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

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San Jose, the symbolic capital of Silicon Valley, is now ground zero in California’s battle over how to govern the rise of data centers used to power artificial intelligence.

The county seat of Santa Clara is touting its partnership with Pacific Gas & Electric, claiming the city is “the West Coast’s premier destination for data center development.” The investor-owned utility now estimates it has enough capacity in its planning pipeline to push the city’s electricity use to almost three times its current peak.

Those plans are forcing major grid upgrades, PG&E and city officials say, while raising questions about who pays for them and whether the state can keep the power clean.

Panelists at a CalMatters event in downtown San Jose clashed over key issues. They included a local official working with PG&E on the city’s data-center buildout, a tech advocate urging California to seize the economic moment, a Stanford energy expert pressing for a more modernized grid and a utility watchdog skeptical of AI’s promised benefits.

Their discussion centered on how quickly California should move to accommodate new demand, what information the public should be entitled to and how to keep customers from shouldering the cost of infrastructure that may never be fully used.

Proposals to more strictly regulate data center development died in the Legislature this year. Going forward, several state agencies and commissions are expected to take up further discussions, including the California Energy Commission, the Little Hoover Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission.

How much energy will California’s new data centers actually need?

The surge in AI is complicating efforts by regulators and utilities to forecast how quickly data centers will grow and how much power they’ll need. Companies can propose large facilities without committing to build them, the computing demands behind AI are changing quickly and cooling needs vary across the state. These factors make long-term energy needs hard to pin down.

According to the state’s electricity-demand forecast, utilities report that data centers, in planning documents, have requested 18.7 gigawatts of service capacity. That’s enough to power roughly 18 million homes, compared with California’s estimated 14 to 15 million. Regulators don’t expect all of those projects to be built, and assume the ones that do will come online gradually and operate at less than their requested capacity, producing a forecast of between 4 and 6 gigawatts by 2040.

Liang Min, who directs Stanford’s Bits & Watts Initiative, and a speaker on CalMatters’ panel, said that forecasting is particularly tough because companies are rolling out new AI apps — or “application layers,” as he put it — at breakneck speed. They include products like ChatGPT that use large language models. No one knows which apps will take off, and those uncertain bets are driving huge demands on the power grid.

“Right now we’re really struggling,” Min said. “The risk is extremely high in the application layers.”

The Public Advocates Office, an independent consumer watchdog within the California Public Utilities Commission, recently warned that rapid data-center growth could leave Californians paying for billions of dollars in grid upgrades if projects never materialize or use far less power than promised.

“Ratepayers could end up paying for costly infrastructure upgrades that may not be needed for many years – or at all,” the office said in its commentary.

Min said forecasting data-center load is a national challenge, but California will need better tools to keep rates in check, meet its clean-energy targets and stay competitive with states racing to attract data centers and high-paying tech jobs.

Local officials have also begun to grapple with the uncertainty. In San Jose, city energy officials say they are reluctant to procure additional power until they know which projects will actually be built. “We do not want to buy more power than we need,” said panelist Lori Mitchell, director of San Jose Clean Energy, the city’s publicly-owned electricity provider. “That’s job No. 1.”

What are the environmental concerns around the data center boom?

California’s data-center boom is bringing a wave of environmental concerns that state officials are only beginning to understand. Those concerns center on water use, the carbon emissions tied to rising energy demand and the air pollution from diesel backup generators.

Air quality is a particular concern. While back-up generators run only intermittently, their presence is concentrated in a handful of regions. In Santa Clara County, where many facilities sit close together in dense industrial areas, the local impacts could be greater simply because so much equipment is packed into a small space.

Yet the state still has limited visibility into what data centers are doing. Attempts to require more transparency stalled this year amid tech industry opposition. The only measure that became law gives regulators the authority to determine whether data centers are driving up costs — but stops short of requiring environmental reporting.

Ahmad Thomas, CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and another panelist, said his group opposed the electricity disclosure and water reporting measures because they would make California less competitive.

“It’s very hard to see a world where California is at the top of the AI pile if we do not have an approach to data centers that is — at minimum — mildly competitive with other states,” he added.

Consumer advocates say the lack of information leaves communities unprotected. “We certainly think there needs to be more transparency — that’s a good thing,” said panelist Mark Toney, the executive director of the The Utility Reform Network, a ratepayer advocacy group..

Will data centers slow down California’s switch to clean energy?


