OBITUARY: Lucy Anne (Santino) Quinby, 1942-2025

LoCO Staff / Today @ 6:56 a.m. / Obits

Treasured Firstborn Daughter; Big Sister; Wife; Auntie/Tia to her siblings’ children and countless other children she loved; Teacher-Mentor-Art Docent-Art Patron-Advocate-Collaborator-Knitter- Weaver-Gardener-Dancer-Reader-Cat Lover-World Traveler and above all a Positive Force of Nature! Lucy was a genius at nurturing life-long friendships, serving her community, and enjoying life to the fullest.

Born in La Jolla, California on July 13, 1942, to Hazel (Robertson) and Lt. Colonel Mathew Santino, her early years were spent as an Army brat exploring exotic locations in the United States, Panama, Argentina and Colombia (where she fell in love with the Spanish language, flamenco and bullfighters). Her siblings Mary, Peter and Nancy arrived during this period. In 1956 the Santino family moved to Eureka, returning to where her mother’s side had called home since the 1850s. She made friends easily at Eureka Senior High and graduated as class treasurer in 1960. At Humboldt State College, she earned a BA in 1964 and an MA in 1982. It was there Lucy found Lewis Quinby (in his own words: challenging, charming, cranky, comforting), the love of her life. They married in 1966.

After Lewis earned his BA and MA from Humboldt State College in photography, he became interested in group and family therapy and earned his LCSW at Sacramento State in 1971. He became Eureka’s most memorable therapist and family counselor and advocate for transactional analysis.

Lucy dove into a 35-year teaching career in Eureka City Schools. In 1993, she was awarded the prestigious Milken Educator Award. She first taught at Zane Jr. High and then Eureka High School, retiring in 2000 as Eureka High’s most beloved Spanish teacher ¡Señora Quinby! Lucy delighted in running into former students and their children and their grandchildren wherever she went, and while holding court with Lewis at Ramone’s Bakery on Harrison.

Those two, Lucy & Lew, traveled the world like crazy for 50 years. A river cruise in Europe. The highlands of Scotland. The inland passage to Alaska. Hong Kong. Paris. Mexico… returning after each voyage for work and rest in their cozy home in Myrtletown that they bought in 1972. Their garden said so much about them: Zen-like, bonsai, defined, well-tended favorite trees but also dripping with roses and raspberries, succulents and heathers. Private and sheltering, welcoming and generous.

In addition to decades of family gatherings and solo retreats at her grandmother Zoe Barnum’s Salyer cabin, Lucy also traveled with her mother, Hazel Santino, to places they had lived in South America, to Robertson-family origins in Scotland, and a memorable trip to Tuscany to visit Peter and his family for Hazel’s 75th birthday.Soon after Lucy’s retirement from Eureka City Schools, her mother had a stroke and Lucy devoted herself to taking care of her and making arrangements that allowed her mother to stay in her own home, as she wished, until her passing in 2008.

Even if you only met Lucy once, you’ll remember her vibrant smile and feisty energy. For the last quarter of a century she dedicated so much time to mission-driven organizations including: The Humboldt Arts Council where she served both on the board and as a docent for the Morris Graves Museum of Art; Humboldt County Children’s Author Festival (she was always a favorite with the authors); Overseeing the Mathew Santino Scholarship Program, at Humboldt Area Foundation, for students of international relations and foreign languages; and working together with Lewis on the Rotary Club of Southwest Eureka’s project providing assistance to hospitals in Mexico.

After Lewis died on January 5, 2022, Lucy’s plans to start traveling again were thwarted by her failing health. To mitigate her frustration that travel had become impossible, dear friends, family and her excellent caregivers took her on jaunts to restaurants and the glorious vistas of Humboldt County, cooked for her, invited her to tea, sat with her while she knitted and told stories and laughed, or called from around the world. Lucy was pampered, coiffed, Reiki-ed, amused, her every food whim satisfied. Though frail, she was spotted at the center of local parties and dedications, always smiling and positive. Her siblings did for her, what she had done for their mother, whatever was necessary for her to stay in her own home for the rest of her remarkable life.

She stunned us all with her determination to enjoy life between health ups and downs, her illness more than just inconvenient, it would likely have been unbearable for anyone who was not Lucy (in her own words: stubborn Scot and tough Siciliana)!

