Join us for a 12-hour food drive Friday, 6am to 6pm, in Redding or Chico. Help stuff a RABA or B-Line bus at Les Schwab with food donations! LIVE UPDATESHumboldt County man arrested for alleged sexual assault and trafficking of a minorby Ashley Harting — The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of Jarred Vaughan following an investigation into allegations of sexual assault against a minor The investigation began in late April 2025 after authorities were alerted to the alleged ongoing assault at an undisclosed location on Indianola Reservation Road The Sheriff's Office said that the Major Crimes Division conducted an extensive investigation which led to the establishment of sufficient probable cause to obtain a Ramey Warrant for Vaughan's arrest and Humboldt County Child Welfare Services Evidence related to the alleged assault was collected at the scene Vaughan was subsequently booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on multiple charges unlawful sex with a minor more than three years younger oral copulation by force or fear of a minor who is 14 or older The Sheriff's Office extended special appreciation to the Multi-Disciplinary Forensic Interview team at C.A.S.T. advocates with North Coast Rape Crisis and Victim/Witness and social workers with Child Welfare Services for their "professionalism and collaboration during the investigation" Authorities are urging anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity to contact the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539 « Sheriff’s Office Warns Swimmers of ‘Serious Dangers’ in Fast-Moving Rivers TODAY IN SUPES: Humboldt County’s General Fund Balance is Expected to Dry Up in Two Years Due to Ongoing Deficits » You may have already seen their trucks out and about today Please give them a bit of grace as they work out their new routes and schedules Please see the post from the company below Republic will be picking up their blue trash cans from your home and Rakk Solid will be delivering new ones the week of May 12th you can continue to use it until Republic picks it up If your trash day arrives and you do not have a can from either company you can leave your trash in trash bags at the end of the driveway on your normal pickup day For more local news, click here « OBITUARY: Arlene Rose Muller Mock, 1944-2025 THE ECONEWS REPORT: New Timber Harvest Plan for Jackson State Forest » Shawn Leon is a Humboldt County resident and a Cal Poly Humboldt graduate You like history? Consider a subscription to the Humboldt Historian, a journal of the Humboldt County Historical Society. The Humboldt County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization devoted to archiving, preserving and sharing Humboldt County’s rich history. You can become a member and receive a year’s worth of new issues of The Humboldt Historian at this link It’s a beautiful reprieve from a morose and dark winter But which of these from this (far-from-exhaustive and incomplete) list is your own « Loleta Man Arrested on Several Charges of Sexual Assault of a Child HUMBOLDT HISTORY: Who Shot David Kendall? 140 Years Later, the Event That Sparked the Chinese Expulsion is Still Shrouded in Mystery » The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Arlene Mock’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here « HUMBOLDT HISTORY: Who Shot David Kendall? 140 Years Later, the Event That Sparked the Chinese Expulsion is Still Shrouded in Mystery (PHOTOS) ‘No Kings, No Oligarchs’ Protest at the Courthouse Draws Hundreds » Hare Creek at Bunker Gulch, in Jackson State Demonstration Forest. Photo: Peter J. Mello <admin＠petermello.net>, CC BY-SA 2.0, Link The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has made the difficult decision to cease hatchery operations at the Mad River Fish Hatchery in Humboldt County A combination of increased regulatory burden and a lack of flexibility significant and necessary costly repairs and maintenance and low fish production and returns forced the decision to close the steelhead trout hatchery just east of Arcata the steelhead program is no longer viable,” said Jason Roberts Inland Fisheries Program Manager for CDFW’s Northern Region “The Mad River Fish Hatchery is no longer providing much if any conservation benefit to the species nor the intended recreation or sport fishing benefits in the Mad River The careful review of these resources indicated they could be better used elsewhere Our focus now is implementing a transition plan for employees repurposing the buildings and making sure the property remains open and accessible for the public to access the Mad River.” The Mad River Fish Hatchery has been beset by challenges for two decades The hatchery was able to reopen in 2005 due to community support but its operations have diminished over time as regulatory demands operational expenses and infrastructure maintenance needs have increased inland salmon and rainbow trout for recreational fishing and steelhead trout to support the native run within the Mad River itself all but the steelhead and trout programs have been phased out of hatchery operations the Mad River Fish Hatchery is CDFW’s smallest hatchery with three full-time employees a $730,000 annual budget and a maximum annual steelhead production goal capped by federal fish agencies at 150,000 fish CDFW’s Trinity River Hatchery by comparison which also operates a steelhead program to support species conservation and a destination sport fishery raises and releases about 450,000 steelhead and 4.6 million salmon annually CDFW