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The fate of a proposed five-story, 100-room hotel at the Trinidad Rancheria is once again in the hands of the California Coastal Commission.

The Rancheria’s big hotel project, announced back in 2018, has faced a series of bureaucratic hurdles amid questions about its water supply, design and fire protection. The proposed hotel, which would be located on a seaside bluff next to The Heights Casino, has also faced public opposition, including a successful legal challenge to the commission’s 2019 conditional approval of the project.

That lawsuit was brought by the Humboldt Alliance for Responsible Planning (HARP), a local community group that continues to crusade against the hotel as currently designed. (The group also opposes a related Hwy. 101 interchange that has been proposed between Westhaven and Trinidad.)

As with all projects on Native American lands, the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs is the lead agency for development projects such as this, but it has a longstanding practice of asking state agencies, such as the Coastal Commission, to weigh in on matters of consistency with state laws.

At a public hearing Thursday in the Monterey County city of Gonzales, the 12-member commission will consider giving the project another conditional green light. This time around, agency staff is recommending a consistency determination only if the BIA, which holds the land in trust for the Rancheria, can provide proof of a sufficient water supply, secure a formal fire service agreement with CalFire and submit a comprehensive fire protection plan for agency approval.

The project would also involve the creation of a 1.2-acre leach field and a new 1.5-acre parking lot adjacent to the existing casino parking.

When the Coastal Commission first approved the hotel project in 2019, it said construction couldn’t begin until the BIA demonstrated that there is an adequate water supply. The Rancheria has tried a number of approaches to secure such a supply — negotiating with the City of Trinidad, drilling its own wells and exploring a pipeline extension from the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District (HBMWD) — but that condition remains unmet.

While HARP and other project opponents have taken issue with a range of aspects, including the hotel’s size, look and location, Thursday’s hearing will focus exclusively on whether the project is consistent with Section 30250 of the California Coastal Act when it comes to fire protection services.

As noted in a staff report, Humboldt County employs a “mutual aid” model for fire protection, relying on multiple local fire protection agencies (many of them volunteer-based) to suppress fires across the region. The county also has a fire service agreement with CalFire.

The Trinidad Rancheria relies on these resources for its own fire protection, but the proposed five-story hotel presents a significant challenge given that few local fire departments are equipped with hook-and-ladder trucks or fire engines with high pumping capacity.

“Thus, an aerial truck or other specialized apparatus that is housed in close proximity to the proposed hotel — as well as firefighting personnel with appropriate training to drive and operate this apparatus — would be needed to provide adequate fire protection services,” the staff report notes.

The Rancheria has proposed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the county to formalize CalFire protection services for the hotel and has offered to participate in a fire planning study for northern coastal Humboldt County. It has also agreed to purchase an aerial truck and create its own volunteer fire department that would serve both the hotel and the surrounding community.

The Opposition

In a letter submitted to the Coastal Commission last week, J. Bryce Kenny, the attorney representing HARP, argues that this hotel project needs to go all the way back to square one, essentially. He says that the BIA’s initial finding that this project is consistent with the California Coastal Management Program (CCMP) was effectively invalidated by HARP’s lawsuit, which resulted in a court order to reconsider the adequacy of fire protection services.

“How can the Commission concur with a consistency determination that is incomplete because it does not even mention fire protection?” Bryce asks.

Bryce also argues that the Trinidad Rancheria is ineligible to enter into a cooperative fire protection contract with CalFire because the state’s public resources code only allows such agreements with a “city, county, or special district” or an “other subdivision of the State of California” or a “person, firm, or corporation.”

Even if it were legally permissible, Bryce is skeptical about the finances.

“Could the Rancheria even afford to pay for such an arrangement all by itself, and still make the hotel profitable, after spending $800,000 on a second hand fire truck?” he ponders. “It is well known that the tribal gaming market in Humboldt County has diminished greatly since the collapse of the ‘green rush’ cannabis market years ago.”

His letter also challenges the proposed hotel location, its compliance with current design standards and the Rancheria’s willingness to abide by conditions placed upon the project.

Madrone. | County of Humboldt.

Steve Madrone, who represents the Fifth District on the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, has also been an outspoken critic of the hotel project, and on Monday he submitted a comment letter via email in which he challenges the accuracy of the Coastal Commission’s staff report. 

His email says that, contrary to that report, the Trinidad Rancheria is not a signatory to the county’s mutual aid agreement for fire protection, and furthermore, the county’s agreement with CalFire is not year-round, as the report asserts. It only covers the “off season,” which is typically less than half a year.

“The Trinidad area has a long way to go to figure out how to afford year-round fire services and local Volunteer Fire Departments are already stretched beyond their means to provide limited services,” Madrone’s email says. “It would be irresponsible and dangerous to continue to add to the areas fire hazards with a 5 story hotel in the area.”

A handful of Trinidad-area residents also submitted letters of opposition, generally expressing skepticism about the Rancheria’s ability to provide sufficient fire protection for such a tall structure.

The Responses

Just yesterday, the Coastal Commission published a series of responses to these various objections, including feedback from agency staff, the Trinidad Rancheria and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Staff reiterates that Thursday’s hearing will be limited in scope, focusing only on the adequacy of fire protection. In response to feedback from HARP and others, staff revised one condition of approval to refer to the most recent fire protection standards, but they ignored complaints about water, visual impacts and other aspects of the project.

Regarding an agreement with CalFire for fire protection, staff notes that the Rancheria’s corporate arm could qualify, even if the Rancheria itself cannot. And if that particular arrangement is unavailable, other fire service arrangements are acceptable.