Hospice very gently declared her in transition on a Friday, and she was gone just before midnight on Sunday, September 28, 2025. Lucy’s powerful soul left with her usual flourish. A storm was brewing, her windchimes wildly playing, her front door blew open and she was gone. Decisively. Naturally. Her life was magical and so was her crossing over. A hearty rain then fell on her precious garden. She died in her home as she wished, knowing she was exceedingly well loved and had loved well in return.

Lucy was confident that her work will continue professionally, and full of heart, by those she mentored and collaborated with. She was so grateful for this life, this work, her devoted family and friends. And somehow after so many rallies, for so many years, she managed to surprise us all at how quickly she could make things happen when she declared herself ready! But didn’t she always do that?

Because Lucy adored Christmas, her Celebration of Life will be held December 20, 2025, 1-3 p.m. at the Morris Graves Museum of Art, 636 F Street, Eureka.

If you cannot attend, Lucy will understand, but when you travel to exotic lands, taste the food, smell the air, feel the weather, ENJOY! ENJOY!! ENJOY!!! and tell her all about it.Lucy Quinby is survived by her siblings, and their spouses, Mary Troth (Chris), Peter Santino (Shirley), Nancy Andrews (Bill); her nephews and nieces, Jeremy Jerome (Sunny), Jake Jerome, Nathan Weiss, Hazel Lee Santino and Luciano Matteo Santino; grandniece Karli Weiss and grandnephews Caleb Jerome and Skyler Jerome - as well as a legion of amazing and fortunate people she called friends.

###

The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Lucy Quinby’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.


MORE →


OBITUARY: Marian Jean Christiansen, 1929-2025

LoCO Staff / Today @ 6:56 a.m. / Obits

Marian Jean Christiansen was born on October 22, 1929, and went home to be with her Lord and Savior in Heaven on September 25, 2025, living an active and fruitful life for almost 96 years. Marian was the only child of Albert and Gladys Janke and grew up in Eureka attending Lincoln School and graduating from Eureka High School in 1946. She married Robert Christiansen on February 1, 1948, and together they raised three children, Suzie, Bob and Carla.

Marian went back to college after Carla started school and graduated with a degree in Elementary Education from Humboldt State College in 1962. She taught at Washington Elementary School (4th to 6th grade) for 25 years before retiring in 1987. She was a very dedicated teacher, often the last one on campus and grading papers late into the evening at home. Her students have commented “Mrs. C was strict, but fair and I learned a lot!” They often recall California Missions projects and trips to Canada as highlights of history with Mrs. C.

Before her husband died in 1997, he and Marian loved doing most everything together including dancing at the Danish Dance Festival, square dancing and dance clubs. They also enjoyed traveling in their trailer around the western USA, horseback riding in the local mountains and beaches and spending special time with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Marian has been an active member of First Covenant Church for almost 30 years. Some of the activities she enjoyed there were: singing in the choir, bible study, 15-year chairperson for Operation Christmas Child, sewing Christmas stockings for local foster children, cooking and sewing for various kids camps and fellowship groups along with supporting the Eureka Rescue Mission.

Marian has been a quilter for many years and enjoyed the fellowship of other quilters in special groups of friends. She felt blessed to be a part of these groups that shared her passion for quilting.

Marian is survived by her three children and their families which includes eight grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren. Her family have been privileged to share their lives and especially these past few years caring for their wonderful Mom and Grandma who was the matriarch of the family and she will be greatly missed. With the help of her children, faithful caregiver Donna and Hospice of Humboldt they were able to fulfill her wish to remain home until her passing.

A celebration of life Service will be held at First Covenant Church, 2526 J Street, Eureka on Sunday, October 19, 2025, at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Marian’s honor can be made to: First Covenant Church (Operation Christmas Child Fund), Eureka Rescue Mission or Hospice of Humboldt.

###

The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Marian Christiansen’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.



OBITUARY: Juanita May (Sullivan) Anderson, 1929-2025

LoCO Staff / Today @ 6:56 a.m. / Obits

Our beloved mother, Juanita May (Sullivan) Anderson, has passed away of natural causes. With her children by her side, she closed her blue eyes for the last time on October 10, 2025 at the age of 96 in Eureka.

She was born on September 2, 1929 in Battle Creek, Michigan to parents Goldie (Biggs) Sullivan and Claude Sullivan. She was the middle child of three girls, older sister Princess, and younger sister Barbara.

Her parents started their life together in West Frankfort, Illinois. There her father worked in the coal mine, while her mother took care of the home and their first daughter. After several years working in the coal mine, her father moved his family to Battle Creek, Michigan, where he was able to get a better job at the Kellogg Cereal Factory, working on the belt line that roasted, what was then and now known as the breakfast cereal Kellogg’s Cornflakes, until he retired.

