>> COMING UP NEXT ON "HEADLINE HUMBOLDT," A COALITION OF LOCAL ARTISTS HAS APPROACHED THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WITH A PLEA FOR MORE COUNTY MONEY TO BE SPENT SUPPORTING THE ARTS.

ALSO, AN HISTORIC LOCAL BUILDING WITH TIES TO A FAMOUS HOLLYWOOD FAMILY IS COMING DOWN AS WE SPEAK DUE TO DAMAGE SUFFERED IN THE DECEMBER EARTHQUAKE.

COMING UP NOW ON "HEADLINE HUMBOLDT."

LIVE CC BY ABERDEEN CAPTIONING 800-688-6621 WWW.ABERCAP.COM >> LEAN BUDGET YEARS HURT.

I HAVE BEEN COVERING LOCAL NEWS FOR A LONG TIME AND THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER ECONOMIC DOWNTURN IN THE OFFING.

IN THOSE TIGHT TIMES WE ALL GET A CHANCE TO DEMONSTRATE THE OUTSTANDING PRIORITIES FOR US AS A PEOPLE AND A COMMUNITY.

ASIDE FROM KEEPING THE ROADS PAVED AND THE TOILETS FLUSHING AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THERE ARE POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS AVAILABLE TO RESPOND TO EVERY TRUE EMERGENCY WHAT SHOULD WE SPEND OUR DWINDLING DOLLARS ON?

SUCH IS THE REAL BUSINESS OF LEADERSHIP, DECIDES WHICH CRISES NEED TO BE PAID NOW AND WHICH CAN BE PUT OFF UNTIL FORTUNE AND FINANCES IMPROVE.

INVESTING IN THE ARTS MEANS MORE THAN LOVING A PRETTY PICTURE.

IT IS A STATEMENT OF CHARACTER.

DETERMINATION TO RETAIN OUR FINER PURSUITS IN THE FACE OF UNCERTAINTY.

BY DOING SO WE MAKE A PROFOUND STATEMENT OF WHAT IS VALUED IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE PROVIDE OURSELVES WITH A MEANS TO OVERCOME THE MOMENT AND TRANSCEND.

A METHOD OF PSYCHOLOGICAL PROTECTION TO FOSTER RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF HARD TIMES.

JOINING US IN THE STUDIO NOW IS CALDER JOHNSON, FROM THE HUMBOLDT CREATIVE ALLIANCE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> THE HUMBOLDT CREATIVE ALLIANCE WANTS A PORTION OF THE TOT TAX TO GO TO THE ARTS.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THAT UNFOLDED?

>> FIRST OFF, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THE EFFORTS, THE ADVOCACY THAT LED TO THIS HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE HAVE BEEN GOING ON NEARLY A DECADE, LONG BEFORE I GOT INVOLVED IN THE HCA.

BEFORE THE WHOLE CREATIVE ALLIANCE WAS CALLED THE HUMBOLDT CREATIVE ALLIANCE.

THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THROUGHOUT OUR ARTS COMMUNITY, LIBBY MAYNARD, FRAN DUDE, LESLIE CASTELLANO.

I COULD GO ON.

>> SURE.

>> THIS HAS BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME COMING.

BASICALLY, HOW TO GIVE THE HAIKU VERSION OF THIS.

WITH THE TOT INCREASE.

TRANSIT OCCUPANCY TAX.

>> THE HOTEL TAX.

>> RIGHT.

EVERY TOURIST PLAYS A 12% TAX.

THE HOTELIERS COLLECT THE TAX AND PASS IT ON TO THE COUNTY TO DISPERSE AS THEY SEE FIT >> SURE.

>> THERE WAS A LOT OF ADVOCACY GOING ON OVER THE YEARS LEADING UP TO THIS VOTE FROM THE ARTS COMMUNITY BASICALLY SAYING, HEY, LOOK, THERE ARE ALL THESE OTHER COUNTIES AND COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA THAT ACTUALLY PUT A LINE ITEM INTO THEIR COUNTY BUDGET, USUALLY FROM THE TOT OR SOME EQUIVALENT THEREOF SPECIFICALLY FUNDING THE ARTS SECTOR.

BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH ARTS AND CULTURE DRIVES TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO UNDER THAT ARGUMENT WE WERE SAYING, HEY, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HUMBOLDT COUNTY DO THAT AS WELL.

THAT IS WHAT LED TO BEING THE ARTS COMMUNITY AND THE HUMBOLDT CREATIVE ALLIANCE BEING INVOLVED WITH MEASURE J AND TRYING TO GET THAT PASSED AND THE WORKING GROUP WORKING WITH HUMBOLDT COUNTY STAFF -- >> MEASURE J RAISED THE TOT TAX?

>> YES.

THE NEXT MEASURE WAS TO DETERMINE HOW EXACTLY THE MONEY WOULD GET SPLIT.

>> SURE.

>> THAT WAS A PROCESS OF A WORKING GROUP ASSEMBLED BY HUMBOLDT COUNTY STAFF WITH A COUPLE OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO MEET FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS TO COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT SET OF PROPOSALS.

BUT FINALLY, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED AT ONE OF THE MOST RECENT MEETINGS.

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

>> IT WAS ALL GOING COME DOWN TO A VOTE AT THAT POINT BASICALLY >> THERE WERE A BUNCH OF PROPOSALS THAT WOULD ALLOCATE THIS PERCENTAGE OF FUNDS, 2%, IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

TELL US HOW THAT TURNED OUT?

>> IT WAS A VERY DRAMATIC MEETING.

WELL, IT WAS A SEVEN-HOUR MEETING.

>> SEVEN HOURS OF PURE DEMOCRACY.

>> DEMOCRACY IN ACTION.

MAYBE THERE WERE A FEW LESS EXCITING MOMENTS IN THERE, BUT OVERALL IT WAS A REALLY DEFINITELY -- I WAS THERE THE ENTIRE TIME ALONG WITH A FEW OTHER MEMBERS OF THE HCA AND INTERESTED PARTIES AND JUST ENTHUSIASTIC ARTISTS OUT THERE TO PUT IN OUR PUBLIC COMMENT.

IT WAS BASICALLY AT THE VERY END OF THE MEETING.

>> MM-HMM.

>> IT WAS DEFINITELY DOWN TO THE WIRE THERE.

AND IT WAS QUITE DRAMATIC BECAUSE WHAT THE FINAL DECISION THAT WAS VOTED ON 3-2 WAS A PROPOSAL PUT FORTH BY SUPERVISOR MIKE WILSON THAT WASN'T EVEN ACTUALLY ON THE ORIGINAL, LIKE, STAFF REPORT AND PROPOSALS.

BUT IT WAS THE ONE THAT GOT THE SUPPORT AND PASSED: >> YOU GOT MORE MONEY FROM THAT PROPOSAL THAN YOU WERE EXPECTING TO GET, CORRECT?

>> YEAH.

IT WAS -- WE HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN ANTICIPATING IT SEEMED PRETTY PLAUSIBLE THE ARTS WERE GOING END UP WITH SOMEWHERE 10% AT THE VERY LOW END AND MAYBE 20%, 25% AT THE HIGH END.

AND WE ENDED UP WITH A 30% SHARE OUT OF THAT INCREASE.

>> OVER THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF THAT COULD AMOUNT TO $400,000, ROUGHLY.

>> ROUGHLY.

THAT IS A PLEASE DON'T QUOTE ME KIND OF NUMBER.

IT IS BASED OFF OF STAFF PROJECTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> YEAH.

FIGURES AND ALL OF THAT.

>> YEAH.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED YOU TO DRILL DOWN ON A LITTLE BIT IS HUMBOLDT COUNTY IS ONE OF THE ONLY COUNTIES THAT DOESN'T HAVE A LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET UNTIL NOW TO SUPPORT THE ARTS?

>> YEAH.

FOR US IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY IN GENERAL AND THE HCA, OBVIOUSLY, THIS SPECIFIC ALLOCATION IS VERY IMPORTANT.