Staff rejects the argument from HARP’s attorney that the BIA’s prior consistency determination should be considered null and void. Staff says the court’s order in the appeal decision established the limited scope of this remand hearing, and the Commission is abiding by that ruling.

Staff also rejects Kenny’s argument that the hotel’s location is inappropriate, pointing out that the Coastal Act does not require services to already exist, only that they will be adequate.

In response to Madrone’s email, staff notes that Trinidad Rancheria is in the process of finalizing a cost-sharing MOU with the county, under which the Rancheria would cover 20% of the cost of an agreement between the county and CalFire. Plus, Trinidad Rancheria is within the response area of Westhaven’s volunteer fire department, which has an existing agreement with CalFire.

On Monday, Commission staff met with representatives of the Tsurai Ancestral Society, at their request, to discuss potential impacts to cultural and coastal resources associated with firefighting activities for the proposed hotel project. The society expressed concerns about potential water quality impacts and adverse effects to coastal water quality and Tsurai cultural resources. Staff acknowledged those concerns but said they’re outside the scope of Thursday’s hearing.

The BIA, for its part, says its original consistency determination remains in place and was not overturned by the court. 

And an attorney representing the Trinidad Rancheria submitted a five-page letter refuting HARP’s objections to the project and defending the Rancheria’s plans for fire protection. 

Tomorrow’s hearing is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. There will be a link to a live video and audio feed at this website. The Coastal Commission’s report and all related documents can be found here.

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PREVIOUSLY

• Take a Look at the Big Proposed Trinidad Casino Hotel; Concerned Community Members Schedule Meeting to Gin Up Public Comment
• Trinidad Rancheria Will Give a Presentation on Casino Hotel Project at City Council Meeting Tonight
• Coastal Commission Gives Green Light to 100-Room Hotel on Trinidad Rancheria … as Long as the Tribe Can Find a Reliable Water Supply
• That Coastal Commission Meeting Was a Confusing Mess. Did They Even Mean to Advance the Hotel Project?
• City Pumps Brakes on Trinidad Rancheria’s Request for Water; Will Draft Policy Before Continuing Formal Negotiations Over New Hotel Development
• Trinidad Rancheria Asks for Pipeline Extension to Get Water Via Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District
• Trinidad to Consider Joining Feasibility Study for a Pipeline Extension from Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District
• Trinidad Rancheria’s Proposed Hyatt Hotel Project Dealt Setback as Appeals Court Issues Tentative Ruling Finding Insufficient Evidence of Adequate Fire Protection Services
• Appeals Court Rejects Coastal Commission’s Approval of Trinidad Rancheria’s Planned Hyatt Hotel Project
• Trinidad to Reconsider Joining Engineering Study for Water Pipeline Extension as Rancheria Connection Project Moves Forward
• Amid Controversy, Trinidad City Council Narrowly Opts to Pursue a Study on an Alternate Water Supply

Press release from StartUp Humboldt:

StartUp Humboldt has selected ten finalists from 108 applicants to advance to the final round of its inaugural Competition. These founders will take the stage on April 23rd at The Eureka Theater to pitch their ventures for access to up to $200,000 in milestone-based funding.

Six ventures have advanced as finalists in the competition’s Scale Venture track, competing for access to $175,000 in milestone-based funding. Together, they reflect both the evolution of Humboldt’s longstanding industries and a new wave of ambitious ventures that build on regional strengths while broadening what the North Coast is known for.

• DERA Analytics — a software platform that helps organizations maximize the value of clean energy assets like solar, batteries, and EV fleets.
• GridIQ — smart power line monitoring systems designed to reduce wildfire risk and improve grid reliability.
• Jersey Scoops — a pasture-to-pint, lactose-free ice cream producer scaling value-added dairy production.
• Pepper Inflatable Technologies — next-generation inflatable rescue craft built on patent-protected technology.
• Rhizome Wellness Collective — an LGBTQ2S+-focused mental health collective increasing access to affirming care while training and employing local clinicians.
• Sunken Seaweed — regenerative seaweed farming and processing advancing ocean-based food production.

Four ventures have advanced as finalists in the competition’s microventure track, competing for two awards totaling $25,000 in milestone-based funding and focused on building sustainable, locally-rooted businesses with clear pathways for community impact:

• ForestScapes — a wildfire mitigation and forest health company reducing hazardous vegetation and lowering wildfire risk across the region.
• GroundedAI — an advisory and strategy firm helping small businesses adopt AI in practical, responsible ways.
• LAF Systems — a modular system converting organic food waste into nutrient-rich soil products, supporting a local circular economy.
• Throat Punch Ice Cream — a bold craft ice cream brand building a distinctive retail presence through creative flavors and local partnerships.

Finalists will be evaluated on desirability, feasibility, and viability, along with community impact and storytelling during their final presentations. Each finalist has completed an intensive education and mentorship phase, receiving expert instruction in financial modeling, business model iteration, pitch development and target market analysis. Through one-on-one advising with the North Coast SBDC, Lost Coast Ventures, BlueTechValley, and the Institute for Entrepreneurship Education, founders have strengthened their readiness to grow, create jobs and attract investment.

The Final Pitch Event on Thursday, April 23rd will serve as both a competition and a community celebration of regional entrepreneurship. Finalists will present before a distinguished panel of judges and a live audience for access to $200,000 in milestone-based funding. Award recipients will be announced that evening.

