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PREVIOUSLY:

• THE FORGOTTEN DISASTER: King Salmon Was Smashed by King Tides at the Beginning of the Year. Why is No One Talking About It?

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Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

Due to damage from the 2026 Early January Storm, Tidal Flooding and King Tides event between Dec. 31, 2025 and Jan. 5, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has declared Humboldt County a disaster area.

This SBA declaration does not mean that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance is available to affected Humboldt County residents.

The declaration means that Humboldt County residents affected by this event can now apply for federal assistance through the SBA’s Disaster Loan Program. Through this program, impacted homeowners, renters, business owners and nonprofit organizations may be eligible for low-interest disaster loans to help cover flood-related damages and losses.

SBA Disaster Loan Program Details

Many businesses and nonprofits may apply for business physical disaster loans up to $2 million to repair or replace real estate, machinery, equipment, inventory and other business assets that were damaged as a result of this event.

Homeowners and renters may apply for loans up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property like clothing, furniture, cars and appliances. Homeowners may also apply for up to $500,000 to repair or replace their primary residence.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers economic injury disaster loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster, even if a business or organization did not suffer physical damage. These loans can be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, bills and other expenses left unpaid because of the disaster.

SBA can also lend additional funds to businesses and homeowners to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

Please note that the SBA cannot provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

Residents should also note that these are low-interest loans that must be paid back in accordance with loan parameters set by the SBA. The SBA determines loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial situation.

How to Apply

Residents impacted by this disaster may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/Disaster.

To provide in person assistance to community members, the SBA will be opening a Disaster Loan Outreach Center at 1 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 9 at Humboldt Grange #501, located at 5845 Humboldt Hill Road in Eureka. The center will be open Mondays - Fridays, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., closed Monday, Feb. 16 for the Presidents Day holiday. Walk-ins are accepted, but appointments can be scheduled in advance at Appointment.SBA.gov.

For more information regarding SBA Disaster assistance, applicants may also email SBA’s Customer Service Center at DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or call 1-800-659-2955. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to apply for property damage assistance is April 6. The deadline to apply for economic injury assistance is Nov. 3.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services would like to thank the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and Humboldt Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) for their work to secure these resources for the community.

For updated local emergency information, please visit HumboldtGov.org/Emergency and follow @HumCoOES on Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter).

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At this week’s meeting in Half Moon Bay, the California Coastal Commission took its first look at a new plan to improve communications and foster trust between offshore wind developers and the state’s commercial fishing fleet.

In 2024, the California Coastal Commission and its staff assembled a working group of eight fishermen, five wind developers, three fisheries associations and three tribal members, along with representatives from various state and federal regulatory agencies, to work out a strategy to offset potential impacts associated with offshore wind development.

Over the past two years, the working group has convened eight multi-day meetings to hash out its differences and come up with a playbook for offshore wind developers that recognizes and protects the economic and cultural importance of California’s fisheries. Through these discussions, the working group developed a draft plan – Statewide Strategy for the Coexistence of California Fishing Communities and Offshore Wind Energy – that outlines potential mitigation measures developers can take to minimize impacts to fishing communities “in a manner that prioritizes fishery productivity, viability, and long-term resilience.

The 422-page document outlines best practices for data collection and survey work, mitigation measures and effective communication with fisheries. It also provides special considerations for tribal communities and a socioeconomic analysis of commercial fisheries, including a guiding framework to establish compensation programs and resiliency funds “intended to help potentially affected fishing communities respond and adapt to offshore wind projects.”

The document was developed as a part of SB 286, State Senate Majority Leader Mike McGuire’s bill aimed at streamlining permitting for offshore wind developments. The bill requires the Coastal Commission to develop and adopt a statewide strategy to address potential impacts to commercial and recreational fisheries by May 1. 

Speaking during the public comment period, McGuire commended the working group for meeting the deadline and putting together a strong policy that “protects California’s storied fishing grounds … and has tribal leaders at the table at every step of the way.” He also took the opportunity to make a small jab at the Trump administration.

McGuire | Screenshot

“The Trump administration today is saying that they’re going to put out an executive order to keep coal alive here in the United States of America,” McGuire said. “We know that the United States of America and the majority of its residents have already moved on. … You are preparing and laying the groundwork to ensure that offshore wind is a bright point in our renewable energy future, once the fascists are elected out.”

