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Author’s Note: A former poultryman and I were reminiscing about the past. We didn’t have answers to some questions. A search in the files of the county library and Humboldt State University historical records provided very limited information. The persons about whom we were interested had passed away, as had most other former poultrymen. Consequently, much information has been lost — permanently.

From that developed the idea of recording for the future something of the past poultry history of the county.

As there are no operating poultry in farms in the area, there are no opportunities for field trips by current FFA classes, or children interested in poultry. Soon teachers will not have had the pleasure of watching a hen mother her brood, will never see hens scratching in the hen house litter, will never hear the rooster crow at the crack of dawn! Just as the urban child says all milk comes from the cartons in the store, soon people will be saying eggs also come from the store, never realizing all that goes on behind the scene to have fresh eggs available for breakfast.

This writing may be of interest in future years and provide a picture of the poultry industry that once was there. When one tries to determine who had the first poultry in Humboldt County, or when the first poultry came into the county, or for that matter any information about the facts of poultry in the county, one has about as much success as the child on a fruitless search for the “hen’s tooth.”

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It is a safe assumption to make that there was poultry of some kind — whether it be ducks, geese, chickens or turkeys — in the county shortly after the first settlers arrived. Early accounts of the settlers of the West often mentioned milch cows and chickens. There appeared to be a considerable amount of initiative on the part of local agriculturalists in the county. The County Assessor’s first report for the year 1854 indicated potato crops, 1,400 head for stock raising, 412 milch cows, grain crops. The year 1857 reported all kinds of fruit trees now in production, as well as grapes.

Dairy production took a turn toward an important business. In 1855 an enterprising merchant of Union (Arcata) advertised 3,000 pounds of “Premium Eel River Butter” and Humboldt cheese.

Ten years later, in 1865, it was reported again by the County Assessor’s Office that there were 8,100 chickens, 123 ducks, 175 geese and 303 turkeys in the county.

As the population increased, so did the demand for food products. A considerable amount of butter was exported to the mining and lumbering camps of other parts of the State. More importantly, the San Francisco market was putting a premium on Humboldt-produced butter. Success in this area could not help but stimulate the thinking about and the production of other crops in the area, such as eggs.

The development of the County area did not go unnoticed either locally or at the State level. In the early part of the 20th Century, Humboldt County Promotional and Development Committee was formed. It is quoted in both the 1915 and the 1916 issues of Humboldt County, California, published by Ward-Perkins-Gill Company as follows:

There are opportunities galore for commercial chicken raising in Humboldt County. It is so easy to produce abundant food for fowls on the rich hill and bench lands that only a reasonable knowledge of chicken raising and reacess. On such lands there is an abundance of small insects for the young chicken’s diet, and as the season advances myriads of grasshoppers make such locations a chicken paradise. Such lands are reasonably priced and a market for all out put is assured, for as yet Humboldt County imports large quantities of eggs and chickens, whereas it should be a large exporter of such products.

Although this report contains some questionable statements it nevertheless shows that there was aggressiveness on the part of the Committee to promote chicken and egg production. An earlier report (1903) of the County Assessor indicated that 2,372 dozen eggs had been valued at $5,795.

Humboldt County, Califomia, by Leigh-Irvine in the Historical Record Co. of Los Angeles 1913 records: “In forecasting the possibilities of poultry raising in the county, the southern part of the county should not be overlooked. Those experienced in this line of work are unanimously of the opinion that our climatic conditions are such that, coupled with our soil, make southern Humboldt the ideal spot for poultry business.”

Turkey Production

Turkey production started early in the county in the hill or mountain area of the southern part of the county and eastern edge of the Humboldt Bay.

Walter Eich, a former poultryman now resides on Humboldt Hill. He remembers while a student in the Lincoln Grammar School on Harris Street, Eureka, seeing aflockof about 600 turkeys being driven down Harris Street by two men on horseback with the help of one dog who put straying turkeys back into the mainflock,keeping the birds bunched together. These turkeys came from Kneeland. At that time it was reported there were a considerable number of turkeys raised in the Kneeland area.

In the early days of raising turkeys in the county, they were driven to a Humboldt Bay dock and shipped by boat to San Francisco where they were processed and sold on the market.

Another accounting of turkey drives comes from the book From Buckskin to Teambells by Vera Snider Teague. This story relates to one of the incidents told to her by her brother, John Snider, an old-time teamster.

In the days of the pioneers, livestock, including geese and turkeys, were often driven to market. Since transportation presented a problem, as well as other factors, such as a lack of refrigeration, the animals or poultry must be delivered alive for transportation was slow and uncertain that the produce would spoil before reaching its destination unless delivered on foot.

In southern Humboldt County, however, I found another reason for large herds of turkeys on the move. Many of the ranchers found the costs of feeding these large herds prohibitive so annually would start their herds out in the early summer, keeping them on the move for shipment in the late autumn.

