John Bernard McManus, loving father to his son Johnny, passed away in the early morning on April 25, 2022 at the age of 57 from ALS. He was cared for throughout his illness by his devoted sister Ellie at her home in Fortuna.

John was born on October 6, 1964 in Eureka to Jack and Elsie McManus and spent most of his life in Humboldt County. Growing up in Ferndale, John was known as “Smiley” McManus, a well deserved nickname given his infectious smile and happy disposition. Early on John possessed great enthusiasm for life, a quick wit and the ability to find humor in all circumstances. He boxed competitively as a child and later enjoyed watching the sport with his son and friends, he also loved to fish, hunt and cook.

John was well known within the music community as a talented and obsessed guitarist. He was able to play in a wide range of musical genres with skill, passion and a style all his own.

With determination and a fighting spirit John faced many health issue in his lifetime, including a struggle with addiction. Never one to shy away from the reality and truth of what addiction does to an individual and families John was able to use his experience to help many people and the community.

After attending both CR and HSU, John worked in the recovery field for both private and non-profit organizations. Through fate, John and Dr. Ruby Bayan crossed paths and with their shared vision they were able to fulfill John’s greatest professional accomplishment; WaterFront Recovery Services. He leaves a legacy for building the first medical model recovery services in the Northern California region, specifically for the disadvantaged and homeless, including those with mental and physical illnesses who otherwise would not receive services within the region. John insisted in a level of care that made sure all people were treated with dignity and compassion, John was a great model for staff, who not only respected him but loved him deeply.

In 2010 John could have not have been more excited and proud to welcome his son Johnny into the world. Becoming a father brought him much happiness, Johnny became the center of John’s life and the reason he fought so hard to live as long as he could.

John is preceded in death by his father Jack and infant brother Patrick. He will be loved and always missed by his son Johnny, his devoted mother Elsie and siblings, Kathleen Meredith, Bill and Ellie Bustin, Maureen Lichtenwalter, Ken and Cindy Dunn, and Joe McManus. He will be remembered as a fun loving uncle by his many nieces and nephews .

Along with his family, John leaves many special friends who made great effort to comfort and care for him, including Dr. Ruby Bayan, Mike and Idyath Yassemi, Eileen McGee, Kim Finley, Roshawn Beere, Toshiko Beere, Jessica and Jesse Pearson. John was so grateful to all his friends who reached out to him and supported him through his life and especially in the last year.

The family would also like to thank the care given to John by his Hospice Team, Scotty, Debra, Dylan and Chaplin Harry.

A Celebration of Johns life will take place on Friday, May 6, at The Barn by Fernbridge, 26 Goble Lane, Ferndale from 2 until 5 p.m. The family invites all who knew and loved John to attend.

Contributions can be made to the John McManus Fund at Waterfront Recovery Services.

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Jacqueline “Jackie” Theadora Risling was born on December 24, 1963 and began her journey on April 23, 2022, at the age of 58. Jackie was born in Arcata and was a lifelong resident of the Hoopa Valley Reservation and a Yurok Tribal member. She is preceded in death by her parents, the late Athos “Beercan” and Eleoner Jackson; sister, the late Gaylene Jackson; as well as her nephew, the late Damien Jackson.

Jackie is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 45 years, Anthony Wayne Risling “Tony Riz”, as well as her seven beautiful daughters: Nikki (Jessie) Mosier, Nicole, Antoinette “BooBoo” (Jack) George, Angela (Steven) Johnson, Levi, Lori, and Misqiy’ts (Mike) Baldy. She also leaves behind her two brothers, Earl “Barney” (Sarah); children- Melitta, Zachary, and Trinity, as well as Heath “Bubs” (Stacey); son- Xander (Jasmin) Jackson, along with her nieces Brandice Kane and Lillian Davis, both of whom were like daughters to her.

Jackie is survived by her 30 grandchildren, including; Quentin, Julious, Elijah, Aiyana, Cheyheila, Laheila, Jessie Jr., Marcus, Meadow May, Bear, David, Brian, Justice, Jack Jr., Ronin, Aleyce, Tirion, James, Tescha, Chey Chey, Raymos, Suppy, Tony, Mad Max, Casius, Tank “Bubs”, Chinook, Rosaly, Jaclene, and Cy, and great nieces Malie and Grace, and nephews Athos and Clint.

