On September 16, 2021, Seeley Spott Sr. went to be with the Lord at the age of 50 years old in Santa Rosa. He was born in Crescent City on March 9, 1971 to Kathleen Sherman and Seeley Spott and raised by Dennis Sherman Sr. Seeley was the youngest of four children to Kathy. Seeley was a resident of Loleta, living with his best friend and sister Mary.
Seeley was a loving dad, brother, uncle and grandpa. He enjoyed spending time with his family, his brothers and sisters on the streets and being on the phone. Seeley — also known as Jr. — was a proud Yurok tribal member and was know for his perfect beaded keychains, feathers and his drum-making skills.
Seeley was a proud dad and was proud to become a grandpa, when Tyler was born he made sure to make his phone calls to tell everyone about his baby. He made many trips on his feet to Eureka to make sure he went to go see him and his “B”. There wasn’t a time you wouldn’t see Jr. and wouldn’t go out of his way to say “Hi, I love you” or make a comment that would make you shake your head. He may have made you mad but he never walked away without saying I love you no matter what.
Jr. loved his family and was proud of each and everyone of them and loved making phone calls to tell you what he was doing or that he loved you. He was always going to Long Beach or Crescent City. Many times he never made it but he always knew where home was, with his sister Mary.
Seeley was the best dad. He made sure he mentioned his kids in every conversation to tell you everything they were doing. He was always in their corner like any father would be, and always went out of his way to make sure he would go see them, argue with them or again make sure he said I love you. His highlight of his life was having his children. They were the ones who put the smile on his face. Then came Grandson Tyler, he swore he looked like him when he was born. He was proud of Brittany for having baby and times you would see him in Eureka standing next to Spotlight waiting for B to bring him his baby. His visits were a weekly thing if not daily — let that be a lesson that never let anything stand in your way to be there for your loved ones. He showed his love by traveling miles hitchhiking or walking to make memories and put that smile on his face.
Seeley was a favorite uncle who made sure he called you on your birthday, or call just to say I love you no matter if you were on good or bad terms he didn’t care as long as he said I love you he meant it. Being the youngest of our siblings Jr. was a brat and knew how to push his siblings’ buttons, but you couldn’t help but love him more. Seeley spent many years away from home. When he fell in love with Donna, he adored her.
Jr. will be missed and never forgotten. He is our eagle that will fly high and watch over each and everyone he came across over his 50 years.
Seeley is survived by his children Brittany Spott (Shawn Taylor), Seeley L. Spott III, Edward Tucker Spott (Shyleen Ross), Grandson Tyler Taylor, Brother Anthony Peters Sr. (Rose), Sister Mary Spott, Sister Laura Spott-Biondini (Brandon). Nieces Teresa McGinnis (John), May-Shum-Tray Gibson, Dawnetta Carpenter, Anthony Peters Jr., Dennis Sherman II (Jessica), Kathleen Spott, Alicia Spott-Jake. His loving Great Niece Cecilia Lee Lopez who woke up daily and said “UNC outside” and there they went to spend many hours outside exploring and playing, many more great nieces, nephews and his love Donna.
Seeley is preceded in death by his mother Kathleen E. Sherman, Father Seeley L. Spott and Step Father Dennis L. Sherman Sr., Nephew, Hugh Grant, IV, Favorite Aunt Alveretta Green, Uncle Tony & Samuel Peters, William Wilson, Aunties Laura Dolittle, Alberta Wilson, Carol Wilson, Brother-in-Law Hugh W. Grant III, Neice Pook-a-Yamch Spino.
Family & Friends are invited to viewing on Monday, October 4, 2021 at 10 a.m. at Goble’s Fortuna Mortuary, 560 12th Street, Fortuna. Internment will follow at the Laura Young Cemetery in Pecwan. We will gather for food safely, please bring your favorite dish to share. We ask please wear masks and be safe and respect those who want their space.
Pallbearers Carl Wilson, Lonnie Wilson, Robert Wilson, Jim Bowie, Gusto Bowie, Derek Donahue, Quintin Donahue, Rick Moorhead, Melvin Farmer Sr., Dennis Sherman Jr., Den Den Sherman, Anthony Peters Sr. Anthony Peters Jr., Chris Peters, Seagull Jordan, Santee Martin, Seeley Spott III, Edward Tucker Spott, Brandon Biondini, Charley Haden, Herman Albert, Eric Ammos, Patrick Kennedy Jr. DJ, JC, Joe Reed.
###
The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Seeley Spott’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.
Even before the Outpost broke the story that a secretive corporation is trying to take over the North Coast Railroad Authority’s right-of-way in an apparent scheme to export coal to Asian markets via Humboldt Bay, state and federal lawmakers have been pulling out all the stops in hopes of thwarting the plan.
