PREVIOUSLY:

• TO SEATTLE! Alaska Airlines Will Launch Direct Flights Between Humboldt and the Emerald City Beginning in April

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A highly sought-after direct flight from Seattle, Wash., to Humboldt County’s airport had its inaugural arrival Wednesday.

The trip represented both Alaska Airline’s return to the California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport (ACV), and the realization of a longtime goal to have commercial northbound flights out of ACV. County officials say the flight was highly requested.

“We had no idea when we booked it that this was the first flight in from Alaska [Airlines]. So it was a very fortuitous event,” said Roger Peters, a Cutten resident. He said the direct flight that brought his sister (who hails from Victoria, BC) to Humboldt County made the trip much easier.

“Glad to have the service back,” he added.

Similarly, Sam Marsh and Cassidy Hopkins weren’t aware they rode on the airline’s inaugural flight from Seattle. They booked the trip on a whim, for their first visit to the area.

“It was a great flight, a beautiful view,” noted Hopkins, who said they planned to check out the redwoods.

The route is something officials are hopeful will usher in a new dawn for the airport and boost the local economy.

“Expanded air service really means so much for our community here. It supports a lot of locals,” said Humboldt County Supervisor Natalie Arroyo during remarks, pointing to a recent Humboldt County study finding air service supported approximately 584 jobs and generated $77 million in local economic output.

The last time Alaska Airlines flew into ACV was in 2012, when the airline cut an LAX route. The effort to get this flight took some courting.

In 2022, Congressman Jared Huffman, the Redwood Region Economic Development Commission and Volaire Aviation helped the County’s Department of Aviation bag a $850,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help airport officials attract northbound flights, either to Portland or Seattle.

“The county has been recruiting this service for more than a decade, and in that time, we’ve met with Alaska’s representatives 17 times to solidify this deal,” County Administrative Officer Elishia Hayes told attendees, near balloons and a Bigfoot mascot.

Arroyo handed gifts, such as Bigfoot socks and a dawn redwood sapling, to an Alaska Airlines representative.

“We are really excited to be back in Arcata,” said Danny Flores, Alaska Airlines California Director of Station Operations, during a speech.

He said people flying out of ACV can soon use the airline to get across the world. With the integration of Hawaiian Airlines, later this month travelers can buy a ticket from Arcata and eventually get all the way to Rome. And he noted Alaska Airlines is hoping to see some additional flying in Arcata.

“We all hope that the launch of this new flight to Seattle is just the beginning of what’s to come at ACV,” CAO Hayes said.

She said the airport has seen 80% growth since 2019, making it one of the fastest growing small airports in the country.

“I’m personally thrilled that they’re here,” said Nancy Olson, CEO/President of Eureka’s Chamber of Commerce, who lived in Seattle for many years. 

“But also I think it’s going to be really good for our tourism, and bring folks down with much easier access to what we have to offer here,” she said. 

Gregg Foster, the Executive Director of RREDC, agreed. He said it’s long been a goal of economic development groups to have flights going north from ACV, for both tourism and business operations.

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

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A union-backed proposal to tax California’s billionaires to fund health care has put some progressive lawmakers — and their labor allies — in a quandary.

Taxing the rich to backfill Trump-induced federal funding cuts might sound like a no-brainer policy for the party’s left flank, which counts wealth inequality among its top issues.

But despite a strong show of support from prominent national figures, including Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and liberal economist Robert Reich, the “2026 California Billionaire Tax Act” has become a hot potato for labor leaders.

The proposed initiative would levy a one-time tax of 5% on any resident of California whose net worth exceeds $1 billion, which applies to around 200 people, according to Forbes. That money would plug an estimated $100 billion hole left by federal cuts to Medi-Cal and other social service programs.

Publicly, prominent labor and progressive players have largely kept quiet, unlike Gov. Gavin Newsom who has aired his disdain loud and clear. Yet in private, some union leaders and their allies in the Legislature rail against the measure. Of the critics who spoke with CalMatters for this story — three union leaders and five members of the Legislative Progressive Caucus — only one lawmaker would criticize the measure openly.

Critics question its feasibility and whether the state even knows how to accurately appraise a billionaire’s total wealth, a crucial step to evaluating how much tax they would owe. They fear long-term revenue loss by driving wealthy people out of California. And some resent that the union sponsoring the initiative, SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, designed the measure to predominantly benefit its members rather than boost the state’s general fund, where it could go to all budget needs.

