Boats beached, trees tumbled, flooding feared

The storm that resulted in the beaching of the sailboat Star at Beachfront Park also created ideal waves for windsurfing. Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

The vessels were anchored in the harbor, near the breakwater, after being evicted from the inner boat basin when their owners fell behind on mooring fees, a Crescent City Harbor official said.

The orange sailboat Star, owned by Mark Sweet, and a smaller recreational boat, Whiskey 4, owned by Fred Thomas, probably broke their anchors early Wednesday when Crescent City winds were blowing 28–43 mph, with gusts as high as 70 mph.

Some tense moments at Council meeting

A public hearing about a too-tall fence quickly turned into an emotionally charged dispute between neighbors at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

City Planner Eric Taylor opened the hearing with a report on the Planning Commission’s November decision to deny an after-the-fact variance to Ernest and Karen Bijlsmas for a 6-foot fence at 215 S. A Street, a coastal “flag lot” nestled just north of Battery Point Lighthouse.

The fence violates a city ordinance and was constructed after the owner was made aware of height limitations for fences and landscaping in that type of property zone, Taylor said.

Crescent City is set to become a successor to its nearly defunct redevelopment agency, assuming all assets, liabilities and debts by Feb. 1.

A state law passed last year axed some 400 redevelopment agencies as part of a plan to make up California’s budget shortfall by sending more property taxes to cities, counties, schools and special districts.

Previously, tax revenues from redevelopment areas were returned to the agencies for future projects.

Instructor Tom O’Connor and the solar panels at Sunset High School: The hands-on work “gives the kids a little bit more experience and skills.” Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

Teacher Tom O’Connor applied for a Blue Sky grant from Pacific Power and the school was awarded $20,000, which paid for 18 solar panels.

O’Connor and the high schoolers installed the solar panels on the roof of the school themselves.

A Klamath man was arrested Tuesday afternoon on suspicion   on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14.

Fred R. Stockett, 60, of Klamath was arrested outside of the Sheriff’s Office, said sheriff’s Commander Bill Steven.

Here are excerpts from the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office call logs for Jan. 11-17.

Wednesday, Jan. 11

• At 2:49 p.m. copper wire found on an empty lot in a subdivision on the 300 block of Nautical Heights Road.

• At 2:58 p.m. a  drunken male who went into All Star Liquors and stole a bottle of alcohol.

Here are excerpts from the Crescent City Police Department call logs for Jan. 11-17.

Wednesday, Dec. 11

• At 12:35 p.m. a woman was arrested for public intoxication after reportedly defecating on the side of a building on the 900 block of J Street.

• At 9:45 p.m. a person reported four of his vehicles having slashed tires on the 600 block of L Street.

Crescent City Harbor District will go out to bid today with their plan for the inner boat basin rebuilding project.

The bid package will be sent to trade publications, allowing contractors to review details about the project, preparing them to put together bids for when the bidding opens on Feb. 22.

Rain, possible flooding seen by forecasters

What was the driver thinking? A car loaded with surfboards approaches the coast on snowy U.S. Highway 199 on Monday. Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

The North Coast is heading into more typical winter weather this week after a long dry spell. A series of storms will arrive tonight into Wednesday and continue through the weekend.

Five inches of rain is possible this week in Crescent City and up to 8 inches inland around Gasquet and in the hills, said Matthew Kidwell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Eureka.

Crews rushing to haul in pots before a storm

Nor Cal Seafood manager Kevin Wilson unloads crab Monday afternoon on Citizen’s Dock. Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

Crab fishermen and dock workers got a taste of snowflakes as Dungeness-filled pots started coming into a slushy harbor Sunday morning.

Commercial crab fishermen are accustomed to working in the wet, so maybe it’s only appropriate to have snow on the sea to start the season  — plus big storms in the forecast.