It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of an extraordinary man, Thomas Joseph Machi, Jr. Tom gained his wings on January 22, 2021 after a long battle with Ataxia.

A beloved father, grandfather, father-in-law, son, brother, cousin, uncle, and great-uncle, Tom was born October 14, 1957 in Garberville. He was a fifth generation Humboldt County resident who lived most of his life at his beloved Shelter Cove.

Tom’s Humboldt County roots run deep. On his family history Tom had this to say: “Augustus Schumacher came to Garberville before there was a Garberville, in 1873. He had a son named Frank. Frank had a daughter named Gussie, she had a daughter named Marilyn. She has a son, that would be me, and I have a daughter, Lisa. She has a son named Wyatt. That is 140 years, six generations, who called and still call this place home.” Tom was very proud of his pioneer family heritage. On his dad’s side, his grandfather, Pop Machi, came to Shelter Cove in the 1920s followed by Pop’s sons, Babe, Tony, and Mario. Except for WWII, the Machis have lived at Shelter Cove for the last 90 years.

Tom married Susan Wilson in 1985 and they soon became parents. In Tom’s own words: “When Lisa was born I was 27 years old. Suddenly I had direction and purpose in my life like never before. She is the best thing that ever happened to me and I am sure her mother feels the same way…” Robb (Lisa’s husband) has become my right-hand man and the son I never had. I couldn’t be more proud of them….” His marriage ended in 2007.

Tom’s niece Carrie McMahon observed, “One of the happiest days of Tom’s life was the birth of his grandson Wyatt Lukas Cash Pleger. From that day on Tom would spend every day he could, day after day, adventuring around Shelter Cove with his grandson, teaching Wyatt all about what their little coastal land could provide and how his lineage moved through time like the streams from the mountains to the sea, to him. Family and ancestors were all built right into Wyatt’s life, like it was part of Tom’s plan.”

Tom and his daughter Lisa had such a tight bond - the love they shared was something one could only hope for in a lifetime. They danced to their song Father and Daughter by Paul Simon at her wedding. Tom was the most devoted father and loved his daughter more than anything. From the day she was born, his love and devotion to her never wavered, and Lisa’s love for him runs deeper than the greatest depths of the seas. Her Dad was and always will be her hero, her idol, her best friend, her guiding light, and her ship in the storm. She remained by his side until his very last breath.

In his short 63 years, Tom accomplished more than most. His talents were many and he could be described as a Renaissance Man (except for the dancing and singing part!). He was a horseman, hunter, camper par excellence, fisherman, master carpenter, boat builder, craftsman, draftsman, artist, gardener, and photographer. He played the banjo, guitar and harmonica. Tom was also an entrepreneur, a successful business owner, and a wonderful boss. He loved animals, the wild west, and the Lost Coast. He was the most loving father a daughter could ever ask for and a wonderful friend. Tom took pride in everything he did and loved. His love for family ran deep with his grandson Wyatt being his pride and joy.

Tom lived an extraordinary life though he would not have characterized it as such. He built his own home overlooking the Pacific Ocean from mostly salvaged wood and beams pulled from the beaches of Shelter Cove, he could tell you a story of each timber and board.

He was fascinated by “the old days” and recreated the experience of pack trips up the beach to Big Flat and beyond with horse and mule, taking friends and family along. Regular companions were Greg and Betsy Mullins, Nate Lewis, John Fitzgerald and his kids, his then-wife Sue and daughter Lisa, and, of course, his dog.

Tom put his carpentry skills to use after the Mosquito Fleet was formed and built his fishing boat “Cypress”, a double-ended dory, from scratch. He laid it out in his dad’s garage and assembled it piece by piece in the yard. The launch was a day of much celebration at the Cove.

He again used his carpentry skills when he joined the Fitzgerald Construction team with his dear friend John Fitzgerald, working alongside his buddy Don Sisk. They constructed more than thirty homes in the Cove working together for some 10 years. Tom’s drawings of house plans are works of art.

Tom took the reins of the Shelter Cove General Store from his mom who started the business in 1984. His favorite saying was “If we don’t have it, we have something that will work!”. Tom also opened Shelter Cove Gifts & More Shop next to the General Store. Through Thomas Machi Holdings, LLC he renovated the Beachcomber Inn and provided several residential rentals to the community.

