Longtime local beer drinkers are sure to be familiar with Red Nectar Ale, the at-one-time locally produced flagship brand of Humboldt Brewing Company that has passed through the hands of a few corporations and brewers since the rights to both the beer and brewery names were sold off, back in 2005. Well, thanks to a COVID-era deal inked by HumBrews owner Andy Ardell and his brother David, both Red Nectar and the Humboldt Brewing Company moniker have come homeboldt. Raise a glass, y’all.     

“Yeah, it just kind of stumbled upon us,” Ardell told the Outpost. “I caught wind of it all being for sale and I thought, let’s bring it back to Humboldt and Arcata.”

Humboldt won’t have to wait long to taste the fruit of the Ardell brothers’ efforts to reclaim its legacy. The first batch of the new Red Nectar Ale is already being produced at Six Rivers Brewery McKinleyville by seasoned brewer Carlos Sanchez, who just so happens to be one of the people who brewed the beer for Humboldt Brewing Company three decades ago, on the same equipment he still uses today. 

“To be able to bring it back to Humboldt is special,” said Ardell, who has owned HumBrews restaurant in Arcata for the past 17 years. “I’ve been telling people I know who know about Red Nectar, who are like, ‘Oh my God!’”

The saga of how “Humboldt Brewing Company” and its beers slipped out of local control is somewhat complex. Originally founded in 1987 by brothers Vince and (former Oakland Raider) Mario Celotto in Arcata — in the same building HumBrews occupies now — Humboldt Brewing Company was the county’s largest brewery at its peak in the early ‘90s. Appropriately, the brewery was one of the first in the country to brew with hemp, and HBC’s Hemp Ale would go on to win a gold medal at the California State Fair.

But eventually the small-town success story would get complicated. In 2005, craft brewing giant Firestone Walker — who’d already been assisting Humboldt Brewing Company with its increased demand for Red Nectar Ale by brewing the beer at its larger facilities in Paso Robles — bought HBC outright, in the process dropping the “Humboldt” name in favor of “Red Nectar Ales.”

Fast forward to 2012 when a South Carolina company named Total Beverage Solutions purchased Nectar Ales and decided to change the name back to Humboldt Brewing Company, a move that caught Ardell, who at that point owned the similarly named HumBrews in Arcata, off guard. After fielding a few confusing media inquiries wondering about the deal, Ardell contacted Total Beverage Solutions to see what was up.

“I called them and said, ‘What are you guys doing?’” Ardell recalled. “And they said, ‘Well, we changed the name back to Humboldt Brewing Company.’ And I’m like, well, you’re not the Humboldt Brewing Company.”

But Total Beverage Solutions’ Humboldt-washing plan proceeded. They did brew the Humboldt-branded beer in California — both Mendocino Brewing Company and Lost Coast Brewery even produced the stuff for periods — but in 2019 “Humboldt Brewing Company” was again up for sale at which point the Ardell brothers scooped it up. 

“The goal was to bring the beer back to Humboldt where it originated and belongs,” Ardell said. “The [Humboldt Brewing Company] offices now reside at HumBrews, which is the exact location where it started over 30 years ago.”

And so, all is right in the world. Humboldt Brewing Company is Humboldt again. In the next few weeks Humboldt-brewed Red Nectar Ale is slated to flow from the taps of four local establishments — Humboldt Brews (of course), Six Rivers Brewery, The Madrone and The Local Cider Bar. In the coming months, the Ardell brothers plan to produce a second beer which harkens back to their brand’s previous successes — they’re calling it “Smoky Hazy Hemp IPA.” Maybe look for it when you feel brave enough to go out again. 

Roland “Branagin” Duane Davis passed away unexpectedly due to a blood clot and heart complications on February 28, 2021 at Mercy Hospital in Redding, with his daughters by his side.

