Dao Vang
September 3, 1991- December 4, 2024

Dao Vang, born on September 3, 1991, to Kia Vang and Ia Yang, passed away unexpectedly on December 4, 2024, at the age of 33, surrounded by the love of his family and friends. Born and raised in Eureka, Dao attended Eureka High School, where he found joy in playing football and building lifelong friendships. He continued his education at the College of the Redwoods, earning his associate’s degree and making his family proud. Dao married his high school sweetheart, Xee Lee, in 2011. Together, they shared 16 beautiful years of love and partnership, raising three wonderful children: Vivian, Vincent and Winston. Dao cherished his role as a father and embraced every opportunity to guide his children through life’s lessons. With great anticipation, Dao and Xee were expecting their fourth child in January 2025 but his life was tragically cut short far too soon.

Dao’s life was defined by kindness, laughter and a deep love for those around him. He brought light and warmth to every moment and left an indelible mark on all who knew him. Dao was known for his uplifting and positive spirit, bringing joy and inspiration to everyone around him. He found his greatest happiness in spending time with his wife and children, whether through laughter-filled family gatherings, playful jokes, or heartfelt moments of connection. His love extended beyond his immediate family, as he made friends across all generations, from children to elders.

A man of boundless generosity, Dao was always the first to offer a helping hand to anyone in need. In his free time, he could often be found outdoors, fishing with his children, hunting alongside his brothers and brothers-in-law, or heading out to sea to go crabbing with friends and family. His presence wil be deeply missed, but his spirit will live on in the memories and hearts of those he touched

Dao is lovingly survived by his devoted wife, Xee Lee; and his children, Vivian Vang, Vincent Vang and Winston Vang. He is also survived by his parents, Kia Vang and Ia Yang, as well as his five siblings: Tong Vang, Nhia Vang, Nancy Vang, Sandy Vang and Xia Vang. Dao’s legacy of love and kindness will forever live on in the hearts of his family and all who knew him.

A Hmong traditional funeral ceremony will be held at Redwood Acres Fairground Franceschi Hall in Eureka on December 21st- 23rd, 2024. Dao’s burial ceremony will precede afterward on December 23, 2024, at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Grants Pass, Oregon.

Dao’s warmth, love and unwavering dedication to those he cared for will forever remain in the hearts of all who knew him. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly accepts donations to Dao’s Vang Family Go FundMe account at this link .

A very special thank you to the dedicated staff, nurses and medical doctors of St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka, who so lovingly cared for Dao during his last few days. Thank you for your understanding and accommodating family members who traveled near and far to be by his side, offering prayers and support. Your acceptance of these visits and consideration of the Hmong culture’s end-of-life rituals have shown us so much empathy and respect. Your acceptance of these traditions and compassion did not go unnoticed and will remain in our hearts forever.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Dao Vang’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.

Karen Lynn Hunter (Hughes)
July 18, 1954 – December 12, 2024

Our beloved wife, daughter, mother and grandmother, Karen Lynn Hunter (Hughes), of Eureka, lost her six-year battle with cancer on Thursday, December 12. Her husband, Dennis, was by her side.

Karen was born on July 18, 1954, in Scotia, to Barney and Janice Hughes. She grew up in Humboldt County and graduated from Fortuna High School in 1972.

Karen worked in administration and accounting for the Times-Standard and Redwood Equipment Company before starting her career at Cox Communications Humboldt (Suddenlink) for over 20 years. She also served on the Board of the Humboldt County Office of Education for six years.

Karen had a strong belief in giving back to her community. She spent 18 years by her husband’s side during Easter Seals Telethons and had a five-year involvement in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. She and her husband joined the Eureka Elks Lodge in 2013, where she was an active volunteer for several years. She was awarded the Eureka Elks Lodge’s Mother of the Year in 2023 and served on the Lodge’s Board of Trustees.

She loved creating greeting cards, reading and listening to her favorite music. She was a true Jimmy Buffett “Parrott Head.” Karen also love traveling. She and her husband had the opportunity to cruise throughout Europe, Mexico and cruised twice to Alaska. Her favorite place on the planet was on Trinity Lake, where she spent her summers aboard the family’s houseboat, “Summer Breeze.”

Karen is survived by her devoted husband, Dennis. She is also survived by her mother, Janice Hughes, her brother, Kenneth Hughes, and our blended family: her children Yvonne (Chris) Evenson and Alex (Meadow Bell) Johnson and stepdaughters Pamela (Chris) Payne and Michelle (Raul) Ruelas; eight grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and her four-legged canine children, Buster and Posey.

The family would like to thank Hospice of Humboldt and Dr. Thomas Rydz for their excellent care.

A celebration of life will be held at the Eureka Elks Lodge at a later date.

It is with deep sadness and love that the DeMello family announces the passing of Joseph DeMello, a cherished husband, father, grandfather and uncle. Joseph passed away peacefully on November 20, 2024, surrounded by the love of his family. His presence was a quiet strength for all who knew him, and he will be profoundly missed.

Born in Arcata on April 24, 1932, to Frank and Maria DeMello, Joseph was raised on the family ranch on West End Road. He was the youngest of six siblings, with three brothers and two sisters, all of whom were part of a hardworking ranching family in the Arcata bottoms.

Joe was not only a dedicated worker in the lumber industry, where he spent many years before retiring, but also a great community member with many dear friends. His warm, genuine nature and the best laugh anyone could remember made a lasting impression on all who knew him.

