Barbara Orcutt was born on September 28, 1932, in Hoopa and raised in Pecwan. Her early life was shaped by both love and hardship. She was raised in the care of her grandparents, awok Lagoon George and awok Annie Crescent, and her loving mother awok Violet Moore, whose presence grounded her. From those beginnings, Barbara learned lessons that stayed with her throughout her life: that happiness is made through what one does with hands and heart, and that strength is not something claimed, but lived.

The proof of Barbara’s resilience can be seen in the lives she shaped. She did not speak often about what she endured, instead she transformed it into care, responsibility, and generosity. What was taken from her early on, she returned to the world through steadiness, work, and quiet devotion to others.

Barbara lived close to the river, and it remained an important teacher to her. It reflected the way she moved through life. She carried herself with strength, guided by the wisdom passed down from those before her. This was her gift to us all.

Barbara shared her life with awok Ed Moore and, later, awok Lawrence “Dud” Orcutt. Through their love, she became the mother of awok Gerald Moore, Edward Moore, Janice Greene, Lawrence Orcutt, Michael Orcutt, and Kevin Orcutt. Her life was also brightened by her loving sisters Vivian Snyder, Joanne Moore and Sister-Cousin Jacquie Winter. Barbara’s sense of motherhood reached far beyond her home. As a school bus driver, she watched over many children over the years with the same steadiness and care, often preparing homemade food for the students and offering a safe space on their way to and from school.

She kept busy in her garden, her work, and her community. Her hands were rarely still. The garden, like her family, was tended with patience and effort, producing beauty and nourishment in its time. In these daily acts, Barbara showed that healing does not come from words alone, but from care repeated over a lifetime.

Barbara was preceded in death by her husbands, awok Ed Moore and awok Lawrence “Dud” Orcutt; her parents, awok Violet Moore and awok John Safford; her son, awok Gerald Moore; her daughter-in-law, awok Janine Orcutt; and her siblings, awok Betty Jackson, awok Carol Moore, and awok Arnold Moore.

She is survived by her grandchildren: Penny Nordstrom, Naomi Nelson, Jenny Piatti, Tanya Orcutt, Lawerence “Brezzy” Orcutt, Peggy Orcutt, Oni Orcutt, Presley Orcutt, David Orcutt, and Amber Orcutt. Great grandchildren: Poncech Ascencio, Laila Walker-Orcutt, Lewis Frazier, Delaney Sorrell, Lawerence Orcutt, Jasmine Young-Emerson, DJ Nordstrom, Alan Nordstrom, Warren Nordstrom, Lee Nordstrom, Hugh Nordstrom, Muriel Nordstrom, Lawrence Taylor, Tashina Taylor, Jude Taylor, LJ Nelson, Lene Ralston, Katie Ralston, Cynthia Ralston, Stephanie Capoeman, Sophia Piatti.

Pallbearers Lawerence “Brezzy” Orcutt, Allen Nordstrom, Lawerence Taylor, Johnny Delarosa, Eli Moon, Anthony Piatti, and Joseph James. Barbara is also honored by her beloved family and friends and her honorary pallbearers including her sons: Edward, Lawerence, Micheal, Kevin, John and her family, Dan Nordstrom, Donald Nordstrom, Burt Snyder, Pliny Jackson, Patrick Jackson, Jude Taylor, John Nelson Jr., Walt Lara Sr., Jim McQuillen, Bill Bowers, Alme Allen and Nolan Colgrove.

As each of us carries a memory, we carry a piece of Barbara. In tending to a garden, in feeding others, in watching over children, in choosing care over division, her presence continues. She leaves behind not only the family, but a way of living, one shaped by those who came before her, strengthened by hardship, and offered forward as a precious gift. Please join us in community and food to celebrate the life of Barbara.

A memorial service has been planned for January 25th at 1:00pm at Willow Creek Cemetery with a reception to follow at 2:00pm at VFW Hall in Willow Creek.

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

Press release from the Humboldt County Administrative Office:

The County of Humboldt is excited to announce that Peggy Murphy will serve as the new Director of Humboldt County’s Economic Development Division.

