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

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Riverside County Sheriff and Republican gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco denied any wrongdoing after his office gained permission to seize and recount hundreds of thousands of ballots from a judge who has publicly praised him, calling it purely coincidental.

“It’s impossible to know who the duty judge is on that day,” he said in an interview Thursday, in which he defended his controversial investigation into alleged “irregularities” in the 2025 Proposition 50 election as akin to any other criminal probe. “It happened to be a particular judge.”

Bianco.

Bianco’s investigation and seizure of more than 600,000 ballots from the Riverside County registrar of voters last month has alarmed elections experts. Since Feb. 9, Bianco’s office has obtained three court-approved warrants allowing him to seize and count 1,000 boxes of ballots cast last November.

Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a court filing that Bianco seized 426 additional boxes of election materials this week.

A sheriff has never seized ballots en masse for a criminal investigation in state history, Bonta said in filings.

Bonta on Thursday filed his second lawsuit seeking to stop his effort; the UCLA Voter Rights Project and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra also filed a lawsuit in the state Supreme Court on behalf of four Riverside County voters, arguing that Bianco’s moves violate state laws governing who is allowed to handle and count votes.

Secretary of State Shirley Weber has also condemned the ballot seizures, particularly Bianco’s plan to have sheriff’s deputies who are not trained in elections administration re-count the ballots.

Bianco said Thursday he expects a judge to appoint a special monitor to oversee the count, which he hopes will take about a week to conduct.

Bianco’s move comes as the Trump administration continues pushing baseless claims of fraud in the 2020 election and mirrors the February FBI seizure of 2020 ballots cast in Fulton County, Georgia.

Bianco, a Trump supporter, is neck-and-neck with fellow Republican Steve Hilton for the lead in the governor’s race. Bonta and Weber, both Democrats, are also running for re-election.

Bianco has insisted his efforts are unrelated to his campaign and are not meant to re-litigate the outcome of the statewide special election, in which 56% of Riverside County voters approved Prop. 50, the Democratic ballot measure to gerrymander the state’s congressional districts.

Voter fraud remains rare

Voter fraud is rare in California and nationally, repeated studies have found. In Riverside County, Bianco has been probing the elections system since late 2022 and said he has “not found any mass fraud in Riverside County in elections.”

But earlier this year a local elections-related activist group called the Riverside Election Integrity Team claimed to Bianco’s office that elections officials had inflated the number of ballots counted.

Registrar of Voters Art Tinoco told county supervisors last month the group was relying on incomplete data about how many ballots were cast that did not include confidential, provisional and other ballots. Bianco on Thursday called the explanation “some excuse.”

Bonta’s first attempt to stop the recount failed on Tuesday when an appeals court rejected the case. That case revealed that the warrants allowing the ballot seizure were signed by Riverside Superior Court Judge Jay Kiel, whom Bianco endorsed when Kiel ran for the bench in 2022.

Kiel is a former Riverside County deputy district attorney who ran for judge on a slate with three other prosecutors. They were jointly endorsed by the local Republican Party, Bianco, law enforcement groups and Our Watch, a conservative group run by local pastor Tim Thompson aiming to “increase the influence of Judeo-Christian values” in government.

Bianco, who has also appeared in Our Watch videos and headlined a fundraiser for Thompson’s political spending committee, wrote on social media in 2022 that Kiel and his fellow prosecutors should be elected judges “to help rein in political activism destroying the justice system.”

In an interview with Thompson on Our Watch’s social media pages in 2022, Kiel praised his then-boss, District Attorney Mike Hestrin, and Bianco.

“The people of Riverside County, I don’t think sometimes they realize how fortunate they are,” Kiel said. “These two are unbelievable when it comes to enforcing the law. … We’re so fortunate to have Chad Bianco.”

The warrant requests were assigned to Kiel because he was the “duty judge” that day, said Kareem Gongora, a spokesperson for Riverside County Superior Court. Gongora declined to comment on Kiel’s ties to the sheriff. Kiel could not be reached for comment.

Typically California courts assign duty judges on a rotating schedule to consider warrant requests from police on any given day, and it’s common for prosecutors and law enforcement to know who is on duty, prosecutors in several other counties told CalMatters. Gongora would not say whether that schedule is circulated to law enforcement in Riverside County.

