Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Mar. 6, 2026, at approximately 5:29 a.m., Humboldt County Sheriff deputies were dispatched to a residence on Wilder Ridge Rd. in Ettersburg for the report of a burglary in progress. The reporting party advised dispatch that an unknown individual was inside the residence.

While deputies were responding to the location, dispatch remained on the phone with the resident. During the call, the resident stated she was contacting a neighbor for assistance and briefly disconnected. The resident called back and reported that the neighbor was responding to the residence. She also advised the individual inside the home was attempting to open the door to the room where she had secured herself.

While responding to the scene, deputies’ requested assistance from the California Highway Patrol. While on the phone with the resident, the dispatcher reported hearing a gunshot in the background. Dispatch spoke to the neighbor, who reported he had two individuals detained at gunpoint outside the residence and had fired a warning shot.

Deputies, along with CHP, arrived on scene and contacted the victim and her neighbor. Based on witness statements it was determined that three suspects were involved in the incident and two of them fled prior to the deputies’ arrival. 51-year-old Leo Josh Rosecrans of Fortuna was arrested and transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked on the following charges:

• PC 594(b)(1)-Vandalism
• PC 459-Burglary
• PC 182(a)(1)-Conspiracy to commit a crime
• PC 1203.2(a)-Rearrest/Revoke probation

The two additional suspects were described as an adult white female and an adult white male.

While additional deputies remained on scene, the victim began to experience a medical emergency. Cal Fire responded and she was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

This remains an active investigation, and additional details will be released as they become available.  

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office extends its gratitude to the California Highway Patrol for their assistance.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

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Staff at Redwood National and State Parks recently flagged nine books about local tribal histories in an effort to comply with orders from the Trump administration to scrub federal parks, monuments and statues of material that “disparages Americans past or living” or that emphasizes anything but the nation’s “beauty, abundance, or grandeur.” 

President Trump’s Executive Order 14253 and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Order 3431 — collectively titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” — direct government employees to “restore Federal sites dedicated to history … to solemn and uplifting public monuments that remind Americans of our extraordinary heritage, consistent progress toward becoming a more perfect Union, and unmatched record of advancing liberty, prosperity, and human flourishing.”

Federal land managers were ordered to conduct reviews for “inappropriate content” and to replace such content with material that “focuses on the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people or, with respect to natural features, the beauty, abundance, and grandeur of the American landscape.”

The executive orders also prohibit partisan or “anti-American” ideology, and across the country they’ve been interpreted as prohibitting references to everything from slavery and civil rights to LGBT issues and climate change.

A Washington Post story published Monday highlights the absurdity that has resulted from attempts to comply with these orders. 

At the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Mississippi, staff members asked the Trump administration to review an entire exhibit on the Black teen’s brutal 1955 killing by White men and his mother’s decision to publicize it — though the park’s staff warned that its removal would leave the site “completely devoid of interpretation.”

At Arches National Park in Utah, park managers wondered whether a sign about the damage that graffiti and invasive species leave on the iconic red rock landscape violates a Trump directive to focus solely on America’s natural beauty.

And at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia, staff members have asked federal officials to decide whether a document that describes an abolitionist’s murder by a mob might “denigrate the murderers.”

These revelations and more come from an internal government database that was recently leaked and posted online by a group describing itself as “civil servants on the front lines.” An introductory note from the group accuses the administration of “trying to use your public lands to erase history and undermine science.”

The leaked documents identify hundreds of signs, exhibits, books, films and other items that were apparently flagged for review in response to the executive orders. Among them is a list submitted by managers of Redwood National and State Parks, who wrote, “The following books are sold by our Cooperating Association [the nonprofit Redwood Parks Conservancy] that focus on local tribal histories.”