Peggy Murphy brings more than 10 years of experience to her new role as Humboldt County’s Director of Economic Development, including the past five years with the county’s Economic Development Division. Most recently, she served as Economic Development Program Manager and as Executive Director of the Humboldt County Workforce Development Board, where she led complex programs, managed grant-funded projects, and built partnerships to strengthen local career pathways, job training opportunities and support the local workforce. Before joining the county, Murphy served as Operations and Programs Manager for the North Coast Small Business Development Center.

“I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to take on this role and further support the important work happening across Humboldt County,” said Economic Development Director Peggy Murphy. “I look forward to serving our community by strengthening programs and partnerships that reflect local values, promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth, and help create a thriving future for our neighbors, families and local businesses.”

As Economic Development Director, Murphy will lead a wide range of programs and partnerships to support economic growth in Humboldt County. Her responsibilities will include overseeing the division’s daily operations, managing economic development programs, leading projects and guiding long-term strategic planning. She will also work closely with local and statewide partners to strengthen collaborations and advance regional economic development goals.

“I’m incredibly proud of Peggy and the contributions she’s made to Humboldt County, and I know she will do an excellent job leading the Economic Development Division,” said County Administrative Officer Elishia Hayes. “Her can-do attitude, results-driven and collaborative style, along with her commitment to strengthening our local economy, make her especially well-suited for this job.”

Murphy began her new role as Humboldt County’s Director of Economic Development Director this week. 

For more information on the County Administrative Office’s Economic Development Division, please visit the Humboldt County Economic Development Division’s website.

About the Humboldt County Economic Development Division

Humboldt County’s Economic Development Division is a division of the Humboldt County Administrative Office. This division exists to help support the livelihoods and prosperity for all persons in all Humboldt County communities by administering programs and initiatives relevant to the County of Humboldt’s Strategic Plan, Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) and Regional and Local Workforce Development Plans. For more information, please visit the County of Humboldt’s website.

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Eureka is now a sanctuary city for transgender people.

At last night’s meeting, the city council unanimously voted to approve a resolution declaring Eureka a sanctuary city for transgender people and providers of gender-affirming health care. 

The move, which comes in response to President Donald Trump’s repeated efforts to roll back protections for LGBTQ+ people, reinforces the city’s commitment to being a safe and welcoming community for all, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. While the resolution is largely symbolic, it emphasizes that people seeking gender-affirming health care in Eureka “should be protected from attempts to impose criminal punishment, civil liability, administrative penalties, or professional sanctions based on the laws of other states.”

“[S]tudies have shown that gender transition, including access to gender-affirming healthcare, improves the overall well-being of transgender people and access to gender-affirming healthcare for youth is associated with better mental health outcomes and lower risks of suicide,” the resolution states. “[O]ver 90 percent of LGBTQ+ youth surveyed by the Trevor Project in late 2024 said recent politics have negatively impacted their mental health. [I]n that same survey, 61 percent of transgender and nonbinary youth who were on gender-affirming hormones were concerned about losing access to this care.”

Speaking at last night’s meeting, City Manager Miles Slattery proposed a small amendment to the resolution that would change “WHEREAS, a majority of U.S. adults agree that transgender minors should have access to gender-affirming care” to “WHEREAS gender-affirming care involves comprehensive social, psychological and medical support, and access to such evidence-based care for minors is best determined through a private patient/physician/parent relationship, rather than political intervention.” The council agreed.

Before heading into public comment, Councilmember Kati Moulton asked if there would be any fiscal impact associated with the resolution. 

Moulton | Screenshot

“Currently, right now, no,” Slattery said. “We did become part of the class action suit … for DEI (Diversity Equity Inclusion) programs [in response to] the federal government withholding funding for certain entities. That hasn’t happened to us yet, but we entered it because it potentially could. But as far as us being a sanctuary city — whether it was for transgender or for undocumented citizens —  we have not lost any funding.”

Looking to clear up confusion about the intent of the resolution, Moulton emphasized that the city is “declaring what the city can and cannot spend resources on.”

“In this case, we’re declaring that the city cannot spend resources to support the persecution of trans people,” Moulton said. “I wish that we could actively protect people, but it’s more like … we are refusing to actively participate in harming people.”

The vast majority of the nearly two dozen people who spoke during public comment expressed enthusiastic support for the resolution, though some felt it didn’t go far enough to protect transgender people. 

