Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:
On Nov. 29, 2021, at about 1:50 a.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies on patrol near Samoa observed a suspicious vehicle parked in the area of Highway 255 and Vance Avenue.
Deputies conducted a suspicious vehicle investigation and contacted two occupants, one of which was identified as 35-year-old Sean Edward Simpson. Simpson was found to be on formal probation with a search clause. Deputies conducted a search of Simpson and the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, deputies located ammunition and a loaded firearm.
Simpson was arrested and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of felon in possession of a firearm (PC 29800(a)(1)), carrying a loaded firearm in a public place (PC 25850(a)), carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle (PC 25400(a)(1)), person prohibited in possession of ammunition (PC 30305(a)) and violation of probation (PC 1203.2(a)(2)), in addition to warrant charges of driving with a suspended license (VC 14601.5(a)), possession of a controlled substance (HS 11377(a)) and possession of a narcotic controlled substance (HS 11350(a)).
The second occupant of the vehicle was released at the scene.
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.
Ready or not, your President of Positivity is already up and running in the Arcata Marsh this week. With her friend Lady Liberty by her side, she encounters some youth athletes brimming with excitement for the Six Rivers Running Club-sponsored program HRRAY (or Humboldt Redwoods Running Association for Youth). Be like the kids and get out there and get movin’, people!
Humboldt State University Dorms, Cypress Apartments on July 18, 2021. Photo by Patrick Garcia for CalMatters College Journalism Network
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Thousands of students at California State University may lose out on affordable housing because the Cal State system misread the fine print of a new state student housing program.
The error — uncovered by CalMatters and acknowledged by Cal State officials — is straightforward but costly. In filling out paperwork required to get its portion of the $2 billion Gov. Gavin Newsom set aside for student housing, Cal State incorrectly assumed that it could use that money — and only that money — to build dorms and apartments for low-income students.
In reality, state rules allow Cal State to combine this limited pot of state money with outside funds, such as dollars from bonds the university regularly issues. Using a mix of funds allows a campus to either build larger structures to include more beds or combine projects to house more students.
The consequence for Cal State’s blunder: Unless state lawmakers intervene, as many as 3,000 students will be deprived of affordable housing.
CalMatters discovered the discrepancy by reviewing building applications, official correspondence and other documents related to the three-year, $2 billion Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program that the Legislature approved in this year’s state budget. Over that three-year period, Cal State is slated to receive $600 million from the grant program to build housing at low rents for students.
The error comes after a Cal State vice chancellor implored the state to change the rules to accommodate more flexible spending.
The state housing program is seen as one way to defray much of the costs of college attendance. More than half of Cal State and UC students from California don’t pay for tuition, but campus rent can tack on as much as $11,000 a year for Cal State students, though federal grants can help cover those expenses.
The Cal State paperwork snafu directly affects the initial $150 million portion of funds carved out for the university system in this year’s state budget. Applications for using the funds were due by Oct. 31. Because the deadline came and went, a do-over for Cal State is tricky, said Rebecca Kirk, a project manager at the Department of Finance, an agency of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration that is overseeing management of the student housing grant money.
“Because that initial filing round had an established deadline of October 31, that was kind of the cut-off on the initial rounds,” she said in an interview. Fixing the error would be “a pretty significant potential change” to the proposals, Kirk said.
The department has until March 1 of next year to submit to the Legislature a list of recommended housing projects the state should fund. From there, lawmakers and the governor will ultimately decide what gets funded in either the state’s budget process or a standalone bill.
It’s unclear whether lawmakers could allow Cal State to come up with new construction plans to make better use of the money. The law governing these funds is silent on whether lawmakers can deviate from what campuses initially proposed in their applications.
“If CSU erroneously submitted their application based on a bureaucratic misunderstanding, we should give them every opportunity to correct it,” said Assemblymember Phil Ting, a Democrat from San Francisco who is chairperson of the Assembly’s budget committee, one of the two committees that’ll receive the Department of Finance’s recommendations. “Student housing is too important of an issue to let bureaucracy stand in the way.”
