A McKinleyville man was sentenced to 14 years in prison this morning for shooting a man in the groin, then kidnapping his own wife while he was out of jail on bail.

Judge Kaleb Cockrum sentenced Cory Michael Nelson, 35, to four years for mayhem and an additional 10 years for the special allegation of using a firearm during the commission of a felony or attempted felony.

During an alleged attempted robbery on Feb. 15, Nelson shot a 52-year-old Eureka man in the groin. The victim had to have one testicle removed.

Nelson posted $75,000 bail. Six months later he kidnapped his wife, Maria Nelson, from the Dean Creek Resort in Redway. Witnesses said Nelson dragged the woman by the hair and forced her into a black Toyota.

Today Nelson was sentenced to eight years for kidnapping, but that sentence will run concurrently with the 14 years.

Maria Nelson was in court this morning, crying, as her husband was sentenced. When Deputy District Attorney Steven Steward asked her if she was the victim, she responded, “I’m not a victim.” She attempted to speak with Nelson until she was admonished by a courtroom bailiff.

During Cory Nelson’s preliminary hearing on the mayhem charge, the victim testified he and Maria Nelson had been gambling at Bear River Casino earlier that evening, and Maria came into his house for a drink. He said he believed Maria had seen cash in an envelope he had in his truck.

Within minutes after the victim and Maria arrived at his home, Cory Nelson burst in with a gun and began hitting him and demanding to know where the money was, the victim testified. He said he was struggling with Nelson when the gun went off. The couple then fled without taking any money.

Maria Nelson has not been charged, although during the preliminary hearing Deputy District Attorney Trent Timm said, “Maria and Mr. Nelson were there to commit the robbery.”

Visiting Judge Marjorie Carter agreed, saying it appeared “the intention through all of this was to have access to the money.”

In e-mails to the Outpost, Maria Nelson said she is innocent and the victim in the shooting case lied about the events of Feb. 15.

Cory Nelson was in a wheelchair this morning, as he has been during the last several court appearances.

###

The following release was just issued by the city of Eureka:

Today, Police Chief Steve Watson notified City Manager Slattery that he would be retiring from Eureka Police Department at the end of November 2021. Chief Watson has served the local community as part of the EPD since 2005 and was appointed Chief of Police in 2017.

In his over four years as Eureka’s Chief of Police, Chief Watson has emphasized relationship-based policing, community engagement, and building deeper partnerships, understanding, and trust. One of his highest priorities has been successfully strengthening police-community relations. Chief Watson has been a progressive, innovative, and creative problem-solver. Advocating tirelessly on their behalf, Chief Watson has worked hard to take care of the men and women of EPD and prioritize employee wellness, improved working conditions, new technologies, better equipment and training, wholistic officer safety, retention, and recruitment. In the interest of earning and safeguarding the public’s trust, he also increased transparency and accountability within the police department and its interactions with the community.

Chief Watson’s integrity, steadfast leadership, and commitment to the safety of our community were notable throughout the many unprecedented crises our community and country have faced during the past two years.

Chief Watson provided the following statement to the Manager and City Council:

# # #

I’ve had the honor of being a full-time law enforcement officer for over 24 years, starting my career with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office in 1997. I also proudly served in the U.S. Army for three years, so I’ve been serving my country and my community nonstop for over 27 years. It is thus with a feeling of bittersweet peace that I announce my upcoming retirement. 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. I plan first to take some time to be more present with my amazing family, travel, teach, and finish my graduate degree.

My over 16 1⁄2 years serving the Eureka community has been a great privilege and the highlight of a long career in public service. I genuinely love this community and could not be prouder of the dedicated men and women of the Eureka Police Department. It has been an honor to lead and work beside them. Their daily service, sacrifices, resiliency, and accomplishments are inspirational, and they deserve our full support, respect, and appreciation. A strong foundation for the department’s future has been built, and I look forward to watching EPD continue to blossom into our region’s premier, community-oriented law enforcement agency.

Policing is a shared community responsibility that is all about relationships at its heart. I want to take a moment to thank the many people who have shown the Eureka Police Department, my family, and me so much support and encouragement over the years. I cherish your friendship and will never forget you. In the demanding profession of law enforcement, we must recognize “our families serve too.” I especially want to thank my wife and children for “loaning” their loved one to public service for so many years. Now it’s their turn.