“To be clear, this is not a law,” said one speaker who identified herself as Miss Cooper. “This is a resolution, not a binding ordinance, but a formal opinion. It offers no legal protection of us, our care, nor our sensitive, private information. You cannot stop a federal subpoena with an opinion. Characterizing these resolutions as protections or ‘sanctuary’ or even support is legally dishonest. … I fear this effort has been co-opted by those who are afraid of liability but remain eager to use my community for a PR win, as if they took risk all along. Don’t use us for a press release — give us actual protection.”

Speaking to the subject of gender-affirming care for minors, local pediatrician Pippa Coulter pointed to a study commissioned by the Utah legislature that determined “policies to prevent access to and use of gender-affirming hormone treatment for treatment of gender dysphoria in pediatric patients cannot be justified.” However, Utah chose to ignore the findings of the study, she said.

Colter | Screenshot

“I feel in danger doing my job, even though it’s legal. I feel my patients are in danger,” Coulter continued. “This is a beautiful resolution, [but] it’s not going to take away all that danger. … For me, this resolution is more like what Dr. Cornel West said: ‘Justice is what love looks like in public.’”

Other speakers shared heart-wrenching stories about having to hide their identities to avoid being harassed. Vincent Feltner said he made the difficult decision to leave his family in Wisconsin in search of a more welcoming community here in Humboldt.

“My life was one of lonely survival. Keep your head down, stay quiet and be grateful for what you’re given,” he said. “Humboldt County has been full of nothing but the most kind and supportive people. I’ve made so many friends [and gotten] so many opportunities to just be Vincent and not a freak. … Eureka is already a trans sanctuary city in spirit, might as well put it on paper.”

There were at least two people who not only urged the council to reject the resolution but condemned the very existence of trans people. One speaker pulled a quote from the Bible and asserted that homosexual people “have committed a terrible sin [and] they must be put to death.” Another called transgender teens “delusional,” adding, “there’s no way that a child can be born in the wrong body.”

Following public comment, Councilmember G. Mario Fernandez made a motion to approve the resolution, including the amendment proposed by Slattery. Fernandez asked to add the following lines to the end of the document:

Now therefore be it resolved that the city council and the City of Eureka is committed [to the] rights, equal protections and dignities afforded to each person in its community, and declares itself a sanctuary city and a place of safety for transgender people.

Now therefore be it resolved that no city resources, including but not limited to time spent by employees, officers, contractors or subcontractors while on duty or the use of city property, shall be utilized for detaining persons, for seeking or providing gender affirming care, nor the aiding of it.

Moulton seconded the action. Addressing a previous comment about the city using the sanctuary resolution as a PR move, Moulton said she doesn’t care what people think about her or the city council. “I care what trans people think about themselves and their community.”

“Attitude and messages are important,” she continued. “It was just over two years ago that Nex Benedict, a nonbinary teenager, was beaten to within an inch of their life in their school bathroom in a state with a bathroom law. And I can’t help but think that it was the attitude of leadership written into law that made those teenagers feel like that was okay. … Later, Nex succumbed to the main killer of trans teenagers, which is … suicide. Trans teenagers commit suicide at a rate seven times that of their peers, and anything we can do to show them that they are valued in this community is right by me.”

The resolution was passed in a 4-0 vote, with Councilmember Renee Contreras-DeLoach absent.

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Other notable bits from last night’s meeting:

• Eureka Police Chief Brian Stephens is launching a public education campaign to improve tsunami preparedness. During the last two tsunami warnings in December 2024 and August 2025, many confused residents opted to drive out of the tsunami zone rather than walk, gridlocking traffic on Highway 101 and the Samoa Bridge. Many others simply didn’t know if they were in the tsunami zone. Stephens said EPD will work with local business owners, agencies and other community partners to establish a protocol for getting people out of the tsunami zone during an emergency. Not sure if you’re in the tsuanmi zone? Check this map.
• Eureka Planning Commissioner Michael Kraft provided the council with an update on the state of the local fishing industry, which is struggling to get the massive quantities of ice needed to keep their catch fresh. Currently, ice facilities are located in the building leased by Pacific Choice, “which isn’t operational very much,” Kraft said. Not only that, but their ice is $350/ton — about $100-$160 more per ton than other nearby ports. Pacific Choice’s lease isn’t up until 2032, and even if someone were to build a new ice plant, Slattery said it would be difficult to find the revenue to sustain it. The council didn’t take any action on the item, but agreed that it would prioritize the fishing industry when reviewing the Local Coastal Plan, which is slated for approval later this year. 
• The council also received a strategic visioning report outlining the city’s priorities for the coming year. The city will host a town hall in the coming months to share the report and get input from the community.
• The council also received an update on recent changes to the Brown Act, which was recently updated to include changes to teleconferencing rules and social media use for city officials. The council agreed to receive and file the report.

