The Del Norte County Library District Board will meet 9 a.m. Thursday at the library to continue discussing how to save the Del Norte Reads literacy program.

State funding for literacy programs has been cut, and money in the program’s coffers is limited. The program’s largest expense is its manager’s salary and benefits.

Del Norte Reads helps English learners master the language and gain citizenship, adults who want their GED to go to college or get a job and teaches computer skills.

Program giving faraway students taste of redwoods

Park Ranger Brad Maggetti prepares to photograph a cut-out character sent here by a child from the East Coast. Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

In a program designed to help them learn more about national parks, students nationwide mail paper cutouts of characters, inspired by the 1964 children’s book “Flat Stanley,” to Redwood National and State Parks.

Parks employees then take the “Flat Stanleys” into old-growth redwood groves or along the coast during their regular duties, taking pictures of the paper people’s adventures. The photos and park information are then sent back to the students, usually third- to fifth- graders, so they can write a report about the park.

Interim president tries to reassure students, faculty

The interim president of College of the Redwoods sought to reassure students and faculty members Friday night after the college received bad news on the accreditation front.

Earlier Friday, CR learned it had been placed on “show cause” accreditation status by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.

“The Commission determined that CR has not addressed deficiencies in its institutional planning and student learning outcomes documentation, which are issues the college has been on notice to remedy since 1999,” College of the Redwoods acknowledged in a statement sent to the media Friday night.

Almost 2 years have passed since killing

Nearly two years after Jarrod Wyatt allegedly murdered his friend, a trial date inches closer.

Wyatt, 27, was in court Friday as Judge William Follett signed an order to have him seen by a doctor to decide whether he should be evaluated for his competency to stand trial.

Wyatt, a former mixed martial arts fighter, is accused of fatally beating Taylor Powell, 21, of Crescent City, on March 21, 2010, in a gruesome attack that involved mutilation.

Wyatt faces charges of murder with special circumstances of torture and aggravated mayhem, using a deadly weapon while committing a felony, aggravated mayhem and torture.

 Questions and comments on a draft recovery plan for regional coho salmon were taken in Brookings on Thursday.

Beyond gaining a better understanding of the plan, members of the public also raised concerns ranging from the realities of implementing the plan — which was characterized as voluntary — to the failure to list some of the stress factors for coho.

After Southern Oregon and Northern California Coast (SONCC) coho salmon were placed on the Endangered Species List in 1997, federal law required the development of a recovery plan for the species.

 Even though the San Fransisco 49ers missed earning a spot in Sunday’s Super Bowl, the show must go on for the countless local fans who root for them.

While the New England Patriots versus the New York Giants may not have been the top choice of matchups for many people here in Del Norte County, that will not stop them from gathering with friends and family to watch the game.

After all, said local race car driver Howard Ford, it’s a tradition.

Incident occurred at sobriety house

A local man faces time in state prison after being found guilty of hitting his child’s mother.

Ronnie Meyer Sr., 44, was convicted of inflicting corporal injury following his jury trial earlier this week.

The charge stems from an incident last December when his girlfriend was visiting him at a safe and sober house he was occupying.

“He grabbed her by the hair and beat her head against the wall,” said Deputy Attorney General Brian Newman.

Lack of survival suit may have saved fishing crew’s lives

Skipper Mike Centner didn’t have time to get into his survival suit before the West Wind fishing boat sunk last week off Crescent City. Floating in the ocean without the suit made for a “cold nightmare,” but it might have saved the crew’s lives.

Deckhands John Kubicek and Tony Wells had time to put on their suits, but that meant they didn’t have access to their knives. Centner used his knife to cut the straps off of the life raft container, allowing the crew members to inflate the raft and climb aboard.