The child in question has been found, according to the EPD. In accordance with the Outpost’s usual practices regarding missing children, the original post has been removed.

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Rep. Doug LaMalfa — a Republican rice farmer who has served in Congress since 2012, representing the Redding-Chico area — has died at age 65. Politico reports that he suffered a sudden aneurysm and a heart attack.

A climate change skeptic and election denier, LaMalfa was a solid vote for President Donald Trump. Trump paid tribute to him this morning:

“I want to express our tremendous sorrow at the loss of a great member — a great, great, great member — Congressman Doug LaMalfa, who passed away yesterday… our hearts go out to his wife, Jill and his entire family.” 🇺🇸❤️pic.twitter.com/tySLWmchjV

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 6, 2026

The First Congressional District, which LaMalfa represented was dramatically redrawn with the passage of Proposition 50 last year, to give it a Democratic majority. In the election later this year, the First District will stretch from the Chico area — close to LaMalfa’s home — all the way over to Santa Rosa, Ukiah and Willits.

LaMalfa was set to run against State Sen. Mike McGuire, the Healdsburg Democrat who has represented Humboldt County in the state legislature since 2014. McGuire issued a statement about the passing of his opponent on social media:

Erika and I extend our deepest condolences to Doug LaMalfa’s family, friends, and colleagues.

Public service is a noble calling, regardless of party, and Congressman LaMalfa’s dedication to serving the people of California deserves recognition, respect and gratitude.

Our…

— Mike McGuire (@ilike_mike) January 6, 2026

Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued a press release:

Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement regarding the death of Congressman Doug LaMalfa:

“Congressman Doug LaMalfa was a devoted public servant who deeply loved his country, his state, and the communities he represented. While we often approached issues from different perspectives, he fought every day for the people of California with conviction and care. He will be deeply missed.

“Jennifer and I are holding Doug’s family, loved ones, and colleagues in our thoughts as California mourns his passing.”

In honor of Congressman LaMalfa, flags at the State Capitol and Capitol Annex Swing Space will be flown at half-staff.

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

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In 2019, first-year Gov. Gavin Newsom inherited a state flush with cash. With a $21.4 billion budget surplus to play with, an ambitious Newsom invested billions in affordable housing, child care and health care expansion while paying down the state’s debt and shoring up reserves.

The next governor won’t be that lucky.

When Newsom unveils his last spending plan as governor Friday, he will do so with the spectre of a projected $18 billion deficit — the result of the state’s fast-growing spending, federal funding losses and heightened economic uncertainties under President Donald Trump’s administration.

The deficit could balloon to $35 billion annually in the next few years if state leaders don’t pursue long-term solutions, namely making sustainable revenue increases or cutting spending, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the nonpartisan fiscal adviser to lawmakers.

But neither will be appealing options to Newsom and legislative leaders this year.

They have repeatedly resisted increasing taxes on average Californians and high-income earners alike — a politically dicey pitch to make in a state with high tax rates and increasing revenue. Spending cuts are equally painful to swallow, especially for Democrats running for re-election in November who have fought to expand services, such as Medi-Cal, that may now be rolled back.

For Newsom, a lame-duck governor with presidential aspirations, there is even less incentive to address the state’s long-term budget health through major policy changes, political strategists say.

“It’s not an uncommon occurrence in California for a departing governor to leave a note on the new governor’s desk that they’ve got a budget deficit,” said longtime Democratic consultant Garry South.

But how Newsom tackles the structural deficit will almost certainly have implications for his expected presidential bid. State Republicans, such as Assemblymember David Tangipa of Fresno, are already blaming the budget problem on Newsom’s mismanagement. “A Newsom presidency would be a fiscal and governance disaster of historic proportions,” Tangipa wrote in a December op-ed.

It’s the fourth consecutive year in Newsom’s tenure that the state is projecting a deficit even as revenue grows. In the past, state Democratic leaders resorted to temporary fixes such as internal borrowing, deferring payments, one-time cuts and drawing from California’s rainy day fund to avoid cutting into the social safety net.

