Joan Marie DaMant
May 1, 1934 - July 17, 2022

Joan was a devout Catholic who departed this life at the age of 88 at 11:11 a.m., the angel hour, on July 17, 2022 to cross the rainbow bridge and be with God as well as the many close friends and family that were ready to meet her again in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Joan Marie Skeary was born May 1, 1934 in West Springfield, Massachusetts and was the oldest of six children. She moved with her family to southern California in 1951, where she married George Kenneth Caney on June 2, 1952. Together they had two children — Renee Marie Caney, born in 1953, and George (Ken) Kenneth Caney II, born in 1957.

Joan divorced and remarried Robert (Bob) Franklin Brasier in 1958 and gave birth to Robert (JIm) James Brasier in 1959. In 1972 Joan and her family moved to Orland, Calif. and then to Trinidad in the early 1990s. Joan remained by Bob’s side until his passing in 1995.

In December of 1995 Joan had a sweet whirlwind romance with the final love of her life, James (Jim) Henry DaMant, who she married. They lovingly took care of each other until his passing in 2015.

During her beautiful life Joan worked as a tax accountant and a caterer. She loved to sing, she loved cooking and hosting gatherings, enjoyed sewing, traveling, camping and spending time with loved ones. Joan was blessed with a green thumb and cultivated an amazing yard full of flourishing plants, flowers and trees. She took great pride in caring for her grandchildren and teaching them her values.

She was loved deeply and will be dearly missed by all.

Joan is survived by her sister, Carol Ann Deniz of Corning, Calif.: children Renee Jones (Rick) of Nehalem, Oregon, Ken Caney of Oroville and Jim Brasier (Alice) of McKinleyville; and her four grandchildren, Shelley Flower of Magalia, Calif., Stephanie Ruffino (David) of Chico, Leah Morse (Rob) of McKinleyville and Nick Caney (Cassidy) of Oroville. She is also survived by nine great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

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

North Coast conservation groups are suing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) over alleged violations of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) that have allegedly harmed federally protected salmon and steelhead species in the Eel River Basin. The suit claims native fish populations have been adversely impacted by PG&E’s Potter Valley Project, a hydroelectric facility that diverts water from the Eel to the Russian River.

The five groups – Friends of the Eel River, California Trout, Trout Unlimited, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, and the Institute for Fisheries Resources – filed a notice of intent to sue FERC and PG&E last month. The FERC suit was filed today; as of this writing, the groups have not announced litigation against PG&E.

The lawsuit charges that FERC did not develop adequate license terms to protect threatened fish species while PG&E embarks on the decades-long process to decommission the Potter Valley Project, eventually clearing the way for the removal of the Scott and Cape Horn dams. 

“This litigation is the first step in making sure FERC and PG&E protect Eel River salmon and steelhead while working toward dam removal,” Alicia Hamann, executive director for Friends of the Eel River, said in a news release. “PG&E operates the fish-killing project, but FERC can change the terms of PG&E’s license to ensure that legally protected salmon and steelhead survive. NMFS has made clear that, as currently operated, the dams are killing and harming far more fish than anybody thought when the current license terms were developed 20 years ago.”

The lawsuit asks the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to modify the annual license FERC recently issued for the Potter Valley Project to comply with the ESA.

Reached for additional comment this afternoon, FERC spokesperson Celeste Miller told the Outpost, “As this is a pending proceeding, we do not have a comment at this time.”

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Here’s the press release:

San Francisco—On August 15, five organizations working together to protect and restore vital North Coast salmon and steelhead fisheries filed suit against the federal agency that regulates the nation’s hydropower dams. The suit alleges the agency violated the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by failing to develop license terms to protect native fish while plans are prepared to decommission the Potter Valley Project’s two dams on the Eel River. The groups – California Trout, Friends of the Eel River, Institute for Fisheries Resources, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations and Trout Unlimited – charge that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is allowing excessive and unlawful “take” of ESA-protected fish species below the dams.

