>> COMING UP NEXT ON "HEADLINE HUMBOLDT," WE SIT DOWN WITH PRODUCER/DIRECTOR RANDALL NICKERSON TO TALK ABOUT HIS NEW FILM "THE AERIAL PHENOMENON."

AFTER 15 YEARS OF WORK IN RESEARCH, HE HAS UNVEILED HIS EXPLORATION OF THIS STRANGE AFRICAN EVENT.

A FEW DAYS SHORT OF ELECTION NIGHT TP HUMBOLDT COUNTY LAID THE FAILURE AT THE FEET OF AUDITOR/CONTROLLER KAREN PAZ DOMINGUEZ.

COMING UP NOW, ON "HEADLINE HUMBOLDT".

LIVE FROM THE TOP OF HUMBOLDT HILL.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

WE HAVE INTERVIEWED A LONG LIST OF CANDIDATES AND COVERED WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE THE MOST HOTLY CONTESTED RACES.

ALL THESE WEEKS LATER THE ONUS IS ON YOU, THE VOTERS, TO DECIDE HOW YOU WILL PULL THE LEVER AND WHY.

CAMPAIGNING ARE PUSHING THEIR AGENDA BEHIND THE SCENES, E-MAILING REPORTERS WITH STORY SUGGESTIONS THAT TOO OFTEN DON'T PASS THE SMELL TEST, TIRELESSLY WORKING HOWEVER THEY CAN TO HURT OR HINDER THEIR OPPONENTS JUST ENOUGH TO SECURE VICTORY.

THIS YEAR THE DA'S RACE BY FAR TAKES THE CAKE FOR THE DIRTIEST CAMPAIGN.

PASSIONS ARE FLARING BETWEEN KAMADA AND EADS AND BAITING OF JOURNALIST AND GENERATE LURED HEADLINES.

I COMMEND THE JOURNALISTS FOR NOT FALLING FOR I.

IT IS EASY TO IGNORE THE ISSUES IN THE RUSH FOR READERSHIP.

THE DA'S RACE HAS BEEN HEATED, IT IS HARD TO TOP THE AUDITOR/CONTROLLER.

THE FINANCIAL FILINGS WOES HAVE SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN LAID AT THE FEET OF KAREN PAZ DOMINGUEZ, WE WILL HAVE A RESPONSE FROM PAZ DOMINGUEZ LATER IN OUR SHOW.

WE DECIDED TO CLEANSE OUR NEWS PALATE STARTING WITH A FASCINATING INTERVIEW THAT WILL STRETCH THE BOUNDS OF WHEA WE FEEL IS POSSIBLE.

SO, THE INTERVIEW.

WE ARE HERE WITH RANDALL NICKERSON, THE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR OF "THE AERIAL PHENOMENON."

ABOUT AN EVENT THAT HAPPENED IN ZIMBABWE IN 1994.

I HAVE SEEN THE FILM AND WAS GOB SMACKED BY IT.

RANDALL, TELL US WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT THE AERIAL PHENOMENON IS ABOUT.

>> I DIRECTED AND PRODUCED THE FILM FROM A SMALL TOWN IN MASSACHUSETTS.

I GOT CURIOUS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR CASE THAT HAPPENED IN AFRICA.

THESE CHILDREN IN A SCHOOLYARD IN ZIMBABWE WHO REPORTED SEEING A SILVER DISC-SHAPED CRAFT LAND IN THE BACK OF THE PLAYGROUND.

THEY ALSO VIEWED THESE, WHAT THEY CALL THEM ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT BASICALLY CREATURES THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

THAT APPROACHED THE PLAYGROUND.

SO THERE WAS THIS INCIDENT AT THE SCHOOL, BUT THERE WAS ALSO OTHER INCIDENTS SEEN BY ADULTS IN THE AREA AS WELL.

THAT'S THE STORY.

AND WHAT I DID WAS COLLECT ALL THE ARCHIVAL BECAUSE IT WAS THESE CHILDREN WERE INTERVIEWED BY THE BBC, BY ABC, ZBC AND DR. JOHN MACK FROM HARVARD UNIVERSITY, A, YOU KNOW, WELL-TRAINED PSYCHIATRIST INTERVIEWED THEM ALSO.

SO MY ROLE WAS TO FIND THE KIDS TODAY.

