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Tuesday’s virtual meeting of the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors offered a snapshot of the various trials and tribulations facing the community in early 2021, from the messy national rollout of COVID-19 vaccines to a corporate media beef that’s robbing local customers of local programming to continuing internal drama surrounding fiscal management. 

Below you’ll find a summary of the major topics discussed. 

Early in the meeting, Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Ian Hoffman provided his latest update on local COVID 19 conditions, saying the virus is widespread in our community and vaccination efforts are not going as smoothly as hoped.

While the state has lifted regional stay-at-home orders (which were never triggered here in Northern California), Hoffman said Humboldt County’s epidemiological data puts us firmly in the purple tier, indicating widespread COVID-19 infections, and we’re likely to remain at that level for several weeks.

“We’ve been seeing many outbreaks across all sectors of Humboldt County,” Hoffman said, indicating that these outbreaks are “almost always associated with gatherings,” including those at workplaces, churches and, increasingly, schools. He reminded locals that with so much COVID-19 in the community, any gathering is risky.

As for the vaccination effort, Hoffman said the supply coming into the county has been “variable and very limited,” with only 1,000-2,000 first doses arriving weekly “despite promises we will get more.” (Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines require two doses, administered weeks apart. Hoffman said the county is getting enough second doses to ensure nobody is left hanging after receiving the first.)

The county and its public health partners — including hospitals, pharmacies and primary health care providers — now have significantly more capacity than vaccines to administer, Hoffman said, and county staff has gone back to the drawing board on its vaccination plan. They’re now moving toward a mass-vaccination effort, looking to set up sites to inoculate large numbers of people in short periods of time — in some cases via drive-through clinics.

“It is a challenging time, for sure,” Hoffman said. “We’re all working extraordinarily hard to get this vaccine out. We will continue to have to change and pivot. Hopefully in the future we’ll have a solid, stable plan that won’t change from week to week.”

The subsequent Q-and-A between Hoffman and the supervisors got a bit testy. First District Supervisor Rex Bohn and Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell, in particular, peppered Hoffman with questions, and his replies were sometimes curt.

Bushnell wanted to know exactly how many county residents have been vaccinated to date and Hoffman couldn’t provide the answer. “We’re working hard to figure that out,” he said, explaining that the state’s database has not been tracking vaccinations accurately, so the county has been attempting to collect the information from its various vaccinating partners. But he could only hazard a guess. The county has finished moving through phase 1A, which consisted of 10,000 people (not all of whom received the vaccine, though a majority did, he said) and has now moved into phase 1B, which contains about 7,500 people. 

Bushnell alleged that teachers have been moved down the county’s vaccine priority list, but Hoffman strongly denied that, first by interjecting “Not true” and later by reading directly from the county’s website.

Bohn, who said he was merely repeating the questions that get asked of him, pressured Hoffman to say when local teachers can expect to receive their vaccine shots. Hoffman said that given the variability in supply he was hesitant to give an exact date. 

“We were told we’d get more vaccine in February, [but] that’s not happening,” he said. “We see what we have and then plan the clinics accordingly. … I do feel confident we’ll have the teachers [vaccinated] in the [coming] weeks.”

Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson and Fifth District Supervisor Steve Madrone attempted to lower the temperature a bit, with Wilson noting that the pandemic has created “a pressure cooker” of anxiety while Madrone said the end is in sight.

“This is the exact time to take a deep breath and realize that help is coming,” he said.

Cable Company Squabble

Local cable subscribers have been up in arms lately after contract negotiations between two media conglomerates resulted in both KIEM (the local NBC affiliate) and KVIQ (the local CBS affiliate) getting removed from the channel lineup, blacking out local news broadcasts, NFL playoff games and other programming.

Deputy County Administrative Officer Sean Quincey and Access Humboldt Executive Director Sean McLaughlin were on hand to provide background on the situation, which cable companies Suddenlink (parent company: Altice) and Cox Media Group blame on each other.

Quincey explained that a 2014 state law called the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act left local governments mostly powerless to intervene in such cases. 

The board wound up approving two letters — one to be sent to California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla, the other to be sent to Rep. Jared Huffman — calling for action from both the media companies and Congress. 

“We call upon those corporations to consider the impact on local communities,” the letters state. They go on to argue, “Ultimately, these absentee corporations are negotiating a cost that will be born by local cable subscribers in our region.”

The letters point the finger at media consolidation, suggesting that corporate profits have come at the expense of local control and healthy competition.

