News Roundup: St. Joes Gets First Trial Patient, Census Needs People to Count

by North Coast Journal Staff on April 8, 2020 at 7:17AM

The Times-Standard is reporting that St. Joseph Hospital has already started clinical trials of the antiviral drug remdesivir with a local COVID-19 patient. "They fell into the severe COVID category with dropping oxygen and thus were a candidate for the trial," St. Joseph Health-Humboldt County CEO Roberta Luskin-Hawk told the Times-Standard's Ruth Schneider.

Eureka Mayor Talks Efforts to Protect Homeless Residents (VIDEO)

by Thadeus Greenson on April 6, 2020 at 8:14PM

COVID-19 Mayor PSA HOMELESSNESS

Supes Talk County COVID Response, Eviction Moratorium and Property Tax Deadline

by Thadeus Greenson on April 6, 2020 at 4:40PM

Eviction MoratoriumMadrone asked the board to consider adopting an eviction moratorium ordinance to better protect local tenants who may fall behind on rent due to COVID-19 related job losses and economic hardship. Wilson said this is a very “high-stress time” and this could provide people some reassurance but Bohn pushed back, suggesting landlords would work with their tenants and questioning whether the ordinance was really necessary.

HCOE Recommends Schools Remain Closed for the Term

by Jennifer Fumiko Cahill on April 2, 2020 at 11:55AM

According to a press release, the Humboldt County Office of Education plans to follow the advice of Public Health Officer Teresa Frankovich and the recommendation of Gov. Newsom and advise local school facilities to remain closed through the end of the school year. Distance learning implemented to slow the spread of COVID-19 will continue.

Property Taxes are Still Coming Due Although Late Waivers May Apply

by Kimberly Wear on April 1, 2020 at 9:56AM

Tax law outlines two main situations in which penalties can be waived, according to a release from the California Association of County Treasurers and Tax Collectors. The first is if the tax collector’s office is not open April 10 due to the deadline falling “on Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday … or if the board of supervisors, by adoption of an ordinance or resolution, closes the county’s offices for business prior to the time of delinquency.”

Arcata Fire District Will Close One of its Fire Stations April 1

by Iridian Casarez on March 31, 2020 at 2:44PM

Blue Lake Rancheria Delivers Meals to Tribal Elders During COVID-19 Pandemic

by Iridian Casarez on March 31, 2020 at 1:00PM

——> Blue Lake Rancheria’s Food Program Delivers Three Weeks of Food to Tribal Elders to Minimize Risks Amid COVID-19

Sheriff Declares Local Emergency Amid COVID-19

by Kimberly Wear on March 30, 2020 at 5:19PM

he imminent threat posed by aforesaid conditions warrant and necessitate the proclamation of a Local Emergency to enable the County of Humboldt and other local government entities to adequately plan, prepare and preposition resources to be able to effectively respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 and to warn Humboldt County residents and visitors of the threat posed by COVID-19 and enable them sufficient time to plan and prepare.” The Local Emergency shall be deemed to continue to exist for the next seven days, and hereafter by ratification of the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, until its termination by the Board of Supervisors.

HSU Partners with Public Health to Produce COVID-19 Test Kits

by Thadeus Greenson on March 28, 2020 at 10:23AM

HSU Joins with Public Health to Produce COVID-19 Test Kits A crew of HSU faculty, staff, and alumni spent a full day in the Department of Biological Sciences developing 1,250 COVID-19 test kits on Thursday.

County Announces Virtual Town Hall Meeting on COVID-19 Response

by Thadeus Greenson on March 27, 2020 at 4:25PM

Humboldt County Public Health is urging local residents to participate in a virtual town hall meeting with local officials Monday evening to discuss the local response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting, which will be be broadcast and streamed live, will include Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services Director Connie Beck, Board of Supervisors Chair Estelle Fennell, Health Officer Teresa Frankovich, Sheriff William Honsal and Public Health Director Michele Stephens.