The list is as follows:

• “California Through Native Eyes” by William Bauer Jr.
• “Adopted by Indians” by Thomas Jefferson Mayfield
• “We are Dancing for You” by Cutcha Risling Baldy
• “We are the Land” by Damon Atkins
• “Project 562” by Matika Wilbur
• “California Indians and Their Environment” by Kent Lightfoot
• “Sisters of the Earth” by Lorraine Anderson
• “Grave Matters” by Tony Platt
• “Notable Native People” by Adrienne Keene

Those titles don’t focus exclusively on local tribal histories (many different tribes and voices are represented). But it’s conceivable that some of the content could be interpreted by this administration as disparaging of long-dead Americans. 

Bauer’s book, for example, collects oral histories of Native peoples and “uses their recollections of the California Indian Wars to push back against popular narratives that seek to downplay Native resistance,” according to a synopsis from the publisher. It’s hard to imagine an account of, say, the Indian Island Massacre that doesn’t make its perpetrators look bad. 

“We Are Dancing for You,” by Cal Poly Humboldt Associate Professor Dr. Cutcha Risling Baldy, focuses on the revitalization of the women’s coming-of-age ceremony for the Hoopa Valley Tribe through a feminist lens. However, it also addresses methods of dismantling colonial power. Is that concept inherently demeaning to colonizers? (We emailed Dr. Risling Baldy on Friday seeking comment on the administration’s orders and her book’s inclusion on the submitted list but hadn’t heard back by the time of publication.)

One thing that’s clear from perusing the leaked database is that national parks staff and other federal employees have no idea what criteria will be used to enforce the executive orders. At this point it’s still unclear which of the plaques, maps, films and books will ultimately be removed or recast by the Interior Department, though some have already been axed, the according to the Washington Post.

The Outpost reached out to local parks employees and to the Redwood Parks Conservancy for comment. We haven’t yet heard back from anyone at the nonprofit. Parks employees referred us to Patrick Taylor, interpretation and education manager for the National Park Service at Redwood. An email to him was forwarded to the Department of Interior press office, which issued a blanket response that has been submitted to multiple media outlets reporting on this issue:

The narrative being advanced is false and these draft, deliberative internal documents are not a representation of final action taken by the Department. We are aware that internal working documents were edited before being inappropriately and illegally released to the media in ways that misrepresented the status of this effort. Employees who altered internal records and leaked in an effort the [sic] hurt the Trump administration will be held accountable.

On Thursday, the Outpost drove up to the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center in Orick to see if any of the flagged books remain on the shelves. Unfortunately, that visitor center is closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays, so we drove a bit farther north to the Prairie Creek State Park Visitor Center, whose merchandise is likewise managed by the Redwood Parks Conservancy. We found each and every title on the list in stock. Some, but not all, of the titles are also being sold on the nonprofit’s website.

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PREVIOUSLY

• In a Special Session, Board of Supervisors Narrowly Votes to ‘Accept the Resignation’ of Aviation Director Cody Roggatz
• Cooley Out: Humboldt County’s Latest Director of Aviation Lasted Barely Two Months
• Humboldt’s New Aviation Director is Justin Hopman, Former Deputy Director of the Titusville-Cocoa Airport on Florida’s Space Coast

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Wow! Humboldt County is having a very difficult time retaining a director of aviation. To quickly recap the recent revolving door for that job:

• Cody Roggatz, who was the first director after Aviation was made a standalone department, was hired in August 2018 and resigned under an apparent threat of dismissal in September 2024. The circumstances of this split have never been publicly revealed.
• Roggatz’s successor, former Crescent City airport director Ryan Cooley, held the job for just over two months before throwing in the towel in August 2025.
• And today comes word that our latest director of aviation, Justin Hopman, who came to us from the Space Coast of Florida, has likewise resigned just two months in. His last day on the job will be March 27.

Why is this happening? We plan to investigate, but if you have any inside info, please let us know: news@lostcoastoutpost.com

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Here’s the press release from the County of Humboldt:

Justin Hopman, C.M., ACE, will be resigning as Humboldt County’s Director of Aviation, effective Friday, March 27.

