan. Examples of events like this in the past include 1964 (Alaska) and 2011 (Japan) when tsunami waves hit our coastline from far away and caused damage.

The test will trigger the Emergency Alert System (EAS) across the three county area of Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino counties resulting in alerts on radio and TV broadcasts, weather radio, and activation of tsunami sirens in some areas. The Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system for cellular phones will NOT be tested, but in a real emergency it would be activated for a Tsunami Warning. However, some county reverse calling systems are expected to be tested the hour before the test to alert people of the coming tsunami warning system test at 11 am. Unfortunately the Civil Air Patrol will not be able to fly on Wednesday due to the weather conditions.

For six months, Gov. Gavin Newsom waged a highly public battle against the oil industry, accusing companies of fleecing Californians as gasoline prices soared to record levels last year and urging lawmakers to claw back the excess profits to return to taxpayers.

Yesterday, he finally got to take a victory lap, as he signed a first-in-the-nation law that could lead to a cap on earnings for oil refiners.

“We proved we can actually beat Big Oil,” Newsom said during a ceremony under the state Capitol rotunda.

But the measure Newsom signed is still a far cry from what he initially suggested in the fall, reflecting the political perils inherent in taking on an industry that may be a major villain for liberals but also provides a product used daily by millions of Californians.

Nor is this particular showdown likely over.

A representative for the oil industry, which fiercely fought the governor’s efforts, said refiners who operate in the state will closely monitor the development of regulations under the law and whether the Legislature pursues additional bills to address their lingering concerns before deciding whether to mount a legal challenge.

“Then we’ll have a better sense of, will this work, and do we need to step in?” said Kevin Slagle, a spokesperson for the Western States Petroleum Association.

Newsom set off a frenzy at the end of September, as the average price of gas at the pump surged past $6 past per gallon, when he called for a windfall tax on oil company profits, an idea favored by progressives that has never gained traction at the Capitol. Within a week, he announced that he would open a special legislative session later in the year to push for the proposal, using a penalty on excess profits to fund a rebate for taxpayers.

At issue were California’s retail gasoline prices, which are not only expensive, but far more expensive than the rest of the country — by last fall, the gap had grown to more than $2.60 per gallon higher than the national average, an ignominious record. The oil industry says this is caused by greater taxes and regulations in the state, but Newsom argued that greedy companies were taking advantage of global shortages.

Though many legislators agreed with the governor’s assessment that taxes and regulations alone could not explain the steep prices their constituents were paying, his initial plan — to set a cap on refiner profits and fine those who exceeded the threshold — stalled for months at the Capitol without action. Even Democratic allies feared that, without more information, they might unintentionally create a disincentive for gasoline production, further constraining supply and leading to even higher costs for drivers.

The compromise, unveiled less than two weeks ago, shifts the process to state regulators. Oil refiners will be required to report additional data about their operations and a new watchdog division of the California Energy Commission will investigate alleged price gouging by the industry. That could inform the commission to establish a profit threshold above which companies would be assessed a financial penalty, though the rule-making process is merely authorized by the new law, not mandated.

Legislative Democrats raced over the past week to pass the proposal before they leave town at the end of the month for their spring recess, earning howls of disapproval from the oil industry and Republican lawmakers, who argued that the rushed timeline did not allow them to fully vet potential unintended consequences of the bill. Because it was passed through a special session, which the Legislature closed on Monday after a final vote in the Assembly, the law takes effect in 90 days.

Slagle of the Western States Petroleum Association said oil refiners take issue with the amount of data they will be required to report, the lack of privacy safeguards for that sensitive information and a provision of the bill that they contend would allow the state to interfere with their maintenance schedules.

If those points are not resolved in follow-up legislation, Slagle said the industry could potentially sue over the law. An unfavorable profit cap rule developed by the California Energy Commission would also be ripe for a legal challenge.

“We’re concerned about how that all turns out,” Slagle said. But, he added, with this heavily politicized clash at the Capitol now over, “We’re hopeful that we can shift to having a conversation about the real issue here, which is the supply of fuels.”

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CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

Mark William Dusel was a kind, caring, skilled, charismatic man. He was survived by his wife, Julie; son, Matt; granddaughters Jaida and Ramona and their mother, Jessica Dora. Mark had a twinkle in his eye and brilliance between his ears that captivated all of us whenever in his presence. His attention to detail was impeccable. Mark was an incredibly hard worker, fascinated with the natural world, ready for adventure, and tough as nails. He was a supremely talented man. Mark was born on December 21, 1954 and passed away on March 4, 2023 after a short battle with blood cancer and related complications.

Mark worked for CK Johnson’s industrial steel fabrication company for almost 40 years, which had become a second family to him. His expertise with steel was unparalleled. Mark could shape steel like a blade of grass. He could form, bend and plasma-cut steel with unbelievable accuracy and precision. All of his knowledge, skills, experience, and follow through made him a vital leader for CK Johnson and a key ingredient to the success of the company. Mark highly valued the loyalty and quality of his employer.

In his spare time at home, Mark worked hard to perfect the paradise he and his wife created and called home. Years ago, Mark and Julie bought land and built a small studio above a workshop. For five years, he and his wife lived together in the studio as they prepared to build their main house, Mark’s dream. Through hard work and dedication, the time came when Mark was ready to build. He worked day and night to create a beautiful custom home from the ground up, with his ability and bare hands. This beautiful land is called Cedar Hill, situated in the hills and redwoods of Blue Lake, overlooking the Mad River. In his final weeks, he continued to build a gorgeous wrap-around deck that matched the vision he always had.

Mark was very close to his family. He was the youngest of five children. He and his brothers, Jim and John; and sisters, Christine and Julie; grew up together in the Sacramento area and remained close throughout the years. Mark’s parents, Clarice Wilford and John Dusel were both fine educators and paved the way in shaping Mark and his siblings into outstanding humans. Clarice taught English in Japan and John was a professor at Stanford.

Mark could build, fix or engineer anything. His son Matt recalls calling his Dad anytime he experienced a challenge with home ownership. Mark always had the right answer and was always there to help. Mark was also a skilled gardener and he and Julie enjoyed their time together growing food in their own garden on Cedar Hill, and being rewarded for what they sowed.

There are three creatures special to Mark that also live on Cedar Hill. Cedar, Wiley and Ollie are Mark and Julie’s cats and he loved them dearly. Mark and Julie always had cats as pets together, going back to when they lived on Crane street in Eureka when Matt was just a young boy.

Mark accomplished his dream by building his own private paradise for his beloved wife, son and granddaughters. He will always be there in spirit to experience the love and joy that he graciously created.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

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