###

Press release from the California Highway Patrol:

HUMBOLDT COUNTY, Calif. — On Feb. 26, at approximately 10:30 a.m., the California Highway Patrol (CHP), with assistance from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department, the California Department of Cannabis Control and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, executed a search warrant at a cannabis cultivation operation as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into stolen vehicles with altered Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN).

After securing the property, the Department of Cannabis Control found the site operating illegally. Investigators identified multiple environmental violations, including the unlawful diversion of water for the irrigation of the cannabis operation. Officers also found unpermitted structures used for cooking and habitation.

Based on those findings, investigators obtained and executed a second search warrant.

Following service of the second warrant, officers seized the following items as evidence:

• 3,395 pounds of processed illicit cannabis
• One fully automatic AK-47 assault rifle
• One short-barreled shotgun
• Four pistols
• One rifle
• A stolen 2022 Polaris RZR
• Four VIN-switched stolen vehicles:
• 2025 Ford F-350 King Ranch (approximate value $90,000)
• 2020 GMC Sierra AT4 (approximate value $38,000)
• 2023 Cadillac Escalade (approximate value $67,000)
• 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Trail Boss (approximate value $39,000)
• Hundreds of rounds of ammunition
• Counterfeit identification documents
• Cellular phones
• One mounted wolf seized as contraband by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife

Investigators also located a safe containing high-end jewelry and approximately $15,000 to $20,000 in U.S. currency within the residence and other structures. Authorities seized the property under asset forfeiture laws. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department will handle asset forfeiture proceedings in coordination with the CHP and the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office.

During the operation, investigators located three cannabis-processing workers at the site. Following further investigation, officers determined the individuals were likely victims of labor trafficking. Authorities provided the workers with information and support services from the Northern California Coalition to Safeguard Communities.

“This case highlights the evolving nature of organized criminal enterprises operating in our rural communities,” said CHP Northern Division Commander Chief John Pinoli. “What began as an investigation into stolen vehicles uncovered an illicit cannabis operation, illegal firearms, environmental crimes, and individuals who may have been exploited for labor. Our personnel and partner agencies remain committed to protecting the public, safeguarding natural resources, and holding those who profit from criminal activity accountable.”

Prosecutors will file all criminal charges via complaint. 

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

UPDATE, 3:04 p.m.: Mike Fisher, the university’s president for administration and finance, is inside talking with the activists now. Meanwhile, a bit of a crowd has gathered outside.

###

ORIGINAL POST:

This morning, following a meeting scheduled with Cal Poly Humboldt administration, masked student activists occupied Nelson Hall, demanding that the university “divest from war and genocide, implement a true sanctuary policy and honor Teamster raises.”

The building has been locked down, with no one able to come in its main entrances. (Though people may freely leave.) An activist speaking out of a window tells the Outpost’s Dezmond Remington that they estimate there to be about a couple of dozen people inside.

A Facebook post from the Lumberjack, the student newspaper, shows that a cache of food and drink has been delivered to the students inside.

As of a few moments ago, the protesters were focusing on a more urgent demand: that the administration unlock the building’s bathrooms.

‘Unlock the bathrooms!’

The occupation, of course, echoes the occupation of the campus’ Siemens Hall in 2024, which lasted a little over a week.

Standing outside the building, Ryder Dschida, a history professor and the president of the local chapter of the California Faculty Association, told the Outpost that he was there to observe.

“CFA stands with SDS [Students for a Democratic Society] and their right to exercise free speech,” he said. “CFA also understands it does not want campus activities like classes to be disrupted. So we’re just trying to figure it out right now as it stands, but I do want to say that we stand in solidarity with SDS and their action in support of Palestinian suffering in Gaza.”

Cal Poly Humboldt issued a statement on the situation in response to an Outpost inquiry:

This morning, University leadership had a conversation with concerned students and community members. After a sit-in on the quad, protestors moved into Nelson Hall East. The building is currently locked and entrance is not allowed. While the University fully supports the right of individuals to peacefully express their views, it is equally important that we maintain a disruption-free environment for all students, staff, and faculty to learn and work.

The Free Speech Support & Resource Team and University leadership are actively engaged with the protestors involved to resolve the situation as quickly and peacefully as possible.

Poster shared on social media in the run-up to today’s events.

PREVIOUSLY

• Amazon Confirms Plans for a Distribution Warehouse in McKinleyville
• Attorney General Bonta Touts New Evidence of Price-Fixing by Amazon, Asks Court to Immediately Halt Illegal Practice

###

NOTE: The following opinion piece was written by Humboldt County Fifth District Supervisor Steve Madrone:

###

Is Amazon coming to town? Above is a map of the proposed facility at the McKinleyville Airport Business Park.