Bianco bristled when asked whether he knew Kiel was on duty on Feb. 9, the day his office obtained its first warrant, and when asked whether their endorsements of each other posed a conflict of interest. He said sheriff’s deputies never know which judge is on duty.

“This notion that I am corrupt because Democrats are corrupt, and they expect everyone is corrupt just like them, is absolutely false,” he said.

Warrants remain under seal

Jerry Fineman, a former Riverside County prosecutor who retired in 2021 and who now lives out of state, said prosecutors typically knew who the judge on duty was but deputies commonly walk into court without knowing. Fineman has worked with both Kiel and Bianco and said Kiel’s prior assignments as a prosecutor in narcotics cases indicate that he would be “very familiar with the legal requirements of a warrant.”

Bianco also refused to release the warrants. Under state statute, search warrants and the sworn statements police make with evidence supporting their investigation must be executed within 10 days of being issued, after which they become public records. But Kiel has ordered the warrants sealed, which judges can do in limited circumstances to protect confidential informants. Fineman said warrants are typically sealed so as not to alert a suspect of an investigation.

Bonta’s office has reviewed the statements and warrants and, in his lawsuits, argues they fail to establish enough evidence of any crimes to justify seizing the ballots.

“That’s all the more compelling reason that these warrant packages should be made public, that people should be able to see them themselves,” said David Loy, legal director of the First Amendment Coalition. “It should very much be the rule, not the exception, that warrant packages are open to the public.”

Bianco refused, despite the already public nature of the investigation, and said 90% of the warrants he’s obtained in his three-decade law enforcement career have been sealed. He chastised reporters for treating the investigation differently from “a domestic violence case, a murder case, a robbery case.”

“Don’t you act like this is out of the ordinary,” he said. “You all are making it political. We are doing the same thing we do every single day, and I’m not going to justify it to people that have no idea or who are making things up to make it look like we are doing something out of the ordinary, or illegal or hidden or anything else. This is normal law enforcement.”

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Anat Rubin and Cayla Mihalovich contributed reporting.

Johanna Marguerite Hamel passed away peacefully in Arcata on March 20, 2026, from pancreatic cancer. She will be remembered for her wit, her friendship, her integrity and her parties. Her many friends and loved ones deeply appreciated her positivity and that she truly lived life on her own terms.

“JoMama” Hamel was born in Wingdale, N.Y., on June 5, 1962, to Hanora Ita Hamel (Dore) of Limerick, Ireland and Armand Anthony Hamel of Wingdale, NY. A high school valedictorian and three-sport all-county athlete, Johanna went on to play field hockey at Brown University. Upon graduating, she bought a one-way ticket to California and never looked back. She had a blast bartending at the comedy club The Other Cafe in San Francisco where the likes of Robin Williams and Ellen DeGeneres were regulars, and then moved to remote southern Humboldt County, started a family and built a homestead on 40 acres with a panoramic view of nothing but nature.

Johanna’s values drove her lifestyle – she worked in solar energy to learn how to build her house off-grid, and in sustainable building materials so her home could give more than it took from the land she loved. An expert landscaper, her vast gardens remain stunning. She contributed constantly to her community, coaching any team that needed it and teaching countless kids how to dribble a basketball – memories that made her smile until her last day. In 2016, she drove a truckload of medical supplies to Standing Rock to support those protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline and worked in the base camp providing childcare, sports and games for the kids whose parents were on the front line. Much of her renown in Humboldt County and beyond was as a radio DJ, most notably on KMUD where she hosted “JoMama’s Blues” for 35 years, making it the longest-running blues show west of Chicago.

Johanna maintained friendships with folks of all ages and from all walks of life. She could always be relied on to show up, work hard and find humor in any situation. She had much to be thankful for and reflected in her final days on some of her proudest moments, including her children’s university graduations from Brown, Stanford, UC San Diego and Columbia, seeing her son purchase his first home and watching her daughter represent the United States in the 2022 Rugby World Cup. Above all, she felt at peace knowing her family is safe, happy and loved.