One day when I was on my way from Bridgeville to Blocksburg, I met a band of perhaps five hundred or more turkeys. There were three herders, a man, a woman and a boy in his early teens. These were on horseback, but some herders went on foot; they had two well-trained dogs. There was a supply wagon drawn by two horses with all the supplies for the trip, including fencing for temporary campsites for the turkeys.

I pulled out until they got their herd safely past. Most teamsters were in the habit of showing such courtesy.

Two men in the party usually went ahead to locate a camp, where they set up the necessary pen. Seldom did turkeys have to be fed, for by evening they usually had all they could eat. But, if they passed through sparse feeding grounds, then grain feeding was necessary for the herd to bed down contented for the night…

Ranchers welcomed the turkeys, and when grasshoppers were heavy, some ranchers offered pay to turkey herd owners to come their way to help get rid of the pests. For the service, besides pay, they would provide quarters and food for animals and human beings.

The herd I had made way for had started from Freshwater, a small community about seven miles out of Eureka. They had consumed grasshoppers across Kneeland Prairie, over all the open ranges and through the little valleys. One could hardly estimate the many miles traveled during a season, for the herd was driven from ranch to ranch and crisscrossed ranches where the best feed was available.

By late August or early September the herders would start their flock homeward and the same grateful ranchers would let them fatten while gleaning the fields after the grain had been harvested. On reaching their home ranch they would be crated and hauled to the dock at Eureka where they would be shipped on steamships alive to their destination, to market, for there was as yet no railroad to Eureka.

Those of us who might think otherwise, are surprised to find the turkey provides no great ‘driving problem.’ As far as I could determine, the turkeys were as easy to drive as other creatures.

The procedure took patience, understanding and skill. The dogs were well-trained for their tasks and should a turkey start to wander from the herd, the dog would seldom need to be told. He knew his job and was always alert. He would gently urge the turkey back to the others. The turkeys seldom tried to fly. This would happen only if they should become extremely excited. Experienced herders and dogs knew how to prevent this in most instances….

We found, though, that where crossing a river was necessary, the birds were encouraged to make their own crossing—by air! Turkeys driven from Hyampom were roosted at night in trees to protect them from predators.

Egg Production

The production of eggs early in the life of the county was quite simple — farm flocks of relatively small number, turned loose to primarily forage for themselves. In the late afternoon or early evening a small amount of whole grains was fed to entice them into the chicken yard. At dusk they went to roost in the hen house and were locked in for safety from marauding predators which could raise hovoc with birds in just a short time.

One outlet for eggs was the local grocer. In the absence of money, the barter system of exchanging eggs for merchandise was followed in the most primitive time of the development of the county. With the development of shipping agricultural products via ocean going vessels, and a larger variety of merchandise in the mercantile stores, primitive bartering gave way to the purchase of eggs or credit to the account of those who gained the favorable status of credit customers. This system worked well until the merchant took in more eggs than he could sell. He would have to pay the freight to ship his surplus stock to Eureka or the San Francisco market. Obviously he would lower his price to the local farmer.

With the passage of time more and more people, probably listening to the glowing words of the Humboldt Promotional and Development Committee, or Mr. J.A. Robson who wrote in 1915, or who read in the 1916 Supplement to the Humboldt Times titled “Land, Dairy and Development,” became interested in poultry.

Some of the problems facing the poultry egg producers is described by Charles R. Farrer, president of the Poultry Producers of Northern California in his written work, “The History of the Poultry Producers of Northern California,” dated December 1948. Mr. CH. Farrer was the son of CF. Farrer of the Southern Humboldt area who was one of the early egg producers in the county. Mr. Farrer writes:

“During the ‘back yard flocks’ time, Humboldt growers could only produce according to the dictates of the local store owners who were in turn regulated by the buying power of the local population. Motivated by self interest, the small private store owner would take eggs only as payment for articles available in the store, including poultry feeds, while paying very little cash. The store’s policy was to insure the maximum of trade and so the owner would seldom take more eggs from one person than that person would take in goods.

People with chickens found that about 200 birds would furnish all the eggs that could be traded for desirable store items. Producers not only failed to receive cash, but they seldom got the equivalent value of the eggs under this one-sided barter system. People with this sideline job, caught between high priced feeds and good and low priced eggs, continued to raise chickens only because they hated to see the complete loss of their investment in birds and equipment.

The manner in which the eggs were marketed brought loss of demand and profits which hit both storekeeper and producer. Due to the barter nature of these transaction, the eggs were not graded or candled, nor packed in either crates or the now familiar one-dozen cartons. Eggs sold in paper bags from bulk heaps were often cracked, blood spotted, dirty, half-rotten and even fertile which, of course, did not enhance sales. Even the indiscriminate mixing of varying sizes of eggs, all for the same price, caused consumer reluctance.

