Lucille Dorene Bonnikson was born June 17, 1934-ish (she’d kill us if we gave away her actual age) in Fortuna (“Rohnerville,” as she would say) to George and Grace Somerville. With family by her side, she went to be with the Lord on March 26, 2026. Lucy was the youngest of three children and never failed to share her knowledge of being the baby with her grandkids by teaching them how to get their older siblings in trouble!
When she was 15, Lucy met her soulmate, Norman Bonnikson, at the skating rink. They married a couple of years later and built their house on the plot of land they were given by her parents. Lucy and Norman had Pam, and a few years later, Rick followed.
Having outgrown their “little house” on Church Street, Norman and Lucy decided to build a larger house in Campton Heights, where Lucy lived for the rest of her life. The family was completed with the birth of Mike, 10 years after Pam.
Tragedy struck when Norman was killed in an accident at Pacific Lumber Company in 1968. Lucy would never date or marry again. Following the loss of Norman, Lucy joined the work world and began making life-long friendships with her coworkers. At Ben Franklin’s, she was part of a dynamic trio with her friends Joan Woodhurst and Judy Meadors. Her final work place was Wendt Construction, where she was part employee and part company mom. She was known for her Friday lunches that she made from scratch and her endless supply of cookies and candy.
Outside of work, Lucy was usually up to something fun. Whether it was family road trips with her brother Bob and sister-in-law Val, hijinx with her partner in crime Betty Ross, Reno trips with Joan, or dinners with her bookend and arranged best friend Doris Scalvini, Lucy was always having a good time.
Lucy’s greatest joy came from her family. She was always so proud of her children and their achievements. Lucy loved her grandkids got the pleasure of having all four of them come over in the morning before school during their Toddy Thomas years for breakfast of silver dollar pancakes or toast with butter dunked in coffee. She never missed a presentation, sports game, showmanship event or school event with her grandkids in it. She was blessed with five great-granddaughters who are always on the go! She loved keeping up with their adventures. Lucy loved having the family gathered together at her house. She always hosted Christmas Eve with her house decked out in decorations and full to bursting with presents, food and cookies. Christmas will never be the same without her. Without question, her family is her greatest legacy.
Lucy was preceded in death by her parents, George and Grace Somerville; her husband, Norman Bonnikson; son Rick Bonnikson; her sister Viola Georgia and brother-in-law Johnny; brother Robert Somerville and sister-in-law Valerie Somerville. She is survived by her children Pamela Berry (Jay Pollard) and Michael Bonnikson (Trudy); grandchildren Amanda Berry (Scott Grothe), Brandi Butler (Brian), Til Bonnikson (Bre) and Calley Bentancourt (Kyle); and great-grandchildren Quinn Scott, Lainey Butler, Lucy Butler, Isla Bentancourt and Loni Butler, as well as numerous beloved nieces, nephews and friends.
The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to Lucy’s medical team at United Indian Health, Redwood Memorial, Hospice of Humboldt, and the entire staff at Fortuna Rehabilitation and Wellness Center.
A celebration of Lucy’s wonderful life will be held at the Nazarene Church in Fortuna, on June 6th at 3 p.m. Please wear bright colors and bring your wit as we celebrate this colorful and funny lady with stories and laughter.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests you donate to Sequoia Humane Society to help the next Muttley, Mollie, Annie or Louie get their forever home.
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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Lucy Bonnikson’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.
One of the sinkholes off of West End Road. Photos courtesy of the city of Arcata.
During a fairly short meeting this evening, the Arcata City Council decided to approve spending about $120,000 to fix two sinkholes on city property.
The city owns a 3-acre parcel at 4700 West End Road, which it uses as its corporation yard. Two culverts that direct some of Janes Creek that run through the property have failed, which resulted in two sinkholes 30 and 18 inches wide opening up. The city engineer, Netra Khatri, told the council that his team knew about the issue soon after the holes formed and assessed it as “emergency” work, because the broken culverts could easily cause more sinkholes, potentially under the road. Repair work will start next week.
Funding for the project will come out of the city’s reserves. The lowest bid the city got for the project was $121,000; Khatri said the most he expected the project to cost is $200,000 total. The sinkholes are on the site of an old mill, which may have introduced contamination into the creek. Arcata will work with a contractor specializing in “hazardous work” to ensure their safety.
The portion of the creek that once flowed through the culverts will be rerouted through the city’s property, and daylighted for a short section before it rejoins the rest of Janes Creek. Khatri said he wasn’t worried about flooding.
The council voted unanimously to approve the project.
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They also adopted Humboldt County’s Regional Climate Action Plan (RCAP), which was developed in collaboration with local cities and other government agencies. It includes an array of strategies and measures that, together, are designed to meet certain state and local goals. They’re aimed at reducing the county’s greenhouse gas emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030, and 85% below that mark by 2045, while also achieving carbon neutrality.
