Kathlene S. Rizzo was born November 18, 1953 at the Air Force base in Mountain Home, Idaho to Bonnie Springer and Gerald Schwab. Kathlene was a survivor from the first day she drew a breath. She was a twin, born at just a few pounds in the 50s. Her twin Christine lived only nine days before meeting her Creator. Kathlene was the oldest of six; four sisters and one brother. As a young person Kathlene grew up in New York in the Bronx, lived in New Jersey, and Connecticut with her family.  

Kathlene was 18 when she met her husband Kenny. She left him but kept his name, and traveled the country. Finding herself in a variety of places she found herself doing different jobs including bartending, pulling wire on a construction site, waitressing, and volunteering at homeless shelters and a domestic violence shelter. At age 28 Kathlene had her first and only child, Mara, in Visalia after moving closer to her family. Kathlene was a single mother, providing and supporting Mara on her own with chosen family and close friends. In 2000 Mara moved to Humboldt to go to college and two years later Kathlene left her life in Visalia to move to Humboldt, too. She lived in Eureka until she died at age 72 on August 9, 2026 from pancreatic cancer. 

Kathlene, who died with 37 years of sobriety from drugs and alcohol, spent her life in Humboldt taking care of those she could. She always had time and a bent ear for someone who needed to talk. She knitted hundreds of hats and handed them out to anyone who might ever be cold. In fact, if you are reading this,  you have likely received a hat, scarf, blanket, household item, pair of shoes from Kathlene. She loved to make people laugh, swore like a sailor, had tattoos and a kind eyes. She loved to read, loved listening to and watching the ocean,  and was a regular at coffee shops in Old Town for many years. She regularly took walks down by the bay. Despite many obstacles and difficulties with her health, she persevered with strength. She was a tremendous support to her daughter and taught Mara about being a self-reliant woman. 

Kathlene is preceded by her mother, Bonnie Schwab, and her father, Gerald Schwab.

Kathlene is survived by her daughter Mara and wife Cassie, and their children Augustus and Ezekiel, her very good friend Barbara who she shared more than three decades of friendship, her siblings Lynn Mathias (Delmer), Renee Nanna (Bo), Debbie Sparshott (Steve), Stacy, Jerry and many nieces and nephews. Kathlene’s family is very grateful to Palliative Care and Hospice of Humboldt for caring for Kathlene  in her final weeks.

A private celebration of life will be held in Humboldt. In honor of Kathlene, please consider making a donation to Humboldt Domestic Violence Services. The website to donate is https://www.hdvs.org/

It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of a beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend.

Louis Edward Duncan was born January 3, 1933, in Wakeeney, Kansas.

Louis lived most of his life in Trinidad, where he and his wife, Eva, raised six children. Louis was employed as a senior saw filer for Simpson, Korbel for 40+ years, where he received awards for creating equipment to make work more efficient, which was later patented.

Louis was an avid hunter and fisherman, taking his family on camping adventures and making many fond memories. He was also a master woodworker and made many gifts for family and friends in his retirement. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Eva Jean Duncan; his son, Louis Gene Duncan; and a grandson, Louis “Buddy” Duncan.

Louis is survived by his children, Sherry Thomson, Lois (Gary) O’Neil, Sandra Quinn, Louise Duncan and Dwyane (Ellen) Duncan. His grandchildren, Rob, Ryan, David, Dena, Ronnie, Ray, Melvin, Dwyane “Bear,” Callie, Darcey, Kasey and Selena, as well as several great-grandchildren and many close friends.

The family would like to give special thanks to Gary, Lois, Ronnie and Ashley ONeil for the loving care they gave him this past year. Also to Valerie, Dave and his grandson David Lara for staying with him so he could be at home in his passing.

We will be celebrating a life well lived on September 5, 2026, at Ocean Grove Lodge in Trinidad from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. It will be a potluck, so bring a favorite dish and join us in sharing memories with family and friends.

