Update, 2:20 p.m.:

Matt Morgan, Eureka’s Code Enforcement Manager, tells the Outpost the property owner aims to remove the debris by the end of April. Morgan said the volume of rubble is a logistical challenge to dispose of, but the owner is in communication with city officials and has taken steps like adding straw wattles and caution tape to the site.

Plus, according to Morgan, “his plan is to build back on the spot.” 

PREVIOUSLY:

• (PHOTOS) Late-Night Fire Puts Beleaguered Eureka Apartment Building Out of Its Misery

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A fire that took out an apartment building under renovation in January has been determined to be human-caused. But key details remain unknown on what happened before the raging blaze consumed the structure.

Humboldt Bay Fire forwarded the report to the Eureka Police Department as possible arson after wrapping up the investigation on 833 H Street about two weeks ago.

“We have confirmed that the fire was human-caused. We don’t know if it was accidental or if it was intentional,” said HBF Battalion Chief Johnathan Chambers.

He said the investigation found there were otherwise no competent ignition sources; utilities were not connected to the site.

The building was under construction, which lead to the exposed framing to burn rapidly at an intensity Chambers said he’s only seen a handful of times in his career.

The Jan. 31 fire was so rapid and strong — flames were bursting from windows on the second floor when firefighters arrived at 1:21 a.m. — determining a fire pattern or finding physical evidence to shed more light on the fire from the wreckage was impossible, he said.

But firefighters and police are seeking more information to find out what exactly happened. “It is still open, from our perspective,” he added.

Humboldt Bay Fire heard some unsubstantiated reports of people hearing noises or seeing people in the building before the fire; Chambers urged residents “if you observe suspicious activity, and buildings are under construction, call law enforcement right away.” Fires in construction sites are not entirely uncommon, he said.

The fire caused an estimated $350,000 in damages; efforts of firefighters limited the damage to the one structure. HBF has yet to be contacted by insurance agents for the property, which Chambers said typically happens following a fire.

Eureka Police Department spokesperson Rachel Sollom encouraged anyone with information related to this incident to contact EPD’s Criminal Investigations Unit at 707-441-4300.

Press release from the Central Labor Council:

The Central Labor Council of Humboldt & Del Norte Counties issues this letter first and foremost in support of workers.  Standing with workers should never be controversial. Yet, we recognize that we are living through a moment of heightened fear and uncertainty regarding workplace safety and basic dignity. The labor movement is guided by many principles, but a simple truth: solidarity forever. Solidarity means we do not abandon one another. Period. Solidarity does not depend on immigration status. Solidarity means defending the rights of all workers.

The Central Labor Council applauds Centro del Pueblo and their their leadership in coordinating the Rapid Response Network to ensure timely, organized support when immigration enforcement activity impacts our community. Centro del Pueblo is a leader in ensuring that immigrant workers and families in Humboldt County know their rights. Their Rapid Response Network provides coordinated, community-based support when immigration enforcement activity occurs. This infrastructure strengthens not only immigrant families but the broader labor movement. 

As the Central Labor Council, we affirm:

• We stand in solidarity with all workers, regardless of immigration status, and reject attempts that aim to divid the working class.
• We stand firmly against fascism and authoritarianism in all forms, recognizing that these forces seek to silence workers, erode rights, and dismantle collective power.
• We support educating supervisors, staff, and workers about their rights in the workplace.
• We commit to including the Rapid Response Network as part of our organizational plan.

On May Day, Friday, May 1st, 2026, the Central Labor Council in partnership with Centro del Pueblo will hold a solidarity rally. This is a call to action for our entire labor community to assemble at the Eureka Courthouse at 5:00 pm. In the current climate, solidarity must be more than a sentiment; it must be a visible, active practice. 

Lisa Jouaneh

President,
Central Labor Council of Humboldt & Del Norte Counties

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References and Resources 

• May Day Event Mobilize 
• Centro del Pueblo- Rapid Response Hotline 707-200-8091 cdpueblo.com
• National Immigration Law Center - A Guide for Employers: What to Do if Immigration Comes to Your Workplace 
• California Labor Federation - Standing with Immigrant Workers 

Sure, you know all about the Eureka Theater. 

Or do you?

