A pril 7, 2021
M ad R iver U nion
Two found zonked in McK vehicle
Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office
McKINLEYVILLE – On Saturday, March 27 at about 7:47 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a business on the 1100 block of Murray Road in McKinleyville for the report of two people unconscious inside a vehicle parked outside the business. While attempting to contact the individuals, deputies observed narcotics in plain view on the male driver’s lap. Deputies were able to wake the two, who exhibited signs of being under the influence of a narcotic substance. Deputies seized the narcotics, which were later confirmed to be
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Man shot, two sought
Arcata Police Dept. tim was involved in an altercaThe passenger of the vehicle, over one gram of cocaine, over ARCATA – On Friday, April tion with two males in the parkone gram of methamphetamine, identified as 23-year-old Ange2 at about 9:30 p.m., the Arcata ing lot that resulted in gunfire. lina Lily Faircloth, was booked and multiple Xanax pills. Police Department responded to The suspects were last seen fleeBoth subjects were detained into the Humboldt County Cora shooting in ing on foot. rectional Faciland searched. During the parking lot The suspects are ity on charges a search of the driver, of a motel in considered armed and of disorderly identified as 27-yearthe 4700 block dangerous: conduct under old Luke Allen Patrick of Valley West • Luke Allen Patrick the influence. Olsen-Smith, deputies Boulevard. Olsen-Smith, DOB: 10A n y o n e located metal knuckOfficers lo09-1993 with informales. cated a 27-year• Tonka Jody Gritts, tion about this Olsen-Smith was old male DOB: 08-31-1992 case or related arrested and booked Angelina Lily Tonka Jody This is an ongoing criminal activ- Luke Allen Patrick with gunshot into the Humboldt Faircloth Gritts Olsen-Smith wounds and investigation and anyity is encourCounty Correctional rendered medone with information aged to call the Facility on charges of ical aid until he was transported to as to the suspects’ whereabouts possession of metal knuckles, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Mad River Community Hospital in is encouraged to contact the Ardisorderly conduct under the at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s serious but stable condition. cata Police Department’s Investiinfluence and possession of a Office Crime Tip line at (707) Investigators learned the vic- gations Division. 268-2539. controlled substance.
Attempted murder arrest deputies learned that the suspect INDIANOLA – On April 1 had fled into a residence within at about 5:15 p.m., Humboldt the mobile home park. Deputies County Sheriff’s deputies were surrounded the residence and dispatched to a residence in the negotiated with the suspect for a area of Myrtle Avenue peaceful surrender. and Indianola Cutoff The suspect, later Road for the report of identified as 18-year-old shots fired. Gage James Sand, was Deputies responded taken into custody withto the residence and out further incident. located a 51-year-old Sand was booked into male victim uninjured. the Humboldt County Deputies learned that Correctional Facility on Gage James the victim had observed charges of attempted Sand an unknown male susmurder. This case is still pect on his property under investigation. and confronted him, after which Anyone with information the suspect left. According to about this case or related crimithe victim, the suspect later re- nal activity is encouraged to call turned, discharged a firearm at the Humboldt County Sheriff’s the victim, then fled into a near- Office at (707) 445-7251 or the by mobile home park. Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at Through further investigation, (707) 268-2539. Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office
Three nabbed during storage burglary
Arcata Police Dept. spiracy to commit a crime, pos- Arcata for conspiracy to commit ARCATA –On Saturday, April session of burglary tools and pos- a crime and possession of stolen property. 3 at about 9:33 p.m., APD officers session of methamphetamine. Officers located evidence the were dispatched to 1450 M St., • Brandon Wade Breslin, 26, suspects were inHide-Away Mini Storvolved in another age, on a report that recent storage unit multiple subjects had burglary. Officers cut through the fence were able to obtain and were burglarizing the location of two the storage units. stolen firearms that Officers arrived on were being stored at scene and detained another location in three suspects inside Derin Jome Buddy Ray Brandon Wade Arcata and seized the closed business. Rasella Blevins Breslin the guns. One suspect had stolen Due to COVID-19 items from inside of a of McKinleyville for burglary, regulations, Blevins and Rasells storage unit in his possession. Officers checked the facility and conspiracy to commit a crime were issued citations for their found several storage units had and possession of stolen proper- above listed crimes. Breslin was locks that were cut with bolt cut- ty. Brandon was additionally ar- transported to the Humboldt Correctional Faciliters. The following suspects were rested for a felony assault with a County deadly weapon charge out of Eu- ty where he was booked for his arrested for the listed charges: above listed charges and the fel• Buddy Ray Blevins, 28, of reka Police Department. • Derin Jome Rasella, 39, of ony assault out of EPD. McKinleyville for burglary, con-
Solar | ‘An alternative to... climate change’ FROM PAGE 1 mechanisms which create minimal noise, he said. Traffic impacts will be also be minimal because the only employees onsite will be those who do maintenance checks six times a year. The solar-generated power will be fed into the grid and managed by the Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA), the county’s energy agency. Renewable Properties has done solar projects throughout the country. Aaron Halimi, the company’s president, noted that state law requires 100 percent of electric retail sales to be sourced from zero-carbon sources by 2045. “Everyone needs to do their part in California,” he said. During a public comment period, some people who live near the site questioned whether alternative locations could be used and said a chain link fence surrounding the site would create visual impact. There was also some doubt expressed about whether the agricultural use will be enough to comply with a “no net loss” policy. But comments were mostly in support of the project. Energy researcher Jim Zoellick, who helped the county develop its General Plan Energy Element, said the project is “exactly the type of project that the Energy Element intended to encourage.” He added, “For us to mitigate our carbon footprint, we cannot just purchase renewable energy from outside the area.” One commenter described objections to the project as “anachronistic” and another said the visual impact of solar panels will be positive. “For me, when I see the solar panels out there – hopefully – they will be quite beautiful because what I will see is an alternative to the impending ravages of climate change,” she said.