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Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

Mile Post 18 Hoopa - FIRE EVACUATION ORDER 

Effective as of August 14, 2026

Due to fire activity on the Mile Post 18 Hoopa Fire the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has issued an EVACUATION ORDER for the following zone:

HIA-E014-D
Commonly known: Big Hill
NORTH OF Hostler Creek
SOUTH OF Mill Creek
EAST OF Hostler Point
WEST OF Marchel Creek

You must leave immediately. Do not wait. A temporary evacuation point has been established at the Hoopa Neighbor Facility 11860 HWY 96, Hoopa, CA 95546.

Conditions are subject to change at anytime. Please visit protect.genasys.com to view the interactive evacuation map.

For more information regarding the Fire, current impact and evacuation areas, please go to humboldtsheriff.org/emergency, visit Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services or call 707-441-5000.

UPDATE, 4:39 p.m.:

After this post was published, Shannon Miranda sent the Outpost a copy of an Aug. 6 letter from his attorney, Allison Jackson, to Humboldt County Planning and Building Director John Ford in which she disputes his interpretation of the conditional use permit for Miranda’s Rescue.

While Jackson agrees that no dogs will be kept on the northern parcel of the property, and she says the permit situation with the trailer will be resolved, she challenges Ford’s conclusion that euthanasia is prohibited at Miranda’s Rescue. Jackson argues that “it is simply not remotely reasonable” to interpret the project description’s ban on “euthanasia facilities” to mean that no animal can ever be euthanized onsite. 

Euthanasia is permitted by right on all parcels in the county, Jackson says in the letter, though she adds, “I do not foresee this type of action [at Miranda’s Rescue] in the near future given the fact that the Rescue has not been accepting animals since the first week of May and is only operational for adoptions of existing animals.”

Jackson also challenges county staff’s position that animal burial is prohibited at the property. 

“Burial is permitted on any parcel in this county … and occurs daily,” Jackson says.

She cites a letter from the county agricultural commissioner saying as much and outlining the rules for doing so. 

Read Jackson’s full letter by clicking here.

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Original post:

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The Humboldt County Planning and Building Department has suspended the conditional use permit for Miranda’s Rescue after staff found that the Fortuna animal rescue organization, which is at the center of a multi-agency criminal investigation, has been violating the terms of the permit for years. 

In an email to the Outpost, Planning and Building Director John Ford said the suspension means Miranda’s Rescue cannot take in or adopt out any animals until the violations are resolved. We left a voicemail for owner Shannon Miranda around noon today, asking how many animals remain onsite and what he plans to do about the permit’s suspension. We had yet to get a response by the time this post was published.

The conditional use permit for Miranda’s Rescue, issued in 2003, allowed Miranda to operate “a domestic ‘companion’ animal rescue facility” on just two agricultural parcels outside of Fortuna city limits. Those two parcels are highlighted in the image below.

However, investigators with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office have testified in sworn affidavits that six different parcels are being used for rescue-related activities. Only three of those parcels are owned by Miranda’s Rescue or Miranda himself.

Below is a map of all six parcels that investigators have associated with Miranda’s Rescue operations, followed by a satellite image showing the same area.

Staff in the county’s Planning and Building Department only learned about these violations after the criminal investigation began, according to a story published Thursday in the Times-Standard. The investigation, which involves the FBI, the California Attorney General’s Office and other state and federal agencies, included a multi-day excavation and search that unearthed the remains of at least 138 dogs. Inside a barn on the premises, investigators found blood spatter, spent .22-caliber rifle cartridges and more than 600 dog collars.

Both the barn and the mass burial site are located on APN 201-191-002, outlined below:

The Planning and Building Department has informed Miranda that he may no longer use this portion of the property, even if the suspension on the conditional use permit is lifted, Ford confirmed to the Outpost.

Furthermore, Miranda’s Rescue’s conditional use permit explicitly prohibited euthanasia facilities onsite, the Times-Standard reported. And while county code doesn’t include a definition of “euthanasia facilities,” Ford said he believes Miranda was violating the terms of the permit when he killed dogs by shooting them in the head. (Miranda has admitted to killing as many as 10 per month, according to court records.)

