The preliminary examination for a man accused of attempted murder for allegedly attacking a 75-year-old man in the Arcata Community Forest began Thursday.

The proceedings involved questioning of witness Cameron Neff, an Arcata Police Department officer, who interviewed 51-year-old suspect Shawn Kolpak following his arrest and responded to assist with the crime scene.

Under questioning from the prosecution, Neff testified Kolpak appeared to have a problem who stacked sticks in the forest (who was referred to as “the stick person” during today’s hearing) and testified Kolpak had called Arcata police the week prior to the attack to report a person stacking sticks.

Victim Bill Spenceley’s friend had reported Spenceley would often pick up sticks off the trail to maintain the path and stack them, something he informed Neff of following the attack.

During questioning, Neff said Kolpak told him he was “annoyed by the person who was stacking sticks,” but not so annoyed he would do anything.

Deputy District Attorney Roger Rees questioned Neff on Kolpak’s general state of mind — Kolpak told Neff he stayed in the van he lived in for 20 hours a day to avoid interacting with people, and was afraid of interacting with others.

He told Neff he didn’t feel that way in custody and was relieved to be arrested —something Rees argued was evidence of at least a minimal awareness of guilt, with Deputy Public Defender David Celli strongly disagreeing.

Kolpak and Spenceley each hiked in the community forest every morning, and Neff said they exchanged good mornings. Neff said Kolpak was walking in the forest the day of the attack, January 30.

Deputy Public Defender David Celli objected to a number of pieces of the testimony — and called for it to be stricken from the record.

He noted Thursday’s testimony hinged on another officer reading his client his Miranda Rights, and Judge Kaleb V. Cockrum agreed to strike the testimony later if it were found that he hadn’t been read his rights, but allowed for the questioning to continue.

Celli questioned Neff on how many people walk in the forest — pointing out the forest has multiple access points throughout town and hundreds are on the trails daily.

He also sought to hear what Spenceley’s friend had told him about mountain lion sightings in the forest, his possible dislike of mountain bikers, and information that Spenceley had fallen recently — though Rees objected to hearsay for these pieces of evidence and many were stricken from the record.

The preliminary hearing aims to determine if there is sufficient evidence to hold Kolpak for a trial — the hearing is set to continue Friday.

Celli sought a fact-finding hearing for another case, if any information was brought up in the hearing. In this separate, open case, Kolpak is accused of assaulting an employee of Eureka Natural Foods in McKinleyville with an exercise weight.

For Spenceley’s attack, Kolpak was charged with attempted murder and aggravated mayhem, with an enhancement due to the age of the victim. Aggravated mayhem is punishable by life imprisonment in state prison.

Kolpak is being held in the Humboldt County jail without bail and appeared while in custody.

According to a Monday update from his family on GoFundMe, Spenceley remains in a “very slow recovery phase.”

“There have been moments when he responds to commands that give us hope for a full recovery. But there are also setbacks, including breathing complications that have required him to return to the ICU,” said the GoFundMe, which asked for support and prayers for the man.

The update said his loved ones are playing his favorite music and old family songs. “You can tell he hears them and is listening, which brings comfort and hope to our hearts.” The update said Bill still has a long road ahead and describes Bill as a fighter.

Press release from the Eureka Police Department:

On March 19, 2026, at approximately 2:00 p.m., a School Resource Officer (SRO) with the Eureka Police Department (EPD) was notified of a reported drive-by shooting involving a possible BB gun near Eureka High School, which resulted in injury to a juvenile. Upon arrival, the SRO located three victims. An additional occupied vehicle was also struck during the incident.

Officers conducted an area search for the suspect vehicle, described as a black four-door sedan, possibly a Ford Fusion with tinted windows and occupied by four individuals. The vehicle was not located, and no further description of the suspects is available at this time. Detectives are currently on scene conducting the investigation and obtaining video footage from surrounding residences.

This remains an active and ongoing investigation. Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact EPD’s Criminal Investigations Unit at (707) 441-4300.

As the nation reels from unearthed sexual assault allegations made against civil rights and union leader Cesar Chavez, Humboldt County is also dealing with the fallout.

Though there are monuments devoted to Chavez nationwide, California, in particular, has tons. Streets, parks, and memorials of all kinds are being renamed. A bill to rename his eponymous holiday, celebrated on his birthday, March 31, was announced today by California’s legislature. If passed, it will be renamed Farmworkers Day. 

Here in Humboldt, there’s a playground with signage honoring Chavez, and work projects dedicated to him hosted by Cal Poly Humboldt. 

A list of Chavez’s accomplishments at Hammond Park.