As the latest line of defense, U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, our current representative in Congress, and U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, who formerly repped the North Coast but now represents California’s 5th District (which includes all of Napa County and parts of Contra Costa, Lake, Solano and Sonoma counties) have sent a letter to former South Bend mayor and presidential candidate/current U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg urging his department to withhold any and all financial assistance for this apparent coal export project.
Here’s the letter:
Dear Secretary Buttigieg:
We write to express our concern that a consortium of coal interests are, according to public
reporting, pursuing a federal loan from your agency to finance their controversial scheme to
restore freight rail service on a dilapidated and functionally abandoned North Coast rail right of
way in order to export their Powder River basin coal to Asia. The North Coast Railroad gave up
on restoring freight service to this line many years ago because of cost and environmental
factors. The line has fallen into extreme disrepair. Geologic instability and slides have destroyed
long stretches of track. Indeed, because of landslides the ground that used to support many track
segments through the canyon is simply gone, leaving the tracks hanging in the air high above the
Eel River.
The right of way is in the process of being converted into something that can sustainably traverse
the fragile Eel River canyon: the Great Redwood Trail. Once completed, it will be the longest
continuous rail-banked trail in America. But just as the Surface Transportation Board was
considering the North Coast Railroad Authority’s application for abandonment and motion for
exemption from the Offer of Financial Assistance process, a shadowy LLC registered as “North
Coast Railroad Co.” emerged to oppose the request. This entity, which did not disclose its
identity or its source of financing, represented to the STB that it planned to provide an Offer of
Financial Assistance to take over the line and that it had sufficient funding to restore the line and
resume freight rail service.
Thanks to investigative reporting by the Salt Lake Tribune, we now have a much clearer picture
of this scheme. Moreover, internal memos discuss a plan to pursue a $1 billion loan from the
U.S. Department of the Transportation’s Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing
program to finance their proposal.
We cannot imagine that your Department of Transportation, with your strong commitment to
climate protection and a bold transition to clean energy, would provide financial support for a
coal export project that directly undermines the Biden administration’s climate and clean energy
agenda. Nevertheless, we want to make it very clear: we strongly oppose federal funding for this
project and urge you to personally ensure that it receives no federal support, including any loans
from the department’s Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing program.
Finally, to the extent that the department is even considering any loan or grant funding request
for this disastrous project, we respectfully request that you notify us immediately so that we can
discuss the matter more fully.
On September 29th, 2021 the Humboldt County Drug Task Force (HCDTF) with the assistance of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) served three search warrants in Hoopa for drug related activity. The information used to obtain these search warrants was from a combined proactive investigation between the Hoopa Valley Tribal Police Department (HVTPD), the HCSO, the HCDTF, and citizens from the Hoopa Valley.
The first search warrant was served in the 600 block of Shoemaker Road in Hoopa. HCDTF Agents had information that Dale Mabry (20 years old) was dealing “perc-30” fentanyl pills on the Hoopa Reservation. Mabry was detained at his residence without incident. Agents searched Mabry’s room and located 68 “perc-30” fentanyl pills and a small amount of cocaine. Agents also located a digital scale, packaging, and $1,400 US currency all in $20 bills. Mabry was arrested and booked at the Humboldt County Jail for the following charges:
H&S 11351 Possession of controlled substances for sale
The second search warrant was served at a residence in the area of Highway 96 and Shoemaker Road in Hoopa. HCDTF agents had information that James “AJ” Jackson (38 years old) was dealing “perc-30” fentanyl pills as well as other controlled substances on the Hoopa Reservation. Jackson was detained without incident at the residence. Agents searched the residence and located a small quantity of cocaine, a “perc-30” fentanyl pill, packaging, a digital scale, a short barreled assault rifle with no serial number, a silencer, 3 handguns, 2 pair of metal knuckles, and 15 high capacity magazines. Jackson was arrested and booked at the Humboldt County Jail for the following charges:
H&S 11350 Possession of controlled substances
H&S 11370.1 Possession of controlled substances while armed
PC 30605(a) Possession of assault weapon
PC 33410 Possession of a silencer
PC 33215 Possession of a short barreled rifle
The third search warrant was served at a residence on Pine Creek Rd. in Hoopa. Agents were serving the warrant on a 17 year old juvenile for suspected dealing of “perc-30” fentanyl pills. While inside the residence agents located a loaded rifle and 5 grams of methamphetamine in the bedroom of the juvenile’s guardian, Gregory Lynn Nelson (63 years old). Nelson was not home when the warrant was served. Nelson is a convicted felon and is not allowed to possess firearms. The HCDTF and the HVTPD are attempting to locate Nelson for the following charges:
H&S 11370.1 Possession of controlled substance while armed
PC 29800(a) Felon in possession of a firearm
The Humboldt County Drug Task Force would like to thank the HVTPD and HCSO for their assistance with this investigation. Anyone with information related to this investigation or other narcotics related crimes are encouraged to call the Humboldt County Drug Task Force at 707-267-9976.