He was born to Lloyd and Ester Davis in Hoopa, on June 22, 1961, and was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd Davis and Ester (Randall) Davis, brother Nolan Davis and his wife (common-law) Gaylene Jackson. He is survived by his daughters Alice Mabry (Darrel Mabry), Janice Nixon, Kimberly Davis, Brandice Davis (Bob Kane Jr.), Lillian Davis and Angel Jackson-Donahue (John Donahue), as well as his grandchildren Clayton McCovey, Arielle Mabry, Jillian Mabry, Cheryllyn Pike, Phillip Pike, Laynee Nixon, George IV, Whikil Nixon, Leland Nixon, Gage Nixon, Maile Almodovar, Grace Kane, Athos McCovey, Clint McCovey and great-grandson Eliott Gurule.

Dad was a proud member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe and enjoyed fishing, eeling, mushrooming and hunting; as well as gold panning, collecting rocks, gambling, and wooing the ladies. Like his mother, dad had a “green thumb” and loved to garden and spent most of his time outdoors enjoying life to its fullest.

Dad was a very charismatic person who loved reminiscing about the good ol’ days and could start a conversation with just about anyone. One of his best traits was his humor which, besides his looks, was the most dominant genetic trait that he passed to all of us. His children and grandchildren were the pride and joy of his life, and dad would use any excuse possible to talk about us and our kids to whomever would listen.

Roland spent the last few years of his life going on many adventures with his loving girlfriend, Cherie French-Bowie, who was always by his side. Cherie’s family took him in as there own and loved him beyond measure even referring to him as their dad and grandpa. Dad will be forever missed but never forgotten by all those who loved him and enjoyed his company.

Pallbearers will be: Roland Dean Powell, Douglas Brown, Sylester “Flabs” Brown, Stanley Jones, Davis Jones, Paul “Ewee” Donahue III.

Honorary Pallbearers: Clayton McCovey, Phillip Pike, George Nixon IV, Darrel Mabry, Bob Kane Jr., Freddie Brown, Oscar “Oiler” Brown, Arnold Davis Jr., Darren “Abner” Randall, Phillip Donahue, Tristan Moon, Timothy Bussell Jr., Clarence Bussell, Jason Jones, Roger Bibancos, Gus Bibancos, George Moon, and Charles “Junior” Moon.

A wake will take place at Roland’s home in Hoopa on March 5, 2021 starting at 5 p.m. Gravesite burial services will be at the Davis Cemetary in Hoopa on March 6, 2021 at 11 a.m. All Covid safety precations will be in place — mask up, wash hands and social distance as much as possible.

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

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Guy Eugene McCarty, Sr. He was born June 16, 1949 and passed on February 27, 2021. He battled cancer for sixteen years with the last ten being diagnosed as terminal. He was a man who had nine lives and lived them to the fullest. He finally succumbed to dementia but did that with grace and dignity as well.

He leaves behind his grief-stricken family: His wife of 35 years, Jane, and his beloved boys; John, Guy Jr., Max (his wife Toni), and Jake (his partner Ruthie). His boys brought him great happiness, along with a few grey hairs, numerous grandchildren, and lots of nieces and nephews. He had a special connection with his granddaughter Hannah. She could always make him smile.

He was looking forward to the birth of his newest grandchild but was unable to make it. We feel the baby now has a guardian angel. Thank you to Lonnie Smith for just being his friend. You are a godsend and a true member of our family. He adored you and so do we. Thanks to Jo Ellen Sundquist for making him laugh. You always brightened his day. He would light up when he knew you were coming over. Thank you for spoiling him rotten.

A very special thank you to the VA for the excellent care he got over the years, especially the end of life care. Hospice was a huge help, providing knowledge and support for the family. Their job is a tough one and they handle themselves with such grace. Last, but certainly not least, to Taylor, the Chaplain; your absolute faith is contagious. You are a true joy to be around.

Because of COVID, and per Guy’s request, there will be no funeral. In his lifetime he worked hard and played hard. Anyone that knows him has a story to tell. It is his family’s wish that you stop and think of him for a moment, enjoy your memory and smile. Or frown, depending on the memory. He was lovable, ornery, quirky, gutsy, shady and any other adjective you can conjure up. He will be greatly missed. See you on the other side Guy. We love you to the moon and back.

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

On Saturday, February 27, 2021, Cynthia Rakestraw, loving wife and mother of many passed away at the age of 79.

