A night out Police, sheriff’s deputies, others meet and greet the public during National Night Out.
More on this, Page A10
445 Elk Valley Road, Crescent City, CA 95531 we will be closed for at least 2 weeks due to construction.
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2023
Crescent City, CA
What’s next? Homelessness poses complex problem BY ROGER GITLIN The Triplicate
Last month’s Triplicate article on the horrific conditions lurking behind the massive greenbelt off Elk Valley Road and South Bend dirt road, drew a fair amount of comment. How best does Del Norte County address the human tragedy ongoing within the Swamp and countless other areas in Del Norte County. Trees grow thick and tall, concealing the sobering existence of humans living in Third World conditions. Intolerable, incredibly unhealthy sanitary conditions, wanton drug/alcohol abuse and emboldened criminality fester and worsen, daily. The Swamp was not created overnight and candidly won’t disappear expediently, despite a massive amount of capital infusion.
California has spent $17.5 billion over the last four years to fight homelessness. The problem has worsened. This statement was the title of a July 11, CNN report. According to a recent CNN poll, 84 percent of Californians believe the homeless issue is the most pressing dilemma in the state. California spent billions trying to combat homelessness over the last four years, but in that same time frame 2018-22, the state’s homeless population substantially grew. Federal data shows half of Americans living on the streets (or in the bushes in Del Norte County) live in the Golden State. According to the governor’s office, 170,000 live in California, hundreds live in and around Crescent City. Jason Elliott is the senior Please see HOMELESS, Page A3
Photo by Roger Gitlin/The Triplicate
The Swamp, behind the trees north of Elk Valley Road, has been overrun by the homeless.
Harbor acknowledges arbitrators’ decision; asks for installment payments BY ROGER GITLIN The Triplicate
The Crescent City Harbor District (CCHD) voted unanimously to instruct its attorneys to negotiate installment payments to Fashion Blacksmith after the tenant prevailed in an arbitration hearing. On April 20, the arbitration panel issued an interim award to Fashion Blacksmith in the amount of $1,298,545 with stipulations the award could be increased if the Harbor does not repair the Fashion building by September 30, and dredge under the syncrolift by October 31. On June 5, the panel issued a final award wherein the panel granted Fashion Blacksmith $134,927 in costs, and attorneys’ fees in the amount of $418,925, with interest on the entire award accruing at seven percent, annually. On June 13, Fashion Blacksmith filed a petition to confirm the decision in the Superior Court. The Superior Court decision is pending. The harbor district has declared it may not have adequate financial resources to fully cover the potential expenses of any judgment against the district. CCHD claimed a balance of $609,712.44 as of August 1. The harbor seeks court relief to pay the judgment, plus interest in up to 10 equal annual installments, per Government Code 970.6. The harbor claims an unreasonable hardship would result unless an installment arrangement can be negotiated with Fashion. The anticipated total judgment exceeds $1.8 million. Liability insurance is insufficient to cover the debt. The resolution passed 4-0, with Commissioner Gerhardt Weber absent from the meeting.
Contributed photo
Members of the Crescent City City Council and the Measure S Committee take part in the beginning of the construction for the next stretch of Front Street.
City breaks ground on Phase Two of Front Street renaissance tinue the implementation of the Front Street Master Plan vision. City Manager Eric Wier shared Phase Two details of this renaissance. Wier stated the project will cover road improvements
BY ROGER GITLIN The Triplicate
Phase Two of the Front St reconstruction officially began Monday. The project will con-
The Triplicate
The two-decade odyssey of 200 A St. is finally culminating in a happy ending. The long standing, decrepit eyesore and magnet for criminal activity is, alas, a 1.25 acre vacant lot. Before any conjecture on what may situate on this iconic ocean-front property, there’re a few details which must be worked out. Here’s the summary of what’s happened and what may occur in the coming weeks: After years of failed efforts to remediate this neglected property, the city declared the property a public nuisance and took the current owner Lawnchair Investments, LLC and principal owner Julia Yim to court. The
Phone Number: 707-460-6727 A2
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Contributed photo
The property at 200 A Street has been removed with the next steps still up in the air.
• Address: 445 Elk Valley Road, Crescent City, CA 95531 • Email: Circulation@CountryMedia.net Latest news can be found online at:
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Classifieds
Please see STREET, Page A2
BY ROGER GITLIN
INDEX Opinion
• Reducing traffic from four to two lanes. • Installing decorative LED streetlights.
What’s up next for 200 A Street?
Please see NEXT, Page A4
Community Calendar
for three blocks of Front from G Street to Play Street and address the following: • Roadbed reconstruction, removal of unsuitable soils including buried logs.
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