El Niño is Here
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It’s Flash Fiction Season 2026
Here’s the story in 99 words: NCJ’s 99-word Flash Fiction Contest is on. Send up to three entries in the body of an email (no attachments or links) to fiction@northcoastjournal.com with your name and contact information (no pen names) by midnight Oct. 31.
Dainty dramas, bite-sized adventures, flits of fantasy, micro-mysteries, half-pint hauntings, brief romances and scraps of science fiction are all welcome in 99 words or fewer (title not included). We’ll read your original fiction and run the winner and top tales in the Dec. 3 issue.
No poetry and — sorry, robots — no AI-generated copy. Get typing, Humboldt.
The Latest
Election 2026
With the dust still settling on an historic and stunning national election that saw an all-encompassing blue wave sweep across the country, several local races are still too close to call. As of Nov. 6,…
El Niño is Here
In case you haven’t heard, it’s an El Niño year. And, according to climate scientists, it’s likely to be a strong-to-very strong one, or — as it has already colloquially been dubbed — a “Super…
Events
Winter Fair Ice Skating Rink
Nov. 13-Jan. 10
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Music Tonight: Thursday, Nov. 12
Jon Spencer, the maestro behind Gen X powerhouse bands Pussy Galore, Boss Hog and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, is playing a solo show at the Miniplex at 7 p.m. This is about as good as…
Shhh/Peaceful
There are a lot of good things happening this week, with just a little downtime, which is rather impressive for this time of year. There are some truly fantastic shows on tap, particularly in the…
‘All That Glitters’ is Gold
I have a special affinity for the art of burlesque. The Swarovski crystal-bedazzled spectacle of empowerment that reclaims the stolen energy that solidifies shame and metamorphosizes toxic sexualization has always been inspiring to me. It marries…
‘Rhinoceros’ Charges into Absurdity
This month, Cal Poly Humboldt brings us Rhinoceros by Eugène Ionesco, one of the plays that launched the Theater of the Absurd movement from the 1950s, which remains culturally germane in any era and locale. …
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Music + Entertainment
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In Print
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The Oldest Photograph
Two hundred years on, I wonder what Nicéphore Niépce would make of our worldwide love of photography today, with some 60,000 photos taken every second. Niépce is credited with taking the world’s oldest surviving photograph…
‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Comes Back Home
GODZILLA MINUS ZERO. If you haven’t seen director Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus 1 (2023), which he wrote with Ishiro Honda and Takeo Murata, by all means do so before heading out for its sequel. (It’s…
Elections Office Releases New Numbers
The Humboldt County Elections Office today released its first post election report, which added 3,900 votes for a total of 25,409 ballots counted, representing just under 30 percent of registered voters. Results will continue to…
Gavin Newsom Seeks to Clear Death Row, Commutes Sentences for Hundreds of Prisoners
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Gov. Gavin Newsom is commuting the death sentences of 548 people, clearing the California death row for the first time since the state…
‘Wicker’ Weaves its Magic
WICKER. It should come as no surprise that I am not easily charmed by fables, magical realism, period dramas, romance — charming things, really. I could defend my proclivities with the notion that there is…
Eat + Drink
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Caring for Trans Youth
Standing before dozens of community members at the Labor Temple in Eureka, Alexis Villegas said he tries not to remember last summer because of how painful it was. He couldn’t decide if he was angrier…
Seeking a Solution
Finding that elevating and shoring up the road accessing Centerville Beach is “not a prudent use of public funds,” Humboldt County is instead aiming to move it inland. Centerville Road’s erosion and flooding issues are…
First Saturday Arts Alive
Enjoy a lively evening in Downtown and Old Town Eureka as galleries, museums, theaters, bars and restaurants stay open late. Explore art, catch live performances and soak in the vibrant energy of our creative community. …
Former Humboldt Crabs Help Brewers Capture World Series Championship
From the Arcata ballpark to baseball’s biggest stage, the Humboldt Crabs’ connection to the Milwaukee Brewers’ 2026 World Series championship runs across 36 years and two generations of baseball. Pat Casey, a 1980 Crab now…
Election Night Final Report, Update Expected Thursday
With the dust still settling on an historic and stunning midterm election night on the national front, here’s a look at the local seats that were up for grabs on Nov. 3. According to the…
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Letters & Opinion
Trans Bodies Are Beautiful
Thank you for bringing attention to the healthcare crisis transgender youth are facing locally in…
‘Can You Tone It Down A Little?’
In his NCJ Setlist column (“Into the Void”) on Nov. 5, Collin Yeo writes “it’s…
Better Election Funding
Editor: The 2026 midterm elections cost nearly $12 billion, a record. The Supreme Court’s Citizens…
‘How Big is Your Tribe?’
Editor: It may be too late to respond to the opinion piece “The Good Ones”…
Community Connection
Editor: Please join us for a Centro del Pueblo fund raising event on Wednesday, Nov.…
The Bears
Editor: I benefited from university instruction from wildlife specialists. I love black bears, from a…
Michelle Dawn Rector
Michelle Dawn Rector (Shelly), age 74, of Humboldt County, California, and Yamhill County, Oregon, passed away on August 24, 2026. Shelly was born on June 10, 1952 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Eureka, California to…
Janet Stock
Janet Stock was a lover of nature and healer of women. In 1997, she helped establish the massage practice at the Women’s Health Resource Center at a major San Francisco hospital, an innovative program for…
Safety Corridor Speed Limit Goes to 60
The signs they are a-changing — along U.S. Highway 101 between Eureka and Arcata, that is. Say goodbye to the 50 mph posts and hello to the ones placed to reflect the new speed limit…
Beware the ‘Red Mirage’ if California Republicans Have an Election Night Lead
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. It happens in close races in almost every major election. Early California returns show Republicans winning or at least faring better than expected.…
Michael Kevin Robinson
Michael Kevin Robinson was born on June 28, 1954 in Long Beach, CA to Bette and Russell Robinson. He grew up as the younger brother of sister Shari, and lived a privileged life as the…
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