In the News
Funds to help restore landmark crossing, economy
Thanks to successful advocacy efforts from Senator Alex Padilla and Congressman Jared Huffman, two important projects in Humboldt County were directly authorized by Congress to receive a total of $5.2 million as part of the federal government's Fiscal Year 2022 budget. The funding, called Community Project Funding, was authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act and will be used to replace the Hammond Trail Bridge and implement "Project Rebound," which is a post-COVID update to the … Continue Reading
April 13, 2022
Sonoma County Airport hits milestone with new terminal set to open
by Bill Swindell
The renovation of the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport took a major step forward on Wednesday as workers installed the final steel beam for the new terminal project with a goal to finally open the space by the fall. Local officials, including U.S. Reps. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, and Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, attended the ceremony, which marks a significant achievement in the project that has been a five-year effort since initial planning and will cost about $40 million overall … Continue Reading
April 09, 2022
‘A capstone’: $5 million award to replace Hammond Trail bridge
by MARIO CORTEZ
The long-proposed Hammond Trail bridge replacement project is closer to fruition with the arrival of $5 million in federal funding, local leaders and North Coast U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) announced during a windy press conference and tour celebrated on the rusting bridge on Friday afternoon. The $5 million in funding secured by Huffman and California U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla will cover the majority of the estimated $7.5 million cost of the bridge's replacement. The appropriation … Continue Reading
April 08, 2022
‘History the correct way’: Yurok Tribe cuts ribbon on renovated Stone Lagoon center
by MARIO CORTEZ
The visitor center at Stone Lagoon reopened under Yurok tribal stewardship and with a new name following a long period of inactivity with a ceremony held on Thursday afternoon. Yurok leaders cut the ribbon on the Chah-pekw O' Ket'-toh "Stone Lagoon" Visitor Center in a ceremony attended by tribal members, representatives from the California State Parks system, Redwoods State and National Park leaders, California Assemblyman Jim Wood (D-Santa Rosa) and U.S. representative Jared Huffman (D-San … Continue Reading
April 08, 2022
NOAA scolded for skipping hearing on Russian seafood ban
by Rob Hotakainen
President Joe Biden's bid to stop all Russian seafood from entering the United States will fail unless NOAA steps up its monitoring to include all imported fish species, experts told a House Natural Resources panel yesterday. "Despite the good intentions to strike an economic blow to Russia after its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, this ban will not work without full seafood traceability and real information on the origin of the catch," said Sally Yozell, director of the environmental … Continue Reading
April 07, 2022
US Senate moves to end normal trade with Russia, but seafood ban “unenforceable”
by Chris Chase
The U.S. Senate voted unanimously on 7 April to end normal trade relations with Russia, at the same time as a hearing of the U.S. House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife attempted to address what members called an "unenforceable" ban on Russian seafood imports. The Senate vote, coming in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, effectively gives Russia the same trade status as other "pariah" states like North Korea, and will allow U.S. President Joe Biden to … Continue Reading
April 06, 2022
$5.2 Million federal funding secured for projects in Humboldt County
by DANIA ROMERO
Sen. Alex Padilla and Rep. Jared Huffman have advocated for over a year, for two projects in Humboldt County that are now receiving a total of $5.2 million as part of the federal government's Fiscal Year 2022 budget, according to a press release. The funding, called Community Project Funding, was authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act and will be used to replace the Hammond Trail Bridge and implement "Project Rebound," which is a post-COVID update to the county's Comprehensive … Continue Reading
April 06, 2022
Rep. Huffman reintroduces Rural Veterans Act to Improve health care for Veterans
by DANIA ROMERO
According to a press release from Rep. Jared Huffman, there is a shortage of Veterans Administration medical professionals in rural areas, where almost a quarter of veterans live. With this new legislation, Huffman says it will create a nationwide plan to recruit doctors in the Department of Veterans Affairs in rural areas. Washington Rep. Glenn Grothman says that due to their geographic location, lower quality of care and longer wait times is a burden to veterans. According to Rep. Ed Case … Continue Reading
April 05, 2022
House Dems tell Postal Service to pump brakes on gas-guzzling truck contract
by Jacob Bogage
A top House Democrat told senior U.S. Postal Service officials Tuesday that the agency "needs to go back to the drawing board" on an $11.3 billion plan to replace its aging delivery vehicles with up to 148,000 gas-guzzling trucks despite directives from the Biden administration to make the federal fleet more "green" and opposition from environmental regulators. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.), chairing a hearing of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, accused the mail service of … Continue Reading
April 05, 2022
Don Young's death will delay fisheries law overhaul
by ROB HOTAKAINEN
The death of Alaska Republican Rep. Don Young will delay consideration of a long-awaited overhaul of the nation's premier fishing law. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), the chair of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife, said his bill to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, a 1976 law, will be put on hold until Alaskans elect a replacement for Young, who died on March 18 at the age of 88. "Although we often differed … Continue Reading
April 01, 2022
'Nobody cares': Sparks fly at oil well, mine cleanup hearing
by Heather Richards
Lawmakers clashed during a House Natural Resources subcommittee hearing yesterday about efforts to clean up abandoned wells and mines. Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.) said "nobody cares" about a hearing on orphan oil and gas wells when prices at the pump are so high. He was echoing familiar GOP complaints about Democrats focusing on issues like climate change and the environment instead of energy inflation. The bipartisan infrastructure law, dubbed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, … Continue Reading
March 31, 2022
Jared Huffman calls on FCC to reject sale of Eureka TV stations
by Mario Cortez
Local television stations KIEM and KVIQ-LD are set to change ownership later this year and North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman is rallying to prevent the sale. As announced on Wednesday by cable entertainment company INSP, affiliate company Imagicomm Communications will be acquiring 18 television stations across 12 U.S. markets from current owners Cox Media Group. The deal for an undisclosed amount is still subject to customary closing conditions and applicable regulatory approvals. Both entities … Continue Reading
March 28, 2022
Can the Ocean Save the Planet?
