Ed. note: There’s a lot to chew on in the EPD’s annual report, which was presented to the council last week. Some of it — like the department’s new focus on proactive, officer-initiated activity — we’ve written about in the past. 

But if you’re a person who’s at all interested in the city of Eureka’s public safety infrastructure, the whole 50-page, graphics-heavy PDF is well worth a perusal.

Above and below: Some select pages that caught our eyes. What about yours?

Press release from the Eureka Police Department:

On March 17, 2026, Chief Brian Stephens presented the Eureka Police Department’s 2025 Annual Report and Military Equipment Use Report to the Eureka City Council and members of the public during a regular City Council meeting. The 2025 Annual Report provides a comprehensive overview of department operations throughout the year, including calls for service, crime statistics and highlights from various divisions and programs.

The report is intended to increase transparency and provide the community with insight into the department’s activities, priorities, and public safety efforts during 2025. The Military Equipment Use Report was presented in compliance with California Assembly Bill 481, which requires law enforcement agencies to obtain approval from their governing body prior to purchasing, acquiring, or funding equipment defined as “military equipment.”

The City of Eureka adopted an ordinance to adhere to this state law, which also requires an annual report detailing the inventory, use, and oversight of such equipment. Additionally, City of Eureka Security Camera Use Policy 1.82 requires an annual report to City Council outlining how public safety cameras are utilized throughout the City of Eureka to support crime prevention, investigations, and public safety operations These reports are part of the Eureka Police Department’s ongoing commitment to transparency, accountability, and community engagement.

All reports can be found at this link or on the City of Eureka’s website.

PREVIOUSLY

• ‘Brighter Days Ahead’: Locals Rally to Save the Historic Fortuna Theatre
• After Suffering Water Damage Caused by the Earthquake, Fortuna Theatre is Still Closed and it Looks Like it Won’t Be Reopening Any Time Soon

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The 6.4 magnitude quake that rattled Humboldt County almost four years ago damaged homes, destroyed infrastructure, and displaced five dozen people in Rio Dell. It also forced the Fortuna Theatre to stop screening films: a broken sprinkler system caused severe structural damage. It’s been shuttered since. 

Its closure may be a minor tragedy compared to the rest of the carnage the earthquake wrought, but a few years of neglect hasn’t been easy on the theater. Its marquee, huge and unlit, is visible from both ends of Main Street. The interior has degraded, and vandals shattered the 90-year-old tempered glass on the ticket booth last week. It’s becoming an “attractive nuisance,” as theater advocate Linda Rasmussen put it, but there may be a renaissance in its future. The city of Fortuna and the group that wants to save it have a shot at purchasing it.

California’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program funds local projects in rural areas that benefit the impoverished. Fortuna’s city council decided at a meeting last week that they’d apply for up to $1 million from the program; if the application is successful, the city will lend the money to the Fortuna Theatre Foundation, a group dedicated to the theater’s repair and re-opening. The foundation would use the cash to buy the theater; the loan will be paid back over the next 30 years at an interest rate of 3%. Fortuna wouldhold a lien on the theater. California will reveal the grant’s recipients in September.

Linda Rasmussen, a founder and advocate for the foundation, told the Outpost that the city had been keeping them updated on funding opportunities, and let them know about the CDBG program. She was astounded when Fortuna approved their application.

“I was stunned,” Rasmussen said. “I’m like, ‘Whoa, they voted that through.’ Then I was excited. Then I’m scared too, because there’s a lot of work. I’m scared about the volume of work that’s going to have to be done.”

The Fortuna Theatre Foundation aims to purchase and refurbish the theater, restoring it to its pre-earthquake condition and resuming film screenings. (The foundation has yet to work out what kinds of films they’ll screen; they’re also considering building out a stage for live shows and looking into opening a small arcade in the building as well.) If the application is successful and the foundation manages to buy it, they’ll fulfill the requirement to benefit low-income people by giving them jobs at the theater. 