Hopman joined the county as Aviation Director on Jan. 5.

“After much reflection and discussion with my family, I have made the difficult decision to step away from my role as Humboldt County’s Aviation Director,” said Justin Hopman. “The needs and well-being of my family must always take priority. This decision was not easy to make, and I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity that was presented to me.”

The County of Humboldt thanks Hopman for his work and wishes him well in his future endeavors.

“While this outcome is not what we hoped for, we respect Justin’s decision to prioritize what is best for his family,” said Third District Supervisor and Board Chair Mike Wilson. “Aviation continues to be vital to Humboldt’s connectivity and economic growth, and the Board remains committed to supporting the needs of the community and the Aviation Department.”

Humboldt County’s aviation system is experiencing transformative growth, with expanded air service at the California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport (ACV) creating more opportunities than ever for the community to connect with destinations near and far. As this remains an important priority for the county, the Board of Supervisors will continue investigating the best path forward while the search for a new Aviation Director begins.

For more information on the Humboldt County Department of Aviation, please visit FlyACV.com.

PREVIOUSLY

• I Saw the Shit Buckets. They Were Real. Inside Nelson Hall During the Occupation

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A student activist was arrested early morning Friday, after being handed an interim suspension and workplace violence restraining order following protest activities.

At least three students were placed on interim suspension at Cal Poly Humboldt Monday, following an occupation of Nelson Hall. The students were barred from stepping foot on University property under threat of arrest.

“They’re just giving it to any single person who was even near the protest that they can identify. This, I mean, it’s definitely unjust,” Rick Toledo, a Students for a Democratic Society organizer and engineering masters student, told the Outpost Thursday.

Toledo was suspended and later arrested by the University Police Department at 1 a.m. Friday.

He was in custody Friday and his bail had yet to be set by publishing time.

The University Police Department arrested him on suspicion of battery, assault, conspiracy and false imprisonment, according to the booking record.

These alleged charges appear to stem from an incident where Toledo blocked a university official from preventing students from entering Nelson Hall.

A civil workplace violence restraining order filed Tuesday and granted temporarily by a judge Thursday alleges Toledo cursed at a university official — identified as Michael Moore, Associate Director of the Gutswurrak Student Activities Center, who was tasked with monitoring the exterior of the hall during the occupation.

The request said Toledo later “aggressively walked up to Mr. Moore, spread his arms wide making a “T” with his body, backed Mr. Moore against the wall, and pinned him there while the masked individuals walked past Mr. Moore into the building.”

Toledo denied assaulting the staff member Thursday when speaking to the Outpost.

“Assault means I had to threaten that person. I had to actually have some kind of physical contact where I was harming them. None of that actually happened,” he said.

Toledo rather said he stood with his back turned and arms outstretched, did not touch the staff member, and said they could have left at any time.

As of Friday, criminal charges relating to his arrest had not been filed.

Toledo knew of two other students who were suspended for similar alleged conduct violations.

Among other demands, occupiers called for the University to rid itself of investments tied to Israel during a 14 hour sit-in, leaving in the early morning after police arrived.

According to a letter sent to Toledo, the university accuses him of violations of codes like unauthorized entry into university property, willful obstruction, violation of university policy and failing to comply with university officials.

Most offensive to Toledo is the allegation of “conduct that threatens the health and safety of a person.”

“It is alleged that you have assaulted a campus staff member to gain access to a building that had been closed by campus,” the letter said.

About two dozen people occupied Nelson’s Hall Friday following negotiations with University officials. For Toledo’s part of the sit-in, he said he went into the building a couple times, once to help the group get supplies and once to weigh in on a response to administrators, but said “I wasn’t physically sitting in the building.” 

He said the other two suspended students similarly weren’t part of the group sitting inside the building. Rather, he said they just happened to be people administrator could identify. Toledo accused the university of “making an example” of him.