Jackie attended Hoopa Elementary and Hoopa High School, where she enjoyed playing sports. She went on to compete in the local co-ed leagues after high school. Jackie worked at the Hoopa Elementary and at the Hoopa Tswenaldin Inn for a brief time.

Jackie was brought onto this earth to be a provider; she was born to be a mother and her love stretched far and wide. She was not only the best mother to her own seven daughters, but was a doting grandmother to 30 grandchildren, many of whom she helped raise. Jackie also enjoyed spending time with her one and only great-grandson, Joseph, whom named her “Grandma Candy” because she loved to spoil him with sweets. Jackie took pride in raising her “kids” as she called them. Whether they were hers biologically or not, she loved them all the same. Her door was always open and she was always there for anyone and everyone who needed her. Jackie became known as “mom” to countless people throughout her life and was the perfect example of what a mother should be: loving, caring and selfless.

And just as much as Jackie loved being a mom and grandma, she also prided herself as a wife to Tony. The two shared such a special bond and their love stayed true just as much as the day they were married. Their love was strong and never wavered despite any hardships they endured throughout the years.

Jackie’s hobbies included loom beading, collecting pens, and always made sure not to miss her favorite TV shows. Most of all, she loved doing scratchers, gambling, and playing bingo with her daughters. She was always so excited when she’d hit a jackpot at the casinos and would be sure to share her joy with her family! Jackie grew to love her “casino family” (Lucky Bear Casino) as well, and would enjoy taking her special friend Denise George a plate of her home cooked meals when she visited the casino. Her favorite machine was “The Bear.”

Jackie had a contagious laugh and her love and devotion to her family will be sorely missed. Her legacy lives on within each and every one of her grandchildren of whom she adored and loved so much.

Pall bearers include; Jessie Mosier Sr., Quentin Mosier, Elijah Mosier, Marcus Williamson, Jack George Jr., Jack George Sr., Bear Risling, Suppy Sanders, David Gensaw, James Gensaw Jr., James Gensaw Sr., Michael Baldy Jr., Steven Johnson, Bobby Kane Jr.

Honorary pall bearers includes; Earl “Barney” Jackson, Heath “Bubs” Jackson, Xander Jackson, Zachary Jackson, Jay Jackson, Rooster Jackson, Ricky Jackson, Jack Biondini, Miguel Cunha, Jessie McCovey Sr., Brian Billings, and Clarence “Sling” Lewis.

Special friends include Shelly “Shell Bell” Dempewolf, Kadoo Henry, Chrissy Cole, Denise George, James Gensaw Sr., and Brian Billings.

Services will be held at the Hoopa First Baptist Church on Sunday, May 1 at 1:30 p.m. Burial will immediately follow at the Risling residence on Marshall Lane in Hoopa. The reception will take place at the Hoopa Fire Hall after the burial is complete. It is a potluck style, so please bring your favorite dishes.

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Melinda Flory Groom died on April 19, 2022 at her home in Blue Lake. She was 81 years old.

Melinda was born in 1940 to parents Emily and Paul Flory. Growing up, she lived in New Jersey, Ohio, Ithaca New York, and spent a year in England. She went to Bryn Mawr College, and then was one of the first two women admitted to the graduate physics program at Caltech, where she obtained her master’s degree.

There she met Don Groom. They shared a love of the outdoors, and got engaged in the Muir Hut, on Muir Pass in the Sierra Nevada mountains. They married in 1962. From Pasadena they moved to Ithaca, to Salt Lake City and finally to Moraga, Calif, and Blue Lake. Melinda got a teaching certificate from Saint Mary’s College and worked as a high school math and physics teacher.

Melinda’s heart was in nature. She was happiest tromping through the woods in search of wildflowers or mushrooms, riding horses, or working in her garden. Active until the very end, she would eagerly explore uncharted areas and embark on long hikes. In her later years she volunteered at Patrick’s Point State Park, led Sierra Club hikes, served as an active member of the California Native Plant Society, and supported a variety of environmental and humanitarian causes.

She is survived by her husband Don; her three children, Susanna, Jeremy, and Charles; her two siblings Susan and John; and four grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the North Coast Chapter of the California Native Plant Society, the Environmental Protection Information Center, or Food for People.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, May 6 at 3 p.m. at the Blue Lake Cemetery in Blue Lake . People may bring garden flowers to place in the grave. The community is invited to attend, and to join us in fellowship afterwards as we celebrate Melinda’s generous, adventurous, and independent spirit.