THERE IS A VERY SPECIFIC PLAN PUT FORTH BY THE HCA FOR HOW THIS ALLOCATION CAN BE SPENT AND DISPERSED TO ARTISTS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

SO THERE IS A LOT OF VERY SPECIFIC GOOD THAT CAN BE DONE HERE.

WE ARE JUST ECSTATIC, EXCITED THAT WE HAVE OUR FOOT IN THE DOOR.

>> YEAH.

>> WE ARE NOW A LINE ITEM THERE.

>> YEAH.

>> THE CHALLENGE FOR US IN THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF IS MAKING SURE WE STAY ON THERE AS WELL.

>> WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR THE MONEY?

DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF THAT YET?

>> THERE IS A PLAN THAT WE HAVE, WE DID DEVELOP OVER THE LAST YEAR IN PARTICULAR WHEN IT LOOKED LIKE THIS WAS STARTING TO POTENTIALLY COME TO A VOTE WITH MEASURE J.

THAT PLAN WAS PUT FORTH TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY STAFF AS PART OF THIS WORKING GROUP PROCESS.

>> MM-HMM >> IT IS, I MEAN, SINCE OUR TIME IS LIMITED I DON'T WANT TO DRILL DOWN TOO MUCH INTO THE VERY NITTY-GRITTY DETAILS.

>> THINGS THAT ARE NITTY AND GRITTY.

>> THIS MONEY WOULD BE SPLIT AMONGST A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING UNDER THE HUMBOLDT CREATIVE ALLIANCE COORDINATING AND MAKING SURE WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE IN TERMS OF PRIORITIES FOR SPENDING.

IN TERMS OF A LOT OF THOSE PARTICULAR PRIORITIES, WE ARE TRYING TO FOCUS IN ON, ONE, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE TO INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS FOR FUNDING.

>> YEAH.

>> WE ARE ALSO TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT SPECIFIC FUNDS ARE BEING ALLOCATED AND DIRECTED TO BIPOC ARTISTS, LGBTQ+ ARTISTS AS WELL AS ARTISTS WORKING IN THE GATEWAY COMMUNITIES, GARBERVILLE, WILLOW CREEK.

FOR ME IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE I GREW UP IN WILLOW CREEK.

>> OPPORTUNITIES ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

>> THE PROGRAMS I HAD ACCESS TO AS A TEENAGER HAD A TREMENDOUS INFLUENCE ON ME.

GROWING UP IN CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES OUT IN A VERY ISOLATED -- ESPECIALLY AS A TEENAGER FEELS INCREDIBLY ISOLATED >> YEAH, YEAH.

>> IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF MY CHILDHOOD.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE PROGRAMS ARE STILL AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF KIDS, TOO.

>> YEAH.

>> AND PEOPLE LIVING IN THOSE AREAS.

SO THOSE ARE MANY OF OUR MAJOR PRIORITIES IN TERMS OF FUNDING >> BULLET POINTS OF WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO GET.

THE STRUGGLE THAT THE ARTS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN FACING OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE LIVE IN A SMALL MARKET AND THE ECONOMY HERE HAS NEVER BEEN THAT ROBUST AT LEAST IN RECENT MEMORY.

BUT YOU COUPLE THAT WITH THE COVID PANDEMIC AND INFLATION AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS, IT PUT ARTISTS AND PERFORMING PEOPLE IN A PARTICULAR BIND.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THAT FOR US?

>> YEAH.

IT IS -- WELL, I MEAN, I ACTUALLY WANT TO SAY IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE I STRUGGLE TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE EARLY ON, IN 2020, WHAT NOT, WHAT IT NECESSARILY FELT LIKE TO HAVE YOUR ENTIRE INDUSTRY, NOT JUST YOUR PERSONAL CAREER OR THE CAREERS OF YOUR FRIENDS, BUT YOUR ENTIRE INDUSTRY WORLDWIDE JUST YOU WAKE UP ONE MORNING AND IT IS TURNED OFF.

SOMEONE FLIPPED A SWITCH.

I REMEMBER VERY SPECIFICALLY THE EXACT DAY DOWN, NOT JUST THE DAY, THE MINUTE WHEN, LIKE, THE CALL WENT THROUGH, IT WAS GOVERNOR NEWSOM'S OFFICE WE ARE SHUTTING PUBLIC EVENTS DOWN.

