UPDATE, 4:30 p.m.:

The county identified the applicant of this project as Christopher Trent, owner of Redwood Recovery, LLC, which is based in Garberville. 

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UPDATE, 5 p.m.:

Kerry Durkee, owner founder of Redwood Recovery Center, LLC, says her Eureka-based outpatient detox organization has no affiliation with the very similarly named LLC cited above and is not involved in the Hartsook Inn proposal.

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Southern Humboldt may soon have its own residential detox facility in the redwoods as an unidentified applicant is looking to establish one inside the former Hartsook Inn, a long-shuttered tourist lodge just south of Richardson Grove State Park.

On Tuesday, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors approved a general plan amendment and zone reclassification for the 17.7-acre property, which borders Richardson Grove and the South Fork Eel River, just north of the spot where Reggae on the River is often held.

The supervisors approved the rezone request as part of its consent calendar, which means they didn’t discuss any of the project specifics. A staff report concluded that a residential detox center on this property would serve the public good “by providing needed health care and treatment options in Southern Humboldt.”

The inpatient residential detoxification center will provide “a safe, structured environment for individuals seeking treatment for substance use disorders,” the report says, adding that it could provide jobs and needed health care in remote areas of the county while preserving the property’s potential to revert back to a hotel.

Originally built in the 1920s, the Hartsook Inn was, for a time, a popular retreat for such celebrities as Bing Crosby and Mary Pickford. With a grand lodge and 50 cabins nestled in the redwoods, the Hartsook burned down and was rebuilt several times over the decades. Save the Redwoods League purchased it in 1998, then sold it in 2007 to the Heartwood Institute, whose owners planned to transform it into a retreat destination with a conference center, restaurant and spa. However, the property has remained vacant and deteriorating for many years.

Who is behind this new detox center proposal? Their identity remains somewhat obscured at this point. [No longer! See the update at the top of this post.] A petition letter was submitted to the Humboldt County Planning and Building Department in January by an employee of Drug Rehab Agency, a marketing and consulting agency based in Kansas City.

The Outpost reached that agency’s owner, Jon McMinn, via phone on Tuesday. He said his company had been hired “on behalf of the client” to get the project through the approval process but he declined to identify that client by name, citing a non-disclosure agreement. McMinn offered to check with his client before getting back to us but had yet to do so by the time this post was published.

The two-parcel property was most recently purchased in May 2022 by a company called Hartsook Inn, LLC, according to data on file with the Humboldt County Assessor’s Office. The registered agents for that company have an address in Glendale and dozens of LLCs in their names.

We’ve reached out to the Humboldt County Administrative’s Office and Department of Health and Human Services for more info and will update this post (or just write another one) once we know who the applicant is.

SoHum has been without a residential detox center since Singing Trees Recovery Center closed, then reopened under new management only to shut down again after the new owner was arrested for DUI and child endangerment, then reported to the state on allegations of unethical behavior, including misappropriation of government funds.

The county staff report says a detox facility on the Hartsook Inn property “will contribute positively to the local economy by creating jobs, attracting professional health care staff, and enhancing support services in the area.” It also noted that the facility “will provide much-needed resources to combat substance abuse and improve overall public health, directly benefiting the local population.” Clients would not be allowed to leave the premises while enrolled in the detox program.

The staff report also notes potential negative impacts. Given its proximity to Richardson Grove and the South Fork Eel, “its potential presence can be interpreted as not being consistent with the intended nature of the property,” the staff report says, noting the site’s history as “a visitor-serving entity.” Tourism could suffer, the report argues. 

“However,” it continues, “the property has not been operational as an Inn (or visitor-serving entity) for many years, and the social, health and economic benefits that could be gained from a professional health care center are worth consideration.”

Here’s the property location and boundaries:

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A recent cyberattack on United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) is disrupting grocery supply chains across the United States, causing widespread shortages of mass-produced frozen foods and other pantry staples. 

