Rich Leonardo was born May 3, 1956, to Tony and Gerry Leonardo of Ferndale. If Rich were the first born, they may not have had another.

Rich passed away on April 30, 2026, just three days before his 70th birthday.

To his family, he was a son, little brother, uncle, great uncle, cousin and pain in the ass. We loved him and we will greatly miss him. To others, he was described as wild, loving, loud, sweet, stubborn, caring, emotional, ornery, heart of gold, teddy bear, and a few other names. He was a solid partner in crime for his friends (only some we can mention). Rich was always wanting to lend a helping hand, however, sometimes he accidentally started a war. Rich had a nickname provided by his closest friends when he was young, “Bananas.” It suited him well.

We loved him, and he passionately loved his friends and community.

Rich grew up attending grade school at Grizzly Bluff in Ferndale. He and his siblings were normal ranch kids who were always into a little bit of mischief. As Rich was the youngest, he was unwilfully selected as the test pilot for many of their youthful adventures. After the historic 1964 flood, a major chapter in the Leonardo Family Album, this forced the Leonardo kids to attend school in town (Ferndale). Rich graduated from Ferndale High School in 1974 as the class president. Who knew?

After graduation, Rich entered the dairy business as a partner with his dad at Leonardo & Son Dairy. “Dairy rancher” was the title, although cows were not really the priority. Rich spent most of his time logging and mining the river bar. That John Deere tractor was put to the test skidding and loading logs, mining gravel, and a few other tasks better not mentioned here in the paper.

“Bananas” provided everyone with some good material from these days. We could start with the St Helena Football game, talk about his flatbed Toyota, or when he … well, we can tell these stories later in good company.

During the ranch years, Rich became heavily involved in community service, “wait a while” this is serious. Rich joined the Ferndale Fire Department. The first role of Rich in the department started as Company 1 Lieutenant, quickly advancing to Captain, then assistant Chief before ultimately assuming the role “Chief Leonardo.”

Chief Leonardo’s leadership extended beyond Ferndale Fire. He served as President of the Humboldt County Fire Chiefs Association for two years, fostering collaboration and communication among fire departments throughout the region. He loved his role.

Rich’s commitment and expertise in public safety was further recognized when he was appointed to the prestigious “Gang of 5” committee which he served for 5 years. Formed after the tragic events of 9/11, this committee was comprised of the sheriff, two fire chiefs, the head of public health, and a police chief. The committee was tasked with distributing grants that enhanced public safety infrastructure and preparedness. His years of service and rise through the ranks speaks volumes about his commitment to Humboldt County and the Eel River Valley. Rich did an excellent job and took these roles more seriously than anything else in his life.

Rich always wanted to help make someone’s day brighter. Sometime in the 2000s, Ginger, Rich’s older sister, wanted to see the Ferndale Christmas Tree lit up one last time on New Years Eve. Ferndale had been out of power for a few days so the tree was not lit. Rich coordinated getting a generator to plug in the tree and proudly called his sister to go outside and take a look. That sure put a huge smile on her face! They managed to light up three strands of lights and of course the star on top was shining brightly. Rich made his sister happy … on that day.

During the next chapter in Richie’s life, he went to work for his brother Tony at Leonardo Logging. Rich loved working in the timber industry. Rich, otherwise known as R6 on the company radio, helped take care of safety, dispatching trucks, pilot car, running errands and most of all, public relations. It suited Rich well! With a new pick up and a fuel card, he was set. Tony was thankful for all those times he had Rich for the extra help … but could never find Rich? Rich looked up to his brother, and Tony loved his little brother, and that is why Tony never killed him.

As we all know, Rich had a very strong work ethic. He worked regular shifts at the Palace in Ferndale and The Playroom in Fortuna, rarely missing a shift. He operated his own pilot car service in between shifts, and even had a short stint contributing to the press at the Ferndale Enterprise.

Rich was a social butterfly, and it is now confirmed, Rich did know everyone! The outpouring of calls, texts, and conversations we have received is amazing. People from all walks of life! We are laughing and scratching our heads wondering about a few. One thing we can say for sure is that Rich had a larger and more diverse group of friends than most people can comprehend. This is a true reflection of who he was. Thank you to all those who stopped by to say hello to Rich over the past two months.

