Eureka Police Department press release: 

On December 1, 2021, at about 4:25 p.m., officers with the Eureka Police Department (EPD) responded to a credit union on the 900 block of Fourth Street for the report of a robbery that had just occurred.

Based on the investigation, it appears that a male entered the business, used a note to demand money, and then fled with an undisclosed amount of currency. The male fled on a bicycle. Officers checked the nearby areas and located discarded clothing and the suspect’s bicycle. The suspect is still outstanding and unidentified at this time.

The male suspect was described as a male, thin build, wearing jeans, brown jacket, bandana as a mask, and black hat. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Eureka Police Department at (707) 441-4044.

The City of Eureka is seeking public feedback in the development of a new “parking plan” in order to relieve some of the curbside congestion around downtown.

To achieve this goal, the City has published a public survey to learn more about people’s experiences parking downtown.

“This plan will analyze the existing parking demand and supply and provide implementable strategies that balance the parking utilization for all users, including residents, business employers and visitors,” the City of Eureka stated in an announcement regarding the parking study.

Anyone can take part in the 28-question survey by clicking this link.

“With increasing development in Downtown Eureka, the City will continue to thrive and attract more vehicular trips resulting in an increase in parking demand,” the City stated. “Parking strategies will uphold the objectives to ensure balanced use of public parking, while maintaining economic vibrancy of Downtown Eureka.”

PREVIOUSLY:

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Four months to the day after being arrested for drug possession and driving under the influence — and six weeks after his colleagues unanimously voted to remove him from his role as mayor — Arcata City Councilmember Brett Watson returned to the dais on Wednesday night saying he has completed a residential treatment program and plans to continue his service in elected office.

In a prepared statement read near the end of last night’s meeting, Watson said he plans to take “an approach that honors my continuing commitment to the community and the mental wellness of myself and those I serve.”

Following his arrest in August, Watson issued a statement saying he’d been struggling with grief over his father’s suicide a year prior. In September he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and received a sentence requiring counseling, fines and a week in jail.

Many of the details surrounding Watson’s behavior during his mental health struggles remain vague. Prior to the council’s unanimous vote of “no confidence” in Watson on October 20, Councilmember Emily Goldstein read a that referred to “alleged behaviors of councilmember Watson that negatively affected the city and some of its staff members.”

Those behaviors remained undefined, and Watson, who hadn’t attended a council meeting since early October, has yet to disclose any specifics.

Here’s Watson’s statement in full, and you can watch him read it in the video below:

Recently I completed a 28 day treatment program to focus on my mental wellness and other issues. I want to thank the community and City Council for their patience and understanding during my time away from my official duties.

Seeking treatment was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. Receiving treatment allowed me to understand how past traumas in my life have impacted my mental health.

I’ve decided to continue my service to this community that I love so much. The decision is based partly on the incredible amount of support I’ve received from friends, family, my peers in treatment, and the public. I also want to acknowledge the people in this room who have supported me with wisdom, advice, support and comfort.

I plan to continue to work for Arcata with an approach that honors my continuing commitment to the community and the mental wellness of myself and those I serve. I’ve learned that mental health and self care is something that we don’t always prioritize as individuals and as a community. It’s too easy to look at someone with mental health issues and try to tell them to just snap out of it or to stop using their mental health as an excuse for their problems.

It’s a serious problem that affects ourselves and our loved ones around us and I hope that moving forward I can use my position to help address ways to improve mental health and self care.

I want the community to know that I’m here for you if you’re struggling with your own mental health issues. You can reach out to me any day, any time and I’ll do my best to help connect you with the resources you need.

In the coming weeks I’m planning to meet with community leaders and health professionals to discuss potential ways to advance expansion of mental health services county wide. Thank you again to everyone who’s supported me.

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PREVIOUSLY: 

• Why Your Community Hall Might Close

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As a years-long battle with the California State Grange comes to a close for Freshwater Community Guild and Redcrest Community Center — both ending in favor of the Grange — Bayside Community Hall, Fieldbrook Community Club and Van Duzen River Guild continue to fight for their autonomy. 