I HAD TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS GOING BE A FEW WEEKS.

IT IS GOING BE A FEW MONTHS.

AND THEN A YEAR AND A HALF LATER AND EVEN WHEN WE WERE STARTING TO REOPEN, IT WAS -- HERE COMES DELTA.

OKAY.

HERE COMES OMIKRON.

HERE WE GO.

>> NEVER A CLEAN START.

>> THIS IS JUST MY PERSONAL STORY.

>> SURE.

>> AND I, I MEAN, I HAVE A LOT OF -- I HAVE A LOT OF SYMPATHY, YOU KNOW, THAT CAME OUT OF THAT EXPERIENCE FOR ME FOR OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THIS COUNTY WHO THROUGHOUT -- WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD AN INTERESTING BIT OF A STRUGGLE IN THIS COUNTY GOING FROM ONE INDUSTRY TO THE NEXT IN TERMS OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, OKAY, WHAT IS THE NEXT INDUSTRY?

>> YEAH.

ABSOLUTELY.

TIMBER OR FISHING.

>> TIMBER, FISHING?

IS IT WEED?

HERE WE ARE.

>> YEAH.

>> SO, YEAH, I THINK THERE WAS A VERY LIVED EXPERIENCE THAT PARTICULARLY FOR US IN THE PERFORMING ARTS WENT THROUGH, WE WERE LIKE, OH, OH.

THIS IS ROUGH.

SO I MEAN, COMING BACK, I MEAN, IT DEFINITELY -- I DON'T KNOW.

IT HAS JUST BEEN -- IT HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS CHALLENGE AND I'M VERY EXCITED THAT WE ARE COMING BACK.

AND A LOT OF THE -- A LOT OF US IN THE COMMUNITY, IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY HAVE BONDED TOGETHER AND REALLY FORGED THESE INCREDIBLY TIGHT FRIENDSHIPS.

>> SURE.

>> THEY SAY THERE ARE NO FRIENDS LIKE THE FRIENDS YOU MAKE IN FOX HOLES.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> THAT IS VERY TRUE IN THIS INSTANCE.

SO WE ARE ALL TOGETHER AS FRIENDS DETERMINED TO FACE HEAD ON WHATEVER COMES NEXT.

>> YEAH.

>> BUT IT IS CHALLENGING AND REMAINS CHALLENGING.

I WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH A NUMBER OF ARTISTS AND ADMINISTRATORS FROM HUMBOLDT COUNTY ON A ZOOM CALL WITH SENATOR MIKE McGUIRE WHO HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS AND LOCALLY.

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING AND HE -- THERE MAY BE MORE MONEY IN TWO YEARS, BUT IN TWO YEARS MANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS MAY NOT EXIST ANY MORE TO FUND >> YEAH.

>> PARTICULARLY WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF JOBS ON THE LINE.

THAT IS A ROUGH PROSPECT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I WANTED TO POINT OUT WE HAVE BEEN SEEING SOME B ROLL FROM STUDIO SPACE TO SHOW YOU CAN FIND ON KEET.ORG OR ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL WHERE WE PROFILE LOCAL ARTISTS AND THE WORK THEY HAVE DONE.

WE HAVE BEEN SHOWING SOME OF THAT AS WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING.

ONE THING YOU BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION IS THE EFFECT OF AB5.

YOU WERE TALKING TO SENATOR McGUIRE.

IS HE AWARE OF AB5 AND REAL QUICK CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED THERE AND WHY IT IS SO DETRIMENTAL TO ARTISTIC ORGANIZATIONS?

>> YES.

CALIFORNIA AB5 PASSED IN 2020.

IT IS A FUNNY STORY THERE, FUNNY, HA HA.

BASICALLY THAT AB5 WAS ORIGINALLY BROUGHT DUE TO RIDE SHARING APPS AND -- >> UBER AND LYFT.

>> AND THE WHOLE IDEA WAS BASICALLY THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO CLAMP DOWN ON THE PREDATORY CORPORATE PRACTICES.

