Eureka Police Department press release: 

On November 16, 2020, the Eureka Police Department’s Community Safety and Enhancement Team (CSET) responded to St. Joseph Hospital for the report of an assault which occurred at an encampment south of Pound Road in Eureka.

Based on the investigation, it was determined Raelee Childers (33 of Eureka) and the female victim were involved in a dispute over a relationship. Childers struck the victim on the arm with a baseball bat causing significant injury. Childers and the victim are known to each other and it does not appear to be a random assault.

On November 17, 2020, Childers was located by CSET and transported and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility for assault with a deadly weapon causing serious bodily injury.

This is an on-going investigation. Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is asked to contact CSET MIST Officer Swanson at 707-441-4290.

This afternoon, Dr. Teresa Frankovich, Humboldt County’s health officer, took a number of media questions on the state of the pandemic — particularly about the state’s recent reclassification of Humboldt into the state’s “red” tier, the second-highest.

Also discussed: What has driven the local spike in case numbers, school reopenings, the current impact on our health care system and when a new health officer will be hired. (Dr. Frankovich retired from her position with the county two months ago, but has stayed on until another person can be found.)

Video above, rough transcript below.

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The Times-Standard asks, “Are any cases tied to gatherings on Halloween or Election Day activities?”

I would say that I’m aware of some cases related to Halloween gatherings, I’m not aware of any in particular related to Election Day gatherings.

The Times-Standard asks, “When you spoke with school superintendents, what guidance was offered regarding in-person classes for those schools that are offering them?”

Well, we are supportive of the schools maintaining their current operations. Being in the red tier does not mean that schools need to change or to go to distance learning in any way, even the schools that are open now, if we moved into purple, would be able to still be open. The only difference is is that schools who are not yet open, if they, if we move into the purple tier, they would not be able to open until we moved out of the purple tier.

The Times-Standard asks, “During the Supervisors meeting there was discussion of the possibility of moving to the purple tier at some point. What kind of lead time would affected businesses receive for that change?”

That’s a good question. All I can say is that we’re continually monitoring our data and so we start to get an inkling of what that might look like at the end of a week, for instance. The problem we face is that we can never be entirely certain because up until the last moment, additional labs can come into the state reporting system.

So we usually have a pretty good guess and we will certainly message to that effect as we are become aware of it, but right now obviously the state with the increased urgency of the situation are not allowing a long time to prepare for closure once it’s announced, and so we do recognize that you know that’s a challenge for businesses impacted and we will just try and get as much heads up as we can.

The Times-Standard asks, “Demographically, are younger people driving the case count currently?”

Absolutely. It’s very clear about 75 percent of our cases are in people under 50. I would tell you that a lot of our more recent cases are in a younger population younger than 40. And so it again comes back to that issue of both:  It’s young workforce who may be getting a lot of exposures through just a lot of work with the public etc., but it’s also because you know younger people probably tend to go out a bit more than I would at 60 and so again and I do feel like people who are younger and in good health feel probably somewhat invulnerable to this.

And I just want to again emphasize that regardless of age anyone can become infected. Some people will be impacted more by the illness than others but we also know that people even at young ages can become critically ill and have died related to COVID, so it just serves everyone well to be cautious in their behavior, protect themselves and everyone else in their community.

The Redheaded Blackbelt asks, “Can you elaborate on whether any public gatherings have contributed to the recent spike in local cases or if the vast majority are individual friend and family groups gathering as well as travel?”

Honestly, I’m not aware of any large-event type of thing that’s been identified as a source of multiple infections.

I would tell you that we have learned a great deal about COVID. There’s still a lot to go, but one thing we do know is that outdoor gatherings, even larger gatherings, do not seem to be driving a lot of cases and so if people are in a group, you know the the outdoor setting, even when we’re talking about three households being able to gather, being outdoors, hugely safer than being indoors. And by the same token, if you are able to eat outdoors as opposed to indoors in a mixed group, that’s hugely helpful, because of course you’re not going to be masked.

These indoor activities are the ones that are driving infection for the most part and we just need to be really cautious about that.

The Lost Coast Outpost asks, “Today at the Board of Supervisors meeting, Public Health Director Michele Stephens mentioned that this is the last time you will be briefing the board. Why is that? Has a new health officer been hired?”

I think she actually said it may be the last time. But I think the county is in the hiring process and so I’m hopeful that there’s going to be a new health officer in position very soon.

