Capdiamont’s Weblog

Told you so. So again, what’s the point of not realigning Richardson Grove? The Heraldo group idea of opposing the realignment of Richardson Grove to keep out STAA trucks to prevent Big Box Stores such as Home Depot, is no longer applicable. Besides the Big Box Stores can afford to do reloads.

Caltrans announced recently that restrictions on larger, industry-standard sized trucks have been lifted on U.S. Route 101 in Del Norte and northern Humboldt counties.

These trucks, referred to as STAA trucks, were previously prohibited on U.S. Route 101 south of Anchor Way in Crescent City due to a tight curve near Big Lagoon. A recent project widened this curve and STAA trucks are now allowed on Route 101 as far south as Benbow in southern Humboldt County.

One STAA pinch point remains in District 1 (Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, and Lake counties) at Richardson Grove in southern Humboldt County. A draft environmental document is currently being prepared for the Richardson Grove Improvement Project, a project to slightly modify the current alignment to allow STAA truck access. The draft environmental document is anticipated to be complete in October 2008. Once this pinch point is eliminated, all of Route 101 in District 1 will be open to STAA trucks.

Seems as though Humboldt Bay Watch is being ran by Mike Buettner. He is promoting it.

Old Mike has it in for the railroad. He won’t tell why. Is he being paid to stop the railroad? He has only been in the area, according to a comment he left on a local blog for seven years.

So let’s take a look at things. 1st he complains the railroad will never be viable, should not be in public hands. It should be dead or funded by private enterprise. Now comes along private enterprise, willing to fund it, looking like it will go in to private hands, or managed that way. Now he is in a panic, willing to do anything to stop the railroad, our local railroad.

That is the real truth, willing to do anything to stop the railroad. The truth is he move in to the area, and likes the small town stuff. Being a parks employee, why not. So, when I said in the past that he doesn’t want the railroad, he said that was a mischaracterization. Same thing with calling him and other trail advocates no growth. Looks like I’m right, with both.

This writer is incorrect, NCRA hasn’t forfeited any right of way by non use. The line has to go through THE STB in order to abandon (including rail banking/rails to trails) or discontinuance.

By Kurt Kernen
Published: May 17 2008, 11:46 PM
Category: Opinion
Topic: Letter to the editor

Dear Editor,

The recent article on the Annie and Mary Rail Trail leaves us to ponder what John Murray has planned for the landowners along the railroad right of way. He states that “the NCRA has the right of way for railroad purposes only.” This is correct, and across some parcels the NCRA has forfeited its easements through non-use. Murray continues by adding, “Through rail banking, the NCRA would temporarily abandon the railroad.” This action could allow the railroad to be used for other purposes and Murray adds, “By rail banking you give the locals the ability to make that choice.” It sounds as if Murray is trying to clear the way for eminent domain to be used to procure a trail easement without actually saying those words.

Chris Neary’s focus on determining what interest the NCRA has in the railroad right of way should be helpful. What we do know is across much of the Annie and Mary Railroad right of way, the NCRA has no legal rights to build a trail.

Kurt Kernen

Arcata

Some points here. It is unclear if the this part of the railroad was abandoned. NCRA says no it wasn’t. This part of the railroad was bought under different money, and thus can be rail banked, the rest can’t.

By CERENA JOHNSON, The Eureka Reporter
Published: May 14 2008, 11:44 PM
Category: Local News

Residents are continuing to work toward establishment of a trail connecting the Blue Lake area with the northern end of Arcata.

The Arcata and Mad River Railroad Trail, or Annie and Mary Rail Trail, was the topic of a presentation at the North Coast Railroad Authority board of directors meeting at the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors’ chamber Wednesday.

The proposed Annie and Mary Trail would run from West End Road to Blue Lake.

Currently, there are no rails remaining in the area, only a number of wooden trestles.

John Murray, a member of Friends of the Annie and Mary Rail Trail, said the NCRA does not have a right to enter into an agreement with the city of Blue Lake to put in the trail, as the NCRA has the right-of-way for railroad purposes only.

Through rail banking, he said, the NCRA would abandon the railroad.

The railroad could be utilized for other purposes, also providing the NCRA with the ability bring the railroad back in the future.

“By rail banking, you give the locals the ability to make that choice,” Murray said.

Rail banking would require a manager to act as a holding company, with the right-of-way turned over to the manager, Murray said.

Murray proposed the NCRA temporarily act as the manager.

NCRA Director John Woolley said a previous board had already taken action on the matter.

While many expressed support for exploring the concept, some directors were concerned with the idea of the NCRA serving as manager of the line.

“I am extremely supportive of this,” said Director Tom MacDonald, but said he was concerned about NCRA acting as manager, and said Friends of Annie and Mary likely need an action as they are trying to raise funds.

Director Bernie Meyers said rail banking would be like putting the right-of-way into trust.

“We aren’t abandoning the line,” he said.

Legal Counsel Chris Neary said it is important to get a definition of exactly what interest the NCRA has in the property.

