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Since California health officials decreed the end of the mask mandate for restaurants and grocery stores last week, frustrated parents have been asking: When can their kids take their masks off at school?

They didn’t get any answers during a much anticipated press conference Monday hosted by California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly, who said the state would wait until Feb. 28 to potentially change masking rules at schools.

The California Teachers Association, one of the state’s largest unions with over 300,000 members, supported the decision to “pause and gather more information” before revising the mask mandate for schools.

But some parents and educators, who until recently supported strict mask rules in the classroom, are losing their patience.

“I really started thinking, why aren’t we talking about the masks coming off?” said Dr. Will Sheldon, an Oakland parent and a family medicine doctor. “There was no discussion of what the off-ramps are going to be.”

Concerns over education quality

Parents and educators interviewed by CalMatters said the social and emotional harms of long-term masking need to be weighed against what appear to be the minimal benefits of masking amid rising vaccination rates and receding case numbers.

Sheldon said his daughter has had a harder time making new friends because masks cover her facial expressions. But of greater concern, he said, are the kids he sees in his clinic who are deaf or have other language delays and rely on reading lips to learn speech and reading.

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“I think they were a good idea early in the pandemic,” Sheldon said. “At this point, I’m more than ready for them to change. I think we’ve gone to an extreme.”

Meanwhile, public health experts are saying masks will play a smaller role in 2022’s pandemic playbook.

“As omicron quiets down, we’re approaching a point where we can take masks off,” said Robert Schooley, a professor of medicine at UC San Diego. “But if I had a 5- to 12- year- old who wasn’t vaccinated, I would still want them to keep the masks on until they get vaccinated. It’s not always trivial when a child gets COVID.”

High-quality, tight-fitting masks have been shown to protect against transmission, but they don’t completely eliminate the risk of getting COVID-19. And with the low risk of serious illness for kids, some parents are saying it’s time to lift the mask mandate and take a step towards normalcy.

“If I had a 5- to 12- year- old who wasn’t vaccinated, I would still want them to keep the masks on until they get vaccinated. It’s not always trivial when a child gets COVID.”
Robert Schooley, professor of medicine at UC San Diego

While not all parents oppose masks in schools — CalMatters spoke to parents who thought they should embrace all measures to reduce the death count — some worry the masks are reducing their child’s enthusiasm for learning.

“I want my son to feel excited and connected,” said Patricia Johnson, an Oakland parent of a first grader. “That’s what I’ve wanted from school all along. I want him to love school.”

Jason Peplinski, the superintendent of Simi Valley Unified School District, said public health experts can’t underestimate the effect wearing masks for two years has had on kids. He hopes the mandate lifts for all students. A middle ground, he said, would be a logistical nightmare.

“What I don’t want to happen is for the governor to say if you’re vaccinated you can unmask,” Peplinski said. “That puts the onus on school districts.”

Some teachers are also calling for an end to the mask mandate.

Bevin Abbe, a vocal music teacher at Santa Susana High School in Simi Valley, said masks have been stifling her students’ creative expression for too long. She worries that more introverted students are hiding behind their masks, delaying their social development.

Abbe said debate over masking has become heated in her county of Ventura. Her district’s teachers union declined to take a position.

“Our union has chosen to respect the different views of our membership and society, at large,” said union president Amanda Hogan. “We have not taken a position on masks in the past and are unlikely to in the future.”

Public health experts endorse masks

The California Department of Public Health issued its school mask mandate in July as most of the state’s school districts were set to return to fully in-person instruction for the first time since the start of the pandemic. The mandate placed the responsibility of enforcement on local school officials.

As the omicron surge led to record case numbers among students, teachers and staff, many schools were pushed to a breaking point. But as case numbers decline, more states are starting to lift school mask mandates and taking steps towards normalcy. Lawmakers in some more conservative states are working to ban mask mandates altogether.

Simi Valley’s Peplinski and parents opposing the mask mandate say it doesn’t make sense for a vaccinated child to be able to eat at a restaurant or shop for groceries without a mask but have to put one on in the classroom. Public health experts, however, say the comparison isn’t completely valid because education is compulsory and students spend most of their time at schools.

