Hey, bud.
In Humboldt County, cannabis is not a niche beat -- it is the local news. The plant built this economy, shapes its politics, defines its land use debates, and funds its schools. California Bud exists because Humboldt deserves a publication that treats cannabis the way a farming community paper treats agriculture: as the economic backbone, not a curiosity.
The Newsroom
Jesse Marsh
Editor-in-Chief
Jesse Marsh has covered Northern California for two decades. Born and raised in the Sacramento Valley, he came to Humboldt County in 2008 and never left. He knows every county supervisor by first name and has sat through more planning commission meetings than anyone should have to.
Kira Tanaka
Cannabis Industry Reporter
Kira Tanaka spent a decade farming cannabis in the hills above Redway before pivoting to journalism. She speaks the language of both the permit office and the hillside cultivator, and her reporting bridges the gap between the two.
Tomas Reyes
Environment & Land Reporter
Tomas Reyes covers Humboldt County's watersheds, wildfires, and the uneasy relationship between cannabis cultivation and the land. He has an environmental science degree from Humboldt State and lives on the Eel River.
Dani Woodward
Community Reporter
Dani Woodward is the heart of the paper. She profiles the people who make Humboldt County what it is, covers schools and local culture, and writes the stories that make you feel like you live here.
Ray Petrovic
Crime & Public Safety Reporter
Ray Petrovic covers the gray zone between legal and illegal cannabis in Humboldt County. A former sheriff's beat reporter, he tracks illegal grows, cartel activity, enforcement operations, and compliance issues.
Maya Flores
Business & Economy Reporter
Maya Flores covers the non-cannabis economy in Humboldt County: fishing, timber, tourism, commercial development, and how cannabis dollars flow through the local economy. She makes spreadsheets readable.
What We Cover
California Bud launched in April 2026 to fill a growing need for serious local news coverage. As legacy media contracts, we are expanding -- investing in the reporters and resources needed to cover a region as complex and consequential as the Emerald Triangle.
- Local Government -- Board of Supervisors, city councils, planning commissions, and state policy affecting Humboldt County
- Cannabis Industry -- Licensing, cultivation, wholesale markets, the legacy-to-legal transition, and the regulatory framework
- Environment & Land -- Watersheds, wildfire, grow site remediation, conservation, and timber across the North Coast
- Community -- Schools, local culture, tribal news, events, and the people who make Humboldt what it is
We cover Humboldt County the way it actually works: cannabis is the economy, not a sidebar. Local government, environment, community, crime, business -- all through the lens of a place where the plant shapes everything.
- Crime & Enforcement -- Illegal grows, cartel activity, compliance enforcement, and public safety
- Business & Economy -- Fishing, timber, tourism, commercial development, and cannabis tax revenue
- Opinion -- Commentary and analysis from our editorial team
- The Plant -- Cultivation science, strain profiles, harvest reports, and growing knowledge
Independent Ownership
California Bud is independently owned and operated. We are not affiliated with any political party, corporation, or media conglomerate. Our editorial decisions are made solely by our newsroom staff based on journalistic merit and community relevance.
Our Standards
We verify information before publication, seek comment from all parties in disputes, correct errors promptly, and maintain a clear separation between news reporting and opinion content. Read our full standards →
Have a news tip? Want to share feedback? Reach us at tips@californiabud.com
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