THIS HAPPENED IN 1994.

AND I FOUND A LOT OF THE CHILDREN THAT WERE AT THAT WITNESS AND ALSO ADULTS THAT WERE WITNESSES.

AND INTERVIEWED THEM TODAY.

TO SEE HOW THEY FELT, IF THEY STILL BELIEVE WHAT THEY SAID THEY SAW WHEN THEY WERE CHILDREN.

AND AMAZINGLY FOUND THAT THEIR STORIES HADN'T CHANGED AT ALL AND THEY NEVER STOPPED THINKING ABOUT THAT DAY.

>> YEAH.

YOU MENTIONED BEFORE THE INTERVIEW STARTED YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR 14 1/2 YEARS, IS THAT RIGHT?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> I MEAN, THAT OBVIOUSLY QUALIFIES AS A PASSION PROJECT.

WHAT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT, I MEAN, WE HEAR A LOT OF STORIES WHEN PEOPLE HAVE SIGHTINGS.

RECENTLY AS THE MILITARY HAS BEGUN TO IMPLEMENT CHANGES TO THE REPORTING STRUCTURE SO SUCH THINGS AREN'T SCOFFED AT AS MUCH ANYMORE.

THE OVERALL PARADIGM OVER UAP OR UFOs IS CHANGING.

WHAT STRUCK YOU BY THIS EVENT TO MAKE YOU STRETCH YOUR LIFE TO EXPLORE IT?

>> THE NATURE OF THE INCIDENT AND THE TIME IT REALLY TOOK TO LOCATE A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.

AND OVER TIME, OVER YEARS, I MEAN, EVERY YEAR I WOULD GET SOME NEW FOOTAGE THAT I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT OF THESE CHILDREN BEING INTERVIEWED OR SOMEBODY ELSE BEING INTERVIEWED.

IT ADDED MORE TO THE STORY, GAVE IT MORE, YOU KNOW, MORE, EVEN MORE CREDIBILITY.

AND THAT HAPPENED, IT IS EVEN STILL TODAY, I HAVE WITNESSES CONTACTING ME.

>> WOW.

>> SO IN A WAY, IT WAS A STRUGGLE TO FUND IT AND ALSO TO REALLY DO AN EFFECTIVE AND THOROUGH JOB ON UNDERSTANDING WHAT HAPPENED AND TELLING THAT STORY.

I MEAN, I COULD HAVE PROBABLY PUT IT OUT IN THREE YEARS, BUT THIS STORY HAD SO MANY, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A BBC WAR REPORTER, YOU HAVE A HARVARD PSYCHIATRIST AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER CHARACTERS INCLUDING SMALL CHILDREN WHO, YOU KNOW, WERE INVOLVED IN THE STORY.

WHICH KEPT ME GOING BECAUSE I KNEW FOR A LONG TIME, THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE STORY BECAUSE OF HOW IT PLAYED OUT.

AND HOW IT STILL EXISTS TODAY WITH A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT SAW IT.

>> YEAH.

ONE OF THE FASCINATE ELEMENTS TO ME IS THIS IS A STORY THAT GOES FURTHER THAN MOST UFO SIGHTING REPORTS.

THESE KIDS INTERACTED WITH SOME ENTITY.

THEY ALL GAVE SIMILAR DESCRIPTIONS, WHICH IS IN THE MOVIE, AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF ARTWORK FROM THOSE KIDS AS THEY DREW OUT WHAT THEY HAD SEEN.

THEY REPORTED SOME SORT OF COMMUNICATION THAT OCCURRED, PERHAPS, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, TELEPATHIC OR SOME SORT OF IMAGES THEY SEEMED TO RECEIVE.

AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD NORMALLY AND DOES SORT OF TAX OUR ABILITY TO KIND OF IT AS REALITY.

IT IS DEFINITELY A CHALLENGING THING, BUT THE FACT YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE LIKE JOHN MACK, HARVARD TRAINED AND THE TOP OF HIS FIELD AND THE BBC REPORTER FORCES US TO CONFRONT THE FACT THAT THIS REALLY HAPPENED.

ONE OF THE MAIN POINTS I FOUND STRIKING WAS JOHN MACK TALKING ABOUT THESE KIDS, WHATEVER THEY SAW, THEY ARE REACTING FROM SOMETHING.

SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THEM THEY ACCEPTED AS REAL AND WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN FIT IT INTO OUR PARADIGM IS SORT OF BESIDE THE POINT.

DID YOU FIND RELUCTANCE FROM THESE WITNESSES AS YOU APPROACHED THEM, YOU KNOW, NOW 30 YEARS LATER OR WHATEVER IT IS?

TO TALK ABOUT IT?

OR WERE THEY WANTING TO, WERE THEY WAITING FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SORT OF REDIGEST AND COME FORWARD WITH THE STORY?

>> IT VARIED QUITE A BIT, BUT I WOULD SAY THE MAJORITY WERE HESITANT BECAUSE OF THE STIGMA AROUND THIS WHOLE PHENOMENON.

WORLDWIDE.

BUT PARTICULARLY IN THE WEST IT IS MORE SO.

YEAH, THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE I SAT WITH AND TOLD ME THE STORY, BUT THEY JUST DIDN'T WANT TO GO ON CAMERA AND HAVE -- CONCERNS OF HAVING THEIR LIVES DISRUPTED OR FAMILIES, PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THEM, GETTING RIDICULED.

THAT WAS COMMON.

SO A LOT OF PEOPLE -- WHICH I DO HOPE THEY COME FORWARD IN TIME -- TO TELL THEIR STORY BECAUSE THEY HAVE THINGS TO ADD.

THAT ARE IMPORTANT.

SO GOING BACK TO YOUR LAST QUESTION, ONE OF THE REASONS IT TOOK SO LONG TO MAKE THIS WAS BECAUSE I WANTED TO -- EVERYBODY IN THE FILM IS FIRST PERSON.

YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT SECOND HAND STORIES.

IT IS ALL THE REAL PEOPLE TELLING THE STORY WITHOUT A NARRATOR.

I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERJECT INTO WHAT THEY COULD TELL, YOU KNOW, THEMSELVES, BUT WHAT TOOK A LOT.

THAT IS ONE OF THE HARDEST TYPES OF DOCUMENTARIES TO MAKE BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE TOLD BY THE PEOPLE.

THROUGH ARCHIAL OR THROUGH THEIR OWN WORDS IN THE PRESENT DAY.

SO THAT WAS ALSO A BIG REASON WHY IT TOOK SO LONG.

>> NOW THE ONE PERSON YOU FOCUSED IN ON HEAVILY IN THE FILM IS EMILY TRIM.

SHE HAS A VERY INTERESTING ARC OF DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE STORY AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE COURSE OF HER LIFE AS SHE TRIES TO COME TO GRIPS WITH WHAT HAPPENED TO HER AND HOW HER FAMILY HANDLED IT.

DID YOU FIND THAT STORY SORT OF COMMON OR WERE MOST PEOPLE SORT OF ABLE TO PROCESS IT, YOU KNOW, BETTER, I GUESS?

>> I THINK IT WAS VERY DEPENDENT ON HOW IT WAS RECEIVED IN THE FAMILY.

>> SURE.

>> I THINK THIS IS COMMON, NOT JUST WITH THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT, BUT ALL KINDS OF INCIDENTS AROUND THE WORLD OF THIS NATURE WHERE IT, YOU KNOW, IT DEPENDS ON -- IT IS TOUGH WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING AND THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE THE MOST DON'T BELIEVE YOU.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU KNOW, THAT IS A TOUGH THING TO DEAL WITH.

SO THE PARENTS HAVE A BIG IMPACT AND FRIENDS.

BUT I DID SEE A LOT OF THAT.

EMILY, SUCH A BRAVE WOMAN.

>> YEAH.

>> WILLING TO DO THAT AND STEP OUT AND LET ME DOCUMENT HER JOURNEY.

YOU KNOW?

>> YEAH.

>> I OWE HER A LOT IN THAT RESPECT.

AND ALL THE KIDS, ACTUALLY, THAT CAME FORWARD.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO.

>> YEAH.

>> BUT THEY FELT LIKE THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT AND NOBODY HAS REALLY, REALLY TALKED ABOUT IT, NOT REALLY.

IT WAS IN 1994, 1995, IT WAS, IT SORT OF MADE ITS LITTLE APPEARANCE ON SIGHTINGS AND DIFFERENT SHOWS AND IT SORT OF DISAPPEARED UNTIL I PICKED IT UP IN 07.

