[Ed. note: The following letter was submitted to the Outpost by Attila Gyenis, whose enthusiasm for Dolly Parton and literacy had more Humboldt residents than we’re proud to admit wondering if the country music legend was actually bumming around Old Town last week.]

Greetings All,

Let me start with a clarification and apology. Dolly Parton is NOT going to be at Friday Night Market in Eureka.

As a result of the wording in the previous press release, some people and news agencies thought that Dolly would show up in person. It was just an unsuccessful attempt to be playful by letting people know there would be a life-size cut-out of Dolly there. Since I was the originator of the previous press release, I would like to apologize to those individuals who thought Dolly would be there in person. Mea culpa.

The Imagination Library will be tabling at Eureka Books on Friday, June 13th, to let parents know about the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. And to collect donations. To make the book dreams a reality, the Bridgeville Community Center needs to raise $25,000 a year from the community every year. We have over 1,500 Humboldt County children currently signed up, and have mailed out over 29,000 books since 2023.

We need the community’s help in making these book dreams come true for our children and create a legacy that will benefit the child, and the community.

If you have a child who would like to sign up (the program is free to the families), please visit: ImaginationLibrary.com

If you would like to donate to make these book dreams possible, please go here.

(AUDIO) Meredith Maier and Tommy Hernandez on KSLG

Friday Night Market season is in full swing and Humboldt Made is back on the airwaves to share the success of the first FNM of 2025! According to Meredith Maier, Humboldt Made board President and co-owner of Six Rivers Brewery, 7,100 folks attended the season opener of the market. The beer lines moved fast and the community joy was full on.

Maier was joined by Tommy Hernandez, owner of Homeboldt Apparel and a founding vendor of the Friday Night Market, on KSLG-FM in Old Town earlier today. Together, with DJ Sabina, they shared the joy of working with local entrepreneurs, makers and non-profits as well as information regarding mentorship programs for small business owners looking to get their foot in the door of the vending world.

FRIDAY NIGHT MARKET - June 13, 2025 Performance Lineup:

• Gazebo Stage: Pete Dalmolen Band
• Clark Plaza Stage: Papa Haole
• Romano Gabriel Stage: Circus of the Elements

Press release from Redwood National and State Parks:

On June 13th at Redwood National and State Parks, 40 people raised their right hands to become the newest citizens of the United States. The applicants came from 18 countries around the world, including Laos, Mexico, Portugal, England, and Vietnam.

The event opened with the national anthem sung by Park Ranger Ian Phillips. Several dignitaries, including North Coast Redwoods District Superintendent Victor Bjelajac and Redwood National Park acting-Superintendent Leonel Arguello offered remarks noting the symbolic connection between the support that citizens in America give one another and how redwood tree roots support each other.

The newest citizens and their family members were able to celebrate this momentous occasion in one of their new country’s most breathtaking places. For many, it was their first visit to the park, and they stood in awe beneath the 286-foot tall Big Tree.

Concluding his remarks to the group, Superintendent Arguello stated, “Congratulations—not just on earning your citizenship, but on bringing your story, your heritage, and your courage into the fabric of America. Because you’re proof that the American story is still being written—not just in cities and towns, but right here under the redwoods. You now belong. This is your country and these redwoods, they’re your redwoods as well.”

United States Citizen and Immigration Services and the National Park Service have a signed a Memorandum of Understanding that advances the meaning and stature of citizenship by building connections between new citizens and America’s parks. Signed in 2006, and renewed in 2021, the agreement has led to special naturalization

Ceremonies are held in such iconic places as Ellis Island, Yosemite National Park, Cesar Chavez National Monument, Acadia National Park, Death Valley National Park, and numerous memorial parks on the National Mall. The renewed MOU further strengthens collaborative efforts to hold ceremonies at locations that best represent the strength and spirit of the United States and supports the promotion of citizenship and naturalization. Redwood National and State Parks is honored to be a part of such an important event in the lives of those who participated in the ceremony.