“If you want to go to a restaurant, that’s your choice,” said Andrew Noymer, a public health professor at the University of California, Irvine. “But kids need to be in schools, and I’d like to see them protected as much as possible.”

Noymer said masks should be required at schools to eliminate the possibility of returning to virtual instruction. That said, he thinks the mandate could be lifted in the next month or so once case numbers and hospitalization rates are back down to where they were last May.

Noymer said the state could set various thresholds for case numbers, hospitalization rates and vaccination rates that would trigger an end to the mask mandate for schools. But on Monday, Ghaly provided no concrete metrics. He said the state would continue monitoring a variety of data points for the next two weeks.

Until then, some parents will remain exasperated.

“All they did was announce that they’re having another press conference in two weeks,” said Sheldon. “It felt like they were just kicking the can down the road.”

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

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Sasha Rae (Peters) Mitchell
Jan. 7, 1987 – Nov. 26, 2021

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of our daughter Sasha. She died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 34 the afternoon of Friday November 26, 2021 at her home in Arcata. She leaves behind her husband, Craig, and her beautiful little daughter, Jade.

Sasha was a happy, healthy child.

Sasha was born on a warm sunny morning in Eureka in January 1987 to proud parents Roger and Christie Peters. She grew up on Pleasant Avenue in Cutten. Sasha attended Cutten elementary school and Winship Jr. High. Her next door neighbor was Heather. They were best friends for life.

Sasha was a very fast learner. She could throw and catch a ball before she was two. She showed us she could read (much to our surprise) at age 4. She was reading at third grade level when she entered kindergarten. She had a surprisingly large vocabulary by age 18 months and spoke with perfect diction and clarity. We were standing by our car at Port Angeles Washington waiting for the ferry to Vancouver Island. When the ferry came into view Sasha pointed and shouted “That boat is Humungousable!” The man in the car in front of us got out, walked back to Sasha and said he just wanted to make sure he heard that correctly. Sasha repeated “That boat is humungousable!” The man said I guess I did hear her correctly. Later on the same trip Sasha impressed her aunt Karen by explaining to her that ko-a-la bears eat eu-ca-lyp-tus trees. Sasha had just turned 11 when the first Harry Potter book hit the market. We bought it and she finished it in four days. She couldn’t wait for the next one to come out. She read all the Chronicles of Narnia, Goosebumps ghost stories and all the young people’s classics. By age 12 Sasha was reading adult novels.

Sasha took English riding lessons from age 7- 12. She played girls softball in Cutten Ridgewood and Redwood Empire little league from age 8 to 16. She was a pitcher with her own windup style. She hit the ball well, played 1st and third base. She was a good all around player. She attended two summer sessions of girl’s softball camp at HSU. She spent many summer weekends at Trinity Lake with her family on Uncle Bob and Aunt Phyllis’s houseboat. There she became a very confident swimmer, learned to water ski, learned to drive a Sea Doo at an early age. She caught her first fish there. Sasha was a great hiker. She went on several backpacking trips in the Trinity Alps with her Mom and Dad and Uncle John and her cousin Evin. She loved outdoor adventures. Uncle Steve Sandeen showed Sasha the excitement of whitewater rafting down the Trinity River. Sasha lived for the annual day after Thanksgiving Christmas tree hunt up in the hills with her dad, Uncle John and her cousin Evin. She always chose the perfect trees.

Sasha traveled to many places in her young life. She saw Vancouver Island, Dallas and New Orleans by age two. At age four she flew to the Big Island of Hawaii the first time to visit Uncle Walt. There she learned to swim in the ocean and went snorkeling for the first time. She went back to the Big Island at age 7 and to Maui at age 15. She made several trips to Los Angeles to visit her Aunt Nonie (Tina), Auntie Margaret, Uncle Alex and many cousins on her mother Christie’s side of the family. She went to Disneyland and a family reunion on the Kern River. She flew to Dallas with her Grandma Billee (Munga) to see her great-grandparents and great-aunt Linda and uncle Gary. She was given a VIP tour of the Capitol building while on a trip to Washington D.C. with her dad and Bob Morelli. She went to Puerto Vallarta for a week with family. She skied and snowboarded at Mt. Rose Nevada, Mt. Bachelor and Mt. Shasta. She attended a few Giants baseball games with her mom.