>> YEAH.

IT SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO PROCESS IT SO THEY KIND OF JUST WANT TO IGNORE IT.

>> IT IS HARD TO WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND THIS STUFF.

>> YEAH.

>> I MEAN, I WENT IN THINKING, WELL, IT LOOKS AUTHENTIC AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I WAS LOOKING FOR THE -- THOSE PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, HAD ANOTHER EXPLANATION.

I WENT DOWN THAT ROAD.

YOU HAVE TO.

THAT IS YOUR JOB.

>> YEAH.

>> AND THE MORE I TALKED TO PEOPLE, THE MORE I WAS -- I JUST KEPT SHAKING MY HEAD, YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME?

THERE'S MORE.

MORE DOCUMENTED, MORE ARCHIVAL INTERVIEWS AND IT IS THE SAME STORY FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.

IT WAS JUST KIND OF MIND BLOWING TO BE HONEST.

>> I BET.

EVEN FROM THE VIEWER'S PERSPECTIVE IT WAS MIND BLOWING.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME IS THAT THESE KIDS ARE VERY ARTICULATE, ELOQUENT, WELL SPOKEN CHILDREN IN THE ARCHIVAL INTERVIEWS.

I WONDER IF YOU'VE NOTICED ANYTHING ABOUT THEM AS THEY HAVE GOTTEN OLDER THAT SORT OF BINDS THEM TOGETHER THAT SOMEHOW MAYBE THIS INCIDENT CHANGED THEM IN A WAY YOU CAN FIND A THROUGH LINE AMONG THE WITNESSES?

WOULD YOU SAY THAT IS THE CASE?

IS THERE ANYTHING LIKE THAT?

>> I WOULD SAY THAT, ACTUALLY.

ONE OF THE PARENTS I INTERVIEWED HE SAID, YOU KNOW, I ASKED HIM WHAT DID IT DO TO YOUR CHILDREN?

HOW DO YOU SEE IT MANIFESTING IN YOUR CHILDREN NOW?

AND HE SAID THAT AFTER THEY HAD SEEN THAT THING, THAT THOSE -- THAT CRAFT AND THOSE CREATURES THAT ANYTHING WAS POSSIBLE.

AND YOU'LL FIND WITH A LOT OF THESE STUDENTS, THEY ARE ALL SUCCESSFUL, VERY QUITE AMAZING, ACTUALLY SET OF STUDENTS THAT WENT ON TO DO, IN OUR VIEW, GOOD THINGS IN THE WORLD.

>> YEAH.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT OBVIOUSLY OCCURRING IN A VACUUM.

WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS SORT OF REVOLUTION IN THINKING ABOUT THE UAP TOPIC AND WHAT IS MORE BROADLY REFERRED TO AS THE PHENOMENON.

THERE IS SOMETHING GOING ON.

THE GOVERNMENT MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW SOMETHING MORE ABOUT IT AND HAS SORT OF BEEN INCHING FORWARD TOWARD WHAT YOU WANT TO CALL IT SOFT DISCLOSURE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO CALL IT.

YOU WAITED 14 YEARS TO WORK ON THIS FILM AND THE TIMING HAS SORT OF COME AROUND TO YOU, IT SEEMS LIKE.

DO YOU THINK THE PERIOD WE ARE LIVING IN IS HELPING WITH, YOU KNOW, THE -- YOUR FILM PROJECT AND GETTING IT THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES?

>> I DO, BUT I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.

>> WELL, SURE.

>> SERENDIPITY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL IT.

I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE WAS MEETING ABOUT THIS.

>> YEAH.

THE TIMING WAS PRETTY -- I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

BUT I THINK WE ARE AT A TIME IN OUR HISTORY WHERE WE HAVE A POTENTIAL WAR GOING OUT OF CONTROL AND WE HAVE SERIOUS CLIMATE CHANGE THAT IS RIGHT IN OUR FACE.

THAT WE NEED TO START TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE -- THAT'S PROBABLY BEEN KEPT QUITE FROM US FOR A LONG TIME, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO START TALKING ABOUT THAT.

SO AS A PLANET, WE GET TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, COME TOGETHER AND UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS NOT JUST US OUT HERE.

