Sundance Ballet Company presents The Nutcracker ........................................ A2
Pratt named 2021 responsible transportation champion .................... A5
SERVING DEL NORTE COUNTY SINCE 1879 www.triplicate.com
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2021
Crescent City, CA
Grant will allow Beachfront Park upgrade By Diana Bosetti The Pilot
A $5 million grant from The Statewide Park Program will make a significant portion of Crescent City’s Beachfront Park project possible. An exuberant Eric Wier, Crescent City’s city manager, took to social media recently and shouted out the infamous words of Jerry McGuire “Show me the money.” “The state is telling us, we will show you the money, we will show you $5 million, and in return we will be able to build this park,” Wier said.
The funding will allow for the construction of a bike park, will double the size of the current KidTown, create an ADA-compliant one-mile loop and new entryway, as well as a cultural interpretive trail encompassing the east side of the park. “A lot of credit in our award needs to go to Holly Wendt (Crescent City’s former city recreation director), and the community who came out and supported this project,” Wier told The Triplicate. “Without the community, we would not have received this award. One
important acknowledgment is to the Tolowa Dee-Ni Nation and Elk Valley Rancheria for their hard work and engagement on our cultural interpretive area. It is another key component of why we have five million reasons to celebrate this holiday season.” As part of the same project, Piece by Piece Pottery, a local company that draws in the talents of high-risk youth to create tile-based projects, also received $10,000 from the city to create a tile mural. That project will highlight Crescent Please see PARK, Page A5
Contributed rendering
With a $5 million grant received from the state, Crescent City can begin rebuilding Beachfront Park.
County keeps cannabis tax at 6 percent By Diana Bosetti The Triplicate
Photo by Diana Bosetti/The Triplicate
With the fire danger increasing almost every year, State Sen. Mike McGuire is hoping to add more than 1,000 firefighters to Cal Fire’s ranks before next year’s fire season.
McGuire pushing for hundreds of new firefighters By Diana Bosetti The Triplicate
State Sen. Mike McGuire and other state legislators announced their intent to pursue a non-partisan bill that would add 1,124 firefighters to Cal Fire’s ranks, preferably before next year’s fire season. “I want to be candid, California is facing a firefighter shortage and we can’t wait another year to fix it,” said McGuire on Dec. 10 from the steps of the state’s capitol. The bill calls for the state to spend up to $214 million for the immediate hiring of 1,124 firefighters, which would include
356 full-time firefighters and 768 seasonal hand-crew personnel. The bill is slated to be introduced in early 2022, and would further mandate that there be at least three firefighters per engine, plus a year-long study to determine staffing needs over the long term. Once completed, the report would be forwarded to the state governor and legislature. “Fixing the Cal Fire firefighter shortage will help make sure we can fight these wildfires and protect the communities that we all call home,” said McGuire. McGuire, who represents the North Coast region, including Del Norte County, was joined by State Senators Shannon Grove
and Brian Dahle, as well as the president of Cal Fire Local 2881 - Tim Edwards. According to Edwards, Cal Fire Local 2881 includes 7,200 personnel. “That may sound like a big number, but we protect anywhere from Oregon to Mexico from the Pacific to Nevada borders,” Edwards said, adding that the geographic reach totals 33 million acres. Over the last two years, California has faced unprecedented wildfires. In 2021 there were 8,619 fire incidents and 2,569,009 acres burned, according to Cal Fire. The length of the fire season has also increased by
75 days across the Sierras, which in turn is impacting firefighters working hours and mental health. “What I’m about to say no firefighter wants to talk about,” McGuire said. “Firefighters are working long overtime hours and many times they are working up to 40 days in a row without a single day off.” McGuire also reported that over the last four years, 54,000 calls to state mental health hotlines have been placed by firefighters. “Cal Fire firefighters have dedicated their lives to keep us safe, and now we as a state need to step up and keep them safe,” McGuire said.
Supervisors honor CHP
Photo by Diana Bosetti/The Triplicate
The Del Norte County Board of Supervisors presented a proclamation to the California High Patrol on Dec. 14 for its work and dedication to providing service to Del Norte County’s 28,000 residents. According to county staff reports, in 2020 the CHP responded to more than 4,726 calls to assist allied agencies, victims, motorists, and community members in need of law enforcement services. Pictured from left to right are Officer Ted Luna, Sergeant Rick Borges and Officer Daniel Reich.
Founders of lighthouse society honored Salute to U.S. Coast Guard AT TRIPLICATE.COM
A motion failed to reduce Del Norte County’s cannabis retail tax to two percent in order to compete against non-taxed cannabis retail businesses in Crescent City, and will instead remain at six percent. “When I spoke with City Manager (Eric) Wier yesterday as to why they landed there (not imposing a tax), he said that they wanted to promote business,” said Commissioner Valerie Starkey, who made the first motion to reduce the retail tax to two percent. “There’s some truth to this, right?” asked Chairman Chris Howard. “It is a barrier to business, and if we are causing some harm, potentially, that is something for us to consider.” Currently, Sticky Grove marijuana dispensary is the only cannabis retailer operating within unincorporated Del Norte County. Robert Derego, who owns the company, stated he and his wife work full time to bring in a combined salary of about $40,000. In comparison, Del Norte County received about $60,000 in tax revenue from their business, according to Barbara Lopez with the Del Norte County tax collector’s office. “I can’t write off my rent and I can’t write off labor,” said Derego. Derego added he employed three senior citizens preCOVID, but likely won’t be able to bring them back on staff. In 2018, Measure B was approved by 62.75% of the voters. The measure enacted a 2-6% gross receipts tax on non-medicinal retail business; a 1-3% gross receipts tax on cannabis manufactures; a $1 per square foot tax for outdoor cultivators; and a $3 per square foot tax on indoor cultivators. Each year, the commission votes on what the tax rates should be. Prior to its passage, Del Norte County banned commercial cannabis activity. Derego said to the commissioners that prior to Measure B’s passage, he was informed that retail cannabis would likely only move forward if it could be taxed. “That’s kind of like somebody’s gotta get their beak wet,” Derego said. “The community was led to believe that they were voting for pot, Please see CANNABIS, Page A3
INDEX Crossword................................................A5 Classifieds................................................A6 Crossword Answers..................................A7
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