But that cushion is deflating: The state’s reserve stands at $14 billion, half its peak balance, after two years of withdrawals. State leaders have borrowed more than $20 billion from other state funds, debts that will come due in later years. Continuing to rely on those options would leave the state “undeniably less prepared” for an economic downturn, the LAO warned.

“Eventually you are going to run out of Band-aids,” said Steve Maviglio, a Democratic strategist who worked for then-Gov. Gray Davis during a massive budget deficit. “(Newsom) has used every trick in the book, and after a certain point, there’s nothing left.”

More health care cuts to come?

Newsom has not indicated whether he’ll consider cuts to Medi-Cal, the state’s primary health insurance program for low-income residents. But as the state’s most expensive program, it is an attractive target. More than half of the $200 billion program’s funding comes from the federal government.

Last year, as Newsom and legislators scrambled to close a $12 billion budget gap, they froze new Medi-Cal enrollment for undocumented immigrants, charged immigrant enrollees a $30 monthly premium and delayed cutting certain benefits. The cost of Medi-Cal has been rising faster than expected, forcing the state Legislature to allocate $6.2 billion midyear to prevent a shortfall.

The decision was contentious, with some health care advocates and Democratic lawmakers slamming their leaders for creating a “two-tiered health care system” that deemed immigrants less worthy of quality coverage.

“That was an incredibly disappointing backslide,” said Amanda McAllister-Wallner, executive director of Health Access California, which advocates for universal health care.

This year, Trump’s budget reduced the federal government’s share of funding to Medi-Cal, requiring the state to pay more to provide the same benefits. California is projected to spend at least $1.3 billion more to implement that change, a figure that could reach $5 billion by fiscal year 2029-30, the LAO estimated.

The Martin Luther King Community Hospital in Los Angeles on July 26, 2022. Photo by Pablo Unzueta for CalMatters

Assemblymember Mia Bonta, an Oakland Democrat who chairs the Assembly Health Committee, said solving the state’s budget crunch shouldn’t come at the expense of health care.

“California needs its state and federal leaders to look for more innovative solutions to fill the gaps, make health care affordable, and keep our families healthy,” she said in a statement that did not offer specific alternatives.

Any cuts to Medi-Cal could bring political consequences for Democrats who often pride themselves on expanding social services. Rolling back Medi-Cal could hurt Newsom’s legacy, too, since it was under him that the state began offering Medi-Cal to immigrants.

“Democrats are the party of expanding health care,” Maviglio said. “To slash it goes against everything they stand for.”

McAllister-Wallner acknowledged she isn’t optimistic about the budget outlook. But she said she hopes the state finds new revenue through taxing corporations instead of making cuts to vulnerable populations.

If “we are addressing this through cuts only, and cuts to the most vulnerable, that’s … not the leadership that we are looking for,” she said.

State leaders could also walk back some of last year’s funding commitments in other areas. While state lawmakers negotiated $500 million for homelessness to counties and delayed it until next year, it is not guaranteed. Newsom, who has blamed the state’s homelessness problem on local governments, could withhold the money.

Newsom also promised last year he’d reach a deal with Bay Area transit advocates over state funding to save the area’s transit net from collapsing. But last month, in light of the budget shortfall, Newsom urged advocates to dip into previously allocated dollars to save the regional transit network, instead of a $750 million loan the advocates had requested.

Taxing the rich a nonstarter for Newsom

It’ll be hard to muster the political will in Sacramento to raise taxes.

Former Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, a Los Angeles Democrat running for state superintendent of public instruction, said he’s long supported higher taxes on industries that have “skated away from taxation for a long time.”

But even the most progressive Democrats in California have had little appetite to raise taxes, he said, because many represent affluent areas such as Silicon Valley where their wealthy donors live.