“Ultimately,” the letters read, “we need our federal and state policymakers to recognize the essential role that local media play to meet local needs for: public health and safety; education; economic and community development; culture and arts; and civic engagement. Local governments and our communities stand ready to take back local media and rebuild our information ecosystem to secure competition, diversity and localism in the marketplace of ideas.”

Budget Review and Outlook

Staff does this every year — prepares a review of the previous fiscal year’s budget along with a look forward to the upcoming year’s and brings them to the board for review and approval. Recently, though, every fiscal issue in the county seems to center on Auditor-Controller Karen Paz Dominguez, and the staff report for these budget items does just that.

The report notes that as of last Thursday, the Auditor-Controller had yet to close the books on fiscal year 2019-20, making it difficult to plan for the coming year and costing the county hundreds of thousands of dollars in state and federal funding, among other repercussions.

The report also says the Auditor-Controller’s Office has yet to submit a Cost Allocation Plan to the state for approval, which threatens to cost the county another $15.5 million in state and federal reimbursements.

“This would place the county in a self-made financial crisis, one that could result in service reductions … to the public and lay-offs of county staff,” the report states.

Paz Dominguez has complained publicly on numerous occasions that her office has been chronically understaffed. The board recently approved two new accountant positions for her office.

The board spent most of it’s budget-talking time discussing how to distribute the nearly $800,000 that remained unclaimed in revenue from Measure Z, the half-cent sales tax earmarked for public safety and essential services.

That dollar amount doesn’t include more than half a million dollars from the fund balance that staff recommended be carried forward for previously approved projects, including:

• $364,208 for local fire chiefs to complete projects
• $127,882 for Orleans Volunteer Fire to complete the construction of a fire station
• $18,259 for KMUD to complete an emergency broadcast upgrade, and
• $17,155 for the county to finalize its Measure Z audit

After a lengthy discussion, the board settled on the following expenditures:

• $353,996 to the county’s Public Works Department for road repairs
• $200,000 to Public Works and the City of Eureka for resurfacing and repairs on Harrison Ave.
• $80,000 to Public Works to remove illegal dumping on county properties
• $7,600 to pay a security person at the Garberville Town Square
• $1,748 to Access Humboldt for a backup system and telephone link for power outages and emergencies
• $10,000 to New Directions for safety gear and homeless encampment cleanup
• $7,900 to the College of the Redwoods Foundation to fund courses for the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Coalition
• $46,100 to the 2-1-1 Humboldt Info & Research Center for various equipment
• $33,488 to Rio Dell for police department clerical support, and
• $58,498 to the Fortuna Police Department for a Drug Task Force agent

After the board had assembled this list of expenditures, a member of the Measure Z Community Advisory Committee, Ernie Branscomb, called in to say that he and his fellow committee members worked hard to develop a ranked list of recommendations, which the board had deviated from somewhat.

Both Bohn and Wilson agreed with his argument and initially voted “no” on a motion to accept the above list, which required four-fifths approval to pass. Wilson wound up changing his vote to “yes” in order to move the matter along but suggested giving greater deference to the advisory committee next time around.

PREVIOUSLY:

• Educators, Food Workers Join California’s Priority List for Vaccines

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Press release from the Humboldt County Joint Information Center:

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) today outlined a new statewide approach to COVID-19 vaccine distribution. 

The new plan does not address the challenge of vaccine supply but does define three strategies intended to improve vaccine distribution as doses become available:

• Simplifying which groups are prioritized for vaccination
• Utilizing a statewide notification system for vaccine availability
• Contracting with a third party to distribute doses directly to vaccinators.  

In an attempt to simplify prioritization, the state will shift to age-based eligibility after vaccinations have been scheduled for those in Phase 1B Tier 1—people 75 and older and those at risk of workplace exposure in the education, child care, emergency services and food or agriculture sectors. The state said it expects that change to take effect by mid-February. 

The state today officially launched myturn.ca.gov, an online portal designed to register for notifications of vaccine availability based on priority group. The state anticipates adding a scheduling tool for appointments to the site next month, though the site is not yet operational for much of California, including Humboldt County. This portal is similar to Humboldt County’s “COVID-19 Vaccine Interest Form.” Public Health officials urge residents to continue filling out the local form (humboldtgov.org/InterestForm) until the state’s system is functioning.  

CDPH also announced that it will work with a third party to distribute vaccine doses directly to provider networks, including Public Health, pharmacies, public hospitals and community health centers among others.  