We know Rich would want to mention his best friend, Dave Mogni. Rich had a difficult time with the recent passing of Dave. Some of the best times of Richie’s life were spent with Dave, and the most memorable was the sailing trip he took with Dave and Barb around the Virgin Islands. This is not to say Dave was his only best friend. To the Pretzel “Guy”, he loved and listened to you more than he would his own family. He was SO proud of all the fun times you shared. Thank you for all you have done for him over the years.

To all Richie’s other best friends, you know he loved you guys. Bobby Shinn for all the adventures since childhood, Luke McCanless and the gang for all the food, beverages and crabbing adventures, Kevin Frye, and too many others to mention. You all know who you are! Thank you for being a part of his family.

To all the staff at Fortuna Rehab, we know Rich would want to give a big shout out to all the ladies! You took such great care of him, and we thank you very much for your sincere love and care. Our appreciation to Pat Cowan for her loving comfort and knowledge to Rich and our family.

Richard is survived by his brother Tony and wife Janice Leonardo, his sister Ginger Nunes, his nephews Shannon and wife Amy Leonardo, Brian and wife Nikki Leonardo, Trevor and girlfriend Brenna Kirkpatrick, Lucas and wife Cassie Leonardo, nieces Sierra and husband Phil Mullens, Michelle Nunes and son Faris, great nephew Shaun Leonardo and fiancé Kaylee, great nieces Ava Leonardo and Jessica Leonardo. And soon to be great-great niece, Peyton Leonardo.

Rich was preceded in death by his parents, Tony and Gerry Leonardo, sister Tina Leonardo, and brother-in-law John Nunes.

A celebration of life for Rich, Uncle Richie, Bananas, will be held at the Portuguese Hall in Ferndale on Saturday, May 30, 2026. Show up around 11 a.m. for a drink. We will have some stories and lunch then most likely have a parade across the alley to finish off the day at Richie’s office.

Funeral arrangements were handled by Ayres Family Cremation.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Rich Leonardo’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.

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Tribal community members and allies marched to the Humboldt County Courthouse in Eureka this afternoon to demand justice for lost loved ones in honor of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) Awareness Day. The national MMIP movement aims to increase awareness of the ongoing violence against indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people.

Today’s event, organized by the Yurok Tribe, kicked off at the Adorni Center in Eureka, where volunteers handed out and free t-shirts from the To’ Kee Skuy’ Soo Ney-Wo-Chek’ (I Will See You Again in a Good Way) Project, an initiative of the Yurok Missing & Murdered Indigenous People Program focused on justice, healing and prevention. Many organizers held red, heart-shaped mylar balloons. Each of the tables scattered throughout the room was topped with red and white roses, a schedule of events and small pieces of candy.

Wiyot Tribal Councilmember Vanessa Rios gave a solemn introduction ahead of the march, remembering the Wiyot people who lost their lives in the February 26, 1860, massacre on Tuluwat Island in Humboldt Bay.

“No charges were filed for these murders – no investigation, no action taken by local law enforcement,” Rios read from a prepared statement. “No one was tried, no one held accountable. … This legacy of disregard for the lives of the Wiyot people continues today. Humboldt County has the highest concentration of [MMIP] cases in California, yet here on our own ancestral lands, Wiyot people are often left out of conversation about murdered and missing indigenous people.”

Rios’ speech was followed by a song from Yurok tribal member Lisa Hayden. “Now that we’ve had prayer, we’ve had land acknowledgement and we’ve had a beautiful song, we can go in a good way now and bring awareness,” said Laura Whitewood, community outreach manager for the Yurok Tribal Court.

As the crowd of 150-plus people made its way through Old Town and Downtown Eureka, organizers led chants calling for justice and listed the names of several local indigenous people whose missing persons cases have yet to be resolved. Many held signs featuring the names and pictures of loved ones.

Keep scrolling for more pictures.

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Press Release from Blue Lake Volunteer Fire Department:

On May 3, 2026 at approximately 2:57am Blue Lake Fire Department was dispatched to a reported residential structure fire at the 100 block of Leeveren Court. When the initial dispatch came in, our Blue Lake Fire Engine was at the scene of another residential fire in Arcata. One Blue Lake Engine was immediately released and responded to Leeverlen as well as the Blue Lake Chief. Upon arrival crews found a single story residential structure fully involved.