In court declarations, campus officials accuse Toledo of being the leader of the student group that occupied the building.

Toledo works on campus as an instructional aide, and can’t go to work because he’s suspended.

“I live paycheck to paycheck, and it’s really harmful to me financially,” he said. He noted the suspension could block him from completing his degree — this is his last semester and he’s exhausted financial aid.

Aileen Yoo, a spokesperson for Cal Poly Humboldt, said the University cannot discuss specific student conduct cases due to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.

But she emphasized that the University understands where the protesters are coming from, and any allegation Cal Poly Humboldt leadership is against free speech is simply untrue.

She said other protests and dialogues have not resulted in student disciplinary action; but the occupation of the building was different. 

“In the world, there are rules we’re expected to follow; if we don’t, there will be ramifications,” she said Friday.

In a court declaration, Yoo states “I was appalled and felt afraid for Mr. Moore. I wanted to help Mr. Moore, but because of all the shouting and the intimidating presence of the masked protestors, I felt incredibly unsafe,”

She stated, in the document, she is reasonably concerned Toledo would return to campus and seriously injury other faculty or students.

Similarly, Moore said he is reasonably concerned for his safety “given that Mr. Toledo so brazenly assaulted me in broad daylight in front of so many people.”

“They took over a space not intended for that purpose and not considered a public space, and they restricted access to the space, calling into question the safety of those inside and others in the building. It went from a free speech activity to trespassing. Even so, these individuals were given multiple opportunities, including written and verbal requests, to leave the building over a span of 14 hours, and were allowed to leave it anytime,” the Cal Poly Humboldt statement said.

“The University understands the concerns of the protesters. They have every right to share their viewpoints, and all students and employees have the right to work in a safe environment free from disruptions. (Time Place Manner) ensures both,” the statement said.

Friday, a group of students said they’d be protesting until Toledo was released from custody.

“It’s way out of proportion for a peaceful sit-in,” said Kiera Sladen, a student protesting Toledo’s arrest outside of the courthouse.

Sladen said another student was arrested on suspicion of a misdemeanor charge related to the protest but released.

“It’s important to stand up for anyone who has a cause, because otherwise we could see a backsliding of the First Amendment,” said Sladen.

On Thursday, a smattering of protesters met at the university quad and painted signs opposing suspensions, ICE and war. A couple protesters refused to be interviewed, but wrote slogans such as “protesting is not a crime,” or “free student protesters,” in chalk.

In advance of the modest protest, University officials locked down Siemens Hall beginning Wednesday at 10 p.m., causing Thursday classes to be relocated and offices closed.

“There is simply no need to lock us out of the building. I had to teach class outside today,” said Gabi Kirk, an assistant professor of geography, on Thursday. Kirk said an email notifying instructors attributed the closure to possible disruptions from the protest.

Kirk, who volunteered as an advisor for scores of students suspended in 2024 during the pro-Palestine occupation, called the suspension process “opaque” and argued the interim suspension process should be used solely for people who are a direct threat to the safety of campus.

She believes the code of conduct violation process lacks due process — particularly as protest-related suspensions have left students without housing and without jobs.

“We need to be clear that there have not been any findings in these cases, and interim suspension does not require a finding. Interim suspension requires one administrator, the president or the president proxy, to declare that an individual is a reasonable threat to campus safety and property,” said Kirk.

Toledo’s student conference is scheduled for March 13. He intends to fight the accusations. Palestine Legal is advising the students. Toledo’s next workplace harassment hearing is March 25.

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PG&E customers can look forward to a small drop in their electricity bills later this month, following a rate decrease that took effect March 1. 

Electricity bills are going down by about $5.14 per month for the typical residential customer. Folks enrolled in California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE), PG&E’s income-eligible discount program, can expect a $10.37 drop in their monthly bill. 