A source of major loss to the storekeeper was the fact that seasonal fluctuations in egg production created an over-supply that had to be shipped from the county to find a market. As small batches of produce were too expensive to ship, it was customary for the store to collect several hundred dozen before shipping. As this collecting period lasted over possibly a month or so, many of the eggs were rotten and badly evaporated, leaving them completely unmarketable.

As time passed, the few old stores that had handled local eggs were forced to close because of poor business management, confronted by better organized competition. Often many of the ‘old timer’ run stores had most of their assets in their books as bad charge accounts.

The opening of local branches of chain stores was the first real market possibility, but they, like other business-like stores, preferred not to handle ungraded and unpacked eggs. Here was an outlet for production large enough for a man to raise poultry full-time provided the poultry raisers could work out a way to prepare their eggs for retail handling.

To meet these identified problems, several steps were needed. The first step was the production of clean eggs, addressed in part through management and housing. The second step was the cleaning of any eggs produced with even the minimal amount of foreign matter on the egg shell. The third step was the grading of eggs considering shell cleanliness, egg size/weight, and internal quality.

The Poultrymen

The economic bind put on everyone by the Great Depression of ‘29 was felt very strongly by poultrymen of the county. They looked for ways to increase their profits. A relatively new organization, the Poultry Producers of Northern California (P.P.N.C), worked hard to help conditions for its members.

Some poultrymen dropped membership in the cooperative and tried to go on their own. Only one was successful and he was Harry McClosky, the largest egg producer in the county.

McClosky was an elderly man, and the ravages of time claimed his life immediately thereafter. His son-in-law, David J. Henry, took a leave-of-absence from his school administrator position to return to Humboldt to assume management of the operation.

One might wonder if the claim of J.A. Robson, “One can with a reasonable amount of intelligence and very little knowledge of the business, make a very good profit on poultry raising” might or might not be true. Dave Henry was a man of considerable intelligence but minimal knowledge of the business when he took over. But he was a very practical man with an analytical mind.

He made an assessment of the business of producing and marketing eggs: become more labor efficient, reduce your operating costs, keep your houses full of chickens at all times regardless of the egg prices, produce the very best quality eggs on the market, look for new markets for your products, and provide outstanding service to your customers. This was his analysis of what it would take to become successful in the poultry business in the early ‘30s. These things he did, and became one of, if not the most, successful producers of the day.

One producer of eggs. Miller Farms of McKinleyville, had a good herd of high producing cows. Their chickens provided an additional source of income while members of the P.P.N.C. One side benefit of chickens for them was the fertilizer which helped maintain the productiveness of their fields enabling them to compete production-wise with dairies on the river bottom lands of Mad River. They were very strong in growing potatoes.

Miller Farms eventually bought an egg vending machine. They sold extra large and large eggs from the vending machine located in an open-faced shed at the edge of a drive- through lot on the ranch.

After the closing of the P.P.N.C, Miller Farms sold their eggs to Hillcrest Farms which had an extensive wholesale business in the area.

The farm has evolved into Miller Farms Nursery and Florist Shop on Central Avenue in McKinleyville.

Francis Randle

Francis Randle, an early poultryman in the county, had a poultry farm on the south slope of Bella Vista Hill facing the old Mad River covered bridge at Hannah’s Crossing. This ranch of 20 acres had only one acre cleared when originally purchased. At first he worked in the woods to earn a living but evenings and “off time” he cleared the land until eventually he had 17 acres cleared.

Francis Randall and friend.

He built houses for 900 White Leghorn hens which produced eggs which he sold to the cookhouse and the grocery of the Samoa Lumber Mill at Samoa. In addition to the chickens, he also produced strawberries from 1,500 plants.

Randle had a close relationship with Luther Burbank, and from him he obtained some of Burbank’s newly developed green garden peas. He developed quite a good reputation for his berries and peas which were eagerly sought after. On May 1,1917, he sold this property to George Zender.

In 1917 Randle purchased 20 acres of land at 11 and Q streets in Arcata and a Mr. Gilardoni purchased the other 20 acres of George Zender’s farm.

On this property Zender built three, 165’-long buildings — two were double-deck houses and one was a single-deck house. He purchased 750 chicks at a time from Petaluma several times a year in order to keep his laying houses full. The chicks were hatchery-run. When five to seven days old, he could tell the roosters from the pullets, and if the feed prices were such that he could profitably raise the rooster chicks, he did so and sold them to Angelina Inn and other surrounding customers. If feed prices were high, the roosters were disposed of. He added A. Brizard Co., and Seely and Titlow to his customers for eggs.

A Mrs. Dunlap, who lived on 11th Street in Arcata, cleaned and candled eggs for Francis Randle at both the Mad River Ranch and the Arcata Ranch.

His grandson Rodney Thompson used to get a big thrill of riding with his grandfather in the horse-drawn buggy to Samoa to deliver the eggs and poultry, and then on the return trip to bring home a load of wood.

