SERVING DEL NORTE COUNTY SINCE 1879 Crescent City, CA
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2024
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Japan has Arrived: Sister City relationship flourishes BY ROGER GITLIN Country Media, Inc.
The atmosphere surrounding the 11th anniversary of The Kamome Festival was inspiring, exhilarating, uplifting and joyful but most of all, definitely the flavor and theme was international. The City put on quite a welcome (Moshi! Moshi !) for the Japanese Delegation from Rikuzentakta. A deep, respectful bow and tip of the boshi (Japanese word for hat) to the City, County and Kamome Foundation for a wonderful welcome to our Japanese guests. From the devastation of the horrific March 11, 2011 Tsunami, following the Tohoku Earthquake which took the lives of over 2000 folks living along the northeast coast of Japan, a joyous event was born. The souls whose lives were extinguished by the giant waves of the Tsunami, live on within the hearts and memories of survivors on both sides of the vast Pacific. The Rikunzentakata Schoolowned vessel incredibly survived the two plus years, a 6000 mile journey floating across the Pacific and landing along the Del Norte coast and covered bow to stern with hitchhiking barnacles. The Kamome was rescued by a group of Del Norte youth …and the Journey commenced to return the miracle vessel to its rightful owners. A very special bond was born a decade back, perhaps by serendipity and geography from this human tragedy between the two schools, the City of Crescent City, the County of Del Norte and Rikuzentaka, Japan. This weekend, the Kamome Festival was
Triplicate photo by Roger Gitlin
Rikuzentakata Delegation, Taku Sasaki, Mayor Shuichi Orikawa; Ichio Yamada; Yoshiaki Takahashi; Tomoyuko Murikami; Sho Matsuko; Kiyoshi Murakami; Takanori Obayashi; Jack Woodke ( Sister City Interpreter)
Mayor Taku Sasaki
Please see JAPAN ARRIVAL, Page 3
Hmong Community Replaces Damaged Monument
Supervisors Move a Step Closer to Adopting a Strategic Plan BY ROGER GITLIN Country Media, Inc.
Triplicate photo by Roger Gitlin
Jason Wylie, Kong Vue, Eternal Caskets and Monuments, Kou Moua, Chao Vang.
The Del Norte County Board of Supervisors inched forward on adopting its first- ever Strategic Plan, the County road map establishing priorities for the coming fiscal year. Assistant County Administrative Office Randy Hooper addressed supervisors on framework drafts that identified four focus areas: • County Staffing and Capacity • Infrastructure and Economic Development • Law Justice and Homelessness • General Governance and Budget Hooper called the Strategic Plan “ambitious” considering the County has never adopted a Strategic Plan. The road map moves from the above noted Focus Area to Goals and ultimately Action Items. Hooper identified the Goals in each Focus Area. County Staffing and Capacity Goals include reducing Vacancy Rates; Improving Recruitment Outcomes and Expediting the Hiring Process; Reducing Employee Turnover and Increase Retention; Improve Access to Housing Opportunities for County Employees. Infrastructure and Economic Development include Maintain or Improve County Facilities and Infrastructure;
Support Countywide Economic Development; Improve Aesthetics of County-owned properties and Facilities. Law. Justice and Homelessness include Improve Community Indigent Defense; Proactively and Collaboratively Address Community Homelessness; Improve and Expand Opportunities and Upstream Interventions for Justice Involved Youth. General Governance and Budget include Maintain Core Service Levels; Practice Fiscal Responsibility; Improve Oversight of County Programs and Services; Embed Strategic Planning into County Culture and Budget Process. Board discussion then became a bit more interesting. Supervisor Darrin Short motioned Please see PLAN, Page 2
BY ROGER GITLIN Country Media, Inc.
18 months have passed since the Hmong Monument at Point of Honor was mysteriously damaged. Thursday, April 11, in a special Point of Honor ceremony, a new Hmong Monument was erected by City staff and Eternal Caskets and Monuments Many folks have long for-
gotten the Southeast Asian War also called the Secret War over a half century ago. US Air Force Colonel Craig Bradford, former longtime resident of Del Norte remembers and shared his thoughts on this day of recognition. “ The Hmong Community in Del Norte and many U.S. Veterans of the Southeast Asia War who retired here are especially grateful for
Crescent City Municipal management team, especially Jason Wiley and City Manager Eric Wier. For several years, both of these remarkable civil servants actively supported community efforts to create the Veterans “Point of Honor” Memorial array at the corner of Front St and Highway 101. All five U.S. military Please see HMONG, Page 3
City Continues its Mission to Provide More Senior Housing tance Payments (AHAP) contract with Crescent City H Street LP for 26 Project Based Voucher (PBV) units at Harbor Point. The history of this project originated in 2015 when the City entered into a disposition and development agreement with Danco communities of Arcata. The inability to secure tax credit financing stalled the project for years. In 2022, the City and Danco applied for and awarded a $5 million Competitive Permanent
BY ROGER GITLIN. Country Media. Inc.
The City took two separate actions last Monday, one as the Housing Authority, the other as the lender and property owner of the land once was the El Patio Motel, to provide desperately needed senior housing. First, Councilors adjourned to the Crescent City Housing Authority then directed the Housing Director to execute an Agreement to Enter into a Housing Assis-
Courtesy photo
Danco Development, Harbor Point Senior Apartments.
Please see HOUSING, Page 4
INDEX Opinion
Phone Number: 707-460-6727 2
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