It’s an important project, Rasmussen said. Like many small towns, Fortuna has increasingly fewer and fewer places to hang out and gather outside the home and workplace. She said she talked to one recent high school graduate who started high school right around the time the theater shut down. She was disappointed they never got a chance to do the “whole high school thing” and go to the movies without their parents tagging along, Rasmussen said. Its appearance is also a problem. 

“It’s just a drag on the whole main street to see that marquee dead,” Rasmussen said. “To me, that’s the primary visual. It’s the character of a town, especially one small as ours.”

The foundation needs about $1.1 million to buy the theater, according to their website. The current theater owner David Corkill is willing to sell, according to Rasmussen and Fortuna’s senior planner Katey Schmidt. He and the foundation are working on setting up a property appraisal. Rasmussen said there’s already been some work done on the theater: the sprinklers have been fixed, and a crew will tear out the destroyed seats and walls later this month. 

The city already has much of the money they’d use to fund the theater’s purchase. Fortuna’s earned about $910,000 in ongoing revenue from past programs CDBG money funded, much of it debt repayment from ‘90s-era housing rehabilitation loans. Under federal law, money made from previous CDBG programs has to be re-invested in other low-income focused programs, though it can only be used on state-approved programs. If the money isn’t used, it has to go back to the state.

Fortuna did entertain another potential CDBG application from the Blue Timber Real Estate Company, but decided their proposal wasn’t “application ready.”

“The Fortuna community cares about this theater, and it’s not okay to have it become an attractive nuisance,” Rasmussen said. “Someday it’ll be worse. Everyone gets annoyed when I say the word ‘blight,’ by the way, but it’s going to get there. I know Fortuna is really interested in revitalizing the town. And really — you can’t do that without our theater.”

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

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California sued the Trump administration Monday to block what it says is an unprecedented power grab: using emergency authority to force the restart of an offshore oil operation shut down more than a decade ago.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Francisco, argues a March 13 order by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright oversteps his authority under the Defense Production Act, a Cold War-era law.

“No matter how much President Trump may claim there’s a so-called national energy emergency — it’s just not true,” Attorney General Rob Bonta told reporters. “The U.S. already produces significantly more oil and gas than we use — it’s a completely fabricated claim intended to curry favor with the oil industry.”

The legal fight pits the Trump administration and Sable Offshore Corp. against California officials and environmental groups – and comes as fuel prices jump in the wake of the Iran conflict. Sable, which bought the system from ExxonMobil in 2024, has told investors that production could increase from about 30,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day to more than 50,000 if it restarts, sending oil to refineries in Los Angeles, Bakersfield and the Bay Area.

California argues the emergency powers law is meant to prioritize contracts during emergencies — not to override state law or force a pipeline restart. The state says the administration failed to meet the law’s basic requirements, including showing an actual energy shortage.

Wright’s order marked the most aggressive federal intervention yet in a yearslong dispute. A March 3 legal opinion from the U.S. Justice Department had laid the groundwork, concluding that the emergency order could preempt state law — and even override a 2020 federal consent decree requiring approval from the California State Fire Marshal before the pipeline can restart.

Environmental groups and experts have argued that forcing the pipeline back into production would not lower gasoline prices but would put coastal wildlife at risk and set a troubling precedent for federal power over state law. The Trump administration has long sought to expand offshore oil leasing along the West Coast, which has drawn fierce opposition in California.

Sable is facing mounting legal pressure on multiple fronts. In December, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration ruled that the infrastructure qualifies as an interstate pipeline and issued an emergency permit approving a restart plan — a move environmental groups and the state of California challenged. That case is pending before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

In February, a Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge ordered the pipeline to remain shut down, ruling that earlier federal intervention was not enough to override an injunction requiring Sable to obtain state approvals before restarting.

Representatives for Sable, the Energy Department and the U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday.

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

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California transformed the way its prison population connects to the outside world by handing every incarcerated person an electronic tablet to make free calls, receive messages and access other services.

Suddenly, incarcerated people could exchange text messages in real time with family and friends from inside their cells, albeit for a price.

