SERVING DEL NORTE COUNTY SINCE 1879
www.triplicate.com
FRIDAY, JULY 2, 2021
Crescent City, CA
CalTrans adjusts work schedule at Last Chance Grade Knox Keranen The Triplicate
In an attempt to speed up landslide cleanup efforts at Last Chance Grade, CalTrans is changing the closure schedule. Beginning July 6, Highway 101 south of Crescent City, will close down Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m. to noon and 3 to 7 p.m. The road will be open Friday-Sunday, and at all other times, but motorists should still expect 30-minute delays due to one-lane traffic, according to a June 24 press release from CalTrans. Until July 6, the closure schedule will remain the same, with
closures occurring three times per day Monday-Thursday from 9-11 a.m.. noon-2 p.m. and 3-5 p.m., and on Fridays from 9-11 a.m. and noon-2 p.m. Motorists should expect 30-minute delays at all other times. Additionally, the road will remain open from July 2-5. Last Chance Grade has been hampered with perpetual closures since a major landslide in February buried a small stretch of road. Sebastian Cohen, project manager at CalTrans, said the new closure schedule, although potentially frustrating, will move up the slide response completion date from Please see LAST CHANCE, Page A9
Photo by Knox Keranen
A spider excavator sends rocks and other debris hurtling down the slope during a closure at Last Chance Grade.
Pool to fully reopen July 5 Knox Keranen The Triplicate
Photos by Knox Keranen
While some in the community were pleased with the news a benefit assessment for the Crescent City Fire Protection District was approved, around 20 people protested the results. The protestors said the weighted vote system was unfair.
Fire district assessment narrowly passes Knox Keranen The Triplicate
After initially failing due to a miscount, the Crescent City Fire Protection District’s benefit assessment vote has narrowly passed in a recount. The preliminary results show 50.01% of voters were in favor of the assessment and 49.99% opposed. Results go to the CCFPD Board of Directors to be certified July 12. Fire Chief Bill Gillespie said the passed assessment will allow the fire department to continue operating without reducing services. “When the original count came out not in favor of the fire district, we began the process of working to determine where we
would have to start making cuts in order to stretch the funding we had,” he said. Gillespie said they were looking into selling response vehicles, even entire fire stations, to supplement cashflow. He said the fire district had about two years of operations left before their reserve funds dried up. The assessment will generate more than $420,000 per year for the fire district, beginning in fiscal year 2022. The district currently collects $42 per single-family residence, however, with a 2006 assessment ending this year, that number would have dropped to $24. The assessment will increase cost per single-family residence to $98, according to a CCFPD report. Gillespie said the department
plans to use these funds for developments such as a 24-hour volunteer staffing program, meaning, firefighters would livein at the station on a rotating basis, in order to provide a more rapid response to emergency calls. Additionally, the department is looking to add more paid positions. Currently, the fire chief and one administrative position are the only paid positions at the department. Not everyone is celebrating the result though. Last Thursday, about 20 people gathered outside the Crescent City Fire Station on Washington Street to protest the assessment and the recount. The protestors also called for the resignations of the CCFPD Board of Directors, who ordered
the recount on June 17 after learning one “yes” vote was accidentally placed in the “no” pile. Roger Gitlin, co-organizer and former Del Norte County Supervisor, said the weighted voting system, which gave voters with greater property value more say, was unfair. “I think [it should be] one man, one vote,” said Gitlin. If the ballots were not weighted, the benefit assessment would have failed by 18 votes — 876 to 858. Gitlin said he is opposed to the assessment because he believes Del Norte residents are already over-taxed. “The public cannot be absorbing all these taxes and fees…you keep doing that, and the public is beleaguered,” said Gitlin.