The rapid growth of data centers could slow California’s clean-energy transition if it keeps the state tied to natural gas. And some of the carbon-free alternative energy sources that could meet their power needs are deeply controversial among environmentalists.

The state has pledged to reach 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045, yet it still depends heavily on natural-gas plants during hot summer days. A recent report by the environmental think tank Next 10 and UC Riverside estimated that data-center carbon emissions nearly doubled from 2019 to 2023 — largely from gas-fired generation — underscoring how even a relatively clean grid may struggle to absorb AI-driven load without higher emissions.

State leaders are making policy shifts as AI demand grows. California this year approved joining a broader Western power market, a move driven in part by new demands on the grid, including data centers. Critics warn the change could expose the state to dirtier electricity from other states and weaken its control over clean-energy rules.

Min of Stanford argues that California will need to rely on options some environmentalists would rather avoid. That includes holding onto existing resources like the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant. In a recent report, Min argued the state will also need more “clean, firm” power — resources that can operate around the clock — such as geothermal energy or natural-gas plants with carbon capture.

PG&E agrees. Spokesperson Stephanie Magallon told CalMatters in an email that nuclear power, carbon-capture systems and large solar-plus-battery projects are all options under consideration for powering data centers in its region. But environmental justice critics in California have opposed carbon capture technology calling it unproven tech that risks extending fossil-fuel use.

Mitchell said community choice aggregators can manage new data-center load while keeping power clean and affordable. San Jose’s mix is already 60% renewable, and she said the biggest opportunity is flexibility — getting data centers to shift use off the hottest afternoons so the city can avoid buying additional power.

Will data centers raise your electric bill?


California’s data-center boom is reshaping the fight over electricity bills, exposing a divide over whether these new customers will lower costs — or drive them higher for everyone else.

PG&E argues that adding large users like data centers can lower rates because fixed grid costs would be spread across more customers. It also claims the grid is underutilized on average — operating at about 45% of capacity — although the grid faces real strain during the hottest hours and in parts of the system that routinely run close to their limits. If data centers can be connected in places with available capacity, PG&E argues, they could help spread costs without worsening congestion.

Toney, another panelist, urged the state to slow down, warning that California is planning major infrastructure without knowing which data centers are real or how their costs will land on customer bills.

“I’m worried that we’re engaged in what I call faith-based policymaking,” he said. “The benefits are very speculative, but the costs are very real.”

Some states, said Toney, have begun tightening rules around the growth of data centers. One law in Oregon will require data-center grid costs to remain off household bills. A Minnesota law will give very large data centers their own billing category so regulators can keep their costs separate from other customers’ electric bills.

“This issue of data centers and the connection between affordability and clean energy is of national concern, and California is actually behind on this,” Toney said. “There’s this mythology about California being the leader all the time.”

Isaac James Kibby
February 13, 1996 - Sunday November 30, 2025

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved nephew, Isaac. He was a loving son, uncle, cousin and brother.

Isaac was Karuk, Wiyot, Pitriver and a proud enrolled member of the Yurok Tribe. He also had a large spiritual family who cared for him deeply. He enjoyed dancing with his family and taking part in dance demonstrations throughout the community.

Isaac loved his friends and family deeply. Anyone  who knew him could feel the warmth he carried in his heart. He shared an unbreakable bond with his brother, a connection built on deep understanding, shared experiences and a lifetime of being each other’s closest companion. To his cousins, who grew up alongside him like brothers and sisters, he was the best kind of family: funny, loving, and always there when they needed him. He knew he could count on them the same way.

He was caring, thoughtful, the kind of person who paid attention to others and showed up when it mattered. His humor was one of his greatest gifts; he had a natural way of making people laugh and bringing light into any room.

A talented athlete, he excelled as a high-school wrestler, played football, and kept his love for sports throughout his life. He especially loved playing basketball. Cheering passionately for his favorite player, LeBron James and his favorite football team North Carolina Panthers. Those who knew him knew about his love for Dino Nuggets, Adidas slides, and always keeping his favorite pick handy for his hair. He was also a dedicated gamer who found joy and connection through video games.

One of his happiest recent memories was spending a wonderful week in Oahu with his family, creating moments they will forever hold close.

For 11 years, he worked at Blue Lake Casino, where he formed lasting friendships with coworkers who came to feel like family. The kindness, humor, and steady presence he brought there will be remembered by many.

