Samasoni Talavou Fonoti (49) of Eureka passed away peacefully on January 27, 2026 at home surrounded by his loved ones. 

Samasoni was born on January 30, 1976 in Pago Pago, American Samoa at LBJ Hospital in Faga‘alu village to Fa’apisa Togafau Talamaivao and Toga La‘u Fonoti Sr. He was raised in Samoa until the age of 11 — a place that deeply shaped his values, strength and lifelong devotion to his family, faith and culture. He carried his Samoan heritage with pride everywhere he went, grounded in respect, solid in values, always putting family first, and carrying himself with dignity and purpose.

Growing up with a competitive spirit, Samasoni stayed active playing the sports he loved: baseball, basketball, football, and rugby. In 1987 he traveled with the American Samoa Youth Baseball Team to Honolulu, Hawai‘i. He remained there and lived with Aunty Isu Miller and her family who welcomed him with love and guidance. He attended Alva Scott Elementary School and ‘Aiea High School, graduating in 1994. During his years in Hawaii Samasoni continued to grow both academically and personally, forming lifelong friendships, deepening his sense of responsibility and independence. 

In 1998, Samasoni moved to Eureka with his father and little brother to attend College of the Redwoods and live alongside his older brother, Toga Fonoti Jr. Soon after, he met his wife Keaka (Roberts) Fonoti, and they were blessed with seven children: Talimaivou, Fa’apisa, Malia, Puletele, Tamasili, Samasoni Jr., and Kalea Fonoti. His children were his greatest joy. He took immense pride in each of them, always encouraging, teaching, and supporting them along the way. Samasoni was the foundation of his family, leading with integrity, wisdom and a strong work ethic that spoke louder than words. His family was the center of his world and everything he did was for them.

Throughout his life, he delivered newspapers, worked at Daiei Market, JCPenney, Sequoia Park Zoo, Costco #125, and in 2020 established his own restaurant. Island Delight held a special place in his heart for the following four years. He was deeply involved in every aspect and took great pride in running his family-owned business. He personally perfected his authentic Hawaiian recipes such as his Onolicious Chicken Katsu and Sweet and Sour Spareribs, along with his homemade sauces (all made from scratch with lots of love). These quickly became favorites among customers who raved about the tasty flavor. Cooking and sharing food became another way for Samasoni to connect with people, express his culture and give to others.  

Samasoni will be remembered as a man of dedication, generosity, strong will and kind-heartedness. His laughter filled rooms. His wisdom carried others forward and in a life shaped by humility he listened more than he spoke. Though our hearts are heavy we take comfort in knowing he passed surrounded by love and is welcomed with open arms in Heaven.

Samasoni is survived by his loving wife, Keaka Fonoti; his children Talimaivao Lokomaikaiokalani Fonoti, Fa’apisa Peleina Fonoti, Malia Atamai Fonoti, Puletele Talila Fonoti, Tamasili Fa’asoa Fonoti, Samasoni Makanatogiola Fonoti Jr. and Kalea Laginatia Fonoti; and his siblings Mila Fonoti, Fiti Fonoti, Sally Fonoti, Toga Fonoti Jr. and Susie Fonoti. He was preceded in death by his parents, Toga La‘u Fonoti Sr. and Fa’apisa Togafau Talamaivao, and his younger brother Talavou Fonoti. 

Services will take place on Friday, Feb. 20, at:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
2806 Dolbeer St., Eureka, CA 95501
Viewing: 9 a.m. | Service: 11:30 a.m. 

Burial:

2 p.m. at Ocean View Cemetery, 3975 Broadway, Eureka.

In lieu of flowers, to honor Samasoni’s life and legacy, a fund has been set up to support his family. Monetary donations are deeply appreciated and will help assist the loved ones he devoted his life to. 

GoFundMe link.

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

Glenn E. Legg, age 95, of Eureka, passed peacefully on February 5, 2026, at Timber Ridge in Eureka, with family by his side.

Born April 7, 1930, in Eureka to Mannon and Beatrice Titus Legg, Glenn grew up in Rohnerville, graduating in 1948 from Fortuna High School. After graduation, Glenn worked in the timber and trucking industry for more than 50 years, first at Hammond Lumber Company and then Pacific Lumber Company. In 1958 he went to work for Redwood Construction Company for more than 25 years as a log truck driver, truck boss and safety supervisor. He ended his career as a log truck owner/operator for ten years retiring in 1993.

