“Oh Lord, your ocean is so big and my ship is so small.”

Commander Calvin Marshall Weil, US Navy (retired), was born April 22, 1926 and passed away April 12, 2024 peacefully. He traveled the world with his family thanks to the Navy and after retiring in Morocco settled in San Diego, later to move to Fortuna in 2010 with his wife, Daphne, to be near his daughter, Jennifer Fairbanks, and her husband, Jim, and their three children — Kyle, Jackson and Caroline.

Calvin served in the combat zones of World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He enlisted at the age of 17, which was rare at the time. Through the Navy he graduated high school, got a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. His specialty was telecommunications.

He is survived by his daughter, Jennifer Fairbanks, and sons Lawrence Weil and Edward Weil (Maureen); grandchildren Kyle Fairbanks, Caroline Fairbanks, Jackson Fairbanks, Douglas Weil (Claire), Lynn Weil (Brandon) and Grace Weil. In addition he is survived by his great-granddaughter Ellie.

Last but not least he is survived by his beloved pug, Sadie Mae Fairbanks. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

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At today’s meeting, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to scrap the county’s long-planned jail expansion and rehabilitation project due to funding constraints. 

The proposed four-story facility, known as the “Community Corrections Re-Entry Resource Center,” would have housed a 44-bed minimum-security unit and rehabilitation services for current inmates, as well as out-of-custody re-entry programming to help formerly incarcerated individuals successfully transition back into society. The center would have also provided administrative spaces for the county’s Day Reporting Center and Probation Department, the Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

“The concept of the project was that there would be minimum security housing for guests that were being ready to be released, as well as training rooms and … programs to help offenders stay out of jail,” said Jake Johnson, the county’s construction manager for capital projects. “But also, to provide programs on kind of an ‘outpatient’ basis for people to come back … and learn skills and learn how to interview for jobs.”

Sheriff William “Billy” Honsal said the resource center would have helped free up space in the jail for higher-security inmates who, prior to California’s Criminal Justice Realignment legislation, AB 109 and AB 117, would have been sent to state prison.

Honsal | Screenshot

“There’s been a huge impact on our county jail,” he said. “County jails are designed for those public nuisance type issues [and] misdemeanors that were never meant to serve beyond one year in county jail. … But as we’ve seen across the state with public safety realignment is that severe, serious and violent felonies and … offenses are being sentenced to county jails for longer than a year, and our county jails are not designed to house people beyond a year.”

In 2015, the county was awarded $20 million from the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) to build the new resource center. The county selected Chico-based architectural and engineering firm Nichols, Melberg, & Rossetto to draw up the designs for the project, which then went to various state agencies for an extensive review process. 

In February 2023, the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to put the project – estimated at $22 million – out for bids. A few months later, the county received a base bid of $34.9 million – approximately $13 million over budget – from Woodland-based general contractor Broward Builders, Inc. 

“So given that number, we had some internal discussions with the [County Administrative Office] … and it was determined that the money for awarding that bid was just not available at the time,” Johnson said. “We talked to our designers and we tried to see if there is a way that we could reimagine the project and redesign it to get us back down into our budget.”

They looked at the possibility of scaling down the center and making it “more of a halfway house scenario,” Johnson said, but doing so would have changed the “scope” of the project and risk the $20 million funding award. “The costs were still going to be about $9 million that we would need to add to the project to make this work.”

Johnson presented several options to the board but ultimately recommended that the board reject the aforementioned bid and terminate the project.

Supervisor and Board Chair Rex Bohn asked what would happen if the board opted to redesign the project, noting that there are “other counties that are sitting on the same problem that we’re having.”

Honsal said he wrote a letter to state Senator Mike McGuire’s Office requesting additional state funding but was unsuccessful. “Unfortunately, where the state is right now, you know, we’re not going to probably get any kind of relief that way,” he said. 

Supervisor Steve Madrone thanked Honsal for making the board’s decision a little easier, but noted that “it certainly doesn’t solve the issue of reentry.”

“[S]o many people out there in our community actually respond pretty well to being in a program where there are sideboards … even if they’re incarcerated,” Madrone continued. “I absolutely believe in that concept – and I know we don’t have nearly enough of it – but I don’t see how we come up with [the funds] to make this happen. … I appreciate all the hard work to try and look at every avenue to try and do this.”