All aspects of the new plan are dependent on vaccine availability, and many of the proposed changes will not begin until next month.  

Humboldt County Public Health officials said much is still unknown about how these changes will be implemented locally, and there will be a transition period during which CDPH representatives will meet with Public Health to better understand conditions on the ground. Officials stressed that scheduled vaccination clinics and appointments will go on as planned for at least the next few weeks until the state puts in place a reliable system for Humboldt County residents to schedule and be notified of appointments. 

Read more at this link.

For the most recent COVID-19 information, visit cdc.gov or cdph.ca.gov. Local information is available at humboldtgov.org or during business hours by contacting covidinfo@co.humboldt.ca.us or calling 707-441-5000. 

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Educators, childcare workers, food and farm workers and first responders will join Californians age 65 and over who have priority to qualify for the coronavirus vaccine, state officials announced today.

After that large group is vaccinated, the next priority group will be based on age — and middle-aged Californians are likely to be next in line.

The new statewide standard takes effect mid-February and will apply to all 58 counties in an effort to scale up California’s low vaccination rate. It’s unclear how long it will take to vaccinate this new group, but the announcement dovetails with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s effort to reopen schools and small businesses.

“In a well-meaning effort to achieve equity, we are creating systems so complex and messy that they can thwart the goal of equity. Simpler is better,” said Dr. Robert Wachter, chair of the department of medicine at University of California, San Francisco, who has advocated for a vaccine eligibility system based on age. “People at the highest risk of dying should come first.”

The new system emphasizes age rather than people with chronic medical conditions, such as cancer and heart disease, that make them vulnerable to severe effects of COVID-19.

“I am 22, disabled, and immunocompromised. Because of the pandemic, I no longer have access to regular medical care, and COVID-19 could kill me if I got it,” Stanford University student Ariela Algaze wrote on Twitter Tuesday. “Gavin Newsom just sent me to the back of the line to get vaccinated.”

The standards upend months of careful planning by a working group of experts convened by state health officials to develop statewide eligibility rules for counties. The group sought to develop a distribution order that balanced competing aims: vaccinating as many people as possible as quickly as possible, keeping society functioning by protecting essential workers first and assuring fairness in distribution.

Sickened, scared, and enraged for disabled folks in California. Shame on @GavinNewsom for creating a plan that completely ignores high risk folks with chronic conditions. #CripTheVote

— Sarah Blahovec (@Sblahov) January 26, 2021

Some health advocates worried that that vaccine doses would not go first to people most at risk of contracting COVID-19 — primarily lower-income Latino and Black Californians – but rather to the wealthy and powerful.

Their concerns appear to be warranted: Racial disparities in vaccination rates have emerged nationwide, although it’s impossible to tell whether such disparities are occurring in California. The state has not publicly released vaccination rates by county, race or age, although it is required to report that data to the federal government.

Variety, an entertainment trade publication, reported that Hollywood elites have jetted to Florida where eligibility criteria are less strict, or sought vaccine from pricey “concierge” doctors. In the California desert city of Rancho Mirage, Eisenhower Medical Center invited wealthy donors – albeit over 65 – to be vaccinated at a “test clinic” not open to the public, the Desert Sun reported.

The eligibility guidelines come a day after Newsom ended the virtually statewide stay-at-home order and returned to the color-coded county reopening system launched last summer.

Outdoor dining, outdoor gym workouts and haircuts may soon resume in some counties, depending on the orders issued by local public health officers. Monday’s announcement took many business owners — and state lawmakers — by surprise.

For weeks, Newsom and other state officials have drawn withering criticism for a chaotic vaccine rollout in which they largely deferred logistics and eligibility decisions to counties.

Californians spent hours fruitlessly navigating online registration and notification systems managed by county and city governments, hospitals and even supermarkets — only to find there were no vaccine appointments available. Some online platforms have buckled under the strain, going dark for hours at a time.

Earlier this month, state officials quietly launched a statewide vaccine registration website called MyTurn (myturn.ca.gov) allowing Californians to sign up to be notified when they are eligible for vaccination, and in some cases, register for an appointment. For now, the site is in pilot mode. While residents in some counties now can register to be notified of their turn, the site only allows appointment sign-ups in Los Angeles and San Diego counties.

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CALmatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

PREVIOUSLY: HCSO Seeking Attempted Murder Suspect Believed to Be Armed and Dangerous

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Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Jan. 25, 2021, at about 9 p.m., the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office received information that wanted attempted murder suspect Byron Dean Titus Jr., age 29 of Hoopa, was outside a business on the 3300 block of Broadway Street in Eureka.