estimates it would need another $1 million annually to continue Mad River Fish Hatchery operations at current levels and likely tens of millions of additional dollars to make needed repairs modernize the facility for the future and meet federal requirements The northern California steelhead found in the Mad River is a federally listed threatened species the federal government has considerable regulatory authority and oversight of Mad River Fish Hatchery operations including operational standards that cap production limits in multiple ways and require biological monitoring of impacts to wild populations Remaining steelhead in the hatchery will be released into the Mad River in the spring with hatchery operations expected to cease in June CDFW plans to maintain a presence at the hatchery facility repurposing the buildings into offices and continuing to use the workshop The property will continue to be open from sunrise to sunset to allow public access to the river The public’s current use of the premises to park and access fishing birding and swimming along the Mad River will remain The closure of Mad River Fish Hatchery operations will not impact the local stocking of rainbow trout in inland waters for recreational fishing in Humboldt County Apart from Mad River, CDFW operates 20 other hatcheries across the state producing millions of fish for conservation and recreation every year. For more information about California’s hatcheries, head to CDFW Fish Hatcheries web page Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Crisp Lounge Tougher crowd when they’re medicated In February of 1993 the Fortuna Police Department contacted the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office to report the discovery of a woman’s partial human skull found on the beach near Trinidad Head a rocky structure found in California’s Trinidad Harbor The discovery was made by a man who turned the skeletal remains to the Fortuna Police Department A traditional DNA profile was developed from the skull and entered into both the California Missing Person DNA Database and National Unidentified Person DNA Index The DNA profile was also searched against profiles from both missing persons and other human remains in the Combined DNA Index System No match to a known individual was ever made and details of the case were entered into NamUs as UP55274 the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) received funding from U.S which was to be used to clear a backlog of unidentified human remains cases the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office submitted evidence to Othram’s laboratory in The Woodlands Texas to determine if advanced DNA testing could help to identify the woman Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the skeletal evidence and used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown woman Othram’s in-house forensic genetic genealogy team then used this profile to conduct genetic genealogy research to provide new investigative leads to law enforcement including the possible identity of the woman whose partial skull was found in 1993 Investigators used this report to launch a follow-up investigation and locate a potential relative of the woman The California Department of Justice compared the potential relative’s DNA profile to the DNA profile developed from the skull which confirmed that the skull belonged to Kay Josephine Medin who was reported missing in August of 1987 reported to the Trinity County Sheriff’s office in that he had left on a business trip and when he returned home Kay’s purse and personal property were found at the residence was employed as a teacher at the Hyampom School Kay’s boss was contacted and reported that she had been in good spirits The Trinity County Sheriff’s Office listed Kay’s disappearance as suspicious the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) received a package in the US mail The package contained skeletal remains and an anonymous letter The letter gave directions leading to more human remains The directions lead to a location near Ammon Ridge Road in Eastern Humboldt County Humboldt County Sheriff’s Detectives responded to the location given in the letter and discovered additional human remains These remains were later identified as belonging to Kay Medin through a comparison of dental records While a death certificate was issued for Kay Medin in 1988 she remained listed as a missing person as there was not a complete body recovery This identification represents the 63rd case in the State of California where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othram the steelhead program is no longer viable,” said Jason Roberts Inland Fisheries Program Manager for CDFW’s Northern Region “The Mad River Fish Hatchery is no longer providing much if any conservation benefit to the species nor the intended recreation or sport fishing benefits in the Mad River repurposing the buildings and making sure the property remains open and accessible for the public to access the Mad River.” the Mad River Fish Hatchery is CDFW’s smallest hatchery with three full-time employees CDFW’s Trinity River Hatchery by comparison The public’s current use of the premises to park and access fishing Apart from Mad River, CDFW operates 20 other hatcheries across the state producing millions of fish for conservation and recreation every year. For more information about California’s hatcheries, head to CDFW Fish Hatcheries web page a selection committee reviews nominations and selects one faculty member and one student who has excelled in