Even when the state faced a projected $56 billion deficit over two years in 2023, Rendon said Democrats were “shrugging” at the problem and pointing to the state’s reserves as a solution, which he said reflected a culture of reliance on the rainy day fund.

This year, Newsom has Gov. Gavin Newsom addresses the media as he releases last year’s budget revision in Sacramento on May 14, 2025. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters already spoken out against a proposed labor-backed wealth tax ballot measure, consistent with his past opposition to similar proposals.

The ballot measure, titled “The 2026 Billionaire Tax Act” and filed with the state attorney general’s office in October, seeks to tack a one-time 5% tax on those with a net worth of at least $1 billion and use the money to fund the state’s health care and education programs. The effort is led by the SEIU-UHW, a powerful labor union representing health care workers, and St. John’s Community Health, one of the largest nonprofit health care providers in Los Angeles County.

State. Sen. Roger Niello, a Roseville Republican and vice chair of the Senate Budget Committee, applauded Newsom’s opposition to the proposed tax increase.

“To have a situation where we have developed an increasing deficit in the face of an economy that is not in recession, and revenues are increasing, it would seem to be silly to solve that by further increasing revenue,” he said.

While taxing the rich is a popular Democratic talking point, backing a proposal like that could mean alienating the wealthy donors Newsom will likely rely on for his presidential run.

There would also be no political gain for Newsom in his last year to stabilize the state’s progressive tax structure, which heavily relies on high-income earners, despite him promising to do so when he took office.

“He’s going to make more enemies doing it than he would not doing it,” Maviglio said.

Christopher Drew Smith was born on May 13, 1946. He passed away November 1, 2025 in Eureka, at Frye’s Care Home.

Chris was born in Washington D.C. to his parents Daniel Laws Smith and his mother, Frances Brooks Smith. The oldest son of an army colonel, the family moved every three years during his childhood. His places of residence included The Army War College in Carlisle, Penn., and Fort Lee, in Virginia. The family also lived in Orleans, France, and Frankfurt, Germany. He graduated from high school in Newport, Rhode Island. He became very adept at making friends because of his frequent family moves. He had an outgoing personality, quick wit, and an easy sense of humor. Some friends described it as zany, but humor and laughter just encompass who he was. In high school, he found a passion for theater and was cast in Oklahoma and Carousel.

After high school he attended Ohio Wesleyan University, and Ohio State. In 1965 he enlisted in the U.S. Marines. His father was an army man but his choice to enlist with the Marines had to do with his belief he was more likely to survive the conflict in Vietnam as a Marine. He was the top soldier in his platoon and received distinction as a marksman.

After serving in Vietnam he moved to Petoskey, Michigan. His family spent summers in Bayview, Michigan on Little Travers Bay from 1960 through his high school years. In 1961 his family bought a cottage in the Methodist community of Bay View, Michigan. The community was important to his formative years. His aunt and uncle Bronson and Harriet Smith also had a cottage in Bay View. Between the two families, the seven cousins had many happy times together.

Chris was introduced to the restaurant business at an early age. A local  young couple, Stafford and Jan Smith (no relation), purchased the historic Bay View Inn. At first they hired Chris to help them paint and get the Inn ready to reopen. Once open, Chris spent a summer washing dishes at the inn. Chris was able to observe how Stafford and Jan ran the kitchen, trained the staff, and observed all facets of running a successful inn and restaurant. After Chris returned from Vietnam in 1968, he worked for Stafford and Jan bartending and catering private parties for wealthy summer residents. Stafford and Jan had many great stories to tell about Chris, and they stayed in touch for many years.  

Chris decided to stay in the Bay View and Petosky area. It seemed like a good place to settle down after Vietnam. He worked for three years at WMBN as news director. He had a unique and colorful banter on air, and it led to his own radio show. At that time he also became involved as a cast member of The Little Travers Civic Theater. Among other roles he starred in the Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, The Music Man, Cactus Flower, Barefoot in the Park, and Little Foxes, among others. In most he was the lead or had important supporting roles. There were many glowing reviews of his performances in the local paper.