Why are electricity rates going down now? PG&E says the rates are decreasing “because the costs for completed safety and reliability work coming out of rates exceed the costs for new investments authorized by PG&E’s regulators,” including the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). 

In a March 2 news release, PG&E touted the rate decrease as the “third consecutive electric price cut since last September for residential customers who receive both electricity supply and delivery from PG&E.” However, those electricity rate decreases overlapped with a 40% rate increase between 2022 and 2025, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.

PG&E is also rolling a new Base Services Charge, which will restructure how customers are charged for services. The charge, estimated at $24 per month for typical residential users, will cover “approved infrastructure and maintenance costs for connecting your home to the grid, energy programs, call center services, and billing.”

“The Base Services Charge lowers the price of electricity for all residential customers,” PG&E stated in a news release, linked below. “It is not a new fee and does not increase the revenue that PG&E collects from customers. It makes bills clearer and more transparent, shifts costs away from low-income customers and makes it more affordable to transition to more clean-powered electric appliances in the home.”

Natural gas rates, on the other hand, will be going up a smidge. Starting March 1, PG&E’s gas rates went up by 0.3%, or about a quarter per month for the average residential user. “The increase is due to the recovery of authorized costs for safety and emergency response work that was completed for customers,” according to PG&E.

PG&E’s North Coast representatives will hold a virtual town hall at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 28, to answer questions about the new rate changes, discuss the winter storm response and provide more information about upcoming reliability upgrades. The event is for Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma and Trinity county residents. Details can be found here.

More information about the rate change can be found in the PG&E press release below.

OAKLAND, Calif. – Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) lowered electric rates on March 1, 2026—the fifth time since January 2024. The decrease marks the third consecutive electric price cut since last September for residential customers who receive both electricity supply and delivery from PG&E.

Combined with previous decreases, residential bundled electric rates are 13% lower than in January 2024, reinforcing the company’s commitment to manage energy costs for customers. Since that time, typical residential electric customer bills are about $25 less per month, assuming a consistent monthly usage of 500 kilowatt-hours.

Based on current information, the company expects typical residential electric rates to be lower overall in 2026 than in 2025. This is part of PG&E’s ongoing effort to stabilize energy prices for customers.

“We are delivering on our promise to lower prices for our customers again, even as national prices are expected to rise. Our actions match our promises: we’ve reduced electric rates five times since January 2024 and remain committed to finding new ways to save and pass those savings on to our customers,” said PG&E Corporation CEO Patti Poppe.

PG&E’s electric prices have stabilized and are going down, even while the U.S. Energy Information Administration expects national electric prices to rise by nearly 10% between 2024 and 2026.

March Electric Rate Decrease

On March 1, 2026, PG&E reduced residential electric rates by 1.8% compared to February rates, for customers who get both electricity supply and delivery service from PG&E. Electric rates decreased about 8.3% for customers who receive the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) income-eligible discount.

Typical residential electric bills are decreasing by about $5.14 per month. For CARE customers, bills are going down approximately $10.37 per month. Typical electric customers use about 500 kilowatt hours of electricity per month.

Electric rates are decreasing because the costs for completed safety and reliability work coming out of rates exceed the costs for new investments authorized by PG&E’s regulators.

Restructured Electric Bill Debuts in March

The electric rate decrease also includes the new Base Services Charge. The California Public Utilities Commission directed the state’s investor-owned utilities to implement the charge under California Assembly Bill 205.

The Base Services Charge lowers the price of electricity for all residential customers. It is not a new fee and does not increase the revenue that PG&E collects from customers. It makes bills clearer and more transparent, shifts costs away from low-income customers and makes it more affordable to transition to more clean-powered electric appliances in the home.

The new bill separates some costs of service from the price per unit (kilowatt hour) of electricity use, including approved infrastructure and maintenance costs for connecting customers’ homes to the grid, energy efficiency and demand response programs, call center services and billing, all of which previously were included in electricity usage costs.

