Shirley Jean Miner, 86, of
Eureka, passed away peacefully in her home on April 16, 2021,
surrounded by her family.
Shirley
was born on December 24, 1934 in Dolton, South Dakota, to John and
Carrie Senner. In 1937 the family moved to California and settled in
Clovis, near Fresno. Shirley grew up on a working fruit ranch and
dairy where her father was foreman. In her younger years Shirley
worked in the fruit packing industry in the local area, an experience
that laid the foundation for her abundant and tireless work ethic.
She graduated from Clovis High School and attended Fresno State
College, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. While at
college she met Richard “Bruce” Miner, a fellow student. Shirley
and Bruce were married in Carmel, CA in January, 1959. Shortly after
the wedding, they moved to Washington, DC where Bruce was stationed
in the US Navy and Shirley worked as a hospital laboratory
technologist. They began their family with the birth of their son
Douglas on their first wedding anniversary.
After
Bruce’s discharge in 1961, the family moved to Eureka, which would
remain their home for the next 61 years. Shirley went to work for
Humboldt Pathology Laboratory as a laboratory technologist. Daughter
Lauren came along in 1963, and Bruce completed a degree in Forestry
at Humboldt State College. Shirley worked full-time at the laboratory
while raising their two children, eventually retiring from the
laboratory after 27 years in 1989.
Shirley
was a very active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Eureka.
She served as Clerk of Session for 26 years, and was active in many
church service groups. She was also an active member of community
service organizations, including PEO (Philanthropic Educational
Organization), which provides scholarship opportunities for women
entering college or continuing their education later in life. She
served as PEO president of Chapter TD in 2018-2019.
In
addition to community service, Shirley will be remembered for her
love of flowers, gardening, music and the theater. She encouraged a
passion for music in her children, attending many local theater
productions and symphony concerts with her family. In the 1970s,
Shirley and her family were enthusiastic members of local square
dancing clubs. In retirement, Shirley and Bruce became avid
travelers, making lifelong friends on their many excursions all over
the world. Shirley loved to read and belonged to various book clubs
throughout the years.
Shirley
is preceded in death by her parents, John and Carrie Senner, of
Sanger, CA; her brother Philip (Bernice) of San Jose, CA; her brother
Jess (Madge) of San Leandro, CA; her nephews Ronald of San Jose, CA
and Kenneth of San Leandro, CA. She is survived by her husband,
Richard Bruce Miner; son Douglas (Rhonda) of Bremerton, WA; daughter
Lauren of Eureka, CA; grandsons Andrew and Ryan, both of Bremerton,
WA; granddaughter Jessica Nourouzee (Easa) and great-grandson Simon
Usef Nourouzee of Seattle, WA. She is also survived by nieces Joyce
Walker of Lawrenceville, GA and great nephew, Michael Walker also of
GA, Patty Leinonen (Mark) of Scarborough, ME, and Lynn Schorno
(Ernie, deceased) of Carmichael, CA.
The
family sends heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all the wonderful
caregivers who helped Shirley through the past year: Terri, Sarah,
and Helping Hands Home Care, LLC of Eureka. We also thank everyone at
Hospice of Humboldt for their extraordinary care and support.
In
lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Hospice of
Humboldt.
###
The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Shirley Miner’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.
On March 10, 2021 we lost a precious soul here on Earth. Born following the depression era, Fay learned to survive the poverty and extreme difficult circumstances resulting from that era. She married at a young age and began her journey through life bearing five children with endurance, determination, physical and emotional pain, love and devotion to her family and friends.
Throughout her life, Fay learned many life skills and hobbies. Sewing, including school clothes for many, crocheting, mechanics, carpentry, knitting, quilting, bookkeeping, cross-stitch, ceramics, painting, reading, photography, cooking, gardening, camping, organic food preparation, canoeing, volley ball swimming, botchy ball, walking, teaching others her knowledge of nature and diet, and caring for many family members and friends were a few examples. She also loved animals and cared, trained and loved her pets throughout her life.
One example of her strength and determination occurred after age 50 when she endured a major surgery. One month later she canoed down the Eel River with her husband. Fay’s example of determination and preservation inspired many. As we mourn the loss of Fay, we remember she continued to live her life after many devastating moments, including the loss of her first born child and poverty with laughter, love, hard work and devotion.