For months I have been writing articles about the effects of online shopping and the importance of shopping local. Online shopping takes away much of the sales tax benefits of shopping local as well as a loss of local jobs.

It might seem cheaper but without the local sales tax, we then have less support for our local schools, roads and law enforcement. So if you add up all the effects it is not cheaper.

Local jobs also usually pay better wages and there certainly is lots of information online about low paying jobs by Amazon and less than ideal working conditions for Amazon workers.

Why we complain about billionaires taking over our world and then choose to give them our money through purchasing decisions is a mystery to me. There is a lot of power behind these purchasing decisions.

Many of us choose to not shop online for these and many other reasons. Folks say well there are limited options to buy local and if we choose to continue to shop online then that feedback loop will continue to create less and less options for shopping local. It creates a negative feedback loop.

So what can we do? Get involved and become informed. Turns out this proposed facility in McKinleyville does not qualify as a Distribution Center, so we will not get increased sales tax from its development. While the Airport Business Park was permitted long ago for development, this project will still need to get a Coastal Development Permit requiring some level of CEQA review and there will be a public hearing.

Some have suggested a boycott of Amazon products and services. There are communities like San Francisco and San Diego that have organized and pushed back against these developments. A recent report shows that Humboldt County has fallen behind the state for income equality. The number of folks working full time year-round that are still at the poverty level has doubled recently.

Yes, we need more jobs, but low-wage jobs like what Amazon pays with harsh worker conditions are not what we are looking for. Given the extreme wealth that Amazon has it would not hurt to pay better wages and improve worker conditions.

The Airport Business Park is going to develop, and any development comes with impacts, but we can and should do our best to ask for quality businesses that care about our community. It is not anti-business to ask for living wage jobs and decent worker conditions.

What do you think?

PREVIOUSLY

• Burdened With Repairing Low-Income Housing and Worried About a Future Funding Shortfall, the Arcata House Partnership Hopes that Arcata Will Try and Defray Costs
• Arcata City Council Debates Priorities: Fix Up a Homeless Shelter, or Replace Water Meters?
• Arcata Mulls Grant Options for Its Low-Income Residents

###

The Arcata City Council decided last night that the city should attempt to earn state money to replace water meters instead of fixing damaged apartments and upgrading infrastructure at the low-income housing project the Grove. 

It’s a blow for the Arcata House Partnership, the homeless services organization that runs the Grove. AHP had appealed to the city, asking Arcata to apply to California’s Community Development Block Grant (CDGB) program for $2.9 million that AHP would use for various repairs and improvements, including installing ADA-compliant sidewalks, adding solar panels, and fixing 12 apartments that are too damaged to live in.

Darlene Spoor, AHP’s executive director, framed AHP’s pitch as an equitability issue; funding AHP would benefit the entire city, Spoor said. AHP could house at least another 12 homeless people with the funding by fixing the damaged units, and AHP could improve the lives of the 56 current tenants, all of whom have a disability and were once homeless. AHP knew when the Grove opened in 2022 that it would eventually need more money for upgrades, but decided it was more important to house people immediately and figure out where the funding would come from later. The city council could, she said, try to buy stability for its tenants.

“We knew we did not have every dollar we needed for capital improvements,” Spoor said at the council meeting last night. “That is not an oversight — it is a choice…We made a mission-driven decision. We chose to house people immediately so they could be safe and stable, rather than wait until every infrastructure upgrade was fully funded.”

Many of the public commenters at the meeting agreed with her proposal, as did councilmember Sarah Schaefer, who was the lone dissenting vote in favor of applying for CDGB funding for the Grove. 

“I think we need the housing,” Schaefer said. “It needs to be rehabbed. It’s a pretty strong need right now, and we’ve seen that federal and state grants are kind of going away for a while. I think to maintain what we have, and try to get grant funding to be able to do that, is going to be important.”

But it was an uphill battle for AHP. There’s no guarantee Arcata will get grants for any project. Councilmembers and city staff pointed out that Arcata was less likely to get the state funding if they applied on behalf of AHP than if the city applied to replace water meters, both because of stiff competition from other municipalities with housing issues and because Arcata’s CDGB program has never used that source of funding for a project like that before. They pointed out that the city is losing $100,000 a year because of old, faulty water meters, according to councilmember Stacy Atkins-Salazar, and they claimed that most of the people they talked to in their off-time preferred the meter project. The vote was 4-1. 