He enjoyed his deer and elk hunting trips with his hunting buddies both locally and in Colorado. Over the years other hobbies he enjoyed were camping, water skiing, fishing, golf, reading and RV traveling. In 1993 Glenn and his wife Mary took an RV trip around the United States, stopping in Casa Grande, Arizona to visit friends. They liked the area so much in 1994 they returned for one month, and in 1995 for two months and from that time on they went every year for six months until 2021.

Glenn was a past member of Redwood Empire Golf and Country Club in Fortuna and Big Foot Golf and Country Club in Willow Creek. He was a member of the Eureka Elks Lodge #652 and an avid San Francisco Giants and ‘49ers fan.

Glenn enjoyed a good argument and most of the time felt he was right.

Glenn is survived by his wife of 56 years, Mary Lee Legg; children Rob Legg (Kristine) of Eureka, Karen Gallagher (Jim) of Big Lake, Alaska; step-children Louise Goff (John) of Eureka, Lois Lee Busey (Gene Rinne) of Eureka and Robert Annis (Peggy) of Eureka, and two grandchildren, three step-grandchildren and six step-great-grandchildren.

The family would like to thank Timber Ridge of Eureka and Hospice of Humboldt for their excellent care and compassion. At Glenn’s request there will be no funeral service. Memorial contributions can be made to the donor’s charity of choice.

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

Sandra Ellen Lingle, 86, of Eureka, passed away in the early morning of January 20, 2026, at the Hospice House of Humboldt.

She was born December 10, 1939, in New Haven, Connecticut to Camille and Arthur Johnson Sr. As the eldest sibling, she took pride in helping to care for her younger siblings whom she loved dearly. She graduated from Hill House High School and became a Connecticut state-licensed barber. She moved to California in 1978 and landed in Eureka in 1980. She also worked in banking, was a restaurant manager for many years, a case worker for income maintenance for the State of California and a union representative for her department. 

Sandra was a fierce defender of animal rights since she was a child. She took in dogs and cats of all kinds, giving them all her love and care through their old ages. She also cared deeply for the birds, always making sure the many bird feeders around her house were full. She very much enjoyed going bird watching as well, osprey being one of her favorites.

Sandra was preceded in death by brothers Richard Johnson, Peter Johnson and Arthur Johnson Junior. She was also preceded by many of her pets that she cared for and loved dearly; Minnie, Little Guy, Natia, Kia, Elle, Winnie, Fat Cat, KittyCoo, Hinckley, Walter, Snuggie, Lou, Hanns, Duncan, Cricket, Carrie, Winston and many others.

Sandra is survived by her sisters: Jane Ciarlone (Tony) and Debra Johnson (Maggie Goodwin); her children: John Sapiente (Leslie), Michael Sapiente, Bridgette Kubaki and Chadd Lingle; her grandchildren: Camille Sathrum (Andrew), Jennifer Sapiente, Zack Sapiente, Michelle Miller (Joseph), Ivan Kubaki and Atticus Kubaki; her great-grandchildren: Abigail Sathrum, Chloe Sathrum, Isaac Sathrum, Kyle Miller, Noah Miller and Jace Miller; her great-great-grandchild Hazel Miller and her beloved cat Pookie.

She was a communicant of St. Bernard’s Church in Eureka, where we will be holding a memorial mass on March 20, 2026 at 12:15 p.m. In lieu of flowers, we ask for donations to be sent to Miranda’s Rescue.

Born: January 27, 1950, in San Diego
Died: February 3, 2026, at 74 years old

She lived a quiet life and mostly kept to her home in Ferndale, however she worked as a manager in food service in Fortuna and Rio Dell over the years.

She enjoyed the fun things in life, like getting her nails done and shopping for pretty things like Jim Shore figures, jewelry and Temptation cookware.

No more will she sit on her porch in Ferndale, tanning her toes and enjoying the breeze. No more will she keep traditions alive with her wonderful cooking, hold a little dog in her lap, or spend time watching her birds.

After 44 years together, she will no longer be by the side of her favorite person, Roger, or with her son, Daryl McCombs, whom she lovingly raised.

Forever more she lives on in our hearts and our memories.

Forever more she will be at peace.

Services will be decided at a later date.