Born in Redwood Valley, California to Grace Bowles/Dockins and Alvin (Dick) Dockins. Married to Jay Douglas Peters, August 4th 1952.
Survived by her four children: Gary Peters, Jennifer Peters, Robin Peters, and Wade Peters; seven grandchildren: Jason Peters, Nicole Peters and Lindsay Peters/Berch, Dennis Peters, Jessica Peters, Van Peters, and Jayne Peters; one great-grandchild: Wyatt Steed; her siblings: Donna Dockins/Porter, Debbie Dockins/Evans, and Richard Dockins
Preceded in death: Her husband Jay Douglas Peters October 23, 1923 - January 17, 2003 and her first-born son Dennis Jay Peters April 3, 1954- December 16,1954 Siblings: Dale Dockins, William (Bill) Dockins, Bonnie Dockins/Knapp
###
The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Fayrene Peters’ loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.
The Humboldt
County Planning Commission last night gave its thumbs-up to Sun
Valley Floral Farm’s giant proposed cannabis farm in the Arcata
Bottoms.
The board
voted 5-2 in favor of the project, with at-large commissioner Brian
Mitchell and Fifth District commissioner Peggy O’Neill dissenting.
The
proposal — technically put forward by an entity known as “Arcata
Land Company, LLC,” which is controlled by Sun Valley — would
include 8 acres of cannabis cultivation, in
both mixed-light greenhouses
and
light deprivation structures,
along
with
30,000 square feet of nursery. It would employ a maximum of 80
people.
Though the
project was cut down in response to citizen concerns – originally
it would have a 23-acre footprint – it will still be the largest
cannabis cultivation operation in the county.
The commission approved, as part of its vote, a negative declaration of environmental impact, rather than requiring a full environmental impact report (EIR). Commissioner Noah Levy asked Planning Director John Ford to explain why this was the case, given that so many neighbors of the project are concerned about potential impacts — smell, traffic, light pollution — why that would be the case.
After giving a little primer on the particulars of the California Environmental Quality Act, Ford said that while many people — presumably opponents of projects — consider an EIR a “panacea,” in fact its purpose is to list reasons why a local agency might approve a project despite unmitigatable environmental impacts. As far as analysis of impacts go, the two types of reports are much the same.
“In reality, the level of study and the level of impact analysis is very similar between a [mitigated declaration] and an environmental impact report,” Ford said.
Commissioners added two conditions on the project before passing it: that trees be planted around the property, and the project enroll in PG&E’s “Power+” program, which supplies 100 percent renewable power.
Commissioner
Mitchell said that he would like to vote in favor of the project, but
in his opinion the county’s environmental documentation didn’t
take into account the impact of the project on traffic in the
neighborhood — particularly bicyclists. He asked his fellow commissioners to add an additional condition on the project that would require Sun Valley to provide pedestrian improvements to Foster Avenue, but other commissioners declined to incorporate this suggestion. Director Ford said that pedestrian improvements would require work on land outside the area’s control, and so would be difficult to implement.
The project
will almost certainly be appealed to the Humboldt County Board of
Supervisors. If so, that board will have the final say on the subject
— barring a lawsuit.
A mobile testing van from the Humboldt County Public Health Branch was parked in front of Eureka Pentecostal Church Friday morning. | Photo by Ryan Burns.
Humboldt County’s spike in COVID-19 cases this week has been traced in part to the Eureka the Pentecostal Church.
On Thursday, the Humboldt County Joint Information Center said a majority of the 110 cases reported so far this week are part of “a single outbreak associated with one or more superspreader events.” Comments made on social media and an anonymous email to the Outpost identified Eureka the Pentecostal Church as the source of the outbreak. On Friday morning, a mobile testing van from the Humboldt County Public Health Branch was parked in front of the church.
In a statement issued to media via the Humboldt County Joint Information Center Friday afternoon, the church’s administration confirmed that members have tested positive.
“We had gone over an entire year with no outbreak at the church, but despite our best efforts, the virus was introduced to our congregation,” the statement says. “Whether that was in a church service, or from outside gatherings amongst church congregants, many who are family, we do not know.”
