MIDWEEK EDITION
TUESDAY, February 18, 2020 S E R V I N G O U R C O M M U N I T Y S I N C E 1 8 7 9 • W W W. T R I P L I C A T E . C O M
County adopts commercial cannabis ordinance By David Hayes Staff Writer
D
el Norte County has finalized its commercial cannabis ordinance with extended scope and reduction in setback requirements. Deputy County Counsel Joel Campbell-Blair brought the reworked ordinance to the Board
of Supervisors on Feb. 11. The new ordinance extends the county’s Cannabis Business Combining District (CBCD) into Smith River, now allowing retailers to apply for shops north of Crescent City. Campbell-Blair said the ordinance also reduces the required setback between commercial cannabis re-
tailers from the state recommended 1,000 feet to a more accommodating 200 feet. This move came after a complaint last fall that a 1,000foot setback created an unintended monopoly for existing retailers. While the Board of Supervisors at the time did not give specific direction, the county’s Environmental Review
Committee recommended the new 200-foot buffer. “The complaint or criticism we got is we accidentally created a monopoly for one business,” Campbell-Blair explained. The setbacks made it so whoever was the first retailer to set up shop, specifically Sticky Grove located just out-
side Crescent City limits was the only business allowed to operate. Campbell-Blair said reducing the setback down to 200 feet allows other businesses to operate within that space. District 1 Supervisor Roger Gitlin appeared worried that a “community of stores” could all set up within close proximity.
Campbell-Blair explained the 200-foot setback only affects businesses on the same street. Once around the corner, the setback resets. “Technically they could be 50 feet as the crow flies, but on different streets,” CampMore CANNABIS on Page A5
Doublemurder suspect in custody
HERRING HERE
Husband and Wife were found dead in home on Sunday
C
Amateur anglers hit the docks Feb. 12 upon word herring returned for their annual stay in Crescent City Harbor to spawn. Chris Hegnes, manager at England Marine, said fisherman travel as far as Coos Bay and Medford to catch their share of herring. The two preferred methods to catch them is by casting nets or sabiki rigs that have a series of up to six small hooks decorated as iridescent lures. Hegnes said herring is good for pickling, smoking or using as bait for catching lingcod. Photo by David Hayes.
Yurok Tribe launches canoe tour experience Y
STAFF REPORT
asey Ryhn Potter, who was wanted on two counts of murder, was apprehended Monday morning, Feb. 17, attempting to get on a bus out of Crescent City. According to Cmdr. Bill Steven, Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office spokesman, Potter was armed with a loaded CASEY RYHN POTTER gun at the time he was apprehended by sheriff’s office deputies with the assistance of the Crescent City Police Department. He was taken into custody without incident, Steven said. A murder warrant was issued for Potter on Monday after the bodies of two adults, a man and a woman, were found Sunday, Feb. 16, at a residence on Lesina Road, just north of Crescent City. The victims were identified as Brian Gilbert Potter, 77, and Sherrie Lynn Potter, 71, the parents of Casey Potter. The Del Norte Sheriff’s Office is treating this as a homicide. Potter was booked into the Del Norte County jail and bail was set at $1 million. Steven said the Department of Justice Lab from Eureka arrived early Monday morning to process the scene.
Playoffs: DNHS boys basketball seeded No. 5 D
urok Tribe’s Economic Development Corporation announced online booking was available for the Redwood Yurok Canoe Tours. The new business in Klamath offers the rare opportunity to experience the Klamath River in a redwood dugout canoe. This adventure is exclusive to Yurok Country, and is not offered anywhere else in the world. The tour is provided by a Yurok guide narrating the history of the dugout redwood canoe, what redwoods mean to the Yurok People and history of the Yurok People as stewards of the land. Redwood canoes were the transportation used for thousands of years traveling from village to village.
el Norte High School boys basketball picked up another title Friday night and will begin their march toward a CIF North Coast Section title on Wednesday, Feb. 19. The Warriors finished off a perfect run, 8-0, to win the Humboldt-Del Norte Big 5 league regular-season championship and backed it up by winning the Humboldt-Del Norte League Dick Niclai Tournament on Friday, Feb. 14, at Lumberjack Arena. DNHS (21-1) defeated Arcata 46-35 and claimed their fifth Niclai title. Two days after winning the Niclai, Del Norte was seeded fifth in the North Coast Section Div. 4 boys basketball championships. The Warriors host 12th-seeded Middletown (14-11, 7-7 North Central I) at 7 p.m.
More CANOE on Page A2
INDEX Crosswords................................................ A5 Crossword Answers ................................... A8 Calendar...................................................A10 Classifieds.................................................. A7
More BASKETBALL on Page A5
FORECAST TUESDAY
52 38
WEDNESDAY
53 41
TIDES THURSDAY
52 41
LOW HIGH LOW HIGH
Wed Tues Thurs 12:53AM 2:07AM 3:09AM 7:04AM 8:06AM 9:01AM 2:30PM 3:23PM 4:09PM 9:22PM 10:13PM 10:53PM
$1.50