advancing sustainability on campus and in the community The 2025 award winners embody a spirit of innovation and leadership to create solutions to pressing challenges facing the campus and society the award winners were presented with trophies made by students Damien Campa and Daniel Reyes in the Swetman Makerspace Having lived throughout Latin America before coming to the U.S. focuses on advancing Latinx and Indigenous science and knowledge about foodways She serves on the board of the nonprofit MAPLE Chile which supports regenerative economies in Southern Chile and Uganda an autonomous Mapuche school for food sovereignty And she is creating an Abya Yala working group to support students interested in working and researching with Indigenous peoples outside of the United States Karley Rojas is a graduate student in the Environment & Community program the Native Plant Specialist for the Blue Lake Rancheria and a research associate for the Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty & Traditional Ecological Knowledge Institute Their work and scholarship support the resurgence of Indigenous agroecology Since becoming the coordinator for Orientation & New Student Programs Ash Hansen has integrated sustainability as a core aspect of orientation and tours to actively engage nearly all incoming freshmen and transfer students in sustainability concepts and practice and she has integrated a zero waste approach towards marketing material Hansen has also been a core member of the Sustainability Employee Educators Developing Solutions (SEEDS) program dedicating time to collaborating with campus partners who are passionate about advancing sustainable practices at the institutional level The Office of Sustainability sponsors the annual Sustainability Champion Awards. For more information on sustainability at Cal Poly Humboldt, visit the Office of Sustainability website.  « How Trump’s 100-Day Deluge of Executive Orders Put California on Defense in Court CASA of Humboldt Responds to National Funding Cuts: ‘We Remain Strong, Stable, and Committed to the Children We Serve’ » three local funeral homes abruptly ceased operations this month leaving Humboldt County residents with just two options for local funerary and cremation services.  The closure  — affecting Sanders Funeral Home and Humboldt Cremation & Funeral Service in Eureka and Paul’s Chapel in Arcata — came just four months after workers formed an independent union raising questions about whether the decision to shutter the facilities was driven solely by financial strain or influenced by tensions between the newly organized workers and out-of-state ownership the Pennsylvania-based businessman who co-owns the three shuttered businesses along with numerous other funeral homes and cemeteries across the country emphatically denied claims that the decision to close had anything to do with the Humboldt Funerary Union.  “We were just hemorrhaging money with no reasonable prospect of ever becoming profitable,” Saxton said adding that the businesses were losing between $20,000 and $30,000 per month those losses ticked up to $40,000 when several pieces of equipment broke at once but we also had to send our cremations to Ayers It was a disaster.  … We considered two or three proposals to reorganize staff but even those proposals didn’t have us breaking even We would have still had to reinvest money to see if it was going to work but there was really no path toward profitability.” opted to close all three funeral homes at once rather than consolidating operations Saxton said the facilities were all “run as one,” with most staff members working at all three locations “And they were all losing money,” he added which is often thousands — or even tens of thousands — of dollars cheaper than full-service ceremonies Data compiled in the National Funeral Directors Association’s “2024 Cremation & Burial Report” indicates that the U.S cremation rate is “expected to increase from 61.9 percent in 2024 to 82.1 percent” by 2045 “The rising number of cremations can be attributed to changing consumer preferences and environmental concerns,” the report states.  former funeral director at Sanders Funeral Home and provisional president of the Humboldt Funerary Union acknowledged the industry-wide shift toward cremation and shared Saxton’s concerns about the financial impact on local funeral homes but felt those issues could have been addressed by smarter business practices and consolidation Paul’s Chapel and Humboldt Cremation should close and that all of the business coming through there could be handled at Sanders … and offer competitive pricing in that model,” Baker told the Outpost “There were a lot of other ideas that were brought up over the years … but the employer just kept pushing back and telling us we have to change the general price lists … The costs of doing business have increased steadily over the years and we haven’t seen any increase in prices that would offset some of those additional costs.” Some of these issues were what inspired Baker and other employees to form a union in the first place.  