Some quick background, if you don’t recall the long and messy legal history here: The Grange — an organization founded in 1867 to advocate for farmers and rural communities — is a nationwide organization with chapters at the national, state and local level. Years ago, a rift between the California State Grange and National Grange led most of California’s local grange halls to separate from the organization. Over the years, those local halls legally changed their names from “grange” to “guild” or “community hall,” maintained their hall properties using local funds and labor, and, in some cases, filed for their own nonprofit status. These halls considered themselves completely severed from the Grange organization. 

Now, the California State Grange — operating under new leadership, post-rift — wants former Grange halls to return to the organization. And, for the most part, those halls don’t want to. Why not? Because the California Grange didn’t buy or maintain the properties, the Grange no longer represents these communities’ interests, and the Grange honors bylaws and traditions that locals find off-putting.

And so the State Grange filed a string of lawsuits all over California in effort to regain local hall properties. Five halls in Humboldt County — Bayside Community Hall, Van Duzen River Guild, Freshwater Community Guild, Fieldbrook Community Hall and Redcrest Community Center — were sued. 

The legal question here is whether the National Grange’s bylaws regarding hall property ownership overrules California property law. The deeds of these properties, in most cases, specifically list local ownership. But according to the National Grange’s bylaws — which have always been subject to change — the next grange level up (in this case, the California State Grange) becomes responsible for the property and responsibilities of local grange halls that lose their charter, which is what happened to each hall that separated from the organization. 

Mostly, the cases have been resolved through summary judgment, in which the judge decides the legal questions presented without a trial. The Grange has won almost every case, but halls can appeal the decision. Two in Humboldt chose not to; after resisting the Grange for years, Redcrest Community Center and Freshwater Community Guild are finalizing settlement agreements to rejoin the Grange, meaning they’ll get to maintain control of their halls as members of the Grange organization, or Grangers. 

Meanwhile, the fight surges on for Bayside Community Hall, Van Duzen River Guild and Fieldbrook Community Hall. Bayside Community Hall and Fieldbrook Community Hall both have hearings coming up this month. We weren’t able to get in touch with Van Duzen River Guild’s managers for this story. 

Things have been particularly contentious between the State Grange and Bayside Community Hall. Bayside intends to appeal its lost summary judgement ruling, but in the meantime, the State Grange has taken control of the hall property. The State Grange’s intention is to charter a new grange chapter there, which would require 13 members. 

“The State Grange has stewardship of the property until Bayside Grange is reorganized. Any entity having a judgment adverse to their position may file an appeal. However, that does not mean they are entitled to retain the property during the appeal,” Lillian Booth, California State Grange secretary, told the Outpost in an email. 

 “Judges in counties all around the state have all ruled that, while people are free to leave the Grange, they cannot take Grange property and assets (acquired over many generations through the efforts of Grange members) with them. Grange property remains with the Grange.”

The transition of the property has been “really really messy and muddy,” said Carolyn Jones, Bayside Community Hall president. Both parties say the other is unwilling to communicate. 

The Grange froze Bayside’s accounts in September and changed locks on the building in October. Jones said the hall leadership cooperated with the transition and did their best to put all of the hall’s business in order for the Grange, including an offer to meet with someone to answer questions. Regardless, the hall’s bills and insurance went unpaid for a couple of months, Jones said, even though the Grange, through attorneys, said they would pay bills while in possession of the building. 

Jones also said she’s had to turn down about a dozen rental requests because the Grange has not been responsive to questions asking where to forward those inquiries. As a result, nothing had happened in the hall since the Grange took possession more than two months ago, until last Friday, when the Bayside Holiday Market successfully began at the hall. (The plans and payment for the market were arranged with Bayside Community Hall before the State Grange took control of the property.)

Booth said that Bayside Community Hall is to blame for the messy transition, and that Bayside Community Hall didn’t forward bills to the Grange.