FERC oversees the licensing of hydroelectric facilities like Pacific Gas & Electric’s Potter Valley Project. As part of the terms for its licenses, FERC requires hydropower project owners to consult with federal fisheries biologists at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to ensure project operations will not lead to the extinction of endangered species. “Take” includes not just the direct killing of endangered species, but also actions that interfere with vital breeding and behavioral activities such as migrating.

The lawsuit asks the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to modify the Annual License FERC recently issued for the Project, in order to comply with the Endangered Species Act.

The 50-year license for the Potter Valley Project expired in April of this year. Shortly thereafter, FERC issued an Annual License for the Project following PG&E’s January 2019 announcement that the company would not seek to renew its license due to significant financial losses incurred from maintaining the Project. FERC recently approved PG&E’s proposed 30-month schedule to develop a plan to decommission the Project, and will continue to issue short term Annual Licenses for the Project until decommissioning is complete.

“This litigation is the first step in making sure FERC and PG&E protect Eel River salmon and steelhead while working toward dam removal,” said Alicia Hamann, Executive Director for Friends of the Eel River. “PG&E operates the fish-killing project, but FERC can change the terms of PG&E’s license to ensure that legally protected salmon and steelhead survive. NMFS has made clear that, as currently operated, the dams are killing and harming far more fish than anybody thought when the current license terms were developed 20 years ago.”

This spring, before the Potter Valley Project’s 50-year license expired, NMFS asked FERC to modify the license to protect declining fish populations, and to consult with NMFS on the best way to do that. Neither PG&E nor FERC has changed operations as NMFS requested.

“The Eel River offers perhaps the best hope for recovery of wild salmon and steelhead stocks in all of California. Once the Potter Valley Project dams are removed, the Eel will become the state’s longest free-flowing river. Hundreds of miles of intact stream habitat in the headwaters of the Eel provide cold, high-quality water and habitat conditions – an excellent fish nursery,” said Redgie Collins, Legal and Policy Director for California Trout. “FERC didn’t do its full due diligence in issuing the Annual License for the Potter Valley Project’s continued operations. Business as usual won’t cut it for Eel River salmon and steelhead, and we are committed to make sure the Annual License process addresses known and increasingly severe adverse impacts on fish until these obsolete dams come out.”

“Salmon and steelhead populations on the West Coast are really struggling right now, and along with them our coastal and inland communities that rely on salmon and steelhead for food and jobs,” said Vivian Helliwell, Watershed Conservation Director for the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations. “The science is clear: restoring the Eel River by removing the outdated dams is incredibly important to our fisheries throughout northern California, and restoring the Eel River is not just good for the fish, it’s part of keeping our river systems healthy, which benefits us all.”

“Our request to the court is simple,” said Matt Clifford, staff attorney for Trout Unlimited’s California Water Project. “NMFS has told FERC that the Potter Valley Project harms salmon and steelhead populations. Despite that harm – which is far greater than previously thought – FERC has allowed PG&E to continue to operate their dams in the same way. We’re asking the court to step in and require FERC and PG&E to do the right thing and protect fish while they are working to decommission this obsolete hydropower facility.”

Humboldt County Drug Task Force press release:

On August 16th , 2022 agents with the Humboldt County Drug Task Force (HCDTF) conducted a parole search on Morgan Crumley (36 years old from Eureka) and Carl Keeler (31 years old from Mckinleyville) in a parking lot in the 7300 block of Tompkins Hill Rd. in Eureka. Both Crumley and Keeler are on CDC Parole and they were in a vehicle together in the parking lot.

Agents located approx. one ounce of fentanyl, one ounce of methamphetamine, packaging, a digital scale, bear spray, pepper spray, a concealed dagger (Keeler), and a large amount of ammunition.

Crumley and Keeler were arrested for the following charges and booked at the Humboldt County Jail:

• PC 3056 Parole Violation
• H&S 11351 Possession of fentanyl for sale
• H&S 11378 Possession of methamphetamine for sale
• PC 30305(a) Felon in possession of ammunition
• PC 22810(a) Felon in possession of tear gas
• PC 21310 Carrying a concealed dirk or dagger

Anyone with information related to this investigation or other narcotics related crimes are encouraged to call the Humboldt County Drug Task Force at 707-267-9976.