“I had never used a smartphone or anything like that before. So having this, having basically a phone in your cell with you, that opened up a whole new world of possibilities,” said C. Webb, who has been incarcerated at High Desert State Prison since 2010 and received a tablet a few years ago.

But today, the entire system with almost 90,000 prisoners is in the midst of a disruptive switch to new tablets from a new vendor. The project is months behind schedule, which temporarily resulted in increased text messaging charges for consumers at the first prison facility where it became fully implemented.

The changes follow a legal battle and subsequent bidding war between the two national companies that provide these services, Securus and Viapath/Global Tel Link. Securus came out ahead, claiming the four-year $189 million contract and replacing Viapath.

As national competitors, Securus and Viapath control the overwhelming majority of the incarcerated telecommunications market. Securus holds contracts with over 3,400 prisons and jails. Viapath operates in almost 2,000.

Securus devices were supposed to be in every prison by the end of last year. Instead, most California prisons still operate with Viapath tablets and are not expected to switch over until later this spring.

Securus makes money when prisoners participate in video calls, stream shows or text someone. Its contract showed it would charge less for those services than Viapath.

But incarcerated people and their outside contacts at the first prison to receive Securus tablets quickly discovered a discrepancy in how the company described the charges they’d pay when sending text messages on its tablets.

An EVOTAB tablet for use in correctional facilities by Securus Technologies. Images via Securus Technologies

Prisoners and their loved ones believed the company would charge 3 cents per message under its contract. But they discovered the messages cost more than that, seemingly because of a previously undisclosed pricing scheme based on character count.

This month, after prisoners and advocates complained about the charges and CalMatters asked questions about the fees, Securus quietly corrected its billing practice to reflect what was stated in the original contract, with the cost of messages at 3 cents. It also issued every person at the California Institution for Women in Chino a $10 credit.

The company did not respond to repeated requests for comment from CalMatters.

It stands to make a windfall through its entertainment platform fees even after adjusting the charges for messages.

“All of the new movies, the ones that you would actually want to watch, you rent each of them individually,” said Grace Coleman, who is incarcerated at the women’s prison in Chino. “For example, Wicked: For Good is $8.99 — and once you hit play, you only have 48 hours to watch it.

“They’re making bank. These are like normal world prices.”

Incarcerated people tend to not make normal world wages. Most are paid less than 74 cents an hour for the jobs they hold in prison.

For expenses greater than that, loved ones or friends can place money into their prison account.

Coleman described the prison’s adoption of Securus devices as clunky.

“It’s been on and off,” she said. “The Wi-Fi keeps going out. Even the landlines have been going down. They keep having to come over here to fix it.”

Inmates walk on the prison grounds of the California Institution for Women, in Chino, on Feb. 15, 2024. Photo by Jules Hotz for CalMatters

Bianca Tylek, founder of advocacy organization Worth Rises and author of The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits, has monitored Securus and Viapath for her work.

“These transitions are annoying and have a lot of hiccups,” said Tylek. “Both these companies are kind of shoddy. They aren’t creating the priority out of the issues that they should because they think people don’t care about people who are incarcerated.”

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation website says the change to Securus will ultimately reduce costs to incarcerated people and their families for tablet services like e-messages, shared photos and video calls. It will also reduce costs to the state, which foots the bill for the incarcerated population’s outgoing phone calls.

“I do not believe that one company is better than the other,” said Tylek. “But for the communication services, this is probably one of the best contracts out there. California has among the best rates for phone calls, video calls, and electronic messaging.”

Hidden cost

California is one of only five states to cover the expense of phone calls by incarcerated people.

Securus charges the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation less for such calls than Viapath, which was key to Securus winning the contract.

“This is a huge nationwide issue,” said Sen. Josh Becker, who in 2022 wrote the law that mandated and subsidized the zero-charge incarcerated calls. “I’m grateful that we’re leading now in California, at least on the phone call piece.”

Becker, a Democrat whose district includes Menlo Park, has his sights set on passing more legislation this year to make e-messaging free also.