Johanna is survived by her son Connor (Anna Kashtanova) of Oakland and her daughter Evelyn (Daniel Leyva) of San Diego; grandchildren Jade Ashenbrucker, Kieran Leyva and Baby Leyva (on the way!); sisters Clare Santora of Massachusetts and Yvonne Miller of Kansas; nieces Alexandra, Amanda and Elizabeth; and great-nephew Hudson.

She is also survived by her life partner Katy Stern of Arcata, with whom she shared decades of love and laughter; Zack Stern (Eden Golub) of McKinleyville and granddaughter Eleanora Stern.

She is preceded in death by her mother Ita, her father Armand and her brother Cornelius. In lieu of flowers, her wish is that donations be made to the Betty Kwan Chinn Homeless Foundation toward their youth summer camps.

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

Thousands are expected to show up Saturday at the third “No Kings” protest in Eureka. Demonstrations are planned in a handful of communities across Humboldt County as part of a massive nation-wide protest against President Donald Trump.

“We want people to just come and protest anything and everything that Trump is doing that makes him a king, that makes him a tyrant, that makes him a dictator, that makes him a fascist,” said AJ, a 50501 organizer who provided a nickname to avoid getting doxxed.

AJ expects two to four thousand people to show up beside the Humboldt County Courthouse.

“I think it’s just going to be absolutely huge,” she said.

The protest, scheduled for 12-2 p.m. outside the Humboldt County Superior Court, is part of a nationwide push.

National No Kings organizers, which include people from activist groups Indivisible and the 50501 Movement, say over 3,000 events are planned across the country. They predict the day will be the largest protest in U.S. history.

The first No Kings protest was in response to Donald Trump ordering a military parade on his birthday.

AJ said the movement is still pushing back against a spread of the Trump Administration’s actions — like the war in Iran and the deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in airports.

Demonstrators can expect poetry, speakers and musical acts. Activists will be collecting food for Food Not Bombs and raising funds for Rick Toledo, who was arrested recently by Cal Poly Humboldt police.

Previous No Kings protests have drawn thousands in Eureka, including a June 2025 event where protesters walked past marshals and blocked U.S. 101.

AJ said Saturday’s protest doesn’t include plans to shut any streets, and organizers have trained safety marshals to smooth over interactions with possible counter protesters and to keep people off the road.

At Eureka protests in January, one man was arrested after allegedly brandishing a chemical agent at protesters and another was arrested after pulling his car onto the sidewalk.

Eureka police spokesperson Rachel Sollom said in an email that commanders and Chief Brian Stephens will be on scene Saturday.

In Humboldt County, similar protests are planned in Trinidad, Ferndale, Shelter Cove and Garberville, according to AJ and the No Kings map. 

Ted Pease, a spokesperson for Indivisible Trinidad, said he wouldn’t be surprised if 100 people showed up Saturday.

“Every day is a new atrocity in this administration,” he said, pointing to “disregard for constitutional liberties.”

Weekly protests are held along Main Street in Trinidad. Some of Indivisible Trinidad’s members were part of marches in the 1960s opposing the Vietnam war, Pease noted.

“They’re deeply, deeply concerned about the future of this country. There’s nothing happy about that. But these are optimists, and they don’t turn out to say what they think at a protest if they weren’t hopeful they could make a difference,” he said.

Trinidad protesters will meet at the whale sculpture on Main Street near the Chevron station, march a 0.5 mile loop through town at 12:15 p.m., down Main and Trinity streets to the harbor, and then back to the start using Ocean and View streets.

A rally will follow the march on both sides of Main Street. Organizers ask attendees to park in the field behind Murphy’s Market.

PREVIOUSLY:

• Massive ‘No Kings’ Protest Draws Thousands to Eureka Today; Fifth Street Temporarily Closed at the Courthouse But is Now Open Again
• ‘No Kings’ Protest in Eureka Draws Thousands

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PREVIOUSLY

• A Big New Parking Lot in the Bottoms? Cal Poly Humboldt Hopes to Ease its Parking Woes By Building 200+ New Spaces Across Town

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If you missed the chance last year to share your two cents on Cal Poly Humboldt’s Foster Campus Connectivity Project, I’ve got good news for you! 

The university is recirculating the Draft Initial Study/Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for the proposed project — a 212-space student parking lot and campus shuttle station slated for a vacant 16.7-acre parcel at 2000 Foster Avenue — which has been modified to include a new trail along the old railroad that runs through the Arcata Bottoms. The public comment period ends on April 2. 