Press release from the Humboldt County Drug Task Force:

On February 10th, 2026, Humboldt County Drug Task Force (HCDTF) with the assistance of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office POP Team, served search warrants on Patrick Oneal Davis (52 years old from Eureka) and two residences associated with Davis. Agents located Davis at the first residence located in the 100 block of West Del Norte Street in Eureka. Davis was detained without incident. Agents located 2.3 grams of methamphetamine, 6.5 grams of fentanyl, and a digital scale. 

The second residence was located in the 3300 block of Cottage Street in Eureka where Agents detained Damon Austin Roberts Jr (22 years old from Eureka) without incident. Agents located 9 ounces of methamphetamine, 22 “M30” pills, 112 “B707” pills, a loaded stolen firearm, 2 digital scales, and approximately $9,705.00 in U.S. Currency.

Davis and Roberts were transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where they were booked on the following charges:

Davis:

• HS11351- Possession of a controlled substance for sales
• HS11377(A)- Possession of a controlled substance 

Roberts:

• HS11378- Possession of a controlled substance
• HS11366- Operating/maintaining a drug house
• HS11370.1(A)- Possession of a controlled substance while armed 
• PC496(A)- Buying/receiving stolen property
• PC148.9(A)- Providing false identification 

Roberts was found to have numerous out-of-county warrants for various charges.

Anyone with information related to this investigation or other narcotics related crimes is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Drug Task Force at 707-267-9976.

PREVIOUSLY

• Sheriff’s Office Investigating Potential Murder-Suicide in Weitchpec

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NOTE: The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office today publicly identified the individuals in the murder- suicide that occurred on Feb. 3, in Weitchpec as 52 -year-old Arthur Gutierrez Gonzales, Jr., and 59-year-old Celinda Jane Gonzales

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

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A member of the Yurok tribe who advocated for better mental health treatment and suicide intervention in rural Northern Californian has died in an apparent murder-suicide. 

Celinda Gonzales was 59. 

In 2020, CalMatters wrote about her work in Humboldt County, where about 2 and a half times as many residents die by suicide per capita as the rest of the state.  

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office said they found two bodies in a home in the Yurok reservation village of Weitchpec on Feb. 3. 

“Based on the preliminary investigation, the incident appears to be consistent with a murder-suicide,” the sheriff’s office said in a press release. 

The sheriff’s office declined to elaborate on the nature of the crime scene or the identities of the people they found. 

The Yurok tribe confirmed Gonzales’s identity in a memorial. 

“She was a beloved friend to many Tribal Councilmembers, staff and community members,” the tribe said in the memorial. “This is a tremendous tragedy for the Tribe.”

Gonzales once had a grant-funded role as a suicide intervention specialist, working with local police and fire departments to recognize potential signs of an intent to self-harm. 

In 2019, the federal funds that paid for her grant position ran out, so she started working on her own. 

Gonzales lost her son, Paul, to suicide, when he was 19. Her 43-year-old brother, Gaylord Lewis Jr., died by suicide five years later, in 2014.

As the pandemic swept through California and rates of anxiety and suicidal ideation skyrocketed, Gonzales was motivated by her own losses to help in Humboldt County, where access to mental health services is already difficult, compounded by the dearth of psychiatrists willing to relocate to rural California. 

A 2016 Humboldt County grand jury investigation found that the county behavioral health board did not adequately serve the county’s residents. 

Gonzales believed that, despite the challenges of the pandemic, her community was resilient. 

“They’ve survived wars, floods, fires and landslides,” she told a CalMatters reporter in 2020. 

The Yurok tribe is offering grief counseling at the village clinic. 

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Nigel Duara joined CalMatters in 2020 as a Los Angeles-based reporter covering poverty and inequality issues for our California Divide collaboration. Previously, he served as a national and climate correspondent.

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PREVIOUSLY

• Dell’Arte Was Excited to Bring Cannifest to Blue Lake. Then City Hall Threatened Legal Action.

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A series of miscommunications from the past six weeks got smoothed over at last night’s Blue Lake City Council meeting as the five-member body directed staff to work with Dell’Arte International and event organizer Stephen Gieder on planning a multi-day Cannifest event downtown in September.

Dell’Arte’s new producing artistic director, Noah Bremer, acknowledged last night that communication with the city “got off on the wrong foot” when the event’s Blue Lake relocation was prematurely announced on social media, sparking concerns among the city’s small staff about logistical issues such as parking, street closures and crowd management. 

Some matters have been clarified since then. Gieder explained that the event will not include any cannabis sales, licensed distribution or on-site consumption areas, and Dell’Arte has proposed hosting it under the organization’s existing conditional use permit. 