Randle died in 1934 and the chicken ranch was sold to the next door neighbor, Sebo Gilardoni, to expand his dairy farm.

More Than Producing Eggs

The work of producing eggs was not all done on the farm; some work was done in the P.P.N.C. egg rooms. The following is taken from a letter sent by Mrs. E. Lorene (Minnie) Allen, a 78-year-old widow now residing in Eureka, who worked there as a child.

I was only a worker there for two years or more. During the Depression my parents had a long divorce. There was no work and my father didn’t pay the $10 for each child per month for alimony. So I quit school at age 15, in the 10th grade, and I tried work of any kind. Of course, I lied about my age as we needed the work. I was hired at the Poultry Producers as an 18-year-old.

I was put on the washing machine with an older lady, Flonnie Cheetham (she died two years ago). My job was to scrape the worst manure off the eggs and put them in a long trough with a spiral metal rod that moved the eggs over brushes to Mrs. Cheetham who would receive them and place them into divided wooden boxes in layers of 86 dozen. Then Jettie Hill, in our egg department, would load them on a hand truck and take them to the next room to be candled by at least a dozen girls. Elsie McCartney was in charge and she would go over them once again before being placed on the high porch where trucks waited to deliver them. I think, if I recall right, she also placed the eggs in cartons.

In time I was advanced to a candler. We would work in a dark room and would whirl two eggs in each hand to the light globe and decide whether “blood spots,” which appeared very red, were present. These were put into boxes for fertilizer, etc. Our best quality eggs were called “blues,” which were large, white-shelled eggs. These were sent East as in that part of the country they only ate eggs with pale yolks. If the eggs weighed less and were as described above, they were called “greens.” All the others, due to any change in colors, were put into several other grades.

This company, at the time I worked there, was headed by Mr. Bob Moore. He was a serious man and, as my first boss, I was always afraid he’d fire me and I desperately needed the $54 per month as my mother had to have the $50 and I had $4 for car fare. But trying to save some money for Woolworth’s jewelry, I often walked the 2 miles home on A Street. We lived across from Mrs. Anderson, the truant officer. She was a tough lady and I could never use the front door as she would catch me, so I used the alley. I feared her.

A Mrs. Frances Roth was the office manager along with two or three other girls. Mrs. Roth and I became good friends and now and then I was invited to dinner, which I recall was a delight as kids were always hungry in that dreadful Depression of several years.

Fond memories of the girls who worked there are clear in my mind. Most are dead now: Rose Wager, Ollie Harris, Flonnie and Elsie and Helen Nash.

Later I became an usher at the State Theatre.”

Services providers for the homeless across the county are panicking after the federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) department announced large funding cuts for permanent supported housing for the homeless yesterday. 

“They’re killing people,” said Darlene Spoor, executive director of the Arcata House Partnership (AHP) in an interview with the Outpost today. “They’re making choices that will kill people.”

The HUD’s Continuum of Care (CoC) program funds housing for over 750,000 people nationwide and has a budget of over $3.5 billion, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. About 87% of the CoC funding goes towards “permanent supported” housing, a type of residency that doesn’t limit how long people who were homeless can stay in funded shelters.

However, HUD said they were now focusing on distributing CoC funding to temporary residencies, like shelters and weather centers, to support “accountability to homelessness programs and [promote] self-sufficiency among vulnerable Americans.” Only 30% of their funding will now go towards permanent supported housing.

Politico estimates that upwards of 170,000 people might lose their homes. In Humboldt, the CoC funds many local programs for housing for the homeless, including the AHP and the Humboldt Area Foundation. [CORRECTION: A spokesperson for the Humboldt Area Foundation lets us know that this was incorrect.]

It’s a change in line with a Trump executive order from July called “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets,” which blames homelessness on drugs and mental illness and claims that permanent supported housing incentivizes people to be homeless addicts. 

Future CoC funding may not be available until Sep. 30, 2026. 

Spoor is worried that the funding cuts will clog an already stressed temporary housing system for the homeless in Humboldt. AHP alone serves over 900 people, and thousands more depend on CoC funding to stay housed. All of them make less than $19,000 a year (many who depend on Social Security and disability-aid programs earn even less than that) and will likely not be able to afford market-rate housing. 

“It’s vengeful,” Spoor said. “This pulls the rug right out from under them, the safety nets that we in the homeless service world have made are gone. Gone.”

Spoor emphasized that the funding cuts will end up affecting everyone. Landlords who house CoC-funded tenants will lose a lot of income, and the lack of investment will spread. 

“We are all committed to finding ways to get through this, and if the federal government is determined to walk away from our citizens who are the neediest, then we need to speak out,” Spoor said. “We need to talk louder. We need to yell. This is not the way our country takes care of our citizens who need us.”