by David Helvarg
Marine Technicians Margot Buchbinder and Luis Hernandez unlock a chain-link gate at Point Molate, a natural headland on San Francisco Bay, and drive to the water's edge along a degraded road, part of what was once a World War II Navy fuel depot. From here, they climb down concrete blocks and boulders in the fading light of dusk. Wearing full wetsuits and booties, they shuffle through the mud and shallow water of low tide; the shuffling helps warn bat rays to get out of their way. Using a … Continue Reading
March 26, 2022
Congressional earmarks are back, and the Petaluma Health Center is benefiting
by Tyler Silvy
When Nick Lopez thinks about the future of the Petaluma Health Center, his mind invariably wanders into the past. Lopez, the director of advancement for the center, which serves nearly 40,000 patients across Sonoma and Marin counties, said medical providers have lost power in recent years during proactive PG&E grid shutdowns. So when an opportunity to seek federal funding for solar panels and battery backups, there was little hesitation on the part of Lopez and his fellow officials at … Continue Reading
March 24, 2022
Jared Huffman tours Burre Dental Clinic following $1M appropriation
by MARIO CORTEZ
California Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) made a stop at Eureka's Burre Dental Center on Thursday as part of a tour of Humboldt County following the approval of a $1 million appropriation for the facility. The million-dollar sum is one of many community project funding appropriations brought forward by Huffman for his North Coast district that were signed into effect as part of the U.S. omnibus appropriations bill. A total of $13.5 million were destined to projects in the … Continue Reading
March 23, 2022
Congressional art contest open to high schoolers until April 28
by Zoe Strickland
Congressman Jared Huffman's (D-San Rafael) office announced this week that the annual Congressional Art Competition has opened - the competition is open for digital submissions from high school students in the state's Second Congressional District, which covers the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border. Winning artwork is exhibited in the U.S. Capitol building for a year, where it sits with winning artwork from other Congressional districts throughout the country. The winning artist will … Continue Reading
March 23, 2022
Marin officials, residents stand against antisemitism
by Keri Brenner
More than two dozen elected officials in Marin joined residents Wednesday in a stand against antisemitic acts they said increased during the Trump administration and are surging in the pandemic. "We cannot normalize these behaviors," U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman said at a news conference at Congregation Rodef Sholom in San Rafael. Huffman, a Democrat who lives in San Rafael, said expressions of hate must be called out and targeted whenever they arise. "Doing that is one of the most powerful ways … Continue Reading
March 23, 2022
San Rafael Creek set for full dredging after 20 years
by Will Houston
For the first time in two decades, San Rafael Creek could be fully dredged this year with the approval of nearly $7 million in federal funding. The creek channel is seen as a vital artery in San Rafael. Harboring nearly 2,000 boats, the channel acts as a key part of the city's flood control defense system, provides access for emergency responders and is home to several businesses and about 12,000 residents within a half-mile radius. The channel has not been fully dredged since 2002, with … Continue Reading
March 22, 2022
Watchdog Finds Postal Service Could Serve 99% of Routes With Electric Fleet
by Jessica Corbett
"A gas-guzzling fleet is clearly the wrong choice." That's what Congressman Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) said in response to a new report from the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (OIG) about how transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) would impact the USPS. The OIG analysis, released last week, came as Huffman and other Democrats in Congress are challenging Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's contract with Oshkosh Defense for new mostly gas-powered mail trucks, given climate … Continue Reading
March 20, 2022
Marin allotted $2.1M in internet access aid
by Adrian Rodriguez
Seven school districts and two libraries in Marin County have been selected to receive $2.1 million in federal aid to help students access high-speed internet at home. Rep. Jared Huffman, whose district includes Marin, released a districtwide list Tuesday announcing the recipients of grants from the Federal Communications Commission's "Emergency Connectivity Fund" program. The district has received nearly $8 million from the program that was created as part of the American Rescue Plan. "This … Continue Reading