Access Humboldt press release:

College of the Redwoods issued a termination letter to Access Humboldt on October 7th stating, “The lease will be terminated …due to the planned demolition of the RBC-A Building. As such, the premises must be fully vacated by the Lessee no later than May 31, 2026.”  The termination of the 5-year lease comes three years into the lease. 

“This gives Access Humboldt a short timeline to exit the building,” Christina Jeffers says. Finding a suitable building to move to is another challenge as moving a television and radio station that operates five channels of cable, streaming, and LPFM is no ordinary task. “We consider CR a valuable partner and hope to find a solution with them. We are grateful for the time we had at CR, benefiting the community by expanding our training programs and facilities there.”   

Access Humboldt is a longstanding, valued community institution with broad community support, strong leadership, and organizational capacity. They broadcast civic meetings, educational content, and community created content centered in freedom of expression, government transparency, and localism. Now, they’re considering how small of a footprint they can survive on until a better solution is found.  This adds to PEG funding reductions over the last several years, further destabilizing their future.

Jeffers hopes to find a building that can house the TV studio, podcasting studios, KZZH 96.7 LPFM, a computer lab, rental facility, library of production tools, meeting rooms, and a server room robust enough to house broadcasting and archiving needs.  “We are looking for regional partners to think outside of the box,” Jeffers observes, “Like other rural areas, Humboldt County stands to lose more of our local news infrastructure. Without Public Access, Educational & Governmental (or PEG) TV & Radio, civic engagement and local representation will plummet. People trust and depend on locally made content to stay informed on what matters most at home.”

Access Humboldt’s hands-on training programs teach the community how to broadcast on TV & radio. Without an appropriate facility, these trainings cannot take place, causing a further skills drain on the region at a time when digital media literacy is paramount.  “It is extremely important to have strong, independent sources of local information, delivered by local people for and about their community, especially now that so many local institutions are being challenged. Humboldt’s friends and neighbors are responsible for most of the content programmed on Access Humboldt’s channels and training is essential.” says Jane Callahan, Access Humboldt’s Board Vice Chair.

This year Access Humboldt created three unprecedented regional initiatives: Illuminate (Sunshine Week Awards recognizing achievement in local journalism), BOLD Days of May (County-wide fundraising initiative that benefited 14 nonprofits), and BOLDtFEST (County-wide short film incubator and film festival that creates 10 shorts by Humboldt for Humboldt annually). “We put the pedal to the metal, so to speak,” Jeffers continues, “and now Humboldt can’t afford to back off–which is why I am asking the community for help right now. We are reaching out to organizations and I want to innovate with partners that may not be traditional.” To support Access Humboldt during this setback, you can donate to help fund the move. You can also volunteer to help them pack up and move in the coming months.

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PREVIOUSLY:

• Annual Old Town Gazebo ‘Day of the Dead’ Event Cancelled

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Press release from Centro del Pueblo:

In times when fear and division are used to silence us, we choose to gather, to remember, and to celebrate. We will keep practicing our culture, which lives, grows, and flourishes in the community. Now more than ever, we need to walk together, because our strength comes from our roots and from the solidarity that binds us. El Dia de Muertos - The Day of the Dead celebration continues as an act of love, memory, and resistance. We invite everyone to join us, because together we defend our freedom and our joy to live fully with Peace and Dignity.

Centro del Pueblo is proud to invite the Humboldt County community to its 8th Annual Día de Muertos celebration on Saturday Sunday, November 2, from 4 to 6 PM at The Eureka Theater, 612 F Street, Eureka. This free, family-friendly event will honor the vibrant Mexican tradition of remembering and celebrating loved ones who have passed away. The celebration will feature Mercadito, community altars, Danz###a Azteca, Catrinas, Mariachi Mar Pacifico and Mariachi de Centro del Pueblo, Teatro del Pueblo performances, Bailes Folklórico from Fortuna, Eureka, and Arcata, with special guests from our Youth council from CDP and Latinx Clubs from Mckinleyville and Eureka. Attendees are encouraged to bring offerings, photos, or small items to place on the community altar in remembrance of their loved ones.