Here’s a sample:

“In the Music Man, he played the part of Marcellus Washburn, a friend and confident of Harold Hill and as usual Chris puts everything he has into the part. I always enjoy his acting, he is a natural ham, and he got his share of applause for his presentation in this production.”

Of his role in “My Fair Lady”:  

“As Col. Pickering, Chris Smith masters all of the mannerisms commonly stereotyped for English Military men, the puffy facial expressions and stiltified body movements. The structured role becomes believable under his hand.”

He made and kept many lifelong friends during his time in the theater company.

Hoping to break into theater in Chicago, he moved there in 1971. It’s also where he found his career in restaurants. Initially it was just a job but after a time it became his calling. His first Chicago restaurant job was at the very popular “Waterfront,” where his brother was part owner. He had a natural aptitude for all facets of restaurant work. At “Tango,” an upscale Chicago restaurant, he met Curly Tait. When Curly moved to Ferndale, Chris soon followed and what at first what was just a place to visit became his home. The two eventually opened the bar “The Vance Log Cabin” in 1975 on the ground floor of the historic Vance Hotel in Eureka’s Old Town. Chris and Curly made it a happening place to be. They had live bands seven nights a week. Notable among musical acts playing regularly was Robert Cray, the Grayson Street House Rockers, and many others. After several stops managing different bars and restaurants in Eureka and Arcata, he was hired to manage Bergie’s Cafe, in the basement of The Jacoby Storehouse, for several years. It was while working as manager of Bergie’s that he met and fell in love with Doralee, who he married in November 1987. After he left Bergie’s he and Bill Chino owned and operated The Far Side Cafes in Arcata and Eureka. The Far Sides did very well, but they had a chance to lease the former Bergie’s location, so they sold the Far Side cafes and opened Abruzzi in 1988. Abruzzi proved to be the jewel in the crown of his career. In a whirlwind of entrepreneurship, the successful pair opened The Plaza Grill in 1989, and later Moonstone Grill, rebranding the very popular and enduring dinner house that had been Merryman’s.

In over 40 years as a professional restaurateur, Chris was known for his graciousness and charm. His high standards, meticulous attention to detail and oft-repeated conviction that “the customer is always right” were keys to the success of his restaurants. He was dedicated to his profession, bringing his energetic optimism and impressive work ethic to work seven days a week. He served as a mentor to many of the young people who worked for him over the years, not only teaching them the ins and outs of the restaurant business but offering wisdom and encouragement when they faced personal challenges and were in search of advice.

Chris never planned to retire, but eventually his Alzheimer’s prevented him from continuing to work. It was very hard for him to let go of such a central part of his life. He continued to go to the restaurant and hang out for hours every day until he was no longer able.

Chris was preceded in death by his father, Col. Dan Smith, and mother, Frances Jane Smith. He is survived by his wife, Doralee Smith, sister Jane Christie Faust, brother Roy Smith, nephew Patrick Smith, stepdaughter Kim Pinches, granddaughter Emma Pinches, and numerous cousins and beloved friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held February 7, 2026, at The Basement (formerly Abruzzi) from 2 to 5 p.m. Please RSVP by texting (707) 845-2309 no later than January 28.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, please donate to Walk to End Alzheimers Team Smith21 in honor of Chris Smith at tinyurl.com/CDSmith21

Annette Jeanne Jicha Young
February 20, 1932 - December 14, 2025

Annette was born in Arcata, at the old Trinity Hospital which was on the corner of 13th and G Street. She was the daughter of Vencil Francis Jicha and Lois Lorraine McNeil Jicha. They lived in Korbel until 1938, then they moved to Arcata, where her roots and life long history of Arcata grew.