Supervisor Natalie Arroyo acknowledged that the county has already spent approximately $2.3 million on the project. “Have any of those [funds gone toward] site preparation work or anything … that can be used in the future? Or on-site studies or anything like that?” she asked. “I’m trying to find a silver lining here.”

Honsal said some of the money went toward brownfield studies and lot line adjustments. “Let’s just say, [if] money became available for mental health facility and we co-located the Day Reporting Center and a mental health facility, that could be a possibility for that location,” he said.

Arroyo made a motion to move forward with staff’s recommendation to terminate the project. The motion was seconded by Supervisor Michelle Bushnell who thanked staff for their time spent on the plans.

The motion passed 4-0, with Supervisor Mike Wilson absent.

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Check back tomorrow for more coverage of today’s Board of Supervisors meeting.

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When it comes to lowdown, scummy crimes, you’d be hard pressed to beat this: Credit card thieves being thwarted by enhanced security measures like smart chips have recently switched their marks to people who use CalFresh/CalWORKS EBT cards, meaning these lowlifes are stealing from some of the state’s neediest residents.

CalFresh, the state’s version of the program formerly known as Food Stamps, helps low-income households in California buy food with benefits distributed monthly through electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards, which work like debit cards. 

California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) functions similarly, with welfare recipients getting their benefits automatically loaded onto their EBT cards each month.

Over the last five years or so, scammers have employed a variety of tricks to steal EBT card benefits, including hidden cameras and “skimmers”: electronic devices placed over credit card terminals to steal account numbers and pins.

A local CalFresh worker who asked to remain anonymous told the Outpost via email that there has been a dramatic uptick this month in clients reporting missing benefits.

One client, for example, came into the office assuming he needed to turn in a new form or resolve some technical issue because he hadn’t received his April benefits. 

“He had,” the local worker told us, “but they had been skimmed – over $600, his monthly [CalFresh] allotment, [was stolen] on April 1st at 9 a.m., the day his benefits issued.

Monique Upshaw-Smith, social services program manager II with the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services, said that while EBT card theft is being seen across the country and the state, there has been a noticeable uptick in Humboldt County this month.

“As a county, we were seeing around 15 to 25 cases of electronic theft a month,” Upshaw-Smith said via email. “At the beginning of April there was an increase.” The local CalFresh worker said the Eureka office could be getting five to 30 reports of skimmed benefits per day.

“Another thing that made this month different was that the benefits were being stolen on the person’s issuance day,” Upshaw-Smith said.

Theresa Mier, a spokesperson for the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), said EBT skimming didn’t emerge as a serious trend until late 2021, around the time most major credit cards started employing security chip technology.

As seen in the graph below, rates of such theft (and associated reimbursement) have skyrocketed since then to more than $10 million in taxpayer money per month.

According to a recent CalMatters story, in early 2020 the CDSS planned to hire investigators to focus on EBT theft while, separately, county welfare fraud investigators asked the department to add security chips to EBT cards, but neither occurred.

Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration committed to making California the first state to issue chip-enabled EBT cards, but implementation has been delayed more than once. Asked specifically when chip cards will be issued, Mier’s statement simply says implementation is expected to commence later this year.

“Additionally,” her statement says, “the Department continues to work with local, state, and federal law enforcement authorities to mitigate the theft of EBT benefits by blocking suspicious transactions, identifying potential perpetrators, and locating where skimmers have been placed. Multiple investigations are currently ongoing and arrests have been made.”

The department also produced the following public service announcement:

Upshaw-Smith had this advice for local victims of theft:

If an individual suspects their benefits have been stolen, they can call, come into a DHHS office or use BenefitsCal.com to submit a request for replacement benefits and have their EBT card canceled and replaced. They can also call the EBT hotline number listed on the back of their card to make a report and get a new card issued but they still need to contact the county or use BenefitsCal to submit the replacement request.

People can also use the ebtEDGE website or app to view their balance and transaction history and freeze or unfreeze their card, block out-of-state usage and order replacement cards. ebtEDGE is operated by our EBT vendor and is the only officially approved app for California EBT cardholders.

The state also has an EBT Customer Service Line at (877) 328-9677, which recipients can use to cancel their EBT card and request a new one.

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On 4/23/2024 at about 9:30 a.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a residence on Shale Lane in Kneeland for a report of a robbery that had just occurred.