While the scale of the security breach remains unknown, the Outpost has received confirmation that at least two local grocery chains have been affected, including all five Murphy’s Markets and the Chef’s Store in Eureka. 

“Fortunately, we got on it immediately,” John McClurg, deli supervisor for Murphy’s Markets, told the Outpost. “I went over to the Chef’s Store and bought a ton of produce because, at first, nobody really knew anything. We just knew that there had been a [cyber] attack and that [UNFI] had to reboot their system. They couldn’t receive any phone calls, and their computers were down. The first analysis indicated that they were going to be out until next week.”

UNFI officials noticed the security breach late last week after “unauthorized activity” was detected in its system. “We are assessing the unauthorized activity and working to restore our systems to safely bring them back online,” UNFI officials wrote in a statement issued on Monday. “As we work through this issue, our customers, suppliers, and associates are our highest priority. We are working closely with them to minimize disruption as much as possible.”

As more information began trickling in, it became apparent that metropolitan areas — especially cities with Whole Foods Markets, which has a primary distribution agreement with UNFI —  would bear the brunt of the attack and subsequent food shortages. 

“We — and by ‘we’ I mean Humboldt County — have fared better because we have a lot of smaller, locally-based distributors that we go through that weren’t affected by [the attack on] UNFI,” McClurg said. “I talked to a friend in New York who handles food distribution, and he said it’s just an absolute zoo in the city right now. This is one of the few times it pays to be in a smaller area like Humboldt County, where pretty much everyone I know can supplement their losses through other vendors.”

That said, you might have a hard time finding some of your favorite cereals and frozen treats at Murphy’s Markets for the next few days.

“You might not see your Stouffer’s or your Marie Callender’s pot pies … but you’re going to be fine with essentials,” McClurg said. “This is not a panic buy situation. If you had your heart set on Stouffer’s mac and cheese, you might not find it at our store.”

[CLARIFICATION: After publication, McClurg reached out to the Outpost to clarify that the name-brand items currently out of stock are expected to arrive in a delivery on Friday and should be back on shelves this weekend.]

In an emailed response to the Outpost’s inquiry, Sara Matheu, a spokesperson for the Chef’s Store, confirmed that one of its “third-party suppliers” recently experienced a “temporary supply chain disruption, which has temporarily impacted some scheduled product deliveries.” However, she did not identify the third-party supplier by name. 

“Our Eureka [Chef’s Store] customers remain our top priority, and we are implementing measures to mitigate potential product disruptions,” Matheu said.

In a written statement issued this morning, UNFI said the investigation into the security breach is ongoing. 

We continue working steadily to safely restore our systems and provide the services our customers and suppliers know and expect from us. As of today, we’re gradually bringing our ordering and receiving capabilities back online, with the goal of further increasing our capacity over the coming days. The investigation is ongoing with the support of leading forensics experts. Our customers, suppliers, and associates are our highest priority. We continue to work closely with them to minimize disruptions as much as possible.

Reached for additional comment, store managers at Ray’s Food Place in Arcata and WinCo in Eureka said they were not aware of the cyber attack. The North Coast Co-op and Eureka Natural Foods did not respond to our request for comment before publication. We’ll update this post if we hear back.

Press release from the Northern California Community Blood Bank:

The Northern California Community Blood Bank is in urgent need of type O- blood donations as supplies have reached critically low levels once again. The shortage is attributed to increased local demand for O- blood products, resulting in a strain on the available inventory.

O- blood is especially crucial as it is the universal blood type that can be safely transfused to patients of all blood types. Due to its versatility, O- blood is in high demand for emergency situations and for treating patients with unknown blood types.

The Northern California Community Blood Bank urges individuals with O- blood type to donate as soon as possible to help replenish the supply and ensure that patients in need can receive life-saving transfusions. Donating blood is a simple yet impactful way to give back to the community and potentially save lives.