>> SURE.

>> SO THEY -- WITH INCREDIBLY GOOD INTENTIONS, REALLY RATCHETED DOWN ON THE LEGAL DEFINITION OF AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA >> MM-HMM.

>> THIS HAD A FASCINATING BLOWBACK ON NOT JUST THE PERFORMING ARTS, THEATER, DANCE, ALSO INCREDIBLY HEAVY THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.

>> YEAH.

>> BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WHO WORKED IN THE ARTS AS GIG WORKERS IN THIS GIG ECONOMY THAT WE HAVE BEEN A GIG ECONOMY FOR -- >> YEAH.

>> TIME IMMEMORIAL, ALL OF A SUDDEN EVERYONE HAD TO BE AN HOURLY EMPLOYEE ON PAYROLL.

>> THAT BRINGS WITH IT A LOT MORE REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF PAPERWORK.

>> PAPERWORK.

YEAH.

>> INSURANCE.

>> I HAVE LEARNED MORE ABOUT FILING NEW EMPLOYEE PAPERWORK THAN I EVER THOUGHT I WAS GOING HAVE TO.

I AM CONFLICTED BECAUSE ULTIMATELY I DO BELIEVE IN THE INTENT OF AB5 AND THE PURPOSE OF IT.

AND, YES, I HONESTLY, PARTICULARLY COMING BACK TO THE ARTS SECTOR WITH A LOT OF TIME TO THINK WHILE UNEMPLOYED THAT WE HAVE TO DO BETTER ABOUT ACKNOWLEDGING THE WORK THAT GOES -- THE WORK THAT IS PUT IN BY ARTISTS AND THAT THEY NEED TO BE PAID AS WORKERS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YES.

>> SO THAT PART, TO ME, IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO HOLD ON TO, TO HOLD SIGHT ON TO.

HOWEVER, IT IS THE PARTICULAR NATURE OF A SORT OF PERFECT STORM OF CONDITIONS FOR MANY SMALL THEATER COMPANIES IN PARTICULAR IN CALIFORNIA WHERE AB5 IS COMING DOWN THE PIKE.

>> MM-HMM.

>> THEN COVID HITS.

>> YEAH.

>> AND I SAY THAT WITH A CYNIC FUPY HA HA IS THAT I WAS DEEPLY SWEATING HOW TO WORK AB5 COMPLIANCE INTO OUR ANNUAL BUDGET BACK IN EARLY 2020 AND THEN I WAS LIKE -- >> WELL, THERE GOES THAT PROBLEM.

>> GUESS WHAT.

NEW PROBLEM.

THIS ISN'T A PROBLEM ANYMORE.

>> WE ARE NOT OPERATING.

>> WE ARE NOT WORKING.

NO ONE IS WORKING.

GREAT.

PROBLEM SOLVED.

>> YEAH.

>> BUT THEN WE ARE COMING BACK AFTER COVID AND NOW WE ALSO HAVE TO CONTEND WITH COMPLIANCE TO AB5 ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER INCREDIBLE PRICE HIKES THAT HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE OF INFLATION THAT EVERY OTHER BUSINESS IS DEALING WITH.

>> AND YOU HAVEN'T GOT THE FULL RETURN OF YOUR CUSTOMER BASE.

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

>> THEATERS ARE NOT AS FULL AS THEY WERE.

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

I WAS AT A NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE ARTS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

THIS LAST APRIL AND THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL.

WHAT THEY WERE FINDING WAS THAT WHEN IT APPLIED TO THE PERFORMING ARTS, MUSIC, THEATER, DANCE, THEY WERE BASICALLY SAYING THERE IS 10% OF YOUR AUDIENCE THAT IS JUST NEVER COMING BACK.

>> WOW.

>> THEY'RE GONE.

THEY HAVE CHECKED OUT.

THEY ARE NOT COMING BACK.

>> YEAH.

>> EVEN JUST 10% WOULD BE DEVASTATING TO US, BUT THE REALITY IS FOR MANY OF US WE ARE STILL STRUGGLING ANYWHERE FROM 80, 70, 60, EVEN 50% CAPACITY OF WHAT WE ONCE SAW.