The council members lauded the community development department, which had been assisting the RCAP’s development since 2019, and the city as a whole, which had already implemented many of the recommended strategies to combat climate change.
A list of Arcata’s climate-forward projects.
However, city staff noted that total adherence may be hindered by a lack of funding and staffing.
“I really can’t stress enough how resource-limited we are,” said Emily Benvie, the city’s deputy community development director. “We do a lot with a little already as it is.”
The RCAP’s success will lay with the community at large, Benvie said. It may be difficult to make many of them change their behavior or consuming habits; for instance, she said, a homeowner who wants to electrify all of their appliances may simply not have the money to do so.
“Not all of these measures are really within the city’s control,” she said. “…But we can certainly do the best we can to create an environment that supports these changes.”
A man accused of fatally stabbing his uncle was charged with murder today.
31-year-old Travis Watson, a Hoopa resident, was charged with murder by the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office. He additionally faces a special enhancement for use of a deadly weapon, a knife.
He pleaded not guilty in court today.
This follows his arrest Saturday. Watson called police after the stabbing, reporting he had been physically attacked by his uncle and in response, “a stabbing occurred,” according to a press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office.
The victim, 34-year-old James Luther Vernon Williams, died from his injuries at the scene, a residence on Pine Creek Road in Hoopa.
“Based on the investigation, including statements and physical evidence collected at the scene, Watson was arrested,” according to the sheriff’s office.
At his arraignment Wednesday afternoon, judge John Feeney read the charges levied against him. Watson pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and denied the enhancement.
Feeney set his bail at $1,000,000.
Humboldt County Conflict Counsel’s office was appointed to represent him. Defense attorney Meagan O’Connell requested a hearing for supervised release to coincide with the preliminary hearing, which was scheduled for May 15.
Watson was previously convicted of battery and child abuse, according to court records.
He was convicted of misdemeanor battery in 2025 and misdemeanor child abuse in 2017 in Humboldt County. Two domestic violence restraining orders filed against him include allegations of stalking, violence and threats, in late 2023 and early 2024.
Following months of pushback from environmental advocates over the removal of an old-growth redwood in Lower Redway, the county is now requiring the landowner to obtain a special permit before the 252-foot tree can be cut down — a weeks-long process that will require a public hearing before the Humboldt County Planning Commission.
This is the latest in a five-month controversy over the removal of several old-growth redwoods from a corner lot, owned by CalFire employee Robert Scarlett, at Oakridge Drive and Briceland Road in Lower Redway.
Concerned that the centuries-old redwoods posed a hazard to his house, Scarlett secured a hazard tree exemption from CalFire to have the trees chopped down. When tree removal began late last year, environmental activists urged the county to intervene, arguing that the trees were protected by a county-designated “Q Zone” that prohibits the removal of old-growth redwoods near the John B. DeWitt State Natural Reserve. The dispute ignited a debate between the county and CalFire, which, as the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, has permitting and enforcement jurisdiction over timber operations on timberland.
Just last week, several people showed up to protest the removal of the last remaining old-growth redwood on the property, a 252-foot tree estimated to be between 350 and 370 years old. County officials and local law enforcement intervened after several hours, halting operations and informing Scarlett that he would have to block the road to fell the tree safely, which requires an encroachment permit.
Asked why the county had decided to require Scarlett to obtain a special permit as well, Humboldt County Planning and Building Director John Ford told the Outpost that the county just confirmed that its jurisdiction overrides CalFire’s in the Q Zone.
“In 2020, some redwoods were removed, and the county attempted to enforce against the removal,” Ford wrote via email. “We were told by both the County Forest Review Committee and CalFire that we did not have jurisdiction where a CalFire permit was being issued. That has been our understanding. Recently, I had a meeting with CalFire, [which] explained that we did have jurisdiction in the Q-Zone. Our understanding of county jurisdiction was incorrect, but that has been corrected.”
Asked about next steps for obtaining the special permit, Ford said the county will send out notices for the upcoming public hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. Under the best circumstances, Ford said, it will be “several weeks” before a decision is made. If the decision is appealed to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, it will take even longer.
Reached for comment on the matter, Scarlett advised the Outpost to contact his attorney, Tonya Farmer, who provided the following statement via email: “Mr. Scarlett will continue to proceed in accordance with applicable law. Because this remains an evolving matter, we will not be commenting further at this time.”
Those opposed to the tree’s removal are celebrating the news. Redway resident Sue Maloney said she’s “hopeful that the last remaining 10-foot diameter, 252-foot-tall redwood that was slated to be destroyed will remain standing and old-growth redwood dependent critters will still have a home.