While church administration may not know which gathering led to the outbreak, social media posts reveal at least one likely candidate.
Members of Eureka the Pentecostal Church recently posted videos shot at a regional youth gathering held April 9 and 10 in Stockton. The videos show singers and musicians on stage at an indoor venue, performing for a crowd of hundreds of people who can be seen dancing, jumping up and down and singing in close proximity to one another. Very few in the audience are wearing masks.
In another video, posted in February, Tyler Sullivan, the youth president of a Pentecostal organization called Western District Youth Division, announced the event, saying, “[A]fter almost a year of us not being able to come together, we are finally coming together for an in-person, district-wide youth gathering” at the Christian Life Center in Stockton.
Regarding capacity for the event, Sullivan says, “With churches and regulations being at only 25 percent [capacity] as of this moment, we are only going to allow 1,200 registrants in per service.”
He also says, “All safety protocols will be in place for this event.” However, the videos reveal that the audience mostly failed to maintain social distancing and face coverings, as recommended by the CDC and other public health organizations.
Repeated calls to Eureka the Pentecostal Church were not answered Friday, and a voicemail was not returned by the time of publication.
Here’s the remainder of the church’s statement to media:
Upon hearing of sickness, we took the following measures:
We immediately shut down all church functions and facilities.
We have been working with public health officials to get important information about quarantine, isolation, and testing to those exposed.
We worked with public health to set up a testing site at the church parking lot.
We will continue to work with public health officials as this unfolds.
We have been in constant communication with our church members, but if you were a recent guest at the church, we encourage you to get tested in order to prevent any further spread.
We love our community and would like to thank all of the healthcare workers on the frontlines who are caring for those who are sick. We would also like to thank the public health department for all of their guidance and continued efforts to keep our community healthy and safe.
From Eureka the Pentecostal Church Administration
On Friday, the Humboldt County Joint Information Center announced that 20 more county residents have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases this week to 120 130. To date the novel coronavirus has been confirmed in 3,717 Humboldt County residents, 38 of whom have died.
On April 23rd, 2021 agents with the
Humboldt County Drug Task Force (HCDTF), with the assistance of the
Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, The Humboldt County District
Attorney’s Office, and a K-9 Officer from the Fortuna Police
Department, served a search warrant on a residence in the 1900 block
of Elm Ave. in Mckinleyville. This search warrant was the result of
multiple community complaints of drug dealing occurring at this
residence. During the service of the warrant agents detained the
homeowner, Brittany Bryan
(36 years old from Mckinleyville) and three people who were visitors
at the property. Bryan was currently out of jail on bail from a
November 2020 arrest by the HCDTF.
HCDTF
agents conducted a search of the residence and located the following
evidence:
Approx. 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine
Approx. 300 Fentanyl pills (M-30’s)
.38 special revolver and ammunition
Digital scale
Bryan
was transported to the Humboldt County Jail for booking. While being
booked at the jail correctional deputies located approx. $5,000 cash
and 20 additional M-30 Fentanyl pills hidden inside Bryan’s shirt.
Bryan was booked for the following charges:
H&S 11370.1 Possession of a
controlled substance while armed
H&S 11378 Possession of
methamphetamine for sale
H&S 11351 Possession of controlled
substance for sale
PC 12022.1 Committing a felony while
out on bail
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.
The [California] Wildlife Conservation Board [on Thursday] approved a grant award of $574,980 to Humboldt County to develop a water management plan for Humboldt County’s 1959 contract for water releases from Trinity Reservoir. Completion of the water management plan is necessary to make Humboldt County’s contract water available to support fishery resources and other beneficial uses in the Trinity River and lower Klamath River.
“Commercial, recreational, and tribal fisheries are a vital part of Humboldt County’s economy and cultural identity,” said Steve Madrone, Humboldt County Fifth District Supervisor. “Humboldt County is committed to protecting and restoring our natural and cultural resources. For far too long, Humboldt County’s contract right for releases of additional water into the Trinity River has been denied. This grant from the Water Conservation Board is a major breakthrough toward performing the required studies and addressing unresolved legal questions that will enable putting more water into the Trinity River at optimal times for the benefit of Humboldt County residents.”