Tom can also be called a hero by more than his family and friends. He rescued a retired couple from their burning motorhome after its brakes failed coming down Shelter Cove Road, went off the roadway and flipped upside down near his home. To make matters worse it burst into flames. Tom, with his trusty Swiss Army Knife, cut through their seat belts as they hung upside down in the RV, dragged them out the window, and moved them to safety just as the flames began to engulf the RV. He was awarded a medal for his heroism.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents Marilyn Fay Machi (Swithenbank) and Thomas “Babe” Machi; his uncles Mario and Tony Machi, and Darrell, Barney, Des and Joe Swithenbank; and his grandparents Leo and Gussie Swithenbank. Tom is survived by his daughter Lisa Machi-Pleger (Robert) and his one and only grandson Wyatt; Lisa’s mother Susan Machi; his sisters Sara and Betty Machi; his nieces and nephews Haley Klemm and John Klemm, Carrie McMahon (James), Jared Morris (Coral); and his great-niece and -nephews Shayla McMahon, Pakal Uribe, and Avery Morris. Tom is also survived by his many cousins who were very dear to him.

Donations can be made to the National Ataxia Foundation at https://ataxia.org/donate/

Services to honor Tom will be held when it is safe to do so. The family is hoping for early summer 2021.

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

Erla Crabtree Jadro was born May 10, 1929 in Hydesville and passed February 1, 2021 at her home in Fortuna. She was a fourth-generation Humboldt County resident; Erla’s great grandparents, Alonzo and Mary Jane Crabtree, traveled by ox team across the plains in 1848, first settling in Lake County and then moving to the Yager Valley in 1910. She grew up on the Crabtree Ranch and attended school in the one-room Redwood House School. Kids in the Crabtree family learned to drive at an early age, so they often drove themselves to school in the family car. Erla cherished memories of her youth growing up on the ranch. This is where her love of family, friends, food, fun and foolishness began. She was number 10 of a family of 11 children born to John and Susan Crabtree; with a family of that size there were lots of reasons for celebrations – birthdays, all holidays (even Groundhog Day), and just the joy of getting together. Erla shared her child hood memories of attending “school house dances” where ranchers from Kneeland, Iaqua, Bridgeville and Yager gathered for dancing and midnight suppers. Erla also fondly remembers coming “to town” every year in July for the Fortuna Rodeo; the annual festivities became a Jadro Family tradition that continues to this day. Growing up in the “hill country” instilled in her an appreciation of the beauty of nature and a lifelong appreciation of Fall leaves, acorns, pussy willows, Spring-blooming daffodils and new lambs in the fields.

She was a member of the Fortuna High, class of 1947 and continued to meet with her classmates throughout her life. She married Paul “PJ” Jadro on May 20, 1949 and the two of them built a life and family in Fortuna. Her life was devoted to being a mother to Paula, Gary, Jon, and Ann. She was actively involved in her children’s activities; serving as a Bluebird leader, a Cub Scout leader and a 4-H cooking leader for both her kids and grandkids. Her appreciation of good food and finding a reason to celebrate has been passed to her children and grandchildren. Erla’s greatest joy and accomplishment was in being a mother and grandmother. She had a large extended family and valued the relationships with her many nieces and nephews (“Aunt Ursala” to some).

Erla always believed she was incredibly fortunate to have been employed at Fortuna Elementary School District; first as an aide and then retired 28 years later as the Business Manager of the District. Working at Town School was a perfect fit; her love of children and her stenographic/bookkeeping skills led to, not just a career, but also lifelong friends of staff and students. Many students benefitted from the generosity of co-worker, Doris Scalvini and Erla. They made sure students were able to attended school trips, purchase school pictures, get a ride home, or just had an understanding ear. Neither Erla or Doris were above bribing a student to keep them from cutting class so they could graduate.

PJ and Erla spent many years involved with the Fortuna Fire Department and again, many lifelong friendships were established. After retiring she took an interest in researching her Wiyot Indian ancestry. Her maternal grandmother, Mattie Forner Cassidy, was born in 1847; the massacre on Woodley Island was very relevant to Erla. She relished the lessons she learned from the Wiyot tribe. Her retirement also allowed her to spend more time as “Gram” to her seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Time spent at Gram & PJ’s house was filled with fun, silliness, and more good food. She passed on important life lessons like, there is pure joy in rolling in Fall leaves, there is peace in talking to trees, you should play with your food, and a little silliness is good for the soul.

Erla’s style, humor, and generosity will be missed by many. She is survived by her children, Paula Jadro-Bettiga (Mike), Gary Jadro, Jon Jadro (Karen), Ann Jadro-Bettiga (Kyle); her grandchildren Nathan Barnwell (Wendy), Gail Brady (Bob), Jason Jadro (Stacey), Jevin Jadro, Zachary, Emily, and Wyatt Jadro, and Cole and Clint Bettiga; her great-grandchildren; Nolan, Caleb and Amy Barnwell, Tyler Brady, Jordan Brady, Cole Bettiga, Raelynn Bednar, and arriving in April, Alivia Mona Jadro. She was preceded in death by her husband Paul, her parents, her nine brothers and sisters, her daughter-in-law, Mona Jadro, and many special friends.