Caltrans release:

Caltrans District 1 and its contractors are working to stabilize and clear a large landslide that fully closed State Route (SR) 36 east of Swimmer’s Delight near Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park on May 31. Barring unforeseen setbacks, this section of road is expected to remain closed for two more weeks as crews work to remove hazards and realign the roadway.

North Region Construction Area Manager Sebastian Cohen, “We understand the impacts a long-term closure has on residents and travelers, and we’re using all available resources to reopen the roadway.”

A group of Caltrans geotechnical professionals, engineering geologists and specialized contractors conducted an on-site field review Monday to assess remaining hazards. They determined the ground has dropped six or more feet in some places. “The terrain in this location is incredibly steep, and removing material from the slope could undermine the mountain further up and lead to additional material coming down,” Cohen said.

Over the next two weeks, crews will begin to remove hazardous trees and realign the roadway at the base of the slide to allow for the installation of additional catchment berms for rocks and other debris.
Next steps include hiring a contractor using helicopters with specialized LiDAR scanners to provide a more detailed contour map of the hillside and bringing in additional heavy equipment and helicopters to stabilize the hillside above the roadway.

“We want to ensure safe and reliable travel for people on Route 36, and we’re grateful for the community’s patience and understanding as we move forward,” Cohen said.

Route 299 is the only available detour in Humboldt County on the state highway system. Please follow District 1 social media and check https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ or the QuickMap app for the latest road conditions.

PREVIOUSLY:

• SHERIFF’S OFFICE: Today’s Shooting at Bear River Was Witnessed by Several and Captured on Body Cam Footage; Investigation Underway

• (UPDATE: SHERIFF PRESS CONFERENCE) Officer-Involved Shooting Near the Bear River Recreation Center

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Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office provides the following update regarding the officer-involved shooting that occurred on June 5, 2025, near the Bear River Family Entertainment Center in Loleta.

The deputy involved in the incident has been identified as Corporal Bradford Anderson, a nine-year veteran of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. Corporal Anderson is currently on paid administrative leave, per standard protocol.

On June 5, 2025, Nicholas David Anderson (DOB: 05/02/1996) succumbed to injuries sustained during the incident. A forensic autopsy confirmed the immediate cause of death as a gunshot wound to the chest. Toxicology results are pending.

The investigation remains active and is being conducted by the Humboldt County Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT). Additional details will be released in compliance with California State Law as the investigation progresses.

Anyone with information about this case 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.

Press release from Rios to Rivers:

On the Wood River, Oregon – Approximately 30 Indigenous youth kayakers today began a monthlong “First Descent” of the undammed Klamath River, enroute to the mouth of the Klamath in northern California. Accompanied by family members, friends and supporters during the first day of their 310-mile journey downriver, the group of 13-18 year-olds from the tribes living throughout the Klamath River Basin were given a ceremonial sendoff by their elders and tribal leaders.

“I think the most important part of this whole experience for the young people is the connection to not only our sacred lifeblood, our water, our ‘ambo,’ but also with the connections of people, both young and old, and the connections that we have as Indigenous people with one another from the upper Klamath River to the lower Klamath River,” said William Ray, Jr., chairman of the Klamath Tribal Council.

The youth have been training to run whitewater with kayak instructors from the Paddle Tribal Waters program operated by the nonprofit group Rios to Rivers. The program includes young kayakers from the Klamath, Yurok, Karuk, Quartz Valley and Hoopa Valley tribes.

“I was raised as a river kid, and I love where I come from. Since I was little, I drank ‘ambo’ from the spring where the Klamath River starts. And now I get to kayak from where I drink, following the water on the almost free Klamath River to the ocean, Coley Kakols Miller, 14, a Klamath tribal member.

“This is a historical opportunity to heal not only the waters of our basin, but the people too,” said Danielle Frank, 21, a Hupa/Yurok member of Rios to Rivers’ board of directors.