Blue Lake City Manager Jennie Short, who was appointed to the job in December, explained in her introduction that some of Dell’Arte’s new leadership was uninformed about the existing permitting situation. The nonprofit theater company was issued a conditional use permit for its annual Baduwa’t Festival. The latest version of that permit is open-ended, with no termination date, so, theoretically, Dell’Arte doesn’t need the city’s permission to host an event on its premises at 131 H Street.

However, Gieder is hoping to host a music, arts and trade festival that extends beyond Dell’Arte’s property to encompass some adjacent city streets. Last night, Short presented the council with an aerial map showing three potential event sizes, two of which incorporate the town square:

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Short explained that the green line represents the largest event size proposed by Gieder. It incorporates both the town square (located in the upper corner) and the Logger Bar (lower corner). 

Short also pointed out the Cannifest is currently scheduled to coincide with Mad River Enduro, a mountain biking event that takes place, in part, on city-owned fields. 

When Gieder addressed the council, he began by apologizing, saying he didn’t intend to catch the city off guard. 

“I didn’t think I needed any permits from the city to have a music event within Dell’Arte’s space,” he said. He noted that Cannifest has been invited back to every place it’s been held thus far, and, getting a bit defensive, he brought up the angry voicemail he received from city staff after announcing the event on social media.

“I didn’t think I was going to get that [kind] of a reaction from the City,” he said.

There was some back-and-forth with Mayor John Sawatzky about who reached out when, but the council soon moved on to asking for specifics about the event. Gieder described it as a “cannabis pride festival” that’s open to all ages, with farmers displaying their cannabis on tables and an evening concert inside Dell’Arte’s school facility. He estimated a maximum crowd size of roughly 1,500 people, including vendors. 

Dell’Arte Board Chair Artemis Pebdani also addressed the council.

“Dell’Arte has not been doing well, man,” she said, referring to the organization’s financial struggles. “We’re hanging by the thinnest thread. And so I’ve come on, and Noah Bremer, the new artistic producing director, has come on to try our best to revive this institution that means so much to us. And a lot of the way that we have decided that we need to do that is to use our one asset, and that asset is our building.”

She acknowledged that there are logistic hurdles to navigate. But she said Dell’Arte really wants Cannifest to happen, and she urged the city to help find solutions. 

During the public comment period, the majority of speakers expressed support for Cannifest and Dell’Arte — and applauded when others did the same. A few residents voiced concerns about parking. Lori Ponte, who lives a block away from the venue, said that while Dell’Arte has always been wonderful, she doesn’t support Cannifest at the site due to parking issues.

On the other hand, fellow neighbor Rebecca Collins said, “I’ll tell you, when the music plays at Dell’Arte when the festival is there, I open my windows and dance in my living room.”

“I know that we can work together to make this happen,” Dell’Arte alum Sarah McKinney said, expressing the dominant sentiment. 

Blue Lake Chamber of Commerce President Justin Good said that while he has some concerns about the event, he’d like to help. 

“If you’ll have us, we’d love to work with you any way we can to make this event beneficial for the community,” he said.

An organizer of the Enduro event said he’s concerned about conflicts with parking and the Mad River Grange. When the matter came back to the council for discussion, Councilmember Elise Scafani noted that parking may be the only way for the city to earn income from the event. She asked whether Cannifest could possibly be held on a different weekend.

“These events in the past have cost the city financially, rather than helped us,” she said. “So we really have to think this completely through. Not just, ‘Do we want to do it? Is it a feel good opportunity?’ But, ‘How are we going to make it work logistically?’”

Councilmember Michelle Lewis-Lusso struck a more optimistic note, saying, “I feel like this is a really great opportunity. … If there is a way, I would be all about, like, ‘Let’s make this happen.’”

Councilmember Kat Napier thanked Dell’Arte’s staff and said, contrary to rumors, Blue Lake’s current city council is not anti-pot. Mayor Sawatzky emphasized the importance of collaboration.

From there, the council started discussing how big an event the city could accommodate, whether or not to allow exterior fencing, the potential implications of blocking off the Logger Bar and other logistical matters. 

None of those issues were resolved over the course of the hearing, but staff said they felt like they had enough direction from the council to move forward. Short, the city manager, said she just didn’t want to make decisions on this level without involving the council. She indicated that Cannifest planning matters will come back before the council down the road.