Engine 8514 began setting up water supply upon arrival. Fire conditions were advanced and a defensive attack was initiated. Arcata Fire, Fieldbrook Fire, and Kneeland fire were also at scene. Fire personnel had the fire knocked down in approximately 1 hour after the initial dispatch.

One dog, and [3] pet birds unfortunately perished in the fire, one dog and four cats were not accounted for at scene after firefighters looked through the home after the fire was controlled. Mutual aid resources from Arcata were released during overhaul operations; crews remained on scene for clean up until 7am. The cause of the fire is still under investigation; at this time it is unclear as to what started the fire. It is important to note that Blue Lake Fire works closely with our allied partners and supports them in mutual aid requests and they do for us. From the time of dispatch our crew made it to scene in approximately 15 minutes from an active fire scene in Arcata. Blue Lake Fire would like to thank our allied partners for their assistance during this incident, Fieldbrook Fire, Arcata Fire, and Kneeland Fire. We would also like to thank Blue Lake Public Works, and HCSO.

A GoFundMe link for the family.

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In response to ongoing issues with illegal dumping along Eureka’s waterfront, the city is looking to install a gate on Marina Way, between “B” Dock and the Wharfinger Building, to prevent overnight vehicle access. The gate will be locked from dusk til dawn, but pedestrians will still have access to the parking area during the day.

The Coastal Development Permit request, submitted by the City of Eureka to its own staff, was approved by the Development Services Director Cristin Kenyon during a public hearing on Monday afternoon. The permit request does not require additional discretionary permits and, as such, does not require review from the city’s planning commission or city council, though the decision can be appealed to either body within 10 days.

During the hearing, City Manager Miles Slattery emphasized that the decision to install a gate “has nothing to do with people that are camping” along the waterfront. “It has solely to do with the amount of resources that we’ve been expending in this area,” he said, later adding that the city has spent “thousands and thousands of dollars in staff time” to address illegal dumping. 

“Now, is that illegal dumping happening only from community members experiencing homelessness? Not at all,” he continued. “The vast majority of the larger material we have there is coming from people [who] are housed and come in there and make illegal dumps.”

If you are among the concerned community members who contacted both the city and the Outpost to express concern about the new gate and what it might mean for your waterfront lunchtime ritual, Slattery says you’ve got nothing to be worried about. 

“This will not affect that in any way, shape or form,” he said. “It’s totally for the purpose of making sure that we’re not spending an inordinate amount of resources in cleaning up an area.”

For a few years now, the city has used a “Lot Cop” to keep an eye on traffic along Marina Way, but now that the city is facing a “budget crisis,” it will have to ditch the surveillance system, Slattery said. “We’re getting rid of two of our Lot Cops, so we won’t have the ability to do that anymore.”

During public comment, community members Sarah Torres and Sandra Warshaw expressed concern about the city’s unhoused population, especially people who park their vehicles and camp along Marina Way. 

“I do think it is harsh of the city to propose a gate when people who are in vehicles and, for whatever reasons, cannot go to the [Rescue] Mission [and] cannot use Betty Chinn’s services,” Torres said. “Maybe put a pause on it until we have a place for people to camp — legally or illegally — in their vehicles.”

Slattery reiterated that the area behind the gate will still be accessible to the public. On the note of camping, he added, “It’s never been legal for them to camp there, but it’s not like we’re out there arresting people for camping there.”

Director Kenyon acknowledged the “tricky situation” that arises when balancing environmental resources and public use, but said the gate would “minimize the impact [of dumping] to the extent feasible.”

She agreed to approve the coastal development with a small clarification to address apparent confusion around when dawn and dusk occur. (Dawn=sunrise and dusk=sunset — you’re welcome!)

You can read the full proposal at this link.

PREVIOUSLY:

• Search Warrant Served at Miranda’s Rescue Amid Allegations of Felony Animal Abuse, Fraud and Conspiracy

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Cities in the Eel River Valley are placing their contracts with Miranda’s Rescue on pause, after the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation of the Fortuna-based animal rescue operation on Friday evening.

The cities of Fortuna, Ferndale and Rio Dell each have contracts with the nonprofit for animal control services — to take care of strays and other animals that end up in city custody — and each say they will be suspending those arrangements for the time being.