Staff will be working on bringing back an agenda item for action on the issue by July or August.

“We need their blessing,” Murray told The Eureka Reporter. Having a trail, he said, is a “quality of life issue.”

Jennifer Savage
Eye Scene Editor

ARCATA – While government meeting attendees continue to rail about train vs. trail, Arcata’s Public Works Director Doby Class has quietly made an inroad towards one chunk of tracks co-existing with a multi-use path.

“What we’re talking about is trail with rail,” Class emphasized. He’s walked the proposed line – from the south end of South G Street to the Skate Park – with North Coast Railroad Authority representative John Woolley to determine where the width is adequate to maintain a minimal separation from the tracks. In the areas where a trail cannot run alongside the rail, the solution is what Class called a “rail bed” concept. “We’d clear the vegetation, lay down some filter fabric, put in a pervious walking surface, crushed rock, then a nice finish,” he explained.

The goal is to find an interim solution, Class continued, and enter into a working relationship with the NCRA.
When the rail comes back

“When the rail comes back,” Class finished, the City will remove the rail bed, returning the tracks to their original purpose.

Woolley cautioned against early enthusiasm, however. “[The idea] hasn’t gone through any process yet,” he said. “There’s still some interest to have the rail extend into Arcata.” Although he couldn’t speak on behalf of the NCRA, he offered qualified support “as one individual supervisor.” The project “looks like a concept that may have validity,” he said. “When the rail would come back, there’s some alternate ways to move the trail.”

‘Screaming to happen’

Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District Commissioner Mike Wilson, elected to the Bay District largely on a trail platform, commended City staff for moving the project forward, especially in regards to the citizenry’s strong support for more trails linking Arcata and the greater Humboldt Bay region. “It’s been screaming to happen for a long time,” he said. And it will, “so long as NCRA can finally get on board with what the community’s been asking for.”

Coastal trail connection

Because this piece would be considered part of the California Coastal Trail, Class said, multiple agencies will likely be involved and hope for funding exists through the Coastal Conservancy. The California Coastal Trail is an imagined 1,200-mile trail stretching from Mexico to Oregon (more information at californiacoastaltrail.info).

Community members may comment on the proposed trail at the next NCRA meeting, Wednesday, May 14 at 10 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers, 825 Fifth St., Room 111, Eureka.

“It should be a really interesting meeting,” Class said.

A good friend of mine called up wished me “happy train day” on Saturday. It was a pretty good day. THA has opened up for train/speeder use from Samoa to the 1st crossing in Manila.

There is a little bit of briers, and ivy. But the hard stuff is done.

I’m up in Portland, Or. On a business trip.

I like looking out the window while flying. I know the route ok, having flown it a few times, and driving it more. It stuck me though, I know the route more from the scars we have placed upon the land more than the land shapes.

It is a bit humorous flying out of Eureka. When they called for people to board the plane, they called MVP, handicapped, and 1st class. After a little pause, they called for rows up to ten, then without pausing eleven to nineteen. I turned to my boss, and said, in other words, everybody. There is only twenty rows in the whole plane, and four seats across. Row twenty was for the flight attendants. I had seat “E”. I want to know where those with “C” seat sit, underneath, on top, with luggage, or in the wheel wells. There isn’t that many places you can fit people.

I’m happy though we each have our own room at the Holiday Inn Express at the Portland International Airport, free WiFi, and my room overlooks some busy freight tracks.

I decided to go visit the Zoo, via the Light Rail. I asked the Hotel shuttle driver, how often the trains run. He seen to avoid it at first, talking about the Light Rail, until I said I liked railroads. He said I was the first person that was happy the room was near the freight tracks. Told him I hadn’t been to the airport here in over ten years, when I went in to MEPS going in to the station. The MEPS was by the Rose Garden stadium, now by the airport.

I got a adult all day, all zone pass for $4.25. Full freedom of movement, no worries, frequent service. I even saw a bicycle hanging up on a hook, when I entered. This is the red line. Partway, the train changed to being a blue line. Didn’t matter, it all goes to Washington park, and thus to the Zoo.

It’s a nice Zoo, nice exhibits, and nice ride on train. I got lots of pictures of the large kitties for my wife. If she could, she would own one. She is the type that most animals like her. Back in Arizona we even got to hand feed a few tigers.

On the way back, I decided to stop at the downtown Mall Station, and eat. I love waterfalls, and their food court had a nice one.

From there I was tired and just wanted to crash. I noticed an old Union Pacific symbol on the bridge cars, and the light rail uses to cross. We were stopped at NE 82^nd ave station, police removing a person from a train up at the next station named “Gateway” on the way back to the hotel.

I was a bit disappointed, the few times I realized there was a train, while I was in my room, I didn’t get to the window in time to see the locomotive. I slept through any trains during the night.

I’ll post photos sometime later.

Two bags, that was the limit of rice Costco allowed us and normal members. If you have bought large amounts of rice before, they allow more, but you have to check with the manager to find out how much you can buy.

The food crisis opinion in today’s ER.