THIS IS A NATIONWIDE PROBLEM, TOO.

THE OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF NEW STORIES CENTERING AROUND IT.

THEY ARE GOING FOR A MASSIVE RESTRUCTURING AND DOWN SIZING BECAUSE THEIR CURRENT AUDIENCES SIMPLY AREN'T SUPPORTING THE STRUCTURE THEY HAD PRIOR.

>> YEAH.

>> AND SO THIS IS HAPPENING EVERYWHERE.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RESTRUCTURES, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT JOBS.

>> YEAH.

ABSOLUTELY.

>> WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE OUT OF WORK.

I KNOW AT LEAST ONE PERSON, ONE DEAR FRIEND -- WHO WAS WORKING FOR THE OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL UNTIL A FEW WEEKS AGO.

THAT WAS HER ENTIRE CAREER AND THEY JUST, YEAH, SHE WAS RESTRUCTURED OUT OF THE BUSINESS.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU HAVE THIS KIND OF CRISIS AND ATTRITION, THEATERS CLOSING OR THINGS DOWN SIZING OR RESTRUCTURING OR WHATEVER AND THESE TECTONIC SHIFTS HAPPEN WITHIN YOUR INDUSTRY, WHAT IS THE DAMAGE TO THAT?

WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE KNOW?

HOW DO YOU THINK THAT AFFECTS IN A TRICKLE DOWN FASHION THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE?

>> WELL, FIRST OFF, I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN TALKING ABOUT.

THIS ISN'T AN ABSTRACT PROCESS.

WHEN THESE THINGS HAPPEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT REAL PEOPLE AND REAL JOBS AND THE IMPACT IT HAS ON OUR COMMUNITY.

I LIKE TO POINT TO OTHER IMPACTS THAT HAPPEN IN OUR WHENEVER ARTS ORGANIZATIONS CLOSE, RIGHT?

>> MM-HMM.

>> I SPEND A LOT OF TIME DOWN IN OLD TOWN IN EUREKA AND WHEN WE SAW PROPERTIES CRIME SKYROCKET DURING THE PANDEMIC PERIODS THAT WE ARE STILL STRUGGLING WITH.

YOU SEE HOW MUCH OF THAT IS AFFECTED BY THE LACK OF FOOT TRAFFIC.

>> MM-HMM.

>> YOU SEE HOW MUCH BUSINESS, ALL THE BUSINESSES THERE SUFFER -- >> SURE >> BECAUSE OF A LACK OF FOOT TRAFFIC.

FOOT TRAFFIC IS DRIVEN BY PEOPLE CONGREGATING, PEOPLE GETTING TOGETHER.

WHAT DRIVES PEOPLE GETTING TOGETHER?

EVENTS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> ARTISTS.

>> YEAH.

>> DOING ART STUFF.

PUTTING -- MUSICIANS PLAYING DOWN THERE AND DOING THE THURSDAY NIGHT CONCERTS.

>> SUMMER CONCERT SERIES.

>> SUMMER CONCERT SERIES THAT FINALLY GOT BACK GOING ON HERE.

SO AND ALSO ALL THESE OTHER THINGS, TOO.

KIND OF LIKE THESE KNOCK ON EFFECTS THAT HAPPEN.

I WAS SPEAKING WITH SOMEBODY AT A POLITICAL EVENT ONE TIME WHERE I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT WHERE WHEN PEOPLE GO OUT TO AN EVENT, MUSIC, THEATER, A GALLERY OPENING, WHATEVER, THEY ARE NOT JUST GOING THERE.

THEY ARE GOING TO A RESTAURANT.

>> SURE.

>> THEY ARE GOING TO THE BARS AFTERWARDS.

THEY ARE STOPPING IN AT A STORE BECAUSE THEY ATE DINNER BEFORE THE SHOW, BUT NOW THEY HAVE 30 MINUTES TO KILL.

WHEN THE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS GO AWAY, ALL THOSE CONNECTIONS GET LOST.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> AND THE PERSON I WAS TALKING TO, HE MENTIONED -- I WAS TALKING TO HIM ABOUT THIS AND IT WAS LIKE, OH, YOU ARE RIGHT.

