California Highway Patrol release: 

On 10/31/2025, at approximately 0104 hours, the CHP Humboldt Communication Center (HCC) received a call of a vehicle versus pedestrian traffic crash on SR-96, east of Hostler Field Road. Based on CHP’s preliminary investigation, it was determined Cory Tracy was driving a 2009 Volkswagen GLI westbound on SR-96, east of Hostler Field Road. For an unknown reason, Jason McCullough was walking within the westbound lane of SR-96, and a crash occurred between the Volkswagen and Mr. McCullough. As a result of the crash, Mr. McCullough sustained fatal injuries. Mr. Tracy was evaluated for drug and/or alcohol impairment and was determined not to be impaired. Whether Mr. McCullough was under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol at the time of the crash remains under investigation.

The CHP is continuing its investigation into this crash and asks anyone with information related to it to contact the Humboldt Area office at (707) 713-6300. Please reference CHP Case Number 9125-2025-00701.

The California Highway Patrol extends its condolences to the family of the deceased and would like to thank all responding agencies for their response and assistance with this investigation.

PREVIOUSLY: 

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

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UPDATE - 3:45 P.M. – Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) spokesperson Christine Messinger got back to us: “As of now, we do not have new information about when benefits will be available. We’re hopeful it’s soon.”

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UPDATE - 1:30 P.M. – California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a press statement this afternoon in response to the Trump administration’s announcement to partially reinstate SNAP benefits for November.

In his statement, Bonta criticizes President Donald Trump’s “unlawful” decision to rescind federal food assistance in the first place, adding that “the federal government could fully fund November SNAP benefits if it wanted to.” Read the full statement below.

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the following statement in response to the news that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will only be providing partial Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for the month of November. This morning, in a new legal filing, the Trump Administration wrote the following: “Per orders issued by the United States District Courts for the Districts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, [the Trump Administration] intends to deplete SNAP contingency funds completely and provide reduced SNAP benefits for November 2025.” Last week, Attorney General Bonta co-led a coalition of 23 attorneys general and three governors in filing a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts against the USDA and its Secretary, Brooke Rollins, over the unlawful suspension of November SNAP benefits.

“My fellow attorneys general and I took the Trump Administration to court because they chose to suspend November SNAP benefits. That decision was not only unlawful, as two federal courts ruled on Friday; it has also forced the 42 million individuals who rely on SNAP to scramble and figure out where their next meal is going to come from. Americans of all political persuasions have rightfully been outraged,” said Attorney General Bonta. “This morning, we learned that the Trump Administration has decided, at long last and in the face of growing public pressure, to partially fund November SNAP benefits. This is an important development, but the reality is that SNAP benefits won’t become immediately available to recipients. This lag is problematic and the result of President Trump’s failure to follow the law until ordered to do so. In addition, today’s announcement by the Trump Administration represents a moral failure. We are the richest country in the world, and the federal government could fully fund November SNAP benefits if it wanted to. Recent images and videos of long lines at food pantries nationwide highlight the gravity of the current situation — we must continue to care for those in greatest need. My office remains focused on holding the Trump Administration accountable for its illegal actions.” 

A copy of this morning’s filing by the Trump Administration can be found here.

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Original post: The Trump administration announced Monday that it will send partial SNAP payments to the 42 million low-income Americans who rely on federal food assistance. However, only “50% of eligible households’ current allotments” will be covered, according to a court filing submitted by the Justice Department.

On Friday, a U.S. District Court judge ruled that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program must be funded using federal contingency funds, despite the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s claim that “the well has run dry” due to the ongoing government shutdown. The judge ordered the administration to provide an update on SNAP benefits on Monday. 