If you’re only a kid, maybe you don’t!

So here comes Emmett, a student in Eureka High’s media production program, to school you youngsters on why the Eureka Theater is one of the town’s most overlooked assets. Press play on the video above for Emmett’s report.

You over-18 oldsters are invited to watch, too! For you, Emmett’s got some drone footage of the theater that’ll give you some angles on the building that you’ve likely never seen before.

While we have you here: Why don’t you head on over to the EHS YouTube channel and smash that like on the Redwood Bark, the periodic video magazine produced by the media production kids under the tutelage of Mr. Brooks? The latest episode has features on the school’s K-Pop Hip Hop Club, the Homecoming Parade, LatinX events and more, and it even includes a full student-produced horror film in the middle. It’s really well done!

Gabriela “Gabby” Murphy passed away peacefully at home on April 1, 2026 — a life filled with love, service, and gratitude.

Gabriela was the second of twelve children born to Amelia and Jose Homem on October 25, 1927, in Terceira, Açores. As one of the eldest children, she was tasked with caring for her younger siblings. They spent their days playing along the rock wall that bordered their property, often speaking a version of “English” they created themselves, dreaming of one day living in the United States. Gabriela valued education deeply, though she had to cut her own schooling short to help support her family.

At just eight years old, she began working as a nanny, caring for infants through the night and assisting working mothers during the day, including families connected to the American base. While nannying for her cousin Irma Azevedo, who worked as a chief telephone operator at the American Army base, Gabriela met the love of her life, Robert “Bob” Murphy — a handsome 6’2” military police officer with the U.S. Army. It was love at first sight. Gabriela spoke no English, and Bob spoke no Portuguese, but they shared a language beyond words. With Irma serving as both translator and chaperone, their bond grew quickly.

Bob knew he did not want to lose this irreplaceable Portuguese girl with an unforgettable hour glass figure and soon asked for her hand in marriage. On March 31, 1947, they were married at nineteen, in a civil ceremony and began their journey to the United States aboard an Army cargo plane. They first lived in Louisiana, Bob’s home state, before settling in Arcata, to be closer to her aunt, Jesuina.

It was in Arcata that Gabriela began the work that would define her life and change the course of generations. After becoming a United States citizen in 1952, she took on the immense responsibility of navigating the sponsorship process to bring her family to America.

Through her work as a nanny for local business owners and physicians, Gabriela built lasting relationships that would prove instrumental. These families became sponsors, offering employment opportunities for her siblings upon their arrival. Gabriela and Bob also ensured that each family had a place to live, often sharing homes until they were able to stand on their own. Over the next 15 years, she successfully helped bring her parents and all of her siblings to the United States — turning childhood dreams into reality.

Once her family was settled in Arcata, Gabriela naturally stepped into the role of guide, advisor, and caregiver. She helped with everything — renting homes, setting up utilities, finding doctors, and accompanying family members to appointments. She was, in every sense, an angel on earth.

Her home became the center of family life. Holidays were always celebrated there, with Thanksgiving being especially memorable. Tables filled the kitchen and living rooms, and the house overflowed with food, laughter, conversation, and love. Many of the family’s most cherished memories were made under her roof. She was also the first to bathe many of the babies born into the family — a quiet but meaningful role she carried with pride.

Though she once believed she would not have children of her own after helping raise so many others, she and Bob were ultimately blessed with seven: Bobby, Billy, Rita, Dreena, Linda, Larry, and Christina. Her children were her world, and she raised them with the same devotion, strength, and sense of responsibility that defined her life.

Later, Gabriela worked at Mad River Hospital in the kitchen and as a custodian at Humboldt State University, where she developed a special connection with colleagues and students. She loved being around young people and often shared wisdom drawn from her remarkable life experiences.

Gabriela worked tirelessly well into her 70s as a housekeeper for the families who had helped sponsor her siblings. She never forgot their kindness and felt a deep sense of gratitude and responsibility to give back.

Her home was always open. Guests came and stayed — for a day, a week, or even a year. She believed in helping anyone in need, just as others had once helped her family.