The family would like to give heartfelt thanks to the cadre of caregivers, friends, and family that graced Erla with friendship, food, and shared memories. Special thanks to the Visiting Angels, Allison Brown, and Carol Kinser. The family will plan a memorial celebration (Erla would not want us to pass up the opportunity for a party) at a later date. Memorial contributions can be made in Erla’s name to Fortuna Rohner Park, 5 Park Street, Fortuna, CA 95540, or the Humboldt County Historical Society, 703 8th Street, Eureka, CA 95501. In Erla’s honor take some time to appreciate the beauty that surrounds you, love your family, and find a reason to celebrate.

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

Ronald Sheehan of Fortuna died on Thursday, January 7th, 2021 after a sudden lung cancer diagnosis. He passed away peacefully at his home with his family by his side.

Ron was born August 13, 1945 in Los Angeles to Vernon and Bettie Sheehan.

Ron married his wife Cristy in 1965, and in 1976 the family moved to the small mountain community of Chilao in the San Gabriel Mountains, where Ron worked for Caltans. Here they raised their four children and spent 23 years enjoying living in a remote setting in the woods before moving north to Fortuna in 1999 via a job transfer. After 36 years with Caltrans Ron retired in 2005. He enjoyed traveling, working on his HO Scale trains, time with his family & friends, rooting on his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers, and “cruising” in his 1946 Ford Woodie that he owned for over 45 years.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Cristy, sons Brian Sheehan (Mike) and Kevin Sheehan (Max), his daughters Kelly Brandt (Stephen) and Megan Leverton (Eric), grandchildren Linkin, Luke, Lennon, and Liv, and his older sisters Sandra Munyon and Carol Kuhn (Karl) and their families, and his many cherished friends.

The world is not the same without his sweet smirk and sarcastic sense of humor, we miss him so much.

A memorial gathering will be announced later when COVID restrictions are lifted and we can celebrate him in a way that he deserves.

Educational videos from Union Street Charter School’s fourth grade class.

Union Street Charter School’s fourth grade students would like you to take on a more active role in sustainability, please.

“People use a lot of plastic, and it is ending up in the ocean,” says Annaka, a Union Street Charter fourth grader. Follow classmate Nico adds: “Sea animals are eating the plastic, and it is killing them.”

Put simply: “If we stop using plastic, then more animals will live.”

Along with their classmates, Annaka and Nico are working on the plastic pollution problem. To spread awareness, the two made a public service announcement using Adobe Spark, a media creation application, by layering music, voiceover and images.

The goal “was to help students identify a problem facing the world today and then give them the agency to be a part of the solution,” their teacher, Greg Gaiera, told the Outpost.

Other students in the class wrote letters to local restaurants asking them to reduce plastic use, created posters explaining the problem and suggesting solutions, and organized a beach clean up at Moonstone beach later this month. Everyone in the class identified personal changes they can make to reduce their own plastic use, Gaiera said.

The class also created digital books about sea turtles using Book Creator, which are crammed with neat turtle facts. (Like how the temperature of the nest where a turtle lays her eggs influences sex determination, so mother turtles are mindful of the depth of their nests in effort to balance male and female babies. Who knew? “Sometimes you just gotta give some credit to how much work mother sea turtles put into laying eggs,” wrote student Mahina in one of the books.) Learn more by reading the students’ books here!

Gaiera based the projects around an international sea turtle education project, which is in collaboration with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Using tools like Adobe Spark in education is a COVID adaptation new to Gaiera.

“I have been teaching for 20 years, but I very much feel like a first-year teacher and as much as it pains me to ask kids to sit on screens for longer and longer periods of time, I feel that learning and using new digital platforms keeps things engaging for them,” Gaiera said.

Gaiera hopes that incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals into the curriculum will help students build a connection to the greater natural and societal world.

“I believe that the major problems that we face in the world today have to be solved with a global perspective by people that really feel like they can be a part of the solution,” he said. “This project is a step in that direction.”

So go watch the PSA’s, read the books and join these small and tech savvy environmentalists in the solution. If you do, “you could see animals living a happy life,” says Ava, who created a PSA with her classmate Silas. “You could see them play. I mean, who doesn’t want that?”

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Press release from the Humboldt County Drug Task Force:

Bergenske.

On February 4th , 2021 agents with the Humboldt County Drug Task Force (HCDTF) received information that Gary Bergenske (60 years old from Eureka) was going to be picking up a large quantity of heroin in the Fortuna area. Bergenske is on felony probation in Humboldt County for drug sales. Agents conducted surveillance on Bergenske and watched him meet a heroin source in the parking lot of a shopping center in the 700 block of South Fortuna Blvd. in Fortuna.