Annette attended Arcata Union High School, Class of 1950, and was very involved with all their class reunions. She continued her education at Pacific Union College in Angwin, California, earning a degree in Music Education in 1954.

Annette began her teaching career at Willow Creek Elementary teaching music, but ended up teaching Kindergarten for two years. There, she met the love of her life, Vernon V. Young, who was the 5th and 6th grade teacher. They married April 3, 1955. Two weeks before their wedding they put a down payment on property in Willow Creek. Together they built what became Young’s Orchard, and was known for the best peaches, as well as cherries, apples, pears, plums. In 1957, they moved to Arcata, but kept growing the orchard for their weekends and summers.

Music was Annette’s lifelong language. She helped start the Music Teachers Association of CA, Humboldt County Division in 1956. In 1962, she became heavily involved with the American Guild of Organists, acting as the Dean and Secretary for many years. She was also a lifetime member of the Auxiliary of VFW post 9561.

From 1955 to 2007, Annette taught mostly private piano, organ and voice lessons. At just 15 years old, she played the organ and sang for her first funeral service at Paul’s Mortuary Chapel in Arcata. This started a 72 year part-time career with them, where she served not only as a musician, but also as a trusted employee in countless office roles. She became the face of Paul’s Chapel. Living in Arcata her whole life, she helped many families she knew during their difficult time. She also served as organist, pianist and choir director for the Arcata-McKinleyville Seventh-Day Adventist Church from 1946 to 2001. She also played for a “gazillion” (as she put it) weddings and funerals over the years.

Annette is survived by her children Dale Young (Janice), Donald Young (Kathy), and Deanne Albright Young: Grandchildren Joshua (Gali) Young, Amber (Brent) Hennrich, Tiffany (Travin) Davis, Ryan (Brook) Young, and J.T. Albright; and great-grandchildren Briana, (who was born on her birthday!), Braydon and Brynlee Hennrich, and Trek and Tahr Davis. She is also lovingly missed by her bonus granddaughter Kendra Turner, son-in-law Mike Albright, many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Annette was preceded in death by her husband, Vernon V. Young, her parents, and her sisters, Edna Jicha Irland and Adrienne Jicha Young.

A private burial was held. No public service is planned at this time.

David S. McGinty was born September 22, 1943 to Raymond and Lorraine McGinty in Fairbury, Nebraska. He passed peacefully on December 29, 2025, after several years of failing health.

David and his family moved to Humboldt County in the early 1950s and lived in a logging camp in Grizzly Creek, a Con Camp in Happy Camp, then Arcata and Eureka.

David went to work for the City of Eureka in April of 1964, first working in the zoo where he became well acquainted with Bill the chimpanzee, then moving to the water treatment plant, eventually moving into City Hall. He became the Director of Community Services and retired from the City of Eureka in 2003. Of the many projects David was involved in over the years, he was most proud of the Wastewater Treatment plant, the Wharfinger Building and Small Boat Basin, and the waterfront Boardwalk.

Every August David could be found at the Humboldt County Fair, where he enjoyed his passion for horseracing. For more than 12 years he was the anonymous handicapper who wrote “The Sage” tip sheet.

Every September he joined his closest friends for deer hunting with the Grouse Mountain Hunting Club.

His final months were blessed with regular visits from Kairos, a six-year-old yellow lab with a truly angelic disposition. Those visits brought him great joy.

David was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Larry and sister-in-law Ilene, 8 aunts and uncles on his mother’s side, 8 aunts and uncles on his father’s side, and numerous cousins.

He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Judith; his daughter and son-in-law Jenifer and Chris Doane, and grandson Colin Doane of Eureka; former wife Betty Jean McGinty; stepdaughter Brandie Burnham and grandson Brandon Burnham; stepson Todd Garner and grandchildren Trevor, Dylan and Sydney Garner.

A celebration of David’s life will be held at his Wharfinger Building on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at 3 p.m. Please put it on your new, 2026 calendar, now.