Ford also concluded that the disposal of dog carcasses onsite violated the terms of the permit. County staff found that an unpermitted trailer has been located on Miranda’s Rescue property.

Ford told the Outpost via email that most of the permit violations have already been resolved. That includes the prohibition on euthanizing or burying dogs onsite and on using APN 201-191-002 for rescue operations. As such, getting the permit reinstated is merely “a matter of the trailer being permitted or removed,” Ford said.

Law enforcement and federal agencies continue to investigate Miranda over allegations of animal cruelty, fraud and theft. To date, the investigation has found that shelters across California and beyond sent hundreds upon hundreds of dogs to Miranda’s Rescue every year — including 827 dogs from the Oakland Animal Shelter alone since 2020. Miranda charged $500 to $1,000 or more per dog surrendered, and he is suspected of routinely killing dogs to make room for more.

Miranda has denied those allegations.

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PREVIOUSLY

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Press release from the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District:

Eureka is pleased to welcome the Crystal Symphony on their inaugural visit to Eureka. This 780’ vessel carrying  554 passengers will arrive in Humboldt Bay on Friday, August 21, docking at 7:00 AM. The ship is expected to depart at 8:00 PM on the same day.

Around a quarter of the ship guests registered for guided tours of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Old Town Eureka, The Blue Ox Millworks, Lost Coast Brewery, and Sequoia Park. Shuttles will also be offered to Old Town Eureka throughout the day.

The cruise visit is a collaborative effort planned by the City of Eureka, the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District, Eureka Main Street, Humboldt County Office of Economic Development, Visit Humboldt, Humboldt Bar Pilots Association, and Zerlang and Zerlang Marine Services. Special thanks to Chet Albin, Dave Schneider, and Schneider Dock.

The Crystal Symphony is on a West Coast tour that started in Vancouver, Canada, visiting Victoria, Canada and Astoria, Oregon on its way south to San Francisco and San Diego before heading to Mexico and Central America.

The ship is expected to be visible around 6:30 AM on Friday; local citizens can watch the arrival from the Del Norte Street pier, the Park and Ride at Herrick Avenue and the Samoa boat ramp at the north jetty. There is no public access at Schneider Dock.

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PREVIOUSLY

• ALLEGED ASSHOLE IN CUFFS! 31-Year-Old Oklahoma Resident Arrested on Multiple Felony Counts for Making ‘Terrorist Threats’ to Local Schools
• Officers Recount Threatening Phone Calls to Schools During Preliminary Hearing in Trial of Daryl Jones
• We’ll Have to Wait Until October to Finish the Prelim Hearing for Man Charged With Threatening Schools, Businesses
• In Daryl Jones Prelim Hearing, Cops Recount Graphic Threats to Harm and Kill Children at Local Schools
• Daryl Jones’s Middle School Girlfriend Testifies that He Harassed and Repeatedly Threatened to Kill Her in the Years Before His Arrest
• Can Questions be Threats? Closing Arguments Finish Preliminary Hearing in Daryl Ray Jones Trial

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A judge will decide next week whether Daryl Ray Jones, a man accused of placing a deluge of threatening phone calls across Humboldt County, can receive mental health treatment in lieu of facing criminal charges.

The calls in early 2025 caused lockdowns in several schools, businesses and daycares.

During a mental health diversion hearing Monday, the court heard from victims of the phone threats and a psychologist that analyzed Jones. The man would follow a treatment plan while criminal proceedings were suspended, if the diversion is granted.

The prosecution was in staunch opposition to diversion, arguing the risk to the community was simply too high if Jones was released, particularly as the calls to schools included explicit threats to kill and rape children.

“The potential for harm is so great,” said Deputy District Attorney Roger Rees.

The District Attorney’s Office was especially opposed to Jones being treated in the same community the threats were called into. Defense attorney Meagan O’Connell, from the county’s Conflict Counsel Office, noted they are working to place Jones elsewhere if the diversion is approved.