“Día de Muertos is a time to honor our ancestors, celebrate their lives, and keep their memory alive through music, art, and community,” said Brenda Pérez, Executive Director of Centro del Pueblo. “This is a cultural celebration that welcomes everyone, whether they are familiar with the tradition or experiencing it for the first time.”

This event is part of Centro del Pueblo’s ongoing efforts to celebrate Indigenous heritage and the cultural revitalization of our communities in Humboldt County and to create inclusive spaces for intercultural dialogue, healing, and community building. To conclude these celebrations, we invite you to join our annual Procession for Immigrants Rights From Fortuna to Eureka on November 8th, details in flyer attached.

Event Details:

• What: Día de Muertos Celebration
• When: November 2, 2025 | 4:00–6:00 PM
• Where: The Eureka Theater, 612 F Street, Eureka, CA
• Cost: Free Family event open to the public

Donations are welcome: www.CdPueblo.com/donate

For more information or to get involved as a volunteer or altar participant, please contact:

• 707-683-5293
• info@cdpueblo.com

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

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If you ask Jodeah Wilson how his life got off track, he’ll say it’s all about money.

He needs money for November rent. He also needs money to pay back the tuition he owes for the spring semester at Sacramento State University, which would allow him to re-enroll. Until then, he’s stuck in limbo.

“All I need is a goddamn job so I can pay this off myself,” he said. But it’s been months and so far, he’s still unemployed.

To state leaders and researchers, though, it’s more than just money. California has nearly 500,000 young people ages 16 to 24 who are in the same predicament, neither working nor in school. Finding them a job is part of the solution, but it goes much deeper than that. Many are struggling socially and emotionally, too, making it even harder to move forward.

Men are particularly at risk. In July, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to address “the alarming rise in suicides and disconnection among California’s young men and boys.”

It’s a “crisis,” Newsom told former President Bill Clinton in an interview at the Clinton Global Initiative last month. “Look at the dropout rates. Look at the depths of despair. Look at the issues around loneliness. Look at every critical category. It’s just blinking red lights for young men.”

Newsom pointed to Charlie Kirk as a model for how to make young men feel heard and get them re-engaged politically, albeit for Trump. Then he slammed Democrats for ignoring these young men and their needs.

Wilson is convinced he’s an exception to these trends and that his unemployment is temporary. He talks fast, speaking in short sentences, repeating himself when needed, like a coach hyping up a team. When he gets excited or gestures for emphasis, a dreadlock falls from his bun and shakes with his words.

“I’ve been persistent,” he said. “You can check Indeed. You can check Glassdoor. You can check my network. You can check how many career fairs I attended, how many internships I’ve acquired.”

His checking account has $76, and his savings account has 8 cents, he said during an interview earlier this month. Despite his persistence, he’s worried about becoming homeless in November if a job doesn’t materialize soon.

Jodeah Wilson stands for a portrait outside his apartment building near Sac State on Oct. 17, 2025. Photo by Felix Uribe for CalMatters/Catchlight

Of the roughly 4.6 million Californians between the ages of 16 and 24, more than 10% are considered disconnected, meaning they’re neither working nor in school, according to Kristen Lewis, the director of the research organization Measure of America. The majority are men, and Black and Native American men have higher rates.

The reasons so many young men drop out of school and work are varied. Economists point to rising automation or the loss of male-dominated manufacturing jobs in the U.S. Some of these men have disabilities or are struggling with addiction or mental health challenges. Many are incarcerated — California’s prisons are 96% male. Most of California’s homeless population is male too.

For Newsom, though, it’s not just about men’s role in the economy or education. In the executive order, he points to a slew of other disturbing statistics:

• Nearly 1 in 4 men under the age of 30 say they have no close friends, a “five-fold increase since 1990” and “with higher rates of disconnection for Black males.”
• Men are four times more likely than women to die by suicide — a disparity that has grown over the past few decades.
• Men also have higher rates of cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Wilson, who is both Black and Native American, said his issues are just a product of the job market. He has been rejected by restaurants, call centers and delivery services over the past two years, representing more than 50 different online job applications on Indeed alone. He’s done some seasonal or temporary work, he said, such as a four-hour catering shift about once a month, but other than that, he’s had little professional luck.