Federal government looking at unprecedented fire season By DAVID RUPKALVIS The Triplicate
As much of the nation prepares for what could be a disastrous fire season, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden is urging local residents to be watchdogs in an effort to protect communities for major blazes. During a conference call with the media Saturday, Wyden said people in neighborhoods across Oregon and the western part of the nation could stop the biggest threats before they start. “Folks that are out in the community, when they see any signs like dropped matches, burns in their neighborhoods, the really important thing for people to do is not take but a minute and call the local fire officials. What the public can say is we can be the watchdogs over some of these threats.” Wyden said it important for every person to play a role this year, saying he expects the fire season to be unprecedented. Because of the threat, Wyden has been working closely with the Biden administration, the U.S. Forest Service and others to come up with a plan to handle
the potential of a fire season no one has seen before. “For several weeks, I have been working very closely with the White House and the Forest Service to make sure they are prepared to deal with the unprecedented fire season in the west,” Wyden said. “Specifically, the danger of multiple big fires, infernos, taking place simultaneously across the western states. The fires are going to stress local, state and federal resources to the breaking point unless we are prepared. Millions of westerners this morning are collectively holding their breath about the prospect of one of these infernos ripping through their town.” Wyden said after his continued discussions in D.C., he expects announcements to be made this week outlining federal plans for the fire season. “I expect the Biden administration will have more to say publicly about this threat, this grave threat, in the next few days,” Wyden said. “I’ve been raising this in public hearings and private conversations every Please see FIRE SEASON, Page A9
Contributed Photo
Fire seaon is starting early this year, making it important for each person to take precations to keep our state safe.
July 4th Independence Day will have a HIGH TIDE of 6.5 feet at 9 p.m. This is important to know as the beach area along Howe Drive will be covered under water at this time. Any items put on the sand earlier in the day will be underwater. There will be no sandy beaches to sit on to watch the 4th of July Independence Day Fireworks Display, important to stay above the high water mark during this time, or on the levee of Howe Drive.
The Fred Endert Municipal Pool in Crescent City is slated for a full reopening on July 5, and thanks to a sponsorship from the Del Norte Health Care District, they will also offer free group swimming lessons later in the month. Michael Young, board member of the health care district, broke the news about the free lessons during a city council meeting last Friday. He said the program will begin as a oneyear trial. “Hopefully this thing is successful enough that we can continue on longer than this year,” said Young. Holly Wendt, recreation director, said she was going to start promoting the program as soon as the meeting ended. The free lessons can begin July 19. “I’m going to be going on the radio to promote...we’ll be getting it out on the internet,” said Wendt. “We are so excited to start letting people know.” Mayor Pro Tem Blake Inscore was grateful for the health district’s partnership. He said this program could result in positive health impacts for residents. The council voted unanimously to accept the sponsorship. The full reopening comes as California dropped most of its COVID-19 restrictions on June 15, including restrictions that limited community pools. For those not using the free group swim lessons, there will be a different fee schedule this season, which includes decreases in price for youth passes, and increases for adults. Additionally, sale prices on yearly passes will be discontinued this year. The updated fee schedule, with the price changes, is below. DAILY FEES: Youth (7-17) $5.00-$4.00 Senior (64+) $5.00 $5.00 Adult (18-63) $5.50 $6.00 10-PUNCH PASS: Youth 10 Visit Pass $ 40.00 $ 36.00 $ (4.00) Senior 10 Visit Pass $ 40.00 $ 45.00 $5.00 Adult 10 Visit Pass $ 45.00 $ 54.00 $9.00 (New) MONTHLY PASS: (7-17) $ 40.00 Adult (18-63) $ 60.00 Senior (64+) $ 50.00 Family $120.00 ANNUAL PASS: Youth (7-17) $ 450.00 $ 360.00 $ (90.00) Adult (18-63) $ 525.00 $ 540.00 $ 15.00 Senior (64+) $ 450.00 $ 450.00 -Family $ 1,020.00 $ 1,080.00 $ 60.00
INDEX Crossword................................................A3 Crossword Answers..................................A7 Classifieds................................................A5
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