Lost Coast Outpost

If you’ve been near a television in Humboldt County anytime in the past few decades, there’s a good chance you’ve seen Dave Silverbrand peering back at you at one point or another. Over his lengthy career, Dave has carved out a niche as a trusted voice, a beloved local personality and a collector of everyday peoples’ stories.

Last year though, Dave decided to share some of his own story with the release of his book Dave’s House: Love, Loss and Life in Redwoods. In it, he discusses how he overcame the loss of his longtime wife Nina, who was struck by a vehicle while walking in the crosswalk in front of their house.

“If you fill your soul and your mind with happiness and joy [they don’t] really have as much room for bad feelings to get in there,” Silverbrand told the Outpost. “I actually learned that overnight after my wife passed away in 2013. Obviously it was a very sad time, — I still feel sad about it — but I also say that life is short and I have the resources to be joyful, no matter what. I know it sounds cliche but it has worked for me. And it’ll work for me today — I’ll probably get in the car and go down to the fair because there will probably be some person down there that I’ll want to meet and I don’t even know who it is! And I’ll probably have a heckuva time!”

Brian Heaton -- a former senior planner for the City of Eureka and current housing specialist with California Department of Housing & Community Development -- stops by the pod to talk about the creative solutions needed to meet Humboldt's growing housing needs.

The fourth annual Eureka Street Art Festival -- one of the few events that hasn't been canceled by the recent surge in COVID cases -- is officially underway! On this week's episode, local artists Blake Reagan and Lucas Thornton chat with us about the huge mural they are adding to the I Street side of the Humboldt County Courthouse.

Let's talk Arcata! On this week's episode we speak with Emily Goldstein, who was elected to the Arcata City Council at the height of the pandemic.

Outdoor guide Eric Stockwell joins the Outpost to talk about the shockingly low water levels in the Eel River this year, the drought and other factors that are impacting our waterways.

Eureka City Councilmember (and so much more) Natalie Arroyo gabs with the Outpost about Eureka happenings, including housing and the investigation in EPD officers sending vile texts. Plus Arroyo discusses her many other roles -- serving on the Coast Guard, working as a senior planner for the RCAA, a Rutabaga Queen and more!

If things stay on schedule, the Wiyot Tribe plans to open its brand new, shiny cultural center in Old Town Eureka — in the old Restoration Hardware space on Second Street — around the end of September to coincide with California Native American Day.

It’s been a longer road than expected. Cultural center manager and Wiyot tribal member Marnie Atkins has worked through numerous unforeseen COVID-related setbacks, but when she spoke with the Outpost for this week’s episode of Humboldt Holding Up, she was brimming with excitement about all the ways her new facility might be able to further understanding between the larger community and her people.

“Not only can people come in and learn about the tribe, about our beautiful baskets and regalia, and our language,” Atkins said. “You can also learn about our shared history and we can talk about that.”

You've probably never heard this before, but cannabis plays a large role in Humboldt County's economy. So much so, in fact, that some people refer to Humboldt as the "Napa Valley" of cannabis (another thing you've probably never heard a million times.)

That is why the Humboldt County Growers Alliance (HCGA) is working to preserve and protect our local cannabis industry, advocating for small, local growers and promoting cannabis education.

On this week's episode of Humboldt Holding Up, Natalynne DeLapp -- HCGA's director of operations -- shares all about the organization's work, maintaining the Humboldt cannabis brand, the HCGA's stance against the proposed large-scale Sun Valley weed farm, working with the City of Eureka to allow consumption at events and more!

A transpacific fiber optic cable. A state-of-the-art fish farm. A revamped and reinvigorated university. It feels like Humboldt is going to be busy in the coming years. On this week's Humboldt Holding Up we lay our optimism before Gregg Foster, executive director of the Redwood Region Economic Development Commission, to get his take on the county's financial future.

For nearly a half century, Michael Fields has drawn Humboldt out the 299 to Blue Lake to amuse them with characters that reflect our odd corner of the globe. He announced earlier this week that he'd be stepping down from his role as Producing Artistic Director of the Dell’Arte Company. On today's episode he reflects on a career and life he feels lucky to have been able to have.