There’s been a little confusion on this point, but I did announce that I was resigning my position I think early in September, but I also said that I was going to stay in the position until a replacement was found if at all possible and so I really wanted to have that continuity in the process rather than having an interim health officer so I’m hopeful that the new health officer will be on board soon and that person then will of course be addressing the board.

The North Coast News asks, “What are the theories/ science on why we are seeing such a rise in cases statewide and nationally what has changed in behaviors/attitudes and circumstances?”

Well, I think the, a couple big drivers of this are that first people are experiencing what has been called COVID fatigue. People are just tired of this, and I completely understand that — we all want normal, we want to go back to normal, we want this to be over, and I think to some extent at times people just pretend that it is and just behave as they normally would have before COVID.

And so I think what’s happening is it’s challenging to continue all of the preventative measures that we’ve been talking about and limiting social activities and things — I get it — but we have to do it going forward.

The other problem that we’re facing is change in weather. We have moved from a time where people could be outdoors much of the time to now where they’re indoors because of colder temperatures, particularly in some parts of the country, and also in Humboldt, things like rain and you know even sitting outside in the evening, it gets a lot chillier right now, so it’s driving a lot of activity indoors. And as I mentioned previously, that is a big, big risk factor.

The North Coast News asks, “You have previously mentioned that counties have the discretion to increase restrictions beyond what is set in place by the tier assigned by the state. Does Humboldt have any plans to tighten restrictions locally beyond what the red tier requires in order to get a handle on cases?”

No. I do think that moving from the yellow and not having the intermediary step to orange, taking us right to red, is a good move. I think we needed that big change in what we’re doing and I’m hopeful that together with people sort of taking note of the situation and really trying to enhance their preventative measures, that that will help to put the brakes on what’s happening. I don’t envision us unilaterally at this time moving into a purple tier that isn’t warranted by our metrics.

But you know we’re continually, as I said, reviewing the data. If we become aware of some worrisome trends even before the state is aware of that we would certainly be having that conversation. But right now I’m hopeful. I really do think that, with, you know — since many of our cases are still being driven by travel and gatherings, we have seen an increase in community transmission, but not so dramatic that we can’t get out of this. We can get out of this if people will really just abide by the no-gathering and really try not to travel, especially in terms of high-risk travel and by that I mean, you know, traveling and in visiting with, staying with friends and family, being in households together. Gathering in that fashion is particularly high-risk. By the same token bringing family members here to do that is very high-risk.

Even though we’re having trouble with our case count right now, we’re still in better shape than most other areas, so you can assume if you’re leaving Humboldt you’re going to be in a place that has more COVID, your risk on any encounter is going to be higher and there’s a higher likelihood that you’re going to bring it back home with you. So I think we have the tools, I honestly think that we could put the brakes on halt and even possibly get back but it’s going to take a lot of joint effort across the community.

The North Coast News asks, “Last week Dr. Ennis said the cases were starting to intersect with local health care workers. What is your number one concern going into this new large wave of cases? Is it hospital capacity? Health care workers contracting it?”

Well, obviously there are a lot of concerns going forward. More immediately I want to keep the cases coming in at a number that can still allow for really good robust case investigation because I think that is what’s helped contain spread in our communities so far. We cannot endlessly add staff for large numbers of cases, At some point it just isn’t effective anymore. And so we really need to be able to stem the pace of increase so that we can continue to do really good investigation.

Obviously the end game on this is to prevent both serious illness requiring hospitalization and people dying with COVID, both from COVID itself and people dying from other things like heart attacks, strokes, automobile accidents because they can’t get hospital care because the hospital is serving COVID and full with those patients, so yes the endgame here is trying to protect our health care system capacity from an overwhelming surge of cases that really compromises care for everyone and so it’s just particularly important to adhere to all the things that we’ve talked about.

I’d also point out that along the way, you know we’re impacting our business community and that it has an impact for all of us living here. So you know maintaining and being able to actually go to a less restrictive tier benefits all of us for sure.

PREVIOUSLY:

• Convicted Killers From Humboldt County Seek Re-Sentencing Under California’s New Felony Murder Rule

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A Eureka man who has served nearly 23 years behind bars for murder was ordered released today after his charges were reduced to one count of burglary.

This morning Judge Larry Killoran dismissed the murder charge and re-sentenced 47-year-old Michael Thomas Gorman to three years, the maximum term for second-degree burglary.