“There is only one reason to live in Lower Redway, and that’s because you want to live among the ancient redwoods,” Maloney wrote in an emailed statement. “The purpose of the Q-zone is to protect irreplaceable old-growth redwoods from being liquidated for profit. We believe the landowner and the registered professional forester, both CalFire employees, abused the exemption process, and our Humboldt County officials chose to shirk their responsibilities.”
“We are deeply saddened that four large redwoods were allowed to be destroyed, but we are elated that the county appears to finally be willing to give this issue the process it deserves,” she continued. “We urge the county not to weaken the [Q Zone] ordinance.”
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors will review the county’s Q Zone at its June 2 meeting.
Mad River Community Hospital is located at 3800 Janes Road in Arcata. | Photos by Dezmond Remington.
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Late last week, the Outpost began hearing rumblings about serious turmoil at Mad River Community Hospital, and over the past five days we’ve communicated with a dozen people who either still work there or were recently let go. Collectively, they agree that there is cause for alarm.
In a series of phone conversations, emails and texts, these sources reported not only
a wave of recent layoffs but also a number of serious concerns related to patient
safety, employee working conditions and potential violations of state law.
“It’s a shit show,” said one of the numerous hospital workers who spoke to the
Outpost. “Employees have been talking for weeks about a walkout. Ninety percent
of nursing staff is miserable because of these changes and management. The
hospital used to have a family feel. It was a community, and now everybody hates
their job.”
The administration isn’t saying how many people have lost their jobs over the past few months, but current and former employees we interviewed say it’s at least 15. Those who’ve been terminated or not had their contracts renewed include valued doctors, the risk manager, the medical staff coordinator and most of the billing department. Others, including five experienced care providers in the Emergency Department, have quit.
Meanwhile, these sources say, nursing staff hours have been drastically reduced, with many RNs regularly being relegated to on-call status at a rate of $8 per hour, which, if true, is a violation of state labor laws. Under a recently introduced staffing matrix, the number of nurses in the Medical Surgical (Med/Surg) unit has been slashed to levels that compromise patient safety, several sources told the Outpost.
“Under the current model, there are often not enough nurses on individual units to safely cover required breaks and meals,” one source said in an email. “As a result, I am frequently pulled away from supervisory responsibilities to provide break coverage across ICU, Med/Surg, and the Emergency Department.”
Mad River’s billing services have been outsourced to a Tennessee-based company called Ovation Healthcare, and the remaining employees in that department are being told that they’ll no longer work for the hospital.
”[Mad River administrators] are telling us that we’re going to work for [Ovation] now,” said one of the remaining employees in that department. “It’s upsetting. If we don’t accept the [job] offer, it’s not considered a layoff; it’s considered a voluntarily resignation, so we’re not eligible for unemployment benefits. It’s kind of like pointing a gun to our head and forcing us to go with this new company.”
The current and former employees we’ve communicated with over the past few days requested anonymity due to fear of professional repercussions.
The Outpost reached out to hospital administrators on Monday, emailing a list of claims and concerns to Chief Operating Officer Matthew Anderson and asking exactly how many people have been laid off since the beginning of the year. In response, Anderson said that the hospital wants to respond but hoped we could wait to publish a story until after meeting in-person with members of the executive team next week.
We explained that we couldn’t wait that long to publish given the pressing nature of the concerns, which are already being widely discussed online. Anderson asked that we wait at least until this morning for a prepared response. Here it is:
Mad River Community Hospital recognizes the very real human impact of recent reductions to our workforce. We wish these difficult decisions were not necessary. However, the financial and operational pressures facing rural hospitals across California is an ongoing challenge.
Our responsibility is to preserve access to safe and reliable care and ensure the hospital can continue serving the community for the long term. Preserving Mad River is essential to maintaining meaningful local choice and healthcare capacity for the patients and families in this region.
We are adapting to challenges by making necessary decisions with a full commitment to the safety of our patients and staff and fulfilling all the legal obligations of our industry. Suggestions otherwise are false. We remain committed to transparency and dialogue with our community. Thank you for your continued faith in us.
The hospital didn’t respond to any of the specific allegations employees made about current patient safety and compliance with state law.
This upheaval comes at a particularly difficult time for independent, rural hospitals nationwide. Over the past two decades, nearly 200 rural hospitals have completely or partially closed, and another 400, representing more than 20 percent of rural hospitals nationwide, are at risk of closure.
Mad River is one of them, and three years ago the board of directors announced its intent to sell the hospital to an Arizona-based hospital management company. However, the deal fell through less than nine months later, and former Chief Executive David Neal was unexpectedly ousted around the same time. Longtime CEO Douglas Shaw, meanwhile, is in his mid-70s. Employees say he’s ready to retire.
Mad River’s current chief executive, Suzanne Richards, took the helm in August, according to her LinkedIn profile. Mad River was recently identified as one of 83 California hospitals at heightened risk of closing, cutting services or laying off staff due to the nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid funding cuts in H.R. 1, President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
On Tuesday we received a copy of a letter of support for Mad River’s hospitalist and general surgeon, Dr. Then Tong, who has worked at the hospital for nine and a half years and was recently told that his contract will not be renewed, several sources said. As of Tuesday, the letter had received 57 signatures and counting. You can read it here.