With the birth of their second child, a little blue-eyed, blonde-haired daughter they named Juanita May Sullivan, they moved out of the small one bedroom apartment to a house a few miles out of town. A few years later their third daughter Barbara completed the family.

Over the years Juanita and her sisters enjoyed living there. In winter, they shoveled the snow from the driveway, which according to her, Princess and Juanita did more playing in the snow than shoveling…but they always got it done before their father got home. Then, in the spring and summer, they helped weed the garden, but soon their father noticed that there was more eating than weeding going on. His three daughters loved to eat the tomatoes and string beans off the vines and put as many strawberries and raspberries in their mouth as they possibly could. So, he would chase them out of the garden, and they would run away giggling. Summer was also a time to spend afternoons with her sisters at the river, swimming and talking, which she loved so much.

Her memories growing up with not only her sisters and her parents, but also in the company of her grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins on both sides of her family, would always bring a smile to her face.

In 1945, at the age of sixteen, she was introduced to a young soldier by the name of Virgil L. Anderson, who would become the love of her life and the father of her six children. They were married on May 24, 1946 in Battle Creek. They lived there during and after Virgil’s discharge from the army for several more years. During those years, Juanita gave birth to their first three children, Virgil Jr., Shirley, and Wanetta. Then they moved to California, where Virgil was from. They stayed awhile in Fresno, but there were no long-term jobs there, so they packed up again and headed for Eureka, this time with another addition, a new baby girl named Rose. There, they were able to move into a house that was close to Virgil’s family, and Virgil got a permanent job with the California State Highway, better known today as Caltrans. Juanita loved it there — more room for her family, which was good, for in time two more baby girls were born, Janet, and completing the family, Marcia.

Mom was a very caring and loving mother, who always put her children first. No matter what time of the day or night, when one of us needed her, she was there! She wiped away our tears, held us when we were frightened, put a band-aid on our scratches, always followed by a kiss. At the end of a long day — and no matter how tired or sick she must have been at times — she made sure all of her children were fed, bathed daily and had clean clothes to wear and a clean, warm bed to sleep in.

Mom liked to read, work on large puzzles, sew and quilt blankets for any and all newborn babies that came along in her extended family or neighbors.

She was always there to baby-sit any children for parents that needed her help.

Until the day she died, she still remembered each of those children and their names.

Mom believed in herself and her husband. They grew strong together in their love for each other and their children. Mom also believed in her faith in Jehovah God. She grew even stronger with His love and support. She would read her Bible each day, and prayed to her heavenly Father to help her through times of sorrow that would touch her life many times over.

Mom was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 65 years, Virgil L. Anderson Sr., her parents Goldie and Claude Sullivan, sisters Princess (Sullivan) Allerding and Barbara (Sullivan) Gamble, grandparents and great-grandparents Sullivan and Biggs, son-in-law Denny Procissi, great-grandson Clayton Jackson, great-grandson Douglas Anderson, father-in-law Lloyd Anderson and step mother-in-law Ruth Anderson, ex mother-in-law Lucille Lane, sister-in-law Vyral Reeser, sister in-law Pat Anderson, brother-in-law Norris Blasingame and many more loving relatives and friends.

She is survived by her six children, son Virgil Jr. (wife Susan), daughters Shirley (husband Chris Cabalzar Jr.), Wanetta, Rose, Janet and Marcia. And eleven grandchildren, twenty great grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren, her sister in-law Barbara Blasingame, sister-in-law and brother in-law Mary Sue and Carl Anderson, brother in-law Andy Anderson, nieces, nephews, and many friends. If we have left someone out, please forgive us. There are so many of you who she loved and cared about.

A Message and a Wish for You, Mom

Mom, our hearts are broken … and tears are falling down our face … but you are not here to wipe them away. But we know what you would say … “No, I am not there … my time with you … my children … has ended for now. But you have each other to lean on for support and strength … that’s what I want you kids to do”

And that’s what we will do, Mom.

Mom, our wish for you … may the next time you open your blue eyes … may you see Dad and your family … that you have wanted to see and be with for so long.

But for now rest … your work is done.

Thank you Mom for everything … We Love You … Goodnight!