He will be deeply missed by all who knew him, and his memory will continue to live on in the hearts of the people he loved and the lives he touched.

He is survived by his grandmother Toddy Thompson; his brothers Isaiah Kibby (Abby Young) and Elijah Kibby; his uncle Jaimoe Kibby (Brandy Kibby); and his cousins, who were more like siblings — Kody Kibby, Faith Kibby (AJ Perez), Hope Kibby (Mettah Kuska), and Jaimoe Kibby Jr. He is also survived by his father Sam Alford; his aunts Melissa Waheneka (Harlen) and Jamaica Kibby; and a large, loving extended family with many other aunts, uncles, cousins, and the Voyles family, whom he cared for dearly.

He was preceded in death by his mother Sarina Kibby; his grandfather Daniel Kibby; his great-grandfather Archie Thompson; his uncles David Kibby, Roger Buckskin, and Timmy Thompson; his aunts Valerie Thompson, Wanda Kibby; his cousins Delmar Thompson, Redsky Rojas, Stormy Rojas, Miranda Thompson, and Shawn Thompson; and his good friend Ramiro Melecio.

Pallbearers:

Isaiah Kibby, Kody Kibby, Jaimoe Kibby Jr., Hope Kibby, DJ Thomas, Lane Voyles, Mettah Kuska, AJ Perez, Ira Thompson, Pete Thompson, Jase Baldosser, Tanner Brittain

Honorary Pallbearers:

Jaimoe Kibby, Willie Thompson, Randy Thompson, Archie Thompson, Faith Kibby, Ed Ben Jr, David Voyles, Virgil Moorehead, Tommy O’Rourke, Sundance Rojas, Gino O’Rourke, Elijah Kibby, Jack Norton, Julian Lang, Alme Allen, Loren Bommelyn, Pyuwa Bommelyn, Jude Marshall, Vincent Feliz, Bmo Colegrove, Kavish Marshall, LeBron James, Darleen Buckskin, Kyree Smith, James Spino, Wes Spino, Anthony Rojas, Isha-Kom McConnell, Ma-Kaych McConnell, Tucker Donahue, Dae’ron Weaselhead, Redsky Waheneka, Harlen Waheneka Jr., Teddy Thompson, Trent Thompson, Will Bear Carlson, Mikey Carlson, Pergish Carlson, Jeremy Thompson, Jose Celio,, Jason Henser, Eli Aubrey, Casey Pederson

Viewing & Services:

Viewing will be held at Awok-Ada Charles Community Center, 190 Klamath Blvd., Klamath, California  Saturday December 13, 2025 from 6-8 p.m. Services will also be held at the Awok- Ada Charles Community Center on December 14, 2025 at 10 a.mac. Everyone is welcome. Following the burial at the family plot in Klamath, we will share food and fellowship back at the Awok-Ada Charles Community Center.

Special Thank You:

Our family extends our deep gratitude to the Yurok Tribe, Blue Lake Rancheria, Country Living Florist, and all the family and friends who have helped send our nephew off in a good way. Thank you to everyone who spent the last several days with our family — visiting, sitting by the fire telling stories, bringing meals, and making sure we were cared for. Thank you to all who kept our family in your prayers. We are forever grateful. Much love and respect.

Our hearts are heavy as we share the passing of James Robert Marshall Sr.

James was born on March 22, 1985 in Eureka. He passed away in Hoopa on November 30, 2025, at the age of 40.

A loving father, son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend to so many, James held his family and friends close to his heart. He found peace and joy in the outdoors. At a young age he enjoyed playing basketball, riding dirt bikes and being surrounded by his family and friends. He would surprise his children with loving gestures, providing gifts and companionship.  He was a kind-hearted soul who never hesitated to help others. He lived his life with compassion, generosity, and a quiet strength that brought comfort to those around him. Whether it was offering his time, his hands, or simply his presence, he made sure others never felt alone. He showed his love not only through words but through countless acts of care, laughter, and support. He loved deeply, gave freely, and lived with an honesty and humor that will never be forgotten. To know him was to know kindness.

Though we miss him more than words can say, his spirit lives on in the moments we shared: in family laughter and in every memory of his warm and caring heart. His legacy remains forever in the lives he touched and the hearts that hold him close.