The judging panel represents business expertise, entrepreneurship, and regional economic development, and includes, among others, Clair Whitmer, Deputy Director of CalOSBA; Matt Welton, former Senior Director of Talent Acquisition at Adidas; Jason Ramos, Tribal Chairperson of Blue Lake Rancheria; AJ Herrera, VP of Corporate Marketing at Cloudflare; and Jennifer Budwig, Senior Vice President and COO of Redwood Capital Bank.

In addition to live pitches from finalists, attendees will have the opportunity to engage with semifinalists and select applicants through a curated vendor fair showcasing local ventures. The evening will also feature appetizers from Lost Coast Catering and Cypress Grove, and a signature cocktail in partnership with Humboldt Distillery.

“What stands out most is the quality, commitment, and diversity of these founders. This cohort represents a powerful reflection of what’s possible in this region. They’re not just innovating—they’re building companies with real potential to shape the region’s future,” said Dan Phillips, Humboldt local, former CTO of Hulu, and co-founder of Lost Coast Ventures, a partner in this initiative. “This is going to be an exciting finale and a celebration of what’s possible when the North Coast invests in its own people and ideas.”

The free public event begins at 5:30pm at the historic Eureka Theater. Coast Central Credit Union is the Titan Sponsor of the program. Community members are encouraged to attend, support local founders, and be part of an evening that highlights the future of innovation in far Northern California. 

To learn more about the event and reserve your seat at this link.

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

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For California’s local governments hoping to have some say over where and how large apartment buildings get packed near major transit stops, it’s crunch time.

Last fall, state lawmakers made it legal for developers to build mid-rises — some as tall as nine stories — in major metro neighborhoods near train, subway and certain dedicated bus stops.

But the final version of Senate Bill 79, which goes into effect on July 1, offered local governments plenty of wiggle room over the where, when and how of the new law.

With the summer deadline rapidly approaching, cities across the state are starting to wiggle.

Like a statewide game of Choose Your Own Adventure, local elected officials for the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles to San Diego are exploring ways to either lean into the spirit of the law, come up with their own plan tailored to the city’s whims and needs, or slow the local roll out for as long as possible while considering their options. Those that do nothing will be forced to accept the transit-oriented rezoning prescribed by state legislators.

Los Angeles opted for a strategy of maximum delay last month when the city council voted to overhaul a portion of its zoning map in order to buy itself a few more years of planning time.

The move took advantage of a set of escape clauses written into the state law: Transit-adjacent areas that already allow at least half of the housing required under SB 79 can hold off on changing the rules until a year after the next state-mandated planning period.

For Los Angeles and much of Southern California that’s 2030.

Likewise, many lower income neighborhoods, those at risk of wildfire and sea-level rise or sites listed on a historic preservation registry also qualify for that temporary delay.

L.A.’s city council mashed every pause button it could.

Along with temporarily exempting zoning changes in poorer neighborhoods, known fire zones and historic districts, the council preemptively voted to allow modest multiplex buildings as tall as three or four stories in dozens of higher-income neighborhoods currently restricted to single family homes. That will bring those areas up above the cut-off needed for the four-year reprieve, according to the city’s planning staff.

By swallowing a little more allowable density in the short term, the city was able to ward off a whole lot more — for now. Backers of the measure said that will give the city more time to come up with a better alternative that still complies with the law.

The vote “adds meaningful housing capacity now and gives us time to decide where the rest of density should go within our own communities,” Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky said before the vote.

When 2030 arrives, the city will either have to come up with its own plan that meets the overall density requirements of the state law — but with some allowable flexibility over where all the potential growth goes — or belatedly accept SB 79 whole cloth.

The L.A. vote came as a disappointment to many pro-development advocates, who have called upon city officials to speedily accept the state-imposed densification immediately, or barring that, to take more aggressive steps in the meantime.

“We’re pretty concerned that this is not actually going to produce housing,” said Scott Epstein, policy and research director with Abundant Housing Los Angeles, a “Yes In My Backyard” oriented advocacy group.

He noted that smaller apartment buildings are less likely to be financially feasible in areas where land costs are exceptionally high. The city’s ordinance achieves its increase in allowable density by permitting modest apartment buildings in relatively affluent neighborhoods.

But even some of the state law’s fiercest defenders see a silver lining in the city’s delay tactic.

“On the one hand, it’s disappointing because we’re delaying the full potential of the law,” said Aaron Eckhouse, local policy programs director for California YIMBY, one of the sponsors of SB 79. But in Los Angeles, he noted, city officials have long been fiercely resistant to proposed zoning changes in neighborhoods dominated by single-family homes.

Now Los Angeles council members are effectively saying, “‘okay, we will do this on our terms rather than on the state’s terms,’” said Eckhouse. “But it is still happening, because the state forced the issue.”

How can cities go their own way?

The Los Angeles approach mirrors one being pursued by officials in San Francisco. There officials are considering a policy of exempting industrial areas and many of the city’s low-resource neighborhoods, while preemptively pushing up the allowable density on certain low-rise locations to get them over the 50% threshold and qualify for a delay until 2032.

But unlike Los Angeles, San Francisco doesn’t plan to spend years coming up with a bespoke local alternative. Instead, the city is proposing to roll out its own version before July 1. That task was made a bit easier given that local officials just wrapped up a citywide densification effort last year as part of Mayor Daniel Lurie’s “Family Zoning Plan.”

The current proposal is set to be heard by a Board of Supervisors subcommittee later this month.

For cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco that decide to come up with their own local plans, they will still need to get the approval of state housing regulators. Officials from California’s Housing Department have yet to publicly weigh in on any individual city’s plans. But their boss has. In a handful of social media posts, Gov. Gavin Newsom has lambasted Los Angeles and San Diego for their proposed efforts to shield certain portions of their city from the requirements of the law. Newsom did not suggest that either city was violating the law itself.

Some cities may simply decide not to bother. Sacramento, for example, will soon consider an ordinance that would make modest tweaks to the way it accepts development applications subject to the state law, but otherwise leaves the state-set zoning rules intact.

Other municipalities, with smaller budgets and fewer professional planners on staff, may not have much choice but to accept the requirements of the state law, said Jason Rhine, a lobbyist with the League of California Cities, which opposed the bill when it was working its way through the Legislature.

Rhine said that some cities are still scrambling to understand the basics of the statute, such as how it applies to future transit infrastructure or how the law defines distance from a transit stop.

“If you’re a planner trying to come up with an alternative plan authorized by (the law), you don’t have the information needed to even get started,” said Rhine. He said he is urging state lawmakers to consider extending the July 1 deadline. No one has taken him up on the idea yet.

‘A matter of urgency’

In Oakland, the decision over whether to delay or accept the state upzoning has played out at the neighborhood level.

Last month, the city’s planning staff proposed an ordinance to take the full suite of possible delays in order to buy time and develop an alternative plan. This, city staff stressed, was not about opposition to the goals of state law, but about a preference among local planners to reconsider the city’s plan comprehensively and at all once, rather than in fits and starts.

“It’s no dispute over outcome,” Oakland Planning Director William Gilchrist told the council. “I think it really comes down to a question of when and how.”

Even so, three city council members objected, arguing, in effect, that they would like the state’s override in their districts now, thank you very much.

Zac Unger, who represents some of the city’s more affluent neighborhoods in North Oakland, argued that parcels that have already achieved the 50% density threshold should not be exempt in his district, especially because the bulk of them are located along busy commercial corridors.

Change is coming, one way or another, he argued at council. “I am arguing for, in a sense, coming to grips with that reality right now rather than spending a year providing people with the false idea that we can somehow exempt ourselves from state law.”

Two other members — Charlene Wang and Ken Houston — who represent some of the low-resource neighborhoods entitled to delay, also wanted to adopt the law in their districts now. “In an urban area like Oakland we should be far exceeding the density minimums in (state law),” said Wang.

In a follow-up interview, Unger noted that the debate in Oakland may be more symbolic than it is in other cities. By happenstance, city planners have been working for years toward an overhaul of the city’s zoning map, which they aim to wrap up next year. In other words, Oakland is likely to have an alternative plan that complies with the state law’s requirements by 2027 anyway.

“If we implement SB 79 on July 1 of this year instead of July 1 of next year, there won’t be buildings blowing up from the street,” he said. “It’s just a matter of urgency — and a statement of values.”

Aside from those cities that are racing to embrace the state law and those seeking delay or their own versions, there is another possible category: Those that resist the law entirely.

After California lawmakers passed a law in 2021 allowing homeowners to split up their properties into as many as four separate units, density-averse cities pushed back. Some took the state to court, others explored adopting municipal charters, one flirted with the idea of becoming a mountain lion refuge. None of the measures ultimately succeeded.

If SB 79 is met with a similar array of resistance, we aren’t likely to see that until after the July 1 deadline, said Eckhouse with California YIMBY.

“The reason to do something now is either to lean into it or to use the provisions of the law for flexibility and deferrals,” he said. “But if they just want to stand in the door and say ‘no,’ we might not find out about that until the zoning standards go into effect.”

Once upon a time there lived a man named Clemente (Clem) Cantu. He dearly loved his family, and although he wasn’t known to say it out loud, you could tell. It was in his actions, his jokes, and especially his smile.

Born on February 11, 1929 to Avelino “Roy” Cantu and Rosie Gomez Cantu, Clem spent his youth in the 1930s doing what most kids did: he played, and he worked. Eventually, as all boys do, he also got to go to school, thanks to the Child Labor laws signed in 1939 by President Franklin Roosevelt. Clem had never been to school, but due to an unexpected injury and hospitalization, he ended up under the care of a wheelchair-bound teacher who lived in the hospital. She tutored Clem daily until he was released from the hospital, caught up to grade level.

For fun, Clem made his own toys out of whatever he could find—little bits and scraps of things others discarded. He also spent most of his time outside. He made himself a slingshot, and enjoyed playing with that, and another time he and some other kids dared each other to sit in the cemetery at night. When an owl hooted, the kids scattered, running back home as fast as they could.

One of the many jobs he had when he was young included working on a ranch. He learned to drive by himself when his boss stuck him behind the wheel of a truck – with manual transmission no less – and told him to drive it out and swap it with the foreman for a horse. Nothing like learning to drive on the fly and on your own! He also did the opposite, trading the horse back for the truck.

Clem also worked with “Real Cowboys” – the ones who rode with the livestock and moved out as the seasons dictated. He used some of the money he earned to buy his very own radio from a cowboy that was moving on. He listened daily, his favorite radio programs being “Baby Snooks” and “The Shadow.”

And in this way, Clem passed his childhood.

Oh, the stories Clem could tell! He talked about a time in America when men cut ice from rivers and lakes, and packed it in sawdust to keep throughout the following summer. They cared for farm animals and grew their own food, and they lived quite well without cellphones, internet, television and many of the things we consider the necessities of life.