In 1955, Congress adopted legislation authorizing creation of Trinity Reservoir and diversion of Trinity River water to the Sacramento River basin as part of the Central Valley Project. Leading up to the passage of this resolution, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors opposed the diversion of the Trinity River unless provisions were made to address Humboldt County’s water needs. Humboldt County’s interests were incorporated into the legislation, which stipulates that “not less than 50,000 acre-feet shall be released annually from the Trinity Reservoir and made available to Humboldt County and downstream water users.” This statutory entitlement for water releases was implemented through a water contract executed in 1959 between the Bureau of Reclamation and Humboldt County. However, the Bureau of Reclamation has never released water to fulfill the contract.
After decades of debate and delay, and critical advocacy from the Hoopa Valley Tribe and Yurok Tribe, the Department of the Interior’s Solicitor issued a memorandum in 2014 affirming the Bureau of Reclamation’s obligation to release water for Humboldt County’s beneficial use as provided for in the 1955 legislation and the 1959 water contract. Humboldt County has been working with the involved parties since the 2014 Solicitor’s memorandum to address outstanding legal and administrative barriers to releasing the contract water.
The Trinity River flows through Humboldt County for approximately 31 river miles before discharging into the Klamath River at Weitchpec. The Trinity River is an essential part of the cultural heritage and natural resource wealth of the North Coast. The Trinity River provides drinking water supply, habitat for fisheries, recreation opportunities, and an abundance of ecosystem services for Humboldt County residents. Water diversions from the Trinity River Division have contributed to habitat degradation, declining fish populations, economic losses, diminishment of recreational opportunities, water quality impairments, and impacts to tribal cultural practices within Humboldt County. Current water flows in the Trinity River vary significantly from the natural flow regime that existed prior to construction of Trinity Dam and Lewiston Dam.
The grant to Humboldt County was issued through the Wildlife Conservation Board’s Stream Flow Enhancement Program with funding from the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 (Proposition 1) which was approved by California voters in November, 2014. Humboldt County will collaborate with tribes and state and federal agencies to perform technical studies and address unresolved questions regarding water rights and regulatory compliance. The studies will identify needs and priorities for releasing additional water from Trinity Reservoir into the Trinity River to help restore natural processes and improve fisheries and water quality. They will also address existing conditions and a range of climate change scenarios over the 25-year planning period. The water management plan will provide a structure and process for annual decision-making to optimize the beneficial use of Humboldt County’s contract water and provide tangible benefits for fisheries. The anticipated completion date of the water management plan is December 31, 2022.
The water management plan will support modification of the Bureau of Reclamation’s water rights and development of any environmental compliance reports that are determined to be required. Once these regulatory steps are completed, Humboldt County will be able to work with its tribal partners and other stakeholders to make calls for annual releases of contract water into the Trinity River based on adaptive management principles and the specific objectives for a given water year.
Another conceptual image of the planned Nordic Aquafarms facility, looking north along the Samoa Peninsula. | Image via Nordic Aquafarms.
###
From the County of Humboldt:
The
County of Humboldt, as Lead Agency, has prepared a Mitigated Negative
Declaration (finding of no significant adverse environmental effect)
for the Nordic Aquafarms California, LLC – Coastal Development
Permit and Special Permit application (Case Number PLN-2020-16698) in
accordance with the State California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Guidelines. This project is located in the Samoa area, east of Vance
Avenue, approximately 2,000 feet north from the intersection of Vance
Avenue and Bay Street. The project includes redevelopment of the
decommissioned Samoa Pulp Mill facility to construct a land-based
finfish recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) facility conducted in
two phases consisting of five (5) buildings with a combined footprint
of 766,530 square feet. The height of the tallest proposed building
is 60 feet.
The
Humboldt County Planning and Building Department will receive public
comments on the proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration from April
23, 2021 to May 24, 2021. Comments
may be submitted to the Humboldt County Planning and Building
Department, 3015 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501 by May
24, 2021.
The draft Mitigated Negative Declaration and Initial Study are
available for review at the same location or visit the county’s
website.
For
more information, please contact Alyssa Suárez, Planner I, by email
at asuarez@co.humboldt.ca.us
or by phone at 707-268-3703.