The speed at which the decisions have to be made is intentional: The law prioritizes affordable student housing projects that can start construction by the end of 2022.
The Cal State system owned up to its error when asked by CalMatters. The university “misinterpreted” the guidance that the Department of Finance gave campuses as “intending for the program to fund the student housing grant project in its entirety,” Vi San Juan, Cal State’s vice chancellor in charge of construction, wrote in a statement. The Department of Finance’s guidance, shared with the state’s public higher education systems Oct. 7, said that “proposals that include funding contributions from other sources will be considered.”
Kirk said the system could revise its remaining proposals that aren’t funded in the first year of the program in the funding rounds for 2022 and 2023.
Mixing state and outside funds can mean more student housing
The potentially massive setback for students comes as a result of a misunderstanding of the rules by the Cal State system that has persisted for weeks. On Nov. 8, Robert Eaton, the Cal State vice chancellor who oversees financing, mistakenly told lawmakers in a public hearing that the student housing grant program’s funds cannot be combined with other money. He then urged lawmakers to change the program’s rules to allow for that.
Doing so “would spread the grant dollars over a larger number of projects, thereby potentially providing affordability benefits to an even greater number of students,” Eaton said. The Cal State system can easily borrow money through its existing construction bond program. Eaton said that already about a third of Cal State’s $8.8 billion construction bond debt is for financing student housing.
Experts say now’s an especially ripe time to plan for housing construction because borrowing rates are so low. The savings from near-zero interest plus state housing dollars drive down the cost of construction, which leads to student savings because campuses can charge less for housing.
“If CSU erroneously submitted their application based on a bureaucratic misunderstanding, we should give them every opportunity to correct it.” — Assemblymember Phil Ting, D-San Francisco
Jack McGrory, a Cal State trustee, said in an interview that if the system were allowed to use a mix of funds, it could build 5,000 to 6,000 beds rather than the roughly 3,300 it proposed. McGrory, a building developer in San Diego, spoke with CalMatters before it became clear that the flexibility Cal State sought was already built into the state student housing program.
It’s a tactic the University of California knew to pursue in its state student housing applications. UCLA, for example, wants to use $35 million in state grant money and $29 million of its own to build 179 doubles with private bathrooms. Because of the new housing grant’s affordability rules, rents per student will be $600 a month when the project is completed in 2025 — about a third of what UCLA typically charges for such accommodations, the UC application said.
UC Berkeley plans to use $100 million in state housing money in conjunction with about $200 million in UC bond money to bring down the rents students will eventually pay. Mixing the two pots of funds would allow the campus to add 300 additional beds at rents of $1,100 — about a third less than what other campus students pay.
The community college system, California’s largest public university system, does not typically build student housing.
A history of housing shortages
California’s foray into financing student housing is new. Previously, lawmakers approved some money for campuses to cover short-term rent or hotel fees for students experiencing homelessness.
Lawmakers’ growing interest in student housing is a reflection of their bid to have the UC and Cal State enroll more California students. The state plans to up enrollment by 15,000 students at the two systems next year — and more students means more pressure to house them.
The housing squeeze exists despite the fact that Cal State and UC combined have built enough new housing for some 36,000 students since 2015 and plan to add another 21,000 slots in the near-future.
Another student housing solution
At the same November hearing where Cal State’s Robert Eaton incorrectly interpreted housing financing rules, the UC told lawmakers that it would benefit from a program in which the state gives the university system interest-free loans to build housing as another way to expand the affordable student housing stock. An influential lawmaker in higher-education, Sacramento Democratic Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, proposed such a bill this year but it was heavily revised and excluded the loan aspect when it finally passed.
UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla said his campus would benefit from added state investment because it’s coming close to maxing out the amount of money it can borrow from the bond market. UC San Diego wants to build enough student housing to offer a four-year housing guarantee to all undergraduates with rents that are at least 20% below market rate. The campus has been in a construction frenzy to get there: Khosla said the campus has built 6,000 new beds since 2013 and plans another 10,000 by 2030. A “revolving loan” from the state at 0% interest would lead to enough savings for UC San Diego to reduce campus rents to 38% below market rate for the campus’s lowest-income students, Khosla said.
But other campuses are running out of land to build more housing. That may mean tearing down existing buildings to build taller ones. It’s another scenario in which the state’s increasing footprint in campus housing may play a key role.
And with another year of record high tax revenue appearing likely next year, the state’s lawmakers will have a lot of options to fund a new batch of big projects.
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CALmatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.
Born on January 23, 1952, in Scotia, Larry was welcomed, along with his twin sister Chérie, by his parents E. W. “Rocky” and Janice LeRoy and older sister Roxanne. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of November 18, 2021, in Eureka. He was 69 years young.
Larry was, above all else, a fighter, with amazing inner strength, true grit and an upbeat, positive outlook on life. He was a 17-year cancer survivor, having been diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma in 2004, followed by brain cancer in 2008. His doctors called him the “miracle man,” as he was blessed with so many bonus years beyond his original prognosis.
Larry was a devoted husband, loving son and son-in-law, cherished brother and brother-in-law, grandson, uncle, nephew, cousin, and a friend to many. To his family, he was our hero, and to all who knew him — a true inspiration.
He attended local schools, graduating from Eureka High School in 1970. He then attended College of the Redwoods, with a major in Forestry.
Larry’s interest in forestry led him to pursue a career in the local timber industry. He was employed by Schmidbauer Lumber Co. for more than 30 years and took great pride in his work as a highly skilled loader operator. He reluctantly took an early medical retirement in 2014.
He inherited his father’s hard work ethic & “can-do” approach to everything in life. Larry earned the nickname “MacGuyver,” as he was always tinkering and fixing things, and loved working on his cars and pickups.
Larry was happiest being outdoors in nature. Over the years, he spent many happy times at his Ruth Lake property, which he shared with dear friends, Ed and Linda Arnold and Dave and Michele Hubbard.
He also enjoyed traveling outside of Humboldt County with his wife “J.” They took numerous trips to Hawaii, his other “happy place,” and loved exploring different beaches and snorkeling on the Big Island, especially the Kona and Kohala coasts.
Some of Larry’s favorite pastimes included spending time with family & friends, collecting guns, 4-wheeling, riding motorcycles and heading to the hills to ride quads, often with his dad Rocky & “Uncle” Abe Sousa.
He was always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. Along with his father, Larry was a proud member of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue organization. He spent countless hours helping to locate missing persons.
He had a soft spot in his heart for all animals, especially his beloved dogs over the years, which he loved to spoil. He leaves behind his beloved kitties Melia & Iniki.
Larry liked nothing better than a good cup of hot coffee and was known to enjoy a cold beer from time to time, often while listening to his favorite song, “House of the Rising Sun.”
Larry was a kind and gentle man, quiet and soft-spoken by nature, yet always friendly to everyone he met. He was a true-blue loyal friend, making strong connections and lasting relationships wherever he went - whether through his work at Schmidbauer, with his HeathSport workout buddies, and most recently, endearing himself to his fellow residents and the staff at Granada.
Larry is survived by his wife of 13 years, Jadine “J” Berg; twin sister Chérie Zygaczenko and her husband Alex of Eureka; younger sister Suzanne Allen and her husband Craig of Eureka; nieces Natasha Zygaczenko of Eureka, Danielle Allen and her partner Saj Khan of Sacramento; nephews Joey Zygaczenko of San Francisco and Darren Allen and his wife Olivia of Fortuna; and his loving in-laws Hank and Judy Berg of Fullerton.
He also leaves behind his LeRoy/Haughton cousins on his father’s side, his Aunt Adie Hindley of Ferndale, cousins Linda Newman of Eureka and Lonnie Partout of Idaho, his Great-Aunt Donna Cross of Redcrest, and numerous other cousins and extended family members.