Deputies contacted the elderly victim and learned through their investigation that Socorro Cervantes had forced entry into his home. Cervantes then demanded money from the victim while threatening him. Cervantes stole a small amount of cash and other household items before fleeing the scene prior to deputy arrival.   

At about 10:00 a.m., the HCSO received a call regarding a female driving erratically in the 7800 block of Myrtle Avenue. The vehicle matched the description of the vehicle Cervantes had fled the Kneeland area in. When deputies arrived in the area, they learned through a witness statement that Cervantes had stolen tools from a residence in the area prior to fleeing again.

At about 10:30 a.m., a deputy in the area of Myrtle Avenue and Indianola Road observed Cervantes driving south on Myrtle Avenue. The deputy attempted to conduct a traffic enforcement stop on Cervantes, but she failed to yield. A short pursuit ensued, in which time Cervantes threw a glass bottle out the window at the pursuing deputy. Ultimately, Cervantes came to a stop in the parking lot of a business at the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Freshwater Road. Cervantes complied with deputies and was taken into custody safely.     

Cervantes was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of 460(A) P.C.; Burglary, 211 P.C.; Robbery, 368(D)(1) P.C.; Theft from Elder, 496 P.C.; Possession of Stolen Property, 2800.1 V.C.; Evading Peace Officer, 588 PC; Throwing Items in a Roadway to Cause Damage.

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.

Cal Poly Humboldt students continue to occupy campus buildings Tuesday, following last night’s clash between pro-Palestinian protesters and numerous local law enforcement agencies. The collision of worldviews has led to the cancellation of all the day’s scheduled classes and on-campus events. 

One such event: CPH’s Critical Race, Gender & Sexuality Studies Department (CRGS) was set to kick off its annual Hip Hop Conference today. The three-day event was supposed to be an opportunity to “create space for the Black and Brown diaspora in Humboldt to build community, and learn about the important cultural and sociopolitical history of hip hop.”

This year’s conference was to be highlighted by a Tuesday evening key note address in the Van Duzer Theatre by none other than Public Enemy frontman and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Chuck D. The events of last night, however, have made his appearance impossible. This morning, people who had registered for free tickets to the event received an email from CRGS, containing the following message:

In light of current events on Cal Poly Humboldt’s campus, we are searching for an off-campus alternative location. This event is not currently canceled and we will update everyone as soon as possible.

A few hours later, a second email announced that Chuck D’s appearance, as well as the remainder of this year’s Hip Hop Conference, have simply been canceled. “Thank you for your understanding,” the second email states. 

Press release from the Macdonald family:

Benbow Inn owners John and Teresa Porter, along with their partners, the Macdonald family, are thrilled to announce a new chapter in the rich history of the iconic 98-year-old Inn.

Effective May 1, Jill Macdonald, Polly Endert (Macdonald) and Sally Macdonald will acquire the Porters’ interest in the Southern Humboldt landmark and become the sole owners.

In 2020, Jack Macdonald passed away, leaving his ownership to his daughters, who then became partners with the Porters. For more than three decades, this partnership has dutifully served as proprietors, making it the longest-standing stewardship among all the owners of the Inn, even surpassing the Benbows themselves. The Macdonalds are eager to continue the stewardship of this remarkable property.

John and Teresa Porter.

Originally established in 1926 by the Benbow family, the Inn has remained a beacon of hospitality, attracting travelers from across the globe. Under the tenure of John and Teresa Porter, and their partnership with the Macdonald family, the Benbow Inn has thrived as a cherished destination, preserving its rich heritage while embracing the evolution of modern hospitality.

“John and Teresa Porter have established a legacy property cherished by travelers from near and far,” said the girls, “As new owners, we’re enthusiastic about preserving the rich traditions of our past while propelling our Inn into an exciting future. We grew up in the Humboldt County lodging industry and are thrilled to unveil new and unique experiences for our guests, showcasing the distinctive charm of our Inn and community.”

To commemorate this transition, the Benbow Inn cordially invites friends, patrons, and community members to a reception honoring John and Teresa Porter on Wednesday, May 1st, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. The event will take place in the upper lobby of the Benbow Historic Inn, beverages and hors d’oeuvres provided. Special room rates will be available for attendees.

For further inquiries and information, please contact Jenny Early at 707-223-2332.