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The Outpost contacted Humboldt County’s Department of Health and Human Services for comment, but the department wasn’t able to provide a comment before the publication of this story. We’ll provide more information on Monday.

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PREVIOUSLY: 

• SWAT Team Deployed to 14th and Union in Eureka After Report of Stabbing; Barricaded Suspect With Hostages; Streets Closed in the Area
• EPD Names Suspect Killed in Yesterday’s Standoff, Police Shooting; 43-Year-Old Eureka Man Had Sliced Two Juveniles’ Necks With a Knife, Police Say
• HCSO Releases Body-Cam Footage From January Standoff With Man Who Allegedly Sliced Two Juveniles’ Necks With a Knife

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Press release from the District Attorney’s Office:

District Attorney Stacey Eads has completed her review of the investigation regarding the January 22, 2024, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Officer-involved shooting of 43-year-old Daniel Danny Martinez. A Humboldt County Critical Incident Response Team, with members from the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office, Eureka Police Department, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Arcata Police Department, Fortuna Police Department, and California Highway Patrol, conducted the investigation. Additionally, the Humboldt County Coroner’s Office, Humboldt County CAST, Child Welfare Services, and the California Department of Justice- Bureau of Forensic Services, contributed to the investigation.

The following summarizes the facts derived from the investigation, as well as applicable law and legal conclusions of the District Attorney regarding this incident.

Please be advised the following contains potentially disturbing content for readers including descriptions of violence, child abuse, and death.

Factual Summary

On January 22, 2024, just before 5:45 in the morning, a 12-year-old boy covered in fresh blood wearing only boxer shorts ran into Mission Linen Supply, a Eureka business, looking for help after escaping from his uncle who attacked him in his home on Union Street. Citizen Curtis Bethel was there and called the police. Officers were dispatched to the business at 5:47 a.m., with the first officer arriving at 5:49 a.m.

The boy had multiple injuries, including lacerations to his neck and face, which were actively bleeding, and large abrasions. He told officers that he and his cousin were attacked with a knife by his intoxicated uncle, Daniel Martinez. Only the 12-year-old boy managed to escape, leaving his cousin, who the boy feared may also be seriously injured, and his two sisters at the Union Street home with Martinez. Emergency medical personnel soon arrived and transported the child to St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Less than 10 minutes after the injured boy ran into Mission Linen Supply for help, multiple Eureka Police Department officers responded to the two-story Union Street home. Officers announced themselves and directed Martinez to come to the front door. Martinez did not come to the front door of the residence. Rather, in response to the officers, he yelled out from an upstairs window, stating “No” and “I don’t give a f***, I got four of them up here with me.” The four people held hostage by Martinez included a 20-year-old woman, and three children: ages 12, 8 and 4 years.

Officers were gravely concerned for the welfare of the occupants, and after repeatedly knocking on the door and announcing their presence as Eureka Police Officers, they forced entry into the residence by kicking in the front door. They again announced their presence from the front entrance and observed fresh blood on the living room floor.

Officers entered the home and soon discovered a frightened teenaged girl alone in a downstairs bedroom. The interior stairwell leading upstairs to the second floor was barricaded with furniture and other items. Officers could hear Martinez’s voice and at least one other coming from upstairs. The girl was safely escorted outside, and officers made their way upstairs to a closed bedroom door.

Martinez was barricaded inside the upstairs bedroom, and based upon the available information at the time, officers believed he held at least two additional people inside, one of whom may be injured. At 6:06 a.m., a Crisis Negotiation Team (“CNT”) response was initiated, and one minute later an officer-initiated request for response by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s SWAT team was activated. While awaiting arrival of SWAT and CNT members, officers heard loud banging on the floors and walls, Martinez shouting, sounds as if furniture was being moved and what sounded like a pistol being manipulated. Officers learned that Martinez had at least one firearm registered to him.

At 8:00 a.m., a Ramey arrest warrant commanding the arrest of Martinez for committing felonious assault with a deadly weapon was issued by Judge Lawrence Killoran. SWAT team officers, accompanied by the primary and secondary negotiators of the six member CNT, responded in a Lenco BearCat vehicle to the Union Street residence to assist. By 8:30 a.m., SWAT officers relieved the Eureka Police Department officers. For the many hours to follow, negotiators and SWAT team members positioned themselves in an upstairs landing area just outside the bedroom wherein Martinez was located. They attempted to effectuate the safe release of the hostages and peaceful surrender of Martinez.

Shortly before noon, as negotiations were still underway, the bedroom door suddenly swung open, and a young adult female ran out of the bedroom. As she fled, Martinez lunged in an apparent attempt to grab her with one hand while holding a large knife in the other. She successfully escaped and Martinez quickly closed the door. Officers learned from her that one of the three children still held hostage by Martinez had a laceration to his neck, an injury inflicted by Martinez with a knife. Additional information regarding the layout of the room, including Martinez’s use of a mattress to barricade the bedroom door from inside, was obtained from the young woman.