“It’s the injustice of the whole thing,” said Becker. “And not only injustice, but also the illogical nature of charging in a world where telecommunications costs are moving closer to free.”

He said his office is keeping a close eye on the Securus contract and how it goes about charging consumers.

Coleman said everyone around her in her unit was immersed in the new media packages offered by Securus.

“Right now, people are happy. When people start seeing their bills of how much money they’re spending to watch these movies and stuff, it could be different.”

‘It helps the overall environment’

Before the introduction of the tablets, an outside person would need to set up a prepaid phone account before calls could be accepted.

“Depending on where you were calling, the cost was pretty substantial,” said Webb. “I called Georgia one time and it was like $27 for 10 minutes.”

Making a call could become tense and even dangerous at times, too, because of limited access to phones.

“We only had four pay phones for the whole building — four phones for 175 to 200 people,” said Webb. “I’ve seen numerous fights and people brutally stabbed over the phone — for like using someone else’s phone time or going two minutes over.”

Most people inside — both staff and residents — noticed a different vibe within the community once every person had access to their own assigned device. They said it made prisons feel safer with incarcerated people no longer needing to navigate the difficulties of sharing limited phone resources, and officers no longer spending time facilitating an ill-equipped phone system.

“Anything you can do to increase the amount of contact someone can have with their family and their loved ones is going to result in better outcomes for most people,” said newly-retired California prison facilities director Dave Lewis.

And because the tablets offer 24-hour access to educational platforms and media services, they immediately improved how prisoners can make use of their time.

“Just the sheer boredom of being locked up can lead to poorer safety outcomes for people,” said Lewis. “Giving someone something to do on a more regular basis — even just being able to watch a movie on a tablet — it helps the overall environment of an institution and takes away that downtime that can be kind of dangerous.”

Loss of personal data

Incarcerated tablet users worry most about two aspects of the switch from Viapath to Securus: disruptions in service as their facility transitions and losing access to the personal photos, videos and messages they’ve received over the last three years.

An interim contract with Viapath remains in effect until transition is complete. Part of the delays and setbacks from last November can be attributed to an effort to maintain smooth, continued service.

Most facilities are telling their residents they will be turning in their old devices for a same day exchange to the new tablets, and that the Securus platform will be immediately up and running at that time.

But none of the personal data or streaming subscriptions will transfer over. The transition to Securus will mean resetting everything and starting anew.

Viapath does not offer a way to store or save the data to a separate electronic medium. Without direct internet access, prisoners cannot use cloud-based services like Dropbox or Google Drive.

They are being given only one option. At their own cost per page, they can submit photos and messages to be printed before the Viapath tablets become defunct. After that, it all becomes permanently unavailable.

“Losing all my pictures and videos is gonna be tragic,” said Webb.

Helen Maudlin Kelley was born in Fortuna on July 17, 1924. She entered heaven on March 3, 2026 at the age of 101. She grew up in Fortuna and graduated from Fortuna High School in 1942. She stayed in touch with her high school friends and attended many class reunions throughout the years.

Helen was an enthusiastic league bowler and enjoyed many years at the lanes. She proudly displayed trophies from those long ago bowling days. She worked various jobs during her life including several years at Kelly’s Jewelers in Arcata. She accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior in 1990 and became a member of the Eureka Nazarene Church. She was involved in the Senior Adult Ministries enjoying fellowship and many activities. Crocheting blankets for babies and baking pies for first time visitors were an important part of her ministry. Mom was known as the church “hugger.”

Helen enjoyed spending time at family gatherings. She shared her birthday month with great-granddaughter Casey, and loved celebrating with her. She loved strawberry ice cream, jigsaw puzzles and keeping her mind sharp doing word search and crosswords. She also loved cats and was given the name Kitty Grandma by her great grandchildren.

She is survived by her son, Bob Giacomini and wife Carol; son-in-law, Don Clogston; stepdaughter, Susan Roberts, and her grandchildren and their families; Carri Fabbri (Brett), Travis Jackson (Tiffany), Tami Potterf (Steve) and many extended family members who loved her dearly.