A 709-foot cruise ship, twice the size of the Silver Explorer that visited Humboldt in 2018, will dock in Humboldt Bay next week, dispensing 230 tourists into Humboldt County for the day.

The “Seven Seas Mariner,” operated by Regent Seven Seas Cruises, is scheduled to arrive in Eureka on Tuesday at 7:45 a.m. and depart the same day at 7 p.m. The scheduled stop-off is day 24 of the cruise’s 26-day excursion, which began in Miami on April 10 and will end in San Francisco on May 5.

Jonathan Jones, an economic development coordinator hired by the City of Eureka to develop a working relationship with cruise companies and third-party tour operators, told the Outpost that the Mariner is likely the largest cruise ship to ever dock in Humboldt Bay.

“And the [Silver Explorer] looked massive,” Jones said, imagining the 48,000-ton ship in Eureka’s coastal backdrop.

Upon debarking from the Mariner, about 160 tourists will take part in a number of local activities that the cruise line has arranged through the travel logistics company Onward.

“In a city named for the joy of discovery, you’ll be spoiled for choice in the heart of California’s Redwood Coast,” the cruise line’s website says about its stop in Eureka. “Get a canopy view of these remarkable trees – 100 feet above the forest floor – at the Redwood Sky Walk in Eureka’s Sequoia Park. Take in over 150 Victorian-era buildings and spectacular murals in one of California’s best-preserved and most eclectic downtowns. Along the Eureka Waterfront Trail, enjoy Humboldt Bay views and tasty microbrews.”

Once passengers have debarked, Eureka’s Economic Development Manager Swan Asbury said that the city and Regent Seven Seas Cruises will hold a private plaque exchanging ceremony commemorating the efforts made by local government agencies, organizations and businesses to bring the cruise liner into Humboldt Bay.

“This has definitely been a group effort over the past couple of months to pull this all together,” Swan said.

The visit is the latest effort in a long history of successful and unsuccessful attempts to bring more cruise ships into Humboldt Bay.

While Humboldt Bay hasn’t seen a working cruise ship in its waters since 2018, Jones said that Regent Seven Seas Cruises plans to return with two additional cruises in September — bringing hope that these cruise stops may become more common in Humboldt County.

It’s unclear how much money these stops may inject into Humboldt’s economy. However, Humboldt County Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Julie Benbow hopes that these cruises will help promote future tourism for Humboldt County.

“It’s a great opportunity to showcase the best of Humboldt County’s assets to voyagers,” Benbow said. “They won’t be experiencing anything like on the rest of their trip. Hopefully, it will whet their appetite to come back.”

Eureka Police Department press release: 

On April 27, 2022, an officer with the Eureka Police Department conducted a traffic stop on 14th Street at Union Street. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Jimmy Johnson, 48-year-old of Eureka. During the traffic stop, the officer determined that Johnson’s driver’s license was suspended, he had a felony bench warrant for transporting narcotics in a jail, and he was on formal county probation for transportation of narcotics. A term of his probation is that he is required to submit to a search by law enforcement.

Johnson was detained and the officer conducted a search of the vehicle. During the search, the officer located a fanny pack containing .380 auto pistol ammunition in the engine compartment of the vehicle. A further search of the engine compartment revealed a loaded .380 auto pistol in the air cleaner compartment. Johnson is a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.

This particular officer attended a three-day course last month which specialized in highway/ street interdiction for firearms and narcotics. One of the focuses of the training was to look for different types of compartments inside vehicles in which criminals hide illegal items.

Johnson was placed under arrest for felon in possession of a loaded firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, driving while suspended and probation violation. He was also arrested for his felony bench warrant. Johnson was booked into the Humboldt County Jail for the above listed charges.

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For some time now, the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) has sought to redress some of the legacy of the War on Drugs by waving fees to communities historically harmed by prohibition.

Now, the department wants to hear from the cannabis community about proposed changes to the state’s cannabis Equity Fee Waiver Program and proposed deferral regulations. Members of the DCC invited cannabis industry stakeholders to a virtual meeting on Wednesday to get feedback on the proposed changes and to brainstorm additional strategies.