The Base Services Charge for customers enrolled in the California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE) program is about $6 per month, while those in the Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) program and customers who live in Affordable Housing (Deed Restricted) pay approximately $12 monthly. For most customers, the Base Services Charge is about $24 per month.

The change aligns PG&E’s billing structure with California’s other large, regulated utilities and other utilities nationwide.
Each customer’s usage varies so the lower price per unit of electricity used may or may not lead to a lower total bill.

Natural Gas Rate Change

On March 1, 2026, PG&E natural gas rates increased slightly by 0.3%, compared to February rates. The increase is due to the recovery of authorized costs for safety and emergency response work that was completed for customers.

Typical residential natural gas bills are increasing by about $0.24 per month. A typical residential customer uses about 31 therms of energy monthly. For a typical residential CARE customer using about 26 therms of energy monthly, bills will increase by about $0.16 per month.

The energy supply portion of natural gas bills changes monthly based on market prices. PG&E does not mark up energy supply costs.

Press release from the office of Rep. Jared Huffman:

Today, Congressional Freethought Caucus Co-Chairs Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) and Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel Ranking Member Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) led 27 of their colleagues in requesting U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Inspector General Platte B. Moring III open an investigation into reports that servicemembers have lodged anonymous complaints about military commanders invoking religious prophecy and apocalyptic theology to justify the United States’ military actions in Iran.

“At a time when billions of dollars and untold numbers of lives hang in the balance while the Trump administration wages a war of choice in Iran, the imperative of maintaining strict separation of church and state and protecting the religious freedom of our troops is especially critical. We must ensure that military operations are guided by facts and the law, not end-times prophecy and extreme religious beliefs,” the lawmakers wrote.

The members went on to note the  pervasive issue of extremist religious encroachment inside the military under the Trump administration, saying: “These allegations are also part of a broader political climate in which Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and senior civilian officials have publicly framed Middle East policy in explicitly religious terms.”

They then requested the DOD conduct an independent investigation to determine the accuracy of these reports and to “assess whether Secretary Hegseth’s extreme religious rhetoric has metastasized into segments of the military chain of command in ways that contravene constitutional protections, departmental rules and standards, or professional military norms.”

The members requested the DOD investigate and report back to Congress on several matters, including:

1. Whether military commanders or other officers have made statements to subordinates asserting that U.S. military operations against Iran are part of a religious prophecy, divine plan, or apocalyptic religious event, and if so, where such communications originated within the chain of command.
2. Whether any such statements constitute violations of Department of Defense policies, including DoD Instruction 1300.17 “Religious Liberty in the Military Services,” regarding religious neutrality, improper proselytizing, or abuse of command authority.
3. The scope and geographic distribution of complaints received within the Department of Defense regarding religiously framed messaging related to the Iran conflict.
4. Whether servicemembers who reported these concerns experienced retaliation or fear of retaliation within their units.
5. What training, guidance, or oversight currently exists to ensure commanders maintain religious neutrality in operational briefings, command communications, and other official settings.
6. Whether additional guidance or action is warranted to ensure that personal religious beliefs are not used to justify or frame U.S. military operations.

A full copy of the letter can be found HERE.

In addition to Huffman, Raskin, and Houlahan, the letter was signed by Representatives Becca Balint (VT-AL), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Sean Casten (IL-06), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Jesús “Chuy” Garcia (IL-04), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Mike Levin (CA-49), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Dave Min (CA-47), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Emily Randall (WA-06), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Norma Torres (CA-35), Derek Tran (CA-45), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

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

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California community college districts are spending millions of dollars on artificial intelligence-powered chatbots intended to help students navigate admissions, financial aid and campus services.

However, they struggle to consistently provide clear and accurate answers, leaving students frustrated and seeking help from others on unofficial social media channels.

In testing by CalMatters, they often answered general questions correctly but struggled with more specific ones. East Los Angeles College’s bot couldn’t even correctly name its own president.