James is survived by his children, James Jr., Joseph and Jessica Marshall. Mother Roberta Marshall (Goobi Perry), Father Jeff Marshall Sr. (Marcell Dwight), Grandmother Jane Marshall. Siblings Jena Marshall (Brandt Hostler), Jeffrey Marshall Jr. (Emilee Marshall), Jacquelene Marshall (Nate Baldy), Alyssa Jackson. Uncles and Aunties, Loren Colegrove, Robert Jackson Jr, Jody Jackson, Lovae Blake, Russell Marshall Sr. (Jeanni Marshall), Julie McIntosh, Jacqueline Alford (Les Alford), Linda Lee, Carrie Turner, Debbie Ulibarri. Nieces and Nephews, Andrew Hunsucker Jr., Poy-we-son Hunsucker, Cassandra Perry, Jaxon Hostler-Marshall, Akeera Marshall, Keylee Marshall, Taneya Marshall, Xavier Lewis, Bryson Lewis, Amaya Lewis, Izaeliya Baldy, Uonashca Parker, Nevayla Jackson, Noah and Novaleigh Ammon. We will be welcoming his first granddaughter in March of 2026.

He is preceded in death by his Maternal Grandparents, Robert Carl Jackson Sr. and Alberta Faye Jackson, Paternal Grandpa, James Eugene Marshall III. Uncles, Jerry Davis, James Jackson. Nephews, Romeo Wes-kwe-loy, Allen and Lane Baldy. Cousins Lawrence Marshall, Peter Stewart and Terrance Davis.

James came from a large family if we’ve forgotten anybody, we apologize.

Wake will be held on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, 8 p.m. located at the Jackson’s residents, on Mill Creek Road.

Services will be held on Thursday, December 11, 2025, 11 a.m. at the First Baptist Church, on Pine Creek Road/Hwy 96. Following, we will have his last walk from the Church to his Burial at Hoopa Tribal Cemetery.

Reception to follow located at the Hoopa Fire House. We ask everyone to bring a dish to share as we say our final farewells, food can be dropped off Thursday at the Fire House.

Father • Brother • Son • Friend

I am not gone—
I’m just in a different form.
Look for me in your heart and you will find me
in the love we shared
and the memories that stay warm.

When tomorrow starts without me,
don’t think we’re far apart.
Every time you think of me,
I’m right there in your heart.

I live on in my children,
in my family who loves me,
and in every life I touched.
So when tears fall, look toward the heavens—
you’ll feel me near,
smiling down from God’s gentle light.

Pall Bearers:

Jeff Marshall Sr., James Marshall Jr., Joseph Marshall, Jeffrey Marshall Jr., Loren Colegrove, Robert Jackson Jr,. Jody Jackson, Andrew Hunsucker Jr., Poy-we-son Hunsucker, Xavier Lewis, Goobi Perry, Johnny Blake, Whits Marshall, Alex Perry, Denny Colegrove, Rico Tello.

Honorary Pall Bearers:

David Hostler, Joey Montgomery, Isaac Bussell, Richie Nixon, Russell Marshall Sr., RJ Marshall, Ben Marshall, Keenan Stewart, Gordy Stewart, Richie Stewart, Eric Blake, Jason Marshall, Brandt Hostler, Nate Baldy, Bryson Lewis, Jordan Hailey, Lawrence Orcutt, Billy Matilton.

Joseph Gerard Luther
December 8, 1957 – November 27, 2025

Joseph “Joe” Gerard Luther passed away peacefully at his home in McKinleyville, California on November 27th at 8:52 PM, surrounded by his family. He was truly one of a kind — funny, rebellious, warm-hearted and unforgettable. His genuine smile and irreverent humor lit up every room, and many of his family’s most cherished memories feature him turning up the music, cracking a ridiculous joke, or bringing levity to even the most ordinary moments. And at the center of it all was the role he cherished most: being the father of three wonderful kids.

Born in Sacramento at Mercy Hospital to Clarice Marie Joyer and Joseph Edward Luther, Joe grew up in East Sacramento as the youngest of twelve siblings — an upbringing that no doubt shaped his loud voice, quick movements and strong opinions. He attended Sacred Heart Elementary and Christian Brothers High School, served as a neighborhood paperboy for many years, worked on a fishing boat in Alaska and later attended Chico State College, where he explored a wide range of interests. Though he never pursued a degree, he remained a lifelong learner, devouring science fiction novels (especially Isaac Asimov), watching the NASA channel and marveling at the universe. He passed his curiosity on to his children, who all excelled academically, and he beamed with pride at each of their college graduations.