Several times during Wednesday’s presentation, staff and members of the working group reiterated that the strategic plan is a “living document” and will likely be subject to change years and decades down the line. That said, Mark Fina, a member of the working group and executive director of the California Wetfish Producers Association, asked that the language be left as-is for the time being. 

“It’s pretty tortured language … but I would suggest that it not be tweaked and edited,” Fina said. “The committee went over words very closely, and I just think now is not the time to kind of play with wording. I think it’s worth letting this document rest for a while [to] let people digest it … [because] no developments are happening in the very near future. … In terms of dealing with each other, it has good ground rules that will guide expectations and actions.”

Ken Bates, a working group member and longtime advocate for both local and state fisheries, urged the Coastal Commission to use the document to establish conditions that “have the force and effect of the law and minimize impacts to fishermen and fishing communities.”

“Permit conditions should include robust funding for long-term fishing community resiliency in light of the irreplaceable fishing ground loss that the footprints of these projects take up,” Bates said. “I would point out … that the Coastal Commission is the only state agency with specific provisions for protecting and enhancing commercial fishing activities within the [its] charter.”

Representative of Vineyard Offshore and RWE, the developers who purchased leases in the Humboldt Wind Energy Area, participated in the working group as well. Rick Robins, director of marine affairs for RWE said the draft plan “provides an important foundation for successful coordination throughout the life cycle of the development process.”

Robins | Screenshot

“We all learned a lot from each other as we developed the strategy,” he said. “It really would be hard to overstate how much effort went into the process. The strategy provides clear and practical guidance to support the responsible development of offshore wind in California and to promote successful coexistence with the fishing industry.”

Humboldt County Supervisor and Commissioner Mike Wilson joined commissioners in thanking the working group for their contributions to the report, but emphasized that there is still work to be done.

“When we’re in these processes, [I have to] remind myself that we’re pursuing offshore wind, and specifically floating offshore wind, to address a crisis, and that crisis will impact the ocean that we’re talking about,” he said. “The crisis isn’t just sea level rise … we’re also talking about warming and … seeing changes in where species can survive.”

If you missed Wednesday’s meeting, you’ll have a few opportunities to give your two cents before the strategic plan comes back to the commission for adoption. There will be a tribal roundtable at 10 a.m. on Feb. 9  and fishery-centric meetings at 1 p.m. on Feb. 18 and 9 a.m. on Feb 20.

The document will come back to the commission in April.

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

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California is again updating the system it uses to decide which polluted communities get cleanup funding. The tool, CalEnviroScreen, has already steered billions of dollars to the state’s most burdened neighborhoods, but critics say it still overlooks some of them.

The update is reigniting a long-smoldering debate: officials promise they’re listening to communities more than ever, while advocates say the state’s data gaps leave some areas invisible to the system designed to help them.

What’s new

Officials at the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, the state agency managing the tool, said they worked with eight community organizations to design this fifth update – including the Environmental Health Coalition, UNIDOS Network and Comite Civico del Valle. The update adds two indicators: diabetes prevalence, because people with diabetes are more vulnerable to air pollution; and small air toxic sites, to track additional risks from sources like urban oil wells and dry cleaners.

EnviroScreen also incorporates data improvements among some of the 21 other indicators it uses, such as adding children’s blood lead levels to a risk assessment for lead exposure from housing. The state will hold virtual and in-person public meetings this month to gather feedback; officials said they expect to publish a final version in the summer.

“We listen to stakeholders, community groups, academics, government agencies to understand any new layers that might be needed to better characterize both the pollution burden and the population vulnerability,” said Álvaro Alvarado, the environmental agency’s supervising toxicologist. “It’s a constant work in progress.”

State law requires at least 25% of California’s cap-and-invest funds — money raised through greenhouse gas auctions — go to the most disadvantaged communities. Since 2014, the state has used CalEnviroScreen to define them, including the top 25% of census tracts in that definition.

Laura August, the agency’s environmental program manager, said the update does not dramatically shift the census tracts identified as among the most polluted. She said the Bay Area and Central Valley decreased in the ranking slightly. About 80% of communities designated as disadvantaged remain unchanged in the new update, she said.

How the tool works and what it’s missing

Disadvantaged communities have received at least $5.8 billion in cap-and-invest funds since 2015.

Environmental advocates said that although the tool is essential and provides important resources, it still leaves out important information. Some critics want to see additional indicators, such as tree canopy coverage and wildfire smoke data.