The council spent a lot of time justifying their decision. All four of the councilmembers who voted for the water meters had mixed feelings about their decision. 

“I’m sorry we can’t do both,” Atkins-Salazar said. 

“It’s a very hard decision,” replied councilmember Alex Stillman. 

Mayor Kimberley White talked for three minutes straight before the vote, explaining why she preferred the replacement project. 

“Water meter replacement project is highly competitive, measurable and impacts everyone,” she said. “So while the Grove is important, as we have all pointed out, it’s facing some uncertain scoring [from California] due to project readiness…So choosing the meter project maximizes our chance of securing funding that benefits the greatest number of our residents.”

In a brief interview with the Outpost after the vote, Spoor, effusive and teary, said she was disappointed with the decision. She said city hall should look for water infrastructure funding elsewhere. 

“I live in Arcata,” she said. “I want our water to be wonderful too, but there’s more opportunity for big money for water infrastructure, than for housing…I understand that city council has to look out for everyone, but when we have hundreds and hundreds of people who are homeless in our community — they are everyone.”

It is never easy to capture the life and spirit of a loved one in words. Nancy Jeanette Cooksey-Leppek, a beloved wife, sister and friend, passed away peacefully on February 19, 2026, in the loving arms of her husband, Dan, at the age of 79. Born in Salinas and raised in Eureka, Nancy was the daughter of Bailey and Dorothy Cooksey, who preceded her in death. She is lovingly remembered by her brothers and sister: Steve Cooksey (Sharon), Tim Cooksey (Chris), Susan Cooksey Johnson (Bob) and Bailey Jr. Cooksey (Kelly). Nancy’s extended family through Dan — Sherry Leppek Dunn (Jon), Chris Leppek (Renee), Joe Leppek (Trudy) and JoAnna Leppek Ow (Bob) — were a very dear and strong part of her life. She is also survived by numerous cousins, nieces and nephews, by whom her presence will be greatly missed.

Nancy and Dan met in high school in biology class. Their first date was at a basketball game at Eureka High School. They got married on St. Patrick’s Day and have been together for 64 years and married for over 58 years. They spent the early part of their lives together in Visalia, Calif., where Dan worked. Nancy was always by Dan’s side throughout that time, taking care of the household and supporting and assisting Dan. She would exclaim that it was her calling as Dan’s partner. After Dan’s retirement, they returned to Eureka.

Throughout their entire lives, Nancy and Dan were inseparable. It was always difficult to be apart from each other. Even going to the grocery store or the doctor’s office involved the two traveling together. One of Nancy’s favorite things to do was to go to the beach by Samoa and park looking out over the ocean. She and Dan would sit in the car holding hands, watching the waves come in, gazing at the ocean, cherishing the simple happiness of being together. Nancy would exclaim that just being together was the most important part of the drive. Her favorite songs were “Happy Together” by the Turtles and “Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” by Elvis Presley. She always wanted her “sweet, darling Danny” to hear them with her. Nancy loved the themes presented in the bible Book of Isaiah and she always prayed for everyone.

Nancy was a quiet, thoughtful person, always thinking of others before herself. She lived her life helping others, especially family. When you walked into a room she would always greet you with a heartfelt smile, filled with warmth, sweetness and kindness. She would always say “I love my family” and that included both her and Dan’s family. Nancy would often bring her famous and unique “care” packages to people just to let them know that they were special. Nancy simply enjoyed listening to everyone talk about their lives. She had a fantastic memory for times and dates of family and events. She wouldn’t say much but you could always see and feel her passion for you and her heartfelt concern when she asked how you were. Nancy will always be on our minds and will be deeply missed.

Private chapel services will be held for family and relatives at Ocean View Cemetery on March 2, 2026 at 2 p.m. There will be a gathering for family and relatives afterwards, location to be announced.

###

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

###

PREVIOUSLY

• There Will Be No Horse Racing at This Year’s Humboldt County Fair

###

For the second year in a row, the California Horse Racing Board has rejected a proposal to grant racing dates at two Northern California fairs — the Tehama District Fair and the Humboldt County Fair — effectively ending hopes of live horse racing returning to Ferndale this year.

At the end of a nearly three-hour meeting, which focused on financial struggles in the state’s racing industry, the board voted 4-2 to reject the NorCal dates. Several board members argued that Southern California racing needs all available revenue, especially from wagering, to remain competitive with wealthier jurisdictions such as Kentucky and New York.