In his travels through California, Joe often told the story of the time he fell asleep on a train and woke up far beyond his stop — a mishap he turned into yet another adventure. That detour eventually led him to Santa Monica, where he famously cruised the boardwalk on roller skates in his Daisy Dukes. Roller-skating is also how he met his future wife, Helen, on Halloween in 1979. She was a duck, he was a disco king, and their unlikely pairing blossomed into 45 years of marriage.

Joe and Helen moved to Humboldt County shortly after and he began working at a woodshop in Blue Lake before joining the fledgling Mad River Brewery as its third employee. He worked as the cellar manager for nine years and took great pride in keeping the cellar spotless and the beer flowing. Those years were filled with redwood campouts, bike rides, brewery parties and memories his family still treasures. He later worked in various labor roles at Mad River Hospital and spent many years as a courier throughout the county.

Joe worked hard for a living, eventually sustaining a severe back injury at the brewery. Even as his work life slowed, he found contentment in reading books, tending the garden, watching TV, spending time with his family and Great Pyrenees dogs and offering affectionate grumbles about the world around him.

Joe and Helen built their McKinleyville homestead, lovingly known as “LutherLand,” over the course of 38 years. It became the backdrop of his children’s upbringing — a place filled with dirt-under-the-fingernails adventures, slip’n’slide wipeouts, Evel Knievel bike jumps, riverside summers and azalea-lined springs. They also created a refuge not just for their own children, but for the community of kids around them. LutherLand became the unofficial hangout spot, full of music, bonfires, laughter and the kind of teenage parties people still reminisce about today.

Kids and dogs adored Joe — they seemed to sense his gentle, playful spirit. The way he raised his three kids — to be kind, giving, inquisitive, adventurous souls — speaks to the essence of who he was. He valued knowledge and learning deeply. He read to them every evening growing up, including the entire Lord of the Rings and Little House on the Prairie series. In many ways, he dreamed of giving them a Little House-style upbringing, and he nearly pulled it off (minus Pa’s fiddle solos and the prairie bonnets).

Joe believed deeply in real-life learning. When Julia Butterfly Hill came down from her redwood tree, he pulled his kids out of school to attend her rally, determined to instill in them a fierce environmental ethic, a lesson that took root and stayed with them for life. He also encouraged caring for their community, often rallying his kids to pick up trash along their streets and beaches.

He was outspoken and fiercely protective of his family — never hesitating to yell at a coach if his kids weren’t getting enough playtime, tell teachers that backpacks were too heavy, or march into the principal’s office with neighborhood trash to make a point. He lived by the motto: “If no one else will say it, I will.”

Music was one of Joe’s greatest loves. He bought a Fender Stratocaster he never quite learned to play but passed down to his daughter like it was Excalibur — a gift she treasures deeply. His record collection was legendary: Jimi Hendrix tearing through the speakers, the Grateful Dead drifting like incense through the rooms, Led Zeppelin shaking the walls, Bob Marley settling everyone’s spirits, Fleetwood Mac floating through sunlit afternoons and Stevie Wonder, Neil Young and Cat Stevens, among many others, wrapping the whole house in warmth and soul. Meanwhile, teenage Heather blasted Eminem and bass-heavy tracks from her car, prompting many good-natured debates about what did or did not qualify as “real music.”

Joe also came from a family of letter-writers and was himself a thoughtful, witty, and perceptive writer. His loved ones often remarked that he could have been an author — or a lawyer, given his love of spirited debate.

Joe is survived by his wife of 45 years, Helen Luther; his daughter Heather Luther; his sons Brandon Luther and Stevie Luther; his granddaughter Alana Luther; his siblings Theresa, Patrice, Margaret, Rose, Fran and Steve; and a wide circle of cousins, nieces, and nephews who loved him dearly. He is preceded in death by his parents and several siblings who passed before him.

He wasn’t perfect, but he was real — vivid, loyal, stubborn, hilarious, thoughtful and endlessly human. He leaves behind a family who adored him and a world made better, funnier and stranger because he was in it.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, you consider donating to Hospice of Humboldt.

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Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar
When I put out to sea.

— Tennyson

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The bar that Tennyson wrote of was metaphorical, but habitués of early day Humboldt Bay had a multiplicity of bars they could encounter that were all real and all — at least occasionally — dangerous.