THAT IS MY PERSONAL -- AND THAT COMES FROM TALKING TO SO MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING AIR FORCE PEOPLE AND NAVY PEOPLE AND SOME OF THESE PEOPLE THAT WERE PART OF THAT COMMITTEE.

>> I WAS GOING ASK YOU, AFTER TALKING TO THE KIDS, ESPECIALLY, DO YOU THINK THERE WAS SOME MESSAGE THAT YOU COULD DRAW FROM THEIR COLLECTIVE TESTIMONY THAT YOU THINK THEY -- THE OTHERS, AS ONE OF THE KIDS MENTIONED THEM, WERE TRYING TO COMMUNICATE?

>> YES.

>> DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS?

>> THERE WERE WITNESSES THAT -- WHO TOLD ME IN PERSON THE VERY SAME THING, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO GO ON CAMERA TO TALK ABOUT IT.

>> WOW.

>> SO IT -- I DON'T KNOW HOW WIDELY AMONGST ALL THE CHILDREN THAT THAT OCCURRED, BUT ENOUGH TO, YOU KNOW, AND I FOUND PARTICULARLY THE MALES WERE THE MOST HESITANT TO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> INTERESTING.

>> MM-HMM.

>> WOW.

NOW, YOU HAVE HAD, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS OR NOT, YOU ARE AN EXPERIENCER YOURSELF?

>> I DEFINITELY HAVE -- SAW SOMETHING THAT OPENED MY EYES TO THE FACT THAT I -- THAT SOMETHING WASN'T INCLUDED IN MY EDUCATION ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO IT BECAUSE I REALLY, THIS IS THEIR STORY.

I FEEL LIKE I TREATED IT OBJECTIVELY AND I BUILT TRUST WITH THEM.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU KNOW, IT WAS HARD TO GET PEOPLE LIKE THAT TO TRUST YOU.

>> SURE.

>> FOR SURE.

IT WAS -- IT'S PERSONAL FOR EVERYBODY IT HAPPENS TO AND IT HAPPENS TO PEOPLE ALL AROUND THE WORLD IN EVERY COUNTRY.

AND NOBODY'S REALLY DEALING WITH IT, YOU KNOW.

IT HAS BEEN SORT OF ON THE FRINGE FOR A LONG TIME AND IT'S NOT.

WE'RE SEEING THAT MAYBE IT IS NOT SO FRINGE.

>> YEAH.

>> THAT'S IT'S JUST SOMETHING WE CAN'T REALLY WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND AND COMPREHEND.

>> YEAH.

YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED MAYBE IT IS NOT SO FRINGE.

JOHN MACK PAID A PRICE AS A HARVARD PROFESSOR FOR TAKING THIS TOPIC SERIOUSLY.

HE WAS INVESTIGATED, FAMOUSLY AND HE WAS ULTIMATELY EXONERATED OF WRONGDOING, BUT MAYBE THE TIMES HAVE CHANGED.

WE HAVE ABBY LOBE FROM HARVARD TAKING THE PHENOMENON SERIOUSLY AND TRYING TO STUDY THE SUBJECT.

WHAT LESSONS DO YOU THINK ACADEMICS IN PARTICULAR CAN LEARN FROM THE STORY OF JOHN MACK AS THEY APPROACH, NOT ONLY THIS TOPIC BUT OTHER TOPICS THAT MAINSTREAM SCIENCE AND SOCIETY HAS THOUGHT FOR A LONG TIME ARE WASTES OF TIME OR BEYOND THE KIN OF MATERIAL SCIENCE?

WHAT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE SHOULD DRAW FROM HIS STORY?

>> I THINK THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST IS THAT -- AND JOHN MACK, DR. JOHN MACK WAS A VERY, YOU KNOW, ALLOTTED, BRILLIANT MAN.

HE WON THE PULITZER PRIZE AND WROTE MANY BOOKS IN PSYCHIATRY AND PSYCHOLOGY.

HE SAYS IT IN THE BOOK HIMSELF, WHAT SHOULD I HAVE DONE?

SHOULD I HAVE DIAGNOSED THIS AS SOME KIND OF MENTAL ILLNESS THAT WE DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND OR DO I GO AND BE HONEST WITH MY CLINICAL EXPERIENCE OF WHAT THIS IS.

AND THAT IS WHAT DROVE HIM.

THESE PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING SO STRANGE, BUT IT HAD ALL THE MARK OF AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE.