Contracts for these chatbots can be pricey and last for years. Three community college districts that responded to a CalMatters survey reported annual costs ranging from about $151,000 to nearly half a million dollars. At the Los Angeles Community College District, the state’s largest community college system, contracts and amendments approved since 2021 total about $3.8 million through 2029, according to district board documents.

Community college districts that responded to CalMatters have contracted with chatbot platforms such as Gravyty and Gecko, which district officials say handle thousands of conversations each month, many outside regular office hours, helping to reduce calls and save students unnecessary trips to campus.

Some of these chatbot platforms rely on manually maintained libraries of frequently asked questions and campus websites to answer questions, which can lead to errors when information is outdated or questions fall outside the system’s database.

However, officials are working to improve them. Districts like the Santa Monica Community College District have moved to ChatGPT-integrated AI systems that scrape the college’s website to generate answers, which officials say seem more reliable. In the Los Angeles district, officials say they plan to transition to a new AI chatbot platform as early as late spring.

Looking for answers

Improvements to the chatbot couldn’t come soon enough for students like Pablo Aguirre, a computer science major at East Los Angeles College and an information technology intern at the Los Angeles college district office.

Aguirre mostly avoids the chatbot himself because, he said, it might provide unreliable or outdated information. He recalled using the bot to find financial aid information, but said he gave up after it kept asking him questions instead of giving him a clear answer.

“I just didn’t find it as useful,” Aguirre said. He usually turns to Google, social media platforms like Reddit and the college’s website when looking for answers.

“Online, some pages don’t work,” Aguirre said, recalling a 404 error message on the college’s website. Even when pages load, he said, it can be difficult to find the right one, such as when he was trying to figure out where to sign up for Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, a state-funded program that supports disadvantaged students. “That’s where I just jump on Reddit,” he said.

Students walk onto campus at Fresno City College on Oct. 3, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

Aguirre’s experience isn’t unique. Reanna Carlson, a commercial music major at Fresno City College and student government vice president, said her college’s chatbot, dubbed Sam the Ram after its mascot, repeatedly gave her unclear or incorrect answers to basic questions about campus services. Her district, the State Center Community College District, has a nearly $870,000, three-year contract for Gravyty, formerly Ocelot, through June 20, 2026, according to district board documents. Officials pointed out that the contract comes with other services, including tools that let staff engage in live chats or send text messages to students.

“I think the chatbot is outdated and can’t navigate the services we provide on campus effectively,” Carlson said. “I don’t think it’s the most beneficial option when it comes to asking questions.”

Oddly, Carlson got accurate information on the availability of free food at her campus’ Ram Pantry only when accidentally adding a typo to her query. Repeated CalMatters testing confirmed the same outcome, though the bot sometimes lists links that include the food pantry after clicking an adjacent “sources” button.

“If it weren’t for the amazing staff on campus that constantly remind students of our services, I’d be lost,” Carlson said.

Screenshots via Fresno City College website

Testing chatbots

When CalMatters tested community college chatbots, they generally returned quick, accurate responses to common questions but were less consistent with more specific ones.

For example, when asked, “Who is the current president of ELAC?” East Los Angeles College’s chatbot incorrectly named Alberto Román, who left the position last year to become the district’s chancellor. In another test, when asked, “What is the financial aid office’s current schedule?” the bot provided incorrect hours and dates.

East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park on March 14, 2024. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters

East Los Angeles College’s chatbot claims to support several languages, including English, Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese. But CalMatters found inconsistencies when asking it in Spanish, “Do I need a Social Security number to enroll?” Instead of answering the question, the system directed users to visit the registrar’s office to update their Social Security number. When asked the same question in English, the bot pivoted to discussing financial aid.

Fresno City College’s chatbot, powered by the same AI provider as East Los Angeles College’s system, Gravyty, showed similar problems when asked whether a Social Security number is required to enroll. It also often failed to direct students to the correct offices and, in some cases, listed incorrect locations and hours.