“It’s not that taxing billionaires in itself is wrong,” said Keely Martin Bosler, formerly the top state budget officer to Newsom and former Gov. Jerry Brown. She is now a Democratic consultant who has advised several of California’s most powerful labor groups, including the Service Employees International Union of California, the parent union of SEIU-UHW. “The way in which this tax specifically is constructed is problematic.”

Many progressive state lawmakers and Capitol heavyweights, such as Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco and the powerful California Labor Federation, have sidestepped the question of whether they’d support it, declining for now to take a position on an initiative that has yet to officially qualify for the ballot.

“The Labor Federation won’t take it up for an endorsement until July,” said Lorena Gonzalez, the organization’s president, in a text message.

Yet if the tax lands on the November ballot, as it appears on track to do, progressive critics will be saddled with the tricky optics of opposing — or at least not supporting — a measure that embodies one of their base’s core tenets: taxing the rich.

Even the mere threat the measure could qualify for the ballot has already spurred a torrent of opposition spending — more than $50 million in total so far — from billionaires such as Google co-founder Sergey Brin and cryptocurrency mogul Chris Larsen. Brin’s group, known as “Building a Better California,” has also spawned three new competing ballot measures designed to undermine the billionaires’ tax.

Critics fear that if billionaires like Brin become even bigger perennial spenders in California politics, they could neuter the progressive agenda by bankrolling more business-friendly candidates and ousting left-leaning, labor-aligned legislators.

But the measure’s proponents say they are undeterred by the secretive detractors and challenge their critics to put their names behind their words.

“What we have is a group of so-called leaders who are not reflecting the attitudes of their own constituents,” said Dave Regan, president of SEIU-UHW and the de facto leader of the billionaire tax measure. “That’s why they want to be anonymous.”

Regan said he’s confident the initiative will amass enough signatures to qualify for the ballot before the end of April. Then, he said, “We believe a lot of those people are going to come around and change because this makes sense, because the public is supportive, because their own members are supportive.”

The case for, and against, the billionaires’ tax

So far, polling has shown the billionaire tax is relatively popular with voters. Recent surveys show just over half of Californians surveyed said they’re inclined to vote for it.

Critics point out that California’s existing state tax structure is entirely based on income, rather than net worth. The state would have to appraise each person’s assets, including real estate, art, automobiles and private and public businesses. The billionaires could pay in installments, handing over 1% of their wealth annually for five years.

Bosler said that with income tax filings, the Franchise Tax Board can use data from federal tax returns to verify its own analysis. Since there’s no federal wealth tax, California would be forging uncharted territory with no tax compliance support from any other source or agency — a risky move that could invite legal challenges.

“The state is not a miracle worker, like, they’re not going to suddenly be able to do all of this like perfectly,” said Bosler. “I mean they will do their best, but I just think this is expertise that they have built up over 50-plus years. Like, none of this is in their wheelhouse at this point.”

But champions of the tax argue it is the only real solution on the table so far to save hospitals, health care jobs and, ultimately, patient lives they say are at risk due to federal funding cuts to Medi-Cal and food assistance programs.

Supporters note that the tax is not intended to solve California’s structural budget problems.

“It’s one-time funding to fill what we hope is a one-time hole,” said Brian Galle, a tax law professor at UC Berkeley who helped craft the measure. Galle said only around 200 people would be subjected to the tax, so the extra burden on the Franchise Tax Board wouldn’t be too great.

“It’s not like FTB is going to get a blizzard of tens of thousands of new returns that they’re going to have to figure out a whole new data system for cracking,” said Galle.

Why some progressives aren’t on board

Those who have qualms with the initiative have largely kept their criticisms private.

One liberal state legislator, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the infighting among the unions puts progressive lawmakers in a difficult position. While he empathizes with the urgency that health care workers feel, he and other Democrats are not convinced the policy could withstand legal challenges and worry about the wealthy employing savvy accounting maneuvers to skirt the tax altogether.

Some organizations that are synonymous with progressive politics in California, such as the Working Families Party, also haven’t taken a position, even as other unions such as the Teamsters and AFSCME California support it.

Even the powerhouse labor union SEIU California is choosing not to take a position on the measure, which is spearheaded by one of its local affiliates, SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West.