When he was 20, Clem joined the military. It was 1949, and Europe was recovering from the devastation of WWII. Clem shipped out overseas, excited to be deployed to Germany…or so he thought. Out of his entire Platoon, only Clem and his buddy were sent to an Italian city on the Adriatic called Trieste. Once a critical warm-water port city for the Austro-Hungarian empire, it was where Clem’s destiny lay. He just didn’t know it yet.

In 1949, Trieste was still being fought over by the world. Marshal Tito of Yugoslavia wanted it for his communist empire; the rest of the western world wanted it returned to Italy. The British and Americans teamed up as post-war regional administrators, protecting Trieste from Communism while the world decided what to do with the city. Thus, Clem became a member of the Trieste United States Troops (TRUST). The men of TRUST found themselves on the front lines of the first battles of the Cold War, living in a storied city with a real castle, surrounded by beautiful Triestine women who were malnourished and exhausted from over two decades of fascism, lives of privation and years of occupation by the Nazis. On May 2, 1949, Clem arrived in Trieste; his future had begun.

Unbeknownst to him, a beautiful 19-year-old Triestina named Maria Bensi lived in the city. She, her parents and her two sisters had made it through the war, but Maria had not had it easy. Aware he was to be conscripted by a regime he hated, Maria’s Papà Antonio had joined the Italian Partisans, and disappeared into the underground resistance. He told no one where he went. Maria’s Mama, Giovanna, meanwhile, often risked her life riding the train to the countryside to trade for food.

One day, a Nazi official stopped at Maria’s door and demanded to know where her Papà was. Maria and her older sister Silvana were all alone, as their mother and little sister Elda were not home. The girls were able to truthfully say that they didn’t know where he was. Thankfully, the Nazi believed them, and he left, never to return.

Maria left school at 14 to start an apprenticeship, which was common in those days. She would become a master seamstress who helped her family earn money to survive. After the war ended in 1945, when the Americans rode into a liberated city, Maria celebrated with her fellow Triestini. Within two weeks, her beloved Papà returned safely home.

Many years later, watching the Americans liberate Baghdad on TV, Maria – crying tears of joy for those beleaguered people – told her children, “You will never understand what it’s like to see the Americans come and liberate your city!” She cherished America, and the memory of that liberation, for the rest of her life.

One day in Trieste, Maria and Clem met by chance. Clem was going roller skating with a young woman he had met. She happened to be Maria’s best friend. Clem’s buddy came along, and he brought Maria. While the others skated, Maria sat watching. Clem asked her why she wasn’t skating, and learned she didn’t know how. Being the gentleman that he was, Clem helped the pretty Maria put on her skates, using his very own skate key – the same key he would later pass on to his granddaughter Madalyn on her wedding day. Clem then helped Maria learn to skate.

Later in life, Maria talked about rollerskating with Clem, laughing about how he tried to show offand ended up running into a pole. Clem always protested he didn’t run into the pole, he was merely using it to slow himself down.

Eventually, Clem caught his buddy with another girl. According to family lore, Clem told his buddy, “You just blew it.” From then on, he pursued Maria like a man on a mission. It didn’t take long for Maria to decide she loved this handsome American GI. Maria’s family also adored him, and after a whirlwind courtship, Clem married his lovely bride – not once, but three times. Starting on October 22, 1949, the couple had a civil wedding for the city of Trieste, a military wedding for the United States, and a church wedding for the family. Three weddings and a lot of love did the trick: they were married 70 years in all – or 77, if you listened to Clem. He never stopped counting anniversaries, even after the loss of his beloved Maria in 2019.

In October of 1950, their first child, Roy, was born in Trieste, and in 1952 the little family shipped off to America. The Cantus settled in California, where Clem attended college and worked various jobs, while Maria cared for their son. In 1960, their first daughter, Sylvia, was born, followed by Alan in 1962. In 1966, the final Cantu, Karina, was born.

Throughout, Clem maintained his ties to the military as a member of the California Army National Guard, working in Red Bluff for years before becoming the 1st Sergeant in charge of the maintenance shop for the 579th Engineer’s Battalion in Eureka.

The years in Eureka were good ones for the Cantus, filled with family, friends, work and school. Throughout, Clem and Maria raised their family and, one by one, watched them fly the nest. In 1989, Clem retired from the National Guard. He then shifted his focus to the protection of Eureka, working as a member of the Office of Emergency Services, who partnered with the Humboldt Amateur Radio Club (HARC) to provide emergency communications in the event of earthquakes or other disasters. As a member of HARC, Clem also helped provide communications for events such as the Humboldt Redwoods Marathon, and he wrote, edited and distributed the Radio Amateur Information News (RAIN) newsletter for HARC for many years. Additionally, Clem was a member of the Eureka VFW post 883, serving at one point as its Commander.

As happens to us all, the Cantus grew older, but they never lost their sense of humor, nor the love, support and commitment to each other and their family. Maria passed unexpectedly in 2019, which devastated Clem. He never recovered from the loss of his beloved, but continued to live on, bearing witness to family events and milestones, including the birth of his and Maria’s two great-grandchildren.

Clem stayed in his own home to the very end. He was cared for by his family, with daily meals and companionship provided by his children, and weekly loving care provided by the incomparable Whitney Brady of Visiting Angels. In the last week of his life, Hospice of Humboldt stepped in with guidance and support for his children and grandchildren while they provided round-the-clock care for Clem.

On April 8, 2026, at the age 97, Clem passed peacefully at home from congestive heart failure. He is now happily reunited in heaven with his beloved Maria, his siblings, his parents and grandparents, his in-laws, his friends and even his childhood best friend – his dog, Major.