Wait, isn’t this old news? Didn’t LoCO already report on this “new” trail at the end of last year? Well, yes, but that was before the university amended the environmental documents to address some of the concerns that came about during the initial public review. The modified IS/MND can be found here.

The idea for the trail came about in response to safety concerns over increased bicycle and pedestrian traffic along Foster Avenue, which is bisected by McDaniel Slough, as seen in the aerial view below. Running a short trail through the slough would create a straight shot from the proposed parking lot to the intersection of Foster Avenue and Heather Lane and create a safer route for students to get to and from campus.

“The Foster Campus is just over a mile from campus, so a major focus of the project is making the route to and from campus easier, sustainable, and convenient,” Mike Fisher, the university’s interim vice president for administration and finance, told the Outpost. “Community feedback emphasized the need for non-vehicle options, and focusing pedestrians off of Foster Avenue to the west of McDaniel Slough. The pedestrian and bike path is a natural extension of those efforts, helping improve direct connectivity to Foster Avenue over McDaniel Slough and support sustainable mobility.”

The environmental documents were also adjusted to address neighborhood concerns around the frequency of the campus shuttle service, which was scheduled to stop at the Foster Avenue parking lot every 15 minutes. (“Would you want shuttles going down your street every 15 minutes?” Arcata resident Brittney Villigran asked at a city council meeting last year.) Now, the shuttle will run every 30 minutes, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The IS/MND determined that the project “would have either no impact or a less than significant impact” on most of the issue areas outlined in the “environmental checklist,” which covers air quality, agriculture and forest resources, soils, hydrology and water quality, among other things. 

“Potentially significant impacts were identified for aesthetics, biological resources, cultural resources, noise, and tribal cultural resources; however, mitigation measures included in the Recirculated IS/MND would reduce all impacts to a less than significant level,” the document states. 

The Foster Campus Connectivity Project is just one component of the university’s long-term vision for the “Foster Avenue District,” as seen below. The Campus Physical Plan, which is also in the middle of a public review process, envisions the 16.7-acre site as a hub for athletics, with three “state-of-the-art” sports fields, an indoor athletics complex, “upper division” housing and a pond.

Construction on the new parking lot and trail is expected to begin this summer and wrap up in February 2027, depending on the length of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review process.

Those interested can email written comments to ceqa@humboldt.edu with the subject line “Foster Campus Connectivity Project.” More information, including links to the documents, can be found here.

Press release from the Yurok Tribe:

The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has awarded the Yurok Tribe $12 million through the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) Round II to develop a Peer Respite Center as part of its expanding behavioral health infrastructure in the Weitchpec area.

This major project includes a culturally grounded, non-clinical, peer-supported facility designed to serve individuals experiencing mental health challenges, including those transitioning from inpatient treatment, crisis stabilization settings, or requiring step-down support to prevent higher levels of care. The center will complement clinical and youth‑focused facilities planned for construction nearby. 

The Peer Respite Center is a critical component of the Tribe’s continuum of care, addressing identified gaps in post-treatment recovery support and helping prevent unnecessary hospitalization or re-hospitalization. The facility will enhance local capacity by providing a structured, home-like environment where individuals can stabilize, receive peer-based support, and reconnect with family, culture, and community.

Developed in alignment with BHCIP program requirements, the project supports the Tribe’s long-term expansion of behavioral health infrastructure and will operate in coordination with the Wah-sekw Won Yurok Health and Wellness Center and Youth Center to create an integrated system of care.

“Working in unison, these three facilities will provide treatment close to home, helping people stay connected to family while benefiting from a broad range of supportive services,” said Joseph L. James, Chairman of the Yurok Tribe. “The Peer Respite Center reflects our commitment to building a sovereign, community-driven behavioral health system that meets the needs of our people today and for generations to come.”

The Peer Respite Center will serve Tribal members and other Native individuals experiencing behavioral health needs within the region, with a focus on culturally responsive, trauma-informed support services.

Funded through the State of California’s Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond, the project will be implemented in accordance with DHCS requirements and applicable federal and Tribal compliance frameworks. The facility is expected to be operational by June 2031.