In the filing issued this morning, the Justice Department told the court that it would “fulfill its obligation to expend” money in an emergency account for SNAP to allow states to “calculate the benefits available for each eligible household,” according to The New York Times.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had planned to freeze Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments on Nov. 1. Two dozen states and the District of Columbia sued the federal government in response, arguing that it has billions in contingency funds to keep the federal food assistance program funded through November. SNAP, known as CalFresh here in California, provides monthly food benefits to approximately one in eight Americans, including about 32,000 people here in Humboldt.

The Outpost contacted the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services’ media team this morning to find out what this means for local folks who receive SNAP benefits. We’ll update this post when we hear back.

In the meantime, check out the list of resources below if you or someone you know needs help finding a bite to eat. We’ll do our best to keep this list updated.

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• Arcata House Partnership has free food at its pantry in Valley West. The nonprofit is in “urgent” need of non-perishable food items. Donations can be taken to Arcata House Partnership’s office at 4677 Valley West Blvd. in Arcata between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday - Friday. More information here.
• Cal Poly Humboldt students can find groceries and snacks at the OhSNAP! Student Food Pantry in RWC 122. Pantry hours can be found here. Starting the second week of November, students can pick up free meals at the Gutswurrak Student Activities Center. A schedule for meal pick-up will be available here. Students can also receive meal assistance through the university’s Swipe Assistance Program or through emergency grant assistance at this link.
• Esmeralda’s 2.0 in Eureka will offer a”Good Neighbor Bundle” to SNAP/EBT cardholders. The $10 meal can feed a family of four. Details here.
• Falafelove in King Salmon is a free meal to anyone who’s hungry. “We will be serving a chicken barley soup at no charge for anyone who asks, no questions asked – until the government shutdown resolves.” Details here.
• Food for People distributes fresh produce and non-perishable food items at food distribution sites across the county. Type in your zipcode at this link to find a location near you.
• Food Not Bombs serves free (vegan) hot meals every week in Arcata and Eureka. Meals are served every Sunday at 3 p.m. on Clark Plaza in Old Town Eureka and the Arcata Plaza. Food Not Bombs also provides meals at 4 p.m. on Mondays at Bayshore Way and Broadway in Eureka, near the rear entrance to the Bayshore Mall.
• The Humboldt Gold Exchange in Eureka is providing free meal bags for children with proof of a SNAP/EBT card. More information can be found here.
• Los Bagels is offering a free four-pack of bagels at Arcata and Eureka locations. SNAP recipients are limited to one pack of bagels per week, and you must have your SNAP/EBT card and ID on hand. 
• Old Town Coffee & Chocolates is offering free breakfast at both of its Eureka locations daily from 7:30 to 10 a.m. Just ask for the “special snack.” More information here.
• St. Vincent de Paul offers free meals Monday -Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its dining facility at 35 W. Third Street. Details here.

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Additional SNAP-related resources:

• Food for People
• County of Humboldt - CalFresh Services
• Humboldt Families Helping Families Facebook Group
• California Association of Food Banks
• California Department of Social Services CalFresh FAQ
• Humboldt Network of Family Resource Centers

Press release from Humboldt Bay Fire:

On Sunday, November 2nd, 2025, at approximately 2:10 p.m., Humboldt Bay Fire was dispatched to a reported structure fire at the 500 block of West Buhne near Spring Street. Humboldt Bay Fire responded with four engines, one ladder truck, and a Battalion Chief.

Engine 8113 was the first arriving unit and found smoke coming from a single-story triplex residence in the garage area. Crews pulled a hose line and quickly initiated fire attack. E8115 arrived shortly thereafter and assisted in fire attack. Battalion 8104 arrived on scene and assumed Spring Command, declaring an offensive fire attack.

Incoming units established a water supply from a nearby hydrant, conducted a primary search for victims, provided access to the garage, performed ventilation, and protected the exposed buildings on the alley side. A unit was designated as the Rapid Intervention Crew in case of a firefighter emergency.

The fire was contained to the garage, preventing spread into the living area. Crews conducted salvage operations, removing sentimental items to prevent further damage. One bystander fell while crossing the street and was treated on scene by City Ambulance.