“He is ordered released,” Killoran said, as Gorman watched via Zoom from Valley State Prison in Chowchilla.

Gorman is one of many defendants statewide who were convicted under the so-called Felony Murder Rule, which allowed murder convictions for those who had killed no-one but had participated in the related crime. The rule was changed by the Legislature last year, and now many of those found guilty of murder are asking to be re-sentenced.

Gorman was one of three suspects tried for the April 2001 slaying of Bruce James, who was stabbed to death in his room at the Broadway Motel. The defendants believed James was carrying a lot of cash and looking for a prostitute. They hatched a plan to steal his money. According to appellate court records, the killer, Michael Jared Lane, and his girlfriend Florence Laurel Anderson went to James’s motel room, with Anderson offering to perform oral sex on James. Lane stayed in the bathroom. James and Anderson got into some sort of dispute, and Lane burst out of the bathroom and stabbed James four times in the back and once in the elbow. He bled to death in the motel room.

Gorman was in the motel room next door and did not learn about the killing until afterward. But he helped in planning the heist and accepted some of the items stolen from James. Although the suspects believed James had about $600 in cash, it turned out to be more like $20.

Lane remains in prison. Anderson has already been released under the new law. Gorman told the judge today that he has been in state prison since Feb. 6, 2003. Prior to that he was jailed in Humboldt County.

A jury convicted him in 2002 and he was sentenced to life for murder and three consecutive years for the burglary.

Gorman was represented locally by Deputy Conflict Counsel April Van Dyke. District Attorney Maggie Fleming was in court today for her office.

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Nov. 15, 2020, at about 1 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the 6700 block of Wilder Ridge Road near Honeydew for the report of an assault and robbery that had just occurred.

Hargesheimer

Deputies arrived on scene and located a 51-year-old female victim with moderate injuries. The victim told deputies that she was sitting in her vehicle outside her residence when she was approached by a male associate, 50-year-old Carey Josh Hargesheimer. Hargesheimer reportedly forcibly removed the victim out of the vehicle and began to physically assault her.

During this time, two other male suspects, known to the victim, arrived at the residence. Hargesheimer threatened to kill the victim if she tried to leave while the men physically prevented her from leaving the property. The suspects reportedly continued to assault the victim with improvised weapons and then fled the scene with the victim’s keys and cell phone.

Levesque

Through their investigation, deputies observed a vehicle associated with the suspects leaving a property on the 13,400 block of Briceland-Thorn Road in Whitethorn. Deputies conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and located one of the suspects, 58-year-old Blaise Adrian Levesque. Inside the vehicle, deputies located an open container of marijuana in plain view, a cell phone believed to belong to the victim and other items linking Levesque to the assault.

While conducting the traffic stop, deputies observed Hargesheimer leaving the property. Deputies conducted a traffic stop on Hargesheimer’s vehicle and placed him under arrest. During a search of Hargesheimer, deputies located keys believed to be stolen from the victim. 

Levesque was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(A)(1)), false imprisonment (PC 236) and conspiracy to commit a crime (PC 182(A)(1)).

Hargesheimer was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of robbery (PC 211), assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(A)(1)), false imprisonment (PC 236), criminal threats (PC 422), vandalism (PC 594(b)(2)(A)) and conspiracy to commit a crime (PC 182(A)(1)).

This case is still under investigation. The third suspect is still outstanding at this time.

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.

November’s election results showed that most of California’s Democratic counties moved further away from President Donald Trump — and the bulk of its Republican counties did too.

With less than 1 million ballots left to count, the 2020 election here was an unsurprisingly blowout for President-elect Joe Biden. In 2016, Democrat Hillary Clinton nabbed 62% of Golden State votes — an 80 year high. Four years later, Biden bested that by garnering 65%.

Biden outpolled the president in 35 of the state’s 58 counties, and racked up a bigger lead than Clinton’s in 27 of them. Two rural inland counties — Butte and Inyo — flipped from Trump in 2016 to Biden in 2020.

Lassen County was the Trumpiest county in the state in 2016 and maintained that distinction in 2020. It was followed closely by Modoc.

More than 200 miles to the west and on the opposite end of the political spectrum, San Francisco once again came in as the most Trump-resistant county, followed by its northern neighbor, Marin.