When Bob could convince her to step away from work, they enjoyed traveling to Louisiana and Hilmar to visit family. She loved trips to Reno with her mother and sisters and especially cherished attending the Our Lady of Miracles Celebration in Hilmar, where she would stay up through the night in prayer, giving thanks for the many blessings in her life. One of our favorite memories was at 78, while on cruise to the Caribbean she kicked her leg as high as a rockette on a dare. She continued these high kicks till she was 98. For the last 25 years she looked forward to yearly family trips with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren spending quality time together watching movies, building puzzles, singing songs and dancing. She enjoyed every minute with a smile on her face and joy in her heart.

Gabriela and Bob dedicated countless hours volunteering at St. Mary’s Church, helping with bonanzas, securing donations from local businesses, and raising funds for the construction of the church. Their faith and service were central to their lives.

For their 50th anniversary, Gabriela and Bob were married in the very church they helped build — a moment filled with love, pride, and the presence of family and friends.

Gabriela approached life with unwavering gratitude, even in difficult times. She often reminded others, “You have to take the good with the bad,” and would point to the sky and say, “Only God knows” and “A lingua diz tudo”

It is impossible to fully capture who she was to her family. How do you honor someone who dedicated her life to making others’ lives better? You live as she did- with an open heart and home, filling others with care and love, never forgetting where you came from, and believing in where you can go with “GRIT” and a dream. She will be heavily missed by everyone who was blessed with her presence and her signature pinky swear.

She was immensely proud of her grandchildren — Nick, Neil, CJ, Alex, Nick, Bella and Rae — her great-grandchildren, Aliyah, Giana, Alyus, and Zora. She encouraged them to pursue education, follow their dreams, and believe that anything was possible. She was especially proud of her granddaughter Alex, who graduated from medical school and starts residency in June — a full-circle moment for a woman who held deep respect for the physicians who helped her family.

She is survived by her children Rita -Steve, Dreena, Larry, and Christina-Michael; her grandchildren and great-grandchildren; her brother Jose-Gloria and sister Durvalina; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

She was preceded in death by her husband Robert; children Bobby, Bill, and Linda; her parents Amelia and Jose; and her siblings Maria dos Santos, Fernando, Maria Jose, Antonio, Natalia, Albino, David, and Avelino.

Gabriela’s casket bearers will be her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The service will be held on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Arcata, with the Rosary at 10:30 a.m. and the Funeral Mass at 11 a.m. with a reception to follow in the narthex and Interment will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made in Gabriela’s honor to Hospice of Humboldt, 3327 Timber Fall Court, Eureka, CA 95503. A special thank you to Hospice care; Lisa, Melissa, Rose, Samantha, Deane and deeply grateful to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren for their tireless love and care during this difficult time.

Arrangements under the direction of Sanders Funeral Home, Eureka.

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

A faded VHS cover of the 1987 film.

For anyone worried that Humboldt County might be losing its cannabis clout, fear not: Here comes “Ganjasaurus Rex.”

Disney-owned streaming giant Hulu is celebrating the upcoming stoner holiday of 4/20 with an anthology of documentary shorts — aptly titled “4X20: Quick Hits” — that includes a segment on the low-budget, Humboldt-filmed creature feature from 1987.

Here’s the blurb from Hulu:

“The Legend of Ganjasaurus Rex,” directed by Alex Ross Perry, (“Pavements,” “Videoheaven”), celebrates a Humboldt County cult classic film. Made by local pot growers as an act of protest against the War on Drugs, this “comically dreadful” film was panned by critics as “one of the worst movies of all time,” before becoming a beloved local legend.

And here’s the trailer:

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During my first career as a video store clerk/manager, the VHS copy of “Ganjasaurus Rex” didn’t get rented often, but when it did it was typically brought to the counter with the likes of “Up In Smoke,” “The Harder They Come,” “Waking Life,” and “Baraka.” 

But the ultra-low-budget movie spread beyond the Emerald Triangle, invading video stores across the country and eventually becoming something of a stoner cult classic.

Set during the height of the federal government’s notorious Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP), the movie “captures the spirit of the back-to-the-land movement in Humboldt County — depicting how local communities peacefully resisted government efforts to eradicate their cannabis gardens, culture and way of life.”

That quote’s from the promotional blurb for a recent screening and discussion of the film as part of Cal Poly Humboldt’s Cannabis Studies Program.

