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County Jail Transfers 30 Inmates to Prison with COVID-19 Restrictions Eased
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hirty Humboldt County jail inmates sentenced to prison terms during the COVID-19 pandemic, some who had been waiting in limbo for months, have now been sent to state prisons, Sheriff William Honsal reported to the Board of Supervisors on Nov. 3. Honsal said the state prison system, which has been plagued by COVID-19 outbreaks and worked frantically to release some prisoners early to reduce prison overcrowding, has finally re-opened intake functions and is once again accepting transfers from county jails. He said Humboldt County had between 30 and 40 inmates who since March have been sentenced to prison terms but continued to be housed locally. This week, he said 30 were transferred to the custody of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, with the others expected to be transferred soon. “That has been a huge relief on our correctional facility,” Honsal said. Honsal also took the opportunity to remind the public that the Humboldt County Superior Court has resumed large swaths of operations, including jury trials, which had been halted for months in the
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face of COVID-19, creating a large backlog in the system. “If you get a jury summons and are healthy and able to participate in that process, please do so,” Honsal said. Humboldt County Health Officer Teresa Frankovich then added that Public Health has worked closely with the courts to implement “robust guidance from the state on how to operate safely.” Honal’s report came just a couple weeks after a California court of appeals ordered San Quentin State Prison — home to one of the largest COVID-19 outbreaks in the state prison system — to halve its inmate population through transfers or releases, finding conditions in the prison amid the pandemic amounted to cruel and unusual punishment and were “morally indefensible and constitutionally untenable.” According to the Los Angeles Times, more than 16,073 state inmates have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began, with 766 active cases — down from a peak of more than 2,500 — and 80 deaths. — Thadeus Greenson POSTED 11.06.20 Read the full story online.
Casino Shutters Restaurant: The Blue Lake Rancheria announced Nov. 6 that it was shutting down its restaurants at the Blue Lake Casino indefinitely after a food and beverage employee tested positive for COVID-19. The tribe reported it is working closely with county public health officials and was prepared to shut down the entire casino if other employees test positive for the virus. POSTED 11.07.20
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Digitally Speaking The word limit for the Journal’s 2020 Flash Fiction Contest. Submit up to three bite-sized works for a chance at small-scale literary fame and seeing your story published in the Journal by emailing fiction@northcoasjtournal.com with your full name and contact information by 5 p.m. Nov. 30. POSTED 11.09.20
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Award Winning Breakdown
The Humboldt County Office of Education recently announced winners of its Pandemic Journalism Contest, including this shot by Tehila Horowitz, which took the College category. Horowitz snapped the photo in the backyard of her Arcata home and explains: “This photo tells the story of frustration; of being pushed to your limit mentally. At this point in my life I had been quarantined for longer than six months. I had not been able to see any friends (as my family is high risk) and spent most my days studying to become a nurse. During this time, I felt strained, worn out; like a former version of me. The spark in my eyes have dulled and I no longer feel young but aged. My mind wanders without my control. I find myself constantly touching my face to see if I can bring myself back. … I am grateful for nature and the feeling of the elements on my skin; it helps to ground me. You can see in the photo that a blue sky envelops me. The intense blue color in a way compliments my breakdown. The thing I want people to know about my photo is that it is OK to fall apart. COVID-19 and quarantine are a cruel punishment that takes away everything that makes us human: connection, physical touch and socializing in general. Breakdowns are normal!” POSTED 11.09.20 Photo by Tehila Horowitz
Cash Bail Persists: The defeat of Proposition 25, which would have upheld a state law replacing the cash bail system with an algorithm assessing a person’s flight risk and likelihood of reoffending, has left lawmakers and racial justice advocates unsure of next steps. Supporters pitched the proposition as a way to overhaul a system that preys on communities of color and the poor for profit. POSTED 11.06.20
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No Growth: The U.S. Forest Service announced Nov. 8 that it would cease providing updates on the Slater Fire, as “cooler and wetter weather has stopped” its growth. The fire along the California-Oregon border charred 157,270 acres, killed two people and destroyed 440 structures since sparking Sept. 8 due to an unknown cause. POSTED 11.08.20
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They Said It
Comment of the Week
“Newsom has built his career on opportunities to make history. And representation does mater.”
“Kudos to all involved. Humboldt County at its best.”
— Rose Kapolczynski, president of the American Association of Political Consultants, speculating that the governor is unlikely to appoint a white man to the Senate seat that will be vacated when Kamala Harris is sworn in as the nation’s vice president in January. POSTED 11.08.20
— Steve Parr commenting on the Journal’s website on a story about a College of the Redwoods carpentry class repairing the family home of Bob Beland, who was killed in his bed last year when a drunk driver crashed into the house. POSTED 11.06.20
northcoastjournal.com • Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020 • NORTH COAST JOURNAL
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