— Virgil, Shirley, Wanetta, Rose, Janet, Marcia

“Jehovah is my shepherd. I will lack nothing. In grassy pastures he makes me lie down; He leads me to well-watered resting-places.” Psalm 23:1, 2

Viewing:

  • Goble’s Mortuary, Fortuna
  • Friday, October 17, 2025
  • 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Funeral Service :

  • Goble’s Mortuary, Fortuna
  • Friday October 17, 2025
  • 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Burial Service:

  • Sunset Memorial, Eureka, at 2 p.m.

We, the children of Juanita Anderson, want to thank the following nurses and staff for their loving and wonderful care they gave our mother over the last days of her life.

  • Dr. Gregory Holst
  • St. Joseph Providence Hospital
  • Granada
  • Sequoia Springs Senior Living
  • Hospice of Humboldt

In lieu of flowers please make donations to her favorite charities, the Cancer Society and Hospice of Humboldt.

###

The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Juanita Anderson’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.



OBITUARY: Elizabeth Iva Woods, 1934-2025

LoCO Staff / Today @ 6:56 a.m. / Obits

Born on January 21, 1934 in Eureka during the Great Depression, and died September 25, 2025. She was one of 12 children. 

Elizabeth knew what it meant to work hard. She worked at Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Service for over 30 years. During the 1964 flood in Humboldt County, she helped pass out supplies from a helicopter. Quite the adventure for someone who did not like being in the air.

Elizabeth was a happy grandmother to 6 grandchildren and great grandmother to 9.  She was there at almost every sports game, graduation, and any other events involving her grandchildren.

She had a very giving spirit, happy to help different causes that she loved. She loved her garden and took great pride in her flowers. She loved collecting  mice figures and enjoyed displaying them in her home.

She has survived by her children: Jo Ann Mell, Ernest Leon Millot III and David Allen Millot (Regina). Grandchildren: Stephanie Francis (Robbie), Kimberly Laddipalli (Sai), David Millot Jr. (Casey), Scott Mell, Michael Millot and Kyle Millot.  Sisters: Patricia Ennes & Mary Mahoney (Dennis). Brothers: Joseph Cramer & Richard Cramer (Teresa). Numerous nieces & nephews.

She was preceded in death by second husband, Ray Woods, ex-husband, Ernest Millot Jr. daughter, Lee Ann Millot. Brothers: John Cramer, Gerald Cramer, Myron Cramer, Art Cramer, Ray Cramer, Henry Cramer. Sister: Barbara Garling.

Arrangements made by Ayres Family Cremation/Ocean View Cemetery. There will be a graveside gathering at Sunset Memorial Park in Eureka on October 25, 2025 at 1 p.m. All are welcome.

###

The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Elizabeth Woods’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.



OBITUARY: Mary Jane Perkins, 1935-2025

LoCO Staff / Today @ 6:56 a.m. / Obits

Mary Jane Perkins passed away peacefully in her sleep after a long battle with dementia. She was born November 7, 1935 in North Platte, Nebraska to Earnest and Buelah Abbott.

Mary spent most of her younger years in Ohio and Sacramento until she moved to Humboldt County. Mary lived on McDonald’s Creek then moved to Big Lagoon company housing. Mary enjoyed the many potluck and events that were held in the cookhouse. Mary made a lot of good friends there.

Mary had a variety of hobbies — ironing clothes, teaching Sunday school, sewing, bingo, square dancing and raising five children.

Mary is survived by her four children Mary Ann (Beaver), Paula (Norman), Charlene (Bill), Edie (Rodney) and a daughter-in-law, Shirley; 13 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; 7 great-great-great grandchildren; and a very, very special sister, Daisy.

Mary is preceded in death her parents, Earnest and Buelah; her brother Leonard; sister Alvina; son Joesph; and a great-great grandson, Quentin. Mary had two husbands — Paul, Wilbur — and life partner Bob. You could often hear her laughing and telling people she killed three husbands.

Edie would personally like to thank the staff at Pace, Sequoia Springs and Hospice, especially nurse Tim.

You are welcome to join the family for graveside service at Greenwood Cemetery — 1757 J St., Arcata — on Nov 8, 2025 at 3 p.m. Celebration of life to follow at Arcata Veterans Hall, 1425 J St.

###

The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Mary Perkins’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.



READY YOUR EYEBALLS: Eureka to Revive its Utility Box Art Program

LoCO Staff / Yesterday @ 2:03 p.m. / Art , Local Government

The utility box at the corner of Fourth and F streets in Eureka was recently painted thusly by local artist Blake Reagan.

###

It’s been more than seven years since a humdrum gray utility box on the corner of Eureka’s Fifth and H streets was transformed through the power of art into a brightly hued donut cheeseburger.