HCDTF agents followed the source away from the meeting and observed him driving without his headlights on and then he failed to yield for multiple stop signs in the City of Fortuna. HCDTF agents made a traffic stop on the source vehicle on southbound Highway 101 at Highway 36. The driver was identified as Rodrigo Misael Alvarez Alatorre (20 years old from Los Angeles). Alatorre was found to not have a driver’s license and agents could see heroin in plain view in his vehicle. Agents located 6 ounces of heroin in the vehicle. Agents conducted a further search and located $10,000 in US currency hidden in a compartment behind the back seat. This money was seized pending an asset forfeiture investigation. Alatorre was transported to the Humboldt County jail where he was booked for the following charges:

Alvarez.

• H&S 11352(a) Transportation of controlled substances for sale

• H&S 11351(a) Possession of controlled substances for sale

• VC 12500(a) Driving without a driver’s license

On February 5th, 2021 in the early morning hours HCDTF agents conducted a probation search on Bergenske and his hotel room in the 1900 block of Broadway St. in Eureka. Agents detained Bergenske as he exited his hotel room. Agents located approx. 2 pounds of heroin in Bergenske’s possession. Bergenske was transported to the Humboldt County jail where he was booked for the following charges:

• H&S 11351(a) Possession of controlled substances for sale

• PC 1203.2 Probation violation

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.

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Press release from Food for People:

Wildberries Marketplace joins the fight to end hunger by donating 850 boxes of Annie’s Mac and Cheese to Food for People, the Food Bank for Humboldt County.

“We are motivated to serve and support the food bank with a pure and unadulterated donation,” said Aaron Gottschalk, General Manager of Wildberries to Anne Holcomb, Food for People’s Executive Director. This is a brand new order they made just for Food for People to help those in need. As a local business that has been able to remain open during the pandemic, unlike others that have sadly had to close down, Wildberries wanted to show their support and give thanks back to the community that has supported them. Wildberries plans to continue to donate to Food for People as a way to further serve the community during these challenging times.

The effects of Covid-19 have created an increased need for food assistance in Humboldt County. Food for People and their supporters have stepped up to meet that need. With a network of 17 food pantries Food for People serves more than 12,000 people each month, distributing food to over 3,600 children and 2,500 seniors and providing food for nearly 100 partner agencies every year. Food for People meets the emergency food needs that arise locally during a natural disaster, emergency, or global pandemic. Ending hunger and improving the health and wellbeing of our community is their main priority.

Yesterday, registered nurse Hava Phillips — a member of Humboldt County’s Vaccine Task Force and supervisor of the county’s public health clinic — took questions from the media on vaccination efforts and other local public health efforts on topics such as travel and school reopening

Video above. Media questions, and timestamps relating to the point in the video in which they are asked and answered, can be found below.

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(0:00) 1. From the North Coast News: Can you explain why being vaccinated is not a free pass to travel? (And will you please reiterate the quarantine guidelines for travelers who come into Humboldt from out-of-county and out-of-state?)

(1:30) 2. From the North Coast News: Are there any updates from officials on if the vaccination protects against transmission? If not, how can schools reopen safely even if teachers are vaccinated, with the general public still at risk? I.e. families of students and teachers?

(2:30) 3. From the Redheaded Blackbelt: Are local CVS or Walgreens going to be offering vaccines to the public, and if so, how do people go about setting up an appointment? Who is currently eligible to be vaccinated within the scope of “essential workers” beyond caretaking staff or medical first responders?

(3:30) 4. From the Redheaded Blackbelt: What percent of local first responders have been vaccinated? Have there been instances of local first responders declining to take the vaccine when it was made available?

(4:15) 5. From the Redheaded Blackbelt: Where does Public Health stand on the issue of vaccinating teachers prior to reopening schools that have been maintaining distance learning options?

(4:50) 6. From the Redheaded Blackbelt: When will the county be adding vaccination data to the county dashboard? Will the county COVID-19 dashboard include the number of vaccinations given locally, what type of vaccine, and any additional demographics regarding who in the community has been vaccinated- similar data as with the testing statistics presented?

(5:30) 7. From the Times-Standard: How many approved local vaccinators are there in the county?

(5:40) 8. From the Times-Standard: When does the county expect to begin receiving supplies in greater volume or at an increased frequency, if at all? What is this dependent upon and has the state, pharmaceutical companies or the CDC given any indication of when this might happen?

(6:30) 9. From the Times-Standard: How long does Public Health expect it will take to administer the 6,000 second doses of vaccine? How much will this slow down first doses? Specifically, how many first doses per week can county residents expect to be administered and for how many weeks will that last?

(7:45) 10. From the Times-Standard: Can you reiterate the process of acquiring vaccines? Is the process automated so the county receives the level of supply it initially asked for or do counties need to resubmit order forms?

(8:25) 11. From the Times-Standard: At the current rate of vaccine administration, how long would it take for the county to vaccinate all of its residents?