“Notwithstanding what the [Bayside Community Hall] group has claimed publicly, the billings were not sent to the State Grange until the final notices started to appear in their mailbox, at which point the [Bayside Community Hall’s] new attorney finally brought them to our attention,” Booth said. 

Once made aware of the bills, the State Grange paid them, Booth said. “The State Grange did not learn of the bills until late October, but by November 15th, all accounts were paid, up to date, and contact information changed to the State Grange address in Sacramento. It is a simple process to change billings, but it was made more difficult because of the lack of response from the group.”

As for the rental inquiries? Also Bayside’s fault, Booth said. 

“The [Bayside Community Hall] group was not cooperative in turning over keys, leases or any other information,” she said. “The State Grange is moving ahead as quickly as possible, and intends to resume renting the Hall as soon as the insurance coverage is straightened out. One renter who had a date in March of 2022 reached out to me and I advised we would honor her date and deposit paid to the [Bayside Community Hall] group. She chose to cancel her date instead.”

Before the Grange took control of Bayside Community Hall, two nonprofits — Arcata Mutual Aid and Food Not Bombs — regularly used the hall’s commercial kitchen. Neither have used the kitchen since the transition, and Jones said that as far as she knows, both have struggled to secure alternative arrangements. 

Booth said continuation of those partnerships isn’t out of the question. “​All requests from the local nonprofits will be reviewed and accommodated if at all possible,” she said. “The Grange Hall is important to serve the community. A local State Grange Field Representative will be working with these groups.”

Despite losing access to the building, Bayside Community Hall continues to function as an organization, Jones clarified. Members still hold monthly meetings and participate in events and projects. Bayside Community Hall recently hosted an online auction to benefit local nonprofits that ran Nov. 15-30. 

In August, Jones launched a website — saveourhalls.com — to educate the community about the situation, and three halls have produced videos about their cause.  

Although this all began as a rift between the State and National Grange organizations, that’s not at all what it’s about any more, Jones said; the story here is the power of fraternal organizations and of charters, which, in this case, has helped the Grange maintain control over dozens of hall properties in California. 

“This isn’t about money, and it’s not about the Grange per se; it’s about autonomy for a local organization,” Jones said.

“The part that’s increasingly galling is how detached the State Grange is.”

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There is mounting energy for the cause of local control in Fieldbrook, where members of the Fieldbrook Community Club still have control of their building. The club hosted a meeting at the hall to draw more local attention to the lawsuits last month, when members circulated a petition asking the State Grange to declare that halls are owned by local communities. 

Fieldbrook Community Club is launching a letter-writing campaign in effort to garner more local support for its cause. Club members hope folks invested in the conflict will write to newspapers and lawmakers, urging more support for local halls. 

Rowetta Miller, executive chair of Fieldbrook Community Club, and Margie Plant, former president of Redcrest Community Center, are sharing ideas with Fifth District Supervisor Steve Madrone for a resolution in recognition of local halls still undergoing lawsuits. 

“He (Madrone) believes — with many of us — that the word of this injustice is not getting out,” Plant told the Outpost. “Most people in Humboldt don’t realize that this is a land grab, it feels like, by a larger organization that has never put the monetary and volunteer labor and maintenance into these local communities.” 

Plant left Redcrest Community Center after its membership voted to rejoin the Grange in August, unwilling to become a Granger herself. To her knowledge, the hall — now called Redcrest Community Grange — is having maintenance issues. “Nothing has changed as far as what it means to be a grange. There’s no influx of monetary or boots-on-the-ground kind of help,” Plant said. 

That said, things are looking promising for the Redcrest Volunteer Fire Department, which is in the middle of building a fire truck security building on the Redwood Grange property — a project that’s been in motion since before lawsuits began. Concern for the completion of the building is largely why Redcrest community members opted to rejoin the Grange, in hopes of maintaining control over the project. 

