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On Thursday, a big-budget Bollywood action-thriller called Jawan will premiere in cinemas across India, where the film has seen record-breaking advance sales, and thanks to the persistence of Eureka resident Alpesh Natha, the movie will also be showing at the Broadway Cinema in Eureka.

Natha, who was born and raised in Eureka to parents of Indian descent, has been emailing management of the Oregon-based theater chain Coming Attractions over the past two years, urging the company to bring Bollywood films to the local community — the whole community, really, but especially those who trace their roots back to South Asia.

“The South Asian community in Del Norte and Humboldt counties, it’s more intimate — it’s not like the Bay Area or the big city where there are thousands of people of South Asian descent,” Natha said. This small size binds the local folks of South Asian descent together. “We like to have things for our community that speak our languages,” as Natha put it.

His parents actually moved to Eureka from South Africa in 1978, joining a wave of migration from the Indian state of Gujarat, in particular. During the 1970s and ‘80s, many from this region moved to the United States to open businesses, often going into the hospitality industry.

“A lot of motels in Humboldt and Del Norte are owned by Indians who flocked here during that movement,” Natha said.

Over the past 45 years, Natha’s parents have seen the size of the local South Asian population fluctuate, but the community has remained tight-knit, often organizing its own social events. However, they’ve been lacking for movies on the big screen.

“When we were growing up, Bollywood movies were strictly for people who spoke Hindi,” Natha said. “Now, well … interest has grown among all ethnicities. And now they have subtitles. When we grew up, I don’t remember subtitles. So [now], people who are rusty [speaking Hindi] can watch Bollywood movies and enjoy the language.”

People who’ve never been to Asia can enjoy them, too, he added. “They can learn about the culture in India and see what things are like over there.”

Based in Mumbai, the Hindi cinema industry (nicknamed Bollywood) is a commercial juggernaut, producing hundreds of movies annually, many of which feature elaborately choreographed musical numbers, big-budget action set pieces and state-of-the-art computer effects. 

Last year’s RRR, for example, an anti-colonial action drama in the Indian language of Telugu (meaning it’s not technically a Bollywood film, though it bears some similarities), is a maximalist epic that grossed $160 million worldwide and landed on several U.S. critics’ “best films of the year” lists. (It rules, in case you haven’t seen it.)

Hoping to see some of that Bollywood spectacle on local movie screens, Natha kept emailing Coming Attractions. During the COVID pandemic, while the movie industry sputtered, company reps told Natha that they were having trouble get a hold of distributors of Hindi cinema.

One of several posters for Jawan.

“But then, magically, like a month ago, they called and said, ‘Hey, we’ve got a movie! Tell your people!’” Natha recalled. Now, he’s hoping lots of locals show up to see Jawan, which promotional materials describe as “a high-octane action thriller” that pits a man out to rectify society’s wrongs against “a dreadful monstrous outlaw who knows no fear.”

In India, big-budget movies are often released around major holidays, when crowds flock to theaters. The release of Jawan, which stars mega-popular Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, coincides with Janmashtami, a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of the deity Krishna.

Natha hopes Coming Attractions will program its next Bollywood film during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, which arrives in late November.

“So we really need people go come out and watch it,” Natha said, referring to Jawan. “Anyone who enjoys cinema, come out. … Make it successful so the Broadway keeps bringing Bollywood movies here.”

You can watch the trailer for Jawan (with iffy English subtitles) below. The first showing at the Broadway will be on Thursday, Sept. 7, at 11 a.m. with additional screenings scheduled throughout the week. 

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Cold Case Unit is seeking the community’s help to solve a 27-year-old missing person case.

Scott Paul Hayes was last seen by a roommate on January 8, 1996. Hayes, who was 19 at the time, told his roommate he was leaving Humboldt County and traveling to Southern California to visit his girlfriend. Hayes reportedly loaded all of his personal property into his maroon Chevrolet Sonoma pickup truck and left.

Scott Paul Hayes

The following day, January 9, Hayes’ truck was found parked on the edge of the northbound lane of U.S. Highway 101 near Redcrest. His vehicle was locked, and his belongings were still inside. Later investigations indicated that the truck was out of fuel. No signs of foul play were found at the scene.