“It would need to have the kind of ground-truthing work … which is to literally walk the neighborhood and count and calculate all the different polluting sources (and stressors) like heat islands and lack of tree cover and water stress,” said Rebecca Overmyer-Velazquez, a coordinator for the Clean Air Coalition of North Whittier and Avocado Heights.

State environmental officials said they plan to incorporate climate data and data about pollution magnets, like warehouses, in future versions of the tool.

Questions about the methodology

Beyond what data to include, researchers have also questioned whether the tool’s design itself creates blind spots.

In 2024, researchers with Johns Hopkins University found the previous version of the tool, CalEnviroScreen 4.0, was subjective enough that certain communities could be losing out on billions of dollars.

“If you’re the model developer, even if you don’t feel that you have any personal biases or you’re not thinking about it, all those choices that you make when you make the model, you are implicitly deciding who gets funding and who doesn’t,” said Benjamin Huynh, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

For example, the current version of CalEnviroScreen includes data about emergency room visits for asthma as an indicator of how sensitive to air pollution people in a particular area are. But some people, including immigrants, are less likely to visit an emergency room than others – or even visit doctors in the first place, to get diagnosed.

August said the agency took researchers’ criticism seriously. Late last year, she and other state scientists defended the tool in a published report, finding that the state’s methods “prioritize generalizability, dissemination, and utilization without sacrificing accuracy.”

Advocates want real change

But even with improvements to the data, advocates said the bigger problem is how the tool gets used — or not used.

CalEnviroScreen was a product, in part, of advocacy from environmental justice leaders in the 1990s. But advocates said they aren’t sure whether the programs funded by the money are actually leading to pollution reduction, and agencies aren’t using the tool aggressively enough in their own policies.

Parents and children join the Lincoln Heights Community Coalition in a rally outside Hillside Elementary School, protesting the development of a warehouse across the street that activists say would harm the health of local residents, in Los Angeles on Nov. 26, 2024. Photo by Zaydee Sanchez for CalMatters

Bradley Angel, director of the environmental group Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice, faulted the state for not using the tool to deny waste permits to polluters.

“It’s great that CalEnviroScreen exists … but when communities and environmental justice groups were advocating for what became CalEnviroScreen, they weren’t looking at dollar signs. They were looking to protect our health,” Angel said.

State agencies do use the tool in some policy decisions. The Air Resources Board used EnviroScreen to determine which communities would be a part of its Community Air Protection program, which aims to reduce air pollution.

Under a draft regulation, officials with the Department of Toxic Substances Control said it will use CalEnviroScreen as a proxy for cumulative impacts in permitting decisions. But environmental advocates have called the regulation flawed because those impacts cannot prevent the department from issuing a hazardous waste permit.

“Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, (the department) pays lip service to CalEnviroScreen’s own information,” Angel said.

Looking to other states

At least one other state proves that more aggressive responses to environmental justice indicators are possible, advocates said.

New Jersey has developed a data tool, influenced by CalEnviroScreen. Two years ago, New Jersey started requiring polluting facilities to use its tool to analyze cumulative impacts of different pollution sources in a community. State regulators must deny permits to facilities that can’t avoid harm to overburdened communities.

“The tool is just a tool,” said Caroline Farrell, director of the Environmental Law and Justice Clinic at Golden Gate University. “You’ve got to be able to figure out how you want to utilize it in a way that actually changes things on the ground for communities.”

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our sister, Brenda Olson.

Brenda Lynn Olson, born December 16, 1964 to Melvin and Joyce Gross in Eureka, passed away peacefully on January 23 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Eureka.

Growing up on a farm Brenda discovered her love for animals, particularly horses, and she very much enjoyed being a member of the Freshwater 4-H horse club. Then when she entered middle school she discovered her love for boys, and then in high school she fell in love with “the” boy, Danny Olson. They married and had a beautiful son, Danny Olson Jr. Danny Jr. was her world and being his mom was how she best identified herself.

Throughout her years she enjoyed many lasting friendships. She loved the beach, searching for shells, agates, unique rocks and watching the sunset. She enjoyed long walks along the Van Duzen river at the family’s summer home in Little Golden Gate and spending time with her family. Later in life she began to enjoy gardening, crocheting and painting, as she was a true artist. She loved her home in the country surrounded by nature and her family. She was especially fond of her hummingbirds. In fact, after her son passed away a white hummingbird, very rare, appeared and she said it was her son Danny checking on her to make sure she was okay.

