Press release from the California Highway Patrol:

On 6/13/22, at approximately 0813 hours, [62-year-old McKinleyville Resident Lisa] Harris was driving her Honda Accord northbound on Walnut Avenue, south of Primrose Street, and was parked at the curb. When Harris began to pull into the traffic lane, the front of the Honda was struck by a passing northbound vehicle. The vehicle failed to stop at the scene and continued driving northbound. Due to the crash, Harris suffered a severely broken arm. A passing motorist, who happened to be a nurse, stopped to help and immediately drove Harris to St. Joseph Hospital for treatment.

Harris was unable to give a definitive description of the suspect vehicle but thought it may have been a green or teal full size pickup with a camper shell. The suspect vehicle would have damage to its right-front and/or right-side.

Humboldt CHP is requesting assistance from the public to locate the vehicle involved in this crash and identify the driver. If you are the driver of the suspect vehicle, or if you have any information regarding this crash, we ask you to please contact the Humboldt Area CHP, Attn: Officer Griffin, at 707-822-5981 or the Humboldt Communication Center at 707-268-2000.

UPDATE, June 16:

From the California Highway Patrol:

The driver of the Toyota 4Runner was identified as Andreu Shawne Bartholic [age 25] from Eureka. The rider of the motorcycle was identified as Anne Marie Anderson [age 42] from Vancouver, WA. The traffic collision is still under investigation by the CHP Garberville office.

California Highway Patrol release:

On June 13, 2022, at approximately 4:29 PM, a silver Toyota 4-Runner with one occupant was traveling northbound on US-101, north of Myers Flat. A group of five motorcycles was traveling southbound on US-101, north of the Myers Flat. For reasons still under investigation, the Toyota 4-Runner crossed over the center median and into the southbound lanes, directly into the path of the motorcycles. The 4-Runner collided with two of the motorcycles, a red Triumph Tiger and a blue BWM 1200. The collision caused both operators of the involved motorcycles to be ejected. As a result of this collision, the driver of the Toyota 4-Runner and the operator of the Triumph Tiger motorcycle sustained fatal injuries, The operator of the BMW 1200 motorcycle sustained moderate injuries and was transported to St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka for medical care. US-101 was closed in both directions for just under four hours for the scene investigation and vehicle recovery. It remains under investigation whether or not drugs or alcohol were a factor in this crash. The identities of the two deceased are being withheld pending notification of next-of-kin.

The California Highway Patrol, Cal-Trans, Cal Fire, Miranda Volunteer Fire, City Ambulance of Eureka, and California State Parks all responded to the scene. This collision remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol - Garberville Area.

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California lawmakers approved a $300 billion state budget yesterday, but it is far from final as legislative leaders continue to negotiate with Gov. Gavin Newsom over items including a proposed multibillion-dollar rebate to taxpayers.

The Legislature adopted the record spending plan anyway, to meet a constitutional requirement that members pass a balanced budget by Wednesday or forgo their pay. The bill will be sent this week to Newsom, who then has 12 days to sign or veto it — another critical deadline that should propel the two sides toward a deal.

The start of the next fiscal year looms on July 1, less than three weeks away. Yet the budget process will likely extend well beyond that date, as lawmakers pass follow-up measures amending provisions of their spending plan to reflect compromises with the governor. That’s what happened last year, when Newsom and legislative leaders announced an agreement in late June and continued to put finishing touches on it into August.

Newsom and the Democratic-controlled Legislature share general values for state spending and their budget proposals have broadly similar frameworks. But with an unprecedented amount of money at their disposal — unexpectedly strong recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, especially among the wealthiest Californians, has produced a discretionary surplus of almost $49 billion, state officials estimate — they have yet to agree on many of the details.

State Sen. Nancy Skinner, a Berkeley Democrat who leads the Senate Budget Committee, said the Legislature is more than 95% in agreement with Newsom and she expects they will reach a consensus soon.

“I like these kinds of negotiations,” she said in an interview. “Our perspectives are so aligned that we’re in good shape.”