In her young adult life Sasha moved around a lot. She lived in Florida for a couple years outside of West Palm Beach. She lived in the Borrego desert for four years and fought wildfires for Cal Fire and the CDC. She lived in Palm Desert for a year, then lived for a while with her Aunt Margaret in Lake Elsinore. In 2019 Sasha moved back to Eureka. She met up with her junior high school sweetheart and love of her life Craig. They were married, made a home together and had beautiful baby Jade in September 2020.

Sasha was very creative and artistic. She made wonderful pop up greeting cards for birthdays. She enjoyed re making and refinishing furniture pieces. She liked painting walls with bright colors. She could draw and was very good at calligraphy. She gave great haircuts. She loved cooking and eating exotic foods. She loved sushi, phad Thai noodles, jasmine rice, beef stroganoff and Aunt Mac’s chocolate cake. She was always munching on fresh carrots. When avocados were ripe we gave them to Sasha because she made the best guacamole. She did not like mayonnaise.

Sasha’s young adult life was riddled with mistakes and problems that are caused by a drug addiction. On Friday, November 26 she made a mistake and died from an overdose.

Sasha was preceded in death by both her grandfathers Alexander Vien III and Elvin Peters and her uncle Alex Vien IV. She is survived by her husband Craig, daughter Jade, her parents Roger and Christie Peters, Her grandmother Billee Peters, Uncles John and David Peters, her aunts Karen Wallace, Tami Peters Tina Thompson, Margaret Livingston and Debra Vien. She is also survived by her loving cousin and friend Evin Peters, cousins Kelly, Robb and Justin in Canada and cousins Rick Vien and Robert Tinsley, cousins Karli and Casey Mckenzie in Sacramento and Jeff , Little Al and Andrea in Los Angeles. Also her extended family Bob and Phyllis Morelli, Uncle Walter Smith and many others who knew and loved her much.

Sasha was a very gregarious and intelligent young woman. She made friends easily everywhere she went. Children LOVED Sasha. She was a nurturing enthusiastic mother and a loving wife. She was well read, well spoken, well travelled. She was beautiful with an athletic body and a perfect smile. Sasha was quick witted and possessed a very developed clever sense of humor. She was a fast talker and a good listener. With her honest infectious laugh and unbounded energy she could light up a room just by being there. Sasha is greatly missed and dearly loved by all her family and friends.

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Sylvia Berg
July 18, 1915 - January 22, 2022 (age 106)

(Sylvia) Cecelia Rose (Ambrosini) Berg passed away on January 22, 2022.

Sylvia was born on July 18, 1915 to Ciprian and Mary Ambrosini in Ferndale. Sylvia’s parents immigrated from Lodrino, Switzerland. Sylvia was raised on a dairy operated by her parents. Sylvia had her chores to do and was quite a horse rider. She loved to ride the horses they had on the ranch.

Sylvia graduated from Ferndale High School. Sylvia worked at the Scotia Hospital as a nurse’s aide for several years. She also worked for Donel Studio, where she became involved in photography, which she enjoyed.

Sylvia met Herbert Berg and they married in 1941. They were married for 23 years. Herbert was a Safeco Insurance Agent for many years, and Sylvia became his secretary and also notary public. She loved what she was doing and was very efficient. Their insurance business was operated from their home. Sylvia was a very immaculate housekeeper and a great cook.

The Bergs retired from the insurance business and Sylvia became a caregiver for her mother Mary Ambrosini and also her sister Palmira Bravo. Palmira passed at the age of 50 from cancer. Mary lived to the age of 99 years and passed from natural causes.