In closing, when I became Chief, I echoed Coach Lou Holtz and asked the following of EPD: Do what’s right, do the best you can, and treat others the way you’d like to be treated. I have striven to lead by example, and I move forward with the sureness I lived and led by these principles. Eureka, it has been a blessing and an honor to be your Chief of Police. Thank you for the opportunity.

All the best, Chief Steve Watson

# # #

“Chief Watson has led the City of Eureka’s Police force through several years of important transition and we are thankful for his service,” City Manager Miles Slattery said. “We will announce details of the recruitment for a new Chief in the days ahead and expect that this search will help us bring additional resources and opportunity to the many men and women who tirelessly serve our community as part of the EPD every single day.”

PREVIOUSLY: MISSING: Family Seeks 32-Year-Old Native American Woman Missing For Over a Week

###

Press release from the Yurok Tribe:

Yesterday, the Yurok Tribal leadership mobilized additional staff and resources to bolster the ongoing search for local mother Emmilee Risling.

“We are doing everything we can to bring Emmilee home as soon as possible,” said Joseph L. James, the Chairman of the Yurok Tribe. “The Yurok, Hoopa Valley and Karuk Tribes, in conjunction with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, are collaborating on the search for Emmilee.”

Emmilee, 32, is 5’2 and weighs 140 pounds. She has short brown hair and eyes of the same color. If you have information regarding Emmilee’s current location, please call the Hoopa Tribal Police dispatch number, which is (530) 625-4202.

Yurok Chairman Joseph L. James, Vice Chairman Frankie Myers and representatives from the Yurok Tribal Police Department have met with members of the Hoopa Tribal Council, Hoopa Tribal Police and Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office to coordinate the search for Emmilee, a Hupa citizen and resident of Hoopa.

The Yurok Tribal leadership has formed a Yurok Search and Rescue Team to strategically look for the beloved community member. In collaboration with the partnering organizations, the Yurok Tribal Police and the Yurok Tribal Court’s MMIWG2 project team as well as staff from the Yurok Office of Emergency Services and Information Services Departments are participating in the effort to find Emmilee.

The Yurok Police Department as well as members of the Tribe’s Forestry and Roads Departments have already spent multiple days actively searching for the missing mother. With the aim of returning Emilee to her loved ones, the Hoopa Valley Tribal Police Department and the Hoopa Office of Emergency Services have also implemented a series of actions, such as conducting searches and performing numerous extra patrols, while following up leads submitted by residents.

In addition to strategically looking for Emmilee, the Yurok Tribe is also reaching out to local, state and federal officials to request additional resources to aid in the search.

Since Emilee was reported missing on October 14, 2021, many residents have provided tips to the Tribal Police Departments and HCSO, which have followed up on each report. The law enforcement organizations thank the community for their support and continued involvement.

“As a parent, my heart goes out the Risling family. Emmilee is a cherished member of our community and we will leave no stone unturned until she is found. I would like to commend everyone who has searched for Emmilee and helped get the word out about her disappearance. Please do not stop looking for her. If you have information regarding Emmilee’s current location, please call the Hoopa Tribal Police dispatch number,” concluded Chairman James.

The Hoopa Valley Tribal Police dispatch number is (530) 625-4202.

Press release from Rep. Jared Huffman’s office:

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representatives Jared Huffman (CA-02) and Jamie Raskin (MD-08), founders of the Congressional Freethought Caucus, led a letter on behalf of the caucus to Samuel Levine, Acting Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Bureau of Consumer Protection urging the agency to take necessary steps to protect consumers from the dangers presented by Health Care Sharing Ministries (HCSMs). HCSMs are a form of health coverage in which members – who are typically recruited because they share religious beliefs – contribute monthly payments to cover the qualified expenses of other members.

“Although they are not legally defined as insurance products, HCSMs are the primary and often singular source of health coverage for their members. Despite this, HCSMs are not legally required to provide the same benefits to consumers as certified insurance products. The discrepancies between HCSMs and regulated insurance are varied and consequential: unlike traditional health coverage, HCSMs do not have to provide the essential health benefits of the ACA like maternal health care, prescription drugs, mental and behavioral health, and preventive and wellness services, including vaccinations.  HCSMs also are not required to cover pre-existing health conditions, can charge higher premiums for members based on their health status, place lifetime caps on member benefits, and do not guarantee the payment of medical claims,” the members wrote in their letter.