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, right, speaks with Assemblymember Chris Ward during an Assembly floor session at the state Capitol in Sacramento on Sept. 12, 2025. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters

Assemblymember Chris Ward, a member of the progressive caucus, called the measure a “well-meaning effort by UHW,” but criticized the proposal for being just a one-time tax primarily benefiting the health care sector rather than boosting the state’s overall revenues. Regan said SEIU-UHW made the tax one-time to nullify the argument that it would push billionaires out of the state.

Ward noted that he and his colleagues are considering “superior” bills, such as one that would close a corporate tax loop to generate $3 billion per year, and another that would create a new tax on corporations that pay workers so little that they qualify for Medi-Cal and nutrition assistance.

Regan argued these measures would only make California more unaffordable, since businesses would pass their increased costs along to consumers.

Ward, the sole state lawmaker who would candidly share his concerns about the initiative with CalMatters, said he and his colleagues have heard pushback from “a number of other labor organizations that don’t support that initiative,” primarily because its members would not directly benefit from any of the revenue. Uniting labor, he said, is the key to any successful revenue solution.

“There’s a need to look at a wealth tax for a more broad range, including health care workers but other purposes that are state priorities,” Ward said, “and that will be left off of the table if this is the only question we’re seeing.”

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For the record: An earlier version of this story misstated Dave Regan’s leadership role with SEIU-UHW. He is president, an elected position, not executive director.

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CalMatters‘ Nadia Lathan contributed to this story.

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In an effort to close the gaps that prevent the city’s homeless community from accessing immediate shelter, the City of Eureka is pursuing new housing alternatives, including a city-sanctioned encampment.

At last night’s meeting, the council looked at several encampment setups in California and Oregon — ranging from strictly regulated city-run facilities to self-governed communities that more closely resemble a commune — to get a better sense of what would work here in Eureka. The council received the report, but did not take any formal action on the item.

The renewed push for emergency shelter options comes nearly one year after the city council rejected a controversial proposal that would have increased penalties for some people living in unauthorized homeless encampments. That proposal drew sharp criticism from homeless advocates who argued that it would cause undue harm to unhoused community members and create additional barriers to housing and supportive services. As a result, the council tossed the ordinance and instead formed an ad hoc committee to explore strategies to expand the city’s options for emergency shelter.

That ad-hoc committee includes council members Renee Contreras-DeLoach and G. Mario Fernandez, Eureka City Manager Miles Slattery, Managing Mental Health Clinician Jacob Rosen, CAPE Project Manager Jeff Davis and Chief Building Official Brendan Reilly.

During a presentation on that committee’s work at last night’s meeting, Contreras-DeLoach said city staff looked at two city-sanctioned “alternative shelters” in Portland, Oregon, including the Multnomah Safe Rest Village and Weidler Village, as well as Dignity Village, a membership-based community that calls itself “a radical experiment to end homelessness.” Staff also took online tours of a city-sanctioned encampment in San Rafael and The Grove in Sacramento, a 50-unit tiny cabin community for transitional-age youth.

Contreras-DeLoach acknowledged that there are “advantages and disadvantages” to each setup. Looking specifically at the Portland sites, she noted that the city-run Multnomah Village is made up of identical cube-like units (similar to the Betty Kwan Chinn Homeless Foundation’s Bayside Village) and is “very, very meticulously maintained” with tight security. Dignity Village, on the other hand, has more of an artsy, commune-type feel.

“It’s considered democratically self-administered, self-governed and self-operated,” Contreras-DeLoach said, referring to Dignity Village. Looking at an aerial view of the site, she pointed out piles of people’s belongings and garbage. “They did say to staff that … this community has had quite a few fire calls. …. You can see that there’s some safety concerns with how this one’s being operated.”

“I think there’s probably a happy medium between the two,” she added. “Studies have shown people do better and they heal better when there’s more of a sense of community, and we know that that’s often through environmental design and planning.”

Contreras-DeLoach also went over some of the different structure types that were used in each encampment, which range from fully-assembled one-room units to double units with a kitchenette and bathroom facilities, which exceed $20,000 per bedroom. 

Contreras-DeLoach noted that a locally made and eco-friendly option could be sourced through Building Lives By Building Structure (BLBS), a Hoopa Valley-based hempcrete business. “They’re built like a home … and, price-wise, they come in at about the same price point,” she said, referring to the $20,000 per unit figure. However, she acknowledged that BLBS does not yet operate at the scale required for, say, a 25-unit tiny house village.