He leaves behind his beloved wife of 74 years, June; his son, Dennis, and his wife Lynn; his grandchildren, Troy DeMello, Maren Goodman, Melissa Kaiser, and Jaret DeMello; and their families which include their spouses and 9 great grandchildren; his brother in law Mike Stover, his nieces Rhonda Hampton, Debbie Stover, Dana Francis, and nephews Ryan and Matt Stover.

He will be missed by many, and his legacy of love, laughter, and quiet strength will continue to live on in all who were fortunate to know him. A Mass in his honor will be held at St. Mary Church, 1690 Janes Road, Arcata, on Saturday, January 4, 2025, at 11 a.m., followed by a Celebration of Life at the Elk Lodge, 445 Herrick Avenue, Eureka at 1:30 p.m. All are welcome to join in any or all parts of the celebrations as we honor and remember Joe.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Joe DeMello’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.

Nearly 7 million adults in California lack a college degree — and they typically make less money as a result. Today, standing in a welding classroom at Shasta College, a community college in Redding, Gov. Gavin Newsom presented an outline of the state’s Master Plan for Career Education. He said the plan will overhaul the state’s convoluted job training programs and help get adults “the benefit of a life well-lived without some fancy degree.”

One focus of the new plan is on translating students’ work experience into college credits. It’s already a priority for California’s 116 community colleges, which have a goal to provide at least 250,000 students with college credits for certain kinds of work experience.

In a press release, Newsom said the state would put more money into this goal and that he would roll out a new kind of transcript, known as a “Career Passport,” to help workers showcase both their academic and professional know-how. The new “Career Passports” would also help increase the number of apprentices — a key goal of his administration — according to the press release.

The jobs plan also continues a years-long effort to make state employment more accessible to adults without college degrees. Research shows these adults often have the right skills, even if they lack the right diploma. In an executive order last August, Newsom asked the California Department of Human Resources to move faster — catching up with efforts that other states have already made.

“California’s been a leader in that space and we’re going to continue to lead in that space,” he said in Redding today, after noting the state has already removed education requirements from about 30,000 jobs. He said he plans to remove requirements from more than 30,000 new jobs in the next year.

Still, it’s just a fraction of the state’s total workforce. This year, the Legislature failed to pass a bill by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, a San Ramon Democrat, that would have gone much further, making college degree requirements an exception rather than the norm. Camille Travis, a spokesperson for the state’s human resources department, said the bill would have forced the state to re-evaluate the qualifications of roughly 200,000 state jobs.

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

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Dec. 12, 2024, deputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) served two search warrants to investigate illegal cannabis sales at a smoke and glass shop in the 2200 block of 4^th St. in Eureka and an apartment in the 800 block of Bayside Rd. in Arcata.

The service of these warrants was a part of a multi-week investigation of the illegal sale of cannabis products to minors at a retail location. Additionally, this location did not possess the required county permit and state license to sell cannabis commercially. During this operation, a juvenile employed by the business sold illegal cannabis product to an underage decoy.

During the service of the warrants, deputies seized hundreds of illegal cannabis products which were available for purchase at the business location. At the time of the search warrants, no arrests were made. This investigation is still ongoing, and the case will be forwarded to the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office for review.

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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Several readers contacted us recently to ask why U.S. Coast Guard Station Humboldt Bay — a.k.a. the Humboldt Bay Life-Saving Station, located on the North Jetty — has been wrapped in white plastic for weeks on end. 

Is it being fumigated for insects? Is there some sort of biohazard underneath? OMG, is E.T. in there? 

We reached out to U.S. Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay for an answer and were put in touch with Chief Warrant Officer Rob Canepa, who gave us the answer. No insects or aliens, we were told, but there is a health hazard involved: lead paint.

“We’re doing a siding project and taking away all of the lead-based siding from 1936,” Canepa said.

Turns out the stately white building still had the original wood siding from when it was constructed, pre-World War II. As such, it contained layers of the lead-based paint that was standard back then.

The federal government banned consumer use of lead-based paint in 1978, but the stuff is still clinging to a lot of older homes. Exposure to even low levels of lead can cause harm, especially in children, and the dust that’s generated in renovations of such old homes is particularly dangerous. 

Canepa told the Outpost that the Coast Guard is replacing all of the doors and windows on Station Humboldt Bay, along with the siding, and repainting it all with lead-free paint.

“They’re also remodeling all of the bathrooms,” he said. Asked why the work is being done in December, he replied, “That’s just the way the contract started.”

But the project is not stagnant. Canepa said there’s work going on underneath the plastic wrap. “But they had to keep the tarp up because it’s so close to the water,” he said.

The project is expected to be completed by summertime.

If you are looking to remove lead-based paint from your own home, here are some pointers on how to do so safely.

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A belated congratulations to the Arcata High Tigers, who won the Division 6-AA state championship over the weekend, defeating Portola 27-21 in overtime.

As usual, Ray Hamill of HumboldtSports.com has the full story on what he declares the greatest night in Arcata sports history. His coverage highlights the exploits of quarterback Luke Lemke, in particular. The junior scored three touchdowns and was named player of the game.

“For much of the night there was little to separate the two schools, neither of which ever led by more than one score and each of which always seemed to find an answer when they needed it,” Hamill reports.

Down in Orange County, home of the Portola Bulldogs, it was a different story. This “tough loss” brought an end to what OCSportsZone.com calls the “best season in school history.” 

Three cheers for the Tigers!