This afternoon the Outpost received evidence that Humboldt’s sky has again been decorated with delightful images of giant smiley faces and hearts. Though we aren’t completely sure, LoCO can only assume that it is the same joy-spreading pilot — Caleb Lesher — whose positive skywriting appeared in April and May 2020 during another difficult period of the pandemic.
Looking at the plane’s flight history on Flightradar24 (shared with us by reader Dan Braden), you can see that the pilot made some extremely squiggly movement above McKinleyville, Arcata and Eureka. Though the Outpost did not receive as many pics today as we did
of the previous skywriting sessions, we were sent images of a smiley
face above Eureka and a heart and smiling person above McKinleyville.
So, whether this was Lesher or a different skywriting hero, thank you for again bringing the sky fun!
The squiggly flight path of our skywriting pilot | Screenshot from Flightradar24
After numerous attempts to reach Wiyot Tribal Administrator Michelle Vassel and Tribal Chair Ted Hernandez for comment in recent weeks, the Outpost received an email Wednesday afternoon with statements from both Vassel and Wiyot Tribal Secretary Marnie Atkins concerning the efforts by North Coast Railroad Company, LLC, to take over the rail line between Humboldt Bay and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Both statements are reproduced in full below.
From Vassel:
I do not believe the Wiyot Tribal Council would ever support a coal-related project nor do I believe that our local community would allow a project based in coal to flourish.
Consider the actions of the Wiyot Tribe over the past 10, 100 or 1000 years, coal does not align with our values. The Tribal Council did entertain a potential project related to the restoration of the rail line. We evaluate a lot of potential projects, this one, like many before it, was not pursued by the Tribe.
The Tribe’s highest priority is the removal of the two dams on the Eel River and restoration of the river. Part of our evaluation of this project centers around the health of the Eel River. When we were considering the rail project, we thought about whether we could use proceeds from the rail project towards restoring the Eel River.
To gain more insight into the feasibility of this idea, I contacted our Eel River allies “Friends of the Eel” to discuss their thoughts on it. Friends of the Eel put us in touch with Mike McGuire’s office in relation to the Great Redwood Trail and that was the first time coal was mentioned.
I have been repeatedly contacted by Mike McGuire’s staff, Jason Liles, who informed me Monday night about the memo quoted in the Salt Lake Tribune. I do not know any one of the names associated with the memo, and I am not quoted in the memo as stating the Tribe is “fully committed.”
There is a statement in the memo that reads, “The Wiyot Nation is “fully committed to this project… ,” which is not attributed to me. From my recollection about this call, it was a presentation about Humboldt Bay and potential port development. The Tribe participates in meetings like this every day. We review permits, we review concepts, we review economic development projects. We carefully consider each project and conduct due diligence efforts to ensure that any potential project aligns with the Tribe’s commitment to the health and wellbeing of Wiyot people and their ancestral lands.
At the call that I attended, there was never a discussion about what supplies would be transported over the rail. Once it was determined that this project could cost upwards of a billion dollars to restore the railway, the Tribe decided to no longer pursue the project.
And from Atkins:
As I am sure you are aware, the Tribe has and will explore all options of economic development to support its tribal citizens, government, and myriad of tribal initiatives.
Another point that seems to go unnoticed is the fact that our Tribal Administrator, Michelle Vassel, has given clarifying statements that the Wiyot Tribe is not involved in a coal train. She also confirmed that we have been approached by people who wish to rehabilitate the railway but there was never a specific discussion about what would be transported on the railway.
Further, she is quoted as making statements that there would not be a lot of opposition to rehabilitating the railway so that people, supplies, and goods could be transported along it — not coal.
Again, there was never a specific discussion about what supplies, and goods would be transported along the rail with the Tribe. Instead, there was excitement about the prospect of opening our “Redwood Curtain” to the rest of the State to bring more economic opportunities to the region and to affordably deliver goods and supplies to the people of Humboldt, Del Norte, Mendocino, and Trinity counties. Not coal, but a train to help us gain valuable resources and jobs to make it more affordable to live here.
