SERVING DEL NORTE COUNTY SINCE 1879
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FRIDAY, MAY 7, 2021
Crescent City, CA
Crescent City to consider changing pool rates KNOX KERANEN The Triplicate
In order to keep up with increases in state minimum wage and subsequent hikes in payroll costs, the Crescent City Council is considering raising user fees for some patrons. In a presentation to the City Council, Recreation Director Holly Wendt and City Manager Eric Wier suggested raising some pool rates, as well as eliminating discounts for annual passes, to make up for rising expenses, and reduce the pool’s financial burden on the city budget. “We are going to have issues with sustainability and funding be-
Musicians ready to get back to playing
cause of minimum wage increases,” said Wendt. In 2020, payroll expenses at the pool were $48,000, but that figure will jump to $60,000 in 2021 and $72,000 in 2022. The last fee increase for pool users came in 2018 when adult daily passes increased by 50 cents and family annual passes went up by $15. Since then, state minimum wage has increased by $3 per hour. What’s more, a recent fire at a chlorine tablet manufacturer has caused a nationwide chlorine shortage, driving up chlorine costs dramatically, according to news reports. Despite the rising costs, Wendt also
recommended reducing youth fees. She also recommended introducing a monthly pass to substitute for the 50-punch pass, which was recently discontinued by the council. The proposed revamp of the fee schedule breakdown is presented below:
Daily Pass ● Youth price from $5 to $4. ● Senior price remains at $5. ● Adult price from $5.50 to $6. Ten Punch Pass ● Youth price from $40 to $36 ● Senior price from $40 to $45 ● Adult price from $45 to $54
Monthly pass ● Youth price $40 ● Senior price $50 ● Adult price $60 ● Family price $120 Yearly Pass ● Youth price from $450 to $360 ● Senior price remains at $450 ● Adult price from $525 to $540 ● Family price from $1,020 to $1,080 Wendt also recommended minor increases to swim lesson fees and slide rental, as well as eliminating sale prices for annual passes. If all the changes were implemented, the estimated revenue gain to the city would be $21,000.
KNOX KERANEN The Triplicate
After a difficult year of lockdowns and bans on gatherings, local musicians are beginning to hear the music at the end of the tunnel. Tom Boylan is the one-man band known as Holus Bolus, which he describes as a “psychedelic acoustiloop.” Psychedelic because his music smacks of Pink Floyd and other psych-rock influences, and “acoustiloop” because Boylan uses a looper pedal to individually record instruments, including drums, guitars and shakers. Altogether, it’s as if Boylan has a full band behind him. Pre-pandemic, Boylan was performing up to 80 times each year and touring across the West often. In fact, he had a slew of shows booked in the Pacific Northwest when the virus struck last March. “All my shows got cancelled, like immediately,” said Boylan. “From the beginning of February to October, I didn’t play any gigs at all. That was the first time in my whole life that I didn’t have any gigs either with a band or my own solo stuff.” Boylan’s first gig in the post-lockdown era was on Halloween, which is also his birthday, at Zola’s On The Water in Brookings. With live music beginning to make a comeback, Boylan said he can tell listeners now have a deeper appre-
Contributed Photo
Zack Freiwald performs during a concert last year. After being shut down due to COVID, Friewald is excited about performing again. ciation for something they haven’t been able to experience in a while. “You just see this totally different look in their eye, people are just super stoked,” said Boylan. Another local musician, Zack Freiwald, did what many other mu-
sicians across the world did during the pandemic, he performed in his living room and live streamed it. “In the initial hype of covidness, that was the way to go and everyone was doing it, so I jumped all over it,” said Freiwald.
If Boylan is a psychedelic acoustiloop, Freiwald is more cozy campfire. During his COVID live streams, he did covers, as well as his own original stuff, usually in Please see MUSICIANS, Page A9
Redwood Burl Co. one of a dying breed In a little unincorporated place known as Hiouchi, near the Jedediah Smith State Park, a woodcarving shop is among a dying breed. “There’s not a lot of young
Over 14,000 doses administered in Del Norte County The Triplicate
By Knox Keranen, The Triplicate
The Triplicate
Please see POOL, Page A9
ZACK DEMARS
Lee Knylen shows off some of the work he has created at the Jed Smith Redwood Burl Co.
KNOX KERANEN
After the presentation, Mayor Pro Tem Blake Inscore said he was in favor of the fee changes. “I think our patrons value the pool, they want it to be sustainable,” said Inscore. “I don’t feel like the increases are going to price anyone out of the community.” Mayor Jason Greenough said changing the pool rates now would be a double whammy for residents, who recently saw a sales tax increase with the passing of Measure S. “I think there are other ways to fund this,” said Greenough. He suggested establishing a partnership
people doing it,” said co-owner Lee Nylen, one of Hiouchi’s 301 residents, according to the last census count. “Crescent City used to have 10 or 12 shops, Gasquet used to have one or two, there were probably people out in Smith River, down in Klamath, just in this
county.” Now, there’s just a few sprinkled throughout the county, said Nylen. One of them being the Jed Smith Redwood Burl Co. Inside, patrons will find hundreds of carvings of different colors, shapes, sizes and finishes, all
lining the walls and strewn about the property. There are realistic renditions of seals, salmon, bears and, yes, plenty of redwood trees, most of them carved from coastal redwoods.
Go Wild Rivers Coast Guide released Ames recognized for service during World War II AT TRIPLICATE.COM
Please see REDWOOD, Page A9
A loosening of COVID-19 restrictions still remains just out of reach in Del Norte County. According to the county’s case data, it was close to a reduction last week, with data qualifying for the orange tier of virus restrictions, but a recent increase could squander that progress. The county’s April 18 through 24 case rate and test positivity rate were below the threshold for the orange tier of virus restrictions, according to data from the California Department of Public Health. After two weeks with rates at that level, the county could move to the new tier. A change in tiers would be the county’s first in three months, a longer wait than any other California county. The reduction would increase the allowable capacity in the county’s indoor bars, restaurants and other businesses. But the county has continued to report new cases of the virus. As of Monday, the county’s public health department was reporting 45 active cases of the virus, up substantially from 14 the previous Monday. Data from that week will be reviewed by state health officials Tuesday to determine the county’s latest level of restrictions. Last week’s data did have an impact for the rest of the state, with Los Angeles, San Francisco and Trinity counties all advancing to the yellow tier of restrictions this week. On the vaccine front, Del Norte County has now administered around 14,400 doses of the vaccine, according to CDPH data. Statewide, just over 40% of the state is fully vaccinated. County health officials are still holding weekly vaccination events on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the Del Norte County Fairgrounds. Limited clinics are also available at Smith River Elementary School. Registration is available online at https://myturn.as.me/schedule.php or by calling 707-951-6679. Sutter Health is also offering clinics on Thursdays and Fridays. More information is online at www. sutterhealth.org/coast/for-patients/ health-alerts/covid-19-vaccine. A handful of local pharmacies are also offering vaccines: RiteAid is making appointments online at www.riteaid.com/covid-19, Safeway is making appointments online at www.safeway.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html and Walgreens is making appointments online at www.walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid-19 or by phone at 1-800-WALGREENS. Walmart is also making vaccine appointments online at www.walmart.com/COVIDvaccine.
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