Concerns with chatbots have surfaced elsewhere. In New York City, reporting by The Markup and THE CITY found that a city-run AI chatbot provided guidance that could lead to illegal behavior, prompting Mayor Zohran Mamdani to terminate it in February.

‘Good answers with fewer errors’

Santa Monica College’s chatbot, powered by Gecko, was more successful in answering most questions. The single-college district uses a ChatGPT-integrated chatbot that scans the college’s website, which staff regularly update and monitor. The district has contracted with Gecko since 2019 and renewed its annual contract for the tool late last year for $57,000, according to district board documents. It initially showed a major hiccup: when asked about mental health counseling, the bot did not mention the campus’ Center for Wellness and Wellbeing. It does now.

Screenshots via Santa Monica College website

District officials say chatbots’ problems stem from how the tools are configured and the information they draw from, rather than the technology itself.

The Los Angeles district originally adopted its chatbot through Ocelot, which later merged with Gravyty The same chatbot platform is also used on the California Student Aid Commission website.

Betsy Regalado, one of the district’s associate vice chancellors, said the current system relies on a manually maintained library of frequently asked questions that staff at each of the district’s nine colleges help maintain and review at least once or twice a year for accuracy. She added that chatbots are primarily geared for the public rather than enrolled students, who can access more detailed personal information through their campus portal.

“The current chatbot that we have uses a library of questions. If you don’t have that question in that library, then those poor people don’t get an answer or they won’t get an accurate answer,” Regalado said.

She said the district plans to transition all nine colleges to Gravyty’s platform as early as late spring at no additional cost under its existing contract, which runs through 2029. The new system will use AI to scrape college and external websites to generate responses.

“We’re ready for the modernization of (the chatbot) and the change to generative AI. That is the new world out there,” Regalado said.

Santa Monica College in Santa Monica on April 16, 2025. Photo by Alisha Jucevic for CalMatters

Santa Monica College’s chatbot similarly initially relied on a manually loaded library of common questions and answers before transitioning to its fully AI system, according to Esau Tovar, the college’s dean of enrollment services. In an email, he said the bot “was never designed to address all aspects of the student journey,” but to answer general questions from students.

Tovar said the bot draws responses from the college’s website, meaning accuracy depends on how current and complete that information is. As a result, the college prioritizes keeping its website up to date so the bot provides “good answers with fewer errors” rather than “great answers with potentially more errors.”

Widely used, cautiously trusted

Acknowledging limitations, community college districts justify the costs by pointing to heavy student use, which would cost significantly more if performed by call center staff around the clock.

Regalado said the Los Angeles district colleges average 5,000 to 7,000 interactions per month. Other districts reported similar monthly use, including 5,000 interactions at the State Center Community College District, which includes campuses in Fresno and nearby counties, and 4,000 conversations at Santa Monica College. Regalado said that as long as the chatbot remains heavily used, her district would continue to support it.

Tovar said the chatbot provides 24-hour support regardless of time zone or location, which he said is helpful for international students when they are out of the country. He said that answering the tens of thousands of questions the chatbots receive around the clock would cost significantly more if handled by staff.

“Every technology has a cost. We would simply not be able to assist all students if they could only reach us using traditional methods,” Tovar said.

But high usage and expanded access do not always translate into trust, especially when students need precise answers to delicate topics.

Bryan Hartanto, a civil engineering major at Santa Monica College from Indonesia, said the college’s newer chatbot system is smoother and can be a useful starting point, especially for students more comfortable communicating in languages other than English. But as an international student he worries that following inaccurate guidance could jeopardize his visa status.

“Maintaining status as an international student right now is very, very sensitive,” Hartanto said. “I would still rely on human or email communication.”

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Martin Romero is a contributor with the College Journalism Network, a collaboration between CalMatters and student journalists from across California. CalMatters higher education coverage is supported by a grant from the College Futures Foundation.