During their investigation, detectives located a witness who reportedly saw a man matching the description of Hayes in Redcrest during the early morning hours of January 9. The man reportedly told the witness that he had run out of gas. The witness gave the man a ride, however, the man reportedly began acting strangely and the witness dropped him off under the Stafford overpass out of fear for their safety. The witness reportedly continued on and retrieved fuel for the man, however, upon returning approximately 10 minutes later to the Stafford location, the man was gone.

An additional witness claimed to have seen Hayes at a motel in Rio Dell. Again, the man was reported to be acting strangely and he was not given a room. The man was reportedly last seen walking northbound on Wildwood Avenue.

Hayes has not been seen or heard from since January 9, 1996, and all leads received by the Sheriff’s Office thus far have been exhausted.  

Scott Hayes was described as a white male adult, approximately 6 feet 1 inch tall, 150 pounds, with blonde hair and hazel eyes.

The Sheriff’s Office needs your help to bring closure to Mr. Hayes’ family. Anyone with information regarding Hayes’ whereabouts or who may have seen Hayes that day in 1996 are urged to contact HCSO Investigator Mike Fridley at 707-441-3024 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip Line at 707-268-2539.

UPDATE, 9/8: The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office released the names of the three deceased individuals to the North Coast Journal today. They are:

• Kip Kari King, 58
• Kimberly Anne King, 62
• Max Gerald Hunt, 81

Additionally, the sheriff’s office said Hunt — who had been the boyfriend of Kip King’s deceased mother — is suspected of shooting the married couple before taking his own life. The case remains under investigation.

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Original Post: Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Sept. 5, 2023, at about 2:32 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a residence on the 1400 block of Marty Avenue in McKinleyville to conduct a welfare check.

According to the reporting party, a resident of the home missed an appointment and was unable to be reached. Deputies arrived at the residence and located three individuals deceased inside.

Investigators with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Division responded to the residence and based upon their investigation, there are no outstanding suspects. This case is being investigated as a murder/suicide.

During their investigation, Sheriff’s investigators learned that the decedents were relatives by marriage and were living together at the time of this incident. The three are believed to have been deceased for several weeks before being discovered.

The deceased are described as follows:

1. 81-year-old white male
2. 58-year-old white male
3. 62-year-old white female

Identities of the deceased are being withheld pending next of kin notification. Autopsies have been scheduled for tomorrow, September 7. Cause and manner of death will be available for release following the results of the autopsies.

If you are struggling or concerned for yourself or someone else, know you are not alone. We can all play a role in preventing suicide and help is available. Contact any of the following 24-hour hotlines: 

• Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988, press 1 for Veterans. Ayuda en Español: 988.
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
• Call the 24-hr Behavioral Health Crisis Line at 707-445-7715 or toll-free 888-849-5728.

Additional support can be found by exploring an expanded list of resources, click on the link here for Suicide and Violence Prevention Resources for Service Providers in English and here for resources in Spanish.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

Press release from the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services:

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in Humboldt County, and the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) is partnering with community groups to bring attention to suicide prevention efforts through events and trainings.

This year across California, Take Action for Mental Health: California’s Mental Health Movement, is encouraging a special focus to “Share Hope Together.”

The theme reflects the importance, value and power of the act of sharing hope, stories, time, resources and experiences which can serve as a powerful tool in suicide prevention. By sharing hope with one another and throughout our communities, we can support and help connect individuals to resources — allowing us to take action for suicide prevention together, according to the statewide suicide prevention campaign, Know the Signs.

In an effort to create opportunities to share hope, the Humboldt County Suicide Prevention Network and community partners across the county are offering virtual events and resources during the month of September and throughout the year.

On Sunday, Sept. 10, in honor of World Suicide Prevention Day, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will host its Out of the Darkness Community Walk at the Arcata Plaza. Register at afsp.org/Arcata. Check in starts at 9 a.m. and the walk starts at 10.

On Friday, Sept. 15, Holding Space: for Suicide Prevention & Awareness, will take in the Garberville Town Square from 5 to 7 p.m. This community event with include live music, food, art and community referrals to resources.