A spokesperson for Newsom said the governor still wants “more immediate, direct relief to help millions more families with rising gas, groceries and rent prices,” as well as more money directed to pay down debts, build reserves and “shore up our state’s energy supply to ensure we can continue to keep the lights on.” He also “remains opposed to massive ongoing spending,” Anthony York, Newsom’s senior advisor for communications, said in a statement.

The budget bill approved by the Legislature includes about $236 billion in general fund expenditures, with the remainder coming from special funds. It would grow state budget reserves to nearly $38 billion, increase compensation rates for state-subsidized child care providers and expand eligibility for Medi-Cal, the state’s health insurance program for the poor, to all adults, regardless of immigration status, by the start of 2024.

Under the legislative plan, California would spend $1.7 billion over the next few years to build up its health care and social services workforces, as well $100 million to develop a generic insulin and $100 million to establish trust funds for low-income children who lost parents or caregivers to COVID-19.

Anticipating a U.S. Supreme Court ruling as soon as this month that would overturn constitutional protections for abortion rights and potentially bring a wave of women to California for care, state leaders want to significantly expand abortion access. The budget would set aside more than $130 million to train more providers, enhance clinic infrastructure and security, reimburse providers who care for people without health coverage and establish a statewide fund to help patients with travel costs.

The Legislature overwhelmingly passed the measure, by a vote of 57–16 in the Assembly and 28-8 in the Senate. Republicans complained that not enough of the surplus was directed toward struggling Californians and budget reserve accounts, especially with a potential economic recession looming.

“As state coffers grow, family bank accounts are shrinking,” Assemblymember Vince Fong, a Bakersfield Republican, said on the Assembly floor. “Californians are rightfully frustrated. They are paying more and getting less. State spending continues to rise, but the problems get worse and crises go unaddressed.”

The biggest remaining dispute between Newsom and legislative leaders is over competing proposals to provide Californians with relief from soaring gas prices and inflation. The governor has pushed to send every registered vehicle owner in the state a $400 debit card — as many as two per person — at a cost of about $9 billion.

But Democratic lawmakers want to focus the rebate on low- and middle-income families, earning less than $250,000 for a couple or $125,000 for an individual. Their plan would cut $200 checks for each eligible taxpayer and their dependents, up to $800 for a household, at a cost of about $8 billion.

Both sides have agreed to a $21 billion climate package, but have not yet worked out how exactly to distribute that money among drought relief, wildfire preparedness, zero-emission vehicle incentives, clear energy development and other programs.

Other lingering disagreements revolve around higher levels of new spending proposed in the Legislature’s budget compared to the governor’s plan. At a Senate budget hearing last week, Erika Li, chief deputy director for the budget in Newsom’s Department of Finance, expressed opposition to several billion dollars in additional ongoing expenses that lawmakers are seeking for universities, housing and social safety net programs.

“Given the uncertainty of the economy and rising inflation, we’re concerned that the Legislature’s budget commits an unsustainable amount to ongoing expenditures,” Li said.

Those legislative proposals include increasing the state’s earned income tax credit, a tool for returning cash to low-income working parents, to at least $255 starting in 2023. The change would cost at least $400 million annually.

Lawmakers want to increase the base funding for the University of California and California State University by $150 million more than Newsom and pour hundreds of millions more into financial aid, expanding assistance to approximately 150,000 newly eligible students. They would also direct an additional $2 billion to student housing projects over the next three years.

The Legislature is pushing to create a new homeownership assistance program, setting aside $1 billion a year for the next decade to subsidize down payments for first-time buyers, who would eventually repay the money into a self-sustaining loan fund. Newsom has not signed off on that idea, nor on billions of dollars in additional funding that lawmakers have proposed for affordable housing development and homelessness services.

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CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

On Thursday, May 27, our sweet Lotus Darlene Hubbard (Del Grande), age 88, passed from this life.

To many of us it feels like earth has been moved under our feet, as Lotus was a rock to her family and to those around her. She died peacefully at her home with family and was ready to join her husband and love of her life Dale in eternity. Dale and Lotus had the rare privilege of being married for 66 incredible years and building a big gorgeous family together. Lotus was known for her endless love, generosity and spunk. She loved life and was deeply committed to her family, friends, children and people in general.