“All these community halls — whether they are a grange or want to be independent — want to serve our communities, want to serve the needs and interests of local folks,” Plant said. “I’ll keep fighting.”

MareCee Naw Ra-Owh-Chee-Shep Robbins was brought into this world on August 26, 1991 and started her journey on November 25, 2021. MareCee was an enrolled member of the Hoopa Tribe and a descendant of the Yurok Tribe, Karuk Tribe, and Quinault Indian Nation. MareCee was the daughter of Tyke Robbins and Cindy Sue Colegrove and loving sister to Duwayne Xavier Say-Gep Best Jr., Grizzly T. Robbins, Rocky Robbins, Aurelia Robbins, Cecelia Robbins, Mardi Attebury, and Dolli McCovey.

She gifted this world three beautiful children – Non-Tos-Chet Rube Robbins, Rey-Go’Oh Berghagen and Faron Troy White-Robbins. MareCee brought love and joy to her large extended family, leaving many memories with her Grandma Lana Crutchfield; Great-Aunt Ilene Colegrove; Great-Uncle Gary, and wife, Kathy; Aunts Suedee Hicks, Mice, Sue-I-Chet (Fermin), Non-Tos-Chet (Loren), Jackie, Jeanette (Tony), Maria (Toby), Lydia, Lynette (Cory), Felicia; Uncles; Billy (Christy), Alphonso (Karrie), Nolan (Tory), Lonny, Bryan Jr, George (Dick) and Kapel; nieces Arianna, Chayton, June and Aria; nephews Falcon, Joaquin, Meskwoh, Lil’ Grizzly, Nikwich (Bean), Cristian Jr and Ronny III.

MareCee became an amazing mother, spending most of her time with her babies. She was the most devoted, loving, and nurturing; always taking care of her precious babies ensuring their lives were filled with hope and limitless opportunity. She was committed to teach them the native values in life — connecting to traditions and culture as a way to survive this challenging world. She did her best to raise her boys to be self-sufficient, taking them to the mountains to cut wood with her chainsaw, jumping in the truck to go hunting and gathering or on the river fishing and swimming. She was a provider and the most amazing mother — her family and friends were in awe of all she achieved and accomplished.

MareCee was a perfect combination of beauty and fierce warrior — supporting friends and family with unbelievable strength while lighting up the room with her gorgeous appearance. Her spirit to live life to the fullest inspired all she encountered. She had no time for small stuff in life — negativity was never emphasized. She was a positive and focused on resiliency and courage. As a young lady, she appreciated the lessons from all those around her, all walks of life that contributed to molding her into the woman she would become. She was blessed with the most amazing smile that lit up a room. She had such an undeniable beauty that her mom wanted to share with the world by competing and winning beauty pageants throughout the United States in her youth and teenage years. She was determined to conquer more in life and was hard driven to earn a degree as a carpenter and cabinetry refinery. She took her employment as a carpenter very seriously and hung right in there next to the gentlemen she worked with. She was in the process of building her own home for her and her children.

MareCee was a gifted artist; she learned from the best, her Grandma Cee Cee, who taught her how to crotchet, gather and speak up for herself. She enjoyed weaving, beading, making slabs of burls and finding wood of any types to create the most amazing woodwork featuring unique native designs.

She touched so many lives and was a true friend to many. She was always up for an adventure with her babies and her besties. She loved her friends and family deeply and always had time to visit with them when she ran into them. She made a lasting impression to all that knew her and those that just met her.

She wrote recently in one of her journals –

“I have had numerous notebooks in my life prayer books, dumb girls thoughts, drawing books, all different kinds. This book will have a little bit of everything inside well everything I’m willing to share. They say everything you tell someone eventually will be repeated some way or another.

This is my 30th year living on this earth I was grateful enough to have been born Native American from Northern California, amongst the Yurok, Hoopa and Karuk Tribes which is rich in culture and trauma throughout our ancestors, but coming along with the trauma is survival instead of dwelling on being a victim. More people should be grateful for being so resilient and shouldn’t take advantage of what our ancestors fought so hard for us to have.”