This fall, there will be two opportunities to learn the basics of suicide prevention. On Tuesday, Sept. 21, DHHS-Public Health will deliver a virtual Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention training from 10 to 11 a.m. A second session will be available on Tuesday, Oct. 24, from 10 to 11 a.m. Visit bit.ly/QPR-Humboldt to register for either.

Wondering what else you can do?

• Talk to your employer about bringing a suicide prevention training to your workplace to teach suicide warning signs, like how to ask, “Are you thinking about suicide?” when someone is struggling.
• Learn more by visiting DHHS Public Health’s Training and Education page.
• Join the Humboldt County Suicide Prevention Network (SPN) or sign-up for the Suicide Prevention Network email list to broaden your network. The SPN meets bi-monthly via Zoom and all are welcome.

Email humboldtspn@gmail.com for more information. If you are concerned for yourself or someone else, know you are not alone, we can all play a role in preventing suicide, and help is available.

Contact any of the following 24-hour hotlines:

• Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988, press 1 for Veterans. Ayuda en Español: 988. Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
• Call the 24-hr Behavioral Health Crisis Line at 707-445-7715 or toll-free 888-849-5728.

Additional support can be found by exploring an expanded list of resources, click on the link here for Suicide and Violence Prevention Resources for Service Providers in English and here for resources in Spanish.

After twenty years of protest and opposition, many of the Klamath dams near the California-Oregon border are finally coming down.

The Klamath Dam Removal Project began its first dam demolition in June. The project will be the largest dam removal in U.S. history and consists of the removal of four of the six dams along the Klamath River: J.C. Boyle, Copco 1, Copco 2, and Iron Gate.

Once all four dams are removed, fish will have access to about 400 additional miles of habitat that was previously inaccessible to them, according to officials, allowing for the species to repopulate.

The dams had been causing diseases for the fish, especially at the Iron Gate hatchery where fish often returned to breed.

“In the Klamath right now, a majority of our juvenile fish die from diseases. And these diseases proliferate below Iron Gate dam,” said Craig Tucker, a Natural Resources Policy Advocate for the Karuk Tribe. “The flow of the river is most unnatural immediately below the dam and it’s thrown the ecosystem out of balance.”

Though the removals come after a generation of legal battles and international protests, dam management at PacifiCorp eventually decided that the dams did not benefit them enough to outweigh the costs required to meet environmental standards, according to Mike Zamore, former Chief of Staff of Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley.

“The dams are supposed to come out now for reasons really unrelated to politics. It’s really economics,” said Zamore.

Nevertheless, advocates are hopeful to see a return of the once-thriving fish population.

“By opening up all that habitat, we expect spawning fish through the system and we will expect populations to increase over time,” said Jim Simondet, the Klamath Basin Branch Supervisor for NOAA Fisheries, a federal agency.

Conflict over the dams’ impact came to a head in 2002 with the Klamath River fish kill, where an estimated 34,000 fish died, consisting primarily of Chinook salmon, after disease had eviscerated much of the population.

A 2005 University of Oregon study found that Karuk tribal members reduced their salmon consumption from 450 pounds per person per year to just five each year. “And I’m sure now it’s even smaller,” said Brook Thompson, a Yurok and Karuk tribal member, Ph.D. student at UC Santa Cruz and part-time restoration engineer for the Yurok tribe.

Thompson explained that, because some reservations are in food deserts and it takes hours to get to a grocery store, accessible salmon is very important in ensuring that Indigenous people in the basin consume nutritional food.

Weighing short-term adverse effects

Although removing the Klamath River dams is anticipated to have benefits for fish, humans, and the overall environment of the Klamath Basin, the removal process is expected to have some short-term adverse effects. The primary issue pertaining to dam removal is the sediment being held behind each dam.

“A lot of that sediment is going to move through the river system and at some locations in the river system, those turbidity levels – that is the concentration of sediments and fine particulate matter – is going to be so high that it’s going to be a threat to those fisheries,” said Simondet.

Dr. Alison O’Dowd, an ecological restoration professor at Cal Poly Humboldt, is currently working on a study evaluating the downriver effects of dam removal on aquatic invertebrates and salmon. She plans to document the changes within these communities over five years: before, during and after the dams have been removed.