Dale and Lotus have four wonderful children with spouses; Skip (71) and Jan, Neil (69) and Tina, Karen (68) and Mel Agee, Jack (61) and Leslie. They have 10 vivacious grandchildren: Scott Carns, Rachel Jacobs, Ryan Carns, Candace Johnson, Amy Borden,Neil Bryan Jr (deceased), Brandon Hubbard, Gary Hubbard, Hayden Hubbard, and Levi Hubbard; 11 vibrant great-grandchildren, Brittani, Kevin, Riley, Jenna, Daniol, Kennedy, Selah, Taniya, Talon, Ella and Kat; 11 great-great-grandchildren Brantley, Jaxson, Beverly, Owen, Ayden, Alivia, Eli, Brinley, Ava, Lannan and Troy.

Preceded by her parents, Louis and Sarah Del Grande, and her siblings, Louie, Dave,Carl, Betty, Jack and Kenny.

Lotus was a true Eureka local. She was born and raised in Eureka and lived there for most of her life. She didn’t know a stranger, and loved being connected to those around her. Lotus spent most of her life nurturing and giving of herself for the good of others, which can be seen in most of her (paid) jobs. When her children were young she ran a daycare, then was a nurse’s aide. She also ran a hamburger stand in Weaverville, and as her grandchildren went to school, so did she. Lotus worked in Eureka City Schools for years and is known by many throughout Eureka, as “Grandma Hubbard.” She loved countless children throughout her life and invested deeply in others.

She was a lover of people and lived a life of compassion.

Lotus was an amazing strong woman and a hero to her family! She created the high mark in being a powerful, loving, and kind woman, wife, mom, grandma, great- grandma, great great grandma, friend, and neighbor. Lotus will live on in our hearts!

There will be a celebration of her life on August 21, 2022 at the Eureka Elks Club from 1-4 p.m.

Lotus leaves us with a these words, a variation of a poem from Christina Georgina Rossetti:

When I have come to the end of the road and the sun has set for me.

I want no funeral rites in a gloom filled room - my soul is free - so do not cry for me.

With your head held high, miss me a little but not too long - Remember the good times we shared. This is a journey we all must take and each of us must go alone - it’s part of life’s plan.

If you feel lonely go to family and friends and help yourself and others by doing good deeds.

Carry me in your heart - Miss me but let me go.

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Regina Ann Schwingler Forseth Hauger was born to Michael and Theresa Schwingler in a farmhouse close to Hosmer, South Dakota on October 17, 1923. She was the youngest of 12 children. On May 13, 2022, she took God’s hand and began her journey in Heaven.

In her own words:

“During harvest time, Mom put me into a baby buggy and took me to the grain fields. When it was time for me to be fed, she would get off the wagon breast feed me, then go back to work. When I was about two, I got a Mastoid infection in my right ear. My parents had to make a 20 mile trip for me to get treatment, repeating the wagon trip many times and I almost died before the infection was cured.

“Our house was two stories with a full basement, a large living room used only for guests, two downstairs bedrooms and two upstairs bedrooms, one for the boys and the other for the girls. We did not have electricity, running water or bathrooms inside the house. There was a large coal heater in the living room that kept us warm in the winter. The kitchen had a wood-burning stove for cooking, a large cabinet for dishes and supplies and a wash stand for cleaning the dishes.

“For entertainment after dinner the family would gather round a kerosene lamp and play cards, do homework or listen to Jack Armstrong, Ma Perkins, Fibber McGee and Molly, the Lone Ranger, the Green Shadow and others on a battery operated radio. Winters were very cold. Sometimes 24 degrees below. My sister and I would walk a mile to and from school each day wrapped in long flannel scarves with only our eyes exposed. We always wore Long John’s, galoshes and snow suits, but by the time we got to school we were all white with frost.”

Mom (Regina) said that as she was growing up on the farm she made money trapping gophers on the prairie getting paid a penny a piece for their tails. She has always been an excellent cook, taking it up at an early age. When ten years old, she was tasked with preparing a “Spring chicken lunch” for the hired help working in the fields. To do this, she went out to the yard, caught a chicken, rang its neck, cleaned it, then brought it to the kitchen and cooked it.