Helen was preceded in death by her father Albert Maudlin, mother Lucile Maxwell, husband Jack Kelley, daughter Gayle Clogston, and grandson Michael Giacomini.

The family would like to thank everyone for their love and prayers during this time. A special thank you to Hospice of Humboldt for their excellent care and compassion.

A private family graveside service was held at Ocean View Cemetery.

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

Bruce Emerson Hancock
October 5, 1937 - March 5, 2026

With sadness, love, and profound gratitude, the family of Bruce Emerson Hancock announces his peaceful passing at his home in Yelm, Washington, on March 5, 2026. Bruce leaves behind a legacy of lifelong honor, service, kindness, and selflessness.

Bruce was born in Ogden, Utah, to Victor and Edith Hancock, and he was the youngest of 8 children. He married Afton Mae Honing in 1953, and they had five children - Dean, Denise, Annette, Wayne, and Dale - before moving to California in 1967.

Bruce and Afton settled in Eureka, where he became a well-known businessman, owning an Allstate office for several decades. He was a lifelong and devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a tireless volunteer for the American Cancer Society, helping to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the organization for cancer research and patient support. After Afton’s passing in 1989, Bruce was married to Diane Darrow in 1994 until her death in 2026.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Victor and Edith Hancock; his wife of 36 years, Afton Mae Hancock; daughters Annette Hancock and Denise Mae Lavigne (née Hancock); son Dale Jay Hancock; stepson Erik Dunphy; his second wife of 31 years, Diane Darrow Hancock; and his siblings Dean, Dewayne, Cliff, Norman, Thelma, Harlan, and Mary.

Bruce is survived by his sons Dean Ray Hancock and Wayne Bruce Hancock; his stepdaughter Kimberly (John) Gaivin; grandchildren Sara Lynn Lewellen, Jacob Bruce Hancock, Kristie Marie (Isaac) Asuncion, Kyle Dean Hancock, Nikki Annette (Bruce) Wilkerson, Leshele Adele (Jeff) Mielke, and Dale Jay (Erica) Hancock II, as well as 23 great-grandchildren.

Bruce will be remembered for his life of adventure and service to others. He was a business owner, a bull rider, a pilot, a traveler, a writer, even a rodeo clown for a time, but nothing was more important to him than his church and his family. He held the hands of countless others as they left this earth to be with Jesus, and now he is resting in the arms of the Savior, reunited with loved ones in the kingdom of heaven. “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:23)

Bruce will be interred at Ocean View Cemetery. Services will be at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Eureka on March 26, 2026, at 11 a.m.

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

Leo Herman Langer III
May 7, 1940 -January 3, 2026

With very heavy hearts, we share that Leo Herman Langer III passed away peacefully on January 3, 2026, in Santa Rosa, after a short illness. He was surrounded by his wife, children and faithful dog, just as he would have wanted.

Leo was born and raised in Eureka, the oldest of fifteen children born to Agnes and Leo Langer. Being the big brother to fourteen younger siblings meant he learned early how to lead, protect and pitch in. Hard work and looking out for others came naturally to him. He attended St. Bernard’s High School, where he formed values that stayed with him throughout his life.

He proudly served in the United States Navy, which sparked his love of travel and adventure. After his service, Leo worked as a surveyor and saw more of the world than most of us ever will. While working in Guam, he met Reyza, the love of his life. From that point on, everything they built together was rooted in faith, family and love.

Leo was happiest outdoors. Camping in his trailer, breathing in fresh air, and, lately, walking at Spring Lake Regional Park with his dog Bruno by his side were some of his favorite things. He was steady, strong and someone you could always count on. He didn’t need the spotlight — he just quietly showed up for the people he loved.

We’ll be gathering in Eureka to celebrate Leo on April 18th at 10 a.m. at Ocean View Cemetery, followed by lunch at the Eureka Elks Lodge. Family and friends are invited to join in celebrating his life and sharing memories.

Leo will be missed more than words can say, but we’ll carry him with us — in stories, in laughter and in love, he gave so freely.

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