Wellness and Youth Centers

Located near Weitchpec, the Wah-sekw Won Yurok Health and Wellness Center will encompass approximately 26,000 square feet and include 53 inpatient beds, with accommodations for both men and women. This facility will provide inpatient behavioral health services, including mental health and substance use disorder treatment, as well as outpatient services such as behavioral health counseling and primary care. Services will be available to Yurok Tribal members, all Native Americans and the broader community.

The model of care is designed to deliver comprehensive, holistic services that address physical, mental, social, and cultural health needs across the lifespan—from infants to elders.

 The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has awarded the Yurok Tribe $12 million through the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) Round II to develop a Peer Respite Center as part of its expanding behavioral health infrastructure in the Weitchpec area.

This major project includes a culturally grounded, non-clinical, peer-supported facility designed to serve individuals experiencing mental health challenges, including those transitioning from inpatient treatment, crisis stabilization settings, or requiring step-down support to prevent higher levels of care. The center will complement clinical and youth‑focused facilities planned for construction nearby.

The Peer Respite Center is a critical component of the Tribe’s continuum of care, addressing identified gaps in post-treatment recovery support and helping prevent unnecessary hospitalization or re-hospitalization. The facility will enhance local capacity by providing a structured, home-like environment where individuals can stabilize, receive peer-based support, and reconnect with family, culture, and community.

Developed in alignment with BHCIP program requirements, the project supports the Tribe’s long-term expansion of behavioral health infrastructure and will operate in coordination with the Wah-sekw Won Yurok Health and Wellness Center and Youth Center to create an integrated system of care.

“Working in unison, these three facilities will provide treatment close to home, helping people stay connected to family while benefiting from a broad range of supportive services,” said Joseph L. James, Chairman of the Yurok Tribe. “The Peer Respite Center reflects our commitment to building a sovereign, community-driven behavioral health system that meets the needs of our people today and for generations to come.”

The Peer Respite Center will serve Tribal members and other Native individuals experiencing behavioral health needs within the region, with a focus on culturally responsive, trauma-informed support services.

Funded through the State of California’s Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond, the project will be implemented in accordance with DHCS requirements and applicable federal and Tribal compliance frameworks. The facility is expected to be operational by June 2031.

Wellness and Youth Centers

Located near Weitchpec, the Wah-sekw Won Yurok Health and Wellness Center will encompass approximately 26,000 square feet and include 53 inpatient beds, with accommodations for both men and women. This facility will provide inpatient behavioral health services, including mental health and substance use disorder treatment, as well as outpatient services such as behavioral health counseling and primary care. Services will be available to Yurok Tribal members, all Native Americans and the broader community.

The model of care is designed to deliver comprehensive, holistic services that address physical, mental, social, and cultural health needs across the lifespan—from infants to elders.

The Tribe anticipates breaking ground on the Health and Wellness Center this summer, with construction completion targeted for Spring 2028. All project development and implementation will be conducted under the sovereign authority of the Yurok Tribe and in accordance with applicable Tribal laws, policies, and governance processes.

Concurrently, in Weitchpec, California, the Yurok Youth Behavioral Health Center will be developed utilizing an Alcove-Based Model of Care, designed to support small-group, trauma-informed, and culturally grounded healing environments. The Tribe anticipates breaking ground on the Youth Center this summer.

The 10,500-square-foot Youth Behavioral Health facility will provide access to Yurok Behavioral Health staff, licensed therapists, and external service providers. The center will include a dedicated computer station for telehealth and virtual medical appointments, a calming space for youth, a pantry, a game room, and a classroom to support mutual support groups and parenting education. In addition, the site will feature an outdoor amphitheater and a traditional sweathouse to promote cultural engagement and holistic wellness.

The Tribe anticipates breaking ground on the Health and Wellness Center this summer, with construction completion targeted for Spring 2028. All project development and implementation will be conducted under the sovereign authority of the Yurok Tribe and in accordance with applicable Tribal laws, policies, and governance processes.

Concurrently, in Weitchpec, California, the Yurok Youth Behavioral Health Center will be developed utilizing an Alcove-Based Model of Care, designed to support small-group, trauma-informed, and culturally grounded healing environments. The Tribe anticipates breaking ground on the Youth Center this summer.