People who enter the death care industry aren’t in it for the pay While salaries are generally dependent on experience and location Google searches and online forums indicate that the average pay for a funeral director is comparable to a teacher’s salary because it gave more meaning to his own existence and while I was working with AmeriCorps doing removals as a kind of side gig I had this renewed appreciation for my life,” he said removals refer to the process of moving a deceased person to a funeral home or other designated facility.) “Doing that work being around death and being around people grieving really helped me — gosh I’m getting sappy — appreciate the preciousness of life It felt really comfortable to me to be in those types of environments and to help people through those moments.” former lead of operations and apprentice embalmer at Sanders Funeral Home and provisional vice president of the Humboldt Funerary Union said her interest in the death care industry sparked when she was a teenager the only air conditioner in the house was in her parents’ bedroom where her mom had a collection of books about forensics that ignited an obsession “My parents were both at work during the summer so I’d hang out in that air-conditioned room — they didn’t have a TV in there — and read these books by Patricia Cornwell,” she said “The main character in the series is a medical examiner in Brockville and I just remember reading those books and being fascinated by the forensics and pathology — everything surrounding death investigation I’m gonna be the chief medical examiner at Quantico!’” she didn’t realize how much schooling would be involved She got into cosmetology after graduating from high school she found herself in a deep conversation with the embalmer for Paul’s Chapel and we had this hour-and-a-half conversation about all sorts of things learning how to talk to grieving families and helping with daily operations it’s about making that experience as peaceful as possible for the family.” One of the problems with the death care industry is the lack of support for the people in it Baker and Weshnak said they were driven to form a union to improve the “terms and conditions” of their employment including increased access to mental health benefits and better pay And there’s a significant mental health impact on the people that work in this field,” Weshnak said “I don’t think the benefits really aligned with the needs of the people that worked [at the funeral homes] … One specific thing we wanted to change was the pay structure for our removal staff It was very difficult to get people to stay because it’s not very enticing work we were hoping to have removal staff paid in a similar manner as coroner’s on-call.” While there are several trade associations representing funerary workers Baker didn’t want to join a union representing a variety of trades so he decided to create an independent union “We wanted to create something specific to us,” he said so we felt it would serve us better if it were independent versus having to put someone else in charge of our interests The other thing is the timeline.  We could be a lot more expeditious if we went independent rather than trying to affiliate and going through a whole process with an established entity.” One of the first steps in establishing a union is gauging support At least 30 percent of employees must sign the authorization cards before the proposal can be presented to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for consideration If more than 50 percent of employees sign authorization cards the employer can choose to recognize the union without an election through the NLRB.  Baker distributed the authorization cards and received signatures from a majority of employees He shared the news with the business owner during a staff meeting and sent an email to request formal recognition he was asked to join a conference call with upper management “It was veiled as a sort of strategic meeting around some changes in business practices,” Baker recalled “They said the businesses weren’t doing well and they were having to make some changes to avoid continued financial loss We felt that they were implying – or possibly threatening — layoffs or closure he just walked around and brought a friend over to look at the buildings.” Baker said he hadn’t met Saxton in the five years he worked for the three funeral homes Baker was informed that the company wasn’t going to voluntarily recognize the union meaning the proposal would have to go through the NLRB process.  ‘We know you think that you should be in the union but we think you shouldn’t.’ We’re just letting you know because that’s how we’re filing this petition,” Baker said “Then we went through this intense nine-hour hearing with the labor board in November and I was found to be eligible for union participation.” “And then the smear campaign began,” he added While employees waited for the NLRB to make a final decision someone began distributing flyers containing misinformation about the aspiring union The flyers alleged that Baker was attempting to fool employees and making false promises about the union Screenshot of one of the anti-union flyers “Aubree never said any of that,” Weshnak said “It’s very strange that these are the things they’re putting in there or that their [authorization] card signature was their vote the NLRB certified the Humboldt Funerary Union the union started meeting and distributing educational materials to members They started getting documents together for post-certification “That’s when the company said they were going to lay people off,” Baker said.  arguing that the company couldn’t fire anyone because it would go against “status quo,” the agreed-upon terms and conditions of employment “They can’t make any changes to our terms and conditions of employment without bargaining,” Baker said.  “They presented their concerns and reasoning for wanting to do layoffs certain financial goals they were trying to accomplish ‘Here’s some things that we will do and some other things you can try We project that if you do all these things it would essentially meet your goals.’ They said While union leaders weighed the pros and cons of standing their ground to “save as many jobs as possible,” the company started taking actions “to imply closure,” Baker said.  “They told all of us to stop ordering merchandise “We also heard from an employee at the cemetery that the funeral homes were closing That communication was not happening with the union and you’re acting like you’re closing.’ And they said Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act bars employers from threatening employees with adverse consequences it can be incredibly difficult to prove if a violation has occurred especially if the issues predate the union.  How could we fight a complex case like this?” Baker asked “The only last-ditch effort we had to save the company and everyone’s jobs was to relent on layoffs We made a counterproposal that would preserve the financials they said they were closing all three funeral homes.” I asked Baker and Weshnak if there was any indication that closure was imminent before unionization efforts started Baker said he was aware that the company “was not terribly successful,” noting that there was a long-time manager who “was not attending to the financials as carefully and aggressively as they should have.”  Saxton maintained that the closures have nothing to do with the union reiterating several times that the decision to shutter the businesses “was purely financial.” He said he wasn’t able to relay to the union just how bad the financial situation had gotten because of the “quiet period,” a term applied to companies in the process of going public During a “quiet period,” companies must restrict certain communications and public information to ensure investors have access to the same information at the same time.  “It means that you can’t share information that might look like you’re trying to put your thumb on the scale or intimidate people to vote in a certain way,” Saxton said just want to let you know we’re losing a lot of money.’ That’s not technically allowed My understanding — I’m not an expert —  is you can’t really tell them because it could influence the vote.” Saxton said he shared financials with the union he went over a few restructuring plans with the union but was met with resistance it was a Hail Mary to try to not lose money,” he said Employees were informed of the impending closure around the beginning of April the websites for all three funeral homes indicate business as usual A call to each business was answered by polite people working for an outsourced phone service company who confirmed that the businesses were not accepting new cases Asked whether the businesses and properties were for sale Saxton laughed at the question and asked if I had taken business classes or understood the value of a business.  “Would you buy something with perfect knowledge that into the future you would always lose money?” he asked We’ve listed the real estate at Paul’s for sale if somebody wants to buy it and put a funeral home in there I’m told that that’s not the highest and best use for that property and it’s going to probably end up being something else.” Saxton said he intends to sell Sanders as well though the property has yet to be listed.  The closure of the three funeral homes means Ayers Family Cremation and Goble’s Fortuna Mortuary will have to pick up the slack Baker and Weshnak spoke highly of their former competitors but worried that the sudden uptick in cases could overwhelm their facilities “We handled over 500 cases a year between the three businesses,” Baker said “Most of the death care in this community will have to be absorbed by the two other funeral homes Not to mention that Sanders Funeral Home has been in business for over 100 years It’s a huge loss to the community in terms of that legacy and all of the families that have used Sanders’ services over the years.” Saxton said he’s been in contact with the owners about the closures and said he would be willing to help with transferring cases during the transition.  told the Outpost that his staff is preparing for a larger call volume and plans to expand some of their services to meet local demand Ayers will take over some of the burial services that were previously provided by Paul’s Chapel “My understanding is that those three facilities [handle] less than 50 percent of local business … It’ll be a substantial number of calls for us to take on but not so much to overwhelm the two remaining mortuaries.” is concerns about prearrangements with the shuttered businesses People who’ve prepaid for funeral or cremation services can have their arrangements easily moved to Ayers of Goble’s.  “We’re really getting the brunt of this frustration,” he said It doesn’t disappear with the closure of a funeral home The Outpost also contacted the Humboldt County Coroner’s Office about anticipated impacts associated with the closure Sergeant Brandon Head said it’s difficult to determine the scale of the impact because the coroner’s office doesn’t keep tabs on each funeral home’s case volume storage capacity or total cremation numbers.  