The old ways live on at this annual event

Robert (“The Grey One”) and Mahrie (“Swims with Arrows”) DeGenova at the event, where he won the first turkey of the day. Del Norte Triplicate/Emily Jo Cureton

He holds the heavy steel barrel sure and steady, zeroing in on the photocopied image of a turkey tacked up 10 yards away.

Like roughly 30 other participants at the Jed Smith Mountain Men Turkey Shoot on Sunday morning, Clark shoots to win a frozen turkey or a ham.

As flint strikes gunpowder, a loud crack cuts through the forest. He misses, provoking some light teasing from the judges’ table. After all, Clark, better known to fellow Mountain Men as Trapper John, is president of the club and generally a crack shot.

Police say he struggled with another man

Local business owner Mike Napoli was fatally shot in a business associate’s house in Crescent City on Sunday night, authorities said Monday.

No arrests have been made as the investigation continues, Police Chief Doug Plack said.

At around 8:10 p.m., a call was made by Donnell Parker to report an accidental discharge of a firearm at his residence at 955 A St., Plack said.

When officers arrived, they found Napoli lying on his back in the dining room, Plack said.

Enea chosen as mayor pro tem

Crescent City has a new mayor.

Monday night the City Council picked current mayor pro tem Kathryn Murray to take over the job immediately.

Councilman Richard Enea was selected as mayor pro tem by a unanimous decision. Every year, Council members select new leaders from their own ranks.

Murray is the executive director of Alliance CDFI, a non-profit institution that helps Native Americans secure home loans and other financial services. She has served on the council since 2008 and is a former member of the Planning Commission.

Crescent City can expect up to 3 inches of rain this holiday week, and some parts of inland Del Norte County might get up to 7.

The National Weather Service in Eureka has issued a wind advisory for North Coast until 3 p.m. Wednesday. Winds will be blowing 15-30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph and possibly exceeding 55 mph. Gale force winds are expected offshore.

The NWS advises that lightweight objects could be blown around if not properly secured. Small trees and branches maybe knocked down by the wind. Driving may also be difficult.

An artist’s sketch of what the Smith River gymnasium will look like. Submitted

It will now go back to the Department of the State Architect for approval of structural changes — this is expected to take a month or two —  and then it will be re-bid to contractors.

Bids from the first go-around came in about $900,000 over the district’s $2.3 million estimated cost for construction. The entire project was projected to cost about $2.8 million.

The new gym will replace an antiquated one that is too small for the K-8 school.

Accused of vandalism at Pelican Bay

A misdemeanor  criminal complaint has been filed against the chief medical officer at Pelican Bay State Prison, accusing him of vandalizing a coworker’s car that was parked in his designated space.

Michael C. Sayre, 64, is scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 9 for the charge of “damaging part of a vehicle” filed by District Attorney  Jon Alexander.

In June, Sayre allegedly tampered with a correctional sergeant’s 2004 BMW sedan by pointing the windshield wipers’ upward, twisting the rearview mirrors around and piling “two handfuls” of small rocks on the hood, a Del Norte County sheriff’s deputy report stated.

Supervisors called for an alternative process on issue

The public now has more time to weigh in on a lengthy report concerning Klamath River dam removal and basin restoration.

The public comment period on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report regarding Klamath River dam removal was extended to Dec. 30.

Dennis Lynch, program manager for the secretarial determination on Klamath River dam removal, announced the extension Friday.

Distributor to also operate a fish market

“We Americans have to eat more fish,” says Marcos Won as he points to a locally caught rockfish at Top Blue Marine. Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

So it is with hagfish, one of the main exports of Top Blue Marine, a fish exportation business and fish market opening soon in Crescent City.

“Asia demands a lot of fish, and there’s a lot of fish that Americans don’t even touch,” said Marcos Won, CEO of Top Blue Marine.

Hagfish, an eel-like, bottom-feeding fish found in deep, cold waters, are plentiful on the North Coast and much less regulated here than in Asia, where they are popular cuisine — fried, barbecued or as sushi.

Three officers at Pelican Bay were assaulted

Two Pelican Bay State Prison inmates face attempted murder charges in connection with a January assault on three correctional officers who were sent to the hospital.

Inmates Omar Cardenas and Moses Osuna were appointed attorneys during their arraignment Thursday at the Del Norte County Superior Courthouse. They will enter their pleas at a subsequent hearing after they have the chance to speak with their attorneys.

Both are charged with attempted murder and several other felony charges.

On Jan. 11, Cardenas and Osuna were being let out of their cell to go to an exercise yard when they allegedly attacked two correctional officers, said Deputy District Attorney Lisa Specchio.

Second event of week draws more than 100

There was another big turnout Thursday night for Del Norte’s second “Crime Prevention Town Hall” of the week.

More than 100 people packed into a standing-room-only venue at the Lake Earl Grange in Fort Dick to hear how they could safeguard their residences against burglars and form Neighborhood Watch groups.

The county Sheriff’s Office has reported a recent increase in residential burglaries.

To open the meeting, representatives of an insurance company and home security companies spoke to attendees about  property crime prevention measures.