Those that threatened Humboldters most frequently were not on the high seas, but in Eureka’s Old Town, where bars of the bibulous variety spelled peril for both the unwary and for those who sought it. Loggers were the biggest seekers, arriving Saturday nights on the “Whiskey Specials” — logging trains that took the “freshly scrubbed, beargreased” woodsmen from their worksites in the tall timber to First Street, depositing them by the tracks like so many loads of freshly felled redwood. From there, the intemperate pleasure seekers made their way saloonward, some faltering at the Fairwind, comer of First and F, or at the Snug, which snuggled next to Snug Alley just up F Street.

Those with greater capacity or determination managed to stroll or stagger all the way to Second Street — the “Deuce” — where liquor dispensaries like the Louvre waylaid most of the rest. The Louvre, now respectably reincarnated as a rare and used bookstore [Eureka Books — Ed.], used its architecture to entice the clientele to purchase more than drinks. The second-story balcony, still present, was situated in such a way that when a libation-minded logger tilted back his first schooner of beer, his line of sight would rise to just the angle necessary to view an enticing bit of ankle displayed above him by one of the Louvre’s lubricious ladies, thus alerting him there were more satisfactions available than that of merely quenching his thirst.

Some saloon patrons chose less costly pursuits, of which the barroom brawl was the most frequent. Here the aim was to avoid catching a case of “loggers’ smallpox,” the frequently found facial scarring caused not by a virus, but by the punctures that resulted from a stomping inflicted by an opponent wearing calk boots. Another pastime was attempting to stride atop the bar counter from end to end while equipped with such spike-soled footwear, as both bystanders and the barkeep tried (often with success) to knock the contestant to the floor.

A 1909 survey counted sixty-five saloons in Eureka, their corrupting effects abetted by thirty-two “houses of shame.” The bar tally had dropped to fifty-three in 1916, and it officially fell to zero three years later, with the start of Prohibition. Alcohol was still available along the Deuce, of course, but now it was found only in back rooms or behind closed doors.

It was not until April of 1933 that the suds flowed freely again. Barely had the shot glasses been broken out before shots of a different sort disquieted the Louvre. Its co-owners, Fred Carter and Tom Slaughter, had been bickering about the business for some time, when, on the evening of June 3, they commenced arguing in the Louvre’s lavatory. A pair of shots rang out and Slaughter ran for the back door. Carter, hard hit, fired a bullet at his fleeing associate; it missed and struck the door casing instead. Carter then staggered out into Opera Alley, where he shot once again at Slaughter as he dashed into the adjacent High Lead’s rear entrance. Carter then made his way back into the Louvre, to be attended by the bartender, C. L. Hoffman, as he died.

Slaughter’s subsequent trial was front-page news as his attorney called thirty-eight witnesses to prove that he’d perforated his partner in self-defense, while the prosecution placed most of its money on a single star witness, William Samuels, who was in the alley at the time of the shootout. Samuels’ effectiveness, however, was limited by his being blind, and, after some eight hours of deliberation, the jury failed to find Slaughter, despite his name, guilty of even manslaughter.

A block up Second Street, the Oberon Saloon seldom saw such unseemly behavior. An “exclusive” establishment that always offered an assortment of cold cuts to its patrician patrons, it attracted Jack London one evening in June of 1911, when the novelist was traveling up the coast.

Also attending the Oberon that night happened to be Pat Murphy, a strapping young college grad who’d come west to see his brother, Stanwood Murphy Sr., the president of the Pacific Lumber Company. Murphy and London began to talk. It soon became apparent that Pat, the ultraconservative Republican brother of a leading local lumber baron, found little to agree with in the pronouncements of one of the country’s most passionate proponents of Socialism. Seeing trouble brewing, attorney H. L. Ricks attempted to persuade Murphy to leave. His entreaties were disregarded.

Murphy later indicated that he had never started a fight in his life but had also never run from one once it started.

He didn’t run now when London, apparently deciding the fist was mightier than either pen or sword, punched him. Murphy not only stood his ground, but also eventually landed a solid left that briefly dropped London to the floor. The author subsequently departed Eureka with a better reputation for his writing than his right hooks.

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This week on the Econews Report, we’re joined by Marc Hoshovsky and Bob Schneider, two of the authors of the new book Exploring the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, which will be published early next year by Backcountry Press.