Counties also come in very different sizes, which means a map can mislead: Democratic Los Angeles County has a population about 3,000 times larger than Trump-backing Sierra County. And in bluer-than-blue San Francisco, Biden’s 73% performance relative to Clinton’s 76% isn’t exactly a coup for the president.

Nonetheless a county-by-county look offers a telling look at how California’s political allegiances and voting patterns have shifted around in the intervening four years.

Imperial County experienced the largest shift in top-of-the-ticket voting behavior between 2016 and 2020. Four years ago, only a quarter of voters in California’s most southeasterly county backed Trump. This year, the president picked up more than 35%.

The reason that’s notable: More than 80% of Imperial County’s population identifies as Latino, which makes it the most heavily Latino county in the state. From the tip of Florida, along the Texas-Mexico border all the way to Calexico, Trump outperformed his 2016 numbers in many Latino-majority regions of the country. It’s still too early to explain exactly why this happened, but it’s a national phenomenon and California seems to be part of it.

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Via the Post It, CalMatters political reporter Ben Christopher shares frequent updates from the (socially distanced) 2020 campaign trail. CALmatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

 

Dorothy Mae Moon-Lincoln

Born May 6, 1936,
Died November 13, 2020

Our beloved Dorothy ‘Dolly’ Lincoln went to be with her heavenly father on November 13th, at the age of 84. She was the most loving, generous, kindest person and will be forever missed.

Dorothy Mae Moon was born on May 6th, 1936, in Hoopa to Charlie Moon and Myrtle Nixon Moon. One of Dolly’s fondest childhood memories was when her father would play his fiddle. The Moon kids would all dance and enjoy the music.

In 1952, she married Lawrence’ Dud’ Orcutt, and they had three sons, Larry, Mike and Kevin Orcutt. She married Warren Lincoln in 1970 and relocated to Hoquiam, Washington, where they were both employed by the BIA. She maintained lifelong friendships and was always ready for a road trip to Washington with Kevin’s family.

Dolly was a talented and bright person. She often reminisced about graduating early from Hoopa High School (1952) at sixteen years old and was one of the earliest recipients of a Hoopa Tribal scholarship. She was a proud Hoopa Valley Tribal member who loved her culture, and people.

Dolly touched everyone she knew in deep and profound ways. She helped raise her siblings after their father passed on at an early age. During that time, she developed a love of cooking, canning, sewing, gardening, and crocheting. Dolly was a very independent, fierce, and talented lady. She was an accomplished seamstress that loved fabrics, Dolly was always dressed to the nines. Over the years, many ladies would come to her in a state of panic to alter a prom or wedding dress at the last minute, and she repaired them to perfection.

Most importantly, she believed in the spirit of reciprocity. She was always blessing someone with her famous delicious homemade treats or a beautiful crochet blanket. She never came to visit empty-handed or left without a smile and prayer. She was a force that loved justice, fairness, and fellowship. She was a lifelong member of the Church of the Mountains and Baptist church, which she often attended.

Besides working for the BIA and Hoopa Valley Tribe for many years, she always kept busy growing a vegetable garden and gorgeous flowers. In her late 60s, Dolly finally retired after experiencing some respiratory issues, and she received a diagnosis that would leave her homebound and using an oxygen machine. Dolly believed in miracles and prayer. She always seemed to defy the odds and bounce back. She spent the next decade speeding around in her PT Cruiser (Woody) and living her best life. A life that did not require the aid of an oxygen machine.

Some of her happiest times were visiting Israel and traveling. Dolly fondly recalled traveling to Canada with her brother Leland to see Benny Hinn. She always spoke of the healing and miracles they experienced on their spiritual journeys together. We will forever remember her stories, twinkling eyes, million-dollar smile, and heart of pure gold.

Dolly leaves behind her sons, Larry Orcutt and his wife Judy, Mike Orcutt and his wife Vivienna, and Kevin Orcutt. She is survived by her grandchildren David, Amber, Peggy, Presley, OniRose, Bruzzy, Tanya, Luke, Ilene, Katie, Cynthia, Stephanie, and many great-grandchildren. Her dear brothers, Melvin’ Buddy” Moon (Carol), Clyde Moon (Donna), Fred Moon (Carmen), her sister-in-law Billee Moon-Horne, her brother-in-law Nick Mercado, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her beloved parents Charlie and Myrtle Moon, her brothers Joe, Leland, Richard Moon, her sisters Delores Mercado and Idell Brock, sisters-in-law Tiny and Frances Moon, and daughter-in-law Janine Orcutt.