To maintain emergency coverage within Humboldt Bay Fire’s jurisdiction, two additional units were requested and Samoa Peninsula Fire and Arcata Fire responded to assist. PG&E secured gas and electrical utilities, and City Ambulance remained on standby. Humboldt Bay Fire thanks all partnering agencies for their valued support.

The cause and origin investigation determined the fire to be accidental. No civilian or firefighter injuries occurred, and damage is estimated at $150,000.

Humboldt Bay Fire reminds everyone of the importance of fire safety when using torches or other heat-producing equipment. Always follow manufacturer instructions and operate these tools only as intended.

Press release from the Hoopa Valley Tribe:

Cheng.

The Hoopa Valley Tribe is proud to announce that Uriah Cheng a  proud member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe and descendant of the Yurok and Chimariko tribes, has been selected to participate in the highly esteemed 2025 Native All-American Game.

This prestigious honor recognizes Uriah as one of the top 70 high school football players from Indian Country, celebrated for his athletic talent, academic achievement and leadership qualities. Uriah’s selection highlights his commitment to maintaining a strong grade point average while excelling on the football field, embodying the values of perseverance, discipline and community pride.

The Native All-American Game serves as a platform to showcase Native youth talent and leadership, inspiring the next generation of Native athletes and leaders. As a participant, Uriah will represent not only community but also his tribal heritage, demonstrating the strength and resilience inherent in Native youth.

“This is an incredible honor, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to showcase my skills and represent my tribes,” said Uriah. “I look forward to connecting with other talented Native athletes and sharing our culture and traditions through this experience.”

Starting this week, Uriah will begin weekly meetings via Zoom with mentors and coaches to prepare for the game, focus on leadership development and build his skills. During the week leading up to the game, he will attend a camp where he will work with experienced coaches, participate in position exercises and learn leadership lessons from community leaders and mentors. The game will feature coaching from former NFL players Derek Fine, Ahman Green, Levi Horn and Chase Johnson, and will be covered by national media, offering Uriah valuable exposure and the opportunity to meet college recruiters and professional organizations

Uriah has expressed enthusiasm for this opportunity and is actively engaging in fundraising efforts to cover the costs associated with travel and participation, as the expenses for transportation and other expenses are not provided. The community is encouraged to support Uriah in this endeavor as he prepares to represent Indian Country on this exciting stage.

Your donation — whether big or small — will make a meaningful difference in helping Uriah seize this incredible opportunity. Together, we can support his journey to grow as an athlete and a youth leader.

The Hoopa Valley Tribe congratulates Uriah on his achievement and wishes him success as he prepares for the 2025 Native All-American Game. His dedication and leadership serve as an inspiration to all Tribal members and Native youth across Indian Country.

For more information or to contribute to Uriah’s fundraising efforts, please email info@nativeamericanpathways.org or donate here:  https://gofund.me/07ed2b29f . 

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Press release from Green Diamond Resource Company:

Weather conditions permitting, Green Diamond Resource Company plans to conduct prescribed burning for fuel hazard reduction [on] Monday, November 3, 2025 in multiple locations across the ownership. 

Green Diamond will be conducting burning in the Hunter and Wilson Creek areas approximately 4 miles north of the town of Klamath and in the Bald Hills along Johnson Road approximately 7 miles southeast of the town of Orick.  Burning will also be conducted in the Redwood Creek drainage 2 miles south of where it crosses Highway 299, in the Headwaters of Little River approximately 10 miles east of Westhaven and in the Sproul Creek area approximately 4 miles southwest of Garberville, along Sproul Creek Road.  

Burning operations are implemented in coordination with CAL FIRE and North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District.  Please note that smoke may be visible in surrounding areas, including the towns of Hunter Creek, Orick, Garberville, McKinleyville and Highway 299, while prescribed burning activities are being conducted.  Green Diamond staff will be onsite monitoring prescribed burning and fuels reduction operations. 