“It is unconscionable that consumers may be tricked into purchasing inadequate health coverage during a global pandemic, especially when ACA exchange insurance is at its most affordable ever as a result of the American Rescue Plan,” the letter continues. “The patchwork of state laws, regulations, and enforcement actions are insufficient to address the challenge of HCSMs, especially given that a majority of states exempt HCSMs from all insurance regulations.  Considering the dangers of HCSMs, and their marketing practices that provide a false sense of security to their members, it is critical that FTC take immediate action to protect consumers.”

The letter outlines requests for further information on five specific items, including:

1. Enrollment: What actions can FTC take to protect consumers from enrolling in health coverage that does not cover medically necessary tests and services?
2. Investigation: What actions has FTC previously taken to investigate, prosecute, cite, fine, or otherwise address the behavior of HCSMs? Has the FTC previously determined if the business practices of HCSMs constitute consumer fraud?
3. Enforcement: What enforcement actions has FTC previously taken against deceptive marketing in health care coverage and how do those cases apply to marketing done by HCSMs?
4. Complaints: How many complaints has FTC received to date regarding the marketing or business practices of Health Care Sharing Ministries? What are the general contents of those complaints?
5. Transparency: What steps can FTC take to ensure that HCSMs must publicly display their terms and conditions so that consumers understand the extent of their coverage? Will this include a clearly written explanation of benefits, as certified insurance products must provide?

The full letter is available online here.

###

Note: If you’d like more information on HCSMs, with some jokes interspersed, then please enjoy this clip from a July episode of HBO’s “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver“:

PREVIOUSLY:

• “Scanner Traffic Indicates”

###

Press release from Humboldt Bay Fire:

On 10/26/2021 @ 2327hrs Humboldt Bay Fire responded to a Boat Fire/Explosion w/ multiple injuries @ #1 Marina Way at the Eureka Public Marina. 1 Battalion Chief, 1 Truck and 3 Engines responded. The first arriving unit reported a fully involved boat at the marina. 2 burn victims with serious injuries were also located at the entrance to the marina and were treated by HBF Paramedics and transported to SJH by City Ambulance.

Firefighters extended a hose line along the docks to the fully involved boat and began to extinguish the fire. Multiple small explosions on the boat were also observed while the fire was being extinguished. A 2nd alarm was requested and notifications for a potential Hazardous Materials release into Humboldt Bay were made to the US Coast Guard, Humboldt County Environmental Health, City of Eureka Public Works and California Department of Fish & Game.

The fire was controlled in 30 minutes and Firefighters remained on scene for approx. 3 hours to completely extinguish the fire and no other boats in the Marina were damaged. The boat was a 30ft sailboat and is a complete loss. Damage is estimated at $50,000 and there was a total of 3 civilian injuries. All 3 injuries were burn injuries: the 2 treated on scene and transported to SJH and another serious burn injury that was transported to SJH prior to Humboldt Bay Fires’ arrival. All 3 victims are being transferred to out of the area hospitals for treatment of their injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

In cooperation with the US Coast Guard, Humboldt County Environmental Health and the City of Eureka Public Works a floating boom was laid around the boat and there was no serious release of Hazardous Materials into Humboldt Bay.

Humboldt Bay Fire would like to thank the following agencies for their cooperation and assistance: US Coast Guard, Humboldt County Environmental Health, City of Eureka Public Works, City Ambulance, Eureka Police Department, St. Joseph Hospital, Samoa- Peninsula Fire District, Arcata Fire District and the Fortuna Fire District. This was the second fire related incident that Humboldt Bay Fire responded to in less than 12 hours that resulted in multiple fire-related injuries that required hospitalization.

###

It’s a good time to be a substitute teacher, but a bad time to need one. 

On trend with jobs going unfilled in pretty much all workforce sectors, school districts across Humboldt County are facing a dire sub shortage and are going to unprecedented efforts to incentivize qualified people to join the smaller-than-ever local substitute pool. 

