In the News
Sheriff Allman retiring at the end of the year
by K.C. MEADOWS
Sheriff Tom Allman announced today that he will retire on Dec. 28 after 13 years in office. He was elected by the voters in 2006 and took office in 2007. In an interview at the Daily Journal offices, Allman discussed his career as sheriff and said he will ask the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors to appoint UnderSheriff Matt Kendall to replace him permanently, not in an 'acting' capacity. Kendall would then face election in three years. Allman said he planned to retire at the last … Continue Reading
December 10, 2019
Stakes high as long-awaited drug pricing vote nears in House
by Andrew Siddons
When House Democrats vote Thursday on their signature drug pricing negotiation measure, they will be seeking to show that they are addressing an issue that prompted voters to give them the majority and demonstrate that impeachment isn't stopping them from legislating. The political power of the drug price issue isn't lost on either party. House Republicans unveiled their own drug pricing bill Monday, soon after Senate Finance Chairman Charles E. Grassley of Iowa announced changes to his own … Continue Reading
December 10, 2019
Huffman floats green transportation legislation
by Nick Sobczyk
Rep. Jared Huffman wants to make the nation's transportation planners slash greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for climate change. The California Democrat introduced legislation, H.R. 5354, late last week that would direct the Department of Transportation to establish minimum standards for states to reduce emissions along the National Highway System. The bill, dubbed the "Generating Resilient, Environmentally Exceptional National Streets Act," would generally aim to reduce per capita miles … Continue Reading
December 09, 2019
Rural County Representatives of California Reports Newly Introduced Federal Legislation Would Provide Funding to Design and Implement New Community Wildfire Defense Plans
December 9, 2019 - Senator Kamala Harris has introduced the Wildfire Defense Act (S. 2882) to help local communities defend themselves from the growing danger of wildfires. This bill will empower communities to implement science-based methods for mitigating wildfire damage and provide funding to design and implement new Community Wildfire Defense Plans (CWDP) with community members, first responders, and relevant state agencies. Specifically, the legislation will invest $1 billion per year … Continue Reading
December 08, 2019
Democrats gear up for high-stakes Judiciary hearing
by BY OLIVIA BEAVERS AND MIKE LILLIS
House Democrats are gearing up for one of their last opportunities to present evidence about President Trump's contacts with Ukraine before introducing articles of impeachment. The high-stakes Judiciary Committee hearing on Monday will feature Democratic and Republican investigators seeking to win the PR battle over whether the president's conduct rises to the level of an impeachable offense. As investigators from the Intelligence and Judiciary panels duke it out, the hearing … Continue Reading
December 04, 2019
Pelosi meets Cornell students at UN climate change meeting
by Blaine Friedlander
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and about a dozen other Democratic members of a U.S. Congressional delegation visited with the Cornell students at the 25th annual United Nations' Conference of the Parties (COP25) climate change conference, Dec. 3 in Madrid, Spain. There are 18 students from the Global Climate Change Science and Policy class attending the two-week international conference. The Cornell students are leading partner projects with the governments of Armenia, Zambia and Tonga, as … Continue Reading
December 04, 2019
‘Are you ready?’: Pelosi makes clear to Democrats that impeachment is coming
by Mike DeBonis and Rachael Bade
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff left little doubt with fellow Democrats Wednesday that they plan to move swiftly to impeach President Trump as soon as this month. According to multiple Democratic lawmakers who attended a closed-door Capitol meeting, Pelosi announced no firm decision or timeline in moving toward a vote on Trump's impeachment. But, a day after Schiff delivered a 300-page report detailing charges of abuse of power and obstruction … Continue Reading
December 04, 2019
Humboldt County has over 20K CalFresh recipients. How many fall under new Trump rule?
by RUTH SCHNEIDER
A new rule announced Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture will cut food benefits from an estimated 688,000 CalFresh recipients. "Americans are generous people who believe it is their responsibility to help their fellow citizens when they encounter a difficult stretch," said Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue in a statement Wednesday morning. "Government can be a powerful force for good, but government dependency has never been the American dream. We need to encourage people by … Continue Reading
December 04, 2019
Loleta Cheese Factory owners make plea as Huffman authors letter
by SHOMIK MUKHERJEE
Loleta Cheese Factory's owners are not giving up, even as a half-million dollars of debt threatens to sink the business by Friday, a reality that has prompted input from local and national representatives. In a video posted to social media on Wednesday, the factory's owners asked the public to call on Umpqua Bank - which plans to auction off the factory's property - and ask the bank to hold off on foreclosure. Factory founder Bob Laffranchi and his daughter, Michelle, take turns on video … Continue Reading
November 25, 2019
Democrats took the House. Now they want to save California’s clean car rules from Trump
For two years California Democrats have battled President Donald Trump on climate change Now they're challenging Trump on greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution from their newly empowered positions in the House majority. This week, Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui of Sacramento plans to introduce legislation to defend California's "clean car" fuel economy standards, which have become the benchmark for 12 other states and the District of Columbia and would compel automakers to ramp up average … Continue Reading
November 25, 2019
Climate, economy take center stage at final Alaska hearing on ANWR oil drilling
During the federal government's last public hearing in Alaska before oil leasing is allowed in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, some 50 protesters on Monday silently holding "Listen to the People" banners turned their back on a federal official trying to explain the regulatory process before drilling can occur. Outside that hearing room at the Dena'ina Center in Anchorage, an equally large audience of Alaska Natives from the North Slope region where drilling is set to occur held signs … Continue Reading
November 24, 2019
Close to Home: What’s next for Potter Valley Project?