The morning after. Video/photos: Andrew Goff

UPDATED, 12:06 p.m.:

Cal Poly Humboldt issued the following press release, which notes that three protesters were arrested last night and a second building has been occupied.

Protestors continue to occupy Siemens Hall, an academic and administrative building on the campus of Cal Poly Humboldt.

Three protesters were arrested overnight stemming from the occupation and confrontation with law enforcement both inside and outside the building. 

Dozens of protestors remain inside Siemens Hall. Through the evening, they barricaded every entrance to the building with furniture, creating a hazardous situation for protestors inside. 

An unknown number of students have occupied another building in the area.

The University is concerned about the safety of the students who remain in the building, and has been  asking the students to remain open to dialogue around a peaceful resolution. 

The University supports free speech through open dialogue that is respectful and constructive. There are many avenues and options to express views that don’t involve disrupting operations and vandalizing campus, which interferes with the campus community’s rights to a safe and peaceful environment. 

University police continue to closely monitor an evolving situation. The University has had strategic meetings with law enforcement and fire officials about the health and safety of those barricading themselves inside the building.

The campus community is advised to avoid the area of the building.

On Monday night, the University announced that the campus will be closed through Wednesday, April 24 for the safety of the campus community. Buildings are locked down and limited campus services, such as Dining, are available.

At 4:50 p.m., University Police received reports of dozens of protesters occupying the first and second floors of Siemens Hall.

Classes in Siemens Hall were canceled. Students and faculty of five courses that were in progress and employees inside were evacuated. The building was shut down after protesters began disrupting classes and University operations, and vandalizing University property.

They blocked entrances and elevators with tents and at one point shut doors using chains and zip ties at various locations, violating fire codes and creating extreme safety hazards for those inside. Protestors were given multiple warnings and opportunities to exit the building voluntarily.

Those who are able to work remotely have been directed to continue to do so. In-person classes and activities are transitioning to remote where possible. Instructors are posting course updates online.

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Original post:

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PREVIOUSLY: 

• (UPDATING) Major Pro-Palestine Protests at Cal Poly Humboldt Provoke Massive Police Response; Protesters Occupy Siemens Hall; Reports of Violent Force Between Activists and Law Enforcement

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The campus of Cal Poly Humboldt remains closed Tuesday morning following yesterday’s major pro-Palestinian student demonstration and occupation of Siemens Hall. A massive response from multiple regional law enforcement agencies eventually led to the violent confrontation seen in the video above.

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A message posted to the university website says, “The campus will continue to be closed through Wednesday, April 24 for the safety of the campus community as protestors continue occupying Siemens Hall. Buildings are locked down and key cards will not work.”

It’s unclear how many students are inside, but since last night the entrances to Siemens Hall have been barricaded, as seen in the photos below.

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At least one protester was arrested at the scene last night by the Cal Poly Humboldt University Police Department and booked into jail for resisting arrest and trespassing.

The people behind the Instagram account @humboldtforpalestine posted the following statement this morning:

Calling on all students and community members! The occupation by Cal Poly Humboldt students is still ongoing and they need your support. Yesterday they and those showing up to be witnesses were met with violence by UPD and APD. This is a peaceful protest and the students would like it to stay that way. Our collective community power demanded the police to leave and they did. Let’s continue to show up to protect these students as they demand that Cal Poly Humboldt divest from “israeli” occupation and the ongoing genocide. Go to the campus as soon as you can!

Student demands:

We will not negotiate us leaving until they divest. After that is met, then we will have further demands. But we are not leaving or moving or talking until they have completely divested from israel.

Keep the momentum going, but stay focused. The liberation of Palestine is the focal point of this work at this time. Divest, sanction, embargo “israel.” Free Palestine from the river to the sea.

*to be clear, this was not a protest organized by Humboldt for Palestine, but is an organic CPH student organizing movement. We are a trusted community collective of organizers for amplifying their demands.

[CLARIFICATION: The person/people behind the @humboldtforpalestine Instagram account are not formally involved in the protest and occupation, as explained in a post from Tuesday evening, which read, in part, “While we stand in solidarity with the students of CPH who have taken this action, we want to make it clear that Humboldt for Palestine was not a part of the planning or execution of this action, and that we do not represent or speak on behalf of this student led movement.]

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The Outpost will continue updating this story as it develops.