Press release from the Karuk Tribe:

This year, 290 wild spring Chinook salmon made the 85-mile trek up the Klamath to find cool mountain waters for spawning. While this is still far below average, it is more positive than last year’s dismal count of 90 fish. Celebrations were short-lived, however. Soon after the numbers were finalized, torrential rains hit the area. This led to flash floods in burn scars from last year’s wildfires, filling the South Fork Salmon River with silt, wood, and other debris, dropping the dissolved oxygen in the water to dangerous levels, and threatening all species of fish in the river.

This turn of events is particularly painful to a community struggling to keep a positive attitude about this year’s numbers. Runs of spring Chinook in the Klamath Basin that once numbered in the hundreds of thousands now teeter on the brink of extinction, with the Salmon River serving as one of the last spawning strongholds for the entire population.

“I have watched the numbers of these fish steadily decline in my lifetime, and it feels like we are at a breaking point,” said Karuna Greenberg, SRRC’s Restoration Director. “The State approving our petition to list Springers as an endangered species was a good start, but this event underscores the need for a holistic approach to habitat restoration and highlights how important better fire management is to the wider ecosystem.”

A similar situation is happening on the Klamath River, where flooding hit the active McKinney Fire area upstream of Happy Camp CA and almost instantly filled the mid-Klamath with ash and mud. While the fish kill in that region doesn’t affect spring Chinook, it has killed tens of thousands of juvenile coho, fall Chinook, lamprey, suckers, and trout.

“This is all so painful to witness,” said Troy Hockaday, Karuk Tribal Council Member, and Traditional Fisherman, “I worry more every day that my children and grandchildren won’t have the ability to harvest fish for their families; salmon have been a part of our subsistence, culture, and ceremonies for thousands of years, it can’t end here.”

PREVIOUSLY

• ‘I’m 100% Running Again’: Embattled City Councilmember Brett Watson Announces Re-election Bid
• Councilmember Meredith Matthews Announces Candidacy; One Other Community Member Has Taken Out Nomination Papers So Far
• ARCATA CITY COUNCIL RACE: Five Candidates Have Officially Qualified for the Ballot; Two More Waiting to Have Signatures Verified

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Last week the Outpost received word that five candidates had qualified for the Arcata City Council race and that two more potential candidates were still waiting to have their nomination signatures verified. Today the Outpost received an update from Arcata City Clerk Bridget Dory that Joe Ostini, director of arts management company Arcane Artists, did not qualify for candidacy. 

There are now officially six candidates vying for two Arcata City Council seats that will be up for a vote this November. There will surely be many more opportunities in the coming months for you to get to better know these candidates, but in the meantime, here are their submitted candidate statements, so you can start to get an idea of who these folks are and what they’re all about.

Raelina Krikston 

Age: 30     Occupation: Small Business Owner 

Hey there, my name is Raelina Krikston. I am a small business owner and community member here in Arcata since 2016. I believe it is important to preserve the community that makes Arcata so special. One of the most important ways to ensure a thriving, diverse community is through equal and affordable housing, renter protections, and provisions to ensure we can meet the needs of our most vulnerable populations and the growing student body. Let’s keep Arcata affordable as we grow and change in the future.

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Meredith Matthews

My name is Meredith Matthews. I was appointed to the Arcata City Council in 2021. In my time on the Council, I have gotten much done, and I am eager for the next 4 years. I want to continue to make an impact.

I work for the Redwood Coast Energy Authority, which gives me firsthand knowledge about our County’s aggressive Climate Action Plan, and my goal is to make Arcata the leader for climate action. I also serve on the board of HWMA and Humboldt Made. I am a core member of Cooperation Humboldt and serve as a liaison to the Arcata Chamber of Commerce.