To schedule a blood donation, please visit the Northern California Community Blood Bank’s website, nccbb.org, or call 707-443-8004

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California’s strategy for tackling its housing affordability crisis is having a split screen moment.

On the one hand, state lawmakers have gone big on legislation aimed at boosting housing construction. They’ve passed bills to densify wide swaths of urbanized California, to rewrite the state’s signature environmental protection law to exempt most apartment buildings from review and to speed up the building permit process. In the past, such efforts have fizzled or been too politically radioactive to attempt. Now, fresh off last week’s deadline for the state Senate to hand its own bills off to the Assembly and vice versa, 2025 is shaping up to be a banner year for pro-development legislation.

Then there are the bills aimed at providing immediate help to renters.

In short, there aren’t that many. Of all the tenant-focused legislation introduced at the beginning of the session, the most ambitious have been shelved for the year.

A bill that would have reduced allowable rent increases across the state was quietly extinguished in late April before it received a hearing in the Assembly Judiciary Committee. That’s despite the fact that the committee’s chair, San Jose Assemblymember Ash Kalra, was the bill’s author.

Another bill to limit the types of fees that a landlord can charge tenants on top of monthly rent was put on ice until at least next year, even though the bill was introduced by San Francisco Assemblymember Matt Haney, chair of the Assembly Housing Committee, its main backer is the state’s attorney general, and it was deemed priority legislation by the Legislature’s growing renters’ caucus.

As legislative leaders focus on finding solutions to California’s affordability problems, some solutions are getting a warmer reception than others.

“Fighting for tenants in this building is not popular and it’s not easy and it’s always going to be an uphill battle,” said Sen. Aisha Wahab, a Fremont Democrat, a member of the Renters’ Caucus and chair of the Senate Housing Committee.

Wahab has introduced her own share of tenant-minded bills this year. They include:

• Senate Bill 436, which would require landlords to give tenants 14 days to pay any late rent they owe before facing eviction (the current notice period is three days);
• Senate Bill 681, a housing policy grab-bag which includes restrictions on certain rental fees and an expansion of state tax credits for renters;
• Senate Bill 262, which would change the way that the state awards its “prohousing designation” to cities — a bureaucratic imprimatur that comes with prioritized access to state funds.

So far these bills have survived the Legislative gauntlet, but often significantly watered down. An earlier version of SB 436 would have given tenants up until the day of their physical eviction to make good on the rent they owe and “redeem” their tenancy, addressing situations in which renters scrounge up the money they owe but too late and are evicted anyway. An earlier version of SB 262 would have rewarded cities with credits toward a prohousing designation if they have local caps on rent in place.

In both cases, the bills were amended in the face of fierce opposition from landlords.

Debra Carlton, a lobbyist with the California Apartment Association, the premier trade group representing the state’s rental property owners, said that this year’s crop of tenant-related legislation doesn’t go nearly as far as the construction-related bills, but instead “nibble around the edges.”

Still, she argued, landlords are frustrated at having to constantly push back against legislation written to constrain the way they do business. She noted that in 2019, the association acceded to a statewide cap on rents — “that was huge for the industry.” Then came Kalra’s effort this year to lower the cap.

“Every time we sit at the table then the following year there’s something else,” she said. “It gets frustrating when we feel we’re negotiating in good faith… It’s like, why do we even negotiate?”

Other bills that would stick landlords with additional regulations: Senate Bill 52, authored by Pasadena Democratic Sen. Sasha Perez, would restrict landlords from consulting certain software to set their rents and Assembly Bill 246 by Culver City Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, a Democrat, would shield tenants from eviction if they are due delayed Social Security payments. The current version of Bryan’s bill is significantly more modest than the initial proposal introduced back in January: An across-the-board, yearlong rent freeze across Los Angeles County.

Modest appears to be the only kind of renter protection bill that has a chance in the current political climate, said Wahab.