An example of a Conestoga Hut. | Screenshot.

The structures she was most interested in were Conestoga Huts, insulated, hard-shelled structures that are built kind of like a hoop house with a flat, plywood base that’s elevated off the ground. They’re used in tiny house villages and encampments throughout Oregon, but they’re not as common here in California because they’re considered tents and are subject to different zoning laws than other tiny house structures, Contreras-DeLoach said.

“One of the issues that we have in an encampment situation is that the tents have to be ADA accessible … which, in some ways, sounds almost counterintuitive because we’re talking about people that, right now, are stuck in bushes and potentially gutters and doorways. It seems like anything would be an improvement,” she said. “[These are] sturdy, non-flammable, insulated [and] safe, [with a] locking door and window, which solves a myriad issues.”

The biggest selling point for the Conestoga Hut is perhaps the price. A fully assembled unit costs around $4,500, and an unassembled unit is closer to $2,500.

“My takeaway from all of this [research] is that this is doable,” Contreras-DeLoach said at the end of her presentation. “After going through this and really looking at it, I’m like, ‘This is something that we can really do. This is an option for us to get people off the streets and in a more stable situation.’ These aren’t intended for long-term [use], but they could last for a really long time.”

Councilmember Leslie Castellano asked if the ad hoc committee had spoken with any specific entities or individuals willing to host an authorized encampment or tiny house village and, if so, where it would be located. She also asked about potential funding opportunities. Contreras-DeLoach said the ad hoc committee had spoken to a few faith-based organizations and private individuals about setting up Conestoga Huts, but couldn’t say who. 

Slattery noted that staff applied for “a private donation from an entity south of here” and said the city is focusing its efforts on a 40-unit village at a property owned by the Betty Kwan Chinn Homeless Foundation at Second and A streets.

“We’ve looked into the PLHA [Permanent Local Housing Allocation] for funding to have that site prepped,” he continued. “We have a layout designed for that site, and that layout has been proposed to both the private donor as well as the organization that we’re seeking a donation from. We got really good news today: Our staff had spoken to that organization, and based on those conversations, we’re optimistic, but we won’t know until we hear back.”

Contreras-DeLoach | Screenshot

Contreras-DeLoach added that the faith-based organizations and private donors wouldn’t be able to host anything large-scale. “These would be much smaller,” she said, adding that the churches would have to expand their designation as an “institution” with the state to include welfare. “There’s multiple churches that are interested in having anywhere from two to five. So again, that’s not very many, but it’s what they feel like they can manage.”

Speaking to the design of some of the encampments in the presentation, Councilmember Kati Moulton emphasized that a colorful and even potentially cluttered space doesn’t mean it isn’t clean or poses liability risks. “There is room for both health and humanity.”

“I was at the Raven Project for many years, and if you’ve ever been inside that house, it is absolutely covered in artwork and memorabilia,” Moulton said. “It’s got a garden that’s thriving [and] it’s got a kitchen that’s really active. There’s lots of color, and the people who come in there to get services often end up employed there … and they all kind of leave their mark on the place.”

Mayor Kim Bergel expressed her appreciation for the in-depth report, but said she was disappointed that the ad hoc committee hadn’t done more to nail down a location for the encampment.

Bergel | Screenshot

“We’ve been having this conversation for 10 years,” she said. “When we shut down the camping ordinance, my understanding was … that [the committee] was going to bring back locations, people to manage the situation and how to keep people indoors. And I do appreciate that you did a lot of work on this, but it feels like we’re still in the same place. We still don’t have a location. … We don’t have any idea about how these things are going to be funded and who’s going to run it.”

Contreras-DeLoach said she didn’t feel it would be appropriate for her to make a recommendation to the council, given that many of the details hadn’t been worked out. 

“I can say, here are the grants that they’re applying for, here are the sites that we’re looking at, here are potential investors,” she said. “I don’t know how far everybody got in the process before, but I think that some of it is just waiting on us.”

Bergel continued to voice her concerns, noting that she had to call the city’s non-emergency line twice last week because tourists were being yelled at in Old Town. On top of that, Bergel said she was tired of seeing people throw “all their stuff all over the place” at Madaket Plaza.