Sylvia had a rental built on her property which helped supplement her income. Sylvia was a very hard worker until she could not do her daily chores any longer. This was also a setback for her. She dearly loved all her extended family of nieces and nephews.

Sylvia was preceded in death by her parents, Ciprian and Mary Ambrosini, her sisters Palmira Bravo and Julia Burgh, brothers Joseph, Norman M. and Charles F. Ambrosini and her uncle Pietro Ponz.

Sylvia is survived by nephews Larry (Lee) Bravo, Richard (Kathy) Burgh and Christopher (Deedra) Ambrosini. Nieces, Irene (Jerry) Vernig, Patricia Allen and Susan (Ralph) Shoemaker. Great-nieces are Cynthia Sutherland, Kelly Brochard, Julia Burgh and Rachele Allen. Great-nephews Tim Vernig, Guy Bravo, Nathan Ambrosini, and Patrick Allen. Sylvia is also survived by her sister-in-law Gloria Ambrosini.

There are also numerous cousins in Switzerland.

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Charles G. Warnow Jr., 55, passed away January 30, 2022 at Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka.

He was born March 8, 1966 in Eureka at the General Hospital to Charles G. Warnow Sr and Phyllis Warnow (Mandell). Chuck grew up in Elk River with his parents and siblings; he was a wild kid with a huge heart and wasn’t afraid of much. Chuck graduated from Eureka High School class of 1984. After high school he became a heavy equipment operator, something his father taught him from a very young age, and was a part of the Operating Engineers Union Local 3 for almost 30 years — later to become a licensed contractor and start his own business with his son.

He enjoyed his career as an operator very much and was so knowledgeable about everything he did. He always knew what his next move was without even having to think about It. In 1993 he became a father to a little boy and again in 1995 to a little girl. His children changed his life forever. He became a single father and raised them on his own, giving them the best life full of love and laughter and everything they ever wanted — “spoiled” was not in his vocabulary. They did everything together, and he taught them his love for motocross and put them in racing from very young ages. He was the best daddy and as adults became their best friend.

Saturday mornings were special — he and his kids would either meet at a breakfast spot (7 a.m., don’t be late) — or he would have them over for breakfast. He was an amazing cook and could make just about anything or create his own versions of meals, and they always turned out wonderful. Cooking was a way for him to express his love for the people around him. Saturday morning will never be the same without him.

He was preceded in death by his father, Charles G Warnow, Sr., as well as his grandparents and other family members. He is survived by his two children — his son Andrew Warnow and his daughter Aren Warnow (Cameron) along with his mother Phyllis Warnow, brother Steven Warnow (Sherrie), Linda Warnow and Brenda Nelson (Ed) as well as his nieces and nephews.

A service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 26, 2022 at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds — 3750 Harris St., Eureka, CA.

Gloria Maxine Cannafax
April 23, 1943 - Feb. 1, 2022

Gloria Maxine Cannafax, a resident of Eureka, peacefully passed away in Redding on February 1, 2022, with family by her side. She was born April 23, 1943, in Hanford, California.

Our mom grew up in Fresno, where she met our dad, Melvin. They were married November 26, 1959, in Sanger. They were fortunate enough to be married 62 amazing years! She raised three children while Dad was working. Mom attended church all her life and had a deep, abiding faith in God. She enjoyed life to the fullest and loved having family and friends over for food and games, such as dice, Skip-Bo and Uno. Mom loved to cook and bake cakes and pies when we were growing up. Mom especially enjoyed making Christmas candy with her granddaughter Latacia and great-grandchildren, Bryce, Hunter and Natalie. Alma even remembers Mom playing a harpsichord!

Gloria is survived by her husband, Melvin Cannafax, son David and his wife Amanda, daughter Alma Baker and her partner Troy Johnson, son Greg and his wife Leslie; grandchildren Kenny Cannafax, Latacia Hanover and her partner Josh Parent, and Johnny Cannafax; and great-grandchildren Bryce, Hunter and Natalie. She is also survived by her sister Deloris Long and her husband Jim, as well as many nieces and nephews and extended family and friends.