by Janet Pauli and James Russ
California Trout, Humboldt County, the Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission and the Sonoma County Water Agency signaled to the Federal Energy Regulation Commission in June that they are exploring options for the future of the Potter Valley Project. These organizations, along with the Round Valley Indian Tribes, entered into a planning agreement to advance shared objectives that will set water users in the Eel and Russian river basins on a path toward economic and environmental … Continue Reading
November 22, 2019
U.S. Senators Cassidy and Jones Introduce DESCEND Act Companion
The recreational fishing and boating community Thursday praised the Senate introduction of the DESCEND Act of 2019 by U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Doug Jones (D-Ala.). Also known as the "Direct Enhancement of Snapper Conservation and the Economy through Novel Devices Act of 2019," the DESCEND Act would require commercial and recreational fishermen to possess a descending device rigged and ready for use or venting tool when fishing for reef fish in Gulf of Mexico federal waters. A … Continue Reading
November 22, 2019
Legislators plan to introduce federal bill in response to PG&E shutoffs
WASHINGTON >> California representatives in Congress have said they intend to bring a bill forward they say would help improve electrical grids across the country in light of recent power shutoffs by Pacific Gas & Electric Company. On Thursday, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) and Members of the Bay Area Delegation - Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (CA-18), Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), Rep. Doris Matsui (CA-06), Rep. Ami Bera (CA-07), Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-02), Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-15), Rep. Mark … Continue Reading
November 22, 2019
MONTI: Chair of House committee reaches out to fishermen
by Dave Monti
A panel of scientists and fishing industry leaders met with Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) on Nov. 15 at his third listening session on the Magnusson-Stevens Act, the nation's federal fishing law. Huffman, who is chair of the Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee, held the session at the National Aquarium Animal Care and Rescue Center in Baltimore. The panel of fisheries experts and stakeholders had a detailed, technical discussion of current … Continue Reading
November 21, 2019
Bristol Bay advocates push for new Pebble Mine assessment
by Kirk Moore
Advocates for the Bristol Bay said they need to keep pressure on federal agencies for an environmental reassessment of the Pebble Mine proposal - and on ways to keep the world's greatest salmon fishery in the national eye. At the keynote event for the Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle, a packed audience heard updates from longtime participants in the fight to protect the Bristol Bay watershed from a proposed gold and copper mine. In Washington, D.C., Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., chairman of the … Continue Reading
November 20, 2019
Bill to rename Homestead advances
by Monica Brich
After roughly a decade since it was first discussed, United States Representatives considered changing the name of the Homestead National Monument of America to the Homestead National Historical Park. The bill, officially referred to as H.R. 1472, was discussed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday. Congressman Jared Huffman of California gave a brief history of the monument and the Homestead Act, which was signed by President Lincoln in 1862 and enabled citizens to settle roughly 10 … Continue Reading
November 19, 2019
Bill would require descending devices or venting tools for Gulf reef fishing
A coalition of recreational fishing and boating groups is praising a bipartisan bill that would require commercial and recreational anglers to possess a descending device or venting tool when going after reef fish in Gulf of Mexico federal waters. The Descend Act, which was introduced by Reps. Garrett Graves, R-La., and Jared Huffman, D-Calif., would help mortality rates in reef fish caught and released in deep Gulf water by using descending devices, according to the American Sportfishing … Continue Reading
November 18, 2019
Bipartisan Effort Drops a Lifeline to Fish Reeled Up from the Deep
by Keith Worrall
Alexandria, Va. - November 18, 2019 - A coalition of recreational fishing and boating organizations is lauding the introduction of the DESCEND Act by Congressmen Garret Graves (R-La.) and Jared Huffman (D-Calif.). The DESCEND Act of 2019, or the "Direct Enhancement of Snapper Conservation and the Economy through Novel Devices Act of 2019," would require commercial and recreational fishermen to possess a descending device rigged and ready for use or venting tool when fishing for reef fish in … Continue Reading
November 18, 2019
Committee sets vote on wilderness bills
by Kellie Lunney
The House Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday will vote on eight bills, including legislation that would designate swaths of land in California, Colorado and Washington as wilderness. H.R. 2546, sponsored by Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), would designate 33 areas - spanning 740,000 acres - as wilderness, many of them containing "midelevation ecosystems" that are used for outdoor recreation and provide habitat for several plant and animal species. The DeGette proposal is the second major … Continue Reading