>> YEAH.

>> SO I THINK IN THE LONG RUN, YOU KNOW, IT HAPPENS THROUGHOUT HISTORY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THINK IDEAS ARE CRAZY UNTIL, YOU KNOW, DECADES LATER IT'S NORMAL.

AND I THINK THE LESSON, I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE CAN LEARN FROM SOMEBODY LIKE JOHN MACK IS KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND REALIZE THAT WE'RE -- WE ARE WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, I DOUBT ANYBODY THOUGHT WE'D ALL HAVE COMPUTERS IN OUR POCKETS 40 YEARS AGO.

>> YEAH.

ONE COMPARISON I HAVE OFTEN HEARD IS THE IDEA THAT THE EARTH WAS THE CENTER OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM WAS OFTEN CONSIDERED TO BE SACRILEGIOUS AND ONCE WE, YOU KNOW, CEMENTED THAT FACT IT BECAME SOMETHING WE TOOK FOR GRANTED AND MAYBE THAT IS THE PROCESS WE ARE UNDERGOING NOW WITH THIS UAP STUFF.

I HAVE TO ASK, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE SPENT SIGNIFICANT TIME STUDYING THIS AND TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD VERY INTIMATE EXPERIENCES.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IT IS?

>> UM, I BELIEVE, TO BE STRAIGHT AND HONEST, I BELIEVE WE ARE DEALING WITH A SPECIES THAT IS NOT FROM THIS PLANET.

THERE IS DEFINITELY LIFE OUT THERE.

WE THINK WE'RE GOING FIND IT, BUT IT IS PRETTY HIGHLY LIKELY SOMETHING HAS BEEN EVOLVING BILLIONS OF YEARS AHEAD, THEY ARE GOING FIND US AND WE ARE PROBABLY NOT GOING RECOGNIZE IT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IF SOMEONE WANTS TO WATCH YOUR FILM WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT?

>> IT IS AT AERIALPHENOMENON.COM AND PRETTY SOON ON VOD AND WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT.

WE DID A SOFT LAUNCH AND WILL BE DOING THEATERS PRETTY SOON.

IN THE MAJOR CITIES AND IT'S JUST THE BEGINNING, JUST THE START OF IT, REALLY.

>> WE HAVE ABOUT 45 SECONDS LEFT.

HOW HAS THE REACTION BEEN FROM FOLKS SO FAR?

>> BEYOND MY EXPECTATION.

I KNEW IT WAS -- YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU PUT THAT KIND OF WORK AND HAVE TALENTED PEOPLE LIKE CHRIS SEWARD WITH DEGREES ON MY TEAM AND OTHER PEOPLE ON MY TEAM, THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN AMAZING.

PEOPLE SEE THE WORK WE DID AND THE STORY WE WERE PASSIONATE TO TELL IN A STRAIGHT AND HONEST WAY.

>> IT HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGE AND PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU ON THE SHOW, SIR.

THANK YOU FOR TING THE TIME OUT.

>> THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT.

>> TALK TO YOU SOON.

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THIS SHORT BREAK.

>> ANY REPORT BY THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY GRAND JURY SAYS MISSTEPS BY AUDITOR-CONTROLLER KAREN PAZ DOMINGUEZ HAVE COST THE COUNTY $3.7 MILLION AND PUT $9 PBT 7 MILLION AT RISK.

MORE MONEY WAS SPENT PAYING OFF LATE FEES OR PENALTIES OR LOST INTEREST EARNINGS IT STATES THERE EXISTS A CONTENTIOUS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE AUDITOR-CONTROLLER AND THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AND OTHERS.

SOME OF THE OFFICE INEFFICIENCIES DO PREDATE PAZ DOMINGUEZ, BUT THE GRAND JURY POINTS OUT THAT LATE FILING ISSUES HAVE RESULTED IN DISRUPTED SERVICES FOR HUMBOLDT COUNTY AND DISTRICT RESIDENT AND THIS PROMPTED THE STATE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO FILE SUIT.

ANY IMPROVEMENTS BY PAZ DOMINGUEZ WERE HAMPERED BY THE AUDITOR-CONTROLLER MAKING CHANGES WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DID NOT EXERCISE ITS AUTHORITY TO PROMOTE A HEALTHY AND FUNCTIONAL COUNTY WORK ENVIRONMENT.