I have knowledge of Arcata’s infrastructure and business goals, rapport with our local businesses, and insight into our housing and business needs. After a year on the dais, I know our budget, am current on the City’s projects, and more importantly, I am always willing to make myself available to listen.

I have proven this past year that I can provide strong leadership while rolling up my sleeves and volunteering on the ground to make projects successful. I have a passion and a commitment to serve, and an ability to inspire people to work together. 

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Dana Quillman

Think globally, act locally! In 2020 I realized that Covid-19 was purposely engineered and released to do all the destruction it has done to most people, in one way or another. Being well informed of the global plans being made for the world, I have done my due diligence in sharing information purposely kept from the public by powerful entities. Censorship has become the norm, sadly, even here in Humboldt County.

The public has been misled into giving up their basic freedoms by a sophisticated fear campaign for an illness with a 99% survival rate. It is a fact that inexpensive, safe, and effective early treatments were available early on and then were quickly vilified and purposely made unavailable to justify coercing every person to take an experimental genetherapy injection (with no liability for the very many injuries and deaths). Many injection recipients are then infected, often spread the illness, and encouraged to get more injections which creates new variants, bankrupting the resources of the masses, while enriching the guilty few.

I promise to always do everything in my power to help thwart the global digital ID surveillance prison, which is the ultimate goal of the Covid-19 “Trojan Horse”.
Danaquillman.com

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Jeffrey Scott Sterling

Occupation: Truss Designer

I’ve been a proud resident of Arcata since 2015, when I moved here to attend classes at Cal Poly Humboldt (then HSU). Since 2016, I have served as the Commander of our local American Legion Post 274, and during that time, I’ve dedicated my time building relationships between the Veterans and the community members, in ways that have helped me to understand the strengths and the needs of a wide variety of groups who live, work, and enjoy their lives in Arcata.

My time in the Marine Corps taught me that leadership happens through service, and that serving well means understanding those we serve. I’ve applied that lesson in my time in Arcata, reaching out through my own work as a Truss designer, and through The Arcata Veterans Hall efforts in K12 programs, service learning and internship programs with Cal Poly, community events, and projects in support of our local Veterans.

The isolation of COVID has been hard on all of us, and I’m eager to participate in our shared projects of community reinvigoration. The strength of Arcata is in its support of every one of its widely diverse community members. Vote Sterling. 

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Brett Watson

Occupation: Incumbent 

The time to fight for the future of Arcata is now. We must work together to protect our Community and our way of life.

While I believe strongly that we need to take bold and innovative measures to create more housing for the many people who dream of living in Arcata, I’ll never support irresponsible planning and overdevelopment of our City.

During my next four years I’ll also:
-Continue finding solutions for our homeless crisis -Expand economic development opportunities and support our local businesses
-Support the creation of a world-class dog park -Expand City beautification and improvements to street safety
-Work with Cal Poly Humboldt to ensure responsible growth that won’t negatively impact our neighborhoods

It always breaks my heart when I hear a Community Member lament about issues plaguing our Community, and then saying, “…but there’s nothing we can do about it.” Nothing could be farther from the truth! Together we have the power to protect what we value, and create the positive changes to our City that we all believe in.

I’ve worked and fought hard for this Community for the last 5 years, and with your vote, that’s what I’ll continue to do.

www.BrettWatson.org

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Kimberley White 

Occupation: Program Coordinator

I have lived in Arcata, land of the Wiyot, more than 30 years. I am a program coordinator, Arcata Planning Commissioner, community advocate/volunteer, and mother of a teenage daughter. I am passionate about housing and the environment. Arcata is in the midst of big changes with Cal Poly Humboldt, climate refugees, and the pandemic ushered in a new way of working. Arcata is growing, we need to proactively plan for it. I want to protect our forests and open spaces. We declared a climate emergency, now let’s act on it.