Cynthia was born, March 14, 1941 in Columbus, Georgia to Roseann and John Panter. She graduated from Atwater High School, in Atwater, CA. She married Bob Williams. They had four children: Lura Dickey (Stanley) of McKinleyville, CA, Deborah Williams of Lemoore, CA, Bobbie Willams (Allen) of Ohio, Patrick Williams (Alicia), of Concord, CA. In 1974 Cynthia married her husband Leroy Rakestraw, With this new marriage she gained another daughter, Pamela Rakestraw of McKinleyville.

Cynthia loved being a mother and taking care of children. She had special bonds with many children including her granddaughter Lacey whom she took on the role of caring for from infancy. They moved to Santa Cruz and worked in group homes taking care of children. They became foster parents to many children, the ones that held the closest part in their heart were Albert and Barbara Mills whom they cared for and loved like their own children. Upon moving back to Humboldt County, Cynthia had a daycare called Merry Thoughts, where she cared for and loved every child. Cynthia loved music, some of her favorites were The Beatles, Irish Music, and Reggae. Cynthia and Leroy attended Woodstock in New York, 1989, where they saw many live artists. She was an avid reader, especially enjoying British detective novels.

Cynthia was preceded in death by her Parents, Roseann Apolinario, and John Panter, Granddaughter, Shannon Ordonez, and Sister, Catherine Flores.

Cynthia is survived by her two Brothers, David and John Panter, Sister, Joann Lewis (Richard), Brother-in-Laws Bob Rakestraw (Barbara), and Herb Brooks (Ann), and numerous nephews and nieces.

Cynthia had many grandchildren, Rolland and Audrey, Ryan and Melissa, Eric and Kelly Dickey, Roseanne and Jesse Ordonez, Christina and Angela Williams, John, Jeff and Chloe Williams, Shelby and Chris, Lacey and Ross, Nick Sellars, Brannon Hennings, Annabelle Mills, Ayden and Allen Chilcott, and Claudio Mills.

Lots of great-grandchildren, Juan, Jasmine, Deborah, and Robert Escobedo, Thereisa, Lucas, Natalie, Alexis, and Kennedy Dickey, Rylynn and Colton Lane, Kai and Kobe Yang, Koen Wolf, Thalia, Cyndi, Alicia, Tino and Cattleya Ordonez, Zachery Crain and Ariana Martinez. Great-Great-Grandchildren, Camilia and Cartier. She was affectionately known as Nana by all her grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 12:30 p.m. at the home of Lura and Stan Dickey, 1287 Railroad Dr. McKinleyville, 95519.

The family would like to extend a very special thank you to Ayres Cremation.

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

Earlier today, local family nurse practitioner Lindsey Mendez — a member of the county’s vaccine task force — took some time to answer media questions about the new Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. How does it work? Who is it for? Is it good? (Adenovirus, basically anyone and yes.)

Video above, rough transcript below.

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Thank you for joining us for the March 4th Media Availability with Family Nurse Practitioner and Humboldt County Vaccine Task Force member Lindsey Mendez. Lindsey is going to begin by explaining the characteristics of the Janssen, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Hello thank you, hi Humboldt County again, my name is Lindsey Mendez and I’m here to introduce the Janssen vaccine to you today, or the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. In December I had the great privilege, with Diane Pacora, to introduce the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine to you and I would like to tell you a little bit about the differences between the mRNA vaccines and the new DNA vaccine that’s coming from Janssen.

Just so everybody has less confusion, Johnson & Johnson is the company and Janssen was another part of the company that supported and sponsored the vaccine and that’s why it’s named that way.

So as we know we have two vaccines that are mRNA vaccines. We have the Pfizer vaccine and the Moderna vaccine, which we’ve been giving since December. Now we are going to be very excited to start a single-dose vaccine which is a DNA vaccine and this is going to be a one shot in your arm vaccine with an efficacy rate that will build over a longer period of time as opposed to needing two shots. So this DNA vaccine, your immunity is going to be building over the course of two weeks and then a month and also I would like to review what that means for it to be an adenovirus vector DNA vaccine.