AT A PRESS CONFERENCE HELD TODAY PAZ DOMINGUEZ TOOK ISSUE WITH PARTS OF THE GRAND JURY'S REPORT AND IN A WRITTEN RESPONSE SHE QUESTIONED THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS CITED.

WHAT FUNDS HAVE BEEN SFLOS HOW MUCH?

BY WHOM?

WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE OF THIS BEYOND HEARSAY?

THE BURDEN OF PROOF RESTS ON THE COMPLAINANTS MAKING THE CLAIM AND THE GRAND JURY REPEATING IT.

SHE SAID THE REPORT IS A REGURGITATION BY COUNTY DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THEIR STAFF OF WHICH THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE TO NO EVIDENCE.

A NEW LEGISLATIVE EFFORT BY MIKE McGUIRE SEEKS TO HELP THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY BE BETTER PREPARED FOR WHAT IS TO BE A HELLISH FIRE SEASON.

ONGOING ISSUES HAVE PLAGUED THE DEPARTMENT AND NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

>> OUR STATE IS FACING UNPRECEDENTED DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES.

FIXING THE CALL FIRE WILL HELP.

WE ARE HERE TO PROPOSE A MODERN DAY STAFFING PLAN TO INCLUDE THREE PILLARS.

WE NEED TO HIRE 1, 100 FIREFIGHTER.

WE ARE PROPOSING 356 NEW FULL TIME FIREFIGHTERS TO GET FULL STAFFING ON ITS ENGINES.

THREE FIREFIGHTERS ON AN ENGINE IS THE NEW MINIMUM WITH THIS BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION.

NUMBER TWO IN THE PILLAR, ADVANCING A MANDATING MINIMUM FOR FIRE FIGHTING HAND CREWS.

MOST IMMEDIATE THIS LEGISLATION WOULD MANDATE 16 ADDITIONAL HAND CREWS OF 48 FIREFIGHTERS EACH TO PROVIDE ON THE GROUND SUPPORT IN FIRE SEASON TO BE HIRED IMMEDIATELY.

THEIR JOB IS TO PROACTIVELY MOVE ON DEFENSIBLE SPACE AND PROTECT VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.

NUMBER THREE, THIS LEGISLATION WOULD MANDATE A MODERN-DAY STAFFING PLAN FOR CALL FIRE.

AND IT IS ABOUT DAMN TIME.

THIS STAFFING PLAN WILL ENSURE THAT THE AGENCY CAN MEET THE STAFFING AND NEEDS IN THIS NEW MEGAFIRE WORLD WE LIVE IN.

THIS WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE GOVERNOR NO LATER THAN 12 MONTHS AFTER THE BILL WAS SIGNED.

CANDY STOCKTON WAS NAMED HUMBOLDT COUNTY'S NEW PULT OFFICER.

STOKTON IS A FOURTH GENERATION HUMBOLDT COUNTY NATIVE AND RECEIVED HER DEGREE FROM LOMA LINDA SCHOOL MEDICINE.

SHE IS BOARD CERTIFIED IN FAMILY AND ADDICTION MEDICINE.

HAVING PRACTICED MEDICINE IN RURAL CALIFORNIA HAS GIVEN ME INSIGHT INTO RURAL AND ISOLATED AREAS.

AN EXPERT ON ADDICTION AND CHILDHOOD TRAUMA SHE WAS FEATURED IN REQUESTED ADDICTS AMONG US."

SHE FOCUSED ON PREGNANT WOMEN AND PARENTS STATEWIDE.

SHE IS A TRAINER AND CONSULTANT FOR THE NATIONAL OPIOID RESPONSE NETWORK.

SHE STARTS IN JULY.

THAT IS ALL OUR TIME FOR THIS WEEK.

I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE OUR VIEWERS TO CHECK OUT OUR PODCAST.

IT'S UP ON GOOGLE PODCASTS AND APPLE PODCASTS AND CROSSING THE BAR IS WHAT IT IS CALLED AND IT TALKS ABOUT TRADITION AND HISTORY AND COMMERCE AND HOW THAT IS EVOLVING AND GROWING INTO THE FUTURE AND HOW IT IS LIKELY TO CHANGE.

PLEASE CHECK IT OUT.

STAY TUNED.

STAY INFORMED.

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