“You guys know me. It’s not that I don’t care about people, but I can understand how some people are afraid, and we’ve got to come up with some ideas,” she continued. “We are hitting the rock, but things aren’t changing. … The people that I see sitting out in front of Free Meal in all kinds of filth … I don’t see how we’re being compassionate by allowing those kinds of behaviors. … It’s been a problem, but it’s more of a problem now.”

Moulton took the opportunity to reiterate a statistic Contreras-Deloach had shared earlier in the presentation: Uplift Eureka has successfully rehoused 259 people since 2018, and its Homeless Prevention Program has assisted 87 others. Moulton asked Uplift’s manager, Jeff Davis, how many of the 259 people rehoused ended up back on the streets. 

“In the ballpark of 80 [or] 85% success rate of folks that are still housed today, which is extremely high, and I think that goes to show our dedication,” Davis told the council. “When we work with folks in our Rapid Rehousing Program, we are working with folks who have the highest need and the highest level of vulnerability. If we had 100% success rate, we wouldn’t be helping the right people. We wouldn’t be helping the folks who need it the most.”

After some additional discussion, the council agreed to accept the report but didn’t take any further action on the item.

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Want more city council coverage? Check back tomorrow!

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PREVIOUSLY

• City of Eureka is Trying Very Hard to Evict the Owner of Humboldt Bay Social Club, Saying She Hasn’t Paid Rent in a Year and a Half

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The City of Eureka’s ongoing attempt to evict the owner/operator of Humboldt Bay Social Club got an assist in U.S. Bankruptcy Court today as Judge William J. Lafferty dismissed the owner’s latest Chapter 11 filing, citing a “complete failure to comply with court orders.”

Humboldt Bay Social Club — a restaurant/bar and event venue with outdoor seating and onsite vacation rentals — is located at the Samoa Air Field, which is owned by the City of Eureka. Nicole Fryer purchased the business in July 2024 as the sole member of a limited liability company called Zephyr Hospitality, through which she rents the property. The city says Fryer owes roughly 18 months’ worth of rent and a total of more than $60,000. 

Fryer, meanwhile, says she’s trying to stabilize and continue operating the business after a series of setbacks. In court filings she says the business is generating $18,000 per month in revenue, and on April 1 the city received a cashier’s check from Zephyr Hospitality for $2,650, roughly one month’s rent.

But the city has been trying to evict her for months. On December 2, Eureka’s attorneys filed an eviction lawsuit (known as action for unlawful detainer) in Humboldt County Superior Court. The court later ruled in the city’s favor, awarding Eureka its back rent and granting the city permission to repossess the property.

However, six days before that ruling came down, Fryer had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, which triggered an automatic stay on eviction for the duration of the bankruptcy proceedings. But Fryer, representing herself, had submitted an incomplete petition, according to the court records. She later filed a motion for an extension, saying she needed time to hire an attorney and gather “complete and accurate financial information.” The court granted the extension, but she failed to meet the next deadline and that case was dismissed.

She filed a second Chapter 11 petition early last month. The City of Eureka argues that Fryer is simply trying to stymie its eviction efforts with this second bankruptcy filing, and it has asked the court to lift the automatic stay so it can proceed with that eviction.

In bankruptcy proceedings, small businesses such as Zephyr Hospitality are legally required to hire an attorney, but Fryer has yet to do so. She appeared at today’s hearing via Zoom, which earned a rebuke from Judge Lafferty.

“You have no authority to be here,” he told Fryer. “As I think I’ve told this debtor more than once, you have to prosecute Chapter 11 through a lawyer.”

“I understand that, Your Honor,” Fryer replied. “I’m actively working to secure counsel as we speak. I request a short amount of time to do so.”

“It’s a little late for that,” he replied.

Also appearing via Zoom were Eureka Deputy City Attorney Gregory M. Holtz and a pair of federal trustees, one serving as an impartial administrator and the other assigned as a mediator, of sorts, to help restructure debts and allow the debtor to keep their business, if all goes as planned.

That’s not the case here. One of the trustees appearing today pointed out that Fryer failed to show up for the initial court-scheduled interview and was also a no-show at the initial meeting of creditors. He said the U.S. Trustees Office has no objection to dismissal of the case.