WHERE IT’S AT The location of the massive photovoltaic solar installation off Hatchery Road. Via County of Humboldt Kit Mann recalled the county’s denial of the Terra-Gen wind energy project in late 2019 and said that it “kind of said to outside energy developers that maybe we weren’t ready for alternative energy projects.” Rejecting this one would “set a disastrous precedent in that large green energy projects would be very hesitant to come to Humboldt County because we are not a welcoming community.” Most commissioners did welcome the project, with Commissioner Brian Mitchell declaring that “we are in the middle of a climate emergency” before he made a motion to approve its conditional use permit. C ommissioner Mike Newman cast the only dissent vote. He had asked Halimi if overhead power transmission lines can be undergrounded and was told that it would trigger a major redesign and significantly delay the project.
Grow | Staunch opposition FROM PAGE 1 tion permits may be issued to a single Person’ (55.4.5.4.1). The CCLUO also clearly defines ‘Commercial Cannabis Cultivation’ to include nurseries. For purposes of the eight acre limitation in the CCLUO, the revised project proposal is for twelve acres of cultivation.” DeLapp said that if the project can truly be reduced to eight acres, HCGA will remove its opposition. DeVries didn’t return a request for comment before deadline. Apart from those pivotal epistles, letters of comment sent to the Planning Commission since its previous meeting were overwhelmingly and staunchly opposed to the project. Meanwhile, opponents have consolidated their objections and organizing around a new website, savethearcatabottoms.com. They’ve also been petitioning, and delivered anti-grow petitions signed by 400 citizens to the Planco in advance of
last week’s meeting. A Zoom meeting among members of “Team 27” – an informal name for the opposition group based on many members’ 27th Street residency – was planned for this week. The ALC’s downsizing proposal was seen by some as a precedent for “piecemealing” the eventual saturation of the Bottoms with similar grows, even as the area becomes increasingly residential. “If this passes, there’s no turning back,” said 27th Streeter Paula Proctor, who noted the imminent creation of senior housing at the nearby Creek Side Homes project. “There will be a lot of people affected by that,” she said, referring to the ALC grow. Another new wrinkle was potential opposition by at least one business with ties to Sun Valley Floral Farms (SVFF). In a letter to the group, Eureka Natural Foods Administrative Office Graigory Fillmore said labor and environmental issues raised
about SVFF have led to a review. “I wanted to reach out and let you know that we have opened an investigation into our relationship with Sun Valley,” Fillmore wrote. “Environmental impact and employment practices are extremely important to us as an organization... I will be reviewing all information regarding this issue in an attempt to find a solution.” An announcement made by Arcata Bottom resident Sean Armstrong about a site walk-through meeting for 10 selected citizens which he and DeVries had arranged was immediately rejected by the Team 27 group. Group members eschewed any selective representation, and suggested the move was an accommodationist tactic by Armstrong, whose Tule Fog Farm is partly sited on land owned by DeVries. “Our group is not OK with their eight-plus-four rewrite,” said opponent Kim Puckett. She said the project still carries too many unresolved issues, and needs an EIR “at a bare minimum.” “My position is ‘no’,” she said.
Testing | Vaccination sites expand to stores FROM PAGE 1 • Garberville – Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (SoHum Health Sprowl Creek Campus, 286 Sprowl Creek Road) • Fortuna – Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (River Lodge Conference Center, 1800 Riverwalk Drive) • Hoopa – Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Tsewenaldin Inn, 12482 CA-96) • McKinleyville – Fridays, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Azalea Hall, 1620 Pickett Road). To schedule, go to lhi.care/covidtesting, or call 888-634-1123. For the most recent COVID-19 information, visit cdc.gov or cdph.ca.gov. Local in-
formation is available at humboldtgov.org or during business hours by contacting covidinfo@co.humboldt.ca.us or calling (707) 441-5000. Vaccination locations Some Safeway and CVS Pharmacy locations are offering COVID-19 vaccination appointments. See if there are appointments available for your age group or sector at one of these locations: Safeway: mhealthappointments.com/ covidappt CVS Pharmacy: cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine?icid=cvs-home-hero1-link2-coronavirus-vaccine.
In Arcata: At Wildberries Marketplace 826-1088 In Eureka: 2297 Harrison 442-6082 • 209 E Street 445-2923 • At Pierson’s 476-0401 In McKinleyville Shopping Center 839-3383 Open Daily RamonesBakery.com