Deputies contacted Titus outside the business, and he was taken into custody without incident. Titus was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of attempted murder (PC 664/187(A)), felon in possession of a firearm (PC 29800(A)(1)), exhibiting a firearm (PC 417(A)(2)) and parole revocation (PC 3000.08(F)).

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

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In acknowledgement of what BIPOC students and families face inside and outside local education systems, McKinleyville High School Principal Nic Collart recently circulated a letter sharing what the school is doing to understand and amend systemic racism.

“We understand that racism and its impact on our systems and institutions is not an issue specific to MHS, but we recognize our role in it and our responsibility to make change,” Collart wrote.

Specifically, Collart shared that the school is working to identify what needs to change in curricula, policy and procedures, as well as implementing staff training. The foundation of these plans was largely gleaned from listening sessions, Collart said, during which current and former BIPOC students and their families shared their experiences at MHS.

“Their sharing has both saddened and had a profound impact on me as both a member of our community as well as in my role as principal, for it is clear, from these listening sessions, that our school has not always provided a safe, nurturing and empowering environment for our BIPOC students, and this must change,” Collart wrote.

During a call with the Outpost, Collart specified that there have been times when BIPOC students haven’t felt supported by the school following a racist comment or action. “It may have been a specific incident, it may have been that something wasn’t addressed that needed to be addressed in the moment and instead it just kind of, you know, it was left hanging there,” he said. It’s come to his attention that there are “times where there are microaggressions that occur in a classroom that we don’t even notice,” Collart added. “The student feels the impact yet nothing is done.”

The school is reevaluating or clarifying policies and procedures to improve the way MHS addresses instances like these, Collart said. “I think it’s making sure we understand what occurred, and then taking steps to hold the person accountable,” he said. Some incidents may lead to suspension. In terms of addressing microaggressions, “our goal is always going to be to follow up, work to make sure that we understand the impact on the victim, and then hold the person who perpetrated it accountable. And I think that then we can hopefully help both of them move forward.”

Another primary step highlighted by these listening sessions has been diversifying curriculum, Collart said. The school is working toward “making sure that all of our students, no matter their culture, their background, their ethnicity can see themselves in the books that we read, can be empowered by the lessons that we teach,” Collart said. “That’s something that we have as a long-term goal, is how do we find a process to really examine our curriculum with, with the lens of race and equity.”

Collart emphasized that these efforts are ongoing, and that the school has made a commitment to continue evaluating and assessing where and how progress can be made, in terms of curricula, policies and procedures. In addition to those listening sessions, the school has assembled a committee of staff members and BIPOC students, who meet weekly to discuss these changes. The school has also been supported by BIPOC community members, Collart said. “I would say that we are definitely in the infancy stages of, I think, creating a sustainable process,” Collart said. The recognition that there are changes to be made is “a really good step in the right direction.”

These efforts at McKinleyville High School are happening elsewhere in the Northern Humboldt Union High School District, too. In June, the district released a statement on racial equity, partly in response to the murder of George Floyd, and also vowing to make “concrete, systemic changes to create a better, safer world.” Since then, the district has implemented a standing agenda item in board meetings, during which Superintendent Roger Macdonald delivers an equity update.

Read the full letter from MHS Principal Nic Collart below:

Dear McKinleyville Community:

I have always been proud of both graduating from and serving as Principal at McKinleyville High School. My experience has been overwhelmingly positive in both roles. This fall I was honored and entrusted to listen to the stories and experiences of current and former BIPOC students as well their families during their time at McKinleyville High School. Their sharing has both saddened and had a profound impact on me as both a member of our community as well as in my role as Principal, for it is clear, from these listening sessions, that our school has not always provided a safe, nurturing and empowering environment for our BIPOC students, and this must change.  

Our school mission states, “McKinleyville High School fosters an inclusive community where all individuals can excel both personally and academically by empowering learners with meaningful skills in a safe and supportive environment.” We have not upheld this promise for all of our students. While we cannot change the past, we are dedicated to creating a school that honors and supports all our students from this day forward. We acknowledge harm in the hopes it will help our community heal.