Judge Lafferty, citing Fryer’s failure to comply with court orders, said he didn’t have much choice except to dismiss the case, though both Eureka’s attorney and the trustees asked him to leave it open for administrative purposes. The city needs the case to remain open while it pursues relief from the stay that’s holding up eviction proceedings. Holtz also indicated that the city may try to prove that Fryer’s multiple bankruptcy filings were part of a scheme to delay, hinder or defraud creditors. 

The trustees also asked for the case to remain open for the purposes of discovery. They intend to investigate Zephyr/Fryer’s financial affairs and conduct. (One noted that an outside attorney appears to have improperly helped in the preparation of Fryer’s submitted materials.)

When Judge Lafferty announced his intention to dismiss the case, Fryer looked crestfallen. 

“I just want to stabilize this business,” she said, “and I’m just trying to fully comply with this court.”

Judge Lafferty cut her off. “You know, you can say that, but you’re not [complying], okay? I don’t know how else to say it,” he said. “I’m not trying to be flip or funny, but just, you know, this is a serious business. And it simply isn’t being prosecuted the way it needs to be.”

With that, he dismissed the case, leaving it open for administrative purposes. Fryer has been ordered to provide documents to U.S. Department of Justice’s Trustee Office by April 13 and to appear at an examination by that office on April 20. 

An email sent to Fryer this morning seeking comment for this story had not received a response by the time of publication.

Press release from the Humboldt-Del Norte Film Commission:

The Humboldt-Del Norte Film Commission has been named a finalist for Film Commission of the Year (City/Region) at the 2026 Global Production Awards 2026, taking place during the Cannes Film Festival this May.

Presented by Screen International, the Global Production Awards recognize outstanding and sustainable work across film and television production, locations, and studios worldwide. This year’s shortlist includes major global companies like Netflix, HBO, and NBCUniversal, placing Humboldt-Del Norte alongside top-tier international markets.

“This is a big moment, not just for our office, but for rural California,” said Cassandra Hesseltine, Film Commissioner for Humboldt and Del Norte counties. “When you invest in keeping projects here, you’re not just supporting Hollywood, you’re supporting communities like ours, creating jobs, and building long-term economic resilience across the state.”

The recognition comes during a landmark year for the region and for California’s film industry overall. The Commission was recently named 2026 Nonprofit of the Year for California Assembly District 2, and supported the production of One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, a California-filmed project that went on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

Filmed in part across Humboldt County, the production generated millions in economic impact, supported hundreds of local jobs, and demonstrated the value of investing in California-based production at a time when the state is actively working to expand and strengthen its film and television tax credit program.

As California continues to compete globally for film and television production, Humboldt-Del Norte has emerged as a model for how smaller regions can deliver high-impact results through collaboration, responsiveness, and strong industry relationships.

The Humboldt-Del Norte Film Commission serves as the official liaison for productions across both counties, providing permitting support, location resources, and local crew and vendor connections, while also advancing film tourism and workforce development in Northern California.

Winners of the Global Production Awards will be announced on May 18, 2026, in Cannes, France.

Garcia.

Ed. note: At least one other candidate, Jason McCutcheon, has signed up to run for this seat, which will be on the November ballot.

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Press release from Victor Garcia for City Council, Ward One:

Victor E. Garcia Jr., local community organizer and commissioner on the Humboldt County Human Rights Commission, today announced the endorsement of three local elected officials in his campaign for the open Eureka City Council 1st Ward seat.

Endorsing Garcia are Councilmember Leslie Castellano (Ward 1), Councilmember G. Mario Fernandez (Ward 3), and Supervisor Natalie Arroyo (Fourth District).

“Victor has the vision and knowledge to help build a successful Eureka. It doesn’t take long to figure out how difficult life can be behind the Redwood Curtain; though, with Victor’s experience and insight and expertise of public processes, adding him to our city’s leadership would help build a more prosperous Eureka.”

— G. Mario Fernandez, Eureka City Councilmember, Ward 3

Garcia is running on a platform that addresses five interconnected challenges facing Eureka: a behavioral health crisis, lack of healthcare access, housing instability and tenants’ rights, food resiliency, and shrinking state and federal support. He has proposed creating a Rent Board to protect tenants, pursuing an elected Community Healthcare District to reduce the need for residents to travel hours for basic care, and investing in local food production through backyard gardens, gleaning campaigns, and partnerships with local farmers, ranchers, and the fishing industry.