The children held inside by Martinez could be heard repeatedly asking him for water. Negotiations continued. Then, a little over an hour after the young woman escaped, the bedroom door flew open again. A child with outstretched arms ran crying and screaming for help from the room. The child, who suffered a laceration to his neck, was immediately taken to receive emergency medical care. Negotiations continued and a few minutes later Martinez released the two remaining children. They had no apparent physical injuries. By 1:00 p.m., all hostages were rescued.

Following the hostage rescue, CNT members and mental health clinicians continued negotiation attempts to achieve the safe surrender of Martinez as he remained shut inside the bedroom. Minimal communication was received from Martinez; however, he requested water (which was provided), advised he was “going to die”, and that if he exited, he was going to kill those outside the door. Additional efforts were made to achieve Martinez’s safe exit and surrender, including assistance from those familiar with Martinez, such as Yurok Tribal Police Chief Greg O’Rourke who arrived and engaged in negotiations with Martinez starting at approximately 4:00 p.m. Nonetheless, the efforts did not gain Martinez’s compliance.

Shortly before 5:00 p.m., officers were directed by their superior, HCSO Captain B. Quenell, to breach the door to the bedroom wherein Martinez was barricaded. The door was successfully breached and swung wide open. Inside the bedroom, officers saw Martinez was pacing before he quickly fled and shut himself inside a closet.

Communication efforts continued, including with Sergeant Filippini who introduced himself to Martinez. Sgt. Filippini told Martinez, “We would like you to walk out so we can end this peacefully. If that is not an option, we are going to deploy something called a pepper ball into the closet. It’s going to make you very uncomfortable. I’d prefer we didn’t have to do that. Would you please come out with your hands up?” Chief O’Rourke, who encouraged his peaceful exit prior to breaching of the door, let Martinez know he was still there and for Martinez to come out and ask for him by name. Chief O’Rourke repeatedly encouraged Martinez to peacefully exit from the closet, spoke of Martinez’s strengths and courage, and pleaded with him to accept the help Martinez requested. However, Martinez remained in the closet.

At 5:03 p.m., Deputy Tyler Smith at the direction of SWAT Sgt. Filippini, deployed five pepper balls at a gap between the floor and bottom of the closet door. Additional SWAT team members present and ready with their assigned coverage included two officers with tasers, one with a rifle, and one “hands free” to effectuate efficient handcuffing of Martinez. Moments after the pepper balls were deployed, Martinez began coughing and expressed discomfort. Officers implored Martinez to exit the closet with statements telling him to “come on out, buddy”. Thirty seconds after pepper ball deployment, Martinez said “Okay” after an officer says “Yeah, come on out.” He’s told by another officer, “Empty handed, come on out, please.” However, he does not exit, and indiscernible words and yelling are heard coming from Martinez.

Just less than 90 seconds after deployment of the pepper balls, Martinez suddenly opened the closet door and charged the officers with a large knife in his right hand, raised above his head. An officer instantly announced, “He’s out” then warned the knife is “in his hands”. SWAT team member Deputy Johnathan Waxler, who was assigned to provide lethal coverage with his department issued MK18 .223/5.56 Daniel Defense Rifle, feared for his safety when Martinez charged at him with a raised knife from just a few feet away. Deputy Waxler fired rounds until Martinez fell to the ground and no longer posed a threat. Simultaneously, Deputy Colton Ross, assigned as the “hands free” officer, feared for his safety and his fellow officers, so he drew his department issued Glock 17 Gen 5, 9 mm pistol and fired multiple rounds at Martinez. Deputy Smith dropped the pepper ball launcher to take hold of his rifle and began to raise it as he feared Martinez was going to try and kill him or another on scene. He did not fire any shots. Fearing the deadly threat Martinez posed, Deputy Justin Pryor and Officer Kent Falkenstine, each being one of two officers equipped with a taser, immediately deployed their assigned taser. Sgt. Filippini experienced extreme fear for the lives of his teammates and himself based upon Martinez’s armed exit from the closet.

After Martinez fell to the floor, he still held the knife tightly in his hand. A large, serrated bread knife with a blue handle, was removed from Martinez and he was handcuffed. Emergency medical care was immediately provided, and he was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital. Martinez succumbed to his injuries at approximately 5:29 p.m.

On February 26, 2024, Dr. James Olson, Forensic Pathologist, performed an autopsy on Martinez. A total of five (5) .223 projectiles, one of which was in pieces, and three (3) 9mm projectiles were recovered from the deceased. A blood sample taken from Martinez was tested by a forensic toxicologist. Positive findings of tested sample revealed the presence of ethanol, with a 0.017 blood alcohol concentration, as well as 240 ng/mL of amphetamine and 1100 ng/mL of methamphetamine. The cause of death, as determined by Dr. Olson, was multiple gunshot wounds to Martinez’s neck, thorax and abdomen.