“I want to make sure that the policies cross the finish line and get signed by the governor,” she said. “That is extremely difficult when you are dealing with special interest money, millions of dollars going in to people’s races that are afraid to make the right choice out of fear of losing their seat, millions of dollars being put into campaigns to ensure that they select the person that would vote with them instead of doing the right thing by millions of Californians.”

The apartment association is a major presence both in the Capitol and on the campaign trail. This year alone, the organization has lobbied on at least 25 bills, according to a tabulation by Digital Democracy. In just the first quarter of this year, a committee affiliated with the association has spent nearly $200,000 on campaign activity. Late last month it produced a website directed specifically at Wahab, which refers to the senator as “the biggest threat to California’s housing progress” and someone who “has sided with NIMBY obstructionists.”

“Every member of the Legislature and anyone who runs for office in the state of California understands the power of the apartment association and the association of Realtors,” said Michelle Pariset, director of legislative affairs with the nonprofit Public Advocates.

But there are other reasons that may explain why tenant bills often have a tough time in Sacramento. Roughly 44% of California homes were occupied by a renter, making tenants a minority. Homeowners are also much more likely to vote than tenants — and far more likely to contribute financially to a campaign, attend a town hall meeting or otherwise engage with the political system. When lawmakers listen to their constituents, homeowners have a much louder voice.

For lawmakers looking to protect tenants, there are also just fewer low hanging fruit to pick. The state already places a cap on allowable rents. Advocates say the cap is too high and includes too many loopholes, but the fact remains that California is just one of two states to have something akin to statewide rent control. California also has strict limits on when and how tenants can be evicted. A recent report by Consumer Affairs found that while California is the worst state in which to rent thanks to the sheer cost, its laws are among the most tenant-friendly.

Such tenant-friendly laws also come with the possibility of side effects — another reason that many lawmakers are reluctant to embrace them. Making it more difficult for landlords to raise rents or evict tenants can make it less profitable for developers to build new homes and discourage landlords from renting out their vacant units. That is, such policies could undercut the Legislature’s preferred method of addressing the state’s affordability woes: Boosting the housing supply.

Some California lawmakers, especially Democrats, do support both enhanced renter protections and policies that seek to turbo-charge supply. But the two goals can find themselves in tension in Sacramento. Anti-gentrification activists often look upon bills that promote market-rate development with skepticism, if not outright scorn.

Pariset, with Public Advocates, called voting for legislation to boost more private housing production “a way to essentially do nothing and pretend like you’re helping.”

That ideological rift has been a recurring theme in the California Senate this year, with members openly disagreeing over whether promoting more development is the best way to address the state’s high housing costs. Wahab has been a central figure in that debate, opposing Senate Bill 79, legislation that would allow denser development around major transit routes with modest requirements that some units be set aside for lower-income renters.

That bill, authored by San Francisco Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener, narrowly passed out of the Senate last week. Before voting no, Wahab called it a “complete handout to developers.”

Much of the academic research on the subject has found that new market rate housing, even if priced at rates unaffordable to many surrounding residents, still tends to reduce neighborhood and city-wide rents.

In an interview, Wahab disputed the characterization that she is anti-development, as many supporters of that bill have painted her. “I do believe in build, build, build,” she said, but stressed current renters won’t feel the effect of legislation aimed at boosting construction for years.

“It’s not all just about development and streamlining and permitting. It is also: What are we doing to ensure that renters can stay housed longer?” she said.

Beyond saddling landlords with additional regulations, another way the state helps keep renters in their homes is through funding for designated affordable housing and homelessness services. But those causes are also having a hard year. Grappling with a $12 billion budget shortfall, Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed no additional spending for the state’s signature homelessness grant program and its main affordable housing subsidy.

On Monday, the Legislature countered with its own budget proposal, which would add hundreds of millions of dollars to the affordable housing program, but no additional homelessness grant funds for the coming year.

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Gov. Gavin Newsom suggested last week that California may withhold taxes it pays to the United States if President Donald Trump slashes federal funding to the state.