For people experiencing homelessness, Garcia supports safe parking programs, tiny home villages, and embedding mental health professionals alongside community ambassadors. He has emphasized cross-agency collaboration as a strategy for stretching public dollars further during a period of reduced federal and state funding.

“This campaign is about presenting an attainable vision for Eureka and a movement that enables our neighbors to shape its future. Humboldt is full of creative, artistic, resilient, intelligent people, and we will harness their energy to create the future we deserve.”

— Victor E. Garcia Jr., candidate, Eureka City Council 1st Ward

Garcia is a public employee, community organizer, and proud Ward One resident. From watching his mother run a small business for 27 years to organizing progressive victories across California, Victor has spent his life learning how to make systems work for people. He is a member of Operating Engineers Local 3, Vice Chair of the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee, and a dedicated advocate for a better Eureka. He grew up in the San Fernando Valley and earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Campaign Kickoff Event

• Saturday, April 11, 2:30–4:30 p.m.
• Synapsis, 1675 Union St., Eureka (across from Caltrans)

Food provided. Children welcome.

To learn more, RSVP for the launch event, or get involved, visit Victor4Eureka.com or email info@victor4eureka.com.

Biography

Victor Garcia is a proud Eureka resident who has made Humboldt County his forever home. He lives in Ward One with his partner of ten years, three beloved pets, and his parents, who reside just a mile down the road. To Victor, Ward One is home, and its future is personal.

Growing up in the San Fernando Valley, Victor experienced firsthand what it means to build something from the ground up. His mother owned and operated a travel agency for 27 years, working seven days a week for much of that time. That upbringing gave him a front-row seat to the sacrifices small business owners make each and every day.

As a public employee in local government, Victor’s professional experiences inform his civic life. He is grounded in the belief that government can do better and should work for the people it serves. His experience navigating municipal government from the inside gives him a practical understanding of how city institutions function and how to get things done for residents.

Over the past ten years, Victor has organized for progressive causes and candidates across California. He got his start in politics as Co-Chair of UC Santa Barbara for Bernie in 2015. Working alongside a coalition of students and community stakeholders, his efforts helped register over 10,000 students to vote ahead of the 2016 primary. He later served as Statewide Volunteer Coordinator for Delaine Eastin for Governor and most recently helped defeat Measure F right here in Eureka.

Victor is deeply embedded in the civic life of the region. He currently serves on the Humboldt County Human Rights Commission and is a proud member of Operating Engineers Local 3. He is also active in the Democratic Party as Vice Chair of the county central committee and a delegate to the California Democratic Party. He earned his B.A. in Political Science from UC Santa Barbara in 2017.

When he is not engaged in the community, Victor can be found tending his garden, at one of Humboldt’s beautiful beaches with a good book, or cooking and baking for friends and family.

PREVIOUSLY

• Eureka Police Announce Arrest of Man Suspected of Smashing Glass Doors Around Town Last Night, Including at EPD Headquarters

From the Eureka Police Department:

On April 7th, 2026, at approximately 8:50 p.m., Officers with the Eureka Police Department (EPD) responded to the vicinity of 4th St and E St for a report of a male subject hitting windows and throwing rocks at financial institutions. 

Officers quickly arrived in the area and located the male suspect, identified as Bruce Snow, 34 years old of Eureka, holding a rock and a blue Sharpie pen while approaching a bank. Officers located similar rocks near other damaged financial institutions. The rocks had the banks’ names written on them in blue Sharpie and appeared to have been used to break the windows. 

Snow was taken into custody for felony vandalism, public intoxication, possession of drug paraphernalia, and violating the terms of his probation. This is the second time Snow has been involved in felony vandalism under similar circumstances. See the excerpt from previous press release located below.  

Eureka, CA — On the night of October 29 and into the early morning hours of October 30, 2025, Eureka Police Department (EPD) patrol officers responded to a series of ten vandalism incidents across the north end of the city. An individual was reported to be shattering multiple glass doors at several businesses, including the front doors of the Eureka Police Department Headquarters and the Humboldt Bay Fire Headquarters. 

During the investigation, and with assistance from victim businesses, officers identified and located the suspect near 4th and A Streets. The suspect, 34-year-old Bruce William Snow, was arrested and booked into jail for multiple counts of felony vandalism and probation violations. 

Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Eureka Police Department Criminal Investigation Unit at 707-441-4300.