“The meeting was really about dialing in those regulations and building out the [existing Equity Fee Waiver] Program,” Ross Gordon, policy director at the Humboldt County Growers Alliance (HCGA) and policy chair at the Origins Council, said during a follow-up interview with the Outpost. “…We have a lot of equity businesses in our membership – and obviously thousands all around the state – that have been impacted by the War on Drugs, and the state has set aside some funding and created a program to provide equity fee waivers and deferrals for those equity businesses.”

Eugene Hillsman, deputy director of Equity and Inclusion at the DCC, identified two primary changes to the existing fee waiver program. The first is “narrowing the residency criteria” of counties with higher-than-average rates of drug-related charges by focusing on individuals who “live in a census tract with a high rate of poverty” or “who have a family member who was convicted of a cannabis-related crime.” 

The second change relates to gross receipt restrictions and moving the gross revenue cap up to $5 million. “Previously, the [DCC] established a benchmark of $1.5 million for waiver applicants,” he said. “Based on feedback from licensees that currently participate in our local jurisdictions’ equity programs, the [DCC] determined that an expected gross revenue less than or equal to $5 million more accurately corresponded to licenses held by equity commercial cannabis business operators.”

Hillsman outlined four proposed concepts being considered for the final regulations:

1. Additional businesses – Equity businesses are currently eligible for one fee waiver per year, additional businesses would be eligible for fee referrals.

2. Equity commitments – Deferrals may turn into a waiver by meeting additional requirements, including hiring equity employees, supporting community organizations and supporting equity businesses.

3. Payment plan – Equity businesses would be able to pay fees over time. Initial deferral, with delayed payments to be provided later.

4. Tiers – Below a specified amount, equity businesses would be eligible for a fee waiver. Above that amount, they would be eligible for a fee deferral.

Several cannabis industry representatives asked about the timeline for the deferral program, emphasizing the need for immediate relief.

The fastest way to enact the fee waiver changes would be to readopt the emergency regulations that were adopted last year, Hillsman said. The DCC will accept feedback from stakeholders through May and the proposed deferral program must be implemented by January 2023.

Speaking to the Outpost after the meeting, Gordon said the HCGA would encourage the DCC to provide a fee waiver for cannabis farmers with multiple cultivation licenses.

“One thing that maybe isn’t always understood is that there are a lot of farmers who have two very small cultivation licenses because they want to cultivate using different methods,” he said. “Having multiple licenses doesn’t mean you’re big, it just means that you want to cultivate some of your crop under a hoop house, which requires one license, and some crop outdoors which requires a separate license.”

More than anything, having an equitable regulatory framework is key, Gordon said. “Having an equitable framework really is a question about the entire state regulatory framework and tax framework as a whole,” he said. “It’s not that we have something called equity programs…and then on the other hand we talk about taxes and that’s a different conversation. They’re really the same conversation. …It’s great to have these equity programs and these resources available, but ultimately, if we have a tax framework, which is not going to work for small businesses…it’s not going to be functional.”

The DCC will accept feedback in writing from stakeholders through May 2, 2022. Comments can be sent to outreach@cannabis.ca.gov with “DCC Equity Fee Waiver and Deferral” in the subject line.

A portion of Wednesday’s presentation can be viewed in the video below.

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Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On April 27, 2022, deputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) served two search warrants to investigate illegal cannabis cultivation in the Southern Humboldt area. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Humboldt County Code Enforcement assisted in the service of the warrants.

Two parcels were investigated during the service of the warrants. The parcels did not possess the required county permit and state license to cultivate cannabis commercially.

At the first parcel, in Myers Flat, deputies located an indoor cannabis cultivation operation and eradicated approximately 1,234 growing cannabis plants. Deputies seized and destroyed approximately 18 pounds of cannabis bud and over 143 pounds of processed cannabis.

At the second parcel, which included multiple spaces in a Redway trailer park, deputies located both indoor and outdoor cannabis cultivation operations. Deputies eradicated approximately 1,611 growing cannabis plants. Deputies seized and destroyed approximately 64 pounds of cannabis bud, 55 pounds of processed cannabis and over 261 pounds of cannabis shake.

Additional violations with civil fines are expected to be filed by the assisting agencies.

No arrests were made during the service of the warrants, however, suspects responsible for the illegal cultivation operations have been identified. The cases will be forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office for review and prosecution.

Anyone with information about these cases 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.