The 10,500-square-foot Youth Behavioral Health facility will provide access to Yurok Behavioral Health staff, licensed therapists, and external service providers. The center will include a dedicated computer station for telehealth and virtual medical appointments, a calming space for youth, a pantry, a game room, and a classroom to support mutual support groups and parenting education. In addition, the site will feature an outdoor amphitheater and a traditional sweathouse to promote cultural engagement and holistic wellness.

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Exciting news arrives this morning regarding Humboldt County’s most beautiful old movie palace: The historic Eureka Theater, which now operates as a nonprofit, has landed a $48,870.44 T-Mobile Hometown Grant that will be used to upgrade the sound, lighting and production equipment.

Scott Adair, vice president of the Eureka Concert and Film Center’s board of directors, tells the Outpost that the theater’s grant bid was one of only 25 to be selected for funding among roughly 900 applicants.

Board President Gregg Foster said, “We are very grateful to T-Mobile for their support of the Eureka Theater. This investment will improve our sound and lighting systems and will benefit the many community groups that we serve.”

The theater, built in the elegant Streamline Moderne style (a descendant of Art Deco), opened in 1939, which was a landmark year for cinema: “The Wizard of Oz,” “Gone With the Wind,” “Stagecoach,” “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” … the list goes on.

“The Eureka Theater was a beautiful, ultra-modern movie theater when constructed in 1939 and was an expression of optimism and confidence in Eureka and Humboldt County as they pulled out of the Depression,” the website notes.

But the 87 intervening years haven’t been entirely kind to the theater (nor to the city and county, truth be told). After being divided into a triplex in 1978, the theater stopped showing first-run movies in 1996 amid competition from a multiplex inside the Bayshore Mall called The Movies, Eureka’s Broadway Cinemas (which opened in 1995), the State Theatres on Indianola (which didn’t last much longer) and The Minor and Arcata theaters.

The once-gleamingly modern movie palace has suffered some wear and tear, but its volunteer committees and a board of directors have worked hard in recent years to pursue funding opportunities while hosting a wide array of events, including live music performances, classic film screenings, fundraisers and community events.

“The Eureka Theater board is embarking on an ambitious program of improvements to make the dream of a restored and vibrant community gathering place a reality,” Foster said, adding, ” Stay tuned for more good news!”

Below is some more information about the T-Mobile Hometown Grant program, which will end after just one more round of funding. (Deadline to apply is March 31; click the link for details.)

T-Mobile today announced the latest 25 Hometown Grants recipients, including, for the first time, a town in North Dakota. With the latest and second-to-last round, T-Mobile has invested more than $21.5 million in grants to 475 small towns and rural communities across 49 states and Puerto Rico over the last four years.

Since Hometown Grants started in April 2021, the program has impacted 2.8 million people and created nearly 2,700 jobs. With up to $50,000 awarded per town, communities have used the funding on projects that strengthen communities and improve lives, with this round including a new STEM initiative for students, a revitalized historic school building and transforming a barn into a community hub.  

“Nearly five years ago, we launched this program to invest in small towns with big ideas and help turn local vision into meaningful impact,” said Jon Freier, Chief Operating Officer, T-Mobile. “Across 475 communities, thousands have come together to create positive change, contributing nearly 300,000 volunteer hours and proving what’s possible when heart and community pride lead the way.”

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Ed. note: “Community Energy Insights” is a monthly column from the people at the Redwood Coast Energy Authority, Humboldt County’s intergovernmental joint-powers authority on all things electrical. Look for it on the last Thursday of the month.

This week’s column is by RCEA Customer Programs Director Stephen Kullman.

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A new effort led by Redwood Coast Energy Authority is bringing more energy efficiency resources to rural Northern California. The Northern Rural Energy Network (NREN) was developed to make sure rural communities receive their fair share of energy efficiency funding and services. The program is designed specifically for the unique needs of rural areas and is already launching programs to help households, businesses, public agencies and tribes save energy and lower costs.

The effort is meant to address a long-standing challenge for rural communities.

It probably won’t surprise anyone that rural communities across Northern California experience higher energy burdens than more populated regions of the state. Energy burden refers to the share of household income that goes toward energy bills. There are several reasons for this. Energy costs are high, especially for people who rely on propane or other delivered fuels, many homes and buildings are older and average incomes tend to be lower.