So what this is is that as opposed to having the mRNA which we talked about before where you get an injection of the mRNA for a spike protein for the COVID-19 virus and then it going into your cells and allows you to create immunity to that spike protein. Now this is a little bit different, we are going to be getting a shot that laboratory members have engineered to be using a virus — an adenovirus — which would usually just give you a common cold and then it carries the DNA for the COVID-19 spike protein and then in your own cell in the nucleus you then are creating the information from the DNA to be immune to COVID-19. 

So even though it’s a little bit different it’s pretty similar in a way that it’s going to work for us and the as I said before the good news is is that this is a one-shot vaccine, so we will be distributing it throughout the county very soon as it will most likely be appearing in the next week.

From the North Coast News: Has public health run into the situation where people are refusing to take one specific version of the vaccine? For example, someone shows up to their appointment and says they will only take the Moderna vaccine. What is the frequency with which this happens?

I’m not sure the frequency in which this happens but as a member of the task force, I do know that it has happened enough times that we are aware that people do have preferences but the great news is that every vaccine available has excellent efficacy and that any vaccine that you desire will give you a good protection against COVID-19. It is the choice of the individual if they would like Pfizer, Moderna or the Johnson & Johnson and as we’re aware many people are very excited about having all three options.

From the North Coast News: With vaccination rates increasing in Humboldt, when does the county expect to see a drop in coronavirus cases due to a large amount of people being vaccinated?

This is an excellent question and as we move forward we will be having a better understanding about the herd immunity of our county as we continue to vaccinate first and second doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine and also starting with the Johnson & Johnson. What we do know is that this is going to take months of time, throughout the spring and the summer and getting into the fall to get everybody fully vaccinated in our county and also in the state of California to end the pandemic and we would ask that everybody continues to socially distance and wash their hands and mask as we get to this safe level.

From the Redheaded Blackbelt: How helpful is it for a rural county like Humboldt to have access to this single-dose vaccine?

I think it’s extremely helpful for any place to have access to a single-dose vaccine but especially in rural areas where people have issues with transportation, sometimes they have issues with technology of not being able to use wi-fi perhaps, they can’t get to their second dose appointment this is a very important thing for people with equity in a rural area.

From the Redheaded Blackbelt: With the addition of the J&J vaccine, how will the timeline of vaccine distribution locally change, if any?

Well we do not know if it will change if any but what we can tell you is that with an extra vaccine that we’re having it tells us that we will have more vaccine of a different kind coming to the county and this will inevitably help vaccinate more people.

From the Redheaded Blackbelt: Would the J&J vaccine be better suited for any particular demographic due to its (so far) unique qualities of being not only single dose, but also considered 100% effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths, and if so, who would that be?

The CDC has made numerous suggestions about how the Johnson & Johnson vaccine can be utilized. Some of these suggestions include mobile health clinics, primary care offices and clinics that work with people who are often traveling.

From the Times-Standard: How is the county focusing its outreach to the Spanish speaking population as the vaccine continues to be rolled out? Have there been any difficulties in reaching the Latinx community?

I’m very glad that we have the time to talk about this question today and that it was brought up. Communication is a challenge for many communities especially if there’s any language barrier and we are aware that in the pandemic this has not gotten any easier. With that said the Public Health department and the EOC are actively recruiting staff and volunteers to help us with our vaccination clinics for Spanish interpreters anyone who is willing to come forward as a bilingual speaker and ranging from intake to administration to vaccinators, this would be very helpful. The Public Health department is also engaging in listening sessions with this community, it is our highest priority that we understand the needs and desires of the Latinx community at this time.

From the Times-Standard: Has the county received any Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses? If not, when will the county begin receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine?

The county has not received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the freezer or refrigerator at this time but we have been allocated vaccine from the state and we will be getting updates about when we will be receiving this.

From the Times-Standard: Considering it is a one dose formula, will the Johnson & Johnson vaccine be given priority for remote areas and people who have trouble making appointments?

At this time we do not know how the state allocation system will be prioritizing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. What we do know is that as we move with the state plan changing to Blue Shield of California taking over the allocation process they will be working hard to ensure equity and that the Johnson & Johnson is used appropriately.

From the Times-Standard: Will Humboldt County be receiving any of the vaccines allocated by the state for lower income regions?