On Monday, Ferndale City Manager Kristene Hall sent a letter to Shannon Miranda, the president and founder of the organization, saying that the city would not be sending animals to the organization’s headquarters on Drake Hill Road in Fortuna, pending the outcome of the investigation:

Effective immediately, and pending the effective date of termination, the City is suspending all referrals, deliveries, and placement of animals with Miranda’s Rescue due to the pending criminal investigation and the City’s resulting concerns regarding continuity of services, animal welfare, and compliance with applicable contractual and legal requirements.

Hall added that the Ferndale Police Chief would be in touch with Miranda’s Rescue “regarding the status and disposition of any City animals currently in your care, including records relating to receipt, treatment, disposition, transfer, adoption, euthanasia, or release of such animals.”

In a letter to members of the Ferndale City Council, the city manager said that she and the police chief would be looking at installing equipment at the police station, so that the city could look after its own strays.

Fortuna Police Chief Matt Eberhardt and Rio Dell City Manager Kyle Knopp each confirmed to the Outpost that their cities had similar contracts with Miranda’s Rescue, and would likewise stop sending stray animals to the organization while the Sheriff’s Office’s investigation was underway.

Records from Rio Dell show that the city has been paying Miranda’s Rescue a flat fee of $1,900 per month for caring for animals that end up in city custody.

Miranda’s Rescue — founded by Shannon Miranda in 1998 — has long enjoyed a reputation as one of the county’s preeminent animal-related charities. Local obituaries frequently ask mourners to donate to the organization in the name of the deceased.

In a press release issued Saturday, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office wrote that it had “received credible information regarding allegations of felony animal abuse, animal cruelty, fraud and conspiracy” before serving a search warrant at the nonprofit’s headquarters on Drake Hill Road in Fortuna.

Reached today, the Sheriff’s Office said it didn’t have any additional comment on the matter at this time. A voicemail left at Miranda’s Rescue’s main phone number was not returned before publication.

Local service providers are grappling with new work requirements that recipients of CalFresh will have to meet over the coming months.

Organizations in Eureka are bolstering training programs and coordinating volunteer opportunities, aiming to help people meet requirements their food security depends on.

Still, thousands are expected to lose benefits, something projected to add strain to the local hunger safety net.

Incoming requirements could kick 3,500 local people off CalFresh

Starting June 1 in California, adults from ages 18-64 will have to work, volunteer or train at least 80 hours a month to keep food benefits, with some exceptions.

Alisha Babel, Humboldt County’s CalFresh program manager, said the county has had a waiver for decades exempting people here from work rules, due to the area’s high unemployment rate.

But now, so-called “Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents” will need to meet work requirements to get benefits for more than three months in a 36-month period.

Babel said people will have to meet these requirements once they renew their benefits, meaning it could be up to a year before some will see the change. But anyone newly applying for CalFresh will have to meet these standards after June 1.

There are a few exceptions. People who are disabled, homeless, students in school more than half time, pregnant, or have children under 14 aren’t subject to these requirements. Click here to find exemptions.

These requirements for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, were put into law in July 2025’s H.R. 1. When fully implemented, up to 4 million people may lose some or all of their food assistance, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates.

In Humboldt County, about 3,500 people are expected to be affected by the change, according to a county estimate.

According to a recent UC Davis Labor and Community Center report, 22.5% of Humboldt County residents aged 18 to 59 were enrolled in CalFresh in 2024. That’s more than double the statewide rate.

Local organizations prepare for new requirements

To prepare for the changes, local service providers are getting their ducks in a row to help people meet the demands.

Uplift Eureka, which regularly offers trainings to help people get jobs, is relaunching their Job Skills Training Program in June. The program, funded by a CalTrans grant, will have participants pick up litter, learn mural painting from artist Lucas Thornton and attend classroom training on job skills.

“We’re already outreaching to potential participants that might be interested in this to make sure that they are aware that this is available. And we’re working closely with the county to make sure that they know that this is a program that will meet those work requirements,” said Sierra Wood, Uplift’s community resources program coordinator.

Workers at Uplift Eureka’s Community Resource Center host periodical Pathway to Payday training sessions, and offer general access to training on interview skills and phones and computers to help people get jobs.