Five (5) expended Hornady .223REM cartridges and four (4) 9mmLUGER+P cartridges were recovered from the shooting scene at the Union Street residence. Each of the cartridges was forensically examined by Senior Criminalist Dale Cloutier, California Department of Justice. The expended 9mm cartridges were determined to have been fired in the pistol used by Deputy Ross. The expended .223 cartridges were determined to have been fired in the rifle used by Deputy Waxler.

Subsequent investigation, including forensic interviews conducted by the Humboldt County Child Abuse Services Team, revealed the children rescued January 22, 2024, suffered extensive physical and emotional abuse while in the custody of Martinez. Multiple incidents of Martinez utilizing the large knife to threaten the children, damage their personal belongings and inflict injury upon them were disclosed. The children recovered from their physical injuries.

The Law

Under California law, an officer is justified in using deadly force when they reasonably believe, based on the totality of the circumstances, that such force is necessary to defend against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to the officer or another person. Moreover, officers need not retreat or desist from their efforts due to resistance or threatened resistance.  

Pursuant to Penal Code section 196, homicide committed by peace officers is justified when the peace officer’s use of force complies with Penal Code section 835a.  Thus, the most pertinent law in this situation is Penal Code section 835a, which states the following:  

[Ed note: Read it at this link.]

Legal Analysis

On January 22, 2024, when Deputies Waxler and Ross discharged their firearms, they justifiably used deadly force because the deputies were confronted by a situation where they reasonably believed the use of deadly force was necessary to defend against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury, a threat posed by Martinez, armed with a knife.

Prior to law enforcement intervention on January 22, Martinez had assaulted two children with a knife causing significant lacerations to their necks, amongst other injuries, and made repeated threats of violence. During nearly 12 hours of extensive negotiation efforts by CNT personnel, with the assistance of family and community members familiar with Martinez, he was encouraged to safely surrender. He refused.

While on scene SWAT team members heard Martinez threaten to injure and/or kill his hostages, negotiators and officers. Moreover, a Ramey warrant based upon his violent felony assault against a child, was issued directing officers to arrest Martinez. Therefore, when Martinez rapidly exited the closet, raised the large knife above his head and charged officers they reasonably believed the use of deadly force was necessary to defend against Martinez, as he demonstrated the present ability, opportunity, and apparent intent to immediately cause death or serious bodily injury to the peace officers.  Thus, Deputy Ross and Deputy Waxler were legally justified in using deadly force to defend themselves, and others, against the imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury Martinez posed.

Conclusion

District Attorney Stacey Eads has concluded the shooting was legally justified, in that the actions of Deputy Waxler and Deputy Ross complied with California Penal Code Section 835a.   Martinez’s family has been notified of her findings and legal determination. 

Press release from the City of Arcata:

The City of Arcata is pleased to announce that indoor restrooms at Redwood Park are now open to the public during regular park hours, from sunrise to sunset.

The restrooms are located at Redwood Lodge and can be accessed through the exterior entrances next to the picnic area. Redwood Park is a beloved gathering place for residents and visitors alike and these facilities will make it even more welcoming and family friendly.

This improvement responds directly to community feedback following the completion of the 2024 Redwood Park Playground Improvement Project which included a new playground that has quickly become a popular regional recreation destination. The increase in park use, especially among families with young children, highlighted the need for indoor restroom facilities.

Since the playground renovation was completed, both the Arcata City Council and the Parks and Recreation Committee heard strong public requests to prioritize restroom access. In response, the Committee made this improvement its top priority and the City allocated additional staffing resources to ensure the restrooms can be maintained and open during regular park hours. The existing portable restroom will continue to be provided in addition to the indoor facilities.

This is a great example of how community voices help make Arcata’s parks even better. The City invites residents and visitors to enjoy Redwood Park’s playground, trails and open spaces now with improved amenities for comfort and convenience.

For more information, please visit cityofarcata.org or call (707) 822-8184.

PREVIOUSLY

• Indigenous Kids Are Kayaking the Entire Length of the Klamath River For the First Time Ever

Press release from Rios to Rivers:

Klamath River, CA - This week, Ruby Williams, Keeya Wiki, and Kiahna Allen, participants from the Rios to Rivers Paddle Tribal Waters first descent of the Klamath River, head to Brazil to participate in COP30, the largest global United Nations event for discussions and negotiations on climate change. There, they will join scientists, world leaders, and activists to share the Klamath River Accord, a landmark declaration to protect free-flowing rivers and recognize dam removal as a powerful solution for climate resilience and environmental justice.