“The invertebrate communities are going to get smothered by the sediment, and so only the ones that can live in that type of environment are going to survive. So then the fish will eat more of those types of insects,” Dr. O’Dowd said. “They also might feed more in the tributaries, because those are not going to be filled with sediment.”

No one is certain about the amount of time it will take for all of the released sediment to be flushed out of the river system. Dr. O’Dowd estimated that it will likely take less time for the sediment to travel if future years are really wet, but it will take much longer in the case of a drought year. Simondet gauged that turbidity levels will return to relatively normal in the span of one to two years.

“The long-term benefits will far outweigh the short-term impacts. And so that’s kind of the evaluation that we undertook to determine whether or not dam removal was going to be beneficial for salmon or not,” said Simondet.

Many residents across the Klamath Basin appear to be in agreement that dam removal is a necessary and crucial step to improve the ecology of the Klamath River, but others are still opposed to the project.

“I think there’s this fear of the dam removal movement growing and more dams coming out,” Tucker said. “And I think there’s just a lot of misinformation out there about what the dams do and don’t do.”

Moss Driscoll, director of water policy for the Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA), extended reasoning for why many of their members have an apprehension to the idea of dam removal.

“Our concern is not with the identified effects that we can see today,” said Driscoll. “It’s with the effects that haven’t been analyzed and aren’t fully thought out in a project that’s never been undertaken before of this nature and complexity.”

Simondet addressed another reason why upper basin landowners in specific might be opposed to dam removal.

“I think… they have a concern that, by opening up this habit that Coho used to be able to enjoy, that they’re going to have this additional risk under the Endangered Species Act,” said Simondet.

Decades of local and global activism

After the 2002 Klamath River fish kill, tribes and environmentalists sprung into action to prevent a tragedy of that scale from ever happening again. Thompson, the Yurok and Karuk tribal member, has been active in this movement from the beginning. She helped organize a rally at the Portland, Oregon, PacifiCorp building.

Tucker’s activism against the dams has taken him across the world.

“I started talking to leadership of the Karuk Tribe and the Yurok Tribe about a campaign that would pressure the company that owns the dams to give them up for removal. And so I ended up moving [to Humboldt County] and starting what we call the Bring The Salmon Home Campaign,” said Tucker.

In 2004, Tucker and about 30 other activists traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland to protest against Scottish Power, then the multinational parent company of PacifiCorp. Eventually, Scottish Power ended up selling PacifiCorp to another company, Berkshire Energy. After it was sold, a majority of the demonstrations were then held at Berkshire Hathaway’s shareholders’ meetings in Omaha, Nebraska and at PacifiCorp’s corporate offices in Sacramento and Portland.

Deconstruction of the Copco 2 dam has already started and removal is expected to wrap up by September. The removal of the other three dams is anticipated to reach completion as early as late 2024.

“This is a milestone,” said Simondet. “This is a moment in time where we’ve come together as a basin. I wouldn’t say everybody’s in agreement that dam removal needs to take place, but there’s a strong majority who have been waiting for this day for a long, long time.”

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Astreya McKnight is a reporter with JCal, a collaboration between The Asian American Journalists Association and CalMatters to immerse high school students in California’s news industry. She is the current editor of the Arcata High Pepperbox.

Valerie June Jenkins, age 69, of Fortuna passed away on July 21, 2023 after a long battle with congestive heart failure and cancer. Valerie passed surrounded by her children and grandchildren with love, dignity and grace.

Valerie was born on January 31, 1954 in Vallejo to Darwin and Juanita Jenkins. Valerie grew up in Vallejo with her two youngest siblings, Jon Jenkins and Saryn Jenkins (Kirk). In her youth she enjoyed many activities but was most proud of playing the flute. In her teen years, she was invited to join the MENSA group, which is an organization of individuals with high IQs, but life had other plans.

Valerie was married and had her first child in 1972. She had wanted to be a teacher. However, being a mother came first. She was an active member of the PTA and had a Brownie troop during her oldest daughter’s younger years. Valerie was very creative and enjoyed making costumes for plays and dances the school would put on, as well as making Halloween costumes and decorations.

In 1985, following a visit to Humboldt County and then having a vivid dream of a piece of property in the area, Valerie moved here. Soon after, she met and fell in love with her three youngest children’s father. She did find her dream property and purchased it. She lived there for a short time but she ended up having to make the very difficult decision to sell it.