These types of economic explorations are not nefarious or shadowy. Nor do they go against the Tribe’s commitment to the health and well-being of our ancestral lands, waterways, air, plants, animals, and humans that inhabit our aboriginal territory.
Once we discovered the high price tag and lack of feasibility of rehabilitating the railway, we decided to no longer consider it as an option for economic development.
The Wiyot Tribe has always been an advocate and ally to our ancestral lands, waterways, air, plants, animals, and humans who inhabit our aboriginal territory. We have completed multi-million-dollar environmental restoration projects around Wigi (Humboldt Bay) and along our waterways. We partner and ally with local organizations (several are cc’d on this email) who can, hopefully, speak to our commitment (or be reminded of) to these lands and all that they encompass.
It is difficult to imagine that having a conversation with a group of people seeking to rehabilitate a railway would demolish the goodwill and ongoing stewardship efforts we have demonstrated over the past 40+ years — some years were more involved than others and depended upon the willingness of local organizations to invite us to the table.
Sometimes people would rather believe the sensational over the factual and I suppose this is something that the Tribe will have to overcome and work to mend relationships with our current and future partners.
From Humboldt Deputy Sheriff’s Organization President Jamie Barney:
As
the President of the Humboldt Deputy Sheriffs’ Organization, and
more importantly as the father of three daughters, I stand with the
Humboldt County students this week speaking up and using their voices
to condemn sexual assault in all forms - especially against girls.
Right
now, Humboldt County has a law enforcement staffing crisis leaving
over 20 positions unfilled including a vacant position for an
investigative detective dedicated to investigating crimes like sexual
assault, and a vacant position whose job it would be to patrol our
county beaches, like Centerville.
Our
members get up every day, give everything they have, and are working
12 hour shifts as well as overtime to fill gaps during the staffing
crisis, because like these brave students, we live in this community
and want to do everything we possibly can to prevent crimes like
sexual assault from ever happening.
ExpressJet Airlines announced the launch of short, nonstop flights
between Eureka/Arcata and Reno-Tahoe International Airport, starting Nov. 9, 2021.
Flights will operate each Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday departing California Redwood Coast – Humboldt
County Airport at 11:25 a.m. PT arriving in Reno-Tahoe at 12:35 p.m. PT. The quick 1 hour and 10 minute
nonstop flight eliminates the need for time consuming connections at crowded hubs or a long drive.
Nonstop flights give travelers more time for adventure and less time traveling making short,
spontaneous vacations possible. Return flights will operate on the same days, departing Reno-Tahoe at
9:30 a.m. PT and arriving in Humboldt County at 10:40 a.m. PT.
“We are extremely excited to welcome another new airline partner, aha!, to ACV and Humboldt
County,” said Cody Roggatz, aviation director for Humboldt County. “This new service will provide
Humboldt County Residents nonstop airline access to all of the entertainment and adventure options
exclusive to the greater Reno-Tahoe Region through their local hometown airport.”
aha! is ExpressJet Airlines’ “air-hotel-adventure” leisure brand designed for travelers to enjoy Reno-
Tahoe’s regional bounty — including exciting casino resorts and live entertainment, a diverse art and
dining scene, and the world-class ski-golf-outdoor activities around Lake Tahoe, North America’s largest
alpine lake. Thrill seekers can also take in exciting shows and annual events including Burning Man, Hot
August Nights, Reno Rodeo, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, Barracuda Championship-PGA TOUR
event, Great Reno Balloon Races, National Championship Air Races, Lake Tahoe Snowfest, and more.
“The Reno-Tahoe region offers travelers a wide range of fun and unique experiences,” said Head of
ExpressJet’s aha! business unit Tim Sieber. “With the time savings of nonstop flights and packages with
great deals at a curated collection of the best hotels and casino resorts in the region coming soon, we’re
giving travelers everything they need to customize their own great, short vacation.”
aha! is offering an introductory, limited-time launch fare of $49 each way*. Vacation-seekers can book
at www.flyaha.com or call the aha! Call Center at 775-439-0888.
Coming Soon, aha! will offer value-priced vacation packages on www.flyaha.com that will offer travelers
great savings on short two to five-night vacation getaways.
Experience and Reliability
aha! is powered by ExpressJet Airlines, which has operated reliable air services to hundreds of smaller
cities in the United States for 35 years. All flights will be operated with 50 seat Embraer ERJ-145 jets,
with comfortable cabins and no middle seats.
“ExpressJet developed aha! after hearing from travelers in smaller communities who were tired of
wasting two days of each vacation traveling on airplanes and through crowded hub-airports,” said
ExpressJet’s CEO Subodh Karnik.
To book your flight, visit www.flyaha.com or call the aha! Call Center at 775-439-0888.