“The way our communities came together to undam the Klamath River can be done elsewhere,” said Ruby Williams, a Karuk person enrolled with Quartz Valley Indian Reservation. “I look forward to sharing our story, and helping others advocate for their home rivers”

Signed in July after the completion of the First Descent of the Klamath River, the Klamath River Accord is a call to action for global leaders and commits its signatories to protect free-flowing rivers, oppose construction of new dams, support dam removal as a climate solution, support river restoration, and uphold Indigenous rights. Inspired by the successful movement to remove four dams from the Klamath River. It was co-written by the Rivers for Climate Coalition, Native youth and staff from Ríos to Rivers, and river defenders and experts from around the world.

“Hydropower is often touted as a source of clean energy, but in reality, dams cause considerable harm to rivers, ecosystems, and communities.” Said Kiahna Allen, who is from the Confederated Tribes Of Warm Springs and San Carlos Apache Nation. “Putting a dam on a river is an act of theft. It denies the entire ecosystem—from the fish and wildlife to future generations—the right to clean, flowing water.”

Dams and their reservoirs drown landscapes, warm rivers, block fish passage, and create considerable amounts of Carbon Dioxide and Methane, both significant drivers in climate change. Although emissions from dams and their reservoirs are not yet fully understood, researchers estimate that they represent the 4th largest human-caused source of methane emissions globally.

“Undamming the Klamath River was a decades-long intergenerational fight,” Said Keeya Wiki, Yurok Tribal member “My greatest hope is that we can spare other communities from that fight.”

PREVIOUSLY: 

• ‘Treat Them With Dignity’: Humboldt Residents, Businesses Step Up to Help Local People at Risk of Losing SNAP Benefits
• Federal Court Orders Trump Administration to Pay SNAP Benefits During Ongoing Government Shutdown

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Press release from Food for People:

EUREKA- In response to the prolonged delay of SNAP (CalFresh) benefits and the economic strain caused by the federal government shutdown, Food for People, the Food Bank for Humboldt County, partnered with College of the Redwoods and Hoopa Valley Food Distribution to hold two large-scale emergency food distributions on Thursday, November 13 to help families recover.

The distribution for central Humboldt County took place at the College of the Redwoods campus, with a drive-thru event in the main parking lot. A second emergency distribution was held the same day at the Hoopa Valley Food Distribution parking lot. More than 800 households received food assistance through the two events.

Food for People organized the events to help households facing sudden gaps in food support as CalFresh benefit delays impacted families throughout Humboldt County. “Families are under tremendous pressure right now,” said Carly Robbins, Executive Director of Food for People. “Delays in CalFresh benefits and the financial uncertainty impacting federal employees mean many households have been struggling to keep food on the table. We’re committed to showing up for our community however we can.”

Food for People would like to thank College of the Redwoods, the team at Hoopa Valley Food Distribution, the Hupa Family Resource Center, Hoopa OES, CERT, UpLift Eureka, CSET, Humboldt Amateur Radio Club, Humboldt Neuro Health, United Rentals, Gosselin Transportation and the dozens of volunteers who helped make the distribution possible.

Food for People will continue monitoring community needs. For updates on ongoing food distributions or ways to support local hunger relief, please visit FoodforPeople.org.

Press release from the Eureka Police Department:

On November 13, 2025, at approximately 4:54 a.m., Eureka Police Department Patrol Officers responded to the 2900 block of G Street for a report of an attempted vehicle theft involving a Kia. The suspect fled in a separate vehicle after being confronted by the reporting party. While responding, officers observed two Kia vehicles speeding away from the vicinity and attempted a traffic stop on one of them.

During the stop, occupants began switching seats, and the vehicle fled from officers, leading to a pursuit through several residential streets. At two separate dead ends, the driver turned the vehicle toward officers, nearly striking them and damaging a patrol car to the point it was taken out of service. Due to increasingly dangerous driving, the pursuit was ultimately terminated.

Shortly afterward, the suspect vehicle, later confirmed to be stolen out of Eureka, was found abandoned on the 700 block of N Street. A tracking K9 was deployed but was unable to locate the suspects. Around the same time, a separate victim reported interrupting another attempted theft of their Kia.

Due to the integrity of this investigation, additional specific details are not being released at this time. If you have information, please contact EPD’s Criminal Investigation Unit (CIU) at 707- 441-4300.

As noted in a previous press release from March, 2025, Kia and Hyundai models continue to be heavily targeted in vehicle thefts nationwide. Owners are encouraged to contact their dealership to determine whether their vehicle qualifies for a software update, ignition cylinder protector, or a steering-wheel lock.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends the following steps to reduce the risk of theft:

• Always remove keys from the vehicle.
• Keep windows closed and doors locked.
• Park in well-lit, visible areas.
• Avoid leaving valuables in plain sight.
• Use audible or visible alarm systems.
• Consider immobilizing devices that prevent ignition bypass.
• Install a vehicle-recovery system to help locate the car if stolen.

Taking these precautions can significantly reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim of vehicle theft.