Larry is also survived by his adopted “Uncle” Abe Sousa of Eureka, his former Schmidbauer “family,” and many special lifelong friends who were so special to him.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Janice and Rocky LeRoy of Carlotta; older sister Roxanne LeRoy Hayes of Eureka; maternal grandparents, George and Arlene Partout of Bridgeville; paternal grandparents H. Wade and Lois LeRoy of Carlotta; and many other dear family members.
Larry’s family would like to express our appreciation to all the doctors and medical personnel, both locally and at UCSF, for the care he received over the years, as well as to the staff at Granada Wellness & Rehabilitation Center in Eureka for their care of Larry over the last year and a half.
If you would like to make a contribution in Larry’s memory, please consider donating to his favorite local charity, Miranda’s Rescue, 1603 Sandy Prairie Road, Fortuna, CA 95540, or to the American Cancer Society.
Larry will be missed beyond measure, but his spirit will live on in the hearts of all those who knew and loved him. Rest In Peace, Larro! Big hugs! XOXO
A small family Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Larry LeRoy’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.
On November 16, 2021, our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt has gone to be with the Lord after a long battle with a lung issue. Vivian K. Ulmer, also known as Little Viv, was born at the mouth of the Klamath River on June 9, 1940 to Vivian Smith and Marvin Smith. Growing up she spent every summer at “Dad’s Camp,” her family’s property at the Mouth of the Klamath River where she spent time with cousins, campers, and fishermen. She was a member of the Yurok Tribe. Vivian spent the majority of her life in Humboldt County. She graduated from Eureka High School in 1960. Soon after graduation, she married Brent Hand and they had three children. David, Rick, and Vickie. After her divorce she worked for Lazio’s Seafood Restaurant in Eureka as a Hostess. She loved music, to dance and sing. Her affection for all of God’s creatures was extraordinary.
Vivian met the love of her life John Ulmer in 1978. They married and joined together a blended family including Lori and Eric Ulmer. She loved being a stay at home mother and was a gourmet cook that genuinely enjoyed creating dishes and cooking for family and friends. It was an art form for her. Throughout her life, Viv was an excellent example of a Godly woman. She was on fire for God, a prayer warrior and counselor that would pray for anyone at any hour. She was devoted to the Lord and spent everyday deeply studying the Bible and worshiping God. She was a member of Faith Center Four Square Church in Eureka.
She was known as “The Pie Lady” in Humboldt County. She truly enjoyed making delicious homemade pie creations that were craved by many in the community as well as her own family.
Vivian is preceded in death by her mother Vivian Johnson, father Marvin Smith, and brother Marvin Smith Jr. “Sonny”. She is survived by her husband John Ulmer; son David Hand, grandsons Alex and Jacob, granddaughter, Grace; son, Rick Hand, grandson, Kyle, granddaughter Chelsea; daughter Vickie Hand Goff, son-in-law Garret Goff, granddaughter Nichole Goff and grandson Scott Goff. Step daughter Lori Ulmer Manodori, grandsons Blaine and Judah O’Shaughnessy, granddaughter Cherie O’Shaughnessy; step son Eric Ulmer, grandson Johnathan Ulmer; Sister, Donna Eddy, Brother in law Larry Eddy. Brother; Melvin Smith “Buddy,” as well as many loved cousins, nieces and nephews.
The family would like to express gratitude for the wonderful help given by Hospice of Humboldt.
A celebration of life will be held at Faith Center 1032 Bay Street, Eureka, on Sat. December 4 at 11 a.m. Please wear something purple or colorful!
Feel free to make a donation to Faith Center The Bridge Youth Ministry in lieu of flowers.
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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Vivian Ulmer’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.