It could be another front in the escalating battle between the Trump administration and the Golden State, which are at the moment wrestling over the president summoning the military to handle protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles. But how it would all work — on both sides — is anyone’s guess.

CalMatters asked several tax experts to weigh in on how the state could withhold money from the federal government. Most would not comment about what they called a “vague” threat by state officials. But they pointed out that residents and businesses pay state and federal governments directly when they file their income taxes — making it unclear what tax money California could withhold.

Newsom is not suggesting people stop paying their taxes, said Tara Gallegos, a spokesperson for the governor. But she said the state is considering “whether there are potential options that would allow it to retain some of the funding it typically sends the federal government.”

She would not provide further details and did not answer CalMatters’ question about which of his staff the governor has directed to explore those options.

California’s biggest sources of revenue are personal income tax, corporation tax and sales tax, the last of which goes to local and state governments. The state does not handle other excise taxes, such as those from airports, transportation and more, that the federal government receives, according to the Finance Department.

Newsom on Friday also floated on social media the idea that California is a “donor” state and contributes tens of billions of dollars more a year to the U.S. than it gets back, something Gallegos reiterated to CalMatters.

A study by the Rockefeller Institute of Government found that in fiscal year 2021-22, California provided about $83 billion more to the federal government than it received, nearly three times as much as the next state, New Jersey, which provided about $29 billion more than it received from the U.S.

In addition, California taxpayers contribute the most of any state to total federal taxes, according to IRS data the state’s Finance Department cited. In fiscal year 2023-24, California’s total federal taxes were $806 billion — nearly twice as much as Texas, which contributed $417 billion, and more than twice the $384 billion New York contributed.

State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas also posted on social media last week that California must look at “every option” including withholding tax dollars, saying that “we’re the nation’s economic engine and the largest donor state, and deserve our fair share.” Rivas, a Salinas Democrat, was not available to answer questions, his staff said.

Some people dispute the notion of donor states.

“The governor’s long-standing complaint that California is a donor state rings hollow,” said Jared Walczak, vice president of state projects for the Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based right-leaning think tank. “Unless California politicians are questioning the legitimacy of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, the complaint that California residents pay more in federal taxes than they get back is disingenuous.”

“Courts have made it abundantly clear that you can’t be a conscientious objector to paying taxes,” Walczak said.

Courts have also made it tough for the White House to cancel funding.

White House spokesperson Harrison Fields confirmed in an email to CalMatters this week that the Trump administration is reviewing possible wide-ranging funding cuts to California, as reported last week by different media outlets such as CNN and the Washington Post. But Fields said no decision has been made, and would not specify which programs are being considered for defunding. In the same email, Fields said the answers were on background or off the record, which he and CalMatters did not agree to beforehand.

H.D. Palmer, spokesperson for California’s Finance Department, pointed to the Trump administration’s attempt to freeze hundreds of billions of dollars in federal grants and loans, through an Office of Management and Budget memo, which it then rescinded in late January after public outcry and court orders.

“One salient point from our high school civics lessons: The power of the purse doesn’t lie with the (presidential) administration,” Palmer said.

Palmer provided a list of state programs that receive the most federal funding, which the state is counting on in its current budget. The list includes money for health, education, highway planning and construction, disaster recovery, grants for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and more. The biggest is $100.9 billion for medical assistance programs.

He said the White House has yet to provide specifics or answer the following question: “What public policy benefit are you seeking by withholding these federal dollars from California?”

Hearldine Campbell began her journey on June 5, 2025, in Hoopa. She was born February 16, 1945, in Fall River Massachusetts to James E. and Ida Jean Campbell where her dad was stationed in the US Navy. She grew up in Hoopa, CA and spent her life in the Pacific Northwest from San Francisco, Ca to Port Angeles, Forks, and Hoh River Washington; where she worked as a CHR, and Fairbanks, Alaska. She moved back to Hoopa to be with her family and relatives devoting a lot of her later years doing in-home care for close family and others. Over the years she cared for our grandmother, mom, dad and sister with love and devotion.