Over the subsequent weeks, quite a few more utility boxes received creative makeovers thanks to Eureka’s Strategic Arts Plan, a multi-year endeavor which has also included a series of street art festivals, the Waterfront Trail artistic benches and the official certification of downtown Eureka as a California Cultural District

However, the bright hues from that inaugural utility box art season have dimmed in the intervening years, and Eureka is looking to make them pop once again. Will there be public controversy like last time? Who can say?!

We’ll let the city’s latest press release take it from here:

The City of Eureka is bringing new life to one of its most colorful community projects: The Utility Box Art Program. Supported by a Clean California grant and in partnership with Caltrans, the City is revitalizing artwork on utility boxes along the U.S. 101 corridor through Eureka. 

Originally painted in 2017 and 2018, many of the boxes have weathered years of exposure, making it time for a refresh. The City first reached out to the original artists, inviting them to touch up their existing work or propose new designs. After those artists had the opportunity to participate, a public call for artists was issued to fill the remaining boxes. 

The Eureka Art & Culture Commission reviewed and approved all new designs before forwarding the catalog to Caltrans for final selection. This round of updates also introduced a new option: artists could now have their work reproduced as a vinyl wrap instead of painting directly on the box. Vinyl wraps offer greater durability and can be easily replaced if a box is damaged or swapped out in the future. 

Over the next several weeks, our community will see artists and installers at work along the corridor, adding a renewed burst of creativity and color to Eureka’s streetscape. 

The City extends its appreciation to Caltrans for funding this effort through the Clean California program and for continuing to support local beautification initiatives. Following this phase, the City hopes to secure additional funding to refresh utility boxes in other areas throughout Eureka. 

Artists who are interested in future opportunities to create public art in Eureka are encouraged to follow the City’s social media channels, where all upcoming artist calls and public art opportunities will be promoted. 

For more information about the Utility Box Art Program, please contact the City of Eureka Economic Development Division at EconDev@eurekaca.gov.



OUTPOST INTERVIEW: Huffman Blasts ‘Disastrous Health Care Cuts’ and Trump’s ‘Blatant Bullying’ as Government Shutdown Enters Week Three

Isabella Vanderheiden / Yesterday @ 1:39 p.m. / Government

As the government shutdown enters its third week, the Outpost thought it’d be a good idea to check in with Rep. Jared Huffman about the latest happenings on Capitol Hill. In short, Democrats and Republicans are still at odds over spending priorities and appear no closer to agreement. 

Earlier today, the Senate tried — and failed for the ninth time — to advance a House-passed measure to reopen the government. Senators voted 51-44 on the GOP-led funding bill, which would have funded the government through Nov. 21. The Senate is expected to vote again on Thursday.

In our interview with Rep. Huffman, we discussed the consequences of the ongoing shutdown, including recent funding cuts and anticipated impacts to North Coast communities. We also briefly touched on Prop. 50, which, if it passes, would reshape Huffman’s 2nd Congressional District, swapping out portions of Sonoma and Mendocino counties for redder regions to our east.

Our interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

###

LoCO: I want to ask you about funding cuts hitting Democrat-led congressional districts, but first, I’d like to talk about the government shutdown. What’s the scene like in D.C. right now?

Huffman: Surreal. My Democratic colleagues and I were just on the Capitol steps, doing another of these events that we’ve done each week during the three-week shutdown, where we bring real people to tell the stories of how this health care disaster is impacting them and their families. That’s what we’re doing. We’re trying to demonstrate that we’re here to reopen the government, end the cuts and save health care, and our Republican colleagues are off sipping umbrella drinks on vacation.

Since the shutdown began on Oct. 1, the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans have continually cast blame on Democrats. Can you respond to that?

Good luck with that! I mean, they control all three branches of government. They have set these disastrous health care cuts in motion with their massive tax giveaway to billionaires, and Democrats are simply saying, “If you want our votes to move forward, end the cuts and save healthcare.” 

This is something that’s getting very real for a lot of people. Notices of ACA [Affordable Care Act] premium increases started going out on the first of this month, and I’ve got 37,000 households in my district that are going to get these notices, and in some cases, their premiums will go up 600 percent. 

These are people who are farmers, small business owners, self-employed entrepreneurs — people who were finally able to afford health care because of these ACA subsidies — and in order to give tax giveaways to billionaires who don’t need them, Trump and the Republicans have decided to strip away their care. And that’s before all of the devastating Medicaid and Medicare cuts that are coming our way in the months ahead. This is an important fight, it’s an important line to draw, and I am proud that we’re doing it.