We have untapped talent and need to deepen connections with Cal Poly Humboldt where I received my master’s in Sociology. I am passionate about economic revitalization and rebuilding through the lens of equity. I am also running for Arcata City Council to be a voice for those who have been left out. It is essential to have a well-functioning democracy that ALL voices be heard. I want to protect our seniors, the undocumented and unhoused. I believe in people over politics. We must mend divisiveness and rebuild trust in local government by shifting and sharing power, creating a more transparent responsive government bringing us together for a stronger, better Arcata.

We have been blessed with a bounty of riveting Eureka City Council content in recent months but, by comparison, this week’s agenda is looking a little dull. I mean, the dolos has found a new home at Madaket Plaza … what’s left to talk about?

I kid, I kid. There are actually some interesting items on the agenda, but it doesn’t look like the council will talk about any hot-button issues during tonight’s meeting. Even still! It is our job here at the Outpost to keep you, dear reader, informed of the decisions being made by our elected officials that keep our town running.

Now, let’s take a look at that agenda.

Digital Billboards in the Coastal Zone

During tonight’s meeting, the council will review a change to Eureka’s zoning code that would reduce the number of illuminated digital billboards allowed in the city’s coastal zone and limit the brightness of said signs.

Eureka’s planning staff has spent the last two years working with California Coastal Commission staff to update the Sign Ordinance within the city’s Local Coastal Program, a planning tool used to guide development in the coastal zone. Staff presented the modified amendment to the commission last month but were asked by commissioners and members of the public to adopt stricter regulations.

“During the meeting, City staff went back and forth with Commissioner [Mike] Wilson and commission staff to try to negotiate an ordinance that staff hoped could be accepted by the Coastal Commission, as well as City Council, and still provide enforceable regulations, while allowing the use of some digital signs,” the staff report states. “Commissioner Wilson’s concerns focused primarily on brightness and ensuring digital signs would be Dark Sky compliant so there would be no impacts to coastal resources, and there would be no annoying glare for drivers.”

Wilson and two other commissioners urged the city to completely ban the construction of new digital billboards in the coastal zone, including industrially zoned areas of the coastal zone. Ultimately, staff and commissioners agreed to allow digital signs with additional limitations that would require “a Creative Sign Permit and language stating digital signs should comply with International Dark Sky Guidance,” according to the staff report.

City planning staff will introduce the proposed ordinance to council during tonight’s meeting but it will not be adopted until next month. Because the ordinance seeks to modify the city’s zoning code, the it must be introduced during one meeting and adopted in a subsequent meeting. In this case, the proposed ordinance will be presented to the council for adoption during its Sept. 20 meeting.

Upcoming Branding Strategies for Eureka

The council will also receive an update on advertising and branding strategies for Eureka from the city’s marketing firm Eddy Alexander. 

The city council selected the Virginia-based marketing firm to take over the city’s branding back in 2019 and, for the last two years, Eddy Alexander’s team has worked alongside city staff and residents to rebrand Eureka as a premier tourism destination. Through market research and community surveys, Eureka’s new “Real. Authentic. Different.” slogan emerged marking a new era for the city’s offerings.

During tonight’s meeting, Eddy Alexander’s local team will outline the next year of marketing efforts for the council. Looking at the staff report, that appears to be a lot of brand maintenance by way of quarterly meetings to keep city staff “abreast of strategic initiative[s] and opportunities as they relate to community marketing, tourism and image management.”

Pierson Properties Zone Reclassification

The council will also consider another General Plan amendment and zone reclassification request from Pierson Properties and Development LLC to change the land use designation for a piece of property located at 3116 Harrison Avenue in Eureka.

If approved, the amendments would change the property’s land use designation from Professional Office to Neighborhood Commercial and the zoning designation from Hospital Medical to Neighborhood Commercial to allow for non-medical office use in the existing building on site. 

“The current [Hospital Medical] zone district is intended to provide a centralized regional hub for healthcare-related uses…civic uses are only allowed in the [Hospital Medical] zone district [for] ancillary to medical uses,” according to the staff report. “The proposed land use designation and zoning allow for both medical and commercial offices as well as a number of other uses.”

