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SERVING DEL NORTE COUNTY SINCE 1879 Crescent City, CA

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2025

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Supervisors Seek Scapegoat in Airport Operations Failures BY ROGER GITLIN Country Media, Inc.

The Board of Supervisors meandered into muddy waters en route to funding three Airport improvement projects mandated for completion. The Auditor/ Controller rushed to remedy the confusion at last week’s meeting. The Border Coast Regional Airport Authority (BCRAA) Is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) which operates the Del Norte Regional Airport. Its members include: two members from the Board of Supervisors, two members from the Crescent City Council, one member from the Brookings City Council, one member from the Curry County Board of Commissioners and one member at-large from the Del Norte County public, one member from the Elk Valley Rancheria and one member from

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Border Coast Regional Airport Authority

the Tollowa di-Nee Tribe. Here are the projects BCRAA is working on: • Runway 18-36 project improvements between $7-8 million. • The acquisition of the ARFF safety ﬁretruck, $385,000 plus $100,000 in extra equipment. • Critically needed and mandated fencing, exceeding $900,000 to keep elk and other animals off the Airport grounds circumnavigating Jack McNamara Field. Solutions were as clear as mud. Rather than admit ignorance, and led by Supervisor Chris Howard, the 3rd District supervisor and Border Coast Regional Airport Authority member’s (BCRAA), ﬁngers did get pointPlease see SCAPEGOAT Page 3

Big Win for Harbor…Ice Plant Re-Opens BY ROGER GITLIN Country Media, Inc.

The Harbor District August 27 meeting was a mix of celebration and sobering reality. After a year of uncertainty, the Harbor’s ice plant has come back to life, with Ocean Gold Seafoods stepping in to restart operations. Instead of relying on a taxpayer bailout, Harbor staff pursued a market-based solution. Harbormaster Mike Rademaker negotiated an agreement requiring the reopening of the ice plant as a condition of awarding a hoist lease, creating a framework to restore the service without taxpayer expense. Commercial ﬁsherman have long struggled with the headache and expense of trucking ice from other ports. The reopening is a game changer. The plant quickly sold 50 tons in a matter of a few days. Rademaker reports the price remained steady at $140 per ton, the same rate charged when the plan closed last year. Commissioner praised the outcome. “This is just great news,” said Harbor Chairman Gerhard Weber. Commissioners John Evans and Rick Shepherd concurred. Black cod and shrimp boats were already taking advantage of the supply. The expectation is the ice plant will provide a major boost to ﬁshing operations and reduce barriers for smaller vessels that rely on affordable ice. Rademaker gleamed when he remarked the

accomplishment as “a major win” heading into the crab season. Tough news also was disclosed following last month’s tsunami. A survey by the Army Corps of Engineers revealed about 20,000 cubic yards of silt deposited in the federal channel, may result in costs estimated about $3 million. The sobering cost triples the $1million cost originally projected. Those expenses will be born by Washington, DC but does not bode well for debris spread across the non-federal waters. Last week, H Dock was successfully refloated. Special appreciation is recognized for Commissioner Shepherd for the use of his vessel in re-attaching H Dock. Lots of new ideas were shared at last month’s meeting. • Introduction of a simple, low cost system to assist fishermen market their catches to the public. • On the financial side, staff reported the harbor is on track for a balanced budget. • Insurance premiums remain vexingly high. • Tsunami-related damages remain largely unknown until divers inspect all docks. “It’s going to be up and down for while but I’m confident if Commissioners work together, this community asset will not just survive but flourish,” said the harbormaster.

Temporary Supervisors Approve Acquisition of Antique Vehicle Closure of Several 1954 Ford Patrol car Purchased with Zero Public Money BY ROGER GITLIN Country Media, Inc.

The Board of Supervisors made it official, last week. Supervisors formally adopted into the Del Norte family the 1954 (former Merced County) Ford Patrol Vehicle. Assignment: to serve in the private Del Norte Sheriff Posse. Del Norters will not see the red lights in their rear view mirror from this vehicle The Posse vehicle will be a sign of good will. Its first assignment will work with Del Norte Unified School District students in helping improve school attendance and academics for K12 students. During the semester, selected students from all DNUSD schools will be competing for attendance and academic achievement awards, both sustained and improved,

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for a ride in the antique vehicle. Besides the ride, kids recognized will enjoy a CC Diner ice-cream cone. All funds for the Acquisition came from private donations. Coastal Cab has recently donated weather stripping, repairing old style siren and repairing emergency lighting, again all private money. Silverio and Sandra Fernandes contributed $1,000 to the Posse. Sheriff Scott and the Posse

Phone Number: (707) 460-8655

Opinion

thank the community for its support.

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DNUSD, CC Diner and DNSO logos

Streets Extended

Public Demands Action on Illegal Squatting BY ROGER GITLIN Country Media, Inc.

Supervisors kicked the can down the road when they unanimously voted to extend the temporary closure of portions of several streets plagued by unlawful occupation, blight creation and various other unlawful acts. The streets, or portions of, are Union St., Broadway St., National Blvd., and Madison Ave, us-ing a combination of gates and K rail. The previous extension expired August 27, 2025. The new closure ban hopes to address ongoing illegal dumping and serious, continual criminal and drug activity. Though mitigation has been virtually non-existent allowing conditions to worsen, nothing has improved, irking the public’s outrage and demand for action. The California Vehicle Code (CVC) authorizes local jurisdictions to temporally close high-

ways when certain conditions are met and a public hearing is held. Those conditions are: • Serious and continual criminal activity exists. • The highway is not designated as a through highway or arterial street. • Vehicular or pedestrian traffic contributes to the criminal activity. • The closure will not substantially, adversely affect traffic flow, public safety or sur-rounding neighbors, and operations of emergency vehicles. With the passage of this resolution, Community Development (CDD) will be allocated $50,000 toward Code Enforcement. The County is presently seeking a third Code Enforce-ment Officer. Over the next 18 months, the County’s emergency shelter is expected to be completed and the shelter hopes to address housing needs for those illegally occupying these properties impacted by illegal squatters.

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