Valerie stayed, though, and reinvented herself in Humboldt County. She held a few different jobs but most memorable for her and the community was her time as the cafeteria lady for Fortuna School District. She often talked about how much she enjoyed seeing the children everyday and how much they enjoyed seeing her.

Valerie could be called a walking encyclopedia, with all of the knowledge she had. She could spell and define almost any word you could think of in the English language and probably several in other languages. Valerie was known to love crossword puzzles, she took great pride in finishing each and every one without looking in the back for the answers. Valerie was a “why” person, she wanted to educate herself on everything that she could.

Valerie didn’t always have an easy life, but she was a loving mother to her four children, her son, the youngest of which she gave birth to on her birthday, and always put her family’s needs above her own, with her whole heart. In fact, in 1999 upon hearing that she would qualify as a kidney donor for her youngest daughter, she donated a kidney without hesitation. She would have done that for any of her children, as many times as she could. She made many sacrifices for all her children throughout the years and she was an amazing mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

As a single mother Valerie wore many hats, including being a father. She taught her children all the things a father “typically” teaches their children, including that no role is gender-specific, which made them admire her even more. She made sure that her children had all the tools they would need to be self-reliant and self-sufficient.

Valerie often made time to attend school events and field trips for all of the children, including her grandchildren whom she had a very close relationships with.

Valerie had many struggles throughout her life but always tried her best to maintain a positive, loving attitude. Despite her own struggles with mental health and depression she was always there for her family and friends. Valerie had friendships that knew no bounds of time. Most memorable are her lifelong friends Barbara Gribble, Dawn Kilpatrick and Jackie Guilliams. She had many friends but these women were her soul-sisters.

Yet, in the her last few years she made best friends with her caretaker, Jeremy Thompson.

Even though she did not feel comfortable with a lot of physical affection, she would hug you with her infectious and beautiful smile. Valerie showed people that she loved them in so many other ways. She always offered a sympathetic ear, an empathetic heart and a shoulder to cry on. Being open-minded was important to her, as she wanted others to feel safe and accepted. In her later years, Valerie would often say, “Que Sera, Sera” whatever will be will be.

Valerie is survived by her four children, Shauna English (Johnson) and her husband Zach English, Jessica Peters, Jayne Peters, and Van Peters. Valerie is also survived by her six grandchildren, Saryn, Shakota, Eric, Carter, Valerie and Wyatt as well as her six great-grandchildren, Makylah, Jessica, Destiny, Kota, Zachary and Saryn Marie. She is also survived by her two youngest siblings, Jon and Saryn.

Valerie was proceeded in death by her parents, Darwin and Juanita Jenkins as well as her two oldest sisters that resided in Kansas, Jacquelyn Gardner and Mina Jayne Littrell.

Valerie will always be remembered as a caring and selfless person. Upon her death, as a final act of love and kindness, she continued to give, by donating her body to the medical science department of UCSF, the same hospital where she had donated her kidney over two decades earlier.

The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Valerie Jenkins’ loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.

Carson Winfield Bledsoe was born to Clinton Winfield and Elizabeth Margaret Bledsoe on September 17, 1952 at the Old Trinity Hospital in Arcata. Win and Elizabeth Bledsoe owned a successful stationery store in Arcata that supplied the entire county’s school supplies.

Carson went to Stewart Elementary School, which was named for his great-uncle, Hugh B Stewart. Carson graduated from Arcata High. Carson met his love and best friend Rosetta Hobbs in 1973. They married in April of 1979 and they bought their home in Fieldbrook.

Carson worked at different mills in Humboldt County. He worked at Crown Simpson Pulp Mill for 10 years. Carson had many good childhood friends and collected good friends along the way. They all loved his infectious laugh and generous heart.

Carson and Rosa loved their home in Fieldbrook and lived very happily until the end. With Rosetta by Carson’s side, he died peacefully.

We want to thank The Angels at Hospice of Humboldt for helping us.

A celebration of life will be held at Carson’s Bar and Grill in Fieldbrook on Carson’s Birthday: Sunday, September 17, Sunday, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

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