In the first days, Trump called the government shutdown an “unprecedented opportunity” given to him by Democrats to reshape the government and cut programs that don’t align with the administration’s goals. How is that playing out?

Well, you know, Trump is the dictator who cried wolf. He was doing all of these extreme and unconstitutional things long before the government shutdown, firing people, trying to eliminate entire departments and ignoring congressional directives on funding. He’s going to do it anyway — and he’s already done so much of it — so you just can’t take it seriously. It’s just blatant bullying. 

But look at the cruelty of it, look at where he’s targeting a lot of these actions. I mean, getting rid of people at the Department of Education who oversee special education funding? The USDA sent out a notice last month that SNAP benefits will discontinue in November. He is hitting some of the most vulnerable families and communities in this country, and it’s going to hurt a lot of people in rural Republican areas, too. That’s on him. That is not on Democrats.

[NOTE: After our conversation this morning, a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump Administration from firing federal workers during the government shutdown. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco said she believed the evidence would ultimately show the cuts were illegal and in excess of authority, according to the Associated Press.]

Circling back to those local funding cuts I mentioned before, the New York Times is reporting that the Trump Administration is freezing or cancelling nearly $28 billion in federal funding reserved for more than 200 infrastructure projects, including $129.1 million earmarked for California’s 2nd District. Can you break down where that money was allocated?

A lot of it is for tribes and communities that are trying to be more resilient in the face of the climate crisis and the risk of catastrophic wildfires, and also to bring down electricity costs. We had some great projects that would have produced all kinds of community benefits, but these days, if you’re in a blue state or if you have anything to do with equity or environmental quality, you are a target for these extremists in the Trump Administration.

Which tribes are losing that funding?

Well, there’s a microgrid project that I believe involves the Blue Lake Rancheria. There was also a project that the Yurok, Hoopa Valley and Karuk tribes all stood to benefit from, along with the County of Humboldt, but I believe that was announced last week.

Can you talk about the greater consequences of these funding cuts for North Coast residents?

There’s a lot at stake: jobs, environmental quality, resiliency, but also the integrity of the government. When you have grants that are awarded, that were competed for in good faith, when you have people taking action in good faith and reliance on a government awarding these grants through a deliberative, transparent process, and then you have this dictator come along and apply these hyper-partisan political filters and start jerking people around? It’s really unlike anything we’ve ever seen.

On another note, Californians are getting ready to vote on these new district maps. How are you feeling about the redesign of the 2nd District?

Well, I’m going to work hard to make it successful. Doesn’t mean it’ll be easy, but I think I’m someone who shows up, does the work, and I have the ability to talk to people of all different political and personal persuasions. It’s just a continuation of the things that I need to do right now in my current district, but it’ll keep me a little bit busier.

Left: Current map of Congressional District 2. Right: The Election Rigging Response Act (ERRA) district map. Click here for a bigger version of the ERRA maps.

I’m sure you’ve been brushing up on your knowledge of those red counties out east. What do you know about Modoc County? 

I know it’s beautiful! I know it’s very rural.

It’s out there! The county’s population is less than 9,000, I think?

Yeah, yeah. It’s very Trinity- or Del Norte-like in that regard. That’s going to be a little different for me, but if you look at Trinity and Del Norte counties, there are a lot of similarities. 

If Proposition 50 does indeed pass, you’ll take on thousands of new constituents in red counties, including Shasta, Modoc, Lassen and Siskiyou. How are you going to appeal to those folks?

Same way I appeal to people in my current district: I listen to them, I show up, I try to understand their concerns and their needs, and I try to get shit done.

On a somewhat related note, the U.S. Supreme Court is discussing election districts and the Voting Rights Act today. I understand that ruling could have widespread impacts across the American South. Would it impact California’s redistricting effort?

No. Here’s the thing with California and these maps that are going before voters right now: We proactively chose to comply with the Voting Rights Act. If this ruling goes the wrong way and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act ceases to exist, it means California could have even more aggressively drawn maps, but we did not want to do that because that’s not who we are. We don’t disenfranchise minority communities. There may be some places in the south that want to get back to the old Jim Crow playbook and start doing that, and that’s going to be the real implication of this ruling.

Is there anything else you’d like our readers and your constituents to know about the government shutdown or redistricting?

No, that’s good stuff. Thank you very much.