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SERVING DEL NORTE COUNTY SINCE 1879 www.triplicate.com
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2023
Crescent City, CA
Murder suspect held over for trial BY ROGER GITLIN The Triplicate
A Crescent City man facing murder and attempted murder charges will formally face the felony charges. Gabriel Hughes was held over for trial after a preliminary hearing in the Del Norte Superior Court. Hughes is facing three felony counts of murder, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
Hughes is accused in the murder of Rick Nations, 69, and the attempted murder of Lindsey Nations, early 20s. The two were attacked at their home in December 2022. At the time, Sheriff Garrett Scott said the sheriff’s office was called to the 1500 block of Keller Avenue to reports of a woman screaming and saying she was stabbed. When deputies arrived, they found the woman with a stab
wound to her neck. Nearby, deputies found Rick Nations with multiple stab wounds to his body. First responders gave emergency care to both victims before they were transported to the hospital, where Rick Nations was declared dead. According to Scott, Hughes was staying at a home near where Nations lived on Keller Avenue when he walked up to Nations’ home on December 6 at around 1 p.m.
Nations saw Hughes approaching and walked out onto his porch to talk to him when Hughes allegedly attacked Nations with a knife. Kelly Nations was also injured in the confrontation. After being treated, she was released from Sutter Coast Hospital. Deputies recovered a knife at the scene and took Hughes into custody. Prosecuting the case is As-
sistant District Attorney Todd Zocchi. Mr. Hughes will be represented by Attorney Karen Olsen. After hearing testimony from a Del Norte Sheriff’s Office deputy and both counsels, Judge Robert Cochran ruled the evidence provided in the preliminary hearing showed sufficient cause to move forward on this case. Hughes will be bound over for arraignment Wednesday, April 19. at 8:30 a.m.
Kamome’s landing: Celebrating a decade later Will city
tobacco licenses be transferable? BY ROGER GITLIN The Triplicate
Photo courtesy of Crescent City
Ten years ago, Japanese boat Kamome washed ashore in Crescent City after a tsunami pushed the boat across the ocean. Since then, the city of Crescent City has become a sister city with Rikuzentakata, Japan.
Crescent City to celebrate relationship formed with Rikuzentakata, Japan 11, 2011, creating a catastrophic tsunami and sending the small vessel on its westward odyssey across the Pacific. More than 1,700 people lost their lives in Rikuzentakata. As result of the Kamome landing, a sister city relationship between Rikuzentakata and Crescent City was developed. This
BY ROGER GITLIN The Triplicate
Crescent City will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the landing of the Japanese boat, the Kamome, on the shores of Crescent City. The landing followed the devastating 9.1 earthquake near Rikuzentakata, Japan on March
anniversary will offer several cultural activities, all free, on Friday, April 14. The schedule: • 9 a.m. - noon: FREE kids activities at the Cultural Center. Interactive tsunami education and emergency preparedness; Sister City kiosk and mural viewing; Emergency “go bag”
making; Origami. Kyoto fan folding, Kanji writing and card making Kamome Art Exhibit at the Cultural Center. • 5 p.m.: Kamome Art Mural Unveiling at Beachfront Park. • 6-7:30 p.m.: FREE evening ceremony, Crescent Elk AudiPlease see KAMOME, Page A2
Harbor is awarded two significant grants
BY ROGER GITLIN The Triplicate
It’s raining grant money on the harbor. The California Coastal Conservancy awarded two noteworthy grants to the Crescent City Harbor District last week. The conservancy awarded $927,000 for the planning phase of a new citizens’ dock. A second grant from the conservancy for $450,000 for new bathrooms and outdoor showers on Anchor Way adjacent to South Beach was also awarded. Project 1, the citizens’ dock, has a no cash matching requirement but approximately $237,000 of in-kind services will be provided by the CCHD. An examination of the aging dock found that 50 percent of the poles needed to be replaced and 90 percent of the poles had lost their original circumference. The dock condition report submitted to the conservancy revealed the frail dock faces increased risk from climate-related hazards, including tsunami, Please see HARBOR, Page A2
INDEX
Courtesy drone photo
Phone Number: 707-460-6727
Opinion
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Classifieds Community Calendar Crossword Answers
Crossword Puzzle
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Please see LICENSE, Page A2
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City councilors continued the discussion on a new, more restrictive tobacco ordinance, without the absent Jason Greenough. The proposed ordinance would mirror the one adopted by the county and the legislation passed into law by the state. Councilors Ray Altman, Kelly Schellong, Blake Inscore and Mayor Isaiah Wright all favored a more restrictive ordinance that would ban the sale of any tobacco product in a store that contains a pharmacy, limits the issuance of tobacco retail licenses that were in business on July 1, 2022, prohibits advertising of tobacco products within 500 feet of schools, playgrounds and childcare facilities and prohibits advertising or placement within five feet of children’s toys, candy, snack or non- alcoholic beverages. There was additional discussion on the transferability of the retail license, upon the sale of a business, within city limits. City Attorney Martha Rice sought direction on this one issue before she presents a tobacco retail license for council review. Councilor Ray Altman observed inconsistency on the transferability of the TRL. Altman stated there are now 10 retailers vending tobacco products, with the recent removal of Walgreens. He noted service stations routinely change ownership/branding that would accelerate the reduction of retailers vending tobacco products down to possibly four retailers, three liquor stores and one smoke shop. Altman stated, “…through attrition, the city will show favoritism for the remaining retailers.” He acknowledged he supports a transfer clause in the TRL. Inscore spoke of a holistic approach to community health and noted the transfer clause could be initiated when the actual number of retailers selling tobacco product lowers to a ratio of one shop per 2,500 residents, which would exclude inmates at Pelican Bay State Prison. PBSP inmate population is counted in Crescent City population. Inscore invited tobacco retailers to the upcoming meeting
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