Six Rivers Fire at Nearly 11k Acres: New Evacuation Warning Issued, Fire Personnel More than Doubled

By Kimberly Wear on August 10, 2022 at 2:23PM

The Six Rivers Lightning Complex Fire threatening communities along the Trinity River is now just under 11,000 acres and remains at 0 percent containment, according to today’s update. The complex, which initially comprised 12 fires sparked by lightning before dawn on Aug. 5, is now down to five active fires due to the “aggressive initial attack of Six Rivers National Forest firefighters and cooperating agencies,” according to the U.S. Forest Service.

California Monkeypox Response is Bumpy, but Builds on Some Lessons from COVID

By Kristen Hwang/CalMatters on August 10, 2022 at 11:13AM

The culprit? Too little testing and treatment and too few vaccinations — all of it layered with too much red tape at both the federal and state level.

First Case of Monkeypox Confirmed in HumCo

By Iridian Casarez on August 5, 2022 at 12:37PM

According to the release, Public Health received an allotment of 20 monkeypox vaccines earlier this month. A quarter of the vaccines will be used to vaccinate staff in Humboldt and Del Norte counties who will be in charge of vaccinating community members.

Public Health Reports Two More COVID Deaths

By Thadeus Greenson on August 3, 2022 at 3:27PM

Buckle Up for a Busy Month in Sacramento

By Emily Hoeven, CalMatters on August 1, 2022 at 11:40AM

The proposal, backed by labor unions and opposed by business and restaurant groups, has divided Democrats, some of whom are wary of broadly extending liability for labor violations from fast food franchise owners to the corporate chains they work with, CalMatters reporter Jeanne Kuang notes. But that’s just one of the many controversial bills before lawmakers, some of which face votes as soon as today.

HumCo Confirms Another COVID-19 Death

By Thadeus Greenson on July 27, 2022 at 3:29PM

Some COVID Orphans in California Will Get Financial Help

By Elizabeth Aguilera, CALmatters on July 24, 2022 at 6:25AM

Latino children account for the majority — 66 percent — of COVID orphans in California. Many of them are the sons and daughters of essential workers who were already facing economic uncertainty before the pandemic. 

Humboldt Receives Small Allotment of Moneypox Vaccines

By Kimberly Wear on July 22, 2022 at 10:52AM

According to the CDC, vaccinating someone who has had direct exposure to a person with monkeypox, which is caused by a virus in the same family as smallpox, within four days can reduce the onset and spread of the disease. "Monkeypox is endemic to many Central and West African countries, however, there have been recent cases of monkeypox reported in non-endemic countries including the U.S., Canada and the U.K., as well as other parts of Europe and Australia," the DHHS release states.

National 988 Mental Health Crisis Line Up and Running

By Thadeus Greenson on July 18, 2022 at 4:22PM

Meanwhile, local agencies and the county continue to work toward the larger vision of having trained mental health clinician teams ready to respond directly to emergencies without police, where possible. County Behavioral Health is currently working with the Eureka Police Department, the Arcata Police Department and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, to have mental health teams co-respond to certain calls — or work certain beats — along with sworn officers.

Abortion Pills Will Soon be Available on California College Campuses

By Mallika Seshadri/CalMatters on July 14, 2022 at 1:48PM

The University of California Student Health Insurance Plan, which is required for students, covers the costs of medication abortions.  However, students in the Cal State system — and those who waive the insurance requirement at the UC — will have to pay to receive the medications.