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NCJ Daily Online
DAILY ONLINE County Jail Transfers 30 Inmates to Prison with COVID-19 Restrictions Eased
Thirty Humboldt County jail face of COVID-19, creating a large backlog inmates sentenced to prison in the system. terms during the COVID-19 “If you get a jury summons and are pandemic, some who had been healthy and able to participate in that waiting in limbo for months, process, please do so,” Honsal said. have now been sent to state prisons, Sher- Humboldt County Health O cer i William Honsal reported to the Board Teresa Frankovich then added that Public of Supervisors on Nov. 3. Health has worked closely with the courts
Honsal said the state prison system, to implement “robust guidance from the which has been plagued by COVID-19 state on how to operate safely.” outbreaks and worked frantically to Honal’s report came just a couple release some prisoners early to reduce weeks after a California court of appeals prison overcrowding, has fi nally re-opened ordered San Quentin State Prison — intake functions and is once again accept- home to one of the largest COVID-19 ing transfers from county jails. He said outbreaks in the state prison system — Humboldt County had between 30 and to halve its inmate population through 40 inmates who since March have been transfers or releases, fi nding conditions in sentenced to prison terms but continued the prison amid the pandemic amounted to be housed locally. This week, he said to cruel and unusual punishment and were 30 were transferred to the custody of the “morally indefensible and constitutionally California Department of Corrections and untenable.” Rehabilitation, with the others expected According to the Los Angeles Times, to be transferred soon. more than 16,073 state inmates have
“That has been a huge relief on our tested positive for the virus since the correctional facility,” Honsal said. pandemic began, with 766 active cases —
Honsal also took the opportunity to down from a peak of more than 2,500 — remind the public that the Humboldt and 80 deaths. County Superior Court has resumed large — Thadeus Greenson swaths of operations, including jury trials, POSTED 11.06.20 Read the full story online. which had been halted for months in the
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
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Casino Shutters Restaurant: The Blue Lake Rancheria announced Nov. 6 that it was shutting down its restaurants at the Blue Lake Casino indefi nitely after a food and beverage employee tested positive for COVID-19. The tribe reported it is working closely with county public health o cials 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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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 fl ight risk and likelihood of reo ending, 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 profi t. 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 fi re 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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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 fi ction@northcoasjtournal.com with your full name and contact information by 5 p.m. Nov. 30. POSTED 11.09.20
They Said It Comment of the Week
— 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