Regardless of the reason, the sole fact that he is neither working nor in school right now could have an impact on his future quality of life, even if he does find a job soon. Lewis, the Measure of America director, pointed to a longitudinal study of young people in similar situations. It found they’re likely to make less money and have worse health outcomes by the time they reach their 30s. The longer a person is unemployed and out of school, she said, the greater the likelihood of long-term consequences.

No car and no financial aid

In one of Wilson’s communications classes at Sac State, a professor compared adulthood to the experience of climbing a rope, where every responsibility or misfortune is a knife, cutting off those who are too weak to climb any higher.

Wilson said he feels like he’s at the bottom of the rope and about to get cut off.

He started Sac State in the spring of 2024 with $20,000 in his bank account, money that he’d saved by working at Red Robin while attending community college. But one year later, he had spent most of it.

Jodeah Wilson waits at a red light while driving his new car through Sacramento on Oct. 17, 2025. When his previous car broke down, he kept it a secret from his father for months because he was determined to figure out the situation on his own. Photo by Felix Uribe for CalMatters/Catchlight

In January, Wilson was driving southbound on I-5 from his hometown of Redding toward Sac State, ready to start the spring semester. Near Arbuckle, he noticed the temperature gauge on his 2002 Honda Accord suddenly swung right. The car was slowing down, even though his foot was still on the gas. He pulled over to the breakdown lane and watched steam pour from the hood. By the time he had towed the car to a mechanic, it was too late, he said — part of the engine had melted.

Without a car, he struggled to find a job, he said. His grades started to slip, too. “I needed to stop focusing on school and focus instead on how the hell I’m going to get this rent and tuition paid.”

For Lewis, who has long studied the struggles that young people face, it’s everyday setbacks — a broken car, failing grades — that often set someone on the path to dropping out of school or abandoning the workforce. “Young people who are out of school and out of work basically need what all young people need,” she said. “They need guidance. They need help. They need understanding. They need a chance to try and fail and try again.”

California offers generous financial aid for the majority of students enrolled at California State University campuses, covering tuition and daily living costs such as food and housing, but Wilson doesn’t qualify. Although he’s 22, he’s still considered a child for the purposes of financial aid, and his father, who owns a construction company, and his father’s new wife, a paralegal, collectively make too much money for him to qualify for state or federal aid, he said.

First: Jodeah Wilson sits on his bed while using his laptop in his off-campus apartment on Oct. 17, 2025. Last: Academic degrees from community college hang on the bedroom wall of Wilson’s off-campus apartment. Photos by Felix Uribe for CalMatters/Catchlight

Wilson’s father helped out a little over the spring semester, sending a few hundred dollars to his bank account when funds were low, but the major costs, such as rent and tuition, have always been Wilson’s sole responsibility. He’s proud of that.

“(My father) supports me where it’s necessary, but in other aspects of my life, he shouldn’t, because I’m a man. I’m supposed to kind of do what I got to do,” said Wilson. Though he finished the spring semester, he owes over $4,000 in missed tuition payments, which he has to pay before he can re-enroll.

Ten years of depression, never seeking help

If you ask Will Rose how his life got off track, he’ll say it’s all about mental health.

After dropping out of college 10 years ago, Rose, now 29, always thought he might return, though he never did. He worked retail jobs, mostly for Target, while living at his father’s house in Hermosa Beach. In retrospect, he said he was often depressed, though he wasn’t conscious of it at the time.

At night after working a shift or in the middle of the day, during one of his stints of unemployment, Rose would drive around the corner to the 7-Eleven and return home with a Big Gulp, Cheetos or Takis. “Anything that would overload my senses,” he said.