In 1943, mom left the farm to live with her sister, Phyllis in Yakima, Washington before moving to Astoria, Oregon where she met and married Leonard Forseth and was blessed with three children; Gary Forseth (Vivian), Teresa Emmons (Douglas) and Ann Forseth-Smith (Randy). In 1952, our family moved to Arcata. Our father was lost in a tragic commercial fishing accident in 1968, at the young age of 44.

Mom was blessed again with two grandsons — Casey (Kim) Emmons and Jeffrey (Siana) Emmons; one great grandson, Cody Emmons; three great-granddaughters, McKenzie Emmons, Elle Emmons and Emberleigh Emmons, all of Fortuna. Mom later married Ray Hauger in 1978, who passed in 2011. Mom and Ray spent many summers enjoying life at the cabin in Shower’s Pass. Mom always had an incredible garden with many vegetables and flowers. During COVID she spent many hours working in the garden, as there wasn’t much else she could safely do. She always shared the fruits of her labor including those delicious baked goodies. Some say her cookies were like magic!

Mom loved her church family at the Immanuel Lutheran Church and all the friends she exercised with at the S.A.I.L. Senior Exercise Class. She was an amazing lady and such an inspiration to everyone. She believed in hard work and was truly a role model. She was 98 years old! God gave us a wonderful gift and Heaven’s Garden a beautiful new blossom. We will miss her, but never forget her!

Private graveside services were held at the Ocean View Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Immanuel Lutheran Church at 3230 Harrison Ave., Eureka, CA 95501, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital or a favorite charity.

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A local parent could be facing charges of child endangerment after a group of third graders at Jacoby Creek Elementary School unwittingly ate gummy candies laced with cannabis last month.

Detective Sgt. Chris Ortega with the Arcata Police Department tells the Outpost that his agency has has forwarded the case for review to the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office for possible charges against the parent who allowed the weed-laced gummies to be obtained and brought to school.

As previously reported, teachers and students at the Arcata elementary school experienced a scare when five third-graders began to show signs of intoxication. Three of the five were taken to the emergency room, with one being admitted to the intensive care unit before getting released, according to Ortega.

The two other affected students were taken home to be monitored by their parents.

Ortega said the case has also been cross-reported to Humboldt County Child Welfare Services for additional follow-up. 

While there are no credible cases of a person dying from a cannabis overdose alone, ingesting too much of the psychoactive compound Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinoid (aka THC) can lead to acute cannabis intoxication, which can cause a range of symptoms, from loss of coordination and sleepiness to respiratory issues. These symptoms can be especially acute in kids under 12, according to Children’s Hospital Colorado. Studies have shown that acute cannabis intoxication can even lead to seizures in children. 

Ortega added a public service message, saying the Arcata Police Department wants to remind the public to keep all toxic and/or intoxicating substances out of sight and out of reach from children.

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PREVIOUSLY: Jacoby Creek Students Taken for Medical Attention After Third-Grader Inadvertently Shares Weed Gummies

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On June 11, 2022, at about 5:06 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a residence on the 1900 block of Ivye Lane near Blue Lake for the report of a disturbance.

While responding to the residence, deputies were notified that two of the involved parties had left the scene and deputies were provided a vehicle description. The vehicle was located traveling in the area of Chartin Road and Railroad Avenue. Deputies conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and contacted the two individuals, one of which was found to have non-life threatening injuries as a result of the incident on Ivye Lane.

During their investigation, deputies learned that a man and his roommate, 40-year-old Scraigon James Earhart-Stokes, were involved in an argument earlier that day. The man and a female acquaintance entered the shared residence just before 5 p.m. and were confronted by Earhart-Stokes, who reportedly brandished a baseball bat and threatened the two. The man fled to the woman’s vehicle. Earhart-Stokes reportedly followed the man and an argument ensued. At some point during this altercation, Earhart-Stokes reportedly shattered the vehicle’s windshield with the bat.

Deputies located Earhart-Stokes at the Ivye Lane residence and he was taken into custody without incident. Earhart-Stokes was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of criminal threats (PC 422), brandishing a deadly weapon (PC417(A)(1)) and felony vandalism (PC 594(B)(1)).

This case is still under investigation.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.