Uplift is preparing a system to link people with local organizations to volunteer at to meet the requirements.

“We can help them identify which organizations are seeking volunteers and how many hours they’re looking for, what the work would be, connecting them directly with those organizations, and then assisting them with completing the time tracking requirements that the county requires,” said Wood. She said this — along with training — will help people working part time supplement their hours to meet the requirement.

Uplift’s Eureka’s computers pictured in 2025, which people can use to apply for jobs. Photo: Andrew Goff

Meanwhile, the County is aiming to refer as many people as possible to a county CalFresh employment training. Eligibility specialists there have been preparing for months to implement and walk people through the new requirements.

Still, staff at Uplift are not expecting to be able to help everyone keep their benefits — and social workers say they are concerned with the work requirements themselves.

Wood said local chains often keep people working low hours. Clients of the resource center struggle to match job schedules with bus schedules and childcare.

“It’s a difficult time to find work as well,” she added.

Those in rural areas of the county are particularly expected to struggle to meet requirements, with limited job or volunteer opportunities or internet access.

And because of the paperwork, which Wood said puts the onus on the recipient who is already experiencing financial insecurity, there’s a chance people will opt to give up their benefits.

“Food insecurity is a huge issue here, and oftentimes these benefits are what some people are solely using to get food. They don’t have their own income to rely on, so they’re using CalFresh benefits and then different food pantries like Food for People. So losing access to this means not having adequate meals, not having nutritious meals,” said Wood.

Jeff Davis, Uplift project manager, said alongside other decisions at the federal level, some will see a spread of their benefits go away.

“Their health care, their food and their housing might all be simultaneously impacted by actions at the federal level, and it could be catastrophic,” he said.

Food For People hopes changes can still be reversed

Humboldt County’s food bank expects these requirements to jack up use of the food bank, which the organization saw late last year when SNAP benefits were delayed during a government shutdown.

They’re expecting wide ripple effects from changes in H.R. 1, if they are solidified in an upcoming piece of legislation.

“It’s scary for anyone out there who is in the food security world, because food insecurity, hunger is only going up, even before these changes have started,” said Carly Robbins, executive director of Food for People.

“We’re all seeing it. Food costs more, housing, gas, all of that costs more. So getting the food you need on the table has only become harder for the average American,” she said.

The House passed a version of the bill locking in the $187 billion in cuts to SNAP last week.

Senate Democrats are pushing for SNAP changes enacted in H.R. 1 to be amended, amid ongoing debates over long-deferred updates to the Farm Bill, which funds the vast majority of the SNAP program.

In a statement, Food For People said the Farm Bill changes that will threaten food security include increased state administrative cost, SNAP benefit cost-sharing for states, and the $187 billion in cuts to SNAP.

Food For People is hopeful the changes can be walked back under the Farm Bill.

“Food banks cannot tackle food security alone. For every meal a food bank provides, SNAP delivers nine,” Food For People’s statement said. 

Babel, from Humboldt County, emphasized eligibility specialists are there to answer questions and support people through the paperwork.

“We’ll definitely be looking at the regulations so that we can maintain eligibility for as many people as possible,” said Babel.

For those in Eureka interested in being linked with employment programs, Uplift Eureka’s resource center is located at located at 1111 E Street and their phone number is 707-441-4242.

Isabella Vanderheiden contributed to this report

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On May 4th, 2026, Humboldt County Drug Task Force (HCDTF) Agents observed Elsheleke Giddens travel from Humboldt County to the Bay Area. Upon Giddens’ return, Agents conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle. Giddens is on formal probation with a search and seizure clause for HS11351 (cocaine sales) from a previous HCDTF case.

Giddens was detained without incident and his vehicle was searched. Fortuna Police K9 Cain alerted to the rear of Giddens’ vehicle, indicating narcotics were inside. Agents searched the area and located a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of cocaine.

Giddens was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked on the following charges:

• HS11351: Possession of cocaine for sales
• HS11352: Transporting cocaine for sales
• HS11352(B): Transportation of a controlled substance (noncontiguous counties)
• PC1203.2: Violation of probation

Anyone with information related to this investigation or other narcotics related crimes is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Drug Task Force at 707-267-9976.