Over the course of 10 years, he gained more than 60 pounds. When he felt stuck, he would buzz off all his hair as a way to regain control over his body and his life.

Will Rose takes a long walk around his neighborhood to support his mental health in San Pedro on Oct. 16, 2025. The 29-year-old has been struggling to find a sense of community, which has left him feeling lonely. Photo by Zaydee Sanchez for CalMatters/Catchlight

As a follow-up to Newsom’s executive order, state agencies submitted a 75-page document outlining the work they’re doing to support young men. The mental health team at California Health and Human Services highlighted a federally funded project run by the state, which helped set up nearly 250 billboards in all of California’s major cities featuring the faces of young men, looking hopeful or determined. Next to each face is the 9-8-8 suicide and crisis number. The goal is to help men see that “it’s OK to not feel OK, and it’s OK to ask for help,” said Ahn Bui, a project director at the California Health and Human Services Agency.

Her colleague at the agency, Stephanie Welch, added that most mental health professionals are female, which makes it even harder for some men to feel welcome in a therapist’s office. Nationally, suicide is a leading cause of death among men ages 15 to 44 — with more men dying by suicide than cancer, heart disease or homicide. Yet men are less likely to seek treatment for mental health issues than women, Bui said.

Men are also more likely to use drugs and to overdose.

Last year, Rose was working as a contractor, delivering packages for Amazon part time. When he wasn’t working, he was using meth. When the high was good, he felt invincible, infallible, he said, even if he was just sitting on his couch. But when it was bad, he would watch hours of porn.

Once, he spent two full days so high that he couldn’t sleep. He was alone in his room, he said — his thoughts were racing so fast that he couldn’t recognize who he was or that he was even human. His dad was still in the house, though Rose said he felt so “dystopian” that he didn’t even know he needed help. “I was seriously suicidal. I was seriously going to end it.”

In May 2024, Rose admitted himself to a psychiatric ward near downtown Los Angeles.

What’s happening to ‘prime-age’ men?

As a child, Rose was in foster care and lived in roughly 25 different homes, including some where he said he was sexually abused, repeatedly. He only remembers a few of the homes, he said; the rest are a blur. Mostly, he remembers getting adopted at age 10 and moving to his first permanent home in Hermosa Beach.

Sitting in the silence of his hospital room in the psychiatric ward last year, and in the months that followed, Rose said he began to reflect on the impact of his childhood trauma. Bui, a psychiatrist by training, prefers to use the clinical term, “adverse childhood experiences,” to describe what Rose has gone through. Sexual abuse, for instance, is linked to mental health challenges and substance use issues later in life, she said.

This summer, with help from his father, Rose got a new car and finally moved into his own apartment in San Pedro, just a few blocks from the Los Angeles Harbor, as he continued working for Amazon. In his spare time, he began going on short meditative walks.

First: Will Rose is wrestling with loneliness, a feeling many men across the country are increasingly experiencing. Last: He said the palm trees and flowers remind him of the beauty that still exists. Oct. 16, 2025. Photos by Zaydee Sanchez for CalMatters/Catchlight

But soon after moving, he lost his job. “I was cutting corners,” he acknowledged, marking packages as delivered so he could leave work a few minutes early. “With everything being AI-based, they just keep track of everything you do. They’re just so strict.”

At 29, Rose is what economists consider a “prime-age man,” meaning that he’s in the peak age for employment. Since the 1960s, the number of prime age men opting out of the labor force has grown, especially among those without college degrees, according to a recent study by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. It’s unprecedented, Newsom said in his executive order.

Beyond the usual labor market explanations, such as automation, researchers have analyzed other potential trends. Some point to family dynamics, such as the rising number of men who are living with a parent or serving as caretakers.

One 2017 study found a link between the advent of new and improved video games and the decline in men’s working hours. Today, the average non-working man spends 520 hours a year on “recreational computer time,” most of it video games. For comparison, the average employee works about 2,000 hours a year.