PallBearers: Say-Gep Best, Grizzly Robbins, Owee Colegrove, Anthony Twofeathers Colegrove, Brandon Colegrove, Spike Guyer, Richard Guyer, Ben Ray, Gunner Ray, Son-Son Robbins, and Merk Robbins.

Special Pallbearers (by her request): Cecelia Robbins, Aurelia Robbins, Kinsita Joseph, Vanessa “Graebz” Graeber, Ashley Lamebear, Chelsey Thompson, Ariel Erickson, Rena Gibbens, Star Gibbens, Crissy Robbins, Janette Patino, Samantha Crutchfield, Julia (Honeys) Crutchfield, Presley Robbins, Dana Perry, Kinsa Moon, Jaclyn Moon, Cassandra Aubrey, Kisdyante Joseph, Onna Joseph, Diana James, Shalissa Jackson, Shantel Kneeland, Joselyn Kelly, Bianca Moon, Deja George, Frankie Tripp, Adriana Cloud, Melita Jackson, Kee-yah Joseph, Mitsche VanPelt, Ashley Myers, Larissa Sanderson, Caprice Vanpelt, Wynter Lyons, Chealsea Reed, and Michelle Bradberry.

Honorary Pallbearers: Billy Colegrove, Alphonso Colegrove, Lonny Colegrove, Nolan Colegrove, Bryan Colegrove, Fermin Sanchez, Twofeathers Offield, Spike Guyer, Richard Guyer, Joshua Colegrove, Stoney McCoy Sr, Stoney McCoy Jr, George “Dick’ Robbins, Kapel Robbins, Chino Young, Albert (Alex) Perry, Travis Perry, Tristan Perry, Brendan Crutchfield, Brett Robbins, Trayce Crutchfield, Fabian Erickson, Justin Erickson, Eddie Koch Jr, Eddie Koch III, Roger Sanderson, Joe Nix, Marv Mullens, Pergish Carlson, Tom O’Rourke, Axel Erickson III, Axel Erickson IV, Tom Joseph, Silishitawn Jackson, Jason White, Jeremiah Berghagen, Meskwoh Robbins, Joaquin Applegarth, Falcon Williams, John Robbins, Rowdy Robbins, Cristian Alatorre Sr, Desmond Oliver, Jr Goodell, Rocky Colegrove, Neil Aitken, Alex Montes de Oca, Craig Murphy, Andrew Lamebear, Marty Lamebear, Ky’Kyah Vanpelt, Arrow Campbell, Turk Sylvia, Josiah Maymon, Tim Thompson, and Nah-Tes Jackson.

Proceeded by Great-Grandparents Alfred & Mabel Colegrove, Grandparents Bryan & Marilyn Colegrove, Grandma Theresia, Grandpa Ross, Grandpa George Robbins Sr, Grandma Viola Koch, Grandpa Edwin C Koch, Grandpa Samuel Moore, Grandpa Bill Crutchfield, Uncle Faron Robbins, Brother Brenan McCovey, Great Uncles – Alfred Colegrove Jr, Lionel Colegrove, Uncle Robbie Robbins, Uncle John (Rocky) Robbins, Uncle Allen (Buzz) McCovey, Great Aunts – Alfreda Colegrove, her special friend “Tibs” Virgil Mclaughlin.

— Continue to do Chee-Shep things wherever you may be.

She had too many cousins to name and please forgive us if you were not mentioned, she loved you all. There will be a wake held on December 1, 2021 for close family and friends. A graveside service will be held on December 2, 2021 at the Colegrove family cemetery at 1 p.m. The service will be officiated by Jessie Goddard and Winona Youckton.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of MareCee Robbins’ loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.