I USED TO GO TO A CAFE ON THE CORNER BY SECOND AND C AND I HAVEN'T BEEN THERE SO LONG BECAUSE I USED TO GO THE THEATER AND IT WAS CLOSED DURING THE PANDEMIC.

THEY ARE BACK NOW, THANKFULLY.

STILL LIKE ALL OF US STRUGGLING WITH THEIR OWN ISSUES.

OH, WELL, GOSH.

NEVER MADE THAT CONNECTION BEFORE.

I GO TO THIS RESTAURANT BECAUSE I GO TO THIS ARTS ORGANIZATION.

>> YEAH.

REAL QUICK I WANTED TO QUOTE FROM THE LETTER YOU GUYS WROTE WHICH I THOUGHT WAS ELOQUENT.

THE OPEN LETTER TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS YOU WROTE FUNNING IF THE ARTS AND CULTURE SECTION IS THE FIRST CUT IN TIMES OF FINANCIAL UNCERTAINTY.

IT OFFERS IMPACTFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIVERSE PEOPLE AND CULTURES TO THRIVE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

HOW DO YOU THINK THAT THE INDIVIDUAL SUPERVISORS REACTED TO THAT AND DO YOU FEEL LIKE -- WE HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT, SO WHAT IS NEXT FOR THIS TO MAKE SURE YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW -- >> WELL, I THINK WE ARE DETERMINED TO USE THIS NEXT YEAR AND A HALF TO CONCLUSIVELY MAKE OUR CASE ABOUT WHAT THE ARTS -- WHAT THE IMPACT OF THE ARTS IS AND THE IMPACTS OF THE ARTS CAN BE IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY, PARTICULARLY IF THEY ARE PROPERLY FUNDED.

>> MM-HMM.

>> I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND AND AM SYMPATHETIC TO BUDGET CONCERNS.

BOY, BELIEVE ME.

>> YEAH.

>> BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE ARTS AND PARTICULAR FUNDING THE ARTS IN THESE KINDS OF TARGETED WAYS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT JOB CREATION, JOB RETENTION.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IMPROVED EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INCREASED TOURISM.

>> YEAH.

>> QUALITY OF LIFE.

>> EMOTIONAL WELL BEING.

>> RESILL -- RESILIENT, MENTAL HEALTH.

IF I TOLD YOU ONE THING IF YOU FUNDED THIS WOULD ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THESE THINGS, YOU WOULD BE LIKE, OH, YEAH, WE SHOULD FUND THAT.

>> NO-BRAINER >> RIGHT?

>> WE ARE OUT OF TIME.

THANK YOU SO IS MUCH FOR COMING DOWN.

COME BACK AND VISIT.

IT WAS A PLEASURE HAVING YOU ON THE SHOW.

>> IT WAS A PLEASURE BEING HERE.

>> GOOD LUCK WITH THE FUTURE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THIS SHORT BREAK.

>> THE HISTORIC LLOYD BUILDING IS BEING DEMOLISHED IN DOWNTOWN EUREKA DUE TO DAMAGE SUFFERED IN THE EARTHQUAKE LAST DECEMBER.

THERE IS A CONNECTION BETWEEN A FAMOUS HOLLYWOOD FAMILY AND LONG STANDING PIECE OF THE EUREKA SKYLINE.

>> THE LLOYD BUILDING IS BEING TORN DOWN.

SUSTAINING IRREPARABLE DAMAGE IN THE RECENT 6.4 QUAKE, THE LLOYD BUILDING THREATENS TO COME DOWN ON THE ROOF TOPS AND TRAFFIC AROUND IT.

CREWS ARE TAKING IT DOWN, COMPLETELY BLOCKING THE TRAFFIC LINE ON HIGHWAY 101 IN EUREKA ON FIFTH STREET CONSTRUCTION CREWS PLAN TO OCCUPY THE ENTIRE SIDE OF THAT BLOCK IN THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS TO SAVELY DISMANTLE THE LARGE BRICK BUILDING THAT HAS FOR DECADES SUFFERED FROM WATER DAMAGE AND DISREPAIR.