We understand that racism and its impact on our systems and institutions is not an issue specific to MHS, but we recognize our role in it and our responsibility to make change. In order to do this, we are working on staff training, curriculum and the development of policies and procedures in partnership with our BIPOC community to meet the mission of our school for the success of all of our students. All of us want a school where our students have agency, feel connected and honored for who they are, and have all the opportunities and support to prepare them for all that comes after. McKinleyville High was that school for me, and I want to make sure it is that school for everyone. I look forward to making that happen.

If you have any questions about this work or would like to be involved, please feel free to contact me at 707 839-6405 or at ncollart@nohum.k12.ca.us

Sincerely,

Nic Collart
Principal
McKinleyville High School

Emily Marie Perry Ritchey age 18, passed away in a tragic car accident on December 17, 2020. Her sudden and unexpected death is horribly devastating, then add COVID-19 now we cannot gather together to mourn.

Emily was born and raised in Eureka, where she attended Pine Hill and South Bay Elementary School, Zane Junior High and graduated from Eureka High School. She just began her journey as a full-time student at College of the Redwoods in her goal to become a dentist. Emily was a full-time employee at Target where she was starting to blossom and fly into a young adult life.

Emily was an intelligent young woman who loved music and shopping (she loved to spend money). She enjoyed road trips, she loved and would go broke just to get her nails done. Emily had the best bubbly personality. It was contagious. Her laughter would fill the room. She loved joking around. She truly enjoyed life. If she wasn’t working or studying she would be hanging out with family and friends. Some of her favorite places where the beach and local rivers.

Emily will be dearly missed by her father Jeff Ritchey, Mother Vanessa Perry, Brothers Coleton and Eli, Great-grandparents, Papa, Nana, Auntie’s, Uncle’s, Cousins, friends and by so many more…as you can tell by the continuous love pouring out of the community, which is also greatly appreciated.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date… Due to COVID-19.

A private service will be held to place Emily to rest in the next month or two at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery. At that time Emily’s location will be shared so that friends and family can and we welcome to go mourn in smaller safer groups.

“Remembering you is easy,
I do it everyday,
But missing you is heartache
That never goes away.
I hold you tight within my heart
And there you will remain
Until the joyous day arrives,
That we will meet again.”

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

 

William Whipple, 31, of Eureka, passed away on December 11, 2020 in Bayside.

William Whipple was born in Eureka to Jewel Frank and Andrew “Slim” Whipple on November 22, 1989. He was raised alongside his siblings and family in Bayside. His fiancé Diane Baltzley and he were in a loving relationship since September of 2019.

William had the brightest soul that managed to light up every room he entered, while also brightening the day of anyone who had the privilege in knowing him. A man who gave his one hundred and ten percent into anything he put his mind into, there was nothing he could fail at. A smile that was so contagious he always managed to fill the area with laughter and love. His personality and aura allowed him to become the center of attention wherever he went. William was always on top of the world. William loved his family more than anything and was always someone you could count on, no matter what.

William Whipple is preceded in death by his grandmother, Ada Frank Jones, his uncle namesake, William Whipple, and his grandfather, Clarence “Punky” Whipple as well as several cousins.

William Whipple is survived by fiancé Diane Baltzley and stepson Payton. Loving parents, Jewel Frank and Andrew “Slim” Whipple. Sister Jessica Bradford Eleck and twin sister Raven Whipple. Brothers Domenyc “TJ” Whipple Johnson, Andrew “Cisco” Whipple Jr., Manuel Whipple and Laurence Whipple. Nieces and Nephews Jasmine Eleck, Ardie Eleck IV, Naomi Eleck, Kyanna Longendyck, Maxwell Longendyck, Bear Whipple, Tyler Whipple, Ruby Whipple, Fawn Whipple, Hazel Whipplendace Whipple, Donte Whipple, Manuel “Little Manny” Whipple, Wendi Whipple, Damein Whipple, Andrew Whipple, Colton Whipple and Kain Whipple.

Pallbearers will be Andrew “Slim” Whipple, Andrew “Cisco” Whipple Jr., Manuel Whipple, Laurence Whipple, Domenyc “TJ” Whipple Johnson, Nick Metcalf, Raymond Payton, Jeremy Wildman and Eugene Hatfield. Honorary Pallbearers will be Larry Alameda Sr., Kyle Longendyck and Ardie Eleck III.

The family of William Whipple wishes to extend our sincere thanks to the Yurok Tribe and the Northern California Indian Development Council.

Please join us in saying goodbye to William on Friday January 29, 2021 at the Ocean View Cemetery in Eureka at 1 p.m. All COVID-19 safety precautions will be in place, please wear a mask.