At this time again we do not know the answer to that question and we are waiting for the state to give us more information.

From the Times-Standard: Is there any data being collected on regional vaccine efficacy?

The data that’s collected by the local public health departments is not data that will be necessarily telling us about the regional vaccine efficacy, these kinds of trials and studies are done by the pharmaceutical companies who run the drug trials themselves, and so at this time we are submitting data using our tracking through what is called VAERS and CAIR which are abbreviations for the state systems where we document vaccine and demographics.

Arcata Police Department press release: 

The Arcata Police Department is providing a new online police reporting option for the public.  This web based reporting system will allow the public to file certain incident types (minor theft, vehicle burglary, lost property, non-injury traffic collisions, crime tips, etc.) over the internet at their convenience.  The Arcata Police Department expects this internet based reporting service to be very popular among citizens who have come to expect police services to be provided immediately and conveniently online.

The service will allow the public to file a report at a time that is best for them without having to wait for an officer to respond or call them back. The public will be able to print a temporary copy of the report upon submitting the report.  The report will be reviewed by police personnel and once approved the filing person will receive an email with a copy of the report attached without cost.  The report will transfer into the Arcata Police Department’s records management system and receive the same investigation and statistical analysis ability as if the report had been filed by a police officer.

This web based reporting option will allow officers more time to address community needs while keeping pace with the public expectancy to complete services via the internet.
The Arcata Police Department will be using the Desk Officer Online Reporting System from San Ramon, California based software company Coplogic, Inc (www.Coplogic.com).

The web based crime reporting service is available at cityofarcata.org/report  

And is also available in Spanish at https://secure.coplogic.com/dors/startreport/300003936/es

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has recently received several reports of a common phone scam circulating again around the community.

As part of this scam, the caller ID appears to be from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. The scammer claims they are from the Sheriff's Office and may use several different names, with the name “Lieutenant Paul Jones and Captain Paul Jones” reportedly being used most recently. The caller tells the victim that they missed a federal court appearance for which they were subpoenaed, and now the victim has a federal warrant for their immediate arrest. The scammer tells the victim to buy up to $6,000 worth of Green Dot cards or other gift cards, then instructs the victim to read the numbers on the back of the card over the phone. The scammer then tells the victim to go to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office station to verify their identity and further “straighten out the warrant.”

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office would like the community to know that this is a scam. While law enforcement may contact you regarding a warrant or investigation, we will never demand payment in exchange for dropping a warrant or stopping an investigation. Additionally, no government agency will ask you to mail large sums of cash or pay with gift cards or pre-paid money cards.

Remember these tips to help protect yourself from fraud:

1. Spot imposters

Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust, like a government official, a family member, a charity or a company with which you do business. Don’t send money or give out personal information in response to an unexpected request – whether it comes as a text, a phone call or an email.

2. Do online searches

Type a company or product name into your favorite search engine with words like “review,” “complaint” or “scam.” Or search for a phrase that describes your situation, like “IRS call.” You can even search for phone numbers to see if other people have reported them as scams.

3. Don’t believe your caller ID

Technology makes it easy for scammers to fake caller ID information, so the name and number you see aren’t always real. If someone calls asking for money or personal information, hang up. If you think the caller might be telling the truth, call back to a number you know is genuine.

4. Talk to someone

Before you give up your money or personal information, talk to someone you trust. Con artists want you to make decisions in a hurry. They might even threaten you. Slow down, check out the story, do an online search, consult an expert — or just tell a friend.

5. Don’t rely on personal information

Living in the digital age, access to information is easier than ever. Scammers are often able to get their hands on very personal information, providing it to their victims to make their scam look more legitimate. Don’t trust a scammer who is able to provide your personal information. If you followed the above tips and still aren’t sure, call back at a publicly listed number for the organization from which the scammer claims to be or contact your loved one directly.

Sign up for the Federal Trade Commission’s scam alerts at ftc.gov/scams.

Visit https://www.usa.gov/stop-scams-frauds#item-35157 to learn how to report scams.

Visit https://humboldtgov.org/2864/Scam-Information to learn more about some of the common scams reported to the HCSO.