The people we’ve interviewed for this story relayed many more specific concerns and allegations about what’s happening at Mad River. For example, they say administrators have usurped the independent authority of the medical staff board in violation of Title 22 regulations; the Staff Development Department, which was widely considered integral to staff competency and regulatory compliance, was recently eliminated; and the work environment has become hostile, rife with fears of retribution for speaking up about these issues.
Several said they’ve filed complaints with state regulators at the California Department of Public Health and/or the Accreditation Commission for Health Care.
The Outpost will continue to report on these issues.
Press release from the Humboldt County Office of Elections:
On
Monday, May 4, Humboldt County Office of Elections staff discovered
596 uncounted sealed ballots from the November 4, 2025 Statewide
Special Election inside a locked ballot drop box. Under Section
2.5 of Article II of the California Constitution,
these ballots should have been counted before the election was
certified on Dec. 5, 2025.
Immediately
after the discovery, elections staff worked to ensure proper protocol
was followed. It was confirmed the uncounted ballots had not been
tampered with because the drop box was locked and the ballots were
sealed. The Humboldt County Office of Elections then worked in
partnership with the California Secretary of State to determine next
steps.
The
Office of Elections and the state have both confirmed that counting
these ballots will not change the result of the November 4, 2025
Statewide Special Election. However, it is important that Humboldt
County Office of Elections explore every available option to get
these votes counted.
Under Elections
Code §17302,
ballots from the November 4, 2025 Statewide Special Election must be
destroyed six months after the election was certified. However, the
County of Humboldt will be pursuing all legal avenues to get the
ballots counted.
The
Humboldt County Office of Elections has determined that this error
occurred when election workers checked the drop box and there was a
miscommunication about whether it had been fully emptied. The
Elections Office has already updated its protocols to make sure this
will not happen again. A lock out, tag out procedure is now in place
for every drop box prior to certification to ensure each one is
physically verified as empty and secured before elections results are
finalized.
The
Humboldt County Office of Elections will continue to pursue options
to count these ballots and will provide the public when an update as
more information becomes available.
Below
is a statement from Humboldt County Clerk-Recorder & Registrar of
Voters Juan Pablo Cervantes:
“On
Monday night around 6 p.m. I was made aware that a ballot drop box
from the November 2025 Special Election for Prop 50 was not fully
emptied. As a result, 596 ballots were left uncounted. That outcome
is unacceptable and runs counter to the core of what this office
stands for.
“While
the mistake occurred after an election worker did not follow proper
procedures, the responsibility for what happened ultimately sits with
me. I did not have strong enough controls in place to prevent this,
but we do now. We have taken corrective action and already updated
our protocols. A new lock out, tag out procedure has been implemented
for every ballot drop box to ensure each box is physically verified
as empty and secured before election results are finalized.
“We
ask a lot of voters. We ask you to participate, to trust the process
and to believe that your vote will be counted. 596 voters did exactly
what we asked of them, and we fell short.
“We
will be pursuing all legal avenues to get your ballots counted.
“My
team and I take great care to ensure accurate elections, and we were
incredibly disappointed to discover this error. This discovery
highlights why strong systems, redundancy and clear accountability
must be in place at every step in the election process. In this case,
those safeguards were not sufficient. That responsibility is mine and
I am deeply sorry.
“I
have always emphasized the importance of honesty and transparency in
this office. I am sharing this with you because you deserve to know
when we fall short, not just when things go right. I promise you that
we are taking this seriously. We will strengthen our processes and
continue pushing toward the standard our community expects and
deserves. As long as I serve as your county Clerk-Recorder &
Registrar of Voters, I will continue to operate with transparency and
remain accountable to you.”
On May 5, 2026, at approximately 2:40 p.m., Officers with the Eureka Police Department (EPD) responded to
the vicinity of Grotto and E Street for a report of a strong-arm robbery.
Upon arrival, Officers contacted the reporting party, who stated that two male subjects had taken several
tools from their construction site. When confronted by an employee, one of the suspects struck the employee,
causing injury to the victim’s face. The suspects were last seen fleeing westbound on Grotto Street on bicycles.
Officers canvassing the area located a male subject matching the description of one of the suspects. The victim
positively identified the individual as Sandro Ramirez-Uribe, 46 years old of Eureka, who was subsequently
taken into custody.
The second suspect was identified as Moises Bandabalmaceda, 33 years old of Eureka. Officers responded to
his residence, where he was located hiding under a shed in the backyard and taken into custody without
incident.
Both suspects were transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility, where they were booked on
charges of robbery and conspiracy to commit a crime.