State agency officials say they’re leading a series of education, health and career initiatives aimed at men, including using money from Proposition 1, a state mental health bond that passed last year, to increase the pipeline of male therapists. Last month, Newsom said his office is starting a $5 million grant program to create more mentorship opportunities for young men.

What causes a person to leave school or work varies, and so do the solutions for bringing them back, said Lewis, with Measure of America. “There tends to be a desire for some sort of silver bullet,” she said, such as summer jobs programs or employment assistance.

“I mean, it’s great to get someone a job, but if someone has a traumatic upbringing, and is dealing with a substance use disorder and has mental health challenges, they need other kinds of support.”

‘I feel like I can pick myself up back on my feet’

Now unemployed again, Rose walks several times a day, at all hours. On good days, he wakes up at 6 a.m., puts his phone in a drawer and starts his morning walk. A few blocks from his house is a greenway lined with palm trees that stretches along the water, where he walks for about 10 minutes, ambling slowly, passing markers along the way: a Swedish church, a homeless shelter, a rehabilitation center.

Seeing the rehabilitation center is a relief, he said. “If shit ever hits the fan, I have something to fall back on.”

Will Rose finds moments of stillness by the waterfront in San Pedro on Oct. 16, 2025. He said he has been struggling with a constant noise in his mind about who he should be, and it’s in these moments by the water that he tries to find peace. Photo by Zaydee Sanchez for CalMatters/Catchlight

There are bad days too, hours that he lies in bed, scrolling TikTok, where the app’s algorithm shows him videos about conspiracy theories, motivational speakers or existential questions about the universe. In July, while on his usual walking route late at night, a man approached Rose, asked him where he’s from and punched him, fracturing his nose, before he could even respond. Rose said he suspects the man was high on meth, but stumbling home that night, he remembers worrying that others might see him and assume he was the one on drugs. “I just felt so defeated in that moment.”

Because the problems facing men and boys are so complex — spanning employment, health, and education — there is no “quick and easy answer,” said Brooks Allen, an education policy advisor to the governor and the executive director of the State Board of Education. He said Newsom’s initiative and other efforts by state agencies are an attempt to show these men that resources do exist and are tailored to their needs.

Will Rose walks to a park near his home in San Pedro, which has become a place of refuge for him, surrounded by greenery and nature, on Oct. 16, 2025. Photo by Zaydee Sanchez for CalMatters/Catchlight

One of the organizations highlighted by Newsom is Improve Your Tomorrow, a Sacramento-based national nonprofit that supports young men of color. The organization referred Wilson to a job this past summer and helped him submit a petition to Sac State, asking the university to exclude his father’s income in its financial aid calculations. Wilson got the summer job, though it was only temporary. The university denied the petition.

Earlier this year, when his car broke down, Wilson kept the news secret from his father, who only found out through a grandparent. His father was mad Wilson didn’t tell him but purchased him another car nonetheless.

Wilson said his father would likely want to help with rent this November, but he isn’t sure he would accept. “There’s a high chance that I would sleep in my car before he knows I’m homeless,” he said. “I feel like I can pick myself up back on my feet.”

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This project story was produced jointly by CalMatters & CatchLight as part of our mental health initiative.

Anthony Oliver Knox (“Olie”)
May 9, 1965 – October 7, 2025

Anthony Oliver Knox, affectionately known as “Olie,” passed away peacefully on October 7, 2025, at the Hospice House in Eureka, surrounded by love — with his devoted sister, Kathryne Koch, and his loyal companion, Toots, by his side.

Born on Mother’s Day, May 9, 1965, in Stockton, California, to John Knox and Gloria Cardoza-Knox Stephan, Anthony was third of  four children, including his late sister Lisa Knox,  sister Kathryne Koch, and half-sister Jessica Scott (Little sister).

In 1977, the  family moved to Humboldt County, where they sold their airplane for a commercial fishing boat, the Billie Jean. At just 12 years old Ollie began a lifelong career as a fisherman. He worked aboard vessels such as the Active II, fishing and crabbing along the coasts of California, Bay Area, Humboldt County, Oregon and Alaska.