We should note that this request is not related to the Pierson Company’s previous request to rezone a swath of land at the corner of Fairfield and Harris streets to facilitate the development of affordable housing.

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​​The Eureka City Council meets on Tuesday, August 16 at 6 p.m. at Eureka City Hall — 531 K Street. You can also watch the meeting online here.

From the management of the Six Rivers Lightning Complex:

Crew Working on Six River Lightning Complex. Photo via Inciweb.

CURRENT CONDITIONS

The Lightning Complex Fire is currently 21,609 acres with 19% containment. 2,040 personnel are assigned to the incident. USFS, CAIIMT 11 and CAL FIRE continue to work closely together in unified command with a full suppression strategy to protect homes and other structures, communities, crucial infrastructure, and important wildlife habitat.

Fire activity was minimal overnight, with occasional spot fires along the southern edges of the Ammon Fire and southeastern edge of the Campbell fire that firefighters quickly contained and will be monitoring. Crews conducted several successful strategic firing operations overnight and improved control lines using dozers and handlines to remove fuels. All control lines are holding well.

Campbell Fire: Yesterday, the evacuation status in the Willow Creek and the Salyer areas was reduced from evacuation order to evacuation warning. Residents returned to their homes in these areas. Crews will continue to strengthen fire lines and limit the spread of the main fire. Residents in the Seeley Mc Intosh area may also be allowed to return home this evening.

Ammon Fire: Firefighters will conduct strategic fire operations in the southwest of this area along Hayden Road and in Friday Ridge area. Crews will continue to improve and reinforce fire lines along the Six Road of Ammon Ridge and within the Friday Ridge System.

WEATHER

Rising temperatures, lower humidity, and increasing northwest winds are expected to increase fire activity today, especially during the afternoon. Aerial firefighting support will continue to be used.

SMOKE

Smoke and strong inversions will continue to affect the health of those in the area. Please check https://www.ncuaqmd.org for air quality resources.

ROAD CLOSURES

State Routes 299 and 96 are currently open in the Lightning Complex but may be impacted by fire behavior. Travelers are encouraged to visit quickmap.dot.ca.gov to check for state highway closures.

The following roads leading to evacuation zones have been closed (residents may use these roads to exit only):

• Seeley Mc Intosh Road between Country Club Road and Campbell Ridge Road

• Campbell Ridge Road from Salyer Heights to Seeley McIntosh Road

• Patterson Road at Raga Hills Road

• Friday Ridge Road at Route 6

• Titlow Hill Road (Route 1) at Horse Mountain Botanical Area

Due to a large presence of fire personnel and machinery working to build containment lines for the Ammon Fire, residents are asked to limit travel on Titlow Hill Road/Route 1 in zones HUM-E052 and HUM-E062 to essential traffic only.

EVACUATION CENTER

Trinity Valley Elementary School
730 Highway 96, Willow Creek, CA 95573

ANIMAL EVACUATION CENTER

Hoopa Rodeo Grounds
1767 Pine Creek Rd., Hoopa, CA 95546
Phone: (707) 492-2851

** The Hoopa Rodeo Grounds has several single pens and larger pens for whole herds. Call directly if you need directions or help transporting your large animals. They cannot house sheep, goats, poultry, or small animals, but they can potentially help arrange for temporary foster placement. If you can foster, please reach out regarding your availability and capacity.

EVACUATION UPDATES

The following EVACUATION ORDERS have been downgraded to EVACUATION WARNINGS: Humboldt County Zone HUM-E056-B, and, in Trinity County, Galaxy Drive and all residences off Galaxy Drive in the Salyer area. Residents who live in this zone may begin to return home with caution but should remain ready to evacuate again at a moment’s notice. Be alert to outstanding dangers upon return, including debris in roadways, gas leaks and hot embers.

EVACUATION ORDERS

To find the latest evacuation information go to Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services or Trinity County Office of Emergency Services. For an interactive map of evacuation zones visit this link. To sign up for alerts visit this link. If you are under an evacuation warning, take the necessary steps to be ready to leave.