Project could be finished this year

Battery Point Lighthouse has been battered by an unrelenting sea for 156 years, all the while shining dependably for anyone in need of a guiding light.

Last year Del Norters pooled their resources to keep this leaky landmark beaming into the next century. The results are looking bright. 

County supervisors lead off in primary

State primaries begin Tuesday in New Hampshire, along with the national hubbub fueled by a presidential race. Del Norte voters will have to wait another five months to speak their piece, and not just about the presidency. 

Come June 5, a number of local offices will be on the primary ballot, including three County Board of Supervisors seats currently held by David Finigan of District 3, Martha McClure of District 2 and Leslie McNamer of District 1.

Other local incumbents in the mix for June are Superior Court Judge William Follett and County Superintendent of Schools Don Olson, who was appointed last year when Jan Moorehouse resigned.

History lessons must include gays, disabled

A new state law has stirred controversy over what kids are being taught in school.

SB 48 requires that the contributions of gay, lesbian, transgender and disabled people be included in state and national history lessons.

Del Norte County Unified School District officials say the law won’t have a significant impact here because those contributions are already being taught.

“I don’t think it would have an impact on instruction at all,” said Steve Godla, the assistant superintendent of instruction and educational services. “It’s already being done — it’s part of history. You touch on the gay rights movement if you’re doing a unit on people standing up for their rights.”

The Del Norte County Office of Education and the charter schools it authorizes are going to be working more closely on academic programs.

The School Board advised Superintendent Don Olson on Thursday to move forward with reviewing each charter school’s academic program and then reporting back to board members.

“We’re coming from a position of support,” Olson said. “We want to increase student achievement and the development of the whole child.”

This was met with enthusiastic support from administrators of  some of the charter schools.

Although tourism is Del Norte’s largest private sector employer, many think it could be much stronger.

Various organizations hope to boost tourism with a new multi-agency visitor center on the highway by Crescent City Harbor.

“I really believe that this community is in need of the tourism dollars that we ... somehow are not able to capture,” said Harbor Commissioner Wes White on Tuesday when the commission heard an update on the visitor center project.

Fourteen agencies have signed on to be a part of the Interagency Visitor Center, which would be built on harbor land between the inner boat basin and U.S. Highway 101. 

In terms of expected earthquakes, the Cascadia fault line,  off the coast of Del Norte, is “nine months pregnant,” experts say.

Historically, geologists say Cascadia earthquakes of magnitude 8 or larger happen every 240 years. The last one was 311 years ago, Yumei Wang, an Oregon-based earthquake analyst and expert, told the New York Times.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is implementing a two-year plan to help California counties develop an Earthquake & Tsunami Response Plan for the West Coast. Planning starts locally Tuesday.

“It’s something we want to get ready for, especially after what we’ve seen in Japan,” said Cindy Henderson, emergency services manager for Del Norte County.

The Crescent City Harbor Commission has selected Ron Phillips as its president for this year, with Pat Bailey as secretary.

Also at this week’s meeting, Harbormaster Richard Young said the harbor must address a labor compliance issue before it can solicit bids for the inner boat basin rebuilding project.

Officials with the Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG), which is providing grant money to the harbor, said the harbor must prove it is paying federal prevailing wages before they can solicit bids.