NEWS ARTICLE ARCHIVE — in chronological order, with pagination below
-
More and more clients use Food Bank in hard times
Ever wonder what happens to that carton of eggs in the grocery store with the one cracked egg in it? Many end up at the Fort Bragg Food Bank, where Marie Rusert sorts out the good from the bad and repacks them into the half cartons the Food Bank gives away. Despite celebrating her 94th…
Read More » -
10 locals chosen for MLPAI panel
For the first time, Native Americans will have a major presence in the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative (MLPAI) process. Following criticism that tribal interests were overlooked in other California coastal regions, the newly appointed North Coast Regional Stakeholders Group (NCRSG) includes seven Native Americans on a 31-member panel. Annelore Reisewitz, a MLPAI spokeswoman, said…
Read More » -
New maps suggest MLPAI ocean closures
Eight maps proposing connected marine protected areas in the ocean off Northern California have been submitted by community groups in Mendocino and Humboldt counties. Mendocino County groups submitted six of those eight plans. A total of 18 groups had expressed an interest in submitting an array, but 10 did not do so by the Feb.…
Read More » -
MLPAI meeting features maps, data, controversy
Four groups of locals are putting finishing touches on ocean maps that create new areas to restrict fishing but so far exclude most of the Mendocino and Fort Bragg area. But it”s just a start, actually not even yet the official start of the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative (MLPAI) process. As the extensive “external”…
Read More » -
Food Bank clients often give to pets before selves
One afternoon I helped referee a typical drama in our parking lot next to the Fort Bragg Food Bank. A fat Labrador puppy, who had tried his best to obey his master”s very firm “stay,” instead leaned too far out of the pickup to bark at the two dogs in the next car over and…
Read More » -
Christmas need, giving spirit both on the rise at Food Bank
For many an indulgent year, Christmas was a thrilling family holiday for opening gifts, stuffing ourselves and watching sports. The last three years of immersing myself with the clients and volunteers at the Fort Bragg Food Bank has changed my thinking. The example of giving people who have almost no worldly possessions, helped spur me…
Read More » -
Food Bank staff never slows down despite flu, workload
I confess I tested the mettle of Amanda Friscia, the Fort Bragg Food Bank”s new front desk person, by asking her questions while she worked. She steadily checked in a constant barrage of clients, while typing, smiling and engaging in the interview with me. “I love busy. This job is multi-tasking to the max,” she…
Read More » -
FBHS ranks high in U.S News survey
Solid learning by minority students at Fort Bragg and Anderson Valley high schools helped boost both into the top tier of a nationwide school survey. Fort Bragg and Anderson Valley earned Silver Medal status in a U.S. News World and Report nationwide survey. The survey, while good news locally, brought terrible Christmas tidings to California…
Read More » -
Blue whale strike results in reform, not punishment, for Fugro Pelagos
The California State Lands Commission last week found its own regulations designed to protect marine mammals so inconsistent and confusing as to be unenforceable. That was good news for Fugro Pelagos, owner of the 176-foot survey vessel Pacific Star that reported it fatally struck a female blue whale on Oct. 19. “On behalf of all…
Read More » -
First MLPA maps energize crowd
Mendocino High students and their teacher brewed up more than hour”s worth of vigorous discussion at Monday”s meeting of MOCA (Mendocino Ocean Community Alliance). Robert Jamgochian”s SONAR SEA class energized the two-hour meeting by showing off the first map of how the Mendocino Coast might look with newly closed and fishing-restricted areas. Cooperating with a…
Read More » -
Season of Sharing: Jones reflects on years with Food Bank
Jean Jones played many roles in her 14 years at the Fort Bragg Food Bank. She was executive director, on the board of directors, a client, a volunteer — and everything else. She retired due to health reasons this fall. “I miss the staff, the volunteers, but especially the clients. I love them all and…
Read More » -
Fugro may lose permit over whale strike
The owner of the ship that struck and killed a blue whale off Fort Bragg on Oct. 19 faces revocation of its permit by the California State Lands Commission at its meeting this week. “Fugro Pelagos, Inc. has violated provisions of its Offshore Geophysical Survey Permit by conducting geophysical surveys without a National Oceanic and…
Read More » -
Season of Sharing: Donors give til it hurts, but it doesn”t
Nobody had time for interviews at the Food Bank last week. Always wildly busy, this was the most frenetic Thanksgiving ever, and the flu had robbed the Food Bank of badly needed hands. Volunteer John Teller pushed carts bulging with groceries given away in the giant baskets of fresh foods. Volunteer Charles Unser wanted to…
Read More » -
Season of Sharing: Donors give til it hurts, but it doesn”t
Nobody had time for interviews at the Food Bank last week. Always wildly busy, this was the most frenetic Thanksgiving ever, and the flu had robbed the Food Bank of badly needed hands. Volunteer John Teller pushed carts bulging with groceries given away in the giant baskets of fresh foods. Volunteer Charles Unser wanted to…
Read More » -
Food Bank teaches reporter, clients to eat better
Seeing the cornucopia spread out in front of me, my friend Suellen Elm-McGrath was surprised this haul came from one visit to the Fort Bragg Food Bank. “You have to tell me the secret time to go to the Food Bank to score the really good stuff,” she joked. But myself and Food Bank volunteer…
Read More » -
Whale strike may revive state efforts
California”s regulatory system, designed to protect whales from science vessels will get some rethinking, following controversy over the Oct. 19 death of a blue whale off Fort Bragg, a state official said. The incident has highlighted an inconsistent and controversial regulatory system for which change was blocked by funding cuts due to the state budget…
Read More » -
Whale strike may revive state efforts
California”s regulatory system, designed to protect whales from science vessels will get some rethinking, following controversy over the Oct. 19 death of a blue whale off Fort Bragg, a state official said. The incident has highlighted an inconsistent and controversial regulatory system for which change was blocked by funding cuts due to the state budget…
Read More » -
Whale strike may revive state efforts
California”s regulatory system, designed to protect whales from science vessels will get some rethinking, following controversy over the Oct. 19 death of a blue whale off Fort Bragg, a state official said. The incident has highlighted an inconsistent and controversial regulatory system for which change was blocked by funding cuts due to the state budget…
Read More » -
Food Bank teaches reporter, clients to eat better
Seeing the cornucopia spread out in front of me, my friend Suellen Elm-McGrath was surprised this haul came from one visit to the Fort Bragg Food Bank. “You have to tell me the secret time to go to the Food Bank to score the really good stuff,” she joked. But myself and Food Bank volunteer…
Read More » -
Food Bank gives window to worlds of disability
My tales about people I meet at the Fort Bragg Food Bank could consist only of loving great-grandmothers, small business people who can”t quite make ends meet and wholesome families struggling with low wages, unemployment and foreclosure. Sad and inspiring stories are abundant. Or, the portrait could be of lifelong homeless, the occasional free loader…
Read More »