You can actually watch “Ganjasaurus Rex” in its entirety on YouTube, but if you’re looking for the historical and cultural context around it, you’ll have to wait a couple of weeks. 

Produced by Jimmy Kimmel, “4X20: Quick Hits” debuts on April 20 (of course). Here are synopses of the other three segments:

• “Highly Unlikely,” directed by Brent Hodge (“I Am Chris Farley,” “Freaks and Geeks: The Documentary”) recounts how Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle ended up on the big screen. With two unknown Asian American lead actors, this unexpected stoner classic has become synonymous with weed since its release in 2004.
• “High Times,” directed by Kyle Thrash (“The Turnaround,” “The Seat”), tells the story of High Times Magazine and its founder, Tom Forcade. Motivated by the Free Press movement, Forcade smuggled cannabis to pay for a magazine that impacted Marijuana culture forever.
• “Bong Voyage,” directed by Todd Kapostasy (“Rodman: For Better or Worse,” “Meddling”) focuses on Deadhead and hand-blown glass artist Jason Harris. After building the most well-known bong company in the world, the federal government set its sights on Jason and the paraphernalia industry with Operation Pipe Dreams.

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Facebook update from the Sequoia Park Zoo:

Folks who followed Kunabulilh the black bear’s rehabilitation at Gold Country Wildlife Rescue  have been asking for updates, and we have some fun ones!

Kunabulilh (aka Nabu aka Baby Bear) experienced torpor from December through early March and was the least active of the three black bears. He only lost six pounds during torpor, which is not unusual since he is still growing up.

Like Tule, Nabu is an expert den builder, stuffing his den full of straw and other vegetation. During torpor, he even pulled straw in front of his den hole, closing himself inside.

He’s woken up from torpor completely now, and zoo keepers were met with a much more comfortable and confident bear than when he first arrived in 2025. His personality is shining through. He is very playful, especially in the evening. He spends hours playing with firehose puzzles, giant balls, branches, water tubs, and all sorts of toys. He seems to like it all! He spends a particularly long time interacting with piles of sheared wool.

He is getting so big! His coat is a very light brown color, making him stand out clearly from Tule (dark brown) and Ishŭng (black). His outer guard hairs are long, though he has scruffy areas on his back. His undercoat is still relatively thin for a black bear, which was expected after his long medical journey.

While he lounges on top of his den inside most mornings, Nabu usually chooses to spend his afternoons in part of the front yard habitat. His comfort in this space is growing. He relaxes on Ishŭng’s fidget spinner platform (which he also plays with!) and interacts with different toys and logs. Having partial access to the front yard allows keepers to train with Nabu, helping him learn important skills like quickly coming back into the night house in case of an emergency.

From the yard, he also has the opportunity to see what Tule and Ishŭng are doing. Nabu and Tule spend a lot of time together, each on one side of the temporary fence in the front yard. Tule even tries to solicit play from Nabu. Nabu watches Tule calmly but also bluff charges at him sometimes, so they’re still getting to know each other.

Once Nabu’s training progresses more, he will take turns having access to the entire front yard! We don’t expect him to share space physically with the bigger bears until he grows up a little bit more, too.

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PREVIOUSLY: NEW CRITTER ALERT! Sequoia Park Zoo Announces Impending Arrival of Baby Black Bear; Crested Screamers Hatch a Chick

Press release from the Eureka Police Department:

During the month of April, the Eureka Police Department will conduct an enforcement operation focused on drivers suspected of violating the hands-free cell phone law.

Under current law, drivers are not allowed to hold a phone or electronic communications device while operating a vehicle. This includes talking, texting, or using an app. Using a handheld cell phone while driving is punishable by a fine. Violating the hands-free law for a second time within 36 months of a prior conviction for the same offense will result in a point being added to a driver’s record.

“A driver’s focus should be on the road, not their phone,” Eureka Police Department’s Admin Patrol Sergeant Omey said. “That text, phone call, email or social media post is not worth the risk to yourself and other people on the road.”

If you have an important phone call or need to program directions, pull over to a safe parking spot. Before driving, either silence your phone or put it somewhere you can’t reach.

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.