Clem lived an extraordinary life. His family – Roy (Lori), Sylvia (Dan), Alan (Linda), Karina (Kent), his grandkids Samantha (Jared), Natalie (Skylar), Madalyn (Kenneth), and Finnegan (Lillian) and his great-grandchildren Miranda and Teddy – will never forget his jokes, his smile, his wisdom and his love for them all. They wish him and Mama a fabulous eternity together in heaven – even though they will selfishly miss seeing them daily here on Earth.

Postscript: Clem, Maria and their family are strong supporters of our men and women in uniform. They are also appreciative of the care provided for both Clem and Maria by Hospice of Humboldt. Therefore, in lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Clem and Maria’s names to the USO at uso.com, or to Hospice of Humboldt. These two worthy organizations deserve our support, in recognition of and appreciation for the support they provide for others.

Funeral services for Clem will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, April 17, 2026, at Sanders Funeral Home in Eureka. A military service will be held at 2 p.m. the same day at Sunset Memorial Park on Broadway in Eureka. All are welcome to attend. Hats and regalia of active duty military and veterans are appreciated.

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At today’s meeting, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to assemble a working group to explore the ins and outs of creating a “universal representation fund” that would provide legal counsel for local residents facing deportation. The fund would be financed through private donations and grants.

The proposal, brought forth by Fifth District Supervisor Steve Madrone on behalf of a group of McKinleyville residents, asks the county to create a fund that would provide county-allocated grants to local nonprofits (Centro del Pueblo, the Humboldt Immigrant Rights Network and North Coast Legal Aid) to “ensure that any Humboldt resident facing deportation has access to a qualified attorney.” 

Dugan | Screenshot

“This was really a heart-centered action from our neighborhood,” said McKinleyville resident Lisa Dugan. “Seven or eight other counties in California have set up these universal representation funds, and the funds have been set up differently in each county. Some are doing solely county-based … some are using the funds generically to support immigrant families or families who have had a family member detained, and some are actually being used for the representation of people detained by ICE who are potentially facing deportation.”

Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell quickly indicated that she would not feel comfortable moving forward without hearing from certain staff members first.

She said she had spoken with County Administrative Officer (CAO) Elishia Hayes ahead of the meeting to see if Public Defender Luke Brownfield would be available to share his two cents on the proposal, given that his office works with immigration attorneys on criminal cases that relate to deportation. However, Brownfield wasn’t able to make it to the meeting. 

“I would love to have a full, very robust conversation, but I do want all the players to be in the room,” Bushnell said.

Fourth District Supervisor Natalie Arroyo agreed. “This isn’t defined enough for us to, from my perspective, really take action today, even though I appreciate the intent of it very much.”

First District Supervisor Rex Bohn didn’t like the idea of the county getting involved because it would add an unnecessary bureaucratic element to the fund, and instead urged Centro del Pueblo to set up its own fund.

“[Central del Pueblo has] done so much with so little already,” Bohn said, “If we touch your money, donors or anything like that, you’re not going to get the best bang for the buck. … We’ve got great staff, we’ve got great people, but we have a bureaucracy that we have to follow that is beyond repair. … If you get us involved, it’s going to not help the issue.”

Hayes echoed Bohn’s point and suggested that the McKinleyville group, Centro del Pueblo and any other interested parties reach out to a philanthropic organization, such as the Humboldt Area Foundation.

“I would venture to guess that this is a fund that would have a high level of scrutiny and a high level of transparency required around it … so we would need to develop a program, and what that would look like?” Hayes asked. “Who qualifies? How do we track those funds? Who do we contract with to be the fiscal agent or the receiver of those funds? … There are lots of unknowns there.”

The proposal received near-unanimous support from the half-dozen people who spoke during public comment. Brenda Perez, executive director of Centro del Pueblo, urged the board to “keep the conversation going.”

Perez | Screenshot

“I think [the universal representation fund] is a positive policy in the frame of a sanctuary county,” Perez said. “[It is] also a positive message from our local government for the entire community. … Many counties are doing it. Many counties are strengthening this collaboration with non-profits, and this is an example of what we can do to have a positive impact. … The protection that we need urgently.”

Following public comment, Bushnell made a motion to form a working group to investigate the formation of the fund. She nominated Arroyo and Madrone to serve on the group, along with a representative of the public defender’s office, Humboldt Sheriff William Honsal, Department of Health and Human Services Director Connie Beck, a CAO staffer, as well as members of Centro del Pueblo and the McKinleyville group who initiated the proposal. Arroyo seconded the motion.

After a bit of additional conversation, the motion passed in a 4-0 vote, with Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson absent. (Wilson was present for the first part of the meeting, but left shortly after 1 p.m. to catch a flight.)

Humboldt Schools Face Declining Enrollment

A little earlier in the meeting, the board received a report on the state of local education from Humboldt County Superintendent of Schools Michael Davies-Hughes. While the county’s 30 school districts have made strides in recent years — increasing the graduation rate to 91.9%, topping the state average of 87.5%, and expanding learning opportunities through regional partnerships with Cal Poly Humboldt and College of the Redwoods — student enrollment continues to drop.

“Our schools are primarily funded [by] average daily attendance (ADA), or in layman’s terms, butts in seats,” Davies- Hughes explained. “In Humboldt County, our enrollment has been declining since the late 1990s. Interestingly, our student enrollment in 2026 is about the same as it was 45 years ago in 1981. If we have less students attending, then we have less funds to support our schools, which has implications for staffing stability, program offerings and long-term stability.”