WHEN THE EARTHQUAKE HIT HUMBOLDT COUNTY JUST FIVE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS, EUREKA LARGELY HELD HER GROUND, BUT THE LLOYD BUILDING -- OUTSIDE OF THE LLOYD BUILDING YOU CAN SEE THE DEMOLITION HAS BEGUN.

>> IT DATES FROM 1915 WHEN IT WAS BUILT AS A LODGE FOR THE FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES AND LLOYD V. BRIDGES SENIOR BOUGHT IT ADDED THE NAME LLOYD TO THE EXTERIOR, NAMED FOR HIS SON, THE ACTOR, LLOYD BRIDGES JR. BRIDGES SR. WAS A MEMBER OF LOCAL FRATERNITIES INCLUDING THE INGLEMAR CLUB.

THEY OWNED SEVERAL OTHER BUILDINGS IN EUREKA AT ONE TIME.

LLOYD JR.

PUTS HIS ROOTS DOWN IN PETALUMA AND THE BRIDGES BROTHERS, BEAU AND JEFF, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE DUDE, GREW UP IN HOLLYWOOD BUT VISITED HUMBOLDT COUNTY REGULARLY AND ENJOYED LONG TIME EUREKA CONNECTIONS.

SINCE THE PASSING OF BRIDGES JR., AND BEAU AND JEFF BRIDGES COULD HAVE ROAMED THE HALLWAYS, THE BUILDING WAS ACQUIRED BY NOTORIOUS SLUM LORD FLOYD SQUIERS WHO ALLOWED THE BUILDING TO FALL INTO UNTENABLE DISREPAIR AND PASSED AWAY IN 2020 PRIOR TO THE DECEMBER 20th, 6.4 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE THAT SEALED THE BUILDING'S FATE.

THE IRRESPONSIBLE FLOYD SQUIERS FOUGHT THE CITY OF EUREKA OVER CODE VIOLATIONS AND ABATEMENTS LEADING THE CITY TO TAKE OVER TWO DOZEN PROPERTIES TO BRING THEM UP TO CODE.

THE LLOYD BUILDING WAS NEVER BROUGHT UP TO CODE AND NOW ONE OF EUREKA'S HISTORIC ARCHITECTURAL PIECES WILL BE REPLACED IN TIME FOLLOWING THE MONTH LONG DEMOLITION AT 219 FIFTH STREET.

RECORDING FROM "HEADLINE HUMBOLDT," THIS IS RYAN HUDSON.

>> IT WAS NEAR WHITEOUT CONDITIONS IN MY FRONT YARD THIS PAST WEDNESDAY AND I'M TOLD THE PHENOMENON, EXCEEDINGLY RARE, IS MOST OFTEN CALLED SNOW.

ONCE SNOW FELL MY KIDS WERE OUT IN THE FRONT YARD MAKING SICKLY SNOWBALLS AND LOPSIDED SNOWMEN.

THEY WEREN'T THE ONLY ONES >> THEY WERE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE SNOW.

SOMETHING WE NEVER GET TO SEE, EVERY SIX TO 10 YEARS.

WE DON'T ALL HAVE THE RIGHT CLOTHING TO WEAR.

THEY ARE HAVING FUN.

I KNOW WE WILL BE IN SOON AND THIS WILL BE GONE SO WE ARE ENJOYING IT.

>> THE SNOWFALL IS ESTIMATED ONE TO TWO INCHES INCREASING FURTHER FROM THE COAST.

SOME COMPARED THE LEVELS THAT FELL DURING THE LAST GREAT SNOWSTORM OF HUMBOLDT BAY IN 1989.

I ARRIVED THAT YEAR AND REMEMBER SLIDING DOWN THE SLOPE ON A PIECE OF CARDBOARD.

I CHERISH THAT MEMORY AND HOPE KIDS ALL OVER HUMBOLDT COUNTY WERE ABLE TO GET OUT AND WAX WILD IN THE WHITE.

STAY TUNED.

STAY INFORMED.

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