Four hydroelectric dams blocked the river for more than a century, impeding once-abundant salmon runs. The young kayakers have set out to reconnect the source of the Klamath – at Wood River north of Klamath Falls – with its mouth where it reaches the Pacific Ocean at Requa, CA, in Yurok territory. They are scheduled to arrive there on June 11. During the last days of the journey the paddlers will be joined by Indigenous youth and representatives from the Snake River and other river basins in the U.S., and representatives of kayak clubs and communities as far away as New Zealand, and Chile and Bolivia in South America, where dams also threaten the health of local rivers.

After a daylong celebration in the town of Klamath, Calif. on July 12, marking the end of the “First Descent,” an international Free Rivers Symposium will be held on July 13, also in Klamath. Tribal leaders, environmental activists, scientists and other experts from several nations are then expected to issue the Klamath Accord, calling for the removal of harmful dams around the world and the end of construction of new ones.

For more information on the First Descent, click here.

For more information on Rios to Rivers, click here.

Ronald Goble passed away on April 8, 2025. He was surrounded by family, while a recording of his wife, Harriet, playing the piano played softly in the background.

Ron was born in Fortuna on October 29, 1934, in his grandfather’s home. He was the son of Harry and Lois Goble. He spent his early childhood on the family property next to Rohner Park and Main Street, where his father ran Park Street Grocery and a small service station. Ron also spent time on his grandfather’s dairy farm in Ferndale and spoke fondly of those years. During rodeo season, his grandfather allowed cowboys to camp on the property, and Ron remembered summer nights sitting by their campfires listening to stories. He had a special fondness for comedy nights on the radio, especially Bob Hope and Red Skelton — evenings often shared with his older brother, Bob.

In 1943, when Ron was nine, life took an unexpected turn that deeply affected the family. His father, older than the typical draft age and running a small business with a young family, was called to serve in World War II. He was given 30 days to find someone to run the store and to relocate the family from the living quarters attached to it. With little time to prepare, Ron, his mother, and older brother Bob moved to another part of town. Ron remembered his mother going to work on the docks in Eureka to support the war effort. He and his brother were often alone after school, looking out for one another. His mother arranged for them to have prepaid meals at the Star Hotel, a place on Main Street that no longer stands. He recalled wartime rationing, using stamps, and the blackout curtains in their home. His maternal grandmother and paternal grandfather were important presences during this time. When his father returned home safely, the family was reunited, and Ron’s sister Darlene was born. He loved having a little sister.

Ron attended Fortuna High School, where he was known to friends as Ronnie. He was active in the drama department, played tennis, and was well-liked for his sense of humor. He had a wide circle of friends, some of whom remained lifelong friends.

Ron and Harriet had known each other since childhood and shared the experience of growing up in a small town. They were friends throughout high school and attended Humboldt State College at the same time where they began dating. Ron had a part-time job working sound for Eureka Loggers games and invited Harriet to sit with him in the booth for their first date. They remained in touch after Ron left to enlist in the Army in 1957. They continued to correspond while he was overseas, as was common during that time. Ron served in France with the 5th Logistical Command as a broadcast operations specialist, earning the Good Conduct Medal. Harriet wrote to say she had been offered a civilian teaching position on a U.S. Army base and was deciding between Germany and Japan. Ron didn’t hesitate — “Germany!!” he replied. He loved to tell that story for many years to come. They reunited in Europe, began dating again, and were engaged while abroad. After completing his call of duty, Ron returned home, and Harriet stayed to finish the school year. They were married soon after her return home.

In 1966, they embarked on a great adventure — traveling to Australia aboard the freighter Santa Rita, with passage partially subsidized by the Australian government as part of an assisted immigration program. Ron worked as an insurance salesman and Harriet taught school. Ron’s sister Darlene joined them for a time, and they cherished the adventure. Letters, journals and newspaper articles from that chapter of their lives are still treasured today.