The food crisis from a LDS view point.

Cash & Carry won’t sell rice to anyone but businesses that sell food. Used to be anyone could go there and pick some up.

This is a staple of many of the world’s people. My wife figured out that she maybe allergic to wheat. The testing is too expensive to do right now, but by doing a substitution diet, she is doing better. One problem, was she couldn’t eat fresh fruit because her throat and ears would itch. By getting rid of the wheat, she is able to eat fresh fruit. A doctor said that Northern European ancestry are largely allergic to wheat. Many, many things have wheat in them, soups, taco seasonings, etc. So, rice is more important in our lives.

One thing is nice, is Ed the owner of the Samurai in Eureka will make wheat free dishes if you him at least 24 hours notice. The is a great guy, and friend of the family.

Thinking of growing rice. Not sure how successful we will be.

Another sad day for Humboldt County.

By NATHAN RUSHTON, The Eureka Reporter
Published: May 5 2008, 8:45 PM
Category: Local News
Topic: Community

Longtime timber rancher Rogan Coombs, who made a living from and left his mark on the North Coast timber industry, died Sunday night at St. Joseph Hospital from a heart attack.

Coombs, 72, of Ferndale, had been hospitalized for heart problems since April 26, according to St. Joseph Hospital.

Gerald Garvey, a friend and forestry manager for Redwood Empire Sawmills, said he first met Coombs in the 1970s when he was a client for the Eureka-based consulting firm Natural Resources Management.

“He is from the old school,” Garvey said of Coombs.

As part of a West Coast timber dynasty that spanned four generations, Coombs was featured as a “legendary logger” by the California Forest Products Commission in 1999:

“When Rogan Coombs speaks, his voice sounds like a thousand ball bearings thrown into a grinder. Hard work, hard play and the kicked habit of smoking 100 cigars a week have lent a smoky rasp to his richly booming voice. But there’s no mistaking the sound of pride in that voice when he discusses his family history.”

Originally from Maine, Coombs’ great-grandfather, Silas Coombs, settled in the Mendocino County area after making the trek to the North Coast during the Gold Rush era.

Silas struck it rich from California’s plentiful virgin timber stands and amassed his wealth through the operation of three sawmills.

Friend and forester Rich Munoz helps manage Coombs’ 12,000 acres of timberlands that straddle southern Humboldt and northern Mendocino counties.

“He was an intelligent businessman,” Munoz said. “He made good decisions and people liked him.”

Coombs worked in the timber industry throughout the state in a career that spanned many decades and included working with his father Mal at his sawmill in Piercy in the 1950s through the 1970s, when Coombs went into business for himself.

Along with the McMillan family, Coombs also helped develop the Arcata-area Woodland Heights subdivision.

Munoz said it was Coombs’ lifelong dream to see a timber history attraction on his property and supported the local timber heritage preservation efforts of Humboldt County’s Timber Heritage Association and a similar volunteer group in Mendocino County.

Chris Baldo, president of Roots of Motive Power located in Willits, said Coombs was the largest financial donor to his group, which began documenting and preserving timber industry history in the region in 1982.

Coombs donated several pieces of equipment, including two gas-powered railroad speeder cars — one from the Pacific Lumber Co. and the other from the Long Bell Lumber Co. — that were used to haul timber crews.

Baldo said Coombs had a longtime interest in timber history that started back in his college days when he attended Oregon State University during the 1950s, when there were still steam engine logging operations.

“He paid for some pretty astounding restoration projects,” Baldo said.

Among those were the restoration of two 14-foot-tall wooden wheels for horse-drawn timber equipment and a “straddle buggy” used to transport lumber at the Coombs Lumber Co. in Piercy.

And when the Pacific Lumber Co. shut down its railroad in Scotia, Baldo said Coombs obtained the Train Master’s Office and paid carpenters to restore it back to its former glory.

“Nobody else would have taken the initiative,” Baldo said.

A: Don’t know. So far my friend, close to the Caltrans yard in Eureka, has had three so far, another will come out on the 6th of May.

The modem is currently “offline” until that time. The cable was put in brand new when receiving the service, and still looks new. The modem has been replaced. After the tech’s come out, it works for a little bit, then quits. It worked great with COX as the cable company. The person on the phone yesterday at their tech support told me it was probably something outside of the house, low signal or something. She said it could vary by time of day, weather, or a whole host of problems. Time of day? The closeness to the Suddenlink facility should be a strong signal 24/7. Weather? I’d expect that from my satellite TV, though Dish Network is hardly out at all, including during bad weather. Suddenlink TV goes out more often at my parents, than my satellite. So…. how does weather affect Suddenlink internet? The real reason is probably they went too cheap with equipment, in Humboldt, or not allowed to replace faulty equipment without it totally failing. Gotta increase those profits.

Our advice to her… get Yahoo DSL. Then it was over coming, that DSL goes through  the  telephone lines, but doesn’t tie up the telephone line, like a modem will. We would if we weren’t five hundred feet short. Grumble.