Declining enrollment has closed two local schools in the last year. Green Point School, which served rural Redwood Valley students for more than 100 years, shuttered in July 2025. In February, Agnes J. Johnson Charter School in Weott closed amid a financial crisis spurred by a 35% drop in enrollment that began in 2020.

But where are the students going?

“Our charter school enrollment is increasing, but there’s still an overall net decrease in the number of students that we have attending schools in our county,” Davies-Hughes said, adding that many students have also shifted to homeschooling. “And as these patterns change, we need to focus on equitable access and consistent quality across our schools. So beyond enrollments, we’re navigating some other challenges that directly affect learning conditions.”

One of the main challenges is chronic absenteeism, or students who miss 10 or more days of school each year. Humboldt County’s chronic absenteeism rate is 25.5%, several points higher than the state average of 19.4%.

“Over a quarter of our students are chronically absent,” Davies-Hughes said. “That’s lost instructional time and a signal that students and families need stronger support.”

The county also has a high percentage of students with disabilities (17.5% versus 13% statewide), which requires additional staffing and expertise that can be hard to come by in a rural community. And, much like Humboldt County’s health care sector, the office of education has had a difficult time recruiting and retaining qualified people.

Davies-Hughes | Screenshot

“Teachers and administrators are hard to hire and even harder to keep without the right conditions and supports,” Davies-Hughes said. “The bottom line here is that students’ needs are increasing, while the capacity is under strain. Our strategy has to address both at the same time.”

One such strategy is to integrate AI into schools to “help educators work smarter,” enhance personalized learning and improve operations, Davies-Hughes continued, underscoring the importance of implementing AI tools “responsibly and with training.” The office of education is also looking to strengthen early education, increase access to Career Technical Education (CTE) and expand dual-enrollment opportunities to allow students to get both high school and college credit. 

Following the presentation, Bohn acknowledged that the pandemic had a huge impact on student learning. “We all went to computer learning, which opened the door for charter schools, which opened the door for people not to come to brick and mortar,” he said. Bohn added that the “homeschooling numbers have skyrocketed” and asked Davies-Hughes if he knew how many students had made the shift.

“We don’t,” he said. “Homeschool numbers are difficult to track, but those numbers are increasing.”

Arroyo, who requested the state of education report, asked how the office of education works with struggling school districts to avoid closure. Using Green Point School as an example, Davies-Hughes said his office worked with the district to apply for waiver to keep the school open, which had three students enrolled at the time of its closure.

“Ultimately, there needs to be some prospect of increasing enrollment, and Greenpoint … tried all that they could to enroll more students, but there simply aren’t a lot of students down there in Redwood Valley,” Davies-Hughes said. “It was almost inevitable at that point.”

It’s a months-long process that involves the district’s board of directors as well as the county’s committee on school district organization, which helps districts go through the process of consolidating operations.

Bushnell lamented the closure of Agnes J. Johnson School, noting it had been “ a really painful process” for the community. “It’s a process to close a school, and the support that your organization gives is so important in navigating that and to try to relocate those children and their families to a different school district in that same area,” she said.

Wilson closed out the discussion by asking if the office of education had any plans to prohibit cellphones in classrooms. 

“There’s actually a state law that’s in place right now that limits or restricts the use of cell phones in the classroom,” Davies-Hughes said, likely referring to Assembly Bill 3216, which requires every school district, charter school and office of education in the state to adopt a policy limiting or prohibiting cellphone use by July 2026. “There’s a phase-in time for that law to be implemented in schools, but we see across Humboldt County that districts are implementing restrictions on cell phone use.”

“Anecdotal information that I have [from] conversations with superintendents and principals is that it’s an overwhelmingly positive move,” he added. “We’re seeing more conversation occurring in the classroom, less disruption and students just being able to focus.”

The board agreed to receive and file the report.

Bayshore Mall Property Negotiations

The board also approved staff’s proposal to move forward with property negotiations for the sale of the old Sears department store at the Bayshore Mall, even though Home Depot has also expressed interest in buying the property. 

As previously reported by Ryan Burns, the Bayshore Mall, saddled with nearly $39 million in debts, is set to be auctioned off at the county courthouse Friday morning. However, it’s unclear if the Sears section of the mall is a part of the auction.

Reached for additional comment on the matter, county spokesperson Catarina Gallardo confirmed that the Public Works Department is hoping to acquire the old Sears for a one-stop permitting center, but she could not say whether the property would be a part of the upcoming auction.

“Beyond what is included in the agenda item, the County of Humboldt must maintain the integrity of the negotiating process regarding real estate transactions,” she wrote in an emailed response. “For that reason, we are unable to provide further comment at this time.”

I guess we’ll just have to see what shakes out at the Humboldt County Courthouse this Friday!

A man whose 50-years-to-life murder conviction was overturned is set to see a retrial later this month. During a hearing this morning, attorneys indicated they were ready for the retrial of Jake Combs to proceed after months of delays.

34-year-old Combs, in custody wearing an orange jumpsuit, was ordered to appear on April 27 for a jury trial. Attorneys estimated the trial would take three to four weeks.

Deputy District Attorney Carolyn Schaffer said the People will submit a questionnaire for jurors.

In 2023, Combs was convicted of first-degree murder for killing 25-year-old Trevor John Earley of Alderpoint.

But in May 2025, the California First District Court of Appeal overturned his conviction. The court later denied a request by the California Attorney General’s Office for a rehearing on the decision, according to reporting by the North Coast Journal.

The appeals court found Humboldt County Superior Court should not have admitted evidence that, while in jail awaiting trial, Combs attacked another inmate in a wheelchair.