“The demand is super high,” Robert Bernstein, a local substitute teacher, told the Outpost. 

“I don’t know where all the subs went. I do know that the schools are having real problems because often they can’t cover teacher needs when teachers are out.”

Of the 129 open positions listed on the Humboldt County Office of Education website, 23 are for substitute teachers and paraprofessionals. 

At one point, there seemed to be a glut of teacher candidates in Humboldt County — likely because of Humboldt State’s teacher credentialing programs — which made it very easy to find substitutes, Bernstein said. 

He speculates the shortage must be the result of the learn-from-home norms that dominated many of Humboldt’s schools for more than a year because of COVID. Subs largely weren’t needed during that time, Bernstein said, and so many probably sought alternative employment or retired early. The very small remaining sub pool — paired with across-the-board school staff vacancies and the safety and testing efforts schools must take in precaution to COVID-19 — makes for a very bad situation. 

“We have been able to keep the shortage away from students but many of us are doing extra work to cover vacancies as well as doing all of the COVID testing, contact tracing and communication that goes with it,” Roger Macdonald, superintendent at the Northern Humboldt Union High School District, told the Outpost in an email. 

Other (smaller) school districts aren’t able to keep the impact of so few substitute teachers away from students. Jeff Northern, superintendent at Fortuna Elementary School District, said that the shortage has been a huge issue in his district. 

“Since the beginning of this school year, we have had to pull intervention teachers, reading specialists, English Language Development teachers, music teachers, etc. from their programs in order to cover general education teachers who have been absent, ill, or just not available to teach their own classes for various reasons,” Northern said. 

“Obviously, by pulling those teachers out of their programs in order to cover general education classrooms, it adversely affects their specialized programs and the students whom they serve. Principals only pull those teachers working in special programs as a very last resort, but oftentimes, there are no other alternatives and we can never leave a general education class without a credentialed teacher in charge.” 

The situation is so bad the Humboldt County Office of Education has actually had to close classrooms at some of their school sites, said Superintendent of Schools Chris Hartley. 

“HCOE has needed to close classrooms due to workforce issues and lack of qualified substitutes for both classroom teachers and paraprofessionals,” Hartley said. “Fortunately it is not a daily experience but has been necessary.”

Hartley said he couldn’t speak to what the districts are facing, but he knows the shortages are widespread. 

Humboldt is not at all alone. School districts across the state and nation are desperate for substitute teachers, and temporarily closing classrooms due to a lack of options is also happening elsewhere. 

Because of the shortage, substitute teaching is undergoing some significant and likely attractive changes. For one, folks are getting paid more now than they were before the pandemic, which is a change that was much-needed to begin with, Bernstein said. 

“Sub pay, at many of the schools here, was not a respectable pay if you have any expectations and want a qualified person,” said Bernstein, who taught full-time in the Los Angeles Unified School District for 15 years and has been working as a sub in Humboldt for the last seven. 

Before the pandemic, subs around here could expect around $100 a day, Bernstein said — for a job that is not easy or respected, really. 

“It wasn’t a fair compensation, so I personally wouldn’t take a lot of days,” he said. “It’s a higher pay now. I find it much more equitable and I’m more happy to do it now.”

The schools he’s familiar with have increased pay for substitute teachers by 50 percent or more. 

“It’s the right move, [but] I don’t know if it’s temporary money because of COVID relief,” Bernstein said. 

It’s a measure that Fortuna Elementary School District has taken, with a pay increase of $125 to $150 for substitute teachers, Northern told the Outpost. 

Bernstein knows that some districts are looking to employ “roving substitutes,” which are substitutes who are employed full-time rather than on a day-by-day basis. Having roving substitutes on staff ensures that someone will always be available to step in. 

Bernstein said that he’s never heard of schools in Humboldt hiring roving substitutes before now. 

Financial incentives for substitutes are popping up across the board in Humboldt. HCOE is hosting its first-ever substitute teacher orientation next week in an effort to widen the pool of qualified folks. The training is free, and the first 100 people to register will be reimbursed up to $150 for the permit and live scan fees related to substitute teaching. Interested folks need to pre-register for the event, scheduled for Thurs., Nov. 4, from 3:30-5:00 PM. Substitutes do not need a teaching credential; the minimum requirements are a Bachelor’s degree and fulfillment of the California State basic skills requirements, which can be met via a number of tests, including a qualifying SAT score, for example.  