As a boy, Olie was an avid baseball fan and played pitcher. He also loved football, baseball, fishing, motorcycle riding, hunting, and gardening. He was an avid fan of the Atlanta Braves and the Denver Broncos. Olie attended Jacobs Junior High, Zane Jr High and Eureka High School, Olie was known for his infectious sense of humor — something everyone who knew him would never forget. Once he became your friend, he was a friend for life and cherished his friendships with every drop of his soul. He loved to party.

Though life brought its share of struggles, Olie found joy and peace in the simple things — especially the company of his beloved dog, Toots (“Tootsie Roll”). Often seen riding his electric scooter with Toots faithfully at his side, while drinking a beer listening to his radio, Olie made his home in Fortuna, California, where he enjoyed visits from his sister Kathy and phone calls from lifelong friends.

Olie is survived by his sister Kathryne Koch and her husband Roger, his “little sister” Jessica Scott, his nieces and nephews Phelix, JR, Samantha, Kori-Lee, Jeremy, Melody, and Lyndsey, his many Great-Nieces and Nephews and his cherished companion, Toots. 

He is preceded in death by his parents Gloria and Henry Stephan, his sister Lisa Knox, his nephew Terry Moore, Biological father John Knox and his beloved dogs Missy and Chopper.

A memorial to celebrate Olie’s life will be held on Saturday, December 6 at 2:30 p.m. at the Moose Lodge 4328 Campton Rd., Eureka. Friends and family are encouraged to bring their funniest stories to share, in honor of the humor and heart that made Olie unforgettable.

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Nancy Mary “Noni” Kurtz (née DePucci)
March 26, 1928 – October 20, 2025

Nancy Mary “Noni” Kurtz passed away peacefully on October 20, 2025, in Eureka at the age of 97. Born on March 26, 1928, in Eureka, she remained deeply rooted in her hometown throughout her life.

Noni was a devoted homemaker and the heart of her family. She was a beloved wife to her late husband, Albert Kurtz, and together they built a life centered around love, family, and community. Her home was always open — a place where family and friends could find comfort, advice, or simply a warm hug and a smile. Known for her sweet nature, caring spirit, and a touch of stubbornness that made her all the more lovable. Noni touched countless lives with her generosity and warmth. Noni helped care for many nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many friends. Noni was always so generous. She will be truly missed by everyone.

She was the cherished mother of Albert (Cathy) Kurtz, Cindy (Albert) Morgan, and Cathy (Ray) Schulz. Her legacy continues through her grandchildren: Heather (Steve) Bryan, ShannonFoster (Rich Bettis), Ryan (Traci) Ober, Jeremy (Trista) Kurtz, and Kurt (Heidi) Ober; great-grandchildren: Ashley (Cody) Elam, Tessa (Phil) Ellebrecht, Jake Overholt, McKenzie (Jorden) Franks, Skyler Ober (Caylee Shannon), Parker (Gracie) Bryan, Breanna Foster-Vaughan (Terry Vaughan) (Logan Miranda), and Kamrin Ober; and great-great-grandchildren: Caidence and Phillip Ellebrecht; Braxton and Bryson Elam; Ariella and Deluca Ober; Kyra and Aerith Overholt; and Axell Franks.

She was preceded in death by her parents Alfredo and Emilia DePucci; her husband Albert Kurtz; sister and brother-in-law Rena and Gene Miller; brother Fred DePucci; granddaughter Shauna Foster; nephew John Miller; and niece Vicky Machado.

Noni’s faith was an important part of her life. She was deeply involved with Christ Lutheran Church in Fortuna where she found spiritual strength and community.

A talented seamstress with nimble hands and a creative heart, Noni enjoyed crocheting intricate doilies as well as making blankets and dolls for loved ones. Her handiwork became treasured keepsakes for generations. Beyond crafting, she created lasting memories through travel — one especially memorable trip being a road adventure to Disneyland with five of her grandchildren. Despite one child getting lost more than once during the trip, it remained a joyful highlight for all involved. She also had the opportunity to travel to Toronto with her husband to visit their son Albert — another cherished memory.