There are many things we will miss about our sister Brenda but her sense of humor will always be at the top of our list. Her ability to make people laugh, even in difficult times, was a gift. She always reminded us not to take life too seriously.

Brenda is survived by her her sisters, Teri, Melanie (Larry Noe), Glenda Kelley, her nephew Steven Gross (Jessica), great nephew Thacher, great niece Addison and her furry friends Gus and Bay.

Brenda is preceded in death by her grandfather Edwin Gross, father Melvin Gross, grandmother Mabel Meth, grandfather John Mitts Sr., grandmother Florence Mitts, mother Joyce Gross, uncle Jon Mitts Jr., son Danny Olson Jr., dear friends Mary Lu, Vicky, Jan and her best friend and companion Riley.

Brenda’s family wishes to thank the amazing care, kindness and compassion from the doctor’s, nurses and staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Memorial contributions may be made in Brenda’s name to your favorite animal rescue.

A private family service will be held.

John Gonsalves Lenardo III passed away peacefully with family at his side on Wednesday, November 26 in Mercy Hospital Redding from a long illness.

He was born on December  27, 1941 to John and Dorothy (Hansen) Lenardo in Scotia.  John was the oldest of five children.  He grew up and lived in Ferndale on his father’s dairy.  John was very active in sports and received the Len Casanova MVP trophy in his senior year.  After graduation he went to work at Pacific Lumber Co. in Scotia.

He met and married Valerie Hurst and they had five children, John IV, Lisa, Michael, Jeffrey and Scott.  He enjoyed going to the kids sporting events and there were many!

After the 1964 flood he went to work for Beacom Construction as an apprentice and completed his journeymanship.  As time went on he became very accomplished in the construction business and was promoted to Construction Supervisor.  He worked on many projects such as the Shanghilow Chinese Restaurant, College of the Redwoods, Chico State University and many others.

John went on to running jobs for Par Electric in Nevada building power plants, retiring and moving to Redding to be closer to his children.

His hobbies included woodworking and enjoyed building planter boxes, toy boxes, cedar chests, wine racks, shelving and many other items.  He enjoyed giving them to family and friends.  He was an excellent finish carpenter.  He loved watching the San Francisco 49ers, Giants, and NASCAR along with getting his lottery tickets each week.

John’s family and friends will always remember him as a hardworking, strong and loving father, brother, grandpa, great-grandpa, uncle, cousin and friend.  John leaves behind his sisters Joan (Tom) Hubner and Patsy (John) Miranda. His four children, Lisa Noble (Larry), Michael Lenardo (Brooke), Jeffrey Lenardo (Shawn), Scott Lenardo (Tammy).  He also leaves behind grandchildren Garrett Lenardo, Maia Lenardo, Kaitlyn (Gregory) Harris, Kendall (Trevor) Glantz, Madison (Travis) Will, Savannah Lenardo, Chelsea (Ryan) Curato, Cody Powell, Hannah Lenardo and 11 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins,  special close friend, Mike Sisson of Redding.

He is preceded in death by his parents, John and Dorothy Lenardo, Jr, son John Lenardo IV, sister Rita Lenardo and brother David Lenardo.  His passing will be felt by many of his friends. 

A celebration of life along with a barbeque featuring some of John’s favorite foods will be held June 6 at Shannon Miranda’s event area located at Miranda’s Rescue in Fortuna at 1 p.m.  Private interment services will take place at Saint Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Ferndale.

The family of John Lenardo III wishes to thank the doctors, nurses and assistants at Mercy Medical Hospital for their kindness and care during the time of his stay.  Their care both for our father and us is truly appreciated.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of John Lenardo’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.

Press release from Friends of the Dunes:

Join Friends of the Dunes and partners as we strike a blow for biodiversity! The 48th Annual Lupine Bash is taking place at the Ma-le’l Dunes Cooperative Management Area on Saturday, February 28 from 10:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m. Volunteers are needed to join the annual tradition of removing non-native, invasive yellow bush lupine from coastal dune habitats manually before these plants get a chance to produce seeds. Gloves, tools, and training will be provided, as well as snacks and coffee! Please wear closed-toed shoes and bring your own mug for coffee or tea. Guests are welcome to bring their own tools (no power tools please), but are responsible for their safety and wear and tear on the items. RSVPs are not required unless you are bringing a large group. We will meet at the Ma-le’l Dunes North parking lot, then briefly hike to the Bureau of Land Management’s Ma-le’l Dunes South for lupine bashing. Carpooling is highly encouraged.