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

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A day before voting ends for Proposition 50, California voters appear poised to approve Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to gerrymander the state’s congressional districts in Democrats’ favor.

Recent opinion polls show strong support for the Yes side. Newsom’s campaign is flooding the airwaves with star-studded advertisements and drowning out its opponents’ faint final pitch to voters. And the governor has even asked supporters to back off on donations, as the influx of contributions was crashing the state’s campaign finance website.

“You can stop donating now. Thank you,” proclaimed the subject line of an email from Newsom’s campaign to supporters last week. “We have hit our budget goals and raised what we need in order to pass Proposition 50.”

If approved, the measure would temporarily suspend California’s current congressional maps, which were drawn by an independent citizens commission, and replace them through 2030 with districts drawn by Democratic insiders.

Newsom and his allies say California must counter mid-decade gerrymandering efforts in Republican controlled states such as Texas, Missouri and North Carolina in order to give Democrats a fair chance to win back the U.S. House of Representatives in next year’s midterm elections. Mail-in voting has already been underway for more than four weeks.

Some of Prop. 50’s major opponents are also privately resigned to the reality that the measure will pass, despite putting on a defiant game face.

“I don’t run away from a fight,” insisted Rep. Doug LaMalfa, a Republican from Oroville whose district would be dramatically altered under the new maps, at a recent No on 50 press conference.

But just moments before, LaMalfa also conceded that the opposition was “outnumbered two-to-one” when it came to spending in the crucial final days of the campaign.

“We are outgunned on the fundraising side,” he said.

A spokesperson for the No on 50 campaign did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

Two of California’s most reputable nonpartisan pollsters last week found that a solid majority of likely voters are supporting, or have already voted for, Prop. 50.

The Public Policy Institute of California found that 56% of likely voters said they would support the measure, compared to just 43% who said they would oppose it. The survey also found that nearly seven in 10 Californians, regardless of party, said the outcome of the special election was “very important” to them. That’s a record high level of interest in a ballot measure.

A “No on Prop 50” sign at the Kern County Republican Party booth at the Kern County Fair in Bakersfield on Sept. 26, 2025. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

“The PPIC survey has not registered such a high level of interest in a ballot proposition since we began measuring it over 20 years ago,” said its survey director, Mark Baldassare. The poll relied on responses from 943 likely voters and had a sampling error margin of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.

The Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies found an even larger gap between Yes and No voters, with a whopping 60% of likely voters saying they’d vote to pass Prop. 50 and just 38% who would vote no. Similarly to PPIC, the IGS poll also found an extraordinarily high level of engagement, with 71% of likely voters saying they had heard “a great deal” about the measure.

“There are a lot of indicators that suggest the Yes side is going to win comfortably,” said Mark DiCamillo, IGS’ director of polling, in an interview.

The poll interviewed 4,946 Californians who had already voted or were considered likely to vote and had a sampling error margin of plus or minus 2 percentage points.

DiCamillo noted Prop. 50 was likely defying conventional wisdom on ballot measures, which gives the No side an advantage with undecided voters who want to preserve the status quo, because of the hyperpartisan and nationalized message.

“The results suggest that Democrats have succeeded in framing the debate surrounding the proposition around support or opposition to President Trump and national Republicans, rather than about voters’ more general preference for nonpartisan redistricting,” said Eric Schickler, co-director of IGS.

Still, Democrats are taking nothing for granted and are investing heavily in mobilizing their voters. The Yes campaign has rallied tens of thousands of volunteers to knock doors, make phone calls and send texts to up to 16 million voters, said campaign spokesperson Hannah Milgrom. Newsom will also be traveling across the state as part of the final push.

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

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If you’re serving hard time inside a California prison, you’ll often find yourself stuck in a cramped cell with a complete stranger. You hang a bedsheet to manufacture the semblance of privacy between bed and toilet. Any little thing can erupt into a source of tension and angst – body odor, snoring, lights on or off.