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City of Arcata press release:

The Community Development Department has been actively working on a long-term project known as the Strategic Infill Redevelopment Program since 2017. The purpose of the Strategic Infill Redevelopment Program is to align the City’s policies with the necessities of the community and available resources to make sure Arcata’s housing and economic development needs can be met through infill development. According to the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, the term infill development refers to building within unused and underutilized lands within existing developed areas, which is critical to accommodating growth and redesigning cities to be environmentally and socially-sustainable by reducing building sprawl.

As part of Arcata’s Strategic Infill Redevelopment Program, City staff has identified the Gateway Plan Area, which is a 138-acre location west of K Street that is expected to be rezoned when the City’s General Plan is updated. This area has potential to be redeveloped into housing in the future. The Community Development Department has released the draft of the Gateway Area Plan, which provides details of how the area may be redeveloped to create more housing opportunities for the community. The Gateway Area Plan draft will be circulated to the public for about a year before it can be adopted by the City Council. Members of the public may access and review the Gateway Area Plan draft at cityofarcata.org.

There will be several opportunities for public input regarding the Gateway Area Plan draft this month and throughout the coming year. The plan will also be evaluated under the California Environmental Quality Act, which will include additional opportunities for public engagement in the future. Upcoming community engagement opportunities regarding the Gateway Area Plan in December include:

● Thursday, December 9: City staff will host a public meeting at 5 p.m. on Zoom to present the Gateway Area Plan as drafted. The presentation will discuss how the land will be used, the proposed size of housing units, transportation in the area and more. Please visit cityofarcata.org for the Zoom link.

● Saturday, December 11: City staff will host another public walking tour of the Gateway Plan Area. This tour provides the opportunity for residents to learn more about the plan, including topics related to the environment, historic preservation, public transportation and more. The tour 1 will be roughly one mile in length and will take approximately 60 to 90 minutes. Those who wish to join the tour should meet outside in front of Arcata City Hall, located at 736 F Street, at 12 p.m. For more information, please call (707) 822-5955.

● Tuesday, December 14: The Gateway Area Plan draft will be presented to the Planning Commission for initial review at their regularly scheduled meeting at 6 p.m.. The meeting agenda and Zoom link will be available to the public at cityofarcata.org on Friday, December 10.

● Wednesday, December 15: City staff will present the Gateway Area Plan draft to the City Council for initial review at their regularly scheduled meeting. The City Council will also discuss their walking tour of the Gateway Plan Area, which took place at a special meeting held on Tuesday, September 1. The City Council meeting will take place at 6 p.m. The meeting agenda and Zoom link will be available to the public at cityofarcata.org on Friday, December 10.

More information on future public engagement opportunities will be provided as it becomes available. Community members are encouraged to sign up for the Community Development Department’s Long Range Planning & Community Visioning email notification list to stay updated on public comment and engagement opportunities. Sign up by clicking here or by clicking the eNotifications Sign Up button on the homepage of the City’s website.

The Community Development Department has created a Community Visioning Survey for residents and non-residents to share their thoughts on Arcata’s development. Feedback received from the survey will be used to help shape the way Arcata looks in the future. The survey is available in Spanish and in English, and can be accessed at cityofarcata.org.

Community members who wish to participate are encouraged to do so as soon as possible as the survey will close on Friday, December 31 at 5 p.m. For more information on the City’s Strategic Infill Redevelopment Program or to learn more about Community Development projects and plans, please click here, visit cityofarcata.org or call (707) 822-5955.

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Recent HSU graduate Gabe Kim says he and his filmmaking partners had one overarching goal with their “Homeless in Humboldt” video documentary series: “We just wanted to tell people’s stories,” he said in a recent phone interview.

Last Friday the filmmakers published their project’s first installment, a 16-minute episode that follows JP Urich and his wife Caity Jo as they navigate the hardships and indignities of living homeless on the outskirts of Eureka. The two talk frankly about their feelings of helplessness and stress. They discuss the relationship between homelessness and substance use, and they open up about Caity Jo’s stomach cancer diagnosis.