If you would like to honor David’s memory with a charitable donation we suggest Hospice of Humboldt, Food for People, Miranda’s Rescue, or the local organization most dear to your heart.

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

Cheryl Lynn Peterson Rau
June 10, 1944 – December 25, 2025

Cheryl lived her life with creativity and love. She was the first of four children born to Shirley and Allen Peterson in Santa Cruz on June 10, 1944. It was not an easy birth and Papa Allen was participating in D-Day and could not be reached. Cheryl grew up in Los Altos Hills, a “watercolor person” even as a child. After graduating from Cubberly High School in 1962, she attended Foothill Community College, and later Humboldt State University, where she earned her BA in Art in 1974. Cheryl met her future husband Martin Rau in a Ceramics class at HSU in 1969.

Cheryl and Martin soon married and had two children, Coren in 1976 and Carl in 1979. They had purchased a large plot of land in Loleta where they grew Christmas trees, developing Misty Mountain Tree Farm

During this time she took classes at College of the Redwoods in Early Childhood Education, pursuing her credential. One of these classes was taught by Pat McCutcheon. As the academic year progressed, Cheryl and Pat’s friendship grew. In 1984 Pat relocated to the College of the Redwoods Crescent City campus for the next year, and Cheryl came to visit for a weekend. That was the beginning of a relationship that was to last forty years.

In 1985 Cheryl ended her marriage with Martin and moved with Coren and Carl to join Pat and her son Josh in Crescent City. Over the next six years, the five of them built a life together. Cheryl pursued her secondary teaching credential at HSU, earning it in 1988. Unfortunately, she was not able to secure a teaching position in Crescent City because of her relationship with Pat. However, they made lasting friends in the Del Norte community.

A faculty position opened up for Pat on the Eureka campus in 1990, and the whole family was excited to return to Humboldt County. Pat and Cheryl bought a home in Sunnybrae and soon joined the Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. In 1992 the Rev. John Cooper married them on the front lawn of their home with friends and family celebrating.

In 2008, the first day same sex weddings were legal, Cheryl and Pat were married at the Eureka Courthouse, followed by a celebration with friends and family at the Fellowship.

She was an avid gardener and gifted artist. After all three children were grown, the couple had the garage converted to an art studio for Cheryl. Later, on the large front lawn, she would create soccer goal posts from her easel for growing grandson Dylan.

Cheryl taught for thirteen years at the College of the Redwoods Child Development Center, teaching young children of CR students, and serving as interim Director.

And through it all, she was painting! She was a gifted watercolorist, creating large and medium-sized paintings as well as one of-a-kind cards. She painted scarlet poppies in her garden, pink flamingos at Sequoia Zoo, and captured countless landscape scenes across Humboldt County and beyond. Cheryl was an active member of the Humboldt County art community, participating in several Humboldt County Open Studios, many shows at the Redwood Art Association, and numerous other community events and venues. In 2022 Cheryl was selected to participate in the 15th annual Ingrid Nickelson Trust Women’s Juried Exhibition at the Morris Graves Museum of Art in Eureka. The Exhibition was juried by painter Joan Gold, who selected Cheryl’s painting Garden Explosion for an Ingrid Nicholson Trust Award.

Cheryl is survived by her devoted wife of forty years, Pat McCutcheon, her sons Josh Kieselhorst, Coren Rau and Carl Rau, grandson Dylan Kieselhorst, brothers Jon and Robert Peterson, and sister Cyndie Peterson Paul, as well as numerous extended family in the San Francisco Bay Area. She will be sorely missed by many more.

A memorial followed by a potluck will be held at the Humboldt Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 24 Fellowship Way off Jacoby Creek Road in Bayside, on Sunday, January 18, 2026, 3 p.m. A selection of her paintings will be on display there. In honor of Cheryl’s colorful life, “Cheryl Chic” In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Cheryl’s name to Companion Animal Foundation in Eureka, or to the Fellowship in Bayside.

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