Eureka’s Hammond Park has a small playground with two Chavez-related signs installed about 15 years ago: one telling visitors that the park was built to honor his life and values, and another with a timeline of his personal history and accomplishments. Eureka City Manager Miles Slattery told the Outpost that the park was not officially named after him, and that the signs would likely be removed. The city hasn’t decided when that’ll happen, or what they’ll be replaced with. 

Cal Poly Humboldt has traditionally sponsored annual volunteer projects on Cesar Chavez Day, such as working at a community garden. A university spokesperson told the Outpost that the volunteering will go on, but under a different name. 

CPH sent this statement:

The recent allegations about Cesar Chavez are deeply concerning. We stand with and support survivors, and we recognize the courage it takes to come forward. We also recognize the impact of the United Farm Workers movement, and all those who’ve fought so hard to uplift communities.

In that spirit, Youth Educational Services (Y.E.S.) established the annual Serve-a-Thon. For years, Cal Poly Humboldt students have devoted their “day off” on the Cesar Chavez state holiday to supporting community wellness.

In light of the allegations, references to Cesar Chavez Day were removed from the Serve-a-Thon’s website to keep the focus on the important work of Y.E.S., and the event will take place as planned. The University is proud of Y.E.S.’s longstanding commitment to making a positive impact on the North Coast.

Cesar Chavez day is a state holiday, which we are legally obligated to recognize by providing a day off for our employees. If there are changes at the state level, we will adjust accordingly.

The unboxing. Video via Huffman’s Facebook page.

Here’s some news that we weren’t expecting. Humboldt’s Congressman, Rep. Jared Huffman, has written a book, and it’s a book about Huffman’s first-hand experience with the reach of Christian nationalism in the federal government.

The cover.

The book is titled No Prophets: The Fight to Save Democracy from Christian Nationalism, and it’s published by W.W. Norton. Foreword from Rep. Jamie Raskin. It’s available for pre-order now — here’s the link at the publisher’s website — and it’ll be released on Aug. 18.

Huffman — a founder of the Congressional Freethought Caucus — is currently running for re-election, and he’s running in a newly redrawn district that includes Redding — home of the Bethel Church empire. It’s a pretty Christian place! 

Here’s the blurb from the publisher:

From Congressman Jared Huffman, a behind-the-scenes look at the shocking extent of Christian nationalism’s reach in our government—and the fight to defend church-state separation.

Sinclair Lewis is said to have predicted, “When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross.” Democratic congressman Jared Huffman witnessed something eerily like that vision on January 6, 2021. That was his wake-up call to the shocking power of Christian nationalism.

No Prophets argues that Christian nationalism is now America’s most dangerous political movement. Huffman uncovers the landscape of this movement — who they are, what they want, and how they plan to get it — and reveals how it has destabilized our nation more than most recognize. Blending deep research with untold stories from inside our government, he examines how this violent confederation of religious extremists is undermining science, education, foreign policy, and the very architecture of our democracy. But, Huffman argues, it’s not too late.

Provocative and clear-eyed, No Prophets exposes an existential threat to our democracy and compels us to reclaim the values core to our secular republic.

PREVIOUSLY

• End the War: Arcata City Council to Decide on Adopting a Resolution Condemning the Iran War

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The Arcata City Council passed a resolution last night condemning the ongoing war in Iran and demanding its end.

The resolution points out the high cost of the war (almost $1 billion daily), the likelihood of significant, deadly escalation, and the potential illegality of the attacks as reasons they oppose it. It asks that the U.S. end the attacks, stops supplying weapons to Israel, that Congress invokes the War Powers Act, and that normal diplomatic negotiations resume immediately with Iran.

Councilmember Sarah Schaefer suggested the idea, she said, with councilmember Meredith Matthews’ support. Neither of them was under any illusions about Arcata affecting the war’s course at all (Matthews said she wasn’t expecting to wake up tomorrow and see Arcata credited with ending the war), but they said it felt important to speak out. The council had been buffeted by requests from community members to put a resolution on the Iran war on the agenda, and to do so quickly. 

“Do I think this is going to end any war?” Schaefer asked. “No. I don’t believe that. This is largely, in my opinion, a performative action, but I think performative actions like this are important because it provides a temperature check for the public and for us on where we stand on these issues that are gravely important to people.”

“I also think that it is a local issue,” she continued. “As we’re seeing our government pulling away all our grant money for different projects, as people are losing health care and benefits are being taken away from people, we’re still spending billions and billions of dollars on what is not even now called our defense budget; it is our Department of War’s budget, and it is a war budget…Rising militarism is a key sign of a slide into fascism, and we are doing it constantly.”