he said the coroner’s division would be willing to “help out where possible if decedents need to stay in storage longer than usual.” In 2024 his office conducted 350 death investigations nearly 200 of which were determined to be natural causes Another 400 deaths were reported to the coroner’s division in 2024 “The severity of impact will depend on how the remaining companies adapt to the change and handle a likely increase in case load,” he wrote via email “The remaining mortuaries offer a variety of services I would hope the community still has access to what they need It may just take a little longer to put their loved one to rest.” The closure of the three facilities has hit Baker particularly hard but he also lost his on-site housing at the funeral home “I’ve lived there for over a year,” he said noting that it’s common practice for funeral directors to live on-site to accommodate families in distress at any hour but my personal financial situation is such that I may have to file for bankruptcy because of the sudden loss of income Baker and Weshnak both expressed concerns about job prospects given that they work in such a niche industry but they’re all specific trades,” she said but it seems everyone I talk to is getting laid off from their jobs right now There’s a lot of people looking for work and not enough jobs.” Neither Baker and Weshnak could say what’s next for their careers but their dream is to open a new local death care facility that would offer alternative services and green burial practices including green burials and human composting “That would be a huge benefit to our community,” Weshnak said “We have all of these experienced death care professionals that work in death care for a reason The national event recognizing outstanding environmental storytelling by college students a project of the George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs "It felt great to be recognized," she said "Making that video was deeply personal—it reflects two years of work and a community I care about Representing Cal Poly Humboldt in a national competition was really special." Sideris investigates the devastating impact of a 2014 Pacific Ocean heatwave combined with a widespread disease affecting sunflower sea stars decimated kelp forests along the West Coast purple sea urchin populations exploded by over 10,000% creating a cascading threat to kelp ecosystems and the marine life that depend on them Sideris delves into the urgent mission to restore California’s disappearing kelp forests highlighting both the environmental crisis and the creative solutions Cal Poly Humboldt and California Sea Grant researchers are exploring.  "Since the initial loss of these underwater forests researchers and community members have been exploring innovative and creative ways to manage purple urchin populations to revive these ecosystems Sideris's journey into environmental storytelling began on the East Coast where she studied Environmental Studies at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry she found her passion for storytelling in a campus digital media studio During a stewardship program at Syracuse University she created a video on informal economies in Buffalo "Storytelling helped me explore my intersecting interests and apply what I’ve learned in school," Sideris says so I’ve been able to apply some of my classroom knowledge in the field while interviewing folks and producing pieces." Though she is currently earning her master’s degree in Business at Humboldt Sideris hasn’t strayed far from her environmental roots She continues to bridge business strategies and science communication “Business tools—like marketing strategies—can really support science communication,” she said “There’s a lot of important research happening Her video was partially inspired by work she did as a science communication fellow with California Sea Grant and the Delta Stewardship Council One of her early projects involved highlighting aquaculture research at Moss Landing Marine Labs where researchers are finding ways to turn overpopulated purple sea urchins into valuable seafood products—a potential solution for restoring kelp forests and supporting local economies Planet Forward supports students like Sideris by providing a platform for environmental storytelling and connections to a national network of journalists and researchers "It’s empowering to have a space dedicated to environmental storytelling Planet Forward gives me a community where I can develop and share my work," Sideris says she hopes to stay on the West Coast and explore careers in environmental consulting or science communication "Storytelling helps me stay connected to the environment even while working in the business world."  Cal Poly Humboldt researchers traveled to North Macedonia in summer 2024 to participate in the excavation Deep beneath the soil of North Macedonia, near the village of Crnobuki, a long-lost city is emerging from the shadows of history. For decades, archaeologists believed these ruins were simply the remains of a Roman-era military outpost But new findings are rewriting the story of this site—now known as Gradishte—and uncovering what may be one of the most important cities in early European history Although Gradishte was first mentioned in literature in 1966 little was known about it until recent years It was only through careful excavation and the use of remote-sensing tools like LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and ground-penetrating radar that the full scope of the site began to appear In 2023, a research team led by North Macedonia’s Institute and Museum–Bitola and California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt (Cal Poly Humboldt) uncovered the foundations of an acropolis that spans over seven acres The size and layout revealed that this was not just a defensive post an archaeologist and anthropology