This evidence, the panel of judges found, was inflammatory and prejudicial, the Journal reported.

Evidence including the video footage of the attack played in court, which showed Combs “refusing to stop when ordered to do so until a taser was deployed,” could have shocked and emotionally swayed the jury.

The appeals court said there was a reasonable chance of a result more favorable to Combs if the evidence was not admitted. Combs was convicted by the jury of murder along with a gun enhancement.

Now, Combs’ case is set to be retried after a smattering of delays noted in court minutes and attempts toward rehearing the appeal decision, with Judge Steven Steward poised to preside over the case.

Some previous delays were related to the Public Defender’s efforts to bring a witness to testify, according to court minutes.

Combs was transferred to Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office custody from the Calipatria state prison, according to a July order. He remains incarcerated at the Humboldt County jail without bail. In a 2025 Humboldt County Superior Court case, Combs was accused of possessing methamphetamines in jail around August 2025. He has pleaded not guilty.

The killing of Earley occurred Jan. 2022, when after hours of hanging out, Combs’ Cane Corso bit through Earley’s nose.

Jake Combs in 2022. File photo.

“Earley became upset and threatened the dog. Sometime later, while Earley chatted on the front porch with a friend, Combs retrieved his loaded 9mm pistol from his backpack, walked up to Earley from the side, and, without warning, Combs shot Earley in the head,” the District Attorney’s office said in a press release when he was convicted.

According to reporting from the Times-Standard, Combs admitted to killing Earley while on the stand. He also told police who interviewed him he shot Earley in the head.

But, as the appeals court noted, the 2023 jury’s concern was to consider premeditation and deliberation surrounding the shooting.

A bridge memorializing the 25-year-old victim was dedicated in 2025. He is remembered as a lover of the outdoors with a big heart.

The victim’s family has called for a speedy retrial amid delays, according to reporting from Redheaded Blackbelt.

Deputy Public Defender Emery Welton, Combs’ attorney, and District Attorney Stacey Eads each did not immediately return an emailed request for comment.

PREVIOUSLY:

• 29-Year-Old Arrested in Connection With Alderpoint Homicide This Morning
• Friends and Family of Alderpoint Murder Victim Pack Courtroom as Suspect is Arraigned
• TODAY in COURT: Two Local Murder Cases Moving Forward
• TODAY in COURT: Man Convicted of Rio Dell Murder May Finally be Sentenced Next Month; Alderpoint Murder Suspect Scheduled for Preliminary Hearing
• Alderpoint Murder Suspect Told Cops He Shot Man in the Head to Save His Puppy, Investigator Testifies
• Alderpoint Man Convicted of Murder in 2022 Shooting Prompted by Dog Dispute

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As the dust continues to settle following the abrupt downfall of Democratic U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, the North Coast’s own congressional representative has made his choice from among the crowded field of remaining candidates for governor of California. 

Over the weekend, Rep. Jared Huffman offered his endorsement to billionaire philanthropist and environmentalist Tom Steyer. The Steyer campaign announced this in a press release, which you’ll find below, and the Outpost confirmed the endorsement with Huffman’s office this afternoon.

Steyer, a 63-year-old Manhattan native who founded the hedge fund Farallon Capital and ran for president in 2020, has surged ahead of the Democratic field in most of the latest polls, pulling ahead all candidates except Republican Steve Hilton. (The fortunes of the only other GOP candidate, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, have dimmed after President Trump endorsed Hilton.)

Former U.S. congressmember Katie Porter, like Steyer, hoped to benefit from the sudden exit of former Democratic frontrunner Swalwell, who suspended his campaign and resigned from Congress following a series of sexual assault accusations. 

Steyer’s policy platform focuses on aggressive climate action, economic justice (including a tax on the ultra-rich) and progressive social reforms, such as a proposal to enact universal health care for Californians. 

California’s primary election will take place on June 2. Under California’s top-two system, the pair of candidates with the highest percentage of votes in the primary, regardless of party, will advance to a runoff in November.

Huffman, who serves as the ranking member of the United States House Committee on Natural Resources, highlights Steyer’s commitment to environmental action in his quotes from the Steyer press release, which we’ve reproduced below:

SAN FRANCISCO – Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer continues to build campaign momentum, securing a new endorsement today from Congressman Jared Huffman. Huffman’s backing follows a wave of support for Steyer this weekend, including endorsements from State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas and Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva.

Congressman Huffman, who has represented California’s North Bay and North Coast since his election in 2012, brings significant environmental leadership credentials to his endorsement. He was twice appointed by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi to serve on the United States House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. In addition, he serves on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and holds a leadership role as Vice Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

“Californians need a governor who leads with reason, science, and a commitment to confronting climate change and powerful special interests,” said Congressman Jared Huffman. “Tom Steyer has spent his career advancing bold climate action and standing up to Big Oil and special interests that threaten our environment and our future. We need a leader who will take on fossil fuel companies, protect our natural resources, and build a more affordable California. This is our moment to stop the undoing of decades of environmental progress and protect our future for generations to come. Tom Steyer is the only clear choice in this race.”

“Congressman Jared Huffman has been a relentless champion for climate action and protecting California’s natural resources,” said Tom Steyer. “I’m deeply grateful for his endorsement and proud to have his support. Jared has never backed down from taking on Big Oil or defending science and our environment. Together, we’re going to hold polluters accountable, make them pay for the damage they’ve caused, and deliver real relief for California families.”

Huffman joins a long list of elected officials, grassroots organizers, and unions who stand with Steyer. See the full list of endorsers here.