Schaefer credited former Arcata mayor Dave Meserve with helping her with the resolution’s draft. In the early 2000s, Meserve attracted the attention of the national media by backing a city council resolution calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and an end to the war in Iraq. 

“War is always wrong, as far as I’m concerned,” Meserve said during the public comment period at last night’s meeting. “But when you have a totally unprovoked attack, with no real threat against the United States from Iran, and in total violation of the UN charter, of all international law, and of the U.S. Constitution because it was never considered by Congress — then there’s just no way this war can go on.”

Most of the dozen commenters were in favor of the resolution’s passage, though there were a few that called it “antisemitic.” 

“I do not support war,” local pro-Israel activist Tamar Krigel said. “I believe that conflict is not resolved through violence, but through agreement, dialogue, and peaceful solutions. But I will not accept a resolution that describes division and misinformation as a call for peace. The resolution is not a natural or thoughtful statement. It is a politically motivated document, driven by individuals who present themselves as advocates for peace, but whose actions consistently tell a different story.”

“I’ve heard a couple people say, already, ‘Oh, this war is funding Israel’s genocide,’” a Zoom commenter said. “This is just a foil for people to slander the Jews.”

The resolution passed unanimously.

From the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Mar. 18, 2026, as a part of the ongoing Hoopa murder investigation, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Division obtained arrest warrants for two male juveniles from Hoopa.  

At approximately 3:55 p.m., the two male juveniles, ages 13 and 15 were surrendered by a parent to deputies at the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Willow Creek Station on outstanding arrest warrants.

Following their surrender, both juveniles were taken into custody without incident and transported to Juvenile Hall, where they were booked on the following charge:

• PC 186.22(a)-Participation in a criminal street gang

This remains an active investigation, and no further information will be released at this time. 

Anyone with any information about this case is urged to contact the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Division at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at (707) 268-2539.

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This story — by reporters Ana B. Ibarra and Alejandra Reyes-Velarde — was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

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In southwest Santa Rosa teenagers skip sports practices to avoid getting burned by the hot turf. Some will end up at the air conditioned mall. In southeast Los Angeles County people wait at unshaded bus stops, covering their faces with umbrellas and bags.

Temperatures topped 100 degrees in some parts of the state this week — and it’s only March.

Heat doesn’t just disrupt people’s days. It’s dangerous, even fatal.

California leaders have known about the danger of extreme heat for decades, and the state has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on plans to address it. But these plans require little or nothing from state agencies or local governments, and experts say the result is a patchwork response that is leaving the most vulnerable Californians behind.

The state has made real progress: more messaging and education campaigns, more data and tools to assess the hazard of heat, and targeted grants to local communities. But without a mandate to act, which communities are protected depends on local budgets and political will.

The state’s response remains largely organized around emergency management — mobilizing resources during crises rather than treating heat as the ongoing public health threat that researchers say it is. As climate change drives longer and stronger heat waves beyond the summer season, experts say heat must become a mainstream piece of public health work, with a focus on prevention.

That’s hard to do. Public health departments are often stretched thin – required to respond to competing emergencies, outbreaks and other surveillance work – while facing funding uncertainties.Dr. David Eisenman, a professor at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, said too much heat response work is run by emergency management. “This is really a well-known public health emergency that should be thought of under public health, and they should be the prime movers on this.”

A patchwork response

Responding to extreme heat requires coordination across multiple levels of government – pulling together state and local emergency services, planning departments and public health. California has a state blueprint, and cities and counties also have plans. But it’s not clear whether any of them are making a big difference for people feeling the burden of heat.

“How we prepare for both more extreme heat and chronically higher everyday temperatures is a test of how we protect health, equity, and community in a warming world,” said Ali Frazzini, a policy director for Los Angeles County’s sustainability office.

The human cost of the gap is already visible. For every 100,000 residents, 14.4 people visited the emergency room in 2023 for heat-related illness. The state reported 460 deaths linked to extreme heat between 2013 to 2022, although researchers say there are also the deaths that are attributed to other underlying conditions but that may have been exacerbated by heat.

A state analysis of one of the most dangerous heat waves in recent years – in September of 2022 – showed a 5% increase in overall deaths during that 10-day period, or 395 more deaths than expected.

Katherine Pocock, a physician assistant and researcher with Healthcare in Action said heat waves add another layer to the many struggles unhoused people already face. During heat waves in Boyle Heights, near downtown, she would make street medicine rounds. When she came across people clearly struggling with an altered state of mind, she would have to figure out if it was a consequence of heat or substance use.

What homeless patients need most is simple: water and ice.

“A lot of conversations so far have been around frameworks and strategies,” Pocock said. But she wants actionable steps. “What do I need to do to really be prepared to help support folks?”