professor at Cal Poly Humboldt describes the find as “a once-in-a-lifetime discovery.” According to him the acropolis was designed to protect an entire population from attack “We see the array of infrastructure required to hold a city inside fortress walls,” he said that the fortress was designed to hold a city.” One of the more surprising finds was a small clay theater ticket. Most ancient theater tickets were made of metal and reused, making this discovery especially rare. “There’s never been a location in North Macedonia with a theater ticket that didn’t have a theater,” Angeloff said. Using LiDAR data the team believes they’ve located what appears to be a Macedonian-style theater—not a Roman one—adding further weight to the city’s early origins The most groundbreaking find was a coin minted between 325 and 323 BCE—during the lifetime of Alexander the Great This coin pushed the city’s timeline back more than a century earlier than researchers had thought they believed the city had been built during the reign of King Philip V Other recovered items include stone axes, fragments of ceramic vessels and even a possible clay ticket to a theatrical performance These artifacts suggest the city was not only inhabited during Alexander’s time but may have been settled as far back as the Bronze Age Carbon dating of bones and charcoal found at the site places its use between 360 BCE and 670 AD That wide range shows the city’s long period of influence from before the rise of the Roman Empire to well into the early medieval period “This discovery is significant,” Angeloff explained “It highlights the complex networks and power structures of ancient Macedonia especially given the city’s location along trade routes to Constantinople.” Some historians believe famous military leaders such as Octavian and Agrippa may have passed through this city on their way to fight Cleopatra and Mark Antony at the Battle of Actium. Such connections place the site not just on the map of ancient Macedonia but at the crossroads of broader world history the theory that this site was the capital of the Kingdom of Lyncestis grows stronger The kingdom was settled in the 7th century BCE and later absorbed by King Philip II “Every indication is pointing toward this being the city of Lyncus, within Lyncestis,” said Angeloff. Historical records suggest Queen Eurydice I, Alexander’s grandmother, may have been born here. Her political influence helped shape the rise of Macedonia and its push toward empire “The ancient Macedonian state played a major role in the world’s history,” said Engin Nasuh, curator-advisor archaeologist at the National Institute and Museum–Bitola. “It is a civilization that helped shape today’s understanding of the world and the desire to connect different civilizations and cultures.” The potential for discovery doesn’t end there with teams of students and researchers from both the National Institute and Cal Poly Humboldt continuing to explore the site This project has used some of the most advanced tools in modern archaeology. LiDAR, funded by Cal Poly Humboldt’s College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences allowed researchers to see beneath dense vegetation and soil This helped them map structures that are invisible to the naked eye Angeloff explained how the technology has reshaped the dig “We were able to overlay and see what was underneath the ground,” he said has enough rooms and infrastructure to support a city within fortress walls.” This technology-driven approach has also helped prove something long suspected: the ruins once seen as minor are part of a much larger and older network of cities These settlements formed the backbone of Macedonian power and culture long before Rome ever crossed the region’s borders Nasuh believes each new artifact is part of a larger historical picture. “All these studies are just a small part of the research of early European civilizations,” he said and our studies are just a few pebbles in that mosaic the story of ancient Macedonia becomes clearer Note: The article above provided above by The Brighter Side of News Like these kind of feel good stories? Get The Brighter Side of News' newsletter LIVE UPDATESHumboldt County men to stand trial for double murder in Butte County by Ashley Harting BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. — Two Humboldt County men, Samuel Ashley, 43, and Wesley Evans, 45, appeared in Butte County Superior Court on Thursday for a preliminary hearing related to a double murder in the Cherokee area of Butte County Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said Judge Kimberly Merrifield ruled that the prosecution presented sufficient evidence to proceed to trial on the murder charges The preliminary hearing faced a two-day delay after Ashley was hospitalized due to a fentanyl overdose in the Butte County Jail while the hearing was in recess The investigation began on January 30, 2025, when the charred remains of two men were discovered in a vehicle on Condor Road in Cherokee Ramsey stated that the investigation revealed Ashley and Evans traveled with the victims from Humboldt County to Butte County for a drug and firearms deal It was determined that the victims were shot in the car before it was set on fire identified through DNA samples collected from family members Ashley and Evans remain in custody and are scheduled to return to court on May 14 to select a date for the jury trial Ramsey encouraged anyone with information about the case to contact the Butte County Sheriff’s detectives at (530) 538-7671.