The family would like to thank Dr. Eva Smith and the staff at Kimaw Medical Center for giving her such excellent care. Also, George Moon, Claudette McManus, Merdi Lewis, Marlene Jarnaghan, Austin Blake, Josh, and Uncle Carl for all that you did for her. Finally, thanks to her cousin, Sister Janice Yerton.

Services: The viewing will be Thursday, November 19th, at Paul’s Chapel in Arcata, followed by a wake at 7 p.m. at her residence. George ‘Portie’ Blake will officiate graveside services on Friday, November 20th, at 10 a.m. at the Moon Family Cemetery on Pine Creek Road. 

Pall Bearers: George Moon, Junior Moon, Richard Moon, Mark McManus, Hootie Lewis, Merlin Moon, David Orcutt, Luke Orcutt, Bruzzy Orcutt, Josh Chum, Gabe Moon, Jonathan Burnett, Austin Blake, Carl Colegrove, Jesse Burnett Sr., Perry Lincoln, Damon Cross, Aaron Cross, Mike Te’odecki, Guy Baldy, John Armand, Raymond Moon, Josh McManus, Brandon Lewis, Dave Lewis, Ryan McManus, Caden McManus.

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On Sunday, November 1st, 2020, Judith Ann Hartman passed away at age 75.

Judy was born on April 14, 1945, in South San Francisco to June and Albert Hartman Jr. She lived in Eureka for most of her life, attending Grant Elementary, Eureka Junior High, and graduating from Eureka Senior High in 1963. Judy went on to attend Santa Rosa Community and College of the Redwoods, where she studied business and physical education. She played volleyball and softball while at college and was inducted into the College of the Redwoods Athletic Hall of Fame.

Judy worked most of her career as a bookkeeper for the family business, Rockin’ R Meat Company. She became an avid bowler, even serving as the director of the California Women’s Bowling Association and the Humboldt Women’s Bowling Association president. Judy devoted her time to teaching young people how to bowl through organizations like the Junior Bowling Association. She loved sports. If you were a 49ers, Warriors, or San Francisco Giants fan, you had a friend in Judy.

The best lives are the ones lived in service to others. When a person walks the earth, focused not on what they can accomplish for themselves, but what they can do for others, it is a remarkable thing. Judy lived a remarkable life. Anyone who knew her well knew that she was a person of deep kindness, generosity, and compassion. Judy lived a life of service. For 55 years, she was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Eureka. She sang in the choir as a young adult and served as a deacon for 8+ years. She helped lead vacation Bible schools and was quick to volunteer at any event that needed an extra hand.

Her commitment to service and supporting the most vulnerable was also evident in her faithful volunteering for 25 years with the American Cancer Society, primarily through selling See’s Candy at the Discovery shop and working with Relay for Life. Judy also devoted 35 years of her life to serving women, children, the deaf, and those hard of hearing through Quota International. She served as president of the local Quota International club and traveled globally through her involvement. At the end of our lives, we are remembered not by what we collected for ourselves, but by what we gave away. In this way, Judy lived a full and successful life. She will be missed by the many friends she made along the way, but celebrated in all that she gave and all that she meant to others.

Judy is preceded in death by her father, Albert Hartman Jr, her mother, June Hartman, her brother Robert Hartman, and her companion and close friend of 30 years, Diane Keehn. She leaves behind her sisters Deborah Hartman, Lesley Gentry, and Lisa Mielke, as well as her brothers-in-law, George Gentry and John Mielke, and her sister-in-law, Jackie Hartman. She will be missed by her nieces and nephews, including Mollie and Rob Teames, Anna Hartman, Kim Massei, Anjulissa and Brad McCabe, Christine Mizer, Shane and Diana Mizer, Jeffrey and Leshele Mielke, Matthew and Ashley Mielke, Alison and Edgardo Ruiz Madrid, Geoff and Katie Gentry, and Jonathan Gentry. Judy will also be missed by her numerous great-nieces and nephews.

It has been said that we are loved into our futures. Love pulls us and shapes us into the people that we become. Judy, in every respect, loved her family and friends, and through that love brought out the best in each of us. We pray that her rest is peaceful and ask that the Lord accept His forever faithful servant, Judith.

If you’d like to make a donation, please consider giving to the American Cancer Society on behalf of Judith Ann Hartman.

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