She always said, “God, knows my heart” and always had a prayer for someone in need. She enjoyed gathering and preparing willow sticks and roots from along the river. She made a burden basket that she used for gathering. She liked wood carving and landscaping with rocks. Her ability to transform any space and decorate it was awe-inspiring.

She lived briefly on Alcatraz Island during the Occupation 1969-71, and years later, traveled to Wounded Knee S.D. during the American Indian Movement Memorial and stayed in the AIM house.

She had style and grace, always taking care of her appearance, clothes, jewelry, hair and car. Her last tattoo was the 111 on her chin. She never failed to say what was on her mind whether you wanted to hear or not. She was a straight talker right down to her last day. When it came to her family, friends and community she was loyal to the core. She was the mother of five boys. A True “Auntie.”

She is survived by her eldest brother Joe LeMieux and her youngest sister Gina. Her sons Frank L. Reece and Kim, and Craig E. Reece. Nieces Mary Jane Aubrey and Bruz, Lacheth Ida Jae and Clara. Her nephews Jim and Tracy Campbell, Kiai Lincoln. Her grandsons; Johnny and Nena Blake, Eric and Shay Blake, David, Timothy, Jonathan Blake, and Austin Blake. Granddaughters; Brooke (Blake) and James Giddens, Felicia Blake, Emily Blake, Stormy, Daisy(Reece) and Clifford, and Shiara. 10 great-granddaughters and five great-grandsons and two great-great-granddaughters.

Preceded in death by her parents James and Ida, her cherished cousins Connie Thompson, Wally Martins Jr. and Colleen McCullough, Sisters Becky Campbell and Georgia (Booboo) Campbell, Brothers J.C. and T.C. Nephew Dale LeMieux, Her beloved sons- John Luddington, Harold (OT) Joseph, and Thomas Eugene-Blake.

Pall bearers Eric Blake, Timothy, David and Johnathan Blake. Tommy Blake, John Blake III, Kehniwh Offield, Whikil Campbell, Tyler Campbell and Lil’ Des.

Honorary: Joe LeMieux, Gumpy Fountain, Craig, Frank, Jimmy, Johnny Blake, Bruz Aubrey and Hill Bill, Desmond Oliver, Kiai Lincoln, Two Feathers Offield, Hank Masten, Jason Rakestraw, L.T. Tracy, Brent and Loren Thompson and Doug McCloud.

We want to thank the specific people who were present in her life. Ten-day fire on the flat ongoing.

A wake will be on Jun 11, 2025, at the Assembly of God Church on Tish Tang Rd. Hoopa, CA Service at 11 a.m. on Jun 12, 2025. Internment at Hoopa Cemetery.

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Robert Dale Jackson, loved husband, brother, grandfather passed May 15, 2025 Robert was born December 27, 1967 in Santa Clara.

Robert was predeceased by his parents, Dale Jackson and Susan Elaine Leonesio Jackson Bolling, father and mother-in-law, Henry and Carol Del Biaggio, grandparents and uncles John and Bill J Leonesio.

Bob lived in San Jose, moving to Redding with his mother Susan and brother John Bolling, enlisting in the army after graduating from Enterprise High School in 1986. He moved to join familly in Eureka in 1997.

Bob loved walking on the Centerville Beach with Donna, watching movies, watching and listening to his nine grandchildren play and surprising others with amazing bits of information he knew.

He is missed by his wife Donna, brother John E Bolling (Lorena),step-sons Jared and Kyle and step-daughter Samantha, brothers-in-law Dennis (Susie) and Daniel (Kelly) Del Biaggio, grandchildren Cora, Dusten, Zion, Abagail, Hannah, Rebekkah, Alice, Adom and Milo, niece Cecelia Elaine Bolling, aunt Judy Leonesio and cousins William A (Linda) and Michael Leonesio (Paula).

Friends are invited to Centerville Beach to join family to remember and wish him farewell.