Street medicine providers say they have to fundraise privately to buy patients water.

Hundreds of millions, no mandate

In 2022, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a commitment to spend $800 million to support programs that protect people from heat along with the state’s overarching heat action plan. The state clawed back part of that, and a large portion of what remains – $351 million – is tied to a 2024 climate bond that hasn’t been fully spent.

The California Natural Resources Agency, the Strategic Growth Council and the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation distribute one-time funding to nonprofits and local governments as small one-time grants for projects that align with the state’s four goals: building public awareness, strengthening community services, improving indoor infrastructure and using nature-based solutions to reduce risks outdoors.

This year, the governor has proposed another $241 million in spending from the bond for heat programs, including $50 million for local heat action plans, $700,000 for green space and $55 million for community resilience centers.

The state points to tangible progress toward its heat response – updated building codes, a real-time dashboard showing community vulnerability and cooling centers, and a second iteration of its plan is in development.

But the limits of that progress are evident in the details. One law passed last year enshrined into state law residents’ right to a cool living space. But while the state Housing and Community Development Department recommended the state set a maximum indoor temperature standard of 82 degrees for all homes, the law set no requirements for landlords to keep their tenants cool.

The state’s plan doesn’t direct local governments on specific action because every region has unique challenges. Amanda Hansen, deputy secretary for climate change with the state Natural Resources Agency, said that’s by design.

“I don’t think that the state would ever put forward ‘this is what all local extreme heat action plans should look like or should contain,’ because it’s going to be really different depending on their needs and their challenges,” Hansen said.

Local organizers say they appreciate the state’s financial support, but they want something more lasting. The grants the state distributes – for hydration stations, building shade structures and promoting heat safety education to outdoor workers – help, but they aren’t guidance to local governments or a statewide strategy.

“If we’re really going to protect our communities from the rising threat of heat, we need to come up with an integrated model,” said Enrique Huerta of Climate Resolve, a group that is working alongside Los Angeles County in one of the state-funded projects.

Counties and cities don’t just need some guidance, says Agustin Cabrera, Deputy Director of Programs and Policy for the nonprofit Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education. They need funding.

“Not all of them are resourced enough to develop a heat action plan,” he said.

Local governments fill the void

Local governments are stepping up on heat resilience, but uncertain state and federal support constrain even the most committed cities and counties.

Los Angeles County has gone further than most. It has approved a policy to require that landlords maintain homes in unincorporated areas at or below 82 degrees starting in 2027 – which goes a step further than the state. As part of its heat action plan published recently, county officials are also surveying nonprofits about serving as cooling centers and helping cities develop their own cool housing policies.

The city of Los Angeles is exploring a similar policy. But its budget problems are undermining its ambitions. Mayor Karen Bass recently proposed cutting the city’s Office of Climate Emergency Mobilization, led by the first chief heat officer in the city, Marta Segura. Segura’s office received $750,000 from the state to develop a heat action plan. Advocates pushed back, and the city changed course, but Segura’s role was ultimately moved to the city’s Emergency Management Department.

Some communities with longer experience managing extreme heat have developed more robust systems. Fresno makes public transit free during heat waves, removing a barrier for residents who need to reach cooling centers. The county also coordinates with social service providers to reach vulnerable clients — including people with disabilities — when temperatures spike.

Heat doesn’t have a home

The structural problem, researchers say, is that no one single agency owns the issue – and that’s true around the country.

In Arizona, Maricopa County and Phoenix treat heat as a seasonal chronic health hazard, and the state has a heat officer – located in the health services department. In New Jersey, the state resilience officer handles heat as a health problem – within its environment department. And while the city of Miami has a heat officer, the state of Florida has banned cities and counties from establishing heat protections for workers.

In California, the state Department of Public Health collects data and offers guidance to counties and cities, but hands out no funding for the extreme heat action plan.

Local public health departments have largely focused on managing heat crises — surveillance systems, advisories, educational campaigns — rather than building long-term resilience. That’s left to land use and urban planning departments.

“Very, very few public health departments are engaged in more long term resilience, sustainability efforts,” said Kelly Turner, Associate Director at the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation. WIth tight budgets and competing demands that’s unlikely to change on its own.

According to a national survey of public health professionals last month, extreme heat is a growing concern – but states are generally unprepared or underresourced to address its threats. More than half of local public health associations said barriers to addressing heat included a lack of understanding of heat-related solutions, competing priorities and funding.

“It’s not like the Department of Heat, right?” said Turner. “Heat doesn’t have a home.”

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Supported by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), which works to ensure that people have access to the care they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford. Visit www.chcf.org to learn more.