Key supports and needs for Del Norte identified

In the wake of the destructive earthquake and tsunami in Japan last year, emergency agencies are creating a plan for a potential catastrophic earthquake and tsunami  on the Pacific Northwest coast.

It wasn’t until the 1980s that geophysicists identified the Cascadia subduction zone, a fault line roughly 40 miles off the coast of the Pacific Northwest — including Del Norte county.

This fault line is very similar to the one that caused the 9.0-magnitude earthquake off the coast  of Japan last year, and geologists say similarly large seismic events happen periodically on the Cascadia fault line.

Season off to belated start this weekend

After dealing with a handicapped harbor and the longest season delay in decades, local commercial crab fishermen caught a break — the highest opening price in North Coast history.

Caito Fisheries branch in Crescent City and Pacific Choice Seafood in Eureka both said they will pay $3 a pound as the opening price for Dungeness crab. Alber Seafoods said their price is the same.

Michael Freels, dock manager of Caito Fisheries, said the crab quality tests taken last week looked “exceptionally well” with crabs averaging 26.7 percent meat mass. Pre-season quality tests showed low meat mass, delaying the start by six weeks, the longest delay in at least two decades.

 A local woman was convicted of meth-related charges on Tuesday during a two day trial.

Theresa Porter of Crescent City was found guilty of maintaining a place for controlled substances, possessing a controlled substance and unlawful possession of paraphernalia.

She is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 2  and faces up to four years and four months in jail, District Attorney Jon Alexander said.

“There’s no bigger malignancy in this county than crackhouses and what they do in our county,” said Alexander. “And one by one, we’re going to take every single one of them.”

Porter was arrested May 14 during a search conducted by the Sheriff’s Office Felony Investigations Unit of a residence off of Elk Valley Road where she was staying, Alexander said.

Congressional run may mean early departure

State Sen. Doug LaMalfa

Sen. Doug LaMalfa, R-Butte, says he will seek the seat of Congressman Wally Herger, R-Chico, who announced his retirement Tuesday and endorsed LaMalfa as a successor.

LaMalfa, was elected to the Senate in 2010 and his term doesn’t expire until 2014.

Where does that leave Del Norte?

Crab season opens Sunday after delay

After the longest delay in two decades, the local commercial Dungeness crab season opens Sunday.

The North Coast’s season typically starts Dec. 1, and although two-week delays are fairly common, this season was delayed six weeks to let crabs get plumper.

Recent quality tests showed that crabs off the Del Norte coast were averaging 26.7 percent meat mass, according to Alber Seafood local plant manager Brigg Lindsey. Local crabs were only 22.1 percent meat mass when tests were taken Dec. 7.

Mike Sullivan

Some seven emergency preparedness funding agreements were approved for the first half of the year, all apportioned from state grant money awarded for 2011–12.

The board also picked a new chairman from its ranks: District 3 Supervisor Mike Sullivan. Outgoing Chairwoman Leslie McNamer of District 1 was chosen for the vice chair position.

The Del Norte County Superior Court bench will be more like a basketball team with judges rotating in and out of the courthouse until Gov. Jerry Brown appoints a permanent justice for the county.

A vacancy was created when Judge Robert Weir retired at the beginning of the year.

Former Del Norte County Judge Philip Schafer will be filling the empty spot until at least February and may serve through March, Court Executive Officer Sandra Linderman said.

Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro drafted a letter to Brown co-signed by 11 other legislators stating the action would adversely affect low-income students in rural, remote areas.

“We strongly urge you to reconsider this specific devastating cut which unfairly impacts our low-income and rural students in our state, and direct your staff to provide you with a different option, one that is more equitable and fair,” the letter states.

Two calls test new police protocol

Authorities got to test the new protocol for handling bomb threats at the courthouse Tuesday — twice.

Two threats were called into the Del Norte Superior Courthouse, said Police Chief Doug Plack said.

The first one came in at 1:52 p.m. and another one about an hour later.