Each moment becomes a test to avoid confrontation or brawling. With no immediate help from officers, the fear and anxiety festers inside you. And day by day, your mental health deteriorates.

“You don’t necessarily know what the capacity of this person is, or like what their crime is,” said Steven Warren, a current resident inside San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. “You’re not told any of that when you’re put in a cell with them.

“I don’t know if this person has the propensity to murder me in my sleep or commit a violent act against me just because they’re feeling some type of way.”

Some California policymakers and prison officials believe it’s time to rethink these potentially harmful housing situations. They contend that offering more single-occupancy cells might serve the best interests of prison residents and public safety.

That’s possible because California’s incarcerated population continues to decline — from its peak of over 173,000 people in 2006 to just under 90,000 today. A handful of prisons have closed, while changes in resentencing and parole eligibility have helped release thousands of individuals.

Under former Gov. Jerry Brown and now Gov. Gavin Newsom, rehabilitation and reentry opportunities remain a growing focal point, too. San Quentin Rehabilitation Center stands at the forefront of the discussion, with an “earned living” housing unit comprised exclusively of single-person cells and plans to similarly repurpose the vacated Death Row buildings. A spokesperson for the prison said it is “working toward” making single-person cells available to all incarcerated people by spring 2026.

A bill advanced in the California Legislature this year aims to establish single-cell units at more prisons. The measure did not make it to Newsom, but it’s expected to return in 2026.

“We want people to have the opportunity to return back to our community, and we want them to do that in the healthiest manner,” said San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, who helped draft the legislation.

“You can’t do that if you’re in an environment that causes chaos and stress — or you can’t sleep, you’re having confrontations, you’re irritable because you’re sleeping with one eye open.”

Conversations spark change

Jenkins visited San Quentin numerous times over the last two years and spoke with Warren and others. More importantly, she listened.

“One of the conversations that we had inside with a number of the residents was the cellmate on cellmate violence and all of the issues that come with sharing a cell,” said Jenkins.

She reached out to Assemblymember Damon Connolly, the Democrat representing San Rafael. Together, they authored the Assembly bill that proposes establishing single-occupancy cell pilot programs at four California prisons.

“To properly be able to engage in rehabilitative programming,” states the bill’s text. “Incarcerated persons must be able to sleep without fear of physical harm.”

Prison housing cells at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center on Aug. 14, 2023. Photo courtesy of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Connolly said that single-cell housing units additionally promote safer work environments for corrections officers and staff. “It fits in, in my view, with the larger objectives that the governor and many of us have pursued.”

The state’s prison union agrees with Connolly and Jenkins.

The California Correctional Peace Officers Association in general has supported Newsom’s emphasis on rehabilitation for prisoners, and it has begun lobbying in public against further prison closures.

The 24,500-member union is a player in the Capitol, where it has given $7 million to state lawmakers since 2015, according to the CalMatters Digital Democracy database. It also kicked in $1.75 million to help Newsom defeat the 2021 recall campaign against him, and another $1 million to back Newsom’s 2024 mental health ballot measure.

“The threat of violence and tension in shared cells… fosters conflicts amongst cellmates, necessitating intervention from correctional officers, who place themselves in jeopardy, thereby escalating the overall risk within the facility for all parties involved,” said the California Correctional Peace Officers Association in a support letter to Connolly.

Warren recalled a 2021 situation of cellmate on cellmate violence that he can’t ever forget.

“A young man beat an older gentleman to death in a cell maybe four or five cells down from me,” he said. “It was crazy. After everything was all said and done, there were so many conversations about how these two people shouldn’t be together — about how one person was having an issue with the other person, but (officers) not giving it full regard of the mental health issues.”