Noni held a special place in her heart for Rio Dell. She loved the town dearly and became a pillar of its community through years of kindness and involvement.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to Debra Garnes for always being there for Noni and the entire family. Special thanks also go to IHSS caregivers Michelle, Janet, Claudia; the Hospice nurses and aides; and the compassionate staff at Ida Emmerson Hospice House who cared so lovingly for Noni in her final days.

A celebration of life is pending.

Memorial donations may be made to Hospice in honor of Noni’s memory.

May Nancy “Noni” Kurtz’s legacy of love continue to bring comfort to all who knew her.

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Humboldt’s commercial cannabis farmers will never again have to complain about the county’s cultivation tax: It’s gone.

Nine years after local voters approved Measure S— establishing a tiered cultivation tax of $1 to $3 per square foot, depending on grow type — the Board of Supervisors today agreed to eliminate the tax altogether. They did so after noting that the market has “completely crashed” amid rampant overproduction statewide.

The unanimous vote — which excluded Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell, who is active in the industry and therefore recused herself — following a public comment period in which nearly two dozen growers, consultants and advocates unanimously urged the board to repeal Measure S.

Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson initially indicated that he’d be voting the other way on the matter. While acknowledging that the industry is in the toilet, so to speak, he said he was “a little uncomfortable” repealing a taxation measure that voters had approved, especially when the only people who spoke up today were those with financial incentives to urge repeal.

Wilson also noted that local taxation isn’t the only factor in the industry’s struggles.

“The thing that made this work to begin with, under prohibition, was because you could hide it in the hills …and now that’s basically what’s making it not work,” he said.

But before the board could vote, there was some confusion about whether a vote to repeal Measure S would be permanent. Deputy County Counsel Joel Campbell-Blair stepped up to explain that it would not. The language of Measure S gives the board the authority to repeal or modify the voter-approved tax (as it did in recent years, suspending it for 2022 and 2023 and then reinstating it at a drastically reduced rate for 2024), but also the authority to bring it back. 

“The only thing that could take away a future board’s authority to reinstate [Measure S] would be the voters again,” Campbell-Blair explained. 

Following the explanation, Wilson said that, in that case, he’d be voting in favor of the motion.

In introducing the matter to the board, Deputy County Administrative Officer Sean Quincey set the stage with an overview of what’s happened since 2016, when everyone seemed to have dollar signs in their eyes and growers themselves helped draft the county’s land use ordinance, saying they were excited to come out of the shadows. (Marvel at the sunny optimism on display a decade ago, when a growers organization rejoiced that “the future of Humboldt is bright because the farmers and the people are organized.”)

Today, in the somber board chamber, Quincey recounted the obvious. 

“The cultivation sector has become oversaturated,” he said. “Licensed growers statewide have the capacity to produce more than eight times what Californians can actually consume, and illegal supply from out of state — namely Oregon — has significantly added to the flooding of supply in the state. This oversupply has driven wholesale prices down significantly.”

Worst of all, predictions that our region would become the Napa County of cannabis proved false.

“Contrary to expectations,” Quincey continued, “sun-grown cannabis from Humboldt’s legacy growers has not commanded premium pricing. The market actually pays far less for outdoor cannabis compared to indoor and mix light.”

The county’s Measure S tax revenues map the downward spiral:

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The board had two options today when it came to Measure S, Quincey said: Repeal the measure altogether or embark on a study to explore possible alternatives, with a goal of putting one on the November 2026 ballot. Wilson noted that there was a third option: Keeping Measure S and modifying it however the board sees fit, as it has been doing.

Meanwhile, the board was also charged with deciding what to do about the $11.45 million that local cultivators owe in back taxes and the $1 million-plus owed in current-year taxes.

The parade of public speakers sang an extended song of sorrow. 

“Our local cannabis industry has been desecrated by agency overreach and unfair financial regulatory burden — so much so that I could write a compelling book of agency injustices [that] our farmers have been subjected to in this era of implementing California cannabis,” one consultant said.