Most of us also know that improving energy efficiency — using less electricity to do the same amount of work — is one way to help lower energy bills while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. What many people may not realize is that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) collects a small amount of money from all ratepayers to fund energy efficiency programs. It amounts to roughly 1% of an average energy bill. These programs are very successful at reducing energy use across the state.

Energy efficiency programs do not just assist homeowners. They are also designed to help schools, public buildings and commercial buildings operate more efficiently, which saves money over time. Unfortunately, these programs have historically been designed in ways that favor more urban areas. Up here in Northern California, we have not received the same level of energy efficiency services that we have paid for through our energy bills.

As the energy advocate for Humboldt County, Redwood Coast Energy Authority wanted to know why this was the case.

Energy efficiency programs in California are mostly run by Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs), such as PG&E. These programs must meet strict cost-effectiveness rules. Because of this, contractors can often make more profit working on projects for larger customers located close together in urban areas. Working with smaller customers spread across rural regions like Humboldt County simply takes more time and travel.

There is even an official term for communities like ours: “Hard-to-Reach.” Taking the time to travel longer distances and work with customers, rural schools, under-staffed towns, community service districts and our many Tribal Nations often does not make economic sense under traditional program rules. As a result, rural communities are frequently left behind when it comes to energy efficiency upgrades.

Local contractors face challenges as well. Statewide programs have complex participation requirements that can be difficult for rural, smaller-scale contractors to meet. On top of that, unreliable grid connections and older housing stock can create additional barriers for customers who want to make upgrades. Recognizing these challenges, RCEA decided to do something about them.

RCEA now leads NREN, working in partnership with four other agencies across 17 rural Northern California counties. Together, this network ensures that energy efficiency funds paid by local ratepayers are invested in ways that directly benefit the communities they come from. NREN operates with a “for rural, by rural” philosophy to design and deliver programs tailored to the region’s unique needs.

These programs currently serve Humboldt, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Lake, Lassen, Mariposa, Mendocino, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra, Sutter, Tuolumne and Yuba counties, with plans to expand to neighboring counties in the coming years. NREN was officially approved by the CPUC toward the end of 2024 as one of the state’s newest Regional Energy Networks, also known as RENs. These networks are designed to serve customers and fill gaps not met by large IOU programs.

NREN programs serve homeowners and renters, small businesses, public agencies and tribes. They will also focus on improving workforce education and training and making energy efficiency financing more accessible. While some programs are still under development, others are already available.

RCEA staff members Stephen Kullman, Shea Donnelly, and Patricia Terry, who work on administering the NREN program.

For example, NREN offers phone-based home energy assessments at no cost! One of our energy advisors will help identify where you can save energy and money. They can also advise you on upgrades you might be considering and connect you with programs such as our equipment rebate program.

NREN currently provides rebates for a variety of energy upgrades, including more efficient cooking, washing, drying and water heating equipment. Our popular heat pump rebate program is currently paused while the CPUC revises its requirements, but we hope to reopen it soon and will be sure to get the word out once it is back online. If you are not ready to invest in new equipment, we can still help.

We would be happy to send you a free energy efficiency kit. These kits include high-efficiency LED bulbs, weather-stripping and faucet aerators, along with useful tools like a smart power strip and an energy meter to help you track your energy use.

More programs will launch this summer. These programs will provide incentives for local participating contractors to install energy-efficient equipment in homes and businesses. Through existing programs, RCEA already works closely with public agencies, schools, tribes and other partners throughout the county and NREN will allow us to expand that work and bring more funding into Humboldt.

This funding will support the organizations that serve our communities and the local contractors who will be doing this work. We will also be launching partnerships to support workforce training at all levels, helping ensure that local rural workers benefit from the programs we offer.

At NREN, we recognize that high energy bills are a burden and that upgrades can be expensive. Our goal is to make sure the dollars you already pay to support energy efficiency programs are spent locally and provide the greatest benefit to our rural communities.

For more information or to enroll in any of our programs, please visit RCEA or NREN. You can also email info@redwoodenergy.org or call 707-269-1700. We are here locally and happy to help.