Now’s the time to become a sub. It really is a decent gig, reasoned Stephanie Steffano-Davis, superintendent at Southern Humboldt Unified School District, which is facing the impacts of the shortage.

“It’s very flexible in that you set your own days you are willing to work, what grade levels, and what subject matter (especially at the junior high school and high school levels),” Steffano-Davis said. “In my experience, most teachers begin their careers with some substitute work to help get a feeling for what kinds of teaching positions will be the best fit.

“Substitute teaching is a great way to help make a difference in the world by being there for young people.”

Delores ‘Gayle’ (Hardin) Fisher
November 20, 1931 – October 22, 2021

Such a beautiful woman; never met a stranger; always smiling; she made the best pies; the epitome of ‘the more the merrier’; full of fun. These are just a few of the sentiments used to describe Delores “Gayle” (Hardin) Fisher, who passed peacefully at home with her family at her side, on October 22, 2021. Born in Scotia on November 20, 1931, to parents Harry and Ruby Hardin, she was the youngest of three kids and the only girl, next to her older brothers, Pat and George. She grew up along the Avenue of the Giants, swimming in the Eel River and nearby creeks, where she and her siblings attended elementary school and graduated from Fortuna High School at the age of 16. In school, she was voted homecoming queen and by all accounts, was the “prettiest girl in school,” as it was stated often by many of her classmates through the years. It goes without saying that Mathew “Moss” Fisher agreed, and they were married on January 1, 1951.

Moss and Gayle celebrated their anniversary every year by hosting a Gin Fizz New Year’s Day party at their home. It was always quite the event, a tradition the family has carried on even after the passing of Moss in 2009, after celebrating 58 years of marriage together.

Gayle worked seasonally at the Burl N Drift Shop, but her greatest joy was being at home to raise her five children. Moss and Gayle raised their family in a tiny cabin in Redcrest, on the land her Daddy gave them. It was at that special place that she built their home and devoted her time to her love of gardening, canning and scratch cooking - the best of country life. There will never be a better place in this world that we’ll call home.

If you were to pop in unexpected, you would be welcomed with a hug and a kiss, a highball, and an invitation to stay for dinner – she was notorious for making the best meals out of what she had in her cupboards.

Gayle was a wonderful story teller and we all enjoyed her tales. She would often tell us stories about traveling by train to San Francisco with her brother, George, as a young girl to watch a play, or of taking all the neighborhood kids to the river daily during summer and teaching them how to swim. In the winter, there were many trips to Fox Camp to play in the snow, ski and toboggan.

Gayle’s happiest times in life were spent with her family. Holiday meals were her favorite, and there was nothing quite like her Christmas Eve gathering, but really, any time family was together was a special time. Seeing all of her family together brought out her loving smile and that will be missed every day. Mawsie was the name given to her by her grandchildren, and she was lovingly referred to as “Ma” for short. She cherished the time spent with her 11 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren so much. Our family suppers often turned into sleepovers with the grandkids, and her time was spent reading them books, singing silly songs, making berry tarts, teaching them to how to cook and whistle and of course, there were always sugar rolled hotcakes for breakfast.

She is survived by her daughter, Jeanine & John Cathey and family, Larissa (Carl) Richardson and Josh Cathey; sons, Ross & Kaleen Fisher and family: Chelsie (Rob) Orr and Courtney (Jeff) Beilfuss, Daren & Darcy Fisher and family: Jordee (Dustin) Herrera, Kyrie (Ryan) Griggs, Kinsley (Matt) Widdoes; Reid & Terri Fisher and family: Tyson (Kacy) Fisher, Taylin (Brice) Titus and Tevyn Fisher; Eric Fisher and Dawnette Sweet and family; Lindsay Fisher and fiancé, Owen Goode. She was blessed with many other family and friends all of which adored her, too numerous to mention. The family would like to invite you to a celebration of life, on Saturday, November 20, which would have been her 90 birthday, at the Redcrest Community Center at 2 p.m.

We cannot thank her daughter, Jeanine and husband, John Cathey enough for taking such great care of Ma the past several years.

###

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