Upon returning to the U.S., they settled in Palo Alto, where Tricia was born in 1969. They embraced parenthood with a spirit of adventure — Tricia was taken backpacking during her first year of life and was sleeping under the stars before she could walk. Bret was born in 1970. Soon after, they returned to Fortuna to be near extended family. Ron worked for a time in his father’s store, and the family settled into life surrounded by the redwoods and the natural beauty of Humboldt County. They often took family bike rides with the kids in seats, and Ron sang to them at bedtime.

The family’s roots grew deep, and they left Orleans with lasting friendships and sweet memories. One of the most memorable was the arrival of their third child, Ian — a surprise addition, born when they were both 40.

As the older children reached their teenage years, Ron and Harriet sold the Orleans Market and the home they had built behind it, returning to Fortuna so their kids could attend high school. Harriet went back to full-time teaching, and Ron purchased a small neighborhood store in Fortuna’s Campton Heights community.

Ron had always loved to sing. In high school he sang in drama productions, and later he joined community choruses and even a barbershop quartet during the family’s years in Orleans. After returning to the coast, he became a dedicated member of the Humboldt Harmonaires, singing baritone, making friends, and serving as treasurer. From those connections, a quartet called Mirth First was born — known for its rich harmonies, light-hearted humor, and community performances. Ron cherished being part of it and loved making people smile. He would often burst into song — in the car, at medical appointments, or from his recliner. He loved Glenn Miller’s ‘Moonlight Serenade,’ Frank Sinatra, and the music of his era.

He was also an avid runner. He ran daily during their years in Orleans and participated in the Clam Beach Run and Avenue of the Giants marathons for many years.

Harriet had been born in Colorado and held close family ties there throughout her life. One summer, while visiting extended family, she surprised Ron with a phone call announcing she’d bought a tiny cabin in the hills of Cimarron. Up until then, their decisions had always been made together but this one became a beloved exception, and Ron laughed about it for years. At first, Harriet spent summers there while Ron stayed behind to run the store, but after they both retired, they began spending much of their time in Colorado. They hiked for miles, went fishing, and bought a canoe. They stayed to watch the Aspen trees turn gold in the fall. The area was rich in wildlife and peaceful. Children and grandchildren were fortunate to make occasional trips out, which remain cherished memories. Ron especially loved when his Mirth First quartet came to visit and sing at the cabin.

After many beloved summers in Colorado, it was time to sell the Cimarron cabin. Back in Fortuna, Ron loved to garden and work in the yard. In his retirement years, one longtime neighbor would occasionally bring him tomato plants — a small act of kindness that meant a lot. On one road trip, he and Harriet rescued a turtle, which Ron decided to keep — an unusual but beloved pet that lived in the yard for several years. The grandchildren remember it with fond amusement.

In her 80s, Harriet developed Alzheimer’s. Ron was her sole caregiver — a role he took on with patience, tenderness, and love. It was heartbreaking for the family to witness, but also inspiring. Ron became a hero to his children, who knew him best for his work ethic and strength but were reminded of the depth of his love. Harriet passed away in 2019. Ron remained at home, missing her deeply but moving forward. He hosted family dinner nights a few times a week where children and grandchildren would gather to spend time and keep him company. He loved attending local theater and music events. In his late 80s, he hiked Fern Canyon and explored the Sky Walk at the Sequoia Park Zoo. He was incredibly resilient and independent — yet when he knew it was time, he gave up his driver’s license without being asked.

Ron survived major surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm in his late 80s and bounced back remarkably. That time also brought a wonderful team of caregivers into his life. They began by helping with medications and meals but stayed to offer companionship and friendship. Their presence meant a great deal to Ron — and to the family.

We like to think he and Mom are together again, off on their next adventure. We will miss him deeply.

Ron is survived by his children: Tricia Brock (Bob), Bret Goble, and Ian Goble (Nicky); his sister, Darlene Matthews; and his stepsister, Karen Ansley. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Cassandra Gray (Joe), Jason Brock, Sydney Crossley (Micah), Jamie Goble, Benson Goble, and Erick Goble; and great-grandchildren: Abigail Pelletier, Trey Crossley, and Colin Crossley. He is also remembered with love by numerous other relatives.