Want to start your morning with a little hike? Arrive early and park at Ma-le’l South (Vera Linda Ln, Arcata, CA 95521) and walk the road to the meeting area. It is approximately a 0.7 mile scenic walk to Ma-le’l North.

Yellow bush lupine (Lupinus arboreus) is a large bushy shrub with bright yellow flowers that is native to central and southern California but is not native to Humboldt County. This species was introduced to the area in the early 1900’s and intentionally planted throughout the North Spit in order to stabilize sand movement. The fast-growing yellow bush lupine has caused ecosystem-level changes by increasing nitrogen levels in the surrounding soil and over-stabilization of our typically dynamic dunes habitats. Over time, these changes facilitate the displacement of native dune plants and introduction of species that are not common to dune environments, such as annual grasses and coyote brush. Lupines have long-lasting seed banks, so removal efforts must be continuous. Small yellow bush lupines are removed by physically pulling up the entire plant. Larger bushes are removed using an ax to chop the plant off at the base. It’s a tough job, and volunteers are needed to help! Join a 45-year long community tradition and help the planet today! For more information or to sign up a large group, please call (707) 444-1397 or email info@friendsofthedunes.org.

Who: Friends of the Dunes, Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and Bureau of Land Management‘s Arcata Field Office

What: 48th Annual Lupine Bash

When: Saturday, February 28 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Where: Meet at the Ma-le’l Dunes North Parking Lot, 1 Young Lane, Arcata, CA 95521 (Drive north past the gun club until you see a large parking lot.)

Cost: FREE

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ABOUT FRIENDS OF THE DUNES

Since its establishment in 1982, Friends of the Dunes has actively engaged the community in the conservation of the coastal environments of Humboldt County, California. They envision a dynamic, naturally diverse coastal environment that is restored, sustained, and enjoyed for generations to come through the involvement of community members who embrace learning about and caring for the land. ​Friends of the Dunes is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization​ dedicated to conserving the natural diversity of coastal environments in northern California through community-supported education and stewardship programs.

Press release from the Humboldt County Elections Office:

Humboldt County Clerk, Recorder & Registrar of Voters Juan P. Cervantes reminds individuals that important filing deadlines for California’s June 2, 2026, Statewide Direct Primary Election are coming up soon.

On June 2, voters will have the opportunity to nominate or elect candidates for many federal, state and local positions.

Federal offices on the ballot will include Humboldt County’s representative for California’s Second Congressional District.

Statewide offices include Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Controller, Treasurer, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner and Superintendent of Public Instruction. State offices that specifically represent Humboldt County include Second District positions for the Board of Equalization, State Senate and State Assembly.

County of Humboldt offices on the ballot will include Assessor, Auditor-Controller, Clerk-Recorder & Registrar of Voters, Superintendent of Schools, Treasurer-Tax Collector, County Supervisors representing Districts 4 and 5, and Superior Court Judges for Departments 3, 4 and 7.

Important Filing Deadlines

Candidates looking to run for office in the June 2, 2026, Statewide Direct Primary Election should be aware of these important filing deadlines:

• Declaration of Candidacy & Nomination Papers: Feb. 9 – March 6

• Nomination Extension Period: March 7 – March 11*

• Write-In Period: April 6 – May 19

*Occurs only when an incumbent fails to file their Declaration of Intention by 5 p.m. on the normal filing deadline.

A complete Candidate Information Guide, including detailed instructions and other election requirements, is available on the Humboldt County Elections website.

Prospective candidates are encouraged to visit the Elections Office in person or call 707-445-7481 for more detailed information and assistance. The Elections Office, located at 2426 Sixth St. in Eureka, is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding county holidays.

For more information about the upcoming June 2, 2026, Statewide Direct Primary Election, to check your voter registration status or apply to be an election worker, please visit this link.

About the Humboldt County Office of Elections

The Humboldt County Office of Elections is dedicated to conducting fair,include accurate and transparent elections, ensuring the voice of the community is heard and that electoral integrity is maintained. The Elections Office is committed to upholding the democratic process, providing reliable information and maintaining an open line of communication with the public. For more information, visit HumboldtGov.org/Elections.