On November 3, 2021, Tony Ray Sanderson passed on to his next journey peacefully at his
home of 24 years next to the ones he loved. Tony was an amazing father, grandfather, son,
brother, cousin and friend — he was loved by many and had a community full of friends and
neighbors that adored him. Tony was a very solid, brave, loyal, honest, truthful man; if he said
he was going to do something, he surely would.
He was honest in all he did in life — strong, courageous, and he never let anyone down.
Tony raised two beautiful daughters, (Teal Dawn and Brook Lynn), and a wonderful
step-daughter (Raven Marie). Tony was their backbone. He was a loving grandfather to Brysen
Everett Ray Moody, who was named after his grandfather; Tony who really looked forward to
meeting his newest grandchild, Raelynn, will also have a namesake with his very first
granddaughter. He was the best papa around and was always passionate about being a part of
their lives as well as passing on his knowledge.
Fishing, clamming, gold panning, gold dredging, hunting, gathering — you name it, he did it!
His knowledge of the plants, trees, animals, mushrooms, the forest and mountains he roamed
his whole life was wise beyond measure. Tony was a very well respected man. He spent his life
working hard as a logger, timber faller, heavy equipment operator, guide fishing service,
commercial fisherman and his most important job as a loving father.
He had a small number of close friends and was a very simple man. He spent a large amount of
time at the beach with his dog (Baby Girl) and was never spotted without that dog by his side;
she was a very special companion to him in his later parts of his life. Tony was a good man to all
and will be missed deeply.
Tony is preceded in death by, his mother (June Francis Tehan), his father (Donald Ray Short),
his step-fathers (Georgie Maciel, and Neil Sanderson), his Granddad (Harry Tehan), his cousin
(Michael Tehan) and numerous friends that held a special spot in his heart. It is with peace that
we know he has reunited with those amazing souls once again.
Tony is survived by his daughters, Teal Dawn Sanderson, Brook Lynn Sanderson, and Raven
Marie Sanderson- his Grandson, Brysen Everett Ray Moody, and unborn granddaughter
Raelynn White. His dog, Baby Girl, His Sisters, Robin Sanderson Cypret, Jackie Sanderson,
and Jennifer Sanderson Brocato, His very special cousin and best friend Jeff Tehan, as well as
his uncle Donald Tehan.
He is also survived by many nieces and nephews as well as great nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held in Rio Dell at the Rio Dell Baptist Church ran by his
family on November 12 at 3 p.m. Memorial Services will be held in Klamath at The County Club on November 13 at 1 p.m., potluck style.
Tony will be missed dearly and forever in our hearts, in lieu of flowers please feel free to plant
your favorite tree to honor him as he loved the land and being in the old growth forests most of
his life.
Aawok Tony Ray Sanderson.
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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Tony Sanderson’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.
It came as a surprise when Eureka Police Chief Steve Watson — who has been with the Eureka Police Department for nearly 17 years, the last four of them as chief — announced late last month that he would be retiring at the end November.
Chief Watson will leave EPD in just a couple of days. But his “fire has not diminished.”
“While my
fire has not diminished, it is time for me to take a restful step back and reflect with pride on a
career well spent, even as I look forward with enthusiasm to the next adventure,” Watson wrote in his retirement announcement.
With only a couple of days left in his tenure, Watson was kind enough to join this week’s episode of Humboldt Holding Up — the Outpost‘s little podcast that could — for a sort of exit interview before he enters into the next chapter of his life. Topics discussed with Watson include:
How the EPD and policing in Eureka was impacted by the pandemic
The current difficulties of hiring and retaining police officers
Evolving changes in attitudes and practices in policing and the “last gasp” of the old bastion
The difficulties of addressing the “tragic triad” of homelessness, mental illness and addiction, and why Watson supports augmenting police work with mental health crisis intervention specialists
Watson’s proudest accomplishments and his appreciation for many people he’s worked with
More!
Click the audio player above (or subscribe on Apple Podcasts here) to listen to Watson’s farewell chat with the Outpost’s Stephanie McGeary and Andrew Goff and feel free to scroll through past guests below!