CHRB Chairman Greg Ferraro had harsh words for the financial prospects of bringing the ponies and jockeys up to our end of the state.

“As much as I would like to see them do well, they have no chance for success,” he said, referring to the Humboldt and Tehama venues. “There is just no market for them up there. So, you’re going to end up destroying all of racing in California to bet on a no-chance situation in the north.”

The L.A. Times story linked above also quotes prominent owner and breeder Terry Lovinger as pooh-poohing Humboldt and Tehema: “We’re better off as breeders if you don’t do these dates,” he said. “We are a purse-driven industry and a breeder’s worth is determined by those purses. So, by granting these dates you are going to lower to everyone what they would get.”

The Humboldt County Fair Association could not immediately be reached for comment. 

Industry website Paulick Report notes that our local horse racing venue did have its defenders:

The Humboldt County Fair in Ferndale has been a mainstay of the Northern California fair circuit for more than 100 years, and its application included letters of support from U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, state Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire among other California elected officials, and celebrity chef Guy Fieri, who described himself as a “son of Humboldt County” who said the fair “holds a very special place in my heart.”

The fair association board had applied for a 12 day meet to run from Aug. 5-Sept. 1.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced a step toward leasing areas for offshore oil and gas drilling in California this week, by launching an associated environmental process.

BOEM announced Thursday the department would prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement for lease sales in northern, central and southern California.

A soon-to-be-released statement will primarily concern sales planned for 2027 in central and southern California, according to BOEM.

A Northern California lease sale is proposed for 2029, according to a BOEM document.

This is a California-specific part of a broader effort by the Trump Administration to open lease areas in federal waters across the country for sale to oil and gas companies, with an aim to restore domestic energy production.

“California households are facing an energy affordability crisis, and inaction is no longer an option,” said Acting BOEM Director Matt Giacona in a press release.

“This Notice of Intent reflects the administration’s commitment to responsibly evaluating offshore leasing as part of a broader strategy to lower costs, strengthen energy security, and support American jobs,” he said.

The notice for leases in southern and central California will be published Friday in the Federal Register, which opens a 30-day public scoping period, according to BOEM.

During this period, “BOEM invites input from tribal, state, and local governments, stakeholders, and the public. Comments will help identify key issues, reasonable alternatives, and potential mitigation measures for consideration in the programmatic environmental impact statement,” the BOEM press release said.

This process is required under the National Environmental Policy Act.

The controversial proposal to open new leases in California waters for the first time in decades, an idea formally introduced in a proposed draft plan released in late 2025, has seen widespread opposition from leaders in California.

A letter from lawmakers, including Rep. Jared Huffman, a vocal opponent of the proposal, blasted the Trump Administration’s efforts to open the California coast to drilling.

These members of congress called for a 90-day extension of the public comment period in the letter.

“California’s coastal economy supports roughly 511,000 jobs and generates over $51.3 billion in GDP from marine-economy activities — largely in tourism and recreation — meaning that new offshore drilling could jeopardize the livelihoods of thousands of working families,” Tuesday’s letter said.

In anticipation of the 2025 proposal, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors narrowly passed a resolution opposing offshore drilling in October. The City of Arcata followed. The Humboldt Bay Harbor District is working on an ordinance to limit offshore oil support facilities in Humboldt Bay.

The proposal to open California to offshore drilling was quickly met with backlash, with opponents pointing to past oil spills — including a significant 1969 spill in Santa Barbara, CA. The state hasn’t seen a new lease sale in federal waters since 1984.

Matt Simmons, attorney for the Arcata-based Environmental Protection Information Center, which is opposed to offshore drilling, argued any environmental considerations by the federal government on drilling will be “sorely lacking.”

“The Trump EPA has very partisanly and very openly talked about how they want to deregulate,” he said.

Despite EPIC’s skepticism the feds will undertake a robust environmental review, the organization is urging the public to comment on the environmental effects of offshore drilling in California.

“This is the part of the process where you tell the EPA what they need to consider in their draft, before they write the draft,” explained Simmons.

Public comment information can be found at: www.boem.gov/CA-OGPEIS

PREVIOUSLY

Local and State Leaders Slam Trump Administration’s Offshore Oil Drilling Plan at Packed Eureka Public Meeting

Board Narrowly Approves Resolution Against Offshore Drilling and Mining

State and Local Reps React to Trump Plan to Open More than 1 Billion Acres to New Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling

Arcata City Council Adopts Resolution Opposing Offshore Oil Drilling