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UPDATE, 2:54 p.m.:

Arcata Fire Chief Chris Emmons followed up via phone and confirmed that the fire started in one of several transient encampments and “appeared to be human-caused.”

“I would say [it was] intentionally set,” Emmons said, noting that there were no campfires or electrical wiring near the flames. 

“It looked impressive initially,” he added. “You see a lot of smoke coming out of a large building and think, ‘Oh gosh, we’re doing this again.’” 

With many local residents still reeling from the devastating Jan. 2 fire that destroyed half a block of businesses and apartments, Emmons noted a specific connection with this latest blaze: The warehouse floor had a lot of fresh white paint on it — paint that splattered fire engines and APD vehicles — and law enforcement identified the buckets as stolen paint from the Ace Hardware paint center. 

“I looked, and sure enough, [the buckets] were melted and covered in soot” from the Jan. 2 fire, Emmons said. “It looks like a bunch of stolen paint was just dumped on the ground. Now we have to go scrub all of the vehicles.”

Emmons also confirmed that nobody was injured, and the fire was pretty easily extinguished. 

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Original post:

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Shortly after noon today a fire broke out amid an encampment of unhoused people living inside a graffiti-covered warehouse in Arcata.

Black smoke billowed from large garage doors in the building, located near the intersection of Samoa Boulevard and K Streets. The warehouse is the former home of Soilscape Solutions, a cannabis garden shop that has since relocated to Eureka. 

Jason Olson, who works at the nearby factory of Wing Inflatables, tells the Outpost via email that everyone had evacuated from the building by the time he walked over to check it out — everyone “except for one guy who was worried about his cats that live in there.”

Arcata Fire Department and the Arcata Police Department responded to the scene, and the fire was quickly extinguished, according to Olson. The man who was worried about his cats escaped unharmed. 

“I assume the cats made it out safely as well,” Olson said via email. “It wasn’t a very big fire.”

We’ve reached out to AFD for more information and will update this post when we hear back. Below are some more photos sent by Olson.

Does your horse have the right of way? Does the sight of the Pierson totem pole make you sob with pride? Are you a go-getter with dreams of a more perfect Central Avenue?

Then you might be a perfect candidate for the McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee, which we used to call the “mick-mack” (McKMAC) in a fun sort of way that county government is apparently is trying to tamp down.

See below. From the County of Humboldt:

If you are interested in issues affecting the greater McKinleyville area, consider applying to serve on the McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee (MMAC). 

The MMAC advises the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on matters related to the community in McKinleyville.

The committee is responsible for gathering community input and commenting on matters related to county services, including public works, health, safety, welfare and public financing. The committee also reviews proposed zoning and General Plan changes that affect the McKinleyville area and makes advisory recommendations to the Humboldt County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors.

The MMAC has eight voting members who either live in, own property in, or do business in the greater McKinleyville area. Since McKinleyville is in Humboldt County’s Fifth District, three members are appointed by the Fifth District Supervisor and three at-large members are appointed by a majority vote of the Board of Supervisors. Additionally, one voting member must be a McKinleyville Community Services District (MCSD) Board member, and another serves as the MCSD General Manager.

Applications are currently being accepted for one at-large member on this committee.

Application and Appointment Process

Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 25 and can be found online on the county’s McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee web page. 

It is anticipated that applications will be presented to the Board for consideration on Tuesday, March 3. The successful applicant will be appointed by a majority vote of the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors. Once appointed, members of this committee serve a four year term. Committee members must file a statement of economic interest as required by the Fair Political Practices Commission of the State of California and complete ethics training every two years.

The Humboldt County McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee meets the fourth Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. For more information, please visit the McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee web page or call 707-476-2390.

Applications for all county committees, boards and commissions with or without immediate vacancies are accepted year round and are considered current for two years. Applicants on file will be notified should a new vacancy arise.