Gloria was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Opal Craig; sister Vivian Cox and brother-in-law James Cox; brother Dwayne Cox; grandson Alex Hanover; and son-in-law Jim Baker.

Mom always had a way of making us feel loved. We were fortunate to have Mom for 78 ½ years before God took her home. She is now free of pain and basking in God’s glory.

We love you, Mom.

Private interment was held at Oceanview Cemetery on Feb. 9, 2022. Pall bearers were David Cannafax, Greg Cannafax, Benny Long, Troy Johnson, Josh Parent, Jay Hanover, Larry Moore and Lee Windsor.

A celebration of life will be held later in the year closer to Mom’s birthday.

Double-murderer Ulisses Rodriguez was convicted today of all charges, including a special circumstance allegation that could put him in prison for life without parole.

The jury, after deliberating for nearly two full days, found the 27-year-old Chico man guilty of two counts of first degree murder, making criminal threats and arson. Jurors also found true the allegations that Rodriguez personally discharged a firearm when he killed Tiffany Ellebrecht and Jeremy Kuemmel and personally used a firearm when he threatened witness John Doe.

Also, the jury found true the special-circumstance charge of having multiple victims, meaning he could be sentenced to life without parole.

As usual, the jury fled the courthouse immediately after the verdicts were read. The jury foreman refused to comment.

Rodriguez, as he has throughout the trial, sat stiffly and looked straight ahead as the guilty verdicts came down, one after another.

His parents, who live in Chico but have been here throughout the trial, cried and held hands. But members of the victims’ families were relieved and elated.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys Luke Bernthal and Trent Timm. Andrea Sullivan represented Rodriguez.

“I appreciate the jury’s service,” Bernthal said, adding that this had been a hard trial for jurors.

Not only did the jury hear gruesome testimony, but they were shown photos of the incinerated corpses of Ellebrecht, 31, and Kuemmel, 32, whose bodies were set on fire after Rodriguez shot them.

The key witnesses, John Doe and Chano Sanchez, testified through Spanish interpreters. Although their accounts differed in some respects, both said Rodriguez said “I killed them” and they needed to help him with the bodies.

Ellebrecht and Kuemmel had been working for Rodriguez at a marijuana grow in the China Creek area of Southern Humboldt. Rodriguez leased or rented the land from David Wilks and his sister, who had decided they were finished with the agreement.

Witness John Doe testified Rodriguez told him Kuemmel had stolen some plants from him, and he had run him off the property and warned him not to come back. Unfortunately he and Ellebrecht did return, and each were shot numerous times.

Afterward, their bodies were placed in the back of Kuemmel’s Ford Expedition, which was parked in a turnout on Briceland Road and set on fire.

John Doe was the first to come forward and report what happened, saying Rodriguez forced him to chain the bodies and drag them into the back of the Expedition.

Defense attorney Sullivan argued the case was not about marijuana but meth. She said Doe had been selling the drug to Kuemmel and Ellebrecht and killed them when they didn’t pay up. The burning Expedition with the bodies inside was there “to send a message,” Sullivan said.

Autopsies showed the murdered couple had high levels of methamphetamine in their bodies.

“They were another homeless couple with a drug problem,” Bernthal said during his closing argument.

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office release: 

On Feb. 13, 2022, at about 11:38 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a residence on the 100 block of Wiyot Drive near Loleta for the report of an assault.

Deputies arrived at the residence and located a 39-year-old male victim with moderate injuries. The victim was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment.

During their investigation, deputies learned that the victim and an adult male suspect were involved in an altercation earlier that evening at a nearby location. The suspect reportedly followed the victim to his home and assaulted him outside the residence with an unknown object. The victim sustained injuries to his head and face during the assault. The suspect reportedly stole a firearm from the victim prior to fleeing the property.

Deputies were unable to locate the suspect in the area. A person of interest has been identified in this case; however, his identity is being withheld pending further investigation. There is no perceived threat to the community at this time.

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.