Never heard of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument? It’s an incredibly strange stretch of land, with absolutely unique geologic and botanical features, that stretches down from Lake County to Napa County. The land is part of a subduction zone that was thrown up from the deep ocean to the mountains, and as such it’s made mostly of minerals and rock types that you’re not likely to find many other places.

On top of that, the region has a rich and unique history that encompassed some 31 different Native American groups … and terrible acts of genocide at the hands of European settlers.

Check out this conversation, then check out the book, and you’ll almost certainly want to check out the Berryessa/Snow Mountain area on your next hiking trip.

LINKS:

• Exploring the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument at Backcountry Press.
• The monument’s Wikipedia page.
• The monument’s page at the Bureau of Land Management.

Wendy Morton Moon was born July 16, 1961, in Eureka and died on November 29, 2025, at home in Hoopa. Wendy was enrolled in the Hoopa Valley Tribe, and was of Karuk, Hupa and Yurok descent. Wendy was raised in Hoopa and Arcata.

Wendy’s fondest memories were of growing up on the Salmon River with her Gramma Bessie Tripp in the summer times. No lights, outhouse, good food, and good people. Wendy was married to Gerald Moon for 20 years. In that time, she worked at the valley schools and was a part of so many children’s lives. She always spoke up for the little ones when they could not speak for themselves. Wendy was very intelligent. Wendy loved children. Her grandchildren were her world. She loved to play pool, she loved good music, and man she could drive. With the very first car for her to be known for being a yellow corvette it goes without saying Wendy was pretty cool.

If you knew Wendy, you were blessed because she was the realist of the real and you knew there was no b.s. when it came to her. She was kind and giving and always helping anyone who asked. After working at the school, then as an EMT, the next chapter in life focused on manual labor and being outside every day. She worked for the AmeriCorps program for the full six years and it was the best time in her life. She always said she loved that job. Wendy built her own house. She was strong and resilient. Wendy was a spiritual person. She believed in dreams, she believed in spirits, she believed in Indian way. She helped her elders even as she began to become one herself. She was always a hard worker. One of Wendy’s famous quotes was “I just wanna be fucking happy.”

Wendy was preceded in death by her son Walter Hayes Moon, father Walter H. Morton (Sr.), brother Wayde James Morton, maternal grandparents Edward and Virginia Marshall, Jr., her paternal grandmother Louise (Tripp) Rails, and great grandmother Bessie (Jacobs) Tripp. There were many other people that came through Wendy’s life she would often remember fondly.

Wendy is survived by her children Kara Moon, Rosella Moon and Charlie Moon and his wife Cassidy (Lane) Moon, their children, Pearl Moon, Solo Sylvia, Jack Sylvia, Pauiila Colegrove, Chok Cook, Charlie Hayes Moon and Walter James Moon. Wendy is also survived by her mother Roxanne Burgess, brother Allen Burgess and sister Jennifer Burgess and her partner Justin Childs; brother Wally Morton (Jr.) his wife Brandy and their children Tristan, Nanya and Walter III. Wendy is also survived by her aunts Jennifer Singleton and Delma Powell, and uncle Victor Starritt.

Wendy’s family will be holding a graveside service at the Tripp Family Cemetery in Somes Bar on Monday, December 8, 2025, at 11 a.m. with a meal and sharing to follow at the Karuk Department of Natural Resources Office in Orleans.

Honorary pall bearers are Allen and Mike Burgess, Solo Sylvia, Jack Cruz Sylvia, Justin Childs, Rick Sanderson, Johnny Garisson, Jake Tripp, Bill Tripp, Wally Morton Jr., Walter Morton III, George Moon, Ed Masten, Timothy Perry Sr., Kevin Latham, Kevin Latham Jr., Jamie Melendy, Jeff, Brian and Chuck Singleton, Elton Baldy, Kevin Orcutt, Stevie Sanderson, Tahn and Mawahche Blake, Thomas Joseph, Kevin Rowland, Denny Colegrove, Bob Campbell, Sam Jones, and Little Gerald Moon Jr.

Special thanks to Tory and Toni Morton, Mary Nelson, Nora Conway, Christine Lucas, Lovae Blake and Tek-Wes McCovey during this difficult time. In all eras of Wendy’s life, she loved and cherished many students, friends and family members. Wendy’s family appreciates all the memories and love you gave Wendy over the years, and welcome those who can send her home to be with her Walter.

Arrangements are provided by Goble’s Mortuary and Garcia’s Florist of Fortuna.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Wendy Moon’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.