For more information, please contact the Clerk of the Board via email at cob@co.humboldt.ca.us, by phone at 707-476-2390, or visit the office at 825 Fifth St., Suite 111, in Eureka during regular business hours.

Press release from the Humboldt Area Foundation:

HAF+WRCF’s Universal Scholarship Application opens January 15, giving students across Humboldt, Del Norte, Trinity, and Curry counties access to nearly 200 scholarship opportunities—all through one simple application. 

From now until March 2, students pursuing any form of postsecondary education, including college, trade school, or vocational training, can apply for scholarships created by local businesses, clubs, organizations, schools, and generous donors. Scholarships honor loved ones, support access to higher education, and help students achieve their diverse academic and vocational goals. Scholarships typically range from $250 to $10,000. 

Start your Universal Application and get more information by visiting ScholarshipFinder.org. 

Need help or have a question? Contact the Scholarships Team at Scholarships@hafoundation.org or call 707-442-2993. For additional financial resources and other potential scholarships available to students, visit 

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

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Two years after a wave of public benefit thefts that left low-income Californians scrambling to pay rent and afford food each month, Gov. Gavin Newsom is touting a significant decline in the reported amount stolen.

The thefts still amounted to more than $4 million a month last fall in both the CalFresh food assistance and CalWorks cash welfare benefits programs, according to a press release from Newsom’s office. That’s down from two years ago, when public benefits recipients were reporting $20 million a month stolen from their accounts. The state uses taxpayer money to reimburse victims when they report theft.

Newsom credited the reduction to the state’s rollout of anti-fraud technology such as more secure electronic benefit (EBT) cards with electronic chips.

“In California, we’re leading the way by turning innovation into action by stopping theft and ensuring benefits reach those who truly need them,” he said in a press release.

Newsom’s office announced the improved theft numbers last week after the Trump administration ramped up threats to California over allegations of fraud in public benefits. The president has used a wave of prosecutions over social services fraud in Minnesota, some of it allegedly by immigrants, as a reason to send immigration agents to conduct aggressive raids in Minneapolis.

Earlier this month the Trump administration froze some federal social services funding to five Democratic-led states, including California. A judge halted the freeze, which included funds for the CalWorks cash aid program, for now.

The kind of fraud in which Newsom was touting reductions is not traditional “welfare fraud” perpetrated by recipients of public benefits, but rather theft by a third party. Local social services officials have said fraud by recipients is relatively uncommon.

Thieves have been taking advantage of California benefits recipients by using hidden “skimming” devices to steal card numbers from EBT cards loaded withCalFresh food assistance and CalWorks cash welfare benefits. They then duplicate the cards and drain them of cash or make large purchases using CalFresh, before the recipients have a chance to spend their own benefits.

California was particularly susceptible because of the size of the state’s social safety net, with roughly 300,000 families receiving cash aid and 3 million receiving food assistance. CalMatters reported in 2023 that the state, previously focused on detecting fraud committed by recipients of the benefits, had also ignored warnings and delayed a proposal to introduce chipped EBT cards.

When the pandemic brought new benefits from the federal and state governments, such as boosted unemployment benefits and stimulus checks, thieves wielding card skimmers followed the money. EBT cards, which contained only a magnetic strip at the time, were among the most vulnerable to theft. Nearly 200 people have been charged across California in the EBT schemes, Newsom’s office said.

Since 2023 the state responded to the skimming crisis by issuing chipped EBT cards and introducing an app allowing recipients to freeze their EBT accounts to prevent withdrawals. Last year, Newsom said, the state began using a computer model to detect fraudulent withdrawals and forced resets of some CalWorks’ recipients EBT card PINs.

But local welfare fraud investigators said the Newsom’s numbers paint too rosy a picture of the theft.

Gregory Mahony, president of the California Welfare Fraud Investigators Association, said he believes the state’s reported thefts are undercounted.

The figures are based on how much the state reimburses county welfare departments each month to return victims’ benefits. But some recipients don’t bother making a report, or report months of thefts but only get some of the money reimbursed, Mahony said.

He also criticized the California Department of Social Services for dropping a requirement in 2023 that victims file police reports each time their benefits are stolen in order to get a reimbursement. That’s hurt the state’s tracking of theft and fraud, Mahony said.

“This is not a systemic victory,” he said in a statement. “It is a delayed and partial mitigation of a crisis long allowed to grow unchecked.”