The filmmakers also interview Eureka Police Officer Dennis Gagnon, who works as the parks and waterfront ranger with the department’s Community Safety Engagement Team (CSET), and a pair of attorneys from the Humboldt County Public Defender’s Office who discuss the uneven scales of American justice.

“I think at every stage in the process, being homeless disadvantages you in our legal system,” public defender Wade Orbelian says in the episode.

Kim, who graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, said he initially planned to make a documentary as part of The Humboldt COVID-19 Community Archive Project, which aims to document the local impact of the pandemic for future generations. 

Fellow journalism major Skylar Gaven, with whom Kim worked at HSU’s student newspaper, The Lumberjack, came up with the idea of focusing on the local homeless population. Their production crew includes fellow students Valentina Dimas and Rachel Marty.

Once the team started working on the project, however, they realized that the pandemic wasn’t exactly the No. 1 concern of their subjects.

“COVID-19 was one of the last things on homeless people’s minds when you consider everything else they have to factor in — where to sleep, what to eat, how live day by day,” Kim said. 

So instead of shoehorning the subject to fit with a COVID-19 theme, the student filmmakers chose to simply listen to their interviewees. 

“Most of us do not have a background in documentary filmmaking,” Kim said. “We’ve been kind of learning how the whole process works going along. But it’s been an incredible experience.”

They’ve been helped through the process by faculty advisor Vicky Sama, chair of HSU’s Journalism and Mass Communication Department. They’ve also gotten input from professionals who work with the local homeless population. Brittany Powell, public information officer for the Eureka Police Department, put the students in touch Sgt. Leonard LaFrance, who connected them with Gagnon. Gagnon, in turn, suggested they interview JP and Caity Jo.

Dimas — who is credited as an executive producer on the project, though by all accounts the four-person crew works collaboratively on all virtually aspects of production — said the documentary series wound up being “one of the best things I ever decided to do.”

Interviewing local homeless people taught her the value of being an active listener and made her realize how vulnerable most people are to becoming homeless themselves.

“I hope this project inspires students and peers of the younger generation to be curious about their homeless neighbors, even saying a quick hello or asking how they’re doing and [maybe] offering up some extra food,” Dimas said. “The project, I don’t know if it has changed the homeless situation in Humboldt, but I just hope it helps bridge gaps of empathy that I think we are missing.”

Marty, who is set to graduate in spring with a degree in journalism, said this project has changed her perspective on the local homeless population.

“These are people that sometimes don’t even get a second glance on the street, and we’ve gotten to know them and see what they go through,” she said. “It’s heartbreaking.”

Like Dimas, Marty said the project has convinced her that the public should try to be more empathetic toward the houseless. “They’re people, and they lose that humanity,” she said.

Gaven, who was familiar with the problems associated with homelessness from growing up in San Diego, said that while working on this documentary series she realized that video editing is something she’d like to pursue as a career path. “It definitely is a passion of mine now,” she said.

Originally pursuing a degree in environmental studies, Gaven switched to journalism after taking a course in video production, and she said she believes this medium has immense storytelling power.

“This was a great way to really show people these issues,” she said of “Homeless in Humboldt.” “I’ve always wanted to express that to an audience and hopefully spread awareness. … I’m so appreciative of the people who are willing to share their life with us. There have been times when I’ve almost cried; it’s just one thing after another. They can’t get a break, especially with COVID.”

The students (or former student, in Kim’s case) are currently working to produce a second part of the JP episode, after which they will begin work on a new segment following another local homeless couple, Angela and Will.

They filmmakers are still working with faculty advisors, but Gaven said they’re no longer sure how — or if — the project will earn them credits or tie into their coursework. 

“To be honest, I feel like we’ve kind of taken this as our own project,” she said. “I think we made it our own project.”

And she echoed her collaborators’ sentiments about the importance of empathy toward the homeless.

“There’s just so much you can learn from them, that I’ve learned from them,” she said. “They’re just really great people … . You should really get to know somebody before you start judging.”

Watch the first segment of the “Homeless in Humboldt” documentary project below.

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