Rees pointed out Jones would be in close proximity to the schools and workplaces he allegedly called in threats to kill people. He painted a hypothetical of Jones relapsing on stimulants, obtaining a weapon and taking the bus to one of the schools.

“Even a small risk is too much,” he said.

But psychologist Dr. Benedetto Brunetto testified over Zoom that Jones had no intention to carry out the threats, and he met other qualifications for a diversion.

Brunetto said Jones has schizoaffective disorder, depressive type. He said Jones had a “lot of complex psychology” with a history of delusion and psychosis. He found Jones had inaccurate memories, like a gory suicide attempt or his friends being eaten in front of him.

He said the alleged criminal behavior was tied to Jones’ depression. He said it gave him a sense of control and the ability to displace his feelings of negative self-view onto others, anonymously. It gave him “a rush,” or a boost of adrenaline.

Brunetto emphasized he had no belief that Jones would actually carry out the threats. He described Jones as being taken aback when asked about this. Carrying out an act of violence is not part of his psychological MO, he said, as Rees pressed into the potential while questioning the psychologist. He found it more likely he would die by suicide than inflict violence on another, later describing suicidal and homicidal impulses as different.

O’Connell pointed out the man, who was living in Oklahoma at the time, took no action towards carrying out the threats. While Jones owned guns, she said this was part of his family’s culture.

“There is a significant difference between words and actions,” she said. 

O’Connell noted Jones is already responding to medication treatment in custody, and is showing “considerable improvement” according to Brunetto. A requirement of diversion is for the defendant’s symptoms to respond to treatment.

Victims of the threatening calls attended the hearing and urged for the defendant to face criminal charges.

The dozens of felony charges Jones faces include two criminal stalking charges of a victim that began in 2021.

An anonymous woman, identified as Jane Doe No. 2, read a statement describing the “living nightmare” she experienced for five years, including obsessive cyberstalking, violent threats and extensive harassment at her place of work.

She read quotes from threats that promised to kill her, her friends, her family and coworkers.

She said it’s difficult to describe how paralyzing it was that he knew where she was. She said she only felt safe after knowing Jones was arrested. While expressing hope he would get help, she said she would live in fear again if he was released.

Others submitted letters to the judge on the impact of the calls, including Michael Davies-Hughes, Humboldt County Superintendent of Schools.

Judge Kelly Neel took the matter under submission and requested transcripts from the preliminary hearing. She said she’d issue a ruling on August 21.

[CLARIFICATION: After this post was published, Eureka Communications Program Manager Kay Lopez contacted the Outpost to clarify that, while the city organized this goodwill effort, the donations are being made by the individual entities involved.

“We really appreciate that the community is willing to donate their services, so we want to ensure that message is relayed,” Lopez said in an email.]

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Original post:

Facebook post from the City of Eureka:

To our Hoopa neighbors, we’re thinking of you 

We know the fire and heavy smoke are taking a toll. If you’d like to get away for a few hours, we invite you to come spend some time in Eureka. From now through the weekend, Hoopa residents can show an ID with a Hoopa address at each location to enjoy:

 Sequoia Park Zoo - Free admission. Up to four children may accompany each adult with a Hoopa ID.

 Madaket Bay Cruise - Complimentary rides with a Hoopa ID. Space is limited, so please call 707-445-1910 to reserve your spot.

 Morris Graves Museum of Art - Free admission, plus two special events on Sunday:

Mini Masters, 8/16,12 - 2 pm - Story time, games, art activities, and a free book for families.

Wine & Jazz, 8/16, 3 - 5 pm - Live music featuring Francis Vanek with the RLA Trio.

 Friday Night Market – Friday from 5:30 - 8:30 pm in Old Town. No ID required for this event.

We hope these activities offer a little respite and a chance to enjoy some clearer air. If others would like to offer something to our Hoopa neighbors this weekend, please share it in the comments below.

Please stay safe, Hoopa