Lia Nelson of NorthPoint Consulting said, “We used to have upwards of 100 clients and now we just have a couple handful, most of whom are really, really struggling financially.”

Natalynne DeLapp, who spoke as one of the founders of the Humboldt County Growers Alliance (HCGA), recounted some history, saying “legacy growers” across the state were effectively kneecapped by the removal of a proposed one-acre cultivation cap in Prop. 64, the initiative that legalized commercial cannabis statewide.

Still, the market thrived for awhile, with local growers bringing more than $55 million in tax revenue to the county. But the market crashed in 2021 and never recovered.

“So many of the farmers that are in that room have given their all for this last decade to be part of this community, to normalize, to be trusted community partners,” DeLapp said. “And they have done everything. … [But] more and more and more people are dropping out. We are losing the very culture that makes this place unique.”

Bridgeville grower Nick Glass said he and his wife recently realized that this year could mark their last harvest. 

“We looked at each other and we said, ‘Oh, we need to get jobs,’” Glass said. “We spent the weekend building résumés, and hopefully Humboldt’s economy is good enough to support us as we have to move to town, if our farm closes. Which is sad, right? I’ve been doing it for 20 years, and I cannot afford to make a living doing this anymore.”

Several speakers said eliminating the cultivation tax would be a meaningful step in “normalizing” cannabis as an agricultural crop. 

When the matter came back to the board for discussion, First District Supervisor Rex Bohn cut right to the chase, making a motion to repeal Measure S. Fifth District Supervisor Steve Madrone immediately seconded the motion.

Wilson said the board still needed to consider the matter of 2026 taxes but was reminded that the motion at hand would eliminate those. 

Bohn offered up a summation of Measure S: “This has been an experiment gone to hell,” he said.

Fourth District Supervisor Natalie Arroyo said it’s still important to collect the $11.45 million owed in back taxes for the sake of fairness to those who’ve already paid their bills. Madrone said the county should hold firm on the established December 31, 2025, deadline for paying past-due taxes.

Once the confusion about the permanence of the vote was cleared up, the board unanimously approved zeroing out the Measure S tax rate indefinitely. Staff will need to bring the item back to the board before the end of the year to formalize the change.

Press release from the California Highway Patrol:

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) will launch a 12-hour Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) from 6 p.m. Friday, October 31, through 6 a.m. Saturday, November 1, to protect motorists and prevent impaired driving. During the operation, all available CHP officers will be on patrol statewide, focusing on identifying and arresting impaired drivers before they cause harm.

Driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or a combination of both can have deadly consequences. On average, more than 800 fatal crashes involving impaired drivers claim over 900 lives each year in California, reinforcing the CHP’s commitment to removing impaired drivers from the road.

Impairment is not limited to alcohol. Prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs and cannabis products can all affect a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle safely.

Penalties for Impaired Driving

Drivers arrested for driving under the influence face serious penalties, including:

• Driver’s license suspension
• Fines
• Mandatory DUI education programs
• Jail time

During last year’s 12-hour Halloween MEP, officers investigated nearly 500 crashes statewide. About 90 of those involved impaired drivers, resulting in two deaths and more than 60 injuries. CHP officers also made nearly 120 DUI arrests during that period.

For more information about DUI penalties, visit the California Department of Motor Vehicles website.

Make the Right Choice

To help ensure everyone reaches their destination safely, the CHP urges motorists to:

• Designate a sober driver.
• Use ride-sharing services, taxis or public transit.
• Never drive impaired or ride with someone who is.

If you see someone who appears to be driving impaired, call 9-1-1 immediately.

“Whether it’s Halloween or any night of the year, the decision to drive sober can save a life,” Commissioner Duryee added. “Together, we can make our roads safer and prevent tragedies before they happen.”

The CHP reminds all drivers to make responsible choices behind the wheel — never drive under the influence, always wear your seat belt and follow the speed limit.

The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.