A new era of decarceration

Old prisons, such as San Quentin and Folsom, were originally designed to house one person per cell. In response to mass incarceration and overcrowding in the 1990s and early 2000s, the corrections department threw beds into spaces never intended for housing. They had people sleeping in gyms, hallways, and even stairwells.

And they welded and bolted extra bunk beds into almost every single-person cell.

A housing cell at Folsom State Prison on March 14, 2013. Photo courtesy of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Decades of prison rights litigation eventually forced the system to address the issue of housing people at 200% design capacity. Two class-action lawsuits, Coleman v. Newsom and Plata v. Newsom, led to federal oversight and a mandated decrease to 137% capacity.

Current housing rates stand at about 120% design capacity, averaged across all 31 state prisons.

Newsom faces some pressure to close more of them. His administration estimates that shutting down one prison saves about $150 million a year, and it’s the only reliable way to actually bring down corrections spending. He has closed four prisons so far — with one more shutdown in the works.

Some advocacy groups and incarcerated individuals opposed Connoly and Jenkins’ bill to provide more single-cell housing. Known as prison abolitionists, these groups want to see as many prisons close as possible. They believe providing more single-cell units could interfere with that agenda.

Kenthi Porter, an incarcerated resident of Ironwood State Prison, submitted a letter to the Legislature through the abolitionist group Initiate Justice that said single cell policies “may reinforce the infrastructure of mass incarceration… by utilizing current excess bed space and providing a pretext for halting future prison closure or expanding existing prison infrastructure.”

Connolly emphasized that the bill does not attempt to legislate on any prison closure decisions.

“The goal here is not to otherwise keep prisons open that are slated to be closed or to reopen closed prisons,” he said. “I fully understand the goal of reducing incarceration that is aligned with the governor’s goal of closing certain prisons. This is not what that is about.”

Jenkins said that closing prisons to accommodate decreasing prison populations amid fiscal budget considerations may not be the best solution.

“Closing prisons is symbolic,” she said. “I don’t think that it represents a true care for the people who are currently incarcerated. I think we have to think about the conditions that they’re in and not symbolic gestures.”

Incentivizing good behavior

One big roadblock that can derail parole and reentry opportunities is the common prison practice of holding both cellmates accountable for the actions of one. When officers find contraband like narcotics, weapons or cell phones in a cell, they commonly issue a disciplinary rules violation report that holds both occupants responsible for the infraction.

“A write-up could be given to you based on the fact that your cellmate was involved in certain activities,” said Warren. “You have to collectively pay for what this person did because, in here, you’re guilty until proven innocent — and most of the time, they usually find us guilty.”

Disciplinary infractions remain part of an incarcerated individual’s permanent record and affect their chances of parole or resentencing. A mistake or exoneration may get documented, but those reports never completely go away.

Jenkins asked San Quentin administration to provide data on the amount of write-ups that occurred within Donner, its single-cell “earned living” unit for residents who demonstrate disciplinary-free conduct.

“San Quentin had over 3,000 write-ups last year, and out of those 3,000, I believe it was seven that came out of Donner,” said Jenkins. “What you see is that it’s working. It’s effective in that it allows the correctional officers who work in that unit to actually be able to have less stress themselves because they know that these inmates are incentivized to behave.”

Erick Maciel currently resides in Donner and has been there since its inception as an earned living unit in 2023. He said it’s the first and only time he’s had a cell to himself in more than eight years of incarceration.

“Donner feels like I’m on parole,” said Maciel. “It’s the closest thing to almost feeling free in prison because we’re not feeling pressure from correctional officers or anything like that. It’s super important, because now I’m able to just concentrate on myself.”

Staying in Donner requires remaining disciplinary-free, so Maciel and others in the unit act accordingly.

“I am afraid of the consequences,” he said about potentially getting a write-up and losing his single-cell privileges. “I’m very mindful that I’m following the rules all the time — because I appreciate where I’m at.”

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Joe Garcia is a California Local News fellow.